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Reincarnation On Trial

Why Would The Dark Realms Need To Exist?

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Few elements of the afterlife have been so thoroughly verified as the existence of the Dark Realms. Thousands of mediumistic testimonies are offered to us.

Many will eventually spend at least a little time in somewhat unpleasant accommodations; if this does happen, just remember, it's temporary. Anyone in a repentant attitude, desiring to change and to live a good life, can leave virtually immediately by calling out to a Spirit Guide. Finding oneself in a dark place is not a form of punishment; not the result of a stern God who has a problem with forgiveness; rather, we, ourselves, our better natures, send ourselves to "detention" in order that we might think about what we did and did not do.

Again, the Dark Realms are not punitive in purpose. I think it goes not too far to say that everything in the "kingdom of God" is educative in nature, all designed to help people move past fear and reach out for their highest potential.

Think of these unpleasant places as a recalcitrant student spending time in detention: if you cut class, if you don't do your homework, if you don't play well with others, you might be sent to a "time out." In dark detention, selfish and fearful persons are required to think about what they did and did not do; they learn about the value of service to humankind. When a sufficient minimum amount of "light" has been gained, in terms of better attitude and intention, one can then move into nicer quarters in Summerland; all in all, a pretty fair deal, not so bad, really.

• See Life In The World Unseen, Father Benson's account of his exploratory trip to the Dark Realms.

However, the truly hard-core, the viciously unrepentant, might froth and bluster there, seethe in their bitterness, for a very long time; in a worst-case situation, hundreds or thousands of years. Brother Joshua used a phrase for these self-perverted ones: "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" - translated this means, those (1) wallowing in the self-pity of victimhood, along with (2) the bellicose maliciously-defiant.

But wait a minute! If reincarnation is true, why would there be a Dark Realm, a place of introspection and renewal of soul? Why not just ship out for another excellent adventure on the Earth? You were a prostitute last time? well, no problemo - be Mother Theresa this time and balance your karma. Nice work if you can get it.

• These two concepts, reincarnation and the Dark Realms, represent two different "salvation-systems" and are philosophically opposed to each other.

Some who promote reincarnation suggest that if one has indulged in a misspent life, or maybe a life of great evil,  this will mean that, virtually automatically, such a person will be coming back to the Earth immediately or very soon.

• If this is the case, then why would there need to be a Dark Realm for "unruly students"? Why not just put on a new mask, change your gender, change your culture and nationality, change your essential identity and thoughts, throw your soul back into the existential hopper, and jump onto the merry-go-round of life one more time and try for better luck?

If reincarnation is true, then what do we do with the thousands of accounts of the Dark Realms, and the Spirit Guides' testimonies of missionary work there, an effort to bring confused and wayward persons to their senses, that they might enter Summerland and begin their true eternal life?

Clearly, both of these concepts cannot be true.

Yes, if reincarnation were true, the Dark Realms would be emptied instantly by those, in a spirit of "cheap grace," with a "get out of jail free card," who would cavalierly exult that they might now try again, easily casting off past consequences for actions, and simply leave behind all the chaos they had encouraged.

It doesn't work that way.

There is a reason why Brother Joshua said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will not get out of prison until you have paid the last penny!" This does not sound much like "cheap grace." Jesus was referring to the program of restitution that each soul entering the next world must think about. None of us has been perfect here, and each of us will be involved in helping others, in setting right that which we once hindered or injured.

The following is channeled information as reported by Henry Thibault in “Letters From The Other Side” (1919).

For “souls that pass through [the difficult Earth-experience], having learned its lessons, become leaders and teachers. Joy is their portion, and sorrow is theirs no longer… They understand [the true nature of both life and evil], and bitterness and disillusionment can never touch them again… For the advanced soul, this Earth is hell; for the less evolved, the [Dark Realm] is the place of reaping and consequent repentance.”