Is there a Before Life?

[rocala]

So many people are asking about an afterlife. However it makes just as much sense (to me at least) to wonder if there was anything before. I am particularly interested in the responses from those who follow faiths that do not include reincarnation or rebirth. Non the less all contributions are welcome.

 

[Kueid]

maybe... if we assume that an "current life" exist then we can fairly believe in a "before life" and an "after life". The questions is what is such a thing. For me is hard to say cause I'm figuring out "current life" for now..

 

[Subhankar Zac]

There's no before and after in my view. A soul is like a body that wears new clothing and gets rid of the new ones.
Though the soul never ends or is it destroyed.
Before is same as afterlife, unitied with the cosmic unmanifested form

 

[metis]

I think I had a life before this one but I must have had bad karma because I'm posting here at RF.

 

[Kueid]

I think I had a life before this one but I must have had bad karma because I'm posting here at RF.

that's not a bad thing! humm... i think.. humm... maybe just a little..

 

[Katzpur]

So many people are asking about an afterlife. However it makes just as much sense (to me at least) to wonder if there was anything before. I am particularly interested in the responses from those who follow faiths that do not include reincarnation or rebirth. Non the less all contributions are welcome.

There was recently another thread asking almost exactly the same question, but you may not have noticed it. As a Mormon, I do not believe in reincarnation or that we are reborn as a different person or life form. I do, however, strongly believe in the pre-existence of all human spirits. In other words, I believe that God created the spirits of all of His children (i.e. mankind) and that we lived as spirit beings in His presence prior to our life on earth. This is definitely not re-incarnation. It is simply an existence that each of us experienced prior to when the essence of our life (i.e. our spirit), entered the physical body of a baby, giving it life.

 

[psychoslice]

In my thinking there is only life, before and after are only human concepts.

 

[rocala]

Hi @Katzpur thank you for replying. No I did not see the earlier post, hopefully I will catch up.
Could you elaborate a little please. You referred to our living as

spirit beings in His presence prior to our life on earth.

Is death a return to this or another phase entirely?

 

[Katzpur]

Hi @Katzpur thank you for replying. No I did not see the earlier post, hopefully I will catch up.
Could you elaborate a little please. You referred to our living as
Is death a return to this or another phase entirely?

No, it's progression to an entirely different state. It does like this:

1. God created our spirits out of highly refined matter that was co-existent with Him.
2. We lived in Heaven in God's presence in a state where we were solely spirit.
3. Each spirit entered a human body giving that body life. (This is where we all are now.)
4. The spirit leaves the human body and the body dies.
5. The spirit continues to exist as a cognizant entity, independently of the body in what we call the Spirit World.
6. When Jesus Christ returns to Earth, the bodies of the dead are resurrected, meaning that the spirit that occupied them in life returns to give them life again.
7. The body is made completely new, perfect, and immortal (meaning that his spirit will never leave again) and the person returns to Heaven to be with God again.

If any part of this doesn't make sense, or you'd like me to elaborate further, or clarify in any way, please feel free to ask.

 

[Deeje]

No, it's progression to an entirely different state. It does like this:

1. God created our spirits out of highly refined matter that was co-existent with Him.
2. We lived in Heaven in God's presence in a state where we were solely spirit.
3. Each spirit entered a human body giving that body life. (This is where we all are now.)
4. The spirit leaves the human body and the body dies.
5. The spirit continues to exist as a cognizant entity, independently of the body in what we call the Spirit World.
6. When Jesus Christ returns to Earth, the bodies of the dead are resurrected, meaning that the spirit that occupied them in life returns to give them life again.
7. The body is made completely new, perfect, and immortal (meaning that his spirit will never leave again) and the person returns to Heaven to be with God again.

Do you have any backing for any of these things from the Bible? Did Jews believe this? Did Jesus ever teach it?

If you are a Christian, then you should be able to provide Bible support for this list from the teachings of Christ......no?

 

[Katzpur]

Do you have any backing for any of these things from the Bible? Did Jews believe this? Did Jesus ever teach it?

If you are a Christian, then you should be able to provide Bible support for this list from the teachings of Christ......no?

Ditto. A religious person should be allowed to base his beliefs on any religious texts his own religion uses and not have to stick to only the ones you personally approve of. I would think that would be self-evident. Apparently not.

 

[Katzpur]

So many people are asking about an afterlife. However it makes just as much sense (to me at least) to wonder if there was anything before. I am particularly interested in the responses from those who follow faiths that do not include reincarnation or rebirth. Non the less all contributions are welcome.

What do you believe about this, rocala?

 

[rocala]

What do you believe about this, rocala?

Hello again. For me the Buddhist view is the most convincing. However I have difficulties here and there. I never have been and probably never will be the 100% type of person, I have always got a "but".

 

[Katzpur]

Hello again. For me the Buddhist view is the most convincing. However I have difficulties here and there. I never have been and probably never will be the 100% type of person, I have always got a "but".

I'm afraid I really don't understand the Buddhist view, though. Could you explain it to me?

 

[rocala]

I'm afraid I really don't understand the Buddhist view, though. Could you explain it to me?

I am not really cut out for teaching at this stage of my studies and practice. Here are links to a few short reads that will introduce you to the subject. Should you wish to read further, there are many here on the forum who are very equipped to offer guidance. I hope you enjoy this.

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma5/viewdeath.html

http://www.buddhanet.net/cbp2_f7.htm

http://www.sptimmortalityproject.com/background/buddhist-views-of-the-afterlife/

http://londonbuddhistvihara.org/pubwol.htm

 

[Deeje]

A religious person should be allowed to base his beliefs on any religious texts his own religion uses and not have to stick to only the ones you personally approve of. I would think that would be self-evident. Apparently not.

Since when is it said that I have to approve of your beliefs. Since "Christians" base their beliefs on the teachings of Jesus Christ, as found in the NT as well as sound knowledge of the OT (upon which Jesus based his teachings) then I assume that if you claim to be Christian, you will be able to back up your beliefs from those scriptures....in the case of the LDS.....apparently not.

I believe that there is a big difference between a Christian and a "religious person".

 

[Katzpur]

I am not really cut out for teaching at this stage of my studies and practice. Here are links to a few short reads that will introduce you to the subject. Should you wish to read further, there are many here on the forum who are very equipped to offer guidance. I hope you enjoy this.

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma5/viewdeath.html

http://www.buddhanet.net/cbp2_f7.htm

http://www.sptimmortalityproject.com/background/buddhist-views-of-the-afterlife/

http://londonbuddhistvihara.org/pubwol.htm

Thanks, rocala. I'll check them out.

 

[Peter Stone]

Yes my mom was and dad where doing something before my life. Hope this helps

 

[Katzpur]

Since when is it said that I have to approve of your beliefs. Since "Christians" base their beliefs on the teachings of Jesus Christ, as found in the NT as well as sound knowledge of the OT (upon which Jesus based his teachings) then I assume that if you claim to be Christian, you will be able to back up your beliefs from those scriptures....in the case of the LDS.....apparently not.

You keep telling me that, as a Christian, I need to be able to back up my beliefs using solely the Bible. Well, that's where you're wrong. I can back up my beliefs using any sources I choose, particularly since the Bible itself says nothing about being the sole source of God's word.

I believe that there is a big difference between a Christian and a "religious person".

Wow. That's profound, Einstein. But in the cast of Christianity, there are Roman Catholic Christians, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Protestant Christians, LDS Christians and JW Christians -- all of them professing a belief of Jesus Christ, but all having differences in doctrine.

However, since you insist on making a distinction between "Christianity" (aka Jehovah's Witnesses) and "Christendumb" (aka every other Christian denomination), and have already alienated virtually everyone except JWs, you might as well just acknowledge that your definition of who is and is not a "Christian" is entirely immaterial, not only to me, but to everybody else on this forum.

Now, will you PLEASE stop harassing me!

 

[Deeje]

You keep telling me that, as a Christian, I need to be able to back up my beliefs using solely the Bible. Well, that's where you're wrong. I can back up my beliefs using any sources I choose, particularly since the Bible itself says nothing about being the sole source of God's word.

Wow. That's profound, Einstein. But in the cast of Christianity, there are Roman Catholic Christians, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Protestant Christians, LDS Christians and JW Christians -- all of them professing a belief of Jesus Christ, but all having differences in doctrine.

However, since you insist on making a distinction between "Christianity" (aka Jehovah's Witnesses) and "Christendumb" (aka every other Christian denomination), and have already alienated virtually everyone except JWs, you might as well just acknowledge that your definition of who is and is not a "Christian" is entirely immaterial, not only to me, but to everybody else on this forum.

Now, will you PLEASE stop harassing me!

LOL....asking you to back up your beliefs with the Bible is harassing you?

I wonder how many people Jesus "alienated" by telling the truth? How many did Jesus say were on the road to life? (Matthew 7:13-14) Do numbers mean anything to God?