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I recently picked up a secondhand dictionary (Websters 25th ed.) Its one of those big mega dictionary that needs its own pedestal so you can memorize your spells...
The reason it is in the second hand store? It got a little burned. I dont mean around the edges - I mean the 30 pages between R and S. Like the git took offense at pages with certain words and set fire to them.
I will never know what is on those pages.
I recently picked up a secondhand dictionary (Websters 25th ed.) Its one of those big mega dictionary that needs its own pedestal so you can memorize your spells...
The reason it is in the second hand store? It got a little burned. I dont mean around the edges - I mean the 30 pages between R and S. Like the git took offense at pages with certain words and set fire to them.
I will never know what is on those pages.
Maybe it was in a house fire? Or some angry goblins got to it? Who Knows!
I was working on an RPG and went looking for certain words that apparently fall into the burned and gone pages...
THE GOBLINS BURN THE BOOKS BECAUSE WRITING STEALS WORDS FROM YOUR BRAIN!!!!!
Ask my fundamentalist landlord who burned all my books in 1995.
It could have had a great story behind why. Maybe someone was trapped in a cabin during a snowstorm and had to use paper to light the fire while burning bits of furniture. *shrugs* It could happen...
Ask my fundamentalist landlord who burned all my books in 1995.
I hope you sued. If you don't mind could you provide greater detail? I'm trying to imagine someone doing something so horrid to another persons property and can't quite wrap my mind around it.
runs through the thread with a torch, looking for a book to burn in order to free the thoughts trapped inside it
30 pages between R and S?
The forbidden, secret letter?
Richard Rahl
I can remember burning a copy of The Crystal Shard
I was that guy a couple doors down, smiling at you over my cup of coffee.
My first thought when I saw the title of this thread was Fahrenheit 451.
Ask my fundamentalist landlord who burned all my books in 1995.I hope you sued. If you don't mind could you provide greater detail? I'm trying to imagine someone doing something so horrid to another persons property and can't quite wrap my mind around it.
His son was a pothead. He found his son's stash, and the son said it was mine (I was the only twenty-something I knew who didn't smoke dope) Mr Johan Kobus Wolfhardt used the spare keys to get into my cottage, and saw my bookshelf. He took offense at some of my books, perhaps my Nietzche or my Tao Te Ching, but definitely my Vampire the Masquerade. Not leaving anything to chance, in case some heresy lurked in my science books, or poetry, he decided to make a bonfire of the lot. He burned my dice and worse, my writing.
I decided not to press charges, because he was a police sergeant in a small town. I did not want to cause him problems at work, which might have impacted his ability to keep his job.
I took him to small claims court, and the bastard said that I had no proof that books had been burnt, as I had no case number.
He then said his son had burned the books. I asked him if he felt any cognitive dissonance from bearing false witness against his neighbour. He said "You are not my neighbour."
The verdict was that there was no evidence that he had committed an offense, and the judge concluded with an apology to me, saying that despite him finding Mr. Wolfhardt's probable actions reprehensible, that it was a court of law, and not a court of ethics.
As we walked out of the courtroom, he told me I would join my books again on the day of judgement.
Wolfhardt also arrested me two weeks after the small claims hearing for trespass, when I walked on a beach next to the oyster beds. The area was not fenced off or signposted, and even the other police laughed at him. I expect that he was told by a superior officer to back off, because I never encountered him again.
I lost almost all I owned. Books were most of what I had. As an autodidact, the loss was considerable, but I have rebuilt since then. I still struggle to replace some hard to get or out of print titles.
Paradoxically, he did me quite a favour. His example of dangerous religious mania crystallised my own views from fuzzy, inclusive agnosticism and tolerance to my clearer, hard edged atheism of today.
Sadly there are a lot of people like that in religeon... I have met many in my travels :(
"Where they burn books, so too will they in the end burn human beings." - Heinrich Heine 1821
While this phrase is part of a play, and thus, used for dramatic effect, I think it has some truth to it: A mindset that allows books to be burned probably has not much respect for living beings also. Sadly, Heines works were among the books burned by the Nazis in 1933. I absolutely abhor burning of books or other symbols, like flags, as nothing good ever comes from this.
Stefan
I burn the (previous year's) phone book every year. It makes good kindling.
On the one hand, I think everybody here understands the evil of burning books.
On the same hand, I think most of us have had run-ins with the religiously crazed. (I have many hair-raising stories of my own.)
On that same, now very busy hand, I think many gamers are statistically, technically and practically-minded, which makes many of us skeptical on some level.
But on the other, very lonely hand, I am not sure how the actions of a maniac are proof there is no god. I'm sure there are deeper reasons - and reasonings - for a person deciding they are an Atheist. Just as the opposite can also be true. God knows I have wrestled with them.
(See how I inserted that clever "god knows" thing? I'm funny that way.)
I just mean I always hope people believe whatever it is they believe for better reasons than because somebody was a jerk. There are so many jerks in the world, and I hate to see them win like that.
Is anyone going to answer the question? Geez, I hate getting the feeling that these boards are starting to become less friendly and helpful.
It should be quite easy to burn a book in Hell. Just do it on any level except number 9. It's frozen solid.
Taliesin Hoyle Thanks for the update.
All I can say is that your probably right in that discretion is the better part of valor in that example.
sorry that he made you so jaded on haveing a belief in any higher power but I can understand your reasoning.
Maybe it's just me but after I had restored my collection I would send him a photo of it telling him that one fire does not kill knowledge it only fans the flames of desire or in simpler terms since he seems like a simple man tell him "ideas are fireproof"
I hope you have moved far away from that person and now at least log your possesions for insurance purposes amoung other reasons.
Is anyone going to answer the question? Geez, I hate getting the feeling that these boards are starting to become less friendly and helpful.
It should be quite easy to burn a book in Hell. Just do it on any level except number 9. It's frozen solid.
Don't do it on the demon web pits the whole place will go up!
How the hell can you burn a book?
With fire, it is very easy.
step one: light a firestep two: put book in fire
step four: profit
you'll even find that the books, being made of carbon fiber burn nicely and well help the fire continue to burn.
....Stuff.....
I've never understood this kind of policy, he's already proven he's a jerk, why would you take it easy on his punishment. I blame you for everyone else he abuses with his power.
Stand up for yourself. If only to help others.
Paradoxically, he did me quite a favour. His example of dangerous religious mania crystallised my own views from fuzzy, inclusive agnosticism and tolerance to my clearer, hard edged atheism of today.
Y'know...I realize that this isn't a religious thread, but it really saddens me to read things like this. I am a devout follower of the Christian faith and I also love to read all kinds of different things, love to roleplay, play Magic: The Gathering, and any number of other things that people like that would disapprove of.
Respectfully, I ask that when people do things like this, remember that they often are not following the tenants of the faith preached by the founder of that faith, but are rather twisting it to their own ends. The world has seen it happen hundreds of times on a small and large scale. Please don't let the obstinate, foolish actions of one or a handful of people completely harden you to the ideas of an entire faith group.
I removed a post that was pretty much just flamebait.
I removed a post that was pretty much just flamebait.
*applause* Nicely done sir. I refer, of course, to the use of the word "flamebait" in this thread. It seems extremely appropriate, somehow. :D
....Stuff.....I've never understood this kind of policy, he's already proven he's a jerk, why would you take it easy on his punishment. I blame you for everyone else he abuses with his power.
Stand up for yourself. If only to help others.
I agree whole heartly. He commited a crime...serveral. I would have gone after him hard.
He also blamed the book burning on his son...so I would have sued his son...or if the son is under 18...than guess who has to pay anyway.
As to loosing faith(or what little you had) due to this numbskull....sorry to hear that. I mean have you not ever met a a realoly crappy RPer or GM before? You I am guessing did not judge the entire community of playing RPGs on them did you?
I removed a post that was pretty much just flamebait.
I didn't make him/her do it.
waves torch around
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"Where they burn books, so too will they in the end burn human beings." - Heinrich Heine 1821
While this phrase is part of a play, and thus, used for dramatic effect, I think it has some truth to it: A mindset that allows books to be burned probably has not much respect for living beings also. Sadly, Heines works were among the books burned by the Nazis in 1933. I absolutely abhor burning of books or other symbols, like flags, as nothing good ever comes from this.
Stefan
How Prescient of him!
So someone burned the pages between R and S? Did you notice some missing pages between X and Y? I guess you found one of the rare dictionaries that were made by Shugoth that has one or more letters that our tongues cannot speak and our brains cannot comprehend. I guess the previous owner burned the offending parts after he was driven to madness by reading specific definitions of things mankind was not meant to know. Even worse I heard Miskatonic U pays in gold for surviving complete editions.
How Prescient of him!"Where they burn books, so too will they in the end burn human beings." - Heinrich Heine 1821
While this phrase is part of a play, and thus, used for dramatic effect, I think it has some truth to it: A mindset that allows books to be burned probably has not much respect for living beings also. Sadly, Heines works were among the books burned by the Nazis in 1933. I absolutely abhor burning of books or other symbols, like flags, as nothing good ever comes from this.
Stefan
Yeah... I only wish he wasn´t...
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Yeah... I only wish he wasn´t...How Prescient of him!"Where they burn books, so too will they in the end burn human beings." - Heinrich Heine 1821
While this phrase is part of a play, and thus, used for dramatic effect, I think it has some truth to it: A mindset that allows books to be burned probably has not much respect for living beings also. Sadly, Heines works were among the books burned by the Nazis in 1933. I absolutely abhor burning of books or other symbols, like flags, as nothing good ever comes from this.
Stefan
You realize Europe is going to hell again...The Germans have declared multiculturalism a failure - but didnt have a clue how to properly implement it in the first place so there you go. Holland has turned into a violent cesspool with Muslims huddled in enclaves. I think book burning is going to be the least of their problems.
Spoiler:Ask my fundamentalist landlord who burned all my books in 1995.I hope you sued. If you don't mind could you provide greater detail? I'm trying to imagine someone doing something so horrid to another persons property and can't quite wrap my mind around it.His son was a pothead. He found his son's stash, and the son said it was mine (I was the only twenty-something I knew who didn't smoke dope) Mr Johan Kobus Wolfhardt used the spare keys to get into my cottage, and saw my bookshelf. He took offense at some of my books, perhaps my Nietzche or my Tao Te Ching, but definitely my Vampire the Masquerade. Not leaving anything to chance, in case some heresy lurked in my science books, or poetry, he decided to make a bonfire of the lot. He burned my dice and worse, my writing.
I decided not to press charges, because he was a police sergeant in a small town. I did not want to cause him problems at work, which might have impacted his ability to keep his job.
I took him to small claims court, and the bastard said that I had no proof that books had been burnt, as I had no case number.
He then said his son had burned the books. I asked him if he felt any cognitive dissonance from bearing false witness against his neighbour. He said "You are not my neighbour."
The verdict was that there was no evidence that he had committed an offense, and the judge concluded with an apology to me, saying that despite him finding Mr. Wolfhardt's probable actions reprehensible, that it was a court of law, and not a court of ethics.
As we walked out of the courtroom, he told me I would join my books again on the day of judgement.
Wolfhardt also arrested me two weeks after the small claims hearing for trespass, when I walked on a beach next to the oyster beds. The area was not fenced off or signposted, and even the other police laughed at him. I expect that he was told by a superior officer to back off, because I never encountered him again.
I...
The beautiful irony is that if there is a God and a judgment, he's going to have to pay the piper for his actions...
Maybe we are the ones who are wrong. Perhaps we should burn all the books, churches, schools, parliaments, libraries and soforth and start again...
except math, engineering and architecture books. burn the rest.
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You realize Europe is going to hell again...The Germans have declared multiculturalism a failure - but didnt have a clue how to properly implement it in the first place so there you go. Holland has turned into a violent cesspool with Muslims huddled in enclaves. I think book burning is going to be the least of their problems.Yeah... I only wish he wasn´t...How Prescient of him!"Where they burn books, so too will they in the end burn human beings." - Heinrich Heine 1821
While this phrase is part of a play, and thus, used for dramatic effect, I think it has some truth to it: A mindset that allows books to be burned probably has not much respect for living beings also. Sadly, Heines works were among the books burned by the Nazis in 1933. I absolutely abhor burning of books or other symbols, like flags, as nothing good ever comes from this.
Stefan
I live in germany. Luckily, the declaration of our chancelor was ignored by most citizens, while the multicultural populace is living on. Tue, there are problems, but they are not as prominent as someone not living here and only seeing the problems in the news/on the web might think. (I guess it's the same with most other nations. The news tend to show problems and highlight any crisis, but you can't really guess on the impact these problems make.)
I sure don't see "europe going to hell again" yet, at least not concerning integration politics. They need to be worked on (and worked with), but I don't see an unavoidable disaster in the near future.
This whole thread reminds me of Joe Rogan's stand-up "Shiny Happy Jihad". Anyone who are not hardline fundamentalist religious, or suffering from a debilitating case of political correctness should go check it out for a laugh.
I sure don't see "europe going to hell again" yet, at least not concerning integration politics. They need to be worked on (and worked with), but I don't see an unavoidable disaster in the near future.
+1. Integration politics didn´t work out in the last decades, resulting in parallel societies in Germany (where I live as well), but that does not spell disaster IMO. Rather, it is acknowledged now as a problem and can be worked on.
I´m a little concerned about the Netherlands, however, as it seems that right-wing populist politicians gained quite some clout and an atmosphere of hostility to foreigners seems to foster - but then, that is judging from afar.Stefan