Theos-Talk Archives (December 1998 Message tl00078)

kymsmith@micron.net writes:

>Christine wrote:
>
>>It makes logical sense, if I look
>>at it "scientifically," but it bothers me because it's so unfair!
>
>Actually, to me, karma doesn't make sense logically either.  It is not
>logical to reprimand or correct a child years after he/she has committed
>the unacceptable act.  Why in the world would it make sense to correct a
>person lifetimes after an indiscretion?  People or parents who do such a
>thing would be considered cruel and unfit individuals - why does karma
>escape such an accusation?  Karma can't work unless a person knows just
>what it IS that has caused the current good or bad time in their life.

If we could truly see our past lives it would be a far crueler fate.  Most
find this life enough to cope with, without reliving the cruelties of
Atlantis for example, whether that cruelty be by you or to you.
>
>It's too easy, via karma, to say "I'm so fortunate in this lifetime because
>I was so good in a previous one" or "They are suffering because they were
>slimeballs in their previous life."  Karma reminds me of a Christian
>reaction to alot of things - Christians say in regards to people - "Well,
>they will meet God and be judged and either punished or rewarded.  There is
>nothing I can do."  Karma adherents can say "Well, they will meet their
>karma and be judged accordingly.  There is nothing I can do."  Karma is
>suspiciously akin to the concepts of heaven, purgatory, and hell. If the
>cause of cruelty is ignorance - which I believe it is - I cannot see how
>"punishment" would be the proper recourse.

It is difficult to be sure that all cruelty can be put down to ignorance.
In "The Voice of the Silence," for example: "But even ignorance is better
than Head-learning with no Soul-wisdom to illuminate and guide it."

>
>And besides, personally, I get little thrill out of knowing that someone is
>going to suffer in their next lifetime no matter how base they appear to
>treat others.  If I hope to NOT give a damn over whether someone hurt me in
>this lifetime or not when I die, why should I want karma to give a damn?

Karma is "just" - making for a balance.  To look at it the other way round,
if you did some real injustice to another, would you honestly just want to
get away with it?  Wouldn't you want to set the record straight, put things
right?
On TV, for an example, sometimes  parents who have had their child murdered
(e.g., tortured to death with films taken by the purpatrators of them being
tortured to death) come on to relate their experience 10 years later.  Some
are so utterly tormented by their horrific ideal that even their physical
bodies look tortured too. Others react differently and have a loving outlook.
It would be unjust if there were no law of Karma, and that they would
perhaps never find peace.  It would also seem unjust if in their next life
they were born with the knowledge of the terrible suffering of their past
life, rather than it being hidden for the time being.
You may "hope to NOT give a damn over whether someone hurt me in
this lifetime or not when I die, why should I want karma to give a damn?"
You may hope not to give a damn, but what about everybody else, relations,
family, friends, children, your dog, etc.?  Can you expect them not to give
a damn?
Our (me and you) ignorance of Karma is part of the problem Kym.
Tony

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