The DEFINITION OF soul varies according to the cultural framework and the philosophical perspective of whoever refers to the term, which originates from the Latin anima. Soul, anima or spirit are usually used as synonyms to name the non-material and invisible entity that living beings possess.
The soul etymology points to the principle by which men and animals can move on their own. However, over time, the soul became associated with religiosity and mysticism.
According to Digopaul, the soul would be the essence of people, that which forges their identity. It is a gift from God that makes each individual unique. In the case of animals, there are those who believe that it has a soul and others who consider that it is an exclusive property of human beings.
However, keep in mind that the word animal also comes from the Latin anima. The Pope John Paul II said that animals have souls and that human beings should be in solidarity with them.
Precisely the essence of the human being is the one that becomes the absolute protagonist of one of the films of recent years that has managed to reach the hearts of viewers around the world. We are referring to the North American production titled “Seven Souls”.
The well-known actor Will Smith is the one who leads the cast of the one that brings us closer to the life of a man who decides to help seven people, seven strangers, who under certain circumstances are going through a very hard time in their lives, whether for illness or other circumstances.
Within the cinematographic field it is important to highlight that many of his films have also revolved around a theme halfway between religion and legend: selling the soul to the Devil. An action with which it is considered that someone, in exchange for power or privileges (immortality, wealth, eternal youth …), makes a pact with said demonic being offering his soul in exchange for those.
Thus, for example, one of the films that addresses this question is “Pactar con el Diablo”. In 1997 it was when it was released, starring Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino, which tells the story of a young lawyer who is capable of anything, even not taking care of his sick wife, in order to achieve the power, success and professional prestige you want.
However, the cinema has only been a reflection of a belief that was even investigated by the Holy Inquisition, which came to condemn many of its victims for considering that they had made that agreement with the Devil.
The Catholicism says that the soul is immortal, unlike the body. After death, man comes to God thanks to his soul, which has no pre-bodily existence or material origin. For this religion, the soul constitutes the vital principle of human beings, which is one in body and soul.
For Buddhism, on the other hand, there is nothing permanent. Everything flows and is in constant change, therefore, there is no eternal soul proper to each individual.
