Reincarnation

[Spartan]

Definition: "Reincarnation, a major tenet of Hinduism, is when the soul, which is seen as eternal and part of a spiritual realm, returns to the physical realm in a new body. The belief is that a soul will complete this cycle many times - even hundreds of times, learning new things each time and working through its karma. This cycle of reincarnation is called samsara."

Analysis: From a Biblical standpoint, reincarnation is a false doctrine: “It is appointed for man to die ONCE, and after that to face the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

In some Hindu teachings, if a person is "bad" in the present life, they may well wind up as a protected 'temple rat" in the next life. Which begs the question: If one is a 'bad' temple rat in that life, do they further regress to a temple cockroach, with an infinite regression back to an ill-mannered amoeba? What's more, who was the first person on earth reincarnated from, and which power on earth or in heaven facilitates those supposed rebirths?

Reincarnation voids the necessity of Christ for salvation and eternal life. If one can simply 'live again,' then what is the need to believe in Jesus? Therefore, Biblically speaking, the idea of reincarnation is Satanic.

The Bible makes it clear that Satan has been around since before the Garden of Eden. He knows what occurred in the lives of such people as Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, Hitler, and every other person who has lived since the creation of mankind. It is certainly not a “reach” then to believe that he and / or his demonic spirits can impart false memories of “prior lives” into the unregenerate minds of men, especially when those individuals are making an effort – such as in a seance – to establish “contact” with a former self or higher spiritual power.

Finally, there has never been any credible evidence that I've ever seen that reincarnation exists. If anyone has a good example of an individual who purported to have reincarnated, I'd like to see it.

 

[Spartan]

Reincarnated individuals who have supposedly been through numerous life cycles would be expected to be better human beings than in a much distant previous life, due to Karma lessons. Yet today, I'd say the vast majority of people don't have the first clue about what lessons they should have learned in previous lives. What's more, after thousands and thousands of years of people reincarnating, you would expect to see a better world, with less wars, crime, and bloodshed. That hasn't been the case. If anything, mankind has become worse - and now more efficient at exterminating large segments of a population - via atomic bombs (Hiroshima, Nagasaki), or by militant viruses, or via the systematic "cleansing" of various groups. Karma doesn't seem to be working.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Finally, there has never been any credible evidence that I've ever seen that reincarnation exists.

Thats because there is none. Just as there is no credible evidence to support over 90% of what the Bible says.

 

[ajay0]

Analysis: From a Biblical standpoint, reincarnation is a false doctrine: “It is appointed for man to die ONCE, and after that to face the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

You might be interested in the teachings of the early christian saint and scholar Origen who had taught reincarnation.

Just as the Ebionites insisted strictly on a vegetarian diet, the early Christian gnostic sects as well as Origen also taught about the concept of reincarnation.

It is quite possible that reincarnation was there in the early christian scriptures which were edited out by the romans in the council of constantinople as it conflicted with their own ideas and sensibilities about spirituality. St. Jerome had criticized Origen's views on reincarnation in his writings.

It has been speculated by many that Jesus spent many years in the east which would account for the absence of his youthful years in the bible from the time he spend arguing as a 12 year old child with the rabbis, to the time he began his ministry at age 30.

He could have easily hitched a ride among the numerous merchant wagons going and returning across the ancient Silk Route which connected Israel and eastern Asia. Just like the many western spiritual seekers at present like Barry Long, Dr. Jean Klein, Mooji, Gangaji, Madhukar, Gilbert Schultz, Sailor Bob Adamson who came to Asia seeking wisdom and enlightenment and became spiritual masters in their own right.

The Ahmediya sect of Islam, which is noted for its emphasis on scholarship and denunciation of violent Jihad, also holds as one of its fundamental beliefs that Jesus had lived in India.

Finally, there has never been any credible evidence that I've ever seen that reincarnation exists. If anyone has a good example of an individual who purported to have reincarnated, I'd like to see it.

You can find case studies of reincarntion in this thread created for the same purpose...

Reincarnation/Past Lives


Here are also lectures on reincarnation by Swami Abhedananda of the Ramakrishna Mission depicting the history , philosophy and psychological aspects related to reincarnation...

Lectures on reincarnation by Swami Abhedananda...

 

[Spartan]

“The most famous case of alleged reincarnation is that of Bridey Murphy. In 1952 one Virginia Tighe was hypnotized. She reported details of a previous life in Cork, Ireland, as ‘Bridey Murphy.’ While supposedly hypnotized, she spoke in a distinct Irish accent that she did not have normally and described her life in Cork in great detail. Her case was reported as proof of reincarnation in Bernstein’s (1956) best-selling book, "The Search for Bridey Murphy." The case was thoroughly investigated several years later. It was discovered, however, that as a child, Mrs. Tighe had had a neighbor across the street who had grown up in Ireland and used to tell her stories about life there. The woman’s maiden name? You guessed it – Bridey Murphy. Further, it was revealed that Mrs. Tighe had been involved in a theater in high school and had ‘learned several Irish monologues, which she had delivered in what her former teacher referred to as a heavy Irish brogue.'” - Pseudoscience and the Paranormal, Terrence Hines

 

[Spartan]

It has been speculated by many that Jesus spent many years in the east which would account for the absence of his youthful years in the bible from the time he spend arguing as a 12 year old child with the rabbis, to the time he began his ministry at age 30.

He could have easily hitched a ride among the numerous merchant wagons going and returning across the ancient Silk Route which connected Israel and eastern Asia. Just like the many western spiritual seekers at present like Barry Long, Dr. Jean Klein, Mooji, Gangaji, Madhukar, Gilbert Schultz, Sailor Bob Adamson who came to Asia seeking wisdom and enlightenment and became spiritual masters in their own right.

The Ahmediya sect of Islam, which is noted for its emphasis on scholarship and denunciation of violent Jihad, also holds as one of its fundamental beliefs that Jesus had lived in India.

That's just unfounded speculation that Jesus lived in the East.

 

[ajay0]

That's just unfounded speculation that Jesus lived in the East.

There is a thread here that has some posts dealing with the proofs and evidences that Jesus lived in the east...

How should we view Jesus in the Dharmic Religions?

Two posts of mine in this regard...


How should we view Jesus in the Dharmic Religions?

How should we view Jesus in the Dharmic Religions?


Meher Baba, Yogananda and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had stated of Jesus's travels to India, in the footsteps of his friends who came to visit him at birth from the east. This is very similar to tibetan lamas travelling to the corners of the world intuitively searching reincarnated lamas or holy figures. The ancient Silk Route with its numerous merchant wagons traveling to and fro, connected India and Israel and anyone could access these lands easily from the other side. Jesus could have easily hitchhiked these wagons paying with his skills as a carpenter and arrived at the other side in a few months time.

Imo, Jesus synthesized the teachings of the dharmic religions and Judaism, which may account for the similarities.

 

[Salvador]

Definition: "Reincarnation, a major tenet of Hinduism, is when the soul, which is seen as eternal and part of a spiritual realm, returns to the physical realm in a new body. The belief is that a soul will complete this cycle many times - even hundreds of times, learning new things each time and working through its karma. This cycle of reincarnation is called samsara."

Analysis: From a Biblical standpoint, reincarnation is a false doctrine: “It is appointed for man to die ONCE, and after that to face the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

In some Hindu teachings, if a person is "bad" in the present life, they may well wind up as a protected 'temple rat" in the next life. Which begs the question: If one is a 'bad' temple rat in that life, do they further regress to a temple cockroach, with an infinite regression back to an ill-mannered amoeba? What's more, who was the first person on earth reincarnated from, and which power on earth or in heaven facilitates those supposed rebirths?

Reincarnation voids the necessity of Christ for salvation and eternal life. If one can simply 'live again,' then what is the need to believe in Jesus? Therefore, Biblically speaking, the idea of reincarnation is Satanic.

The Bible makes it clear that Satan has been around since before the Garden of Eden. He knows what occurred in the lives of such people as Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, Hitler, and every other person who has lived since the creation of mankind. It is certainly not a “reach” then to believe that he and / or his demonic spirits can impart false memories of “prior lives” into the unregenerate minds of men, especially when those individuals are making an effort – such as in a seance – to establish “contact” with a former self or higher spiritual power.

Finally, there has never been any credible evidence that I've ever seen that reincarnation exists. If anyone has a good example of an individual who purported to have reincarnated, I'd like to see it.

In a universe where the number of living beings is increasing, there'd not have been enough previous individual living beings in prior generations from which the number of current living beings could all have been reincarnated. ....

If not all living beings of an overall expanding population could have been reincarnated from a previous life, then what would determine which "souls" are reincarnated and which "souls" are new?

If some "souls" have come into being without reincarnation, then why could not all "souls" have come into being without reincarnation?

 

[Kapalika]

Uh, recincarnation, at least in Hinduism as I am familar with it, doesn't have people reincarnating into animals. Moreso a Bhuddist thing for some.

Also there would be no "first" person to be reincarnated since the Universe is eternal with no beginning or end.

Also the reason you don't see the world getting better with better people is because we are in the Kali Yuga (not to be confused with Kali the goddess, the A is different but I can't type the accent marks atm). Basically there is a golden era, a silver a bronze and a dark age so to speak. We are in the dark age spiritually according to Hinduism which would of started a few thousand years ago if you take the timelines literally instead of proportionally or illustratively.

Likewise how good people are doesn't always reflect their previous life. Most karma worth worrying about is that which we generate in this life, not in any possible previous life.

Therefore, Biblically speaking, the idea of reincarnation is Satanic.

What would be wrong with that?

 

[Salvador]

Also there would be no "first" person to be reincarnated since the Universe is eternal with no beginning or end.

Scientists have measured an increasing rate of expansion of our universe. All matter decays. Hence, space will eventually become stretched out to where there will only be the most rudimentary subatomic particles in total isolation from other remaining subatomic particles of which each and every one will be too distant to interact with one another. Thus, life in our universal is finite and destined to end in our universe.

Big Rip - Wikipedia

Heat death of the universe - Wikipedia

 

[Lyndon]

Definition: "Reincarnation, a major tenet of Hinduism, is when the soul, which is seen as eternal and part of a spiritual realm, returns to the physical realm in a new body. The belief is that a soul will complete this cycle many times - even hundreds of times, learning new things each time and working through its karma. This cycle of reincarnation is called samsara."

Analysis: From a Biblical standpoint, reincarnation is a false doctrine: “It is appointed for man to die ONCE, and after that to face the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

In some Hindu teachings, if a person is "bad" in the present life, they may well wind up as a protected 'temple rat" in the next life. Which begs the question: If one is a 'bad' temple rat in that life, do they further regress to a temple cockroach, with an infinite regression back to an ill-mannered amoeba? What's more, who was the first person on earth reincarnated from, and which power on earth or in heaven facilitates those supposed rebirths?

Reincarnation voids the necessity of Christ for salvation and eternal life. If one can simply 'live again,' then what is the need to believe in Jesus? Therefore, Biblically speaking, the idea of reincarnation is Satanic.

The Bible makes it clear that Satan has been around since before the Garden of Eden. He knows what occurred in the lives of such people as Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, Hitler, and every other person who has lived since the creation of mankind. It is certainly not a “reach” then to believe that he and / or his demonic spirits can impart false memories of “prior lives” into the unregenerate minds of men, especially when those individuals are making an effort – such as in a seance – to establish “contact” with a former self or higher spiritual power.

Finally, there has never been any credible evidence that I've ever seen that reincarnation exists. If anyone has a good example of an individual who purported to have reincarnated, I'd like to see it.

Actually your way off base, because large segments of the Jews believed in reincarnation and Jesus was a Jew. In fact John the Baptist was considered the reincarnation of Elijah, I believe.

 

[Vinayaka]

Everyone has the right to their beliefs. In contrasting paradigms, like what is shown here, why argue, or try to 'prove' the other side is wrong? What purpose is there in that? Few dharmics are going to hop across the line and accept Jesus as saviour, and similarly few Christians are going to accept reincarnation. I'm fine with a person who believes strongly in Jesus.

Behaviour is what counts. If a Christian or a Hindu follows their respective teachings they'll stop and help a person in distress, fully knowing they don't know what said person believes.

 

[atanu]

... “It is appointed for man to die ONCE, and after that to face the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).....

A man dies once only. Have you ever seen any man dying twice? Does that mean that the soul (if you believe in one) will not dress up as another man who will die again?

Does the soul die? No. It is the ego-body that is given up.

...

Please first master your own religion and scripture before criticising Hinduism.

 

[Brickjectivity]

He who is not against us is for us.

In addition to Jewish and Hinduism concepts of incarnation (which are not the same) there is now Physics based (but not scientific) reincarnation where all beings are really one person living a very, very large number of lives. In this case when you are nice to somebody you are nice to yourself.

 

[Kapalika]

Scientists have measured an increasing rate of expansion of our universe. All matter decays. Hence, space will eventually become stretched out to where there will only be the most rudimentary subatomic particles in total isolation from other remaining subatomic particles of which each and every one will be too distant to interact with one another. Thus, life in our universal is finite and destined to end in our universe.

'

And how do they know that some other mechanism might not exist or occur that can change the current trend? There could even be something we can't detect or is outside the observable Universe that alters it or that at some point in the future something else could happen that changes the outcome. I don't think this is any more far fetched than all the unproven multiple parrallel Universes M-theorists are always on about. The fact is, from a scientific viewpoint, we don't know how the Universe will end, and we don't know what happened before the Big Bang.

That's an aside however; the Universe is eternal without start or end and so are souls as the two are linked, so the OP's critisism about the "first" reincarnated person makes no sense.

 

[Salvador]

'

And how do they know that some other mechanism might not exist or occur that can change the current trend? There could even be something we can't detect or is outside the observable Universe that alters it or that at some point in the future something else could happen that changes the outcome. I don't think this is any more far fetched than all the unproven multiple parrallel Universes M-theorists are always on about. The fact is, from a scientific viewpoint, we don't know how the Universe will end, and we don't know what happened before the Big Bang.

That's an aside however; the Universe is eternal without start or end and so are souls as the two are linked, so the OP's critisism about the "first" reincarnated person makes no sense.

If the earliest form of life came from self replication of RNA and then all life "naturally" descended from this common universal ancestor, then of course, reincarnation would be a falsified hypothesis.

RNA world - Wikipedia

 

[dybmh]

If anyone has a good example of an individual who purported to have reincarnated, I'd like to see it.

@Quagmire started a thread on this subject not too long ago. In that thread @sun rise brought a source that had many many documented cases of bizarre circumstances that support the conclusion that reincarnation is real.

hyperlink >>> religiousforums.com - Kids Who Remember Their Past Lives

 

[Jainarayan]

Definition: "Reincarnation, a major tenet of Hinduism, is when the soul, which is seen as eternal and part of a spiritual realm, returns to the physical realm in a new body. The belief is that a soul will complete this cycle many times - even hundreds of times, learning new things each time and working through its karma. This cycle of reincarnation is called samsara."

Analysis: From a Biblical standpoint, reincarnation is a false doctrine: “It is appointed for man to die ONCE, and after that to face the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

In some Hindu teachings, if a person is "bad" in the present life, they may well wind up as a protected 'temple rat" in the next life. Which begs the question: If one is a 'bad' temple rat in that life, do they further regress to a temple cockroach, with an infinite regression back to an ill-mannered amoeba? What's more, who was the first person on earth reincarnated from, and which power on earth or in heaven facilitates those supposed rebirths?

Reincarnation voids the necessity of Christ for salvation and eternal life. If one can simply 'live again,' then what is the need to believe in Jesus? Therefore, Biblically speaking, the idea of reincarnation is Satanic.

The Bible makes it clear that Satan has been around since before the Garden of Eden. He knows what occurred in the lives of such people as Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, Hitler, and every other person who has lived since the creation of mankind. It is certainly not a “reach” then to believe that he and / or his demonic spirits can impart false memories of “prior lives” into the unregenerate minds of men, especially when those individuals are making an effort – such as in a seance – to establish “contact” with a former self or higher spiritual power.

Finally, there has never been any credible evidence that I've ever seen that reincarnation exists. If anyone has a good example of an individual who purported to have reincarnated, I'd like to see it.

What's your point? That Hinduism is silly and false? We've heard it all before.

No, there is no evidence of reincarnation, there is no evidence the gods exist. We take it on faith. But there is also no evidence anything in the Bible is true, there is no evidence your God exists, there's no evidence Satan exists, there's no evidence for the need of "salvation" by Christ, there's no evidence your beliefs are any more true than mine. The Bhagavad Gita makes it clear there's no need for a savior, because there's nothing to be saved from. It's a matter of personal belief and faith. If someone needs evidence to backup their faith and beliefs, how strong is that faith?

So what again is your point?

 

[Jainarayan]

Reincarnated individuals who have supposedly been through numerous life cycles would be expected to be better human beings than in a much distant previous life, due to Karma lessons. Yet today, I'd say the vast majority of people don't have the first clue about what lessons they should have learned in previous lives. What's more, after thousands and thousands of years of people reincarnating, you would expect to see a better world, with less wars, crime, and bloodshed. That hasn't been the case. If anything, mankind has become worse - and now more efficient at exterminating large segments of a population - via atomic bombs (Hiroshima, Nagasaki), or by militant viruses, or via the systematic "cleansing" of various groups. Karma doesn't seem to be working.

There is an abysmal lack of understanding about karma infecting the world, especially among those whose beliefs don't include karma and rebirth.

 

[Jainarayan]

In a universe where the number of living beings is increasing, there'd not have been enough previous individual living beings in prior generations from which the number of current living beings could all have been reincarnated. ....

If not all living beings of an overall expanding population could have been reincarnated from a previous life, then what would determine which "souls" are reincarnated and which "souls" are new?

If some "souls" have come into being without reincarnation, then why could not all "souls" have come into being without reincarnation?

You don't understand the concept. Souls are not created or destroyed. Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be (Sri Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 2.12). There is one universal soul we call Brahman, from which manifestations of living beings arise. There is no limit to this number, because Brahman is limitless. Brahman is all there is: sarvam khalvidam brahma, "all this [what we see and experience] is Brahman" (Chāndogyopaniṣad 3.14.1).