Page 85 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2011

E PAGAN ORIGINS OF CREMATION~ 85

If you do an internet search, you will find that the practice of cremation has its origins firmly
entrenched in many pagan religions. However, cremation was never accepted by either Judaism or its
infant offspring, Christianity. Mandatory cremation is practiced today by Buddhist and Hindu religions.
Cremation was the religious practice of some early North American Indians. It was practiced by the
Hawaiian people prior to it becoming “Christianized” by American missionaries. The practice of
cremation was strongly taught against by the Christian missionaries sent to this pagan people. Europe,
prior to Christianity, widely practiced cremation. It was also widespread among the Grecian people in
800 BCE. Now hear this: Cremation was the preferred practiced by the Roman empire as early as 600
BCE with the reign of Julius Caesar:

“Cremation was the most common funeral practice in the Roman Empire, although burial was also
used. The custom of burning the dead was steeped in tradition at the Roman funerals. A funeral pile
was constructed in the shape of an altar, upon which the corpse was laid. The nearest relative then set
fire to it. Perfumes and spices were afterwards thrown into the blaze, and when it was extinguished,
the embers were quenched with wine. The ashes were then collected and deposited in an urn, to be
kept in the mausoleum of the family. At the conclusion of the procession and the ceremony the
sepulchre was strewed with flowers, and the mourners took a last farewell of the remains of the
deceased…The Ancient Romans paid great attention to funeral rites, because they believed that the
souls of the unburied were not admitted into the abodes of the dead and would wander a hundred
years along the river Styx before they were allowed to cross it…Cremation is becoming a tradition of
men readily accepted and practiced in the church of Jesus Christ. The Roman historian Tacitus noted
that both the Jews and the Christians “…bury rather than burn their dead” (Hist.5:5). It is
somewhat ironic that the Jewish people, steeped in so much tradition, have remained very faithful to
this day to the practice of burying their dead, but the church has not. It is the church who has
replaced the commandment of God with the tradition of men. In this area of cremation there is no
distinction between today’s modernized “Roman Empire” and the church of Jesus Christ. We do what
they do with their dead.”
http://www.roman-colosseum.info/roman-life/roman-funerals.htm

What is the significance of cremation dominating the ancient Roman Empire? It is because America is
the prophesied “New Rome” that will dominate the world as its only superpower just prior to the return
of Jesus Christ. The parallels between ancient Rome and America are astounding! Both were built on
slavery. The governmental structure of America is a carbon-copy of the Roman Empire. They both
champion the highest Roman Law, “All men are created equal.” They both bear the Eagle emblem.
Washington DC is inundated with Roman imagery-not “Christian”. In spite of all these common
parallels, Christians in this country remain duped with the fairy tale of America being a Christian nation.
I have written several documented books as well as newsletters on this subject. You can view them on
my website at “PastorRandyShupe.com.”

What does all this have to do with the subject of cremation? It is this: Do you believe that
God Himself would so pattern His new “Christian” “One Nation Under God”) after the pagan Roman
Empire that crucified Christ and slaughtered His followers, both Jew and Christian alike? Do you think
that God would have you, as a follower of Christ, living in America (modern-day Rome), to emulate the
pagan-based Roman practice of cremating the body at death? Yet, we find Christians doing just that!
America is on this fast track of ever-increasing replacement of Christian burial with the custom and
tradition of cremation! Dear Christian, are you among the citizens of modern-day Rome, or are you
now a citizen of the Kingdom of God? Are you going to take your instruction from the practice of
ancient pagan Rome or from the Word of God? Was Jesus buried or cremated? If you know the
answer, then dear Christian, why choose to follow the Roman pattern for your body at death?