| Reincarnation and resurrection are concepts that | | | | alternative share. The origin of souls is one of them. |
| negate each other. Nevertheless with over six billion | | | | There is no certainty but it raises a common question: |
| people in the world there are enough supporters for | | | | how many souls exist? Humanity has multiplied over |
| both. | | | | the centuries so there seems to be a pool of souls |
| Reincarnation in general terms states that there is | | | | somewhere, much bigger for believers of reincarnation |
| more than one physical life for all humans. Resurrection | | | | since souls are supposed to be coming back to bodies |
| refers to eternal life of the soul and rejoining our bodies | | | | that could also not be human. It is only natural that this |
| when the final judgment occurs. | | | | has spiked the curiosity of millions of people. |
| Those who support reincarnation believe it is | | | | One theory has emerged from the Gnostic philosophy |
| impossible to live just one life, basically because it | | | | that has tried to reconcile reincarnation and |
| would not be possible to purge all of our bad deeds in | | | | resurrection. Peter Novak has published a couple of |
| a single existence. It has also become a good | | | | books on his theory, which in simple terms states that |
| explanation to those for whom the concept of eternal | | | | reincarnation does exist, that the physical bodies are |
| damnation seems unfair, especially when considering | | | | discarded from life to life but that there will be a final |
| that if there is an all-knowing God then He would know | | | | judgment day. At that moment all the bodies will reunite |
| ahead of time what our future actions would be, | | | | with the spirit or soul as it has attained Gnosis, the |
| despite the free will concept. | | | | maximum knowledge on our origins and memory of |
| For others though reincarnation is a cycle that | | | | past lives we can have. |
| perpetuates evil. If there is no memory of past lives, | | | | Regardless of which view people support they both |
| then we would not be aware of what our actions | | | | offer an alternative to something that tends to scare |
| were and would not have the opportunity to change, | | | | most people: death. Here lies the final coincidence that |
| we would be handled a tough hand in life and would | | | | can be pointed out, they both presuppose the idea that |
| never know why. Resurrection on the other hand | | | | life never ends, which perhaps is more important than |
| offers salvation for the soul. | | | | the differences as to how that happens. |
| There are also questions supporters of each | | | | |