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What Goes Around, Comes Around?

Humans by nature are superstitious and often make anything unusual or coincidental as something mystical or supernatural. Some believe that what acts you perform today that may affect someone will one day come back and affect you if not in the same way, in an opposite way or similar way. Do you believe in this concept? Is it thought as part of your religious belief system?

Around Around What

I have always believed that what goes around comes around. It wasn't a religious teaching, but it was something I heard around my home since I was young. Ususally I was told this when someone hurt my feelings, my parents would say that they would get theirs someday. It always made me feel better thinking that the person who hurt me would get hurt themselves someday. I'm not sure I still believe this, there is so much evil in the world that I find it hard to believe that retrobution will eventually come to be. It would be nice to think that evil people like Osama Bin Ladin will pay in kind for what they have done to us.

What Goes Around, Comes Around? Beliefs Religious General

I think it comes more from the observed effect that when we do good or bad things, they have a ripple effect. I think that good things have more of an effect than bad.

A good way of thinking of this is the idea of "casting your bread upon the waters." This idea is that if you do good things, rather than letting someone reward you, you ask them to treat other people the same way. The thought is that eventually, the spreading goodwill and good deeds will come back to help you out when you most need it.

Around Around What

This topic could be really deep if you really give it serious thought. First of all the saying what goes around comes around...think about that for a moment. From a religious standpoint, is that a good statement to make or a bad one to make? Does it encourage thoughts or revenge rather than thoughts of forgiveness? Or, does it help us to put it aside with thoughts of contentment in the knowledge that we don't need to take revenge because they will eventually get their just rewards for their behavior?

In fact, I don't believe the statement to be true or a good one. We like to think that the Lord (or whoever our view of a higher power is) will punish this person for their behavior. If you are christian, you should think again. In my christian religious beliefs, the atonement covers all sin. So, the problem I have struggled with in the past is that the statement about something coming around-going around is that I don't think it is true. Just like I can ask for forgiveness and receive it so can the person who offended me. It isn't really a pleasant thought for me if I dwell on it. Instead, I need to just trust that it is o.k. because I am not perfect either.

Now, it could be that what comes around goes around is true in the sense that even if you believe in the atonement and eternal forgiveness, the consequences associated with ones behavior still exist. So, maybe the consequences of a persons behavior is the what's goes around comes around part and not a punishment meted out by an offended God.

Like I said, if you really want to give this topic some thought, it can really be a deep subject.

Around Around What

Good points Tenaheff. It reminded me of a story our local Priest, Father Al, once told. He had been a chaplin in the service and was stationed in various places. At one time he was stationed near Las Vegas and he remembered a man who came to him for absolution. The man had found out he had terminal cancer and he didn't want to die with the sins he committed on his soul. As Father Al listened to the man he realized that this man was indeed a terrible sinner. He worked for organized crime, he was in fact a hit man. He had killed so many for money that he had lost count. Now faced with his own death he was regretting what he had done. How he asked could someone like him ever be forgiven. Father Al told him the only way was to give away everything he had to the families of his victims. He must rid himself of all the blood money he had. This was the only way to attone for his crimes. The man did what he was told and was left with nothing more than the clothes on his back, he even gave away all his cars to the poor. Father Al then gave him absolution. The man died only a couple weeks later. I guess if someone like him can be forgiven then anyone can. Of course, even though a Priest here on earth forgave him I'm not sure that God would. So I guess with this man what came back around to him was poverty and disease.

What Goes Around, Comes Around?

I am glad you mentioned that, because I firmly believe that only God can forgive sins and men in authority merely give you guidance towards receiving that forgiveness from God.

Now back on topic, I believe that your actions wether physical or spiritual or mental all are connected to an aura not visible by mortal eye but very much so to the unseen. With this aura you are now subject to whatever is attached to it. Thus if you are dark, you attract darkness and if you are full of light you attract things of light and so on.