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The Karma of Jesus

2.9 of 5 stars 2.90 · rating details · 20 ratings · 12 reviews

The Karma of Jesus follows the tradition of bold Christian communicators who dare to borrow pop-culture-friendly language to communicate sacred truth. It explains the relevance of Christ's life using the idea of karma, which maintains an exacting payback for one's actions. Using personal vignettes, as well as stories from history, popular culture, and the Bible, pastor Mar...more

Paperback, 206 pages

Published October 1st 2009 by Bethany House Publishers

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Nov 25, 2009 Michelle rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own, non-fiction, first-reads, abandonned

I won this book free through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

I cannot stomach one more page of this book, so unfortunately my review will be based on the first 58 pages only.

Word to the wise: if you are going to write a book about something, it helps if you take the time to understand it first. Herringshaw's arguments against what he calls "Karma" have very little to do with the ancient philosophy that has been around since thousands of years before Jesus was born. His linear, black and whit...more I won this book free through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

I cannot stomach one more page of this book, so unfortunately my review will be based on the first 58 pages only.

Word to the wise: if you are going to write a book about something, it helps if you take the time to understand it first. Herringshaw's arguments against what he calls "Karma" have very little to do with the ancient philosophy that has been around since thousands of years before Jesus was born. His linear, black and white, God-centric thinking apparently cannot grasp the complexity and context of the real concept of karma. Arrogantly, he writes a chapter explaining how nobody can predict the consequences of their actions (and therefore it is impossible to control one's karma and escape from its "doom"), but at the end of it says with total conviction that for every good thing that comes of an action, at least 3 bad things happen. So nobody can understand consequences, except for him.

Also disturbing is his attempt to tear away the comfort that a recovering addict and street kid has found in the philosophy of karma. I can only guess that eventually this young man breaks down, feels wretched, and then is led to God by the 'compassionate' hand of this pastor.

Herringshaw is under the false impression that karma means the universe "keeps score", and that even well-intentioned mistakes reap horrible torturous consequences back on their maker. He insists that karma dictates a limousine driver will have to pay for everything from WWI through Islamic terrorism. These kinds of hysterical arguments are impossible to take seriously. The universe cannot keep score, because the universe does not make black and white distinctions between good/bad and right/wrong. What is a good outcome for one may be a bad outcome for another. The universe does not judge, does not sit up above us with a score pad. The author's inability to fathom a world without a judgmental overseer shows his lack of imagination and understanding of the context in which karma plays out.

Karma is not an inescapable 'doom' that we need an outside influence to save us from. Herringshaw seems to ignore the fact that Buddhism offers a way out. Of course, this offer does not appeal to him, because he mistakenly represents it as requiring "suppression of desires". I can only imagine the author got this idea from a mistranslation of the Four Noble Truths.

I did not expect a pastor to be unbiased when dealing with an Eastern philosophical concept, but nor did I expect him to be irrational, unreasonable and willfully ignorant. I am disturbed that such a man would waste so much time attempting to argue against the idea of karma, as if it were an affront to everything he believes in. If Herringshaw has convinced himself with his own arguments (levied at his own mistaken idea of Karma), he is suffering under a great deal of ignorance himself. If, on the other hand, this is propaganda, Herringshaw is purposefully using his authority as a pastor to spread misunderstanding and ignorance to his followers.

This review is also available at: http://bit.ly/Z2kTqe (less)

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Dec 21, 2010 Stephen Escalera rated it 1 of 5 stars

"Do we really reap what we sow?"

This question is the basis for Mark Herringshaw's new book, The Karma of Jesus. In mostly conversational dialogue with a young man named Andrew, Herringshaw explores the concept of Karma and how it relates to grace found in Jesus Christ. He gives a brief explanation of the teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism and Greek mythology, showing how each one holds to some form of Karma. Due the small size of the book, Herringshaw obviously doesn't present an in-depth portrayal...more "Do we really reap what we sow?"

This question is the basis for Mark Herringshaw's new book, The Karma of Jesus. In mostly conversational dialogue with a young man named Andrew, Herringshaw explores the concept of Karma and how it relates to grace found in Jesus Christ. He gives a brief explanation of the teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism and Greek mythology, showing how each one holds to some form of Karma. Due the small size of the book, Herringshaw obviously doesn't present an in-depth portrayal of the teachings of each, but overall seems to do a fair job. Throughout the book, he writes in a manner that is very easy to read and follow, using mostly illustrations and stories from his life and the life of others. His narration of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem is especially good. You can sense the expectation of the Jews building, wondering how the grand finale would play out. Towards the end of the book, he outlines the Karma of Jesus in the following way (pp.193-194):

- I reap what I sow - Karma
- I sow trouble; I get trouble.
- If someone lived a perfect life would they have perfect Karma?
- Jesus lived a perfect life.
- He offers to exchange lives with me.
- He takes my trouble--my Karma.
- He gives me his consequences--his Karma. I can accept his offer.

Herringshaw does a fair job of describing not only Jesus taking our "Karma" but also the benefits we get from Jesus, answering the question, "If Jesus gets my Karma, what do I get of his?" In some respects, Herringshaw answers this question well, saying that we get Jesus' abilities to love, to care, to "manifest his attitudes through my body, mind and emotions." He says "I can `channel' Jesus ` patience when that's what I need most." (p.169)

Unfortunately, this is about the only thing that Herringshaw's Karma/grace comparison gets right. There are several very serious errors in the underlying theology of the book. First is the actual comparison between Karma and sin. Herringshaw says, "Karma doesn't obey motives. And it doesn't discriminate. It's not personal; it's cold, calculating mechanics, with no capacity to make an exception. Karma answers with hard-core reality in response to what actually happens" (p.47). This description of Karma does not at all fit the description of sin. When we sin or "do bad things," Karma is simply the universe bringing itself back into balance. The Bible, however, teaches that sin is not something that we do wrong to an impersonal force. Sin is an offense against a holy God and as such the consequences of sin are a very just result meted out by a just and holy God. Herringshaw's comparison of Karma and sin completely misses this point.

The second issue is when Herringshaw gives a brief description of the three "theories of atonement." The first by Origen says that Jesus paid the debt that all humans owe to Satan. The second, put forth by Peter Abelard, says that Jesus' death "inspires us to love in the face of evil," that Jesus' life is the perfect example. (p.129) The third theory as written by Anselm of Canterbury says that Jesus paid man's debt to God himself. Herringshaw gives objections to all three of these theories, concluding with the astonishing statement that "Bottom line...we don't know how Jesus takes bad things out of the world and releases good things in their place." (p.132) His objection to Anselm's theory of atonement is simply that "the Almighty comes off looking like a bloodthirsty sadist or vengeful street gang member who practices child abuse on his own son just to pacify his own anger issues." (p.131-132) Amazingly, Herringshaw does not even attempt to use Scripture to either support or deny any of these theories of atonement. It's as if none of these theories line up with his own set of reasonings regardless of whether or not Scripture supports or denies them. In fact, very little Scriptural support is used throughout much of the entire book, relying more on anecdotes and illustrations. Herringshaw does go one step further, saying "Maybe Jesus' death becomes whatever we expect it to be, or whatever we need him to be. He's a warrior, he's an example, he's an advocate who intercedes for us, and he's all these things all at once. Maybe the power of each role gets activated once we decide based on our own need and act in faith for one or the other." (p.132)

The third issue I have with the book is Herringshaw's borderline denial of the self-sufficiency of God. In discussing creation he says, "God said, `Let there be light...and oceans...and elephants...and man and woman.' Until then, everything was God and God was everything. But Christians believe that when God created, God divided and made things distinct. There's something lonely and dangerous about this, but it makes giving and receiving love possible. How could God love selflessly if God was all there is?" (pp.170-171). In this short quote, Herringshaw has seemingly proposed a pantheistic theology (God is everything and everything is God) that denies the self-sufficiency of God (God needs the creation in order to love.) This is evidenced earlier in the book when Andrew asks the question, "What's in it for him [Jesus]?" Herringshaw's answer not only hints at God's seeming need for his creation, but also points to a man-centered salvation: "You are. I am. Evidently, we're all he really wants out of life." (p.132)

Although Herringshaw's style of writing is very easy to read, the theology beneath the comparison between Karma, sin and grace is incredibly lacking in any Scriptural support. The premise of the book - that we are forgiven based entirely on the grace of God through the death of His Son, Jesus - is one well worth studying. However, this book falls disappointingly far short of that goal.

Thanks to Bethany House for providing a review copy of this book. (less)

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May 09, 2010 Kelly Hager rated it 3 of 5 stars

The basic purpose behind this book is to prove whether you can reconcile the teachings of Jesus with the idea of karma. (Basic answer is yes, but to see how, read the book.)

The book is mostly told through a conversation between Mark (who is a pastor, speaker and author) and Andrew (guy in rehab who has recently turned his life around and is a proponent of karma).

Andrew says that karma is the best way to live your life, because it puts you in charge and holds you accountable. As they converse, in...more

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Nov 26, 2009 Tam Herra rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I am giving this book a lower rating, whether you think it deserves a higher or lower depends you and how you plan to use the information it provides.

If you are the typical, Western, twenty-something, semi-postmodern, who has absorbed a simple understanding of karma from sources in popular culture, you might raise the rating. They will not be aware of the corners that Herringshaw is cutting and will not be phased by the sometimes-adolescent wordings or odd Biblical/theological exegesis in a few...more

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Jan 14, 2010 Jenni rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, owned

I won this book through goodreads back in October. I finally got around to starting it about a month ago. I am not a particularly religious person, so I was hesitant to read this and not sure how I would get through the whole book.
In the beginning of the book, Harringshaw focuses mainly on the karma aspect, we reap what we sow. I learned a few new things about the history of karma that I was previously unaware of. It bothers me how he only explains karma enough to make it seem like it is an ine...more

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Jan 16, 2010 NerdGirlBlogger rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not only did this book read surprisingly well, but the author managed to squeeze in dozens of popular cultural referrences, which is always fun to come across. The book was quite interesting, as the premise of the story is a conversation between two men, one a pastor, the other, a young man who believes in karma, and the great debate they have about Jesus and if karma existed in biblical times.

What goes around, comes around.

The pastor sets off to prove to the young man that in biblical times, Je...more

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Dec 14, 2009 Cat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I really enjoyed reading this book. It has a great converstational tone and is a quick read. The definition of Karma presented by Herringshaw is the one most familiar to Western readers. In my opinion Herringshaw's arguments against Karma are lacking, however his arguments for following Jesus are compelling. Herringshaw presents a personable and personal picture of Jesus. This book is aimed at the reader who is curious about Jesus and the promises he makes to us, someone searching for an answer,...more

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Oct 30, 2009 Gina marked it as to-read

Shelves: first-reads

I won this through first reads and am looking forward to reading it!

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Oct 30, 2009 Jenn marked it as to-read

Shelves: goodreads-first-read-winner

Another book I won off of goodreads!

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Jan 20, 2010 Annemarie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book but I thought there would be more to it. My favorite aspect of the book is that gives a Christian perspective for those of us who love to practice/teach Yoga.

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Feb 28, 2011 Kathy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Just found out that I won this book. How FUN!

Nov 13: Picked up book from Purolator.

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Oct 28, 2009 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Karma.

The concept brings to mind the ‘pay it forward’ idea that was recently made into a movie and the delightfully fun TV show, My Name is Earl. But is it really so simple? Do we truly “reap what we sow” for every single action or thought? Can the concept of Karma, so rooted in Eastern thought and tradition, be combined with Chrisitianity? Is it, in fact, actually present in the teachings of Jesus? These are the questions that author Mark Herringshaw seeks to answer in his book, The Karma of Je...more Karma.

The concept brings to mind the ‘pay it forward’ idea that was recently made into a movie and the delightfully fun TV show, My Name is Earl. But is it really so simple? Do we truly “reap what we sow” for every single action or thought? Can the concept of Karma, so rooted in Eastern thought and tradition, be combined with Chrisitianity? Is it, in fact, actually present in the teachings of Jesus? These are the questions that author Mark Herringshaw seeks to answer in his book, The Karma of Jesus, structured within a conversation he had with a questioning young man.

Getting what we give makes sense on many levels. If we are kind to others, most of them are inclined to be kind back. If we are unkind or rude, they are inclined not to help us when we have need and to snub us when they have that chance.

This basic idea is present in most major religions and is believed to have originated in Shramanic thought. It can be simply described as the belief that past actions have impact on the present and future. Life was seen as the time to ‘get it right’ and each person would be reincarnated to go through many lifetimes until they reached perfection. With correct conduct and behavior, a person may escape the cycle of reincarnation. Buddhism developed from these early Indian beliefs. Siddhartha Gautama was the founder of Buddhism and a follower of Sramana philosophy. In the book of the same name, Siddhartha shows how he tries out each style of belief in an attempt to gain perfection, finally choosing self-denial of all desires in an attempt to gain perfection and end his cycle of reincarnation. It seems that once a follower ends the cycle of reincarnation, he ceases to exist at his death.

Hinduism’s karma is similar. All intentional and unintentional actions, thoughts, and words that produce affect on others produce a person’s individual karma. Each person must suffer the consequences until they have exhausted their store. Some ill effects of karma can be mitigated by the gods (very rarely, but sometimes as a reward for prayer, pilgrimage or worship) or by one’s virtue and good deeds.

In fact, karma is at the root of the most basic questions that Christians and non-Christians struggle with when considering God. They ask, “How can God allow bad things to happen to good people?” The underlying presumption is that if people are good they will get good in their lives. When they are bad, bad things will happen to them. It is essentially the most basic form of karma.

Reincarnation answers the question of why good things happen to bad people and why bad things happen to the good people for Hinduism and Buddhism. It explains that each person’s fate is a direct reaction to the karma they have stored up over their many lifetimes.

Herringshaw reveals that Christianity has a few teachings that somewhat parallel the idea of karma. “You reap what you sow” “As you judge others, so will you be judged” “Treat others as you would have them treat you” and others. However, the main difference is the concept of forgiveness that is present in Christianity and the lack of reincarnation. Christians believe that they can never atone for their wrongdoing of their own accord. How can they ever be ‘good enough’ to cancel out every wrong? And how could they ever know which deeds equaled another? The concept of forgiveness cancels out the idea that all must pay in kind for every wrong action that they have taken, although the natural consequences are not always lifted. Forgiveness cancels the debt that people's wrongdoing has racked up by paying for it with the death of Jesus on the cross. Thus Jesus exchanges his perfect goodness for the evil all mankind has done -- in essence taking our bad karma on himself so that we do not have to pay for our actions with our lives. People enter into this agreement with God with an act of will and it is available to all who ask. The lack of reincarnation makes all people responsible only for their current life. It also gives some urgency to the fact that forgiveness must be attained in the current life, as opposed to the idea that many consequences of your bad actions will be paid for in the next life.

This book gives a clear understanding of a modern American view of both karma and Christianity and seeks to show how they compare and how they differ. It seeks to answer the question of who or what truly rules our lives? God or karma? It also reveals what draws people to both options. I found it to be a very interesting book and one that I would recommend to all interested in the difference between karma and Christianity and the ways each have shaped American culture.(less)

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About Mark Herringshaw

Mark Herringshaw is working with Jennifer Shuchman and together they have authored two books about how we converse with God. Their first book, Six Prayers God Always Answers* (*results may vary) was published by Tyndale in April of 2008. The second, Nine Ways God Always Speaks, was released in April of 2009.

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