For those here who believe in reincarnation: what inspired you to believe in reincarnation?
The concept of reincarnation is intriguing to me, which is why I ask.
The concept of reincarnation is intriguing to me, which is why I ask.
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Reincarnation
- Thread starter FreedByte
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Jane_the_Bane
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I can't say I "believe in" reincarnation, but I do not necessarily discount the possibility (even though I consider the "I" a process rather than an essence).
Our "selves", with our hormone-induced moods, experience-and-memory-based identities and language-shaped boundaries are most certainly mortal, though. Whatever may survive from one incarnation to the next is not a sort of immaterial spirit-pilot that looks exactly like who we are now.
Our "selves", with our hormone-induced moods, experience-and-memory-based identities and language-shaped boundaries are most certainly mortal, though. Whatever may survive from one incarnation to the next is not a sort of immaterial spirit-pilot that looks exactly like who we are now.
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There seems to be evidences that support reincarnation, but not concrete enough (or they can't be studied in a way that is bullet proof).
And I do believe life to be an essence, but in that case if one do reincarnate, all the data (memory) will be lost so after reincarnate one won't process any knowledge of the original.
And I do believe life to be an essence, but in that case if one do reincarnate, all the data (memory) will be lost so after reincarnate one won't process any knowledge of the original.
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ananda
Early Buddhist
One of the reasons I believe is because there are many accounts of people who recalled past lives with precise accuracy. It is also said that early Christianity believed in reincarnation, until it was suppressed in the 3rd century onwards.
There is also the idea of ongoing rebirth, even in our day to day existence. Who we are today is not exactly who we were yesterday, or seven years before or hence. It is said that all of our body's cells completely change after seven years. So, to me, rebirth is constantly occurring, and I have no reason to not believe that this cycle will continue past an apparent physical death.
There is also the idea of ongoing rebirth, even in our day to day existence. Who we are today is not exactly who we were yesterday, or seven years before or hence. It is said that all of our body's cells completely change after seven years. So, to me, rebirth is constantly occurring, and I have no reason to not believe that this cycle will continue past an apparent physical death.
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I'm not sure.
I don't believe it in any spiritual sense, but I wouldn't be surprised that what makes us "us" isn't recycled around. Although I highly doubt our memories will travel along.
I don't believe it in any spiritual sense, but I wouldn't be surprised that what makes us "us" isn't recycled around. Although I highly doubt our memories will travel along.
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SoldierOfTheKing
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If one believes, as Eastern mysticism typically teaches, that the physical world is an illusion, "maya" I believe is the term, it follows that physical death is likewise an illusion; it doesn't really change anything. Reincarnation would be seen as axiomatic. The destruction of the physical body simply means the perception of maya from a different angle, i.e. through another physical body.
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...and that our true self, that part of us that is not an illusion, does not die.
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Rubiks
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Doesn't there have to be a continual "self" that exists throughout the reincarnation cycles?
If all were are is matter/energy and no soul, I don't how it really is any different than "cease to exist after death" IMO
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gord44
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not really. the self could not be eternal at all, but the divine aspects or essence of the divine carries forward. so while the little self may cease to exist after death, the true self (God) would carry forward.
I don't really subscribe to reincarnation but thats what I get from it.
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I understand that substance of "self" as an activity of God, of which we all are. Perhaps another way of looking at it using a Christian text which would be the Breath of God as breathed into Adam, whom I view as a symbol for the whole of humanity.
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I am not convinced of it but Origen is said to have believed in it and I see nothing contrary to in in Scripture. Also it makes sense of a few versed like the "better if he had never been born" statement about Judas.
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I am not certain of reincarnation but do see it as a possibility and it explains some of the Biblical Data better than other views.
We have Origen also theorizing the same and the pre-existence of souls which I think is also possible. The two traditonal theories on the origin of the soul, creationism & traducianism, are equally problematic.
I think reincarnation supplies a good resolution to the Judas comment, "better for him if he had never been born."
The usual attempts at resolving this seem weak to me. But if Judas was doomed to become re-incarnated (possibly after suffering great punishment in the non-corporeal state) then Jesus remark makes sense. It would truly have been better if he had not been born as Judas.
Also the question the disciples ask about the man born blind only makes sense if he had lived a past life. when else could he have sinned to deserve his blindness? Not that he did actually receive it as a punishment for past sins, but the fact that they could pose the question indicates that they saw it as a possibility.
Also John the Baptist was Elijah. It does not say that he was like Elijah but that he WAS Elijah.
Additionally, this would posit the proposition that life on earth is equivalent to hell. It is a veil of tears and there is weeping and gnashing of teeth in this life. Perhaps the greatest punishment a soul can experience is to be forced to relive life on earth until such time as they are regenerated by the Spirit and finally redeemed.
I do not see this as conflicting with predestination or divine sovereignty as it is simply another form of post-mortum salvation (a doctrine which all Universalists must subscribe to).
Also, if true it also creates a possible bridge between Universalists and Annihilationists. The "person" of the unsaved individual may be said to be destroyed as his/her memory is wiped and soul is re-incarnated. Thus that person was annihilated and a new person (albeit with that same soul) lives on.
This also allows for a "saved only while in the flesh" theology, which is the prevailing view today among evangelicals. In other words, on this view we could honestly say we believe salvation is only possible in the space of a human lifetime and once someone dies it is too late. They are destroyed. Their soul lives on but in another body as another person.
For these reasons, I find the notion of reincarnation compelling but am not ready to say that i am completely convince. I see it only as a possible explanation for some of the difficulties of universalism. I guess I am taking Origen's position. Which is to say, I see it as possible but not a certainty.
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We have Origen also theorizing the same and the pre-existence of souls which I think is also possible. The two traditonal theories on the origin of the soul, creationism & traducianism, are equally problematic.
I think reincarnation supplies a good resolution to the Judas comment, "better for him if he had never been born."
The usual attempts at resolving this seem weak to me. But if Judas was doomed to become re-incarnated (possibly after suffering great punishment in the non-corporeal state) then Jesus remark makes sense. It would truly have been better if he had not been born as Judas.
Also the question the disciples ask about the man born blind only makes sense if he had lived a past life. when else could he have sinned to deserve his blindness? Not that he did actually receive it as a punishment for past sins, but the fact that they could pose the question indicates that they saw it as a possibility.
Also John the Baptist was Elijah. It does not say that he was like Elijah but that he WAS Elijah.
Additionally, this would posit the proposition that life on earth is equivalent to hell. It is a veil of tears and there is weeping and gnashing of teeth in this life. Perhaps the greatest punishment a soul can experience is to be forced to relive life on earth until such time as they are regenerated by the Spirit and finally redeemed.
I do not see this as conflicting with predestination or divine sovereignty as it is simply another form of post-mortum salvation (a doctrine which all Universalists must subscribe to).
Also, if true it also creates a possible bridge between Universalists and Annihilationists. The "person" of the unsaved individual may be said to be destroyed as his/her memory is wiped and soul is re-incarnated. Thus that person was annihilated and a new person (albeit with that same soul) lives on.
This also allows for a "saved only while in the flesh" theology, which is the prevailing view today among evangelicals. In other words, on this view we could honestly say we believe salvation is only possible in the space of a human lifetime and once someone dies it is too late. They are destroyed. Their soul lives on but in another body as another person.
For these reasons, I find the notion of reincarnation compelling but am not ready to say that i am completely convince. I see it only as a possible explanation for some of the difficulties of universalism. I guess I am taking Origen's position. Which is to say, I see it as possible but not a certainty.
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