Coffins: What is the Point?

Coffins: What is the Point?



Okay, somebody died supposedly, the body they were inhabiting decided to stop functioning, so, let’s bury it in the ground in a coffin and preserve it for eternity. Why?

This need to save worthless bones and flesh is ridiculous.

Cremation for a ceremonial goodbye, I get it, want to save the ashes, fine, knock yourself out.

Just take a moment and think about the waste of money, land and energy that goes into putting a useless body without any soul into a casket and burying it in the ground.

Do you think that lifeless body cares? Why do you need to bury it? So you have a beautiful headstone to visit and place flowers? More waste of money and energy.

You want to talk to the dearly departed, fine, you can do so without going to a cemetery. You want to honor their memory, fine, there are ways to do that without taking up acres upon acres of land buried with extravagant coffins and silly headstones.

Think of how ridiculous it really is to pay a mortician to fix the body and paint the face just so you can have an open coffin viewing of someone that is not even there anymore; they are gone, period.

That soul has traveled to its next destination and could care less, so, why?

I get it, to ease your guilt? Is that it? You didn't give enough of a crap about them when they were alive and now you have to pretend to give a crap now they are gone? You didn't get to tell them how much you loved them and how much they meant to you while they were here, so, let’s just tell a useless, dead body with no soul how much we care? Or, you just want to dance on their grave and tell them how big a jerk they were and that you hope they enjoy their restful place in Hell? Why waste your energy on either premise?

Give me a violin and an orchestra of harps to play the saddest pathetic song I can find.

Grieving the loss of a loved one is useless. You should be thrilled for them. They have completed a step in the evolutionary process of their soul. They have gone to the next step. Memorials? No problem. Sing some songs, cry a few tears and tell a few stories, have a few laughs, but don’t waste your money on funeral plots and headstones.

It is such a racket. The funeral homes make a fortune off of your suffering and pain and anguish, they sell you these coffins and plots, they perform embalming and make-up, they give you special packages for grounds keeping even; what a complete joke the whole process is.

Waste of money and land and time and energy.

Do yourself a favor when the time comes to deal with this issue; cremate the body and let the ashes flow into the nearest body of water; let the fishes have a feast and give the land to another use.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

Commerce, that's why. It's a business. I agree with the cremation thing. There should be no cemeteries.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

Certainly a racket. But you know the religious tenets say this and say that about resurrection and all. People believe what they believe. And wolves turn them into suckers.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree
Well, for me the purpose would be to preserve the person in some way. I would be able to visit their grave and know that their that bodies are somewhat protected. There are cultures that have beliefs in communication with the dead on specific days. For me, if the person is important enough I would go to visit, talk with them. It makes no sense maybe, but not everything has to be logical.

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire
a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

Certainly a racket. But you know the religious tenets say this and say that about resurrection and all. People believe what they believe. And wolves turn them into suckers.

So.. catacombs. Stack em like cordwood underground somewhere. Religion doesn't say they have to be in a super deluxe metal box with a pillow and blankie.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

Not often I agree with you about anything but expensive coffins and the like, yes we share similar sentiments.

My dear old Mam has bought a plot in a woodland burial site where a tree will be planted over her body. The only coffins allowed are biodegradable cardboard and her entire funeral costs (paid in advance) came out at around £500.
The only extra expenses for us when she goes would be extra cars if we need them, and she has strictly requested no waste of cut flower wreaths etc, instead making a donation to her favourite charity.

The big expensive funeral thing is ridiculous in my opinion, and I'm quite looking forward to remembering my Mam at her own tree which will be taking nutrients from her body.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

I agree completely. Waste of money and the land that is wasted could be better used. Cremation is absolutely the only way to go, now what is done with the ashes, that will not take any room up on a mantel.

Because Soylent Green hasn't passed FDA approval yet.

mostly agree, but I will say that wandering around some really extravagant graveyards are quite amazing. its like a tribute to life and death, beautiful statues, angels, etc. I think there is a certain catharsis in well done graveyards.

As far as my own body, fire or ice. if I cant get frozen for future goals, then toast me, add me to the ocean and let me go back into nature. I cant stomach the idea of, even dead, being trapped underground...and hardly anyone ever visits tombstones anyhow. save a pinch of my ashes, put it in the center of a crystal or something, and voila. a piece of me to visit right at the little memorial wall in a home or something.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

I just had this discussion with a good friend the other day.
Her dad is a mortician. And even he says it is all about the money. You even have to have a cement "box" in the ground, for a cremation urn.
Supposedly, it is illegal here in Michigan to just throw your ashes to the wind.

Only if you get caught.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

I agree completely! It's a racket. And a body in a concrete vault still decomposes. Just more slowly.

My husband and I have agreed that we will take the cheapest and least expensive way out of here. If that's cremation and a cardboard box of ashes, that sounds great. He'd love to have a "green burial" but there are very few green cemeteries in the US.

Well you wouldn't want a dead loved one being carried over someones shoulder or in a bag at their funeral.

a reply to: CallYourBluff

Wouldn't care.

a reply to: CallYourBluff

Funerals are the same thing... Just a racket. You don't need a body to have a funeral. Get your friends together at someone's house and talk about the deceased. You don't have to pay someone who has no idea who the departed even is.

Oops! DP

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic
a reply to: CallYourBluff

Funerals are the same thing... Just a racket. You don't need a body to have a funeral. Get your friends together at someone's house and talk about the deceased. You don't have to pay someone who has no idea who the departed even is.

What utter drivel.It's about respect, for the deceased and those wishing to pay their respects.

Kinda of agree on who gives a shi*..But those coffins are good for some of the deceased who died of suspicious reasons.I.e preserving the body for Dna testing for poisons,missed wounds by the medical examiner etc..If any body is familiar with the Docu shows forensic files knows what I'm talking about...

originally posted by: CallYourBluff
It's about respect, for the deceased and those wishing to pay their respects.

How is it respectful to look upon someone's dead body, really? Why is it necessary to have the decaying body there? People can pay their respects without that.

I'm not saying everyone should feel the way I do about it. But my opinion is not "drivel".

originally posted by: CallYourBluff

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic
a reply to: CallYourBluff

Funerals are the same thing... Just a racket. You don't need a body to have a funeral. Get your friends together at someone's house and talk about the deceased. You don't have to pay someone who has no idea who the departed even is.

What utter drivel.It's about respect, for the deceased and those wishing to pay their respects.

You sound like a mortician!

originally posted by: CallYourBluff

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic
a reply to: CallYourBluff

Funerals are the same thing... Just a racket. You don't need a body to have a funeral. Get your friends together at someone's house and talk about the deceased. You don't have to pay someone who has no idea who the departed even is.

What utter drivel.It's about respect, for the deceased and those wishing to pay their respects.

Respect can only be shown to someone when they are alive to appreciate it,otherwise your respects are going to family for the loss. Neither funeral services nor an expensive casket are required for that. In my opinion,those that can't find the time or make the effort to show respect during a persons life,have no business crawling out of the woodwork when someone dies. A pet peeve....similar to an industry backed by laws preventing people from having their final wishes to have their remains done with as they see fit.