Animals and what is the soul?

[zoidar]

I don't know, but Christians often say animals don't have souls. But what do they mean by this and what is the soul? Surely we all agree that animals have a consciousness. So what do we mean by soul?

 

[Dave L]

I don't know, but Christians often say animals don't have souls. But what do they mean by this and what is the soul? Surely we all agree that animals have a consciousness. So what do we mean by soul?

Gordon Clark (taught philosophy at Butler University in Indianapolis) said: In one way this is reminiscent of Genesis 2:7. As God breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath or spirit of life, so too God sent forth his spirit into the animals.

Some people are afraid to say that animals have souls. They not only have souls, they are souls. Some people are afraid to say that animals have spirit. But Genesis 6:17 and 7:15, and Psalm 104:29, as well as Ecclesiastes 3:21 ascribe spirit to animals. Animals are souls. They are not just clay.

 

[DavidPT]

Gordon Clark (taught philosophy at Butler University in Indianapolis) said: In one way this is reminiscent of Genesis 2:7. As God breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath or spirit of life, so too God sent forth his spirit into the animals.

Some people are afraid to say that animals have souls. They not only have souls, they are souls. Some people are afraid to say that animals have spirit. But Genesis 6:17 and 7:15, and Psalm 104:29, as well as Ecclesiastes 3:21 ascribe spirit to animals. Animals are souls. They are not just clay.

If animals have souls, yet won't be bodily resurrected like humans will be, thus have no judgment to face in the afterlife regardless what they did or did not do during their lives, such as some of them have murdered humans on occasion, doesn't this at least prove souls can die though some ppl claim souls are immortal and can't die?

 

[Dave L]

If animals have souls, yet won't be bodily resurrected like humans will be, thus have no judgment to face in the afterlife regardless what they did or did not do during their lives, such as some of them have murdered humans on occasion,doesn't this at least prove souls can die though some ppl claim souls are immortal and can't die?

How could anyone know since scripture does not mention it? Paul suggests a resurrection when they will be placed in the glorious liberty of the children of God.

“Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” Romans 8:21 (KJV 1900)

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

I'm not really sure but I'm leaning towards the idea that animals might be just "biological robots" that don't have a soul and don't even have consciousness. They just behave according to their instincts.

 

[sandman]

Genesis 1:2 to 1:21, God did not create anything again until the 5th day when He created soul life in “great whales and every living creature (chay nephesh) that moveth”…

The word living is the Hebrew word “chay” meaning life or living. And the word translated creature is the Hebrew word “nephesh” meaning soul………….God tells us in Leviticus what/where the soul is.

Lev 17:11a -For the life of the flesh is in the blood…

The word life in this verse is the same word for soul (nephesh)

Blood is what mobilizes (gives life) to humans and animals and this soul life was created by God in Genesis 1:21…and it did not exist before that. …..soul life, which is breath life was created in animals first.

Animals have soul life and they have instinct, but they cannot reason.

 

[miamited]

I'm not really sure but I'm leaning towards the idea that animals might be just "biological robots" that don't have a soul and don't even have consciousness. They just behave according to their instincts.

Hi BB1611,

Not sure that the term 'biological robots' would be correctly defining the creation of the animals upon the earth, but they are born to live and die and provide for mankind in many ways. Beasts of labor and food. I do agree with what I believe your premise is saying. Animals have no eternal soul and live and die upon the earth and that is the sum of their life. There is no 'Jesus' for animals. Just as there is no 'Jesus' for life that some suppose may be on other planets across the universe. We live upon the earth and according to the Genesis account of creation, life was created only upon the earth. All the myriad stars and other planetary bodies flung far and wide across the universe are merely the proclamation of God's glory and power to our eyes.

God bless,
Ted

 

[DavidPT]

Animals have soul life and they have instinct, but they cannot reason.

I'm not certain how you are determining animals can't reason? They for sure can't reason to the degree that man can, yet they can still reason to some degree, the same way, though man can't reason to the degree God can, man can still reason, though.

 

[sandman]

I'm not certain how you are determining animals can't reason? They for sure can't reason to the degree that man can, yet they can still reason to some degree, the same way, though man can't reason to the degree God can, man can still reason, though.

For instance, if a dog who is afraid of noises hears a gunshot it may run and hide due to instinct. If a person hears a gunshot they may hit the floor until they determine by reason that it is not being fired at them.... in which case curiosity many times will have the human looking for the point of origin….while the dog still hides.

On the same note a dog who is afraid of loud noised generally cannot distinguish between gunshot thunder and fireworks. A human can make that distinction and by way of reason. If it’s gun fire they will take the necessary precautions…if it’s thunder they may get an umbrella ….and if it’s fireworks they may look to the sky and enjoy it.

Cats can do whatever they want…

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I don't know, but Christians often say animals don't have souls. But what do they mean by this and what is the soul? Surely we all agree that animals have a consciousness. So what do we mean by soul?

Well, the Scriptures say that all life has a soul (Job 12:10) and that animals will enter God’s Kingdom (Romans 8:19-22) (Pay close attention to verse 21).

"In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:10) (KJV).

Romans 8:19-22 says,

19 "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

It's only logical that if animals have a soul, they have a spirit.

In fact, this is what Scripture says:

"Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?" (Ecclesiastes 3:21).

So the animals in this world are not to be treated as if they are nothing.

 

[DavidPT]

For instance, if a dog who is afraid of noises hears a gunshot it may run and hide due to instinct. If a person hears a gunshot they may hit the floor until they determine by reason that it is not being fired at them.... in which case curiosity many times will have the human looking for the point of origin….while the dog still hides.

On the same note a dog who is afraid of loud noised generally cannot distinguish between gunshot thunder and fireworks. A human can make that distinction and by way of reason. If it’s gun fire they will take the necessary precautions…if it’s thunder they may get an umbrella ….and if it’s fireworks they may look to the sky and enjoy it.

Cats can do whatever they want…

I can see your point now. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Root of Jesse]

Every living thing has a soul. Without it, it wouldn't be alive. The human soul is different, because we are made in the image of God. I don't pretend to know all the specifics, but this is the teaching of the Catholic Church.

 

[DavidPT]

Well, the Scriptures say that all life has a soul (Job 12:10) and that animals will enter God’s Kingdom (Romans 8:19-22) (Pay close attention to verse 21).

"In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:10) (KJV).

Romans 8:19-22 says,

19 "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

It's only logical that if animals have a soul, they have a spirit.

In fact, this is what Scripture says:

"Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?" (Ecclesiastes 3:21).

So the animals in this world are not to be treated as if they are nothing.

Since a lot of ppl are pet lovers and have lost pets due to them having died, aren't most applying that to pets rather than all animals, such as cows where one might have made a meal or two out of when one cooked up some hamburgers? I guess not in India, though. Cows are apparently sacred to them.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Since a lot of ppl are pet lovers and have lost pets due to them having died, aren't most applying that to pets rather than all animals, such as cows where one might have made a meal or two out of when one cooked up some hamburgers? I guess not in India, though. Cows are apparently sacred to them.

We can eat cats or any animal meat (if we have to) as long as we give thanks to God (1 Timothy 4:5). That is not the same as being loving with the animal kingdom and in appreciating God’s creation. We eat because we have to do so in order to live. Also, the eating of even unclean animals in the NT is representative of the inclusion of the Gentiles into God’s New Covenant program. But make no mistake, God even shows that he loves his animal kingdom in that he feeds them.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” (Matthew 6:26).

 

[Mark Quayle]

If animals have souls, yet won't be bodily resurrected like humans will be, thus have no judgment to face in the afterlife regardless what they did or did not do during their lives, such as some of them have murdered humans on occasion, doesn't this at least prove souls can die though some ppl claim souls are immortal and can't die?

Are you saying 'souls' is the same for animals as for those made in the image of God?

 

[sandman]

Well, the Scriptures say that all life has a soul (Job 12:10) and that animals will enter God’s Kingdom (Romans 8:19-22) (Pay close attention to verse 21).

"In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:10) (KJV).

Romans 8:19-22 says,

19 "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

It's only logical that if animals have a soul, they have a spirit.

In fact, this is what Scripture says:

"Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?" (Ecclesiastes 3:21).

So the animals in this world are not to be treated as if they are nothing.

 

[DavidPT]

Are you saying 'souls' is the same for animals as for those made in the image of God?

That's what someone else seem to be suggesting, that both man and animals have souls. But I don't think they were suggesting those souls were made in the image of God, or if they were suggesting that, I guess that went over my head. When I asked what I did, that was assuming animals also have souls and that I wasn't factoring in that they too would be in the image of God since that never crossed my mind.

So, no I'm not saying their souls would also be made in the image of God. I'm assuming your point might be this, souls can still be immortal then if they are made in the image of God and that this would not apply to souls not made in the image of God. IOW, the souls of animals can die, the souls of men can't. That's assuming you believe in eternal conscious torment concerning the lost, where I myself don't but used to. Thus in my view the soul can die, further proved by the fact souls of animals die, assuming they have souls.

 

[CatsRule2020]

In Australia there is a zoo that has tiger handlers walking around amongst the zoo visitors with the tiger each handler was assigned at the tiger's birth. It is imperative that the first voice the baby tiger hears be that of it's handler. It is given all the love and discipline it can handle while growing up. This is how the the tiger is able to walk around the zoo with it's handler...off leash, amongst all the visitors. By being exposed to love at the start, it overcomes it's natural ferocious killer instincts.. Therefore, animals would have to possess a soul/spirit in order to even respond to and change because of love.

 

[zoidar]

I'm not really sure but I'm leaning towards the idea that animals might be just "biological robots" that don't have a soul and don't even have consciousness. They just behave according to their instincts.

This sounds like a very low view of animals. I think you should take a look at some movies on gorillas and monkeys.

A WARNING though. This video can be a bit challenging to our faith. So don't see it if you aren't grounded in Jesus. Christ love!

 

[zoidar]

We have a lot of answers about if animals have a soul. What is the answer to the question: "What is the soul?" How do you define soul?