Do animals go to heaven?

[x Suffolk Lass x]

Im a Christian and without wanting to offend anyone who isnt...

Someone once gave me a tape (think it was Kenneth Copeland) where he was asked the same question. His answer was something along the lines of...

The bible says there are horses in heaven (see Rev 6), but doesnt say how they get there. We get to heaven through believing in Jesus and praying. Bible says pray believing you will recieve and you will have whatever you ask... and if horses can't go to heaven then you havent lost anything!

 

[Dry Rot]

Animals might go to haven but I'm not sure many humans should!

A scientist once said that if you don't believe in God and there is one, you're in trouble. And if you believe in God and there isn't one, you've lost nothing. But if you believe in God and there is one, you are quids in!

Me? The jury is still out.

 

[igglepop]

If humans can get to heaven no animal can't. They always seem kinda than us.

 

[peaceandquiet1]

On a slightly different note I was at a funeral recently of a child. The funeral service left me feeling quite disturbed, as the family kept talking during the service as if the child had gone to a better place and would be playing football in God's junior team, it almost sounded as if the dead child (who had died in a horrible accident) was somehow better off! I fully appreciate that there is great comfort in assuming that heaven exists and all will be well once you get there but to me this was a tragedy and there was no consolation for me that the child was "up there" having a great time. In fact it made me feel terrible. I don't know if heaven exists, my very religious mother believed that she would be reunited with my father when she died, but he was an atheist, so not sure if he would have got there! Sure hope if it does exist that all my lovely deceased pets are happily there.

 

[nona1]

I'm an atheist so I don't believe in heaven at all.

But if you do, with horses that might get a bit complicated! Seeing as most of them have had several homes, who gets them?

 

[Crugeran Celt]

We just die. What we believe in isn't a fact.

How do you know?

 

[horsebenny]

I hope so - although i will probably be in hell ! lol

What would happen though if the horse you though the world of did not wait for you -and was with some other owner ?

In my world it doesn't work like that - animals and people can be all things to all people...there are no physical limitations afterall!

 

[Cortez]

If they don't, I don't want to go there. Wouldn't BE heaven if there wern't any.

 

[Mog&Myms]

According to some interpretations of the Christian faith, no they do not, which is leaving some Christians worried about what will become to their pets after rapture. Bizarely enough there are now pet sitting services by atheists that will take over after rapture.

http://www.aftertherapturepetcare.com/

Wow, that is truly one of the most ludicrous things I have ever seen.
Did you watch the video of all the photos of pets looking upwards as (presumably this how we are meant to interpret it) their owners fly naked into the sky ... I nearly cried with laughter. I needed that, thank you!

 

[Janesomerset]

A heaven with no animals would be hell.

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

Wow, that is truly one of the most ludicrous things I have ever seen.
Did you watch the video of all the photos of pets looking upwards as (presumably this how we are meant to interpret it) their owners fly naked into the sky ... I nearly cried with laughter. I needed that, thank you!

Are you not allowed to wear clothes in heaven?! I'm not going- I don't like being naked!

 

[YasandCrystal]

I think it is very arrogant of humans to believe that only they go to heaven. I don't actually believe in the heaven and hell thing. But I do believe in souls and reincarnation. I think there is a kind of spirit world too, a kind of holding place for souls.

^^ THis

 

[Mog&Myms]

Are you not allowed to wear clothes in heaven?! I'm not going- I don't like being naked!

I think there's supposed to be something about when the rapture happens, you loose all your clothes!
But I could be wrong, or maybe I have an unhealthy obsession with nudity

To try and stop it looking like I just highjacked this with something extremely silly I will add that I think if there were an after-life animals would probably get a higher place then us. Depends how pagan leaning/christian leaning you are, really, although I did think that animals aren't supposed to be able to get to the christian 'heaven'?

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

To try and stop it looking like I just highjacked this with something extremely silly I will add that I think if there were an after-life animals would probably get a higher place then us. Depends how pagan leaning/christian leaning you are, really, although I did think that animals aren't supposed to be able to get to the christian 'heaven'?

This is not silly- it is an informative debate about nakedness in the afterlife.

Why aren't animals supposed to go to heaven- I don't suppose St Francis of Asisi (sp) thought that. and we used to take our pony to be blessed at the St Francis' childrens service. A Llama turned up one year.

And once I took my gerbils to the blessing of the crib '(village tradition that the local kids too their fav toy to watch over the baby jesus in the nativity figurine box for the service).

 

[Mog&Myms]

This is not silly- it is an informative debate about nakedness in the afterlife.

Why aren't animals supposed to go to heaven- I don't suppose St Francis of Asisi (sp) thought that. and we used to take our pony to be blessed at the St Francis' childrens service. A Llama turned up one year.

And once I took my gerbils to the blessing of the crib '(village tradition that the local kids too their fav toy to watch over the baby jesus in the nativity figurine box for the service).

I had a very un-religious upbringing which I regretted as a child (because I thought Churches were 'cosy' and I wasn't allowed to go), so I'm probably not the best person to ask about pets in heaven (as for nudity though ... )
I have been to Horseman's sunday before which was excellent fun.

 

[HashRouge]

A heaven with no animals would be hell.

This, basically. Besides, I'm fairly sure my horse (and my other animals!) deserves to go to Heaven more than I do!

 

[muckypony]

I'm fairly sure my horse (and my other animals!) deserves to go to Heaven more than I do!

Agree!

Mainly for putting up with me for years, but also because she was amazing

I never really believed in the whole heaven and hell thing, but now I have a reason to and I would like to think that my pony is galloping around somewhere, eating all she wants and having a great time!

 

[Muleskinner]

God created the animals, provides food for the sparrows and knows when they fall, Noah saved both clean and unclean animals, a donkey received a message from God and saved a man, the Lion will lay down with the lamb, "every animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains and the creatures of the field are mine," all creatures will praise God, the four horsemen in Revelation come on horses... yes, animals definitely go to Heaven!

 

[Always Henesy]

Not with with a username like that!

Anita Diamant summed it up perfectly for me in The Rent Tent.

"In Egypt, I loved the perfume of the lotus. A flower would bloom in a pool at dawn, filling the entire garden with a blue musk so powerful that it seemed even the fish and ducks would swoon. By night, the flower might wither but the perfume lasted. Fainter and fainter, but never quite gone.....Months would pass and a bee would alight near the spot where the lotus blossomed, and its essence was released again, momentary but undeniable. Egypt loved the lotus because it never dies."

I believe love is a sweet, pure note that resonates long after the strings have been stilled. But I like the above explantion, becuase the scent returns again and again. All it takes is a word, sound, a smell and all that love comes flooding back, just like the scent of a lotus flower. Love never dies so nor does the creature who was truly loved, be that animal or human. My old girl resonated for a long time, I saw her always standing waiting for me, in the arena, in the field. I still dream of her and I can feel her slip beneath my outstretched hands as she walks towards sleep's dark and silent gate.

What an absolutely beautiful post. You have made me cry. I have loved all of my animals so much and all of them have a place in my heart.
Now I believe in God, but more in a spiritualist way. I believe that the soul is born again as many times as it takes for us to learn the lessons needed.
I know in my heart that my animals are still there and that one day we will all be reunited.
I also take a great deal of comfort from talking to God. I believe that we all have a certain path in life and there can be no deviation.

 

[Ibblebibble]

do non believers go to heaven? and if they don't what happens if an animal belonging to an atheist dies, does that animal go to heaven and then spends eternity waiting for an owner who is never going to arrive?
each religion believes they are right, their god is the only god, or in the case of hindus, gods plural and lots of them! how is an animal supposed to know which religion their owner follows so that they can make sure they arrive at the same destination at death
do farm animals go to heaven too or only pets, insects.........do they have a heaven too

religion has always fascinated me and i've tried a few and eventually came round to very similar views to 1stclassalan.
so IMO no, there is no heaven or hell and therefore no animals or humans (or insects) will go there.
I do believe that every living being has a soul/energy that can carry on after the physical body has died, not all souls do but some strong ones who feel they need to for whatever reason can make their presence felt by the living.

 

[SNORKEY]

I don't believe in stories like the bible but I'd like to think something happens once you die.

 

[NinjaPony]

I am a total atheist, so I don't believe in heaven, but if I am wrong, show up and my pony isn't there I am walking straight out!