This is an especially bad example that the witnesses are setting. They are simply showing out in public, to a grieving captive audience (most times with incredulous non-witnesses attending) that they really care very little for their people. They only (officially) care about hammering home their illogical sin & death & earned resurecction message.
However, there have been exceptions - as noted earlier. One elderly sister, Lois Van Doren, from Oak Glen in Okla. City died and received the most honerable witness funeral I ever heard. Of course, it didn't hurt at all that she was probably one of the most faithful, kind, and best-loved witness ladies ever, and that out congregation servant was the late Marion Dunlap. Marion cared more about doing the right thing than following that outline, and this ended up more like a normal christian funeral, with expressions of the many things she did to help others.
And, we should not forget that other religions can make a mess of a funeral, too. My sister crashed into the arrangements when my father died and forced her semi-holy-roller Baptist preacher in. (She did not even tell me my dad had died until after she called this guy and the funeral home.) My dad specifically asked me to have the local Presbyterian minister to the ceremony and I had to go back and tell this guy we had been hoodwinked, mainly so Norma could make a big production for her church friends. Yes, she is also ex-witness but went over to this.
Amoung other really unbelievable statements was "notice that the only people crying in this room are non-christians. That is why you see Muslims crying and crying at funerals. Christians know about the heavenly hope, blah blah blah.". My female companion is Buddhist, but I don't think she noticed it because she was trying to take care of my mother, who was crying like a Muslim. Also, naming the exact star formation where heaven was, and that it was an exact cube of 1000 miles on each dimension. Jeez! Even the witnesses quit that back in the 40s, didn't they? He also personally broke out into a wailing gospel song (yes - himself, not a competent singer) later in the service. It was as spooky as watching "Rev." Tilton break into the tongues.
My point being: these are times of extreme pain and emotion. It must take a person with the ego and cruelty of a Joseph Stalin to impose their will on people who are having this transition - no matter what the religion. The better (more reasonable) religions seem to manage a form of dignity in such matters - for everybody - family, friends, and the deceased.
James
