It could be that I have not looked at non Utah Obits for a while, but why is that the write of the obit lists all of the church positions a person had, and family is an after thought? Could it be that church positions come first, and family is an afterthought?

Have you ever been to a mind numbing meeting where they pray that "all will be well at home when we return"??? How about cancelling the stupid meeting and be at home?

Unless it is the obituary of a famous person, obituaries are generally written by the survivors, or by the funeral director under instructions and with information provided by the survivors. They are NOT written (as many people suppose) by newspaper staff.

Therefore it is not surprising that if a surviving family thinks that the church positions held in life were the most important thing about the deceased's life, that's what you are going to read.

In Mormon-land it's going to be church positions. Where I live most of the obits start out something like "So-and-so has been called home to be with the Lord...."

RP - That's exactly my point. EVERYTHING, including family, is less important that church. How about, he was a great dad, loved his wife and family, took camping and fishing trips with the kids every summer, etc.,etc.? Instead, we learn he was the EQP 20 years ago. Who gives a damn?

I will stop venting now.

That's a valid point.

I suggest that you write your own obituary (I know several people who have done that) and leave strict instructions that it be used.

The same goes for eulogies given at the funeral. I was fortunate in being asked (even though an atheist apostate) to give the eulogies at both my parents' funerals. They were both very TBM, by the way. I think I was able to put their church activities into perspective. Take a look: http://packham.n4m.org/father.htm and http://packham.n4m.org/mother.htm

I did not know that Utah Mos were that effed up.

It's my experience and observation that Mormons are best understood in their own specific culture with it's unique language, music, clothing, and traditions which includes obituaries, funerals, weddings, etc. etc. They are understood by the members, but not necessarily by outsiders.

Usually outsiders see other religions as strange and weird.
It's just the nature of the difference of being an insider or an outsider.

the last brag.

To me earthly credentials are like little golden stars on the primary children's foreheads. In other words, not worth anything except to point out you have a golden star on your forehead.

I just want to know how people die. Was he mangled in a combine or did he end up as a grease spot on the freeway as he broke the sound barrier with his bullet bike? That's what I want to read in an obituary. Let's just bypass the bullshit and get to the meat.

ST