# Reincarnation **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 30, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716 "2003-12-30T05:50:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Question](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Question)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/1 "2003-12-30T05:50:31Z")
please look at my thread in General Questions titled… “Quantum Matter Influence on Normal Matter” … is there any logical inconsistency to my theory of reincarnation? i experienced what i believe to be a past life under the influence of a psychedelic substance and it was too real or detailed for my mind to create it from just my accumulated memories… ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/2 "2003-12-30T06:17:29Z")
I ain’t gonna bother looking at the other thread, but [www.victorzammit.com](http://www.victorzammit.com) talks about some of the concrete evidence for reincarnation. Go to his on-line book and read the appropriate chapter. While you’re at it, read the whole thing; it’s good. BTW, nice handle you got there, buddy! ---
**Author:** ![Brandus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Brandus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brandus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/3 "2003-12-30T06:32:27Z")
At least link to it before you command me to look at the other thread of the same topic. Anyways, I would say the point in your life which you are most likely to have an experience “too real” to be made up, is the point when you decide to alter your normal concious with drugs. Your “vision” seems too real compared to your normal self because your normal self is not influenced by psychadelic substances. Hopefully. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/4 "2003-12-30T06:34:12Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Question \* > \*\* i experienced what i believe to be a past life under the influence of a psychedelic substance_\* You know, they’re called _psychedelic_ substances for a reason. If my choices were between “vivid hallucination” and “experience of reincarnated memories”, I’d assume hallucination even _without_ the psychedelics thrown in the mix. > [@](#): > > \*\*and it was too real or detailed for my mind to create it from just my accumulated memories… \*\* On what do you base this assumption? The mind can do some pretty amazing things even _without_ the addition of mind-altering drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/5 "2003-12-30T06:37:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Question \* > \*\*…i experienced what i believe to be a past life under the influence of a psychedelic substance and it was too real or detailed for my mind to create it from just my accumulated memories… \*\* Dude…You took some ‘psychedelic substance’, and are suprised that you had a goofy experience? It’s like wondering why you get wet every time you step into the shower (or something along those lines.) Not to mention, just as you may hit a tab of 'cid every now and again, you may want to hit that ‘Shift’ key every now and again… ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/6 "2003-12-30T07:19:28Z")
Regarding Victor Zammit: Some obligatory skeptical background from James Randy: [http://www.randi.org/jr/112301.html](http://www.randi.org/jr/112301.html) Scroll to the middle for his take on Zammit. ---
**Author:** ![Question](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Question)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/7 "2003-12-30T07:31:36Z")
i suspected i would get the drugs are bad mmmkay mentality… i thought this was Great Debates 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/8 "2003-12-30T07:35:22Z")
I MUST KEEP THE COSMIC UPPER/LOWERCASE BALANCE! NOBODY HAS MADE A JUDGEMENT CALL ON DRUGS, CALLING THEM ‘BAD’. WHAT WE _ARE_ SAYING IS THAT DRUGS JACK WITH YOUR SENSE OF REALITY, AND THAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO TAKE TOO SERIOUSLY WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE WHILE HOPPED ON GOOFBALLS. ---
**Author:** ![Question](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Question)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/9 "2003-12-30T07:37:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*I MUST KEEP THE COSMIC UPPER/LOWERCASE BALANCE! > > NOBODY HAS MADE A JUDGEMENT CALL ON DRUGS, CALLING THEM ‘BAD’. WHAT WE _ARE_ SAYING IS THAT DRUGS JACK WITH YOUR SENSE OF REALITY, AND THAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO TAKE TOO SERIOUSLY WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE WHILE HOPPED ON GOOFBALLS. \*\* the drugs are bad mmkay mentality depends on you accepting that drugs cannot open your mind to new experiences… ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/10 "2003-12-30T07:44:49Z")
NOBODY IS DENYING THAT YOU ‘HAD A NEW EXPERIENCE’. EVERY KID THAT ‘PUSHES THE BLACK BUTTON’ FOR THE FIRST TIME HAS A ‘NEW EXPERIENCE’. WHAT _IS_ IN DOUBT IS WHETHER OR NOT IT HAD FUCK-ALL TO DO WITH REINCARNATION. AND THE SHORT ANSWER IS, “NO, IT HAD NOT FUCK-ALL TO DO WITH REINCARNATION”. ---
**Author:** ![Question](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Question)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/11 "2003-12-30T07:50:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*NOBODY IS DENYING THAT YOU ‘HAD A NEW EXPERIENCE’. EVERY KID THAT ‘PUSHES THE BLACK BUTTON’ FOR THE FIRST TIME HAS A ‘NEW EXPERIENCE’. WHAT _IS_ IN DOUBT IS WHETHER OR NOT IT HAD FUCK-ALL TO DO WITH REINCARNATION. AND THE SHORT ANSWER IS, “NO, IT HAD NOT FUCK-ALL TO DO WITH REINCARNATION”. \*\* it was not a new experience and the visions that i saw were not something was spontaneous. it was ongoing altered reality. one single coincidential hallucination is not enough to convince anyone of anything. ---
**Author:** ![Question](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Question)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/12 "2003-12-30T08:10:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*NOBODY IS DENYING THAT YOU ‘HAD A NEW EXPERIENCE’. EVERY KID THAT ‘PUSHES THE BLACK BUTTON’ FOR THE FIRST TIME HAS A ‘NEW EXPERIENCE’. WHAT _IS_ IN DOUBT IS WHETHER OR NOT IT HAD FUCK-ALL TO DO WITH REINCARNATION. AND THE SHORT ANSWER IS, “NO, IT HAD NOT FUCK-ALL TO DO WITH REINCARNATION”. \*\* by the way… try to relax… otherwise you’ll die young… heart doesn’t last forever… ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/13 "2003-12-30T08:12:56Z")
BUT THEN I’LL BE REINCARNATED, SO IT’S ALL GOOD! ---
**Author:** ![Question](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Question)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/14 "2003-12-30T08:15:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*BUT THEN I’LL BE REINCARNATED, SO IT’S ALL GOOD! \*\* yeah, i’m glad you agree. now you need to believe in karma. you don’t want to be an asshole forever. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/15 "2003-12-30T08:29:15Z")
THAT IS NOT VERY NICE. IF YOU WERE CONCERNED WITH KARMA, YOU SHOULD STICK YOUR HEADFDSPOGSPOEIfdsbfbbb., f v ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/16 "2003-12-30T08:30:29Z")
Holy crap! I died, and was reincarnated! There was a bright light ahead of me, and below me, I heard the tortured screams of those who can’t be bothered to use capitalization. I don’t remember much from my past life, except: 1. My SDMB username and password. (What are the odds?!) 2. Don’t get into discussions with people who take drug experiences too seriously. ---
**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/17 "2003-12-30T08:34:11Z")
**Question** I think the onus is on you here to show reincarnation as opposed to a drug experience. One of the first things I am going to ask you for is the mechanism by which you think this might happen. I doubt you can do it without resorting to a form of shaky dualism, but feel free to try. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/18 "2003-12-30T08:40:17Z")
Dude, drugs can give you all kinds of visions. You’ve probably heard of shamans using peyote to communicate with the spirits. I took acid once, and I had a vision of a pirate ship adventure. Do you think that means I was a pirate in a past life? I also experienced “ongoing altered reality”. For about six hours. I saw crow’s feet on all the walls - maybe I was a crow in a past life! ---
**Author:** ![Brandus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Brandus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brandus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/19 "2003-12-30T08:43:18Z")
**It’s like wondering why you get wet every time you step into the shower (or something along those lines.)** Dude, the fact that you stepped into the shower first is irrelevant, in fact it is re-discovering the human body’s ancient forgotten ability to spontaneously produce water from our skin. ---
**Author:** ![Question](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Question)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716/20 "2003-12-30T08:46:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UnwrittenNocturne \* > \*\ ***Question** I think the onus is on you here to show reincarnation as opposed to a drug experience. One of the first things I am going to ask you for is the mechanism by which you think this might happen. I doubt you can do it without resorting to a form of shaky dualism, but feel free to try. \*\* i explained it in my thread in general questions… i can’t think to it because i don’t have a mouse to copy with… i’ll try to summarize it tomorrow but hopefully someone will do it for me. i’m need to sleep at the moment… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reincarnation/221716.md?page=2)