Its very easy to recite promises from the holybooks about afterlife, paradise, everlasting peace, reunion...

But from an atheist stand point, what is the way to make a a friend who just lost a loved one feel better?

I most times get hooked on this spot, pls help a brother out.

i just dont know how they will go about that.

Man die go

No honor

Sorry about your loss. Take heart.

sonOfLucifer:
Sorry about your loss. Take heart.

also add "time heals everything, so it will get better my dear"...

Never comfort me with a lie, if the truth hurts let it hurt, it can never hurt for too long

johnydon22:

also add "time heals everything, so it will get better my dear"...

Never comfort me with a lie, if the truth hurts let it hurt, it can never hurt for too long

Time doesnt heal everything, defenitely not the loss of a loved one. So if you dont want to hurt someone even more, dont ever say this.

ToughAngelTufa:


Time doesnt heal everything, defenitely not the loss of a loved one. So if you dont want to hurt someone even more, dont ever say this.

we have all lost someone dear to us at some point, i am sure i am still not mourning over it and have moved on with my life

"One death is a tragedy; one million is a statistic"

keenn:
Its very easy to recite promises from the holybooks about afterlife, paradise, everlasting peace, reunion...

But from an atheist stand point, what is the way to make a a friend who just lost a loved one feel better?

I most times get hooked on this spot, pls help a brother out.

You can tell your friend, that he should strive to live the rest of his life in a way that will honor the person's memory. You can also tell him, that as long as the person lives in his heart and memory, then somehow through him the person is still alive and on his side.

Finally, I would remark that someone can be an atheist, but still believe in a form of life after death - like many Buddhist and others do. So your question is not well formulated.

Greetings.

Say sorry and lend them support (money, logistics, pure horsepower). Most people who are bereaved don't really pay attention to the wording of your condolence anyway, especially since you're probably the 200th person to console them. You can also start a conversation with them about the deceased wherein you eulogize the person a little. Keep in mind that few people know the right thing to say to the bereaved, so you're not doing as poorly as you imagine.

Of course, you're not going to say "rest in peace", are you?

Edit: The bereaved has in all likelihood also contemplated some form of the question of the right thing to say to a bereaved person. So, unless they were able to come up with many wonderful answers, they might also appreciate the difficulty involved and be prepared to accept clichés. Your presence will count more than what you have to say.

LoJ:

You can tell your friend, that he should strive to live the rest of his life in a way that will honor the person's memory. You can also tell him, that as long as the person lives in his heart and memory, then somehow through him the person is still alive and on his side.

Finally, I would remark that someone can be an atheist, but still believe in a form of life after death - like many Buddhist and others do. So your question is not well formulated.

Greetings.

Thanks for reformulating

johnydon22:


we have all lost someone dear to us at some point, i am sure i am still not mourning over it and have moved on with my life

People love in different ways. Capacity of the heart to love knows huge differences, different depths too. Moving on with life is not the topic. Also wounded or with scars, people can move on. Doesnt make d pain any less, maybe just different. Those who have lost the love of their life know what i am talking about. The rest better stay silent, and dont float a mourning person with superficial cliches that time heals all, it simply dont, not for everyone at least. So its as much a religious useless oneliner.

Richirich713:
"One death is a tragedy; one million is a statistic"

Though a thousand fall at my left, and ten trillion at my right..

sonOfLucifer:

Though a thousand fall at my left, and ten trillion at my right..

Which atheist said that?