Does all life have value? Religion vs animals!

I think if a person is not capable of seeing that all creatures think, feel, love, dream, and are capable of suffering, then that person incapable of truly loving and appreciating the world they live in.

Originally posted by Lynzer
I think if a person is not capable of seeing that all creatures think, feel, love, dream, and are capable of suffering, then that person incapable of truly loving and appreciating the world they live in.

That sums it up totally for me.
What a world Lynzer eh? that would be.
God how the animals suffer.
God knew to make life for all temporary.

I truly do believe that animals have souls and will be in the afterlife in some form. I have had many pets and each of them certainly had an individual personality that had NOTHING to do with instinct. This implies a distinct intellect and 'soul'.

Animals were created by God and we are expected to treat them with kindness and respect. Sure we can 'use' them for food and materials when needed but we need to use care.

Animals are a huge part of my life. I wouldn't want to live without them.

I am so upset by the animal/creature suffering happening right now in the Gulf.....

I am both a Christian and a vegetarian. I cannot bear the thought of harming an animal, and even seeing something like roadkill makes me really sad. To me, inflicting undue pain and suffering on any animal or human is wrong. Even if animals do not have souls, they are still sentient beings.

Originally posted by vanhippi
It's said that dogs are the only animals that will love and protect you more than itself and I think that is true.
My dog experiencs a bunch of emotions. He gets happy/excited, irritated, angry, scared safe and nervous etc. My dog dreams (the barking and kicking in the middle of the night is proof of so) and that shows imagination.

Animals have just as much right on this planet as we do, and are much more important as people give way too.

Dogs are not the only ones.

I used to have 4 black chooks, (aussie word for hens,) for egg laying.
They were almost full grown when I got them, so I didn't expect them to be particularly loyal and fond of me. They had a chook pen up the back of the yard, and one day Buster, a bull-terrier/dingo cross I was puppysitting, got in and ate one of the chooks, leaving the others traumatised.

A week later the dog got loose again, and went for me in the back yard while the chooks were free in the garden. (Buster saw me about to slap my son and quickly grabbed my arm in his mouth to stop me.)

The chooks apparently thought I was in danger and went for Buster, knowing they were risking their lives to protect me. I was pretty impressed at how brave these tiny-brained "egg machines" could be.

So I sat on the grass with them all and spoke about trust and friendship. From then on Buster, who had already learned to unlatch the chook pen door, collected the eggs for me, one at a time, in his mouth. he never broke any and his reward was one for himself.

The chooks, and the new chooks I got, treated him as a friend from then on, and would help get rid of fleas for him by pecking his fur when he lay down.


I wouldn't be surprised if the Hindus have it right and souls can journey through different forms, depending on their Karma. I hope my father, a lover of the Aussie bush, got his dying wish and came back as a lyrebird.

reply to post by AidanK


Unfortunately your enlightened viewpoint, is sneered upon by a huge swathe of our fellow man.
They cannot even feel empathy for so called "loserS" that belong to their own species, this is how it is, no need to judge,but every individual can make a difference.

reply to post by saint4God


Wrong on so many levels.

Karma is a bitch baby, a real, bitch.

What kind of person could do this to another living being?

Not one I would care to know or have karma with.

[edit on 5-6-2010 by ofhumandescent]