Philosophy Do you believe in reincarnation?

Reincarnation is something that has been a lot on my mind lately. Especially because Ive heard some very interesting stories about it, and about souls in bodies etc. This is something that can not be explained, I believe it really is something you feel. You can never be sure about it ofcourse, because how could you be? If you would be reincarnated you would probably not remember it, you will just feel alive, living your life.

My mother ones told me this very strange story (and believe it or not it is definetly true!)

My mother was working in this resting house, for elder people. It was late at night and she was doing her last round. She visited old lady Van Groenewegh who has been very ill lately and was lying in her bed. But she found the old lady in an even worse state then she was before, she was dying. So my mother decided just to stay here with the old lady and she just held her hands. She stayed with her untill she passed away. Then the strangest thing ever happened. Behind the bed where the old lady layed, there was a white wall. The windows where closed, there was no smoke nothing. But a few seconds after that the lady passed away, my mother saw a shadow of smoke on the wall, but there was nothing that even looked a bit like smoke, nothing that could make the shadow (that was defintely coming from above her belly button). so what could it have been, perhaps a soul?

Now you can think this is nonsense, but I am not so sure about that...


I am quite sure that there are more people that have this on their minds, and Id like to hear something of them. What is their perspective and what are there adventures or what have they heard.

 

uh huh. but if anyone that shares the religion heard me call it that theyd slap me lol.

but yeah that sounds like an appropriate place for the soul to leave through... most internal martial arts spend a LOT of time working with that spot. it's supposedly the center for your entire body's energy.

 

ahh lol well I guess the katholic people do not believe in reincarnation, and I sure am a katholic anyway... that even sounds more logic then.
Who knows what more there can be done

 

well the thing is, the whole idea of getting a new body in heaven IS reincarnation... of course they'd scream because it sounds too buddhist lol (not all, but most of the people who procalim "I AM A CHRISTIAN! PHEAR ME!" tend to have that opinion heheh)

 

hahaha yes I understand that. Well I dont really care about being a katholic, its more because of my parents are. I guess it is sort of a same way indeed.

 

Or simply non-canonical as far as the current iterations of the Church go?

Reincarnation isn't strictly Buddhist, you realise... (in fact given current Christian-Buddhist relations, they're the least likely to provoke a bad reaction).

 

yeah i know. thats what i just said lol.

 

Interesting read

Around 100 D.C, there was a paper written by Justin Martyr, entitled "Dialogue with trypho" (trypho was a jew). In their Chapter 4 there is a discussion about the human soul, and the transmigration of souls (reincarnation) as well.

Very interesting read

 

That doesn't sound Buddhist at all. In fact, it would be more Buddhist to say you don't get a new body when you "go to heaven" (or in this case, nothingness).

And no, reincarnation is actually a rather old faith tradition; currently, Buddhism and Hinduism tend to subscribe to it (though it depends on who you're talking to with Buddhism, as there are many who claim they don't, especially in the Vajrayana vehicle). There are others as well, just none are coming to mind currently.

 

reincarnation sounds buddhist, seeing as how, ya know, they believe in it...
thats what i was referring to. remember guys, i live in the Bible belt.

 

Well, to me I dont believe in reincarnation. I just dont consider it true. But I really did like that story with the old lady and the smoke on the wall. It was nice.

 

well you guys seem to know alot about Buddhism and stuff, I guess reincarnation is indeed something old. But you hear it more often now and even if it is just nonsense, I think it does sound pretty cool. Especially the souls in the bodies are something interesting. I do know some more stories, but they are mostly like some little things that almost every one has had in his life.

 

Ok, let's stop.

Yes, Buddhists believe in reincarnation, but not once one achieves enlightenment.

Takamattsu, I specifically said that they wouldn't scream "its too buddhist". Bible Belt or not you'd more likely hear pagan or hindu.

 

ok yeah confusing, and I dont really care about the buddhism, I just like to know more about the reincarnation etc..

 

i'm not going to ruin another thread arguing with you, neph, but i can tell at least as well as you what my local church would say. i never said anything about catholics.