Does karma exist?

Discuss.

Are you more referring to the view of karma in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, or New-Age groups?

I was not aware such a variety of viewpoints existed. I only meant to refer to karma maybe in its simplest definition.

Well what would that definition be?

"if you do good things, good things will happen to you — if you do bad things, bad things will happen to you,"

I suppose is the easiest way to put it.

what goes around comes around... ya, i believe in that.
i don't, however, believe in karma as any type of entity that exists with intentions or a schedule. believing in karma is more of a practical lifestyle choice than anything else. so, karma is not proactive in the sense that bad people will receive tangible punishment... or good people will win the lottery... but i still hold out the hope that ultimately, if i do good, good will be done unto me.
now, i don't know about any of the mystical, magical properties of karma... i don't believe in the energy of the universe or cosmic justice or any of that. but the basic idea of karma makes sense to me. its common sense because a lot of it has to do with a person's mindset, and attitude, and the way they treat other people.

if you smile and are optimistic and nice to everyone around you, i feel that it is inevitable that good things will happen to you, even if its just people returning your smile. if you emit a pleasant attitude everywhere you go, people are attracted to that, and more likely to have your best interests in mind.

if you are an asshole, it's inevitable that you'll find yourself in some shitty situations with nobody to lend a hand.

Well, I don't think we get divine help or hindrance for being good or bad, but as WellHelloThere said, if you are a good person, people will be better to you, and if you are a bad person, people will treat you worse and aren't likely to want to help you if you are in trouble. However, I think it's wishful thinking to believe that bad people will get what's coming to them and that good people will always end up on top. That's not always the case. The Holocaust is always a popular example for debates. A lot of good people died horrible deaths there, and a lot of bad people walked free. The man himself ended up dead, but not before he caused all that.

Keep this in mind: whether it be a rock or a grain of sand, in water, they both sink.
-Oldboy

I do.

I believe the universe tends to unfold as it should, as said by that black guy from the jail in Harold And Kumar. But, I believe that to be true. I think there is a balance to all things. When the pendulum swings in favor of one, it will eventually swing in favor of its opposite.


So yea, I believe in karma in some form. The only religion I've ever been able to subscribe to personally is Buddhism. ...I felt like I was going to go off on a rant of some kind here, but nothing's coming to me and I guess I have nothing to say anyway. So, I leave you with this...

I believe the Earth has a balance, and that eventually everything rights itself in the end. What goes up must, in fact, come down, and what goes around comes around. Generally, people get what's coming to them. There are, however, certain exceptions. I mean, if a man has been good all his life and kills his wife... is that still bad? Well, yeah. But is his Karma going to be divine retribution and he's going to be struck down? No, not really. He'll probably go to jail, which is what he'd probably deserve. I'm just saying that what goes up has to come down eventually, and generally people who do good things are good people and reap the rewards, while bad people who do bad things have bad things happen to them because of it.

if karma existed we would all be dead.
So no.