Cremation or Direct Burial

I'm trending towards your estimation in regards to burial.

Say, do you mean the Resurrection of Christ or the Resurrection in terms of Eschatology?

Setting all of my humor aside, I get the feeling that it isn't entirely important WHAT we do with the dead as much as the death itself is important. I believe that the below passages lend some insight as to what is Truly important regarding death.

First, death Truly is a beautiful thing to the lord, but do we know the reason for why? And if we can grasp this concept, perhaps we might view all of the "slaughter" in the Old Testament in a different way. In saying this, in the Holy Eyes of the Lord, I (my personal opinion) is that it [doesn't matter] how we die, whether we die gracefully like Abraham or whether we are raped to death until we die. (Jdg 20:03-7) - The process of escaping this corrupt, physical body so that we may inter into the Holy Presence of the Lord . . . this is "Precious" to the Lord. We just need to "get there!"

Psalm 116:15 KJV - "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."

If burial were important, it would be hypocritical for Christ to say the following below:

Luke 9:59-60 NET - "Jesus said to another, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

Paul seems to confirm the idea that what is important is that we simply do all that we can to enter the Gates of Heaven. What happens to this body after death is not what we ought to dwell upon, but what we are to believe and do in this earthly world while we are here.

2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT - "For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands."

Really? Was Saul "one of God's people"? The Bible record states the exact opposite. “I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.” (Hos 13:11)

While growing up in a funeral home death was a popular topic ( of course ). And my school friends all wanted to spend the night in my house as curiosity was rampart as a part of life. There was no cremation available in the rural area I lived and also a christian at that time was to be embalmed and buried in the ground. Death brought opportunity for preachers to give a salvation message to those who were reluctant to attend a church. It was a time to reflect on your mortal body.

After I retired I assisted one of my younger brothers in the funeral home, parking cars and sometimes retrieving a dead person in a home or hospital. If no prior arrangements were made there were questions we had to ask; such as do you want your husband shaved, for one must be shaved before embalming. In another case when I was asking a widow whether she wanted a burial or cremation; she looked at me and said--Do you want me to go to hell?, Well, I saw she wanted a regular service--working for a funeral home has it ups and downs.

I did the cremating . . . I hated it. It was terrifying, to say the least. Also, as a 21-year-old, I saw things I simply shouldn't have seen. These people are incredibly underappreciated for the work they do. The "living" barely even consider them and their work . . . these people are "saviors" in a sense.

some funeral homes charge an arms and leg for it

Most people just wrapped the body in a shroud/ grace clothes and buried, you didnt have to SEE the body but for ID purposes, and naturally buried the body (no expensive coffin or casket). Jesus body was going to be embalmed with spices aloes and myrrh in a tomb...it had already been dug out though I dont know how many bodies a tomb held or if it was just one tomb per body/person - it was a rich mans one though Joseph of Arithmea lent it.

Im not all that comfortable with the modern day cremation practises either...people can do anything with the ashes, chuck them down the toilet, scatter half here and half there, vacuum it up, mix them up with other stuff, eat them even. Thats not even burial.

Personally I dont think its respectful to burn a body and then grind it to a powder. yes it may be cheaper compared to what a funeral home is charging for burial but why would they charge so much it might be the only plot of land you'll ever buy. If you could be buried in the church yard which is What USED to happen then would not have this problem of ppl price gouging people upon their death.

I am going up. They can do whatever they want with my worn-out overcoat. Fertilizer perhaps?

... Great idea! Use my arms and legs for that then!

Personally my wife and i are going to be stuffed.

IMO, either are acceptable for a Christian. Just a personal choice one has to make.

Considering the resurrection, I think burial is the better confession. That being said I do not bind any conscience to that which is not written.

Hey there, I can relate to your story! Growing up, death was a common topic in my family too. My parents were always open about discussing it and their plans. Personally, I would prefer to be buried as well. I want my family to have a place to visit and remember me. Plus, I share your concern about the possibility of my ashes being accidentally discarded or lost.
I recently stumbled upon Santa Paula Cemetery and was impressed with their offerings. They have a beautiful location and a variety of burial options, including traditional burials and mausoleums. It's comforting to know that there are options out there that allow us to make our final wishes known and ensure that our loved ones can properly say goodbye.

Not saying you shouldn't do it, but I cannot find a single Biblical passage where it is acceptable to burn the bodies of the dead.

Oh another burial topic I might have missed.
‘Let me ask again: what about people who freeze themselves (cryogenics) ? What do you think about them?

Hello @PennEd

I’ve often pondered these scriptures…

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Cor.13.3&version=KJV

And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Chr.16.14&version=KJV

mebbe in the future they'll shove us all in a rocket when we die and launch us into space.

Our Father knows where we all are, whether we are burned to ashes or overboard at sea eaten by sea creatures, He Knows.

Well again, I wouldn't say cremation is a sin, only that it is usually either a negative in Scripture or neutral. It's definitely not endorsed.

In the first passage you cite, that has to do with martyrdom, not planned cremation.

In the second passage scholars are unsure if King Asa is burned, or just the spices and other items in the tomb to commemorate his reign.