Humanist Funeral

[Buddy]

I have been to one and it was so personal as opposed to church services when the Minister/Priest doesnt know you and is only speaking verbatum via the family.Now I am not being maudling because its the only thing we all have in common.

Would anyone consider one - I am now thinking I would rather have eulogies and anecdotes from family and friends who knew me - I am not religious.Thing is you have to let your nearest and dearest what you want now.I know I wont be there but it is your final wish after all.

What do you think - is this a new trend?

[jacey]

I think one of my concerns would be, that if any of those I left behind were religious, they would worry that I hadn't gone to heaven (hmm, thats another story). I mean it will make no difference to us by then, but if family were religious, I might have it done the traditional way, just to make them happy, I'd have nothing to lose and they'd be happier thinking I was in heaven.

[andy hughes]

My family are all Catholic, I'm an aetheist.

Given the choice, I'd rather have a queue of people saying how great i was, than the priest mumbling on about me being in a 'better place'. Where I will be is oblivion - I want them to take the bits of me they can use, and burn the rest. Thanks. 

[Shipstabber]

Funerals are for those left behind - they're the ones that will have to sit through it. I'll let my loved ones have whatever kind of service they want - I'll be too dead to care.

[Buddy]

Andy - you have summed up my sentiments exactly.If the circumstaces were right take what you can.

I dont want planted - I want burned.I have decided for my families sake though that I will have 'my' ashes buried in a private ceremony in the local churchyard and a stone put up so they can visit me.Good compromise I think.

If you are religious I fully understand this question does not apply to you and respect that. 

[mullein2]

i think in a few years lots of people will be requesting these sort of funerals..allready people play songs they like..and it will end up as normal with religious playing second fiddle..to be honest i would be mortified if my family gave me a funeral where a priest was mumbling mumbo jumbo..etc etc..i just want it simple and lots of wild flowers on my coffin..hopefully one of those new age coffins made of wicker..then they can all go home and have a drink....

[rampart]

I want a nice requiem at the cathedral.

[-=BigD=-]

Humanist, burried in a forest (minus anything that can fix someone else), loads of booze and i'll ask for everyone to sing "Always look on the bright side of life" by monty python!

Death is way to serious in Britian, religons all about whats gonna happen and i'm sure the preist/rabbi/imman/whatever wouldn't say:
"Actually BigD broke, well, most of our closely held beliefs/rules/laws, his souls not going to be in a happy place right now"

A funeral should be a celebration of life!!
You can't have a funeral with out "fun"!

[spudqueen]

My Dad had a humanist funeral, but the bloke who 'took' the service was from the humanist society and didn't know my Dad personally, so no better or worse than a vicar or priest! Still I suppose that being detached from the grief means that you'll be able to do a professional 'job' and actually be in charge.

[jenstar]

Personally I am very much against anyone using my death as an opportunity to peddle religious claptrap. And yes, I think this trend will continue - religion IS strongly on the decline in Britain, and while religious funerals may be the last thing to go, they WILL go, eventually.

[silly moo]

My gran had a 'humanist' funeral - not her choice.
It was absolutelu dreadful, the man from the humanist society couldn't even get her name right.
It made a really sad time even worse.
Even my atheist husband said it was awful.

I want as much as poss to be donated if any good, and the rest to be buried in a coffin that will rot quickly so I can become part of the food chain.
Cremation only adds to the hole in the ozone layer.

[larakitten]

Hi there Buddy, both my Auntie and Cousins funerals were humanist and i thought it was beautiful.  It gave us a chance to say personal things, and play their favourite music without any religious overtones.  As my cousin was very young, it was fitting to have something personal and light, as religious funerals can be heavy i feel.

I am not a religious person, quite the opposite, therefore would be quite open to the suggestion, not that Id have much say in matters i guess!!!  Like Shipstabber rightly says, funerals are more for those left behind, so i guess i would really leave it up to them to chose something appropriate.

But I do think that religion, slowly, is becoming a dying art in this country, and the natural, personal funerals may become the way of the future!

x

[Kat535]

My brother had a humanist funeral and it was exactly what we as his family thought he would have wanted.  He wasn't religious and it served to mark the end of his life in a way that was neither hypocritical or too light.  I'll be having one of those when I go, not only because I think it suitable for me but also because the rest of my family would appreciate it.  Humanist funerals though are like everything else, the quality depends on who does it.