Past lives

[nobspeople]

While it may seem reasonable that christianity doesn't accept or believe in past lives, I've heard, in various podcasts, that some people claiming to be christians DO in fact believe. While some may say 'well, those aren't real christians', that's not what this thread is about (surely there's a thread about what is or isn't a christian for that discussion).

For discussion:
Is the idea of past lives (I'm alive now, but I was once a woman in the year 1601, and also a man in 1489 and 908) compatible with modern christian beliefs? Can a person be a christian and believe in past lives? If so, how?
What about in your christian belief?
Or in ancient christian belief, as you understand it?

[theophile]

[Replying to theophile in post #9]

You've read the Gospels right, and the climactic event they describe?

Too many times

Also worth noting that Christianity's holiest day is Easter, which celebrates the event of Christ's resurrection

Yes. But that itself doesn't say to me past lives can't be real

when death is at last conquered and we're all recipients of this grace.

See bolded prior response

I see your POV but that doesn't say, to me, past lives aren't possible at all.

Like I said originally, all things are possible. But there is no explicit mention of 'past lives' in the bible other than, say, Jesus' life prior to his resurrection. That is the closest the bible comes to it.

[Veridican]

While it may seem reasonable that christianity doesn't accept or believe in past lives, I've heard, in various podcasts, that some people claiming to be christians DO in fact believe. While some may say 'well, those aren't real christians', that's not what this thread is about (surely there's a thread about what is or isn't a christian for that discussion).

For discussion:
Is the idea of past lives (I'm alive now, but I was once a woman in the year 1601, and also a man in 1489 and 908) compatible with modern christian beliefs? Can a person be a christian and believe in past lives? If so, how?
What about in your christian belief?
Or in ancient christian belief, as you understand it?

The problem is not with the experience but with how you categorize it. If God is the monistic entity (which Veridicans believe He is) then our minds are actually derived from His mind--a modality of His attribute of Mind, if you will. So, if you have a past life memory, was it really a past life? Was it perhaps a memory of God breaking through into your consciousness? And for that matter, is there even a difference?

In other words, if our minds are modalities of the Divine Mind, then all lives are lives of the Divine, and thus, in one sense, we have lived all lives with Him. Sometimes those memories break through into our modal consciousness.

Then too, you have to define "you." Are you a woman from 1601, or were you a woman from 1601? If you are a different person today, then how can the woman of 1601 be one of "your" past lives?

[nobspeople]

[Replying to Veridican in post #12]

If God is the monistic entity (which Veridicans believe He is) then our minds are actually derived from His mind--a modality of His attribute of Mind, if you will.

While I appreciate this POV, the 'if' is a big one that has to be accepted as true other than being (pun intended) truly true. Not only that, you're making an enormous assumption that may not to be true. Still, I appreciate it as being a belief, which as the best we have at this time

So, if you have a past life memory, was it really a past life?

Nothing showing it can't be.

Was it perhaps a memory of God breaking through into your consciousness?

Could be, by why only this memory? Why not memory of the creation of the planet? Or who killed JFK. What you're doing here, IMO, is taking a 'maybe' and apply it to the question and being 'fine with it', ignoring other possibilities.

if our minds are modalities of the Divine Mind,...

Maybe, but again, it's an enormous 'if'

Then too, you have to define "you."

I don't think so. You mean you.

If you are a different person today, then how can the woman of 1601 be one of "your" past lives?

Well, if you're OK with 'the memory of god', modality of His attribute of Mind and all that, surely this isn't hard to grasp. Unless you don't want to grasp it, I suspect.

[Veridican]

Well, if you're OK with 'the memory of god', modality of His attribute of Mind and all that, surely this isn't hard to grasp. Unless you don't want to grasp it, I suspect.

Believe whatever you want to believe. I'm not here to debate you on this topic. God can reincarnate souls if he wants to. All he has to do after the death of a person is hold their soul in existence rather than letting it perish, destroying it, or putting it in hell. And that may be what the past life memories are, the return of a soul into a new physical body. People thought Jesus was John the Baptist reincarnated. Lazarus was literally reincarnated as was Jairus' daughter. Some Christians believe the two wittnesses in Revelation are the return of Elijah and Enoch. Personally...I believe in reincarnation. I don't think everyone reincarnates, but I think when we die there is a personal judgement we go through, and I think God is wise and merciful and gracious, and I think He loves some souls more than others, and so, I think He gives second chances. Jesus never says it doesn't happen, and while there is a grand and final judgement of the living and the dead at the advent of the new heaven and earth, what happens up until that point is definitely of God's jurisdiction and His will.

[nobspeople]

[Replying to Veridican in post #14]

Believe whatever you want to believe.

Thank you...?

I'm not here to debate you on this topic.

Then you're here to.... preach? Make yourself feel good?
Silly me. I thought this was a debate forum where people can learn from each other, not be told how wrong they are.
Do the mods know this format change, I wonder....

[Veridican]

Then you're here to.... preach? Make yourself feel good?
Silly me. I thought this was a debate forum where people can learn from each other, not be told how wrong they are.
Do the mods know this format change, I wonder....

I'm in this group to be intellectually entertained, like everyone else. When did I ever tell you, you were wrong? I just spent a long paragraph telling you that I agree with reincarnation and how and why I think God might use it.

[nobspeople]

Then you're here to.... preach? Make yourself feel good?
Silly me. I thought this was a debate forum where people can learn from each other, not be told how wrong they are.
Do the mods know this format change, I wonder....

I'm in this group to be intellectually entertained, like everyone else. When did I ever tell you, you were wrong? I just spent a long paragraph telling you that I agree with reincarnation and how and why I think God might use it.

When you said 'I'm not here to debate you' I stopped reading - don't need the attitude. But thanks for your input nonetheless.

[Tcg]

For discussion:
Is the idea of past lives (I'm alive now, but I was once a woman in the year 1601, and also a man in 1489 and 908) compatible with modern christian beliefs? Can a person be a christian and believe in past lives?

Yes, they can. Some on this forum have tried to claim to know what massive numbers of Christians believe based on what some minority in the hierarchy claim is orthodox Christianity. The reality is that individual Christians, like those of all other groups, believe a great variety of things no matter what the hierarchy claims. The Bible is no help in this matter as it can be and is interpreted in myriad ways.


Tcg

[nobspeople]

[Replying to Tcg in post #18]

Yes, they can.

Do you know of any? I must confess, the ones I know don't believe in it.

Some on this forum have tried to claim to know what massive numbers of Christians believe based on what some minority in the hierarchy claim is orthodox Christianity.

In here and outside of here, for sure!

The reality is that individual Christians, like those of all other groups, believe a great variety of things no matter what the hierarchy claims.

The Bible is no help in this matter as it can be and is interpreted in myriad ways.

I think that depends on what one's looking for form the bible.
Maybe some 'biblical experts' here can chime in on what the bible 'says' on the subject?