When someone dies that is a non believer, do you have a funeral service with a paster or preacher and prayers like the believers do?
2006-12-18 18:45:31 · 21 answers · asked by Dakota Lynn Takes Gun 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I see alot saying that funerals are only for the living which is true, but I mean what if it is someone really close to you like a parent or child. Do you yourselves have a funeral for that person with prayers and such?
2006-12-18 18:54:55 · update #1
When my parents die, I will have funerals for them, because THEY are Christians.
2006-12-18 19:17:53 · answer #1 · answered by Voodoid 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That seems to be up to the family or whoever plans the funeral unless before you die you request that it be a nonreligious ceremony. Certain religions might have rules about performing ceremonies for people who aren't a 'member' anyway.
*Everyone in my family but me believes in God in some way or another even though only one person actually goes to church. We've never had to plan a funeral for a nonbeliever. Mine would be the first and I really don't care what my family chooses to do as long as they don't blow too much money on it. My only request is that I get a black headstone with some nonreligious decoration on it. If I suddenly had to plan a funeral for an atheist, it would be in a funeral home without a priest, etc., and it would be more like a memorial service. If they left specific instructions, I'd just follow those.
2006-12-19 02:51:23 · answer #2 · answered by Pico 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some people do, some people don't. The funeral is for the living, after all - and if prayer makes the living feel better, some atheists have no problem with it. But others do, so they have a secular service to memorialize them.
2006-12-19 02:49:22 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Being a non-believer doesn't mean I'm not vain. It would be nice to be commemorated in some way, maybe with a stone and some people to mutter pleasant things about me, but like other anserers here I'm not that pushed. Where I come from in Europe atheists often end up with a Christian burial for the convenience of those they left behind. I'd rather that didn't happen, but if it did, well, so what???
2006-12-19 02:59:15 · answer #4 · answered by Pidgeon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have a memorial service to honor the person who died. I am like the others, I don't care what you do with me after I am dead. I do hope that before my family cremates me, they use my organs for helping others to live longer, better lives. I think it would be a waste not to. But as far as a religious service, don't bother. You have to pay some preacher, etc. to do the service and I want them to do whatever is the cheapest for them. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. My will states it all.
2006-12-19 03:00:40 · answer #5 · answered by Twisted Maggie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Several years back, an atheist friend of mine died. His services were held at a funeral home that was kind enough to remove all the religious decorations from the room the service was held at. The speaker was an old college friend, who gave a remarkably touching speech about the life of the deceased, and his accomplisments.
Afterward, we gathered at the grave site and drank a toast to his life. Then we all went to the bar and got sh*tfaced. I think we toasted every memory of him that was mentioned.
-SD-
2006-12-19 03:05:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I've left specific information in my will that there is to be religious person who leads my funeral. However I want it to be lead by someone very close to me who highlights my life. I'm then to be stuffed into a cannon, not the kind they have in the circus but the kind you find on a battle ship, and fired up into the sky with the maximum load charge the cannon can take.
I will ring your doorbell and run away!!!
2006-12-19 02:50:20 · answer #7 · answered by Satan Lord of Flames 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
No, most of the time we just have a get-together to remember the person who died, have some food and drink toasts to the departed. When my brother died we traded funny stories about him, because he was a funny man; We knew he wanted to be remembered with laughs and not tears. Funerals in churches are for the living, anyway.
2006-12-19 02:50:00 · answer #8 · answered by weary0918 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Families may opt to ignore the Atheist aspect of the person's life and have a religious service. I know that's what my family may do for me if I die before I prepare my own arrangements. I would really like to donate every organ that can be used to save lives and the rest of me just be cremated. I want my ashes to just be put somewhere with a tombstone my family can visit me for their own benefit, like at my favorite park or someplace of significance.
2006-12-19 02:54:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I believe in God, but I don't want a church service or a burial. I want to be cremated (separation of the soul from the physical body occurs faster this way ... no lingering and loitering behind) and maybe a gathering of all who loved me to celebrate my life.
I believe there is really no need for a religious service after you've departed. You've lived your life, and you will account for your actions one way or the other, regardless of the ceremony that takes place after you've left this world.
2006-12-19 02:58:30 · answer #10 · answered by MyPreshus 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'd at least like there to be a funeral. Ah, but what do I care? I'm dead. As an atheist, I don't believe in having a soul when you're dead. They can spit on me and I won't know a thing.
2006-12-19 02:50:36 · answer #11 · answered by fliptastic 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋