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Mon 29 Jan, 2007 09:37 pm
Is there evidence of reincarnation?
Reincarnation is one of those ideas that can neither be proven or disproven.
Reincarnation is one of those ideas that seems to be impossible to prove or disprove.
It depends on who you ask. If you ask someone who believes strongly in reincarnation and that they have indeed been reincarnated, then they will point to various things within their lifespan to prove that reincarnation exists. (well, at least it proves it to them) Ask those who do not believe and they will say it's all fantasy. At the end of the day, it cannot be solidly proved or disproved so it comes down to what you yourself believe...similar to the method for believing or not believing in God...it's all a personal choice.
Which, in answer to whether there is evidence, goes back to no.
Intrepid wrote:Which, in answer to whether there is evidence, goes back to no.
Which, if you want to be logical...goes back to...it appears to be no.
Intrepid wrote:Frank Apisa wrote:Intrepid wrote:Which, in answer to whether there is evidence, goes back to no.
Which, if you want to be logical...goes back to...it appears to be no.
You appear to be right.
That's not what you said in your last lifetime...
Sturgis wrote:Intrepid wrote:Frank Apisa wrote:Intrepid wrote:Which, in answer to whether there is evidence, goes back to no.
Which, if you want to be logical...goes back to...it appears to be no.
You appear to be right.
That's not what you said in your last lifetime...
...and, I'll stick to it in my next.
There is no factual evidence FOR reincarnation and there is no factual evidence AGAINST reincarnation.
There is, however, anecdotal evidence FOR reincarnation.
Ethmer
Would you care to elaborate on that?
There are many recorded instances where individuals knew things about other people or geography/physical conditions that could only be accounted for by the individual having have lived in the particular area during a previous incarnation.
Also, during the time of Christ reincarnation was an accepted reality. One of Christ's disciples asked him "Master, who did sin, this man or his parents that he should be BORN blind?"
Christ's answer was "neither, but that the scriptures should be fulfilled."
However, the only way the man could have sinned in order to be BORN blind was if he had lived a previous incarnation.
Reincarnation is a logical recycling of the soul/spirit into successive physical bodies wherein the soul/spirit continues its evolutionary growth.
Reincarnation looks more realistic if you view the universe as one entity; as a body. You are really just part of the universe, not anything special, because everyone is the same thing- everything is. How does this make sense? Don't your blood and nerve cells act on their own, without your commands? And yet they are part of you, and without them, you are not the same person.
If a cell dies and is replaced, have you died? Of course not. That white blood cell was not separate from you, and if you are not dead, neither is it. Right? Or are we simply a compilation of a million little individuals?
What is consciousness? Where does it start? Is it an essence, or a chemical reaction? It can't be chemicals, because I don't simply do, I am. Therefore, we have no explanation for it. It is simply a part of something we cannot explain- the universe. If everything is one, then the universe will not die until it no longer exists, which will never happen- will it?
I am not any more Foley than I am Ethmer, Cyracuz, Frank, George Bush, a rock.... If everything is one, then you won't die until it does. And if you aren't dead when you die, then where do you go?
Foley wrote:Reincarnation looks more realistic if you view the universe as one entity; as a body. You are really just part of the universe, not anything special, because everyone is the same thing- everything is. How does this make sense? Don't your blood and nerve cells act on their own, without your commands? And yet they are part of you, and without them, you are not the same person.
If a cell dies and is replaced, have you died? Of course not. That white blood cell was not separate from you, and if you are not dead, neither is it. Right? Or are we simply a compilation of a million little individuals?
What is consciousness? Where does it start? Is it an essence, or a chemical reaction? It can't be chemicals, because I don't simply do, I am. Therefore, we have no explanation for it. It is simply a part of something we cannot explain- the universe. If everything is one, then the universe will not die until it no longer exists, which will never happen- will it?
I am not any more Foley than I am Ethmer, Cyracuz, Frank, George Bush, a rock.... If everything is one, then you won't die until it does. And if you aren't dead when you die, then where do you go?
Your body dies and decays, but your soul does not - a soul cannot die. Your soul awaits in your grave until Judgement Day when every single soul (along with the human body it resided in) on this Earth will be resurrected to begin it's reckoning.
The Buddhist law of causality says that the life and circumstances we are born into are a result of our actions in our previous lifetime. To insure a happy future life we should do the most we can for others and ourselves in this life. We do not believe in "predestination" or having our fate in the hands of an outside deity.
As I see it, the idea of reincarnation is an extension of the principles of karma beyond the span of a lifetime.
Even in this life, it is a fact that we are held acountable for our actions, not by some court of law, but by our own conscience. If we commit bad deeds we will suffer for them, while good deeds will elevate us, free us from misery. This is automatic and instant. If you cheat on your wife you will suffer, even if she never finds out. You still have to carry the secret of the betrayal, and it will take it's toll on you.
Many people think that it is not so, but that is only because they do not know themselves. A thief, for instance, faces the fear of losing his possessions, since he sees how they can be taken from him. His mind is tuned to it, and that is a cause for misery.
Reincarnation, to get back on topic, is an extenson of this idea. A hindu once told me that the reason I have such an easy time of understanding music (I play several instruments, and it has always been remarkably easy for me) has nothing to do with talent, but everything to do with previous lives studying music. I have no recollection of these lives, but the qualities and flaws that were enhanced in me from those lives are the starting points for me in this life.
At least, that is the belief. Because at the end of the day, that is what we're dealing with here.
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