It makes sense for an atheist or agnostic to cry when a loved one dies, but even among the highly religious it seems to happen often. Have you cried about death?
Crying about death
- Thread starter rainforests1
- Start date
Yes. I think it is perfectly natural to cry when you suffer a loss, even if you believe in an afterlife.
I cried when my uncle and Grandmother died over the recent years and I cried a lot when I had to have my cat euthanised a few years ago. I felt so sad and so angry that my cat probably had such a horrible life as a stray before I got him and then I had to have him put to sleep because he was ill.
I cried when my uncle and Grandmother died over the recent years and I cried a lot when I had to have my cat euthanised a few years ago. I felt so sad and so angry that my cat probably had such a horrible life as a stray before I got him and then I had to have him put to sleep because he was ill.
I have cried upon the death of everyone I have cared about, nonhuman and human alike. Even if I believed in an afterlife, the loss would be terrible, since it would be, at the least, for the rest of my life. I also mourn the pain of everyone else who loved the individual, and, for the dead, the pain, regret and/or fear which most often accompanies death.
Yes, it's especially hard when someone finally has a chance at a decent life, and then that chance is so short lived.
Yes, it's especially hard when someone finally has a chance at a decent life, and then that chance is so short lived.
I've lost four grandparents and lost something like 7 or 8 pets in my life. I don't think I cried once. My mother has been very emotional at times, but the four males in my immediate family have rarely cried. I know there's a difference between the sexes but I don't think my family is the norm either.
thefadedone
Needs a life
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Grief over the loss of a loved one is the worst emotional experience ever. I would rather deal with physical pain than the emotional pain of death. It is not something that ever goes away. It just gets easier to manage over time.
I've gone to funerals for complete strangers and balled my eyes out hysterically. Just being around people that are mourning and seeing their pain brings me to tears.
I think it's common for men to suppress their emotions. Many men have been taught that men don't cry and that crying is a form of weakness which is terribly sad. I hope this isn't the case with the men in your family. There is nothing wrong with crying or not crying for that matter. We all deal with grief differently, but suppressing your feelings can often lead to an emotional breakdown.
I've gone to funerals for complete strangers and balled my eyes out hysterically. Just being around people that are mourning and seeing their pain brings me to tears.
I think it's common for men to suppress their emotions. Many men have been taught that men don't cry and that crying is a form of weakness which is terribly sad. I hope this isn't the case with the men in your family. There is nothing wrong with crying or not crying for that matter. We all deal with grief differently, but suppressing your feelings can often lead to an emotional breakdown.
GingerFoxx
No effin' whey!
There are many reasons a person may cry other than grief or sadness for the deceased. Regardless your feeling about the existence or non existence of an afterlife there are strong emotions that come from the context of the situation. How much did they suffer? How long was their life? Was their life full of joy or struggle? Who did they leave behind? How much will their absence create an emptiness in your own life? These are just a few examples. I have tearlessly attended the services of elderly relatives, but found myself a sobbing mess over the death of peers, or even near-strangers who left behind children, spouses, or other beloved family members. Even amongst the devout who believe in an afterlife, there is sadness that comes from knowing it will be a long time before you see them again, much the way you might cry over a loved one moving across country. Then of course there are tears that come not from your feelings about another person, but from the reminder of your own mortality. It's a deeply complex action, to be sure.
SummerRain
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.
ledboots
Peace
I sob about death, people and animals. This one kills me. Especially after John-John's death in the plane crash.
Yes, I came across that exact picture earlier today while looking for the one I posted, and was about to cry again when I read the caption.I sob about death, people and animals. This one kills me. Especially after John-John's death in the plane crash.
