What is the soul?

by losthobbit 13 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  losthobbit

  J. Hofer... I want to argue with you, but I know that will just end in frustration.

  NomadSoul, you wrote:

  "Are you referring to a robot that just acts human? Or a robot that is constructed exactly like we are with an artificial brain that functions EXACTLY like ours? Would that make a difference in your statement?"

  Good question... when I refer to robot, I think of something that acts human (simulates human intelligence). That is my understanding of AI. ... And yes, if a robot were constructed as an exact, biological clone of a human, that would make a difference to my statement.

  You asked

  "What do you think the clone is going to say if you ask him the same question?"

  Since the question was asked before the clone was made, it wouldn't have been able to. To ask the question after the clone has been made defeats the point of the question.

  You said

  "So let's say in the future they can make a replica of the brain, all it's functions, everything. They can theorically transfer all that information to this brain. All your thoughts, ideas, and memories will still function. You would also have feelings since the artificial brain would also have the same capabilities."

  I disagree. It would not be me, but rather a copy. If the replica is made while I am still alive, I imagine I will remain the original person. I will not be the copy. I (my soul) is not transferred into another copy of myself just because it consists of a copy of my thoughts.

  Designs, who's Sam & Dave?

  Clarity, sorry... I don't actually know what JW's teach about resurrection. Do they teach that the soul dies? Something will have to be kept in order to make sure the recreation is you. I call that thing, the soul. I believe that the soul is you, not your thoughts... for example, if you get Alzeimer's disease, even though you lose your thoughts, you are probably still you, and probably have the same soul.
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  Perry

  You can read the biblical definition here:

  http://www.wordfamine.com/Q_2.html

  Q2 : What is the Truth about the Soul?

  This is an extremely important question to get to the bottom of. Your view of this subject will effect most every decision you'll ever make. The Seventh Day Adventists (from which JW's kinda originated from) say that the soul will go to sleep at death (soul sleep). Charles Taze Russell took "Soul Sleep" further and taught that the soul would cease to exist at death (soul annilation).
  
  We must first start with what constitutes the "whole man". The bible clearly states that man is a rather complex Tri-partite being. Here's God's description of man:
  
  "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly ; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ ." - 1 Thess. 5: 23
  
  Each of these parts of man is you. You are spirit, you are soul, and you are body. There is universal agreement on this when it comes to the "body", and common figures of speech reflect this:
  
  "She pinched my arm" and "She pinched me" are both perfectly correct descriptions of the same event even though one refers specifically to the body and another to "you". Likewise, in the bible, the spirit, the soul, and the body are spoken of equally as a person posessing them and also a person being them.

  The color charts above will help to illustrate. Every color can be made by getting the exact mixture of red, green and blue just right. Likewise each person is made up of a unique mixture of DNA, spirit and soul.
  
  If a photographic image undergoes color separation, you'll still see the image in two dimensional space; each is still a picture of her. However, the image is not "whole" until the color shades are united with each other. And, the fact remains that inside of the "final printed image" above, it posesses (and also IS) a blue image, a red image, and a yellow image. Likewise, man has a body and is a body; has a spirit and is a spirit; has a soul and is a soul.
  
  Now, at this point, it is critical that we have a biblical definition of "death". Medical science has a hard time in defining death but the bible does not; it is very clear:

  And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. - 1 Kings 17: 20-23

  
  
  The biblical definition of death is clear; W hen your spirit or soul becomes separated from your body- YOU ARE DEAD.
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  maksym

  The soul and the body are two distinct entities residing together in a harmonious relationship. The Bible talks about the body and the soul in various passages. Mankind was created to be in the image and likeness of God. In such we have a physical component that is created and a spiritual component fused together, for the sake of argument, to become a unique creation.
  
  We, mankind, are above the creation of angels. We are the height of creation.
  
  Why is it that the Theotokos is regarded above the Cherubim and the Seraphim? She ascended into the heights of illumination, beyond the highest of angels.
  
  We are like the angels and are like the earth and creation. The soul of mankind is a component of such, not separate, and not immortal, but part of God’s creation.
  
  When we die the soul is preserved for the Kingdom of God and enters into a new creation for glorification for all eternity.
  
  st Maksym

  Do you understand this?
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  losthobbit

  Hi Maksym

  You asked if I understood what you wrote.

  I understood some of it... probably easiest if I tell you what I didn't understand:

  I don't understand the ranking system, why certain creatures are ranked above others, nor why it matters in a discussion about the soul.

  I should probably tell you, before you start explaining further, that when it comes to important topics I only trust books, people and thoughts for which there is enough evidence, or reasoning. For that reason I distrust the bible, and am more interested in logical reasoning / explanations, like what I wrote right up at the top of this thread.

  Anyway, I did ask this in a Jehovah's Witness forum, so I did expect some answers to come from the bible