Define soul

.... you no doubt have considered the word soul.

Is the soul a non material manifestation of our personality, immortal and somehow transcendent. or is it simply our person which lives and dies as we do?

This is going well

neologist wrote:

This is going well

C'mon Neo.

I did try to address your question (at least on my second try I did).

OK, let's try again.

Suppose 'the soul' and 'the personality' are both the same thing.

They are the real you, the inner person.

They are non-material (i.e. not composed of matter), yet others only are aware of the existence of your personality when it is expressed through a physical body (i.e. talking, taking an action of some kind)

If one were to lose the ability to speak and the ability to move, he/she would still have a personality (or soul), it's just that it would be severely limited or prevented from any expression that was visible or observable by others.

Thus in sleep, or in unconsciousness, or even after the death of the body, the personality (soul) does not necessarily cease, though others may not be able to see any manifestation of it.

What do you think about that?

These folks who have died seem to have thoughts:

Rev 6:9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?"

As do these:

Rev 5:8b twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song:
"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God



And these as well:

Matt 17:3Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

And also these:

Luke 16:22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell,[c] where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.


And these:

Heb 12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses

But remember the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is a parable.

neologist wrote:

But remember the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is a parable.

Other than your opinion, what do you show to support this statement?

Usually Jesus' parables are noted as 'and He spoke this parable to them.....' or something is clearly stated as being COMPARED to something else in a symbolic manner.

The lesson of the rich man and Lazarus is not identified as a parable in either of these ways as the other parables clearly are.

Francis Crick has already answered the question:

http://www.answers.com/topic/the-astonishing-hypothesis