Big Think

Kevin Waltz on January 20, 2008, 10:58 PM

I sincerely believe not only people not only animals but all living things have a physical body and a spiritual existence. Humans have a mental process this is the third thing needed for a soul a soul is the body and mind and spirit. Most believe the soul is the same as the spirit this is not out of Judeo-Christian tradition but out of Roman philosophy. I believe animals to have a mental process I had a dog most of my life until he passed away. He was quite capable of thinking and acting for himself. His behavior had a reason for it, and he seemed quite capable of choice. The Psalms described animals and even plants and rivers worshiping God. I don’t think something can worship without a spiritual component. Yes absolutely I believe animals have a soul I do not know if they go to heaven or if they reincarnate in some way shape or form I simply don’t know but I am compelled to believe that God is not ambivalent to animals.

Marty G on January 20, 2008, 11:23 PM

Thank you likethisxoxo, I have lately been worked up over this belief and you’ve saved me the effort of putting up the question :-)
The premise is that animals were put on earth under the dominion of humans [Gen 1:26]along with the plants. Mind you, going by Gen 1:29 we should be vegetarians. I may be wrong, but the born-again groups moreso than the catholics tend to expound the former tenent.
I find the whole idea of soul-less servitudal species to be especially repugnant.

a a on January 20, 2008, 11:32 PM

Body – world consciousness (physical)
Soul – self consciousness (emotional)
Spirit – God consciousness (eternal)

Do I believe animals have emotions? Possibly, but certainly not to the same degree as humans, but I definitely don’t think animals have a sense of eternity.

Vishnu Shastri on January 20, 2008, 11:38 PM

As a Hindu, i believe that animals do have souls. Hindus believe that the soul is different from the body and takes multiple births – so you could be an animal in one birth and a human in the next one. However, the human body gives the soul a chance to worship God – which other (animal) bodies do not.

a a on January 20, 2008, 11:42 PM

wildtornado – what about cows?

Edward Pye on January 21, 2008, 1:07 AM

Animals have no sense of time – they act purely out of instinctual process – this is not to say they have no memory because clearly they do – it is to say that their memory is related to their survival.
A sense of time is an essential component in the process of questioning our existence and in so doing creating a creator and a link to that creator (a soul).
The real problem here is not trying to argue over whether animals have souls or not (that is just a front for a fight between the religious and the not religious) – the problem is the definition of a soul – it has too many conflicting religious connotations for this question to be asked…

Randall Menser on January 21, 2008, 7:44 PM

Do humans have souls?

dennis ilic on February 20, 2008, 2:57 PM

likethisxoxo, you are invited to participate in the idea “What is your definition of God? 100 words or less”. Your input will be appreciated. Thank you.

Jeff Delano on March 15, 2008, 7:18 PM

Animals, vegetation, and minerals all belong to the second density Earth. Meaning they are orange ray bodies, meaning they are seeking self-awareness. And yes animals do have a soul/spirit. It’s funny how humans become self-aware and they believe every living organism which isn’t self-aware can’t be spiritual.

Isabel M on April 17, 2008, 4:48 PM

HEY!. yea i think animals do have souls. Didn’t we ask MH this question?

Isabel M on April 17, 2008, 4:49 PM

yes humans definately have souls, randall menser, but it depends i guess on your religion,.

Brittany D on October 15, 2008, 9:43 PM

roakes, maybe you just dont have one…