Samuel the Lamanite - Karma

At the end of Helaman chapter 14, Samuel the Lamanite talks about agency and the principle of restoration. Speaking of the light and freedom God has given us, Samuel said, "He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you." - Helaman 14: 31.

This is such a core principle, not just of the gospel, but of morality in general, that it appears in virtually every religion in one form or another. Even many non-religious people subscribe to the Golden Rule. The idea of karma is fairly widely accepted, which is fortunate, since it gives people of many religious or philosophical backgrounds something in common.

As strange as it is, the holiday season tends to drive Christians and non-Christians apart. Despite the themes of love and brotherhood which generally prevail this time of year, some people make their celebration of Christmas too aggressive and divisive, while others distance themselves from Christianity, feeling overwhelmed. In times like this, we can try to make peace despite our differences by focussing on our common ground, including the almost universal belief that people generally get what they deserve.

Whether you believe Jesus was born in December or April, whether you believe He has come, and will come again, or hasn't come yet, but will, or whether you do or do not believe in Jesus Christ at all, we can almost all agree that, as Paul told the Galatians, "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." It's one of many commonalities we can hold on to, even when we can hardly help but notice the differences in how and what and whether we celebrate this time of year.