We have had many arguments here on the blog about whether or not animals go to Heaven. I am a staunch believer that they do not, as they do not have mortal souls. My old nuns taught me that as a child. It made sense to me then and it makes sense to me now.
But should I turn out to be wrong and Fluffy and Rex get to Heaven, it might sound something like this
10 comments:
I do not believe animals go to heaven either. But, perhaps, there are already animals in heaven...anything is possible.
Animals do not have immortal souls. They are, however, a sign of God's pure love for us. So why would that be taken away? We know that there will be plants in heaven, they don't have immortal souls either, so why not animals? And specifically, why not the pets we haave loved? It is, of course, all speculation, but will not the Judge of all the world do right?
I don't think they go to heaven since they don't have immortal souls like us, but who knows, God could just summon up their animal souls (philosophically, each animals animating substance) back into existance, so that "New earth" could still be a populated place with angels and humans and animals and such. I mean, we get our bodies back in heaven, so maybe there will be animals too?
I really hope I will see my Buddy in Heaven, but I have my doubts.
My mother - who was Jewish - famously reduced our parish priest to despair when she took issue with him on this question of cats in heaven.
Eventually he capitulated, throwing up his hands in defeat, saying to her " Ïf you NEED your cats in Heaven with you, Saint Peter will not refuse you."
After which pronouncement, he requested a stiff whisky from my father!
Animals, on the whole, make the world a better place, I sincerely hope they are in Heaven. Some of them have rotten lives here, I hope that's not all there is for them...
In another note, I often wonder if animals communicate with God or know He exists.
It is an interesting debate about animals. The donkey talked to Balaam; the ravens brought food to Elijah; the fish listened to St. Anthony preach; the wolf heeded St. Francis. It all makes one wonder.
Danielle, that's a really good question. After all, God uses our animal friends to help Him out. I mean, there's the little donkey of Jesus who carried the Light of the World on his back, the whale that swallowed Jonah, among others.
On that note, do animals communicate with God. If He wants them to, I imagine they would.
Henri Nouwen makes a good case for all creation ending up with God in heaven. That would include animals. Here is a link to a meditation of his inspired by Isaiah 11:6-9.
http://wp.henrinouwen.org/daily_meditation_blog/?p=1746
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