By BARBARA SIMPSON
(Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on WorldNetDaily, June 23, 2019.)
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Does it seem to you that every time we look at the news or see a wire story, some government somewhere in this country is making some new law or regulation that attempts to change the way we live, work, worship…or now, even die?
In California, the government is trying to change the way Catholics practice one of their sacraments, Confession. The proposed new law aims to force priests to reveal Confession details to authorities if there are any details about sexual abuse.
The politicians think that will work; but I can tell you, that law will go nowhere. Neither priests nor lay Catholics will obey it, since the state has no business inserting itself into religious practices.
The other aspect is if Confession is carried out with a screen between priest and penitent — the traditional way — then neither knows who the other is, so there is nothing and no one to report.
Abortion has been in the headlines across the country, with new laws concerning if and when and how it should or would be carried out. Is a fetus a “life” or a “person” or just a “blob of tissue” that can be discarded? What happens when it is a late-term abortion, when what is removed from the mother isn’t lifeless but in fact, is a living, breathing individual? Can it be killed, left to die, or cared for to survive?
If, in fact, the fetus remains “lifeless” for whatever reason, what should be done with that lifeless form? Throw it away, burn it, cut it into pieces and sell the remains, or give it to the woman who had it aborted or give it a proper burial, as has been tradition for human remains?
The Trump administration has stated it wants the remains to be properly buried, and traditional religions support that preference. Those with looser religious beliefs seem to have no preference for treating the remains of aborted babies with any care that would respect their humanity.
And speaking of respecting the humanity of remains, how about this from the state of Washington? It has become the first state which has legalized “green funerals.” And, it should not surprise anyone that a key reason for it is environmentalism!
If you think a funeral involves an embalmed body and a casket which is finally buried in a plot which will honor the deceased for decades, think again.
A “green” funeral is one which mixes human remains with straw and wood chips, then using the mixture in soil to act as a compost. It’s the result of research into human composting by Recompose, a Washington-based firm which says the process is more affordable and more environmentally friendly than traditional burials or cremation.
The association of funeral directors in Washington supports the new law, as does the National Association. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed the law to legalize human composting, as well as “liquid cremation” (also called alkaline hydrolysis) which involves heat, pressure water, and chemicals. The Washington Times reported that alkaline hydrolysis is available in at least 19 states, so it appears that these funeral changes have been going on almost under the news radar.
Who knew?!
As for green funerals, supporters say they would eliminate the use of chemicals, the release of toxic particulates into the air, and of course eliminate the need to use land for burials. As for cost, comparisons show burials cost on average more than $8,000, cremation $6,000, and green funerals $5,500.
It’s no surprise the announcement of the new law drew criticism from the Catholic Church. The issue is the treatment of the deceased. While the Church now allows cremation (after years of not), the basic concern of the religion is treating the dead with respect for their humanity.
A green funeral involves putting the body in a vessel, covering it with wood chips and straw until it breaks down and can be put into the earth to mix with normal soil for growth of plants. Katrina Spade is founder and CEO of Recompose and says, “Nature is really good at death.” In an interview with The Washington Times, she said the idea for human composting came from a friend who discussed developments in the decomposition of cows, which employed wood chips, alfalfa, and straw.
According to Spade, “In nature, death creates life.”
I have a thought, instead of charging people over $5,000 to fancy up what is done with dead cows, just dig a pit, dump the human bodies in, cover them with hay and chips — and voilà, compost for the farms.
Yes, I’m being sarcastic, but this is just another example of the atheistic views that are permeating our culture and how the grace of religion is being wiped out by secular governments and politicians who think they know what is best for the rest of us.
Hey, people — it’s time to speak out . . . no, shout out and say NO!
Human life and human beings have more value than dead cows, and I speak as someone who loves animals.
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