Enmos
Valued Senior Member
I really don't see why a funeral has to be a religious event (at least, according to you it seems).
Just leave out the religious crap. That's it.
A Funeral for Faithless persons
- Thread starter S.A.M.
- Start date
I really don't see why a funeral has to be a religious event (at least, according to you it seems).
Just leave out the religious crap. That's it.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
Yep. Same here.
superstring01
Moderator
I think people should be buried, wrapped in nothing but a cotton cloth, and a tree planted above the grave. An idea that I started as a kid with pets, one which I think would be better than the ridiculous coffins we use now.
I've buried quite a few. Thankfully my parents didn't "protect" us from the concept of death, even when it was a loved pet. When they went, they went. Sometimes their sickly end came with the assistance of my father's Beretta (which, to this day, I remember being the most humane option for a few of our dogs). Since I grew up on a farm we buried them in the field. The year my mother died, our Lab-mix, Ginger, died and I planted a maple tree above her grave. From age 11 through this date, we've planted tress above the dog's respective graves. Ginger's tree is huge, at least 50 feet tall now. A few of the trees never made it and had to be replanted. Apples. A pine tree. A crimson king (Ginger's). An oak and a few ash trees.
~String
"...have you not read what was spoken to you by God:
I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB?
He is not the God of the dead but of the living."
To remember what the person that passed away did and what they were like when they were alive. Just because they do not want a "ceremony" they would like to at least be remembered for their life by their friends.
I hate funerals, but I've been to three my cousin's father's, my grandfather's, and my godfather's. Only one of which was religious. My cousin's father was a veteran and some guy I believe an officer (he was dressed like one, but I was 9, so I could be wrong). He gave some generic speech about the meaning of the dash in between the date of birth and the date of death. Then they folded up his flag and gave it to my cousin. And that was it.
My godfather was Jewish and while the memorial was led by a Rabbi who had been a good friend, he did not have a religious funeral. My godfather wrote his own eulogy, which the rabbi read out loud and then he just talked about his own personal memories of my godfather, about who he was and what he did and then some other people did the same. There was no body just a picture. It was nice.
My grandfather's funeral was religious so the priest talked the whole time, we didn't really get to personalize it, which I thought was kind of sad, but it gave my grandmother peace of mind and closure so :shrug:
My godfather was Jewish and while the memorial was led by a Rabbi who had been a good friend, he did not have a religious funeral. My godfather wrote his own eulogy, which the rabbi read out loud and then he just talked about his own personal memories of my godfather, about who he was and what he did and then some other people did the same. There was no body just a picture. It was nice.
My grandfather's funeral was religious so the priest talked the whole time, we didn't really get to personalize it, which I thought was kind of sad, but it gave my grandmother peace of mind and closure so :shrug:
*************I personally want a viking funeral
M*W: I'll bring the matches.
*************
M*W: Last time I heard, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were all deceased. After all, they've been gone a good 5,000 years, so it's about time folks should have done all their grieving.
Nevertheless, it's a sad thing, because these characters and their god existed only in fiction and in delusional people's heads
Yellow Jacket
Registered Senior Member
A few months before my grandmother died, she spoke to me about me attending her funeral, if she should ever die. (I assume now that she knew of her cancer and never told anyone). She said this, "I love you, you love me. I will be dead, not aware if you attended or not. I really don't care if you do attend or not. Honey, it's about you remembering our relationship. It doesn't matter if you show up for my services for a few hours to mourn, I know you will think of me until YOU pass on."
I did not attend due to conflicts with others and some other personal reasons. This outraged the family. Some still don't speak with me. They felt out of anyone, I should have been there. You see, I was Grandma's favorite, everyone knew that. They didn't know why, but I can tell you. It was because I spent everyday talking to her since I was 9 years old, spent time doing things with her. We were best friends and I didn't need to attend services to remember her. She was right, I remember her almost on a daily basis.
Cool thing, which I admire, she donated her body to science.
For me, being non religious, I hope any service would be just that. Non religious, more fun, remembering all I have done for others, how I touched others lives. etc. Better be some awesome music playing and lots of laughs. OK, they can remember all the crazy pranks I've pulled over the years too.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
Yellow Jacket
Registered Senior Member
If "God" spoke, we would not have all these debates of his existence. I, also, did not hear "him" call my name.
And yes, your point of the God of the living, poor example. They are all dead.:shrug:
Funerals for the godless are empty and horrible. Knowing the deceased is frying in Hell often makes everyone uncomfortable. I was at one once and a family member asked me if it was too late for the dead guy to get into Heaven. I didn't have the guts to tell him 'yes'.
...
My ideal funeral would be to be cremated, have a celebration of my awesome life in my church, and a big party afterwards. I will be missed terribly.:bawl:
can't we just donate faithless corpses to science? that's what they wanted after all.
I know this isn't directed at me, but I once attended what is known as a 'Green Burial' at Greenhaven Woodland Burial Ground near Rugby.
This method of burial rejects the use of chemical embalming fluids and non-decomposable coffins, and the body is usually placed in a shroud or a casket made from biodegradable materials. Instead of a gravestone, a tree is planted, resulting in an area almost indistinguishable from a patch of woodland.
My friend's funeral lacked any reference to the afterlife at all, and in many ways epitomised how the 'faithless' view death. He was not desperate to retain some memory of himself on a faded headstone by a church, but dispose of his own body in a way that had as little impact on the environment as possible.
EDIT: I see a few people have mentioned this already
I imagine it would be practical...turn them into plant food...
sam,
My father died about 10 years ago at age 92, I arranged the cremation and the accompanying formal ceremony. It was solemn with some music I chose that was appropriate for his life. There were about 50 relations and friends. I gave the eulogy that covered all the main events in his life.
The purpose was to reflect on his life and to remember what he had done, and to recognize the great sadness of the finality of his death. It was an opportunity for family and friends to express their feelings for him. But there were no hymns, prayers, or any references to anything supernatural, mystical, or religious. And no one commented, at least not within my earshot, of the absence of anything religious.
My mother is now 94 and has rapidly failing health and I suspect I will be arranging something similar, unfortunately fairly soon.
The same for any funeral without religious content.
My father died about 10 years ago at age 92, I arranged the cremation and the accompanying formal ceremony. It was solemn with some music I chose that was appropriate for his life. There were about 50 relations and friends. I gave the eulogy that covered all the main events in his life.
The purpose was to reflect on his life and to remember what he had done, and to recognize the great sadness of the finality of his death. It was an opportunity for family and friends to express their feelings for him. But there were no hymns, prayers, or any references to anything supernatural, mystical, or religious. And no one commented, at least not within my earshot, of the absence of anything religious.
My mother is now 94 and has rapidly failing health and I suspect I will be arranging something similar, unfortunately fairly soon.
