All Dogs Go to Heaven... Right?

There is a tremendous amount of work I've never read. My point was that this issue is trifling at best.

When a man is oppressed, his concern about Heaven isn't how boring it might be, or whether his favorite animal might be there. The Christian slaves sang not only about harps in Heaven, but shoes. Have you considered the luxury, wealth and privilege into which a man is born never to have been destitute of shoes?

For now, but Congress will soon fix that.

I didn't assess the book. I mentioned my impression of the book based on some of the reviews. There are over two hundred reviews on Amazon.com. I read three or four.

He basically doesn't want Christians to think Heaven is boring. Now tell me, why would a Christian think that Heaven sounds boring unless his life here were good and he was in love with it? If he were a partaker of the suffering of persecuted Christians, clouds and harps wouldn't sound too bad.

Who cares about streets of gold? I got shoes!

 

Nobody claimed He did. Animals are not sinners. They suffer because of our sin, not their own (Rom 8:19-22). Humans are sinners because we have the moral capacity to choose right from wrong and we, in the garden and in our daily lives, choose wrong. Animals do not have that moral capacity. They live off instinct and training (conditioning). However this has nothing to do with the life after death discussion since nobody is claiming that animals are, or need to be, saved.

 

==In your opinion which you are free to have. I am also free to disagree.

==I don't know anyone who thinks heaven can or will be boring with or without pets or certain people (since most of us have relatives who die lost). Heaven is heaven because it is in the presence of God not because of the people, angels, or other creatures who may (or may not) be there. My point in this discussion has been twofold. First, the Bible is clear that animals have spirits. Second, life beyond physical death is possible for them in the plan of God. I don't know for certain that it is a reality, I am just saying it is a possibility. It would be nice to have them there. But if God, in His perfect wisdom has not ordained that to be, then I will not miss them.

Btw, when Christians are oppressed they do not sit around chatting on discussion boards (etc). However that does not mean chatting on a discussion board is bad or wrong. In the same way, discussing this issue is not wrong. Even if we agree with your assumption that Christians under oppression do not consider things like life beyond death for their pets (which, btw, I do not agree with) that does not mean such considerations are wrong. The writings you depend on from church history are only a small portion of Christians who have lived. You don't know what they were or were not concerned about. You also must realize the people you are reading from church history did not write down everything. Therefore I do not agree with your assumptions about Christians under persecution not thinking about these type things.

When life is boiled down to its most basic people don't have the luxury to think about many things philosophical, historical, or theological. They focus on the basics. However that does not mean these things never crossed their minds.

==True.

==Having read the book I don't think that is the point. The point Alcorn is trying to refute, if we could use that term, is the idea that heaven is other worldly or full of ghosts (etc). He is arguing that heaven is a real, physical place, maybe far more real than earth. He is arguing against the view of heaven that has people floating on clouds, playing harps, and singing all day. Alcorn is certainly right to argue against such unBiblical notions of heaven. For the Word of God tells us that our main occupation in heaven will be work (serving Him).

You should probably read the book before making such statements. It is out in paperback now and can probably even be found at your local public library.

I'm not saying I agree with 100% of Alcorn's understanding on heaven, but I think he makes a good effort to show (from Scripture) that heaven is a real place.

 

Talk of your straw men!

Can you link me to one commentary or sermon where that view is espoused?

 

It's not really sermons that teach that, but rather that is more of a pop culture view.

 

Then it's as I said. He's trying to sell heaven to those who are happy with earth.

 

Huh? I'm not following you. His main point is simple: the eternal state will be a real physical place and I agree with that point.

 

If animals go to heaven when they die, I'd hate to see the looks on all those chickens' faces when they see me coming in, having partook of their body as sustenance. Maybe they will be more forgiving toward me and let me wallow in my own guilt.

 

How can you comment on something you have admittedly never read? He is not trying to "sell" anything, he simply uses Scripture to debunk the notion that we will not be in a real, physical place with real, physical bodies.

 

..............nevermind.

 

No, but it is a popular misconception of heaven. That is what Alcorn's book is "attacking" (if I can use that term). Alcorn's book is a popular level book, not a scholarly treatise. But I have a feeling you knew that already. Trying to discredit someone at any cost does not help your argument. Mainly when you have not even taken the time to read that person's work.