♪ >> Doug: HELLO AND WELCOME AGAIN TO "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE" AT THE INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON. I'M DOUG KECK COMING TO YOU FROM THE EWTN STUDIOS IN IRONDALE ALABAMA ON MOTHER ANGELICA WAY. AND WE HAVE A LOT HAPPENING, A STUDIO RIGHT OFF THE BACK HERE AND YOU MAY HEAR BACKGROUND NOISE TODAY! PART TWO, WHAT'S THE EVIDENCE FOR THE SOUL. WE STARTED THAT LAST WEEK AND CONTINUING THIS WEEK, THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING. EMAIL US QUESTIONS AT ewtn.com FATHER SPITZER. AND YOU CAN SEND US FACEBOOK QUESTIONS OR TWEETS. ALL OF THE INFORMATION IS RIGHT THERE ON YOUR SCREEN. AND ALL THINGS FATHER SPITZER IS MAGIS CENTER. magiscenter.com. QUICK WONDERFUL NEW BOOK AVAILABLE. MOTHER ANGELICA ON CHRIST AND OUR LADY. NOW, LET'S SWITCH OUT TO THE WEST COAST AND JOIN ONCE AGAIN, FATHER SPITZER OUT IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL. HERE WE ARE SEEING YOU WEEK OF THANKSGIVING AND WE'RE DOING THE SHOW LIVE AND IT WILL AIR LATER, TOO. BUT THIS IS THANKSGIVING WEEK. SO, I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE GIVEN THANKS FOR IS THE FACT THAT SOME OF OUR PRAYERS MAY BE ANSWERED RELATED TO YOU. SO, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT! >> SO MANY PEOPLE PRAYING FOR MY EYES. I'VE HAD GRACIOUS OFFERS FROM PEOPLE TO PRACTICALLY GIVE ME THEIR OWN EYES FOR A RETINAL TRANSPLANT. FOR AN IMPROVEMENT. AND I JUST FOUND OUT LAST WEEK, ON THURSDAY, IN FACT, I QUALIFIED FOR A BRAND NEW RETINAL PROSTHESIS, BRAND NEW, OPTO GENETICS. AND I'M GOING TO BE IN THE FIRST CLINICAL TRIAL THERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. LOOKS LIKE THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN JUNE IF ALL OF THE F.D.A. APPROVALS GO WELL. IT'S GOING TO LEAD TO A HUGE INCREASE IN MY VISION, LIKE 80% INCREASE IN VISION. I'LL HAVE TO WEAR A SPACE AGE PAIR OF DARK GLASSES FOR THAT TO OCCUR. BUT ESSENTIALLY, IT WILL GIVE ME A WHOLE NEW, YOU KNOW, VIEW OF REALITY THAT I HAVEN'T HAD FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS! I'LL BE ABLE TO READ AGAIN, SEE THE MOUNTAINS AND THE SEA AGAIN. BE ABLE TO SEE, DOUG, YOUR CHARMING FACE Doug: OH, YES, OF COURSE. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE HIGHLIGHT! YOU COULD GO AND SAY, WOW, THIS GUY YOU DIDN'T AGE VERY WELL. [LAUGHTER] >> THAT'S WHAT MY FRIENDS SAID! THEY WROTE ME BACK AND SAID, OH, BOY, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE HOW MUCH WE'VE AGED! >> Doug: SO BE KIND. THAT'S FANTASTIC >> Father: AND GOD HAS GIVEN ANSWER TO PRAYER AND I THANK THE WHOLE AUDIENCE. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE PRAYED FOR ME AND I KNOW THIS IS THE ANSWER TO PRAYER. IF A 64-YEARS-OLD CAN GET IN OBA FIRST CLINICAL TRIAL. I WAS TREATED LIKE A V.I.P. AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. IT WAS REALLY A PURE GRACE AND ANSWER TO PRAYER. IF EVERYTHING GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN AND I COME BACK IN JUNE WITH THAT 80% INCREASE, I WILL BE PRAYING FOR EVERYBODY -- I'LL STILL PRAY FOR EVERYBODY WHO HAS BEEN PRAYING FOR ME. BUT I'LL BE IN COMPLETE JUBILATION. IT'S GOING TO MAKE LIFE A LOT EASIER, ESPECIALLY WITH MY TRAVEL AND READING. >> WELL, YOU SHOULD BE TREATED AS A V.I.P., YOU ARE A MAN WITH YOUR OWN UNIVERSE. I HOPE THEY GAVE YOU SOME RESPECT THERE! [LAUGHTER] >> Father: IF THEY RECOGNIZE THAT, YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. >> Doug: AND THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THEIR OWN UNIVERSE SHOWING UP! OKAY. THAT'S A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING GIFT FOR YOURSELF AND FOR MOST OF OUR AUDIENCE OUT THERE PRAYING FOR YOU, TOO. IT'S GREAT TO SEE WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE. AND THE POWER OF PRAYER. PEOPLE BELIEVE THE POWER OF PRAYER MOVED OUR RECENT ELECTION. SO, THAT'S ANOTHER THING >> Father: I BELIEVE IT! OH, YEAH. OH, YEAH. >> SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE EVIDENCE FOR THE SOUL PART 2. YOU LIKE SURVEYS, STUDIES AND YOU ARE A STATISTICIAN AT HEART THERE. AND YOU KNOW, I SAW A RECENT SURVEY PUBLISHED BY CNS. NOW, WHY DO SOME CHURCHES DECLINE WHILE OTHERS SUCCEED. AND THE MIDLINE RIDDLE OF DEATH HAS BEEN SOLVED THEY SAY. SO, STRIKES TO ME THAT THERE'S NOT REALLY A MIDDLE. BUT THEY FOUND IT. 2200 CHURCH GOERS FROM THE CHURCHES IN ONTARIO CANADA, LUTHERAN AND PROTESTANT, THEY FOUND MOST CLERGY IN THE CHURCHES FIND IT THE DROP IN CONGREGATION, FOR THE DROP IN RELIGION. BOTH THE DECLINING GROWING CHURCHES, HASKEL SAYS MORE CHURCHES AND CONGREGANTS HELD MORE FIRMLY TO TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN BELIEFS AND WERE MORE DILIGENT TO PRACTICE IN PRAYER AND BIBLE READING. THAT INCLUDES LITERAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE IDEA THAT GOD INTERVENES IN THE WORLD, HE SAID. THAT SEEMS SELF EVIDENT BUT THEY SEEM TO BE HIGHLY SURPRISED BY THESE FACTS. WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> Father: WELL, I'M GLAD THEY DISCOVERED IT! BUT I THINK ESSENTIALLY THAT IF PEOPLE STICK TO ORTHODOX TEACHING. LET'S FACE IT, JESUS ALREADY PROMISED THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS GOING TEEN FORCE THAT IN THE BELIEVER. SO, IF PEOPLE ARE STICKING TO WHAT JESUS SAID, THEY ARE TRYING TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE WORD AS HE GAVE IT. IF THEY ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO FOLLOW THAT WORD, THE HOLY SPIRIT IS JUST GOING TO POUR GRACE ALL OVER THE PLACE ON THAT PARTICULAR RELIGION OR THAT PARTICULAR GROUP OF RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. AND IF THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES THAT, THEIR CONGREGATIONS ARE GOING TO INCREASE. THIS IS NOT SURPRISING TO ME. AND IF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ARE ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF CONFORMING THEMSELVES TO THE WHIMS OF THE CULTURE, THEY ARE NOT WILLING IN A SENSE, OR OUR CHURCH IS NOT WILLING TO BE COUNTER CULTURAL OR ALLOW CHRIST TO STAND OUT AS COUNTER CULTURAL CALLING TUESDAY A RELIGIOUS NORM AND MORAL NORM THAT IS BEYOND THE CULTURE IN SOMETIMES VERY MUCH CONTRADICTS WHAT THE CHURCH CULTURE SAYS IS GOOD OR HAPPINESS. SO, IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT THAT'S GOING TO GO IN DECLINE. I DON'T THINK THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN SUSTAIN IT. AND IF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT SUSTAINING IT, WHAT SPIRIT MIGHT IT BE? I DON'T KNOW. BUT I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING -- I DON'T EXPECT THOSE KIND OF CONGREGATIONS TO GROW VERY QUICKLY. I DO EXPECT THE OTHERS WILL. AND OF COURSE, THAT'S BEEN THE FINDING, TOO, IN ROMAN CATHOLICISM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. OBVIOUSLY, HAVE YOU TO ADAPT TO CERTAIN KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT THIS SHOW CONCERNS ITSELF WITH ALL THE TIME. SO, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT FAITH AND SCIENCE. IT'S A HUGE TOPIC. WE CAN'T JUST LET IT GO. AND WE DON'T LET IT GO. YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR BIG TOPICS HERE. WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CHURCH TEACHING AND ANTHROPOLOGY AND OF COURSE, WE TALK ABOUT IT HERE. WHY DO WE TALK ABOUT IT HERE? BECAUSE IT'S COMPLETELY CONSISTENT WITH ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN TEACHING. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ANTI-SCIENTIFIC TO BE AN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN. I HOPE WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ANTISCIENTIFIC TO BELIEVE IN A SOUL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ANTISCIENTIFIC TO BELIEVE IN GOD. THERE'S PLENTY OF EVIDENCE FROM GOD IN CONTEMPORARY PHYSICS AND PLENTY OF EVIDENCE FROM THE SOUL, AS WE'LL SEE TODAY FROM ALL KINDS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDIES AND ALL KINDS OF EVIDENCE FROM SCIENCE, SHROUD OF TURIN AND THE RECENT HISTORICAL EVIDENCE ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. IF WE COMPARE ALL OF THESE THINGS, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT SCIENCE AND FAITH ARE COMPLETELY CONSISTENT. WE NEED TO GET THAT WORD OUT! BUT WE CERTAINLY DON'T NEED TO COMPROMISE ANYTHING IN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN TEACHING, LIKE THE TRANSCRIPT AND THE INCARNATION WHICH WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT NEXT WEEK. BUT ALSO, WE DON'T NEED TO COMPROMISE ANYTHING LIKE THE MORAL TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH WHICH ARE IN FACT THE MORAL TEACHING OF JESUS. SO, FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, THERE'S COMPLETE CONSISTENCY AND THAT WORD NEEDS TO GET OUT THERE BECAUSE A LOT OF KIDS ARE BEING DECEIVED BY THE MEDIA WHO TELLS THEM THE OPPOSITE. FAITH CONTRADICTS SCIENCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WE'RE RIGHT AND YOU ARE WRONG. WELL, THAT'S JUST SIMPLY A FALSE CONTRADICTION AND THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH. BUT THE ACTUAL FINDING, AS YOU PUT IT, NO SHOCK HERE! PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE DOING ACCORDING TO THE ROLES OF DISCERNMENT OF ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA AND ST. PAUL. SO, I THINK WE'RE ON PRETTY SOLID FOOTING >> Doug: LET'S MOVE ON TO THE TOPIC. PART TWO OF WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE FOR THE SOUL. HERE'S A QUESTION THAT HAS COME TO US VIA EMAIL. DEAR FATHER SPITZER, OVER THE PAST FEW EPISODES, YOU'VE DISCUSSED PURGATORY AND THE SOUL. IN NOVEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT PURGATORY AND THE SOUL. IF PURGATORY IS TO "REFINE" AND "PURIFY" OUR SPIRIT/SOULS, THEN WHY WOULD WE EVER PRAY FOR THOSE IN PURGATORY OR GET INDULGENCES? THEY ACTUALLY NEED THIS TIME AND PURIFICATION. MANY THANKS! WHAT ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT? >> Father: WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. TWO BASIC REASONS FOR THIS. NUMBER ONE REASON IS, OF COURSE, YOU WANT THAT PERSON WHO IS THERE IN PURGATORY TO HAVE IT AS NON PAINFUL AS POSSIBLE IF I CAN PUT IT THAT WAY. IT'S NOT A CAKE WALK IN PURGATORY. REMEMBER, LAST TIME WHEN I WAS DESCRIBING HOW YOU HAVE TO BECOME DETACHED FROM THINGS THAT YOU ARE VERY ATTACHED TO. WELL, TO GIVE THOSE THINGS UP IS A REAL DISCIPLINE AND IT'S A REAL TASK. AND IT CAN INVOLVE A LOT OF PAIN AND A LOT OF CHANGING OF LIFE HABITS. AND OF COURSE, WHAT WE'RE PRAYING FOR IS THAT THIS PERSON WILL IN SOME SENSE BE ABLE TO COOPERATE WITH THE GRACE OF CHRIST MORE AND MORE EASILY SO THAT THERE WON'T BE, YOU KNOW, THAT DEGREE OF REAL PAIN IN THE DETACHMENT. NOW, GOD, OF COURSE, IS GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT HE CAN TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE OUT. AND OF COURSE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PERSON HAS TO COOPERATE. THE WHOLE POINT OF PURGATORY, GOD IS NOT GOING TO VIOLATE THEIR FREEDOM. HE'S GOING TO DRAW THEM CLOSER TO HIMSELF THROUGH THEIR FREEDOM UNTIL THEY CAN FINALLY KIND OF LET GO. I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE HAVE READ THAT, THE GREAT DIVORCE THERE, C.S. LEWIS, THE BUS RIDE THAT GOES UP FROM HELL TO HEAVEN! AND LIKE PURGATORY STAYED OUTSIDE OF HEAVEN AND ALL THESE PEOPLE COME OUT OF THE BUS. AND RELATIVES AND FRIENDS TRY TO TALK THEM INTO COMING TO HEAVEN. AND THEY ALL KIND AN EXCUSE TO GO BACK TO HELL. BUT THE ONE KIND OF INCIDENT THAT KIND OF RESEMBLES IN A SENSE, PURGATORY IS THE ANGEL, AN ANGEL COMES DOWN AND MEETS THIS ONE GUY WHO HAS A LIZARD ON HIS SHOULDER. OBVIOUSLY A REPRESENTATION SYMBOL OF THE DEVIL. BUT KIND OF DEVILISH, INORDINATE ATTACHMENTS. AND OF COURSE, THE PERSON HAS KIND OF GROWN FOND OF THE LIZARD BECAUSE IT HAS DECEIVED HIM. SO WE SEE DURING THE DISCOURSE, THE GUY'S REAL INTENTION, HE WANTS TO SEE GOD AND BE WITH THE ANGEL. AND THE ONLY THING HAVE YOU TO DO IS LET ME HAVE THE LIZARD. AND THE LIZARD IS GOING NO, NO, NO. THIS GUY IS DECEIVING HIM COMPLETELY. LET ME GIVE YOU THE FULL TRUTH HERE. AND CHATTER, CHATTER. AND THE GUY SAYS, I'M NOT SO SURE. HE SEEMS TO BE SPEAKING. AND THE ANGEL SAYS, LET ME HAVE HIM. I ASSURE YOU, HE'S NOT SPEAKING THE TRUTH. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE HIM. JUST GIVE HIM TO ME. AND FINALLY, THE GUY GOES OKAY. THE MINUTE HE GIVES FREE ASCENT, THE ANGEL JUST RIPS THAT LIZARD WHICH HAS TALONS RIGHT IN THAT GUY'S SHOULDER AND HE CRIES OUT IN PAIN WHEN THAT DETACHMENT, ATTACHMENT IS DETACHED. BUT AT THE END, HE THROWS THE LIZARD INTO THE GROUND AND TURNS INTO A STALLION AND RIDES OFF TO HEAVEN. SO, THAT'S IN AN ALLEGORICAL WAY OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TUESDAY. THERE'S PAIN IN THE DETACHMENT. DECEPTION IN DETACHMENT AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME TO GRIPS WITH IT. WHAT WE PRAYED FOR, FIRST OF ALL, THAT IT NOT TAKE A LONG TIME AND SECOND OF ALL, THAT IT NOT BE PAINFUL TO THE PERSON THAT THEY COOPERATE IN THEIR FREEDOM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND NON STUBBORNLY AS POSSIBLE. SO THAT GOD WORKING THROUGH THEIR FREEDOM CAN FINALLY COMPLETE THE PROCESS OF PURIFICATION OR THEY CAN THEN GO RIDING AS IT WERE ON A STALLION UP TO HEAVEN. THAT'S THE REASONS FOR THE PRAYERS! KEEP PRAYING! GOD DOESN'T VIOLATE THEIR FREEDOM BUT HE DOES TRY TO DO THIS AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE AND NON PAINFULLY AS POSSIBLE. AND GOD LIKES TO BE ASKED. SO, PRAY FOR THE GRACE SO THAT THE PERSON THAT YOU LOVE WILL COOPERATE! >> Doug: AND THERE'S AN ASPECT IN THAT, THE PERSON DOING THE PRAYING GETS SOMETHING OUT OF THAT. THE FACT THAT THEY TAKE TIME AND OFFER PRAYERS FOR ANOTHER IS IMPORTANT FOR THEIR OWN SALVATION, RIGHT? >> Father: ABSOLUTELY! BECAUSE OF COURSE THAT'S AN ACT OF GENEROSITY. WHEN THEY ARE OFFERING THEIR SUFFERINGS FOR THAT PERSON. THAT'S IN IMITATION OF JESUS, THAT IS, THE SAME SELF SACRIFICIAL GIFT OF LOVE THAT JESUS OFFERS TO THE FATHER TO HELP THAT PERSON. AND ALL THOSE THINGS ABSOLUTELY HELP THE PREYER, THE PETITIONER AND PROBABLY SHORTENS THEIR TIME IN PURIFICATION OR PURGATION. SO, JUST AS I SAY, KEEP PRAYING BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW WHAT THE CHURCH TEACHES. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WHEN THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT PURIFICATION AND PURGATORY, THOSE POINTS ARE MADE AS WELL. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION HERE COMING UP FOR YOU. DEAR FATHER, I HEARD THAT THE SOUL CONSISTS OF MEMORY, INTELLECT AND WILL. IS THIS CORRECT. THIS IS AN EMAIL FROM SUE. >> Father: WELL, SUE, THAT'S IN GOOD PART, IT'S CORRECT. YOU COULD MAKE IT GO FURTHER THAN THAT. MEMORY, INTELLECT AND WILL DESCRIBES THREE INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONS. AND WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, IT INCLUDES SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS. FIRST AND FOREMOST ARE AWARENESS OF OUR AWARENESS, OUR AWARENESS OF OURSELVES. SO, THE FIRST THING WE HAVE IS SELF AWARENESS IN THE SOUL AND IT'S THIS SELF CONSCIOUSNESS UNDER WHICH THE FUNCTION OF MEMORY AND INTELLECT AND WILL OCCUR. SO, FIRST OF ALL, HAVE YOU TWO INTELLECTUAL FUNCTION, NAMELY MEMORY AND WILL. AND THAT BY THE WAY, IN THE NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE THAT IS I HAVE DESCRIBED ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS HERE ON "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE", NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, IN EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY CASE. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOUSANDS OF CASES HERE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WITNESSING VERIDICAL DATA, BLIND PEOPLE SEEING AND OTHER PEOPLE GOING OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE AND REPORTING DATA AND PEOPLE THAT THEY MET WHILE OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE. AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS OCCURRED THROUGH MEMORY. AND IT'S A SPIRITUAL MEMORY. THIS IS NOT A PHYSICAL MEMORY OF THE BRAIN. SO, THERE'S AN OVERLAPPING, RIGHT, BETWEEN THE SPIRITUAL MEMORY WE HAVE, AND SURVIVING DEATH AND THE ORGANIC PHYSICAL MEMORY WE HAVE IN OUR BRAIN THAT COMES FROM PROTEIN CELL SYNTHESIS, IN THE VARIOUS CORTEXES AND INCLUDING VISUAL AUDITORY CORTEXES, ET CETERA. SO, YOU HAVE OVERLAPPING THERE. BUT THE MEMORY FUNCTION IN THE BRAIN THOUGH, IT IS SUBORDINATE TO THE SPIRITUAL MEMORY THAT SURVIVES BODILY DEATH AND SHOWN TO OCCUR NOT ONLY IN NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES BUT WAS PROMISED TO OCCUR BY JESUS HIMSELF. THE SECOND THING IS, YOU ALSO HAVE INTELLECT. FOR YEARS, RIGHT, EVEN FROM THE TIME OF PLATO, ARISTOTLE, ALL OF THEM, THE INTELLECT WAS ALWAYS THOUGHT TO BE A SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE. AND WHAT THEY MEANT BY THE INTELLECT WAS THE CAPACITY FOR ABSTRACTION WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAD IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD AND SOMETHING TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO A TRANS-PHYSICAL IDEA. AND WE CALL THIS TRANSFORMATION, CALL IT THROUGH HEURISTIC NOTIONS. AND THERE'S REALLY GOOD PROOFS THERE. THAT THE KIND OF INTELLECT ALL FUNCTION CAN BE THE BROUGHT BACK. SOME OF THEM GO TO PLATO, THOMAS AQUINAS, ST. AUGUSTINE. SOME OF THEM ARE EXCELLENTLY ARTICULATED IN A BOOK, INSIGHT TO HUMAN UNDERSTANDING, LONERGAN, 20TH CENTURY PHILOSOPHER, AND WE HAVE A VARIETY OF OTHER CONTEMPORARY ARTICULATIONS WHERE YOU PROVE THAT INTELLECTUAL FUNCTION THAT AS IT WERE SPIRITUALIZES OUR EXPERIENCE INTO ABSTRACT IDEAS THAT CAN BE USED AS PREDICATES AND OBJECTS. CAN BE USED AS THE TOOLS OF ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS THAT CAN BE USED TO RELATE IDEAS TO OTHER IDEAS. THIS KIND OF FUNCTION IS A SPIRITUAL FUNCTION, FIRST AND FOREMOST. THEY CANNOT BE REDUCED TO THE BRAIN BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE REDUCED TO A PHYSICAL PROCESS. SO, THIS IDEA OF INTELLECT BEING SPIRITUAL CONTAINED IN THE SOUL IS AN ABSOLUTELY TRUE ONE AND TODAY, WITH TODAY'S NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES WITH TODAY'S ARTICULATION OF WHAT TAKES PLACE IN THE INTELLECT WITH DAVID CHALMERS NEW STUDY OF SELF CONSCIOUSNESS WHICH SHOWS THAT THAT CANNOT BE REDUCED. THE HUMAN INWARDNESS OF SUBJECTIVITY CANNOT BE REDUCED TO PHYSICAL PROCESSES. AND RIGHT? THIS IS TAKING PLACE AT OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE AND THIS KIND OF STUDY IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MIND. AN THERE'S HUGE AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE THAT THE INTELLECTUAL FUNCTION ACTUALLY OCCURS THROUGH THE SOUL. AND THAT ONLY MORE BASIC FUNCTIONS, WHAT WE CALL PERCEPTUAL IDEAS. CONCEPTUAL IDEAS ALL TAKE PLACE THROUGH THE SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE OF THE SOUL, THE INTELLECT, WHICH IS THE SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE OF THE SOUL. PERCEPTUAL IDEAS, THE IDEAS THAT COME, THEY ARE ASSOCIATIONS, LIKE, WORD BANANA WITH AN OBJECT THAT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA. THOSE KIND OF PERCEPTUAL IDEAS WHICH EVEN CHIMPANZEES CAN HAVE DEFINITELY ARE EXPLAINED BY THE BRAIN. AND ONCE YOU GET INTO THE REALM OF CONCEPTUAL IDEAS AND IT CANNOT BE EXPLAINED BY THE PROCESSES. AND NOW, LAST TIME, I EXPLAINED TO YOU A TEST, NO CHIMPANZEE COULD PASS THE SYNTAX TEST. EVEN IF THEY LEARNED 160 WORDS OF SIGN LANGUAGE, THE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE. EVEN IF THEY LEARNED THAT MANY WORD ASSOCIATIONS, TO BE FRANK WITH YOU, THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DISTINGUISH DOG BITES MAN AND MAN BITES DOG. AND SO THE CHIMPANZEE HAS NO CONCEPTUAL IDEA AND THEY ARE TO UNDERSTAND THE UNIVERSALITY OF GRAMMAR. AND EVERY SINGLE CHILD AND EVERY SINGLE CULTURE IN THE WORLD, NO MATTER HOW DIFFERENT THE GRAMMAR IS, NO MATTER HOW DIFFERENT THE SYNTAX IS. YOU PLUNK A 1-YEAR-OLD FROM AFRICA TO CHINA, HE WILL GET CHINESE SOON ENOUGH BECAUSE HE ALREADY UNDERSTANDS CONCEPTUAL IDEAS, WHICH THE CHIMPANZEE WILL NEVER DO. AND THE INTELLECTUAL FUNCTION IS ALSO A MATTER OF THE SOUL. NOW, WE GET TO THE WILL. AND THE WILL IN THE SCHOLASTIC AREA IS JUGS SUCH A HUGE CONCEPT! NOT ONLY INCLUDES SELF CONSCIOUSNESS BUT IT INCLUDES ALL OF THE MAJOR INTUITIONS AND EMOTIONS THAT WE HAVE. SO, THE WILL IS INCLUSIVE OF EMOTIVE FUNCTIONS AND INCLUSIVE OF INTUITIVE FUNCTIONS. INCLUDED IN THIS MEGA FACULTY, IF I CAN PUT IT THIS WAY, ARE INTUITIONS OF THE GOOD. YOU KNOW, MORAL FOUNDATION AND FUNCTIONING AND THE INTUITIONS FOR LOVE, BEAUTY, EMPATHY WHICH ARE BASED ON OUR DESIRE TO LOVE. AND WE HAVE THESE INTUITION THAT GROUND CONSCIOUS, EMPATHY, LOVE, MORALITY, THAT GROUND BEAUTY, RIGHT? THE BEAUTIFUL, THE GOOD, THE LOVE AND OF COURSE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE TRUTH. INTELLECTUAL FUNCTION JUST A LITTLE EARLIER ON. AND OF COURSE, GOD HIMSELF, THE SPIRITUAL FUNCTION. SO, ALL OF THESE HUGE INTUITIVE FUNCTIONS ARE PART OF THE IDEA OF THE WILL. SO, IS THIS SPIRITUALIZED, ARE YOU ASKING ME? THE ANSWER IS, YES. ALL OF THOSE CAPACITIES ARE SPIRITUALIZED AND THERE'S A VERY INTERESTING PROOF OF THAT, TOO. ST. AUGUSTINE ARTICULATED PROOF BASED ON PLATO'S PROOF OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL. AND THAT PROOF IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE DON'T JUST DESIRE SOME TRUTH. WE DESIRE PERFECT TRUTH. AND OF COURSE, I CAN EXPLAIN THAT TRUTH TO YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE SHOW. BUT IT'S OUR DESIRE FOR PERFECT TRUTH, PERFECT LOVE, PERFECT GOODNESS, BEAUTY, AND PERFECT HOME IN GOD. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE AWARENESS THAT MAKES THOSE DESIRES POSSIBLE WHICH MEANS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE TO HAVE A TACIT AWARENESS OF PERFECT LOVE TRUTH GOODNESS BEAUTY AND HOME. AND WHERE CAN I ASK YOU DID YOU GET TACIT AWARENESS OF PURPOSE THE BEAUTY, LOVE, HOME. WELL, YOU DIDN'T GET IT FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD OR YOUR PHYSICAL BRAIN! WHICH IS RESTRICTED BY ALGORITHMIC INFINITE STRUCTURES. WHERE DID YOU GET IT FROM? THE CAUSE IS COMMENSURATE WITH THE EFFECT. SO, ESSENTIALLY, MUST HAVE A CAUSE PERFECT LOVE TRUTH GOODNESS BEAUTY AND HOME IN ORDER TO CAUSE THIS EFFECT, THIS AWARENESS OF PERFECT LOVE, TRUTH, GOODNESS, BEAUTY AND HOME IN US CAUSING THE DESIRE FOR THAT. AND THAT'S PART OF THE WILL. IS THAT GOING TO BE TRANSCENDENTIC. ABSOLUTELY, IT'S SPIRITUAL AND THE SELF CONSCIOUS FACULTY ITSELF CAN CHOOSE BETWEEN THE GREAT INTUITIONS OF PERFECT LOVE TRUTH GOODNESS BEAUTY AND HOME VERSUS ME, ME, ME. EGOCENTRICITY. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR SELF CONSCIOUSNESS HAS THE WAY OF GETTING BEYOND ITS ATTACHMENT TO ITSELF SO IT CAN SEE FROM ON HIGH THE CALL TO THE GOOD, THE BEAUTIFUL, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS GOD HIMSELF, MAJESTIC AWESOME GOD. AND THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND THE HOME THAT GOD IS IN HIMSELF VS. THE THINGS THAT AGGRANDIZES ME AND MAKES ME A SELF IDOLATER AS IT WERE. AND MAKES ME THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. THE SELF CONSCIOUSNESS STANDING ON HIGH ABOVE ITS OWN GRASP OF ITSELF COMPARES THIS TO THE GREAT INTUITIONS OF LOVE, BEAUTY, TRUTH, GOD AND HOME. DOES THAT HAVE TO BE SPIRITUAL. ABSOLUTELY BECAUSE OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL DESIRES AND AWARENESS CANNOT BE REDUCED TO A PHYSICAL PROCESS. NEITHER CAN THE FACULTY THAT DECIDES BETWEEN THEM AND THE, OF COURSE, ITSELF. SO ALL OF IT, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. YES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE SPIRITUAL AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS CONSTITUTE THE SOUL. THERE'S SOME OVERLAPPING WITH RESPECT TO MEMORY BUT IN EVERYTHING ELSE, I TELL YOU, IT'S SPIRITUAL AND THE SCHOLASTIC AND THE PHILOSOPHER HAD IT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. >> IF THEY COULD FIND LIBERAL MONKEYS TO DO A BETTER JOB, MAYBE THE MONK EAST WERE TOO CONSERVATIVE. AND CHUMS KEY I THOUGHT YOU GOT CHARGED WITH THAT FOR BUYING ALCOHOL AND CIGARETTES. THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT! >> NO, NO. [LAUGHTER] NO, IF YOU HAVE DONE THAT, WELL, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. >> Doug: DID HE TELL ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION. SINCE YOU ARE IN ALL OF THE SCIENCE STUFF. THERE WAS REPORTING, AT LEAST, LAST YEAR, ABOUT THE HUMAN SOUL HAVING BEEN FOUND. QUANTUM THEORY OF CONSCIOUSNESS, SOMETHING CALLED ORCOR, HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT? >> Father: YEAH, YEAH. OH, YES. OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT, IN QUANTUM THEORY, THERE ARE CERTAIN KINDS OF THINGS THAT CANNOT BE EXPLAINED AND WHAT ARE CALLED CLASSICAL PHYSICAL PROCESSES. AND SO, JUST LIKE CLASSICAL PHYSICAL PROCESSES ARE WHAT MIGHT BE REDUCED TO WHAT YOU CALL GENERAL RELATIVITY AND UTONIAN MECHANICS. SO, THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS, QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT. YOU TAKE A PARTICLE ON ONE END OF THE UNIVERSE CREATED WITH ANOTHER PAIR AND ANOTHER PARTICLE AT THE OTHER END OF THE UNIVERSE, ADJUST THE SPIN, THEN THE OTHER ARTICLE SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTS ITS SPIN TO THE SPIN, YOU KNOW, TO THE OPPOSITE SPIN OF THE ARTICLE AT THE OTHER END OF THE UNIVERSE SIMULTANEOUSLY. NO WAY CAN THAT BE EXPLAINED IN TERMS OF A CLASSICAL PROCESS. PEOPLE CALL IT AND RIGHTLY SO SOMETHING THAT IS TRANS-PHYSICAL. BUT I WOULD CALL IT TRANS CLASSICAL PHYSICS. QUANTUM PHYSICS ITSELF IS STILL PHYSICS BECAUSE IT IS STILL IN ITS OWN WAY THE WHOLE OF THE QUANTUM FIELD, STILL CONDITIONED BY SPATIO TEMPORAL CONCERNS. AND YOU DON'T ESCAPE QUANTUM TIME OR AS IT WERE, THE WHOLE OF THE QUANTUM SPACE OF THE FIELD. SO, OF COURSE, THAT'S STILL PHYSICAL. BUT THE INTERIOR OF THE QUANTUM FIELD ABSOLUTELY IS DOING WEIRD THINGS WHICH GIVES YOU A VERY, VERY GOOD CLUE THAT THE UNIVERSE IS NOT, JUST, YOU KNOW, CLASSICAL PHYSICS OR ATOMS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE. IT'S VERY, VERY INTERESTING TRANS CLASSICAL PHYSICS, MANIFESTATIONS ALMOST LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT CAN GO FROM ONE PART TO THE OTHER WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ANY OF THE OTHER PARTS IN BETWEEN. I MEAN, RIGHT. THIS IS JUST SIMPLY A MANIFESTATION, A MIND-LIKE SORT OF THING. BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO CARRY THAT ANALOGY TOO FAR. BECAUSE QUANTUM MECHANICS DOESN'T EXPLAIN SELF CONSCIOUSNESS. SELF CONSCIOUSNESS IS SOMETHING COMPLETELY BEYOND SPACE AND TIME. IT'S IN TWO RELATIVE POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO ITSELF SIMULTANEOUSLY. LOOK. WHEN I SAY I'M AWARE OF MY AWARENESS. OR I'M EXPERIENCING MYSELF EXPERIENCING. THE VERY PHENOMENON THAT GIVES RISE TO THE SUBJECTIVITY IN DAVID CHALMERS OWN WORDS. TRY TO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND. YOUR AWARENESS CAPTURED ITSELF. JUST THINK FOR A MOMENT OF A DOG TRYING TO CATCH ITS TAIL. NOW, IMAGINE THAT THE DOG DOESN'T JUST CATCH ITS TAIL. IT ACTUALLY SWALLOWS ITS WHOLE SELF AND NOW IT GOES AROUND ONCE AGAIN AS IT WERE SWALLOWING ITSELF, SWALLOWING ITSELF. THAT'S WHAT YOU DO IN SELF CONSCIOUSNESS. AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT AS IT WERE, THE DOG IS GOING AT AN INFINITE VELOCITY WHICH PHYSICAL DOGS CAN'T DO. YOU CANNOT HAVE A PHYSICAL AGENCY. QUANTUM OR CLASSICAL WHICH TRANSCENDS COMPLETELY INWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY, TRANSCENDS TIME AND SPACE. SO FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, THAT FACULTY, THAT SELF CONSCIOUSNESS IS VERY, VERY MUCH, YOU KNOW, A SPIRITUAL FACULTY AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO EXPLAIN IT IN QUANTUM THEORY. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO EXPLAIN IT IN QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT STILL IMMERSED IN SPACE AND TIME AND SELF CONSCIOUSNESS, HUMAN INTELLECTUALISM IS BEYOND TIME AND SPACE COMPLETELY >> Doug: WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A BREAK AND WE'LL BE BACK WITH FATHER SPITZER MOMENTARILY IN THE UNIVERSE TALKING ABOUT THE PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE SOUL. MUCH MORE AHEAD! STAY WITH US! ♪ ♪ >> Doug: WELCOME BACK TO "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE". TALKING ALL ABOUT THE SOUL ON THIS THANKSGIVING WEEKEND WITH "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE". WE'RE BACK WITH FATHER SPITZER. WE HAVE A QUESTION COMING UP FROM OUR EMAIL. IF GOD CREATES EACH INDIVIDUAL SOUL AT CONCEPTION, HOW CAN ORIGINAL SIN BE INHERITED TO CORRUPT OUR SOUL? IS IT ONLY OUR FLESH THAT INHERITS SIN? THANKS FOR ALL YOUR GREAT BOOKS AND YOUR PROGRAMS, FATHER SPITZER AND DOUG! YOUR BROTHER IN CHRIST, BILL. THEY MENTIONED ME THERE. AND WE TALKED OFFLINE THAT YOU WERE REFERENCING ONE OF YOUR BOOKS IN RELATION TO THE LAST ANSWER, BEFORE THE BREAK WE JUST TOOK? >> Father: OH, YEAH, WITH RESPECT TO THE QUESTION, CAN OUR SOUL BE REDUCED TO QUANTUM THEORY AND OR CONFIGURATION. I TAKE THAT UP IN A BOOK CALLED THE SOUL'S UPWARD YEARNING CHAPTER 6 AND RESPOND TO IT APPROPRIATELY WITH THE QUANTUM THEORY. AND YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A VERY COMPLETE ANSWER ON THE QUESTION. JUST GETTING BACK TO THE OTHER QUESTION THAT WAS JUST ASKED ABOUT ORIGINAL SIN. YEAH, THE SOUL ITSELF IS ACTUALLY INHIBITED BY THE CONDITION INTO WHICH IT IS INCARNATE HAD, IF I CAN PUT IT THAT WAY. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD CREATES THIS SOUL. IT'S A SELF-REFLECTIVE SOUL, RIGHT. BUT THE SOUL HAD THE VISION OF GOD AT ONE TIME IN A VERY PRISTINE SENSE. SO, IT'S NOT JUST A BODY BUT THE SOUL ACTUALLY HAS THIS VISION WHICH IS A GIFT OF GOD, RIGHT. IT'S NOT A PROPERTY THAT BELONGS TO THE SOUL PER SE, IN ITSELF, RIGHT. SO, FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, RIGHT, THE SOUL HAS THIS KIND OF SENSE OF ITSELF. IT HAS ALL OF THE FACULTIES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, SELF CONSCIOUSNESS, THE DESIRE FOR PERFECT LOVE BEAUTY TRUTH GOODNESS AND HOME. AND IT HAS THAT FUNCTION AND ABLE TO ARRIVE AT THAT INCEPTION AND HAS LINGUISTIC AND SYNTACTICAL FACULTIES. WHAT IT DOESN'T HAVE IS THE PURE VISION OF GOD. THAT'S THE GIFT OF GOD. AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL ADAM AND EVE, THE COUPLE THAT GOT THE FIRST SELF REFLECTIVE INTELLECTUAL SOUL WITH THOSE DESIRES FOR PERFECT TRUTH LOVE GOODNESS BEAUTY AND HOME WHICH INCLUDES CONSCIOUS. THE DESIRE FOR GOODNESS, THE AWARENESS OF GOODNESS. RIGHT. GOD GAVE THAT SOUL A SENSE OF HIMSELF THAT WAS ALMOST TRANSPARENT AND PRISTINE ALMOST WHAT WE CALL A PARADISE STATE. RIGHT, THE VISION IS SO CLEAR. OF COURSE, GOD ALSO DID NOT CREATE THAT PERSON WITH SUCH A PRISTINE VISION THAT THEY COULDN'T TAKE THEIR EYES OFF OF HIM. HE ALSO GIVES THEM FREE WILL. AND IF HE GIVES THEM FREE WILL, THAT MEANS THAT THEY CAN START PUTTING THEIR EYES ON THEMSELVES. AND EXCLUSIVELY ON THEMSELVES. AND THE WAY IN WHICH THE BIBLICAL NARRATIVE IN GENESIS TWO DESCRIBES, RIGHT, THE SIN. THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS, THE DEVIL COMES ALONG. AND HOW DOES THE DEVIL WORK. WELL, HE SAYS TO THIS SOUL THAT DOES HAVE THIS REMARKABLY PRISTINE AND TRANSPARENT VISION OF GOD. GOD HAS WITH HELD SOMETHING FROM YOU. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS. AND YOU EVEN KIND OF SEE HIM AS, YOU KNOW, HE'S WITHHELD THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVEN HAD IT, HE'S HIDING FROM THIS, NOT GIVING SOMETHING TO YOU WHICH YOU DESERVE AND WHICH YOU WANT. SO, OF COURSE, THE SIN GETS COMMITTED. WHEN THE SIN GETS COMMITTED, GOD THEN AS IT WERE, DARKENS THIS VISION OF HIMSELF. IT GUYS RISE TO A REAL DIFFICULTY NOW. IT MAKES OUR LIVES, THE CHOICE OF OUR CONSCIENCE MORE DIFFICULT. IT'S ALMOST SAYING AS GOD SAYS TO THE FUTURE GENERATIONS, OKAY. IF YOU WANT THIS VISION OF YOURSELF AS MUCH AS YOU WANT ME OR MORE THAN ME, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH GO. SO, HE, AS IT WERE, DARKENS THE VISION OF HIMSELF SLIGHTLY. BUT WE AS CATHOLICS, WE'RE NOT CALVINISTS. WE DON'T SAY HE DARKENS THE VISION OF HIMSELF COMPLETELY, RIGHT? WHERE THEN OF COURSE HUMAN BEINGS ARE LEFT WITHOUT THE VISION OF GOD. LEFT WITHOUT THAT NATURAL SENSE OF CONSCIOUS AND LEFT WITHOUT THAT NATURAL SENSE OF DESIRING HIM IN OUR SELF. AND LEFT WITHOUT THE SENSE OF THAT IN THE NEUMISTIC. AND WHAT HE DOES, HE GIVES IT TO US PARTIALLY. AND MY PROFESSOR OF HAPPY MEMORY, FATHER GERALD STEKLER USED TO SAY, GOD CREATED ALL OF US, OUR SOULS WITH 51% GOODNESS. WITH 51% ABILITY TO SEE HIM AS HE IS! AND TO SEE HIS LAW AS HE IS. SO THERE'S AT LEAST 51% OF US IS ORIENTED TOWARD THE GOOD, ORIENTED TOWARD GOD, ORIENTED TOWARD HIS LOVE, HIS TRUTH. AT LEAST 51%. WE'RE NOT TOTALLY CORRUPTED. BUT THE VISION HAS BEEN DARKENED. AND THAT MAKES LIFE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR US. WE COULD USE A LOT OF TECHNICAL TERMS TO DESCRIBE WHAT THAT IS, RIGHT. BUT ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT DARKENED VISION DOES MAKE LIFE HARDER, NO QUESTION. SO, OF COURSE, AT THE END THOUGH JESUS CHRIST HAS COME AND HAS GIVEN US HIS HOLY SPIRIT. AND THAT IS THE GRACE THAT BRINGS US TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN NOW, ONCE WE HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED AND FREELY COOPERATE WITH THAT GRACE OF BAPTISM, WE CAN NOW BECOME APOSTLES OF THE TRUTH, LOVE, GOODNESS THROUGH THE SUPERNATURAL GRACE THAT OVERCOMES THAT DARKENING THAT HAS OCCURRED IN ORIGINAL SIN. SO, IT'S NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL BODY. IT'S A GIFT THAT'S BEEN TONED DOWN BY GOD >> Doug: OKAY. VERY GOOD >> Father: AND IT'S CALLED CONCUPISCENCE, YOU KNOW, THE TECHNICAL TERM. >> Doug: WELL LEADS US TO BE ORIENTED TOWARD COMMITTING SINS AND THINGS LIKE THAT >> Father: RIGHT. YEAH, LOOKING THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY >> Doug: WE HEAR THAT ONCE IN A WHILE ON EWTN. I KNOW SOMETIMES SCOTT HAHN REFERENCED THAT AS WELL. NOW, HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION. WE NEED TO GET CAUGHT UP HERE! FR. SPITZER, IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP OR CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR HUMAN CONSCIENCE AND OUR SOUL? YOU WERE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THIS EARLIER. IF ONE'S CONSCIENCE IS DEAD, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEIR SOUL MAY BE ALREADY LOST ALSO? THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU! DIANNE IN KANSAS SOMETIMES THESE PHRASES WE USE, NOT DEAD BUT A LITERAL DESCRIPTION. SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. THEY ARE SAYING JESUS' CONSCIOUS IS DEAD WHAT'S THAT MEAN FOR THEIR SOUL? OR DOES IT MEAN ANYTHING FOR THE SOUL? >> Father: DEFINITELY MEANS SOMETHING FOR THE SOUL. HERE'S THE DEAL IN A NUTSHELL. CONSCIOUS IS PART OF THE SOUL. REMEMBER WHAT I WAS SAYING IS THAT GOD HAS TO GIVE US THAT VISION OF THE GOOD. RIGHT? GOD GIVES US OUR TACIT AWARENESS OF GOODNESS. AND IT HAS A FELT MANIFESTATION WITHIN US SUCH THAT WHEN WE SEE THE GOOD OR APPREHEND THE GOOD IN GOD, LET'S SAY, IN A POTENTIAL MORAL ACT, WE CAN FEEL ITS GOODNESS. WE FEEL IT. WE HAVE A SENSE OF ITS NOBILITY. WE HAVE A SENSE OF, WHAT'S CONSISTENT WITH GOD. AND THERE'S A VERY RIVETING SENSING OF SACREDNESS, GOODNESS AND CONSISTENCY WITH GOD. AND ON THE CONTRARY, IF SOMETHING IS EVIL. WE CONSIDER THE DEVIL, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT, OR WE CONSIDER AN EVIL ACTION THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO COMMIT, WE HAVE A SENSE OF SELF ALIENATION AND SENSE OF ACTUALLY HORROR. AND THIS FELLA, RUDOLPH OTTO DISTINCTION BETWEEN HORROR AND FEAR. HORROR IS A SPECIAL KIND OF FEAR, HORROR. AND FEAR IS WHEN I THINK MY LIFE IS GETTING RUN OVER, A CAR CAREENING DOWN THE ROAD AND I'M FLUSH RED, OXYGENATED, THE ADRENALINE FLOWING AND I JUMP OUT OF THE WAY. I'M HYPER AWARE, HYPER CONSCIOUS. HORROR IS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. WHEN WE CONFRONT EVIL, IT'S NOT SELF PROTECTION. YOU TURN COLD. SOMEBODY TELLS YOU A GHOST STORY OR DEVIL STORY, ACTUALLY SENSE THE PRESENCE OF THE EVIL OR DEVIL AROUND YOU, YOU TURN COLD. INSTEAD OF THE BLOOD GOING TO YOUR FACE, IT WILL DRAIN FROM YOUR FACE. AND YOU FEEL THAT SENSE OF HORROR ALMOST A SHUDDER THAT'S THERE. AND OF COURSE, IT KIND OF MAKES YOU ALMOST DEADENED. NOW, THIS WONDERFUL GIFT OF CONSCIOUS WHICH DOES IN FACT BELONG TO OUR SOUL AND ITS GOD GIVING US THIS GIFT TO OUR SOUL, A FELT SENSE OF THAT AS WELL AS AN INTELLECTUAL SENSE OF HIMSELF IN MORAL CONDUCT IN THE GOOD. WHEN THAT IS PRESENT AND FUNCTIONING, RIGHT, THE SOUL IS ALIVE AND WELL AS IT WERE. IT'S IN THE LIGHT. HOWEVER, AS YOU WERE JUST INTIMATING, WHEN SOMEBODY STARTS, LIKE A MAFIA HIT MAN, STARTS OFF, REALLY HARD TO KILL THE FIRST PERSON UNTIL A FEW MORE, YOU ARE A SOCIOPATH FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. BUT OF COURSE, AFTER THE WHILE, YOU KILL THE FIRST PERSON AND THEN YOU KILL ANOTHER PERSON. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU PUT, YOUR CONSCIOUS BECOMES DEADENED. LITERALLY. AND INSTEAD OF SAYING YOUR SOUL BECOMES DEADENED BECAUSE YOUR SOUL IS STILL ALIVE, STILL FUNCTIONING. THOSE INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, MEMORY FUNCTIONS, FUNCTIONS OF THE WILL ARE STILL THERE. AND YOU ARE IN DARKNESS. BASICALLY, IT'S THE SOUL OF THE, BECOMING DARKENED AND DARKENED AND GETTING AWAY FROM THE LIGHT AND GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO SEEK OUT THE LIGHT TO FIND THE BEAUTY IN THE LIGHT. IN FACT, THERE'S ALMOST A FEAR OF THE LIGHT. THERE'S ALMOST A RUNNING FROM THE LIGHT. THERE'S ALMOST A DISGUST WITH THE LIGHT. AND THERE IS EVEN SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE GET INTO DARKNESS AND EVIL, SO VERY, VERY DEEPLY, THEY ACTUALLY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, RELISH THE EVIL IN WHICH THEIR EMERGES THAT MEANS THEY HAVE AN ANTI-RELISH, REPULSION FROM THE GOOD AND FROM THE LIGHT. THAT KIND OF DARKENING IS NOT A DEATH -- WELL, YEAH, IT'S A SPIRITUAL DEATH TO THE SOUL. YES. IT'S A DEATH TO THE LIGHT OF THE SOUL. BUT NOT LIKE AN ABSOLUTE DEATH TO THE SOUL. THE SOUL IS STILL ALIVE DOING ITS THINGS WITH THE MEMORY, INTELLECT, WILL AS WE DESCRIBED IT. BUT NOW DOING IT IN REVERSE FASHION. CONTRARY TO THE CONSCIOUS. CONTRARY TO THE PERCEPTION OF GOD, TACIT AWARENESS OF GOD, TACIT AWARENESS OF LOVE AND TACIT AWARENESS OF HOME AND TRUTH AND OF COURSE, IF IT DOES THAT, THEN FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, FINDS BEAUTY IN EVIL AND INSTEAD OF BEAUTY GOODNESS LIGHT AND TRUTH. SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG AND CALL IT A SPIRITUAL DEATH WHICH IS AN ABSOLUTE DARKENING OF THE SOUL THAT COMES FROM THE DEATH OF CONSCIENCE. >> Doug: VERY GOOD. NEXT UP, ANOTHER QUESTION. THIS COMES IN VIA EMAIL. HELLO, FATHER. DO WE KNOW HOW SOULS COMMUNICATE ONCE OUT OF THE BODY? HOW ARE LIMITS PLACED ON THE SOUL ONCE IT HAS LEFT THE BODY? I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO THEY DO THAT, HOW ARE LIMITS PLACED ON THE SOUL ONCE IT HAS LEFT THE BODY? YOU HAVE A SOUL HOW DOES IT LEAVE THE BODY. AND DOES IT COMMUNICATE, I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY SEE A SPIRIT OR A GHOST. IS IT A SOUL OR IS THERE A DIFFERENCE? >> Father: WELL, ACTUALLY, THE GHOST, INTRINSIC ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE FOR ALL OF THAT GHOST'S ACTIVITY IS THE SOUL. ABSOLUTELY, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. NOW, JUST TO GET TO YOUR QUESTION. OKAY. THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES WHICH SHOW ABSOLUTELY -- WELL, LET'S CALL THEM SPIRITS, GHOSTS OR SOULS THAT HAVE SOME KIND OF YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO CALL IT TRANS-PHYSICAL EMBODIMENT. RIGHT? IT'S NOT A PHYSICAL EMBODIMENT BUT TRANS-PHYSICAL EMBODIMENT. IT HAS A FORM. OF COURSE, THOSE SOULS, THEY DO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. BUT THEY DON'T DO SO THROUGH A LARNYX. THEY DO IT THROUGH A PHYSICAL BRAIN. WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER THROUGH THE SPIRITUAL MEDITATIVE ACTIVITY THAT WE DESCRIBED AS INTELLECT BEFORE. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S NOT ONLY POSSIBLE FOR THE SOUL TO KNOW ITSELF BUT IT'S POSSIBLE FOR THE SOUL TO COMMUNICATE ITSELF SPIRITUALLY THROUGH THAT SAME SPIRITUAL FACULTY TO ANOTHER SOUL, ANOTHER SPIRITUAL BEING THAT CAN RECEIVE IT. NOT THROUGH ITS EARS, IT IS NOT HEARING THROUGH EARS BUT HEARING IN THE SPIRITUAL WAY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. AND OF COURSE, IT CAN COMMUNICATE BACK. THE SAME THING APPEARS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE SOUL COMMUNICATES WITH THE WHITE LIGHT OFTEN DESCRIBED AS GOD OR JESUS. AND ALSO DESCRIBED WITH DECEASED RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. SO, FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, YES, THE SOULS DO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER BUT THEY DON'T, SOULS COMMUNICATE WITH GOD BUT THEY DON'T DO IT SO WITH MOUTHS. AND THEY DON'T HEAR WITH EARS. BUT THEY DO HAVE SOME KIND OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNICATION CAPACITY AND SOME KIND OF AUDITORY, ME MIGHT CALL IT AUDITORY FIGURATIVELY, RECEIVING SOME SPIRITUAL RECEIVING CAPACITY. AND OF COURSE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, WE DON'T KNOW HOW THAT OCCURS BECAUSE THE ONLY THING WE CAN UNDERSTAND HERE ON THIS EARTH IS THE PHYSICAL PROCESSES THAT LEAD UP TO THOSE FUNCTIONS BUT NOT THE SPIRITUAL PROCESSES. BUT BELIEVE ME IN THE BEATIFIC VISION, WE'LL KNOW AND THAT'S GOING TO BE SATISFYING. NOW, THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION. ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS TO THE SOUL. RIGHT. OKAY. SO, ARE THERE SOME RESTRICTIONS THAT OCCUR WHEN THE SOUL MOVES OUT OF ITS PHYSICAL BODY. YES. IT'S LIMITED TO A PARTICULAR CONDITION. WE WON'T CALL IT SPACE AND TIME. SPACE AND TIME ARE A UNIFIED CONTINUUM, AND IT'S A CONTEMPORARY AND TIME IS NOT CONTEMPORARY CONTINUUM. UNIFYING A BUNCH OF THINGS. AND IT'S A MEASUREMENT TO A POSITION, NOT JUST DIMENSION. BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME SPATIAL DIMENSIONALITY AND SOME TEMPORAL DIMENSIONALITY TO THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SOUL WHICH IS NOT CONFIGURED THROUGH PHYSICAL, SPACE AND TIME. THROUGH THE SPACE-TIME CONTINUUM HERE ON THIS EARTH. BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME RESTRICTIVE DIMENSIONALITY. AND CERTAINLY THERE'S A RESTRICTION TO POWERS IN THE SOUL. YOU DON'T GET AN INFINITE INTELLECT. YOU DON'T GET AS IT WERE AN INFINITE CAPACITY TO LOVE IN THE SENSE OF GOD'S INFINITE CAPACITY TO LOVE. WHAT YOU DO GET, THOUGH, IS A CAPACITY TO LOVE THOUGH THAT'S BEEN PURIFIED. BUT YOU ARE LOVING IN YOUR OWN UNIQUE WAY. YOU ARE LOVING IN YOUR OWN UNIQUE BRAND OF LOVABILITY IN YOUR OWN UNIQUE PERSONALITY AND YOU ARE DOING IT PERFECTLY TRANSPARENTLY, PERFECTLY PURIFIED WELL. SO, FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, THERE'S LIMITS TO THE INTELLECT, LIMITS TO YOUR LOVE. LIMITS TO YOUR DIMENSIONALITY. BUT EVERYTHING IS BROUGHT TO PERFECTION WITHIN THOSE LIMITS. A SPIRITUAL PERFECTION WITHIN THE LIMITS AND THAT INCLUDES OF COURSE OUR ABILITY TO KNOW AND LOVE GOD. OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T KNOW AND LOVE GOD AS GOD KNOWS AND LOVES HIMSELF, AND THERE IS LOVE WITHIN THE TRINITY. HOWEVER, WE WILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRINITY. WE WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW GOD WITHIN THE APPROPRIATE LIMITS OF OUR INTELLECT AND LOVE GOD WITHIN THE APPROPRIATE LIMITS OF OUR LOVE IN A PERFECTLY PURIFIED WAY THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY KEEPS US PERFECTLY JOY-FILLED IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE, THE KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS OUR FULFILLMENT ACCORDING TO THE SOUL WE HAVE. AND THE LOVE WHICH IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FULFILLMENT OF OUR CAPACITY FOR EMPATHY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR RESTRICTED SOUL. SO, WE DON'T BECOME GOD, WE ACTUALLY BECOME SPIRITUALLY PERFECTED WITHIN THE DIMENSIONAL LIMITS, LOVE LIMITS. WITHIN THE INTELLECTUAL LIMITS THAT WE HAVE AS FINITE HUMAN BEINGS >> Doug: WELL, I THINK A LOT OF THE PEOPLE READING THESE QUESTIONS MAY THINK YOU HAVE INTELLECTUAL LIMITS! BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY. >> Father: OH, BELIEVE ME I DO! >> Doug: AND LET ME ASK YOU THIS AS WE WRAP UP AND TALKING ABOUT THE SOUL. HERE WE ARE, RIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING AND AIRING THROUGHOUT THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND AND MAYBE I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO OUR AUDIENCE ABOUT THE IDEA OF JUST BEING THANKFUL AS A CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN. >> Father: WELL, ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA JUST PUT IT SO PERFECTLY. HE SAID THANKSGIVING, GIVING THANKS IS THE CONDITION NECESSARY FOR LOVE. RIGHT? SO, THE WHOLE IDEA IN THIS WONDERFUL CONTEMPLATION TO ATTAIN DIVINE LOVE WHICH IS AT THE END OF THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES OF ST. IGNATIUS. ST. IGNATIUS JUST PUTS IT SO BEAUTIFULLY. HE SAYS, LOOK. THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO IF WE'RE GOING TO ENTER INTO AN AWARENESS OF LOVE AND IF WE'RE GOING TO LOVE IS TO BE THANKFUL TO GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS GIVEN US. SO, HE TAKES US THROUGH THESE MEDITATIONS, ST. IGNATIUS, AND AS CHRISTIANS AT THANKSGIVING TIME, LET'S GO THROUGH THE MEDITATION TO ATTAIN DIVINE LOVE. NUMBER ONE, LET'S BE THANKFUL FOR THE CREATION AROUND US. AND NUMBER TWO, LET'S BE THANKFUL FOR THE SOULS WE'VE BEEN GIVEN AND ARE DISCUSSING, TRANSCENDENTAL SOULS SURVIVING BODILY DEATH REMAINING FAITHFUL TO CHRIST AND THROW HIMSELF ON CHRIST'S MERCY AND STAY ON THE CHURCH, WE'RE GOING TO INHERIT THIS INCREDIBLE HEAVENLY LIFE FOR WHICH OUR SOUL HAS BEEN PREPARED. ALL RIGHT. THANK GOD FOR YOUR SOUL. THANK GOD FOR THE SALVATION THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS WROUGHT. THANK GOD THAT GOD THE FATHER IS LIKE THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL SON, THIS UNCONDITIONALLY LOVING FATHER THAT IS 7 TIMES 70 TIMINGS AND INNUMERABLE NUMBER OF TIMES, THANK GOD TOO SAYS ST. IGNATIUS NOT JUST FOR THE CREATION OR FOR YOUR SOUL OR FOR YOUR REDEMPTION, NOT JUST FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, NOT JUST FOR THE FAITH THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN. BUT THANK GOD FOR YOUR LIFE! START BY THANKING GOD FOR YOUR FAMILY. THANK GOD FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU KIND OF TAKE FOR GRANTED. THE GOOD GIFTS THAT WE HAVE. SOMETIMES YOU SPEND SO MUCH TIME VENTING OTHERS, FOR HAVING THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE. AND ST. IGNATIUS SHIFTED THE FOCUS TO WHAT YOU DO HAVE. KEEP OUR FOCUS ON THE GIFTS. AND WHEN YOU SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, ST. IGNATIUS FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS, YOU ARE GOING TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY GOD. >> AND WE GOT TO TELL YOU, FATHER -- WE GOT TO SAY THANK YOU. >> YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY GOD. OKAY. OKAY. HAPPY THANKSGIVING! >> Doug: THANK YOU, FATHER. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME. AND WE'LL REJOIN FATHER SPITZER UNIVERSE. DON'T FORGET ABOUT OTHER BOOKS AVAILABLE TO FATHER SPITZER WHERE THE SOUL'S UPWARD YEARNING TALKING ABOUT QUANTUM AND PHYSICS, MECHANICS THERE. AND WE HAVE OTHER BOOKS HERE FOR SALE AT ewtnRC.com. NEXT WEEK, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT DID JESUS SAY ABOUT THE EUCHARIST AND THE PASSION AS WE GET INTO THE ADVENT SEASON. DON'T FORGET ENCORE AIRS THIS PROGRAM AT 10:00 PM EASTERN AND 7:00 PM PACIFIC. SATURDAY AT MIDNIGHT, FRIDAY AT 9:00 PM AND LOOK FOR US ON RADIO ON FRIDAYS AND ALSO ON SUNDAYS. AND THIS HAS BEEN "FR. SPITZER'S UNIVERSE". YOU ARE WELCOME AGAIN ALWAYS AND JOIN US NEXT WEEK. WE'LL SEE YOU THEN AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING! ♪
