Do animals have souls?

[Arachon]

Am I the only one who finds it disturbing that you get christianity rammed down your throats and told that they're "facts"? I thought religion class was meant to educate on different religions, using objective facts, rather than biased opinions, to provide understanding of other religions and to decerase religious intolerance.

I don't think animals have souls. I don't think people do either. Personalities, dreams, willpower, sure. Just not souls. There's something illogical in the idea that a part of us will live on, it's also wistful thinking really.

On topic: Pretty much what she said

 

[Virus017]

I think it very much depends on if you believe in creationism or not, and if so how do you interpret creationism. From a personal standpoint I see it as evolution has taught me.
We all start off as single-celled organisms, as evolution takes place and species become more and more diverse one my evolve more than the other. Eventually we end up with humans, who will eventually destroy the planet and probably themselves. Well I guess even evolution doesn't give a clear answer. My point of view is the animals do serve as food, but they should not be needlessly harmed in any way. They are not as intelligent as humans to understand the concepts of souls and feelings, so that raises further questions still.

 

[Skalman]

Well define specifically what a "soul" is and I'll give you my answer.

 

[swift tongued]

Jeez, why ask that?
Humans are selfish and ignorant and I have to say this but it is actually the religious minority that enforce this.
Who enforced the elitist view that the suns and planets orbited earth?

Aristotle actually. Look I strongly dislike the Roman Catholic church, but they were definently useful in terms of preserving Latin texts. Then again we all know that the middle east started the European Renaissance...

But on topic, I beleive the ability to develope a society is certainly proof enough of a soul. I would ask if our constant determination to destroy the earth, literally the one thing god have us that we still have according to Christianity, doesn't make us less holy then most other creatures.

 

[Beffudled Sheep]

Well, considering HUMANS don't have souls I'd say it's a bit of a stretch to suggest that animals do.

This.

 

[BlueTimberwolf]

Do religious education teachers have souls?

 

[Skalman]

Humans don't have souls.

Humans are animals

QED

This is pretty win.

 

[Nedned]

I don't have a soul, and I don't want a soul. You know why? Because they don't exist. When you die, you die. You don't go off to magical fairyland, no one does, I don't, you don't, your pet dog won't. Yes, it would be nice if we did, but we don't. It's just a load of bullshit some ancient power hungry weirdo came up with to make you do what he wanted. What evidence is there for anyone having something as romantic as a soul? Living things are basically just robots anyway.

 

[karn3]

my RE teacher told me i had no soul i am immoral and im going to hell

 

[cuddly_tomato]

Well, considering HUMANS don't have souls I'd say it's a bit of a stretch to suggest that animals do.

Wrong.

Well, I myself personally don't believe in the concept of a soul, so therefore I am highly unlikely to go along with the notion that animals have them.

Right.

When discussing philosophy it is worth remembering these are questions which nobody has the answers too. Pretending that one does makes one no better than that religious education teacher telling the op that animals don't have souls. Just something you might want to think about before posting in these kinds of topics.

 

[ThreeWords]

I thoroughly disagree with your teacher. While it is true that the Bible says humans are superior, I should point out that Islam claims that animals have souls, as does Hinduism, Buddhism, and every other religion that believes in reincarnation. If human souls can come back as animals, then surly we all, animals and humans, share a common kind of soul?
(clarification: that's not me saying Islam believes in reincarnation)


Also, what the FUCK is your teacher doing telling you what to think? The point of the lessons is to teach you about what different religions believe, not what you teacher believes is true. The way he teaches is little better than brainwashing.

 

[ThreeWords]

I thoroughly disagree with your teacher. While it is true that the Bible says humans are superior, I should point out that Islam claims that animals have souls, as does Hinduism, Buddhism, and every other religion that believes in reincarnation. If human souls can come back as animals, then surly we all, animals and humans, share a common kind of soul?
(clarification: that's not me saying Islam believes in reincarnation)


Also, what the FUCK is your teacher doing telling you what to think? The point of the lessons is to teach you about what different religions believe, not what you teacher believes is true. The way he teaches is little better than brainwashing. In my opinion, you should not even know your teachers religious views, so that they don't influence the lesson

my RE teacher told me i had no soul i am immoral and im going to hell

your teacher is another fool. he's not only teaching you the wrong stuff, (ie what he believes, and that your a bad person), but he's also a terrible teacher. No one wants to learn form a teacher who tells them they're not even a real person.

 

[ThreeWords]

--

 

[orifice]

Animals do have souls. Your teacher is just plain wrong!

 

[LewsTherin]

I don't know, but I really don't think it matters at this point in time.

 

[thiosk]

soles yes, souls no.

same applys for us

 

[iain62a]

obviously this question wasn't directed at me, but eating meat is grotesquely inefficient and environmentally unfriendly - and while i don't have a personal moral issue with the slaughter of animals, i can see how it could be viewed as cruel to kill something for sustenance when we really no longer NEED to in this day and age. lions still need to eat zebra [or whatever else happens to be running around] to survive - humans living in the first-world have an endless supply of alternative choices.

Actually, eating animals is much more efficient than eating plants. You can get a lot more fat(you need it), proteins and energy in a piece meat than you can in plants of the same weight.
Also: Meat is delicious

I think the problems with the arguments people are having in this thread stem from the different definitions of a soul. Some say it's a part of you that lives on after you die, others say it's simply how we act.

I'd say that even humans don't have the first one, let alone animals. I'd say that both have the second definition. Animals do have their own mannerisms and ways of acting.