John wrote: According to vedic texts, humans do not necessarily come back as
humans. If a person does not lead a meritorious life in this world, he or she could reincarnate as an animal lower than humans or worse. If one does not believe in the vedic text, then why bother asking the question in the first place? What Vedic texts are these? The Tibetan Book of Dead talks about reincarnating in an "animal kingdom" but the context makes it clear that this is to be interpreted symbolically not literally. Can you quote the texts you have in mind with enough context so one could determine whether or not yours is an unduly fundie interpretation? Atheists come in all stripes. Reincarnation could be natural law, having nothing to do with whether or not there is a God. ----- Original Message ---- From: John <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, January 7, 2008 12:35:33 AM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: So just what is 'eternal damnation'? --- In FairfieldLife@ yahoogroups. com, TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED] .> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@ yahoogroups. com, "curtisdeltablues" > <curtisdeltablues@ > wrote: > > > > I don't really get the desire not to reincarnate back into this > > world. > > I think it's something that people who fear the > world and can't relate to it come to believe. If I were an agnostic or an atheist, why would or should I believe in reincarnation? Only people with certain faith or belief would believe in reincarnation. > > > I love life and would welcome another life. > > You and me both. To *not* want incarnation seems > to me to imply a belief that non-incarnation is > somehow "better." I honestly don't believe that. > In my book the Absolute is not "better than" or > "purer than" or "more" anything than the relative. > The Absolute IS the relative, and vice-versa. If I were an atheist or an agnostic, why would I be concerned with the absolute or the relative? These words are used by people with a certain faith and belief. > > I can understand why a person > > born into hopeless suffering might want to get outta town. But > > if you are typing on this forum, life is probably pretty good > > for you, food in the fridge, you live indoors. With those > > basics handled you can pursue your interests and pleasures > > as well as sharing with the people you love. So what is so > > bad that coming back to life is considered damnation? > > Excellent question. I can't wait to hear how those > who consider themselves damned answer it. :-) According to vedic texts, humans do not necessarily come back as humans. If a person does not lead a meritorious life in this world, he or she could reincarnate as an animal lower than humans or worse. If one does not believe in the vedic text, then why bother asking the question in the first place? > One of the teachers I studied with, who was not > a big fan of the "no more incarnations" theory > of enlightenment, had a great one-liner about > things: "The thing makes life so interesting isn't > that you go round and round on the wheel and then > one day it all stops; it's that you never stop > going around on the wheel." How do you know your teacher is right? What gives him the credentials that make you believe he is telling the truth, whatever that is? > > And what about the abstract goal of merging with > > the absolute or whatever way you think of your option is so great > > that you would want to give up another chance to live and love in > > this wonderful world? > > Honestly, I find that those who want desperately > to get out of the incarnation race often don't > *have* a lot of love in their lives. They tend > to be loners. This could have something do do > with their Garboesque "I vant to be alone" ideas > about what enlightenment entails. What if there is no reincarnation or even a life hereafter? 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