What is your church's beliefs on cremation?

Question

I am not an overly religious person, do believe in god and lead a good life. I am not very familiar with the bible either. What I would like to know is what religion you are and what are your denominations beliefs on cremation? Is there anything in the bible that says it is wrong?

Answer 1

Hi vivib. No where in the Bible do we read "Thou shalt not be cremated". However, when we look into Scripture and see the images and pictures God gives us concerning death, we can see a few things. In the Bible when we read about a Believers death, many passages relate this to being asleep. On the other hand, there are many passages that show when a non-believer dies, they are destroyed by fire (equivalent to cremation). This gives us a picture of being under the wrath of God because Hell is typified as a lake of fire.

There is a passage in Scripture that relates to cremation and it's found in Amos 2:1. Here we have the possibility of God's anger is being directed at Moab because he had burned the bones of the King of Edom into lime:

"Thus says the LORD:“ For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime."

Personally, I would not want my body to be cremated when I die. But, somehow by whatever reason I was burned or my body was cremated, it would not bother me. Being cremated does not reserve you a spot in Hell just like being buried does not reserve you a spot in Heaven.

Answer 2

No, there is nothing in the Bible regarding cremation. The Bible teaches that our spirit leaves the body after death and lives eternally. Either in Heaven or in Hell. Our time here on earth is just a moment compared to our eternal life.
Have you thought about where you will be spending eternity? I hope so, because being a "good person" does not take care of your debt of sin. Everyone is born a sinner and needs Jesus gift of forgiveness.
Read the Bible for yourself. Start with the New Testament book of John.
God Bless You!

Answer 3

I'm Jewish and in Judaism we are not allowed to cremate bodies. For one, the Torah gives instructions as to how to bury the body, not to burn it.

For two:
" Jews show "kavod" (honor) for the body that housed the spirit and the breath of God. "

In our tradition, quick (as in overnight) burial is the greatest honor to be given a body, so that it can quickly be reunited with HaShem and the earth (decomposes).

Another reason: "Too many Jews were burned to death over the centuries - during the Inquistion, in the wooden synagogues and ghettoes of Europe, in Nazi ovens during the Holocaust. It is in appropriate for us to willingly add to the cremation of our people."

Another smaller reason is that " I was told by a funeral director that very often there are "cremains" from a previous cremation added to those given to the mourner, and some of the mourner's "cremains" given to the next mourner. It's not intentional; it is due to the nature of the process and the person hired to work the ovens. "

Peace

Answer 4

honestly.. i don't know what the belief of my church is. i'm lds (mormon)

i was raised baptist.. and i don't know what the "official" stance of the baptist church was, but my parents said it was wrong because when you are resurrected in the second coming of christ your body was made perfect from the remains that were left. but, i'd say, if god can take rotted bodies and make them new.. he can do the same from ashes? he's god.. duh.. he could find every ash if you put one ash in a different country.. so i always thought they were dumb

PERSONALY... my belief is... sure why not? see i don't know about being buried in the ground. it creeps me out. but then there is a mausoleum... i don't know how the eff you spell that.. and thats not too bad.. but your like, cemented in.. so thats creepy too... but being burned.. i still find creepy.. and the people who have to tolerate the smell of my burning flesh... i feel sorry for them....

but i believe that we are given a NEW perfect body during the second coming.. and even if God does use our old body... like i said.. bones or ashes.. he's God.. he can work with it.. i've never heard any biblical contradictions to this...

i don't know.. i guess when i'm dead.. i don't care.. let everyone else decide what to do with my body.. i'm dead.. what do i care? besides.. i'm donating all my organs anyways.. so basically, you're left with skin, a little muscle, and some hair... if they don't donate that too. so what does it matter? creamation is probably cheaper! crap.. burn me on a bonfire and have a party around it because i've moved on to the next life.. to the next step in everything! rock on...

i don't know... i guess everyone has their own personal beliefs.. and i think thats whats important. i don't think any one has the right to judge what's right or wrong for anyone but themselves.... but thats just me!

wow.. hopefully my input helped and doesn't just sound like a long drawn out tangent of confusion! have a good night/day.. whatever it is where you are!

and good question!

Answer 5

As far as I am aware, my Christian beliefs do not condemn cremation. My personal beliefs on the other hand prefer standard burial over cremation. Why? Because when my father died, I will never forget as long as I live, the look on my mother's face when she walked in the house carrying the tiny little box from the mortuary, which contained my father's ashes. My dad had been cremated hours earlier, but the box was still warm. My mother was carrying in her two palms, the man she shared over 50 years of her life with. She carried her lover, her partner in life, her closest and dearest friend in the world, in her hands. The look of pain over that reality on my mother's face will haunt me always. Two months later, I saw my dear brother's own little box being carried by my sister. Six months later, my own mother, who died unexpectedly, sat in her own tiny little box, awaiting burial with my father and brother. As long as I live, if I never see a tiny little box resembling the ones I have seen, it will be too soon. I understand the reasons why people choose cremation. I respect that. Still, for many of us loved ones left behind, seeing a loved one's remains placed in a tiny little box, and knowing that the person we cared about, loved, and interacted with was burned to the point of fitting into a tiny little box, can be unbearable. For this reason, I will never choose to be cremated myself, nor to cremate another loved one, unless that is their express wish.

Answer 6

The Catholic Church has no problem with cremation as long as it is not done as a way of denying the resurrection of the body.

Answer 7

I am a Catholic and Catholics may be cremated but, our ashes must be buried or entombed. They must not be spread all over the place because it denies the Resurrection of the Body by doing those acts.

Answer 8

There are marytrs that have dies being burned, stoned, in tombs....either way, God will give us a new body so we dont have to worry about this body. Dont go overboard on the funeral. Its a waste of money.

Answer 9

No, I don't think there is anywhere in the Bible that says it is wrong. I think it makes sense. My 88 year old Christian mother, however, does not agree with me. She says destruction by fire is always associated with God's wrath, and she doesn't think He would approve.