Just had a lovely chat with my mom today.
After hashing out a bunch of other business, she asked what we were up to this monday. Of course I told her we were going out to see dad.
This gave her pause because she is well aware that dad is rather deceased. She sputters 'you mean... His grave? ...'
'Why would you, I mean, you know he's not there.'
'Well, mom, it's how I show my respect. we go every year.'
She replied in a manner that I had heard many times over the years, 'well, that's just unscriptural.'
For some reason the term 'unscriptural' jumped out at me for the first time.
This term seems to suggest a mindset that operates on the principle of everything being forbidden unless specific authorization can be found allowing it. Since many of the things for which a person with such a mindset in modern times would seek to find authorization involve technology or situations that have no viable biblical corollary, authority beyond what is provided within the bible must be found.
This authority takes on an authority equal to that of scipture since it is a magnification, and extensios, of those scriptures.
Thus we find a situation that is not mentioned anywhere in the bible being refered to as 'unscriptural'.
So where would one find the 'scriptural' requirement regarding visiting a grave? What actual biblical principle would such a 'requirement' be based upon?
Ancestor worship? idolatry? Association?
More likely that the time could be better spent stomping around screeching.
So there we have it, the WT stand that unless something is specifically permitted the answer is 'no' vs the authentic Christian way that except for a few prohibitions, most things are OK unless they would stumble someone.
Annoying.
Roller