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Do all dogs go to heaven?

miss fortune

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One of my friend's dogs died recently and she was understandably upset by that- it was a really nice dog and she loves dogs! While she was talking about it she brought up a topic that had never really crossed my mind before- do dogs go to heaven?

I love my dog, and am sad whenever I remember that I'm probably going to outlive him by quite a few years- and the thought of spending eternity without my dogs- the ones that I grew up with and my darling puppy I have now- sounds more like hell to me than any form of heaven :cry: I'd personally rather just die and be dead if I'm going to have to forgo being with my dog to get there :blush:

So... DO dogs go to heaven? :huh:

I would think that they would because dogs are good- they are so much more loyal and loving than most human beings are! :) I wouldn't think that a loving God would ever be able to send such a wonderful creature anywhere BUT heaven! (of course, I also beleive in reincarnation :doh: so that's thrown into the mix too :sad:)
 

Totenkindly

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Maybe the first question asked should be if there actually is a heaven....? :whistling:

(yes, i'm a brat.)

And then it would depend on where heaven came from, what it is, and how it works, before we could guess decently whether the dogs would go there.

But it would be nice to think of a place with that much variety, with the animals and things we have grown attached too.
 

miss fortune

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lets assume all of these things.... do dogs go to heaven? :huh:

:cry: I hope so!
 

scantilyclad

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the dogs who ask forgiveness for their sins go to heaven.
 

Griffi97

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Here are a few quotes on the subject.

"If I have any beliefs about immortality it is that certain dogs I know will go to heaven, and very very few people."
James Thurber.

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."
Will Rogers

"The second large question - do animals go to heaven? I do believe that we and our animals will meet again. If we do not, and where we go is supposed to be heaven, it will not be heaven to me and it will not be where I wish to go."
Cleveland Amory

I think most people (who believe in God) believe that God will have provided for us everything we could wish for in Heaven. For anyone who has known the joy of experiencing the human-animal bond, having our pets there would be an essential aspect of providing for that happiness.

I believe that animals, dogs in particular, are capable of giving us true unconditional love, whereas most humans are not capable of that. Therefore we have much to learn from them. Surely God will have provided for them in Heaven.

I read a short story when I was a child that left an indelible impression on me. It was called "The Soul of Caliban," by Emma-Lindsey Squier. I don't know where you might be able to find it but I highly recommend reading it if you can.

Personally, I am absolutely sure that they will be there. :hug:
 

Valiant

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crap, dude, I thought your antler dog died =( scared me!

condoleances and hope it goes to dog heaven anyway =s
 

Night

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Heaven, as a concept, is the ultimate reward for a lifetime of positive behavior.

Hell, conversely, is a realm of final punishment wherein one spends eternity suffering for his misdeeds.

The key variable is agency. Which reality does the applicant best deserve, relative to their choices while alive. Accountability and autonomy cooperate to grant context into the spectrum of behavior the individual embraced.

As both (accountability/autonomy) require the capacity to differentiate good from bad behavior (measured against some higher celestial template/paragon), the animal likely does not qualify for either destination (insofar as popular religion reflects).

No - dogs are inherently unable to enter "Heaven", such that traditional religion envisions.

Take heart - I find religion can sometimes function as the strongest obstacle to God.
 

Falcarius

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Falcarius is not so sure his dog went to heaven, but rather his back yard.:rolleyes:
 

Valiant

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His daughter would be so cool she would say it herself. :D
 

Ojian

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I love my dog, and am sad whenever I remember that I'm probably going to outlive him by quite a few years- and the thought of spending eternity without my dogs- the ones that I grew up with and my darling puppy I have now- sounds more like hell to me than any form of heaven :cry: I'd personally rather just die and be dead if I'm going to have to forgo being with my dog to get there :blush:

So... DO dogs go to heaven? :huh:

I would think that they would because dogs are good- they are so much more loyal and loving than most human beings are! :) I wouldn't think that a loving God would ever be able to send such a wonderful creature anywhere BUT heaven! (of course, I also beleive in reincarnation :doh: so that's thrown into the mix too :sad:)

I don't buy the typical descriptions of heaven/hell and who does/doesn't go there. But from the descriptions given, it seems the dogs have a pretty good chance of being there, but us humans do not :doh:

I'm curious though, you seem to be doing ok with your losses of previous pets, even getting a new puppy. Why do you think it would be worse in heaven?
 

Eileen

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I think everything will return to the source.

Sometimes I imagine that this means that all souls will return to the nebulous soul of God. Sometimes I am content to understand that all matter will reintegrate into the earth again.
 

wedekit

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Well, my idea of heaven is more based on philosophy than theology. I don't see how animals in general would fit in. They don't act on free will; they are enslaved to their instincts so how could they be judged?

However, being the NF that I am, I can't help but think that animals are more than we think they are. If you are interested in my crazy Ni's interpretation of the possibility, maybe the animals of this planet are from the same collective soul and serve as teachers to us. Nature is and has always been in a state of unity.
 
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