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Reincarnation.. mocked by millions

Kristopher

Kristopher

Senior Registered
The reason I wonder this is becuase, on Yahoo Answers, I often go in to the 'spiritual & religious' section, to provide information to people asking question about reincarnation. I find it terrible the amount of disrespect these type on questions recieve from others. The most common question is "Is it okay to be chrtistian and believe in reincarnation", a little bit like the way I was thinking before I left christianity. Instantly, these people are told they are going to hell if they dont change their ways of thinking. I look at the amount of comments left that rip them idea of reincarnation apart, making a complete joke out of it. I also feel no one(friends&family) take me seriously if I try to discuss what I believe in to them. Why do you think that reincarnation is looked at in this way? The most logical of explainations(reincarnation) seems to be the most mocked out of all beliefs I have come acorss. Maybe you have different views from me, you might find that people are opened to the idea of reincarnation?
 
People are ignorant, and not only about reincarnation, what do you expect? The degree of hostility will vary from culture to culture and religion to religion.


One thing to consider is that there are many cliche misconceptions that many ignorant people hold in order to debunk the idea of reincarnation. For example:


If people reincarnate, why does the world population keep on growing?


Why do all people who believe in reincarnation think they were someone famous in a previous life?


If reincarnation is real why don't we remember any past lives?


yada yada yada.
 
To begin with, Kris, our society is built on a foundation of beliefs, which has traditionally mocked other cultures and beliefs with special emphasis on the Buddhists and Hindus of the world. So, it isn't surprising that you'll see the kind of ridicule that is rampant toward reincarnation -- especially on sites like yahoo and answer.com, which appeal only to the superficial learned knowledge of people who don't care to investigate anything beyond what they have heard from like minded people.


Western culture is horribly caught in a fierce tug of war between two powerful interest groups with Christianity on one side and Science-based rationality on the other. In between we have a rather quiet and open-minded group of people who investigate all possibilities and are gradually being pulled in yet another emerging direction that most of us call "new age-ism, which is made up largely of wild-eyed and emotional believers who also tend to repeat only what they hear from like-minded souls.


When you go to a place like Yahoo.com or Answers.com, you are drawing from a cross-section of all three groups, and you are bound to get comments that will only lower your general opinion of humanity. And, if you think those comments are mean and ignorant, try visiting JREF -- but, that is only if you really want to get thoroughly angry and depressed.


I, for one, have learned not to trust the opinions of the general public; for we have found that the majority of people can be seriously wrong about any number of things. The more we think for ourselves and rely less upon what we have heard, the more we are found to find ourselves with fewer and fewer places to discuss our ideas. This Forum is one of those rare place, but even we, sometimes, find ourselves with unpopular ideas.
 
I would like to define the science-based rational group as science-based materialists. I have a few science-based rational friends who do not dismiss something more than the material world as they think it is irrational to dismiss something that we don't understand yet.
 
And also, you can see how stupid so many people are by looking at yahoo answers, and not just on the questions about reincarnation. Comments on youtube videos are another great place to see stupid people at work. I wouldn't get my feathers ruffled by reading what anybody has to say on such sites.
 
Thanks for all your answers, they have made perfect sense. It is a shame that on they kind of sites, people who are curious about other possibilities are stopped in their tracks by other. I always try to answer their questions of reincarnation, without going too far outside of what their religion is. However, I suppose they will just have to fend for themselves when it comes to facing the judgemental opinions by others, like we all have to do.
 
Green26 said:
And also, you can see how stupid so many people are by looking at yahoo answers, and not just on the questions about reincarnation. Comments on youtube videos are another great place to see stupid people at work. I wouldn't get my feathers ruffled by reading what anybody has to say on such sites.
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haha, true. :)
 
Reincarnation.. mocked by millions


I encounter many people on the internet for whom science has become an all knowing, all seeing, all powerful god.


People like this often come into discussions about religion, philosophy, flying saucers, mythology, and many, many other places and try to show everyone how their all knowing god can answer any question. They think that the answers to all of life's mysteries will be found in the pages of a chemistry book.


This view of science sometimes takes the form of atheism although I guess an atheist will seek out various things to replace their belief in God.


Stephen Hawking thinks that his mathematical equations have allowed him to know more than God knows and in fact we don't need God, if he even exists. Hawking has enough problems already without making stupid statements like that.


I'm not sure why people think this way. I suspect it's because they associate their knowledge about science with their own financial security, professional success, prestige, etc..


For example someone like Carl Sagan could never have admitted that he believed in flying saucers even if he really did. He didn't believe in flying saucers but his mind had been drowned in a sea of scientific information to the point where his thought processes became restrictive. If he were to admit something like that he would have lost his standing in the scientific community. People would have no longer read his books, watched his stupid TV show, etc..


Science has its place which is in universities, research laboratories, etc.. Religion, philosophy, and the occult are not some of those places however, at least not in my opinion.


The mysterious alchemist Fulcanelli felt that what we call science today is really learning more and more about less and less. He felt alchemy was a much purer form of science.


Alchemy was one of those areas where science, religion, and the occult all sort of merged together. Those same things also came together in very ancient Egypt and in a way in Leonardo Da Vinci. Da Vinci was a sort of strange combination of those things plus art.


The study of Egyptology today has become a sorry quagmire of unsubstantiated theories that have no basis in reality. They propagate their stupid ideas from one generation to the next in universities.


This is a serious issue in the sense that they mislead people about spiritual truths.


Top Secret/Majic: Operation Majestic-12 and the United States Government's UFO Cover-up [Paperback]


Stanton T. Friedman


Fulcanelli: Master Alchemist: Le Mystere des Cathedrales, Esoteric Intrepretation of the Hermetic Symbols of The Great Work (Le Mystere Des ... of the Hermetic Symbols of Great Work) by Fulcanelli (Jan 15, 1984)
 
Kristopher :) said:
Why do you think that reincarnation is looked at in this way? The most logical of explainations(reincarnation) seems to be the most mocked out of all beliefs I have come acorss. Maybe you have different views from me, you might find that people are opened to the idea of reincarnation?
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When I was young between 1978 and 1983, I spent my spare time asking the question, 'What do you think of reincarnation?”


I didn't express a belief in it after awhile and just asked people what they thought of it. So – I got my ear full of other people's doubts and tried to trace the source to it's root. My little informal survey netted me an opinion of why people were so opposed to it – and worked hard to ridicule and mock it.


I recently watched the presentation of the documentary 5th Dimension – Secrets of the Supernatural. (Opening statement in Part Two.) They have an Indian critic and skeptic on the panel who gives a description of his country based on their belief in reincarnation. Unlike the USofA where we base our belief on the idea that all ‘people’ are created equal in God’s eyes – in India – there is a caste system that your are born to and bound to your entire life. No escape from 'karma and fate.'

“Critic: If you are a poor person, if you don’t have money, if you don’t have job, if your situation is so bad, that is because you have done something in last life. That takes away the sense of enterprising in people. People are lethargic. Ask many Indians in the villages and they are going to say my fate is written on my forehead. It cannot be changed. ”
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Over and over again in my informal survey – I was told the idea of 'fate' that put you into a caste system you could not escape from was 'Un-American' and went against the popular idea that every one had a right of citizenship in this country to work hard and make something of their selves in this country.


Mocking or ridicule is a psychological response to fear.


In my informal survey from 1978 to 1988 – this was the same response I got from American’s who ridiculed reincarnation. If Hinduism and India are the examples to be followed (caste system) then it went against the idea of freedom Americans hold dear and true in their minds.


We are raised with the idea that anyone can come from a poor family and background and work their way to be President. (The sort of the appeal that Clinton projected when he ran for Office and succeeded.) The classic example would be Elvis. He was born into a poor family and became a member of royalty through hard work and a dream he followed from his heart.


The fear that was expressed to me most was - that if you accepted reincarnation as a fact - then you were putting yourself into 'bondage' to a 'past life' you had no control over and limited your inherited right in this country to have 'freedom of choice' in your destiny and fate.


DK
 
Nightrain1 said:
When you go to a place like Yahoo.com or Answers.com, you are drawing from a cross-section of all three groups, and you are bound to get comments that will only lower your general opinion of humanity. And, if you think those comments are mean and ignorant, try visiting JREF -- but, that is only if you really want to get thoroughly angry and depressed.
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I couldn't agree more with this statement. I consider myself a 'skeptic' for lack of a better term but was stunned to see how childish and closed minded 'skeptics' and 'freethinkers' can be. It was also ironic how 'skeptics' seemed to all think alike, which is an instant red flag for me. For a group of mostly scientists and rationalists, I didn't see a whole lot of evidence of either scientific or rational thinking going on but I did see an abundance of Junior High level ganging up and name calling going on!

I, for one, have learned not to trust the opinions of the general public; for we have found that the majority of people can be seriously wrong about any number of things. The more we think for ourselves and rely less upon what we have heard, the more we are found to find ourselves with fewer and fewer places to discuss our ideas. This Forum is one of those rare place, but even we, sometimes, find ourselves with unpopular ideas.
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This is the only one of two message boards I post at now, the other being completely unrelated. They are the only two boards were I haven't been swarmed by gangs of trolls and it's a breath of fresh air. I may not share the same opinions as some here but I am definately fascinated by this subject and am always eager to hear more about it. It's becomes too clear that it doesn't matter if it's business, politics, science or religion: the most fanatical and extreme believers quickly take over. Make no mistake: re-incarnation might be an unpopular 'pseudoscience' online but many people I spoke to on the street are very open minded about the concept. I just wish more of them would pop in here and say hello.
 
Mr. Mike said:
This is the only one of two message boards I post at now, the other being completely unrelated. They are the only two boards were I haven't been swarmed by gangs of trolls and it's a breath of fresh air. I may not share the same opinions as some here but I am definately fascinated by this subject and am always eager to hear more about it. It's becomes too clear that it doesn't matter if it's business, politics, science or religion: the most fanatical and extreme believers quickly take over.
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I belong to several message boards related to my profession and only rarely post there any more. If anyone there posts an idea one iota different that the extremes held and promoted by the few but very vocal...well you can imagine what happens. Its humiliating, exhausting, and not worth my time. And these are professionals in their field!


This board IS a breath of fresh air. I cannot discuss reincarnation in my "real" life, having no desire to be either mocked or looked at like i'm crazy by my friends and family.
 
It is fine for someone to be unsure about reincarnation but it is another for that person to mock those who believe in it because it does not fit with their beliefs. For anyone to mock anyone for whatever reason shows a great degree of ignorance and insecurity on their part... regardless of what they do for a living.
 
I am writing this post as a private individual, and not as a Moderator and to avoid any reflections on this Forum, this is in my own words and are solely my own opinions.


I think, in essence, that it all boils down to respect for the other person.


On some topics, I may not agree with a person, but I respect his (or her) right to that belief or opinion.


I also subscribe to the belief that one can agree to disagree with that person, but maintain the discussion on a healthy, civil and respectful level.


It seems to me, IMHO that people have forgotten how to be civil towards one another; in other Forums, one can have a perfectly tame discussion start up, and soon the discussion has descended to the depths of hostility and open hatred while the affected parties have forgotten the reason for the discussion in the first place.


I was taught in FD training that if you saw a problem, to stay focused on that problem (or mission/objective) and see it to it's logical and best solution (or conclusion).


If more people would try this, they would not easily lose track of the central discussion and could see the discussion perhaps evolve into a workable solution.


Thankfully, the members of this Forum are very civil towards one another and it shows in the overall quality and spirit of this Forum!
 
People mock that which they feel threatened by.


If they feel the need to be openly disrespectful, it shows immaturity and insecurity on their part thus, IMO, rendering their opinion irrelevent.
 
People also mock beliefs on the internet because they have the safe anonymity of their monitors between them and any real sense of having to account for themselves. If these same people were face to face with a person who asked the same question they mocked online, they would probably shrug and say "I don't know" or "I don't believe in it." As soon as they're anonymous their true character comes out.


(Isn't that what they say? "Character is what you do when nobody's looking.")
 
Truthseeker said:
People mock that which they feel threatened by.
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You said it, Truthseeker! Reincarnation, to many people, is the ultimate threat because it forces people to deal with what they spend their entire lives avoiding. It's not a pleasant thought to know there's no escape from who you truly are, if you haven't yet learned to accept yourself.
 
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