A famous pastor died. Then, his grandson tried to sell his belongings on eBay
The grandson of a famous Southern Baptist leader who died in April apologized over the weekend for responding to his grandfather’s death in a controversial way.
Matt Broderson, 29, took to YouTube to share his regret about trying to sell some of the Rev. Charles Stanley’s former belongings on eBay, noting that family members, as well as anonymous commenters, helped him see the error of his ways.
“A lot of people I love, a lot of people I care about, a lot of people who are very close to me have pointed out that this is disgusting behavior. ... So, I just want to go on the record to say I admit I shouldn’t have done that,” he said, according to the Christian Post.
Who is Charles Stanley?
Broderson had listed two of his grandfather’s former possessions — an engraved pocket watch and framed portrait — for sale on eBay less than one week after the Rev. Stanley passed away.
In the video announcing the listings, Broderson described going through his grandfather’s house with other family members and choosing keepsakes to take home.
He said he would cherish many of the items he selected, but wanted to make the watch and painting available to the public.
“If you want to bid on these items, the links are in the description below,” he said in the video.
Broderson likely assumed the market would be strong for his grandfather’s possessions, since the Rev. Stanley was a celebrity preacher. He twice served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention and, for many years, hosted a popular show on the Christian Broadcasting Network.
“The author of dozens of books was recognized by people in the grassroots as well as in the highest echelons of American society,” Religion News Service reported after his death.
President George W. Bush once said he read the Rev. Stanley’s devotionals each morning along with the Bible, the article noted.
The Rev. Stanley’s items on eBay
In his Sunday video, Broderson apologized for attempting to capitalize on his grandfather’s fame, as the Christian Post reported. He said he had just been thinking about himself and hoping to make a quick buck.
“I was thinking about me, me, me, and, ‘Can I get some money please so that I can pay my bills,’” he said.
Despite the public apology, Broderson did not remove the items from eBay.
“People already started bidding on the items and I don’t want to take that opportunity away from them to get those items. So yes, I’m gonna leave the auction up. There’s like a day remaining of time. So, if you want to get those items, you better hurry,” he said, per the Christian Post.
With one hour left to go in the sales on Monday afternoon, the pocket watch was set to sell for $1,475 and the portrait for $2,425, according to the eBay listings.
