Somebody dies... then those who were close to him, they should perform the death ceremony. The clergyman may not have even known the person; he will simply repeat a certain ritual. It is better that friends perform the ceremony.
If there is a marriage, there is no need for any clergyman. Moreover, it is very strange that most of the religions' clergymen are celibate - and they are performing marriages! - just doing something which is a sin. Friends should do it, those who know the lovers should perform the ceremony - not in the name of God, not in the name of any holy book, but in the name of love.
If a child is born, then friends should be present there, helping the child, helping the mother, making the atmosphere as natural as possible. No clergyman is needed, not even a doctor is needed - just people who love, a small group of people who love. Their presence will help the woman to go through the pains more easily. Their presence and their understanding will help the child to enter into the world more lovingly. Now, a clergyman doing circumcision.... It is not a very great welcome to the world. It is really hurting the child.
What the doctors have been doing has not been very friendly. Yes, it has been professional, but their profession is based on wrong knowledge. As the child is born, the first thing the doctor will do is to hang the child upside down, and to hit the child on his bottom - that is the traditional way - so that the child starts crying. But this is not a great welcome to the world - coming crying into the world!
And immediately he cuts the cord that joins the child with the mother. That too is not right.
But he is in a hurry, every professional is in a hurry. He has to do many other things; there are other mothers waiting. The whole hospital is full of pregnant women; he cannot waste unnecessary time.
The room is full of glaring light. And nobody thinks that the child has been for nine months in utter darkness; his eyes are very delicate. This blinding light perhaps may be the cause of all the glasses that you see in the world. Eyes are damaged from the very beginning.
Friends should think of the child, his future, because the first step is almost the most important step.
Only candlelight should be there, not glaring electric lights - there is no need! Incense should be burning there; the child should be received with flowers, roses. And the child has been in his mother's womb at a certain temperature, floating in a liquid which is exactly the same as sea water. As the child is born, immediately he should be put into a tub with the same temperature he is accustomed to, with the same kind of water, the same salts, which are very relaxing. And don't be in a hurry to cut the cord. Let the child first start breathing. And once the child starts breathing, then cut the cord.
Right now what happens is that doctors cut the cord - and then they have to hang the child upside down, to hit him on the bottom, so out of shock he starts breathing. But this is treating the child like an old Ford - you have to push from the back for half a mile, then it starts. This is stupid. Yes, it is done quickly. It is in favor of the doctor, but not in favor of the child, because he has not started breathing on his own and you have cut the cord. You have created such a great fear of death that it will follow the child his whole life.
First wait - and it is not more than three minutes - until the child starts breathing on his own. When he starts breathing, then cut the cord, because then he does not need it and it won't hurt him. And he will never be so fearful as you see people are fearful now. Then take the child and put him on his mother's belly. He has been inside the belly - don't take him away so far, so quickly. Put the child on the belly, because he knows only one contact, only one warmth, and that is his mother's body. He is acquainted only with his mother's body, so let him rest. After a good bath, let him rest on his mother's belly. You can play the guitar. You can sing a beautiful song - nothing like jazz!...
something soft, something more Eastern and more classical, which is soothing and which will make the child comfortable in his new world.
- Osho, "From From Bondage to Freedom, #28"