Reincarnation & Christianity?

Question

I understand the that most Christians believe that reincarnation doesn't happen, yet believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Would it be such a stretch to think an Infinite God with no boundaries--including the front and back cover of a book--simply could reincarnate souls merely by willing it to happen? I encourage you to a deeper level of thought.

My question is simply this:

Is reincarnation POSSIBLE?


Explanations of your personal beliefs are fine. However, understand that whether you BELIEVE in something, or whether something is POSSIBLE, are two different things.

I encourage those that believe reincarnation is IMPOSSIBLE to explain in great detail WHY they believe the way they do. This includes any limitations God has that we don't know of.

Note: This question is being asked with the current belief that a Higher Being, commonly referred to as God, did in fact create everything. This is assumed to be TRUE for the duration of this question.

Thank you for your participation!
VH

Answer 1

I reccomend looking into some things about early christianity.

you see, Christianity originally taught reincarnation.

look up "Reincarnation" and "Council of Nicea"

>>"why does one get punished for something he or she cannot remember having done in a previous life?"<<
your true self, your soul, does remember.

>>"2. If the purpose of karma is to rid humanity of its selfish desires, then why hasn't there been a noticeable improvement in human nature after all the millennia of reincarnations?"<<

because most of the people who get to that level do not come back, nor should they. just like every year the third graders are just as uneducated as the previous year's, its a different bunch.

>>"3. If reincarnation and the law of karma are so beneficial on a practical level, then how do advocates of this doctrine explain the immense and ever-worsening social and economic problems - including widespread poverty, starvation, disease, and horrible suffering - in India, where reincarnation has been systematically taught through out its history?"<<
it being taught has nothing to do with its being true. your assuming connections where there are none.

>>"At death, the, the Christian immediately goes into the presence of the Lord, not into another body."<<
no, they don't. but its not suprising people think they do.
actually none of those issues you referred to are problems with reincarnation, simply with your understanding and inteperetation of the meanings.

>>"Further, Hebrews 9:27 assures us that "man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." Each human being LIVES ONCE as a mortal on earth, DIES ONCE, and then FACES JUDGMENT. He does not have a second chance by reincarnating into another body."<<

again, bad inteperetation, from your biased preconceptions. the person as they are in this body, dies once, and is judged, then the soul, who that person really is, moves on with that under their belt to their next life.

Answer 2

Anything is possible with God.......in fact He tells us that. But as we study His character and His Word, we find out that reincarnation is not gonna happen for us. So, that kind of puts a halt to the delusional dreaming. If it's not in His plan, and doesn't line up with His Word, most likely you can know it ain't gonna happen. Now, of course He doesn't tell us everything He's going to do or not do, but He has told us what happens when we die. He doesn't lie so we can count on being present with the Lord at death or, well, you know the only other place available. This He has told us throughout the scriptures, Old and New. So, it's not even debate able.

Answer 3

There are many problems with the salvation-by works doctrine of reincarnation. First, there are many practical problems. For example:
1. We must ask, why does one get punished for something he or she cannot remember having done in a previous life?
2. If the purpose of karma is to rid humanity of its selfish desires, then why hasn't there been a noticeable improvement in human nature after all the millennia of reincarnations?
3. If reincarnation and the law of karma are so beneficial on a practical level, then how do advocates of this doctrine explain the immense and ever-worsening social and economic problems - including widespread poverty, starvation, disease, and horrible suffering - in India, where reincarnation has been systematically taught through out its history?
There are also many biblical problems with believing in reincarnation. For example, in 2 Corinthians 5:8 the apostle Paul states, "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." At death, the, the Christian immediately goes into the presence of the Lord, not into another body. In keeping with this. Luke 16:19-31 tells us that unbelievers at death go to a place of suffering, not into another body.
Further, Hebrews 9:27 assures us that "man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." Each human being LIVES ONCE as a mortal on earth, DIES ONCE, and then FACES JUDGMENT. He does not have a second chance by reincarnating into another body.

Answer 4

You ask a good question, because it causes people to actually think about their beliefs.

However, as I read through the Scriptures, I see that each person is appointed to face judgement after they die ("It is appointed unto men once to die, and after that, the judgement".

When Jesus rose from the dead, it was by His own power, to demonstrate once and for all time that He is exactly who He claimed to be - the anointed Son of God.

This has nothing to do with reincarnation, since Jesus repaired His own body by His own power and came back in the same body.

Reincarnation is about people coming back to earth and being born into yet another and another and another body over and over and over again. The fact that this is neither hinted at nor indicated, nor even implied, tells me that it is not a possibility.

Answer 5

According to the Words in the Holy Bible it isn't possible. God CREATED man and animals seperately. Man is to have DOMAIN OVER ANIMALS. Reincarnation teaches that people can die, and return as an animal (which doesn't have a soul). What, then, happens to all the souls of people who become animals? There would be a bunch of souls with nowhere to go, wouldn't there? Or do you believe animals have souls the same as people? The bible never once states that an animal has a soul.
God says He created, we die, we're resurrected, and either live with Him eternally, or are headed for eternal punishment. I believe the Holy Word of God.

Answer 6

The reason reincarnation is such a good spiritual theory is that you don't get to excape from the way life is, as we know it, after you die. You must master life, because if you don't, you will have to learn, in a future life, what you have failled to learn in this one. Also it is easy to imagine a spirit leaving the body at death, and then out of discomfort at no longer having a body, finding one that meets ones comfort level. Change is hard and humans like to return to the statis quo, no matter what they claim.

Answer 7

Jesus rising from the dead is not the same as being reincarnated--it is coming back to life instead of being reborn as an entirely new incarnation. A Christian with the hope of Heaven would have no need of being reincarnated

Answer 8

The concept of reincarnation is not found in the Bible.

For example, Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus and the rich man could not re-enter the world of the living to warn his brothers. Luke 16:19-31. Also, Hebrews 9:27-28 (NIV), says:

"Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

Answer 9

The Bible tells us that we die once and then face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The Bible never mentions people having a second chance at life, or coming back as different people or animals. Jesus told the criminal on the cross, "Today you will be with me in Paradise!" not "You will have another chance to live a life on this earth"

Answer 10

Well I guess anything is possible. I choose not to believe in reincarnation though. What can we really know for positive sure? We can only choose to believe what suits are tastes,desires,and needs! Peace!