Ok, perhaps you can help me with my wedding dilemma... for once it's not what to wear but whether i should go? You see I have someone in our family who is getting married in a church and in a temple. The groom is from the Christian tradition and the bride from a Hindu one - so one wedding two ceremonies, church and then temple...
That has created a bit of tension in the wider family - should we go to the temple part of the ceremony?
Some of the fears are:
Worshipping a pantheon of gods - by partaking in the Hindu ceremony we may be worshipping some foreign gods at best or at worst condoning the Hindu faith. Is this a good way to witness?
Spiritual attack - by heading off to a temple to spend a few hrs there who knows what negative spiritual forces we'll be unwittingly be subjecting ourselves too?
Some of the reasons for going are:
Facing fear/hypocrisy: is it really a good enough reason to be scared about one set of gods when most of the time we have no problem heading off for our secular temples and worshipping the gods of consumerism, individualism and self or indeed any others? Are the western gods worse than the eastern ones? Is it better to face our fears and recognise that just as people came to my wedding who weren't a christian and i didn't expect them to be my God worshipper by the end of the ceremony that there are different levels of participation?
Spiritual blessing: Rather than being afraid of what spiritual forces are out to get us, should we not go with the attitude of being a blessing, of bringing the light, love, prayer, presence of God with us and partner with God in showing love and letting God's love drive the fear out of us?
Celebrating what we hold in common: commitment is becoming rarer in our society, a wedding which is a public commitment, a declaration of intent and a set of vows/promises made -should not such a rash move of selflessness and hope in the face of our cynical world be celebrated and witnessed, whatever culture or religion it is taking place in?
Bible?
Ok I notice that all of the above is quite bible-lite... so any scriptual suggestions/examples/thoughts/principles are also welcome :)
Help me out please...
So what would you do? What would your reason(s) for going or not going be?
I find it odd that Christians have a problem with this stuff when we expect everyone in our lives to frequent Christian churches for various things (from Girl Scout meetings to weddings, counsel meetings to funerals, baptisms to first communions) all the time and get all pissy when someone of another faith doesn't want to go to a church for a mom's club meeting (for example)
also, these are false gods, gods who don't exists. So then the only thing really that you have in argument is the spiritual component and as a Christian, you have nothing to fear. (I'm not too keen on the "demon germs" theory anyway)
I wouldn't have a problem with it and would in fact embrace the opportunity but at the least, I guess if as a Christian you don't go then you need to demonstrate a consistency in what you expect of those from other faiths.
Posted by: Makeesha Fisher | 08 November 2007 at 04:18 PM
Yet how often do christians go to weddings in churches of non christians, who have no intention of really talking to Jesus, and practicing christian marriage.
Go and celebrate with them and have fun. Paul hung out at the aereopogus (sp?) with all the greek God's for a couple of weeks, and seems to have come out alive and well.
Jase
Posted by: Jason Clark | 08 November 2007 at 04:43 PM
If that's not how you think of God then...why WOULDN'T you go???
Ah, I know...because your nice neat stereotypes about other religions might get all messed up; now I can see how THAT could be a serious problem ;-)
(kidding - I don't think of you as having those sorts of stereotypes :)
Go and enjoy the interesting experience and make your family member who's getting married happy that you're there supporting him/her - and be glad you worship the God who says "don't be afraid".
Posted by: Helen | 08 November 2007 at 05:21 PM
Oops...some of my comment got lost...the beginning was
If you think of God as trembling in the corner at the thought of you being in the presence of other gods or evil spiritual forces, then, don't go.
Posted by: Helen | 08 November 2007 at 05:23 PM
Paul,
In my fundegelical days, I would have advised you to stay away. Those days are long over. Thank God.
Go and have a fabulous time. Dance. Laugh. Sing. Be the life of the party, as the Spirit who inhabits you would be.
Posted by: Bill Kinnon | 08 November 2007 at 05:31 PM
I'm with the others, go and have fun! If it makes you more comfortable say a prayer before you go and say to God that you only want to honour him etc. BUT God knows what is in your heart. (hey, you know that ;-) )
You are far better the Christian witness by going and enjoying yourself rather than being the one who frowns and stays away. It may be a good opportunity for you to get to know a bit about Hinduism and for you to share Christianity with someone, as in breaking the faith barriers, not conversion!!
Posted by: Lyn | 08 November 2007 at 06:24 PM
Go! Enjoy the day with your loved ones. Bring the love of Christ and the beauty of the one true God with you into the Hindu temple for heaven's sake. If you don't, who will? I don't mean this in a Christian soldier context either. I mean, just go and be your loving, kind, wonderful, funny self ... be the you God created you to be. That will be enough.
Posted by: sonja | 08 November 2007 at 06:35 PM
i'd go.
Posted by: maria | 08 November 2007 at 09:44 PM
I think you should go - I know I would.
Posted by: Tim | 09 November 2007 at 12:53 PM
Go and have a good time. Being in a hindu temple does not make you a hindu the same as being in a chruch does not make you a Christian...
If you come back praising ganeesh the elephant God then we will talk otherwise....:)
relax and enjoy...
Posted by: Marc | 09 November 2007 at 02:52 PM
Go, man!
Posted by: Johnny Laird | 09 November 2007 at 09:43 PM
I'm not quite sure how you could apply this but I'm sure it works somehow........1 Timothy 4:4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving
Knowing London, isn't the bigger question how long it will take you to get there and back?
Seriously though, I'd look at it as a fantastic opportunity to step into the world of people who don't know Jesus and to be like Jesus would be to those people - talk to them listen to their stories and share your stories and hang out and enjoy friends and celebrate what is good that is there.
Posted by: Duncan McFadzean | 09 November 2007 at 10:45 PM
Made a comment but it didn't show up? I'll try again.
I say go. You'll leanr a lot about Hindu weddings (which demand much less of the non-Hindu than Christian weddings), Indian culture and probably Bollywood dancing! You'll also better understand your friends and the factors that shape their wedded identity.
It's all opporuntity.
Posted by: fernando | 10 November 2007 at 09:00 AM
Thank you everyone, I really appreciate your thoughtful wisdom and advice :)
It is good to hear the thoughts of folk like you who are outside of the family situation and can be a bit more impartial...
Posted by: Paul | 11 November 2007 at 08:25 AM
Paul I'd go too. I hope you'll come back and tell us all about it! I've never even talked with anyone who's attended a Hindu wedding. We can learn from you. :-)
Posted by: cindy | 12 November 2007 at 02:42 AM
I faced similar questions in my head when someone in my family had the reception of their funeral in a Masonic hall.
I would say go because of 1 John 4:4 - you have the greater one in you, and also to show love to your friends getting married!
Posted by: Laura Anne | 12 November 2007 at 09:20 PM
have a question about the 'food' offered to idols they offer as 'prasad' to guests. Bible says not to eat.
Posted by: ms | 16 December 2007 at 04:32 PM
Thanks Ms - when i read a passage like 1 Cor 8 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=53&chapter=8&version=72 i basically get the impression that Paul wasn't too fussed about meat sacrificed to idols as what power do idols have when we know that the reality is that Jesus is Lord. However he is at pains to stress that some christians won't be mature enough to understand this so rather than insist on our right to be right he is quite clear that we should consider others first and not partake if it will hinder someone elses faith.
We didn't have a problem going to the wedding but i can understand why some members of our family did and therefore why we were v careful how we talked with them about the issues and fears they had.
Posted by: Paul | 17 December 2007 at 08:43 PM
GO! I myself am going to marry a Hindu and we are having 2 ceremonies- a catholic and Hindu. I would be totally offended if some of my friends and family did not choose to attend because of religious beliefs. Its all about respecting the couples' choice to celebrate not only thier religions but (especially with the Hindu one) to celebrate culture. Its a beautiful thing! Religions tend to pull people apart. This is pulling people together. By attending the ceremony- you wont be participating at all in a "religion" You will just be witnessing two families coming together to celebrate two people in love. FYI- At most Hindu wedding ceremonies, you can get up, walk around, get some appetizers, etc.
Also, Hindu's believe that ALL religions are true and valid paths to God. They see all religions as manifestations of the Divine into this world.
Hope this helps!
Posted by: madeli | 11 March 2008 at 06:53 AM
Thanks madeli, i did indeed go and it was good :)
Posted by: Paul | 12 March 2008 at 05:31 PM