Funerals - what do agnostics/atheists do? - Page 2

Kramerman · January 27, 2003, 01:51

I would appreciate for my body to be cast into space, to float in the void for a period of time that would certainly outlast the rest of humanity... who knows, perhaps some advanced alien civilization would come across my corpse and be able to bring me back to life.

Bosh · January 27, 2003, 02:01

feed our corpses to our bushy-tailed friends?

Kramerman · January 27, 2003, 02:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Boshko
feed our corpses to our bushy-tailed friends?

Im sry, Ive been trying hard to hold back, but bunny rabbits can sooo kick the ass out of squirrels. Its the truth and we all know it. So, when the world ends, and rabbits and squirrels are fighting over our corpses, the rabbits will win!

devilmunchkin · January 27, 2003, 02:53

well...they're either creamted or not..we gather and just remember the person in life..and come to terms with the fact that they are no more...

Gatekeeper · January 27, 2003, 04:04

When my time arrives, I would appreciate it if any usable organs could be taken and given to others so that they may lead fuller, responsible lives. Then cremate what's left and scatter some over the land, some over the water, some in the air and (if possible) the rest into Earth orbit.

It's a symbolic thing.

Gatekeeper

Alexander's Horse · January 27, 2003, 06:21

The other good thing about cremation is you can keep your loved ones with you.

CerberusIV · January 27, 2003, 07:25

I actually run a small local authority cemetery in the UK. It is divided into sections for Roman Catholics, Church of England (officially consecrated ground) and non- conformist (everyone else). We occasionally have atheist/agnostic funerals and more unusual ones such as humanists. Most of the time it is a fairly straightforward funeral without a minister or the more religious ceremonial

Funerals and memorial headstones can be expensive so cremation is popular. We only allow one casket in a grave but can also put 4 or 5 cremation urns in as well, over time, so the family only have to purchase one space.

Records can be quite interesting, some of the records in my office go back to the 1870's and I do get asked to trace family members that far back.

On a more gruesome note, after a few years in the ground there isn't all that much left of a burial but cremation ashes are sealed in plastic and just sit there, probably for centuries into the future.

TheStinger · January 27, 2003, 07:39

I wanna go into space, but my wife would insist on something traditional i think.

Does anyone remember the rather tasteless(but very funny) Monty Python sketch about the disposal of bodies

Alexander's Horse · January 27, 2003, 07:42

My wife wants to be cremated and sent back to her home country. Not the slightest bit interested in spending eternity lying next to me.

Jack the Bodiless · January 27, 2003, 08:47

Like most atheists, I don't really care. Most of us seem to have predominantly religious relatives who insist on giving us religious funerals.

Tempers might rise if the priest uses the funeral as an opportunity to preach about God rather than simply paying his respects to the dead. A certain amount of this is bound to happen, but if it becomes excessive: well, I'd like to think that one of my friends would step forward and punch the priest on the nose.

This actually happened recently. The priest stated that the dead person was going to Hell, and was immediately assaulted by the mourners.

Bosh · January 27, 2003, 12:31

Quote:

Im sry, Ive been trying hard to hold back, but bunny rabbits can sooo kick the ass out of squirrels. Its the truth and we all know it. So, when the world ends, and rabbits and squirrels are fighting over our corpses, the rabbits will win!

Vile lies! Rabbits cannot even climb trees! They will be descended on from above by sharp pointy teeth!

Starchild · January 27, 2003, 12:31

Personally I'd like to have a giant pyramid built to me by slave labour and then be mummified and sealed inside with my loved ones when my time is up.

Of course, if my loved ones' time isn't up, they might object. But my funeral is supposed to be about me, right? Selfish loved ones.

Sava · January 27, 2003, 13:43

Personally, I want to be cloned. But if that doesn't happen, I'll settle for a creamation.

Kramerman · January 27, 2003, 22:21

Quote:

Originally posted by Boshko

Vile lies! Rabbits cannot even climb trees! They will be descended on from above by sharp pointy teeth!

ah ha! That is just what the rabbits want them to do. Once the squirrels hit the ground, they will be dragged beneath the surface into the vast and extensive rabbit catacombs and tunnel networks, never to be seen again!

Odin · January 27, 2003, 22:42

I saw on a show on extreme funurals that you can have your ashes mixed in with the concrete for stuctures for coral to grow on. I would like that, being able to spend eternity in one of the most beutiful places on earth.

(I'm an atheist, though I do belive in an afterlife.)

cavebear · January 27, 2003, 22:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Starchild
Sometimes we atheists have deep, meaningful funerals that remember the person's life and their impact on the people who they loved.

Sometimes we leave the body near the side of the road until garbage collection day.

Arnold Via, of Virginia, used to tow atheist corpses behind a tractor for disposal. I've requested cremation, but if I could be sure I would be buried unprotected under a newly-planted tree, I would go for that. Trees are good.

chequita guevara · January 27, 2003, 22:54

That would probably be illegal, cavebear. My first choice would be to be burryied in a pine box under a peach pit. Laws in the US, however, are rather specifc in the methods for disposing of human remains. It may even be the case that in your locality or state that you must be embalmed if you are not cremated. Thank the morticians lobby for that.

cavebear · January 27, 2003, 23:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack the Bodiless
Like most atheists, I don't really care. Most of us seem to have predominantly religious relatives who insist on giving us religious funerals.

Tempers might rise if the priest uses the funeral as an opportunity to preach about God rather than simply paying his respects to the dead. A certain amount of this is bound to happen, but if it becomes excessive: well, I'd like to think that one of my friends would step forward and punch the priest on the nose.

This actually happened recently. The priest stated that the dead person was going to Hell, and was immediately assaulted by the mourners.

Hmm, that sounds like a way to get one last shot at the theists. Maybe I'll design my funeral to set up some poor unsuspecting priest and have the mourners paid to attack him as soon as he mentions religious nonsense.

Ooh, I could have a casket built to raise the lid as soon as the first shovel of dirt hits the top...

Alexander's Horse · January 27, 2003, 23:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack the Bodiless
Like most atheists, I don't really care. Most of us seem to have predominantly religious relatives who insist on giving us religious funerals.

I predict a creationist sermon in your future