The Sacrifice Of Jesus and Animals

[cardero]

Often we hear religious people proclaim that Jesus died for us or that he offered His life in an exchange for the way humankind has sinned.

What does the death and sacrifice of Jesus hold for animals?

Are animals excluded from this plan on the assumption that they are not required to believe or may not behave in a manner that would be considered by humans to be sinful or immoral?

BONUS QUESTION: What of the significance of animals who offer their lives so that humans can thrive and survive? Are they deserving of the same kind of importance as Jesus or the same worship that some attribute to the Son Of God? What would be the difference in such a sacrifice?

[tomspug]

Originally Posted by cardero

Often we hear religious people proclaim that Jesus died for us or that he offered His life in an exchange for the way humankind has sinned.

What does the death and sacrifice of Jesus hold for animals?

Are animals excluded from this plan on the assumption that they are not required to believe or may not behave in a manner that would be considered by humans to be sinful or immoral?

BONUS QUESTION: What of the significance of animals who offer their lives so that humans can thrive and survive? Are they deserving of the same kind of importance as Jesus or the same worship that some attribute to the Son Of God? What would be the difference in such a sacrifice?

OK. Seriously. If we're going to start caring about the souls of animals (which they don't have), what about the trees and the grass? How about the cockroaches and the ladybugs?

Sure, some of the larger animals are cute and intelligent, but to what point do you take the idea of animals having souls? Do amoeba have souls? Viruses?

The way I see it, the Bible talks nothing about the salvation of animal-kind... So this might be grounds to start a new religion. But there's no point bringing up Jesus, since if he had something to say about animals... he probably would have said it.

As for the bonus question... Animals were used AS sacrifices as a 'gifts' or 'sacrifices'... meaning that they were considered property. It was the equivalent of 'tithing' today, because animals were considered currency back then. That was really their only purpose, and I don't see why that should change.

[logician]

For that matter, prove that humans have souls, since we are evolved from other hominids, how is it that we have a soul and they didn't?

[Azakel]

Originally Posted by tomspug

Sure, some of the larger animals are cute and intelligent, but to what point do you take the idea of animals having souls?

At the point were many different religion(most that were around before your) believed they have them. So since forever like us.

[L0gic]

Originally Posted by tomspug

OK. Seriously. If we're going to start caring about the souls of animals (which they don't have), what about the trees and the grass? How about the cockroaches and the ladybugs?

Sure, some of the larger animals are cute and intelligent, but to what point do you take the idea of animals having souls? Do amoeba have souls? Viruses?

The way I see it, the Bible talks nothing about the salvation of animal-kind... So this might be grounds to start a new religion. But there's no point bringing up Jesus, since if he had something to say about animals... he probably would have said it.

As for the bonus question... Animals were used AS sacrifices as a 'gifts' or 'sacrifices'... meaning that they were considered property. It was the equivalent of 'tithing' today, because animals were considered currency back then. That was really their only purpose, and I don't see why that should change.

Do more primitive animals have souls? If no, then how did humans happen to have them? Are we to give the idea that something with consciousness has a soul? If that's the case, then rule out trees, plants, viruses, bacteria, amoeba, etc... . If we assume that, than pretty much anything with a nervous system has a soul, even a little fish.

In addition, to make the idea simpler, prove a human has a soul. Now, prove a fishy has a soul or chimpanzee or pig have souls.