Should there be a time limit on any particular location at which a person has died before we no longer consider it sanctified? Some places, such as the location where the Twin Towers used to stand, still draw people who reflect on the loss. The remains have been removed and buried elsewhere, but the location is still revered because of what had happened there. Several sites are like this. The collapse of the bridge connecting Minneapolis and St. Paul took many lives. This location would undoubtedly, too, continue to draw those who will see the place as worthy of reflection and sanctity, even though the victims have since been buried elsewhere.quote:
Should we have reverence for an auto wreck because people died in it? Maybe while their remains are still inside, but once they've been removed, whether by the hand of man or the forces of nature, it's just scrap metal.”
I think a large part of this falls into memories. People remember where tragedies have occurred, and they seem to hold those places as special to them because of the impact that past incidents that have cost lives.
One example would be the site of the Titanic sinking. Many captains, at least at one time, have tried to steer clear of this area because of their memory of the tragedy. Sailing over the spot has tended to be too painful to some because of this. Yes, this is irrational, but memories affect human behavior in ways that quite often go beyond reason.
By the way, Michael, in case you're wondering, I read this recently in a few articles regarding the Titanic sinking and the indelible impression it has left on people. This resonates as true with me, because certain places that have served as the settings for bad experiences in my life have stuck out in my mind, although I do realize that such events are long-past. They still leave an impression on me whenever I visit them, and I hold a kind of awe toward these locations because of the effect that their memory has had on my life. One is the now-closed train depot where my father was killed 43 years ago.