Man is a soul?
Genesis 2:7
Soul sleep. This idea is held by JW's, WWCG, and SDA
Man is a soul?
Genesis 2:7
Man became a living soul.(KJV & NWT but not NASB & NIV) Living soul is a figure of speech (synecdoche). This is when a complete object (man) is alluded to by speaking of its principle part.
Examples of synecdoche
Two hundred head of sheep. Rancher has 20 hands.
'your' implies personal possession. Read 1 Thess. 5:23 from NWT. What are they implying by adding the word 'brothers'? Spirit/Soul of congregation. Ask JW what is soul and spirit mentioned here? To JW spirit is breath and soul is life. If spirit is "breath" as they teach, how can a "breath" be preserved in a blameless manner as written in their NWT?
The soul at death
The soul departs
Read Genesis 35:18 (KJV, NWT). NIV translates "nephesh" (breath of life) as life.
The soul returns
Read 1 Kings 17:22 (KJV, NWT). JW's claim soul means life. For some verses this appears to be the case. Read Job 33:18 and Psalm 88:3.
Absent from the body, at home with the Lord.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 . What is absent from the body or what "..is to become absent from the body"( NWT)? Soul and/or Spirit. Dichotomy-trichotomy theory of non-material aspect of mankind.
The spirit returns to God
Read Ecclesiastes 12:7
the soul cannot be killed
Read Matthew 10:28 . Since one can kill the body but not the soul, how can soul mean life as the WT teaches? JW's standard response is: "Soul is future life when man is resurrected. Man cannot kill the soul because he has none." If man has no soul, how can something he does not have be destroyed in hell ( NWT has gehenna)? If gehenna is not a metaphor for hell, do JW's then believe that that man will be literally destroyed in a garbage dump?
What about Moses?
Read Luke 9:29-32. If Moses body is dead and his soul is his life, and the dead know nothing, who is Jesus talking too and why does Moses know something? JW's claim this was only a vision. The context of these verses implies this was an actual event, and not a vision.
Souls cry out to God
Read Revelation 6:9-10. What about Genesis 4:10? Blood was sign to God of Murder. In Revelation we have actual audible voices.
The Witch of Endor
Read 1 Samuel 28:11-16. JW's claim Samuel was a demon. The context gives no such indication.
Christians never die
Read John 11:26 . Was Jesus lying when he said that "..everyone that is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all"(NWT)? Since Hebrews 9:27 says 'it is appointed unto man once to die...' our body does die. So ask JW if this is not a contradiction. The only way it is not, is if a person's soul lives on.
.. to die is gain
Read Philippians 1:21-23. How could it be better for Paul to be with Christ if he were unconscious in his grave?
.. out of the body
2 Corinthians 12:2-3. What does Paul mean by "..in the body ....or out of the body.."( NWT)?
