Interesting discussion. Googling "terminal lucidity" and reading about the cases that hospice care workers relate makes for some very interesting reading. Pretty compelling when people with virtually no brain left start talking lucidly shortly before they die.
Scripture says we were made in the image of God - a tri-partite being.
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 Th. 5
From my studies from a historical Christian point of view. I think the bible supports the following view:
1. The spirit is the ethereal immaterial part of Man that was designed to connect to God and to perceive, fellowship, enjoy, and love him. "God is a Spirit"
2. The soul is the mind. It is your basest essence. Your consciousness.
3. The body is the physical animal. It is the data processor and machine for the physical realm.
In popular usage, we usually hear the parts listed as body, soul & spirit, since this is the order most people experience them.... the body in the lead position, followed by your soul (consciousness & will) followed by your spirit. Quite literally most people just follow their bodies around much of the time. ie."He's such an animal"
However, scripture lists them in reverse order, (on purpose I think) with the spirit of man in the lead position followed by your mind (soul) with the impulses and desires of the body in the last position.
James, if you live by a materialist world-view, then evidence contrary to that narrow worldview will be confusing. Few people limit themselves to such a strict worldview.
I had an interesting discussion with a prolific poster from Mexico many years ago on this forum. He was big into spiritism and said he regularly communicated with spirits through occultic means.. I told him that i was confused about how he could be an atheist and talk to spirits. He immediately replied that he believed the spirits were eternal, like the universe.
This was the basic tenet of the pre-flood religion that was wiped out in Noah's Day. The creation (including the spirits) were accepted as the manifestation and cause of everything. I think that people are little by little returning to a view where there is no God (to speak of anyway) but at the same time open to non-physical entities.
"Just as in the days of Noah..." - Jesus