On Saturday, my friend Ann, was baptized. She wanted to do it old school style in a lake. So, we jaunted off to the local water hole. It went off, more or less, without a hitch, but it was by far the oddest baptism I have ever attended.
Just as she was being dunked we noticed the posted sign stating that in this section of the lake it is forbidden to swim or be in the water. So her first act as a Christian was to break the local law!
This being a public lake, and in the free thinking land of France, many of the ladies (young and old) were bathing in the sun without a top. It was quite an odd experience to take part of a religious ceremony and then to walk a few yards and see naked breasts!
She wanted to have a picnic afterwards, and so we walked around finding a non naked spot of land in which we could lunch. Many family members were present, and being both French and non Christians they brought plenty of wine. There are no strict rules in the church against partaking in a little wine, but most American versions make a big frown at the big A(lcohol). As the wine and champagne was offered around there were a lot of red faced shakes of the head.
I thought some of the American missionaries-in-training were going to drop dead on the spot, with all of that hedonism afoot. Me, I began to think that France was finally doing something right!
themidnightcafe.org 