Do all animals go to Heaven?

[Saint Frankenstein]

There are others who were raised Catholic that had similar experiences to mine...

"I learned Catholic doctrine taught that animals (even dogs) did not have souls and therefore did not go to heaven. (I also learned from a high school English teacher that animals are never to be referred to as “he or she,” a fact which horrified me)."

A heaven for all
______________________________

Popes go back and forth on the topic, and while none have come out and stated that animals go to heaven (Pope Francis came the closest), there have been those that stated they do not.

"Pope Pius IX is among the first of the popes to fully address the issue of animals going to heaven, though not favorably. He said that heaven is a place reserved for those with souls and a conscience, which animals don’t have. He is even reported to have opposed the founding of an animal anticruelty society in Rome in the 19th century “on the ground that to grant permission would imply that human beings have duties to the lower creatures,” says Peter Singer, an Australian philosopher who writes about animal rights."

Do dogs go to heaven?

"Pope Benedict XVI said God only gives access to heaven to humans."

A heaven for all
______________________________

Even this article states that Catholicism teaches animals cannot experience heaven...

"In order to answer the question we must first define heaven. According to the Catechism, heaven is a “state of supreme, definitive happiness” that involves a perfect “communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed” (CCC 1024).

This definitive state of human happiness and communion of life and love presupposes the powers of rational knowledge and love, which animals do not have. Therefore, no non-human animal would be able to experience “heaven” as defined."

Do Pets Go to Heaven? | Catholic Answers

Well, I think that's all bull**** and I never agreed with that crap when I was Catholic, myself.

Bizarrely, I see them arguing that the non-human animal's consciousness is generated in their brain and ceases to exist after death. I can see that opening the doors to just claiming the same for humans, as physicalists already do. That makes zero sense to me because their brains are much the same as ours, basically, so surely their consciousness comes about much the same as ours. You can't specially plead the case for humans having an eternal soul but non-human animal are just biological robots or cease to exist after death, when humans are, biologically, animals, as well.

 

[Deeje]

If a god creates all live including all animals (humans being one of those animals) and also has a heaven to go to, do all animals (and plants for that matter) go to heaven? I know many people who have pets that believe they have souls and believe that they will meet their pets in heaven.

When people base their ideas on a wrong premise, it never ceases to amaze me when questions like this are asked.
Material beings were designed to live in a material realm. Is that so hard to understand?

Earth was meant to be the permanent home for all material beings that are designed to live here. For animals, there is a life cycle of birth and death and reproduction...but for humans there was originally no natural cause of death. We were not created like the animals, but made in the image of our Creator.

He enjoys never ending life and programmed us for everlasting life as well. Death is foreign to us, but it is readily accepted by animals as part of their existence. King Solomon lamented that man's fall into sin took us down to the level of animals. (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20) With his limited knowledge of God's purpose at the time, he found it inexplicable.

Animals are "souls" just like we are. Since religion has a very different definition of the "soul" to the one God spoke of in Genesis, they have turned it into some invisible part of living beings that departs from the body at death to exist in some invisible realm. But nowhere does the Bible teach such a thing. No human was ever supposed to go to heaven. If you read Genesis, Adam was not "given" a "soul" but "became" one when God started him breathing. A soul, either animals or human, is a living, breathing material creature. It never meant a disembodied spirit.

What humans lost in Eden (everlasting life in paradise conditions on earth) is what God will reinstate when his rulership is brought back to redeemed humanity. We were taught to pray for this "kingdom" to "come".....Soon we hope.

The relative "few" chosen to rule in Christ in heaven will leave this planet, being given spiritual bodies to facilitate life outside of earth's atmosphere, but these will have earthly subjects, according to the Bible. (Revelation 21:2-4) Humans and all material creatures are designed for life on earth....and the earth was designed to sustain that life.

Many animals were given to us as companions. Animals of all kinds have been seen to be companionable...even the ones we thought never could co-exist together in peace. (Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 65:20-25)

This is what I look forward to.

 

[Dave Watchman]

I asked a nun if animals went to heaven like humans do, because while humans had to offer an act of contrition in order to earn a place in heaven, I had never seen an animal commit a sin. I was given a resounding no by the nun as after a brief heated debate, I was asked to remove myself from the classroom.

I'm not surprised. I see similar reactions from other religious people. The Bible is about mankind's salvation, not about the animals. Mankind brought the curse of sin, not the animals. Religious people know that all humans are not going to make it to heaven. The gate is narrow and few will find it. So they've got enough to worry about figuring out how to get people into heaven, they don't want to be sidetracked worrying about our pets.

There are others who were raised Catholic that had similar experiences to mine...

"I learned Catholic doctrine taught that animals (even dogs) did not have souls and therefore did not go to heaven. (I also learned from a high school English teacher that animals are never to be referred to as “he or she,” a fact which horrified me)."

Who knows what's going on. Those guys don't know what's going on. We don't have a soul, we ARE a soul. God breathed into the man's nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul. That word used for soul is "nephesh. It means living creature and is also used in describing the animals. It also says in Ezekiel that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

"All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” - Ecclesiastes 3:20-21
​

But did you catch that? The spirit of the animal? The animal has a spirit.

"Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" - Revelation 5:13​

Peaceful Sabbath.

 

[lostwanderingsoul]

You would think that if people want the truth they would go to the Bible. And the Bible teaches that no one
(animals or humans ) goes to Heaven. Heaven is for God and the angels and the earth is for humans and animals. But no one wants to believe it.

 

[SalixIncendium]

You would think that if people want the truth they would go to the Bible.

I most certainly would not think that.

 

[Milton Platt]

I didn't realize people actually believed that.
I guess that's probably because they are taught that earth is a temporary "testing ground" and if they pass the test, the get a "Get to Heaven" card. If they fail, it's a "Go Straight to Hell" card.
So earth is really a bad place according to some religions.

According to the Bible though, the earth was made to be inhabited by fleshly creatures - both man and beast, and the trees and vegetation was to serves as a delight to their eyes, and taste-buds... and stomach.

Actually, the earth has what sustains us physically. The heavenly beings do not need to eat, breath oxygen, nor sleep. There is no milk and honey there, and no plants or animals - according to the Bible.

God did not even intend for man to go to heaven.
Some get that opportunity because they have been chosen for a special assignment - to be kings and priest with Christ - heirs of his kingdom/government.

They will rule and serve millions who will live in paradise on earth with all the animals, and they will do no harm nor cause any ruin.
Why God Created The Earth.

We can enjoy our pet dog right here, when earth becomes a paradise.

Genesis 1:28; Psalm 37:9-11, 29; 115:16; Isaiah 11:6-9; 33:24; 45:18; 65:17-25; Matthew 6:9, 10; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27, 39-50; Romans 8:18-25; Ephesians 1:10; Revelation 5:9, 10; 7:4-10; 14:1-5; 21:1-5

If a god creates all live including all animals (humans being one of those animals) and also has a heaven to go to, do all animals (and plants for that matter) go to heaven? I know many people who have pets that believe they have souls and believe that they will meet their pets in heaven.

interesting. So if all animals go to heaven, then it would be infested with flies, fleas, ticks, tape worms, etc?

 

[Bear Wild]

interesting. So if all animals go to heaven, then it would be infested with flies, fleas, ticks, tape worms, etc?

Interesting question but where do you draw the line in which goes to heaven and which does not?

 

[Bear Wild]

When people base their ideas on a wrong premise, it never ceases to amaze me when questions like this are asked.
Material beings were designed to live in a material realm. Is that so hard to understand?

Earth was meant to be the permanent home for all material beings that are designed to live here. For animals, there is a life cycle of birth and death and reproduction...but for humans there was originally no natural cause of death. We were not created like the animals, but made in the image of our Creator.

He enjoys never ending life and programmed us for everlasting life as well. Death is foreign to us, but it is readily accepted by animals as part of their existence. King Solomon lamented that man's fall into sin took us down to the level of animals. (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20) With his limited knowledge of God's purpose at the time, he found it inexplicable.

Animals are "souls" just like we are. Since religion has a very different definition of the "soul" to the one God spoke of in Genesis, they have turned it into some invisible part of living beings that departs from the body at death to exist in some invisible realm. But nowhere does the Bible teach such a thing. No human was ever supposed to go to heaven. If you read Genesis, Adam was not "given" a "soul" but "became" one when God started him breathing. A soul, either animals or human, is a living, breathing material creature. It never meant a disembodied spirit.

What humans lost in Eden (everlasting life in paradise conditions on earth) is what God will reinstate when his rulership is brought back to redeemed humanity. We were taught to pray for this "kingdom" to "come".....Soon we hope.

The relative "few" chosen to rule in Christ in heaven will leave this planet, being given spiritual bodies to facilitate life outside of earth's atmosphere, but these will have earthly subjects, according to the Bible. (Revelation 21:2-4) Humans and all material creatures are designed for life on earth....and the earth was designed to sustain that life.

Many animals were given to us as companions. Animals of all kinds have been seen to be companionable...even the ones we thought never could co-exist together in peace. (Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 65:20-25)

This is what I look forward to.

But humans were made the same way animals were made. It is called evolution but it never ceases to amaze me that some people forget this.

 

[Bear Wild]

This is the very subject that inexorably led me away from religion.

As early as I can remember, I've felt a closeness to animals.

Being raised in a Catholic household, I spent Sunday mornings in CCD.

One day, the class was discussing heaven and sin. I asked a nun if animals went to heaven like humans do, because while humans had to offer an act of contrition in order to earn a place in heaven, I had never seen an animal commit a sin. I was given a resounding no by the nun as after a brief heated debate, I was asked to remove myself from the classroom.

I was offered the same answer to whether or not animals go to heaven by any member of the clergy I spoke to. Since this was the consensus in the Church and not at all my view, the became the first step in my eventual departure from Catholicism.

Had a similar reaction in the protestant religion which finally made me realized it was missing most of the rest of the world with every sermon. I once enjoyed the conflict of two churches billboards one saying only humans to heaven and the other one saying you will meet your pets in heaven. I expressed the opinion once that it always seemed to me that a god that created the life on the world would love all life. It did not go over so well and realized how superficial the attitude was.

 

[Stevicus]

I had never seen an animal commit a sin.

I guess it would depend on what would be considered a "sin" for an animal, and whether there are any commandments to cover it.

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's dog's chew toy."
"Thou shalt not pee on thy human's rug."
"Thou shalt not bite thy mailman."

And of course, in the Book of Snoopy, chapter 3, verses 4 through 22, there are specific commandments regarding conduct towards the cat next door.

 

[RedhorseWoman]

This is something we can never know for sure, but we can hope. I read an interesting book that related experiences people have had with animals that had died. It's something that can make you go...hmmmm. The book is "Tails From the Afterlife."

 

[Axe Elf]

So heaven will by nothing but humans without any other forms of life?

That's correct.

So you can look into the minds of animals and see they do not have any soul?

Can you look into the minds of humans and see that they do? What a ridiculous response.

More relevantly, I can't look into any sacred text and see where it says that God created animals in His own triune image.

Experience with animals seems to refute that.

Experience with animals leads you to believe that you CAN look into their minds and see their souls?

Anecdotal evidence notwithstanding...

 

[Deeje]

We don't have a soul, we ARE a soul. God breathed into the man's nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul. That word used for soul is "nephesh. It means living creature and is also used in describing the animals. It also says in Ezekiel that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

"All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” - Ecclesiastes 3:20-21
But did you catch that? The spirit of the animal? The animal has a spirit.

Can I ask what you believe this "spirit" to be?

In the original languages of the Bible, "spirit", (the Hebrew word ruʹach and the Greek word pneuʹma), have a number of meanings. All of them refer to that which is invisible to human sight and gives evidence of force in motion.

The Hebrew and Greek words are used with reference to (1) wind, (2) the active life-force in earthly creatures, (3) the impelling force that issues from a person’s figurative heart and causes him to say and do things in a certain way, (4) inspired expressions originating from an invisible source, (5) spirit persons, and (6) God’s active force, or holy spirit.. (Exodus 35:21; Psalm 104:29; Matthew 12:43; Luke 11:13)

You can see from the Greek word pneuma, that we have words in English that incorporate it....like "pneumonia" or "pneumatic"....pertaining to air or breath.
Animals and humans have the same "spirit" because they all breathe the same air. All have a need for oxygen.

In Ecclesiastes 12:7 says..."Then the dust returns to the earth just as it happened to be and the spirit itself returns to the true God who gave it.”
How does the spirit "return" to God? The Bible teaches resurrection, which is a return to human life for the majority of us. Only God can return the breath that animates a soul. This is what Jesus did for his friend Lazarus. It is what he will also do for those who sleep in death. They will all be called from their graves. (John 5:28-29)

So to our understanding, the "spirit" is no more of a living entity than the soul is. It is the breath that animates all living creatures.

"Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" - Revelation 5:13

https://www.religiousforums.com/bible/revelation/5:13/

Are you saying that the spirits of humans and animals live on after death in spirit form?

What "creatures" live in heaven? To my understanding they are angels.....spirit creatures. The word "creature" means a created being....angels are created, but not in the same form as we have. Living creatures inhabit all sorts of places....because God put them there.

Peaceful Sabbath.

I am unfamiliar with your religion, so it prompted me to do some research. You never hear of the Waldensians these days. It appears that being accused of heresy gives us a common ground of sorts. But we do not hold a Sabbath.

Do you have others who share your views?

 

[Deeje]

But humans were made the same way animals were made. It is called evolution but it never ceases to amaze me that some people forget this.

LOL...only if you believe it......there is nothing to forget if it is not proven to be true in the first place.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

You would think that if people want the truth they would go to the Bible. And the Bible teaches that no one
(animals or humans ) goes to Heaven. Heaven is for God and the angels and the earth is for humans and animals. But no one wants to believe it.

Yep...
Psalms 115:16; Isaiah 45:18
(This is what I look forward to.... Isaiah 11:6-9! Can you just imagine?!!)
Take care.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

When people base their ideas on a wrong premise, it never ceases to amaze me when questions like this are asked.
Material beings were designed to live in a material realm. Is that so hard to understand?

Earth was meant to be the permanent home for all material beings that are designed to live here. For animals, there is a life cycle of birth and death and reproduction...but for humans there was originally no natural cause of death. We were not created like the animals, but made in the image of our Creator.

He enjoys never ending life and programmed us for everlasting life as well. Death is foreign to us, but it is readily accepted by animals as part of their existence. King Solomon lamented that man's fall into sin took us down to the level of animals. (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20) With his limited knowledge of God's purpose at the time, he found it inexplicable.

Animals are "souls" just like we are. Since religion has a very different definition of the "soul" to the one God spoke of in Genesis, they have turned it into some invisible part of living beings that departs from the body at death to exist in some invisible realm. But nowhere does the Bible teach such a thing. No human was ever supposed to go to heaven. If you read Genesis, Adam was not "given" a "soul" but "became" one when God started him breathing. A soul, either animals or human, is a living, breathing material creature. It never meant a disembodied spirit.

What humans lost in Eden (everlasting life in paradise conditions on earth) is what God will reinstate when his rulership is brought back to redeemed humanity. We were taught to pray for this "kingdom" to "come".....Soon we hope.

The relative "few" chosen to rule in Christ in heaven will leave this planet, being given spiritual bodies to facilitate life outside of earth's atmosphere, but these will have earthly subjects, according to the Bible. (Revelation 21:2-4) Humans and all material creatures are designed for life on earth....and the earth was designed to sustain that life.

Many animals were given to us as companions. Animals of all kinds have been seen to be companionable...even the ones we thought never could co-exist together in peace. (Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 65:20-25)

This is what I look forward to.

My goodness, Deeje! I just posted those exact same words! With the exact same Scripture. I wasn't copying, really!

("Great minds think alike"?)

 

[Hockeycowboy]

You never hear of the Waldensians these days.

There was an article (WT? Awake?) years ago about them. Do you remember?

Here's something from the Index:
Waldenses — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

Same group, right?

 

[Bear Wild]

LOL...only if you believe it......there is nothing to forget if it is not proven to be true in the first place.

Only those who close their minds do not believe it. But I will be happy to explain it too you.

 

[Bear Wild]

When people base their ideas on a wrong premise, it never ceases to amaze me when questions like this are asked.
Material beings were designed to live in a material realm. Is that so hard to understand?

Earth was meant to be the permanent home for all material beings that are designed to live here. For animals, there is a life cycle of birth and death and reproduction...but for humans there was originally no natural cause of death. We were not created like the animals, but made in the image of our Creator.

He enjoys never ending life and programmed us for everlasting life as well. Death is foreign to us, but it is readily accepted by animals as part of their existence. King Solomon lamented that man's fall into sin took us down to the level of animals. (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20) With his limited knowledge of God's purpose at the time, he found it inexplicable.

Animals are "souls" just like we are. Since religion has a very different definition of the "soul" to the one God spoke of in Genesis, they have turned it into some invisible part of living beings that departs from the body at death to exist in some invisible realm. But nowhere does the Bible teach such a thing. No human was ever supposed to go to heaven. If you read Genesis, Adam was not "given" a "soul" but "became" one when God started him breathing. A soul, either animals or human, is a living, breathing material creature. It never meant a disembodied spirit.

What humans lost in Eden (everlasting life in paradise conditions on earth) is what God will reinstate when his rulership is brought back to redeemed humanity. We were taught to pray for this "kingdom" to "come".....Soon we hope.

The relative "few" chosen to rule in Christ in heaven will leave this planet, being given spiritual bodies to facilitate life outside of earth's atmosphere, but these will have earthly subjects, according to the Bible. (Revelation 21:2-4) Humans and all material creatures are designed for life on earth....and the earth was designed to sustain that life.

Many animals were given to us as companions. Animals of all kinds have been seen to be companionable...even the ones we thought never could co-exist together in peace. (Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 65:20-25)

This is what I look forward to.

Lets see, humans and other animals share a genetic code. In fact Chimpanzees and humans share 96% of the same genetic code. Not much of a difference is there.

 

[Milton Platt]

Interesting question but where do you draw the line in which goes to heaven and which does not?

I'll leave that to those who believe such things.