What is the primary reason to attend a funeral?

[memphis]

I was chatting with my mother and she is under the impression that it's number 1. To me, once a person is dead, there's no need to show respect. He doesn't know the difference. Instead, one should go to show the family of the deceased that people care about them while they are going through a difficult period.

[I'm JewCon in name only.]

To show respect for the deceased

[John Dibble]

I suppose it depends on one's beliefs and how well you knew a person. I'd be inclined for number 2 personally, because as far as I'm concerned dead is dead and you can't do anything for someone who is dead - it's the living that need help.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

Respect. I am there for them (the deceased) and for me (and my relationship therewith). I am not there for any other guests.

[Joe Republic]

Option 2, which would include myself as a 'survivor'.  Funerals help provide closure for the living.  Anyway, I find it difficult to respect an inanimate object.

Even people who believe in 'souls' would agree that the body is already empty by that point?

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Both... I recently attended the funeral of a great man who was one of my closest friends... I was blessed to be asked to give a eulogy which both honored the amazing life he lived and comforted his widow and children and all those he left behind

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Depends who it is...

If it someone I know, it's definitely both. I've been to funerals that are related to friends, so then that's about comforting the family... but then I've gone out of respect too...

I've been to far too many, thinking on it...

[greenforest32]

Option 2

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

The bitches.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

Another problem is those that pick option 2 might expect you to also. The last thing I need at such a time is someone trying to guilt me because I choose option 1.

[Ban my account ffs!]

To show respect for the deceased, to show respect for the family and friends of the deceased, to comfort the survivors, and to engage in fellowship over a plate of hotdish, jello, buns, and Flavorite coffee.  Oh, and to watch the little kids run around playing in their fancy dresses and suits laughing because they have no idea what really happened and so everyone just smiles and thinks "oh.. for every loss, there is a new beginning!"

It helps if it's about -20˚F with a decent wind and a few scattered flurries blowing through the air.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

"If you don't go to peoples' funerals, they won't go to yours"

[Mechaman]

The bitches.

[minionofmidas]

To achieve some sort of feeling of having shown the deceased respect and properly taken leave of him; even though it's really too late for that after the person is dead it'll help you cope to have done what you could. And, typically, to comfort each other as grievers, show each other your solidarity - but that doesn't apply at all when you choose to attend the funeral of someone you knew even though you know you'll be less-than-welcome (like my late grandfather's second wife did). Or when you missed the funeral and visit the grave as soon as you can, alone (as I did with a friend in Cologne who died of leukemia while I was at home in Frankfurt over the Christmas break and, this being 1998 or '9, did not check any emails while here. He was in hospital when I left, but this was supposed to be for treatment, not because he was dying. Everything from an alert that his condition had worsened dramatically to the funeral went over while I was gone.)

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

As a last honor to the deceased as we see them for the last time.

[opebo]

To remind one of one's own mortality. 

[Bacon King]

Closure for yourself to realize that person won't be around anymore.

[Free Palestine]

Not being viewed as a total bastard by whoever's expecting you to go.

Having an excuse to dress like a mothaf!ckin pimp.

[Gustaf]

I guess people answering 2 here never visit graves then?

[dead0man]

I go to cemetaries, but not to respect the dead.  I like the calm and to look at the really old (as an American that's relative of course) head stones.  I'm always amazed at how many kids and babies died 100 years ago.  Maybe "amazed" isn't the right word.  If you lived past 10 and didn't die in a war you seemed to have a pretty good chance to make it into your 60s at least.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Some serious egotism here.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Both, with a slight lean to option 2.  Sure, it's to show respect for the dead, but as Joe pointed out even those of us who believe the person has a soul believe the deceased person's body is void of that person and is just a shell ready to turn back into dust, which it does in time after it has been lowered into the earth.  The soul of that person is alive, whether in heaven or hell.

The main purpose of funerals is to celebrate the life that has just passed from this world and to comfort the families as they go through the grieving process.

BTW, at my funeral, I want people to wear white instead of black and play wedding music as the Bride of Christ (me) goes home to meet the groom (Christ Jesus) and enters the gates of glory.