What is a soul?

Gatekeeper · 01-10-2008, 07:35 AM

Dictionary defines soul as: 1: the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life2 a: the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe.

I was under the impression that a soul is that part of us that makes us aware of life, but I'm not sure now. I suppose it could be the essence of life, but I thought that was Spirit, lol. I'm a little confused about it all, is all....

Can anyone define soul in simple terms, as to make it an easier concept for me to understand?

Also, do you think souls are eternal, and if you do, from where do you get this view?

Much thanks,

James

mee · 01-10-2008, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

Dictionary defines soul as: 1: the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life2 a: the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe.

I was under the impression that a soul is that part of us that makes us aware of life, but I'm not sure now. I suppose it could be the essence of life, but I thought that was Spirit, lol. I'm a little confused about it all, is all....

Can anyone define soul in simple terms, as to make it an easier concept for me to understand?

Also, do you think souls are eternal, and if you do, from where do you get this view?

Much thanks,

James

when it comes to bible teaching the soul is you , and when we die , we die and go to dust. many have taken on the unbiblical teaching of (THE IMMORTALITY OF THE HUMAN SOUL) but it is not a bible teaching at all and many many people have been misled by this unbiblical teaching .

Gatekeeper · 01-10-2008, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mee

when it comes to bible teaching the soul is you , and when we die , we die and go to dust. many have taken on the unbiblical teaching of (THE IMMORTALITY OF THE HUMAN SOUL) but it is not a bible teaching at all and many many people have been misled by this unbiblical teaching .

I am soul? You are soul? What is the soul made up of, then? Is it spirit, awareness, or just the breath of life?

Do you believe that those who don't accept Christ will simply return to the dust, and never be ressurected, or have I misread you?

Love,

James

mee · 01-10-2008, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

I am soul? You are soul? What is the soul made up of, then? Is it spirit, awareness, or just the breath of life?

Do you believe that those who don't accept Christ will simply return to the dust, and never be ressurected, or have I misread you?

Love,

James

There are many many people who have died who had no belief ,or beliefs basd on false religion ,but as John 5 28;29 says Jesus will resurrect them . the righteous and the unrighteous . that resurrection will take place after ARMAGEDDON or the GREAT DAY OF JEHOVAH. and it is those in the memory of God . they will be resurrected on the earth and the judgement will start from then on , not the things they did before they died

Bruce Michael · 01-11-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

Dictionary defines soul as: 1: the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life2 a: the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe.

Yes Br.James, because we have a soul we have individuality.

For it is the soul that does offer, give over, the ability to become most sublimely unique, that all which does go before it and trains after it and does encircle it, makes only for the garment of the soul. But the soul does make the garment. And it is spun and woven and sewed and fashioned, by this our soul.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

I was under the impression that a soul is that part of us that makes us aware of life, but I'm not sure now. I suppose it could be the essence of life, but I thought that was Spirit, lol. I'm a little confused about it all, is all....

Yes we interact with the world by means of the soul (and our sense organs of course). Our souls are fed by the right thoughts.

Quote:

For one to see a soul they would have to have soul-eyes to do so. And if it cannot be described as to what a soul may look like in representation, one can say how it feels, and that the beauty of such is as a reflection of sunlight upon the water. For this is the reflection from His Being; out of which we have our spirit-spark enclothed in soul.

I am what I am firstly because I am the soul, not because of the faculty which does recognise such, without which I would still be and still are - in slumber, in wakefulness, I, my soul, endures.

The sense of I, id - individuality in relation to the worlds - becomes distinct because I have a soul; without which I should not come to know that I know, but should gravitate to and around that which I am most sympathetic to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

Also, do you think souls are eternal, and if you do, from where do you get this view?

There is an eternal essence in the soul which is garnered after life.

We can further examine the soul in sections.

The original Church teaching was that we have a body soul and spirit.

Regards,
Br.Bruce
(All quotes from my Teachers)

Truth has an uncommon beauty, the soul too. Every soul is one single truth, livingly stated.

Quahom1 · 01-12-2008, 03:10 AM

Soul, is the battery that keeps our spirit alive and running. Soul comes from God, it is a piece of God in each of us. Lose the "battery", lose everything. We literally can not live without God...

China Cat Sunflower · 01-12-2008, 03:17 AM

Hey James,

I enjoy reading your posts, and I would enjoy it more if you would quit with the italics.

Thanks bro.

Chris

juantoo3 · 01-12-2008, 06:47 AM

Kindest Regards, Gatekeeper, and welcome to CR!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

I was under the impression that a soul is that part of us that makes us aware of life, but I'm not sure now. I suppose it could be the essence of life, but I thought that was Spirit, lol. I'm a little confused about it all, is all....

Join the club,

, people have been arguing the difference between "soul" and "spirit" for centuries.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

Can anyone define soul in simple terms, as to make it an easier concept for me to understand?

I suppose there are all kinds of "simple" pat answers out there. What caught my attention is the willingness to take such a beautifully complex concept as the soul and surrender that to the first comer to offer a simple answer. If it were me, I would be more concerned with the "real" answer, not the simple one.

But that's just me.

People who have the simple answers to everything scare me.

greymare · 01-12-2008, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Soul, is the battery that keeps our spirit alive and running. Soul comes from God, it is a piece of God in each of us. Lose the "battery", lose everything. We literally can not live without God...

I do. and very well thank you.

Quahom1 · 01-12-2008, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greymare

I do. and very well thank you.

You do? lol Ok. Then why do you keep coming back here to get a "recharge"?

Surely this place is providing something of a benefit to you...

Gatekeeper · 01-12-2008, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juantoo3

Kindest Regards, Gatekeeper, and welcome to CR!

Join the club,

, people have been arguing the difference between "soul" and "spirit" for centuries.

I suppose there are all kinds of "simple" pat answers out there. What caught my attention is the willingness to take such a beautifully complex concept as the soul and surrender that to the first comer to offer a simple answer. If it were me, I would be more concerned with the "real" answer, not the simple one.

But that's just me.

People who have the simple answers to everything scare me.

juantoo, love brother!

I still have no idea what soul is unless of course it is the 'real' us in a nut shell - [body]

What are your thoughts?

GK

Gatekeeper · 01-12-2008, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Hey James,

I enjoy reading your posts, and I would enjoy it more if you would quit with the italics.

Thanks bro.

Chris

Thank you, and love!

It is done,

James

Gatekeeper · 01-12-2008, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Michael

Yes Br.James, because we have a soul we have individuality.

For it is the soul that does offer, give over, the ability to become most sublimely unique, that all which does go before it and trains after it and does encircle it, makes only for the garment of the soul. But the soul does make the garment. And it is spun and woven and sewed and fashioned, by this our soul.

Yes we interact with the world by means of the soul (and our sense organs of course). Our souls are fed by the right thoughts.

There is an eternal essence in the soul which is garnered after life.

We can further examine the soul in sections.

The original Church teaching was that we have a body soul and spirit.

Regards,
Br.Bruce
(All quotes from my Teachers)

Truth has an uncommon beauty, the soul too. Every soul is one single truth, livingly stated.

Thank you, and love, bro!

You have given some great food for thought. I'll have to look more deeply at your thoughts to get the gist, tho. I've been told that my reading abilities are atrocious, and I won't disagree. I have difficulty sometimes.

James - GK

Quahom1 · 01-12-2008, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatekeeper

Thank you, and love!

It is done,

James

Didn't medical science once do a test to weigh the human body before death and immediately after death and determined that the body lost weight (by a miniscule amount) & concluded that that might be the soul leaving the body?

Gatekeeper · 01-12-2008, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Soul, is the battery that keeps our spirit alive and running. Soul comes from God, it is a piece of God in each of us. Lose the "battery", lose everything. We literally can not live without God...

All things are from God, so I see your point. God is our life, and our life is in Him.

Thank you, brother and love!

James