[LCposter]

Thanks for the response. The first reason I believe in reincarnation is that I was exposed to it in my upbringing, and it is a belief shared by many people I care about and whose opinion I respect (including my wife, parents, relatives, etc). But there are some philosophically satisying propositions that result from reincarnation which have strengthened my belief. I'll list a few in no particular order:

1) It can help explain the inequity of the world. When an innocent child dies of starvation or cancer, perhaps it's a karmic consequence of a sin from a previous life. Or maybe that's a fate we all have to suffer in some life, to learn to cope with a seemingly "unfair" death. Indeed, through the cycle of karma and rebirth it is possible to obtain perfect justice (here on earth) if this is an important philosophical objective.

2) To me the purpose of life is not only to know and love God and fellow humanity but to also learn and grow. Each lifetime is but a day in the soul's education. Just as it takes many years for a student to become proficient in his area of study, I believe it takes many lifetimes (and different life experiences - man, woman, rich, poor, etc.) for a soul to become wise and pure enough to rejoin God.

3) It allows for infinite redemption. One is never damned but is forever capable of attaining salvation/nirvana. This seems mandatory for my conception of a benelovent God. Indeed the purpose of reincarnation is really rehabilitative rather than punitive.

4) The ideogoly that results is inclusive. Under this belief system, anyone is capable of obtaining nirvana regardless of religious belief (maybe even lack thereof). I cannot reconcile a fair and benevolent God with an eternal judgment based on a single religious decision, especially when this God presumably has allowed such a multitude of religious options to develop.

5) This model reframes the purpose of life as evolving towards self-actualization and enlightenment, rather than a "test" by God to decide how you are to be judged.

I haven't done too much reading on the subject - I'm sure there are other philosophical appeals to the reincarnation belief but these are some that I've thought about in the past. I didn't mean to make it anti-Christian, but most of these arguments are framed in response or contrast to Christianity because I've had to occasionally defend these beliefs (to them or myself) when someone has tried to directly or indirectly convert me.