Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!wuarchive!rex!ukma!seismo!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: kilroy@gboro.glassboro.edu (Dr Nancy's Sweetie) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: do dogs go to heaven ? Message-ID: Date: 14 Feb 91 12:00:04 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 50 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu If you believe Don Bluth, they do. 8-) Jonggu Moon raised some questions about the Spiritual Nature of animals, and Our Incurably Orthodox Moderator wrote a pretty good summary of the basic views. He also wrote: >Since one of the participants in this group is of the canine persuation, >perhaps he would be interested in commenting on this issue. As moderator >I would certainly not wish to put myself in the position of denying Brandy >a soul. And I confidently expect to meet him in heaven. Unfortunately, our lease does not allow Brandy to come inside the house (I hope heaven is a bit more understanding about mud on the carpet 8-), and it is too cold out to set up the terminal on the porch. SO, the WonderDog has pretty much had his net access cut off until Spring. But we discussed this over Oreo Cookies [tm], and I'll try to convey the impression that I got (remembering that Brandy is a Taoist). Basically, his attitude on the entire matter seems to be "Well, if I go to heaven, that might be neat. But if I don't, that's okay too." (This being a paraphrase.) As for a soul, well, the whole idea is a bit too abstract for him. He didn't bring it up, but I feel obliged to state that Brandy is a known killer, having dismembered and/or eaten numerous lesser creatures (and probably a few larger ones). It is not likely that he would have acted differently had he believed they had souls. For that matter, I do not doubt that he would be both willing and able to seriously injure a person, if he felt they presented a threat to himself or his household. It is also apparent that he does not consider any of this in the least `wrong'. (Presumably such things do not go on in heaven, if indeed animals are allowed in. Does anybody have opinions on Dog Purgatory? 8-) What his victims will think of this on seeing him in heaven I am not sure; but then, I'm not sure what I'd say to one of the cows I've eaten, should I meet one in heaven . . . In closing, let me provide a quote which may give a slightly different view of the question: kilroy@gboro.glassboro.edu Darren F. Provine ...njin!gboro!kilroy "High up in the courts of Heaven to-day A little dog-angel waits; With the other angels he will not play, But he sits alone at the gates." -- Norah Mary Holland, `The Little Dog-Angel'