No More Cultural Differences

Well, my record had been perfect, I had been free from all adverse affects of sickness since my arrival in China, but that is all in the past tense now. Not wanting to have to summon up the horrible details in my own mind, I'll spare all of you these. Just imagine the worst case of flu you've ever had and then magnify it by the China factor (everything is bigger and badder here). It was not a pleasant weekend, despite being Easter. Due to my illness the only service I was able to make it to was Good Friday's. This however was an experience in and of itself.
Even allowing for quite a bit of culture differences, I was somewhat disturbed by this service. For those of you who may be slightly uncertain on the facts, Good Friday is the most solemn service of the whole year, with good reason. However, apparently in China, the service serves the purpose of being a photo-op as well. While the people did actually stop short of shouting, "Hey, get me with the priest!" there were more than enough flashes going off. But, I understand there are cultural differences. Apparently the priests understood too for they did not seem to be irritated or even thrown off their beat by the camera flashes. I have a fair amount of respect for these priests, they put up with quite a bit. Of course, since they are Chinese, you must simply say that they are used to things which I would call "Cultural difference."
However, one does have to wonder, does being cut in line involve cultural differences? Maybe at the bank or a grocery store, but when you are in line to go up to the cross on Good Friday? I have not so much faith in cultural differences. I was sitting fairly far back at mass when that time to head up to the cross came around, I was ready to follow in line like always. However that apparently is not how they do it. First there was an uncertain pause, as the people up front apparently were not sure what to do. Then there was a general rush as everyone in the church mobbed the cross hoping to get in and out before the other Schmoes. Not a pretty sight.
I took it all in stride though, simply saying "cultural differences." But there came a point when I was wedged in line between the old guy who was holding a voluble conversation with the young woman behind me, when all of a sudden a family decided that I had usurped my position in line and was no longer deserving of it. Yes, indeed, I was cut in line going up to the cross on Good Friday. And this was no small cut either, the people who cut had been standing some thirty feet behind me. But really this didn't matter, since almost immediately after a priest got on a loudspeaker and said that everything was taking to long, so everybody should hurry it up a bit. After this the line went into double time. "Cultural differences," while a wonderful term, is only capable of explaining away so much. I do not quite understand how one can explain such actions by cultural differences. It seems to me if you have a clue about the purpose of all this, the rushing to get into line first would not be terribly important.
Communion after this was held along the same general principles: a general scramble to get up to the priest before...before what? It's not like mass suddenly ended as soon as you got communion, not at all. Everyone (mostly everyone) stayed until mass was actually over, so what was the point?
Perhaps I'm being too touchy. Or maybe it is the residue of being sick which is making me a little argumentative. But I don't think I'm as willing to accept "Cultural differences" as an explanation of things which I do not understand anymore.