If you believe evolution, wouldn't you also have to believe?

[MyLoveWaits]

that animals have souls? I personally believe so. I think the evidence people suggest that animals don’t have souls (from the Bible), is very very poor evidence. Plus, aren’t there some stories of someone riding out of Heaven on a horse? Is a horse not an animal? If he came out of Heaven, then I would think that’s evidence that animals do in fact have souls.

When I look into my dog’s eyes, I see her soul. She has the ability to love, just like I have the ability to love. Even though most people (even dog lovers) don’t believe dog’s can cry, I have seen my dog cry. It could be classified under allergies, but she cried when I told her to go away. She came up to me wagging her tail, and I was in a bad mood. She then laid down on the floor, looking all pouty. I went by her and saw the tears falling from her eyes. I said, “I’m sorry puppy. You’re a good girl. Yes you are.” She jumped up and started wagging her tail. Obviously, she was happy. If dogs can have feelings, surely they can have a soul.

 

[Ranklyfrank]

A monk asked Basho “Does a dog have a soul?” Basho retorted “MU!”

Yes, I asked “Do dogs have souls?” in homeroom with Fr. Arthur. He had a really good answer, but I can’t remember it. But for what it’s worth, contemplating Basho’s answer is allegedly a way to discovery. But I think that anything that short circuits your mind while leaving you awake can do that.

Think of all the stories of animals saving people or whatever. They have intelligence, and I’m positive they have feelings. Maybe they have their own kinds of souls. God is more astonishing than we can imagine.

Buddha was walking in the forest with some disciples. One of them asked if he could ever tell them everything. He grabbed a handful of leaves and said “If all the leaves of the forest are what I know, what would you do with all of them? These few I give you are more than you need.”

You know God is love. Love your pooch, who is your affections dressed up in fur. God even know the sparrows and the hairs on your head. He won’t do wrong by a dog that loves you.

 

[ronnie_bonigli]

all animals have a soul, but man is the only one who has a soul that is a spirit. Standard catholic theology

 

[Contarini]

that animals have souls?

No. Bear in mind that animals in turn developed from plants, etc.

The traditional, scholastic view is that animals do have souls–but not rational souls. (Plants have souls too–but vegetative, not animal souls. In scholastic terminology, a “soul” is just the principle that makes something alive.) Also, humans are animals–but we are animals with rational souls.

I think that evolution does open up the possibility that the line between rational and irrational animals is fuzzier than we have traditionally believed. Aquinas more or less admits that this is true of animals and plants by the example of an oyster (which has some, but not all, of the characteristics that distinguish an animal from a plant). Of course, there are a lot more theological issues at stake in the distinction between humans and irrational animals.

Plus, aren’t there some stories of someone riding out of Heaven on a horse? Is a horse not an animal? If he came out of Heaven, then I would think that’s evidence that animals do in fact have souls.

This is in the Apocalypse and is obviously symbolic language.

You could make a better Biblical case from the story of Balaam’s donkey. I don’t think I take that story literally either, but it’s less obviously non-literal than the Apocalypse, and the animal actually talks. That would seem to imply that donkeys have rational capacity but can’t normally express it. I’m not sure how much weight I would put on what appears to be a legendary tale, but I also wouldn’t entirely dismiss the idea that the story has implications for the rationality of some nonhuman animals!

Edwin

 

[themeginthemoon]

I believe in Evolution, and I think that it is God’s tool for shaping the Earth. I secretly hope that there is a special place in heaven for animals, they are so dear and special! When my mother told me that animals did not have souls, I was very young and it made me so sad. Now I realize that this is sort of a gray area, and I like to believe that God gives the animals some form of eternal peace, even if they don’t have spirits like we do. Maybe they get a giant Doggy park in heaven

 

[kmuestwin]

Dog’s have souls. All animals have souls. They have material souls though. Their material souls do not have everlasting life like those of humans. They cease to exist when the animal dies.

 

[Katrina5]

Dog’s have souls. All animals have souls. They have material souls though. Their material souls do not have everlasting life like those of humans. They cease to exist when the animal dies.

I don’t think the Bible answers this question.
The creation story was an oral tradition, not to be taken literally.
I think God loves us and created us individually, and each animal in the same way.
When we start trying to understand the Mind of God we can only think with our little human brains.
The Bible is neither a Science textbook, nor really a history text. It is the story of Salvation, and a guide for life. And of course it isn’t a book that prophesies a white horse as the only animal in heaven.
ALL life is unique in itself.

If God loves me, I’m pretty sure my pets will be part of the greeting line along with my parents and loved ones, when I get to heaven. He put them on earth, why wouldn’t He put them in heaven.

 

[vz71]

He put them on earth, why wouldn’t He put them in heaven.

No need.

On earth, animals serve a purpose.
In heaven, that purpose is no more.

 

[Katrina5]

No need.

On earth, animals serve a purpose.
In heaven, that purpose is no more.

Rather a cold hearted two cents. He loves us, and that is the purpose.

I’m just hoping there will be no rock music in heaven, or that it will be in one of the other “mansions”.

 

[lemondiesel]

all animals have a soul, but man is the only one who has a soul that is a spirit. Standard catholic theology

So basically, we are the only animals with personalities?

Dog’s have souls. All animals have souls. They have material souls though. Their material souls do not have everlasting life like those of humans. They cease to exist when the animal dies.

If you make this claim, you must consider that we are mammals and are constructed with the basic components that make up other mammals. (i.e. bones, organs, etc) Then we both have a material soul.

You might have better luck convincing me if you said something, like, Human souls were once material, but no have become immaterial.

 

[ronnie_bonigli]

So basically, we are the only animals with personalities?

I don’t know how you derive that from what I said.

 

[vz71]

Rather a cold hearted two cents. He loves us, and that is the purpose.

I’m just hoping there will be no rock music in heaven, or that it will be in one of the other “mansions”.

Do you really believe there is a need we have in heaven that God does not fulfill?

 

[edwest2]

I don’t think the Bible answers this question.
The creation story was an oral tradition, not to be taken literally.
I think God loves us and created us individually, and each animal in the same way.
When we start trying to understand the Mind of God we can only think with our little human brains.
The Bible is neither a Science textbook, nor really a history text. It is the story of Salvation, and a guide for life. And of course it isn’t a book that prophesies a white horse as the only animal in heaven.
ALL life is unique in itself.

If God loves me, I’m pretty sure my pets will be part of the greeting line along with my parents and loved ones, when I get to heaven. He put them on earth, why wouldn’t He put them in heaven.

The Bible is not to be taken literally seems to be the ongoing message here. The Bible records things God actually did. The Bible was written by men who were inspired by God.

Peace,
Ed

 

[Contarini]

The Bible is not to be taken literally seems to be the ongoing message here. The Bible records things God actually did.

The Bible records a lot more than that–never mind that God “doing” something is hardly a simple concept, since God is not a being among other beings. In one sense everything that is done is done by God, but that has to be qualified heavily, of course.

Edwin

 

[ddarko]

Dog’s have souls. All animals have souls. They have material souls though. ** Their material souls do not have everlasting life like those of humans**. They cease to exist when the animal dies.

The Bible has enough evidence of it. Jesus didn’t die for the Dog or the Cow. Isn’t it ironic that he never gave the commandment ‘‘love all animals’’ BUT ''love your brothers and sisters"?

So to get carried away and say they are eternal souls would be confusion. We are called to LOVE other humans first and foremost for crying out loud. The love between a pet and an owner should therefore be rightly established. It should never rise to the level of love between human beings.

God Bless

 

[Katrina5]

People who think dogs are just here to work for us, herd sheep, protect property, etc will not care if dogs are in heaven.
People who lived on farms and consider a living being such as a pig or cow nothing more than an ear of corn that has a face, of course don’t give a hoot about them, either.

God is bigger than all of this. I know there are pets who have saved human lives. There are Michael Vick-like people who see nothing wrong with mistreating animals.

It makes me wonder, in their lack of empathy and compassion, if those people have souls.

And SOOO closed minded! There will be one white horse in heaven and that’s that, end of story, (or more likely, “shut up about this”).

God gave us Dominion over animals, which means we get to name them and take care of them. We have free will, they don’t.
As I said, GOD IS BIGGER THAN THIS. We will find out after we die. End of story, and I’m looking forward to seeing my cat Heidi in the afterlife. I had a dream (a biblical concept) that my Mom was brushing Heidi.
Go ahead and poo-poo the thought, God loves all of His creatures, even (shudder) atheists, sociopaths, and people who torture animals.

 

[kmuestwin]

People who think dogs are just here to work for us, herd sheep, protect property, etc will not care if dogs are in heaven.
People who lived on farms and consider a living being such as a pig or cow nothing more than an ear of corn that has a face, of course don’t give a hoot about them, either.

God is bigger than all of this. I know there are pets who have saved human lives. There are Michael Vick-like people who see nothing wrong with mistreating animals.

It makes me wonder, in their lack of empathy and compassion, if those people have souls.

And SOOO closed minded! There will be one white horse in heaven and that’s that, end of story, (or more likely, “shut up about this”).

God gave us Dominion over animals, which means we get to name them and take care of them. We have free will, they don’t.
As I said, GOD IS BIGGER THAN THIS. We will find out after we die. End of story, and I’m looking forward to seeing my cat Heidi in the afterlife. I had a dream (a biblical concept) that my Mom was brushing Heidi.
Go ahead and poo-poo the thought, God loves all of His creatures, even (shudder) atheists, sociopaths, and people who torture animals.

I love my dog. She’s the greatest dog ever. I am really happy that God has given me a dog that I really love. I don’t believe that people should abuse animals. It goes against our responsibility as stewards of the Earth. That doesn’t mean that my dog is going to go to heaven.

If there is a doggy heaven, is there a doggy hell? Doggy purgatory?

 

[vz71]

God gave us Dominion over animals, which means we get to name them and take care of them. We have free will, they don’t.

Exactly.
No free will.
No immortal soul.
No afterlife.

 

[Katrina5]

Exactly.
No free will.
No immortal soul.
No afterlife.

You will go to your heaven, I’ll go to mine…somehow they can’t be the same “place”.

 

[Katrina5]

I love my dog. She’s the greatest dog ever. I am really happy that God has given me a dog that I really love. I don’t believe that people should abuse animals. It goes against our responsibility as stewards of the Earth. That doesn’t mean that my dog is going to go to heaven.

If there is a doggy heaven, is there a doggy hell? Doggy purgatory?

Since they have no free will, they can’t sin-- that’s my point. And my other point is that God loves us and someone who keeps putting in their two cents is not speaking for God, neither am I, and we really don’t know!

PS I know someone who said “Cat heaven is mouse hell.” Makes sense to me, since we’re just speculating here. (He was joking.)

But really, what about babies who are born with birth defects? Do they have a free will if they’re so brain damaged that they can’t sin?