Poll: Are Cemetaries a Waste of Space?

[Kurokami]

Is it worth devoting land to the dead? Is visiting a grave site part of the grieving process? Do religious beliefs require it, or will the dead get pissed off and haunt us if they don't have a grave?

Thoughts.

Or, vote yes or no.

The dead shouldn't care and personally I believe in good fashioned cremation, actually I hope my family will keep my body as an heirloom and occasionally use it for a prank.

 

[Twilight_guy]

One of the things that separates us from the beasts is burying our dead. Humans want to be remembered and we want to remember them so we build cemeteries and we grieve. We wonder why, we lament and we remember. Cemeteries our part of the human process and anyone who want them removed completely is voting for non-remembrance of the dead (in a way) which is a vote for cold emotionlessness.

Our higher level of thinking is what separates us from "the beasts" (though I think I'd have to argue we are beasts, sometimes worse). Our intelligence allows (some of) us to overcome and control our emotions when it is practical. I don't think the cemetery thing really matters at this point in time (making exceptions for local cases where there is overcrowding and limited space) but someday it may become an issue.

And you don't think emotions and emotional connections to the dead constitute 'higher thinking'? It's one of the effects of our higher levels of thinking. and thus one of the things that separates us from animals.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

No not at all

 

[FretfulGnome]

Are cemeteries taking up all that much space? It's really a non-issue.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

No, especially in our modern day of age. People (including me) want to be buried. You cannot deny them their right to be buried. Plus, they are usually buried on ground belonging to the church, so the only way you could build over a cemetery is to buy it from the churches.

 

[rokkolpo]

Hell to the yes!

When I'm dead, burn me or feed me to the Zoo lions or something. Anything would be better than spending the rest of forever in a box.

getting eaten by maggots.

 

[Mikkaddo]

Is it worth devoting land to the dead? Is visiting a grave site part of the grieving process? Do religious beliefs require it, or will the dead get pissed off and haunt us if they don't have a grave?

Thoughts.

Or, vote yes or no.

Of course it's not a waste of space! no matter what faith you believe in (if any) every system shows respect for the dead, whether you think they can come back or not . . . besides that, if there were no cemetaries . . . what would we do with them all? burn them? fine, but what do we do with the ashes? mass grave somewhere like a dump? think of the HORRIFYING smell that would come from it, not to mention the bugs.

But still, respect for the dead is the whole point of cemeteries I think. Whether you believe or care about the soul, spirit or whatever . . . it's good to have it, as it shows there was respect given to this person in their death. They weren't just tossed somewhere and forgotten, they were cared for, cleaned, set in a proper box, and put somewhere with a marker saying they are buried there.

 

[Lineoutt]

I believe they are a waste of space. I'd rather get cremated. I guess I just got that opinion from my family though. When my cat died my dad threw her in the compost and when my dogs died they were cremated and are sitting in little boxes above the piano.

 

[newfoundsky]

The majority of people in real life somehow find comfort in knowing that the dead are resting comfortably in a casket. In purely psychological terms, cemeteries are not a waste of space. In terms that are logical, they are. However, mental health is always good so I voted for them not being a waste.

 

[GoldenRaz]

I don't think that cemetaries are a waste of space, not at all.
But I know which piece of land I think should be cleared first if there's ever a need for more housing...

 

[Miffmoff]

Land should be devoted to the dead, a very good example of this would be the military cemetaries from WWI and WWII as they died for very noble reasons. Also, regular cemetaries are good too because they give you something to visit about the person you cared about

 

[ProfessorLayton]

See... I wouldn't say they're a waste of space. They're a way to remember and respect the lives that came before... These days people just don't have any respect anymore, and it's nice to see a little bit in the world.