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Goodbye Jesus

Angel Of Hope Monument


RabbleRabble

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I was taking a walk through a nearby park the other day when I noticed a sign showing this to be the future home of an "Angel of Hope" monument. I was curious about your opinions on it.

 

The statue itself is a fairly normal christian representation of an angel. A child with wings and a long flowing garment. After looking it up the message is supposed to be a general idea of comfort for parents who have lost children and the idea for the monuments came from a book called The Christmas Box in which a woman grieves at the base of an angel monument.

 

My first thought on seeing the sign was, "Fuck. They're putting an angel statue in my park. And not even a particularly pretty one." After looking it up I have mixed feelings. On one hand, angels (at least this particular visual of them) are a christian symbol and I'm surrounded by enough of that shit already. On the other, the intended message is one I could get behind I guess. And they do claim that it is a secular monument.

 

What do you think about it?

 

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I don't think I'd have a huge issue with it as long as it's not spouting some christian bs about kids being in heaven or that sort of thing. Granted, I would think they could come up with some other ideas, but I wouldn't be overly worried about this one, either.

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From the website:

The Angel of Hope represents HOPE for the future for bereaved parents, children, grandparents, sisters, brothers, the whole family. The HOPE that it represents is on such a larger scale giving anyone looking for a reason to find hope a place to come and look towards the HOPE of their future.

 

For bereaved parents, our HOPE is for our lost children, that they are in a better place, are happy, and we will see them and hold them one day. Our HOPE is for our other children, or for future children and grandchildren we may have.

 

I ask you to ask why not the Angel? Why not bring HOPE to Northwest Arkansas, to families, to bereaved parents, and members of our community. Why not give them a chance to look at the wings of this beautifully crafted angel statue and read HOPE in her wings, and have HOPE for our futures.

I'd say walk away from this and just let it go.

 

mwc

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Think of it this way that images of angel kids in the form of pagan cherubs have been around before the pre-xtian times. I think putting up an angel child statue is the same as my grandmother's cupid statue in her back yard- a totally secularized symbol/icon.

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  • Super Moderator

Angels aren't necessarily Christian, although that is generally assumed these days. Angels are just a generic superstitious belief adopted by many religions. It wouldn't be comforting to most people to display a rational view of death.

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Not the hill I'd pick to die on. Not that big a deal, more symbolic than religious.

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Thanks for the replies everybody! I'm going to try and respond, but you'll have to forgive me if it's a bit fuzzy around the edges. I've taken some cold and flu medicine and am a bit out of it.

 

It seems to be the general consensus that angels are taken more as a secularized symbol than anything. I don't disagree with that. Maybe the bad feeling I'm getting has more to do with a disapproval of the superstitious than Christianity in particular? I'll try and view it as I would a unicorn or cherub (as suggested.)

 

florduh has a point. My own view of death would hardly be comforting to most people. I'll try not to let my pessimism ruin everyone else's HOPEfest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But I still think the statue is tacky. /pout

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