Agnostic.com
  1. Agnostic
  2. Posts
  3. Love & Relationships

7 4

I went to my aunt's funeral today. She was just short of 86. It was interesting to see everyone praying, except for my siblings and I, 5 of us just looking around at the deceived. It was strange to hear her described by so many as devout but full of life as well. We hung out a lot together when I was in my 20's and she was the girl you did NOT take home to meet the family 😃. Funny to see how peoples perception of us changes as we age. It's like they forget or can't see us as the wild rule breakers that we were.

#siblings #funeral #pray
Cyklone 7 Mar 18
Share
Submit

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

7 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

0

Level 9

At least you didn't have to endure an altar call like I have at some Southern babtist funerals.

What is an alter call?

@Cyklone An invitation to come to the altar and be saved.

@Lorajay at a bloody funeral? You're shitting me, or I hope you are. That's so inappropriate

@Cyklone I've been to several funerals where altar calls actually occurred. Remember they have a captive and vulnerable audience and many fire-and-brimstone preachers cannot turn down any opportunity. My son was 8 when my former father-in-law died. At the service the preacher did the altar call thing and I can still remember my 8 year old son grabbing me to make here I didn't say something inappropriate out loud.
4

Level 10

I went to a funeral last Monday, it was perhaps the worst funeral I have ever attended. It wasn't because his life was cut short at 32, it wasn't because of the pain of his wife that I've known since she was 16, it wasn't because the step daughter had come to see him as a real father figure and he wouldn't be there. It wasn't even because it was in a catholic church. In the 45 minute service, the priest only spoke one sentence about the deceased and everything else could have been pulled from last Sunday's mass. Sorry for your loss.

Sorry for your loss as well. That sounds terrible. To me the empty platitudes seem like a betrayal to the reality of the loss.

I'm sorry for your loss as well. I was raised Catholic, and it's sadly common that the deceased is ignored in their self-congratulatory rituals. I hope you're able to gain some comfort as that particular memory fades.
4

Level 8

I'm sorry for your loss, and that your grief was magnified by the hollow platitudes of the religious. I hope you had the chance to tip a glass with your sibs and share some stories honoring that wild girl.

Sure did. 🙂
6

Level 7

My friends wife passed last spring. Funeral service was at funeral home. It overflowed. I gladly sat in lobby and listened.

I listened to the crap about how the lord called Paula away....not a word about how he called her away from family she loved. Loving husband. Grandchildren she adored. Life she loved and wanted.

I rolled my eyes and fumed all alone. Better that way

twill Level 7 Mar 18, 2020
Reply
2

Level 10

Strange isn't it

bobwjr Level 10 Mar 18, 2020
Reply
2

Level 10

Funerals can be a bit of an ordeal for atheists... I have endured a few in my time. The most recent just last month was excruciating with not one, but two preachers droning on at length. I go to show respect and support to the grieving relatives and friends, it’s just a small thing to do, and makes me appreciate my mind being free of all such dogma, hallelujah for that!

It's an interesting experience isn't it? Like being the only person with sight in a group of blind people.

@Cyklone I always realise just how lucky I am to have never had this belief system imposed on me from earliest days. Have often wondered if I would have just accepted it like my friends, but really believe I would have rebelled against it at some stage as I have a very logical brain...there is nothing logical in a belief in god.

2

Level 8

I passed on a funeral just days ago.. Saw that three preachers were scheduled to speak. No thanks! Can’t imagine how she’d ‘be described,’ but I’ll remember her as I knew her, and had spent time with the family beforehand. Damn religion.

Varn Level 8 Mar 18, 2020
Reply

Yes, I went out of respect for her and to catch up with family I hadn't seen in many years but the whole, gone to a better place, bullshit annoys the crap out of me. The last funeral I was at, when confronted by the pastor, I told him that I thought he was no different to a drug dealer, peddling illusions and addiction. That went down like a lead balloon.

@Cyklone I was sitting amid their family when some self-proclaimed ‘Sunday school teacher’ began blurting how, “She’s home,” “She’s home now!” I thought, bullshit - we’re all here, in the middle of her former living room, she’s not..

Wow, you told the preacher that? Good for you!

@Varn it was my brother's funeral. The only reason there was a pastor was for the benefit of my mother but I wasn't in the mood for bullshit.
Write Comment

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

Share this post

Copy Link

Categories

You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:472025
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.