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*tosses her ten cents on the table*
6 years ago
There is no gift more precious or rare in this world than true love. Treasure those who share it with you.
Soooo- I'm sure that by now most everyone in the world with an internet connection knows about the fire which has recently blazed at the Notre Dame cathedral.
I've seen quite a few people weigh in on this. Satanists tend to be a very politically-minded bunch with rather strong opinions, more often than not. Those opinions have varied pretty widely but generally fall into two camps- one of which is REALLY not helping anything, even if I understand the position and can empathize. As much as I've seen being thrown about on the matter, I felt I needed to say my dime's worth.
This was a horrible thing. This fire has taken from us a structure which was a cornerstone of so many things, art, architecture, culture and history- both religious and secular. This cathedral was not some Southern Baptist pray-the-gay-away revival tent or just another "1st Pentecostal" cookie-cutter church. This thing, this structure was a work of ART. It was a piece of beauty in a world so consumed with praising brutality and focusing on the negative. Hundreds of artisans, thousands of hours, days, months of time and love went into so many parts of it which have become symbols in the minds of aspiring artists across the boundaries of time and space. Here I am, child of an Austrian family, american-born in the 2000's and I am ready to cry at the loss of a stained-glass window created roughly 600 years ago in France. THAT is the beauty and power of the art in this structure.
This isn't to mention the religious artifacts, the reliquaries, the paintings and tomes of knowledge, both fictional and historical, potentially lost in this fire. Irreplaceable works of keenly-crafted quill and parchment, bound in wood and leather, these things weren't dime-store novellas from the "Fifty Shades of Bad Fanfic" section. These were ART. Not just the knowledge on the pages, but the CRAFTSMANSHIP involved in these works, the love of the work that went into them- it's breath-taking.
I don't know the full extent of the damage. I've honestly been a bit too horrified as yet to fully research the matter. I know much of it was, indeed, saved from the blaze by ongoing renovations. Even so, this is an ill loss to the world.
As a Satanist, I seek new knowledge to improve myself and to help me to uplift others whom I can. While I fully acknowledge and am thoroughly disgusted by the things that the catholic church has done to humanity throughout the centuries and it is part of my life's goal to see that such people are exposed for what they are and ensure their brand of hate and oppression does not hold sway on the generation of tomorrow- I do NOT take joy in the destruction of a truly beautiful and irreplaceable piece of world culture, nor do I wish to be associated with those who would.
This was a tragedy and while I empathize with their anger, share in it to a degree, I lament those who cannot see it as such.
Ave Lucifer.
The big concern now is whether the cathedral's structurally sound enough to allow crews in to start clearing away the debris. One heavy statue has already been removed from the peak of the north gable to keep it from crashing down into the building and maybe taking the whole magilla down with it. French authorities stated yesterday that they were going to wait 24 hours before allowing the assessment engineers in.
President Macron has issued a challenge to have it restored by the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Though I don't think it possible to repair it to the status it had been in, seeing it restored to any degree of the beauty it was by 2024 would be a wonderful thing. Massive props to President Macron on that point.
DO you know if there has been any word on The Rose Window?
A call's gone out to architects worldwide to suggest designs for a new spire. The old one was wood covered in lead and weighed 150 tons, so I think we can do a bit better with lighter materials.
Though I will not deny a few of the memes are funny,then again a lot of them about many different topics are,it doesn't change the fact that it is depressing to see such a structure,so beautifully crafted,full of so much art,time,and love destroyed. Luckily as you said most of the artifacts and pieces of physical pieces of art was saved thankfully,because if they hadn't I could imagine that my heart would of only dropped further. My first question of course was how did it catch on fire,and then my statement following was that some little bastard better not have meandered in there and lit ablaze to it. I haven't looked in as of yet on if they'd found the source,as the last time I checked (that night) they hadn't known as of yet.
My family and I actually had a rather long conversation about it afterwards,and I truly hope that they can at least restore it and it won't collapse. I know it won't be able to be fully brought back to life,after all much of it was irreplaceable and those artists are long dead. But if it could at least stay standing I'd be relieved.
I know many people in the Satanic or Atheistic community have gotten a very VERY negative association with nazism and other unsavory groups and it would be appallng to know that some little misguided nitwit did this on purpose, destroying a priceless work- a wonder of the modern world- out of their sense of vengeance or just lashing out. I know that so many of the conspiracy-theory nutters have already started finger pointing at "The Jews" and "The Satanists". *eye rolls* Just what we need to see if for once they were actually right. Vomitous...
The more of the structure that survives, the better. Though there's no way that we can replace what it was, at least I highly doubt it, the more that there is to work with in it's re-construction, the better.
That is just lovely news (heavy sarcasm) to hear about the communities... But I am fairly certain if I found out that it was them who did it I'd really want to crack some skulls together. There is absolutely no point in destroying beautiful pieces of art because you get a hair across your ass and or some other random nonsensical bullshit that has absolutely no standing what so ever. But you're right that is the farthest thing that any of us need,it makes us all as a whole look bad,and people already look at us badly far more than half the time.
Sadly no,there wouldn't be a way to fully replace it. But I know many pictures of the inside and out of the building exist,and there are lots of artists who restore pieces of art and can imitate it perfectly,I hope that if the building is able to stand that they'll hire people like that to help bring back some of its original beauty. Though I am sad that the original artists hard work has already been destroyed,at least maybe they could help recreate it.
So long as it's the Mandy Patinkin version, I'm in total agreement.
I think it was made by TNT Pictures... It had Salma Hayak as Esmeralda, Sir Richard Harris as Dom Frollo... best damned Dom Frollo for my money, the man was chilling. And Patinkin's Quasimodo was heart-breaking in how sympathetic and yet also heroic he was portrayed.
*thumps her chest* Peace, comic-relief Gargoyles.
Just so you know I've not forgotten you, love- I'll get back to you in a tick on that new project. In addition to me family *beams broadly* I'm working a bit today on some other issues for Arkansas Satanists and an event with Krissie, also we may be putting on a bit of a show at the Event in Little Rock tomorrow night- not to mention I've been sequestered for helping teach a class locally on proper understanding and psychology of BDSM lifestyle- SUPER stoked for that.
Because... you know, that makes perfect sense. A 650 year old work of hundreds of artisans which is a neutral object, just a thing of beauty and inspiration... exactly the same as a monument to a war criminal who killed thousands in the name of slavery.
I understand that we all interject our own emotions heavily into our views and that can often color them beyond even our most normally level-headed reasoning but this is a rather heavy dip into tunnel-vision symbolism, seeing that structure as something so easily dismissed.
It's a cultural and historical artifact, one which has become a symbol of joy and happiness for the community. These things have meaning, meaning that shouldn't be disregarded.
I'm disgusted by the people who mock and belittle those who show care and concern for the cathedral and its contents. It's one thing to lash out against Christianity, it's one thing to criticize the whole notion of cathedrals, but this is just far more than that.
The only valid point I've seen is that there should be equal care and concern shown towards other cultures whose places of worship have been damaged or vandalized.
Either way, I'm proud to see so many Satanists giving their best wishes and concerns on this matter.
It's a cultural and historical artifact, one which has become a symbol of joy and happiness for the community. These things have meaning, meaning that shouldn't be disregarded."
*slowly applauds for genuine show of praise*
I recall making a similar point with someone when discussing destruction rituals. It seems many have allowed their anger and bitterness to overshadow their sense of scale. Comparing Notre Dame cathedral to the cookie-cutter architecture of American christian structures, barely a decade old... for my views, this is akin to comparing a dashboard statue of Jesus to Buonarotti's Pieta.
The death of something beautiful and inspiring is very saddening, made moreso by those whose lack of compassion for other's suffering furthers the misery of that loss.
1) The roof as we know it is is completely gone. It was made from wood dating back from the 13th century.
2) One of the three rose glass windows is is destroyed since it fell out.
3) The famous gargoyles/chimeras were taken down for cleaning before the fire.
4) The primary stone structure is intact, probably just has smoke damage and needs an inspection from architectural engineers.
5) The Great Organ is intact from what I know, but I am guessing it will need to be checked for water damage when the firefighters were using water from outside.
6) The main bell is safe with no damage whatsoever.
7) The Crown of Thorns is safe.
8) According to news sources, a fragment of the True Cross and one of the Holy Nails is safe.
9) Many paintings are intact. I don't know how many were singed or damaged by smoke, however.
I think most folkes don't really realize just how many artifacts of rather heavy significance were housed in that structure.
I'm hoping that as more news is revealed perhaps this will allow for some of these to be spread out a bit, placed in museums or some such. In part to provide better safe-keeping for the future but also to allow for more public appraisal, dissemination of knowledge and technique and -for a few of them- a degree of scrutiny of their validity.
Just hopeful thinking that some good can come from the whole sad affair.
Just... ignore that vapid mindless dipshit Ted Cruz and we'll all be fine.
Agreed, love. The damage done on a daily basis by that religion just in general is nigh-incalculable. Every child taught that abuse is love, to unquestioningly praise their murderer, to fear and loathe their own desires for happiness is one unforgivable act too many by my kin.
However, this thing that burned isn't one of those people. It's a building- and not just any building, a work of art that walks like a building. The beauty and power of art is often co-opted by horrible people and that is shameful, claiming the love others put into their craft as a testament to their group of ill. However, it seems to me to do so from the opposite end, blaming a work of art for those same horrid people- that just isn't right.
blerfff......-flops backwards-
Anyway, I do look forward to seeing what they can do to fix it up, and I'm glad those cool gargoyles weren't hurt, either.
Did not hear any of these discouraging words you speak of (clearly I'm not in that same information channels as you).... but I can imagine. Hate can make anyone blind, a Satanist as much a zealot as the Church-goers they protest.
Not enough people outside of France seem to understand Notre Dame is the literal heart of a major city, the centerpiece of a nation's capital city, the soul of a nation. I'm glad for what survived, but I feel the French people would rebuild it from scratch if they had to.