This is a strange question for me to ask. As a non-mystic, I do not believe that anybody has a soul. However, I am curious about the beliefs of others.

If some scientist manages to clone a human being, would the clone have a soul? As of today, the creation of a clone requires implanting an ovum with a full complement of DNA in a woman’s uterus resulting in pregnancy and ultimately childbirth.

In the future, it might be possible to build an artificial uterus-like environment. Would this affect your answer to the question?

Suppose biochemistry advances allowed the creation of DNA from basic chemicals, allowing for the creation of an artificial human being, indistinguishable from a natural creation. Would the artificial human being have a soul?

Does a fertilized egg have a soul? If not, when does the soul come into existence? At birth? When the embryo has measurable brain waves?

What about the Star Trek transporter, which I do not believe will ever exist? If such a device were possible, it could make as many copies of an individual as you wanted to make. All would consider themselves to be equivalent to the original, although it is obvious that they would differ among themselves as they accumulated new and different life experiences. If it could happen, would each have a soul? This question might be a reason for a religious person to disbelieve the possibility of such a device. BTW: The Star Trek device seems to destroy the original and create a remotely located copy, rather than transporting her/him