By sifilings on
Anything Else
Rick Warren
Rick Warren: Dogs go to heaven, maybe not you

Discussion

Mon, 04/09/12
A visitor asked me if I would do the funeral for her dog. “No, mam, we don’t do funerals for dogs. When animals die they simply return to the dust. They are not made in the image of God like human beings are.” “Well,” she said, “I was going to donate $10,000 dollars to the church that does the funeral!” “In that case,” I replied, “Why didn’t you tell me that he was a Baptist Dog?”

Pastor Mike Harding

Mon, 04/09/12
There are actually two separate questions here that people often confuse. They are:

1. Will there be (or are there) animals in heaven? The Bible makes it clear that the answer to this question is “yes.”
2. Will my pet be in heaven? In addition to Jack Van Impe, Randy Alcorn in his book Heaven makes the case that our pets might be resurrected to join us in heaven. He presents some arguments I had never thought of but I remain unconvinced.

So, will dogs be in heaven? Quite possibly. Will my beagle Sophie be in heaven? I sincerely doubt it. (Shhhh…don’t tell her that!)

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Greg Long, Ed.D. (SBTS)

Pastor of Adult Ministries
Grace Church, Des Moines, IA

Adjunct Instructor
School of Divinity
Liberty University

Tue, 04/10/12
Animals are not made in the image of God. Eternity does not dwell in their hearts. There are no biblically recorded resurrections for animals. It is mindless speculation to say that animals die and are resurrected with glorified animal bodies. Jesus did not die for animals. There will be animals in the KOG, but they won’t be born-again animals. They are wonderful creatures created for our enjoyment and God’s pleasure. Let’s leave it at that and not give credence to people who are exalting animals above their God-given purpose. If Warren is serious, I think he is pandering to a neo-pagan culture.

Pastor Mike Harding

Tue, 04/10/12
Had I been at the interview, I’d ask: do bad dogs go to hell? (He’d be slipping in to pet universalism faster than you can say Love Wins)

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

Tue, 04/10/12
Could it be that Rick Warren is just jerking our chains, getting a rise out of us, messin’ wid us?

Wed, 04/11/12
I’m sure he’s either kidding or, as Greg suggested, animals in heaven but not particular animals we knew in this life.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

Wed, 04/11/12
My Dad gave me a tip on how to answer this question in a pastoral manner when people have just lost a pet.

His advice was to say something like this:
I know two things for sure. Animals are part of God’s plan for the future and if God needs your pet to be in heaven for you to be happy it will be there.
This has served me well just a couple of months ago I had a single middle aged lady in tears after a service because her dog had died that morning. I used this advice and prayed with her about finding her hope for the future in Christ.

Scott Greening www.gcbc.info

Wed, 04/11/12
[scottgreening] My Dad gave me a tip on how to answer this question in a pastoral manner when people have just lost a pet.

His advice was to say something like this:
I know two things for sure. Animals are part of God’s plan for the future and if God needs your pet to be in heaven for you to be happy it will be there.
This has served me well just a couple of months ago I had a single middle aged lady in tears after a service because her dog had died that morning. I used this advice and prayed with her about finding her hope for the future in Christ.
Think about it … wouldn’t these be true?!
  • If God needs your CORVETTE to be in heaven for you to be happy it will be there (You could just as easily substitute FISHING BOAT or SNOWMOBILE!)
  • If God needs your HOME IN SUBURBIA to be in heaven for you to be happy it will be there
  • If God needs your 401K to be in heaven for you to be happy it will be there
Responsible pastors should kindly tell the truth … rather than resorting to sentimentality

How about the woman in tears whose Christ-rejecting son died in a motorcycle accident? Truth? or what someone wants to hear?

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Jim's Doctrinal Statement

Wed, 04/11/12
[Mike Harding]…If Warren is serious, I think he is pandering to a neo-pagan culture.

I’m absolutely shocked!! :O

Lee

Wed, 04/11/12
[Aaron Blumer] Had I been at the interview, I’d ask: do bad dogs go to hell? (He’d be slipping in to pet universalism faster than you can say Love Wins)

Reminds me of a t-shirt I saw some years back. A golden retriever was sitting on its haunches looking out with the caption underneath reading “My name is ‘No-no, Bad Dog!’ What’s yours?”

I think I may have owned that dog one time.

Lee