Quoth Pilgrim:
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Revelation 6:9-11 (ASV) "And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
The two elements you are wanting to deny are clearly present in this text: 1) The souls of those who had died are conscious and very much aware of their existence, where they are and even communicate with God. 2) These disembodied souls are also conscious of time, for they cried out, "How long . . . etc."

I try to be very careful when quoting Revelation on anything but it seems to me that these are folks who were martyred not just saints who died of, say, cancer. Most translations say they died For the testimony they had borne, maintained, or held

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Revelation 6:9-11 (ASV)And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled [their course]."

And here it seems that they are waiting on the rest of their bretheren (and sister-en) who are also to be martyred. Yeah they're talking to the Lord, but it looks like a special group to me.

Pilgrim, I'm not really opposed to the historic view. You wrote something like "I'd really like to know what you think" so I told you the best I could. I think that the text could be combed either way with regard to the consciousness/unconsciousness of souls in general after death so I can't really say that the view you are espousing is any more or less biblical that what I said. I don't think I'd come out and say "You're opposed to a biblical view". At least not in a civil discussion among brothers--which I hope this remains--regarding what could arguably be considered a hair-splitter.

I'm still not sure where the soul sleep thing came in. I think Pilgrim introduced it. I've always thought, from what I've read, that there is an actual bodily resurrection. You know the trump sounds and the dead rise, that sort of thing. I've got seven different versions up here and they all say "sleep" and "we shall all be changed in the twinkling of an eye" long about 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 ish. It also appears that Paul uses the same word here:
1 Cor 15:51 (NIV) 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—

as opposed to death which he uses here:

1 Cor 15:26 (NIV)The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Here's another good example also from chapter 15:
1 Cor 15:16-18 (NIV) 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.

The same word is used for asleep (dead is different refering to dead bodies not death). I’m thinking there’s death as in “going to hell” death and death as in “dead but getting ready to LIVE”.

Josh
"...the word of God is not bound."--2 Timothy 2:9