Cremation and the Baptist Church

Christian burial testifies of the hope of the Resurrection. Where I have a choice, I will choose burial for that same testimony.

 

Yes, I agree. This subject really burns me up.

 

Yes, the Chaldeans may have practiced cremation and other ancient peoples. It is said that the Egyptians also did. If God then meant to forbid it to His people who He had just taken out of Egypt, why did He not specifically forbid it in the Law of Moses? God specifically set out many, many detailed laws for the Jewish people in the Five Books of Moses, including everything from what the priests should wear to how to handle a house with leprosy to whether one should or should not eat a rabbit. But nowhere did God forbid cremation in the Law of Moses, the place where it would have made the most sense to the Jews to forbid it.

 

How would interment in the ground specifically be a better testimony of the resurrection? I believe God can resurrect me from ashes just as well as from a rotted body in the ground.

Why not, let's just all be buried like Jesus was in a cave, not embalmed, but anointed with good-smelling-stuff and wrapped in a cloth, and then we'll all be fine, right? :smilewinkgrin:

 

I think burial is more horrific than cremation. The "pristine, prepared" body doesn't stay that way long. Bodies liquify into a goo from internal bacteria and decay, and maggots get in your eyes, mouth, and any other openings. I know it won't matter to me at that point, but being consumed by a fire seems a lot less icky.

 

Suits me............... but not creamation.

BBob,

 

I'm worried that this thread will get buried under other stuff, and become a dead thread.

That burns me up.

 

If you read my comment on the first page you will see cremated is against God and His scriptures. Also, embalming, I won't be cremated or embalmed when I die.

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=284&o=18678

 

Scribe....

Be aware that embalming (to my knowledge) isn't required (yet) by any state, but transporting a body across some state lines does make it a requirement.

Just FYI.

BTW...I disagree with your assertion. I think that burial practices in Scripture were descriptive, not prescriptive. I'm especially comfortable with that position in light of how the NT describes our bodies ("Jars of clay," "temporary," etc.)

 

Rbell, the scriptures are clear what we are to do after death.

You can disagree if you want to.

But, I won't be cremated or embalmed when I die.
My living will, will state what to do with my body after my death.

 

Even so, the Scripture declares if any man defile the temple (body) him will God destroy.

Is not cremation defiling it? Is it not man doing the cremation?

Someone stated earlier that whether cremated or buried, it is all the same. Not so; for in burial, the body decays naturally, in cremation it does not.

Some may argue and say the body is not the temple, but the building is the temple. Not so; for in the epistle to the Church at Corinth, we read:

1 Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

The Church... to them which are sanctified. It is this same epistle that Paul states 'if any man defile the temple, him will God destroy.' It is speaking of defiling the body.

 

I do not believe that being cremated will disqualify me for heaven. If that were the case, then it disqualifies everyone who was burned to death in a house fire, etc.

I do not believe that the God who created me will be hard pressed to come up with my glorified body if I'm cremated. He's God, you know. He can do what ever He wants!

Besides, my wife will need what little insurance $$ I have much more than a fine, air-tight box and a 3X6 peace of high-priced real estate.

 

I snorted my drink up my nose when I read this...:laugh:
And this really sums up this thread...

Who is sinning if I am creamated?

Me? Heck no, I will be in Heaven!!!
How can God hold me responsible for something after I am dead?

Me: Wow, isn't Heaven beautiful!!
God: It sure is, I created it for you
Me: Thank you It is lovely

A messenger comes over and talks to God privately...

God: Tim..I have some bad news...
Me: You can't have bad news this is Heaven
God: Your wife played a practical joke on you... She had your body creamated, and since it is a sin to creamate your body, You are on your way to Hell.. You have 3 minutes to get to the elevator...

Me NOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!

Wife on earth:... :laugh: I told him I would win in the end!!!

 

God would not do that, Tim. You can stop sweating profusely.

You cannot cremate yourself after you are dead (unless you have the fire set to start by a timer).

But, if someone cremates you, they will be the one's responsible for defiling the temple, not you.

 

Tim,

That's great! I couldn't have said it better myself!! Thanks!

 

You're making the assumption that cremation is defiling the body. That's an incorrect assumption, IMO. Circular reasoning. You can't just go in and on your own decide to define defiling the body. And, contextually, I don't think that Scripture defines cremating as such.

Furthermore...you're not insinuating that God will "disqualify someone from heaven" if they have a relative cremated, are you? 'Cause if you are....that's way off base.

Once again...cremation isn't a hill I'll die on (no pun intended)....but I also would be disturbed if other Christians choose to die on that hill (once again, no pun intended...but it is kinda funny!).

 

I like the thought of cremation because it enables one to keep the remains of the deceased near.

 

I like it because...

• You can spill the urn under the bed, and no one will know.
• (if you're a youth minister) you can end up being used in a youth skit. Try THAT with a casket!

:laugh:

 

A young man was saddened by the death of his wife and had her cremated.

He carried her urn everywhere he went for several months. One day he met another woman and they married. She felt very uncomfortable with the ashes of his first wife in the home and at her insisting, he carried the urn to his office and left it there.

As time went on the love for his first wife dwindled and one day in his office he was looking for an ashtray to flick the ashes from his cigar in. Seeing none, he opened the urn and thought, 'They're all ashes, so I am doing no harm."

This became a habit over several weeks.

One day his second wife came to visit the office. Upon seeing the open urn on his desk she thought he must have scattered the ashes and looked in... only to find the man's first wife was first there and had put on a little weight!:laugh:

 

Down in Tokyo there is a commuter train that makes a big circle around the whole city. Occasionally someone leaves an unloved relative's ashes on that train to go round and round until the train heads in for the night! :laugh: