What will happen to your body when you die?

Question

This is not a metaphysical q about your soul, I am talking about your physical body:

Will you be buried/cremated/donated to medical research/frozen/organ donor or something else?

Why?

How has you're religion or lack of affected your choice?

Answer 1

I want all of my viable organs taken out and given to people who need them. If after that, medical students would like to practice sutures or what not on whatever is left, they can. When they're done, I wish to be cremated and put in a pretty Asian jar (because I like Asian art). My religion didn't affect my decision.

Answer 2

Honestly, I could care less what happens to my body after I die. Why? I won't be here. I won't need it anymore - that is until Jesus determines that I need it, and when He makes that determination He will resurrect my body, and it will be a body like the one that He got when He was resurrected. Therefore, since I don't care what happens to my body, I'll let those who are handling that part of mortality deal with it. If I'm martyred because I won't deny Christ, whoever's killing me will more than likely just stick me in some mass grave anyway, or they can cremate me, whatever suits their fancy.

Some people bury the body in the hope (aka expectation) of the resurrection. But, to me, that's no different than cremation when you really think about it. After all, it's not just New Testament saints who will be resurrected but Old Testament saints as well. And eventually the body breaks down and turns to dust. So, to me, there's really no difference between dust now and dust later. If God could create something from nothing once just by speaking a command (Genesis chapter 1, John 1:3, and Hebrews 11:3) then He can certainly do it again to create an immortal body for the immortal souls of His holy ones, no problem.

People don't need internal organs in order to get in to heaven, so I suppose if whomever is around to have to deal with my body wants to donate my organs, I have no problem with that either. Like I said. I won't be here. What do I care?

Answer 3

Cremated! I can't stand the idea of my corpse rotting in the ground. I find that disgusting. I'd rather be turned to ash and rise, as the phoenix, from the flame. :) Hey - it's my fantasy.

Since my body has nothing to do with the spiritual quintessence, my religion has no official stance on life after death. A lot of Daemonolators believe in reincarnation. But the physical shell is not necessary.

Besides - cremation takes up less space, it's less expensive (and therefore less of a burden on my loved ones) and more environmentally friendly, I think.

Answer 4

I will be cremated, hopefully there will be some organ donation if anyone wants any spare parts. The whole thing will be done on the cheap. A cardboard box will do. I will be a carcass to be disposed of. I want my ashes to be scattered at a particular place I have always been fond of.

I am of no religion.

Answer 5

Did you know that for centuries Christian dogma taught that it is the physical body that is resurrected and taken to heaven? And that the "soul" is not something separate from the body?

A recent Newsweek article suggests that religion is finally catching up to science on this, and starting to get over the false notion that "soul" and "body" are two separate things. This has to be the best thing I've heard from religion in quite a while.

Answer 6

Most religious are not telling the death body will be excluding sutra(the budhist book). The body will be no use; donated or burn or buried is the same idea. Feed the birds or feed the fishes or feed the warms making no different. This is the chain of food. We are eating the fish/birds which eating the warms which eating us. This cycle will not change. Or burned ask going to earth for vegetable then eat by animal then eat by us. Now donation of body can be used for coming human being tranplant or medical reaction study is good to future.

Answer 7

I haven't made a final decision yet. But I'll probably go with cremation, even if I give my body to science. Whatever's left of me after they dissect me or harvest my organs, they can toast. That wouldn't have been an option for me as a Catholic at one point, but the Church has relaxed its views on cremation.

Answer 8

I am an organ donor and I would prefer to be crmeated because once I am dead my physical body is nothing but an empty useless shell. And I have always felt this way. The only way I would allow myself to be buried is if my kids specifically asked for it so they could visit my gravesite instead of having an urn of my ashes for whatever reason.

Answer 9

Your body would rot. I want to be cremated. Because it will
be cheaper and easier for my family. Religion has nothing to do with my decision. And I want to donate my organs, or whatever.

Answer 10

I want to donate my organs (all that are useable), then be cremated. I hate the thought of rotting underground...

For interesting reading on the "life" of dead bodies, read the book STIFF.