Insects are Naturalists Animals are Theists?

[The Sum of Awe]

Is it possible that Insects are Naturalists and Animals are Theists? Animals seem to depend on us to live, look up to us as gods, yet on the other hand Insects depend on nature to live...

There are some Animals that depend on nature, they could be Naturalist too?

Not really in religious category, but in ways of action. Doesn't it seem like this?

 

[AfterGlow]

I don't see animals looking up to us as gods. Dogs treat us as they would a superior pack member, cats use us as convenient providers of food and warmth, farm animals keep an eye on us as they would a potential predator. I think they just act natually, so you or I seeing a greater meaning in their actions probably reflects more on us than it does on them, IMO.

 

[Noaidi]

Is it possible that Insects are Naturalists and Animals are Theists?

Heck, yeah. Anything's possible....

Animals seem to depend on us to live, look up to us as gods, yet on the other hand Insects depend on nature to live...

The vast majority of animals don't depend on us. Those that do are those species we have domesticated. Whether they look up to us as gods is unanswerable. I've no idea what goes through my dog's head when she looks at me. It could be "man, you are so GREAT!!" or it could be "feed me now, schmuck."

Why did you single out insects as depending on Nature to live? All organisms depend on Nature.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

Animals seem to depend on us to live, look up to us as gods

Oh yeah, my dog looks up to me like I'm some kind of god. Strange though, he only does this when I have food in my hand...

 

[Noaidi]

Oh yeah, my dog looks up to me like I'm some kind of god. Strange though, he only does this when I have food in my hand...

Yeah, if we're gods to our dogs, then surely they should be making the offerings to us??

 

[Vorinn]

You realize that insects are animals too, right? As are coral, parasitic worms, and all sorts of other things that don't fit into this description at all.

You might have a better point if you changed "animals" to "domestic animals" in your post. But even if they do look up to us as gods (and I'm not convinced they have the conceptual framework to do that), it's a peculiar kind of theism that requires no faith whatsoever - we are right here and undeniable. I suppose some people could say the same thing about God, but I like to think it's a little harder to deny my existence than God's.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

Yeah, if we're gods to our dogs, then surely they should be making the offerings to us??

Indeed.

 

[Vorinn]

Old joke:

A dog thinks, "My people love me, care for me, play with me, and give me everything I need. They must be gods!"

A cat thinks, "My people love me, care for me, play with me, and give me everything I need. I must be a god!"

 

[Valjean]

Most animals want to have nothing to do with us and would be better off without us, frankly.