When I was growing up and raised in the Christian religion, I was told that animals don’t have a soul and you will not see your pets in heaven. Do you beleive this? I believe it was Will Rodgers that said if I die and dogs don’t go to heaven, then I want to go were they went.

Revelation 19:11-16 New King James Version (NKJV)

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He [a]had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in [b]fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a [c]sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

Apparently there are horses so might just be a dog or 2 running around.

Yes

X2 yes

Heaven should be full of good dogs.

cant be more pure of heart than a good dog....if they cant go why should I?

I sure hope if I make it there my old friends are there to greet me. Would be lonely without them.

Rod Serling addressed this:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0734646/

Well peta and all the antis believe it ,you guys could ask them how dogs can get there.

one of the best episodes!!!!

I know mine did.

PETA is responsible for sending more dogs to Heaven than any organization I can think of.

Owning a good dog is Heaven on Earth.

Read Ecclesiastes 3:16-22. Verse 21 leaves the question open. We will have to wait and see.

If dogs have souls and go to Heaven then do coyotes?

Most dogs have better souls then most humans! See it every day.

Betty ede embraced by the light, is a good book to read, the Lil boy Colton in heaven is real, says animals, pets are there

We can finally end the squabble about squatches too. Hahaha!

NO

Start attaching souls and human like attributes to animals and see where that leads you. Maybe to be a tree hugger? Animal rights activist ? In some countries they eat them, if that's wrong because they have souls then do cows have souls? Which animals have souls and which don't?

No indication anywhere in the Bible that dogs have souls like humans. Doesn't mean there aren't animals in heaven, but Yes Sir is right, think of the implications. That would make killing a raccoon or coyote the equivalent of killing a human.

Ever pet a coon soulless critters!

As long as their good works are more than their bad ones they will go..... And they didn't chew up more than $2500.00 worth of property, Didn't trash the neighbors flower bed, pee in the house too much, eat out of the cat litter box, sniff too much butt, jump up on the counter and chase the cats.

Heaven promises no more tears and what makes a person happy including worshiping The Lord. I believe animals are included for the happiness part. It is called paradise for a reason.

I believe their will b animals on the new Earth but not in heaven.

This is silly. Sure there will be animals in heaven (Lions laying with lambs and such) and we'll be reunited with our loved ones, but heaven isn't a place where we go hang out with our former buddies and play fetch. We'll be there to worship God, plain and simple. Your spouse might be there, but you wont be married, and probably wont even care. Jesus himself said no one is married or given in marriage in heaven. So when you get to heaven, you wont care if your former dog will be there. You'll be to busy worshipping your creator.

personalities yes souls I don't believe so.

Keep in mind Heaven will be unlikely anything we know. Joy and happiness beyond our knowledge, in a manner completely different than this fallen earth we live in. Also keep in mind Heaven is just a stopping place until the new earth is created. There's answers to this kind of stuff in life's owners manual, if one wants to find the answers themselves.

Our human understanding is limited to the physical matters...

It is my opinion that there will be no physical embodiment, no male/female, no representation of our past physical lives here... We will simply be the essence of what is in our souls.

This is a difficult concept to understand as our entire lives revolve around the physical aspect of our existence.

The descriptions of alabaster walls, pearly gates, golden streets, crystal seas, etc... are merely ways to help our limited minds comprehend the purity and majesty of a "place" without fault or sorrow.

I think somewhere deep in the human psyche we understand the existence of such a place. Humans, for the most part, strive for perfection. We strive to build and create things free of corrosion and fault.

But to answer the OP's original question... I don't know if dogs go to heaven. But I believe the love and contentment you felt with that old four-legged friend certainly goes there.

Mike

Let us pray!

Abby will surely g

I don't believe according to the bible, "pets" will go to heaven.

No, slippery slope to play on.

I do. A lot of people ask this question because they love their pets and when they die they are hoping they get to see them again. Well Heaven is a perfect place where you want for nothing, so if your dog makes you happy then I figure they'll be there. And if they're not, you'll be just fine.

I liked the one where the guy thinks he will party all of the time in h### and he ends up with 2 old ladies watching a endless slide show and they are in heaven and he is stuck in h### yet they are both in the same place.

X2

I must be blocked by a few. Especially those who are citing the Bible as evidence of no animals in Heaven.....that is, unless horses aren't animals or the Bible contradicts itself.

The biggest difference I see is a animal is loved and able to love more then a animal that survives it whole life and only runs on instinct you would think heaven would be packed with the things that made our lives better in order to be heaven just the thought of that brings me joy so that's MY heaven!

They will most definitely be there.

there may be trees in Heaven but that doesn't mean that the tree in ur backyard has a soul and will b a tree in Heaven.

Does not mean it won't be if that tree means a lot to a person you would think, why do we have to give so much to get so little back when it will cost nothing in the end?

Some people think sex, money, drugs and alcohol means alot to them . do you guys really think it will be in heaven. NO.

Who said they will get there and who says they won't then depends on their true soul and true deeds, if a guy loves his wife and the do that circus monkey thing 5X a week who am I to judge them?

Based on what exactly?

Won't be there based on what? My unicorn will beat up your unicorn! LOL Nobody knows jack just being a good human would be a good start!

Well if i get to heaven, and all my tree and other creatures souls i have messed up is on my list , and you guys get behind me in line ,ill just say your gona be waiting awhile.

My unicorn is pretty tough Law Dog, she has glitter and everything lol. If a person is a follower of Christ then imo, they should glean the truth from God's word. I'd like to know where God said Fido will be in heaven lol. I love my pup, but I see nothing that says we will meet again in the here after.

And I see nothing that says they won’t and yes I have studied the Bible and spent 8 years in catholic school that turned me off from religion, but I still believe in god and that there is a here after and if dogs don’t get there then I think god made a huge mistake setting everything up

And frankly I don’t believe he made that mistake

If you believe in God then you know he is perfect, he cannot make mistakes. A lot of people get turned off by religion because man wishes things in or out of the bible. Don't you think if Fido was given the green light into heaven it would have been written as so? The argument of " I see nothing that says they won't" is basically saying the holy spirit lied by omission.

I am reminded daily there has to be something greater then humans that's for sure! LOL

Everything that might be included in heaven probably wasn't written into the Bible. For instance, I don't want your mutt in my heaven licking his butt and crapping in the backyard. Barking all night and fleas. Probably must be different sections of heaven for different minded people.

God gave us souls when he breathed life into Adam not animals. Also animals were not created in God's image as humans were. When we start basing truth off what we want to believe then we are stepping on a slippery slope. If animals have souls can you justify taking an animal's life without justifying the right to take a humans life based on the he same reasoning.

What if your dog is a sinner? You know, like you? A dog that is deranged. One that kills just for the thrill? The one that killed that three year old boy? What about the one that kills deer just for the heck of it?

If your sweet little puppy is going to be there waiting for you, how about the wolf?

Maybe Heaven is filled with all those dead pet rats! I bets that's true! I bet none of the rats, cats or dogs poop either. It IS heaven after all.

Don't Bogart that joint my friend......

God says he reconciles all things.So yes I believe if you loved a pet very much it will be there.

One thing I will say, I'd dont think it will b one of the questions asked at the gates of Heaven. But you better have right answers for the ones that will b asked.

Yes sir hit the nail on the head. It doesn't matter if your dog is heaven if you aren't going there yourself. There's only one way, and it's through faith in Jesus. It cant be earned by good works, nice thoughts, or whatever else you think will get you there.

My bad, I thought the question was do they go to heaven. I didn't realize he asked if they had a soul.

Exactly... if there ain't dogs in Heaven, I don't want to go.

Seems like heaven will be full of everything everyone else wants but not me, sounds better every minute! LOL

Is there a difference ?

I think you mean ....let us spray

Are humans not animals also ?

Humans are clearly separated from animals in the Bible.

Animals have a collective soul. When they are born here they already know things. What we call instinct.

Who said they have to go as a "soul" why not just as a companion like on earth who will pick how we spend eternity and with what we will have around us, is there a seating capacity or something? It won't be all that great if I have to look at all of your mugs all of the time! LOL

I don't necessarily agree with everything in this article. But it has some very interesting points backed with scriptural references.

It's not very long and worth a read...

https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/10-biblical-truths-about-animals

Mike

I kinda skimmed, but it looks like they left out one part of God's promise to Noah. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you.

Exactly - ^^ -

We are nothing but animals ourselves, we are no different,

So if we can't get to heaven unless we been baptized what happened to all the cavemen? Indians? People that were here before the bible? Before babtism ceremony was ever dreamt up? Were they banished to hades (other wasn't allowed!, sorry) What about Hindus, Buddhists? All these other religions?

J

Great! LOL

Getting baptized aint gona geat you there.

God made man in his image. Gave us dominion over all creatures. Will there be dogs in Heaven? Dunno bout that but with the amount of glory and being reunited with family and friends, I doubt that I'll give much thought to animals.

Agreed. But I find the mention of the "rainbow" covenant with all living things interesting.

I believe we have dominion over the animals and that they are here for our use. But I don't think killing animals for the sake of killing is looked kindly upon by God.

As far as animals going to heaven... I don't think so. They have innate instinct about how to behave to propagate their species... but they lack the insight to differentiate good from evil.

Just my opinion.

Mike

I agree Mike. I too find the rainbow covenant interesting. For one it's unconditional and secondly I believe God does love the animals, twofold. First they are his creation, that makes them special to him and second, they are for us. He clearly made everything for us, everything for a reason. I truly don't think we have tapped into all of what the plants and animals resources are.

And I don't think God meant it like that Law Dog.

As long as it isn’t “Let us spray “, I’m good.

Only if you believe

The people in this thread who say their dog will be with them in heaven show the degree to which belief in heaven is based on wistful thinking.

I had a favorite tropical fish that died. I really liked that fish. Will it be with me, in the unlikely event that I make it to heaven?

Jim

Man, that doesn't sound like heaven you're describing. It sounds more like the other place.

What could be more awful than to be sentenced to dance and sing Hosannas all day, every day, for the rest of eternity? Makes me wake up in cold sweats just to contemplate the horrible boredom of such a place.

That ain't what heaven would be for me.

Jim

Jim,

I don't see wistful thinking as much as some believing ANYTHING is possible with God vs God can do anything but He can't do that.

Christ went to prepare a place for us. I don't think my cabin porch is going to look as good without a couple dogs living under it. lol

James is right. It has absolutely nothing to do with if God can, because there isn't anything he can't do. It is all about what the scripture says, and it doesn't say Fido will go to heaven.

Chapter and verse please.

I do believe that dogs have souls, not like a human soul, but they have the ability to think, remember, show love, etc. I also know that God put the animals on earth for man's use, nut not abuse. Is there a heaven for dogs? I don't know, but I hope so, my Rusty was the bestand nost loyal friend a man could ever have.

No. A dog can be a little slice of Heaven here on earth through the joy they bring. Heaven is a place only of joy, no dog necessary.

Heaven is, I believe, incomprehensible to us until we get there. When we see God in full glory it will be like NOTHING we can imagine. So those of you that think heaven will b boring or not fun based on what the Bible says it will be like are not giving full credit to the awesomeness of the one that created everything. It will create a joy unlike anything or even close to anything we have experienced on this fallen earth. And the opposite is true of the other option.

Happy birthday.

The post does sound a little "I know and you don't because I'm holier than you."

Exactly!

"Crediting the Awesomeness of God", can you elaborate on that?

I personally don't think we are going to care but I also don't think anyone is going to ruin their status to be there if they ask, "Where are the dogs?"

If it isn't in the Bible then it can't be done or shouldn't be done?

Well, considering God's covenant with Noah, I don't think either God or you will even think about dogs lol.

Man it gets deeper than dogs. I wonder if I would recognize my grandma as my grandma, or would she just be my sister in Christ?

She would be family. That said, if you wanted to see her as your Grandma Christ could make it happen already knowing the joy it would bring you.

Lets get deeper. What if someone who did you wrong found Christ later in life and is in heaven with you. And if you saw this person it would cause great grief. Is there a chapter and verse on this situation.

As an agnostic I don't necessarily believe or disbelieve organized religions' versions of the afterlife. I am curious about it though.

Do dogs and other non-human, higher-order animals possess enough cognitive capacity to be considered sentient beings? Are they self-aware? Do they possess a soul?

Do all humans possess sentience and consciousness to a degree that they should be considered sentient beings?

Rev 21:4

Well I hope there is heaven for dogs. I'm having a lot of favorite dogs and I hope to meet them there one day.

That one can be found in the Lord's Prayer, "forgive us as we forgive."

I don't know that what you stated would keep you out but it certainly would be reconciled before you roamed free to run into that individual if they were there. Mind you this is just a possibility.

look if it is the happy hunting grounds , we are going to need dogs.

now a different question.

do cows go to heaven ?

you see I don't think people want to think about something they eat as an equal or going to heaven , they just want to eat.

but dogs are food also for some.

when I worked on a farm as a kid I had a horse that was as friendly as a dog , he would come right over to me and follow me around , come see what I was working on his name was buddy and he was about 25 years old , had been the owners daughters but she was off to college.

and then Buddy got hit by a drunk driver.

What most people aren't considering is that it's not just heaven forever. Heaven comes down to earth and earth is remade into a heavenly place. Most popular conceptions of heaven don't even begin to take this into account. We are talking a real place, not a misty dream on some cloud, strumming a harp.A real place with solid stones and jewels and water and animals, and everything that was good about earth. (well, apparently except for sex) And before someone says they don't want to go where they can't have intimate relations with their wife, consider being able to communicate love on a much deeper level than the physical. And think about what earth could be like with no hate, no fear, no anger, no death, no evil of any kind. All the good and none of the bad.