Foreword
F or centuries, perhaps millennia, the matter of animals having souls has been a neglected literary topic, and yet it is a subject that has been, and remains, dear to the hearts of an overwhelming majority of people. A few of yesteryears theologians have made fleeting reference to the possibilities, both for and against, but none have actually provided a substantial thesis to support their opinions.
Suddenly, in the twenty-first century, there appears to be an avalanche of interest in whether animals have souls, in particular whether there is a providential plan for them beyond earthly existence. There seems to be no shortage of ideas on the subject, as myriad hypotheses are offered for public consumption. From Eastern philosophy to new age idealism, you can find books, magazines, e-zines, and websites that propagate just about any view you can imagine. Unfortunately, these include a substantial number that disallow any possibility that animals are eternal creatures.
Fortunately, when read, the reader quickly discovers these views to be flawed, because they are based on nothing more than opinion. Opinion without authoritative basis usually smacks of bias, and bias does not resonate well with rational, truth-seeking people. These opinions are sometimes amusing diversions, but cannot be taken seriously. At best they are unsupportable, flashin-the-pan ideas destined for obscurity. People who are looking for hope and comfort over the loss of a precious pet are not satisfied by these whimsical views.
Especially egregious are the websites that erroneously use scripture to justify and support the imaginations of the people behind them. Even a cursory review of the scripture used on these websites reveals an absence of appropriate exegesis. Most passages are either taken out of context or assigned biased meanings that fit the philosophy of the writer rather than the intent of scripture.
Lack of credibility aside, however, there is another issue to consider. Why would anyone go to such lengths to publish their beliefs if they knew it would cause others emotional distress? Even if what they believe is true (and it isnt), what possible good could come from disseminating that information to others?
When I reflect on the reason God left His written Word for us, words like build up and edify , and terms like comfort one another with these words come to mind. An attempt to add more pain to people who are already grieving is almost incomprehensible to me and not at all in keeping with our charge to love thy neighbor as thyself . When Jesus saw the people weeping at the grave of Lazarus, we are told that he too wept. He felt the grief of those mourning and sympathized with them. He had compassion for them.
This, then, is the example people who claim to know him must follow. When they quote the Bible, it should be to lift up and encourage, not tear down and defeat. Jude 22 says, and of some having compassion, making the difference . The purpose of the Bible is to encourage mankind to reconcile with God and to enrich the individual with the truths it contains.
Without doubt there are times when the message from scripture is blunt and should be expressed as a warning. However, even in these instances, the call of God is Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). It is soothing, not seething.
There is no basis for publishing a negative message on this subject of animal afterlife. There is no reason to purposely and maliciously cause those in pain to suffer more. The reckless and callous flavor of such behavior causes me to suspect that a need to further ones bias is behind these efforts rather than a desire to educate and edify.
In Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates , indisputable and convincing evidence is offered to prove that God has indeed made eternal provision for all of His creatures. Gods providence and immutability are discussed in detail to show how they work together in relation to Gods creation. Concepts and conclusions are based on reasonable interpretations of the entire text and not based on opinion. On those rare occasions where opinion is offered, it is appropriately identified as such.
I NTRODUCTION
W ho can one turn to when the unexpected suddenly happens and their precious pet is no more? Where can these people go for help? Often, these things happen without warning and so abruptly that there isnt even time to say good-bye to our wonderful best friends. Even if death is expected, it is still crushing and seems so final. It is as if we are in a bad dream that we cannot awaken from.
There are those learned professionals who stand ready to help us with our trauma and emotions. They are able to assist us to that place of acceptance, and help strengthen our resolve to recover from the blow. But they cannot mend the broken heart or fill the empty void left in our lives by the irreversible loss.
There is a balm for our hearts, however, a way to turn that emptiness into hope... a hope of seeing our pets again. As extraordinary as that may sound, I assure you that it is true. I regret that the circumstances that brought you to this book have occurred in your life, but I am confident that you will find a new joy and hope from the literary journey on which you are about to embark.
A source of comfort is available that is higher than that offered by the many psychology books on the market today. There is a level of hope and anticipation that most people know absolutely nothing about and my desire is to make you aware of that hope.
In no way do I mean to lessen the worth of the many books that deal with the psychological and emotional recovery process following the loss of a pet. Quite the contrary. A psychology major myself at one point in my education, I found many of these works to be right on the mark and very helpful.
Indeed, these medical professionals understand the inner workings of our hearts and minds and what it takes to hasten the healing process. Their recovery advice is nothing less than excellent. Time is the great healer, but I believe some of their tips and ideas for rebounding actually speed up the healing process. I would suggest, therefore, that anyone who has suffered loss, pet or otherwise, acquire and use one of these books. It will help frame your feelings in a context that will allow you to understand what you are going through and why.
If I find any shortcomings at all in their writings, it would be that:
Irrespective of the great number of books available, I cannot recommend one more than the other. They are essentially clones of each other, and while all are good, none are better or worse than the other; and
