No Funerals for Suicide Victims Says Church

by closer2fine 5 Replies latest jw friends

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  closer2fine

  No Funerals for Suicide Victims Says Church

  http://news.excite.com/article/id/43351|oddlyenough|03-01-2002::07:59|reuters.html

  March 1, 2002 7:52 am EST

  NICOSIA (Reuters) - The Greek Orthodox Church in Cyprus said Thursday it would not bury people taking their own lives, declaring suicides "the greatest sin."
  "The church condemns suicide and has banned church burials for those who take their lives," said a spokesman for the Holy Synod, the church ruling body.

  "It is the ultimate sin which shows disrespect to the will of God."

  Previously the church, a powerful institution with business interests ranging from real estate to industry and banking, had frowned on suicides but there was not an outright ban.

  The church said it would only make allowances for people who were mentally disturbed with a medical certificate to prove it.

  Most parish priests now turn a blind eye to the circumstances of a death to perform a funeral service. The church ruling changes that.

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  Where do JW's stand on this now?

  closer

  Solid stone is just sand and water, baby
  Sand and water, and a million years gone by - beth nielsen chapman
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  plmkrzy

  I am pretty sure it is the same.
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  Xander

  Not sure about the 'no funeral services', but probably the same.

  They don't believe they will be resurrected, though, so....probably not.

  A fanatic is one who, upon losing sight of his goals, redoubles his efforts.
  --George Santayana
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  chezza

  i found this intersting comment on http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2000/2/22/article_02.htmFamily members in these circumstances may feel that they are truly under extreme pressure, beyond their strength. Yet, never forget that Jehovah God raises up the dead and that this might well include our loved ones who because of depression, mental illness, or despair took their own lives.—See "The Bible's Viewpoint: Suicides—A Resurrection?" in Awake! of September 8, 1990, pages 22-3.

  While suicide cannot be justified, it is comforting to remember that the future prospects of our loved ones rest with a God who fully understands that weaknesses and frailties could push one to such desperate action. The Bible says of Jehovah: "As the heavens are higher than the earth, his loving-kindness is superior toward those fearing him. As far off as the sunrise is from the sunset, so far off from us he has put our transgressions. As a father shows mercy to his sons, Jehovah has shown mercy to those fearing him. For he himself well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust."—Psalm 103:11-14.

  Appeared in Awake! February 22, 2000
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  chezza

  so the wtbts might not forgive suicide but a loving god might very well, maybe they will change the light on this subject soon though.
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  Imbue

  They don't want to draw attention to 'suicide' by having a memorial talk for suicide victims. It's sad especially because a memorial is suppose to be for the survivors.

  Crazy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.