11 Jul 06
The soul as an essential ingredient in nearly every religion and yet I have found it next to impossible to find anyone who can even come up with a basic description of what it is. It is clear that various Christians have widely different views on what it is and that in many cases people have not even thought about it much at all.
Is the soul divisible and if so how does this impact beliefs relating to the soul? If we divide a human being into to halves each of which is capable of thought, conciousness and activity including sin, would it be possible for one of the halves to go to heaven and the other not? Is thier soul divided into two or remains a single entity?
11 Jul 06
Originally posted by twhiteheadThe soul is the invisible, immaterial part of a human which, when combined with a human body, makes human life. It is the essense of the individual. It's who you are.
The soul as an essential ingredient in nearly every religion and yet I have found it next to impossible to find anyone who can even come up with a basic description of what it is. It is clear that various Christians have widely different views on what it is and that in many cases people have not even thought about it much at all.
Is the soul divisible ...[text shortened]... es to go to heaven and the other not? Is thier soul divided into two or remains a single entity?
A mind can be split into distinctive personalities for a number of reasons. Still, however, just one cat in there, regardless of the voices in the head.
11 Jul 06
Originally posted by FreakyKBHThat's pretty much it I believe 🙂
The soul is the invisible, immaterial part of a human which, when combined with a human body, makes human life. It is the essense of the individual. It's who you are.
A mind can be split into distinctive personalities for a number of reasons. Still, however, just one cat in there, regardless of the voices in the head.
11 Jul 06
Originally posted by twhiteheadWhat about split-brain patients? Don't they suggest the soul is at least partly divisible?
The soul as an essential ingredient in nearly every religion and yet I have found it next to impossible to find anyone who can even come up with a basic description of what it is. It is clear that various Christians have widely different views on what it is and that in many cases people have not even thought about it much at all.
Is the soul divisible ...[text shortened]... es to go to heaven and the other not? Is thier soul divided into two or remains a single entity?
http://www.indiana.edu/~pietsch/split-brain.html
11 Jul 06
Originally posted by twhiteheadThe soul is a concept much like a "life force".
The soul as an essential ingredient in nearly every religion and yet I have found it next to impossible to find anyone who can even come up with a basic description of what it is. It is clear that various Christians have widely different views on what it is and that in many cases people have not even thought about it much at all.
Is the soul divisible ...[text shortened]... es to go to heaven and the other not? Is thier soul divided into two or remains a single entity?
We humans like to see ourselves as different, special, better than, the rest of nature - which is perfectly understandable. Any other species would probably do the same - if they could.
But just what might this specialness be?
What makes us better?
Some have tried science as a response - abstract thought, communicative abilities, tool making, etc.
Others use supernatural ideas - life forces, souls, etc.
It seems that the alternative is too harsh for many. Which is? That we are no better or worse, we are different and also the same, we are not special in any way, nor is anything else.
We just are.
12 Jul 06
Originally posted by FreakyKBHSo the question is: if a human being is split into two and only one half has faith in God etc does the other half not have to worry as his soul is already saved?
The soul is the invisible, immaterial part of a human which, when combined with a human body, makes human life. It is the essense of the individual. It's who you are.
A mind can be split into distinctive personalities for a number of reasons. Still, however, just one cat in there, regardless of the voices in the head.
12 Jul 06
Originally posted by PawnokeyholeAlternatively, dividing the corpus callosum could yield two people where there was previously only one.
What about split-brain patients? Don't they suggest the soul is at least partly divisible?
http://www.indiana.edu/~pietsch/split-brain.html
And let's assume, for fun, that fundamentalist Christianity is true.
If so, then the original person might be obliterated completely, and so go neither to heaven or hell. Or the original person might be recreated when Jesus returns, as the 7th Day Adventists believe, if they are good.
The question of eternal destiny, however, would then arise afresh for the two new people created, who would partly inherit the personal and character of the pervious person to some degree, but each be a locus of subjectivity in their own right.
Interesting theological stuff.
12 Jul 06
Originally posted by PawnokeyholeMy head is spinning.
Alternatively, dividing the corpus callosum could yield two people where there was previously only one.
And let's assume, for fun, that fundamentalist Christianity is true.
If so, then the original person might be obliterated completely, and so go neither to heaven or hell. Or the original person might be recreated when Jesus returns, as the 7th ...[text shortened]... gree, but each be a locus of subjectivity in their own right.
Interesting theological stuff.
12 Jul 06
Originally posted by FreakyKBHSuppose you and I switched one of our brain lobes. That is, suppose we severed both our corpus callosums, swapped left (or right) lobes, and then reattached the swapped left (or right) lobes to each other's corpus callosums.
I responded to this idea. Although the personality may split, there is still one individual soul.
Would my unitary soul and your unitary be distributed over two different bodies?
12 Jul 06
Originally posted by PawnokeyholeMy half brain would suck the life out of your half brain and drag both of you kicking and screaming into heaven. How's that for fun?
Suppose you and I switched one of our brain lobes. That is, suppose we severed both our corpus callosums, swapped left (or right) lobes, and then reattached the swapped left (or right) lobes to each other's corpus callosums.
Would my unitary soul and your unitary be distributed over two different bodies?