Can You Go to Heaven If You're Cremated? Myths Debunked & Truth Revealed (2023)

FAQs

Does your soul go to heaven if you are cremated? ›

No matter what a person's preference is, from the Christian perspective, cremation does not prevent one from going to Heaven.

What does the Bible say about cremation? According to most Biblical study websites, there is no explicit scriptural command for or against cremation. There are no passages that forbid cremation, according to most Biblical scholars.

A: In the Bible, cremation is not labeled a sinful practice. Frankly, the topic is not dealt with at all in terms of the detailed lists of instructions for living and dying set forth by almighty God in the Old and New testaments. The short answer to your question appears to be no, cremation is not a sin.

In the Bible, there are no passages that prohibit or encourage cremation and scattering of ashes. However, many Christian sects believe a burial funeral aligns with best end-of-life practices. As a result, some Christian clerics may discourage cremation or prohibit it entirely.

Cremation is the only way to release the soul from the body to allow reincarnation to occur. As such, an adult child's most important duty to his parents is to carry out a proper cremation ceremony for them.

Cremains contain what is known as rest energy, sometimes referred to as free or dormant energy. This type of energy is still subject to the restraints of natural law, and can have no physical or spiritual impact on those around it.

In Christian countries, cremation fell out of favor due to the Christian belief in the physical resurrection of the body. Christians also used burial as a mark of difference from the Iron Age European pre-Christian Pagan religions, which usually cremated their dead.

Islam. Of the religions on this list, Islam is probably the strongest opposed to cremation. They believe the body should be treated with equal respect before and after death. Cremation is considered a form of bodily mutilation and, therefore, an unclean practice.

During cremation, the body parts that do burn consist of organs, soft tissue, hair, and skin, while the water in our bodies evaporates. The body parts that do not burn are bone fragments.

The reunion of believing loved ones

When Paul writes to believers who grieve the loss of a loved one, he offers them this comfort: “We who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17, emphasis mine).

Why are people against cremation? ›

Religions like Orthodox Christianity, Islam and Judaism follow traditions that frown upon cremation, even prohibiting it. Traditionally, their culture believes that the idea of turning human body into cremation ashes might interfere with God's ability to resurrect the dead and bring it to heaven.

There are no set implications of keeping ashes in the house. By keeping ashes in the house, you will be allowing the psychic connection between the deceased loved one and the remaining family members to continue, which often helps grieving families come to terms with their loss.

Together we shall be again, ashes mingled with ashes, as together we came out of the stars and earth, stardust and mud, extraordinary and mundane. These ashes are blessed, because these persons' lives were holy, worthy, and meaningful. These ashes are blessed, a reminder of the gift of our beloveds' lives.

In Old Testament times people used ashes as a sign of repentance. They would sit in ashes, roll around in them, sprinkle them upon their heads, or even mingle them with their food and drink. They did this as an outward sign of their inward posture of repentance. Check out Daniel 9:3-6, for an example.

Some people worry it's bad luck to keep ashes in their house, or it might mean the spirit or ghost of the person will stay in the house. Whatever your beliefs, there is no right or wrong when it comes to handling the ashes of a person who's died.

Cremation is the process of reducing a body to its basic elements through the use of high temperatures. The result of this process is cremated remains, or ashes. While cremation does reduce the body to ashes, it does not completely eliminate all traces of the body. In fact, DNA can still be present in cremated remains.

Cremation becomes the most beautiful ritual for expressing the ephemeral body and the eternity of spiritual life. In native cultures, cremation is also the most complete symbol of life and death, as birth comes in as a spark of life, the Vital Spirit, and so Fire becomes the symbolic reversal to set the spirit free.

Of all world religions, Islam is probably the most strongly opposed to cremation. Unlike Judaism and Christianity, there is little diversity of opinion about it. Cremation is considered by Islam to be an unclean practice.

As we scatter his (her) ashes, we commit his(her) body to you and pray that he finds eternal rest for the glory of your holy name. Lord, forgive us where we have strayed during this grieving season. Fill us with thanksgiving for his well-lived and full life. In Jesus' name, we believe and pray, Amen.

Some people believe that the spirit can be released from the body only after a proper burial or cremation. If the ashes are not scattered or buried, the spirit may remain with the ashes and may even be attracted to them. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this belief.

Is it OK to split cremated ashes? ›

Your loved one's ashes don't have to stay together either. Families can choose to split the ashes of the deceased among the wider family, where the individual families can choose what they want to do with them.

One of the biggest reasons as to why Catholicism has been so against cremation for centuries is due to that very fact: Catholics believe the deceased should be buried in the same was as Jesus Christ, who was laid in a tomb after his death. This is because Catholics believe in the resurrection of the body.

For centuries, religious authorities believed that cremation prevented resurrection of the body and forbade Catholic families from cremating their loved ones. Over time, the Church has amended its stance on cremation, lifting its ban and issuing guidelines for how to handle ashes with care.

The only parts of the body that are removed before cremation are artificial ones like a medical device or implant with a battery, silicone, pins, radiation pressurization, pacemakers, and large hip, knee, and shoulder replacements along with any external jewelry.

A Hindu's body is normally cremated within 24 hours of death, the ashes scattered in sacred water or a sentimental place, and a ceremony held 10 days later to free the dead person's soul so it can rise to heaven.

Most Baptist churches within the Christian faith will accept cremation as a choice when discussing options after death, and this is also true for many within the Southern Baptist church.

How long does a cremation process take? Cremations last between one and three hours with cooling taking a further one or two hours. This depends on cremation temperatures, the size of the deceased, and coffin material.

The actual cremation (burning of the dead body, turning them into ashes) can take about 3-4 hours, and processing the cremated remains takes another 2-3 hours.

The bones, which are the last to go, become calcified as they are exposed to the heat and begin to flake or crumble [source: Pope]. An average human body takes from two to three hours to burn completely and will produce an average of 3 to 9 pounds (1.4 to 4.1 kilograms) of ash.

In fact, the Bible indicates we will know each other more fully than we do now. The Apostle Paul declared, "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). It's true that our appearance will change, because God will give us new bodies, similar to Jesus' resurrection body.

When someone dies what do they see? ›

One of the most common and well-known near-death experiences for those who die and come back is seeing a bright, white light. This white light isn't something to be afraid of. In fact, most report it coming with a sense of peace or even happiness. Many have speculated about the symbolism behind the bright light.

Christians who knew and loved each other on earth will know and love each other in heaven. The life we enjoy in heaven is not going to be less than the life we enjoy now. In every respect it will be more. The whole point of this passage is to bring comfort to believers who grieve the loss of a loved one.

Yes, it is generally okay to open an urn. Most say that cremated remains are sterile, so you shouldn't have to worry about your health or safety from opening an urn. There are no legal reasons why an urn can't be opened either unless there is a question of who legally owns the cremains.

Is it OK to Keep Cremains at Home? There's nothing bad about keeping cremated remains at home. Even though the practice is legal, those from specific faith communities may object to the practice. Some religious faiths, such as followers of Islam, Eastern Orthodox, and some Jewish sects forbid cremation.

A common question that we find in the cremation diamond industry is do ashes have an expiration date? The short answer is they don't; at least not in our lifetime. It would take around one million years for ashes to dissolve since they are made solely of inorganic material.

When the priest applies the cross of ashes, he says to the worshiper: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” He also may say “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

Are All of the Ashes Returned After Cremation? If you work with a reputable establishment, all the cremains are returned to the family after the process is complete. There may be isolated particles that become lost within the crematorium chamber, but this is usually a negligible amount.

The first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday. On this special day of reflection, Catholics wear a marking of the cross in ash on their foreheads. The ashes symbolize our mortality – “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” But you might be wondering, where do the ashes for Ash Wednesday come from?

Ash Wednesday is today. It marks the first day of Lent in Western churches. The ashes symbolize penance and the dust from which God made people. When priests mark Christian's forehead the ashes they often say, “Repent and believe in the Gospel,” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

By having their foreheads marked with the sign of the cross, this symbolizes that the person belongs to Jesus Christ, who died on a Cross. This is the imitation of the spiritual mark or seal that is put on a Christian in baptism, when he is delivered from sin.

Where in the Bible does it talk about being cremated? ›

According to most Biblical study websites, there is no explicit scriptural command for or against cremation. There are no passages that forbid cremation, according to most Biblical scholars.

Many times, the unclaimed ashes are held by the funeral home who will make multiple attempts to contact family or next of kin to pick up their loved one's remains. If they don't pick them up, different states have different rules on the length of time the funeral home must hold the ashes.

Contrary to what you may think, human ashes are actually not toxic and are considered a sanitary, natural substance. Therefore, there is no harm in touching them.

A box of adult human ashes can be surprisingly heavy. If you are still expecting the remains to be like that of a campfire, the weight might be unexpected. Human cremation ashes include crushed bone, which makes them denser than ash from wood and therefore heavier.

"The Church raises no doctrinal objections to this practice, since cremation of the deceased's body does not affect his or her soul, nor does it prevent God, in his omnipotence, from raising up the deceased body to new life." Even bodies buried traditionally eventually decompose.

The Bible doesn't say anything about cremated bodies not rising. This idea is not a part of the Christian belief in the resurrection of the dead. In Christianity, the belief in the resurrection and the afterlife is a crucial part of our faith and is not tied to the way the body is disposed of after death.

Even though our body dies, our spirit—which is the essence of who we are—lives on. Our spirit goes to the spirit world. The spirit world is a waiting period until we receive the gift of resurrection, when our spirits will reunite with our bodies.

The only thing remaining of the human body after cremation is part of the skeletal structure and occasionally small amounts of salts and minerals. The human skeleton is composed mostly of carbonates and calcium phosphates.

For most Christians today, the question of cremation is largely left to individual discretion. Many Christians choose cremation as an alternative to burial, while still retaining those aspects of their traditional funeral practices that allow them to honor the lives of their loved ones and glorify God.

We enter heaven immediately upon our death, or our souls sleep until the second coming of Christ and the accompanying resurrection. Most have chosen to believe what the Bible appears to overwhelmingly propose: our souls (spirits) penetrate heaven immediately after we take our final breath.

Which religions do not cremate? ›

Of all world religions, Islam is probably the most strongly opposed to cremation. Unlike Judaism and Christianity, there is little diversity of opinion about it. Cremation is considered by Islam to be an unclean practice.

This is done to ensure that the head of the deceased person burns well. So, when the head gets burnt, it is broken with a stick. Let us tell you that this process in the crematorium is termed the Kapaal Kriya.

The ashes that remain are collected in vessels made of brass or clay ! Many may not know this, but the belly button of the deceased never burns to ash, it remains hard and in the same shape that it adorns the human body.

The soul or atman, credited with the ability to enliven the body, was located by ancient anatomists and philosophers in the lungs or heart, in the pineal gland (Descartes), and generally in the brain.

He said, “When the soul leaves the body, it can take a long time or it can happen very quickly. No matter how, it is painful. It is painful for the one who is dying, and it is painful for those who are left behind. The separation of the soul from the body, that is the ending of life.

In the time of Aristotle, it was widely believed that the human soul entered the forming body at 40 days (male embryos) or 90 days (female embryos), and quickening was an indication of the presence of a soul.