What do theologians and ministers say about this issue?

My Ashley deserves to be in heaven more than many people I know. I see his story as a story of triumph of good over evil. When I think what he went through for most of his life--I know he was abused because of the way he would flinch sometimes, especially when I made sudden movements or touched his ears. I told you all how the vet said he was shot twice, one shot breaking his leg. And then his many years of being a stray, with infected eyes, most people chased him away from their homes. He came up on my porch to get food for two years--before he finally let me pet him.

Yet none of it really touched him--his sweet nature was unaffected. He never scratched even when he felt scared or threatened. My other cat, only half his size, would bully him and chase him off the couch and he let her get away with it. He was never in a bad mood. How many humans would remain unscathed through these kinds of experiences? I wouldn't.

"Blessed are the meek"-that was him. He better be in heaven, that's all I can say. Not waiting around for me to get there, but enjoying himself, free from fear, all the deprivation and suffering erased. Maybe adopted by an angel!

Well said, Margo. I second that opinion!!

Hi Margo, It matters little to none to me what others say I know our babies have a heart of gold and they will be in Heaven waiting for me. Not only waiting but as you said enjoying life. My girls are in my heart and soul forever and how could it be Heaven without our babies! Yes, I believe with every fiber of my being that they are there now. Death should not frighten us anymore with them waiting for us.
Ann

Ann is right....they are part of us. And God LOVED his animals they are special to him, and I think he has sent special ones to some of us to help us learn. Everything will be restored...EVERYTHING!!Pamela

I believe our friends are angels sent to teach us some of our life path lessons. When they have completed their lessons with us they are called home. No matter how long or short their life was with us they have touched our lives in a very special way. YES, we will be with them again, I have no doubts in my mind that the bond of love will carry on into the next life .

Kim

Ah, I do want to believe that so bad -- that pets go to heaven! My experience was a lot like your's. It seemed to take Whitey a long time to accept our friendship, even after he asked for food. It wasn't two years tho, just a few months. Yet my heart really went out to him & I was filled will joy when he finally came to trust us & share our home & lives! In my life I've had a hard time believing in anything, but one thing I sure want to believe is that I will see that sweet cat again! I so wish I could have no doubts like you!!! - billyc.

I learned so much from Ashley in the two years I had him. Patience, forbearance...maybe he was here to teach me something. But how I wish he didn't have to go so soon...that is what I don't understand.

I believe with all my heart that our pets go to heaven and that our souls will meet again. I also believe in what Kimberly said...that they are here to teach of some very important life lessons.

I have little faith in what the "theologians" say - they haven't died yet.

All I KNOW is that when I look into those furry little faces I see something looking back - and that's enough for me. Whatever the afterlife holds, whether it's a "heaven" or another type of life, I have no doubt that they will share it.

Interesting topic. I'll share my thoughts ...

I have heard that some religions say that animals have no souls and therefore can't go to heaven. I don't believe this for a second. I was raised being taught that heaven is a wonderful place and when you get there there will be no more pain and sadness. Well, the idea of spending eternity without my little guys is too painful to contemplate so in order for it to be heaven for me my guys have to be there. And if by some strange thing, my animals are not in heaven waiting for me then I don't want to go to heaven ... I want to go wherever they are as they brought me a piece of heaven on earth and that is something I will forever be grateful for.

Hugs,
Beth

I don't understand how anyone can say our pets don't have souls. Have these people ever HAD pets? My Ashley had more soul than most people I know.

I hope and pray he and all the other deceased pets are in heaven now. Surely God loves these creatures as much as we do.

Since Qorqui died, I've spent alot of time thinking about this very thing. Like most folks that have replied here, I'm convinced these little ones DO have souls. I just don't know where they REALLY go when their bodys die. I want more than anything to believe that my Qorqui is in a happy place, keeping busy until the day we can be together again.

The idea that our pets do not have a soul, and that they're just gone when they die is simply not acceptable to me!

I so wish there were a way to prove the existence of something like the Rainbows Bridge. It would most certainly help folks that lose their special little friend.

Tim

"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans."
~ James Herriot

Truer words were never spoken

I just had to come back to this and post a picture of my Snookie. Look deeply into her beautiful eyes. She has a soul that you can see right through those eyes. I looked into them every day for almost 11 years. No one or nothing will ever convince me that our fur babies do not have souls.

As I live and breathe and as I will surely die some day myself Snookie has a soul. Her soul was connected to mine and always will be, she is there in or near Heaven waiting for me.

God loves us and He loves what we love and loved. I loved Snookie with all my heart just as all of you love your babies. He will not take them away from us for good, I believe He will restore them to us when we make Heaven our home. Perhaps He will place them in our arms Himself. There is no doubt in my mind that we will be with them again.
Ann

I wanted to bring this post back to the top, because it is something that is on our minds a lot. I agree wholeheartedly. I understand how it must be very hard for many people to believe in something they cannot see. But that is because they do not have faith.

Matthew 13: 31-32: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."

Matthew 17: 20-21: "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Matthew: 21: 20-22: "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" the disciples asked. Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

I think this passage is interesting because we know physically it's impossible for a mountain to throw itself into the sea, and so in this case, our knowledge impedes our faith that God can do anything. God says here that it IS possible with faith for a mountain to throw itself into the sea! So wouldn't it be EVEN MORE LIKELY that God will provide a loving home for our sweet little precious babies after they die?

While we should never give up the search for truth and knowledge, I believe that a loving, caring God who has a plan for our lives, will reunite us with our human and animal family members in heaven, and that this is just one part of the great reward for being faithful. Which is more valuable, proof or faith? For me personally? Faith. And I am a science writer.

Hello Norahs Mum

I'm not traditionally religious but I was very interested by your post.

I believe without a shadow of a doubt that all animals have a soul and continue on after death. In fact it is animals that have taught me this! I have never been visited by a relative who has passed on (and there have been many in my life), but I have been visited by 2 of my animals who have passed on.

I found the passage below on the net just now and thought it was perhaps worth posting. It is a translation of the original hebrew text of Genesis, from which all other translations then came. As you can see, something got slightly lost in the later translations.

Do Animals Have Souls?

Most of us have heard all our life that animals do not have souls. Yet the first chapter of Genesis indisputably contradicts that position. The Hebrew word for soul is nephish and refers to the part of our being which lives on after physical death.
Here are the verses:
And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarmers (fish) having a living soul and let the birds fly over the earth, on the face of the expanse of the heavens. (Genesis 1:20)
And God created the great sea animals and the creeping things all having a living soul,(Genesis 1:21)
And God said, Let the earth bring forth souls of life according to its kind, the cattle, the beasts of the field, and creeping things according to its kind. (Genesis 1:24)
To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens and to every creeping thing on the earth, in which is a living soul, every green plant is given for food. (Genesis 1:30)
In all four of the above verses the Hebrew word nepish is used, which is the exact same word used of man in Genesis 2:7.
Most modern translations give no hint that this is in fact the case, but most older King James bibles do give a footnote: Hebrew, lit: soul for each of the above verses. It is this same "soul" which David refers to in Psalms 16:10 when he says: "You will not abandon my soul to sheol." (Sheol is the place for the souls of those who have physically died.)

with love
jilly

Thank you, jillybromley. I believe that all living creatures have a soul.

Jilly -

Very inspiring. Awhile back, I looked in my modern Bible and found nothing to indicate the belief that animals have souls. After reading your post, I feel much better. Animals must have souls.............How can anyone think otherwise?

Lynn

Like Ann said, all I have to do is look into an animal's eyes to see their souls. I believe their souls are more at peace than ours and that they teach us lessons of love and compassion through unconditional love. Isn't that why SO many people have pets?
Jasmine had a soul and spirit that was so unique. Sometimes I doubted she was even a "dog" if that makes sense. LOL