Why do animals suffers?? (Islam and Christianity)

[Me Myself]

I believe the evidence is there for those that have the eyes to see it. Some choose not to believe. No evidence will convince such ones.

Sure buddy, no one ever said that about the Illiad, the Mahabharat, the book of the dead, the popol bu or any other religious writtg for that matter.

How could I have overlooked that?

 

[Me Myself]

Suffering and death are natural parts of nature.
*

Sure, that is something that not only is not overlooked in the OP, but is the very reason for the questioning:

Why did God decided ot would be pretty cool if animals would feel pain and then die?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

We and all other animals feel pain and suffer.
The only distinction is that we worry about it more than most.

You only have to see a mistreated Dog or Donkey Cringe and see the fear in their eyes to know that they both feel pain, suffer and Fear.

God has given us the task of looking after the flora and fauna of this world.
If Other animals suffer it is down to us to do something about it.
It is a sin of omission not to.

We are given privileges over the other animals... with privilege comes Duty.

 

[Pegg]

Why do animals suffer?? How will they be rewarded after death?? Why do god show no mercy towards animals if he is so merciful??

man was given the role of a carer for the animals... but he has not done that because mankind do not obey God...they seek their own selfish interests and lack regard for the animal creation. That is why animals suffer.... they suffer at the hands of people.

When people turn back to God and live in harmony with the earth and animals as God intended, then we will look after the animals and they will not suffer. The environment will benefit greatly too when we stop destroying it.

 

[Alex_G]

Why do animals suffer?? How will they be rewarded after death?? Why do god show no mercy towards animals if he is so merciful??

Suffering of any kind can arise for a multitude of reasons, all of which require no invoked God concept in their explanation. This however isn’t really the interesting question here.

I’m much more drawn to the fact that the Abrahamic religions don’t seem to value or acknowledge animal welfare to anywhere near the degree they should to count as a legitimate modern day worldview. In my opinion, this among many other failures is something that these religions need to be called up on, and made to answer for. To be put under the spot light of modern day rationality and made to honestly confront these issues and the consequences fostering, defending and maintaining them has caused.

Contrary to what this family of religions might claim, they are far from humble philosophies, and are very human-centric; placing us at the centre of everything, disregarding other creatures in the process, reducing them to mere property and objects to be used at mans discretion. (Ironically even though they are quite self centered with regards to humankind they are paralyzing disempowering at the same time, and I think it’s a dangerous formula that creates a servile, constrained people.)
The lack of express mention of animal rights and welfare causes it to be overlooked and sidelined, thus enables the substandard and downright criminal treatment of animals that has dominated the culture throughout history.
The truth is some worldviews are better than others, especially when we consider the well being of conscious creatures. Jainism for example has non-violence as a core principle, and through it all forms of life are awarded the same respect and consideration that human life has.

The lack of animal rights in the philosophies of these religions really demonstrates the broken nature of their ethical framework. The arbitrary word of God(as claimed) is believed to the source of what good is. He is what defines good, but the problem is if you’re made to believe this, (which is what the very business of these religions is) you become ethically servile to an arbitrary authority. Coupled with the lack of content regarding animal rights and welfare in the holy books, you are forced to a conclusion that it’s not important, causing people to overlook it resulting in a religiously influenced culture that has contributed greatly to the mistreatment of animals over the ages. Shameful.

 

[averageJOE]

man was given the role of a carer for the animals... but he has not done that because mankind do not obey God...they seek their own selfish interests and lack regard for the animal creation. That is why animals suffer.... they suffer at the hands of people.

When people turn back to God and live in harmony with the earth and animals as God intended, then we will look after the animals and they will not suffer. The environment will benefit greatly too when we stop destroying it.

Why do animals need to be cared for by humans? Could you clairify what you mean by "care". Because to me it seems that most animals would be perfectly fine if we just left them alone.

 

[Twilight Hue]

All animals experience bodily and/or emotional pain, but suffering arises specifically from mental recall and attachment to passing pain. The feedback loops may become obsessive entanglements conditioning future habits and cultures. Some "lesser" animals than humans could actually experience less suffering via natural non-attachment to temporary pain. Many humans in contrast seem to have a lot more issues letting go with our obnoxiously large brains.

Pain serves a purpose by warning us about bodily or emotional harm and prompting a mental inquiry and action (or non-action). Many other animals also seem to be better at paying attention than a lot of humans. I don't know. Maybe we should be asking them for advice instead.

Animals certainly seem to take things in stride much better than us humans.

 

[Pegg]

Why do animals need to be cared for by humans? Could you clairify what you mean by "care". Because to me it seems that most animals would be perfectly fine if we just left them alone.

firstly, by looking after their environments for a start... how many animals have become extinct through environmental damage caused by human activity?

Secondly, by not hunting them to hang as trophies on our walls. how many animals have gone extinct through humans hunting for sport and pleasure?

Our very way of life is a threat to every animal on the planet. We can care for animals by not encroaching on their environments to begin with. Unfortunately we care more about money then we do about animals...money gets priority over the safety and welfare of animals.

there are many ways we can care for animals.

 

[Me Myself]

man was given the role of a carer for the animals... but he has not done that because mankind do not obey God...they seek their own selfish interests and lack regard for the animal creation. That is why animals suffer.... they suffer at the hands of people.

When people turn back to God and live in harmony with the earth and animals as God intended, then we will look after the animals and they will not suffer. The environment will benefit greatly too when we stop destroying it.

Em, no. Animals suffer all the time without the need of mans being around.

The mere existance of predation makes them suffer. If they are caught on a forest fire. They will suffer. If they dont find food and they starve or get sick they suffer.

 

[Me Myself]

firstly, by looking after their environments for a start... how many animals have become extinct through environmental damage caused by human activity?

Secondly, by not hunting them to hang as trophies on our walls. how many animals have gone extinct through humans hunting for sport and pleasure?
.

you honstly believe we are the main cause of animal extinction?

Where you house schooled or simply were not paying attention at your biology lessons or was your school severely lacking or you missed an important class or...what?

Mre than 99% of species ever existing on Earth are extinct today. Most them way before homosapiens.

Lets not even being with how many animals would have died a horrible dead by God drowning them in the alleged great diluge anyways.

 

[Madhuri]

I think the point of this thread is to ask why a God would give animals the ability to suffer. What is the point of that if, according to those religions, the animals are not even given an afterlife or any benefits. If they are just something for humans to use, why give them the ability to feel pain, to feel emotions and to have personality? Why not make them as devoid of these qualities as plant life?

What is the reason? How can it be justified? Does anyone have a good answer?

 

[averageJOE]

firstly, by looking after their environments for a start... how many animals have become extinct through environmental damage caused by human activity?

Secondly, by not hunting them to hang as trophies on our walls. how many animals have gone extinct through humans hunting for sport and pleasure?

Our very way of life is a threat to every animal on the planet. We can care for animals by not encroaching on their environments to begin with. Unfortunately we care more about money then we do about animals...money gets priority over the safety and welfare of animals.

there are many ways we can care for animals.

Now I understand where you were going with the word "care". And for the most part I agree.

 

[Me Myself]

Now I understand where you were going with the word "care". And for the most part I agree.

You are under the strange impression that even more than a 1% of animal suffering everywhere since there are animals in this Earth comes from humans?

 

[ron4711]

I think the point of this thread is to ask why a God would give animals the ability to suffer. What is the point of that if, according to those religions, the animals are not even given an afterlife or any benefits. If they are just something for humans to use, why give them the ability to feel pain, to feel emotions and to have personality? Why not make them as devoid of these qualities as plant life?

What is the reason? How can it be justified? Does anyone have a good answer?

This is an interesting way of looking at the question. If animals were meant for us to eat and use for our benefit, why should they evoke feelings of sympathy in us. Plants do not, yet clearly we are not vegetarians.

If life is sacred, why should we have more empathy for a puppy or a kitten than for a clam. Is it because we identify more closely with one life than another?

I think the answer is pretty simple. Life is not fair (not unfair). We all suffer. There is no point or meaning to it. It just is. It is just now. The beauty of life is what we do make of it by ourselves for us and others.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

This is an interesting way of looking at the question. If animals were meant for us to eat and use for our benefit, why should they evoke feelings of sympathy in us. Plants do not, yet clearly we are not vegetarians.

Particular Animals are not meant for us to eat...All life is part of the food chain... we are food.
It has been shown that plants do feel and respond to pain.

If life is sacred, why should we have more empathy for a puppy or a kitten than for a clam. Is it because we identify more closely with one life than another?

We have traind ourselves not to have much empathy for our chosen food.
Those we chose not to eat we either empathise with or see as pests or unedible.
Which fall into which bracket changes with the society.

I think the answer is pretty simple. Life is not fair (not unfair). We all suffer. There is no point or meaning to it. It just is. It is just now. The beauty of life is what we do make of it by ourselves for us and others

Suffering is part of the cycle of life... some things die that others might live. A living world is a world of change, new life and decay are necessary components.

 

[Titanic]

I know I hate to see animals suffer.

 

[ron4711]

I know I hate to see animals suffer.

And yet if we (not everyone) kill it with mercy, then we are ok with eating it.

 

[InvestigateTruth]

Why do animals suffer?? How will they be rewarded after death?? Why do god show no mercy towards animals if he is so merciful??

My take on this:

Human's suffering is perhaps by far greater than animals, for he has a more complex problems, and understands things that animals are mostly careless about.
For example, if we loose a family that we loved we would suffer for a longer time, but animals are much careless about these things. or if we loose our job we would be upset. Animals just don't have all these sufferings. we would also worry about our future, marrige, childeren, job, health, family...etc. Animal they are careless about future.

On the other hand, animals enjoy eating, and many other things, that perhaps will even out sufferings.
Moreover, for us, we will also be punished in the next life for the wrong things we do in this life (according to religions), while, animals do not get punished for things they do, such as if a lion kills another animal, or if an animal steals or transgresses against another animal. These things do not exist in the world of animals.

Animals and human are totally Two different level of creation.