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Matthew_Holford
Guest
Can any one please tell me what happens at or describe to me a Jehovah’s Witness funeral?
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nickybr38
Guest
My grandmother’s caregiver was a JW and she forced a JW funeral when my grandma died, claiming that grandma had converted. Which is funny because the last conversation we had with grandma she made it clear she had no respect for that religion and was just ‘humoring’ her caregiver because she was scared of being thrown out.
ANYWAY.
I don’t remember it too clearly… I do recall there were no hymns sung. No happy stories shared. Just a short sermon and a eulogy read by a man who hadn’t even known her (they refused - they being the caregiver/the lady with power of attorney- to let any family members speak - lest they tell stories that weren’t true to try and boost grandma’s character above what it had been).
It was the most depressing funeral I have ever been to for many reasons. There was no hope, no joy in the service at all.
But this is just personal experience so I’m sure it’s not the norm with every JW funeral.
ANYWAY.
I don’t remember it too clearly… I do recall there were no hymns sung. No happy stories shared. Just a short sermon and a eulogy read by a man who hadn’t even known her (they refused - they being the caregiver/the lady with power of attorney- to let any family members speak - lest they tell stories that weren’t true to try and boost grandma’s character above what it had been).
It was the most depressing funeral I have ever been to for many reasons. There was no hope, no joy in the service at all.
But this is just personal experience so I’m sure it’s not the norm with every JW funeral.
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Matthew_Holford
Guest
I was saddened to hear your story. It seems to me that the mistake was made when your grandmother’s caregiver was given power of attorney. Anyway that is history. While as a Catholic I do not agree with what Jehovah’s Witnesses teach, my friend was a Jehovah’s Witness for a long time. He gave a lot of service to the Jehovah’s Witness community therefore I hope that his funeral will not be similar to the one you described.
I want to go because we have been friends for over thirty years and we were friends before he became a Jehovah’s Witness.
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Patrick_Joshua
Guest
I think me and my brother’s would of been hysterical and the consequences of our actions would of been un-christian if this was my Grandma.
You must of been very hurt by this action of the JW caregiver, I could only imagine how you felt.
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catsrus
Guest
My ex-MIL was a jw in excellent standing when she died. She had been a pioneer (a full time prostylizer) for about 20 years.
Her daughter, with whom I’ve remained good friends, told me that the funeral was awful.
Few people from her kingdom hall came. An elder gave a short talk. No hymns, no eulogy by anyone, nor an invitation to give one. No one went to the cemetery either.
My friend was devastated.
I told her that those jws do not mourn the dead. If you grieve, you are not a true jw and will be reprimanded for doing so. They believe that to die is to go into nothingness. If, when Christ returns, and one is given eternal life, it will be on earth and will be expected to work very hard to make the earth a perfect kingdom of risen jws.
Only 144,000 go to heaven.
It is a harsh and very dry religion.
Her daughter, with whom I’ve remained good friends, told me that the funeral was awful.
Few people from her kingdom hall came. An elder gave a short talk. No hymns, no eulogy by anyone, nor an invitation to give one. No one went to the cemetery either.
My friend was devastated.
I told her that those jws do not mourn the dead. If you grieve, you are not a true jw and will be reprimanded for doing so. They believe that to die is to go into nothingness. If, when Christ returns, and one is given eternal life, it will be on earth and will be expected to work very hard to make the earth a perfect kingdom of risen jws.
Only 144,000 go to heaven.
It is a harsh and very dry religion.
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Matthew_Holford
Guest
I’m now beginning to wonder if I should go.
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nickybr38
Guest
The best kind of experience is the first hand experience? Honestly I would go if only to grieve and show respect.
Funerals are never easy anyway, but perhaps if you experience on of theirs first hand it will be an enlightening experience in some ways?
I don’t know.
I know it wasn’t the best experience for myself and my family and it tore the family apart in some ways BUT that wasn’t solely because it was a JW funeral.
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StrawberryJam
Guest
Just remember, if you do go it is not a blanket endorsement of their belief system.
You do not have to be put in that position of choosing.
Your friend is your friend.
You do things for your friends. One of them, is saying goodbye. In your way, in a way you know is your willingness to be a real friend through thick and thin.
It is not easy to say goodbye. No matter what the formality is behind that formally.
There is also the non formality part to go through, at least for me.
If my friend’s service would have been at a pagan or freemason or whatever type of service, I would still stand there. I don’t believe my standing there is in any way an endorsement of their practices or beliefs. I believe it is my standing for them, or standing up for them as I knew them in life. You would have to legally stop me from attending any service for any friend of mine.
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ApostateJDub
Guest
Yeah JW’s can seem really heartless at times…Some of them really are this way…while others are too brainwashed to act humane…others are too “scared” to act in a “non-JW way”. All in all I think we should offer a mass for every JW that has passed away. It’s not their fault they didn’t know any better. I know…I’ve been there.
Peace
Peace
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FaithJoy
Guest
JW’s are made for men. No birthdays or anniversarys to remember. No feelings needed to show in a funeral. Classic male behavior. So, if you are a male always getting into trouble with his wife, the JW faith is for you! LOL.
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Matthew_Holford
Guest
How do I get an application form?
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