Reincarnation - have you changed your mind?

[sustento]

theres a lot of reincarnation on thai visa so I believe,

[Thongkorn]

I like many on Thai Visa did not believe in Reincarnation,

I live in a Town in the UK , I have lived there all my life i am now 60 . A friend of mine married a Thai girl and They settled in the UK, near me,They had a 3 years daughter born In Thailand. The girl use to say to her Mother," I use to live here", when she walked past a particular place on her way to the shops. This went on for a few years, the Mother just ignored it as childish, Until one day they where walking past this particular place, The Girl said to her Mother," I waited a long time to be born to you". Her mother asked the little girl a few more questions,. what do you mean her mother asked , The little girl said, " MY first Mother did not want me, she take me off, So I wait a long time to be born to you". This shocked her Mother, She told this to my wife and My wife told me, I know the area, and told them that The place the child was talking about, use to be a private Maternity Hospital, which was Demolished in the 70s, they use to do some of the first abortions there. My wife could not have know that, or her Thai friend, let alone the now 5 year old child. Make of it what you will This is true but its up to you what you believe, it made me think hard.

[Thakkar]

I don't know if there's an afterlife, but surely there must've been prior lives, because how else to explain why I'm so far behind on my work?

Is it ok to be so flippant about other people's sincerely held beliefs?

Yes. Extraordinary claims need extraordinary proof. Your belief doesn't get a pass just because what you believe has, through some fluke of history, managed to become an established religion.

There is no shame in admitting, "I don't know" and there is no reason in this day and age to attribute supernatural causes to things we don't know. The correct approach is to continue to try and find out, to experiment and to see if any results are repeatable and stand up to scrutiny.

When I was a Believer, I prayed everyday. It gave me great comfort to know that there was a compassionate, loving entity out there that looked out for me and my kin (that is, all of humanity). The memory of that comfort remains and I miss it even while understanding the absurdity of the belief that engendered it.

The best explanation as to why we believe was something I heard on a TV show:

"You're a primitive man on the savannah. out of the corner of your eye, you see something move . You assume it's a hyena. You run. You live. If you assume it's the wind and you're wrong, you die. We carry the genes of the ones who ran. We are genetically hard wired to believe in living forces that we cannot see."

Thoughtful reasoning can overcome this hard wiring. The awakening comes to millions every year. Unless science and progress are stymied (and religious fundamentalists are attempting just that), the relentless march of science ensures more and more of us will awaken.

Please note that attacking someone's belief is not the same as attacking the person. If anyone feels attacked personally, then you should examine why you feel that way. Have you identified with an idea so closely that an attack on that idea feels like a personal attack on you?

T

I like your entire post, (on a couple of levels) however there is a flaw in reasoning in the quote from the TV show.

"You're a primitive man on the savannah. out of the corner of your eye, you see something move . You assume it's a hyena. You run. You live. If you assume it's the wind and you're wrong, you die. We carry the genes of the ones who ran. We are genetically hard wired to believe in living forces that we cannot see."

There is a disconnect there. We carry the genes of the ones that chose the cautious option, not a belief option. (edit; or maybe it was an unsubstantiated belief that it was a hyena and thus was due to the God gene ?)

There has been identified what some scientists call the "God gene", and others (Dawkins and myself), the "gullibility gene". I daresay it's different from the "err on the side of caution gene", but probably works together with it.

Perhaps I was swayed more by the delivery of that line (delivered by the authoritative character of Grisum in CSI Vegas).

I didn't read it as "erring on the side of caution" but that those predisposed to believing in things they cannot see as predominantly having passed on their genes.

Anyway, there are other explanations, such as our propensity to seek patterns. Hence, Jesus on toast and rabbit on the moon, ect. We are, in short, suckers for neat explanations.

Cheers

T

[sirineou]

And you can provide evidence that it doesnt exist? Or is it just a belief?

No one can prove a negative, can you provide evidence that fairies do not exist?

[Thongkorn]

And you can provide evidence that it doesnt exist? Or is it just a belief?

No one can prove a negative, can you provide evidence that fairies do not exist?

they do they are all down soy 6

[sustento]

And you can provide evidence that it doesnt exist? Or is it just a belief?

No one can prove a negative, can you provide evidence that fairies do not exist?

Someone called?

[Neeranam]

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.

[kannot]

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

Please, don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel.

applies to all religion.........is that better?

[sirineou]

In an other life I was Leonidas, not the one from the older movies but the one from the recent 300,and I was Pharaoh of Egypt, all of them.

also I think I was Roger Rabbit, because I have an unhealthy attraction to anything Jessica

[taotoo]

I like many on Thai Visa did not believe in Reincarnation,

I live in a Town in the UK , I have lived there all my life i am now 60 . A friend of mine married a Thai girl and They settled in the UK, near me,They had a 3 years daughter born In Thailand. The girl use to say to her Mother," I use to live here", when she walked past a particular place on her way to the shops. This went on for a few years, the Mother just ignored it as childish, Until one day they where walking past this particular place, The Girl said to her Mother," I waited a long time to be born to you". Her mother asked the little girl a few more questions,. what do you mean her mother asked , The little girl said, " MY first Mother did not want me, she take me off, So I wait a long time to be born to you". This shocked her Mother, She told this to my wife and My wife told me, I know the area, and told them that The place the child was talking about, use to be a private Maternity Hospital, which was Demolished in the 70s, they use to do some of the first abortions there. My wife could not have know that, or her Thai friend, let alone the now 5 year old child. Make of it what you will This is true but its up to you what you believe, it made me think hard.

While you were thinking hard, why did you dismiss the plausible explanations and go straight to reincarnation?

[lazygourmet]

As an evangilical pastafarian, worshipping the Flying Spaghetti Monster, only His Noodliness will master my destiny.

Ramen...

[benalibina]

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.

Nobody is ...wise...100%.....probably

[Seastallion]

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.

Don't hold back from name-dropping......

Mind you, there have been a few Nobel Peace prize winners that only an idiot would think of as wise.

[sustento]

I'm not sure - can I get back to you?

[kannot]

I'm not sure - can I get back to you?

In another life maybe??

[evadgib]

"Knowing my luck i'll come back as me!"

[Thongkorn]

I like many on Thai Visa did not believe in Reincarnation,

I live in a Town in the UK , I have lived there all my life i am now 60 . A friend of mine married a Thai girl and They settled in the UK, near me,They had a 3 years daughter born In Thailand. The girl use to say to her Mother," I use to live here", when she walked past a particular place on her way to the shops. This went on for a few years, the Mother just ignored it as childish, Until one day they where walking past this particular place, The Girl said to her Mother," I waited a long time to be born to you". Her mother asked the little girl a few more questions,. what do you mean her mother asked , The little girl said, " MY first Mother did not want me, she take me off, So I wait a long time to be born to you". This shocked her Mother, She told this to my wife and My wife told me, I know the area, and told them that The place the child was talking about, use to be a private Maternity Hospital, which was Demolished in the 70s, they use to do some of the first abortions there. My wife could not have know that, or her Thai friend, let alone the now 5 year old child. Make of it what you will This is true but its up to you what you believe, it made me think hard.

While you were thinking hard, why did you dismiss the plausible explanations and go straight to reincarnation?

Because I don't believe in reincarnation, and what is the plausible explanation, Child and Mother not born In the UK, and no knowledge of the Demolished Hospital. Now has houses built on the land.

Edited July 13, 2014 by Thongkorn

[Beetlejuice]

I do not believe in God and i do not believe in Reincarnation ,also i do not believe the world was formed 6000 years ago ,as do some people , religion is there to keep you in your place . you die ,you go back to the earth ,end of.

The story goes that on his death bed one of the most staunch atheists last words were; God help me.

As for Reincarnation or being re-born again, I have always believed that we pass a part of us on through our descendants and once we die that`s it forever, but I would not swear to that and we never know. And this is what makes death so scary because it`s a case of going into the unknown and people always fear the unknown.

[Loptr]

I believe in reincarnation of our consciousness, although not for any religious reasons... Religion only serves to mask the true nature of the universe and confuse the soul... Much like when someone browbeats their 'truth' into you, your first reaction is to parrot the teachings, while deep down you know it's hogwash... We are in school and we will continue to repeat the lessons taught on this planet until such time that our consciousness matures to the point where we are allowed to progress to the next dimension...

[taotoo]

I like many on Thai Visa did not believe in Reincarnation,

I live in a Town in the UK , I have lived there all my life i am now 60 . A friend of mine married a Thai girl and They settled in the UK, near me,They had a 3 years daughter born In Thailand. The girl use to say to her Mother," I use to live here", when she walked past a particular place on her way to the shops. This went on for a few years, the Mother just ignored it as childish, Until one day they where walking past this particular place, The Girl said to her Mother," I waited a long time to be born to you". Her mother asked the little girl a few more questions,. what do you mean her mother asked , The little girl said, " MY first Mother did not want me, she take me off, So I wait a long time to be born to you". This shocked her Mother, She told this to my wife and My wife told me, I know the area, and told them that The place the child was talking about, use to be a private Maternity Hospital, which was Demolished in the 70s, they use to do some of the first abortions there. My wife could not have know that, or her Thai friend, let alone the now 5 year old child. Make of it what you will This is true but its up to you what you believe, it made me think hard.

While you were thinking hard, why did you dismiss the plausible explanations and go straight to reincarnation?

Because I don't believe in reincarnation, and what is the plausible explanation, Child and Mother not born In the UK, and no knowledge of the Demolished Hospital. Now has houses built on the land.

The plausible explanation: The mother left the baby in a village with the parents while she went to bangkok/pattaya, where she went on to meet her husband. The child has memories of the mother while she was still in the village, but can't reconcile them with her current circumstances - she thinks the person that abandoned her is not the same person that she is currently with. At some point, whilst living in the village, the child may have been to a built-up area, hence 'recognises' a town in the UK. There are hospitals everywhere, so it's no surprise that she currently resides near one (demolished or otherwise).

The less-plausible explanation: a feotus was aborted in the UK, and for some reason was then born in thailand. In order for the prophecy to come true, fate then ordained that a british man went on a sex holiday to thailand. Unlikely, however beautiful the theory may be.

[tartempion]

Something is definitely wrong with human beings.

Some gene defect which make us really stupid in believing in all the crap.

We lie, we cheat, we steal, we kill but we believe, yeah, got that.

[meatboy]

the past yr.or 2 has definitely made up my mind.every day I pass this house near me there's this bitch mongeral that snarls and barks at me as if I was a dog.its only just hit me,it reminds me of this bitch down in patts.that I had a few barks at,so yes I do believe.

ps.she did like to be tied up

[Urloc]

Totally changed. I was raised as a catholic or more exactly, they tried to raise me as a catholic but I never believed on it. I just tool the holy communion, get the money and gifts and never appear to a church. Not even for relative's marriages or alike.

Since I became to Thailand I got attracted by Buddhism, it is a peaceful religion and now I go to the temple almost every day. I believe in reincarnation as I believe there is life in other planets. It is just a belief, and beliefs can't be proved because if they would, they will be knowledge.

But one thing, I know. Since I am a Buddhist my life has changed a lot. I am way more happier, I have no stress as I did before, I am much a better person than I was and my life is progressing much better. The more I give, the more i get. It may not be related, that for sure, but if something is working for you, you'd better not change it.

[FredLee]

We believe what we choose to believe. This workings of this universe are strange enough that we can't really discount anything. Renowned scientists argue the case for string theory and parallel universes. If we can imagine that, why not an existence after death? Another thing that strikes me is why it is assumed that a belief in a deity is required for a belief in some sort of life after death?

[opalred]

i think can be half and half as i see a lot of brain dead people still walking around

[CMHomeboy78]

A book on this subject that could be highly recommended is, Old Souls: The Scientific Evidence for Reincarnation. By Tom Shroder [simon&Schuster 1999].

Shroder, an editor at the Washington Post travelled extensively with Dr. Ian Stevenson of the University of Virginia who conducted past life and reincarnation research in Lebanon, India, and the American South.

Much of what has been written about reincarnation has been sensationalized and milked for its commercial value. The Bridey Murphy case is a prime example.

This book is an exception.

[siampolee]

We inherit our genes from a vast ancestral pool.Thus there are likely to be instances of our memories being triggered invoked from the past Deja Vu etc.

We live ,we die that's the end.

As the songs goes everyone's tired of living and scared of dying.

Old man river that,
Old man river he must know something
But don't say nothing,
He just keeps rolling,
He keeps on rolling along.
You and me,
We sweat and slave bodies all aching
And racked with pain,
Tow that barge, lift that bail,
Get a little drunk and you land in jail.
I get weary,
And sick of trying I'm tired of living,
But scared of dying,
That old man river,
He just keeps rolling along.

[daveAustin]

Being here has not changed my mind on reincarnation but I do find it rather petty that folk risk or give over their current life on a gamble that there could be another, better one. It's akin to the nutty Muslims and their virgins in heaven. One should probably enjoy what they have now the best they can just in case there is nothing else.

Personal belief: something funny is going on behind the scenes way above our comprehension. Brain/matter isn't part of the equation and neither is what you do in this life. But if there is a sliver of a chance of returning to this vs nothing, I choose the latter thanks. It's not all a bed of roses for everyone.

[daoyai]

The reincarnation concept (as used locally) is just a tool to keep the poor feeling that they deserve their condition from a previous unremembered existence, Make merit, humbly serve the masters (who deserve their good fortune from previous incarnation) and maybe next life you will be "lucky". As people gain sophistication they will question these tactics and begin to agitate for a bit more of the pie in this lifetime.... hence where we find the politics of today.

[lostinisaan]

To answer the OP's question. Nope. Thailand seems to be special, when it comes to reincarnation. A typical family with at least three kids, do believe that if one child turns out to be a third gender, that it had been a woman in his last life, with a lot of different partners.

An easy and acceptable explanation?

I saw many Thai friends leaving this planet, mostly because of the abuse of Lao Khao, we always discuss, if he/she's making it to heaven, or hell.

Look at the dogs, please. These animals were reincarnated, because they'd been Thais in the past with a very bad behaviour.

Most foreigners living in Thailand do have a much different view of life, there're no ghosts in their lives, sometimes only after too much alcohol......

If there's such a thing like reincarnation, I'd made my mind up, when looking at our neighbor. Her occupation is "Mia Noi.", lives in a big house, has a brand new car, enough cash, doesn't work, etc..all she does is to sometimes satisfy the old man.

So I made my mind up to reincarnate into a rich bitch. Excuse my language. Think twice what you're doing in your current life, as any wrongdoings could backfire.

Edited July 14, 2014 by lostinisaan