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The_Punisher · 08-16-2005, 12:47 PM

We are all told that every person (no matter how criminally inclined they are) has a soul. Be it a good soul or a bad soul.

But do animals have a soul?

If you take a look at the Catholic perspective, no animals have a soul, nor do they have a consciousness. They do not go to heaven or hell.

So the real question(s) is do animals have a soul? Do they have the same consciousness we posess? Are they aware of the things going on around them, or are they merely programed problem solution machines?

[JR] · 08-16-2005, 05:51 PM

I don\'t care, quite frankly. I will still be quite happy with them being slaughtered for my dietary and cullinary pleasure. Hell, I\'d kill them mysef if I had to, and probobly enjoy it.

**ElvenKind** · 08-16-2005, 06:43 PM

Let me ask you another question on that note, Pun. Take the recent movie (the remake) \"The Island\".

Would clones have a soul? If not, then would that mean their life would be less worth than one of ours? Would it mean *we* could/should decide wheter they live or die?

Wink

[JR] · (This post was last modified: 08-16-2005 07:26 PM by [JR].)

In addition to my original post, after more carefull thought (about 5 seconds of it), I would like to add that I do not infact believe in the concept of souls, so this question is null as far as im concerned.

LivingTarget · 08-16-2005, 07:35 PM

In ancient egypt they believed bad people would reincarnate as animals, suits me I guess. Tongue

I think it\'s a bit odd to think about animals which have souls.

=D.C.L.I=Everest · 08-16-2005, 08:08 PM

The whole concept of \"soul\" is so abstract that you just can\'t ask a question like yours, Pun.

I don\'t believe in something as a \"soul\". We\'re just fleshbags built out of millions of cells, that somehow evolved into what we call intelligent life. It\'s not like nature gave us a \"soul\" along the way because we deserved it, and animals not, or whatever. It\'s just a word we use to explain and justify things we can\'t explain.

So my conclusion: there\'s about as much soul in your average human being as there is in your average animal: none at all Tongue

w00p · (This post was last modified: 08-16-2005 08:30 PM by w00p.)

But the conciousness, offcourse animals are.
And the chatolic perspective is 100% out of place (read: F-ed up) if you want logical, reasonable answers to any question, just look at the past, and the present.

OMFG TEH ERTH SI TEH FLAT!!!!! and
OMG TEH G4YS ARE COMING TO KILL US!!!!!!!!!! :roll:

My dog has ten times the soul of any pope in history.

edit: before people start misunderstanding and flaming, I have all respect for people that choose to believe in a god, but relying on the hypocrite burocracy behind it all to solve problems and questions will make us go back a few centuries in time.

=D.C.L.I=TuRb0jUg3nD · (This post was last modified: 08-16-2005 09:57 PM by =D.C.L.I=TuRb0jUg3nD.)

Good try Pun, but you\'ll have to write your school essays yourself, or download them from the \'net like everyone else.

BTW read som existensialists; Sartre, Camus. No answers, but full of all the right questions! Smile

w00p · 08-16-2005, 11:25 PM

Turbs, we\'re in the middle of the frickin\' summer. You don\'t have school essays in the middle of the frickin\' summer! Tongue

tomcat ha · 08-17-2005, 01:18 AM

I see animals as creatures with only less \"proccessing power\". Several creatures are at least intelligent enough to have something. My cats can also do things which does suggest consciousness: they grab mouses for us to give as a present. They follow us when we go away. When one of my cats the suitcases he gets very nervous which i think comes because he knows he will be send to a cat hotel soon and he doesnt like being without us.