Posted on 12/12/2014 4:16:12 PM PST by FR_addict
We've all heard the expression "all dogs go to heaven." On Wednesday, the spiritual leader of 1.2 billion people around the world gave it his imprimatur.
During his weekly address in the Vatican on Wednesday, Pope Francis was consoling a little boy who had recently lost his dog, assuring the boy that he and his furry friend would reunite in heaven.
“One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God’s creatures,” the pontiff said, according to Italian news sources.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.com ...
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” - Will Rogers
Clearly matches my feelings. The better I know people the more respect I have for my dogs.
This!
He should have said cats. Then they’d agree.
What’s the dog going to think about the human he loves the most burning in eternal torment, since that is where most human beings end up?
Dogs do go to church.
In Italy, a distraught German Shepherd mourning its master would show up regularly in the church.
She seemed to be waiting for someone and every one was moved by her sad grief to look after her well-being.
Dogs are so loyal they will wait for a deceased master for years on end. In Japan, the story of Hachi is famous.
I believe yes, such devoted friendship deserves an eternal reward.
Bacteria and viruses don’t have much biblical support for having souls.
Same as everyone else... “you did it to yourself, buster”
He doesn’t actually say that all dogs go to heaven. He says that Heaven is “open to all God’s creatures” and that we will see our friends again there.
That’s not a firm article of faith, but it’s a pretty reasonable conclusion to draw. Several books have been written about this in recent years, and the arguments are plausible.
The higher animals have souls.
No one ever claimed a bacteria or virus possesses something like feelings or awareness of its surroundings.
My Great Dane lost her best doggy friend last week. Her grief was as real and profound as any human. I had to take her to the shelter to find a new friend. She put a lot of thought into the process. It was amazing to watch her audition each dog.
The creation account refers to human souls and animal spirits with the same Hebrew word. Take it for whatever it’s worth.
There is a spiritual price to pay for consuming the flesh of innocent, meek and defenseless animals - dogs, cats, cows pigs, fish, chickens -
Not going to be a popular thing to say in many places but I believe it nonetheless.
I think the CCC says animals don’t have the same kind of soul as humans, but when we go to heaven, we will have the benefit of creatures (creature comforts). Why not our pets? I think that if God loves us and we love God, and we love our pets, then God in his infinite mercy will let us have our beloved pets in heaven. No pain, no suffering, no poop.
Doesn’t The Bible say Jesus will return riding a white horse? If there are horses in Heaven it stands to reason there will be dogs.
God allocated animals to the use of humans. This isn’t some blasphemy on the creation. Why would the Lamb of God be called such? Why would Jesus have talked about the fatted calf?
Don’t be concerned about popular, be concerned about theologically correct.
Not to mention all the insects I have murdered (mosquitoes, flies, etc) over the years ... don’t know if I want to share eternity with them. ;-)
They’d forgive you :-)
Yep!
You were saying . . .
I remember seeing a Twilight Zone or One Step Beyond on retro-TV about this dog that could sense when Satan was near or something like that ... old guy was sitting at a fork in the road and Satan acting like some sort of benefactor kept trying to get the guy to take the right fork, the dog kept wanting to go on the left one ... towards Heaven .... anyway, my Roxie is going with me ....
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