[Comrade Ogilvy]

One day, when we were 10 years old or so, a stray dog began walking along with us, as we got near the church . He looked very thin and hungry. We stopped and petted him, scratched his back. "It's too bad dogs can't go to heaven. Why can't they" said my friend Jacob. I said "You gotta be baptized to go to heaven. We ought to baptize him. He deserves a chance to go to heaven". I picked him up and we walked into the church. We took him to the bowl of holy water and I held him there as my friend sprinkled the water on his forehead. "I hereby baptize you" said my friend. We took him outside and put him back on the sidewalk again. "He even looks different" I said. The dog lost interest and walked off down the sidewalk.

Will he go to heaven?

[Sithsaber]

You got this from south park didn't you? The catholic definition of baptism is too watered down. And no sergeant ruffles can't go to heaven because he has no soul (or maybe his consciousness will be reassembled for our amusement in the afterlife if eternity goes the unlikely route and is a endless sequence of events. How eternity could be measured through the human perception of time is beyond me, although it is beyond everyone)

[Typhoon]

To answer this question I refer you to Don Bluth's classic 1989 animation "All dog's go to heaven", in that yes dogs can go to heaven but baptism was not explicitly stated as a prerequisite. Perhaps more interesting, they can be reanimated from the dead to serve special tasks!

[Soulflytribe]

I don't know about going to Heaven... But they can attend masses and find "spiritual comfort"!

[Nattering Nabob]

Since animals didn't fall in the Garden of Eden and aren't in need of salvation, they will go to heaven...all dogs do indeed go to heaven...

[Social_Critic]

Nabob, you have missed the fundamental of the Christian religion. According to Christian dogma you have to believe Jesus saves and is the Son of God. It also helps f you understand the Trinity.

Dogs don't go to heaven because they lack faith, they don't have the foggiest idea about Jesus, and they can't tell the difference between the Holy Spirit and the Alcoholic Spirit. Lucky for them the first dogs didn't eat from the tree of knowledge and therefore all dogs do go to dog heaven.

[republicuk]

Nabob, you have missed the fundamental of the Christian religion. According to Christian dogma you have to believe Jesus saves and is the Son of God. It also helps f you understand the Trinity.

Dogs don't go to heaven because they lack faith, they don't have the foggiest idea about Jesus, and they can't tell the difference between the Holy Spirit and the Alcoholic Spirit.

Exactly, people who have never been exposed to Christianity or children who never reached the age to understand, through no fault of their own, don't get in either. I know that doesn't sound very nice but if that's what God wants it must be right.

Lucky for them the first dogs didn't eat from the tree of knowledge and therefore all dogs do go to dog heaven.

I agree, it doesn't say that in the bible but what you said makes sense.
Maybe if the dogs get their own heaven despite lacking faith then maybe all those people I mentioned above get their own heaven too!

[Nattering Nabob]

^

You people are spouting religious dogma...

[Figlio di Moros]

Assuming an ounce of truth in Christian dogma, and then dogs only go to heaven if their masters do. Assumably, God's mercy means scruffy will be waiting for you at the pearly gates. Perhaps he'll also let you keep your favorite truck and old family heirlooms.

[neopagan]

Who'd want to go anyway? Its full of squares, and the bloody neighbour's dog barking at its own shadow.

[RedMANAChocobo]

If conscious beings such as humans have souls than I don't see why that animals wouldn't have souls.

[Buzz62]

Dogs can and do go to Heaven.
But it's "Doggie-Heaven".
Where the bitches are always in heat, spaghetti and meatballs is always being served for dinner, cats have no claws, and there's no such thing as a leash.

[uggabugga]

Yes but animal souls do not reside in the same "area" as human souls.

[Stormsmith]

Upon a cursory glance of at the messages of God and Christ, most dogs deserve to go to heaven, few people do.

Besides, Heaven and the New Jerusalem are supposed to be perfect or nearer to perfection than our current state. Both would be impoverished, not improved, by the absence of dogs, kitties, and GGs

[Verv]

Nabob is right.

I actually also listened to a Muslim podcast of a very strict Sunni that addressed the issue of whether or not we can have our pets in heaven.

The official answer after wading through all that Islamic fiqh was something like, "animals are not destined to be in Heaven, but if a person consciously desires and wishes to have a family pet with them from their previous life, it is most certain that Allah will grant them their wish and not deprive them of their loved one."

It is also worth pointing out that the Prophet Mohammed was an animal lover.

I assume that all great, spiritual people have a high regard for animal life... I have never met someone who is mean to animals that I have ever found to be particularly spiritually developed.

[Embrace]

I hereby baptize you" said my friend. We took him outside and put him back on the sidewalk again. "He even looks different"

One day, about 15 years ago now, I had to say goodbye to my dog. Her name was Tootsie.

She was the greatest and bravest dog I have ever had and perhabs will ever have. Simply awesome and I loved her to bits.

But when she got old, she got sick. The doctor suspected it was bonecancer, but he couldn't be sure

because he didn't have the means to make the call.

For sure she was going to die tho, but that's not what she wanted: no matter what, she wanted to keep on living.

I remember walking and playing with her during her final days and that she just was adamant to keep on living.

Always playing and being happy, like she was still a puppy. Not giving up, not for a second.

But, I knew and waited for the day when the final proces would start.

When it came, my father called me on the phone, because I wasn't living at home anymore, but I came as quickly as I could.

It was clear death had taken its hold on her.

Then I spent 3 more days with her, guiding her through the last tribulations.

And they were hard, very hard. But she wouldn't stop, no matter the Pain, she just wouldn't stop.

She just wanted to live, live, live! Just play, be happy and such a beautiful Soul.

So I prayed for her. Oh yes, did I pray for her.

I didn't think, or expect it would matter, but it did.

It eased and stopped her suffering; she stopped crying and moaning ánd it gave her the final blow:

After I prayed for her to die, she first slept for several hours. Then she awoke from sleep for the last time and she wanted to walk.

So I took her out with me and we walked for the last time. In the middle of the night. And then she fell.

The way she screamed out the pain when she did, was as if she was saying: I don't want to go, but release me please!

The next morning, I took her with my father to the doctor to put her out of her misery.

On the way to her final resting place, she was at total peace, as if she understood completely what we were going to do with her.

And when she passed away, her spirit stopped by to thank me, as a breath of fresh air and life. Before it flew off. Into the sky.

I will NEVER forget that.

[annatar1914]

One day, about 15 years ago now, I had to say goodbye to my dog. Her name was Tootsie.

She was the greatest and bravest dog I have ever had and perhabs will ever have. Simply awesome and I loved her to bits.

But when she got old, she got sick. The doctor suspected it was bonecancer, but he couldn't be sure because he didn't have the means to make the call.

For sure she was going to die tho, but that's not what she wanted: no matter what, she wanted to keep on living.

I remember walking and playing with her during her final days and that she just was adamant to keep on living.

Always playing and being happy, like she was as a puppy. Not giving up, not for a second.

But, I knew and waited for the day when the final proces would start.

When it came, my father called me on the phone, because I wasn't living at home anymore, but I came as quickly as I could.

It was clear death had taken its hold on her.

Then I spent 3 more days with her, guiding her through the last tribulations.

And they were hard, very hard. But she wouldn't stop, no matter the Pain, she just wouldn't stop.

She just wanted to live, live, live! Just play, be happy and such a beautiful Soul.

So I prayed for her. Oh yes, did I pray for her.

I didn't think, or expect it would matter, but it did.

It eased and stopped her suffering; she stopped crying and moaning ánd it gave her the final blow:

After I prayed for her to die, she first slept for several hours. Then she awoke from sleep for the last time and she wanted to walk.

So I took her out with me and we walked for the last time. And then she fell.

And the way she screamed out the pain when she did, was as if she was saying: I don't want to go, but release me please!

Then I took her with my father to the doctor to put her out of her mysery.

On the way to her final resting place, she was at total peace, as if she understood completely what we were going to do with her.

And when she passed away, her spirit stopped by to thank me, as a breath of fresh air and life. Before I flew off. High up into the sky.

I will NEVER forget that.

That was beautiful.

Our Lord said; 'Behold! I make all things new!

'All Creation groans in expectation of the revelation of the sons of God.' Why would it do so unless all creation will indeed be renewed, and made better than before, even?

Like the dog who accompanied Tobias and the Archangel Raphael, the Dog will accompany us into the Kingdom of Heaven too

[Embrace]

^
I can only say, that from my experience, the death of one very precious dog showed me a glimpse of heaven.

[Embrace]

And that mankind's experience, or mine at least, feels to be similar.

[Americanroyalty]

Yes, all consciousness exist within an eternal frame work, that mortals conceive of as heaven.