Do animals have a sense of religion and spirituality? If not, why don't we live like animals? They seem to be more carefree and peaceful than us. I'm jealous.
Oh, and we are animals.
2007-07-15 03:56:05 · 30 answers · asked by Sasha C 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Humans are the only animals on Earth who are cursed with self-consciousness (ie, "I think, therefore I am."), which is why we've created deities, because the idea soothes our egos--our sense of ourselves as individuals. I know it sounds harsh, but it's true. Think about it: we know we die, we have a sense of vulnerability in the world, a sense of mortality. If we acknowledged that we will just close our eyes one day and that will be that, it would be too unbearable to endure living with that knowledge. Therefore, we had to invent a god, a heaven (or some variation), a "soul," so that we are comforted that when our organic bodies die, some part of us will go on. This part is the ego.
As far as animals, they may seem peaceful, but life in the wild is eerily ordered and violent. Watch any wildlife documentary. It ain't a Swiss picnic out there!
Sorry to burst your bubble.
2007-07-15 04:05:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
carefree, peaceful... do you ever watch nature shows? Life in the wild is nasty, brutish and short.
Animals can be stressed. Can they worry? Well, I think they can. I think most mammals can miss each other desperately. But can other animals wonder or puzzle? Do they wonder where it all comes from, what happens when you die, etc? I don't think so but you never know. Chimpanzees have a theory of mind and a definite idea of fairness for example.
But I think spirituality and religion comes from speaking and other forms of symbolic communication. Talking about feelings and agents seems more fundamental than talking about objects to me, so I would think that in essence all first expressions about the world as a whole are probably personlike. The world is a person like everything is a person. But talking about the world as a whole is surely not the first step. So I don't think animals have religion, because religion is not primarily an idea but a communication pattern. In the beginning was indeed the word in that sense that words are more fundamental than thoughts.
2007-07-15 04:15:31 · answer #2 · answered by Ray Patterson - The dude abides 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No he's not manmade. RELIGION is manmade! So is certain parts of the bible that mankind wanted to change for himself.
Animals are just here as creations to co-exist with humans. They don't have to go out and prove their love to God like we humans do, because we're his GREATEST creations.
And NO, we didn't appear on earth due to the natural law of physics. If we were created from the natural law of physics, then we wouldn't have the ability to love or hate or have any morals to live by. We would just be like any other animal.
If we were created by the natural law of physics (Which I doubt), then why are we humans so much more complex than other animals? You have to think about all of this before you make a simple logical assumption that we just formed over a period of time. Someone had to create everything that's here. Everything just couldnt've happen on it's own.
As far as being jealous of animals....what for? We humans have it way better. Animals are much more healthier in their diets because they live natural but that's the only thing I would envy about them.
2007-07-15 04:11:44 · answer #3 · answered by RDF 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Whether a higher form does exist or not, the name we give them is man made. no one can say yes it exists or no it doesnt.
Also, remember that an animal in the wild, they may have religion or may not. But their general way of life? Females do not choose really who they mate with, the males fight over the female and the winner take her.
The males then have to spend their time protecting their prize.
More so, the head of a pride would have to spend their entire time watching out making sure they are strong enough to fend for themselves should another think themselves a better leader.
If that leader is then defeated they would be left behind to die.
So yes, they dont seem to follow religion, but thats because they are too busy surviving. They have no one to turn to, they have themselves. If they arent strong enough they die.
If we arent? We have all sorts of benefits here in uk, not sure about other places. But there are always others who can help us when we are in a tight spot.
Humanity used to live as animals, we used to be survivalists. Now? Now we have long lost that and should something happen that causes technology to fail, i think about 95% of the population would die out.
So yes, i believe we both should be jealous because we ourselves have lost that instinct, but also we should not, because we have life so much easier.
2007-07-15 04:09:25 · answer #4 · answered by Xzar 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1. No
2. I'm sure that the Gazelle feels all peaceful and carefree right before the Cheetah sinks her teeth into it's neck.
3. If I were to live like the animals I believe that I would want to be the Cheetah.
2007-07-15 04:12:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are all animals, otherwise why would we be mammals? If we were above animals, we would not be born with nipples, we would not have to eat, we would not urinate, defecate, or have any kind of discomfort related to the body.
As for god, deity is an invention, solely created to bring order to our lives. Sometimes it is a comfort for humans to believe that there is a higher being than ourselves that controls the world around us.
Unfortunately, there are a few that take this too far and are able to bring harm to others with their beliefs. I am not completely free from religion, but I do not believe in any deities, I only follow the moral side, thus trying to prevent harm.
2007-07-15 04:26:49 · answer #6 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They are carefree and peaceful because they have no god. God fearing or not, the fact still stands, religion has been the single biggest reason why humans have killed each other for thousands of years. I DARE the pope to prove me wrong on that one! The truth is: humans never worshipped anyone but themselves.
2007-07-15 04:04:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Since all Religions are "Man" made, so are their Gods.
MAN is an animal, and we DO live like animals!
What makes us UNIQUE animals is the FACT that, even though we are born "Man" animals, we are also born with the POTENTIAL to become HUMAN BEINGS, and thus MORE than other animals!
THAT is what Spirituality is about!
2007-07-15 10:21:11 · answer #8 · answered by Champion of Knowledge 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Perhaps animals do have a spiritual sense. They have certainly figured in many miraculous tales of survival, and they have been forced into a role common to many religions of self-sacrifice.
2007-07-15 04:00:23 · answer #9 · answered by Calvin James Hammer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually apart from god people do live like animals have you seen some tribal peoples in the world. it is only because of god that we have laws and knowledge of right an wrong and established systems of governments. no animals do not have a sense of religion they are not like humans they act off of their natural senses eat sleep kill.
2007-07-15 04:00:52 · answer #10 · answered by disciple 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋