One is roughly a form of “divine justice” – this is the Hindu form, sometimes seen in Buddhism. The other is roughly equivalent to what we today would call “game theory” – and this is the form it takes in nontheistic or simply atheistic Buddhism. (And I’m not familiar enough to speak of the Jain understanding.)

The one is compatible. The other isn’t – I’ll leave “which is which” as an strenuous exercise to the reader.

But my only real point – and others do make this: most of our culture “understands” karma only in one context, but more than one context exists. It’s an error to condemn a concept entirely based on just one understanding of it, when there exist two or more – perhaps distinctly – different concepts that use the same word.

where is the evidence for it?

that which is asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof

There may be karma as a (weak) rule of thumb, but not as a law of the universe. Why confuse people with a term that is laden with concepts of magical thinking?

I will gladly agree that my view is one of “weak karma.” I do not believe it is an absolute law because it is an emergent one. It therefore must be probabilistic, which means that not all good deeds will be rewarded and sometimes bad things will happen to good people (and vice versa). It appears that in our universe, karma operates with at least a slight a pro-good-deed bias, though this could be up for debate.

As for terminology, that’s up to the user. If you feel better calling it “Ungullible’s weak causality principle” then go ahead. But I think the word “karma” already means most of what you want it to mean, so why not use the term more people will understand?

A Hindu would tell you that karmic law is enforced by God. A Buddhist would tell you that it’s a law of nature. A Jain would tell you something inbetween. There is enough room in the word “karma” for all these definitions because the differences aren’t enough to warrant a new word.

Maybe Richard’s next letter will be “Can I keep believing in psychics and stay an atheist?” or “Is my belief that Jesus Christ is the Messiah incompatible with my atheism?”

LOL!

Fortunately, no one has asked those yet. The next few letters are more about daily life issues. Also fortunately, I’m not the authority who determines who is and is not an atheist. I just try to clarify the implications of such questions so the questioners can answer them for themselves.

Remember back, those of you who came from a place of gods and souls, when your present views were new to you. Perhaps your convictions were tentative or fragile. Perhaps your ideas were uneven and conflicting. Perhaps you were uneasy and unsettled. Perhaps you were downright scared and distraught.

What could a person as clear as you are now, say to a person as confused as you were then, to encourage you to keep going, to coax you to finally be free of the last of your mind-mist? Maybe some kindly person did that for you, maybe not, but we all have opportunities to comfort and inspire those who are now in that uncomfortable halfway place where we were for a time.

Think of it as (ahem) “good karma,” both earned and delivered in the same moment.

But I wonder if this really means that karma is incompatible with atheism? My gut feelings is that an atheist “shouldn’t” believe in karma, but I’m not sure this is really the case. The only thing truly incompatible with being an atheist is believing in one or more gods. Maybe believing in karma is incompatible with critical thinking about karma, but lots of things fail by that test. I guess you can believe in astrology, psychics, UFOs, or 9-11 conspiracy theories, and still be an atheist.

Gosh, I had no idea so many atheists were concerned with what they’re allowed to believe, as atheists: Ask Richard: Is My Buddhism Suitable for an Atheist?. Maybe Richard’s next letter will be “Can I keep believing in psychics and stay an atheist?” or “Is my belief that Jesus Christ is the Messiah incompatible with my atheism?”