Heaven and Hell

sunshines:

Pretty much, as depressing a thought as it is.

Not necessary depressing, just empty.
Not believing in beauty, reason, love, etc. makes the world seem rather dull and empty.

But going back to souls.
I remember reading that human beings are the only ''animals'' capable of being selfless and of taking care of others without expecting some sort of reward.
Why would we do that?

Altruism. It's a human capability we developed as our brains got more complex. We were able to feel emotion, and most importantly love. Apparently. -shrug-

I admit it's an empty thought. However, I do live in pretense we have those capabilities and try to avoid the basic facts.

dark.:

Human Error:

I know it sounds incredibly boring, but I feel that when we die, that's it. There's nothing more. Our time is over and our bodies decompose (unless, of course, you were cremated :shifty )

and our souls?

I don't believe in the concept of souls. I'm a human, I'm not special. I don't have a soul, and I'm okay with that.
I respect other people's beliefs about souls, but I just don't.

Human Error:

I don't believe in the concept of souls. I'm a human, I'm not special. I don't have a soul, and I'm okay with that.
I respect other people's beliefs about souls, but I just don't.

That's just it, you are human. You're different from any other animal, your soul -together with your ability to reason- make you ''special''.

I don't understand how altruism makes sense from a survival of the fittest point of view. We are capable of a kind of completely un-conditioned love to the point of self-renunciation. -shrug-

^But we're technically animals. If we have a soul, that means so does every other animal. We're not "special", we've just evolved differently/more. I don't see how gaining a soul can be part of evolution. :think:

andily.:

Human Error:

I don't believe in the concept of souls. I'm a human, I'm not special. I don't have a soul, and I'm okay with that.
I respect other people's beliefs about souls, but I just don't.

That's just it, you are human. You're different from any other animal, your soul -together with your ability to reason- make you ''special''.

Just because we, as humans, are different from other animals it doesn't mean we necessarily have souls. I don't believe we do, and I don't think there's anything wrong with thinking that.

andily.:

That's just it, you are human. You're different from any other animal, your soul -together with your ability to reason- make you ''special''

But any animal is different from any other animal. Cows are different from any other animal, platypuses are different from any other animal, etc. So, I don't see how that logic proves people have souls when it applies to every animal. Humans aren't the only creature with the ability to reason either. I don't see what makes us special in those respects, and I don't see how being "special" proves you have a soul.

Aren't we animals too though? Animals are believed to have no soul, so if we are then what makes us humans different from all other animals?

sunshines:

what makes us humans different from all other animals?

Narcissism.

People used to think that animals were simply put on earth by God to fulfil the needs of man; that they were closer to rocks in similarity than they were closer to us.

Plato thought that a soul was a reflection of the perfect form of beings in this world. So everything has some form of soul; it's just that human kind can 'look after it', what with our more advanced faculties of thought and the like.

---
So, are we thinking that when we die, our bodies stay here and our souls go to heaven?

Were such a thing to happen, does anyone think we would 'recognise' ourselves in our...soul form? Would we still have that kind of conscious thought to know such a thing?

Apparently you can recognise yourself in the soul form. You remember everything from your past life but live a new life of perfection in Heaven. Well, that's what I've always depicted it as.

Still that does not allow humans the right to only have a soul. We may be capable of a higher complexity of thinking but we are still animals.

I do believe in heaven and the choice to make it there. .hahaha. .Well the discussion here are intense. .

bombcel:

I do believe in heaven and the choice to make it there. .hahaha. .Well the discussion here are intense. .

What do you mean when you say 'the choice to make it there'?:think:

^ I assume she means the things that we do in the life we have now.

A lot of people are saying humans aren't special...if we arent' special, then why were we created in the image of God?

grr...double post

I don't believe in either. I believe that after we pass away, our spirits remain on Earth to watch over our loved ones as they go on in life without us.

Killing Loneliness:

A lot of people are saying humans aren't special...if we arent' special, then why were we created in the image of God?

That is what you believe.

(I presume) you believe there is a God, and base what you believe from the Bible. But the Bible is written by man. So therefore anything in it is the ideas of man, as there is no exact proof to back it up, and as Sheepy said, we are a narcissistic race, so of course we'd want to believe we were created in the image of God.

I do not believe in God or Creationism, so therefore I don't think we were created in the image of God. The human race is not special, it has just evolved differently/more.

I'm haven't really thought about what happens after you die. If I'm completely wrong in what I believe, then ah well, to Hell I go. I'm more concerned with life than I am with death.

Pie:

I don't believe in either. I believe that after we pass away, our spirits remain on Earth to watch over our loved ones as they go on in life without us.

And what exactly would these spirits do other than watch us? I find it a bit pointless watching, no offence.

skank.:

Killing Loneliness:

A lot of people are saying humans aren't special...if we aren't special, then why were we created in the image of God?

That is what you believe.

skank.:

The human race is not special, it has just evolved differently/more.

And that is what you believe.

I think, even though a lot of people here don't believe in God, it's still safe to say that a lot separates us from animals. Look at technology; look at how much knowledge we've obtained. We have a conscience; we feel guilt, jealousy, hatred....we even think about death - when will we die? What comes after death?

Then look at animals - the only thing they know is survival. Every living thing knows that...

Whether you like it or not, something about humans is different.

Killing Loneliness:

skank.:

The human race is not special, it has just evolved differently/more.

And that is what you believe.

Yes, hence the reason it followed the sentence "I think..."

Killing Loneliness:

I think, even though a lot of people here don't believe in God, it's still safe to say that a lot separates us from animals. Look at technology; look at how much knowledge we've obtained. We have a conscience; we feel guilt, jealousy, hatred....we even think about death - when will we die? What comes after death?

Intelligence comes with evolution. We adapt and grow.

Killing Loneliness:

Then look at animals - the only thing they know is survival. Every living thing knows that...

Dogs. Dolphins. Apes. Whales. Hell, even rats. Many animals show intelligence past just "knowing how to survive". We are animals. We are going to make our own race more important to ourselves because it is in our natural, but it doesn't change the fact a human is a mammal, which is an animal.

Killing Loneliness:

Whether you like it or not, something about humans is different.

There is a difference between a dog and an ant. What is your point? Every species is different to one another. The fact we are more intelligent merely suggests we have evolved in a more complex manner.