I wish it did and I wish it had a harder edge, the same way I desire to see divine wrath and vengence upon the wicked but I dont so I wonder if God has a different idea about what is deserving of punishment to me.
Mmm, yes, I struggle with this question myself. How come people who are innocent are victimized without justice and people who are wicked carry on without punishment? I don't know. Truly, not a day goes by that this question doesn't come across my mind and dishearten me for at least one second.I wish it did and I wish it had a harder edge, the same way I desire to see divine wrath and vengence upon the wicked but I dont so I wonder if God has a different idea about what is deserving of punishment to me.
I think God has a punishment-when-you-die approach to things. I also think he talks about "karma" for taking care of those matters here on earth.
Edit: ok, i changed judgment to punishment in the above. but if you believe in Christian God (which I think you recall saying you do), then punishment of sin for those saved by Jesus is already done, right?
I'm wondering why you believe God would wish harm upon those who walk astray from his path.
I don't believe in supernatural karma at all, but I think there are negative social consequences (usually) and psychological consequences (always) for mistreating others.
Totally agree.I don't think it's supernatural at all. But how we decide to affect the universe has some small effect in the grand scheme of things. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, if not always readily apparent.
I like Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism and many of their ideas of the universe, but I see them as very scientific religions, less concerned with trying to touch a higher god-power than with realizing universal truth and the oneness of everything. Call that supernatural if you wish, but I think science can back this up. I'm just too stupid and inarticulate to explain it any better.
I see them as very scientific religions.
If you do bad stuff, you will punish yourself for it, during life or when the final judgment comes.
Traditionally, in Eastern religion, karma is only supposed to affect you in the next life, not this one. The original meaning of it is different from the way people interpret it now. I see a connection with the Christian concept that you get rewarded in the Kingdom of Heaven, not here on Earth. The Old Testament has the Book of Job, which suggests that God inflicts misfortune on the righteous and unrighteous alike.
A lot of religions have recognized the fact that people do not often get rewarded for doing the right thing, so this leaves to me an interesting question. In the absence of religion, why do the right thing at all? I'm indifferent to the existence or nonexistence of God... so why do I care so much about doing the right thing? It's obvious to me that you can get away with quite a lot, so why don't I try to?
The only thing I've arrived at is that I do it because it's pleasurable.
Not sure about other traditional eastern religions but this is not so according to Buddhism.
There is Ditta dhamma vedaniya Karma.