Bad reporting or bad theology?

[Dave McClung]

I was reading a news story tonight about the ashes of 308 people being sent into space on the rocket that will blast off in the next few days:

But SpaceX is in business to make money, and if they can pick up cargo on the side, it makes sense financially. The ashes of 308 souls add up to about $1 million-- though 208 of them are make-goods from the previous failed mission.

So in addition to the 1,014 pounds of food and supplies headed to the six astronauts on the space station, there are the spirits of 308 people.

Between the first paragraph they shifted from "souls" to "spirits." I suggest that perhaps "bodies" would have been better in both cases.

[Dennis M. Scott]

When you've got 308 families paying $3,000 each to dispose of cremains, you should pretty much call them whatever they want you to call them. I would be willing to "beam me up Scottie" their spirits at a discount price of $2595: cremains to remain here on earth, but spirits rising to the heavens. (Proof of results may vary.)

[David Pettigrew]

So if any of them are the dead in Christ, how will they rise to meet Him in the air?

[Benjamin Burch]

I was reading a news story tonight about the ashes of 308 people being sent into space on the rocket that will blast off in the next few days:

But SpaceX is in business to make money, and if they can pick up cargo on the side, it makes sense financially. The ashes of 308 souls add up to about $1 million-- though 208 of them are make-goods from the previous failed mission.

So in addition to the 1,014 pounds of food and supplies headed to the six astronauts on the space station, there are the spirits of 308 people.

Between the first paragraph they shifted from "souls" to "spirits." I suggest that perhaps "bodies" would have been better in both cases.

You're right, and I assume it is "lazy theology", and some poor reporting to boot. I am not so sure that it is "bad theology" as much as it is people not taking the time and energy to figure out what this statement actually says and how they might say it better.

[Dan Henderson]

So if any of them are the dead in Christ, how will they rise to meet Him in the air?

Any direction can be "up" from space?

[Gina Stevenson]

Any direction can be "up" from space?

Or rise used loosely as in coming from wherever to meet Him?

[Dennis M. Scott]

Let's face it, good theology regarding anything after physical death is pretty scant, inside and outside the church.