1. There is no positive proof of the existence of souls, immortal karma, reincarnation or any other spiritual life. It is interesting to note that in their later years Hindu philosophers such as Osho Rajnish and J. Krishnamurti reversed themselves and claimed that there was no reincarnation.
2. There are obvious motives of profit and political power for those who promote belief in the supernatural. How many gurus have made fortunes with the idea of the soul and reincarnation? Historically, the idea of the soul has been as much a matter of politics as it is a matter of personal religious belief. It is a fact that the Hindu Brahmins justified the pay-as-you-go system on the basis of bad karma from the past life to be born in the lowest untouchable class; and good deeds to serve the upper castes it is necessary to be born, in the next complexion, in a family of the upper caste. China banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission in 2007. The real motive is to cut off the influence of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled political and spiritual leader.
3. Humans most likely have a built-in genetic predisposition to avoid the inevitable event of our future death in order to reduce fear and stress. Our brains may create myths of God, the soul, immortal karma, reincarnation, and the afterlife as a buffer against the damaging knowledge of the inevitable demise of ourselves and everyone we know and love. By inventing myths about the afterlife and/or reincarnation, the brain can comfortably exist without the highly charged survival instinct being electrically connected to the new knowledge of the inevitability of our future death.
4. Life on earth was created through the non-human laws of nature. Strands of chemicals (DNA) were created in the process of the origin of life, and later in the process, some strands of DNA became encased in protective shells that dramatically increased their ability to survive, creating the first single-celled organisms like the first bacteria. Starting with simple single-celled organisms, more complexity was added until a myriad of multicellular creatures were produced. Through this slow process of evolution over billions of years, there was never a need for a soul, except perhaps to help humans deal with their growing awareness of the inevitable time-death equation. We know that humans evolved from single-celled organisms. Where did the soul enter the scene and why?
No one can honestly say that it is impossible for human beings to have souls or immortal karma or reincarnation. An absolute negative cannot be shown in the face of such a large and complex issue. It can only be said that, given the evidence, the possibility is unlikely. The burden of proof falls on those who believe in the supernatural and there are currently no facts to support their case.
Courtesy: “Soul and Reincarnation”
