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Do animals make it to heaven?


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Daisy-oliviaWentcher

I'm really attached to my cat and this year I moved out of home. He was an exotic short-haired Persian cat with squashed face. When I moved out of home, my cat used to sleep on my side of the bed and that was his favourite spot to sleep but unfortunately I wasn't there to be close to him. He was my favourite. He was so sweet, cuddly and affectionate. He had the sweetest meow. I just recieved a phone call that my parents had to take my cat to the vet to put him down. Unfortunately, he had a respiratory problems and he deteriorated quickly over the weekend. They didn't know that he was sick, but when the vet did a biopsy and scan, they saw that he had a cancerous tumor that was very large in his diaphragm and it was pressing on his heart making it hard for him to breathe. If he did not go to the vet, he would have probably have found some place private to die outside. It was kinder this way.

 

Because I really loved him, do cats know that their owners love them? I feel really sad that I was not there to be with him in his final moments on earth. I kind of prayed to God that he would take care of him in heaven and that the cat would visit me in my dreams.

 

I know it sounds very odd of me, but I really loved this cat and I just want to believe that he is okay somewhere else. Does anyone out there believe that cats make it to heaven? and that they are well treated and looked after, after death? I know it's probably bad of me to pray to God that " my cat would visit me in my dreams" it sounds ridiculous, but I just loved him.

 

I know my cat is not a person, but he was still precious to me.

 

What are people's beliefs out there? and can they back it up with their own experiences?

 

D

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After all my study of the Bible, I can't find any confirmation that animals do or do not make it to heaven.

 

"Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?" (Eccl 3:21)

 

I'm pretty sure there will be animals in heaven. I can't find these verses offhand but I believe there are some.

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I don't know the answer, but I sure hope they do.

 

 

Many animals, are far kinder, loving, and deserving of sitting next to God, than many people.

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In Hinduism, animals reincarnate. They work their way up the evolutionary ladder, finally becoming human. In metaphysics there is the concept of soul groups for animals.

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It makes sense to my own mind that an 'entity' or 'consciousness' must have self-awareness in order to, ultimately, qualify itself for "heaven" -- whatever we want to call that process -- it must be able to work for its own salvation, redemption, ascension...through use of its own free will as demonstrated by its choices, beliefs, etc.

At present time on Earth, animals don't have that -- they have life and consciousness, yes, but not self-awareness as an individual that was created by a Higher Power, nor self-awareness as a spiritual being that is an extension of their Creator.

 

But...no, I cannot back-up any of what I just typed with any in-form or physical experience that any current instrument on Earth, or that anyone else on Earth, is able to observe or measure.

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I don't know, but when I see/hear my pets dreaming...I wonder if they know of God and/or worship Him.

 

I've heard some religions say that the animals know who their God is, even ants. But, I don't know if they will go anywhere like heaven or heck cuz unlike us humans, animals, IMO, are more "programmed" to do certain things. I "think" they don't have the same brains and/or level of free will that we humans have.

 

But, I believe that even if animals weren't going to heaven or heck, the animals - like many other things on this planet - are here often as a "test" to us. To see how we will treat something God created. Hence, why even though we eat cows, chickens, etc. We still have a requirement to properly raise them and kill them a certain way (not beating them in the heads, snapping their necks, etc.)

 

I heard once of a story where a guy passed by a dog that needed water and that was his "test".

Edited by Gloria25
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i think they reincarnate. i lost a dog to cancer - i had him for 15 years. i thought for certain i would never love another animal the way i loved that dog and it took me almost 2 years to even look for another dog. i went to the pound and no kidding, i saw a dog with a halo around it's head. crazy, but true. i walked over to the cage and adopted that halo dog. i thought he was the most beautiful thing, but apparently other people didn't share that opinion. anyway, the new dog was quite similar to the old one - intelligent, quiet, attached, loving, and i *know* my dead dog had something to do with introducing me to the dog i adopted. it was almost as though he was guiding me to the dog, and for a while i sensed that my dead dog was somehow in this one, his spirit remained through this dog. so i think their spirit comes back in some form to give you comfort.

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todreaminblue

my religion i just read that they do go to heaven that animal spirits were created by god and put upon the earth...... and are eternal as we are...so i am very happy......i have lost quite a few pets and i grieve .......quite badly......i miss them....but i always thought that i would see them again.....its a bright hope i have......and is supported by the religion i follow....which is christianity..specifically lds..............deb

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  • Animals and man are soulish beings. In Genesis, both man and animals are described as nephesh, which means living being.

 

  • In Psalm 104, the food chain from God's vantage point is described (Psalm 104 is another creation account as well) and it is God's spirit that drives the cycle of life.
    • All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time.When you give it to them, they gather it up;when you open your hand,they are satisfied with good things.When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.

     

 

  • Not even a sparrow dies without God's knowledge
    • Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
       

     

    [*]As M30 said, animals are described as existing heaven. Whether this is allegoric or literal is debated. For example, under God's Kingdom, the nations that are at constant war are described as being at peace in such an unusual way it would be like a wolf and lamb lying together or a child that put his hand on a poisonous snake without fear of venomous bite:

    • The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat,the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

     

Solomon made an interesting statement as he was developing, essentially, an interesting argument for the existence of God

 

Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?

 

____

 

I think nephesh creatures have a soul, but as Solomon said whether in heaven or not it is hard to know. It will be such a different existence, we may not even care.

For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes. For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

 

Who knows. If we do care, I imagine a simple request for Fido or Garfield would be an easy request for God to grant :)

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But, I believe that even if animals weren't going to heaven or heck, the animals - like many other things on this planet - are here often as a "test" to us. To see how we will treat something God created. Hence, why even though we eat cows, chickens, etc. We still have a requirement to properly raise them and kill them a certain way (not beating them in the heads, snapping their necks, etc.)

 

Then most everyone who eats animals is failing that test, as 99% of meat/dairy/eggs in the US is from factory farms, and that's anything but compassionate to animals.

Factory Farming | Farm Sanctuary

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Anyone who has owned cats knows that there is no way they get to heaven. They are evil little creatures who have no respect for authority.

 

 

I love my cats. :)

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Anyone who has owned cats knows that there is no way they get to heaven. They are evil little creatures who have no respect for authority.

 

 

I love my cats. :)

 

This is too funny Robert!

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I think they do. Again, like with other things, God doesn't come right out and say one way or the other. So sometimes we just have to know the heart of God. God loves animals.

 

I've asked many strong Christians this question over the years and not one of them said animals did not go to heaven.

 

 

Do Animals or Pets Go To Heaven? A Biblical Analysis

 

The comments in this article are interesting.

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They go to Rainbow Bridge to wait for their humans first. https://rainbowsbridge.com/poem.htm

 

That's a lovely concept. I suppose the only issue is that if you've had close bonds with a number of animals in your life, it's going to be a bit of a stampede. There would be an awful lot of hurt animal feelings as it dawned on them that while they were numero uno for part of your life, they were preceded and replaced by others. Hopefully that's all sorted out amongst the animals in advance. Ideally they would greet you in chronological order. So the first pet you ever had would be first in line.

 

Actually, I would like it to go along the lines of "This is Your Life." Each pet waits behind a curtain while a short introduction filled with hints jogs your memory, then the animal emerges from behind the curtain to greet you excitedly (or wanders past you indifferently, if it happens to be a cat).

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  • 2 weeks later...
What are people's beliefs out there? and can they back it up with their own experiences?

 

But, if animals have souls, what does it mean when we kill and eat them? Or just kill them (like if they threaten us)?

 

I know you would be sad to be without a pet.

 

Personally, I'm more worried about the human loved ones who aren't on the right path here on earth. I recently heard a sermon though that quoted Revelation 21:4 - "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

 

I think that's an indication that our sorrows here will not affect us in heaven the way we understand now.

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I've read a ton of new-age books, and everyone seems to agree that they are on the other side.

 

All I know is that after each one of my dogs have died, we have heard them and seen them around the house. If they didn't have a spirit, how would we be able to see them.

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