The Vatican is pissing in the wind.
Ashes of cremated Catholics can no longer be kept at home, scattered, or divided among family members, the Vatican has ruled.
The new instruction, handed down from the top of the Catholic Church, said ashes must instead be kept in “sacred places” such as cemeteries.
Yeah, right. And how will they enforce it? They can’t, just as they can’t enforce their no use of contraceptives rule. People often want their ashes scattered at a place of their choosing and those left behind do their bidding. I can’t see that changing just because the Vatican has issued a fatwah.
The ruling came from the Congregation for the Doctrine Of The Faith (CDF), a Vatican department, which warned practices “contrary to the Church’s faith” that had become “widespread”.
And will continue.
It also stressed that it preferred burial to cremation, saying it was the most “fitting way to express faith”.
Never mind that cemeteries are running out of space, eh? I’m not a Catholic, so it’s moot to me. I prefer cremation, that way, in centuries to come, some Baldrick character won’t be digging me up and poking about in my bones…
They’re demonstrating that they are as irrational as Muslims and Jews. Why the hell would it matter what happens to someone’s ashes, especially given that they believe the soul leaves the body at death? It is as stupid a thing to worry about as lopping off bits of the body or not eating certain foods. Any god that is bothered by such trivialities is not a god worth worshipping, rather one to be ridiculed along with his / her followers.
But then the decree is only made by “God’s representative on Earth” on behalf of God himself isn’t it? And then it has to be translated from whichever language God’s representative speaks into the language of the recipient. And if the word for “virgin” is the same/similar as the word for “raisin”, how do you how many, of what, you are going to get in Heaven?
Personally Longrider I’d like to go for the Viking approach. Stick me on my boat, point it in the direction of the Atlantic and set fire to it. Proper cremation, no land used up and the creation of loads of CO2 as a final two-fingered salute to all the AGW wanchors. Sorted
Better still, put the AGW wankers in the boat with you.
Valhalla awaits…
Perhaps they are just wanting to grab a share of the new cemeteries that are being created for Clegg’s New Britons?
With respect, unlike some “faiths”, nobody is forced to be a Catholic. Their gaff, their rules.
Did I suggest otherwise? I was taking the piss (the “general silliness” tag should have been a hint). Get yourself a sense of humour.
I’ve left instructions that I want to be smothered in pork fat (after I’d died, of course) and cremated with my ashes scattered in the grounds of the local mosque.
It used to be illegal to cremate bodies in the UK. The National Secular Society successfully campaigned on behalf of minority religions to have it legalised. The CofE and the non conformist Churches were against it at the time. Gradually more and more Christians have decided to be cremated rather than buried. I very much doubt that many of them know of the religious intolerance that had to be overcome so that they could have that choice. As for the RCC, to sane people they are a joke, if only everyone was sane.
Personally, I would like to be made into cat food.
I forgot to mention. “The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith” is the new name for “The Inquisiton”. The Inquisition was a toxic brand apparently, so the RCC decided to change it.
Dear Stonyground
“Nobody expects The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith!”
Nope. Doesn’t work.
DP