Another wooitsmolly discussion about animals!

All living things are composed of two Bodies. The physical body while on Earth and the Spiritual Body while between incarnations. Its quite plausible that plants and animals are created in the likeness and image of God, because Everything in and on this planet is a Part of God. How then, could we be created otherwise? Anyone who has looked into a Dog's eyes will know that he/she has a soul.

A great discussion topic! I can't even begin to tell you how ticked off I get when I hear people who have been raised a certain belief that animals don't have souls. In fact, many months ago, there was a rather heated discussion by a started by a person who due to her Christian beliefs, that animals didn't have souls...it wasn't only me chiming in, but so many of my other friends here who got really disgusted by this kind of thinking. I have to admit I am not a vegetarian, though I have drastically cut down on my meat eating. I AM very much an animal activist despite the fact I'm not vegan. I am opposed to farm factories, and animal testing. When I do get meat I least go out of my way to get organic, family farmed raised meats. This person also seemed to think it was all right and acceptable to test on animals, and of course, I pointed out that for over twenty years, there have been known alternatives to testing products or medicines without use of animals. I pointed out to her, what is the justification of burning a puppy alive just to see the effects of burns..uh, like, duh? Don't we know this already? I think so much of the misconception is the concept idea that God gave man dominion over animals...could this explain why there is such cruelty towards animals...that mankind thinks he has the right to do whatever he pleases towards animals? To my mind every living thing that lives on this earth has a spirit or soul, and yes even in the plant world...if that weren't true, why do plants react and grow better with music as has been studied. So whenever I see any person mention their firm belief that animals do not have souls, I just want to take the computer and throw it out the window...that's how riled up I get. Not only do animals have souls but feelings as well..to my mind anyone who doesn't recognize this doesn't have a soul themselves.

Hi wooitsmolly, From an objective perspective, animals really aren't all that different to the human kind. IMO, of course animals have souls. In fact, it's mankind's fault that has dragged them into this sorry existence here in the material realm with us. And then we made things even worse, for them and us, by attracting the retribution of the Great Flood with our misdeeds and evil behavior. On may choose to "believe" or not in the existence of something called a soul, but the belief has little bearing on the fact. If it looks lke a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, chances are it is. Ditto for anyone who's had an out-of-body experience (or worse). We each have to satisfy ourselves abut what's what if we're looking for proof. Not that the duck would care, mind you - but that's part of what makes being a duck so much fun.

If there are such things as souls then animals definitely have them. They are alive, they have personalities, they feel happiness and pain, they are beings just as we are, just different ones.

I believe that animals have souls. They have personalities, too. Jesus said there will be animals in Heaven.

Well,I do certainly think that animals have souls. Its my belief and understanding that what all that can feel pain have souls. If the animals do not have souls,then how does it move,I mean how does it live?Does that mean there is something else in animals similar to a soul. If an animal can live with out a soul,whats the difference between a rock,a plant and an animal? So,I do certainly believe that all living things from unicellular to multicellular have souls. Cheers! Have a nice day Happy mylotting and happy earnings.

I honestly don't know, but I hope so. I'd like to think that my pets will share an afterlife with me. It's hard to think of a heaven or paradise without animals. (This answer assumes that souls are required for eternal life, which may not be so.) I also have difficulty believing God would not endow all of his living creatures without some kind of essense, soul or spirit. On the other hand I have trouble imagining a soul in a mosquito!

Each creature wheather it's a human or a non-human is a God's creation. God has imbibed not only life but also a soul into them. I firmly do believe that they do have a soul. They do have feelings, emotions...alot like ours....ok...they have different thinking processes than us....but they still they are intelligent thinking creatures. Just look deeply into their eyes....don't you see something in there? People should give a thought to our non-human brothers and sisters. We should be there to give them a helping hand. Stand up and make a differnce my friends and make this world a better place.