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by Tondoteottotote on July 28th, 2005

Tondoteottotote

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Bodies of many Popes, Saints, etc. never decay long after they die, so if a body festers, does it indicate that s/he went to Hell?

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  • by Encyclopedia_John on July 30th, 2005

    Encyclopedia_John

    All bodies decay after death unless deliberate steps are taken to preserve them, such as mummification. Catholic "relics" have been preserved deliberately or naturally. If the body is in a hot, dry climate, or if it is frozen, it may be naturally preserved. There are no supernatural forces involved at all. So, no, whether a body decays or not has nothing to do with whether the person went to heaven or hell.

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  • by Ankhorite on February 20th, 2007

    Ankhorite

    In terms of Roman Catholic belief, the fact that a body decays does not prove anything bad about the dead person at all.

    Roman Catholic doctrine does consider "incorruptibility" of the body after death as a sign of divine favor and it is a factor which may be considered during the process of canonization (recognizing someone as a Roman Catholic saint). However, as noted in one of the other answers, sometimes this happens due to natural or intentional mummification, saponification, dessication, or embalming.

    The body of civil rights martyr, Medgar Evers, was found to have been preserved in remarkable condition when it was exhumed in 1994 after 31 years. Although Evers was not a Catholic (so far as I know), some Catholics and other Christians considered his state of preservation a sign of divine favor for his exemplary life. Others consider it a combination of good embalming and good luck (soil conditions, the seal on the casket, etc.)

    The short answer is, as a matter of faith and doctrine, Roman Catholics may consider an undecayed body a sign of divine favor; but they do not consider a naturally decayed body a sign of disfavor.

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  • by Randy Roger on November 28th, 2007

    Randy Roger

    I think that god preserves the body and the people he likes are the ones who dont decay :)
    !message me :D!

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  • by ENOCHbethany on May 28th, 2006

    ENOCHbethany

    \"Bodies of Popes\"

    There are no \"popes\" in the Bible; thus the Bible teaches nothing about the decay of their bodies or lack of decay after death.

    \"Saints\"

    There is no special group of persons considered as super-righteous (in distinction with common Christians) called \"saints.\" All born again Christians are \"saints\" in the Bible. In the Bible you are either a \"saint\" or an \"ain't.\"

    I don't know of any evidence that the Lord has preserved anyone's body after death (except that of the Lord Jesus). Of course since the Lord is all powerful, if he should choose to delay the decay of a body, that would be no problem for Him.

    The question of a body being preserved vs. decay after death concerns the Lord Jesus' body and the prophecy in Psalms 16, cited by Peter on the Day of Pentecost Acts 2. The Lord Jesus' body was in fact preserved from decay after He died on the cross to pay for our sins.

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  • by itinary on November 3rd, 2009

    itinary

    May be they are hoping them to come back to the body like Jesus did. That will create more Jesus like Humans. Umm.. Confused.

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  • by 23Skidoo on October 13th, 2009

    23Skidoo

    Without mummification of some kind - intentional or accidental - their bodies decay just like any other.

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  • by tiburon2 on September 4th, 2006

    tiburon2

    No. Incorruptibility is just a grace bestowed from God, and most saints noted weren't perserved by mumification and the climate answer is just bs.

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  • by Firebrand on November 3rd, 2009

    Firebrand

    No it does not mean they have gone to Hell.

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