Have read quite a few posts out here saying that pets don't go to heaven because they can't choose God. So what about people who don't have the capacity to choose? Like babies or young children. Or mentally challenged people.
2006-12-26 01:13:23 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Only narrow minded people believe gods creatures are not welcome in heaven, God would not turn away what he has created, be it animal or human. The mentally challenged, abused will lead the way for us all!
2006-12-26 14:39:29 · answer #1 · answered by jc1 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The reason that pets can not "choose to worship God" is that they were not created with an eternal soul within them. When God created man (see Genesis 2:7) it says that he formed his body from the elements of the earth, breathed into him breath (also translated spirit), and man became a living soul. There were three parts to man.
When it talks of the animals, they have a body and a breath, but not a living soul. So when they die, there is no eternal part of them to go to heaven, or anywhere else. It is this lack of an eternal soul which also prevents animals from being able to make the moral decisions that humans make. So they are incapable of choosing to worship God.
A person who is mentally challenged still has a living soul. What he lacks is a mind. Because he is incapable of making an intellect mental choice to serve God, or not, he is not judged for his choices. Same for children and infants. Their eternal souls are welcomed into heaven. It is only people who choice to reject God who are excluded - and then only because they choose to be excluded.
2006-12-26 01:26:50 · answer #2 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe that people who are not able to be responsible for their salvation and the realization of their sins are going to Heaven. They can still be taught a form of Godliness by their parents, but since I'm no psychologist or psychiatrist, I would be led to believe they were merely imitating their environment. However, I'm sure God is pleased with these individuals perceived sense of right and wrong, for there are many verses that pertain to how we know the difference and how we attain our salvation and etc., so if these things are applied to their hearts and lives through careful teaching and their understanding, they'll reap the same reward as all Christians who are fully responsible and capable of relating and understanding.
2006-12-26 01:36:44 · answer #3 · answered by bigvol662004 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Great question! I really think that we all go to the same place. Our attitudes, religions, personalites, etc., are 98% life circumstance and 2% inherited. Example: You have two identical twins separated at birth. They are adopted by different families. One is raised up in a Christian family with strong morals and values. The other is raised in a disfunctional family with divorce, alcohol, drugs, etc. Which one is more likely to worship god and in turn, be saved. What I'm tring to say is that our environment makes up who we are as people. If god is a reasonable god, then he should understand this. As for animals, I believe that they ALL go to the same place as us. It would be a sad existence if they didn't have souls too.
2006-12-26 02:09:59 · answer #4 · answered by Angel W 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Babies and young children yet to be of age for reason of choice are still pure of heart.
When are old enough to know that you are choosing between right and wrong, are worthy of being responsible for those same choices.
Animals serve purposes in Gods kingdom and therefore of different eternal level.
A soul and its choices are the eternal determination.
Nothing worth arguing over for has been made clear in the Word.
2006-12-26 01:18:57 · answer #5 · answered by Marsha 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Babies and young children go to heaven if they are baptized, and mentally challenged are considered innocent children of God, they get to go to heaven by default.
2006-12-26 01:20:07 · answer #6 · answered by gypsyiiiis 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From what I know, it was said that if a baby died without being baptized, he'd go to the limbo, it's like a place where you wait because you can't still go to heaven, but it isn't hell. And the fact that animals might not go to heaven has to do with them not having souls.
2006-12-26 01:21:51 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pets and people like those you speak of never left heaven so they don't need to go back.
We are the ones who practice judgment and need to find our way back.
Judgment is the idea that we know good from evil, or have the knowledge of good and evil. This knowledge is what separates us from heaven. The animals never made this mistake, so they don't have anything to fix like we do.
That knowledge of good and evil thing ring any bells. Think about it.
Love and blessings Don
2006-12-26 01:19:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In my faith, all animals, young children before age of puberty and mentally retarded people are residence of heaven. Why? becouse of the reason you just said, "don't have the capacity to choose?" };)
2006-12-26 01:17:16 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Islam, all mentally challenged people's, whether born with it or thru an accident, healed souls' are in Heaven already, their body is on earth to be cared for by all humans with respect until it's pre-dated death and be reunited with it's soul in Heaven. This includes pre-born children and all animals who are cared for by angels..
2006-12-26 05:30:26 · answer #10 · answered by miladybc 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋