Resistance is NOT futile!

by Bonsai 24 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  BluesBrother

  It took a bit of digging to find this :

  Awake 1977 3/22 p15

  Another personal feeling affecting reactions to funeral customs is the desire to keep a funeral simple, free from ritual.
  This could involve, for instance, some customs followed at the grave site. In certain areas the pallbearers or family members are expected to put a flower on the casket or to toss a flower into the grave before it is filled. To many persons this is considered a final token of respect or a last tribute to the dead person. But, of course, the true Christian knows that the deceased is not aware of the flower. And, if the deceased had been a true Christian, he too would have agreed with the counsel at Romans 1:25 against giving undue or worshipful honor to a creature. Hence, the personal feelings of some individuals have led them to omit this custom

  I have realised that your location , Bonsai, and that probably accounts for the strict application of the rule.Even so, it seems an extremely tough stance to take. Here in the U K I have attended Witness funerals where flowers were on the coffin , and nobody gave it a second thought.

  At least it helped you to see the truth about The truth so maybe a blessing in disguise.. Welcome to the board.
• 

  Vidiot

  A DF witch hunt because of flowers on an elder's casket?

  What. The F**K???

  I swear, I've come to believe that disfellowshipping's primary function is getting rid of people who have figured out the TATT (or who are close to it), rather than any kind of disciplinary tool.
• 

  Diogenesister

  Interesting that buddhist tradition is considered the source of the flower on the casket , it seems to me it is a very ancient universal homo sapien act of love and reverence for the departed.
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  Bonsai

  Diogenesister, I don't think the ritual began with Buddhists. Like you said the custom is old. Probably was carried out way back in the neolithic period (new stone age) or even before that. The custom is however given reverence and has deep religious meaning here. I think in the west the act is more informal and is done just to show respect for the deceased and also for the mourners.

  The funeral experience forced home to me the fact that the JW religion is very legalistic, unmerciful and a close cousin to the Pharisees.
  
• 

  Bonsai

  Thanks for digging that info up Bluesbrothers. I have it in Japanese somewhere, also there is a Japanese Kingdom Ministry explicitly forbidding the practice of floral tributes at funerals.