What is the soul? What is the spirit? What is the difference?

Are we a body that has a soul, or a soul that has a body? Tom defines the terms of the question — with the analogy of the television and the software that will accompany the rest of the conversation.

— Very well, then let us speak of the soul and its destiny. Does the soul exist only for as long as the body exists?

— That is an excellent question, but before we speak of the destiny of the soul we need to know what it is. The soul, or the spirit, is the intelligent being, and it does not depend on whether or not it is linked to a material body.

As Tom was about to continue speaking, Roger asks:

— What is the difference between soul and spirit?

— It is the same thing. We say soul when it is linked to a physical body, and we say spirit when it is detached from it.

Roger signals to his friend to continue.

— The soul, or the spirit, is the individualised intelligent being. It is endowed with feelings, with will. The soul had a beginning and will have no end. It is immortal. The spirit does not need to be linked to a material body in order to exist, to have intelligence, individuality, and feelings. The two of us are a spirit with a physical body, and not a physical body that has a soul or spirit.

Roger, thoughtful, says:

— But Tom, science tells us that consciousness is a product of the brain. That when the brain dies, consciousness disappears. How can you affirm that we are a spirit with a body and not the other way round?

— Roger, it is not science that says consciousness is a product of the brain. It is merely the supposition of some scientists, not of all. We will clarify this question further on, with scientific arguments that will surprise you. For now, follow the reasoning.

— I understand. The difference between the soul and God is that the soul had a beginning and will have no end. God, on the other hand, had no beginning and will have no end. But is intelligence not a characteristic of the brain?

— No. Intelligence is a characteristic of the spirit. The brain is merely a machine that receives the instructions of the spirit, just as the television shows the images transmitted to it by cable or by antenna. The source of the transmission shown on the television does not originate in the television. If you like, in computing terms, the software is the spirit and the hardware is the brain. Of course, the soul communicates with the body, and the body influences the soul.

Roger, curious, says:

— Can you give me an example of that mutual influence between the body and the soul?

— With pleasure. When you are ill, your physical state affects your mood, your thoughts, your disposition — the body influences the soul. But when you are anxious or sad, your body responds — your heart races, your stomach tightens, you lose your appetite — the soul influences the body. They are two distinct realities but profoundly connected. The software and the hardware communicate constantly.

Excerpt from the work The Great Discovery, by César Manuel Malainho de Oliveira.
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