Atheist/Humanist/Rationalist/Freethinker/Agnostics - Funerals

[boozehound420]

What do you want people to do at your funeral?

All cemetaries are religious, ive only been to 1 christian funeral. And it was horrible. I dont want a priest saying anything at my funeral. If a quote from the bible is read i'll be turning over in my grave to throw rotting flesh at people.

Anybody been to a funeral that wasnt christian?

[KikoSanchez]

I read about some cult favorite musician's funeral where a few big time fans showed up and played his music over a boombox. That's how I'd like to go out. An Elliott Smith song, a reading of Thoreau, then leave me be.

[CatharticWeek]

Cremation, then a private ceremony where some people talk about me my favourite song is played and then my ashes are scattered to the wind.

I think that'd be a nice way to go out.

[Rust]

I'd like for them to do whatever the hell they feel like; be it crying, dancing, praying, drinking.... I don't believe that there is an afterlife, so I won't care, because I can't; even if there was an afterlife, I imagine my thoughts would be focused on what the hell is happening to me, not what they happen to be doing on earth.

As for the non-Christian (or rather, non-religious) funeral, Dawkins talks about participating in one for a deceased atheist friend of his. They pretty much gathered friends and family to read passages from the deceased's favorite poet/writer, talked, and shared fond memories with each other. Basically, a somber social gathering aimed at remembering a lost friend.

[stormshadowftb]

i'm donating my body to medical science, not organ donor for ill people. that is a waste.

hopefully my body will help to train 10 doctors who will save 50 lives each in their lifetimes. who knows? my doctors might save the life of someone who will do great things? i hope so.

my funeral is going to be a rave with all my favourite choons.



actually i'll let the DJ decide

but i want shoutouts from beyond the grave.



[This message has been edited by stormshadowftb (edited 12-12-2006).]

[boozehound420]

ive been thinking about this since i posted and

i want my favorite songs playing in the background, not shur wich ones would be best yet, pink floyd comfortably numb comes into mind for the sad toon

i want people to remember the good times, while there talking this some more up beat party music would be playing.

I think my older brother would be the guy doing some reading, since he shares all my atheist views, and is one of the only people i know who actually buys books. I'll let him know that i would want him to express our mutual non belief of the afterlife, even know there is goona be alot of religious people there(family) but its my funeral not thers

also it will be an outdoor funeral. i want the ceramonial drinks to be routinly passed around. Taste of scotch, vodka, capton mo's, cognac and a few different tastes of beer.

also the ceramonial joint, wich will should be big enough to give every one of my friends a hoot, wich will have to be pretty fucken big

I also want to be creamated,

and maybe my ashes put in some soil, and mixed into a nice Sea of Green, and the weed smoked by my pothead friends.

that or my ashes dropped from a plane over the Mountains of BC

[chickenpoop]

to you atheists saying you want to be cremated, don't you think you're going to do enough burning once you get to hell to spend eternity?

[socratic]

I went to my grandmother's funeral a few years ago, and I cried like a little girl. Why? The casket was in full view. It wasn't open, no, but the package itself was enough to really shake me up.

I'd like my ass to be burried whole, not crmeated, but at least lowered into the pit a bit, so my loved ones don't have to stare and imagine their father/brother/friend rotting in a hunk of wood. If I'd managed to make a writer of myself, then I'd want a passage of two read from one of my works. Musician, one of my songs, and so on and so forth. People could cry if they wanted, or not. Honestly, I wouldn't want the reserved and controlled emotion to it- I'd want the bereaved to be REALLY bawling if they were going to. Why only mourn the passed a little? Especially if there isn't an other side, one should be even MORE upset.

I guess the best situation would be that the crowd featured, to paraphrase High Fidelity, at least one extremely beautiful young woman bawling.

The reception would be somber, with relatives and friends- the whole clan - gathered to share fond memories of my life. That sort of thing, you know?

[This message has been edited by socratic (edited 12-12-2006).]

[bitplane]

My uncle had a Humanist funeral, it was pretty much the same as a christian funeral but without hymns or the mention of god. One day I'm sure I'll have one too.

Cremations are very selfish imo. I'll donate my organs to other people, the left overs to medical science, and if there's anything else left I want it put on a compost heap so I can be recycled in the most natural way possible.

[Hexadecimal]

I would want there to be a supple amount of salvia available - maybe some ohGr playing - definitely clowns, strobe lights, fog, and glow sticks.

I want my funeral to be as much a fiasco as my life is.