Do you believe in reincarnation?

I have often thought of that too. Each of us is composed of billions of different atoms that were once part of other organisms. Ultimately, however, we are all simply made up of matter from the stars. The stars were the first visible objects in the Universe. When the first stars died, they shed their outer layers of matter which resulted in the formation of the planets, which, in turn resulted in the creation of us.

I hope it exists.

First you have to assume there are souls, that's a given. I like to think of all souls being equal but seperate consciousnesses. There is no practical difference, and who we are is completely tied to our physical beings. It's like the body and mind is a biological box in which the soul resides. When we die we simply move on to a new 'box'--a brand new being. The only problem I have with this theory is determining what does and doesn't have a soul. I believe dogs have souls, but what about insects or plants? Do microorganisms have a soul? I find it interesting...

I suppose if one can have a personality, one can have a soul.

Study proves that animals have different personalities
By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Published: 31 May 2007
It will come as no surprise to owners of cantankerous cats or disobedient dogs, but scientists have now confirmed what pet lovers have always known: that each animal has its own distinct personality.

More than 60 different species, from primates and rodents to fish and even insects, have been scientifically documented to exhibit individual differences in characteristics such as aggression or shyness.

Scientists believe there is an evolutionary basis behind personality differences between members of the same species and that animal personality has to do with a trade-off between safe and risky behaviour.

The researchers say that their hypothesis can explain why even animals with relatively straightforward and genetically innate behaviour, such as snails and ants, can be seen as having individual personalities.

"Farmers, dog-owners and others who spend time observing animals know that non-human animals can differ strikingly in character and temperament," said Max Wolf, a biologist at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. "Yet only in recent years has it become evident that personalities are a widespread phenomenon in the animal kingdom. Indeed, animals as diverse as spiders, mice and squids appear to have personalities."

Dr Wolf added: "By 'personality' we usually mean some kind of consistency in behaviour. If an animal is bold, aggressive or extrovert they tend to be stable in these characteristics over time. They don't switch their behaviour abruptly."

A young great tit, for example, which exhibits the trait of exploring a new environment in a superficial way will tend to continue this superficial exploration of its surroundings as it gets older, Dr Wolf said.

"Even more interestingly, it will also tend to be more aggressive than its thoroughly exploring conspecifics [members of the same species] and behave more boldly when confronted with novel objects, as well as have a different dominance position in the group hierarchy."

The study, published in the journal Nature, points out that it is difficult to explain how such individual differences in behaviour have come about unless they are seen as the results of two rival strategies - live fast and die young, or grow old gracefully. "In many cases personalities are shaped by a simple underlying principle: the more an individual stands to lose in terms of reproduction, the more cautiously it should behave, in all kinds of situations and consistently over time," Dr Wolf said.

"Many personality traits have a risky component. According to our theory, individuals who have little to lose should take risks, those who have much to lose should not. In effect, some individuals invest in future benefits and late reproduction, whereas other individuals put more emphasis on current benefits and reproduce early," he said.

The trade-off between the two strategies - risky and safe behaviour - results in the type of personality differences scientists and pet owners have observed in a wide range of species, the researchers say.

"It simultaneously explains the coexistence of behavioural types, the consistency of behaviour through time and the structure of behavioural correlations across contexts," the Nature report says. "Moreover, it explains the common finding that explorative behaviour and risk-related traits are common characteristics of animal personalities."

Dr Wolf said that whether the same approach can be used to explain differences in human personality is still open to question.

"At the very least, the results of this study could be taken to provide an evolutionary underpinning of the common saying that 'he that has least to lose has least to fear'," he said.

Well, the bad news, I suppose is that it would mean that we're going to have to keep on working at growing... until we get it right.
(Or is that the good news.)

Couple quotes:
“It is no more surprising to be born twice than to be born once: everything in nature is resurrection.” - Francois Voltaire

“Rebirth is an affirmation that must be counted among the primordial affirmations of mankind. The concept of rebirth necessarily implies the continuity of personality. Here the human personality is regarded as continuous and accessible to memory, so that, when one is incarnated or born, one is able, potentially, to remember that one has lived through previous existences, and that these existences were one's own, ie, they had the same ego form as the present life. As a rule, reincarnation means rebirth in a human body.” - Carl G. Jung

“When I see nothing annihilated, and not even a drop of water wasted, I cannot suspect the annihilation of souls… Thus finding myself to exist in the world, I believe I shall, in some shape or other, always exist; with all the inconveniences human life is liable to, I shall not object to a new edition of mine; hoping, however, that the errata of the last may be corrected.” - Benjamin Franklin

Or, "I have been born more times than anybody except Krishna." — Mark Twain ;-)

I'm not sure I believe in it 100%, however I always try to be nice to other living creatures because I constantly think, "What if I was randomly placed in control of not me, but that thing..." lol.

Good point, Than786,
To me reincarnation has always fit in well with commandments to "do unto others as..."

When my grandfather died, my grandmother was left alone in a strange country (they had moved to the states for better access to meds). After a year, I think, my cousin was born. The family likes to joke that it may be my grandfather. She's extremelly eloquent for her age (she is 5) and her speech pattern could have rolled right out of my grandfather's tongue. She also says phrases that one would only hear him say (like really obscure sayings, or facts). Also, when there was family strife, she would say random stuff that was similar to what my grandfather would say. My grandmother babysits her, so she keeps my grandmother company - who takes much delight in her antics. Some of the family believe in guardian angels, so they think it may be my grandfather looking after my cousin, and in effect, looking after us and my grandmother.
I don't know what to believe.. If its all just coincidences, or if reincarnation does exist. But i think I'll err on the side of "just in case.."

d0rmancy,
I've come to believe those are real possibilities.
From both family & acquaintances (of varied religious beliefs or nonbeliefs) I've heard stories that would make your spine tingle.

Some may be coincidences. Others have (to me) the ring (tingle) of truth.

Hello, I don't believe in rehincarnation.

I also believe the concept of rehincarnation is flawed.

The thing is, I don't remember anything from past lives (granted they existed)... nor have I met someone who does. So it doesn't make much sense to me to ask such a question.

I'm not sure if I expressed my opinion well, but this is basically what I think.

I dont believe in reincarnation either.
I think too much value is placed on life, and no-one has much of a concrete understanding of it.
If life is to be based upon the acronym MRSGREF, which stands for something im sure, then life is just visible reactions to stimuli, which if you ever have the OBE Ive had before, youll come to accept.
Yet again, I think were too naive to really say for sure. I also believe jesus was a schizophrenic. The illuminati created the bible. And people have been fooled for millenia. The church is just another one of its tendrils that seeps through the goodwill of man and turns them evil (like the crusades for example).

So..basically..reincarnation doesnt exist, religion doesnt exist, even WE dont exist, alls thats left is the illuminati which exists for sure.. LOL, hows that for a twist in the myth.