I've never been to a JW funeral where the coffin was at the hall. Never been to a JW wake or 'viewing' or any other such thing. Until my cousin died and they refused him a KH service(suicide) I had never been to a JW memorial that even had socializing or food as part of it. His was in a community center and was pretty much the most like a non-JW funeral I have ever seen, even though his folks were active JWs and a JW spoke at the service. Now that was a distinction without a difference other than the food and location. Same people talking, same format, same lame message, just not in the KH. JWs don't ever treat the KH like it is consecrated or a temple or what have you, why do they get all nuts about who can get a funeral service in one? Especially when they will give the same service somewhere else anyhow??
Every other service I have been to involved the casket at the church, a procession to the cemetary and a gathering, usually a viewing the day or two before.
Right or wrong? I think JW funerals shortchange the memory of the departed and don't allow the survivors a proper memorial or grieving. They are so busy telling you to be happy for the new system that they ignore the loss of a child or parent or beloved spouse NOW. Getting a lecture for crying or being told not to be self indulgent by retreating from social/religious obligations for awhile.
Funerals
by geevee 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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JWdaughter
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nelly136
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/164213/1.ashx my nan had her jw funeral on wednesday.
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ozziepost
funerals at Kingdom Halls are neither for the comfort of the greiving relatives or for the memory of the deceased.
So true!
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WTWizard
I only went to one of those wastefests. It was a snowstorm, and no one showed up for field circus (it was either go to the funeral or out in field circus, and at least the funeral would get me out of placing anything or seeing calls that make me want to puke).
This funeral was completely about getting people into the cancer. You had to be an active witless if you wanted to see this person again. And they sang [name omitted]'s favorite Kingdumb Malady--song 55. Which is one of the most boring Kingdumb Malady in the whole book. Of course, it was nothing I would recommend--about the equivalent of another boasting session.
The only good thing I could say about it was that I got out of field circus that day.
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sass_my_frass
I've been to a lot of funerals now, and I've found that non-JW funerals really do their best to evoke emotion: symbols, moving music, photos, stories. The idea is to laugh and cry as much as you can, because it's best to get the grieving started so that it will one day finish. JW funerals are quite cold; there is a long outline that elders are given and after being to a few JW funerals, reading the outline was just like being there. With only one exception, at each funeral there wouldn't have been more than three or four minutes talking about the person we're there to memorialise. The rest of the sermon is presented from the angle "Brother x believed y very deeply."
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SuperApostateGirl
No bodys in the Kingdom Halls because it immitates Wordly Customs,Seriously I thought they taught that they were just...
Sleeping until Paradise comes so what the Heck is the Big Deal!..
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geevee
Hi again to all and thank you for taking the time to post replies. I get the feeling that what i said rang true in most places. Ozzie, i wonder if you had any copies of the correspondence you refer to? Or know if there is any on the web anywhere? I would love to be able to refer to that! My wife has an aunt who is dying. The whole family except for an uncle are dyed in the wool dubz. We told the uncle about the "funeral" custom of no coffins in the hall. They then mentioned it back to my wifes parents who had to "correct" them on the matter and then they told us that they had to correct them about it too. I have somewhere a copy of the funeral talk outline. It is a preach in disguise. If so and so were he they would tell us that their hope was blah blah paradise blah... and they would show you the scripture here in Revalations..... we all heard it many times. I wondered how the non dubz ever thought it was nice service? Beyond me. Maybe i could sell the a bridge? Thanks again
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hubert
I went to one j.w. funeral. It was at a funeral home, but it was "controlled" by j.w.'s, all the way down to tracts placed on a table in the adjacent room.
This was the funeral of Mario's (Utopian Reformist) young daughter, who died in a house fire.
The Elder who gave the "talk" was the grandfather of the girl, and never once during his talk, mentioned her name !
It was all about trying to gain converts.
Hubert
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carla
As a non jw, never been to a jw funeral I can tell you I have never been to a funeral service in a Church where the casket was not present. (or ashes in an urn)
