NOT EXACTLY REINCARNATION
When we die, is that the end? No, it isn’t. But yes, it is. The answer is not as simple as either you or I would prefer. Why not? Because this is not a yes or no Multiverse – it is a yes and no Multiverse.
We live this life to experience one of a practically infinite number of possibilities resulting from at least all the different choices we might make in any of the different situations we might find ourselves. When we die, that particular life lives on as would one of our memories – but only as a “memory.” The Us that made all those lifetime choices makes no further choices. That Us dies, which is tragic.
It may be, however, that the Soul (or Higher Self…) who lived that life also lives each of the other possible lives that would result from making each different decision. And that Higher Self is not limited by the time constraints that are really just constructs of this one, limited, merely 3-Dimensional possibility. Our Souls live beyond time. So, each moment is eternal. Each moment of all our lives is eternal.
Sort of.
I think.
To clarify my “limited, merely 3-D” comment, imagine taking a 2-D horizontal cross section through a tree’s branches (length and width but no height). Then, from your 3-D perspective, look down on the 2-D reality of those tree branches. You would see a bunch of flat, apparently unconnected, discs. The 2-D beings who might exist in that “Flatland” would have no logical reason to suspect that those seemingly separate disks were all connected parts of the same tree.
Similarly, our merely 3-D existence makes us unaware of all the connections apparent to our Higher Selves, who exist in a more multi-dimensional Multiverse. “Time” is something we imagine in order to measure movement within 3 Dimensions. (Something that exists at both point A and point B must have taken “time” to get from A to B.) To our Higher Selves, there is no “time” separating the thing at A from the thing at B – the thing (as a larger, more multi-dimensional thing) coexists at A and B.
We do not reincarnate. We coincarnate – eternally.
Sort of.
I think.
You might be thinking, “That’s all well and good. But here, within this 3-D reality, successful navigation requires applying the concepts of Time and Movement – no matter how illusory they might be.” You are absolutely correct.
Which brings me to what I suspect is an incontrovertible truth of the Multiverse: We are here to be here. Similar to how it is hard or impossible for us to appreciate the realities of living in Flatland, it is hard or impossible for our Higher Selves / Souls / God to appreciate the realities of living in 3-D Land. It is only through us living our lives that God is able to experience what it is like to be here. And since God is by definition omniscient, God must be able to experience this. So, even given our limited perception, and even though the realities of the Higher Planes are beyond our understanding, we are necessary. God would not be complete without us. We are here to be here, where God (through us) also is. This, I think, gets to the core of the way in which we are co-creators with God.
Though I might sound too sure of this “multiversal manifesto,” please accept my assurance that I know I don’t know. Because my perception and thoughts derive (almost?) entirely from my 3-D perspective, I am (like the Flatlanders) incapable of understanding more multi-dimensional realities. So whatever model I might come up with to explain reality is at best inadequate. “All models are wrong. Some models are useful.” I would like to think that my model is less wrong and more useful than others. But I can’t be certain.
WHAT ABOUT EVIL?
God is Love. Love is good. Evil can only exist where God isn’t. But God (the conscious, empathetic force of multiversal oneness, if you prefer to think in those terms) is everywhere. It is only here, within the 3D illusion of separation from God, where the evils we have all seen can sprout from the imaginations of those who choose to separate themselves from God. Like Milton’s Satan, who chose to rule in Hell rather than serve with God, those who deny God’s omnipresent unity by choosing to elevate themselves over others, are creating Hell on Earth. From the higher perspectives, evil and Hell do not exist. But down here, satanic choices sure seem to have evil effects. The Flatlander who sees only unconnected disks instead of the wholeness of a tree is unable to navigate above what is seen as separation. As long as we remain stuck in 3D Land, we cannot elevate ourselves above the evil that, for all practical 3D purposes, is real. Evil does not exist… except that it does, here. Anything that fosters a sense of separation, superiority, or privilege is and creates evil.
We are not born evil. We are born ignorant. If, as our higher selves can, we could see and accept that everything is connected, evil could not survive. But because our 3D reality makes us ignorant of our connections, and because we have free will, we sometimes make Godless choices. Only then does evil result. Within 3D reality, evil is not only possible – it is inevitable.
We are here to be here. So, being here, how do we deal with evil? Some advocate a “turn the other cheek” approach. If they are motivated by love, I am not going to say they are wrong. Personally, however, I think there are better choices than turning away when evil threatens to exploit another, or expecting us all to turn our cheeks when some of us are being exploited. To me, The Golden Rule is another loving but perhaps preferable choice. I would not want to be marginalized, manipulated, maligned, or maimed. I would not want to be abused or enslaved. If evil attacked me, I would be grateful for help. So I feel I should “do the same way” for others.
Evil should be called out for what it is, wherever it is – even within me. I’m sure my higher self would not want me to rape others. So please – should I start stooping so low, stop me.
Please don’t misunderstand. I believe in your freedom to do whatever you want – as long as you are not hurting others. But for the sake of all the rest of us, when your misuse of freedom harms others, then you have separated yourself from God and deserve to be held accountable. Because God gave us free will, God will not interfere in our choices here. So holding you accountable for and preventing your evil is up to us.
Evil, left alone to fester in the dark while hiding from the light of truth, will expand, like proliferating environmental destruction. Sometimes, revealing evil for what it is can defeat it. So that is the preferred first action to battle it. But there have been times when evil so successfully perverted truth that the light of reality could not penetrate the shadow world embraced by evil’s expanding minions. At such times, more forceful action may be necessary. Though radiation therapy can stop cancer, sometimes, in order to save the body, the cancer must be cut out. If more aggressive efforts to stop Hitler had not been undertaken, the Nazis would have slaughtered millions more innocent people and we would likely be enduring an age of unimaginable darkness – a price for not fighting back that I’ve been unable to accept.
The characteristics of both social and individual development demonstrate many parallels. Insights into one can often be gained by examining the other. Individually and collectively we all have the potential for both good and evil. To manifest the best within ourselves as individuals, it is often necessary to suppress our baser, unevolved, more selfish and hurtful tendencies in order to foster an environment in which our better selves can thrive. And so it is with Society. For our society to live up to its best potential, we must identify and suppress the most selfish/evil among us. And yet, since God is everywhere, if you search thoroughly enough you will find God even within the Hitlers among us. So if, while battling evil, you do not “love your enemy,” then you will have made a Godless choice and will, therefore, have embraced the evil you sought to defeat.
Loving those who perpetrate evil can seem almost impossibly difficult, especially while struggling against them. Overcoming the ignorance we are born into when the truths of the higher planes is beyond us is also practically impossible. And yet, here we are – where we must be, for now. Is there any hope for successfully dealing with our seemingly “born to lose” situation? Yes. God, being everywhere, is within us. (Imagine the Multiverse as a hologram: everything exists within each little piece of everything.) So if we can quiet our egos enough to pay attention to the source within, then we can know what is right and good despite the ignorance of our 3D perceptions. Also, though often difficult, finding God within ourselves gives us access to all the love we could ever want or need. And be assured - if we fail, we are forgiven.
Though our 3D ignorance can make discerning which choices are most consistent with God’s reality problematic, it should be reinforced that in some circumstances the choice between good and evil is relatively easy. “Whatsoever You Do to the Least of My Brothers You Do unto Me.” If you believe there are certain favored individuals or groups of individuals, and you use that belief to justify the mistreatment of or discrimination against anyone, you are fostering Godless evil. If you choose to do something that fosters separation instead of celebrating oneness, if you insist on being exclusive instead of inclusive, you are creating evil. This is not a difficult concept to understand. And if, despite the practically universal teaching of this simple “Golden Rule” truth by the World’s religious and humanist leaders, you insist on deifying yourself or some other false god, and you continue to demand that your personal convenience trumps the common good, you are responsible for that choice and you are not just fostering evil – you are evil. In such a case, even forgiveness won’t save you from the hell you are creating. (The “freedom” to enslave or exploit others, currently pushed by the elitist, entitled, super-wealthy authoritarian class through their “trickle down” deregulation propaganda, and mindlessly swallowed or conveniently applauded by their Confederate-flag-waving victims and enablers, is just one example among many.) As such, even when your soul joins mine and the rest of God’s children in the Higher Realms, while here you are an evil sociopath. And it is entirely just for me to say so. Evil must be identified before it can be fought. And I will fight you – while also loving you.
Life is hard.
FINAL THOUGHTS
To claim there is no free will is to suggest we are not responsible for our actions. (A convenient excuse for sociopathic types.) But I reject that notion. It simply does not fit with the other requirements or implications of this model. In my reality, we are responsible for our choices. We do have free will. As co-creators, we must be able to choose. Even if it is true that for God to truly be omniscient and omnipresent, each possible reality must exist, I can decide that in this reality, my life, evil will not win - not in the long run. Though I will make mistakes along the way, we are forgiven our mistakes, once they’ve been acknowledged as mistakes. And I will be free to choose again, hopefully empathy instead of ego.
By the way, according to experts, roughly one of every 20 people is a sociopath. (That often seems to me like an underestimate and certainly does underestimate how many sociopaths exist in the corridors of financial and political power from international to local levels.) Though they are not all as obvious as Hitler, Trump, Putin, and DeSantis, you will regularly come into contact with them, and they can seem charming. So they might manipulate you before you realize they are a threat. Therefore be vigilant. But nineteen out of twenty people are not sociopaths. So be kind as well.
We are here to be here. Perhaps unfortunately, so are sociopaths. But one potential upside to the existence of that evil is that it provides a contrast to help more virtuous people clarify who they want to be while here. So, thanks Adolph. Thanks Donald. Thanks…
I think.
In this world, there is potential for both Good and Evil in everything – even within our fight against Evil. The imperative to fight Evil can be misdirected by sociopaths to serve their godless, selfish greed – if they succeed in convincing the otherwise righteous to misbelieve that selfless motivations like caring for others (or even some of those others) are evil. Socialism is not evil. Being Jewish or Black or Brown… is not evil. But there are Black sociopaths. And even socialism (though its underpinning motivation to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number makes it less susceptible to abuse compared to a system focused instead on accumulation of private profit) can be perverted if we don’t remain vigilant to prevent it from (as Martin Luther King, Jr. put it) forgetting that people are individuals. My hope is that government can be an effective tool for fighting back against the sociopaths. Certainly it would seem to be one if not our only tool, which is why the sociopaths want you to mistrust government. And if the sociopaths manage to take over our government, then that government needs to be reformed. Currently, in the USA, it does not appear that the Democratic Party is an effective enough force to fight back against the growing, anti-democratic evil of today’s Republican Party. So…
Connections are eternal.
The loss of a loved one is undeniably tragic and painful. But since the passage of “time” is an illusion based on the limitations of 3-Dimensional perception, if you ever had someone then you still do and always will. I believe that if you look inside carefully enough, you will find that at least part of whom they were is still within you.
Likewise, each choice we make will always be with us. Giving gives forever. Hurting hurts forever. So even though the illusory nature of “time” means there can be no Karma in the “present” resulting from deeds of the “past,” in a way… there is karma. And yet, I like to believe that though we are responsible for how we react to circumstance, it is often others who are responsible for the circumstances we find ourselves in. And we are all others – except that we aren’t.
Love,
jeff
