Sherlock,
Thanks for being here and sharing what you believe. This place is rather quiet most of the time.. the mainstream has probably rejected it as a place for discussion... 
You said, "The Bible states that when a person dies, "the spirit itself returns to the true God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7) Does this mean that a spirit entity literally travels through space into God's presence? Not at all! The way in which the Bible uses the word "returns" does not require an actual movement from one place to another."
Well, I doubt that very few of us are in total agreement, and this is one point that I have a little difference in. No offense, please, non intended... I see it a little different, but mark it down: I could be wrong. I've been wrong before...
I agree that the spirit is NOT a separate 'entity'. But I do believe that the spirit does 'travel' back to God who gave it... whether it travels through space, or not, I don't know, but I do believe it goes back to Him... Somehow, it is 'returned' to Him for storage awaiting the day of Resurrection. I see it as the spirit record of who and what the person was during this life... every detail of their personality. Not a conscious entity, but a silent and complete file... a complete record of who and what that person was, all their thoughts, dreams, hopes, plans, etc... the things they saw, heard, felt etc..
Just sharing what I believe like you did... Hope you will continue to frequent Phil's Place and share...
Phil Barnes
...Death is the absence of life.
