One Year® Bible Online Forum

Hello and Welcome,

As a world system, Karma is the law of moral causation. However in the OYB Forums, it is a built-in function that allows a person to award and be awarded points for good forum postings.

The karma points (or cookies as some people call them) are listed next to a posting title. The format looks like this:

Karma: ###

Any member can receive karma at any point while they are a member here once they've made their first post. If you press that button on a person's post, their Karma count will increase by one. Some people call this giving a person a karma cookie.

There is a limit on granting karma. You will find that you can only award a single karma within a six hour period. You will be asked to "Please wait until this timeout period has passed before modifying any person's karma again." So basically that gives you one per day, so plan on using it wisely.

Finally, it is hoped the spirit of karma here at One Year Bible is to show appreciation for a post that a person has made. If you feel that a certain post is above average or especially helpful, then give that person an award with a karma cookie. I hope you find this helpful. Enjoy!

Best Wishes,

Lance Muller

cartoonbug wrote:
Hello and Welcome,



Finally, it is hoped the spirit of karma here at One Year Bible is to show appreciation for a post that a person has made. If you feel that a certain post is above average or especially helpful, then give that person an award with a karma cookie. I hope you find this helpful. Enjoy!

Best Wishes,

Lance Muller

Who is Lance Muller? The "spirit of karma" is vs. God. You are misleading His flock. What happened to my other posts on this issue?

Are you afraid?

Hello Yearling,

I am a fellow member just like you and I do not have the ability of an administrator to delete or block other member postings. You will need to contact the administrator of this forum to determine what the technical problem is.

Since we are some of the early members, I have been working to provide some discussion topics and to help get things rolling for when we have more forum members join at the beginning of the year. This is truly a wonderful opportunity for new readers of the Bible to connect with Christ followers and to discuss the Bible.

Please notice that the One Year Bible Forum is run by the book publisher and that they are using software from a company called Fireboard (See the bottom of this page). It is this company that calls a feature of member content feedback “karma”. This system is to help members recognize both good and bad contributors to the forums.

It is very important to have such a system since there is likely to be tons of posting going on and difficult to monitor. The users will self police the forums to an extent themselves and provide the incentive for posters to have people give them positive feedback.

Now onto my play on words, “the spirit of karma” which was only given to encourage others to reward good contributions and punish bad ones, remembering that it’s a two way proposition. I was in no way advocating Hinduism or karma as a way of life. Anyone within this belief system is lost and needs Christ.

You are quite correct to take a very strong stance against Hinduism, and rightly so. It is enslaving millions of people in a false gospel. However, it would not be unreasonable to state that a certain level of similarity does exist between karma and Christian doctrine. But only the way Jesus provides leads to God the Father and eternal life. Here are the similarities:

Galatians 6:7 (New International Version)
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

The biblical principle that "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" is very closely related to idea of the retribution of positive and negative karma.

The Christian concept of eternal judgment also holds many similarities to the principle of Karma. Both doctrines state that man's works in this life will be rewarded or punished in the next life, or the afterlife. A good summary of the way that Christians will be rewarded is found in 2 Corinthians 5:10.

2 Corinthians 5:10 (New International Version)
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus shows a Karmic like principle. Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receives thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

To summarize, the main similarities between Christian doctrine and Karma, are that both reflect a sense of good and evil, and both believe that eventually evil will be punished and good will be rewarded. Enough on this I think.

Now what may be more of a concern than my faux pas (error) with my play on words is your final remark of “Are you afraid?” I completely support your right to confront me on any spiritual errors, but only in the light of Galatians 6:1.

Galatians 6:1 (New International Version)
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”

Here the apostle Paul defines Christian confrontation as the practice of Spirit-filled believers going to an erring brother in love and helping him to get right with God. This verse formulates a biblical model for Christian confrontation. The verse provides qualifications for the confronter, the purpose of confrontation, and the spirit of confrontation.

The Holy Spirit makes clear who Galatians 6:1 is addressed to all believers. However, consider this caveat. The confronter must be “spiritual.” Galatians 5:16b pictures the person who is spiritual. “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” He is one who “lives in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25) and is “led of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:18). Spirituality is evidenced by the presence of the fruit of the Spirit in one’s life (Gal. 5:22-23) and the absence of the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21).

We should ask the following questions before confronting a brother or sister in Christ. They are based on the fruit of the Spirit. If the answer to any of these questions is “No,” then the potential confronter needs to get things right with God before proceeding with the confrontation.

1. Do I love my brother? Do I care about the emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing of the one I feel led to confront? First Corinthians 13:1-3 shows that a loveless confrontation will irritate, not restore.

2. Does my life evidence joy and peace? Philippians 4:4-7 describes the joy and peace every believer ought to evidence. The person I confront ought not to be able to say, “I don’t want to be miserable like you.”

3. Am I patient, gentle, and willing to do whatever it takes to help my brother? Second Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is . . . longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Do I have this same patience and burden for the one I feel led to confront?

4. Do I believe God can change my brother’s life? Many times people say, “People like him don’t change!” In Matthew 17:19-21, the disciples couldn’t cast out a demon because of unbelief. Do I believe God can help the person I feel led to confront?

This is also illustrating a teaching of our Lord Jesus found in Matthew:

Matthew 7:12 (New International Version)
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

I suspect that you were feeling very frustrated with your postings and felt that somehow I was trying to block you because I was afraid of confrontation. As I said earlier, I am a modest member just like you and don’t have that power. Nor would I use it, since that defeats the whole purpose of this open forum. I am sure that it is the hope of the One Year Bible that this tool is used for the Godly purpose of edifying and benefiting the readers of God’s word.

I sincerely apologize if anyone was mislead by my play on words. I also pray that this posting clears up any misunderstandings on the topic of karma or Christian confrontations.

Sincerely,

Lance Muller

Hello back, Cartoonbug,

Thanks for your reply. The Lord has exposed me greatly in that I have a tendency to be fired up and probably come across too strong over the need to protect brothers and sisters from worldviews (or world system as you call it), that we as Christians should not tolerate. “Being politically correct” if you will.

Holy is to be separated out, not joining in with the world.

You said regarding the use of the word karma, “that it is the company that calls a feature, of member content feedback, “karma”. What I don’t understand is why management, when they reviewed the software before purchase did not require the software company to change the word “karma” to kudos or something else. A Christian with a substantial growth in life should recognize immediately the subtleties of the enemy and refuse to allow this word, which is going to be viewed constantly on the screen. I have to spiritually fight that distraction every time I am on the board. I think “the spirit of karma” is an evil spirit.

You mentioned similarities between karma and Christian doctrine. Most pagan doctrines and/or practices, more often than not, can be traced back to the beliefs, laws and practices of the early patriarchs in the bible. So actually it is the pagans who have copied and then twisted the truth. What is good about using their way? Jesus said, “I am the way.” Hinduism and Buddhism are not the way.

There is a Christian gathering that I know of where the laity actually bows down before wooden idols. When questioned about the practice, their answer is, “Well, its just a reminder, we don’t actually worship it/them.” (Hmmmm.)

Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
1 Cor. 1:20, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

“Are you afraid?” You are right about this comment. It was made in frustration because I had posted twice before on the subject and they never appeared.

I was curt and I apologize for that. However, how could I be sure I was conversing with true Christians when “karma” was being thrown at me at the same time? My automatic reaction was to test the spirits. Herein lies the problem of trying to integrate false religion concepts and practices with ours. Some would call it “fornicating with the world.”

Romans 15:14, “Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”
-PRAISE THE LORD-

Didn’t Jesus teach us to love our enemies and if our enemies harmed us, not to retaliate. Didn’t he say that those who would enter the Kingdom would do so not because they forcibly held an orthodox theology? You will enter his kingdom because you feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, and visit the sick and those in prison. Also Paul teaches that if we say we have the faith that would move a mountain, but if we lacked charity it was worth nothing?

Jesus himself not only taught compassion, but lived it. Compassion shines from almost every page of the gospels. Over and over again we find Jesus saying, "Don't worry," "Don't be afraid." He was constantly attuned to people's feelings. We should be too.

Compassion for Jesus was more than a personal virtue. It was a model for life in a community. The compassion of Christ should enter into the shaping of our online Christian community here at this forum. Compassion, as Jesus teaches it, is to feel as God feels, to act as God acts in a life giving and nourishing way. Compassion becomes the foundation for sharing our lives with others and building a more Godly world. It is a way of relating to others, a way of transforming ourselves and others.

Everyone here needs to be aware that as we post on this website, we are either a living witness to the compassion of Christ, or we detract from the message of God’s love toward us all. There will be many people watching us as a Christian community to see if we are representative of Jesus, or unfortunately give Christians a bad name. Be discerning before you post that you are representing the Kingdom in a righteous way. Please don’t be the cause for another brother or sister to stumble.

gently said,

Rocketman:)

P.S. Let's call them kudos or cookies.. to help a brother. Thanks!

i would like to thank the two of you for being active early posters to the forum.
as the administrator of the board i myself was not crazy about the term karma.
but i do like the idea of showing appreciation to fellow members for contributing.
i will do a bit more investigating to determine what would be involved in changing
the term to something more appropriate....

and let me just clarify that this forum along with the website oneyearbibleonline.com
is not affiliated with Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., the publshers. the website
and forum are a services provided by Thunder Software LLC as noted in the footer
section of the page.

both sites are meant to be tools to be used in conjunction with the book to help build
up the body of christ to further gods kingdom.

just thought that needed to be said. thanks again for your participation.
jeff kusner

Thanks Jeff. I really appreciate your information. I am looking forward to the One Year Bible reading. My spouse and I are very hopeful and looking to the new year as being one we can especially draw closer to God in the knowledge of His eternal purpose.

Thanks

ok i think i got all instances of karma switched to Kudos. do i get some karma for that?

Well Done! You got a Kudo from me! Have a blessed New Year.

A Pilgrim in Progress,

Lance

Praise the Lord!!! Thank you so much.