Religious symbol on HOA common ground

If by HOA you mean home owners' association, those are ordinarily private rather than governmental, no?

...In which case, it would entirely depend on what your agreement with the HOA says--the rights and powers you've ceded to them, if any.

If you don't like it, petition your HOA to have that practice changed. If they resist, run for the board of your HOA and change it from the inside. Failing that, move.

ideaguy wrote:

If you don't like it, petition your HOA to have that practice changed. If they resist, run for the board of your HOA and change it from the inside. Failing that, move.

Or become a Christian so that you don't spend eternity in hell!

If it helps, most of the people that follow Christian traditions, aren't at all Christian, so you can see it as a secular cross to commemorate the dead. In fact, since it's a war memorial and Jesus was a "turn the other cheek," "live by the sword die by the sword" kind of guy, you could say that not one soldier died a Christian death. Does that make you feel better?

I assume by putting the flags in the shape of a cross, the placers of the memorial are comforting themselves with the idea that the fallen soldiers' souls have gone on to Heaven. Something to the effect of: Yes, it is tragic that they have died, but they are in a better place.

I suppose that you would prefer that they cover the flags in dirt and have the worms devour it, since that is what you imagine is actually happening to the soldiers' body, and that we should not kid ourselves with the state of their soul, or lack thereof.

Of all the things to be "annoyed" about.... You must make your parents very proud, kid.

WW wrote:

Or become a Christian so that you don't spend eternity in hell!

If the OP made his request in our HOA, he would be outvoted about 100:1 and told to go directly there (hell).

The only religious demographic group more reviled in America than atheists is muslims, and the margin is slight.

Habits of men wrote:

If it helps, most of the people that follow Christian traditions, aren't at all Christian, so you can see it as a secular cross to commemorate the dead. In fact, since it's a war memorial and Jesus was a "turn the other cheek," "live by the sword die by the sword" kind of guy, you could say that not one soldier died a Christian death. Does that make you feel better?

I understand this position. I just don't see a need to put the flags in the shape of a cross. Line them up like tombstones in a cemetery or in a star. It's annoying, but they will all be gone on Tuesday.

Jeff Albertson wrote:

I assume by putting the flags in the shape of a cross, the placers of the memorial are comforting themselves with the idea that the fallen soldiers' souls have gone on to Heaven. Something to the effect of: Yes, it is tragic that they have died, but they are in a better place.

I suppose that you would prefer that they cover the flags in dirt and have the worms devour it, since that is what you imagine is actually happening to the soldiers' body, and that we should not kid ourselves with the state of their soul, or lack thereof.

Of all the things to be "annoyed" about.... You must make your parents very proud, kid.

Thanks gramps for the perspective. Maybe they should do this at their own house and not using HOA dues and common ground. I don't think the flags should be buried, but not placed in the shape of a religious symbol.

If you're offended by the shape of a cross then there might be something wrong with you. Try being tolerant for a change.

Jeff Albertson wrote:

cover the flags in dirt and have the worms devour it, since that is what you imagine is actually happening to the soldiers' body,

What do you mean "imagine?" It is what happens.

coach d wrote:

The only religious demographic group more reviled in America than atheists is muslims, and the margin is slight.

You're actually wrong. The most recent Pew study that has been in the news lately actually found that atheists remain the most disliked entity. Americans are actually more likely to vote for a Muslim than an atheist.

I was driving home from a meeting the other night and they had the head of the Pew study on some NPR show discussing his findings with a few other professors.

Another interesting finding was that the large majority of people claiming to have no religion -the headline grabber- stated that they DO believe in a higher power. This was a point that the guy drove home in the interview, even stating that he was disappointed by the media's response to the data.

should i be annoyed wrote:

For Memorial Day, my HOA has put up American flags in the shape of a cross. As a non-christian this annoys me. Memorial Day should recognize all veterans. Should I be annoyed or is this not a big deal?

I definitely wouldn't donate money to an organization to promote the Christian faith.

so........American flags in the shape of the cross excludes non-Christians? What a narrow, intolerant world it must be to live in, where a cross causes one such angst...

Know any actual veterans that agree with you? No? Then STFU..

WW wrote:

Or become a Christian so that you don't spend eternity in hell!

Yes, I realize this was intended humorously.

Yet all seriousness aside: Does anyone really think that people can *choose* their beliefs--or, better stated, can *choose* what they find believable and what they don't find believable? Nobody wakes up one morning and says, "Ya know what--today I'm gonna start believing X and stop believing Y." Sincere belief doesn't work that way and is not a choice.

I'll grant that people can *act* and *talk* as though they sincerely believe, but that's not the same thing...