The thing that kind of gets me about the soul, the more I think about it, is that it feels to me thematically, the same way both series tried to keep a slippery take on heaven and hell in play, is that I think we were meant to come away with an idea that the soul is kinda bullshit. No, seriously. I really got that impression. Despite the fact we saw it as this actual thing you can put in a jar, and that you turn into a sociopathic nut without one, none of that seems to matter for much if there's no heaven or no hell, theologically speaking (Cue John Lennon singing). Then it really IS about determinism, never mind the consequences, 'cause there really are none. Your responsibility is to your own conscience. And I'm cool with that message, if that's the one they meant to send - it explains Spike, for one - but....

I always end up stuck on "uh, then why didn't they just do the Wizard of Oz thing and say so?" Why keep playing musical chairs with the whole "reward" concept, and never get around to show anyone sitting down? I can be sorta-kinda grateful that it was left up in the air and as confusing as it is, because it does leave questions for discussions such as this... but the "closure" part of me would have liked to have seen a little clearer philosophical point in the final analysis, one that didn't make me bring all my own cultural baggage to the table to do it for them. (shrug) But because that was the decision ME made, the arguments were all left up to us to make, whether any of this plays as Christian or not. Sneaky.