The Grave, Visit or Not ?

[Dennis1209]

On 9/25/2018 at 11:53 AM, 1sheep said:

I went to the cemetary to keep my loved ones burial place neat and tidy. I left flowers. One time when I was yet to follow Christ completely ( I didnt fill my spirit and mind with the word) I did as a pagan and went to their graves and had a beer. I didnt know any better. At the time I felt it comforted me when in fact Im blessed that I didnt get caught or even arrested for driving under the influence!!!   I havent been to my loved ones burial plots in years now. I like Yown think it is a personal conscious thing. 

Recently I moved to the bible belt. Yes, I am experiencing cultural shock. Lol..... Right next to some churches that are within residential neighborhoods you will find a cemetary!!!! I find that rather odd knowing what we know from scripture. It is just the bones left. But then again I am not a person who thinks one has to be buried in a casket. Much land is used . I think it more sensible to be cremated and save the land for the living. God can gather me up anyway I am when the time comes. I dont judge others for being buried in caskets or burying their loved ones in caskets. . Imagine not doing so though.... Remember those caskets floating down the streets in New Orleans?  That was kinda creepy!  Lest we not forget how expensive it is to go through all the expense of a " traditional"  burial. If Christ hasnt come for his saints when I die; I have instructed my kids to donate my body to science and when they get my remains back cremated to go somewhere and celebrate my life while they spend money on a vacation they will enjoy and comfort them since I am gone. There again; these are all actions or non actions of our own conscious. God is silent as to what is done with our bodies when we die. 

Since I've moved here to Tennessee and many years have passed since I made my original Will, it was seriously outdated. I bought the Quicken 'Will Maker', and just today I finished revising my will and last wishes. I too have the same attitude toward the expense of burial and money better spent for my family. Anyway, as part of the will you select if you want to be cremated or buried. It's much cheaper and easier to be cremated vs. burial. 

As far as the Resurrection of our bodies, I know it's no obstacle for the Lord. What made me decide to be buried was the examples of the Patriarchs, Apostles and Jesus Himself, the tradition of burial. 

This is only intended as a question, and I'm not sure either way, but... Would cremation be showing disrespect for our bodies? 

[Guest 1sheep]

19 minutes ago, Dennis1209 said:

Since I've moved here to Tennessee and many years have passed since I made my original Will, it was seriously outdated. I bought the Quicken 'Will Maker', and just today I finished revising my will and last wishes. I too have the same attitude toward the expense of burial and money better spent for my family. Anyway, as part of the will you select if you want to be cremated or buried. It's much cheaper and easier to be cremated vs. burial. 

As far as the Resurrection of our bodies, I know it's no obstacle for the Lord. What made me decide to be buried was the examples of the Patriarchs, Apostles and Jesus Himself, the tradition of burial. 

This is only intended as a question, and I'm not sure either way, but... Would cremation be showing disrespect for our bodies? 

I dont think so. Our bodies hold no value to the Lord when we die imho. They house our souls now and they are the temple for God as christians. The Lord would have us make wise decisions.That looks different for each individual I suppose .Since he is silent on how one should be buried or not; I think it is of our own conscious. A funeral and burial plot is $$$$$equal to a grand vacation for my kids and grands. Ill pick the latter. 

Edited September 26, 2018 by 1sheep

[ayin jade]

The dead body is merely a shell. I dont think cremation is disrespectful if you wish to do it. Personally i think embalming is awful. Just toss me into the ground as worm food. 

[warrior12]

On 9/24/2018 at 10:42 AM, Dennis1209 said:

Whomever they are, their fates were sealed at their last heartbeat, and are in the hands of the Lord for their eternal fate.

For me, the above pretty much sums it up.  The human memory is an incredible part of our living body.  We can remember years of childhood situations and events to minute detail with some of those. I think it is enough for me to get by and let the dead be where their resting place is.   But we are not all cut from the same cookie cutter and some see the need to visit the place where the final closure to a person life was.   My parents are gone now and one sister. The few photos I have and the moments when us siblings reminisce about past times and traits of those who are not with are enough for me.  

A note though, I have no issues with those who choose to exercise their freedom in this matter. 

[John_Leung]

I'd visit, and I have accompanied my friend to visit his grandma's grave. He--as an unbeliever--would give her updates of personal or family lives or ask how she's doing up there, while I would glance up and talk to God about time with my friend's grandma.  As for my loved ones, I'd visit their grave if it gives me comfort, but I wouldn't talk to them as if they're still alive, because they wouldn't be, nor would they hear me.  I'd probably try to find comfort by talking to God.

If you feel that visiting the grave helps comfort you or bring you peace, go for it.

[Guest 1sheep]

9 hours ago, Neighbor said:

as a side note; government intrusion into the funeral industry as a whole has resulted in a vast change in the service industry over the past nearly fifty years that is not good for consumers, nor for employees and individual ownership businesses that are Funeral Homes and Cemeteries.

 The end result of a long process that started out in southern California has become one very large  publicly traded corporation that owns cemeteries, funeral homes, casket manufacturers, vault companies, and funeral chemical and equipment supply companies. The locally owned service minded nonprofit cemetery and the local funeral director are pretty much a thing of the past.

Cost to end users ( families of the deceased have risen to embarrassing levels ( embarrassing to those that used to be in th eindustry  for providing service to people), there really is little competition now. Cemeteries have been purchased to primarily gain access to the substantial amount of  cash assets  in endowment an perpetual care funds at cemeteries.

The process all started way back when the industry was attacked by a book writer and then federal government agency the FTC started making regulations that forced many small local businesses to go broke trying to comply. Compliance cost  made us more than double our own service fees. small local operators just began selling to one person that had an idea of capturing all the firms in the one area. That grew and grew with three larger corporations forming and one now dominating not only in the USA bit around much of the world that has funeral service industry and cemeteries with endowment care funds.

It is quite possible to have a respectful and useful remembrance and a place of honoring an individual loved, without having to use a cemetery  or a funeral home owned by the new huge funeral industry corporations. But if one has the means and wants to have a more traditional USA style funeral  from the recent past that too can be done- at a pretty steep cost.

 

 

To the tune of about 10 to 15 grand. 

Edited September 26, 2018 by 1sheep

[Neighbor]

1 minute ago, 1sheep said:

To the tune of about 10 to 15 grand. 

Easy today. It is most embarrasing to me. It was not what most of us in the industry went into it for, we entered to be of service.

[Guest 1sheep]

25 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Easy today. It is most embarrasing to me. It was not what most of us in the industry went into it for, we entered to be of service.

So you are a funeral director?

[Neighbor]

Started at 17 years old. Couldn't get a job  at a taco shop  in California because they have machinery. The only Job I could get was answering phones at a local mortuary all night- whoopie!