A question for Jehovah Witnesses?

Question

How do you reconcile the differences between the conscious spirit of an angel or other spirit creature and the spirit of man? Why do you consider mans spirit similar to a "spark" with no conscious qualities? If not in spirit, what is the context of the scripture describing man as being "created in the image of God"?

Answer 1

The questioner seems to embrace a definition of "spirit" which is heavily influenced by pagan ideas of an immortal soul. That idea is simply not Scriptural, and has no basis in either biblical Judaism or biblical Christianity.

A better definition for "spirit" might be "that which is invisible to human sight and which gives evidence of force in motion". The biblical terms for "spirit" are actually used far more often in reference to the inanimate wind than in reference to the human 'spark of life'. There is no biblical basis upon which to suppose some sentient 'spirit' is independent of the physical body.

Humans are made in God's image in many ways. Primarily, these are seen in human manifestations of the divine attributes of love, wisdom, justice, and power. Humans also possess a sense of inherent morality, evidenced by the conscience.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2001/7/15/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/g/1998/6/22/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/1998/11/15/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/1995/11/1a/article_01.htm

Answer 2

You've asked several questions.

Man's spirit and animal spirits are the same "spark" that gives life

Eccl 3:19 For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so that there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity. 20 All are going to one place. They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust.

When this spirit returns to Jehovah, the creature stops living.

Ps 146:4 His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground;
In that day his thoughts do perish.

Your next question is how are we created in God's image?

We have free will, we can love not just others, but ideas, principles.

We have wisdom, the ability to use our thinking ablilty to know how to use knowledge.

We have been given power and authority over the earthly creations.

We have the concept of time. we don't just live in the here and now.

I hope this helps