Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!psuvax1!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: cash@convex.com (Peter Cash) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: After Death, What? - Authoritive Quotes about Plato, etc Message-ID: Date: 18 May 91 05:56:44 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: The Instrumentality Lines: 35 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article davidbu@loowit.wr.tek.com (David E. Buxton) writes: > ...A masterly compendium of quotes about Plato, Greek Philosophy, and the > conception of the soul as found in the Bible. Thank you! However, I'm not quite sure (having missed the previous postings) what relationship you think there is between the Platonic conception of the soul and the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, I would like to add that belief in an immortal and immaterial soul has no relevance to faith in life after death. Therefore, if we grant (as you so cogently argue) that the notion of an immortal and immaterial soul is not Biblical, but a philosophical interpolation, then this has no bearing on the issue of resurrection. Belief in a Platonic soul is not necessary to belief in the resurrection of dead, or eternal life in heaven. Since Christ has promised me (and all who believe) that we will drink the new wine of paradise with him, we shall do so. Metaphysical questions about minds, bodies, souls, and spirits have nothing to do with it. One day, I will die. One day, I will live again. It is not necessary that I posit an explanation of how the trick will be done; I don't have to theorize that my "soul" somehow survives death, and is one day placed back in a body. (Such theories don't have much explanatory value anyway; they raise more questions than they settle, and constitute excess baggage.) -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Die Welt ist alles, was Zerfall ist. | Peter Cash | (apologies to Ludwig Wittgenstein) |cash@convex.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~