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What are your thoughts on cremation? |
Eddie Robbins |
What are your personal thoughts concerning a Christian being cremated? |
Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16509 9/1/16 5:32 am
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peterz3fo |
I've instructed my family that I wish to be cremated and buried in either a shoe box or my ashes used in the creation of a Frisbee. I'm not kidding. No money is to be spent on tombstones/headstones/grave sites/etc. |
Friendly Face Posts: 395 9/1/16 6:53 am
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bonnie knox |
Eddie, this is one of the things I have a feeling about that is not logical. I believe that no matter what happens to a Christian's body, the Holy Spirit will resurrect that person to a new body, but I still would like to have my own body buried intact. Of course, at that point I will be dead and won't care. |
[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 9/1/16 7:01 am
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Patrick Harris |
It is my wish, as well, to be cremated and my ashes scattered where I grew up and had so many fond memories.
I have read what some say on cremation and Christians. They say the standard is set by the example in the OT where people were buried. I find that to be the least biblical argument for burial vs. cremation.
I consider that a pretext to an opinion they already held. Truth is there is no Biblical guideline or command to bury vs. cremation. |
Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1323 9/1/16 7:01 am
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Re: What are your thoughts on cremation? |
Quiet Wyatt |
Eddie Robbins wrote: | What are your personal thoughts concerning a Christian being cremated? |
My personal thoughts are that it is dishonoring to the body, and is a typically pagan practice. |
[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 9/1/16 7:26 am
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Brandon Bohannon |
I've heard Tommy Powell, my pastor while on staff in Georgia, say many times about folks being cremated, "Why would you want to burn twice?"
Always made me laugh at people's reactions.
I've heard of some that want to be cremated and then mixed into the mortar of a building that way at the resurrection they blow a hole out of the side of the building when they come out.
As for me, I've always felt that I'd like to be placed in a lake somewhere. Large mouth Bass fishing has always been one of my favorite things to do. I'd like to feed the fish one last time and then if any of those fish are alive at the resurrection, I'll "catch'em" one last time as I blow through them and out of the water! I know, I'm messed up.
I have preached the funeral services for several. My father says that it is his preference. As to your question, Eddie, it is simply a matter of tradition. The Egyptians and Babylonians spread the practices of burial and embalming to the semitic peoples. The Europeans used both but cremation was primarily used in military funerals and in the funerals of very prominent or wealthy individuals. Christianity adopted the semitic tradition due to belief in the bodily resurrection and we can actually trace the spread of Christianity across Europe and other places due to the proliferation of cemeteries.
Since we believe in the resurrection to a glorified body, I don't see how this will be an issue to the Resurrection and the Life. He will pull and harvest saints from the grave, oceans, seas, bellies of fish and lions, and oh... from the ash and from the dust.
Genesis 3:19
Genesis 18:27
Job 30:19
Ecclesiastes 3:20
Our God is able! _________________ Proverbs 3:5-6; John 13:34-35; Acts 1:8 |
Acts-celerater Posts: 571 9/1/16 7:32 am
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Nature Boy Florida |
It's all going to burn! _________________ Whether you like it or not, learn to love it, because its the best thing going today! |
Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16646 9/1/16 8:02 am
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Re: What are your thoughts on cremation? |
Nature Boy Florida |
Quiet Wyatt wrote: | Eddie Robbins wrote: | What are your personal thoughts concerning a Christian being cremated? |
My personal thoughts are that it is dishonoring to the body, and is a typically pagan practice. |
What about Bubonic plague - folks burned the bodies, clothes, everything... so the rest of them could live.
Was that a pagan practice? _________________ Whether you like it or not, learn to love it, because its the best thing going today! |
Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16646 9/1/16 8:03 am
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Patrick Harris |
Brandon Bohannon wrote: |
As for me, I've always felt that I'd like to be placed in a lake somewhere. Large mouth Bass fishing has always been one of my favorite things to do. I'd like to feed the fish one last time and then if any of those fish are alive at the resurrection, I'll "catch'em" one last time as I blow through them and out of the water! I know, I'm messed up. |
This was my father's request, my brother, nephew and I had a brief little private ceremony and then scattered his ashes in Bull Shoals Lake, where he loved to fish. Then a month later had a more public memorial. |
Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1323 9/1/16 8:25 am
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THE LOVE OF GOD |
My husband and I both have said for many years that we wish to be creamated. He has told me where he wants his ashes put and if he dies first, that is what I will do. i don't care where he puts mine.
I am thinking of cost. It is so expensive to have a casket and buriel ground. A former church member died and her children spent $12,000 on casket, funeral and buriel space. I would feel like that would be almost sinful. You can get creamated for less than $2,000. |
Friendly Face Posts: 387 9/1/16 9:03 am
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bonnie knox |
I've heard you can be buried the same day you die and save the embalming costs. |
[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 9/1/16 9:05 am
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Brandon Bohannon |
There's a company in Arizona that will pay for cremation and shipping if you donate your body to science. Three elderly members of the church that I pastor signed up. One of them has already passed and the company made good. We had a home going celebration at our church with a table full of family photos as well as a video presentation. It was very nice. I've done around 70-75 funerals to date. Most were "traditional" but cremation is becoming an economical option to families that either don't have the money or don't want to spend the money involved with a funeral. Several of our elders and elderly are choosing this route. _________________ Proverbs 3:5-6; John 13:34-35; Acts 1:8 |
Acts-celerater Posts: 571 9/1/16 9:25 am
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JLarry |
I told my wife to cremate me, when I die. It would save a lot of money. She said she could not do that. One of our boys agreed with her.
It does not matter to me what they do. I was only trying to help her save money.
BTW Tommy Powell. I do not plan to burn twice. _________________ Recorded Sermons @ www.pastorwiley.com
No one who died without Christ is happy about their decision. |
Acts Mod Posts: 3346 9/1/16 9:35 am
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Re: What are your thoughts on cremation? |
Quiet Wyatt |
Nature Boy Florida wrote: | Quiet Wyatt wrote: | Eddie Robbins wrote: | What are your personal thoughts concerning a Christian being cremated? |
My personal thoughts are that it is dishonoring to the body, and is a typically pagan practice. |
What about Bubonic plague - folks burned the bodies, clothes, everything... so the rest of them could live.
Was that a pagan practice? |
In exceptional cases, where public health would be at risk, and the motivation was simply that of preserving the lives of others, then obviously it would not qualify as pagan in that case. (Duh). |
[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 9/1/16 9:58 am
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Quiet Wyatt |
bonnie knox wrote: | I've heard you can be buried the same day you die and save the embalming costs. |
That is true. |
[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 9/1/16 9:58 am
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Re: What are your thoughts on cremation? |
UncleJD |
Quiet Wyatt wrote: | Nature Boy Florida wrote: | Quiet Wyatt wrote: | Eddie Robbins wrote: | What are your personal thoughts concerning a Christian being cremated? |
My personal thoughts are that it is dishonoring to the body, and is a typically pagan practice. |
What about Bubonic plague - folks burned the bodies, clothes, everything... so the rest of them could live.
Was that a pagan practice? |
In exceptional cases, where public health would be at risk, and the motivation was simply that of preserving the lives of others, then obviously it would not qualify as pagan in that case. (Duh). |
Then it does not qualify as pagan if its to save the family financial hardship either. |
Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3147 9/1/16 10:35 am
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Quiet Wyatt |
Quote: | As the catacombs in Rome attest, the early Christians insisted on burying their dead. Christian gravesites were called coemeteria (cemeteries), which literally means "sleeping places," reflecting belief in a future resurrection. Early liturgies for the dead included the reading of Scriptures, prayers, hymns, and almsgiving for the poor.
Why were Christians so concerned about proper disposal of the body? Here are four reasons: (1) The body of every human was created by God, bore his image, and deserved to be treated with respect because of this. (2) The centrality of the Incarnation. When the Word became flesh, God uniquely hallowed human life and bodily existence forever. (3) The Holy Spirit indwelt the bodies of believers, making them vessels of honor. (4) As Jesus himself was buried and raised bodily from the dead, so Christians believed that their burial was a witness to the resurrection yet to come. |
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/may21/27.66.html |
[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 9/1/16 10:45 am
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Re: What are your thoughts on cremation? |
Quiet Wyatt |
UncleJD wrote: | Quiet Wyatt wrote: | Nature Boy Florida wrote: | Quiet Wyatt wrote: | Eddie Robbins wrote: | What are your personal thoughts concerning a Christian being cremated? |
My personal thoughts are that it is dishonoring to the body, and is a typically pagan practice. |
What about Bubonic plague - folks burned the bodies, clothes, everything... so the rest of them could live.
Was that a pagan practice? |
In exceptional cases, where public health would be at risk, and the motivation was simply that of preserving the lives of others, then obviously it would not qualify as pagan in that case. (Duh). |
Then it does not qualify as pagan if its to save the family financial hardship either. |
Burying the body in an inexpensive casket without embalming it costs about the same as cremation. |
[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 9/1/16 10:47 am
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UncleJD |
That's debatable and if it has to be done the same day (as someone said), could add further, undue stress on the hurting family. The point is that there are probably a lot of valid, non-pagan, reasons for doing it. In fact, would not embalming be a "pagan" practice in its Egyptian origins? Yet the early Church wasn't opposed to it obviously. I think Joseph introduced it from Egyptian culture into Jewish culture (though it was not widely practiced I think since it is not mentioned many times) |
Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3147 9/1/16 10:51 am
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Old Time Country Preacher |
I have real warm and powdery thoughts when I think about cremation. Some folks think they can urn their way into heaven. |
Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 9/1/16 11:13 am
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