Reading about all these JW funerals lately, I just told my husband (never was a JW) that I DO NOT want one at a KH unless my mom does one for me up north, I want it at my church and if my mom/family asks my husband if she can come to one down here that he should say only if she/they go to my church because there will not be one at the KH here.
Attended a JW funeral the other day
by uk_ex_jw 19 Replies latest jw experiences
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snare&racket
UK_ex_Jw, sorry to hear your sad news.
I wonder if it struck you how the JW's have been on pause for all the time you were away. Nothing has changed, same old talks, same old scriptures, same old fake smiles, same old pretend love and interest, same old people in the same old sitting arrangment ...same old.... same old...
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uk_ex_jw
Yes, nothing had changed. It was like a reunion. Since I had left, the congregation had been merged with another congregation and split in two.
Someone else mentioned about the visits; I moved out of the area sometime ago so it is unlikely that they will travel down here.
I can only refer to it as a cleansing. It made me realise how far I have come as a person since those days, listening to the same drab speakers, week in and week out, reading the same literature, being told what to do and with whom...it felt good that actually I was sat there, as a non-JW.
With regard to the deceased, she always seemed a kind person, albeit a little gulliable and bemused by it all. I could well imagine that if the Hari Krisna had got there first she would have shaven her head and been banging a tambourine in the middle of the City centre.
It must be hard for the JW's to see people, who they never thought would die, dropping one by one. No wonder they revert to type, a sales pitch to try and rally the troops and intensify their efforts.
The alternative would be the horror of admitting that all of this has been a waste of time, some of them cutting their own children off because they left the cult, for nothing.
All they are is a tiny minority spec of a cult peddling hate, like so many others.
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AnnOMaly
FYI, I know quite a few JWs who categorically DO NOT want a KH funeral when they 'shuffle off this mortal coil,' and would rather it be a short graveside or crematorium sermon. No standard outline; more about remembering the person; a couple of comforting Scriptures; short and sweet; done.
Interesting, huh?
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outsmartthesystem
When my father died.....I was alllowed to speak from the platform at the KH about his life. But that was almost 10 years ago. I think this new funeral outline came out after that.
"Instead of eulogizing the deceased, use the material in this
outline to give a fine witness concerning the truth"That line makes me want to throw up. Paying your last respects to the person has been replaced by a 30 minute Watchtower infomercial.
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WTWizard
Isn't this the same rubbish that Christian missionaries do when going into war-torn areas to recruit Christians or kidnapping or raping children to get them in? Whatever the crisis, they exploit it to recruit members. The difference is, with the witlesses everyone is presumed to be an "ordained minister", and they try that rubbish even when the region is stable.
If you are going to spread your religion, stick with presenting the facts and comparing it with endemic religions. This is as true when recruiting locally (or at funerals) as in foreign missionary work. You don't take advantage of the death to guilt people into "If you wish to see the deceased person again, you have to join our religion and stay faithful to it". That is as bad as taking advantage of war and suffering in foreign missionary work to recruit members--something the witlesses bash other religions for doing.
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Jim_TX
"It must be hard for the JW's to see people, who they never thought would die, dropping one by one. No wonder they revert to type, a sales pitch to try and rally the troops and intensify their efforts. "
My condolences to the family who lost a member of their family. It was good of you to go and support your friend.
Regarding your comment above, I remember going to my mother's funeral almost 10 years ago. I overheard my older sister telling a fellow jw, "Well, we all thought that the new system would be here by now..." in an almost pleading voice. They don't realize... it ain't coming.
Regards,
Jim TX
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BluesBrother
"Instead of eulogizing the deceased, use the material in this
outline to give a fine witness concerning the truth"Yes, that does really sum up the importance, or lack thereof, of the individual to the Central Organization. They want the speaker to just talk about the "faith", in the hope that somebody might respond. In fact they are more likely to be impressed by a display of warmth and love to the deceased.
I have been quite impressed by the funerals that I have seen on T V . They seem to capture the idea of a sense of loss , and loving support to the family.
Incidentally I have been annoyed by a modern trend in J W funerals to slip in humourous anecdotes and jokes - in an attempt to lighten it up , I guess. That seems disrespectful.
I am glad that U K Ex.....found closure from the service , that was something.
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renderme
I was raised a JW but left the religion when I moved out of my parent's house at age 19. I have 2 sisters who are devout JWs.
My beautiful 13 year old son passed away in July 2011. He was very close to my sister. I raise my kids Christian but do not believe in any man made organized religions and had no intentions of having a religious service for my son, but my sister begged me to let an old friend of ours, who is an elder, say a few words at his wake, as it would give her some comfort. I agreed because I grew up with the guy and also he had gotten me a job at a company he worked for and was my boss for 5 years..cool guy, not too religious, I knew he wouldn't preach but would read a few scriptures and talk about my boy. That's all I wanted. Well, this elder/friend couldn't make it so my sister decided to ask another elder in her hall to speak...without my knowlege...someone I didn't know at all! When I found out, I wasn't really thinking clearly as I was overcome with grief for my son, but I DID tell her that if he does speak to keep it not too religious or preachy as none of my friends or my son's friends who would be attending are JWs. Simple request, right?
Well, the brother called me the day before the wake and asked me questions about my son that he could use in the talk. I told him all about how amazing my son is and what he loved to do, etc. This brother's talk lasted waaaay longer than the 10-15 minutes he was supposed to speak, he mentioned my son's name only TWICE and only read maybe 3 descriptions of what I told him about my son personally! The rest was like a bible study...and a bunch of witnesses that my sister asked to come to the wake actually brought Bibles with them! During this elder's talk there was bible page shuffling the whole time! Who does that???? My husband was livid as he barely tolerates my sister's preaching.
Needless to say it made a horrible day 10 times worse. Right after his talk my friend got up to speak and described in great detail how my son loved Halloween and my husband created a HUGE walk through graveyard in out yard for him every year..lol..
Since the wake my sister's JW friends keep coming over to my house to witness to me. Yes, I am searching for comfort and have turned to God and the Bible to find comfort, but no matter how many times I ask my sis to back off and stop sending people to my house, she is convinced that I am in need of the congregation to get me through my grief. She even tells me the only chance I have of seeing my son again is if I get baptized as a JW and turn to the organization.
Sorry for the long read...just still a sore spot with me.
RM
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designs
Something simple on a hilltop, a few Van Morrison songs, Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, Dylan's Desolation Row and a sweet dear friend reading some Keats, and off we go.