None of which are contradictory with rationality whatsoever (with the caveat we're speaking of "spirit" as in "spirit of adventure", not the "soul").
You are trying to use rationality, the tool the ego uses to justify its position of control over the lower levels of your physical, emotional and mental reality, to understand the levels beyond it
What levels? Evidence, please?
Better to use the tools of metaphor and analogy to discover the truth about what else you are
Hm...I'll stick to biology, chemistry, and physics.
"Fair enough. I accept that your rationality enables the paradox of eyes that see without seeing."
By that I am telling you that I accept that your ego is NOT going to let go of its position of control and authority over what you see and understand.
But...given the nature of your posts here, the code the original programmer wrote is clearly still there inside you waiting to be discovered, once the ego's workarounds have been disabled.
I promise you this: it's quite a ride once a crack in the stonework develops!
Though I confess that I'm not the one to explain or to convince you, as my track record when it counted isn't good, please let me try again to answer you.
Those who play musical instruments will tell you it’s a process to go from not even a beginner to being a competent musician.
It takes time and some effort and discipline to go from learning to tune your instrument to playing well, but in developing that talent, you are also tuning your “self” and what you can receive, along with what your ability can then play. The more you do it, the better and more natural you become.
By "can receive" I am speaking to where do music and songs come from to get a sense of the other levels you asked about.
Often musicians themselves can't explain the answer to that question, but to experience the answer, you must first begin the effort of tuning your “self” to receive it and then express it through your instrument.
The same is true for all of your known and hidden talents which come with your being human and, other than the savants, most of us need to learn how to tune our inner receiver to the right frequency to receive the what we need to develop talent. If you’ve ever experienced being “in the zone”, then you understand what it’s like to be in tune.
It’s also true that your “tuner” doesn’t care what you give it to tune into, good or bad, right or wrong, etc. It merely sets itself according to your use, focus and intent. “Your” choice and free will, but the expression “garbage in, garbage out” is accurate and a warning for your reality will follow. You are what you eat, so to speak, so be careful what you feed your self.
Whatever your compelling reasons, to me it looks and sounds like you have been “tuning” your inner receiver, and your thinking, to NOT receive the right frequency. (Sorry Sam, Kenneth ain’t the one to see about it.)
As a point to ponder, is it really you, the real you, making that choice to not to tune in or is it something else? (The answer to that question can be tricky, as the answer is within, not in the world around you)
Regarding organized religion, a friend of mine used to say that they all have a piece of the truth. I've always thought that was clever, but lately come to realize that the truth is not fully in any of the three chunks we humans cut His Church/Body into, but in the totality of the three united. (That day is coming, btw.)
I suggest not getting distracted by the constant squabbling and feuding between them, but seek your answers yourself, and not from observing their worst examples. Like my drinkin' buddy used to say: "Don't drink downstream beer." Instead, I suggest that you be a "source-rer" and head upstream, so to speak, to the source for the purity you seek.
Hint? As Moulder said: "The truth is out there." But often to see it, you must first believe it, not the other way around.