http://declineofgenius.com/religion/ancestor-worship-is-idolatry-30102009/ ... and the decline of genius was soon followed by the corruption of taste. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:14:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://declineofgenius.com/religion/ancestor-worship-is-idolatry-30102009/#comment-281 Genius Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:47:31 +0000 http://declineofgenius.com/?p=35#comment-281 I'd be pretty careful about that, since it's not so easy for the human brain to make the distinction that the prayers are being offered <em>not</em> to a family member in the ground right there, but instead to an invisible deity in the sky. There are a lot of places where Jews shouldn't pray - like churches or temples that other religious groups use, bathrooms, etc - so cemeteries aren't unique in this regard. I’d be pretty careful about that, since it’s not so easy for the human brain to make the distinction that the prayers are being offered not to a family member in the ground right there, but instead to an invisible deity in the sky. There are a lot of places where Jews shouldn’t pray – like churches or temples that other religious groups use, bathrooms, etc – so cemeteries aren’t unique in this regard.

]]> http://declineofgenius.com/religion/ancestor-worship-is-idolatry-30102009/#comment-270 Will S. Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:50:13 +0000 http://declineofgenius.com/?p=35#comment-270 If prayer is offered to God at a graveside, in the context of a memorial service, do you consider that to fall under the definition of ancestor worship? I can certainly see how praying to a dead ancestor indeed is ancestor worship, but I've never viewed memorial services in that manner. (I'm a Christian, and religious, though while orthodox in doctrine within my tradition, somewhat heteropraxic in lifestyle, I admit.) If prayer is offered to God at a graveside, in the context of a memorial service, do you consider that to fall under the definition of ancestor worship? I can certainly see how praying to a dead ancestor indeed is ancestor worship, but I’ve never viewed memorial services in that manner. (I’m a Christian, and religious, though while orthodox in doctrine within my tradition, somewhat heteropraxic in lifestyle, I admit.)

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