Participate in paganism blessings ritual?
Our daughter has left the church to practice various forms of paganism. She is getting married this fall and wants us to attend. I told her we could attend and acknowledge that she and her new husband love each other. She wants us to participate in a "blessings" ritual. Each person is invited to give the couple some sort of blessing. I asked if we could offer God's blessing and she agreed. Now I have no idea how to ask God to bless this sort of thing. Are we even right to attend? I am heartbroken over the whole thing
I am saddened to hear about your daughter’s departure from your church. God willing, through your Christian witness she can be reminded of biblical truths and then embrace them again and profess them through membership in a church like ours that proclaims Jesus Christ as Savior.
Can you attend the blessings ritual? It seems like you answered your own question. You can attend and support your daughter, unless your conscience is telling you that you would be doing wrong. Scripture warns us about acting in doubt and against our conscience (Romans 14:23).
If you attend the blessings ritual, can you participate? God tells us in his word not to participate in events like that (Romans 16:17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-16). You could explain to your daughter that you will be happy to ask God, in prayer, to bless her marriage, but not in the setting of a blessings ritual of paganism. You could ask her to respect your wishes.
You are in a challenging situation. What can help direct your actions is trying to determine how you can most lovingly and most clearly testify to others about the truths of Scripture: that Jesus Christ is Savior and there is no salvation outside him (John 14:6); that God’s word is true (John 17:17); and, that followers of Jesus hold to all of his teachings (John 8:31). I would have to ask myself if taking part in a ritual blessing with pagans (as I understand it from your question) would be a clear testimony to the truths of God’s word, or would such action be misunderstood to mean that everyone participating in the ritual blessing is imparting legitimate truth of some kind? I would not want to be sending that message.
You may wish to consult your pastor about this. I will pray for God’s blessings on you and your family.