Sanctity of Life and Respecting the Dead an All Souls Day Reflection

by Baibonn Sangid

With all due respect, indeed, everyone must turn to real ONE GOD Almighty the All Knowing, the Creator and Most Merciful for salvation. I rarely have time to watch TV. Last night I arrived home earlier to see Jessica Suho's episode on GMA channel & showing the ways Filipino celebrate All Soul's day.

I was shocked and horrified at what was shown on TV. A family man plying their livelihood on selling human "dead bones" they gather from the coffins in the cemetery? First they gather the bones from old tombs washed them and sell it? The man said his conscience bothers him but what can he do? Out of poverty we violate and transgress the dead?

One woman was crying when she found out that her father's tomb is no longer in the same apartment tomb they leased for 5 years? Accordingly, a new name was there despite the fact that the rental contract is yet to expire?

One man was crying because his father's tomb is nowhere to be found? Again the caretaker removed the bones without informing the family? Later on the cemetery caretaker show them a sack of bones for them to identify their father?

Why do FILIPINOS have this kind of burial system? Why do we have abject disregard on the sanctity of human creation? Does it mean that even in death there is no equality? In one segment a funeral home embalmed the dead badly that worms are seen coming out of the cadaver? Another funeral home just lumped in the corner dead bodies for embalming without due regard for sanitary requirement and respect for the dead?

One woman was complaining that her husband do not looked himself in the coffin. The makeup was badly done, the burial dress she bought for her husband was not worn by the dead? I thought dead are to be honored because they are now facing our Creator?

I may not understand the business of funeral parlor and cemetery maintenance. But certainly respect for the dead as well as the relics of human being are universal values we all hold dear and sacred in our culture? Dignity of creation does not end simply because one dies?

Why a burial in public cemetery has an expiration date? Why wealthy people can have a spacious mausoleum with expensive coffin, but the poor cannot even bury their dead love ones? Why do the Church allow this disrespect, horrible discrimination and ignominy to the dead?

On Saturday November 1, I brought my Cambodian Co-Chevening Fellow at San Agustin Church there I witnessed first hand the insanity and vanity of affluence. . . those who control the power and money are buried inside/near the Church? Does it follow they are also near to GOD?

Brothers and sisters let us reflect on this horrible situation as God's creation. The true and real meaning of human existence is believing and loving the Creator and His creation. Respecting the sanctity of life and the dignity of creation is God's commandment that we all ought to observe and value as sacred. Our belief said, that if one dies even if you do not know them, give them due respect, we the LIVING has a responsibility to give the dead a decent burial without disturbance.

A cemetery must be peaceful, final resting place for the dead, their remains must be honored and respected more than the living.. . because the later can say ooouch excuse me?

THINK of it after all, we will meet the same circumstance in due time. . . we must be ready when DEATH comes for ours might be worst than those that we see. we must be accountable for the wealth that we accumulate.
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Baibonn Sangid - A peace advocate from Mindanao, Philippines and leader of various NGOs such as National Youth Parliament (Philippines) , Young Moro Professional Networks - YMPN, Chevening Fellows 2008, Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program xPYs 1990, Mindanao Peoples' Peace Movement (MPPM)

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