When an animal becomes a companion & death comes

[Quahom1]

Let's say we have an animal, and in time that animal becomes an integral companion to the human. They interact, there is a bond of love between them (as I think love trancends all barriers personally), the animal can read the mood of the human, and the human senses the ways of the animal. There is a repoire built between the two through time.

Then the animal gives up the ghost, and all that is left is the shell. What happens to the spirit of that animal, that companion, that giver of love with no conditions. Does that go to dust as well?

Abrahamic scripture states that the greatest of the three (faith, hope and Love), is love. Does that mean that the love continues on? If so, does that mean that the spirit of the "dumm animal" (tic) carries on? Or is their a difference between the love of an animal towards man, and the love of man towards his fellow man?

Is one eternal, and the other, limited or "mortal"?

I have heard of heaven with no animals, and heaven with animals, and I have heard of paradise and oblivion. And I have heard of something called the "rainbow bridge". Personally I think such a bridge might not exist, but it does have a comforting feel to it. What if, and so on...

Any takers on where animals might go, especially those that touch the human heart?

your thoughts please...

v/r

Q

 

[Tao_Equus]

I'm new to this forum, (and to being online at all as it happens), and I dont know if throwing myself into this meld of spiritual thought is having some strange effect on me or what.

I read your question Q......and then as I am want to do I sat back and gave it some thought. The closest I ever got to any animal was my cat Pixie. I got her as a kitten when I was around 8 years old. When she was about 3 she got pneumonia in both lungs and the vet said she would not make it through the night. He said the kindest thing would be to put her to sleep. My young self in a flood of sobbing tears refused to accept this and so my father let me bring her home again. That night I lay in front of the fire with her all night. I remember vividly the fear in her....if I left her even for a moment she became scared but was at peace while I was there to comfort her. I slept there with her in front of the fire that night and in the morning woke with her cradled peaceful by my belly and breathing much more normaly. But the pet I had loved as my pet before that had become so much more to me.

A few years later she dissapeared for 3 days. Very unlike her, normaly she'd go out for about 30 minutes and return. Of course we were all anxious and fearing she had met with some accident. On the 3rd night she did not return I woke up with a vivid dream that she was scratching at some wood and crying. It was about 4am and the dream so vivid and upsetting I could not sleep again. As I lay there I became convinced the wood she was scratching was the door to our garden shed and so got dressed and went to check. And there she was. And that shed was 40 feet down the garden on the opposite side of the house to my bedroom so I did not hear her.

After I left home she stayed with my family and died while I was off on one of my extended travels so I never shared that moment with her. But the reason for my first paragraph is this....I sat back after reading the question and sent out the mental questions you raised. I imediately got a loud and clear maiowww back in my head and every hair on my body stood on end.
Spooky

 

[mee]

For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so that there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity. All are going to one place. They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust .....Ecclesiastes3; 19-20

animals were not created in God’s image, nor were they meant to live forever, as were humans. Regarding the way God made humans, the Bible says: "He has even put eternity into their minds." Yet, nothing like this is said of animals.—Ecclesiastes 3:11, Byington.............. over the years i have had 4 dogs and each time that they died it is so sad , i always say to myself i will not have another one, but i always do , dogs are so faithful , at the momment i have a black labrodor who is 10 years old and going a bit grey round the edges, he will be sadly missed when he goes

 

[wil]

As with the 'way of the horse' I've had connections with animals. There was a tv special on a certain dog in England that moved from his resting spot to the window everytime his human was headed home. They set up a camera in the house and had a reporter and crew following the man. As he got on the train to head home the dog, got up and sat at the window. The reporter would say something to the effect of let's stop off and get a bite to eat. The dog returned to lay down. Ok let's head back home, the dog went back to the window....

My wife's cat used to get up and head for the window and watch for her to come home. Any time any day my wife was out shopping, over with friends, at work, whereever, whenever, when that cat ran through the house and jumped on the window ledge...She would be home within 5 minutes. The cat was smart enough to know it, I wasn't smart enough to straighten up and get my feet off the coffee table though...

My belief has God as omnipresent...in our midst...everywhere in everything. Which explains our connections to not only animals but 'inanimate' objects. Physical things are animated by God, and by the people that give them to us... this explains not only how the animal knows when we are coming back to them, and how an ojbject can have so much sentimental value, but also how a thought wave...bits of information on your screen can bring back not only memories but open that connection to

I sat back after reading the question and sent out the mental questions you raised. I imediately got a loud and clear maiowww back in my head and every hair on my body stood on end. Spooky

not spooky, a blessing a natural opening/connection that your cat showed you is possible....has huge potential.

namaste,

 

[Bandit]

Let's say we have an animal, and in time that animal becomes an integral companion to the human. They interact, there is a bond of love between them (as I think love trancends all barriers personally), the animal can read the mood of the human, and the human senses the ways of the animal. There is a repoire built between the two through time.

Then the animal gives up the ghost, and all that is left is the shell. What happens to the spirit of that animal, that companion, that giver of love with no conditions. Does that go to dust as well?

i think all the spirits of pets & animals go back to God.

Abrahamic scripture states that the greatest of the three (faith, hope and Love), is love. Does that mean that the love continues on? If so, does that mean that the spirit of the "dumm animal" (tic) carries on? Or is their a difference between the love of an animal towards man, and the love of man towards his fellow man?

Is one eternal, and the other, limited or "mortal"?

i think there is a difference in man & animals. Man has the opportunity to love the Lord & mankind & make choices to do what is right or what is wrong, while the animals just do what they are supposed to do & do not face a judgment.

quite often it seems to me the love of an animal or a close pet is unconditional. i believe the spirits of animals are also immortal & there is a scripture that tells us to watch the animals & learn from them

I have heard of heaven with no animals, and heaven with animals, and I have heard of paradise and oblivion. And I have heard of something called the "rainbow bridge". Personally I think such a bridge might not exist, but it does have a comforting feel to it. What if, and so on...

Any takers on where animals might go, especially those that touch the human heart?

your thoughts please...

v/r

Q

not sure what the rainbow bridge is, Q.
i believe heaven/new earth will bring all animals & all of mankind (the whole creation) who loves the Lord together & both will live in peace & yes we will see our pets again, just like our loved ones & family.
if anyone wishes to discuss this deeper or has had an experience & you need someone to talk to about it (say the loss of or giving up a close pet) - i would be happy to lend a listening ear in private. now or later-.

 

[smkolins]

Baha'is view several issues involved in this. But to answer the question directly, I beleive the only scriptural reference is along the lines "if a human requires the life-spirit of a pet to continue to grow spiritually it will continue".

However in general the animal spirit, just as the plant spirit or the reality of material things - a spirit of material if you will, is seen as existing at it's own level of existence which does not require a soul, and thus eternal life in a religious or personal sense.

I do ponder about a quality of spirits - that they have a property of reflection. I mean that put in context with a higher spirit they can take on some of the qualities of the higher form, while still being what they are. In this sense I see the human search for the love of God - to be more spiritual, and truely to be affected, and yet still human. Similarly an animal in context with a human, or seeking God in it's own way, whatever that means, can reflect some qualities otherwise beyond it, and so on for plants and material existence itself. Each reflects God, even if it's indirectly, within the confines of it's own state, and is moved by that relationship, but does not transcend it's inherent limitations.

This isn't to suppose that the divine spirit is bestowed only on bipedal, mildly hairy, warmblooded, beings with opposable thumbs and a curious knack for language. Other forms, entirely different from this, possible in the rest of the universe, could well have an equal standing with humanity in the sight of God.

 

[pseudonymous]

i worked as a medium for awhile and got several instances of loved pets coming through...enough to make me at least aware of an animal's spirit surviving the body's death.

 

[path_of_one]

I firmly believe that animal spirits transcend death. I have had instances of animal communication that indicate to me that although humans and animals do not think or communicate in the same way, animals' thoughts and spirits and personalities are much more complex than we often give them credit for.

The biggest indicator that pets survive death to me, aside from all my prayers/conversations with God concerning this indicating this is so, is that in studying dying people's experiences there have been numerous examples of their reunions with loved pets. It is especially common among dying children to experience a beloved pet coming to help guide them into the afterlife, since many kids have never lost a fellow human that could be there to reassure them.

My heaven would be a deep forest with all the animals I've ever loved, with God's voice whispering in the wind and the water, His peace palpable among the trees. In fact, in one of my own mystical visions and the most profound sense of union with God I have had, there were no people, only me, the trees, and the animals- a union of God with all creation born of love. So yes, I believe the animals will be there with me... I ask God to give my love to those I have lost all the time.

 

[Bandit]

I firmly believe that animal spirits transcend death. I have had instances of animal communication that indicate to me that although humans and animals do not think or communicate in the same way, animals' thoughts and spirits and personalities are much more complex than we often give them credit for.

The biggest indicator that pets survive death to me, aside from all my prayers/conversations with God concerning this indicating this is so, is that in studying dying people's experiences there have been numerous examples of their reunions with loved pets. It is especially common among dying children to experience a beloved pet coming to help guide them into the afterlife, since many kids have never lost a fellow human that could be there to reassure them.

My heaven would be a deep forest with all the animals I've ever loved, with God's voice whispering in the wind and the water, His peace palpable among the trees. In fact, in one of my own mystical visions and the most profound sense of union with God I have had, there were no people, only me, the trees, and the animals- a union of God with all creation born of love. So yes, I believe the animals will be there with me... I ask God to give my love to those I have lost all the time.

i am with you all the way on that Path.
no one can ever take away an experience.

 

[Quahom1]

i think all the spirits of pets & animals go back to God.



i think there is a difference in man & animals. Man has the opportunity to love the Lord & mankind & make choices to do what is right or what is wrong, while the animals just do what they are supposed to do & do not face a judgment.

quite often it seems to me the love of an animal or a close pet is unconditional. i believe the spirits of animals are also immortal & there is a scripture that tells us to watch the animals & learn from them



not sure what the rainbow bridge is, Q.
i believe heaven/new earth will bring all animals & all of mankind (the whole creation) who loves the Lord together & both will live in peace & yes we will see our pets again, just like our loved ones & family.
if anyone wishes to discuss this deeper or has had an experience & you need someone to talk to about it (say the loss of or giving up a close pet) - i would be happy to lend a listening ear in private. now or later-.

The um, "Rainbow Bridge" according to lore, is the bridge we cross over on our way to heaven. At the far side, are all the animals who ever affected us in our lives. They play and dance with eachother to the delight of God, but they wait for someone...and when the "owner" arrives at the foot of the bridge, the animals that were part of his/her life stop playing and race to the foot of the bridge, and smother the "owner" with affection. Then, together the man and animal(s) cross over the bridge, into a new beginning, together.

Wouldn't it be nice for example, if we were to stand before God, while our pets jumped for joy at our feet? What a fine set of advocates innocent animals might make...and we never realized we were brokering advocates on our own behalf while we were living.

To treat humans with respect and compassion is expected. To treat animals with the same is - special.

 

[Bandit]

The um, "Rainbow Bridge" according to lore, is the bridge we cross over on our way to heaven. At the far side, are all the animals who ever affected us in our lives. They play and dance with eachother to the delight of God, but they wait for someone...and when the "owner" arrives at the foot of the bridge, the animals that were part of his/her life stop playing and race to the foot of the bridge, and smother the "owner" with affection. Then, together the man and animal(s) cross over the bridge, into a new beginning, together.

Wouldn't it be nice for example, if we were to stand before God, while our pets jumped for joy at our feet? What a fine set of advocates innocent animals might make...and we never realized we were brokering advocates on our own behalf while we were living.

To treat humans with respect and compassion is expected. To treat animals with the same is - special.

very interesting to me. i had a series of things that happened after i lost one of my puppies ( one year old) that was hit by a car.
one of them was a very clear vision of her running in the grass on a hillside & the other side a river. there were other animals & people, but the puppy is what was the most clear. as i watched her play & i walked down the sides of the bank of the river in both directions, she was staying even with me as if to be walking with me. one way there was a boat like a canoe & in the other direction was a bridge that i could cross to go over & meet the dog.

(not sure, but it seemed like i could have also swam across.)

so, I had the opportunity to cross using the bridge or boat, but there was a divide that would not allow the puppy to come on this side of the river. I was able to cross to meet her, but she could not cross. it was strange but comforting.

that kind of sounds like a rainbow bridge. though it was just a fleeting glimpse, there were several unusual but comforting events that happened after i lost that particular dog, i remember them like yesterday.

Wouldn't it be nice for example, if we were to stand before God, while our pets jumped for joy at our feet? What a fine set of advocates innocent animals might make...
...To treat humans with respect and compassion is expected. To treat animals with the same is - special

this says it best