Many years ago when I was blessed to be in a loving relationship with a marvelous woman that did hypnotic past life regressions.

We did numerous very deep past life regressions until we came to one lifetime that was very traumatic for me.  
It took a great deal of time meditation and regression to get past the mental block.
During one regression: I realized that I was here on this planet due to something most horrible that I had done in a previous life.
In his previous life (probably taking place millennia ago) I was not even human but a member of some race that existed on starships many light-years away from here.  
In his previous incarnation, that being was quite evil and drunk with power.
In order to win a battle that being (me) ordered the destruction of an entire planet with millions and millions of souls on it.

After that revelation I realized that the whole reason I was here on this planet was pay for the crimes from that lifetime.

So the question is: how many of you out there believe that this planet to some kind of prison planet?

Okay!
Not a very popular topic, maybe too dark or possibly to philosophical.
Perhaps I should explain myself.
I have spoken to a few people who are trance channelers and seem to be in contact with consciousness from another planet.  They describe a world and a social system that is far in advance of ours.
If you believe in such things as creatures on other planets, the idea that we are in some way quarantined or isolated from the rest of the galactic community (because we are either too violent or too unstable) should come as no major shock.
So that is the basis for my argument: is not beyond the realms of possibility that the people on this planet have been put here because we have a lot more work to do.
As a matter of fact, I heard it mentioned on a number of occasions that this place(Earth),is possibly the most difficult "school".

This planet is not a "prison" but a school where we are sent to learn .... but in NO way are we sent to be punished..... although this is what we often do TO OURSELVES!!!!!!!!!!

Strictly speaking, this world is neither a prison nor a school, although it contains traits of both. This world of humans is a place where we are given a choice to act according to our will, upon which depends our future states.

Likewise, what we are today is a result of what we did in past lives. This is the theory of Karma in nutshell.

Action according to instincts is not Karma, because it is done unconsciously.

The vicious cycle of Karma and its Consequences (Karmaphala) makes this world a prison, from which emancipation is desirable.

But very few people learn good lessons in this school, because the majority is slave to instincts and desires.

Freedom from all selfish desires uplifts a person and gives him/her the power to see other worlds.

-VJ