Do you know Jesus?

[RC Fan]

Was it rude for a preacher to preach the gospel?

Was it rude for the lady to approach the OP at the funeral of his grandmother? yes, I do agree with that.

The latter of the two. I wouldn't expect to be verbally attacked for my religious beliefs while paying respect to the deceased at a funeral.

 

[CathrynRose]

My granmother passed away on the 24th and her funeral was on the 30th.



When did funerals go bad? What happened to having services that focused on the deceased and left the preaching and witnessing for Sunday?

Im sorry about your Grandmother.

And I agree with you, youre absolutely right. After refusing to allow her to pray over my Mom, I got a little preaching myself on my mother's sudden death-bed from the hospital nun-person....whatever she was. My mom (nor I) is like that. If anything, it may have angered my mom. I was appauled at how 'Christian' she acted towards me.

And I personally find it rather arrogant for anyone to think theyre somehow 'better' than those of us whom dont step into Church, and will be welcomed into the after-life, and we'll be stuck at the gates (or worse!!!!)

Again, sorry about your grandma - but this is why I chose (well, really my mom chose) not to have any sort of funeral.

 

[cardaway]

The latter of the two. I wouldn't expect to be verbally attacked for my religious beliefs while paying respect to the deceased at a funeral.

I believe the choice of which Gospels to preach was pretty rude as well. Obviously the choice was his to make and he did so for a reason.

 

[MyManGoofy!]

I am so sorry to hear about your grandmother. I still miss mine and I am sure that I always will. At least with the passage of time, more often than not, thinking of her brings a smile to my face instead of tears. I hope that time passes quickly for you.

I am not a christian - so no - I do not know Jesus. I know of Jesus. And it has been my personal experience that too many of these proclaimed christians wouldn't know Jesus even if he walked up and introduced himself.

 

[UrsulasMyHero]

I am terribly sorry for the loss of your Grandmother. May she rest in peace.

As it was once told to me. "Funerals aren't for the dead.. they're for the living, to grieve is natural... It lets the healing process begin."

I'm sorry this "lady" got in your face. I would have had words to say to her, but the DIS won't let me type them.

 

[Amity 3]

Trick??

Yes, the pastor should mention Jesus as salvation, but I don't think it's the time to specifically push on individuals.

yes, leaving a portion of your estate to a church is a trick they play on people as a final insurance policy to 'join the lord'. and they pay no taxes on the investment.

leave the money or holdings to your family, it's a better investment.

 

[sha_lyn]

DH's Grandmother's funeral was like that, with not one, not two, but three country preachers earnestly trying to save souls. i'm a Christian myself, but this did not set well with me. GM was a very religious-to-the-point-of self-righteousness woman and she would have loved it

LOL around here you can bet on the smaller the church, the more preachers there weill shouting about salvation at the funeral.

I just had this conversation last week with a friend about attending family funerals. She is not Christian (but no one knows it) and her sister is LDS/Mormon. At one funeral family members went as far as telling the sisters children that they were all going to hell if they didn't accept Christ at the funeral

 

[sha_lyn]

I don't think it works that way.... Baptised after death when the adult in question had an established religious belief? If I were your aunt I'd be haunting your uncle!!!

From my understanding LDS/Mormons not only believe in Baptism after death, but marriage after death. They will perform a marriage ceremony for someone who was never married but is deceased.

 

[Aidensmom]

I'm sorry about your grandmother.

While it would not surprise me nor would I think it unusual for any church to mention salvation and heaven in reference to the deceased, it doesn't strike me as appropriate to use the ocassion as an alter call type thing, unless the deceased wanted it that way.

I don't know much about planning funerals as I have never done it, but my mother has given me detailed instructions on how she wants her funeral, so I am guessing that whoever is planning it has some input in most cases. Was the person who planned it surprised by the service, or did they take part in choosing the readings, etc? I don't think the pastor should take it upon themselves to plan it out and pick what is read, etc.

 

[RC Fan]

I believe the choice of which Gospels to preach was pretty rude as well. Obviously the choice was his to make and he did so for a reason.

I certainly agree with you. I believe the service should be about the deceased, not about recruiting more followers, or belittling others for their beliefs.

 

[cardaway]

While it would not surprise me nor would I think it unusual for any church to mention salvation and heaven in reference to the deceased, it doesn't strike me as appropriate to use the ocassion as an alter call type thing, unless the deceased wanted it that way.

Despite the rude reply that accused me otherwise, I would not have objected had the service kept things at an appropriate level. Obviously that is expected at a Christian service, but it went far beyond that.

 

[aquinas]

Despite the rude reply that accused me otherwise, I would not have objected has the service kept things at an appropriate level. Obviously that is expected at a Christian service, but it went far beyond that.

OK, I will bite. What is an appropriate level in your view?

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Cardaway, I am sorry for your loss.

I do "know Jesus" and that question would have irked me at a funeral, especially if asked by a perfect stranger.

ETA: Also I would have been uncomfortable if the talk gravitated away from she is now with the Lord to all ye sinners best repent.

 

[cardaway]

LOL around here you can on the smaller the church, the more preachers there weill shouting about salvation at the funeral.

Once again that suprises me. My thoughts were quite the opposite. I would think a smaller church would know the indiviual better, and spend more time making the service as personable as possible, rather than just another Sunday service about heaven and hell.

 

[mrsltg]

Was it rude for a preacher to preach the gospel?

Was it rude for the lady to approach the OP at the funeral of his grandmother? yes, I do agree with that.

I believe it's rude to make negative comments about a person on a thread discussing the death and funeral of said person's grandmother.

 

[cybrkitn]

Cardaway, my condolences on the loss of your grandmother

 

[cardaway]

ETA: Also I would have been uncomfortable if the talk gravitated away from she is now with the Lord to all ye sinners best repent.

While that was slipped in there , it was also just the amount of time going on about things that had nothing to do with the topic at hand. What he did say about her life and family, I kid you not, was read direct from a clipping of the newspaper notice.

I left to wonder if things would have been different if the entire family was part of the church (my grandmother was the only member).

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Cardaway, sorry to hear about the death of your grandmother. Man, an insensitive funeral service sure does burn, doesn't it? I regret that happened to you too.

 

[Fitswimmer]

While that was slipped in there , it was also just the amount of time going on about things that had nothing to do with the topic at hand. What he did say about her life and family, I kid you not, was read direct from a clipping of the newspaper notice.

I left to wonder if things would have been different if the entire family was part of the church (my grandmother was the only member).

I've been to funerals like that and it always annoys me. Good grief, talk to someone in the family if you don't know the person well! Find some personal anecdotes or something! Reading from the obit is just plain lazy.

In our church, the Pastor will give the family a choice of several Gospel readings and if they don't have a preference he will use "I Am the Resurrection and the Life". Now, that might offend some folks because the next line is "no one comes to the Father but through me", but it is kind of the "default" gospel for funerals. I've also heard the Easter Gospel, which is the one where the women come upon the empty tomb and the Angel tells them "He is not here, he is risen". The priest at that funeral used that to tell the family and friends that the part of the deceased that they loved was not in the coffin but in their hearts.

 

[Amity 3]

What he did say about her life and family, I kid you not, was read direct from a clipping of the newspaper notice.

at least you're aware enough and can recognize that's just an insult to your family and against everything the gathering was supposed to be about.

I's sit down, gather my thoughts, and write an open letter to the minister and his congregation.