Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Lee on September 26, 2006, 05:15:55 PM

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Lee on September 26, 2006, 05:15:55 PM

Anyone here ever have any wierd, Deja Vu type experiences that made them wonder if it is possible? I don't tend to believe in it myself (strongly at least)...but another thread (sleepwalking) got me to thinking about something that used to literally haunt me in my childhood.  I had dreams (over a multi-year period) about living in another place and time.  I was never sure exactly where it was, but it always ended the same way.  In the dream, I'm in a church or mosque and the crowd startes yelling that the Moors are attacking.  I run outside and there are men on horseback killling everyone.  I hide in a little aclove in the wall.  A few mintues later I'm covered by the shadow of a large horse and I see the man raise his arm with spear in hand and he drives it into my chest.  I always woke up covered in sweat.  At the time, I had no idea what a Moor was.  I would soon push the dream to the back of my mind, but I had it 2-3 times a year for 6 years or so.  There were even a few times when I was awake, out and about, and I would see a picture of middle-eastern or mediterranean object (or setting) and I would have a slight panic attack.
Weird I know...but as a result I've always had a lingering curiosity about the possibility of a former life...or future life.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Mabs2 on September 26, 2006, 05:19:56 PM

No clue.
I always feel I was born too late...
And I very often have very realistic dreams in which I'm another person...but they range from alternate realities and even the future.
I've been trying to write some of them down lately...pretty interesting things that my brain comes up with at night.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: mustanger98 on September 26, 2006, 05:23:22 PM

I don't know too much about how possible reincarnation is, but I know there's nothing in my Christian belief to support it. After I'd had some dealing with some folks who believe in it, I tried doing a little research and found those who preach it for gospel are talking in circles.

That said, I used to have what I now simply call a "Malox moment" when I'd have some acid reflux considering a bayonet fight or knife fight. Those folks I dealt with briefly... they said that was probably how I died once. Thing is though, I never had any kind of suggested memory of being run through like that.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Art Eatman on September 26, 2006, 06:02:00 PM

I wanna come back as a cat with a good home.

, Art

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: HForrest on September 26, 2006, 06:34:11 PM

At 16, I'm disassociated with modern "youth culture", I can't stand the music and MTV, and often find myself feeling I belong in the late sixties or early seventies right now... like I should have been born in 1952 or so.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: mfree on September 26, 2006, 06:54:43 PM

Quite a while ago I had a very strong dream, which is doubly unusual since I usually never remember my dreams. Anyhow, I was some manner of mid-grade officer and "doctor" on a sailing vessel, speaking French. Through the dream I basically watched usual life stuff, then came to a bit where I was attempting to explain something to who seemed to be a young native boy, and I said a few things in what I presume to be his language.

I hunted for that phrase a few days, turns out it was a loose Maori "like volcanos on skin". The boy had what appeared to be the beginnings of smallpox or some other terrible rash.

I could also talk about my reaction to the beginning sequence of Saving Private Ryan, but that could just also be psychological/etc. To boil that down I felt like I had died in my chair, if you had told me I was in wet mud up to my neck I'd have believed you. *Nothing* has ever hit me like that, and it does make me wonder.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Mabs2 on September 26, 2006, 07:49:38 PM

Quote from: Combat-wombat

At 16, I'm disassociated with modern "youth culture", I can't stand the music and MTV, and often find myself feeling I belong in the late sixties or early seventies right now... like I should have been born in 1952 or so.

Exactly how I am.
I rarely watch TV these days, and very often wish I could have experienced the freedom of the old days...especially the mid 1800s.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Art Eatman on September 27, 2006, 04:14:28 AM

"...the freedom of the old days...especially the mid 1800s."

Well, yeah, as long as your health was good and you didn't have dental problems.  And didn't feel the need for a daily shower...

Probably the best mix of freedom and modernity would have been the 1920s and 1930s--as long as you were white and had some money.  Far fewer restrictions from laws, lots of open lands which were accessible to those interested in the outdoors, and pretty good medical-care availability.

Art

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Perd Hapley on September 27, 2006, 04:22:00 AM

What Art said.  You couldn't heat up your stove or your house at the push of a button.  Forget about AC, you couldn't even have an electric fan, or lights for that matter.  And you didn't exactly have stainless double-action revolvers in those days, not to mention ATS-34 pocket knives.  Music at your fingertips?  Forget about it.  

On the other hand, if you were a woman, having a big rear end was quite fashionable.  But with all that manual labor to take care of, it was hard to keep any junk in the trunk.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Werewolf on September 27, 2006, 09:31:19 AM

Reincarnation: Maybe. If one believes in a soul then reincarnation becomes possible - assuming that the soul retains its identity after passing out of the material plane (which it may not - it may just rejoin a universal soul).

If a soul does retain its identity it seems possible/probable to me that it might eventually get bored with what ever existence is the norm in the non-material plane and wish to return to a more material existence or possibly returning to the material plane is punishment for some wrong doing or maybe a soul can only evolve based on its experinences in the material plane - who know? What it all boils down to is that if we all have souls then reincarnation becomes a possibility.

As for myself? If reincarnation is a reality then for reasons I cannot completely explain in a past life I was either a Japanese peasant in the golden age of the Samurai or maybe even a low ranking Samurai. Which is wierd because I'm about as western culture oriented as one can get but then going from Japanese peasant to middle class citizen of the USA would be quite an upgrade - mateial plane wise anyway.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Perd Hapley on September 27, 2006, 09:35:43 AM

OK, Werewolf, that was just wierd.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: AJ Dual on September 27, 2006, 09:44:56 AM

I don't believe in it.

And when I fought in the Crimean war, I didn't believe in it either.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Werewolf on September 27, 2006, 12:49:06 PM

Quote from: fistful

OK, Werewolf, that was just wierd.

Which part - reincarnation as a possibility or past life or both?

If past life I agree...

re: reincarnation possibility - seems logical to me - what did I miss?

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: crt360 on September 27, 2006, 01:01:08 PM

The nonbelievers shall return as crickets and gather beneath the street lights.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Guest on September 27, 2006, 01:34:28 PM

Bible says "it is appointed for man to live once, then comes judgement"

No reincarnation

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: mfree on September 27, 2006, 02:01:23 PM

Not even once, G-Rap? I mean, what are all the bunnies and easter eggs about?

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Moondoggie on September 27, 2006, 02:23:39 PM

I WAS born in 1952, and I am completely disassociated with the MTV culture too!

I believe strongly in reincarnation.

I don't have any fixation on past lives or anything like that, but it's one part of how I think the universe works.  I don't claim to understand any of the details (I think that's the idea) but I do believe it's entirely possible.

I don't know why folks find it so strange, it's one of the tenents of Bhuddism and there's about a gazillion Bhuddists who have believed this for a lot longer than Christianity.  Ever heard of Karma?

Do a search on Theosophy...there are quite a few folks in Western Civilization who believe in reincarnation.  I don't believe in the structured nature of Theosophy, I believe it's much more individually oriented, but I do believe in the underlying theories.

From the time that I began meditating at about 16 or so, I have always felt that reincarnation was a part of the plan.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: CAnnoneer on September 27, 2006, 05:53:49 PM

I have the ugly suspicion that indeed there is reincarnation. I think I have been around for quite awhile. That is unusual taking into account my overly rational self. But, conducive evidence abounds. I remember strange serious thoughts as a little boy, a feeling of discontinuity. More recently I almost remembered my Roman name - something like Caius Claudius Cato. Strange propensity for foreign languages, specifically German and French. Unstudied familiarity with Latin syntactic structures. A natural affinity for fortifications and cannon. Outlandish dreams in different time periods. The list goes on and on.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Perd Hapley on September 27, 2006, 06:53:27 PM

I meant this part:

Quote from: Werewolf

If reincarnation is a reality then for reasons I cannot completely explain in a past life I was either a Japanese peasant in the golden age of the Samurai or maybe even a low ranking Samurai.

For CAnnoneer and Werewolf:

I am immortal! 
I have inside me blood of kings! 
I have no rival,
No man can be my equal!

Or am I the only one who remembers that theme?

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: CAnnoneer on September 27, 2006, 07:00:03 PM

Quote from: fistful

Or am I the only one who remembers that theme?

My current incarnation is probably too young.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Perd Hapley on September 27, 2006, 07:23:59 PM

How old are you?  That's the theme from the Highlander TV series.  circa 1990?  Performed by Queen, as I recall.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: SADShooter on September 28, 2006, 04:36:17 AM

Please tell me you're not too young to remember the "motion picture" on which the series was based? I can't be THAT old...

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Sindawe on September 28, 2006, 05:38:29 AM

Definite yes on reincarnation here.  Incarnations are like semesters in school.  We are here for awhile, have some fun and learn some stuff, then take a break to integrate what we've experienced into our core identity.  Later we come back for more corporeal fun and learning.

Sometimes we get off track, like my last time here.  Sorry business involving charcoal gray uniforms, cattle cars and coal-scuttle helmets.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Perd Hapley on September 28, 2006, 05:39:54 AM

You're saying you were in the WWII German army?  What gives you that idea?

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: Sindawe on September 28, 2006, 05:46:51 AM

Bleed over memories via dreams while still learning to walk and long long before the parents had a TV or I could read.

Title: Reincarnation - whaddya think?
Post by: CAnnoneer on September 28, 2006, 07:06:17 AM

Quote from: fistful

How old are you?  That's the theme from the Highlander TV series.  circa 1990?  Performed by Queen, as I recall.

31 (but otherwise my guess is at least 3200-4200). Nah, the original movie was good, then it went downhill. I have not watched the TV series. I am not into modern music either and like Baroque best.

Methinks Sindawe be right. Training sessions. If you screw up, you fail the year exam, so you repeat the particular class. It is amazingly similar to the eastern teachings of the karmic circle, although I really doubt it is Nirvana you get in the end (if there is an end).