Do you believe in soul mates?

I do. I don't think they have to be romantic, I think your own mother can be your soul mate. A soul mate is just someone you have a deep and extremely personal relationship. Sexual intimacy can obviously increase that, but I believe platonic soul mates exist too.

The term "soul mate" is taken culturally to imply that there's a single person who can fulfill that role. I certainly believe that extremely deep connection is possible (and often probable, although not always concerning a sexual partner), but I reject the notion that there is some preordained, singular person to whom each person is otherwise fated to have this connection to should they meet.

I suppose I believe in the concept, but not the current understanding of its execution.

I used to.

Don't know about now though.

Not really. I mean, I can believe in an abstract sort of way that such a thing could be true (although not, as said, that it's preordained and you only get one).

But I have never met anyone that I even thought I might be able to have this relationship with. So this belief is a kind of a hollow one.

I don't, for pretty much all the reasons Alex stated.

http://www.bugcomic.com/comics/soulmate/

I believe in a concept that there can be multiple such individuals over the course of a lifetime. At least multiple individuals you have a very close innate connection to. If reincarnation is indeed a thing then we have reasons as to why such a strong connection exists. Namely it's the result of almost lost memories from a past life. It's not necessarily permanent however.

I do and I agree that the relationship between soulmates doesn't have to be romantic.

No, but I think you can find someone who'd fit the description.

Nope.

While one may encounter people they knew very well from a past life, which generates an instant sense of closeness, I don't think it has anything to do with fate itself.

Fate doesn't have time for petty shit, yo.

Ah that is something else. I don't believe that it is fated to happen. It's merely the result of reincarnation. Not fate.

Depends. Is it exclusively singular?

Not for any pre-existing reason. I believe the general concept can be achieved when the right kind of relationship forms between people, though.

My past experiences have led me to believe there is no such thing is an inexorable bond, though.

There used to be. She's still with me in spirit anyway.

No. I find it hard to believe in things that have no proof. I'm not saying that soul mates definitively can't exist, because no proof doesn't mean that the opposite is automaticaly true, but I can't believe in it.

Personally, I highly doubt it, but that's just my opinion.

Not really. That is, certainly not in the quasi-mythological Alex has described which seems to be prevalent. That is nonsense. But then, really, does anything need to be made spiritual? I think friendship, love and understanding is possible even without such concepts as "soul mates".

thefran beat me to it.

Coincidentally my soul mate is most likely either in a non-english speaking country or a different planet altogether.

Yes. I'm Quixotic.

We don't have souls.

Didn't you know? All life on earth except humanity possess souls.

Our lack of souls is what makes civilization possible.

edited 1st Jan '12 11:26:20 PM by Kraken

@OP: Not even a little bit.

Not civilization, just politics :|

To answer the question in seriousness, yes, but it's something you build up to rather than something you mysteriously find and trip over. Love is not a passive occurrence.

edited 1st Jan '12 11:31:04 PM by Pykrete

It's definitely a nice thought.

And that's all it is.

I guess so...

No. Some people are more compatible than others, of course, but there's no such thing as a soul-mate.