Many questions are asked and never answered here, for many of the answers are based in people's own imaginations.
Reincarnation. There are those who believe in it based on faith alone, for no one can determine if they have been here before, right?
Since no one can determine past lives, how would one proceed on the right path the next time around? Your spiritual body that you had in heaven before you arrived here in the flesh is perfect. It doesn't age, it doesn't lose its hair (if we have hair - perhaps it resembles fiber optics with different colors of light being emitted from the ends).........ah, it doesn't have aches and pains or mental illness, or deformities, or any sort of debilitation.
So why on earth would anyone choose to come back and take a chance on occupying a body that was damaged goods?
To believe in reincarnation, one would have to dismiss the the bible and what it has to say as far as it is given that man passes through the flesh but once.
If one passed through the flesh many times until a so-called perfection is established, who then, determines it?
The generations of Heaven and Earth were finished on the sixth day.........but we do not know just how far back in time that was.
Before we ever got here, there was a previous earth age and the earth was populated then - that age and every thing on the earth was destroyed, which ended Lucifer's plan for taking over.....the great Kebow, or overthrow, that is what is known as the "foundation" of the world.
The Elohim were with the father before the earth was even framed and a third of them were swayed over to Lucifer's side before the war in heaven.
Now, if we are perfect in our creation and definately demonstated much more brain power than we have here in the flesh, since we were with the Father and witnessed many creations, how then, could one ever hope to get straightened out by living multiple lives in the flesh in this age, which is under Satan's control, through his children at present?
The names of each and every one of the Elohim were written in the Lambs Book of Life BEFORE the overthrow. We are here but once, to choose who we will follow, born innocent with all previous memories of what we witnessed with the Father erased from our spirit (the intellect of the soul) and we live and experience life through the glass darkly and the only thing that pierces that glass is the light of Christ, for He chose us, we did not choose Him.
If your name is written, you are going back from whence you came............but only once.

Orionsbelt 77

Jesus was a mortal when He told us that He is the Alfa and the Omega; that except through Him we will not see heaven. When Christ said these words, he was a human being, the Son of God, not God Himself

Whenever Jesus said, “I Am”, (“I Am the True Vine”, “I Am the Gate”, “I Am the resurrection and the life”, “I Am the way, the truth, and the life” etc.), it was God - the “I AM”, or Christ within – speaking such words. Christ was God incarnate, who came to earth for a special purpose.

But Jesus himself said "narrow is the way that leads to eternal life”

It’s a question of interpretation, KFC. In my view, the path is narrow in comparison with the wide and varied paths of the world, the flesh and the devil. You interpret “false gods and idols” differently to me. Look around the world and see if you can spot the real false gods and idols. It doesn't necessarily refer to other religions.

He also said it's only thru him can we get there.

Yes. That’s because Christ is God.

how can you say they can worship him if they don't recognize him?

If a person prays to God in the spirit of humility and goodness - whether they are a Muslim, a Hindu, or whether they are a Buddhist in outer-Mongolia who has never heard the name Jesus – I believe they in touch with the Spirit of Christ, whether they recognise Him as Jesus or not. It's all the same Spirit, seen only from a different perspective and cultural context.

It’s the ‘Jesus principle’, KFC, not unlike “Whatever you did unto one of the last you did unto Me ( whether you recognised it was Me or not).”

I once saw an interview with Mother Teresa, who was standing amongst hundreds of homeless and desolate people. She said, “When I look at each of these people, I see Jesus. And I treat each one as I would treat Jesus.”

It’s the same principle, just on another level.

How does that fit with Islam (for instance) that do not believe God came in the flesh in the person of Jesus.

I’ve discussed this before, KFC. It’s all about jigsaw pieces. The key jigsaw piece, regarding the true nature of Jesus, can be found in the Bible. Islam is not centred primarily around Jesus. Remember the Qu’ran holds many key jigsaw pieces, which Christians can use to gain a fuller picture of Biblical revelations. The story of Adam and Eve is just one example.

I look, as an example, of the Pharisees. They worshipped God, but shunned Christ who was God in the flesh. how does that fit into the picture? … So I'd have to think going by his words he means we need to recognize him in doing so.

Many Christians I know are caught up in religious rules, dogma and stifling regulations, and act without wisdom or good spirit - with greed, tyranny or intolerance. Many Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims, however, lead a good spiritual life, and act with compassion, goodness, humility and wisdom. I know that the latter are more in touch with the Living Christ than the former. (To understand how all religions can be in touch with the same God, consider the analogy about the Solar System that I described the other week. This also makes sense of the jigsaw pieces.)

Reincarnation. There are those who believe in it based on faith alone, for no one can determine if they have been here before, right?

Not faith alone, but also intuition and spiritual awareness. This increases and expands as one grows spiritually, which in turn continues over many lifetimes. (There are many other avenues that can demonstrate reincarnation, incidentally – hypnotic regression for example. See the book ‘Journey of Souls’, by Michael Newton. Such testimonies have been affirmed by historical records.)

More and more people are awakening to the Truth. I was reading an article just the other day, in which a young child had said to her parents, out of the blue: “I’m glad I chose you as my mommy and daddy.” Deep down, our soul already knows the Truth, and it’s only a matter of time before the Truth rises to the top, in the popular mind. This is natural and to be expected in light of the laws of spiritual growth.

Since no one can determine past lives, how would one proceed on the right path the next time around?

Again, intuition. For example, some people have an ineffable sense - or inner-wisdom – which leads them to steer clear of certain character attributes in a partner - maybe possessiveness, or high flyers, or control freaks, etc. - because they have already ‘been there an done it’ and have learned the lessons they were meant to learn. Not in this life? Then in another, for sure. See my article on Marriage, for more details.
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Your spiritual body that you had in heaven before you arrived here in the flesh is perfect. It doesn't age, it doesn't lose its hair (if we have hair - perhaps it resembles fiber optics with different colors of light being emitted from the ends).........ah, it doesn't have aches and pains or mental illness, or deformities, or any sort of debilitation. So why on earth would anyone choose to come back and take a chance on occupying a body that was damaged goods?

... because it builds up spiritual muscle and provides more wisdom. If everything was smooth, harmonious and challenge-free, as it is in Heaven, then there would be no opportunity for our soul faculties to develop properly, i.e. spiritual growth and learning. A hearty challenge - like a life in a disabled body - can actually be very good for the soul, whether their earthly brain-minds are aware of it or not. The greater the physical challenge, the greater potential for spiritual advancement. (Remember, Adam and Eve freely chose to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. God had no choice other than to boot them out of Paradise to do exactly that.)

The generations of Heaven and Earth were finished on the sixth day

You’re interpreting the Genesis Creation Account literally, which doesn’t make any sense. Contradictions arise. For example, Chapter 2:5-7 says that God created man before any kind of plants or vegetation existed, which contradicts Genesis 1.11/26, which states that mankind was created after the plants and vegetation had been put on earth.

Clearly, the Genesis Creation account was never meant to be interpreted literally, (unless we want to be illogical, or turn a blind eye to reality.)

6,000 years ago was the agricultural age, not the beginning of the universe.

He chose us, we did not choose Him.

I agree. Yet according to the fundamentalist model of the world, all those who God doesn’t choose – i.e. all non-Christians, or all non-Muslims if we were born into a Muslim household – will be punished and tormented in hellfire forever. God is therefore far worse than Hitler, for sure, as He creates millions of chosen souls specifically to burn and suffer eternally in hell. I do not believe that this fundamentalist model of the world is correctly aligned with ‘What Is So’. Common-sense wisdom will affirm this, if we so seek it.

Reincarnation. There are those who believe in it based on faith alone, for no one can determine if they have been here before, right?

Not faith alone, but also intuition and spiritual awareness. This increases and expands as one grows spiritually, which in turn continues over many lifetimes. (There are many other avenues that can demonstrate reincarnation, incidentally – hypnotic regression for example. See the book ‘Journey of Souls’, by Michael Newton. Such testimonies have been affirmed by historical records.)

More and more people are awakening to the Truth. I was reading an article just the other day, in which a young child had said to her parents, out of the blue: “I’m glad I chose you as my mommy and daddy.” Deep down, our soul already knows the Truth, and it’s only a matter of time before the Truth rises to the top, in the popular mind. This is natural and to be expected in light of the laws of spiritual growth.

Since no one can determine past lives, how would one proceed on the right path the next time around?

Again, intuition. For example, some people have an ineffable sense - or inner-wisdom – which leads them to steer clear of certain character attributes in a partner - maybe possessiveness, or high flyers, or control freaks, etc. - because they have already ‘been there an done it’ and have learned the lessons they were meant to learn. Not in this life? Then in another, for sure. See my article on Marriage, for more details.
WWW Link

Your spiritual body that you had in heaven before you arrived here in the flesh is perfect. It doesn't age, it doesn't lose its hair (if we have hair - perhaps it resembles fiber optics with different colors of light being emitted from the ends).........ah, it doesn't have aches and pains or mental illness, or deformities, or any sort of debilitation. So why on earth would anyone choose to come back and take a chance on occupying a body that was damaged goods?

... because it builds up spiritual muscle and provides more wisdom. If everything was smooth, harmonious and challenge-free, as it is in Heaven, then there would be no opportunity for our soul faculties to develop properly, i.e. spiritual growth and learning. A hearty challenge - like a life in a disabled body - can actually be very good for the soul, whether their earthly brain-minds are aware of it or not. The greater the physical challenge, the greater potential for spiritual advancement. (Remember, Adam and Eve freely chose to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. God had no choice other than to boot them out of Paradise to do exactly that.)

The generations of Heaven and Earth were finished on the sixth day

You’re interpreting the Genesis Creation Account literally, which doesn’t make any sense. Contradictions arise. For example, Chapter 2:5-7 says that God created man before any kind of plants or vegetation existed, which contradicts Genesis 1.11/26, which states that mankind was created after the plants and vegetation had been put on earth.

Clearly, the Genesis Creation account was never meant to be interpreted literally, (unless we want to be illogical, or turn a blind eye to reality.)

6,000 years ago was the agricultural age, not the beginning of the universe.

He chose us, we did not choose Him.

I agree. Yet according to the fundamentalist model of the world, all those who God doesn’t choose – i.e. all non-Christians, or all non-Muslims if we were born into a Muslim household – will be punished and tormented in hellfire forever. God is therefore far worse than Hitler, for sure, as He creates millions of chosen souls specifically to burn and suffer eternally in hell. I do not believe that this fundamentalist model of the world is correctly aligned with ‘What Is So’. Common-sense wisdom will affirm this, if we so seek it.

...

You’re interpreting the Genesis Creation Account literally, which doesn’t make any sense. Contradictions arise. For example, Chapter 2:5-7 says that God created man before any kind of plants or vegetation existed, which contradicts Genesis 1.11/26, which states that mankind was created after the plants and vegetation had been put on earth. Clearly, the Genesis Creation account was never meant to be interpreted literally, (unless we want to be illogical, or turn a blind eye to reality.)

Well I do too and I also believe it's meant to be taken literally. There are no contradictions in scripture. If we don't understand something, the fault lies with our faulty reasoning skills, not the scriptures. Believe me, I've looked at each and every "so called" contradiction and there's only one place where there's a scribal error that makes it seem as tho one had occurred.

Try looking at the first couple of chapters of Genesis again. The first chapter is chronological and the second is topical. This is common in scripture. The focus is not chronological but topical with man being that topic. 2:4 is the key verse. Look closely at that verse.

This is a common misconception about this section being contradictory but it's just not the case.

ANDY BAKER

Rubbish, claptrap, hogwash, balderdash, horse hockey, utter nonsense. You document nothing you say from scripture. Christ said go only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Those countries became Christian and still are to this day for they are the lost sheep. All other peoples who have rejected Christ and practice false religions and worship idols and false gods and doctrines are not His Sheep. Christ knows his sheep and calls them by name and they follow him. If one does not have Christ, neither do they have the Father.
No one is going to burn in "Hell". The only "burning" that takes place is that of the Lake of Fire, which is not hell. Those that are cast into the lake of fire, do not literally burn as with flame, but their complete destruction is assured and that will be the only eternal part, for the lake of fire is only temporary.
You do err in not knowing the scriptures, and you have thrown all eastern and mystic, as well as occult themes into a blender as some sort of universal religion.
By the way, Hitler was heavily into the occult. He was not a Christian.
This stuff you believe in is right out of Satan's playbook...One world, One religion, One people nonsense, that he uses to his advantage when he arrives in grand fashion as anti-christ - Satan will be all things to all people at one and the same time.
We are specifically instructed not to emulate the heathen by marking , or piercing our skin, shaving our heads, practicising idol worship or making human sacrifices or drinking blood or chanting , or casting chicken bones, or worshipping the dead, seeking counsel from wizards, necromancers, mediums and on and on.........all the things you wish to include in your one big happy family of God dream.
Try as you will, but you will never get that square peg into the round hole.
You have swallowed the camel whole, but are choking on the gnat........perhaps a little wine with that might help.

Orionsbelt 77

What are your feelings/understanding of the Hall of Souls and the hypothesis that Christ canot return until all the souls in the Hall are claimed as human beings?

Rubbish, claptrap, hogwash, balderdash, horse hockey, utter nonsense.

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I admire your views, by the way OriensBelt,

It's meant to be taken literally. . . . Try looking at the first couple of chapters of Genesis again. The first chapter is chronological and the second is topical. This is common in scripture. The focus is not chronological but topical with man being that topic. 2:4 is the key verse. Look closely at that verse. This is a common misconception about this section being contradictory but it's just not the case.

That’s subjective, KFC, and a literal interpretation of Genesis is no more or less subjective, valid or demonstrable than the common view that the Genesis Creation account is a metaphorical statement, poetic imagery expressing deep spiritual truths.

In my view, the simple, childlike description of each step of Creation, as depicted in Genesis, goes a long way toward indicating that it’s metaphorical, not scientific. Furthermore, scientific enquiry, which is mankind’s attempt to paint an objective picture of our physical place in the universe, has shown that the universe is far bigger and older than a literal interpretation of Genesis would have us believe. But if we don’t agree with our scientists, or if we conclude that they are misguided, then that’s our prerogative.

The belief that the Bible is an inerrant portrayal of absolute Truth is a subjective view in itself, no more or less subjective, valid or demonstrable that the belief that the Qur’an is an inerrant portrayal of absolute Truth. (If you don’t believe me, then have a chat with a committed Muslim.)

Most Christians believe in it because of their cultural roots, or possibly because of their upbringing, or more probably because it sits well with their own spiritual views. But because of the human condition, such views and beliefs are necessarily subjective. It follows that some people’s views will be more aligned with ‘What Is So’ than others. We’ll all get to see Objective Truth after death, but in the meantime, when the rubber meets the road all we have to go on is our inner-compass, (i.e. our spiritual awareness, common sense, and intelligence), which can be inspired by God.

The belief that Absolute Truth can be found in front of us in black and white, like in a Bible, is the seeker’s search for security. In my view, to adhere tightly to the Bible is not unlike a child relying on inflatable arm-bands when learning to swim.

I believe that the reason why people have different points of view and different beliefs, regarding these larger questions of life, is because we’re all at different stages of the path, and at different levels of spiritual growth. A ‘chord will strike’ in our conscious minds when we hear certain views that are aligned with Truth, depending on how ready we are. (For example, read the following Amazon reviews for the following books, and see how the books either strike chords with the reader’s hearts, who give 5 star reviews, or are incoherent and unacceptable, 1 star reviews.

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At the end of the day, the Holy Spirit is in the business of bringing inner peace to people’s hearts, and as long as we’re at peace with our beliefs, that’s what really counts.

What are your feelings/understanding of the Hall of Souls and the hypothesis that Christ canot return until all the souls in the Hall are claimed as human beings?

seems like Xythe would like to wrap up some unfinished business?

What are your feelings/understanding of the Hall of Souls and the hypothesis that Christ canot return until all the souls in the Hall are claimed as human beings?

well I know scripture speaks that he'll come back after the "fullness of the gentiles" is complete, maybe in some odd way there's a connection? But more important is the fact that his second coming is tied in more with the Jew's repentence even saying so himself....

"Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." Matt 23:39.[/B]

The very next verse says "Jesus departed the temple." Basically meaning God has left the building not to return to it.

Just earlier he called it "my house" as in "you have made my house a den of thieves" in chap 21. Basically he's saying, he's leaving not to return until they (Jews) repent and recognize him. This is all tied in with Yom Kippur which is a very solomn day for the Jews and a day they spend in repentence for the previous year's sins.

So I'm saying it's not so much souls being claimed as humans so much as it is souls being saved here on earth. Somehow God has a number or day in mind when he shuts the door and says, "it's time to turn back to the Jews now."

[B]"Seek the Lord, while he may be found, call on him while he is near." Isa 55:6

So I'm saying it's not so much souls being claimed as humans so much as it is souls being saved here on earth. Somehow God has a number or day in mind when he shuts the door and says, "it's time to turn back to the Jews now."

Nice