Best Of

We are all of the dust of the stars. We are each and all part of Life and the Universe inseparable.
This should make us humble.
This should empower us.
It does.

One of the reasons two or more understandings are possible as mentioned by @Nerida is because we move, flip, mature, grow up, give up, move on etc.

Is it all about us. Yes. Until we have woke the inherent simplicity of Enlightenment, we are liable to change.
Once changed we are likely to change others, move, flip, mature, grow up, give up, move on etc...

Tee Hee!

@Jeroen said:

I think for a Buddhist questions of meaning are resolved by the idea of reincarnation. In terms of the way it enables you to think, I find it much more sane than the Christian approach, and more wise and good natured also.

Speaking only for myself. I was born and raised Catholic by a Jewish parent and a Catholic parent. I became involved in Judaism for a time as an adult. I grew up exposed to the Dharma first at high school (religious studies in high school) and then after my divorce. As a child, I accepted the Christian teachings at face value because I didn't consider that my parents or teachers and Church would ever lie/mislead me. Now, to be honest, I didn't have a terrible experience in Christianity - and I acknowledge I am very lucky in that regard because many, many people have.

I seriously embraced Buddhism 6 or 7 years ago and only recently formally took my Refuge Vows at a Sangha (even though I had previously taken my Bodhisattva Vows formally a year prior - I know). I don't honestly think I even intellectually "got" what rebirth, karma and unconditional love and compassion was about till about six months ago. I see the most stark/confronting example of this in my views on the I/P conflict and the genuine sadness and heartbreak I feel. My views have done a 180 degree change (that's for another conversation though)

As I've changed my outlook on life and myself, I find myself really, really exploring the Six Bardos (I follow Tibetan Buddhism) and rebirth. I find it logical and actually comforting. To me rebirth is more logical than the Abrahamic view of life after death. Again this is just me speaking for myself.

I think you could also add whether you think life continues on after death or not.

Robert Thurman likes to say something like in Buddhism rebirth isn't a promise (like something good because you get more chances), its a threat (in that most of our lives are in much worse conditions than the human one, so get busy).

So I'd say there can be a more relaxed attitude with the notion of multiple lives, but that might not always be a good thing. And I wouldn't say it is better at reducing something like jealousy, a Christian could not care about a mansion because they'll have something better in heaven, while a Buddhist could think their mansion means they're a better person than the one without it because their karma is superior.

I guess as far as I'm getting immediately to resolving this is only to say that there are probably pros and cons of each.

I'm also not really sure what you mean by one life making someone more interested in meaning and philosophy. I see plenty of Buddhists interested in this throughout history and I don't really get the connection.