Reincarnation reparations

by Stephan Helgesen, Ret. U.S. Diplomat

I lived among Buddhists and Hindus for four years, and I don’t mind telling you that this good Christian boy was more than a bit influenced by their beliefs, especially the ones concerning their ancestors and reincarnation. Here in the West, even our atheist brothers and sisters want to believe in something, even if it’s nothing more than settled science. Now please don’t send a letter to the Vatican about me just yet before you hear me out. I don’t discount the possibility of Heaven and Hell though I am a bit suspicious about what the Catholics offer up (Purgatory) as a kind of celestial waiting room for venial sinners (think your state’s Motor Vehicle Department as an image). I’m willing to concede that all of the above might exist in some fashion.

If you are also willing to concede that, then you must first believe that we’re more than just a Mulligan Stew of sinew, bone and pesky neurons all bumping into each other like subway commuters at rush hour. Accept that we have a soul, a spirit, or possess an indestructible energy and you can then move on to step two.

Step two is, of course, clearing our mind of our biases or the influence of somebody else’s ‘settled science.’ This allows us to entertain all notions, even those that fly in the face of the fashionable. Choosing a path based on our beliefs is what we humans do, and what smart humans do is take an occasional break to reassess our beliefs and actions. So, how does this relate to reincarnation you ask?

I’ll tell you my theory…