Cremation Or Burial? Whats the spiritually/environmentally sound choice?

reply to post by KRISKALI777


Yes, unfortunately there are people in control - often mindless people who are blinded by greed.

There are a lot of people who walk through their working week like robots, only caring about their huge paychecks.

They sign things which condemn a lot of people to poverty, and/or war.

I can only hope and pray that the swings and roundabouts thing will work - well, it always has, so why not?

Im starting to think that the service is most important. As an atheist who has been to a few funerals recently, I have found the religious influence quite unsettling. 10 mins of a service can be taken up on singing hyms, that only a few in the congregation know the words to. So you are left with an uncomfortable 10 mins of dire music with just a few die hards singing.

Then the vicar reads a reading from the bible about a story of some guy 2,000 years ago. Then everyone in sync says "Amen", which i mutter under my breath outof not wanting to look disrespectful, knowing full well the person that died would know or care. I find it all a bit weird. I want to hear about the person that died. I want to hear about their lives and how they touched others.

What does the atheist replace the hyms and sermons with? Any suggestions

reply to post by woodwardjnr


I presume you are telling the truth.

If so, do you love the world? Do you love nature? Do you love your family?

There is enough there to inspire you to have a service.

reply to post by woodwardjnr

Then the vicar reads a reading from the bible about a story of some guy 2,000 years ago. Then everyone in sync says "Amen"

Fear instinct takes over when the 'congregation' is faced with the unknown.
So unshure; we even get to mutter the great egyptian god at the end of these verses.......

From old Egyptian texts we can see that people regarded the Sun as the emblem of the Creator. They called the Sun Ra, and all other gods and goddesses were forms of the Creator. One of these gods was Amen; a secret, hidden and mysterious god named variously Amen, Amon, Amun, Ammon and Amounra. For the first eleven dynasties (c. 3000-1987 B.C.) Amen was just a minor god, but by the 17th dynasty (c. 1500 B.C.) he had been elevated to be the national god of southern Egypt. This position gave Amen the attributes and characteristics of the most ancient gods, and his name became Amen-Ra, that is, a supreme form of God the Creator. By the 18th Dynasty (1539-1295 B.C.) a college had been established to study Amen-Ra and as a focal point for worship. The Jews settled in Egypt for around 400 years4 from 1847 B.C. and during this sojourn there is no doubt they would have been fully exposed to the worship of Amen-Ra. By the time of their exodus from Egypt in 1447 B.C., Amen would certainly be in their language even if it was not their god. It would be a word that had associations with reverence and majesty. This is not difficult to understand. People still talk about Moses, Jesus, Mohammed and Buddha, and often use those names completely out of context as expletives. Amen was seen as a powerful god and the name continued, out of context, as an exclamation or salutation; a classic example of language evolution. From the Jews, the word was adopted by Christians, Muslims and others. So Amen was originally the name of a Pagan god, who was considered a form of God the Creator. But he was certainly not considered God, or Christ. Interestingly, most Pagans today tend not to use the word, preferring instead to say "So mote it be", an old Anglo-Saxon term. Perhaps they see the word Amen in the Bible and the Tanakh and don't want to be associated with Christianity or the like. Indeed, in the Bible3 we see Jesus Christ referred to as "The Amen". Christ is God's Amen to all that he has spoken. Thereby the name used for an old Egyptian god is replaced by the same name used for Christ.

I personally think that being cremated is the way to go. Your body's ashes go back into the earth so much easier than being buried. The caskets are air tight. So how long does it really take for the body to decompose? Not to mention the chemicals that are pumped into your body before going into the casket. I don't believe in heaven or hell, or a soul for that matter. So burn me up and throw me in the water, I am dead.

reply to post by cinny louwho


Hi louwho,

The caskets are air tight. So how long does it really take for the body to decompose? Not to mention the chemicals that are pumped into your body before going into the casket

Caskets are not airtight. decomposition is a variable (depending on the environment that the deceased is in; including fauna). Chemicals such as Formaldahyde or Formalin are not usually pumped into the body, unless the family (next of Kin or executor/executrix of the deceased's estate), provides the monies for a temporary or 'permanent' preservation ( modern Embalming).
Normally because of the costs associated with embalming; this procedure is only employed by families whom have purchased an above ground crypt. This is a particular favorite of the Italian community.
In Australia, it is law that if one is to be entombed within a crypt; they must be permanently preserved via embaming processes. They are also sealed (welded), into a zinc lining within the casket before entombment.

[edit on 8/28/2009 by KRISKALI777]

Originally posted by spellbound
reply to post by woodwardjnr

 

I presume you are telling the truth.

If so, do you love the world? Do you love nature? Do you love your family?

There is enough there to inspire you to have a service.

I always tell the truth. I think the best thing would be some reflective readings, something to make people question how they want to live their lives. I'm hoping I can write an open letter to be read out. Just havn't got round to doing it, as i somehow see this as accepting my death is coming soon, which i am not prepared to do just yet.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Hey, I am sorry I doubted you.

You do not need readings.

You just need to speak your truth.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Hi woodwardjnr,
going with the 'ZEN'
I have seen many funerals, and there is no limit to what you can have at your service; the only limit is or coarse FUNDS, and your imagination!
I have seen services that are a montage of photographs, achievements, favorite music, home movies etc; formatted in a power-point presentation to be played at the funeral service.
You dont have to have a priest; although some priests are very good also, ( they can accept that you dont want god, christ or whatever mentioned!).
You can even just have a celebrant! (like an M.C).
Have your loved ones give some speeches as requiem; Its more for them anyway......they need to accept you have entered another phase.
You will be at peace; and I will be there one day also!

Before I even got into Buddhism I've always wanted what is called a sky burial, or a burial involving my body being eaten or used up by nature.

reply to post by 4stral4pprentice


ahhhh yes.
This is available in Nepal, for Buddhist Monks only.
They take the deceased to a precipice in the Himalayas, after dismembering the body, and feed it to the Griphon Vultures.
The ultimate sacrifice; giving your bidy to sustain the life of another creature.
Not sure if there has been anyone outside the monks that have recieved this form of burial?

I was on a thread the other day, and somebody mentioned wanting a viking funeral, and it sounded like a good idea, then I think somebody googled it, and said it is now illegal to set ships on fire and send them out to sea! lol.

Let's bring back viking funerals! I want one too!

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


There was some company that was offering a service of creamation and then placing some of the remains into a cartridge (about the size of a .303 bullet). The were to take these on board a space flight and deliver them into orbit!
Space burial. I guess that gives people a chance to be a star; falling star at least