Theists, What If Your "Soul" Isn't Really Immortal?

[God of Mr. Hanky]

You make grandiose claims of an eternal continuance of your intelligence, and I won't challenge the validity of such claims on this thread. I just want to know what it would mean to you if you ran into proof which you could not dispute which says that our lives and all of our thoughts will end when the brain dies. No regeneration, no reincarnation, and no ascension into some place not perceivable from here where what you were in your body can be continuously supported.

If you died and left children on this earth, and you didn't get to see them suffer the ravages of age like you have, would that be so bad?

If you died while your grandchildren are young, perhaps you would wish to see them grow up, survive the turmoil of adolescence, and succeed in the world. But eternity is eternal, therefore you would also have to see them decline just as you did. Oh, and some of them weren't believers like you, so guess they won't join you and you'll have to go through forever without them. Your best friend too, who you thought you knew so well!

Then again, you may retain eternal consciousness, but never witness any of the changes here on this earth. You may never see those who you knew and loved on this Earth (it doesn't really say that you will in the bible), but meet all new friends there. You may spend it all (uh...wait a minute, how do you quantify "eternity") floating on an inter-cosmic cloud with nothing to do but sing and play songs of praise on your harp.

Of course, a different idea of heaven involves streets paved with gold and beautiful mansions beyond anything which the imagination can conjure up. And after living under such lovely conditions for the first 1000 years, you will still be insanely stir-crazy. When you have everything, there's nothing left to have. When you've experienced everything, then what have you left to do?

Really, what makes you so sure you want to live forever, under perfectly idyllic conditions? Can there truly be joy without suffering? Can there be any true satisfaction without hunger?

How bad would it really be if you were wrong? Not wrong as in the default of being tortured forever in Hell, but that you simply cease to be? Cease to suffer? Cease to fear? Cease to worry? To actually die while those around you who care are still able to care? To leave your children and grandchildren with hope for them, not the despair of knowing too much of what you can do nothing to help them with? To not even know that you are dead, just as you didn't know before you were born that you did not exist? To truly rest in absolute peace? When you revert to the state where nothing can really disturb you in any way, including any regrets which you have lived with through your life, then how can that idea really be frightening?

[downbeatplumb]

There is a problem with the idea of souls and that is how do they do anything. If nature has shown us anything its that if something is not really required nature will jettison it. So if a soul could see the body would not have eyes, if a soul could smell we wouldn't need a nose you can see what I'm getting at here.
So what is a soul supposed to be?

[GodCherry]

There is a problem with the idea of souls and that is how do they do anything. If nature has shown us anything its that if something is not really required nature will jettison it. So if a soul could  see the body would not have eyes, if a soul could smell we wouldn't need a nose you can see what I'm getting at here.
So what is a soul supposed to be?

Since the beginning of time...long before christianity (which is just a ripped off belief system from older belief systems)...humans have followed the concept of separation of body/soma and spirit.  

To me, its a fairly logical approach.  The body being the hardware and the spirit being the software.  We know that somatic cells have an expiration date.  The body lasts for so long and then expires.

No one knows what happens to the spirit or energy left over.  Maybe it dissipates, maybe it transitions or changes state (like much energy does) resulting in a phase shift, maybe it is absorbed, maybe its wasted (which seems inconsistent to our current understanding of energy).

Some modern philosophers and scientists are starting to invest in the idea of of mulitverses...google it.  There are theories that suggest that our bodies have limitations that keep us sentient and aware in this universe but once that body dies, the energy can transition into other layers/dimensions.  Its interesting theory because physicists making huge leaps in understanding of the physical laws between space, matter, time and energy.

Bottom line, no one has the answer to this question.  But its not out of the realm of possibility that we may figure it out in our lifetimes.  If not, we'll all figure it out together when we die.

Unlike religious sheep...I find the unknown fascinating and an opportunity for growth.  I don't live in fear of it.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Then we Christians will still remain grateful for whatever amount of Grace our Creator has extended to us. He owes us nothing. We owe Him everything.

[Whateverist]

Then we Christians will still remain grateful for whatever amount of Grace our Creator has extended to us. He owes us nothing. We owe Him everything.

Of course our 'creation' may mean no more to Him than my taking a dump does to me.  If the microbes inhabiting my stool feel grateful, would I know?  Does our gratitude mean any more to God?

[GodCherry]

Then we Christians will still remain grateful for whatever amount of Grace our Creator has extended to us. He owes us nothing. We owe Him everything.

I actually have no idea what this is supposed to mean.

One of the things I truly dislike about some of the christians I encounter is their inability to know the difference between having an intelligent conversation and repeating some inane mantra that they learned at church.

Mantras are like armor against logical thought, enlightenment and reason.  When you know everything...you're capable of learning nothing.

And there's always something to learn.  Rational humans should always be skeptical of any person or organization that claims to know the answer to everything.

[The Valkyrie]

Hypothetical questions: If humans create an intelligent species, should we expect them to worship us. Do we have the right of life and death over them? How long do they have to worship us/praise us/be thankful to us, before they can live their own lives?

[GodCherry]

Then we Christians will still remain grateful for whatever amount of Grace our Creator has extended to us. He owes us nothing. We owe Him everything.

You never know...they might have formed a giant tent in your rectum and are having a revival and collecting money in your name right now.

Do you feel bloated?

[mediocrates]

If nature has shown us anything its that if something is not really required nature will jettison it.

too bad nature didn't jettison my appendix...

[brewer]

OP:

The truly brainwashed will refuse to believe no matter what the evidence (or lack there of) and continue on.

Quite a few will have ChadW's reaction and continue in their belief without the afterlife.

Others will reject the belief and move on to the next fantasy that will give them direction. Maybe the bait/reward will be money,sex, power, ......... vs ever lasting life.

I'm sure there would be other categories.