Make no mistake, I am Catholic so this isn't some dig against my own belief. I just found it interesting since there is Scriptual proof of reincarnation in the Catholic edition of the New American Bible in Matthew 17:10-13 when Jesus says that Elijah returned to earth in the form of John the Baptist.
2007-06-29 03:28:04 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If I recall my history well enough, in fact the Catholics did believe in reincarnation until about 500 AD. Then it was decided that if reincarnation was supported the encouragement of their congregants to live by the bible was not as enforceable because they could always get another crack at it. So the doctrine was changed.
I found a quote:
Reincarnation and the Council of Nicea
"The theory of reincarnation is recorded in the Bible. But the proper interpretations were struck from it during an Ecumenical Council meeting of the Catholic Church in Constantinople sometime around 553 A.D, called the Council of Nicea. The Council members voted to strike those teachings from the Bible in order to solidify Church control." [Shirley MacLaine. ‘Out on a Limb’. New York: Bantam Books, 1983, pp. 234-5.]
Hope this helps.
Teacher S.
2007-06-29 03:38:40 · answer #1 · answered by Teacher S. 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Reincarnation is bonk, and has never been taught in the history of Catholicism/Christianity.
10And the disciples asked him, ‘Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’ 11He replied, ‘Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things; 12but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.’ 13Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
This is not refering to reincarnation. Jesus is just using Elijah as a metaphor.
2007-06-29 03:34:06 · answer #2 · answered by Thom 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
read through the footnotes in your bible - it will help. Elijah is what the jews called God. I believe that in matthew they are explaining that God came down through the human prophet John the Baptist and yet the jews still did not believe so.... Jesus had to come forward as the Son of God Elijah. sadly they still did not believe.
reincarnation would be is John the Baptist came to earth as another human.
God filling someone with His Spirit is not considered reincarnation.
thanks for making me read and learn somemore about our wonderful Lord :)
YSIC
2007-06-29 04:23:44 · answer #3 · answered by Marysia 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I posted this part of the bible this morning in regards to a similar question
and in looking around for some evidence of reincarnation ....
it seems that it was an early Christian beliefs , perhaps one held by previous religions
I am not sure why or how the belief dissapeared though
2007-06-29 03:35:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Christian religions don't believe in reincarnation....and since Catholicism is a Christian religion they also don't believe in reincarnation.
Talk to your Priest about that interpretation regarding Elijah & John the Baptist.
2007-06-29 03:31:41 · answer #5 · answered by daljack -a girl 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Catholics don't believe in reincarnation because that goes against the notion of the individual soul existing through eternity.
2007-06-29 03:33:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
That verse simply says the people thought he was a reincarnation of Elijah not that he really was.
2007-06-29 03:32:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to 'unveil' the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the final analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe God alone...All practices of magic or sorcery...are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion (Catechism of the Catholic Church: 2116, 2117).
2007-06-29 03:59:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hmm... I'm not Catholic but I thought the Bible said JTB was not Elijah. I could be wrong.
I do know that Paul says humans live only once.
Good luck and have a great weekend.
2007-06-29 03:33:03 · answer #9 · answered by Yowza! 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Were are you getting this from? Catholics do believe in reincarnation. They also believe that Satanist can go to heaven. Many people don't actually read the decrees of the Church. My favorite is Vatican 2.
2007-06-29 03:32:38 · answer #10 · answered by slice39 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋