Do people with PDs have souls?

Started by EntWife, February 26, 2019, 09:39:53 AM

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EntWife

I'm reading "Erasing Death" by Dr. Sam Parnia, which focuses on the experiences of people who die and are brought back to life. One of the themes of these people's expenses (despite culture, age, or religion) is that they go back through every moment of their life and feel not only everything they each felt in those moments, but they also feel the emotions of everyone around them.

It really got me thinking: how terrible that experience would be for my NPD gma and uBPD sis!

BUT I tried to do some research on whether people with PDs who have died and come back have had similar experiences. The only information I could find is informal and anecdotal, but the people who admit they have PDs said they didn't have any of these experiences when they died.

Add to this the idea that compassion comes from a spiritual source/our "souls" and I got to thinking: since the PDs in my life ate incapable of compassion, is it possible that their very souls are different than ours? Do they even have them? Regardless of whether they do, I believe in continuing to treat them with tact, but I'm still wondering...

This is a completely new pondering for me so I'm curious to hear what anyone else thinks.
"Boundaries ensure that the consequences of a person's actions land squarely on his/her shoulders." -(I wish I knew who originally wrote/said this!)

all4peace

Zen_warrior, my belief structure is one that believes all people have souls. However, the presence or absence of a soul isn't something I can prove or disprove, so for me this question is purely a hypothetical one. What I can say is that I believe all humans have hearts, minds, potential, dignity, wounds. Sometimes I meet one who is so destructive and harmful that I need to keep myself at a distance from them, but I don't doubt that they are still human. Just my thoughts.

findjoy81

This is an interesting idea.  I believe they have souls, and hearts; but that their brains are wired in such a way that they do not experience life as typical, compassionate, empathetic people do.  I would posit that the people who have had these "near death" or "death" experiences where they feel the emotions of others are typical, compassionate, and empathetic people, at least on some level.  We all have moments where we lack those features or do not apply them.  We are all imperfect beings.   So the reason the PD death experiences are different have less to do with their souls, and more to do with their beliefs and their brains.

My ex (uNPD or uBPD) sees me as "evil" and to blame for all his problems, even those created years after our separation and divorce and completely out of my influence or power.  Through my pondering of basically wondering if everything he claims about me is projection, I asked myself if he thinks he is evil - and even more, do I think he is evil?

And my answer is no, I don't think he (or others with PD) are evil. With my spiritual beliefs, I think he is under the influence of evil.  I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all of it, and I may never come to a full conclusion.  I think he has allowed his life circumstances from childhood and beyond to wound him, and that wound has festered for so long, and he has nurtured it in such a way that it has changed how he views people and life.  It has changed how his brain processes things - everything from his own emotions to how others interact to him, and to how life and the world works to the point that he has absolved himself of any responsibility for wrongdoings and formed a sense of entitlement for what he deserves from the world - and therefore will take by any means necessary.

Associate of Daniel

As a christian, I believe that all people have souls.

But my experience with my pds is somewhat confusing

I sometimes wonder if one of them really does have a soul as there seems to be no redeeming feature in her. All I see is evil.

The other, I wonder if his soul his often removed for a time, or just temporarily taken over by evil spirits on occasion.

I'm not an expert on souls or evil, or evil spirits. But tbe behaviours I often see don't seem to be human.

It's like my female pd is from another planet and is determined to destroy everyone in her path.

AOD

EntWife

This is so interesting! Thank you for sharing your perspectives!

Quote from: findjoy81 on February 26, 2019, 11:59:14 AM
I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all of it, and I may never come to a full conclusion.

This is exactly what I'm thinking!

In addition, I agree with the parts in this book that distinguish the brain from the soul - if that's the case then the soul of people who have PDs would be capable of compassion/guilt/remorse, although their brains aren't.

BUT if that's the case then when they die they'll feel all the terrible things they've doneto people around them, which sounds terrible! It's the reason I had such a hard time with the idea of being punished for sins as a kid - I hated the idea of my sister's soul being punished for something she can't help because her brain is sick!

So I'm not sure what to think or prefer!
"Boundaries ensure that the consequences of a person's actions land squarely on his/her shoulders." -(I wish I knew who originally wrote/said this!)

xredshoesx

please do avoid generalizing and remember to put your experiences to the specific person(s) in your life.

example

in my experience, the PD/uPD people in my life are saved and have accepted Jesus Christ into their hearts as their lord and savior- therefore they have a soul.  not sure how it works for other religions.


personally i believe that we are all capable of goodness and kindness, and free will allows people to make the choice between selfishness and selflessness regardless of their belief structure.  everything we do and say is a choice,  how we choose to respond to others is also a choice too.



Danden

I'm not exactly sure what a "soul" is.  Is it a conscience?  A heart?  A spiritual awareness?  It seems to me that PDs don' t have those things when they do and say the things they do.  But of course they deserve compassion, and they deserve to be helped.  I think the great difficulty is finding people who are able and willing to help them.  It is easier to find people who want to help them, but finding people who have the skills and degree of empathy necessary to actually help them is extremely difficult.  And of course the PD needs to seek and accept the help, which is highly unlikely as well--it almost never happens.  So in that sense I think they have souls, meaning they are "helpable".  Every religion has a teaching about what that means for the individual, what God wants from the person, so they are "good with God".  So every person has a path to redemption, just that for the PD it is a more limited, difficult and rocky path.  I like to think that God will judge each person mercifully. 

coyote

"Add to this the idea that compassion comes from a spiritual source/our "souls" and I got to thinking: since the PDs in my life ate incapable of compassion, is it possible that their very souls are different than ours? Do they even have them?"

I am not sure of the idea of compassion coming from a soul is a factual idea. I don't see how we can tell where compassion, just like other feelings such as empathy, hate, fear etc., actually "come from". I do think that all human beings, because of our inherent humanity,  are due respect and dignity. Regardless of our ability to empathize, comprehend, learn, etc., humans, as made in the image of God, again inherently deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and even politeness.

As A4P noted there are some that are so destructive and hurtful that I distance myself. I still believe we all have a soul. Just my thoughts.
How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.
Wayne Dyer

The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem. Do you understand?
Capt. Jack Sparrow

Choose not to be harmed and you won't feel harmed. Don't feel harmed and you haven't been. -Marcus Aurelius

EntWife

Thank you all for adding your perspectives!

Quote from: coyote on February 27, 2019, 12:44:19 PM
I am not sure of the idea of compassion coming from a soul is a factual idea. I don't see how we can tell where compassion, just like other feelings such as empathy, hate, fear etc., actually "come from".

This was an interesting part of the book - people who have died and been brought back usually say they feel only love and compassion from the other souls/spirits and the god-like being they encounter. They also say the only judgement they feel is from themselves.

It doesn't say compassion chores from our souls, but it's an idea I was pondering after reading that portion.
"Boundaries ensure that the consequences of a person's actions land squarely on his/her shoulders." -(I wish I knew who originally wrote/said this!)