I was about to ask this same question and then I saw yours. I will speak ill of the dead, but I do preface it face by saying, "Not to speak ill of the dead, but such and such did this terrible thing. I was wondering whether or not, this is a thing other atheist/agnostics do. In my case, perhaps, my apprehension to speak ill of the dead without the preface is a result of left over residue from my past religious indoctrination. Also, people I do it to have other redeemable qualities that allow me to have respect for them even after death

Nope asshole is a asshole

Nothing wrong with it in my book . I am the type of asshole that actually has no problem saying " I hope he / she dies " for many that are alive still .

No. It is wrong to speak falsely of the dead.

I wonder if this is a learned or inherited behavior. It may go way back to tribal times when humans didn't really understand death, why the Sun revolves, and why the wind blows. I am sure most everyone has considered that many of our behaviors are determined by our brains that have evolved for millions of years. By Natural Selection, our brains evolved for survival on the African Serengeti, not the modern world in which we live.

Because they might not rest easy and may come back to haunt you
BoogaBoogaBoogaBoooo

Some one stoopid enough to believe in heaven and hell has no problem believing in vengeful ghosts listening to your private conversations.

I have no problem speaking ill of the living, the comatose, or the dead.

I would not say anything in front of children, spouses, or anyone else who might be hurt; but, in the right company, I think it is perfectly fine to speak the truth about a dead person who was a jerk, or worse.

This post reminded me of a family memory. My aunt married an idiot pervert. When I was ten he kept pinching me in the wrong places until I got a butcher knife after him. I doubt that I would ever have used it but fortunately he thought I would.

He often drank and drove. First wreck,my aunt was in the hospital in a coma for six months,two children had major broken bones, one child lost his spleen and one daughter was never able to have children because of the wreck. 6 years later his mother was killed in a car wreck but at least he lost part of his arm in that one.

When he died of a heart attack, my family and I went to Texas for the funeral. All the way down there I told my husband and children that I felt he was not a very nice human being but I loved my aunt dearly and I wanted to pay my respects to her and offer any comfort I could.

I had spent several summers down there and his family was always very nice to me. After the funeral at the church meal, one of the cousins joined us and I commented that I thought my aunt was one of the sweetest human beings I had ever known. The cousin of the deceased immediately responded with" if Homer had been half the man she was a woman things would have been much better for everyone." That statement definitely ended any concern I had about my feelings for the deceased. Yes some people do deserve to be talked about with total disgust after they're dead.

Because the reviled dead ancestor will cause unrest. Best to leave them in peace.

I think it is okay to speak ill of the dead if they were pieces of shit in life.... I mean we speak ill of Hitler and Stalin don't we?!? So why should we hold back with family and friends?? If I wouldn't speak of someone lovingly or highly in life, why would I suddenly begin to lie about them in death??

I guess you could leave it alone and consider the fact that he's not a jackass anymore?

I guess because they can't talk back.