“That’s , that” is all I need to know in this life, because I’m also told not to fret about the details, and what doesn’t make since, because in the next life I’ll know everything. And besides, it kind of feels like I’ve got something bouncing around inside my body, that I sure don’t want to go away forever. Like the essence of me! That would be scary. And what about my best friend Lacy, she’s so sweet and kind, and loving. When I look into her eyes, I see every bit as much of a benevolent spirit and essence, or more, as I do in that person staring at me in the mirror. Or any other person for that matter. Lacy is my Golden Retriever dog. When I was a kid, and our family dog “Sue” died, Mom told me she would be in heaven waiting and then live with us forever. Whew, that was good news. But, I’ve wondered where the cut off is for this conscience, spirit, and eternal essence thing?

My wife is very fond of her cat “Sharlet,” though I don’t see much in its eyes past the fur balls coming out of it’s mouth. My 4 year old daughter has a hamster that she has two way conversations with! Obviously, “Burt” the hamster has a spirit and conscience . . . Just try to tell my daughter otherwise. Her twin brother has a fish I bought at a garage sale, $40.00 with a big tank and the filter stuff. It only came with one fish . . . I wondered why? Then when we got it home I discovered it was some kind of primordial carnivorous, dinasoric (my word) man eater with teeth that look like a cross cut saber saw. I’m sure it’s illegal (don’t tell anybody) It eats any other fish “friends” we try to give . . . “It”. Hence, one fish with the tank. It’s a disturbing display of the survival of the meanest. So we go dig up worms and toss them in the tank and see why evolutions adaptations resulting in sharp teeth was a smart move. An educational tool I tell my wife, so as not to have me and my boys sadistic pleasure flushed down the toilet. Does ” Vader,” my sons man eating fish have a conscience? . . . A spirit? What about those worms we throw into that tank of ‘doom’ to be shredded piece by piece, apparently, just as God intended for those teeth. Are there little spirits bouncing around in there slimy, rubbery, blind bodies that had a past life and an eternal existence? Those little guys defecate all sorts of nutrients back into the soil for our benefit. I say, anything that poops for my well being, probably has a spirit and rights to eternal existence. What about all those little cellular creatures and microbes the worm devours? Do they poop, and have spirits, and go to heaven? If they don’t, their out’ a luck in my book. This life will be the end of the line for their spiritual existence.

I say, anything that poops, has a spirit with an eternal life, and anything that hasn’t evolved enough to poop . . . Well, doesn’t . . . “So that’s that.”

Or is it . . . What kingdom of heaven or hell is Sue, Lacy, Sharlet, Bert and Vader going to go? Oh, and the worm too. Well, Vader’s essence, conscience, spirit or “what ever” is going to Hell, no doubt about it! That much I know.

As a matter of belief (note I did not say fact), I think our spirits are always fully aware (conscious) and that it is our mortal bodies that create the limitations or supposed moments of unconsciousness. I believe this is an extension of the veil effect. There are things we are not supposed to know or recall until the proper time in our spiritual progression.

That’s not to say that spirits were unconscious but it does seem to entail that the body/spirit integration is much more organic and entwinned than I think most Mormons tend to assume.

I’m not saying that’s the case but it sure would be funny if it were.

Having said that, I believe that consciousness is an inherent trait of intelligence (it has always and will always accompany and is a part of intelligence) and therefore permeates all of creation since scripturally, everything is made from some prior level of “intelligence” and everything had a spiritual beginning. By this definition, everything is conscious of what it is including the earth itself.

Good question. We often talk about our spirit having the shape of our physical bodies, but are the internal structures there as well?

Also, I was only talking about D&C 93 before, but Abraham’s vision of intelligences that were organized in the beginning was also in my mind – I concur with the idea that our spirits are conscious, but the mechanics is a riddle. If spirit is matter, could it be organized in a manner not entirely unlike the human brain?

Sireofmany, I think our spirits are conscious, but I don’t know where that comes from. We back up the consciousness debates one level (to the preexistance) but we are still stuck where consciousness studies are here on earth.

Clark, Jared, and Velska I do think our bodies affect our spirits. When I went mad, that became very clear!