i have always wondered if animals have free will and i have 2 dogs that i love very much and i was lookin for your opinions on this subject. i love my dogs very much and i really like to see these opinons.
2006-11-25 21:35:32 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Soul is an old term for the psyche. Spirit is the correct term and yes animals do have one.
2006-11-25 22:18:08 · answer #1 · answered by Maureen B 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Our religious beliefs say no, they do not. But I question that.
There are so many stories of animals who give their lives to help, and protect humans, and a stories about how some dogs can predict an impending seizure in their owner, and dogs that can sniff out cancer in a human. They posess an intelligence, that all of our human smarts, and all of our high tech diagnostic machines can't rival. Call it intelligence, or call it instict if you will, I say that animals are much smarter than we care to acknowledge.
They understand what they are being asked to do, and give of themselves unselfishly. In my opinion, they deserve a heavenly reward more than a lot of humans, who are a selfish lot.
We were taught in school that humans were the only species on Earth that can use tools. We now know that that is not true, some birds even use tools, to dig a grub out of a rotten tree.
We have only to look into a dog's eyes to see the love and devotion behind them. To me, that is evidence of the presence of a soul.
I hope there is a pleasant hereafter for our non-human friends. I would like to believe that there is.
2006-11-26 05:52:15 · answer #2 · answered by riversconfluence 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Anything that breathes is a living soul according to the bible. Genesis 2:7 says a soul is a living creature composed of the dust of the ground and the breathe of life from God. Death is the reverse of this. The breathe goes back to God and the body turns into dust again: thus it ceases to be a living creature. See Ecclesiastes 12:7. In the resurrection of life, Jesus brings the saved back to life. And according to Isaiah 11:6-9 animals will be in heaven as well.
2006-11-26 05:42:42 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Souls are not something that is in humans or animals bit Man is a soul (Genesis2:7; 1Corinthians15:45 ;Joshuah11:11)
Animals too are called souls in the Bible(Numbers31:28 ; Revelation16:3 ; Leviticus28:18) A soul has blood eats and can die (Jeremiah2:34 ; Leviticus7:18 ; Ezekiel18:4)
2006-11-26 06:08:01 · answer #4 · answered by I speak Truth 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Animals have souls but not much free will. Animals have small frontal lobes (in their brain) so there free choice is very limited or non existant. Every action they take is a reaction based on their instinct or training or conditioning. Only humans have the real power to think about their actions, but unfortunately they dont exercise this very much. Keep loving your dogs, they appreciate it and will love you back, the only way they know how.
2006-11-26 05:43:47 · answer #5 · answered by sunline 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Animals ARE souls...living breathing.
"soul'= Hebrew word / NEPHESH...THAT WHICH BREATHES.
(Ecclesiastes 3:19-20) For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so that there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity. 20Â All are going to one place. They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust.
2006-11-26 07:33:33 · answer #6 · answered by pugjw9896 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Of course animals have souls, they're not statues. The souls of animals don't look like ours or Gods, they are dimly illuminated. The soul energy of plants are even less bright. Any pet you've ever had will meet you in Heaven, you need not hope, this will come to pass.
2006-11-26 05:51:51 · answer #7 · answered by spir_i_tual 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What my grandma told is that they don't have souls because they are not included in the picture of heaven. If ever they have souls, what would happen if we eat them. They are gifts to us intended for utilization on a physical world and they would not be necessary in a world with eternal life.
2006-11-26 06:03:21 · answer #8 · answered by Jors 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think all animals have souls. The "soul" is a product of the advanced central nervous system found mainly in chordates. I don't think something as simple as a jellyfish or a sponge can really be said to have a soul.
2006-11-26 05:57:31 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Every living being has a soul. I say this becuase I believe in reincarnation and in Karma...you need souls to continue the cycle of life.
2006-11-26 05:44:08 · answer #10 · answered by Taurus 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋