We’ll let the Simpsons start this one out: (via Atheist Media Blog)
I was also asked this during Children’s Time once. While we cannot answer the question with certainty given that…well, we don’t know, there IS some biblical evidence:
- In the Creation story narrative, the humans are kicked out of Paradise. Animals are not kicked out of paradise. Thus, they will be in paradise (Genesis 1+2)
- In the Jonah narrative, when the city of Ninevah is told to repent or be destroyed, they all put on sackcloth…including the animals! Thus animals were included in the redemption of Ninevah. (Jonah 3:8, 4:11)
Now, as far as how can heaven be heaven if you are allergic to cats, God made you allergic to cats, and there are Caturdays in Heaven….well, that’s beyond my bible fu. Let me know in the comments if you have insight…(maybe our resident expert on all things dog: dogblogger?)
😉
A pastor who really re-energized my own church attendance 10 years ago addressed this topic in the title sermon of his book “Are There Horses in Heaven?” His answer was Yes, and that also applied to cats and dogs and such.
Thanks Jeremy for backing up my husband’s stance on animals in heaven from way back! Also, we won’t have human bodies in heaven, therefore, no sinus membranes to be annoyed by dander, etc., so no allergies! Yeah! Thank you Jesus!
Or, you could bring the ever cheery Ecclesiastes to bear. Just because we can speak about an afterlife doesn’t make us any more qualified than the rest of creation: from ch. 3:
Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal
goes down into the earth?”
Trust Nathan to give us Ecclesiastes… it's like those Psalms… so depressing. (/montypython>
But seriously — I'm a firm believer of animals in heaven. And, when Cub died one of the lovely sympathy cards I got was from the daughter of a recently-deceased UM Bishop, who wrote that her dad had always said that of course there are dogs in heaven, because otherwise it wouldn't be worth going! 🙂
Another line of evidence would be the Rainbow Covenant with Noah — which included animals. Also animals are spoken of in the Hebrew Bible as “living things” or “souls” using the common Hebrew term /nephesh/, which is usually translated “soul” when referring to humans. Again, it’s no proof, but it is a bit more evidence that animals also have a place in Heaven.
Rev. Sonja, that’s an interesting comment. Do you not believe in the resurrection of the body, then?
I don’t think animals go to heaven personally. And believe me, I’m saying that as a huge animal lover. I just posted about it on my own blog, if you care to read — link under my name. I’m Catholic, and I can’t see any rational way to believe pets go to heaven that fits with Catholic beliefs.
After reading “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn, I’m convinced that there will be animals on the new earth, just as there were animals in Eden. I’m not convinced that animals existing here and now (little Timmy’s pet turtle) will persist into the new earth the way humans do.
Although, how great would it be to be re-united with my childhood pet hermit crabs Tank and Speedy? I miss those guys.
Cheers.
Gingko 100, bodily resurrection surely would never include any of the diseases and problems of our current bodies. I assume that allergies would be included.
Rev. Sonja,
OK, now I understand what you meant. Yes, we will surely have glorified bodies — and while we will have sinus membranes, they’ll be immune to allergies!
Rev. Jeremy,
I made a post (which I linked to this post) about the topic of whether pets go to heaven… as a Catholic I reached a rather different conclusion… I wonder what you think. Please feel free to comment (blog link under my name).
I don’t think animals will go to heaven. WHy? For they were designed to be on the earth.
I do believe that in the new earth animals could exist, but not resurrected like humans. The new earth is still paradise though.
If animals can go to heaven, then that means some animals would go to hell. Wait, where is the free will in animals?
If they were to go to heaven how come there isn’t salvation for animals since the earth was corrupted by sin?
A Sunday School teacher was asked this by a little kid and I thought her answer was super. She said, since there is no sadness in heaven, if you need your pet there to be happy, it will be there. (Of course, once we get to heaven, we won’t care at all about earthly things, but I do believe there will be animals in heaven since it seems God must like animals. After all, he created them.
I find you point 2 very interesting. I never noticed that before.
Hello everyone,
On January7, 2009 I witnessesd a horrible incident which ended the life here on earth of my beautiful dog, a minister to me in the Truest! sense of the word. As a christian, I immediatley sought scriptural comfort, and although there is no (sky banner) as in specific words or a particular passage, I have found my answer that Sundance is and will be in heaven for these reasons which I have listed on my new blog; blog.foreversundance.org
My answer is in God’s very nature, totally compassionate for ALL his creation
We were given dominion over all creatures, Adam even being allowed to name them.
They have souls, Psalms 104:30 ‘When You send your Spirit, they are created…
They have no need for redemption, they have never fallen
Their service and mirroring to man, resulting so often as in my case in our deepening closeness and understanding og God, the author of love, as in “unconditional”
By applying love and logic, both God given, I know Sundance and all animals who contribute so much to our human hearts and souls will be rewarded by our loving creator for their devotion and often sacrifice.
In Roamans it says all creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed, for it was subjected to frustration not by it’s own choice…
Thanks for allowing me to comment
Peace2U all,
Steve Chapman
Well, the bible says there are animals in heaven, but… Are they our pets?
I’m not asking that to challenge you, I’m asking that because I don’t know and I want an answer and can’t find one myself.
I’m sad because I’ve lost 4 cats, 2 lizards (Those were in our school science class, but, geez, I loved them! I sat next to their cage during that class, and they’d always look at me or walk over to the side of the cage I was by. They liked me!), and one dog. And, my dog is very old, and she is like a sister to me. She suffered through all the problems I did.
Hey! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers?
My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing many months of hard work due to no data backup.
Do you have any methods to protect against hackers?