So, do you think animals have souls and go somewhere after they die? If so, why? If not, why?
I believe that all living things have a soul, and don't see anything in Christianity that says otherwise, definitively. The question isn't settled in Catholicism, for one. Pope John Paul II said that animals have souls: Pope John Paul II Says Animals Have Souls
Do Animals Have Souls? by Deborah Jones - An Article from The Ark Number 186 Winter 2000 - A Publication of The Catholic Study Circle for Animal Welfare - Providing Christian education, research, study, instruction, teaching, theology, forum and publ
Popes on Pets
St. Francis of Assisi is renown for his deep love for all of God's creation, including animals, insects, plants, even the Sun, referring to them all as his brothers and sisters. His Franciscan Order continues in this tradition today.
Do Animals Go To Heaven? - Certain Animals Go To Heaven - Scripture Whether Animals Go To Heaven
(I do not agree with the radical Traditionalist views of that site, but it is a beautiful article nonetheless.)
My understanding of this is based on the fact that in the Garden of Eden, animals were there with us. Since nothing in the Garden died, it stands to reason that the animals were created to live forever like us. Since it was only humans who sinned against God, the animals are innocent and pure in their souls. So when they die, they go directly to Heaven. Plus, in the story of Noah's Ark, God has Noah gather mating pairs of each animal, so obviously the survival of the animals is very important to God.
So when we harm, torture or otherwise make to suffer an animal, we are harming one of God's beloved children, a living soul just like us. I believe those who harm animals for no reason will be punished severely by God, just the same as if they had caused unjust suffering to a human being, because it is clear to me that animals have just as complex an interior life and capacity for feeling as humans do.
To me, it would be a great injustice if animals did not go to Heaven because of the despicable way we treat millions and billions of them on earth. Imo, animals deserve Heaven more than the human race because they have not sinned against God as we have, and we treat them in such careless, sadistic ways.
I believe that all living things have a soul, and don't see anything in Christianity that says otherwise, definitively. The question isn't settled in Catholicism, for one. Pope John Paul II said that animals have souls: Pope John Paul II Says Animals Have Souls
Do Animals Have Souls? by Deborah Jones - An Article from The Ark Number 186 Winter 2000 - A Publication of The Catholic Study Circle for Animal Welfare - Providing Christian education, research, study, instruction, teaching, theology, forum and publ
Popes on Pets
St. Francis of Assisi is renown for his deep love for all of God's creation, including animals, insects, plants, even the Sun, referring to them all as his brothers and sisters. His Franciscan Order continues in this tradition today.
Do Animals Go To Heaven? - Certain Animals Go To Heaven - Scripture Whether Animals Go To Heaven
(I do not agree with the radical Traditionalist views of that site, but it is a beautiful article nonetheless.)
My understanding of this is based on the fact that in the Garden of Eden, animals were there with us. Since nothing in the Garden died, it stands to reason that the animals were created to live forever like us. Since it was only humans who sinned against God, the animals are innocent and pure in their souls. So when they die, they go directly to Heaven. Plus, in the story of Noah's Ark, God has Noah gather mating pairs of each animal, so obviously the survival of the animals is very important to God.
So when we harm, torture or otherwise make to suffer an animal, we are harming one of God's beloved children, a living soul just like us. I believe those who harm animals for no reason will be punished severely by God, just the same as if they had caused unjust suffering to a human being, because it is clear to me that animals have just as complex an interior life and capacity for feeling as humans do.
To me, it would be a great injustice if animals did not go to Heaven because of the despicable way we treat millions and billions of them on earth. Imo, animals deserve Heaven more than the human race because they have not sinned against God as we have, and we treat them in such careless, sadistic ways.
