Do dogs go to heaven? (What does your religion say?)

June 2nd | Myself

[LauraleeBraswell]

What does your religion say about our beloved pets in the afterlife? Dogs? Cats? Does your pet have a soul? Do you believe they go to heaven, or simply out of existance?

And what do you tell your six year old when Fluffy the formerly lost hamster turns up dead in the hallway closet? "Fluffy doesn't exist anymore?" Is a dog different from a hamster?

What's your religion and what does it say?

[asformeandformyhouse]

Peter tells us:

1 Peter 3:20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Since there were more than eight 'creatures' on the ark and only eight humans, I would conclude that animals do not have a soul.

I tell my children that we won't need pets in heaven, but that God gave them to us to make our stay here on earth better.

[asformeandformyhouse]

So where does it say it's okay to eat steak?

It's after Noah gets off the ark.

Genesis 9:3  Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

[stormyseas]

Have you read the book of Enoch? This helped me with this same question, I questioned a lot of things before this. Enoch XXII. Sheol, or the Underworld. I loved the whole book it made so much clear for me...:)

[stormyseas]

What do you make of the fact that "zoe" and "psyche" are used interchangeably in the Gospel?

what really makes you who you are and G-d who he is...? Your mind...I could put your mind or psyche in any living thing and it would still be you :) If you don't mind my opinion....:)

[conservonator]

Are you a Seventh Day Adventist?

[Mr. Jeeves]

Orchids will get into heaven, but Brussels Sprouts are headed straight to the other place. ;)

[stormyseas]

Orchids will get into heaven, but Brussels Sprouts are headed straight to the other place. ;).....


And to this we all say YES! lol

[annalex]

First. mind is not soul. Second, man is a union of the three: soul, mind, and body. It is pointless to speculate on what happens if one of the three is separated, other than to say that only the three elements together form a personality.

[stormyseas]

First. mind is not soul. Second, man is a union of the three: soul, mind, and body. It is pointless to speculate on what happens if one of the three is separated, other than to say that only the three elements together form a personality.

Lighten up....:) I was only answering your question about psyche being used interchangeably in scripture and the meaning....... What do you make of the fact that "zoe" and "psyche" are used interchangeably in the Gospel? <<<remember

I was just giving my two cents worth...:)

Psyche
psy·che

NOUN:

1. The spirit or soul.
2. Psychiatry The mind functioning as the center of thought, emotion, and behavior and consciously or unconsciously adjusting or mediating the body's responses to the social and physical environment.

ETYMOLOGY:
Latin psch, from Greek pskh, soul; see bhes- in Indo-European roots


In the New Testament, the Greek word for "soul" is transliterated as psuche or psyche. We will use psuche. This word occurs over 100 times in the New Testament. One example is in Matthew 16:26: "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul [psuche]? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (King James Version). In this case, the NIV retains the use of the word "soul."

We know that nephesh and psuche are equivalent or carry essentially the same meanings because the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Septuagint, uses the Greek word to render the Hebrew term. It’s also interesting to note that the King James Version almost always uses the word "soul" to render both the Hebrew nephesh and Greek psuche. Modern translations use a variety of English words and idioms that more precisely express the meaning of these biblical words in their specific contexts. We saw that in the example of Genesis 2:7, in which the NIV translated nephesh as "a living being."

For the above reason, to get the best sense of the meaning of "soul" as used in Scripture, and to see where the Hebrew nephesh and Greek psuche appear, it is recommended that the reader first read the citations in the King James Version. This article generally quotes from the New International Version.

Let’s begin by seeing how the Old Testament uses the word nephesh, or "soul." A human being becomes alive (that is, "a living being" or "soul") only when the "breath of God" is breathed into him (Genesis 2:7). Nephesh can be applied to animals as well as human beings, and thus, either are "souls" (Genesis 1:20, 24, 30; Ezekiel 47:9). This simply means that animals, as well as humans, are living beings or creatures.

The death or disappearance of the "soul" is described as the breath ceasing from an individual (Genesis 35:18). The "soul," then, is seen as the life possessing quality of humans and animals, and it is that which makes them living beings. In modern terms, we could say the "soul" or nephesh is the life-principle, or simply, life. Put in an existential context the nephesh is the self or person. In this way, the word can even refer to a "dead self" – a dead body (Leviticus 19:28; Numbers 6:6 Haggai 2:13). Usually, however, the nephesh is said to "depart" at death (Genesis 35:18). But this is a reference to life itself ceasing. Nephesh is not used for anything like the "spirit" of the dead, and this is important to note in any discussion about any supposed transcendental nature of "soul." Quite simply put, when the Hebrew word for "soul" is used, nothing more than the person as such – as human being – is meant.

The nephesh is said to be the seat of spiritual as well as physical needs and cravings, including one’s need for God’s presence (Psalm 42:1; 63:1; 84:2; 119:20). It is the state of consciousness itself. In this connection, nephesh can be used in a general sense to stand for the seat of emotions and experiences. The "soul" can be sad, grieved, weep, rejoice, bless the Lord, be distressed, be anxious and troubled, hate and love (Genesis 42:21; Deuteronomy 28:65; 1 Samuel 18:1; Job 30:25; Psalm 6:3; 35:9; 103:1; Jeremiah 13:17). (Interestingly, the Psalmist even speaks, in Psalm 11:5, of God’s "soul" as hating wickedness.) It is associated with will as well as moral and spiritual action (Genesis 49:6; Numbers 15:27). Nephesh can stand for the full range of human needs, desires and feelings, including thought, memory and consciousness (Lamentations 3:20).

The "soul" is integral to life itself. Thus, there is a relationship between blood and the nephesh. Deuteronomy 12:23 states that "the blood is the life [nephesh]." The "soul," then, depends on blood for its physical existence.

The "soul," that is, the person, can die (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). Here it is said that the "soul" who sins will die. We shouldn’t make too much of this, as all this verse is saying is the obvious – a person, in this case a sinning person, will die. "Soul" is simply another word for "person," and persons die (Numbers 35:11, 15). In this physical sense, the soul can be taken by God (Job 27:8) or be forfeited by a person (Habakkuk 2:10).

The "soul" can also be the object of salvation and redemption (Psalm 116:4; 2 Samuel 4:9). It can even be saved from Sheol, or the state or situation of death (Psalm 86:13).

The death of the nephesh, then, results in the loss of personhood. But the soul is not something we possess as such as though the person existed as a person outside of the "soul." The "soul" is the person. The "soul" is what each person is as a human being. In fact, some modern translations often translate nephesh as "person," as does the King James Version on occasion (1 Samuel 22:22).

The Old Testament, however, says nothing about any pre-existence or "immortality" of the nephesh, or soul. Also, we are not informed in any specific sense in the Old Testament about what happens to a person (the "soul") who dies after his or her death. That’s because the word nephesh simply stands for the living person as human being in this life.

Of course, in the Old Testament the dead are said to go to sheol, which is the grave, the underworld or the state of the dead (Psalm 86:13). This reflects the ancient Near Eastern idea that the dead existed in an undefined subterranean realm. But this idea only reflects an ancient way of thinking about what happens at death in terms of a "place" for the deceased. It doesn’t inform us about what really happens to the "soul" (person) at death, or if anything "happens" to him or her.

"Soul" in the New Testament

Let us now turn to the use of "soul" (psuche) in the New Testament. We have already noted that this word is equivalent to the Old Testament nephesh. Whatever was said about the "soul" by the Old Testament word nephesh can generally apply to psuche.

Psuche denotes one’s inner life or actual personhood. God, who has created the "soul," can also destroy it. Jesus said: "Be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). Here, Jesus differentiated between the "soul" and the body. "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul," he said (verse 28). His words indicate that while the body is corrupted at death, the "soul" continues on, though both "soul" and body can end in soul-destroying hell.

Jesus also said: "Whoever wants to save his life [psuche] will lose it, but whoever loses his life [psuche] for me will find it" (Mathew 16:25). This is presumably speaking in metaphorical terms. While one can literally lose one’s life or "soul" as a martyr, Jesus is referring to "losing" one’s life in service to him. In related terms, the apostle Paul speaks of Christians as being willing to offer their bodies as "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1). Paul uses the Greek word soma, which is "body." But he obviously means that the self as a complete person is to be a living sacrifice.

Still, further, Jesus said, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life [psuche] as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). Thus, Jesus’ as "soul" or person died to pay for our sins. To play out the point, this verse implies that the "soul" can be given up in death.

Thus, while Matthew 10:28 seems to differentiate the "soul" from the body, and implies that the former cannot be killed by humans, yet paradoxically the same writer says that "soul" can be killed (Matthew 2:20). Matthew 20:28, in essence, implies that Jesus’ "soul" was killed by men at the crucifixion. As well, one can "lose" one’s "soul," and in doing so can find Jesus. Clearly, the word psuche is used in various contexts, and it is difficult to draw any final conclusions as to what "it" (the "soul") might be in any transcendental sense.

Notice some of these contexts. Souls can also be purified by the truth (1 Peter 1:22). They can be strengthened by ministry (Acts 14:22). Hope in God’s covenant promises provides Christians with an "anchor for the soul" (Hebrews 6:19). Souls are to be entrusted to God (1 Peter 4:19). Those who endure suffering without a loss of faith will "keep their souls" (Hebrews 10:39). But, the "soul" (person) can die, by drowning, for example (Acts 27:22).

In certain places, it appears that psuche stands for more than physical life that ceases at death. Jesus said, "The man who loves his life [psuche] will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:25). The apostle John sees, in vision, "the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained" (Revelation 6:9). Of course, we should be careful not to make too much of this usage, since Revelation is a highly symbolic book.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Paul says: "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul [psuche] and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul’s use of "soul," "spirit" and "body" in the same sentence has caused much debate over the meaning and significance of these words. In recent times, most scholars have come to view these terms as being differing aspects of one reality, which is personhood.

Paul’s use of "soul," "spirit," and "body" is taking note of one single human reality, but breaking it up into three component parts, which is to state the obvious. It is a way of perceiving the totality of human life. Psuche, however, we might want to further define it, is an important part of this oneness of life. If we then look at Hebrews 4:12, where the word of God is said to penetrate so deeply that it divides "soul and spirit," we see that psuche simply means that the word of God (who is, ultimately, Jesus himself) probes the deepest parts of our personhood, or human self.

[Romulus]

It would seem that, if being reunited with a beloved pet contributes to one's eternal happiness

Sinky, this is what purgatory is for: to help us let go of attachments that compete with God. I'll grant you this much, that our pets will live in our hearts, and that being more alive in heaven than we'll ever be in this life, their life in our hearts will be part of this.

[annalex]

Thank you. Sorry if my brevity came across as rude.

This is my conclusion too, that the Gospel texts simply cannot be taken as a literal manual on the distinctions between soul and body, or soul and life. What we learn about the human composition, we learn from context and speculative theology.

[stormyseas]

nope not rude at all...:) I knew we were saying the same thing....:)...that's why I said lighten up (meaning hold tight a sec) didn't want you to assume I was saying something different than i was.....lol...thanks though..:)If you haven't read the book of Enoch, it is a wonderful way to see things better. Some don't read them, but I do. Especially Enoch's Journeys Through Earth and Sheol chapter XXII....is a good one it answered my questions about what happens when we die. http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/boe/index.htm I don't know, you have probably read it. The watchers is my favorite though...:)

[Tantumergo]

"Do dogs go to heaven?"

Oh God, I hope not!!!

[Nowhere Man]

Well, I come from the school of thought where life is made up of energy, in our case, the soul which is our thoughts, experiences, etc. I do believe animals also have them although American Indians refer to them as "spirits." So yes, I do believe our pets are up there. I'm convinced that I'll see my dogs Ruff and Pup again as well as my cats Cricket and Muffin. There is a poem called "Rainbow Bridge" that refers to pets being up there who play and romp with each other just waiting for their owners. I know in Muffin's case, she is with my aunt again since she is the one who gave her to us.

I'm reminded of an old Twilight Zone episode where a man passed on while hunting and he along with his dog came to the gate. He assumed it was the gate to Heaven and the guy manning he gate said the dog could not come in. The man refused because he wanted his dog to spend all eternity with him. He came along another area and another man came up to greet him and he asked if he could take his dog there with him. The man said, his dog was welcome and he could hunt and fish all he wanted and soon he will be with his wife again. He then added, this is Heaven and the first guy is just there as trick to get more people into Hell.

I know myself, I do have faith in God and I know He would have our missing pets up there with us out of the kindness of His heart. I can't imagine spending eternity without my beloved pets either alongside my family.

[Nowhere Man]

What about Aliens? Is Alf going to be there? the evil aliens from Aliens? Predator?? Yeesh I hope not. Did Jesus go to different planets? How did the alien from Aliens go from bursting out of someone's chest to being twice the size of a normal human in the space of a couple of hours???? Who knows.

Here's one to ponder for ya. How about if we keep building computers and later, robots and they somehow achieve sentience. Will they have souls when they achieve this despite being artificially made? Reminds me of another science fiction story, this time, from "The Outer Limits" (1963 episode) where a scientist builds a robot and later on, the scientist died as a shelf falls on him but the robot is accused and is sentenced to be deactivated. Well, they requect a jury trial to determine if the robot is a sentient being, basically he loses and they take him to be deactivated and in the end, he sees a little girl about to be hit by a truck, he pushes her out of the way and the truck "kills" him.

I remember one time, I was talking this over with my buddies and he quipped, "it would be cool if I was reincarnated as "Bender" (the robot) from "Futurama." I had one of the funniest laughs at that.

[annalex]

Never read Enoch (it is not canonical). One day I will, but right now I have other writings on my list first.

[stormyseas]

I know, but consider it, neither is the Apocrypha, but they were once, why they are not now was not a decision made by me, in fact most theologians read them completely and accept them. The dead sea scrolls are just now being well translated, they were not found until 1947. It might take some years to canonize them....:) I am not waiting. They have opened my eyes to a lot of confusion I had. Catholic priest read them...:) My pentecostal Grandfather did also...:)Anyway they are enjoyable...:) [Gr.,=hidden things], term signifying a collection of early Jewish writings excluded from the canon of the Hebrew scriptures. It is not clear why the term was chosen. The Apocrypha include the following books and parts of books: First and Second Esdras; Tobit; Judith; the Additions to Esther; Wisdom of Solomon; Sirach (also called Ecclesiasticus); Baruch; the Letter of Jeremiah (in Baruch); parts of Daniel (the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men; see also Bel and the Dragon and Susanna 1); First and Second Maccabees; the Prayer of Manasses (see Manasseh). All are included in the Septuagint, with the exception of 2 Esdras=4 Ezra. However, they were not included in the Hebrew canon (ratified c. 100). In 1566 the collection was deemed "deutero-canonical" by the Roman Catholic Church, meaning that their canonicity was recognized only after a period of time. Protestants follow Jewish tradition in regarding all these books as non-canonical. Jewish and Christian works resembling biblical books, but not included among the Apocrypha, are collected in the Pseudepigrapha. The term Apocrypha is sometimes applied to early Christian writings that were once considered canonical by some but are not in the New Testament.

[annalex]

I am Catholic and recognize deuterocanonical books as inspired. Enoch is not part of the Catholic Canon. Which is not, of course, a reason not to read it. I chose to mention that the book is not canonical so that those who never heard of it not panic.

[jo kus]

"What do you make of the fact that "zoe" and "psyche" are used interchangeably in the Gospel?"

I am not a Greek scholar. However, we know that "the breath of life" or "the soul" has different meanings in Scripture, depending on the context.

a) it means the natural life of the body, such as Mat 2:20.
b) the immaterial, invisible part of man, such as Mat 10:28.
c) the seat of personality, Luke 9:24
d) the seat of the sentinent element in man, that by which he perceives, reflects, feels, desires, such as Mat 11:29.
e) the seat of will and purpose, such as Mat 22:37.
f) the seat of appetite or desire, such as Rev 18:14.
g) the "inward man", the seat of the new life, such as Luke 21:19.

As can be seen, there is some flexibility with body, soul, and spirit. According to my expository dictionary, "pneuma (spirit) and psyche (soul) can only be distinguished, while soma (body) and pneuma can be separated."

In the above definitions, you will note that some refer soul to an animate creature, while the latter ones can only refer to men (and women). The Church has taught that the spirit and the soul can be used interchangeably. It is the seat of intellect and the will. It is spiritual and has no parts, so is indestructible. It remains alive after the body dies. Animals do not have a "seat of intellect and the will", only a body. Thus, there remains nothing of the dog after it dies. Now whether God, in the recapitulation of the world, restores life to other creation at the end of time, that remains to be seen. But animals do not possess a pneuma/psyche.

Regards

[jo kus]

"Have you read the book of Enoch?"

No, I haven't. I would like to read the extra-canonical books written by the Jews, but it is a bit further down the list of things to read!

One must be careful when reading non-canonical books SOLELY to come to a judgment on theology. I will defer to the Church on such matters, being that it is divinely instituted for US to KNOW what is the truth.

Regards