My daughter was born via IVF (test tube baby). She's a wonderful, normal, happy 3 year old who brings us great joy every day.
Shortly after she was conceived, a Christian I knew explained to me that my daughter would not have a soul because she was conceived outside the womb. So- does that mean that Christians don't believe she will have an afterlife? of any kind?
This does not trouble me, as I believe in life *before* death. But- I'm trying to understand what the Christian belief on this is.
2007-05-07 18:31:55 · 24 answers · asked by Morey000 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That so called " Christian" does not know his/her Bible
And what a cruel thing to say.
There is no such thing as a separate ' soul'
The word translated ' soul' in the Bible is the Hebrew NEPHESH, which means ' that which breathes'
WE, living, breathing, are 'souls'.
Souls can die. You have to be alive to die.
(Ezekiel 18:4) Look! All the souls—to me they belong. As the soul of the father so likewise the soul of the son—to me they belong. The soul that is sinning—it itself will die.
Animals, also ARE souls.
(Revelation 16:3) And the second one poured out his bowl into the sea. And it became blood as of a dead man, and every living soul died, [yes,] the things in the sea.
(Genesis 1:20-21) And God went on to say: “Let the waters swarm forth a swarm of living souls and let flying creatures fly over the earth upon the face of the expanse of the heavens.” 21 And God proceeded to create the great sea monsters and every living soul that moves about, which the waters swarmed forth according to their kinds, and every winged flying creature according to its kind. And God got to see that [it was] good.
Accuracy is very important.
2007-05-07 19:19:24 · answer #1 · answered by pugjw9896 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Christian view does not hold to life before conception. That is a fantasy. We believe that we reproduce after our kind, and that at conception, a new life comes into the world. From that time on, the individual is an everlasting soul. It is ridiculous to say someone doesn't have a soul if you can see that they are obviously alive. That life force is the soul, spirit, mind, whatever. It is the person that now exists and carries on after death. Your Christian friend is giving non-biblical advise. Whether a test tube, or any other means, if a person comes to be, it is a living soul, not a soul-less shell. That would be a corpse.
2007-05-07 18:41:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
There is no Christian doctrine that says that an IVF baby has no soul. She's been watching too many horror movies. I'm not a Christian but the Christians I am close to make no distinction in where the egg was fertilized. Many Christian churches are opposed to IVF because some embryos are destroyed. If they believed that IVF conceived embryos don't have souls, they'd want to destroy them all. No church I know of has that view.
2007-05-07 18:38:26 · answer #3 · answered by Kuji 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
NaN.
Though I have not looked into it, I do not recall any strong biblical basis for when a 'soul' is wed into the flesh, if that's even what happens at all. to me, it sounds like Christian speculation. There are some mysteries we may never know here on earth.
Interestingly enough, assuming you kept the tense, this Christian didn't think your child had a soul at or a little after conception.
The only solid basis I have for any beliefs in this areas is this, that God knew us before we were even in the womb.
I would love for someone to argue authoritatively either way on this issue, because I have as of yet heard zilch.
In Love
2007-05-07 18:41:43 · answer #4 · answered by soulinverse 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God love ya - what kind of nutjob would tell a person their child doesn't have a soul? That's terrible! It happens all the time, but I'm still amazed that people presume to know the Mind of God. Now that's some ego for ya.
God bless you and your daughter (as I am sure S/He will - that's my presumption.) Live long, healthy, happy lives.
And here's hoping that some of these so-called "Christians" do a little better in exhibiting some Christ-like behavior.
2007-05-07 18:41:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Bible states: "Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life." (Genesis 2:7) Though breathing sustained his life, putting "the breath of life" into his nostrils involved much more than simply blowing air into his lungs. It meant that God put into Adam's lifeless body the spark of life—"the force of life," which is active in all earthly creatures. (Genesis 6:17; 7:22) The Bible refers to this animating force as "spirit." (James 2:26) That spirit can be compared to the electric current that activates a machine or an appliance and enables it to perform its function. Just as the current never takes on the features of the equipment it activates, the life-force does not take on any of the characteristics of the creatures it animates. It has no personality and no thinking ability.
The soul is the body itself :
Adam "came to be a living soul," says Genesis 2:7. He did not receive a soul; he was a soul—a whole person. The Scriptures speak of a soul's doing work, craving food, being kidnapped, experiencing sleeplessness, and so forth. (Leviticus 23:30; Deuteronomy 12:20; 24:7; Psalm 119:28) Yes, man himself is a soul. When a person dies, that soul dies.—Ezekiel 18:4.
2007-05-07 18:47:32 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everybody has a soul but not everyone listens to its voice or follows its nature.We are all divine beings working out our plan as it is in the mind of God. As an occultist I know that it will take many lives to fully realize the wholeness of the divine plan .Life is a long evolutionary journey for us all.Every thing in the world has a soul working out a set plan and its own purpose.
2007-05-07 19:26:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All humans have a soul. How one is conceived is irrelevant.
Your Christian friend may not have been very far along in their faith.
All Christians believe in life before death. The Christian faith revolves around love.
Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Love your neighbor as your self.
Love one another as Jesus loved us.
Read 1st Corinth ans, chapter 13 for one of the best descriptions of Christian love.
I pray for blessings for you and your beautiful 3-year-old daughter
2007-05-07 18:41:13 · answer #8 · answered by danny_boy_jones 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
That is a load of crap!!!!! Your little one is loved and known by Christ, by name. I am a christian and I have never heard such rot!!!!!!. No where in the Bible does it say this!!! Read psalm 139. Your gorgeous girl has a soul and it makes me so angry when Christians add a different spin to the Bible. Stay away from this person. Christ said that the kingdom of God belongs to children, not children only conceived in utero.
2007-05-07 18:42:05 · answer #9 · answered by Meg V 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That woman was wrong, the only humans without souls are dead (their souls are either in heaven or hell).
Some believe that souls are created at conception, others at implantation while a minority believe that the soul enters at birth. I think David saying in Psalm 51 that he was "sinful from the time my mother conceived me" shows evidence for a soul at conception.
2007-05-07 18:41:41 · answer #10 · answered by biblechick45 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋