by Dawn Hawkins

Created on: November 02, 2009

Funerals are a time to show respect for a person that we love or cared about. They can be very tragic and subject matters can make them even worse. There are certain things that you should avoid talking about at funerals. If you want to make sure you don't say the wrong things, you should take the time to find out what the main subjects to avoid are.

Here are some subjects that you should always avoid at funerals.

Illnesses

Don't talk about your many ailments at a funeral. People who have just lost someone they love don't want to hear about it. If you must talk about how sick you have been, do so at a different time. This is a time for others to grieve their loss. It is not a time for them to feel sorry for you. Chances are, they won't feel sorry for you, they will not care at all.

Christians

Although there is nothing wrong with talking about religion or other such things, you should not bring up any questions or thoughts as to whether someone has been saved or not. The person who has passed away is gone. We can't bring them back to save them now. If you wanted to make a difference in that persons life, you should have done it while they were alive. Talking about whether or not someone may have gone to heaven or hell is really mute at this point.

Your Past Losses

Do not talk about how you felt when you lost someone. This isn't about you. It is about the people who are grieving now. If you want to help, do something that will be productive in helping those people get through their tragedy. Offer good advice without bringing yourself into it.

What a Relief

If someone passes away from a long illness, it doesn't mean that the people they left behind feel a great relief. It is still tragic. It means the end of a life that others loved. That means those people are going through a great deal of pain. Those people aren't thinking of the sacrifices they had to make in order to keep that person here with them. They are thinking how much they are missing that person's presence in their life. Never bring up the subject of "what a relief this must be" at a funeral. It will only bring deeper hurts.

It takes a little common sense to know what subjects you shouldn't talk about at a funeral. Use your common sense and judgment while at the funeral and you should be fine. Think before you speak. Once the words are said, they can never be taken back. Talk about things that you would want talked about at a funeral for someone that you love.

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