I attended one of these yesterday and was shocked - really! I didn't know the person who was being lauded and lampooned but he sounded like someone it would have been fun to know. The church was packed. I was amazed at how many people knew this guy -- Wow is all I can say about that. The only person missing at the party was the poor dead guy. The eulogies lasted for an hour and a half - I kid you not. This was not a sad event. Perhaps a few women shed a tear now and then but for the most part it was...."Happy"; however, I haven't been to very many funerals in my life having avoided them "like the plague". Perhaps I got the idea from my Mom that attending funerals was just too sad. I cannot ever remember attending one when I was a child.
The minister spoke a few times and led in prayer a time or two. One thing he said stuck with me - he said that our religion and expression of our faith is a "private matter". Woah...What? Private? These are Christians I'm talking about here (albeit separated brethren). If there is anything I know about Christianity, being a Catholic, it is NOT private, hidden, or secret. What did Jesus say about hiding your light under a bushel? or the virgins who ran out of oil?
I haven't been to a protestant church for decades (except Anglican) - but I was amazed at the changes - not only in the sanctuary er I mean building where they worship but in the attitude of the people themselves. They seemed like "nice" people. Very inclusive since there were women there who made it obvious regarding their life orientation. I cannot put my finger on what was missing for me. Maybe it was because there was no cross, no holy pictures to draw one's eye or perhaps it was because there was no altar. I don't know..but, I did not feel God's presence in the midst of them. For me this was the saddest thing of all.
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