I was born, grew up, and reached adulthood in the Far East. I was always fascinated by the West and, as an adult, have chosen to live in the West. Exposures to both cultures have opened my eyes to uniquely different belief systems people have in opposite ends of the world.
This post is about a little boy who knows intimate details about a World War II pilot who died during the Battle of Iwojima.
Here is a brief background information on what people in different parts of the world believe on the topic of reincarnation:
- Western cultures are based primarily on Judeo-Christian faiths.
- I have been aware that Christians, in general, do not believe in reincarnation.
- As I was researching to prepare for this blog post, however, I was surprised to find out that reincarnation is part of Jewish tradition. I now understand that “it is mentioned in numerous places throughout the classical texts of Jewish mysticism, starting with the preeminent sourcebook of Kabbalah, the Zohar.” (Source: aish.com, Judaism 101)
- In Islam, there are several references in the Quaran that seem to refer to reincarnation. (Source: Institute for the Integration of Science, Institution and Spirit.)
- Contrary to a popular belief, reincarnation is NOT a Buddhist teaching.
- I remember learning as a child in Japan that after death, you get into the world of nothingness. Barbara O’Brien, Buddhism Expert, seems to agree. She says, “One of the most fundamental doctrines of Buddhism, is anatta, or anatman – no soul or no self. There is no permanent essence of an individual self that survives death.”
- Interestingly enough, however, many Buddhists do believe in individual reincarnation.
- In Japan, where two religions (Shintoism and Buddhism) are intertwined in everyday life, people accept reincarnation as part of the cycle of life.
- Lastly, according to Hinduism, a soul reincarnates again and again on earth until it becomes perfect and reunites with its Source. During this process, the soul enters into many bodies, assumes many forms and passes through many births and deaths. This concept is summarily described in the following verse of the Bhagavad Gita: “Just as a man discards worn-out clothes and puts on new clothes, the soul discards worn-out bodies and wears new ones.” (2.22) (Source: Hinduwebsite.com)
Other than reincarnation, I’m not sure how else you explain how this little boy, at the age of 2, knew in intimate detail about a World War II pilot, whose airplane was shot down by a Japanese. This segment of ABC PrimeTIme was reported by Chris Cuomo on June 30, 2005; when you open the hyperlink, scroll down to the 14-minute video.) It makes you think about the mysteries of life.
