Do animals have souls?

Diana

Diana

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Do animals have souls?
This question is pretty much intended for people who believe the soul or something like it, exists.
If you don't believe in the existence of the soul then of course you aren't going to believe that animals have them.

I personally believe that they do.
What do you guys think?
 
The real question is, do animals have "lesser" souls than humans?

I don't believe so.
 
I agree also, I think they do. We as humans aren't that unique. Souls for all! :m200:
 
By believing animals have souls, what does that do?

My first thought would be to take more time caring for our pets.
 
My Inuit family always taught me that yes, animals have souls : )
 
Yes, I believe that animals have souls.
 
Yes, animals have souls by definition. The Latin Animalis literally means "thing with a soul."



The Hebrew word nepesh, meaning "living soul," is the same whether used for humans or beasts. It does say that God breathed te breath of life into Adam to make him a living soul and does not specify how other creatures became living souls but clearly refers to them as such.The Old Testament does not however have any notion of an immortal soul, or of the possibility that a soul can survive physical death. The New Testament doesn't really support the notion of the immortal soul as much as most people think either. It speaks of God having the power to destroy souls, of immortality being a gift that must be sought rather than a natural state, and of God being the only being with immortality. With the exception of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, it too seems to better support the idea that the soul dies with the body but will be resurrected with it in the last days. The souls of humans might not be in anyway intrinsically superior to those of other animals, but there is no indication that The Lord has chosen to resurrect other creatures.
 
No. I believe that most people confuse personality with souls, while they are not the same. Animals have personality, they do not have souls.
 
magister343 said:
Yes, animals have souls by definition. The Latin Animalis literally means "thing with a soul."



The Hebrew word nepesh, meaning "living soul," is the same whether used for humans or beasts. It does say that God breathed te breath of life into Adam to make him a living soul and does not specify how other creatures became living souls but clearly refers to them as such.The Old Testament does not however have any notion of an immortal soul, or of the possibility that a soul can survive physical death. The New Testament doesn't really support the notion of the immortal soul as much as most people think either. It speaks of God having the power to destroy souls, of immortality being a gift that must be sought rather than a natural state, and of God being the only being with immortality. With the exception of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, it too seems to better support the idea that the soul dies with the body but will be resurrected with it in the last days. The souls of humans might not be in anyway intrinsically superior to those of other animals, but there is no indication that The Lord has chosen to resurrect other creatures.
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Hmm..interesting. Although, it could be open to interpretation, depending on what "new heavens" and "new Earth" means in the Revelation.

But that's another topic.

As to souls, yes. I believe animals have souls. I think they also have limited concepts of "right" and "wrong" as well. They know when they've been naughty! :m145:
 
arbygil said:
Hmm..interesting. Although, it could be open to interpretation, depending on what "new heavens" and "new Earth" means in the Revelation.

But that's another topic.

As to souls, yes. I believe animals have souls. I think they also have limited concepts of "right" and "wrong" as well. They know when they've been naughty! :m145:
Click to expand...

Some birds were nestling in the mulch today. Our dog scared them away and urinated right in their spot. Like a "nyah!" It made me laugh so much, even though I felt bad.
 
arbygil said:
Hmm..interesting. Although, it could be open to interpretation, depending on what "new heavens" and "new Earth" means in the Revelation.

But that's another topic.

As to souls, yes. I believe animals have souls. I think they also have limited concepts of "right" and "wrong" as well. They know when they've been naughty! :m145:
Click to expand...

+1

I believe that animals have souls and discernible MBTI personalities. :m024:

To have life is to have a soul, an animating force, be it a biochemical and/or electro-magnetic animating force. And the soul grows together with the growth of the animal's physical and psychological maturation.

(I want pets to resurrect if a new Earth (literally) comes into being. I still tell my late cat how much I love him and miss him. Pets are gifts of life and a celebration of their unique evolution in our cosmos. How I would love for intelligent animals to grow old and never truly die, like Aslan in Narnia. :D )
 
magister343 said:
Yes, animals have souls by definition. The Latin Animalis literally means "thing with a soul."



The Hebrew word nepesh, meaning "living soul," is the same whether used for humans or beasts. It does say that God breathed te breath of life into Adam to make him a living soul and does not specify how other creatures became living souls but clearly refers to them as such.The Old Testament does not however have any notion of an immortal soul, or of the possibility that a soul can survive physical death. The New Testament doesn't really support the notion of the immortal soul as much as most people think either. It speaks of God having the power to destroy souls, of immortality being a gift that must be sought rather than a natural state, and of God being the only being with immortality. With the exception of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, it too seems to better support the idea that the soul dies with the body but will be resurrected with it in the last days. The souls of humans might not be in anyway intrinsically superior to those of other animals, but there is no indication that The Lord has chosen to resurrect other creatures.
Click to expand...

Interesting way to prove your point Magister343. =)

I do believe animals have souls. They definitely do not have "lesser" souls than humans.
we're all kinda monkeys!
 
WTF is a soul?

I probably don't need to know to answer, so:

If humans have souls, then so do animal (though possibly less so depending on the definition of soul)
 
crystaluni said:
+1

I believe that animals have souls and discernible MBTI personalities. :m024:

To have life is to have a soul, an animating force, be it a biochemical and/or electro-magnetic animating force. And the soul grows together with the growth of the animal's physical and psychological maturation.

(I want pets to resurrect if a new Earth (literally) comes into being. I still tell my late cat how much I love him and miss him. Pets are gifts of life and a celebration of their unique evolution in our cosmos. How I would love for intelligent animals to grow old and never truly die, like Aslan in Narnia. :D )
Click to expand...



Umm, no...
 
I have different ideas about souls. I think a soul is immortal and a choice. If you don't believe you have one, you probably don't. That's not a knock either.
 
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