Interesting read

[Samoon]

This is very interesting!!!!


Have you ever attended a church service and saw someone hold up a finger as they are exiting the sanctuary during the service? What does it mean?

During the slavery days when the masters took their slaves with them to
public gatherings, the slaves would always sit in the balcony. When the slave had to go to the bathroom or wanted to be excused for any other reason, they would hold their hand up and keep it up until their master acknowledged that they saw their hand and gave them permission to leave or in other words, "excused them to leave".

After the slave was given permission to leave, they would hold up one
finger as they were leaving to inform anyone that saw them leave that they had been excused. So it means that, "my Master has excused me".

That is where the "holding up one finger while leaving the Sanctuary"
carried over from. Which goes to show that you should investigate rituals before you follow them.

The next time you see someone holding up their finger, just tell them:
"It's okay to leave the plantation, you've been freed"

[RaInEdomThoughtz]

Hmm, that is interesting. I used to wonder about that when I was little.

Aint that some yit. Thought it was simply to show respect...but thinkin' 'bout it..how does holdin' up a finger convey respect? I was into church heavy (jr. deacon, choirs, youth pastor aide board, the whole 9) but I never did do that, I'd get up n' walk quietly to my destination, I figured if that aint good 'nough then...well you know.

Good read. It's crazy how much we don't know n' even crazier how much we don't know we don't know.

[darkreign]

hmmmm...the one time i attended church, the preacher said that holding up the finger meant a request for information.

[ImaJon]

I remember getting an email with this information. Having grown in the Baptist faith I don't ever recall seeing this happen as people exited during service.

In any event here's a link to Snopes that adds more about this act.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claim: The practice of raising a finger when leaving the Sanctuary originated with slaves signifying they'd received permission from their masters to absent themselves.

http://www.snopes.com/religion/finger.asp

[jimihaze]

well if that don't be all, the things our people had to put up with.

[Samoon]

Originally Posted by ImaJon

I remember getting an email with this information. Having grown in the Baptist faith I don't ever recall seeing this happen as people exited during service.

In any event here's a link to Snopes that adds more about this act.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claim: The practice of raising a finger when leaving the Sanctuary originated with slaves signifying they'd received permission from their masters to absent themselves.

http://www.snopes.com/religion/finger.asp

Thanks to you for providing the link to snopes.com. I often reference this as just one of the many sources of information that I use in a diligent search.

[darkreign]

Originally Posted by ImaJon

I remember getting an email with this information. Having grown in the Baptist faith I don't ever recall seeing this happen as people exited during service.

In any event here's a link to Snopes that adds more about this act.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claim: The practice of raising a finger when leaving the Sanctuary originated with slaves signifying they'd received permission from their masters to absent themselves.

http://www.snopes.com/religion/finger.asp

yes...thanks for the link. i did find at least one paragraph that says it is to ask a question.