Cremation vs. Burial: Which Is Better?
Published April 12th, 2021
When you’ve lost a loved one, you want the best funeral to lay them to rest. Most likely, your loved one will have already asked or wished for a specific type of funeral when the moment comes.
However, there are times when their loss is sudden, and the funeral choice is up to you or other family members. When planning a funeral, there are plenty of things to consider: budget, religion, and even family traditions.
What Is Cremation?
Cremation is an alternative funeral or post-funeral rite that involves the burning of your loved one’s body. Some religions practice cremation frequently as part of their culture or tradition.
What are the Benefits of Cremation?
The most prominent benefit of choosing cremation is that it’s more cost-efficient than burials. This type of funeral is also quicker and less time-consuming than a traditional casket burial.
There are also plenty of options to choose what to do with the cremains of your loved ones. You can let the rest at home inside a burial urn, scatter their ashes by air or sea, or place them at a columbarium.
If you or the family member responsible don’t wish for the cremation to become the funeral, you can hold the funeral service after.
What are the Downsides of Cremation?
Although Hinduism and Buddhism prefer cremation, not all religions are open to the idea of it. Some people find the burning of their loved ones an unsettling and violent way to rest.
Some people also think that it is harder to mourn if they cremate their deceased loved one’s remains. Once the process finishes, there is no way to undo it, leaving some stress on the family.
What is a Burial?
Burial is the traditional way to conduct a funeral which comes in two methods: grave or crypt. If you’re planning on burying your deceased love one, you should put more thought into the process and the cost.
What are the Benefits of a Burial?
Most families choose to have this type of burial for the closure it gives. It provides a more tranquil and calming way to lay a deceased love one to rest.
Your friends and family also have access to a gravesite to visit. That’s why the older generation prefers this type of burial to visit their family and friends still.
It’s also the preferred choice for many religions such as Christianity, Jewish, or Islam.
What are the Downsides of a Burial?
The biggest downside for burials is their cost. The cost of everything, from the process, service, tools, and casket, makes people hesitate with this type of funeral.
Since the process will be time-consuming, setting a schedule for the funeral will be difficult.
It leads to time-strain for friends and relatives to reach the funeral date if they’re not exactly near.
Another downside of burials is that plenty of people consider them not eco-friendly. Caskets, burial vaults, and chemicals from embalming are the cause of this.
If a family member moves to another location, it will also be harder for them to visit the body.
Even more, some cemeteries have restrictions on leaving flowers, taking pictures, and visiting hours.
In Conclusion
In the end, the decision to choose between a cremation or burial for the deceased loved one belongs to you or other family members. It’s the most significant decision that you or your other family members will make.
Always take the time to review your options by checking the pros and cons of each option.
About The Author
Dan Walter Reyes is a professional writer for a number of renowned websites. His passion for educating led him to study topics related to many industries in depth through sleepless nights and endless articles. He hopes to share his knowledge with the world.
February 9, 2021 @ 12:52 am
Thank you for explaining how much quicker and more convenient cremation is as a memorial service. As a family that has never been fond of long-drawn-out ceremonies, we’ve been looking for quicker ways to mourn a loved one so we can have our own time for ourselves when we want to feel better. If I can find a funeral home in the area that offers cremation, I’ll tell my family about it so we can plan it out the next time we need one.