Are humans the only great apes that can be "holy", or could, for example, an Orangutan be divine?

Bobby Bandwidth@lemmy.world to No Stupid Questions@lemmy.world – 36 points –
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It's a made up definition which varies depending on whose fairytales you believe.

This is a blatantly unhelpful answer.

While being antitheist in tone, it is the correct answer.

If you look at Abrahamic religions, humanity is at the top of the pecking order and is separate from animals. In that mindset, an orangutan can't be devine.

If you look at Hinduism or Buddhism, animals are thought to be sentient beings that have the same souls that humans have. There are even past life stories within these religions where the religious figure is an animal. In that case, an orangutan can be divine.

You may also have cases where the animal represents a deity, making the animal devine in that sense.

Unfortunately not all of us are blessed with spren and Nahel bonds to prove the existence of the supernatural to us, so it’s understandable that some react negatively to all discussions of it.

Journey before destination, Radiant.