jennefer harper

"When a person tells a child "You chose to be with
me," how does she
explain
the knowledge or theory of that? I've heard the
theory before, but
what it's
really based on in history or science or experience I
haven't heard.

Do you just say "But, in my heart I know"?

Sandra"

Sounds like how Steiner views Karma and Reincarnation.
He seems to pull alot from other beliefs to create
his own religion/philosophy. As a scientist, I don't
know if Steiner does 'base' it in anything.

Sheila's reference to Illusions is interesting.

Any other pointers to Karma and/or Reincarnation
theories and their origins?

-Jennefer




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Julie Bogart

I totally don't get the idea: "You chose your parents," even though I was taught that
viewpoint in my teens.

It's much better to say: You were born to these parents. Now you have to choose how to
live with them given who they are.

By making someone feel responsible over something she didn't experience, she feels
crazy.

I don't see how telling me I chose the situation empowers me. In fact, for me, that
viewpoint served (at the time) to make me feel powerless - like I was bad at choosing
when I should have been more aware... Like I said, crazy.

Julie B

--- In [email protected], jennefer harper <jenneferh2000@y...>
wrote:
> "When a person tells a child "You chose to be with
> me," how does she
> explain
> the knowledge or theory of that? I've heard the
> theory before, but
> what it's
> really based on in history or science or experience I
> haven't heard.
>
> Do you just say "But, in my heart I know"?
>
> Sandra"
>
> Sounds like how Steiner views Karma and Reincarnation.
> He seems to pull alot from other beliefs to create
> his own religion/philosophy. As a scientist, I don't
> know if Steiner does 'base' it in anything.
>
> Sheila's reference to Illusions is interesting.
>
> Any other pointers to Karma and/or Reincarnation
> theories and their origins?
>
> -Jennefer
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers!
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/10/04 12:58:45 PM, jenneferh2000@... writes:

<< Any other pointers to Karma and/or Reincarnation
theories and their origins? >>

I'm not asking about karma. That's established in Hinduism, a religion quite
older than Christianity.

I'm not asking about reincarnation. That belief is old and documented.

I'm asking about the more recent, seemingly American new-age idea that a soul
chooses its next life. I don't think that idea could even exist without
the idea of catalogs or parts lists. And why would a soul be able to see into
the future? (not by any of the Hindu or Buddhist writings I've ever read)

I know that in the not-so-respected area of past-life regression and fortune
tellers who will speak to you of your past lives, they like to tell couples
that they knew each other in another life. But that has no basis outside of a
slim faith in someone you just paid $20 to tell your fortune, or $60 to
hypnotize you and see if you remember being burned at the stake or being king of
England or anything else you might've seen in a movie.

I'm asking whether there's any valid basis for a belief that a child has
chosen his own life, knowing what that life would be like.

Sandra

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/10/04 1:17:04 PM, julie@... writes:

<< I totally don't get the idea: "You chose your parents," even though I was
taught that

viewpoint in my teens. >>

Taught where by whom based on what? That's what I'm after.

If it's really based on a Richard Bach book, I'll be surprised and
disappointed. I really like Illusions. Read it as a teen, and bought another copy a
few years back and read it a couple of times in succession. But it's fiction.
If people are basing religious belief on that, I'd put that in the same
category as those who make a religion out of Star Wars or other sci-fi worlds and
philosophies. I don't mind when that affects their morality or behaviors,
but to pass it on to children as an objective truth doesn't seem right to me.

Then again, if a mom doesn't know where the idea came from and passes it on
as truth, that seems problematical to me too.

Sandra

Julie Bogart

--- In [email protected], SandraDodd@a... wrote:
>
> In a message dated 8/10/04 1:17:04 PM, julie@b... writes:
>
> << I totally don't get the idea: "You chose your parents," even though I was
> taught that
>
> viewpoint in my teens. >>
>
> Taught where by whom based on what? That's what I'm after.

I was in est (Erhard Seminars Training) started by the notorious Werner Erhard. He
synthesized eastern mysticism with new age gobble-dy gook to create his own version of
what is real. I concur with your assessment that the view of "choosing one's parents" is an
outgrowth of the new age movement as over and against ancient eastern religion.
Scientology is another system that espouses this viewpoint.

The idea of "hyper-responsiblity" was taken further to say that we were each responsible
for "creating" WWII (even though not yet born)... [insert Twilight Zone music here]

Yes, I grew up in southern California. <bg>

Julie B

Kristina Kahney

SandraDodd@... wrote:

>I'm asking whether there's any valid basis for a belief that a >child has chosen his own life, knowing what that life would be >like.

I guess it depends on what your definition of "valid" is. For me, any religious or spiritual ideas are just ideas of people. It's not like any of us here on earth has written proof or documentation of what happens after we die, or before we come into this world. Even the major religions are based on theory and philosophy and writings of people that lived very, very long ago. I don't consider this any more or less valid than people who write about these issues today.

Don't you just read things/ideas sometimes and they just totally RESONATE with you? You just *know* that this idea feels right to you and you gravitate more and more to it? I guess this is how I came into my beliefs about spirituality. I keep reading more and more and it keeps feeling more and more *right* to me. Hard proof, scientific evidence....nah. But, I don't need it here. What is valid to me may or may not be valid to you.

Some authors that might give you more insight (only a couple I can think of off the top of my head):

*Neal Donald Walsch, his "Conversation with God" books (he has a great children's book called "Little Soul and the Sun" that is about exactly this idea of children choosing their life circumstances before they enter, good or bad. I'm sure you can look at it at your local bookstore or Amazon)
*Dr Brenda Davies, "Journey of the Soul"
*Anything by Depak Chopra

Kristina


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/11/2004 4:42:28 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
kkahney@... writes:

(he has a great children's book called "Little Soul and the Sun" that is
about exactly this idea of children choosing their life circumstances before
they enter, good or bad.<<<<<

There's a CHILDREN'S book????

Now, see, THAT's bad. Sure---adults who want to believe that their children
chose them is fine. But to put all that on a CHILD? I don't think that's good.

~Kelly


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Aimee

<<Any other pointers to Karma and/or Reincarnation
theories and their origins?

-Jennefer>>

Every read Jane Roberts? I especially liked her
Oversoul Seven trilogy, which is fiction.

Her others could be seen as fiction too, tho, lol, as
she is channelling. Even if you don't believe she is,
indeed, chanelling a spirit, she has some very
interesting theories, and it's couched in her search
to understand the info she is receiving, which is also
very thought provoking.

~Aimee

pam sorooshian

On Aug 11, 2004, at 4:46 AM, kbcdlovejo@... wrote:

> (he has a great children's book called "Little Soul and the Sun" that
> is
> about exactly this idea of children choosing their life circumstances
> before
> they enter, good or bad.<<<<<
>

It is? Seems to me it is not at ALL about choosing life circumstances
before being born. I missed that point entirely, if it is.

I thought it was about understanding a bit about how bad things
happening around and to you can help you understand yourself - your
"true self" better.

And about each of us having "the divine" within us.

-pam

> There's a CHILDREN'S book????
>
> Now, see, THAT's bad. Sure---adults who want to believe that their
> children
> chose them is fine. But to put all that on a CHILD? I don't think
> that's good.
>
National Home Education Network
<www.NHEN.org>
Serving the entire homeschooling community since 1999
through information, networking and public relations.

Kristina Kahney

pam sorooshian <pamsoroosh@...> wrote:

>>It is? Seems to me it is not at ALL about choosing life circumstances
before being born. I missed that point entirely, if it is.>>

Pam,
Good point, I should not have used that term "all". It isn't "all" about that, but to me it is about this in part. The Little Soul, in the book, chooses to learn the lesson of "forgiveness" in his next life, and arranges this with another soul before coming into this world. This, to me, is about people/children choosing life lessons to be learned before entering this realm.

Kristina


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Deb Lewis

***This, to me, is about people/children choosing life lessons to be
learned before entering this realm.***

We already know what abused kids learn. They learn to be abusers.

Abused kids grow up to hurt or kill their own partners and kids. We
don't need spiritual theories to tell us that. We can check the local
prisons.

I'm more concerned with now. I believe what a child can learn today from
someone who walks up to his mom and says "stop hitting him" is greater
and has much more potential to offer hope and positive change within that
child *in this lifetime* that I will not wait around and hope he's
learning how to do better in the next one.

I'm an atheist. All spiritual ideas sound silly to me. If I lived
before and if I was mean to kids in another life I hope there was someone
there who told me to knock it off. I can't guess what god or some other
higher being or power would do but if he/she/it didn't think telling some
asshole to quit hitting their kids was more valuable then thinking the
poor kid was getting what he wanted and needed, then I'd think twice
about there being any goodness in that god/higher being/power.

I think we get one chance. I think it's worth a lot of self examination
and thinking and change and growth to get it right with the kids we have
right now, today. If I'm wrong I haven't lost anything by being good to
my kid in this lifetime, by standing up for the neighbor kid when his mom
is wailing on him in this lifetime, or by reminding people that if
*they're* wrong and if this lifetime is all there is, it would be better
to remember we don't have an infinite amount of time in which to get it
right.

Deb

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/11/04 12:24:23 PM, ddzimlew@... writes:

<< I think we get one chance. I think it's worth a lot of self examination
and thinking and change and growth to get it right with the kids we have
right now, today. If I'm wrong I haven't lost anything by being good to
my kid in this lifetime, by standing up for the neighbor kid when his mom
is wailing on him in this lifetime, or by reminding people that if
*they're* wrong and if this lifetime is all there is, it would be better
to remember we don't have an infinite amount of time in which to get it
right. >>

I agree.
If there's reincarnation, living a good life is plus points for that.
If there's only one life, living a good life is plus points for that.
If Christians are right and God has set up an obstacle course and a test to
see who fails and burns and who lives forever, and if living a good life is not
plus points for that, then God is a total sadistic doofus unworthy of any
worship whatsoever.

http://sandradodd.com/theology

(NOT a new page at all, and the missing images were lambs, like little
Christian sacrificial lamb art I haven't gotten around to replacing, after the free
Christian link-here site went away)

Sandra

Kelly Muzyczka

>I think we get one chance. I think it's worth a lot of self examination
>and thinking and change and growth to get it right with the kids we have
>right now, today. If I'm wrong I haven't lost anything by being good to
>my kid in this lifetime, by standing up for the neighbor kid when his mom
>is wailing on him in this lifetime, or by reminding people that if
>*they're* wrong and if this lifetime is all there is, it would be better
>to remember we don't have an infinite amount of time in which to get it
>right.
>
>Deb

It's funny. I'm a pagan, with a limited sort of belief in the "next life"
or "other lives." Still, I totally agree that it's what we do in this
life--for it's value IN THIS LIFE that matters. If you do it with an eye
on the next life, or even the last life, it loses value.

Kelly

Beth

***We already know what abused kids learn. They learn to be abusers.***

Not always. I'm not sure whether you meant to generalize, but my husband
and his brother are examples of abused children who are not abusers
themselves. They both recall the frequent beatings and humiliation they
endured solidifying their resolve never to treat their own children that
way.

***Abused kids grow up to hurt or kill their own partners and kids.***

Some do. In 17 years, my husband has never so much as raised his voice to
me, let alone considered hitting me or the children or harming us in any
manner. He may be an exception to the rule, but I feel it's unfair to pin
the label of 'future abuser or murderer' on a child who has no control over
what is happening to him.

***I'm more concerned with now. I believe what a child can learn today from
someone who walks up to his mom and says "stop hitting him" is greater
and has much more potential to offer hope and positive change within that
child *in this lifetime* that I will not wait around and hope he's
learning how to do better in the next one.***

I couldn't agree more. When my husband and I started dating, he went to
church with my family one Sunday. He ended up running into his third grade
teacher and talking to her for quite a while. She stood and cried with him
over the fact that she didn't do more to intervene in what she recognized as
abuse when he was her student. She told him of going to the principal and
school counselors and being told to mind her own business. Nearly fifteen
years later, she was still carrying the guilt of her inaction. She asked
for his forgiveness.

**If I'm wrong I haven't lost anything by being good to
my kid in this lifetime, by standing up for the neighbor kid when his mom
is wailing on him in this lifetime, or by reminding people that if
*they're* wrong and if this lifetime is all there is, it would be better
to remember we don't have an infinite amount of time in which to get it
right.***

Again, I agree completely.

Beth

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/11/2004 6:42:20 PM Mountain Daylight Time, mina@...
writes:
Still, I totally agree that it's what we do in this
life--for it's value IN THIS LIFE that matters. If you do it with an eye
on the next life, or even the last life, it loses value.
----------

Kelly, what a good point that is.

If something is done for show or reward, its worth diminishes.
Selflessness and generosity don't work as wellwhen the doer is looking over
her shoulder to see who's watching.

Sandra


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

pam sorooshian

Therefore before wishing for our own happiness and welfare and that of
our children, we must do good in secret. To do good in secret means to
act without seeking attention and praise, to act without any hope of
reward. This is called Intoku.

Koichi Tohei, Aikido Master


On Aug 11, 2004, at 8:49 PM, SandraDodd@... wrote:

> If something is done for show or reward, its worth diminishes.
> Selflessness and generosity don't work as wellwhen the doer is looking
> over
> her shoulder to see who's watching.
>
National Home Education Network
<www.NHEN.org>
Serving the entire homeschooling community since 1999
through information, networking and public relations.

Rhonda McDowell

Good for you!! Keep standing up for those who can't defend themselves!
Rhonda

----- Original Message -----
From: "Deb Lewis" <ddzimlew@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 11:21 AM
Subject: Re: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Karma and Reincarnation


> ***This, to me, is about people/children choosing life lessons to be
> learned before entering this realm.***
>
> We already know what abused kids learn. They learn to be abusers.
>
> Abused kids grow up to hurt or kill their own partners and kids. We
> don't need spiritual theories to tell us that. We can check the local
> prisons.
>
> I'm more concerned with now. I believe what a child can learn today from
> someone who walks up to his mom and says "stop hitting him" is greater
> and has much more potential to offer hope and positive change within that
> child *in this lifetime* that I will not wait around and hope he's
> learning how to do better in the next one.
>
> I'm an atheist. All spiritual ideas sound silly to me. If I lived
> before and if I was mean to kids in another life I hope there was someone
> there who told me to knock it off. I can't guess what god or some other
> higher being or power would do but if he/she/it didn't think telling some
> asshole to quit hitting their kids was more valuable then thinking the
> poor kid was getting what he wanted and needed, then I'd think twice
> about there being any goodness in that god/higher being/power.
>
> I think we get one chance. I think it's worth a lot of self examination
> and thinking and change and growth to get it right with the kids we have
> right now, today. If I'm wrong I haven't lost anything by being good to
> my kid in this lifetime, by standing up for the neighbor kid when his mom
> is wailing on him in this lifetime, or by reminding people that if
> *they're* wrong and if this lifetime is all there is, it would be better
> to remember we don't have an infinite amount of time in which to get it
> right.
>
> Deb
>
>
>
> "List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
>
> Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
http://www.unschooling.com
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>

Rhonda McDowell

"Beth" said <saremca@...>

When my husband and I started dating, he went to
> church with my family one Sunday. He ended up running into his third
grade
> teacher and talking to her for quite a while. She stood and cried with
him
> over the fact that she didn't do more to intervene in what she recognized
as
> abuse when he was her student. She told him of going to the principal and
> school counselors and being told to mind her own business. Nearly fifteen
> years later, she was still carrying the guilt of her inaction. She asked
> for his forgiveness.

Twenty three years ago, while I was student-teaching for my special ed
credential in northern California, I stumbled across a tiny second grade
student who had giant welts across her back from being bull-whipped by her
father (she crawled up into my lap to be read to and I could feel them
through her shirt). I still to this day am stunned by the school
administrators reacting like I was a big pain-in-the-a-- for reporting it,
which was required by the law. They subtly implied that I shouldn't have
even been in that classroom even tho I had the teacher's permission and had
been checked thru the office!

Rhonda

Kelly Muzyczka

>If Christians are right and God has set up an obstacle course and a test to
>see who fails and burns and who lives forever, and if living a good life
>is not
>plus points for that, then God is a total sadistic doofus unworthy of any
>worship whatsoever.
>
>Sandra


I had to laugh. I've said just about the same thing, many times.

Kelly