I understand the concept, Diiogenes, I just don't believe it.
Newton's law - for every action there is an equal, opposite reaction - this is the way science describes the same thing, the reality of karma. Choosing not to believe, having been informed, is like deciding to not believe in / ignoring the reality of gravity. The implications are clear how foolish that would be.
Not anymore. To me, a child is born innocent. Bad things happen to people, I agree, but not necessarily because they are bad, or did bad. You seem to be using the word as a synonym for "destiny."
Not destiny as in we're powerless within that. What we sow, we reap. The idea is simple, the point and its implications, infinitely deep.
I don't want to use a concept of karma to explain all, or accept all, or detach from what happens in the world. The world is not neat like that ... not in my experience. My aim is to live in the world, a part of the world, relationships, humanity.
You're saying you prefer to pretend certain things don't exist because they're inconvenient against what you prefer.
For myself, I examine my participation, conscious or unconscious, in all that befalls me. I don't use the word "karma" in that. Actions having consequences is one thing. An overarching philosophy is another. Many people want such a philosophy, I know I did when I became a BK.
Newton's law is not an overarching philosophy, science has developed many premises based on that all encompassing understanding. Are you going to reduce the ramifications of 'every action ...' to suit you too? It's what you're doing with karma.
Toward the end of my BK period, I spoke to Maureen Chen about karma. She said she couldn't imagine living without conception of this universal truth ... something like that. The concept is absolute to her. Perhaps for you, too, it is an essential part of your world.
I railed against it initially, then saw how foolish that was - trying to reduce the reality to fit my comfort zone. We're all subject to the universal laws, of which karma is one.
I am different. People are different.
And, like it or not, we're all subject to the same laws, whether we choose to acknowledge them or not.
Just because some are certain about their conception of what karma means does not mean it is true, or that I did or did not understand.
You either did not understand, Joel, or you're choosing to be willfully ignorant. Setting up circumstances where you can feel comfortable, because the reality appears too complex or confronting, or won't reduce to your terms, doesn't change the reality. At best, it postpones your experience of it for a while. At worst, your denial will see you unprepared for the consequences of your choice.