Posted by Brett Zamir (12.248.114.98) on July 23, 2002 at 11:57:33:

In Reply to: Do animals go to heaven? posted by Tyler on January 31, 2002 at 13:39:28:

For a nice pamphlet on the treatment of animals from a Baha'i perspective, see the Warwick leaflet on "Treatment of Animals" available on-line at: http://www.fragrant.demon.co.uk/animal.html

However, for a specific quotation from the Baha'i Writings indicating our belief that animals do not pass beyond this world (there should be many others):

"Consider the birds in the forest and jungle: how they build their nests high in the swaying treetops, build them with the utmost skill and beauty--swinging, rocking in the morning breezes, drinking the pure, sweet water, enjoying the most enchanting views as they fly here and there high overhead, singing joyously--all without labor, free from worry, care and forebodings. If man's life be confined to the elemental, physical world of enjoyment, one lark is nobler, more admirable than all humanity because its livelihood is prepared, its condition complete, its accomplishment perfect and natural.

"But the life of man is not so restricted; it is divine, eternal, not mortal and sensual. For him a spiritual existence and livelihood is prepared and ordained in the divine creative plan. His life is intended to be a life of spiritual enjoyment to which the animal can never attain. This enjoyment depends upon the acquisition of heavenly virtues. The sublimity of man is his attainment of the knowledge of God. The bliss of man is the acquiring of heavenly bestowals, which descend upon him in the outflow of the bounty of God. The happiness of man is in the fragrance of the love of God. This is the highest pinnacle of attainment in the human world. How preferable to the animal and its hopeless kingdom!"
( http://bahai-library.org/writings/abdulbaha/pup/11/sec-3.html )

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