Is it OK to give an atheist or agnostic a Church funeral?

Question

What if the person expressed a desire to avoid religious rituals when alive??

Answer 1

Their wishes should be abided by.  Even in a mixed religion marriage the rights of an individual should be adhered to.

I knew of a family where the mother & daughter were R.C. and the father & son were Presbyterian. When the father died he was given an R.C. funeral which, given his strong views on the matter, was entirely wrong.

Answer 2

No it is not acceptable any more than it would be to give a Christian a Muslim funeral. My father was atheist and was quite clear before his death that he did not want any mumbo jumbo said over his coffin. We thought that left us with no kind of service at all until the funeral director suggested a humanist service. What a fantastic discovery that was. A truly lovely gentleman came and spend about 2 hours or more with us looking at photos of Dad and listening to our stories about him to get a good picture of his character. He then went off and drafted a service all in tribute to my father, his life, his humour. It was lovely, really personal and very touching.

If you are in a similar situation I would suggest contact them -www.humanism.org.uk.

Answer 3

It is customary to go with the wishes of the deceased whenever feasible. You would be disrespecting them otherwise.

Personally, I would prefer a secular/humanist service. If, however, my children needed a religious service for their own peace of mind, I wouldn't care, I'd be dead.

Answer 4

Why would you do that? He's an Atheist, why would you give him a religious funeral?

It's not that it may be right or wrong to the religion...

It's wrong to the PERSON.

Answer 5

You just give them a memorial service.  It doesn't have to religious.  You are obviously lucky enough not to have lost many people in your life or you would have known this.

Answer 6

Uh... I wouldn't. If it would make you all feel better, it doesn't matter to them after they are dead. But, it would be contradicting the individual's beliefs.

Answer 7

I suppose their believing family members will give them one in spite of what they believed, not knowing that they are celebrating their new death in h**l.

Answer 8

My minister said that he will have a funeral if he is asked but he will not lie that the person is in the better place now.

Answer 9

Of course not. If someone gave their instructions and wishes, they should be respected. I can think of no higher form of disrespect than to do something that the person didn't want done, especially after they can't do anything about it...  behind their back, so to speak...

I find it abhorant that any one group would force their prefferances over anothers wishes because they feel that they are right. Not allowing people to choose how they die is another example...

Answer 10

You should probably avoid it. Ask the people who knew them best - family, their spouse or children, old friends, etc.

I think it would be extremely rude to just go ahead with a church funeral.

Kind of like saying the Islam prayer or doing a Wicca ritual over a dead Christian's casket. It just shows them disrespect.  

Answer 11

as an atheist i wouldn't mind.

once i'm dead i won't know the difference.

Answer 12

So Church-goes spent their whole lives forcing their beliefs on the poor person, and now that they're dead, they're going to take advantage of the situation and do what they want instead of what the person wants.

Yeah. sounds like a Great Idea.

Not.

Answer 13

Would it be ok for an atheist to give their Christian relative a non-church wedding without any mention of god, simply because it would make them feel better?

Answer 14

Not if they've made their final wish clear that they infact do not want a religious ceremony.  

Answer 15

I guess at the bottom line what happens is whatever the family finds more consoling. I am an atheist but if it makes any easier for my family to give me a church funeral I am not going to come back from the dead to haunt them.

Answer 16

a funeral is for the ones attending the funeral, for the deceased are gone and really don't care anymore, so if the family needs a church funeral then that is what they should have. just my opinion

Answer 17

Well, since they are dead, I don't think they will care at this point.  It's also pointless if they didn't believe in God or any particular religion....why give them that sort of funeral?  It would be like a big fat lie.

Answer 18

You would be dishonoring their memory and complete being.

Answer 19

Funerals are for comfort for the living; they do nothing for the deceased.  I could not care less what are done with my remains or what is said over them.  I am a Christian.

Answer 20

If the person doesn't want one,his wishes should be respected. But If the person didn't make his wishes known or wouldn't care than I wouldn't see a problem with. In the LC-MS we believe that the funeral is really for the living and is an opportunity to reach the unchurched.

Answer 21

No, and there can be legal ramifications if you do so, especially if there is any sort of written request stating they specifically do not want a religious service.  Just because someone is dead, doesn't mean you should go against their final wishes.

Answer 22

Is it ok? Ok with who? If you want to honor the dead person, you conform to their wishes. If you don't give a d**n, do what you want.

Answer 23

an atheist won't ask for one before he die. if he ask for one, he is not an atheist, just pretend to be one.

Answer 24

Yes, the funeral is for the family, friends, associates, and coworkers,  not the deceased. In explanation, the deceased person's soul is no in their body anymore to complain. When a person dies, medical society has proven that the body automatically loses 10 pounds-----that is your soul.

Answer 25

i think that if they were agnostic or atheist in life, it would be very disrespectful to their memory to hold a service at a church.

Answer 26

Their soul will go to h**l unfortunately, so it would be too painful to have a church service, but I suppose it is allowed.

Answer 27

If the person had requested no religious rituals before there death you should accept there wishes and have a humanist ceremony. Simply find another venue, or cremate/bury there body with family and friends.

Answer 28

Only a truly self righteous person would give an atheist/agnostic who had express wishes a religious funeral.  

Answer 29

"if the person expressed a desire to avoid religious rituals when alive"

That is what makes it a big no in my view. A funeral is a way for the living to honour the deceased, you're not really showing them much honour by giving them a funeral they would of never wanted.

Answer 30

It doesn't really matter. When they're dead they're dead. Surely the family left behind should be able to send them off in a way that suits them.

Answer 31

you already know the answer to that question is NO!!

i can't imagine someone's final wishes being disrespected like that.