Long Live the Sinner

There's an excellent article in The Atlasphere: "Long Live the Objectivist."

Love the Dylan Thomas line.

Well, I've been thinking it's funny that religionists would be sad at funerals.

Unless they secretly believe the deceased has gone to hell. Which wouldn't exactly be a compliment. Or wait, it rather would, given their morality, that they believe you go to hell for all the good things in life.

"I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. The sinners are much more fun…"

—Billy Joel, "Only the Good Die Young"



But if they truly believe the deceased has gone to heaven, why aren't they happy for him? The only reason to be sad would be that they miss him. And wouldn't that be terribly selfish by their standards? If they really believe in a life after death, they should turn every funeral into a party.

"If there are no cigars in heaven, I shall not go."

— Mark Twain