6 Things You Should Avoid at a Christian Funeral Service
Attending a funeral might be a daunting experience for some because of the different cultural and religious practices.
We created this simple guide because it’s essential to know the basic etiquette during a difficult and emotional time. In this article, we included the things you should avoid at a Christian funeral service.
Don’t be late.
Being late is considered rude on any occasion or situation.
Walking in late in the middle of an emotional eulogy can be incredibly disrespectful and disruptive to the mourners, so make sure you arrive on or before the time specified for the funeral service.
Don’t wear something revealing or loud.
If you’re rummaging your clothes rack and thinking of what you should wear at a funeral, the safest option would be to wear something black.
However, if black is not an option for you and you can’t go to a shopping mall to buy new clothes, you can opt for dark and muted colors.
Some Christian funeral services have a specific theme, but if there’s none and you’re still unsure, just follow the tips above and avoid wearing anything too revealing or overly colorful.
Don’t take photos.
As a general rule, it might be best to avoid taking photos out of nowhere at a funeral.
Even if you want to use your DSLR, digital cameras, or camera phones to capture the moments between friends and family members that are reunited after years, it might still come off as insensitive or tacky for some people.
Nonetheless, if you really want to capture those moments, it might be better to just save the pictures on your smartphone and not share them on your social media.
Don’t sit in the front rows.
If you’re not a relative or close friend of the deceased, it’s best to take the middle or back row seats when attending a funeral service.
This is because the first few rows are usually reserved for the family of the deceased, so staying in the middle or back row can be the most polite and safest option for you.
Don’t ask nosey questions.
Even if you’re a naturally curious type of person, it might be better to keep off the bubbling questions to yourself.
Don’t ask what’s probably gonna happen to the deceased’s insurance, private bank account, loans, or collection of vintage watches. You see, you don’t really have to know about these things, and a funeral service is not the best time nor place for those kinds of inquiries.
Don’t forget to switch off your phone.
Mobile phones are pretty much a constant thing in our lives. However, it’s best to remember that there are certain occasions where these devices can be completely inappropriate.
If you are attending a funeral, ensure that you put your phone in silent mode or, better yet, switch it off and avoid using it during the service.