May you all have peace... and no need to respond - just sharing an interesting experience that really doesn't have a response, I don't think. At least, not one any different than we all pretty much already know. But I have been meaing to share this with you all since returning from my young cousin's funeral, and have now just remembered to do so.
As some of you may have read me share, my maternal family is devout Lutheran, VERY "religious" (we have a family church!). While my cousin does not regularly attend church in NYC she does have one she calls hers and attends from time to time (when "down home," everyone goes to the family church... 'cept me, of course. Ah, well...).
Anyway, her son's father (they were never married) is a Baptist... and when my young cousin was born was "christened" in his father's church (St. Paul's Baptist - remember the name, as I think it's significant) by his father's pastor. And so, of course, his father wanted the funeral service to be held at his church with the eulogy done by his pastor. No problem... right? Nope. Problem.
Apparently, although he was CHRISTENED in the church, in the "sanctuary," it was not permissible for his FUNERAL to be held in the sanctuary. Because... as the pastor informed my cousin... he was "illegitimate." Yes, dear ones, apparently, it doesn't matter to THIS church whether the individual himself has been dedicated... or even come to... "God" - if his PARENTS weren't married (THEIR choice, NOT his!) the service could not be held in the church proper, but only in a smaller off-room... or "chapel". (Yes, eyebrows raised and eyes WIDE open, here!)
Of course, my cousin... and aunts/other cousins... were furious. And afterward, it was repeatedly (and loudly) pointed out by the aunts that he had been CHRISTENED there... almost 19 years ago. But the response was that the pastor had "a board of directors to answer to." (Ummmmm... what? But YOU'RE the pastor... right??). It was even more difficult for my cousin when the child's father insisted that his pastor give the eulogy,
even if the service couldn't be held in the "sanctuary." My cousin acquiesced as to the eulogy but refused to have the service in the church at all.
And so the service was held at the funeral home (over 350 people attended - it was standing room only, as this young man was much loved... and his death wasn't the result of a drive-by, gang violence, etc. Even the nurses and two doctors from three hospitals attended, as well as a representative from the Make-A-Wish foundation).
It was very hard for my cousin, as while the service was beautiful (there was a beautiful video montage put together by his friends that was
very moving (his older brother, who had "manned up" and been quite stoic up to that point, finally let it out)... and at one point we ALL sang "Oh, Happy Day" - you really couldn't help it!)... she had a difficult time that this same man was the man who would not eulogize her son in the church in which he had been christened as a baby. It just didn't make sense to her... or my aunts (who were utterly "disgusted" and kept saying so - LOLOL!).
Personally, I just couldn't grasp how it mattered... without my young cousin
himself actually denying [belief in] God and/or Christ. Which wasn't the case, I DO know. I mean, if he was good enough to be eulogized in the chapel... why NOT in the sanctuary? Aren't BOTH rooms in the same building? And if he was good enough to be christened (and so welcomes as a child of a member of that church) in the sanctuary, how was he not good enough to be sent off as a child of a member of that church? And most on my mind: I wonder how that would have affected HIS belief in God/Christ, as a young man... had it been someone HE knew and loved... that was denied the sanctuary for THEIR funeral.
It reminded of the whole WTBTS... where an elder can marry an unbaptized couple... but just not in the KH. Or the LDS', where only those well-connected can have their wedding in the big fancy "temple" over here in Oakland (ya'll should SEE that edifice and compound!! You can glimpse it here:
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_California_TempleBut you gotta be WELL connected to get married in one of these! Meaning, not just ANY member's child but the child(ren) of [a] BISHOP(s) or something (at least, according to a co-worker I once had, some 20+ years ago, who WAS married there back then - it was a HUGE deal at work!). Actually, you have to be "worthy" to even ENTER one of their temples:
http://mormon.org/faq/topic/temples/que ... 29044450:sQuote:
"In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and considered by church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time (an "open house"), and then each is dedicated as a "House of the Lord," after which only members in good standing are permitted to enter. Thus, they are not churches or meetinghouses, but rather specialized places of worship."
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of ... day_SaintsSOoooooo.. what happened to the whole "God DOESN'T dwell in HANDMADE temples" as stated by Paul and recorded at
Acts 17:24 thing? Nevermind. BTW, did ya'll know there are denominations WITHIN the Mormon church? I mean, I knew there were sects, but not individuals denominations:
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_templesAnd did you know, they have some pretty
fantastic "temples"??
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_templ ... day_SaintsAnd I thought the one up the hill from me was pretty "grand." Goodness ME... I can just see Christ hanging out in one of those! No mangers/inns, these. Wait...
they even have a "Holy of Holies" (or "Most Holy")!
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordinance_room#Holy_of_HoliesYet, JAH is the HOLY of Holies... or MOST Holy!
"I did not see a temple in the city, because JaHVeH God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Revelation 21:22 Earthling man. Go figure. But I digress.
Anyway, some things just don't make NO dang sense. NO dang sense. What did it matter? And to whom... except a human "board of directors"... and possibly some self-righteous, judgmental, even hypocritical congregation members?
Maybe it will make my cousin go "hmmmmm" enough to consider dealing with Christ without her religion as a mediator. Maybe not, though. Again, these were Baptists... and she/my family is Lutheran.
Anyway, just wanted to get this off my mind... and heart... somewhat... and so thought this a good place to do that.
Peace!
A slave of Christ,
Shellamar, wondering what some folks think was the POINT of the curtain before the sanctuary and Holy of Holies in the temple at Jerusalem... being ripped in two...
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