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Unborn Souls

Started by Cassia, December 10, 2022, 11:38:43 AM

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Cassia

I get that Christians are concerned with "unborn souls" and souls in general. What I don't get is that for Christians who take evolution as a fact, exactly when along the evolutionary process did 'the soul' enter into the picture? Was there some cutoff point, "OK from here on out, you all have souls"? If not, does that mean a bird or an amoeba has a soul? That does not align with the "dominion over animals" proclamation very well, but I do know Christians who expect to be reunited with their past pets.

What about our Neanderthal brothers? They emerged before us and 3-5% of my DNA is their DNA. Or perhaps the "soul" is just wishful thinking by simian-type brains that have developed just enough to want to live forever.

Shiranu

I never understood how animals wouldn't have souls; doesn't seem to be much biblical argument for it either. Seems like something some asshole said just to ruin a kid's day and became doctrine.

To quote the Bible...

Ecl. 3:19 - " For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. "

We could argue that is talking about the flesh and not the soul, but to quote Genesis as well...

Gen. 1:30 - " And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. "

This would imply that all animals have the "Breath of Life", the "Holy Spirit" within them, so by biblical doctrine it would be most likely that animals would go through the same soul transformation process as us at death.

Of course, "Christians" not knowing what the Bible says isn't something particularly shocking or new.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Cassia

I worked with a guy who says the only reason he believes in god is because he saw a ghost once. I asked him if heaven is "a place". He says, of course and expects he will be re-embodied. I asked him, well, would you look like you did when you die and he says no, he will look like he did when he was 20. Then I asked how old his grandma will look and he says around 60, LOL.

It's all so child-like, LOL. Well, if a malaria parasite and a COVID virus have souls, they aren't worth much, LOL.




Blackleaf

I'd argue the Old Testament doesn't give much of an impression that they believed in an eternal soul. What's dead is dead. There's no mention of an afterlife. The closest we get is a ghost being summoned by a witch, but all that really implies is that the dead can be disturbed from their rest. Imagine somebody using magic to pull you out of your eternal bliss.

"Dude! You summoned me from Heaven to fix your messes? You realize that Heaven is eternal bliss? It's like having an your best orgasm ever 24/7, and you interrupted that! This is like torture compared to that! Send me back before I 'accidentally' spill ink over your name in the Book of Life, you dick!"
"Oh, wearisome condition of humanity,
Born under one law, to another bound;
Vainly begot, and yet forbidden vanity,
Created sick, commanded to be sound."
--Fulke Greville--

Cassia

Quote from: Blackleaf on December 16, 2022, 02:16:20 AMI'd argue the Old Testament doesn't give much of an impression that they believed in an eternal soul. What's dead is dead. There's no mention of an afterlife. The closest we get is a ghost being summoned by a witch, but all that really implies is that the dead can be disturbed from their rest. Imagine somebody using magic to pull you out of your eternal bliss.

"Dude! You summoned me from Heaven to fix your messes? You realize that Heaven is eternal bliss? It's like having an your best orgasm ever 24/7, and you interrupted that! This is like torture compared to that! Send me back before I 'accidentally' spill ink over your name in the Book of Life, you dick!"

According to British biblical scholar Francesca Stavrakopoulou, for many ancient Mesopotamian cultures, the dead were quasi-alive as long as they were remembered by the living. Thus, all the statues and elaborate tombs and burial rituals to help remembrance.