most people think that humans were created last on earth because they're the most advanced, but humans were actually the first creatures on earth, and all animals descended from "humans". of course, we didn't look like modern humans back then, we were very different from what we are now. later we evolved an apelike appearance, and then even later we evolved our modern human appearance.
This makes no sense at all, religion teaches the opposite !
Religion teaches what you say about humans not being animals.
humans think very black and white. does it have to be either religion or science? take the golden middle path: theosophy.
there are 4 life forms (4 elements): matter, plants, animals, humans. humans are human, but they are also "made of" animals, plants and matter. humans are partly animal because they have all animal abilities, such as feelings. animals don't include human abilities like free conscious thinking, just like plants don't include animal abilities (feelings).
the less evolved can't have the abilities of those which are more advanced, but they have all the abilities of those before them.
We are different than other animals, just as they are different from us,
in our age of materialism, people only see what is physical, and don't give as much credit to spiritual things. all animals are physically distinct from each other, but humans are the only ones who are spiritually and mentally distinct from all animals.
We don't fit into the other kingdoms and are not different enough to have our own kingdom.
humans are as distinct from animals as animals are from plants.