Milosevic's funeral

[Matt Black]

Imagine for a second that Milosevic was a card-carrying member of your denomination/congregation/church.

Would you be happy to 1) attend 2) officiate (assuming that you are a minister at the church) at such a funeral and, if so, what on earth would/ could you say?

How and where do you draw the line?

 

[Jim1999]

Innocent until proven guilty, and now he is dead. No court can ever prove him guilty of anything, except the world of people who haven't a clue what he did, or didn't do.

I would conduct a funeral, thinking about his survivors, and minister the word. That is my job for anyone, whether I know them or not.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Joseph M. Smith]

I would guess he was Serbian Orthodox, at least nominally, and so they pretty much avoid the issue by conducting a liturgy and not trying to preach a "eulogy". My own practice as a pastor was not to give eulogies but to preach the Good News, letting some Scripture interpret the life of the deceased. Sometimes that meant speaking unpleasant truths, but in love (i.e., regard for those who did love the deceased, no matter how unworthy s/he may have been).

 

[Matt Black]

This is not a purely hypothetical question: some poor Orthodox priest is going to be approached by the family and asked to 'do' the funeral.

 

[Jim1999]

Many in the Orthodox family still support Milosevic and the family. Remember the history of that country and the constant feuds between Christians and Muslims...They might figure he was doing the right thing.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[JFox1]

Milosevic's funeral was held today and he was buried on the family property. According to WRTV Channel 6, his funeral was not officiated by a priest because he was a devout atheist. I bet he's not an atheist any more.

 

[nate]

Wow I was sure Milosevic would have been Orthodox or at least Catholic. JFox I bet you're right. Sad.
In Christ,
Nate

 

[Matt Black]

Correction and clarification: OP was copied from another site and should have read as follows:-

Originally posted by a guy called Cheesy* on another board:
Imagine for a second that Milosevic was a card-carrying member of your denomination/congregation/church.

Would you be happy to 1) attend 2) officiate (assuming that you are a minister at the church) at such a funeral and, if so, what on earth would/ could you say?

How and where do you draw the line?

Apologies for not having given the correct attribution earlier - bad habit of mine from which I shall henceforth desist

 

[Vasco]

i read a book once on paul castellano, the mob boss of the gambino family before gotti (in fact, gotti became boss when he took out castellano).. it mentions at the end how the catholic church didnt want to give him an "official catholic burial mass", and the grave digger at the cemetary tells the two cops who went looking for his graqve something along the lines of "who are we to judge? besides, who needs prayers for salvation, a sinner or a saint?" i kinda feel the same way.. i may not agree or support anything he did, but it doesnt mean im gonna dance on his grave either