The American Way of Death

CREMATION

SERVICES

The American Way of Death

What happened to just burying people? What happened to people gathering at the graveyard to give their condolences? Cremation happened. Cremation in definition is the use of high-temperature burning, vaporization, and oxidation to reduce dead animal or human bodies to basic chemical compounds, such as gases and mineral fragments retaining the appearance of dry bone.

Cremation is not an alternative to a funeral, but rather an alternative to burial or other forms of disposal. In modern society, more and more people are looking to cremate their loved ones rather than bury them.

Cremation has slowly starting to become more favorable over burying people. Why is that? Because cremation is much less expensive than a burial service, it disposes of the body quickly, and you can keep the ashes of your loved ones. Some people solely cremate their loved ones because it is cheap, and i do not blame them. Nowadays to bury a person the cost gets to the thousands and sometimes even the ten thousands. People without the money have no other option but to cremate their loved ones into ashes. The cost of a burial should decrease or should become a free service the country provides rather than a cost or burden to people. In the U.S, the cost of cremation is currently $1395.00, and the cost of an average burial is $8,565.00. See the difference? The practice of cremation is one that is exploding and more and more cremation service centers are opening up. however most religions discourage the practice of cremation of dead bodies, but people of all religions still do it.

A body in a fire based crematory oven
 of Lakewood Cemetery

I however strongly disagree with the idea of cremation. It is ethically immoral. I believe once a person passes away, they should be buried and given respect and a proper burial. They should not be put in a furnace and reduced to ashes. Josh Sanburn, a writer for the TIME magazine says, by 2017, one out of two Americans will choose cremation over burial. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, The cremation rate in the United States has been increasing steadily with the national average rate rising from 3.56% in 1960 to 40.62% in 2010 and projections from the Cremation Association of North America forecasting a rate of 44.42% in 2015 and 55.65% in 2025.Does that not worry you? That when you pass away you possibly might end up in an oven? Do you think the phrase "Rest In Peace" will stand? Why must we even complicate death?