Spiritually speaking, what are animals (other than humans) to you?

I see them as below slaves as they are consumable and a commodity.

I can actually understand what animals are saying. Most people hear a cat say "meow" or a dog say "woof". But, I can talk to the animals!!

No, seriously.....

Are you Hindu?

I am a Christian, and we believe that God has given Man dominion over all of the earth, including the animals. They do not have souls like we do, and unlike us they will not live forever.

But, having dominion over them doesn't give us the right to abuse them or mistreat them in any way. God says that he notices when even a sparrow falls to the earth, and He is careful to make sure that they have the food that they need.

Atheists might say, "Well, if that's true then why are so many people hungry today, if God exists". As a child of God, I can say that His answer would be that there is so much hunger with people because of the selfishness of mankind. If people were less sinful and more generous, there would be plenty of food for mankind.

I hope that answers your question.

Basically, Christians believe that we have one life here on earth. Then, judgment. But, praise God, we have someone who has paid the price of our sins, who was both God and man at once - that person was Jesus Christ - the Lamb of God.

I see animals as a friend that you can play with, that you can take care of. A cow is more of a servant but it is still a pet and you should take care of it how you would a cat or a dog.

my pets are my family. i have a baby on the way and i keep telling my two cats to expect "sissy" to come home soon.

i believe animals have spirits, but perhaps not the same as our souls. it's such a complicated issue in my mind. i believe the spirit is where the personality resides. that this spirit goes somewhere at the death of the animal. i believe human souls are different in that there are rules of morality we are subject to that animals are not. that our soul is more that just a personality, that is is GOD breathed and our true essence.

wow, that was way deeper than i had any intention of being. do i believe i'm absolutely right about this? sure, but i could easily be wrong. :)

Good question.

I see all animals as equal. I believe even animals have souls, and through reincarnation I could someday find myself reborn as a cow, or a spider, or a worm, or a tree.

I see animals as friends, as allies, as a part of life, death, and rebirth, and a part of our existence. All animals, humans included, are part of a balance of existence.

I see all life as sacred, and treat it so. I would no more hurt an animal then I would a human. But I also understand the balance of the world, and that humans are designed to be omnivores, and so I hold no qualms with eating meat. I do however, have problems with animals being tortured, slaughtered, or killed for no reason, or for sport, or for money.

...The animals are here to serve man and be subservient to him.

...I have always had a dog; dogs are friends and servants, too. I love animals, but some are here to be food and provide clothing for us.

...Animals are must be used for testing medical therapies and medicines - like it or not, sometimes testing must be done on humans or animals - testing on animals cannot totally stop.

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...People are not animals - God breathed into Adam the breath of life - He did this with none of the animals. It is correct to say that man and animals were both created by God, but man is not an animal and is a distinct and unique created being.

...Men were made for a relationship with God, men build things, create things from cars to airplanes to bridges; men can also talk, love, cry, have real emotional feelings - no animal can do those things.

I think they are creatures like us created by god to live differently. Think of every animal the same. just with different communication skills. Think of maybe a person from Mexico is a tiger but someone from Germany is a lion. We are all the same ( this is hard to put in words) "Species" but we are not the same. Animals are beautiful creatures and should have as much respect as a human. Hope this helps : )

i feel they are our sisters and brothers , basically family. Because they are mammals just like us and the only thing separating them from us is one or two genes. i dont thinks that a slave is a proper term for an animal, just as a black or asian person shouldnt be called a slave. They are not here to serve us, maybe they are but who's to say they are.

I feel that all animals are like our family and they should be treated the same as our pets are.

Members of the Natural Kingdom. We are all in this planet together, and we are all interdependent on each other to survive and prosper. I believe that Humans are stewards. However, this does not give Humans the right to be sophomoric and conceited about the intellectual superiority in comparison to that of other animals.

We may not even be on the top of the food chain!

I see them mostly as family. Some (such as my pets) are obviously more personally family than others. I see my cats as my children, and I saw my dad's cat growing up as my mother.

As an animist, I feel a connection to all things as family. That includes trees, lakes, rivers, oceans, etc. as well as animals.

Animals are our friends. We live together on this planet. We are not superior nor inferior to them. We aren't "stewards" neither "servants" of animals and nature. We are part of nature and we are equal with the animals in life.