in what sense? certain actions tend to have a high probability of either beneficial or detrimental consequences as a matter of direct causality, but that's utterly trivial. saying it's "karma" that if you are kind to others it will increase the likelihood that they will be kind to you is no different that saying it's karma to have a hangover after a drinking binge. any use of karma that transcends this trivial meaning actually steps into the realm of a direct metaphysical claim, and is no less loony than invisible friends etc.
The greater good was in warning innocent people who might have traveled to The Dalles upon your suggestion. Having stopped there numerous times because it was the only gas on my way to somewhere inhabitable, I have already paid my penance for outing it as possibly the worst town in Oregon to live in.
Just because someone has invisible friends does not mean that his/her invisible friends are looney. In fact, most people's invisible friends are quite sane. You just can't see it.
Do I believe that my status in life is a direct result of my actions and choices in a previous life? Do I believe that my purpose in this life is primarily to embrace the station that I was born into and fulfill only that station, never aspiring towards anything different or greater? Do I believe that there is justification for class warfare, for example, that the rich shouldn't share their wealth with the poor because that would only ensure that they would be poor again in their next life? The answer is no. I realize that most of you are talking about the Westernized version of "karma", but that is nothing like the Law of Cause and Effect (Karma) that is described by religious philosophies such as Hinduism.
