People sometimes use the words 'in my opinion', when they are expressing something which should be understood to be their opinion, but it is very common for people to express an opinion, expecting it to be understood as such.  Since you contested it, I have been at pains to point out that this small aside was my opinion, but it seems that the lengths I've gone to have done little to stop your point scoring.  I can only assume that you're choosing that to try to point score on because you actually can't point score on the substance of the argument!

point scoring - no not really Martin. Just looking for clarity. It was your opinion and not an absolute fact. We should be clear on that. Just to point out that I don't need to 'point score'    - but I usually enjoy the discussion as long as we can all remain polite with one another.

As I keep saying, there is no good evidence for the existence of the soul or for zombies.  No more evidence than for the existence of hippogryphs.  The evidence that hallucinogenic substances and poisons are used to fool people into believing in the existence of zombies, isn't evidence of their existence - it shows that those who claim they do exist need to fake their existence to perpetuate the myth.

Well you see for me (and many many others) there is amazing evidence for the existence of the soul - because of personal proof (messages/info/evidence/validation  from deceased loved ones)  and also the accounts of others. NDE's also give accounts of situations of when consciousness is existing outside the body

Near Death Experience - Blind woman SEES while OUT OF BODY


and the reincarnation thing (interesting linky below)
Scientific Evidence for Reincarnation by Dr Ian Stevenson

(by the way - my opening comment about the Zombies was actually meant to be a bit of humour - Shaun of the Dead is soooo funny  )

If someone uses a word like 'soulless' to describe a state of detachment induced by drugs, this has no bearing whatsoever on the existence of a soul (a part of us that remains in some way conscious after the death and complete destruction of the body).  All the use of the word 'soulless' shows is that the concept of a soul exists in human culture.  It can give no evidence as to the truth behind such a concept.  Another example might be the use of the term 'elven featured' which might be used to describe someone's face - it doesn't mean that elves actually exist, it just means that there is a commonly held understanding of what a fictional character, an elf, would look like.

Surely all this is bleedin' obvious?

some do believe elves exist - some claim to have seen them maybe. I haven't seen any elves myself, but I have to remain open to the possibility they do (on another vibrational frequency that we are unable to perceive perhaps). There is so much out there that we still don't know of. For example, our understanding was that nothing with mass could travel faster than light. Now though (OPERA) - there is uncertainty as neutrinos seem to be able to travel faster - and if this is the case it does have some remarkable repercussions for us.