Until you have been visited by 'God'...what do you really know?

[Freak80]

^ I was referring to the monotheistic view of heaven, not reincarnation. But of course, the idea of reincarnation has its own tendency to legitimize injustice. Look at the Caste system in India, where the poor are considered to be "getting what they deserve" for supposed sins in past lives.

[Tzaphkiel]

Originally Posted by mordant

That life is often "unfair" for the living does not justify thinking that existence is somehow extended until justice is obtained. The universe is completely indifferent to human concerns.

and that is where we differ; the universe you describe that you inhabit is "indifferent to human concerns"
there is no more bleak mindset, existence, or experience than that...cold and uncaring

and the world and universe I inhabit is filled with and fueled by the most incredible love and comfort and wisdom and intelligence and healing that fills every particle of every life stream with blessings of peace and kindness and joy. it is a warm embrace, and filled with beings who support, encourage, assist, inspire, and give gifts, and who have my well-being and best interests at heart.

there are plenty of sandboxes on the playground, and we have free will to choose which one to play in.

[mordant]

Originally Posted by Tzaphkiel

that is not what reincarnation is saying it all
it is in fact saying the opposite

it is not about pie in the sky when you die, and none of my posts have said that

it is saying if you treat people like crap, until you change your ways you will keep coming back to earth and be treated like crap yourself, until you get the very basic lesson to treat people with kindness, and show that you can put it into action

we incarnate to learn very basic lessons: kindness, honesty, compassion, peace, helping others
we keep incarnating until we learn these

Reincarnation in the form you believe it is not pie in the sky but it is about what amounts to an indefinite extension to this life which goes directly to Freak's point about ANY sort of afterlife. It removes much of the value and urgency we'd otherwise put on this life as the only one we actually likely have.

Besides it has an infinite regress problem, which is that if you are to be mistreated until you "get it", someone has to do the mistreatment, which will require them in turn to be "taught a lesson". It is a hellish hall of mirrors, built of the same putative stuff as the Christian heaven, just organized in a different way.