Body Signifigance by Starberryum

Sorry if this has been previously discussed.

I have been wondering the significance of dead bodies on the island.
I wanted to start with the first confirmed body on the island. Before we knew anyone else lived there. We knew as the plane crashed that there was already a dead body on it; Christian Sheppard.

I believe he is also the first dead person we see.

But when Jack finally finds his father’s coffin in the jungle it is empty. Now I’m sure some animal could have came and eaten the remains but there was no evidence of it in or around the coffin.
Now with the discovery of Locke's body I am wondering what the difference is between him and Christian and if that difference has anything to do with what could happen in the shadow of the statue.

I we believe that Locke’s body as well as the bodies of Yemi, Christian, Alex and possibly Claire are being inhabited by MIB what makes that possible and is there significance in how the body is buried or can any dead body be inhabited.

I believe that Locke’s body is not fully consumed or corrupted by MIB because his body is not in the ground, it is not missing and it hasn’t been cremated. Is there still a chance at resurrection? Or perhaps MIB can be trapped in Locke’s body in the coffin?


How MIB becomes a dead man.

My theory is that MIB consumes (as in eats, really eats) the dead body to become part of it or take its form.
Cannibalism: the eating of human flesh by another human being or animal.
Done for many reasons. Some examples are; to partake of their strength, to spiritually "close the circle" by reabsorbing their life into the family or clan or to annihilate an enemy.

I think this is how MIB can take the form and memories of the deceased and use it for his own benefit. While writing this I realized that the body of Eko’s brother Yemi was missing only after it was identified by Eko. Before… it was left in the plane for however long…but once it (the island?...MIB?) realized it was related to a Lostie the body was useful and Eko could not find it again.

I also have a theory on why the Others burned their dead. Though I think this has been said before.
This is based on the Hindu practice;
Most Hindus practice the ritual of cremation of the body. The cremation ceremony releases the soul from an earthly existence and prevents the astral body from lingering. After the cremation, the ashes are thrown into a river, ideally the Ganges River, and the mourners walk away without looking back.
----Or perhaps in the Others case the body is burned in a water element (the ocean) and left to sink.

Does anyone else have a theory about this? Please comment your ideas and let me know if perhaps I have gotten something wrong or there is something very obvious that discredits this.