May a Chrisitan belive in reincarnation?

I believe the answer is.....possibly.  See http://www.atmajyoti.org/sw_xtian_believe_reinc.asp for more info.



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Stranger in a strange land

I feel as if I am a stranger in a strange land......a pilgrim passing through......admiring the beauty of this world, taking pleasure in life's little joys...but never fully at peace........longing for home.  How can I be homesick for a place that I've never been to?.....unless I existed before this current life......in some way.  Did we all drink from the fountain of forgetfulness before being born?  Why does the bible say that God "knew" us before we were born if we did not exist yet?  It does not say the God "thought" of us before we were born........and why did God hate Essau even before his birth??  This does not seem fair.... was it because God already knew the future and what path Essau would take?......or maybe Essau had already proven his bad character.....in another life??

Christianity & Reincarnation

Is Christianity incompatible with Reincarnation?  Many early Christians believed in the concept as well as some Jews (asking John the Baptist if he was Elijah). Please click here and read.  I also found this interesting tid bit at http://reluctant-messenger.com/origen9.html

Christian Reincarnation

The Lincoln and Kennedy Connection According to reincarnation beliefs, history tends to repeat itself until those who have participated in it learn their lessons and change for the better.  This means that an individual may face identical situations from one life to the next until they are able to conquer whatever "cause and effect" chain-reaction they have caused from a previous life.  As an example, a person who "lives by the sword" in one life and dies without having made amends for his mistakes, will in the next life be faced with identical situations which must be overcome.  Ultimately, such a person will have to face themselves and have inflicted upon them everything they have inflicted upon others.  Divine justice in many religions shows that those who "live by the sword" will "die by the sword", if not in their present life, but likely in a future life.   Reincarnation theory states that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

The lives of President Kennedy and President Lincoln had so many parallels that it cannot be dismissed as pure coincidence. To my mind, these parallels are evidence of history repeating itself and evidence of reincarnation. To me, these parallels may be circumstantial evidence that President Kennedy was the reincarnation of President Lincoln.  You decide for yourself.

Both were elected to Congress in ‘46.  Both were elected President in ‘60.  Both had the legality of their elections contested.  Both were directly involved with black civil rights.  Both lost a son while serving as President.  Both were killed while serving as President.

Lincoln's staffer, whose name was Kennedy, advised him not to go to the theater.  Kennedy's secretary, whose name was Lincoln, advised him not to go to Dallas.  Lincoln was fond of Monroe, Maryland (He had visited it a week before he was shot).  Kennedy was fond of Marilyn Monroe.

Both were shot on a Friday.  Both were shot in the head from behind.  Both were shot in the presence of their wives.  Both were shot while sitting with another couple. 

Both were shot with another member of their entourage being injured, but not fatally.  Lincoln was shot in Ford's Theater. Kennedy was shot in a Ford Lincoln.

Both assassins were born in ‘39.  Both were Southerners favoring extremist views.  Both are known by their first, middle and last names.   Booth ran from the theater and was captured in a warehouse.  Oswald ran from the warehouse and was captured in a theater.  Both were themselves assassinated before their trials.

Both President’s successors were Southern Democrats.  Both successors had the last name of Johnson.  Both successors were Vice-Presidents.  Both successors were born in ‘08.  Both successors were former senators.

Both President’s caskets were carried in death on the same caisson.

It appears that history does indeed repeat itself.  Perhaps it is the same cast of characters playing the same roles over and over again.  I think William Shakespeare was right all along:  All the world is a stage and we are but the players.

All things Celtic

The number three seems to be significant to me.......I have a love for all things Celtic/Irish/Scottish....Celtic music stirs my soul like nothing else......Celtic knot work is awesome!  Last fall I got a tattoo of the Celtic trinity knot on top of a Celtic knot work arm band.  I love Guinness and Jameson Irish whiskey.......which is weird because I'm over half German with some English, dutch and a bit of Scottish (just found this out a few weeks ago)!!  The first time I tried Drambuie/Irish Mist the flavor seemed very familiar to me.....like I had had it before.......

Searching for Danielle

If you read my post about the tavern, it mentions a group of friends.  I think I vaguely remember someone with long dark hair.....someone I may have been involved with.  The name Danielle is a possibility but I don't know if this is her name now or in the past (of future for that matter!).  For some reason, the actress Michelle Trachtenberg reminds me of her....... dark hair....striking eyes.  Other possible names from the tavern are: James and Irisel.

Danielle.....where are you?

The Tavern

The tavern is a place that was mentioned to me by my wife (now ex-wife).  She has many more memories (if that's what they are) from another time and place.  She described to me a place where a certain group of friends would meet, relax and also discuss current events.  This tavern was old, medieval looking.  Supposedly, I was one of the friends, along with my wife (who was not my wife is this world) and a few others.  The clothes styles were older (medieval?) with boots, swords etc. but with some modern technology as well.  I was told that there were some high backed booths but no other description of the place.  My wife had the impression that there was some kind of rebellion brewing and people were taking sides....we were unsure what side to join or which side was right.  It seems this may have been when Lucifer first rebelled and the war in the heavenly realms (other planets and/or higher dimension) began.

A few weeks later, I was contemplating this tavern and began to see in my mind some images of it.  I do not know if this was my imagination but when later describing some of the things I saw, my wife confirmed that she knew these details but did not mention them to me.  I saw the dark wood beams, the leaded glass window with the criss-cross pattern, an arched fireplace with some kind of wood carving above it.  I saw the bar area that had some kind of blue and yellow glass or lights behind it (bottles lit up?).  I saw the lanterns hanging that looked like the kind you find on pirate ships or old Spanish galleons.  Later I sketched this out and could even draw up a floor plan.  Active imagination?  I'm not certain but these kind of "visions" are rare for me.

The Forest of Elon

If you are wondering about the title of my blog it comes from an experience I had this last winter.  I was home alone (which is a rare occasion!) listening to my favorite Celtic/Christian/Progressive Rock band, Iona.  Many of their CD's have lengthy instrumental songs that are very atmospheric and seem to transport you if you know what I mean.  The CD was Open Sky, songs of ascent I believe.....anyway, I was lying on the couch, closed my eyes and let the music wash over me.  I started having a vision so to speak, of a forest.  The trees were as big as redwood trees but were like oak trees, not pines.  I felt as if I knew this place well and missed it very much.  I suddenly said (whether out loud or in my mind I don't know)... ah...(happy sigh)... the forest of Elon.  I had never heard the word Elon in my life.  Some time later I decided to find out if this was an actual word so I googled it.  It is a Hebrew word meaning Oak tree!!  Whoah!  What are the odds?  Is this a memory of some place I had been in another life? I don't even think a forest like this has existed on earth....so on another planet?  I have always loved the forest.....maybe this is part of the reason, ha!

The search for truth

This is my first attempt at a blog, to sort out my thoughts....and possibly to find others of like mind....those who dare ask the difficult questions.  I am seeking answers to some spiritual questions that many never think to ask or dare not to; afraid of where it may lead them.  Well.....I don't give up easily......I want the truth, whatever that may be.  Is truth black and white or shades of gray depending on your current situation and level of spiritual development? I was raised in a protestant Christian home which has heavily influenced my beliefs.  In 2004, at the age of 36 I left the organized church system, probably for good.  I felt I had reached a point where my questions were barely understood and too "radical" for most.  I do believe deep in my soul that there is a God....He has a Son (Jesus/Yashua who is God) and Earth is in a fallen condition needing redemption.  I found that seeking answers from pastors whose income depends on members offerings is pointless.....they will only go so far in truth, not daring to say anything not officially sanctioned by their denomination.  Yashua stated that it is a narrow path to heaven....eventually there is only room on it for you and God. You can not rely on others for the truth.

Did we exist before our birth on this planet?  Are there other realms/dimensions with beings inhabiting other worlds?  What happens after death? What really happened during Lucifer's rebellion?  Who am I or who was I before?  These are some of the tough questions I am seeking answers to.