"...I've never been convinced that the problem of personal identity in reincarnation can be solved, especially since neither the memory criterion nor the bodily criterion of personal identity is satisfied in putative cases of rebirth. Moreover, the very atheism of the theory (on its atheistic versions) presents a problem. How are karmic decisions made or karmic consequences arrived at apart from the existence of a personal God or karmic administrator? If there is a God or gods, or a person, or a committee of some sort, it is easy to imagine that being or beings saying to someone who has just died, 'Okay, you were an evil merchant in Delhi in this previous life, but because of your bad karma I've now justly decided that you will be reborn as a beggar in Kolkata.' That at least makes sense. But without any God or karmic administrator, I've never understood how such karmic 'decisions' can be made. There can hardly be a natural law or set of natural laws that entail that a certain evil person will be reborn as a beggar in Kolkata as opposed to a leper in Mumbai. This picture is especially problematic since the idea in reincarnation is that such decisions are always entirely just and fair, never random or capricious.
Moreover, an endless or almost endless cycle of life, death and rebirth, with all new incarnations based on karma from previous lives, is in my opinion not what most people who would prefer to live forever are looking for."1
Courage and Godspeed,
Chad
Footnote:
1. Stephen T. Davis, Rational Faith: A Philosopher's Defense of Christianity, p. 158.
Related Posts
TruthB.O.M.B. Book Review: Rational Faith- A Philosopher's Defense of Christianity by Stephen T. Davis
3 Ways Jesus is "the Truth"
What Can We Learn about Jesus (and the Reliability of the Gospel of Mark) from the Apostle Paul?
Comments