Christians are Free to Accept Reincarnation - Page 12

cyberpi · 10-29-2007, 03:25 PM

AndrewX,
It is fundamental to Christianity that God has a will. That doesn't mean gravity, or electromagnetism, or strong or weak nuclear forces... or any specific pattern thereof.

For example, the stone itself is not God. A stone placed may have been placed by the will of God.

A computer and the programs it runs is not a will. It is a will that built the computer, wrote the programs, and set them in motion.

The flesh itself is like a computer running a program. The flesh, at a chemical or cellular level, is a machine. Nothing more.

So, whether or not I get my old computer back is to me a misguided discussion. At what age do I wish to have my computer back? Before the keys fell off it, or after? Before I accidently deleted the memories that I needed one day, or after? This universe is a book. A day is like a page. The pages of history appear to have been lost, but they haven't. All pages still exist. I value the entire book, not just the page on which I wrote. If I wish to enter in and write on an unwritten page, of what use is it to duplicate the exact state of a prior page? A preceding page will help write today's page, but where is the will that wrote that?

It is fundamental to the Abrahamic religions that God has written some portion of the pages in history. Some adherants go further to say God wrote their book. Is God the page of history, or the did God write a page of history? Can the forces of gravity and electromagnetism write a page of history on their own?

So it seems to me that I'd wish to be careful challenging the beliefs of adherants to a religion if I didn't believe in the foundation of their religion... that God exists, that God has a will, and that God has written on some pages of history. I tell you honestly that God has written portions of my life, and I suspect has written portions of everyone elses. Furthermore it is an interaction, in which I actually pray and communicate with him... as do the adherants of the Abrahamic religions. Does a Theosophist bother praying? Do they pray to the stone? An EM field? A page of history? Or the author of the Karma?

cyberpi · 10-29-2007, 03:48 PM

AndrewX:
Another way of getting at it: Who or what chooses where a person is reincarnated to? The complex mechanical universe? A complex mechanical Karma? A roll of the dice? God?

AndrewX · 10-30-2007, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberpi

AndrewX:
Another way of getting at it: Who or what chooses where a person is reincarnated to? The complex mechanical universe? A complex mechanical Karma? A roll of the dice? God?

Well, if you look at the quotation from the teachings in the Ancient Wisdom, via Alice Bailey, the answer would be the Lipika Lords.

The first line of the definition from de Purucker's Online Encyclopedic Theosophical Glossary, referencing teachings from HPB (same Master, writing via an earlier student), tells us this:

Lipika (Sanskrit) [from the verbal root lip to write] A scribe; divine beings connected with karma, recorders who impress on the astral light a record of every act and thought, great or small, in the phenomenal universe.

I will go ahead and quote the remainder of that paragraph in the glossary, including a reference to The Secret Doctrine, as it provides an in-depth answer to your question. Note that the word `manvantara' refers to a cycle of planetary or solar evolution lasting for literally billions (or trillions) of years, while `pralaya' is the corresponding NIGHT, or period of inactivity which follows each manvantaric DAY.

The lipika are active cosmic karmic intelligences, the highest class of architects, which lay down from manvantara to manvantara the tracks of karmic evolution to be followed by all evolving entities within the manvantara about to begin; and these tracks are rigidly begun, and their direction controlled, by the endpoint of the paths of karmic achievement in the preceding manvantara. They "project into objectivity from the passive Universal Mind the ideal plan of the universe, upon which the 'Builders' reconstruct the Kosmos after every Pralaya, . . . it is they who are the direct amanuenses of the Eternal Ideation -- or, as called by Plato, the 'Divine Thought' " (SD 1:104). The lipika thus are in every sense the agents of karmic destiny, for they are both the vehicles of divine ideation in their work, and yet the expressions of karmic law arising in the past and projected on the background of the future. Their intelligence and vitality permeate their particular universe and all the beings in it, so that the lipikas are stamped with whatever takes place.

If you breathe, if you speak, if you think ... and as you do each of these things ... you are literally IMPRESSING upon the substance of the Cosmos the RECORD of what you DO. Because of this, `karma' is sometimes translated simply as `ACTION.'

Skipping a portion of de Purucker's definition, here is the rest of what he has to say in the Theosophical Glossary:

Because of their lofty position, they are identified with the universal intelligence, as its immediate vehicles or channels. Thus they are not only the channels but the imbodiments of karma, and therefore not only the interpreters or agents of karma, but the recorders or scribes upwards into cosmic ideation of whatever takes place on lower planes. Their function is thus dual: imbodiments, channels, or interpreters of karma to be worked out in the universe in which the lipikas function, and thus agents of cosmic ideation; and second, as the scribes or recorders of the innumerably multitudinous karmic records of the beings below themselves.

The lipikas correspond to the Egyptian forty Assessors of Amenti, to the four Recording Angels of the Qabbalah, the Hindu four Maharajas and chitra-gupta, the Christian seven Angels of the Presence, and to the Book of Life of Revelations. They are directly connected with karma, with the Day of Judgment, or the Day-Be-With-Us, when everything becomes one, all individualities becoming one, yet each knowing itself.

Karma, though a LAW, is not blind. In one sense, we might think of Karma as working out the same for all beings, and ultimately, this is true. But it is NOT purely mechanical, if you consider this rather detailed definition and description of the Lipika ... the AGENTS of Karma - Who record and adjust, or `balance the scales,' as this Law applies to Humanity (and to all other beings in the Solar System, or beyond).

Any real understanding of Karma, and the above mentioned AGENTS of Karma, operating anywhere from the Sirian System (the Cosmic Christ), right on down to our Earthly Humanity ... any such understanding will show beyond question that our Cosmos is more than Fair and Just, it is everything we know of as PERFECT, ORDERLY and BALANCED. {If we substitute the word `God' for `Cosmos,' the resulting understanding will not likely be the same. Many people do not believe that our Cosmos - and world - is ultimately governed by these various LAWS, which the Esotericist accepts ... and they will only accept that `God is thus-and-such' - which suggests an IMPERFECT Creation. I think we must be careful here, and tentatively entertain the idea of an Imperfect Cosmos, tending toward Perfection ... even while under the Aegis and Direction, or Guidance, on ALL levels - of a `Perfect Deity.'}

Even as the Beings currently undergoing material and spiritual evolution WITHIN the billions of Solar Systems in our Galaxy, all can be said to be traveling a spiral path of the attainment of relative degrees of PERFECTION ... we must also try to consider that the PLAN of evolution allows for and INTENDS that eventually, ALL of these Beings will reach the same, unimaginable Goal of Final Union or AT-ONE-MENT with the Supreme.

It is a challenging step, I realize, to ask ourself, WHAT IF God is not only the Wonderful, Glorious, Beautiful and Magnificent BEING Whom and Which has been portrayed by ALL the world's religions down throughout the ages ... WHAT IF God is actually all of that sans the anthropomorphisms and HUMAN aspects, which we undeniably, even if unintentionally, attribute to ...

(... and yet, notice the very fact that many of us would finish that sentence with a personal pronoun, GENDERED and as matter-of-fact as if we were referring to our high school gym coach! )

Even worse, atheism and materialism, are so unfortunate because then we really do start looking around to try and explain the workings of the whole Universe as if it really was nothing more than a giant clock. We might as well forget about God altogether, if we look at things Deistically, bc God might as well not be there at all! And in such a worldview, consciousness itself (the `I,' the mystical `We,' or even such notions as The ONE) becomes reduced to nothing more than biochemical or electrical brain states ... and utterly deterministic.

But even once God has been revealed to us, in some slight measure, as a reality ... we still have the tendency, as with everything else in life - if we are not careful - to SETTLE for the first explanation, or the first experience, that comes our way! We do not remember, as the expression goes in Sanskrit, to say `Neti, Neti' ... Not this, not this. If we could ponder for a moment, that God is ALL of what we have (just) experienced - yet also INFINITELY more (yeah, literally) - then we might refrain from the temptation and the tendency to go around telling others HOW they should conceive of the Divine, let alone WHOM and what they should understand or regard AS DEITY.

And this is why it just drives me nuts sometimes, or really even POs me, if you'll pardon the expression, to find people saying things like, "Jesus is God, and He's the ONLY way to Godhead." All that reveals, is that they really haven't been paying attention (parrotting off what's written somewhere is NOT original thinking, and it doesn't take much skill, either) ... and it also shows that, as mentioned above, they've SETTLED for the first `God experience' which they've had. And even then, we've got to consider that one person may actually experience something of Christ's Love and even direct Presence, while there are as many degress, or Expresssions, of this Divine Quality (and Aspect of Godhead) as there are colors in the spectrum - both visible and otherwise.

This wanders a bit away from a direct treatment of KARMA, let alone Reincarnation, but again - to hear folks insist that "Christians cannot, or must not believe in such a thing," only convinces me of one of two things. Either this inflexibility just shows that that person is utterly ignorant, however much they might wish (and pretend) that it be otherwise, of Christ's own Teachings on this matter, as given both in the Apostles' direct presence (both secretly and openly) and to the masses ... OR, such a person is so blinded by the rigidity and the dead-letter aspect of Christianity - or really churchianity - that they would much rather dedicate themselves to weeding out Truth Itself in order to toe the party line, and preserve the existing structure of the catechism - lacking as it currently is in clarity on this particular matter of belief/doctrine.

We can argue, and rightly so, that the original teachings on Reincarnation are no longer present ... and make the point that Christians today do not often accept this doctrine. But why, I ask, will any of this matter, as we increasingly come to understand the Universe even from a largely SCIENTIFIC point of view, as being - IN FACT - Governed (Intelligently, Lovingly, Beautifully and Wonderfully) by this very LAW of Being?

Why, I ask, will it be useful as anything more than a history lesson, to show that - yes indeed, for quite a number of reasons, the Law of Rebirth has been REMOVED (and `reduced' - in terms of frequency & clarity of appearance) .. from the Christian teachings, and therefore from the minds and hearts of Christians worldwide.

I think we have plenty to learn by studying the psychology of it all, and by asking ourselves, "If this is so, then what does that say about other doctrines which we have been forced to accept ... or which we are told SHOULD NOT BE QUESTIONED ... or which we have come to accept without a moment's pause for consideration." Yes, Sunday School classes DO provide folks with an opportunity to confront some of these issues, and even for all the fuss that Dan Brown's DaVinci Code made, it was a wonderful shake-up in the sense that it got folks wanting to learn more about their chosen Faith ... and about Church history.

Well, we should never stop asking questions, and we should always try to find ways to ask them from new perspectives, and in light of NEW understandings and knowledge which we've come to. Sometimes this can be difficult, and we become stuck in a rut, as it were, and then we will eventually find, sooner or later, that what we've been taught (and come to accept) may not be quite how things actually are.

We must have a foundation of some sort, a faith - in terms of an accepted system of ideas regarding spiritual matters - yet our quest, and our journey, should not be focused on what other people tend to believe, or what most people believe (even as other Christians, or other Buddhists, etc.). It should be about what makes the most sense for US. And that may actually be - a mixture of 95% Christianity, and 5% Buddhism, or it may be vice versa ... or yet 50/50 ... and while there WILL be some difficulties we must face, in reconciling the differences between these two systems - I think we must be OPEN to the possibilities.

A dog is not a cat, and a cat is not a tree. But the person who insists that Christianity is not Buddhism, and that one of these has room in it for reincarnation, while the other does not ... such a person has a very clear AGENDA in such insistence. We should be asking ourself, "Oh, and WHY NOT? Why can't these two Great Religions co-exist - even side by side, with a mutual exchange of ideas, and a willingness to see connections where HITHERTO WE HAVE NOT?"

Only an unwillingness to learn more about ourselves, about each other, about our God, and about the Universe ... will stand in our way. I, for one, will not let any other person IMPOSE upon me such restrictions. I will think for myself, and look for connections, rather than divisions. My definition of `Truth' is not, "that which has been canonized and stamped with a seal of approval by certain EXTERNAL authorities." And so I DO continue to ask questions, even about the most basic matters - INCLUDING Karma, Reincarnation, Life After Death, and so on.

But I also accept what my experience, and experiences, have taught and shown me. I feel it is far more important, to seek to EMBODY what I have learned ... and fortunately, I feel that this is 100% good, even if there have been (and are) some hard lessons along the way, and even as I balk a bit in accepting that I am 100% responsible for my own actions (and thoughts, beliefs, speech, future, etc.).

Either you step up to the plate, or you sit on the bench, but either way, you're still in this game ... which is not a rat race, but more like a schoolroom than a ballgame, I suppose. I have no authority to teach (when it comes to ultimate spiritual answers), but I do have the Responsiblity to try and embody all that I have learned, insomuch as I believe that to be an accurate picture of God's Plan for us all. I must always be ready to accept how little I've understood, and see a slightly bigger picture ... not bigger in terms of time & space, but larger in the sense of more inclusive.

If your Plan doesn't have room for everyone in it, I would humbly suggest you need to broaden your horizons. As one Wise Sage said a few years ago, "If your plate gets full ... get a bigger plate!"

Namaskara

intrepidlover · 11-08-2007, 02:48 PM

When I set out to seek the "Truth" some 40 years ago, which included a study of various religions, occult, theosophy and so forth, the biggest hurdle for me was reincarnation. This was THE question which had to be answered. Eventually I decided reincarnation was the most reasonable and sensible theory regarding life after death, which put my questioning mind at rest.

Although I have no fixed views on most spiritual matters, including reincarnation, I still hold it to be the most sensible and reasonable notion. I have returned here to this website after escaping from a fundamentalist dominated Christian website. I have mentioned reincarnation there, with the few verses in the Bible that seem to support this notion, without much comment.

From the fundamentalist Bible-is-the-absolute-truth mentality, reincarnation is totally impossible.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

There is NO room at all here for any possibility of a "second chance." All men (people) have sinned and Christ atoned fully for the sins of all who accept him as saviour. There is one heaven and one hell. There is only one span of existence of the planet as we know it. Either you accept that Christ paid off fully your bad karma, in which case you will spend eternity in heaven with him, or you do not accept this "gift" of the vicarious atonement and will suffer in eternal hellfire.

This is an abridged version of the Christian fundamentalist viewpoint -- the part that most directly addresses the discussion topic.

I do not see that it is possible to believe both in the doctrine that is set out repeatedly in the Bible, that Jesus came to earth for the primary purpose of paying for the sins of those who accept his as saviour, and also in reincarnation.

I will shut up for now, having finally found my way back to a sane forum, and read the other posts.

Neemai · 11-08-2007, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intrepidlover

When I set out to seek the "Truth" some 40 years ago, which included a study of various religions, occult, theosophy and so forth, the biggest hurdle for me was reincarnation. This was THE question which had to be answered. Eventually I decided reincarnation was the most reasonable and sensible theory regarding life after death, which put my questioning mind at rest.

Welcome to the forums Intrepid,

I went on a similar mission some years ago (with an open mind) and ended up coming to the same conclusion! Gud on ya' for escaping the other forum! Will look forward to your future input in CR.

Best wishes,

... Neemai

17th Angel · 11-08-2007, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intrepidlover

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

There is NO room at all here for any possibility of a "second chance." All men (people) have sinned and Christ atoned fully for the sins of all who accept him as saviour.

John 3:16!!!! (

) Anyway... This says they won't perish but have everlasting life? Would you say... If I in a definition used the saying "everlasting life" to describe reincarnation... I'd be wrong ;\ ?

intrepidlover · 11-08-2007, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

John 3:16!!!! (

) Anyway... This says they won't perish but have everlasting life? Would you say... If I in a definition used the saying "everlasting life" to describe reincarnation... I'd be wrong ;\ ?

Sounds OK to me, but it only takes into account the good guys who are saved and go to heaven.

From the point of view of fundamentalist Christians, the vast majority of the human race are destined to end up in eternal hellfire.

Hence the fundamentalist viewpoint is quite clearly incompatible with the notion of reincarnation.

And even moderate Christians (a majority of Christians worldwide) still believe that a large proportion of people will go to eternal hell. By far the largest denomination of Christianity, Roman Catholicism, also seems to suggest that MOST people will go to hell.

Hence I deduce that the concept of reincarnation is totally incompatible with any version of Christianity that I know of.

[While I have your attention as I have just returned to this website, I will explain the significance of my avatar. Gardening has been my trade for the greater portion of my working life, and at another website I use the alias "jardinier."]

17th Angel · 11-09-2007, 10:39 AM

Gardening is good. I love growing plants, all sorts and kinds

My back Garden I have made my fences walls of roses.... Aaah the smell so nice... So refreshing...

Anyway, you say any type of christianity that -you- know of, that doesn't mean there are aren't any other types out there, could even be a type of christian movement that believes you come back as a tv extra on the childrens show "The Tellytubbys" You know ;\ One thing I have began to see is that the term christian is very much like the term pagan... It doesn't stand for just one thing.... It is a big, big world of many groups that differ so much on quite a bit... But have just a few main items in common that keep them in the same group title... :\

Another example if I right now choose to accept and believe in christ.... But, keep doing everything else in my life how I already do... I am a christian... Sure I don't go to some dull church Sunday morning, nor read the good book.... I don't even pray... But I choose to accept and believe there is a fellow called christ and he will save me.... I am now a christian.

Nick the Pilot · 11-09-2007, 01:06 PM

Hi, intrepidlover, and welcome back to the Forum.

You are correct in your interpretation of reincarnation and Christianity. I like reincarnation because it makes absolute, perfect, logical sense to me. I can see no flaw in the concept whatsoever. The simple act of believing in reincarnation caused me to change my entire view of reality, and the way I conduct my life.

How has reincarnation changed the way you live your life?

intrepidlover · 11-09-2007, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

Gardening is good. I love growing plants, all sorts and kinds

My back Garden I have made my fences walls of roses.... Aaah the smell so nice... So refreshing...

There is a Chinese saying, I am led to believe, which goes as follows: If you want to be happy for a day, get drunk. If you want to be happy for a week, kill a pig (I presume that means eat as much as you can). If you want to be happy for a month, get married. But if you want to be happy for ever and ever, build a garden.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

Anyway, you say any type of christianity that -you- know of, that doesn't mean there are aren't any other types out there, could even be a type of christian movement that believes you come back as a tv extra on the childrens show "The Tellytubbys" You know ;\ One thing I have began to see is that the term christian is very much like the term pagan... It doesn't stand for just one thing.... It is a big, big world of many groups that differ so much on quite a bit... But have just a few main items in common that keep them in the same group title... :\

Sorry I wasn't thinking as I have been battling fundamentalist Christians for a few months. Yes there is the Liberal Catholic Church which teaches reincarnation.

Also there was a very well known pastor in Sydney, Australia, the Rev Ted Noffs of The Wayside Chapel, Kings Cross (who passed away some time ago) who preached the concept of reincarnation from the pulpit. At least two other pastors that I know of who were at some time associated with The Wayside Chapel also believed in and taught reincarnation -- not as a dogma but as a possibility worth considering.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

Another example if I right now choose to accept and believe in christ.... But, keep doing everything else in my life how I already do... I am a christian... Sure I don't go to some dull church Sunday morning, nor read the good book.... I don't even pray... But I choose to accept and believe there is a fellow called christ and he will save me.... I am now a christian.

This on its own would not make you a Christian. It is more than just a decision. You would have to study the Bible -- primarily the New Testament -- to learn what Christ expects of you as a follower of Him. You would have to know and understand the ethical teachings of Jesus and attempt to apply them in your life. You would also find (by reading the New Testament) that you would be required to pray and to associate with other Christians. As Christianity is very much an evangelical religion, you would also be expected to let other people know of the "Good News."

17th Angel · 11-09-2007, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intrepidlover

There is a Chinese saying, I am led to believe, which goes as follows: If you want to be happy for a day, get drunk. If you want to be happy for a week, kill a pig (I presume that means eat as much as you can). If you want to be happy for a month, get married. But if you want to be happy for ever and ever, build a garden."

Yeah, you pretty much got that right, and yeah good quote

Quote:

Originally Posted by intrepidlover

Sorry I wasn't thinking as I have been battling fundamentalist Christians for a few months. Yes there is the Liberal Catholic Church which teaches reincarnation.

Aaah long few months then...... Battling? Fierce...

Quote:

Originally Posted by intrepidlover

Also there was a very well known pastor in Sydney, Australia, the Rev Ted Noffs of The Wayside Chapel, Kings Cross (who passed away some time ago) who preached the concept of reincarnation from the pulpit. At least two other pastors that I know of who were at some time associated with The Wayside Chapel also believed in and taught reincarnation -- not as a dogma but as a possibility worth considering.

Alien to me, but it goes to show there are christians out there that believe this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by intrepidlover

This on its own would not make you a Christian. It is more than just a decision. You would have to study the Bible -- primarily the New Testament -- to learn what Christ expects of you as a follower of Him. You would have to know and understand the ethical teachings of Jesus and attempt to apply them in your life. You would also find (by reading the New Testament) that you would be required to pray and to associate with other Christians. As Christianity is very much an evangelical religion, you would also be expected to let other people know of the "Good News."

christ-ian.... Is a person that has faith in christ.... It would be a bible-tian if the bible were more important than christ ;\ just my opinion is all lol.... The word christian, doesn't strike me as "You have to be around other christians...you have to pray, you have to do everything that is stereotypical.." To me it just about -christ- that is all that matters...

intrepidlover · 11-09-2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick the Pilot

Hi, intrepidlover, and welcome back to the Forum.

You are correct in your interpretation of reincarnation and Christianity. I like reincarnation because it makes absolute, perfect, logical sense to me. I can see no flaw in the concept whatsoever. The simple act of believing in reincarnation caused me to change my entire view of reality, and the way I conduct my life.

How has reincarnation changed the way you live your life?

In parallel with reincarnation there is the law of karma. Neither makes much sense without the other. So while I put the theory of reincarnation aside as no longer a question to concern me, I became acutely aware that "what was done to me" I had probably "done to someone else" either in this life or a previous one.

So I became very cautious about committing any action which might come back at me some day as bad karma. For many years, in order to avoid the possibility of creating bad karma, in any conflict I would give the other person the benefit of the doubt, thus letting people heap sh*t on me for many years.

And then I had a "revelation." Please note the wording of the second of the two great commandments given by Jesus: Matthew 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Do you get my drift? Love my neighbour as (much as) myself, not MORE than myself.

And so now I live by these two maxims (as well as others of course)

1. Nobody is perfect, least of all myself.

2. God help anyone who puts sh*t on Julian (that's me)

But back to reincarnation. For many years I suffered depression and at times felt suicidal. I had learnt from Theosophy that people who commit suicide can look down on the material plane from the astral, and regret what they have left behind, but are unable to return.

Whether or not this is true I wouldn't know, but it provided me with a good reason NOT to kill myself.

intrepidlover · 11-09-2007, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

christ-ian.... Is a person that has faith in christ.... It would be a bible-tian if the bible were more important than christ ;\ just my opinion is all lol.... The word christian, doesn't strike me as "You have to be around other christians...you have to pray, you have to do everything that is stereotypical.." To me it just about -christ- that is all that matters...

You can't be a "Christ-ian" without knowing what Christ taught and what He expects of you. You will find this in the Bible, specifically the four gospels. However the teachings of Jesus are elaborated on by Paul and other apostles in the Acts and Epistles.

Do you think you could be a Buddhist (for example) without knowing what the Buddha taught? Of course you couldn't because Buddhism requires you to take control of your life and live in a certain way.

Could you be a Muslim without reading the Koran?

I think perhaps Calathumpian would be a more suitable religion for you.

17th Angel · 11-09-2007, 02:56 PM

A calathumpian? Then I truly would be a christian....

Nick the Pilot · 11-09-2007, 03:19 PM

intrepidlover, You said,

"...there is the Liberal Catholic Church which teaches reincarnation."

--> As a matter of fact, I have a friend who is a priest in the Liberal Catholic Church.

"Neither makes much sense without the other."

--> Correct!

"...I became acutely aware that "what was done to me" I had probably "done to someone else" either in this life or a previous one."

--> Just remember that some of us take on more bad karma in one lifetime than others. If you suffer a larger than normal amount of bad karma, it does not mean you were unusually bad in a previous life. It means you were willing to burn off more in this life. People who suffer too much in this life should be commended (for being courageous to take on more bad karma), rather than being condemned.

"...in any conflict I would give the other person the benefit of the doubt, thus letting people heap sh*t on me for many years."

--> Just remember that we can be too good. Buddha taught the Middle Way. Buddha taught moderation in all things, including being too good.

"...I had learnt from Theosophy that people who commit suicide can look down on the material plane from the astral, and regret what they have left behind, but are unable to return."

--> That is an incorrect interpretation of Theosophical teaching.

"Whether or not this is true I wouldn't know, but it provided me with a good reason NOT to kill myself."

--> I believe people who commit suicide create a lot of new problems for themselves.

"Do you think you could be a Buddhist (for example) without knowing what the Buddha taught?"

--> You could. The great thing about Buddhism is that you can live all of the Precepts without calling yourself a Buddhist.

"Of course you couldn't because Buddhism requires you to take control of your life and live in a certain way."

--> Taking control of our life does not require putting a title on it. As you have correctly said, Buddhism is a way of life, not a spouting of dogmas.