Would dogs enjoy heaven?

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markeverett49

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I do not think dogs go to heaven. A cousin challenged me about this yesterday, which in itself was a surprise, and I said, yes, dogs have souls but not immortal souls; without the resurrection of canine bodies, it is hard to see how they might be known in heaven, and to me, the notion of the resurrection of canine bodies is,well, childish.

This lead to a blast of the wisdom of our age: “That is YOUR opinion!”

Then I thought something I had never thought before (-probably because this is not a subject I dwell on): why is it that people who think dogs go to heaven never talk about this in terms of its advantages for the dogs??? I asked my cousin if she thought dogs would get more out of the beatific vision than they get out of watching TV. (I’m waiting to hear back on that one.) People want dogs in heaven for THEIR joy, not for the dog’s.

That said, it might be curious----in a jocular way—to suggest that if the OWNER doesn’t make it into heaven, their pets have no chance!
 
The benefit for doggy is much the same as it would be for human being: to regain their aliveness.

The resurrection of a canine body is not at all laughable. Fur, after all, is far more durable than skin. Plenty of DNA there.

And if the issue of doggy in Heaven is that they cannot enjoy what we imagine to be a “philosophical experience”; we should at least be honest and admit that most humans can’t do that either!

In any case, the Church has left this issue open; we should defer to its collective wisdom. IMNAAHO.

Alleluia, ICXC NIKA!
 
I don’t know about you but my dog finds enjoyment in EVERYTHING
 
BlueEyedLady said:
I don’t know about you but my dog finds enjoyment in EVERYTHING
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Indeed.

I wonder if the dogs ever conjectured about Heaven, if they’d wonder whether Human Mommy or Daddy would make it, since we seem to lack smell experience???

:)🙂

ICXC NIKA
 
Dogs are incapable o experiencing supernatural happiness. If there are dogs in Heaven (the Ressurection would be more likely since dogs are not spiritual so their presence in Heaven would be a mere fantasm) then they’ll be their for our enjoyment* and will have perfect natural happiness.

*Of course, being in Heaven we wouldn’t need dogs in order for us to be happy.

P.S. It’s correct that if dogs are made to be present in Heaven it would only be if their owners were their, since they would be their only for their owner’s enjoyment.
 
Of course, dogs would enjoy heaven.

Why would DOG not like to be with GOD? 😉
 
devoutchristian said:
You realize that this argument is not at all rational?
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Really? Surely to some degree (minute of course) DOG is even a reflection of GOD?

Any creature of God that does not willfully oppose Him would find true happiness in Him. A dog, limited though its capacity might be to appreciate the beatific vision, would still enjoy heaven.
 
We are going to have a new heaven and a new earth at some point, and I imagine the new earth will be populated by all the species it was originally. ‘The lion will lie down with the lamb’. I can’t wait to see that! and I’m pretty sure our pets will be able to join us. We can’t imagine what God has in store for us! The Garden of Eden restored but without the capacity to sin since we would have ‘passed the test’ here already. We would be redeemed, renewed, revived!
 
Stephanie_Pauls said:
Theyre just having a little fun. It’s good to have some levity.:rolleyes:
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Right. However there are some who migh actually consider that to be a good argument.
jonathan_hili said:
Really?
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Yes really. The spelling of the words has nothing to do with theological matters.
jonathan_hili said:
A dog, limited though its capacity might be to appreciate the beatific vision, would still enjoy heaven.
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A dog is a purely physical creature. As such it experiences nothing at least until the Resurrection, if it were raised in the general Ressurection it would experience Perfect natural happiness.
 
devoutchristian said:
Dogs are incapable o experiencing supernatural happiness.
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Don’t tell that to St. Francis. At one point he is reputed to have preached directly to the birds, and they were said to have watched him with beaks open and feathers trembling from their joy. After the sermon, they took off into the air, where they made a cross in the sky before departing.

Just sayin’.
If there are dogs in Heaven (the Ressurection would be more likely since dogs are not spiritual so their presence in Heaven would be a mere fantasm) then they’ll be their for our enjoyment* and will have perfect natural happiness.
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See the above. Donkeys and horses have been witnessed kneeling in the presence of the Eucharist in times past.
*Of course, being in Heaven we wouldn’t need dogs in order for us to be happy.
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And what if it makes God happy to have all of His creation present? He DID say it was good, and I have a very hard time believing He crafts anything just to throw it away into oblivion after.
P.S. It’s correct that if dogs are made to be present in Heaven it would only be if their owners were their, since they would be their only for their owner’s enjoyment.
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Again, you assume that God would would take no joy from the presence of all of His creation. Forgive me, but that’s egotistical in the extreme.
 
Lochias said:
See the above. Donkeys and horses have been witnessed kneeling in the presence of the Eucharist in times past.
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That miracles have happened tells us nothing of the theological status of animals, or do you think that those horses did that of their own will?
Lochias said:
And what if it makes God happy to have all of His creation present?
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God’s happiness is in no way dependent on his creation.
 
devoutchristian said:
That miracles have happened tells us nothing of the theological status of animals, or do you think that those horses did that of their own will?
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They’re tied in intimately with the love of God somehow; why else would they kneel at all?
God’s happiness is in no way dependent on his creation.
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I never said it was. We know, however, that His creation does make Him happy; “He saw that it was good.” I would think it’s much more logical to assume that He will have ALL of His creation around him, that makes Him so happy.
 
jonathan_hili said:
R
Any creature of God that does not willfully oppose Him would find true happiness in Him. A dog, limited though its capacity might be to appreciate the beatific vision, would still enjoy heaven.
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If this were so, dogs would delight in God on Earth but of course they don’t. Dogs do not have spiritual souls. I think Aquinas answered this well in chapter 82 of Part II of “Summa Contra Gentiles.”

Since God is immaterial, there is no reason to believe dogs (or cats or chimpanzees) could detect Him.

Frankly, I worry about people who cannot distinguish between the material souls of dogs—who are incapable of abstract thought and reflection—and the immortal souls of human beings.
 
Lochias said:
They’re tied in intimately with the love of God somehow; why else would they kneel at all?
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They knelt because God caused them to.
Lochias said:
I never said it was. We know, however, that His creation does make Him happy; “He saw that it was good.” I would think it’s much more logical to assume that He will have ALL of His creation around him, that makes Him so happy.
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Creation pleases God, but his happiness is not caused by it.
 
Lochias said:
We know, however, that His creation does make Him happy; “He saw that it was good.” I would think it’s much more logical to assume that He will have ALL of His creation around him, that makes Him so happy.
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This does not follow at all. You’re imagining Earth without sorrow; heaven is something else entirely.
 
devoutchristian said:
They knelt because God caused them to.
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Why would He cause them to, if He didn’t think of them as special? Why not just have the rocks bow?
Creation pleases God, but his happiness is not caused by it.
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Didn’t say it was. It still pleased Him to create, though. We know He loves His creation.

👍 Care to go 'round the mulberry bush a third time?
 
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