Can Karma Be Seen As A Scapegoat For One's Actions?
Judy Ramsook
April 09, 2006
Payback or retribution can be a strange thing. It might not always return or be doled out in the form that most people expect it to, then there is the matter of karma. People who subscribe to this concept, believe they need to be cautious with what they do in life, who they hurt and how.
For, those karma believers think most or all of their wrong doings will eventually return to haunt them, be it in this life or another. As one dwells on the karma thing though, is it sometimes seen as a sort of scapegoat for things or deeds committed?
Let’s say for instance, some one was sexually abused when he or she was merely four years old. A staunch believer of karma might counter with, well maybe such an individual committed a similar act to some one else in a previous life when the victim of the act was the same age.
It may seem like a cold way of viewing the situation, doesn’t it? It certainly puts a different way of looking at that person and or his or her actions, if nothing else.
Similarly, if some one dies in spite of his or her age, through whatever cause or action, said karma believer might answer with maybe it was just his or her time. At such emotional occasions, people need comfort, so if such an explanation provides comfort to the bereaved, then so be it.
What if some one is struggling through his or her life to achieve success but fails no matter how hard he or she tries. Does this also mean that he or she did bad things in a previous life that his constant struggle in this one is what he deserves? Doesn’t that karmic explanation seem to be an easy way out though?
If so, can karma be the answer to why bad things happen to good people? Maybe in a previous life, those good people were bad and having not so good things happen to them in this life is karma’s way of reminding them of that?
What about the persons among us who succeed no matter what? Does that mean that they did not commit too many wrongful acts in a past life?
It might be, depending on what one believes. If one is a firm believer in karma, then that can be the ultimate comfort zone and symbolic scapegoat for when something goes horribly wrong or good in his or her life.
No matter how hard most people try to do the right things, they will make at least one mistake in life that could offset what they are trying to achieve.
When that occurs, is the time most persons will start questioning their faith and or karma. Karma that could be the comforting answer to whatever is hurting them, symbolic scapegoat or not.
For, those karma believers think most or all of their wrong doings will eventually return to haunt them, be it in this life or another. As one dwells on the karma thing though, is it sometimes seen as a sort of scapegoat for things or deeds committed?
Let’s say for instance, some one was sexually abused when he or she was merely four years old. A staunch believer of karma might counter with, well maybe such an individual committed a similar act to some one else in a previous life when the victim of the act was the same age.
It may seem like a cold way of viewing the situation, doesn’t it? It certainly puts a different way of looking at that person and or his or her actions, if nothing else.
Similarly, if some one dies in spite of his or her age, through whatever cause or action, said karma believer might answer with maybe it was just his or her time. At such emotional occasions, people need comfort, so if such an explanation provides comfort to the bereaved, then so be it.
What if some one is struggling through his or her life to achieve success but fails no matter how hard he or she tries. Does this also mean that he or she did bad things in a previous life that his constant struggle in this one is what he deserves? Doesn’t that karmic explanation seem to be an easy way out though?
If so, can karma be the answer to why bad things happen to good people? Maybe in a previous life, those good people were bad and having not so good things happen to them in this life is karma’s way of reminding them of that?
What about the persons among us who succeed no matter what? Does that mean that they did not commit too many wrongful acts in a past life?
It might be, depending on what one believes. If one is a firm believer in karma, then that can be the ultimate comfort zone and symbolic scapegoat for when something goes horribly wrong or good in his or her life.
No matter how hard most people try to do the right things, they will make at least one mistake in life that could offset what they are trying to achieve.
When that occurs, is the time most persons will start questioning their faith and or karma. Karma that could be the comforting answer to whatever is hurting them, symbolic scapegoat or not.
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