One of the arguments advanced most frequently by opponents of reincarnation is phrased succinctly by these questions? "If we return to Earth again and again, how do you account for the obvious fact that the population of the world keeps increasing all the time? Where do all these souls come from as they reincarnate?"

These are good questions. They show that the questioner is thinking about the subject in a rational manner rather than dismissing it offhand because it differs with his previous teachings. Therefore, it is important that we who are attempting to establish reincarnation as a viable alternative in the Age of Responsibility answer this query with the same seriousness and respect with which it was asked.

Four Considerations

Although other factors may be at work here, four major possible mechanisms should be considered:

1. At one time Earth had large populations in civilizations now extinct. For various reasons these souls did not desire to reincarnate or were not allowed to reincarnate until recent centuries.
2. There has been a change of balance in the proportion of souls in the Soul World and those on Earth. The number of souls available to the Earth is always much greater than those actually on the Earth at one time. The greater number is at rest in the Soul World waiting for their opportunity to once again return to Earth to take up their labors.
3. New souls are being created. There is to our knowledge no reason why God cannot create new souls to inhabit these new bodies on the Earth if He has a mind to. The Laws of the Universe do not, cannot change; therefore, what He did once He can do again.
4. It is possible that certain human bodies are born soulless. Therefore, these beings swell the ranks of the Earth's population but do not use up the available pool of souls in the Soul World. For reasons that will become clear shortly, these individuals may be called Agents of the Law.

Ancient Civilizations

It is almost axiomatic that later civilizations look upon those of an earlier period with a certain amount of disdain and patronization. We attempt to belittle their accomplishments and frequently consider their faiths as naive and pagan. Might there not be a little envy and sour grapes in this hasty appraisal? One can but wonder how our civilization will hold up after a few millennia. What will we leave to future generations that are as awesome and beautiful as the remnants we have received from past civilization?

Perhaps one reason we belittle these peoples is that we underestimate the size of their populations. As we travel the world and see the magnificent ruins of past civilizations in South America, Central America, Ireland, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Africa, India and other countries of Asia - and even in our own land - we surmise that these wonders were not built by an ignorant society or an insignificant number of people. Some early civilizations may have had far more citizens that we ascribe to them.

What about the civilizations of which we know nothing? We read stories of Lemuria and Atlantis. Are they mere figments of the imagination or did they really exist? Authors in the Golden Age of Greece certainly wrote as if one of these, Atlantis, was real. Is it not the height of arrogance to dismiss all such past civilizations because we have not as yet been intelligent enough to discover the remnants of their accomplishments?

Scientists report that the Earth is millions of years old and that its surface has changed many times. Is it not possible that the Earth was peopled at every one of those periods, that in the changing the people were swept away, and that they made a new beginning time and time again. Such a concept is certainly in harmony with, for example, the story of Noah and the flood, as described in Scripture.

As the Soul is eternal (unless it is destroyed by the evil acts of the individual, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." __Ezekial 18:20, it must survive such earthly catastrophes and be deposited in the Soul World. There it must wait until the Earth's population is once again of a size that permits it to incarnate physically.

Just as there is no real evidence that the Earth was not at one time filled with even more humans that inhabit the planet today, so there is no rational reason to believe there are not more than enough souls waiting in the Soul Realm for all the bodies we can generate on Earth.

The Soul World

Perhaps one of the best ways to understand the purpose and mechanism of the Soul World is to compare it to the operation of a ship at sea in time of war. The ship has a large crew, but only a few are on duty at any one time. The rest are sleeping or relaxing so they will be alert and ready when their time of duty arrives. If there is trouble, however, it is possible for the captain to mobilize them all at once with the call, "All hands on deck."

So is it, or at least can be, in the soul World. Those on the Earth at any one time are those on duty. A large group is in the Soul World asleep. Another group is awake, but relaxing and preparing for their next tour of duty. They will take over when those now on duty fo off (leave the Earth).

The number of men on duty, as on the ship, can depend on the needs of the duty. Obviously, when the earth's population was small, only a few were needed on duty, so the greater number were able to take their ease in the soul World. As the Earth's population grew, more and more were needed for duty, and the ranks of those resting shrank. Therefore, we can readily see that in the Soul World as well as on the ship a simple mechanism is available to provide the manpower necessary to fulfill the changing requirements for those on duty.

It is even possible for the captain (the Powers That Be) to call for all hands on deck and for all available souls to be mobilized for service on the Earth. There is no evidence that this is necessary or will be necessary in the near future, however, because the pool of souls that can reincarnate is very large.

One other consideration regarding this matter is the possibility of a last chance for many souls. As we approach the time of the New Renaissance, The Forces of the Universe appear to want to give every possible Soul a chance to qualify for this marvelous period. To make this possible, many souls are now being sent to Earth that normally would not be released yet. Admittedly, many of these are of lower developmental stages and will not be born into very auspicious surroundings, but at least they have a chance to show what they can do. They cannot turn later to the Powers That Be and say, "You didn't even let me try."

Undoubtedly, the large number of these souls on earth today accounts for much of the confusion and outright evil that prevails, but this condition will last only a short time as the separation of those who are worthy from those who have made themselves unworthy is now in full process.

Are There New Souls?

There is no evidence that new souls are being created or need to be created, but the possibility certainly exists. Most knowledgeable authorities believe that few new souls are being created and that the major source of souls for the population explosion is best explained by the other three factors discussed here.

Soulless Bodies

Can a human being be born without a Soul? This is always a delicate subject. Of course, some people do not believe that we have a Soul at all; therefore, for them this subject creates no problem. The majority of civilized peoples, however, do hold the belief that man has a Soul. Even among this latter group, there may be debate not only as to what precise human qualities are given to a person by the Soul but also how one individual might attempt to determine whether another person has a Soul.

There are probably two major groups of individuals who may be born soulless. The first consists of those beings who are born to societies barely above the level of the animal. It is possible that some of these may have a young Soul, but others in the same tribe may have none at all. There does have to be a line somewhere. The Law has to determine that below a certain form of human body and mind development a soul would be useless and wasteful because the being would not have the potential to develop it. No human has the right, however, to make this judgement of another. Only the Law and the Godhead Himself have any rights in these matters.

The second group that may be born soulless is more interesting. These are the Agents of the Law. In general, these individuals did have souls at one time but lost their right to them (The Soul, being a part of God, cannot be destroyed.) Therefore, the substance that once made up this individual Soul has returned to the Godhead to be refashioned at His Will.

When these people were on the Earth, they usually created much indebtedness not only on their own Soul, which was collected with the loss of that soul's individuality, but also towards many other. This latter indebtedness is not discharged by the loss of the Soul, as it is an indebtedness of the physical plane and must be paid for on the physical plane. As the Nazarene said, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."

Because events must remain orderly, these beings (the personalities that incurred the debts in their past incarnations) must return to Earth until these debts have been settled one way or another. Often this is as an Agent of the Law.

What is an Agent of the Law? It is a being that does not have a soul and, therefore, has no chance of development on the Soul Level during its earthly sojourn. The Law may use this person as the agent by which persons with souls are chastised for their own misdeeds. These Agents of the Law are allowed much greater flexibility in such matters that the ordinary individual than the ordinary individual because there is no need to take into account the effects on their Soul of the acts committed; they have no Soul.

Frequently, deeds must be done on the Earth that would be so repugnant to a being with a soul, even of the lowest type, that the only way the Law can be fulfilled is by a soulless Agent of the Law. As long as men and women refuse to obey the Laws of their being such indebtedness will need to be paid and what better vehicles than by soulless, unfeeling monsters, for such, in truth, they are.

The feelings of guilt, remorse, and sympathy all come from the Soul of man. If a person does not have a Soul, he does not have these feelings. Although, as stated before, it is not for us to judge, we can but wonder if some of the criminals shown on television, who seem to commit the most heinous acts without an apparent shred of regret or remorse, may not fall into this category. Even if this were true, it should not encourage us to judge them harshly. In fact, just the opposite should be true. As they may not be able to have the normal human emotions, they are no more to be condemned that the cat should be for catching the mouse. Under the Law both may be Agents of the Law in that they are fulfilling the law of their own particular being: The cat to keep down the rodent population; the soulless man to help the Law administer justice as it sees the need.

One further fact must be mentioned regarding this subject. Just because these individuals are doing the work of the Law does not mean that they should not be brought to justice. Although it is the duty of everyone to help remove them form society, they will not be completely eradicated until there no longer is a need for their services. That is up to each of us. Once we so live as to reduce our indebtedness to the point that they are not needed by the Law for its own purposes, they will disappear.

Conclusion

These for considerations may account for the increased population on our planet in harmony with the concept of reincarnation. In actual practice, a little of each method probably is in effect in this matter. But, we can rest assured that the increasing earthy population presents no difficulties to the keepers of souls; there are more than enough to go around.
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