Church cancels 'blasphemous' funeral for gay man just one day before, says husband

[TX-Beau]

I know, it always shocks me when my S. Baptist relatives are unaware (supposedly anyway) of the anti-gay vitriol in which their church routinely wallows.

 

[Kulindahr]

The Christian Right these days would have crucified him.

As a matter of fact, if I remember my Sunday School correctly, their equivalent did crucify him.

Exactly.

They are NOT "conservative Christians"; they are today's version of the New Testament Pharisee, well-described in this song:

Alas, alas for you,
Lawyers and pharisees
Hypocrites that you be
Searching for souls and fools to forsake them
You travel the land you scour the sea
After you've got your converts you make them
Twice as fit for hell!
As you are yourselves!

Alas, alas, for you
Lawyers and pharisees
Hypocrites that you are
Sure that the kingdom of Heaven awaits you
You will not venture half so far
Other men that might enter the gates you
Keep from passing through!
Drag them down with you!
You snakes, you viper's brood
You cannot escape being Devil's food!
I send you prophets, and I send you preachers
Sages in rages and ages of teachers
Nothing can mar your mood

Alas, alas for you
Lawyers and pharisees
Hypocrites to a man
Sons of the dogs who murdered the prophets
Finishing off what your fathers began
You don't have time to scorn or to scoff
It's getting very late!
Vengeance doesn't wait!
You snakes, you viper's brood
You cannot escape being Devil's food!
I send you prophets, and I send you preachers
Sages in rages and ages of teachers
Nothing can mar your mood


Blind guides, blind fools
The blood you've spilt
On you will fall!
This nation, this generation
Shall bear the guilt of it all!


Alas, alas alas for you!
Blind fools!!

 

[Just_Believe18]

What an evil congregation.

 

[Stardreamer]

Exactly.

They are NOT "conservative Christians"; they are today's version of the New Testament Pharisee, well-described in this song:

Exactly, I was talking to a friend of mine today on that very subject of how the religious right is the modern day Pharisees and how if there was one group of people that Jesus didn't get along with it was Pharisees.

 

[chrisrobin]

Sorry for you, for your widower, for your family and for your friends, Julion. R.I.P.

To all of you, a small offering:

Keep the faith.

 

[sixthson]

No church will hold a funeral for someone they won't say is going to heaven.

Since we have expanded this from the one church named in the OP, let's add orthodox Jewish synagogs and Moslem mosques to the list unlikely to allow it, too. It's not just Christian churches.

 

[Studdly]

Sigh..

I'm sorry for the loss of his husband, but to be honest, he should have chosen a humanist funeral, and keep religion out of it.

 

[Alnitak]

Since we have expanded this from the one church named in the OP, let's add orthodox Jewish synagogs and Moslem mosques to the list unlikely to allow it, too. It's not just Christian churches.

A Christian in an orthodox synagogue? Like there are penguins at the North Pole. And no, synagogues do not refuse burial on basis of sexuality.

 

[sixthson]

A Christian in an orthodox synagogue? Like there are penguins at the North Pole. And no, synagogues do not refuse burial on basis of sexuality.

Don't be obtuse. You know I meant if the deceased had been Jewish or Muslim. I think you may be wrong about the orthodox synagogues, too. The orthodox Jewish view of homosexuality is that it an abomination.

 

[star-warrior]

My parents who were not christians, were given a send off by CoE ministers. I guess the trick is not to seek out raving fundies, but rather compassionate inclusive practitioners of faith for a sending off.

Let the dead have some dignity, if not for them, then at least allow the living to have a less painful closure.

 

[Stardreamer]

Since we have expanded this from the one church named in the OP, let's add orthodox Jewish synagogs and Moslem mosques to the list unlikely to allow it, too. It's not just Christian churches.

Actually I think many churches would hold the funeral for him, there is nothing in the scripture that I can think of that forbids you from having a memorial service for someone known to the congregation that has died even if you know he died outside of a state of grace. Which is part of the reason this story is so shocking to me. There is nothing blasphemous in doing that.

 

[sixthson]

Actually I think many churches would hold the funeral for him, there is nothing in the scripture that I can think of that forbids you from having a memorial service for someone known to the congregation that has died even if you know he died outside of a state of grace. Which is part of the reason this story is so shocking to me. There is nothing blasphemous in doing that.

I agree, many churches would. I think what the church did was very unloving. I can guarantee you that this church and many like it, have buried many a terrible sinner and looked the other direction. But of course, being gay is the unpardonable sin, dontchaknow?

 

[Kulindahr]

Actually I think many churches would hold the funeral for him, there is nothing in the scripture that I can think of that forbids you from having a memorial service for someone known to the congregation that has died even if you know he died outside of a state of grace. Which is part of the reason this story is so shocking to me. There is nothing blasphemous in doing that.

Given that the Bible doesn't have much at all to say about funerals, that's true.

 

[medic1]

Sigh..

I'm sorry for the loss of his husband, but to be honest, he should have chosen a humanist funeral, and keep religion out of it.

Well said, even though i belong to a dreaded organised religion, both my partner and i have opted for a humanist service when the time comes.

 

[lambdaboy]

That any intelligent person in this day and age even thinks there is or was a God is ridiculous. That any Gay or lesbian would wnt there send off to be the most homophobic place on earth the typical house of worship always amazes me. I live for the day we all use Bibles, Th Talmud and Koran for toilet paper. Think of the trees we will save.

 

[jump57]

A very touching piece...
Thank you