Gone to the dogs: L.A. church starts pet service

[DearAbby]

Pastor tries to revive fading church by embracing four-legged friends

LOS ANGELES - When the Rev. Tom Eggebeen took over as interim pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church three years ago, he looked around and knew it needed a jump start.

Most of his worshippers, though devoted, were in their 60s, attendance had bottomed out and the once-vibrant church was fading as a community touchstone in its bustling neighborhood.

So Eggebeen came up with a hair-raising idea: He would turn God's house into a doghouse by offering a 30-minute service complete with individual doggie beds, canine prayers and an offering of dog treats. He hopes it will reinvigorate the church's connection with the community, provide solace to elderly members and, possibly, attract new worshippers who are as crazy about God as they are about their four-legged friends.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33617857/ns/us_news-faith/

[aSpeckofDust]

1. I guess he didn't get the church memo that animals do not go to heaven. n/t

[DearAbby]

2. Who said Animals dont go to heaven?

[DemBones DemBones]

5. Actually, that's not accepted by all today.

"Do animals have souls? Some religions say yes, some say no, but members of those faiths may or may not agree. How do people of faith reconcile the differences between what their faiths say about animals and their personal beliefs on the matter? If people of faith accept that animals have souls, like many religions say humans have, what does that mean to their personal theology? What are they doing to convince others to join them in their opinion?"

"More congregations and religious leaders are offering religious services and rites for animals. Today, there are animal funerals, blessings for pets and more, many performed by ordained clergy. Counseling is offered for people grieving a pet’s death. Hospice for animals — focusing on their spiritual as well as physical passage through the dying process – has become a new and rapidly growing movement. Do all these services benefit the animals or just their owners/human companions? Do they rankle some people of faith while inspiring or comforting others?"

http://www.religionlink.com/tip_080918.php

Wish I could find the war of the church signs. A Catholic church put up an "All Dogs Go to Heaven" sign and a Presbyterian church countered with "Dogs Don't Have Souls." The Catholic church came back with "Free Dog Souls with Conversion. Presbyterian Dogs Talk to Your Pastor." :rofl:

Apparently the Presbyterian minister in the OP listened to some dogs.

[KamaAina]

3. Cats, on the other hand, are mainly Zen Buddhists

or Pastafarians. :-)

[DemBones DemBones]

7. Cats are existentialists.

IMO.

[DearAbby]

8. Cats are Atheists...

[Silent3]

11. Cats can't be atheists...

...they believe in their own godhood.

[DemBones DemBones]

14. Like doctors, and politicians.

There must be a word for this. . .

[Silent3]

16. Autotheoticism?

Metheism? :)

[RKP5637]

15. LOL, mine does for sure!

:rofl: :toast:

[snagglepuss]

4. Animals probably be gettin some faith healing. I wonder if lame Fido will

get up and walk?

[rucky]

6. Would've been funnier if it was a Catholic church.

[greennina]

9. Xtians are crazy and dangerous

How long before some innocent child is hurt by one of those animals?

[hlthe2b]

10. Ohh, puhleeze...

Geebus... How long before some dog-hater stops by to disrupt this thread with nonsense?

Good Lord, how did we protect our children from dog interactions all these centuries?

[undeterred]

13. Children don't belong in Church in the first place.

All they do is fuss and whine. Besides, one of those innocent dogs might get hurt by a crazed child.

[undeterred]

12. He needs to bring the service to the dog park.

Then I would already be there. :hi: