If you believe in Karma don't you have to also believe in the afterlife?
348062
Every religion believes in some sort of afterlife. Karma is generally associated with the earth based religions such as Wicca. Wiccans believe your soul is eternal, and the body is a vessel to travel through life. Each time you pass on, you assume a new form. Only when the soul has experienced all that can be experienced, it will stop this cycle and move on to a place called the "Summerlands". Hope this helps a bit.
84706
I dont think people neccessarily need "God"... people just need "something" to believe in. When you think about it, people believe in God because they need a purpose in their life. They need to believe that there is a reason to live...something to look forward to, something to believe in. For some people, its God, for others its buddah, or the Sun.. and for me... its karma. I believe I exist because things happen for a reason... and good things will come to those who do good things. To me, all of those things are the same... its just how people conceptualize them and what they do with it. :)
241017
I don't know a lot about Bible, especially the Catholic one, but I agree believe it feels better to believe that heaven exists than not to believe. It doesn't have to be true, the important thing is that it makes you feel better. You believe God exists (or some people believe), you believe love exists, friendship, compassion, hate, anger, all these things are here only psychologically, you don't see them, you can't prove their existence, still you probably believe in them. It's nice to believe in good things.
1084252
I noticed people become more believing when they get older...I think for a lot of people the thought that when you die, you cease to exist is difficult to comprehend, so there must be a God overseeing the afterlife...
399843
Jews do believe in Heaven (for the most part) But do not believe in Hell.\n\nBut there is no mention of an afterlife in Torah and it is accepted that performing Mitzvot (good deeds) should not be for the attainment of rewards in the after life.\n\nJews approach the afterlife with hope but feel we have an extraordinary opportunity to live life in the present, and to make it special and worthwhile.\n\nIn other word we like to think there is one, but we know we have this life so let's not squander it.
32478
First of all, MAN wrote the bible based on his interpretation - not God.  So how do we really know what the truth is??  Everyone can have their own opinion on where you go after you die, but bottom line is, you'll never know until you die.\n\nI personally believe in reincarnation to some extent.  I also believe that we create our own heaven or hell here in this existence, by being as good as we can - otherwise known as KARMA.
24969
I personally do not.\n\nInterestingly, to two oldest religions, Hinduism and Judaism, both have a belief in reincarnation.
907499
I am so sorry that you and your friend have to experience this tragic incident :(\n\nDont know if you believe in Karma but sometimes it is just a persons time to go, even if it is in a tragic way. Karma can still continue from the mistakes of your past life. Hope my beliefs dont conflict with yours.
908666
Believing is one thing.  Knowing is another.  As most people have said in here, yes you can believe in whatever you want.  That doesn't make it the truth.  And NO, not everyone has to believe in something.  What everyone should have is the knowledge of the truth and the openmindedness to receive the truth.  Not mumbo jumbo from books that you just accept as your truth.
228775
I truely believe in reicarnation. i think we have lessons to learn and have to come back again and again , until we have learnt those lessons. Its all to do with Karma .
549039
Don't confuse not believing in a god with being for or against a god.\nIf you don't believe in a god, you can't believe in a heaven or a hell.
1166926
There's nothing called past life or karma. i dont believe in them.
625354
The idea of Karma is linked to the idea of "good guys finish last".  Frankly, I wish good guys would finish FIRST, just so everyone could see that being good really IS the way to go, so the world would be made a good and happy place instead of having to cheat your way through life if you want to be successful from Square One. :S
422637
Yes I do believe in ghosts... If there is life before death, there has to be life after death - YIN-YANG....
587194
I'm sorry to hear about your friend, as well as the others who have died. That's rough.\n\n(We had an incident here a month ago where an 8th grade girl was killed crossing the street at night walking home from a dance. Some of the kids witnessed it, and the community was shaken by the whole thing. It was just so unexpected, and seemingly unfair.)\n\nAs you can see from the earlier answers here, people disagree tremendously on whether an afterlife exists, and what it might be like if it does.\n\nDeath is a hard reality that we all must come to grips with eventually. The fact is simply that, like it or not, we all have to die, and we don't quite know (in any sort of way that can be "proven") what waits for us on the other side until after the fact. \n\nOh, we can firmly believe certain things about life after death, but it's still a matter of faith for everyone concerned.\n\nYour belief about an afterlife really is going to hinge on what you choose to believe about this world, who God is (if you decide he exists), what sort of relationship you could have with him, and how that relationship could come into being. \n\n[Based on my life experience and what I see to make the most sense, I do believe in an afterlife, God, and human souls who will be close to each other after death. Heaven's not a trophy or an amusement park reward like it is often portrayed ("Believe the right thing, and win the big prize!"), it's being close to all the people who have learned how to truly love others and God ahead of themselves... a place where you can be completely open because you know you are safe and accepted.] \n\nI wish I could give you a clear answer. What I can give you instead is a bit of direction: If you're worried about death and whether your loved ones will still be around for you afterwards, I would start with the search for God. The answer to that riddle for you will greatly determine what you believe about death.\n\nDon't be scared to search and explore, and enjoy life as you go in the meanwhile. Death is a hard thing to deal with, true; but when we accept it as simply a reality, we can live life in the moment without worrying about it.
808916
Our understanding of the afterlife is so very limited.  I think the common threads throughout many of the religions points to a similar outcome that is probably independant of spiritual flavour.  Our personal spiritual tradition gives us a way of comprehending an incomprehensible concept.
692937
No!\n\nReincarnation will be based entirely on your Karma.\n\nJesus called it reaping what you sew.\n\nHindu teachings are similar. If you a cruel to an animal, you may come back as that.\n\nUnfortunately the Bible of Christendom is somewhat lacking in some of the information was left out. Other books that were left out indicated that reincarnation was true. In some of the mystic Jewish teaching it says that god will pluck you up and replant you many times to make you perfect.\n\nTo those who do not believe in reincarnation ... better look at Jesus. Did he NOT PREVIOUSLY EXIST? If he did not reincarnate, the Bible and his teaching are lies.