“The fundamental thing I do believe is to believe in God. Many Christians would not approve but I believe there are many different ways to God, and one of the most important things is to recognise we have a sketchy knowledge of God. For me, one of the problems with Christianity is that it has spelled out everything in too explicit terms. If you find one of those terms difficult to believe, you can lose the whole thing.”
I am sympathetic to the notions of karma and reincarnation myself, and think they are not necessarily incompatible with the Catholic notion of Purgatory. The more rigid among my co-religionists may, of course, accuse me of heresy.
Reincarnation is not incompatible with Christianity at all.
ReplyDeleteI've read more than one history of the very early period of Christendom, wherein it was shown that reincarnation was at that time an accepted belief, and not heretical. In some ways, the idea that one gets only ONE chance, this lifetime, to get it right, was a reaction against the common idea of reincarnation.
Some modern Christian groups have no difficulty with the of karma, either.
Yes, I have heard mention of that, Art, but have not taken the trouble to research it. I don't think my own life warrants Hell, but it almost certainly mandates a long stretch in Purgatory, which probably won't be all that pleasant. Bummer.
ReplyDeleteIn my book, if it means anything on high, you've already earned a "Get out of Purgatory free" card. :)
ReplyDeleteLol!!
ReplyDeleteWell, thank you, Art. And thank you, too, Vikram.
ReplyDelete