The two meanings of the word ‘spirit’.

 

 

SPIRIT: AN APPARENT DUPLICATION
OF THE WHOLE PERSON

 

 

The Bible contains an interesting account of a ghost: 

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            1 Sam c28:
            The spirit(ghost) of the prophet Samuel
            gave one last, damning, prophesy
            to King Saul.   my abbreviation

,                  Many Christians say that Samuel’s spirit(ghost)
,                  was, in fact, a demon. 
,                  But, in this particular instance, that does not square up
,                  with what he said nor the way he said it.

,                  Consider also: 
,                  Luke c24 v36-43: Jesus implied that spirits(ghosts) exist
,                  by not contradicting his disciples’ belief that they exist.   my abbreviation

 

 

Sometimes, after someone’s died, a ghost appears. 
I’ll call it a spirit(ghost).

It seems as if the spirit(ghost) is a structure that:
            grew in the brain-&-body,
            grew with the brain-&-body,
            is separable from the brain-&-body,
            is a duplication of the brain-&-body.

 

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NOT A DUPLICATION
BUT A CONTINUATION

 

 

The spirit(ghost) is not identical in substance to the brain-&-body.
But the spirit(ghost) is identical in pattern to the brain-&-body.

      For the spirit(ghost):
            looks the same . . . . . as the brain-&-body when it died
            acts the same . . . . . . as the brain-&-body when it died
            stays the same age . . as the brain-&-body when it died.

      The fact that a spirit(ghost) looks & acts like the person
      when they died, and not at any other age,
      is a clue to what’s actually happening.

 

 

      Also, an operation on, illness of, or damage to, the brain
      affects any human thought, feeling, or activity,
      you care to mention.

      Therefore all thoughts, feelings, & activities,
      are caused by only the brain (axons, dendrites & synapses).

 

 

      Also, while a human is alive,
      the spirit(ghost) does not exist.

      But, as soon as the human dies,
      the spirit(ghost) exists and may appear.

 

 

      All the above indicates that the spirit(ghost):
            is not a duplication of the brain-&-body
            but a continuation of the brain-&-body.

 

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THIS INCLUDES ALL DESCENDENTS

 

 

This continuation, this eternality, of the brain-&-body
would be caused by God having, in the past,
made an apparent paradox:
            he told (or made)
            one/two/some/all members
            of an ape species,
            though currently consisting of only temporary materials,
            to nevertheless exist eternally.

,                  See the fourth cell (starting I reckon the real Adam(s)) to the end
,                  of earlier section: TREAT THE BIBLICAL ADAM & EVE AS REAL.

,                  Perhaps see later section: WHY GOD’S WORDS HAVE POWER. ,,,,,

 

 

            Here, in this life, most organisms
            reproduce by the seed method:
                       by begetting,
                       by giving a bit of themselves.

            So, in this life, a descendent is part of
            the same structure
            as his/her ancestors.

            Hence, when God makes a pair of creatures
            he’s automatically making
            all their descendents.

            Hence, when God makes a pair of creatures eternal
            he’s automatically making
            all their descendents eternal.

 

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WOULD YOU MIND, WOULD IT MATTER?

 

 

So, rather than say: Dave here: edit point
            Here is a spirit(ghost)
            that is identical to
            its dead body over there,
as if the two could function separately.

It’s better to say:
            This spirit(ghost) has just left
            what immediately became
            meaningless chemicals.

 

 

The following may help you cope
with the idea of you, personally, changing:

            If one atom of your body
            were replaced by another identical atom
            would you mind, would it matter?  No.

            If your entire body
            were gradually replaced this way
            would you mind, would it matter?  No.

            If one atom of your body
            were replaced by a superior, eternal, atom
            would you mind, would it matter?  No.

            If your entire body
            were gradually replaced this way
            would you mind, would it matter?  No.

            If your entire body
            were rapidly replaced this way
            would you mind, would it matter?  No.

 

 

            The structure that is you
            never ceases,
            not even temporarily.

 

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SLEEPING IN DEATH

 

 

Spirits(ghosts):
            being able to observe
            but unable, without help, to physically act,
tend to sleep in death
due to activity deprivation (like sensory deprivation).

 

 

An example of help is as follows:

            1 Sam c28:
            The spirit(ghost) of the prophet Samuel,
            awoken by a witch,
            gave one last, damning, prophesy to king Saul.   my abbn

 

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SLEEP HERE, OR GO STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN?

 

 

Most people die – then sleep in death until Judgment Day.

But a few are so familiar with God
that they could handle going to Heaven as they are
(so God makes their body eternal while they are still alive).

,,        ,,        Gen c5 v24:
            God takes Enoch to Heaven, alive.   my abbreviation

,,        ,,        2 Kings c2 v9-12:
            God takes Elijah to Heaven, alive.   my abbreviation

 

 

Mind you: Elijah had done amazing
and politically potent miracles.
Then he suddenly became despondent,
felt sorry for himself, and downed tools:

            God could not then
            simply let him retire:
                       able to perform amazing miracles
                       yet not perform them.

            And God did not want to ‘reward’ Elijah’s service:
                       by killing him
                       or by allowing him to die
                       at the hands of his enemies.

            Hence I reckon that God had no choice
            but to take Elijah to Heaven alive.

 

 

A second reason that I reckon that
God took Elijah to Heaven alive
was that Elijah was later to be re-born – as John the baptist!

            Jesus was the first to preach Forgiveness
            hence the gospels are New Testament.

            But the gospels lack Pentecost
            hence the gospels are Old Covenant.

            In Old Covenant times, before Jesus had died & risen,
            when people could therefore not believe
            that he had died & risen:

                 God’s Spirit went into:
                       Old Covenant prophets
                       & Jesus’ disciples,
,,        ,,        ,,        ,,        Matt c10 v1-8   Mark c6 v7-13   Luke c9 v1-6   Luke c10 v1-17

                 then, after doing some task, left.

                 John the baptist was the exception to this:
                       John was an Old Covenant prophet
                       who had God’s Spirit.
                       But had him continuously,
                       like Christians do.

                 But only a bit like:
                 o    Continuously:
                             So that John’s zeal for God was continuous.
                 o    But before crucifixion, resurrection, & Pentecost.
                             So that the Cross did not give, to John,
                             the righteousness that it soon gave to all of us.
                             Nor could John believe it had done so.

 

 

            So, God never let the prophet Elijah die.
            He transformed him
            and took him to Heaven alive.    2 Kings c2 v11,,,


            God later reincarnated Elijah – as John.
,,        ,,        Matt c11 v14   Matt c17 v10-13   Mark c9 v11-13,,,

 

            Hence John had God’s Spirit
            even in the womb.   Luke c1 v15  &  v41,,,

            But had a new brain, for he grew as an embryo, baby, etc.

            Hence John, though he had Elijah’s heart/spirit,
            had a new mind.

                 Hence John did not remember events of Elijah’s life.

                 But neither did he:
                             Learn from his new life’s experiences,
                             about life & God.
                             Then decide, from them, what to do,
                             as you & I do.
                 His life was self-expression from the start.
                 He remembered what direction to grow,
                 what to become.

            Consequently, after John died,  Mark c6 v24-25,,,

            he, John, appeared yet again.

            But, this time:
                 as substantial,
                 with a resurrected body,
,         ,         ,         For the disciples knew what spirit(ghost)s looked like.  Luke c24 v36-43.

                 as Elijah     Matt c17 v4    Mark c9 v4-5    Luke c9 v30-33,,,

                 not as John.

                 This shows that John had been only a
                 temporary identity in Elijah’s life.

,         ,         ,         You may argue that John denied being Elijah.  John c1 v19-21,,,

,         ,         ,         But I say that John wasn’t even certain who Jesus was.
,         ,         ,         never mind whether he himself was re-incarnated
,         ,         ,         (an alien concept for there & then).  Luke c7 v11-23,,,

 

 

Conversely, Stephen:
            Did powerful miracles
            and was familiar with God,
            (even saw into Heaven just before he died).
            But, he never downed tools, indeed he was preaching
            when they stoned him to death.

Hence, unlike Elijah, Stephen sleeps in death, here,
did not go to Heaven alive.    Acts c7 v59-60, , , ,

 

.

 

To conclude:

            Whether you sleep in death until Judgment Day
            or go straight to Heaven,
            the basic principle remains:
            the structure that is you
            never ceases,
            not even temporarily.

 

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SPIRIT: THE CORE OF A PERSON

 

 

So far, I have used the word spirit,
as the ancient Greeks used it: as a spirit(ghost).

And the Bible, too, has spirit(ghost):

            as a word:
                       Luke c24 v37:
                       But they were terrified and affrighted,
                       and supposed that they had seen a spirit.   KJV

            and as a concept:
                       1 Sam c28:
                       The spirit(ghost) of the prophet, Samuel
                       gave one last, damning, prophesy
                       to King Saul.   my abbreviation

 

 

However, in the Bible, the same word, spirit,
can also mean the core of a person:

            wherever the word spirit
            does not mean:
                       ghost,
                        demon,
                        or God’s Spirit,
            it means:
                       the core of a person.

                       I call the core . . . . the spirit(core).

                       (As compared to . . the spirit(ghost).)

 

.

 

Functionally speaking:

            Your spirit(core) is:
                       your central area, the inner you, the real you.

            Your soul is:
                       your outer area, the outer you, the not quite you.

 

 

HUMAN BRAIN  spirit(core)  soul

 

 

Your spirit(core) relates strongly
so it relates vertically,
to those you consider higher than you:
            Authority figure(s) you greatly respect.
            Someone you’re infatuated with.

            But, notably, to God.
,         ,         Hence: spiritual songs, spiritual prayers, etc.

Your soul relates weakly
so it relates to anyone:
            Sometimes to God
            but usually, horizontally, to other people.
,         ,         Hence: soul music, soul mate, life & soul of the party.

 

.

 

Here are a couple of biblical uses of the words spirit and soul:

            Luke c1 v46-47:
            And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
            and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.   KJV

            1 Thess c5 v23:
            And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;
            and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body
            be preserved blameless
            unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.   KJV

 

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BIBLICAL EVIDENCE
THAT ANIMALS LACK A SPIRIT(CORE)

 

 

In the Bible:

            Humans that were possessed by demons
            at least put up a fight.

                        Mark c5 v1-10    Luke c8 v26-31:
                        The demon possessed man
                        managed to run towards Jesus
                        even though his legion of demons
                        would not let him speak.   my abbreviation

 

 

            Whereas animals that were possessed by demons
            had no will of their own, at all, to resist the demons.
            They immediately yielded to the demons’ wills,
            immediately destroyed themselves.

                        Mark c5 v1-13    Luke c8 v26-33:
                        The legion of demons
                       went from the man to the pigs,
                        then immediately made the pigs
                        kill themselves.   my abbreviation

,                                      In Gen c3 v1-5 the snake wasn’t a snake possessed by Satan,
,                                      the snake was Satan.
,                                      (N.B. In the KJV even natural snakes are called serpents.)

,                                      More about Satan in later section: THE FLOOD: Gen c6 – c8, , , , , ,

 

 

.

 

 

            Humans often argue with God’s Spirit
            before eventually yielding.

                        2 Sam c11 – c12 v25:
                        David’s adultery & murder.   my abbreviation

                        John c13 v37-38     c18 v15-18     c18 v25-27     c21 v15-19:
                        Peter denied Jesus three times
                        before accepting him.   my abbreviation

                        Acts c2:
                        People who had rejected Jesus in the gospels
                        later accepted him in Acts.   my abbreviation

 

 

            Whereas animals yield immediately to God’s Spirit,
            doing, and even speaking, God’s will, from the start.

                        Gen c7 v1-9:
                        All the animals went into Noah’s ark.   my abbn

                        Num c22 v21-33:
                        Balaam’s ass spoke.   my abbreviation

                        1 Sam c6 v10-12:
                        Cattle pulled the ark automatically.   my abbreviation

                        1 Kings c13 v23-28:
                        Ass & lion guard a body.   my abbreviation

                        1 Kings c17 v1-6:
                        Ravens feed Elijah.   my abbreviation

                        Dan c6 v20-22:
                        Hungry lions don’t eat Daniel.   my abbreviation

                        Jonah c1 v17   and   c2 v10:
                        Fish spits out Jonah.   my abbreviation

                        Matt c17 v27:
                        Fish held a coin without swallowing it.   my abbn

 

 

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So, the biblical evidence
is that animals lack a spirit(core).

 

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Animals lack a spirit(core).

But larger animals do have a soul:
,                  Perhaps see previous section: SPIRIT: THE CORE OF A PERSON 
,                  and:
,                  Do only humans have souls, or do animals possess them too?
,                  and earlier section:
,                  PETS., , .

 

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