Trutz Hardo has put together an interesting collection of stories in this book; although most are taken from other books, such as those written by Ian Stevenson and Carol Bowman. In between all the stories, are the authors thoughts and beliefs on reincarnation...many which come across as authoritative and unbending to other opinions.
Hardo is a total believer in reincarnation, which is not bad, in my opinion. But he also seems to feel EVERYONE should believe in reincarnation, and believe in it exactly as he does. He even states at one point in the book that obviously everyone that had reached that point in the book must certainly now believe in reincarnation! In other words, he starts sounding like a missionary...no different from missionaries of organized religions. Reincarnation answers most of his questions about life, and he believes it would be that way for everyone, if they just gave it genuine consideration, and read stories that "proved" reincarnation was a reality.
He also adheres to "God's Laws of Karma"...which he says means one must reap everything one sows in one's current life or future lives. Thus, if you were cruel in your last life, it makes no difference that you are no such thing in this one, and all the rest of your lives...you must still reap that cruelty! It's supposedly the only way you'll learn not to be cruel...even though, you actually obviously learned it some other way! :) I mean, really, is this way of thinking anything but a simple minded type of vengeance...that even makes God responsible for the revenge? (Roy Stemman deals with this matter very nicely in his book "One Soul, Many Lives", using an excellent quote from English journalist Hannen Swaffer.)
For some reason, Hardo appears to believe all humans are cruel in the beginning, and then must go through many lifetimes to become loving. Why he believes this, he does not say. It almost sounds like the belief that we are all sinners due to the Garden of Eden. Hardo ends the book by listing all the ways life on Earth will improve once everyone believes in reincarnation. I don't know...I doubt believing in reincarnation will make "saints" out of all the "sinners" anymore than any organized religion has done so. :)
Children from England and around the world share their past life memories in Children Who Have Lived Before, a title which follows cases which not only recount past lives led, but includes some thought-provoking insights on kids who've been born with lost limbs and are able to describe when and where they lost them in a past life. The case for reincarnation moves up a notch in this absorbing, unique title, packed with case histories and reflections on how children's statements were verified.
