Story How I resented the idea of reincarnation even before I learned of RTD and CTB

[TAW122]

There was a time, even as young as elementary school or so, I remember being in church (not by choice, but parents pushing it when I was younger) and there was talk of reincarnation or it being a 'miracle' or any of the nonsense stuff. I remember during the service, there was a video (which is low quality by today's standards as it was on old TVs, but that was in the late 90s early 2000s and also during that time era, religion seems to have a stronger hold on society than the 2010s or so) of someone dying, but then at some point, could be months or years, later reincarnating and being reborn, essentially coming back to life again after being dead (non-sentient) for some time..

Nevertheless, I'm an atheist before and I still am, but back then the idea of reincarnation even if I didn't fully comprehend it or so, was something that did not sit well with me. Even as a young kid, I knew just enough to discern it from being the dead status to alive status. While I don't remember the exact words I've said and then again, at the time I was full of rage, wasn't like typical kids (yes I was on the spectrum as well, before I even knew what the 'spectrum' was) as I was neurodivergent and all that... I basically stated something along the lines of "if I died and then was reincarnated, I'd get revenge or go after the ones who wronged me, wreck havoc, cause trouble, etc.". Of course, that didn't sit well with people who were responsible for me and try tried to reeducate my stance (before I even knew what 'indoctrination' itself was!), and how many people would be 'grateful' to be alive again and to then make the most of their "2nd chance." I simply didn't see it that way, but just another continuation or reinstatement of torment, but I digress...

In reflection (to put it simply and not getting into all the philosophy, the ethics, logic and rationale, etc.), to me, it made sense because of a few brief (albeit oversimplified) facts:

1. Forcing sentience itself is a serious grave violation and torture of non-sentient beings as it subjects the being to many things that said being would not have experienced had they not been sentient or alive!

2. Identity of previous life to present life (without getting too deep or complex), whether it is the same person or not. The old person A versus the new person A, whether they are old A = new A, etc.

3. The 'social contract' has already been voided due to violating one's bodily autonomy, so any preexisting unwritten (and implicit) social contract is null and void, especially when they already forced sentience or even overridden one's right to not exist (more ethics but keeping it simple).

So in short, I take issue to the idea of reincarnation at least for current sentience, mainly philosophy and personal reasons. This entails that one is not only wronged, but continue to suffer wrongs until they are relieved of such a state of agony. In other words, they are subject to the harms of sentience as long as they are sentient and for most people to think that sentience is great or that reincarnation itself is another 'opportunity' is just distasteful and antithetical towards the pro-choice philosophy. However, as an atheist myself, I don't believe that once death occurs that I become sentient again or take another form of consciousness, but rather just nothingness, the void, and oblivion. I thought I'd share this story to not only show where my stance is with the idea or concept of reincarnation, but also to demonstrate my thought process and philosophy. I'm sure there are others who may have similar stances, or maybe different ones. If so, feel free to share one's thoughts and stories too.

 

[SuicidalCurryBoy]

I was raised Buddhist, and we were always told that everything happens because of karma from a previous birth, and suicide is among the worst sins, and you will end up in an even worse life if you kys.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

Yeah, who would want to come back into this, no matter if you were reincarnated as another human, an animal, even a plant, or just a rock. The essence of (this place) is pain, misery, and despair, from the moment of being brought into being until the time of death. I sure hope reincarnation isn't real. I'm not looking for any do-overs. Once is already too much for me.

 

[pthnrdnojvsc]

I think most people including me don't fully understand how bad pain or suffering can get otherwise they wouldn't wish for any kind of life existence consciousness sentience.

the most horrible things the unbearable worst pain far outweighs the pleasurable addictions

so why would I want to risk extreme torture, to watch a clickbait youtube video or to eat a sandwich

to me tthe meaningless pleasure addictions aren't worth even the daily chores problems working a job, lower level suffering.

much less the worst pain

at least after my brain dies I'll never exist again. to me eternall Non-existence is the ultimate bliss , no suffering

 

[TAW122]

@SuicidalCurryBoy I guess Buddhism would not be compatible with me then. I'm glad I'm atheist and don't believe in an pre or afterlife itself.

@locked*n*loaded I agree and since I'm atheist I don't believe I would feel anything after I die, it would likely be similar to that of the time before I was born.

@pthnrdnojvsc That's pretty much spot-on with most of sentience, indoctrination from childhood to adulthood (and beyond), pleasures and addictions are distractions and copes to mask the mundanity of life and sentience, along with some rare bad event that causes a lot of suffering (natural disasters, health issues, or human-generated incidents and events, etc.), and then work, eat, sleep, occasional copes, rinse and repeat until old age, then eventually pass away from natural causes or other causes. At least with CTB, one takes one's own sentience on one's own terms.

 

[SuicidalCurryBoy]

@SuicidalCurryBoy I guess Buddhism would not be compatible with me then. I'm glad I'm atheist and don't believe in an pre or afterlife itself.

Budhism is a load of superstition. And it got more and more absurd, the further it spread.

The reason westerners think it's a philosophy is because it doesn't dabble in creationism. Which was seen as backwards back when europeans first encountered it. Buddhist teachings still rely heavily on rebirth and karma. The only philosophical aspect of it is that it rejects the self. Which is a philosophical cop out. And is actually not a position that works in the long run.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I always hated the idea of it too. Partly because my Mum died when I was 3. So, I selfishly hated the idea she would come back and be a parent to another child, when I never got the chance to know her.

A relative of mine does believe in it- despite being Christian. It's like fusion religion I suppose. They think we live each lifetime to learn specific things. That doesn't make sense to me either. What would a presumably superior spiritual being need to learn? For what purpose? Why learn it in a mortal shell?

They also think we get to choose our lives. Sounds like a bunch of degree minors. Which course shall I take next? Again, that idea irritates me. I don't believe I would have willingly chosen to live this life. Unless I suppose the alternative was worse or the benefit was incredible. So again- what? What could be so incredible that I/ we agreed to live through this shit to get to it?

I also don't see the point of 'resetting' a soul each time they get a new body. How can we learn anything and grow if we don't even remember the mistakes we made previously?

That goes the same for bad karma from a previous lifetime. What good is there punishing a child who's just started school say because they cried repeatedly at 2am as a toddler? They don't even remember doing it for one! Why punish someone for something they don't remember doing in a previous lifetime?

If it's supposed to be about growth too- how does that work? Say, you 'earn' bad karma for suiciding in a previous life. So- your next life is made more difficult as a punishment. Won't that make the person more likely to suicide all over again?

It's sort of similar to the Abrahamic religions in that regard then. That because a person maybe millions of generations ago sinned- Eve in the case of Abrahamic religions but then- whoever was our initial incarnation for us- all successive generations are then punished for their transgression? WTF? That's insane- right?