The Atheist Book Club discussion
Atheism + Skepticism
>
Memo to Religious People: Many Atheists Don't Want to Hear That Their Loved Ones "Are in Heaven" -- New Group for Non-Believers Helps Atheists Grieve
date
newest »
newest »
Nice article, interesting stuff. You obviously do often need support when you lose someone and there's nothing more annoying than hearing morons tell you that "they've gone to a better place".It made me think of this I watched the other day from the mighty Christopher Hitchens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDLW3x...
My fave is "thank god I'm well again" but knowing they'd hedged their bet with modern medicine and science!
They need a poster campaign like 'There is Probably No Heaven' in black and T-shirts to match! Atheists should also have jolly funerals for older people. My grandfather was a lifelong atheist and told his children and grandchildren that he wanted them to wear bright colours at his funeral and to sing rebellious folk songs - we did, and I have given similar instructions to my own children and grandchildren. I have also said that I wanted to be buried dressed completely in red, right down to my underwear!
Death at the end of a long life should be welcomed. It is nature's way of making room for the young and healthy.
My father was an atheist who died unexpectedly at the age of 58. Since he was not a church-goer, my mother did all the planning, including choosing a minister who had never met my dad. At the funeral, the man preached a sermon entitled "When a Christian Dies..."Not exactly a comfort to me. Several of his friends came up to me after the service and quietly told me how much my dad would have enjoyed making fun of that sermon. Now THAT - brought solace.
If you are an atheist it is important to plan your funeral so that this sort of thing does not happen. I have left instructions in my Will about an ecological funeral and burial, followed by an atheistic sing-song. The British Humanist Association will advise on and conduct funerals for you and I expect the one in the US will too:-http://www.humanism.org.uk/ceremonies...
And you could also choose a cheerful coffin:-
http://www.creativecoffins.com/?gclid...
More here: http://www.alternet.org/story/152028/...