What do Christians tell their kids when they ask them if their dead pet will go to heaven?
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True Christians understand that heaven is the dwelling place of God and Jesus and the angels. Only a very tiny fraction from among mankind will be resurrected to heaven, and for a special purpose.\n\nThe EARTH is the proper dwelling place for humans and animals.\n\nJehovah's Witnesses, for example, note that Adam and Eve expected to live forever on earth. More than 99.9% of Jehovah's Witnesses profess the earthly hope (that percentage is literal, from their yearly "Memorial" commemoration).\n(Genesis 1:28) God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill THE EARTH and subdue it [caps added]\n(Genesis 2:17) You must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die [so never eating from that tree means never dying]\n\nInterestingly, the Scriptures are full of references to this earthly hope.\n(Psalms 37:11) 'the meek will possess the earth'\n(Proverbs 2:21) 'upright will reside in the earth'\n(Isaiah 45:18) 'God formed the earth to be inhabited'\n(Matthew 5:5) 'the mild will inherit the earth'\n(Revelation 21:3) The tent of God is with mankind\n\nLearn more:\nhttp://watchtower.org/e/20001001/
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There is only spiritual life after physical death for those who believe in Jesus Christ, and love and seek and work for His kingdom. The sheep, as the Bible calls them, will go to Heaven for all of eternity after physical death. The goats, as the Bible calls them, will go to the lake of fire, and burn in Hell for all of eternity. This is called the second death.
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When you Die you sleep until Jesus returns\n\nA lot of Christians are sayin that the soul can’t die but what does God say\n\nBehold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezekiel 18:4\n\n\nAre we immortal?\n\nWhich God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. I Timothy 6:15,16\n\nTalking about death we should look at how life was created \nAnd the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. - Genesis 2:7\nFrom this we see that the soul is the combination of both the breath of God and the physical body.\nSo what happens when you die?\n1) In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.- Genesis 3:19 \n2) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. - Luke 23:46\n3) Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. - Ecclesiastes 12:5\n\nFrom these scriptures we see that when you die the two components of the soul either decay (the physical body) or goes back to God (the spirit)\n\nMany people believe that the spirit is some intangible ghostlike substance but if you look at what the bible says\nAll the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils - Job 27:3\n\nFrom this we see that the spirit is the Breath of Life not a … ghost (for lack of a better word)\n\n\nDo the dead go directly to heaven or hell?\n\nPsalms 115:17 The dead praise not the Lord. \nPsalms 6:5 In death there is no remembrance of thee. \nIsaiah 38:18 Death can not celebrate thee. \nPsalms 146:4 His thoughts perish.\nJob 21:32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.\nEcclesiastes  9:5  For the living know that they shall die; but the dead do not know anything, nor do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten.\nFrom these verses we see that there is no thought in death\n\nSome may argue that these are all Old Testament examples of the teaching of death so lets look at the New Testament \nJesus speaking about the death of Lazarus \nThese things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. John 11:11-14\nMatthew 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose\n1 Thessalonians 4:15 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.\n1 Thessalonians 4:14 Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.\nIf we look at what Jesus said on the cross in Luke 23:43\nAnd Jesus said to him, Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.\n\nMany use this to prove the point that we go directly to our reward. The problem is in the Greek there was not a comma, the comma was placed centuries later by people who believed that we go directly to our reward. If you move the comma it conforms to the rest of scripture\n\nAnd Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise.”\n\nRead on and Jesus tells Mary he did not ascend to heaven yet.\n\n\nBut doesn’t the Bible say to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord?\n\nAs I mentioned above the Bible says we do not go directly to heaven or hell. I think we should look at 2 Corinthians 5, but
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How sad for you.  I don't believe in all these human classifications of who or what goes to heaven: I believe all living things have a soul and therefore go onwards.  Of course you will see your ferret again!  If my pets have ceased to exist, then I hope to do so, too - I ain't going anywhere they don't!  (It might be that all those who assert that animals don't have souls will populate something other than heaven themselves, as their love seems to be limited and somewhat lacking in humanity.)
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Someday, like everyone else, your life on Earth will end and your physical body will die. But your spirit will not die. At the time of physical death, your spirit will go to the spirit world, where you will continue to learn and progress. After we are resurrected we will be judged and rewarded for the things we have done in this life. \nJesus Christ taught His Apostles that in His Father’s house are “many mansions” (John 14:2). Our loving Heavenly Father is anxious to reward all of His children according to their obedience to His commandments and their willingness to follow the Savior. \nThose who do these things and are worthy to return to the presence of God and Christ become “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17) of all that the Father has. They will return to live with Heavenly Father and with their families in His eternal glory. \nThose who choose not to follow our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will receive a reward according to what they have done in this life, but they will not enjoy the glory of living in the presence of God.
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Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with a rod, he will not die. Punish him with a rod and save his soul from death.Proverbs 23:13-1 \n\nThese are proverbs written by Solomon.  He is saying discipline your child so they will know what is right and wrong.  Disciplining your child will not kill them, it will in fact save them from later mistakes.\n\n\nLet death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave, for evil finds lodging among them. Psalm 55:15 \nThis psalm was written by David, it was a song and prayer to the Lord.  There are more than 70 psalms attributed to David, at least 14 of them are connected with specific events of his life.  From them we see an outline of a growing relationship with God.\nsome events in Davids life:\nSaul sent men to his home to kill him\nrunning from saul\nhiding in a cave in Adullam\nlearning that doeg had murdered 85 priests and their famililies\nthe zephites betrayed him\nand the list goes on.\nThis is all recorded history.\n\nAmmom,Moab,EDOM, and Philistia although once united with Judah against Babylon, had abandoned Judah and rejoiced to see it's ruin.  But these nations were as sinful as Judah and would also feel the sting of God's judgement.  As seen in Ezekial 25:1-17.  Those are prophecies given to Ezekial.
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It's not death that I fear, it's the hole my death will leave in the lives of my fanily and friends. Because even though we, as Christians, look forward to being with our Lord in Heaven, we know our loved ones will miss us and we are caught in a quandry. We look forward to Heaven, but we don't want to cause pain to our loved ones.
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It doesn't say that anywhere, I'm afraid.  Jesus does say, however, that the Kingdom of Heaven is like the little children.  How, then, could they go anywhere but to Heaven?
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well hasbril i have a dog with homosexual tendencies and i was worried he wouldnt make it to heaven, well the good people of this site said it doesnt matter how my dog acts in life cause when he dies he just dies goes nowhere, yet i dont believe that i believe wherever my soul goes my dogs will be there to greet me. not to worry.
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Animals do not go to heaven because they have no soul. They just cease to exist. Apparently, we do not need pets in heaven since only our souls go there. New born babies do have a soul and go to heaven because they are completely innocent.
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It gives the answer to that question plainly, in many places in Scripture.  The most commonly cited one is John 3:16- "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes and trusts in Him will not die, but have eternal life."  Love God, turn away from your sins, be willing to accept the free gift of salvation through Christ, and that's all it takes.  God hands out free tickets to Heaven to anybody who asks for one, no matter what you've done in the past or how wicked you might have been.  None of that matters, because God can and will wash it all away.  All you have to do is ask Him.  That's how much He loves you.
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Damn...I was searching for this answer too...about 3 years ago...and read it somewhere in an islamic book...yes infants do go straight to heaven if they pass away...thats because their soul is still unconscience...they do not understand what they are doing...cannot differentiate between right and wrong...I think that was it...
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Can't think of anymore, I think I'm the only one answering that agrees with u, lol. There good though covered all the reasons i don't believe. Oh wait think I've got one if there is a heaven where do the animals go? They can't sin (or at least don't understand their doing it) so u can't send them to hell, but they can't pray, worship or believe in God so they can't go to heaven. That and what happens to all the people who where alive before Jesus? They were never told about God and Jesus hadn't been born so do they automatically go to hell? If they do God can't be that great of a being. You can't punish someone for a crime that wasn't a crime when they committed it.
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Dear Heavenly Father,\n\nI pray that this child of yours be helped through this difficult time.  This looks like a cry for help, and I ask you, God, to help this person get through the trials that have driven this remark.\n\nPlease watch over this soul and keep your child out of harms way.\n\nIn Jesus Name,\nAmen
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Why Must Even Youths Die?\n\n“WHY did my baby die?” the young mother sobbed, grief-stricken at the death of her only child. “He had so many years ahead—so much to live for.”Such parents are not alone in their sorrow. Their pain has been felt by many others. Usually it is a grief known only to a few close friends. At other times the world becomes aware of the loss.\n\nThe only book that truly explains this situation is the oldest book in existence, the Holy Bible. Its writers were inspired by God, and so what they wrote merits our interest. One of those inspired penmen wrote almost three thousand years ago: “The living are conscious that they will die.”—Eccl. 9:5.This same Bible writer who wrote, “For the living are conscious that they will die,” continued that very sentence with a statement that surprises many persons. He said: “But as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all.”—Eccl. 9:5, 10.\n\nThis idea surprises persons who have been taught in their churches that the dead not only are conscious, but are consciously suffering punishments or enjoying rewards. Who has not heard the idea that the dead are suffering in a hellfire or purgatory or are enjoying the blessings of heaven? Yet God’s Word, the Bible, says the dead “are conscious of nothing at all.”\nVerify this for yourself. Get your own copy of the Bible, and read these words in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter nine, verses five and ten.\nThe Bible teaches that Jesus’ ransom sacrifice opened the way for a magnificent hope for mankind. By laying down his human life, Jesus was offering as a sacrifice the exact equivalent of what Adam had lost—perfect human life on earth. He paid a “ransom” for dying mankind. Now the prospect of eternal life was again open. Thus it was proper for the apostle Peter to call Jesus God’s “Chief Agent of life.” (Acts 3:15) It is by means of this One that God will raise the dead to life in a thrilling resurrection. Concerning this, the Christian apostle Paul said: “There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”—Acts 24:15.\nEven now there are persons who are exercising faith in God’s Son, and they have a wonderful hope ahead of them, even as Jesus said: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”—John 3:16.\n\nMany persons can quote that Bible passage, but few have thought about what it actually says. It does not say that Jesus gave his life that people might “become angels” or so that “all good people might go to heaven.” It says he did so that they might have “everlasting life.”\n\nYou may have prayed: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”—Matt. 6:10, Douay translation.Few persons have realized what a change it will make for that prayer to be answered—for God’s will to be done throughout the earth the way it is done in heaven. In fact, it will require that God replace this present system of things, with its wars, corruption and greed. In its place will be a new system that will assure the conditions of peace and life that God originally created in Eden.\n\nPsalms 37:29  The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. It is possible to benefit from Christ’s ransom, and to conform to God’s instructions. We can take a course of obedience that will permit us either to survive through the coming “great tribulation” or to be resurrected afterward, into a righteous and cleansed earth, now near at hand. What a blessing to be on hand when dead loved ones, perhaps your children, return from the dead!  NO BABIES DO NOT GO TO "hell, or purgatory" THEY ARE ASLEEP WAITING FOR THE RESURRECTION .
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I think it is a good thing you are trying to find an answer in scripture.  I can point you to  a couple of items that may be of interest to you.\n\nI do not know of any verse of scripture that specifically discusses harming a child.  There are some verses Jesus said which talk about children.  This is one of them.  This same scripture is mentioned in Mark 10:14 and Luke 18:16\n\nMatthew 19:14\nBut Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."\n\nJesus understood the innocent nature of children and uses this to paint a picture of heaven. (my opinion)\n\nWhen we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we become children of God.  These verses warn us not to hinder people from becoming children of God, from coming to know Jesus.\n\nFrom your post I can sense you still harbor much anger for things that have occured in your past.  You also mention you believe in God.  If you truly believe in God and can understand how Jesus continued to teach us until his death, then forgiveness is paramount to your walking with God.\n\nMatthew 6:14 states "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."  \n\nIt is my guess your friend is just trying to help.  You will never be able to forget things that happened to you but forgiveness is possible.  Not being able to forgive someone who has wronged you but then expecting forgiveness from God for things we have done wrong is a contradiction.  God never said it was going to be easy and in fact we all have issues that God wants us to ask him to help us with.  I hope you can find a way to truly forgive the person who hurt you.  What good does it do you to hold on to that kind of junk, get rid of it.  Just because you forgive someone doesn't mean any of the consequences concerning what happened will change.  You can be the better person.  Once you can forgive, a great burden will be lifted from you and your walk with God will become much stronger.  God has been waiting for you to come to him with these issues.  He wants to be there for you and he will help you through anything.
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I try to look at my children the way I think God looks at me, I have learned that the relationship is very similar and I think this is by design.\n\nI give my kids guidelines and tell them what I expect from them, I explain to them that I will provide for their needs and love them no matter what, but they have to follow certain rules.\n\nI give them chores to do, I require them to take responsibility for there rooms and I asked them to do extra work to earn an allowance.\n\nI punish them when they get out of line and I praise them every day for the things they do right. I show them by example how life should be lived and I explain to them when I make mistakes.\n\nI on occasion forgive them without punishment to teach them mercy. I teach them respect for themselves and for others, and I also teach them to be careful and not to except everything at face value.\n\nI also learned early on with my first child that God uses our children to teach us much more than we will ever be able to teach our kids. \n\nSociety will tell us many things about our kids, but follow Gods example and you will have wonderful kids.