do you believe we have "souls"?

Your friend is wrong

I have seen the Spirit/Soul of my

deceased brother when he comes to visit

* Yes, I believe we have souls.

* How I would define the soul, I'm not sure. Either the soul is eternal, or immortal. If it's the former, then our souls have always existed, and always will exist, even before our bodies have come to be. If it's the latter, then there is a possibility that the soul was created along with our bodies. Keep in mind that all of this cannot be proven scientifically. It's all a matter of faith. Generally, some people see that ghosts are the souls of the dead. However, the idea of a ghost is that they do not give off light, or do not reflect light. Therefore, we cannot see ghosts, take pictures of them, etcetera. If we suppose that souls equate with ghosts, then souls are invisible. However, it doesn't follow that souls do not exist, just because we cannot see them, and just because they cannot be proven scientifically. They may have the ability to appeal to the other senses. Always keep in mind, that this is a matter of faith.

* I don't know what purpose souls serve. Ultimately, the concept of the soul is that we are immortal through our souls. It may depend on your other beliefs. If you believe in God, then generally, you believe that your soul is the entity that either ascends to heaven, or hell. It is not impossible for people to not belong to any faith, but still believe we have souls. There are many scientists out there, legitimate scientists, that are very spiritual (Einstein was one of those. I'm saying was, only because Einstein's dead).

KEEP IN MIND, that this thing is a matter of faith. Just like with the concept of God. We cannot prove to anyone, that souls exist. But at least, we can give them reasons, well-justified or not, as to why we believe souls exist. That's what's important. The justification behind the belief. The people that don't believe that we have souls, cannot prove it either because none of us know if we do or not. We just have these beliefs, that are either true or false.

1) First error: We do not HAVE souls. We ARE souls.

2) The overused term "soul" is the TRUE seat of identity. The EGO, otoh, is a fake "self"

which the great majority mistakenly believes is the "YOU". It is manufactured out of two elements mainly: life experiences and what the Gautama Buddha called "desires". Buddha tought: eliminate desire through "no-mind" state. No-mind to be achieved by way of meditation (a form of mind

control, really) Thus eliminate ego wants, and thus attain peace or Nirvana. Close enough, but no cigar. This "soul" so-called is not manufactured by the brain at all. It has an existence of its own.

It longs to get back to -are you ready for this- union with his CREATOR. (*). That goes a long way to explain depression of all kinds. It is simply the "soul" or "spirit" at odds with the ego.

3) For the answer to your last question re-read the above.

In short, it is by destruction of the EGO, or displacemtn thereof, that the true self is -at the end- found. Here is the key:

Matthew 19:25

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus wlooked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but ****with God*** all things are possible.”

(*) Some -a few or many- may say here's another religious fanatic. So be it.

I like to believe that we have souls. It's the essence of who we are and what makes us tick, or more specifically, the soul is the brew of what our past experiences created. All souls are unique.

Not sure if souls serve a purpose but I also like to believe that when we die, our bodies are just empty corpses that rot and crumble into nothing but our soul lives on free and happily in another sort of dimension. I guess Heaven perhaps. I wouldn't necessarily call it Heaven because I'm not a religious purpose but I do have some beliefs.

No, scientists find no evidence souls exist, when not exist cannot have purpose, is futile discuss imaginary souls.

Our soul is our life force. It is separate from the mind/brain. The body will die and turn to dust, but the soul will continue on. It is made of our energy and will never die. Your friend is probably an engineer. Everything is black and white to them.

NO, because no one can coherently define what a soul is. How can believe in something that no one can express intelligently?

The most vital component to our very being is the 'soul'.

"The soul is (in itself) incorporal essence, and even when in body it by no means doth depart from the essentiality peculiar to itself. It's nature is, according it's essence to be forever moving, according to it's thought (to be) self-motive (purely), not moved in something, nor towards something, nor (yet) towards something."

"The special nature of 'soul' is thought."

Great response Bog! :D