How do you want your body disposed of after you die?

[One Bad Pig]

I like the way Paul talks about it to the Church at Corinth.... "this earthly tabernacle".

When I did my Dad's funeral a few weeks ago, I pointed out that my Dad was not in the casket behind me - that was just the "tent" in which he lived.

Scripture Verse: 2 Cor 15 - ESV -

5 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

© Copyright Original Source

Of course, your dad's gonna be putting that earthly tent back on eventually, before it gets transformed into something heavenly.

[ke7ejx]

I'm good with casket burial myself.

[Raphael]

In Orthodoxy, the general rule is that if a person is cremated, then they are denied Christian burial and commemorative services; it is seen as a sign of disrespect to a body that will one day rise again.

It is not all that unusual for the body of a saint to remain without decay.

I asked this once before, but it was years ago and as I recall you were busy at the time and unable to investigate, what then is the Orthodox position on what happens to amputated limbs, as these are usually incinerated by the hospital.

[Raphael]

My two late sister-in-laws were both cremated.

My cousins little boy, when he died, he was cremated, and it being Africa my cousin's husband forced himself to watch to make sure that no parts were removed for use by the Sangomas (they had an "arrangement" with the local funeral home)

... damn, been 10 years and I still can't talk about Timmy without tearing up

[Bisto]

I haven't really thought about the OP question, so I don't have an answer. I remember telling my mom that if the Lord takes me before them, then it'd be nice to have my organs harvested. I guess it's an odd, final, once-in-a-lifetime self-giving opportunity.


I remember the words of C. S. Lewis (I think), that we are like a river. The water is always flowing and the water molecules are never the same, but the river that is made of them remains, and the same is true of our bodies. I don't know to what extent, but I'm pretty sure the molecules and atoms that currently make up my body came from elsewhere and probably belonged to other people before me (not to mention other sources!), similar to what happens with harvested organs. So at the end of history, my current 'components' will have been through a lot of 'hands'. I honestly have no idea how God is gonna handle that to raise us all, but I'm confident He'll manage

However, this little fact always comes to mind when burial, cremation, etc. come up. While I totally understand respect and reverence for the deceased's body, both for the person as they lived and in light of the Resurrection, I'd nonetheless imagine the specifics aren't that important in the end, since our 'components' at the time of sleep don't exactly have a 1:1 correspondence with who we were.

[elam]

I haven't really thought about the OP question, so I don't have an answer...

I must admit for years I have been procrastinating about doing my will, and part of that process here in Oz is determining executors (the person named in a will to carry out the wishes of a person after they die). My family is widely dispersed across NSW & Australia, so I guess I'll appoint the public trustee as my executor - the easiest option if you don't want to hassle the family (I don't trust lawyers in general practice). Two of the questions I will be asked will be: What kind of funeral do you want? and How do you want your body disposed of after you die?

I had to seriously think about the second question, hence the OP. My conclusion: it isn't about me (I'll be dead and won't know whats going on), it is all about those that survive me...that perspective made me pause for thought...

[One Bad Pig]

I asked this once before, but it was years ago and as I recall you were busy at the time and unable to investigate, what then is the Orthodox position on what happens to amputated limbs, as these are usually incinerated by the hospital.

Well, there isn't an official one (that would take an ecumenical council). Offhand, I would say that it's not as important since it's just a body part and not the entire body, and in any case exceptions can be made - especially when the situation is not in one's control.

[One Bad Pig]

I must admit for years I have been procrastinating about doing my will, and part of that process here in Oz is determining executors (the person named in a will to carry out the wishes of a person after they die). My family is widely dispersed across NSW & Australia, so I guess I'll appoint the public trustee as my executor - the easiest option if you don't want to hassle the family (I don't trust lawyers in general practice). Two of the questions I will be asked will be: What kind of funeral do you want? and How do you want your body disposed of after you die?

I had to seriously think about the second question, hence the OP. My conclusion: it isn't about me (I'll be dead and won't know whats going on), it is all about those that survive me...that perspective made me pause for thought...

From that perspective.... My grandfather was cremated, and my uncle (who is not a Christian) received the ashes. The urn was on a tray with flowers, but it didn't give him the sense of closure he would have gotten with a funeral and burial.

[mossrose]

From that perspective.... My grandfather was cremated, and my uncle (who is not a Christian) received the ashes. The urn was on a tray with flowers, but it didn't give him the sense of closure he would have gotten with a funeral and burial.

I wonder if being a believer makes a difference regarding closure.

When my Dad died, there was a funeral with his body in a closed casket at the church, then he was taken away and cremated, and there was no graveside service. His remains were buried in the field of honour. I didn't go to the viewing, as I didn't want to see him like that.

I never felt like I didn't have closure. And when my Mom died, she was cremated 1000 miles away from where I live, in the winter, and we didn't go to her funeral at her church. Later that year, my sister came out with the remains and we placed her in the same plot as my Dad. There was a very simple graveside service, and again I felt that I had not missed anything by not viewing her or having a full funeral with her body present.

I watched my older sister, though, not a believer, who followed Dad's casket out of the car to the hearse, touching it, trying to hold on to it, and I thought, "I know I will see Dad again. She has no hope at this point in her life.".

I have never even felt the need to go back to the cemetery where Dad and Mom are. I know they are not there, and I don't need a place to go to in order to remember them or feel close to them. I know where they REALLY are, and I know I will be there, too, some day.

[TheWall]

When I die I want people to think about life , and how God can change people. Still God willing that won't be for a while.

[elam]

From that perspective.... My grandfather was cremated, and my uncle (who is not a Christian) received the ashes. The urn was on a tray with flowers, but it didn't give him the sense of closure he would have gotten with a funeral and burial.

I hear what you are saying.

When my youngest Son died just short of his 22 birthday, because I have a diverse family, I just hired the chapel at the crematorium and got a family friend who is a minister to preside over precedings.

Expected maybe 50 people to turn up. 400 young dudes turned up plus a contingent of his ex-teachers, old family friends, immediate family, work colleagues of mine. If I had pre-knowledge I would have booked the church. Then about a week later we went over to Manly to scatter the ashes and there was a large crowd of people come to watch. It surprised me! But an old lady comforting me said " when an old person dies it is expected. When one so young dies it is a shock to all".

Closure with a funeral and witnessing a finality seems to be an inherent characteristic of persons when confronted by death. I'm inclined to instruct that when I die just deliver me to the crematorium but you have crystalised something that has been plaguing me. Thankyou!

[John Reece]

I would really like to have my body left in the woods to be disposed of by the elements.

I like that idea, but I suppose it would be easier to do in the wilderness of Alaska without stinking up a residential or recreational area ― unless you mean having your body buried in the woods, which I would do if the law permitted such, and if I did not already have a cemetery plot for my wife and I bought and paid for in the corner of the cemetery that abuts my woodland homestead.

Our bodies are to be placed there in plain pine coffins. That's as near to natural as local law will allow.

[hansgeorg]

Christian burial, please!

[Leonhard]

Preferably buries in a grave site that will remain undisturbed.

No one on this forum will be allowed this. If we're buried our graves will eventually be dug up, and what remains of our bones put in another burial spot, unmarked, and the gravesite with our tombstone will be taken up by someone else. Or it'll simple be impractical to bury people at that point.

It is out of respect of tradition, and as a symbol of hope of the Resurrection, I'd want to get buried if possible. However, I remember St. Augustine's recounting of his dying mother St. Monica's last words

"Bury my body wherever you will; let not care of it cause you any concern. One thing only I ask you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be."

[Sparko]

In my will, I have a request that a preacher do the service and that he preach the gospel to every one there.