For the last month shoppers have been greeted with the van pictured here every time they’ve pulled into Mt Pleasant. The other side contains such gems as Buddha is satan in disguise, break one commandment break them all and burn as well as a collection of similar idioms on the front related to same-sex relationships, the role of women (original sin and all) and a number of less than pleasant references as to what awaits sinners in the hereafter.
If it is forced to move on it goes to Canelands Shopping Centre carpark and then back to Mt Pleasant until it is forced to move again. From what I’ve found out about this group the fund for this van and two others, includes money to pay traffic fines and such and most judges are reluctant to impound a vehicle belonging to religious groups for the very simple reason of – it would cause an uproar.
Now I know what kind of message I feel such ‘advertising‘ sends but I am curious as to the opinion of others so I would really love for you to answer the poll below the picture and after a week I’ll post the results (not who said what of course). If this flourishes I would like to make it a weekly post of ‘Thing’s I’d Like to Know‘ (nosy parker that I am).
Unload and Unwind 
Seems to kind of aggressive advertising that is just seeking to reach a flashpoint to get in the news.
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I’m pretty sure that is why the police haven’t impounded the vehicle as it is what this group wants. As a result it’s just seriously annoying but not getting much traction but similar things in different towns are getting reported so I am curious as to how others view this.
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I think opinions and beliefs are a beautiful thing. I was recently writing about this in fact. And what I think is more beautiful is the fact that a rainbow has so many different colors. If every person had the same opinions and beliefs then it’d be a pretty dull rainbow. With that being said, I think that people need to not shove their opinions and beliefs down other peoples’ throats. It’s not fair or respectful. I respect this guy/chick/people in the van have a deep love for their faith, but it doesn’t mean they have to have hateful things on public display.
Ironically, “break one commandment, break them all” – isn’t Love Thy Neighbor one of them? Isn’t this hateful display going against that?
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The irony of that – do unto others & love thy neighbour – hasn’t escaped me but I do think that perhaps when someone is so zealous that they believe that whatever it takes to save someone is justified and they truly believe that they would want someone to save them if needed. I agree with the right of free speech and worship but I have difficulty with the concept of have someones ideas forced upon me and I was curious as to how others saw the situation. (hence the poll – curiosity and cat and all that)
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I always wonder if I’m missing something. I always get upset because I feel like I’m being judged for trying to live in my own expression of love. But I wonder if there’s something I’m missing, some key element that is causing me not to have understanding for these groups, that maybe I am lacking an angle of perception which allows me to understand that hey, they’re just trying to save me, isn’t that nice?
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Oh I understand that they’re trying to save me I just feel outraged at the idea (ego I suppose) and that while they expect our understanding, in that they are just ‘trying to help,’ they would not extend a similar courtesy to any who would attempt the same thing with them. In fact I don’t think it would even occur to them that double standard.
I have a particular fear or antagonism in regards to the extreme militant evangelists – you know the ones that usually have a church of say 10 people. The reason is one group sicked a very troubled young man with paranoid schizophrenia onto my mother when I was young by telling him over and over she was the devil’s minion on earth.
She was a politician, a cabinet minister and the first female parliamentary whip in the history of the westminster system and because he son had downs syndrome and she wouldn’t take a public stance against abortion she was labelled evil and my brothers condition a judgement from god.
It was a scary time and we had special branch attached to our home and my sister and I were sent to boarding school until the young man was found.
He had tried to rig mum’s car to explode not understanding that she had a driver and ministry car and it was my father who drove it. Fortunately it didn’t end with death just a very nasty crash as the engine shorted.
I never felt anger to the young man as he truly believed he was on a mission from god but I hold a deep and abiding resentment to those who are not content with their own faith but seek to punish those who do not agree.
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