why don't animals have souls?

why? don't they breathe? aren't they selfaware? i think that soul is - mind and self awareness

Originally posted by CyberGhost
why? don't they breathe? aren't they selfaware? i think that soul is - mind and self awareness

If you sense that your pet animal is happy around you, to me, that is soul. I think animals breathe. I don't know if they are selfaware, maybe dolphins are. I think soul is mind and self-awareness, but it could also be an expression from 'soul' or 'heart', like if animals express happiness.

[Edited on 28-11-2003 by IMMORTAL]

[Edited on 28-11-2003 by IMMORTAL]

I have a lot of doubt about souls. My doubts somewhat spring from the subject of souls in animals and mentally disabled humans. I would think that if humans have souls, animals would too. If mind and self-awareness is evidence of a soul, then many mentally disabled humans would be deemed soul-less which brings the question of any living thing having a soul at all into doubt in my mind.

IMO, either every living thing has a soul or it doesn't.

[Edited on 28-11-2003 by heelstone]

I believe that animals do have souls.

Of course they have a soul are they not a sentient being?

there souls are less developed than a humans,

mind you some human's souls are only slightly more than that of an animal,

having just made the leap from animal to human.

Its up to you whether something has a soul or not. Your reality is all your own.

Originally posted by KhieuSamphan
Its up to you whether something has a soul or not. Your reality is all your own.

So all I have to do is think I'm rich and I'm rich? I had no idea!

But seriously, life as it currently exists is proof that humans do not make their own reality. They can make up their own little fake reality in their heads though, if thats what you meant.

This is OT though, so I'll shut up.

Actually it is probably true.

If one spent all their time thinking of money and believed they would be rich they should be.

I do know people like that and it happened for them.

But that is such a sorry existance believe me.

Would those people spend ten minutes of their time at ATS?

Doesn't one's reality exist only in one's mind?

Well good point,

all that is is but thought.

creation is an idea so they say...

Well, a soul, as LeenBakemma would say, is all in the interpretation. One can see it as having a soul, and one can see it as not having a soul.

Ah but you cannot see what you are not ready to see,

understand what I mean?

Who/what decides when we/I am ready?

Originally posted by KhieuSamphan
Doesn't one's reality exist only in one's mind?

Individual sensory perception of the world around a person, yes. The actual physical world around a person, no. Why indeed would any person imagine themselves in such a limited and strife-filled existence? We are obviously observing a physically real shared reality each from a unique perspective. If it was only in the mind, every person would and could think of something different, which is obviously not the case.

everything on earth has a soul but when did being rich have anything to do with money?

Heelstone,

good points,

so the collective consciousness forms the individual or vice versa or both.

we can create a better reality by thinking about it.

but I always remember the Wizard of Oz when the good witch says to Dorothy:

Make a wish and really want it (or something to that effect).

the part that conviction plays in this must make the difference.

Originally posted by CyberGhost
why? don't they breathe? aren't they selfaware? i think that soul is - mind and self awareness

Who says they f**king dont? You can believe what ever you want to. Because the bible might say animals dont have souls, does it make it true? It also depends if you believe in souls.

Originally posted by THENEO
Of course they have a soul are they not a sentient being?

there souls are less developed than a humans,

mind you some human's souls are only slightly more than that of an animal,

having just made the leap from animal to human.

to put it simply, they are child-like...
yes, they do have a soul, only this soul in it's essence is labelled hard-to-upgrade, an animal can only reach a certain level of inteligence, before this inteligence starts working against it... i think this is probably why animals have been pre-programmed to act at near-standard levels.
(this is the bit where i mention my barking persian cat, taught it to bring slippers last week!!)
Cyrus

I absolutly think they have souls.... i know my cat does anyway...

It never says in the Bible or anywhere else for that matter that animals don't have souls. My fellow friends and believers even have had prayer meeting with animals invloved. My 10 year old chow/retriever has arthritis...we pray for her healing at those prayer meetings. Pray for everything...fear nothing.