I completely agree Rebecca. I have pondered this exact thought many times. I do believe we each have a soul/spirit, but it doesn't necessarily mean that there is a supreme being that controls it (or is responsible for our souls). It's very hard for some people to see my reasoning sometimes...."you believe that each of us has a soul that can continue on after death, but you don't believe there's a heaven/hell for that soul to reside/pass on to?" Interesting at least to know that some people ponder the same deep thoughts as I do....
One of the biggest reasons I wonder about that, is I had an after death experience. In intensive care I rose up to the ceiling, and I could see who was working on me, but according to them I was unconscious at that point. I went through the ceiling and found myself in a beautiful place. It was a peaceful place with nature and green grass for miles. I never saw another person, but I really liked it there, and then somehow I was forced back into my body and was in the hospital again. I tried to tell them, but I think they just thought I was crazy. I have a lot of vivid dreams as well where I go visit other places, and it seems so real, I usually feel like they are more than just dreams. I'm agnostic, and I don't claim to know for sure, but my guess is that your spirit or soul lives on.
That's quite an experience, and I'm glad you're back. My guess is that in those moments the brain passes through a helluvalot of stress and can make strange things to its owner. What about animals? is there a soul or spirit for them too? some of them are quite alike us, so why wouldn't they have a soul too?
If it is true that humans have souls or spirits, it would make sense that animals do as well. Edit: Read this story about the ghost rescue dog.
I had an out of body experience as well. I got sick by drinking to much vodka. I was brought home and left on the crouch. I felt my spirit come out like a such-cup. I raised and look around the room and then I try to look outside but there was foil on the window, so I try to open the front door but my hands could not grip the knob. I felt like I was floating. I tried to get a grip again but gave up and then I went back into my body. This happen when I was 18 yrs but still remember it as if it happen last night. This is how I know that the spirit lives on.
What about grass? Does that have a soul? That was in the after world too, right? I'm guessing you were also breathing so air must have a soul, Otherwise the after world would have no air as the elements in air can only be created by stars. If grass and air has a soul then viruses must have a soul, They are more "alive" that air. But then, To exist viruses need to infect animals, So that means the after world has aids, TB and all sorts of other illness. Of course, another option is that your vision was a result of the drugs the doctors gave you while you were in intensive care.
That is undeniable proof that the soul lives on!lol Actually, I have no idea Stox. But if humans could have a soul, why couldn't anything living, including plants and viruses?
I guess now the question is what the soul is. also, we are not far from making a living cell from scratch. I guess I try to say that the concept of a soul for every living thing doesn't hold. If so, it doesn't hold for humans either.
This is really hard for me to debate, I know I'm on sketchy ground because I cannot prove anything, not even sure if I'm right, it is just more what I feel. Here is one thought about souls, by Rabbi Mendy Hecht I think the soul might be described as the essence of a living being. It could be part of love, laughter, empathy, kindness and that intangible "thing" that makes us different from a machine?
That is a good way of putting it, a set of characteristics that distinguish human-ism (although from a human perspective), but it doesn't imply an existence beyond matter.
it's a mental state, cannot be separated from the individual who is experiencing it. Same can be said about happiness.
I thought more about it, and you are right, the traits I described could be attributed to the brain or the mind. As far as proof, if ghosts exist, wouldn't that be proof that souls exist? I don't have any proof that ghosts exist, but if I did, would you believe in souls then?
This would assume that the brain was still fully functioning at this point. Many people who have near death experiences are pronounced clinically dead. How is it possible for a brain to function when it is dead?
I agree, If humans did have a soul there is no reason viruses, grass, mice, dogs and flies shouldn't. The thing is though, If that is the case, The after world would be indistinguishable from this world. It kinda invalidates the notion of heaven if in heaven you were still susceptible to aids, TB, cholera and cold-sores. Infection being the only way these organisms can continue to exist. You don't know if the experience occurs when the person is pronounced clinically dead, Just before or just after resuscitation. You have no way of knowing this. If their brain was entirely nonfunctioning when the experience occurs then they wouldn't remember it anyway because the brain wouldn't have stored a memory. Of course, "Clinical death" is a term used to describe loss of respiratory and circulatory function. The brain can still have measurable activity for 5 minutes after clinical death, And non-measurable activity can persist for longer. While the brain suffers ischemic injury far quicker than other organs it does all it can to remain functioning, reduce injury and keep you alive, Even if it is being starved of oxygen.
Sometimes, that is a good enough explanation. I don't know what there is or is not, but when someone describes an experience like you had, then I stop and listen. These atheists and socialists really lack any imagination, and that is depressing.
i think this universes are just too complex to run by it self. something must designed it with very carefully, so it can run for billions of years. that something maybe still with us today, or maybe not.