No Body At The Funeral?

by Englishman 14 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Gopher

  JW funerals are rare here in Minnesota. They're mostly memorial services in Kingdom Hall, with a "reception" (cake and coffee) held at a separate banquet facility.

  I don't know how the "reception" tradition started. Maybe people wanted to talk about the deceased friend or relative, something which certainly didn't occur at the memorial service.

  It seems to me like the memorial service was a combination sermon and social gathering. Not very many tears are shed, for that would be "carrying on like those who have no hope".
• 

  Sirona

  Ok so I've calmed down enough to comment again on this.

  I understand better now after some of the comments here that perhaps it isn't that unusual. I don't know if its just the UK but every funeral I've attended or known of, the person's body has been there and then afterwards disposed of.

  I guess my horror is that JWs would dispose of the body and then have an "emotionless" talk at the hall at an unrelated time. I can't imagine having a loved one's remains "disposed of" and then going to a talk which hardly mentioned them (perhaps days later?)

  Urgh. I always thought that seeing the coffin "go away" at the funeral was one of the big parts of the grieving process.

  Good point lady lee about those who dont have their loved one's body to bury or cremate.

  Sirona
• 

  Mulan

  Mike, those are the only kinds of JW funerals (memorials) I've ever been to. Well, there was one where the family spoke from their seats about the woman who had died, and that is as close to a eulogy I'd heard up to that point.

  I hear they are doing more of that now, but haven't personally seen one.
• 

  little witch

  Mike,

  My Dad (not a jw) died and requested in writing in his will that no service whatsoever was to be.

  The night he died,my brothers and sisters met at his home, and read the will. I said, " We can't do that. Dad was a toughie, but we need some sort of service".

  We agreed to his cremation, but chose a simple burial service. His family and friends were present at a burial service, but we forbade "visitation" and embalming, etc.

  I feel that Dad deserved some semblance of recognition, and a proper burial. We respected his wishes to not be viewed in death, but also recognized that death and interrment needed to happen for the comfort of those in grief.

  As a side note, my brother (a stone cutter) handmade a most beautiful headstone. I am sure Dad would be proud and content.

  I think that some people feel so little self-esteem that they fail to realize that they will be grieved over, and the need for survivors to have a proper closure service.
• 

  snugglebunny

  A great friend of ours died last month. Sue was a lovely woman. She'd married another friend, Dave, a few years back. The second time around for both of them. Her coffin was black with silver glitter. We all sang Monty Python's "Always look on the bright side" during the service. Afterwards we attended the wake and all became gloriously drunk as we celebrated her life. We didn't even know that she had been a talented artist who took commissions for her work. The funeral was a real celebration. Fantastic.