Most of us here have had an animal or two. There are the ones that touch us more than others. I have found on the boards that we talk more about the afterlife for us as humans, but we have neglected to discuss our animals and the afterlife. Here is your thread to let your thoughts go.

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becareful of what you say shade the animals are just plotting and picking there time to strike

None of that was my personal opinion towards animals, so if that wasn't sarcasm of yours...

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Originally posted by Shade:
People are under the impression that animal life means less than human life. They can't communicate with us; they can't conquer us. They are something to be feared. Humans generally don't like fear and the unknown, so they push it away, and this is just us pushing away animals. But at the same time, there are/were many great cultures and faiths that support and recognise the belief that animals have souls.

becareful of what you say shade the animals are just plotting and picking there time to strike

People are under the impression that animal life means less than human life. They can't communicate with us; they can't conquer us. They are something to be feared. Humans generally don't like fear and the unknown, so they push it away, and this is just us pushing away animals. But at the same time, there are/were many great cultures and faiths that support and recognise the belief that animals have souls.

What I've heard from most people is that animals don't pass over. Obviously the people that say that aren't animal people, but I was wondering if there is more to it than the "I'm not an animal person" excuse as to why people say that. If every living thing is a creature of God and has a soul, than why wouldn't it pass over?

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As a matter of fact I can't think of a modern religion that grants an afterlife to animals equal with the one granted to people... except maybe Hinduism but I'm not sure. I'll have to research that.

A modern religion or a modernly practiced religion?

I've been thinking about this a lot since you posed it as lately I've taken on the opinion that the human soul can temporary posses animals and send them to specific places on command (if that makes any sense...). Yet, at the same time, assuming the idea that humans are made of energy and that that mass cannot be created nor destroyed, there is a high chance that animals as well have that energy mass. With that, they would have to have someplace to go with that energy and, assuming cognizance, an afterlife.

After that point, I can get no where with this question as I'm still figuring out the human afterlife, if they just go where they please in a ghost-like idea without being ghosts, or if there is an actual setting place. There is no doubt in my mind that animals-- especially pets-- are with humans in the afterlife, no matter where that is. It's the where that is causing the issue at the moment.

I've never really thought about animals and afterlife, to be honest. As a matter of fact I can't think of a modern religion that grants an afterlife to animals equal with the one granted to people... except maybe Hinduism but I'm not sure. I'll have to research that.

Shade has a point though, most people on here belong to a religion that doesn't recognize animals as having souls, hence the lack of discussion.

Unfortunately, most people think of animals as less than humans, so an afterlife wouldn't apply to them. Some people don't even apply it to humanity. There are a few spiritual paths that support the idea of an afterlife for all souls, but they are suppressed by the overbearing dogmas of Christianity and other related religions. Even if the other spiritual faiths are practiced, they can be thrown out as old and uninformed, as religion often is...