Tribute to Peter Jennings

Was he saved ?

 

So then why claim he's in heaven ?

I don't like the tribute. In fact, I find it offensive. To me, it makes a mockery of Christianity.

No matter how good of a reporter everyone seems to think he was, that won't get him into heaven.

 

Curtis,

I took workshops under his tutoring, and he is a nice person and a good journalist. I know he was raised Anglican. I believe he was searching for Christ, but I don't believe he was a Christian.

I base my fears regarding that on this article, where he says that he has respect for faith. I have the impression he believed Christ existed, and that he admired Christ, but he didn't trust in Christ.

Maybe, hopefully, I am reading more into it than I should.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/007/31.72.html

 

Well, you can't say for certain, but nothing in that interview screams "faith in Christ."

 

Amen Blessed

 

I didn't claim he was in Heaven, the tribute did.

Why is it so offensive and how does it make a mockery of Chrisitanity?

This is not about good reporting getting someone into Heaven.

It is about a tribute to a good reporter and, by all accounts, a good man...

I get so tired of people saying about men who have died, "He's not in Heaven". How on earth do we know? Could he not have made a death bed profession of faith?

I'm glad God is my judge and not a human being with personal vendettas.

You may be surprised one of these days who is in Heaven and who ISN'T... </font>[/QUOTE]My bible tells me there are no good men. But your "by all accounts" statement, did you talk with any of his ex-wives ?

I don't like fluffy tributes, like this one. Since we don't know if he's in heaven or not, why pretend he is ? That's what's offensive. Not one word about the work of Christ on Calvary, but a bunch of doe-eyed worship of a fallen man.

Also, the tribute has so many biblical errors it's hard to pick one to focus on.

Sorry guys, my heart felt sympaties go out to his family and loved ones, but until I see some reason to believe he was saved, I'm not going to assume he's in heaven getting the "broadcast ready".

Perhaps a more fitting tribute would be to show his life's work, reporting in several war zones.

Or perhaps, some sort of warning to 13 year olds thinking about smoking. (That's how old he was when he started.)

 

It's amusing that there is a thread about George Washington where people are insisting that he was saved, despite the lack of evidence, and here, there are people assuming that Jennigs wasn't saved, despite the lack of evidence.

Jennigs was clearly a devout religious man in his younger days. Statements about his personal faith in his later years are somewhat lacking. From his overall comments, I suspect that he probably was a man of Christian faith, but there's no hard evidence either way.

If Jennings believed that he would be in Heaven when he died, then it's not wrong for the tribute to acknowlege that.

 

So, all these times in our Baptist churches, when we've had funerals of our fathers and grandfathers, brothers, and sons, when someone said "so-an-so was a good man", I wasn't aware that they were committing a sin.

What does the issue of ex-wives have to do with salvation or the lack of it?

Then don't have one for yourself. However, if someone else wants a fluffy tribute, let 'em have it.

The tribute was made by people who knew him more than you or I. If they believe he's in heaven, they're allowed that. It's their tribute, not ours.

Sounds more like it's a matter of "I didn't like it, therefore it's wrong".

Dude, it wasn't a sermon. Each person is allowed a tribute according to their beliefs, not yours, and not mine.

If his family and friends feel he's in heaven, I'll take their word at face value. Neither you nor I have any authority to judge his salvation.

You're welcome to put that kind of tribute together for him if you wish. Likewise, those who worked with him are welcome to put whatever kind of tribute they want, even if it doesn't meet your standards of what a fitting tribute is.

 

Originally posted by Johnv:
Neither you nor I have any authority to judge his salvation.

You've said that several times, but offer no scripture to back this up, however, for the sake of argument, if we are not allowed to judge him unsaved, then we have no authority to judge him saved, either. The tribute puts him in heaven, a place reserved for those redeemed by Christ's blood. Unless there is some other way there we don't know about. This does damage to our mission as Christians. Not one word about Jesus in that tribute.

 

Scirpture speaks of judging several times. It calls upon limiting judgement to strictly being in righteousness, and typically judging a person's commitment, attitudes, or actions, but never a person's salvation. In fact, Romans 14 asks "Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand." A person's salvation is servant to on one but God Himself, and only He has salvific judgement authority.

That deterination is made solely by those paying tribute to him. We have no authority to question their view of him, for they knew him better than us. I'm not saying he was or wasn't saved. I think he probably was, and am content to see that his coroworkers think he was. But I have no evidence either way, so I defer to what his friends and coworkers think.

Showing proper respect for a deceased person, whether saved, unsaved, or salvific status undertermined, is never a damage to the Christian mission.

 

May I ask - at this point - why it bothers you so much Brother Curtis? Heaven or hell - Jennings' path is now irreversible.

As I said earlier, I have my own doubts about his faith, but my only encounters with him were a workshop on journalism. I never sat down and discussed Christ with him. I know men who love God, but who feel faith is extremely personal and they don't wave it for the world because they fear that if they do, and they then sin or slip or fail, they will cause someone else to sin or slip or fall. It is not that they are ashamed of Christ. It is that they are very aware of their own human failings.

For all we know, Jennings was such a man.

 

I have not shown any disrepect for Mr. Jennings. I have questioned if it is God's will for us to put a tribute, on a Christian message board, that CLEARLY states, as fact, that he is in heaven.

That is disresectful of our Savior, IMO.

I thought our mission came first.....

 

I have finally learned why the Gospels were written.

Adverising. I confess I never thought of that one.

 

Curtis,

How does criticizing a bereaved individual serve the mission of Christ?

 

This is a sickening and disgusting post. Either way, it is too late for second guessing. Nor is it anyone's job to judge a person's relationship with God.

Every time someone dies, some self-appointed judge takes it upon themself to play God and start questioning the deceased person's status with their creator. That should be, and frankly IS, left in the hands of a just and loving God. Questioning that serves no purpose, either for the grieving family & friends, nor to further the cause of Christ.

 

I will add though, that I agree with Bro. Curtis in not liking the tribute. It is presumptuous, and puts words in the mouth of a dead man.