yahwehyadayada

My father died ten years ago. He had a massive stroke at age 51, & lingered on in abject misery for 18 more years. He knew what he wanted to say but couldn't talk, & the right side of his body was paralyzed. When he died from pneumonia, I cried, but I was also very happy for him.
His funeral was held at my mother's church. The priest didn't really know my father & gave a eulogy much like all eulogies given by priests who don't know the deceased. During his speech, he spent a fair amount of time telling us how "Jack is now in heaven banqueting with the saints". I was so angry I sobbed uncontrollably for the next two hours. Eating is supposed to make up for 18 years of hell?
Has anyone else noticed how lame the supposed benefits of heaven sound next to what is actually going on here on earth? Or was I just overly sensitive because it was my father? For some reason I have been thinking about this a lot lately, & I don't know why. I'd appreciate any input anyone else has.

Jayman

Could you explain why you think heaven sounds lame in more detail? IMO, an eternity in paradise would more than make up for 18 years of hell. But maybe I'm reading your post wrong.

yahwehyadayada

I'm not sure that I can go into more detail. Maybe this is just too emotional of an issue for me, but I don't have much patience for that trait when it manifests itself in xians, so I'll give it a try.
From what I remember of the priest's speech (bear in mind, this was 10 years ago) he was very vague & really did harp on what I now seem to remember as "Feasting with all the saints of heaven". He said this in such an arch way, & then paused, as if waiting for some reaction from his audience, that I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It reminds me of the scene from Animal Housewhere John Belushi smashes a guy's guitar with abandon & then hands it back to him saying "sorry"--the apology was way out of proportion to the actual offense.
I don't know if I've made myself any clearer. Probably not.

freemonkey

I don't think you were being overly sensitive.

A great-grandmother died when I was an adolescent. The priest went on and on about how she'd lived for christ and worked for god and was now enjoying her reward made me sick.

He did not speak of her real life at all. Not of the hardships she'd endured because her life was hard. Not of the joys she'd had, because sometimes her life was good. He didn't speak of her life in the context of real life at all.

I can honestly say that this event solidified my atheistist bent.

Bree

Always nice to meet a fellow Wisconsinite .

However, don't you think that's a little...well, insensitive? What if there isn't any Paradise? Does the presence of nothing make up for those 18 years?!

Jayman

I'm just answering the question assuming heaven exists because the question assumed that much ("Has anyone else noticed how lame the supposed benefits of heaven sound next to what is actually going on here on earth?"). In no way am I trying to be insensitive.