/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

Cycles as in "if you're bad, you have another chance to be better in another life :)" Sorry to mock it, it is just hard not to.

>>628205

Here's Augustine on reincarnation (City of God, Bk X11, Ch XX):

>What pious ears could bear to hear that after a life spent in so many and severe distresses (if, indeed, that should be called a life at all which is rather a death, so utter that the love of this present death makes us fear that death which delivers us from it) that after evils so disastrous, and miseries of all kinds have at length been expiated and finished by the help of true religion and wisdom, and when we have thus attained to the vision of God, and have entered into bliss by the contemplation of spiritual light and participation in His unchangeable immortality, which we burn to attain–that we must at some time lose all this, and that they who do lose it are cast down from that eternity, truth, and felicity to infernal mortality and shameful foolishness, and are involved in accursed woes, in which God is lost, truth held in destation, and happiness sought in inquitous impurities? and that this will happen endlessly again and again, recurring at fixed intervals, and in regularly returning periods?

>Who, I say, can listen to such things? Who can accept or suffer them to be spoken? Were they true, it were not only more prudent to keep silence regarding them, but even (to express myself as best I can) it were the part of wisdom not to know them.

>>628220

Thanks, spitting fire as always.

>>628205

Stone her.

>>628205

Ask for help to the Holy Spirit. You will receive it.

Is it a particular kind of reincarnation (Buddhist, Hindu, Pythagorean etc.) or is it just First world pick and choose "faith"?

Because if it's the former, there are certainly "definite" (e.g. Samsara and Nirvana). Is she trying to escape from Samsara? Because if not then her stay here will be very much definite.

Buddhism is morally redistributive (i.e. good acts can be rewarded, bad ones can be punished etc.), but there is no real reason to. Time in such a calculation is basically infinite, so you don't need to be in any rush to better yourself at all, and therefore it is a cop out.

For us, we have personal allegiance to Christ and His promise of redemption and salvation, and we have to have charity to others, and we as Christian have to think of salvation in plural, we are certainly our brothers' keepers, and we do well to help our brethren along the straight path. Buddhism has none of this, not even to Buddha himself. Essentially it is a selfish, regressive nihilism that precludes the need to try to live a life of any worth or point. No virtue or love or warmth is necessary, and you an just close your eyes to evil, because evil itself is just goodness in need refinement (apparently). There is no sense of duty or loyalty, because at the end of it all you are just going through the motions to get Moksa. Buddhist societies are also deeply uncharitable and proud, especially places like Tibet, where beggars are viewed as irredeemable scum who are being punished for the sins of previous lives, and are therefore ironically trapped to keep repeating their lives, since they are not allowed any social/spiritual mobility. This also ties into our idea of suffering as penance and as purgation, things to be embraced to imitate Christ. For them however, suffering is to be avoided at all costs, since it is seen as evidence of your wickedness in a past life. Oh, and it also believes the material world is essentially an evil prison, rather than the good work of God's creation, which is heresy.

If on the other hand, she believes in a Celtic/Pythagorean form of reincarnation, then the present life is irrelevant because you will just come back at another time, and nothing that you have done in this life, good or bad, will make a stitch of difference. Sure it might make you brave and outgoing to know that you will come back some time, but when none of your actions are being held to account, what good is it for you?

If it's the latter, just pray for her and be an example to her, because arguing with that kind of "spirituality" is like swimming through treacle.

I will pray for you and your sister.

>>628220

Was he really that bad a writer? That first sentence is incomprehensible and as long as four properly expressed sentences.

>>628205

Why not talk to her? The way the apostles did it was to preach and explain what they already knew that was right and what wasn't right, but WHY. Do deep theological and philosophical research into this, and talk about this ALONG SIDE her, not AGAINST her. The message isn't turn or burn.

>>628299

Latin can be difficult to translate in a concise way into English. I wouldn't judge his writing skills off a translation.

>>628335

This tbh. You can compress a lot of accurate info into very few words in Latin.

>>628220

Tldr he just thinks reincarnation means continual rebirth.

It isn't the case though with things like stream entry, once returners, non-returners etc. The deeper wisdom of Buddhism would explain why the reincarnational cycles are not a bad thing but such things require gradually deeper levels of contemplation.

>>628276

Tibetans were traditionally held under threat by their Lamas who could unleash demons onto the world.

The deterrent for being wicked would be to avoid being born in a hell realm or a cockroach whereas good karma will assure a better rebirth.

>>628276

Yes pick and choose, of course it's pick and choose. I have asked a good Christian buddy for some tips and he helped. I have an idea of what I will say, I will say how none are without sin and go from there.

Women are extremely susceptible to this stupid bs (astrology, etc), pray for my sis and all women bros

>>628276

And thank you very much, brother. Funny, in Mass today priest mentioned how we must not try to change people right away but love them as they are and as you said, be an example. Always. (He also mentioned St. Augustine which was nice and the homily was actually entirely relevant and you know, ABOUT JESUS CHRIST and a little event called the resurrection)

>>628301

>ALONGSIDE not AGAINST

Yes of course, amen and amen.