There are a couple designations of "dead." If the heart stops and won't start again, they are dead. If the heart and other organs are still working, but the brain is gone, they are technically still alive, but when scans show no brain activity AT ALL, they are considered brain dead. Doctors are no closer to God than any other human, they can mistake a coma for death. However, if the heart has stopped and there has been no circulation of blood and oxygen in a body for a length of time (which can vary with the age of the person and the temperature of the body), there comes a time when death is certain. Generally, if you've poured gas all over the body and let it sit for a few days with no circulation of blood and oxygen, you can be completely sure of the death...and no amount of electricity from any source, including a defib, will change that.
Please, please don't ever try it at home, ok?
My granddaughters cat died when she was 3-4 years old and she buried it in the back yard with its head exposed facing the house. Just in case she told us, GOD may change His mind.
Some poor old woman in the South, not Maine, last year was found to be living with the body's of her twin sister and brother. They had been staying in her living room for 15 years or so. She told the police she needed someone to talk to. Finally the town gave her permission to build a mausoleum on her land that is walk in so she and visit the caskets. I wonder how long before her siblings are back in the house???
I started noticing this tradition in the Asian Cemetery's where they have a photo of the resident embedded under glass on the tomb stone. Interesting this has not shown up this far north yet, perhaps the climate precludes that.
Anyway, the kids and I were watching some Asian tourists taking rubbings of their Ancestors stones when a funeral procession marched past very moving the flags and robes of the mourners. Then when they began to throw small firecrackers to scare off evil spirits, my oldest son says---Neat Mom, that's the way I want to go.
On a side note my Mom tells me she read a small piece about the changes in Ancestor worship in parts of China. Seems parents are SUEING their children when they do not support them or come to visit them. I wonder if this is a gentle hint to pay her more attention.?