Why don't Christians happily celebrate death?

Question

If death is the culmination of all your earthly efforts so you can finally go and be with your god, than why don't you have great big parties and celebrations everytime one of you dies? Where are the tooting horns? The DJs and dancing?

All I ever see are somber, depressing wakes and funerals. Everyone dresses in black. Everyone is crying and whining about THEIR loss, not the dead persons reward. Where are all the congratulations for a job well done? Where are the high-fives for the persons faith all those years? When you visit their graves on holidays, why not leave "congratualtions" balloons and big foam "thumbs-up" gloves?

If going to be with god is the greatest possible thing there is, you folks sure don't act like dying is all that great. In fact, you act just like all the rest of the people I've ever met... weak, devastated, sad, and frighted to death of your own mortality.

Maybe... deep down... you really aren't as certain of an afterlife as you think you are.

Answer 1

I see your point, but there will always be sadness when you don't get to see somebody. If your best friend moved into a mansion on a secluded island and couldn't see you for many years, you'd be bummed.
I'm Atheist, but I still think funerals should be celebrations. Celebrating their life, though, not death.

Answer 2

I've been to two different funerals for Christians that did celebrate death. They were the most beautiful funerals I've ever seen. Sure, there were tears because that person is not here anymore and will be missed, but at the same time, there was much laughing because everyone knew where their loved one really was.

I have my fuenral all planned out. I don't want sad songs played at my funeral. One of the songs I have chosen has an Irish lilt to it and the words say:

We will dance on the streets that are golden
The glorious bride and the great Son of man
From every town, and tribe, and nation,
We'll join in the song of the Lamb.

So dance with all your might
Life up your hands and clap for joy
For the bridegroom has come
The glorious one
And, oh, we will stand by his side
A pure, clean spotless bride.....

I also want whoever officiates the funeral to do an altar call.

Answer 3

The reason why we don't celebrate death in a joyful manner is because, although that relative who had died may be going into the afterlife, hopefully heaven, it is still a very sad occasion for us Christians because that relative, the one who we so loved, is no longer with us to light our days with their presence. To a lot of us, this is a hard experience to go through. So, therefore, the funeral for the most part is very solemn.

Answer 4

Christians do celebrate the life of the individual when they die. There is sorrow for the loss. It is not the dead person they are crying for. It is the loss that now exists in their life and the readjustment to it. We are human and have emotions and needs and grief is our way of accepting the changes brought on by death allowing us to go forward ourselves. There is dignity in death and some cultures perhaps do party out, some people I personally know party out. Unless you've been there perhaps it is hard to understand.

Answer 5

Ya know, I have a hard time reading long Monologues. Why not just ask your question, and leave the childish editorializing to yourself !
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To answer your question, most of us do. I recently Officiated at 3 Home Going's, and attended another in which we Joyously Celebrated the Life of the Departed.
Ya see, Funerals are for the Lost. Christians have Home Going's !

Answer 6

Well, I'll tell you one thing: when I die, I don't want a funeral like that.

I think the reason Christians are sad when a loved one dies is because they'll miss them--they won't see them for years, possibly decades. They aren't sad for the person who died at all! (Unless they didn't repent and put their trust in the Savior). We'll do our celebrating in heaven, though.

Answer 7

"Blessed are those who mourn...."

There are a lot of reasons people cry at funerals and it may not have anything to do with sadness for the departed. You mention some.

I don't think it is a statement about their christianity, but rather simply human emotion taking over. We're humans. We mourn losses. We cry. It's allowed. It's even blessed.

Answer 8

because just maybe, deep down, they know they are not going to Heaven in Heavens. if there is an element of doubt in your heart, it may not be, forever too late to repent.

the uncertainty of what is going to happen to you after you die, is probably in all of your minds. no matter how confident of a facade you are on the outside. even if i tell you what is to become of the you even after your, casper ghost leaves you, after you animal part dies. which may explain the resurrection of the dead. you more than likely would not want to believe me anyway. and most people are lying to themselves, in order to avoid the real truth. even if repentance, may be you only last option, to be given a fourth and final chance. people are unwilling to admit, their failure to realy believe in G-D.

according to TheLittle Book of Revelation: if you fail to believe in TheG-D here in TheTorah so must you be returned or sent into some sort of oblivion. never again to be given another chance. but all are guarenteed at least three chances, if not four. being erased and returned to the same life as before, to try to overcome you failure. and you may not have any recollection of have been here before, other than maybe a hint with, some deja vois of a previous same event occurance.

Answer 9

It doesn't matter how Christian you are, losing a loved one is still terrible. While it may be selfish, EVERYONE wants their loved one back, even Chrsitians.

Does it make them less Christian? We all have to grieve. It's a part of human nature.

Christians eventually come to the moment where having their loved one in heaven is great and soothing. Unthil then, it hurts so much.

Answer 10

Not so. We are sad when someone dies because we will miss them. But there is no fear. I've been to funerals where there is rejoicing but there is still sadness. Its like this candy I'm eating. I'm not going to be weak, devastated, and sad when its gone, I'm just gonna miss it.