Keep in mind I'm not trying to rip apart your post or anything of that nature...i'm just going to share with you where i'm coming from...

2 years ago my father passed away after being diagnosed with cancer...this all happened in 2 months...I was only 20 at the time..and I know that's not soo young..but I always thought that he would be around for a long time...

I never thought a funeral or the viewing or the service would have been that important to me until this happened...but the minister, during the service, called my father by the wrong name...as if he was reading from a script or something...he didn't notice nor did he care...

my point is, your loved ones care what happens to you when you die...and they want the best for you..and i personally find it disturbing to see more than half naked chicks on a casket...there's a place and time for everything and i feel that there should be respect for the dead and my opinion is that posing half nude on a casket is not giving that person respect...

i have no problem with girls modelling, nude/clothed...but there's other places for that...

just my 2 cents...*shrug*

 

Damn, European people are freaks

 

I am indeed sorry about your loss. Both of my parents died when I was about your age, so I understand your feelings (My mother when I was 20; my father 2 years later).

Most of what we mourn for, in those instances, is our own personal loss - it ultimately is somewhat selfish (much like love - being w/ a special person makes US feel good). Thus, the offense you feel is not disrespect for the dead, but for someone YOU cherish. keep in mind, then, that the anger and rage you feel, even if someone overtly disrespected a dead individual, is your anger, not that of the deceased. The disrespect you interpret, is subsequently, at best, only disrespect for you, not the dead.

To me, the public viewing of a body, is rather morbid and archaic. I watched both my parents die and was there at the moments of death. I full well have my personal memories of them and did not want to see the mortician's perception of my parents.

Since death is a natural culmination of life, many cultures actually celebrate it. Those who follow religious views may feel that the spirit has left it's earthly "baggage" to move on. Or, in my case, I feel that at the time "of expiration", we merely decompose, to replenish the earth with all the materials which we took from it (Fact: we are all of this earth!).

in either event, the body only represents the physical expression of a person. the elements of personality, logic and love, those things that made someone an individual are no longer with the body after death. At best, those qualities live on in the memories of friends and family.

Thus, no matter what or how someone acts regarding a corpse, it should not be interpreted as anything other than a foolish act. It seems odd to react to "direspecting" the dead, yet allow, the same actions to be imposed upon the living, who actually do have feelings.

In the case of the casket chicks, they are merely pushing a product. Those caskets, most likely, are empty. They do not represent any particular person or even the dead, in general. they represent the fact, that all of us will die, and most of us will then be in the market for "funeral hardware". Maybe those are just sexier caskets than the competitors'.

Your quote about modelling, though, inspires me to vent about what I find as offensive and appalling: use of this Forum (supposedly related to Proteges/cars) as a singles chat room, of (wink-wink; nudge-nudge) sexual innuendo and crass commentary, replete w/ photos designed to better one's self image. I'm not quite certain if it's pathetic or pathologic, yet.

I am no prude, believe me, but I think there are better uses for the Forum, such as an exchange of ideas, rather than STD's. C'mon, if i wanted cheap thrills there's all too numerous **** sites and chat rooms to access. And i would surmise that such sites could do a much better job w/ such issues that could this one. but then again, I don't go to singles chat rooms or porno sites to find out about cars....
That is my $3.47 worth...

 

This gives the word "stiff" a whole new meaning huh?

 

Thank You...for sharing your thoughts and feelings....part of me needed to know that there are other ppl out there that understand how I feel and how it feels to lose someone they love at an unexpected time....

with regards to the "disrespect" quote...I do understand that what I say is my opinion and that others may not find this calender disturbing/offensive because they have been under different life changes...I just felt like putting in my opinion and the background info. as to how my opnion developed...I don't hold it against anyone if they agree with this calender or anything of that matter...just felt like putting up my 2 cents...(it was prolly a lil more than 2 cents though considering how much room I took up) oops...

 

This is taken from another post, but i couldn't resist:

Given the above imagery, I still find the "Coffin Models" to be less than offensive, and much more wholesome.

How anyone could both react so negatively to the marketing ploy using hot, sexy Italian models and yet post such demented, perverted thoughts befuddles me!

Sorry to use verbage from another topic, but, to weave a good yarn, various "threads" must be used.

 

Am I the only one that would like a copy of this calendar?

Jay

 

so i'm thinkin that maybe these chicks get off stradling a coffin? kinda sick..not my bag...but hey there are some freaky deakys out there..*shrugs*

danielle

 

for starters the italians view of death is MUCH different than ours....and what I BELIEVE is true....is those models get off on is putting money in their pockets.....

 

That was the strangest marketing ploy I've ever viewed. Mind you, I've worked for many a hospice organizations and dealt with a multitude of crematories, cemetaries, and funeral homes, but I've never seen sales presented that way. Even the Italians must see things differently. Thanks for this thread otherwise. It was nice to read different and personal thoughts about such a taboo subject in society. I have no problem with the topic - provided that it's done with dignity, mutuality of respect, and cultural sensitivity. Perhaps we need to think "outside the box" when it comes to this calendar. Our values aren't necessarily the same as others (Europeans) - having taken part in a funeral procession in Holland graveside. Very different, than say, a New Orleans one. Just my 2 cents.

Phew! such a heavy topic! thanks again.

 

Who knew coffins could be so....sexxxy!? ROWRRR!