Cremation/Burial From Religious Aspect?

[dobeday1]

I was raised Pentecostal denomination. I never gave it much thought when I was younger about what I should have done with my body when I die. But now that I am almost 50, I give it a tremendous amount of thought.

My husband and children and I have seen so much death in our family over the years. All but one was buried. The one was cremated.

I have often thought about cremation. I am afraid of closed in places in life. And in death, I don't like the idea of when I die that my body will be placed in a coffin, shut tight, then buried 6 feet under. Call it strange! But I don't like thinking about that at all.

My husband and I have both made a decision to be cremated when our time comes. But I do have some other worry. I believe in God. And I believe in Gods word. I have been told before by other people, or should I say Christians, that it is against Gods law to be cremated. Can any of you tell me where this is in the Bible? I know that is states "ashes to ashes" dust to dust". Even though that means that after a long period of time our bones turn to dust, what is wrong with helping the process along by being cremated? What are your views on cremation from a religious aspect?

 

[Xaquin44]

I wouldn't have thought it mattered from a religious stand point .... I mean we only ascend or descend after we've shuffed our mortal wrappings right?

 

[Pandora]

I'm actually interested in hearing the responses in this thread too.

At one time, I actually did think being cremated was sacrilegious, most likely because I was programmed to think that way by a relative.

But, ashes to ashes and dust to dust and if my body is just some worthless shell, it should just be put back into the dirt. I feel the same way about the coffin myself and have been heavily thinking cremation.

 

[dobeday1]

I wouldn't have thought it mattered from a religious stand point .... I mean we only ascend or descend after we've shuffed our mortal wrappings right?

I'm saying from a religious aspect because many Christians say that cremation is wrong. But of course I would like to hear from any one.

 

[dobeday1]

I'm actually interested in hearing the responses in this thread too.

At one time, I actually did think being cremated was sacrilegious, most likely because I was programmed to think that way by a relative.

But, ashes to ashes and dust to dust and if my body is just some worthless shell, it should just be put back into the dirt. I feel the same way about the coffin myself and have been heavily thinking cremation.

That's what I mean. We get "programmed" so to speak. We sometimes do as others say, and not what we feel is right for us. I feel that it has taken my husband & I over 20 years to come to this decision. That's a long time. But at the same time, I do not want to go against God. Shouldn't the decision be based on our own convictions whether cremation is right or wrong for us as an individual?

 

[Pandora]

There are so many regulations to follow when a person dies. You have to put them in a sealed airtight box, blah blah blah, if it was the pioneer days, and I knew I'd just be wrapped in a sheet and put in the ground, I'd be ok with that. But 6 feet under, in a tight coffin, sucking up space, my family shelling out all that wasted money just doesn't seem right. And recently, they dug up Shavio in the Peterson case and she was soaked because the coffin wasn't sealed properly.

I was so discouraged over the years when picking out coffins for family members, they have some that recline, have a light, blah blah blah, you have to be kidding? It is a money making racket.

And I am not a grave visitor, I know, shame on me. But it just isn't my thing. I have to force myself to visit during holidays those that are close to me and buried around here. My grandmother plans to be buried in Washington, PA. How often am I going to visit there? Once she is gone, I have no reason to go home. Since my grandfather died, it has turned into a not so nice area and certainly not a place I would feel safe to visit with my children.

So, now you have the issue of the forgotten and deserted grave site. I hate that feeling of looking around the grave yard and seeing all the forgotten and deserted graves.

It is something I have given thought to but the bible says, ashes to ashes and dust to dust, so I think being cremated would be the only way in this day and age allow that to happen.

 

[wkndbeacher]

The Bible actually does not give any specific teaching about cremation. There are occurrences in the Old Testament of people being burned to death (1 Kings 16:18; 2 Kings 21:6), and of human bones being burned (2 Kings 23:16-20), but these are not examples of cremation. It is interesting to note that in 2 Kings 23:16-20, burning human bones on an altar desecrated the altar. At the same time, the Old Testament law nowhere commands against a deceased human body being burned, nor does it attach any curse or judgment on someone who is cremated.

Cremation was practiced in Biblical times, but it was not commonly practiced by the Israelites or by New Testament believers. In the cultures the Bible focuses on, burial in a tomb, cave, or in the ground was the common way to dispose of a human body (Genesis 23:19; 35:4; 2 Chronicles 16:14; Matthew 27:60-66). While burial was the common practice, the Bible nowhere commands burial as the only allowed method of disposing of a body.
Is cremation something a Christian can consider? Again, there is no explicit Scriptural command against cremation. Some believers object to the practice of cremation on the basis that it does not recognize that one day God will resurrect our bodies and re-unite them with our soul / spirit (1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:16). This may be the case with some people. However, the fact that a body has been cremated does not make it any more difficult for God to resurrect a body. The bodies of Christians who died a thousand years ago have, by now, completely turned into dust. This will in no sense prevent God from being able to resurrect their bodies. Cremation does nothing but “expedite” the process of turning a body into dust. God is equally able to raise a person’s remains that have been cremated as He is the remains of a person who was not cremated. The question of burial or cremation is within the realm of Christian freedom. A person, or a family, considering this issue should pray for wisdom (James 1:5), and follow the conviction that results.

 

[Suz]

There are so many regulations to follow when a person dies. You have to put them in a sealed airtight box, blah blah blah, if it was the pioneer days, and I knew I'd just be wrapped in a sheet and put in the ground, I'd be ok with that. But 6 feet under, in a tight coffin, sucking up space, my family shelling out all that wasted money just doesn't seem right. And recently, they dug up Shavio in the Peterson case and she was soaked because the coffin wasn't sealed properly.

I was so discouraged over the years when picking out coffins for family members, they have some that recline, have a light, blah blah blah, you have to be kidding? It is a money making racket.

And I am not a grave visitor, I know, shame on me. But it just isn't my thing. I have to force myself to visit during holidays those that are close to me and buried around here. My grandmother plans to be buried in Washington, PA. How often am I going to visit there? Once she is gone, I have no reason to go home. Since my grandfather died, it has turned into a not so nice area and certainly not a place I would feel safe to visit with my children.

So, now you have the issue of the forgotten and deserted grave site. I hate that feeling of looking around the grave yard and seeing all the forgotten and deserted graves.

It is something I have given thought to but the bible says, ashes to ashes and dust to dust, so I think being cremated would be the only way in this day and age allow that to happen.

My mom who died 15 years ago next month was a very dedicated catholic. In fact before she met my biological father she almost became a nun. My 4 brothers and I were brought up catholic. At one time I was very religous. Both my parents were cremated. My mother has a beautiful headstone and lies in a catholic cemetary on Long Island. I have 2 brothers still on LI, they never visit her grave. I made the trek up there 2.5 years ago specifically to visit her grave, my sisters and my grandparents (her parents) in that same cemetary. When will I go again? I don't know if I ever will. My father could not be buried there because he wasn't catholic and there were no plots left. So my brothers sprinkled his ashes over her grave and watered them in. (sick - and more then he deserved)

But as I have grown older (54 tomorrow), and having thought about dying I too have decided to be cremated. My reason's go back to what others have said. I can't stand the thought of thousands of dollars wasted for me to be put 6 feet under, my casket deteriorate and have all the critters running and crawling through my bones. I love the water. So cremate me, and take me out on a boat one last time and feed my ashes to the fish. And if you want to 'visit' me, then go to the ocean. My husband feels the same way.

And our most important reason for deciding on cremation is this: Leave the earth for those who will come behind us, for they will need the room to live, and grow food to sustain themselves.

 

[chevylover]

My aunt, a very devoted catholic, was cremated. As long as she was buried on blessed ground (a catholic cemetery) the church had no problems with this. I would go talk to your priest/minister/whoever about it. That's what she did.

 

[libby]

I believe the prohibition on cremation many years ago (I'm Catholic) was based on aiding the understanding of the resurrection of the body. Does cremation inhibit God's abilities? No, of course not, but it was essential to helping the faithful understand.
The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, so the early Christians might have had to struggle against what had been taught that was erroneous or misunderstood.
In any case, all Christians understand this basic doctrine now, so the cremation of the body is allowed.

 

[Marie]

I was raised Pentecostal denomination. I never gave it much thought when I was younger about what I should have done with my body when I die. But now that I am almost 50, I give it a tremendous amount of thought.

Here are counter opinions.
As stated earlier the Bible dosent address it but in Biblical times only pegans practiced it. Anway I thought you might enjoy the read!

CREMATION: WHAT DOES GOD THINK?

SermonAudio.com - Cremation a Christian Option?

The sermon goes into great detail of a proper Christian burial and practices, I found it interesting as I had no opinion either way, but evening with being clastrophobic I am personally going with burial. Scripture says its a pointed once for man to die and then the judgement, the dead no nothing, and absent with the body and present with the lord.

 

[2ndAmendment]

I was raised Pentecostal denomination. I never gave it much thought when I was younger about what I should have done with my body when I die. But now that I am almost 50, I give it a tremendous amount of thought.

My husband and children and I have seen so much death in our family over the years. All but one was buried. The one was cremated.

I have often thought about cremation. I am afraid of closed in places in life. And in death, I don't like the idea of when I die that my body will be placed in a coffin, shut tight, then buried 6 feet under. Call it strange! But I don't like thinking about that at all.

My husband and I have both made a decision to be cremated when our time comes. But I do have some other worry. I believe in God. And I believe in Gods word. I have been told before by other people, or should I say Christians, that it is against Gods law to be cremated. Can any of you tell me where this is in the Bible? I know that is states "ashes to ashes" dust to dust". Even though that means that after a long period of time our bones turn to dust, what is wrong with helping the process along by being cremated? What are your views on cremation from a religious aspect?

Why would it matter to a Christian? The moment a Christian dies is graduation day from this life to life in our God's kingdom.