Hi Clanad...about your quote.." In Ecclesiastes Chapter 3, Solomon writes "Who (God) knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?"...
Not so...
(Ecclesiastes 3:19) For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so that there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity.
that 'spirit' is not our personality, but is the force that makes every living thing move...when we die, that force goes back to God. Even an ant has that force...but could you say an ant has a separate personality that can haunt houses..? which is what is being said when false religion changed 'spirit' to 'ghost'...
When we die we cease to exist in any form...but we are REMEMBERED by God who has the power to resurrect us [ Revelation 20; 12,13] which means...a standing up...
which in turn means we are given NEW bodies to continue life breathing air on the earth...
this is supported by
(Psalm 37:9) For evildoers themselves will be cut off, But those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth.
(Psalm 37:11) But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.
(Psalm 37:29) The righteous themselves will possess the earth, And they will reside forever upon it.
(Psalm 37:34) Hope in Jehovah and keep his way, And he will exalt you to take possession of the earth. When the wicked ones are cut off, you will see [it].
These are the ones, after resurrectiomn, that agree to obey God's laws...many who are resurrected will refuse and must suffer the penalty...
Example...hitler, mussolini, and that other bloke who is ANTI-God...name escapes me.
give this all some