Hello,<\/p>\n
I have a few questions, I hope you don’t mind. In East Asian countries, it is customary to bow to elders and those older than you. Is this not allowed? Also, it is customary to bow to ancestors who’ve passed away at their graves. Is this not allowed as well?<\/p>\n
Thanks!<\/p>\n\t
In your region bowing is a sign of respect. In the Old Testament, older people were to be treated with respect. “You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the LORD<\/em>” (Leviticus 19:32). In their culture one stood. In your culture, you bow.<\/p>\n The graves of those who died only contain the remains of their mortal bodies. The people are not there. If the bow is merely a sign of respect to their memory, that is not a problem. If it is seen as attempting to incur the favor of those who have died, that would be wrong because the dead are no longer involved in life. “For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten<\/em>” (Ecclesiastes 9:8). They cannot come back to this world. “So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep<\/em>” (Job 14:12).<\/p>\n\t Oh, I see. I understand now. Thank you!<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: Hello, I have a few questions, I hope you don’t mind. In East Asian countries, it is customary to bow to elders and those older than you. Is this not allowed? Also, it is customary to bow to ancestors who’ve passed away at their graves. Is this not allowed as well? Thanks! Answer: In…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[109,123,776,197],"class_list":["post-41750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-death","tag-elders","tag-old-age","tag-respect"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":29183,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/jamaica-patois-wisdom-elders\/","url_meta":{"origin":41750,"position":0},"title":"Jamaica Patois Wisdom – Elders","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique, and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33798,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-it-be-should-bow-or-will-bow-in-philippians-210\/","url_meta":{"origin":41750,"position":1},"title":"Should it be “should bow” or “will bow” in Philippians 2:10?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 13, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Philippians 2:10 says that every knee \"should\" bow. I have misquoted that several times and I have heard others do the same, by saying that every knee \"will\" bow. What, in your understanding, is the text teaching? Answer: It is rendered \"will bow\" in the NASB, but reading my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54495,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-the-difference-between-praise-and-worship\/","url_meta":{"origin":41750,"position":2},"title":"What is the difference between praise and worship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I need a lesson from you about the difference between praise and worship. What is it that we mean when we say \"let's praise the Lord\" and when we say \"let's worship the Lord\"? Please help me in that area. Answer: Praise \"And she conceived again and bore a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":86253,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-bow-to-a-crucifix\/","url_meta":{"origin":41750,"position":3},"title":"Is it wrong to bow to a crucifix?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I attend a Catholic school, and because of that, I was posted to a Catholic hospital. It's mandatory to attend mass on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The priest asked me to take their reading on Friday. I tried to avoid it but all efforts proved abortive though I stood\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63896,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/jamaica-patois-wisdom-experience\/","url_meta":{"origin":41750,"position":4},"title":"Jamaica Patois Wisdom \u2013 Experience","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 4, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique, and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/old-broom-200x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":59303,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/respect\/","url_meta":{"origin":41750,"position":5},"title":"Respect (Scott)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 16, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Carey Scott \"In that day a man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel\"\u00a0(Isaiah 17:7). A quality that is lacking in our society is respect. I think everyone would acknowledge such, but few think about it. 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