Atheist funeral ideas?

I would like to donate my body to science...but after any usable organs have been donated...but if I can't donate my body I want to be cremated and ashes scattered in Big Bend National Park...at sunset...through the *window*...I would like a memorial service to be held in a beautiful garden (haven't selected it yet)...people can share stories and memories of my life....people MUST wear bright colors and be happy as I have lived a great life and I have no regrets...I would like music from George Winston to be played...no flowers at all...just the natural beauty of the garden...time should be limited to no more than an hour and then people need to get on with their lives...

I'm going to have a State run funeral so that everyone can see that I am really dead when they walk by my casket in the State rotundra. There will be flowers and tons of people crying... "Who did you say this person was?" It would be nice to have a Jazz Band play, but there might be some complaints from the State saying that a Jazz Band isn't recognized by any State but Lousianna. After the viewing I would like to have my friends and others come to a wake where they will play ring toss using my staff of life as the "thing" to toss the ring at. Then after everyone is good and blitzed I'll go to the next party. Maybe float myself in the punch bowl, face down. And a good time will be had by all.

The idea that I had for my own (I'm a cancer survivor who has actually planned my own funeral out in advance--thankfully those plans don't appear to be needed right now) was to make it a celebration of my life. The same pastor who oversaw my wedding is a rare man: So long as respect is shown for the religious, he has no trouble seeing to the wishes of disbelievers. While every single person in attendance at my wedding knows I'm an Atheist, I still wanted the pastor to lead a prayer for the rest of my family--nearly all of which hold a Christian denomination. He did it very well: "The bride and groom have requested a moment of prayer for those who would like to participate..." and the moment went on. I spoke with him about overseeing my funeral, and having the same sort of consideration. He agreed, and had several suggestions for making that happen. This way any prayers said for me were by the choice of those offering the prayer. The funeral itself would fit me for who I was, yet allow the survivors to be who they are and deal with things in their own way.

I've thought sometimes about when my mother dies... I believe I will be the one conducting the memorial service, even if I have to break down in tears sometimes. I would speak about her amazing life and all the wonderful things she taught me. I would allow some of her friends to speak too if they wanted. I would play certain music between speakers that are relevant to her life, some sentimental and some more cheerful (she'd haunt me forever if I did everything traditional, she despises tradition). I'd have her favorite flowers there and maybe read a little poetry or philosophy in addition to my speech. If my children are old enough and they feel up to it, they may also read or say something.

The purpose here would be to tell the guests about her life and celebrate her life and say how much she'll be missed. It's to help the mourning process and provide closure for the living.

Then per her wish I'd have her cremated and scattered over the ocean.

Ive already laid it out. There will be two kegs of homebrewed beer, wine and appetizers. There will be an open community bowl of Ganj and a hookah.

The music will consist mostly of Deep Purple (Lazy, No One Came, Child in Time), ZZTop (Beer Drinker, Hell Raiser) followed by a long list of John McLaughlin. Blue in Green by Miles Davis is going to be the burial music.

I am attempting to be buried or creamated without being embalmed. Embalming is BS and should not be done and I am against all mortician union laws that indicate it must be done.

No praying or other acknowledgements of any organized mythology will be allowed.

Make it a memorial. Pictures of you, music you liked. Somebody says what a great guy you were then everyone gets wasted and cries. Same as another funeral without the Jesus crap.

P.S. I am a humanist minister. Call me if you get really sick, I might be close by. I hope it isn't anytime soon.

My mother was an Atheist and her 'funeral' consisted of her friends sharing good food and drink while telling stories of her life. It was a celebration of her time on Earth before her ashes were scattered (with a Hawaiian lei) over her beloved ocean.

Make it a good time, no one wants to remember a sad occasion :(

Hire a great band, have a feast that no one will forget, ya that is the way to go out.

you are clearly optomstic.

Well, take everything you believe to sybolise your happiness, or what makes you happy. Find your favourite colours, or things taht inspire you, or reflects your personality. make them into a massive collage, and show yourself and your personality, making it as bright or dull as you wish, be natural, and dont make it seem like your doing this for a show, do it coz u love it,

hope i helped xxx

Find a minister who can perform purely secular ceremonies, like an army chaplin. Get people who knew you to read personal eulogies. I've seen this done at other funerals, secular or otherwise, and thought it made much more sense than hearing the words of a priest who never met the departed, making up all this stuff.