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Is cremation a form of spiritual rebellion?

3K views 51 replies 14 participants last post by  porter 
#1 ·
I am a Christian but I am also a physicist. Therefore, unlike other Christians, I don't blindly assume that evolutionists are purposely trying to support sin. I see an objective evidence in favor of evolution. I still believe in creation: after all if in science we can have other kinds of paradoxes, such as incompatibility between quantum physics and gravity, we can also have a paradox where it looks like evolution yet in reality its creation. From the scientific method point of view, we shouldn't "invent" one more paradox unless there is a compelling evidence in its favor, which there isn't. But, on the other hand, every reasoning is based on axioms, and I can consciously say that the axioms I invent can be motivated by Pascal's Vagor. Thus, in light of Pascal's vagor, I invent the axiom that creationinsts are right, and then say its a paradox that things look otherwise, and I liken htis paradox to other paradoxes in science. But thats besides the point. The point I am trying to make is that, unlike other Christians, I will never accuse evolutionists of sinister motives. While most Christians are claiming that evolutioninsts are trying to promote sin, I beg to disagree with them: I think evolutionists aren't trying to promote any sin, they are simply trying to be objective.

However, there is some OTHER group of people that I DO accuse of sinister motives: and those are the people that perform cremation. Why? Because they have absolutely nothing to gain out of cremation, besides the rebellion against God. Now, some of them will argue that Bible doesn't have any verses against cremation. But let me ask them once again: what are they gaining by cremation anyway? If they can't give me a clear answer to this question, I am forced to conclude that what they are gaining is sin and, if so, they can't then go and tell me its not sinful since then they are contradicting themselves.

Now, one thing they CLAIM they gain is that cremation is cheaper than funeral. Okay then how about my mom's former landlord who is a millionare, yet he made his death wish to be cremated (and he was a couple of weeks ago). As a millionare, why would he worry about something as petty as funeral consts, particularly since he won't even be alive to use that extra bit of money? Now, he just happened to be one of the people who was mocking religion, well not really but a little bit. Basically he is Jewish by birth but he doesn't believe in God. He has nothing against having passover in his house, but he would also make jokes about it along the way which his religious friends didn't mind since they were his friends. Also at times when I would argue with my mom about some of the food she is giving me not being kosher (even though I believe in Jesus I also keep kosher since I am Messianic) he would mock me for that too. And finally when he mentioned his death wish and my mom told him its against Jewish law he said "its not the first law that I broken". Anyway, you got the picture. Now, in light of the fact that he is a millionare, do you REALLY think that his motivation for final wish was just to save a little bit of money? Somehow I disagree and I feel like his motivation is to mock God.

And even if we do talk about people that are a lot poorer, the "choice" between cremation and funeral is "false dillemma". Why not just burry a body without EITHER cremation OR funeral, wouldn't it be the cheapest option of all? Why is that they assume that if they don't do a funeral they have to cremate? Is it because lack of funeral implies sin and if they are going to sin why not sin some more by cremating? Is this the logic? Is it kind of like they want to do something spiritual and since they can't do God's worship (too "expansive" funeral) they have to do devil worship (cremation)? Thats how it feels like at least. And, once again, telling me that Bible doesn't have verses against cremation, doesn't cut it. If they truly don't think its sinful, what is so alluring about it that they want to do it? Apparently the sinfulness of it is what is so alluring.
 
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#2 ·
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
#14 ·
The word of God does give a few examples where bodies were burned after death. The children of Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, convicted a man name Achan of a grievous sin against God. Their punishment was to stone him to death then to burn his body completely (Joshua 7).
That only confirms what I am saying: you see how burning was reserved for unrighteous? Perhaps thats because the act of burning would condemn the soul to hell.
 
#4 ·
I still don't understand how you can appreciate science but still believe in creation but whatever, I don't care. What irks me is how you can't grasp that not everyone considers god or christianity in the same way you do, even other christians, as I know at least one that chose to be cremated. If you assert that you have your own unique stance on the world, then why is it hard to see other people have their own unique stances that might have nothing to do with yours? As an atheist, God or "sin" doesn't even come into my mind when I think about my own or other people's deaths. I don't want to be cremated but any option I choose for my corpse will have nothing to do with god or the bible.

I think people just choose cremation due to personal preference, cost and also with it becoming increasingly socially acceptable/the norm. A lot of people find the idea of becoming a family keepsake, spreading their ashes somewhere or planting it into a tree, making it into paint, whatever, to be poetic. I really doubt anyone or most people would choose to direct their death into something so futile like a last "eff you" to God, especially if they don't believe in one.
 
#6 ·
I've seen mummies in museums, laid out totally naked. You could see the preserved sexual organs and everything.

After seeing such an undignified display, I resolved to be cremated, because I don't want to become a anything like that museum spectacle in death, with people examining my nether regions. Also, the thought of worms munching on my eyeballs does little to persuade me in favor of a normal 'dignified' burial.

If there is an all powerful god, then I do not think he would require any special materials to bring his creation back to life. Ashes would work as well as worm poop.
 
#7 ·
Let the dead bury their dead.

I don't think the container you choose after you leave for one last trip matters much, since there's basically two ways available to you in modern society. Burn or be buried.

I think the ritual matters more than the way. Like if you were to have a Viking burial as a christian and they pray to Odin for you. Then that would probably be wrong.

Anyway. I chose being burned. Seems less complicated and I sure as hell don't want a catholic priest giving a lying through his teeth sermon.

"Scrub was a good man, loved by many." lol

Yeah right.
 
#8 ·
When I was younger, the thought of being cremated horrified me (probably because I was so familiar with ancient Egyptian afterlife beliefs which call for the preservation of the body). Then as I grew up, I thought about it more. Yes, thought about it--I don't just decide on a whim to believe or not believe something.

Now I actually wish to be cremated (useful organs donated so I do something useful with my life), and have my ashes scattered in a place meaningful to me, just so I can become one with nature again, since in my viewpoint, God is in everything and I'd like to be part of that everything, too. Closer to Him, I guess you could say.

No desire for sin or rebelling against God involved in my plans whatsoever. :no
 
#9 ·
Now, some of them will argue that Bible doesn't have any verses against cremation. But let me ask them once again: what are they gaining by cremation anyway? If they can't give me a clear answer to this question, I am forced to conclude that what they are gaining is sin and, if so, they can't then go and tell me its not sinful since then they are contradicting themselves.
If those statements aren't a contradiction then I don't know what is. What I gain is peace of mind while I'm still alive knowing that no one has to slave over me by digging a grave and putting me in it. Hopefully, when I'm resurrected I will have a new age-abiding spiritual body and not this decaying physical body.

If it's not condemned in the Scriptures why do you care? That's an honest question.
 
#13 ·
Now, some of them will argue that Bible doesn't have any verses against cremation. But let me ask them once again: what are they gaining by cremation anyway? If they can't give me a clear answer to this question, I am forced to conclude that what they are gaining is sin and, if so, they can't then go and tell me its not sinful since then they are contradicting themselves.
If those statements aren't a contradiction then I don't know what is.
Well its possible that Bible doesn't condemn cremation but people that cremate think that it does yet they lie that it doesn't. Even though in reality it doesn't, them saying that it doesn't is still a lie since they think that it does. And the evidence for them thinking that it does is like I said: I can't think of another motive to cremate besides trying to be sinful.

Well I guess now that I got some replies those I guess are possible motives. But still its pretty hard to imagine my mom's landlord wanting to be "one with nature" in this way: he is just too materialistic. I still suspect he was trying to mock God but obviously I don't know: he is no longer alive to ask.

And by the way I didn't say Bible doesn't condemn cremation. I said "its possible that it doesn't". Basically what I was trying to do was to analyze people's thinking without asserting what Bible actually says.

But anyway, going back to the Bible, I think the argument that God can create a new body out of dust is akin to what Jesus was asked in the wilderness by the devil: about him jumping off a cliff and angels would hold him; Jesus' response to that was "you shall not tempt the Lord". I think God recreating body out of dust is pretty much the same concept.
 
#36 ·
#12 ·
I don't think cremation is a sin. We will have new bodies in heaven anyways.
 
#17 ·
I am a Christian but I am also a physicist. Therefore, unlike other Christians, I don't blindly assume that evolutionists are purposely trying to support sin. I see an objective evidence in favor of evolution. I still believe in creation: after all if in science we can have other kinds of paradoxes, such as incompatibility between quantum physics and gravity, we can also have a paradox where it looks like evolution yet in reality its creation. From the scientific method point of view, we shouldn't "invent" one more paradox unless there is a compelling evidence in its favor, which there isn't. But, on the other hand, every reasoning is based on axioms, and I can consciously say that the axioms I invent can be motivated by Pascal's Vagor. Thus, in light of Pascal's vagor, I invent the axiom that creationinsts are right, and then say its a paradox that things look otherwise, and I liken htis paradox to other paradoxes in science. But thats besides the point. The point I am trying to make is that, unlike other Christians, I will never accuse evolutionists of sinister motives. While most Christians are claiming that evolutioninsts are trying to promote sin, I beg to disagree with them: I think evolutionists aren't trying to promote any sin, they are simply trying to be objective.
Your posts are all way too wordy. You don't need to compose a textblock on evolution to ask a question about cremation.

However, there is some OTHER group of people that I DO accuse of sinister motives: and those are the people that perform cremation. Why? Because they have absolutely nothing to gain out of cremation, besides the rebellion against God. Now, some of them will argue that Bible doesn't have any verses against cremation. But let me ask them once again: what are they gaining by cremation anyway? If they can't give me a clear answer to this question, I am forced to conclude that what they are gaining is sin and, if so, they can't then go and tell me its not sinful since then they are contradicting themselves.
You aren't forced to conclude that. You're just hypothesizing it, and it's really a hell of a jump, not to mention insulting.

Now, one thing they CLAIM they gain is that cremation is cheaper than funeral. Okay then how about my mom's former landlord who is a millionare, yet he made his death wish to be cremated (and he was a couple of weeks ago). As a millionare, why would he worry about something as petty as funeral consts, particularly since he won't even be alive to use that extra bit of money? Now, he just happened to be one of the people who was mocking religion, well not really but a little bit. Basically he is Jewish by birth but he doesn't believe in God. He has nothing against having passover in his house, but he would also make jokes about it along the way which his religious friends didn't mind since they were his friends. Also at times when I would argue with my mom about some of the food she is giving me not being kosher (even though I believe in Jesus I also keep kosher since I am Messianic) he would mock me for that too. And finally when he mentioned his death wish and my mom told him its against Jewish law he said "its not the first law that I broken". Anyway, you got the picture. Now, in light of the fact that he is a millionare, do you REALLY think that his motivation for final wish was just to save a little bit of money? Somehow I disagree and I feel like his motivation is to mock God.
His motivation wasn't to mock God, he didn't believe in God. It's possible that he wanted to flout rules that a group of people wanted him to follow that he thought were pointless, although if I had to guess he just didn't really consider the Jewish law one way or the other for this decision.

But even if for him cremation was something as bizarre as an act of "spiritual rebellion", which doesn't sound like it's the case, that wouldn't mean anything about anybody else. It's ridiculous to apply his motivation to everyone else, regardless of what it is.

And even if we do talk about people that are a lot poorer, the "choice" between cremation and funeral is "false dillemma". Why not just burry a body without EITHER cremation OR funeral, wouldn't it be the cheapest option of all? Why is that they assume that if they don't do a funeral they have to cremate? Is it because lack of funeral implies sin and if they are going to sin why not sin some more by cremating? Is this the logic? Is it kind of like they want to do something spiritual and since they can't do God's worship (too "expansive" funeral) they have to do devil worship (cremation)? Thats how it feels like at least. And, once again, telling me that Bible doesn't have verses against cremation, doesn't cut it. If they truly don't think its sinful, what is so alluring about it that they want to do it? Apparently the sinfulness of it is what is so alluring.
I don't know what you're talking about here, whether there is a funeral for a dead person and how the body is disposed are two entirely separate things. The financial benefit isn't that it's cheaper to cremate a person than to hold a funeral, the point it's that it's cheaper than burying them.

The costs associated with death tend to be very high, cremation does reduce them. It's not the only reason people choose cremation, but it's a valid one. Deaths often cause major financial crises for families. It's not a petty consideration.

You're declaring it to be sinful without a theological basis within your own framework (let alone anybody else's), which you admit. Then you're assuming that naturally then it's the allure of being sinful that is the motivation here, as opposed to being creative enough to come up with a less ridiculous guess, or, you know, just looking up some reasons why people do it and not starting with the assumption that they're lying.
 
#18 ·
His motivation wasn't to mock God, he didn't believe in God. It's possible that he wanted to flout rules that a group of people wanted him to follow that he thought were pointless,
Thats what I meant, but it gets pretty gross sometimes. Like I read some satanists say that they don't actually believe in satan (just like they don't believe in God either) and the only reason they call themselves satanists is in order to mock the tradition that group of people choose to follow. I think that cremation is a milder version of the same thing

I don't know what you're talking about here, whether there is a funeral for a dead person and how the body is disposed are two entirely separate things. The financial benefit isn't that it's cheaper to cremate a person than to hold a funeral, the point it's that it's cheaper than burying them.
I don't know why though. If you are talking about the cost of the grave, why not just burry a body under the ground without a grave, wouldn't it be even cheaper? If you say its not an "available option" and the only "available" options are either proper burrial or cremation, the question is why? I mean, whoever made cremation into a proper option, why couldn't they also make the type of burrial I describe as yet another proper option?

The costs associated with death tend to be very high, cremation does reduce them. It's not the only reason people choose cremation, but it's a valid one. Deaths often cause major financial crises for families. It's not a petty consideration.
Okay what are the cost range? Is it hundrids of dollars or thousands or how much? All I know is that my family is a lot poorer than my mom's landlord, yet we burried my dad, while my mom's landlord got cremated. Its true that my dad was burried in Russia while my mom's landlord is in America so costs in Russia might be cheaper. But still my mom's landlord has a million dollars he put aside for his sons and we don't have anything equivalent to that.

You're declaring it to be sinful without a theological basis within your own framework (let alone anybody else's), which you admit.
I didn't say there is no theological basis. I said "lets pretend for the sake of the argument" that there aren't: that way I emphasize the other points I am making even more, without throwing additional controversy into the mix.

But yeah I can see theological arguments against cremation. First of all, the advocates of cremation are saying that God can re-create the body out of the dust at the time of resurrection. But that argument is logically parallel to what devil said to Jesus in the wilderness: that Jesus can throw himself off the cliff and angels would hold Him. Jesus' response was "you shall not tempt the Lord". But then wouldn't "challenging" the Lord to recreate body out of the dust be the same kind of concept? Its one thing if there is something you can't help, such as the skin naturally rotting, and you believe that God will take care of that. But its another thing that you purposely create additional challenges for God by cremating because God can deal with that too -- thats where Jesus' statement "you shall not tempt the Lord" applies to.

Another argument I see against cremation is that God is against any kind of changes to the body altogether: body piercing, tatoos, etc. In fact microchip implant is likely going to be the mark of the beast. So if God doesn't like small changes to parts of the body, how much worse will it be to cremate the entire body?!

And finally, the decision pertaining to death is the one thing you can't possibly repent off of. Thats why when in doubt I would be far more careful regarding death decisions than I would regarding any decision pertaining to when i am still alive.
 
#26 ·
Now, one thing they CLAIM they gain is that cremation is cheaper than funeral. Okay then how about my mom's former landlord who is a millionare, yet he made his death wish to be cremated (and he was a couple of weeks ago). As a millionare, why would he worry about something as petty as funeral consts, particularly since he won't even be alive to use that extra bit of money? Now, he just happened to be one of the people who was mocking religion, well not really but a little bit. Basically he is Jewish by birth but he doesn't believe in God. He has nothing against having passover in his house, but he would also make jokes about it along the way which his religious friends didn't mind since they were his friends. Also at times when I would argue with my mom about some of the food she is giving me not being kosher (even though I believe in Jesus I also keep kosher since I am Messianic) he would mock me for that too. And finally when he mentioned his death wish and my mom told him its against Jewish law he said "its not the first law that I broken". Anyway, you got the picture. Now, in light of the fact that he is a millionare, do you REALLY think that his motivation for final wish was just to save a little bit of money? Somehow I disagree and I feel like his motivation is to mock God.
sounds like...
 
#31 ·
Personally, I think this whole subject is a moot point seeing how the Scriptures do not condemn cremation. The motives of others are not ours to judge regardless. Paul said it best and makes my point crystal clear.

1Co 4:5 For this reason let there be no judging before the time, till the Lord comes, who will make clear the secret things of the dark, and the designs of the heart; and then will every man have his praise from God.
1Co 4:6 My brothers, it is because of you that I have taken Apollos and myself as examples of these things, so that in us you might see that it is not wise to go farther than what is in the holy Writings, so that no one of you may be lifted up against his brother.
1Co 4:7 For who made you better than your brother? or what have you that has not been given to you? but if it has been given to you, what cause have you for pride, as if it had not been given to you?
 
#34 ·
My motive isn't to send people to hell but the opposite: to prevent people from going to hell. And thats why its important to warn them about things now -- since at the day of judgement it would be too late.
 
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