Spain could soon become the first country in the world to give chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and other great apes some of the fundamental rights granted to human beings under a law being proposed by members of the ruling Socialist coalition.
The law would eliminate the concept of "ownership" for great apes, instead placing them under the "moral guardianship" of the state, much as is the case for children in care, the severely handicapped and those in comas, said the MP behind the project, Francisco Garrido.
Great apes held in Spanish zoos would be moved to state-built sanctuaries, unless there was a risk that moving them would harm their emotional welfare, he said.
The law would also make it a criminal offence to mistreat or kill a great ape, except in cases of self-defence or medical euthanasia....
that is stupid! if they give human rights to apes who knows what will happen next! can you send an ape to jail? what's next bacteria?? can we even brush our teeth?? .
this is stupid! if they give apes human rights who knows what will happen next! what if they let apes drive? you can not send them to jail if they wreck & kill some one! can you? . what's next bacteria?they will not let us brush our teeth!.
Well, at least since they're Socialists we can assume that they won't try to baptize the apes or burn them at the stake if they don't practice the right religion.
A quick Google search indicates that there are at least two RC primates: one in Armagh and one for Hungary. So there are probably a few others as well.
However, the on-line Catholic Encyclopedia was published in about 1917. Nine remaining primates are mentioned there as having attended the (First) Vatican Council (1870), but I don't know if those positions still exist.
On the other hand, I often hear of the Primate of Australia, referring to the Anglican Primate.
You'd do well to put mutual confession and remission of sins to use, John Y. At least it's taught by the Lord and his Apostles..in a few faithful Protestant churches. The Roman church relegates it only to ordained priests while other so called "Bible-believing" churches threw the baby out with the bathwater....consider it unnecessary for some extra-biblical reason or other.
I do not care about the confessional because I never go to Individual Confession and I never will again go to Individual Confession. I confess the sins directly to Jesus for forgiveness of sins.
What about the howler monkeys John? It is not good for them to remain silent. I have just returned from a trip to Borneo (among other places) and it was a privledge to see proboscus monkeys and other types thriving in the wilds there; doesn't do them any good being behind bars. Doesn't work for humans either, most that sit behind bars just end up drunk.... only your priest in his little confessional should stay behind his bars. Perhaps that is why clerics are called primates?
This is absolutely correct and not before time. There is no reason whatsoever that chimps, monkeys and orangutans shouldn't be given as much rights as humans.
For example can you see any reason at all why the chimp or monkey shouldn't participate in the government of our countries alongside politicians.? What difference could there be.?
Many of our Bureaucrats have long since proved to be as effective in society as any monkey could be.
As for the church and it's administration today, there are many that would benefit as much from the preaching of an orangutan, as they do from some of the homanids that perch in the pulpit. After all arn't Bishops called "Primates."
Future elections should include representatives from the anthropoidal Arboreal Party Emulative (APE).
I really like monkeys, and I always have. From King Kong to Planet of the Apes, From Lancelot Link to MOJO JOJO, heck, I'm so hairy, I can't debate against an evolutionist in person for fear that they may point to me as the missing link, and destroy my argument. That being said, this truly is yet another attack on creation, and us humans as specially seperated from the animal kingdom. It kills me when great apes or dolphins are said to be more intellegent than a human being. I always want to ask, By whose standard? That is to say, How many monkeys or dolphins are devising and conducting tests to measure intellegence? Once a dolphin or a monkey publishes a test, I should like to take it to see how I fare against him. I also wonder if these monkeys or dolphins even care enough to publish their findings once the tests are complete. Of course in the end I do believe that if one thinks a monkey or dolphin is smarter than oneself, then that person is probably correct.
Hey, show some consideration to your anscestors Ashley!
Seriously, it is only right to treat animals humanely - but putting them on an equal footing with humans will only work if the apes agree to abide by the human rule of law. Which in many cases is plain nuts.... (but then perhaps they like nuts). Otherwise if the apes break the laws of the land and are not punished it would be discrimination to punish humans for doing the same. What is good for the Goose is good for the Gander, right?
COMMENTS | 
if they give human rights to apes who knows what will happen next! can you send an ape to jail? 
what's next bacteria?? can we even brush our teeth?? 
.
