Re: reconciliation of science to Christianity and Buddhism

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/13/04 2:14:14 AM Eastern Standard Time,

christiekeith@... writes:

> Then what did Jesus mean when he said, " I tell you, Elijah has come again

> amongst you and you knew him not, " presumably referring to the Baptist? I

> don't suggest this means that the Bible says ALL people will experience

> reincarnation, but on the other hand, if it happened in this one case.... it

> seems to me it shoots the " Christianity is more scientific " angle all to heck.

Christians have never interpreted this, traditionally, as reincarnation. The

traditional interpretation is that the Baptist's ascetic life mirrored

that of Elijah's. Whether or not you consider that a reasonable

interpretation, it remains that Christianity hasn't traditionally accepted

reincarnation.

> In an interview with the Dalai Lama, the well known scientist, Carl Sagan,

> once asked him, " What would you do if I could prove that the concept of

> reincarnation was false? "

>

> The Dalai Lama said, " Well, I would stop believing in it immediately! "

>

> I don't think that the definition of reincarnation you appear to be using (a

> personality/soul, which is what I understand you to mean by " It necessitates

> a dualist belief in an immaterial soul that constitues the full essence of a

> person, apart from the body " ) is essential to a belief in reincarnation. If

> I have misunderstood you let me know.

It *seems* you've understood me correclty, but I don't understand you here.

Chris

[Guest guest]

>> It seems to me that Christian cosmology is much more reconcilable to science

than Buddhist cosmology .... In particular, I think the idea of reincarnation is

particularly

irreconcilable to science. <<

Then what did Jesus mean when he said, " I tell you, Elijah has come again

amongst you and you knew him not, " presumably referring to the Baptist? I

don't suggest this means that the Bible says ALL people will experience

reincarnation, but on the other hand, if it happened in this one case.... it

seems to me it shoots the " Christianity is more scientific " angle all to heck.

In an interview with the Dalai Lama, the well known scientist, Carl Sagan, once

asked him, " What would you do if I could prove that the concept of reincarnation

was false? "

The Dalai Lama said, " Well, I would stop believing in it immediately! "

I don't think that the definition of reincarnation you appear to be using (a

personality/soul, which is what I understand you to mean by " It necessitates a

dualist belief in an immaterial soul that constitues the full essence of a

person, apart from the body " ) is essential to a belief in reincarnation. If I

have misunderstood you let me know.

Christie

[Guest guest]

Christie-

>Then what did Jesus mean

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belongs.

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