Why do christians keep telling me animals have no souls?

Question

I recently became a vegetarian because I was a appalled at the abuse in factory farming and for health befits of a vegetarian diet. But christians at my school keep telling me its stupid because animals have no souls and cant feel anything. I'm a non-denominational christian I've been to catholic, Protestant, and baptist churches, and have read the bible and I have yet to find anything that says animals have no souls and are emotionless computerized like beings. I've anyone can quote something from the bible that confirms this please do so because I am very interested in the subject.

Answer 1

moralizing christians need to defend their monstrous lifestyles by demeaning all lifeforms.

Answer 2

From everything I have read regarding the Christian viewpoint, animals seem to have something like a soul, but their soul does not live on after death.

Here is a quote from the Christian Probe Ministries:

" Animals have bodies and we can say that some have souls (Gen. 1:21 and 24 use the word for "soul" to describe the land creatures), but they do not have a spirit where God indwells like humans do. As far as I can tell from scripture, it is this God-imaging spirit-soul that lives forever."

Here is a quote from a Biblical questions site:

"The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals (Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15,22) have the breath of life. The primary difference between human beings and animals is that man is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Animals are not made in the image and likeness of God. Being made in the image and likeness of God means that human being are like God, capable of spirituality, with mind, emotion, and will - and - have an aspect of being that continues after death. If pets / animals do have a “soul” or immaterial aspect, it must therefore be of a different and lesser "quality." This difference probably means that pet / animal “souls” do not carry on after death."

If you find yourself disagreeing with this, you're not the only person out there that disputes at least some of the aspects of the faith they have adopted. I was raised Catholic but always thought to myself, " I believe it except this, or that, or this, or that", and eventually I just realized I was disillusioning myself. I've since found a faith that I feel much more comfortable in, but I won't tell you more because you need to have your own spiritual journey, without the influence of others.

People have a right to their religious beliefs as you have to yours. If someone tells you that animals have no souls and do not live on, just agree to disagree. Religion is something that very few people see eye to eye on. It divides friends, families and nations alike. Just thank people for their opinion and keep believing what your heart tells you.

Answer 3

I'm a Christian and I don't have any problem with the idea of animals having souls, though the Bible says nothing on the subject explicitly. In fact it says, "Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?" Ec 3:21 So Christians shouldn't be so presumptuous about things they don't really know.

Answer 4

My dogs would be very surprised to learn they had no souls. Me too. Who knew?
That said. I'm a meat eater. I eat chicken, beef and pork.
Do I feel guilty. No.
Don't worry about the Christians, just figure out what you believe.
Though ultimately it doesn't matter what you believe. Animals and us, we either have souls or we don't. Believing something contrary to the truth will not change the truth. Do we have souls? do animals have souls? No idea. I think I'll behave as though we do because I like that idea better.
Will that stop me from eating meat? No.

Answer 5

"Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?" (Eccl. 3: 21.)

Animals have a soul in the sense that they possess life. A common Hebrew word translated life (soul) is nephesh. Nephesh is used for the life or breath of both animals and man (Gen. 1: 20, 30; 19: 17). Life is that state that is the opposite of death. It is a state of animation, breathing, and awareness. Men and animals alike possess a soul in the sense of breath (nephesh). However, in the sense of possessing a part or element that lives forever, as man possesses, animals do not possess an eternal spirit (cp. Matt. 25: 46). The animal simply and totally returns to the dust, the spirit of man continues to exist (Eccl. 3: 21, cp. 12: 7).

The fact that animals do not possess an eternal soul in the sense that man does, does not de-emphasize their value as companions to man. Pets can and do become an important part in the lives of millions. Also, in man's charge over the animal kingdom, it behooves man to protect and not abuse the animals (Gen. 1: 26-28).

I hope this helps. It has really opened my eyes to the treatment of animals. I do not beleive it's bad to eat a steak, but I think an animal that is killed for food must be harvested in a humane way!

Answer 6

The Bible constantly talks about the souls of animals, but it doesn't always show up in translation. Here are some opening passages from the Book of Genesis. In every case where the Hebrew word for "soul" actually appears, I have included it (in place of the English gloss). In every case, the word "soul," in the Hebrew, is the exact same word used in Genesis 2:7, where is says, "and man became a living soul."

Ge 1:20 Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath a soul...
Ge 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living soul that moveth...
Ge 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living soul after his kind...
Ge 1:30 and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is a soul...
Ge 2:19 and whatsoever Adam called every living soul, that was the name thereof.
Ge 9:4 But flesh with the soul thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
Ge 9:10 And with every living soul that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you...
Ge 9:12 This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living soul that is with you...
Ge 9:15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living soul of all flesh...
Ge 9:16 ...that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living soul of all flesh that is upon the earth.

Answer 7

If you have a soul you have a mental awareness. Even though my Dachshund is perfect and I love her very much she can't take care of her self. She eats, she sleeps, and so on.

All living thing have been given live from God all thing on heaven move only under God's power.

I do believe some human beings have less mental awareness animals. God says he new you in your mothers womb.

Answer 8

that's a good question, sorry i don't know the answer to it; but what i will say is that i can't believe that animals are treated like garbage. PETA has been removed from many things due to it's 'graphic nature', but i think that we should all have knowledge of how the animals are treated that we eat. I wouldn't want to be eating poisoned meat or meat that hasn't been handled properly.
Great Question.

Answer 9

Cuz animals can't donate to the church. i be attentive to the way you sense because of the fact a cat that i could been watching from a distance without notice crossed the line and grow to be run over by potential of a automobile that did no longer even supply up. I rushed to it to locate that a million/2 of its face grow to be long previous. It afflicted me for an prolonged time, till I examine the e book "hear All Creatures" by potential of Karen Anderson. She tells of the comparable element happening to her and not ultimately expertise it till an prolonged time later.

Answer 10

Most christians are totally clueless about what the soul actually is. The concept of soul was defined by Aristotle. He contended that everything living had a soul, including plants. The soul is the life force of the being. There are different levels of soul, with the human rational soul being considered the highest, so animals do have souls, if you believe in that concept.

Answer 11

Christians like to believe that they are somehow separated from animals, and that they share no traits with animals. In their eyes, humans are special, chosen by God. That's why many Christians are opposed to evolution, because they believe it makes them somehow less special knowing that they share origins with non-human primates.

Humans are, in reality, animals. We are animals that happen to be endowed with great brains and bodies that are efficient in manipulating the world around us. Should we discriminate against cows because they were born small-brained? According to the Bible, animals are subservient to humans, and are free to be used for food, work, or whatever else we deem necessary.

As for the souls, I can't answer that, since I don't believe in souls at all. But you CAN still be a Christian, and simply choose to disagree what other Christians have to say about animals. If they are true Christians, they will respect your beliefs.