(my replies to a thread on Facebook regarding the idea that pandemic disease is something that 'souls' choose as their way of leaving the earth)

"Every soul chooses its time of birth. Every soul chooses its time and method of death. There are no accidents or untimely deaths. Honor soul's cosmic journey as a powerful being learning lessons." -- from s Facebook thread

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Uh... Not sure I buy all this. There's something about the Holocaust which makes me very nervous about such philosophy.

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All in favor of positive energy, but as Aslan likes to say, there's no telling another's story. Karma is not obvious, it is very subtle, and Quantum Theory shows that everything is accidental... Karma, if anything, has more to do with our reactions (actions/reactions) to random events, than to do with sequential cause and effect.

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S., I have been pondering some of your statements way up near the top. For instance: "all souls experience the effects of either merit karma or demerit karma."

There is nothing in the action of karma that relates to merit or demerit. Karma is like gravity, not like judgement. I think perhaps there is some anthropomorphizing of natural law there.

I'm not so sure, no, in fact I'm quite sure that I wouldn't be so certain about the states of 'souls' between lives, or the 'choices' that 'souls' make. These images may be the experience of an experience, but they are not universal nor absolute.

No teacher can teach that which is. No word can tell it. No experience can be transmitted. No tradition teaches truth.

Thus the sage remains silent, eh?

Nonetheless, the end is the same. Illumination, not illusion. ;-)

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Another thought about karma, in particular, regarding 'choices' which are not 'choices'. Suffering is not always chosen. It may be the 'karma' of those who impose violence, not that of the innocents who suffer it.

After all, that is the core teaching of the christian tradition, no? The guy was blameless, but got nailed anyway. Whose 'karma' was that?

Calvinism is the religion of blaming those who suffer. "If you're poor it's because god hates you, you worthless sinner." etc etc.

New ageism ain't any better, and finally, H1N1 could care less about karma.

So, indeed, we practice compassion and lovingkindness, not for the good karma, but because it raises the boat for everyone.

But wash your hands!

;-)