The Ching Ming Festival (2)
(The following is an edited email correspondence.)
Thus, there are biblical reasons why we respectfully treat and bury a person’s body after his soul has departed from it. Because of what the Bible teaches about the present and future roles of the body, we do not just throw a dead human body into a dumpster or feed it to animals, which might seem more convenient and practical. Rather, we treat it in a way that is consistent with its important role in the present life, and with our anticipation of the future resurrection and judgment.
It is true that God can produce a body even if it has been cremated or fed to animals, so we are not trying to make the task of resurrection easier on Omnipotence — not at all! Rather, among other biblical reasons, the proper treatment and burial of the body is a sign of the believer’s anticipation of the resurrection and the judgment.
It is with this biblical understanding of the constitution of the human person, of the importance of the body, and of the anticipation of the resurrection and the judgment, that we should formulate beliefs, practices, and traditions allowed and encouraged for Christians, and also evaluate those that are related to the Ching Ming Festival.
It is possible to treat and bury the body well, care for the grave site, and even mourn for the dead, without being idolatrous or superstitious. We can do these things in memory of the person and in faith toward God, without violating the teachings of the Bible. That said, we must be careful not to venture into unbiblical thinking and practices while we perform something that ought to be biblical when properly performed.
For example, there is a great difference between speaking fondly of the deceased person and speaking fondly to the deceased person — it is the difference between holy conversation and necromancy. So while we mourn for the dead and weep for our loss, we must not say anything that directly addresses the deceased person, or to say anything with the belief that the deceased person can hear us. In addition, we should not direct to the deceased person any semblance of worship, such as bowing at his grave site, or offering incense and various sacrifices.
As a side note, it follows from the above that the Catholic veneration of saints and of Mary is nothing short of necromancy. It is an abomination to be condemned in the harshest and most extreme terms. To be a Catholic is to be a necromancer.
Also, consider the practice of requesting forgiveness from or granting forgiveness to the dead as a psychological exercise. This is recommended by some psychologists and "Christian" counselors as a way to deal with "unresolved issues" between the living and the deceased, that is, for the psychological benefit and relief of the counselee. But it is also necromancy. Granted, it might be a weak form of necromancy, without spectacular demonic displays and immediate catastrophic effects, but the principle is the same. Any unresolved issues can and must be addressed between the Christian and his God.
Now that we have considered the relevant biblical teachings, it appears that the Ching Ming question has already been mostly answered. It only remains for us to make some specific applications.
In general, we must not participate in anything that even implies our agreement with idolatrous, superstitious, and unbiblical beliefs. But it seems impossible to participate in Ching Ming and avoid making such an implication at the same time, that is, unless you were to constantly declare your opposition to every unbiblical belief and practice performed throughout the entire day to your family members and to other people around you.
I agree that it is mentally and physically possible to avoid all unbiblical beliefs and practices even if you were to accompany your family to the grave site on Ching Ming, but the issue is not always what you are thinking and doing, but the impression that you are giving other people, and the inferences that you are allowing them to make (1 Corinthians 8:4–13; 10:19–33).
Thus consider the things that you must avoid and refuse — you must not even help your family carry the idolatrous items to the grave site, or help them light the fire for burning the sacrifices, and you must not even stand beside your family members in a way that implies your approval as they offer idolatrous worship and practice necromancy. This overt defiance against Ching Ming will generate great offense, but anything less than this would be compromise.
Just as you must not behave around a statue of Buddha in a way that implies belief in its reality or power — such as bowing to it or taking off your shoes — you must not attend to someone’s grave in a way or in a context that implies belief in or compromise with unbiblical ideas. However, consistent with the biblical teachings that we have considered above, there is nothing wrong with attending to someone’s grave in itself — such as pulling weeds around it and cleaning the tomb stone. What I am saying is that it is difficult to do all of this on Ching Ming without implying that you are performing more than a practical procedure and with a biblical mentality.
Therefore, unless you can find some way to clearly establish your opposition to the idolatry and superstitions associated with Ching Ming, it is best to abstain from all participation.
In some cases, this stance might lead to intense conflicts with your family members. There are some things that you can do to reduce these conflicts. For example, you might suggest that you will visit the grave site alone or with your family on another day, so that you do not appear to be scorning the very memory of your ancestors. Of course, even then, you must distance yourself from all unbiblical practices when you are at the grave site.
Also, you must explain the biblical reasons for abstaining from these practices, and expound the gospel to your family. Sometimes, especially after your repeated pleas against idolatry and superstition have been ignored or even rebuked, it might be appropriate to forcefully renounce the idolatrous traditions and harshly condemn your relatives for these abominable beliefs and practices.
You are in a position to do this especially if you have moved away from your parents and have become the head of your own household. In fact, as the head of your own household, you have tremendous authority, which you must exercise to enforce biblical precepts in the home and to protect it from spiritual invaders.
Many men cower before their own parents and their in-laws even over religious matters that affect their wives and children. Oh, what cowards! Once you become the head of your house, you have the full authority to establish a Christian home and to keep out every abomination. Your parents and your in-laws must now interact with your family on your terms — that is, on biblical terms — and if they refuse, you have the full authority to cut them off. So don't whine and grumble when your unbelieving relatives vex your soul, oppress your wife, and mislead your children. You can stop all of that — TODAY.
(Am I the only one who knows this or dares to speak this way? This aspect of the husband's authority — and duty — is rarely taught. It needs to be taught because the husband needs to exercise it, the wife needs to submit to it, and the couple ought to know about it before they get married in the first place. In addition, this authority and responsibility must be specified and acknowledged by both parties in the marriage vow. Now, the husband has the authority whether or not it is taught or acknowledged beforehand, but learning and acknowledging it before marriage help to avoid problems later.)
Whatever you do, unless you compromise your faith or unless your family converts, there will always be conflict and persecution (Matthew 10:34–39; 2 Corinthians 6:14–18). We must not fear this, but boldly confront it with joy, zeal, and hope.
(end of series)
Recommended:
Vincent Cheung, Systematic Theology
Vincent Cheung, Godliness with Contentment
Gordon Clark, The Biblical Doctrine of Man
Loraine Boettner, Immortality
Robert Morey, Death and the Afterlife
June 11 2005 | Spirituality, Theology