re: #84 Radical Rafe

Well to my knowledge they forbid the use of embalming, caskets and vaults —- they wrap the body in cloth and lower it into the ground. (I have no objections or issues with this if that their custom and their practice.) But here, where they were seeking permits to use part of their newly acquired property as a cemetery, approximately 30% of the surrounding households use well water and voiced health and sanitation concerns about such unpleasant things as a) rotting flesh contaminating household water supplies, and b) coyotes, wildcats and the occasional bear are still seen around here and have been known to dig up bodies of buried pets and livestock if they detected a scent.

The concerns may turn out to be nothing. But if I were them, I’d want to know too.

They do not use caskets if the law allows it. Otherwise, they most certainly bury in caskets. If you google, you’ll find Muslim caskets for sale.

Like Jews, they do not embalm, unless the body has to be transported and then they may have to. Like Jews, they bury within 24 hours. Like Jews, they shouldn’t cremate, but probably do now. (Jews cremate more often as of late.)

I only mention the comparison because I was talking about cultural similarities in another thread and this is another one.