A question for Christians about their pet dogs and cats?

February 9, 2010 - 7:07 pm 22 Comments

I just read on a Christian messageboard that according to God through the law of Moses, dogs and cats are unclean animals, and that we should not touch them. If that’s the case,are Christians in sin because they love their dogs and cats and pet them?
Thank you for all the replies. I am a Christian too and love my puppy and kitty and did not like what that guy said one bit.

Do you believe everything you read on message boards?

What makes any of God’s creation "unclean"?

What’s wrong with God’s creations loving each other?

22 Responses to “A question for Christians about their pet dogs and cats?”

  1. Rene O Says:

    Fail! Cats and dogs are not listed in the bible!
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  2. hearts_rsweet Says:

    Um……everyone lives in sin, my friend.

    And I don’t recall Him saying that in the Bible….but I know some people who live up to the Islamic laws believe that.
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  3. Filida Says:

    I’d check with some Jewish people on that thing about dogs and cats being unclean. I’m not sure cats are even mentioned in the Mosaic code, and the Jewish people of Jesus’ day kept puppies, so I’m thinking whoever told you that is mistaken.

    Add=A search on Bible Gateway turned up zero hits for the word "cat" in the Bible.
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  4. mommy-to-be Says:

    Some animals were considered unclean in the Old Testament, but when Jesus came and kept the entire law, we no longer had to follow all of those insignificant rules. Christians in the Old Testament also couldn’t eat pork.
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  5. bartzbrau Says:

    Do you believe everything you read on message boards?

    What makes any of God’s creation "unclean"?

    What’s wrong with God’s creations loving each other?
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  6. *~Vain Afterlife~* Says:

    I don’t recall that anywhere. We’re not supposed to EAT them, but we can pet them.

    And we’re not under the Law of Moses. We’re under New Testament Law. Things are much easier for us than for Jews.
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  7. Soloboy Says:

    Lol, omgosh. It doesn’t say that. If you dont mind, please copy and paste and email me the verse.
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  8. Not a Real Doctor Says:

    1) Unclean means you can’t eat it. Camels and horses were unclean also – but that doesn’t mean that people couldn’t touch them.

    2) Rules on ritual purification applied only to the priests and the Levites. Even if folks were forbidden from touching unclean animals, the rule would have only applied to priests and Levites, and then only prior to service in the temple.

    3) Christians are not Jews. They have ancient Jewish legal books in their Bible for reference.
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  9. Just Me Says:

    All of us are under sin anyways unless we have Jesus who took the blame for our sins.

    So.. this question means nothing. Everyone is sinful whether touching an unclean animal or not. We ALL have lied, We ALL have done something wrong at least once in our lives.. and that makes us contaminated.

    Hence, the need for Jesus who was NEVER contaminated!
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  10. I am Says:

    I present to you the new covenant!
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  11. EM-water2 Says:

    When in doubt go straight to the source of truth: The bible. The more you reference this.. the more you know that the world and even some "christians" or false prophets so to speak do not tell the truth about the word of god.

    The new testiment talks about True uncleaness as sin..

    Matthew 15:17"Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
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  12. sylvia c Says:

    you havent read the Bible as God gave mankind dominion over all animals. meaning to treat them with kindness and care.
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  13. Magg's Says:

    Of course not.
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  14. Follows Jesus Says:

    the law was for israel to obey not gentiles

    the law was fulfilled by God so the works are not followed any more
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  15. MeMe Says:

    I remember reading ROOTS and back then, the Christians did not believe that black people had souls. Now that is bad and it is also bad to use the Bible to say pets do not have souls. All living things have souls.
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  16. Randy G Says:

    According to the New Testament, Christians are not bound by the Law of Moses. Specifically, Christians do not have to keep "kosher" (clean) anymore (Mark 7, Acts 10, 11 & 15; etc.).

    Good thing too, because only Jews are "clean" according to the Law of Moses. Since you are probably not Jewish, then you are in the same category as a dog or a cat [In other words, according to the Old Testament, you are an "unclean" person].

    Doesn’t ANY Christian read the Bible anymore? This is very basic Christianity.
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  17. Frankie Says:

    I don’t know if that is true but even if it is it was the old law and it was canceled for the new testament when Jesus came. The old law was also only for the Jewish people. Christians go by the new testament.
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  18. healthgirl Says:

    The Bible doesn’t talk about cats and dogs.
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  19. Israel Lover Says:

    That just means we can not eat them. If we could not even touch them, it would violate the commandment to care for the Earth and all life on it.
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  20. QUILL Says:

    Although dogs are mentioned in the bible they do not appear in the kashrut code of Moses.

    The term "DOG" is sometimes used as a term of opprobrium for male prostitutes.

    Dogs are said to have lapped up the blood of King Ahab who was penetrated by an arrow from an enemy’s gilded bow who fired ‘on a chance’ as Ahab rested away from the battle having sent Jehoshaphat into the fray wearing his, Ahab’s, suit of armour, and driving his distinctive chariot hoping that the enemy would think that J. was A. and slaughter J in A’s stead..

    The chariot had a dished bottom into which his blood ran and pooled. Dogs love blood.

    There is no herem against contact with these useful domestic animals, although the West has never become accustomed to the taste of their flesh, for which I thank God.

    QUILL
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    EDIT:

    1: Jesus filfilled the Mosaic Ciode, but he did not terminate the requirement for Christians to observe all other of God’s commandments. The moral law, the law of duty to God, and the law of duties to neighours and communities were not done away with. Whenever the New Testament appears to say that all the Law of God was done away with when Jesus came, it refers only to the Mosaic Law, and not to God’s universal Laws that precede the Law of Moses.

    2: The use of the term "JEW" when the House of Israel is intended, is highly misleading. All Jews were Israelites but not all Israelites were JEWS. The distinction between them is considerable and vital to comprehending the history of Israel in the Old Testament.

  21. God's dark italian princess Says:

    No Christians are not sinning!

    let me explain.

    First I dont agree with why they would say that ridiculous stuff.

    Second, We are not under the Law but under grace.

    ALL these things where made for His good pleasure.

    Modern domestic Dogs and cats benifet humanity in SO many ways they are rescue dogs a blessing to the elderly in nursing homes and warn people of danger and even protect if need be.

    There is documentation that dogs and cats have saved the lives of family members by getting them up in time to get out of the houses that where on fireby barking and meowing loudly. Some gave thier VERY lives for it.

    We are also to respect and treat them with love and be a good stewerd of them. They are God’s creatures too!

    I personally beleive they will be with us in heaven. I also beleive God will punish those that abuse adn mistreat animals.

    Dogs in ancient time where unclean because they where scavangers wild and ate dead things.

    The bible says even creation will be delievered that means every creature and in the Psalms every creature praises God.

    And ALL creation will be redeemed from the curse

    Acts 10 when Peter saw the vision was referring to unclean NON JEW gentiles (HUMANS) but thier was clean and unclean animals in the sheet. Salvation has come to all the Jew and the Gentile is what that means.

    In other words what God has called clean Peter was calling unclean refferring to non jews. Peter was still operating under the Law.
    References :
    psalm 148 and Romans10-22, Acts 10

  22. Thrice Blessed Says:

    The whole "clean" and "unclean" thing had more to do with what animals Jews were allowed to eat, since I have no intention of turning my pets into stew, I’m not really worried about that.

    Add to that the fact that the dietary laws were part of the old covenant, and I’m doubly "not worried".
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