SRL Archive - Discussions & Debates

…does it exist?

Is there really such thing as a soul? Or is it just some imaginary concept invented by people thousands of years ago to give them some notion that there lives weren't completely meaningless?

And if so, what is the soul? What is it made of, what does it do, how did it get there? Where does it go when we die?

Soul is what really makes us alive.

We were put to death in the body, but made alive in the spirit.

thats a real quote.
I think 'spirit' = soul. Im to tired to write more but ye.

I wouldn't say so. I don't want to turn this into a big religion war, but I disagree that anything remains after you are deceased. The only part of your personality - what makes you, you - is in your brain. Now if you die, and someone chops up your brain into a 100 little pieces, making it impossible to function, how can any of 'you' remain? I simply don't find it possible, that 'you' could continue to exist in any form or fashion, after the only thing that makes you, you, ceases to exist.

I agree with lord saturn.

it just simply does not seem reasonable.

Here's a quotes…

From: A French Poet
The human soul has still greater need of the ideal than of the real. It is by the real that we exist; it is by the ideal that we live.

If the soul does exist, what is it? Where is it?

Is it some kind of wisp inside of you?

Your personality is merely chemicals swirling around in your body reacting to external stimuli, surely that is not the soul. So if your personality is not a soul… what is if it exists..?

From: Hobbit
So if your personality is not a soul… what is if it exists..?

"if it exists".

theres your answer, it does not exist.

Plain and Simple.

Thats my opinion anyways.

From: N C D S
"if it exists".

theres your answer, it does not exist.

Plain and Simple.

Thats my opinion anyways.

I am trying to form an opinion, i have none for either right now, thought i think more to the not existing because it seems implausible/

I understand what your saying.

I have personally spent countless nights the past few years thinking of the same sort of things.

I would assume its just adolescent curiosity.

I pretty much formed my opinion on all this because I just chose not to believe/think about it anymore :/

Certainly not the best way to solve things, but it works for me.

Soul is based on the same concept as "guilt", "religion" et cetera, it's just another man-made phrase reffering to something that is supposed to give people a norm to live after.

Theres no evidence for its existance, so I'm going to say no.

From: Hobbit
I am trying to form an opinion, i have none for either right now, thought i think more to the not existing because it seems implausible/

What is impausibility?…. "The world is flat," "humans will never go into space," "communication from a distance is ludicrous," and many other statements. …. Who is to say what is and what is not possible. The only real way to know is to know yourself. You cannot believe in something just because they said it or it sounds correct.

From: EvilChicken!
Soul is based on the same concept as "guilt", "religion" et cetera, it's just another man-made phrase reffering to something that is supposed to give people a norm to live after.

?So, what you are saying/agreeing to is that there are other than man made phrases?. … in that case… yes, it is a man made phrase. It is a man-made phrase referring to a deeper and more intimate part of their being.

From: lordsaturn
I wouldn't say so. I don't want to turn this into a big religion war, but I disagree that anything remains after you are deceased. The only part of your personality - what makes you, you - is in your brain. Now if you die, and someone chops up your brain into a 100 little pieces, making it impossible to function, how can any of 'you' remain? I simply don't find it possible, that 'you' could continue to exist in any form or fashion, after the only thing that makes you, you, ceases to exist.

/thread


Many a night have I laid in bed and wondered what happens after death. People say it is much like before you are born, but this is not true. In the womb, you feel, you touch, you think. Death = the end. I have pondered this on countless sleepless nights. You die, you decease. You cease to exist, there is nothing after death.

Some people just want to think it exists because they can't accept the simple fact that when you die it means you DIE, instead they prefer to think they'll never die and remain floating around as some kind of ghosts or something.

The soul is something that humans have made up to make themselves feel superior to any other hunk of matter.

IMO, a soul isn't real.

I think it's like petroleum jelly, but more tasty. Thus everyone wanting everyone else's.

From: bullzeye95
The soul is something that humans have made up to make themselves feel superior to any other hunk of matter.

In some cases…

Some people like myself believe that everything has its own unique energy (soul), even "inanimate" objects. When you die your unique energy is just converted into another form; thus, the concept of reincarnation is formed.

If you believe, as I do, that your energy is your soul, you will continue to "live" on after death because energy can neither be created or destroyed. You would just not be in the same form you are now, likely not even conscious of your surroundings.

Hello all,

The concept of a soul. Very interesting topic, but as many other topics I see within Religon, it is unseen. And hard to pick out, but can be noticed within the behavior of men in my opinion. And I can show some examples if need be.



I would definitely agree that when our bodies die, our bodies die, that is common fact. But in accordance with Christian belief, I believe that every human has souls and that soul is eternal unlike the rest of the body, organs, etc.., which is obviously finite and decays with time.

I think the discussion of souls has to be connected to "religon" in order to gain a better understanding of the concept. It is simply nessesary.

I think it is interesting that some of you make an argument that souls is a man made term, that was invented to give men purpose in life. I kind of want to ask why you believe this. I am curious. To me, life without purpose cannot exist. Everyone has a purpose, even if my purpose is to not have a purpose. It simply doesnt make to sense to me. I hope you could elaborate more.

thanks everyone I always enjoy discussing with you all, despite our different beliefs.

-corn

Hello corn77,

I think i have the answer to the question about needing souls to give purpose.

Studies in modern science suggest that humans are irrelevant and unimportant.
Our world is just the third rock from a regular star, in an ordinary galexy.
Biology suggest that all life including humans has only one purpose, and that is to ensure the survival of DNA.

But many people want to feel important, its not nice to know that you were built by an tiny molecule that it not in itself alive, only to keep copies of that molecule existing.

you can see this with almost all dogmas about the soul and the purpose of humanity, they teach that humans are very important.
The bible says that humans were created specially on their own day and that we have dominion over all things.
The jewish religion teaches that jews are the most important people, chosen by specially by God.


Whenever I'm confronted with these things, I always try to remember that, X is comforting does not imply that X is true.

To me this seems a very childish way of looking at things, almost how a baby behaves.
Babies believe that all the world revolves around them, and that it all disappears if they close their eyes.

From: Yakman
Hello corn77,

I think i have the answer to the question about needing souls to give purpose.

Hello again Yakman,

I am glad to hear from your point of view. I pray that God will use my words somehow.

From: Yakman

Studies in modern science suggest that humans are irrelevant and unimportant.
Our world is just the third rock from a regular star, in an ordinary galexy.
Biology suggest that all life including humans has only one purpose, and that is to ensure the survival of DNA.

hm, interesting you say this. When I read this, it gives me much joy, and I will explain why a lil later, It is very obvious that men are irrelevant and unimportant in the sight of this huge and unimaginable universe that is so complex that there is indeed nothing we can possibly do to change it or control it in a certain extent. We are very small and weak compared to the rest of the galaxies/elements. But even in this, I could say that humans are important still. What defines importance? Is it the stars? God? Man? Just some questions that flew through my mind.

I guess I will explain a little bit why that statement gave me joy. It gives me so much joy to see that despite how small and weak we are, that God has chosen us inspite of our irrelevence. He chose to love us and give us worth, not inaccordance of us, but to give God the glory for it and to reveal his power and might. I dont expect you to understand, but that is what God is telling me through it. It also shows me how humble Jesus Christ had to be to become a man and walk the earth as one! I just dont understand how great God's love and mercy is for us. Its so incredible. Well, I got on a little rant…

From: Yakman

But many people want to feel important, its not nice to know that you were built by an tiny molecule that it not in itself alive, only to keep copies of that molecule existing.

i would say that knowing that I am built by tons of tiny molecules is nice to know and makes me feel important to a certain extent.

From: Yakman

you can see this with almost all dogmas about the soul and the purpose of humanity, they teach that humans are very important.
The bible says that humans were created specially on their own day and that we have dominion over all things.
The jewish religion teaches that jews are the most important people, chosen by specially by God.

In Christianity, humans and everthing are considered important only because God had formed them out of nothing. But, in the context of the bible, God gave humans the most importance apart from God being the most, because they were made in "his image" as you prob know. God is the most important thing in Christianity, but humans are given importance only from God.

If some man made up the term soul, than by golly they must be smart. I just really don't understand how a simple man/men could make it up. Just doesnt sound reasonable. I am not angry or frustrated, I am just stating my thoughts. I like to keep it open. I kind want to hear your thought on this , Why do men want to feel important?

From: Yakman

Whenever I'm confronted with these things, I always try to remember that, X is comforting does not imply that X is true.

You are right. Just because something is comforting doesnt always mean its true, although I could also say it the otherway. That just because X isnt comforting does not imply that X is true either. Does that make sense? In the sense that without a purpose we feel uncormforted.

From: Yakman

To me this seems a very childish way of looking at things, almost how a baby behaves.
Babies believe that all the world revolves around them, and that it all disappears if they close their eyes.

I could understand why it sounds childish to you.




I always enjoy speaking with you about these matters and thanks for giving me your thoughts.

corn

So far I think all religions have some form of a soul…

From: R0b0t1
So far I think all religions have some form of a soul…

Care to Elaborate?

From: R0b0t1
So far I think all religions have some form of a soul…

With the number of religions that exist, I doubt that is true. I think most would be a better word than all. All almost never applies to anything.

From: R0b0t1
So far I think all religions have some form of a soul…

I would say this is correct, many are very different in definition and termology. And even the purpose of it, but most "religons" do indeed have a form of a "soul" in their belief. I hope thats helps. :-)

corn