My last post was really prompted by a recent post
by Denver Snuffer on a totally unrelated topic. However, in my previous
post I just went with what came and interestingly enough it ended on
something unrelated but which I have been pondering
lately. Here I wish to return to that particular post by Snuffer.
In a recent post Snuffer responds to a
question by using the example of ‘multiple mortalities’ also referred to
within the LDS movement as ‘multiple mortal probations’, or what I’d
prefer to simply call ‘reincarnation’. This should
not be confused with the idea of the ‘transmigration of souls’
(see TPJS pg 104). I was not expecting to delve into this topic this
early, because I wanted to build a foundation from which to launch into
other non-doctrinal topics. Reincarnation
too is an issue that is both challenging to peoples worldview (hence my
previous unplanned post) and is rather complex (isn’t all life
complex!).
Stated (very) simply reincarnation means that after
you die you spend a period of time in the spiritual world and then
re-incarnate and live another temporal existence, and the cycle
continues until something is reached in your spiritual
growth. Traditional Christianity and the LDS Church reject
reincarnation, while in the Eastern world it is (generally) accepted as
part of their worldview.
As a mental exercise, let as assume reincarnation
is true. That being the case, let us attempt to answer the question “if
reincarnation is true, how come it is not part of the Western-Christian
worldview”? Below I will use Denver Snuffer’s
comments as prompts to address what is a rather most important issue
(all Snuffers comments below are in italics).
What possible good can it do you to know about your pre-earth record.
What possible good is it to know about Creation?
Does the Books of Genesis or Moses contain superfluous information that
we would best ignore? I don’t think it is a superfluous question to have
an interest into our spiritual nature. The
real question is what is the most appropriate way to get such an
understanding. Perhaps another way to put the above comment is this:
unless you are sufficiently prepared to understand your pre-earth lives
and reincarnation, speculating about them or engaging
in inappropriate spiritual practises will do you no good. Start
with who you are today, and when your self-knowledge and morality is
sufficiently developed, you will
naturally come to answers of previous earth lives.
The challenge in
front of us all has “sufficient evil unto the day thereof” without, like
the Indigo Girls, to “try and get it right” for some other life. The
challenge is underway. Fight now. Win in this present
estate and focus on what it takes to get out of here with honor.
Nothing else matters. Isn’t this life challenge enough for you?
This is the position taken (generally) by the
scriptures, and for good reason (I will address my ‘general’ comment
shortly) which I’ll address below. However, the issue is not whether life
is a challenge enough (who is to say
someone isn’t ready to know about reincarnation?), but whether our
interest in pre-earth lives is healthy or not. I have read much
speculation on such matters and it honestly does people ‘no good’.
However, I have also read much that enables us to understand
about how reincarnation ‘works’ and why one temporal life is
insufficient for us to learn the lessons we need, and to develop our
spiritual-nature. I guess the point is the source of the knowledge. I agree, there is no point in speculating. But I
disagree that there is 'no good' in knowing, if the time is
right (who decides the time?).
If the topic were
important enough that it should influence you today, don’t you think the
scriptures would make the question plain enough so the doctrine is out
in the open?
Oh don’t you just love it when someone says “but it
ain’t in the scriptures, therefore it ain’t true!” Firstly, there are
many things pertaining to our spiritual life that are not in the
scriptures! I do not accept this statement at all.
It doesn’t mention oxygen either (!!) have we all been duped by
science?!? Ok, moving on...
The numerous scriptures we (mere fallen mortals)
have collected (out of many others) in the Bible were given to specific
peoples at specific times and in specific contexts (as I have gone into previously). To those folks who received such revelations
it would seem that reincarnation was not mentioned for good reason. In
regard to the revelations collected in the Old Testament, I propose one
such reason here: it was necessary for the Israelites to focus on their
spiritual mission, which included the development
of the physical-material body that would – at the right time of this
development – become the vessel for the Messiah, the Christ (hence the
rigid codes that the Israelites had to follow, and if they didn’t, they
were ejected from the community). This code
of conduct changed when Christ appeared at the meridian of time). It
was not necessary to address the topic of reincarnation at that time,
with that particular people. Oh, but Isaiah speaks to us today you say!
But again the revelations were given to the Israelites, and was primarily for them. They were in their language, and addressed their particular stage of soul-spiritual development.
Interestingly enough, it wasn’t until the coming of
John the Baptist that the topic of reincarnation is raised – in other
words, it wasn’t until the completion of the role of the Israelites that
this topic was first hinted at. (How could people
confuse John the Baptist with Elijah the prophet, knowing full well
that Elijah centuries earlier? John could have denied the
connection for a number of reasons – he may not have been aware himself,
or he knew it wasn’t appropriate even at that latter time to delve
into that topic).
If it is veiled, even if it were true, then it is left obscure for a reason
My point exactly, and it is an interesting study to
understand why that is the case (which I won’t go into here). However,
suffice to say that what is veiled for one group of people need not be
kept hidden from another if it is the right
time for ‘the unveiling’.
Drawing this to a close, let me say this regarding
this unveiling: reincarnation is a truth that has been hidden from
Christendom until the early 20th century, when a Christian understanding of reincarnation and karma (the laws that govern the re-incarnations) was unveiled
to those who listened. Only the naive would think that new revelations
from the divine would be given solely to the LDS Church. Who, in this
Church, has the right to tell God who to talk to or who not to talk to?
As I have mentioned previously, we are developing beings,
and we have not yet arrived at what God has in mind for us (so to
speak). We each need to face circumstances that give us the opportunity
to grow and develop. It is Christ
who authors these circumstances. It is the Lord who sees that we each
have what we need at this particular point in time. So from this point
of view, I agree with Snuffer that we ought to focus on the here and
now. And yes, some things happen ‘unplanned’,
such is the outcome of being free beings. If God were to intervene
then our freedom would be violated. You cannot have it both ways – we
are either free, or not free. That God does not intervene when such
atrocious acts of violence are perpetuated by some
people upon others is evidence to me of the most holy nature of our freedom
that He will not violate. Justice will be handed out to those who
require it. And divine justice is far greater than what we mere mortals
can impose.
True love can only ever be a free deed. It is our destiny to be Spirits of Freedom and Love.
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