Funerals as opportunities to push Xtianity.

S

skaught

The field its covered in blood
Valued Senior Member
I went to a funeral today for a former co-worker. http://www.mem.com/Story.aspx?ID=2519166 I Didn't always get along with the guy, but his heart was always in the right place. And even though we didn't always see eye to eye, we found ways to get around our differences and work well together.
R.I.P. Randy Zins

At any rate, I found that most of the eulogy was more about Jesus and how we should all Believe in Jesus as Randy did so we can have eternal life.

Shouldn't a persons funeral be more about them and their life than about Jesus? Seems like the service was more taking advantage of someone dying to preach to people during a vulnerable moment.

Fuck, Christianity never fails to amaze me with how GD low it will go to preach...
 
At least you paid your respects to him not to the church. I agree that they do preach way to much about their religion but at least they do pay respect to the guy who died at least.
 
i do have to agree with you there, my grandfather recently died. He was catholic as is most of my family bar my generation so my gandmother wanted a catholic mass. Aparetly they have changed the rules regarding funerals so that the music has to be church related, as do the readings ect. Now mum asked me did i mind doing one of the readings and i was cool with it because it was about my grandmother and my dad and uncle not what i wanted. That being said my cousin wanted to read the man from snowy river and have the collingwood theamsong playing at one point but the priest said no. Now if it had been my grandmother who said no fair enough but a funeral is surposed to be about providing comfert for the family.

In comparision funeral directors make a funeral based on what your relitives (or you yourself for that matter) want. If your car was the focus of your life they park it out the front of the funeral, if you were a huge sports fan they will acomidate that into the cerimony. Its about the person who died and there family, not about what the church wants
 
Sorry to hear about your Grandpa. My GFs Grandpa died recently, and it was like a complete mass. They even id communion! I was like WTF! I didn't take it. I thoughtit was offensive. But everyone in her family liked it so what the hell right.
 
My father passed several years back and we buried him in the family cemetary (deepish south), on recommendation of his sister we used her minister. We very carefully told him what we wanted, trying to follow his wishes. The minister agreed with us during planning but did a fire and brimstone servicegoing so far as to state that he would not mention some of my fathers favorite quotes as they "were unchristian" ( did some of you think I could only spell 'xian'?) anyhoo I stood up and stopped the whole thing. Seems their nonsence will never stop.
 
out of interest were these catholic service or the other demoninations?

The reason i ask is since the new pope came into power the church is reverting to pre vatican 2. For an example by brother was recently married, he was going to have a church service but there old priest (who has moved churches) couldnt do the service. Now we know if he was doing it he would have alowed my brother and his wife to decide how the service went. The new priest was unwilling to go against the popes directives and insisted that: they not be sleeping together (what idiocy, the goverment advice says that you should sleep together as defacto before getting married), that they do a stupid retreat thing and that the service had to be compleatly church related (no music that relates to them ect)
 
snake river rufus said:
He is a real stain on my state. BTW did you know that is daughter is a high placed member of our state prison systems medical service? :eek: Do you think inmates who have AIDs receive good health care? :rolleyes:
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He's a nutjob who should be locked up for the good of others and the protection of his children, if it's not too late to save trhem.

I cannot see how your state is at fault.
 
I feel like an idiot... Who is this bastard phelps you all are speaking of?
 
Myles said:
He's a nutjob who should be locked up for the good of others and the protection of his children, if it's not too late to save trhem.

I cannot see how your state is at fault.
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His children are grown and lost to reason I'm afraid. I saw them on a talk show a year or so back, it's scary
 
skaught said:
I feel like an idiot... Who is this bastard phelps you all are speaking of?
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Fred phelps of westborough babtist church. His web site is godhatesfags.com
I'd provide a link but can't stomach being on his site long enough to create one. Lately his congregation has been picketing the funerals of fallen service members because " it's god's will since the serve an immoral nation"
 
snake river rufus said:
His children are grown and lost to reason I'm afraid. I saw them on a talk show a year or so back, it's scary
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It is scary. Here in the UK he would be breaking the law. Incitement to hatred is illegal. Idiots like Phelps take advantage of your freedom of speech and worship.
 
Asguard said:
i do have to agree with you there, my grandfather recently died. He was catholic as is most of my family bar my generation so my gandmother wanted a catholic mass. Aparetly they have changed the rules regarding funerals so that the music has to be church related, as do the readings ect. Now mum asked me did i mind doing one of the readings and i was cool with it because it was about my grandmother and my dad and uncle not what i wanted. That being said my cousin wanted to read the man from snowy river and have the collingwood theamsong playing at one point but the priest said no. Now if it had been my grandmother who said no fair enough but a funeral is surposed to be about providing comfert for the family.

In comparision funeral directors make a funeral based on what your relitives (or you yourself for that matter) want. If your car was the focus of your life they park it out the front of the funeral, if you were a huge sports fan they will acomidate that into the cerimony. Its about the person who died and there family, not about what the church wants
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But there is a difference between a Catholic / religious funeral service and a memorial service.
A memorial service can be anything you think appropriate.
A religious funeral service is generally in keeping with that religion, and as long as it does then in my experience the church is usually okay.

For example, I have been to a number of Catholic funerals and the priests were more than happy to allow non-religious texts being read, as long as the message therein was in keeping with the Catholic message.
 
skaught said:
I went to a funeral today for a former co-worker. http://www.mem.com/Story.aspx?ID=2519166 I Didn't always get along with the guy, but his heart was always in the right place. And even though we didn't always see eye to eye, we found ways to get around our differences and work well together.
R.I.P. Randy Zins

At any rate, I found that most of the eulogy was more about Jesus and how we should all Believe in Jesus as Randy did so we can have eternal life.

Shouldn't a persons funeral be more about them and their life than about Jesus? Seems like the service was more taking advantage of someone dying to preach to people during a vulnerable moment.

Fuck, Christianity never fails to amaze me with how GD low it will go to preach...
Click to expand...

Assuming the dead person really deeply believed, I think it was appropriate. Think of it this way, funerals are not for the dead, they are for the living. The people closest to Randy likely shared his beliefs to varying degrees. For them, hearing about Jesus emphasized Randy's faith and likely bolsters the argument that Randy—such a God fearing man—made it into heaven while at the same time asserting that we should all be a little more likely Randy because his devotion was so admirable and good.

I think that sort of thing likely played well with Randy's family and those of his friends who shared his beliefs.

Now, if Randy was not a believer, that's different, or if someone were proselytizing without any reference to or regard for Randy, I'd me more put off by that.
 
snake river rufus said:
Fred phelps of westborough babtist church. His web site is godhatesfags.com
I'd provide a link but can't stomach being on his site long enough to create one. Lately his congregation has been picketing the funerals of fallen service members because " it's god's will since the serve an immoral nation"
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Oh! Yeah, I know that asshole. I just didn't know what his name was.
 
Pandaemoni said:
Assuming the dead person really deeply believed, I think it was appropriate. Think of it this way, funerals are not for the dead, they are for the living. The people closest to Randy likely shared his beliefs to varying degrees. For them, hearing about Jesus emphasized Randy's faith and likely bolsters the argument that Randy—such a God fearing man—made it into heaven while at the same time asserting that we should all be a little more likely Randy because his devotion was so admirable and good.

I think that sort of thing likely played well with Randy's family and those of his friends who shared his beliefs.

Now, if Randy was not a believer, that's different, or if someone were proselytizing without any reference to or regard for Randy, I'd me more put off by that.
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I Hear what you are saying. But aside from being a god-fearing man, Randy was many other things. He was very very passionate about music. He could talk about it for hours upon hours upon hours. He was very talented musically also! That was barely mentioned. He also worked with Chemically Dependant people and helped them get sober, that wasn't mentioned at all! The only thing that was mentioned was his faith. Hell, Jesus' name was mentioned more than Randy's. I think Randy would have wanted a religious theme to his funeral, because he was a firm believer in Christ, and was always eager to share his joy in Christ with other people.
However, He NEVER proselytized. He seemed to be against it. If you asked, he was happy to share his joy, but only if you wanted to hear it. The eulogy was more about how we should all believe in Christ to avoid damnation, like Randy did. rather than being bout Randy, or his faith. Which I think, he may not have liked so well.
Then again, I can't speak for him. God rest his weary soul.
 
skaught said:
I went to a funeral today for a former co-worker. http://www.mem.com/Story.aspx?ID=2519166 I Didn't always get along with the guy, but his heart was always in the right place. And even though we didn't always see eye to eye, we found ways to get around our differences and work well together.
R.I.P. Randy Zins

At any rate, I found that most of the eulogy was more about Jesus and how we should all Believe in Jesus as Randy did so we can have eternal life.

Shouldn't a persons funeral be more about them and their life than about Jesus? Seems like the service was more taking advantage of someone dying to preach to people during a vulnerable moment.

Fuck, Christianity never fails to amaze me with how GD low it will go to preach...
Click to expand...

it should be balanced, it should talk both about the dead and Jesus/Christianity.
 
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