Creating Karma

John McCain and Sarah Palin have sunk to a new low, perhaps most succinctly demonstrated by Palin's outrageous lie that Obama thinks so little of his country that he "pals around with terrorists."

So where's John Lennon's instant karma when we need it most?

My first awareness of karma came many years ago. I was working for a music magazine where a record-promotion guy with a taste for cocaine, payola, and threatening the magazine's staff was finally exposed and fired. DeDe Dabney, our R&B editor, strode calmly into my office. "What goes around comes around," she declared, and she walked out.

Belief in karmic justice -- that bad acts will come back to haunt those who commit them -- can be powerful and appealing. The ancient Jains were so fearful of bad karma -- even the inadvertent harming of an insect -- they did their best to remain literally immobile. But then there's George Bush & Co., who seem to have gotten away with eight years of bringing incalculable suffering to the world. Bush is a lame duck with pathetic approval ratings, but who's to say he and his cronies won't amble into mega-rich retirement with arrogance and powers of denial intact? A good Buddhist might argue that their karma will catch up to them in the next life; but a really good Buddhist, trained to reject all received wisdom, would say, "Who knows?"

But what do Buddhists know anyway?

An evangelical pastor kicked off a recent McCain rally by praying to God for a McCain victory lest other religions -- he mentioned Buddhism -- claim their gods are "bigger than You." Note to pastor: Buddhists don't believe in God.

Karma is supposed to be automatic, a kind of self-regulating mechanism. That's one of its apparent attractions -- that the universe weighs, judges, and punishes or rewards.

In reality, karmic justice will only work when lots of people act wisely and skillfully to defeat ignorance and mean-spiritedness. Maybe if enough of us work hard for Obama/Biden and make sure to vote on November 4, then, yes, karma might be said to have won the day. But if we get complacent, the world may have to wait many agonizing lifetimes before karma -- if it's real -- makes things right.

Follow Michael Sigman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/majorsongs

Comments

[Arithrianos]

As a Buddhist i would like to say that whether gods exist or not is NOT IMPORTANT AT ALL. It is not that you have to believe either way, if gods exists, then YOU must walk the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. If gods don't exist then YOU must walk the path. The gods, if they exist, are on their own path of salvation and can't help you. FYI Buddha did say the gods exist, at least as far as any sentient being exists, but he might have been wrong, i don't know.

[Jonahson]

Don't worry about Karma Mike(if I may call you that) the fruit will eventually fall when it is ripe. You won't forget the people you slapped nor will the other guy forget you. The jackal lurks in the shadow of the buffalo waiting for it to weaken. You must have watched to many episodes of Earl to get instant karma like instant coffee.
Buddhism look at the positive side of life about how to help people. Otherwise why do you think those Rinpoche guys keep coming back. It is to help people like Bush to mend their ways. Well maybe not this life. lol.

[BarackMarley]

The instant Karma is right here

CNN just did a show covering Palin's association with the radical Alaskan secessionist group, AKIP

Watch it Here
http://newsone.blackplanet.com/elections/cnn-covers-palins-akip-connection/

[JennyJay]

Little Bush will get his Karma when he moves back to Texas. Everything he has ever done was
to show HIS DADDY HOW GREAT HE IS and that he is not a maximum screw up.
Now he has to go back home in disgrace, with the entire world hating his ugly face.
His father, and all his father's friends have lost fortunes - - thanks to idiot George.
He lost the only thing that mattered to him - dad's approval.
Now that's a Texas size load of Karma

[PeaceOnEarth62]

Here's their karma.

Received my absentee ballot here in California.

Voted for Barack and Joe. Mailed it.

Smack down!! Landslide!!

"It's gonna happen whether you like it or not!" - quote SF mayor.

[cinemaven]

"Bush is a lame duck with pathetic approval ratings, but who's to say he and his cronies won't amble into mega-rich retirement with arrogance and powers of denial intact?"

A mega-rich retirement doesn't mean Karma hasn't caught up with them. Rewards and enrichment are much more than wealth and the Bush team has already run out of the coin of admiration, they've spent all of their credibility and they've squandered the respect even Republicans felt for them.

I know many people who are wealthy but are poor in love, joy, laughter and light. Karma works it's magic in many ways.

[PeaceOnEarth62]

I believe in magic.

[darker]

GOD HAS SPOKEN, and she's FED UP WITH MCCAIN-PALIN.

No more years for corrupt Republican LIARS, war-mongers, war profiteers,
deregulators, disaster profiteers, who want Reaganomics SOCIALISM FOR THE RICH and
corporate welfare queens PAID FOR BY middle class Americans' tax money.

NO THANKS, NO MORE YEARS FOR THE REPUBLICAN DISASTER.
We can't afford Republicans!

Obama-Biden '08

[kapo]

HuffPost's Pick

Nicely said sir.