In a message dated 3/19/2002 10:34:16 PM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes:
The Funeral Home next door asked me to carve the word "Remember," on little stones to be placed on graves. I said, "Hell I'll carve the whole damn stone." They said I missed the point. So seeing as how this is a predominately Catholic region, are other religious sects carrying out the custom?
Mark,
I like the idea of carving "remember" on the stones, but I'd be willing to bet the florists are not entirely in favor of this practice. On the other hand, if they're smart, they'll sell both stones and flowers.
I dunno whether anybody else (I would hesitate to call non-Catholics "other sects") is picking up the rock idea, but it is interesting that the Papists are doing so. Our fellow God-fearing (or those knowledgeable about those who are so inclined) Pinheads may be able to address what their individual coreligionists are up to in the rock-flower-scissor competition.
Jews are supposed to be buried with their heads toward Jerusalem; those buried in Jerusalem are to have their heads toward the Temple Mount (I think). This, I found out recently, is because when the Messiah comes, we are (somehow) supposed to burrow our way (head first) to Jerusalem (and the Temple Mount) and be resurrected. In order for this to happen, our bodies are supposed to be buried intact.
As I posted sometime back, or maybe just to Ken, one of the big problems of the Holocaust was that in addition to killing the Jews, the Nazis had cremated them. In order for the Jews to burrow their way to Jerusalem and be resurrected when the Messiah comes, there's supposed to be a body. But the Rabbis thought about it, and decided that even though these millions of people were a) killed, b)cremated, and c) their bones ground to dust, there is some indestructible kernel that can't be destroyed and which can indeed be resurrected at the appropriate time.
On that cheery note, I'm bagging it.
Ralph