Page 14
The layout of this image is symmetrical to the one found in on page 7. In the former, we have a soul who is about to check out of this life. On this page we have a soul who is about to check into his. Some NDE theorists who subscribe to a more scientific interpretation of death’s ‘tunnel of light’ experience postulate that it is the dying brain recalling its most primordial memory: the experience of vaginal birth, specifically, going through the birth canal (tunnel) and seeing the harsh bright lights of this world for the very first time. A parallel to the tunnel of light at death perhaps.
Either way, the severing of the umbilical cord as seen in the digital camera’s viewfinder finalizes the infant’s transition into this real world, never to return to its former abode. Keep this idea in the back of your mind: the severing of the cord.
Can any name the three ‘rates’ on this page?
1) The baby’s heart rate
2) The daily birthrate
3) The digital camera frame rate.
Rate number 3 is interesting. Typically there are 30 frames captured per second of recorded video. Here, 30 pictures of the newborn’s life are captured for every second recorded. It is another example of a life becoming ‘digitized’—and if a clip like this is posted on the internet, this soul has a very good chance of becoming, in a way, immortal: Digital Eternal Life.
Finally, the birth scene above brings up a centuries long debate of ensoulment: Is there soul? What is soul? Where does soul come from? When does a baby begin to have a soul? Does ensoulment happen at conception or birth?
–SM
Why all men in the room? Is this intentional…it feels disturbing.
@viamptress:disqus hhhhmmm— not intentional at all. What was I thinking when I drew this? At least one female nurse or midwife should have been included. I was present for the birth of all three of my children and I should have known better. Hadn’t even occurred to me until now.
So what happens when you have the situation that there are more people being born per day than are dying?
Assuming this is a literal question, then annual birth rates have superseded annual death rates years ago. So some would say that the answer to your question is overpopulation. If current data is accurate then
the birth rate is roughly 138,700,000
million a year. If you subtract that sum by the annual death rate of 56,000,000 per annum, the
figure is 82,700,000 new humans a year. Now if your question is pertains to our story above, then I’m not sure I understand your question.
I think the question being begged is: Where are they getting the rest of the new souls?
Ahh– if that is the question’s meaning then there is an explanation deeper in the book.