Buddhism

Also, pretty much, the way reincarnation works is like this. Obviously take out SHINRA, but you get the gist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5u8c3E5CK8

I understand the concept of reincarnation and to some extent, it's a bit of a romanticized concept. But, I just don't understand whether all energy is infinite, constantly renewed or being made at all times. I'm guessing there's no real answer and in a sense I certainly do believe that one is all and all are one(We come from the same fundamental "spiritual" building blocks, so to speak.). From whence we came, also shall we return. There are many things that I tend to belive that manage to line up with Buddhist thought as I learn a little here and there about Buddhism. And sadly as was mentioned, even in Buddhism you can't get away from extremists either. However, I blame human nature more so than teachings in some book or scroll. Humans aren't all nasty, but we all have a dark side that can either stay small or grow and it's easier to lose control than gain.

It's impossible to destroy energy. You can use it, transfer it or direct it but it cannot be destroyed. So yes, energy is infinite.

As I said, I'm asking an impossible question. Energy may be infinite in it's existence, but is it infinite in it's amount? I only ask because to me, it's either one of two ways. Either all souls have always exsisted or new ones are always made. If all souls have always existed, there would have to have been an infinite amount of life/life forms from the beginning. But, I suppose it's just that infinite amounts of energy have always been and new life comes from and is also recycled back into the infinite. Infinity is a hard concept to understand for the finite. Again, this is not the important part. How one lives their life is what is important. Life is a gift and not a right. I just hope there's no way I can come back as a toilet...XD

I actually like the religion over all, though parts of it get a bit too pessimistic for my liking. Over all, my beliefs do tend to align with Buddhism, as well as Wicca, christianity, shinto, and those "New age" peeps. I take what makes sense to my subjective experience. And Yaasshat, the question you pose on page 1 could also be extended to all the matter in the universe. All matter that exists in the universe was here from the very start. It only makes up less than 1% of the total universe, and yet biological lifeforms reuse it to create new cells, new lifeforms, and consuming others. You may be only in your 20s, or so, but your body is literally as old as time, synthesized from ancient star dust in a very specific, self sustaining pattern. And when you die, the matter will break apart, allowing other microbes to flourish. That in essence is the circle of life. When we take it to the spiritual realm, is it really that hard to believe? And yes, as a medium (Huzzah for anecdotal confessions, take it with a grain of salt), most of what I actually encounter are lower thought form entities, so given the grand scheme of the universe, I'm perfectly fine accepting that there are trillions upon trillions of souls out there. But I think new souls are born all the time. The spiritual realm isn't quite like the material realm. Its not finite, time is 3 dimensional, and it overlaps into infinite planes of existence, parallel realities, higher realms, and lower hells. Maybe there is a god spitting out pieces of itself into living organisms, which would explain why consciousness overlaps in some individuals, if we're all tethered to a greater collective entity. Now let me preface spirituality the same way science does: "Of course, I could be wrong." And given the subjective nature of spirituality, suffice to say I actually understand why spirituality is far less credible than science. :]

I'm agnostic leaning atheist and out of all the religions I have studied (I could have minored in religious studies lol) Taoism is the one that clicked and made the most sense. If you ever have time to kill, read the Tao Te Ching; its written beautifully. I love the idea and concept of Buddhism but agree with someone who previously said a lot of people claim Buddhist but do not adhere to its strict tenets. ------------------------------------- The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao The name that can be named is not the eternal Name. The unnamable is the eternally real. Naming is the origin of all particular things. Free from desire, you realize the mystery. Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations. Yet mystery and manifestations arise from the same source. This source is called darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.

@Sunbae ^_^ Yes. I love how pure it is. It does not try to make up grand stories about miracles or give comfort regarding an afterlife. It explains how things just are. It's so simplistic yet beautiful. It just makes the most sense out of everything else.