Christian marriage becoming more popular in Japan

[Momo-P]

[quote]In keeping with the newest trends, the youth in Japan are more and more opting for foreign, and sometimes even vaguely Christian pastors to officiate at their wedding ceremonies.

The foreign wedding business is booming in Japan. Oddly, even though Christians number only 1% of Japan’s total population, renting a pastor to perform a Christian-style wedding comprises about 60% of all nuptials.

“Christianity is a foreign religion in Japan. It is an image thing, similar to thinking: If you want your pipes fixed, you get a plumber and not a trash collector,â€

[armeck]

cool! i am really looking forward to there being alot of christians in japan

[rocklobster]

hey the grace works whether they believe or not. Boy will they be surprised to be in Heaven!

[Nate]

hey the grace works whether they believe or not. Boy will they be surprised to be in Heaven!

[FukuokaGirl]

LOLWUT
Pear and I concur...

haha XD
(never thought I'd see the day I'd say that!)

[KhakiBlueSocks]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]Am I the only one who's planning on getting married at the Justice of the Peace if this economy keeps up?[/color][/SIZE][/font]

[sharien chan]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]Am I the only one who's planning on getting married at the Justice of the Peace if this economy keeps up?[/color][/SIZE][/font]

I'm getting married in June and the only reason I'm having a "real" wedding is because people have been coming out of the woodwork to make it a great day for me and my fiance. It also helps that Chibiphonebooth's dad is my priest and therefore performing the ceremony. Praise God!

[ShiroiHikari]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]Am I the only one who's planning on getting married at the Justice of the Peace if this economy keeps up?[/color][/SIZE][/font]

I got married at the courthouse

I think Japanese people see Christianity in the same way we see Eastern religions: somewhat mysterious and "cool".

[Roy Mustang]

I think Japanese people see Christianity in the same way we see Eastern religions: somewhat mysterious and "cool".

Agreed. I'm not really for this, if they just doing the Christian wedding as nothing more then an image.

[font="Book Antiqua"]
[color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[Amzi Live]

Well,maybe we might be "In" when we go to Japan then. XD
Pitty,if they think Christian ceremonies are cool,it's sad to think that they are missing the really good part.

[Paul]

I heard it said once: "If you keep going to a barber shop, sooner or later you're going to get a hair cut."

The Japanese always have thought the things America does is cool and models after them. That is why we see alot of Judeo Christian themed manga and anime out there but when it comes down to it, they seemed to miss the point. None the less, it's still cool. Perhaps the inclusion of "Christian Themed" weddings might instill in them the seeds of faith, or perhaps churn the ground into good soil for planting the Word in them.

When Christianity over took Rome and it became a Christain based faith and not what they were doing before, it happened in small steps over time. I for the wedding. Would love to be there to see it if I could.

[Azier the Swordsman]

hey the grace works whether they believe or not. Boy will they be surprised to be in Heaven!

So because they have a Christian wedding you think they will get to go to heaven? That's like saying if I get married at a Buddhist ceremony I'm going to hell.

Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father except through me."

Believing in Christ and his sacrifice is the only way to get to heaven. Attending a Christian ceremony does not get you to heaven.

Just because you go to a church does not mean you will get to heaven.

Remember the parable Jesus told about the great wedding feast where a man was found without wedding clothes and he was cast out?

You can attend a Christian church service and not be saved. For it is not the act of attending church that saves you.

Jesus says, "On that day many will say, 'Lord, Lord, did we not do great works and cast out demons in your name?' And God will say, 'I never knew you. Be departed from me.'"

Paul said that it is not our works that save us but our faith in Jesus Christ.

So, no. These people will not be pleasantly surprised to find themselves in heaven one day unless they believe in Jesus Christ and accept him as their savior.

[Midori]

I think that it's good that people see Christian rituals as being cool...because Christian rituals are cool.

[KumaruRockz]

Azier. I have a lot of respect for you right now. That was 100% correct right there. Nj

[Fantasy Dreamer]

hey the grace works whether they believe or not. Boy will they be surprised to be in Heaven!

Agreed. Rock... what!?

Agreed. I'm not really for this, if they just doing the Christian wedding as nothing more then an image.

[font="Book Antiqua"]
[color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

also agreed.

So because they have a Christian wedding you think they will get to go to heaven? That's like saying if I get married at a Buddhist ceremony I'm going to hell.

Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father except through me."

Believing in Christ and his sacrifice is the only way to get to heaven. Attending a Christian ceremony does not get you to heaven.

Just because you go to a church does not mean you will get to heaven.

Remember the parable Jesus told about the great wedding feast where a man was found without wedding clothes and he was cast out?

You can attend a Christian church service and not be saved. For it is not the act of attending church that saves you.

Jesus says, "On that day many will say, 'Lord, Lord, did we not do great works and cast out demons in your name?' And God will say, 'I never knew you. Be departed from me.'"

Paul said that it is not our works that save us but our faith in Jesus Christ.

So, no. These people will not be pleasantly surprised to find themselves in heaven one day unless they believe in Jesus Christ and accept him as their savior.

Amen! Thanks, Azier. That needed to be said.

[FukuokaGirl]

I do think it's a shame the Japanese have turned something so sacred and special into a material showpiece. And I certainly do not agree that simply and absentmindedly preforming a ritual will bring you into understanding with God or somehow garner His grace for you.

However, I do want to look at the bright side of this a bit. I'll share from my own personal examples. Some of my dearest and best friends are Japanese. (Not as in they are of Japanese ethnicity but grew up Americanized in the States. I mean, they have only been in America for a few years)
My friends do not profess any religion whatsoever, though we've been able to discuss Shinto and Buddhism together. Through American holidays, particularly Christmas and Holy Week, there have been so many questions raised by them. They are immensely curious to find out more about it. These moments have come through simply Christmas shopping together and passing chocolate crosses. I hope that through these symbols, rituals, and traditions that pervade our culture, I will continue to have opportunity to express the TRUTH behind the ceremony that transcends into my everyday life... and that can have a profound influence in theirs should they let it.

[ShiroiHikari]

I personally think the soil in Japan is fertile, if you take my meaning.

[Nate]

Is that some kind of euphemism?

[ShiroiHikari]

It is but not in the way you're probably thinking XD I mean that Japanese people, especially younger ones, are probably a lot more open to the idea of Christianity now than they have been before.

[nevia]

Agreed. I'm not really for this, if they just doing the Christian wedding as nothing more then an image.

[font="Book Antiqua"]
[color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

So because they have a Christian wedding you think they will get to go to heaven? That's like saying if I get married at a Buddhist ceremony I'm going to hell.

Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father except through me."

Believing in Christ and his sacrifice is the only way to get to heaven. Attending a Christian ceremony does not get you to heaven.

Just because you go to a church does not mean you will get to heaven.

Remember the parable Jesus told about the great wedding feast where a man was found without wedding clothes and he was cast out?

You can attend a Christian church service and not be saved. For it is not the act of attending church that saves you.

Jesus says, "On that day many will say, 'Lord, Lord, did we not do great works and cast out demons in your name?' And God will say, 'I never knew you. Be departed from me.'"

Paul said that it is not our works that save us but our faith in Jesus Christ.

So, no. These people will not be pleasantly surprised to find themselves in heaven one day unless they believe in Jesus Christ and accept him as their savior.

I agree

[Maxim]

This is nothing really new, nor is it only happening in Japan. I watched a documentary at some time that showed Chinese couples doing Western-style marriages as well.

I don't believe it has anything to do with the fact they think the Christian religion is "cool". From what I can remember from the documentary, the young couples were excited to be emulating Western people, particularly Hollywood starlets. It had little to do with religion and more to do with wearing glamourous white dresses.

I have to say I disagree with most of the posts here. I find the Shinto marriage ceremony in particular to be lovely and full of symbolism, and it bothers me a bit that it's not performed as often. However, this is all part of a larger trend in Asia, in which traditional culture is unpopular and anything Western/American is all the rage.

[ShiroiHikari]

You could say the same thing about America. Traditional American culture is considered "old" and lots of young people are doing things different.

[Fish and Chips]

Actually, the popularity of Western-style marriage is probably a negative point. They're so wrapped up in the pomp and circumstance of the occasion and the ceremony that the actual significance of this is lost on them. They consider it a spectacle, not something of substance. That is a very dangerous thing.

[Momo-P]

Actually, the popularity of Western-style marriage is probably a negative point. They're so wrapped up in the pomp and circumstance of the occasion and the ceremony that the actual significance of this is lost on them. They consider it a spectacle, not something of substance. That is a very dangerous thing.

Ya, but you can't just assume that's true with every Japanese couple. Plus any of them that do hire a pastor? Do you honestly think they're not going to sit the couple down and talk things over with them? You have to do that when you have a regular wedding, but technically it does give many chances for things to be mentioned and brought up. I don't see how they're going to be "caught up in the pomp and circumstance" when they're not even at the actual wedding and the pastor is seriously discussing religion with them. I mean he would have to ask if they were Christians, what type of wedding they wanted, why, etc. Just because your excited about an event doesn't mean you can't maintain yourself before hand.

[Radical Dreamer]

Ya, but you can't just assume that's true with every Japanese couple. Plus any of them that do hire a pastor? Do you honestly think they're not going to sit the couple down and talk things over with them? You have to do that when you have a regular wedding, but technically it does give many chances for things to be mentioned and brought up. I don't see how they're going to be "caught up in the pomp and circumstance" when they're not even at the actual wedding and the pastor is seriously discussing religion with them. I mean he would have to ask if they were Christians, what type of wedding they wanted, why, etc. Just because your excited about an event doesn't mean you can't maintain yourself before hand.

That being said, though, how many Americans get caught up in the pomp and circumstance of a traditional wedding and/or aren't really Christians? I'm betting the number is higher than we might think, making it really no different for us than it is for them. I'm not saying it doesn't have the potential to plant seeds in people, but honestly, this really isn't much different than an agnostic American girl wanting a traditional church wedding for lack of a better venue.

[LadyRushia]

That being said, though, how many Americans get caught up in the pomp and circumstance of a traditional wedding and/or aren't really Christians? I'm betting the number is higher than we might think, making it really no different for us than it is for them. I'm not saying it doesn't have the potential to plant seeds in people, but honestly, this really isn't much different than an agnostic American girl wanting a traditional church wedding for lack of a better venue.

Quoted for trufax.

[Kintaro]

It is but not in the way you're probably thinking XD I mean that Japanese people, especially younger ones, are probably a lot more open to the idea of Christianity now than they have been before.

Hm... Maybe as more time passes. After WWII though, as they lost belief in the deity of there emperor that made it very difficult for them to trust any god.

[Fish and Chips]

I don't see how they're going to be "caught up in the pomp and circumstance" when they're not even at the actual wedding and the pastor is seriously discussing religion with them.

Except that that's entirely the reason they're doing it. A pastor is little more than a novelty item to them. They're going through the motions because they think it's exotic, or modern, or Western. They aren't renting pastors for religious conversation, they're just seen as part of the complete package.

[armeck]

So because they have a Christian wedding you think they will get to go to heaven? That's like saying if I get married at a Buddhist ceremony I'm going to hell.

Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father except through me."

Believing in Christ and his sacrifice is the only way to get to heaven. Attending a Christian ceremony does not get you to heaven.

Just because you go to a church does not mean you will get to heaven.

Remember the parable Jesus told about the great wedding feast where a man was found without wedding clothes and he was cast out?

You can attend a Christian church service and not be saved. For it is not the act of attending church that saves you.

Jesus says, "On that day many will say, 'Lord, Lord, did we not do great works and cast out demons in your name?' And God will say, 'I never knew you. Be departed from me.'"

Paul said that it is not our works that save us but our faith in Jesus Christ.

So, no. These people will not be pleasantly surprised to find themselves in heaven one day unless they believe in Jesus Christ and accept him as their savior.

that is right!!!!!!!!! christians are becoming apathetic and forgetting that people who don't believe are eternally doomed! we have to tell people the good news!!!

[Fish and Chips]

that is right!!!!!!!!! christians are becoming apathetic and forgetting that people who don't believe are eternally doomed! we have to tell people the good news!!!

I don't think you have enough exclamation points.