The Belief of Reincarnation

Reincarnation is a topic that church pastors do not talk about in church.  It is both a difficult and contentious topic.

Before the birth of Christ, at the time of  the Greek and Roman Empires, the main religious beliefs were polytheistic.  Reincarnation was a common concept.  At the time of Christ, reincarnation was still a common belief.

In the East, in India, China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Thailand, etc, eastern mystics and religious philosophies embraced the idea of re-birth in one form or another.

There are 2 phenomena that strongly support reincarnation.  Firstly is the many cases where young children recall and remember their past lives.  And second is the many cases of young prodigies - very young children who already possess skills of  expertly-trained adults, whether in arts, in music and in language.

The 'academic, scientific' research by Ian Stevenson, on hundreds of children who could recall their past lives, is often used as a key reference by others studying this same subject.  The video below appears creditable and no-nonsense.  I have watch it a few times.

Over the years, most churches had followed the catholic church's precedence of dis-owning the concept of reincarnation.  A handful of bible verses touching on this topic, such as whether or not John the Baptist was the Elijah of earlier years, were normally not discussed.

As for me personally, I do think reincarnation is a possibility, and this possibility is NOT incompatible with the saving work of Christ.  The idea of reincarnation, and the Christian faith can co-exist, even though some bible verses seem to suggest or interpret that there is only one life, and thereafter comes judgment.  I think it is not possible to dismiss the plausibility of reincarnation, by simply attributing all the evidences to the works of satan. 

By the grace of God, Jesus Christ had died, had resurrected on the third day, and appeared before hundreds and thousands of people (Acts 1).  This is a fact.  On Judgment Day, Christ will present me to God the Father and welcome me to dwell in God's house forever (John 14).  This is faith.

Reincarnation may be true.  But it is irrelevant.

Watch this video:

Think Best at Theta State

Many of us understand the various mental states:

Gamma state:  brain wave at 40 to 100 Hz (over agitated state)
Beta state: brain wave at 13 to 40 Hz (the conscious, awaken state)
Alpha state: brain wave at 7 to 13 Hz (between the conscious and the subconscious state, relaxed)
Theta state: brain wave at 4 to 7 Hz (the subconscious state, creative, emotional connected, intuitive)
Delta state: brain wave at 0.5 to 4 Hz (deep sleep)

When we are relaxed or when we meditate, we slow down the brain wave and slip into the Theta state.  At the Theta state, our mind are peaceful, clear, uncluttered, and could reason more creatively than at the fully conscious state.

That is why we find monks who practice daily meditation are so good in answering difficult questions about life, and about spirituality.

When we get away from the our hectic lifestyle and be at peace with ourselves and with nature, we slow down our brain wave and could think better too.