Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Atheist Condolences


I was a florist for 18 years. I dealt with many grieving families as they ordered flowers for their loved ones. It showed me how much grief is set in a religious framework in our culture. This presents some difficulty to non-religious people.

While our friends and loved ones are grieving, we want to express our sympathies but there's a 900 lb gorilla in the room, at least for me. I believe death is the end but most people around me believe it is a beginning. It can be hard to support religious friends and family during times of grief and loss simply because the words used to express sympathy in a non-religious way are seldom heard. If we learn by example, who is the example for sharing non-religious condolences?

I know of quite a few atheists who deal with religious grief by staying silent. It gives the impression they are cold and uncaring even if their heart is breaking for their religious loved one.

To help non-religious people share their sympathy and comfort with religious people during times of loss, I wrote Sympathy 101 for Atheists. Please let me know what you think of it. I'd also love it if you'd share how you express your sympathy in non-religious ways.

4 comments:

-blessed holy socks, the non-perishable-zealot said...

Hey, you, GorgeousGirl... Didju heer us? Lemme say it again. We’re still croak’n at some point, our indelible soul shall rise-up to meet our Maker. That’s a FACT - absolutely nuthin we can do bout that: our soul wants to be loved, nourished, enveloped. Now, Jesus doesn't have a sign on the outskirts of Heaven saying, 'Those who don't believe? C’est la guerre. C'mon in. Guess I wasn’t as forthright as Marvel Comix'. Be on the pro-LIFE-eration side, dude, don't be on the side which'll swiftly LET/LEAD you down. I’m a small 'peAce-de-resistance' of a Larger Picture: God’s side. God bless you with discernment.

_Anonymous_ said...

It looks like the previous commenter has mental problems.

alwayshuntress said...

Exactly what I was thinking Verde....

non believer said...

Hey Kold, why don't you troll some Jesus website and leave the rest of us to our own personal opinion. No one judges you for believing in your fairy tale let the rest of us have our freedom of opinion as well/