Reincarnation

[Jainarayan]

This isn't exactly reincarnation, but I think it's kind of cool that nature is always recycling Carbon atoms, and so both you and I could contain the same atoms that a dinosaur once had millions of years ago.

"We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon..." - 'Woodstock', Joni Mitchell.

 

[gilligan8914]

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

In his words: Reincarnation was the essence of salvation.

 

[Muffled]

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

In his words: Reincarnation was the essence of salvation.

Read again because I believe he says born of water and spirit not in a new body.

 

[Muffled]

Do you believe in it?
Why?

I believe the spirit may return to a body after the previous body was dead.

I believe it because Jesus said that John the Baptist was Elijah. I also see God's hand in it through Paul's statement that a person dies and then comes the judgement. To me thisdoes not necessarily mean Heaven or Hell as the only two alternatives but God deciding what life to give the person next as a punishment or reward for their actions in this life.

This way it makes more sense when a person is given an inhealthy life or a dying life.

 

[nazz]

No.

In every way we can measure, who a person is is linked to the physical. When we take away all the things that can be changed by physical means - memory, emotion, personality, beliefs, attitudes, etc., etc., could what's left be reasonably called the person?

Yes...

That which experiences all of the above

 

[George-ananda]

Yes...

That which experiences all of the above

I like that answer. But RF won't let me frubal you again.

 

[Sees]

I like that answer. But RF won't let me frubal you again.

Frubaled for you

 

[nazz]

Frubaled for you

Thanks y'all

 

[Penumbra]

I've not seen good evidence that reincarnation is true.

 

[Willamena]

No.

In every way we can measure, who a person is is linked to the physical. When we take away all the things that can be changed by physical means - memory, emotion, personality, beliefs, attitudes, etc., etc., could what's left be reasonably called the person?

Despite social convention, I don't think we're necessarily the same person from birth until death as it is. Why would I think that I could become some other person after death?

I think, on the other hand, that it is linked to what is meaningful ("physical" being but a portion of what is meaningful). That we are not the same person from moment to moment as the impermanent world flows and advances, is a meaningful reincarnation.

 

[ametist]

As long as a person cant remember they are the incarnations of such and such, it isnt of any value to me to believe in reincarnation. I dont have such an experience nor any of my experiences give any clues to its truth. I keep experiencing new things everyday though and I hear from people with such experiences. I have no reason to think they havent told the truth. So I think it is probable.

 

[metis]

According to Buddhist dharma, tapping into previous births is very difficult, and even a great deal of meditation on this may only bring back partial results. One reason is that the "stream of consciousness" itself is subject to change as nothing ever seems to stay the same, which is another important teaching, btw. So, often the best we may be able to do is to get an inkling of a previous birth or so.

Is this all true? There's probably no way to tell for certain one way or the other.

 

[YmirGF]

According to Buddhist dharma, tapping into previous births is very difficult, and even a great deal of meditation on this may only bring back partial results. One reason is that the "stream of consciousness" itself is subject to change as nothing ever seems to stay the same, which is another important teaching, btw. So, often the best we may be able to do is to get an inkling of a previous birth or so.

Is this all true? There's probably no way to tell for certain one way or the other.

The above is partly why I am doubtful about stories in great detail outlining a person's past life as a king/queen/high priest, whatever... all my "memories" are far more fragmented... though in one I "remember" the smell in the street and the wet ground I was walking on... The point is that it isn't exactly "you", not the "you" you know yourself to be. If anything, it's like watching yourself playing a role in a play. What I mean is that you can detect elements of yourself, as you know yourself to be, but there are always alien elements that seem outside ones normal focus... as should be expected...

 

[Tumah]

Yes. Virtually all Rabbinical authorities that I respect tell me that this is true. So I believe it. Also, it answers for me why good things happen to bad people and why bad things happen to innocent people. It contributes factors towards explaining why history tends to repeat itself. It also lends itself towards providing some direction in life.

 

[Runewolf1973]

From what my girlfriend has told me about that earth plane in which she sees and talks to the spirits, apparently there is a sort of hierarchy among those spirits. Some of them are extremely knowledgeable and are able to recall past lives and even bring up a sort of record of past lives of others. I don't know to what extent they are able to do this, but they did give me a glimpse of one of my past lives. I asked my girlfriend if Andrew (the one particular spirit she talks to a lot) could tell me anything about my past life experiences. According to him there was one past life I was in which was some time back in the 16th century or so. I was a 6 year old girl and very ill with some sort of sickness. I was bedridded for quite a long time (not sure if I died from that sickness or not though) but he said the whole time my father (grandfather?) did not leave my side. That is all he could give me from that past life. I'm pretty sure there was some Native American influence in at least one of my past lives as well. Apparently I have a spirit of an old native woman that comes to me quite a lot, as though she is checking up on me or something. As far as my girlfriend can get fom her she is of Sioux origin and she wears a pretty colorful beaded leather dress. At one time I was having a rather stressfull time at my work. This native lady appeared to my girlfriend to give me the message "Water under a bridge." That was her way of telling me to not worry about it, things at my work would be okay. Not all the spirits work in your best interests though as we found out. We came across one other native spirit that tried to tell me that I was a warrior in a past life and my name was "Stands in Water". My girlfriend had never seen this particular native spirit before so she asked that old native woman she knew quite well. She says this native woman talks only broken little bits of the english language and since she doesn't know the native language herself, she can only understand very little of what she says. According to her though, this other native spirit was what they would call a trickster and he is apparently well known for giving out false information. She said to ignore anything he says. This native woman that my girlfriend sees can't really tell me much about my past life since she speaks mostly a different language, but apparently she does know one of my animal spirits quite well which is a large gray wolf. She says this wolf has been by my side for over 150 years. My girlfriend can see this wolf also. She says it gets quite annoying sometimes at night when she's trying to sleep and my wolf starts howling non-stop, lol. Apparently I have a large brown bear spirit as well, but she says it only shows itself when I am really mad or upset about something. The native lady is not familiar with my bear. The bear does not show up very often, only very rarely, but the wolf is always near my side. He has his "spot" by the side of my bed and she says he even gets agitated if I throw laundry or stuff on the floor in his spot. She says the wolf either stays home or follows well behind whenever I take my dog for walks. I guess it doesn't like to interfere with my time with my dog. It is respectful in that way.


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[Satyamavejayanti]

Do you believe in it?
Why?

From a Hindu perspective,

I believe in purnaJanma (previous birth, rebirth) of the Atman, the reason given for purnajanma is the observation of a cyclic universe where things change and take different forms, So the Atman which is said to be unchanging is reborn into this universe but the material it is born into changes, so the Atman moves from one material form to another according to its sanskars. the cause associated with purnajanma is the theory of Karma and the final effect is the theory of Moksha, these are required to be understood together to get a full picture of the evolution of the Atman.

 

[Runewolf1973]

From a Hindu perspective,

I believe in purnaJanma (previous birth, rebirth) of the Atman, the reason given for purnajanma is the observation of a cyclic universe where things change and take different forms, So the Atman which is said to be unchanging is reborn into this universe but the material it is born into changes, so the Atman moves from one material form to another according to its sanskars. the cause associated with purnajanma is the theory of Karma and the final effect is the theory of Moksha, these are required to be understood together to get a full picture of the evolution of the Atman.

I believe, and according to what the spirits on the other side have to say about it, your belief is pretty much right on the money. A very accurate representation of the way things truly are. The words and the names may be different, but depth of understanding is what really matters.


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[Twilight Hue]

According to Buddhist dharma, tapping into previous births is very difficult, and even a great deal of meditation on this may only bring back partial results. One reason is that the "stream of consciousness" itself is subject to change as nothing ever seems to stay the same, which is another important teaching, btw. So, often the best we may be able to do is to get an inkling of a previous birth or so.

Is this all true? There's probably no way to tell for certain one way or the other.

I do have "snippets" of memories and even a sense of familiarity involving my past life(s). In spite of that I hesitate to make determinations as to wither a past life can be actually retained or if it is a manifestation of false memories and feelings. I agree likely there is no way to tell for certain on the matter of recollections of a past existence(s).

 

[Runewolf1973]

You know I find it interesting that Hinduism is known to be one of the oldest, if not the oldest religion in existence. Animism is considered to be the oldest form of spiritual belief in general. Hinduism seems to be very animistic in nature as far as I can tell. I always had this personal belief of mine that it is the oldest, most primitive religions or beliefs that were the closest to understanding the true nature of reality. It was our most primitive ancestors that were closest to nature and thereby acquired that deep understanding of how things worked. Sure they had their Sun spirit or Moon spirit, or their many different Gods, but these were all representations of what they seen or observed in the natural world, not something supernatural. In a way they were right...and science and physics tells us this. There is an underlying force or energy (spirit) which moves and animates everything that exists. I believe that science is the next closest thing to understanding that true nature of reality. It just so happens that science calls it's nature-gods energy, matter, or fundamental forces...


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[metis]

I do have "snippets" of memories and even a sense of familiarity involving my past life(s). In spite of that I hesitate to make determinations as to wither a past life can be actually retained or if it is a manifestation of false memories and feelings. I agree likely there is no way to tell for certain on the matter of recollections of a past existence(s).

Same here. For example, when I was younger, I had this preoccupation with Amerindians, and what I didn't know until I was in my mid-20's was that I have Me'tis (French & Indian mix) with three of my four grandparents. The reason I didn't know was because I wasn't brought up in the tradition, plus back then one wouldn't admit to being part Indian if they could get away with it. To me, something intrinsic had to be there in me to push me in that direction.