Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 3470

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3470. CONCERNING SPIRIT, THAT IT IS EXTENDED. I conversed with those who, in the life of the body, believed that spirit was not extended, and who, moreover, from such a principle, had irradicated phantasies to that degree that they would not admit even the use of a term implying the idea of extension. Upon being aware of the fact, I inquired of one who was deeply rooted in this persuasion, what he now thought respecting the soul or spirit, whether it was extended or not, reminding him that he saw, heard, smelt, touched, and had appetite, just as if he was actually in the body; that as to touch, for instance, he enjoyed it most perfectly; besides the various cupidities of which man is possessed in his corporeal life, and (:now:) that he was even in similar thought. He confessed that during life he had been of the opinion that the soul or spirit was not extended, and consequently that he would admit nothing, not even the use of a word, which would involve such a belief. He was then held a while in the idea in which he was when he thought thus in the world, and he then said that spirit was thought. But I answered him as if he were still living in the world, by inquiring whether sight could exist without an organ of sight or an eye. Sight in itself is not extended, but the eye or organ of sight is extended, as are also the objects of sight, but not sight abstracted from organ and object. So also with thought, which is internal sight. I asked him whether he could conceive of thought or internal sight apart from organs or organic substances, just as sight could not be conceived of without an organ of sight, adding that thought viewed in itself and without an organic substance, was like vision, of which extension could not be predicted; and if internal sight or thought were practicable without an organ, I demanded from what source or by what means. He then acknowledged that he had, during the life of the body, indulged the phantasy of supposing that spirit was only thought, but not organic; he now however manifestly perceived that it was organic.


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