Fat Ada
Sir: The idea that animals cannot go to heaven (Diary, 8 October) is a pagan inter- polation into Christianity. St Thomas took over the Aristotelian idea that animals do not have the thinking part belonging to a human being, and that it is this thinking part which is immortal. The New Test- ament itself says nothing either for or against.
There are theologians who believe that animals may indeed have souls since their feelings — love, fear, joy etc — are those shared by human beings. Those interested will find more in The Status of Animals in the Christian Religion published by the Universities Federation for Animal Wel- fare. Since very young babies and very mentally handicapped human beings are believed to have souls and can go to heavens, why not the higher animals?
In many ways animals seem our moral superiors. What about the unconditional love and cheerfulness of the dog? 'You think those dogs will not be in Heaven! I tell you they will be there long before any of us,' wrote Robert Louis Stevenson. Konrad Lorenz has pointed out how odd it is that man falls short of the dog, when it comes to who is most ready `to make the greater sacrifice without thought of recom- pense.' It would be heavenly to be welcomed in the afterlife by tail wagging and purring from my friends — Finnegan, Dinah, Fat Ada, and Moppet.
Celia Haddon
9 Maunsel Street, London SW1
Previous page
