Ebbie...yep, I have commented several times that it ain't fair that if I am right, I don't get to say "I told you so!" *grin*...but on the other hand, if YOU are right, you get to gloat for eternity!

Still....as far as we can prove, we get ONLY this life....and whether we do or whether we get infinite lives, we have to live this one, and as I said up there about suicide bombers, the details of what people believe ABOUT 'eternity' and the rules for getting there affect how they behave in this life, and thus affect you, me and the very fabric of our being! I HATE being threatened by other folks superstitions and off-the-wall interpretations of doubtful texts. You make a point about Rex Humbard...I consider that G. Bush may LISTEN to 'ol Rex and his ilk!


Janie...all that stuff may be "over your head" as far as technical language and detailed analysis, but you do have a knack for it. Your statement about metaphysics is really very insightful and remarkably close to what happens as we attempt to get a grasp on both existence, and how to TALK about existence. Indeed, the language of 'spirit', 'soul' & 'god' are quite useful to provide 'color' to our feelings and expressions of wonder. I use them myself, but always with the understanding that they ARE metaphor....and most everyone that knows me is aware that I don't specifically refer to a 'soul' that has proven objective reality apart from and in some other 'realm' than my body.

Do I think it's worth asking whather there might be objective truth to the notion of other 'realms' and 'spirits'? Sure...as long as we don't assume the answer in the very way we phrase the question.

Right above, Little Hawk states: "I'm sure there are some cases of human souls coming back in animal bodies,...".......mercy! Look at the embedded premises in that simple opinion. 1) There are souls 2) they can be separate(d) from bodies. 3) they can re-enter bodies 4) The supply of souls is unlimited, since there are enough for 6 billion people AND 'some' animals...etc... (There are other implicit assumptions about 'location' & 'status' of souls which have NOT re-entered bodies and some serious ambiguities about whether all souls which ARE now in bodies have been previously in OTHER bodies...and what this does to the 'soul inventory'.)

   The point is, L.H. may BE correct, but such statements are ONLY personal beliefs, even though they are presented as givens.

It is that "this is how it works" attitude that concerns me, and why I wish for a more careful expression of the concepts.

Up there ^ I made a long attempt to suggest the adoption of precise language for discussing these things. In the physical realm, we immediately see the need for a "bureau of standards" to define exactly what a 'yard' or 'meter' is...or what makes a 'pound'...Actual examples are kept in safe places, just in case...and we don't let just anyone sell us a tape measure with his own opinion of how long an inch is. The length of a second is determined by measuring the decay of Cesium atoms...we KNOW these things because WE define them, then secure the definition. In the same way, the mathematicians, philosophers etc. have spent considerable time working out 'standards' for examining claims and the language that we need to compare notes ABOUT the claims.
If someone makes a claim that obviously breaks the rules for stating a reasonable hypothesis, we may be forgiven if we doubt...whether we can prove him wrong or not.