Olam Ha Ba
Who doesn't wonder where we go, where our souls go after our body expires? I have heard some say that we go live in heaven for eternity. Well, what do we do for eternity? That sure is a long time! Do we play harps and sing songs? I for one do not believe that nonsense. I personally believe that our souls are consciousness and energy. I also believe that heaven or the other side is full of adventure, full of amazing, tremendous things.
From near death experience reports, many tell that they go through some sort of tunnel and then they see light. They are welcomed by family members whom have passed away before them. Many accounts tell that the other side is very real, that it is actually more real than this place on earth. That the colors are so bright, luminous, and hard to describe. Some told of a life review, in which you experience a review of all that you have done while here on earth. Some say they reviewed with God and some say they reviewed themselves and judged themselves. I have also heard accounts of those who refused to believe in God and refused to live a righteous, moral life. Their accounts are horrifying, some totally separated from God and any one else in darkness. I guess that would make sense. If one is without "light" and is "dark" (negative), then how can one be light on the other side? Yet, I have heard that some have had these experiences and allowed a chance to rectify and be revived, to come back alive and change their life.
I recall a story that Peter Jennings, the journalist/Television personality did several years ago before he passed away. The story was about a little three year old boy who would tell his parents how he was a pilot and described the air plane and aircraft carrier to them. A fascinating story about reincarnation. The parents said that there was no way that there little three year old was exposed to this military kind of information, yet this boy described what these things were. One interesting point is that in an interview of this boy when he got older, he recounted how he chose his parents to be reincarnated to. He also stated that he had watched (in spirit) his parents "make love" and he knew that these were the parents he wanted to have. What? He watched? Well, in the Buddhist religion, this is what they believe...is that in choosing your soon to be parents, you watch them create you. Interesting but ewww. However, when we are in spirit on the other side, things like this are looked upon differently. Not at all disgusting.
Is reincarnation real? I don't know. I have no proof. In Judaism, it doesn't matter if one believes in reincarnation or not, the point is to live here on earth the best that you can. Also in Judaism there is what is called tikkun. It means repair. Part of the human task in living on this earth is to repair as individuals and to repair as a whole human species. To connect to God, to live a moral life, and to practice acts of kindness.
Atheists will tell you that they do not believe in God. They say there is no proof. But, I have a suspicion that
deep inside they do wonder about God but refuse to acknowledge God because they don't want anything to do with religion or obedience to God. I also would have to guess that most atheists believe in something.
They believe in science or humanity (man).
I think about the movie, Contact, starring Jodi Foster and was written by Carl Sagan. Carl Sagan was an intelligent scientist (cosmologist and astronomer) who did not believe in God. But, he, as many other atheists, believed in something. Even that shows through in the movie. I have to wonder where Carl Sagan is right now, he passed away in 1996.
The saddest thing is that when people have denounced their belief in God because of tragedy. None of us truly know why some bad things happen, but they do. It's hard to lean on God when one is suffering terribly.
Christianity beliefs on the here after is about going to heaven, staying in heaven for eternity and if one is not a believer in Jesus, their messiah, then one goes to hell. I am assuming that is a hell with everlasting fire.
Judaism has differences of opinions. There is no set standard belief in Judaism about the after life. The after life was not really talked about much thousands of years ago in the Israelite community or in the Torah.
It was only when the Christians came on the scene and talked about these matters did the Jews start to question their Rabbis about the after life. The Christians believed in the here after and being rewarded. The Jews, too, wanted to believe in something greater to come.
In the Torah, there are places that tell us that so and so went to be with his own. Meaning, when so and so passed away, they went to join their ancestors. There is an account of Saul contacting a medium to summon the dead in 1 Samuel 28. This is forbidden to do according to the Torah. If it was forbidden, then there must be some truth to being able to do that.
Sheol is mentioned in the Tanach/Bible. Sheol is a place where souls are cut off from God, it is darkness, the grave. This very might well be the place or realm that some near deathers experienced who were cut off from God and light.
Some people believe that there are no such bad places. That even Hitler and the likes will not experience punishment. They simply reincarnate to another life that teaches what they must be taught and experience.
The eastern traditions such as Buddhism calls this karma. In the west, some call it, "what goes around, comes around". In Judaism it is called "measure for measure", whether regarding here on earth or in another life time.
That would also be a belief held by new agers.
In Jewish Kabbalah there are many "levels" of the soul. The animal soul and the human foundation soul is called the nefesh soul. It deals with this earthly realm and humans and animals have this level of soul. Then the next part of the soul is the ruach. This means spirit. Next is neshama which is breath or breath of life. Then there are two last parts and they are chaya (living one) and yechida (singular one).
Not many people obtain the levels of the last three levels of the soul here on earth. It takes practice, obedience to God, and good deeds. The last level is impossible to obtain. In Kabbalah it is taught that we have a higher self, some call it our guardian angel, who is actually us. The higher us on the other side who guides ourselves through life on earth. Some call this connection getting to know your higher self.
When I think about Genesis and God breathed into Adam, he breathed in the spirit into Adam.
Adam was spirit on the other side before he was made flesh. When God clothed Adam in skin, that meant he clothed Adam in human flesh/skin and Adam became a human on this earthly plane.
Adam became a human with a nefesh soul AND a ruach soul. Higher than an animal who only has a nefesh soul.
If we have a soul consciousness and it is energy, then energy has to go somewhere. It just doesn't evaporate and disappear for ever.
Many Christians do not realize this but Christianity long ago did believe in reincarnation as did and do some Jews.
http://knol.google.com/k/the-reason-why-christians-don-t-believe-in-reincarnation#
I like the saying by Teilhard de Chardin, "we are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience".
Reincarnate boy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWCUjx4nI98
Judaism 101: The World to Come (Olam Ha Ba):
http://www.jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm
Chabad: The Soul and the After Life:
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/361897/jewish/The-Soul-and-the-Afterlife.htm
Who doesn't wonder where we go, where our souls go after our body expires? I have heard some say that we go live in heaven for eternity. Well, what do we do for eternity? That sure is a long time! Do we play harps and sing songs? I for one do not believe that nonsense. I personally believe that our souls are consciousness and energy. I also believe that heaven or the other side is full of adventure, full of amazing, tremendous things.
From near death experience reports, many tell that they go through some sort of tunnel and then they see light. They are welcomed by family members whom have passed away before them. Many accounts tell that the other side is very real, that it is actually more real than this place on earth. That the colors are so bright, luminous, and hard to describe. Some told of a life review, in which you experience a review of all that you have done while here on earth. Some say they reviewed with God and some say they reviewed themselves and judged themselves. I have also heard accounts of those who refused to believe in God and refused to live a righteous, moral life. Their accounts are horrifying, some totally separated from God and any one else in darkness. I guess that would make sense. If one is without "light" and is "dark" (negative), then how can one be light on the other side? Yet, I have heard that some have had these experiences and allowed a chance to rectify and be revived, to come back alive and change their life.
I recall a story that Peter Jennings, the journalist/Television personality did several years ago before he passed away. The story was about a little three year old boy who would tell his parents how he was a pilot and described the air plane and aircraft carrier to them. A fascinating story about reincarnation. The parents said that there was no way that there little three year old was exposed to this military kind of information, yet this boy described what these things were. One interesting point is that in an interview of this boy when he got older, he recounted how he chose his parents to be reincarnated to. He also stated that he had watched (in spirit) his parents "make love" and he knew that these were the parents he wanted to have. What? He watched? Well, in the Buddhist religion, this is what they believe...is that in choosing your soon to be parents, you watch them create you. Interesting but ewww. However, when we are in spirit on the other side, things like this are looked upon differently. Not at all disgusting.
Is reincarnation real? I don't know. I have no proof. In Judaism, it doesn't matter if one believes in reincarnation or not, the point is to live here on earth the best that you can. Also in Judaism there is what is called tikkun. It means repair. Part of the human task in living on this earth is to repair as individuals and to repair as a whole human species. To connect to God, to live a moral life, and to practice acts of kindness.
Atheists will tell you that they do not believe in God. They say there is no proof. But, I have a suspicion that
deep inside they do wonder about God but refuse to acknowledge God because they don't want anything to do with religion or obedience to God. I also would have to guess that most atheists believe in something.
They believe in science or humanity (man).
I think about the movie, Contact, starring Jodi Foster and was written by Carl Sagan. Carl Sagan was an intelligent scientist (cosmologist and astronomer) who did not believe in God. But, he, as many other atheists, believed in something. Even that shows through in the movie. I have to wonder where Carl Sagan is right now, he passed away in 1996.
The saddest thing is that when people have denounced their belief in God because of tragedy. None of us truly know why some bad things happen, but they do. It's hard to lean on God when one is suffering terribly.
Christianity beliefs on the here after is about going to heaven, staying in heaven for eternity and if one is not a believer in Jesus, their messiah, then one goes to hell. I am assuming that is a hell with everlasting fire.
Judaism has differences of opinions. There is no set standard belief in Judaism about the after life. The after life was not really talked about much thousands of years ago in the Israelite community or in the Torah.
It was only when the Christians came on the scene and talked about these matters did the Jews start to question their Rabbis about the after life. The Christians believed in the here after and being rewarded. The Jews, too, wanted to believe in something greater to come.
In the Torah, there are places that tell us that so and so went to be with his own. Meaning, when so and so passed away, they went to join their ancestors. There is an account of Saul contacting a medium to summon the dead in 1 Samuel 28. This is forbidden to do according to the Torah. If it was forbidden, then there must be some truth to being able to do that.
Sheol is mentioned in the Tanach/Bible. Sheol is a place where souls are cut off from God, it is darkness, the grave. This very might well be the place or realm that some near deathers experienced who were cut off from God and light.
Some people believe that there are no such bad places. That even Hitler and the likes will not experience punishment. They simply reincarnate to another life that teaches what they must be taught and experience.
The eastern traditions such as Buddhism calls this karma. In the west, some call it, "what goes around, comes around". In Judaism it is called "measure for measure", whether regarding here on earth or in another life time.
That would also be a belief held by new agers.
In Jewish Kabbalah there are many "levels" of the soul. The animal soul and the human foundation soul is called the nefesh soul. It deals with this earthly realm and humans and animals have this level of soul. Then the next part of the soul is the ruach. This means spirit. Next is neshama which is breath or breath of life. Then there are two last parts and they are chaya (living one) and yechida (singular one).
Not many people obtain the levels of the last three levels of the soul here on earth. It takes practice, obedience to God, and good deeds. The last level is impossible to obtain. In Kabbalah it is taught that we have a higher self, some call it our guardian angel, who is actually us. The higher us on the other side who guides ourselves through life on earth. Some call this connection getting to know your higher self.
When I think about Genesis and God breathed into Adam, he breathed in the spirit into Adam.
Adam was spirit on the other side before he was made flesh. When God clothed Adam in skin, that meant he clothed Adam in human flesh/skin and Adam became a human on this earthly plane.
Adam became a human with a nefesh soul AND a ruach soul. Higher than an animal who only has a nefesh soul.
If we have a soul consciousness and it is energy, then energy has to go somewhere. It just doesn't evaporate and disappear for ever.
Many Christians do not realize this but Christianity long ago did believe in reincarnation as did and do some Jews.
http://knol.google.com/k/the-reason-why-christians-don-t-believe-in-reincarnation#
I like the saying by Teilhard de Chardin, "we are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience".
Reincarnate boy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWCUjx4nI98
Judaism 101: The World to Come (Olam Ha Ba):
http://www.jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm
Chabad: The Soul and the After Life:
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/361897/jewish/The-Soul-and-the-Afterlife.htm
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