What do you think about reincarnation?
Question:
Basically I'm an atheist, so sometimes I compare other religions to Christianity, I found that "reincarnation" is very interesting and beautiful, it explains why some people are wealthy, some are poor, some are happy and some are in ordeal because it depends on what you did in your past life, and what you're doing now also affects your next life. It's called "pay the debts." The more bad things you did in your past life, the more painful life you're in now, but If you accept it and do good things now, you'll be happy in your next life.
Buddhism also has hell, but it's different from Christianity. It's related to what you did when you were alive. It doesn't have anything to do if you believe in "God", there's no personal god in Buddhism. Buddhists neither affirm nor deny God's existence. That's not with what they're concerned. They're more concern about karma. Besides, their hell isn't eternal, if you get in it, you still have a chance to get out.
What do you think reincarnation?
Answer:
"If a man dies, shall he live again?" (Job 14:14).
You will probably be disappointed with this answer because I don't approach religion looking for what I would like to have in my religion. Religion comes from the realization that there must be something greater than ourselves. If I acknowledge that, then I must realize that my viewpoint is too limited to appreciate all that I need. The prophet Jeremiah noted this very thing: "O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jeremiah 10:23).
I follow the teachings of the Bible because I have found that it is the only book which has proven itself accurate in all aspects of life. Its records are historically accurate. People who follow its principles become better people as a result. It even explains subtle things, such as the motivations of people and why certain actions are right or wrong. It creates a consistent standard that has never been shown to be weak. As a result, I will document my answer with what the Bible states. "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Peter 4:11).
Reincarnation is a claim without substantiation. It is claimed that people are returning to live, but it is a claim that cannot be proven. The Bible states that each person lives just once in this world. "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). Thus while adherents to reincarnation claim that you have multiple chances to get life right, the Bible states that you must do the best you can with the one life that you are given.
The idea of multiple chances creates a sloppy moral framework. First, it dismisses any drive to change your circumstances. You are dealing with things because that is what you were given to deal with. Ultimately it created India's caste system, as found in the Hindu religion. An Untouchable can never aspire to be anything but an Untouchable -- he is locked into his current life. Second, people can procrastinate in their moral choices. Sure I should be good, but perhaps I would rather be a little bit bad now and I'll worry about the payment later. But that too is no great deal because when I'm paying for my current fun, I won't remember it anyway.
You pointed out that reincarnation's adherents, such as the Buddhists, are agnostic in their view of God. However, who decides that a certain action is good or bad? Who decides that a soul should move up or down in the scale of life? All of these concepts will only work if there is someone in control. Yet a Buddhist is unable to bring himself to admit what must obviously be there.
I find it interesting that you think it is right for a person to pay his debts for the evil he does in his current life, but you reject the Bible's teaching that such payment does exist. "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences" (II Corinthians 5:8-11). It is not that God is eager to punish the wicked but that He upholds justice. "'Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?' says the Lord GOD, 'and not that he should turn from his ways and live?'" (Ezekiel 18:23). The Bible states that your destiny is in your hands. What happens to you in the life hereafter depends on what you chose to do with your life now. If you are unable to do good with your short life on earth, then why would you think you would do better in an eternal life? "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" (Luke 16:10-11).
Finally, what is ignored is that some things happened to people which are independent of their moral choices. "I returned and saw under the sun that - the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all" (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Oh, I'm sure some derive comfort in blaming misfortunes on events of imaginary past lives, but the Bible tells us that the world is decaying and at times a rough place to live. Bad things happen, sometimes to the good and sometimes to the bad. It is not whether bad things or good things happen, what matters is what you do with what you are given.
"For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant. But man dies and is laid away; indeed he breathes his last and where is he? As water disappears from the sea, and a river becomes parched and dries up, so man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep" (Job 14:7-12).
