Pastor Beaten After Blunt Eulogy - Reverend Calls Deceased 'Drunkard And A Fornicator'

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[chance33_98]

Pastor Beaten After Blunt Eulogy
Reverend Calls Deceased 'Drunkard And A Fornicator'

POSTED: 10:16 p.m. EDT June 21, 2002

LOXLEY, Ala. -- Authorities in Loxley, Ala., are investigating the alleged beating of a preacher by funeral mourners who didn't like his blunt eulogy.

Glynis Bethel told The Associated Press that her husband -- the Rev. Orlando Bethel -- was attacked during a June 14 funeral and dragged out of the church.

That's because Bethel told mourners the deceased was in Hell and that they were headed the same way.

The dead man was Glynis Bethel's uncle.

Orlando Bethel referred to him as a "drunkard and a fornicator."

Glynis Bethel, who's also a preacher, says "the fornicators didn't like what he said so they got up and beat him."

She says police didn't make any arrests, so she and her husband -- who may have a broken nose -- are taking out warrants.

[chance33_98]

Glynis Bethel, who's also a preacher, says "the fornicators didn't like what he said so they got up and beat him."

Give em hellPastor!

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Never refer to the deceased as a "drunkard and fornicator" in the company of other drunkards and fornicators. They take it personally.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

IMHO, a funeral is a place to honor a person's soul, his very existence, not a place to preach to the wicked. Within all of us is the light of God and that is what we honor. I had an aunt who died of alcoholism at the age of 42. She was a beautiful and loving woman who could just never overcome her addiction. The preacher used her funeral as an occasssion to preach to the mourners about the evils of alcohol rather than for the reason he was invited, to honor her existence. He wasn't beaten but he was quietly made aware of our disapproval. A funeral is not a place to preach. If a preacher does not want to perform the expected service he should decline the invitation.

[BrotherJonathan]

This is the sort of thing that happens, even when greater gentleness and facts that are less deniable are used.

"And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

"But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

"And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

"And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

"But he passing through the midst of them went his way," (Luke 4:24-30)

[CatoRenasci]

This "pastor" has obviously not heard the "Thumper Rule" from Bambi:

Thumper's Mother: Now, Thumper, what did your Father tell you?

Thumper: If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Pastor beaten after blunt eulogy

[joesnuffy]

We burried my pop-in-law recently and his funeral request was that the word of God be preached at his funeral...and the full consequences of living a life apart from the saving grace of Jesus be known to all...and that anyone who was of a will to come forward to the altar to do so...
That is exactly what happend..

[NerdDad]

This is right near here and was reported on local news. I have mixed emotions about it. On one hand, I believe that if the Lord called this man to preach that particular sermon when and where it was, then it needed to be preached.
On the other hand, I agree with others here (and with Mrs. upper management) that the funeral was a place to honor the dearly departed. Noone besides the Almighty can say for certain that he did not repent and accept with his last dying breath. Not sure I would want somebody making similar comments about me in the same situation.
I guess the good reverend felt that many before him had been stoned for saying what the listener needed (rather than wanted) to hear; and many more will be stoned after him. If he didn't want his @ss beat, he certainly should have expected a negative reaction to his words and had an escape route planned.

[seenenuf]

Hey, sumbody describe the serverity of the beating. Just
wondering. This is one scene left out of "The Apostle".

[BenR2]

IMHO, a funeral is a place to honor a person's soul, his very existence, not a place to preach to the wicked.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion.

Just don't expect all of us to buy into it

If you study the Scriptures, the reaction this guy got indicates that he was very likely on target. (Other preachers receiving similar responses: The LORD Jesus, St. Stephen, and St. Paul.)

[Darth Sidious]

On one hand, I believe that if the Lord called this man to preach that particular sermon when and where it was, then it needed to be preached.

Maybe. Or perhaps God called the mourners to beat the living crap out of this preacher for being so callous.

[kittymyrib]

Actually, many people should not be given burial in a Christian church if by their lives they have proven themselves not to be Christians. Preachers need to be much more courageous in withholding the last rites of the church for people who haven't been in church for years and wouldn't be in front of the altar if they hadn't been carried in in a closed box. Jesus warned his disciples about "casting pearls before swine," and the people of His day knew exactly to whom He was referring. He was also beaten and then crucified, so this country preacher got off lightly.

[Starwind]

IMHO, a funeral is a place to honor a person's soul, his very existence, not a place to preach to the wicked

It is in fact, the ideal point and place to preach to the wicked. Christ describes such an event in Luke 16:19-31, in which a rich man, upon experiencing the reality of hell, begged for someone to preach the danger to his brothers.

My brother died of a heart attack, probably unsaved, and his worldly and deceived wife had a unitarian minister give a message of 'universal forgiveness and [my brother] is in a better place now, waiting for us'. I was angry that this "minister" was teaching eternal death from the pulpit and further endangering the souls of my remaining loved ones.

As for the preaching itself, yes, it is often not what is said but how it is said. All sinners (such as myself), including drunkards and fornicators can be forgiven through Christ, and that message can be spoken in truth with love.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Or perhaps the mourners were hearing something that hit a little too close to home.

Beating a messenger does not change his message. I think a funeral IS a time to reflect on what the living can STILL do about their own eternal destination though I disagree with the harshness of the tone from this preacher.

I believe we are put on this earth to 1) help one another and 2) make ONE major decision to affect our everlasting souls. That decision is to accept Christ as your savior and, in doing so, achieve salvation and everlasting life in the presence of God.

[APBaer]

"I believe that if the Lord called this man to preach that particular sermon when and where it was"

Er...Doesn't it seem at least as likely that the Lord called these men, the fornicators and drunkards, to whip that particular ass, when and where it was?

[boris]

"Thumper: If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

My mother told me that she and her father once attended the funeral of a loathsome and nasty character whom no-one liked. The rabbi, forced to give some sort of eulogy, began: "Joseph had...an interesting...personality."

My mother and grandfather took one look at each other and burst out laughing; they simply could not stop. Fortunately, he had brought two big handkerchiefs, so they hid their faces in them and laughed until they wept; others assumed they were consumed by grief.

--Boris

[anniegetyourgun]

The day has come when people want to gather to themselves pastors who will tell them what they want to hear. It's the old itching ears syndrome.....

[chance33_98]

Hell fire and brimstone has been replaced by 'I'm ok, your ok'

[Gargantua]

Within all of us is an inherent sin-nature and a reluctance to obey God's Holy Word. This is what enraged that pack of inbred imbeciles. "Honoring" the soul of a dead guy is like praising the smell of a rotting fish.

The pastor was probably right, those people are headed for the pit of fire. Pray for them, and forget the dead drunk.

He's toast.

[chance33_98]

He's toast.

Wonder if they cremated him as a warm up :)