> -----Original Message----- > From: G [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 1:11 PM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Re: Schiavo Gets In Last Dig > > > > > Yes, but the fundamental flaw in this reasoning is that is makes the > > assumption that the person crafting the inscription on the grave stone > > has the same belief about life after death and/or about the purpose of
I don't think it does. Consider: If the person believes in life after death - and in such a way that the deceased could read a tombstone then it seems obvious that a private message would do. A letter in the coffin, a private conversation at the gravesite, etc. The tombstone on the other hand is clearly a "public" message. While (depending on your beliefs) it may be available to the deceased it's definitely and obviously available to the living. To say that any tombstone inscription is purely for the dead seems myopic regardless of your beliefs. You've chosen a public medium for your message where a private medium was available... I tell my wife "I Love You"... I could say this, write this in a letter, send her an IM or whatever to let HER know. However to let everybody know I could put it on the side of a bus or take ad space in the paper. Lastly tombstones inscriptions as a class are clearly for the living. They list a name, a birth and death date, and perhaps a little something about the person: all things that the deceased should be more than familiar with. In this case Terry Schiavo knows (if she's present in some afterlife and has awareness of "our side") that he kept his promise. She knows her name and when she died. If you assume she can recognize and understand the message as written then it's ridiculous to assume that she wouldn't already know this. I still say, regardless of your position on life-after-death messages on tombstones are (to be fair, primarily) for the living. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:161422 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
