When animals die, do they go to heaven?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MSParrott
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
valient_Lucy said:
catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0462.html

Here’s another opinion to fuel the debate. He gives his opinion towards the end, I think around question 10 or so.
Click to expand...
'Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut, Valiant Lucy. I’ve got a book or two by Peter Kreeft, myself.

However, he’s just talking about possibilities to answer the question.

I do know that Heaven is for humans who FREELY CHOOSE to love God and act like it.

Animals, as wonderful a gift as they truly are from our Father, do NOT have the ability to choose between right and wrong. They have an instinctive nature. Whereas human beings are the ONLY beings, other than angels, to whom God gave the gift of Free Will.

That’s in the book of Genesis. The quotes from Ecclesiastices given on this board end in questions… NOT statements of fact.

Bottom line… animals are great… we love them… and IF they are a pet… they can respond in their loving way as an animal to us (sometimes / usually)… but it is NOT by their free will choice. It is instinct. Not every animal is able to be tamed, either.

Didn’t mean to dash anybody’s hopes against the rocks. It’s much preferable to be in line with the Truth when it coms to such things.

Having said that – if God chooses at any point to grant that our pet is with us (if WE get to Heaven, even), then of course, He will. Meantime, Jesus did NOT die on the cross for any animal… even a pet.

Meantime… maybe someone else has read the book written by a priest as if it was a particular dog, whom Jesus named “Pup Pup,” who was discovered as a homeless dog by Jesus. Jesus takes Pup Pup with him from the beginning of his ministerial life. And PupPup writes this story… giving his own description about the Apostles (Peter is SO annoyed when he’s woken by PupPup licking his face when it’s time for him to wake up). It’s really a great story. I’m looking for where you can get it online. I bought it at my church.
 
VeronicaAnne said:
INo. Animals do NOT go to Heaven after they die.

Hope this helps.

By the way, you would not be being sacriligeous if you decided to believe that creatures go to Heaven. You would merely be in error.
😊
Click to expand...
Makes me happy knowing I won’t have to spend all eternity with Toby. She is one mean nasty cat
.

Kathy
 
VeronicaAnne said:
Meantime… maybe someone else has read the book written by a priest as if it was a particular dog, whom Jesus named “Pup Pup,” who was discovered as a homeless dog by Jesus. Jesus takes Pup Pup with him from the beginning of his ministerial life. And PupPup writes this story… giving his own description about the Apostles (Peter is SO annoyed when he’s woken by PupPup licking his face when it’s time for him to wake up). It’s really a great story. I’m looking for where you can get it online. I bought it at my church.
Click to expand...
I gave my copy away. I thnk the title was “Homeless No More” or something like that. It was a smallish inventory. Got it for $10 at my parish. And yes, it IS novel that WAS written by a priest as a way to tell the Gospel story to children.
 
I doubt animals will be in Heaven, but I do believe every plant and animal that ever existed on this Earth will be recreated in the “new Earth.”

So yes, I do believe I will see my pets again someday. Ya know, if I make it to Heaven :harp:
 
Penitus said:
I doubt animals will be in Heaven, but I do believe every plant and animal that ever existed on this Earth will be recreated in the “new Earth.”

So yes, I do believe I will see my pets again someday. Ya know, if I make it to Heaven :harp:
Click to expand...
God willing, I will (make it to Heaven with His grace, I will).

Eye has not seen nor ear heard what is truly in store for us. I’m certain that if ANYTHING at all was neessary for me to be happy, it would be there in Heaven.
 
I thought this thread had run out of steam, though I had some more thoughts on this matter.
It does seem a pleasing idea for people’s pets to be in heaven with them. However, I don’t quite find this scene plausable. For quadrillions of animals from hundreds of millions of years to be gathered at the last judgement, and Christ telling the sheep among them to go to the right and the goats to go to the left and into the eternal fire. And too people could only enter heaven through Christ, so that before he came they waited for salvation. No one was automatically assumed into heaven because they were born, which is what some people seem to assume happens to animals. Nor does the Church baptize animals so that if they merit it they will enter heaven.
 
In regards to animals using language, art, or politicizing, in my human nature class we had read a “dialogue” between a gorilla and her trainer. The whole thing was a joke which usually ended up in the gorilla receiving food for absurd answers. Example, what is your name, and the gorilla would sign “nipple”. How are you feeling, “nipple” and the trainer would say “oh that means she is feeling well”. Further there is no advancement in these animal cultures in language, art, and other uniquely human traits. The animal might use a stick to chase out ants and some will say “ah ha the animal is using a tool”, but the animal is running purely on instincts because there is no advancement, progress or change in these areas of behavior. Also, animals are unable to deduct valid syllagisms. No animal is able to comprehend this, “All mammals nurse their young, all whales are mammals, therefore all whales nurse their young”. They are unable, at least according to Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas because their soul is irrational. It is based on this reason that Thomas Aquinas concluded animals have no after life because all parts of their soul have a corresponding physical reality as opposed to a human who has a mind. When the animal dies it cannot live past its physical death because the body who was empowered or was given its capacities by the soul has no purpose.

If animals have no interlect or soul, why did St. Francis preach to them and call them brothers and sisters?
He must have held them in tremendous esteem.
I love my pets.They are well able to let me know they’re hungry, want out or need a cuddle.Their way of affection is of course on a much more basic level then humans. What about all those pets that have saved their masters’ lives. or police dogs trained to sniff out dope. They utilize their skills and are able to learn. When my grandfather died our dachshund howled and stayed in the room for several days refusing to eat. I am convinced he was morning in his way.
Yes, I believe God can and will put everything in heaven He chooses, But there will be no biting and stinging and so on.
In terms of our beloved spouses: I have every intention to be reunited with my husband and family in Heaven if it is God’s will.
 
Since the Church has made no infallible statement on the issue nobody can say for certain. They have spirits, but not souls. Will they be in Heaven, I believe so. As this isn’t a matter of doctrine, I believe that everything God created with life will be with Him when it dies, as they give glory to God by their very being. St. Francis, as said already, preached to them. I myself “preach” to my cat, Mariae. As to Jesus not dying on the cross for animals, that’s true, but they don’t sin. They can’t sin (how blessed).

Besides, why would God create wolves if He wasn’t going to have them join Him when they die?🙂
 
latinmasslover said:
Since the Church has made no infallible statement on the issue nobody can say for certain.
Click to expand...
I fully agree. That’s why I think it’s really overstepping the bounds for one of us to tell the other one that they know for certain that the other one is wrong. The fact is WE DON’T KNOW, and for any of us to pretend otherwise is really ridiculous.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top