This is a guest post from Vanamali Thotapalli, sharing thoughts and views on Karma, Rebirth and Life
Karma and Rebirth is the only logical choice – no more Hell, thank God! This can be proven by the following examples:
A child continues to misbehave in a store despite the admonitions of his parents. Eventually he breaks a product. Do the parents simply forgive the child? Then the child learns nothing. Or do you give him a beating? Use physical violence against a child? In the olden days this was quite common, but today this action might get you jail time! So, what do present-day parents do? Today we talk to the child, make him see why his actions were wrong, have him apologize to the store owner, and then make him do odd jobs to help pay for the cost of the product. This way the child learns the right lesson, imparted by loving parents using non-violent methods. This is essentially Karma and Rebirth in action! If a Hindu were to commit an error but was unable to correct it before his death, he is given another chance to do so in the next life. He is not going to be physically punished, but he is not going to get away with his error either.
A second example: A driver makes an error on the highway resulting in horrific consequences. He dies; the occupants of the other cars survive but endure terrible injuries. They go through multiple surgeries; some of them lose their life-savings and houses, and are forced to live in home-less shelters. Some religions teach that God forgives everyone, but can one be so callous as to enter heaven knowing that the victims of the accident are suffering? This brings to mind some of the henchmen of Hitler who escaped to countries like Argentina and lived a happy life while their victims were left to deal with the pain and suffering.
What if God gave you a choice? Either go to heaven or be reborn and maybe help the victims of the car accident or others in a similar situation? Which option would you choose? For me, honestly, there is only one option. Karma and Rebirth is the only logical choice.
But let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture here – we may never know if Karma and Rebirth can be proven to be occurring – these concepts are teaching us to accept responsibility for our actions, do the right thing! If you made an error, don’t run away, stand your ground, accept responsibility, take the criticism, then go out and take steps to correct the situation! It’s about being held Accountable for our actions – don’t look for the easy way out nor should you ask for one, instead one should be prepared to accept responsibility for our actions and seek to rectify the situation as much as one can.
The concept of Karma and Rebirth also does away with the notion of Hell – a barbaric, abusive place unworthy of God. Evil men like Saddam Hussein and Stalin used to run torture chambers, and we think God uses their brutal methods? God buys love with threats of torture? But if we are uncomfortable with the concept of Hell, then we must do away with Heaven also. It does not make sense for Pedophiles, murderers, Abusers and the like to simply walk into heaven.
Besides, with Rebirth, we get the Greatest Gift of all, the Gift of Life! Over and over again! Not only giving us a chance to rectify past mistakes but to also fulfill desires that we were unable to pursue in a previous life. As we get older, we reflect on our past – the mistakes that were made, the wrong choices made, the wrong associations etc. How many of us wish that we could have a do-over? And that is exactly what God let’s us do with the Gift of Life!
Anyway we look at it, Karma and Rebirth is the only logical choice.
Share your thoughts and comments below on Karma and Rebirth; Vanamali Thotapalli can be reached by email at malipalli@yahoo.com.
.
#1 by JM at November 2nd, 2009
| Quote
that would be pretty AWESOME if we kept on being reborn and also remembered our previous lifetime as well! then it would be logical and VERY helpful, too! I feel if something this important were true it would be a lot more obvious.
perhaps the spirits who roam this earth possess people and continue their work in others, therefore some things in ones life who is so possessed seem to be continuing on account of that illusion?
God is good and God is love as long as one turns to God and not obsess with seeking darkness. God would not punish us for mistake making nor expect us to be perfect, if God “created” us originally and we are lost and astray, God would just want us to seek God, believe in the things God does and be good individuals who are positive to the best of our knowledge.
And if, in this kind of system, God made us only once and made us so “imperfect” surely he would be more merciful than to expect perfection from us in order to attain heaven. Hell would not be a place for “losers” and imperfect people but only those who would never be able to humble themselves as creations of God and who would willingly follow the enemy of God, for whom hell was made.
Since the enemy of God would be the source of all suffering and improper spirits and practices, and God being a good God, God would be obligated to destroy such evil. And on the other hand God would “reward” those who love God with God’s presence.
And evil, being a force that comes from the enemy and which is the pure energy of the enemy (just as good is a force- a force which comes from God), evil itself cannot be taught to be good. A person must abandon their obsession with evil and that does not take many lifetimes but can take only five seconds of their time or less.
#2 by admin at November 2nd, 2009
| Quote
JM
.
Thanks for your detailed comments on this topic. The good vs evil struggle has been there since ages. What are the final consequences – only God knows
#3 by Watch India at January 12th, 2010
| Quote
I believe in Karma, the universal law that your actions are ultimately responsible for the creation of your own destiny.
Even Bible quotes same “The one who sows seeds, harvests a good crop’