Do humans have souls?

[Revan]

I was reading the discussion "Do animals have souls"... most people seem comfortable with the fact that humans have souls...

I don't think so... I don't think we have a "soul" Where our choice's come from... who we are, depends on our brains... not "souls".

What do you people think?

[Avatar]

Interesting question Darth, and I agree that it seems to be something we take as a given.

Personally, while I think that we contain something that for lack of a better word I shall call a "soul", I don't think it is something that is automatically included in humans.

Rather, I think that it develops as we advance as human beings. Perhaps it is the sum of our experiences, our thoughts and our opinions that determines the make-up of our souls.

It certainly cannot be quatified as we so enjoy doing to the things we "experience". As with so many things, it may be up to each person.

And I suppose it begs the question of how one defines a soul in any case.

Have a good one folks
--Avatar

[Baradakas]

In my opinion, and based upon my faith, I believe that humans, the same as animals, possess nephesh, or spirit energy. It is not until Christ's return, and the final judgement, that our spirit's are refined in the Holy Spirit of God that they are transformed into immortal souls. (when we "rise incorruptible")

-B

[Fist and Faith]

Rather, I think that it develops as we advance as human beings. Perhaps it is the sum of our experiences, our thoughts and our opinions that determines the make-up of our souls.

Whenever I use the word soul about myself, this is what I mean. My Ericness, your Avatarness, your Darthness, your Baradakasness.

But I don't think we have anything non-physical. I believe that the brain is extraordinarily complicated, and we are nowhere near explaining how it gives us things like personality, free will, and awareness. It might just remain beyond our grasp forever. (In Neverness, Zindell says, "If the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn't.") But I don't think that anything about our minds is not found in the brain. What I mean is, if we have enough sensors attached to us, I think we would find that we never have any type of thought, feeling, or anything, without activity in our brains. How a part of our brain stores memories chemically is beyond me. How another part interprets the impact of photons on our retinas into sight is beyond me. How these, and the bajillion other, parts interact to make our minds is beyond me. But I don't think any of it happens without the neuro/chemical/electrical processes of the brain.

[Infelice]

When I read the topic and the responses of you guys, especially what Fist said, thoughts of a novel which i have previously read immediately came to mind..... Twilight by Peter James.

It discusses out of body and near death experiences and how drugs and the body's own endorphins can have a hallucinating effect on the brain causing it to think that the consciousness or soul is floating and moving down tunnels towards bright lights etc.

It was just a fictional novel but the medical themes discussed in it gave me quite some cause to think about my beliefs about the human soul. I think it comes down to your spiritual beliefs. Our spirituality helps us deal with times of extreme stress, gives our lives meaning and a foundation to fall back on in hard times. Believing that we have a soul and that there is some kind of existence after death helps us to deal with the uncertainty and fear of death. Its a journey that no one has come back from except for 2 people historically (according to Christian beliefs). We never got to find out what Lazarus experienced and with Jesus.... well a whole religious faith was built around his.

Im not sure how resurrections fit into other religions or whether there are resurrection stories connected with other religions

[Avatar]

As I often do, I pretty much agree with Fist. When I think of "soul", what I really mean is my "consciousness". All the bits of the universe that have combined to form the unique individual that is me.

That's why I consider the whole "soul" thing to be a process. As you integrate more things, you change.

I've read a very similar comment about the brain, might even have quoted it somewhere, but I can't remember where.

Infelice-- Many, if not most, other religions (I'm talking about pre-christian here) contain a resurrection myth, as well as a flood myth and a creation myth. The majority of "plot elements" in any religion have many similarities. For example, the ancient Egyptian "resurrection" story was that of Osiris.

There is plenty of medical evidence that the whole "tunnel of light" experience is down to the physiology of death, and I've often wondered what impact religion has on peoples "near death experiences".

In other words, do christians simply apply their own preconcieved notions to the experience, and come out with something that matches their faith?

--Avatar