I agree with Demi on both counts.

I definitely believe mercury plays a role with insulin resistance. There is some information on the Internet about this but unfortunately I don't have time to go into it now.

Also, I tend to believe animals will be in eternity with us. I can't say that I've found scripture verses that support this idea 100% because I think some at least some of the verses Demi quoted are in another context, however, being that animals are souls and indeed have value and are not accountable for sin because they have no intellect, and because there are some scripture verses that seem to indicate this, I think they will likely be there, which is certainly a good thing.

As a sidenote, the behavior we see in animals that looks like intellect (I believe) is actually pre-programmed behavior combined with layers of learned behavior. It's exactly like the bios system in a computer. It's a behavior that's injected into the hardware (actually called firmware) by an outside source—an intelligence external to the computer. The behavior that we often interpret as the "understanding of words" by animals is actually a function called modeling—a function the brain and soul are very efficient at.

Modeling creates associations between sounds, images or feelings (soul function) and desired actions (based on, perhaps, rewards, whether emotional -phrase- or physical -food-) and carries them out. This looks or seems like intellect but I believe it is not. This modeling is also at the base of compulsive behavior, like eating when not hungry but when feeling lonely or depressed. As we become stronger in faith, we become less prone to the naggings of the soul and more intellectual—more logical—and decide what to eat (for example) than just eating as a reaction to an emotion.

The net effect and very wonderful thing about this life is that we are doing spiritual things when we are doing intellectual things. Living in the spirit (as opposed to living soulishly) gives us self control ("for God has not given us a spirit of... ...but of ... ... self control"—II Ti 1:7 -sound mind is better translated self control-) is opposed to the soul which is the undiscerning part of us. This is part of the war that exists "in our members" that Paul talks about: The war between spirit and soul. A source of our struggles in life. The differences between maturity and immaturity.

The soul is also the only part of us that is subject (in part) to evil spirits or demons. These miserable beings want you to share in their misery and will affect, to some degree, the soul—the emotions—and attempt to lure us into trouble. Resisting this emotional temptation (urges, desires, ...functions of the soul) will cause the being to find someone else more vulnerable to "pick on". As scripture says: "Resist the Devil and he will flee from you" (Jam 4:7). This is the true essence of spiritual warfare: Resisting temptation, urges, desires, that are useless, hurtful, harmful, or otherwise negative.

In one sense, you could look at the revelations of God to us in scripture as being divided into 3 parts, just as we are: Soul, Body, Spirit. The Old Testament we see the raw emotion (soul) of God reacting with mankind. In the beginning of the New Testament, we see the revelation of the Body of God in Yashua (interestlingly, this takes place in 4 books—gospels—4-a number often associated with Christ in the body, as in The Fourth Word of the Bible.). Later in the New Testament, we see the descending of the Holy Spirit on mankind, bringing us to into grace and understanding as the Holy Spirit helps us understand scripture. Interesting.

OK, back to the context...

Nevertheless, animals are designed to be enjoyed by humans and by God (for all things were created for His pleasure) but it's always good to understand these things for what they are.

I don't put animals on the same level of value as humans, but they are valuable and should be treated with respect, as the Bible commands.