I recently lost a nephew and his wife in a traffic accident. It was a head-on collision on a country road. The other driver crossed into the opposing lane. All three people involved are now dead. That's the short version of the story.
A couple of weeks after the accident, we had a memorial service for my nephew. I was a simple format. Everyone showed up, there was a reception line, and then we all took our seats in the room at the funeral home.
I didn't have much to do with the planning, so I don't know how it turned out that the officiant was a minister of some sort, from the United Church of Christ (UCC). He was not familiar with the family, the deceased, the circumstances, even the pronunciation of our family name. He was, unfortunately, familiar with certain passages from scripture. As he proceeded to try to sound like he cared, his arrogant evangelism washed over the whole room, a healthy percentage of which were atheist. My brother and his wife are atheist, and the deceased and the majority of our family are as well. It was like someone set off a stink bomb.
The UCC guy made a feeble attempt to acknowledge that differing beliefs were represented among the attendees, but seemed to sweep them aside by saying that "No matter what you believe, [this piece of scripture] applies to you as well." The effect is similar to the old cop-out, "I'll be prayin' for ya, brother."
I think I'm going to add a clause in my end of life planning, to make sure that any service or party be announced to be non-religious in letter and spirit. I want any proselytizer to be shouted down, followed by a belly-laugh and a tip of the glass. I want my own favorite music, not "Bringing In the Sheaves". There would definitely be some metal played.
Do you folks have plans for your end-of-life commemorations and such? Do you have any past experiences that would be useful to me? I'd love to read about them.
First and foremost condolences to you and your family affected by this tragedy.
I have no instructions for my funeral as I won't be there. If my wife dies before me it will be a simple secular cremation affair.
My instructions are simple: Cremate me, dump the ashes and have a drink to my memory.
Condolences,
I experienced a similar thing at my grandfathers funeral, he was atheist but his eldest son managed to persuade his brothers and sisters that he would like the local vicar to host the service as he said my grandad thought he wasn't too bad, this turned out to be a lie as he was the only religious person in the family. The simple instruction was no Christian mumbo jumbo which was completely ignored but at least when he started a prayer Bach was played over the top of him.
Quote from: Asmodean on May 21, 2012, 08:27:33 AM
My instructions are simple: Cremate me, dump the ashes and have a drink to my memory.
That's pretty much my husband's instructions. I'm kinda leaning that way myself. However, if my family does something else, how would I know?
That's what I've told Mrs Git: dispose of my corpse in any way you like, but no religious crap. I'll do the same for her.
Funerals suck.
Bloody sombre and depressing.
I'd like to go to one that is a celebration of a life rather than morning a life.
Most funerals that I have been too have been in churches and been religious, although I don't think many people in my extended family believe in gods.
I think it sucks at weddings and funerals when the celebrant makes it all about god. Who gives a f*ck about god?
I've told my wife that I definitely don't want anything religious at my funeral. Of course it won't really matter 'cause I'll be dead. But I don't want my death to be a cause for god promotion.
Quote from: Asmodean on May 21, 2012, 08:27:33 AM
My instructions are simple: Cremate me, dump the ashes and have a drink to my memory.
Give me your address and I'll arrange it straightaway.
Quote from: Crow on May 21, 2012, 09:05:05 AM
Condolences,
Quote from: Stevil on May 21, 2012, 10:44:17 AM
Funerals suck.
Bloody sombre and depressing.
I'd like to go to one that is a celebration of a life rather than morning a life.
but at least when he started a prayer Bach was played over the top of him.
Condolences appreciated. (Is this an opportunity to say "snarfle-burgers"?)
I also appreciate those of you who expressed a preference not to have any fuss made over your death. In my case, being a musician, I feel that a tiny bit of fanfare might fit the bill. Back in 1992, my piano professor from college died. He had left a bit of money so that a little party was thrown in his honor. There were snack trays and drinks, and there was a piano. All who felt like it were encouraged to play in honor of this professor's life, achievements, and musical influence on us. That's probably the most memorable memorial in my memory. And Stevil, you're right. Though memorable, this funeral sucked nonetheless. It's always left to the living to clean up the messes caused by one's expiring, eh?
Interesting thing about Bach: he dedicated all his works to the glory of God, but I would totally approve of Bach being played at my funeral. There's just no denying the reason and logic intertwined with whatever personal inspiration Bach felt. That's why he's one of my very favorite composers, maybe even #1!
But maybe not "Sheep May Safely Graze". Let's go for "Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue" or "Italian Concerto", or maybe even excerpts from the B minor Mass.
My condolences Rickrocks. I know how you feel - my beautiful cousin, (age 16) was killed last year in a car accident. They say she was probably unconscious before the wreckage of the car stopped moving. It's... difficult to come to terms with. My Atheism helps!
I'd actually like to be buried naked without a coffin - to return the elements of my body to the Earth. But I suspect that won't be allowed so... whatever.
I'd certainly like everyone to have a party with booze, drugs and sex to honour my idyll, but not many of my friends or family care to indulge, so... whatever.
In short then, whatever...! But i'd like to think it'd be an upbeat celebration rather than solemn.
Quote from: En_Route on May 21, 2012, 12:46:41 PM
Quote from: Asmodean on May 21, 2012, 08:27:33 AM
My instructions are simple: Cremate me, dump the ashes and have a drink to my memory.
Give me your address and I'll arrange it straightaway.
You don't need my address to arrange it - just being my proxy in case of death is enough. I already have a friend in that position, the same person as is on my emergency contact quick-dial, just in case people find my phone before they find my will when I'm dead or otherwise seriously incapacitated.
Rickrocks - Condolences. How tragic to lose your family in such a sudden and unexpected way. :'(
As for my funeral plans, Hubby and I are both atheists, so when one of us dies, the other will throw a secular event. I want to be cremated. Hubby says he wants "whatever is cheapest."
However, I will say that I think there are two sides of the whole funeral issue. On one hand, I think that if the deceased is a known atheist, it is gracious and respectful to throw a secular memorial. On the other hand, I think that funerals are for the living, not the deceased. When I'm dead, it won't matter a whit to me if they pray over my corpse; I just hope that my loved ones do whatever gives them the most closure and peace.
Quote from: rickrocks on May 21, 2012, 02:01:38 PM
Interesting thing about Bach: he dedicated all his works to the glory of God, but I would totally approve of Bach being played at my funeral. There's just no denying the reason and logic intertwined with whatever personal inspiration Bach felt. That's why he's one of my very favorite composers, maybe even #1!
But maybe not "Sheep May Safely Graze". Let's go for "Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue" or "Italian Concerto", or maybe even excerpts from the B minor Mass.
Our chosen processional music at our wedding. Beautiful piece of music.
I'd certainly like some Iron Maiden played. Maybe 'Run to the Hills', not necessarily because of the words, but it just seems to have the right sort of 'temperature'. Also 'Tales of Ulysses' by Cream.
Personally, I want to be cremated and my ashes spread in a pasture where ever I am living.
Hmm... Music... Difficult question. Well, in part, that is - I'm not getting married, so that one is pretty damned easy. As for whatever ceremony some well-meaning asshole might cook up in my memory against my expressed wishes... Well, I think I'd go with Chi Mai.
To add to my previous post. I don't plan on getting married or having children. The only thing that my family will have to worry about is what to do with my horses, but I plan on making the necessary arrangements beforehand.
As a Christian, I don't want any fuss over me in death either. Just cremate me and scatter my ashes somewhere in plants at Disneyland...I would be well cared for there! :)
I'm surprised y'all want burnin'. What a waste of good nutrients... If it's the last worthy thing I do, I'd like it to be supporting Mother Earth... for what it's worth...
And Soilent Green isn't such a bad idea...
I'm not very fond of the idea of sprouting daisies in death... I'd rather let my usefulness end with my life.
I never thought about the nutrient part of it. I just think it's silly to donate large swathes of land to sticking dead people in the ground and marking their final resting place with a rock. That land could be used for something more interesting, like building more Ikeas.
If every cemetery was converted to a nuclear power plant... Bad example, as we'd run out of Plutonium, Uranium and pretty much every other heavy -nium in no time at all, but the idea, it's sound, yes?
I've always said we should eat dead persons at a funeral banquet. Very green, less CO2 and pollution ... And the most sincere celebration of their life.
Mrs Git doesn't really agree, so I expect it won't happen to me.
Quote from: Ali on May 21, 2012, 06:13:09 PM
I never thought about the nutrient part of it. I just think it's silly to donate large swathes of land to sticking dead people in the ground and marking their final resting place with a rock. That land could be used for something more interesting, like building more Ikeas.
I don't want to end up in a cemetery. I'm thinking more somewhere where my nutrients will do some good. Like in the middle of nowhere. Or my childrens back garden. Or in the middle of a planted roundabout in Milton Keynes.
Quote from: Scissorlegs on May 21, 2012, 08:42:29 PM
I don't want to end up in a cemetery. I'm thinking more somewhere where my nutrients will do some good. Like in the middle of nowhere. Or my childrens back garden. Or in the middle of a planted roundabout in Milton Keynes.
...or the well manicured/kept plants and trees at Disneyland. What better place to be than the Happiest Place on Earth!
Quote from: AnimatedDirt on May 21, 2012, 09:23:04 PM
What better place to be than the Happiest Place on Earth!
Yuck! How about... Oh, I don't know... ANYWHERE? >:(
I have no idea where my reply went so I'll try to replicate it here.
I've always fancied myself buried in a forest and becoming nutrients for a tree, which in turn provides food, shelter, building materials, etc for so many creatures, until it in turn becomes part of the forest floor out of which springs new life in an endless cycle, until developers hack down the forest, anyway. Then I hope to be some condo-dweller's plumbing problem before I'm washed down to the waste treatment plant!
And Old Git, I can't see myself raising a forkful of you to my mouth, no matter how good the mead is.
Quote from: Ali on May 21, 2012, 04:08:05 PM
On the other hand, I think that funerals are for the living, not the deceased. When I'm dead, it won't matter a whit to me if they pray over my corpse; I just hope that my loved ones do whatever gives them the most closure and peace.
That's my take on it as well and why I have no funeral plans tho I have arranged to have my cremation paid for (hoping I live long enough for inflation to make it very expensive indeed).
My sympathies to Rickrocks as well, both for the loss of family and the showboating of a preacher who decided to use the occasion to be an asshole about his religion.
Sorry to hear about your nephew, rickrocks...my condolences. :(
I want a sky burial.
Rickrocks, I'm so sorry to hear about your nephew and his wife. :'( What a shock for your family.
For my own death, my instructions are fairly simple: if at all possible, use any part of me that you can to help someone else (even if it's just skin to help burn victims, fine), and cremate the rest. As for some kind of memorial service, if I know I'm about to die (say, something terminal) then I'm throwing a huge party for the people I love, and eating good food, drinking good wine, playing good music and generally just having a good time while I'm there to enjoy it with them. If my death happens unexpectedly, my loved ones know that I still want that memorial party to be thrown and I want everyone to show up, and just have the get-together without me. Tell funny, goofy stories. Share memories.
When a friend died a few years back (he happened to be an atheist), his parents had a Catholic funeral for him. I understood that was their way of finding some closure and especially peace, and I respected that. But we (his friends) chose to celebrate him a different way - we got his favourite beer, loaded up his favourite music, brought favourite foods. A few of his buddies brought one of his other favourite smokable substances :P. And... we basically threw a keg party. We talked about him. Laughed. Shared crazy, fun memories. His little brother ended up blitzed, dancing on a table. :D
Someone commented at the end of the night, "the only thing missing at this party was him". And I thought, 'damn straight. This was a good send-off.'
Quote from: Asmodean on May 21, 2012, 08:27:33 AM
My instructions are simple: Cremate me, dump the ashes and have a drink to my memory.
This is what i want. :)
Cremate and dump ashes.
Drink.
Be merry. Live on.
Pfft, i dont need to be a martyr for anyone's redemption. Funeral services, burials, and coffins are an insane WASTE of money and time.
People who fall into that trap deserve to be drained.
( i also find graveyards to be a horrid waste of space , which could be used for housing. Provide for the living. Not the dead.)
Quote from: hismikeness on May 22, 2012, 06:04:18 AM
I want a sky burial.
You mean like Gene Roddenberry's ashes getting shot into space? I think that's still planned at some point, along with his wife.
My condolences as well, rickrocks. Such a tragedy. And sucks that it was used in such a way.
I've never thought much about what I want when I die. My wife is also secular and knows how atheist I am, so she'd at least know not to have someone say a stupid prayer over me :) Whether I end up buried, ashes, whatev, it better not be some gaudy expensive coffin. A simple pine wooden box, if that much, is just fine by my dead standards. I do like all of your ideas of a celebration, though. The only song that pops into my mind as something I'd like played is Pearl Jam's "Man of the Hour" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXqwtUUPe0w), which was played during the credits of "Big Fish". It's slow, melancholy, but ultimately uplifting. Also, I've seen Pearl Jam at least 6 times (I think) and they're the only band I've consistently loved since my childhood. So that's my pick.
Quote from: ScissorlegsOr in the middle of a planted roundabout in Milton Keynes.
Aagh, no, not Milton Keynes, please. Hell, yes. The sewage plant, yes. I know I'll just be a heap of ashes and no part of me will exist to sense my surroundings, but no ... not Milton Keynes. Not even under the concrete cows.
Or maybe sky burial, Hunter S. Thompson style?
A viking funeral actually kinda rocks.
Cremated in a giant fire extinguisher, you mean? :P
I signed up to be an organ donor I don't know what happens to the bits they don't use and don't really care.
Quote from: Crow on May 22, 2012, 11:30:20 PM
I signed up to be an organ donor I don't know what happens to the bits they don't use and don't really care.
Medical waste. I think around here, the standard procedure is to burn until gone.
I'm sorry for your loss...it's rough. I just lost my dad.
We did a celebration of life memorial instead of a religious ceremony. It included one prayer (at lot of attending relatives were religious; probably all but me, my husband and perhaps my step mom; and wanted it and I wasn't going to complain since it didn't bother me) and the funeral home director recited the poem about making the most of your dash. We included a slide show of my dad's life accompanied by his favorite rock n roll songs and played a video of his band playing. It was a happy sad ceremony...some parts made you cry (from the memories) and others made you laugh.
If you want something specific done for yours then have a living will notarized (best if a lawyer looks it over if it had any money involved) that includes full instructions on what to do. Personally, I think that funerals/memorials are for the living and don't care if my family wants to have a big religious service for me (though my husband would nix it if he didn't die with or before me) as I don't expect to be there to see it nor would I care if I was.
Quote from: Whitney on May 23, 2012, 03:51:24 AM
I'm sorry for your loss...it's rough. I just lost my dad.
We did a celebration of life memorial instead of a religious ceremony. It included one prayer (at lot of attending relatives were religious; probably all but me, my husband and perhaps my step mom; and wanted it and I wasn't going to complain since it didn't bother me)
I'm sorry about your dad. My stepmother's father's memorial was last Friday and was very religious. It was nice service and had its amusing moments -- one of the two priests spoke English as a second language and kept pronoucing "sheep" as "ship".
Quoteand the funeral home director recited the poem about making the most of your dash.
As in "dash thru life"?
Quote from: Whitney on May 23, 2012, 03:51:24 AM
Personally, I think that funerals/memorials are for the living
as it happens they really are only for the living, and this "personal" remark is of global, all-time proportions.
one of my friends and distorted godfather(of three) to my first daughter dieda couple of years ago.
the family funeral was the "supposed" funerary priest lick-ass service.
the close circuit of friends later on threw a mini rave for the occasion and partied including also the same stuff he O.D.ied some nights before
my mum died a couple of years ago
the church funeral was unavoidable, and cremation is forbidden in orthodox byzantine (bankrupt) relic joke-states
however in the waiting room with the corpse I brought a ghettoblaster and played in loop 2 pieces
BACH
Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ (BWV 639) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMnrjQK2Z8Y (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMnrjQK2Z8Y)
which -as her favourite- she had asked me (when alive) to play at her funeral
and
Gabriel Faure- Requiem, which is the ultimate mourning sunshine for anyone
here is the end in paradisum- he wrote it for his mum and disguised it as a requiem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUfi0ts_D-0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUfi0ts_D-0)
the priest chanting after that sounded as ridiculous as he is
with family friends back in our privacy, good wine, food, music, slideshows etc and some poems read aloud as we were lucky enough for her to have written and left behind
i would like to say that a frenzied 96-hour rave festival at my demise would be appropriate, but I know that my dionysos impersonation is false. possibly beasts should feed off me, get a little high.
the truth is anything we say we want or ask for our funeral, is irrelevant horseshit.
the people who cared, will remember and know what and how.
the people who didnt know us, really will not care
I don't ever want to die, but if I have to I want to be frozen Walt Disney style.
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:19:23 PM
I don't ever want to die, but if I have to I want to be frozen Walt Disney style.
And have your brain put in an android body? :)
Quote from: Sweetdeath on May 23, 2012, 09:24:06 PM
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:19:23 PM
I don't ever want to die, but if I have to I want to be frozen Walt Disney style.
And have your brain put in an android body? :)
I would rather just become a cyborg while I am still alive, but if I have to I could wait and have my body put in a T 1000 I guess. Pre skynet of course.
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:28:45 PM
Quote from: Sweetdeath on May 23, 2012, 09:24:06 PM
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:19:23 PM
I don't ever want to die, but if I have to I want to be frozen Walt Disney style.
And have your brain put in an android body? :)
I would rather just become a cyborg while I am still alive, but if I have to I could wait and have my body put in a T 1000 I guess. Pre skynet of course.
I could Skype on my arm.
Cant wait to do that :D
Quote from: Sweetdeath on May 23, 2012, 09:34:23 PM
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:28:45 PM
Quote from: Sweetdeath on May 23, 2012, 09:24:06 PM
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:19:23 PM
I don't ever want to die, but if I have to I want to be frozen Walt Disney style.
And have your brain put in an android body? :)
I would rather just become a cyborg while I am still alive, but if I have to I could wait and have my body put in a T 1000 I guess. Pre skynet of course.
I could Skype on my arm.
Cant wait to do that :D
You could skype while using an app that teaches you how to skype. Which I would need to use as I have never used skype ???
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:35:59 PM
Quote from: Sweetdeath on May 23, 2012, 09:34:23 PM
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:28:45 PM
Quote from: Sweetdeath on May 23, 2012, 09:24:06 PM
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:19:23 PM
I don't ever want to die, but if I have to I want to be frozen Walt Disney style.
And have your brain put in an android body? :)
I would rather just become a cyborg while I am still alive, but if I have to I could wait and have my body put in a T 1000 I guess. Pre skynet of course.
I could Skype on my arm.
Cant wait to do that :D
You could skype while using an app that teaches you how to skype. Which I would need to use as I have never used skype ???
Skype is pretty simple to use/learn. It only becomes frustrating when your webcam doesnt connect properly.
Huh well I wonder if there is an app for that ;D
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:19:23 PM
I don't ever want to die, but if I have to I want to be frozen Walt Disney style.
but if?
when you certainly will. That's what the living do, my friend
Quote from: Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism on May 23, 2012, 09:19:23 PM
I don't ever want to die, but if I have to I want to be frozen Walt Disney style.
Ted Williams was put into some cryogenic facility after his death too. The whole thing sounded completely screwed up though. Apparently his head was removed from his body for some reason as well.
I'm sorry for the myth-busting but the reason cryogenics and walt disney style freezes are absolute BS is:
1) the body is ~70% water. water expands upon freezing turning into ice
2) the water in the body is INSIDE cells interwoven (hydrating) with proteins, cytosceletal fibers and subcellular machinery
3) when water freezes it disrupts and breaks, shattering these structures, so that when they return to living temperatures they turn into pulp
3) Propylene glycol, glycerol, DMSO and other anti-freeze agents prevent the water from freezing blocking the expansion- the basis for cryopreservation
Even if you perfuse via a vein a person alive thus killing him with antifreeze, the agents will not penetrate enough into the large organ structures and enough into the cells of the cores of the large organ structures(the brain as well)
At present only cells, tissues, and some small organs out of the body can be reversibly cryopreserved, that means can have a 70% functional return to life. Why 70%? because the Propylene glycol, glycerol, DMSO and other anti-freeze agents become actually toxic and oxidising at room temperatures. So we rinse them out repeatedly and extensively and always there is a loss, cells that never recovered.
the technology in the future is unlikely to functionally recompose shredded and degraded subcellular material that was "primitively" frozen today. and without bringing the corpse back to soluble temperature there is no way to disingage (rinse) the cryopreservative before it harms the tissues which is what happens at soluble temperatures.
Quote from: pytheas on May 25, 2012, 07:44:13 AM
I'm sorry for the myth-busting but the reason cryogenics and walt disney style freezes are absolute BS is:
1) the body is ~70% water. water expands upon freezing turning into ice
2) the water in the body is INSIDE cells interwoven (hydrating) with proteins, cytosceletal fibers and subcellular machinery
3) when water freezes it disrupts and breaks, shattering these structures, so that when they return to living temperatures they turn into pulp
3) Propylene glycol, glycerol, DMSO and other anti-freeze agents prevent the water from freezing blocking the expansion- the basis for cryopreservation
Even if you perfuse via a vein a person alive thus killing him with antifreeze, the agents will not penetrate enough into the large organ structures and enough into the cells of the cores of the large organ structures(the brain as well)
At present only cells, tissues, and some small organs out of the body can be reversibly cryopreserved, that means can have a 70% functional return to life. Why 70%? because the Propylene glycol, glycerol, DMSO and other anti-freeze agents become actually toxic and oxidising at room temperatures. So we rinse them out repeatedly and extensively and always there is a loss, cells that never recovered.
the technology in the future is unlikely to functionally recompose shredded and degraded subcellular material that was "primitively" frozen today. and without bringing the corpse back to soluble temperature there is no way to disingage (rinse) the cryopreservative before it harms the tissues which is what happens at soluble temperatures.
This is all just too complicated, there must be a simpler way...
:-\
Once the doctors have removed all the useful spare parts I like the visual element of the viking funeral pyre.
You can skip the virgin thralls, though.....
Quote from: pytheas on May 25, 2012, 07:44:13 AM
I'm sorry for the myth-busting but the reason cryogenics and walt disney style freezes are absolute BS is:
1) the body is ~70% water. water expands upon freezing turning into ice
2) the water in the body is INSIDE cells interwoven (hydrating) with proteins, cytosceletal fibers and subcellular machinery
3) when water freezes it disrupts and breaks, shattering these structures, so that when they return to living temperatures they turn into pulp
3) Propylene glycol, glycerol, DMSO and other anti-freeze agents prevent the water from freezing blocking the expansion- the basis for cryopreservation
Even if you perfuse via a vein a person alive thus killing him with antifreeze, the agents will not penetrate enough into the large organ structures and enough into the cells of the cores of the large organ structures(the brain as well)
At present only cells, tissues, and some small organs out of the body can be reversibly cryopreserved, that means can have a 70% functional return to life. Why 70%? because the Propylene glycol, glycerol, DMSO and other anti-freeze agents become actually toxic and oxidising at room temperatures. So we rinse them out repeatedly and extensively and always there is a loss, cells that never recovered.
the technology in the future is unlikely to functionally recompose shredded and degraded subcellular material that was "primitively" frozen today. and without bringing the corpse back to soluble temperature there is no way to disingage (rinse) the cryopreservative before it harms the tissues which is what happens at soluble temperatures.
Well I guess I shall have to wait until they are able to place me into frozen carbonite
Cryogenics still interesting - may allow the future scientists to rummage around the mostly intact innards of their ancient ancestors :D
Quote from: Asmodean on May 26, 2012, 02:51:02 PM
Cryogenics still interesting - may allow the future scientists to rummage around the mostly intact innards of their ancient ancestors :D
I have a fascination with robotics and nanotech.
Ok, hate to dissagree but I definitely want a religious ceremony. I want the wake to be held in my family church, and I want to be buried next to my brother in the church ceremony. My reasons for this are simple:
Funerals are for the living, and not the deceased, have have probably already earned a bit of peace and quiet. Not only this, but if there is any time in which symbolism and pomp and ritual would be appropriate, even amongst atheists, I would say 100% that death is it. Now, my family ain't atheist, so they definitely would ignore any please for a secular funeral. But that's okay, because it would make them feel better.
Quote from: RenegeReversi on May 26, 2012, 10:31:28 PM
they definitely would ignore any please for a secular funeral.
This kind of stuff is exactly why my proxy is not someone in my family.
Quote from: Asmodean on May 26, 2012, 02:51:02 PM
Cryogenics still interesting - may allow the future scientists to rummage around the mostly intact innards of their ancient ancestors :D
certainly clone! imagine clone disney cartoons in 2790!
pity we didnt have the gear for some people in the past
I have asked for my ashes to be divided, and my insurance be used to take them to all the places I have not yet been able to visit. Just sprinkling a few out at each location. My wife has asked I spread her ashes in Washington DC among the cherry trees, and around the Library of Congress. If She goes first I will save some to mix with mine so we will still be together too.
I don't see a need to anything more than a gathering of friends at my death, and I hope some good laughs.
Quote from: cncracer on June 25, 2012, 07:58:24 PM
I have asked for my ashes to be divided, and my insurance be used to take them to all the places I have not yet been able to visit. Just sprinkling a few out at each location. My wife has asked I spread her ashes in Washington DC among the cherry trees, and around the Library of Congress. If She goes first I will save some to mix with mine so we will still be together too.
I don't see a need to anything more than a gathering of friends at my death, and I hope some good laughs.
Then you'd best die in a comical fashion :D
Quote from: Tank on June 25, 2012, 08:03:43 PM
Quote from: cncracer on June 25, 2012, 07:58:24 PM
I have asked for my ashes to be divided, and my insurance be used to take them to all the places I have not yet been able to visit. Just sprinkling a few out at each location. My wife has asked I spread her ashes in Washington DC among the cherry trees, and around the Library of Congress. If She goes first I will save some to mix with mine so we will still be together too.
I don't see a need to anything more than a gathering of friends at my death, and I hope some good laughs.
Then you'd best die in a comical fashion :D
Tank, I hope to die that way. It would be a bummer to die without a smile on my face, and I suspect some of the Religious right will smile when I am gone too. Lets make it a party time all around LOL..
Quote from: Firebird on May 22, 2012, 07:43:14 AM
You mean like Gene Roddenberry's ashes getting shot into space? I think that's still planned at some point, along with his wife.
Not exactly. I was referring to this type of sky burial. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_burial)
The universe has eaten our dead bodies for eons, no reason to change that now.