I agree with Yeti that the preacher was wrong. I don't think we are discussing the merits of going to court over it - we are discussing the fact that such actions are abusive, inconsiderate and mean spirited all in the name of saving other souls.
There are so many people that love to flaunt their goodness and the evilness of others at whatever cost covered by the claim that they are doing God's work. Funny that this effort so many times comes across as evil itself - mean-spirited, disrespectful of the hurt to innocent loved ones and leaving the lasting negative image in the minds of those innocents hurt by it. Yet they take such pride in their work for God and how "good" they themselves are.
I am just pointing out that this same action could have been done so much more effectively.
A preacher can easily provide a gentle service with respect to the loved ones, ignore the judgement calls as he is not the judge designated by God - but merely a preacher providing a funeral service as the dead is buried. God will handle all judgement but God also cares about those innocents listening to that preacher.
With love and caring shown instead of pompous self-righteousness by a minister, with an invitation to any wanting to make themselves right with God against the day they too will face meet their Maker, yet with no evaluation made on the life of the dead other than he was loved by >>>>> and the basics of his life, the family is not assaulted and given negative impressions of preachers - yet are comforted by God and the service as they go out to their lives. They know what the man was - they don't need it smeared in their faces. They just want the comforting that Jesus promised them in "blessed are the mourners for they shall be comforted".
Now - I believe that more are led to God through love than through fear. Why would any want to join with that preacher other than to find some other poor family that they can use as an example to show how "good" they are and how "evil" their loved dead were.
Do you think the funeral attendees like to point fingers at the dead, hurt the mourners so that they feel safer in their own salvation? If so, they are wrong and they are mean-spirited.