Animals have their own behavioral codes, in terms of what they will tolerate in a social setting. In pack of wolves or chimpanzees, the young are taught early about the relationship of power and respect. If these behavior codes were not in place, the pack would not survive. They work cooperatively to hunt and protect each other.
This spirit of cooperation for the good of the society is the basis of morality. If we want to talk in terms of sin and punishment, humans have many more “moral” codes around reproductive matters than do animals. Many animals mate for life but it is not a matter of morality, it is has been strategically advantageous for them to do so. They don’t carry with them a sense of guilt or transgression against God the way humans do, especially with regard to sexual reproduction.
Less conscious forms of life, such as worms, do not need to work in cooperation with each other, so no morality applies to them. But bees have a very strict code of conduct and drones that do not behave according the the law of the hive will be ejected from the hive and stung to death.
This spirit of cooperation for the good of the society is the basis of morality. If we want to talk in terms of sin and punishment, humans have many more “moral” codes around reproductive matters than do animals. Many animals mate for life but it is not a matter of morality, it is has been strategically advantageous for them to do so. They don’t carry with them a sense of guilt or transgression against God the way humans do, especially with regard to sexual reproduction.
Less conscious forms of life, such as worms, do not need to work in cooperation with each other, so no morality applies to them. But bees have a very strict code of conduct and drones that do not behave according the the law of the hive will be ejected from the hive and stung to death.
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