Theos-Talk Archives (June 1995 Message tl00057)

My view of reincarnation has been heavily influenced by an
article I read in the June 94' issue of Discover magazine.
Entitled "Virtual Jack", it was about a Computers Graphics Lab at
the University of Pennsylvania.  Virtual Jack is an ongoing
project to use computer graphics to create a complete replica of
a human being.  They started with a wire frame, then gave him
skin, taught him how to move like a man.  He can dance the limbo
and count with his fingers and he'd even driven a John Deere
tractor.  His last job was as a soda jerk in a virtual soda shop.
Their task in 94' was to give him human organs.

I found it fascinating because I thought about how long it's
taken us to get this far.  Reading about these computer
scientists labor for years just to get this virtual guy to do
simple things made me reallize why it is taking us so long to get
THERE.  Also in terms of reincarnation, I could visualize our
bodies (astral, etheric, etc.) being shaped to fit the purposes
of the our Higher Selves.  I imagined the abstract monad
recreating and reshaping over the aeons, the characters that
would suit the experiences that would lead to enlightenment.
Now, it's difficult for me to see reincarnation as one popping
into a handy body, but rather seeing it as a creative process
that starts from a spiritual level.  (How many Virtual Jacks does
it take to make an Adept?)

My thinking has also been influenced by a Canadian television
series (The Highlander) that I saw last year.  In the show, a man
ran into a burning building to save a little boy.  At that moment
I was lifted up to the place where I was detached from emotion
and saw it only as a pure act of sacrifce.  It only lasted 10
seconds but it seemed to me that this is the track that Buddha
was on.  He was able to see through the virtual Illusion by
detachment and moving his consciousness to a higher level.  (I
apologize to Buddhists here.  This is probably overly simple.)

If God had divided himself into many beings that are working
towards perfection, then it is no wonder that there has been
wars, suffering, etc.  All those Virtual Jacks and Jills, playing
out their parts so that their Selves, stuck on the abstract,
could achieve higher knowledge.  Endless mini-series and
television movies of pain and suffering, joy and pleasure.
Illusions for enlightenment on the God's 12" monitor.

I've been thinking of writing a post like this for a while, but
felt your discussion of reincarnation gave me the opportunity to
finally express it.

- ann