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Why is Life so Unjust? - the Law of Reincarnation


Roger Schreiver

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As we go through life we come across people who are rich, handsome, intelligent, powerful and successful in every way. And then we see others who are so poor and defenceless that their life is an endless series of failures. What is the reason for such differences in their circumstances? Many people are outraged by what they think of as the injustice of fate. If you ask a scientist to explain these inequalities he will say that it is a question of chance. And if you ask a priest or a pastor he will tell you that it is the will of God. Some might talk about predestination and grace, but that only adds to the injustice! In any case, to say that "it is the will of God" is almost the same thing as saying that "it is a question of chance".

If we analyse the priest's answer we are forced to conclude that God gives everything to some and nothing to others. We don't know why; that's just the way it is. But that's not all: it seems that He gets very angry when those to whom He has given nothing good, either in themselves or in their circumstances, turn out to be vicious and stupid and commit crimes. He even punishes them! Since God is almighty He could have made all His creatures magnificent, but He didn't. So not only is it His fault if men commit crimes but He then punishes them for their crimes. No wonder so many people have a horror of religion!

The truth is that there is a very good reason for all the apparent injustices of life, and that is the law of reincarnation. The Church has never realized that, by denying this law, it was portraying the Lord as a monster of cruelty.

The explanation is simple: at the beginning God gave us everything. But He also gave us freedom, and we have used that freedom to indulge in some very costly experiences. Of course, the Lord sees all this but as He is generous and patient He lets us work things out for ourselves. He says, "My poor children are going to suffer and run into trouble, but that doesn't matter: all my love and wealth is there, waiting for them. They have plenty of reincarnations ahead of them in which to learn wisdom." In other words, God lets us exercise our freedom, and all the bad things that happen to us happen through our own fault: we have deserved them. And we have also deserved all the good things that happen to us: they are the results of our efforts in previous incarnations.

Why does the Church put all the blame on God for what happens to us? Perhaps you will object, "The Church doesn't blame God; it has simply suppressed the belief in reincarnation." Yes, but if you think about it, you will see that it amounts to the same thing. And it is very serious, because the knowledge about this law of reincarnation is one of the cornerstones of morality. As long as people are unaware of the law of cause and effect which carries over from one incarnation to the next, no amount of preaching or sermonizing will do any good. They won't change. And not only will they refuse to change but, seeing themselves as the victims of social injustice, they will rebel against their fate and become more and more jealous and full of hate for those who seem to be more privileged, with the result that their situation will be even more complicated. But someone who knows that all the difficulties and hardships of this life are the result of his past transgressions will not only accept them as just but will also make up his mind to work for good so as to enjoy better conditions in his future incarnations. 

Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov

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  • 1 year later...
  • 2 months later...

Buddha was a scientist who studied the laws of nature. Because of what has become known as the heisenberg uncertainty principle he found that he had to study nature as an impartial observer. IOW he didn't participate in any way. (Bhagawan:: 'Don't just do something, sit there.") This is very difficult to do but he practised for a long time until he discovered a technique for (not) doing this. Very few people understand what this technique is as even the process of understanding it is a form of participation.

When he discovered the way (also called 'the path') he let nature carry him to the solution. He found that 'being' is a serial process of 'becoming' broken up into a huge number of deaths and rebirths per second (many trillions). So fast and apparently seamless that it gives the casual observer a sense of a continuous flow. Modern science deals with this in Quantum theory. Action and re action keeps this wheel turning.

The sense of that which one calls self is really a smear extending into the past and the future. Once the conscious is collected into just one of theses slices of time, the present, time stops. Only the present exists from then on. Therein lies the path out of the cycle of re-incarnation. No more sowing or reaping, simply being. Nibbana, or heaven. That last step into the 'eternity of now' is the rebirth. A bit like the birth of a birds egg being the birth into ignorance and the birth into wisdom being the breaking of the shell.

Jesus had much to say about this natural process. He used simple analogies to talk of re and incarnation. You reap what you sow. Consider the lilies. You must be born again. Allow the seeds of past action to fall on barren ground. etc. ie the seeds that are reaped from past action are not reseeded in fertile ground.

Buddha also explained the last few steps, which for many involved a dip into the eternal and then a return. He spoke of once, twice and no returners.

A teaching buddha like Jesus and Guatama, choose their life once they have seen the light. They are no returners, but choose to come again in order to 'show the way'.

Our material circumstances are symptoms dependent on where this cycle of cause and effect is played out. To that extent wisdom can alter this 'stage'. Just as ongoing ignorance does. To that extent 'up' or 'down' is a product of choice.

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Guest Mark Valenti

Excellent post, John.

This topic reminds me of something Ronald Reagan (!!!) said. When a reporter remarked that he had cancer he said something like, "I don't have cancer. My skin has cancer."

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Guest Stephen Turner

There is, in truth little we can do about the physical inequalities of life, much of which rests on our ridiculous notions of what constitutes beauty anyway. There is, in truth much we could do about the material inequalities of life, much of which rests on our childlike belief that the "market" should be the sole arbiter of where wealth is deposited.

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  • 1 year later...

People create their own opportunities.

It's important to chase them for a better life instead of sitting and complaining

about how unjust life is.

Mostly the cause of this is fear.

Fear of pursuing one's dreams or fear of failure.

Until the day we are able to see that the power to turn "impossible" into "real" is in fact within our souls,

life will be perceived as unfair.

"Come to the cliff", he said.

They said, "We're afraid"

"Come to the cliff", he said.

They came.

He pushed them.

And they flew.

--Stuart Wilde

Edited by Cigdem Eksi
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  • 8 years later...

When I was in college there was a Professor of Philosophy named Robert Garvin. If you were a student in the Humanities, you had hear of him. If it was anywhere near your alley of study, you had to take one of his classes. I took several. That experience with language was one that I could not imagine before attending, and it is one which I imagine that I will never again experience.

While the power of his teachings are beyond my poor-power to add or detract, one particular concept was left embedded in my experience. I'll try to relate that teaching here, watered-down and as unsophisticated as I am able.

The infinite qualifies the finite.

Good defines evil.

Suffering is meaningless without prosperity.

And so on, and so on, and so on.

The human emotion, quality and distinct experience of love is defined by everything that threatens it. So yes, we have criminals and murderers and all sorts of people capable of unmentionable acts to thank for the experiences that we cherish and yearn-for.

If we did not have to protect and look out for our mate and our offspring, we would be no different than a snake which gives birth to a live brood and slithers away. What fun would that be?

Cheers,

Michael

PS I am not trying to get away with the obvious quote-theft, above. I'll leave it unattributed as a little nugget to be discovered by a reader.

***edit 4-6-17***: I learned that my beloved Professor Garvin passed away last year....

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesunion-albany/obituary.aspx?pid=180699296

 

Edited by Michael Clark
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