In the previous post, we examined God's opinion on generational curses. In this post, we'll examine scientific explanations and then turn our attention to the spirit realm, including the concept of Karma.

Scientific Materialist Explanations: Mental Health and Genetics

Entire industries have been built to solve self-destructive problems like the "cycle of abuse" and generationally learned behaviors, among many others.  Some of these ideas have become axiomatic.For instance, Alcoholism is genetic, therefore the alcoholic can't help it. Best to learn coping mechanisms to the slavery of alcohol rather than trying to be set free, says one popular alcholics treatment program.The cycle of abuse is a theory developed in 1979 to explain abusive patterns in relationships. Children growing up in abusive environments learn that this is the way to live, and then perpetuate the same behavior into the next generation.This kind of self-perpetuating behavior applies to all manner of social ills, and society has tried all manner of science-based remedies to break the curse. The remedies sometimes work for a decade or a generation, only to have the destructive behavior rear its ugly head again later. Despite the best efforts of these social researchers, the true remedy for new life lies beyond science.Recent breakthroughs in cellular research have revealed that certain events are recorded on cell membranes all throughout our bodies. This cellular memory is genetically encoded at the molecular level and passed on to our descendants. In the Peeranormal episode covering organ donation, we discuss cellular memory, and I recommend checking that episode. Basically, some of our life events and even memories are encoded on cellular membranes throughout the body. This information can be passed on to subsequent generations, through a process called genetic memory, and certain conditions can trigger the access of these memories, thus offering an explanation to why some children seem to remember "past lives." The answer is they aren't remembering past lives: certain conditions are causing their minds to access memories genetically encoded on their cells. This is a sobering discovery when considering the kinds of sins I have done before having children (or donating my kidney), but also wonderful memories are passed on too.Can this explain generational curses and blessings?The question brings up the natural conclusion: are we slaves to genetic memory?The evidence does not suggest we are slaves to genetic memory, but rather that genetic memory serves as a sort of gravitational pull in some cases towards some behaviors. More important than genetic memory to behavior is our present thinking and actions, rather than the actions of our genetic ancestors.We discussed these ideas in the podcast, so I do recommend it.  Generational curses can be broken and genetic memories healed, so the answer lies beyond scientific materialism.

Gnostic Explanations: Karma

Monistic religions have many ideas addressing the origin of generational curses. For some, the physical world is so fallen and corrupt, it’s practically unredeemable and best to transcend the physical universe to join the cosmic consciousness. For others, the idea is summed up in Karma, which is a very complicated idea that varies depending on the specific monist strain and I won’t do it justice. Basically, to monists, Karma is a cosmic principle that means like deeds like effects; good deeds lead to good effects, and bad deeds lead to bad effects.  This is not the reaping and sowing idea of Hebraic and Western thought. The "you reap what you sow" idea involves magnification: you sow seeds and you harvest far more than you sowed. For instance, you sow love, then your love will be increased.Karma is more of a works-based world-shaping nature of the universe that perpetuates in the cosmic rebirth of the deeds. More than reincarnation, Karma will recycle deeds (not just souls) into subsequent generations. Generational curses can be thought of as bad Karma perpetuating into ensuing generations, requiring a cosmic effort to change fortunes. Better start with yoga and shedding the physical nature for a purely spiritual existance. Monists have a serious problem dealing with the nature of evil. And for Gnostics, what if the physical world really isn’t evil and our role on earth isn't to leave the physical behind but to renew it?Monist and Gnostic interpretations of generational curses miss the mark of what is truly going on in the spiritual and physical realm. Generational curses have to do the cosmic enemy forces arrayed against the Kingdom of God.

The Spirit Realm

By embracing the Kingdom of God Mindset, we begin to put on the mind of Christ, and we can better understand the nature of generational curses and how to break them. If you don’t understand the Kingdom of God mindset, get my book or read the summary page before continuing on.  The nature of the world includes the physical realm and the invisible spiritual realm. It’s kind of like another dimension, but I don’t recommended thinking of it like that because the word "dimensions" connotes scientific ideas (at least in my mind), and science doesn’t apply to spiritual things. 

The Upside Down

The spirit realm is kind of like the Upside Down in Stranger Things on Netflix (but not really). In Stranger Things, the characters can physically enter a parallel universe called the Upside Down through certain portals, or psychically enter the Upside Down through sensory deprivation and honing psychic skills. But the spirit realm isn’t really like the Upside Down. 

Middle Earth

It’s more like Frodo putting on the Ring in The Lord of the Rings books, or Bilbo putting on the Ring in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit film adaptations.When Frodo puts on the Ring, he leaves the physical realm and enters the spiritual realm. Normally, this realm is invisible to physical creatures (except seers!). When Frodo puts on the Ring, the physical realm becomes shadowy but he sees the spiritual world clearly and spiritual beings clearly see him. This is a better fictional representation of the spirit realm. 

How the Spirit Realm Impacts the Physical

We as humans exist in both realms. We are physical creatures with a (generally invisible) spiritual nature. Most of us cannot clearly perceive the spiritual realm, but we still exist on that spiritual plane.Spiritual things impact the physical realm.  They can constrain behavior or thought patterns. Similarly, physical things can impact the spirit realm.A spiritual curse might be invisible in the physical realm, but it exists in the spiritual realm, impacting the spiritual nature of the victim. This spiritual impact will manifest in physical ways. This spiritual curse might be a spiritual creature assigned to someone, wrecking perpetual havoc, or word-forms, with the word shaping the spiritual reality - and in turn shaping the physical. For instance, a man cursed with adultery might have the word perpetually influencing his spirit, which manifests physically in habitual sin. A seer might look at that man and see the word “adultery” on his forehead or note an adulterous spirit besides him or note an adulterous taint on his aura - the spiritual nature of his being. The man is a slave to this curse and needs to be released. This impact might run generational in his family...To be continued...