Need Christian opinions on cremation.

[tmi11er]

I know that since the 20th century cremation has become a common place for the disposal of bodies even within Christianity. My family are fairly hard core bible beaters. The whole 9 yards and to my surprise they wished to be cremated. I figured they would be the last ones to want that. Even if their is a smallest possibility of not being resurrected they would avoid the practice. They said that more people are doing it which also surprised me. As they have never been one to "go along with the crowd" you could say. More and more Christians are coming to terms with homosexuality which my family is greatly opposed to. To the point they were convinced Obama was pure evil. I just don't understand there thoughts. Frankly I don't really care. If they want to be cremated it would save me trouble and money. But I was just wondering what other Christians believe. I am under the impression that most denominations accept the practice, but many still discourage it. I do not doubt if God could resurrect someone who was cremated. To me it is more would he when it comes to what God can and cannot do. What are your beliefs?

 

[Harry3142]

The argument against cremation has been that we should keep our bodies as whole as possible for the resurrection. However, we now know that prior to the science of embalming as we know it today, bodies soon decomposed to the point of being nothing more than a few bones, and then even those bones have decayed into dust. And even with an excellent embalming process performed, many morticians will admit that the bodes will only remain uncorrupted for a maximum of about 50 years.

Also many of the early saints were martyrs for their faith, with their bodies being totally destroyed. As well, there are many true believers who have drowned at sea, with their bodies never being recovered. Those bodies have in every respect returned to the earth, with no physical evidence left to verify that they had ever existed.

So we are left with putting our faith in God that through his power he has the ability to resurrect all those who have accepted the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, irregardless of what has happened to their mortal remains. Cremation simply 'hurries' the process of these mortal bodies returning to the dust from whence they came.

It is also possible that they have checked the cost of a standard funeral. When my wife died in 2008, I had her body embalmed, and then placed in an average-price casket. This casket also required a vault to enclose it after it was lowered into the grave. The entire process and materials cost over $10,000, the average cost of a funeral in this region when you include the casket, vault, and cost of the grave plot itself. I myself intend to be cremated.

 

[SharonL]

God has our DNA, he won't need partially decayed bodies. Out forever bodies will not be the flesh as it is on earth. The average funeral now runs about $13,000. I don't want to put that burden on my family. I request to be cremated, put into an Urn.

 

[pshun2404]

Also do not forget all those saved Christians dissolved at sea, or blown to bits...do you think they will not be given new glorified bodies? Of course they will so do not worry about it. God can just re-speak you into existence. The Apostle John was burnt to a crisp. Do you really think he will not be there? God does not need this rotting flesh. It is part of the old corrupted, condemned creation.

The Lord bless

Paul

 

[DamianWarS]

I know that since the 20th century cremation has become a common place for the disposal of bodies even within Christianity. My family are fairly hard core bible beaters. The whole 9 yards and to my surprise they wished to be cremated. I figured they would be the last ones to want that. Even if their is a smallest possibility of not being resurrected they would avoid the practice. They said that more people are doing it which also surprised me. As they have never been one to "go along with the crowd" you could say. More and more Christians are coming to terms with homosexuality which my family is greatly opposed to. To the point they were convinced Obama was pure evil. I just don't understand there thoughts. Frankly I don't really care. If they want to be cremated it would save me trouble and money. But I was just wondering what other Christians believe. I am under the impression that most denominations accept the practice, but many still discourage it. I do not doubt if God could resurrect someone who was cremated. To me it is more would he when it comes to what God can and cannot do. What are your beliefs?

the obsession of keeping our bodies perfectly preserved is inherently a pagan value. The first time it is mentioned in the bible is when Joseph died but he was heavily influenced by Egyptian culture and we know the Egyptian obsessed over preserving a body to prepare it for the afterlife. Perhaps Joseph's intentions or those who buried him were innocent but one thing is clear that the Israelite's had a long history of being a very fickle people abandoning God and turning to pagan practices and certainly under a time before the law of Moses was not known they would be very vulnerable to pick up pagan habits like the ceremonies involved with burial.

We have corruptible bodies and one day we will be resurrected with incorruptible bodies. What is inherent in a corruptible body is decomposition whether quickly by fire or slowly in the earth but the end result is the same. Although we should still be careful to glorify God in the handling of the dead how the dead are handled will not affect what is to become of them. Remember many Christians were burned at a stake and I'm sure many more had their bodies defiled after they died. It however should not be a concern for us with regards to how it will effect them in the resurrection.

 

[2BBerean]

I think cremation is a logical choice for a Christian and see nothing in the Bible to discourage it. If anything, it requires more faith in God than those that want their bodies preserved.

 

[Archivist]

A body eventually decaies after it has been buried. Cremation simply speeds the process along.

 

[rcetc]

I know that since the 20th century cremation has become a common place for the disposal of bodies even within Christianity. My family are fairly hard core bible beaters. The whole 9 yards and to my surprise they wished to be cremated. I figured they would be the last ones to want that. Even if their is a smallest possibility of not being resurrected they would avoid the practice. They said that more people are doing it which also surprised me. As they have never been one to "go along with the crowd" you could say. More and more Christians are coming to terms with homosexuality which my family is greatly opposed to. To the point they were convinced Obama was pure evil. I just don't understand there thoughts. Frankly I don't really care. If they want to be cremated it would save me trouble and money. But I was just wondering what other Christians believe. I am under the impression that most denominations accept the practice, but many still discourage it. I do not doubt if God could resurrect someone who was cremated. To me it is more would he when it comes to what God can and cannot do. What are your beliefs?

There are two thoughts on cremation. One, our bodies will return to the dust of the ground just as the Scriptures state. So if you're buried at sea or put in the ground thousands of years ago, where are those bodies now? They have become part of the elements of the earth and no one will ever be able to find all the dust that belonged to your body. So, what is really the difference between cremation, the process of returning your body to dust fast or barring your body and returning your body to dust slowly. In the end we will all be dust at some point in history. This is an approach of practicality and logic.

Our bodies will be resurrected by God, who is all capable to do so, and these bodies will not be like the ones we have now. This is true for the Christian and the non-Christian.

The second view is that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we should not desecrate it to include marking it up with tattoos, taking the approach of respect of what God has designed and made. This is more of an issue of attitude which is big with God in the Scriptures.

Which is right? The Scriptures teach that without faith it is impossible to please God. The Scriptures also teach that to act outside of faith is sin. So which ever position you choose to take I would make sure that you are acting upon it in faith and conviction.

 

[sorednax]

if God can create man from the soil, surely he can raise us from ashes. In fact, the bible recognizes this, as in "ashes to ashes, dust to dust".

 

[dayhiker]

Years ago I didn't want to be cremated as an expression of my faith in the resurrection. But now its not practical for my body to be transported to my burial site, so cremation it will be.

 

[usexpat97]

Let the dead bury the dead. I would say the preponderance of the Biblical evidence says it doesn't matter. You have freedom to use your own judgement what to do with your body. I can assure you, though, you won't care--you will be dead.

 

[ebia]

Cremation is not inherently a problem, but it does send an unhelpful message. The Christian hope is for the resurrection of our bodies, and while our bodies will inevitably decay destroying said bodies speaks more of the very common misconception of a disembodied life somewhere else than it does of our bodies being restored, redeemed and glorified in an earth-out-to-rights. It looses the idea that future life is in continuity (as well as a measure of discontinuity) with this one.

I'd favour a minimalist burial in biodegradable, recycled, cardboard packaging.

 

[Caesars Ghost]

I know that since the 20th century cremation has become a common place for the disposal of bodies even within Christianity. My family are fairly hard core bible beaters. The whole 9 yards and to my surprise they wished to be cremated. I figured they would be the last ones to want that. Even if their is a smallest possibility of not being resurrected they would avoid the practice. They said that more people are doing it which also surprised me. As they have never been one to "go along with the crowd" you could say. More and more Christians are coming to terms with homosexuality which my family is greatly opposed to. To the point they were convinced Obama was pure evil. I just don't understand there thoughts. Frankly I don't really care. If they want to be cremated it would save me trouble and money. But I was just wondering what other Christians believe. I am under the impression that most denominations accept the practice, but many still discourage it. I do not doubt if God could resurrect someone who was cremated. To me it is more would he when it comes to what God can and cannot do. What are your beliefs?

I don't know how it could be doubted that God would or could resurrect someone turned to ash through cremation. Genesis says God created Adam from the dust of the earth. If we were born from dust essentially how could God not resurrect us from that state?

Ecclesiastes 12:7

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

I prefer to be cremated. Scattered over the ocean, which is my favorite place to find peace. I don't like the idea of being buried. It's so artificial to falsify death by making it look artificially asleep. Only to have an open casket so that friends and family can slowly walk past, study the dead face of one they loved and knew in life, and say; Oh, she looks so natural! Like she's sleeping.

God help me if I looked like that when I was asleep. I'd wake up wondering why my pillow is cowering behind the loveseat and with a weird expression on it's face.

 

[Ave Maria]

Cremation is fine so long as one is not doing it as a statement to suggest that there is no resurrection of the dead.

 

[dogs4thewin]

I want to be berried and I want my family to be berried (unless they REQUEST not to be) I like the idea of being able to go to the grave and depending on conditions under which they died having an actual viewing at the wake ( can't do that if it is just ashes). This and most if not all my family already have plots.

 

[miamited]

I know that since the 20th century cremation has become a common place for the disposal of bodies even within Christianity. My family are fairly hard core bible beaters. The whole 9 yards and to my surprise they wished to be cremated. I figured they would be the last ones to want that. Even if their is a smallest possibility of not being resurrected they would avoid the practice. They said that more people are doing it which also surprised me. As they have never been one to "go along with the crowd" you could say. More and more Christians are coming to terms with homosexuality which my family is greatly opposed to. To the point they were convinced Obama was pure evil. I just don't understand there thoughts. Frankly I don't really care. If they want to be cremated it would save me trouble and money. But I was just wondering what other Christians believe. I am under the impression that most denominations accept the practice, but many still discourage it. I do not doubt if God could resurrect someone who was cremated. To me it is more would he when it comes to what God can and cannot do. What are your beliefs?

Well, God's word says ashes to ashes, dust to dust. I'm confident that God is not going to be giving me, or anyone who receives his promise of eternal life, back this old body.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[ebia]

Well, God's word says ashes to ashes, dust to dust. I'm confident that God is not going to be giving me, or anyone who receives his promise of eternal life, back this old body.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

We have an example of what will happen - Jesus. The same body, but redeemed, restored, glorified.

 

[miamited]

We have an example of what will happen - Jesus. The same body, but redeemed, restored, glorified.

Hi ebia,

I suppose that could be inferred, but I'm not convicted that it is necessarily correct. I'm confident that we may have the same physical features and be recognizable as who we were, but I'm also confident that the one born with no limbs will have limbs. The one who suffers some other physical condition that would keep their body from working perfectly as God intended the human body will be fully restored and repaired. The one who died in some grotesque accident that may have had their head or limb torn from their body will have that part restored and the one whose body has completely turned to nothing but dust in an old coffin that's been buried for 400 years will have everything put back together, however God will accomplish that.

Even Jesus' resurrected body wasn't the exact same body that he had had before his death. A guard ran a spear through his side and blood and water flowed out. So, I think it can be understood that when that spear tore through his flesh it ripped and sliced organs and blood vessels, and apparently his heart. Yet, in his resurrected body, while he obviously still had the hole in his side where the spear went in, there is no testimony that as he walked blood was pouring out of the hole in his heart or any of the other organs that had been damaged by that spear.

The issue here seems to be, is God able, or will He restore a body that has been turned to ashes by fire? Is there something that we can have done to our bodies after our death that would preclude God from being able to give someone His promise of eternal life, if they were born again and the Lord wrote their name in the Lamb's Book of Life?

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted.

 

[ebia]

Hi ebia,

I suppose that could be inferred, but I'm not convicted that it is necessarily correct. I'm confident that we may have the same physical features and be recognizable as who we were, but I'm also confident that the one born with no limbs will have limbs. The one who suffers some other physical condition that would keep their body from working perfectly as God intended the human body will be fully restored and repaired. The one who died in some grotesque accident that may have had their head or limb torn from their body will have that part restored and the one whose body has completely turned to nothing but dust in an old coffin that's been buried for 400 years will have everything put back together, however God will accomplish that.

Even Jesus' resurrected body wasn't the exact same body that he had had before his death. A guard ran a spear through his side and blood and water flowed out. So, I think it can be understood that when that spear tore through his flesh it ripped and sliced organs and blood vessels, and apparently his heart. Yet, in his resurrected body, while he obviously still had the hole in his side where the spear went in, there is no testimony that as he walked blood was pouring out of the hole in his heart or any of the other organs that had been damaged by that spear.

The issue here seems to be, is God able, or will He restore a body that has been turned to ashes by fire? Is there something that we can have done to our bodies after our death that would preclude God from being able to give someone His promise of eternal life, if they were born again and the Lord wrote their name in the Lamb's Book of Life?

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted.

Of course God can and will heal those bodies, but one must not loose sight of the continuity (or the discontinuity) - it is the same body risen.
And therefore, while God can raise a body even from the ash, its important that our burials reflect a belief that the body will be raised - cremation symbolically speaks of a body abandoned - a body that does not matter. Will it stop God? No.

Is it the right symbolic statement to make? Also no. Our funerals for too long have not been resurrection focused.

Not just "RIP"
But
"Rest in peace - and rise in glory".

 

[xxxxxxtra]

The bible says we are merely dust and ashes. So why not.. It is also very clear that we will be raised new creations. Not the same corruptible body.