death becomes us?

Are the various ways of disposing of the dead significantly different in regards to the beliefs that underlie them, or are they just minor variations on a single theme?

The ultimate ‘disposal’ of the deceased is a necessary progression towards the finality human beings need in order to survive, as it were, either mentally or physically, depending on the nature of the death. Does the character of the disposal, the way in which it is orchestrated, define a community, define a religion? Or is it just superfluous detail that masks the true, and rather base practice of simply getting rid of the body? Various social structures adhere to their defining rituals and so the dead are treated accordingly. Some are cremated, some buried with their possessions, others are entombed and mummified, and some are the inducement for cannibalism. One could assume that although the end result is essentially the same, the defining elements of these practices differ because of the demands of a particular spiritual faith, which ultimately defines a culture. The underlying beliefs that bear the framework of the community influence the ways in which the dead are treated. Of course the ‘theme’ is singular and similar, it is all means to an end. However, even though the paths by which we travel can lead to the same intention, the personal journey is always divergent, and thus it is our actions that ultimately define us.