Fantastic video, Mark. Thanks!
This video gives a nice succinct overview of the green burial movement. What I find most interesting is the mention of a trend in New Zealand away from scattering of ashes and back to burial in places where graves can later be visited. This fits with my own belief that scattering, however it might superficially seem environmentally logical, will come back to haunt us sociologically. I think we will rediscover that it is important to remember our loved ones and for that we will need a fixed physical place, and moreover, an enduring physical indication of the buried person's identity. That is, we need a cemetery with durable grave markers, whether the buried remains be ashes or bodies and in whatever type of "green" cemetery....In traditionally-oriented islands of culture that remain in the western world, visiting the resting places of own's relatives is still an important part of life - my Greek Orthodox in-laws make daily visits to the graves of their own parents in their village. Scattering would be inconceivable to these people, since it would cut off all possibility of psychological communication with the deceased (however one-way (!) this might be, it serves an important psychological process). In our own society, we can observe a gradual trend of returning to traditional values - this will continue, and views on death and burial will not be excluded. Scattering will slowly come to be considered a bad idea, as it was in the past.But let us be clear: if we are to return to traditional ways, let it be to truly traditional ways - embalming and indestructible caskets are NOT part of our tradition, they are relatively recent aberrations.Let us rather be intelligent: reclaim what was wise in tradition and will work for us too (natural burial, enduring markers in perpetual cemeteries), and get rid of silly deviations (embalming and body preservation in general) and what will no longer work for us (gloomy Victorian aesthetics etc). But to get rid of everything we have inherited without distinction is simply reactionary and unwise. Scattering is such a reactionary movement; it is to throw the baby out with the bathwater.Thomas Friesefriese(at)attglobal.net
Thanks for checking in, Cynthia. Hope all's well. Well said, Thomas. For anyone interested in following the exchange Thomas and Billy Campbell have had on this issue, see this blog post:http://grave-matters.blogspot.com/2008/10/first-green-burial-conference-more-on.htmlMark Harris
As a funeral director, I always value people who add value to the information available to educate their readers. Great video.
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Fantastic video, Mark. Thanks!
This video gives a nice succinct overview of the green burial movement.
What I find most interesting is the mention of a trend in New Zealand away from scattering of ashes and back to burial in places where graves can later be visited. This fits with my own belief that scattering, however it might superficially seem environmentally logical, will come back to haunt us sociologically. I think we will rediscover that it is important to remember our loved ones and for that we will need a fixed physical place, and moreover, an enduring physical indication of the buried person's identity. That is, we need a cemetery with durable grave markers, whether the buried remains be ashes or bodies and in whatever type of "green" cemetery....
In traditionally-oriented islands of culture that remain in the western world, visiting the resting places of own's relatives is still an important part of life - my Greek Orthodox in-laws make daily visits to the graves of their own parents in their village. Scattering would be inconceivable to these people, since it would cut off all possibility of psychological communication with the deceased (however one-way (!) this might be, it serves an important psychological process).
In our own society, we can observe a gradual trend of returning to traditional values - this will continue, and views on death and burial will not be excluded. Scattering will slowly come to be considered a bad idea, as it was in the past.
But let us be clear: if we are to return to traditional ways, let it be to truly traditional ways - embalming and indestructible caskets are NOT part of our tradition, they are relatively recent aberrations.
Let us rather be intelligent: reclaim what was wise in tradition and will work for us too (natural burial, enduring markers in perpetual cemeteries), and get rid of silly deviations (embalming and body preservation in general) and what will no longer work for us (gloomy Victorian aesthetics etc).
But to get rid of everything we have inherited without distinction is simply reactionary and unwise. Scattering is such a reactionary movement; it is to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Thomas Friese
friese(at)attglobal.net
Thanks for checking in, Cynthia. Hope all's well.
Well said, Thomas. For anyone interested in following the exchange Thomas and Billy Campbell have had on this issue, see this blog post:
http://grave-matters.blogspot.com/2008/10/first-green-burial-conference-more-on.html
Mark Harris
As a funeral director, I always value people who add value to the information available to educate their readers. Great video.
Post a Comment