|
|
| O.o vs. O_o |
| O.o |
|
63% |
[ 37 ] |
| O_o |
|
36% |
[ 21 ] |
|
| Total Votes : 58 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:57 pm
Dr. Kool Torrent, just as a thought, your definition of Heaven sounds really frikkin' dull. Eternally praising God? Send me to Hell. At least it might interesting. However, you make some very good points. At what point does it cut off? I just killed a few bugs just today. I feel no remorse for the death of these insects. They barely think for themselves, I can't see them going anywhere after death other than maybe reincarnation. With several different definitions of Heaven, it's pretty hard to say what goes and doesn't. by animals i meant like dogs, cats, dolphins, ferrets, whales...not insects
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:54 pm
This is a tough question to answer for me because I don't have a real idea in my head of what heaven is. I usually generalize it to hanging out with God and just having a party for all eternity, if you will.
I think animals have a soul, so I guess in my mind they would go to heaven, but I can't tell you how or what kind of heaven or the details. But anyone who's spent anytime with a pet obviously knows they each have their own personality.
I like the idea of animals going to heaven, but it's honestly not something I know enough about to give an educated answer on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:48 pm
An insect is an animal, there's no point in being exclusive to cute warm fuzzy animals.
I think all God's creation that lives goes to heaven.
I believe animals go to heaven, I believe plants go to heaven, I believe bacteria goes to heaven.
Where we can coexist eternally, man does not kill animals, animals do not kill plants, bacteria do make people sick.
To eternally worship God, that seems too frivolous for God. I just think that why did he go to all this trouble, just for the entire point of our lives to be to worship him? I don't know, it just seems a little anti-climatic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:24 pm
Captain_Theoretical An insect is an animal, there's no point in being exclusive to cute warm fuzzy animals. I think all God's creation that lives goes to heaven. I believe animals go to heaven, I believe plants go to heaven, I believe bacteria goes to heaven. Where we can coexist eternally, man does not kill animals, animals do not kill plants, bacteria do make people sick. To eternally worship God, that seems too frivolous for God. I just think that why did he go to all this trouble, just for the entire point of our lives to be to worship him? I don't know, it just seems a little anti-climatic. Actually the Bible says that all PEOPLE who belive will go to heaven (not in the exact words) not "all of creation". So I think that only humans will go to heaven, and yes I know that seems harsh (my cat died not to long ago crying , so I completely understand that) but it's true and sometimes I still feel extremely sad about my cat, but the truth is the truth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:36 pm
thejesusfreak Captain_Theoretical An insect is an animal, there's no point in being exclusive to cute warm fuzzy animals. I think all God's creation that lives goes to heaven. I believe animals go to heaven, I believe plants go to heaven, I believe bacteria goes to heaven. Where we can coexist eternally, man does not kill animals, animals do not kill plants, bacteria do make people sick. To eternally worship God, that seems too frivolous for God. I just think that why did he go to all this trouble, just for the entire point of our lives to be to worship him? I don't know, it just seems a little anti-climatic. Actually the Bible says that all PEOPLE who belive will go to heaven (not in the exact words) not "all of creation". So I think that only humans will go to heaven, and yes I know that seems harsh (my cat died not to long ago crying , so I completely understand that) but it's true and sometimes I still feel extremely sad about my cat, but the truth is the truth. Well, when Isaiah describes new Earth it talkes about how the animals will eat together, and the child will play on the asp (dangerous snake) den.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 12:40 pm
I hope we're not getting too vague with our reasonings here. There's only so far that reasoned logic will take us, because human logic is flawed.
We are independent from animals as a creation. Also, things that are created by God can be destroyed by God. If our souls are eternal but our bodies not (as given by the witnessing of Jesus after his death and resurrection), our current bodies can be destroyed and made new. The fate of our souls, however, are ultimately at our Father's mercy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High-functioning Businesswoman
|
Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:49 pm
Imotoku thejesusfreak Captain_Theoretical An insect is an animal, there's no point in being exclusive to cute warm fuzzy animals. I think all God's creation that lives goes to heaven. I believe animals go to heaven, I believe plants go to heaven, I believe bacteria goes to heaven. Where we can coexist eternally, man does not kill animals, animals do not kill plants, bacteria do make people sick. To eternally worship God, that seems too frivolous for God. I just think that why did he go to all this trouble, just for the entire point of our lives to be to worship him? I don't know, it just seems a little anti-climatic. Actually the Bible says that all PEOPLE who belive will go to heaven (not in the exact words) not "all of creation". So I think that only humans will go to heaven, and yes I know that seems harsh (my cat died not to long ago crying , so I completely understand that) but it's true and sometimes I still feel extremely sad about my cat, but the truth is the truth. Well, when Isaiah describes new Earth it talkes about how the animals will eat together, and the child will play on the asp (dangerous snake) den.
By the way, I'm wondering if anyone read my previous post on the first page.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:56 pm
Fushigi na Butterfly Imotoku thejesusfreak Captain_Theoretical An insect is an animal, there's no point in being exclusive to cute warm fuzzy animals. I think all God's creation that lives goes to heaven. I believe animals go to heaven, I believe plants go to heaven, I believe bacteria goes to heaven. Where we can coexist eternally, man does not kill animals, animals do not kill plants, bacteria do make people sick. To eternally worship God, that seems too frivolous for God. I just think that why did he go to all this trouble, just for the entire point of our lives to be to worship him? I don't know, it just seems a little anti-climatic. Actually the Bible says that all PEOPLE who belive will go to heaven (not in the exact words) not "all of creation". So I think that only humans will go to heaven, and yes I know that seems harsh (my cat died not to long ago crying , so I completely understand that) but it's true and sometimes I still feel extremely sad about my cat, but the truth is the truth. Well, when Isaiah describes new Earth it talkes about how the animals will eat together, and the child will play on the asp (dangerous snake) den.
By the way, I'm wondering if anyone read my previous post on the first page.Oh yeah. Well, which part are we talking about, new Earth that is after the Holy City, or the Holy City itself?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 6:48 pm
I don't really know enough on the subject to have a very educated opinion, but the Bible says that people were created in the image of God; it doesn't say that about other creatures, and I have trouble seeing God prioritizing one soul over another (if animals have souls, he is DEFINITELY putting theirs' on the backburner). Many animals have emotions and personalities, but... I don't know. There are already the angels in heaven, as well as the 3 beasts who scream "Holy, Holy, Holy", so the possibility of other things being in heaven isn't too farfetched. Fushigi na Butterfly You might think that idea of Heaven sounds "dull" but that's what we were made for. We were made for worship, for praising God, to love Him and to be loved by Him. Heaven is doing just that for the rest of eternity, whereas Hell is simply eternal separation from God. Which might sound great to you, but if you think about it, it's not. For the rest of eternity we would be kept from doing the thing we were made for. How could that possibly make a person happy? It's like saying a writer can no longer write, or a singer can no longer sing (this analogy only works if you think of authors whose entire existence seems to revolve around writing, and singers whose existence revolves around singing). That is Hell. Being kept from doing the thing you were originally created for in the first place.
Now, back on the original topic. I don't believe animals go to Heaven, because I don't believe animals have souls. Yes, it would be great if animals went to Heaven, because my only pet, my cat that I'd had for 16 years, seemed to have a personality, and it saddens me to think that when we put her down, that was it for her. And the same for the cat I own now. I love her as if she were my baby (because she kinda is sweatdrop ), but I don't think that, Biblically speaking, she has a soul. Humans were created in God's image, not animals. Does that mean we have God's physical image or His spiritual image? I think it's more the latter than the former, in which case, animals don't have souls, because they were not created for worship. They were created for man. Secondly, one gets to Heaven only through salvation in Christ Jesus. Since animals don't have the mental propensity to make the decision for salvation (and therefore cannot be saved) they can't go to Heaven. God would not create something with a soul that He did not intend to have potential salvation. Which isn't to say that people with less than average brain capacity (those who are mentally retarded; in a coma; etc.) cannot be saved. I think that as humans, there is a point in our life when we have to make the decision ourselves. Children don't because they can't, because they don't have an understanding of Jesus' sacrifice. The same for those who are mentally retarded. They can't understand salvation and they can't understand sin.
Animals, however, are intelligent by their respective species and kinds. People claim to have "stupid pets" but really, in comparison with animals of the same kind, they aren't stupid. They are smart. It's the species as a whole that can't make the decision for salvation.
Um ... I think that's all I really wanted to say. Hope that made sense. confused I pretty much have the same view on the matter as you, so not much else to add there. I'm sorry for going off topic, but if people were made to worship God, have we REALLY been given free will? It's like me telling someone they can do whatever they want, but unless they do what I want they're getting punished.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 8:40 am
As far as worshipping God goes, that's just what I've always heard and it makes sense to me. Maybe that isn't all we were made for. As I said before, we were made by God, for God, to be with and like God. Make of that what you will. 3nodding
|
|
|
|
|
|
High-functioning Businesswoman
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:08 pm
Look guys, I don't think we have to know if animals go to heaven or not, we'll find out when we go there ourselves, and when we're in heaven the Bible says that we will forget about all earthly things and that our tears will be wiped away and there will be no plague, disease, natural disaster, death, sickness or sorrow. There will only be joy, peace and happiness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:55 pm
You're right; in the end it doesn't matter, but it's still fun and interesting to discuss.
|
|
|
|
|
|
High-functioning Businesswoman
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:20 pm
This may seem like a weird and stupid question but,
what's the difference between the new Earth and heaven?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:22 pm
My understanding was that the new Earth would be just like regular Earth, only with no suffering or pain or sadness or sickness, and Heaven is the latter part without the earth and with God. I could be wrong though. confused
|
|
|
|
|
|
High-functioning Businesswoman
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:36 pm
Captain_Theoretical This may seem like a weird and stupid question but, what's the difference between the new Earth and heaven?
I'm not entirely sure about the new Heaven, however, as I have only known what the present Heaven is like from Jesus' own character! xd I am assuming here (dangerous!) but I believe the new Heaven will be the Father's realm, as the present Heaven is at the moment, but will include places for those who will be taken up in rapture for the tribulation. It's not for me to say whether those who will be taken up will return to the Earth after the tribulation, but I doubt it. smile
I shall have to do some more research! 3nodding
I don't know what this has to do with the thread topic (animals) but I hope I have cleared up your question! Doesn't it say something in the Bible about the Lion laying down with the Lamb? I don't know whether this is only a metaphor for the unity between Jesus and our Father, or whether it has some bearing on animals in the new Earth, but I hope for both! whee
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
