Religious debate (split from main board)

#851
#851
turambar85 said:
I don't define anything as my soul - it is an empty meaningless concept. I don't have a soul - nor does anybody else.

What do you think the soul does? What is its role in consciousness? Is it the powerhouse of the brain? If so, how do you reconcile it with psychological studies like the one I mentioned?
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So science has revealed that it is not in the brain.

Interesting.

If in ten years, a scientist claims he has found a soul, would you believe him?
 
#852
#852
turambar85 said:
But, I will say that I was operating within the framework of "the soul is the self" doctrine. I don't think there is a theologically intriguing definition of soul that lacks this component.
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"Soul is the self"?

Define that a little better for me, not quiet sure what you mean.
 
#853
#853
BeecherVol said:
So science has revealed that it is not in the brain.

Interesting.

If in ten years, a scientist claims he has found a soul, would you believe him?
Click to expand...

Science didn't claim it isn't in the brain. Science said, indisputably, that this happens when the brain is split. I say, as do others (Pinker included), that this is incompatible with the soul as self.
 
#854
#854
BeecherVol said:
"Soul is the self"?

Define that a little better for me, not quiet sure what you mean.
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You are your soul. Your soul is what differentiates you from non-humans. It makes you you and unique. Your soul carries your locus of consciousness.
 
#855
#855
turambar85 said:
Science didn't claim it isn't in the brain. Science said, indisputably, that this happens when the brain is split. I say, as do others (Pinker included), that this is incompatible with the soul as self.
Click to expand...

Interesting.

Not sure that would discount humans from having a soul. But science changes all time, with new technology, and new findings, and such. They may find one after me and you are dead, and gone.
 
#858
#858
MWR said:
Are you saying you do not have a soul?

If so, you are the first person I've heard say they have no soul. And I've met a lot of people who say they have a soul. And I'm just being curious here, but since you are a minority of one here, do you have any proof that you do not have a soul?
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You don't need to prove the nonexistence of things if there's no reason to believe in them. I couldn't prove to you that Santa Claus isn't real, but there isn't any unexplained phenomena (like presents suddenly appearing under trees Christmas morning) that require a "Santa Claus". My point is that every facet of consciousness has been shown to come from the brain. Thus when the brain stops functioning, so does consciousness. There is no reason to invoke an ethereal "soul" which transcends the brain because the material interactions of the brain explain everything we attribute to the "soul".
 
#861
#861
turambar85 said:
I don't define anything as my soul - it is an empty meaningless concept. I don't have a soul - nor does anybody else.

What do you think the soul does? What is its role in consciousness? Is it the powerhouse of the brain? If so, how do you reconcile it with psychological studies like the one I mentioned?
Click to expand...


turambar85 said:
You are your soul. Your soul is what differentiates you from non-humans. It makes you you and unique. Your soul carries your locus of consciousness.
Click to expand...

So, since you say you do not have a soul, are you human?
 
#862
#862
Snakes on a Wii said:
You don't need to prove the nonexistence of things if there's no reason to believe in them. I couldn't prove to you that Santa Claus isn't real, but there isn't any unexplained phenomena (like presents suddenly appearing under trees Christmas morning) that require a "Santa Claus". My point is that every facet of consciousness has been shown to come from the brain. Thus when the brain stops functioning, so does consciousness. There is no reason to invoke an ethereal "soul" which transcends the brain because the material interactions of the brain explain everything we attribute to the "soul".
Click to expand...

Ok, so forget about proving you do not have a soul, for now anyways. I also asked you if you had a soul. Yes or no are the two choices here.
 
#863
#863
MWR said:
So, since you say you do not have a soul, are you human?
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Very cute. The second post was me commenting on the traditional theological/philosophical notion of the soul. That is, obviously, not a definition I accept.

Next.
 
#864
#864
Man, I got excited cause there were a few more posts in this thread.... nothing to write home about.
 
#867
#867
For the heck of it....

  • Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs?
  • To you, who is Jesus?
  • Do you think there is a heaven or a hell?
  • If you died tonight, where would you go?
  • By the way, if what you were believing is not true, would you want to know?
 
#868
#868
OrangeEmpire said:
For the heck of it....

  • Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs?
  • To you, who is Jesus?
  • Do you think there is a heaven or a hell?
  • If you died tonight, where would you go?
  • By the way, if what you were believing is not true, would you want to know?
Click to expand...

Spiritual in the supernatural/religious sense? No.

I met a Jesus in the Dominican Republic. He had a nice family and lots of goats. Was a real nice guy. If you mean the Biblical Jesus, I would say he is a much-celebrated historical figure to me.

Heaven and hell are of our own construction. No, I don't believe in any supernatural heaven or hell.

"I" in a consciousness sense would no longer exist to "go" anywhere.

And on the last one, of course.
 
#870
#870
MWR said:
Ok, so forget about proving you do not have a soul, for now anyways. I also asked you if you had a soul. Yes or no are the two choices here.
Click to expand...

I have about as much confidence that I have a soul as I do that there is an invisible, undetectable fire-breathing dragon in my garage. If such things existed then I would have them, but I'm pretty sure they don't.

So, no. But I have to be very cautious like that because the faithful like to take any small, no matter how absurd, chance and blow it up to make it seem reasonable to accept it.
 
#871
#871
Snakes on a Wii said:
I have about as much confidence that I have a soul as I do that there is an invisible, undetectable fire-breathing dragon in my garage. If such things existed then I would have them, but I'm pretty sure they don't.

So, no. But I have to be very cautious like that because the faithful like to take any small, no matter how absurd, chance and blow it up to make it seem reasonable to accept it.
Click to expand...

The real question is why do you care?

I don't care what you believe, why do you care what I believe?
 
#872
#872
OrangeEmpire said:
For the heck of it....

  • Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs?
  • To you, who is Jesus?
  • Do you think there is a heaven or a hell?
  • If you died tonight, where would you go?
  • By the way, if what you were believing is not true, would you want to know?
Click to expand...


Bill Fay comes to mind...
 
#873
#873
That who is I got if from.

He came to our church about 2 years ago.

Simple and super effective.

I find it the easiest way to talk to someone who is hardliner bible hater, :).
 
#874
#874
I have been looking for someone with intense scientific knowledge to show me how you can take someone who just died and bring them back to life. Someone explained that we are just electrical impulses as far as our functionality. Well then put a new battery in Grandpa and let him have another 20 years. Energizers will suffice.
 
#875
#875
OrangeEmpire said:
That who is I got if from.

He came to our church about 2 years ago.

Simple and super effective.

I find it the easiest way to talk to someone who is hardliner bible hater, :).
Click to expand...

Had a prof who said he was THE man to listen to on the subject.
 
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