My wife and I are major fans of Disney, aka "the happiest place on earth," aka "heaven on earth". Despite the existential and often naturalistic worldviews in their movies (most of which we do not agree with), few companies truly seek to create the illusion of magic and happiness for children and families. Being former "Cast Members" (employees) of the Disney Company my wife and I witnessed first hand the lengths the company goes to (and the freedom it gives its cast members/employees to) help create a magical experience for families as well as the amount of money they spend to help terminally ill children and their families, as well as underprivileged children.
In the theme parks characters abound, the aroma of delicious food and desserts fill the air, laughter can be heard around every corner, smiles are never in short supply and families (usually) walk happily together enjoying each others company. Millions of people every year flock to Disney theme parks around the world for a sense of escape from routine, hurt, reality and more. They seek a little taste of magic. A little joy in a broken world.
I guess this is why a tragic weekend monorail crash in Walt Disney World (Orlando) seemed so shocking. While this is not the first accident or death in the "happiest place on earth," it is just another reminder that brokenness, loss and hurt extend even into the land of the magic-makers. Despite its illusion of magic and happiness, or "perfection" as one visitor was reported as saying, it is still only a theme park that creates illusions of grandeur and majesty. An illusion is only a facade; an impression of reality. There is but one place perfection truly exists. One place where hurt does not exist and there is no brokenness. As much as we enjoy our little escapes from the reality of a broken world, this incident reminds us there is but one Heaven...
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 21:3-7, 22-27)
PARENTS: As heartbreaking as this tragedy is, you can use this as a way of facilitating a conversation about illusion (magic) and True Perfection (God, heaven, etc.). Read your teen/child the passage about heaven and discuss ways we try to duplicate that here on earth. Discuss also how no matter how good we do at creating the illusion of perfection there is but one God, one heaven and one salvation.
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