Adieu, the final farewell, an exploration of death!
Jehovah: Forward to Confucianism – Famous Cemeteries - Back to Mormonism
Back to Next tier of religions – Religions – Death
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Quick Links:
| Definition | Closed coffin |
| Watch Tower | Funeral |
| Trinity | Service |
| Blood transfusion | Interment |
| Abstinence | Organ donation |
| Death | Armageddon |
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Some 8.5m people, 0.1% of global population follow this Christian denomination.
The religion operates from a headquarters in Warwick, New York USA. It is the body that defines doctrine, based on its interpretation of the Bible.
Its fundamental belief is in an Armageddon that is imminent and that only establishing God’s kingdom throughout the world can stop it. It operates a door-to-door preaching approach, attracting people to its c120,000 congregations. Each congregation has its own administration. They practise adult baptism as the means of entry to its membership.
It believes the Bible to be scientifically and historically accurate. It became the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1931 and publishes its tract The Watch Tower to evangelise its beliefs.
It focuses on God rather than Christ, and believe that the Holy Spirit is a tool of God’s power. It therefore does not believe in the Trinity.
It cites the Bible as its reason for abstaining from blood transfusion. This has caused consternation and dispute, particularly when it is a child that is being refused the treatment. However, they do accept transfusion of albumin solutions and clotting factors, but not whole blood, blood components or plasma. Those who take blood transfusions are expelled from the religion and shunned.
Jehovah’s Witnesses abstain from birthdays, celebration of holidays like Easter and Christmas, they reject gambling and smoking. The religion has a moral objection to military service and refuses to salute flags or sing national anthems. This has often attracted persecution.
Death is considered by Witnesses as the end of existence, there is not an immortal soul or spirit. They believe that the person waits in an unconscious state for resurrection to life after the Armageddon.
When dying there are no particular rules about sitting with the individual or rituals to be observed.
At death, the body is washed and dressed in best clothes. The coffin may be closed or open.
The funeral service is a simple affair and is held in the Kingdom Hall, typically a week later, and is similar to other Christian services. It is led by the Congregation Elder. Mourners wear dark, smart and modest clothes, there is no requirement for their heads to be covered. Flowers and food are offered to the relatives. Witnesses do not consider death worth mourning because the individual will return.
The Elder delivers a speech, there are prayers, scripture readings and hymns. There is less of a focus on memorials by the family of the deceased.
They are content with burial or cremation. Embalming is accepted.
Organ donation is a little confused by the attitude towards blood transfusion, but it is accepted if all blood has been removed from the organ.
They believe that God’s kingdom will be formed by the return of Jesus Christ, following Armageddon. It will be ruled by Christ and 144,000 spirit-anointed Christians drawn from the earth within a new covenant.
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Jehovah: Forward to Confucianism – Famous Cemeteries - Back to Mormonism
Back to Next tier of religions – Religions – Death
Back to Adieu Index - Back to Bob Denton home page
