Is it normal to celebrate somebody's death?

[jenipat]

Fred Phelps of the Westboro church in USA has just died. He didn't seem a nice man at all-picketing at funerals of people who were gay.

Like I said, not a nice man at all.

However, like Thatcher-and I didn't like her, either-, I am really surprised to see people saying things like they are going to celebrate his death.

Now, it's possible I'm in the wrong and have misjudged human nature, but who the blazes actively celebrates a death?

I mean, yes, I get that a person can be relieved and think good riddance at the death of a disliked/hated person, but I wouldn't have thought that people celebrate it in the way they do winning a medal or having a baby or getting a promotion.

Maybe people do feel like partying after a hated person has died and iabu?

What a funny thing to say. "Aren't there any Christians on MN?"
Don't the people of the westboro baptists profess to be Christian? Not a particularly tolerant bunch from what I've heard.

It's amazingly easy to be virtuous and gentle and loving and Christian when you are discussing something theoretically.
Much harder if the dead person has caused huge harm to your family or your friends.
So OP, come back when some vile and sadistic monster has done harm to you and yours, and tell me that you forgive them from the bottom of your heart and will not celebrate their passing and I will be in awe.

I celebrated when my ex stepdad died, but not to the extent of a party or anything, just going round smiling even if I didn't say why. He was an evil, abusive, intolerant man who made many people's lives hell. I think that was okay.

With Fred Phelps, I don't know. To feel relieved, certainly. But to actually celebrate seems to be off if the person wasn't actually personally involved and hurt by him.

Torquemada was a Christian, celebrated the death of every heritic he burned.

I'm not celebrating his 'death' as such, but I am celebrating the fact he's no longer about to harass people and make their lives more difficult than they already are.

Bother.
heretic

I don't believe we should ever celebrate the death of another human being although it is understandable that if someone has caused you personal pain you may not mourn their passing.

I come from a large family in Liverpool. As a child we went at weekends and for occasions to big family get-togethers. I grew up with lots of cousins among my friends but we are all now scattered, largely as a result of government policies of the 80s. When Margaret Thatcher died I did not feel one moment of pity as I hold her largely responsible, I did not watch her funeral and objected to it being an "occasion" but to celebrate it would diminish me more than her.

Denying the people we dislike publicity is a far better way to behave in my opinion

Goblinchild.

Sorry but perhaps I've not expressed myself clearly here:

I did not say that people shouldn't be relieved that somebody who is awful has died, I did not say that the deceased should be forgiven, however, it puzzles me that they would go and celebrate that person's death.

I mean you celebrate a baby's birth, good exam results, a promotion not somebody's death. Surely celebration is about the happening of something good and not the taking away of something bad?

I just want the truth of it; not of how people project what they will say and do, and in my experience, people don't actually go out and have a big old booze-up and celebration when the hated person dies.

There's a difference between not mourning somebody's passing and actively celebrating their death, isn't there?

We literally danced here when a certain person died.

Some ageism creeping in here. Whether he was old is neither here nor there. If he was a twisted nasty bastard he was a twisted nasty bastard. Age irrelevant.

I wouldn't celebrate, ignore and banish his type to history.
God hates fags.
Oh really?

jenipat yes, I think there is a difference.

I think it's absolutely fine to celebrate the passing of someone who you detested in their life, rather than just not mourn their death.

ThatBloodyWoman, It's not a question for me whether it is acceptable or not; I wouldn't pass a moral judgement on it. Although it does irritate the crap out of me when those not affected directly by the deceased celebrate. If somebody has been mistreated by somebody and they feel like celebrating, fine.

I just question, do people actually celebrate (as opposed to not mourning the person's passing/feeling relieved) in a positive 'let's go and party' type way. That's all.

You've answered my question-some people obviously celebrate.

Yes, I suppose it's hard to understand if you don't feel it.

I actually felt like running around whooping.

Dh died 3yrs ago next month - can't believe it is 3yrs tbh

Obv dif circumstances as I loved dh with a passion as did others

But

Friends and I go out for a drink on his anniversary - not celebrating but kinda keep him in our memory

Different ways of expressing emotion, different cultures, different levels of suffering, different traditions.
Some celebrate, some don't.
Bit like divorces I suppose.

Sorry for your loss, Blondeshavemorefun, obviously if the person is much loved, it's normal to want to mark the occasion of their death, but I'm on about celebrating when the person is hated.

You mean like those that rang the church bells when Mary Tudor died?
Or played football with Oliver Cromwell's head?

There are two people I know, if I find out they are gone, I will buy a bottle of champers to celebrate.

I've met a lot of cunts in my time, but these two take the cake.

A lot of us celebrate Guy Fawkes death annually though, now I come to think of it....