Christianity states that only humans have souls, why not animals/plants?

Question

If we take science as fact, more specifically physics, Newton tells us that energy cannot be destroyed only moved from one median to the next. Regardless of human or bug if you are alive there is energy within oyu, aka a soul that upon death will transfer to another median. How are we so ignorant to believe we are the only beings with a soul? God religion pisses me off.

Answer 1

Maybe you know something that God doesn't know.

God created all the other stuff, but God breathed life into Adam.

If you think that mankind made up these stories about souls / life, and whatever, then get 'pissed off'.

If you consider the soul sacred and bound for the afterlife, then show a little bit more respect.

Answer 2

You don't necessarily have to reject religion in order to believe science. You just have to figure out how to put the pieces together until it makes a picture you like.

As for me, I believe every living being has a soul. I think the soul is actually "bigger" than will "fit" into a human (for lack of better terminology), and that in the afterlife between reincarnations we're aware of a lot of things that the limitations of being human won't let us know.

Let's pretend the soul is 5 gallons of water. A human would only be able to handle let's say, a gallon milk jug of water. Various animals might equate to a glassful of water. Worms and bugs and stuff might equate to a thimbleful, and bacteria would be a single drop of water. Theoretically, a soul could be split up into any number of creatures living at the same time, but that'd be just a bit too confusing to contemplate so I won't go there. O.o

Anyway, if you think about it it sorta makes sense. You've probably had thoughts or feelings that you can't find a way to express. This is because we have to work within human limitations. Likewise, I believe animals are capable of more thoughts and feelings than we usually give them credit for, but they're even more limited than us in ways to express them. And so on down the scale.

Well, it makes sense to me anyway. ;)

Answer 3

I don't know about other Christian religions, but Catholicism holds that humans are formed "in the image and likeness of God." Humans are "above all other animals, just below the angels." Also, the soul and the body are two separate entities.

Whereas the body is formed by your mother of what she eats for nourishment (ie the circle of life... feel free to sing!), the soul is formed by God and endowed upon your conception. After death, your soul is whisked away, whereas your body reenters the energy cycle.

Furthermore, He who creates the laws of physics really doesn't have to obey them, does He? :D

Answer 4

Since plants, animals, etc. were willed into existence - and man was created by God in God's image, it is assumed that animals have no souls. "Energy and "Souls" are not the same. Energy is physical, soul is metaphysical.

It ticks me off to see people that have no idea what they're talking about spout generalities...

This has nothing to do with "energy"... and nothing to do with destruction of matter. Nothing is destroyed by death. The matter just changes states.

Answer 5

Who says the soul is composed of energy? Can you say "supernatural"? Humans are the only ones with souls, because we were the only creatures created "in God's image" and "just a little lower than the angels." If the Christian religion offends you, why ask stuff like this?

Answer 6

If your real anger is targeted at the fact that if this particular religion has some credibility, then how is it that it just believes animals are here, die, and then that's it, then here is a possible explanation. There are branches of Christianity who do believe that animals have souls. Just not human ones. They (these souls) aren't interchangeable or morphous as in some Eastern religions. But as such, these branches do believe animals exist in the next life. Not to be trivial, but you will see Rover again one day.

Answer 7

I don't think that Christianity teaches that humans are the only animals with souls, just the only ones with souls created in the image and likeness of God.

Further, I disagree with your implicit premise that a soul is material/physical. A soul must be something other, because men and random combinations of chemicals are not the same. This is manifest, because men have the ability to reason, the ability to move under their own power, and the ability to sense things. Because of this difference, and because we know that men and random combinations of chemicals are material, what separates them (i.e. the soul) must out of necessity NOT be material, because the cause of difference can NOT be the same as the reason of sameness.

Answer 8

We are all connected! For better or worse and I love your question! Christianity cannot be as easliy updated as a computer.
The religions were invented in the prehistoric times to control citizens and to keep them from having orgies in the street and
such. Oh the good ole' days'-lol. We all have energy, even objects. One piece of evidence that I have discovered implies animals have a soul is in the bible, "The lion will lie down with the lamb." But there is only one way to find out the truth. Die and check out animal heaven-just kidding. I think I will be reunited with some of my pets when and if i make it to heaven. Thanks for the thoughts!

Answer 9

You have pin pointed my entire theory on religion and life. Energy cannot be destroyed nor created, so I believe that I will be just the same as any thing else....my energy will go on just as it would if I were a plant. I know many will have alot to say about all this, but that's about it for me. Best wishes

Answer 10

That's funny, 'God religion pisses me off.'. Anyhow, my mom would say when one of my fish died, or a hamster died, or whatever multitude of pets I buried in the backyard died, she would say they would go to heaven. If you believe in reincarnation, like you could come back as another creature, then of course they would have a soul. Again though, think of the old Christian belief that Galileo contended - that the earth was the center of the universe. Galileo went to prison for saying they were wrong. The source of this animal/souless belief is Christian arrogance.