dhh712
Puritan Board Freshman
This has been an insightful discussion thus far. My own view aligns much with what Sean stated in post 21 as well as Jack's post (22). Although the end may be the same whether it be intentional or unintentional--turned to dust by cremation, lost in the ocean, lost somewhere on land and scattered about a localized area of the earth--the motivation of what happened to get there matters (as it seems to me to be much the way the Lord regards our actions--he looks not at the end result, but what happened internally within us that drove us to that end). The attitude of "well, it doesn't matter because some people are lost at sea so why should I care if when I die--not lost at sea--I tell my family to scatter my ashes over the ocean". Well, it does matter because God providentially did not determine for your body to be lost at sea so you should not treat your body as though it had been. That appears to me to be having a flippant attitude regarding God's providential direction of one's life.I don't think example should be turned into doctrine. Jesus was buried because that's what was done with dead bodies at that time. It's arguably the easiest and cheapest way to dispose of a corpse--or was, until cremation became widely available--and is why most of the dead in all ages were buried.
If God required that Christians be buried after death instead of disposed of otherwise He would have issued a command.
For my own experiential actions in this area, I had my husband cremated. He passed away unexpectedly with no savings or life insurance that I knew of (me in my late 30s did not have an enormous amount of savings--still a small remainder of student loans, just bought a house, etc.). We had not discussed this matter in the course of our short time together. I was overwhelmed with grief and loss. When I talked to my pastor, he asked what I wanted to do about the burial. I said I didn't have a clear understanding of what my beloved wanted done with his body; I said I had a vague notion that he would prefer to be buried, not cremated but I really didn't know. My pastor responded that he really would care now and that cremation was of course much cheaper (something to that effect, I do not recall the exact words). I believe I shot his brother a text asking him if he knew of my husband's preferences and he did not give a clear answer either, basically saying he did not recall a strong preference either.
So that is why I went with cremation. I think I would have preferred the testimony of a burial, but my husband and I were always practicalists (I really feel that should be a word!) with finances. I imagine if we were able to live a fantasy, if I had asked him then what I should do, he would have told me to go with cremation. And since I made this decision for my husband's body, I feel convicted to do the same to me (and I even have an urn all ready--both of ours on my gel fireplace mantel. Also, when I die both our urns will be placed in a burial plot that I have purchased already).
If this is not the biblically right thing to do (my pastor sure did not feel cremation was un-biblical) then I pray that God will understand my circumstances (especially my overwhelming grief not enabling me to ponder with great depth on such things and giving way very easily to other people's--those I trust and look to for advice--very reasonable suggestion) and grant me forgiveness in this [and that it would in no way affect my husband's eternal state--of course it wouldn't!, but like for instance in some fantastical way those who were cremated get a "less glorified" body (that seems quite a far-fetched idea when I actually write it out!) since I made that decision for him].
After all was said and done, I did have concerns about my choice (as probably is evidenced by my lengthy explanation in the last couple paragraphs)--like maybe I should have went with burial instead. But, I must place my concerns at the feet of the Lord now and leave them there.