What word should Catholics use instead of "karma" for a certain kind of situation?

[Maxirad]

CAF members have probably heard some version of the phrase “karma hit him.” What would be a better word to use instead of “karma” for that kind of situation?

 

[oldgraymare2]

I’m thinking of the Bible passage from Galations 6:7:

This is from BibleHub:

New American Standard Bible
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

I believe that many of us also think of this as, “reaping what you sow.”

 

[MaryEstelle2]

Karma can be used as a negative as well as a positive effect. Not sure I would use it as a spiritual concept. It is kind of like sticking your finger in a light socket. You don’t know what the effect will be! I guess I’ll just stay with Christian vocabulary and not try to put a Hindu swerve on what works for me or I may vocalize.

 

[Zaccheus]

I’d go with ‘reaping what you sow’ if I had to describe that idea at all.

 

[thistle]

CAF members have probably heard some version of the phrase “karma hit him.” What would be a better word to use instead of “karma” for that kind of situation?

Karma is directly linked to reincarnation which contradicts Church teachings so it cannot simply be separated out into what goes around comes around.

 

[Seagull]

I know one thing -
If - “ karma “ hits someone -
( I like to consider it, divine justice ) …

DON’T GLOAT !

I learned this very early on - pronto.

But, if I had to use ‘a word’ for karma - “ …

It’d be = chastisement.

 

[PrisonerOfChrist]

CAF members have probably heard some version of the phrase “karma hit him.” What would be a better word to use instead of “karma” for that kind of situation?

Divine justice

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

“Karma” has also entered the general vocabulary and it’s understood by all that if someone uses it they’re not necessarily subscribing to Hindu beliefs. Just say “karma.”

 

[thistle]

“Karma” has also entered the general vocabulary and it’s understood by all that if someone uses it they’re not necessarily subscribing to Hindu beliefs. Just say “karma.”

It’s what it means to the Church and Christianity in general that matters and not how some secular dictionary defines it.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Maxirad:

CAF members have probably heard some version of the phrase “karma hit him.” What would be a better word to use instead of “karma” for that kind of situation?

Karma is directly linked to reincarnation which contradicts Church teachings so it cannot simply be separated out into what goes around comes around.

You are hitting upon a nuance of language. Karma might be defined as that, but it’s meaning to a lay person means something completely different. Used in modern conversation karma as reincarnation has little or nothing to do with karma as restorative justice, placing a good or bad action back in the life of a person.

Urban Dictionary: karma

Look at urban dictionary. It’s a good litmus of how a majority of people think about a word and new, popular slang as it’s developed. For all intents and purposes karma has been redefined and is fine to use.

 

[thistle]

You are hitting upon a nuance of language. Karma might be defined as that, but it’s meaning to a lay person means something completely different. Used in modern conversation karma as reincarnation has little or nothing to do with karma as restorative justice, placing a good or bad action back in the life of a person.

As I said in another post the only meaning of the word that matters is how the Church and Christianity in general view it.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

BoomBoomMancini:

“Karma” has also entered the general vocabulary and it’s understood by all that if someone uses it they’re not necessarily subscribing to Hindu beliefs. Just say “karma.”

It’s what it means to the Church and Christianity in general that matters and not how some secular dictionary defines it.

The meaning of words change. Awful used to mean positive surrender and inspiring wonder. We see “awful power of God” in older religious texts. It’s changed and the original writers were not wrong, neither were we. Language is living.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Xanthippe_Voorhees:

You are hitting upon a nuance of language. Karma might be defined as that, but it’s meaning to a lay person means something completely different. Used in modern conversation karma as reincarnation has little or nothing to do with karma as restorative justice, placing a good or bad action back in the life of a person.

As I said in another post the only meaning of the word that matters is how the Church and Christianity in general view it.

The “church” has not forbidden us to speak words for just that reason, only giving us parameters of worshiping/believing in other religions and fowl language. They understand that language changes. Society is still predominantly Christian if in name only and they are defining it without the original epidemiology.

Look at the Bible in the verses about Noe. It says he “uncovered his feet”. To us that means nothing. To them it was an explicit reference to revealing ones genitalia and having sex.

 

[Zach]

I agree. I don’t care what people think it means now. As a Catholic I will never use the word. There are plenty of other words and phrases we can use for the concept without appropriating a word from an Eastern religion. Plus it reminds me of that horrible John Lennon song.

 

[Sedona]

Karma is simply cause and effect. We don’t have a word for it in the West, so we use the term. Much in the same way as English speaking people use the term deja vu. We have no linguistic tile for that experience in English, so we use it.

 

[angel12]

Most people know what you mean by “karma.” Using the word certainly doesn’t indicate your religion, so there’s no reason not to use it.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Karma is simply cause and effect. We don’t have a word for it in the West, so we use the term. Much in the same way as English speaking people use the term deja vu. We have no linguistic tile for that experience in English, so we use it.

Yes. If anything is bad about it, it’s that it’s a cultural appropriation. Then again, as you point out, many words are.

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

Yeah, no. Context matters. “Karma” in the general lexicon means basically “what goes around comes around.” No one hearing it outside of an explicitly Hindu context thinks it means the speaker is endorsing reincarnation.

I’m just not going to live in this neurotic hamster cage, sorry.

 

[MarthaSo]

Well I actually don’t believe what goes around comes around very often. so I never use it for that reason as a second reason. First being I do associate it with the Hindu belief of karma so I just don’t say it because it’s popular.
If someone went around causing harm to others and was caught by the police Id more likely say “I knew it’d finally catch up with him”. The word karma just doesn’t flow naturally, not anymore but it probably did in the past.

I’ve heard karma used several times in my life by Hindus who believe in karma. I’m not comfortable saying it but if I hear my friend use it in the what goes around comes around context I’m not going to judge them by their choice of words either or wonder if their Hindu. I would hope by me not wanting to say it it wouldn’t be a huge deal either.

 

[Lee1]

If I use it, which is very rarely indeed, I’d be meaning retribution, though this is obviously a narrow meaning.

So thinking about the question in the OP, I’d say retribution or reward perhaps depending on the circumstances.