Re-thinking Reincarnation

I ran into an old friend. She now believes in reincarnation. Her world view changes as quickly as a weather vane, yielding easily to the gusts of popular opinion.

I can't think of a philosophy that resists social progress toward goodness and the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness for all of us as much as -- reincarnation.

So much of the world's population - Hinduism and Buddhism, and other eastern religions, sink and drown in despair because of this absurd notion that a man's actions in this life dictate the type of life he will be awarded, or punished with, in his next earthly life.

So if I, a believer in reincarnation, pass a homeless beggar, maybe a
cripple, or a leper, on the streets of Bombay, will I be prompted to help him?  No! He is getting what he deserved. In his former life he must have been so evil and cruel that now he is destined to spend this life in helpless degradation. He must not be helped! He must pay! It's the will of the gods...They have established and determined his position in society. Maybe he can be elevated in his next life......maybe not.....But it is not my job to help him here and now!

[Eastern religions do have a notion of alms or charity -- but these are ways of showing respect for the monks or nuns, or "spiritually developed persons". It is not charity as we think of it. The gifts are given to the religions leaders and they show a symbolic connection to the spiritual realm. They are to demonstrate humbleness and respect for religion in a secular society. The giving of alms assists in connecting the human to the monk or nun and what he or she represents. They are not designed to bring people out of poverty.]


On the other hand, the city governor, or the wealthy merchant, must
have been a truly good man in his previous life, and now he is being rewarded with a high position in society. So I must honor him! He is getting what he deserves as a good and honest man in his former life. I must not question him nor challenge his actions. He is not accountable to me.  The gods have elevated him because he was honest in an earlier (not current) life.

Do people today who throw around the word "reincarnation" with its aura of mystery, really think it through? [Like the phrase, "Thank my lucky stars..." What exactly does that mean?]

The poor beggar is likely not harming anybody, except for being an annoyance and irritation.  And the nobleman might be a serial killer.

What kind of society would we have here if we were believers in reincarnation?

Not a democracy, because reincarnation reinforces the power of the wealthy and elite over the poor and powerless, and does not do anything to alleviate the problems of the poor. It is a societal "strait jacket."

The seeds of democracy will not flourish in the poor soil of reincarnation.

And certainly there would be no space for equality nor protection of the law-- just a society where the rich and powerful always rule without restrictions and the poor are left in their misery.


FATALISM

Another word I hear often today -- fatalism. "I am a fatalist," my friend might say.

Fatalism is the teaching that there is a blind, impersonal force that directs all of human history and activity. Back of that force is no divine purpose, and no one, not even God, has any control over that force. We are simply swept long by its blind power -- as helpless
as someone swept in a raging torrent out to sea. There is no stopping it.

It is disturbing. When a great river overflows seasonally and destroys villages and thousands of lives, a fatalist will say (and we have all heard them say it), "It must have been the will of God!"

Year after year - the rains come down and the floods come up - and thousands suffer and die.

No, it is not God's will -- it is God's will that they learn to build a dam, move their homes, do what it takes to protect themselves and their families -- that is God's will, according to our Judea-Christian heritage.

Our own tradition is so different - our spiritual and historical ancestors (Abraham, Moses, David, Job, and the prophets, to list some) argued with God -- they confronted Him -- they demanded answers -- they thrust their fists in the air and challenged Him --

AND HE HEARD THEM! He did not turn His back. He treated them with dignity and respect, because we, His humble creatures, bear His image!

What we believe matters - not just to each of us - but to society as a whole. I am so thankful for my heritage as a Christian, and also for my heritage as an American.

We are the "home of the brave," largely because we are the "land of the free." 

We can fight back -- we can demand change -- even if it is to confront and challenge our God!

Yes, what we believe really matters -- the future of our country depends upon what we believe about God.