One thing I can't figure is why most folks want "out" of the cycle of reincarnation... presumably to go to "heaven" and spend the rest of eternity rooted to one spot, standing in ranks like soldiers in formation at parade rest (if you've ever been in the Army, you know how much fun THAT is) in eternal noontime (I guess they forgot how cool sunsets are!) singing church hymns (YUCK-O!) to some glowering king-personage sitting on a throne surrounded by four-and-twenty elders (you AGE in Heaven?) and cherubim (Naked little boys? Not my thing) yadda yadda...
Once, I was talking with a girl downtown. I mentioned in passing she ought to be enjoying herself now, because once you pass thirty life gets to be a drag. I mentioned, "Hell, I wish I could just be 27 forever!" She answered, "well, wouldn't life get boring after awhile though?" I came back with "Well, what else IS there? She said, "Heaven." I noted , "No sex in heaven!"
She couldn't answer me back on that one. She just talked about how I was wrong, just watch the ending on "South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut..."
Somehow, I don't think "South Park" is a good guide to go by, for the afterlife philosopher..
What I'm trying to say here, I guess, is what the heck's wrong with physical existence, and why do most people think there's something better?
Sure, life is full of B.S. and troubles. But if you had infinite reincarnations, what the hey? You'd get to be a KING in some of them, even if you had to be a pauper in others.
You might even get the "hang" of it after a number of incarnations, and be able to learn how to DICTATE THE TERMS of each incarnation, to avoid things like genetic defects, being born into poverty, ect.  Maybe you could always come back as a guy if you wanted, or as a woman (if that's your cup of tea.) Me, I'd like to be a guy in ALL my future reincarnations from now on, for example.
If I could be said to worship anything - it would be PERSONAL FREEDOM and INDIVIDUALITY. "Heaven" offers NEITHER of these things. Physical life DOES, however.
This worship of freedom and individuality is also why I'd prefer to reincarnate no earlier than say, 1940 and no later than say, 2010. This is the era in which men will have the maximum amount of freedom from such things as kingship and slavery, in the long view of human history, past and future.
It is the only period of history in which mankind will have the INTERNET - our species' greatest achievement, IMHO and a big reason why I'm alive in any case (don't ask for the details.)
AND... is (a certain level) of danger and insecurity not one of tne of the spices of existence itself? In "Heaven" you could have adventures, take risks and so forth, but it would be like a Bugs Bunny cartoon where you could fall 1000 feet off a cliff and not REALLY be hurt. Perfect safety... tell me, would this not get BORING? After an octillion years or so, would it not be like being in a padded cell in a looney bin?
What meaning would COURAGE, the highest of all virtues, have in such a place? Risks and danger get a bad rap in this world, the way I see it.
SO...
Why do people look at reincarnation as some kind of punishment?
Because if we go to "Heaven" and stay put... that would depress the s**t out of me.
Infinite reincarnations, on the other hand - an adventure that never ends! (Especially if you get personal control over them at some point...)
P.S. Don't even mention HELL to me, unless you want to lose my respect faster than you can say "damnation"...
J-man (my name isn't "Brendan" - that's my roomie's name, he owns the computer. How did his name get known on this site???)

Brendan:
How about reading some near death experiences? You will be able to get an idea of what 'the other side is about'.

www.near-death.com

One in particular that is extrememly interesting on this site is told by Mellen Thomas Benedict.

LightSeeker

Yeah...it basically seems like you are going on a bunch of assumptions like you have some type of 100% true idea that you will be in Heaven at parade rest all day long...

And whose to say that life in the physical outweighs life in the spiritual form unless you can give an account of both to make a comparison? Who cares about sex to the point that you would shun the idea of eternal life to screw everyone for the rest of your physical life....

You post was funny tho, I will admit that. I am not as in depth into some of the things related to Afterlife and spirituality yet like some of the members here, but I do have the upmost and divine respect for it because I want to learn and will be there someday, so I can't think like you are thinking but I am not here to condemn you. Peace.

Its all a matter of perspective..

I remember as a teen in the 70's..thinking towards the future and the year 2000.  That seemed so..future.  We would be doing everything by then, I thought.  Flying cars, lol..who knew I'd be flying without a car?

My perspective then was that I would be "old" at the turn of the century..you see, I was turning a corner with the century-to 40.  (I know, seems silly now, but as a teen, I thought that was OLD)

Things changed..perspective changed.  I no longer worry about my "physical" age..afterall..we are all ageless anyway. 

I "want out" of reincarnation because I feel that I feel love unconditionally to the utmost power.  Does that mean that I will have to be reincarnated anyways despite what I feel?

Brendan,

The subject of this old post doesn't interest me and I had nothing to do with reviving it.  MarD apparently revived it.  You'll notice that MarD also just revived Spiffire's old 'Infinity Must Be Boring" thread.   But hey, aren't these old threads being preserved precisely so that old discussions can be resumed?

Don

Brendan,

Of course, I did it once--for a joke.  But a joke gets stale when repeated. Not that I'd see anything wrong with reviving an old post of yours again.  Why don't you just PM MarD and ask him?

Don

People who say they would never reincarnate have simply forgotten why they were born in the first place.  It's not hard to forget when you don't remember in the first place... such is life in this world.

I'm thinking that the ironic part is that many of them will be first in line to come back.  Life in the world is just too interesting right now.  Lots of changes.