Hello all,
Although it seems that many here are quite religious, I am not, and I’m sure that there are some others out there who are not, either. As an atheist, I find no comfort in people praying for me or for my deceased wife Kristin; though well-intentioned, such prayers are not only meaningless to me but ultimately insulting. Telling me that my wife’s death was God’s will or that she has “gone to a better place” are equally unhelpful attempts at consolation. Consequently, I have found most grief support groups, either online or local, lacking, since most of the members are religious to one degree or another.
But I have finally found a group of like-minded people on a Facebook page called Grief Beyond Belief. According to their mission statement, it is “an online support network for people grieving the death of a child, parent, partner, or other loved one — without belief in a higher power or an afterlife. Atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers and anyone else living without religious beliefs are invited to participate. If you are in the process of reevaluating or letting go of previously held religious beliefs, you may also join the community and seek support.”
If there are any of you out there who feel similarly, I hope you will join me in this online group. It has helped me tremendously in trying to process my wife’s death nine months ago. Following is the link. All you have to do is “like” it, and you’re a member. Bear in mind, however, that proselytizers will be booted.
http://www.facebook.com/faithfreegriefsupport
Best, KevinKY
Berea, KY