The subject of the #soul has spawned debate since man became civilized. Most humans believe in something greater than themselves; it's called the "God Gene" a la Time magazine or as psychologist Carl Jung put it, the "collective unconscious." In essence, we are pre-programmed with symbols or "archetypes," that transcend space, time, geography, and theology. Whether in Celtic stone carvings, Egyptian papyrus, Chinese silk painting, Native American animal skins, or Paleolithic cave wall drawings in Spain, humans have been using the same symbols that mean relatively the same thing for millennia.
How is that possible?
Jung's theory is that human brains are programed, as it were, with certain symbols that help direct us toward the inevitable conclusion that we are not alone...that, there is something greater than us in the Universe. Where there is a watch, there is a watchmaker....
Interestingly, early man believed "God" to be a bull called "El." He sprang forth from a tree trunk in some myths. Water in others. Either way, it was an immaculate conception. The word "El" means "God" in Hebrew. Any name ending in it, like Michael, for example has to do with God. Michael is actually Hebrew for "angel of God." Gabriel, also Hebrew, is often translated as "messenger of God," though the literal translation is "man of God."
Conspiracy theorists and UFO-chasers say it was aliens, not God, who made man and animal alike. But however we creatures of Earth came into existence, we all have the same spark of life in us--also known as the #soul.
I've always wondered how anyone who believes in #souls living in the Western world where grocery stores abound, can then look at any other mammal or creature that is also alive, and kill it for food. True, we're born into an omnivore culture, but at some point, we do have choice. How does anyone have a beloved pet, treat it like family, yet go to a grocery store and buy a big hunk of lamb or veal? You're eating babies, first of all. Secondly, sheep have a memory of at least two years--longer than some humans I know who seem to forget promises made within two months!
Where do you draw the line between furry, cute animals? How is your dog or cat any different from that baby cow or little lamb??? Because, if you believe your dog has a #soul, so does that lamb. So does that calf. God did not give #souls to some creatures and not others...that's a human trait.
So, we can safely assume that if we believe we have a #soul, so do at least our beloved furry family members, if not the whole animal kingdom. Maybe you're not comfortable with the word "soul." Perhaps you'd prefer "energy" or "light." Some consider the mind and #soul to be one and the same. Whatever you call it, if you believe you have it, you must also believe every other living thing has it as well.
From Proverbs, to Job, to Ecclesiastes, it's pretty clear that man and animal alike are equals in death, and what happens thereafter. In Hindu, the cow represents animals who give more than they take and are considered holy--something to be revered, not killed for food. The Qur'an suggests animals need to be treated with compassion and should never be abused. In fact, the rights of animals are very elaborate in Islamic Law. Buddhists do not sustain their lives on violence; animals are considered like man and treated with the same compassion. Yet, despite every major religion (finally!) agreeing on something, animal abuse flourishes around the world. And animals--even dogs--are used as a human food source. Hey, I liked steak as much as the next person, but when I realized what I was doing, I put down the steak knife and haven't picked it up again in 22 years. Probably part of why I've survived cancer for the last 25...just sayin'.
But, if you'd rather compartmentalize, have at it. Don't let me stop you. However, I will be calling out anyone who abuses dogs. Dogs, like the one pictured in the insert, are some of the most loyal "pets" on the planet. Because of their intense loyalty, they are more vulnerable to human-abuse. Sadly, I can relate....
Unlike cats, dogs completely rely on their humans to feed them, water them, let them out to go to the bathroom, clean them, groom them...and it's not just physical. Dogs get depressed when the humans they rely on neglect or abandon them. Dogs can understand up to 250 human words; they "talk" to us through their body language as their mouths do not work like ours, despite what Disney's Dog with a Blog--one of my favorites--would have you believe.
If that little black fur-ball in the picture could blog, what would he say about his humans? You see, because dogs cannot "speak" or write popular blogs, like this one, it's important for humans to not take advantage of that silence. When your dog pees on your purse, there's a reason. Dogs urinate as a method of communication. You can teach them through training--not abuse--that certain forms of communication are better than others. You don't have to be the Dog Whisperer to do it either. You just have to have compassion. And, be generous with those treats! If you can't be consistently generous or compassionate, you should not bring a dog into your world.
Ironically, the same rule applies to me as well....
Monthly heart-worm tablets are good examples of compassionate treats. Any dog bitten by a mosquito can be infected. Heart-worm tabs are cheap and easy to buy; they're made in delicious meaty flavors your dog will gobble down without a second thought. You give it to your dog once a month as a preventative. But if your dog already has heart-worm, the treatment consists of several injections that kill the heart-worms within months, not years. Even giving your dog the monthly preventative will kill any heart-worms in two years; there's no other oral medication. A little guy like our friend in the picture has an average lifespan of 12-15 years, much longer than larger breeds. Smaller breeds that are well-cared for, like our peekapoo pal, live longer than their average though--often 18-21 years. Left untreated, heart-worm is fatal. But it's so easy and inexpensive to prevent, that dogs generally don't die from something like heart-worm unless neglected. Or, abused.
So, do dogs have #souls? You betcha. And just like humans, those souls are connected to whatever it is that has created us all. I often say that dogs are better people than most people. Dogs can teach us so much. They're generous of spirit, have open minds, love to play, live for joy, and show affection and respect to those who deserve it. Their loyalty is unwavering; a dog would never abandon a true friend.
Hurting a dog is one of the worst crimes known to man--it's brutish. Because dogs cannot speak out or defend themselves, especially smaller breeds like the little man in my picture. Humans that do so are cruel and godless creatures; perhaps I have lived in the South too long to say it in such a way. Though my beliefs do not include Hell-fire, I dearly hope there is such a place for those who neglect, abuse or kill any animal--especially the loyal canine.
One of my favorite 19th century writers, Anatole France, said, "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
Perhaps, then, it is not the #soul of animals we should question. But that of any human who abuses a trusting nature--whether that nature belongs to a dog, or, a person....
How is that possible?
Jung's theory is that human brains are programed, as it were, with certain symbols that help direct us toward the inevitable conclusion that we are not alone...that, there is something greater than us in the Universe. Where there is a watch, there is a watchmaker....
Interestingly, early man believed "God" to be a bull called "El." He sprang forth from a tree trunk in some myths. Water in others. Either way, it was an immaculate conception. The word "El" means "God" in Hebrew. Any name ending in it, like Michael, for example has to do with God. Michael is actually Hebrew for "angel of God." Gabriel, also Hebrew, is often translated as "messenger of God," though the literal translation is "man of God."
Conspiracy theorists and UFO-chasers say it was aliens, not God, who made man and animal alike. But however we creatures of Earth came into existence, we all have the same spark of life in us--also known as the #soul.
I've always wondered how anyone who believes in #souls living in the Western world where grocery stores abound, can then look at any other mammal or creature that is also alive, and kill it for food. True, we're born into an omnivore culture, but at some point, we do have choice. How does anyone have a beloved pet, treat it like family, yet go to a grocery store and buy a big hunk of lamb or veal? You're eating babies, first of all. Secondly, sheep have a memory of at least two years--longer than some humans I know who seem to forget promises made within two months!
Where do you draw the line between furry, cute animals? How is your dog or cat any different from that baby cow or little lamb??? Because, if you believe your dog has a #soul, so does that lamb. So does that calf. God did not give #souls to some creatures and not others...that's a human trait.
So, we can safely assume that if we believe we have a #soul, so do at least our beloved furry family members, if not the whole animal kingdom. Maybe you're not comfortable with the word "soul." Perhaps you'd prefer "energy" or "light." Some consider the mind and #soul to be one and the same. Whatever you call it, if you believe you have it, you must also believe every other living thing has it as well.
From Proverbs, to Job, to Ecclesiastes, it's pretty clear that man and animal alike are equals in death, and what happens thereafter. In Hindu, the cow represents animals who give more than they take and are considered holy--something to be revered, not killed for food. The Qur'an suggests animals need to be treated with compassion and should never be abused. In fact, the rights of animals are very elaborate in Islamic Law. Buddhists do not sustain their lives on violence; animals are considered like man and treated with the same compassion. Yet, despite every major religion (finally!) agreeing on something, animal abuse flourishes around the world. And animals--even dogs--are used as a human food source. Hey, I liked steak as much as the next person, but when I realized what I was doing, I put down the steak knife and haven't picked it up again in 22 years. Probably part of why I've survived cancer for the last 25...just sayin'.
But, if you'd rather compartmentalize, have at it. Don't let me stop you. However, I will be calling out anyone who abuses dogs. Dogs, like the one pictured in the insert, are some of the most loyal "pets" on the planet. Because of their intense loyalty, they are more vulnerable to human-abuse. Sadly, I can relate....
Unlike cats, dogs completely rely on their humans to feed them, water them, let them out to go to the bathroom, clean them, groom them...and it's not just physical. Dogs get depressed when the humans they rely on neglect or abandon them. Dogs can understand up to 250 human words; they "talk" to us through their body language as their mouths do not work like ours, despite what Disney's Dog with a Blog--one of my favorites--would have you believe.
If that little black fur-ball in the picture could blog, what would he say about his humans? You see, because dogs cannot "speak" or write popular blogs, like this one, it's important for humans to not take advantage of that silence. When your dog pees on your purse, there's a reason. Dogs urinate as a method of communication. You can teach them through training--not abuse--that certain forms of communication are better than others. You don't have to be the Dog Whisperer to do it either. You just have to have compassion. And, be generous with those treats! If you can't be consistently generous or compassionate, you should not bring a dog into your world.
Ironically, the same rule applies to me as well....
Monthly heart-worm tablets are good examples of compassionate treats. Any dog bitten by a mosquito can be infected. Heart-worm tabs are cheap and easy to buy; they're made in delicious meaty flavors your dog will gobble down without a second thought. You give it to your dog once a month as a preventative. But if your dog already has heart-worm, the treatment consists of several injections that kill the heart-worms within months, not years. Even giving your dog the monthly preventative will kill any heart-worms in two years; there's no other oral medication. A little guy like our friend in the picture has an average lifespan of 12-15 years, much longer than larger breeds. Smaller breeds that are well-cared for, like our peekapoo pal, live longer than their average though--often 18-21 years. Left untreated, heart-worm is fatal. But it's so easy and inexpensive to prevent, that dogs generally don't die from something like heart-worm unless neglected. Or, abused.
So, do dogs have #souls? You betcha. And just like humans, those souls are connected to whatever it is that has created us all. I often say that dogs are better people than most people. Dogs can teach us so much. They're generous of spirit, have open minds, love to play, live for joy, and show affection and respect to those who deserve it. Their loyalty is unwavering; a dog would never abandon a true friend.
Hurting a dog is one of the worst crimes known to man--it's brutish. Because dogs cannot speak out or defend themselves, especially smaller breeds like the little man in my picture. Humans that do so are cruel and godless creatures; perhaps I have lived in the South too long to say it in such a way. Though my beliefs do not include Hell-fire, I dearly hope there is such a place for those who neglect, abuse or kill any animal--especially the loyal canine.
One of my favorite 19th century writers, Anatole France, said, "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
Perhaps, then, it is not the #soul of animals we should question. But that of any human who abuses a trusting nature--whether that nature belongs to a dog, or, a person....
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