I keep seeing these ads on TV for Funeral expenses insurance.

WTF?

I have already told my progeny that when my time comes, put me in a cardboard box, pour on some petrol and light a match.

Why? Because as I told them, I will be dead. I will not be there. I will be gone forever. I will not see any of it. There will be no "me" at that point. So what's the point? Waste all those thousands on a fancy funeral? For what? Why would anyone waste that kind of money on gently cooling meat?

In fact, even the theists must admit that my so-called "soul" has gone someplace else by then. So they have no leg to stand on in this.

Why on earth do people do this?

It annoys the shit out of me.

Apparently, everything has to be turned into a money-making business.

(October 21, 2020 at 7:44 am)Abaddon_ire Wrote: I keep seeing these ads on TV for Funeral expenses insurance.

WTF?

I have already told my progeny that when my time comes, put me in a cardboard box, pour on some petrol and light a match.

Why? Because as I told them, I will be dead. I will not be there. I will be gone forever. I will not see any of it. There will be no "me" at that point. So what's the point? Waste all those thousands on a fancy funeral? For what? Why would anyone waste that kind of money on gently cooling meat?

In fact, even the theists must admit that my so-called "soul" has gone someplace else by then. So they have no leg to stand on in this.

Why on earth do people do this?

It annoys the shit out of me.

They do it because:

1.  Most people are religious.
2.  The largest religious franchise is Christianity.
3.  Christianity is a death cult.

Boru

Depriving your offspring of a party?

Heartless bastard.

I have a paid-up policy to have me "roasted, toasted and a golden brown" when I kick it. When Wife the 2nd died and I was faced with bills yet again I determined not to leave anyone with the same bills.

About a week after I had a heart attack in 2017 I started getting fliers in the mail for various funeral homes and cremation services.

Buncha damn vultures.

(October 21, 2020 at 7:50 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: They do it because:

1.  Most people are religious.

Not sure that is true. My country is regularly cited as 93% catholic. That is baloney. The RCC was very browned off when we were the first country to legalise same sex marriage by popular vote.

(October 21, 2020 at 7:50 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: 2.  The largest religious franchise is Christianity.

Sort of. If one counts all christians, sure. But there are so many flavours of christianity and none of them can agree. I consider that to be argumentum ad populum.

(October 21, 2020 at 7:50 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: 3.  Christianity is a death cult.

Absolutely it is. But you can bet they will deny it.

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(October 21, 2020 at 7:54 am)brewer Wrote: Depriving your offspring of a party?

Heartless bastard.

Not at all. I told them that the best thing they could do for me post mortem was raise a rather full glass.

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(October 21, 2020 at 8:12 am)arewethereyet Wrote: About a week after I had a heart attack in 2017 I started getting fliers in the mail for various funeral homes and cremation services.

Buncha damn vultures.

OK that's a bit creepy. Are they mining hospitals records?

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(October 21, 2020 at 8:03 am)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: I have a paid-up policy to have me "roasted, toasted and a golden brown" when I kick it. When Wife the 2nd died and I was faced with bills yet again I determined not to leave anyone with the same bills.

In my case, my kids inherit the lot. Including an unencumbered home. I won't care at that point if they dispose of my corpse for tuppence. My work is done.

(October 21, 2020 at 7:44 am)Abaddon_ire Wrote: I keep seeing these ads on TV for Funeral expenses insurance.

WTF?

I have already told my progeny that when my time comes, put me in a cardboard box, pour on some petrol and light a match.

Why? Because as I told them, I will be dead. I will not be there. I will be gone forever. I will not see any of it. There will be no "me" at that point. So what's the point? Waste all those thousands on a fancy funeral? For what? Why would anyone waste that kind of money on gently cooling meat?

In fact, even the theists must admit that my so-called "soul" has gone someplace else by then. So they have no leg to stand on in this.

Why on earth do people do this?

It annoys the shit out of me.

It is a waste of money to me too. I am donating my body to science. 

I get that people want to mourn. But you can have a small wake at a family member's house, or out in a park. I followed my late mother's wishes and had her cremated. She actually requested that for the same reason, cheaper. We had a memorial for her at her assisted living place. I paid for some flowers, a priest, not for me, but for her friends, and a violin player. And some catering. But all in all it was a fraction of a fraction of coast than your standard funeral.

(October 21, 2020 at 8:18 am)Abaddon_ire Wrote:

(October 21, 2020 at 7:50 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: They do it because:

1.  Most people are religious.

Not sure that is true. My country is regularly cited as 93% catholic. That is baloney. The RCC was very browned off when we were the first country to legalise same sex marriage by popular vote.

(October 21, 2020 at 7:50 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: 2.  The largest religious franchise is Christianity.

Sort of. If one counts all christians, sure. But there are so many flavours of christianity and none of them can agree. I consider that to be argumentum ad populum.

(October 21, 2020 at 7:50 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: 3.  Christianity is a death cult.

Absolutely it is. But you can bet they will deny it.

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(October 21, 2020 at 7:54 am)brewer Wrote: Depriving your offspring of a party?

Heartless bastard.

Not at all. I told them that the best thing they could do for me post mortem was raise a rather full glass.

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(October 21, 2020 at 8:12 am)arewethereyet Wrote: About a week after I had a heart attack in 2017 I started getting fliers in the mail for various funeral homes and cremation services.

Buncha damn vultures.

OK that's a bit creepy. Are they mining hospitals records?

1. Every single study and every single survey ever done indicates that more people are religious than non-religious. It’s perverse to claim otherwise.

2. No, argumentum ad populum would be arguing that Christianity is true because a lot of people think it is. And doctrinal differences don’t really matter in this context - a Baptist and a Catholic are both Christians.

3. They can deny it all they like, it won’t change the fact that their entire religion swirls around the fear of death.

Boru

My family have been told that when I die (and yes, it's die not "passed away", not "sleeping" or any other crap) I should have any usable bits taken for transplant, research etc. the rest disposed of as cheaply as possible. No point spending good beer money on feeding the flames or worms.