church cancels gay man's funeral

[Guest Butero]

If you were doing the funeral MG, what would you say about the man?  You know that based on scripture, he is in hell.  You can't very well say anything to lift up his marriage to a man.  If you had the responsibility of preaching the funeral, what could you possibly say that wouldn't be offensive or a lie to make people feel better? 

[kwikphilly]

Blessings Everyone...

    I don't really know what to say about this one....this is a tough one I think.I hope no one jumps down my throat but as I read Butero's post that based on Scripture the man is in hell, I wondered....is he?Okay ,based on Scripture we would assume so but how do we know when this man came to Christ,was he already in a homosexual relationship & just came to the foot of the cross or was he living a lie with an unrepentant heart....how do we know ,really?

     I suppose that is not the question in the OP but it really does  make me consider all things & especially that Christ died for us while we were yet in sin.....I just don't know.I would imagine that if he & his 'husband" were living in sin & were carrying on with their sinful lifestyle thinking that it is perfectly okay that is not at all okay but would if he wanted to be transformed......I guess that might be a discussion for another thread ?

      I guess the church can do whatever it wants to do (as it did)........I don't think it is right that at the last minute they cancelled the funeral but it seems they were deceived & thats why they were going to give him a church funeral anyway.....???????This leads me to believe they both (he & his husband) Knew they were living in opposition to Gods Word or everyone would have known about the relationship before hand........the deceased mans husband maybe should have considered these things before trying to have his partners burial through the church.....?????Really,what could be said at this funeral.....thats an awful position to put a preacher in

                                                                                                                                          With love-in Christ,Kwik.

[Guest]

What's wrong with being gay.

[OneLight]

What's wrong with being gay.

 

I know you can not reply, but read the bible.

[Guest Butero]

The easiest answer I can give you Daniel is homosexuality is a sin, a transgression of God's laws.  It is not that any of us hate gay people or wants bad things to happen to them.  It is not like we are happy to think that they will spend eternity in hell.  It is that we know what the Bible says about their lifestyle. 

 

@ Kwik, we really don't have enough information from this story to know how to react.  I would like to ask the family of the man who died a couple of questions, as well as the Pastor and church leadership.  I just know that it would be hard for me to know what to say at a funeral for someone I knew died in their sins.  It wouldn't even have to be the homosexual lifestyle. 

[other one]

Well, I've been thinking about this off and on since I first read the thread....   It is a tough question....

 

what I came to was that they should have never agreed to having the funeral in the first place, but once they made that commitment, they should have honored that commitment. It's bad enough to loose someone, saved or not, but to cancel a funeral the day before it was scheduled is just way beyond right.

[SavedByGrace1981]

There are a lot of questions I have that aren't answered in the article.  For instance, it does say the man who passed away grew up in the church (the one that backed out of holding the funeral).  But that raises questions - such as how long had it been since the man actually attended the church?  It's not uncommon, after all,  for someone to "grow up" in a church and then fall away as they enter adulthood.

 

And the "husband."  Was he honest and straightforward with the pastor when he made the request?  Did he say something to the effect "oh, by the way, the man who passed is my "husband.""?  Or, as is more likely, did he already know the Baptist Church stance on homosexual marriage, and instead want to advance an agenda?

 

Yes there are questions.  The article does state the news organization made an attempt to contact the church for their take on the matter (hopefully to clear up some of these questions). Their calls were not returned.  

 

I can understand the reluctance of any fundamentalist church to cooperate with the media.  But, in this case, it might have been better to make an exception and at least make the effort to present their side.

 

But it's a sad situation indeed - and one that is probably a "no win" for the church.  But we - as Christians - had better get used to these situations (call them dilemmas if you will).  For we will in these last days face challenges from those who's goal is the see the Church destroyed.

 

I'm reminded of how the Lord dealt with those of His day who were constantly trying to trip Him up.  To the accusers of the woman caught in adultery He said "he who is without sin, let him cast the first stone."  And to those who tried to get He and His followers in trouble with the Roman authorities for not paying taxes, he declared (after pointing out that it was Caesar's image on a coin) render unto Caesar what is Caesar's.

 

Let us pray for God's wisdom as we as Christians deal with these issues.

[gigman7]

No one should be denied a funeral.  This was just wrong. 

No one should be forced to do it if they do not want to be a part of something like it. It was not wrong on the church's part.

[Guest]

What's wrong with being gay.

 

~

 

Good Question

 

But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. Proverbs 8:36

 

Do You Love Them?

 

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18

 

Beloved, Show Them Jesus

 

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

 

And Perhaps They Will Turn

 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

 

Perhaps Not

 

And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

 

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. John 12:47-48

 

Love, Joe

[The_Patriot21]

I would agree with you Patriot, if those in the church knew the man was gay and in a homosexual marriage from the start.  From this article, it appears to me they did not know that was the case.  I wouldn't doubt it was hidden on purpose to create a story.  I really would need to ask the Pastor and those involved in the leadership of that church a couple of questions before I could give an absolute opinion on what occurred. 

 

I am curious Patriot, and I already asked this.  If you were the minister of the church, what in the world do you say in a sermon for a man that was in a homosexual marriage, when you know that according to scripture, he died with no hope?  Do you call the guy a "good and loving husband?"  What in the world do you say?

.

Even if they didn't know initially they still made the commitment. Let's look back at the movie end of the spear. The director hired the main actor not knowing he was gay it came out afterward. Here's the cool part-the actor volunteered to back out, but the director said no I made the commitment to hire you I'll honor it so he did.

As far as the funeral? I would Handle it like any other funeral of an unsaved person. I may say he was loved and missed and list all his good qualities-but I would never say he went to heaven or hell, and I would present the gospel message like I would any other. A funeral is no place for a political statement-but its a great place for a salvation message.