“We have no dispute about the existence of abstract spirits, nor of abstract bodies. The dispute is about the consciousness of abstract spirits.
You aim to prove their consciousness by Parables, and Prophetic visions. Whereas we know “that God speaks of things (in this way) that are not; as though they were” and that to consider them as literal is to deceive ourselves. The main point in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, was to show that wealth was not that which entitled men to happiness in a future state. This parable was spoken because of what was said by the Pharisees.
“The Pharisees who were covetous heard all these things, [preceding parables] and derided him.” And to rebut their derision, the Lord uttered the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
“Now we must consider the inhabitants of Hades, as being either dead or alive. If dead, then they are the proper subjects of the resurrection, but if alive I don't know how to apply the resurrection to them. I read of the dead's being raised, not the living.
“And I also read that Hades shall deliver up the dead that is in it, but there is not a word said about the living. Then if it be inhabited by abstract spirits they must be dead ones.
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit to God who gave it.” This passage very clearly proves a separation of the body and spirit at death, which every body believes, but goes farther and almost, if not quite, proves the annihilation of identity. When the body mingles again with the earth, and the spirit returns to the source from whence it came, the idea of identity is lost—and were it not for the promise of a re-in-statement of our identity, at the appearance of the Lord, the faith and hope of the Christian would be useless. I might reason thus, and say that I existed in the earth and in God from the beginning, but what consolation would this afford, seeing that I was not conscious of my existence—and if I were returned to the source from whence I came and were not conscious of my existence—I would make but little difference between that state of existence, and total annihilation.”