God created animals and humans. God loves all his creations. Humans have souls because god loves them. Therefore, mathematically animals must have souls.
Do animals have souls?
- Thread starter gupy77
- Start date
It's either we all have souls or nothing has a soul.
Can't be picky just to make yourself feel special.
Can't be picky just to make yourself feel special.
If your religion teacher is less on the fundamental side of Christianity, it is likely that he believes god used evolution as a tool to create man. Very few people, Christians included are stupid enough to actually believe that evolution is not a valid theory.
From there all you have to do is bring up the point that if god used evolution as a tool to create man, it means that at some point he would have had to give humans souls, so there would have been essentially a human child with a soul with soulless animal parents. The child would have loved his parents and they loved him in return, most likely they would have led good, righteous lives yet they would be denied entrance into heaven because god did not give them a soul.
How would god have arbitrarily chosen the first human to give a soul?
Sorry if i am rambling, but this is a question you should ask your teacher, and any religious people you are discussing such concepts as heaven with.
From there all you have to do is bring up the point that if god used evolution as a tool to create man, it means that at some point he would have had to give humans souls, so there would have been essentially a human child with a soul with soulless animal parents. The child would have loved his parents and they loved him in return, most likely they would have led good, righteous lives yet they would be denied entrance into heaven because god did not give them a soul.
How would god have arbitrarily chosen the first human to give a soul?
Sorry if i am rambling, but this is a question you should ask your teacher, and any religious people you are discussing such concepts as heaven with.
I believe what you're discussing is awareness and not really the soul itself.
However you're tackling a rather ingrained belief of the christian faith by arguing otherwise, it's tough to do, so I'd say just let it die and continue to believe what you do.
In my own opinion and experience, Animals do have souls, it's not normal for an animal to come to you in the morning with nothing more to do than say hihihihi! Hello! Good morning! (dog) Like my dog does, he was never trained or conditioned to do so, Hell I know I was very bad with diciplining him as a puppy, he just does have a friendly disposition towards anyone he sees.
I don't however, believe that animals carry the same level of awareness human beings do, it's a blessing and a curse we carry, to be aware, to have this level of perception. But nothing to do with having a soul or not. The soul is the very driving force behind all we do, weather you call it instinct, lifeforce, drive, libido... I believe all those things constitute a soul of some kind.
However you're tackling a rather ingrained belief of the christian faith by arguing otherwise, it's tough to do, so I'd say just let it die and continue to believe what you do.
In my own opinion and experience, Animals do have souls, it's not normal for an animal to come to you in the morning with nothing more to do than say hihihihi! Hello! Good morning! (dog) Like my dog does, he was never trained or conditioned to do so, Hell I know I was very bad with diciplining him as a puppy, he just does have a friendly disposition towards anyone he sees.
I don't however, believe that animals carry the same level of awareness human beings do, it's a blessing and a curse we carry, to be aware, to have this level of perception. But nothing to do with having a soul or not. The soul is the very driving force behind all we do, weather you call it instinct, lifeforce, drive, libido... I believe all those things constitute a soul of some kind.
Actually I imagine that if humans did have souls it would probably be the case that god put them there or somesuch. In which case it's probably more likely that animals don't, given that men are gods favoured creation etc. and that animals and plants are put here for food.Fronken said:
It kinda depends on your definition of a soul. If you mean conciousness: yes, most animals have a degree of conciousness. Although there is a huge difference between for example a chimp and an ant. If you mean a soul as something ghost-like that lives on after you die: I'd say no, and neither do humans.
The soul in a classical sense is the idea of religious dogma. Religion teachers, I feel, should be questioned more and heard less.
I hate this.
Religion teachers are harmful. They pollute the self awareness and spirituality that becomes a philosophic reality later in life. They can alienate children into giving up beliefs that they feel should be their right. If a five year old boy wants to be able to play with his dog after he dies, why take that away from him? Why would a God be so cruel to allow us to love animals and never again be with them, moreover why would God disappoint a five year old boy in such a way to create suffering, that may linger with him for years and years of traumatic suffering. There's no proof so why take that away from him?
I'm against organized religion, no, too many holes, too simple. I form my own beliefs I add and I take away. I'm a self spiritualist, I think that's the only way you can really believe in something, if it's personal.
so yes, I do believe animals have "souls" or rather, substance of the non-corporeal.
I hate this.
Religion teachers are harmful. They pollute the self awareness and spirituality that becomes a philosophic reality later in life. They can alienate children into giving up beliefs that they feel should be their right. If a five year old boy wants to be able to play with his dog after he dies, why take that away from him? Why would a God be so cruel to allow us to love animals and never again be with them, moreover why would God disappoint a five year old boy in such a way to create suffering, that may linger with him for years and years of traumatic suffering. There's no proof so why take that away from him?
I'm against organized religion, no, too many holes, too simple. I form my own beliefs I add and I take away. I'm a self spiritualist, I think that's the only way you can really believe in something, if it's personal.
so yes, I do believe animals have "souls" or rather, substance of the non-corporeal.