1. If you perform a good act, but with bad intentions, does it still count as good Karma?
I'd have to say yes. To say no would imply that the "Karmic Force" could know my true intentions and I don't believe that there is some all-knowing force that can delve into my inner machinations. And besides, I'm sure we all have inadvertently performed good acts without even realizing it. In these cases, if you were to assume that INTENT was paramount in determining Karma, then even these unintentional acts would not count as "good" when clearly they result in a favorable outcome. In the end, its the RESULT that supersedes any INTENT............in my humble opinion anyway.
2. If there's an accidental good outcome to something you did, can you count it in your karma column? Is there truly such a thing as an accident?
I guess I partly answered this in Question One when I was speaking of inadvertent "good" acts. The take home message is: Outcome supersedes Intent.
As concerns whether there are true accidents, I guess it depends on what you think an accident "is" ( sorry to go all Clinton on you guys ). I like to think of accidents as a convergence of unforeseen events that result in equally unforeseen consequences. Therefore, if I accidentally perform a "good" karmic act, it really is not the result of my singular act, but rather the convergence of several events at a particular time. Had I performed this act at some other time it would not have the same effect. The "good" act arises out of my being in the right place in the right time. To believe that all karmic acts must be preconceived is irrational as we can never control all the variables the Universe hurls at us daily. Think of it as a bonus point to your "good" Karma Score!
3. What about white lies? Is it bad karma to say something you don't mean--knowing that it's nicer than what you were thinking?
I think white lies are a necessity for society to exist. If everyone went about spouting off what they really thought, we would have Anarchy......or at least more domestic violence. So my answer is that white lies are actually "good" because they foster a more functional society. As concerns Karma, since the white lie functions to make someone feel better or to prevent an unnecessary conflict, it is good, hence the modifier of White. If the lie is told, say, to seed discontent or to shift blame to someone else, then it ceases to become a White lie and becomes its antithesis: the Black lie. Or what we just normally call a lie........
Again, it all comes back to the OUTCOME, not the true INTENT.
4. Is a bad intention at all on the same level as a bad act? (For example, is thinking "I'd like to see him killed," on the same degree as 'pulling an MJ?') Christianity, and some criminal statutes seem to think so, but I don't happen to agree.
Absolutely not. It is human nature to have vicious thoughts from time to time. We are, after all, just highly-evolved animals with millions of years of instinct ingrained in our DNA. However, our social conditioning usually precludes us from acting on these feral and mean-spirited instincts, hi-lighting the importance of CHOICE. Feelings are not altogether controllable or even anticipated, but how we deal with them certainly is.
5. Is it good/bad to stick up for yourself, knowing that doing so will inflict harm on others?
I have to play Scientist here and play the "Survival of the Fittest" card. Sticking up for yourself is a pure act of self-preservation. I do agree with Roy though, that the manner in which you do so is very important to the larger Karmic balance. If you unnecessarily degrade others to elevate someone's view of yourself I should think that to be Bad Karma. If, on the other hand, you are defending yourself on the principles of rational thought and logic, then you get a gold star in the Good Karma column.
6. What obligation, if any, do we all have to look out for each other?
I don't know if we're obliged to help others, but I think we should help others. Once again, I'll play the Darwin card and suggest that ultimately we are all personally responsible for our own well-being, whether that entails relationships, ethics or moral values. I agree with Sage that we NEED to be advocates for those who cannot defend or be advocates for themselves. As far as Karma goes, I do think helping others certainly makes the world a better place and also enriches a person's life experiences. And in that case, Good Karma can be attained. But what about the person who performs good deeds for purely selfish reasons (i.e. to make one's self look better to one's peers)? I still think they can get Good Karma as the OUTCOME is still good, but they have to live with the knowledge that they are, in fact, not being genuinely altruistic. Which goes back to a person being ultimately responsible for their own well-being. Good Karma can be attained in many ways, its our choice on how we get it.
I'd have to say yes. To say no would imply that the "Karmic Force" could know my true intentions and I don't believe that there is some all-knowing force that can delve into my inner machinations. And besides, I'm sure we all have inadvertently performed good acts without even realizing it. In these cases, if you were to assume that INTENT was paramount in determining Karma, then even these unintentional acts would not count as "good" when clearly they result in a favorable outcome. In the end, its the RESULT that supersedes any INTENT............in my humble opinion anyway.
2. If there's an accidental good outcome to something you did, can you count it in your karma column? Is there truly such a thing as an accident?
I guess I partly answered this in Question One when I was speaking of inadvertent "good" acts. The take home message is: Outcome supersedes Intent.
As concerns whether there are true accidents, I guess it depends on what you think an accident "is" ( sorry to go all Clinton on you guys ). I like to think of accidents as a convergence of unforeseen events that result in equally unforeseen consequences. Therefore, if I accidentally perform a "good" karmic act, it really is not the result of my singular act, but rather the convergence of several events at a particular time. Had I performed this act at some other time it would not have the same effect. The "good" act arises out of my being in the right place in the right time. To believe that all karmic acts must be preconceived is irrational as we can never control all the variables the Universe hurls at us daily. Think of it as a bonus point to your "good" Karma Score!
3. What about white lies? Is it bad karma to say something you don't mean--knowing that it's nicer than what you were thinking?
I think white lies are a necessity for society to exist. If everyone went about spouting off what they really thought, we would have Anarchy......or at least more domestic violence. So my answer is that white lies are actually "good" because they foster a more functional society. As concerns Karma, since the white lie functions to make someone feel better or to prevent an unnecessary conflict, it is good, hence the modifier of White. If the lie is told, say, to seed discontent or to shift blame to someone else, then it ceases to become a White lie and becomes its antithesis: the Black lie. Or what we just normally call a lie........
Again, it all comes back to the OUTCOME, not the true INTENT.
4. Is a bad intention at all on the same level as a bad act? (For example, is thinking "I'd like to see him killed," on the same degree as 'pulling an MJ?') Christianity, and some criminal statutes seem to think so, but I don't happen to agree.
Absolutely not. It is human nature to have vicious thoughts from time to time. We are, after all, just highly-evolved animals with millions of years of instinct ingrained in our DNA. However, our social conditioning usually precludes us from acting on these feral and mean-spirited instincts, hi-lighting the importance of CHOICE. Feelings are not altogether controllable or even anticipated, but how we deal with them certainly is.
5. Is it good/bad to stick up for yourself, knowing that doing so will inflict harm on others?
I have to play Scientist here and play the "Survival of the Fittest" card. Sticking up for yourself is a pure act of self-preservation. I do agree with Roy though, that the manner in which you do so is very important to the larger Karmic balance. If you unnecessarily degrade others to elevate someone's view of yourself I should think that to be Bad Karma. If, on the other hand, you are defending yourself on the principles of rational thought and logic, then you get a gold star in the Good Karma column.
6. What obligation, if any, do we all have to look out for each other?
I don't know if we're obliged to help others, but I think we should help others. Once again, I'll play the Darwin card and suggest that ultimately we are all personally responsible for our own well-being, whether that entails relationships, ethics or moral values. I agree with Sage that we NEED to be advocates for those who cannot defend or be advocates for themselves. As far as Karma goes, I do think helping others certainly makes the world a better place and also enriches a person's life experiences. And in that case, Good Karma can be attained. But what about the person who performs good deeds for purely selfish reasons (i.e. to make one's self look better to one's peers)? I still think they can get Good Karma as the OUTCOME is still good, but they have to live with the knowledge that they are, in fact, not being genuinely altruistic. Which goes back to a person being ultimately responsible for their own well-being. Good Karma can be attained in many ways, its our choice on how we get it.
posted by Beaker at
10:31 AM
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