Reincarnation. What do you believe?

[Ham]

I don't want this to go to doctrinal, and I don't plan on really discussing the belief, unless somebody really wants to. I would simply like to know what the general thoughts people have here with a poll.

Don't worry, your vote is anomynous.

[year2027]

God first

Beloved Mr. Hammeroni

God loves you my dear friend

I believe any thing is possible

But I do not believe we come back as other people or animals

but I do believe we will come back to be a new creation more like God

thank you

with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy

[Ham]

Thanks for your input, Roy.

:)

What is interesting here.. I think some of us have gone beyond the need to "know that you know that you know."

That was not the main reason I came to der vey to begin with.

What good is a belief, unless it can be backed down from?

I think it is kinda like a computer program.. crank away at something long enough, and you really need to find an exit somewhere..

otherwise a person can be like a hamster on a wheel.

ooops.. mixed metaphors, or similes..

[George Aar]

My questions regarding this would be pretty much the same as your other thread.

What gets reincarnated? We know the body rots away, seen enough of that. And all yer stuff (what's worth anything, anyway) disappears even quicker than you do, and gets dispersed to the four corners. So, WHAT comes back?

And it sure seems like the only ones who DO get reincarnated are princes and generals and maybe a noteworthy scoundrel or two.

How many times have you heard of someone remembering their past life as a non-descript nobody, working some menial job and doing nothing particularly eventful?

Even the famous cases like Bridey Murphy, Ramtha, and maybe George Patton have been pretty thoroughly debunked, or are easy enough to figure out. Why doesn't Blackbeard come back and dig up his treasure anyway?

Well, regardless, this sort of thing seems to be haunting you of late. You O.K.?

[Ham]

"Haunting"

No, actually I thought I might get a wider audience to contribute if they could do so anomymously.

I do have some opinions about it, but I wondered where people have come in their thinking from vic's rather narrow approach to spirituality. Looks like at least three people can honestly say they don't know, for sure.

[pond]

mr rodent ham

what good is a belief if yu do not believe it?

Edited May 29, 2007 by pond

[Bramble]

I can honestly say that I do not know what happens in the afterlife. People who say they do know are talking about faith, not actual knowledge.

As a pagan in a nature based belief system, I believe that earthly life reflects the Upper/Spiritual World... things important in this life like family, are important in the next. Wiccans sometimes call it Summerland, others have different names--Avalon, Tir Na Nog...

The earth naturally recycles, I think the spiritual life or spark does the same.

But like all matters of faith dealing with afterlife, I can't prove it. Nor do I think it is important to prove. Waste of time--deals with a plane we are not part of in this life.

[Ham]

Pond maybe it is good to be able to merely ascribe to a belief..

Some used to think the earth was flat..

some people thought the moon was made of green cheese..

A lot of what we supposedly "know" evolved from fiction. What is a hypothesis? Is it true, or is it somebody's guess?

It just seems to me, without an exit ramp, a person may find themselves not where they really want to be.

Edited May 29, 2007 by Mr. Hammeroni

[pond]

Well I do not believe idea's I do not think are true.

education and knowledge are not the same thing.

I am no longer searching for myself tho, so an exit ramp isnt needed . I go where I please whenever I please I am not stuck in a trap, im free to believe in the truth I know and what good would that be if I didnt believe it? it wouldnt be my truth it would be an idea, i know the difference .

I have plenty of ideas in life, I know my own truth in life.

Does it change? not really, it grows. again I see a difference.

[Ham]

Looks like it may favor the religious "right" here..

still, I am impressed the the amount of uncertainty in the crowd..

147 views. Ideally, I'd like to see a hundred and some votes on this thing..

Come forward, you cyber creatures of the night.. just log in anonymous and vote. Nobody will ever know..

[Ham]

And don't worry. You won't get possessed, or any more possessed than you already are..

[Ham]

Well I do not believe idea's I do not think are true.

I don't think that anybody does.

All I know is adhering to the same bunch of dogma for close to twenty years with unflinching loyalty, I was pretty stagnant..

[waysider]

Nope

Never did.

No particular spiritual reason.

It just never made logical sense to me when factoring in the continuing expansion of the world's populaion.

Of course, millions of people on the other side of the Earth feel quite differently than I do.

Note:

In my thinking, at least, "after life" and "reincarnation" are two different things.

[GrouchoMarxJr]

Actually, I recall a previous life where I wore this funky green name tag and ...oh no wait a minute, that was THIS life!

My question is what would give anyone the idea that we ARE reincarnated?...Ths concept seems to be right out of a Stephen King book. I mean...REALLY!...Who's the first guy to think this one up?...and what's this based on?...at least Christians have the bible to point at...but reincarnation?...

I've talked to people who are convinved that they were somebody else in a different life...I think most of them either did too much acid or they quit taking their meds...

[2life]

hummm..... Reincarnation is the ONLY way I can believe in.. and understand a benevolent God.

I do seem to have 'memories' of a previous life..............sort of like flashes..........and some not so honorable.. or spectacular!

Many times when I get into these kind of conversations people seem to remember being 'healers'... or princesses... or neat things.

Me? I have a very vivid memory of living in a trailor. Sooo... this life I was in a cult... am I getting 'better'..... ????!!!!

About beliefs... "When we perceive that the only difference between us is our beliefs and that beliefs can be created or discreated with ease, the right and wrong game will wind down, a co-create game will unfold, and world peace will ensue."

[likeaneagle]

I worked with a teacher once who was a Jew converted to Hinduism, she actualy changed her birth name to a Hindi name. During study hall we sat down for a break and she began to tell me about a book she read. I cannot remember the name but I remember it was New York Best Seller's list. So, she explained the process in detail that when one is dying they soul of the person travels thru this long tunnel and at the end of this tunnel there are arms stretching in to pull the soul into this next life..she so eloquintly and very methodicaly made it sound to be most peaceful transiton into the other room or life..She talked and talked for about a half hour and she just glowed .... I listened intensley to her poetic versing of how lovely death is..I raised a simple question at the end ..so, if a person is involved in a terrible accident an thier arm is severed off, would they still experience this slow, wonderful process of death..She was so ....ed off at me for asking..geeesh, how rude of me. I had just completed reading are the deal alive now..maybe, it was heavy revvy..

Edited May 30, 2007 by likeaneagle

[dmiller]

A lot of what we supposedly "know" evolved from fiction.

What is a hypothesis? Is it true, or is it somebody's guess?

It just seems to me, without an exit ramp,

a person may find themselves not where they really want to be.

That belongs in GreaseSpot gems. :)

[karmicdebt]

I think that those who have seen a trickle of truth in their lives or who have learned a truly meaningful lesson of some kind would be silly to think they can "master" life or get all they need out of it in one lifetime...I find the more I learn the more I need to learn...

So, I think reincarnation is possible...

[Ham]

Actually, I recall a previous life where I wore this funky green name tag and ...oh no wait a minute, that was THIS life!

Seems like another life away, doesn't it?

[Ham]

Nope

Never did.

No particular spiritual reason.

It just never made logical sense to me when factoring in the continuing expansion of the world's populaion.

Just a thought- humans are probably among the few species expanding, some are declining..

Of course, millions of people on the other side of the Earth feel quite differently than I do.

and after looking through some of their eyes, I felt like the blinders came off. But I think it is a lot easier to understand somebody who a person agrees with..

Note:

In my thinking, at least, "after life" and "reincarnation" are two different things.

No argument from me..

[Ham]

I worked with a teacher once who was a Jew converted to Hinduism, she actualy changed her birth name to a Hindi name. During study hall we sat down for a break and she began to tell me about a book she read. I cannot remember the name but I remember it was New York Best Seller's list. So, she explained the process in detail that when one is dying they soul of the person travels thru this long tunnel and at the end of this tunnel there are arms stretching in to pull the soul into this next life..she so eloquintly and very methodicaly made it sound to be most peaceful transiton into the other room or life..She talked and talked for about a half hour and she just glowed .... I listened intensley to her poetic versing of how lovely death is..I raised a simple question at the end ..so, if a person is involved in a terrible accident an thier arm is severed off, would they still experience this slow, wonderful process of death..She was so ....ed off at me for asking..geeesh, how rude of me. I had just completed reading are the deal alive now..maybe, it was heavy revvy..

OK. Here is where the Squirrel is in the twilight zone, or out of a Stephen King novel, as Groucho succintly suggested, or merely alluded to..

I think the experience of transition is SO traumatic, even under the best of circumstances, that 99 percent of us cannot consciously consider what happened.

[Ham]

hummm..... Reincarnation is the ONLY way I can believe in.. and understand a benevolent God.

I do seem to have 'memories' of a previous life..............sort of like flashes..........and some not so honorable.. or spectacular!

Same here. That was loy's big disclaimer, "why do they ALWAYS have to be somebody spayshull in a previous life.." I kinda think I was a shyster..

Many times when I get into these kind of conversations people seem to remember being 'healers'... or princesses... or neat things.

Me? I have a very vivid memory of living in a trailor. Sooo... this life I was in a cult... am I getting 'better'..... ????!!!!

Out of one trailer, into another..

About beliefs... "When we perceive that the only difference between us is our beliefs and that beliefs can be created or discreated with ease, the right and wrong game will wind down, a co-create game will unfold, and world peace will ensue."

The quote I liked was "Convincing yourself that you are in Chicago while you are still in New York is delusional thinking."

http://www.avataroverdrive.com/inside_avatar/primaries.htm

Who knows.. maybe they are another cult.. but they do have a few interesting statements..

I can honestly say that I do not know what happens in the afterlife. People who say they do know are talking about faith, not actual knowledge.

As a pagan in a nature based belief system, I believe that earthly life reflects the Upper/Spiritual World... things important in this life like family, are important in the next. Wiccans sometimes call it Summerland, others have different names--Avalon, Tir Na Nog...

The earth naturally recycles, I think the spiritual life or spark does the same.

But like all matters of faith dealing with afterlife, I can't prove it. Nor do I think it is important to prove. Waste of time--deals with a plane we are not part of in this life.

Yeah. And what do we have, but so many superstructures of different sets of theology.. all fighting to maintain their identity. They almost seem to have life of their own..

[Mike]

Reincarceration is the whole reason time travel is so expensive these days.

Those past lives just complicate things too much!

So, I'm against it.

[Ham]

Thanks for your input Mike.

Did you vote?

[Mike]

I feel I voted for this once before, in a past lifetime, astrally projecting forward in time, so it would be unethical for me to vote twice.