However, the increasingly religious overtones made the practice punishable by death in the middle ages. In the 20th century, religious leaders started to change their minds, so long as religious services and affirmation of dogmatic principles was made. Obviously, the entire world cannot be a cemetery, so with the increasing population and space limitations, cremation is the most efficient manner of respectfully disposing of a body.
Eastern Orthodox religions especially look down upon cremation services and will sometimes deny religious service for the deceased if they willfully choose it. Catholics have just recently warmed up to the idea, as long as a funeral or burial is still undertaken. Protestants are more tolerant and sometimes even scatter ashes in a "garden of remembrance." Additionally, Lutherans, Methodists, Quakers, Scientologists and Universalists all allow cremations.
In Hinduism and Buddhism, cremation services (or "antim-samskara" meaning "last rites") are mandatory. It is believed that cremation detaches the fresh spirit from its earthly body and assists the passage to the next world. After a brief prayer service, the nearest male relative submerses the ashes in the holy Ganges River.
In Japan and Taiwan, 99% of the dead are cremated and the cremation ceremony is slightly different. Instead of pulverizing the bones to ash, the bone fragment remains are given to the family members and the relatives use chopsticks to pick up the fragments (starting with the feet and ending with the head) and transfer them to an urn.
The remains are sometimes buried in a company cemetery or family burial plot for $2 million yen. For $400,000 yen, the bones are placed in a "Graveyard Apartment," which is a locker-sized unit. In this technologically savvy way to commemorate the departed, mourners are greeted by touch-screens with videos, messages, a family tree and other information.
Whether Japanese, Buddhist, Catholic or Protestant, cremation services are widely recognized as a respectful way to say goodbye to the departed. You may want to schedule a viewing or a memorial service at a funeral parlor before the incineration takes place, to offer loved ones a chance to properly mourn the dead. You may then choose to bury the ashes, spread them in the sea, shoot them into space or place them in an urn on the mantel.
You can choose to hold a memorial cremation service with your local funeral home this way everyone can come together to say goodbye to the lost loved one, and have a time to reflect on all the memories you have shared together. You can also use a rental casket, and have a viewing of your loved one before the cremation has been preformed. This is wonderful because it gives everyone a chance to have one last look at there loved one. Cremation services can be held in your local funeral home, a church, or any other location you fill is the best location to hold your services.
Cremation Urns are a wonderful way to remember your loved one and they come in all shapes and sizes. With a cremation urn you are able to store the cremation ashes in a container of your choice that will fit your taste. Cremation urns come in vase, wood, marble, photo, bronze, and many other materials and formats.
Some people prefer to release the cremation ashes in a particular location of importance to the family. Such as a favorite lake, garden, ocean, etc. This is a wonderful method of allowing closer for the family as the say goodbye to their loved one.
One major benefit of cremation is that it is cheaper than a traditional funeral service, and for families that might be struggling financially cremation might be the best option for them to look into. With a traditional funeral there is the cost of embalming, funeral service, casket, burial marker, plot, and many other expenses that you are not forced to deal with if you choose cremation. Plus, is the body is donated to science in many cases the cremation can be received free to the family.
If you choose cremation you can still have all the services offered for a regular funeral. Cremation is becoming more popular in the United States and in some states has become the majority choose over traditional funeral services, and with the increase of cremations in the United States, so have the options for a cremation increased.
Now, that you know some of the options for cremation I would advise you to speak with a local funeral director to help you plan out your cremation service. A local funeral director can assist you with any questions that you have about the cremation process, and can also inform you as to what services that their funeral home has to offer. Remember you can choose any funeral home you want to hold your cremation services, so be sure to ask plenty of questions, and make sure that the funeral home is doing their part to help you through this difficult time of loss. The funeral home should be knowledgeable and helpful. If they are not I would look for a different funeral home that can better assist you.
Both Mike Selvon & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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