My sister lost her life in a tragic car accident. What followed her death was not the peaceful farewell that faith promises, but a series of rituals steeped in fear and superstition. Her body was denied entry into her own home, and her clothes were burned—acts that neither reflect Christian compassion nor align with the teachings of the Church.
These practices, though observed by some communities after a sudden or unnatural death, are deeply rooted in cultural beliefs rather than Christian doctrine. They reveal how superstition often replaces faith when grief and fear intertwine.
As a Christian, I found myself questioning how we could allow fear to eclipse the very message of hope our faith offers. Christianity calls upon believers to honor the dead with dignity.
The human body, as Scripture teaches, is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and that sanctity does not perish with death. The apostle Paul reminds us in his letter to the Corinthians that our bodies remain sacred vessels even in death.
The act of burial—gentle, respectful, and filled with reverence—reflects the Christian belief in resurrection and eternal life.Our tradition teaches that death is not an end but a passage into life eternal. Grief, therefore, should be tempered with hope.
Paul’s words to the Thessalonians ring true even today: we are not to grieve “as others do who have no hope.” This assurance—that our loved ones are at peace with God—should bring comfort, not fear.
By allowing cultural superstitions to dictate how we treat the deceased, we risk betraying the very essence of Christian faith.
True faith calls us to act with compassion, dignity, and unwavering trust in the promise of resurrection. My sister’s memory, and every life lost too soon, deserves nothing less.”
Temjen Ao
Mokokchung Town
