Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Dargo · 02-19-2003, 05:55 AM

I was wondering how prevelent reincarnation is among world religions. I know it's a tenant of Budism and Hinduism. Are the Abrahamic religions fairly unique in claiming you get only one life to find the right god?

Straight Hate · 02-19-2003, 02:03 PM

I could be wrong in the following, but if you consider the area from which the Abrahamic faiths arose (partisan gods, warring nomadic tribes), it seems that they would definitely have a monolopy on exclusiveness, that it is imperative to believe in their deity. From what I've read, the more 'liberal' the religion and associated culture (not sure which is the result of which), the more likely more liberal themes like reincarnation are going to appear.

Specifically, some religions like Norse Heathenism almost combine the two - that you have one shot at the deal, but that past actions in your family also have a say in what happens to you or how you react to something.

02-19-2003, 04:05 PM

Not ALL Non-Abrahamic religion/teaching does ...

Hindusm - Yes.
Buddhism - I believe Yes.
Taoism - No
Confusious (forgot thr proper name) - No

Others, I'm not very familiar.

02-19-2003, 05:32 PM

While I'm at it, I like to add something about Islam. It is based on my conversations I've been having with them before regarding about the soul and God.

In Islam :

1. The issue of where the soul come from, where it is going (after death), what it made of etc is not stated in Al Quran or anywhere because it is God's knowledge and Humans have no need to know.

2. Humans don't get reborn over and over again - one life, one shot at heaven or damnation to hell.

3. According to Al Quran, Souls are born on this world to face trials (lifetime of them) and when they die, they rewarded heaven or hell following how they lived.

4. Only Humans (and Humans ONLY) have souls, other creatures and non-animals species (such as plants) have no souls. So it is illogical for them (Muslims) for a soul from a Human to be reborn as an animal.

OK, That's all I can remember.

Does Christianity and Judaism believe in Reincarnation or does it also follow Islam's approach?

Psycho Economist · 02-19-2003, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Seraphim
Does Christianity and Judaism believe in Reincarnation or does it also follow Islam's approach?

Well, Christianity has the same thoughts on how many lives you get, but the criterion of salvation / damnation is a source of continued debate.

Judaism didn't start out with such an elaborate afterlife scheme. There are references to heaven and sheol ("the grave"), but they weren't specifically interpreted to be an afterlife. Belief in afterlives as a reward for those who kept the commandments crept into folk beliefs well before the time of the Romans (maybe even before release from exile by the Persians) and is now on its way back out at least in popular theology.

02-19-2003, 06:18 PM

Well, Christianity has the same thoughts on how many lives you get, but the criterion of salvation / damnation is a source of continued debate.

My reply : In another words ... MAYBE ...
Well, can't argue with something I'm not very familiar with.

However, I remember reading somewhere that Christians are beginning to look into theory of Reincarnation to be another working branch somewhere last time.
Something like - You get one shoot at Heaven, but if for some reason you failed to reach it, you can reborn again and try again.

Judaism didn't start out with such an elaborate afterlife scheme. There are references to heaven and sheol ("the grave"), but they weren't specifically interpreted to be an afterlife. Belief in afterlives as a reward for those who kept the commandments crept into folk beliefs well before the time of the Romans (maybe even before release from exile by the Persians) and is now on its way back out at least in popular theology.

My reply : Which means it is not part of Moses's laws but something they added later ...

OK, Thank You for the information.

philechat · 02-22-2003, 09:15 PM

The Romans probably believed in some form of reincarnation. The Aeneid mentions about people living in some sort of pastoral afterlife for 1000 years before they become reborn as humans again. I think there are also punishments for the evildoers but they also do not last an eternity.

Plato talks about some form of "river of forgetfulness" people drank before returning to a new life. It appears that Platonism probably held some form of reincarnation beliefs, when they say about all knowledge being some sort of "recollection" which were lost between each life.

hinduwoman · 02-23-2003, 05:16 PM

Were not there some early Christians who believed in reincarnation?

02-19-2003, 05:55 AM	#1
Dargo Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 713	Do most non-abrahamic religions believe in reincarnation? I was wondering how prevelent reincarnation is among world religions. I know it's a tenant of Budism and Hinduism. Are the Abrahamic religions fairly unique in claiming you get only one life to find the right god?

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02-19-2003, 02:03 PM	#2
Straight Hate Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 4,171	I could be wrong in the following, but if you consider the area from which the Abrahamic faiths arose (partisan gods, warring nomadic tribes), it seems that they would definitely have a monolopy on exclusiveness, that it is imperative to believe in their deity. From what I've read, the more 'liberal' the religion and associated culture (not sure which is the result of which), the more likely more liberal themes like reincarnation are going to appear. Specifically, some religions like Norse Heathenism almost combine the two - that you have one shot at the deal, but that past actions in your family also have a say in what happens to you or how you react to something.

02-19-2003, 04:05 PM	#3
Seraphim Guest Posts: n/a	Not ALL Non-Abrahamic religion/teaching does ... Hindusm - Yes. Buddhism - I believe Yes. Taoism - No Confusious (forgot thr proper name) - No Others, I'm not very familiar.

02-19-2003, 05:32 PM	#4
Seraphim Guest Posts: n/a	While I'm at it, I like to add something about Islam. It is based on my conversations I've been having with them before regarding about the soul and God. In Islam : 1. The issue of where the soul come from, where it is going (after death), what it made of etc is not stated in Al Quran or anywhere because it is God's knowledge and Humans have no need to know. 2. Humans don't get reborn over and over again - one life, one shot at heaven or damnation to hell. 3. According to Al Quran, Souls are born on this world to face trials (lifetime of them) and when they die, they rewarded heaven or hell following how they lived. 4. Only Humans (and Humans ONLY) have souls, other creatures and non-animals species (such as plants) have no souls. So it is illogical for them (Muslims) for a soul from a Human to be reborn as an animal. OK, That's all I can remember. Does Christianity and Judaism believe in Reincarnation or does it also follow Islam's approach?

02-19-2003, 06:18 PM	#6
Seraphim Guest Posts: n/a	Well, Christianity has the same thoughts on how many lives you get, but the criterion of salvation / damnation is a source of continued debate. My reply : In another words ... MAYBE ... Well, can't argue with something I'm not very familiar with. However, I remember reading somewhere that Christians are beginning to look into theory of Reincarnation to be another working branch somewhere last time. Something like - You get one shoot at Heaven, but if for some reason you failed to reach it, you can reborn again and try again. Judaism didn't start out with such an elaborate afterlife scheme. There are references to heaven and sheol ("the grave"), but they weren't specifically interpreted to be an afterlife. Belief in afterlives as a reward for those who kept the commandments crept into folk beliefs well before the time of the Romans (maybe even before release from exile by the Persians) and is now on its way back out at least in popular theology. My reply : Which means it is not part of Moses's laws but something they added later ... OK, Thank You for the information.

02-22-2003, 09:15 PM	#7
philechat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Mind of the Other Posts: 886	The Romans probably believed in some form of reincarnation. The Aeneid mentions about people living in some sort of pastoral afterlife for 1000 years before they become reborn as humans again. I think there are also punishments for the evildoers but they also do not last an eternity. Plato talks about some form of "river of forgetfulness" people drank before returning to a new life. It appears that Platonism probably held some form of reincarnation beliefs, when they say about all knowledge being some sort of "recollection" which were lost between each life.

02-23-2003, 05:16 PM	#8
hinduwoman Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: India Posts: 6,977	Were not there some early Christians who believed in reincarnation?

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