Define SOUL? Do only humans have one?

Indeed, religion is the source of a great deal of evil in the world, both currently, and throughout history.  Not all, but a lot, and humanity would be far better off without it.  Human beings have evolved to live together in societies, and to be of help and use to one another.  We are decent and good individuals by nature, and not by creation.  Indeed we are half a chromosome away from the chimpanzee, with whom we share 98% of our DNA.  (that is scientific fact, as is evolution itself, whether you believe it or not.)  We are merely just another mammalian species of primate on the ladder of evolution.  

        While there are evil people, they are entirely mentally ill individuals, who are in some way defective... literally.  As with people that are born every day with physical, and/or mental birth defects.  They are glitches, or perhaps in some cases of superior intelligence, advances in natural human evolution.  On the other hand if we assume the belief of a creationist god, these evil, mentally ill, physically/mentally deformed individuals are created and made this way by god.  For what purpose?  Why would a loving caring creator, with a supposed divine plan create inferior and evil human beings?

    On the subject of divine plan, it is suggested that god is omniscient and omnipotent.  How could he be both?  If he knows all, past, present, and future, then he can't be all powerful at the same time.  You can not simultaneously know what the future of your creation holds, and also have the power to change it arbitrarily. 

I would like to respond to Adept

First and foremost, I am a staunch Christian and a Mason

He states "to state that we are created not evolved in the face of all the evidence is to fail to reason honestly or logically"

While I would/could take to task a great deal of what he said above, this is the one I choose to "fight" right now.

Scientists say we evolved .  Great show me.  They have been finding skeletal remains for years with no evidence.  They used to say we evolved form dolphins who came out of the water and evolved.  Great, show me a skeleton of a dolphin with hands and feet [or even part of such].  They talk about animals who used to walk on land and now swim.  They talk of animals that used to swim and now walk.  Show me the remains of such animals, their skeletons will bear this out.  OOPS, you can't find one!!!!

Scientists say we evolved because they do not believe in God.  These two principals are fundamentally opposed.  Scientists try as they may, are looking for a way to prove that the parting of the waters did happen, scientifically.  Several theories exist, none make much sense.

They are trying to find a way to prove it rained for 40 days and nights.  The fact that they acknowledge it happened at all is strange when they try to scientifically prove it happened because of the stars aligned right, or comets that struck the earth.

 and lastly, what has this to do with SOUL, did we get off track.?

Evolution doesn't work that way my friend.  You will not find "mutant" fossil remains.  Evolution of life on this planet has taken place over millions of years.  (a time frame most christians don't even believe exists, but that's a subject for another time I suppose)  Evolution, as I stated above in another post is a scientific FACT.  It has been conclusively PROVEN to have happened, and still be happening now.  Believe it.. don't believe it.. whatever.  The cool thing about science is that it works, and can be proven, whether you choose to believe it or not.  You can ridicule science and scientist all you like, but we both know that if you were to get seriously ill, you would not go to a church seeking treatment.  You would go to a hospital and consult with trained scientists, nurses, lab techs, doctors and so on.  Why is that I wonder?

Although I have heard of "true believers" that would not do that, and would indeed only pray for help.  Those people will not continue to exist, I promise you.  

In closing, yes, we are waaaay off topic now, and that is mostly my fault.  Although I'm pretty sure my posts have mostly been in response to others claims or statements in their posts.  It was not my intention to divert the entire thread.  Though I must admit that I do enjoy spreading knowledge, and hopefully causing some readers of my posts to at least objectively consider what I'm saying.  I believe that the sooner we as society and humanity throw off superstitious, infantile, religious belief, the sooner our species will begin to rise to its full potential, and take another necessary step in our evolutionary existence.  

I reflected for the majority of my life from the other side.  I was raised christian and maintained a belief in a personal god up until just about 7 or 8 years ago, at which time I became more a skeptic, and a deist at best, to now, where I am a militant atheist.  Religion is not the source of ALL evil, but it is certainly the source of quite a LOT of evil in the world throughout history, up to and including current events.  As far as where "good" comes from.  I have given my answer.  It is innate it us.  That is my answer.  I have no want or need of any supernatural "cause" of good or evil.  That is largely a religious held need, that I do not have.  

To not have the definition misconstrued or misunderstood.

 

I suppose this should be my final post on the forum.  I don't want to cause any more disharmony among you than I already have.  Indeed that was never my intention.  It seems that there is no polite way to tell someone that you feel that the beliefs that they hold dear, are primitive and ridiculous superstitious nonsense.  Indeed even questioning someones beliefs is enough to send some right over the edge.  

It was stated that I should attempt to see things from the other side... indeed I have, for many years.  I would invite any objectively minded individual to do the same.  Ask yourselves.  Have you ever considered for even a second that you could be wrong?  Have you even considered the fact that your beliefs could be false, or that another set could be right, and you have been leading your life based on the wrong theology?  I would invite you to read the works of Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Danial Denett, Sam Harris, and many others.  Short of that, pick up another religious text.. whatever one, it doesn't matter.  Read the Torah, or the Koran, or the Bhagavad-Gita, or the Book of Mormon.  After you read one of the texts from another faith, ask yourself this question.  Are you convinced?  Will you convert your faith?  This is how I feel, and I imagine most atheists feel.  We're not convinced.  I've read your book(s) and they are unconvincing.  There is no evidence.  We are all atheists as it relates to every faith and religion but whatever one you choose to follow and believe.  (or have chosen for you by your parents and your up-bringing in most cases)  We as atheists just choose to go one god further, and believe in no god and no religion at all.  Human beings began their religious journey being poly-theists, having many gods.  Now the majority of the world are mono-theists, having only the one god.  We're getting closer the the true figure all the time.  That's progress.  

I'm going to respond to some of the statements above.  I'm not going to do the "quote" thing.  I'm sure you all have memories orderly enough to recall who said what, and if that is not the case, then you can read back should you care to do so.

To the statement that the disharmony is within me, and that it is self destructive.  In a sense, I do not doubt it.  However, I assure you that I am quite well.  Thank you for your concern.

To the statement of my opinion that the world would be better off without religion is a "belief" of mine based on no proof or evidence.  I suppose I left myself open for that one.  I should have just stopped at "Yes, it is my opinion."  Having said that, it is also a fact, and I can give an example of proof.  It is safe to say that no one would deny that there have been, and still are unbelievable atrocities, and crimes against humanity as a result of fundamental, and extremist religious belief.  If the religions, and the belief in them had not existed, and did not exist now, those atrocities would not have taken place, and would not still be taking place to this very day.  

Which leads me to the statement that the religions, and religious beliefs are not the problem, but only the fundamentalists, and extremists.  I can't believe that you honestly believe that to be true..?  What do you think the fundamentalists and extremists are following?  The texts, and dogmas of the religions themselves!  Just because the majority of the religious are sane and intelligent enough to know better than to follow these texts and dogmas literally, doesn't make the texts and dogmas associated with the religions ok.  So again I say, remove the religions, their dogmas, their totalitarianism, and their sadomasochism, and you remove the problem.  Of course humanity is abundant with other issues that plague our societies, and humanity in general, but no one can argue that throwing off all the superstitious religious dogma and leaving it in the bronze and iron ages where they belong, wouldn't do a great deal to improve our ability to bring people together and solve the real, and more important issues of humanity.  

To the statement "Doctor, heal thyself."  (that one made me laugh, I must admit)  I already answered this one before, but I don't mind reiterating it here.  I was raised christian, and even though I stopped going to church very young, I did maintain a belief in god.  Or at the very least I gave no thought to god.  Church, religion, and god, were just not relevant to my life.  It was only after becoming a Freemason that I began to really take a look at religions, and religious beliefs.  So I could say that my membership in the fraternity did a great deal to push me over the edge into full on atheism.  I did go through a transition.  I went from having been raised christian, to agnostic, to deist, and finally to atheist.  I have always considered the fact that I could be wrong.  I still consider it to this day.  I don't think it is very likely that I am, but yes, of course I could be wrong.  The interesting thing that I have found in talking with the religious is that the vast majority of them have never even considered that they could be wrong.  Or even made the least concession that another faith could be more accurate than their own.  Not only that, but many of them believe, and are not afraid to tell me, that I am going to hell because I do not believe.  Can no one else see the one way thinking, and arrogance of this?  

 Thank you to those who have wished me well, and I return well wishes of my own.  I hope this post is mild enough for everyone.  

  Again, apologies to Grim for hijacking the thread for what seems to have become no more than a debate between myself and a few others.  Should anyone care to continue this discussion, I am available via private message.  

With that I'll close, and turn the thread back over to the discussion of the soul.