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by Zandalee.Lonely.Lunatic.3yrs-here on December 17th, 2007

Zandalee.Lonely.Lunatic.3yrs-here

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When I was a little girl, one of my cats died and when I was in Sunday school I asked the teacher if I could ask God to watch her until I came to heaven with her; to which the teacher responded "Animals don't go to heaven, they just die". Your thoughts?

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Answers. 27 helpful answers below.

  • by Jade on December 17th, 2007

    Jade

    She should have been a Sunday school student rather than a teacher. What she should have done, instead of giving that reply to a child, would have been to encourage you to do just that...communicate with God. That was a cruel thing to say to a child. And most of the time, a child would wonder what sort of God would not allow animals into heaven. Some people believe that animals go to heaven, others don't. I am one of the ones who do. Regardless of the way she believed it was unnecessary and cruel to say what she did. I believe that God loves and provides for all his creatures, great and small...in life and afterwards.

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  • by Tamilze on December 17th, 2007

    Tamilze

    When I was in Christian school, someone in my class asked if animals went to heaven, and we got the same response. No one really liked the idea, but we believed it since what they taught us was pretty much all we knew then...

    Today, I can of course say that this is bullshit. It stems from the idea of the "sanctity of life." This idea basically says that we get to choose which forms of life are sacred, and we get to kill the rest.

    Pure bullshit.

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  • by The Chief on July 16th, 2008

    The Chief

    NONE of us know for sure if animals go to Heaven. Shoot, NONE of us know for sure if we ourselves, or those we know, will ultimately end up in Heaven. That's NOT for us to decide and only God will make the decision.
    .
    HOWEVER, it would seen very strange to me the God would create all the animals that inhabit the Earth, see that it was "Good", and then not provide for them in Heaven after they die. Especially since they have no Original Sin.
    .
    So, as far as I'm concerned, this Sunday School teacher may believe what she told you if she wants. I choose to believe ALL God's creations have a place in Heaven.

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  • by Regina on April 27th, 2008

    Regina

    I believe that there are animals in heaven because the BIBLE shows that there are....are they the animals that we had down here on earth as pets??? Well I believe that my GOD is a good GOD and that if I wanted my pet there HE would make it possible. (2King 2:11-12; 6:13-17; Zech.1:8-11; 6:1-8; Rev. 19:11-14,21; Rom.1:20....so I beleive you will see your beloved pet in HEAVEN.....

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  • by Mimi..smiling...there is no Option Two.. on December 17th, 2007

    Mimi..smiling...there is no Option Two..

    Reminds me of that old shaggy dog story that ends, "You could have put it more kindly"...
    The teacher really could have been a little more sensitive to you, maybe told you that she wasn't sure if pets went to heaven and not to hope to see your cat.
    Anyway, how does she know? There may be a pet cemetary there, where they're all waiting for us! I'll love to see my two old cats when - ok, if - I go up!

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  • by Anonymous on September 4th, 2008

    Anonymous

    Their are several references in the book of Revelation that there are animals in Heaven.
    I do not know if animals have souls, and I do not know if your cat is in Heaven, but I DO know that there are animals in Heaven according to specific scriptures in the Bible.

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  • by BigDaddyBS on July 15th, 2008

    BigDaddyBS

    Not a very compassionate SUNDAY SCHOOL teacher, was she?

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  • by borasalama on December 20th, 2007

    borasalama

    My thoughts? Just wonder if it's the Holy Qur'an that's got it all wrong. I keep on being told by Christians that we die because of Adam's sin. Well, why did your cat and all other animals die? Did they too have an Adam and Eve story? In the wild they too have to toil for their food, and birth doesn't appear to be easy among the mammals either, both in the wild and on the farms also.

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  • by Lemonyellow Di Vintage on December 18th, 2007

    Lemonyellow Di Vintage

    Sunday school teachers don't even have a degree, but after reviewing Talim's answer I'm certain they have a degree in bullshit

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  • by hope and peace on December 18th, 2007

    hope and peace

    If you are a Christian, you would have to believe in Jesus and accept that he died on the cross for our sins. Pets lack this comprehension so it would be safe to say that there is no "pet heaven". However, for those human souls who are in heaven, one of the promises God offers is your hearts desires for those who remain a true servant. If you want your pet with you, then all you need to do is ask and it would be granted.

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  • by Gina on December 18th, 2007

    Gina

    I have a hard time believing that God would give us these creatures that we love, devote time to, and make part of our families, only for them to die and us never see them again. That just seems cruel to me, and the God I believe in is a god of Love. So I do believe that our pets who have passed on will be waiting for us when we arrive in heaven, assuming thats were we end up after this life.

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  • by Alice dee on December 17th, 2007

    Alice dee

    if animals dont go to heaven, why did god have noah save all those animals instead of people. Plus in the book of revalations it says that there is a lion, a eagle , a calf and a lamb in heaven?

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  • by Nellie Wise Gamgee on December 17th, 2007

    Nellie Wise Gamgee

    Christians don't beleive animals have souls like himan beings. That being said, who are we to know such things. I believe that their spirit or soul, wahtever you want to call it is always with us. I am sorry your teacher was so cloased minded as to do that to you. Take comfort that your pet is with you as they always were. Remember that God is in everything.

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  • by Anonymous on December 17th, 2007

    Anonymous

    We are all gods creatures....so I do believe she was wrong.

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  • by Damiana on December 17th, 2007

    Damiana

    Awe...that was really insensitive of that Sunday School Teacher to say. It would have been more sympathetic to say that animals indeed do go to heaven and that God would be watching over your cat.

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  • by sarahsue on December 17th, 2007

    sarahsue

    Umm ok she was obviously mean!!! why wouldnt ur cat go to heaven??? It has a soul at one point.. I absolutely think it would go to heaven. your teacher is a boitch an u should find her an throw a dead cat at her.

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  • by Someone on December 18th, 2007

    Someone

    I think that in a world which animals don't go to heaven, why should humans? After all it is our race that has done such a large portion of damage to this world, even if you yourself have not been a part of that. Animals have done none of that. If they cannot be accepted, then I do not wish to either.

    Maybe it's a good thing I find myself to be more agnostic eh?

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  • by Melissa on December 17th, 2007

    Melissa

    I personally don't believe that animals go to heaven, but I also don't believe that a rich fairy comes into my bedroom and buys my teeth from me when I'm sleeping. That's just unkind to be so blunt to a child.

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  • by Moosemose on December 18th, 2007

    Moosemose

    U had a WISE Teacher! Here is why. Enjoy! John

    DOCTRINE OF THE SOUL

    A. The Essence of the Soul.
    1. Self-consciousness. Man is aware of his own existence and is able
    to relate to both animate and inanimate life on earth, Acts 20:10. Animals
    have consciousness, but not self-consciousness.
    2. Mentality. Self-consciousness is no good without mentality. This
    is the thinking part of man and is composed of two parts.
    a. The mind or left lobe of the soul.
    b. The heart or right lobe of the soul contains the frame of
    reference, memory center, vocabulary and categorical storage, norms and
    standards, and launching pad for application of knowledge to life.
    c. Rom 1:20-22 and Prov 19:2 teach that all thought originates in
    these two lobes. The soul is the source of all basic sin. It is the
    battleground between the old sin nature and the Holy Spirit, Mt 10:28; Eph
    4:17-19; Ps 143.
    3. Volition. Man has the ability to be negative or positive to
    anything in life. This is why man was created to resolve the angelic
    conflict.
    4. Emotion, Lk 12:19. This is the appreciator of the soul. Emotion
    responds or reacts to whatever thoughts are in the soul. Normally the
    emotion is dominated by the right lobe of the soul.
    5. Conscience. This is the evaluator of the soul. It contains the
    norms and standards, Acts 24:16.
    6. The old sin nature is not part of the soul. It is genetically
    formed in every cell of the body. It battles for control of the soul
    through sin, human good and evil. Because we have an old sin nature, we are
    said to be totally depraved. Without Bible doctrine in the soul, you tend
    to run loose with your old sin nature's area of strength and link this
    activity with pride. Therefore you use your mentality to say you are
    something you are not. You set up your system of standards and compare
    yourself to others to further your pride.

    B. The soul must be distinguished from the human spirit.
    1. Originally man was trichotomous, having a body, soul, and spirit,
    Gen 2:7.
    2. After the fall, man is born dichotomous, having only a body and
    soul, 1 Cor 2:14; Jude 19.
    3. The believer, however, is said to have a body, soul, and spirit,
    1 Thes 5:23. The human spirit is regenerated by God the Holy Spirit at
    salvation.

    C. Only the soul, not the body, is saved at the point of regeneration, Ps
    19:7, 34:22; Mk 8:36-37; 1 Pet 1:9; Heb 10:39.
    1. Therefore, there is no "healing in the atonement." The body is not
    saved because the old sin nature resides there. In eternity the soul is
    given a perfect body minus an old sin nature or any human good.
    2. To have a soul, a human spirit, and a resurrection body is strictly
    a matter of grace.
    3. Those in eternity who glorify God will be those who had maximum
    Bible doctrine in the soul during time.

    D. Only the soul, not the body, was made in the image of God, Gen 1:26-27
    cf Gen 2:7. God is not material but spiritual.

    E. The soul is the area of the worse sins which are mental attitude sins,
    Job 21:25; Zech 11:8.
    1. The content of the soul is seen when a person speaks. What you
    truly are is only revealed when you speak.
    2. Sins of the tongue reveal mental attitude sins. If you are guilty,
    arrogant, bitter, or full of revenge, you will talk a certain way that
    reveals the content of your soul.
    3. Therefore, the soul sponsors all overt sins and sins of the tongue.

    F. The soul becomes the seat of misery because of scar tissue of the soul,
    Ps 6:3, 106:15; 119:25, 28, 81.

    G. The soul is the area for all capacities, good or bad.
    Inside the divine dynasphere, the mature believer has maximum capacity
    for life, love and happiness. Inside the cosmic system, the reversionist
    has maximum capacity for sin, human good, evil, and self-induced misery,
    1 Sam 18:1; 1 Pet 1:22.

    H. In physical death, the soul departs from the body, Job 27:8; Ps 16:10;
    2 Cor 5:8.
    

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  • by nishaphi on December 18th, 2007

    nishaphi

    That means that humans don't go to heaven. Humans ARE animals.

    Kingdom: ANIMALIA
    Phylum: Chordata
    Class: Mammalia
    Order: Primates
    Family: Hominidae
    Genus: Homo
    Species: Homo sapiens

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  • by sm00z on December 17th, 2007

    sm00z

    I think we are all very special and unique--whether we be animals or people. I think your teacher's response was a very blunt and hurtful way of answering a young child's question.

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  • by Anonymous on July 15th, 2008

    Anonymous

    According to the book "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn, he describes what he believes Heaven wil be like and makes scriptural references for all his beliefs. He believes that animals will be resurrected along with people :-)

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  • by Anonymous on April 5th, 2008

    Anonymous

    What I believe is that God made animals for an enjoyment here at earth, just like food, money, trees and oceans. How in the world are we going to go to Heaven just to see our pets who have died on earth. We should want to go to Heaven to spend eturnal life with our Father and Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ aswell died here on earth and for "our" sins, and sometimes it seems that we care more about earthly things than our Lord Jesus Christ....

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  • by Dan378 on September 4th, 2008

    Dan378

    Animals do not have souls. God created many animals, but never created them first then created a body for them to dwell in. For Adam, God did just that (Genesis 1-2). Your cat is still life. Jesus said that God sees each sparrow fall. Your little friends precious life went back to God, for He IS life.
    Animals have spirits, and we love them for those wonderful spirits. They are really an example of Gods great mind.

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  • by roadpup2 on April 2nd, 2010

    roadpup2

    All animals go to heaven.

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  • by joe banana on April 2nd, 2008

    joe banana

    Your teacher should have MORE honest, and, just told you the real truth, that, there IS NO "God", there IS NO "heaven",and, your gonna just, "die", too. End of fairy tale. so, get over it! "Relign" IS whats wrong with this WHOLE friggin' planet. (And "government").

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  • by Anonymous on December 18th, 2007

    Anonymous

    The god most people believe in doesn't have room in his home for the animals we love and lose.

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