ex-preacher

free12thinker

I salute you for your words of honesty and dignity in a time of deepest sorrow.

beachbum

free12thinker

"Your a better man than I, Gunga Din"

I would have started my remarks off with something like Hey preacher, get fucked!" And then punched him in the face. What a pompious ass. That chaplain should be removed from office.

Talke care free12thinker

Shake

free12thinker, good story. I like the way you handled it. Sorry about your loss, though. My own son is almost 18 mo. old and I can't imagine losing him now.

Arrowman

Oh, shit, free12thinker. I am sorry for your loss, and consumed with admiration at what you did/said.

I trust the dog-collared prat in question was suitably embarrassed?

brighid

Freethinker,

Oh my goodness, I am so very, very sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how horrible it is to loose a child. My son is going to be 9 and I can say I have no greater fear, not even that of my own death, then the fear of his death or harm in some other way. Okay – now you have me sobbing like a baby … my heart goes out to you!

I am appalled, but not surprised by the insensitivity of this religious officer. What a prick! He could easily have greeted people as they were coming in or leaving the service and very quietly offered his prayers or counseling. He acted in an entirely inappropriate manner. Perhaps if he thought about the scenario being reversed and lets say he was a visitor in an Islamic country and was only allowed to perform a funeral with a Islamic cleric presiding. Then in this service Allah was mentioned, and the fact that this child was not a Muslim and that this child was doomed to hell because of his parents misguided faith in Christ. His personal religious feelings are irrelevant to your WISHES as the parents, even if he disagrees with your belief system.

I am so sorry. As an atheist I would never go to believing parents who are mourning the loss of their child and say something contrary to their belief system and add more grief to an already unthinkable situation. To me, this is unconscionable. I hope that I am never in a position to have to bury my child.

I really don’t like to bring up 9-11, because I feel so many people use it gratuitously, but that day was very disturbing, hurtful and poignant for me. All I could think about was leaving work, talking my child out of school and going home (my husband was home that day) and just holding them very close so I could know they were safe. I remember feeling very fortunate that my family had not been on any of those planes, in or near any of those buildings and that I would have the chance to continue to love and be loved by them. My entire being hurt thinking about the husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, siblings and children who were waiting in agony wondering if a loved was alive or not. I still can’t watch or read much about that day because it makes me cry and hurt so much.

I love my family and my child … well, my child is a part of me in a way no other human being ever can be and because of this love I cannot fathom how people feel justified in killing innocent people just because their belief system is different, such as believing or not believing in the “right” God. It makes me sick. Every one is the child of someone – even if those parents are cruel, mean or don’t give a damn – they are human for crying out loud. I just don’t get it ….

Free – here is a long, warm, sincere virtual hug from me to you. I hope you and your wife are doing well and that your love will provide you with the strength and comfort you both need to heal from this terrible loss.

Brighid

free12thinker

When my wife went back to work, he apologized to her in confidence (hint:afraid to make an open apology), at which point she accepted the apology under the condition that he submit one by e-mail, noting his intrusion.