Our soul

[BabyQ]

Every so often while I was pregnant I would feel immensely blessed and in awe at the miracle my body was developing...especially at the times when bubs would fully stretch out and I could fully see a bum or an elbow move across my belly ..and the times when we (bubs, DH and I) would interact and play together

Which got me to thinking ... when do you think we receive our soul? The moment of conception? The moment of birth?

I post this in the general area as I wanted to be inclusive of everyone's viewpoints.

[diannescruffy]

I believe at the moment of conception. Will be interesting to see what others think.

Regards,
Dianne

[PinkPalace]

i would say conception as well.
I base this on the fact that even at the 12 week scan DD was sleeping with her hands on her face... and still does today. It is a personality trait and part of her soul and essence IMO

[Jennifer13]

This is such a tricky one. I want to say 'conception' on the one hand, especially based on the Bible's reference to God knowing you before you were born and being wonderfully made, but I am not quite sure how to reconcile it with my pro-choice stance on abortion (which I understand is completely at odds with my own church's teachings).

I guess a soul is different from a life, if that makes sense, since a soul exists after death, no matter when that is.

[nanananny]

Very interesting. So those who say moment of conception is that just when an egg gets fert. or would you say conception is when the embie sticks.

Do I have 13 angels up there?

[Nelle]

Not sure...I think life is at conception...but as for a soul...I don't know at what point a baby would get a soul. I guess if I had to give an answer I would guess at conception as well.

But Futuremum I guess (I've said guess a lot here hey) that you would be right. Having a soul would make one an eternal being, so I don't think that a baby lost before birth would cease to exist, if it had a soul.

[sneakysparkle]

interesting... I've wondered this also, some people have suggested its when the heart starts beating, some say the moment of conception.
I think conception makes the most sense to me
I definitely believe that it happens super early on though, way before birth!

[MistyFying]

I think we get our souls when we start to live at conception The physical body lives for a while because it's temporary housing, but the soul is eternal.

[Beth-n-Sara]

I think that your baby's soul is there for that baby at conception but that the soul will enter the body when the heart starts to beat.
(before that I guess its just cruising around checking out the scenery)

[Jennifer13]

This is probably going to sound really silly, but I recall reading once of a Chinese story that says everyone has a soul before they are born and for every soul there is a match, made in that time before birth and someone you will find on earth. I guess the idea that your spiritual 'being' is somehow there, just waiting for you to be created is something I find beautiful and haunting.

[Fleur]

I think conception, maybe earlier (similar to Jennifer13's Chinese story...)

Even though we thought our family had finished with 3 children, for about 12 months before I conceived #4 I was dreaming of babies...specifically baby girls... I continued to dream of her all through my pregnancy.
I think she chose to join us at this time, I'm certain that she was 'with us' from the moment of conception & possibly earlier.

[Bathsheba]

Been thinking about this today.

I believe at conception too.

What I pondered today was this:

We are electrical beings. Our hearts beat due to electrical impulses. Our thoughts travel through nerves in our brains as electrical energy. So, if we as humans can create systems in which information (visual/sound etc) can be transferred... even remotely now we have digital technology... then why is it so hard for many people to believe that our souls endure after death? After our body dies why is it so hard to imagine our soul energy being "uploaded" into another dimension? If we can send a video around the world via our mobile phones and satelites then why not a more intelligent entity (God) capture our soul energy when we die? It's not that big a leap for me to make....

[amy_o]

For my 2 cents I belive life begins at conception (when the eggy and sperm meet) and that is also when we have our souls.

[Fleur]

Been thinking about this today.

I believe at conception too.

What I pondered today was this:

We are electrical beings. Our hearts beat due to electrical impulses. Our thoughts travel through nerves in our brains as electrical energy. So, if we as humans can create systems in which information (visual/sound etc) can be transferred... even remotely now we have digital technology... then why is it so hard for many people to believe that our souls endure after death? After our body dies why is it so hard to imagine our soul energy being "uploaded" into another dimension? If we can send a video around the world via our mobile phones and satelites then why not a more intelligent entity (God) capture our soul energy when we die? It's not that big a leap for me to make....

This is pretty similar to my views on energy healing. I think it's all much of a muchness - electrical impulses & energy - & I agree that if you take that POV, it's no leap at all to think that the soul lives on.
If that makes sense,

[BabyQ]

Wow such insightful comments from everyone have really made me reflect deeper than I would've anticipated! With that I guess I would rephrase my original question from when we "get" our soul to when the soul enters our physical body. I was a bit up in the air when I first posted the philosophical question however after thinking about everyone's responses I'm more of the opinion and maybe like to think that "I" as in- my soul- resided by the Father until being called to Earth, and after physical death will return to Heaven.

On a side note, a little story told to me by my mother got me thinking..maybe you all have an opinion on this too..

My mom had me and i was very sick at birth, as a result I had to undergo operations but not before my mom was sent home many times by the doctor thinking mom was just jittery being a first timer. Mom was riddled with guilt over this time and thought maybe she wasn't fit to be a mom and should give me up to more "capable hands"..to which her brother (who converted to Mormon) said to her- "No, your daughter knew you before making her choice to come to Earth, she chose YOU to be her mother."
It's a very honouring feeling to think our children chose us to be their parents.

Do you have thoughts or an opinion on this?

[Fleur]

I have heard this before... that children choose their parents.. I think it's a lovely idea.

I know my mother, the 'life lessons' I have learnt from her (not always in the nicest way! but certainly effective ) yep, I can believe that I chose her. Then I think.... oh crap... this is what I have to learn to overcome?!?
(not that I don't love my mum...she's my mum...but geez have I done some learning....)

ETA - I have just re-read this & it makes me wonder, what have my children got to learn from me?

[Becs_bubs]

Yep, I think that the soul is imparted at conception. And I definitely think those precious ones we lose along the way on our road to having a baby live on and we get to see them again some day....