To all the theists out there, are humans more deserving to go to heaven than all the other species of mammals?

Question

Humans are indeed a selfish lot. They want the best for themselves when they are alive. They plunder Earth and cause mayhem to Mother Nature because of over-consumerism and power-grabbing (economic power, political power, military power & even religious-power) resulting in over-pollution, ozone-layer depletion and other man-made disasters like religious wars& terrorism.
After commiting all the above excesses/crimes they want to enjoy perpetual bliss when they are dead! (i.e. "heaven" for the theists).
Humans forget that they are not the only "intelligent" living-things on planet Earth. Do humans ever bother to reason that the animals they "murder" for food or religious sacrifices (viz, cows, pigs, sheep, dogs, deer, whales, dolphins,etc) are actually very intelligent animals? In fact research has shown that many of them are more intelligent than humans!

Answer 1

I don't think anyone could dispute what you're saying. Humans can be very awful, selfish, stupid beings, but that's because they're humans, they're not perfect. No one deserves heaven, that's pretty clear, that's why Jesus died for our sins, he takes the blame for us horrible people and if we believe that, accept that, and appreciate it, then we get to heaven. Of course we don't deserve it. Not a lot of us anyways.

Answer 2

Well, them being more intelligent than humans, I'd have to say, I have actually seen that before after talking with some people.
To answer the end question though. Humans are the only thing on this planet that have the emotions we have, the intellect we have, the ability to communicate feelings by speech, express themsleves by things such as music, reason logically (though some do not use common sense), etc. All the reason more why evolution is a farce because it is unable to explain in absolute fact how the same cell that started in the ocean, was able to produce all living mammals as we know it, but create one so vastly different in those respects to all the others.
Humans were created in God's image. Many people get hung up on this. Does God look like man? Who really knows, but that is not what was meant. Man has a body, spirit, and soul and the last two are what the other mammals lack.

http://planttel.net/~meharris1/mikescorner.html

Answer 3

Yes, I agree with you on a couple of things. Firstly, that human nature is pretty selfish. Personally, I believe that this is the result of actions by our first ancestors Adam and Eve; they fell from God's grace in the Garden of Eden. Secondly, I believe that animals do have at least some degree of intelligence.

The thing is, however, I really don't believe that intelligence is the deciding factor God uses in judging who gets to go to Heaven. What I believe does make a person right with God, and thus acceptable to enter Heaven is a personal relationship with Jesus.

In order to have such a relationship, a being needs to have a spirit capable of communing with God, and that is something that I believe animals lack. As a Christian, I believe that God gave humans stewardship over animals because humans are the dominant lifeform. It is only men and women who are made in the image of God.

Answer 4

It was never meant to be this way in the first place hadn't Adam sinned and banished from Eden. Only God can restore the order from chao.

A point to note. If humans did research on animals and found we were less intelligent than them, then is the research reliable as it was done by an unitelligent life-form. Just a thought.

Answer 5

OK, I'll bite...

Humans are God's only creation with a soul. Intelligence, as many have found, has little to do with trusting Jesus as one's Savior.

Also, in terms of "murdering" for food, etc... God gave man dominion over the animals (all of them), & provided Adam & Eve with animals for food & clothing & sacrifices (required before Jesus' sacrifice).

Man has certainly done a number on the environment, no doubt. But, we are not comparable to animals in terms of favor in God's eyes.

I personally believe that there will be animals in Heaven, but not for the same reason we're there. Here's a link that may be of interest.

Answer 6

I do believe that all animals go to heaven and that animals have souls. Some humans do realize that there are animals out there that are just as intelligent as humans. I don't think that humans are more deserving when it comes to going to heaven over other species.

My idea of heaven includes animals whether it's other species of mammals or if it is a beetle or a fish.

Answer 7

Intelligence is not a requisite for admission into heaven! In any case there is a vast difference between humans and animals. Humans are moral beings, animals are not. So one can only ask if humans are deserving of going to heaven. That question does not apply to the animals. The Bible says that no one is righteous, and all are destined for hell. That's our default position. But those who CHOOSE to put their trust in Christ will enter heaven, not because of any deserving merit they possess, but precisely because they have realised that they have no merit whatsoever and thus "hide" themselves under the covering of Christ's perfect sacrifice. Christians enter heaven solely by the grace of God in Christ Jesus. And the good news is, this grace is freely available to you and everyone! But like all free things, you have to reach out and take it by faith. The only condition is a repentant heart.

Answer 8

It would be cruel for an animal to have a soul. Because then they'd have a conscience and end up being exactly like humans are. Considering some animals eat other animals to survive. Wouldn't it be cruel for mother animals to have their babies snatched away all the time. Imagine the grief in the animal kingdom over survival of the species.

Answer 9

Life is an act of survival. All animal, including human, kill to survive. In the past, human hunt for food. Thing changed now, all human can't probably still hunting for food, they are adopting to the situation. If survival is a sin, then all living things, inclusive of human, should all go to the hell.

Answer 10

So are you saying we would be better off with a monkey in the white house? . . . . oh yeah, we already do :)

I have tried to ask here before why people think they are superior to the rest of nature and haven't gotten much of a response - good luck. People will never admit this because they want to keep selfishly destroying the world for their own gain. Pretty sad.