Is Cremation Better than Burial?

Answering the question; Is cremation better than burial can be hard. The best way to do this is to ask a few questions:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of being cremated?
What is the cost?
What is the best Urn?

What are the Disadvantages of being cremated?

Most of the reasons I have heard against cremation don’t really make sense to me.

The first is; it is such a permanent choice for deposition. It is so irreversible.

It is against your religious beliefs.

Cremation doesn’t give the same kind of closure as a traditional burial.

It is such a permanent choice

Unless you are planning on being exhumed I am not sure how this makes sense. while it is true that cremation turns the body into its basic elements quickly. I am not sure why that really matters. The ultimate state is going to be the same regardless. We all end up as dust.

It is against your religious beliefs.

I can respect this as a valid reason why someone would not want to choose cremation. There are some religions that frown on or outright forbid cremation. For those whose religion forbids it, I don’t want to offer reasoning why this does not make sense, because if that is your faith it is a matter of faith and not reasoning as to why you would want to honor this belief. Having said that, if you are reading this article you have already determined this is not an issue for you.

Some think, cremation is not as good as burial because it doesn’t give the same kind of closure as burial.

While this can be true it doesn’t have to be true. The reality is many people may choose cremation over a traditional burial because it cost so much less. A traditional funeral has a casket and a memorial service, and the casket is buried in a cemetery. Then a headstone is placed to mark the grave. Once you choose a traditional burial, you have to have a casket, a vault, a funeral plot, and a marker. All of these things are connected to the casket. You can’t get a casket and keep it at home, bury it in the backyard, or place it in some scenic spot. It has to be buried in a plot designated just for that purpose. Usually, the plot is in a cemetery. The Cemetery requires a vault and a marker. the average cost for this is between $7,000 and $10,00 dollars. ( Here is a link if you would like to learn more about this. Funeral Cost)

But the cost of a Funeral should not be the measure of your love for the deceased.

There are few people who are able to say they have loved and cherished those they are close to without any regrets. After the death of a loved one, many feel they didn’t treat their loved one as well as they should have when they were alive. I am not sure this is a conscious thought process for everyone, it can be, but often it is a subconscious one. The resulting feeling creates the desire to really make a big effort to compensate for whatever was lacking in the relationship while they were alive.

Often, a sense of closure is lacking because we do not feel like we have honored and done right by our loved ones after they have passed. Unfortunately, we often equate the fulfillment of those needs with how much we have to sacrifice or give. Some may feel that trying to save money on the funeral of a loved one does not do justice to the way they feel or the memory of the deceased. As a result, cremation is not likely to have the sense of closure they are hoping for.

But that doesn’t have to be the case. You can get the same feeling of closure when you choose cremation if you do it right.

Why cremation is better than burial

There are actually several advantages to being cremated.

It costs less, a lot less.

You have more time to plan a memorial service.

You have more options for a memorial service.

You can still have a traditional funeral, grave, and marker if you wish.

Cremation Cost less

The cost of cremation is the only must-have cost when you choose that as an option. The average varies from $800.00 to $3,000. The reason there is such a difference is based on the level of service you require. If you are making all of the arrangements yourself it will be closer to $800.00. If you are having someone else facilitate the cremation, like a mortuary, it will be more. (Here is a link if you would like to learn more about this. Cremation Cost)

You will have more time to plan the funeral or memorial.

Without being too specific, traditional burials need to happen relatively soon after a person passes. Cremation ashes are stable they will not break down or decompose any further, so the need to have a quick funeral or memorial goes away. This has several advantages.

You can make sure all of your family and friends can attend by picking a time that works for everyone.
You are able schedule the memorial during a particular time of year.
You have time to actually plan a memorial event.

Earlier I mentioned you could get the same kind of closure by choosing cremation as you can with a traditional burial, if you do it right.

How do I do it right?

Take the time to recognize those things that were important to your loved one.

Create an event, a funeral, a memorial, or a celebration of life that will celebrate your loved one’s memory.

Build the event around the things your loved one valued.

Buy an urn and pick a spot to place it that is meaningful to you.

Think about the last memorial or funeral you attended.

What do you remember?

Do you remember the eulogy or the things that were said? Do you remember the procession to the cemetery or the graveside service? What significance did the casket or the flowers have?

While the eulogy, procession and graveside ceremony are all part of a traditional funeral, they are not the parts we tend to remember. The casket and the flowers have meaning because they represent the love and honor we have for the deceased. The parts we remember most, that parts that matter, are the sharing of memories and the creation of new ones as we reunite with family and friends, and renew our connection with them. We remember the feelings of love, friendship, and comfort.

If these are the things we remember then the other elements of the memorial should facilitate them. It does not matter if there is a coffin or urn. As long as they both act as symbols of love and regard.

Having an urn instead of a coffin does not mean that you cannot have a church service. Nor does it mean that you cannot have a burial in the cemetery. It does mean that you don’t have to have a church service and you don’t have to be buried in a cemetery.

In the same way that a coffin becomes the focal point of a funeral, an urn can be an integral part of your funeral or memorial service. In fact, with the variety of urns that are available, you can actually get one that does a better job than a casket at setting the tone for the funeral.

Being able to pick a meaningful urn is one of the things that makes Cremation better than burial.

As mentioned above, An urn is a critical part of creating a sense of closure and showing regard for your loved one. It can be hard to customize and personalize a coffin. But finding an urn that has real meaning to you is not. That is why the right urn makes such a big difference in setting the tone for the memorial or celebration of life. Many even build the memorial around the urn using it as the “theme” for the Memorial. My uncle was a big time fisherman. So it made sense to have the theme “Gone Fishin.” as a big part of his memorial.

When someone dies, it can be difficult to know what to do with their ashes. Some people choose to scatter the ashes. That can be messy and difficult. It also seems a little undignified to be dumped out of a box or bag like dust from a bin. It doesn’t really create a great last memory.

An urn can be a way to honor your loved one’s memory. When you choose an urn select one that reflects your loved one’s personality or interests, rather than a simple box or jar. There are urns available in all shapes, sizes, and materials, so you’re sure to find one that is perfect for your loved one. Many urns also offer a way to personalize them.

One of the nice things about an Everista urn is that you can keep it in your home until you are ready to part with your loved one, whether that be in a month or years. The Urn is designed to remain intact and beautiful until you are ready to lovingly set it in its final resting place.

In Conclusion

Cremation is better than burial if you don’t think of an urn merely as a place to store ashes and think of it instead as a way to to add meaning to your funeral or memorial. An urn that only serves as a place to keep ashes diminishes it purpose. It does not have the dignity, honor, and meaningfulness that a specialized urn can have. Like a coffin, an urn represents the person and the esteem their loved ones have for them. By selecting an urn that has real meaning to the loved ones of the deceased, and creating an event worthy of your loved one’s memory. You create a final lasting memory of them that is shared with those who loved them.

Choosing an urn you can bury, either in the ground or water, enables you to create a hallowed spot where you can go to remember them. It does not matter if that spot is a cemetery, a forest, a mountain lake, or a beach. You can choose a spot that has real meaning and endow it with the memories of your loved one. In the end it is not the coffin, it’s not the funeral or the words spoken. It is the memory of how you said goodbye and the shared comfort and warmth of family and friends that matter.