Death

Weristgott
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Death

Ok I'm going to open this to everyone rather than put it in the atheist only forums. It's not really a discussion just a collection of opinions.

How does everyone want to be memorialized, remembered and so forth? What do you want to happen when you die?

 Personally, I don't like the idea of graveyards, in my opinion its a waste of space. I'd rather be cremated (spelling?). Then I'd want my family to take a big vacation to Europe with my insurance money and either spread my ashes there, or have a grand old time celebrating my life, rather than dwelling on my death. Because by then I will have hoped to have lived a good life that my family can be proud of. I think, when I get around to writing my will, I will definately include a clause forcing my family to party it up. No lame, let's dress in black and bury him in the ground thing. 


Yellow_Number_Five
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I want to be shot out of a

I want to be shot out of a cannon into the sun, or something similar ala Hunter S. Thompson:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200505/s1379192.htm

At any rate, I want plenty of booze to be served - it MUST be an open bar occasion.

I want people to have a HUGE party in my honor, get shit-faced and tell stories about me. Then I want them to move with their lives as soon as humanly possible. Don't forget me, but move on.

Life is for the living, and considering how fleeting life is, we shouldn't squander it grieving and hoping for better things after we're gone.

I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world. - Richard Dawkins

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BGH
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We were actually talking

We were actually talking about this yesterday.

I am ditto on the party like Yellow_Number_Five.

I hate funerals, funeral homes, and caskets. I have never benefitted seeing a loved one laid out in a casket, it has never helped ease the grief.

I was always a proponent of being cremated but the tide may be changing on that. It take a large amount of energy and releases a good portion of unnessecary pollution. 

I have heard a newer idea of being buried vertical and planting a tree over you, letting the tree grow it's roots through you and therefore feeding the tree. I like that.

Also, if I had my choice of any way to be disposed of, it would be to be placed into a rocket and shot into the sun. This is naturally cost prohibitive and a huge waste of resources. Still, it be cool to know I was going to the sun when I die, what sustaned my life would consume my body. 

 


wavefreak
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BGH wrote:

BGH wrote:

We were actually talking about this yesterday.

I am ditto on the party like Yellow_Number_Five.

I hate funerals, funeral homes, and caskets. I have never benefitted seeing a loved one laid out in a casket, it has never helped ease the grief.

I was always a proponent of being cremated but the tide may be changing on that. It take a large amount of energy and releases a good portion of unnessecary pollution.

I have heard a newer idea of being buried vertical and planting a tree over you, letting the tree grow it's roots through you and therefore feeding the tree. I like that.

Also, if I had my choice of any way to be disposed of, it would be to be placed into a rocket and shot into the sun. This is naturally cost prohibitive and a huge waste of resources. Still, it be cool to know I was going to the sun when I die, what sustaned my life would consume my body.

 

 

The rocket thing to the sun would work if my body was used as the fuel. Ever see the Myth Buster's episode where they used a salami for rocket fuel? ****ed if it didn't work!

Recycled into aniimal feed has some attraction if people don't mind wavefreak prions escaping into the food chain.

 

Surprised

 

Seriously, cremation, scatter ashes in the ocean.

[MOD EDIT - removing cursing per Kill 'Em With Kindness Forum rules] 


latincanuck
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    creamated for me, and

    creamated for me, and throw my ashes of the mountain that i last snowboarded off, let my ashes rest in the snow (if there is any snow left when i die) As for the rest, I have it in my will to have a big party, DJ, booze, the whole shebang, good friends, memories, laughter is what i want, i don't want to go to a funeral home, i dont' what no open casket crap, just burn me up and throw me off the mountain top, and then have a party.


pariahjane
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People better party when I

People better party when I die.  I want lots of booze, a band or two and everyone tell each other how wonderful I was in life.  LOL.

I think I would like to be cremated.  The tree things actually sounds cool, but I've never heard of that before.  I wouldn't mind have an Oak tree growing out of my head when I'm dead.

If god takes life he's an indian giver


ShaunPhilly
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I, like many here, want a

I, like many here, want a party. I'd prefer all sorts of drinking, debauchery, and other sorts of revelry as opposed to people being all sad.

I want tlife to be celebrated, not death mourned.

Oh, and you can do stuff like draw or write on my dead corpse. You could dress me up really funny and walk me around like that Bernie guy. Why the **** will I care if I'm dead?

Just leave all my books to theists to read.

[MOD EDIT - removing cursing per Kill 'Em With Kindness Forum rules]

I'll fight for a person's right to speak so long as that person will, in return, fight to allow me to challenge their opinions and ridicule them as the content of their ideas merit.


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In Scandinavia, where land

In Scandinavia, where land is short, I think the Swedes have developed a method for freeze drying you and then using your remains as mulch.  I like that idea.  It's like what BGH mentioned--if they use you to fertilize a tree or a bush, then people can visit the plant and remember you.

But even in secular Sweden they're having some legal issues over the need to break up the freeze-dried body into hamburger-sized pieces with this big hammering machine (which is necessary so that the body will compost instead of just rotting). Even secularists still have a lot of emotional queasiness over the treatment of dead bodies.

"After Jesus was born, the Old Testament basically became a way for Bible publishers to keep their word count up." -Stephen Colbert


Tarpan
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I don't think I'll care

I don't think I'll care when I'm dead Eye-wink

I would have liked to have helped influence some kind of global change for the better.  But I won't care once I start rotting.


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Family death customs

My grandmother died last month. Her body was cremated, and her ashes were spread all ofer Crawford county, PA, where she spend most of her life. This weekend is her memorial picnic. There will be food, alcohol and music.

As for my death, I'd like to be shot out into space in away from anything in this solar system. Maybe my i'd end up being shattered by a comit. Maybe i'd fall into a star or a black hole. What would be really cool is if I landed on a planet that could support life, and my DNA spawned life there.

Ok, to be more realistic, I'd like to be buried in a forest, but I think there's laws against that. I think you're only allowed to be buried in designated places, and you have to be in some sort of container. I don't want to rot in a cemetary, so I'd settle for being cremated and having my ashes scattered in a forest. They don't have to have a party to remember me or anything. I probably won't have done anything important.


Susan
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My answer is in this thread.

My answer is in this thread.


person132
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I want my body thrown into

I want my body thrown into the woods where it will hopefully get eaten by the wolves.  I know it's unrealistic (they prefer not to eat carrion, I beleive), but I like to think of it that way.

 I won't care; I'll be dead.

If I am wrong on any point (including, but not limited to, spelling, grammar, and the question of God's existence), please correct me as quickly as possible.


ParanoidAgnostic
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I'm selfish, I'm not

I'm selfish, I'm not comfortable with the idea that lower life forms get to feed on my corpse.

Burrial seems horrible. A body stuck in a box underground to slowly decay and have various slimy things and roots burrow through it. Fortunately burrial is getting more and more difficult as space runs out so that wont be likely. Cremation seems like the way to go, once it's burnt up I'm not all that disturbed by visualising anything that might happen to my body.

My grandfather died last year and was cremated. His ashes were put in a box and cemeted into a wall at the cemetary with others. When I went with my family to visit this all I could think of was "all in all you're just another brick in the wall". IT wasn't funny to me either, it was somehow depressing.

So I'd want to be cremated, but my ashes spread somewhere, anywhere. Once they are split up no further indignities can be visited upon my body. 

I know it's all totally silly as I'm noy going to care when the time comes, but at the moment I have a certain attachment to my body.

 

As for the funeral, I'd hope that holographic projection has progressed to the point where I can have it set up for my 'ghost' to appear and scare the mourners. 

Oh, a lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!


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I've been thinking about

I've been thinking about this for several years... and ever since I saw The Young and the Dead a few years ago, I've wanted to be cremated and just a small amount of my ashes to "reside" at Hollywood Forever cemetary. Because of the technology they employ, my memorial service can be simulcast at their facilites in various parts of the country... which means my out-of-state loved ones won't have to spend money to travel to pay their respects or see my Forever LifeStory (which I can participate in producing while I'm still alive), which will be archived so that even my descendents far down the line will be able to "get to know" me. And I only want good pictures of me displayed!

It was the death of a close friend that was the catalyst that finally brought me to admit my atheism to myself and everyone else, and it's interesting that although I've never been afraid to die, somehow admitting that I don't believe in any sort of afterlife has made me treasure every relationship even more, and make the most of every encounter.

All the immortality I'll have resides in the memories of me that people have, the good I've accomplished, and everything I've ever written or recorded in some form or another. That's just fine by me.

Invisible friends are for children and psychopaths.


mindspread
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http://www.lifegem.com/ 

AReasonableLu
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You know the whole idea of

You know the whole idea of people throwing a party in celebration of your life is an awesome one (IMO), but I don't know how realistic it is.  For anyone that dies and was loved during life.... their absence sucks.  I'd like to be cremated so family can put me wherever they want to.  I'd like to have a service where people are allowed to share whatever they want to.  I like that in my family we've never done the funeral parlor deal.  We keep it as simple as possible.

 

I'll add to my first objection... I can't see why people can't drink at the "party".  Every funeral I've ever been to has suffered greatly from the lack of a stiff drink for each and every one of us in attendance.

“The four most over-rated things in life are champagne, lobster, anal sex and picnics.”
-Christopher Hitchens

"I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of Him."
-Gabriel Garcia Marquez


Vastet
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I really don't care what

I really don't care what happens to my body when I'm done using it. But getting nuked would be kind of cool.

Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.


ABx
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I'd like a christian

I'd like a christian funeral.

Preferably by a fundie.

Then I'd like to be fed into a wood chipper.

On to the preacher. 


pariahjane
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AReasonableLu wrote: You

AReasonableLu wrote:

You know the whole idea of people throwing a party in celebration of your life is an awesome one (IMO), but I don't know how realistic it is.  For anyone that dies and was loved during life.... their absence sucks.  I'd like to be cremated so family can put me wherever they want to.  I'd like to have a service where people are allowed to share whatever they want to.  I like that in my family we've never done the funeral parlor deal.  We keep it as simple as possible.

 

I'll add to my first objection... I can't see why people can't drink at the "party".  Every funeral I've ever been to has suffered greatly from the lack of a stiff drink for each and every one of us in attendance.

Actually, my aunt passed away from breast cancer almost 3 years ago.  She was only 45.  My uncle threw the biggest party in memory of life.  They had music, a pool party, BBQ, everything.  People went up and said great things about my Aunt and there was more laughter than there were tears.  My uncle said he didn't want people to remember my Aunt in sadness.  I thought that was pretty cool.

If god takes life he's an indian giver


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Weristgott wrote: How does

Weristgott wrote:
How does everyone want to be memorialized, remembered and so forth? What do you want to happen when you die?

I don't. It's enough to have lived.

Freedom of religious belief is an inalienable right. Stuffing that belief down other people's throats is not.


AReasonableLu
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I think that is really

I think that is really wonderful that your family was able to do that.  I'm biased based on my own experience of having a cook out when my mother passed away from breast cancer.  I resented having to smile and shake hands and pass out food when honestly I wasn't in the mood to celebrate much of anything.  Losing someone you love is incredibly sad.  I'd love to get to a place where I can honestly have a memorial "party".  For anyone that can do it, I think it is a fantastic way to honor someone. 

“The four most over-rated things in life are champagne, lobster, anal sex and picnics.”
-Christopher Hitchens

"I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of Him."
-Gabriel Garcia Marquez


Yellow_Number_Five
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AReasonableLu wrote: I

AReasonableLu wrote:
I think that is really wonderful that your family was able to do that.  I'm biased based on my own experience of having a cook out when my mother passed away from breast cancer.  I resented having to smile and shake hands and pass out food when honestly I wasn't in the mood to celebrate much of anything.  Losing someone you love is incredibly sad.  I'd love to get to a place where I can honestly have a memorial "party".  For anyone that can do it, I think it is a fantastic way to honor someone. 

And it's perfectly fine to bawl your damn eyes out too. I simply think it is far more honorable and sincere to remember the person's life rather than mourn the loss. I know, without a doubt, that were I at my mother's funeral and it was the sort of affair I described in my first post in this thread, I would be crying quite a bit. But I'm sure my brother would come around and tell a story about her that would make me laugh uncontollably, no matter how many tears were on my cheeks. Then I'd cry again, and have a drink. I'd tell a story, we'd all laugh, and then we'd all cry because we knew we'd never have those sorts of things happen again. Then we'd all have another drink. So we'd laugh, cry, play the deceased facovoite songs, and remember and celebrate how they lived.

Don't get me wrong, I fully expect people to cry when I die. I'd simply like them to be able to laugh too and remember me as something other than meat in a box.....about to be shot into the sun out of a ginormous cannon.

I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world. - Richard Dawkins

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ABx
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The best funeral type event

The best funeral type event I have been to was actually a sort of party. My friend had a stroke in the brain stem (I can't recall what it was actually called), and those of us that were not immediate family gathered at his house when they pulled the plug. Everyone drank, listened to his favorite music, sang, exchanged stories, and so on. Everyone cried, but celebrated his life. Exchanging stories made us all realize just how full of a life he really had (more than any 10 people most of us know), and that actually provided the greatest sense of comfort, even among the theists.

I had actually almost forgotten about that point, but it seems to be the most pervasive, regardless of other beliefs. The fuller a person's life is, the easier it tends to be to accept their death. Perhaps it doesn't prevent you from missing the person, but I (and many/most that I know - again, regardless of beliefs) have found great comfort in knowing that the person experienced life to it's fullest, and aren't necessarily missing out on life by dying when they did.


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I’d like to have my ashes

I’d like to have my ashes mixed with gun powder, turned into bullets, and then given to the SAS to kill some terrorists with!!

Or I wouldn’t mind having my ashes fitted with a tracke and fired into space to travel as far as possible.

In reality, I’d like there to be a BBQ at my funeral.


Would anyone have their body donated to science/medical research?

I presume most of us atheists would also be organ donors (although I've not got around signing up for this.) I think organ donation should be mandatory, or at the very least, presumed unless stated otherwise.

"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring" -- Carl Sagan


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For me I want my body to be

For me I want my body to be used when I'm gone. Science or spare parts. I don't know what to make of what to do "for" my death. I mean its for me in name, but its really for the living. I kinda like the ideas of those website things though, thats pretty cool.

Ideally though I'd like avoid death using nanotechnology or something out of Ghost in the Shell, but even if those things do work before I need them it wouldn't stop things like car wreaks or red giants.


ParanoidAgnostic
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I know I should be an organ

I know I should be an organ donor but I'm just not comfortable with setting up a situation where people will benefit from my death. I'm just not that trusting. I'd rather keep it in everyone's interest that I be alive.

Oh, a lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!


Susan
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Topher wrote: Would anyone

Topher wrote:


Would anyone have their body donated to science/medical research?

Even in death, I would prefer others do not see me naked. 

Topher wrote:
I presume most of us atheists would also be organ donors (although I've not got around signing up for this.) 

The first thing I do is sign the back of my driver's license and have it witnessed.  I've also made it well known that I'd like to be an organ donor. 

I doubt anyone would want my sinus system (if they ever find a way to transplant those), but heart, lungs, kidneys, skin, bone, corneas, etc. etc. etc. would be a wonderful way to benefit those living with terrible maladies.

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Little Roller U...
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The whole organ donor thing

The whole organ donor thing sounds good to me. After all, I won't be needing them after I'm gone.

However I do want what's left of me after organ harvesting to be "deposited" in the ocean. And by "deposited" I mean "dropped from a helicopter at an altitude of not less than five hundred (500) feet." And I want it to be filmed, and the film shown live on PayPerView (or at least put on YouTube).

If a helo is not available, then use a counterweight trebuchet and launch me into the Atlantic. The trebuchet must be on the west bank of the Intracoastal Waterway in Hallandale, Florida; and it must be so designed that my remains clear A1A and hopefully the beach, making for a remarkable splash.

Good night, funny man, and thanks for the laughter.