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Conjoined twins and ensoulment


Dreamweaver

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As we know, twins, whether fraternal or identical, have two separate and distinct souls. What about conjoined twins, also known as Siamese twins? Is there any degree of "separateness" that determines when there will be 1 vs. 2 souls? Any legal definition when a conjoined twin is one or two beings?

Or what about cases in which a child has a parasitic conjoined twin?

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If they are twins, regardless of whether they share the same heart, brain, ect., by definition, they are still two unique beings, and would each have their own soul.

Of course, I have no scientific or religious sources handy to back me up. . . But this is my opinion.

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I think it would depend on whether or not they were both actually alive as separate persons. There is an interesting situtation called In Fetus Fetu, It's basically a twin growing inside its brother/sister. It is very strange and has stirred up all sorts of ethical debates. I have no answer to the question.

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last time this came up I proposed that whichever cells were destined for one person would be attached to his soul while whichever cells were destined for the other would be attached to his soul. we cannot tell with all our technology which part of this conjoinment will form into which person. God can, He has the technology ;)

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Here is a link for what I was talking about (actually called Fetus in Fetu). It is a hard case:

[url="http://www.thefetus.net/page.php?id=290"]http://www.thefetus.net/page.php?id=290[/url]

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[quote name='InHisHands381' date='Dec 21 2004, 02:36 AM'] It would seem to me that 2 people = 2 souls...even if they are joined at some point physically. [/quote]
The hard part is defining what physically constitutes a person and how that corresponds to the soul. In other words, what is physically essential for "personhood", which, it seems, is the same thing as asking what is physiccaly essential for animation?

Edited by popestpiusx
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