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Fire at Notre Dame Cathedral [Image result for notre dame facade fire] You may have noticed an eerie similarity between the conflagration at Notre Dame Cathedral and events of 9/11 in New York City. Television images from Paris repeatedly showed great clouds of smoke billowing from the famous church with its twin bell towers. This latest disaster was not on the scale of 9/11 but that isn't the point. Paris in April 2019 was nonetheless the scene of a horrible, sickening-beyond-words tragedy that ruined lives forever. Miraculously the damages to Notre Dame were not as bad as first feared. Indeed, at least half the building seems to still be intact even if there are serious damages that cannot be minimized, but the 8000 pipes of arguably the world's greatest organ are still intact, most of the stained glass windows are still intact, the French pieta sculpture still exists as it was, many of the graceful flying buttresses survive..... Let us be thankful. However, let's not overlook some empirical facts. Something is going on that is much bigger than you or I or anyone else on our blue planet in this corner of our galaxy. Some of what this is all about should be obvious enough but remains invisible the way that radio signals remain unfathomable to various remote tribes in Papua New Guinea. The people there have no way to process the information, have no concepts to use to understand the phenomenon, and so, for them, radio transmissions remain incomprehensible. This does not mean that radio transmissions don't exist, however. Quite the opposite. Radio is a major part of a technological civilization that is incredibly far advanced in comparison with the tribal society of Sepik River. There really is no comparison. This is pointed out because nearly all human beings, in relationship to advanced civilizations that can exist in the depths of space, may be said to be at about the place the Sepik River people are in relationship to modern day Americans or Europeans or Japanese or others who are part of the 21st century world. Which, of course, is not my unique way of looking at things, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C, Clark, Carl Sagan and many others have said as much, and repeated it year after year. That is, imagine a civilization for whom quantum physics technology is as advanced for them as electronic technology is for us. For such beings "the singularity" is thousands or even tens of thousands of years in the past. But let's face an undeniable fact: We are ruled by conceits. Some examples: * Of course, the only possible explanation for future focused events must be in line with computer technology and Silicon Valley. * Of course, the only possible explanation for future focused events must be in line with the religious doctrines I happen to believe in as taught by my church for hundreds of years and which I hear week-in and week-out, year after year. * Of course, the only possible explanation for future focused events must be in line with the official policies of this Administration and the various agencies of government who report to the Administration. * Of course, the only possible explanation for future focused events must be in line with the canons of reporting which we have observed at the Times since the days of Ochs and which are taught at the Columbia journalism school. * Of course, the only possible explanation for future focused events must be in line with the views of reality which form the establishment consensus as handed down to us from opinion leaders of many stripes, in business, the major universities, the military, the social elite, et. al. Actually none of the above is correct and none of the above can be correct. If Asimov was right then "they" -little green men"- will tell us how to understand the truth and human conceits at such time as they may choose to inform us can all be relegated to the trash heap of history. Allow me to make an observation: If the worst crisis facing us is the collapse of culture -and all things are downstream from culture including science- then how might they decide to intervene? Through appeal to people who don't know diddle about culture in any objective and well-informed sense? That is, forget about 99% of journalists, 99% of computer geeks, 99% of establishment types, and so forth. Such people cannot begin to understand what this is all about. And their conceits dictate to them that any explanation that does not mesh with their self interests must necessarily be wrong and therefore should be disregarded. Other terminology for the phenomenon is "confirmation bias." But maybe someone who reads this falls into the 1% category. ----------------- The point to be made here has been discussed in various of my letters and essays and e-mail corpus over the years. This is merely the most recent iteration. Let me tell you how this works. Every so often I come up with a jackpot of fresh new ideas that anyone who is informed on the subject matter can only recognize as "hot stuff." The trouble is that my agenda is as far removed from all major political or religious agendas as thinkable, which, of course, was one reason for gravitating to Radical Centrism. It is the only extant political / cultural philosophy that allows me to make coherent statements and have a chance to be understood. But this is primarily only to speak of West Coast RC, the East Coast version is similar in some respects, but only some; in others you would be wasting your time if you thought that the views of people at The Atlantic somehow match all or most of my ideas. That is not true at all even if that is about as close as you can get outside of RC.org. Which is to say that precisely because my agenda does not sync with other agendas is is always disregarded by various establishments. But this fact does not make my truths somehow false; it only makes the establishments stupid. For that matter it even makes some Radical Centrists, smart as they may otherwise be, terribly insensitive to their own best interests. I'm just too much of a Radical Centrist for other Radical Centrists. Lurking in their shadows still are major pieces of some other philosophy that still rules them, their very own conceit which they cannot see through for what it is. Just prior to the fire at Notre Dame two parts of a paper about RTV were circulated all over the map, starting with RC.org, that is [email protected] This has happened many times before but this is rather vivid and just maybe someone will finally see what, to me, is ridiculously obvious. Why me? Lots of reasons which you can sort out at your leisure, but the fact is... Here are the parallels: For some time now I have been discussing the New Christianity that began as the brainchild of Henri Saint-Simon in the early 19th century in Paris. My point has been that this is the time to see the New Christianity become a reality. Traditional Christianity is falling apart wherever you look and the young, just about universally, are rejecting it with good reason. Therefore, what is needed is a reconstruction of Christianity, saving everything possible, many of its well known and cherished traditions, but creating a new kind of Christian faith for our ecumenical age. How might this project be symbolized to best effect? With the fact that at the heart of everything is the vision of a French thinker who is the focus of a book I once read entitled "The Prophets of Paris." I did not, until now, make this connection, but there is was: Notre Dame Cathedral in the process of major reconstruction. Now suppose that a Satanic entity wanted to do whatever might be possible to discredit this idea, to make the whole idea seem grotesque? Note the following about my two-part paper, RTV #1and RTV # 2: Emphasis on religion Discussion of principles of New Christianity, a new theology predicated on a female Holy Spirit. The only concept comparable in western Christian traditions is the Virgin Mary, and Notre Dame means "Our Lady." Gargoyle search engine: A special feature about Nauvoo, the Mormon "Holy City" and its great temple -which was destroyed by fire in 1844 or 1845. Discussion of Zoroastrianism in the text, a religion that regards fire as sacred. "Ratings through the roof at every retirement community in the US" The fire at Notre Dame was largely a conflagration that roared through the roof of the building. Use of the word "cathedral"- Spiritual America Visiting religious shrines and special churches, cathedrals... Here are some major themes in the paper- Bohemians in Paris Story of the 19th century origins of art colonies, idiosyncratic artists, popular mythology, eventual development into a destination for tourists, for free spirits, for writers looking for good stories, eventual export to the coffee houses of America. Falling Water [think fire hoses] The story of Frank Lloyd Wright. A good excuse to showcase his most famous architectural creation. But Wright was an eccentric and a good TV series should make the most of this fact. Nellie Bly The story of perhaps the most incredible woman journalist of history, who, at one time in her career, traveled around the world in 72 days, doing better than the fictional Jules Verne hero. Bly met Verne [in Paris] during the part of her trip in Europe. In 1895 she married a fabulously rich industrialist, he was 72, she was 31. Madam Curie [who lived in Paris] Songbird with a Raspy Voice The story of the incomparable Edith Piaf. An opportunity to revisit the dramatic years between the world wars as they were experienced in France. Then the war years and the years after. Showcase for some of Edith Piaf's most memorable songs. Escadrille Lafayette Story of the US volunteer aviators of WWI who fought on behalf of the French and British in the years before America entered the conflict. Highly decorated unit with a notable ace named Lufberry who recorded 22 kills. Distinctive swastika markings on aircraft, along with Sioux headdress motifs. This was 1915-1916; the Nazi party did not exist. Some British squadrons also used swastika insignia. Vermont Town hall meetings around the state. Neighbor vs. neighbor, lots of interaction including acrimonious meetings with people at each other's throats. At issue: Bernie Sanders and Marxist Socialism vs. Saint-Simonian Socialism, aka, Socialist-Capitalism. ----- There is also a reference to a great temple in Jerusalem, also destroyed by fire: Hulda Gate Historical fiction set in the era of the Second Temple, each episode featuring he Hulda Gate in Jerusalem -which was adorned with swastikas ----- As a reminder of events at the World Trade Center there were these references- the World's Parliament of Religions, took place during a two week period from 9/11 of 1893........ a conservative student group handed out free American flags; they did this every September 11 ----- Not sure how many windows at Notre Dame were lost but here is another reference: movie, "Shattered Glass," ----- Another quote from the text: "scenes of horrible destruction" --------- Finally, perhaps the most memorable part of RTV, the story of a 16 year old girl and a certain historian. Just days before the fire, cranes had removed 16 large copper statues from the spire of Notre Dame. There is even more, but these are easiest to understand. -------------------------------------- Go ahead, ignore all of this, too, choose your favorite conceit. The time will come when I will say: "Told you so." I will, at that time, rub everyone's nose in it, take my word. You won't like it. Of all things wrong with our dysfunctional culture the very worst is toleration of homosexuality. This mental disease, this perversion of everything good and decent and natural, must be eradicated from the face of the Earth. This is essential and there can be no argument about it at all. The time will come when you will finally realize just how goddamned wrong you have been if you think otherwise. The time will come when I will say: "Told you so." I have no idea when, that has always been my problem. Billy R. -- -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
