Ali:
After offering you another point of view, I think I should also tell you that I
sympathize with you in your "encounter." ;o) Remember that priests, ministers,
rabbis, etc. are only human, although some try to act otherwise. All people
have their foibles, although many do not seem to recognize their own. I have
encountered clergy persons who are unaccustomed to having their "authority"
challenged by others, no matter how minor the challenge. These people were
easily offended and quick to show it. While demanding respect, they frequently
disrespected others. To me, that is a sign of spiritual immaturity.
On the other hand, some simply have unwavering convictions about God, sacred
things, places, rituals and decorum. They respect religious traditions and
render reverence where it is deemed appropriate. Such ministers generally
expect no less from people in their congregations and/or religious services.
For them religious decorum is an appropriate subject for instruction, both
corporately and individually. Such a priest would expect anyone to follow the
rules once they had been explained and feel disappointed if that was not the
case. You can speculate as to which type of priest you encountered. ;o)
I will say that if that is the only thing that went wrong on your first
Christian church wedding, you did quite well. I can just imagine what I would
need to know to photograph a wedding for a different faith group. I'd need to
know a lot more than where to stand to take the photos. And just think, you may
never be in that church or see that priest again. So, as the saying goes,
"Don't worry; be happy!"
Robert
----- Original Message -----
From: Ali Shah <alizookoman@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [OM] Re: 1st traditional wedding shoot
>
> Rob,
>
> I understand completely!! I just didnt know the rules
> and I completely understood the Priest's point of view
> that this is not a circus but a religious ceremony. As
> I would normally do photographing or not....I
> completely respected the ceremony and out of respect
> during prayers and such...I did not take photos. I sat
> and stood as the Priest indicated and I prayed as the
> Priest indicated during the ceremony.
>
> I also misunderstood "Sanctuary", which to me meant
> behind the alter. After the 1st warning, there was a
> space between the alter and the place where the bride
> and groom were kneeling. I thought that was safe but
> apparently that is also off limits. Later on I was
> taking photos on the 1st step leading up to the
> "Sanctuary" and that also was off limits. After that
> warning I stayed away!
>
Were you in those locations during or after the ceremony? If during, the
objections may have had more to do with the ceremony than the location(s). Were
the restrictions still valid after the ceremony? If so, in that tradition the
entire altar area is probably off limits to all but the priest and assistants.
>
> However, there is still a gentle way of telling
> someone...not threatening to kick the person out!!
>
Did he threaten to toss you out at the first "offense," or after the subsequent
ones? Perhaps he thought that after two warnings were followed by a third
offense you were simply ignoring him. So, he brought out the "big guns" and
threatened you by reminding you that he could have done worse than a mere
reprimand. (An idle threat, no doubt. I doubt that he would have done anything
to spoil the wedding. He wouldn't want to incur the wrath of the bride, groom
and their respective families.)
I had a seminary professor who used to say, "The first time I tell a student
something, I speak softly. If they don't hear me, the second time I speak
louder. If they don't hear me when I speak louder, they always hear me when I
grade them." Do you think the priest's response was a "grade"of your perceived
cooperation? ;o)
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