Comments on: When We Die: the Dissociation of Soul and Body

By: Zachary L. Zavid

Zachary L. Zavid — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 02:07:50 +0000

lots to reflect on here

By: Wendy Scott

Wendy Scott — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 18:13:02 +0000

Thank you, John, for your fascinating post and comments. I find it interesting that near-death experiences were pretty much unavailable to anyone before doctors acquired the ability to bring back people who were very ill or injured from what appeared to be their demise. That experience has only been as common as it is now since the advent of Bahá’u’lláh. And those who have had them continually verify His teachings on the soul, the spirit, and life after death.

By: Georgia Lesley

Georgia Lesley — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 17:59:52 +0000

I am absolutely fascinated reading the Writings that pertain to the soul, it’s journey and so forth. I remember reading something that said, or gave me the impression, that the death of the body happens when the soul is no longer associated with it, rather than the other way around, that after the death of the body, say through accident or illness occurs, then the soul no longer associates with it. In other words, the physical death of the body is dependent on the soul’s association with it, not that the soul’s association is dependent on the body being alive. Simply put, if the soul leaves the body, the body ceases to function. Can you direct me to Writings that either say that directly or elude to it being that way? Thank-you!!

By: Moji Joon

Moji Joon — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 03:11:31 +0000

As someone who loves animals and has had ‘fur babies’ almost all of my adult life, this occupies my mind a lot. I truly hope the connection we feel to them is longer lasting than just this life and don’t like to imagine a plane of existence devoid of their loving presence.

By: John Hatcher

John Hatcher — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 01:33:00 +0000

I agree. Let’s make that one of the first questions we get to ask when we are born into the next phase of our eternal lives. If you find out before I do, please let me know.

By: John Hatcher

John Hatcher — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 17:05:36 +0000

Post Six — In conclusion, everything in creation reflects some attributes of the Creator to the degree for which it is intended. The higher up the chain of being, the more complex and complete is that reflection. Man has the potential to manifest all the attributes of God and has the inherent purpose to manifest those attributes ever more completely and perfectly. The Manifestation not only has that capacity, but actually fulfills that potential and may, thus, be said to be a “perfect man” or a perfect reflection (manifestation) of God. In short, the animal is not deprived of fulfilling its noble purpose because it does not continue in a realm it could not understand. I hope this helps.

By: John Hatcher

John Hatcher — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 17:03:01 +0000

Post Five –Finally, we realize that the more advanced the animal—the more like unto us—the more they can mimic our capacities, whether that be signing to communicate basic feelings or completing complex challenges. And yet we do well to acknowledge that without the higher species (ourselves) to interact with and teach them, they do not normally acquire such skills, even as the Bahá’í Writings assert clearly that without the guidance and instruction of the Manifestations, humankind itself would have remained no better off than the beasts of the field.

By: John Hatcher

John Hatcher — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 17:01:47 +0000

Post Four–What the animal has to teach us and what we gain from our relationship with them is infinitely refinable. Therefore, we are constantly increasing our appreciation of the spiritual principles they can demonstrate for us, whether it be the love and persistence of the female for its young, the courage and loyalty it possesses for its own kind and even for us, or the grief it feels at the loss of its young or the deprivation of relationships with its human companions.
Perhaps what we are now learning from various remarkable videos online is how creatures that in the wild might be natural enemies, can not only get along under certain circumstances, but become life-long companions, something we ourselves have yet to master.

By: John Hatcher

John Hatcher — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 17:00:24 +0000

Post Three- However, even as a fish cannot understand or navigate on land, so such an experience would be utterly meaningless to them—imperceptible and inconsequential, even as a human born into this realm without any physical sensibilities (sight, hearing, tactility, etc.) would not be able to participate or advance much in this realm unless and until the soul dissociates from the physical body.
Similarly, an animal in the realm of the spirit would not be able to have any meaningful relationship with that reality because its essential reality is not endowed with the powers of abstract thought or other faculties necessary for navigating the realm of the spirit. This does not in any way diminish the importance of the animal in creation!

By: John Hatcher

John Hatcher — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 16:58:44 +0000

Post Two. The Manifestations pre-exist in the spiritual realm prior to becoming associated with a physical temple, whereas we do not. Likewise, the knowledge the Manifestations possess is inherently infallible, but ours is not. Thus, as I understand it, the animal is animated by a spirit and has a distinct personality from birth, even as do we. They can learn and have amazing sensibilities even as do we. The primary reason that their spirit does not continue to exist beyond this life is that were it to do so, it would need to be capable of being sufficiently refined to possess those metaphysical powers and faculties necessary to participate in and advance in the context of an entirely metaphysical realm.