What'll we do with our dead?

Hammer89 · 10-01-2019 5:21pm #1

Let's call a spade a spade: graveyards won't last, will they? We're a godless generation, us Milennials. Has there ever been another generation as detached from religion as us? Potentially not, and if that's the case, which it might well be, then how is this not going to have a knock-on effect for traditional, Christian burials?

Funeral and burial preferences have changed quite a lot. There was a time when cremation was a bit bold in the eyes of the church, a bit un-Christian-like, but now 33% of dead people are opting for this. This highlights a detachment even in non-Millenials, so how different could the landscape be in 40 or 50 years, when it's our time to go?

I appreciate that it's popular for the ashes of deceased people to be buried in graveyards to this day, but there's a chance we'll move further away from this in time, as people grow less sentimental over the idea of being buried with their loved ones. It's a lovely idea and I've nothing wrong with it obviously, but I don't think my generation will draw the same warmth and solace from it as our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

Who knows lads, but what I do know - or at least think - is that graveyards are f*cked. I'm not sure they'll physically go anywhere, but I do think the business side of them will suffer in the long run.

pleas advice · 10-01-2019 5:23pm

Dig up, stupid

El Weirdo · 10-01-2019 5:25pm

Hammer89 wrote: »

...It's a lovely idea ...

Yes. Lovely.

Mr. Incognito · 10-01-2019 5:26pm

They will all rot when they fall during the Millenial Plague

orourkeda1977 · 10-01-2019 5:26pm

You can burn my fat ass.

You could run the national grid for a week off it.

Deebles McBeebles · 10-01-2019 5:27pm

Bring out your dead.

[Deleted User] · 10-01-2019 5:28pm

Breaking news:

A two seat Cessna has crashed in a cemetery in Kerry.

A Garda spokesperson has said 26 bodies have been recovered so far, but more are expected as digging goes on in to the night.

Zorya · 10-01-2019 5:28pm

Cremation for me and ashes into the Atlantic sailing westwards. I have heard though that there is a problem with the ashes from cremation - very alkaline they are. And millions and millions of people's ashes might be a problem for soil.

Graveyards are a bit spooky. The whole thing about liquifying and decomposing in a box...yuck. But you know, each to their own. We have plenty of space for graveyards in Ireland as we have low population density. Might be better to have grave forests though and bury bodies in shrouds under trees.

As an alternative bring back wolves and build excarnation platforms, and maybe the animals will drag off the bones and deal with them. Hmmm.

Gravelly · 10-01-2019 5:34pm

I've often wondered if burial will fall victim to the environmentalists - all those bodies in the ground are surely keeping some tree-hugger awake at night, worrying about polluting the water table, releasing CO2 and all that. Not to mention all the wood used in making coffins. All it will take is one millenial to float the idea that he wants his remains draped over a tree to feed the animals, and they'll all be at it.

oLoonatic · 10-01-2019 5:36pm

Graveyards always seemed a waste to me for both space and cost, i want the cheapest possible funeral. I've already made it very clear to cremate me and do as they wish with my ashes.

topper75 · 10-01-2019 5:38pm

Zorya wrote: »

Cremation for me and ashes into the Atlantic sailing westwards.

Sailing westwards? Nope. Prevailing winds here mean you will end up stuck in some kid's icecream on a bleak Lahinch promenade. So in that respect you will live on.

randd1 · 10-01-2019 5:39pm

Wouldn't it be better just to put people into the ground in paper garments and just let nature take it's course?

Heard of this idea years ago of planting seeds with the body, and using the nutrients from decomposing body to grow trees or crops. Not a bad way to go.

Ten of Swords · 10-01-2019 5:45pm

The future: Put a poll on social media listing 4 or 5 methods of disposal and whichever gets the most likes and shares is chosen and live streamed.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 10-01-2019 5:46pm

My friend wants to be buried at sea. It’s allowed in Ireland, but there are rules. You need a permit. Your corpse needs to be tagged so that they know who you are and that you aren’t a murder victim if you’re washed up. Your coffin needs to be weighted but contain holes to make sure it sinks. Or I think you can go sans coffin, if you want.

[Deleted User] · 10-01-2019 5:50pm

Burn me and stick my ashes in the sea, or scatter them anywhere, i don't care.

I don't want anyone to feel obliged to come to a bleak, wet cemetery on my birthday, Christmas etc. and put flowers on my grave.

Gravelly · 10-01-2019 5:51pm

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

My friend wants to be buried at sea. It’s allowed in Ireland, but there are rules. You need a permit. Your corpse needs to be tagged so that they know who you are and that you aren’t a murder victim if you’re washed up. Your coffin needs to be weighted but contain holes to make sure it sinks. Or I think you can go sans coffin, if you want.[/QUOTE]

I believe they call that Bin Laden Style.

Hammer89 · 10-01-2019 5:53pm

randd1 wrote: »

Wouldn't it be better just to put people into the ground in paper garments and just let nature take it's course?

There'll be no insertion into the earth, going forward. Future generations will think it's as unconventional as we think of Egyptian burials.

'You'll never guess what our ancestors used to do for burials.
'Go on then, what did they do?'
'Right, so they put the bodies in these long wooden yokes first...'
'Like boats?'
'Yes but twice as expensive as boats and not as long. Anyway, then that box - I think they called them coffins - would get lowered into the ground.'
'Mental c*nts.'
'Absolutely'.

Beasty · 10-01-2019 5:54pm

There must be an opportunity here. Who will dispose of the remains of the final human? Should be training up robots to do it....

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 10-01-2019 5:56pm

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

My friend wants to be buried at sea. It’s allowed in Ireland, but there are rules. You need a permit. Your corpse needs to be tagged so that they know who you are and that you aren’t a murder victim if you’re washed up. Your coffin needs to be weighted but contain holes to make sure it sinks. Or I think you can go sans coffin, if you want.

The guidelines: http://www.dttas.ie/sites/default/files/content/maritime/english/general/environment/burial-sea-guidelines.pdf

Wibbs · 10-01-2019 5:58pm

rossie1977 · 10-01-2019 6:02pm

Certainly going nowhere here in West of Ireland. Funerals, gravestones are huge business here still with everyone competing with each other and funerals themselves being some of the biggest events with death notices on radio something I would suspect everyone listening to Midwest and shannonside regularly tune in for.

I have seen 3 of my friends die, one as recently as last year and all have gotten a Christian burial even though none were religious.

Look at it this way how many non Christian weddings are taking place in modern Ireland..maybe 10%? How many young couples don't baptise their kids?

lawred2 · 10-01-2019 6:02pm

randd1 wrote: »

Wouldn't it be better just to put people into the ground in paper garments and just let nature take it's course?

Heard of this idea years ago of planting seeds with the body, and using the nutrients from decomposing body to grow trees or crops. Not a bad way to go.

I'd be happy with that

A big wooden box is wasteful

Hammer89 · 10-01-2019 6:02pm

Aegir wrote: »

Burn me and stick my ashes in the sea, or scatter them anywhere, i don't care.

I don't want anyone to feel obliged to come to a bleak, wet cemetery on my birthday, Christmas etc. and put flowers on my grave.

They wouldn't go anyway; not because they don't love and miss you, but because we're increasingly finding better ways in which to honour our loved ones and they don't involve crying over a large bit of marble with your name on it.

CalamariFritti · 10-01-2019 6:05pm

We're all just stardust no matter what you do with it. Which is actually rather poetic and nice. I'm ok with cremation.

Silent Running · 10-01-2019 6:10pm

My instructions are to take from my corpse anything that can be used to help another living person, and burn the rest. I don't care what happens with the ashes. I've no romantic notions about where they go.

Oink · 10-01-2019 6:14pm

Shoot me out of a cannon while playing The Ace of Spades so loud that anyone within a ten-mile radius goes deaf and Lemmy rises from the dead.

mordeith · 10-01-2019 6:21pm

Oink wrote: »

Shoot me out of a cannon while playing The Ace of Spades so loud that anyone within a ten-mile radius goes deaf and Lemmy rises from the dead.

I was always impressed with Sean Lock's wish to be fly tipped on a hedge in a scenic area. That way he could continue to annoy people even when he's dead.