Do animals have souls? (reincarnate, beliefs, heaven, religions, Celtic)

[CelticRavenwolf]

Originally Posted by Victor

Yes they do. Even plants do. ...but just like we differ from plants and animals, so to do their souls.

It surprises me to hear you say that. I was raised Catholic, and everything that I was told and researched said that animals do not have immortal souls, and as such to not go to heaven. God's Breath of Life returns back to him, but they do not go to heaven.

Consider too that according to Catholicism you must be baptized to enter heaven, and I don't know many people out there who baptize animals!

[Victor]

Originally Posted by CelticRavenwolf

It surprises me to hear you say that. I was raised Catholic, and everything that I was told and researched said that animals do not have immortal souls, and as such to not go to heaven. God's Breath of Life returns back to him, but they do not go to heaven.

Consider too that according to Catholicism you must be baptized to enter heaven, and I don't know many people out there who baptize animals!

We do in secret...

Seriously, the Church actually doesn't have a position on whether they go to heaven or not. They just know they have souls. This is one of those theological areas where Catholics can disagree and have coffee.

[Hamish]

My religion states that even the birds of the air are cared for by God, therefore I would assume that they would be accepted into the afterlife just as we would

[CelticRavenwolf]

Originally Posted by Hamish

My religion states that even the birds of the air are cared for by God, therefore I would assume that they would be accepted into the afterlife just as we would

And what religion is that?

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

Originally Posted by CelticRavenwolf

Based on your religion, are you taught that only humans have immortal souls and as such only humans go to heaven/afterlife or get reincarnated?

Do you accept those teaching to be true?

I'm a Baha'i, and the Baha'i scriptures say humans have eternal souls, and that lower creatures do not.

Oh--and they also expressly reject reincarnation, and explain why.

Simple as that.

Peace, :-)

Bruce

[Ozzie]

Originally Posted by CelticRavenwolf

I'm not sure if this would be categorized as debate or discussion, but I'm curious:

Based on your religion, are you taught that only humans have immortal souls and as such only humans go to heaven/afterlife or get reincarnated?

Do you accept those teaching to be true?

Addition (to try to get more discussion): If your personal beliefs do not match those of your religion, why?

IMO a reason for believing animals have soles is a belief in reincarnation. There is no reason to believe one is reincarnated as human.

[GoldenDragon]

I'm not sure about what the Catholic church teaches about animal souls but my theology teacher in high school said that animal's do have souls but they just disappear after death.

I highly reject that belief. I believe animals do have souls and that they are immortal and will be resurrected God cares for all His creatures not just humans and so I don't believe He'd only allow humans into paradise. Especially after all the crap humans put animals through(not all humans but a number of them)

[Random]

NO. Simulation-is-Stimulation, and only con-sapient Self-conscious beings can transcend impulse and compulsion (instinct) and bring their sentience to a higher order. Animals are natural programs in the world-Matrix: nothing more. It is irresponsible and ignorant to attribute to them characteristics of eternality or imbue them with divine qualities.

[MysticSang'ha]

I wonder if anyone who accepts that animals have souls would extend that perspective to include insects.


Do bees have souls? Or ants? Spiders?


Our tradition says yes. What do others think?



Peace,
Mystic