You've got SOUL!

[AnonymouZ]

Ha, Uncercover Brother was the s**t.

Anyway.

Could anyone explain to me why is it easier for agnostics to doubt deities' existence, but when it comes to "soul" we are much more receptive of it's "meaning"?

I am not making an argument that it doesn't exist, since i believe it's something like gods, which can't be really proven or proven non-existent, and yet we believe in it... in spite of our ignorance of what it really is.

What is a soul anyway?
Does it make sense that something that doesn't breathe (planet earth) could have a soul? (gaia? lol)
Do fish have one?
Is it acceptable to believe that the soul is as big as the container it was in? in other words, do bacteria have smaller, tiny souls? What about our cells?
If only a small number of things "alive" have a soul, what is it that makes those few different than the rest?

I personally don't know what a soul is. Religiously speaking i do, of course, however, if we (most of us) view religion as something retarded (omg, where is the sugarcoat?) then why believe in it's religious meaning/definition?
For a minute there, i really thought gaia had a big chance of being real, then again, it shined on me that life-less things could NOT have a soul, however, earth/gaia could very well be some sort of soul container thingy.

Discuss, flame, diss. Participate! twisted  

[PickleBoy]

I think.... I think a soul is ones personality and sense of being. Everything living (including plants) have "souls". Actually I wrote a long rant of this in a journal I have just the other night. It was more about reincarnation and the existance of souls and then goes off on a random tangent about love. Since this topic is here though, maybe I'll write it down and see what people think. WOO!  

[Dathu]

Nah, no souls, spirits, magic, or life forces for me. It is an endearing thought, but...meh.  

[russiangal367]

Nope, I'm like Dathu...nothing with life forces. It's an interesting myth, but not something I'd believe in. But if you want my take on the definition, its the spiritual part of a human, the part which goes on to heaven while the physical form stays here.  

[AnonymouZ]

Minozake

Souls? Yea, I believe in them. Just as anything else, though, I give it little thought. Since I believe in a neutral rebirth-like process, the souls just pass to a new organism, and one wakes up as if it was a forgotten dream. If the new body is capable of dreaming that is.

All of it is just grey. A big bucket of grey paint spread over an area.

So, what is it that defines where the soul goes and what organism to "inhabit" this time? Does a single cell (it is, after all, an organism) get to have one?  

[caustic 0_0]

• 
  There's things I think it's okay to think of as something 'else', something beyond the individual. Just a sense of being a part of the larger existence, of nature, what have you. If you talk about it in theory like having some kind of essence then I can go along with it. But I wouldn't literally believe I have my own personal 'soul.'
  Hrm. How else to phrase it >.>
  Often when people talk about souls they're talking about things that are real. You really do behave and think differently than others enough to have a sense of self, like the phrase 'it touched me to my very soul.' It affected you on a serious personal level. You can use soul like that and I think it makes sense, but I guess the sticking point is whether you think that soul is just a way of speaking about some part of you that is really due to nature/nurture, or if you think it's a unique entity (god-given perhaps) of its own.
  

 

[C.E.]

i think caustic brings up a good point about the concept of the "soul" being more like a name attributed to that part of us that we would like to think is a unique and free thinking entity.
i do not believe that the soul is one on its own. many believe that our thoughts and emotions and such are an integral part of the soul, and when we die they move on, as the soul theoretically does. i, however, am a scientific rationalist, so to me, thoughts, emotions, etc... they are all responses earned by chemical responses due to stimuli in our brains.
i guess ultimatly i lump the soul in with the divine, or supernatural. it would be a nice thing to believe in, but i find that i am just unable to do so.
Dathu said it well with...

Quote:

Nah, no souls, spirits, magic, or life forces for me. It is an endearing thought, but...meh.

 

[Becka Minato]

Hmm...I do believe that everyone and everything has a soul, and that our personalities and opnions are based off of previous lives. Its kind of complicated...gah, I cant explain it without hurting my brain. xp  

[Foetus In Fetu]

If we can't agree on a single definition of 'soul', how can I be expected to believe in it?  

[C.E.]

Foetus In Fetu

If we can't agree on a single definition of 'soul', how can I be expected to believe in it?

a lot of people have faith in their own intrepretation of what the soul is. and many people also believe becasue it gives them a sence of comfort, reguardless of the "facts." in many religions there is a set "definition" as well.... unfortunatly, where some of the overall concept may be the same, the surrounding ideas behind it vary religion to religion.
not that im saying you should believe in it, i know that i do not.  

[Dathu]

Even though I don't believe in it, I use that word all the time. I also like to thank little 8lb baby Jesus, whose learning his shapes and colors, for things. Had to use a little taladaga nights quote.

One time this chick I know had to borrow one of her mom's gigantic pads, cause she was out of tampons, and she comes walking out of the bathroom all bow legged and says with a devastated voice "Mom, this tampon is absorbing my soul!"

I thought it was funny.  

[PickleBoy]

Dathu

Even though I don't believe in it, I use that word all the time. I also like to thank little 8lb baby Jesus, whose learning his shapes and colors, for things. Had to use a little taladaga nights quote.

One time this chick I know had to borrow one of her mom's gigantic pads, cause she was out of tampons, and she comes walking out of the bathroom all bow legged and says with a devastated voice "Mom, this tampon is absorbing my soul!"

I thought it was funny.

xd Ah the tortures of giganormous pads. Yes, giganormous... >.>

And... Ah damn it, I was gonna post my thoughts but they're in my car....  

[C.E.]

Dathu

Even though I don't believe in it, I use that word all the time. I also like to thank little 8lb baby Jesus, whose learning his shapes and colors, for things. Had to use a little taladaga nights quote.

One time this chick I know had to borrow one of her mom's gigantic pads, cause she was out of tampons, and she comes walking out of the bathroom all bow legged and says with a devastated voice "Mom, this tampon is absorbing my soul!"

I thought it was funny.

OH MAN! that cracked me up!!!!
and yeah... i use the term "soul" all the time... but it doesnt mean i really believe in it sweatdrop
as with dathu.... i often refer to baby jesus, as well... plus i often utter "JESUS CHIRST!" as an exclimation. its just fun to say.