As a seasoned youth pastor in the late 90s, I was not terribly surprised at the words floated by the teenage girl as the two of us stood in the church’s foyer after youth group, waiting for her ride to arrive.
Raised in our United Methodist church since birth, Emily made an unusual profession of faith: "I have decided I believe in reincarnation."
Her words were not a teenager’s attempt to get a rise out of an authority figure; she was just making conversation.
I probed a bit: “What exactly appeals to you about the concept of reincarnation?” I was fairly certain she had no Hindu friends actively proselytizing her in our small Hoosier town.
“I don’t know. I just think it sounds like a cool idea. If this life doesn’t go so well, you get to come back as somebody else in the next life.”
When I pointed out that the Bible denied the possibility of reincarnation, Emily seemed surprised and wanted to know what it had to say on the topic. I directed her to Hebrews 9:27: “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment”. (ESV)
I will never forget her response: “Well, I think the Bible is wrong then.”
And at that she walked away.
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