reincarnation

Reincarnation is held to be true only in the empirical sense (among Hindus).

Hindus talk about an absolute sense where even incarnation does not take place.

Reincarnation is such a natural belief. I believed in it as a kid, I wondered why I was born who I was, and it was hard to conceive non-existence. Under a natural pretence non-existence is never known, because to not exist is to be 100% unconscious, therefore you wouldn't be aware of your non-existence. So either existance is in one life, or new life comes, or I guess the other alternative is the Christian view of eternal life with God, or eternal damnation away from God. Whatever it may be I think without knowledge of such ends one must put faith into their current life as being the only important life they know.

Yes, I believe reincarnation is a fact and is part of God's plan for souls that have fallen into the Material Universe(s). Anyone who has 'remembered' a past life will know this. It is no coincidence that the greatest esoteric traditions of east and west, like the Jewish Kabbalah and the Vedic Tradition speak of the reality of reincarnation.

Reincarnation is actually a very deep topic, that deals with karma, psychic impressions/desires left on the subtle mind, and the reason souls have incarnated into the material universe, to begin with. If you read the Parable of the Prodigal Son you will understand man's predicament.

The Ultimate Goal as stated in the Bhagavad Gita (and other scriptures) is to end this cycle of death and rebirth and return to the pure spiritual world (which lies beyond the physical and astral afterlife realms). However, this desire only comes after many births and deaths, and will not be seen in what the gnostics called 'hylic' humanity. Those enchanted with the temporary pleasures of this world, those Prodigals who have just wandered into the far country, will not seek to return to the Father's House in this lifetime. Yet this does not mean they are eternally damned! What it means is they do not meet the qualification to enter the pure spiritual world, because they are still within the snare of material desires, and thus, must still go around on the Wheel of Samsara. Revelation 3:12 addresses this, as the first poster quoted.

The soul is wandering thru the Physical and Astral worlds, because of God-given Free Will and its need to explore duality and (perceived) separation from God. As one becomes more and more disillusioned with Maya and temporary pleasures, then they will seek the Supreme Reality, the realm of Sat-Chit-Ananda (Truth, Consciousness and Bliss). This desire is the foundation of all yoga practices and genuine spiritual seeking.

Hi all,

I have been somewhat on the fence about the concept of reincarnation as I have gleaned from schools and teachers that have been both for or against the concept. Pilosophically the concept is feasible in certain contexts such as the souls eternal progress and whatever it takes for a soul to evolve, experience, advance, develop...if indeed this takes multiple life experiences...whether this includes a physical body or not. To me what is most important is to know the 'immortality of the soul'(so to speak) and after this physical body is shed....the soul will continue in some kind of form/body...continuing its journey as long as God grants the soul existence/sentient life/consciousness.


One of issues that many current evangelical traditional christians have against reincarnation is that it conflicts with their concept/belief of 'resurrection'. - this belief includes mortals only living one life(incarnation) and then dying...then being resurrected to be judged at which point souls will either go to heaven or hell. - all souls are resurrected to appear before the judgment of God....but only the righteous or the saved will enjoy eternal life in a newly resurrected, glorified body. - there is no continual cycles of reincarnating. They would also say that if souls just keep reincarnating until they are purified or become attuned to God...then what need was it for Jesus to die for their sins to redeem them back to God?(the 'atonement' of Jesus would seem invalid or futile). Also the concept of a mass dispensational Ressurection of souls (known as a yet future event - the 'resurrection at the last day') would not hold if souls are continually being recycled into physical bodies as part of their 'salvation' and eternal progression. So reincarnation seemed to annul or dismiss Jesus so called atoning death as souls are free to atone for their own sins thru the wheel of reincarnation/karmic law. This was perhaps one of the reasons why the church orthodoxy was against it.


Finally I think the concept philosophically is valid relative to the fact that souls follow along a path of eternal progress which includes multiple experiences (be these in spiritual or matter-ial bodies). At some point the concept becomes 'cosmetic' and is not so much a dogma per se. I am sure God will provide any and all bodies necessary for the continuing experience of souls so they may fulfill the purpose of their being. Even if souls never re-embody back into physical bodies such as we experience now....there is plenty of space in the spiritual realms or abodes in the Fathers infinite Universe...for souls to continue their journey Godward and to the highest celestial realms.




paul