Theos-Talk Archives (September 1997 Message tl00290)

Tim stated: "... this does not mean that we bear the responsibility for
everything that happens to us."  I reply that it most definitely does.  I
maintain that we live in a perfect universe and it is a non-sequiter that
"bad things happen to good people."  Simple logic dictates that in a perfect
universe "good things happen to good people ... and bad things happen to bad
people."  This is, of course, an extremely simplistic answer and karma is
much more complicated than that.  For instance, what is "good" karma and,
conversely, what is "bad" karma?  Some karma may fall my way that you deem
"bad" and I may (for my own reasons about which you know little or nothing)
deem it "good."  I forget who first said: "Beauty is in the eye of the
beholder" but I believe it to be true, nevertheless.  With respect to the
"Judas analogy" he had free-will and did not have to accept agency for the
karmic consequences that accrued to Jesus.  No more than Hitler had to accept
agency for the karmic consequences that accrued to six million Jews in Europe
during World War II.  Still, in order to protect my <perfect universe>
concept, I am compelled to conclude that all of the individuals involved got
precisely (no more, no less) "what was coming to them."  But never forget
that "karma is an equal opportunity manifester."  If the conditions are
right, it manifests ... and if they aren't right it doesn't.  So agency is a
player in the drama but not the predominant player, i.e. if someone refuses
agency, the karmic consequences will simply manifest sooner or later through
some other agency.  Thus it behooves all of us to be very careful with our
elections of agency ... because we (and nobody else) must bear the ultimate
responsibility for the results (both "good" and "bad") that result from such
elections.  Namaste  - Dennis