Are animals other than humans spiritual?

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I think animals contain the same "type" of soul that human bodies contain. It is animals unique capabilities and understanding that make them different from us.

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"There is one thing that organized religion is not qualified to teach and that is an individual's purpose."-GOD

As in the other thread, I don't think there is anything the requires a soul at the level of being human to have homosapien bodies. But I don't think that automatically puts all animals on the same field, with the same kind of soul.

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I don't believe in spirits or souls, internal or external, in humans or any other animals. I guess that means I'm not spiritual.

When I was little, I heard once that at midnight, on Christmas Eve, all animals pray.

I was young when I heard that, and have no idea if someone was being funny, or what was the point of that. While I believed that then, I realize now it's not the case.

But, I still hold that thought very fondly. Doesn't prove if animals are spiritual or not. But, it's kind of a neat thought.

Maybe they pray that they don't become part of Christmas dinner.

I don't think of a soul as what is defined by doctrine, but instead, I think of the living essence. I believe that animals are spiritual, not unlike people. Some are more spiritual than others, some less so.

If you mean the question in the sense of "Do they have a soul" then yes, i think it's undoubtable that they are spiritual in that sense, everything which lives has a soul - of some description.

If you mean it in the sense of "Are they aware that there is a 'Greater Scheme' of things and that they are a part of it" - then no, i don't think so.


The greatest difference between ourselves and other creatures seems to be our ability to use abstract & novel thought in ways that can change our circumstances - and society - drastically, in a very short period of time.

The next-greatest difference is our propensity toward senseless killing - war.


Maybe we should have stayed in the trees.

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Patanjali - Sutra 4:17

I see spirituality as loving, giving, growing, being in the moment, and open. It doesn't have anything to do with religion. Animals fit this description.

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From my experience, animals are more spiritual than humans.

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