To my mind, Judeo-Christian scriptures offer some support for heaven and hell, very little support for reincarnation (depending upon how one interprets certain figurative passages), and no support for purgatory (the latter being a medieval invention by the church); however, the scriptures offer absolute support for God's mercy. So, all in all, mercy rather than metaphorical destinations or Eastern reincarnation seems to be the best bet. Even Pascal would agree with that one.
It can be a little scary to see how people repeat the same errors. What we call failure is often the exit from a long long error - a chance to realise your path leads nowhere good, and to reconsider matters. It's, however, also extremely heartening to see people turn even a little away from a dark path. Surprisingly, perhaps, humour is often how i connect to such people - a very black humour, it must be said. And sometimes people do startling 180 degree turns - in the right direction.
The early Church actually accepted reincarnation, doctrinally, for some centuries, before it was deemed heresy and banned. There were a lot of heterogeneous beliefs in the early Church, of course, that weren't brought into line till the third century or so. Most times I think that's a loss, that hardening. Some of the various Gospels that were lost at the time, and rediscovered later, or were never allowed into the Bible when it was canonized, in fact mention or imply reincarnation as a fact.
I find reincarnation comforting: an endless number of chances to get it right. Heaven and hell is too severe: you screw up one thing, and you're forever screwed? That's way too harsh. But those how like to rule from fear have used it as an effective tool, it's true. Fear leads to apocalypse. Reincarnation leads to apokatastasis: and "not one soul shall be lost." The smallest things do lead to redemption.
Reincarnation has always been implied in the mystical tradition of Christianity; or something very like it. It's in Hildegard of Bingen, it's in MEister Eckhart, fro example.
To my mind, Judeo-Christian scriptures offer some support for heaven and hell, very little support for reincarnation (depending upon how one interprets certain figurative passages), and no support for purgatory (the latter being a medieval invention by the church); however, the scriptures offer absolute support for God's mercy. So, all in all, mercy rather than metaphorical destinations or Eastern reincarnation seems to be the best bet. Even Pascal would agree with that one.
ReplyDeleteIt can be a little scary to see how people repeat the same errors. What we call failure is often the exit from a long long error - a chance to realise your path leads nowhere good, and to reconsider matters. It's, however, also extremely heartening to see people turn even a little away from a dark path. Surprisingly, perhaps, humour is often how i connect to such people - a very black humour, it must be said. And sometimes people do startling 180 degree turns - in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteThe early Church actually accepted reincarnation, doctrinally, for some centuries, before it was deemed heresy and banned. There were a lot of heterogeneous beliefs in the early Church, of course, that weren't brought into line till the third century or so. Most times I think that's a loss, that hardening. Some of the various Gospels that were lost at the time, and rediscovered later, or were never allowed into the Bible when it was canonized, in fact mention or imply reincarnation as a fact.
ReplyDeleteI find reincarnation comforting: an endless number of chances to get it right. Heaven and hell is too severe: you screw up one thing, and you're forever screwed? That's way too harsh. But those how like to rule from fear have used it as an effective tool, it's true. Fear leads to apocalypse. Reincarnation leads to apokatastasis: and "not one soul shall be lost." The smallest things do lead to redemption.
Reincarnation has always been implied in the mystical tradition of Christianity; or something very like it. It's in Hildegard of Bingen, it's in MEister Eckhart, fro example.