What is an atheist funeral/celebration of life like?

Funerals are upsetting no matter whom you are...regardless of religious preference. One of the reasons why religion has flourished is that it offers people a feeling of hope. It helps ease people's minds during times of despair. Now, don't take this as an argument in favor of religion; there is plenty of hope in the absence of religion...hope for a better future based on the actions we make now, hope for a person's impact on a "dark" world. As a result, in funerals, don't focus on the sermon part. Instead, celebrate the person's life...his or her accomplishments, impact on your life and the lives of others. I think that is more satisfying, as it makes it easier to continuing living life to the fullest and work toward a brighter future, and make an difference in the real world, where it matters most.

In our clan we tend not to accept a lot of preaching but at the more religious funerals they do like to read their verses.

I suppose it does give them some comfort.

I disagree about funerals being for the dead.

The dead are not there, all that is in the box is a dead carcass that has to be got rid of before it starts to smell bad.

Funerals are for the living and our family has always been pretty ambivalent about religion, we tolerate it among our relatives but we don't believe it.

The result is that most of our funerals turn into an excuse for all the relatives to get together.

We tend to retell the old stories about things the dead did when they were alive. Some humorous, some not so much.

We also spend time introducing all the kids to each other and then let them run around playing.

Fancy clothes on kids are only for the funeral service itself and we only do the service for the more religious mourners.

Like I said, it seems to give them some comfort.

The somewhat religious funeral service also gives a sort of official seal to the whole affair and it is as easy to follow as any other protocol.

Weddings are similar but we dress louder, party harder and drink more.

Depends on the funeral. But an atheist funeral could be just the same as a Christian one without the religious stuff...

For the most part a funeral is more for the living than the dead...

I'd prefer a wake...

" thought it was for the dead person! Why is the preacher/pastor trying to convert/"save" me!?"

Funerals are for the living.

lol and you went to a Christian Church funeral what did you expect?

“Why is the preacher/pastor trying to...”

I'll stop you there, cos that's the problem. Visit a Church in England and listen to what happens from a priest. It won't be anything like what you've experienced in the past. (USA?)

It's not so much the religion, more the attitudes and exorcising of the faith in different cultures.

I've been to plenty of Christian funerals that have centred heavily on the person, and void of any opportunity to preach.

yeah if you don't think that your mind is going to move on to another stage after u die then u probably wont. since you being atheist/agnostic believe that ur mind, conscious and subconscious, just disappears when you die, then it probably will. when you die your remains will sit in a coffin at the funeral. some people who remain on earth may remember the mark you left on these 3 dimensions until they forget (sad but the truth in most cases). Atheists/Agnostics, its scary to think that your mind will just vanish and you are erased from existence when you die, but I Guess that's what you believe, and that's what will happen to you.

If I were you I would stop and listen to what the pastor has to say at these funerals, because he knows that his time on earth isn't all that there will ever be for him. I used to be ignorant in the fact that i just didn't care in pursuing why I am being. but I chose to listen to what the pastor, and others had to say. I choose the life eternal that I may be reunited with the force that created me when I die. but seriously man, it freaks me out to think that u wanna just disappear when u die. and you believe it.

If you got put in jail this second, you would ask why u were sent to jail?????

Look at yourself!!! wow! you got put into a human body! whats up with that??? what the heck how did u get here???

look at your hands:

why am I in a body?

what is a body anyways?

Why was I given senses to interact with this "world".

these are questions you should ask yourself!!!

Well, the funeral's for the people the deceased left behind, not the deceased himself. How selfish of you to think that people will care after you're dead, really. I mean, you're just a bunch of atoms, eh?

I don't know because Christian culture dominates the funeral industry.

It's really all the same to me personally just without the "God this" "Jesus that" stuff tacked on. I mean we humans all have the same emotions... we all grieve.

I went to a humanist funeral a few years ago and thought it was really beautiful

Celebrate your, and your friends lives - WHILE THEY'RE STILL ALIVE. Nothing like talking about how great a guy someone was, now that they're dead and all.

Why not actually tell them and make them feel better? Celebrate life - live it!