Jim Holsenback <nom### [at] nomailcom> wrote:
> On 07/15/2011 02:54 AM, Warp wrote:
> > Darren New<dne### [at] sanrrcom>  wrote:
> >> It's a rather cool place. Go see it if you're ever in Rome. The whole place
> >> is decorated with the bones of many centuries worth of dead monks.
> >
> >    Isn't that quite disrespectful of the dead?
> >
> would much rather have a bit of respect while alive ... who cares what 
> people think of my bones when I'm gone ;-)

  Of course the deceased doesn't care anymore what happens to his body,
but it's not a question of that. *Other people* care what is done to
deceased people's bodies, and that shouldn't be underestimated. It's a
deeply rooted psychological and cultural thing.

  Just as an absolutely extreme example, imagine if some people played
football with a decapitated baby's head. Everybody would unanimously agree
that would be completely sick and horrendous. The argument "who cares, the
baby certainly doesn't, it's dead" would not help; on the contrary, it would
make the whole thing even worse, if that's even possible.

  Now, how is using a person's bones to decorate a church any less sick?
If you think about it, there isn't all that much of a difference, really.

  There's a certain amount of decency and respect that we should maintain
towards deceased people's remains, just as a cultural and psychological
thing.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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