The Soul.

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by zastrakoza

The problem with reincarnation is that most people don't remember other lives.

According to those who do hypnotic regression, we all (if we can be hypnotized deeply) can remember our past lives, our time and activities between lives, and even what we heard our mothers and fathers say when we were in the womb.

Hypnotherapist Michael Newton accidently discovered we could remember time between lives when he was regressing a patient to early childhood memories and Newton was probably saying something like "go back in time to your earliest memories" and the person started talking about between life experiences. It is said we usually have all past live memories blocked for an incarnation but they can be accessed through hypnotic regression.

Newton wrote several books talking about what people said about between lives. Journey of Souls was one.

I liked a story I read once about an Olympic diver who one day saw a shadow flicker across the pool below one day before a dive and she froze in unexplained fear. She could not dive after that and went to all kinds of doctors and trainers and nobody could help her. She finally tried hypnotic regression and she remembered a past life as a little girl where she jumped into some pond and just as she jumped she saw a dark shadow moving in the water and it turned out to be an alligator and that was the end of that life. Through finding out the cause of her fear she was able to dive again.

[Maisy]

All the writers of the bible were Jewish and what did they believe? Well the Pharisees and Essenes believed in the immortality of the soul, but the Sadducees did not. So Jews had many different opinions and beliefs. Also of note is they believed actions, not our specific beliefs, determined our fate. No concept of Hell exists in Judaism. Lastly, according to Josephus, the Pharisees believed that after death good souls pass “into another body.” (Reincarnation) Flavius Josephus was a Roman–Jewish historian and military leader born around AD 37 I think.

The Jewish philosopher, Philo Judaeus, who lived the same time Jesus did, wrote in detail about reincarnation as a normal belief in those times, a brief quote: “The air is full of souls; those who are nearest to earth descending to be tied to mortal bodies return to other bodies, desiring to live in them.”

Reincarnation is a tenet of orthodox Judaism, wherein it is called gilgul or ha’atakah, and was so at the time of Christ.

It's interesting because the Jewish historian Josephus said Pharisees believed good souls pass into another body. (Reincarnation) But some early Christians claim the Pharisees believed in "resurrection." (Not getting a new body but the old body coming back to life and being transformed etc.)

Acts 23:6
New International Version
6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.”

I'd say obviously people in those days had a lot of influences and different beliefs. Thus why early Christians had to have a lot of meetings and councils and debates about what beliefs to include or remove or to claim were "official" or "heresy." It was heavy stuff as those caught having or teaching "heresy" or non-official Church beliefs could be killed tortured etc.

Old Christian sects such as the Bogomils and the Cathars professed reincarnation and other gnostic beliefs.

Now days, Reform Jews believe the soul lives on after death. The body remains on earth; only the soul goes to heaven. Some Reform Jews believe in reincarnation. I'd say some new age type Christian groups or types believe in reincarnation as well.

Originally Posted by Maisy

not. So Jews had many different opinions and beliefs.

Now days, Reform Jews believe the soul lives on after death. The body remains on earth; only the soul goes to heaven. Some Reform Jews believe in reincarnation. I'd say some new age type Christian groups or types believe in reincarnation as well.

Maisy,

Belief is only belief. It proves nothing. You pointed out the many different beliefs and consensus is the missing element. In this country we have millions and millions of people that believe in different conspiracy theories. Their belief does not serve as proof of their validity. IMO the only truthful statement is to state that you believe in the possibility of something…..pursue that belief and if it yields tangible results and progress on your spiritual journey then that would be good…otherwise it is simply trivia that is of no import…..

[keiw1]

I personally do not believe in a Soul but find the different opinions found in the Bible really interesting.
Any thoughts/opinions ?[/quote]

A soul is not the spirit. And God can kill the soul- Matt 10:28
Soul= Hebrew=Nephesh-Greek = Psykhe--
Genesis says-man was given the breath of life and became a living soul---not has a soul. The creatures of the water became living souls. Gen 1:20, as well as the animals.Gen 1:24

The spirit-is not a ghost being inside of one, its all that makes that being what they are.( Psalm 146:4--His spirit goes out, he goes back to the ground, In that day his thoughts do perish)))( derivitive of Ruach( Hebrew for spirit there)- Some translators render it breath.

[zastrakoza]

Originally Posted by Molearner

Just to drive people crazy I could speculate that reincarnation works in reverse order….perhaps it is a return to the Father ? Hahaha people…don’t say that I actually believe….just pretend you are in a think tank….where anything possible can be suggested….:)

Nothing wrong with the suggestion! In fact, it is in some ways true, since we are spirit beings. Our time on earth is just an experience in density.

But I would like to add the terminology is incorrect and misleading. Not yours, just in general...reincarnation carries with it the idea that a human persona comes back again and again in linear time.

The human is not reincarnated. Each human is unique. The human is an incarnation of a soul. The soul is incarnated multiple times but not in a linear fashion. Previously I suggested Jesus was an incarnation of Melchizedek. Melchizedek being the human oversoul (and archetype) that we are all part of.

Blessings,
Z

[sky]

Originally Posted by Maisy

All the writers of the bible were Jewish.

According to Biblical Historian's Luke was a Gentile. Paul’s letter to the Colossians draws a distinction between Luke and other colleagues “of the circumcision,” (meaning the Jews). Colossians 4:11.

[Altair]

Originally Posted by sky

Any thoughts/opinions ?

Yes, like Thomas Aquinos my thoughts are the soul is immortal. But it's not a 'thing', and there are infinite souls making up 'god' together (don't think Aquinos would believe this though..).

[sky]

[quote=keiw1

'A soul is not the spirit. And God can kill the soul '.]

And why would God kill the soul ?

[sky]

Originally Posted by Altair

Yes, like Thomas Aquinos my thoughts are the soul is immortal. But it's not a 'thing', and there are infinite souls making up 'god' together (don't think Aquinos would believe this though..).

Thanks Altair, ' infinite souls making up God ' is interesting....

[Rah nam]

Originally Posted by Altair

Yes, like Thomas Aquinos my thoughts are the soul is immortal. But it's not a 'thing', and there are infinite souls making up 'god' together (don't think Aquinos would believe this though..).

In a roundabout way this is correct.