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I think that any question about "Do Christians believe . . . " is flawed from the outset. I would say the same for "Do Muslims think . ." or "Do Buddists believe . . ."
I don't see Christianity as an absolute subset of beliefs. Christian theologians have debated for centuries about the nature of the soul, predesination, when the soul begins to exist, and whether we are born good or bad, etc.
Do Christians believe the soul is whole and complete, always --the same as it was at the moment of birth to the moment of death?
That is, does god bestow you with a maliable thing that is the soul?
Don't know. Have not given it much thought. I think our soul is what makes us unique as creatures. It is not part of the body but separate. For example, you are still a whole person even if you lost an arm or a leg or became unconscience in a coma
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The greatest lies are told before a marriage, after a hunt and during an election - Count Bismark
Personally, I think that the soul always existed. I have no way of backing that up. I just buy into what my 11th grade physics teacher told me. Nothing can be created or destroyed, it can only change forms.
I believe our spirits were created by God. We lived with Him before we came to earth. Two of the reasons we came to earth were to 1. recieve a physical body (that comes with all sorts of appetites and passions) and 2. To be tested to see if we will follow God, or the appetites of our body. When we die, our spirit and body are separated again. Following the example of Christ, the spirit and a glorified immortal body will be reunited again in the resurrection.
__________________ "For all the non-believers, don't ever doubt me"
Do Christians believe the soul is whole and complete, always --the same as it was at the moment of birth to the moment of death?
That is, does god bestow you with a maliable thing that is the soul?
This is a very good question Pariah.
Personally, I prefer the term spirit instead of soul; but I think the terms may be used interchangably. Obviously, there is no physical soul. However, most people, even those who are "non-religious", believe that humans have a spirit-nature, along with the physical nature.
Now to the question does the spirit change or is it constant? I believe that our spirit is constant. It remains as God created it. As we go through life we either become more attune with, or less in concert with that which is our spirit. What changes is the individuals awareness of and harmony with the Spirit within us.
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"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please."
-Samuel Langhorne Clemens
I believe Two of the reasons we came to earth were to 1. recieve a physical body (that comes with all sorts of appetites and passions) and 2. To be tested to see if we will follow God, or the appetites of our body.
So God created humans just to test if we'll pick him over our the appetites of our body? Interesting theory. If that's the case then we have a strange sort of egotistical God on our hands.
My theory is that we are experiencing our afterlife right now. The honor of being born onto this Earth is actually a heavenly reward for another life (and maybe the earth doubles as hell at the same time - if you were sent to Detroit ).
George: After all, we're all made from the same stuff....
Bob: Wood?
George: Energy, Bob!!!
From "Phenomenon"
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Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather. ....
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