What If the Human Soul Does Not Exist?

In an article named I Have No Soul (and I’m OK with That), published on the National Post yesterday, Patricia Smith Churchland, professor emeritus of the Philosophy Department of University of California San Diego, argued with the typical prejudice of a pure scientist who recognized nothing but laboratory researches and empirical data that there was no human soul that existed independently of the neurons of the brain. She called her scientific conclusion “profoundly shocking” to the Christians because “the central ‘truth’ of their universe may be falling apart”; she believed they would find this “reality” as proven by neuroscience “unnerving”.

The existence of the human soul is indeed central to the tenets of the Christian faith. Churchland is right in saying that the universe of the Christians will fall apart if it is true that the sole source of all human knowledge, activities, memories, social skills, and so forth is the neurons of the brain. If the human soul does not exist, there is no point in talking about life after death; and if there is no life after death, the whole spectrum of Christian beliefs of death and resurrection, divine judgment, heaven, purgatory and hell, and the moral standards that such beliefs require of the Christians in the way they live, think, and behave, are nothing but 2000 years of deception and falsity. As a Christian whose life centers around, and is empowered by, the Christian beliefs and values, I had to ask myself many questions after reading the Churchland article: Am I leading a life of deception?; are all these activities that I engage in to promote the Gospel just a feel-good exercise of futility?; at the end of the day when my life is over, will I wake up to find myself just a fool?

First of all, if Churchland is right, I will never wake up to realize what a fool I have been all my life. So at least I can put this potential embarrassment to rest.

Reason, particularly scientific reason, is not a human ability that stands in opposition to our faith. “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth”, intoned the Blessed JPII (Fides et Ratio, introductory greeting). An empirical-minded and ontologically blind scientist like Churchland “seems to have forgotten that men and women are always called to direct their steps towards a truth which transcends them. Sundered from that truth, individuals are at the mercy of caprice, and their state as person ends up being judged by pragmatic criteria based essentially upon experimental data, in the mistaken belief that technology must dominate all” (Fides et Ratio, #5).

So there you go, now you have both the perspectives from an empirical scientist and from a mainstream theist.

Philosophers and theologians over the centuries have argued for the existence of a metaphysical reality that transcends our bodily being and the physical world around us. Long before St. Thomas Aquinas formulated his Five Ways, St. Paul had affirmed teleologically the existence of God as evident, understandable, and perceivable: “For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made” (Romans 1:19-20).

But what can we say to a person who, like Churchland, absolutely refuses to accept any arguments, no matter how eloquent and logical, that lack empirical evidences? What empirical argument can we make to convince a Churchland-like mind to see beyond the physical world the existence of a metaphysical reality that includes God, the human soul, and the Christian beliefs and values? I think there is only one such empirical evidence: the Bible.

The Bible is where all these Christian teachings, including the existence of the human soul, come from. The Bible commands the total submission of the inquisitive human mind and all rational faculties of human reason because the claims and teachings made by one historical person - Jesus Christ - and his apostles are factually and theologically irrefutable. My reasoning is simple: I accept that the Bible, while not a history book, does contain history; it provides us with the empirical and historical truth of the life of a man called Jesus; after many years of intense studies and intellectual examinations, I have found no errors - both factual and theological - in his claims and teachings as presented in the Bible; therefore, I conclude and accept that his teachings, including the existence of the human soul, are correct and the doubts and agonies of unbelievers such as Churchland unwarranted.

EPILOGUE: There are many reasons for God to choose to reveal Himself to us through the incarnate Word (i.e. Jesus taking a human body through a woman and living in the space and time of human history), all of them theologically significant. The above discussion leads me to believe that in God’s unfathomable wisdom and all-encompassing omniscience, He knew before creation that a historical Jesus, a Jesus who actually lived and breathed in a human body within human history, was the only irrefutable way to convince the empirically-inclined human mind to accept the ontological reality that He wanted so eagerly to reveal to man for his own good.

Is Pope Francis Backing Down From the Church's Teaching Against Homosexuality?

“If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and his good will, who am I to judge?” - Pope Francis on board the papal plane while returning from the World Youth Day in Brazil.

The media are quick to take the Pope’s remark above to mean that the Church is showing signs of backing down from its position against homosexuality; that after the election of a new Pope the Church is now back paddling on this very touchy issue; and that unlike his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI who taught that people with homosexual inclination should not be allowed to become priests, the new Pope is reaching out to the gay clerics. This is a typical example of how people are inclined to hear the way they want to hear.

It’s no secret that the media and the secular world dislike the Church’s teaching against homosexuality, i.e. its teaching that the homosexual acts are "acts of grave depravity" and that they are “intrinsically disordered” (CCC #2357). They also believe - in a very ignorant and naïve way, I must add - that given the pressure and momentum of the worldwide gay movement, which has won battle after battle in the courts of law and legislatures, the Roman Catholic Church and its “bigoted view” against homosexuality will eventually buckle. As a result, anything that the new Pope says that bears the remotest resemblance of a friendly comment on the issue of homosexuality will immediately be reported - or misreported - as the Church changing its position.

If one reads the Pope’s remark more closely, one will realize that what he says is really nothing new. Following the Scripture, the Church has always maintained that God, who is merciful and kind, will always forgive a sinner if he truly repents his sins and opts to follow God’s will (cf. Mt. 4:17, 1 John 1:9). What the Pope is saying is that if someone repents the sins of his gay behaviors and chooses to follow the will of God, which is for the homosexual persons to exercise self-mastery and live in chastity (CCC #2359), who am I – Pope Francis – to say that God will not forgive?

One pro-gay National Post reader was smart enough to pick up another comment that the Pope said in the same breath, namely, that “when someone sins and confesses, God not only forgives but forgets.” The pro-gay reader expressed dissatisfaction that in spite of the soft tone, the Pope saw homosexuality as a “sin”. But that’s exactly what the Pope is saying, just as the Church has always been saying: homosexuality is a sin, a grave sin that is intrinsically disordered. The Pope is also saying, just as the Church has always been saying, that if the sinner – the homosexual person in this case – is prepared to repent and follow God’s will (stop the homosexual behaviors in other words), how can we say or judge that God will not forgive him?

Living in the Holy Tradition《活在聖傳中》on Dominus Iesus, Fall 2013

In the coming fall (September 2013 to December 2013 inclusive) Living in the Holy Tradition《活在聖傳中》 will study Dominus Iesus (Declaration on the unicity and salvific universality of Jesus Christ and the Church). This important Church document was released in August 2000 by the Offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which was headed by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger who subsequently became Pope Benedict XVI. For those interested in Ecclesiology (Church studies), this is a landmark document that simply must be read carefully and properly understood. It touches on many practical issues that continue to baffle many Catholic faithful including:

- Are all religions the same? Is one religion just as good as another?
- Can non-Christians be saved?
- How do we see the sacred writings, historical figures, and rituals of other religions?
- Is Jesus' salvation the only salvation available to all mankind?
- How do we explain the "good elements" contained in other religions' teachings and traditions? Aren't they just as good, or even better, than those in Christian teachings?
- Can salvation be achieved outside of the Church?
- What is the Church? A collection of Christian churches?
- If there is only one Church of Christ, who is that Church?
- If the Church is one, how do we explain the existence of so many churches? Is the Body of Christ shattered?
- What is the "Kingdom of God"? Where is it?
- Is it OK to say that the Church of Christ is just "one of many ways that lead us to heaven"?
- If salvation is possible in other churches/religions, why bother to preach the Gospel?
- Is it wrong to encourage the members of the reformed churches to join the Catholic Church?

I can go on and on, but you get the idea. This is a Church document that answers all of the above questions and more with authority and convincing biblical explanations. I think this is a study all of us will find thoroughly enjoyable and beneficial.

The document can be printed from the internet free of charge (about 26 pages including footnotes):
Dominus Iesus

Copied below is the time schedule for 《活在聖傳中》Fall 2013 - Dominus Iesus. Please help us spread the word and invite more people to join. If you are interested in joining us, just email me (edmondkclo@yahoo.ca) to let me know and you are in!

Look forward to meeting with you come September! In the meantime, have a safe and wonderful summer!




Time Schedule for Living in the Holy Tradition
Ref: Dominus Iesus (Ecclesiology)
September 29, 2013 to December 29, 2013
9:15 to 10:45 a.m., Sundays, at St. Vincent De Paul School


Sept 29, 2013 Introduction and the Fullest and Definitiveness of Jesus’ Revelation, paragraphs 2-8

• Introduction: The Church must preach the Gospel. How to do so in connection with the religious traditions of the world.
• The danger of religious pluralism, i.e. all religions are the same.
• Reassert the definitive and complete character of Jesus’ revelation.
• Difference between faith and belief
• How the Church sees other religions’ sacred writings.

Oct 13, 2013 (in room 203) Unicity and Universality of the Salvific Mystery of Jesus Christ para 13-15

• The unicity (the only one) and salvific universality of the mystery of Jesus must be firmly believed as a truth of Catholic faith.
• How do we view the historical figures and positive elements of other religions?
• Jesus has a significance for the human race and its history, which is unique, proper to him alone, universal and absolute.

Oct 27, 2013 Unicity and Unity of the Church, paragraphs 16-17

• Christ and Church are inseparable = whole Christ; just as there is one Christ, so there exists a single body of Christ, i.e. the Church.
• There is a historical continuity – rooted in the apostolic succession - between the Church founded by Christ and the Catholic Church.
• The single Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church.
• How do we view the other churches?
• The Church of Christ is not deprived of unity in spite of the lack of unity among Christians.

Nov 3, 2013 The Church: Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Christ, paragraphs 18-19

• The Church is the seed and beginning of the kingdom of Christ.
• Kingdom of Christ is not identified with the Church in her visible and social reality.

Nov 24, 2013 The Church and the Other Religions in Relation to Salvation, paragraphs 20-21

• The Church is necessary for salvation
• Non-Church members can also have salvation in Christ by virtue of a special grace.
• The Church is NOT just one way of salvation alongside other ways
• Prayers and rituals of other religions have no divine origin or ex opera operato salvific efficacy.

Dec 1, 2013 The Church and the Other Religions in Relation to Salvation, paragraphs 22-23

• It is not true that “one religion is as good as another”.
• Therefore, the Church must be missionary.
• Conclusion

Dec 15, 2013 TBD

Dec 29, 2013 (in room 203) TBD

Topics and contents may be changed or adjusted in accordance with actual progress and delivery needs. For further information, contact Edmond Lo, email: edmondkclo@yahoo.ca

Fountain of Love and Life Documentary on the Papacy

I hope you would take 27 minutes to watch this TV episode on the Papacy, recorded recently by the Fountain of Love and Life (FLL) in response to Pope Benedict XVI's resignation and the election of Pope Francis. It is an excellent documentary featuring interviews with many guests, including parishioners from the Greater Toronto Area Chinese Catholic community, Chinese clergy, Thomas Cardinal Collins, and yours truly. I also like its graphic illustration of the conclave. Strong in content, factual, scriptural, understandable and very convincing in all regards, the documentary is a great learning tool for those who either don't know much about the Papacy or have reservation about it. Whoever were involved in producing and editing the episode, I think they deserve a good pat on their backs for a job well done! As always, the FLL host, Christina Leung, asked all the right questions and did so in an engaging manner and with clarity. This is no question one of the strongest FLL TV episodes I've ever seen, done with substance and professionalism. Enjoy!

FLL Documentary on the Papacy - Part I

Part II of this series will be aired this weekend (April 27-28, 2013).

Why "Luxurious" Church Buildings and "Glamorous" Papal Lifestyle?

The talk of austerity, simplicity, and humility, triggered by the election of Pope Francis, has caused some people to wonder why the Catholic Church has in its possession so many costly cathedrals and basilicas. One CBC reporter in Rome also noted that the Pope’s lifestyle was anything but humble. Let me answer these accusations from both the scriptural and theological perspectives as follows:

• In the New Testament, people made a similar accusation when a woman poured expensive perfumed oil on Jesus' head. But Jesus defended her behavior because "the poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me" (Luke 14:3-9).

• In the Old Testament, God asked Moses to build the Tabernacle - a huge tent that served as the Lord’s sanctuary and the Israelites' place of worship - together with very expensive furnishings, liturgical accessories and, most of all, the legendary Ark of Covenant which was made of acacia wood and plated with pure gold inside and out. Later on, He also asked King David and his son King Solomon to build Him the majestic Jerusalem Temple. Both projects were very "luxurious" in today's standard.

• From a theological perspective, the awe-inspiring structure of a church building serves as a sign that manifests here on earth the grandeur of the Heavenly Temple. It is a door to the sacred, as it were, that opens the human eye to see the majestic dwelling place of the Lord and enables the human heart to tremble in fear in the presence of the Lord of Hosts who is “clothed with majesty and glory, robed in light as with a cloak, and spreads out the heavens like a tent” (Psalm 104:2-3).

• Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings (Revelation 17:14) who reigns as the Head of the Kingdom of God. As Jesus' Vicar here on earth, the Pope, dressed in his regal vestments and enthroned in the sedia gestatoria, is a visible image that reminds the faithful of Jesus’ kingship.

Before people point their accusatory fingers at the Church on the issue of “luxurious” church buildings and the Pope’s “glamorous” lifestyle, they are well-advised to understand the underlying scriptural and theological reasons.

Welcoming Pope Francis

I can see God's Providence at work. In fact, there's not a moment in history that God isn't guiding the Church of Christ. From Vatican II to the painful post-conciliary period of dissents, desertions, and confusions that had rocked the boat of St. Peter, to the "40-year period" (round number) of JPII and BXVI in which the true spirit of Vatican II and its teachings were vigorously exhorted, defended, and solidified, God has always been present in His Church as He promised:

And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age (Mt. 28:20).

With the election of Pope Francis, a simple and holy man who chose St. Francis’ name to represent the spirit and outlook of his pontificate, I can see a new period of purification, both spiritually and administratively. The new pontificate of Pope Francis will take the Church right back to the very core of her being: a new level of holiness, simplicity, austerity, and poverty; to the simple and humble spirit of the Beatitudes.

Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, mournful, meek, hungry for justice, merciful, pure at heart, peaceful, and persecuted for the sake of righteousness (cf. Mt. 5:1-10).

At a personal and individual level, this is also where we need to be and want to be.

At this important juncture of the history of the Church, let's pray hard for her, and do so in and through Our Lady, the Mother of the Church, who was also there praying with all the Apostles and disciples at the crucial moment when the Church was about to be inaugurated.

We Have A New Pope!

Perhaps this time it was not as intense; perhaps not as sad, knowing that this time there was no death staring us in the eyes, unlike 8 years ago when a giant in the arena of world history had been on his death bed, about to depart. But the feeling and experience were nonetheless familiar: 100,000 devout pilgrims huddled in prayer in St. Peter’s Square, defying the falling rain and chilly evening of Rome in March; curious media reporters stationed everywhere, trying to catch every hearsay that could arouse the interest of their viewers; Catholics all over the world put aside their daily routines to pray for the Church, waiting anxiously for the election of a new Pope. It’s as though their lives - maybe the whole history of the world - were hung in suspense.

It’s on occasions such as this that the power of prayer, especially the Rosary, is made evident. Two thousand years ago, following the ascension of Christ, in anticipation of the birth of the Church on Pentecost, the apostles and their followers gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem to pray (cf. Acts 1:12-14). Among them, Mary, the Mother of the Church, who played a decisive role both in the generation of the God made flesh and in the birth of the community that receives the nourishment of the Body of Christ.

After lunch this afternoon, I walked gingerly on the slippery and snow-covered grounds of the Too Good Pond, praying the Rosary as I went. Hail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou amongst women…In spite of the familiarity of the prayer, what I experienced in praying it at a time when the whole Church was awaiting the arrival of a new Pope was anything but familiar. For the first time I understood clearly what it really meant to pray in Mary, by whom the Church was anticipated and in whom the Church is personified. She was there when the great mystery of God made flesh was about to take place. She was there, in solidarity with the community of apostles and disciples gathered by Jesus, praying for the Church that was about to be inaugurated. On this special day, I know she was there, once again, together with all the faithful of the Catholic Church - including me, a contemplative soul slip-sliding away in solitude on the icy grounds of the Too Good Pond - to pray in anticipation of a new successor to St. Peter, as a Mother would.

At 3 p.m., I turned on the TV to learn that an hour ago, just when I was praying at the Too Good Pond, the white smoke from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel had come out. We had a new Pope! Half an hour later, Pope Francis, former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina, a saintly man of holiness and simplicity, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s to greet the faithful. The 266th successor to St. Peter is here! Where are the successors to the Roman emperors whose calculated, relentless, and repetitive persecutions of the Church were meant to exterminate her leaders and followers? Where is the Roman Empire that was once so mighty and powerful? Ironically the only "empire" that bears a resembling name is the Roman Catholic Church - the Kingdom of Christ that reigns not by sheer military power but by the love of Christ.