Why do atheists have weddings or funerals?

Seems like a pretty straight forward question to me.
Funerals and weddings seem suspiciously like religious ceremonies. In fact they are.
Why does an atheist even want to be buried?
If you believe in evolution and natural selection why can't you see the dignity in being picked apart by vultures?
I can, but why can't you other atheist guy reading this?

 

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I would like to be buried without the coffin, being decomposed and helping my mother earth.

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Or I'd like my remains to be smoked like in How High.


Besides funerals cost alot

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Interesting thought, but I think that as much as they may have religous roots or ties, Weddings and Funerals have become very much a tradition, rather than following a religous mandate or agenda.

Like, I think one could easily have a wedding and have no mention of god or religion whatsoever, the marriage would still be legal, and work in every sense.

Same with a funeral, I am sure if one was passionately atheist, they would surely make a point to not include god in their funeral, truly if their friends wished to show their respects they would comply even without being prompted beforehand.

This makes me wonder what douglas adams' funeral was like, he was never one to hide that he was an atheist, furthermore he spoke very adamantly about it and wasn't one for many traditions and stuff.

Another thing I find to be kind of silly is when Atheists say "oh my god!"

 

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hehe
guilty *raises hand*
I say "oh my god" and "god damn it to hell!!!" and a myriad of other similar phrases ALL the time.
But thats just fooling around.

I wouldn't consider anyone that has a wedding or a funeral a "strong" atheist.
The meaning may be forgotten but its still a ridiculous tradition, with a questionable inception into society. No way would I be involved in either because I am a strong atheist or more accurately strongly against organised religion.

 

Weddings are legal ceremonies as well as religious. There are religious connotations with certain people, but marriage is a contract with the state as well. Marriages has certain other qualities besides what is found in religous meanings including power of attorney, mutual possession of property, etc.

As to this I can't really answer (I am not an atheist). However, I will say that I don't think what happens to your body when you die reallly matters. A ceremony is comforting to the family. It provides closure, an opportunity to reflect, and brings people together who may not have met in a very long time. It also pays tribute to a person who was mutually cared for by many in the family. I don't see why this is specifically religious. It is more for the family and loved ones than anyone else.

 

Lou,

Because they want to get married and remember their loved ones when they die. Neither event need be connected with religion whatsoever.

My father died in 2000 at the age of 92. I arranged an entirely non-religious service for the cremation and I gave the eulogy describing his life.

In 2001 I attended a beautiful non religious wedding in a lakeside setting where each participant had prepared their own vows for each other.

 

Why can't the family weep, hug and reflect around the corpse as it is pecked by vultures?
*shakes head*
wierdos

 

Cris,
To me, that seems like reading the bible after crossing out the words you don't like.

 

There are rational reasons for entering into contracts. Marriage is solemn vow to stay together and to raise any kids together. The ceremony can even be performed by a high priest of Satan.

 

Im afraid that religion has a hold on this one,almost legally,when it comes to births marriages and deaths its still a religous ceremony.

I suppose it depends on which country you are in,theres laws that prohibit things done different.

Like say i want to be buried in my garden,and i want the ceremony to take place there with a BBQ and death metal blaring out,NO WAY,cant be done.

However you can get cremated and have your ashes scattered anywhere,though you might not want that.

The song i want played at my funeral is cannible corpse: pounded into dust!!! yeah man that would rule

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Its a shame,it really is a shame that you dont even have control after your dead,the one time where you should be allowed the most control over how things go.

 

Some horribly loaded questions.

First off - who said an atheist wants to be buried? Duh.

Noone believes in evolution - beliefs are for unknown answers, evolution is long since proven.

It's obvious you're a religious but because being eaten by vultures has NOTHING to do with evolution.

Evolution is the change in a gene pool over time.

Nothing to do with eating habits, mythopath.

 

I'd want a religious funeral.
Viking ceremony, some Bathory playing to set the mood, then a barbeque.

 

Re: Re: Why do atheists have weddings or funerals?

Thanks for reinforcing my beliefs that most atheists don't have a fucking clue what evolution is

 

Why weep?

Do we weep for the dead, or for our own loss? One of my longstanding assertions is the latter. But then again, I was inspired that day. By a religious ceremony, of all things.

:m:,
Tiassa

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Atheists don't die. Just their body stops functioning and body cells die and whole thing would start rot just like the dead body of any theist whose soul departed. Dr Lou's idea of recycling seems to be reasonable and a payback to the nature.

Regarding atheistic wedding, its too personal & let them have it in any funny way.

 

I suppose it's a matter of tradition Lou.

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Of course everyone beleives in God anway (deep down): everyone knows God exists, whether they say it or not.

 

Marriage is, (or should be), out of true love and devotion to a person. Some big invisible dood in the sky is irrelevant. My wife and i didn't get married in any religious place or with religious garbage spewed out at it. Simple but a sign from both of us that we were truly committed to each other. It also lowers your tax rate, (in England).

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When i die my wife already knows i want nothing that even remotely resembles some kind of religious garbage. The reason is simple: If there's a god- i'd rather talk to him face to face than let some guy i don't even know do it for me. I can explain myself better than some guy who's never even met me and will literally just say any old garbage to make my loved ones feel better.

Speak for yourself. Kindly don't include me in your delusions.

 

lol. True!

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As Mucker said...

 

I'm a Theist and I had a tiny wedding for immediate family due to pressure. I hate big weddings. As far as funerals, I don't want to have one. I want to be buried the Islamic way. In less than 12 hours after death, before the sun sets, naked and wrapped in pure 100% decomposable white cotton sheet, directly in the hot sand of the desert of Sanai, arabia, or I'll settle for Arizona or Texas, US. I despise coffin marks or tomstones, and I don't want my buriel place to be marked at all, they could plant a fig tree or any other kind that survive in desert on top of me.

Edit, Make that buried face down, so all you on sciforums and the whole world can kiss my ass.

 

People donate their body to science and ask to be cremated. Not everybody gets buried.
I will donate my body to science.