Like Luther

The debate began...

So it started simply enough. I’ve got no idea why the Catholic church thought to put that on their street sign, but I’m more surprised the Presbyterians got so uptight (self-righteous?). Anyway, comes Monday and the Catholic church steps up to the plate, and…

OK. So lighten up!

But our Presbyterians didn’t get the humor. And the Catholics almost succumbed to the interfaith rivalry, but kept their sense of humor in their answer. Come Monday, they got their mojo back. With but the slightest flavor of that interfith rivalry, they came right back with a great “so….?” Too bad the Presbyterians couldn’t.

Don't know 'bout your religion....

Sadly, those darn Presbyterians just couldn’t get “religion” off their minds. Well, OK, so some of you guys, out there, see their point, right? And this is, after all, a battle for the souls of the town…. and “flock count”, maybe?

Anyway, not daunted, those Catholics come back with one of the funniest riposts I can imagine:

OK, you got my vote. I'll convert to Catholicism! (My dog said that!)

But our Presbyterian friends kept their stony demeanors and refused to budge. And upped the stakes! “All in”, in Texas Holdem parlance!

But our Catholics won the hand, I’d say…

OK. The signboard debate was fun (for many of us, at least) and serious (obviously, for some). For me, I must admit, it was both. That’s why it got here. Fact is, the issue is serious for a lot of people. I wish I (we) could actually give a definitive answer.

If you are a Mormon, your church’s theology says that our pets (and, I assume, other animals) will there to spend eternity with us. But they’re the only church I KNOW actually has such a certain answer. In the signboard debate, the “Protestants” denied it, saying only souls get to heaven, and animals don’t have souls. I won’t take up that argument, but will point out, at least, that apparantly horses are in heaven. Or at least, the Scripture says Jesus returns riding a horse. Right? And in the signboard debate the Catholics started out (perhaps with no intention of being “theologically” serious) saying that our pets (or dogs … which are rather unique among our animal companions) saying they will be. Whether that’s official theology, I don’t know.

But the question is not a silly or trivial one. I work with “seniors”, people from their 60s to their 90s. As they get older, they lose their friends and family. Death or distance often leaves them quite alone. And all they have, too often, is a dog or cat. And they love them. And whatever their faith or denomination, many (very many) hope that their animal companion with go with them into eternity. All the more so when children and grandchildren either abandon them or get lost too. So, the question is one they often ask me. I wish I could say for certain. Instead, the best I can do is point out there will be no sorrow in heaven. That much Scripture tells me for certain.

Though I don’t want to have pointless, endless debates here, I do welcome your (good spirited) comments.

PS

No sooner had this gone to publication than my attention was drawn to THIS:

Looks like some dogs are trying!

You be the judge as to whether this comment (in kind, no less!) carries any weight in the debate.

Tags:

This entry was posted by admin on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 at 10:42 pm and is filed under Fun and funny, Life Applications, Theology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.