Do animals have a soul?

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RickyZ

RickyZ

Senior Member
#1
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#1
The soul, that life form created where the spirit meets flesh, do animals have one? Do animals have a spirit?

Think back Old Testament times, the price of sin was death and the price of redemption was your soul. But God allowed them to sacrifice an animal, to put an innocent to death in their place. Can a man's soul be redeemed by a creature without one? Can one considered pure and innocent be so without a soul?

With the return of Jesus’ rule, the world is delivered from the bondage of corruption and made free for the children of God (Romans 8:19-21). Swords and spears beget plowshares and pruning hooks, and there is peace between the nations and no more war (Isaiah 2:4). Micah 4 speaks of the same things. God makes a covenant with the animals and ceases the violence, that all may lie down safely, and the earth responds with grain, wine, and oil. Isaiah 11, 13, and Ezekiel 34 and 36 also talk about nature being restored and man being at peace with the animals. Can a covenant be made with those without a soul?

Romans 8:22 says all creation groans; Jesus even said the stones could cry out Luke 19:40. The lion and the lamb of Isaiah 11:6... Clearly God includes the animals, and all creation, in His redemption plan. Can one without a soul be redeemed? Does not all creation itself have a soul?
 
T

Theophane

Guest
#2
#2
I think what gives us the "image" of our Creator is our soul. I think that is what makes us special and above the rest of creation.
 
W

wwjd_kilden

Guest
#3
#3
Good question. I don't think I have a good answer. *waits for more replies*
 
K

kenisyes

Guest
#4
#4
It depends on your definition of soul, Ricky. In Hebrew, the answer is yes, as Genesis 1:21 uses the Hebrew word "nephesh" meaning soul as its closest English word. Traditionally, Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas said people have body and soul (omitting spirit); this led to the word for soul in Latin (anima) changing to include spirit. Animals do not have this, so for a long time, people said that animals have an "animal soul". And you can see how the relationship of the words anima and animal could not help but confuse the issue. This influenced the English I learned as a child, which since has changed, as the Greek "body, soul, and spirit" has come back. In Greek, soul has many other words, animals have some of these, but not all. The current English word to me includes the Hebrew nephesh, so animals have a soul to me.
 
R

Relena7

Guest
#5
#5
I think that they are not like human souls, but that animals have their own kind of soul. It's just a simpler kind than humans have.
Just like how animals have brains, but they aren't like our brains.
 
D

danschance

Guest
#6
#6
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Rev. 19:14
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This verse suggests that their are white horses in Heaven. I read a story of a near death experience where a person claimed to go to Heaven. While in Heaven speaking to Jesus she asked about the white horses and Jesus told her they were reserved for when He would return. So it is possible that Horses are in Heaven right now but I don't think there are any other animals in Heaven. It is hard to imagine Heaven with out some of the amazing pets we have had by our side. Unfortunatly, no one knows if animals have a spirit other than God Himself.
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? Ecclesiastes 3:21
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Blain

Blain

The Word Weaver
#7
Aug 28, 2012
19,215
2,551
113
#7
Ya i think they have a soul because i am taking my kitty to heaven that's for sure
 
K

kenisyes

Guest
#8
#8
I've posted a few times that I believe our pets go to heaven if we want them to. The logic is that God gave us authority to name the animals, so we can call one "friend and blessing", and another one "lunch", and God honors our choice. Then, I think "whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven" covers the survival into the new heavens and new earth after we rise.
 
L

Laodicea

Guest
#9
#9
First we should find out what is a soul.
Genesis 2:7 KJV
(7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

From this we see:-A body + the breath of life=A soul.
It is also true then:-A body - the breath of life = No soul

Genesis 1:21 KJV
(21) And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

The word creature in this verse is translated from the same word as soul in Genesis 2:7

Leviticus 17:13-14 KJV
(13) And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.
(14) For it is the life(soul) of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life(soul) thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life(soul) of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

 
F

FORHISGLORY

Guest
#10
#10
The scriptures are our final authority on any subject. Logic isn't our authority. Also,reason isn't our authority. I love animals.But, I fail to see anywhere in scripture that animals go to heaven. C.S. Lewis believed that animals go to heaven.
 
K

kenisyes

Guest
#11
#11
FORHISGLORY said:
The scriptures are our final authority on any subject. Logic isn't our authority.
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So why don't those two Scriptures I gave tell us that pets go to heaven?
 
F

FORHISGLORY

Guest
#12
#12
To say because Man was allowed to name the animals means they go to heaven is a big jump. Also, the other scripture passage doesn't refer to animals in any way. The passage is Matthew chapter 18. The context is church discipline. By the way, I would love for animals to make it to heaven. But,again,our desire doesn't make it so.
 
K

kenisyes

Guest
#13
#13
Not to agree or disagree. Everyone can check both our logics for themselves.
 
J

justamazed

Banned
#14
Jan 24, 2013
944
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0
#14
Ecclesiastes 3:18-22

18*I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

19*For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20*All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21*Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

22*Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?


We still haven't learned.
 
E

Earlmayknowornot

Banned
#15
Feb 17, 2013
1,034
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#15
I know my dogs dream. Cause they bark, growl, and even try to run when they are asleep. Its funny to watch them. Should make videos. I think God gives us the desire of our heart and it is not impossible for God to gives us a pet that we love in heaven as He has given us now. Just my thought no scripture for it though.
 
M

Mark51

Banned
#16
Apr 6, 2012
271
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#16
Many believe that what makes man different from the animals is that man has a soul but the animals do not. However, Genesis 1:20 and 30 says that God created “living souls” to live in the waters, and that the animals have “life as a soul.” In these verses some Bibles use the words “creature” and “life” instead of “soul,” but their marginal readings agree that the word “soul” is what appears in the original language.

The Bible was originally written mainly in Hebrew and Greek. When writing about the soul, the Bible writers used the Hebrew word ne'phesh or the Greek word psy·khe'. These two words occur well over 800 times in the Scriptures. When you examine the way “soul” or “souls” is used in the Bible, it becomes evident that this word basically refers to (1)　people, (2)　animals, or (3)　the life that a person or an animal enjoys. In other words, it is not that we have a soul, but that we are a soul. Let us consider some scriptures that present these three different senses.
“Every living soul died, yes, the things in the sea.”-Revelation 16:3.

“God went on to say: ‘Let the waters swarm forth a swarm of living souls….’ And God proceeded to create the great sea monsters and every living soul that moves about, which the waters swarmed forth according to their kinds, and every winged flying creature according to its kind….’ And God went on to say: ‘Let the earth put forth living souls according to their kinds….’ And God proceeded to make the wild beast of the earth according to its kind and the domestic animal according to its kind and every moving animal of the ground according to its kind.”-Genesis 1:20,　21,　24,　25.

“In case a man strikes any soul [Hebrew, ne'phesh] of mankind fatally, he should be put to death without fail. And the fatal striker of the soul [Hebrew, ne'phesh] of a domestic animal should make compensation for it, soul for soul.“-Leviticus 24:17,　18.

“…one soul out of five hundred, of humankind and of the herd and of the asses and of the flock.”-Numbers 31:28.
 
Elizabeth619

Elizabeth619

Senior Member
#17
Jul 19, 2011
6,397
109
48
#17
I used to think animals didn't have souls. Now I'm not so sure. I mean a body without a spirit is dead so they have some type of something.
Whatever they have isn't the same as humans as far as accountability, salvation and so on.


Note: I am sick and took what seems to be some pretty strong cough medicine. If I sound loopy it is because I am.
 
E

Earlmayknowornot

Banned
#18
Feb 17, 2013
1,034
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#18
Elizabeth619 said:
I used to think animals didn't have souls. Now I'm not so sure. I mean a body without a spirit is dead so they have some type of something.
Whatever they have isn't the same as humans as far as accountability, salvation and so on.


Note: I am sick and took what seems to be some pretty strong cough medicine. If I sound loopy it is because I am.
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I'm not so sure it's the meds LOL.
 
E

Earlmayknowornot

Banned
#19
Feb 17, 2013
1,034
9
0
#19
I'm Sorry Elizabeth, but for some reason I like you and thats why I pick at you. In love Earl
 
E

Elesian

Guest
#20
#20
FORHISGLORY said:
To say because Man was allowed to name the animals means they go to heaven is a big jump. Also, the other scripture passage doesn't refer to animals in any way. The passage is Matthew chapter 18. The context is church discipline. By the way, I would love for animals to make it to heaven. But,again,our desire doesn't make it so.
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I would say that when scripture says "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them" it's suggesting animals will either be in heaven or in the new heaven and earth. As for them have a soul? It doesn't even say man has a soul. It says man IS a soul. Genesis 2:7 says "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (King James Version). If you look at many other versions, they say everything from "man BECAME a loving creature to "man BECAME a living being" to "man BECAME a living person." The point is that most people don't even know what a soul it. According to what I've just quoted, a soul is a living person, creature, or a "being". That being said, animals are also living souls once the breath of life quickens them to life. That ''breath of life'' returns to God when "the creature" (or created being) dies, therefore, that breath is the spirit of life, hence, the spirit is not the consciousness but the breath of life. Only when that breath of life is breathed into a creature that is made from the dust of the ground, is it quickened to life, and it is THEN that it BECOMES a living soul, a living BEING, a living PERSON, or a living CREATURE. That describes both a man AND an animal.

The difference between man and animals is that God MADE man in His image. Man, however, still dies and returns to dust, just like scriptures say. Man does NOT receive eternal life until Christ gives it to him. Before that? Again, man dies just like animals die. Ecclesiastes 3: 18-20 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return."

When God told Adam that if he ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he would surely die, God meant it. He said nothing about some eternal separate entity called a soul going on to live either in eternal torment or something else. He said Adam would surely die, just like the animals die.

However! Apparently animals will also be with us again in the new earth, as scriptures also say. I doubt if they need salvation to accomplish that, but obviously they'll be there one way or another. ;)
 
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