Friday, December 16, 2011

The Paranormal Christian – Biblical Truth Regarding Reincarnation

By Pastor Michael Frisbee, DD/DM


The latest Pew Forum survey of religious beliefs (here ) puts the overall percentage of Americans who believe in reincarnation at 24% (men 21%, women 28%). Strangely enough, Blacks (34%) are almost twice as likely to believe in reincarnation as Whites (21%), with Hispanics in the middle (29%).



Oddly enough, a full 11% of self-identified Evangelical Christians believe in reincarnation, although only 5% of those who attend church weekly. Black Christians (29%) believe in reincarnation only slightly more than White Catholics (25%). Even among weekly attendees, 21% of White Catholics believe in reincarnation.


Such high percentages stand as a testimony to the poor job of religious education being performed in the churches today. The spread of these beliefs is one of the most under-reported and unnoticed religious phenomenon of the last 100 years, representing a sea change of religious worldviews.


The word "reincarnation" literally means to "come again in the flesh." The process of reincarnation - continual rebirths in human bodies - allegedly continues until the soul has reached a state of perfection and merges back with its source. One's lot in life, according to those who believe in reincarnation, is based on the law of karma. This law says that if bad things happen in one's life, this is an outworking of bad karma. If good things happen in one's life, this is an outworking of good karma.


"Karma" refers to the "debt" a soul accumulates because of good or bad actions committed during one's life (or past lives). If one accumulates good karma by performing good actions, he or she will be reincarnated in a desirable state. If one accumulates bad karma, he or she will be reincarnated in a less desirable state.

Some people twist the Scriptures and say that Jesus Himself taught reincarnation or "cyclical rebirth." In Matthew 11:14, for example, Jesus said, "And if you are willing to accept it, [John the Baptist] is the Elijah who was to come." Likewise, in John 3:3 Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

But these passages, rightly interpreted, do not support reincarnation. Matthew 11:14 does not really teach that John the Baptist was a reincarnation of Elijah. Luke 1:17, an important cross reference, tells us that the ministry of John the Baptist was carried out "in the spirit and power of Elijah." Moreover, reincarnationists conveniently forget that John the Baptist, when asked if he was Elijah, flatly answered, "No!" (John 1:21).

Regarding Jesus' words about being "born again" in John 3:3, the context clearly shows that Jesus was referring to a spiritual rebirth or regeneration. In fact, the phrase born again carries the idea of "born from above," and can even be translated that way. Jesus clarified His meaning by affirming that "flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit" (v. 6).


There are other Scriptures that clearly debunk the notion of reincarnation. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that "man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment...." Each human being lives once as a mortal on earth, dies once, and then faces judgment. He does not have a second chance by reincarnating into another body. Second Corinthians 5:8 indicates that at death the Christian immediately goes into the presence of the Lord, not into another body. Luke 16:19-31 indicates that unbelievers at death go to a place of suffering, not into another body.


We must also remember that Jesus taught that people decide their eternal destiny in a single lifetime (Matthew 25:46). This is precisely why the apostle Paul emphasized that "now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).


Further, Jesus taught the concept of resurrection, not reincarnation. In fact, He predicted His own resurrection early in His public ministry (John 2:19). And after Jesus resurrected from the dead, He appeared to some disciples and said, "Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have" (Luke 24:39). Jesus resurrected in the same body that went into the tomb. His body even retained the scars and wounds in His hands, feet, and side from the crucifixion (John 20:28).

In addition to biblically refuting reincarnation, we must also point to some of the practical problems involved in the theory of reincarnation. For example, we must ask, Why does one get punished for something he or she cannot remember having done in a previous life? Moreover, if the purpose of karma is to rid humanity of its selfish desires, then why has there not been a noticeable improvement in human nature after all the millennia of reincarnations on earth?


What about those who ‘remember’ their past lives so vividly? I cannot speak against their experiences. All I can tell you is either they’re being deceived by a demon or is deceiving the gullible public. Even if they indeed remember their past lives, why can’t they have an empirical evidence to prove that they indeed lived a previous lives. Why can’t they tell us and, describe for us how it is to live as an insect or animal. Or why not bring something from the so-called, past life, let say, a necklace, clothes, perhaps a birth certificate that will proved and convince the skeptics?



India, the cradle of reincarnation, still one of the world’s woeful nations. According to a friend of mine (who loves to travel to India) who has been to India several times, told me that countless of city streets are awash with filth. Starving beggars were everywhere. Miseries abound to those who don’t have a meal in their stomach. The only fortunate were the rats, and cows who in turn ate their fill. The question that comes to my mind is, after thousands of years of reincarnation, isn’t it only fair to say that India would be the exception and a shining example of human progress and spiritual transformation?



Isn’t the theory of Karmic transmigration a cop-out from human responsibility? For instance, I always help beggars. Sometimes I offer them a meal if I get the chance. But, helping a beggar in India is futile since he is working off his Bad Karma!


Did you know that before Christian missionaries arrived in India there were no charitable institutions and hospitals? Institutions for helping the needy is considered a stumbling block for the Karmic Transmigration. The reincarnation edifice offers no hope, nor does it have any relevance in answering suffering and human depravity. In fact devotees are enslaved into believing life-death-life that doesn’t make any sense at all.


Finally, if reincarnation and the law of karma are so beneficial on a practical level, then how do they explain the immense and ever-worsening social and economic problems - including widespread poverty, starvation, disease, and horrible suffering in India, where reincarnation has been systematically taught throughout its history?


Tomorrow night, December 17, at 7 pm, Reverend Mark Hunnemann and I will explore this topic further on “The Paranormal Christian”. You can link to the show at http://www.TheParanormalChristian.com

12 comments:

BenFoster said...

How do you explain these links then?

http://www.scimednet.org/evidence-of-reincarnation

http://www.reversespins.com/proofofreincarnation.html

http://reluctant-messenger.com/reincarnation-buddha.htm

http://proofofreincarnation.com/

http://www.comparativereligion.com/reincarnation1.html



Are these people who believe in reincarnation possessed by demons? Are they completely crazy? How can you dispute scientific and medical proof or reincarnation?

Unknown said...

There is no medical or scientific proof of reincarnation - so there is nothing there to dispute.

If you choose to deny the scriptures and believe in a false and demonic doctrine - you do so at your own peril.

We have only one shot at this world, one life to live, and when we die, we receive or judgment - Heaven or Hell.

It's black and white, clear as day, all in the inerrant Word of God.

Unknown said...

In addition BenFoster -

Your link given -
http://www.comparativereligion.com/reincarnation1.html

Does more to DEBUNK reincarnation than my article gets into, and actually surmises at one point the possibility of channeled demonics and possession to explain past life memories.

Anonymous said...

So basically you're dismissing someone else's superstition to promote your own. Hate to burst your bubble, but there's no proof of the existence of heaven, he'll or demons, either. It's arrogant of you to assume you are capable of understanding everything created by God.

BenFoster said...

@ Anonymous: Well stated. Exactly my point--thank you!

@ Mr. Frisbee:

Did you even read the first link at all? There actually IS medical and scientific proof of reincarnation. It seems as if you're mind is firmly closed when it comes to possibility of reincarnation at all due to your firm belief in the scriptures that you cited.

Now, as far as this link goes:
http://www.comparativereligion.com/reincarnation1.html

I realize that it offered information that might be viewed as debunking reincarnation, but I always like to offer all possible sides in my arguments. I don't just cling to one thing and blindly assume that I'm right based upon some ancient book that has been written and re-written thousands upon thousands of years ago. You're argument is completely one-sided and one dimentional. And as far as your argument that I am ignoring scriputre, and that I am believing in a false demonic doctrine, that's just you're personal opinion. You have no proof (other than what is says in the Bible and who knows how reliable that is), so your arguments would be opinion and not fact based in the least. The Bible contains a lot of fantasy and outlandish claims that border on being complete fiction.

Unknown said...

I read everything you post Ben, and each of those circumstances can be explained by the influence and involvement of the demonic, feeding these "past lives" into the subconscience, especially when these people are placed under hypnosis.

Demons are the fallen angels that were cast down after Lucifer's defeat in Heaven, when he and 1/3rd of the angels rose up in rebellion. These fallen angels have been witness to every life that has ever walked this world. They know the very details of their lives and the secrets they held, since secrets cannot be kept from the spiritual realm.

It's the same process that demons trick mediums into believing they are connecting with loved ones passed on, etc.

The scriptures are clear - we die once, then we pass to our judgement.

The fact YOU don't accept the Bible as the True word of God, and YOU choose to deny it's content, only makes you a very foolish individual, and I will pray for mercy on you and that he Holy Spirit will break through your hardened heart and reveal God's Truth to you.

As for you Anonymous - when you identify yourself, I'll consider answering you.

Sid Vicious said...

BenFoster said...

"Did you even read the first link at all? There actually IS medical and scientific proof of reincarnation.

-----------------

I haven't reviewed the link yet but I'm willing to bet this "proof of reincarnation" falls more into the theoretical category than actual "proof".

Of course I may have missed the world news headlines heralding the most important medical/scientific discovery of all time:

"PROOF OF REINCARNATION!"

But somehow I doubt it.

InSheepsClothing said...

Dear Pastor Frisbee,
By the way are yu sponsered by Whammo?

Being a man of god how can you associate with someone as vile, devious, mean spirited and obviously mentally disturbed as Aanicka or any of the other names she has and does go by. It would seem you should be counciling her to be a better person and to show compassion rather than to spew hurtful and evil tirades...Did you know she often uses images of porn stars to represent herself?
Classy move by a classless woman.
Just don't turn your back on her or disagree with anything she says or believes.

Anonymous said...

@InSheepsClothing

Obsession and jealousy are such debilitating afflictions.
I suggest you concentrate on improving your evident poor self-image instead of once again; spreading more lies that can never be validated. I would hate to see you embarrass yourself the way "Enigma" did when she was irrefutably proven to post under numerous identities here after accusing others of such.

(Read the older blogs with the higher comment counts like this one)

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8679086016744265029&postID=3413938561350518555

Plus she was proven to hold conversations with herself at Scifake. This was proven with cold, hard evidence when she accused others of such with nothing to back these baseless accusations.

http://i40.tinypic.com/wboqrn.jpg

So sad that people have to project their inferiority complexes and apparent inadequacies on others, you and other like you really need to stop wearing your insecurities on your sleeve child.

I realize it must have been dreadfully humiliating for Enigma when she proclaimed that “Scifake wasn’t going anywhere” then it was parked and closed literally the next day. It must have been such a shot to her ego when the site transformed virtually overnight from active hub of activity to a barren, desolate wasteland when she returned.

Anonymous said...

MISTER MICHAEL FRISBIE did not write a lick of that himself. He cut an pasted it. The real author is Ron Rhodes.

Anonymous said...

Here is the link from which Pastor Michael Frisbie stole the reincarnation and all he other context and content that he posted and claimed to have originated.

I have a plagerism checker programme and totally busted him.

Miranda said...

Here is a link where he was caught by PSI COP for plagiarising another article. LMAO!! FRAUD!

http://www.agnostic-library.com/ma/