Animals: Do they go to Heaven?

Question

God made animals. Genesis 1:20-25 describes creatures of the water, air, and land.

God saved animals. Genesis 6:20 says they were "to be kept alive" in the ark during the flood.

God cares about animals. Jonah 4:11 shows this care. "But Ninevah has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?" (NIV)

Man should care. Proverbs 27:23 "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds …" (NIV)

God wants animals unharmed. Isaiah 65:25 declares "The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox … They will neither harm nor destroy in all my holy mountain, says the Lord." (NIV)

Yet, only man is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26) with the power of free choice (Joshua 24:15). Thus Biblically, man is the only part of creation to which salvation can be offered to be accepted or rejected.

Ge 9:5 is not related to this question

whynotaskdo: can you give bible reference?

Answer 1

You have done a wonderful job of quoting scripture, but do you UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS?
No doubt that you have an opinion of it's meaning, and that opinion is no doubt a result of your heritage and environment.
Each of us can use simple definitions of the words. For example; "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds". But, what does that mean?
Does it mean to care for them in the common definition, or does it mean something more esoterical?
Just because God made animals, do you think he also gave them a soul? I could argue, "no" from the statement in one of your passages; " They are to be kept alive...". But wait, if man had to protect them from the Biblical flood or they should perish, doesn't God resurrect from the dead?
Essentially, the point is that whether or not animals go to heaven, or if they have a soul is only based upon the individuals belief system.
The truth, as you would expect will be forever hidden to us mere mortals during our lives here on earth.
As an animal lover, I would like to believe that they do progress, but without free will and free choice, and existing purely on instinct as all creatures do, I find it difficult to believe that they go to heaven, as it were.
In almost every religion in the world, from the new age, to the ancient practices, every single one has the philosophy that heaven must be earned by deed. A lion has no choice but to kill the sheep, he must eat. He doesn't contemplate the right or wrong of it, or choose to "skip" dinner because of his fear of meeting hell-fire and brimstone.
I sincerely wish for you the optimal understanding of your belief system, and hope for you all the answers that you may seek. But I would suggest that your divinity lay not in seeking truths, but by living them. Life is too short to spend it comtemplating it's meaning. Live by the rules that God, and his Son have laid down;
The Commandments, and through the Atonement your salvation will be your "deeds".
Be kind, gentle, caring, loving and understanding. Maintain your principals and integrity and contribute to your society a positive world. Through these things you will find your answers, simple, plain and true.

Answer 2

Yes, the bible says God made man in his image. It doesn't say God made man to look like him. Image is short for imagination and another word for vision. God had a dream and made it reality. All creatures large and small are God's creation, and I have trouble believing he'd forsake any of them. Besides, if God is perfect, how can a perfect being create anything less than perfect? If his creation was imperfect, then he by extension would have to be imperfect, too, in order to make a mistake. The answer is, he didn't make a mistake, he designed everything exactly the way he wanted it to be, and so therefore any intentional imperfects are by extension perfect. This theory, btw, in no way conflicts with evolution unless you make it, since the original Greek version of the bible says God made the world in seven epochs, which translates to seven periods and not seven days. That actually gives God as much time as he likes to play around with us, and if he so wishes, there's nothing wrong him deciding to get to us in a round about manor as long as he eventually gets to us and that's the way he intended to do it.

Have you ever seen a rabbit die? Its eyes gloss over as if a spark has left it and it actually does lose a measurable amount of weight in the instance that it dies. Is that not a soul? If you admit it has a soul, then must it not go to heaven since the ignorant and heathen are not required to know Jesus Christ if they have no access to his word so long as they possess the hope of God? I think so.

Answer 3

According to Hindu religion, body is mortal but soul is immortal. The soul has to go through the cycle of birth, death and rebirth in different 'yonis' or life-forms numbering 8,400,000 (starting from the smallest insects to reptiles, birds, animals etc.) till it attains human form which is the superior most 'yoni'. This is the life-form which has the ability to understand its duties and differentiate between good and bad. According to the 'karma' or deeds of the soul in this life-form, the Almighty decides whether the soul should be liberated from the cycle of birth and death (awarding 'moksha' ) and assigned Heaven, condemned to Hell or again repeat the cycle of birth and death.

Therefore, an animal (nay, its soul) may go to heaven depending on the good deeds done in human form.

It is not correct to say, as some people think, that soul in any life-form can choose heaven or hell. It is the Creator who decides the fate of a soul according to its 'karma' or deeds.

Answer 4

Allah created the universe and all animate and inanimate objects therein.

All the animate objects are prostrating to him....except the ungrateful Humans and Jinns.

All other creations are created for the benefit of Humans.

Among all the creations, only Humans and Jinns were given free will to choose their destiny...Hell or Heaven, the rest of the creations not having free wills are completely under the command of Allah, The Creator, Sustainer and Cherisher of the Universe, unto whom we would return, hence Allah would decide their eternal place.

Answer 5

animals are already in heaven; remember: God first made animals which are with H.I.M. where HE lives... all the animals were made either from the element of water or the element of earth. These were made before the first male and female of which were created on the sixth day. When God made animals for Adam here on earth; they were formed "after his kind" and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. All animals on earth were "formed" after the models of them which God had already called forth from the earth of HIS Home, which some call Zion, others simply call it Heaven. But when animals die; if you notice, they are consumed by nature, and rejuvinated or reborn as a part of the spirit of a next animal.

And just so you'll know, we all are already in heaven: For God called the firmament (which we call space) Heaven. And it is all around us. And if something is all around us; are we not in it?

Ergo, the answer to your question is simply: Yes.

Answer 6

Ge 9:5 - And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. If the Lord is calling for accountability from each & every animal then I would say that many animals will be in Heaven! :)

Answer 7

Thus saying only humans have the power of free choice, wouldn't that mean that animals are born in original innocence and therefore do not sin. So, a life without sin would grant access to your idea of heaven.

Answer 8

May be we need to ask Dr. Dolittle!

In Hindu mythology, if a person kills a animal the roles gets reversed in their next birth. So if you kill a goat, the goat achives eternal peace (mukti) while at the same time you earn the wrath to reborn as a goat in your next life to atone for the killing.

There may not be a seperate heaven for animals. But in Hindu mytholgy many animals lives in heaven as means of transport to various deities.

Answer 9

God creat the earth with different creation and made different type of animals,from all this creation he select human being is the top of animal.And heven keep for human beings as a reward for his good deeds,and the rest of the animal serve for human being,so who serve propet Mohammed {pbuh} they will go to heaven only.

Answer 10

Actually Human being is the TOP OF THE CREATION, so only has the wisdom to achieve salvation unlike animals. But if the LORD wishes , it may be possible for an animal too to go to Heaven ! Coz nothing is impossible for Him !