Saturday, February 13, 2010

Living in the Shadows









I took a photo similar to this site when I was first taking pictures seriously, and hadn’t been to the site since until recently, when I shot this roll. It does have a very “Shadow of God” vibe, though I suppose the feeling of that concept is going to depend on the individual, isn’t it? Perhaps to many it’s just another monument on a hill, which just happens to share the site of the real destination; the panoramic views of the city below. To others, the symbol is one of comfort or joy, and hope that life has a purpose, whether we understand it or not.

To some however, this site and a similar one in La Jolla, is a source of anger and tension. There are some who feel that having a cross on public land is offensive, an idea I have yet to understand. I’ve always thought that, if one isn’t a Christian, then this symbol should have all of the meaning of candy canes, or the Easter Bunny. I wouldn’t be offended if this were a Star of David or an Aum, or even a Star and Crecent (though I’m sure a lot of controversy would surround the prominence of something like that).

At any rate, even though this is a country that welcomes people of all backgrounds and faiths, it is worth mentioning that the majority is of a Judeo-Christian background. If the presence of a religious symbol from another faith is this disturbing, the it would seem that personal reflection would gain far more than aggression towards something simply because it’s different.

As for atheism, if they are indeed right and there is no God, then where does this anger come from? How can one be this upset with something that doesn’t exist?



photo pictures shadow of god vibe monument la mesa la jolla view san diego comfort joy cross christian star of david aum judeo religion religious faith atheism

2 comments:

  1. Hi TM,

    I see what you're saying, but I think the bottom line is that a person can want it removed without being an atheist or being angry, right? There are plenty of Christians who don't feel comfortable with the government "polluting" their religion (it seems like guilt by association I guess). I see how some Christians might not understand how people could feel this way, but a telling question is: would people feel the same way if that was a monument to the Qu'ran up there, standing watch over San Diego? Regards, Mike

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  2. I suppose that one wanting the cross removed wouldn't necessarily require them to be angry, though my perception of the "anti-cross" crew has been, at the very least, one of underlying (and often outright) hostility.
    Though I wouldn't be offended if this were another religious symbol looking down on San Diego,I'm not ignorant enough to think that one related to Islam wouldn't cause quite a stir. That being said, I wonder if it were a symbol from a "minority religion" (for lack of a better word) would anyone actually organize against it and risk offending someone?

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