Christians, why did god decide to have animals affected by the sin of Adam & Eve?

[savethedreams]

Christians, why did god decide to have animals affected by the sin of Adam & Eve?
Animals can't have 'sin', so why were the effected. According to the bible, animals didn't 'eat' / 'harm' one another, but now they do?

 

[Skwim]

Now! Now! Let's not have any more of these embarrassing questions today. Be a good boy and run along now.

 

[orcel]

Plants = Life
Animals = Life + Emotion and Instint
People = Life + Emotion and Instint + Reason and Faith

without faith and reason animals are merely another part of the world around us undistint from it. HUmanity was given dominion over the world. Humanity's fall influences everything upon which humanity has authority.

 

[Skwim]

Plants = Life
Animals = Life + Emotion and Instint
People = Life + Emotion and Instint + Reason and Faith

I'm assuming by "Instint" you mean instinct.

without faith and reason animals are merely another part of the world around us undistint from it. HUmanity was given dominion over the world. Humanity's fall influences everything upon which humanity has authority.

The OP already acknowledges that in its question. What needs to be answered is "why?" Why should the sin of A&E be inflicted upon animals? What would be the rational behind such an insidious act? In fact, why should any other human be inflicted with it?

Oh yes, many animals also use reason.

 

[Noaidi]

Christians, why did god decide to have animals affected by the sin of Adam & Eve?
Animals can't have 'sin', so why were the effected. According to the bible, animals didn't 'eat' / 'harm' one another, but now they do?

Good question. I've wondered why non-humans had to perish in the Noachian flood for the apparent sins of humans. If god wanted to wipe out sin in humans, then surely it would have been easy enough to get rid of just the humans. Why the biocide?

 

[horizon_mj1]

Christians, why did god decide to have animals affected by the sin of Adam & Eve?
Animals can't have 'sin', so why were the effected. According to the bible, animals didn't 'eat' / 'harm' one another, but now they do?

I am not Christian, but I do understand some of what they preach. I don't think so much that the story of Adam and Eve was really to be taken literally, but just an easier way to explain procreation in a less derogatory way.

 

[Skwim]

I am not Christian, but I do understand some of what they preach. I don't think so much that the story of Adam and Eve was really to be taken literally, but just an easier way to explain procreation in a less derogatory way.

I believe procreation was pretty well understood back then. And just how does the story explain procreation anyway?

 

[orcel]

Good question. I've wondered why non-humans had to perish in the Noachian flood for the apparent sins of humans. If god wanted to wipe out sin in humans, then surely it would have been easy enough to get rid of just the humans. Why the biocide?

There's a concept that too the non-Christian can sound rather harsh, so be forwarned...

Assuming the Christian God exists as Christians describe Him. God is a perfect, God is creator. Now as the creation of God humans are His, completely. God hass total authority over us. He can choose to bless us or destroy us. We are like legos of his.

If I build a lego starship, but determin that it is flawed, or less then perfect, or if I just get board, I have every right to tear apart that creation of mine and start over.

In the same sense this creation is God's to do with as He pleases. Being perfect God has every right to demand perfection. And every right to destroy us if we are not perfect, or even every right to destroy uss even if we are perfect. We, along with the plants and animals are His property.

There is no such thing as fairness between us and God. God cannot be unfair to us. No more then I can be unfair to my legos.

 

[Koldo]

There's a concept that too the non-Christian can sound rather harsh, so be forwarned...

Assuming the Christian God exists as Christians describe Him. God is a perfect, God is creator. Now as the creation of God humans are His, completely. God hass total authority over us. He can choose to bless us or destroy us. We are like legos of his.

If I build a lego starship, but determin that it is flawed, or less then perfect, or if I just get board, I have every right to tear apart that creation of mine and start over.

In the same sense this creation is God's to do with as He pleases. Being perfect God has every right to demand perfection. And every right to destroy us if we are not perfect, or even every right to destroy uss even if we are perfect. We, along with the plants and animals are His property.

There is no such thing as fairness between us and God. God cannot be unfair to us. No more then I can be unfair to my legos.

The whole concept of omnibenevolence does not fit with your speech though.

 

[orcel]

The whole concept of omnibenevolence does not fit with your speech though.

No, this does not counter omnibenevolence, or any other aspect of God's greatness. You assume we have rights before God. We do not.

How can one be benevolence to legos?

 

[Pegg]

Christians, why did god decide to have animals affected by the sin of Adam & Eve?
Animals can't have 'sin', so why were the effected. According to the bible, animals didn't 'eat' / 'harm' one another, but now they do?

they were affected because the animals could not rely on mankind to protect and care for them as would have been the case if mankind were living according to Gods will and purpose.

A fear of humans was put into the animals after the flood because from the point on, mankind were given permission to use animals for food. It could be that some animals already used other animals for food... the bible is silent on that issue so its only speculating if they did or did not. Obviously the animals in the ark did not eat each other, and many of them still only eat vegetation.

 

[Koldo]

No, this does not counter omnibenevolence, or any other aspect of God's greatness. You assume we have rights before God. We do not.

How can one be benevolence to legos?

Your analogy is completely flawed on this matter.
Legos don't have a consciousness, legos don't have feelings, and so on [ as far we know ]. Comparing all kinds of animals to lego pieces is an exaggeration, to say the least, in the light of the benevolence.

It is not about having rights before God if you think really well about it. Although God is regarded as omnipotent, meaning he can do everything possible, when you add the concept of omnibenevolence there are things that God just won't do. Simple as that.

 

[Koldo]

they were affected because the animals could not rely on mankind to protect and care for them as would have been the case if mankind were living according to Gods will and purpose.

What are you talking about?
I surely want to read your biblical reference on this.

Protect from what? From God?

 

[Madhuri]

How can one be benevolence to legos?

You still have not answered the OP, which asks why.
It seems that there are actual reasons for why God did this and that according to the Bible. So now the OP is asking for a reason.

But so far you seem to be saying that God simple does things without any reason that we can know of or should bother to question.

 

[Sum1sGruj]

I don't believe plants/animals have souls. They lack the ability to grow crops, so they eat each other. They do not have the reason necessary to distinguish right from wrong. Their alleged 'reason' is about as potent as a placebo. They are here mainly to serve man and be made food.

 

[Madhuri]

I don't believe plants/animals have souls. They lack the ability to grow crops, so they eat each other. They do not have the reason necessary to distinguish right from wrong. Their alleged 'reason' is about as potent as a placebo. They are here mainly to serve man and be made food.

I always get confused with the Christian concept of soul.
Does lacking a soul mean to you that an animal cannot think, feel pain, be conscious in any way, experience fear or emotion etc.?

PS: Herbivorous do not each other.

 

[Koldo]

They are here mainly to serve man and be made food.

 

[Pegg]

What are you talking about?
I surely want to read your biblical reference on this.

Protect from what? From God?

Adams position in Gods arrangement was one of a caretaker. By moving out of that role, the earth and animals were left without a caretaker.


Gen 1:26 And God went on to say: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every moving animal that is moving upon the earth.. 28 Further, God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.”

Gen 2:15 And Jehovah God proceeded to take the man and settle him in the garden of E′den to cultivate it and to take care of it

From the point that Adam was evicted from Eden, the earth and animals came out from under his dominion.

 

[Madhuri]

Pegg, why did God, according to your religion, decide to make man blood-thirsty for animal flesh? Why make man a hunter, a killer of sentient creatures? Why give humans the desire for 'domination' of the Earth?

 

[Pegg]

Pegg, why did God, according to your religion, decide to make man blood-thirsty for animal flesh? Why make man a hunter, a killer of sentient creatures? Why give humans the desire for 'domination' of the Earth?

according to our view, mankind were created to be vegetarian. The genesis account specifically states this was the case. It was only after the flood that God gave permission for Noah and his family to eat meat from any animal...the one restriction was that the animals blood was to be drained out and poured into the ground.
Gen 9:1-4 And God went on to bless Noah and his sons and to say to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth. 2 And a fear of YOU and a terror of YOU will continue upon every living creature of the earth and upon every flying creature of the heavens, upon everything that goes moving on the ground, and upon all the fishes of the sea. Into YOUR hand they are now given. 3 Every moving animal that is alive may serve as food for YOU. As in the case of green vegetation, I do give it all to YOU. 4 Only flesh with its soul—its blood—YOU must not eat


Its also noteworthy that the first real 'hunter' in the bible is named. He is in there because the hunting of animals for sport was something new to mankind. It was started with the man Nimrod who was in opposition to God. Hence, hunting for sport was something that God was opposed to, so Nimrod chose to be a hunter in defiance of Gods position on the matter.
Gen 10:8-9 And Cush became father to Nim′rod. He made the start in becoming a mighty one in the earth. 9 He displayed himself a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah. That is why there is a saying: “Just like Nim′rod a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.