Why do so many people show honor etc. for people who have died..if they don't believe in spirits?

Question

Like today...Do you think that many of them believe that Martin Luther King sees them and what they are doing "in spirit"? And why bother to have elaborate funerals and eulageys ..if they can't even see it? I know you'll say that funerals are for the living. Still, I think that most people will say "This is for you.."to the people who have died.(esp. the movie stars..to their deceased parents etc.when getting an award.)

Answer 1

It is for the living to want to acknowledge the contributions that the people who have passed on have made to their success.  Some people obviously do think that Grandma is up there watching them at every turn, I think they would be playing tennis.

Showing respect for the dead isn't the same thing as thinking that the dead are actively involved with our lives here.

Answer 2

1)  It's traditional, from back when people were a lot more superstitious.

2)  It gives you a sense of closure.

3)  Most people will tell you, especially psychologists - funerals are for the living, not the dead.  The living people need it.

Answer 3

i can remember as a little girl my father had always told me that if anything ever happened to him he wanted to be cremated and his ashes put ion the ocean he wanted a party at the park where all friends and relatives could sing dance drink and be happy i can remember him telling me i don't want you to cry i want you to go on living your life as you have been  i did exactly that i cremated his body ashes in the ocean and threw a huge party with music dance drinks the whole nine yards it was to honor his last wishes i did my best not to cry but when i did it was when i said "ok dad here is your new resting place and i'll see you later love you"  

a lot of the family didn't show up cause they said it was a disgrace and refused to be part of it that's fine it was their loss and i hope that no one goes against their lalst wishes  

we are supposed to honor thy mother and father and that is precisely what i did.

so for me i did for him because that's what he wanted

Answer 4

I think it is a way of honoring the life of the person who lived rather then honoring his spirit in death.  If I thought it was the other way I would not take part in many of these celebrations.

Answer 5

It has nothing to do with spirituality or anything like that, it's out of respect for the person and the respect for what they did or stood for.

Answer 6

It has always been my contention that funerals are for the living.

There are also political angles at work here.  Some politicians feel the need to echo what MLK said or did, as if this ingratiates them with the people who support the ideas of MLK.

Although I don't believe in spirits or any form of an afterlife, I have taken moments of silence to show respect for the dead.  When I do this I'm not doing it for the dead themselves and I'm not doing it for show.  I believe I benefit from showing some humility by honoring those who are no longer around.

Answer 7

People, even skeptics, are sentimental.  We honor people because of what they did when they were alive.  We honor them because we miss them, love them, and have fond memories of what life was like when they were around.  I have never made a connection between believing in spirits and honoring the dead.  Even though you have, once again, put alot of thought into this, I doubt I will ever make that connection.

Answer 8

deenie i think zak is saying, he goes to funerals to say goodbye...not goodbye from here...

Answer 9

Respect for the person and thier accomplishments....If nothing more. Dr. King did alot for alot of people, So did Medger Evers, Bobby and John Kennedy and a slew of others....Funerals are more for the living then the dead, we have a grieving process we go through and this is part of our way to start the closer process,even if that process takes a lifetime to achieve.....

Doc

Answer 10

We honor the deceased to remind us of our own mortality, mostly from tradition. There is always the question of "how would you like to be remembered?" usually the answer to this will end up in your obituary or on your headstone.

The more significant the life the more we are apt to mourn, but even those who had little or no attention deserve the same.

Would you be restless if people didn't bother to remember you? If the answer is yes in life then who knows what your feelings are afterward. Draw your own conclusions.

Answer 11

You asked for an example of a straw man argument.It was an excellent answer you received.You've now given an example of one yourself.                                                                                I do it to say goodbye.Show honor I mean,I'm not one for an elaborate ceremony.

edit.Goodbye to the dead I mean.

Answer 12

So people in America will Not forget who these famous people were & what kind of changes they made in the world.  How do you know they do not believe in spirits?     If nothing else they are honoring the memory, the accomplishment, the family & friends they left behind.  It is the humane thing to do.