How is reincarnation so important, not only to Hinduism, but to other world-wide religions?

Answer 1

One of the most popular beliefs in the world concerning death is the transmigration or reincarnation of the soul. This belief is the main competitor today to the Christian concept of heaven and hell. Hollywood stars such as Shirley Maclaine have given reincarnation great popularity. There are increasing references to it in TV shows and movies, and the supermarket tabloids run sensational stories “proving” it every week.

The orthodox Hindu idea of reincarnation teaches that when you die, your soul does not go to heaven or hell. Instead, your soul goes into some other kind of body here on earth. This body can be an insect, fish, animal, or human body. This is why Hindus practice vegetarianism and will not even kill the pests that destroy their harvests.

When occultists such as Edgar Cayce realized that the thought of reincarnating into animal and insect bodies would not be attractive to Westerners, they decided to alter the concept.

Using the Western concepts of evolution and progress, they taught that through reincarnation the soul always progressively evolves up the scale of being. Thus you cannot regress back into an insect or animal body once you have reached the human stage. You are either born into another human body or you are absorbed back into oneness, depending on your karma.

In Hindu theology, there is no personal God who hands out rewards and punishments like in the Bible. Instead, the non-personal principle of karma determines, based on the good and evil you have done in this life, whether you will be reborn as rich or poor, healthy or handicapped, slave or master, etc.

Karma teaches that your suffering or prospering in your present life is due to the evil or good you did in a previous life. If you are born as a poor “crack” baby in Harlem with terrible physical and mental sufferings, you are only getting what you deserve. You must have done some very evil things in a past life to have such “bad” karma. But if you are born into a rich family with health and wealth all your days, then you too are only getting what you deserve. You must have done some very good things
in a past life to have such “good” karma.

The Christian’s response to reincarnation is twofold: the atonement of Christ makes reincarnation unnecessary, and the resurrection of the body makes reincarnation impossible.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

As Hebrews 9:27 shows, there is no such thing as reincarnation. It is merely wishful thinking for guilty sinners. They like to think that if they don’t “get it right” in this lifetime, they’ll have multiple opportunities in future lives. That people don’t need to trust in Jesus before they die is one of Satan’s greatest lies.

Answer 2

It was the Eastern explination for why we are alive. Europeans/ Middle East had heaven and salvation, or eternal damnations as thier insentive to live a good life. Reincarnation gives a person a reason not to kill and a reason to live a good and morally correct lifestyle. It is simply a diffrent cultures perspective.

Answer 3

I am Buddhist. Although reincarnating into something better is a goal, but the even bigger goal is to reach the state of nirvana. The actual goal in Buddhism is to get out of the reincarnation cycle, so that there is no more suffering.

Answer 4

Reincarnation is a truth ...Our soul starts its journey in chemicals...and after each awakening find itself in plants, animals and finally human beings.

As humans we have to learn millions of lessons of pains and joys, richness and poverties, cruelty and kindness, killing and be killed, ...till we reach our next mind evolution i.e. Divinity.

One life is not sufficient for all these lessons. hence our soul after death goes to another body to learn other sets of lessons

The paradoxes as to why some are born rich some poor, some without mind or without limbs...some from poverty going to utter richness...some spiritual from childhood... can not be explained without Reincarnation


Many during the hypnotic state have remembered their last birth.

Why we dont remember past birth? Because Nature does not want us to get entangled to our last relations...so that we can freely learn new lessons...that z why She takes away the gross memory at death..and leads soul to new body with the resultant progress earned during last births.

Answer 5

There is no proof of re-incarnation. When all of the three, the female portion of the baby, the male portion of the baby as well as the act to produce them is impure..... why should God choose 'The Impure Way' to come to earth. Secondly, when He can do anything, then what is the need to take a Human form.

Answer 6

Incarnation or reincarnation is seen only in the mythological stories in any religion. No one has seen God or the incornation or reincornation in any religion. I do not want to hurt anyone's belief in such thing, but frankly speaking there is no such thing prevailing.

Answer 7

I don't know why its so important to so many, but I know why its important to me. I believe in it. Its just one of many of my beliefs that I have put together after searching through most religions.

Answer 8

How do you repay for all your sins without re incarnation. After all the hell is in the earth itself as you know very well.

Answer 9

Because of Muhammed

Answer 10

There is no such thing as rencarnation. but there is salvation and eternal through accepting Jesus as your savior. Praise the Lord!!