non religious funerals

johnp · 19-12-2007 04:48PM

I went to a non-religious funeral about a year ago. For a funeral it was fantastic. They just talked about their dad, told some jokes, recited his fav poems, played his fav music etc etc etc.
That's what I want when I go............ although maybe with some pole dancers.

Defo don't want some priest I don't even know talking about me.

WindSock · 19-12-2007 04:51PM

purplengold wrote: »

Yes, but they are primarily a mark of respect for the deceased and the life he led.

And that life that they had is being celebrated/mourned by those that were aound them throughout their lives. surely the deceased Athiest wouldn't mind which way they held the funeral if it gave solace to the family and friends to have a religious one...

finlma wrote: »

Most atheists don't give 2 sh1ts what happens to them when they die.

Exactly, don't they believe that once you die thats it, so it shouldn't really matter what happens after they die?

il gatto · 19-12-2007 04:53PM

I don't think the country as a whole is either anti-clericle or anti-religion. Only a smallish minority are really atheist or even agnostic. People may not be model members of their faith (whatever it is), but not that many really want to relinquish it either. Young people don't see it as being all that important to them. Might look into it later sort of thing. Like classical music, or the Sunday Times.:)

Dave! · 19-12-2007 04:59PM

WindSock wrote: »

Exactly, don't they believe that once you die thats it, so it shouldn't really matter what happens after they die?

Yeah but everyone still wants to be remembered in a particular way. If you're vehemently anti-clerical, and spend your life opposing the church, then a church funeral would undermine your life really, and probably (the deceased would feel) make people lose some respect for you.

I like davehartnett's point, but still there's plenty of good reasons why it does in fact matter what kind of funeral you have.

WindSock · 19-12-2007 05:55PM

DaveMcG wrote: »

Yeah but everyone still wants to be remembered in a particular way. If you're vehemently anti-clerical, and spend your life opposing the church, then a church funeral would undermine your life really, and probably (the deceased would feel) make people lose some respect for you.

I like davehartnett's point, but still there's plenty of good reasons why it does in fact matter what kind of funeral you have.

Well I doubt a family would do that if the deceased fought tooth and nail throughout their lives against the church to be ironically buried by a Priest. If they were simply a person who calls themselves athiest and was inactive on all matters of religion, I don't think it would be so bad for the family to have a religious service when they are put in the ground.
Besides they may need a proper send off for when God appears in the light to tell them they were wrong

WexCan · 19-12-2007 06:15PM

daveharnett wrote: »

A selfish attitude imo. I'd go for a non-religious funeral assuming I outlive my mam. If not, why would i deny her any comfort she could have? After all, it would make no difference to me, I'd be dead!

Very good point, if I go before my parents they can do what they want - if it'll comfort them I'm all for it.

Wacker · 19-12-2007 06:19PM

As an atheist, the only requirment I have for my funeral is that someone tell the oriest to shut up once he starts going on about how 'death is not an end'. He can say prayers over me and splash me with holy water or whatever and I wouldn't really care, but the idea of him trying to comfort friends and family by saying that I still exist somewhere else just makes me sick. Death is an end, and only through this are humans really free to live their lives as they please.

Also, I don't want an expensive coffin. Money wasted.

boneless · 19-12-2007 07:38PM

WindSock wrote: »

Funerals are for the living.

A very true statement. Throughout the ages it has been those who are left behind who dictated the "ceremonies" relating to the recent departed. I suppose this ritualisation of death led to religion. The dead do not bury the dead...

I am a devout atheist. My remains are going to science. No two ways about it. I have a religious sister who threatened to give me a church funeral. I told her in no uncertain terms that my will is clear on the matter and she has therefore no legal, or moral, right to interfere with my wishes.

bleg · 19-12-2007 08:19PM

i'm getting burned so that my atoms can be recycled very quickly

Nightwish · 19-12-2007 09:45PM

I'm going to live forever. In the event that that wont happen, I'll have a musical tribute to my life in lieu of a religious ceremony seeing as I'm an atheist.

RonMexico · 20-12-2007 02:50PM

Lands Leaving wrote: »

I want a funeral like Hunter S Thompsons.

Thats how to bow out in style

That was the greatest send off ever! There is a documentary about it called When I Die by Wayne Ewing (www.hunterthompsonfilms.com)

Here is a clip of the blast off, the fist monument was taller than the statue of liberty:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBWgwyaYd7s

Wacker · 20-12-2007 03:11PM

bleg wrote: »

i'm getting burned so that my atoms can be recycled very quickly

I've heard once that the chemicals needed to cremate a corpse are very bad for the environment. I have no idea whatsoever if this is true though.

Flukey · 20-12-2007 03:56PM

purplengold wrote: »

I have noticed on Boards, that a huge amount of posters are anti religion and anti clerical. And they seem to want to give the impression that Ireland is now a very secular country with Christianity just about hanging on. Why is it then that virtually every funeral, (deceased of all ages) takes place in a church? Is Ireland as anti Christian as some would like us to believe? I know of very few secular funerals in my part of Ireland anyway.

It is also amusing that people spend the whole year bashing Christianity, but seem very happy to go to Christmas parties, accept a Christmas bonus, have their days off at Christmas, receive Christmas presents etc., as well the same at Easter. If they really didn't believe in Christianity, then they wouldn't do any of that on principle, in the same way they refuse to go to any Christian services on principle because, as they would tell you... "I don't believe in any of that rubbish". They can say it is just Catholicism they don't believe in or the church itself, but they can't slip out of it that way. If they don't accept "any" part of Catholicism/Christianity, then they can't make exceptions for Christmas and all that goes with it, along with Easter, or parties for First Communions, Baptisms and Confirmations etc. Anyway, Happy Christmas to everyone.

finlma · 20-12-2007 04:10PM

Flukey wrote: »

If they really didn't believe in Christianity, then they wouldn't do any of that on principle, in the same way they refuse to go to any Christian services on principle because, as they would tell you... "I don't believe in any of that rubbish".

Yawn - and do you yourself ignore Halloween like all good Christians do since it is a pagan festival. Didn't think so.
I'm a massive celebrater of Christmas and I'm a big fat atheist - it's more a time for family, friends, pints, Santa, craic than a time for Jebus and the Santa for grown-ups, namely God.

ScumLord · 20-12-2007 04:14PM

Flukey wrote: »

It is also amusing that people spend the whole year bashing Christianity, but seem very happy to go to Christmas parties, accept a Christmas bonus, have their days off at Christmas, receive Christmas presents etc.,

Christmas is Satan's holiday now, wall street bought him out. God lives in a dustbin down the road from me now.

I'd like to be burned in a field, graveyards are taking up to much space.

Wacker wrote:

I've heard once that the chemicals needed to cremate a corpse are very bad for the environment.

Why would they need chemicals? Just get the temperature up and anything will burn to nothing.

Flukey · 20-12-2007 09:06PM

I'm a massive celebrater of Christmas and I'm a big fat atheist

So what is it you are celebrating? You are basically saying that you celebrate something that you don't believe in. You can't have it both ways, which was my basic point. For the record, I did not celebrate Halloween this year. I was in transit at the time, but that's another story.

bushy... · 20-12-2007 09:16PM

It was probably originally a pagan festival anyway

finlma · 20-12-2007 09:18PM

Flukey wrote: »

So what is it you are celebrating? You are basically saying that you celebrate something that you don't believe in. You can't have it both ways, which was my basic point. For the record, I did not celebrate Halloween this year. I was in transit at the time, but that's another story.

I'm celebrating having great friends and family and the general joys of life. I don't need to think about the baby Jebus - not that many Christians do either. They worship the money and present God above all else.

So, if you weren't in transit I'm sure you might have partaken in some Halloween festivities, maybe even a fancy dress party. If so how very hypocritical of you - you can't have it both ways, which was my basic point. Your God might smite you.

ejmaztec · 20-12-2007 09:28PM

I'm donating my corpse to McDonalds for culinary research, like most other people have done in the past.

Flukey · 20-12-2007 10:29PM

ejmaztec wrote: »

I'm donating my corpse to McDonalds for culinary research, like most other people have done in the past.

They'll only be interested if you are made of cardboard. McDonald's - The biggest restaurant chain in the world that doesn't sell food.

finlma wrote:

I'm celebrating having great friends and family and the general joys of life.

Well why not do that on January 19th or May 30th or July 16th or November 23rd or whenever, instead of December 25th, if it makes no difference to you?

Nevyn · 20-12-2007 10:44PM

bushy... wrote: »

It was probably originally a pagan festival anyway

Some elements were.

The Humanist Association of Ireland will run non relgious ceremonies for people and provide space for them as well.

http://www.humanism.ie/cere.html

Mr. CooL ICE · 20-12-2007 10:53PM

Flukey wrote: »

You are basically saying that you celebrate something that you don't believe in.

I'm also an atheist and will be celebrating Christmas. Try and stop me :cool:

You seem to be missing the point. Atheism is the absence of a belief in god, not an entirely new religion. Most atheists aren't necessarily hard-line anti-christian people and christmas doesn't bother most of us, apart from the ghey songs. Most of us were raised catholic and 'lost touch' somewhere in life. If somebody suddenly decided they were an atheist and stopped worshipping the joy of christmas, they god other problems that need looking after.

Mr. CooL ICE · 20-12-2007 10:54PM

Flukey wrote: »

Well why not do that on January 19th or May 30th or July 16th or November 23rd or whenever, instead of December 25th, if it makes no difference to you?

Convenience? Who's gonna bother making a new event on the calendar and trying to get other people to follow?

Nevyn · 20-12-2007 11:46PM

http://de.essortment.com/christmaspagan_rece.htm

http://www.zenzibar.com/articles/christmas.asp

http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_menu.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnzTDZi4Keo

Let's face it xmas/yule/whatever is the coldest darkest time of the year and we choose to take the time to distract ourselves with presents and ligths and food and drink and if some people want to inject religion into it for themselves fair enough.

galah · 20-12-2007 11:47PM

Here (Germany) if you don't belong to a religion, you can be buried without the church service (and I'm pretty sure the church would actually refuse to hold a service if you're not a member, what with not paying church taxes and all). You might get a private "service", and you may end up in the church yard (where you can spin in your grave for a while), but usually you will be buried in a "normal" graveyard without a church attached....

Nevyn · 20-12-2007 11:49PM

Most grave yards these days don't have a chruch attached and most funeral homes will take down the crosses to have a rememberance service held there.
But once you die your wishes do not have to be legally forfilled and if your next of kin ie spouse or father ( then mother, then brother, then sister ect ) is relgious then they have legal rights to dispose of your body how ever they wish.

JC 2K3 · 21-12-2007 12:05AM

Flukey wrote: »

You can't have it both ways, which was my basic point.

Why not? Are you trying to say that atheists shouldn't be allowed have any holidays or parties or have any fun because they don't believe in a god and therefore there's no reason to?

bleg · 21-12-2007 12:15AM

anyway jesus wasn't born in winter, definitely not the 25th of december. in those days the shepherds only stayed on the hills in spring. december 25th was chosen for 2 reasons, 1. there it fitted in with the pagan festivals that took place around the solstice (22nd) and 2. it was 9 months after march 25th.

march 25th of whatever year was the date that god created light, apparently. it would therefore make sense that the "light and saviour of the world" would be concieved on that day

Sam Kade · 21-12-2007 12:44AM

WindSock wrote: »

Even if young athiests die, it's the family that organises the funeral.

I went to a lovely Funeral overseas. They guy was about 50 something and was in a band. There was an open cask party in his house, the cask was inexpensive wood, there were photos of his life spread about the place and all of his homemade beer for us to drink. Everyone that knew him got said a small piece about him, then his fellow band mates played some tunes. It was beautiful, touching and so much more personal than a Mass said by a priest that has never met the deceased.

By any chance did they bury him in his back garden?

Sam Kade · 21-12-2007 12:54AM

bleg wrote: »

anyway jesus wasn't born in winter, definitely not the 25th of december. in those days the shepherds only stayed on the hills in spring. december 25th was chosen for 2 reasons, 1. there it fitted in with the pagan festivals that took place around the solstice (22nd) and 2. it was 9 months after march 25th.

march 25th of whatever year was the date that god created light, apparently. it would therefore make sense that the "light and saviour of the world" would be concieved on that day

The wise old man speaks religion is rubbish says he but global warming is all man made.

non religious funerals

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