Here’s an opportunity
Our pals at the BBC (via Warren Ellis) tell me that:
With a rise in the popularity of Christian-style weddings in Japan, some Westerners are finding they can make a lucrative living by acting as priests.
Rod, Sam, you listening?
November 4th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
I was offered a side job doing that about six months after arriving here (e.g., spring 2004?). You can make something like six hundred bucks for standing up front dressed in priest’s robes, grooming properly, and reciting a few lines in Japanese.
I turned it down. No, it wasn’t the grooming that was a problem (for six hundred bucks, I’ll groom). I’m not comfortable with the idea of impersonating a priest. I respect sincere religious beliefs too much to be out messing with them. You want a priest, get one. You want a shaman, get one. But don’t be using an imitation just because you like the fairy tale cathedral wedding look.
November 4th, 2006 at 6:18 pm
You turning down the gig is fine with me. I’d probably do the same if I thought there was a chance I’d offend a sincere Christian, but I don’t see how you can be perturbed with people wanting window dressing for their weddings.
That would mean that you’re requiring the people having the wedding to respect others’ religion. While that’s always nice, I don’t think you can require it. I mean if these hypothetical celebrants don’t respect others’ beliefs, you’d be requiring hypocrisy of them.