Reincarnation. What do you believe?

[Ham]

Well.. he was cute. Before you say "eewwww"..

This rat was a nice brown color, his tail was full, for a rat. He was so well groomed, I thought he was dressed up, and just out for a night out on the town..

Maybe he was coming by to pick up his date for the evening..

No, she didn't show..

[Bolshevik]

I believe in reincarnation but the way the bible phrases it.

The words "resurrection" and "reincarnation" are very similar.

Jesus had a body of flesh and bones, his resurrected body. That is, essentially, the definition of reincarnation.

So yes, I do believe in reincarnation.

I guess I have the same opinion as Oldies.

(and yes I voted :) )

Edited June 1, 2007 by Bolshevik

[Ham]

Thanks for your contribution Bolshevik.

I'm still impressed that so many voted in a "I'm not 100% sure" category.

I'm still looking for at least one other person to choose the first category..

vic almost got 4000 wows.. what's the big deal with one little vote?

[VeganXTC]

I too believe the life we are living is what matters most. What I am curious about is the why. Why would many lives be necessary for one soul? What are your thoughts on karma?

I'm glad to hear about your night with Mr. Rat. But what if you killed him? Do you think he would reincarnate also?

[Ham]

So many lives.. I have some thoughts. One, the spirit or soul has just a tad more longevity than what one lifetime offers

I think the "stuff" we are made of is toxic to the host it inhabits, i.e. the body. I think that is the real "aging" problem..

I think not the rat, but the spirit perhaps would come back.

I kind of think they are God's creatures too. I had a cat, and it would bring various "presents" home for the family.. I could actually appreciate that, though it was a tad gruesome. Some say the cat brings home things for those they consider family.

"good kitty (prrr, prrrrrr).."

then the sad carcase would make an exit when the cat wasn't looking.

I can honestly say that I've loved every soul I have met.

Some I've had a few problems making a connection..

:)

karma.. hmm. I think latent memories perhaps follow.. I think people unknowingly recognize people who have done good, or evil to them in previous lives.

There are people you have the heebie jeebies about.. for no apparent reason. Why? I have had people tell me "I just can't trust you.." and I say fine. Makes no difference.. go with your feelings. And I don't take it personally. Maybe I was a real SOB last time around.. who knows.

[Ham]

But what I'm thinking about the cat.. it does not evoke negative karma for it to kill the rat. That is part of the cat's agreement or nature.

But if it's between people and the rat, well.. there's only one rational decision for me. But if it is arbitrary, or a petty annoyance.. I wouldn't take its life. Just to kill something because it is a perceived annoyance.. I think that shows how primitive people can be.

[Bolshevik]

Mr. Ham, so, if cats have nine lives, then do they get reincarnated for each life(Like it dies and comes back, but at the same time gets reincarnated)? Or do they come back with a fresh set of nine (once the first nine are up)?

This could mean that all matter in the universe at one point or another was part of a cat.

[Ham]

I would take it a step even further. Perhaps cats really do rule the universe.. all of those additional lives.

A friend of mine admitted as much. He told me, "the cat owns the house, and allows us to stay here.."

:)

This cat from Podunk Michigan was a celebrity. If it wans't feeling well, they'd get calls from Indiana, Texas, all over the place.

No kidding.

[dmiller]

Thanks for your contribution Bolshevik.

I'm still impressed that so many voted in a "I'm not 100% sure" category.

I'm still looking for at least one other person to choose the first category..

vic almost got 4000 wows.. what's the big deal with one little vote?

Mr. H --you need a CLASS!, a green card to sign,

a pulpit --- errrrr, I mean a PLATFORM to say ----

THUS SAYETH THE SQUIRREL!!

(Toss in a bible verse -- like Rev. 3:15, for emphasis) ---

I know thy POSTS, ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm works,

that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

You need to remind folks they have to post QUICK!! SOON!! RIGHT NOW!!

(Job 9:25)

Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

Now --- with you being a squirrel and all --

New Nut'sville, Ohio would be a perfect place to *chatter away*.

Go for it!

[Ham]

:)

Well friend.. I've chosen the persona of a squirrel for a few reasons.

main reason, number one:

1. Who in their right mind is going to follow a squirrel?

I KNOW I'm nuts. well, that does have it's advantages..

considering there are ALL KINDS of nuts in Ohio, especially New Knoxville..

that may be the perfect place to relocate..

[VeganXTC]

Mr. Ham, I don't think you're nuts. Maybe a little squirrelly..... j/k :)

Its funny, I agree with your reasoning, but I've come to different conclusions. Maybe our conclusions really are the same, just the semantics are getting in the way? Anyway, I enjoyed this thread. It made for an interesting discussion around my dinner table.

[Ham]

Well maybe you're right. Yeah, not nuts.. but I don't want people to take me too seriously..

I sure don't want to start a church, or a Squirrel cult or something..

hmm. don't want people to be too afraid, either..

I'm glad you enjoyed the thread.

[Bramble]

A thought about reincarnation that I've seen in pagan groups/forums etc:

The reemergence of goddess beliefs is because there are so many people now, older souls are beingbe born, and those were souls that knew goddess beliefs.

[Belle]

We see through a glass darkly, no?

I think there's just much we don't know and that it is entirely possible.

I've watched a few past life regressions and read quite a bit on the subject. There's been a few things happen in my own life, personally, that have convinced me that there's much, much more that we just don't know or fully understand.

Many Lives - Many Masters by Brian Weiss is an excellent book as someone mentioned earlier.

[Ham]

The guy is a graduate of Columbia University and Yale medical school.. smart guy.

As a traditional psychotherapist, Dr. Brian Weiss was astonished and skeptical when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas that seemed to hold the key to her recurring nightmares and anxiety attacks. His skepticism was eroded, however, when she began to channel messages from "the space between lives," which contained remarkable revelations about Dr. Weiss's family and his dead son. Using past-life therapy, he was able to cure the patient and embark on a new, more meaningful phase of his own career.

Of course the "traditionalists" would say, "well, the spurts sure are smart, aren't they, to trick the man."

That's what I would say twenty years, or even ten ago, but I am not entirely convinced of that any more.

One thing I can say about years in der vey, I NEVER saw anything like this, at least of this caliber, to convince me of anything. Just a lot of name calling.. calling devilish anything that didn't line up with their theology .

[Ham]

But I still haven't lost my brain to not consider the facts carefully. Just not afraid to..

:

[Bolshevik]

But I still haven't lost my brain to not consider the facts carefully. Just not afraid to..

:

String theory Mr. Ham. . .

String theory.

[Bramble]

I need a pyhsics for Dummies book. Pagans are always talking about string theory and quantum physics in relation to spiritual stuff, and I'm--Huh?

I took physics once. It was all about torque and resistance and wedges and stuff. Tools, mainly. I remember doing fun experiments with slant boards and marbles etc. Algebra--yeah we had algebra in there too.

Am I showing my age?

[Belle]

Bramble, I found this PBS Special and it seemed to help my understanding a wee bit. Of course, What The Bleep also helped with a bit of the quantum physics aspects, but it's still over my head.

[Bramble]

Thanks, Belle. I'll book mark the PBS one.

What the Bleep was over my head, too, though I found it interesting.

I think the science and math gene got left out of my DNA.

[VeganXTC]

Where's the connection between string theory and reincarnation? Doesn't string theory suggest parallel universes, a different space, so there might be someone exactly like you, but isn't you, while reincarnation deals with time, and how the same you existed before? I think string theory is fascinating, and plausible, but I don't see how it belongs in this thread. What am I missing?

[George Aar]

O.K., everybody knows I think the whole concept is nonsense, I guess.

But, PUHLEEZE, "What the Bleep" is an utter abomination of illogic.

Throw out a few terms that most pedestrians will be totally unfamiliar with, and then say whatever you like,

and all them big words will give you an air of intellectualism that you have not earned.

It really is pathetic, and a blatant salespitch for "Ramtha" and her woo-woo cohorts...

[George Aar]

Here's another review of "What the Bleep" from Skepdic.com

http://skepdic.com/ramtha.html

It starts out just talking about J.Z. Knight and the spirit-guide "Ramtha", scroll to the bottom if you just want to read a couple of reviews of the movie...

[Ham]

Well, at the worst George..

these beliefs are no more insane than any other.

:)

Maybe even a little less insane..

I wouldn't kill anybody over them..

Edited June 4, 2007 by Mr. Hammeroni

[Ham]

You should be thankful you're not in the Old Testament times, because there are some of us who would gladly execute you.

Now THAT'S nuts. And "they" can't prove this is da will of god, without using circular reasoning.

Oh, I've never seen that particular organization reverse itself with this little statement..

I can live believing nothing.. or everything.. or something in between, or even change it all next week. I think the "some of us" don't have the stability required to live like that. They have to be anchored to some dogma so tightly that they would kill for it.

Edited June 4, 2007 by Mr. Hammeroni