Do Animals have souls?

[mercygate]

It’s just that, in my opinion, it seems really made up.

For example:

If you say ‘yes, I believe animals have souls’ then I can say ‘then how can you eat meat? You’re directly involved in the killing of something with a soul’ and your hands are pretty tied.

If you say ‘no, I don’t believe animals have souls’ then I can say ‘then why would you have a problem if I kicked a dog?’ and again, your hands are pretty much tied.

It seems like it’s more or less ‘animals have souls, but only to the extent that it doesn’t inconvenience me’.

There is too much missing in your assessment. This is an easily researched topic. Go have yourself a ball learning about it.

 

[TomPiltoff]

There is too much missing in your assessment. This is an easily researched topic. Go have yourself a ball learning about it.

Or you could just refute what I say.

 

[silver76]

all things have imortal souls.

 

[thedavidwilson]

all things have imortal souls.

So trees go to heaven or hell? What would send a tree to hell? Not providing enough shade?

All living things have souls (animating force) but only humans have imortal sprits. For humans our souls are spririts and vice versa.

 

[TomPiltoff]

So trees go to heaven or hell? What would send a tree to hell? Not providing enough shade?

All living things have souls (animating force) but only humans have imortal sprits. For humans our souls are spririts and vice versa.

But what is the difference?

If you’re telling me that plants and animals have souls to the point of deserving respect but not to the point of going to Heaven, doesn’t that seem a little wishy washy?

 

[thedavidwilson]

But what is the difference?

If you’re telling me that plants and animals have souls to the point of deserving respect but not to the point of going to Heaven, doesn’t that seem a little wishy washy?

Read the definition we are using here. In Catholicism a soul is the animating force, the thing that makes the physical body alive. A spirit is something different. In humans our soul is a spirit and our spirit is a soul. That is what makes us unique. We are a spirit that is meant to have a body. Unlike angels which are just spirits and do not have souls. Animals have a soul (animating force) but not an imortal spirit. Once they leave this world we will never see them again.

 

[thedavidwilson]

But what is the difference?

If you’re telling me that plants and animals have souls to the point of deserving respect but not to the point of going to Heaven, doesn’t that seem a little wishy washy?

The reason we should respect and be kind to animals is not for their sake but ours. We have dominion over everything in this world. We should not tourture animals or give them an unduly painful death because we might derive some enjoyment from it, which is a sin.

 

[ljprevo]

Do animals cry?

I mean cry and weep as when their feeling at hurt. Do they produce tears when they cry?

 

[TomPiltoff]

The reason we should respect and be kind to animals is not for their sake but ours. We have dominion over everything in this world. We should not tourture animals or give them an unduly painful death because we might derive some enjoyment from it, which is a sin.

But why does it matter, they don’t have souls.

Trees and weeds are living things as well, but you don’t have a problem removing them if they inconvenience you.

So why does it matter how we treat animals? Aren’t they the same?

By the way, I’m just playing devils advocate (waiting for all the people who think they’re clever to play on that), I love animals very much.

 

[thedavidwilson]

But why does it matter, they don’t have souls.

Trees and weeds are living things as well, but you don’t have a problem removing them if they inconvenience you.

So why does it matter how we treat animals? Aren’t they the same?

By the way, I’m just playing devils advocate (waiting for all the people who think they’re clever to play on that), I love animals very much.

Soul not equal to spirit
Soul not imortal
Soul is what animates organic matter
Soul is what makes things living in this world.
Bacteria have souls.
Bacteria do not have spririts.

Spirit is imortal
Only human has spirit
Animals/plants do not have spirit
Things with spirit will live on after they die 9i.e. the spirit lives on)
Man’s soul is a spirit
Man’s spirit is a soul
Man was made by God to have body and soul
Man is special

I have heard it said that this material world is not reality. What is reality and what should concern us is our spirits and the kingdom of God. Living our lives is a process of letting go of this material world and training our material body to obey our spirit/soul. When the end of the world comes and we get our glorified bodies back, they will obey the spirit precisely, so we will not have temptations to do things that would harm our spirits, like fornication.

The special thing is not the soul, it is the spirit. Plants and animals do not have spirits. Plants and animals will not go to heaven since it is the spirit that carries on when the organic body dies. We do not want to hurt unnecessairly because we might start to enjoy it and that would be a form of lust. We are to use animals for our benefit but try to limit their suffering in this use (i.e. kill them quickly/humanely if possible).

Check out Theology for Beginners by Sheed. It has a good explaination of the spirit and soul.

 

[silver76]

So trees go to heaven or hell? What would send a tree to hell? Not providing enough shade?

All living things have souls (animating force) but only humans have imortal sprits. For humans our souls are spririts and vice versa.

alot of pet owners belive in rainbow bridge, the animale hevane. i for one, think her is no hevane or hell, and our sould just finds a new host after death, lik a parasite. if you take other religions into consideration, i.e. aboriginys, the human sould after death takes the form of an animale. the body is just a machine the soul uses to move around in. some may take the form of a tree, rat, humans and so forth. that is the one thing that bugs me abouut the catholic religion, is that they belive humans are special. what if there is life on another planet that there god spoke to, that says they were created in his image. how do you know in the garden of eden god wasnt speeking to a duck.

 

[mercygate]

alot of pet owners belive in rainbow bridge, the animale hevane. i for one, think her is no hevane or hell, and our sould just finds a new host after death, lik a parasite. if you take other religions into consideration, i.e. aboriginys, the human sould after death takes the form of an animale. the body is just a machine the soul uses to move around in. some may take the form of a tree, rat, humans and so forth. that is the one thing that bugs me abouut the catholic religion, is that they belive humans are special. what if there is life on another planet that there god spoke to, that says they were created in his image. how do you know in the garden of eden god wasnt speeking to a duck.

Could you please help us answer your question by answering these two questions:

How old are you?
What is your native language?
Do you have a religious faith of any kind?

Thank you. Sometimes it helps to know a person’s particular situation so that we can figure out what the real question is.

 

[mercygate]

alot of pet owners belive in rainbow bridge, the animale hevane. i for one, think her is no hevane or hell, and our sould just finds a new host after death, lik a parasite. if you take other religions into consideration, i.e. aboriginys, the human sould after death takes the form of an animale. the body is just a machine the soul uses to move around in. some may take the form of a tree, rat, humans and so forth. that is the one thing that bugs me abouut the catholic religion, is that they belive humans are special. what if there is life on another planet that there god spoke to, that says they were created in his image. how do you know in the garden of eden god wasnt speeking to a duck.

On this site, you will not find ANYBODY “believing” in Rainbow Bridge.

 

[Bishopite]

Here’s what I’ve found:

1. Catholic teaching doesn’t actually deny that animals have souls. And it’s stance needs to be clarified, according to:
   all-creatures.org/ca/ark-186soul.html
   Pope John Paul II had declared that animals have souls.

Also, if we look at Genesis, it is clear that God blesses the animals, even before he blesses (or creates) man. This would indicate, I think, the theological belief that animals do possess souls.

A righteous man knows the soul of his animal - Proverbs 12:10

However, while Judaism has plenty of laws regarding the proper treatment of animals, normative judaism does not believe animals have souls. But it does teach that how one treats animals is linked to how one treats people. We prefer shepherds over hunters. We also believe animals (domestic) are to be rested on the Sabbath.

As St. Thomas Aquinas said, animals have sensitive souls; that they rely on their pure “senses” as ordered by God.
Humans have rational souls as we go beyond our mere senses and use our minds rationally (well, most humans )

 

[thedavidwilson]

alot of pet owners belive in rainbow bridge, the animale hevane. i for one, think her is no hevane or hell, and our sould just finds a new host after death, lik a parasite. if you take other religions into consideration, i.e. aboriginys, the human sould after death takes the form of an animale. the body is just a machine the soul uses to move around in. some may take the form of a tree, rat, humans and so forth. that is the one thing that bugs me abouut the catholic religion, is that they belive humans are special. what if there is life on another planet that there god spoke to, that says they were created in his image. how do you know in the garden of eden god wasnt speeking to a duck.

People are special. You pointed out very well the danger of the eastern religions. We eat animals. We eat plants. If we, plants and animals are not fundamentally different, i.e. in different stages or attached to different “hosts”, then what should we eat to survive. Why can’t we eat other humans?

There is nothing that says there cannot be other beings on other worlds. Being mad in God’s image does not mean that something looks like a human. God does not look like a human. Being made in God’s image means we are made to love, we are made to give ourselves and talents away to others, because God is love. God bless.

 

[peary]

I don’t know if I would go as far as saying that animals have souls. The Bible specifically states that human beings are blessed with a soul, and that, in essence, we are “living souls” or immortal beings possessing mortal bodies. I don’t think that animals would have the same type of connection, although they might have something that is survivable after death. I would like to think that in Heaven, we not only will be surrounded by saints, but by our beloved pets as well. God can do anything.

 

[Umvard]

I have heard it said that this material world is not reality. What is reality and what should concern us is our spirits and the kingdom of God. Living our lives is a process of letting go of this material world and training our material body to obey our spirit/soul. When the end of the world comes and we get our glorified bodies back, they will obey the spirit precisely, so we will not have temptations to do things that would harm our spirits, like fornication.

The special thing is not the soul, it is the spirit. .

Though this may be going off on a tangent, I would like to clarify what you said. There are dangerous implications in saying “what should concern us is our spirits and the Kingdom of God” and then going on to speaking of letting go of the material world, rather than clarifying that God has created Man as both having a body and having a spirit. Man is not pure spirit and so should not seek to behave as if he were. The soul, too, is important.

Do not think that one should strive to “let go” of the world, because Man has a body and a soul, as well as a spirit. Note that God works through the physical actions of the Sacraments to bring Man to holiness in Him. Plus, the material world was made by God, it is good, and therefore it is not to be scorned (see Genesis, its pretty clear).

Also do not think that in The End that you will be made perfect (aka Holy) by how well your glorified body obeys your spirit because of any “training” on your part about “letting go of this material world,” but that you will be made perfect because God loves you and you love him in return.

 

[benidict]

I have always understood that animals have a soul of sorts. But because we were created in God’s immage only human beings have the sort of soul that can continue to exist beyond the end of our lives. Animals that are even semi-concious of their own existance have a limited soul.

I dont know if that is right, but that is what I was told.

So no not all dogs go to heaven…

maybe not. but all pit bulls do…they are not your average dog… sorry, im just partial!peace be with you.

 

[benidict]

I just found 200 occurrences of the English word “soul” in the Old Testament (not including the Deuterocanonical books) – RSV translation.

could you please cite some for our jewish bro/sis so they can look them up in the tanak? would be interesting to see what their interpretaion is. left my jewish study bible at home when i got stationed. should have taken it. but i got my good old douay rheims. id like to look them up too. peace be with you and yours.

 

[benidict]

oy. You have to take this with a large grain of caveat, as I may be way off base here. IN general, we believe that the soul cannot exist without the body and vice versa. But this is often the position taken when the topic is metaphorical. For example, in discussing halacha (law) and aggadah (spirit/story/intent).

Chabbad teaches that there are 5 stages of the soul. (Chabbad is a jewish organization/sect that is widely known for its outreach programs to jews who are unaffiliated with a synagouge).

Chassidic/mystics view the 5 dimensions of the soul:

1. Nefesh = Soul
2. Ruach = Spirit
3. Neshamah = breath
4. Chayah = life
5. Yechidah = singularity

Nefesh is the soul as the engine of life. It is the level that actually brings animation to the physical being.

Ruach is the “personaltiy”, the “I” of the individual.

Neshamah is the intellectual self.

Chayah is the seat of will, desire, commitment and faith

Yechidah is the essence of the soul. Its unity with God, the source of all life. It is through this dimension that we understand that there is a part of God in each of us.

We believe that everytime we perform a mitavot (commandment), our soul is connecting with God.

does this have to do with the divine spark spoken of in the zoar, and the kabbalah? have found such studies fascinating. personally like the daniel c. matt translation. the tree of life is wonderfull for Christians and Jews alike. may God bless you and yours.