It would seem that everyone’s a Christian when they die around here as I’ve never attended a service following the death of a person that wasn’t conducted by a religious figure.
I am a Christian myself , but I have no affiliation, so I’m wondering as to what I can do for a service when a loved one passes away.
I’ve attended a humanist funeral - IIRC it was actually not called by that name. Many of the trappings of a traditional funeral ceremony were still there, just obviously no reference to God, no prayers, etc. There were speakers talking about the guy, music, etc. The coffin was in its usual place at the front (placed sideways, but I don’t know whether or not this is a concious decision to not place it in the ‘religious’ orientation).
In the UK, where there’s a high proportion of non-religious people, most people are disposed of in crematoria. The (mercifully few) funerals I’ve attended in crematoria have used a rent-a-vicar who never even knew the deceased, since that’s the default offered by the crematorium. However, the crematorium space is non-denominational, and the ceremony could just as easily be conducted by a humanist minister.
I’m an Atheist but if I were to die anytime in the next few decades when most of my family member will still be alive, I’ll probably be buried a Christian. A funeral isn’t so much for the deceased as it is for the family and friends left behind. And my family being strong Christians would probably want a Christian funeral. I won’t mind, being dead and all. Secondly I consider myself to be a cultural Christian in the same way many non-believing Jews are cultural Jews. I grew up protestant, so in a way I still identify with it even though I don’t believe in it. A Christian funeral is how I expect a funeral to be, so in a way it seems to be the only way to burry someone I know.
But if I die in the distant future (I’m only 23) and the only family I have is the one I produced, then I would like to plan my own funeral. I want to be cremated into an orange and black Grecian urn and put on a table under a bright light while the mourners sit around starring at me for a half hour. Meanwhile someone can play the bagpipes or maybe a didgeridoo.
Funerals are for the living so if you’re planning one, do it your own way. The friend of family member in the casket won’t notice one way or the other.
I can be used for dog food when I die for all I care. Once I’m dead, I’ll obviously have no use for the shell that once housed my personality.
I’ve always liked the idea of a memorial service instead of a funeral. The deceased’s favorite music, flowers, folks talking about what they remembered, some laughter, tears…everyone goes on to a catered party to celebrate the life of the deceased. We did that for my father (except my rotten sister insisted on larding it with christian clap-trap) and it was very soothing and not a bit morbid since there was no coffin and no graveyard burial. Honors the dead, comforts the living, no god required.
When my half-brother died, we had a memorial service. No “body” was there because he had wanted to be cremated and have his ashes scattered. We didn’t have the urn there, either. (My father was a bit upset by this, I think he felt the finality of seeing a corpse helps people accept that the loved one is dead.) So we just had friends and family gather, at a certain point in the afternoon a few people said some things about him, and that was it. No prayers, no religious imagery. It was a nice ceremony.
And on preview, wonder9 already described what I have. Oh well 
That’s what you call a wake. Celtic folks are big on wakes.
I tend to think that the body is something I wear. And like a worn out pair of shoes, I don’t mind how it is disposed fo when I’m gone. That said I have a preffernce for being buried near trees, or with a tree marking the spot, as I like trees (I don’t hug trees, but I find them very relaxing), and hope my body (once medicine has taken any reusable parts of it away) can be used to help feed the tree. I am a theist but an almost agnostic one who follows no particular faith.
Although it wouldn’t sit well with many, I’d be in favor of “jam a ham bone in my arse and let the town dogs drag me off.” Gather my friends, let them talk about the moments of happiness I brought into their lives, and invite my enemies, too-let them confirm that I’m dead at last. Tap a keg, eat hearty, dance and sing. Don’t forget to pet the kitties. 
I would love for no one to know at mine. Plan a strange gathering outside, say it is dire, have my corpse parachuted into the picnic area. If all goes well, the 'chute would catch on a tree - leaving my body to morbidly dangle over the party gathers. No one expects it, everyone is confused, I get the last laugh.
Oh, and I am non-religious.
I guess I want one of the Viking funerals with the burning boat, because fire is cool and burning longboats are even cooler. I’m pretty sure it’s also very illegal, but hey, it’s not like I’ll be alive to care.
Also, I want them to play the Spike Jones and His City Slickers version of “Holiday for Strings.” Tuned cowbells are appropriate for any occasion.
My dad was atheist. When he died we had a memorial service (no body - he was cremated immediately) held in the chapel at the university where he’d been a dean for many years. No prayers, no (intended) music. We just had five guys who knew him stand up and talk about him a little.
They were all admonished to keep it non-religious, and four out of five held true. The other guy…, well, I guess if that’s what you believe, perhaps it’s hard to contain yourself.
I said no intended music. When the last guy, very soft-spoken, started to speak there was a sea of squeals as the folks toward the back simultaneously cranked up their hearing aids.
How about funerals for agnostics? When I die, it may be a cliche, but I want Mozart’s Requiem played.
It might be the version I have, but to me, the tone of the singing really encapsulates not only mourning, but also hope and faith, even though you are not completely sure about the afterlife.
Um, no. Not everyone is a Christian when they die, nor does it seem that way to me. That’s quite a wide brush you just painted “around here”. Tisk-tisk on you.
This plus Tito’s posts I had to reply to. And it’s not a slight to either of your beleifs.
Yes funerals are for the living. But Christians also beleive they’re for the dead. It’s a religious ceremony to help the journey of the soul to enter Heaven. Hence the prayers for forgiveness of the departed’s sins. Especially important among us Catholics is Hail Mary and The Lord’s Prayer during the Rosary. In addition to Communion and Last Rites. It’s all ceremony for the living, but we beleive it helps the soul of the deceased.
We Catholics can make a party out of any situation.
My mother’s funeral was non-religious. It was at the local crematorium: we asked a few close friends to get up and say a bit about their memories of her, then I pushed the button that sent her coffin off into the furnace. (My father is still alive, but he seemed to want me to be the MC, so I was). If you don’t want a religious funeral, you don’t have to have one.
Please, that’s not what I meant. I am refering to the fact that every funeral or memorial that I have attended involved a service led by a member of the Christian clergy.
Well, even though “funerals are for the living,” I’m just…uncomfortable with the thought of a religion ceremony being held in my name. Kind of like if, say, someone from a Christian family had converted to Judaism, but his family insisted on giving him a full Christian funeral when he died. It’d be kind of disrespectful to the dead.
But anyway, what I’d find really awful is if I the funeral ended up being a “suit and tie” event—even worse if I ended up being buried like that. I’ll be damned if I’m to spend eternity in a necktie and a wool blazer.
And for the funeral…I’d say either something really low-key and inexpensive, or something REALLY over the top—something with a big bonfire, an honor guard strutting about in full armor, and a live chorus singing “O Fortuna.” Something a Nazi “Goth” might think up. 
But whatever happened, I’d just love it if someone ends up saying “Well…if Ranchoth were here right now, you just know he’d be getting a big kick out of this.” Maybe someone can sneak a “bag o laughs” into my casket, or something.
Ranchoth
(And if Green Day’s “Time of Your Life” or Sarah McLachlan’s “I Will Remember You” are played at the funeral, memorial service, or wake, I will punch my way out of my coffin and devour some or all of the mourners.)
If I had the choice I would have Jerusalem sung at my humanist funeral, but really and truly if I’m dead I don’t care what people do. If the majority of my surviving friends and rels want a Christian, Buddhist, or Islamic ceremony it won’t bother me. It’s not like my soul will be floating over the ceremony. The funeral is for them, IMO, and they can do what they like.