The "Don Knotts passes" thread brings up something I've meant to talk about

[Dr. H Lecter]

Why do people always say, "my good friend passed the other day," or "I 'm sorry to hear of his passing." "I heard that he passed..."

Why not Don Knotts died? My uncle died last week, I'm sorry to hear that he diedetc... why is the word died so non-PC?

I hear this a lot on the radio, TV, in conversations etc... and not directly with the grieving widow.

Why is everyone so leery about using the word "died?"

[BrassowFan]

It's a good question. I think that the answer is that it sounds more consoling to say that they've "passed on" as it sounds as if they're in a better place where as "died" seems final and lacks the same level of promise.

Of course, I could be wrong...

[heatwave13]

It's all about sensitivity. yeah.

[Jeff Craddock]

No doubt there is something euphamistic about using "passed" or "passed away", but many also believe that death really is a passing from one realm into another(s). Every major world religion believes in some kind of afterlife, whether it be "heaven/purgatory/hell", passage through afterlife states preceding reincarnation (Buddhist/Hindu), or some other realm.

[DamonEsquire]

If you like "Passed", it has become a social event. "Died"just means slim margin of erroneous behavior.Gametogenesis is widley accepted. Even churches cannot deny money for an afterlife andmorrals aren't too terribly awful. In beginning, some say that is a main reason for exsistance of churches. If it did not come up with a sale, it would've went belly up. Oh! then there is God. ;)

[HOMEYCAT]

I don't think the use of "passed on" has much to do with PC. I remember it being used in the 50's when my grandma died. I think it's more like SC....Sociological Correctness. Or, CC....Cultural Correctness.

[sCATback]

I started that thread and I'm not really sure why I even typed it that way. I thought it sounded a little harsh to say Don Knott's Died, and passed was the only other way I could think of putting it. I'm not a pc freak ;), just the only thing I could think of.

I give everyone permission to post SCATback died of a massive heart attack secondary to stress if I see thomas take another last second shot :lol:

[capcat]

It's just a euphemism, for heaven's sake...a way of saying something less bluntly. It's commonlyacceptedand been around forever.

[CoquieKat]

After my parents' deaths, I simply couldn't say that they had "died." It felt too harsh and final. "Passed away" seemed a bit gentler. Plus I believe that I'll see them someday again in Heaven, so to use a word like "died" that has such finality to it, doesn't quite gel with my beliefs.

[surveyor]

[gerntz]

In Lector's case, we'll defintiely say it wa a mercy killing - for us.

[Russ24ky]

Can I say my dad died a kidney stone last week

[Buddah]

capcat wrote: It's just a euphemism, for heaven's sake...a way of saying something less bluntly. It's commonlyacceptedand been around forever.


exactly, i mean instead of saying something offensive or brash, it is just a w ay of saying loss......

[Stucat]

gerntz wrote: In Lector's case, we'll defintiely say it wa a mercy killing - for us.
gerntz I would have to agree. LOL:D