Non-Religious Funeral Services

Beliefs About Death

Non-religious funerals have become more common in North America due to the increasingly diverse culture. This type of funeral is often held when the deceased has no religious affiliation during their life or has chosen to not have a religious funeral before their passing. Due to the absence of religious traditions, these funerals often have no guidelines and are usually planned by the funeral director and the family members of the deceased in a way that would reflect the wishes of the deceased.

What Happens After Death Occurs?

When a death occurs, the body of the deceased is prepared to be dealt with based on either the wishes of the deceased before their passing, or the wishes of the family of the deceased. Many options lead to different types of preparations. If a funeral is to take place with the body present, then the body is cleaned and dressed, and then put in a casket. If the funeral is to be an open casket funeral, then the body is also embalmed. Preparation after death is different for each type of service that the family wishes to have.

Is Cremation Accepted?

Cremation has become one of the most commonly used and accepted services for the deceased in North America because it provides an alternative solution that is more affordable.

Views on Embalming

Non-religious people tend to choose cremation as a preferred method of disposition most of the time, however if they choose to have an open casket funeral service with the body present, then the body of the deceased may have to be embalmed due to rules and regulations.

The Non-Religious Funeral Service

Non-religious funerals have no specific services or references to what happens next to the deceased. Instead, the funeral service would be a tribute to the life of the deceased. Loved ones are typically present and perform eulogies in which they remember the life of the deceased. Families of the deceased invite people of various religious faiths and ask them to participate in remembering the life of the deceased. Due to the versitility with services without religious affliation, a family may chose to have a funeral service with a casket present or a memorial service with an urn present. There are no guidelines for non-religious funerals since they are done differently based on the desires of the deceased or their families. If a choice has been made to bury the deceased, then a graveside service can also take place. The family of the deceased can choose to play music at the service, and the music can vary from classical music to the favourite music of the deceased. There is no inappropriate music in a non-religious funeral. Flowers can also be brought to the funeral service if the participants choose to bring some.