Humans often start out by developing twin blastocysts, but at some point in fetal development the twins fuse and one is absorbed by the other. Simple genetic tests can determine if one carries the cells of an absorbed twin. This developmental process is known as chimerism.
So then, according to the religious mythology of some, where God places a soul in each blastocyst, do these people have two souls? Or are they simply condemned to Hell for murdering their twin fetus?
2007-03-29 06:55:12 · 10 answers · asked by Dendronbat Crocoduck 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Good question. I can't wait to hear the responses. You know, also, many people have twins that are absorbed back into the mothers body. This happened to me. I wonder if my mother had two souls.
2007-03-29 06:59:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hmm...
What else is interesting is that most fundamentalists will tell you that every stem cell has a soul... however when a woman is impregnated by IVF, they put 3 stem cells/blastocysts in with the hope that one of them will make it (though even then success rate is some 30%). It's not uncommon for two of these stem cells to merge into a chimera.
Now the christians will proclaim that all stem cells have a soul, so when they combine into 1, does that person have two souls?
Theologians either ignore this, or they are still struggling to find an answer.
2007-03-29 06:58:56 · answer #2 · answered by Mike K 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nope. These blastocysts are not living beings with souls, plus they don't have a functioning brain to determine right or wrong. So how could they willfully murder their twin?
2007-03-29 07:02:06 · answer #3 · answered by Gummy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All Jews have a second soul during the Sabbath.
Though, in Judaism, life begins at birth, so blastocysts have got nothing to do with it.
2007-03-29 07:01:03 · answer #4 · answered by Alowishus B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow. I have to congratulate you on the most original and interesting question I have seen since I started here a month ago! That is really an interesting notion to contemplate. And if such a thing could happen, would it explain some forms of mental illness? You've given me something to ponder on...
Been watching the Venture Brothers on Adult Swim???
If you're not familiar with Venture Brothers, some of the story lines address that very sort of thing, it's interesting...
2007-03-29 07:19:42 · answer #5 · answered by beatlefan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Babies don't go to hell especially when they're not conscious of what they're doing. Secondly, I don't believe that myth. And third, a person only needs one soul to live. You also answered your own question and didn't realize it. If you accept that one of the fetus died (by the implication of murder) isn't it common sense that the dead innocent fetus' soul would go to heaven? I think so.
2007-03-29 07:08:16 · answer #6 · answered by Lifted by God's grace 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't know about souls. But I do know that I am two people. Yes! Exactly! I am too!
2007-03-29 06:59:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think we all have a bad and good side. I think the idea is to outweigh the bad with good.
God created us and I dont think we were meant to make things so confusing.
2007-03-29 06:59:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
That's a fascinating and brilliant question...
I wonder how that could be determined...
2007-03-29 07:18:46 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, one soul per person.
2007-03-29 06:58:36 · answer #10 · answered by WC 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋