[quote=Halo]All I can think in response is "no shit, dude." That's pretty obviously something people will take exception to. Make whatever choices you want, but don't expect people to not be surprised or shocked by an unusual stance on a very personal topic.[/quote]

Stuff like this (not you specifically, but people who apply to what you're describing) is part of why I say people need thicker skin.
It's fine to not understand/relate to a certain stance, but people get mortified and offended by shit like this far too easily.

[quote=Frizan]I don't think Rax expected people to "not be shocked", per se. More like he expected them to maybe understand his position without going full retard and acting like they know how he should handle his mother's death.[/quote]

[2]

[quote=mdk]People were dumb before the -ology suffix was invented. Idunno. I'm pretty sure we were all thinking about thinking for as long as we've been human beings. It's basically the human condition. I'll grant you, just cuz we've been doing the funeral thing since forever, doesn't necessarily mean that's automatically the best way. But it does probably mean that most people it's the best way, as that's been reinforced every generation since Adam and Eve (or Caesar the ape, or whatever). Hopefully that helps explain the reaction.[/quote]

This is probably the best explanation for people's reaction I can find.
Not that I agree with the reaction mind you, but agree with it or not it's still going to have a cause.
And this is the most plausible one in my mind.