Christianity and reincarnation, is it feasible?

[Fox]

Can you still be considered a Christian if one believes in reincarnation? If people say yes, what do they use to backup the claim that you can believe in reincarnation and still be aprt of Chrsit’s salvific(sp) work? If not, what do people use to back up that claim that once you go that is it and off to your individual judgement? thanks.

 

[tonyrey]

The main problem with reincarnation is that it implies one life on earth is insufficient. Why do we need more than one? Even if babies die before they’ve developed it doesn’t follow that God gives them no opportunity to do so in heaven…

 

[GEddie]

Can you still be considered a Christian if one believes in reincarnation? If people say yes, what do they use to backup the claim that you can believe in reincarnation and still be aprt of Chrsit’s salvific(sp) work? If not, what do people use to back up that claim that once you go that is it and off to your individual judgement? thanks.

The Book of Hebrews.

“Once to die, and then judgement.”

The idea of needing to pay off karmic debts, or becoming reborn as an animal, is completely foreign to Scripture, to the Church, and to the teachings of our LORD.

ICXC NIKA

 

[MaryT777]

The Book of Hebrews.

“Once to die, and then judgement.”

The idea of needing to pay off karmic debts, or becoming reborn as an animal, is completely foreign to Scripture, to the Church, and to the teachings of our LORD.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Nelka]

The Book of Hebrews.

“Once to die, and then judgement.”

The idea of needing to pay off karmic debts, or becoming reborn as an animal, is completely foreign to Scripture, to the Church, and to the teachings of our LORD.

ICXC NIKA

 

[spiderweb]

Instincts are at least in part tied to the soul. So it depends on how far you want to go with reincarnation. A human soul wouldn’t do very well in a pigeons body because the human soul lacks the instincts to survive as a pigeon, or any other living thing other than human. So reincarnation into anything other than human doesn’t happen. The proof of that is within the nature of living things itself.

Without the Word of God, we have no reason to believe anything happens when we die. If we are reincarnated as another person, what would be the purpose of that? To better myself? As punishment? But to my knowledge part of the belief of reincarnation is that you do not know your past life, so how would you better yourself? If you have the freedom to choose to make yourself better, you also have the freedom to become worse. You can’t correct past mistakes because they are past and you can’t remember what they were anyways. How does the cycle end? It doesn’t. Reincarnation has no purpose at all.

 

[Adonia]

The soul is the form of the body? The soul INHABITS the body that is formed through the creation act. The two are separate. Is the soul created by God only when a body breathes it’s first breath, or does the soul already exist in the spiritual realm and is allowed to enter the newly created body? The latter is what is thought of when the idea of reincarnation is bandied about.

 

[Richard_White]

The Book of Hebrews.

“Once to die, and then judgement.”

The idea of needing to pay off karmic debts, or becoming reborn as an animal, is completely foreign to Scripture, to the Church, and to the teachings of our LORD.

ICXC NIKA

Agreed May God bless you all!

 

[GEddie]

The soul is the form of the body? The soul INHABITS the body that is formed through the creation act. The two are separate. Is the soul created by God only when a body breathes it’s first breath, or does the soul already exist in the spiritual realm and is allowed to enter the newly created body? The latter is what is thought of when the idea of reincarnation is bandied about.

“Form of the body” does not imply some kind of inner moldline. It’s an Aquinian term; I don’t speak Aquinas; find someone who does.

The soul does not “inhabit the body” as something separate. Soul is formed in and for the body. The soul is the life; the body is needed to hold and express life.

Because soul is formed for each body, there can be no transmigration or reincarnation.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Adonia]

“Form of the body” does not imply some kind of inner moldline. It’s an Aquinian term; I don’t speak Aquinas; find someone who does.

The soul does not “inhabit the body” as something separate. Soul is formed in and for the body. The soul is the life; the body is needed to hold and express life.

Because soul is formed for each body, there can be no transmigration or reincarnation.

ICXC NIKA

You say “the soul is the life” and “the body is needed to hold and express life”, so then to extrapolate from those statements, when the body no longer exists one could then come to the conclusion that the soul no longer exists. Surely you don’t mean that do you? Our souls go on, I believe the word is “immortal”.

In other words the soul is the life source, and it is that life source that animates the body. No?

 

[GEddie]

You say “the soul is the life” and “the body is needed to hold and express life”, so then to extrapolate from those statements, when the body no longer exists one could then come to the conclusion that the soul no longer exists. Surely you don’t mean that do you?

Perhaps it is that the soul is the life source, and it is the life source that animates the body.

Not really.

Without body, life goes into an abeyance but is restored via the Resurrectional body.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Adonia]

Not really.

Without body, life goes into an abeyance but is restored via the Resurrectional body.

ICXC NIKA

Then this brings up another issue. If I may, the Scripture’s say we are made “in the image and likeness of God”. Does that mean our bodies or our souls? You see, once I was at a water park and I was sitting there watching everyone walk by and then it struck me.

I saw tall and thin people, short and fat people, I mean every body type imaginable and believe me the word “ugly” came to mind. (and I don’t exclude myself either - we are what we are) But surely God, our maker, did not look like any of us? Good grief!

 

[GEddie]

Then this brings up another issue. If I may, the Scripture’s say we are made “in the image and likeness of God”. Does that mean our bodies or our souls? You see, once I was at a water park and I was sitting there watching everyone walk by and then it struck me.

I saw tall and thin people, short and fat people, I mean every body type imaginable and believe me the word “ugly” came to mind. (and I don’t exclude myself either - we are what we are) But surely God, our maker, did not look like any of us? Good grief!

Image of God is primarily about the soul, which is spiritual and God is spirit.

However, it also would include our bodies, which as non-infinite beings we need for living life. Not in the sense of specific appearance or bodybuilds, but in the sense of “bodyhood” enabling us to live life.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Adonia]

Image of God is primarily about the soul, which is spiritual and God is spirit.

However, it also would include our bodies, which as non-infinite beings we need for living life. Not in the sense of specific appearance or bodybuilds, but in the sense of “bodyhood” enabling us to live life.

ICXC NIKA

The first part of your answer is how I was thinking about it, but I don’t know as the Apostles Creed talks about the resurrection of the body and that stumps me a bit. The same with the idea of reincarnation as that idea seems to make some sense (at least to me as I look at the interactions of people as we go through this life) but the Church teaches something else entirely. But I don’t really beat myself up anymore as to the why of life, I accept what the Church teaches and in that way I can live more easily and figure there will be no blinders when we leave this earth and move on to the next world.

 

[GEddie]

The first part of your answer is how I was thinking about it, but I don’t know as the Apostles Creed talks about the resurrection of the body and that stumps me a bit. The same with the idea of reincarnation as that idea seems to make some sense (at least to me as I look at the interactions of people as we go through this life) but the Church teaches something else entirely. But I don’t really beat myself up anymore as to the why of life, I accept what the Church teaches and in that way I can live more easily and figure there will be no blinders when we leave this earth and move on to the next world.

“How people interact” shouldn’t be our source for speculation about the afterlife. And absent divine revelation (i.e., via the Church), all we have is speculation.

We do not have bodies; we are bodies.. That is how we are designed, not ghosts in living machines, but thinking bodies. Death interrupts our being; it does not change who we are.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Robert_Sock]

Many Orthodox Jews believe that the soul may descend up to four times in different bodies in order for it to complete all the mitzvahs. In the World-to-Come, each of the four bodies will have the same soul. I honestly do not know and so I will not speculate. No matter how I look at things, this life seems bizarre, with atheistic evolution being the most bizarre of all.

 

[GEddie]

Many Orthodox Jews believe that the soul may descend up to four times in different bodies in order for it to complete all the mitzvahs. In the World-to-Come, each of the four bodies will have the same soul. I honestly do not know and so I will not speculate. No matter how I look at things, this life seems bizarre, with atheistic evolution being the most bizarre of all.

Interesting.

At least all four bodies would be human, I take it, as an animal could hardly undertake mitsvot?

ICXC NIKA

 

[rinnie]

Can you still be considered a Christian if one believes in reincarnation? If people say yes, what do they use to backup the claim that you can believe in reincarnation and still be aprt of Chrsit’s salvific(sp) work? If not, what do people use to back up that claim that once you go that is it and off to your individual judgement? thanks.

I believe you could possibly believe in God and reincarnation, but it is not compatible with the teachings of God. We are taught we are only born once. And speaking logically what would be the reason for eternal like with Christ in heaven, if we come back. It would make eternal life in Christ and with him untrue.