Should I participate in my parents’ Hindu burial ceremonies?
Question:
Dear Sir,
I am from Malaysia. I and my whole family accepted Christ as our personal savior. We submitted ourselves to him and in due time we will be having our water baptism by our local church pastor. But my parents have not accepted Christ as they are Hindu. My parent both are quite old. My question is just in case my parents die, can I participate in the burial ceremony? As I feel this is only an outward act of mine, but my inward spirit has already submitted to the one Lord. I am really confused as I am living currently in Hindu society. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Please advise with the truth from the scripture.
Thanking you in the grace of the Lord Jesus.
Answer:
The fact that the church your currently attend puts off baptism tells me that it is not faithfully following the Scriptures. See: Should I wait to be baptized? and Why Were They Baptized so Soon?
John ends one of his letters with this warning: "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen" (I John 5:21). Hinduism is an idolatrous religion. It has nothing to offer a believer in God. "And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people." Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty"" ( II Corinthians 6:16-18).
From what I can see, the burial ceremonies are a religious practice heavy in references to Hindu belief. To participate in such ceremonies is to declare that you believe in them. To say you can do them and not believe in them is to say that you are putting on an act, which is hypocrisy.
It is hard, but a part of being a Christian is the boldness to stand for the truth, even in opposition to family. "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:37). But even better is if by your life and by your words you'll be able to convince your parents of the truth of Christ before they die.
Response:
Thank you and may the grace of the Lord be with me and reveal the truth through me to my parents. Please pray for my parents for them to accept Christ.
