Does the Soul Exist?

[GreeCguy]

Originally Posted By: Propflux01
Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
I have been with a number of people when they died. More than once, they have spoken of things they were seeing which sounded "heavenly" (i.e. beings in the room no one else could see or "visions" of what was beyond). Many times, at the moment of death, I have seen individuals sit up on their death bed and reach up, as though someone was reaching down to them.


Might be their brains shooting their last neurons and calming the body before the body dies, possibly flooding memories of loved ones and expectations of what they feel heaven should be.

It is often recorded from near-drowning incidents that after the initial panic, a peaceful calm comes over the person, with many describing it as the most peaceful emotion ever.


I've heard that before. I've also heard that some fighter pilots when they pull heavy G's will have the same experience, (i.e. seeing people or places or beautiful images). But that still doesn't explain the things that happened in the house I lived in for a period of time.

 

[sprintman]

Originally Posted By: webfors
Take it from me...

... the soul does exist. There is more to life than our physical nature.

Got proof? No I didn't think so

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: sprintman
Originally Posted By: webfors
Take it from me...

... the soul does exist. There is more to life than our physical nature.

Got proof? No I didn't think so

Got any proof it doesn't? No i didn't think so either.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: webfors
Take it from me...

Why should we take it from you?

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

A biology teacher I once had asked us the question "how many angels can fit on the tip of a pin?" at the beginning of each school year. Her point though was that science was in the business to measure things and study things that are quantifiable, but just because something can't be measured, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I like to think a soul exists, whether it's in the form of a spirit in the traditional sense or just our knowledge and memories that are stored in our brains.

 

[PandaBear]

Please define 1) the soul, and 2) exist.

While their definitions seem obvious, they are not.

My current believe is we are all just a software program running in a super computer called world, and when we follow the rule, we get backed up into another super computer when we go non existence in the original super computer.

To me, this backup copy is my "soul", and it does not exist if we measure it in the original super computer, but exist if you measure it in the new super computer.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

If folks never felt wind, they would say there's no such thing as air. Just because we can't see it, doesn't mean it's non-existent.

I am a Medium and the after-life does exist. But only a minority believe what I've witnessed -- while a majority don't. I am fine with the disbelievers and I never chastise them for their non-beliefs.

 

[buster]

^ what did you witness?

 

[surfstar]

I'm usually a Large, so I think I miss a lot of things I can't see.

 

[MolaKule]

Some food for thought:

In her book, Fire in the Equations, award-winning science writer Kitty Ferguson addressed this very issue. While discussing the efforts of several renowned, modern-day scientists (like eminent physicists Stephen Hawking, Paul Davies, and others) to uncover what they view as a grand, unified “Theory of Everything,” she asked:

Quote:
Is there anything else? We needn’t get spooky about it. Part of the “anything else” might be human minds and personalities. Can we entirely account for our self-awareness, our minds, personalities, intuitions, and emotions, by means of a physical explanation?

This is a matter of enormous significance for many of the questions we are asking in this book, and we will return to it frequently. If we are super-complex computing machines—the sum of our physical parts and their mechanical workings, which in turn exist as a result of the process of evolution—then science may ultimately be able to tell us everything there is to know about us. Even if no computer can ever assimilate the human mind, science may find another complete physical explanation.

But we have at present no scientific reason to rule out the possibility that there is more to self-awareness, our minds, and our personalities than any such explanation can encompass. Is there such a thing as the soul? If there is, does its existence begin and end with our material existence? Despite some impressive advances in the field of artificial intelligence, and an increasing understanding of the way our minds work, certainly no-one would claim to be able to say at present, except on faith, whether science will eventually be able to assimilate the phenomena of self-awareness, mind, and personality into the materialistic picture.

If science can’t, then there is truth beyond the range of scientific explanation.

Another part of the “anything else” may be what we call the supernatural. Perhaps it is simply figments of imagination, psychological events, not so much to be explained by science as to be explained away. Or perhaps these are real events which are at present unexplainable because we lack complete understanding of the full potential of the physical world. If either is the case, then the supernatural ought eventually to fall into the realm of scientific explanation. However, if the supernatural world exists, and if it is inherently beyond testing by the scientific method, then there is truth beyond the range of scientific explanation. There may indeed be more in heaven and earth than is dreamed of in our science (if not our philosophy) [1994, pp. 82-83]

 

[Merkava_4]

The next time you guys have a cup of coffee, try raising the cup to your lips with your eyes closed.
That was pretty easy huh? That's because your soul told you that the coffee cup was near.

 

[buster]

Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Some food for thought:

In her book, Fire in the Equations, award-winning science writer Kitty Ferguson addressed this very issue. While discussing the efforts of several renowned, modern-day scientists (like eminent physicists Stephen Hawking, Paul Davies, and others) to uncover what they view as a grand, unified “Theory of Everything,” she asked:

Quote:
Is there anything else? We needn’t get spooky about it. Part of the “anything else” might be human minds and personalities. Can we entirely account for our self-awareness, our minds, personalities, intuitions, and emotions, by means of a physical explanation?

This is a matter of enormous significance for many of the questions we are asking in this book, and we will return to it frequently. If we are super-complex computing machines—the sum of our physical parts and their mechanical workings, which in turn exist as a result of the process of evolution—then science may ultimately be able to tell us everything there is to know about us. Even if no computer can ever assimilate the human mind, science may find another complete physical explanation.

But we have at present no scientific reason to rule out the possibility that there is more to self-awareness, our minds, and our personalities than any such explanation can encompass. Is there such a thing as the soul? If there is, does its existence begin and end with our material existence? Despite some impressive advances in the field of artificial intelligence, and an increasing understanding of the way our minds work, certainly no-one would claim to be able to say at present, except on faith, whether science will eventually be able to assimilate the phenomena of self-awareness, mind, and personality into the materialistic picture.

If science can’t, then there is truth beyond the range of scientific explanation.

Another part of the “anything else” may be what we call the supernatural. Perhaps it is simply figments of imagination, psychological events, not so much to be explained by science as to be explained away. Or perhaps these are real events which are at present unexplainable because we lack complete understanding of the full potential of the physical world. If either is the case, then the supernatural ought eventually to fall into the realm of scientific explanation. However, if the supernatural world exists, and if it is inherently beyond testing by the scientific method, then there is truth beyond the range of scientific explanation. There may indeed be more in heaven and earth than is dreamed of in our science (if not our philosophy) [1994, pp. 82-83]


Great points.

I read recently that Hawking now thinks there won't be a theory of everything, meaning mystery will continue.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: buster
^ what did you witness?


Most recent (example)
Monks are often found by Paranormal Researchers/Investigators at places like Cemeteries and Mausoleums, administering near a specific departed person.

At a Catholic Church funeral service with three small windows at each side of the church, I watched two monks standing outdoors awaiting the casket to enter the Hearse after the Service.

My family and a few best friends know about my gift. Some were at the funeral service and nobody but myself witnessed seeing the awaiting Monks.

I allowed them privacy and did not pursue them when exiting the Church. In instances like this one, they will disappear and then renew their figures at a final destination of the Hearse and body.

The body was cremated afterwards and is home with his wife (my sister) and one that also has this gift, but in a different degree. I experience all forms of the paranormal, which is smell, touch/feel, vision and hearing of events. I am told that's rare for anyone to be bestowed with all four.

To cite one example (feel/smell), when I'm visited by an angel (real life or spirit), I feel warmness, followed by a profound, wonderful 'rose garden' smell. When visited by a Hades spirit-only, first arrives a bone-chilling, goose-bump coldness I endure. Then there is a very distinct, terrible odor of burnt hair.

I only entered this discussion to offer my two cents and will not hijack this thread. I have no desire to continue this (personal) further. I hope I answered your question Buster.

Onto the next thread please..... I'm outa' here.

(edit)
An example of a real life angel are ones that serve at hospitals for terms of 3-7 years. They will administer to those of faith and in need of spiritual assistance, most times healthy relatives and friends of faith, visiting the very sick and near-death individuals. I have encountered many at St John Hospitals around the Detroit area, mainly in/near attached Chapels for prayer/Mass services.

They look, act and are-of real flesh. Then one day, they are gone and usually replaced by another. 99.9% of hospital visitors never research these individuals afterwards, because hospital stays are temporary. So these angels quietly vanish and nobody knows it, when it occurs.

 

[Mystic]

I was not going to say anything in this post until Triple_Sev7en posted. You have to be really careful here because you will be attacked for what you say. I believe very much that the soul exists and I have had some experiences in life which cause me to believe that there is a spiritual world. But I am not going to describe those experiences here.

In any case we are all going to find out personally whether that spiritual world exists or not. Because we are all going to die. From a scientific point of view the existence of the soul can neither be proven nor disproven.

But when people get older and approach their own personal deaths they do tend to get a little more respectful.

 

[TooManyWheels]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted By: buster
^ what did you witness?


Most recent (example)
Monks are often found by Paranormal Researchers/Investigators at places like Cemeteries and Mausoleums, administering near a specific departed person.

At a Catholic Church funeral service with three small windows at each side of the church, I watched two monks standing outdoors awaiting the casket to enter the Hearse after the Service.

My family and a few best friends know about my gift. Some were at the funeral service and nobody but myself witnessed seeing the awaiting Monks.



I have heard of this phenomena from another source. I believe it.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: sprintman
Originally Posted By: webfors
Take it from me...

... the soul does exist. There is more to life than our physical nature.

Got proof? No I didn't think so

Got any proof it doesn't? No i didn't think so either.


EXACTLY.

What are we arguing about again??? The unprovable.

My life got much much better when I stopped worrying about that stuff.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Wow - when I read my post, yours presented itself here.

I have been attacked and ridiculed for many years. Doesn't bother me anymore.

I am now a vanishing act myself in this thread. Take care everyone.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Wow - when I read my post, yours presented itself here.

I have been attacked and ridiculed for many years. Doesn't bother me anymore.

I am now a vanishing act myself in this thread. Take care everyone.


I wasn't attacking you.

My point is, I DON'T KNOW. I don't know if I or others have a soul. I used to think so until I started my working career...


If your story is true, that is fantastic. I'll never know because it's never happened to me.

 

[TooManyWheels]

I simply see the soul as your personal identity, which distinguishes your series of life experiences from someone else's.

This makes sense within the context of a universe, or a series/collection of universes and dimensions which value or run based on the collection and interaction of unique life experiences. When your collection of experiences in this life and past ones interacts with the experiences of other souls, that process creates the future. If you believe this, then you probably believe that the same concept will play out similarly in future lives.

A book which explores this idea is Your Unique Self, by Marc Gafni.

 

[Blaze]

Some things cant be explained....how does an autistic child that cant read and write play Mozart with no musical training?