The Soul
As you know we are working on translation issues, what does the inspired subset of the Bible say, and what does it mean. In the following video the presenter, Rupert Sheldrake, effectively a guest speaker this week, covers various experiments dealing with his term 'mind' and how it extends beyond our normal bodies. My commentary on his work follows below.
Problems of Science
I generally don't like using science as a basis for understanding the text. Science changes. Science claims to fully understand most topics. Every 100 years, or so, it radically changes its collective mind. So science is never, fundamentally, authoritative over the text.
Beyond our scope today, it is also clear 'science' in the public's mind is driven by propaganda needs of the government and central bankers, and is not driven by truth seeking. The New York Times and Washington Post drive popular scientific delusions, like Big Bang, Global Warming and Evolution, while real scientists with good experimental data and better alternatives are never heard from. (Search Halton Arp, Tony Heller and Stephen Meyer, respectively for examples.)
So, as a general principle, I don't normally hold up a scientific argument against the text of scripture, especially not the big popular delusions.
I am, though, interested in matching terms. The ancient terms that we find in the Bible are often scientifically technical. Generally, translators are from the humanities. They are also following conventions from the dark ages, not wanting to change what buyers read. So they don't translate well in any technical sense.
The video linked above is unusual for several reasons, and so I will use it here. The first issue is that Sheldrake, almost as a career, uses simple, readily replicable experiments to reject widely held beliefs of the scientific community. He also generally confirms common beliefs about the world and how it works. So you should already know his conclusions, at least if you are paying attention to the world around you.
Areas Of Interest in the Video
Sheldrake is generally studying the 'mind' and how it appears to extend beyond our natural bodies. To materialist scientists Sheldrake is a heretic because he proves many of their assumptions false. By studying these areas, though not using Biblical terms, he is crossing into Biblical topics, which is why his subjects are so taboo in scientific circles.
In the video linked above, Sheldrake covers 3 experimental areas. 1st is our vision system and specifically our innate sense of being stared at. This isn't possible given the normal, scientific, materialistic world view. But, contrary to science, most people know this sense as real.
2nd, which I will focus on below, is phantom limbs. Medical practice denies these exist, and they tell their patients these limbs are in their imagination. Sheldrake argues through simple experiments, that phantom limbs actually exist, unseen, in 3D space. Those limbs can pass through doors and be detected by people on the other side.
3rd, he deals with animals, and how they track their owners in ways that cannot be merely physical. Most likely our pets are tracking us in some spiritual way, not just physical, as so many pet owners can easily attest.
Phantom Limbs
In the talk above, Sheldrake describes the high school science fair level experiments that show phantom limbs actually exist, and are not figments of the brain's imagination.
Let me restate that in more Biblical terms. There is a detectable spiritual body that normally occupies the same physical space as our physical body. For most of us, most of the time, these 2 systems cannot be separated.
In the case of amputated limbs, like that suffered in war, those 2 systems are split from each other. The physical body, say an arm, is gone, but that other body still remains. This other body can be detected experimentally, especially in the special case of amputees.
Though he uses the term 'mind' for this let me suggest the biblical term for a phantom limb is 'soul.' The soul's arm still exists even though the physical arm, the body, is gone.
These 2 different systems, bodies if you will, are normally together in the same 3D space. These different bodies are what various stories in the Bible are dealing with. This is why, for example, bodily resurrection can happen. Not just a limb can be lost, but the whole body. The soul, that other body, still exists but is otherwise unseen to us. Only Joshua himself can destroy the soul like chaff in some type of fire.
This is rather profound, and it starts to make a bunch of stories make sense, especially parables like the Woman at the Well. Her bucket will be her soul, her water will be her physical body. Like water in a bucket, both occupy the same 3D space. Everlasting life, the subject of that parable, suggests a problem with the physical body prevents everlasting life.
This understanding of body and soul is not enough to fully unpack all the related parables. Nor it is enough to understand many passages of simple narrative. Even the Woman at the Well parable will need another scientist and another video of evidence before we know enough about our simple physical world to unpack the story. We'll deal with that next time.
Move Status
Nothing substantial to report. We are back in Colorado, have lowered the price, and are evacuating the place for showings. Still don't know for sure where we will winter. If I miss a week on this blog take it as a good sign progress is happening.
More Later,
Phil