I have to think about these so I'll get back to you this afternoon.

Yes I believe in spirits for sure. If you've ever been by someones side when they are dying you'll believe too. My mom talked to several family members that had crossed over. It was amazing.

This is fun....

I know for a fact that I am a different person now due to my brain damage than I was prior to the brain damage. It is because of this change that I have lost friends.

To answer your question directly I think that given what I have gone trough with my own brain trauma it is likely that once memories are forgotten you are a blank slate of sorts. I know for a fact, that prior to my brain damage I was a hard core Type A personality. Now, my personality is quite different I am much calmer and take life with ease. I don't get overly serious to often. So I think your theory has merit. I believe that once we loose our memories we are a blank canvas.

As to holding someone accountable for past crimes when their memories have changed!? Good question! I think that brain damage and cognitive impairment are pretty hard to fake, with all the current imaging tools we currently have. So, I would say it would be reasonable to forgive someone on that basis. Especially, if their new personality a positive one.

Ghosts....always fun!!!

Can't wait to see what you put together! Hugs, Cathy

About the horrible act part. Behavior has consequenses. It is not about whether the person would do the same thing again or even if they remember. It is the natural consequence of their behavior.

Food for thought, Kris.

1. I don't think you would inherit the same beleifs, but you would have the same moral compass. Eg;, once a nurturer, always a nurturer, or a jerk is still a jerk. If you were raised Christian, and lost your memory of experiences, I don't think you would understand the religion, but you might grasp something greater than yourself.

2. That would depend on the justice situation before him. It is our society that deems 'eye for an eye'.

3. I don't beleive there is anything supernatural. I think we have just yet to understand it on our terms.

Angela

www.nanowrimo.org/

it is national write a novel month. this site helps you with that.

Thanks for the link,I'll def have to check it out. And just for clarification when I asked if the person deserves punishment, it was more from a morality standpoint then a legal one.
The hook for the story would be something like a man/or woman waking up after a coma and they have complete and permenant amnesia. So after starting over from scratch and building a new life what do they do when they begin to be haunted by people they murdered in their previous life?

im not same preson its more phiscally but i have been in a thing that happened . years ago i had complete breakdown like i did not how i got to a place dont rember doing things they said i did. i still dont rember it all , so im gonna say no you are not same preson .
i think it dose not matter you are the preson that commited crime .you where still able to stand trail . there for you sentice should be upheld.
supernatural yes i belive i can feel presents and somtimes i hear them. i see them on rare accasion . i think i have . i have had some real spooky exsprainces in this area if you need more info im me hugs minnie

From my perspective:

1. Your experiences govern your reactions to situations you are confronted with. If you no longer have access to those memories, you will react differently to new situations. A large part of your new self will be the questions you have about your previous self that no one can answer, unless you have family trying to help you recover your lost memories. In that case, you will have greater confusion, wondering whether or not to trust the word of people you clearly don't know, but who are trying to convince you of your place in the world.

Belief is the acceptance of that which cannot be proven, so you would likely not have the same beliefs. You would have to be re-taught to accept them.

2. Punishment of a person who commited an illegal act is linked to the person's body, whether or not they remember the act. If they committed an illegal act while sleep-walking, they are still arrested. Punishment is dependent upon the opinions of the jurors.

3. I have personal experiences that encourage my belief in life after death. However, since the nature of belief in something is the acceptance of that which cannot be proven, my experiences cannot be used to try to convince others of the validity of my beliefs.

What are your answers to these 3 questions?

Fascinating questions Kris!

Well, I have read that our memories are not held in the brain alone but in our very cells. So we may not remember intellectually that we killed someone, but some part of our unconscious would. For instance, if you were to inherit a transplanted organ, you would also inherit some of your donor's memories. Interesting, eh? (That's my Canadian accent coming through LOL).

So given this, I believe a person is accountable even if they do not remember their crime.

I believe we have an essence that is us and that even if I were to start a new life due to loss of memory, I would be a similar person, if not exactly the same.

I do believe in spirits as energy. I very much felt my father's presence after his death, when we had a family dinner in his honour. I could feel him beaming down at his 4 daughters. It's a bitter/sweet memory.

So good luck with your story... sounds intriguing... will we be able to read it?

Ama

Yes ama, if I do manage to get this idea out of my head and onto paper I will definatly let my DS family have first crack at reading it. I have hundreds of ideas like this in my head, I just have difficulty getting them out into the written form. As a child I had dyslexia but didn't find out about it until I was around 14, I was very lucky to have an older cousin who was a counselor that finally recognized my problem and helped me to overcome it. As a result I can read very fast and retain more than the average person, but on the flip side I have to this day distinct issues with writing and typing, often I will jumble letters so bad spellcheck can't come close to understanding me, so I spend lots of time double checking my work and I get disheartened and quit. This particular idea is one I had years ago, another one I have rolling around in my head is about a tree that grew on the spot where a child was violently killed, and the fruit of this tree carries with it pieces of the child's ghost, and to put the spirit to rest a group of strangers that do not know each other have to find a way to come together to help this child pass on. Which one sounds more interesting this idea? Or the one about the amnisiatic killer?

I like both ideas Kris. To start with you can record what you want to write then you won't forget some good thoughts. My ex is a published writer so if you need help publishing or even editing I can and will give you a hand and an eye, lol. I edited his last 2 books.

Go for it!!! It'll be something fun that you can focus on instead of pain maybe.

Healing hugs

Oooooo! This IS fun!

I just saw this......am going to have to think on it and get back to you, but I think you have the start of something great! Of course I am a sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural freak!

It may be Friday before I can get back to you. My internet connection is under construction, trying to be repared from being severed by a sinkhole....long story...LOL. And I have a sleep study tomorrow night. I will be back soon!

Tonna

Oh my, deep questions.
Lets see, spirits, defiantly. My mom passed away in my house as I was her caregiver for years. I can tell you my husband is the biggest doubting Thomas you'll ever meet. I would not allow her bedroom door to be opened after she passed for several weeks. My children would never & knew better & my husband most certainly would not, Well we had to put off the funeral as she passed over memorial. For the first few days my husband would wake up early to shower for work & find her door open. Now she would get up mornings with him to make his coffee, as she felt she was doing a nice thing for him.
Each morning he got out of the shower her door would be open. No one else was up. I also heard noise from in her room. So the morning of the funeral I sat by myself to right a eulogy. I heard something & went to find her robe on the floor which hung on a hook on the door. I just smiled & said "mom its ok, you can go on to be with dad & if your not ready just don't scare the pants off hubby". After the final day of her funeral all the activity stopped. That is one example think what you will.

Now I think what we experience in life molds us. Yet we are born with personalities. I think if everything is wiped away from our memories it has to somewhat change who we are. I'd like to believe the good in me & others would still be there but who's to say.
When I was in a Psych. Class they did a study on violent criminals
& found a large majority had suffered enclosed head injuries.
Interesting I thought, yet it does not excuse the crime.

As far as the crimes or sinful acts one commits well that depends. Did that person already pay a penance before they had lost the person they used to be? Most people deserve a chance to redeem. Although I find it hard to say those who commit crimes against children & defenseless people should be forgiven. I realize I am not judge nor jury in the end & this is only my opinion.

Hope this helps you out.
Sammy

Kris, you could do a book about jurors who handed a not guilty verdict to an obviously guilty guy, and follow his subsequent crimes, as well as how his subsequent crimes affected the jurors who let him go. Just a thought.

There is voice-recognition software you could get for your computer. Bypass the whole dyslexia road-block entirely.

Incredible questions! I will have to think about 'em ...

The concept of the #2 question would make a GREAT book -BUT... I also REALLY LOVE the idea of the amnesia couple that try to make a new life and are haunted by victims.

I have never heard anything like it!