Death Of Us Ex-Christians

[shy1680]

The topic of what to do with my body when I die has come up in discussions lately with my family and boyfriend. I have a lot of health issues and everyone is always concerned with if I die. Family are non-denom beg Jesus for money Christians and my boyfriend is Catholic. First issue was who was in charge of my life insurance, of course I chose my siblings, which I regret after my sister made a comment about "don't get killed". Boyfriend wants to be in charge so he can give me a nice Mass lol, too bad i'm not Catholic. Then my mother asked if i want to have a funeral, be buried or cremated. When I was married to a Muslim this was easy, I would be worm food, in a box with holes in the bottom and that was that. Now I have to chose. Cremation seems easy, but what shall they do with the ashes? So I said bury me, but I don't want to be embalmed, so I like the idea of a Muslim or Jewish cemetary. So what about you all? What are you wishes, if you have thought about it.

[Vixentrox]

Cremation...it's cheap. Not that I care a whole lot. They could chop me up and use me for fish bait for all I care.

[Loren]

As Vix said, cremation is cheap, and I tend to not want to put pointless expense on my survivors. I see that as rude and burdensome. The cheapest of alternatives to cremation are very expensive, and to what point? Lining the pockets of the undertaker? Grave plots are among the most expensive real estate by square foot and again, to what point?

 

Ashes still lend themselves to just about any kind of closure ceremony (Or lack thereof.) that the survivors find meaningful.

 

My fantasy for my own remains is very illegal, but it's still my favorite: I'd like to give my body to some indigenous tribe to make musical instruments out of it. My skin would become a drum, my bones flutes and drum sticks, my guts strings and so on. That way, someone other than worms would be able to enjoy me long after my death and I'd be able to continue to give in a meaningful way to a community for a long time.

 

Another persistent fantasy I've had for many years was inspired by a story I heard in my youth about a Chinese man who was famous for his practical jokes. As you may know, in a traditional Chinese funeral ceremony, public cremation on a pyre is the norm. This man's last wish was for some close friends to load his clothing with fire crackers!

 

Can you imagine what that would have been like? What fun! What a great attitude about his own death! The moment I heard that story, I instantly loved that man!

 

So I've had a number of ideas on what would be funny at my funeral. Everything from a mechanism that would make my body sit up in the casket at a choice moment in the eulogy to a radio activated recording of irreverent things I've said stashed under my body and controlled by a friend in the crowd (Assuming there is a crowd.). My friends in real life have often commented on my "ghoulish" laughter. That would be great to hear coming from my open casket! Especially at certain points in an overtly Christian ceremony!

 

I figure that if anybody owns my body, it's me. And how often can I expect to get an opportunity to do something really funny with a human corpse? If you can't do something funny with your own corpse, then well, there's just something wrong with that.

 

[Llwellyn]

Cremation and dispersal into the ocean -- like in the Big Lebowski.

[Shyone]

I've already got the whole thing (supposedly) paid for. Cremation with a plot just big enough for a jar.

 

I figure that maybe someone might need a place to grieve, maybe not.

[ebonileigh]

I'm going to be cremated, because its cheap, and also I want my ashes to be scattered over the ocean as I am a lover of the ocean. Of course I definitely don't want a religious funeral, but want a very secular one with some favourable words said by those that love me.

I'm also an organ donor, so they'll be taking those bits first, if they're in decent condition and useful at time of death.

[Shyone]

I'm going to be cremated, because its cheap, and also I want my ashes to be scattered over the ocean as I am a lover of the ocean. Of course I definitely don't want a religious funeral, but want a very secular one with some favourable words said by those that love me.

I'm also an organ donor, so they'll be taking those bits first, if they're in decent condition and useful at time of death.

Good point. I'm an organ donor as well. I forgot about that.

[par4dcourse]

Cremation, with a party to follow. I would be an organ donor, but as a lifelong diabetic, organs are toast.

Cremation, toast, I made a funny.

[HRDWarrior]

I intend to be cremated, with whatever type of informal memorial service the survivors care to have as long as there are no religious references - talk about how much you loved, hated, miss or despised me, then have a good time remembering our good times. I would like to have my ashes spread off the Sonoma coast since it's one of my favorite places, and then eaten by all the little sea creatures I enjoy eating:grin: Circle of life and all that....

[florduh]

Funerals are for the living. Let them fight over it. I don't give a shit now, and probably less so after I'm dead.

[hereticzero]

Financially cremation makes more sense to us. My wife and I want to be cremated. Whoever dies first, their ashes are saved until the next one dies and then our ashes get scattered together. If the ashes are not getting scattered for whatever reason, then we want our ashes buried at our family plot in Wyoming. We decided on cremation because it is relatively cheaper than getting embalmed. If I could not be cremated, I would prefer a simple wooden box with holes drilled in it so the worms can eat too. A Green Funeral is the way to go.

[Cracked]

Maybe, if I'm a bad enough Atheist I can bypass death and go straight to hell where I will be cremated free.

 

On the serious side, I would like a natural dirt grave so the worms can have me or just use me for chum in the ocean so my friends can catch some big fish.

[noob]

 

 

... My skin would become a drum, my bones flutes and drum sticks, my guts strings and so on. That way, someone other than worms would be able to enjoy me long after my death and I'd be able to continue to give in a meaningful way to a community for a long time.

 

 

Loren, I always wanted a flute...

[godlessgrrl]

I kind of had a notion once that I wanted 30,000 of my closest friends to build me a big pyramid, entomb me in it in a sarcophagus of solid gold, and worship me as a god after I die, but at my age I've wasted enough time that such probably isn't feasible anymore.

 

So instead: donate any functional organs, cremate me, mix my ashes with those of my closest loved ones (dogs and spouse, if they're already passed), and scatter me to the four winds. Then go have a huge fucking Irish wake with plenty of whiskey, snogging, and fistfights.

 

Other'n that I don't really care.

[Franko47]

After they remove any useful internal organs for other folks, I want to be compressed and processed into a video game disc. Hopefully, something cool, and please don't play me before noon. I'm just not a morning person.