Humans and Animals Afforded the Same Status as Living Beings with a Soul

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meltzerboy

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Is there any other religion besides Hinduism (I think) which places humans and animals on an equal level with respect to their value as living beings? None of the Abrahamic religions do so even though they might believe that animals have a soul; but how about Eastern religions, Paganism (probably not the ancient variety since there were animal sacrifices), or others? Also, what is your personal opinion about this belief, perhaps stepping for a moment outside of what your faith teaches, if that’s possible? The issue is NOT about whether animals go to heaven: we already have other threads on that topic. Rather, here on Earth, what value do you place on animals? You don’t have to be a member of PETA to respond to this question!
 
meltzerboy said:
Is there any other religion besides Hinduism (I think) which places humans and animals on an equal level with respect to their value as living beings? None of the Abrahamic religions do so even though they might believe that animals have a soul; but how about Eastern religions, Paganism (probably not the ancient variety since there were animal sacrifices), or others? Also, what is your personal opinion about this belief, perhaps stepping for a moment outside of what your faith teaches, if that’s possible? The issue is NOT about whether animals go to heaven: we already have other threads on that topic. Rather, here on Earth, what value do you place on animals? You don’t have to be a member of PETA to respond to this question!
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I can’t speak for ancient Pagan traditions (although, as one professor of mine put it, in Egypt it was believed that animals had a certain “specialness”, that they were somehow “closer” to the gods, although it is a misconception that cats were worshiped) but many modern Pagans are animists and believe that everything has a spirit, that doesn’t mean that those who are refrain from making offerings. After all, most things consume other life forms to survive, whether plant or animal.

I can’t remember which tribe it was, but another professor of mine mentioned that certain First Nations peoples considered things like rocks and trees to be “people” but she said that only certain natural things were people. (ie. “These stones are people, we should respect them, but these stones are not people, so we can use them to build our houses.”) This certainly isn’t true for all the tribes (as there are hundreds, all with their own belief systems).

For me personally, I would say that non-human animals and plants have a spiritual nature (I prefer the term “spirit” to “soul”) but if it came to saving a human’s life over saving an non-human animal’s life, I would choose the human every time. I think that the divide between us and non-human animals is really a matter of degrees. We ARE animals, highly intelligent animals with opposable thumbs who use way more brain power than every other species on this planet, but still animals.

However, I believe that we humans have a responsibility to care for non-human animals. I’ll be completely honest with you. I eat meat, I tried going vegetarian and it just made me ill, but I would (ideally) like to live in a world where every animal that is raised for consumption is treated well and killed humanely. For me, personally, it’s important to be mindful that a living thing has died to nourish me.

Also, I strongly dislike PETA! I think they do way more harm than good when it comes to animal welfare.
 
God gave us the animals to serve us, and also for food. We are to be grateful and respect the dignity of the animals and do not cause undue harm to them. They are truly gifts for us.
 
The Bible admits that animals have a soul (Greek psyche). This is a natural soul, and so the Greek term for our bodies, psychikon soma, is translated “natural body.”. The soul is the life. The Latin term for psyche is “anima,” and so we refer to our fellow moving beings as animals. An animal is literally a being with a soul!

Only human beings, however, have a spiritual soul, which enables the cognitive mind and free will; and will enable eternal life. This is rendered in Greek as pneuma, and will be “embodied” in the next life as pneumatikon soma, spiritual body.

So while we are to respect animals, the difference between us and them is not just a matter of degree.

God Bless and ICXC NIKA.
 
[BIBLEDRB]Tobias 6:1[/BIBLEDRB]
[BIBLEDRB]Tobias 11:9[/BIBLEDRB]

Even in the Bible there is place for the companionship and happiness that dogs can show us! 😃 Who can say they ever forget a dog that was their pet, even decades after their deaths?

If animals were attracted to Saint Francis, wouldn’t they be even more so to Jesus? I’m sure there was a dog somewhere around where He lived when He was little, and that He probably would give the dog food, etc. And I’m sure He remembered that dog for the rest of His life 😃
 
I don’t know about the soul part. But they are special:eek: We should try harder and be more patient with them. American Indians believed the Cougar was spiritual and wouldn’t kill it. I’ll tell you what they are smart. All animals have serious intellect and understand you more then them, They understand you will probly harm them. Thats the theory they live by…avoid man.
 
Gary_Taylor said:
I don’t know about the soul part. But they are special:eek: We should try harder and be more patient with them. American Indians believed the Cougar was spiritual and wouldn’t kill it. I’ll tell you what they are smart. All animals have serious intellect and understand you more then them, They understand you will probably harm them. That’s the theory they live by…avoid man.
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Interesting comment. I have long time thought there was a time in human history that man and woman where at harmony with all animals on earth. That harmony was lost to us between Gods lower animal creatures when our Ancestral Parents where thrown out of Paradise. Perhaps too our Ancestral Parents Adam and Eve living in such harmony in paradise were able to converse with animals not unlike Saint Francis who was know to speak to the some animals.
 
Sometimes , when singled out by God for a particular purpose , some animals can even be a little more “special” than others - performing such tasks as seeing angels and speaking in the human vernacular of the day.

One of my all-time favourite animals :

**Numbers 22: 21-31 **

So the next morning when Balaam arose, he saddled his donkey, and went off with the princes of Moab.

But now the anger of God flared up at him for going, and the angel of the LORD stationed himself on the road to hinder him as he was riding along on his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing on the road with sword drawn, she turned off the road and went into the field, and Balaam had to beat her to bring her back on the road.

Then the angel of the LORD took his stand in a narrow lane between vineyards with a stone wall on each side.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD there, she shrank against the wall; and since she squeezed Balaam’s leg against it, he beat her again.

The angel of the LORD then went ahead, and stopped next in a passage so narrow that there was no room to move either to the right or to the left.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD there, she cowered under Balaam. So, in anger, he again beat the donkey with his stick.

But now the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that you should beat me these three times?”

“You have acted so willfully against me,” said Balaam to the donkey, “that if I but had a sword at hand, I would kill you here and now.”

But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own beast, and have you not always ridden upon me until now? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way before?” “No,” replied Balaam.

Then the LORD removed the veil from Balaam’s eyes, so that he too saw the angel of the LORD standing on the road with sword drawn; and he fell on his knees and bowed to the ground .

🙂
 
I saw on Fox News a dog that was taught to bark, I love you. She has it down to a fine art-ad her owners believe that she understands and feel genuine love when she says or should, I say bark (howl) I love you. That is so sweet to me 🙂
 
GEddie said:
The Bible admits that animals have a soul (Greek psyche). This is a natural soul, and so the Greek term for our bodies, psychikon soma, is translated “natural body.”. The soul is the life. The Latin term for psyche is “anima,” and so we refer to our fellow moving beings as animals. An animal is literally a being with a soul!

Only human beings, however, have a spiritual soul, which enables the cognitive mind and free will; and will enable eternal life. This is rendered in Greek as pneuma, and will be “embodied” in the next life as pneumatikon soma, spiritual body.

So while we are to respect animals, the difference between us and them is not just a matter of degree.

God Bless and ICXC NIKA.
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👍
 
lauraabarlow said:
I saw on Fox News a dog that was taught to bark, I love you. She has it down to a fine art-ad her owners believe that she understands and feel genuine love when she says or should, I say bark (howl) I love you. That is so sweet to me 🙂
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From a simpson episode.
 
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