Animals

[Montalban]

Two questions, (maybe should have two threads)


Do you believe animals go to heaven?


Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

 

[ander_cool]

We are also animals - most intellegent animals but less faithful than another animal Dog.

 

[Montalban]

We are also animals - most intellegent animals but less faithful than another animal Dog.

I think we're more than animals (probably the start of a totally different debate).

 

[Druweid]

Do you believe animals go to heaven?

Yes, I do believe animals go to heaven. They are a part of divine creation, and as such, it seems to me that they would have a proper place in the realm of the Divine.

Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

I don't believe we 'progress' from animals, per se', but I do believe we have many lifetimes, and some of those lifetimes include time spent as an animal. In the story of King Arthur (at least the version I remember from childhood) Merlin transformed young Arthur into a number of different animals (bird, squirrel, etc.) to help him learn certain lessons. Similarly, I may have been an animal in a previous lifetime to benefit from certain experiences I would not have had as a human.

Regards,
Druweid

 

[lilithrising]

Two questions, (maybe should have two threads)


Do you believe animals go to heaven?


Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

I don't believe in a heaven, but I absolutely believe that animals have a spirit just as we do.
Whether that is part of the reincarnation belief that our spirit can inhabit any life form, I have no opinion.

I believe that when we lose our precious pets their spirit stays near us. The mutual connection and love that we have with them does not end when they die.

lilithrising

 

[WaterGoddess]

Do you believe animals go to heaven?

We all come from the same place, we all go to the same place. Since I do not believe in a heaven or a hell, that's pretty much the best answer I can give you.

Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

Humans are animals.

No, I do not have faith in reincarnation.

 

[Fuzzy]

Do you believe animals go to heaven?

I believe anything with a spirutal essence goes to a spiritual haven.

Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

I believe we trend towards being where we need to be. Now, looking to my right at my dogs, who seems very content with sleeping on a squishy piece of carpet, while I have to turn on the PC, stare at a monitor, and hit little bits of plastic in a certain sequence to be entertained, I'm not sure who's making progress.

I also believe that some of the problems in human society are due to animal souls in human bodies, but I can't particularly prove that theorem, what with souls being immaterial.

 

[sefroth77]

Two questions, (maybe should have two threads)


Do you believe animals go to heaven?


Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

Based on the Vedic Concept of life, The Soul is the Real Self. The Soul can transmigrate to many different bodies, Yes its a spiritual evolution, the Soul moves upwards from occupying in various Bodies of various animals, finally getting a Human birth. Its a rare occasion for a Soul to get a Human Body.

Humans are the highest among all living beings.

Whatever animals you see here in our Earth also exist in the Spiritual World. Our Earth is a pale reflection from the Real world.


The Soul exist in all living beings. Without the Soul, nothing can move on its own. The Soul is the Real-Self.

 

[Monica child of God 1]

As an Orthodox Christian I believe that Christ is making all things new (Rev 21:5). I believe in the renewal of all things, all life, through Christ. Further, animals are present in the after life according to scripture (Isaiah 65:25; Revelation 5:13). Animals praise God (Psalms 148:7–10, 150:6) and God preserves animals (Psalm 36:6; Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:20). God’s covenant in Genesis 9, in all five instances, is with all flesh, not just humans.

I don't know the details, but I believe that animals are a part of God's plan for eternity.

Monica

 

[Merlin]

Do you believe animals go to heaven?

I don't have a belief one way or another about animals and heaven.

Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

No. I don't believe in reincarnation from animals.

 

[Theowne]

Yes, I do believe animals go to heaven. They are a part of divine creation, and as such, it seems to me that they would have a proper place in the realm of the Divine.

It may be tempting to hold this view about lovable dogs, but does this also mean you believe that ants, cockroaches, tapeworms and the like will also have their spot in heaven?

 

[Eldy]

Two questions, (maybe should have two threads)


Do you believe animals go to heaven?


Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

I don't believe that we progress from animals but that God created each creature uniquely to be what it is.

As for animals in heaven? Absolutely. God loves His creatures and I have no doubt that the kingdom will be filled with them. In the Bible it speaks about the lion and the lamb lying down together and the child being able to pick up a snake. I see the animals of this world as another display of God's tremendous love.

 

[Cassiopeia]

Two questions, (maybe should have two threads)


Do you believe animals go to heaven?


Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

I have this amazingly beautiful Siamese cat. Her name is Abigal or AbbyCat as I like to call her. She is so adorable. I am constantly told that she isn't like any other siamese people have met. I got told the same thing about my other siamese who unfortunately passed away. I am so very grateful to both of them. Such loving creatures that when anyone is the house is crying will go and sit and watch our faces and snuggle us until we stop. Such pure unconditional love. I feel that more than any other of God's creations animals deserve their place in heaven.

Especially my AbbyCat. She thinks she is a people too now Perhaps in another thread I will create for pictures I will show you how wonderfully cute she really is.

I dont believe we have progressed from animals.

Casi

 

[SlaveOfGod]

Islamic perspective. Information from islamqa.com


Question :

Recently my 20 year old cat died and my young nieces asked whether animals would go to heaven and I really could not answer them since I don't know the answers myself. Do they go to heaven/hell and how can we make amends if we were cruel to the animals (especially since they have since died)?

Answer :

Praise be to Allaah.

This question is in two parts:

1 – what is the fate of animals in the Hereafter? Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And when the wild beasts shall be gathered together”

[al-Takweer 81:5]

“There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered”

[al-An’aam 6:38]

Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “Everything will be gathered, even the flies.”

On the Day of Resurrection, the animals will settle scores between one another. It says in a hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “All scores will be settled on the Day of Resurrection; even the hornless sheep will settle its scores with the horned sheep.” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Birr wa’l-Silah wa’l-Adaab, 4679).

It says in another hadeeth: “Allaah will judge between His creation, jinn, humans and animals. On that Day the score will be settled between the hornless and the horned, until there are no outstanding issues left, then Allaah will say, ‘Be dust!’ At the point the kaafir will say, ‘Would that I were dust!’” Shaykh al-Albaani said: This is saheeh. No. 1966; see al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, part 4, p. 966

What is obligatory for the Muslim is to be kind to animals and not harm or annoy them. It was reported that a woman was punished because of a cat. Al-Bukhaari narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A woman went to Hell because of a cat which she tied up, and did not feed it or let it eat of the vermin of the earth.” (Bad’ al-Khalq, 3071)

And Allaah forgave a prostitute because she was kind to a dog. Al-Bukhaari also narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whilst a dog was walking around a well, almost dying of thirst, one of the prostitutes of Bani Israa’eel saw him, took off her shoe and gave him water. She was forgiven because of that.” (Ahaadeeth al-Anbiyaa’, 3208)

Whoever harms an animal has to repent to Allaah for that, because the Lord of the animals is the One Who has commanded us to be kind towards them (unless they are harmful).

End of Answer

 

[Arthra]

Two questions, (maybe should have two threads)


Do you believe animals go to heaven?


Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

Baha'is believe animals don't have souls so they don't have a spiritual after-life and so reincarnation from them is out... and we don't believe in reincarnation per se either. Similar characteristics return to the earth seasonally but not the soul...

Human beings are a separate species from say apes in my belief... so even though human beings have changed in form over the millenia they are still potentially human and not apes. You might find a ape looking creature but in my belief he/she would still be potentially human and have a soul.

We are still though obligated to show kindness to animals and take care of them.

- Art

 

[sefroth77]

Baha'is believe animals don't have souls so they don't have a spiritual after-life and so reincarnation from them is out... and we don't believe in reincarnation per se either. Similar characteristics return to the earth seasonally but not the soul...

Human beings are a separate species from say apes in my belief... so even though human beings have changed in form over the millenia they are still potentially human and not apes. You might find a ape looking creature but in my belief he/she would still be potentially human and have a soul.

We are still though obligated to show kindness to animals and take care of them.

- Art

What are the Similar Characteristics, please Define it. If Animals don't have Souls , how can they move and sometimes show emotion. There maybe 100 cats but each cat is different within, what is that difference ???

 

[Ram]

Do you believe animals go to heaven?

You mean salvation? Yes, definitely at a future date.

Do you believe that we 'progress' from animals? (in a spiritual way - sort of like reincarnation).

Some of us, have progressed from animals and beneath( a micro organism perhaps)
.
Some of us have started as a man directly.

All or most of us have been animals before, in some past birth.

Considering the fact that micro organisms and insects far out number higher forms of life, it seems very likely that man is a rare birth, so with a very high chance, we were not humans in most of our past births.

 

[Arthra]

What are the Similar Characteristics, please Define it. If Animals don't have Souls , how can they move and sometimes show emotion. There maybe 100 cats but each cat is different within, what is that difference ???

Well I wasn't posting here necessarily to argue any points only to answer the original question as posed...

I would say off hand though people tend to project "personality" into their pets and "humanize" them... dressing them up or whatever and many think of them or want to think of them as having souls perhaps. But that doesn't mean that they do only that some of us would wish it were so.

There are also the figures of animals used in stories and as symbols.

I will concede though to anyone that most animals have sharper senses than we humans do.

But the reasoning behind saying animals do not have souls would go something like this:

"...animals are a composition of the elements. They have feeling and sensation, but no mind (comprehension). For instance, the spirits of the birds cannot comprehend anything (reality), and cannot realize spiritual things. They cannot think about knowledge. The spirit of the animal can only feel and sense things, but can realize nothing about the spiritual. They are simply the results of the combination of the elements, and when they die nothing remains of them."

So this I think would be a response to the question whether animals have "souls".

But you are welcome to your own views.

- Art

 

[sefroth77]

"...animals are a composition of the elements. They have feeling and sensation, but no mind (comprehension). For instance, the spirits of the birds cannot comprehend anything (reality), and cannot realize spiritual things. They cannot think about knowledge. The spirit of the animal can only feel and sense things, but can realize nothing about the spiritual. They are simply the results of the combination of the elements, and when they die nothing remains of them."

So this I think would be a response to the question whether animals have "souls".
- Art

If animals are a composition of elements, where did the feeling and sensation came from ? By not knowing spiritual things, that dosen't mean animals have no soul. There are many Human beings who know nuts about spiritual things but yet posses a Soul.

My explanation is as long as a Soul is trap in a body of an animal, it will behaves like a animal because, the Brain power needed to function in this Material world in a body of an animal is limited. Humans have bigger brain power and thus able to think wisely. Even Apes like Gorilla and Chips are able to think sometimes, its a proven fact, so your sayings that animals have no mind actually made no sense at all.

Inorder to move a body, a Soul(Spirit) is needed. This Soul exist in all living beings, without this life-force, nothing can move.

 

[Arthra]

seforth:

Inorder to move a body, a Soul(Spirit) is needed. This Soul exist in all living beings, without this life-force, nothing can move.

Reply:

There are other explanations though why animals move around other than being animated by a "soul" ...and in my belief they do not have souls, nor are they reincarnated. But you are entitled to your belief.

- Art