May 09 2008
how to spot a heresy – Karma
We are four posts in with our tour of tips for spotting heresy. Today we get to one that was already mentioned in an earlier comment: Karma.
Karma is the popular notion that we all get what we deserve. The word comes from Hindu philosophy. In Hindu philosophy, the notion of Karma is a detailed and complicated belief about how the world fundamentally works. But when we encounter the notion of Karma is it usually just a sloppy notion that “what does around comes around.” However just because our notion of karma lacks philosophical sophistication does not mean that it lacks power. And it pops up a lot in conversations and books in a way that convinces me that lots of people have some vague belief in karma.
Now, for the purpose of clarity let me explain. It is not karma to recognize that many patterns of behavior have likely consequences. The proverb, “he who lives by the sword will die by the sword” is not promoting karma or divine justice, rather it is recognizing that a violent lifestyle usually has a violent end. In the movies, mafia leaders are occasionally arrested, but most of them are killed long before that happens.
Karma shows up when people offer this assurance, “Don’t worry, they will get what they deserve.” The problem with this is two-fold. First, it is problematic because it contradicts reality. Many people do not get what they deserve. On both sides of the ledger, the world is not fair. Good hard-working people regularly find themselves down and out through no fault of their own. Cheats and liars regularly find themselves doing quite well. Let’s face it, with a few brains, lots of selfishness and no scruples a person can do quite well in this world, and quite often nice guys do finish last. So this first problem is a pragmatic one: People in fact frequently do not get the comeuppance they deserve.
The second problem with teachers and books that promote a karmic perspective is that this directly contradicts the gospel. At the heart of the gospel is the proclamation, “You don’t have to get what you deserve. What you deserve is precisely what is not coming to you in this life, and if you trust God is doesn’t have to come to you in the next life.”
So there is no divine balance that is achieved. Jerks often just go on being jerks and get farther and farther ahead. Crooked politicians retire with fat bank accounts and powerful friends. The rich cheat to get ahead and buy their way out of their crimes with good lawyers. And in the end, some of those same people who cheated to get ahead in life will fall on their face and beg God for mercy and they will be forgiven of all that stuff.
So forget karma. As much I sometimes with it was true in the real world (and not just romantic comedies) it just isn’t. But the good news is one better.
Not karma, but instead grace.
on the walk
-Ethan
This is the one that scares me the most. It is as prevalent as( and similar to ) superstition. People believe there is a one to one relationship between announcing a guy is working on a no-hitter and the next batter getting a hit.
Or… the other day I said we won’t have school because an impending snowstorm. the student begged me to take it back because I was ‘jinxing’ the storm. I responded that they must think was had godlike powers if I had the power to prevent a snowstorm by merely mentioning it.
Karma is terrible because it is so insidious, and easy.
kire
KArma has another facet that parks itself right next to our actions as christians
we do good deeds to gain god’s favor. i turn to him(through deeds) he turns to me(through an increased availability to me in prayer or whatever)
we may not profess that as our motivation outwardly but it sneaks in and goes with us , it puts focus on us rather than him.
karma is a me focused concept and sin is always me focused
even the scripture where jesus says when you have done something kind to the least of these you have done it to me can foster this incorrect perception of the reason we do the deeds.
i think the deeds are supposed to be worship?