Atheists: Do You Talk To A Dearly Departed Loved One When You Visit Their Grave?

I know I'm only talking to my memory of them.

It's a nice idea, and it helps me feel like I haven't lost them. Self-delusion is one of my specialties.

Bible perspective:

When people lost sight of God and began to worship the planets, demons, and hero gods, they practiced horrifying acts of cruelty, obscenity, and perversion (unnatural sexual acts). Even sons and daughters were burned in the fire (Lev. 18:21; 2Ki. 3:26- 27; 16:3; 17:17, 31; 21:6; 23:10- 11; 2Chr. 28:3; 33:6). Many of the ancient nations shed human blood before their deities. Molech means "king." This was the name of the main god of Ammon-- called Chemosh by Moabites (Biblical Facts about False Gods). Molech was worshiped in Egypt as Amun, or Amun- Ra, "the king of gods." What was supposed to be his likeness was a statue of brass resting on a pedestal or throne of brass-- his head crowned and resembling that of a calf, and his arms extended as if to embrace all who came near. Children were his victims. The statue was heated red hot by fire inside and children were shaken over the flames or passed through the hot arms in dedication to it, to receive Molech's favor. It was believed that all children not so dedicated would die in infancy. Many were actually burned alive in the idol (see the scriptures above). It seems that King Ahaz was dedicated to Molech (2Ki. 16:3, 19- 20; 2Chr. 28:3).

According to Bible, the above pagan practices are abominations to God.

Nine pagan practices:

1. Making children pass through the fire in worship to an idol god (Deut. 8:10)

2. Using divination

3. Observing times

4. Enchantments

5. Witchcraft ( witches and wizards)

6. Using charms on others ( Deut. 18: 11)

7. Consulting familiar spirits or spirits of the deceased

8. Consulting medium

9. Practicing necromancy.

Three commands-- pagan practices:

1. Do not learn the abominations of pagans.

2. Do not practice them even if you know them ( Deut. 18: 10- 11).

3. Be perfect with the Lord ( Deut. 18: 13- 14).

I don't believe if you talk to a dearly departed loved one when visiting their grave that makes you an agnostic. It is entirely possible to believe in some form of an afterlife without believing in God.

That is an interesting and thought provoking question.

It's difficult to let go of a dearly departed even if you don't believe in an afterlife. It is more of you thinking out loud than actually talking to the dead person.

The possibility of one being an agnostic however in this case, is more likely than she/he being an atheist.

Atheists, from my understanding, will assume God doesn't exist but are open to proof. So yes, there's a possibility of afterlife - there's a possibility of everything, including unicorns and dragons. But what's important is that until that is proven, we operate on the negative.

But is doesn't hurt to try to talk to them. (Though it doesn't need to be at their grave, does it?)

- Agnostic

I sometimes do....

honestly, i don't go to the grave (most likely my own failing) but i do sometimes ask my dad for advice. when i rationalize this, i think its because if i really want to, i can remove myself from the equation and try to think like my dad might. i'll try quickly sum up all i know about him and apply some of that to my current dilemna.

doesn't make you anything more than a human who misses someone dearly.

I don't generally visit graves... What's the point? My memory of lost loved ones is better served by other means.

No, I don't talk to dead people as if they exist in a spiritual sense -- dead is dead.

If you find yourself talking to the dead as if they were alive, you're not necessarily agnostic but you might be just a tad psychotic.

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[][][] r u randy [][][]

What graves? I don't really have any grave to visit, but that doesn't mean I say things out loud as if I am talking to my deceased love ones when I take a hike out in the woods, I know though they can't hear me.

I think people might say things to a dead person even if they don't believe in god, or spirits, or an afterlife of any kind, but either way you are just talking to yourself really, I think the atheist wold know this, so would the agnostic, but the believer might also know this but deny it..

Even though I am not an Atheist, ( I am a follower of jesus), I enjoyed this question, and the answers very much.

The question caused many to look at their thoughts, and the answers gave insight into those thoughts.

While many of us Christians do visit the grave site of our loved ones, we do not talk to them, believing that they can hear us, it is as many of your former answerer stated, a way of saying things that we never expressed before.

or talking to the memory.

and that gives us comfort.

at my fathers funeral, i broke down and cried, and ask him to forgive me for all of the hard feeling that I had had for him for many years.

it was not for his sake, but it did give me an inner healing that I needed.

Only if you expect some sort of reply.

When I die I want my ashes scattered. (In a place close to my Avatar's picture)

The rational part of me knows that I will be dead and that it will make no difference if my ashes are scattered there, or used to bulk out a batch of concrete.

But the irrational part of me wants it anyway. It will do no harm and it will associate me with that place in the minds of the people that survive me.

If you want to talk about your life to a dead grave, then go right ahead. It does no harm, and often talking about things to someone (or something) helps you work though them yourself.