Will You See Your Pet in Heaven?

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church ^ | Larry Wilson

[Gamecock]

GRPL Apologetics Ping

[HarleyD]

For one thing, the Bible teaches that animals aren't guilty of sin.

Hmmmm...I heard a message by Sproul not long ago in which he stated that he believed that animals are, in fact, capable of sinning. To support this premise he pointed to some Old Testament passages in which if, say, an oxen was to gorge a person to death that oxen was to be put to death. He equated this with judgment being brought upon an animal for his sin. I thought this was rather interesting.

Also, FTD had an excellent verse from Ecclesiastes about animals to the ground. This leaves the impression that animals do not go to heaven. I can't find it at the moment and I'm heading out the door. I'll look for it during my Sunday School lesson. :O)

[Gamecock]

The whole point here is that I've heard so many pet owners say "if my dog isn't in heaven, I don't want th go there either.

Like the article says: You definitely will not see your pet in heaven unless you go there yourself! Are you going to heaven? That's the real question!

[BibChr]

I would like to think beloved pets would be in Heaven, but so far most arguments I've seen in favor are sheer sentimentalism at best. This essay is an exception, but it falls well short of proof. Ecclesiastes 3:21 seems to go the other way: "Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?"

The most troubling statement I've seen -- and I've seen it more than once -- goes like this: "If Fido isn't in Heaven, then I don't want to go there."

Of course, if the most appealing thing about Heaven is the prospect of meeting an animal (or, for that matter, any other mere human being) there, I'm afraid it's a safe bet that the speaker needn't worry about being there.

Dan
Biblical Christianity BLOG
Pyromaniacs

[BibChr]

Whoa. Tag.

[BibChr]

Okay, fine -- so while I was writing my post, you and Gamecock said the exact same thing!

[Lee N. Field]

One of those things we don't really need to know.

In one of the Diskworld books Terry Pratchett ran the numbers (Heaven as the big cube described in Revelation) and (after allowing for heavenly hosts, essential services and a vast crowd of humanity) concluded that there was room for pets.

[baltodog]

Think of your best day...

Everything went RIGHT...nothing went wrong.

You went to bed thinking, "What a great day."

Now, multiply by infinity...that's heaven.

Coney, Rudy, Hobie, Bandit, and, of course, Balto, will see me there.

...and this time, they'll bring the Frisbee back to me so I can throw it again!

[Bringbackthedraft]

Butch, you attacked everyone that came in the door. I still carry the scars. Had you not died I would have killed you myself. God please keep Butch away from heaven, he was the dog from Hell.

[ReformedBeckite]

Its seems like a long time ago I saw something on the Internet that scientists had proved that animals will lie to you. If I remember right they proved that monkeys will get into stuff while you are gone just like kids will get into stuff and then lie to you about it. They video taped the whole thing.

[starfish923]

OF COURSE, there are pets in heaven.

That DOES NOT include Jack Russels, though. They ARE hell-born creatures, pets of Lucifer, familiars of the demons.

[Tax-chick]

an ox were to gore a person to death, that ox was to be put to death

Couldn't that simply be a practical matter of eliminating a dangerous animal?

The notion that the ox has sinned in this situation implies that it has the capacity to choose disobedience to God's commandments, which is an odd take for a theologian who (iirc) doesn't even believe that humans have free will.

[amihow]

Make that Cairn Terriers, the most obnoxious dog I have ever owned.

[HarleyD]

Couldn't that simply be a practical matter of eliminating a dangerous animal?

That's a good question. I have never heard sin used in relationship to an animal. I'm not sure I buy into the notion and am more incline to agree with you.

And, btw, Calvinist believe we have a will. That will is not free until the Son sets it free. But that's another discussion.

[HarleyD]

Ecclesiastes 3:21

Ah, that was the verse I was looking for.

The question one has to ask is could an endearing pet go to hell while you go to heaven? If you got to heaven and found out that Fido isn't there, would you be disappointed that you didn't spend more time sharing the Four Spiritual Laws with him?

[Ditter]

Oh dear, you poor thing, you haven't met any of the right Jack Russels. I have had 8 of them and only one was NOT an Angel dog.

[Gamecock]

which is an odd take for a theologian who (iirc) doesn't even believe that humans have free will.

Calvinists are all about free will!

[Tax-chick]

Things that make you go hmmmmm.