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Interesting, because alcohol is often refered to as " Spirits", and it can most defintely cause illusions, and can cause good or bad feelings. Which opens the door to not only what a Spirit is, but are there different Spirits? Such as good and bad ones? There are human spirits, or consciousness of humans, and there are spirits from the " Spirit world", or that other world which is not of ours.
That " Other force", simular to positive and negative, up and down, night and day; The other side of our physical reality, the death on the other side of life.
Pantheism isn't limited to certain NDN beliefs and not all NDN beliefs are pantheistic. Just wanted to clear that up.
Well I understand and accept that, I myself believe that all things in reality, have come from a real source, I think that source is God. Others may think differently and place the source somewherelse, like from
" Nothing". I have trouble with calling " Nothing" a source, or an orgin. To me, nothing is nothing, and nothing can come from nothing, and nothing can evolve from nothing, and nothing can create nothing.
I agree with Pantheism, those who define it as God being the source of all things. And I think God himself is " A Spirit", or " That Other thing out there." That thing we can't see, that world we know not much of; That " Missing dimension", that twilight zone. That intergalactic bermuda triangle which swallows the understanding of man.
When a human dies, or even an animal, ( because even animal life is a type of spirit, just unconscious spirit) the spirit is gone, so the body dies. So the Spirit is very important to life, even physical life. I think its possible to substain a physical body- alive- even if the spirit has left, with the help of technology, but only until the plug is pulled, there is no consciousness there.
Spirit then, is an ample evidence of God, its his world, his existence, his consitution, his fingerprint, his essence, its really him; a real part of him, its how he creates. Its our key to life.
Mickiel you are entitled to your opinions/summaries just as I'am but...... what good is an unconscious spirit? Why would a God implant an unconscious spirit? Man can believe he is superior to all other kingdoms without having to believe animals possess a dormant spirit.
Mickiel you are entitled to your opinions/summaries just as I'am but...... what good is an unconscious spirit? Why would a God implant an unconscious spirit? Man can believe he is superior to all other kingdoms without having to believe animals possess a dormant spirit.
Well I have put a lot of thought to this, and its my only conclusion; Because of animals and primordal man, I think God will install a dormant spirit in certain of his creations. I don't know why, but I believe it. I have my own theorys, but their just quesses. I think he gave primordal man a dormant consciousness, and animals. They could and can think, but only on instincts, but they have a spirit of life. Some have very high instincts, which I think can give the illusion of an active intelligent consciousness, can be interpited as a mature mobile working consciousness;
But I do not interpit that high level of instinct as a working consciousness with morals, memory, ability to " see into the consciousness of others", the vigor of mind to introduce yourself, introspective psychology, and ability to ponder philosophical solutions; these are Consciousness, animals and primordal man didnot, do not have this, not in my view.
So what is a Spirit? Well one thing, its not flesh and blood. I think the Spirit is consciousness, its whats really you and I. Our personalitys and emotions do not come from our bodies, they come from our Spirit. If the Spirit leaves the body, then so do the emotions and personality. Contained in the Spirit is our intelligence and morals. If the spirit leaves the body, its just brain dead and emotionless, because the Spirit is the battery of our being, the governor of our behavior.
Honest answer: I have no idea, but I believe it to be there. I have no basis in empirical fact concerning this. I only have the teachings of my tribal elders and some personal experiences that I prefer to stay personal. It's the best I can do.
Some of the bigger names on the Religion debating circuit can not even answer that one! In the debate between Dan Barker and Kyle Butt for example... after Butt kept calling god a "spirit" over and over and over... Barker extracted a complete FAIL out of Butt by asking him to define Spirit.
The answer Butt gave was long and used long words.... designed to befuddle the "mark" but Barker was well able for him. He pointed out that everything Butt just said was to say what Spirit was NOT. Not what it IS. Barker asked Butt again to tell him what Spirit IS without just telling him what it is NOT and Butt couldnt do it, left red faced and looking silly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mickiel
I think a Spirit is a " Consciousness without a body."
...
A Spirit then is conscious life, it cannot be seen, cannot be located within a single area, and has no body itself
So really all of the attributes you think "spirit" has are the same attributes it would have if it simply was not there and did not exist. It can not be seen, can not be located, can not be measured, tested or anything else at all. Just as if it did not exist and was something you just entirely made up.
So what is a Spirit? Well one thing, its not flesh and blood. I think the Spirit is consciousness, its whats really you and I. Our personalitys and emotions do not come from our bodies, they come from our Spirit. If the Spirit leaves the body, then so do the emotions and personality. Contained in the Spirit is our intelligence and morals. If the spirit leaves the body, its just brain dead and emotionless, because the Spirit is the battery of our being, the governor of our behavior.
And, its also a peice of God.
Our personality and our essence comes from our brain. Our consciousness comes from our brain as well. There is nothing magical about it.
If someone has a brain injury their personality changes. Along with that they have very labile emotions.
Our brain controls our behaviour. Everything we are is in our minds. Nothing whatsoever to do with 'spirits'.
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