Wedding expenses in Babylon
by Mahlon M. Hess, Lititz, Pa.
Sara Wenger Shenk (“I’m Getting Married in the Morning,” Jan. 8) commends couples and families for weddings that tell who they are, what matters to them. She warns against becoming carried away with pageantry, of photos becoming more important than the ceremony, of spending too much. I am grateful that she described their “hippie” wedding and the modest cost.
Two decades ago, my co-pastor and I were disappointed when a young couple, recent members from the community, went to the justice of peace to marry them. When I visited them, their straightforward answer shocked me, “We couldn’t afford a church wedding.”
Of course, the problem is bigger than how much we spend on weddings. John the Revelator called the first-century churches to “come out” of Babylon, to separate themselves from its wealth and affluent lifestyle—made available by the Roman military empire. Sad to say, our United States has become a military empire, a harlot enticing us to enjoy the “good life.” Let us help one another “come out,” return to simple lifestyles.
Associated Issue: Mennonite but not Anabaptist - Jan. 8, 2008
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