Yesterday I went to the funeral of one of my aunts. It was a Roman Catholic funeral with all the bells and whistles. Now normally I just sit in the back of the church and/or funeral parlor and let it all happen, but since I was her godson I was asked to participate in the lighting of candles and escort her coffin to the grave. And that didn't bother me at all either, it is a different perspective seeing everyone from the front of the church instead of the back.

But the real problem for me came with the speech at the funeral parlor. The pastor was giving a speech about what heaven looks like for her and how wonderful this place is she is going too, a lush 3 tier garden with passionflower arches and a kind voice welcoming her into their midst.

Fucking hell I got pissed off. From that moment on I couldn't even mourn her death anymore. I was just glad she didn't suffer anymore from the cancer, and that she couldn't hear that hypocrite talk about her passing on like that, even mentioning that "even though she lost her faith in these tough times, I'm sure there is a place for her in heaven".

At that moment I could scream. "How the fuck do you know that? You are just making that shit up, why? Do you really think we need comforting so badly that you need to lie to us? What are we? 6?"

After the service I just talked to some of my relatives that I hadn't seen in a while, offered my condolences to my uncle, got in my car and drove back home with my stereo as load as I could tolerate. There was a thing called the "Brabantse koffietafel" which is a meal to be served after funerals, but I was in not in the mood after that.

My condolences for your loss...but as you say your Aunt is well away from the mindless shit society comes up with.

Quote:Fucking hell I got pissed off. From that moment on I couldn't even mourn her death anymore. I was just glad she didn't suffer anymore from the cancer, and that she couldn't hear that hypocrite talk about her passing on like that, even mentioning that "even though she lost her faith in these tough times, I'm sure there is a place for her in heaven".

I understand how you feel. My sister is married to an Italian national and my niece and nephews are raised according to their fathers belief system (you guessed it!! catholic) My point being was that while I am happy to sit there and listen to the ramblings of some idiot from the Philippines it was the point when said 'cock-in-a-frock' started ranting 'fire and brimstone' about how my niece and nephews were horrible sinners' that really got my goat.

Again...my condolences... Your Aunt will at least live in your memory and is now removed from pain.

I'm sorry for your loss.

And it's sickening how religion demeans things the way it does in the name of "faith". And nothing is out of its demeaning reach it seems.

EvF

(May 4, 2010 at 8:23 am)KichigaiNeko Wrote: My condolences for your loss...but as you say your Aunt is well away from the mindless shit society comes up with.

Thank fuck for that. And thank you.

(May 4, 2010 at 8:23 am)KichigaiNeko Wrote: My point being was that while I am happy to sit there and listen to the ramblings of some idiot from the Philippines it was the point when said 'cock-in-a-frock' started ranting 'fire and brimstone' about how my niece and nephews were horrible sinners' that really got my goat.

And rightly so. Even if I don't believe in that crap, the point is he does, and he literally feels like your niece and nephews deserve to go to hell for not doing as he interprets scripture. That really pisses me off.

(May 4, 2010 at 8:42 am)leo-rcc Wrote: And rightly so. Even if I don't believe in that crap, the point is he does, and he literally feels like your niece and nephews deserve to go to hell for not doing as he interprets scripture. That really pisses me off.

The thing is also...who the fuck is this supposedly celibate fool who, theoretically has never know a woman and never been a father, doesn't know MY niece and nephews !! What right does he have to judge little 8 year olds and condemn them as if they are criminals???

He quotes stuff out of the Bible and claims they are fact, whether he actually believes it deep down or not. He thinks he has the right because he supposedly thinks it's God's word. And yes, he's a twat.

EvF

My Uncle died a year ago yesterday. Luckily I didn't have to go to a funeral. He wished to be cremated so the only thing I had to sit through was a prayer ceremony at the wake.

However, when I was in high school a friend of the family lost their 5 year old daughter to epilepsy. I went to the funeral and the priest was talking about how God knows what is like to lose a child and I was angry too. He was going on and on and on about Jesus dying when that was nothing like what happened Eva. She suffered for months after a huge seizure until eventually she was brain dead. And furthermore, according to Christian mythology, Jesus got to go home to Daddy, meanwhile these parents have to suffer without their child. And despite these objections, the parents found comfort in it. :/

My condolences for your loss.

I understand where you're coming from. A year or so ago I attended a wake for a family friend. After the priest arrived (and I cringed at seeing him) he gave us some bullshit about how we have to pray for the deceased because "God" will take our prayers into consideration when deciding whether or not the deceased gets into heaven! He said the prayers were very important and this is why we have to pray at the wake, the funeral and at the grave site.

I really had to bite my tongue.

I wanted to ask this nitwit a few questions...

1) You know this for a FACT? HOW?

2) So "God" takes prayers into consideration when deciding whether or not someone gets into heaven? Does this mean if Hitler had enough people praying for him, "God" would have allowed him into heaven? And what about some poor schmuck who dies without any friends or family? Does he get to the Pearly Gates and "God" says, "Gee. I see no one is praying for you. Entry denied!"?

3) You seem like a fairly intelligent person. How can you believe this drivel that you're dishing out?

My condolences to you, leo, for your loss. Death is always a very tough time for many.

But, do you really need to use a FUNERAL as fuel for why religion is so intolerable...?

Sorry for your loss, leo and I understand your anger.
I attended an aunt's funeral last October and was somewhat taken aback that it involved a vicar,hymns and prayers, given that I don't believe my aunt was a believer ( but I may be wrong about that ). My cousin organised it and I was pleased that she apologised to me afterwards because she knows I am atheist...so must everyone else present because I simply stayed silent, eyes wide open, unbowed through all the stuff.
It strikes me that since not so many actually go to churches nowadays in the uk, weddings and funerals are big gigs for the officiating god-squad, so they really go for it!
I was half-wishing to say something to the vicar, but out of respect for my dead aunt I simply shook his hand on the way out.

My mother is 94 and so it may well be her funeral that I attend next. She is not particularly religious and even agrees with me when I go on a rant about what nonsense it is. She may be humouring, though, I'm not 100% sure. Anyway, if the opportunity comes along, I intend discussing with her how she wants to go. I hope she doesn't want the church involved.