Itanimulli wrote on Sep 4
th, 2012 at 10:32pm:
There is a unifying principle. All forms of life have much in common with other forms of life.
The "soul" is an emotive term that indicates the "software" that inhabits the hardware of our bodies, but if you destroy the hardware, the software can not survive,
although to some extent, the ideas and inspirations of an individual can live on with others.
Itanimulli,
Not an altogether appropriate anology, imo.
My "hardware" is 'motivated' by the spirit within me [the "software" in your anology].
I confess that i do not know 'what' the spirit is. [...it is beyond my comprehension to know this]
I am informed that
the source of the spirit [within me], is God the creator.
If/when the spirit finds 'occasion' to leave my body, permanently [or, if my body comes to that stage where it can no longer repair itself], then,
THE DENSE PHYSICAL BODY WILL 'CEASE', IT DIES, and the spirit [which had inhabited the dense physical body] departs from the dense physical body.
Is the spirit then dead [too], does the motivating spirit cease to exist ?
No.
Does 'the spirit' require a dense physical body to exist ?
No.
We could think of our physical body as a prison of clay [a prison for our spirit, so long as we inhabit our dense physical body].
When 'we' die, our spirit will then return to God the creator.
Lamentations 3:31
For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
34 To crush under his feet
all the prisoners of the earth,
35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
Psalms 119:19
I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
...54 Thy statutes have been my songs in
the house of my pilgrimage.
1 Corinthians 3:16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was:
and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
What is our purpose, in being here ?
I suppose - that we are created spirit beings.
God the creator, is our 'father'.
As the 'children' of God the creator, we are [individually] expected to learn [to 'come to knowledge', to 'come to wisdom'] from our human experience of desire and folly [in this 'existence'].
We are expected [eventually!] to 'come to wisdom', about
the foolishness of pursuing folly.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Matthew 13:47
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
I suppose - that while soever we are compelled to endure our existence here ['being', imprisoned within this physical body], the spirit within us 'internalises' the 'knowledge' that the spirit within us is drawn to, and which it is 'attracted' to.
e.g.
Look at [past and] current 'world affairs'.
How are the 'representative' leaders of mankind doing?
Are the 'representative' leaders of mankind, seeking God [and his righteousness] ?
Are the 'representative' leaders of mankind
exhibiting the wisdom which the experience of their existence here has taught them ?
How so ?
1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.