When does the soul enter the body?

[SomeRandom]

I’m curious as to what the different religions actually specifically say on this matter. Since this is something I’ve often heard from various religious folks. (For somewhat obvious reasons lately lol.)
But I’ve also seen disagreements within the same religion even.

Please support your belief with your sacred texts or your interpretation or the beliefs of your sect etc.
Really anything that directly or indirectly informs your personal religious beliefs on the matter.



And please please be respectful guys. Everyone has the right to their own beliefs.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

It is said at conception.

But it does not enter the body. It is like the light in the lamp.

Regards Tony

 

[Subduction Zone]

I’m curious as to what the different religions actually specifically say on this matter. Since this is something I’ve often heard from various religious folks. (For somewhat obvious reasons lately lol.)
But I’ve also seen disagreements within the same religion even.

Please support your belief with your sacred texts or your interpretation or the beliefs of your sect etc.
Really anything that directly or indirectly informs your personal religious beliefs on the matter.



And please please be respectful guys. Everyone has the right to their own beliefs.

Different sects of different religions are going to have different answers. I doubt if any can support their claims properly. How would you even begin to? Ensoulment at conception appears to be a rather recent belief. And in some ways it makes a lot more sense. A miscarriage is hard enough to deal with if one does not have to treat the fetus or embryo as a human being. Do you have a funeral? Do you have to name it and have a period of mourning? But for the longest time it was thought that the soul entered at birth. Abortion was more of a sin because it covered up an illicit affair rather than due to the supposed murder of a person.

 

[lostwanderingsoul]

The Bible does not say Adam received a soul, it says Adam became a living soul. The soul is the same as the physical body. Maybe you are talking about the spirit which is a different thing.

 

[SomeRandom]

Different sects of different religions are going to have different answers. I doubt if any can support their claims properly. How would you even begin to? Ensoulment at conception appears to be a rather recent belief. And in some ways it makes a lot more sense. A miscarriage is hard enough to deal with if one does not have to treat the fetus or embryo as a human being. Do you have a funeral? Do you have to name it and have a period of mourning? But for the longest time it was thought that the soul entered at birth. Abortion was more of a sin because it covered up an illicit affair rather than due to the supposed murder of a person.

For clarifications sake, I don’t think I hold religious claims to the same rigorous intellectual standard as atheists do.
That’s absolutely not to say I think religious claims or religious people are dumb or have inferior intellect. Absolutely not.
But in my family religion was always treated as an “emotional response” rather than a viewpoint that was a result of vigorous debates or only logical reasoning.
So I’m not really expecting uniform answers, to be completely honest

 

[SomeRandom]

It is said at conception.

But it does not enter the body. It is like the light in the lamp.

Regards Tony

Do you mind elaborating?

 

[Subduction Zone]

For clarifications sake, I don’t think I hold religious claims to the same rigorous intellectual standard as atheists do.
That’s absolutely not to say I think religious claims or religious people are dumb or have inferior intellect. Absolutely not.
But in my family religion was always treated as a “emotional response” rather than a viewpoint that was a result of vigorous debates or only logical reasoning.
So I’m not really expecting uniform answers, to be completely honest

I agree. I am sure that no consensus will be the conclusion. It will be interesting to see some of the answers. For me especially from some of the non-Abrahamic believers since I am very unfamiliar with their beliefs.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It enters upon the exact moment the person realizes "oh bloody hell! I got stuck on this roller coaster called life."

 

[SomeRandom]

I agree. I am sure that no consensus will be the conclusion. It will be interesting to see some of the answers. For me especially from some of the non-Abrahamic believers since I am very unfamiliar with their beliefs.

Well many in Hinduism content that the atman (soul) enters at the time of conception. But if I recall correctly the scripture (which Hindus are not bound to the same way Abrahamics are) says that it’s not until the seventh month of gestation that the soul “officially” enters the body

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It is said at conception.

But it does not enter the body. It is like the light in the lamp.

Regards Tony

How does this work for maternal twins?
What happens to the majority of souls who wound up end in a failed pregnancy?

 

[amorphous_constellation]

I would have keep reading more to figure out where the debate between 'traducianism' and 'creationism' ends in the history of christian thought, as I am sort of curious. Traducianism of course, is the idea the soul is co-created at the same time as the body. I don't think I can belief that, I always maintained that the soul was a separate non-physical force, that likely journeys through multiple bodies.

 

[SomeRandom]

I would have keep reading more to figure out where the debate between 'traducianism' and 'creationism' ends in the history of christian thought, as I am sort of curious. Traducianism of course, is the idea the soul is co-created at the same time as the body. I don't think I can belief that, I always maintained that the soul was a separate non-physical force, that likely journeys through multiple bodies.

Interesting.
Do you think it’s possible then for multiple fetuses to share one soul?
Theoretically speaking of course

 

[Luchito Prays]

The soul is the behavior of the individual.

According to the biblical understanding, the person will be judged according to his thoughts and acts, this is to say, his inclinations and behavior. In layman language, the soul can be interpreted as is his personality.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Interesting.
Do you think it’s possible then for multiple fetuses to share one soul?
Theoretically speaking of course

I would think that they all get their own. But there is plenty of room for mystery when it comes to the soul. One might ask if it brings its own properties of personality into the body, and that this didn't come from learned experience in bodies, but from the soul region. It might explain why sometimes, people can think so alike, at random. But then again, maybe the soul just learns from experience in the body, and if two or more people think alike, that means they are just in a similar position in terms of the overall journey, that all souls are on. All the souls are some kind of divine quest toward the center of space-time, from what I can tell

 

[SomeRandom]

The soul is the behavior of the individual.

According to the biblical understanding, the person will be judged according to his thoughts and acts, this is to say, his inclinations and behavior. In layman language, the soul can be interpreted as is his personality.

Alright. But when, in your opinion, does the soul go into the human body?
Conception? Birth? That’s what I’m after

 

[Viker]

I would have to say at conception. I see no distinction between soul and body. It is in line with an individual's persona. It develops over time just as any growth.

 

[SomeRandom]

I would have to say at conception. I see no distinction between soul and body. It is in line with an individual's persona. It develops over time just as any growth.

Can I ask why? What makes you have that belief?
No judgment, just curious

 

[Viker]

Can I ask why? What makes you have that belief?
No judgment, just curious

I just think they are inseparable parts of the individual. I also, believe a person has spirit or life force which is part of the anatomy of person. For me, soul/spirit are body parts.

 

[SomeRandom]

I just think they are inseparable parts of the individual. I also, believe a person has spirit or life force which is part of the anatomy of person. For me, soul/spirit are body parts.

Fair enough.
What lead you to that conclusion, may I ask?

 

[Luchito Prays]

Alright. But when, in your opinion, does the soul go into the human body?
Conception? Birth? That’s what I’m after

Your soul is what you are when you live your life. Notice that the Bible also declares animals as "living souls". And this is correct, because actually animals also have their own personality. Some dogs are friendly, others calm, others brave, and this is regardless of their race and age.

Then, the soul is not something that will enter in your body, but something that will be according to your behavior. When the conception happens, the new being has and is a soul already. He has a soul because he will act according to his thoughts or instincts. He is a soul because its him. Like saying you have your own DNA, and you are what your DNA is.