I attended my JWs Grandfathers funeral

by joe134cd 16 Replies latest jw experiences

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  joe134cd

  I attended my Grandfathers JW funeral the other day. Firstly I am a rabid apostate, and certainly not wt greatest fan. That been said however, I will certainly stick up for them when they do the right thing. I have to say that I was deeply impressed with the funeral service. They had photographs of him playing on the TV monitors. I would say 60% of the service would of been about him as an individual, and 40% sermon. To be fair I thought this was the right mix as after all he was a life time JW and a deeply religious person. Ok fair enough. The shocker came, and I was stunned, when after the service the played A secular singer over the sound system in the KH. A singer my grandfather was particularly fond of, and something in my life time as a JW I had never witnessed before.

  The friends ( all be it conditional ones ) put on a lovely reception for which there was more than enough food, and afterward cleaned the venue ,for which we were most great-full for. Not been DFed of course I was able to see friends of my grandfathers who I hadn’t seen in years.

  Is this change going on world wide or was this just a one off example. I would like to say good for you WT in what was a very sad moment in my life.
  
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  road to nowhere

  Probably be told about it. It is supposed to be a recruitment talk with only approved music. I have a song oicked, but will have no say.

  What i have been to was dismal or just fair. I have even heard applause. I think lots of people go for the reception, or to connect with old friends
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  neat blue dog

  I can see that happening at a rented facility, but when it comes to a 'memorial' at the Hall, there is officially supposed to be only an approved Elder giving the talk, only the current approved outline, only one interviewee, if at all, and only official recordings from the current song book. Unless this is fresh off an email new direction from HQ, this is definitely not kosher!
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  Finkelstein

  I would say 60% of the service would of been about him as an individual, and 40% sermon

  Usually its the other way around.

  One thing you could say about the JWS is they do tend to go a bit more for their members when one of them dies but at the same time they use these deaths as public propaganda vehicles too.
  

  But one should also consider the fact that there are other Christian church groups who would do the same for one of its committed members and their families.
  
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  James Jack

  Something similar happened at our KH here in Alabama. The COBE told me that there has been a change to reflect the community in which the deceased lived.
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  Ronin

  "I can see that happening at a rented facility, but when it comes to a 'memorial' at the Hall, there is officially supposed to be only an approved Elder giving the talk, only the current approved outline, only one interviewee, if at all, and only official recordings from the current song book. Unless this is fresh off an email new direction from HQ, this is definitely not kosher!"

  No this is not true, even a memorial at a hall a regular Publisher can give the talk, for my grandmas funeral service at the Hall it was a brother our family knew for a very long time he use to be a Elder severals ago but was still approved to give the talk...
  
  
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  LV101

  Good on the ole WT cult - bravo. Glad the service was tolerable for you joe134cd and any others.
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  DesirousOfChange

  I too have heard they have toned down the "infomercial" feel of the Funeral Discourse. (They probably read too much negative feedback here and other sources.)
  
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  waton

  If this keeps up, even those that mandated (womendated) not to have commemorations at the hall, might change their mind, particularly if the congregation via an ambitious, capable "sister" provides the foods through volunteers,

  The last funeral here at outstanding catering, long table of sweets at the exit to take home even.
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  Giordano