Does the Atheist have a soul? ( Archived) (286)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
Soul

Soul\, n. [OE. soule, saule, AS. swel, swl; akin to OFries. s?le, OS. s?ola, D. ziel, G. seele, OHG. s?la, s?ula, Icel. sla, Sw. sjl, Dan. sil, Goth. saiwala; of uncertain origin, perhaps akin to L. saeculum a lifetime, age (cf. Secular.)]

1. The spiritual, rational, and immortal part in man; that part of man which enables him to think, and which renders him a subject of moral government; -- sometimes, in distinction from the higher nature, or spirit, of man, the so-called animal soul, that is, the seat of life, the sensitive affections and phantasy, exclusive of the voluntary and rational powers; -- sometimes, in distinction from the mind, the moral and emotional part of man's nature, the seat of feeling, in distinction from intellect; -- sometimes, the intellect only; the understanding; the seat of knowledge, as distinguished from feeling. In a more general sense, "an animating, separable, surviving entity, the vehicle of individual personal existence." --Tylor.

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Atheist

a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings.

Well I am one of them HUM! ::gasp:::

and I have a soul... (and a heart)

My soul belongs to me.

and maybe I see it a little differently to how someone that believes in a god sees theirs.

I like mine.. its actually very nice.

The absence of a diety within a personal philosophy does not negate a spiritual doctrine, merely a theistic one.

yep

I truly believe it (your soul) is nice along with a good heart.

Aaww thankyou Dusty

I'm not sure.

What aren't you sure about? The definitions are cut and dried. Science has proven energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only altered in form. That sure sounds like a soul, or spirit, to me. From a purely secular point of view that's enough evidence for me.

As for proof of a diety, any diety, not exclusive to the Abrahamic one, there is no evidence, for or against. Using Occam's Razor, all things being equal, and proof of a negative being impossible, none exist. I believe in Santa Claus more than I do a god.

That doesn't preclude a higher dimensional nature to all of us that pretty much fits the semantics laid forth in your definition of a soul.

Would you be saying that the Atheist holds a spiritual doctrine?
They would believe in an intangible essence?

it smells like peanut butter cookies






i think every human has a soul? whereas animals dont?

i dunno

i dont feel like i have one sometimes cuz i assume if i did i wouldnt be beaten up by others that have one?

its a convoluted subject to be sure

Would it matter if I called energy plus information God?
(with the infusion of spiritual Love)

In my philosophy we called that the Buddha nature, all god's and demons being twisted ego and id emanations of that ultimate source of life eternal. We could not reincarnate if there wasn't something that turned into apparant nothing, and then something again.

But it's the knowledge of self, of how our actions ties us to this plane of existence, again and again, that motivate our morality, not our fear, love, or respect of some Father figure who says don't do it or I'll spank you!

"You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger." - Guatama Buddha.

I think both Potter and Claayer have good hearts and souls.

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I've been reading a bit of the Tao Te Ching lately. I can't tell you
how much I love reading it.

I would say I am slanted toward the path of Buddhism. It resonates
well with me. I can't shake my belief in a higher power, though, where
it feels part of my heart.

That's more of a deistic or Gnostic view, not a theistic one. I mean if it matters at all...

We all do, minus that dirty, rotten ole ego. haha
I kid alot.

It could very well be erroneous and very outdated. (soul)
Although, it feels right to the heart. (for myself)