This may seem morbid, but it is a question that really bothers me. Why do we emb

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   Mark Pittsposted 12 years ago

   This may seem morbid, but it is a question that really bothers me. Why do we embalm our dead?
   
   Why do we spend thousands of dollars on expensive dirt cadillacs with expensive buried parking garages? The funeral, the wake, all of that I understand as a celebration of the life that passed, an opportunity to console each other, ectcetera. But the expense of embalming, and the box to bury a body in, an a liner for the hole? Why? If the answer is that it is the law, why did we allow such an idiotic law. It can't be for health reasons, bodies are biodegradable, I checked.

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   ChristinSposted 12 years ago

   I've often wondered about that myself.  I have chosen to opt for cremation as a result.  I do believe funerals are helpful as you said, but that can be done without a casket etc.   I really would not want to have people view my dead body in a casket - that idea kind of creeps me out. 
   
   I would want a funeral where people would remember me as I was in life.  I have considered having a special urn made or perhaps having some of my ashes placed into cremation jewelry - but yeah, I think burial - particularly embalming and encasing people, is utterly ridiculous. 
   
   Some of it may have to do with religious beliefs.  Some people believe that God will literally raise people out of the grave at some point - so perhaps that and for alleged "health reasons".  I can't see how having embalming fluid leaching into the ground is healthy though...

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   Becky Katzposted 12 years ago

   I do not know why we embalm and bury. Embalming is to keep the body from smelling before people can get there for the funeral. But I think that cremation is the way to go. Put a nice enlarged picture of the deceased up there and just let people remember them as they were.

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   athena2011posted 12 years ago

   Interesting question. I do not have the answer but came to this to see if anyone did. So I understand now that it is done to preserve the body until it can be buried. That kinda makes sense. I find, however, that funerals can be ridiculously expensive so I have opted for cremation when my time comes.

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