Would a cloned human have a soul?

[crunch]

Re: Would a cloned human have a soul?

So a "brain dead" quadraplegic has no soul?

Depends on what superstitions you hold to.

 

[Link]

Re: Would a cloned human have a soul?

Wow!
I did not read this for several days because I thought it would turn into nothing less than a yelling or name calling contest!

To answer the question, yes I think they would have a soul.

This is going to painted with a Broad Brush

Some people (and more and more I tend to fall into this group) believe that we choose the bodies we live in.
Spiritual by nature (as I think all life forms are) and living on earth is a test.

But then again IMO I think it is arrogant to think we are the only intelligence species in the universe.

Guess I should go back under my safe secure rock.

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Re: Would a cloned human have a soul?

Great question,

From a biblical perspective man is tripartheid, consiting of a spirit, a soul and the flesh. As KaGee pointed out the soul is the ability to reason and is the seat of intellect. Many mistake the soul for the spirit. The spirit consists of our spirit and varying levels of the spirit of God.

The role of the spirit is choose to follow one of two paths, either to follow the desires of the flesh and to sin or to follow the tug of the spirit and to be righteous. Pretty much like the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other scenario. As one develops the spirit through prayer and study so the soul has less problem in choosing the right thing to do as the spiritual development retards the call of the flesh.

So, if my understanding is correct then a cloned human would have a soul. The big question for me would be do they have a spirit as this is a God given attribute. When people get "born again" they receive the spirit of God in it's fullness.

Conception is achieved by genetic material meeting genetic material and then uniqely combining the two to create the individual. Taking this genetic material from someone already conceived through natural means, to make another, should make no difference and I would confirm my prior stance that they would have a soul.

But will they have a spirit, the God given attribute.

It is the spirit that lives on in the after life not the soul. The purpose of the soul is made redundant as if we go to heaven then we will get new perfect bodies and we will have no sin, therefore we will have no need the balance between the two.

Tough one, but that my call on it.


Cheers
Andrew