Do Animals Go To Heaven?

My religion upbringing taught me that animals were here to serve humans and that they have no souls and thus cannot enter the kingdom. However, in looking into the eyes ofan animal, I believe there is a soul there.

I'm with you...If we have a soul...they have souls too.

Dr. Hines, I, too, believe that they have souls. So I can honestly say that simply, I don't know. I just don't know.

Now, I'm no expert but why would'nt they have souls? The eat, sleep, breathe, reproduce, manufacture families, create societies, communicate just like us. They show affection, pain, anger, etc.

And they do not have souls, then what is their purpose. Someone said to serve us, but of all of the animals on the planet maybe 3% actually serve us, the remainder are just trying to stay alive like us.

What about the animals who have the power to take our lives? A soul-less creature like a lion, tiger, bear, shark, scorpion, rattlesnake, etc...has the 'god given' power to destroy the keeper of a soul?

I like this line of questioning, it is exactly the kind of analytical, practical thinking that most religious people never take the time to ponder.

This is a touchy subject for believers. Most religious books that speak of an after life do in fact suggest that animal will be present. So if animal are there...why?

Do they earn their way there (like us) or do all animals get to go? This is an important questions for Black folks...since many of use do not see pets and soul having creators. If they do go...should we treat them like we do?

Dr. Glover, I agree. It can be a touchy subject though I don't know anyone who's actually sat around and talked about this, let alone debated about it. (It doesn't mean they're not out there).

It's not touchy for me because I just don't know. I wonder if it's because I'm not really an "animal PERSON." Hmmm...could that be why this is not a big deal for me? LOL

Blessings...

I believe my dog King is there, I wrote a blog coincidentally about that at HBCU...
Birds are in Heaven and we have total joy in the Lord.

I want to further add, God gave animals emotions, linked them to us. Why give animals feelings and it states in the Book of Revelations birds are in Heaven.
In the book of Proverbs a person is known whether they are righteous or wicked by the way they treat their animals (12:10).
This is a good question and a good blog.
Why would God have birds in Heaven that exist on earth?
Would that not limit God and tell what He has in Heaven?
God tells us what He has in Heaven and does not have.
Thats like telling me what I have and do not have in my house but you don't know based on your beliefs? Thats not logical in that scenario now is it? I don't know what you have in your house and if I based it on my religion, some folk would call me judgemental, self-righteous etc. Lol!
For anyone that has had a dog and bonded, they will show more qualities than a lot of human being do, i.e. loyalty, dedication and agape love.
People once said black people have no souls and without no souls that opened a pandora's box to be treated and counted less than human, I know we still suffer from those affects from past to present and it did not feel good to be counted like that starting with the Constitution that we were 3/5 human. When I watch old films that are slavery based, to see the lil white girl pray for the lil black girl because her mommy and daddy said she has no soul... I hated seeing that.
The Bible says we all have a mansion prepared that make it to Heaven.
What is a mansion bare inside and outside? Why hope if never again to be connected to loved ones?
The Bible speaks about the rich man who did not make it to paradise wanting to send a message to his brethren on earth. Thats conscious memory.
The saints in Revelations asking God to avenge those that harmed them. Thats consciousness. To have all joy is to have so much joy, one has everything...
Why hope?
Just my 2cents worth.

Oh by the way I just thought of this scripture Isaiah 11:6 "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of a cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will not harm nor destroy on All My Holy Mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Horses are mentioned in Heaven in the Book of Revelation.
Why make all animals passive to one another and harmless to humans?
Either it is so or not based on what the Bible says...
People won't suffer, won't need heat, no gates, they won't hunger...
I leave off here with this scripture, Revelations 21.............................

William,

I agree that many faith groups talk about animals in the next life....

I believe that anything that has life has a soul. It is hard for us to understand it about animals because we can not relate to their issues, even though we try.