Utterly dehumanizing and deplorable. As others have said, it's one big informercial for them. They think this is a "fine witness"? Show some frickin' humanity!
I'm half tempted to start making out my Last Will and Testament now should something like this happens to me. Seriously. No way in hell am I going to be eulogized in this fashion or my memories desecrated. Call me stubborn and prideful if you will, but there comes a time when you just have to say "enough".
Hear, hear. I'm in serious consideration of this as well. I told my hubby (who was never a JW) that I will NOT have my family do anything like this to me and want this put into my Will. Perhaps I'm stubborn, prideful, who knows what, but the WTBTS had exerted control too much already in my life. Cremate me, hold a small ceremony and toss my ashes into the ocean. And then PLEASE, celebrate my life! Have a party! But my JW family will have no part of my funeral arrangements. Not that we currently talk all that much anyhow, what with me putting my foot down last year to their continued advances of "just come back to being a JW and we'll love you again" nonsense. So, it might be a moot point to putting a big "HELL NO" in my Will at this point, but ya never know.
Hubby says that should family ever try to pull some nonsense like this, he'll "give them a fine witness", as he has a few choice words in mind. LOL! I'm sure he will.
~ RTA