For People Who Believe in Reincarnation (hell, beliefs, belief, behavior)

[ArtieE]

Read Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls by Michael Newton. Best books I've read about reincarnation. Michael Newton

[stepka]

Originally Posted by imcurious

Did you get this through some sort of revelation? If so, you may start a new religion!

But seriously, what do you think is the reason that humans and animals reincarnate? For what ultimate purpose . . .nothing to do with Jesus . . .

No I did not get this thru some special revelation--I got it from reading the Gospels. Sarcasm is highly inappropriate to this discussion and I've noticed that you reserve it mainly for those of the Christian faith but you should know that some Christians do believe in reincarnation. There was famous pastor at one time who wrote several books and he believed in it--his name was Emmett Fox but I didn't get this belief from him--I have believed in it ever since I can remember.

As for your question--I have no idea why but if i had to guess, it's b/c I believe we will all go to heaven eventually, whatever form that takes, but we need more chances than one lifetime will give--people are born into such different circumstances that it hardly seems fair that people who are born with nothing and who have to lie, cheat, and steal to get by in life are going to be measured by the same set of factors as someone who has everything they need and kind heart too. Some people are born as psychopaths but who made them that way? I believe it is part of God's plan and I don't profess to understand why that would be but I feel that it's true.

I believe that reincarnation just is, but the belief has gone away b/c religion has often been used as a way to control the behavior of the masses and frighten them into going along with whatever social norms are in place at that time, and a belief in reincarnation and that we'll get another chance is not convenient to the powers that be so they let it slip quietly out of the dogma. Better to let people believe that they only have one chance so they'll toe the line. And yet, despite the fact that religion no longer controls the masses, I don't think we're much more out of control than we ever were so I guess it didn't work.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by theflipflop

Jews believe that we continue to reincarnate until we "get it right." Then we go on to Olam Haba (the world to come). It often takes several lifetimes. Hashem just keeps putting our souls into new bodies until we compelete the job on earth.

When a baby dies young, for example, we say that his previous soul was most of the way there, and he just needed a little more time on earth to complete his "mission."

Not sure how this all applies to other animals, except that I do not believe they have souls. I would have to ask my local Orthodox Rabbi for more info on this...

Interesting, theflipflop, but do ALL Jews believe this? I have never heard that before. It sounds similar to Hinduism.

I don't know if anyone here has read Many Lives, Many Masters, but the psychiatrist who is the author said that one of the first things that convinced him was a patient under hypnosis who somehow knew about his infant son who had died and WHY he died (heart condition) and told him that the boy was an advanced soul who volunteered to come back and live this brief life for a purpose.

[BadJuju]

I am an atheist with an atypical view of reincarnation. I do not think we possess a spirit or any other form of immaterial being; however, that does not prevent future incarnations of your consciousness. Your consciousness is the result of the arrangement of matter into a shifting pattern. It is already in a constant state of flux so that one could say it is being reconstituted all of the time. With that said, this pattern can be reconstituted after you perish. The next step involves the endurance of the cosmos itself. Thus far, most scientists expect for this universe to end in a form of heat death where there is no potential energy for work to be done. Essentially, maximal entropy will be reached. This, of course, is still up for debate because there is so much we do not yet know about the mechanics of the universe. We only know what we have observed thus far, which would corroborate such a claim. Anyway, the Big Bang represented the beginning of this universe. Either there was something that preceded it or it was the first cause. Regardless, existence is now a non-zero probability. Another universe will arise and it will do whatever it does. Eventually, your consciousness will come to be again.

Personally, I am an adherent of the many-worlds theory and of eternal inflation. I think the expansion of space-time that occurred with the Big Bang was a result of inflation that occurs across an eternal, endless, infinite in all aspects multiverse. This inflation results in an infinite amount of universes being created with all permutations possible. When I die, I will be immediately reconstituted in another universe outside of our observable universe. No memories of a life before, but the stream of consciousness will persist.

[theflipflop]

Originally Posted by theflipflop
Jews believe that we continue to reincarnate until we "get it right." Then we go on to Olam Haba (the world to come). It often takes several lifetimes. Hashem just keeps putting our souls into new bodies until we compelete the job on earth.

When a baby dies young, for example, we say that his previous soul was most of the way there, and he just needed a little more time on earth to complete his "mission."

Not sure how this all applies to other animals, except that I do not believe they have souls. I would have to ask my local Orthodox Rabbi for more info on this...

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

Interesting, theflipflop, but do ALL Jews believe this? I have never heard that before. It sounds similar to Hinduism.

I can only speak for Torah Jewry, and this is standard normative Jewish belief. I can't tell you what Jews who reform, change or ignore the Torah believe. And if this is what Hindus believe, it wouldn't be the first time a religion has come to copy the Jews. Of course, if it's a universal truth, perhaps the Hindus did not copy the Jews, but rather they too figured this out on their own.

[theflipflop]

every Jew must fulfill all 613 mitzvot, and if he doesn't succeed in one lifetime, he comes back again and again until he finishes. For this reason, events in a person's life may lead him towards certain places, encounters, etc., in ways that may or may not make sense. Divine providence provides each person with the opportunities he needs to fulfill those particular mitzvot necessary for the perfection of his soul. But the responsibility lies with us. At the actual moment of decision in any given situation, the choice is ours.

Just google "Jewish view on reincarnation," and you'll find lots of stuff. The quote above came from this link:

Judaism and Reincarnation - First Steps

[theflipflop]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

But your point that maybe it's a universal truth is thought-provoking.

I wonder if from a scientific viewpoint, if two independent groups reach the same conclusion, without the benefit of communication with each other, if it leads to any extra viability as a truth?

[Fullback32]

The thing about reincarnation that bums me out (if it's real of course) is that you never really remember any past lives. You always have to start all over again! Wouldn't it be great if you had all of you cumulative knowledge intact each time you came back? You wouldn't have to go throught school over and over and over again.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by theflipflop

Just google "Jewish view on reincarnation," and you'll find lots of stuff. The quote above came from this link:

Judaism and Reincarnation - First Steps

Thank you. This is so interesting.

[Miss Blue]

Hey, guys. Deep breaths and back to the subject