I have heard quite a few arguments against the existence of a “soul”. Some of them are solid, some are… well… let’s just say that some people perhaps don’t express themselves as well as others. I am really not interested in having someone trying to disprove the existence of the soul to me. If that is your intention, please save your time and effort.
I would like to read people’s arguments - sound, analytical, pragmatic arguments – FOR the existence of a soul – preferably an eternal soul.
I know a lot of people will read this and the first thing that will jump to mind is, “define soul”.
No, YOU define soul.
What I am looking for, essentially, is someone to offer, not proof, not qualified objective evidence, but simply convincing arguments that there is some part of us that exists beyond the simple mind and body. A part that will transcend this physical plane and continue on to Heaven, Nibbana, Shangri-La, what-have-you.
I probably don’t need to say it, but please don’t bother with such inane arguments as, “Well (insert holy book of choice here) says so.”
I am not looking to discount your beliefs. I don’t want to prove you wrong (though I will argue if either it doesn’t fly for me, or I think it is missing something and want to explore it further). I am not looking to score one for the Atheist camp. This is nothing like that. I am working on a book, and want to find a reason that a reasonable pragmatic character who does not subscribe to any religion would believe in an eternal soul and the concept of reincarnation. Since I have never found a solid reason to believe in the soul (though the romantic side of me would LIKE to believe, to be honest) I can’t find a reason for him to believe. I was hoping there was a believer that could help me out. Perhaps even a non-believer that has heard some compelling argument that at least made you take a step back and re-evaluate your position. I want to know what makes this character tick, and why he, who is essentially an Atheist, would believe in the soul.
Thanks for any help you might offer.
Anything for a fellow author.
The 'Soul' doesn't survive death, only the spirit does. The soul is capable of dying while the spirit is not.
The fact that ninety-five per cent of the population of the planet, including 5% of atheists and/or agnostics,
inherently believes that a part of them continues on after death ought to compel one to objectively take a good look at the phenomenon.
We can
prove scientifically that
energy never dissipates or expires, but merely changes form, ergo the life-force, the electrical impulses that permit us to live have to go somewhere.
Personally, I believe humans possess a spirit and a soul (soul = body+ cognizant ability, heart/mind and so on), and that after death the spirit goes back to the Source, which, in my understanding, is God.
Objectively, we cannot PROVE the existence or non-existence of a spirit because it isn't a biological, researchable, or definable entity. I can *feel* both my own spirit and The Holy Spirit within me. I cannot, however,
prove to another what is
experiential in me. I can tell you that
I know the two exist (not believe, but know), but I cannot communicate that knowledge to someone who has not experienced the presence of either one. That billions of others, regardless of the expression of their faith, their intelligence quotient, or their level of education, have similar experiential knowledge to my own, again would suggest, objectively, that the 5% who have had no such experience, investigate why they don't, or why others do - an arbitrary distinction.
Why are many of us, most notably indigenous or native people, 'tuned in' to kinetic energy while others have so such ability or 'sense'? I have that 'sense', and because I do, there are many things in life I can explain, some of which are not at odds with our present, limited, scientific understanding. That the intangible *can* be scientifically explained at all, opens the door to the inevitable conclusion that *all* intangible phenomenon can be explained, but that we lack the science/knowledge (the word 'science' comes from the Latin word 'scientia,' which simply means 'knowledge') to dive deep enough into the well to do so at the present time.
Assuming a global population of 7 billion, what we presently have is 6.65 billion people on the planet emphatically saying
'I know' when it comes to
experiencing the human spirit, and 350 million people saying 'Yeah, but HOW do you know'?
C.S. Lewis, a former atheist who became a believer, did so because he felt that the
innate sense of right and wrong in him, common throughout healthy humankind (i.e. those who are not sociopathic or otherwise brain damaged), could not exist unless an intelligence had put it there. The sense of right and wrong 'lives' in our conscience (as opposed to our consciousness), the part of us through which our spirit communicates with The Holy Spirit. Healthy humans all instinctively (inherently) know right from wrong. Since this is a universal phenomenon it is reasonable to say that all healthy humans have a conscience. If we can agree on this point then it follows that all humans also possess a spirit, whether they are aware of its presence or not.
A Chinese fellow missionary once told me that one of his students referred to his conscience as
'The resident Boss.' (As in, 'Resident Boss say no, I must not do that.') I have yet to hear of a better description of The Holy Spirit's interactive effect on the human spirit in matters of conscience. Obviously some intelligence, outside of the fellow himself, was *directing* his conscience. How? My answer would be through the Holy Spirit prompting his own spirit, the part of him which will survive death and return to the Source (God) to await resurrection - or as some believe, reincarnation.
I hope my humble offering provides you with some food for thought.
Shalom Aleichem - Jesse.
