I've gotten away from posting Japan pictures, but here's what may be my favorite warning sign ever:
In case you have trouble reading the text in the image:
Stranger whosoever thou art and whatsoever be thy creed, when thou enterest this sanctuary remember thou treadest upon ground hallowed by the worship of ages.
This is the Temple of BHUDDA [sic] and the gate of the Eternal and should therefore be entered with reverence.
I think that's fantastic.
Of course, the tourist shop selling the glow-in-the-dark Buddha keychains was about fifty feet away. Outside the gate, though-- I guess you take what reverence you can get.
More like this
Thou SHALT NOT believe all thou art told.
Thou SHALT seek knowledge and truth constantly.
Thou SHALT educate thy fellow man in the Laws of Science.
Thou SHALT NOT forget the atrocities committed in the name of god.
Have you ever actually read Leviticus? It's madness. It's full of instructions on how to slaughter a goat, what to do if someone spits on you, how to tell baldness from leprosy, and of course, lots and lots of instructions on what you must never ever do.
Wilt thou, then, my soul, never be good and simple and one and naked, more manifest than the body which surrounds thee? Wilt thou never enjoy an affectionate and contented disposition?
Remember how long thou hast been putting off these things, and how often thou hast received an opportunity from the gods, and yet dost not use it.
I went inside the buddha statue when I visited Kamakura in 1970, and there were several bits of paper trash that someone had thrown inside the head. Was that irreverence, or keeping the buddha in perspective, or leaving prayers like the papers wedged into the Wailing Wall?
Let me just try something to deboldify you:
Did it work?
As much as the signage, I love that you brought the Aretha in the post title.
When we were in Kamakura looking at the big guy, Jordin, as is his wont, made some facetious remark or other and I told him he was being disrespectful. Then we went to the gift shop where the rest of our group laughed at me for the disrespectful remark. Not only glow in the dark Buddhas, but candy in the shape of Buddha!
MKK