JamesM Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 First disclaimer/comment..if you do not believe there is a Heaven, then I know your answer. It probably is a no. But if you do believe there is a Heaven, do you think that pets will be in Heaven? Why? Does this include all pets or just dogs and cats? If all, do you mean it includes birds, fish, and the pet salamander I had as a child? Go to the following link and read the "Rainbow Bridge" poem. Do you believe your pets are at the Rainbow Bridge? http://www.newrainbowbridge.com/NRB/rbpoem.htm Personally, having lost a dog a year or so ago, I understand the feeling that we will see our pets again, but is this just a feeling inside or is it real? Is there anything in a spiritual book that supports this idea? And if our animals go to Heaven, do any of them go to Hell? And in the same tone, do you equate you animals to humans? Link to post Share on other sites
underpants Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Nice one...James. My dog...was such a wonderful soul that I sometimes like to think he is still with me (even if in spirit only). Perhaps he will be reincarnated as the second coming and settle this whole debate once and for all. If any soul could do it... his could. Although, he would probably just tell us all to love each other and not judge too harshly based on schools of beliefs. His place of worship was on the holy couch. Link to post Share on other sites
lovelorcet Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Do people believe that pets have a soul? Or that animals have souls? Link to post Share on other sites
Trialbyfire Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 If there is a pet heaven, my previous cat will be there now. He was a sweet, gentle soul who wouldn't hurt a fly, although when threatened, wasn't afraid to stand up to the tomcats in the neighborhood. It helped that he was 18 lbs and when fluffed up and growling, no one would take him on. My current cat is not going to kitty heaven. He's very bad. Link to post Share on other sites
Kasan Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I was given that poem many years ago when a beloved pet died. If the poem is true, I admit to having a moment of panic--the thoughts of being mobbed by all my past pets (including the 31 chickens) is a bit overwhelming. Can't say that I believe in Heaven but the sentiment is very nice...and I do so want to believe! Link to post Share on other sites
underpants Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 lol, TBF, My current cat is the spawn of Satan. She was actually given to me on 6/6/06, by someone who would relish the idea of being the Devil himself. She may have been born evil, and gifted by dubious intentions. However, she is coming along. ....to be honest, she is really just a scaredy cat, but she does put on a good show when 'threatened'. Her fate is still undecided. Link to post Share on other sites
Moai Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 http://www.eternalanimals.com has the answers! If one suggests that your animals meet you in Heaven what about an owner that goes to Hell? Are you consigning your animals to Hell also, or do they go to Heaven but have no owner, are they now strays in Heaven, or does someone adopt them? What if someone has a pet tarantula? Is it only cuddly animals, or do insects and amphibians make it, too? How do fish tanks exist in a spiritual world? Or ant farms? What if you die, and your animal is adopted by someone else, and then your pet dies? Do you get your pet in Heaven, or does the new owner? Does god make a copy of your pet so you each get one, or do you share? Does it work like visitation with a child after divorce, or what? Where do the animals go that are not adopted and have to be eunthanized? Do they just vanish, or are they adopted? Do wild animals get to go to Heaven, or only domesticated animals? What about animals we eat? Do cattle get to go to Heaven? Are there untold billions of chickens runnning around in Heaven? Link to post Share on other sites
Art_Critic Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I certainly hope so.. My last dog "Razzle" (Old English SheepDog) was such a sweet loving animal and she did indeed have a soul.. She stayed with me for almost 16 years and was my best bud.. I had her ashes spread on a pet rose garden hoping she would like that.. So I do think she is in an afterlife of some sort.. Doggy Hell.. hummmm... I guess if you believe in Doggy heaven then you have to believe in Doggy Hell... She has seen me masturbate many many times.. I wonder if they will spare her and I'm the one going to Hell ? Link to post Share on other sites
directx Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 My dogs are like little people and I have to think they have feelings, and I do lean towards the idea that they do have souls. Its my personal conclusion, not wishful thinking. I hope I don't have to take care of them in Heaven, or at least get the bed to myself then. (I always had a weird thought that nothing has a soul until it is loved or loves back. Just a thought, I don't fully believe it myself.) Link to post Share on other sites
directx Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 She has seen me masturbate many many times.. I wonder if they will spare her and I'm the one going to Hell ? I know. Could you imagine of all pets could suddenly talk? Man they could embarass their owners... they have so much crap on us. (That would make the best Twilight Zone ever if done right.) Link to post Share on other sites
tanbark813 Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 And if our animals go to Heaven, do any of them go to Hell? Just the gay ones and the ones who maul children. Link to post Share on other sites
underpants Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Correction. My dog was a buddhist....and his place of meditation was the couch. He was very wise. Link to post Share on other sites
Author JamesM Posted October 4, 2007 Author Share Posted October 4, 2007 If one suggests that your animals meet you in Heaven what about an owner that goes to Hell? Are you consigning your animals to Hell also, or do they go to Heaven but have no owner, are they now strays in Heaven, or does someone adopt them? What if someone has a pet tarantula? Is it only cuddly animals, or do insects and amphibians make it, too? How do fish tanks exist in a spiritual world? Or ant farms? What if you die, and your animal is adopted by someone else, and then your pet dies? Do you get your pet in Heaven, or does the new owner? Does god make a copy of your pet so you each get one, or do you share? Does it work like visitation with a child after divorce, or what? Where do the animals go that are not adopted and have to be eunthanized? Do they just vanish, or are they adopted? Do wild animals get to go to Heaven, or only domesticated animals? What about animals we eat? Do cattle get to go to Heaven? Are there untold billions of chickens runnning around in Heaven? Okay, Moai, as always the deep thinker. But you have raised many good points. You beat me to it. The idea that fish are in Heaven is real scary. One of my hobbies is fishkeeping, and I have had a lot in my lifetime. Can it be so simple that (if one believes that his or her animals will be in Heaven) just those we want there are there...or is it every animal we have owned? Is it just pets? I guess this thread was focusing on pets. If we read the Bible, it does say that the Lion and Lamb will lie down together, etc., so it does seem that the Bible indicates that animals are in Heaven, but is there a Rainbow Bridge? As for the animals that maul someone, is this a good criteria? And yes, if humans have a soul, do animals? Link to post Share on other sites
tanbark813 Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 And yes, if humans have a soul, do animals? Humans are animals. Link to post Share on other sites
Trialbyfire Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Why would the assumption be that pets continue to be "owned" in heaven or hell? Isn't that a little arrogant? Btw, cats own you... Link to post Share on other sites
2sunny Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 there's a great book called dog heaven by cynthia rylant - it is beautifully illustrated and written in simple terms that even young toddlers can understand. it makes you feel so happy about where you hope to meet up with a good buddy someday. i keep mine on my coffe table. Link to post Share on other sites
underpants Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I have this image now of all of our passed on dogs sitting around playing poker and gossiping about their humans. ....'Razzle I'll take two cards and let me tell you, if you think Art was bad I could tell you a thing or two about Unders'. Link to post Share on other sites
Art_Critic Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Can an animal be saved?.. can the animal be fallen ? an animal cannot choose between good and evil.. Heaven and Hell is something that the bible has created.. The Bible is about human redemption; it's an instruction manual about the choices humans must make. Link to post Share on other sites
Trialbyfire Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 an animal cannot choose between good and evil.. My current baby bengal has chosen. He was such a sweet little guy but he's made the conscious decision to be evil. I can see it in his eyes. Link to post Share on other sites
2sunny Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 i guess we could all consider it a godsend that our dogs could never speak. i look at his eyes and think - you have seen so many things about me that no one ever has. and he's still so loyal and my best buddy. that is the beauty of dogs. Link to post Share on other sites
Lizzie60 Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Yes they do..and one day I'll see him there... Link to post Share on other sites
loverly Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I don't believe in "heaven" in the christian sense, with hell as opposite, but I do believe that we go to special place after we passed on (with delays in certain cases, but that doesn't belong here). I once spoke through a medium with my mother. This was no hoax, as she used expressions she simply could not know... and this woman said that a little dog was beside my mother. We used to have a wire-haired dachshund. So yeah... our pets go where we go. Link to post Share on other sites
nittygritty Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I believe that all animals go to heaven because they were created by God and they have no sin. There is a really good book written by Randy Alcorn called "Heaven". The book is about how biblical scriptures describe what Heaven may be like. People often have many questions about what the bible says about Heaven and there is a section on animals and pets. Its interesting. Link to post Share on other sites
Jinnah Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 The good ones go to Heaven. LOL. I hope they go... they're cute. Link to post Share on other sites
climbergirl Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Man oh man, why did I have to read this thread? I lost my 16 year old cat, Ariel, just two weeks ago and the animal hospital was kind enough to send a condolence card and with it the 'rainbow bridge'. As comforting as it's meant to be, I just couldn't bring myself to read it again in your thread. And, yes, I want to believe that there is a 'pet' heaven. Link to post Share on other sites
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