Reincarnation—Fact, Wishful, or Something Else?

Some children are remembering past lives of themselves (or others?) with the two most compelling accounts in recent memory being Anne Frank (Barbro Karlén) and pilot James M. Huston Jr.

At 3 years old, James claimed to have been shot down in WWII and told his parents his real name, the ship, the mates, and so on. This persisted so they investigated and found his story contained many obscure facts and corroborations with the deceased man’s living relatives—including old shipmates from the USS Natoma—in the battle of the pacific.

It’s interesting to examine western vs eastern thought on the subject, where westerners turn to reincarnation as a comforting idea but difficult to believe, while the easterner has no trouble believing it but wants to get out of its endless cycles of futility. Funny, really.

So, from where do these past memories arise in these kids? The stories are many, and now with the internet many of the details can be verified using an objective approach.

There is a grey area between life and death, a conscious brain and consciousness. Where do these memories come from? What else could it be? Is everything a cold hard fact, or is there more to it that makes Hebrew religions and hard atheism alike, uncomfortable?

It happens in every culture and even those religions that don’t believe it, are being forced to consider it, like in the story of Marty Martyn.

These two accounts are also covered in depth on Netflix “Surviving Death” episode 6

Advertisement

What is “Spiritual”

A few months back Ark asked, “what the hell is spiritually minded? If you can’t define spirit then such a term is simply fluff”. Well, I can define it.

What people think it is, is much different than what it actually is. Here is a sample definition—“Spirit is the ethereal conscious that infiltrates the corporeal being to cause and sustain life. Being aware of this duality in human nature is to be in tune with the eternal, external human nature beyond physical existence”.

What it actually is though, is a connection to our natural instincts. Being ingenious by trusting your gut based on thousands of years of hunches that continue to pay off, evidenced by survival.

“One cannot help but appreciate the power of this instinct, nor its effectiveness as exampled by humanity thriving—in spite of being populated by an idiot majority” yet somehow continues to thrive, now beyond natures ability to replenish it.

Every day billions of people use this instinct to make important decisions. After all the data is analyzed, prayers offered, pros and cons considered, the decision is typically made by snap-judgement, gut feeling, a hunch—and very likely on impulse or irresponsible wants. This is the “spirit” in action—the survival instinct, and its amazing how much it actually works. And delegating authority to the subconscious mind is a win, most of the time. Don’t think, just do.

To those who seek validation outside themselves, this they call the spirit. But it’s quite obvious it is ancient instinct talking to itself and subconscious genius protecting the masses, often from themselves. No belief required. It did fine before its name change to “spirit” and will do fine again without it.

The antithesis of instinctive action is waiting. Nothing is more useless than waiting on the Holy Spirit to direct your decisions when you already know what to do. More often than not, waiting on the spirit is a call to inaction—and excuses.

Delegating authority to instinct has the backing of evolution and a proven track record of success. Long before Abraham was, we were doing just fine trusting the gut to warn us of danger and prompt us to action when needed. Now we must go through proper channels to do so, only to do it anyway.

There are no Spiritual Realms

As we discover deeper and deeper into the quantum field, our understanding expands and we gradually grasp the nature of nature and its building properties.

Is the electricity that powers your toaster “metaphysical”? We have harnessed its potential and understand how to manipulate its properties, but really don’t know much about what it actually is. Is the free movement of these electrons that constitutes an electric current supernatural? Of course not. Is the electric currents that flow through the universe, that are perceived more intently by some than others, a supernatural phenomenon? Certainly not. We can read many of these impulses and feelings in the EEG.

The only spiritual realms or “non physical” worlds are just not discovered and quantified yet. We are still a superstitious lot, but when we master these principles—not by viewing them with our eyes but by manipulating them with our genius, we will see the universe is all a matter of matter. Understanding sometimes takes time—I’ll wait.

Plug and Play Religion

Forget about your natural instincts and curiosities. You don’t need to work anything out in regards to your own spirituality, someone has already figured that out for you, but the choices are limited.

Each person is born unique and curious. Flowers, trees, rocks and streams are all natural wonders to be learned anew to each generation—just watch a toddler play in the dirt, interact with wildlife, pick flowers or gather pinecones. They are fascinated with the newness of life and the natural world, but the first thing everyone religiosos want to do is rush them into a belief system with christenings, baptisms, circumcisions, and blessings before they even know what the hell is going on. Heaven forbid if they would bring their own fresh perspective and possibly add their own inspiring vision of life. Only when they are older can they be loosened and encouraged to think outside the box—the box that has already been closed and tied with a neat bow—a box called conformity, unconsciously hamstringing potential for the rest of their life. The best of the best will continue to forgo their greatest chance for opportunity and learning, not of any choice of their own, but by cunning ignorance of parents and preachers.

In a world where the importance of bloody manners and cultural etiquette are the standard of moral behavior, they continue chipping away at potential breakthroughs because it may be different, or as if those things are morally important, trapping our children in their formative years into becoming believers. Not only in religion, but in society’s systemic conditioning that what lies on the surface is merely to camouflage the real you, and you must wear it at all times in the name of morality. This is the crime of religious influence.

Christian culture is a facade. On the surface is where we are pressed to live, openly displaying who we are not, our lives are spent hiding who we really want to be. Out of constant fear of judgement and prejudice we perjure ourselves and whither inside as the life in us passes by like a dream. Only after learning to conform are we allowed to further education, where the same schools of thought are taught all over the world. Religious diplomas to the ministry keep hammering away with slight variations of the same worn out inscrutability. And the university, the last, great bastion of free thought where 90% of the students and faculty all vote the same way, where in reality there is a third way—a better way. A new system yet to be discovered and embraced because of unwittingly conditioning our children to conform. Only then comes the tried and true standard of learning which continues to elude greatness at every turn. Religion is the pillar of tried and true failure. Our societies are laced tighter than a Victorian corset with religion. After thousands of years of failure I’d say it’s time to move on. But alas, we get plugged into a system the minute we are born and learn through predetermined fear how to live our lives like everyone else.

UnerTan and Religion- Comparing Biology

Closed systems often have dramatic implications. Small villages where locals continue to mingle with locals, leads to inbreeding and can offset your balance centers in equilibrium and cognition. While closed systems vary in degree, each has its own problematic framework, whether its physical or spiritual in nature.

While not my attempt to make light of Uner Tan syndrome, the example is on the far end of what closed systems can do to the biology of a small group. “What is causing this disease? Scientists noticed a trend with many cases: The children’s parents share the same blood.  In the Arab culture it is common to marry in your bloodline.  It’s called consanguinity (shared blood).  Consanguinity makes you more prone to genetic disorders.  In the Ulas family, the parents are cousins“—Medical Daily

Being raised safely and securely in the confines of a religious home, faith also carries a host of cognitive and rational decision making barriers. The inability to see the obvious, or the ability to overlook tremendous flaws in your approach to thinking soundly comes from these closed systems. The dichotomy between stunted potential and growth in reality creates a barrier to analytic thought, and the ability to immediately dismiss any information contrary to what you have been taught. This phenomenon known as “spiritual bypass”, is a defense and coping mechanism, protecting one from dealing with uncomfortable truth. If you missed yesterday’s link, HERE it is again, but the two topics overlap in significance.

We see it in our area and here on WP. What is so absolutely obvious can be glossed over and dismissed without a whimper, leaving us befuddled and shaking heads. But, at least we can cope with the dilemma having a little understanding of what we’re up against. Closed, one line dogmas that belittle outside influences is the prime detractor of free thought.

Buckminster Fuller

Buckminster Fuller impacted my life. I just didn’t know it at the time. Some short lessons — I AM NOW CLOSE TO 88 and I am confident that the only thing important about me is that I am an average healthy human. I am also a living case history of a thoroughly documented, half-century, search-and-research project designed to discover what, if anything, an unknown, moneyless individual, with a dependent wife and newborn child, might be able to do effectively on behalf of all humanity that could not be accomplished by great nations, great religions or private enterprise, no matter how rich or powerfully armed”.

If you’d like more click HERE

“From now on you need never await temporal attestation to your thought. You think the truth. You do not have the right to eliminate yourself. You do not belong to you. You belong to Universe. Your significance will remain forever obscure to you, but you may assume that you are fulfilling your role if you apply yourself to converting your experiences to the highest advantage of others”.

“I live on Earth at present, and I don’t know what I am. I know that I am not a category. I am not a thing—a noun. I seem to be a verb, an evolutionary process—an integral function of the universe.”

Synesthesia -The Religious Model

Synesthesia is a real condition of crossing senses. Someone may see a color that hurts their ears, while another may see numbers in different colors. It is an interesting phenomenon where senses cross neurons in visual/cerebral perception, and may attribute smells to pain, or shapes such as a triangle may physically perceptually be seen in yellow. Below is one example. A “normal” acuity would see all black, but a synesthesia patient may see green or red. .

And if a subject sees W’s as a color, this test takes less than a second.

Synesthesia is not only seen and present in religion, it is promoted. Seeing a cross can cause tears of pain or joy, hearing a lie can cause belief, and talking out loud followed by an amen, can fondle hope in religious subjects. But this type of behavior is learned, and once believed, it is tolerated.

While most synesthesics feel what they are seeing as normal , 98% of the population sees it as an enigma. To someone that believes in the supernatural god, it may seem natural or necessary, but it is not. But to the theist or the synesthesiac, it requires an outside observer to recognize the flaw.

Thousands of gods have dissipated into near oblivion. Where are they now? They are parked in the annuls and history books, but those from the time thought them to be immortal. While red may be a color, it also may have a smell. Whatever your eyesight tells your mind, deconversion has a sweet ring to it.

Better off Without the Law

Adding burdens to an already busy life is the Christian way. They can’t help but share, but are we better off not knowing? Without the law we cannot come under condemnation from their god?. “Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭4:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“So, according to Bible, if you don’t tell me, I am not accountable. So why are you telling me? I have a guess…but please,…

I feel compelled by the sprit to make a word correction to a popular verse. What is promised versus what is real are most often two different things.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you stress”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28 KJV‬‬

Adding a new form of tactical manipulation filled with ambiguous writings and hidden meaning is not peace. Nor is sifting through endless interpretations excusing archaic morality and promoting divisions a form of rest. Quite possibly at the end of the verse it should say “the rest”. “The rest”of the story is adapting to a new way of life making excuses for unanswered prayer, or excuses for immoral scripture, or belief in 6 day creations, or unicorns and talking snakes, what day is the sabbath, and constant threat of hell and apocalypse. Rest? How about anxiety and non-answers to an already difficult life. Adding a new discipline takes time and effort. Living with Abrahamic religion always ever-present hell threat and manipulation promising relief if you can just “do it right” (if you figure out what that is in 30 years) is not rest. It is psychological tail chasing. And don’t get me started about prayer!! And don’t forget to shake the dust off your feet when you leave.

H.G. Wells

“Investigations into the beginnings of religion have accumulated steadily throughout the past half century. It is only by great efforts of censorship, by sectarian education of an elaborately protected sort, and the like, that ignorance about them is maintained.”

H. G. Wells

The Sunday Meme

Snowy Winter Eve

It’s a great day to be alive!

Twenty feet out the back door. I love this place!

Personality of a True Believer

True believers as defined by Eric Hoffer have personality types that need something or someone to latch onto. About 35% or more of the population craves someone else make decisions and rules for them to live by. We spot religion 35 points before tipoff! Here below is a telling statement about religion, and this quote is not even about religion, but personality types.

“True believers are not intent on bolstering and advancing a cherished self, but are those craving to be rid of an unwanted self. They are followers, not because of a desire for self-advancement, but because it can satisfy their passion for self-true believers “are eternally incomplete and eternally insecure.”(1) Well if that doesn’t just about nail it.

He continues with this-

Before ending this section, I want to talk about the people who are most susceptible to conversion and joining mass movements. I am convinced that at least a third of the population are what Eric Hoffer calls true believers. They are joiners and followers … people who want to give away their power. They look for answers, meaning and enlightenment outside themselves.

This personality type will always be with us. They look for some sort of spiritual leader, whether it’s religion, multilevel marketing groups, or the Jidda. Some place they can shed their burdens or gain acceptance in a group. Even a mythical one.

“In my years of conducting seminar trainings, I have constantly run into true believers. All I can do is advise them to seek the True Self within, where meaningful personal answers will be found. I teach that the basics of spirituality are self-responsibility and the attainment of self-actualization (being compassionate, while also accepting others without judgment, expectations, blame or attempting to control.) But most of the true believers just tell me that I’m not spiritual and go looking for someone who will give them the dogma and structure they desire”.

So maybe Atheism should be a belief system. Do we need a mantra and some chants and promised salvation to tap into this untapped resource? Nah.

Believers sq + need x acceptance is congruent to Religion. I love math!

Acronyms and DSRD

I was training a newly hired EMT to enter his reports in the computer, and shortly after writing a practice report we got a call to go out for an MVC. We transported a minor injury patient to the hospital and since the new guy tech’d the call, he wrote the notes. Medical people use a ton of acronyms, and as I was reviewing his report I noticed some strange ones I’d never seen before. He stated ” PT found in FPS, A/O X4 PWD, airway intact. Pt with MLLUA and ALSOF. I thought “huh”? I called him back to the office for a minute to explain. “Oh, FPS is front passenger seat”. And MLLUA is mild laceration left upper arm”, and ALSOF is “abrasion left side of face”. I said “Aaron you can’t just make shit up on these reports. No one knows what these mean except you”. There is a long list of accepted acronyms and I gave him a copy to work from. Heres a small sample.

Aaron appears to be mixing religion and work here, since “make it up as you go” is a common tool for building credible rapport in the churches.

I’ve heard some faith promoting whoppers during my time in the church. I felt the spirit (emotion) over outright lies and fabrications. I’ve seen the faithful tie silly things together that show god is with them every step of the way. From found car keys to successful surgeries, god gets the credit. When things don’t go your way he gets a free pass. If uncle Eddy survives the heart attack,”praise god”! If he dies, god took him home to heaven. He knows what’s best for you. Right?

WARNING– What you about to read might cause you to think.

Preachers tell lies and twist stories to convince you that god is real and their religions are right. They desperately want you to believe what they believe. They will tell you things to drive your emotions. That feeling is not the spirit. It is a manipulation tactic to get devotion and keep you in faith to give themselves power and money. Do not believe it. You have been tricked by professionals that prey on people during vulnerable times in their lives. Do not buy it. You already possess everything they have to offer. It’s already in you. You can do this without the bs of a religious dogma. Waiting for god to answer your prayers is a waste of time. Time that could be spent working out your own future, free of charge and free of mental bondage.

DSRD = dumb stuff religions do

Faith + Fiction = Miracles. Here have a bible

Sometimes a Stranger is Fiction

I got a flat tire last year on a remote gravel road, and as I was changing my tire an old blue sedan came barreling up the road. I called to my dog but he was so engrossed in a hunt for field mice he wouldn’t hear me. Right as the car approached my dog bolted my way across the road and bam! The car never slowed down or stopped. My dog laid in the ditch. He was dead. I sat there. I think most of you have lost a pet before. No explanation can tell you how devastated I was. I cried. I prayed. God help me. After a little while had passed I collected myself enough to finish my tire, and just as I was about done my dog licked the back of my neck. I was in shock. In complete joy. How? No way! As I held Roger I saw a man hurry across the road and down a steep embankment. I shouted “hey”! I ran to the edge where I last saw him and he was gone. Nothing. I knew what I had seen. I knew my dog was now alive and not a scratch on him. God had sent his holy angel to help me. Thank you Jesus thank you Jesus. God hears our prayers, and in our most desperate times he is here for us. To comfort. To heal. To help.

Should I post this story on Facebook and ask for likes, amens, or shares. I could strengthen testimonies with a story like this. The problem is … it is just a story. Total fabrication. While most church stories contain a wee bit of truth, I’ve seen first hand how they grow bigger and better with time.

The churchers and their preachers embellish nearly everything they say to tug at your emotions then attribute it to god. And I’m not even close to exaggerating here. Just last week god the father and the son and the Holy Spirit visited a friend of mine in the form of three hummingbirds! What the hell do you say to that? If people are looking for miracles, they’ll get them. Or see birds. (Below is the area where none of this occurred)