Is there a biblical explanation for some children's ability to supposedly recall past lives?
Ian Stevenson has recorded past life recall of children. In some of the cases he claims to have verified the details of the recall in the corresponding setup. Is there a biblical explanation for this?
Acts 16:16
ESV - 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
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Asked February 12 2024
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venkatesan Iyer
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For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Danny Hickman
What does, "verified the details of the recall in the corresponding setup" mean? I don't have a clue as to what that statement declares...
The scripture reference accompanying the question is akin to palm reading or the reading of tarot cards.
divination ~ the practice of attempting to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge by occult or supernatural means. ~ Dictionary.com
occult ~ relating to magic, astrology, or any system claiming use or knowledge of secret or supernatural powers or agencies; psychic ~
Dictionary.com
Divination has nothing to do with God. So a "spirit of divination" in Acts 16 confuses some people. Words like 'spirit' and 'divine,' the root of 'divination,' causes some to think that this girl, who is practicing witchcraft, has a godly spirit. She doesn't.
But I don't understand what foretelling the future has to do with remembering a past life. There is no example of a person in scripture telling anyone that they had lived before, and then gave proof that they were living a second time.
As for making money by fortune-telling, there's a palm reader business in my old neighborhood that's been there for over 50 years. It's a con that works!
There is a biblical explanation for children remembering past lives; it's called 'lying.' There's no way to remember anything that hasn't happened!! Anyone who claims to remember something that hasn't happened is either suffering a mental illness or telling a lie; whether a child or an adult!