Reincarnation: Fact or Fancy?

By Peter Matthews

For many years the Author has pondered the question of whether we only have one life or whether this current life is one of several. People seem to have very fixed views on the subject and whilst there are many accounts of past lives, there is always debate as to whether these are real, imagined or have other explanations. Some question its reality on the basis of our failure to rember past lives.
The Author considers these and many other questions, examining both sides of the argument to present an unbiased work for the reader to form their own opinion.
Case studies are not included, partly because they can be researched elsewhere and partly as it is the conclusions of reality or otherwise that is of importance.
The book may not make you change your mind but it will strengthen your opinion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peter Matthews
• Release date: Jan 29, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465964021

Peter Matthews

Peter Matthews is a world-renowned expert on track and field athletics. He has been an athletics broadcaster on TV and radio for more than 35 years, working primarily for BBC Radio 1975-85, ITV 1985-97 and for the IAAF from 1991. He has covered nearly all the major meetings in Great Britain and worldwide over the past 40 years. He has been a leading public address announcer since 1968, and was Media Information Manager for Track and Field Athletics at the Olympic Games in Atlanta 1996 and worked at his seventh Olympics for the Sydney Organizing Committee in 2000.

Book preview

Reincarnation: Fact or Fancy?

By Peter Matthews, B.Sc.

Copyright 2011 Peter Matthews

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CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 Do We Reincarnate?

Chapter 2 The Evidence

Chapter 3 Compensation and Retribution

Chapter 4 The Process of Reincarnation

Introduction

On the subject of reincarnation, opinion is divided, often quite strongly, especially by those who feel that it is nonsense or contradictory to their faith. Of course we do not know whether it is a reality or not and our opinion will not make any difference, other than to us. Often there is a misunderstanding of what reincarnation is leading to the speculation that it is all nonsense. Many use as the basis of rejection that they wouldn’t want to come back but of course that is not an argument at all.

The purpose of this short book is to look at all the claims and counterclaims and to allow the reader to make up their own mind on the subject. Reams have been written giving examples of past life recalls and again reams written discrediting them – none of these examples is included here. It is a work of theory rather than example and hopefully at the end the reader will make a judgement for themselves. Whilst I have an opinion on the matter I have tried to remain neutral in this book and there is no significance to the fact that I put the case for reincarnation first then follow with the arguments against. To reverse the order would seem less logical.

Chapter 1: Do we Reincarnate?

Life either ends when we die or it does not. This brings about several possibilities, There is nothing, we are gone forever. Or we take the traditional view that we all end up in Heaven (or perhaps Hell). Perhaps we travel to higher realms in a spirit form and maybe pass through several levels before reaching our final resting place. And there is the final suggestion, we come back again. In other words we reincarnate.

Many people think we do, it is one of the oldest concepts of mankind and perhaps that in itself should give it some credence. The basic idea is found amongst all the so called primitive tribes today. For example in parts of Africa young babies who die are placed by the roadside in the hopes that a pregnant woman will pass by and the baby's soul enters the soon to be born infant. In Fiji the people think of the body as having two souls, one white and one black, the latter disintegrating with the body when death comes whilst the white soul carries on life as a kind of ghost for awhile before being reborn into a new child. Eskimos in Greenland hold a similar view.

The American Indians, believe in reincarnation as do Buddhists and Hindus. The ancient Chinese, Egyptians, Chaeldonians, in fact, most civilisations considered reincarnation as a fact. Indeed it is virtually the Christian alone who does not generally accept the idea. However Christianity evolved from Paganism, which did accept reincarnation. Many believe that original Christian thought included the concept of reincarnation but it was through the early Church councils that the idea was rejected. This was done simply in order to maintain their hold on the peoples of the time. If reincarnation is accepted and you come back to another life dependent upon your actions in the previous life, then a priest is not necessary for forgiveness, either through the Church or through Jesus: therefore the idea cannot be part of Christianity.

Consider the Christian view for a moment. In its current form a type of reincarnation is believed, for the belief is that on death the soul remains in an unconscious state to return to its original body on judgement day. This may be a slight simplification but nevertheless it is reincarnation, the soul returning to a physical body.

There are of course arguments for and against reincarnation. It is useful to look at them to arrive at a conclusion as to whether or not it feels right for you. Clearly it