Multifaith Round-up: Views of the Soul
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Multifaith Round-up: Views of the Soul
| Wed, 04-06-2005 - 9:33am |
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/163/story_16365_1.html
from the article:
"Multifaith Round-up: Views of the Soul
What do the world's religious and spiritual traditions believe about the soul, and what is its fate at the end of life?
In the final days of Terri Schiavo's life, Beliefnet asked a wide range of religious and spiritual thinkers and scholars to describe their tradition's perspectives on the soul. The responses follow.
...." (continued)
I thought this was interesting and wanted to share these perspectives.
Gypsy

You know, I was just about to post a link to this! Great minds think alike... ;-)
I have to say that the ones that caught my attention the most were the Unitarian view, the Buddhist view and the Pagan view. All of them were very interesting and it was a very well done article! Very informative!! Thank you for sharing!
~Nicole
~Nicole
Wow.
said anything about astral travel!!!!!!!!!!!! tongue in cheek.
leila
On further thought, I think it was interesting that the site chose Methodist as the only representative of the Protestant Christian faith.
It is definitely very hard to combine faith with science. You think about just 25 years and realize she would have died when it first happened. When does Science get ruled out and religion take over? Very tough question and one that I don't believe will be fully resolved.
Take Care!
R-
"When does Science get ruled out and religion take over? Very tough question and one that I don't believe will be fully resolved."
I agree, very tough question. It requires a great deal of trust, also, in one's family, one's spouse and one's health care providers. And then to complicate everything, different groups trying to create laws so that everyone must follow *their* views on the matter. :-\
I'm just glad DH & I have living wills and have had for many years. It's crystal clear what we want done and not done. I just hope some law doesn't get passed that nullifies them to force us, or our caretakers, to follow somebody else's religion or opinion.
Sometimes I hope I am mentally aware enough and physically able to take action myself. An old Native American custom was that an old person who knew they were dying, would just go off into the woods to die, sparing family and tribe. Trouble is when such tragedies as Schiavo occur, the person isn't able to know or communicate their wishes. In our letigious society and one governed by so many complicated laws, it's extremely important to have everthing in writing these days.
Our medical establishment has a problem with death. Belief that extreme measures are always justified keeps us from accepting death as a natural process, also, and is a part of the circle of life. It's not to be fought, IMO, when it is actually the best outcome for the individual who is doing the suffering.
Gypsy
Edited 4/9/2005 10:39 am ET ET by gypsywolfwoman
Blessings,
Gypsy
)O(
I am glad I am not afraid of death. I intend to help my parents through their death process with respect and admiration for what they have been to me. I will respect every wish they want and, although I know it will be one of the saddest days of my life when they pass away, I will not sit in denial and force drugs or feeding tubes on them so I can satisfy my own selfishness of being able to see them when I want whether its' what they wanted or not.
That is just my opinion!
Love and Blessings!
Robbyn
It has occurred to me that Terri Schiavo's reason for taking on her life in this reality was for the very purpose that it served:
I remember watching a show on Court TV or something similar that was pretty interesting. It was a woman who married a man who had a disease that caused your nervous system and brain to slowly deteriorate. I forgot the name of the disease. When they first married, he was a wonderful husband. They had 3 boys. A few years down the road, her husband started acting funny. Getting irritated at little things, etc...slowly it progressed and he couldn't control his emotions and started becoming abusive to her. Then his body started to fail and was in constant, extreme pain. In the beginning, they had no idea what it was, but she stood by him. At the end of his life, they found out it was a genetic disorder. He lived that way for 20 years. At the same time her sons were grown and in their 20's and 30's. The husband eventually died, but the doctor said that the illness could be passed on. The sons said that they wouldn't want to live that way and they all made a pact that if they got this illness, they would want to be put down and not go through what the father did.
Not long after, her oldest son came down with the illness and a couple years later, her middle son did. The middle son's symptoms were more rapid than the oldest. Before they got to the point where they couldn't speak for themselves, they asked the mother to let them go, but she couldn't do it. Years past and she was being abused by two grown men on a regular basis. she was in her 60's and couldn't handle it anymore. She made a promise to her sons that she wouldn't put them in a nursing home, but she had to by this point. They were slowly deteriorating and in extreme pain. It kept eating at her...the broken promises, etc...and one day she went to visit them with a gun and shot them both in the head. She was put on trial and was charged with manslaughter although, under the circumstances, she didn't have a long sentence. As they were filming this documentary, the youngest son started developing the earliest symptoms of this disease.
I know this story is sad, but it makes you wonder why people are dealt the hands they are dealt. It also makes you realize that our tough times maybe aren't so bad. I feel terrible for the mother and I feel terrible for the children for doing nothing to deserve this horrible disease. I guess the only thing that keeps people going is the faith we have that we will be rewarded for the tough times we encounter on Earth. I hope and pray that that family gets everything the heavens have to offer!
Just something to think about...
Love and Blessings,
R-