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Author
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Topic: Reincarnation
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scorpbaby
Knowflake Posts: 337
From: Ny, USA
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted December 01, 2004 06:53 PM
 
Today in one of my classes we discussed Reincarnation. When the teacher asked if any of us believed I was suprised to see only 2 out of 30 people raised their hands, me and someone else. I was saddened by the fact that people expressed such negativity towards it. How can people be so closed minded? I didn't even want to speak up because I felt so out of place. Thankfully the one other reincarnation believer spoke up and took a stand because I was too nervous. When we watched a movie on Reincarnation ,that I found enlightening, most people commented and said that it sounded like silly Ghost stories or there was nothing factual about it. But in reality there is no proof of what happens after Death so how can one be so biased? I know death is a touchy subject for most so I can tolerate this level of ignorance people show.
I probably shouldn't be one to talk because I also pass judgment... on people that think after death you either float on a cloud or are damned to a lake of fire. I saw one girl actually cringe and roll her eyes, which was expected since she's proclaimed that she was a strict Christian.
And this lead me to investigate about Jesus' view on Reincarnation and reference to it in the bible. I do believe in Jesus yet don't like to classify myself as a Christian or anything else for that matter. I think a lot of the bible speaks in metaphors and there are actually some references to Reincarnation that I found exciting!
Does anyone else have something to share about this?
Here's are some sites on the topic!
http://www.shareintl.org/archives/AgelessWisdom/aw_jmreincarn.htm
http://www.thenazareneway.com/reincarnation.htm "Blessed are they who suffer many experiences, for they shall be made perfect: They shall be as the angels in Heaven and shall die no more, and neither shall they be reborn, for death and birth will no longer have dominion over them." Jesus, Gospel of the Holy Twelve IP: Logged |
sesame
Moderator Posts: 599
From: Brisbane, QLD, Oz
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted December 01, 2004 07:47 PM
Great quote! I actually heard once that 1 in four Americans believed in reincarnation. I think the alternative has so many flaws. I think one reason is maybe people think they are more special if they only have one life? Anyhow, I think it's definite.Dean. IP: Logged |
iAmThat
Knowflake Posts: 496
From: Edison, NJ, USA
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted December 01, 2004 09:33 PM
I believe in universal laws. And one of the laws, I believe, says "No one gets it right the first time". Even if we do believe in Reincarnation its not important. If it was, then our creator would have made us so that we remember it. We must not hang on to the past but look to the future and act on now.
The west is little different that the east. The west believes that fear makes a man come to God (I am not saying east is perfect. Its a seperate topic by itself). It is for this reason that the early Romans would have taken away or added to the bible. It cannot be taken literally. When we contemplate and observe the answers comes quite naturally to us. since you asked for Jesus teachings. If you especially look at the parable of the Leper and the richman. He is describing the purgatory that exists temporaririly. The romans have manipulated the bible to make believe that this state is permanent. But if you read other passage of Bible it says "how can God hate himself". Therefore how can this state be permanent. The entire bible must be read as one and then interpreted. Well those were my 2 cents. IP: Logged |
scorpbaby
Knowflake Posts: 337
From: Ny, USA
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted December 01, 2004 10:02 PM
Well personally I think if we remembered each incarnation we would be overwhelmed. I think not being able to recall past lives serves as purpose for us to evolve consciously one incarnation at a time. I've never been one to dwell or even research upon my pastlives. I believe they occured and I've left it at that. I've always believed that my feelings/intuition about the universe have shaped my perspective in many ways. And I don't think all of my awareness has come from only this lifetime because it seems to be much larger than myself. That's just part of my spiritual truth I guess. IP: Logged |
sesame
Moderator Posts: 599
From: Brisbane, QLD, Oz
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted December 02, 2004 12:26 AM
quote:
And I don't think all of my awareness has come from only this lifetime because it seems to be much larger than myself
That's quite interesting, but I'm unsure of how deep this goes. What if you were a soul that chose this existance as your first life, but determined to start with knowledge about other lives? Conversely, you could've lived many lives and chose to start with a completely clean slate. In fact, some people seem to think life is like a circle - once you reach the end, you start from scratch. But then, maybe you don't want to evolve. I think you could spend a looooong time just soaking in life. Dean. IP: Logged |
thirteen
Knowflake Posts: 158
From: Rochester Hills, MI USA
Registered: May 2004
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posted December 02, 2004 08:29 AM
When i was into heavy searching for the meaning of life and i came across and read Star-Signs it just seemed to me that reincarnation was the puzzle piece i was missing. It just answered so many questions for me and it all made so much sense I became a firm believer from that point on.IP: Logged |
Philbird
Knowflake Posts: 1521
From: Douglas, AZ. USA
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted December 02, 2004 11:09 AM
To bad one of your text books wasn't Edgar Cayce on Reincarnation!IP: Logged |
miss_apples
Knowflake Posts: 317
From: white bear lake, MN, USA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted December 02, 2004 12:24 PM
I also believe in Christs teachings but am not Christian  I believe in reincarnation. I think its kind of like soul recycling. Regarding the Christian girl in your class...can we scientifically prove Heaven exsists? No, just like we cant prove scientifically reincarnation exsists (at least not yet). Just because we cant prove either does that mean they dont exsist? Of course not. IP: Logged |
proxieme
Knowflake Posts: 4260
From: Southern 'Bama
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted December 02, 2004 12:59 PM
Hey Scorpbaby - If the subject ever comes up again, bring up the book/study Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation by Ian Stevenson, M.D. of the University of Virginia. The original study was done in the 1960s, and its incredibly thorough academic nature is enough to give even the most fervent skeptic pause for thought (as long as she or he's still open to thinking objectively). He has several other books out, too, if you'd like to look into them. IP: Logged |
Yin
Knowflake Posts: 786
From:
Registered: May 2004
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posted December 02, 2004 01:16 PM
Proxie, can you post those other book titles for me, please?
 And do you have any new pictures of the bebe? I miss my baby fixes  IP: Logged |
trillian
Moderator Posts: 2766
From: The Boundless
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted December 02, 2004 01:26 PM
To believe in reincarnation, we must also believe that time is linear, a line that consumes itself. This makes our measurement of time barely one dimensional, while we live in what we perceive to be a three dimensional world. I'm not convinced that this is truly how time is/should be measured. Reincarnation may be a convenient way to refer to other lives. And if we believe that We Are One, that individually we are a piece of a part of a whole, then Reincarnation may be a way to refer to any other life/lifetime that may hold significance to our conscious lives at this time. Don't worry about 'closed minds' too much. They're part of the world you created.  IP: Logged |
scorpbaby
Knowflake Posts: 337
From: Ny, USA
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted December 02, 2004 03:15 PM
Thanks for all your replies Prox that book sounds neat I'll make sure to visit the library soon! See, I never even went into research about reincarnation before, it seems I've just picked up the idea of it along the way, and it suited me. I like to stay open to all possibilities concerning spirituality.
And I probably shouldn't be offended by other people's criticism because it's not of any importance really. It's between me and the universe.
I just wish people were more accepting that's all. In the class discussion I had this vibe that people were so fearful of the idea, and that made me sad. I never think of myself as an outcast but in that moment when I raised my hand I was. It's a strange feeling. A few years ago the same thing happened in my government class. We had an in class vote to see if we thought our country should go to war with Iraq. Again, it was me and one other person who voted against it. Well at least I'll never be part of a "mob mentality"! IP: Logged |
scorpbaby
Knowflake Posts: 337
From: Ny, USA
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted December 02, 2004 03:47 PM
Wow So much irony in life...this summer I got a tatto of a celtic symbol for the "Tree of life". I thought it was pretty and would be a nice reminder of my Irish heritage.
Well I was just browsing articles about reincanation on the web and they mentioned the tree of life and how the celts used it as a symbol for reincarnation and the World Tree that connects us all!
I didn't even know the symbol I was branded with represented this. I'm really in shock now  IP: Logged |
neostar
Knowflake Posts: 134
From: Vic. Australia
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted December 02, 2004 07:14 PM
Trillian thank-you, I just learned something from you! IP: Logged |
trillian
Moderator Posts: 2766
From: The Boundless
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted December 02, 2004 10:42 PM
Why shucks, neostar. Thank ya kindly. But they are not original thoughts, only things I have learned or contemplated over time. IP: Logged |
Thorshammer
Knowflake Posts: 42
From: salt lake city, utah, USA
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted December 02, 2004 11:12 PM
looking at past lives, I know when i didnt fulfill a debt in the past one. its like something in me says, "....your doing it again damit!!!" lol. I guess thats one of the reasons i know we come back again, I just wish I knew what time lines it was i was in, what was going on at the time.IP: Logged |
Thorshammer
Knowflake Posts: 42
From: salt lake city, utah, USA
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted December 02, 2004 11:19 PM
great links too scorpbaby. they were very inspiring. of all the movies on The Christ, I think, THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST comes closest to talking about all these things. so wonder it was shunned in the 80's
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mnovak
Knowflake Posts: 9
From: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted December 06, 2004 02:30 PM
We are all made up of energy and what we are made up of has always existed in this universe. Everything in your body and soul has always been around. The energy you are can only perceive this world through a body, a way to interact, and memories are only a form of storage for that time. Time itself can only be perceived because of those memories. Without memories there is no time. What you are will continue to exist. Energy cannot be destroyed. The energies that we are made up of are the continuation, survival and evolution of "light" energy. (You can find them on the periodic table)IP: Logged |
Aquali
Knowflake Posts: 71
From: Northfolk
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted December 06, 2004 02:47 PM
Have you guys seen "La Belle Histoire"? "A beautiful Story"? Its french and difficult to get hold of but wow...I saw it many years ago...the story spreads from Jesus time and folows his reincarnations up to today...beautifully interestingIP: Logged |
iAmThat
Knowflake Posts: 496
From: Edison, NJ, USA
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted December 07, 2004 11:34 AM
Does it have english subtitles?IP: Logged |
Aquali
Knowflake Posts: 71
From: Northfolk
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted December 10, 2004 05:52 AM
If you searc google you find it with -La belle Histoire. Its staring Claude Lelouch and Beatrice Dalle. Its french 3.3hours...its a must if you get hold of it!IP: Logged |
merlinesque
Knowflake Posts: 69
From: United *Magical* Kingdom
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted December 10, 2004 06:58 AM
Lots of great stories of people reincarnating and such. I've read that depending on spiritual development, a person will reincarnate a lot faster. And that resting period between life times, can be as much as 1000 years...but those of high spiritual consciousness can be reborn in a matter of months...perhaps even weeks.Personally, I always believed in reincarnation from the moment I became aware of myself as a spiritual individual, in childhood, but after reading misleading information I stopped believing in it, and in so doing, I'm aware I stopped my spiritual progress at the same time.
Took me a while to come back round, but no matter what is said, if a person does not want to accept something, no one but themselves can allow themselves to see it when they're ready, whether that be in their present life or the next.
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steelrose
Knowflake Posts: 63
From: Spain
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted December 11, 2004 08:37 AM
Iīm a new believer... I never considered reincarnation as a posibility until I had a powerful dream...I call it memory... It was a memory of a past life... Or a glimpse of other parallel time I was living while I was asleep in this one... Iīve all my life looking for someone. Someone I know but I donīt remember. My twin soul? I saw him during that dream. Twice. As a lion (being a lioness) and then as a young man 1 or 2 centuries ago.  I knew his eyes. Not the rest of his body. And I realised all my life Iīve been looking for those eyes not being aware of it...  A month later, Star Signs by Linda came to me. The Déjā Vu chapter knocked me down.  So many answers... It made me cry (quite embarrassing being in a plane at that time). I didnīt know what karma was till then. It made me understood many things and it gave me hope. I felt whole and healed in many ways.   Examples in the Bible? "Do good unto all those who hate you and say all manner of evil against you... if a man strikes you on the right cheek, turn and let him strike you on the left cheek... and if a man will sue thee at the law, an take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also... Resist ye not evil" Itīs all about paying karmic debts, breaking the chain... Of course!!! 
This passage always puzzled me... But now I understand... Itīs not about being a masochist or a stupid martyr... Itīs about enlightening, not getting stuck in a cycle and going forward, to ensure your next life will be better, compensating the most evil possible in this one. IP: Logged |
Devilfish
Knowflake Posts: 21
From:
Registered: Dec 2004
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posted December 16, 2004 07:34 PM
I know at the most basic levels we change i.e: we are not always babies , 8 years old , 30 , 50 ect.
we die we turn into dirt we are eaten by worms we become worms,
bird eats worm we become a bird ect.
so if our bodies evolve why not the spirit?
Thus i choose to believe in reincarnation.
jmho  IP: Logged |
merlinesque
Knowflake Posts: 69
From: United *Magical* Kingdom
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted December 21, 2004 05:39 PM
I sometimes sit and think about reincarnation. I do not want to reincarnate again, I truly want this to be my ultimate incarnation, the final step towards self-completion.
For many reasons though, one of them is because I cannot imagine being born again and actually being aware of being alive.
I know I am alive now, but I don't recall my past lives. Therefore, I wonder if I would be aware of my being alive, in another life, as I am now. Such a round-a-bout of thoughts, makes me wish I could remember at least a few of my past lives, and recall actually being aware of myself as an individual, making decisions that affect me now in this life.IP: Logged |
Lindaland
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