Would it be better to be burned alive or beheaded?

Question

No one has got the correct answer. Burning is superior, because a hot stake is better than a cold chop.

Answer 1

neither

Answer 2

Hate being just like everyone else, but beheaded is in fact the way to go. Unless you count the french revolution days where they beheaded so many people daily that the blade was dull by the end of the day so you may have had to get hacked more then once. But even then, still beheaded.

Answer 3

Beheaded, the instant lost of blood pressure to the brain will cause you to loose consciences in practically no time at all. There is a myth that you stay alive for a few mins after your head is cut off. The tissue inside your brain is still alive for as long as it take your cells to stop functioning due to a lack of oxygen and energy, but you will loose the ability to understand what is going on before you head hit the ground.

Being burned alive would be one of the most painful and horrible ways to go. Best case you would die in probably a few mins. Worst case you'd end up in some burn ward for a few weeks or months before you died.

Answer 4

Yow!

How hot is the fire?
How sharp is the blade? & How swift the stroke?

If it's a super-hot fire and a dull blade with a slow, sawing motion, I'd have to go with the fire.

If it's a just-started blaze and you've gotta wait for it to catch on good -- and a really sharp blade with one quick chop, I'd go with beheading.

Beheading is NOT instantaneous by-the-way. The brain would continue to be conscious and alert for at least a few seconds before oxygen deprivation took its toll.

On the other hand, anyone who thinks burning at the stake is "superior", should read Foxe's "Book of Martyrs".

@ Little Angel: Read Foxe's "Book of Martyrs". Lots of noble people were burned alive. A very inspiring read though!

Answer 5

Depends on the method of beheading and the severity of the burns. Also, is this in a video game, real life, or one of the versions of the afterlife? In the video game beheadings are always cool, but seeing your character roast in agony is also VERY cool. In real life beheadings are quicker and much less painful, assuming the beheadind is done efficiently. In the afterlifes, I'd rather be burned alive, at least I'd get to live to tell about it.

Answer 6

Beheaded

Answer 7

Is it a matter of "better", or simply less painful and quicker? If I had to choose.............I would go for beheading......I have suffered burns, they are painful beyond anything else I have physically endured.

Even childbirth is over once the baby is born, (though women rejoice in the telling), burns are painful, and slow in the healing. Not to mention, the suffocation, though, I have not ever been beheaded, I expect it is quick and to the point!

Answer 8

Beheaded. Burning is one of the most painful sensations you can experience, especially as you breathe in flaming air. It would also take an extremely long time, versus beheading. If you were beheaded, you would be completely dead within 30 seconds.

Answer 9

Beheaded. Burning would take too long and the pain would be intolerable. With a beheading, you would hope the guillotine would be sharpened enough to do it in one try. If not, at least sharp enough to get thru the spinal cord on the first drop.

Answer 10

Hello Braz50! well, to burn ain`t good while it last, so I guess I go for the other, then I would find out if it is true you know! Yeah, if I really are able to see for a little while after the evil deed is done. I would come back to haunt down the killer/s though, oh yes, no rest for the wicked, no rest ever. ha ha ha, anyway happy holidays, peace and love from Norway, still with my head on top ha ha ha

Answer 11

Definitely beheaded. It medieval times it was considered one of the best ways to be executed, while being burned alive was one of the worst.