My wife is a Christian, I am not. She would like to believe that animals go to heaven (pets etc.).
Where, in the bible, is this supported or refuted? I sincerely appreciate all responses from theists and atheists alike. Thanks

I'm not aware of any biblical references. That being said, some believe they do, some believe they don't. Where that belief comes from appears to be anyone's guess.

(July 28, 2014 at 8:29 pm)ShaMan Wrote: My wife is a Christian, I am not. She would like to believe that animals go to heaven (pets etc.).
Where, in the bible, is this supported or refuted? I sincerely appreciate all responses from theists and atheists alike. Thanks

Animals (well the non-human ones_ don't go to Heaven because they don't have souls. No where in the Bible does it state they were made in the image of God.

(July 28, 2014 at 8:48 pm)Polaris Wrote: Animals don't go to Heaven because they don't have souls.

Can you provide a biblical reference for your position (it's for my wife). Also, a biblical reference for why only beings with 'souls' go to heaven. Thanks!

There is no passage for animals not going to Heaven and the passages I am thinking of (from Genesis) are from a time when even Humans were generally not allowed into Heaven.

Genesis 1:24-26

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

@Polaris...

I'm certain that my wife will not accept the absence of text in scripture as evidence. She'll either require is spelled out verbatim, one way or the other, or she'll ask for further biblical proof of some kind. The text you've quoted says nothing about heaven or souls (which you alluded to in your first response).

While I sincerely appreciate your response, I'm afraid that I'm looking for something considerably more definitive.

Well, you could just tell her that everything in the bible is bullshit and there is no heaven for anyone, human nor animal.
I'm sure she'll like that answer.

(July 28, 2014 at 9:04 pm)ShaMan Wrote: @Polaris...

I'm certain that my wife will not accept the absence of text in scripture as evidence. She'll either require is spelled out verbatim, one way or the other, or she'll ask for further biblical proof of some kind. The text you've quoted says nothing about heaven or souls (which you alluded to in your first response).

While I sincerely appreciate your response, I'm afraid that I'm looking for something considerably more definitive.

The image of God is the soul as the only faith of the Book that alludes to God having physical attributes akin to human form is Christianity. She has to examine the Bible for herself.

Middle East people aren't great pet lovers so their religious doctrines exclude pets in their heavens. On top of that no one goes to the Christian heaven because there isn't one. The final destinations are either the lake of fire or else the gaudy bejewled giant gold cube called New Jerusalem, which is on a waterless planet that has constant light. The beings there won't be pet lovers. As far as muslims are concerned, they aren't even supposed to allow dogs in their houses.

ShaMan,

I believe you'll have to direct your wife to extra-biblical sources. The buy-bull, to the best of my knowledge, does not spell out whether animals will go to heaven or not.