How about: killing an ant or a plant ?
2006-08-24 04:35:04 · 21 answers · asked by Wortho 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
This is a good question. We just naturally seem to think that killing a cat is bad, killing an ant is ok, and there is nothing wrong with killing plants. The difference between killing an animal and a plant should be obvious. A plant, while a living thing, has no nervous system, no brain function, and would not be considered morally wrong in most situation. The difference between a cat and an ant may be a little less cut and dry. I think it has more to do with intent than anything. Ants are usually killed for the good of man. They can carry disease, eat our food, etc. I know I don't want to eat at a resteraunt with an ant (or any other kind of insect) problem. It is also very difficult to prevent these kinds of animals from invading the home without using such measures.
Large animals, such as cats and dogs, usually don't create such a menace, and when they do, there are usually other ways to prevent the menace they cause. Cats are also often found as someone's pet, and care should be taken before killing an animal that someone may consider part of their family. However, I feel the real issue is the motive behind the killing. If your intent for killing the animal is out of pleasure, I believe it is always wrong. If you are killing an animal to protect yourself and your family, I believe it is always right. If swerving my car to miss a cat might mean going off the road, I feel sorry for the cat. If I suspect a cat might be rabid and is near some children, I don't know that I even feel all that sorry. If someone is burning ants with a magnifying glass for the sheer joy of watching an animal suffer, I think that is wrong.
2006-08-24 04:56:37 · answer #1 · answered by Serving Jesus 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
An Ant is a destructive Insect, while a Cat is a Member of the Family.
Kill the Ant !
Love the Cat !
2006-08-24 04:41:53 · answer #2 · answered by Minister 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is a difficult question.
Because is ants invade our house, weren't they first, and aren't we who invade their lands?
Cats, plant, insect etc all of them have right to live.
WE must learn to live together...all in the nature have a propose in Earth...
All work together...
Did you know that the formic acid of ants make possible the decomposition of leaves and barks of trees?
Cats also are involve in the life cycle as predators, and without tree or plants we haven't oxygen...
Everything in Earth, have a purpose for it, no matter how big, how little or microscopic it is...
There can't be moral difference between killing...
2006-08-24 04:52:01 · answer #3 · answered by Demosth E 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There isn't any moral difference, only the preference for any kind of animal...
Talking about religion, yes, there is a difference, there are some different kind of animals... I remember that were considered low kind of animals the insects and reptiles.
Anyway I think the moral weight reside in why do you kill them... for eat (yes I know people who eats cats and in some places the ants are eaten too)? or for fun? or for accident?
2006-08-24 04:43:38 · answer #4 · answered by esther c 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Humans in their natural state care about things in sort of a bulls-eye pattern. The closer something is to us- by relation, in space, in body shape, in intelligence (as we understand it), etc. the more we care about it.
Cats are 'closer' to us than ants, and ants are 'closer' than plants. We think this naturally and instinctively and it is easy to see the survival value of it.
With some effort, practice, and training, we can view things differently... but is this right or natural? Is it even helpful?
We can be easily manipulated into a lot of beliefs- how do we know we are not being manipulated into thinking that ALL life is equally special... especially when nature shows us that everything eats something?
2006-08-24 04:59:35 · answer #5 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the situation. Are you torturing an ant outside? Or are you getting rid of them in your house? It would be inhumane to kill a cat on purpose. Plants, well, as long as your not being purposely destructive outside and harming nature, but we gotta eat veggies....
2006-08-24 04:45:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
an ant and a cat are both living creatures and killing any of them are as equal as two countries having war...
both an ant and a plant are living so it's the same as the explanation above...
animals grow and plants grow...they both have living cells so they both are living creations...destroying any is very bad unless destined by God's command...
2006-08-24 04:41:47 · answer #7 · answered by Princess Answers 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the religion, to Buddists all life is sacred, even an ant.
To Christians, man has dominon over all lower forms of life, it is only another man you can't murder.
This does not mean it's open season to kill cats. Satan worshipers are said to kill cats routinely, thus that can be an afront to God.
Killing small animals for fun is illegal in the US and you go to jail for doing it.
2006-08-24 04:50:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Morality is a human invention.
Hence if you were in a society such as ancient Egypt it would be considered a great sin to kill a Cat as they were considered to be almost godlike in their supernatural powers.
However if you were a member of my family you would no doubt be heaped with praise for murdering a cat (I come from a long line of feline hating cat slayers).
Only Buddhists would probably care about an ant.
Summing up, our society would judge you much more harshly for killing a mammal (except rats an stuff) than almost any insect.
2006-08-24 04:40:48 · answer #9 · answered by Warrior Hamster 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
not between an ant and a cat,
but an ant and a pLant is different as pLants do not have nerves and cannot feeL anything.
2006-08-24 04:36:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋