Parallel universes, the soul and God

**DungeonMasterJim** · 12-20-2012, 12:09 PM

So I was watching a show where various professors of big name schools were talking about the possibilities of parallel universes and if they truly exist. In part, they expressed the notion that for every time each person makes a decision a new universe is created. Essentially, if you are driving and have to turn left or right, if you turn left in this universe in a parallel universe you turned right.

One professor made sounding like a parallel universe seemed similar to cloning in my opinion. He stated that duplicates of you in other universes may look like you but may and could be very different from you in this universe. Another professor talked about a whole bunch of himself spread across the multi-verse.

The idea of having a soul, in my definition essentially my conscious being that can survive and does without a physical body, works well for me. But adding in the idea that parallel universes could be real, would another 'me' have a soul? Part of my soul? Could my consciousness span several universes?

Then add in the existence of God and things get more complicated. Would God rule over all of these universes? Would he be pissed if in one universe you worship Him and in another your parallel self was an atheist?

There isn't hard evidence that there actually are parallel universes although quantum physics I believe argues that there are. Should science somehow prove the existence of parallel universes with multiple versions of me kicking around it would be interesting to see how the soul and God fit in.

**Thequeerjock** · 12-20-2012, 12:17 PM

One of the most interesting takes I ever saw was from a special I saw a year or two ago. The speaker talked about how there are likely alternate universes, but it wouldn't be like what you generally see in comic books or sci-fi. There wouldn't be something as broad as a designated evil reality, but more likely an infinite mass of alternate realities depending on the various little choices we all make in our everyday lives.

It hurts my head to think about it but it is very interesting.

**Corrina** · 12-20-2012, 12:17 PM

I love that scientists thing Flash of Two Worlds would, may just be possible.

**Patrick Gerard** · 12-20-2012, 12:24 PM

It's really not based on human choices, as I understand it, but particle choices. Although human choices would factor into that as consequences of the particle's choices.

Now, I think the idea of a "soul" as a noun is probably one of our limited human misunderstandings. I'm not sure that ANYTHING exists as a noun.

But as a pathway of desire and will, sure. That's me. That's my soul. And I'm tied into all the other me's but we branched off the one path into many.

Think of it like veins and capillaries. Am I the same as "other me"? Well, we have a common root but we did branch off. And I'm not the vein or even the blood in the vein but the motion. That's what we all are. Just flow, motion, verb.

Then again, timelines may not just branch out but may also fold IN. I've seen compelling talk that we may have multiple pasts and that may allude to the universe right now being the result of multiple universes that folded together. In which case, "other me" and I might merge back up later.

But as they say, "faith without works is dead." To be is to do. To do is to be. Doobedoobedoo. We're velocity and trajectory, not substance. A succession of images and the images aren't real but the succession of them is. The animation and not the frames.

Where the animation is distinct, me and "other me" are distinct. Where the animation is the same, we are the same.

**Patrick Gerard** · 12-20-2012, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Thequeerjock

One of the most interesting takes I ever saw was from a special I saw a year or two ago. The speaker talked about how there are likely alternate universes, but it wouldn't be like what you generally see in comic books or sci-fi. There wouldn't be something as broad as a designated evil reality, but more likely an infinite mass of alternate realities depending on the various little choices we all make in our everyday lives.

It hurts my head to think about it but it is very interesting.

Assuming all probabilities are represented, you could have a goatee-wearing evil doppelganger in an evil universe. In fact, you would, as a matter of necessity, assuming ALL possibilities are represented.

But it would be pretty far out. The close ones would all be indistinguishable. You'd need an electron microscope pointed at one particle in another galaxy.

We could be hopping between the closer ones right now or they could all be folding in together as the result of some kind of undiscovered probabilistic gravity and we'd never know. Because they'd be identical as far as we could see.

That's one of those things I want to play with if I ever get to work on an established comic book. Say, the Justice League crosses over into another universe and meets another Justice League. Not one with distinct costumes or evil goatees or even different boot colors. Identical.

Now, where the difference lies and whether the interaction causes a difference, that's where the story is. But when they meet, there is NO apparent difference.

I think it would be eerie.

**Thequeerjock** · 12-20-2012, 12:36 PM

I'm just happy with the idea that somewhere, in some universe, I have a stylish evil goatee.

**ever_seeking** · 12-20-2012, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Thequeerjock

I'm just happy with the idea that somewhere, in some universe, I have a stylish evil goatee.

But he's bald, hates sports and votes Republican.

Ha ha

**Impulse** · 12-20-2012, 04:09 PM

I love the idea that somewhere "out there" there's a 'me' with a life that's not a festering mess of frustration, loneliness and depression that makes me want to kill myself.

**Patrick Gerard** · 12-20-2012, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by Impulse

I love the idea that somewhere "out there" there's a 'me' with a life that's not a festering mess of frustration, loneliness and depression that makes me want to kill myself.

I realize it's just a sitcom theme to a lot of people but sentiments like this make me think of this song:

**michealdark** · 12-20-2012, 04:28 PM

If the soul spans across multiple time periods, as I believe it does (I believe in reincarnation), then what's to say it can't spread across multiple universes?

Actually, I think parallel universes are a lifesaver to those that believe in the soul, because the afterlife can be explained as a parallel universe. A lot of people try to explain it as another dimension anyways. A dimension is a mathematical measurement though, so a parallel universe works better for what they're saying.