Reincarnation - have you changed your mind?

[Neeranam]

It's always fun to read a thread where the militant atheists and those who have made "science" their religion get to ridicule others and dazzle us with the superiority of their viewpoint. We are staggered.

Usually they will be up to 'no good' in places like Nana or Pattaya and are pointing the sel-righteous finger to give tgem some feeling of worth on a Sunday morning when the bg has left.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Neeranam

[A1Str8]

I agree with those spiritual leaders who find it funny when someone questions reincarnation.

It exists and this is how it works. People tend to doubt the obvious but when it comes to believing all the nonsense that the world and our society tries to make us believe, people become fanatic believers. Now that's cute.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[opalred]

i think on both sides if you going up there to stay take atm card in pocket as maybe 7 11 store

if believe come back as animal take flea powder cheers

[sirineou]

Fair enough. You have some personal issues with religious nutcases and I'm sorry that happened to you. I had my fair share of it, too.

My point was simply that there are plenty non-religious nutcases, it's not a prerogative of religion.

I base my believes on personal experiences and studies. If they don't conform with your or other poster's worldviews, so be it. I don't mind.

Everybody has his own learning curve and path to walk, no problem.

I don't only have some personal issues with religious nutcases, If that was the case it would be fairly innocuous.There are issues that manifest themselves in a manner that has a profoundly negative affect l to the well being of humanity.

You are right, there are many good religious people, and the fact that they delude themselves would not bother me at all, if it was not that their delusions intrude to my well being.

I used to think that we could separate the "good" religious people from the " Nutcases" I come to the conclusion that it is an impossible task. It is the good religious people that provide the environment where the nutcases can survive,

Without the millions of good religious people the nutcases would be just lone voices in the wildness.

And it is not only the nutcases that are dangerous, it is also those with an addenda, that would use the religiosity of others to further their agenda.

Take reincarnation,or life after death, though there is no evidence that it exists, the belief by some that it does, enables them to engage in atrocious acts to the detriment of others. If they just believed, their delusion would only be a problem for themselves.

I am sure that you personally, and many others , do not in your selves present ta threat to me or other, but unfortunately, I cant think of a way, to separate you from the others. I wish there was a way, religion provide comfort to many , but so do drugs.and though not all that do drugs are dangerous, enough are,to make drugs illegal.

Good religious people, though not consciously or by intention, are the enablers, your religiosity provides the substrate that nurtures the "Nutcases"

It is a tough issue that requires a lot more attention. that can be provided in a forum such as this. but I hope I made some sense.

Edited July 20, 2014 by sirineou

[Neeranam]

If this ain't proof then what is?

[AYJAYDEE]

therevadan theory would call it rebirth as reincarnation involves a permanent soul and that is not a part of the religion. so the beings youre aware of my have led to you, but they were not earlier versions of you.

[AYJAYDEE]

World population year 1800 was 1 billion, year 1500 approx 500 million, year AD 0 maybe 100 million.

So who's incarnated into what in to days world with 7 billion humans???

all forms of sentient beings

[AYJAYDEE]

Buddhadassa said that wondering if there is an afterlife or not is a waste of time. The only thing with meaning is the moment and if you live skillfully at this moment you will live a satisfying life and if at the end, there IS an afterlife, then that's a bonus because the rebirth will be a good one.

[danmarnj]

Do I have to sit through the Ice Capades again???!!!

[sturdyd]

World population year 1800 was 1 billion, year 1500 approx 500 million, year AD 0 maybe 100 million.

So who's incarnated into what in to days world with 7 billion humans???

all forms of sentient beings

Define "sentient". Just something alive? Or something that can "feel" its surroundings? Or something that interacts with its environment? What I'm clumsily asking is how far down the ladder does reincarnation go? If I step on an ant is it reincarnated?

[AYJAYDEE]

World population year 1800 was 1 billion, year 1500 approx 500 million, year AD 0 maybe 100 million.

So who's incarnated into what in to days world with 7 billion humans???

all forms of sentient beings

Define "sentient". Just something alive? Or something that can "feel" its surroundings? Or something that interacts with its environment? What I'm clumsily asking is how far down the ladder does reincarnation go? If I step on an ant is it reincarnated?

Full Definition of SENTIENT

1

: responsive to or conscious of sense impressions <sentientbeings>

and its rebirth, not reincarnation

[sturdyd]

World population year 1800 was 1 billion, year 1500 approx 500 million, year AD 0 maybe 100 million.

So who's incarnated into what in to days world with 7 billion humans???

all forms of sentient beings

Define "sentient". Just something alive? Or something that can "feel" its surroundings? Or something that interacts with its environment? What I'm clumsily asking is how far down the ladder does reincarnation go? If I step on an ant is it reincarnated?

Full Definition of SENTIENT

1

: responsive to or conscious of sense impressions <sentientbeings>

and its rebirth, not reincarnation

Okay, a nematode that shrinks away from excessive heat is subject to rebirth? I not trying to be snippy here. I just really am trying to figure out how far we take this.

[AYJAYDEE]

Okay, a nematode that shrinks away from excessive heat is subject to rebirth? I not trying to be snippy here. I just really am trying to figure out how far we take this.

i have no idea, but to be safe why kill it? but you can take it as far as you like. its your karma

[MrWorldwide]

I once witnessed a British Mauy Thai enthusiast giving a demonstration of his skills at a festival held at the Thai temple in Wimbledon London.

Interviewed on stage he declared that he had been Thai in a former life and went on to relate how this explained his instinctive knowledge of Muay Thai techniques.

The ripples of laughter went through the crowd almost as quickly as the cringing in embarrassment for the poor deluded fool.

I've met people that have said similar(although not Thai boxers) and certainly wouldn't call them poor deluded fools. Actually some of the wisest people I've met with awards such as Noble prizes.

I can only assume we are talking dyslexic physicists and not the Nobel Prize for Literature

[Neeranam]

I met a Yogi up a mountain that told me Prince Charles was Mahatma Gandhi.

I've often wondered the year Adolph died and Mr.Shinawatra was born - there certainly are some striking similarities.

[joecoolfrog]

I can certainly see why some of you hope to be reborn !

[thailiketoo]

I met a Yogi up a mountain that told me Prince Charles was Mahatma Gandhi.

I've often wondered the year Adolph died and Mr.Shinawatra was born - there certainly are some striking similarities.

The Yogi says try google my son; ages are listed there and stop flaming/trolling. Have a good life.

[RandomSand]

Reincarnation - have you changed your mind?

According to most theories on reincarnation; the mind remains unchanged.

Edited July 24, 2014 by RandomSand

[arjunadawn]

I believe in reincarnation. I do not have any personal experience with reincarnation, nor do I profess to know how it works. I believe that it is probably more complicated than I can comprehend. I remember reading Rene Descartes proof for the existence of God, and remember a quote by a Pope (I don't remember who) who likened that the universe being created without a God was analogous to spilling sand and it forming a masterpiece (something to that effect at least). It made sense to me, so I do believe in "something beyond".

From reading alot of posts, I have the distinct impression that most people on TV are either atheists or agnostic and I certainly don't think it is right to tell anyone that there beliefs are wrong.

I also believe that alot of things that Thai people do that Westerners are puzzled at, are based on the belief in reincarnation. As a people and compared to people in the West, Thais are extremely religious in terms of the percentage of people that believe. It's not hard to find an atheist/agnostic in the West, much harder to find a Thai atheist. So when I see posts about how life is cheap in Thailand, or why don't Thais wear helmets, or why are Thais so careless in doing such and such when it could cause death, my thoughts are well it's because virtually all Thais believe in reincarnation and believe that some things like your death are predestined, and (if you made merit in this life) your next life will be better so why ake a big deal about it.

Why make a big deal??? because its stupid and affects my non believing right to live my life not be wiped out by a moron driving a bus on the phone and weaving in an out of traffic at will.

Words fail me for someone who alledges to have had an education.

Religion is child abuse pure an simple and that includes the Thai Buddhist system, its a disgrace.

Words don't fail you; reason fails you, though you cloak your self in what you think is logic. You admonish another poster for believing something and earlier assert he provides no proof for his belief- this assertion by you is enough to evidence your intolerance. A person should defend his belief (how moronic) to you, because you fear someone with beliefs drinking a bus, etc., in traffic and...

Your just intolerant; a militant agnostic or atheist parading some inferior faculty while offending others. No person should have to defend their beliefs, at least until such a time as you can rationally, intelligently, devoid of emotion and ad homenin, defend your lack of believing. The topic is reincarnation.

[arjunadawn]

Okay, a nematode that shrinks away from excessive heat is subject to rebirth? I not trying to be snippy here. I just really am trying to figure out how far we take this.

i have no idea, but to be safe why kill it? but you can take it as far as you like. its your karma

Smiling when I read your response; not sure if you realized what you'd incidentally said, but it's quite interesting. Pascal's Wager (Blaise Pascal), a fairly brilliant mathematician/philosopher, said effectively the same thing as you in his wager for the existence of god (you can agree with his logic without ever believing in god). Kudos to you!

[teatree]

Karl Marx was spot on when he described religion as Opium for the masses. I used to believe that belief in reincarnation was harmless but my views have changed over time. There is little doubt that in Thailand both social mobility and social responsibility have been seriously hindered by current interpretation of Budhism.

Belief in reincarnation is harmful?

What a strange thing to say.

I don't belong to any religion but believe in reincarnation.

Why?

Are you calling Stephen Hawking stupid? Do you understand the laws of thermodynamics better than one of the greatest astrophysicists who has ever lived?

"I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark," he added.

Interview with Stephen Hawking, 2011 The Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/may/15/stephen-hawking-interview-there-is-no-heaven

Which law of thermodynamics is being violated by the belief in reincarnation, and how so?

Another quote from Mr. Hawking in the article you linked to is "Scientists predict that many kinds of universe will be spontaneously created out of nothing." This is also the consensus of many scientists in the way that our current universe was created. Out of nothing. How is this belief supported by any physical law?

I don't profess to know the answers. Scientist say there was nothing, and then the universe just happened. Believers in a supernatural power say that there was nothing, and then the universe was created by this supernatural power. Why is either more or less believable than the other? Both sound pretty magical to me.

So I see no reason to believe that some sort of existence after physical death is impossible. I can't see that it is any more impossible than the universe spontaneously being created out of nothing.

I know a few "Evangelical Atheists" who spend a lot of time trying to get "Believers" to see the light and convince them to believe that the universe was created by chemical chance.

They talk about how stupid it is to be a Theist, and to have faith in something that cannot be proven. Yet, they themselves have absolute faith that life was just created by random luck. I find the irony hilarious.

Edited July 24, 2014 by teatree

[geronimo]

There are some documented cases that defy explanation. Therefore in my mind, reincarnation cannot be discounted. I used to believe in it, but that was many lifetimes ago!

[Kitsune]

We all used to believe in reincarnation before Emperor and tyrant Justinian

http://www.adishakti.org/_/great_cover_up_of_reincarnation.htm

He forced us to stop believing in it so he could control us.