Today, my wife and I attended a memorial service for a gentleman who used to work at the school district where my wife works. Thirteen days ago he was driving with his wife when he suffered a stroke. There was an ensuing traffic accident in which he was severely injured; he died last Friday, and is survived by his wife (whose injuries were minor), and a host of siblings, siblings-in-law, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and step-parents.

The service - a celebration of his life, not a mourning of his death - was conducted by his favorite son-in-law, a pastor at a local church. It was wonderful. (Note: I didn't know the man at all, but my wife did. After today's service, I wish that I did.)

We argue here at times about faith - sometimes civilly, sometimes otherwise - but I have to tell you that this was a man of faith. According to his son-in-law, 12 years ago he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and lived the life of a Christian ever since: he was devoted to his faith and to helping others.

This was a good man, and the world is a worse place for his passing. His faith, and his family's faith, is a great source of comfort to a host of people now. That's a good thing, whether you believe in God or not.

People often miss the things like this that is such an important part of some lives. A great story Bill.

Good story Bill.

Lot of good people like that out there that you never hear much about until they are gone.
Funerals can sometimes remind us just how short life here on earth really is. I agree that leaving
family and friends behind with peace of mind is a good thing.

Tom

There was an old Peanuts strip in which Linus was reading something:

Linus: A man was born: he lived and he died.

Linus: Kinda makes you wish you'd known the guy.

I wish that I'd known Richard.

"This was a good man, and the world is a worse place for his passing. His faith, and his family's faith, is a great source of comfort to a host of people now. That's a good thing, whether you believe in God or not."

I'm not sure I really understand the morale of this tale.

Good people die. Some have some sort of "faith" and some do not. Are you suggesting that those without faith should pretend for the sake of those they leave behind? Or you simply implying that ones faith may be false in truth but full of utility? ok then. heh

I understand what your trying to say, your trying to lift up the position of faith. But it always seems to me that these kinds of platitudes do so by throwing the position under a bus in order to showcase the utility.

What makes you think that the tale has a moral?

It's simply what happened.

Do you really think that that is what Bill is suggesting? Perhaps you should read more carefully.



I don't think you understand at all. Bill is telling a story of shared experience. He found it meaningful and moving. And I found the telling both meaningful and moving.

Sometimes its more important to share than it is to win.

I just realized that I got this one completely wrong.

Linus had been bugging Lucy to read him a book, which she didn't want to do.

Finally, she capitulated.

Lucy: A man was born: he lived and he died.

Linus: Kinda makes you wish you'd known the guy.

That makes a lot more sense.

And I still wish that I'd known Richard.

On occasion it can work where you are fortunate enough to know a person for a brief time.

My wife was fortunate enough to meet Jay Marshall shortly prior to his death. Having heard me speak so highly of my friend, it was great we had an opportunity to spend a short time with him.

She was grateful to have spent even that amount of time knowing him, but indeed wished she had known him better.

I can remember meeting my sister-in-law’s dad, Bob Grim. He was an older/retired professional baseball player that had played with the NY Yankees. I only knew him for a brief time before he had a heart attack. While I am grateful for knowing him I often wish I had made it a point to meet him early. Life is short and can be shorter than we think for some.

Tom

Have you ever been to a funeral of somebody that is not missed by their loved ones? Even at the old Nazi funerals, you see the faithful to the end.

The morale of this story is, you are all going soft.

Tommy, another moral is that however he was before twelve years ago...he is mourned for who he became and as an example of what faith can do for people.

First, there is no morale and no mourning then there is. Christianity certainly contains a great deal of wisdom.

Great faith, strength and story. I often love to hear about people who I haven't met but still think so much about. Take Pavel as an example. I have used his ropes for years but never met him. A couple years ago I introduced myself to Bob Sanders at a convention and he told me some great stories of Pavel. Some people touch your life without ever crossing your path.
Bruce

Given that this is a magic forum and we're talking about faith, I have to say as respectfully as I can, that I think this is the origin of faith and religion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologi......y_relief

I'm sorry for the man, and for your wife who knew him.

As someone stated above, it doesn't matter if you were a serial killer. Probably there will be people at your funeral, and they'll say nice things about you.
(I;m not saying this is the case. It's hard to be respectful AND take a different posture than the expected one).

ANother thought about faith is that, it can make you unreasonable, bringing the worst and best of you depending on the situation. That goes for faith in god, politicians, holy water, bach flowers, biomagnetism, or whatever you believe in...

On Blue Bloods tonight (rerun):

Danny: "You don't know that."
Erin: "No, but I believe it."

Yup, oatmeal too.