animals having souls?

[nancy8867]

Hi!  My husband and I constantly argue over this.  I don't think the bible talks muchor even at all about animal souls, but do you think our beloved pets will go to Heaven too?

[JudgeNot]

I can say that only man (and woman) was made in the likeness of God – so only humans have soles.  Will your pets go to heaven – well – “There are no tears in Heaven” so – if there is nothing to be unhappy about…

[I Brake for Jesus]

I see no reason why not.

Look at it this way: Eden was Heaven on Earth.

Were not animals part of Paradise?

[Symphony]

I know for sure my kitty cat is going to hell.


And the dogs?  Have you seen what they do to each other on the streets?   Ugh.


I don't see POSSIBLY how dogs could go to anywhere BUT hell, for sure.  


   


(maybe that's why they're called dogs )

   

[JudgeNot]

I know for sure my kitty cat is going to hell.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[Symphony]

   

[Dyskolos]

Rev 6:2-8 "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

Rev 19:11 "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war".

Rev 19:14 "And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean".

2Kings 2:11 "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven".

2Kings 6:17 "And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha".


Well it appears there are plenty of horses in Heaven, so why not cats and dogs? Maybe the odd ferret or pig, gerbil, hamster or rat? Probably not any snakes though.

 
 
 

[JudgeNot]

Very good, Dyskolos, very, very good.

Our fellow poster Whitehorse will be glad to read your revelation.  

I agree - probably no snakes.  Although - I'm a fan of BC comics (a very Christian strip) and the snake ALWAYS gets the short end of the stick (or the long end of the 'Fat Chick's club'?) - it almost makes me feel sorry for the critters.

However, from the same comic strip - I'm not sure clams will make it to the promised land.  

[Willowbirch]

Hi!  My husband and I constantly argue over this.  I don't think the bible talks muchor even at all about animal souls, but do you think our beloved pets will go to Heaven too?

Genesis tells us that animals have "the breath of God", apparently the same breath humans have. Psalms says that wolves won't harm sheep, and snakes won't bite children. (I believe that angelic beasts mentioned in Revelation and other prophetic places are probably not resurrected earth-animals, as they were created for heavenly prupose; the Bible never tells us we'll turn into Angels, it just says we'll be raised incorruptible. But - off topic! Sorry!) I would go no farther on the "animals in heaven" than to say "maybe, maybe not", simply because Christians have been fighting each other over this and each side has good evidence to prove the other wrong. I believe that, if they aren't there, we will still have every tear wiped away simply because God is greater than anything we ever had on earth; and if they are - the more the merrier!

I also think there's a reason that you can't find anything specific about animal's souls in the Bible: it isn't our right to know. To quote Aslan, we can each be told no story but our own. We're human-flesh; not bird, not cow, not angel. Ultimately, we really can't know God's enternal purposes for creatures not of our kind; even regarding our brethren, we can't know their fate for sure. For now, all we know is that man, created in God's image, has an eternal home with Christ if they accept Him as Lord. The same law would not apply to animals because they are different flesh, so who knows how they would "merit" heaven? But things hidden will be revealed someday!

[JudgeNot]

But things hidden will be revealed someday!

Amen, Willowbirch, AMEN!

[Palmoni]

  I would suggest that before anyone "assumes" something, or makes any "blanket" statement on THIS question of what has  a soul or doesn't, that they pick up their Strongs Concordance and look up the word SOUL & its various translations of it!! The 1st ref to animals having a soul is in Gen.1 !

[Gracey]

Ummm, well, in quoting JudgeNot I would have to think then that anything with feet qualifies:

so only humans have soles.

         

Gracey

(sorry, couldn't help myself)

Soul: latin, anima (or, that which animates)

But, the soul and spirit are not the same thing. Am I wrong, or is it the spirit (that which came from God) which "goes to heaven", not the soul?

[cris]

Ummm, well, in quoting JudgeNot I would have to think then that anything with feet qualifies:

so only humans have soles.

         

Gracey

(sorry, couldn't help myself)

Soul: latin, anima (or, that which animates)

But, the soul and spirit are not the same thing. Am I wrong, or is it the spirit (that which came from God) which "goes to heaven", not the soul?

ROFL Gracey

Tis the spirit which goes to heaven.  At times, I do think some people use the terms interchangeably though.  

Mark:16:15 "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation" (some have creatures).

I really think the above verse refers to humans, however, some people think it includes animals.   I don't think the bible tells us that God blew His breath into animals as He did Adam.  That would surely set us apart.  Oh I could on on here but I won't.

cris

[JudgeNot]

Sole soul
Sewer Sower
flee flea

I am SOOOO guilty!  

[TigerLily]

I know for sure my kitty cat is going to hell.

that my friends is the single funniest thing i think i have read tonight on the site.. gracious im quite happy i had already swollowed my food when i read that
symphony you have done it again!!! we can always depend on you  for a good laugh!!

As  for  the subject itself.. i know the bible mentions several kinds of animals like the lamb with the lion kind of things, so i dont see why there wouldnt be , I cant say whether our pets will be (unlike sym im not sure where my dog is going LOL)
God made animals for us to love and enjoy down here on earth and heaven is gonna be sooo much more beautiful and filled with wonderful things why not have animals for us to enjoy up there to!! and i totally agree PLEASE NO snakes.. *shivers* that i could NOT deal well with!! or lizards of any sort..

how cool would it be to be able to walk up to a lion or tiger and pet them like we do cats and dogs!!! or wrestle and play with a panther? id say that would be quite an awesome thing if it were to happen!
Tigerlily...