Poll: Reincarnation - Fact or Fiction?

[shifrbv]

For thousands of years religions around the world have believed in reincarnation. From the eastern religions of the Hindus and Buddists to the ancient Egyptians to the Druids and Celts to the ancient Greeks and even the native peoples of the Americas. Yet today, this belief has widely been stamped out by Judaism and a recent new comer to the scene, Christianity.

While some sects of early Christians were purported to believe in reincarnation, the idea as well as any thought of "pre-existence to the soul" was labeled as "heresy" at the church's Second Council of Constantinople in 553AD.

Some have said the church explicity did this to maintain it's authority over people. After all, it's alot easier to control people if they believe they only have one shot and if they mess up, they're going to hell. In addition, it's alot easier to get rid of people you don't like through religous persecution if you can call them "heretics".

Personally, I believe it's possible. I don't believe that millions of people can be so wrong.

 

[Scrapster]

Why don't you put yourself to the test and we will know once and for all.

 

[Viperoni]

I just voted.

 

[yakko]

Where is the poll?

 

[MrCodeDude]

It all depends on what religion you follow. Of course, it seems like the afterlife is very divided as some religions believe in reincarnation and some just believe you go to Heaven or a nice alternative afterlife. I personally am Christian and believe that when you die, you just go to heaven where you live life like you did on Earth.
-- mrcodedude

 

[bacillus]

<< Where is the poll? >>


probably reincarnated somewhere else!

 

[althor27]

Can't find the poll to vote....definite nyet.

 

[Ameesh]

<< I just voted. >>



how and where?

 

[gopunk]

Personally, I believe it's possible. I don't believe that millions of people can be so wrong.

hey i got news for you, the world's flat! of course millions of people can be wrong... why not? it doesn't take that much to be misled. think about it. if you're going to go against christianity, all the christians are wrong then... right? and i'm sure there's millions of them... so how come those millions are wrong?

 

[Wallydraigle]

Actually there are some branches of Judaism that do believe in reincarnation, but only under certain circumstances. Like when a whole family line is wiped out or something. But I think there are not too many of those kinds of Jews.

 

[syzygy]

reincarnation is very bad fiction. never liked it as a theme.

 

[FelixDeCat]

friction!

although is nice to ponder on sometimes.

 

[shifrbv]

if you're going to go against christianity, all the christians are wrong then... right?

I think it's one thing to go against the Bible and quite another to go against a group of men (headed up by the Roman emporers) who formed a council long ago to fashion a state-wide religion who was challenging their authority.

Alot of what people see in the churches was never laid out in the Bible. Take Catholicism, for example. Many of their rituals aren't even mentioned in the Bible, yet many people perform them as if they are commanded by God. Does this necessarily make them &quot;right&quot; because millions of people perform these rituals and religously follow the church councils when they readjust the rules from time to time?

The original Greek translation of the Bible never had the word &quot;Hell&quot; or &quot;witch&quot; in it. These were conveniently inserted by later scholars operating under the auspices of the nobility (who I'm sure working with the church wanted to exercise even a little more control by preaching &quot;fire and brimstone&quot; and &quot;demons&quot; to every unbeliever). Since that time, millions of Christians have looked at unbelievers (especially in areas of land in which they wanted to conquer) as slated for &quot;damnation&quot; and used it to their advantage. Of course, the original Greek text was mistranslated and never described it so. But if you would ask them, it would be fact because their KJV Bible said so. Does this also make them right?

Alot of the dogma that we see preached today comes from over a thousand years of major power players in Western history trying to stamp out every faction who didn't agree with them (and they had alot of them). Britain and France were filled with tribes steeped in a long history very different from the one the Roman-sanctioned church was preaching (celtic tradition). Germany was filled with the goths who had their own traditions and the northern peoples were even worse with their holdovers from the Vikings. And then, the further out you got, there were the eastern religions creeping in which were completely different, and therefore, a major threat. There was a lot of convincing to do if the Roman church was going to get a foothold in these regions.

In addition, I don't believe there is any verse in the Bible in which Jesus repudiated that it doesn't exist. In fact, there are some in which scholars have questioned if perhaps He may have alluded to it. In fact, if you look at it, there is much knowledge to be gained in knowing it rather than not. The only one who gains when people are in fear is the church or those who claim to be &quot;saved&quot;. God doesn't really gain. He wants sincerity, not something like &quot;Fear Factor&quot; where people go along hoping to win the big prize.

But I guess no one will know until the time comes. And no, I'm not going first and coming back to tell you all about it.

 

[prontospyder]

Fact

 

[Bosec]

fiction

 

[Pocatello]

Here is strange one for you, I had known a guy whose wife had past away. According to his sagely priest, his wife was reincarnated into one particular piglet. The man promptly bought this little piglet and bring it home. He forced all his children to call this pig their mommy. Guess where and with whom the pig sleep? I'll leave that to your wild imagination.

 

[Imported]

I believe in it more than I would some book thats gone through many interpretations..

 

[RossGr]

Reincarnation is a belief, like all other believes it really cannot be proven or disproven, therefore fact or fiction cannot be resolved.

 

[GagBag]

I'm going to kill myself and find out

bye

 

[shifrbv]

Reincarnation is a belief, like all other believes it really cannot be proven or disproven, therefore fact or fiction cannot be resolved

Not necessarily. There are some scientists which have tried to factually go about trying to gather evidence for it's existence. It's a common phenomenon that many very young children (usually less than the age of 5) report being &quot;different people&quot; or pointing out a place &quot;where they used to live&quot; or people they &quot;used to know&quot;. If they don't do this, some report vivid details of historical events or even historical technology which they could not have possibly ascertained at their young ages (especially in 3rd world countries where kids don't often have access to TV or computers or lots of books like kids here). Often times the child will remember these events until they're 5 or 6 and then gradually &quot;forget&quot; them.

It's an interesting phenomena to say the least and definitely gives me pause for belief.