Do you think it’s possible for animals to believe in a higher power?

Question

I know this seems pretty out there* but if God made all the animals on the earth and the fish in the sea and everything that flies in the air and creepth on the ground, do you think it’s possible that animals have some concept of a God or higher spiritual being. For some reason I find it difficult to believe that the concept of God is strictly in, of and for the sole domain of contemplation by mankind.

And no, I’m not a vegetarian.

*and I know some idiot is going to stop reading there and say it’s pretty out there or question my intelligence, I ask this with complete sincerity and soundness of mind.

Good point logrhythmic, Animals my not necessarily believe but could be guided by a higher power.

Answer 1

Hi, Daedalus! I will answer with complete sincerity, as well. (I answer from my personal Christian perspective, but since you ask what "I" think, I have to use stuff I know about.)

Yes, I think it’s possible for animals to believe in a higher power. Consider these Bible stories:

Balaam and His Donkey (Numbers 22)
http://bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults.php?passage1=Numbers+22&version=51
In this story, Balaam's donkey sees the Angel of the Lord and responds. (He saw the Angel before Balaam did!)
Here is a link to the re-telling of this story: http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/catholic_christianity/100956/2 For some background about donkeys in eastern and western culture begin at page 1 (below story).

Instructions to Noah's family after leaving the ark (Genesis 9:4-5)
4 "But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being."
http://bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults.php?passage1=Genesis+9%3A4-5&version1=72
It seems to me that if God will hold the animals accountable for killing a human being, He must expect them to know Him and be able to follow some set code of animal conduct.

The Triumphal Entry (Luke 19:28-40)
http://bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults.php?passage1=Luke+19%3A28-40&version1=49
In this story, Jesus reminds the Pharisees that if the crowds were to become silent, the rocks [even] would start to sing.

~*~*~*

My opinion is that all of creation has a knowledge of her creator. Whether the animals are "spiritual" beings is unknown to me. They may walk in communion with God all the time and not need to be "spiritual." They may have a better understanding of God than we do. I'm not suggesting that is the case, but if it were the case, we couldn't really know, could we?

Animals definitely have communication with their own kind. We learn to communicate with them -- using their language or causing them to understand ours. Many animals respond to human voice commands or visual cues. But what about those animals that we establish relationships with? Those that actually seem to respond to our words, feelings, and even our expectations? There is just something deeper there. If they can connect with us, then I believe it's likely that animals probably have a more refined connectedness with their creator than we, as humans, do. I hope this makes sense to you.

BTW: I'm not a vegetarian, either.

Just for fun, here is a list of animals that are mentioned in the Bible: http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/animals.html

You may be interested in this book by Mary Buddemeyer-Porter, "Will I see Fido in Heaven?"
http://www.creatures.com/BackCover.html
http://www.creatures.com/Stores.html

Answer 2

A very good question I think. I mean we see animals all the time that sense things that we can not. clearly they can feel a change in weather or sense danger would tell me that have a thinking mind. i would think they would in many cases be more open minded than some people. Because they would not have such drama to deal with. But yet they have order and I believe laws. I studied a pack of wolves for a while and seen how one was behaving against the pack and was dealt with in a fashion that ended the problem, then back to the routine until the next situation came up.
although as humans we can not allow ourselves the time to see just how advanced the animal has become and at a pace that blows man out of the water. But we would not accept it even if we knew it was true.
No your question is a good one and shows your thinking outside the box which is a good thing.
In many cases I think we come closer at getting an animal to have faith then some humans.

Answer 3

wot is human? = animal
if ya want to get into that wot are the parts that make up the animals and then look at the difference to human animal
I will tell you now its nothing
brain size etc no argument
if in gods image then all are
who decides this anyway?


to all smarty pants who say brain = cant realize etc
how good would you be at being a dog cat etc
bet not as good as dog cat etc

wots more how do you know wots going thru head of animal?

Answer 4

Daedalus,
I can't remember where in scripture it says it, but there are references to the lower creatures praising God, and being grateful for their lives. Here is my take on it. I think that until we choose to invite God into our minds and lives, and bond with His Spirit, we are nothing more than very clever monkeys. Always talking, and making no sense, fighting over some materialistic banana, and pooping all over the beautiful world He gave us. The human who is seperated from the Spirit of God, is little more than a very gifted animal. Just my opinion, but look around you, and think about it.

Answer 5

There have incidences in them history of mankind when animals have been reported to be extremely fond of places like temples and Churches and have been regular there, however animals have been proved to have a certain level of intelligence which is not normally seen in species. as there can be exceptions and geniuses in human there is no doubt genetically and scientifically there can be an existence of such species in animals too and u never know your dog may silently be praying for your health to recover consciously or unconsciously while u may be sick

Answer 6

i don't think your question is " out there " its a good question and ill try answer honestly and only from my own point of view of course
i think everything has spirit , everything goes to spirit ( that includes animals of course)
i don't think however that animals have the same curiosity and way of thinking as we do , they are more instinctive and intuitive but i don't think they would have thoughts as such other than the basic " I'm hungry " "i need sleep " type way... so no i don't think they would contemplate a higher being as we would
we only " know " of something more due to our curiosity and discussions with each other and this is something that animals don't have

Answer 7

Believe?... probably not. Live by?... perhaps. It seems all of nature is guided by a higher power. Animals, particularly domestic, seem so innocent and devoted as if guided by a universal force of good. I don't think they believe in anything in particular. Too bad more people aren't guided by a higher power.

Answer 8

Religion is a product of what we call higher intelligence, which means (among other things) imagination, an attribute which animals do not possess. It takes imagination to come up with gods, demons, djinns, spirits and the rest.

Answer 9

very good question.
i c animals and all nature as my brothers and sisters.
i c same THING in me as in animal or tree.
on some level of existance we are same.
sometimes i think that animals are better believers than myself.
they just do what they must to do, and without complaning.
we allways complain abouth this and that.
they are more focused on, like indian's seas,
DHARMA (life job that soul must do).
so i think that they are on their own path to GOD,
maybe they are conscious or not,
but they are on the way to GOD.

Answer 10

Of course animals are also conscious of the existence of the Supreme being. They are always in constant remembrance of God (prayer).


Seest thou not that it is Allah Whose praises all beings in the heavens and on earth do celebrate, and the birds (of the air) with wings outspread? Each one knows its own (mode of) prayer and praise. And Allah knows well all that they do.

Al-Qur'an, 024.041 (An-Noor [The Light])

I hope this answers your question.