are jehovah's witnesses allowed to attend funerals at other churches?

A "Questions from Readers" in the WT 2002 states this:

*** w02 5/15 p. 28 Questions From Readers ***

Would it be advisable for a true Christian to attend a funeral or a wedding in a church?

Our taking part in any form of false religion is displeasing to Jehovah and must be avoided. (2 Corinthians 6:14-17; Revelation 18:4) A church funeral is a religious service that likely involves a sermon advocating such unscriptural ideas as the immortality of the soul and a heavenly reward for all good people. It may also include such practices as making the sign of the cross and joining in prayer with the priest or minister. Prayers and other religious exercises contrary to Bible teaching may also be a part of a religious wedding ceremony held in a church or elsewhere. Being in a group where everyone else is engaging in a false religious act, a Christian may find it difficult to resist the pressure to join in. How unwise to expose oneself to such pressure!

What if a Christian feels obligated to attend a funeral or a wedding held in a church? An unbelieving husband, for example, may urge his Christian wife to be with him on such an occasion. Could she join him as a quiet observer? Out of regard for her husband’s wishes, the wife may decide to go with him, being determined not to share in any religious ceremonies. On the other hand, she may decide not to go, reasoning that the emotional pressure of the circumstances could prove to be too much for her, perhaps causing her to compromise godly principles. The decision would be hers to make. She definitely would want to be settled in her heart, having a clean conscience.—1 Timothy 1:19.

In any case, it would be to her advantage to explain to her husband that she could not conscientiously share in any religious ceremonies or join in the singing of hymns or bow her head when prayer is offered. On the basis of her explanation, he may conclude that his wife’s presence could give rise to a situation that might be unpleasant to him. He may choose to go alone out of love for his wife, respect for her beliefs, or a desire to avoid any embarrassment. But if he insists that she go with him, she might go as a mere observer.

Not to be overlooked is the effect our attending a service in a religious building might have on fellow believers. Could it injure the conscience of some? Might their resistance to avoid engaging in idolatry be weakened? “Make sure of the more important things,” admonishes the apostle Paul, “so that you may be flawless and not be stumbling others up to the day of Christ.”—Philippians 1:10.

If the occasion involves a close fleshly relative, there may be additional family pressures. In any case, a Christian must carefully weigh all the factors involved. Under certain circumstances he or she may conclude that no difficulties would arise from attending a church funeral or wedding as an observer. However, the circumstances may be such that by attending, the likely injury to one’s own conscience or to that of others would outweigh the possible benefits of being present. Whatever the situation, the Christian should make sure that the decision will not interfere with his preserving a good conscience before God and men.[END]

---->So it turns out to be a "conscience issue". However, it also turns out to be an interesting scenario. For example, if I had a son and he told me he wanted to go to a party. I told him it was for him to decide based on what his conscience might allow...but then I painted all the negativity surrounding it(which would only be proper for a parent to do). I told him how his attendance could possibly affect the family. It could make him personally uncomfortable, etc, etc, etc. Many would choose not go. He could see how I am affected and how I obviously feel about it. Even though I assured him that he would not be punished for going, he might still choose not to go based on how it was portrayed. How much of a "conscience issue" does it turn out to be when I, he, and the family, or others could be negatively impacted, let alone his relationship with God?

HonestPhilosopher is correct. Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to go into another church for any reason, even for the funeral of a close relative. Funeral home chapels are frowned on as well, but not to the same level of a church. However, if the funeral home is sponsored by a religious organization, then that chapel is also off limits.

Only non-sectarian funerals such as non-religious memorials are acceptable for Jehovah's Witnesses to attend. Even then, they are expected to leave the room if a minister or priest from another religion gives the invocation or prayer for the dead. [Most JWs don't actually leave as it would draw too much attentions to them, but they are encouraged to do so by the Watchtower].

Jehovah's Witness funerals are very structured and are basically infomercials for the Watchtower Society. Only a few minutes are given to the actual dead person in the coffin, and then only limited information about that person is mentioned - usually the equivalent of what you'd find in a free newspaper obituary. The Watchtower criticizes funerals conducted by other churches because they say they glorify the dead and not God. Watchtower funerals glorify the Watchtower, not God or the dead person.

The Watchtower's current stand on the subject is that active baptized JWs can be reproved or disfellowshipped from the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses if they actually attend a funeral or a memorial in another church, even a "secular style" funeral held in a church or cathedral.

Jehovah Witness Funeral Service

It is not ironic that the JW organization makes every attempt to isolate its members from the people who love them the most (all family and friends outside the organization) by keeping from traditional family gatherings (birthdays, holidays, weddings, funerals, etc. etc.)

Truly who is the author of such ideas?

Greetings,

Witnesses do not enter a church to fellowship in worship. However, we do go into churches for weddings, funerals and other events.

My family just recently attended my father-in-law's funeral in a Catholic Church. My son's school conducts their testing in a rented church.

However, it is up to each individual as to whether they go into churches for these functions and it depends on the situation. If the audience is expected to participate in some religious custom many Witnesses usually will decide to not attend so as not to cause a scene.

In our case we just sat farther back and did not participate in any religious rites.

Yours,

BAR-ANERGES

EDIT:

Lungboy and Gal.5 ALWAYS spread lies and misrepresent the truth.

Jehovah's witnesses are not robots. Why do you think we are? We are witnesses because we have found the truth and serve God willingly. Most of us choose not to attend funerals at other churches because we are distressed by the lies that are told in the service. So is God.

I think strick followers of the JW faith can't set foot in another church for any reason. So forget baptisms, weddings, funerals, confirmations and everything else. I know a woman who refused to attend her own son's wedding because she converted to JW and he remained a Lutheran. She sat in a car and waited for the wedding to end and then went to a hotel or the reception. I could understand this if she was always JW. But she was a Lutheran and she made the change and expected her son to accommodate that.

The term you use ~ "allowed" is inappropriate.

We CHOOSE what or what not we'll do, based on our Bible-trained consciences.

In answer to your question... some choose not to, because we know the worship in those churches is false (idols & statues & service etc) but others choose to do so out of respect for the deceased person, but will not join in with the service which is false.

For example:

The Bible hope for the dead is a resurrection onto the earth when it is restored to paradise conditions, and churches of Christendom certainly do not teach that at their funeral services

John 5:28,29

Psalm 37:29

my future husband is also a Jehovah Witness, like I am and when his brother died who is not a Jehovah Witness he did not go inside the church. I know this elder who someone in his family had died and he stood outside the church also. do not listen to Galatians 5-1 and lungboy because they turned there back on Jehovah God and now go around telling us about us.

If it is a family member or close friend then yes. I do not participate as I am there to support the family and show my respects only. It comes down to a personal choice.

Satan is well represented by Lungboy and Galatians. He is the father of the lie you know.