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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndiana’s House of Representatives on Thursday approved a water-based cremation alternative despite religious pushback.
Rep. Mark Genda, a retired funeral director, told the chamber that he’ll be buried next to his parents in a family plot. But, he observed, about 60% of Hoosiers are choosing cremation.
His Senate Bill 1044 would legalize alkaline hydrolysis—a process that uses water, alkaline chemicals and heat to accelerate decomposition of corpses into bone fragments—by adding it to Indiana’s legal definition of cremation.
“This is good policy for all of Indiana, in providing yet another dignified way of taking care of our loved ones,” said Genda, R-Frankfort.
Fellow House Republicans spoke against his proposal.
Rep. Peggy Mayfield, R-Martinsville, dubbed alkaline hydrolysis “creepy.” It and cremation, she added, are “two separate ways of disposing (of) their body, and they shouldn’t be lumped together.”
But she based the bulk of her critique on her Catholic faith.
Mayfield cited a 2023 statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that concluded alkaline hydrolysis and human composting “fail to satisfy the Church’s requirements for proper respect for the bodies of the dead.”
Democrats rallied to support the legislation.
“I am a Catholic, and I can’t choose this for myself,” said Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City. “But this doesn’t mean that other people can’t.”
Rep. Chuck, Moseley, D-Portage, said legalization is “forward-thinking” by enabling more opportunities for small businesses and another choice for customers.
Rep. Robin Shackleford, D-Indianapolis, said that as a life insurance agent, she’s had plenty of conversations with clients about their end-of-life wishes. Many, she said, want to pass more life insurance policy money onto family members instead of using it on traditional burials.
Lawmakers approved the measure on a 70-17 vote—a far cry from its defeat on a 34-59 vote a decade ago.
One of the world’s largest manufacturers of alkaline hydrolysis equipment, Bio-Response Solutions Inc., is headquartered in the Hendricks County town of Danville.
The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization that covers state government, policy and elections.
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Voting based on a religious text should be impeachable.
+1
Many of America’s laws and its Constitution are influenced by religious principles, particularly those rooted in Judeo-Christian values. Concepts such as justice, equality, and human rights align with biblical teachings, and early American legal frameworks were shaped by religious thought. For example, laws against theft, murder, and perjury reflect moral codes found in religious texts. Additionally, the Founding Fathers, while advocating for the separation of church and state, often referenced religious ideals in shaping governance. However, the Constitution itself is a secular document, ensuring religious freedom and preventing the establishment of any single faith as law.
Many Christian faith beliefs are not original, as they have their roots in ancient philosophies and principles. Ancient civilizations like those in Egypt, Greece, Persia, China, and India all had expressions of the concept of treating others as you would like to be treated, which centuries later came to be known as the “golden rule.”
I’m still amazed how quickly they can legalize lime decomposition, but can’t legalize cannabis.
It is a little creepy that a process used to get rid of dead livestock will now be used on humans.
I’m reminded of Macbeth’s “Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn, and cauldron bubble.” Not a child who heard that wasn’t scared out of their wits.
Interesting. I just want to know how long alkaline hydrolysis takes.
You know, even God, in the form of the Catholic Church, changes his mind from time to time – like in 1997 when he said what the hell, cremation is OK now.