From: primeaux@duncan.cs.utk.edu (David Primeaux)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Dogs Don't Have Souls, Do They??
Date: 13 Apr 92 17:38:24 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Dept, University of Tennesee, Knoxville
Distribution: world
Reply-To: primeaux@duncan.cs.utk.edu (David Primeaux)
NNTP-Posting-Host: duncan.cs.utk.edu

In article <167C89A49.X005CB@tamvm1.tamu.edu>, X005CB@tamvm1.tamu.edu (Chris Barnes) writes:
|> In article <PREVELIG.92Apr12114738@eastman1.mit.edu>
|>      prevelig@eastman1.mit.edu (Peter Prevelige) writes:
|>  
|> >Besides I'm not afraid of losing him.
|> >
|> >I know where to find him again.
|>  
|> I really debated about whether I should reply to this post, but I
|> feel very strongly about this topic.  I also know there are people
|> that will violently disagree with me.  Also, it is really only a
|> question for those people that believe in a supreame being
|> (athiests need not read further, and any flames/arguments from
|> such will be ignored).
|>  
|>    The basic question here is "Do animals (pets) have a soul?"
|> The answer is an undeniable NO.


I think:
If you wish to deny that animals have souls, that is your right.  To assert
that they UNDENIABLY do not have souls and then to say you won't discuss the
matter further is, well, arrogant and preposterously self righteous.

  
|>    Most people that answer yes to that question are confusing
|> a soul with a spirit (or are equating the two).  There are
|> three things that make up Mankind (and God).  They are body, soul,
|> and spirit.  The body is obvious.  The spirit is that part that
|> determines wheather something is or is not alive (ie. a life-force).



I find this a simplistic and flippant, gratuitous "solution" to a 
very, very difficult philosophical problem.  On what authority do
you claim to have found *THE* solution?


|> The soul is that part that has a determines our relationship with
|> God. 


Can you *possibly* mean that neither our bodies nor what you term
our "spirit" has anything to do with our human relationship with God?
Surely I misread you.


|> Since there is only 1 way to have a relationship with God
         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|> (through the acceptance of Jesus Christ) and since that requires
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


Even though I consider myself a Christian,  I find this outrageously
offensive.  It dismisses the possibility that Jews,  followers of 
Islam, Buddhists and Hindi (as well as many other "non-Christians") can 
have a relationship with God.  Furthermore,  it asserts *for God* that God 
will only be open to such a relationship with those who have been exposed 
to and accepted the message of Jesus.  What a closed-minded. narrow,
biggoted God yours must be!

 
|> 1) free will & 2) having been made in God's image, only Mankind
|> can have a soul.
|>  
|>  
|> Notes:
|>     I know that this topic is *highly* contreversial, and as such
|>     I would be very reluctant to have this discussion carry on
|>     for a long time.  I will simply ignore any responses that do
|>     not DIRECTLY relate to the question of animals having a soul
|>     (ie.  any flames directed at me about other religous beliefs,
|>     personnal assaults, etc) will be simply ignored.
|>  
|>     Anyone wishing to carry this topic out to other related subjects
|>     not dealing with animals is free to do so to my personall email
|>     address (no need cluttering up this newsgroup with things that
|>     don't apply to it).
|>  
|>       ----------------------------------------------
|> Chris Barnes            |  "Success is the realization of your
|> x005cb@tamvm1.tamu.edu  |       worthwhile dreams" ---  Dexter Yager
|> (409) 846-3273 (home)   |  "A goal is a dream being acted upon"
|> (409) 845-8454 (work)   |                          ---  Don Wilson



Personally, I think:
If people wish to believe that animals have souls, that is their right
and perhaps this is a comfort to them.  If people wish to believe that 
humans have souls, that is their right and perhaps it is a comfort to them.
And perhaps some will want to distinguish between human and animal souls.
Perhaps some will want to believe that plants have souls. Some will hold
contrary beliefs to the above.  But they are *beliefs* and *that* is what 
makes faith *faith*.  To present an article of faith as incontrovertably
or obviously true is naive and often betrays an unfortunate ethnocentricity.

-- David
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs