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Author of “Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America — and Found Unexpected Peace”

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Michael Jackson’s $25,000 gold-plated casket

July 8th, 2009 · 3 Comments

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I’ve never understood expensive caskets. If you’re a believer, why put any money into a box that holds your earthly remains while you are in heaven? And if you’re a nonbeliever, why put any money into a box that holds your lifeless remains, which will eventually turn to dust?

Michael Jackson’s gold-plated casket cost a reported $25,000. It looks luxurious on the outside and very comfy on the inside. Too bad its occupant is dead and will never know the difference between the best casket in the world and a pine box.

Caskets, it seems to me, are just another way all of us try to deny the finality of death.

Tags: Faith and Doubt

3 responses so far ↓

  • 1 making contact // Jul 8, 2009 at 8:04 am

    Hello, I am a radio announcer in Australia and would love to talk to you in four hours time via phone about your story on jacksons casket and the fuss and frills which go into this part of the funeral business…

  • 2 Tim Stroud // Jul 9, 2009 at 1:40 am

    Agreed. A holdover from thousands of years of human thinking about death and consciousness and spirit.

    When I am dead just cremate me. And sprinkle my ashes on a green hillside overlooking the Pacific. So I can have a nice view of the ocean.

  • 3 Hopeglory // Jul 13, 2009 at 1:57 am

    The Jackson estate could have saved a lot of money by having MJ Creamated and stored his remains in a stainless steel urn, and have a modest memorial service in a small chapel, away from the public spectacle of Hollywood. The total funeral costs, including the urn and the creamation of the remains might have been half the costs of the the gold-plated casket cost MJ.

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