--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why, if heaven is above us in the sky, do…" description: "\"“Why, if heaven is above us in the sky, do we stick the dead underground, closer to the Devil? Why not burn them and let them go into the air, nearer t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/james-scott-29353_heaven_why-if-heaven-is-above-us-in-the-sky-do_2520309.png" --- # Why, if heaven is above us in the sky, do we stick the… ![“Why, if heaven is above us in the sky, do we stick the dead underground, closer to the Devil? Why not burn them and let them go into the air, nearer to God?” quote by James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/james-scott-29353_heaven_why-if-heaven-is-above-us-in-the-sky-do_2520309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/james-scott-29353_heaven_why-if-heaven-is-above-us-in-the-sky-do_2520309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/james-scott-29353_heaven_why-if-heaven-is-above-us-in-the-sky-do_2520309.png) > ““Why, if heaven is above us in the sky, do we stick the dead underground, closer to the Devil? Why not burn them and let them go into the air, nearer to God?”” [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Burial practices seem contradictory to the idea of heaven above. **In simple terms:** Burial seems contrary to heaven. Key Takeaway Question traditions. Themes death belief ritual Mood thoughtful skeptical Type cultural critical When to use this quote - funeral planning - memorial design - ethical debates Key Concepts theology cultural anthropology Questions to Reflect On - Why do we bury rather than release? - What does this reveal about our values? A Different Perspective Practical concerns may outweigh symbolism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Air Nearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-nearer-1242750/) [Closer Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closer-devil-1242749/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Heaven Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven-sky-959189/) [Nearer God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nearer-god-808079/) [Underground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underground/) ## Related quotes > [“We all have our demons, our weaknesses, our own crosses to bear. Often, we are closer to the devil than we think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanna-peach/we-all-have-our-demons-our-weaknesses-our-own-crosses-to-bear-often/) [Hanna Peach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanna-peach/) > [Heaven is the sky too beauty and a few halos too shine through the goodness of ppl and the golden gates of good love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-hood/heaven-is-the-sky-too-beauty-and-a-few-halos-too-shine-through-the/) [Courtney Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-hood/) > [Don't look up to heaven, for what will you see in the sky, except stars, luminous but cold, wholly insensitive to pity?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-l-peretz/don-t-look-up-to-heaven-for-what-will-you-see-in-the-sky-except-stars/) [I. L. Peretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-l-peretz/) > [How do you know there’s not a door to heaven in the sky between Malaysia and Vietnam?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/how-do-you-know-there-s-not-a-door-to-heaven-in-the-sky-between/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [“He brushed away the thunder, then the clouds, then the colossal illusion of heaven. Yet still the sky was blue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/he-brushed-away-the-thunder-then-the-clouds-then-the-colossal/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) > [He who serves his brother best gets nearer God than all the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/he-who-serves-his-brother-best-gets-nearer-god-than-all-the-rest/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [In proportion as the ardor of divine love brings you nearer to God, so will a larger concourse of saintly brethren flock to you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/in-proportion-as-the-ardor-of-divine-love-brings-you-nearer-to-god-so/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [“(Life) it was a little bit nearer than God, but no less powerful and terrible. Yes, it was something, perhaps, that one did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-holitscher/life-it-was-a-little-bit-nearer-than-god-but-no-less-powerful-and/) [Arthur Holitscher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-holitscher/) > [Nearer, my God, to Thee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-fuller-flower-adams/nearer-my-god-to-thee/) [Sarah Fuller Flower Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-fuller-flower-adams/) > [“As we get nearer to God, Satan and our enemies cannot reach us. Satan cannot touch us if we will only direct our lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-t-crabtree/as-we-get-nearer-to-god-satan-and-our-enemies-cannot-reach-us-satan/) [T. T. Crabtree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-t-crabtree/) > [Moses Kaldor had always loved mountains; they made him feel nearer to the God whose nonexistence he still sometimes resented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/moses-kaldor-had-always-loved-mountains-they-made-him-feel-nearer-to/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [We shall draw nearer to God, not by trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/we-shall-draw-nearer-to-god-not-by-trying-to-avoid-the-sufferings/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The kiss of sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth, One is nearer God's Heart in a garden Than anywhere else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-frances-gurney/the-kiss-of-sun-for-pardon-the-song-of-the-birds-for-mirth-one-is/) [Dorothy Frances Gurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-frances-gurney/) > [Aloneness is nearer God, nearer reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-john/aloneness-is-nearer-god-nearer-reality/) [Gwen John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-john/) > [The troubles of this world pass, and what we have left is what we have made of our souls, so it is to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoghi-effendi/the-troubles-of-this-world-pass-and-what-we-have-left-is-what-we-have/) [Shoghi Effendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoghi-effendi/) ## More by James Scott > [The sad thing is that often when you expose your secrets and become more honest with yourself, you find the reaction from the outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/the-sad-thing-is-that-often-when-you-expose-your-secrets-and-become/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [Secrets are always never as well kept as people think they are. More often than not when you reveal something, especially the bigger it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/secrets-are-always-never-as-well-kept-as-people-think-they-are-more/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [As your life goes on you should gain a deeper understanding of the world and the people moving through it; but that might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/as-your-life-goes-on-you-should-gain-a-deeper-understanding-of-the/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [It's always fun to try something new, and to play a new character, and it's fun to play another period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/it-s-always-fun-to-try-something-new-and-to-play-a-new-character-and/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [I can remember the time I would get my scripts and spent the entire weekend breaking them down and playing with them, and putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/i-can-remember-the-time-i-would-get-my-scripts-and-spent-the-entire/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [Great ideas are fish in a stream. Your pen/pencil is a spear. If you don't spear them, they'll swim on by. Be ready.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/great-ideas-are-fish-in-a-stream-your-pen-pencil-is-a-spear-if-you/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [I certainly very much enjoy acting, but I am open to anything really. I think it's important when you have those moments in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/i-certainly-very-much-enjoy-acting-but-i-am-open-to-anything-really-i/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [I'm a really anxious person, so I tend not to keep secrets. I tend not to even want to hear them. It's too nerve-wracking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/i-m-a-really-anxious-person-so-i-tend-not-to-keep-secrets-i-tend-not/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [Secrets are inherently selfish. The longer you keep them, the harder it is to put yourself in other people's shoes about them and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/secrets-are-inherently-selfish-the-longer-you-keep-them-the-harder-it/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [The more people you run into, the greater your exposure, the easier it is to understand and empathize with other people. So if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/the-more-people-you-run-into-the-greater-your-exposure-the-easier-it/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [Secrets can be poisonous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/secrets-can-be-poisonous/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [“How would I find someone,” Caleb said, edging the dead man’s legs parallel to one another with his toe, “who would be willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/how-would-i-find-someone-caleb-said-edging-the-dead-man-s-legs/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [No matter how old you are, if you're just not an empathetic person, it's a lot easier to concentrate solely on something that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/no-matter-how-old-you-are-if-you-re-just-not-an-empathetic-person-it/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [ \[Rumors are a\] vehicle for anxieties and aspirations that may not be openly expressed. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/rumors-are-a-vehicle-for-anxieties-and-aspirations-that-may-not-be/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) > [I certainly am not afraid of hard work. Hard work is only hard if you are not passionate about what you are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott/i-certainly-am-not-afraid-of-hard-work-hard-work-is-only-hard-if-you/) [James Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) [Explore all 18 James Scott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott/) ## More Heaven quotes > [Heaven lies around us in our infancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/heaven-lies-around-us-in-our-infancy/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe that on any trip to heaven, there are always detours through hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-finney/i-believe-that-on-any-trip-to-heaven-there-are-always-detours-through/) [Richard Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-finney/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [By the time you have no difficulties in your life, you have achieved Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brown/by-the-time-you-have-no-difficulties-in-your-life-you-have-achieved/) [Charles Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brown/) > [I'm what is known as gradually disintegrating. I don't fear the next world, or anything. I don't fear hell, and I don't look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-m-what-is-known-as-gradually-disintegrating-i-don-t-fear-the-next/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [I do not want a kingdom, or heaven; what I want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed, the poor, and the needy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-a-kingdom-or-heaven-what-i-want-is-to-remove-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/god-is-the-highest-good-of-the-reasonable-creature-and-the-enjoyment/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“The Creator sat upon the throne, thinking. Behind him stretched the illimitable continent of heaven, steeped in a glory of light and color; before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-creator-sat-upon-the-throne-thinking-behind-him-stretched-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) [Browse all 9,540 Heaven quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why, if heaven is above us in the sky, do we stick the dead underground, closer to the Devil? 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