Blah! Confounded NIV!

[Lotuspetal_uk]

It's rather amazing seeing how the newer ones actually leave out A LOT of things that are key in translation..and one of the reasons many are not wanting to buy NIVs anymore.

Yep, when I first became a believer in the 1990's, my NIV helped me to get a general gist of the Bible's message. I'm having to cross-reference more now.

 

[Avodat]

It's never a good idea to just have a copy of the The Book that you feel comfortable with - always have another that challenges you, or you'll never grow!

 

[yonah_mishael]

I agree,, the resurrection is all about the resurrection of the body with a conscience.

So, what is the same? If I die, my body decomposes. You believe that my mind also disperses. When I'm resurrected (assuming that I'm so lucky), what insures that my body is the same person? What about my mind? If it disperses and doesn't survive death, how can you know that it's the same mind? If it's not the same body or the same mind, how is it me at all??

 

[visionary]

So, what is the same? If I die, my body decomposes. You believe that my mind also disperses. When I'm resurrected (assuming that I'm so lucky), what insures that my body is the same person? What about my mind? If it disperses and doesn't survive death, how can you know that it's the same mind? If it's not the same body or the same mind, how is it me at all??

I think your mind is a lot like a computer, just because you pull the plug doesn't mean you have lost all your data, it just means that there is no current, no activity until you get plugged back in. What changes is the wiring to the your computer, it is super charged with a direct unimpeded or damaged line from God and works in the resurrection like a completely incredible upgrade that we could only imagine.

 

[yonah_mishael]

I think your mind is a lot like a computer, just because you pull the plug doesn't mean you have lost all your data, it just means that there is no current, no activity until you get plugged back in. What changes is the wiring to the your computer, it is super charged with a direct unimpeded or damaged line from God and works in the resurrection like a completely incredible upgrade that we could only imagine.

If your analogy is correct, and it really is, then the material is stored in a physical location. When I switch off the computer, the information is stored in a drive on the computer. If I take a knife or other tool to the memory card, I can scratch it up, malign it, destroy it to the point that when I switch the computer back on none of the information is usable or uncorrupted.

The brain also stores memories in physical spaces. If I take a hammer and open up your skull, stab around a bit with a knife and then close it back up, you will not be able to access the information there, if you wake up at all.

The analogy is good.

But, do you imagine that the information floats around independent of a storage facility? The brain is a storage and process facility. It stores memories, information, experiences, etc. If you destroy the brain, all of these things are destroyed with it.

So, my question becomes (as always) – what is the soul? If you say that I have a soul, then I have to ask you to tell me what is a soul that I should have one or believe that I have one? I've asked this so many times, and almost no one has even attempted to help me solve this enigma.

 

[visionary]

If your analogy is correct, and it really is, then the material is stored in a physical location. When I switch off the computer, the information is stored in a drive on the computer. If I take a knife or other tool to the memory card, I can scratch it up, malign it, destroy it to the point that when I switch the computer back on none of the information is usable or uncorrupted.

The brain also stores memories in physical spaces. If I take a hammer and open up your skull, stab around a bit with a knife and then close it back up, you will not be able to access the information there, if you wake up at all.

The analogy is good.

But, do you imagine that the information floats around independent of a storage facility? The brain is a storage and process facility. It stores memories, information, experiences, etc. If you destroy the brain, all of these things are destroyed with it.

So, my question becomes (as always) – what is the soul? If you say that I have a soul, then I have to ask you to tell me what is a soul that I should have one or believe that I have one? I've asked this so many times, and almost no one has even attempted to help me solve this enigma.

Scripture say that thoughts perish... God says that He will resurrect "you" and I trust Him that the "you" is the one I remember. So it doesn't matter whether it is dust or ashes and scattered to the four winds... He knows everything including where every molecule of me is.. When He puts me back together, it will be a better version, as this old tent is getting worn out, but the very essence of me He will keep.

 

[yonah_mishael]

Scripture say that thoughts perish... God says that He will resurrect "you" and I trust Him that the "you" is the one I remember. So it doesn't matter whether it is dust or ashes and scattered to the four winds... He knows everything including where every molecule of me is.. When He puts me back together, it will be a better version, as this old tent is getting worn out, but the very essence of me He will keep.

Thanks. I appreciate your answer on this.

Would anyone else like to weigh in on the question of the soul?

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

It's never a good idea to just have a copy of the The Book that you feel comfortable with - always have another that challenges you, or you'll never grow!

Amen, absolutely!

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Amen, absolutely!

Ditto on that

 

[pat34lee]

Thanks. I appreciate your answer on this.

Would anyone else like to weigh in on the question of the soul?

I think of it this way: The mind is your physical memories. Basically, it's storage for physical and emotional awareness. You can alter both with drugs or other things that affect the brain, like an accident. The soul is not part of the mind, and cannot be affected the same way. Think of it as a protected backup OS on a separate hard drive. The mind ends with the life of the body. The soul goes on, but has no way to perceive anything from death until the resurrection.

 

[Avodat]

Yeshua died a very human death on the cross - his physical body was destroyed by the authorities and he returned in a new, but obviously recognisable body. Others died and were brought back to life again - on one occasion four days after death (in those days bodies began to decompose after just a few days). On all these occasions their mental faculties and bodies were working normally. There were also those who didn't die a human death, but just disappeared.

We know that, on the cross, the 'human' side of Yeshua gave up his spirit and he died. There have been great debates, that continue to this day, as to whether G_d died on the cross. All this is something that we cannot grasp with our own understanding - we have to accept, in faith, that real believers (see Matthew 7 for the caveats) do not die when their human bodies are destroyed, as is clear from Scripture (assuming we do have a loose-leaf copy of The Book!).