Yes free will, free choice, of course.
But I can be influenced as well.
If some ghost appeared in front of me and then vanished, then sure I have the choice to do what I will with that information.
But I am however influenced, almost compelled, to now change my thoughts from here on out. Hard to help that.
Did it do me any good? Or was it a detriment? Should it be used as a helper to advance myself, or should I discard it best I can since it might be an attempt to distract me? See what I'm saying? Playing with some of this stuff might burn me.
It is always good to change our thoughts if it leads to a deeper spiritual understanding. i am not sure where the source came from but i feel a deep connection with you at times SI and respect for your alternate views. If you do not mind i want to answer your questions with personal experience. First of all the ghost questions. Since i had experience with that i would have to say that it did help my understanding in many ways. How? It helped my understanding of what happens after this life. It helped me open my eyes to different dimensions. It helped me understand the needs of others and why spirits hang out in this dimension. It helped me recognize the talent of others that is very different then my own.. the ability to tap into a dimension that at one time i had no access to. Did it distract me? Perhaps; But only as much as any relationship might distract me. i genuinely felt the ghost was a friend and i was their to help it as it was there in some ways to help me as well.
Now... Other past life material was brought to my attention for several reasons. One of which i will try to explain here. Having 'fought' and being involved in two social/political crisis in the recent past has given me an important perspective that has made my views and perceptions stand out and i have been a part of those social phenomena in this life and a recent past one. Both of them involved being involved in futile wars that were a detriment to the country i live in. i believe i have a purpose in that sense for being born where i am and at the times i have both for myself and others in a social context. Sometimes we need to stand against the status quo and we serve an important function in doing that...Even though our roles are much smaller then such great men as Abraham Lincoln and Robert Kennedy. Recognizing our own significance is not always an ego trip but can be an important factor in the social evolution that we have come to this life to be a part of.
Is there a different way of explaining my experiences then a past life? Yes. There are many ways to explain many things that happen to us. Reincarnation being one way. Perhaps you yourself will come up with an explanation for some of the phenomena that i have experienced in your own experiences. i am not here to refute them only to be open to your view of reality because i sincerely believe that it is helpful as well.