Bryant Memorial Service Report

by seven006 55 Replies latest jw friends

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  Kristen

  Dave,
  Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I am saddened by this tragic story and grieve the loss of so many lives.

  Kristen
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  Carmel

  Dave,

  You hit the nail on the head with your "infomercial for JWs" comment. I hated JW funerals as it was a time to proseltyze to a captive audience. Thanks for the beautiful description and for your taking the time to attend and share with us.

  Best regards,

  carmel, your fellow "gonian"
• 

  meat pie

  Thankyou Dave.
• 

  slipnslidemaster

  Thank you Dave.

  Slipnslidemaster: "Easter so longed for is gone in a day."
  - James Howell
• 

  Dino

  What else can I add.

  Thanks big guy.

  Dino
• 

  Had Enough

  Dave: I thank you so much for this heart warming account you have given us. The pain this family has enduried at the hands of this pompous, self-righteous, sorry-excuse for Christ's followers, band of "little" men is just unspeakable.

  How unnecessary this all would have been if only this beautiful family had been treated as Jesus would have treated them.

  My heart just aches for the wasted lives of that young couple and those lovely children just starting out in life.

  And I can add my vote to your assessment of what JW funerals are like..."just an infomercial for JWs". At my own mother's funeral just 2 months ago, that's exactly what my closest non-JW relative said to me....as well as the remark on why wasn't anything mentioned about her surviving blood relatives...me, my brother, her non-JW brothers and sisters. It was like that part of her life was not of any value. All that was harped on was her wonderful service record for so many decades of faithful service..blah, blah, blah.

  I could go on about the shoddy JW practices handed out in the name of love????? but I won't do it in this thread about the memorial dedicated to this family.

  I'm sorry to go on with such vehemence about these hypocrits, but the pain they cause soooo many people is just too much to bear sometimes.

  I am glad you were able to be there for us and can share your experience.

  Had Enough

  "Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world.
  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."...Margaret Mead
• 

  sunscapes

  Thank you Dave, Dungbeetle (got to get a new nick! ), six and others...

  Notice how the Yadirfs and YouKnows and Freds of the world don't dare post to these heart-rending threads...

  A remote-viewer named Ed Dames once tried remote viewing Satan. His observation was: not evil, but rather very beautiful, but cold; aemotional; emotionless. If these are the Devil's true qualities, we can appreciate why such tragedies happen, and the JW mindset regarding them.

  JWs: Beautiful on the surface, but COLD. COLD to the suffering of real people.
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  MadApostate

  March 22, 2002

  Preacher: Bryant lost hope before killing family

  MCMINNVILLE, ORE. (AP) - When Robert Bryant moved his family to Oregon last summer, he left behind a painful dispute with relatives after his expulsion from their Jehovah's Witness congregation. His business was also faltering, and he was forced to declare bankruptcy.

  Away from Northern California, he appeared to have found new hope, restarting his business, buying land and a home for his wife and four children.

  "All those spoke of a future, but for whatever reason, that hope was gone on Feb. 23," the Rev. Bard Marshall said Thursday during a memorial service for the six family members, all of whom were found shot to death last week.

  That night nearly a month ago, Bryant apparently shot his 37-year-old wife Janet and their children - 15-year-old Clayton, 12-year-old Ethan, 9-year-old Ashley and Alissa, 8 - before taking his own life. Their bodies were discovered 19 days later.
  Investigators have not determined a motive.

  The family had moved to Oregon after Bryant was shunned by members of their church in Shingle Springs, Calif., three years ago. For the Bryants, that meant leaving most of their family and clients from a landscaping business.

  "Robert had questions about the doctrine he had been taught," Marshall said.

  The Bryants apparently did not attended a church after moving to McMinnville, and were not well-known in the prosperous town of nearly 24,000 in the heart of Oregon's vineyard country.

  But hundreds of mourners went to Bethel Baptist Church on Thursday, showing how deeply the killings have affected the town "We cannot know why this tragedy took place, and it was a tragedy," Marshall said. "We know for sure that there is a great deal of sympathy in the community for the family. "Had Robert known how the people of the community care, this may never have happened. "Robert felt alone, and God did not create man to be
  alone."

  Janet Bryant's sister, Sharon Roe, who like her brother-in-law is estranged from the Jehovah's Witnesses, attended the service with her husband and their children. They appeared to be the only relatives in attendance.

  "If you are ever in depression or despair, please reach out for help. Never be ashamed to ask for help," Roe told mourners.

  No one from Robert Bryant's side of the family was at the service.

  "We're having a tough time with this," Lance Bryant, Robert Bryant's older brother, told The Oregonian by telephone. "We want to grieve in private. We just need to be here to comfort our family now and deal with this as best as we can."

  Scott Macy, of Macy & Sons Funeral Directors in McMinnville, also told the newspaper that Lance Bryant told him he'd already arranged to have the family's cremated remains returned to California.

  Bryant did not say whether the family would have a memorial service, Macy said.
• 

  Bendrr

  That post brought tears to my eyes, Dave. Thanks

  whatever...
• 

  SEAKEN2001

  Dave, thank you for being there and reporting on the memorial service for us. And good idea about posting some comments for Sharon Roe. I'll find that thread and send a little note.

  Sean