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Does our church cremate cos i would like to be cremated when I'm gone
Answer to Question 590 The Orthodox arguments against Cremation are: 1) Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ died on the Cross and was buried. (Nicene Creed) therefore we should imitate Jesus. 2) Everyone will be bodily resurrected in the Second Coming of Christ. Cremation is a denial of the bodily resurrection. 3) The human body is the temple of God and is a sacred sanctuary even after physical death. 4) Cremation with God’s blessing is never mentioned in the Old Testament. 5) We must not be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2) especially as cremation becomes more common. Cremation is the denial and purposeful destruction of God’s human temple. As follower’s of Christ, we are not dualists or spiritualists who believe that the material world is inherently evil and to be despised. Rather, as Christians, we believe in the inherent goodness of the material world, especially our human bodies. Together, our body and soul, are created in God’s image and likeness. We are called to redeem and transfigure the creation to its original glory and beauty by continually resisting sin and temptation, repenting of our transgressions, and opening our hearts, minds and bodies to the indwelling presence of God’s divine grace through His only-begotten Son and life-giving Holy Spirit. The only fire we should submit ourselves to is the fire of God’s love and holy presence. Because the Orthodox Faith affirms the fundamental goodness of creation, it understands the body to be an integral part of the human person and the temple of the Holy Spirit, and expects the resurrection of the dead. The Church considers cremation to be the deliberate desecration and destruction of what God has made and ordained for us. The Church instead insists that the body be buried so that the natural physical process of decomposition may take place. People who support cremation say that they have a right to choose how to dispose of their bodies and that the Church should give in to their demands. The Church replies that: as they are free to choose any method of disposal of their bodies, so also the Church is free to follow her Holy Tradition and teaching, and can therefore deny to those wanting cremation a Christian funeral service. There is no suppression of human rights, people have a choice, but so does the Church.
Same member I take it it's a no then hopefully when I'm gone our church updates on people's choices thank you for replying.
Reply The church respects the choices of individuals, but will never change what she believes is right. As a member of a church we must be obedient to her teachings. But personally I cannot understand why people want to be cremated. What does it matter? when you're dead you're dead, but at least being obedient to the church's belief and being buried shows that we have faith in the general resurrection.
Same member The thought of being buried 6ft under scares the living day lights out of me sorry
Reply You don't have to be buried in the earth, if you can afford it you can have a mausoleum (crypt) built above ground
Another member Don't worry too much my darling what happens when you die just enjoy your life we are all visitors on this earth until we meet our lord my experience I have been to many burials but in December I been to a crematorium I had nightmares afterwards for a long time especially when I watched a video how they treat the body no one deserves that crashing your bones& scull with an iron bar to be small enough to fit in to a blender Machine and swiping what's fallen in to a dustpan all that is left is a few bones dust
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