(Note to the few misguided Christian friends on Facebook that like to shock and awe Christian brothers and sisters with outlier opinions: This post is the correct way to cause reaction. Use Bible verse, explain your position, and then wait for the fireworks to explode!)
Scripture classifies dogs as being wild, violent, and filthy:
Matthew 15:26 (KJV 1900)
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
Original Hebrew and Greek confirms this:
Dogs – 3264 κύων (kuōn), dat. pl. κυσίν (kysin), ὁ (ho): n.masc.; ≡ DBLHebr 3978; Str 2965; TDNT 3.1101—1. LN 4.34 dog, a more wild dog, or a street dog, capable of violence and filthy habits (Mt 7:6; Lk 16:21; 2Pe 2:22+); 2. LN 88.122 bad person, figurative extension of prior entry (Php 3:2+), for another interp, see next; 3. LN 88.282 sexually immoral, implying perversion (Rev 22:15+)
(Swanson, James. 1997. In Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament), electronic ed. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
Christian Leaders! Keep the Dogs Away From the Holy!
1. It is NOT good or advantageous to take the children (in Christ)’ teachings to learn spiritual growth and give it to dogs instead.
2. The meaning of the Greek word for “Dogs” is a wild or street dog capable of violence and filthy habits.
3. The typological meaning in Scripture for dogs is a sexually immoral, perverse, bad person that is capable of violence and filthy habits.
As a Christian leader that knows the Biblical typological meaning of “Dog,” a literal beast who cannot receive salvation or eternal life, I have objection to bringing the animal into a church setting for Holy Blessings. I also have a fondness for my pet dog, and I am appreciative of its service of love to me and my family. However, I believe great care must be given by Christian leaders that the Holy Duties of Church leadership must NOT be cast away to the literal beasts as represented in Scripture.
Though often a popular rite in some Christian churches to gather their pets for a Holy Blessing, simple people that love their pets greatly are sometimes given peace through this practice. However, in my opinion it is unbiblical and casts the Holy away from the righteous Believers that depend fully upon proper conduct by their Christian leadership.
Though the Rainbow Bridge poem seems to somehow assure pet lovers that their dogs are on their way to Heaven, I find no evidence of this in Scripture. Keep dogs out of the spiritual places and worship of God! And for your sake and God’s, don’t add to the Word of God because you love your pet so much, you are convinced that all dogs go to Heaven. They do NOT!
