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AIBU?

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Original poster

what on earth should I have said???

28 replies

CarryOn90 · 23/09/2014 21:29

Today a 6-year-old (not my own) asked me 'what is a soul?'

I was completely stumped!! I vaguely thought about starting off 'a magical thing inside you...' but that sounded ludicrously patronising even to a bloody 6 year old!

What would you have said??

OP posts:
Original poster
CarryOn90 · 23/09/2014 21:30

(I don't have DC by the way so not used to having to explain things!)

OP posts:
ThinkIveBeenHacked · 23/09/2014 21:31

"it is the part hidden inside your body that feels happy and sad and confused and amazed - its the bit that makes you interested in things and bored by things"

Im not religious in the slightest so to me, the soul is essentially your personality - your "you"ness.

2tired2bewitty · 23/09/2014 21:32

"Ooh, err, umm? Look, a squirrel!"

seasavage · 23/09/2014 21:32

'Some people believe in souls as being a part of a person, a part that can carry on after you die'.

2tired2bewitty · 23/09/2014 21:33

Or what Think said Grin

Howlongtillbedtime · 23/09/2014 21:33

It's the thing that makes you you !

Or " Ask your mum I am not sure "

SomethingVicardThisWayComes · 23/09/2014 21:33

id have just said its the thing that makes you, you.

thats what it is isnt it?

LindyHemming · 23/09/2014 21:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tshirtsuntan · 23/09/2014 21:34

It's the bottom of your foot??! Wink

ILovePud · 23/09/2014 21:34

I'd say the bottom of your foot!

WorraLiberty · 23/09/2014 21:34

It's a fish or the bottom of your shoe? Grin

MrsWinnibago · 23/09/2014 21:34

I told my 6 year old that it's the "thing which makes you you" and elabourated by saying "It's like your flavouring" Grin So everyone's flavour is unique....there's not only cheese n onion....there are no two souls the same....we all have a completely different one.

Marmiteandjamislush · 23/09/2014 21:35

'Good grief. That is a big question. Why don't we ask [insert name of caregiver] when we get back!' Then I'd give said caregiver a text as a heads up.

londonrach · 23/09/2014 21:35

A fish or bottom of the foot...

SomethingVicardThisWayComes · 23/09/2014 21:35

wow howlongtillbedtime....how weird was that! i posted within 5 seconds of you and we both said the exact same thing!

!

StillSquirrelling · 23/09/2014 21:36

My 5 year old asked me this quite recently - she'd been reading The Little Mermaid (original HCA version). I told her it was the invisible part of your body and mind that makes you different from anyone else. I also told her that it was the part of you that never dies, even when your body does. She seemed to accept my explanation!

ILovePud · 23/09/2014 21:37

Agggh t-shirt beat me too it, I look like a twat now! I think seasavage's response is a good one, I'd emphasise that this is part of some people's belief system rather than stating it as a fact.

Howlongtillbedtime · 23/09/2014 21:43

Great minds something Wink

Howlongtillbedtime · 23/09/2014 21:45

Actually I would have probably have asked them.where they had heard the word and what did they think it meant ?

Normally some fab answers that way .

placidjoy123 · 23/09/2014 23:18

I'd have said..
Some people believe that there is a part of us which lasts forever - even after we die. However there's no evidence for the existence of an immortal soul and it's far I likely to be a human invention to ease the pain of loss of loved ones.

riverboat1 · 23/09/2014 23:45

I'd wikipedia it.

TheIncredibleBookEatingManchot · 23/09/2014 23:49

I told my DCs it's all the parts of you you can't touch, like your thoughts and feelings.

BaffledSomeMore · 23/09/2014 23:54

I second the "It's the thing that makes you you" idea. Your body is the suitcase and your soul is the stuff inside. You can't see it but it's the stuff you want.

BerylStreep · 23/09/2014 23:55

placidjoy123 I like your explanation. Smile

NoSquirrels · 23/09/2014 23:57

I'd have said started with "Ummm. . ."

and then said something along the lines of "There's 2 parts of you, your body - which can run and jump and sleep and poo - and the bit inside of you that makes you wonder things and think things that no one else thinks, the invisible part of you that makes you who you are inside, not outside'.

And I'd also probably have added that your body can die, but your soul can't. But we have been having and are comfortable with a fair amount of death chat, which some people aren't.