Burials

You've raised some issues that would take us way off topic and probably into a few years' discussion if we pursued them so I just want to stick to the point about "how we think of each other" which to you seems to be out of the usual realm of thought for a "true Christian."Not sure why. I'm commanded to love my neighbor as myself. That command is a summation of the second part of the Ten Commandments. Not to murder them, which Jesus extended to hating them, not to bear false witness against them, not to commit adultery which is usually an offense against another, not to covet anything that belongs to them, not to steal from them. Pretty basic stuff but it has extended applications that can take a few sermons to fully describe each offense. Stealing for instance includes stealing their reputation, their standing in others' eyes. Your attack on "true Christians" is a violation of this command I'd say, but then we are all guilty of putting each other down, aren't we. There's a general indictment of gossip in here too, clearly overlapping with not bearing false witness, or creating a negative view of a person. I suppose I'd refer to these commands as an argument for treating all human beings as valuable, including in how we deal with them in death.Those commands are just one Biblical basis for honoring other human beings and it's specific to individuals but does imply a general respect as well.Another is that we are told we are all made in the image of God. And this was reinforced when God told Noah that whoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.And David asks God, What is man that You are mindful of him, or take knowledge of him? And Job asks What is man that You should magnify him and set Your heart on him? God regards us highly, though why He does can be mysterious.All these are Biblical reasons to value, honor, respect and seek the wellbeing of humanity, but as I said I felt the same before I became a Christian and hated the kind of stuff that treats us as accidental combinations of chemicals that are casually disposable, or as mere animals or less than animals. Not that I don't love animals too, but you get my point.Now that I've said all that I've forgotten the context.

You see a contradiction there? I don't. Perhaps you can explain.ABE: I guess you think I'm discussing it from a theologicial point of view after saying I wasn't. I don't think so. Just mentioning one theological opinion isn't making a theological issue of the whole thing. Edited by Faith, : No reason given.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

tangle, the point was that the thrust of my argument is not theological and that has never changed. Theological arguments enter into this so I commented on one of them but that is not the position from which I have been arguing. Sheesh.

Like I said, it's a matter of psychological impressions, symbolism, not actuality. Treating the body respectfully by laying it in a box rather than burning it to ashes just seems more respectful, that's all. People need a sense that the dead are being treated well by US, by society, by the culture; what happens to it after that isn't the point. However, I also conceded that there's no necessary lack of respect in cremation, depends on how it's done and what people have in their minds about death.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

Since when is giving an opinion making oneself an "arbiter"? Just getting the opinion across is like pulling teeth around here but that's all it is, an opinion. I would hope it's persuasive, I've tried to make it persuasive, but if it isn't for you, so what? And how do YOU get to feel you are the arbiter of what being treated well means when you say it means to "return it back to nature where it belongs?" That's just an opinion too, one I've argued does NOT convey respect for human beings, but you pronounce it as dogma.

Sigh.Please follow the argument. Why can't there be different ways of conveying respect? The subject of this thread is death, and I'm talking about how the whole culture may express respect or lack of respect for human beings by their attitude to death.