Why would God give animals the ability to unconditionally love us if they didn't have a soull, and therefore do not go to Heaven?
135912
Hmm, good question. I believe they have feelings, but not a soul. I think it's because the Bible doesn't say that they have one otherwise. i think they were created to remind us of God's unconditional love for us.
80853
I don't believe in god . . . but if I did . . . I would give up unbiblical requirements . . . . such as lent, tithe, the cross, trinity . . .etc.
158888
The Bible does not give any specific teaching on whether pets / animals have “souls” or whether pets / animals will be in heaven. However, we can take some general Scriptural principles and shed some light on the subject. The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals (Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15,22) have the breath of life. The primary difference between human beings and animals is that man is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Animals are not made in the image and likeness of God. Being made in the image and likeness of God means that human being are like God, capable of spirituality, with mind, emotion, and will - and - have an aspect of being that continues after death. If pets / animals do have a “soul” or immaterial aspect, it must therefore be of a different and lesser "quality." This difference probably means that pet / animal “souls” do not carry on after death.\n\nAnother factor to consider in this question is that God did create animals as a part of His creative process in Genesis. God created the animals and said they were good (Genesis 1:25). Therefore, there is no reason why there could not be animals on the new earth (Revelation 21:1). There will most definitely be animals during the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25). It is impossible to say definitively whether some of these animals might be pets we had while here on earth. We do know that God is just and that when we get to Heaven we will find ourselves in complete agreement with His decision on this issue, whatever it may be.
407079
What you say is absolutely true, but we have to be careful in understanding it the right way.\n\nSome people think that it means that if you accept the plastic Jesus of Protestant fundamentalism you are in, and if you reject Him you are out.\n\n\nOne is saved if he or she has the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity in the soul at death.\n\nThis is a participation, by the soul, of the supernatural life of God, merited by Jesus' Life, Passion, and Resurrection (it is assumed that spirits, ghosts, angels, demons, and human souls are supernatural beings. They are not. God is the only supernatural being, and He shares His supernatural nature with us as a free gift if we are open to that).\n\n\nNow this life of God, or sanctifying grace, is an infinitely transcendent reality beyond all that we can understand or feel in this life (so union with God cannot be gauged by emotional gushing).\n\nIt is reached through a process of analogy, in loving the reflections of God, in the good, the true, and the beautiful, wherever they exist (against selfishness). This brings us to a love of God directly, for His own sake, which is divine charity in the soul.\n\nParticularly, we have to love neighbor - willing his or her good unselfishly. For as the Apostle John verifies, if we don't have that, we do not love God (1 John 4:20).\n\n\n\n\n\n---
483428
Why would a truly loving god create a creature and deny it the joy of farting?
244538
nice question.\n\nand difficult. i can't answer from a christian point of view, because i seriously doubt the existence of a God.\n\nbut concidering that Lust was created by a Higher Power, i can see the necessity for Lust.\n\nif we were created, i think we were created to Love. Lust and Love together is an undescribable great feeling. I love my fiancee, and of course i also Lust her dearly. \n\nLust without Love is empty. shallow.\n\nBut when you take the love out of feelings, then almost any feeling is empty.\n\ncan it be possible that from the start God didn't even concider the fact that we humans would also do bad things with feelings that were created for the best? I know that God is concidered omnipotent and stuff, but i would feel more respect for a God that made errors in judgement, it would even make sense to me.\n\nif the world would consist from only Pure Love (as an impossible theory) then even a thing as (for example) stealing would not be bad, bcs the victim would love the thief, and even be happy that the thief gained his stolen goods.
168507
It isnt that they worship them... \n\nHinus believe that all animals have Atman or soul and thus should not be killed. Also killing leads to bad karmic consequences and the consumption of flesh is not sattvic; meaning one can not achieve full spirituality or a close connection with Lord.
425056
The only love that is unconditonal is from an animal, child, or parent. All the rest have conditions.
193004
without the love of God and his only begotten son Jesus Christ in your heart you will never fully realize happiness.\n\nRead John 3:16 in the bible
291172
First of all, there IS a God. The universe didn't just create itself. Second, God punishes unrepentant sinners. Those who do not recieve(believe) the atoning sacrifice of Christ when they die are punished. If you admit that you are a sinner and believe that Christ died for you than you become a Christian, or, a follower of Christ. As a Christian you are commanded to love all people, even those who seem unlovable. So, as  Christian you wouldn't snub people off. And if people snubbed you off you would try not to let it bother you. Those who aren't Christians don't care how they treat people and they don't think about what happens after they leave this life.
677211
Excellent food for thought!\n\nConsidering the fact that I am more of a spiritual person than religious, I would just go on in life as it is.  My father always questioned the theory of evolution -vs- the teachings of the bible.  We would have long arguments about what was right.  I know what I believe in my heart.  There has never been any real proof of anything, either way, so I don't believe my life would change as I believe that there is a supreme being by which my choice to call is God.  I do believe that I will be rewarded for all the good that I do here on earth and I do have full faith that there is a better place waiting for me.  I also believe that in my heart, I am punished for all my wrong doings as I, like all ppl, am instilled with morals and values, of which for me, are very high. \n\nPerhaps in having morals and values, we have the ability to pass judgement upon ourselves, thereby passing on what we believe to be an acceptable punishment should we choose to do so.  This is through the guilt we feel for wrong doing and the happiness for the positive in life.
96492
Actually,God never gave us permission to eat meat. And we do not have control over animals , we force control over them. If we had not killed so many predator animals and they still lived everywhere around us and we were all stripped naked and dropped off without modern luxuries the Grizzly, Gator, snakes and more would control us !!
290497
The "sacrifice" issue is not just about animals,\n(which God never perceived as clean and unclean);\nFor God saw only good x 6, very good the 7th time.\n\nNor did God ever desire any sacrifice, for sin,\nis "of the law", which His Grace will not have,\nand the not part is not then, not now, not ever.\nPs 40:6; 51:16; Hos 6:6; Mt 9:13; Mt 12:7; Heb 10\n\nMt 9:13 Go ye and learn what meaneth:\n"I will have mercy, and not sacrifice".\nhttp://www.godshew.org/ShewBread5.htm#willx2\nWhich (law/grace)things(sons) are an "allegory".\nhttp://www.godshew.org/Allegory.htm\n\nIt OBVIOUSLY meaneth God will have grace, and not law;\nFor biblical & historical "evidence" makes it "EVIDENT"\nthat no man is justified by the law in the sight of God.\n\nAll who think other wise, the sacrifice wise, of the law,\ncan also bend over and dble kiss their cheri bums bye bye.\nAnd such is not to be merciless, but rather to be merciful.\nFor it won't change the end that's notably already written,\nbut it will make what's evident ever more evident unto all.\n\nThe "grace" of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all. Amen.
527776
I believe that if people go to heaven, so do animals. Look at this site:\n\nhttp://www.rainbowsbridge.com
196117
You would have to ask someone who was Jewish. But animals do not have souls which are "accountable" for sin, so I wouldn't think that it would matter to the animal. They aren't going to go to hell. But the owner is in charge of what the pet gets to eat (most of the time!) so it would be up to them.
378264
Everyone has a choice, God does not "make" Muslims, etc. He may know someone will make choices that turns them into a Muslim, but God values our choices. Look, if God wanted to just let everyone into heaven that loved him, and cast away the rest into hell, he can do so WITHOUT putting us on earth first. But why would he let us be on earth when he knows we wont serve him anyway? Well imagine if you were created straight in hell... You could easily argue, "God I never had a choice to follow you!", but since you were on earth you DID have choices, and so you get to understand why you go to heaven or hell. Remember though, no one goes to hell if they doesn't deserve to be there according to God's judgement. So why didn't God create just Christians? Well, firstly that would be a form of force since we'd all be destined to go to heaven. Secondly, God might use the life of a non-believer to somehow affect another person into believing. If no one was criticising the Bible, for instance, you probably wouln't have historians and archeologists who back up the Biblical claims with as much evidence as possible. If you didn't have those scholars defending the Bible from skeptics, you might not have as many people who believe in the Bible. At the last, remember that God's knowledge and foresight exceeds are own, and what we may not think is "woth it" he does. Plus think about it, do you think us mere humans are worth the sufferings Jesus undertook? I don't want anyone suffering for me, but it just goes to show how sometimes God might do something we think is wrong, but to him it is extreme mercy and love.
334456
Because the very nature of God is love, he made man in order to have a being on which to shower the wonders of his glory. The existence of God is not, nor ever was, dependent on man's righteousness (or lack of...) Technically, he could've just let himself chill out in heaven for all eternity and not even bother with us. But that's divine love for you.\n\nAmazing grace.