Non-Human Animals in Your Religion or Worldview

[Debater Slayer]

Are non-human animals intrinsically different from humans in your religion, or are they considered equal? For example, in mainstream Islamic thought, animals are not considered to have free will, so they don't face the same judgment in the afterlife as humans do.

What is the status of non-human animals in your religion or worldview?

 

[Vinayaka]

In Hinduism, non-human animals vary, with mammals getting the most respect. They are all intrinsically different, yet at the core, still Brahman. So it's both. All life is sacred though. There is a misconception about cows in Hinduism. We don't worship cows, we honour cows. For me that's an important distinction. We honour our elders, but we don't worship them. We might honour a child on her birthday, but that's not worship.

 

[Debater Slayer]

In Hinduism, non-human animals vary, with mammals getting the most respect. They are all intrinsically different, yet at the core, still Brahman. So it's both. All life is sacred though. There is a misconception about cows in Hinduism. We don't worship cows, we honour cows. For me that's an important distinction. We honour our elders, but we don't worship them. We might honour a child on her birthday, but that's not worship.

What does the sacred status of life entail in your religion? Are plants also sacred life or only animals?

 

[Secret Chief]

Are non-human animals intrinsically different from humans in your religion, or are they considered equal? For example, in mainstream Islamic thought, animals are not considered to have free will, so they don't face the same judgment in the afterlife as humans do.

What is the status of non-human animals in your religion or worldview?

Depends. In early Buddhism, there is a cosmology describing 31 planes of existence. Non-human animals are what we may be reborn as, caused by our unwholesome actions ("behaving like an animal" ) in this life as a human i.e. we fall into a lower plane of existence upon "rebirth." This is obviously bang out of order, which is one reason why I migrated over to Zen Buddhism, which is unconcerned with such notions. Rebirth of all is moment by moment.

 

[Gargovic Malkav]

Are non-human animals intrinsically different from humans in your religion, or are they considered equal? For example, in mainstream Islamic thought, animals are not considered to have free will, so they don't face the same judgment in the afterlife as humans do.

What is the status of non-human animals in your religion or worldview?

Exactly that; non-human.

I don't really have a problem with keeping animals for slaughter, although I think it's important they are treated well, even though they get killed in the end.
For some reason I think it's a lot less acceptable to do that to humans.

I own pets. Two cats.
I don't feel too bad about it, although I do sometimes feel sorry for them they can't go outside as I live in an apartment building.
And they clearly show a desire to go and explore the huge world out there.
They do seem happy though, even though I can't grant all of their wishes.
I have no desire to own human pets, nor do I think it's appropriate do do so.

Recently I committed genocide because I had a fruit fly infestation.
To be finally rid of them kind of felt like a relief rather than guilt.
I think there'd be something wrong with me if I would treat humans that way just because they bug me.

When I put things in this perspective, I don't think it'd be fair to say that I consider humans and animals to be equals in many ways.
Note how I'm indifferent about the "animals vs. non-human animals" thing, although I do understand how it's a big deal to some people.
Hopefully this doesn't turn into yet another eggshells minefield...

 

[Vinayaka]

What does the sacred status of life entail in your religion? Are plants also sacred life or only animals?

It's on a continuum. All things are sacred, but animals are 'more' sacred than plants, which are more sacred then the inanimate objects. Think of it like heat, in the universe. There's absolute zero, ranging to incredibly hot.

 

[Aupmanyav]

What does the sacred status of life entail in your religion? Are plants also sacred life or only animals?

Yeah, plants also are sacred, especially Banyan (F. subg. Urostigma) and Pipal (Ficus religiosa). Same with the Holy Basil (Tulsi, Ocimum tenuiflorum).
Worship of the family Tulsi bush is what most Hindu wives do first thing in the morning.
Many other plants also are considered sacred. Belpatra (leaves of Aegle marmelos) is a must for Shiva worship.
Pipal is considered Lord Vishnu himself, and Tulsi his second consort. Uprooting a Pipal is considered a sacrilege. Tulsi pedestal gets the pride of place in a Hindu home.

Women tying threads around a banyan tree wishing safety of their menfolk.

Women carrying pots with Tulsi for welfare of the family.

Bel leaves (Aegle marmelos)

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Animist here. Other-than-human-persons are our kin, and deserve respect. Even when we kill them.

 

[ChristineM]

We are animals,

 

[sun rise]

From my understanding, the consciousness of non-human forms such as animals is not fully developed. It develops as the soul takes birth in more and more conscious forms.

Some are on what Meher Baba called a "turning" such as the tulsi plant and dogs. Those forms have a direct connection with the Divine.

 

[The Hammer]

What is the status of non-human animals in your religion or worldview?

Animals are to be respected, as are plants and the Earth as a whole. Everything contains a bit of divinity within them. We are them and vice versa.

 

[JDMS]

Animist here as well, with Shinto background. In Shinto, anything or anyone is a potential kami. Any animal, tree, car, or rock can become a kami. But animals are truthfully not seen the same as humans. They are less important, or inherently divine. All humans become kami after death but I doubt most people believe animals do too, unless humans choose to worship them in memorial. Which in my opinion, is a very human-centric view. Why is it that humans are the creature that gives all other living and non living things their value?

In my personal animist view, I think the value of everything on earth and their inherent "spirit" holds the same value as humans. I don't necessarily believe in an afterlife per se, but I do not believe that humans become ghosts, or human spirits go to the afterlife, and animals don't. If humans experienced a spiritual continuation after death, I'd assume everything else does too.

 

[JDMS]

Animist here as well, with Shinto background. In Shinto, anything or anyone is a potential kami. Any animal, tree, car, or rock can become a kami. But animals are truthfully not seen the same as humans. They are less important, or inherently divine. All humans become kami after death but I doubt most people believe animals do too, unless humans choose to worship them in memorial. Which in my opinion, is a very human-centric view. Why is it that humans are the creature that gives all other living and non living things their value?

In my personal animist view, I think the value of everything on earth and their inherent "spirit" holds the same value as humans. I don't necessarily believe in an afterlife per se, but I do not believe that humans become ghosts, or human spirits go to the afterlife, and animals don't. If humans experienced a spiritual continuation after death, I'd assume everything else does too.

I should also clarify that my view of the spirit is a lot different than some. To me, the inherent spirit or life of all things, including objects like rock, comes from the chemical nature of all things. The matter everything is made of is "alive" to some extent in my view. I do not think that cognition defines spirit.

 

[danieldemol]

I believe in valuing humans over other animals in the material realm, so I have no qualms about swatting mosquitoes that choose to lunch on me.

However in the spirit realm I consider their spirits just as worthy of salvation should they desire it as ours are.

In my opinion.

 

[Quintessence]

In theory, all animals have the same status of intrinsic value and worth.

In practice, I live in a culture that is brutally speciesist and responsible for a sixth mass extinction. This adjusts the value equation for human animals sharply downward, below that of all other animals. It is only the beauty of the arts and sciences that levels that back out.

 

[England my lionheart]

In my world view we them more than they need us,really they don’t need us at all.

 

[Aupmanyav]

In Hinduism, non-human animals vary, with mammals getting the most respect.

Vinayaka, do not forget the snake. Lord Vishnu's couch (Sheshanaga) and Shiva's garland (Vasuki).

Padmanabhaswami 34 kg. solid gold Vishnu, Shiva and his snakes.

Maharashtra

Amritsar

 

[syo]

What is the status of non-human animals in your religion or worldview?

Sacred.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Here's the thing: humans are one day going to have the ability to resurrect anything that has died. However, this kind of technology would be wasted if humans resurrected everything in existence. The only things that will be resurrected are humans and their close pets, everything else will remain eternally in nonexistence / oblivion. That's what makes them different than us.

 

[Viker]

Being that humans are animals all creatures are inherently equal in value. I never put humans down on the same level of non-human animals. I'm elevating non-human animals to the level we appreciate for ourselves.