When my grandmother died, one of my cousins gave a eulogy

that included an exhortation for everyone to get saved, that anyone that didn't get "born again" wasn't going to be in heaven with grandma, would miss out on the big family reunion, and thus, urgently better change their ways.

I was offended. So were a few other members of my immediate family, although, being in Texas, a large part of the extended family is Southern Baptist.

Later, talking about it with my brother, he told me that grandma had asked that cousin to give that talk, because that's what she wanted at her funeral, a "Come to Jesus" talk.

She was entitled to specify what and how she wanted her funeral to be, what she wanted said, and I respect that, even if I do not agree with the general exhortation.

And that's what I also think about Coretta Scott King's funeral. Anyone watching it should STFU and MYOB.

MYOB, indeed! It'd be a great thing if many more people did just that. And people have every right to decide what kind of funeral they want for themselves, regardless of what family or friends or busybody, whiny right-wingers say.

who forced CNN, et al, to televise it?

And who forced bush and The Laura2006 to attend?

If you don't want to participate in a celebration of a life and a life's work, um, don't go.

if they're going to do a come to jesus, I can be judgemental and say it's not celebrating that person's life to proselytize. It's wasting time on an agenda at a funeral that should be given to the grieving and healing process.

Then again, I despise religious funerals anyway - I know they're "for the living" but last time I checked I'm alive too.

I think I'm going to get turned into a diamond - wouldn't that be cool?

or maybe fertilizer. http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/001657.html

in advance to Jeff Greenfield or "Cokie" Imus for their approval.