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I was wondering about reincarnation too. Let's say you were born as Alex of New York Times this time around. Then you were born as Marilyn Monroe. And both of YOU are not aware of each other. And are different in their personality. So is that really YOU then? Who is YOU?
Why would you care who you are going to come as (the next time around) if you are not in any way aware of it? If it feels like it's a completely different person who is living the life?
So reincarnation is not a great hope after all. If you die, YOU die....
I hope someone has better beliefs than reincarnation, since this is not very hopeful....
In other for reincarnation to be "a good hope" for the future, there has to be a continuance of awareness into the next life. This YOU has to be aware of the next you... Otherwise, for all practical purposes, those are two different people...
The way I see it you would not be different people, you would always be the same person. Maybe you will chose a different path then you did in the former life so one time you might be famous the next time you might not be.
I am not saying this is a great hope as it has its good and bad points, I just think this is what happens.
The way I see it nothing continues on. You are a completely new person with a clean slate. The reason I call it reincarnation is because it is you with no memories of your past lives.
Well then, how do you know it is you? If you're a "completely new person...", and "nothing continues on", how is it reincarnation? It isn't you, it's someone else.
Well then, how do you know it is you? If you're a "completely new person...", and "nothing continues on", how is it reincarnation? It isn't you, it's someone else.
I guess I am not explaining it right. Let me try it another way using a example.
For my example I am going to use a fictional person born on May 13 1973. For fun lets name that person Kuzco, the guy from The Empires New Grove, just because I like the character. He lives a good life and dies as the old age of 100 in 2073.
The big question is what makes up his consciousness? For simplicity sake lets say the neurons have to make a perfect K for that to happen. So on May 13 1973 everything happened just right and Kuzco was born. Then when he died the right formula for him to be reborn did not happen for trillions and trillions of universes. Then it did and on a day in that universe Kuzco was born again to the same loving parents and went on to live a different life and died at a different age. He was reincarnated but since he was a new person and did not have any memories from his previous life everything was new to him. For him its like he went to sleep when he was 100 and woke up as a baby. Sure there was a lot of time when he was not living but since he was dead he was not aware of that time so for him he died and instantaneously he was born again so all he knows is living. That is why for us all we know is living and since we do not have any memories of our previous lives we think this is our one and only chance at life even though we do this for infinity.
I guess I am not explaining it right. Let me try it another way using a example.
For my example I am going to use a fictional person born on May 13 1973. For fun lets name that person Kuzco, the guy from The Empires New Grove, just because I like the character. He lives a good life and dies as the old age of 100 in 2073.
The big question is what makes up his consciousness? For simplicity sake lets say the neurons have to make a perfect K for that to happen. So on May 13 1973 everything happened just right and Kuzco was born. Then when he died the right formula for him to be reborn did not happen for trillions and trillions of universes. Then it did and on a day in that universe Kuzco was born again to the same loving parents and went on to live a different life and died at a different age. He was reincarnated but since he was a new person and did not have any memories from his previous life everything was new to him. For him its like he went to sleep when he was 100 and woke up as a baby. Sure there was a lot of time when he was not living but since he was dead he was not aware of that time so for him he died and instantaneously he was born again so all he knows is living. That is why for us all we know is living and since we do not have any memories of our previous lives we think this is our one and only chance at life even though we do this for infinity.
Ooooooooh I understand now. I'm discussing it with a friend right now...
It's a very interesting theory and reminds me more of the double theory than reincarnation. Reincarnation theories usually believe that there is an essence/soul/spirit/energy/whatever-you-want-to-call-it that passes from one body to the next. In this way the soul is able to experience the physical realm and work through issues in the next life if they have not been sorted out in this life. This creates a link between the old body and the new body and while the person may not remember any previous life, it exists and remembering is unnecessary.
The 'double theory' (I'm not sure of the real name) instead suggests that somehow, defying the belief that the human person is so complex that it is nearly impossible for nature to replicate it, the physical person is replicated in another time and another place. These two bodies/individuals are not the same person.
Ooooooooh I understand now. I'm discussing it with a friend right now...
It's a very interesting theory and reminds me more of the double theory than reincarnation. Reincarnation theories usually believe that there is an essence/soul/spirit/energy/whatever-you-want-to-call-it that passes from one body to the next. In this way the soul is able to experience the physical realm and work through issues in the next life if they have not been sorted out in this life. This creates a link between the old body and the new body and while the person may not remember any previous life, it exists and remembering is unnecessary.
The 'double theory' (I'm not sure of the real name) instead suggests that somehow, defying the belief that the human person is so complex that it is nearly impossible for nature to replicate it, the physical person is replicated in another time and another place. These two bodies/individuals are not the same person.
If we were just talking about a finite amount of time, say this universe, then I would agree that we could be to complex for us to be born again. However, I am talking about a infinite amount of universes so no matter how complex it is for us to be born it will not only happen again but a infinite amount of times.
If we were just talking about a finite amount of time, say this universe, then I would agree that we could be to complex for us to be born again. However, I am talking about a infinite amount of universes so no matter how complex it is for us to be born it will not only happen again but a infinite amount of times.
Yes yes I'm following
I still wouldn't consider that reincarnation. Kuzco-1973 is not the same person, in my view, as Kuzco-infinite. There is nothing that binds these people together - they just happen to have neurones that cause the same consciousness, like a copy or a clone, but they are not the same.
Reincarnation is spiritual rebirth, not a physical copy.
So yes, I think your theory is logically possible, I would just call it something other than Reincarnation.
Yes yes I'm following
I still wouldn't consider that reincarnation. Kuzco-1973 is not the same person, in my view, as Kuzco-infinite. There is nothing that binds these people together - they just happen to have neurones that cause the same consciousness, like a copy or a clone, but they are not the same.
Reincarnation is spiritual rebirth, not a physical copy.
So yes, I think your theory is logically possible, I would just call it something other than Reincarnation.
I guess the official name for it is "eternal return". I call it reincarnation because for all praticle pourpouses we are born again, we just don't remember our previous life, but it is us.
I guess the official name for it is "eternal return". I call it reincarnation because for all praticle pourpouses we are born again, we just don't remember our previous life, but it is us.
Buddhists believe in reincarnation because thay understand that that is what the soul does throughout one's lifetime. Understanding the phylosophy of dying spiritually, and being reborn spiritually is all the evidence they need to determine that. It seems to me that if you DON'T believe in spiritual rebirth in whatever form, then you will not be reborn/saved.
Last edited by Ball Pean; 07-19-2011 at 03:29 PM..
Buddhists believe in reincarnation because thay understand that that is what the soul does throughout one's lifetime. Understanding the phylosophy of dying spiritually, and being reborn spiritually is all the evidence they need to determine that. It seems to me that if you DON'T believe in spiritual rebirth in whatever form, then you will not be reborn/saved.
I think the reason for that is because it is the only phylosophy, and way to rid of sin. You MUST believe in the phylosophy of Christ in order to be saved, and cleansed of sin. Which is the same as Buddha's. That you die spiritually, experience a time inbetween death-to-life, and are then reborn/ressurected/respawned a new you.
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