Something mystical. More like god.

A neighbor down the road is a Catholic. A devout one. Tells me there's only one god. Her god. The Catholic god. And that my god isn't real. Because he's not Catholic. Therefore, he's a false god. And she tells me that human life is the highest form of life. She tells me there's nothing more sacred than human life. And that abortion is sin. Murder. And that there's no excuse for abortion. Even in cases of rape or incest. But she also says that animal life isn't sacred. Because animals don't have souls. But I tell her that all of life is sacred. Even animal life. And that I think animals have souls. She thinks that's preposterous. I tell her that I doubt that all humans have souls. That we aren't necessarily born with souls. I speculate that soul life doesn't begin at conception. Not until one has been out of the womb for a while. Maybe not until 2 or 3 years of age. When one becomes fully conscious. I suggest that's why I don't object to abortion. Because one is not yet soulful at the beginning of physical existence. Anyway, she thinks I'm crazy. And that I may be angry with god. I deny it. I've never been pissed at god. I've always liked god. I think of him as a kindly creator. But that he's hard to define. That god actually may be a feeling. Love. That we have god living inside us. When we achieve pure and unconditional love. The ultimate intimacy. Meanwhile, I also dispute that human life is the highest form of life. And that it's quite possible there are much higher forms of intelligent life. Maybe on other planets in the cosmos. Or in other dimensions. And that maybe we humans have an afterlife. In a spiritual dimension. When we cast off our physical beings. Leaving only our souls. Our real essences. Something mystical. More like god. --Jim Broede