Læs dagbog

Basically you gotta reverse into the mindsets of early man; Law in a society has always been a code of conduct, but only really written in newer times. Basically; the earliest societies has been around since before we were even men: during the time of the dinosaurs mankind was small ratlike mammals, living underground, feeding of plants and insects, but, even around then, it is speculated, we were a social creature.

This elementary social construct, the "tribe", has been a part of our existence since even then. As such, we have, for, at least the last 65.000.000 years, been depending on each other for survival.

This, in regards to your question, leaves a gap between the knowledge of present natural science and leaps us into faith and spirituality: Are animals spiritual..?

Personally, I believe yes. I believe, that when my cat looks focused to the other end of the room, and I, myself, self sense a presence, I believe, I am being watched by a ghost, and that my cat picks up on this. (Further, I believe, that animals communicate, very vividly, in regards to matters that concerns them, though, not a lot of matters do; based on their intellectual capacities and relative simple needs.)

IF both these statements are correct, then we can conclude two things; Animals have a spiritual side - one that, as we evolved over those 65.000.000 years, would lead to the evolution of so called Shamans and other religious individuals, vital to the understanding and thrivings of the tribe, and, secondly, that spirituality would walk hand in hand with the "code of conduct" within the tribes: Since language and writing came much later than the codes, that has been our social fundament for the last millions of years, and since things seemed to find their balance in spite, we must assume, that this "code of conduct" would not be written into our words and minds, but, more as, into our genes, leading to morals and consciousness, breeding us, those who understood this, into a mammal, that lives with, and abides by compassion.

However, nature is unkind, and nature is creative; everything must be tried over and over again, challenged and tested, and though we, today, have, when sane, a very clear definition of what is right and wrong, namely because the cooperation with the tribe has been necessary for all individuals and, as such, has had "the code for succesful interaction", written into our genes, there are no guarantee's, that free will and destructive desires might not release an individual from the "firmware default setting", and breed, say, a homicidal rapist.

As such, and with the devolution of the tribes, and the birth of mega-societies, cities and countries, the law was needed written, simply because the elements, that, in our natural habitats - the small 25-220 people tribes, bound us together and made us FULL as humans; love, compassion, care, education, spirituality, PRIDE in being a member of your clan/tribe, simply aren't there in a mega-social-structure where you mostly have your family and next of kin to relate to.

As such, the sickness in society, today is, mostly, that we have been robbed from a MASSIVE part of our biological and emotional needs; all the ripe fruits of living in the tribes, while breeding a social construction, society, that doesn't REALLY need people to behave, in that, there's really no incitement for them to do so if they don't really WAN'T to. We merely punish the shit out of them if they trespass, and hope that works..

However, with all this, to answer your question; The question has an answer, but I think you might not like it: Spirituality AND the law came first.

Spirits are emotions, they require a respect about them, this requires "code of conduct", and that's really it; no matter where you break into our history; now or back 65.000.000 years ago, the answer is the same; we have a spiritual/emotional outset, that requires respect AKA law, but, since we needed to learn this, the law BECAUSE of our emotions, has been written into our genes.. The hen and the egg (Though, of course, the actual egg came first, the hen is much later species ;P )

That's really all there is to it; the law was written into our genes, to protect all the stuff that religion yaps about. :)

Simon