It's not a nazi salute; it's a blessing.

Yeah, extending their hands for blessings and actually not a nazi salute.

Please give us more info on what was going on here

Really? I grew up with hand raising in worship. Not just Pentecostles either. Even the Catholics worshipped this way.

Even in weddings.

Never been to a music concert? These folks do the same thing, but for God.

I know the OP wants to turn this into some kind of Nazi salute thing but those people are raising there hands in worship. Not saluting a swastika.

Wait you guys don't hail the lord?

To be clear, I know it’s not a Nazi salute and a blessing, but found it off putting. Should probably change how they give blessings imo

Are you a Baptist? Pretty much all other Christians do this.

The hands add more God-Power!!

It’s not uncommon and not related to a seig heil.

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Something tells me you find a lot about Christianity off putting if you are posting on Reddit about it.

Congratulations on your first church.

They're projecting Jesus energy

It’s not heil Hitler. 😂 it is simply hand to God.

I just don’t go to Church, this was all news to me.

My Lutheran church growing up did not. I occasionally saw this if I visited an evangelical friends youth group or something, but the arm was always bent like the lady in the grey coat, I never saw anyone do a full arm extension.

I grew up Catholic, but haven’t practiced for a long time. Not that I don’t believe you but, this was all news to me.

I just had never seen this type of blessing before

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I realize that, just never saw it before

I’d be curious to see if OP would ever post criticisms of a Muslim or Hindu wedding, but something tells me they never would. Probably because there isn’t internet clout for criticizing non Christian.

I honestly think most religions are problematic, I was raised Catholic and just never saw this type of blessing before

Or you should just mellow out a bit.

Did my response seem enraged?

I grew up Catholic, never saw this before. Given I haven’t been in a few years.

Yeah, but there is a difference between having an opinion, and actually going to a service, taking photos and of people without their consent, and posting it for internet clout.

Don't worry. I've been to Catholic school growing up and didn't know this existed until I met my husband who's Baptist. Basically if you can't touch the person to bless them, you raise your palm in their direction to bless them from a distance. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

You took a pic of them without their permission & posted it on Reddit, so you clearly feel it's a big deal.

Think I’ve seen it in a few Lutheran churches I’ve attended. Not sure my current Lutheran church does that. It was often to bless whoever was up there. I’m not sure I like it because it never felt natural to me. I guess if the spirit moves someone it’s okay. But I’ve never been comfortable with outward expressions of faith. Faith to me is something that’s private and expressions of it should be service to others.

Not enraged, but unnecessarily disturbed, tbh.

"An entirely different church, which I have literally no experience or exposure to, should change their expressions that they've literally done for a long time because I'm the one who suddenly, with no prompting or reason whatsoever, decided it looked like Nazism's heil gesture."

It was a wedding, so many pictures were being taken. I just found it odd. Clearly people feel strongly about it

Swatstika had a different meaning before Nazi but you don’t see it being used in that manor before. I’m sorry to have offended you so deeply by me being exposed to this for the first time.

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You've never seen a "laying of hands" prayer before? Say whaaaaaaaaaat? To quote Gandhi.

Haha I’m getting downvoted like crazy on this post, but yeah I promise I’ve never seen this before. Caught me off guard.

People are jumping to all sorts of conclusions because of the supposed hairy nature of the post. Perhaps when posting pictures of congregation thoughts should be more clear as to what you're trying to post instead of inviting discourse to sit at the head.

You live and you learn I suppose

Yup. Lessons are hard. Real life lessons hit harder though. All you have to worry about is a little dip in internet points. Can't be too bad.

Lol definitely don’t care about Reddit points. More interested by how defensive people were. While I understand gestures can have multiple meanings, this one has a strong connotation with Nazis, however Christians still (seemingly) stand firmly behind it and use it regularly for their own meaning.

Every symbol that matters is one appropriated and turned towards another cause. The swastika itself is a Hindu or Buddhist (don't know which.) Symbol for the sun, which was taken and turned 45°. I'm surprised there hasn't been a movement that used the banded axe that Mussolini touted and turned it into some kind of rallying symbol for the people... Perhaps it's too complex of a symbol? Perhaps it hasn't been used because an axe head is too violent for the sensibilities of the common folk. Many things to consider when gathering people under a cause.

You should delete the post instead of replying over and over that you get you were mistaken

I think the discourse is good

Right, the Swatstika is a great example. Appropriated by Nazis and I feel no longer used by Hindu/Buddhists bc of the connotation

Is that a german church?

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For some reason, we had to do the same thing in my private schools church. At the end of mass they would bring up the kids that had birthdays in the week and we would have to do this whole salute for some reason.

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