General Chat

CB All those you mention were resurrected into the same body. Reincarnation means into another body. Christians believe in the 'Incarnation' where the son of God became man, they cannot believe in re-incarnation where they die and return in another body. 'It is appointed ONCE for man to die, and then the judgement.' This is not a popular teaching today, but when Paul appeared before Felix, the Roman governor, Felix obviously believed in the judgment for we read in Acts 24:25 'Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, 'Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.' ' You say 'Ive come to the conclusion.......' but There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25. David

My husband ani had a strange happening! John our next door neighbour died of a terminal illness he was a really nice man. his son came round to tell us John had just Died after he had gone we looked out at the fence where John usedto lean over and talk to us and we saw believe it or not a Kestrel was on the very same spot it stopped for a few sec,s and then was gone! we took it as it was a sign from John to say he was Free That,s what we believe anyway

I was told many years ago by my priest(when I went to church) that I could not be a good christian and believe in reincarnation, thats one reason I fell out with the church, how can this stop a person from bieng a good christian? but I have found my faith so he did me a huge favour!!lol 'god works in mysterious ways'!!

Davo, If you read again what I actually wrote, I did not equate reincarnation with resurrection. What I was trying to say, but obviously put badly, was that there is life after death. Whether that life comes back into the same body (resurrection) or a different one (reincarnation), either way it is possible for there to be life after death. That is what I intended to say. As I mentioned, I was told by a senior clergyman that if you don't believe in the Resurrection of Christ - the most important event in Christian history - you cannot call yourself a Christian. So if people don't believe in life after death, yet call themselves Christians, they are deluding themselves. I've put aside the Christian beliefs that I learned during my early years, and since early adulthood have formed my own belief system based on studies of religions and philosophies of all kinds. I don't expect others to follow what I believe, nor would I try to convince anyone that I was right and they were wrong. I just state my own opinions and beliefs. CB >|<

Hi Louise, Regarding this subject,this comes to mind.' The Moving Finger Writes,and Then Moves on'. Everyone has their beliefs,even that we are living in 'Parallel Worlds' where you think,Iv,e been here before,yet you know you really have,nt. Its a funny old world. Hal.

I'd love to believe in reincarnation. My mum died 4 months before my daughter gave birth, and I now have two more grandchildren, I have read books on the subject, and they often say that when you pass, you heal, and then can remain in spirit, or return in a future relative, ie. grandchild, (believe or not I'm unsure). I'm very interestead in all points of view. All I know is that I seem to be able to answer questions on quiz programmes on subjects I know nothing about, and think - where did that come from? Whatever people believe. if it gives them comfort, that's good, isn't it.

Anyone heard of the 100yr experiment by a Massachussetts doctor (dont ask me how he did this) who claimed that human bodies inexplicably lose 21 grams of mass at the moment of death - supposedly the weight of the soul? Now thats maybe something I could believe but reincarnation? Why - because weve been bad and this is a second chance? Suppose weve been good, very good, even a saint, why come back a second time. Do we come back for a third, fourth, etc? Why leave at all? Why doesnt God give us bodies that last forever? Im more inclined to believe what someone else said that were like plants. We bloom, spread our seed then die but our seed lives on in our children (but I sincerely hope Im wrong!). Kay.

A fascinating series of arguments! As readers of similar threads may have deduced, I am inclined along the lines of Len; I am a sceptic, but do acknowledge that there have been too many reports of unusual happenings to dismiss them all as hallucinations, mass hysteria, or lies. Where my arguments fall down is that I have not done the research that Len has to thoroughly trounce others. However, I also tend towards CB; I believe that God is, but that His work has been misunderstood, misconstrued, or totally misrepresented through the ages, either through innocence, ignorance, or outright malice. I would use an analogy here: a flaworm may consider itself to be the pinnacle of evolution, but how can it possibly understand the complexities of the scientist experimenting upon it? We are cosmological flatworms (though we do have the benefit of free will - and that we must use!). As for resurrection - this, I feel, is a red herring. The idea of resurrection of the old, decrepit body that I hope to wear out is alarming, and I bet Prof Hawking will be pretty ticked off, too. Any form of corporeal existence has a time limit; whether it is the fleeting life of a mayfly to the eons of a star, there is an end; God may have been using the resurrection of Jesus as a dramatic analogy for what He really has planned. As for the infallibility of science - we must remember that the scientists of the day refused to look through Galileo's telescope as they knew that Jupiter had no moons! Scientists are human, and have human failings: recently, one scientist spent a lot of time and money proving the existence of 'gravity waves,' and nearly had everyone convinced. Gravity, electricity, and magnetism still cannot be explained by scientists, but the existence of all three cannot be denied, otherwise: 'What science can't explain, it denies,' as so succinctly put by CB. We have to accept that there IS more than we know about; Einstein admitted that, though even he ridiculed the idea of an after-life! Ah, now that IS a ramble! Rob

Kay Please tell me more, my mind is boggling. Did he have the desperately sick patient on the scales and, at the points immediately before and after death, weigh him/her ? How, in that day, could the moment of death be decided? Bear in mind that in 1905 scales were cumbersome things with weights; no electronics then. In the USA, he would have made the weight difference 0.741 ounces as they did not use the metric system; quite a skilled and lengthy task one would have thought. len

I have never such bunkum in my (living life) We are animals, with brain that has evolved, so much so,that we are to able to question our existance, all this reincarnation twaddle, life after death stuff is a get out. people don,t want to die............so some clever guy thinks!!! I,m on a winner here, I,ll tell em they.ll go to heaven( a nice place) if your not, to hell (a bad place)......................... Then some other guy, with a bit of nous,thinks, I,m on a winner here! I,ll tell them they can come back into the living world in their spirit (whatever that is?) etc..etc sorry to disagree with you guys, I am only one. hope Iv,e not upset anyone just my thoughts. cliffx

Think you'll find we are only two Cheers Kaz

Hi Cliff What upsets me most about your argument (such as it is) is your refusal to accept that the apostrophe (') exists! You'll usually find the key a couple to the right of 'L' (under @ on my keyboard). However, other than shouting, 'Bunkum,' what IS your argument? Are you saying that all who have experienced ghosts, mysterious happenings, out-of-body events, or deja vu are either hallucinating or lying? What is the premise for your beliefs, other than the old mantra of, 'Science knows best'? Rob

I can appreciate others opinions, and respect that as im sure most people who have posted can but to 'BELITTLE' others opinions is rude and just plain arrogant!!!

Hi Len - have a look at http://www.snopes.com/religion/soulweight.asp I only heard a snippet about this and then found out a film had been made about it so had to look on the net and I found the above. I didnt say I believed it just that I would be more inclined to accept this than reincarnation but after reading about it it seems like twaddle. Kay.

Kay Thank you for the reference. I will try and find it. Robert I am glad to say that science is distancing itself from the Hi Cliffs of this world and leaving them behind. Was it Bacon, Shakespeare or perhaps Dr Johnson who coined the saying 'sitting in a cesspool and adding to it' ? A report in 'The Lancet' Dec 15 2001 gives chapter and verse on research into trancendence and this may be found at: (fingers crossed that GR doesn't block it) http://profezie3m.altervista*org/archivio/TheLancet_NDE.htm. Remove the asterisk and substitute full stop. The Lancet is one of the worlds most important medical journals and anything appearing in its columns is taken seriously by the scientific world. If Hi Cliff does not wish to find one and jump off, perhaps he could find a cosy little hole somewhere and climb in ? It must be nearly time for his hibernation. Len

Very interesting subject, just up my alley. I'm bumping it up so that it will be in the first 20 pages tomorrow. I'm too tired to read it right now. Night - Deb

Louise, is there any chance of you reincarnating the answers to your Phychological Quiz 3 - have been growing cobwebs sitting here waiting to know. x

is there anyone out there? please give me the answers to Psychological Quiz 3 - knock once for yes and twice for no.

Was it Voltaire who said I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Kay.

What did he have to say about those who say nothing and keep repeating it? Man cannot exist without dialogue. Len