When it comes to death, either we or our family has to decide what to do with the body. When I look at countries burying people in layers or like this Jewish Church in the Czech Republic, Kutna Hora, I find myself shaking my head. Link http://www.wayfaring.info/2007/06/09/a-unique-work-of-high-and-late... The same stuff happens in cemeteries. They'll double sell plots now. We stockpile people like cord wood in the ground, or in churches, but what's the end game? Just keep stacking? Why?

Religiously speaking a Jew isn't to be cremated. It's against tradition. Christians are waiting for Jesus to return and since it's going to happen any day now, you should be buried so that he can raise you up. But for Atheists, do any of us want to be buried? I have chosen donating my body to science (gotta finish that paperwork) and the remains will be cremated, not that I care what happens. If you have chosen burial, what drives you to that decision? If not, why not?

For me, I just fantasize that I might be able to add to a statistic understanding or scientific experiment and give a few organs to those in need.

Tags: Burial, Choice, Cremation, Death

Views: 29

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Wikipedia: All the eyewitness accounts remarked on the fact that the rogyapas did not perform their task with gravity or ceremony, but rather talked and laughed as during any other type of physical labor.

While dismembering the body for consumption, people. Awesome.

That reminds me of the old Jewish Cemetery in Prague, where the graves are literally stacked on top of each other.  There's around 12,000 tombstones there.  Crazy people.

 

Death has never been a big thing for me, In the end I'm not really bothered what happens to my body after I die, as long as it's put to some good use.

I have only one stipulation tho; absolutely no religious involvement.

Ultimately we'll all eventually return to be part of the universe, 'stardust' so to speak.

I've never understood why some feel the drive to be buried with their families like this. If you believe in Heaven, the location here means nothing. If you are a non-believer, you don't picture an afterlife. So who are... these people?
My family members. :-/

I want to be cremated and have my ashes buried in the soil where a tree is planted.  this way I will be "one with the tree" so to speak.  not in a reincarnation way, but in a symbolic way where my descendants/family can come to  visit me, instead of a cement tomb stone.

 

if not a tree, something of that nature.  know what I mean?

I find it interesting that virtually every person on this thread said they wanted to donate whatever they could. Can you imagine if this was just as common amongst theists? We wouldn't have the horrific organ donor shortages as we do now.

 

Anyway, at death I would also like to donate whatever organs and body parts are still usable. And while donating the rest to science for med school studies is a good thing, I learned after my mother died that it also means being 'preserved' with all of the chemicals, similar to what is done in preparation for burial.

 

Likewise, cremation is harder on the environment than one would think.

 

I am encouraged by the rising popularity of "green" burials, some version of natural decomp, and have expressed a preference for this if available.

 

More than anything, though, I've told my family I do not want them spending a bunch of money disposing of my remains. Whatever is the least expensive method is fine by me.

I plan on doing the donation to science and then cremation as well, I would like to think I could go to the body farm for forensic analysis. As long as some good can come from it, I'm all for it.
Ever seen weekend at Bernie's?! I'm kidding.8) If I outlive my immediate family, I want to be donated to science, specifically plastinated; honestly for no other reason than "It is very cool" and my jaw slammed to the floor when I first saw it. If not, then I suppose my family can do what allows them to feel the most closure. Hopefully it's to have me plastinated!

RSS

Gizmo Gadget - Purveyros of the finest gadgets this side of the Amazon

Forum

Friend doesn't believe in dinosaurs.

Started by Redlilly Pond in Welcome to Think Atheist. Last reply by Lance Angus Miles 1 minute ago. 23 Replies

Events

Videos

  • Add Videos
  • View All

Services we love

Backup your stuff: Dropbox and SugarSync.

Atheist Web Hosting. TA members get 20% off
RFEHosting.com
We are in love with our Amazon
Book Store!

 

Check out our new mobile/tablet version of Think Atheist! www.ThinkAtheist.com/m

© 2013   Created by Morgan Matthew.

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service