if christians believe...........?

Question

your soul goes to heaven and your body is just an empty shell after death.

why do churches have graveyards?

didn't jesus say let the dead bury the dead?

seenotes
but why bury on church grounds. nothing to do with health.

i was asking about burying on church grounds not burying bodies.
thx

Answer 1

You have to do something with the body. Tradition. graveyards, or something else.

Answer 2

Good question!
these people lack understanding of what the soul is exactly and how it differs from the body, that is why they have more regard for material things and little for the soul, which is spiritual and has individual personality, intelligence, creativity, etc.
The body gives up due to a number of causes, like old age, murder, arson, drowning, etc That is the end of it, it decomposes when buried or get's cremated. There's no ressurection of these dead bodies. The soul is what carries on after death. The soul passes from one body to another, but the passing is not immediate, Once the body has been given up, there will be a decision or judgement on what the next body should be according to the past deeds (karma) of the soul.

People are under false belief that they can just go to heaven, when they haven't actually practiced and followed the correct teachings of God. If they did know the whole truth, there would be no such thing as graveyards in churchyards. That sounds like worship to the dead, like ancestoral worship!

Answer 3

Yes the body is just an empty shell after death and more and more Christians are opting for cremation. Graveyards was a means for those who lost their loved ones to remember and be 'in touch'. In some countries graveyards have been exhumed to provide fresh areas for better use of limited resourses for the living.
Regarding the words quoted, Jesus was advising his listeners to 'burn their boats' if they sincerely wish to follow him to the extent of not wasting time like 'burying empty shells'.

Answer 4

It's like an insurance policy... the more protection you think you have the better your chance of getting into heaven. So burying someone on Holy Ground was like keeping them safe after they died. It really doesn't make sense anymore now that space is running out and cremation is approved of by most churches.

Answer 5

I can't think of a better place for a graveyard! It's a very respectful place. As far as health reasons- my state has laws about having to be buried in a vault- so there are no health issues.

Answer 6

I know once we are dead... just leave the bodies laying around the soul has gone it doesnt matter that the body rots and smells... it was the only way to prevent disease spreading..either bury them or cremate them. It is also a sign of respect to the memory of the one that has died.

Answer 7

You don't want just a pile of dead bodies behind the church do ya?

I think it would less creepy if they just bury underground.

Also people who they left behind can visit them again.

Answer 8

They have to follow the law in physics though. The dead body has to go somewhere.

Answer 9

To bury the empty shell

Answer 10

Historically, they were the only properties that could be spared for burial. The rest of the land was either housing, business or farm land.

Answer 11

To place bodies out of the way, bodies were considered unclean because of the diseases that Europeans had, to prevent other deaths, they were buried.