? on "Cristian belief" humans aren't animals?

[Melissa in Australia]

I took my children plus another homeschooled girl to Melbourne for a short holiday this week.

 

The other girl is nearly 16, very mature and brought up in a extremely conservative family.

 

My Ds 7 made some comment about humans and animals, I didn't hear exactly what he said, but this lovely girl gently corrected him and said that humans are not in the animal kingdom at all. I asked her what does she mean, humans eat, reproduce etc. filling all the requirements of a living thing, and are classified in with the mammals, they have hair, feed their young milk etc. She said that she is aware that evolutionists categorise humans like that , but creationists don't because humans have morals???

 

I told her that many people who believe in creation think humans are mammals and let the conversation drop. It was all said in a extremely friendly manner.

I thought I had a good understanding of various Cristian beliefs. I have never come across this one before. Is it a common belief in ultra conservative Cristian circles?

[Rebecca VA]

God fashioned Adam himself from the dust of the ground, after His own image. He then breathed the breath of life into him.

 

To make the animals, He simply spoke and they appeared.

 

Also, man has a soul and can communicate with God. Beasts cannot do that.

 

So the Bible does make some distinction between man and beasts. Since they're biologically similar, though, it's understandable that man is put into the mammal category.

Edited May 15, 2011 by Rebecca VA

[Murphy101]

God fashioned Adam himself from the dust of the ground, after His own image. He then breathed the breath of life into him.

 

To make the animals, He simply spoke and they appeared.

 

Also, man has a soul and can communicate with God. Beasts cannot do that.

 

So the Bible does make some distinction between man and beasts. Since they're biologically similar, though, it's understandable that man is put into the mammal category.

 

This.:)

[Annabel Lee]

n/m, I repeated what a PP said because I didn't read carefully.

Edited May 15, 2011 by Annabel Lee

[AvasMom]

I consider myself pretty conservative and still consider man an animal scientifically. There isn't any other category to put humans in. I think we all understand that there are differences between humans and other animals but that doesn't make us not animals. What are we then?

[KristinaBreece]

I consider myself pretty conservative and still consider man an animal scientifically. There isn't any other category to put humans in. I think we all understand that there are differences between humans and other animals but that doesn't make us not animals. What are we then?

 

I must be a jungle gym. That would explain why DD spends about 1/3 of her time climbing on me like I'm a set of monkey bars.

[AvasMom]

I must be a jungle gym. That would explain why DD spends about 1/3 of her time climbing on me like I'm a set of monkey bars.

 

:lol:

[Melinda in VT]

I took my children plus another homeschooled girl to Melbourne for a short holiday this week.

 

The other girl is nearly 16, very mature and brought up in a extremely conservative family.

 

My Ds 7 made some comment about humans and animals, I didn't hear exactly what he said, but this lovely girl gently corrected him and said that humans are not in the animal kingdom at all. I asked her what does she mean, humans eat, reproduce etc. filling all the requirements of a living thing, and are classified in with the mammals, they have hair, feed their young milk etc. She said that she is aware that evolutionists categorise humans like that , but creationists don't because humans have morals???

 

I told her that many people who believe in creation think humans are mammals and let the conversation drop. It was all said in a extremely friendly manner.

I thought I had a good understanding of various Cristian beliefs. I have never come across this one before. Is it a common belief in ultra conservative Cristian circles?

 

This is new to me as well (and I *was* a creationist growing up), but it might explain the recently passed law in Florida that will make it illegal for humans to have sex with animals. I had no idea the belief that humans aren't animals was so widespread.

[Rebecca VA]

I'd guess that the law was passed to protect animals, who cannot give consent (at least carefully considered consent) to sexual acts.

[mom31257]

This is new to me as well (and I *was* a creationist growing up), but it might explain the recently passed law in Florida that will make it illegal for humans to have sex with animals. I had no idea the belief that humans aren't animals was so widespread.

 

Couldn't this be about spreading diseases? (human to animal or animal to human) What's really sad to me is that there even has to be a law!

[Melinda in VT]

I'd guess that the law was passed to protect animals, who cannot give consent (at least carefully considered consent) to sexual acts.

 

I understand the intent of the law (and don't disagree with the intent) but since humans are animals, the way the law was worded is laughable, and makes all sex illegal.

[Rhonda in TX]

This is new to me as well (and I *was* a creationist growing up), but it might explain the recently passed law in Florida that will make it illegal for humans to have sex with animals. I had no idea the belief that humans aren't animals was so widespread.

 

I thought this was illegal in most states already.

[Haiku]

My dd16 was raised in a 7th-Day Adventist orphanage and does not believe that humans are animals. When I ask her what we are, she says "We're people." I say, "Yes, and dogs are dogs, and dogs are mammals, and dogs are animals. People are people, we're mammals, and we're animals." She says, "No, we aren't, people are special."

 

I have no idea whether the people-aren't-animals thing is a 7th-Day belief or not, so I don't know whether my comment on where she was raised is relevant to the conversation.

 

Tara

[mcconnellboys]

Hmmmm, I've never heard this before....

[kalanamak]

 

I have no idea whether the people-aren't-animals thing is a 7th-Day belief or not, so I don't know whether my comment on where she was raised is relevant to the conversation.

 

 

 

Hubby was raised 7th-Day and believed humans were not animals for most of his life. Once he lost his absolute faith, and started watching that iconoclast David Attenborough (who is someone he would not have, on principle, watched before), he is less sure of his belief on the animal/human line, too.

 

He does not eat animals because he thinks "eating cow will make you more cow-like". He absolutely believes this one. This makes me :lol:, because it is he who spends an hour at each meal, munching, is Mr. Mellow until panicked, sticks close to that that which he knows, loves to follow the herd. I know plenty of Go-Get'em meat eaters.

 

However, once I cracked open the door of the closet and saw what beliefs he had in there, I quietly closed it. I hear rumblings of them periodically, but for the most part I just leave that door closed.

[Retired]

God fashioned Adam himself from the dust of the ground, after His own image. He then breathed the breath of life into him.

 

To make the animals, He simply spoke and they appeared.

 

Also, man has a soul and can communicate with God. Beasts cannot do that.

 

So the Bible does make some distinction between man and beasts. Since they're biologically similar, though, it's understandable that man is put into the mammal category.

 

:iagree:

[Evergreen State Sue]

I believe humans are mammals. I believe monkeys are mammals. But as a human, I am more than a body. I also have a spirit that can commune with God. That is why I am not an animal. (BTW, I am a Christian, but not a 7th Day Adventist.)

[Chris in VA]

I am a Christian who believes people are animals, scientifically, but commune with God. I also believe animals can respond to God--not in the same way, but the bible does say all creation praises him, so there must be something there.

 

We come in all shapes, sizes, thoughts, etc., don't we? :001_smile:

[SonshineLearner]

I believe humans are mammals. I believe monkeys are mammals. But as a human, I am more than a body. I also have a spirit that can commune with God. That is why I am not an animal. (BTW, I am a Christian, but not a 7th Day Adventist.)

:iagree:

 

 

I can go with this one. I absolutely believe that people are special, and "made in God's image"

[SonshineLearner]

I am a Christian who believes people are animals, scientifically, but commune with God. I also believe animals can respond to God--not in the same way, but the bible does say all creation praises him, so there must be something there.

 

We come in all shapes, sizes, thoughts, etc., don't we? :001_smile:

:iagree: This one, too :)

[Lady Florida.]

The first time I ever heard this was in the homeschooling community. I was shocked.

[mcconnellboys]

For me, "made in God's image" does not refer to a physical body description, since I don't believe God has a physical body. Why would He need one? I think of "made in His image" as referring to our soul/spirit....

[KRG]

I'm a Christian and I came across this for the first time(this year) in BJU Life Science. I have always been taught that humans are animals. We just kind of skipped over it as we do with most of the Bible stuff in BJU.

[cathmom]

Humans are more than animals, not because we have morals as the girl said (some people don't have morals), but because we have souls. If I could draw a Venn diagram, the animal circle would be fully inside the human circle, but part of the human circle would be outside. However, if you don't believe that humans have souls, then you would probably consider humans to be animals.

[eternalknot]

I've heard this often, outside of homeschool circles. I currently live in the Bible Belt, maybe that's why?

 

My child is Catholic, which is the faith of his father; I've never been Christian. I signed the kid up for a co-op program once per week at a K-12 Christian private school, and he learned this there, too. It's not a particularly conservative school, but that could be subjective based on what (little) I'm familiar with of the (ultra)conservative Christians near me who homeschool.

 

We later discussed it with my son's priest and Catholic mentors, so he is now aware of what his own church teaches.

[Caitilin]

I had never heard this point of view before either.

If we share 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees, surely we must be animals? I am a Christian, and I believe that animals have mortal souls, while humans have immortal souls; but biologically, we are surely animals, IMO.

[sgo95]

I haven't thought this through completely, but it seems to me that we are what we are regardless of what biological classification a certain system of organization tries to place us in. What is the impact of saying humans are not animals? We can study the properties of humans and animals regardless and note similarities to mammals.

 

The current taxonomical (?real word?) system approaches the task of organizing the variety of life on earth from an evolutionary standpoint. Obviously, there are people (myself included) who disagree that evolutionary theory is proven fact. I'm sure the system of classification has merit but I don't take it as a law of the universe.

 

Based on my own spiritual beliefs, I don't find it odd that one would insist that humans are not animals. I want my kids to respect all life on earth since I believe God had a hand in its creation (side note: not necessarily in seven literal days, but I don't think the beauty and order of life on earth came from chaos and random chance either). I teach my kids that if they can't fixt something, they shouldn't tamper with or hurt it, especially a living plant or animal. At the same time, I believe that humans are special and set apart from other life on earth. I don't believe any animal is more important than humans or more deserving of the right to live on earth.

[Garga]

I think (think) that when Christians say "we are not animals" they aren't referring to their physical body. I'm pretty sure they're making a distinction between our spirituality vs an animals'. I think they're demonstrating that we are made in God's image, whereas the animals weren't.

 

The OP was talking to a teenager, who might not be clear on that distinction and was taught, "We're not animals" and didn't quite understand the distinction. I'm pretty sure that people who've had a chance to think about it know that we are animals biologically, but we're not animals spiritually.

[gardening momma]

I believe humans are mammals. I believe monkeys are mammals. But as a human, I am more than a body. I also have a spirit that can commune with God. That is why I am not an animal. (BTW, I am a Christian, but not a 7th Day Adventist.)

:iagree: I am a mammal, technically in the animal kingdom, but I don't generally call humans animals. You can always make an exception for some people. :lol:

[Audrey]

The first time I ever heard this was in the homeschooling community. I was shocked.

 

 

The first time I ever heard this was here, today, on this thread. :001_huh: I am not shocked. Amused, certainly, but not shocked.

[Audrey]

I had never heard this point of view before either.

If we share 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees, surely we must be animals? I am a Christian, and I believe that animals have mortal souls, while humans have immortal souls; but biologically, we are surely animals, IMO.

 

 

I find that intriguing. When I was a Christian (Methodist) we were taught that of all of god's creatures, only humans had souls. Can I ask which denomination you are that teaches this?

[Evergreen State Sue]

I just have to say this thread has really given me something to think about and talk about with my family as we prepared to go to church his morning. My kids are taking biology this year and have learned the scientific side of this. As Christians, we have read the account in Genesis how God created plants, animals, and then people. I think this would be a great topic for our kids to write about. Are people animals? Why or why not? Thanks for all your points of view!

[Cricket]

I think (think) that when Christians say "we are not animals" they aren't referring to their physical body. I'm pretty sure they're making a distinction between our spirituality vs an animals'. I think they're demonstrating that we are made in God's image, whereas the animals weren't.

 

The OP was talking to a teenager, who might not be clear on that distinction and was taught, "We're not animals" and didn't quite understand the distinction. I'm pretty sure that people who've had a chance to think about it know that we are animals biologically, but we're not animals spiritually.

 

:iagree: I've heard people of all different beliefs refer to a murderer or other violent criminal as an "animal." I think most people believe there is something that sets us apart from other animals. I'm a conservative Christian and have heard often that we are not animals. It is said in the way you state above. It isn't necessarily referring to our scientific classification.

[Lady Florida.]

I haven't thought this through completely, but it seems to me that we are what we are regardless of what biological classification a certain system of organization tries to place us in.

 

While this is true, it's also true that we are what we are regardless of religious belief. We are still scientifically mammals.

[myfatherslily]

I am a Christian who believes people are animals, scientifically, but commune with God. I also believe animals can respond to God--not in the same way, but the bible does say all creation praises him, so there must be something there.

 

Humans are more than animals, not because we have morals as the girl said (some people don't have morals), but because we have souls. If I could draw a Venn diagram, the animal circle would be fully inside the human circle, but part of the human circle would be outside.

 

I think (think) that when Christians say "we are not animals" they aren't referring to their physical body... I'm pretty sure that people who've had a chance to think about it know that we are animals biologically, but we're not animals spiritually.

:iagree:

These pretty much sum up what I believe.

[kalanamak]

I think (think) that when Christians say "we are not animals" they aren't referring to their physical body.

 

While I would not call him sophisticated, hubby held that we were not animals in any way until he was in his 50s. He can barely read, and the only people talking about anything beyond the price of flooring or if the truck was broken down was the ministry. He went to church a lot, knew only other church members, and that was what he was spoon fed. He had no reason to question it.

 

Does it really matter in the way having or not having a working truck matters?

[twoxcell]

We are made in the image of God, and have an eternal soul. Animals are not made in God's image nor do they have an eternal soul. So no we are not technically animals. Also animals have no idea of right or wrong they simply operate on instinct as they were created to do. Animals and man have the same creator, and thus have similarities. For classification purposes humans fit in with mammals, but am I an animal? I do not believe so.:001_smile:

[heartlandsahm]

We are made in the image of God, and have an eternal soul. Animals are not made in God's image nor do they have an eternal soul. So no we are not technically animals. Also animals have no idea of right or wrong they simply operate on instinct as they were created to do. Animals and man have the same creator, and thus have similarities. For classification purposes humans fit in with mammals, but am I an animal? I do not believe so.:001_smile:

 

Also, in Genesis 1 He tells us:

 

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.â€

28 God blessed them and said to them...Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.

 

I definitely see how we are "mankind" and were created to rule over & subdue every living CREATURE on the earth. This leads me to think that we are different, obviously the Bible teaches us that we are uniquely and wonderfully made.

 

Not that I don't love my dog, we're simply unique/different!

 

I do not consider myself an animal, although sometimes I wonder with my housekeeping skills, or lack thereof :lol:. I can also understand that science classifies us as animals simply/possibly because of the worldview of origination of the scientific method of classification. To be sure, I am NOT saying that no scientists believe in the God of the Bible. I am simply stating that when creating the classifications the Biblical facts/information were not included in the reasoning for determining the classifications, hence there would be no reason for anyone to see the need to NOT put us in with the animals? The system itself was created by men, right?

 

I hope this makes sense, I'm in a rush!

[Daisy]

Without going into a long discussion (I don't have the time) we teach our children that humans are NOT animals. While biologically similar in some ways, we are not part of the animal kingdom.

 

That doesn't mean we keep them in the dark about scientific classification.

[tomandlorih]

I think (think) that when Christians say "we are not animals" they aren't referring to their physical body. I'm pretty sure they're making a distinction between our spirituality vs an animals'. I think they're demonstrating that we are made in God's image, whereas the animals weren't.

 

The OP was talking to a teenager, who might not be clear on that distinction and was taught, "We're not animals" and didn't quite understand the distinction. I'm pretty sure that people who've had a chance to think about it know that we are animals biologically, but we're not animals spiritually.

 

:iagree: I was raised kind of Pentecostal but now just mainstream Protestant and never heard anyone say that we were not animals(by classification) only that we had souls and were made in God's image. That "animals" are mostly(there are exceptions to every rule) ruled by instinct alone. Whereas humans can and do make choices based on emotion.

[Melissa in Australia]

Thank You everyone for responding, Your views have been enlightening.