Ok, maybe it’s just me. But if they want a white church wedding, why is this such a sacrilege? It doesn’t seem any different to me than many destination weddings that Americans plan (ie, Bahamas, Jamaica, etc). I know an English couple who traveled to Texas for their wedding, wanting the whole American cowboy theme. And I know many people that have no affiliation with any church but have a white church wedding, finding whatever church and pastor is available for that date.
So what’s the difference?
So what’s the difference?
Not a lot actually. However up to now, the English have had a little more decorum in this than Americans. Most of what you describe, I'd call sacrilegious too. (If people put HALF the effort into the marriage as they do a wedding, our divorce rate would be cut in half.)
The Church I go to requires counseling and a course--and typically membership too--before the pastors will marry anyone. Why? Marriage is serious business, and a church wedding shouldn't ever be for sale, period.
I don't find it surprising at all that this "pastor" is happy to sell weddings to non-Christian foreigners. His "joining" of homosexuals shows he hasn't the foggiest what marriage is about anyway.
The difference is that the people who go to the Bahamas and get married in a Christian service are taking a holy oath before God and witnesses. They may be wearing snorkels or parachutes when they do it, but they believe in the service and in the vows they are taking. Those vows are ancient, created by the church fathers of a church that serves the One God, and they have meaning.
These Japanese tourists do not believe. They are not Christians. Our holy traditions and institutions are just decorations for them. They are not taking vows they believe to be holy, in the Name of Christ the Son of God; they don’t believe in Him. Yes, this is blasphemous and wicked.