| 1st Internet Question: DO YOU BELIEVE IN | | | | people. Separation from God? How can that be |
| REINCARNATION? FOR THOSE WHO DON'T | | | | possible? How can there be anywhere or anyone or |
| UNDERSTAND REINCARNATION, IT'S A PROCESS | | | | anything that is not sustained by God's will? In my mind |
| WHEREBY YOU LIVE A NUMBER OF LIFE-TIMES IN | | | | it's a logical impossibility. So what am I left with? A |
| ORDER TO PERFECT YOUR LIFE THAT | | | | reality that is chosen to be experienced in such a way |
| COULDN'T BE ACCOMPLISHED DURING ONE | | | | by the belief systems of other people, and by myself. |
| LIFE-TIME BEFORE YOU ARE ACCEPTED IN THE | | | | These collective belief systems can create nightmares |
| GREAT BEYOND.The responses come from 2 | | | | out of waking reality: The Holocaust, apartheid, sexual |
| Christian websites and 1 Hindu website1) Corbin says: I | | | | slavery in the far east and eastern Europe, starvation, |
| have some problems with this concept. Some say that | | | | and AIDS in Africa. Hell is a here-and -now kind of |
| all living beings are reincarnated, but I don't see how a | | | | thing that lives in our hearts when we fear and |
| cockroach can perfect itself to be a better cockroach | | | | despair.7) Edward says: Hell is nothing more than the |
| to advance to a higher stage in life. And just thinking in | | | | grave and oblivion. There's no Biblical evidence for a |
| terms of human beings, I don't see how one can | | | | firey hell. And I also don't believe in an eternal hell.4th |
| become perfect, no matter how many life-times you | | | | Internet Question: HAVE YOU EVER HAD A |
| live because there will always be lessons to learn. | | | | NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE? AND HOW DO YOU |
| Besides if this process were true, I would feel the | | | | FEEL ABOUT THOSE BOOKS ON NEAR-DEATH |
| world should be getting better and better over such a | | | | EXPERIENCES AND OTHER |
| long period of time.2) Frank says: Maybe the | | | | PARAPSYCHOLOGICAL BOOKS ON THE |
| cockroach can come back to a higher form because | | | | EVIDENCE OF AN AFTER-LIFE?1) Corbin says: I had |
| I'm sure I've met a few in my time.3) Mary Anne says: | | | | one when I was in primary school. I was hit by a car |
| Hebrews states that man is given once to die, | | | | while crossing the street and was knocked |
| otherwise Jesus would have had to suffer many times | | | | unconscious. After that, I remember floating bodily |
| for us to put away our sin.4) Carlos says: I believe in | | | | above my mother in the dining room while she was |
| reincarnation. I believe that when we were created we | | | | cleaning the room. For many years I just thought that |
| were created out of Diety and somehow we lost our | | | | this was a dream, but after reading a number of |
| way, but as we relearn more and more of our lessons | | | | books on near-death experiences, I believe that this |
| we will become more and more of a Diety until that | | | | was mine, and this helped me in being convinced that |
| time when we learn all of our lessons which will cause | | | | there was life after death.2) Jim says: I would be |
| us to become a pure Diety again. And you can't do | | | | careful with this stuff, because most of these books |
| this in one life-time. It will take | | | | are into the paranormal, and that's when I believe |
| many life-times.5) Will says: I agree with Chris, but I go | | | | some of the lines get crossed.3) Mat says: I question |
| even further. Before the time of the current chaos, | | | | near-death experiences. I haven't found any Biblical |
| death was not. Spirit could change from form to form | | | | references for them. I saw a show once that |
| at will, that it might come to understand all things, and | | | | explained them away as something the brain makes |
| actions in the universe. After chaos began, death | | | | up as it thinks it's dying in order to calm itself. Pilots |
| became the new reality required to become aware of | | | | who go into training to handle g-force would also pass |
| the totality of the Cosmic illusion which is now petrified. | | | | out and experience the exact same thing that people |
| Before chaos the Cosmic illusion was fluid and spirits | | | | with near-death experiences would experience. I do |
| flowed through it like a river. I personally have no | | | | believe in near-life experiences however.4) Ralph says: |
| recollection of being an animal, but I do have a | | | | I believe in near-death experiences. I was once dead in |
| recollection of living as a tree.6) Mat says: I believe in | | | | 1987, and my life hasn't been the same since. I believe |
| reincarnation too because more and more | | | | God gives the ones that have had the so called NDE's, |
| pyschologist are finding evidence of its existence, | | | | their experience so that some of us will know that |
| usually through hypnosis.7) Tom says: I don't believe in | | | | their is life after death. My only question I have 15 or so |
| reincarnation for a number of reasons. These are as | | | | years after my experience is, "Can there be life |
| follows, that in reincarnation. 1) Evil doesn't really exist. | | | | before death?". It is written that man cannot live by |
| 2) Whatever happens in life should be accepted as | | | | bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the |
| being good. 3) There is no moral standard for right and | | | | mouth of God.5th Internet Question DO YOU FEEL |
| wrong. 4) It generates no social compassion. 5) Over | | | | YOUR PET WILL BE WITH YOU IN THE |
| such a long period of historic time, the world should be | | | | AFTER-LIFE, OR WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL |
| improving. 6) | | | | HAPPEN TO YOUR PET WHEN HE OR SHE |
| No explaination as to where evil really came from. 7) | | | | DIES?1) Jim says: This is based on the assumption that |
| Then Jesus must have been reincarnated too. 8) Sins | | | | we will be in heaven. Basic Christian doctrine asserts |
| cannot be forgiven. And 9) you have to work for your | | | | that when we go to Heaven, we will be reunited with |
| Salvation, whereas in Christianity Salvation is a free | | | | our loved ones. Since for many "our loved ones" |
| gift.2nd Internet Question: IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN | | | | include our pets, then our pets would indeed be in |
| REINCARNATION, DO YOU BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER | | | | Heaven. This, therefore, clearly indicates that the pets, |
| DEATH, AND IF SO, HOW DO YOU ENVISION IT?1) | | | | and all animals for that matter, possess a soul/spirit.6th |
| Eddy says: The Resurrection. This is what we are | | | | Internet Question: DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE IS |
| promised.2) Mathew says: The difference between | | | | A JUDGEMENT IN THE AFTER-LIFE AS TO WHO |
| the resurrection and reincarnation is very little, if not at | | | | HAS THE GOOD AFTER-LIFE OR THE BAD |
| all.3) Otto says: First, death is the separation of the soul | | | | AFTER-LIFE? HOW DO YOU FEEL THE |
| from the body. While the body sleeps, the soul is given | | | | JUDGEMENT IS REALLY MADE? What about babies |
| a foretaste of what is likely (but not certain) to be its | | | | or small children, cruel dictators, suicides, suicide |
| eternal state; this is often called the "intermediate | | | | bombers where the people involved feel they have |
| state". At the resurrection, the soul and body (in its | | | | good intentions, the mentally sick or handicapped who |
| spiritual state) are reunited for the judgement which | | | | commit violence, those adults who grew up as |
| determines one's eternity.4) Sally. Says: I think that | | | | unwanted children who commit crimes as a result, and |
| heaven and hell are here on earth. It is all a state of | | | | those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, |
| mind and how people look at you. For example, when | | | | but have really made some bad choices that have |
| you die, it depends on how people see you and think | | | | harmed many people because of their intolerence and |
| about you, and they will never forget that image, and | | | | segrational attitudes.3 people stated that they believe |
| this is eternity. And I also believe in a heaven and a hell, | | | | in reincarnation so that there would be no judgement |
| where every event will be judged as being good or | | | | involved in that each individual would be in charge of |
| bad, which will also determine how we live in eternity.5) | | | | improving themselves, no matter how many lives it |
| Mat says: Yes. No idea.6) Brad says: I can hope for a | | | | takes, until they reach the state of perfection that God |
| life after death, particularly one that might let me make | | | | expects them to reach. In this case, I feel they don't |
| some amends for sad decisions made in this life. | | | | really need Jesus Christ for Salvation.1) Steven says: |
| However, I have no reason to expect it. Under the | | | | Jesus says that not everyone that says Lord, Lord, |
| circumstances, envisioning it would be fruitless | | | | shall enter the Kingdom. (Matt 7:21) I think one must first |
| speculation.7) Corbin says: I don't believe in | | | | realize that not all who claim to be Christian are.2) |
| reincarnation, but I know there is life after death, and | | | | Corbin says: And the opposite might also be true. |
| even though I enjoy this life very much, and do not | | | | Those who we feel might not be Christians, or profess |
| really know the specifics of the after-life, I know it's | | | | not to be Christians, might very well be the people God |
| going to be better than the present life.8) Michael says: | | | | wants in heaven.3) JB says: I believe there will be a |
| I think it's impossible to conceive of - clearly it won't be | | | | judgement of all the people once they die, determined |
| an existence in the same way as we | | | | by who's found in the Book of Life. (Rev 20:12-15) |
| know it now, as it will exist in the spiritual parallel rather | | | | Those who are found unworthy to be with God will |
| than in a bodily sense. But I have some sympathy with | | | | experience their second death.4) Will says: I believe |
| what Bran said - is there really any point in thinking | | | | that if there is a judgement, God wil be fair about it, |
| about it, when there is so much life to live now? It can | | | | and I will trust in His judgement..5) Corbin says: I believe |
| give us hope, but I think there is a genuine danger of | | | | that there will be some sort of judgement after death, |
| becoming so other-worldly, that we forget about being | | | | and I agree with Will, in that God will certainly be fair |
| Christians today.3rd Internet Question: DO YOU | | | | about it.THE AFTER-LIFE IN PERSPECTIVENOBODY |
| BELIEVE IN A HELL IN THE AFTER-LIFE, AND IF SO, | | | | REALLY KNOWS WHAT THE AFTER-LIFE |
| HOW DO YOU ENVISION THIS? OR DO YOU | | | | WOULD BE LIKE, BUT I BELIEVE IT WILL HAVE |
| BELIEVE THIS HELL IS HERE ON EARTH WHILE | | | | FANTASTIC SURPRISES FOR MANY, AND BE A |
| WE LIVE?1) Shirley says: Neither. Hell is not a place of | | | | GLORIOUS HAVEN FOR THOSE WHO GOD |
| torment. It is simply the common grave of all mankind. | | | | FAVOR.The names of the commentarians have been |
| No one is conscious of being in hell. It is a place of | | | | changed, except for myself, to protect the privacy of |
| darkness, silence, and total inactivity. (Ecclesiastes | | | | the Internet contributors, but the comments are |
| 9:5,10, and Psalm 146:4)2) Ralph says: The Old | | | | accurate.AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHI was |
| Testament shows little, if any, knowledge of the type | | | | born in New York City in 1931, grew up on Long Island, |
| of hell populated by mainstream Christian religions. It | | | | graduated from Roanoke College in Virginia with a BA |
| seems to me that hell - along with the concept of a | | | | in Political Science, and from New York Theological |
| devil and the after-life - was an idea evolved over | | | | Seminary with a Masters Degree in Religious |
| time, probably greatly influenced by the Hellenistic | | | | Education. I became a committed Christian in 1958, and |
| concept of the underworld. I don't see the Hebrew | | | | after a number of years became a committed |
| scriptures dealing with this concept much at all.3) Saul | | | | Ecumenical Christian. I worked as an accountant in |
| says: Hell is the effects of believing in and | | | | various companies for about 25 years in New York |
| consequently experiencing oneself as separate from | | | | City, then moved down to Argentina and worked for |
| God.4) Jack says: Lowest common denominator is hell. | | | | about 21 years as a Business English Conversationalist |
| It is a place where God is not, so I don't want to be | | | | Teacher with some of the top managers. My greatest |
| there. God is light and love, so Hell will have none of | | | | life-changing experience occurred in the early 70's |
| either. Can you imagine how life would be in total | | | | when I became very active for about 3 years in a |
| darkness and total hatred.. Not a place I wanna | | | | social nudest (both sexes) camp. I also became a |
| experience whether there is fire or not. I don't think you | | | | Stephen Minister (trained counselor) while down here. I |
| have to be a rocket scientist to make that decision.5) | | | | have been married twice (the last to an Argentine), |
| Alice says: I've often wondered if hell is here on earth. | | | | widowed once, and have no children, but one cat. If |
| The only thing I'm reasonably certain of, is that Hell is | | | | you want to contact me, you |
| separation from God.6) Mary Jane says: Hell is other | | | | can do so via (). |