Do atheists put flowers on graves?

[Unveiled Artist]

It is about respect, remembrance, honour and leaving flowers is a tangible way of doing that. I've also left football scarves, teddy bears for kids, but flowers are the easy one, I suppose.

To me, there's got to be a "living" relationship between two people. If the living dead (I know. I know) if the living dead is part of the one who gives it makes more sense. They give just as if they were flesh.

If the living is dead to the person, its like they dont exist but you giving for the sake if giving. For oneself only. Thats not wrong, though quite puzzling.

To whom exactly is one remembering to where there is a difference between putting flowers on the grave be no different than setting them in the bath tub. Who is literally remembered beyond the thought or memory of a person, or does the loved one exist only by memory?

Cant think of how to phrase it. Id think the living would have greater affect than a memory.

 

[Spiderman]

Did Buddha or Moses or Krishna or Zoroaster or Jesus or Socrates put flowers in/on the grave of somebody in their times?If yes, then please quote in this connection.
Right, please?

Regards

We know very VERY little of what Buddha, Moses, Krishna, or Zoroaster, Jesus, or Socrates did!

The vast VAST majority of what they said and did with their lives was NOT written down!

 

[stvdv]

I think the confusion in this thread between theists and atheists stems from a misconception about why we leave decorations in the first place...

Grave maintenance and decoration don't do anything for those that have passed, for obvious reasons. But they do something for those that are still living, and serve as a reminder to passers by that someone who's alive right now once loved the people beneath the headstones. It's really no more complicated than that.

My children have no recollection of my grandparents because my grandparents all passed before my kids were born. It only takes one generation (maybe 2) before there will be no one alive who has a living memory of you. There will be nothing connecting you to your progeny other than the stories and habits they pass on in your remembrance.

Look at how many headstones are in disrepair and you'll see what I mean. Those vacant, overgrown, deteriorating areas tell a story about the person that once existed and about the family that forgot them.

The main confusion is that people claim to know how it all works, when they do not know.
After all this is just the same as with God, it is a belief.
You do not know, though you write as if you know it exactly.

So, although I also believe that the flowers don't do anything for those passed
I don't make a statement out of this. I could easily be wrong in this, as I have been wrong before in my life.
If I want to be sure I then have to die, when dead, I have to ask around "somewhere" how all this works
Then I have to get the "hell" out of there again, as a matter of speech. And come back to earth to tell you.
Something tells me this won't work out. Though it does sound interesting to do this IMHO
[Actually this is my experience. I once stopped eating and coming "up" were warned I was on a one way journey; then I was given a second chance]
[But even this could easily be concocted in my mind, because my bloodsugar when returning was 1 = almost coma]

Bottomline: In my humble opinion, I know nothing for sure. I even don't know how to cure cancer in this life. Let alone I know about the "after life".

 

[`mud]

hey stvdv,
Take your cell phone with you.

 

[stvdv]

It is about respect, remembrance, honour and leaving flowers is a tangible way of doing that. I've also left football scarves, teddy bears for kids, but flowers are the easy one, I suppose

I read that in the pyramids they left their wives also. So teddy bears seems not only easier, but much nicer/humaner also IMHO [aha you are Humanist I see]

 

[stvdv]

He is known for being an incoherent poster that doesn't make much sense and doesn't understand the posts he's reading...it's not your fault!

Thanks for the update PopeADope. You are definitely not incoherent poster at all. Within 2 minutes you gave me this accurate information.

 

[stvdv]

hey stvdv,
Take your cell phone with you.

Oh mud, thank you for the reminder. I think I am too old. I am not like these young lads glued to their cellphones. I always forget it even to switch on. I will definitely take my cellphone on my next journey. Just the idea makes the journey much more interesting. Because you never know, maybe I return. I even have a cellphone that can make selfies, I think. Never used it though. Better start practicing a bit. We never know when the big moment is there.

 

[stvdv]

hey stvdv,
Take your cell phone with you.

This is good info. Normally I might have missed this, you forgot the "@", so I didn't get a "reminder". And, I get old, I need those reminders. God really takes care of me. Would be nice to be able to send you a selfie of "me with God". Probably that is what you had in mind also. I promise if I don't forget my cellphone+die+resurrect that I will post on RF with pictures my whole journey. That would be something.

Okay sometimes I allow and enjoy some daydreaming. I go back to sleep now. Take care my brother.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Who are they for?

The living. Same as funerals.

 

[Spiderman]

The living. Same as funerals.

There are an ENORMOUS amount of homo-sapiens on this planet who would disagree!


....Or at least have additional reasons. You think the pyramids were primarily for the living? If so, might wanna google it.

 

[Samantha Rinne]

Why would they not? They are expressing mourning for the dead. This has nothing to do with belief in God or an afterlife.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

The living. Same as funerals.

How do you remember your loved one by at the same time giving his/her flowers to the living ?

 

[John53]

It's just, I don't quite understand the reasoning or motive behind it...

If a person doesn't believe that the soul of the deceased loved one goes on living after death...why visit their grave, talk to them, or leave flowers?

Yes, atheists sometimes do that, and I'm glad they do, but fail to understand the reasoning behind it...It makes a lot of sense to indulge in such a practice or tradition, if a person believes the dead spirits go on living after they leave their body behind.

A lot of people (with no religion) go to graves to talk to the person buried there, or they talk to the person at their funeral or wake, as if the spirit of the deceased still lives on and can hear them. Rightfully so!

Which makes me wonder, perhaps atheists are more open to the possibility that the dead go on living and can be contacted, then one would initially think?

So you think because we don't have a belief in the afterlife that we just forget someone when they die? If you loved or respected someone in life why can't you honour their memory?

I always try to go to the funerals of family and friends but I don't leave flowers because I think it's a waste of money, I'd sooner make a donation to a worthwhile charity. I've made it clear that when it's my turn, no flowers or cards but if you feel the need please donate to my favourite charity (which happens to be Birdlife Australia).

 

[Spiderman]

No, im not going to pay the transportation fee, take the time, buy flowers, and go on a wild goose chase for the correct tombstone, and leave flowers (where no living person may appreciate or see), for the living... ain't gonna happen! Makes next to no sense imho

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Why would they not? They are expressing mourning for the dead. This has nothing to do with belief in God or an afterlife.

Yeah. It may be creepy to some but in many cultures thats the core of it. I think some christians make more than what it is only by how they express it. If they felt comfortable translating it in layman's terms without mystics its not complicated. We're all human.

 

[Spiderman]

So you think because we don't have a belief in the afterlife that we just forget someone when they die? If you loved or respected someone in life why can't you honour their memory?

I always try to go to the funerals of family and friends but I don't leave flowers because I think it's a waste of money, I'd sooner make a donation to a worthwhile charity. I've made it clear that when it's my turn, no flowers or cards but if you feel the need please donate to my favourite charity (which happens to be Birdlife Australia).

I can respect that!

 

[siti]

I agree with the idea behind @PopeADope 's question - funerals are obviously religious rituals - for my irreligious father we had a humanist minister conduct the funeral - it was still a religious ritual (whatever my overtly atheist relatives thought about it) - and flowers on the grave are part of that. Of course the outward trappings - flowers, elaborate caskets, ornate gravestones and ceremonies etc...are for the benefit of the living though - (no matter what my overtly religious relatives think about it). I reckon the best way to respect the memory of our dearly departed is to learn from their examples - good or bad - and make the best of the foundation they provided for us so that our grieving descendants can do even better after we are gone. Flowers are irrelevant - we didn't put flowers on Dad's grave - he was cremated anyway - we asked people who wanted to buy flowers to give them to people who were still alive and would appreciate them. Quite a few did - I didn't - I bought the beer instead - Dad would have appreciated that much more than flowers anyway.

I have decided I don't want any religious rituals or flowers - the simplest possible disposal of my remains - and if there's money left over spend it on useful things not decorating a grave. Cremation is the best option where I am now. If possible I will try and let RFers know if I am a bit pissed not to have flowers after I'm gone - but don't hold your breath - I am not planning to depart any time soon.

 

[paarsurrey]

We know very VERY little of what Buddha, Moses, Krishna, or Zoroaster, Jesus, or Socrates did!

The vast VAST majority of what they said and did with their lives was NOT written down!

In other words, one agrees that no founder of a revealed religion did put flowers on the grave of a dead person.
Did any of the above gave any commandment/teachings to put flowers on the grave of a dead person, please?

Regards

 

[Spiderman]

Not sure what the casket is for.
I want my flesh to feed worms, fertalize soil, push up green grass and Daisies... the casket might hinder that!

 

[stvdv]

In other words, one agrees that no founder of a revealed religion did put flowers on the grave of a dead person.
Did any of the above gave any commandment/teachings to put flowers on the grave of a dead person, please?
Regards

Wrong. Just your concoction. You don't know anything about people who died 2000 years ago or so.
All people are full with rituals. Like Muslims bowing to Mekka as if God is in Mekka ONLY. Where is God not?
But I respect that, though I don't believe the same. But I do not try to belittle the believe of others.
By implying that it makes no sense the flowers on graves, because the founders did not do so