Marian Apparitions in Medjugorje

In 1981 the Blessed Virgin Mary began appearing to four girls and two boys in Medjugorje, a small village located in former Yugoslavia. The children, who ranged from age ten to sixteen, were typical kids. They weren't overly religious and they were outwardly unremarkable. Mary's appearance initially frightened the children but they were also drawn to her and experienced a profound peace in her presence.

"When we came to about six feet of Our Lady, we felt as though we were being seized and pushed to our knees." (Vicka)

On the second day of the apparitions Ivanka, the youngest of the four girls, spoke to Mary. She asked Mary about her mother who had recently died. Mary responded that her mother was well and she shouldn't worry about her. The children asked Mary to send the villagers a sign so they would believe that the children were telling the truth about having seen her, but Mary's only response was a smile.

The children had good reason for asking Mary to send the villagers a sign, their story was spreading quickly and was received with criticism and suspicion. Eventually, the local authorities got involved and the children were interviewed and interrogated. They received opposition from the police, government and local Bishop. The early days of the apparitions were very trying for the children but they never wavered in their devotion. Well, I say they never wavered but I should add that the children, following the advice of others, once sprinkled Mary with holy water while Vicka said, “If you come from God stay, but if you do not come from God, please leave us.” Mary simply smiled and said, “I am the Queen of Peace.”

During her visits Mary encourages the visionaries and challenges them to deepen their commitment to Jesus. She sometimes has personal messages concerning their unique struggles and she often leads them in prayer, but she never recites the Hail Mary prayer herself -she simply listens and receives that prayer. Early on, Mary explained to the children that she has special messages for the world and that the children were to be instruments for sharing these messages. Initially Mary appeared to all the visionaries every day but now only three receive daily messages. Mary states that her purpose is to help convert the unbelievers and deepen the faith of believers.

"I have come to tell the world that God exists. He is the fullness of life, and to enjoy this fullness and peace, you must return to God." (Mary)

In her messages, Mary frequently shares the great importance of prayer, fasting, communion, confession and Bible reading. She reminds us to love our neighbours and care for the poor. But there is also a dark side to Mary's message: she states our world is entering into a time of great trial and we must prepare ourselves by reconciling ourselves to Jesus. Her call to conversion is urgent! She is revealing secrets to the visionaries about future events on earth and when the time is right these secrets will be shared with the world. The first 3 secrets are warnings for the world. Three days before each event an announcement will be made as to what is going to happen and where. The fourth secret, the only one that has been revealed so far, will be an indestructible, supernatural sign left at the place Mary first appeared to the children in 1981. The children have always de-emphasized the secrets and urge the public to focus instead on Mary's call for conversion.

I'm sure the whole "secrets" dimension to the Medjugorje story turns a lot of would-be believers off. Secret knowledge with apocalyptic overtones sends all kinds of crackpot cult alarms buzzing! Having said that, I'd challenge anyone to genuinely research the apparitions and come to the conclusion that these visionaries are "faking it" for fame or money or any kind of payoff. It would be one heck of a scam to be running for 30 years. If they were lying I'd expect at least one of the six to grow tired of the charade or develop a conscience or sell their story.

The children were often called liars, made fun of, harassed and interrogated -hardly the kind of feedback that would encourage a behavior. Their lives were subject to intense public scrutiny; their visions happened in public and their activities were very transparent: school, family, daily mass and prayer groups.

If they had been "making it up" why wouldn't they just say that Mary stopped appearing to them? Instead, their lives changed overnight; the years that followed would see the children in church every day for 2-3 hours praying and attending mass. Jakov, the youngest visionary who was just 10 years old when the apparitions began, was described as an active and lively child but he was able to spend long hours in daily prayer and meditation along with the others. He, like the others, had a much more mature and sober aspect to his personality after the visions began.

However, the visionaries also remain very childlike: trusting, joyous and seemingly unburdened by what many of us would consider serious trials such as physical suffering and the death of family members. In the video below you can watch Vicka being interviewed in February 2011 by a late night TV host. I was struck by just how sincere and somewhat oblivious Vicka was to the "game" that is supposed to play out in this sort of environment: her attention was on the audience not the host and she shared what she felt was important rather than being guided by the interviewer's agenda.

The visionaries never charge for their appearances and apart from Ivan who is married to an American and spends half the year in America, they all remain local. Rather than being served they joyfully serve others; their homes are generally filled with extended family and visitors. They frequently host prayer groups and healing prayer sessions. From what I can gather most of the visionaries (and many people in the area) make a living by renting out rooms in their homes to tourists.

The visionaries have also agreed to be the subjects of many tests over the years including lie detector tests. They have been assessed by psychiatrists, neurologists and scientists of all sorts. One brief summary that I found particularly interesting can be read here. Before reading that study I had watched the video posted below which shows the children during a 1984 apparition and I was impressed by the simultaneous movements they made (looking up) as the Blessed Virgin ascended when she left them. The movement I'm referring to occurs at 2:04 in the video clip.

Medjugorje Apparition from 1984 from steve shawl on Vimeo.

Something else I find quite inspiring is that some of the messages shared by Mary challenge us to rethink our traditional Christian belief system. For example, in 1981 when asked if all religions are the same Mary replied, "Members of all faiths are equal before God. God rules over each faith just like a sovereign over his kingdom. In the world, all religions are not the same because all people have not complied with the commandments of God. They reject and disparage them." Clergy and laymen alike were especially intrigued by the theology shared through a group of children uneducated in such matters.

I especially see the importance of the role of Medjugorje in the ecumenical work of the Church where Our Lady is bringing us closer, uniting us with our brothers from the Orthodox church, the Muslims, and even our brother Marxists. Our Lady is spreading only love. She is the mother of all and she is teaching us to love even at moments when we feel that our brothers to not understand us and interpret us falsely. One can conclude, according to what is happening here, and what the children say, that one universal love is being born here through the gospel, which is recommending that we love all men even when it seems they are our enemies. (Frane Franic, Archbishop of Split, 1984)

It's estimated that 30-40 million pilgrims have traveled to Medjugorje since 1981. Many claim to have witnessed inexplicable events and experiened physical healing but the most convincing of all miracles are the staggering number of conversions of heart taking place in this little village. Testimonies pour out of the visitors and the transformations aren't limited to those who have seen signs and wonders; spiritual healing seems to be commonplace. Criminals, addicts, agnostics and those who are poor in spirit have experienced life-changing soul surgery in Medjugorje. Is there something special about this place? Yes, but I believe these profound experiences have more to do with the power of the Spirit of God than the apparitions of Mary.  Mary's message has always been to reconcile yourself to Jesus wholeheartedly and in this community it's not unusual to see small groups huddled in prayer or  find the church filled to capacity 7 days a week. Hundreds of confessions are heard daily and more people have gathered for communion in Medjugorje than any other place in the world. God is alive and well in Medjugorje; not tucked away for Sunday morning services. This little village is filled with the presence of God.

Of course there are naysayer who believe that Medjugorje is a money-making scheme: they point to the flourishing economy in this unlikely tourist destination with shops lined up selling rosaries and statues of the Blessed Virgin; they criticize the visionaries for living in large homes and Ivan especially for marrying a former beauty queen; they point out that although they deny using their gifts for material gain the visionaries have indeed managed to live quite comfortably without maintaining regular jobs. These are considerations worth exploring but in their defense I must note that the four women visionaries have embraced the vocation of motherhood and are not unlike other Christian women who stay home to care for their families. Also, all six visionaries would receive donations not unlike any other priest or pastor who has devoted their lives to teaching and serving God. The real question, I believe, is concerning their motivation: do they appear to be motivated by the money or spending it excessively? That is something I cannot answer.

Another point I want to make is that the visionaries themselves do not promote the idea that they are without sin or have been chosen to receive the visions because they were especially devout. They, like every other human on the face of this earth, struggle with sin and temptation. They have shared that Mary will gently rebuke them when necessary but generally allows them to live their lives with the free-will God grants all His children. They will be accountable for how they have lived their lives and managed their gifts. To whom much is given much will be required. (Luke 12:48) This isn't to say they aren't exceptionally devout or mature in their Christian faith; that is not for us to judge, but from what we can observe they certainly appear to be strong, faithful followers of Christ.

Then there are those who believe the visionaries are sincerely misguided: that they are the false prophets we have been warned of and their visions are the work of the devil. They point out the messages that challenge our current theology (like the message about followers of all religions being equal before God) and argue that surely such teachings are heretical and ungodly. Personally, I don't believe any one group (including the Catholic Church) has a perfect understanding of the nature of God so theological issues don't surprise me. I do think, like the Bible says, we will know false prophets by their fruits and to date I have seen nothing but good fruit coming out of Medjugorje.

Those who believe the demonic hypothesis will tell you that Satan is willing to give a little to gain a lot therefore we shouldn't rule out satanic activity completely. However, if a powerful three decade long revival of the local church and millions of conversions worldwide is considered "giving a little" I tremble to think what "gaining a lot" would encompass. Our Lady has called us into a deeper relationship with Jesus, taught us to pray fervently and begged us to love our enemies. What deception could she be preparing us for if the origin of these messages is demonic? I have faith that those who listen to and heed the messages would be capable of identifying and discerning any changes to the central message or character of the Blessed Virgin.

Personally, I don't believe all the signs and wonders reported by Medjugorje visitors are supernatural in origin. There is probably an element of collective hysteria and confirmation bias at work here too -perhaps a strong one! People often see what they want to see and the energy of a large crowd has profound effects on individual behaviour and experiences. That is not to say miracles aren't happening; just that I remain skeptical about many of them.

As for the apparitions of Mary, those I believe wholeheartedly. Would my faith be shattered if I found out it was a hoax? No. But I would be very surprised and disappointed.

Ashes to Ashes

She presses her thumb gently against my forehead making the sign of the cross.

Turn away from your sin and be faithful to the Gospel.

The words hit me like an unexpected gust of wind. Refreshing, but it takes my breath away. This is what I'm doing here. Here, in this cathedral after having shed Catholicism like an old skin. Snakes grow but their skin doesn't. The religion of my childhood felt tight and dry so I abandoned it years ago. Well, almost. I still feel it in my bones.

I look around at the sea of faces smudged with oil and ash. I see that I am one of many, not terminally unique as I had once feared. We are all broken, and in this sacred place we gather together to acknowledge our shortcomings.

We flock to mass on Ash Wednesday, practicing or not, we receive our ashes and return to our errands or offices bearing the mark of our humanity. Many parishes will have received their highest attendance of the year today; higher than Christmas or even Easter. What is it about those ashes that draws so many close to the body of Christ?

I'm not sure I can explain it but I think I know.

Exploring the Garden

I don't believe in a literal interpretation of the Garden of Eden story in Genesis. I just cannot get past the talking snake. They don't even have the proper anatomy to make human speech sounds. Virgin birth? I can work with that. Talking snake? Not so much. I know there are many Christians who view the snake as a symbol for Satan's temptation or deception, but that's as far outside the box of literal interpretation as some people are willing to explore. To many, Adam and Eve were very real people and their story is a factual telling of how sin entered the world.

"The story epitomizes a psychodynamic in which progressive growth, with separation and individuation, of the young is experienced as perilous—not only to them, but also correspondingly to their procreators. In the myth, the increasing psychic and physical maturation of Adam and Eve produced a crisis. Not only was divine authority flouted, but also apprehensions were aroused that God might be humbled or diminished. This threatened him, evoking his wrath and leading to the punishment by abandonment of his youthful wards." (Marvin P. Osman)

I have to tell you, I find this myth to be one of the most exciting stories in the bible. I love to read it again and again and find new interpretations for it. It fuels something deep within. I can't understand why some people are so afraid to view the garden story as myth -as if that dismisses it as just another piece of fiction. Myths are so much more than that; they are powerful narratives meant to articulate very real, very deep truths. Creation stories are the most common form of myth found throughout history and culture.

“There is actually a historical explanation based on the coming of the Hebrew into Canaan and their subjugation of the people of Canaan. The principal divinity of the people of Canaan was the Goddess, and associated with the Goddess is the serpent. The serpent is the symbol of the mystery of life. The male-god-oriented group rejected it. In other words, there is a historical rejection of the Mother Goddess implied in the story of the Garden of Eden.” (Joseph Campbell)

In June a fellow blogger shared some of her thoughts on the subject and I've been hungry for more discussion ever since. I mean, even from the perspective of the most common Christian interpretation, it's still a very confusing story. For starters, I have to ask: didn't the snake tell the truth and God lie? God said Adam and Eve would die if they ate the fruit whereas the snake told them their eyes would be opened and they would be like God, knowing good and evil. I've had it explained to me that before the forbidden fruit was eaten  physical death was not a part of the human experience, but this explanation doesn't hold up when you consider God's words in verse 22: "Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!" So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden. They had not yet partaken of that fruit -they were destined for death even before eating from the Tree of Knowledge.

 

It seems to me that God never intended for Adam and Eve to live forever, and yet, that is exactly what He set out to accomplish by sending Jesus to us. Wouldn't it have been much easier to just let them eat the fruit? Or going back even further, create humans as eternal beings? And like my blogger friend said, why did He put the trees there in the first place if He didn't want them to eat the fruit? These are the problems I get into when I try to interpret the Bible as the inerrant or literal word of God. I'm much more inclined to receive the Bible as a collection of stories, historical and allegorical in which man tries to explain his  spiritual experiences. As a result of these stories, we are able to follow the evolution of man's relationship with God.

"And who is so foolish as to suppose that God, after the manner of a husbandman, planted a paradise in Eden, towards the east, and placed in it a tree of life, visible and palpable, so that one tasting of the fruit by the bodily teeth obtained life? And again, that one was a partaker of good and evil by masticating what was taken from the tree? And if God is said to walk in the paradise in the evening, and Adam to hide himself under a tree, I do not suppose that anyone doubts that these things figuratively indicate certain mysteries, the history having taken place in appearance, and not literally." (Origin of Alexandria)

According to tradition Moses wrote Genesis. I wonder how he learned of the stories in Genesis that occurred long before his birth. Was it oral tradition handed down or did he receive the teachings as prophecy? I also wonder if the doctrine of the Fall of Man and original sin were always a part of Jewish teachings or if they are uniquely Christian. It's a fascinating topic I plan to continue researching.

God Don't Make No Trash

Lately I'm noticing a big gulf between how I pray and some of the prayers and worship I hear others sharing. I don't think I've ever begged God for His mercy or declared myself unworthy of His love and forgiveness. I know that I am lost without God but I don't feel the need to self-flagellate or grovel at His feet. Not because I think myself better than that, but because I believe God is above that.

As a mother, I cannot imagine my child relating to me in this manner. I want my children to feel loved unconditionally; never to consider themselves unworthy. I believe in a Father who loves me beyond measure, who would give His life for me because He values me that much. If I met a child who felt compelled to sit at her father's feet proclaiming how worthless she was, that she didn't deserve his love, I'd have to conclude that she had suffered some severe psychological abuse or neglect.

Do we really need to build God up by tearing ourselves down? Does my self-loathing gratify God? How could it? I am God's beautiful creation; I belong to Him and I am part of His family. He deemed me worthy when He called me into existence. I am not perfect but I can kneel before God with respect and humilty without presenting myself as wretched, worthless trash.

Do I deserve God's love and forgiveness? You bet. But not because I did something to merit His favour; because I am something that merits it. I am His.

The Security of Certainty

I feel really alone on my spiritual journey lately. I have a messy kind of faith; it rests almost entirely on a personal relationship with God. I do look to scripture for guidance and I seek counsel from those around me, but in the end it's between me and my Father. Some days I'm very good at living in His mystery but I just as frequently find myself desperate for the security of certainty. It's very tempting to believe that the answers are all there in black and white but the good book is full of metaphors, parables, vague and contradictory teachings not to mention a wide variety of translations. Who could possibly get it all right? There is no universal Christian belief system even among those who claim they follow Christ by strict adherence to His word as expressed in the Bible. To understand my leeriness it may help to hear a little about my spiritual journey thus far.

The Roman Catholic Church is the world's largest and oldest Christian denomination. It is also the church I attended most often during my formative years. It's where I learned about Jesus and the sacraments, hierarchy, hypocrisy and the abuse of power. I initially believed in the Catholic Church's authority to interpret scripture and share God's word honestly and accurately but as I grew to learn about the Crusades, the burning of heretics, the selling of indulgences, and the rape of children all trust was shattered. Yet, I sought to heal those wounds and repair my relationship with the Church so I left home and moved a thousand miles to Madonna House Apostolate; a very special Catholic lay community in rural Ontario. It was an amazing opportunity to experience a fellowship of men and women living simple, chaste lives focused on prayer and service. I had intended to stay months but after a few weeks it became apparent that I couldn't regain the blind faith I lost. The land, the lifestyle and the people were beautiful but my heart told me that I did not belong in the Catholic Church any longer. 

A few years later, desperate for reconciliation, I once again returned to the Church of my childhood. With a broken spirit and on bended knee I shared a confession that weighed heavily on my heart. The priest informed me that he could not offer me absolution (forgiveness) and I should refrain from sharing in Holy Communion because my marriage is not blessed by the Church and I am therefore in a perpetual state of sin. Ironically, my sin can be forgiven if I divorce my husband and have the marriage annulled. (Our marriage can never be blessed because my husband's first marriage was indeed a valid marriage.) This experience made me hungry for biblical confirmation of the Catholic doctrine. I read and read but could not find much support for many Catholic practices. At this point I officially became a Protestant. 

I say officially because although I continued to consider Catholicism my true home in the Church I did explore different denominations throughout my youth. A friend and coworker introduced me to the Plymouth Brethren  in the late 1990s and it was like entering a whole new world I didn't know existed in my own community. Brothers and sisters in Christ have very distinct roles: the men teach and preach but women are not permitted to address the congregation. Women also cover their heads in church to hide their glory; but men, being in the image and glory of God are not required to cover their heads. I was also surprised to learn there are no clergy among them -no priest, or minister, or pastor. Each of the men teach and preach as the Holy Spirit leads. They don't believe that unconverted people can really participate in church activities and they teach that gifts of the Spirit (such as speaking in tongues, healing and prophecy) were given to help lay the foundation of the church but cease to exist today.

I attended a handful of weekly services with the Brethren and joined my friend on a mission to Romania where we volunteered in an orphanage for three weeks. I couldn't deny that these people had a hunger for God but I wasn't convinced by the scripture they quoted to support their theology. I just couldn't make my square peg fit their round hole.

When I was in my twenties I also attended a few non-denominational services of a much more charismatic flavour. I saw people speaking in tongues and being brought to the floor as they received the Holy Spirit. I was approached and prayed over by a man and woman who were determined to get me to speak in tongues and drop to the floor. They kept trying to coax me to speak and when nothing happened they told me the 'spirit of resistance' was too strong in me. The man put his hands on my head and spoke strong words and pushed hard on my head. I laid down and closed my eyes just so they'd leave me alone. I do believe in miracles but there were no gifts of the Spirit on me that night and it turned me off completely.

I've also attended Presbyterian, United, Baptist, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican services. I've encountered very different groups of people who follow Christ and support their unique theology and practices by quoting the Bible. I'm not saying that any one of them is right or wrong in their beliefs; the truth is I have no idea because I've lost faith in any one, true authority for interpreting scripture. So, I'm at a place right now where I'm doing my best to continue asking questions and trying to keep an open mind about the answers I receive. Some teachings don't sit well with me so I don't adopt them as part of my personal belief system, but I can't close the door either. I'm not ruling out anything except for teachings that promote intolerance and abuse. I don't believe any father would pit his children against one another. It's not easy following Jesus like this. Most Christians don't know what to do with me. I've been told I'm not a real Christian; that I need to repent; that I'm intolerant of their beliefs; that I'm lukewarm; or that I just need to pray and keep at it, and I'll get there one day. ("There" largely meaning their interpretation of the Bible.)

Honestly, I'm starting to lose heart. I keep sharing my journey because I'm desperate for fellowship and the acceptance you feel when you speak honestly and are still accepted. But the truth is I'm not always accepted and it's a lonely path being the odd one out. The security of certainty, of being "one of us" is tempting, but in the end I can't commit to anything other than the truth of my experiences. I wonder sometimes if it would be easier to drop the Christian label, walk away from the institutions and just follow Jesus with no strings attached. I'm frustrated and confused and scared that maybe I'm doing it all wrong.

John Shelby Spong

 Last year I came across this interview with John Shelby Spong, retired Episcopal Bishop of Newark in the US. Despite having been raised in a strict Evangelical church and serving right wing congregations as a bishop, his theology is surprisingly liberal. He stirs a lot of controversy with his progressive views on hot-topic issues, like ordaining homosexuals, and he doesn't hesitate to reinterpret basic tenets of the Christian faith, such as the resurrection of Jesus.

The first part of the interview is mostly about Spong's personal life and experiences with the church during his formative years. In the second half he touches on some of the beliefs that have earned him a reputation as an ultraliberal. It's worth noting that Spong denies his teachings are unique or radical and describes them as being typical biblical scholarship covered at most theological colleges.

I especially like what he says about how when he began to "lift the bible stories out of the context of a premodern world view" he found people hungry for Christianity. Like me, many people were afraid they had to stop thinking for themselves and subscribe to a very literal, fundamentalist interpretation of scripture in order to follow Jesus. There certainly are a great number of Christians who won't hesitate to express those exact sentiments. Thank goodness I have Christian friends and came across a community of believers who are tolerant enough to let me question everything; otherwise I may have been turned off and tuned out the gospel completely.

In Which I Say Things Christians Shouldn't Say

(This isn't an indictment of ALL churches, ALL denominations, or ALL of the people in said churches. It's meant to be a general look at what I consider to be the darker side of Christianity.)

I sometimes wonder what my old friends and acquaintances think about my coming out. No, I’m not gay; I’m talking about coming out as a Christian. Which, given our current culture, may be much more radical. I can imagine them snickering or thinking I’ve gone a little soft in the head.

It’s been my experience that those who follow Jesus tend to make others uncomfortable. Sometimes, and especially when the new follower develops a preachy, holier-than-thou attitude, the aversion is wholly justified. But often it’s nothing more than the simple fact that you are a follower that repels people. I will confess that I used to think Christians were boring, naïve, ignorant, insular and judgemental. And the truth is, some are. But what a shame that Christianity as a whole has developed this reputation! Many of us see Christians not as spiritual seekers, but as a people who claim to have God all figured out and are quick to tell you (nicely) that not only are your own ideas wrong, but unless you get it right you’ll go to hell.

Even today I feel the need to offer an explanation for my beliefs and distance myself from the pro-war, anti-abortion, homophobic agendas of many Christian groups. A part of me is embarrassed to be involved with a religion that endorsed slavery, promoted racism, oppresses women (I really wish I didn't need to write this in the present tense), burned free-thinkers at the stake, stole children from their mothers and forcefully converted whole nations. It was often the secular world that fought long and hard for the safety and rights of women, blacks and gays –not the church. The Christian church has a history of child rape, violence and ignorance that is unparalleled. (I’m not saying the church wasn’t involved in social change –just that it was rarely a catalyst or united force for such movements. Nor am I saying violence doesn’t exist in other religions, but the breadth and scope of Christian violence is not easily matched in the histories of other organized religions.) Ours is a warring, blood-thirsty religion: we invaded, murdered, and persecuted whole cultures in the name of the gospel; we drink the blood of Christ and purify ourselves with it. And just look at what we did to God: we put the incarnate God on the cross, tortured and murdered Him, and call it His perfect plan for salvation.

Not only that, but Christians also seem hell-bent on keeping others out of God’s Kingdom. We resemble an old boys club in which you must meet certain theological standards and/or practices to be allowed entry. We seem to care less about how you express God’s love and more about what you believe. Do we really think that God is more impressed by our understanding and acceptance of the atonement than our goodwill and charity toward others? I think we are telling people just that when we say, “believe this and you will be saved.” It’s a cheap and cheerful (and wrong) interpretation of Jesus’ message if you ask me. It’s also a way to oppress independent thought and keep people in line. If a Christian questions church doctrine too loudly, or for too long, we tell them they are refusing to submit to the authority of the church; that they are proud and need to repent of their sin. We shame them into submission instead of encouraging them to wrestle with God for the answers.

It seems to me that most of us view God as a record-keeper who judges and redeems based on good works, or as a small God bound by His own law; helpless to save us unless we know and believe the story of Jesus. I have to ask if those of us who believe we are saved by grace through faith have ever doubted? If yes, at what point do we no longer pass the faith test? When our doubts occur more than 10% of the time? 50%? Isn’t having the right kind of faith or enough faith just another form of believing we can do something to earn our own salvation?

We Christians are somehow capable of twisting our brains into reconciling the belief that a) God is loving and merciful and b) sends good (Yes good! I do believe there are good people, even if they aren't perfect.) people  to eternal damnation because they didn't believe in His forgiveness and ask for help. Talk about overkill! That sounds to me like a God who needs to get over Himself.

(And continuing down that rabbit hole, what about babies and children? Do they go to hell? If not then at what point does God not let them eat off the kid's menu and make them pay full-price for their sin? Hey, if we want a black-or-white religion we should at least have the 'facts' straight!)

Maybe we tell ourselves that God gives us free-will to decide whether or not we embrace Him –that we are the ones who reject Him not vice-versa. But can we really trust that all the men and women who reject the Christian religion (perhaps even due to horrendous abuse they endured from people in the church) have made fully informed free-will decisions? Does God not see that they are recoiling like a hand from a hot stove? Will He make them victims once again?

And what about theology –are we arrogant enough to believe that our interpretations of scripture and understanding of God is all correct and complete? If not, at what point does God label us as heretics rather than Christians? (And no, I don't believe God labels anyone Christian; these are rhetorical questions if you haven't already caught on.)

It seems we have to work pretty hard to say and do the right things to fit into God's Kingdom. I’m not saying Christians won’t accept the destitute and depraved: we love a good conversion story. We claim victory over Satan (No, I'm not going there; I've got enough on my plate right now.) when a former pervert or alcoholic gets up and shares their testimony (as if it were the good end to a bad story). But what about when that same alcoholic relapses? Are we more likely to show up at his door to help or to question his conversion in the first place? Maybe he didn’t really get it. His faith wasn’t strong enough. Do we sit in our homegroups and churches to pray for him to come back to Christ or do embrace him, sharing in his pain and bringing Christ to him? Maybe we’re too afraid his sin will rub off on us.

We like to go out into the streets and shelters to help the less fortunate, show them God’s love and teach them about Jesus, but do we invite them into our homes and build real, meaningful relationships with them? Or do they make better projects than friends? Do we build these relationships based on a hidden agenda of converting them to Jesus and then lose interest when it become obvious they really aren’t that interested in being “saved”? Do we look upon them with a mixture of pity and self-righteousness?

What about us? Are we not all sinners in the eyes of God? Or do we, like the pigs in Animal Farm, believe that some animals are more equal than others? Yes, I believe we all make mistakes (are sinners) and that He forgives us equally (His love and grace is enough to cover any sin), but that does not mean all sins are equal. It’s pure nonsense, in my opinion, to believe that telling a white lie to a friend who asks if we like her haircut is just as evil as rape and murder in the eyes of God. (I get that God is infinitely good so any sin, no matter how small, is infinitely bad but that is still not the same thing as saying all sins are equal in severity.)

That’s a long-winded way of saying I’m probably one of the most argumentative reluctant incongruous Christians you’ll come across. If God is truth and love then I have nothing to worry about. I have no doubt He's with me on this journey. I can’t afford to wear blinders, act defensively or fear offending others with my observations and questions -that will only stunt my spiritual growth.I think it’s wise to discuss issues like these because they help us identify and understand our weaknesses, learn from our mistakes and dig down deep as we build the foundations of our faith.

To Choose Love

I will not create my own hell. I refuse to willingly submit to the bondage of unforgiveness. These are the thoughts swimming in my head this morning. Perhaps I'm being influenced by my recent reading of The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. This is quite likely. I feel it (forgiveness) is not only a way to live (an ideal for which to strive) but perhaps it is the only way to live -truly live- a life of beauty and truth in the spirit.

I really must reconsider the lens through which I view this world. My perceptions: of broken self, strained relationships, corrupt and ineffective institutions -both religious and secular- are all tainted, or tinted if you will, by the lens my ego wears to protect itself. But as I grow to identify less with the ego and more with the Christ Spirit, I see with my naked eye that love is the ultimate truth -and truth cannot be destroyed- therefore I need not protect my ego but slay it and destroy the illusory lens of fear it creates. Because through Him I am transformed into love and love need not be protected, only shared.

My attack thoughts -my feelings of anger, jealousy and self-righteousness- arise from a need to defend due to the mistaken belief that I am vulnerable. The truth is that I am capable of great miracles through His salvation if only I choose to turn to Him in the moment. Salvation is not a one-time offer of eternal life after bodily death. It is Divine Providence, living waters to save us from spiritual death in the here and now: when the waitress is rude or our generosity is taken for granted; when we feel ignored or rejected; when we find our friends have been talking down about us behind our back or our spouse has been having an affair; when we are unjustly accused or maliciously abused. It is canceling all debts and calling an end to quid pro quo. It is the Holy Spirit doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves. It is surrendering the ego to become a foot or arm or cell or atom in the living body of Christ. It is choosing love when fear is beckoning.

Reincarnation in Christianity

PART I
Can a Christian Believe in Reincarnation?
On the surface the ideology for these two belief systems are seemingly incompatible. As one friend pointed out, “Why would Christ suffer and die for your sins only to have you return as a crab?” Good question. (Before I get into this discussion any deeper let me say that I don’t believe humans become crabs –or any other lower life form for that matter!) My current belief in reincarnation comes from a variety of sources: 20th century prophets (most notably Edgar Cayce), testimonies from those who have had near-death experiences (my favorite accounts are from priests and nuns), case studies of children who remember past lives, hypnotic regressions, the Bible, esoteric philosophies, ancient religions and intuition.

If we take a closer look at the doctrine of repeated incarnations of the soul we will see that its influence is possibly the most extensive of all the world’s religions. Versions of karma and reincarnation are found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Jewish Mysticism, some Native Americans and many Central and South American tribes, over one hundred African tribes, Eskimo and Central Australian tribes and many peoples of the Pacific including the Tahitians, Melanesians and Okinawans. Reincarnation was also a part of the spiritual beliefs of many Europeans including the Finns, Icelanders, Lapps, Norwegians, Swedes, Danes, early Saxons and the Celts of Ireland, Scotland, England, Brittany, Gaul and Wales. Some of the best thinkers of all time such as Pythagoras, Plato, Socrates, Voltaire, Freidrich Nietzsche, Leo Tolstoy, William Wordsworth, Mark Twain and Carl Jung were also believers.

My interest in the subject began when I started to read about children who spontaneously remembered past lives. I’ve read dozens of case histories recorded by noted doctor and researcher Ian Stevenson as well as the more recent body of work compiled by journalist Tom Shroder. Hundreds of children and families have been interviewed from all over the world. Most children started recalling past lives between the ages of two and four and had almost completely forgotten their former selves by the age of eight. The most compelling cases were from children who were not only able to recall names, ages, locations and family members of their past life which could be researched and verified but also intimate details of family dynamics, birthmarks and medical details which could not be known by anyone except the closest of family members. In very rare cases the family of the child’s former self was still alive and a reunion was made possible. The children, who had often expressed loneliness and homesickness in their current lives, became animated and emotional, embracing their former family members. Because many of the families of these children (present and past) had not considered reincarnation themselves their reaction was often disbelief followed by shock and confusion, and eventually, acceptance. Stories of past events (“remember when…?”) poured out of some of the children, others asked about the welfare of family friends and knew their way around the old neighbourhood. The researchers appeared to be able to interview and test the families and children involved in a controlled, clinically detached and professional manner. I was definitely intrigued!


PART II

A Word About the Written Word

So, this is all well and interesting but if you are a follower of Christ chances are you probably stopped really listening in the second paragraph (if you made it past the title!). Why is this? I think it’s because most Christians disregard information and teachings that aren’t biblical. But what if I were to tell you that the teaching of reincarnation is biblical? I’ll explain that idea a little later, but first let’s take a look at the Good Book.

If the Bible is 100% true and accurate, as many claim, then based on the belief that the world and universe were created in 6 days and the family tree from Adam to Jesus as outlined in the New Testament gospels according to Matthew and Luke (which are different by the way) the Earth is only about 6,000 years old. Hmmm. This doesn’t seem right. What about the fact that Luke says only 1 of the criminals being crucified with Jesus mocked him (23:40), but Mark says both criminals did (15:32); that Matthew and Acts have two different stories concerning the death of Judas (Matt 27:5; Acts 1:18); that according to Matthew (8:28) Jesus healed two demon-possessed men who lived in a cemetery while Mark says there was only one possessed man (Mark 5) and consider that Matthew (27:32), Mark (15:21) and Luke (23:26) say Simon from Cyrene was forced to carry Jesus’ cross, but John (19:17) says he carried it himself.

The discrepancies in the gospels don’t bother me because I view the Bible as the witness of God rather than the word of God. Jesus is the Word. "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:14) I put my faith in Jesus and listen to the wisdom of his contemporaries with an open mind and open heart, but not blind faith. I think it is likely that the Holy Spirit was present in most of the lives of the people who wrote and selected the books of the Bible, but they were not perfected, omniscient beings. Neither Jesus nor the prophets spoke of a holy book that would be sent by God to provide the full truth and final authority. The gospels were handed down by oral tradition before being written and we don’t have the original manuscripts. What we do have are copies of copies and translations of translations. The truth is we can’t know with any certainty the identity of the gospels’ authors or if they knew Jesus. Also, there are first and second century manuscripts about the life and teachings of Jesus that aren't in the New Testament and most Christians have never read. The selection of manuscripts that compile the New Testament was a lengthy process that continued for hundreds of years after the death of Christ. The Roman Catholic canon was the first canon to be closed in the year 1546.


PART III

The Early Christians
Interestingly, a belief in reincarnation is present among many early Christian writings. The early Christian community was an extremely diverse group composed of numerous sects, including groups known collectively as Gnostics. Other than sharing some similar teachings, including karma and the transmigration of souls, these groups were as diverse in their beliefs and practices as any group or cult that has ever studied and interpreted the Bible. Some groups were strictly ascetic, some were celibate and some were morally lax. It would be erroneous to judge these sects collectively.

These people claimed to have an advanced teaching, a secret knowledge (gnosis refers to mature spiritual knowledge) handed down to them from Jesus through his closest disciples. But is there any reference to these secret teachings in the Bible? I think so. Consider the following verses:

He said to them, “The secret about the Kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything comes in parables ‘so that they may see clearly but not perceive, and they may hear clearly but not understand...'” (Mark 4:11)

In fact, in his public teaching he taught only with parables, but afterward when he was alone with his disciples, he explained the meaning to them. (Mark 4:34)

So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.(1 Cor. 4:1)

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. (1 Cor. 2:6-8)

Everything that is now hidden or secret will eventually be brought to light. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand –and even more, besides. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them. (Mark 4:22-25)

We have much to say about this but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teachings about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14)

In the second epistle to the Corinthians the disciple Paul shares a story about a man who had a near-death experience and received information that was not to be shared with others when he returned.

I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. (2 Cor. 12:1-4)

(Paul appears to respect and believe this man who had a near-death experience. The fact that this man heard things that cannot be told tells us that we don't have all the answers about the mysteries of heaven and earth -nor should we.)

So, why didn’t the so-called secret teachings find their way into Christianity, as we know it today? Truth be known, they did. Clement, one of the great early church fathers and head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria, the oldest catechetical school in the world, claimed to possess the secret teachings that had been handed down through the disciples. He describes the gospel as “a more spiritual gospel for the use of those who were being perfected” and states, “It even yet is most carefully guarded, being read only to those who are being initiated into the great mysteries.” Clement also mentions that Jesus revealed the secret teachings to those who were “capable of receiving and being molded by it” and affirms that “The gnosis (secret knowledge) itself is that which has descended by transmission to a few, having been imparted unwritten by the apostles.” (Miscell. Book VI, Chapter 7)

In the writings of St. Augustine, Clement of Alexandria, St. Gregory of Nyssa, Justin Martyr and St. Jerome we find references to the transmigration of souls (reincarnation) that tell us the doctrine was at least debated. Most notably we should consider Origen (AD 184-254) who was the first scholar to organize Christian thought into a unified system. He taught the pre-existence of souls and is the church authority most quoted in that century. Origen, a student of Clement, also led the famous catechetical school in Alexandria and was among the most respected early church fathers. Origin had this to say about the secret teachings:

[Jesus] conversed with his disciples in private, and especially in their sacred retreats, concerning the Gospel of God; but the words which he uttered have not been preserved, because it appeared to the evangelists that they could not be adequately conveyed to the multitude in writing or in speech… and they saw… what things were to be committed in writing, and how this was to be done, and what was by no means to be written to the multitude, and what was to be expressed in words, and what was not to be so conveyed. (Contra Celsus, Cap. VI. 18)

Clement’s teachings weren’t declared anathema (cursed) until the 6th century. The authorities of Church and State eventually rejected all Christians who believed in reincarnation –banning and burning their manuscripts, labelling them as heretics and, well, punishing them.

Why did the doctrine of reincarnation become so despised among the religious authorities? There are theories but with our limited insight into the motivations and processes that governed the early church we can only speculate. Some say that the church in Rome believed these secret teachings were a threat to their own public teachings and would do more harm than good. Their goal was to bring Christianity to the masses and keep people moral. I have to wonder if they were right. If common people were taught they had multiple opportunities (lifetimes) to turn to God would they have the incentive necessary to adhere to the strict moral code and rigorous demands of the religious authorities? Perhaps this is why these teachings were only shared with mature Christians who had already “trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” and were ready for “solid food.” Gnostics criticized the universal church for providing watered down Christianity to the masses.

You might also be wondering how Christ’s crucifixion and sacrifice fit into this belief system. It does. Christ is still the Messiah and a belief in reincarnation doesn’t negate that truth. I’ll follow through with that thought later. But first, let’s back up a little and take a closer look at Judaism.


PART IV

The Jewish Afterlife
You don’t have to know much about Christianity to know that its roots lie in Jewish soil. Did the Jews believe in reincarnation? That isn’t an easy question to answer because even today Judaism doesn’t have any set beliefs about what happens after death. Ask 5 different Jews and you will probably get 5 different answers. However, reincarnation beliefs are among esoteric Jewish teachings that have been around for centuries. Their beliefs were part of an ongoing oral tradition that was shared by the patriarchs, prophets and sages passed down since biblical times. According to this oral tradition the ancient teachings, once openly practiced, were forced “underground” by the Sanhedrin (an assembly of Jewish leaders) because without proper guidance and supervision the knowledge was dangerous to the souls of man. (I can’t help but wonder if these secret teachings were related to the secret teachings that the Gnostics claimed to possess.) Later, the teachings were printed and made public. Here are some examples:

As long as a person is unsuccessful in his purpose in this world, the Holy One, blessed be He, uproots him and replants him over and over again. (Zohar I 186b)

All souls are subject to reincarnation; and people do not know the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He! They do not know that they are brought before the tribunal both before they enter into this world and after they leave it; they are ignorant of the many reincarnations and secret works which they have to undergo, and of the number of naked souls, and how many naked spirits roam about in the other world without being able to enter within the veil of the King's Palace. Men do not know how the souls revolve like a stone that is thrown from a sling. But the time is at hand when these mysteries will be disclosed. (Zohar II 99b)

There are a variety of opinions regarding these teachings among Jews today. Some believe in reincarnation and others don’t. It certainly isn’t considered unusual or heretical to believe. Most ideas about the afterlife vary greatly among Jews -even the concepts of heaven and hell.


PART V

So, What About Hell?
As I mentioned earlier it’s really hard to come to any conclusions about heaven and hell as mentioned in the Old Testament or the New Testament for that matter. Off the top of my head I know hell is described as a bottomless pit, grave, prison, outer darkness and lake of fire. But, are all these names referring to the same place? And is hell eternal or do souls come out of hell? From what I’ve read and studied the souls of sinners don’t always go to the same place. It appears there are different levels of hell. In fact, it’s a lot like the Catholic description of purgatory. The lowest level is the lake of fire from which the evilest of souls go –never to return.

For everyone will be purified with fire. (Mark 9:49)

For God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgement. (2 Peter 2:4)

Then the Devil, who betrayed them, was thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

And I saw, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

Many modern Jews interpret hell as a temporary prison for purification of the soul, but it’s important to remember when reading the Old Testament that there was no such place as hell, as we know it today, in their belief system. We think of hell as a place of torture and punishment for sinners after death, but the actual meaning of Sheol, the Hebrew word that is often translated as the Greek word Hades, is simply the unknown place of the dead -both the righteous and unrighteous.

But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; for he will receive me. Selah. (Psalm 49:15) Selah translates as “let those with eyes see and with ears hear” or “think about it.”

As a side note I also want to mention, for those that believe we still receive public revelation, that the apparitions of the Virgin Mary that have been appearing to a small group of Herzegovinian Croats in Medjugorje since 1981 confirm the Catholic teachings about purgatory. She says there are many levels separating heaven from hell and most souls go to purgatory for some time, the next greatest number go to hell and the fewest number go directly to heaven. Just as there are numerous levels of hell many teachings point to numerous levels of heaven also. Perhaps this explains what Paul means when he speaks of the “third heaven” in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.


PART VI

My (Limited) Understanding of Reincarnation

(With Biblical Support)

Humans require many incarnations to grow in faith and knowledge, overcome our selfish desires, learn from our mistakes and make right our wrongs. The purpose of life is to become Christ-like and return to God. We must become pure to enter God’s Kingdom. “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matt 5:48) Without Christ this cannot be accomplished in one lifetime (if ever). I also don't believe our opportunities are limitless -there will be a final judgement and a final resurrection when only those souls that have accomplished a spiritual rebirth will be raised into God's Kingdom forever.

He who overcomes, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more. (Revelation 3:12)

You might be wondering where heaven and hell and purgatory fit into the concept of reincarnation. Well, from various sources (NDEs, prophets, esoteric teachings) I've come to understand that we don't always jump from life to life immediately. Sometimes we need to spend time in the spirit world before re-entering the physical world. Whether that is to learn more or help others or "do time" for wrongdoings (purgatory) is not for me to say. I have no idea. Only those souls who refuse to repent and hate the very spirit of goodness will remain in hell.

So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven -except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or the world to come. (Matthew 12:31-32)

Again, those who believe in the public revelations at Medjugorje may be aware that the Virgin Mary says those souls in hell remain there because they are unrepentant. God has mercy on souls who repent -even in death. They will suffer for their sins, but not in an eternal hell. God is just, giving us exactly what we deserve according to what we have sown. For example, if we have mocked those that are less fortunate we will receive their affliction; if we used that which we have been given to come closer to God then more responsibility will be given; if we forgive those who have sinned against us our own sins will be forgiven; if we abuse we will become the abused.

Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! (Gal 6:7)

Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. (Matt 7:1-2)

And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned. (Matt 12:36-37)

For we must stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies. (2Cor 5:10)

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matt 6:14-15)

Those who use the sword will be killed by the sword. (Matt 26:52)

Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving –large or small –it will be used to measure what is given back to you. (Luke 6:37-38)

…to those who use well what is given, even more will be given. But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away. (Luke 19:26)

In the Apocryphal book, Wisdom of Solomon, considered canonical by the Catholic Church, we find the following verse:

I was given a sound body to live in because I was already good. (Wisdom of Solomon 8:19-20)

I have never heard a good explanation for the words of Job either:

And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall return there..." (Job 1:21)

Consider the words in Hebrews that seem to imply that the men who endured suffering for their beliefs would gain a better resurrection.

Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. (Hebrews 11:35)

How did the women receive their dead back? How can the resurrection of some men be better than others? The secret gnosis emphasized spiritual resurrection (i.e., spiritual rebirth) and physical resurrection (i.e., physical rebirth) opposed to a resurrection defined as corpses coming out of their graves. This concept mirrors the double meaning of death we find in the Bible. Sometimes the word dead refers to the physically dead and sometimes it refers to the spiritually dead.

But Jesus told them, “Follow me and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:22)

For this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found. (Luke 15:24)

But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. (1 Timothy 5:6)

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world... (Ephesians 2:1-2)

He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts… (John 12:40)

And where your light shines, it will expose their evil deeds. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14)

Ironically, the verse that some people use to argue for reincarnation, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again" (John 3:3) sounds to me like spiritual rebirth -not physical.

Intellectually and intuitively the idea of reincarnation just makes sense to me. When the dead die where do they go while waiting for the resurrection on judgement day? Do their spirits cease to exist and rematerialize at the resurrection? To me, it makes sense that they are somewhere else. Also, the system of reincarnation is just and fair. I have always struggled to understand how God could judge those who have had such poor circumstances. For example, how could He send hardened hearts to eternal torture if they have been brought up in hate, abuse, rape and corruption? If we consider the reincarnation theory then those who are abused were once the abuser. This is not a punishment, but a lesson so that our hearts will be made aware of the pain we have caused others and we will turn from our sinful ways. God does show favour but His ways are always fair. When God loves and shows mercy to some and not others (remember Jacob and Esau?) He is doing so in accordance with the laws He has created.

So where does Christ fit into all of this? Well, reincarnation is part of God’s law but human nature is so overpowering and the temptations of this world are so strong that God knew we needed help so he sent us Christ who has been given authority to intercede on our behalf. He has the power to cancel our karmic debt.

Then Jesus told him this story: ‘A man loaned money to two people –five hundred pieces of silver to one and fifty pieces of silver to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, cancelling their debts.’ (Luke 7:41-42)

My Father has given me authority over everything. No one really knows the Son except the Father, and no one really knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Luke 10:22)

For Christ has accomplished the whole purpose of the law. All who believe in him are made right with God. (Romans 10:4)

And I assure you of this: If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I, the Son of Man, will openly acknowledge that person in the presence of God’s angels. (Luke 12:8)

The Father has life in himself, and he has granted his Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge all mankind because he is the Son of Man. (John 5:26-27)

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21)

Christ, having experienced the flesh, understands the temptations of this world and has pity on us. Let’s consider what Jesus did when he performed a healing miracle for the paralyzed man. He forgave him. Jesus released him from the karmic debt that caused his affliction.

Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘Take heart, son! Your sins are forgiven.’ (Matt 9:2)

Is it easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Get up and walk’? I will prove that I, the Son of Man, have the authority on earth to forgive sins. Then Jesus turned to the paralysed man and said, ‘Stand up, take your mat and go home, because you are healed!’ (Matt 9:5-6)

We know that Jesus’ disciples believed in reincarnation from their words in the gospels:

"This must be John the Baptist come back to life again. That is why he can do such miracles." Others thought Jesus was the ancient prophet Elijah. (Mark 6:14-15)

“Teacher,” his disciples asked him, “Why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?” (John 9:2)

In the last example Jesus replies, “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins. He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.” I find this little story very interesting. It appears that the disciples are asking for further explanation about a teaching they have already discussed. Remember, the man was born blind so any sin he did must have occurred before his current birth. If Jesus didn’t teach reincarnation wouldn’t he have taken the opportunity to set them straight? But, Jesus doesn’t rebuke them for believing in reincarnation (and generational sin –another topic altogether!) he only says that this man’s blindness was not as a result of sin, but for the very purpose of being healed by Jesus. To me, Jesus is telling them that not all misfortune is a result of sin –sometimes it has a higher purpose.

Here are some more powerful words that Jesus spoke (I can't seem to think how they can be interpreted any differently than in the context of reincarnation):

I will send you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. You will kill some by crucifixion and whip others in synagogues, chasing them from city to city. As a result you will be guilty of murdering all the godly people from righteous Abel to Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered in the Temple between the alter and the sanctuary. I assure you, all the accumulated judgement of the centuries will break upon the heads of this very generation. (Matthew 23:34-36)

We should also consider the return of Elijah as John the Baptist. It was prophesied that Elijah would return before the coming of Christ. “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.” (Malachi 4:5). When Jesus’ disciples asked about this prophesy he said,

Elijah is indeed coming first to set everything in order. But I tell you, he has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and he was badly mistreated. And soon the Son of Man will also suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples realized he had been speaking of John the Baptist. (Matt 17:11-13)

For before John came, all the teachings of the scriptures looked forward to the present time. And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! (Matt 11:14-15)

I have heard arguments against the reincarnation of Elijah as John the Baptist, but none hold up in my opinion. First, some point out that John himself denied being Elijah (John 1:21), but this isn’t surprising  -we aren't supposed to remember our past lives. What it comes down to is who you consider to be the more credible source –John or Jesus? I think Jesus is privy to a little more information myself! The second argument I have heard is that Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire and so he never really died. Okay, but let me point out again that Jesus said John is Elijah (not like Elijah) and John was most certainly born on Earth, conceived in the womb of his mother Elizabeth. That sounds like reincarnation to me.

Another common argument I get against reincarnation is the Hebrews 9:27 verse that reads, “It is appointed that man should die once and after that face judgement.” Well, I agree. Man is separate from soul. Man dies but the soul is eternal. Man is our clothing (bodies), our carnal nature and the part of our personality that was shaped by the experiences and actions of this lifetime. We must face judgement after each lifetime.


Part VII
Conclusion
As a self-proclaimed follower of Christ’s teachings I have received some criticism for supporting the “pagan belief” of reincarnation –or worse yet, I’m told that I’m caught up in “new-age spirituality” which is ironic when you consider that belief in reincarnation predates Christianity. I have only recently labeled myself a Christian despite believing in Jesus' teachings and the salvation he offers for many years. This is because some well-meaning people told me that if I don’t trust the Bible as the infallible word of God and if I believe in things that are unchristian –like reincarnation that I shouldn’t claim to be what I am not. Only recently have I challenged myself to stand up for my convictions and claim what has been given to me. Others may want Christianity to be an exclusive club but I doubt that Jesus does.