Funeral experience...

by Hecklerboy 11 Replies latest jw friends

  • Hecklerboy
    Hecklerboy

    My uncle died last week so the wife and I went to his funeral a couple of days ago. He was a Baptist so he actually had a nice funeral and they talked about him and what he like to do. The preacher even shared some memories of talking with him on the street of our small town and how happy he was, never complaining about his illness (cancer).

    Well my 2 brothers and my sister were there (all witnesses). We were talking before the funeral and they mentioned that the VFW would be giving him a 21 gun salute. I said with great excitement that was a great thing. They all got the funniest look of disgust on their faces. I told them that he deserved a 21 gun salute since he defended our country in the Navy.

    During the service the preacher kept saying how we can only gain salvation through Jesus and no amount of work will save us. He also said the Jesus doesn't care what religion were are as long as we look to him for salvation.

    Well after the service, we were at my mother's house and she ask how the funeral went. (She couldn't make it...illness). My wife and I both said it was nice and that they spoke about my uncle allot. My brother and sister both said it was horrible and that the preacher had no clue what he was talking about. I told them that it doesn't matter what they believe. The funeral was for my aunt and that what my uncle and her believed so they should respect that. I got no response to that. My wife was very proud of me standing up for my uncle's beliefs.

    I just blows my mind how condesending JW's can be of other people beliefs. Even at a family member's funeral.

  • Honesty
    Honesty
    During the service the preacher kept saying how we can only gain salvation through Jesus and no amount of work will save us. He also said the Jesus doesn't care what religion were are as long as we look to him for salvation.

    That is when your JW relative's lights turned off and Elvis left the building because bible truth has no place in the JW mind.

  • drew sagan
    drew sagan

    Even when I was JW i felt unconfortable about coming down hard on other poeples beliefs. When you are told that you hold onto the only "truth" in this world, your minds builds up a pretty big ego. Don't forget though that Jws will allways be quick to ridicule a service by another christian, because they are trained to. They are the product of a self serving system. We must do our best to defend reason, but can't become discouraged by it. Good job in what you did.

  • cyberdyne systems 101
    cyberdyne systems 101

    Good for you sticking up for the purpose of the funeral - to remember the deceased loved one. Who wants to go to a funeral to hear a sermon about how wonderful the witnesses interpretations are or a recruitment message at the end of it? Witnesses are so full of judgement on others, where's the love???

    CS 101

  • Mary
    Mary

    Sorry, double post. My comments are below.

  • unique1
    unique1

    You did a good thing. True Christians should be respectful of everyone, even those of other beliefs.

  • Mary
    Mary
    Well my 2 brothers and my sister were there (all witnesses). We were talking before the funeral and they mentioned that the VFW would be giving him a 21 gun salute. I said with great excitement that was a great thing. They all got the funniest look of disgust on their faces. I told them that he deserved a 21 gun salute since he defended our country in the Navy.

    Yes, Witnesses need to be reminded of those that fought and risked their lives so that they (Witnesses) could enjoy the Freedom of Religion that they experience in this country. They never think of it like that though. All they think about is: Catholics go to war to fight Catholics, etc. They never stop to think about where they'd be if selfless men hadn't have been willing to fight for them.

    During the service the preacher kept saying how we can only gain salvation through Jesus and no amount of work will save us. He also said the Jesus doesn't care what religion were are as long as we look to him for salvation.

    LOL! I love it! Flies directly in the face of what we were taught as Witnesses, that "faith without works is dead", which I guarantee that your brother was itching to yell out.

    Well after the service, we were at my mother's house and she ask how the funeral went. (She couldn't make it...illness). My wife and I both said it was nice and that they spoke about my uncle alot.; My brother and sister both said it was horrible and that the preacher had no clue what he was talking about.

    Yep, the same thing happened at a funeral I attended last year. The elderly woman that died was not a Witness (I think she belonged to the United Church), but some of her grandchildren are die-hard Dubs (one's an elder) and they were there. I thought the talk that the minister gave was really good and he quoted some scriptures from the Old Testament that talked about going to heaven when you die. I wasn't familiar with these scriptures and was somewhat surprised because being raised as a Witness, we were always told that there's no mention of anyone going to heaven when they die in the OT.

    Anyway, one of the grandsons comes up to me afterwards and said that the Service "really creeped [him] out". I responded that I thought the talk was nice because it emphasized his grandmother's life. What bugged him were the scriptures that were read out of the OT, indicating that there's a life after death. He had no answer for them because of course, that's not what Witnesses believe and it irked him. Good.

  • blondie
    blondie
    Well after the service, we were at my mother's house and she ask how the funeral went. (She couldn't make it...illness). My wife and I both said it was nice and that they spoke about my uncle allot. My brother and sister both said it was horrible and that the preacher had no clue what he was talking about.

    Sounds like they have had some wonderful training at the TMS and SM...I wonder if they use that technique at the door?

    Blondie

  • vitty
    vitty

    It reminds me of how I used to snear at other so-called religious ppl and their misunderstood beliefs.

    I even used to tell my 7 year old how he knew more about the bible than any minister of christendom including the pope

    So glad he had a nice service

  • Hecklerboy
    Hecklerboy

    I mentioned to my wife on our way home that I hope I wasn't like they were when I was a witness. I don't remember being down on people for their belifs.

    Maybe that's how I was able to get out. I was able to open my mind and see the good in other people.

    Oh yeah, at the viewing they told me my mom who suffering from Alhziemers was telling how when my dad became a witness my uncle called him a Son of a Bitch. She came right out and said it in front of everyone. They said they were so embarrased. I just laughed and told them to give her a break. I mean she litterally losing her mind. Witnesses need to relax a little.

    My wife and I also talked about how the society comes down so hard on education. I was telling her about SickofLies recordings and how they blamed his questions on education. She said she has never heard of a religion being so down on religion. I told her it's their way of keeping people in line. As soon as you start thinking for yourself you see how ridiculous their teachings are.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit