As a Christian child, I was told that love, compassion, cooperation, and empathy were uniquely human traits. That our social nature separates us from the animals as God's special creation.
I've come to learn that is not at all true. For many years, I searched for a trait we had as humans that animals - especially other primates - did not demonstrate. I have yet to find one.
@1dalm I was raised First Presbyterian. What aspect of my statement are you saying is inconsistent with mainstream Christian doctorine?
I'm of the belief that most or all Christian denominations teach that humans are unique from animals. Many bristle at the notion that humans and animals are the same.
Well, I'm not as familiar with Presbyterianism, specifically, but the notion that animals can't display "love, compassion, cooperation, and empathy" is not typical orthodox Christian teaching and obviously wrong. (I mean, did no one in your church growing up have a dog?)
But at the same time, I think it seems quite clear that humans are unique among animals. Just the fact that you and I are communicating about this should demonstrate that quite convincingly. But even that is just my personal opinion and is not creedal orthodox Christianity. A person can believe that animals and humans are the same (in whatever sense you mean here) and can still hit all the requirements of the creeds.
@atheistengineer I don’t think they have hate for the animal getting petted. They do know fairness and have a need for love and want some too. That does not equate to hate.
@JoBlakely perhaps. I'm not willing to do the sort of abusive things that would be necessary to instill hate in a pet. I think jealousy is a precursor and it's enough to convince me that hate could emerge too.
@atheistengineer I think the clear thing is that it takes a certain kind of behavior to create that condition & it’s not one animals do, just humans. It would take the abusive things humans do repeatedly to each other to make that develop in animals. I don’t think they devalue things. It would have to be taught to them by humans, much the same as hate and devaluing is taught to humans.
Fear of what is wild, natural, not in your control and turn it to hate what you can’t control, hate nature.
@atheistengineer
I’ve found one trait that might be exclusively human. Keeping track of time.
My dog and cat are pretty attuned to dinner time, though, so I guess this could be questionable