Of all world religions, Islam is probably the most strongly opposed to cremation. Unlike Judaism and Christianity, there is little diversity of opinion about it. Cremation is considered by Islam to be an unclean practice.
Since the Bible does not ban nor promote cremation, most Christian denominations do not consider cremation to be sinful. The Catholic church, however, held an opposing view for many years.
As a Catholic, may I be cremated? Yes. In May 1963, the Vatican's Holy Office (now the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith) lifted the prohibition forbidding Catholics to choose cremation.
Jews believe that this standard is held for people of all nations and religions. Following death, the soul (perhaps partially) leaves the body and enters heaven. When resurrection takes place, the soul will reunite with the body. Therefore, a complete burial is required by the Talmud.
According to most Biblical study websites, there is no explicit scriptural command for or against cremation. There are no passages that forbid cremation, according to most Biblical scholars.
In Christian countries, cremation fell out of favor due to the Christian belief in the physical resurrection of the body. Christians also used burial as a mark of difference from the Iron Age European pre-Christian Pagan religions, which usually cremated their dead.
For most Christians today, the question of cremation is largely left to individual discretion. Many Christians choose cremation as an alternative to burial, while still retaining those aspects of their traditional funeral practices that allow them to honor the lives of their loved ones and glorify God.
A Hindu's body is normally cremated within 24 hours of death, the ashes scattered in sacred water or a sentimental place, and a ceremony held 10 days later to free the dead person's soul so it can rise to heaven.
A 1986 report by the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards states that cremation is against Jewish tradition and should be advised so by the Rabbi. The report goes on to say that if your family ignores the Rabbi's advice, the Rabbi may still choose to officiate the service at a funeral parlor before the cremation.
Muslims are always buried, never cremated. It is a religious requirement that the body be ritually washed and draped before burial, which should be as soon as possible after death.
Nor can the ashes be scattered in the air, land or sea since doing so would give the appearance of "pantheism, naturalism or nihilism," the guidelines said. It repeated church teaching that Catholics who choose to be cremated for reasons contrary to the Christian faith must be denied a Christian funeral.
The Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary says, “The Church prays for those who find themselves unable to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and of the Viaticum, entrusting each and every one to divine Mercy by virtue of the communion of saints and granting the faithful a Plenary Indulgence on the point ...
However, it's important to remember that the Bible does not explicitly prohibit or endorse cremation or the keeping of ashes. Ultimately, the decision of what to do with the ashes of a loved one is a personal one, and should be made based on what feels right for the family.
No matter what a person's preference is, from the Christian perspective, cremation does not prevent one from going to Heaven.
During cremation, the body parts that do burn consist of organs, soft tissue, hair, and skin, while the water in our bodies evaporates. The body parts that do not burn are bone fragments.
The reunion of believing loved ones
When Paul writes to believers who grieve the loss of a loved one, he offers them this comfort: “We who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17, emphasis mine).
Buddhists and cremation
Due to their belief in reincarnation, cremation is seen as the preferred choice when a loved one dies. The physical body holds little significance to the Buddhist faith, it is merely a vessel for holding the soul. Buddhists also believe in organ donation as it is seen as a good deed.
Jewish Death Rituals According to Jewish Law
The deceased is buried in a simple pine coffin. The deceased is buried wearing a simple white shroud (tachrichim). The body is guarded or watched from the moment of death until after burial.
In fact, Hinduism is the only religion that mandates cremation, which is known as antim sanskar, or last rites. It is usually performed within 24 hours of death or as soon as possible, due to the fact that Hinduism also doesn't traditionally use embalming or other preservation tactics.
Origins Of The Tradition
In Jewish communities, people gather at the burial and throw either 3 or 13 spadefuls of dirt on the casket. These customs are based on the idea of three layers of the soul in the case of 3 spadefuls, and throwing 13 spadefuls is a reference to the 13 spadefuls in the Psalms.
While traditionally inhumation was favoured, in the present day the dead are often cremated rather than buried, particularly in large cities in China.
Islam. The sacred texts of Islam prefer burial on land, "so deep that its smell does not come out and the beasts of prey do not dig it out". However, if a person dies at sea and it is not possible to bring the body back to land before decay, or if burial at land becomes impossible, burial at sea is allowed.
But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing. Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.”
According to the Bible, dinosaurs must have been created by God on the sixth day of creation. Genesis 1:24 says, “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.”
For this is what the LORD says: "Do not enter a house where there is a funeral meal; do not go to mourn or show sympathy, because I have withdrawn my blessing, my love and my pity from this people," declares the LORD.