Do animals have souls? - Stories that prove they have and share the same empathy we do (or should)

reply to post by gigaherc


here's why one of these days when a pet owner sees his beloved animal being slaughtered, he will gun down the attacker as an act of self defense; i.e. he was being terrorized and was in fear of his life and "property"

reply to post by gigaherc


Thank you for your thoughtful post.

Those of us who have known and shared our lives with animals have no problem with the question you pose; of course they have souls. They are also self aware and have have remarkable reasoning ability. The difference is in how animals are treated by us. An animal with no socialization or that receives no affection will achieve the full potential they were endowed with. Just the same as a human child will grow up maladjusted and often considered less intelligent than his/her peers if they are treated in the same manner.

I have had the opportunity over the years to befriend several animals of species usually believed to be unintelligent and without true emotions, good only to us for the flesh they give us. Interestingly those farm animals that were raised as pets, given care, love and interacted with daily developed the same connections with their human friends as those we consider higher up the intelligence scale; one of the main reasons I try to refrain from eating meat.

I have even had goldfish that wiggled, splashed and came to the surface of the tank to be petted when my husband or myself came into the room. They did not display this behavior with others. Now of course the naysayers will adamantly tell you that they were simply responding to a stimulus that they connected with food. Well, perhaps, but we only fed them at established times, (which they were aware of btw), so it does not seem that their actions were ONLY related to feeding.

As for the soul? I believe any creature capable of love certainly has a soul and I suspect that even "lesser" animals do as well. Although, I will be the first person to tell you I have no idea what a soul is or what it's purpose is in this complicated Creation.

I will share a quick story though that for me not only proves the existance of an animal "soul" but also the immortality of such.

We had a beloved labrador named Flower. She was my husband's best friend and had been his constant companion for twelve years when she became ill with cancer and we had to make the decision to have her euthanized. Our family, my husband especially were devastated. We felt her loss like a keen edged knife every waking moment.

Several years went by and eventually my husband started talking about getting another lab, but he was also torn because Flower had been such an exeptional dog that he was afraid that he would forever be comparing a new dog to her memory. He knew this would not be fair.

I could see that this situation was really upsetting him and as I was going to bed one evening I asked the universe to send me some wisdom. Some time after I fell asleep I was suddenly awakened; the reason not immediately apparent. I laid there for a minute and then turned over to find myself staring into the beautiful face of our sweet Flower. She was sitting beside the bed, wearing her usual smile and wiggling for all she was worth. OK, I said to myself, this isn't real. So I closed my eyes and when I re-opened them she was still there. She seemed so happy and alive. I thanked her for the answer I had been seeking and she slowly faded away. I cried and cried, not just from the emotions involved from seeing my dead dog at my bedside, but because the burden of doubt regarding a new puppy had been lifted from me.

The next morning I told my husband about the encounter and he, Mr Pragmatic, just went and picked up the paper, turned to the classifieds and started writing down phone numbers. After several weeks of calls and trips to the country we finally found a beautiful, roly poly little labrador pup to come share our lives. She was equally as special as her predecessor, smart, funny and with an ability to love that never ceased to amaze us.

reply to post by jaguarsky


What a sweet story. My husband and I went through our first experience with having to put down a dearly loved cat about two years ago. He was a large shorthair black cat ,with big gold eyes, we named "Wookie". Smart, loving, and vocal, it was hard for us to imagine a day without him. When he was 9 he became the victim of cancer and we made the decision to end his suffering. We brushed, talked to, petted, chin scratched, and stayed with him until the light had left his eyes. It was devastating. It leaves an empty space in your heart when they go.

The next day I was standing outside in the rain and wind sending my thoughts out, sending my hopes that he was free out with each gust. Suddenly I was filled with this epiphany: Everything is connected. All life is connected. They never really leave us. It's hard to describe an epiphany to someone who hasn't experienced that same level of enlightenment, but it was life changing. That day and for several afterwards we saw glimpses of him.

Soon after we found an abandoned long haired black kitty in our neighborhood. The neighbors had moved and just left him behind to fend for himself. My husband was hesitant to take him in, and I could find no other home for him, for he was afraid of "replacing" the one we'd lost.

One night when we lay in bed we were both startled by the sound of Wookie's voice. His usual urgent "pay attention to me" raspy loud meow that no other cat we have ever made. We both sat up and looked at each other. In no time we found ourselves opening up more to the other kitty and "Squeakers" became one of the family.

Two months later Wookie's favorite playmate, a little grey and white shorthair named "Peon" left us at age ten due to pancreatic cancer. Before he went in for surgery to see what it was and if he could be saved I held him and told him that two things would happen. He would either wake up and feel happy again or Wookie would be waiting for him to play beyond the rainbow bridge. Though the second option came to pass, I feel that they are together.

Not too long after a little black and white cat showed up at our place. It wasn't long before "Pookie" (named because he looks like a cross between Peon and Wookie) was now a part of the family, too. For each that must leave us it seems another comes along in need.

We still think of them pretty much every day. I still will catch glimpses now and then or feel them jump on the bed though nothing is there. We had them both cremated and to this day they sit in cat urns side by side. Their physical forms may be gone, but their souls are forever in our hearts.

I believe that animals have a soul of sorts; at the very least a "life force" that must go somewhere when the animal dies. The laws of physics state that nothing can be created or destroyed but only transform from one state to another. So whatever it is that separates your dog's mind from your I-Pad (or your dog's mind from the most powerful computers in existence today; even the best artificial intelligence can only mimic life-like behaviors but will always fall flat when it comes to being what we call "alive") must be made out of something and must go some place or transform into something else when it can no longer inhabit the body.

That said, I also think there are different scales - obviously there's a big difference between a spider and a horse with regards to intelligence, emotions, responses to people, etc. Robots have been built that act, move and behave like bugs and other terrestrial invertebrates pretty convincingly, but they aren't alive and have no life force. IMO even plants must have some kind of life force (there is also a type of photography where a leaf from a tree had part of it ripped off and the outline of the whole leaf still showed up, so clearly there is some kind of energy there beyond what's physically apparent, regardless of what you call it) but not in quite the same way as humans and higher animals.

With regards to how animals are treated, it's interesting to note that there are quite a few primitive societies that will ceremonially honor the spirits of animals that they kill for food and other needs. When an animal is hunted and killed to provide sustenance the tribe will perform a ceremony to appease and thank the animal's spirit for what it will provide to them. And some primitive tribes (and even modern people who have inherited those beliefs) also have some animals that they will not hunt or kill due to varying beliefs, like the animal being sacred to a god or having a vengeful spirit that causes bad luck to anyone who kills one. Clearly throughout the ages many people have recognized that animals aren't a whole lot different from us in many ways.

The only difference I see from a Christian perspective is that only humans can choose their destiny and where their soul will spend eternity. IMO animals have a default, I'm just not personally sure what that might be. I'd like to think that I will see all of my pets some day when I die, but if that's not the case then surely their essence must go somewhere, whether it's an afterlife or they simply get recycled back into other living creatures that come into existence when they die like with reincarnation.

reply to post by TempleCat


Thank you for sharing you story. It is quite amazing how many people have similar ones and with only a little push are willing to talk about them. It seems that pets DO tend to hang around for a while after they have passed, or so the stories would indicate. As so many people experience these events it would point to anecdotal evidence as being overwhelming for proving life after death.

I started a book of stories regarding pet ghosts several years ago but all my work was lost. I hope to resume that project at some point. There are so many wonderful stories that should be shared, not only because they are interesting but because I like to think they can bring comfort to those dealing with the death of a beloved family member or friend, of any species.

I am so happy that you had your epiphany. They are quite rare in today's society, especially in Western cultures.

reply to post by jaguarsky


One of the curses of having an epiphany like that is that you want to shout it from the rooftops but know that: 1. It's a very personal experience and: 2. Shout too much and people just think you're crazy. lol

I've actually seen animal spirits since I was little. Most are actually animals that I have never "owned" (As a child I often saw a black and white Jack Russel, though the only dog I had growing up was a black lab mix). Often they are dogs or cats. In fact, I've got a small dog that shows up out in front of our house now and then who has caught me off guard several times. We've lived here about a year and he always shows up in the same area and fades out seconds later. He's a long haired orange colored variety. Maybe an unclipped shih tzu.

reply to post by TempleCat


We can never replace those who have left us. We just get the blessing of bringing on a new addition to our lives.

Thank you all for such great stories you shared! Awesome reading and truly makes one hopeful for humans to treat animals the way they deserve!

Of course animals have souls, that is what animates their bodies. When animals die, their souls go to a collective, unlike sentient beings that retain their individuality. The greatest yogis have revealed much to us. They tell us that we start as mineral, then plant, then animal and then sentient. Once sentient, we have an extremely long road to travel. With 15D and about 20,000 years in 3D, we have a long development. The thing is simply this, we must experience everything personally and thoroughly. All of the experiences are recorded in detail and we can review them when we die but must return to 3D in another life, until we have learned all lessons 3D has to offer. Those living in 3D,after death, enter 4D and remain their to review their existence and decide what to experience in their next life. In reality, there is nothing that is not alive. There is no such thing as empty space and time is an illusion that does not persist past 3D. All of creation exists within the mind of God and nothing is lacking for our development. Respect for everything and everyone, is a good way to approach everything because at some point, we are everything that exists. No matter what we experience, it will pass, once we have grasped it's point. There is one ultimate flaw that has been the demise of those that were not prudent and that is the quality of pride. The opposite of pride is humility and that is the belief that we should all live for the common good. I don't mean believing it in your mind but rather, in your heart. Only those that embrace great humility, receive great power. The pretenders, eventually tip their hand and they end up with some power but certainly far from the greatest power. They stop advancing in the main stream. It takes great maturity to wield great power. Everything is unfolding very well because it cannot do otherwise. All is well and always will be.

reply to post by trysts


The soul is not a religious term; it is a spiritual term and that is a very big difference. We are spiritual beings having a physical experience because most of us are newly sentient. The experiences of 3D are appropriate to our level of consciousnes. The soul is the interface between the spirit and the body. We are eternal beings and developing is what we do. All sentient beings are equal but some are more developed. The ones at the top, create universes, to maintain the balance. We will each experience everything that exists at every level of existence and all of the experiences are recorded in detail. When we die, we have access to these experiences and that helps us decide what to experience next when we are reincarnated. Religion is a sham, used to control people. Spirituality is what we are at our root because we are eternal spiritual beings.

Very touching story.

A childs answer

Why do dogs leave earth first.

aplacetolovedogs.tumblr.com...

reply to post by newcovenant


Animals have souls that re-incarnate

but

when a species goes extict they dont re-incarnate

animals have an instinctive consciousness
humans have actual consciousness and find other human races in the cosmos if its race goes extinct

Originally posted by rollsthepaul
reply to post by trysts

 

The soul is not a religious term; it is a spiritual term and that is a very big difference. We are spiritual beings having a physical experience because most of us are newly sentient. The experiences of 3D are appropriate to our level of consciousnes. The soul is the interface between the spirit and the body. We are eternal beings and developing is what we do. All sentient beings are equal but some are more developed. The ones at the top, create universes, to maintain the balance. We will each experience everything that exists at every level of existence and all of the experiences are recorded in detail. When we die, we have access to these experiences and that helps us decide what to experience next when we are reincarnated. Religion is a sham, used to control people. Spirituality is what we are at our root because we are eternal spiritual beings.

I don't see anything you wrote as showing a difference between spiritualism and religion. Sorry.

Just for what it's worth, it does state in the Bible, that God will require an accounting from every person and every animal.

Genesis 9:5,

And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.

Believe it or not but animals do have souls, even ants well that's what my mother said lol

Wonderful thread, mate. I'm glad knowing that there are many who value the life of all animals other than humans.

It's hard protecting the innocent when many religions think they're entitled to do as they please with animals and the corporate greed that uses animals as if they were batteries; churning out milk, meat, fur and entertainment. It's one thing to eat meat and animal products, but to treat them like slaves and tear their fur off while still conscious, is absolutely f*****g sickening.

Need to change the mechanics of the system to solve anything indefinitely.

The word "soul" has a lot of baggage. However,if the question is, "are animals conscious", then the answer is obviously yes. Do they experience emotions? Again, obviously yes.
Do they have a self concept? That is more contentious but again I will say, yes. For example dogs dream. That implies that there is a model of themselves that runs about the dog's dreamscape.
Also, we are animals and we are conscious. To say that we are outside nature is a supernatural position and unscientific.
To say that we are not conscious is absurd. Therefore to deny that animals are conscious is unscientific and/or absurd.