Friday, January 24, 2014

Pastor Paul Chappell eulogizes a murderer and it makes me ill

Pastor Paul Chappell, the top dog at Lancaster Baptist Church, wrote a remembrance of murderer and former pastor Jeremy Whitman. Chappell enthusiastically eulogizes this murderer as if he had done nothing wrong. It’s so positive that it is hard to read. He goes on to say that the church is paying Whitman’s funeral expenses and that the church has established a memorial education fund for his children. But wait... Chappell does not say one word about the victim. Nothing at all is mentioned; not one single word. The victim, Erik Ungerman, was a good Christian too, so why is there no love, sympathy, or funds. Why is the independent memorial fund established for Ungerman sitting a lowly $1,600? Lancaster Baptist is one of the biggest churches in the area. It can't afford $3,000 to help a hurting family deal with the unexpected death expenses cause by your former pastor?

It’s all good though… Jeremy Whitman’s salvation is assured. 

Because Jeremy had received Christ as his personal Saviour, I believe we will see Jeremy in Heaven. God promises that when we trust in Him for salvation, He saves us and keeps our salvation by His power. 

This is where my head explodes. If you say this prayer…

Dear God, I know that I am separated from you because of sin. I confess that in my sin, I cannot save myself. Right now, I turn to you alone to be my Saviour. I ask you to save me from the penalty of my sin, and I trust you to provide eternal life to me. —Amen

…you can murder an unarmed man in cold blood. This violates the whole, Thou Shall Not Murder part of the Ten Commandments, but because you said 56 meaningless words, you live out eternity in heaven and all your earthbound friends sing your praises and take care of your widow and kids. That’s just screwed up. If there is no accountability for your acts in this world, what is the point of being good? Do you get a bigger house or more virgins or something? It’s ludicrous. 

I understand taking care of Whitman’s family, but show a little Christian love and take care of the victim too. If you can’t manage Christian love, then how about some of the real thing?