Do mormon/ lds people believe that animals and insects have souls?
960092
I am LDS as well. First, soul, for us, usually refers to the united entity of both body and spirit. Since we believe that all living things were created spiritually before they were created physically, we therefore believe that all living things  have "souls. " (Doctrine and Covenants 72:2)\nWe also believe that, during Christ's millenial reign, we will live in peace with the animals (Isa. 11:6-9). Since animals are subject to mortal death and fulfil the measure of their creation, we also believe that they will be in heaven by the grace of Christ's atonement for all living beings. Hence, many prophets have spoken out against killing for sport or abusing animals in any manner.  Despite this, we also believe that meat was given to us for our sustinance (Gen 9:3) but that it should be used sparingly (D & C 89:12). President Joseph F. Smith said, "I do not believe any man should kill animals or birds unless he needs them for food, and then he should not kill innocent little birds that are not intended for food for man. I think it is wicked for men to thirst in their souls to kill almost everything which possesses animal life. It is wrong."\nThat said, we are not anti-hunting. I fish, spearfish, and hunt lobster regularly. I do not waste anything that I legally catch. While I could go to the store, my family and I prefer fresh sea food with all those rich omega three fatty acids!
915488
Animals do not go to heaven because they have no soul. They just cease to exist. Apparently, we do not need pets in heaven since only our souls go there. New born babies do have a soul and go to heaven because they are completely innocent.
382019
No.  A lot of animals look up to humans as if they were Gods.  \n\nOtherwise, I see an awful lot of Taoists in nature.  Like birds - I think they are all Taoists.  The only exception when it comes to birds is hens, because they are obviously "Hendus."
1863
Any faith system that claims that Lucifer is Jesus' "spiritual brother", as Mormonism does, is not Christian. As far as I am concerned, to put Jesus Christ, Lord over all, on the same level as Lucifer, a fallen angel, is heresy.\n\nSo I stand by the former.
1017194
first- notoriousnick- Are you LDS?\n\nAnyway, back to the question- Why do others think Mormons aren't Christian....\n\nI think it all has to do with definitions.\nIf you define a duck as a waterfowl with webbed feet, a big bill, a bird that waddles, quacks and is white in color, eliminating any animal that does not fit this description... that's a pretty specific definition!... it also eliminates all wild ducks, like malards...\n\nIf you define Christians as people who believe in the Bible, both the Old and New Testament, have accepted Jesus as their savior, and accept the Trinity as fact... Again, that could be considered a pretty narrow definition.\n\nBecause "Mormons" don't accept the idea of the Trinity, they are often exluded from the label of Christian.\n\nMy own definition of Christian-\nA Christian is one who\na) accepts Jesus as the Son of God, Savior of mankind (including him or herself), and Redeemer of the world (btw- these characteristics, when applied to Jesus of Nazareth can be found in the Bible, both Old and New Testament).\nb) also tries to follow Christ's example as recorded in the New Testament, living the "Golden Rule" throughout their lives.... (this definition could eliminate many who call themselves Christian, simply because they arent' living the "Golden Rule")\n\nIn essence, my definition of Christain is someone who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk.\n\nAccording to my definition of what a Christian is- someone who fulfills both parts of what I've written, yes, "Mormons" are Christian.
323481
I am a Mormon, and I am not a vegetarian.\n\nAs far as if it is ALLOWED... I think that some Mormons DO choose to be vegetarians.  There really isn't anything in Mormon doctrine that says anything AGAINST being a vegetarian.  \n\nHowever, I believe that part of the reason animals were put here on this Earth, is to be food for us.  If they die, and they weren't sick, then I think it's a good thing to eat the animals, so the meat isn't needlessly wasted.
1036852
I don't believe that human souls roam the earth after a person dies but I do believe in angels and spirits because the Bible says that they exist. The extra-biblical book of Enos says that evil spirits are here from the time mentioned in Genesis 6 where fallen angels took the daughters of men to be wives and when their offspring died there was no place found for them in Heaven or in Hell and so they are doomed to wander the earth.
298038
The original-language terms (Heb., ne′phesh [?פנ]; Gr., psy·khe′ [ψυχή]) as used in the Scriptures show “soul” to be a person, an animal, or the life that a person or an animal enjoys.Earth’s First Souls. The initial occurrences of ne′phesh are found at Genesis 1:20-23. On the fifth creative “day” God said: “‘Let the waters swarm forth a swarm of living souls [ne′phesh] and let flying creatures fly over the earth . . . ’ And God proceeded to create the great sea monsters and every living soul [ne′phesh] that moves about, which the waters swarmed forth according to their kinds, and every winged flying creature according to its kind.” Similarly on the sixth creative “day” ne′phesh is applied to the “domestic animal and moving animal and wild beast of the earth” as “living souls.”—Ge 1:24.\nThe Human Soul. Precisely the same Hebrew phrase used of the animal creation, namely, ne′phesh chai·yah′ (living soul), is applied to Adam, when, after God formed man out of dust from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, “the man came to be a living soul.” (Ge 2:7) Man was distinct from the animal creation, but that distinction was not because he was a ne′phesh (soul) and they were not. Rather, the record shows that it was because man alone was created “in God’s image.” (Ge 1:26, 27) He was created with moral qualities like those of God, with power and wisdom far superior to the animals; hence he could have in subjection all the lower forms of creature life. (Ge 1:26, 28) Man’s organism was more complex, as well as more versatile, than that of the animals. (Compare 1Co 15:39.) Likewise, Adam had, but lost, the prospect of eternal life; this is never stated with regard to the creatures lower than man.—Ge 2:15-17; 3:22-24.\nSoul—A Living Creature. As stated, man “came to be a living soul”; hence man was a soul, he did not have a soul as something immaterial, invisible, and intangible residing inside him. The apostle Paul shows that the Christian teaching did not differ from the earlier Hebrew teaching, for he quotes Genesis 2:7 in saying: “It is even so written: ‘The first man Adam became a living soul [psy·khen′ zo′san].’ . . . The first man is out of the earth and made of dust.”—1Co 15:45-47.
588741
Living creatures are souls.  Animal life exhibits will all of time.  I have horses.  Sometimes they do not want to come in from the pasture.  It is fascinating to observe just how willful they really are.  Animals, though, vary in their thought processes depending on the species and their individual instincts that God gave them.  \n\nAlthough animals are living souls, they do not have individual moral responsibility to God.  It is the spirit of God's intelligent creation (angelic beings and mankind) that sets them apart from the animal kingdom.
189821
There is no scientific evidence for souls.  Thus, they may very well not exist at all, like unicorns, fairies, and friendly Parisians.  Science does not address everything, and is not meant to answer all important questions.  Science only is effective in questions in which a clear hypothesis can be made, and repeatable evidence collected and measured to support or refute that hypothesis.  Questions such as the existence of God, what love is, what is beautiful, are not things that can be quantitated and measured, and thus science is not the proper venue to find the answer.
238801
well many souls(living entities) are still on the earth tied to something in the natural world.  or atleast thats the popular belief of many
862764
Yes. Plants and animals have a soul. Why would humans be the only ones with a soul.\n\nGuess vegetarians are also commiting murder! \n"SAVE THE PLANTS"
414352
My brother is a Mormon (LDS). I've heard the strangest things about how they sacrifice animals and they have more than one wife (not true of LDS - only of fundamentalist Mormon denominations, which are few and far between), and they are so annoying and this and that on and on. When I hear people talk about them, I usually just listen and say, "Really?" every now and then until they are finished. Then I tell them that my brother is a Mormon. That usually produces a Kodak moment :) \n\nI don't agree with the Book of Mormon (see link for good reasons why) or some of the doctrines, but neither have I ever met a Mormon that I didn't like. Even Trey Parker and Matt Stone were man enough to portray them as really nice and loving people.
593824
How sad for you.  I don't believe in all these human classifications of who or what goes to heaven: I believe all living things have a soul and therefore go onwards.  Of course you will see your ferret again!  If my pets have ceased to exist, then I hope to do so, too - I ain't going anywhere they don't!  (It might be that all those who assert that animals don't have souls will populate something other than heaven themselves, as their love seems to be limited and somewhat lacking in humanity.)
286489
I'm kind of flaky with my actual faith, but I've been an active Mormon for a while now.\n\nI have to say that we believe in a pre-mortal existence. That we were all present at the Council of Heaevn when God was establishing his plan of salvation. Satan and Jesus both had ideas about how to do it. Essentially, Satan wanted glory for himself and Jesus wanted to give Glory to God. In order to actually believe this though you have to have a better understanding of the basic principles that under lie the LDS Church.\n\nAnd to say, out right, that the Church is wrong or that the book of mormon is bogus is really childish. There are millions of LDS people in the world today, I find it hard to believe that all of them are wrong.\n\nAnd the Bible says that the Father and the Son are One. This doesn't mean LITERALLY, look at the gospels, Jesus approaches the Father as his Father. They are One in purpose - To bring to pass the immortal life of man, but they are two seperate beings. Even if you look at Hebrew texts they use to words for God - elohim and yahweh. The reason for this is because God is no one being. But like I said, you have to have at least an undersatnding of where the book of mormon came from.\n\nI don't bash other religions. There are so many times I want to say, "No, you've got it all wrong" but I don't because I understand that every person has every right to be what they are.\n\n-------------\nTo Asker:\nI don't believe in one religion. When I say "we believe" in the Mormon church I should have been saying "they believe" My whole philosophy on life is that every religion is right... for someone. That doesn't mean is right or wrong. My friend and I have discussed religion at length and I've come to my own conclusions regarding it. She's Muslim and I am whatever I am. I used to say this to my brother, "Belief in something is better then belief in nothing." That something specific of course referred to God. But anywho, not sure if that answered your question. I'm not totally with it. Perpetually tired.\n\n-------------\nTo Asker:\nMy brother is an atheist and I find it hard to believe in nothing. I think to know that this is all we have and after this is only death is a really hard thing to cope with. Maybe it's what really is, but I think it's better to believe that there is some greater purpose for this life. The Book of Mormon has it's own set of doctrine and beliefs set out. The purpose of it is to testify that Christ is the Savior and help us understand how to live righteously. I'd strongly encourage everyone to read it. My faith is unique. I believe the teachings of the LDS church are correct in some sense. I just have too many things I'm questioning in my life. I'm working on resolving them and I don't know where it is going. Sorry for the confusion. don't base your views on the LDS Church on me because I'm far from the best person. If a person wants to know more I'd suggest lds.org and you can actually read the conference talks etc. Or even talking to missionaries. Anywho, sorry.
569422
I have just been researching the churh and the book.I think if you go to http://thebaldchemist.blogspot.com  you will find the answer.\nKeep questioning.\nAboriginals were not considered to be human by the early missionaries. Probably still dont.
390363
If you lie down with dogs, you rise up with fleas?  The Bible says that God does not cast his pearls before swine, meaning that you must prove yourself worthy before knowing some divine information the Church shares with you.  That might be the Book of Mormon, I'm not sure.  I'm not very brushed up on it.  My boyfriend's family is mormon, so I hear about it.  Believe me....I hear about it.