Can you believe in certain things without being religious?

[inyourface]

More specifically reincarnation, does it have to be synonymous with religion and believing in God? I ask because of a question I posed on another forum where I got told I couldnt believe in RC because I also claimed I was an atheist.

I happen to consider the two matters seperate and wondered what the general consensus was on 2p2?

[madnak]

They're absolutely separate. Not only can you be an atheist and believe in reincarnation, but there are even religions that don't believe in gods but do believe in reincarnation (some sects of Buddhism are like this).

[boracay]

[ QUOTE ]
More specifically reincarnation, does it have to be synonymous with religion and believing in God? I ask because of a question I posed on another forum where I got told I couldnt believe in RC because I also claimed I was an atheist.

I happen to consider the two matters seperate and wondered what the general consensus was on 2p2?

[/ QUOTE ]

Two different things. Those telling you otherwise were not atheists.

[Splendour]

If you go to wikipedia there's a huge list of variations on reincarnation. Down at the bottom is the scientific research then tons of article links in the footnotes.

[vhawk01]

I guess the better question would be why?

[Splendour]

[ QUOTE ]
I guess the better question would be why?

[/ QUOTE ]

Why wouldn't he want to research as many angles as possible on this. He trying to find something that's not all that common. To locate it might take more indepth research and searching as many avenues as possible. Did you think SMP has the only authoritative answer on this question?

[vhawk01]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I guess the better question would be why?

[/ QUOTE ]

Why wouldn't he want to research as many angles as possible on this. He trying to find something that's not all that common. To locate it might take more indepth research and searching as many avenues as possible. Did you think SMP has the only authoritative answer on this question?

[/ QUOTE ]

Research != believe knowwhatimsayin?

[GaSSPaNiCC]

*sigh* i guess no one is familiar with the reincarnation research done by Dr. Ian Stevenson and is now contuining to be investigated by Dr. Jim Tucker. And concerning atheism, it is a belief ststem, one cannot prove nor disprove the existence of a supernatural realm using the current scientific methodology. I think it is important to remain agnostic and in the true spirit of science, not let our beliefs blind us from what might be the truth. Whether it means God exists or He doesn't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation_research

[oe39]

[ QUOTE ]
If you go to wikipedia there's a huge list of variations on reincarnation. Down at the bottom is the scientific research then tons of article links in the footnotes.

[/ QUOTE ]

scientific research?

[MaxWeiss]

[ QUOTE ]
If you go to wikipedia there's a huge list of variations on reincarnation. Down at the bottom is the scientific research then tons of article links in the footnotes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually by the very definition of "science" I can tell you that you are incorrect without even bothering to click the link.

This is because science must be testable and it is impossible to test is somebody has been re-incarnated without them giving us something like an object which has not yet been discovered or which has been locked in an unopened safe for many hundreds of years (and with proof that it has been unopened). This is the only kind of test which could be used for verification and the logistics of setting it up under controlled conditions are --- well, very difficult.

I have heard of only one account of a supernatural/metaphyscial thing from a rational person that was not entirely subjective or just plain stupid. That was in Michael Crichton's "Travels" and even there, there are many alternative explanations.