samedi, mars 01, 2014

Can we have a little gateaux with that skull?

Suddenly (or not), it's cool to talk about death.

Death cafes. Death-themed tweets.  Funeral directors who blog and YouTube...conversations and questions  about mortality seem to have sprung up in lots of places you might not expect.

Some of the movement is consumer-oriented, but some of the conversations appear to be impelled by sheer curiosity, or a desire to make some decisions about life's end before it is too late to choose.

This is the first part of a series on death and faith, or unfaith.

In the course of it you will meet an undertaker who has outraged many of his fellow funeral directors. A compassionate advocate for consumer rights.  A former crematory worker who produces videos that explain what happens when people pass on. Clergy who approach death from a faith perspective, and non-religious ritualists who don't.

And academicians, of course to put it all in context and ask more questions.

Because, au fond, when we talk about death, we are still grappling with mystery, anxiety and fear.

Even when we do bring cake.

http://lancasteronline.com/lifestyle/faith_and_values/column-let-s-talk-about-death/article_29418fc6-a0f0-11e3-9a42-001a4bcf6878.html