After reading the thread on Mickey Spillane's memorial service it sounded like the JWs are changing their funeral program. Or was this because of Spillane's celebrity status? In the past the Witness funeral outline told the elder conducting the memorial service not eulogize the deceased, but to promote Watchtower doctrines.
Have Witness Funerals and Memorial Services Changed?
by Athanasius 6 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
serendipity
I've only attended on JW funeral recently and there were about 5 minutes of reminisces of a 30 minute speech. However, those 5 minutes had us laughing and crying.
-
blondie
I'm sure it was because he was a celebrity that they added more personal info in the sermon, plus his current wife is not a JW. She probably will stay in the community and it would look bad if they had a bare bones service. I noticed that his celebrity friends did not attend but went to her house for a private gathering. I wonder if any JWs were invited.
Blondie
-
Outaservice
I don't know about 'Memorial' services but I do know that the 'Wedding & Funeral' outline is exactly the same!
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to observe the _____________death or wedding (insert applicable wording here)....etc....etc...
Outaservice
-
skeeter1
I second that there is about 5 minutes of talking about the person. Especially, if it is JW related (i.e. family members resisted him/her becoming a JW, but he/she put Jah first....)
Skeeter
-
aarque
My dad died in May 2005. Even though he was never a JW, my mom asked that a brother give the talk at Dad's memorial service. The day before, two MS stopped by the house and asked if there was anything in Dad's background that would reflect badly on the witnesses. Never said a word about my dad's passing; never gave any condolences... and Mom has been a JW for over 50 years. At the memorial service the next night, the brother who spoke never even mentioned my dad's name. The few JWs there sat flipping through their bibles like it was a public talk. My husband (never a JW) was outraged that the talk was more of a recruiting lecture than anything about Dad. One of my cousins walked out right in the middle of it.
-
VM44
bttt because someone asked about this subject a week or so ago. --VM44