There has been a rise in popularity of ‘humanist funerals’, moving away from a religious ceremony; but what are they and where are they held?
Are humanist funerals like other funeral ceremonies? We try to shed some light on them for you…
What is a ‘Humanist’?
You may or may not have heard about ‘Humanism’ or the Humanist Society, as it is set up to be a non-religious following and ‘way of life’.
Humanists believe that human experience and rational thought provide the only source of knowledge and a moral code to live by; deriving this from personal experience and thought, and historical learnings.
Humanists don’t hold a belief in supernatural beings, reincarnation or special books (such as the Bible) and believe that science is the reliable source of knowledge about our universe.
Sometimes ‘humanism’ is mistaken for ‘atheism’. Atheism is the absence of belief, whereas humanism is a positive attitude to the world, centred on human experience, thought, and hopes.
What is a Humanist Funeral?
Essentially, a humanist funeral is about freedom of choice. The attendees are not expected to sing hymns or read psalms, unless of course this is chosen.
“A humanist funeral is a non-religious service that is both a dignified farewell and a celebration of a life. It recognises the profound sadness of saying goodbye whilst celebrating the life and legacy of a loved one.” – Humanism.org
What is a Humanist Funeral?
Essentially, a humanist funeral is about freedom of choice. The attendees are not expected to sing hymns or read psalms, unless of course this is chosen.
“A humanist funeral is a non-religious service that is both a dignified farewell and a celebration of a life. It recognises the profound sadness of saying goodbye whilst celebrating the life and legacy of a loved one.” – Humanism.org
When a person dies a Funeral Humanist Director will be contacted and they will discuss how you’d like the ceremony to reflect the person who has died.
The ‘arrangement process’ is not too dissimilar from a religious funeral.A humanist service can be held at a Crematorium or a Woodland burial, (also known as a green burial) for example. This is a freedom of choice and often friends and family members try to reflect as much about their loved one as possible.
Where can a Humanist Funeral be held?
When it comes to the legality surrounding a humanist funeral, the same law for all funerals apply. The only really discerning fact in the UK is about how a person can be buried and that authorities need to be asked permission (if it is to be on private land in some circumstances).
With that in mind, a funeral service could feasibly be held in a public park, a sports ground or in a concert hall; with a view to reflect and remember the person who has passed.
You could even hold a humanist funeral in a church (despite the focus on non-religious belief) but you would need to find a place of worship open to a non-religious funeral service and ceremony, which may prove difficult.
That said, crematoriums are increasingly partisan, and most are without religious connotation.
I am a Humanist and I would like to ensure I have a Humanist Funeral…
Our previous blog discussed exactly what the law says about funeral wishes
My Last Request will give you the opportunity to detail your exact funeral wishes without the difficultly of discussing it with your family; something we all may find hard to do. Here you can detail your desire for a humanist funeral and even the type of ceremony you would like; down to music, readings, flowers, location etc…
As well as recording your funeral wishes you will also be able to store photos and any personal video messages for your family and friends. You can also include information about the location of your original Will.
In addition, if your wishes change over time, you can change them (as many times as you like) by simply logging on to your My Last Request account.
Unlike amending your will, there are no costs for making amendments.
Recording your wishes on My Last Request will give you peace of mind and ensure all your important information is stored in one, safe place.