Did Neanderthal have a soul?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We know that Neanderthal people were intelligent social beings, and that they co-existed (and bred) with modern humans before we rode them to extinction. They also had death rituals, suggesting some sense of incipient spirituality. Questions: for those religions like Christianity that believe animals don't have souls, did Neanderthal have souls? Does the fact that they bred with us change that?

And, if they still exist today, would they be considered humans or animals, from both a religious and non-religious perspective?

I think Neanderthals are going to be reclassified as humans very soon. I think the assumption that they are a different species is incorrect. It may be another erroneous assumption that "we rode them to extinction." The view on this is changing rapidly; since the company 23 and Me sequenced their genome in 2014 and we realized that our genes are intermingled.

FYI if you have European or Asian roots, you likely have some Neanderthal genes. If you take the 23 and Me test, (23andme.com) you will get that info. I'm eastern European, and came back 3.2% Neanderthal. Once on the 23 and Me website, you'll have access to the community boards, and there is a ton of info on the latest articles on Neanderthals (and, while we're at it, Denisovans, another hominid cousin of ours).

So, for purposes of your question, if we take your base assumption that humans have souls and animals don't, then I'd believe Neanderthals did….and still do! Because I think what you are asking really is "are Neanderthals humans" and to this I'd say yes. I think the interjection of the "soul" part of your question is a bit of a red herring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone has a soul- human, neanderthal, animal, insect.

I agree that either everyone has it -- or, alternatively, no one has it. Yet some religion traditions, like Christianity, believe only humans do. How do they square that?

No, that's not true. Lots of Christians believe that animals have souls -- see CS Lewis as just one example. The Blessing of the Animals has long been a tradition in Christian churches. It's true that some Christian denominations don't believe this, but you certainly can't say that all Christian traditions believe animals have no souls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They don't believe in Neanderthals.

Not true.

Christians believe that humans (unlike animals) were created by God, in His image. That means that they have a soul. Many Christians, myself included, believe in evolution and there fore Neanderthals and other prehistoric beings. At what point did these beings cross the line between "animals" and "humans?" Who knows. But there is a distinction.

[Anonymous]

OP here. As a former Catholic, I was taught that only humans have souls. I must admit that I thought a majority of non-Catholic Christian denominations also believed the same. Thanks for the clarification.

An alternative question is: if the belief that only humans have souls, at what point of man's evolution did hominids acquire souls? So homo sapiens has it, but homo habilis (to name one example) didn't?

[Anonymous]

According to Catholic theology, all living creatures have souls, but only humans have immortal, in-the-image-of-god souls. Animals have animal souls, which are what animate them; they are not immortal. Plants have plant souls, which are what keep them alive, and so on. I guess bacteria have bacterial souls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone has a soul- human, neanderthal, animal, insect.

OP- I wrote this response but didn't read your last question before I did. I don't see any distinction between human and animal- I treat them the same. I would like to believe God does too. So Neanderthal vs human vs animal- I don't see a difference.

so there will be mosquitos in heaven?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone has a soul- human, neanderthal, animal, insect.

I agree that either everyone has it -- or, alternatively, no one has it. Yet some religion traditions, like Christianity, believe only humans do. How do they square that?

No, that's not true. Lots of Christians believe that animals have souls -- see CS Lewis as just one example. The Blessing of the Animals has long been a tradition in Christian churches. It's true that some Christian denominations don't believe this, but you certainly can't say that all Christian traditions believe animals have no souls.

According to Christian teachings, only people who have accepted Christ as their savior can go to heaven, so that rules out not only Neanderthals, but all humans who were born before the time of Christ and people born since who have have not accepted him as their savior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone has a soul- human, neanderthal, animal, insect.

I agree that either everyone has it -- or, alternatively, no one has it. Yet some religion traditions, like Christianity, believe only humans do. How do they square that?

No, that's not true. Lots of Christians believe that animals have souls -- see CS Lewis as just one example. The Blessing of the Animals has long been a tradition in Christian churches. It's true that some Christian denominations don't believe this, but you certainly can't say that all Christian traditions believe animals have no souls.

According to Christian teachings, only people who have accepted Christ as their savior can go to heaven, so that rules out not only Neanderthals, but all humans who were born before the time of Christ and people born since who have have not accepted him as their savior.

You forgot about contemporary adult humans who lack the mental capacity to understand and accept Christ. Are they in hell too with the athiests, Jews and Neanderthal man?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. As a former Catholic, I was taught that only humans have souls. I must admit that I thought a majority of non-Catholic Christian denominations also believed the same. Thanks for the clarification.

An alternative question is: if the belief that only humans have souls, at what point of man's evolution did hominids acquire souls? So homo sapiens has it, but homo habilis (to name one example) didn't?

In general, I wouldn't assume that catholic teachings mirror Protestant teachings, especially Presbyterians, Methodists, etc.
They are different religions with very different approaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We know that Neanderthal people were intelligent social beings, and that they co-existed (and bred) with modern humans before we rode them to extinction. They also had death rituals, suggesting some sense of incipient spirituality. Questions: for those religions like Christianity that believe animals don't have souls, did Neanderthal have souls? Does the fact that they bred with us change that?

And, if they still exist today, would they be considered humans or animals, from both a religious and non-religious perspective?

Good question. I think they were people and had souls. I also know that human beings are animals (we're mammals after all). FWIW, I carry Neanderthal genes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know that Neanderthal people were intelligent social beings, and that they co-existed (and bred) with modern humans before we rode them to extinction. They also had death rituals, suggesting some sense of incipient spirituality. Questions: for those religions like Christianity that believe animals don't have souls, did Neanderthal have souls? Does the fact that they bred with us change that?

And, if they still exist today, would they be considered humans or animals, from both a religious and non-religious perspective?

Good question. I think they were people and had souls. I also know that human beings are animals (we're mammals after all). FWIW, I carry Neanderthal genes.

I should add that I am a practicing Catholic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FYI if you have European or Asian roots, you likely have some Neanderthal genes. If you take the 23 and Me test, (23andme.com) you will get that info. I'm eastern European, and came back 3.2% Neanderthal. Once on the 23 and Me website, you'll have access to the community boards, and there is a ton of info on the latest articles on Neanderthals (and, while we're at it, Denisovans, another hominid cousin of ours).

If you are AA, Afto-Latino, or Afro-Caribbean, you probably have some European forebears and also have Neanderthal genes. I am 1.1% Neanderthal but less than 20% European.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. As a former Catholic, I was taught that only humans have souls. I must admit that I thought a majority of non-Catholic Christian denominations also believed the same. Thanks for the clarification.

An alternative question is: if the belief that only humans have souls, at what point of man's evolution did hominids acquire souls? So homo sapiens has it, but homo habilis (to name one example) didn't?

In general, I wouldn't assume that catholic teachings mirror Protestant teachings, especially Presbyterians, Methodists, etc.
They are different religions with very different approaches.

But a unifying belief of all Christians is salvation through Christ. No belief in Christ = no salvation

As to when did human's acquire souls, that's a religious question, not an evolutionary one. Evolution is a scientific theory. Religion is not. Science is based on empirical evidence. Their is no empirical evidence for the soul or heaven or God or any of the religious beliefs of the various religions, so science does not weigh in on them.

Though the opposite is not always true -- religion often weighs in on science -- but not based on empirical knowledge -- based instead on beliefs and faith -- and on ignorance about science, in the case of statements made in ancient scriptures before the advent of modern science.

[Anonymous]

12:45, Christians don't believe that everyone who died before Christ was born has no chance at salvation. In death you have a chance to embrace God even if you didn't in life. Not all Christians think you have to accept Christ before death.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone has a soul- human, neanderthal, animal, insect.

I agree that either everyone has it -- or, alternatively, no one has it. Yet some religion traditions, like Christianity, believe only humans do. How do they square that?

No, that's not true. Lots of Christians believe that animals have souls -- see CS Lewis as just one example. The Blessing of the Animals has long been a tradition in Christian churches. It's true that some Christian denominations don't believe this, but you certainly can't say that all Christian traditions believe animals have no souls.

According to Christian teachings, only people who have accepted Christ as their savior can go to heaven, so that rules out not only Neanderthals, but all humans who were born before the time of Christ and people born since who have have not accepted him as their savior.

So Moses is in Hell?