Death and religion.

[thegambler]

Laying my cards on the table, I'm an atheist who is confused and no doubt the religious out there would say "of course you are", but I'd like to know why religious people get so worked up at tragic deaths, don't they think the dead are off to a better place so should be celebrating a la westboro church ?

I don't buy the "because they will miss them" argument as they know they'll have eternity with them in their afterlife and know this life on earth is fleeting and really quite minor really.

Do you really think that believers don't love their parents, children, siblings and friend's as much as athiests? Do you think that they don't hurt as much as atheists when they lose a loved one?

For some, their faith may bring them some comfort. But the hurt is the same. They don't get so worked up, they are grieving. If you don't buy it, maybe you should do some research on grief, then maybe you wouldn't post such idiotic drivel.

Um .... gah. I tried to type a useful reply but I got too irritated. You don't buy it that religious people miss their dead loved ones? That even if you believes that you will meet them again in heaven, it is difficult and painful to lose them in this world? Seriously?

Christian funerals are very emotional affairs. Celebration for a life, sorrow for a death and hope of everlasting life. The grief process is exactly the same as for someone with no belief.

Surely, no matter what you have believed in - the pain of separation is quite real, regardless of any held beliefs of afterlife, better places etc

Life may appear fleeting, but it is certainly not minor.

I went to a funeral on Friday, the vicar's words stuck to me. He said the grief we feel is our grief, not the deceased's. We grieve because of the memories we cannot recapture, because we know we are still here and will miss that person.
If someone you love moves to the other side of the world you would cry, because you will miss them.

Faith brings us comfort, it doesn't change our feelings.

Because 'religious people' are people. We have exactly the same feelings as everyone else. When someone dies, we feel grief. The hope that we will see them again one day doesn't make that magically go away.

eg My Dad died 2 years ago. I am 48. Assuming I live to a decent old age, I am going to be missing my Dad for the next 30+ years. The hope that he has gone somewhere better, and that I will see him again in 30 years time, doesn't mean I can just smile and be totally fine about him not being here, about him not being at his grandchild's graduation, and maybe wedding or even great-grandchildren (planning DSs life out for him...)

Like anyone else, I can take comfort from the fact that he lived to a decent age, lives on in a sense through having had children and grandchildren, had time to have an interesting career and an enjoyable retirement.

But if it had been a 'tragic death' I would be mourning someone who had not had those things. Just like an atheist would.

And who exactly taught you that "this life on earth is fleeting and really quite minor really."? It's not a line that most people take. Hence the old Christian Aid strapline "We believe in Life before Death" Life here and now is important, not just some unfortunate prerequisite for a 'real' life later.

Even Jesus cried at the death of his friend Lazarus and brought him back to life for the sake of his friends and family.