Do you believe in reincarnation?

[rexfelis]

I wonder how many of you subscribe to the theory of reincarnation, and why or why not?

Also, if you do, what do you believe we come back as? Humans? Animals? Both? Other things?

 

[sch00lteacher]

Why not.

I have said before that I believe, as Einstein and others state, that energy never ceases to exist. It always has been, always will be. Humans are energy, look at your basic eeg, what does it measure? Pantheism.

It has to go some place. One place could be back here. I think also that Karma might play a role in what you come back as. As I do not believe in chaos theroy. Something has overall control of the energy of the Universe. Why not a force of good, and evil, balance.

 

[rexfelis]

I am not familiar with the premise of chaos theory; could you perhaps explain the basics to me?

As for chaos, though, it seems to me that nothing can exist without it's antithesis. Chaos exists, and regardless of the amount of entropy, some order must exist as well. Even in the most extreme circumstances, there is always some order to even the most chaotic things, and we can see that order as definite limits which allow the thing to be defined.

Or I could be talking out my ass, as tired as I am. lol

And now back to our originally schedualed thread....

 

[sabbathstorm]

I do believe in reincarnation because I see the life cycle as a constant evolutionary process. Also, I'm not a very religious person but have had Heaven and Hell thrown in my face much too often.

Personally, I think we come back as any number of living creatures and not inanimate objects. We really have no choice in the matter. I know when I come back, I definitely want to be someone's spoiled cat

 

[Guest]

 

[sch00lteacher]

"Physicists like to think that all you have to do is say, these are the conditions, now what happens next?" -Richard P. Feynman

The world of mathematics has been confined to the linear world for centuries. That is to say, mathematicians and physicists have overlooked dynamical systems as random and unpredictable. The only systems that could be understood in the past were those that were believed to be linear, that is to say, systems that follow predictable patterns and arrangements. Linear equations, linear functions, linear algebra, linear programming, and linear accelerators are all areas that have been understood and mastered by the human race. However, the problem arises that we humans do not live in an even remotely linear world; in fact, our world should indeed be categorized as nonlinear; hence, proportion and linearity is scarce. How may one go about pursuing and understanding a nonlinear system in a world that is confined to the easy, logical linearity of everything? This is the question that scientists and mathematicians became burdened with in the 19th Century; hence, a new science and
mathematics was derived: chaos theory.

Maybe they are right, but even in this Chaos there must be order. Again I see a balance of power in this order, as in all things, ying and yang. Good and evil.

I think this theory is too new. One of the reasons I have trouble with it. I don't know how Stephen Hawkins feels about it, I should find out. Him I believe.

 

[freescorfr]

Maybe they are right, but even in this Chaos there must be order. Again I see a balance of power in this order, as in all things, ying and yang. Good and evil.

I think this theory is too new. One of the reasons I have trouble with it. I don't know how Stephen Hawkins feels about it, I should find out. Him I believe.

Here is a site which gives you a superb run down on chaos theory and self-organising systems.

It's led me to many interesting discoveries.

Have a look schOOteach, it's got links on lots - but not here and it should have.

Complexity theory encompasses chaos theory.

 

[freescorfr]

Bugger I forget to paste it.
http://www.calresco.org/action.htm

 

[JazzManJim]

I don't believe in reincarnation.

Then again, those of you who have seen my posts in other places aren't very surprised.

 

[Weird Harold]

I wonder how many of you subscribe to the theory of reincarnation, and why or why not?

Reincarnation is one of those things that we mere humans can only speculate about until we either experience it or not.

I do have one problem with reincarnation -- it seem to imply that there are a finite number of souls, yet there are (probably) more humans living today than the total number of creatures that lived at any one time in the past.

Where did all of the extra souls come from?

(BTW, that's a rhetorical question, I'm not really looking to divert this discussion in that direction. I've resolved the conflict in my own mind to my own satisfaction -- Reincarnation is possible, but not probable.)

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

No, I don't believe in reincarnation (suprise, suprise). I could give theological and biologal reasons, but I think this time I'll play in the psychological playground...

Reincarnation, like life after death, heavenly judgement of the wicked, the good will of God in response to prayer, and ghosts, are just another aspect of something humans deeply, deeply wish to believe, that life is more than the sum of its parts, that we are special, and central to the Universe, that badness will not go unpunished, that justice will come to the good, and that we never actually die. It's a neurosis. We develop concepts like "reincarnation" because we can't fully accept that when we die, we die.

I have a problem with any precept that sets humans above the natural world. You don't hear an awful lot about life after death and reincarnation for iguanas and bacteria. Ghost stories may include dogs and horses, but never plants and butterflies. God never made a dung beetle in His image. Did Neanderthal man "reincarnate"? Do Trilobyte spirits still inhabit the oceans?

If you take the entire history of the Universe, all 15 Billion years, and shrunk it down to the size of one single year, human existence would occupy the last 100th of a second before midnight on December 31st. WHY would the universe care enough to make sure we reincarnated?

 

[Desdemona]

Yes, I believe in reincarnation. I don't have any big theories to support this belief. I just suspect that we come back time after time, trying to work on unfinished business until we get it right.

Who knows? Maybe we all started out as dung beetles and moved forward from there.

 

[rexfelis]

I am glad I posted this thread. I have heard some points of view here that had never crossed my path before and they are interesting to contrmplate. By all means, though, if you have not yet posted, feel freee to answer still.

 

[RavenStorm]

Yes I believe in reincarnation. I am Wiccan and with my religion comes the reincarnation and Summerland.

 

[GuyJD]

I believe in reincarnation. Which is why I hope and pray that when I die, I am reincarnated as Janet Jackson's seat to her exercise bike.

 

[starfire30]

I believe in reincarnation for a number of reasons. Others here have mentioned the never ending cycle of energy in all forms, I agree completely, energy never dies, it just changes form. I, like RavenStorm, am Wiccen and acording to our religion, reincarnation is how we as enlightened beings earn the right to walk in the Summerland. One other thought that I have had since I was a child growing up in a Penticostal church, is how sad it would be to only get one shot at life. One time in the circle and your done, how dreadfuly boring eternity would be with only the memories of one lifetime to look back on.

 

[Drifter014]

I am always amazed at the opinions this topics always seems to bring no matter who is talking about it.

I myself am not convinced or believe, but my grandmother is absolutely positive she is coming back, the same as she has done so many times before this life.(her words not mine)

I would like to think we come back, i mean we are all going to die, so it would be nice to have something to look forward too.

 

[sch00lteacher]

Re: Re: Do you believe in reincarnation?

Reincarnation is one of those things that we mere humans can only speculate about until we either experience it or not.

I do have one problem with reincarnation -- it seem to imply that there are a finite number of souls, yet there are (probably) more humans living today than the total number of creatures that lived at any one time in the past.

Where did all of the extra souls come from?

(BTW, that's a rhetorical question, I'm not really looking to divert this discussion in that direction. I've resolved the conflict in my own mind to my own satisfaction -- Reincarnation is possible, but not probable.)

There is supposedly a finite number of souls (Christianity). But we do not know the number of them. There could be a trillion of them left, or just one or two. Only Heaven knows.

When the last one is sent, the world ends, again. The move Seventh Sign was made using real scripture. But it is all mixed in amongst everything else, hard to find.