footballhenry Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 In lieu of the vegetarian debate thread I am curious to see how many people believe animals have souls on this board. To me it is blatantly obvious that they have souls; God's life force flows through them just as it does all of us. They desire happiness and wellbeing just as all creatures do. It still shocks me that to this day so many don't think animals have souls, and even worse others believe they don't even 'feel'.....this should be a lopsided poll response I'm expecting though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thinking Skins Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 that depends, do you think animals have indpendent thought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brave Little Toaster Oven Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 No, and neither do Asian people, this is scientific fact. (South Park reference) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballhenry Posted June 1, 2008 Author Share Posted June 1, 2008 that depends, do you think animals have indpendent thought? Though as you and I know it? Of course I dont think many believe that they have logical coherent thought on the same level. Thats not the question here; you must remember that there is an infinitum of intelligence in nature beyond what humans can comprehend. They have independent thought predicated to what their processes are, not necessarily the same as ours of course but perhaps comparable (i.e. intuition, instinct, drive for happiness, etc.). honestly, look at how animals interact in groups with their family. Say, take a family of chimpanzees or dolphins and you will find much affection and intelligence their. No question about it; for some reason it seems here in the West we have a hard time understanding the deeper intelligences of nature. Well its not so surprising since we've been cut off from our true nature for such a long time, which explains our collective desensitization but thats for another topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVUforREDSKINS Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 There are no souls. They don't exist.:2cents: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mass_SkinsFan Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I definitely believe that animals have their own life force and soul. All I need to answer that question is to look at the reaction of my cat when I'm not in bed at the "proper" time during my on-call weeks, or the reaction of our dog when my roommate Adam comes home after being out, or the reaction of our horses when we pull up at the barn. There is no doubt in my mind, beyond even my religious beliefs, that every animal on this planet has a life-force of its own and a soul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blchizzleke Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 your poll is extremely bias as the only two options are yes and "no they dont have feelings or a soul"....obviously animals have feelings, they experience pain, sadness, loneliness, etc. but a soul? i dont think so....so there was no option for me to choose due to the sloppy nature of the construction of your poll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVUforREDSKINS Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 your poll is extremely bias as the only two options are yes and "no they dont have feelings or a soul"....obviously animals have feelings, they experience pain, sadness, loneliness, etc. but a soul? i dont think so....so there was no option for me to choose due to the sloppy nature of the construction of your poll I agree. I looked at the poll and thought WTF? Animals have feelings, personality, and thoughts, but no soul. Well mammels anyway. And people are mammels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terpfan Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Asking whether or not animals have feelings and whether or not they have "souls" are very different things. I'm sure you would get plenty of argument that there is no such thing as a "soul." Yes, I think animals have feelings. Some animals obviously are smarter and have more complex feelings than others. A dog, a chimp, or a dolphin probably experience much closer to what we would think of as "feelings" than an ant or a minnow do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballhenry Posted June 1, 2008 Author Share Posted June 1, 2008 your poll is extremely bias as the only two options are yes and "no they dont have feelings or a soul"....obviously animals have feelings, they experience pain, sadness, loneliness, etc. but a soul? i dont think so....so there was no option for me to choose due to the sloppy nature of the construction of your poll Hmm point taken,but ask yourself where do those 'feelings' come from? It's my opinion that feelings originate from the soul, I look at them as a guidance system of sorts. Ill try to add a third option though if it will let me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 your poll is extremely bias as the only two options are yes and "no they dont have feelings or a soul"....obviously animals have feelings, they experience pain, sadness, loneliness, etc. but a soul? i dont think so....so there was no option for me to choose due to the sloppy nature of the construction of your pollI agree with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballhenry Posted June 1, 2008 Author Share Posted June 1, 2008 Asking whether or not animals have feelings and whether or not they have "souls" are very different things. I'm sure you would get plenty of argument that there is no such thing as a "soul."Yes, I think animals have feelings. Some animals obviously are smarter and have more complex feelings than others. A dog, a chimp, or a dolphin probably experience much closer to what we would think of as "feelings" than an ant or a minnow do. Point taken, though it won't let me go back and add an option unfortunately. Though the main question is as the thread says, do animals have souls? So the added aspect of feelings could be a misrepresentation on my part from your perspective. I was looking at feelings and having a soul as interconnected since its my spiritual belief but I certainly understand the misinterpretation hidden within the construct; if a Mod can add a third option on my behalf I would be much obliged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blchizzleke Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hmm point taken,but ask yourself where do those 'feelings' come from? It's my opinion that feelings originate from the soul, I look at them as a guidance system of sorts. Ill try to add a third option though if it will let me. if these "souls" you speak of are the guidance system for individuals/animals then that means that nothing is really in your hands...there is no personal decision making it's just a magic "soul" that steers you in the right or wrong direction and that seems illogical.....also, what if you have a bad soul when you were born? are you destined for a life of debauchery and crime? or can you make your own decisions in life? if one is to make the argument that you are not born with a "bad soul" or a "good soul" that means that the decisions you make determine the type of "soul" you have....therefore a soul can not be looked at as the "guidance system" because it was the soul that was determined by actions not the other way around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsOrlando Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Not a sparrow falls without his masters notice. All I need to convince me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forehead Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I voted yes, out of a very simplistic and childish hope. It's mainly because I love my dogs, and I hope that when I pass from this world, they're waiting for me on the other side. That would make me as happy as can be. I probably sound like I'm six, but it's true. God's love and a good pair of dogs will see me through. Well, and some food and water would also be good. I would also include my wife, but I fully expect she'll outlive me, so I'll be waiting for her instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterMP Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Why does everybody always ignore plants? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez Try searching: plant and wounding plant and "sound waves" plant and touch People for some reason anthropomorphize animals more easily than plants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRSmith Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 In the bible they are referred to as souls, and when killed Noah was told to pour their blood with it's soul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reic Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Well considering Humans are included as animals, I would have to say so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballhenry Posted June 1, 2008 Author Share Posted June 1, 2008 Why does everybody always ignore plants?http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez Try searching: plant and wounding plant and "sound waves" plant and touch People for some reason anthropomorphize animals more easily than plants. touche Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Williams Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 In the bible they are referred to as souls, and when killed Noah was told to pour their blood with it's soul interesting.......gotta chapter to quote so I can get a feel for the context? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballhenry Posted June 1, 2008 Author Share Posted June 1, 2008 if these "souls" you speak of are the guidance system for individuals/animals then that means that nothing is really in your hands...there is no personal decision making it's just a magic "soul" that steers you in the right or wrong direction and that seems illogical.....also, what if you have a bad soul when you were born? are you destined for a life of debauchery and crime? or can you make your own decisions in life? if one is to make the argument that you are not born with a "bad soul" or a "good soul" that means that the decisions you make determine the type of "soul" you have....therefore a soul can not be looked at as the "guidance system" because it was the soul that was determined by actions not the other way around Personally, I believe our free will is exercised through the decision or choice itself. However the potentials for choice is limitless and there are productive (you can choose to exercise today, maybe your intuition or soul is giving you a feeling that this is a 'good' choice) and unproductive choices (you can choose to ignore intuition or guidance and opt for a less valuable outcome through your choice). The guidance comes into play in helping us choose a path to help us evolve more completely, but this is again up to our freewill. I don't believe in 'fate'.... honestly the best thing I can point your towards that would give you a better understanding of my belief is this Higher Self youtube video; I think its one of the most well-done on the internet imho: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldysknzfn1 Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Animals have feelings...they experience pain and other feelings. They have brains which is where the sense of feelings technically take place. With that said, I don't believe animals have souls. That's just what I've always been taught. Do I have proof? Not necessarily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCSaints_fan Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I would define "soul" as the abstraction of everything that separates living thing from a dead one. So of course animals have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gracelander Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I totally believe they have souls. I'll tell you what, if i'm not reunited with my pets in the next life then i'm going to be pretty miserable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thinking Skins Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Asking whether or not animals have feelings and whether or not they have "souls" are very different things. I'm sure you would get plenty of argument that there is no such thing as a "soul."Yes, I think animals have feelings. Some animals obviously are smarter and have more complex feelings than others. A dog, a chimp, or a dolphin probably experience much closer to what we would think of as "feelings" than an ant or a minnow do. I think that "Ant z" (played by Woody Allen) would disagree with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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