Posted on 07/02/2008 8:18:28 AM PDT by delacoert
Wedding customs of the faithful range from solemn to colorful
In the big picture of life, all weddings are the same — they're about two people joining their lives (and families) together.
But, of course, all weddings are a little bit different, too, based on the couple's background and preferences.
Those who opt for a civil ceremony might want a simple exchange of vows at the county courthouse or an elaborate gathering with the wedding party dressed in period costumes.
Protestant weddings also can vary, depending on the denomination, church and officiating clergy.
Some faiths (Catholic) have a lot of rules about how the service should look, while others (Muslim) can vary greatly depending on the couple's cultural background. Some weddings involve wine (Jewish), some involve fire (Hindu), and some faiths consider their wedding vows as enduring not just on Earth, but into the afterlife (Mormon).
Here's what Tri-State residents had to say about what weddings are like within their faith.
Catholic
Catholic weddings differ from Protestant ceremonies in a few key ways.
For one thing, they're usually longer, says Matt Miller, director of the Catholic Diocese of Evansville's office of worship.
A full Catholic wedding that includes Mass, Miller said, may last 60 to 90 minutes.
Typically, the couple and their wedding party sits and kneels along with everyone else during the Mass, then stands while exchanging vows.
Unless there are extraordinary circumstances that would prevent it, Catholic weddings always take place in a Catholic Church.
Often, Miller said, couples opt to show devotion to a saint during the wedding ceremony — perhaps by offering flowers before a statue of that saint. Mary is usually chosen, Miller said, because of "her example of selfless service and total giving over to another."
Because of the religious component of the wedding, the wedding processional includes not just the bride and her attendants, but also the priest and other ministers who officiate.
Jewish
Jewish weddings actually involve two separate ceremonies. The first is an engagement ceremony, followed by the wedding ceremony.
During each ceremony, the couple sips wine from a shared cup as a symbol of their union.
"They use sweet wine so that from now on, they will be sharing life's sweetness," said Rabbi Barry Friedman of Temple Adath B'nai Israel.
The back-to-back ceremonies are a modification of ancient Jewish custom in which the engagement ceremony — considered a binding arrangement breakable only by divorce — took place a full year before the wedding ceremony.
Jewish weddings also incorporate physical symbols of the couple's future life together.
During the ceremony the couple stands under a canopy called a chuppah which symbolizes their first shared home.
At the end of the ceremony, the groom breaks a glass under his foot. This action has many possible meanings, Friedman said, but it's often understood to represent both the destruction of the Jerusalem temple and the fact that life contains both sorrow and happy times.
Muslim
Muslims hail from many different countries, so their wedding customs can vary greatly depending on where the couple live.
"There's no particular 'Muslim wedding' because the culture is so diverse," said Bushra Saqib of Carmi, Ill., a member of the Islamic Society of Evansville.
For instance, Saqib said, in her native country of Pakistan, red is a popular color for brides, while Middle Eastern Muslim brides often wear white wedding dresses.
That said, there are some commonalities among all Muslim weddings.
Islam does not have clergy as some other faiths do, so weddings can be performed by any Muslim with good standing in the community.
Saqib's husband, Zahid, a physician, has officiated at a number of Muslim weddings.
Before the ceremony, the bride's family and the groom's family meet to come up with a marriage contract that both bride and groom will sign during the wedding ceremony.
The groom is required to provide his bride with a gift, Zahid Saqib said, and this is detailed in the contract. Other elements of the contract may stipulate the standard of living the husband will provide, the amount of housework the wife will do and where they will live.
"You can actually put down anything in the contract. It's up to the people to decide," Zahid Saqib said.
The bride should have her father or another man with good community standing give her away, and the wedding must include at least two witnesses.
Mormon
In the five-plus years that Sam Rogers has served as bishop of the Newburgh ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he's officiated at only a few local weddings.
That's in large part because of the church's beliefs about marriage.
The church teaches that the marriage bond can endure into the afterlife, but only if the couple have their marriage sealed in a Mormon temple. The church's ideal is for couples to marry and be sealed in a temple, and Rogers estimated that the vast majority of active Mormons opt to marry inside a temple. (Indiana has no Mormon temples, but Louisville, Ky., and St. Louis do.)
Rogers said the church does not reveal details of the sealing ceremony because of its sacred nature, and even among Mormons not everyone can enter the temple.
To qualify for temple admission, a person must answer questions posed by local church officials to determine if the person is living in accordance with church teachings. If the person gains the officials' approval, he or she receives a "temple recommend" that is valid for two years.
Those who marry in a local Mormon church typically must wait a year before being sealed in a temple, Rogers said.
Local church weddings are usually simple and relatively brief.
"It's a pretty low-key ceremony that we feel like invites the spirit to attend," Rogers said.
Hindu
Hindu weddings include many customs not seen in other faiths.
"Hindu wedding is different from other weddings," said Sushma Jain of Evansville, a member of the Tri-State's Hindu community.
The marriage may be arranged — Jain and her husband, K.C., have three daughters who all chose an arranged marriage — but tradition is shifting, and more and more young people opt to choose their own spouses.
The wedding takes place in front of a sacred fire that represents the deity Agni. Agni is also considered to be the principal witness to the ceremony. As part of the ceremony, the couple walk around the fire several times.
Another important part of the ceremony occurs when the bride's parents place her right hand in the groom's right hand as a symbol of the couple's coming together.
Hindu theology includes many deities, but at weddings worship is focused on Ganesh because he is associated with good luck and the removal of obstacles.
Among the other wedding traditions are several formal greetings exchanged by different members of the bride's and groom's families.
This custom, Jain said, shows that a wedding unites more than just the bride and groom.
"The wedding is not boy and girl. The wedding is between both the families," she said.
Beautiful pictures. Congratulations!
Okay, so you can cut and paste directly from Wikipedia, but I don't understand what your are trying say. What question does this answer? What perspective does this quote bring?
My sister was married a few years ago in a church wedding, in the chapel. Her former bishop (and then stake president) performed the ceremony. It was beautiful. The reception was lovely too. That was one of the happiest days of her life, marrying a man who loved her unconditionally. I’ve never seen a man cry throughout the ceremony, but he did that night. My sister didn’t cry, but she had the look on her face that was “I’m not going to cry.”
As I said, you prayed about Mormonism. When you prayed, which church was His?
From CC “You are correct, and Christ promised that it would stand - that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it”.
It was in response to that. Not that hard to figure out really.
Acts 5Interesting how the Apostles were teaching in the temple after Christ died. An angel came from heaven and commanded them to do so. (Bolding is mine)
(Preface) Ananias and Sapphira lie to the Lord and lose their lives—Apostles continue the miracles of Jesus—Peter and John are arrested; an angel delivers them from prison; they testify of Christ—Gamaliel counsels moderation.12 ¶ And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. [My comment: the temple]
13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
17 ¶ Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. 41 ¶ And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Another passage is from Acts 2:
41 ¶ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
This would not be the first time that scenario fulfillment has had a place in the discussion
Nice passage.
It makes me wonder who the early Christians got their Temple Recommend from - Who determined if they were worthy enough to enter the Temple.....and why were the Jews still congregating there if it was such a holy and consecrated spot.
Can Jews attend your chapel? The answer of course is not until they convert and are baptized in the LDS Church by one holding the proper authority. Only then would they be eligible to enter and only if they kept the law.
What a long way your temples have come from the simple gathering place that it was in Jerusalem. Now one must prove their worthiness in order to attend, and a 10% tithe is one of the requirements.
During his visit to Europe, President Smith made an important prophetic statement. At a 1906 conference in Bern, Switzerland, he stretched out his hands and declared: “The time will come when this land will be dotted with temples, where you can go and redeem your dead.” He also explained that “Temples of God . . . will be reared in diverse countries of the world.” The first Latter-day Saint temple in Europe was dedicated nearly a half century later in a suburb of the city where President Smith had made his prophecy. President Smith recognized the need for temples to bless Church members living outside of Utah: “They need the same privileges that we do, and that we enjoy, but these are out of their power. They are poor, and they can’t gather means to come up here to be endowed, and sealed for time and eternity, for their living and their dead.”19 The first of these new temples was located in Cardston, Alberta, Canada. President Joseph F. Smith dedicated the site in 1913. In 1915 he dedicated a site for a temple in Laie, Hawaii, where he had served as a missionary many years before. Both temples were dedicated following his death.You live in the Salt Lake valley. I can see 2 temples driving home every night from work (Draper and the Oquirrh temple, both still under construction.) After I drive over the Point of the Mountain, I can see the American Fork temple and since I live in Provo, I can see the temple from my house. Temples are dotting the earth. And the pace of building the temples is accelerating.
The year 2000 saw 34 dedications, the most temple dedications in one year in history.Dedications of the first 50 currently operating temples spanned 120 years. The next 50 dedications spanned 3 years.
There are now 140 temples, either operating or under construction. Isn't it wonderful that people around the world have the opportunity to go to the temple, instead of having just one temple. During Christ's day and Jewish history, the Jews weren't scattered over a large geographical area.
And why did the Apostles and members of the early church continue to worship in the temple after Christ's death and resurrection?
And Christ's death on the cross was the final blood sacrifice. It did do away with the blood sacrifices in the temple.
The second way in which Mormon temples help to perfect the Saints is through the holy ordinances only offered in temples. Temple ordinances are nothing but ritualistic ceremonies performed as a way to signify covenants made between the member and God.From the scriptures:Ordinances, or sacred rituals, were common in Old Testament temples. One such ordinance was the sacrificing of animals to God. The animal sacrifice itself did nothing for the people; it served as a symbolic reminder of the sacrifice that would one day come through the Lord Jesus Christ. While the need for animal sacrifice was removed after the resurrection of Christ (the Eternal Sacrifice), the New Testament indicates that ordinances and the covenants they represented did not cease. The Gospel of Matthew provides the following account:
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:26-28).The apostles ate bread and drank wine as a symbol of the sacrifice Christ was about to make on their behalf. This same ritual, or ordinance, is practiced by many Christians to this day. The ordinance goes by many names, such as the Eucharist, the Lord's Supper, or (in the Mormon church) the Sacrament, but it is essentially the same ordinance instituted by Christ in New Testament times.Not only do ordinances remind us of an event (such as the sacrifice made by the Savior), but they are a sign of covenants made with the Lord. In religious terms, a covenant is a two-way promise between God and an individual. When a person is baptized, that person makes a covenant with the Lord to strive to follow the example of Christ and to repent of their sins. When the person keeps their part of the covenant, the Lord promises He will forgive that person of their sins when he or she confesses those sins and approaches the Lord with a sincere heart and a real desire to change.
Psalms 34:18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.Isiah 66:1&2: 1 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
3 Nephi 12:19 And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law is fulfilled.
And the people for whom the ordinances are performed have the option to accept or not accept them in the next life.
The Salt Lake temple was built in the top of the mountains, as were the Logan and Manti temples. That's a fulfillment of prophecy in the latter days.
You may call it prophetic. I call it perpetual planning. The Mormons are very good at it.
I see the many Temples dotting the Utah landscape. They are not as large or as elegant as the orginal Temples in Kirtland, Nauvoo, Salt Lake City, St. George, Manti or Logan. The latter were stone edifices made to last for centuries, the newer versions I call McTemples. One on every corner made from a cookie-cutter pattern, all with the same muted color scheme and the same Movie screen to present the sacred endowment ceremony.
I guess it is all in the eye of the beholder. As a former Mormon I am embarrassed by the facade of temporary elegance...it is simply too commercial for me. I can be with the Lord in my basement, on a mountain, in a warehouse, by the sea or in a garage. God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth...John 4:24.
Oh, my. And have you ever wondered how those who are not Mormon are able to interpret those scriptures having never heard of Salt Lake, Manti or Logan? LOL
Mormonism focuses its adherents upon edifices and organization for the same reason Jewish leaders in Christ’s day focused Jews upon the sacrifice oriented institution controlled by the leaders in Jerusalem. The insidious nature of such focus even kept James from ‘getting it’, that salvation through Jesus the Christ is by faith alone, not of works lest ‘anyman’ should boast. Are individual Mormons saved by Jesus? I have no doubt many are. But by pushing their organization and institutions as ‘the one true church’, they are diverting many from The Truth of The Soter, The Deliverer. Jesus doesn’t save after all that a ‘worker’ can do, He saves when the believer humbles and prays for deliverance from the sinful self inherited from Adam.
Typical mormon interpretation is contextually challenged. What is the context - two verses before this (verse 16) Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. (vs 17) Jesus begins to commend him for his statement of faith, then
8 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Note the conjunction - linking it to the previous - the subject being Peter's confession of faith. Since this rock is the foundation of the church, the central principle, the fundamental idea, we are aided to a correct decision by the teachings of the Word elsewhere. We learn from 1Co 3:11 "That other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." This excludes Peter or any human platform. Christ is often called a stone: (1) "the stone that the builders rejected" [Mt 21:42 Mr 12:10 Lu 20:17]; (2) "the chief corner stone" [Eph 2:20]; (3) "the stone that is the head of the corner" [Mt 21:42 Mr 12:10 Lu 20:17 Ac 4:11 1Pe 2:7]; (4) "the spiritual rock which is Christ" [1Co 10:4]. Faith in Christ held in the heart, and confessed with the lips is the very foundation of the spiritual life and of the church. This constituted the fundamental difference in apostolic days between Christians and unbelievers, the church and the world. It does still. It is the essence of the teaching of the New Testament that the platform or foundation of the Christian society, the church, is this belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (see Mt 16:16 Joh 6:69). It is then Peter's grand confession, faith in the Spiritual Rock, the faith that lays hold of Christ, belief that he is the Anointed of God, the Divine Savior, that the Lord pronounces the rock upon which he will found his church.
Prevail meaning to keep out
Can't even find a lexicon? Prevail - katischuo - 1) to be strong to another's detriment, to prevail against 2) to be superior in strength 3) to overcome 4) to prevail. No keep out implied here. Try Thayers
Once again, mormon interpretation unsupported by the real word definitions.
For Latter-day Saints the word "bind" in Matthew 16:19 is synonymous with "seal."
What doe the bible say it means psssst - hint - it is contrasted with loosening within the same verse. Bind - deo - 1) to bind tie, fasten 1a) to bind, fasten with chains, to throw into chains 1b) metaph. 1b1) Satan is said to bind a woman bent together by means of a demon, as his messenger, taking possession of the woman and preventing her from standing upright 1b2) to bind, put under obligation, of the law, duty etc. 1b2a) to be bound to one, a wife, a husband 1b3) to forbid, prohibit, declare to be illicit
The binding and loosing, as Lightfoot proves from Jewish writings, refers to instructions, doctrines, and not to persons, and the passage signifies the inspiration of the apostles to confirm or reject doctrines and customs as the Spirit should teach them. No mormon support here for that definition either.
This passage has reference to priesthood authority to perform ordinances or sacraments, such as baptism, echoing the Shepherd of Hermas’ usage of the word "seal."
Not even in the slightest. The predominant usage in Shepherd is that of a mark to authenticate or identify the item marked.
Both of the above readings are distinct possibilities. Both reconcile all the Biblical data.
Since your fundamental definitions are grossly flawed-as proven above, to say that it is a possibility or even comes anywhere near reconciling biblical data is a farce.
A literal translation of the passage reads as follows:
"You are Peter or a small stone broken from a larger rock and upon the original larger rock I will establish my church and the gates of the world of spirts, or sheol, will not be shut up against my church or overpower the dead saints." Personal translation taken from Blueletter Bible and BYU Professor Wilf Griggs
I am glad you said personal translation because the Blueletter bible in no way shape or form agrees with the intent of that translation. Of course, if you paid attention to the first part of this post, the original larger rock is Christ. And contrary to keeping the church in - in keeping with an honest interpretation of the greek in the passage - the gates of hell represent the efforts by satan to keep the gospel message away from the unsaved. Thus the way it should be personalized would read And I say to you Peter (a small stone) upon your confession of Who I AM and My authority as the founder of the church will form the foundation stone of Christianity and, satan will be unable to keep the church (the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth) from reaching the unsaved.
From 1 Peter 4:6
For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.So when Christ went to visit the spirit world after His death and resurrection, he preached His gospel to them. What good would that do if those who accepted couldn't be physically baptized? Christ required us to enter into a covenant with him through baptism, He himself was baptized by John the Baptist. And from 1 Corinthians 15:28&29
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.There are evidences of baptism for the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:29 and the Shepherd of Hermas (a text viewed by early Christians on par with Paul's epistles).29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
Additionally, writings from the historians Irenaeus and Tertullian document proxy baptisms being performed by Christians well into the 3rd century.
"So these also who had fallen asleep received the seal of the Son of God and 'entered into the kingdom of God'. . . . This seal, then, was preached to them also, and they made use of it 'to enter into the kingdom of God.'" "Why, Sir," said I, "did the 40 stones also come up with them from the deep, although they had received the seal already?" "Because," said he, "these apostles and teachers who preached the name of the Son of God, having fallen asleep in the power and faith of the Son of God, preached also to those who had fallen asleep before them, and themselves gave to them the seal of the preaching. They went down therefore with them into the water and came up again, but the latter went down alive and came up alive, while the former, who had fallen asleep before, went down dead but came up alive. Through them, therefore, they were made alive, and received the knowledge of the name of the Son of God. . . . For they had fallen asleep in righteousness and in great purity, only they had not received this seal. You have then the explanation of these things also." ~~ The Shepherd of Hermas (Book III)
“Jesus in His teaching says, “upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” What rock? Revelation.”
This is where your car skipped over the embankment and began
to careen downhill, striking most rational precepts found
in the Bible, throwing dirt on the inspired word and doing
violence as it ran over most teachings in the Bible.
And this to justify teachings from a lecherous treasure
seeker, who went after other men’s wives, and destroyed
their property.
Truly an amazing car wreck Reno. I hope you are staying
away from any sacramental wine...
A basic understanding of the principles of Biblical interpretation
would stand you well and might even get your drivers license
restored. The smouldering hulk of the wreck is another
story. I hope you have Geico.
ampu
I didn't have the wherewithal to answer that particular post from Reno. I knew there would be a knowledgeable Christian who would cut through the bologna.
My father in law has been sent home from the hospital today to die. His brain tumor has won. I will be spending some of the following nights at the home of my in-laws to help provide comfort and care during his final days.
Please cover me with prayer, and continue to cover the threads with the word of God. I am at times, soooo tired. It has been a very busy and full two weeks for me.
‘God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet; and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation; and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.’
Additionally, writings from the historians Irenaeus and Tertullian document proxy baptisms being performed by Christians well into the 3rd century.
Where those baptisms for the dead performed in the Temple? No?
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