Posted on 08/08/2014 6:38:41 PM PDT by markomalley
Julie Atwood was standing at her son's casket when the phone rang. The church where her son's funeral was scheduled to be held the next day decided to abruptly cancel the service, after the pastor learned the deceased was gay and his obituary listed a surviving "husband."
Atwood said she was told it would be "blasphemous" to hold the services at the church because her son, Julion Evans, 42, was gay.
"It was devastating," she said. "I did feel like he was being denied the dignity of death."
Evans' husband, Kendall Capers, says the pair were partners for 17 years and married last year in Maryland. Evans died at home after a 4-year battle with a rare illness called Amyloidosis, which destroys organs in the body.
He says the obituary named him as "husband," and that their marriage was no secret.
"Everyone who knew us knew about our relationship," he said. "We didn't keep secrets."
The family asked for Evans' funeral to be held at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Tampa.
Atwood, Evans' mother, says she was baptized at the church as a child and several of her family members still attend. Atwood's current pastor agreed to preach the funeral, but they needed a large church, like New Hope, to accommodate hundreds of mourners from across the country. New Hope agreed and the service was scheduled for July 26.
But when the obituary published in the local newspaper, everything changed.
T.W. Jenkins, pastor at New Hope says was not aware of that Evans had a husband or was gay until members of his congregation saw the obit and called to complain. They did not think it was right to have the funeral at their church.
Jenkins said his church preaches against gay marriage.
"Based on our preaching of the scripture, we would have been in error to allow the service in our church," Jenkins said. "I'm not trying to condemn anyone's lifestyle, but at the same time, I am a man of God, and I have to stand up for my principles."
Because of the late change of plans, Evans' family scrambled to make new funeral arrangements, with less than 24 hours to prepare. They were unable to notify everyone, though, and some mourners showed up at the church and missed the funeral.
Capers said that was the worst part. He wanted the funeral held in a church but said he would have understood the church's position. But to cancel during his husband's wake, he said, was “disrespectful” and “wrong.”
"This is 2014, this is not the 60s or the 70s,” Capers said. “So at the end of the day I just want his wrong-doing to be exposed.”
The dearly departed sure is not gay now.
They could have offered to continue with the service, but make it clear that homosexuality is a sin, and give an invitation to receive forgiveness, salvation, and help. If the parents agreed to that, then fine. Otherwise, find another church which bows to political pressure.
Watch Holder & Co bring a nondiscrimination or public accomodation lawsuit.
Yeah, sweetie, you want the pastor's wrong doing exposed. Right.
Physician heal thyself.
Sorry. Way too tenuous a connection to justify demand the church allow a service for the dead reprobate.
hang on. Husband and husband HUH.
And they wonder why people think there is something wrong with them mentally.
So why didn't they hold the funeral at the church attended by the deceased and his "husband?
I starting to see a lot of this. Christian people, who have a family member who is homosexual, upset that their church or other Christians frown upon homosexual behavior.
Why didn’t they, knowing he was likely to die, preplan his funeral? I mean Julion, you or your “husband” could have asked first.
Just Sayin’
“This is 2014, this is not the 60s or the 70s,” Capers said. “So at the end of the day I just want his wrong-doing to be exposed.
What does the year have to do with the Bible’s teachings?
Apparently this guy thinks the church is there to celebrate secular proclivities.
Or when people have differing perspectives and the automatic reply is “Do you know anyone who is gay?” Apparently, the pro-homos have that stance because they know someone who is gay.
Yes, they should have asked about it. Unless they were looking for a high profile target of their anger. Some consider death a defeat, a crime, a matter of someone having ‘failed’ and that someone will have to be made to pay. That’s not always the case. A certain amount of discretion would have also been helpful. If you’re going to air all your “dirty” laundry, be ready when someone reacts.
By not holding a funeral for this man, the pastor is showing a very unforgiving, judgmental attitude.
We all sin. Will we not hold funerals for adulterers and alcoholics?
Will we not hold funerals for thieves?
How about we just hold funerals for perfect humans?
Hurting family members after the death of their son is wrong.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Should he be honest and tell the family at the funeral that Jesus says the son is now in hell?
Piss on the faggot’s grave. That is proper recognition for his life of being gay!
I’ve always believed that funerals are for the living. I have sympathy for this family. They did nothing wrong, except love and honor their son.
Whatever happened to hate the sin, love the sinner. I think this pastor needs to examine his motives and spend some time in prayerful meditation.
shame on you
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