Rebutting Reincarnation
Weighing evidence leaves no doubt.
June, 2018
Reincarnation is the idea that people will be re-born or re-created after death into some new life on earth. Usually, this assumes the person will experience a new life as a human being, though some believe it is possible to be reincarnated as anything alive, even an animal. Reincarnation is a cornerstone belief in most eastern faiths, such as Hinduism and Buddhism. That makes it a popular belief, even in nominally Christian cultures. So, how do we talk to friends and family who hold to this idea?
First, it's important to know what the Bible says about ideas such as reincarnation. In short, Scripture is totally opposed to the idea that we continue to "come back" in any form, over and over. Verses such as Hebrews 9:27 say so directly. Other passages, which describe what happens after death, always speak about a single, eternal, destiny for all people. This is either a "forever" with God, or a "forever" without God (Mark 9:48; 2 Corinthians 5:6–8; Revelation 20:11–15; Revelation 21:1). There is no re-do, repeat, or reincarnation, according to biblical Christianity.
Next is the question of how to talk about reincarnation with someone who believes in it. The first step is to ask them to explain what, exactly, they believe. Ask for details on how reincarnation works, in their view, and why we reincarnate. Then, you can ask them why they have that belief. In other words, what makes them think reincarnation is actually true? You'd be surprised at how often they have no good reasons, at all. The fact that they prefer it, or like it, has nothing to do with whether or not it's true.
That line of discussion opens a door to ask about evidence and reason. We have a lot of evidence to believe that the Bible is true, and that what it describes is accurate. There is no evidence that reincarnation is true—even those who supposedly "remember" past lives give inconsistent and easily-faked accounts.
Likewise, the Bible's explanation for why the world is this way, and what to do about it, makes sense. Answers to questions like "where do we come from," "how did we get to this state," and "what happens in the end" can be answered in ways that support each other. Reincarnation is self-defeating. When did reincarnation start? Why did we "incarnate" the first time? Where are new people coming from—why the increase in human population—if we're being "reborn," not born once? These questions might be answerable, individually, in a way that agrees with reincarnation. But they can't be answered all together—the answers conflict, so that you can't give a consistent response.
All of those are just broad ideas. It's a good idea to dig into what reincarnation means, and how people apply it, so that you're better prepared to talk to friends and family. Start by asking them to explain exactly what they believe, and why. Be ready to explain your beliefs, and why you hold them. Listen sincerely and carefully, and compare, and more than likely those close to you will discover the flaws in reincarnation just by talking about it with you.
-- Editor
