At an atheists funeral. . . .?

Question

Do you believe that the eulogy will include the fact that that person was an athiest? Will the family admit that the person who died didn't believe in a heaven and hell? What do they do with the body? Cremation suggests reincarnation and burial suggests resurrection, both are "religious" conotations. If this person was an athiest than wouldn't you want to respect there requests at a "non-religious" funeral?

Answer 1

One of the saddest funeral I ever went to was a hellraisers funeral. He was a drinker, a wife-beater etc. He was shot while with another mans wife. His sisters had honkey-tonk music played, it was awful. The other was a 14 year old boy, his mom didn't believe in heaven or hell so the kid never heard the gospel. Heartbreaking. I've been to countless Christian funerals that were sad because of those left behind, but with a hint of joy too. My son's great grandmother told me a couple of months before she died that she was looking for the day, she was ready. She missed her husband, she was suffering pain and lonliness, and all the things endured in a nursing home by a 95 year old woman. That really helped me to look at dying with new eyes. I believe it's just a transition, so it would also be very disturbing to attend an atheist funeral because of the absence of hope and joy.

Answer 2

You're curious, and that's always a good thing.

Funerals exist for two main reasons: disposal of the body and to act as a ceremonial closure of the life of the deceased. The first is done strictly for practical health reasons. The second can be an expression of the deceased's beliefs, whether religious or non-religious, but it is mainly done as a final act of respect for the dead and to help the survivors cope with the loss.

What is done with the body of an atheist? Depends upon the wishes of the individual. Some don't care, since they will be dead and unaware of what is done with the body. Some specify cremation because they don't believe burial serves any purpose. (This is my choice because I see no point in wasting space, which is needed by the living, or wasting money, which can be put to much better use.) Others choose to be buried so their bodies can become part of the earth and enrich the soil.

As for the eulogy. In century's past, when an atheist died, the phrase "he (or she) lived according to the Golden Rule" was used in the eulogy and in printed obituaries. Even though this was meant as a euphemism, I personally like the phrase. In my case, as I've been an active Humanist, I expect someone will mention that I was a secular Humanist outright. It's an important part of who I am, and I'm proud of it.

There are many cases where religious spouses or other family members of a dead atheist have ignored the wishes of the deceased and gone ahead with a religious ceremony. Atheists do not believe that one's consciousness continues to flitter and float about after death, so it wouldn't really matter to the dead person, but I think it's extremely selfish and disrespectful to disregard a person's wishes in that way.

Answer 3

Personally I want my funearal, if anybody chooses to do such a thing,to be a party. Everybody should get together,get totally hammered,spend a couple hours catching up with friends and talking crap about me,exposing all the embarassing stories I wouldn't tell while I was alive,and if they have some good things to say also that's cool. Then get a cab,go home and dispose of the body anyway they want,in fact I'd prefer their wasn't even a body at the "funeral" because if my family has followed my wishes then my body should have been donated to science to do with what they will. Serios question on my part though,if all the religious people believe in the whole, gone to a better place thing,then why is it that the people who seem to be damn near destroyed by the death of a family member are always the most religious ones. Shouldn't they be happy for their loved one now free of this meat grinder of a world God built,and in Heaven.

Answer 4

How does cremation imply reincarnation? Burial only suggests rotting in the ground.
Why do you assume an atheist would have any kind of religious service at a funeral? The people who know and love this person would know this and respect that person's wishes. That's what I expect when I die--but I also realize that I won't know the difference if I had a full church funeral or they put me in a Hefty bag and toss me in a dumpster. And, frankly, I don't care either way.
Munya--you are confusing the necessary disposal of a dead body with any kind of religious ceremony. Where the body is put doesn't matter if you believe your "soul" is going someplace else, does it? Atheists are probably more practical about this than anyone else--for health reasons alone, we don't think decomposing bodies should lie around. We believe we're finished with them. Don't you?

Answer 5

Well...seeing as though you can't leave the body out in your living room, and you can't just have a bonfire in your backyard....I don't think we really have much of an option.

As far as the eulogy including that the person was an atheist...why does it have to include their religious preference? I'm sure if it defined who they were, it probably would be, seeing as though a eulogy is said to remember the person who passed away for who they were.

Why wouldn't the family admit that the person believes in a heaven or hell? It's not like someone is going to walk up to my mom or husband or daughter AT the funeral and say, "So, they didn't believe in heaven or hell, huh?" I'm sure if they did, they would get a swift kick in the hiney first, then a reply along the lines of, "You better hope there isn't a hell."

So basically, it's kinda like a wedding. While the origination of it began as a holy ceremony...it's basically turned into a way of life regardless of religion. People have civil ceremonies to be recognized by the state as a married couple.

Now people have funerals regardless of religion or non-religion, if only to allow their loved ones to grieve and show their respect for the dead.

Also, here is a tip for anyone who is ever forced to go to an athiest's funeral (God forbid, right? give me a break). "I'm sorry for your loss."

YOU DON'T GO TO FUNERALS FOR THE DEAD PERSON...THEY ARE ALREADY DEAD AND DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE THERE!!!! You go to show your support of the loved ones that lost a person they care about greatly. You go to show respect and to remember the person. Religion has nothing to do with remembering a life.

Answer 6

Well, burials and cremations only mean those things to religious people. I'm an Atheist and I plan on being buried. I doubt the Eulogy would state the they were an Atheist, because it's more of a non-religion. People would make note of being a Catholic, Christian, Jew, Muslim, etc. because they believed in something and it was part of their daily life. Not believing in God is not an active part of life. Why wouldn't your family admit that you didn't believe in God, it's not a shameful thing. Your family loves you for who you are. There are lots of non-religious funerals. You just skip all the bible readings and people talk about who you were and what you meant to them.

Answer 7

If cremation suggests reincarnation and burial suggests resurrection, that's only interpretation. From a strictly practical point of view, you have to do something with the corpse...lol. How about one of those "green" burials, in which the body is buried in a biodegradable sack with no chemicals, so that it can eventually decompose back into the earth? Even that could be interpreted as having "religious" connotations, but again, from a practical POV, you're simply being environmentally responsible with your remains.

Answer 8

My mother is an atheist, and has made me promise repeatedly to make sure there was no preacher, or any religious overtones to her funeral. I think that burial and cremation have religious overtones because most people are religious, and so their funerals become a religious ceremony. Maybe donating an atheists body to science is the most appropriate course of action, if no requests have been made by the dead person.

Answer 9

Cremation and Burial may both have started as religious rituals but they are no the only legal ways (at least in the US) to dispose of a body.

I'm an atheist and I'll be donating my body to science. I think they cremate you after they're done.

Answer 10

the theory that I had for my own (i'm a maximum cancers survivor who has truthfully planned my own funeral out in enhance--thankfully those plans do no longer seem to be mandatory appropriate now) became to make it a occasion of my existence. an identical pastor who oversaw my wedding ceremony is a uncommon guy: see you later as admire is shown for the religious, he has no hassle seeing to the desires of disbelievers. on an identical time as each and every person in attendance at my wedding ceremony is conscious i'm an Atheist, I nonetheless needed the pastor to steer a prayer for something of my family contributors--the vast majority of which carry a Christian denomination. He did it ok: "The bride and groom have asked a 2d of prayer for people who could like to take part..." and the 2d went on. I spoke with him approximately overseeing my funeral, and having an identical style of attention. He agreed, and had quite a few techniques for making that take place. this type any prayers suggested for me have been by ability of the call of those offering the prayer. The funeral itself could in great condition me for who i became, yet enable the survivors to be who they're and cope with issues of their own way.