So, changing the subject to..

[grampster]

...wondering about cremation. When we're alive and assuming one is a born again Christian we believe our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. (1Cor 6:19)

So when we die in the flesh is it OK to have our earthly remains cremated? RC church used to teach it was wrong to do so. I believe the RC church no longer frowns on cremation. So, what about other denominations? What about those of us who do not belong to a "denomination"? How about Jews or those who claim to be followers of Christ but require following OT law?

[Wiskey Reb]

From Chadad.org

In Jewish law, the human body belongs to its Creator. It is merely on loan to the person, who is the guardian of the body, but he or she has no right to deface it in any way.16 The body must be "returned" in its entirety, just as it was given.

Neither do they embalm or perform autopsies except in extraordinary cases.

[somoprepper08]

...wondering about cremation. When we're alive and assuming one is a born again Christian we believe our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. (1Cor 6:19)

So when we die in the flesh is it OK to have our earthly remains cremated? RC church used to teach it was wrong to do so. I believe the RC church no longer frowns on cremation. So, what about other denominations? What about those of us who do not belong to a "denomination"? How about Jews or those who claim to be followers of Christ but require following OT law?

Do what you think is right and can afford (or your family can afford) to do at the time.

[CaryC]

I'm sort of in the camp with Somoprepper.

For ourselves though, everything is already set up for a normal type funeral, and burial.

I think the Christian idea ages ago, of not burning the body arose from a couple of passages in scripture about "the dead in Christ shall rise first" and something like the tombs shall open and give up there dead. Meaning there had to be a body to rise.

However, I don't think a person needs a dead body to receive a new body. Yes, God can transform that old body, He can also make you a new one, or He can gather all of your parts from all over the world, if He feels He needs to, without a glitch.

In "Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales" there were some pretty ugly dead guys. A guy with nothing above his mouth and walking around. I don't think we'll see that type of thing in Heaven. LOL just making a point. Man those guys were rough looking, not to mention those in Davy Jones Locker.

Which brings us to the second point. All the people that died out in the ocean, through wars or accidents. Those bodies, well let's just say, aren't intact anymore either.

So there may be preferences as in our case, but I don't think anyone can make a doctrinal case for it, in my opinion.

I might add that even though there may be a religious belief as to the disposition of the body, the person that just died has no actual say in what happens to the body. I would note the religious belief of the Jews, which there is nothing wrong with at all, but those that died during the holocaust, and their bodies burned in the ovens of Auschwitz had no say, which I don't think God would hold it against them for that disposition. What happened was beyond their ability to control.

It would also seem that taking a dogmatic doctrinal stand on it, and then when the opposite happens through no fault of their own, it would place the surviving family members in a real bad place, even worse than if it transpired as desired.

Just saying that's my opinion, to each his own.

[Wiskey Reb]

Just to provide some clarification. The Jewish religious economy does not even consider that Jews, such as holocaust victims, not buried in Jewish fashion are in some way eternally harmed. Rather, the body is a highly honored gift, and is honored in life and death. This was once the Christian view as well. Now it seems to be viewed as just so many dollars worth of earthly elements of little value sans the spirit. Yet, akin to the spirit, the body is fearfully and wonderfully made. It is a wonder in itself, even when in decay.

There seems to be a myth that cremation is cheaper and better for the environment. This is untrue compared to the simple pine box approach to burial. There is really no normal reason for a corpse to have to linger above ground more than a day or so. Even if there is a reason to spruce up the body a bit for viewing, need to pickle the carcus for added longevity is rare.

In the end, handling the death of loved ones is a combined work of G-d and man. Rather than leave a body lying, as that of a common animal, to rot on the ground, or destroy it in a pyre-like effigy and then grind up the left-overs, we treat it with honor by washing it, mourning it, and deliver it to G-d in the ground. He has provided the work of the worm of decay to return man to the dust from which he came. Decay is a servant of G-d. Rather than resist it by means of preservation, in which we cause it to linger in a gruesome withering way, or usurp it by utter annihilation of fire, why not allow G-d to assimilate it in His own fashion? It's a good way.

My sister was embalmed after her death. When I visit her grave, I'm not comforted that her body lies a few feet away, in a gruesome state of preservation, encapsulated in concrete.

[Sherree]

Hi grampster! I think it's just a matter of a person's choice as to be cremated or not. I don't see anything biblical about doing it or not doing it. If a family member asks to be cremated, I would honor that person's request.

On the other hand, in the Bible when we see a funeral/burial of any sort, we see bodies enclosed in tombs, even Jesus.

[grampster]

Thanks for the input. I was curious what other folks thought and why. In Michigan there are laws and rules with respect to embalming, transport, burial, caskets, crypts, cremation and disposition of ashes. As long as one is buried within 48 yours no embalming is needed, except under some extraordinary circumstances. Not much in the way of rules with respect to caskets either, but most cemeteries require a cement vault. Some of those laws and rules are quite lenient...permissions needed for some methods but often are not looked at closely. We both have decided to be cremated upon death. We have several reasons why we have chosen this. Ashes to ashes...dust to dust. When one is buried in the ground, the body decomposes and after time, not much remains. When we are resurrected to eternal life, the Father will do as he wills with respect to that.