I don't know if this is the right place to put this, so please forgive me if it is wrong.
Let me preface this by saying - I have 4 little dogs that are the loves of my life, 1 cat who is the most loving being in the world and 2 birds.
I read an article today in Newsday (local paper) It posed the question of animals going to heaven and having souls.
They interviewed about 5 or 6 officers of the various churches (ie: priest, rabbi, buddist, reverand etc) All of them pretty much stated that because animals are not humans, they don't have immortal souls.
This bothered me so very much. Not to get into religious beliefs or what not, (as I know that can be a touchy subject) and I respect ALL views .... for those who do believe in afterlife ... what are your views on this?
I 1000000% believe animals have souls like every other human being on this world and go to heaven. There has been a lot of studies of afterlife (my mother is very big on it and one of my best friends grandpa had a near death expierence). A lot of people who have had animals come back and say that their animal was waiting for them. Kids have said this and their stories have been consistant and children do not know how to lie yet about that kind of thing. My mother also lost our beloved dog Lily who was her second child. She contacted three of the best known animal communicators. They did not know a thing about my mom or about any animal she had ever lost. All asked her to hold a possession or a picture of the animal which was her dog Lily. All three described Lily to the t and even her fat on her tail that stood out. They knew things no one else would know and two were even able to go back and ask her if she had other animals because other animals wanted to "talk" to her as well. One lady especially was exceptional. She started with my moms dog growing up, told her what she looked like what she was afraid of and liked how she passed on she knew that my grandmother gave her a dixie ice cream cup everynight at 8am, then she went on to our other dog Toto a yorkie who had passed. She knew what kind of dog he was that he thought he was a tough dog and he survived more than once the same virus he had which finally took him to heaven, she knew he slept by my head when I was sick and that he barked like a big dog, Then she went onto Simba our mutt that we rescued, she knew how we rescued him and his distinct markings and coloring she knew that he was a good dog but because of some prior abuse before we got him he snapped and had to be put down and then on to Lily she knew every single detail of her and what happened, she knew how she would open up the fridge and oven and how she once ate everything in the whole fridge, she told my mom to not cry everynight of her life and she loves her and will see her soon. There is no way other to explain it. My mom did not know these people and they did not know my mother. My mom felt such at peace after those conversations. There is no way anyone on earth besides my mom could have known all of those things.
The last time I went to church because I wanted to was right after one of my pets passing. The preacher went on to tell me my dog did not go to pet heaven he went no where because he doesnt have a soul. I cried for days and days and days and after that decided to stop going to church or at least any church that had that belief. If animals are not in heaven then thats not what I think heaven is and I want to go and be reunited with them.
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I think there is no reason to believe animals have souls. The Bible says man was created in the image of God, so we have three parts, body, mind and spirit/soul. Animals have a body and a mind, but we aren't told they have a soul. There is no mention of animals in general in heaven. Heaven was created for God and His angels and heavenly beings. When Christ rose from the dead He later ascended into Heaven to prepare it for human Believers. He never mentioned anything about animals.
We are told however that God created and cares for the animals. We just don't see any evidence of them being immortal as humans are. They never did sin and are not capable of that.
Some verses about animals:
Matthew 10:29
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
Matthew 10:31
So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Job 39
1 "Do you know when the mountain goats give birth?
Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?
2 Do you count the months till they bear?
Do you know the time they give birth?
3 They crouch down and bring forth their young;
their labor pains are ended.
4 Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds;
they leave and do not return.
5 "Who let the wild donkey go free?
Who untied his ropes?
6 I gave him the wasteland as his home,
the salt flats as his habitat.
7 He laughs at the commotion in the town;
he does not hear a driver's shout.
8 He ranges the hills for his pasture
and searches for any green thing.
9 "Will the wild ox consent to serve you?
Will he stay by your manger at night?
10 Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness?
Will he till the valleys behind you?
11 Will you rely on him for his great strength?
Will you leave your heavy work to him?
12 Can you trust him to bring in your grain
and gather it to your threshing floor?
13 "The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully,
but they cannot compare with the pinions and feathers of the stork.
14 She lays her eggs on the ground
and lets them warm in the sand,
15 unmindful that a foot may crush them,
that some wild animal may trample them.
16 She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers;
she cares not that her labor was in vain,
17 for God did not endow her with wisdom
or give her a share of good sense.
18 Yet when she spreads her feathers to run,
she laughs at horse and rider.
19 "Do you give the horse his strength
or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?
20 Do you make him leap like a locust,
striking terror with his proud snorting?
21 He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength,
and charges into the fray.
22 He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;
he does not shy away from the sword.
23 The quiver rattles against his side,
along with the flashing spear and lance.
24 In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground;
he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
25 At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, 'Aha!'
He catches the scent of battle from afar,
the shout of commanders and the battle cry.
26 "Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom
and spread his wings toward the south?
27 Does the eagle soar at your command
and build his nest on high?
28 He dwells on a cliff and stays there at night;
a rocky crag is his stronghold.
29 From there he seeks out his food;
his eyes detect it from afar.
30 His young ones feast on blood,
and where the slain are, there is he."
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Luke 12
22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
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Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel
Psalm 50:9-11
9 I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,
10 for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird in the mountains,
and the creatures of the field are mine.
James 3:7
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,
Jude 1:10
Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them
When God first made the world, there was no death. Death is a result of sin, which cuts us off from the source of Life and Love. And man, not animals, brought this into the world. They are innocent. They suffer the consequences of man's action. But because they are innocent, and unfortunate victims of man's choice, I absolutely believe they might be in heaven. The Holy Scriptures and Holy Tradition, TMK, are silent on this point. But I personally believe that it's not only possible, it's probable.
Question: "Do pets / animals go to Heaven? Do pets / animals have souls?"
Answer: The Bible does not give any specific teaching on whether pets / animals have “souls” or whether pets / animals will be in heaven. However, we can take some general Scriptural principles and shed some light on the subject. The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals (Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15,22) have the breath of life. The primary difference between human beings and animals is that man is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Animals are not made in the image and likeness of God. Being made in the image and likeness of God means that human being are like God, capable of spirituality, with mind, emotion, and will - and - have an aspect of being that continues after death. If pets / animals do have a “soul” or immaterial aspect, it must therefore be of a different and lesser "quality." This difference probably means that pet / animal “souls” do not carry on after death.
Another factor to consider in this question is that God did create animals as a part of His creative process in Genesis. God created the animals and said they were good (Genesis 1:25). Therefore, there is no reason why there could not be animals on the new earth (Revelation 21:1). There will most definitely be animals during the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25). It is impossible to say definitively whether some of these animals might be pets we had while here on earth. We do know that God is just and that when we get to Heaven we will find ourselves in complete agreement with His decision on this issue, whatever it may be.
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Question: "Do pets / animals go to Heaven? Do pets / animals have souls?"
Answer: The Bible does not give any specific teaching on whether pets / animals have “souls” or whether pets / animals will be in heaven. However, we can take some general Scriptural principles and shed some light on the subject. The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals (Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15,22) have the breath of life. The primary difference between human beings and animals is that man is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Animals are not made in the image and likeness of God. Being made in the image and likeness of God means that human being are like God, capable of spirituality, with mind, emotion, and will - and - have an aspect of being that continues after death. If pets / animals do have a “soul” or immaterial aspect, it must therefore be of a different and lesser "quality." This difference probably means that pet / animal “souls” do not carry on after death.
Another factor to consider in this question is that God did create animals as a part of His creative process in Genesis. God created the animals and said they were good (Genesis 1:25). Therefore, there is no reason why there could not be animals on the new earth (Revelation 21:1). There will most definitely be animals during the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25). It is impossible to say definitively whether some of these animals might be pets we had while here on earth. We do know that God is just and that when we get to Heaven we will find ourselves in complete agreement with His decision on this issue, whatever it may be.
I do remember one passage about the lion laying down with the lamb and the child putting their hand in a viper's pit and not getting bit. I dont' remember if that's the millinium or the new Earth.
Animals are the only beings capable of unconditional love and forgiveness. (Don't tell me a human is capable of it, not even a mother). Think of your pets and how happy they are to see you, even if you're in a bad mood. Dogs that have been rescued from abusive situations often turn into the sweetest, gentlest pets because they have learned what evil is and appreciate care and affection. And they return it to you tenfold!
The companionship that pets give us is invaluable. My friend C has severe depression and doesn't see his family or have any relationships beyond friends. Recently he got a kitten and has been taking excellent care of her. Playing with her makes him really smile. She's always jumping on C and really loves him. This little gray kitten has given him what no human has. C has changed, he has genuine joy in his life.
Your own pets love you. They don't care what you look like in the morning or that the house is a little messy. Just being around you and getting attention makes them happy. How about that little something in a cat's attitude that says, "yes you are worthy to pet me". Or the way that your dog will do anything to please you and how they wag their tail when you come home.
Animals are regarded as property, which basically means people can treat their animals however they want. They are defenceless against human evil. Every single day animals are tortured, starved, left for dead and worse. The worst part is that they forgive and still love their owners, no matter what.
Think of the meat you have for dinner. It takes twenty minutes for a cow to be alive and breathing to be processed into steak. Chickens in battery cages can't spread their wings. Mama pigs can't nuzzle their piglets because of wire cages. Are they not capable of pain and despair like we are?
In veterinary medicine, we don't discuss whether or not animals have souls. Our oath is to provide the best care possible and then we hope for the best. After an animal dies, their body feels empty and lighter when picking them up. Is that because a soul was what filled up this incredibly complex and beautiful creation?
How can they NOT go to heaven?
__________________ No matter what happens, someone will find a way to take it way too seriously
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Veterinary technician in training
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Last edited by october_sky; 01-25-2007 at 07:21 AM.
October: Your post was amazing and brought tears to my eyes. I wholeheartly agree with you and I cant imagine going anywhere where my animals arent and where animals in general are. Animals are the most faithful companions ever and they have helped so many people and so many people treat them like trash. There is no explantation for my post above besides its real. There is no way possible for those people to know the things they knew. Rainbow Bridge is one of my favorite poems and its 10000x real to me
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Yeah Rainbow Bridge made me want to jump off a bridge when I read it...after we had to put my dog to sleep. It was sent to me in a card from the vet's office about a month after we had her put down. We had been taking Mandy there for 10 years or so, and she was the nicest dog ever. Everyone just loved her. She died about 4 years ago, and I still think of her and cry sometimes (writing this post actually).
I am Catholic, and my patron saint is Saint Francis. I truely believe there is a place in heaven for all God's creatures. I watched March of the Penguins recently, and it showed how a mother penguin might try to steal another baby if hers dies. The film showed this mother penguin flipping out over her baby dying, and her subsequent attempted kidnapping. It's amazing to see emotions in creatures who don't speak in any language we can understand, but amazingly enough a lot of seemingly "human" feelings are felt by the smallest of creatures.
I honestly don't think God would waste time creating things only to let them go to waste. Mandy filled a place in my heart that no person ever has. I really hope one day I'll get to hug her again!
ECCLESIASTES 3:19-20 Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath, man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust and to dust all return. (NIV)
"The Bible teaches that "all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (Lk.3:6) and that "all the living things in creation - everything that lives in the air, and on the ground, and under the ground, and in the sea" will praise Yahweh and the Lamb" (Rev.5:13). God's care and love extends to even the humble sparrow (Lk.12:6) and He has promised that He will restore all living things (Ac.3:21; Eph.1:10). Death as a whole will be annulled or abolished (1 Cor.15:25-26; 2 Tim.1:10) and the whole creation will be renewed (Rev.21:4-5). The resurrection will affect all celestial (heavenly) creatures and all terrestrial (earthly) ones (1 Cor.15:35-42). There will be a world-wide restoration of all life in its perfect frame - the curse pronounced by God after the Fall will be reversed - parasites will no longer live a parasitical lifestyle, carnivorous animals will become vegetarians, and all will be at peace.
My lost babies are in heaven!!
__________________ Me 28 ~ DS Aiden
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Looks like you got your answer but I wanted to say that when I was little my Sunday School teacher said that dogs don't go to heaven... so I went straight home and told my poodle about Jesus! I was pretty sure that Midget understood and accepted (his appropriate licking seemed to be a "yes" to me ).
I have since thought about it more and remember reading an encouraging work by CS Lewis (although which one it is escapes me) that pondered the idea that to the capacity an animal has shown and received love (since Love is of God/is a manifestation of God) it will be in "heaven". That is the kind of heaven I want to go to.
Everyones' responses are interesting, thanks for piping in your POVs.
Stark
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DDogs 08/2003, 10/2003 DD 02/2006 DS 12/2007
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Last edited by stark tjej; 01-29-2007 at 01:40 AM.
Not going on what the Bible/Church teaching, I for one do believe their is a pet heaven. I get along better with my pets then I do most humans so do believe they are up there roaming around with tuna cat food and having a wonderful time basking in the heat.
__________________ Anne & Kyle
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Our 5 angels in heaven: Bailey Maya Ruth Avery Aric Alex
I believe it was Mark Twain who said something along the lines of "I can't imagine a world in which my dog doesn't go to heaven and I do" only he said it more eloquently. Neither can I--they have compassion, unconditional love, forgiveness to a degree I can only begin to imagine.
__________________ -diagnosed 1/2004
-treating with diet and exercise
-mom to 5 furkids, Patrick the greyhound, Gretta and Samantha the rabbits, Sophie and Rosie the guinea pigs, and 4 guinea pigs waiting at the Bridge.
-working on a PhD in American History
As a pagan, I don't believe in 'heaven' as such (although give me the viking Valhalla any day! That sounds good). But I do believe animals, places even inanimate things like stones have, for want of a better word, 'spirits'. Humanity should have no 'dominion' over any other creature - just live alongside, with respect. We lost our much loved dog in December, and when I looked at his dead body, I had no doubt his 'soul', his animus, whatever it was that had been 'him' - was gone from there.
This is something christianity struggles with but for pagans it's more straightforward as we believe animals and humans have the same value, spiritually. In fact, in many indigenous spiritualities - including those of these islands - animals symbolise important strengths and qualities such as wisdom, strength, cunning, intelligence, and are to be admired.
There was an interesting article in this month's 'Dogs Today' about the Qu'ran and the muslim attitude to dogs. Like the bible, the Qu'ran seems to have plenty of contradictory references so you can justify either point of view. Both holy books come from the Middle East, we should remember, where there was a culture of strict dietary laws, and various taboos involving animals whereas here in Northern/Western Europe, just as in Australia and elsewhere, our native cultures were more animal-centric anyway.
I know the church in the next village (Church of England/Anglican) often have services where people can take along their pets. It's a beautiful medieval church where the vast majority of my ancestors for centuries have been hatched, matched and dispatched, so very traditional but no-one seems to bat an eyelid about the vicar doing the doggie services. In fact, I suspect they're the most popular ones he does, which may well be why he does them.
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As a Muslim we take it seriously to take care of animals as God entrusted us to watch over and have dominion over them on this planet.
“There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered”
[al-An’aam 6:38]
Al-Bukhaari narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A woman went to Hell because of a cat which she tied up, and did not feed it or let it eat of the vermin of the earth.” (Bad’ al-Khalq, 3071)
We are not allowed to harm them or make their life difficult unless they are harmful to us. That being said, we are allowed to eat meat provided that it's within our dietary guidelines. I'm not sure on the source, but I believe they will testify for or against us on Judgement Day if we harmed them or helped them.
Faith question ... not PCOS related - animals! 
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