For atheists and theologians alike, do you believe that there is a finite number of souls or people?

Question

that are going to be born/created/reincarnated? I am a firm believer in "to each his own" theories of how we got here, I respect each individuals ideas as far as the how of it. I am very curious to know-people throughout the centuries have battled and waged wars over the "end of times" issues, but what if there is no end? What happens when the last person to be born IS born? If you believe Christianity-- there is a finite number of souls that are going to be born--since you believe that Christ is coming back at some point in time to take all who are saved, there has to be a finite number because after that, there would be no more souls to be born on earth.How will we know the last person has been born? Or are we just a finite number of reincarnated energy patterns/particles-we are made up of matter and matter is energy and energy cannot be destroyed only manifested in an alternative form so we keep getting "smarter, faster, better" with each infinite energy transfer? Just askin:)

My fault for using " default" terminology--"soul" is a term most people have a concept of (regardless of what you believe whether they exist or not, you have a grasp of what I meant by the word)and therefore considered to be a "generic" word for life/people/ etc. etc.. wwithout having a lot of room to explain in detail...my bad

Answer 1

it's hard to say. there are people who've claimed to have been here many times before. there are the people who claim that they are *old souls* (whatever that means...) and we've all experienced those weird moments when you meet someone for the first time, yet have that feeling you know them from somewhere else or somewhen else...

me? i don't give it much thought. i'm here, i've got stuff i need to do - so i think i'll just get busy and make my life count...

if i was here before, i'm probably here again cuz i didn't finish my *to-do* list the last time through...

Answer 2

I think the mathematics of the numbers of people that exist and have ever existed pretty much throws a monkey wrench into reincarnation - if you include animals as well it gets even more improbable.

As for a finite number of souls, you'd have to believe in a soul to answer that question.

As for the last one born... you won't know that until there are no more births, but speculating on it is rather pointless.

Answer 3

A second objection is that there is insufficient scientific evidence for the claim that the "soul" can exist separate from the body and that it can survive death as a "discarnate" being, and much less for the claim that it can persist throughout eternity. Science points to the fact that the "mind" or "consciousness" is a function of the brain and nervous system and that with the physical death of the body, the "self" or "person" disappears. Thus, the claim that a person's soul can endure forever is supported by no evidence whatever, only by pious hope.
Along the same line, believers have never succeeded in demonstrating the existence of the disembodied souls of any of the billions who went before us. All efforts to communicate with such discarnate entities have been fruitless. Sightings of alleged ghosts have not been corroborated by reliable eyewitness testimony.
The appeal to near-death experiences simply reports the phenomenological experiences of persons who undergo part of the dying process but ultimately do not die. Of course, we never hear from anyone who has truly died by any clinical standard, gone to "the other side" and returned. In any case, these subjective experiences can be explained in terms of natural, psychological, and physiological causes.


will those who believe in God actually achieve immortality of the soul and eternal salvation as promised?
The first objection of the skeptic to this claim is that the forms of salvation being offered are highly sectarian. The Hebrew Bible promises salvation for the chosen people; the New Testament, the Rapture to those who have faith in Jesus Christ; the Qur'an, heaven to those who accept the will of Allah as transmitted by Muhammad.
In general, these promises are not universal but apply only to those who comply to a specific creed, as interpreted by priests, ministers, rabbis, or mullahs. Bloody wars have been waged to establish the legitimacy of the papacy (between Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy), the priority of Muhammad and the Qur'an, or the authenticity of the Old Testament.

Answer 4

I don't believe in souls, but I do believe that there will be a finite number of people. As long as humanity's existence has a beginning and end, and there are not infinitely many humans at once, the finite-ness of humanity is mathematically guaranteed.

Answer 5

There is no such thing as a "soul" unless you want to define soul as the consciousness of an individual which dissipates at brain death. An infinite number of people can be born, limited only by supplies of food and shelter.

Answer 6

i dont believe in the concept of the soul. and speaking in terms of the here and now, yes there is a finite number of people in the world.

Answer 7

yes
the number of souls is one.
we are all one at that level.
when you understand this
it clears up so much confusion
over where your soul "goes" after death
and "comes from" before birth.

for thomas:
if you smash a radio
you cant hear the station anymore
from that radio
but its still broadcasting
through other radios

drae: we are certainly a minority

i dont want to convert anyone
to my way of seeing things
i just wish people would think about it
i think most people have never considered it

Answer 8

There is a finite amount of energy that will become life on this planet. But that is sun energy not some pseudo new age energy.

Answer 9

Well, you presume the idea of a "soul." I don't think an invisible bit of me lives on after death. When the brain dies, "I" die. I don't think conciousness exists apart from matter - so no, there isn't a preset number of humans. It all depends upon people ... having sex and getting knocked up, basically!

Answer 10

Souls don't exist
eventually the human race will die out so I guess our number is finite