Have you ever been ashamed to callyourself a Christian.?

Question

I just found out that the peckerwood who presided at my motherinlaw's gravesite service charged $200.00. What a scam. I'm ashamed and disgusted.

If you want to insult me, send it to my e-mail.

Answer 1

No I have never been ashamed. I have been humbled. Unfortunately there are those who give bad impressions of us all. Please accept my apology on his behalf. I am not responsible but I am sorry.

Answer 2

Everytime I think about what a modern day christian represents I am ashamed. In WWII the church blessed the americans and the brithish, they also blessed the germans and the italians. Before a football game both sides ask for a win, like God has nothing better to do than get involved in the stupididness of mankind. When I read about pedophile priests I accept that they are human and sinful but I am ashamed. When I hear a preacher give a tithing prayer I am ashamed. Come to think of it, there is not much left anymore about being a christian to be proud of.

Answer 3

Service fees are routinely discussed and agreed upon prior to funeral services. There are some funeral homes that provide lay people to do the actual service. Likewise, there are some religious leaders that feel charging a fee is appropriate. Personally, I thank God that there were people that felt it was more important to keep money out of the picture when my husband passed. Just knowing that this world is under the control of Satan explains how someone could profit from the despair of others.

Answer 4

No, I never never felt ashamed, though at times I have been in situations where there was intimidation not to be open about my religion. Sometimes I have resisted that pressure and unfortunately other times I have taken the easy way out and not resisted.

However, I don't know the details of the situation you briefly described, but I do sense that you are in a lot of pain. Maybe you should talk to your pastor or someone you look up to in spiritual matters for comfort or/and guidance.

Answer 5

They typically do charge, unless the deceased is a member of their church or is a friend or relative. It's not unusual at all to charge a non-member, and $200 is cheap compared to what the services from the mortuary cost--which is usually astronomical. Please don't feel bad.

When I was a Christian, I was ashamed of it because of the hypocrisy, ignorance, and intolerance that some of them (NOT ALL) espouse.

Answer 6

My mom plays the organ, and gets paid $75 for funerals which is par for the course. So for a pastor to preside over a graveside service, $200 doesn't sound exhorbitant. Pastors are professionals. Many of them have gone through 8+ years of school to perform their job. I'm pretty sure you don't work for free either.

1 Timothy 5:17The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."

1 Corinthians 9:7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?

Answer 7

You can't be ashamed of your religion (Christianity is no exception) if you try to follow the real teachings rather than blindly accepting the word just because it's written. Basically, each and every religion offers many great teachings which can make you proud.

But you can be ashamed of people who follow your religion. That can happen in any religion (Christianity is no exception again).

Answer 8

It is customary to give the preacher something for a wedding or funeral. I would have a problem with charging for services like some kind of business.

Answer 9

I'm an organist, and I charge $100. Complain if you want, but I'm providing a specialized service for, generally, people I'm not related to...and don't even know. I give up a half day to be on duty at the church for a one hour service. Do the math.

Answer 10

Never.

What has that guy in your story got to do with the price of tea in China? A religious paradigm is either true or false, valid or invalid. If you are going to be ashamed of anything, be ashamed of the people who can't muster enough reason to differentiate individual members of a category from the category itself.

Answer 11

Never. I'm not responsible for everyone and anyone who is Christian, only myself. And the priest or minister who presided over you MIL's funeral is perfectly entitled to receive money for his work...it is his work and he should be paid for it. Do YOU work for free? And how much did the coffin cost? How much did the funeral cost? How much did the interment cost? Get it now or is it too much information coming in all at once? You SHOULD be "ashamed and disgusted" for YOURSELF.