Do animals know anything about God?

1. 73

   jainismusposted 12 years ago

   Do animals know anything about God?
   
   I would like to know that do animals have their own Gods? Or they are unaware abut the existence God?
   
   

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   MickSposted 12 years ago

   Well, humans are animals and they profess to know of various dieties.

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   EuroCafeAuLaitposted 12 years ago

   This is just the type of thing that would be nice to ask the animal themselves, which unfortunately isn't possible.  I personally believe that spirituality in the form of a deity is beyond their capacity, but that they do know who are good people and they seem to know who to trust.  I am always amazed at animals' reactions - they know right away - perhaps much faster than human beings.  Fascinating question, janismus.

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   wewillmakeposted 12 years ago

   Every living as well as non-living creature is created from or by the god only.. So the relation is simple...

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5. 87

   Electro-Denizenposted 12 years ago

   This is a great question
   
   Perhaps to answer it it's best to turn the whole question around, and start off by saying that no humans are truly capable of believing in God. 'Belief' and God' are both pretty much undefinable statements.
   
   However... apart from 'belief', humans experience a glimmer of something on the edges of consciousness, which is often equated liberally with 'God'. If humans experience something greater, then why not animals, who are also conscious entities?
   
   In fact, if consciousness is the key, animals are highly likely to experience things beyond normal range of perception.
   
   Unfortunately, humans tend to eat them when they don't even need to, instead of trying to understand them - which is a shame, as humans hold a unique role in evolution and creation.

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6. 62

   wingedcentaurposted 12 years ago

   Hi jainismus 103! How's it going?
   
   First of all: Do we humans 'know' anything about God? Really?
   
   Being an American and therefore someone of Western heritage, I suppose I would apply the Descartes test. He was the Enlightenment philosopher (French, I think) who did the whole 'I think, therefore I am' routine. He was trying to work out a logically fulproof method of determining the existence of God.
   
   It seems to me that most 'animals' have more of a Borg mentality (Star Trek cybervillains, collective mind and all that); they have no self-awareness. But some animals, I suppose, either have a degree or self-awareness or it can be imparted with training (I'm thinking of the chimpanzees who are taught sign language and so on).
   
   I suppose that to the extent which certain animals have self-awareness, is the extent that they can conceive of other forms of existence in relation to themselves. But one wonders if they can or do perceive of other forms of existence relative to themselves, as 'higher' or 'lower,' if you know what I mean. I would imagine the research is ongoing.
   
   Take it easy.

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7. 78

   coffeegginmyriceposted 12 years ago

   Hello jainismus!  I wish I can ask my dog that question. As far as what I feel and believe, God sends His messages through his beloved creatures.  The bible is full of animals representing symbols. And why animals? God's creations all have souls even the trees. Animals feel pain as well as love. They know how to love, long for love and respond to love, if not, animals have no soul.  Any picture of St. Francis surrounded by animals is always a touching presentation that animals as God created them, deserve equal loving by humans.
   
   I believe that God do share His kingdom with the animals great and small, even for animals that are feared on earth.  Those poor innocent souls, animals that have suffered and tortured, those lives that were once full of freedom enjoying God's gift of nature, I think they are in heaven and see God. ~

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      teaches12345posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with Coffee, they have a built in respect for creation and know who the creator is.  They were made for a purpose as well, and are innocent souls.

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8. 74

   Jeff Berndtposted 12 years ago

   Well, I've never had a squirrel knock on my door and offer to tell me the Good News about Jesus Christ or anything, so I'm guessing no.

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9. 61

   Dubuquedogtrainerposted 12 years ago

   That is an interesting question. There are several verses in the Bible that suggest that they do.
   
   In Numbers 22:28 it says, "And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto you, that you have smitten me these three times?" If God can make a donkey talk, what else does the donkey know?
   
   In Proverbs 12:10 it says, "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." God has regard for His animals and expects us to be good stewards of them.
   
   "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?" (Matthew 6:26) God takes care of His animals and some may argue that they instinctively know what to do, but He certainly has the power to communicate with them.
   
   "For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now." (Romans 8:22) "The whole creation" refers to animals as well as people.
   
   "For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." I take this literally to mean that animals will also recognize and bow down to God in some way.
   
   Animals cannot sin and they do not have religion. The Bible was written for humans who God gave the role of caretaker of the earth and His creation. However, just because the Bible doesn't say that animals know God doesn't mean that they do not. They just don't need the salvation message of the Bible.
   
   It was God who called the animals to load the ark, so I tend to believe they know Him at some level. I think God holds His animals close - why else would He have had them come to the ark to be saved in the flood? I think it may be a statement of value as well as a test of obedience for Noah. God could have easily re-created the animals rather than having them load into the ark!
   
   I think God values is creation and has some sort of relationship with his animals, though I do not wholly understand what that is. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father." (Matthew 10:29)
   
   We do know that the animals will be in the next life: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6)
   
   So while I do not think animals have or need "religion," I do think that God watches over them and they know Him at some level - or will.

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      teaches12345posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Bravo!  This is a great answer, you should make it a hub!

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      Dubuquedogtrainerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you! I'm no Bible expert, but will think about it. Thanks for the suggestion.

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    Rhonda D Johnsonposted 12 years ago

    Those that know, don't tell.  Those that tell, don't know.

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11. 49

    Obedmensahposted 11 years ago

    Yes,animal know that God is there.when they send Daniel into the place where lion kept that time Daniel will die because the the lion listen to God.

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