LOL though I doubt a tag fairy would grab one from this thread, "Unless it's a Mickey Mouse head I find it offensive." is something I wouldn't mind being branded with.
I think this is where I am confused; don't see this as a "tolerance" issue at all. It has nothing to do with my agreement or disagreement with people that believe in Jesus.
I would be just as offended if someone wrote "GO MIAMI DOLPHINS" as graffiti in the sky. Now, I'm sure some Miami Dolphins (they are a team, right? sorry, not into sports here) fans would find it cool, but if you agree with graffiti or not, it's still graffiti. In much of the country skywriting is illegal for these very reasons. When at WDW, I don't want to see ANYTHING written on the sky, again, unless it's got a Mickey Head on it, LOL. It completely wrecks the illusion that WDW tries to preserve of being seperate from the outside world.
The person who is doing this is not a WDW guest. It would be far, far different to me if a guest were expressing their views. If someone wanted to walk around WDW wearing a "JESUS LOVES ME!" t-shirt, carrying a bible, and reading aloud scripture, I wouldn't complain. I'd walk away, but I wouldn't complain (unless my family and I were specifically targeted, followed around, etc., just as with ANYONE who did such things). It's their right to wear and say what they want. But when you write it across the sky, OBVIOUSLY only to upset people or intrude on WDW, it becomes offensive.
I guess that's also what
irritates me about this (different from offensiveness). The motovation for this person doing this (and yes, I saw the website) is not altruistic. It's simply to cause a stir and get people upset. Those of you who are pleased by it are the by-product; it's not being done for you.
This guy is spending thousands and thousands of dollars to put this message in the sky. Why? Is he afraid people who believe are going to suddenly forget their faith and need a reminder (and would Jesus want you to need such a crass reminder)? No, he's doing it to upset the people who are not of that faith. Some people can't handle that others don't believe the same as they do and the "others" must be wrong (just look at his site...), and need to over-compensate by doing something like this.
What bothers me the most is the waste of money. It costs thousands and thousands of bucks to maintain licenses, a plane, fuel (you think it costs a lot to fill up your SUV? LOL), etc. How many hundreds of meals for hungry people, or how much good could that money do a church that needs repair or to help a Make A Wish family get to WDW one last time. Think of the joy that money could REALLY bring.
But what does it do? Gives some people who already believe a smile, and just irritates everyone else. Seems like such a massive waste of money and effort when that same money could be used to promote the true principles of Christianity (love, caring, helping our fellow man) instead of writing crass graffiti.
So it has nothing to do with religion, again. I'd say the same thing about people who said "GO MIAMI DOLPHINS". Spend your time and money on something other than an act that is not going to win you followers. It's just incredibly selfish of him to do this, in my eyes.
NED