Posted on 05/18/2011 2:31:49 PM PDT by Salvation
Pets in Heaven? A question that comes up frequently is whether people will see their pets in heaven. Now the Catechism of the Catholic Church does not directly address this question. But it does hold principles which lead us in the direction of an answer. One principle is that all living things have a soul. Here soul is defined as what makes an organic body live. Now when any living thing dies, its soul is separated from its body. In the case of plants and animals the soul goes out of existence. But in the case of man, the soul remains in existence because it is a spiritual or immaterial thing. Consequently, it differs from the souls of animals in two important respects. First, it is the seat of intelligence or reason. For this reason a man is held responsible for his actions in a way that animals are not. Secondly, the soul is immortal. A thing which has no physical parts cannot fall apart or be poisoned or be crushed or be put out of existence. For this reason the souls of the saved will always be aware of themselves as enjoying the vision of God for all eternity. This enjoyment will be the result of having chosen to act on earth in such a way that one did the will of God rather than one's own will. And the souls of the damned will be aware of themselves as never attaining this vision of God because they have shown by their lives on earth that they did not wish this vision but instead preferred their own will. In the light of this essential difference between human beings and animals, it would seem that we would not see the souls of our pets in heaven for the simple reason that they do not have immortal souls and are not responsible for their actions. They do not have the intelligence which allows them to choose either God's will or their own will. There is, then, an incomparable distance, say, between the soul of the sorriest human being who ever lived and the most noble brute animal that ever walked the earth. Now a child might be heartbroken at the thought that he will never see his pet again. He cannot yet understand this explanation about the difference between the human and the animal soul. I suppose that one could tell the child that when he hopefully gets to heaven, he could ask God to see his old pets if he still wished to. There would be no harm in that. For we know that when a person finally sees God, he will not be concerned with seeing old pets or favorite places but rather will be captured in the complete fulfillment of the joy of which old pets and favorite places are but little signs. We adults know that, even if the child does not. For more information on how the Church sees animals in the lives of human beings, check the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2415-2418. You will learn, for example, that the Church, while it condemns cruelty to animals as an offense against the dignity of man, allow experiments on animals if done in a reasonable way. Again, you will learn of the tremendous difference that the Church sees between the lowliest of human beings and the most noble of the animals. It will allow animals to be used for food or clothing, but will defend the right of an innocent human being to live against Kings and Nations. The Church will demand that animals be respected as part of creation while at the same time insisting that the dignity owed a human being should never be given to an animal.
cats wont go to heaven,,all cats are evil
No, lol, Holy Rosary. :)
God created the animals and gave them to us.
Why would he take them away in Heaven?
God created the animals and gave them to us.
Why would He take them away in Heaven?
See post 85.
meaning what? no internet in heaven ? say it aint so.
seriously wouldnt it be cool if people in heaven could send e mails to us? think what that would mean.
Amen! And you know what dog spelled backwards is!
Oh boy, talk about this on FR (or maybe elsewhere too) and you get just about flayed alive by those who love their pets.
Sorry my FRiends, to say that Jesus died to save the soul of your pet really, really cheapens the gospel.
It is mankind that’s made in God’s image, mankind that fell, mankind that got redeemed by Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
Pets are not getting resurrected. I know you love them. They are “good.” God loves His creation. But they don’t get “saved.”
God doesn’t make mistakes. What He is does is right. Trust Him.
Best episode ever of Twilight Zone.
I love my dogs. But will unclean animals be in Heaven? If even the memory of the unsaved will be erased, why couldn’t the memories of our pets also be erased? Then we could not mourn their loss as we enjoy Heaven’s bounty.
I just don’t know.
In the 7th Chapter of Mark there is a story that illustrates that we should be persistent in prayer.
In this story, Jesus tells a woman that even the dogs get to eat the crumbs from the master’s children’s table.
This indicates that the dogs were a “pet” of some sort, and that they got at least some kind of a little blessing by hanging around the children’s table. (The kids were more likely to drop crumbs, I guess).
In a different chapter, we are told that unless we BECOME like little children, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Perhaps these Scriptures are not related to one another. But on the other hand, would it be a stretch to posit that, in childlike faith, we offer to share our blessings with our beloved pets?
Anyway...just my two cents.
I dont want to believe that
our memories will be erased?so God makes us all mindless zombies? Im not sure I like that,,,can I go wherever my dog goes instead?
Maybe a difficult question, but off the charts adorable!
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I don't know what He will want for us, but I see His creation here. :)
I am so sorry for your loss.
There are two questions really.
1) Will there be animals in Heaven and on the New Earth?
YES. The Bible speaks of it in several passages of creatures both known and unknown. The Lion will lie down with the lamb is one that comes to mind. The Bible is clear that God valued creatures he formed with his own hands and called them “very good,” indicating that their existence pleased him. You will not find any evidence in the Bible that they will not continue to please him through the millennium and beyond. Lions, lambs, cats, dogs, horses, , and his most special Creation, Us.
Where did all these Heavenly Creatures come from? He Created them of course. He is God.
2) What about out Earthly Pets? Will they be in Heaven?
My Answer to that is WHY NOT? Not earned through the Salvation of the soul, but because it is easily within Gods power to re-create the same beloved pet you lost on Earth. Heaven will not lack one thing that will bring his children pleasure if it pleases him as well, and brings Glory to him. So if you are still stuck on the argument that when Fido is dead, he is dead, then you really don’t understand His true creative Power, and his love and compassion for us his children.
No matter though what side of the argument you are on, the reckless and callous flavor of some of the post on these animal afterlife threads, I find disturbing. There is no reason to purposely and maliciously cause those in pain of losing a pet to suffer more.
She’s beautiful. Bless you, FRiend.
Thank you. I’m still pretty broken up about it.
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