In a previous life, I was…


The Bronze Dog got to be a “pirate chick with panache and a heart of gold”, but my past life analysis isn’t quite as interesting.

Your past life diagnosis:


I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern South China around the year 1000. Your profession was that of a builder of roads, bridges and docks.


Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
Revolutionary type. You inspired changes in any sphere – politics, business, religion, housekeeping. You could have been a leader.


The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
You are bound to solve problems of pollution of environment, recycling, misuse of raw materials, elimination of radioactivity by all means including psychological methods.


Do you remember now?

Wait…so I was a Chinese laborer with dreams of revolution, and therefore I now have the power to eliminate radioactivity with psychology?

Comments

  1. says

    China, eh? Well, that’s better than Egypt. It’s usually Egypt.

    I can only conclude that Egypt must have been horrendously overpopulated in ancient times.

  2. True Bob says

    So mine was in Sumatra 1350. What the hell was I doing between 14XX and 1962? That’s a few lifetimes of slacker time.

  3. says

    So the premise underlying this program is that your characteristics in one life determine the date on which you will be born again?

    If that’s the case, we live in a dumb universe.

  4. Prillotashekta says

    It said I was a female jeweler or watchmaker, born in 1325.

    In Western Australia.

    Don’t think there were many jewelers and watchmakers in Australia in the 14th century. Maybe I peddled pretty rocks and crocodile teeth?

  5. Prillotashekta says

    Oh, it also said I liked to rummage around in old books. Again, don’t think there were many books in 14th century Australia.

  6. Sarcastro says

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Phillippines around the year 1150. Your profession was that of a dancer, singer or actor.

    Oooh, a period almost unknown to History. Too bad I can’t explore my past-life experiences as it would be fascinating to study pre-Thallasocratic Phillipino society.

    Ruthless character, carefully weighing his decisions in critical situations, with excellent self-control and strong will. Such people are generally liked, but not always loved.

    A ruthless dancer!

    Magic is everywhere around you, even in the most usual, most ordinary situations. Your lesson is to understand this magic and to help other people to see it, too. You are a magician!

    Actually, I’m a systems administrator… replace “magic” with “computers” and that is spot on. ‘Course to a 12th century dweller of a Phillipino baranguay computers would be magic.

    And I’m with Bob, transmigration of the soul should be a bit quicker than this.

  7. Dustin says

    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    Your lesson is to learn humility and faith in spiritual principles. You should believe in higher reasons.

    I’ll get you for this, PZ Myers.

  8. says

    Everyone born on my birthday was this?!!?

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Spain around the year 925. Your profession was that of a seaman, dealer, businessman or broker.

    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    As a natural talent in psychology, you knew how to use your opportunities. Cold-blooded and calm in any situation. The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:

    Your task is to learn determination and persistency. Youd should not allow to let misfortunes take influence on your strong will.

  9. MikeM says

    Huh. I was also a jeweler, in 1600s Germany.

    Was there a Germany in the 1600s?

    I have a theory that these are canned responses (NO!! SAY IT AIN’T SO!). To test my theory, please enter your own dates and tell me if you get something like the following:

    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    The world is full of ill and lonely people. You should help those, who are less fortunate than you are.

  10. says

    Past life nonsense is one of the most confusing forms of woo to me. So you lived a previous life that you can’t remember and had a totally different personality. So……in what sense is that still you?

  11. says

    and here’s mine:

    Your past life diagnosis: I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern South Japan around the year 1050. Your profession was that of a builder of roads, bridges and docks. Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Person with huge energy, good in planning and supervising. If you were just garbage-man, you were chief garbage-man. The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    You are bound to learn to understand other people and to meet all difficulties of life with a joyful heart. You should help others by bringing them a spirit of joy.

  12. firemancarl says

    Yeah? Well, I was a female temple dancer born in the arctic in 1750. Hmmm colder than a dancers tit in a temple girls bra???

  13. Thomas Allen says

    I heard that PZ was the one who attacked the Syrian “nuclear site” –with the psychology beams he shoots from his eyes.

  14. Rose says

    Mine was boring, so I looked up Pope Benedict XVI. I’m not one to believe in coincidences, but this is just too funny.

    DOB: 16/04/1927
    Your past life diagnosis: I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Saudi Arabia around the year 1050.
    Your profession was that of a builder of roads, bridges and docks. Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Revolutionary type. You inspired changes in any sphere – politics, business, religion, housekeeping. You could have been a leader.
    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    Your lesson is to learn humility and faith in spiritual principles. You should believe in higher reasons. Do you remember now?

  15. says

    I appear to have been Mel Gibson’s great-great-umpty-et cetera grandson.

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Scotland around the year 1525. Your profession was that of a seaman, dealer, businessman or broker.
    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    As a natural talent in psychology, you knew how to use your opportunities. Cold-blooded and calm in any situation.

    The website’s admin is a bit of a chickenshit, though; rather than outright saying he’s presenting a goofy bullshit gadget he dances around the issue, never once saying outright that it’s all a huge load of marmot turds.

  16. noncarborundum says

    I like mine a lot:

    Your past life diagnosis:
    ——————————————————————————–
    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Ireland around the year 1800. Your profession was that of a seaman, dealer, businessman or broker.
    ——————————————————————————–
    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Bohemian personality, mysterious, highly gifted, capable to understand ancient books. With a magician’s abilities, you could have been a servant of dark forces.
    ——————————————————————————–
    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    Your task is to learn, to love and to trust the universe. You are bound to think, study, reflect, and to develop inner wisdom.
    ——————————————————————————–
    Do you remember now?

    Oooh. Highly gifted! Dark forces! Inner wisdom!

    Sadly, I also note the disclaimer:

    It is up to you how you interpret the information given by this program; however, you should know that this software is only slightly more sophisticated than an electronic fortune cookie.

    Spoilsports.

  17. Moses says

    Your past life diagnosis:
    ————————————————————
    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Tibet around the year 1825. Your profession was that of a artist, magician or fortune teller.
    ————————————————————
    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Bohemian personality, mysterious, highly gifted, capable to understand ancient books. With a magician’s abilities, you could have been a servant of dark forces.
    ————————————————————The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation: The timid, lonely and self-confident people are everywhere, and your task is to overcome these tendencies in yourself and then to help other people.
    ————————————————————Do you remember now?

    Jeesh.

  18. JustAnOutsider says

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Arctic around the year 750. Your profession was that of a entertainer, musician, poet or temple-dancer.
    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    You were a sane, practical person, a materialist with no spiritual consciousness. Your simple wisdom helped the weaker and the poor.
    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation: You should develop your talent for love, happiness and enthusiasm and you should distribute these feelings to all people.

    Well, that’s just great. Apparently I was a whore … in the Arctic?!?

  19. says

    Interesting note, if you plug in a future date, you still get an answer.

    I guess they can predict past lives of future persons, wait- doesn’t that mean I can find what I would be in a future life- and leave a message for me? or kill my future grandfather? Stephen Hawking would _love_ this shit.

    Oh, what if I _am_ my future grandfather, sounds like a great idea for a a soap or something….

  20. The Defenestrator says

    Wow, mine is almost the same as PZ’s.

    Your past life diagnosis: I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern South China around the year 1700. Your profession was that of a trainer or holder of fine animals, such as birds..

    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Revolutionary type. You inspired changes in any sphere – politics, business, religion, housekeeping. You could have been a leader.

    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    You are bound to solve problems of pollution of environment, recycling, misuse of raw materials, elimination of radioactivity by all means including psychological methods.

  21. jfatz says

    I think mine is spot on, as I was an inventive and inquisitive sailor or shoemaker (female, too!) in Portugal around 1575.

    Also, it told me that my milkshake brought all the boys to the yard. (Whereupon I sold them shoes, I suppose.)

  22. says

    So, was everyone born on the same day as I a cold-blooded Burmese fortune teller tasked with learning persistence? Wow, we should start a club or something.

  23. The Defenestrator says

    That’s interesting. If I move the date 1 or 2 days forward, the first and second parts change to this:

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Poland around the year 1700. Your profession was that of a trainer or holder of fine animals, such as birds..

    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Person with huge energy, good in planning and supervising. If you were just garbage-man, you were chief garbage-man.

    1 more day and the last part also changes:

    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    Your lesson is to learn humility and faith in spiritual principles. You should believe in higher reasons.

    Reincarnation is sure methodical, isn’t it?

  24. Bruce Almighty says

    Your past life diagnosis:
    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were a designer of websites that sucked a lot of gullible people into believing that they had past lives.
    Your brief psychological profile:
    You are the sort of person who would take advantage of those who can least afford to be taken advantage of.
    The lesson that your past life has taught you:
    Evidently, nothing yet – but wait’ll we track you down…

  25. The Defenestrator says

    Hey, I plugged Dawkins’ birth date into the thing:

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern South New Zealand around the year 1425. Your profession was that of a builder of houses, temples and cathedrals.
    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    You had the mind of a scientist, always seeking new explanations. Your environment often misunderstood you, but respected your knowledge.
    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    Magic is everywhere around you, even in the most usual, most ordinary situations. Your lesson is to understand this magic and to help other people to see it, too. You are a magician!

    Eerily accurate and inaccurate at the same time.

  26. Richard Harris, FCD says

    Hey! Why would anyone with even half a brain waste time on demented crap like this? It’s as bad as religion; it stinks. It’s got as much veracity as the fucking bible.

  27. MikeM says

    I tried to enter Ronald Reagan’s DOB (Feb 6, 1911, in case you’re interested), and it rejected this date because it was before 1922. The date entered has to be between 1922 and 9999.

    That’s useful.

    So, we can’t figure out what Darwin was in his previous life. Frankly, I’m relieved.

  28. Fnord Prefect says

    #5

    Well apparently I was a writer in 14th century Australia so perhaps you read my books.

  29. Todd says

    Hey JustAnOutsider – I was a hooker in 750 too! Apparently everyone born in 750 was a prostitute – probably explains why the later half of the 8th century was such a blast.

    Only I lived “somewhere in the territory of modern USA South-Center.” Oh, and I may have been spy! Kind of a Native American Mata Hari.

    Talk about original sin – I was screwed before I was born.

  30. horrobin says

    You guys are lucky, in my past life I was a deep-sea hydrothermal vent bacterium that was alive for about a week in 1428.

  31. Fareed says

    Perhaps this spoils the surprise, but you can check out the javascript source code to see all the different options available. The best ancient profession is definitely “monk (nun), bee-keeper or lone gunman.”

  32. kristi says

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Thailand around the year 1750. Your profession was that of a sailor or shoemaker. Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Inquisitive, inventive, you liked to get to the very bottom of things and to rummage in books. Talent for drama, natural born actor. The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    There is an invisible connection between the material and the spiritual world. Your lesson is to search, find and use this magical bridge.

    Damn. I thought my mission on Earth was to be a godless skeptic.

  33. uncle frogy says

    even worse than “your horoscope” and people want to believe this kind of dreck

    most people mis something when they think about re-incarnation. They think of their egos as the thing being re-incarnated their personality. In the “deeper” meaning of re-incarnation is the idea that it is not “you” it is the “ultimate reality” that is reborn that you are in reality an illusion of a separate existence. so each one is rather meaningless in itself. so I guess that any random “past life generator” would be just as good as another though I would prefer one a little more humorous ala Douglas Adams or Monti python that Sara Bright .

  34. uncle frogy says

    even worse than “your horoscope” and people want to believe this kind of dreck

    most people mis something when they think about re-incarnation. They think of their egos as the thing being re-incarnated their personality. In the “deeper” meaning of re-incarnation is the idea that it is not “you” it is the “ultimate reality” that is reborn that you are in reality an illusion of a separate existence. so each one is rather meaningless in itself. so I guess that any random “past life generator” would be just as good as another though I would prefer one a little more humorous ala Douglas Adams or Monti python that Sara Bright .

  35. noncarborundum says

    #29:

    Fortunately, the Mr. T Name Generator does accept Reagan’s birthdate:

    Your Mr. T name is:

    Fool

    Who knew?

    I was skeptical of the past-life thing, but I think Mr. T may be onto something here.

  36. says

    My past life is pretty much what I’m doing now:

    Your past life diagnosis:

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern North India around the year 1150. Your profession was that of a writer, dramatist or organiser of rituals.

    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    You had the mind of a scientist, always seeking new explanations. Your environment often misunderstood you, but respected your knowledge.

    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    Your lesson is to study, to practice and to use the wisdom that lies within the psychological sciences and in ancient manuscripts. With strong faith and hard work you will reach your real destiny in your present life.

    Do you remember now?

    What can I say? Stick with what works, man…

  37. says

    “You were born somewhere in the territory of modern South New Zealand around the year 700. Your profession was that of a builder of houses, temples and cathedrals.”

    Cathedrals, in New Zealand, in 700AD? Clearly I was a man well, well ahead of my time.

  38. Carlie says

    Hey, my Mr. T name is Fool, too! I think there’s only one Mr. T name.
    The other said I used to be a teacher or geologist in Germany in the 1500s. That works for me.

  39. noncarborundum says

    BTW, far be it from me to impugn the integrity of anyone on the internet, but doesn’t that Mr. T site look like a dandy way to collect information? There’s an uncanny fit between the questions it asks, and the ones my bank asks me to make sure I’m who I say I am.

    First Name
    Last Name
    Gender
    Date of Birth
    Pet’s Name
    Mother’s Maiden Name

    Now if only it wanted to know the make and model of my first car . . .

  40. obscurifer says

    I now have the power to eliminate radioactivity with psychology?

    Doesn’t that make you sort of an anti-Scientologist?

  41. says

    Your past life diagnosis:
    ——————————————————————————–
    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Germany around the year 1875. Your profession was that of a teacher, mathematician or geologist.
    ——————————————————————————–
    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Inquisitive, inventive, you liked to get to the very bottom of things and to rummage in books. Talent for drama, natural born actor.
    ——————————————————————————–
    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    The world is full of ill and lonely people. You should help those, who are less fortunate than you are.
    ——————————————————————————–
    Do you remember now?

    At least I’m consistent. I’m still a teacher and mathematician. Er, whatever.

    Hmm… maybe I was this guy:
    February 14, 1877 – Edmund Landau, German mathematician (d. 1938)
    I’m not seeing any play-acting in that bio though. Not that it’s a long bio. No one listed on Wikipedia from 1873 to 1876 is a German mathematician or geologist. Lots of chemists. Why couldn’t they have said I was a chemist? I could have won a Nobel prize!!!

    You know, the sad thing is someone went to an awful lot of work to write the program for this pathetic exercise. Think about how much more good they could have been doing working on something more constructive… like “helping people”!

  42. Janine says

    Your past life diagnosis: I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation. You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Hungary around the year 1375. Your profession was that of a preacher, publisher or writer of ancient inscriptions.

    Seeing that this was before the printing press, if I was a publisher, I would have been copying the bible. It seems no matter what, I was doing my part to spread christianity. I have a lot to do to make up for past sins.

  43. Watt de Fawke says

    I’m fine with having been a female in a previous life, but come on, Shirley MacLaine?

  44. says

    I’m quite surprised that there were greater than 16 million seamen, cooks & carpenters in Burma in 850. Not to mention that means that a lot more than 7% of the population at the time lived in Burma (unless everyone who lived in Burma was male and one of those 3 vocations).

  45. says

    My past life diagnosis:

    You were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern South Africa around the year 800. Your profession was that of a writer, dramatist or organiser of rituals.

    You were a ruthless character, carefully weighing his decisions in critical situations, with excellent self-control and strong will. Such people are generally liked, but not always loved.

    Your lesson is to study, to practice and to use the wisdom that lies within the psychological sciences and in ancient manuscripts. With strong faith and hard work you will reach your real destiny in your present life.

    Sounds somewhat like me now, except I am male.

  46. says

    I was a librarian* in sixth century Alaska. Cool, huh?

    *Well, they said something like “librarian or keeper of stories”…but I believe I was really a librarian, in one of the libraries that the Altanteans built before evolving into dolphins

  47. says

    @Carlie, noncarborundum…

    YOU ARE AT A WEBSITE. EXITS ARE N, S, E, W.
    THERE IS A JOKE HERE.

    > get joke

    YOU GOT THE JOKE.

    Posted by: K. Signal Eingang

    The cake is a lie.

  48. speedwell says

    here’s mine:
    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.

    Cool by me. I’m female now.

    You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Central Africa around the year 825. Your profession was that of a handicraftsman or mechanic.

    Been a long time since my last incarnation. And I was an engineer, great :)

    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Seeker of truth and wisdom. You could have seen your future lives. Others perceived you as an idealist illuminating path to future.

    Oh, I was a design engineer. Excellent.

    Your lesson is the development and expansion of your mental consciousness. Find a good teacher and spend a good part of your time and energy on learning from his wisdom.

    So it’s saying, get off my @$$ and get thee to engineering school like I’ve been trying to do for the past six years or so? Awesome.

    Does it strike anyone else that this sounds like one of the best and quickest ways to generate role-playing game character profiles? I can see mine now… The Luba blacksmith sat by the Congo, watching the water shimmer as he ground his wife’s grain. The new grindstone, steadied and smoothed by the toothed wheels that interlaced like iron fingers, was progressing rapidly, and the flour was fine and soft. Two serving women taking a water jar down to the river stopped wide-eyed for a moment to watch the stone as it spun. As they hurried away, the smith could hear their excited talk, and he smiled to himself.

    Ok, it’s not a great big deal, but it’s evocative.

  49. CJColucci says

    I was shaken to see PZ’s past life because my response to all past life claims has heretofore been: “On the odds, you’d think a lot more of us would have been Chinese.”
    I turn out to have been the Polish animal trainer Defenestrator mentioned in #24.

  50. TheBlackCat says

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern USA South-West around the year 1375. Your profession was that of a preacher, publisher or writer of ancient inscriptions.

    I guess I ran one of those Anasazi printing presses.

    Timid, constrained, quiet person. You had creative talents, which waited until this life to be liberated. Sometimes your environment considered you strange.

    Yes, I was creatively constrained because, you know, a writer of ancient inscriptions cannot write or anything.

  51. MikeM says

    The Scientologists need a version of this.

    Dang, hilarious joke was to ensue here, but I just don’t know enough about Scientology to make a good one. But I’m certain that the lesson we all should carry would be something like,

    “You strive to become clear in your current life.

    “Do you remember now?”

  52. says

    I seem to have been a female gravedigger or ditchdigger born in the Pacific Northwest in 1850.

    Hm. Didn’t think there were too many of those back then. Even now, I believe the grave- and ditch-digging industries are fairly male-dominated.

    It does suggest an enticing second career, though.

    But then we have this:

    “You should help others by bringing them a spirit of joy.”

    Wouldn’t that fit better with the prostitute born in 750?

    I’m just sayin’, is all.

  53. raindogzilla says

    I’m troubled. Does having once been a 10th Century Iranian Priestess put me on the no-fly list today?

  54. MJ Memphis says

    “The Scientologists need a version of this.”

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but in a past life you were a clam. You were born in the territory of the Gulf of Mexico about 10,000,000 BC. Your profession was as an eater of plankton.

  55. says

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Arctic around the year 1100. Your profession was that of a entertainer, musician, poet or temple-dancer.
    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    You were a sane, practical person, a materialist with no spiritual consciousness. Your simple wisdom helped the weaker and the poor.
    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    You should develop your talent for love, happiness and enthusiasm and you should distribute these feelings to all people.
    Do you remember now?

  56. BillCinSD says

    i should be easy to find — a female gravedigger/undertaker in Northern Victorian England — I guess there is evidence of a widow working as a gravedigger in Sussex in the 1880s after her husband died. Oh happy day

    Your past life diagnosis: I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Northern England around the year 1850. Your profession was that of a digger, undertaker. Your brief psychological profile in your past life:

    Person with huge energy, good in planning and supervising. If you were just garbage-man, you were chief garbage-man. The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:

    You are bound to solve problems of pollution of environment, recycling, misuse of raw materials, elimination of radioactivity by all means including psychological methods. Do you remember now?

  57. Janine says

    At the extreme risk of seeming to take this seriously, Black Cat, you and I received the same response. The only difference is you are from what is now the south west US while I am Hungarian. I feel so connected to you.

  58. speedwell says

    Another Scientology past life:

    Your past life diagnosis: I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were a space alien. You were born somewhere on a rebel planet several hundred billion years ago. Your profession was that of a Suppressive Person, a Psychlo, or a military grunt in the service of the traitor Xenu.

    Your brief psychological profile in your past life: NOOOOOOO SPYCOLOGY DO NOT WANT!!!1!!11!… ahem…. You were a disembodied dead idiot who got preserved in glycol and shoved in front of a movie screen to watch LSD-inspired outtakes of Ben Hur.

    The lesson that your last past life brought to your previous incarnation:
    You should find some pathetic loser destined to be ripped off by a cynical, fascist cult modeled on the worst excesses of the space opera genre, and stick to that unfortunate like glue until he tells you to take a hike, when you should find some other miserable loser to love, rinse, repeat.

    Do you remember now?
    If you do, you’re probably out a couple hundred thousand dollars already, and your bookcases are groaning in disbelief from the weight of cult materials you’ve already bought, but do we have a deal for you on the next step on the Bridge to Total Freedom!

  59. Kagehi says

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern South India around the year 1225. Your profession was that of a shepherd, horseman or forester.

    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Person with huge energy, good in planning and supervising. If you were just garbage-man, you were chief garbage-man.

    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    You are bound to learn to understand other people and to meet all difficulties of life with a joyful heart. You should help others by bringing them a spirit of joy.

    Hmm. The secret that I was the guy that came up with the whole stupid Burning bush thing is safe, though they got the sheep herder part right… lol

    Second part could be true now, though maybe in the last life I figured out that boss was a shit job, which is why I am still good at planning and supervising, but I would just as soon let someone else screw things up instead.

    As for the last bit.. Sorry, but mostly my understanding of people just tends to piss me off most of the time, unless, “bringing them a spirit of joy.”, is some sort of code for, “Hitting people with a very large clue bat.”

  60. jeffox backtrollin' says

    Mine says I used to be Mozart. Well, ok, it said born about 1750 in Austria and some kind of muse/director/bard. Liked to travel. Had anger issues.

    I guess I ain’t seen nothin’ yet. :)

  61. Robert Madewell says

    I was Bo Peep in 7th century England.

    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Northern England around the year 600. Your profession was that of a shepherd, horseman or forester. Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    Person with huge energy, good in planning and supervising. If you were just garbage-man, you were chief garbage-man. The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    You are bound to solve problems of pollution of environment, recycling, misuse of raw materials, elimination of radioactivity by all means including psychological methods. Do you remember now?

    All that from just my birthdate! So, Everyone born on Nov 4, 1968 has the same previous life as me?

  62. Robert Madewell says

    Hey! I just tried to put Jesus’ birthdate in as Dec 25, 1 and it wouldn’t let me!

  63. Bride of Shrek says

    Apparently I was a goddam PRIEST, in Turkey no less, in 575, a job I no doubt sucked at.. And the lessons I have learnt from that past life to bring into this life are to be more kind and comnpassionate towards ALL people….Naaah, Creationists can still fuck right off as far as I’m concerned.

  64. Bride of Shrek says

    and I’m pissed I wasn’t Nefertiti. Everyone on TV that has a past life was friggin Nefertiti. That was one multi-personalitied lady I tells ya.

  65. says

    Male, Mongolia, 1825

    Funny thing, by 1825 I was a 16 year old farm boy living in Illinois. But, that wasn’t my last previous life. That ended in suicide in 1953 off the east coast of North Korea. (Me? Troll? :D )

  66. says

    I took a (brief) look at the Javascript code which generates the nonsense. I didn’t bother to try and work exactly what the algorithm was, but was vastly amused by several things, including:

    • As previously mentioned, it only accepts years between 1922 and 9999 (CE, I assume).

    • The list of professions you might have been (snickers) does not include things like “slave” or “blacksmith” or “potter” or “prostitute” (or, more credibly, “king/queen” or “generalissimo”) albeit there are generalised categories such as “craftsman” and “leader” and “lone gunman”. The list is remarkably short:
    artist, magician or fortune teller
    banker, usurer, moneylender or judge
    builder of houses, temples and cathedrals
    builder of roads, bridges and docks
    chemist, alchemist or poison manufacturer
    dancer, singer or actor
    designer, engineer or craftsman
    digger, undertaker
    dramatist, director, musician or bard
    entertainer, musician, poet or temple-dancer
    farmer, weaver or tailor
    handicraftsman or mechanic
    jeweler [sic] or watch-maker
    leader, major or captain
    librarian, priest or keeper of tribal relics
    map maker, astrologer, astronomer
    medic, surgeon or herbalist
    monk (nun), bee-keeper or lone gunman
    philosopher and thinker
    preacher, publisher or writer of ancient inscriptions
    sailor or shoemaker
    seaman, cook or carpenter
    seaman, dealer, businessman or broker
    shepherd, horseman or forester
    teacher, mathematician or geologist
    trainer or holder of fine animals, such as birds.
    warrior, hunter, fisherman or executor of sacrifices
    writer, dramatist or organiser of rituals

    • All months have 31 days. So if you were born on 30-Feb-2007, “You were born somewhere in the territory of modern South Japan around the year 1250. Your profession was that of a shepherd, horseman or forester.”

    • Apparently, only the last two digits of the year matter; e.g., 1981 and 2281 give the same result (not tested).

    • There are three sexes (0, 1, and 2), but anything which is not 1 (male) is female. Female/male somehow plays a role in deciding where you were previously born, your previous profession, et al.

    • The possible places of birth in your one past life can be narrowed down to some of the present day countries in Europe, but only(?) to the North, Central, etc. areas of (e.g.) Africa (or well-known countries like Egypt). Again the list is rather short:
    Alaska
    Yukon
    North Canada
    Ontario
    Quebec
    Labrador
    Newfoundland
    Greenland
    USA North-West
    USA South-West
    USA North-Center
    USA South-Center
    USA North-East
    USA South-East
    Arctic
    Scotland
    Northern England
    Central England
    Southern England
    Wales
    Ireland
    North Europe
    France
    Spain
    Portugal
    Austria
    Germany
    Ukraine
    Italy
    Turkey
    West Russia
    Siberia
    Center Russia
    Greece
    Iran
    Saudi Arabia
    Poland
    Hungary
    Yugoslavia
    Romania
    Bulgaria
    Israel
    Tibet
    Burma
    Thailand
    South China
    Mongolia
    North China
    Korea
    North Japan
    South Japan
    Sumatra
    Borneo
    Phillippines [sic]
    New Guinea
    North Australia
    West Australia
    East Australia
    South Australia
    North New Zealand
    South New Zealand
    Oceania
    North India
    Central India
    South India
    Egypt
    North Africa
    West Africa
    Central Africa
    South Africa
    Mexico
    Cyprus
    North of Latin America
    South of Latin America

    • Remarkably, the random babblings don’t include things like “sickly”, “died young”, “deluded”, “murdered”, “murderer”, or indeed anything nasty.

    Conclusion? The past was a wonderful place, determined only by births since 1922. Can I be an “executor of sacrifices” someplace “South of Latin America” where “Magic is everywhere around you, even in the most usual, most ordinary situations. Your lesson is to understand this magic and to help other people to see it, too. You are a magician!”

    The original author of this crud(? joke?) was a “Natalie V. Zubar”. Searching the ‘net for Natalie reveals numerous variants of this all over the web, including what are apparently translations into other languages. Geesh…

  67. DLC says

    Your past life diagnosis:
    ——————————————————————————–
    I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern South New Zealand around the year 700. Your profession was that of a builder of houses, temples and cathedrals.
    ——————————————————————————–
    Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
    You had the mind of a scientist, always seeking new explanations. Your environment often misunderstood you, but respected your knowledge.
    ——————————————————————————–
    The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
    Magic is everywhere around you, even in the most usual, most ordinary situations. Your lesson is to understand this magic and to help other people to see it, too. You are a magician!
    ——————————————————————————–
    Do you remember now?::
    No, can’t say that I do.
    I’m no great expert on anthropology, but I can’t recall off the top of my head any cathedrals having been built in 700 C.E. by Maori people of South New Zealand, particularly as a quick search tells me that the Maori did not arrive there until 800 C.E. Cool, I was ahead of my time even then!

    As for my being “surrounded by magic” and being a magician… I once studied the art of prestidigitation.
    Surrounded by magic ? Well… I have a television over my left shoulder and a computer in front of me — surely these modern day devices would seem as magic to a New Zealander from 700 C.E. ?
    — Sarcastic Retort Ends at 07:54:45 GMT

  68. Bride of Shrek says

    Asa if my being a priest wasn’t bad enough my husband was an ASTROLOGER in China circa 750. Lot of woo going on in our house apparently. He’s now annoying the crap out of me by reading all the astrology asshattery out of the morning newspaper in a solemn voice.