Cremation

[Sariel]

Why is cremation so frowned upon in Abrahamic tradition? So far the only explanation I've heard has to do with the body having a proper place of rest, but if that's the case what's wrong with just burying the ashes?

 

[arthra]

I can't speak for others here but in the Baha'i Faith cremation is forbidden...

My family isn't Baha'i it's predominantly "Christian".. .. I recall asking my aunt where was my uncle's resting place..well his ashes were dumped on a rock near a cabin he used. The ashes of my aunt and uncle I have no idea where they are..same with my grandmother and aunt on my mother's side. I think cremation is becoming more popular and it's cheaper than burial.

Some members of my family had proper burial and we can as a memorial visit their resting places and honor them.

Since the body was a place where the soul resided.. we should treat it with some dignity...rather than incinerate it or pump formaldehyde into it.

"As this physical frame is the throne of the inner temple, whatever occurs to the former is felt by the latter. In realty that which takes delight in joy or is saddened by pain is the inner temple of the body, not the body itself. Since this physical body is throne whereon the inner temple is established, God hath ordained that the body be preserved to the extent possible, so that nothing that causeth repugnance may be experienced. The inner temple beholdeth its physical frame, which is its throne. Thus, if the latter is accorded respect, it is as if the former is the recipient. The converse is likewise true. "Therefore, it hath been ordained that the dead body should be treated with the utmost honour and respect."

The Bab: Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 95

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

Why is cremation so frowned upon in Abrahamic tradition? So far the only explanation I've heard has to do with the body having a proper place of rest, but if that's the case what's wrong with just burying the ashes?

Cremation isn't explicitly banned or mentioned as far as I'm aware in the Bible.

I guess people are concerned because of the whole resurrection business, but the state of one's body surely would not stop God. Perhaps the honour of one's body comes into play, but I do not see it as a huge issue.

Whether a person would be resurrected based on their body's state was a legitimate fear throughout Christian history though. In fact, during the fifth century, the bishop St Augustine had to reassure Christian families that their loved ones would still be resurrected. They feared that their loved ones would not be resurrected because they were being fed to lions, and therefore had no bodies left at all!!! But of course such persecution cannot stop God, and neither would cremation.

 

[metis]

Cremation is strongly discouraged in Judaism, but my wife and I are going that route anyway. Part of the opposition is based on descriptions of burials as found in the Tanakh, whereas cremation is not what we're expected to do, plus our terrible experience with cremation during the Holocaust.

 

[Glaurung]

The Church allows it but strongly encourages burial. The Catholic opinion is that the dead are to be treated with utmost respect, and that cremation is inherently less reverent.

Part of this goes back to the rejection of Roman paganism and Christianity's roots in Judaism, and that in Christian Europe cremation wasn't a custom until the nineteenth century. Hence the Catholic rites were written under the assumption of burial.

 

[Levite]

I can't speak for non-Jewish religions, but for us, there has always been a strong notion that the body is deserving of great respect because it represents artistry of God, which is further sanctified (since, after all, everything is ultimately artistry of God) by being the vessel of the soul, which is created in the image of God and is powered by a spark of divine energy.

Added to this, there is the poetic image of God creating human beings out of earth, which thus, in the view of our tradition, makes it entirely appropriate that the body, once the soul has departed, be returned to the earth from which it poetically may be said to have arisen.

At the same time, our tradition has not looked well upon cremation, probably originally because it was a common practice among idolatrous peoples in ancient times, then for various reasons having to do with the idea of resurrection (originally it was conceived of as a physical resurrection, rather than the eternality of the soul, which is what most Jews have believed for the past millennium or two). It has a decided stigma in the tradition of lack of respect for the deceased.

 

[metis]

I can't speak for non-Jewish religions, but for us, there has always been a strong notion that the body is deserving of great respect because it represents artistry of God, which is further sanctified (since, after all, everything is ultimately artistry of God) by being the vessel of the soul, which is created in the image of God and is powered by a spark of divine energy.

Added to this, there is the poetic image of God creating human beings out of earth, which thus, in the view of our tradition, makes it entirely appropriate that the body, once the soul has departed, be returned to the earth from which it poetically may be said to have arisen.

At the same time, our tradition has not looked well upon cremation, probably originally because it was a common practice among idolatrous peoples in ancient times, then for various reasons having to do with the idea of resurrection (originally it was conceived of as a physical resurrection, rather than the eternality of the soul, which is what most Jews have believed for the past millennium or two). It has a decided stigma in the tradition of lack of respect for the deceased.

But my wife claims that since I've been polluting the air all my life, why should I stop after I die?

 

[Mitch M]

I am not sure if this is dealing with Cremation. - can someone tell me


Jer 34:5 But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the LORD.

seems that the WORD BURNING is a Hebrew word Meaning..

Hebrew 4955 משׂרפה
miśrâphâh / mis-raw-faw'

From H8313; combustion, that is, cremation (of a corpse), or calcination (of lime): - burning.

Maybe the Hebrews did Cremation Sometimes. ? But - There is only one scripture that mentions cremation Burning. ?

 

[Smart_Guy]

In Islam cremation is forbidden. Burial as fast as possible is considered a way to honor the dead in Islam. There are other rituals, but that's another story.

 

[arthra]

If you check the amplified version of that verse in Jerimiah it has the following:

Jeremiah 34:5 (AMP) | In Context | Whole Chapter
5 But you shall die in peace. And as with the burnings of [spices and perfumes on wood that were granted as suitable for and in honor of] your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so shall a burning be made for you; and [people] shall lament for you, saying, Alas, lord! For I have spoken the word, says the Lord.

So "burnings" may mean as a kind of incense perhaps.

 

[sule007]

In Islam cremation is forbidden. Burial as fast as possible is considered a way to honor the dead in Islam. There are other rituals, but that's another story

.

good answer, very agreed with you

 

[JayJayDee]

To assume that burning a body to ashes is in some way disrespectful is to forget those who died and were consumed by animals or who drowned and were eaten by sea creatures or who died in house fires or bushfires....or any number of ways that meant the body was not preserved for a burial.

God told Adam he would return to the dust. Cremation just accelerates the process. God does not require a single molecule of us to resurrect us...that is a re-creation of the entire person. He remembers everything about us including the number of hairs on our head.

There is no Biblical reason why a body cannot be cremated.

 

[JayJayDee]

"God does not require a single molecule of us to resurrect us"

It might be interesting to see how many of us actually believe in physical resurrection... Baha'is don't believe in it.

Are Baha'is an offshoot of any particular religious faith arthra? On whose teachings or what foundation is your religion based? I have to admit to knowing little about the teachings of your faith.

What gives you the reasons for your beliefs about cremation, as well as about death and resurrection?

 

[Levite]

I am not sure if this is dealing with Cremation. - can someone tell me


Jer 34:5 But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the LORD.

seems that the WORD BURNING is a Hebrew word Meaning..

Hebrew 4955 משׂרפה
miśrâphâh / mis-raw-faw'

From H8313; combustion, that is, cremation (of a corpse), or calcination (of lime): - burning.

As far as I know, this does not refer to cremation, but to a kind of bonfire done as part of the funerary rites; some say that in such a bonfire, the bed and intimate furnishings of the deceased king were burned-- apparently to preclude their use by the next king.

To assume that burning a body to ashes is in some way disrespectful is to forget those who died and were consumed by animals or who drowned and were eaten by sea creatures or who died in house fires or bushfires....or any number of ways that meant the body was not preserved for a burial.

God told Adam he would return to the dust. Cremation just accelerates the process. God does not require a single molecule of us to resurrect us...that is a re-creation of the entire person. He remembers everything about us including the number of hairs on our head.

There is no Biblical reason why a body cannot be cremated.

At least from the Jewish perspective, we don't take into account people who died and were consumed by animals, or who drowned and their bodies were lost to the deeps, or who died in house fires or suchlike. All of those describe accidental deaths. And no one is held accountable for accidents.

By the same token, we do not hold accountable those poor souls who whose bodies were burned during the Shoah, because that was not anything they or their relatives would have wanted or chosen. It was something terrible done against their will.

When we say we traditionally prohibit cremation and other ways of disposing of the body that are seen as disrespectful, we only mean when such things are deliberately chosen by the deceased or the relatives of the deceased. Not accidents or cases of murder and subsequent marring of the body, or anything of that sort.

We also mostly no longer believe in a physical resurrection, FWIW.

 

[metis]

Frankly, I fail to see how cremation is disrespectful. My wife and I chose this route largely because we don't want to take up a lot of room when we're gone, plus the expense is less. People die for all sorts of reasons, including some whom were unfortunately buried alive, so I just don't see where the problem of cremation lies.

 

[JayJayDee]

When we say we traditionally prohibit cremation and other ways of disposing of the body that are seen as disrespectful, we only mean when such things are deliberately chosen by the deceased or the relatives of the deceased. Not accidents or cases of murder and subsequent marring of the body, or anything of that sort.

I see no Biblical injunction prohibiting it, but I respect the individual's right of choice in the matter.
When I see vast cemeteries that have older sections that are not well tended...that to me is more disrespectful to the deceased. Well kept gardens with small urns identified with the person's name and details are a fitting memorial and a tidy one that respects their memory in beautiful rather than morbid surroundings.

Metis' point about taking up space is valid too. What is the point to having vast "suburbs" for the dead?

We also mostly no longer believe in a physical resurrection, FWIW.

What is the hope for Jewish believers now then? Since there is no immortal soul taught in ancient Jewish writings, (what some call the OT) do modern Jews have belief in an afterlife of some kind? If so, where is that? Do they have any beliefs about the future for planet Earth?

 

[arthra]

I think some of this has to do with community ... a sense of community..

When I see vast cemeteries that have older sections that are not well tended...that to me is more disrespectful to the deceased.

If you have a family that's lived in the same place for over a century you have a feeling of connection with the people who lived there .. Your grandparents...your great grandparents. So when I visit their resting places I see that some provision is made for them.. cleaning around marker.. I had a great grandfather buried over a hundred years ago and had his rose quartz grave stone cleaned up..

If you are a new resident in the town you may not have any roots there as yet so for you it matters little. The issue also is that some elect to have their ashes strewn around leaving no urns or markers... But it's up to you ultimately to decide what you want.. and for sure cremation is cheaper. People now days move around a lot and many have few roots where they live.

Respecting the body of the deceased is to me important... Yes I believe in the immortality of the soul. Since the soul had been associated with the body it should be respected.

 

[Mitch M]

Hey there Levite.

I respectfully disagree, Because See - there are no Examples in the Bible of the Hebrew People burning the belongings or the beds and belongings of the Hebrew Kings. But if You will notice in Jer 34:5 - they Literally are burning the Bodies of the Kings.


Jer 34:5 The former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn .


I agree that There is not a Prohibition of Cremation in the Bible. But did You also Know that The OLD TESTAMENT ALSO teaches that there is an afterlife ?

1CO 15:51 BEHOLD, I SHOW YOU A MYSTERY; WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP, BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED,

52 IN A MOMENT, IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, AT THE LAST TRUMP: FOR THE TRUMPET SHALL SOUND, AND THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED

Daniel 12:1 AT THAT TIME THY PEOPLE SHALL BE DELIVERED, EVERY ONE THAT SHALL BE FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK.

AND MANY OF THEM THAT SLEEP IN THE DUST OF THE EARTH SHALL AWAKE,

JOB 14:12 SO MAN LIETH DOWN, AND RISETH NOT: TILL THE HEAVENS BE NO MORE, THEY SHALL NOT AWAKE, NOR BE RAISED OUT OF THEIR SLEEP.

13 O THAT THOU WOULDEST HIDE ME IN THE GRAVE, THAT THOU WOULDEST KEEP ME
SECRET

2SA 7:12 AND WHEN THY DAYS BE FULFILLED, AND THOU [DAVID] SHALT SLEEP WITH THY FATHERS

DE 31:16 AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, BEHOLD, THOU SHALT SLEEP WITH THY FATHERS; AND THIS PEOPLE
WILL RISE UP

1CO 15:20 BUT NOW IS CHRIST RISEN FROM THE DEAD, AND BECOME THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THEM THAT SLEPT.

2CH 33:20 SO MANASSEH SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS, AND THEY BURIED HIM IN HIS OWN HOUSE:

2CH 32:33 AND HEZEKIAH SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS, AND THEY BURIED HIM IN THE CHIEFEST OF THE SEPULCHRES
OF THE SONS OF DAVID:

2CH 28:27 AND AHAZ SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS, AND THEY BURIED HIM IN THE CITY, JERUSALEM

2CH 27:9 AND JOTHAM SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS, AND THEY BURIED HIM IN THE CITY OF DAVID

2CH 26:23 SO UZZIAH SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS, AND THEY BURIED HIM WITH HIS FATHERS

2CH 21:1 NOW JEHOSHAPHAT SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS, AND WAS BURIED WITH HIS FATHERS.

It Seems that The bible Does teach that there is an afterlife.

Some Jews Today or some of the Jews of Historical times May have not believe in an Afterlife But it does not mean that it was not taught in the bible. Most Jews today do not follow much of the OT bible teaching. Do You think that They would be considered bad people or seen as criminals, if they followed the Old Testament Bible. ?

 

[Mitch M]

In Islam cremation is forbidden. Burial as fast as possible is considered a way to honor the dead in Islam. There are other rituals, but that's another story.

You are so right. Islam prohibits cremation and even just abusing the body of the dead Muslims.
But Muslims have no Religious teachings that command them to respect the Body of Non Muslims.

 

[Smart_Guy]

You are so right. Islam prohibits cremation and even just abusing the body of the dead Muslims.
But Muslims have no Religious teachings that command them to respect the Body of Non Muslims.

Actually, for one example at least, it is forbidden to mutilate the dead, even non Muslims, even if they were so hostile in a war.