tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5736821.post3950580351269498730..comments2023-08-08T04:19:26.974-07:00Comments on THE CALLADUS BLOG: 12 Crosses - On the Christian response to the massacre at Aurora ColoradoCalladushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620879847877868166noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5736821.post-1651874720346410962012-08-07T10:50:12.633-07:002012-08-07T10:50:12.633-07:00"Symbols of grieving are important to the giv..."Symbols of grieving are important to the giver. That's why they give them"<br /><br />True, but the question remains: what about what is important to the memory of the victim?<br /><br />I have thoughts about the Aurora victims, but should I advertise those thoughts? By definition, advertising is a "hey, look at me" action. <br /><br />Have you ever attended the funeral of a non-believer, and had someone get up an promote their personal religious beliefs, under the guise of "grieving"? I have, and it is <br />disrespectful.R. Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17827657170197625528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5736821.post-89434289010229090992012-08-06T17:44:41.516-07:002012-08-06T17:44:41.516-07:00Symbols of grieving are important to the giver. T...Symbols of grieving are important to the giver. That's why they give them. The symbols might be touching, or infuriating to the receiver, but the giver's meaning could be misconstrued. <br /><br />Yes, I would assign a swastika the same status as a stuffed teddy bear or lighted candle if it were given in well meaning honesty and kind thoughts. "It's the thought that matters".<br /><br />The victim (or victim's family) might think this is symbol given in hate, and they would be wrong. They might also - for their own reasons - see a stuffed bear as a hateful symbol.<br /><br />I ask if Blessitt and Zanis are doing this out of selfish reasons, and I really can't honestly answer that - no matter what my suspicions. They are at the edge of being blatantly false, and like a Necker cube I can make myself see them in two different ways.<br /><br />An Native American, or someone of the Hindu faith could lay a swastika at the grave and mean something pure and hopeful and respectful. But it would still be seen as a hate piece by a Jewish person.<br /><br />That doesn't mean that the person who left the symbol is actually passing judgement on someone else. It might just mean that they are not very smart, or culturally insensitive.Calladushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17620879847877868166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5736821.post-49729324077371959922012-08-06T14:36:14.189-07:002012-08-06T14:36:14.189-07:00"I think there is little difference between t..."I think there is little difference between this, and the laying of flowers, or a teddy bear, or photos or a candle at the scene of a tragedy"<br /><br />A generic symbol is not equivalent to a symbol that represents one very personal judgement on others.<br /><br />The former represents and interest in the victim, the Christian cross represents self-interest only. As a test of the equivalency, we can do a substitution:<br /><br />Skinheads leave a Swastika.<br /><br />Does a Swastika seem equivalent to a Christian cross? Would a Jewish victim feel the kind thoughts behind a swastika, left behind by a well meaning skinhead?R. Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17827657170197625528noreply@blogger.com