Mourners offended when JWs target them at the cemetary!

by joe_from_kokomo 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  joe_from_kokomo

  Friends and 'ex-Friends':
  
  You'll find this little ditty of a news story very amusing. It seems some overly-zealous sister from the UK was pestering the grieving worldly ones at the local cemetary so much that they got mad and complained to the cemetary owner, who then complained to the KH overseer. The woman who was witnessed to frowned on the violation of her 'public privacy', and I for one, agree that this is over-the-top. It seems some are getting desperate for converts in these so-called last days.

  What do you think? Is witnessing to mourning ones at the cemetary too much, or par for the course?
  
  Here's the link:

  http://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/display.var.712591.index.mourners_take_offence_at_religious_recruitment.html

  Here's the text of the article:
  

  Mourners take offence at religious recruitment

  By Charles Whitney

  Complaints were made this week about Jehovah's Witnesses who have been approaching mourners at Allum Lane Cemetery in Elstree.

  Christine Severn, who visited the cemetery on Saturday morning, said she was annoyed when a woman and teenage girl started talking to her about her views on death.

  The two people did not tell her who they were and it was not until she read a leaflet they had handed her, on arriving home, that she realised they were Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Her daughter was approached in the cemetery later that day, and they both saw the Jehovah's Witnesses talking to other mourners.

  Mrs Severn, from Borehamwood, said: "I feel it is a real intrusion on public privacy.

  "To me the cemetery is a place I go to be surrounded by peace and remember the people I love who can no longer physically comfort me."

  It is not known whether the Jehovah's Witnesses were members of Borehamwood's congregation.

  Hertsmere Borough Council , which runs the cemetery, now plans to contact the movement and ask its members not to approach mourners there.

  A spokeswoman said the council aimed to create a "dignified and sympathetic environment" at the cemetery, where people respected each other's privacy.

  Mark Armistead, an elder at Borehamwood's Jehovah's Witness congregation, said: "There is a strong chance they might have been members of the congregation here in Borehamwood. We are obviously very sorry that the person concerned was upset. Our message is based on The Bible, and it is a message of comfort and hope."

  Paul Gillies, the British Jehovah's Witness movement's spokesman, said: "Jehovah's Witnesses try to share their beliefs with people whenever they have the opportunity. We don't particularly target cemeteries as such. We talk to people wherever."

  09:46 Friday 28th March 2003
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  avishai

  BARF!!!!!!! This is just too much!
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  avishai

  sorry, double post
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  cellomould

  Yes, they just HAPPENED to be strolling through the cemetary ...
• 

  pseudoxristos

  Standard operating procedures.

  Quotes from a Witness Group on Yahoo:

  Hello Friends
  A sister in Texas sent me a few tips that have been working well where she lives. This sister is a 'senior sister'. That is, she has reached the age where she must plan ahead for service. She doesn't have the strength that many of us take for granted. As a result, she has prayerfully sought out ways to maximize her strength.

  Here are some of the successes she has had.
  .
  1. Funeral homes.. She gives this advice...It is better not to ask permission to leave literature. Instead use a positive approach like, "We are making a concentrated effort to leave this brochure (or magazine, etc.) with all the funeral homes in the area, and here are your copies. I will return in a few weeks to replenish your supply." When she returns she smiles, and either leaves more brochures or a few copies each of the latest magazines or both. (Of course, the brochure of choice is 'When Someone You Love Dies'. When leaving this brochure for the first time, be sure and highlight the benefits contained in this brochure to comfort grieving ones.) She told me that on the very first funeral home on her list came a request for someone to conduct a quarterly seminar to help those who have lost loved ones in death. It is best to turn this to an elder to handle if it happens in your area. .

  2. Nursing homes..
  In nursing homes the same brochure will be warmly received by the administration. Perhaps the one to contact is either the Administrator or the Entertainment Director. Also, be sure to offer a free group study of the Bible using either the book The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived or My Book of Bible Stories. (Following this thought my wife has conducted a group study using the Greatest Man book here in Amarillo. Her study now has an average attendance of over 17 to 20. She has found that these folks are looking forward to the study, are learning many Bible truths and are improving in their outlook.) This a great territory that exists in almost every congregation territory. Most will find that the brochure, When Someone You Love Dies, will be well accepted by most nursing homes, as they are mostly at a loss when it comes to offering real comfort to grieving ones.

  .
  Letter writing is just one of the many ways that we can do witnessing. I have known of sisters and brothers that went through the newspaper looking for obituaries (death announcements) and researched the family members then wrote them a brief letter included the brochure "When Someone You Love Dies". In doing this some have started bible studies. Some cases the individual is just thankful for something that gives hope. Another thing that I have heard about from the newspaper is looking for birth, wedding and engagement announcements. You can include the name and quote from one of our publications, along with scripture quotations, that apply to the situation. Telelphone witnessing is another way to get some time in. My mother used to witness and eventually started studying with one of my dad's sister-in-law over the telephone.

  pseudo
• 

  Francois

  The frickin' JWs can rationalize any damn thing they want; after all they can rationalize away the sexual molestation of little kids and when you can do that, nothing is too difficult to rationalize.

  Obviously, intruding on someone's mourning process is out of line. There is a well-known sequence of events to mourning and for someone to intrude on that process, altering its natural progression, it is not a service to that person, but instead just makes the entire process longer via that interruption. It is likelyto get to the point where bouncers will have to be present at funerals in order to kick out thick-headed JWs who just can't take a hint.

  francois
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  Prisca

  The JWs would be screaming blue murder if some Catholics or Hare Krishnas came up to them at a cemetery.
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  izobcenec

  they are targeting cemeteries, especialy every 1. november...
• 

  berylblue

  It is best to turn this to an elder to handle if it happens in your area. .

  As always, let the women do the grunt work, then turn it over to the men for the glory...

  But no, this is an intrusion of the most insensitive kind.

  Rosemarie
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  ashitaka

  We don't particularly target cemeteries as such.

  Bullshit. It's easy time for them. They waltz around a pretty cemetary for three hours, throw pamphlets at greiving families, and pat themselves on the back for a job well-done.

  ash