The New Age tells us that we chose our lives before we are born.

I don't like this concept because:

  1. I don't feel comfortable with the fact that I don't remember choosing it
  2. Why do some people choose to be born into hideous suffering, if they don't remember choosing it; that just feels like a cruel joke to me.
  3. It makes me feel like my higher self (that is supposed to have chosen it) is having a joke at my expense. I don't like being here without a map.
  4. I don't want to be in the same position next time: choosing something, then getting here and not remebering why!!! This design concept if it is true, is NO use to me.

Even though I have a spiritual faith, I do wonder if the New Age / Buddhists have invented this idea to try and make the world seem fairer...because as a thinking, compassionate person, no matter how I look at this concept it doesn't make sense in any way. I don't want to learn lessons in this way. Like some kind of blind-folded kid in kindergarten whilst the big teachers or higher-selves stand back watching and knowing better! Call me a spiritual anarchist, but i'm not happy with this set-up. I get a feeling this philosophy been repeated over and over by the new-agers to make them seem wise and benevolent but its not quite the way things are... or if it is, I could design a better system... I don't feel good alignment with it, anyway... so I must reject it according to Abraham...!

Apparently Law of Attraction also says we choose our life before birth. They don't believe in Karma. (Says the Hicks teachings). So I cannot understand why someone would choose to be born into, child-abuse say from Law of Attraction point of view? They never explain this in the Abraham teachings.. They just say people are born into contrast. But if there is no karma , they never say why someone would have attracted a negative birth?

Do we choose just to be born again, or, are all the events of our lives 'chosen', eg: concentration camp death, paralysis, sickness etc

Whoever came up with this concept was evil... it sounds more like a game the Devil invented than any kind of spirituality. What would u say?

asked 11 Feb '12, 20:42

jodie's gravatar image

jodie
18810

edited 11 Feb '12, 20:50

@Jodie - I understand how you feel, but what I don't get is why do you link this back to the Buddhists? I follow Buddhism closely and most Buddhists definitely believe in karma, and Buddhists definitely do not talk about the law of attraction that much as other 'new age' spiritual teachers.. Of course, I am a half-Buddhist so this might sound a little biased :)

(11 Feb '12, 21:33) kakaboo

@kakaboo, what do you mean by half-Buddhist?

(12 Feb '12, 05:31) Eddie
1

@Eddie - simply put, Taoism, Buddhism,Confucianism are often mixed together in my country - few people find the need to differentiate the three and there are even temples which house the different "gods" from each of them under the same roof. But for some pure Buddhists they are pure vegeterians and do not eat meat, whereas the ones that don't follow one of the above religions purely are not pure vegeterians (but still pray to those gods and follow the some of the traditions)

(12 Feb '12, 05:59) kakaboo

for instance this is one such temple - http://www.kuanimtng.org.sg/default.aspx?uc=aboutus you could say that if you ask me what religion I belong to, I can't exactly tell you whether I am a taoist or buddhist.. so I just used the term half-Buddhist literally haha

(12 Feb '12, 06:04) kakaboo
5

@jodie - "Whoever came up with this concept was evil" - if you're so sure about what you believe is true or not true then why bother asking this "question"?

(12 Feb '12, 06:16) Stingray

@kakaboo - thanks for the explanation. I've noticed Thais worshiping/celebrating different non-Buddhist deities within Buddhist temples, so what you say clarifies that for me :)

(12 Feb '12, 19:06) Eddie
1

@Stingray wow I have noticed that you seem to be able to pick out a person's limiting/subconscious belief about a certain subject just from the way they phrase their words/sentences (not just this but also from other questions like Jaianniah's recent one about some syndrome).. honestly speaking it is a bit spooky to me at the moment :o

(13 Feb '12, 07:34) kakaboo
2

@kakaboo - Better watch out. It's the Super Sting-X-Ray vision at work ...yeah, right :) Whenever you read/hear the "I am...", "I have.." etc statements of people, they are giving you a complete map of their inner beliefs even if they don't realize it e.g. "I have [blah, blah] disease", "I always have a hard time with [blah, blah]". Those self-affirmations are simply justifying the beliefs they hold about themselves. Nothing spooky about seeing those for what they are :)

(13 Feb '12, 07:54) Stingray
showing 1 of 8 show 7 more comments

Hey cool off Hoss. No can prove anything about past life or what happens after death. There isn't any proof of beans. It might not be worth a resentment to care what anyone thinks. Some cults believe they are going to their own planet after death. Good for them.

I feel the best advice I can give you is to stick to your beliefs that ring true and make you feel comfortable.

You know what a argument there would be if you tried to change someone else beliefs. Hey Jude "just let it be".

Many other spiritual beliefs were meant for that time in history and that race. They are not for me; and maybe not you.

Blessings!!!

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answered 11 Feb '12, 21:59

Tom's gravatar image

Tom
5.2k638

1

@Tom - good for you, yes i agree, we live in a world of belief, how many truths are there, 7 billion or zero ? :)

(12 Feb '12, 05:03) blubird two
1

blubird two, there is the truth and then there may be 7 billion or as many way as there are human lives to perceive what part of it they can see

(12 Feb '12, 09:36) fred

@fred - so there is one indisputable truth ? surely this is a belief ...

(13 Feb '12, 00:57) blubird two

blubird two, yes and yes

(13 Feb '12, 06:59) fred
showing 2 of 4 show 2 more comments

Karma, Cause and Effect, You get what you Give, and You Reap what you Sow, Do unto others...are all variations of the same law which seems to be quite universal among the philosophies of the world. As far as souls choosing to live a life of poverty and/or abuse, from what I've read, I think what happens is that when souls cross over they have the opportunity to review their life with God. God provides that space of love, and you can either accept God's love, or punish yourself with your guilty, critical, consciousness. I think many people feel the need to punish themselves for the so called "wrongs" they have done and they end up coming back to Earth choosing a life of pain. So for me, I know there is perfection. It might not be exactly how I've described it above, but God is God, and that's all I need to know. People have their lives and I love them without judgement. Peace, and I suggest to you the book "Into the Light" by John Lerma

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answered 12 Feb '12, 04:54

Brian's gravatar image

Brian
8.5k21798

edited 12 Feb '12, 05:00

@Brian - yes the universal law of attraction is always in operation :)

(12 Feb '12, 05:05) blubird two

Hi Jodie. I like Stingray's comment under your question.

What I wanted to say, he said it better in those few words.

Other than that, May I add a few ideas?

You now have a few choices. You can take what you want from everybody's suggestions; perhaps even follow The Prophet as intelligent men and women are supposed to do. (+1 to The Prophet for being confident in what he believes)

Either way you will be a follower.

You are experiencing this "dislike" because you soul is trying to break you out of that habit of "following" other's advice.

You are being bothered by things that cannot be satisfied by an external search.

Any pre-existing philosophy or dogma will force you to examine it in a desire to authenticate it.

You will never find a "fit" between the frustration within you and a satisfactory explanation to that frustration by studying things that have occurred in the minds of others.

You have moved beyond that.

If an existing religion or philosophy cannot satisfy your curiosity consider yourself lucky because you have developed discernment that is not possessed by the average "follower".

I believe that most spiritual "Methods" serve the dual purpose of keeping us energetically sedated and completely ignorant of the true nature of our relationship with the creator.

Now you have to begin to trust the understanding that awakens within you. If you must insist on authenticating it against the opinions of others, realize that they are as sure of themselves as you are of yourself.

Imagine if there was another "YOU" identical to the person that wrote the question, but this other "YOU" is completely in touch with the Source, God, Devine creation etc... And this person never needs to seek the approval or authentication of another's opinion, because this other "YOU" is completely confident within themselves.

Now how would this "other YOU" feel if this question was awakened within their consciousness?

Would this "other YOU" feel un-balanced in not knowing the answer while they are confident in the guidance of the divine from within themselves?

In other words, would this "other YOU" be bothered by this question?

You see? .....you can assume the state of mind of this "other YOU" and accept the wisdom and guidance of the creator from within your own consciousness.

(That's how you make the switch; you assume the mind of the person you want to become)

You can let go of the details of what is not necessary for you to know.

As long as you keep asking this question, no answer will satisfy the feeling that is driving the question.

You can release that feeling by letting the wisdom of the creator worry about your spirit and your spiritual progress.

You cannot analytically awaken your spirit.

You have to let go of analysis and let the divine guide you.

If you ask the question "Well how long is that going to take?” you’re still analyzing it.

Use the analysis for shelter and food.

Use surrender to experience the spirit within you.

You will find that your spirit does not need to know the answer to this question.

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answered 12 Feb '12, 20:45

The%20Traveller's gravatar image

The Traveller
19.5k11942

edited 12 Feb '12, 20:52

ha thanks that makes sense...and amused me...need to tell myself to stop asking the impossible questions! I was trying to get a direct line to the mind of the creator - but like you say, it ain't gonna happen if I go this way around it frustrating as that may be! like banging ur head against a temple wall...have a good day!

(13 Feb '12, 08:46) jodie

continue searching until and acceptable alignment is found
and continue to see if it answers all your concerns,
we are here to gain more knowledge of who we are,
look for the mental anarchy giving way to spiritual consciousness
with compassion and the transfer of individuality to universality

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answered 12 Feb '12, 09:57

fred's gravatar image

fred
19.7k176

I find a strange, but familiar feeling here in the Inward Quest group. Strikes deep chords within me and I like this!

Why do some people choose "hideous lives"? Why do some people go to horror movies? I don't like them, and it is my choice not to attend.

Once I liked the series "24". I liked the problem solving, dramatic decision making, sudden twists and turns. My wife and I rented the whole season and watched it from daybreak to midnight. (oops, feel my solar plexus churning)

With the emotion and passion I was experiencing, (and the LOA) my life turned into a version of "24". Not that intense. but more than I liked. Also had nightmares. Now we watch documentaries and "feel good" movies. My life is better, more joyful.

Ever think that you are in a movie? Your movie. Your life. Who writes the script? Who produces it? Who casts the characters? Who is free to get up, turn on the lights and walk out? Change the script?

You want to write the script that you chose this lifetime and set up events to help you learn? OK. You want to write the script that something else happened? OK. This is simpler than most people think.

Please don't write the script that you are helpless in your own movie, unless you enjoy helplessness.

"The Power That Creates Worlds" as Abraham often mentions may mean creating your own world, your own universe, your own life. And we all do whether we know it, consciously, or not.

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answered 13 Feb '12, 13:15

Dollar%20Bill's gravatar image

Dollar Bill
12.0k29113

Interesting... Creating your own world... Is that why you call yourself Dollar Bill?

(13 Feb '12, 13:21) The Prophet

Actually Dollar Bill is a mnemonic device to help people remember my name. My first name is "Bill." There is a little more to it to help them remember my last name.

(13 Feb '12, 13:32) Dollar Bill

thanks dollar bill..that kind of makes sense. the thing i couldn't get past, is Y people create awful scenarios to be born into. i hope my original question had some compassion beneath the ranting/anger that seems to have wound people up! So ur saying they chose those situations..If we really do choose 4 ourselves, then i guess its ok, i.e i am free to only choose good stuff! It's just, because some situations are so bad, it almost feels like they'd been forced on people from an outside source.

(13 Feb '12, 13:56) jodie
showing 2 of 3 show 1 more comments

I completely agree and I don't think we come back into this world again to make up for past mistakes. Does a baby go back into the womb to live there again if it hasn't come out perfectly? Spiritual progress is always forward never backwards

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answered 12 Feb '12, 05:51

Inner%20Beauty's gravatar image

Inner Beauty
3.1k746

these are interesting replies, thank you yes the best answer is to try pretend i never heard this theory then i shall be happier. bless u all

(12 Feb '12, 07:43) jodie
1

inner beauty, it may not be that you come back to make up for past mistakes, rather that there is still more to learn and a spiritual self that has yet to reach full universal consciousness

(12 Feb '12, 09:40) fred

jodie it is more then theory it is the truth. right now you are reading this and you are in a place that you have made the choice to be in. you see it for your self right now. why try to denie it?

(13 Feb '12, 05:40) white tiger
showing 2 of 3 show 1 more comments

Yes Jodie... In a way the "game" was invented by the Devil...

Many years before Jesus would come to save this world -- God made the decision to put Jesus' divine brother, Lucifer, in charge of the program that would establish the foundations for human society -- a society based on the personal disciplines of: Order, Loyalty and Truth.

In fact, it was in that early development role, that Lucifer eventually fell in love with himself. Men were ignorant and malleable in those days, therefore it was easy for him to discredit his Father's more rigorous plan, and convince most of mankind to pay exclusive and devoted homage to him:

"Flatter me" Lucifer said; "tell me how intelligent and beautiful I am... Then will I surely give you all the liberty that you need, to express the passions and possess the material things that you most desire as men!"

And so it has been, for about 200,000 years. From primitive man, right up until the time of Melchizedek and Abraham -- Lucifer's doctrines of false and self-centered liberty have been so powerfully inculcated into the hearts of humans that religion -- true religion -- has been all but completely forgotten!

True Religion is not the pious and pretentious recitation of memorized knowledge...

True religion is The Living Revelation of God revealed by -- THROUGH -- intelligent men and women who can discern and experience the greater good in doing His Divine will.

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answered 12 Feb '12, 07:37

The%20Prophet's gravatar image

The Prophet
(suspended)

edited 12 Feb '12, 07:40

1

the prophet, what you call 'true religion' and 'intelligent men and women' defines pramaters of dogma. spiritual development to the potential of being the man-god is inside us all, the purity of being human. it transcends this earth life to cosmic proportions

(12 Feb '12, 09:48) fred

Fred: 'True Religion' rejects the adversarial program that came of Lucifer's incessent demand for progress at a pace that produces chronic anxiety and disease... Live and learn.

(12 Feb '12, 11:28) The Prophet

The way I see this is that we choose to come back into lives with the intent of learning how to overcome the difficulties with grace and compassion. We are on a journey to the source, to be one with the source. So, in spite of the horror we put ourselves through. We need to understand that overcoming these limitations is the goal. How we choose to deal with these issue's is where the challenge begins. Do we take personal and get mad? Or do we see it for what it is, an opportunity to gain greater wisdom of the spiritual/human condition

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answered 12 Feb '12, 16:24

Jesse's gravatar image

Jesse
912

well it is the truth you chose to come and experiece this life. you are responsible of your choice so are other people. the other people that do those negative things that you refer to are the one that do not know that they are responsible of their free will. the problem is not your higher self it is your ego. what his the ego? it is the false center. http://deoxy.org/egofalse.htm if you do not like the position you are in just change it. move from the false center to the true center. and be the light that you can be. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L156XHjoDL0 experience and enjoy.

THERE is light within a person of light, and it shines on the whole world. If it does not shine, it is dark.

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answered 12 Feb '12, 19:13

white%20tiger's gravatar image

white tiger
21.9k115116

edited 12 Feb '12, 19:32

i was trying to leave this subject and felt more at peace with it due to the answers i received above (thank you). Then i went downstairs and saw on the national news here in the UK this story. (Yes i am aware i must have attracted hearing this news item - as it is relevant to these matters i am thinking about at the moment)!

A family are being tried in the court this week in the city of Manchester in the North of England because they kept a young old girl who was trafficked into the UK from Pakistan, as a prisoner. She is a deaf girl and they kept her in the cellar of their house, packing mobile phones for their business for 10 years. They beat her, the man in the house raped her 12 times and they made her sleep on a concrete floor etc.

Of course there are hundreds of bad things going on also world-wide. But this is just one example of the situations i was referring to in my original question.

I understand now that there is no point in me asking why someone might choose this, as I can not understand it from my present position. But my last question is: if people do choose their own lives, then HOW MUCH of them do they choose? Do they just choose to be born; or are the circumstances predestined also, ie, did this girl know this slavery would happen to her when she chose this life? Was she pre-destined by her own choice to be held prisoner by this couple of years?

She is now in her 20's giving evidence against them.

I will try for myself not to ask these sorts of questions frequently to myself because they do not help. But as this is a place where people have thought about such matters I wondered about how much you think that the life we choose is pre-destined. I couldn't find much about it in a search for previous questions.

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answered 13 Feb '12, 15:08

jodie's gravatar image

jodie
18810

edited 13 Feb '12, 15:13

well jodie maybe that she choose to come here to test those people with out them knowing it. and you can see that they have failed the test. maybe in their next incarnation they will be the one under someone else choice. so you see things balence after all. lets hope that every one will pass their test with flying colours. experience and enjoy.

(13 Feb '12, 19:16) white tiger

is it not said that you will be judge with the same mesure. did they respect the first and second commandement. the harvest has come like a thief and they did not know it.

(13 Feb '12, 19:20) white tiger

jodie, if by pre-distened you mean no free will possibility, then would not be so. past compensation of choices made of last 3 lifetimes carry with them natures demand for balance, and that is seen (previewed) by the reincarnating ego before entering into this lifetimes human form

(13 Feb '12, 19:52) fred
showing 2 of 3 show 1 more comments

Hey Jodie, ya can call me Bill if you like. Yup, you attracted the news story. You put energy into it and you are paying the price of separation from your Source. You did this. No-one forced it on you. You went to a horror movie. Source did not like it and therefore neither did you.

Let's say that you are an extension of Source that has come into manifestation to experience the duality of physical plain. Most religions agree on this. As an immaterial monadic being, Source needs a physical extension to be able to experience hot/cold, soft/hard, smooth/rough, man/woman, OK? Abraham calls this "contrast."

You are free to choose good stuff. If you want to get a really clear view of being free, read "Man's Search for Meaning," by Viktor Frankl, imprisoned at Auschwitz, he wrote,"“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

His body was imprisoned, his mind was not. Certainly an extreme case, but we are all free to choose. Choose joy. Like attracts like.

If you are experiencing rude people it may be because you are being rude, or you concentrate on rudeness. You attract exactly what you put your attention and energy into. It is the Law!

If you put your energy into the woes of the world, you will open a door that will flood you with the same. If you put your energy into fighting the woes of the world you will attract those situations.

Rub the lamp and hear the Geni say, "Your wish is my command!"

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answered 13 Feb '12, 19:01

Dollar%20Bill's gravatar image

Dollar Bill
12.0k29113

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