It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
a reply to: Dark Ghost
Do you think it is possible that the concept of Karma was created to serve a similar purpose as the concept of Hell?
originally posted by: Dark Ghost
Although I view the concept of Karma as being more logical and closer to truth than I do the concept of Hell, I cannot shake off the feeling that both schools of thought were designed to mislead and deceive humans from truth.
originally posted by: 727Sky
...There are several different interpolations of the Buddhist teachings much like any religion and the one I am slightly familiar with it is said you have 7 lives to attain the knowledge for the next plain of existence if you do everything right.... If not then you are reborn until you get it right ..
originally posted by: Dark Ghost
a reply to: 727Sky
But isn't this "all living things have a life which you have no right to interfere with" idea also inherently flawed?
Are bacteria not living things? How many bacteria are we responsible for killing when we wash our hands or walk down to the shop?
Let me first state that I don't think the concept of Karma and the concept of Hell are similar, but rather the purpose for their existence: to instil fear and doubt in adherents, in an effort to get them to behave in certain ways, to make them easier to control.
[I]Dark Ghost[/I] Many Western religions have successfully utilised the concept of "Hell" over the years to control their adherents - scaring followers by stating their souls will end up in an eternal state of suffering if they take part in undesirable behaviour or fail to take part in desirable behaviour.
[I]Dark Ghost[/I] Many Eastern religions have successfully utilised the concept of "Karma" over the years to control their adherents - making them believe that they are doomed to a never-ending cycle of reincarnations unless they can settle their Karmic debt, which takes the form of behaving in certain ways and not behaving in others.
Although I view the concept of Karma as being more logical and closer to truth than I do the concept of Hell, I cannot shake off the feeling that both schools of thought were designed to mislead and deceive humans from truth.
Do you think it is possible that the concept of Karma was created to serve a similar purpose as the concept of Hell?
Your statement there shows your knowledge of eastern religion and philosophy is more limited than my own. You should read up on Jainism. They care very much for preservation of all life including bacteria. They sometimes wear masks attempting not to breathe in microscopic lifeforms. They may also have a fruitarian diet because vegetables are living things while fruits and nuts and theblike are only biproducts. It is a very OCD like faith in these regards.
originally posted by: Dark Ghost
a reply to: 727Sky
But isn't this "all living things have a life which you have no right to interfere with" idea also inherently flawed?
Are bacteria not living things? How many bacteria are we responsible for killing when we wash our hands or walk down to the shop?
Your statement there shows your knowledge of eastern religion and philosophy is more limited than my own. You should read up on Jainism. They care very much for preservation of all life including bacteria. They sometimes wear masks attempting not to breathe in microscopic lifeforms. They may also have a fruitarian diet because vegetables are living things while fruits and nuts and theblike are only biproducts. It is a very OCD like faith in these regards.