Christianity and reincarnation

[Mamajamz]

I know this thread has probably been 'round the block a few times, but thought I'd bring it up again because lately I've been thinking about this. I think I'm starting to believe that we do live more than once. But then I wonder how that gels with my Christian beliefs, i.e. why do we need a Savior/Redeemer if we just get to do it over again and try harder the next time? Or maybe that's God's mercy in letting us have another chance to discover His grace? I hope I'm not offending anyone by asking such questions.

[Persephone]

It's a question I've asked before too. I'll be watching this discussion. I also am not sure if I believe in reincarnation, but my mom does, and I tend to take her seriously. So, I'd like to consider it. Plus, I think I might be having some past life memories come to the surface, so I'd like to know what's going on. I don't have any answers for you, just that I'm wondering too.

[Pynki]

I consider my self christian.. I believe in re-incarnation.. Partially because of my own experiences, but since i was a small child.. I have had dreams in french, and never taken french.. I took spanish.. I spoke chinese as a child before I spoke english.. Born in Iowa in the US.. I have dreams of long ago places.. I am me, but not.. It's hard to explain..

I think.. And here is my speculation.. That you die and go to heaven to be with god.. You can chose to stay or chose to come back.. Free will is still free will in heaven.. Not that you grow tired of heaven, but that you want to give life another try to maybe "get something right" that you didn't quite get the last time around.. It's not something you have to do, but it's something you can CHOOSE to do..

I believe many things that most christians don't accept right now, so I'm not sure where in christianity I stand.. But I consider my self a christian, and I believe in re-incarnation..

Warm Squishy Feelings..

Dyan

[Elzabet]

I don't think the two are compatible at all. It just doesn't make sense. Why would Jesus come, demonstrate Himself as the Son of God, suffer, die and rise if all is necessary to achieve perfection is a cosmic "do over"? Seems like a colossal waste of His time to me. Hebrews 9:26 (??) says man dies once and then the judgement. Once seems to be enough.

[cappuccinosmom]

Pynki, maybe you just have the gift of tongues, and didn't know it.

As a Christian, I believe in resurrection, not reincarnation.

[tracymom]

I lean toward a belief in it. I read a book called "Reincarnation: The Missing Link in Christianity" which made so much sense I couldn't believe it. It bridged the gap that I felt in my own Christian heritage and posited some ideas that just made sense to my heart.

[Jazmommie]

Makes sense to me --according to readings done by Edgar Cayce ,Jesus had past lives also--as a spiritual being before sin came into the material world --He choose to be born in a physical body to show us the way back to the Father --He had several lives --as Melchizedek (without mother or father ,without decent,having neither beginning or end of days--more later

[Pynki]

Originally Posted by Elzabet

I don't think the two are compatible at all. It just doesn't make sense. Why would Jesus come, demonstrate Himself as the Son of God, suffer, die and rise if all is necessary to achieve perfection is a cosmic "do over"? Seems like a colossal waste of His time to me. Hebrews 9:26 (??) says man dies once and then the judgement. Once seems to be enough.

I had a dream I was in heaven.. But I WAS STILL STUCK IN CLASS... There were things I stil needed to learn even after dying before I could go into the "city of heaven".. I was in the state, but hadn't reached the capitol sorta thing...

I am having troubles figuireing out exactly what I believe when it come to Jesus, but here is my thought on this.. Jesus came to give us God's grace which we don't deserve.. This grace allows us into heaven.. We die to our sinful ways.. We are still physically alive on earth for a while..

Jesus dies, and his death allows us into the holy of holies.. Heaven.. Whether we stay or not is entirely up to us and whether what we still have to learn we learn in that "classroom" in Heaven, or we try to come back, and "get it" /learn it here on earth..

Warm Squishy Feelings..

Dyan

[jengi33]

I definitely have to agree with Elzabet, there is no biblical basis for reincarnation. I don't claim to know the entire bible and I could be wrong, but in the studying that I have done, nothing like this makes sense.

[Mamajamz]

I never would have imagined I would be posting such a thread; I've always been very conservative in my beliefs. My world was blasted open when I had my son 3 years ago. I started having all kinds of psychic experiences and things of that nature that I was NOT seeking in any way, but they happened, which started me on this journey. I believe in Jesus and do trust Him to lead me to my soul's home with Him, but between here and there I have to wonder. I'm starting to think that we with our mortal minds cannot even begin to comprehend the foundation of the earth or the galaxies much less the spiritual world that we can't see. Therefore, what we think is either apples or oranges is really bananas.
I know the Scripture about how it's appointed for man to die once and then comes the judgment, but what's after the judgment? I used to wonder why we couldn't just go to heaven after we come to a knowledge and faith in Christ--why even live on earth at all? We don't stay on earth to try and "earn" salvation. By the same token, couldn't our souls exist on other planes and in other times not to earn our way to heaven but to keep growing, learning, and doing good as a sign of our faith or for some other reason that is known only to God?

[Jazmommie]

From-THE EDGAR CAYCE COMPANION"What part of the New Testament definately teaches reincarnation?"---Answer--"John-6-8,3rd to 5th--Then the rest as a whole."
"Did not John come as the voice of one crying in the wilderness and in the spirit of Elijah?Yet he WAS Elijah!"
Question-"What will convince me of reincarnation?Answer--"An experiience!"
Question-"What action of the early church or council,can be mentioned as that which ruled (out) reincarnation from Christian theology?Answer-Just as indicated -the attempts of individuals to accept or take advantage of ,because of this knowledge ,see?"

[Jazmommie]

Reicarnation /Edgar Cayce

Books on Edgar Cayce --
LIVES OF THE MASTER-THE REST OF THE JESUS STORY
by Glenn Sanderfur
EDGAR CAYCES STORY OF JESUS-by Jeffrey Furst,ed
EDGAR CAYCES STORY OF THE ORIGIN & DESTINY OF MAN
by Lytle Robinson
EDGAR CAYCES STORY OF THE SOUL by W.H. Church

[Jazmommie]

Reincarnation/Edgar Cayce

There are so many quotes that I feel are important --
I am a slow typist though-
Question-
Must each soul continue on to be reincarnated in the earth until it reaches perfection,or are some souls lost?
Answer-Can God lose itself,if God be God -or is it submerged,or is it as given,carried into the universal soul or Consciousness?The SOUL is not lost,the INDIVIDUALITY of the soulthat separated itself is lost.The reincarnation or the opprotunities are continuous until the soul has of itself become an entity in its whol or has submerged itself.
Question-If a soul fails to improve itself,what becomes of it ?
Answer-That why the reincarnaation,why it rencarnates; that it MAY have an opprotunity.Can the will of man continue to defy its maker?
TO FIND THAT YE LIVED ,DIED AND WERE BURIED UNDER THE CHERRY TREE ...DOES NOT MAKE THEE ONE WHIT BETTER NEIGHBOR,CITIZEN OR MOTHER ,OR FATHER.BUT TO KNOW YE SPOKE UNKINDLY AND SUFFERED FOR IT ,AND IN THE PRESENT MAY CORRECT IT BY BEING RIGHTEUOS-THAT IS WORTH WHILE.

[Jazmommie]

FOR THE RECORD-
Edgar Cayce was raised Baptist -a Sunday School teacher -believer in Jesus Christ--when his "readings mentioned reincarnation -he was shocked -He gradually became convinced of reincarnation .
www.edgarcayce.org

There are many books that cover his readings --Reincarnation & his holistic readings on health are how I got interested in him .

Gradually I became a big fan of his readings (I have them all -14,000 or so on CD Rom)
I was surprised to find his readings brought me back to Jesus.
Putting it all together ,Jesus & reincarnation,is what ended up working for me !

[AnnMarie]

I hope there is such a thing. I still want a do-over. :LOL

[jengi33]

Originally Posted by Jazmommie

From-THE EDGAR CAYCE COMPANION"What part of the New Testament definately teaches reincarnation?"---Answer--"John-6-8,3rd to 5th--Then the rest as a whole."

Which specific area in John is this? Do you mean chapter 6-8?

Originally Posted by Jazmommie

"Did not John come as the voice of one crying in the wilderness and in the spirit of Elijah?Yet he WAS Elijah!"

I don't follow this either, John 1:21-23 "They asked him, "then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered "No."
Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"

I do not believe in reincarnation, and showing me some of the readings/writings of Edgar Cayce will not prove anything to me. Show me proof from the bible.

[jengi33]

Originally Posted by Mamajamz

I know the Scripture about how it's appointed for man to die once and then comes the judgment, but what's after the judgment? I used to wonder why we couldn't just go to heaven after we come to a knowledge and faith in Christ--why even live on earth at all? We don't stay on earth to try and "earn" salvation. By the same token, couldn't our souls exist on other planes and in other times not to earn our way to heaven but to keep growing, learning, and doing good as a sign of our faith or for some other reason that is known only to God?

I'm not denying you had the experiences you wrote about, but I would like to address this question "why even live on earth at all?"

I wonder that same thing at times. I long for Jesus' return to take me away from this life and world but the truth is he gave us the Great Commission "Therefore go and make discples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the HOly Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-20. We are called to "spread the good news"

The other fact is that we don't have to "earn" our salvation. God did that for us when he died on the cross. We don't earn our way to heaven, we get there by accepting Christ as our savior.

[Jazmommie]

Jengi33-I am assuming it means John chapters 3-5 & 6-8 as it talks of being born again--I think it means literally not just spiritually--It depends on how you take it personally.

You can read what you think it means -I can read what I think it means.
Same words -different meanings.
The Bible has been changed -Constantine or Justinian--I will look it up--they had several verses /chapters /book removed as he did not want to think he caould be born a pauper after being an emperor.
I too believe we have to accept Jesus as our savior--but not just with our words-but with our actions here on earth-no matter how long that it takes-Jesus made the way -he is the way,the truth & the light.

[Jazmommie]

John Chapter 9 where they speak of the blind man -
It was accepted that Jews did not believe in reincarnation but the Essene sect did-it was a common thought at the time therefore the question was not strange to ask-Rabbi -who sinned this man or his parents that he was born blind? Jesus answered Neither ---NOT what are you thinking,he could not have sinned before being born!

Also -Chapter 8 verse 54-58 -
"Amen ,amen I say to you ,before Abraham came to be ,I AM."

I am looking for the other about Elijah & John.

[jengi33]

Originally Posted by Jazmommie

John Chapter 9 where they speak of the blind man -
It was accepted that Jews did not believe in reincarnation but the Essene sect did-it was a common thought at the time therefore the question was not strange to ask-Rabbi -who sinned this man or his parents that he was born blind? Jesus answered Neither ---NOT what are you thinking,he could not have sinned before being born!

Ok, I see the point you are trying to make, that this doesn't make much sense, but don't see it as proof of reincarnation

Originally Posted by Jazmommie

Also -Chapter 8 verse 54-58 -
"Amen ,amen I say to you ,before Abraham came to be ,I AM."

I believe that Jesus is proving himself to be God by saying this. It refers back to Exodus 3:14 "God said to Moses, this is what you are to say to the Israelites 'I AM has sent me to you'."