Funeral pyres here in the UK?

[odyssey2200]

A Hindu guy on Radio 2 today saying thatthere is no requirement in Hindu religion to be toasted on an open fire as the spirit leaves the body atthe time of death and is not left in the body.

"If you burn a body with a spirit in it , that is called Murder" he said.

We have perfectly acceptable ways of disposing of dead bodies, Pick one!

[JiggyP]

odyssey2200 said:

A Hindu guy on Radio 2 today saying thatthere is no requirement in Hindu religion to be toasted on an open fire as the spirit leaves the body atthe time of death and is not left in the body.

"If you burn a body with a spirit in it , that is called Murder" he said.

We have perfectly acceptable ways of disposing of dead bodies, Pick one!

I guess followers of Hinduism, like followers of Christianity and Islam, have different interpretations of the religion.......

[Kermit power]

I'm not sure how this is vastly different from Christians scattering people's ashes in public after they've been cremated?

Personally, I find the whole notion of religion being involved in running the country hugely offensive. We have Christians in the house of Lords who represent no belief that I accept, yet they are empowered by reasons of superstitious historical nonsense to assist in deciding what I can or can't do in this country. In comparison to that, some bloke wanting to be burnt on a funeral pyre is trivial beyond all belief. Good luck to him, I say.

[JiggyP]

Bushmaster said:

And how has Hinduism helped to establish the basic principles of those sciences, 'etc'?

I am not sceptical, mind - just curious.

This is a good start re mathematics:
http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistTo...

[mechsympathy]

odyssey2200 said:

A Hindu guy on Radio 2 today saying thatthere is no requirement in Hindu religion to be toasted on an open fire as the spirit leaves the body atthe time of death and is not left in the body.

"If you burn a body with a spirit in it , that is called Murder" he said.

We have perfectly acceptable ways of disposing of dead bodies, Pick one!

I think part of the issue is that other religions get to jump the queue to be buried within 24 hours of death and they'd like the same consideration.

[Fatboy]

Don said:

Jasandjules said:

I'd LOVE to have a viking funeral meself.

Me too. fk off great pyre, big sword laid on my chest. The wife weeping and wailing before throwing the torch into the kindling. Whoomph!

Bit of drama to the whole thing.

Might be interesting enough a few people would come along to watch. Given my body would be of no further use to me it sounds like an excellent idea to give a few people some entertainment with it (respectfully, of course).

I'd definitely want a Viking funeral - but on a longboat, pushed out into the North Sea.

That trumps my current choice of being cremated, my ashes mixed with itching powder and dumped into the ventilation system in the house of commons, preferably during a lond debate on a hot day. See me irritate them for a change, the wkers.

[Saddle bum]

Fatboy said:

Don said:

Jasandjules said:

I'd LOVE to have a viking funeral meself.

Me too. fk off great pyre, big sword laid on my chest. The wife weeping and wailing before throwing the torch into the kindling. Whoomph!

Bit of drama to the whole thing.

Might be interesting enough a few people would come along to watch. Given my body would be of no further use to me it sounds like an excellent idea to give a few people some entertainment with it (respectfully, of course).

I'd definitely want a Viking funeral - but on a longboat, pushed out into the North Sea.

That trumps my current choice of being cremated, my ashes mixed with itching powder and dumped into the ventilation system in the house of commons, preferably during a lond debate on a hot day. See me irritate them for a change, the wkers.

A proper Viking funeral has a dog laid at the feet of the departed - any Liebour politician will do.

[5unny]

Chainguy said:

Simpo Two said:

Aowhs102 said:

I hope that the vast majority of people on PH would regonise the contribution the Hindi comunity has made to the UK

Assume they don't, and educate them.


As for funeral pyres, it would be a very handy way to dispose of murder victims and other embarassing bodies before the police can investigate.

A couple of years ago, I watched a brilliant documentary on Channel 4 (a channel set up specifically with the mandate to promote ethnic and sexual minorities in the UK) where a reformed heroin addict, now a lecturer at Salford University, explained all about how the explosion of cheap 'brown' as he called it, is due to the Hindi community getting the boot out of Uganda by Idi Amin and bringing into the UK whatever they could transport that was small and easy, and could be turned into ready cash. Documented fact apparently. The chap had written a book on it that I'm sure those more in tune with current academia could find if they wished.

So, if we're having the good, we need to have the bad as well. Let us judge contributuons from an open book. Only fair.

With regards to the pyres, I am not in favour. Another lovely 3rd world import. Something the UK is getting increasingly good at.

Its well documented that Indian immigrants from Uganda in the 70s smuggled Heroin into the country and thus led to a 'explosion' in use and drop in price?

I for one would like to see the 'documented' evidence of this allegation. It seems a little far fetched but I'm happy to be proved incorrect if some evidence is provided.

Edited by 5unny on Tuesday 24th March 21:17

[HD Adam]

shalmaneser said:

Go for it i say. I quite fancy being burnt on an alter after I pass away.

Light by a flaming arrow though, obviously.

I'm in complete agreement here.

Living on the East coast, I think I can claim a bit of Viking heritage so put me down for the Longboat, flaming arrows and massive "full moon" style beach party wake with flagons of ale, axe throwing and a bit of pillage.

[GavinPearson]

I don't think it's acceptable. It's about as ecologically unsound as you can get from a carbon footprint and air pollution perspective and hypocritical to call for curbs on local & global pollution then permit this.

[Ace-T]

Don said:

I can see the slogan now...

AdvertisingLiterature said:

The Big Send-Off! Undertakers with Style!

Have you thought there's nothing so boring as a church filled with grieving relatives? Fancy heading for the afterlife with a bit more oomph?

Let TheBigSendOff arrange your ultra-cool funeral ceremony! We'll sort out the hog roast and dispose of your remains at the same time! Want a Viking Longship burnt - hell, it's only money and you can't take it with you! Fancy firing your ashes into orbit? We've got the fireworks for you!

If you want we can even arrange the all new Alka Seltzer Special and dissolve your corpse in front of your admiring mourners!

Why bore your friends to death - when you can entertain them with yours!

We know YOU won't be around when you need our services - so buy in advance. Come see us today! Remember - It's never too soon to plan for the inevitable!

Quoted because that has RUINED my keyboard you git! Red wine EVERYWHERE!

Don said:

Why bore your friends to death - when you can entertain them with yours!

Brilliant

Trace

[eharding]

HD Adam said:

Living on the East coast, I think I can claim a bit of Viking heritage so put me down for the Longboat, flaming arrows and massive "full moon" style beach party wake with flagons of ale, axe throwing and a bit of pillage.

I've long expressed the wish for a Viking funeral. Knowing my sodding luck though, there'll be a typo when they book it, and it will end up with the mourners dressed in high visibility waterproofs and stout walking boots, readings from Wainwright's endless bloody illustrated guides to the Lake District at the Service, and heaps of Kendal Mint-cake at the reception afterwards. Arse.

[stackmonkey]

I have 2 objections to the proposal
One is the 'floodgates argument'. If we allow this, we would have to allow virtually any other religious death ceremony as well. No ta.
Second one is actually environmental. A couple of people have mentioned crematoria and smoke etc.
'stackmonkey', my user name, is actually an industry nickname for people who do my previous job of measuring air pollution being emitted from chimney stacks; that includes crematoria. Having 'done' about 40 crematoria over the years, I can tell you that they are very strictly controlled with regards to the burning, emissions etc.
If combustion isn't controlled well enough (and an open fire isn't controlled enough) then you DO get the smell and you WILL get the black smoke and you WILL get ashes blowing around.

[TheEnd]

Kinda like bonfire night then, really.

What kind of a backward country burns an effigy of an apparent traitor, en masse across the country!

[eharding]

TheEnd said:

Kinda like bonfire night then, really.

What kind of a backward country burns an effigy of an apparent traitor, en masse across the country!

That's a very good point.....when you reflect upon it, it is astounding how that act of treachery has resounded down through the centuries.

Which leads to me pondering...imagine the scene, in a couple of hundred years time, when the the inhabitants of this island still indulge in the burning of an effigy on a bonfire - although on a different date - and the question asked by one small child at a village bonfire, as the grotesque figure atop the pyre finally starts to smoulder, wreathed in the smoke from wet, unseasoned timber:

"Daddy...why is it called Winky McF***nut Night?"

[Don]

Ace-T said:

Quoted because that has RUINED my keyboard you git! Red wine EVERYWHERE!

[thinfourth2]

I think the main problem that people have with the Hindu funeral pyres is the Hindu bit

I think Viking Funeral pyres would be far more readily accepted