Re: virus: Death

Luree Dell-Bryan (luree@islandnet.com)
Tue, 17 Oct 95 10:21 PDT


>This last Friday I flew to Victoria, B.C. to attend a memorial service
>for my grandmother who died suddenly last week. The Anglican minister
>delivered an impassioned eulogy, yet his words gave me little comfort.
>I really wish I could believe that she has gone on to join my grandfather
>in a better world, but I have travelled too far down the Virian path to
>be able to delude myself, even for a short while. How can a hardcore
>materialist deal with the loss of loved ones? I don't think Virus can
>be a viable religion until it satisfactorily addresses this issue.
>--

All living creatures grieve a permanent loss. It is a natural process that
allows animals, human or otherwise, to come to accept what happened and get
on with their lives. A ceremony, to help people express their affection and
share cherished memories, is a way to help alleviate grief, no matter what
your religious beliefs.

Yes, Virus has to be able to help people through spreading rationality - but
it also must accept that people are emotional beings. There are actually
two books available that deal with this problem. "Funerals Without God" by
Jane Wynne Willson and "A Humanist Funeral Service" by Corliss Lamont. Both
are available for $9.95 from CODESH (The Council for Democratic and Secular
Humanism) P.O. Box 664, Buffalo, New York 14226-0664 Phone 800-458-1366
FAX 716-636-1733

Please let me express sympathy for your sorrow and loss. Perhaps now might
be a time to write down your feelings. Through this experience, Virus might
be able to come up with its own ceremony to help those who experience loss
of a loved one. We have to accept that emotions are a part of life and
Virus can give a dignified service to appreciate the unique character of the
person who passed.

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