Thanks, Geeta. In a sense you confirm my understanding (I was
not trying to equate the whole OT God, inclusive of the
mercifulness, with karma, but only his "vengeful" attribute)
What struck me is that you say "only in the life of a human being
can he atone for his sins". If s/he doesn't, isn't s/he then
condemned to do it in the next life? Or is the atonement then much
harder?
Do you see what I mean when I muse that the vengefulness of the
Judeo-Christian God seems to be quite similar to the concept of
karma, except that for us, since we don't have reincarnation, it is
the descendants or the community who may be made to atone,
rather than the individual him/herself in another life? Does the
thought sound reasonable to you, or am I missing something? (My
knowledge of Hinduism and Buddhism is not very deep.)
Hinduism and Buddhism don't have any element that parallels the
"mercy" aspect, or the Christian teaching of redemption, do they?
Maybe they don't need to, since they do not have the concept of
eternal condemnation, either.
Barbara
Looking forward to heraing from you!
Barbara
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