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The grief, sadness, and tears are for US! It is our loss when someone we love leaves this home and we know we won't see them again until we reach heaven. The funeral, sad though it may be, is also part of the healing process for OUR grief. I don't think there is anything at all contradictory about our grief in losing a loved one, even when we know their eternal destination.
God put that ability to love within us. God is love! Most of us cry when we have a sermon on Jesus' torture and death, or see The Passion of the Christ. Yes, we're thankful He died for us, but it is a pain in our hearts to know what He went through.
If our Lord wept at the death of a loved one, it is a perfectly normal response that we weep at a loss. John 11:35 "Jesus wept." Thank Him for giving us the compassion and love to express our deepest feelings.
Just because we are Christians does not mean it's party time when a loved one dies. We still feel pain, loss, hurt and even anger sometimes, but knowing that our loved one is a Christian and is with the Lord helps to ease that sadness as be go through the grieving process. It broke my mothers heart when my daddy died, I've never seen her that sad but it was the strength she got from God that carried her through and knowing he is more alive today than when he was here on earth. God gives us the comfort and strength we need as we grieve.
Yes, for some reason your post, ILNC, reminds me of one of the best books I've read about grief. It is called "Confessions of a Grieving Christian." It is by Zig Ziglar. He writes about death and grief from a Christian standpoint when he lost his adult daughter. It is a very good discussion on grief from many angles.
I understand people's emotional reactions to missing a loved one. That makes sense to me, as that is what I feel at funerals.
To go back to my OP, there were two other parts.
1. Why do (some) christians feel so strongly about life support?
2. Why don't christians, as a matter of policy, live reckless death defying lives, riding motorcycles without helmets..., in an effort to die sooner?
Well I do ride a motorcycle without a helmit, but not in an effort to die any quicker. While yes I want to go to Heaven, I also have a family here, obligations to them, things I want to do in this life first, like see my children grow up. We are also here to point others to Jesus, by our testimony and lifes. I heard an old preacher say once, "Life begins with Jesus".
Short answer to the OP question #1 is that the Christian worldview is that God created man in His own image and over and over in the Bible, we are taught to value life, our own and others.
I understand people's emotional reactions to missing a loved one. That makes sense to me, as that is what I feel at funerals.
To go back to my OP, there were two other parts.
1. Why do (some) christians feel so strongly about life support?
2. Why don't christians, as a matter of policy, live reckless death defying lives, riding motorcycles without helmets..., in an effort to die sooner?
I'll start with #2 - Because it's not the example we are to show as followers of Christ. We are to be like Christ in the lives we lead to show others the truth of the Word so they may also believe. Christ came from heaven to dwell on Earth and wasn't in any hurry to retun, until His work was finished. Also, we are still human and what human wants to die before they experience all a Christian life has to offer? I know I pray for Jesus to return sooner than later, but before he does I want to live a full life according to His rules fulfilling his commandments to me as best I can so I can give all the glory to Him.
#1 (a bit tougher, so bear with me) - I believe in the sanctity of life. I believe this question is a bit broad because different people, even Christians, have different opinions about when to use life support or for how long. It is a very personal decision that covers a broad spectrum of thought, belief and medical wisdom. The choice should be made after much prayer and seeking God's will in the situation. There are scenarios where it's for a limited time and the person will recover. I say, fine, use in that instance. But, IMHO, when there is no reason to believe or even hope a person will recover at all and they can't perform basic life functions (eat & breathe on their own), I say let them go to be with God. Other Christians hold fast to life support because they believe only God is the one who can decide who lives and who dies. I think they lose sight of God's will and want their will fulfilled (at any cost) and use their belief to support their desire. Are they right/wrong/un-Godly? Am I right/wrong/un-Godly? In either situation I can't make that call, only God can.
I don't think people are ever going to rejoice at the funeral of a loved one no matter what their religious beliefs might be. It's always a somber occation and any expressions of happiness would just seem out of place. Having said that I hope my own funeral doesn't develop a party atmosphere, I want lots of sobbing and I don't want a dry eye in the house.
I don't think people are ever going to rejoice at the funeral of a loved one no matter what their religious beliefs might be. It's always a somber occation and any expressions of happiness would just seem out of place. Having said that I hope my own funeral doesn't develop a party atmosphere, I want lots of sobbing and I don't want a dry eye in the house.
Absolutely, MG!!!! Same here!
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While yes I want to go to Heaven, I also have a family here, obligations to them, things I want to do in this life first, like see my children grow up. We are also here to point others to Jesus, by our testimony and lifes. I heard an old preacher say once, "Life begins with Jesus".
