I am a future funeral director and one of my projects is to make a books of prayers for a few religions and also one for atheists. Can you help me out maybe by sending me links to where I can find them or if you have some of your own that would be very much appreciated! Thanks in advance.
Posted: November 6th 2009
Reed Braden www
Prayers for Atheists?
A blank sheet of paper would do the trick.
However, Atheists are typically people who get annoyed at any sort of prayer-alternative (poems, quotes, Hallmark cards) at events like funerals, weddings, etc. I would suggest printing a bunch of nice-looking cards with lines on them for people at the funeral who knew the deceased to write something personally meaningful on. Quotes, poems and personal anecdotes that meant something to the deceased are a very nice gesture, pre-fab booklets of quotations are cheesy and disingenuous.
I’ve already made clear some of my memorial service wishes to my family. I don’t want religious garbage peddled at my post-death shindig. I want those gathered to write something meaningful that they shared with me in my life and read it to the rest of the party.
I’d rather not have my friends and family staring at a meaningless page of quotes that have nothing to do with my life on the one party I’m allowed to guiltlessly plan that’s all about me.
I think a lot of Atheists would feel the same. We can pick our own quotes.
Posted: November 7th 2009
Steve Zara www
A couple of years ago, I went to the funeral of a dear friend, who happened to be an atheist. The readings were written by the family – anecdotes from the life of my friend. Having people who loved the deceased speak from experience as against some pre-written texts can be very moving, and much more a celebration of the life that has ended, and it makes the funeral more meaningful and less something that has to be endured. Perhaps you could provide guidelines for such contributions?
As that funeral ended, the final music was “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” from Life of Brian. To hear laughter at a funeral was something I shall never forget.
Posted: November 7th 2009
logicel
Here
is the reading that Richard Dawkins is planning for his funeral.
At atheists’ ceremonies, the main emphasis is placed on the one who died (that is, not a higher being) and their connections with others, for example, at my sister’s ceremony, the officiant read from scraps of paper which were sent from all over the world containing memories we wrote down which we had of my sister (this was before the net, hence no emails, twitters, texting, IMs), from her earliest years to days just preceding her death. Also, it is not uncommon for atheists’ funerals to feature original artwork/poems created by loved ones and which can be placed on and around the coffin.
Moi, I would love a grouping of choice morsels written by Mark Twain, Carl Sagan, Daniel Dennett, and H.L. Mencken to be read at my funeral. I am also quite partial to this quote from a science fiction story.
Posted: November 6th 2009