Wat Witnesses Fo Jehovah Tink About Funerals?
We do wat da Bible tell wen come to funerals, an some of da tings we believe iz:
Iz normal fo be sad wen somebody we love mahke. Even Jesus followas from befoa wuz sad wen dea loved ones wen mahke. (John 11:33-35, 38; Jesus Guys 8:2; 9:39) So we no use funerals az one time fo party hahd. (Da Teacha 3:1, 4; 7:1-4) But we use um az one time fo show we kea about oddas.—Fo Da Rome Peopo 12:15.
Da peopo dat mahke donno wass goin on. We come from all kine places an cultures, but we no do tings dat no come from da Bible, like believing dat da mahke peopo are still aroun an can affeck peopos lifes. (Da Teacha 9:5, 6, 10) Some of dese iz stuff like wake keeping, fancy kine funeral parties, talking to an making sacrifices fo da dead, lighting candles, an funeral anniversaries. We stay away from all dese customs cuz da Bible tell, “get out from dem an no be jalike dem. No touch da pilau kine stuffs anymoa.”—2 Fo Da Corint Peopo 6:17, New World Translation.
Get hope fo da dead. Da Bible teach dat da mahke peopo goin come back to life an goin get one time wen nobody goin mahke again. (Jesus Guys 24:15; Jesus Show 21:4, NWT) Dis hope help us fo no do extreme kine tings wen we sad, jus like it wen help da firs Christians.—1 Fo Da Tessalonika Peopo 4:13.
Da Bible tell us fo be humbo. (Smart Guys 11:2) We no look one funeral az one chance fo “show off” how importan somebody stay or how much money dey get. (1 From John 2:16) We no put togedda fancy kine funerals dass jus fo party, or dat get real expensive kine caskets, an peopo dat wea flashy stuff fo show off to oddas.
We no try push wat we believe about funerals on oddas. Erybody can choose wat dey like do, an we follow da Bible trut, “all us guys gotta tell God how come we wen do da tings dat we wen do.” (Fo Da Rome Peopo 14:12) But if someting come up an we get chance fo tell oddas wat we believe, we “tell um nice kine, an show respeck.”—1 From Peter 3:15, NWT.
Wat happen at one Witness funeral?
Wea: If da family like have one funeral, dey can choose wea dey like do um, can be places like one Kingdom Hall, house, funeral home, or cemetery.
Service: Somebody give one talk fo comfort da ohana an tell wat da Bible say about death an da hope fo see love ones again. ( John 11:25; Fo Da Rome Peopo 5:12; 2 From Peter 3:13) Da funeral service might talk about good memories of da person who had die, an wat we can learn from da good tings dey wen do in life.—2 Samuel 1:17-27.
Dey might sing one song dass based on da scripchas. (Fo Da Colosse Peopo 3:16) An dey pau da service wit one nice praya.—Fo Da Philippi Peopo 4:6, 7.
Fees or collecktions: We no charge or ask fo money fo any religious services, even fo funerals or oua meetings.—Matthew 10:8.
Who can go: Peopo dat no stay Witnesses Fo Jehovah can go to a funeral in one Kingdom Hall. Like oua odda meetings, anybody can come.
Do Witnesses go to funerals dass run by odda religions?
Ery Witness use wat dey learn from da Bible fo choose fo demself wat dey goin do. (1 Fo Timoty 1:19) But we no join in religious ceremonies dat we feel like no match up wit da Bible.—2 Fo Da Corint Peopo 6:14-17, NWT.