Oh cruel fate, why was I born a dog? Options

[*My Cinderella.*]

Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and other religions believe in dharma, which is basically tasks that one needs to complete in their lifetime. Do you believe that the form of life something or someone takes (such as a fish or dog) represents how they acted in their past lives? For example, do you think that a rapist years back could be the roach in your kitchen to this day? Or on a positive outlook, a kind and generous poor man could reborn into the prince of Thailand. What do you think?

[Simba]

I think a person dies when all of his memories are erased, and that the entire process of reincarnation is a system to divert the blame away from one's self.

For example; "Ah, my husband ran off with a stripper. What did I do in my past life to deserve this?"

This is obvious nonsense, as the husband was more likely no good to begin with or the wife was just that impossible to tolerate. Instead of looking at the painful truth, people created a new idea that events are all due to past occurrences, which you don't remember anyway. Additionally, if you can't remember your 'past life', its like you never lived it at all. Thus, what importance would it make if you even had one? Being good in this life so that you could be better off in your next life seems foolish if you won't really be experiencing the change.

Note: This is just a stupid example, its just meant to show the bare structure of my thoughts on the topic.

Karma is what helps make reincarnation make sense. "With every action there is an opposite and equal reaction." (Newton's Third Law)

Someone thinking "Ah, my husband ran off with a stripper. What did I do in my past life to deserve this?" doesn't necessarily have quite the right idea of reincarnation. Reincarnation makes sense because it gives reason as to why you were born under what conditions (because of karma); however, an action in the present doesn't have to be caused from an action in a past life.

Sure, the husband may not have (and probably didn't) run off because of something the wife did in her past life, but there still has to be a reason as to why (action and reaction) the husband ran off. And perhaps the reason is more direct (like you said, maybe the husband was no good or the wife was intolerable). The concept of karma isn't that unfamiliar. Cause and effect, Newton's third law, and etc.

But reincarnation makes sense because (when combined with karma) it helps give reason to the beginning of a lifetime. That is, however, if you believe that you are not the body or the mind, but an eternal soul that is unnatural to be in the material world.

I don't really believe in that hokish pokish non sense.

For me, as a Christian, people die and either go to heaven or hell. Whether if you were good and went to heaven and whether if you were bad you went to hell you don't "reincarnate" your soul remains at peace.

Ironic that you call it "hokish pokish non sense" considering it actually makes more sense than the Christian "one shot" deal.

(Sorry if that came off blunt.)