The title sounds kinda weird, I know...so let me explain it. I'll try to be brief.
So, this last Friday - Saturday, I attended a funeral of an aunt who died from a cardiac problem. I wasn't particularly close to her, but she was married to an uncle of mine whom I have direct relation to and for the sake of making an effort to become close with family I attended it for his sake. I don't know if that sounds cold and calculated, but I'm kinda unfamiliar with maintaining some aspects of these kinds of bonds... Yet, I can definitely say that there was something shamelessly calculated about this christian funeral.
I've attended other funerals before -- catholic and a taoist, but there was something that set this christian one apart. Usually, funerals seem to take the mourning and respect for the deceased to the forefront, while having religious undertones as a somewhat tolerable/inconsequential aesthetic element. Sure there's the obligatory religious text oration and ritual, but that's to be expected, given that it is what that person "held stocks" in. The religious tone in this christian funeral however, was a lot more overt, and downright uncomfortable at the very least because of one thing I've never seen at a funeral -- evangelizing.
Yes, it all went down like some televangelist special extravaganza. It was very strange. Now, I didn't know anything about my aunt before all this and unfortunately, I didn't get to know much more than some superficial info after. Probably due to the fact that everything anyone had to say about her was so deeply entwined with god an jebus. Apparently, she worked for the church and was the biggest reason for why my uncle converted to christianity and later became a priest.
So anyway, here's how the viewing sort of followed: Priest begins by admitting that there are people of different faiths in attendance, but then says regardless of belief, we all serve god....(I guess atheists don't exist at funerals. :roll: ). Then he offers up my aunt's corpse as "proof" of jesus' pathway into heaven. Near the end, he was brazen enough to suggest that if there was anyone who wanted to accept Jesus into their heart, to just raise their hand and go up to the front to be "saved" right then and there. WTF?! Some, like myself are there for family and nothing else, but that still didn't seem to stop this church from taking the opportunity to shamelessly turn up the sales routine for their snake oil product upon a new crowd.
Every prayer was preceded with "Please, bow your head in reverence to the lord.", and promptly followed by praises to god and shouts of "hallelujah!". Everything else in between was mostly fear mongering of the the uncertainty of mortality. Thus, according to the priest, it was best to be prepared by accepting Jesus now and forever.
Aside from the family bonding, this servers for me as a very interesting inside perspective of christian functions. I felt like such a wolf among the sheep, but I avoided doing or saying anything that would cause trouble. However, I did get some shocked and angry stares from some of the attendees who noticed my lack of participation in prayer and song. :lol:
Just thought I'd share and see if anyone else can say anything to help me better absorb the experience while it's still fresh in my mind.
So, this last Friday - Saturday, I attended a funeral of an aunt who died from a cardiac problem. I wasn't particularly close to her, but she was married to an uncle of mine whom I have direct relation to and for the sake of making an effort to become close with family I attended it for his sake. I don't know if that sounds cold and calculated, but I'm kinda unfamiliar with maintaining some aspects of these kinds of bonds... Yet, I can definitely say that there was something shamelessly calculated about this christian funeral.
I've attended other funerals before -- catholic and a taoist, but there was something that set this christian one apart. Usually, funerals seem to take the mourning and respect for the deceased to the forefront, while having religious undertones as a somewhat tolerable/inconsequential aesthetic element. Sure there's the obligatory religious text oration and ritual, but that's to be expected, given that it is what that person "held stocks" in. The religious tone in this christian funeral however, was a lot more overt, and downright uncomfortable at the very least because of one thing I've never seen at a funeral -- evangelizing.
Yes, it all went down like some televangelist special extravaganza. It was very strange. Now, I didn't know anything about my aunt before all this and unfortunately, I didn't get to know much more than some superficial info after. Probably due to the fact that everything anyone had to say about her was so deeply entwined with god an jebus. Apparently, she worked for the church and was the biggest reason for why my uncle converted to christianity and later became a priest.
So anyway, here's how the viewing sort of followed: Priest begins by admitting that there are people of different faiths in attendance, but then says regardless of belief, we all serve god....(I guess atheists don't exist at funerals. :roll: ). Then he offers up my aunt's corpse as "proof" of jesus' pathway into heaven. Near the end, he was brazen enough to suggest that if there was anyone who wanted to accept Jesus into their heart, to just raise their hand and go up to the front to be "saved" right then and there. WTF?! Some, like myself are there for family and nothing else, but that still didn't seem to stop this church from taking the opportunity to shamelessly turn up the sales routine for their snake oil product upon a new crowd.
Every prayer was preceded with "Please, bow your head in reverence to the lord.", and promptly followed by praises to god and shouts of "hallelujah!". Everything else in between was mostly fear mongering of the the uncertainty of mortality. Thus, according to the priest, it was best to be prepared by accepting Jesus now and forever.
Aside from the family bonding, this servers for me as a very interesting inside perspective of christian functions. I felt like such a wolf among the sheep, but I avoided doing or saying anything that would cause trouble. However, I did get some shocked and angry stares from some of the attendees who noticed my lack of participation in prayer and song. :lol:
Just thought I'd share and see if anyone else can say anything to help me better absorb the experience while it's still fresh in my mind.
