diff options
| author | Matěj Cepl <mcepl@cepl.eu> | 2023-08-29 11:33:49 +0200 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Matěj Cepl <mcepl@cepl.eu> | 2023-08-29 11:41:14 +0200 |
| commit | 9aecfe4fa1970987b93b11bceedc7327bf921e62 (patch) | |
| tree | 5d3aac69636eb14d1fc284174d6762f271fba91b /faith | |
| parent | 027531aa7da2f849ec9e13220ad5255f15ec83bc (diff) | |
| download | blog-source-9aecfe4fa1970987b93b11bceedc7327bf921e62.tar.gz | |
New category: "literature"
Diffstat (limited to 'faith')
73 files changed, 976 insertions, 7531 deletions
diff --git a/faith/1_zari_1939.rst b/faith/1_zari_1939.rst deleted file mode 100644 index bad908c..0000000 --- a/faith/1_zari_1939.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,127 +0,0 @@ -1. září 1939 -############ - -:date: 2017-03-08T23:18:46 -:category: faith -:tags: czech, poem - -W. H. Auden - -Původní překlad `anglického originálu`_ vytvořil `Ivo A. Benda`_, upraveno. - -.. _`anglického originálu`: - https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/september-1-1939 - -.. _`Ivo A. Benda`: - http://www.universe-people.cz/svetelna_knihovna/htm/cz/cz_kniha_uprimnosti_k_bohu.htm#20 - -| Sedím v jedné z putyk -| Na Dvaapadesáté ulici -| Jsem nejistý a mám strach -| Zatímco umírají chytré naděje -| Ubohého, nepoctivého desetiletí: -| Vlny hněvu a strachu -| Cirkulují v jasných -| I temných zemích světa -| A tíží naše soukromé životy; -| Nevyslovitelný pach smrti -| Prohřešuje se v zářijové noci. -| -| Exaktní bádání -| Může odhalit všechny prohřešky -| Od Luthera až po dnešek, -| Které dohnaly naši kulturu k šílenství. -| Vzpomeňte si, co se stalo v Linci, -| Jaká monstrózní představa vytvořila -| Psychopatického boha: -| Já i svět už víme, -| Co se učí děti ve školách. -| Ti, kterým se děje zlo, -| Zlem zase oplácejí. -| -| Vyhnanec Thukydides věděl -| Všechno, co řeč může říci -| O demokracii, věděl -| Co dělají diktátoři, -| A jaké stařecké bláboly povídají -| Lhostejnému hrobu; -| Analyzoval vše ve své knize, -| Vypovězené osvícenství, -| Bolest vytvářející návyk, -| Korupci a zármutek: -| To vše musíme znovu vytrpět. -| -| Do tohoto neutrálního vzduchu, -| Kde slepé mrakodrapy hlásají -| Ze své závratné výše -| Sílu kolektivního člověka, -| Každý jazyk chrlí -| Své vlastní marné výmluvy: -| Ale jak dlouho lze žít -| V euforickém snu; -| Ze zrcadla zírá -| Tvář imperialismu -| A mezinárodní bezpráví. -| -| Tváře u baru -| Lpí na svém normálním dni: -| Světla nikdy nesmí zhasnout, -| Hudba musí pořád hrát, -| Všechny konvence se spikly, -| Aby tato pevnost -| Předstírala, že je domovem; -| Abychom neviděli, kde jsme, -| Ztraceni ve strašidelném lese, -| Děti, které se bojí noci -| A které nikdy nebyly šťastné ani hodné. -| -| Prázdné agresivní žvásty, -| Jež hulákají důležití lidé, -| Nejsou tak sprosté jako naše přání: -| Co napsal šílený Nižinsky -| O Diaghilevovi, -| Platí o normálním srdci; -| Neboť omyl živený v kostech -| Každé ženy a každého muže, -| Touží po tom, co nemůžeme mít, -| Nikdo nechce univerzální lásku, -| Každý chce být milován sám. -| -| Z konzervativní temnoty -| Do etického života -| Přijíždějí zaměstnanci z předměstí -| A opakují své ranní sliby; -| „Budu věrný své ženě, -| Soustředím se více na svoji práci," -| A bezmocní guvernéři se probouzejí, -| Aby pokračovali v zákonem nařízené hře: -| Kdo je teď může osvobodit, -| Kdo může přesvědčit hluché, -| Kdo může mluvit za němé ? -| -| Nemám nic než hlas, -| Abych odhalil hlubokou lež, -| Romantickou lež v mozku -| Smyslného člověka z ulice -| A lež Úřadů, -| Jejichž budovy ční do nebe: -| Neexistuje nic takového jako stát -| A nikdo neexistuje sám; -| Hlad nedává volbu -| Občanům ani policistům; -| Buď budeme milovat jeden druhého, -| Nebo zahyneme. -| -| Bezbranný pod závojem noci -| Leží náš otupělý svět; -| A přesto se všude rozzáří -| Ironické body světla, -| Kdykoli si Spravedliví -| Vymění svá poselství: -| Kéž já, stvořený z Erosu -| A prachu jako oni, -| Sužovaný stejnou -| Negací a zoufalstvím, -| Vzplanu pozitivní vášní. - -.. vim: set spell spelllang=cs tw=0 nowrap: diff --git a/faith/HP-sci-fi.rst b/faith/HP-sci-fi.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 36b864b..0000000 --- a/faith/HP-sci-fi.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,52 +0,0 @@ -HP fanfiction as sci-fi -####################### - -:date: 2021-12-18T10:39:21 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, sci-fi - -(my comments on the Reddit thread “`What if there's no magic gene?`_” by 15_Redstones) - -Concerning your thoughts about “The magic system is so whimsical, -I don’t think it should be susceptible to manipulation by -scientists.”, I am a bit torn. The one thing I really like about -the HP universe is that it is exactly like ours except for the -magic and its consequences (yes, I feel a bit of irony over the -statement by Arthur Weasley, that “Muggles are same as us, except -they lack magic.”). Yes, including the same timeline as ours. - -I heard somewhere a definition of sci-fi as a thought experiment, -what would people do if this one variable changed. One variable -being the multi-generational flying to Alpha Centauri, for -example, or in the classical sci-fi something more simple (flying -in the rockets, being invisible … that goes actually all the way -to Plato_, Mesozoic animals alive, dystopian totalitarian -regime). What would people do facing such changed world? How -would it change them? Most of the good HP fanfiction literature -seems to me a variation on this theme? What would people do if -they had magic? What if they were a tiny minority of human -population so the fear of disclosure would be completely rational -and sensible? How would it change their behaviour, their society, -etc.? - -For this to work, however, you have to keep changes small, -otherwise your world is just too different from ours and the -comparison is vague, or even worse, you fall into the endless -abyss of the Uncanny Valley. That's for example the problem for -me with crossovers with the superman genre stories, their world -is just too different. Or introduction of elements which are just -too weird in our world (e.g., I am never happy when vampires are -introduced, their undeadness is just a way too different from our -universe). - -And no, I don't think, that using mitochondria instead of DNA for -inheritance makes such difference, just a remainder for all of us -that “magic is weird” and anything goes may be strictly speaking -true in your logic, but that this line of thinking leads to some -rather disappointing results (at least for me). - -.. _`What if there's no magic gene?`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/riumm0/what_if_theres_no_magic_gene/ - -.. _Plato: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_of_Gyges diff --git a/faith/ad_magical_love_affair.rst b/faith/ad_magical_love_affair.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 1b94ee4..0000000 --- a/faith/ad_magical_love_affair.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,95 +0,0 @@ -Ad “A magical love affair” -########################## - -:date: 2018-12-16T17:05:39 -:category: faith -:tags: review, HarryPotter, blogComment - -(my comments on “`A magical love affair`_” by charmed9292) - -I have to admit reading of this story was an exercise in -frustration for me. I think the general idea of Petunia and -Severus crying over one another’s shoulder is a great. Both of -them are nicely complicated and somehow tragical persons, so they -provide great opportunity for writing a good story. Also, the -beginning of the story (Petunia waking in a bed mistaking Severus -for her teddy bear) is great and actually pretty neatly written. -However, the moment they open their mouths, the execution falls -down completely, which is sad given this is mostly a dialogue -story. I see couple of reasons for this: - -1. Language. There is just no way how two teenagers under the - influence of whiskey both in the middle of mental breakdown - talk to each other in the long multi-clause compound sentences - using words like “albeit”. Get yourself a long swig of whiskey - and before writing each sentence down, pronounce it loud. - I think the only sentences you are allowed to use are - something like “You broke her heart, you bastard!” and even - that is too complicated. Runaway sentences, sentence fragments - … those are structures you should prefer, not long complex - statements you have. - - I know that English is probably not your native language, - neither it is mine (hello from Prague!), but English really - doesn’t work well with complex complicated compound - constructs. Make it more simple, make it more simple, make it - more simple. KISS principle (keep it simple stupid!). Full - stop is your best friend in the world! - - Language issues relate to - -2. Too fast reconciliation. I just don’t believe that they would - overcome their issues so fast and easily. - - | I and the public know - | What all schoolchildren learn, - | Those to whom evil is done - | Do evil in return. - - -- W. H. Auden, `1. September 1939`_ - - Exactly because how broken and wounded they are, they are more - likely to hurt each other, to spew their prejudices over each - other, they will fight, and only after long struggle they may - forgive each other. And only through their eventual mutual - forgiveness they may find some path toward each other. You - fell in the trap of every other author: you want to have them - together so fast, you make it too easy for them. And I, as - reader, punish you by not believing you. I just cannot accept - they would pour out their hearts to each other so easily. They - are generally horribly wounded and in result rather awful and - pathetic persons. Only through forgiveness and asking for it, - they can find a way towards each other. At least for half of - what you have written so far they should misunderstand each - other, distrust each other, and they should be rather nasty to - each other. Only in the last two chapters (when they fight - about their attitude towards Lilly) they begin to be at least - slightly believable (ignoring horribly convoluted language, - see 1.) Which relates to - -3. Show, don’t tell. Again, I don’t believe that so broken and - damaged teenagers would be capable of so deep introspection - and self-reflection. I don’t want them talk about how much - distrustful they are to each other, I want them to show it. - They are on the edge, or beyond the edge, of loosing their - control, they have no hope for their lives (perhaps they are - even a bit suicidal?), they cannot talk like Sigmund Freud - next to his analytical couch. Don’t bother me with their - psychological self-analysis, show me what state of mind they - are in. - -I am sorry for harsh words, but reading of this story made me -really frustrated. There is so much opportunity, such great idea, -parts of the story are brilliant, and yet in the end the result -is falling far far short of what can be achieved. What Michael -Crichton wrote: - - Books aren’t written - they’re rewritten. Including your own. - It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after - the seventh rewrite hasn’t quite done it. - -.. _`A magical love affair`: - https://www.wattpad.com/story/138566101-a-magical-love-affair - -.. _`1. September 1939`: - https://m.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/september-1-1939 diff --git a/faith/another-christianity-HP.rst b/faith/another-christianity-HP.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 8eb7bff..0000000 --- a/faith/another-christianity-HP.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,45 +0,0 @@ -Ad “My theory on Christianity in the Wizarding World” -##################################################### - -:date: 2020-06-23T10:52:13 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, HPreligion - -(my comments on “`My theory on Christianity in the Wizarding -World`_” by LordMacragge_) - -I prefer the explanation in chapter 16 of `Thou Shalt Not Suffer -by TheWizardsHarry`_: there are horrible problems with our -translations of the verse, because all Bible translators were -Muggles, and they just couldn’t grasp the subtle differences -between various types of magic described in Ancient Hebrew which -we barely understand (*hapax legomenon* phenomenon). - -Also, alternatively, that verse was more intended towards -Muggles. For us, Muggles (at least, I suppose, only tiny minority -readers of this note are wizards or witches), trying to do magic -is trying to do something which was not given to us, and that is -true occult, which is forbidden to us. Whether it is a pure -swindle and it is just pure waste of time and effort, or whether -occultists somehow gain some unholy power from some demonic -forces, is immaterial, it just shouldn’t be done. The only -example of somebody going against this prohibition in HP canon -would be then Mr Filch with his Kwikspell program. - -So, TL/DR: I don’t think it is necessary for Bible to be changed, -and yet I believe that it is possible to be -a Christian/Jewish/Moslem(?) wizard/witch (I actually don’t know, -what is `the Islamic position`_ on this verse and magic -generally). - -.. _`My theory on Christianity in the Wizarding World`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/hd67xc/my_theory_on_christianity_in_the_wizarding_world/ - -.. _LordMacragge: - https://www.reddit.com/user/LordMacragge/ - -.. _`Thou Shalt Not Suffer by TheWizardsHarry`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5176787 - -.. _`the Islamic position`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft#Islam diff --git a/faith/another_on_animagus.rst b/faith/another_on_animagus.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 24e2274..0000000 --- a/faith/another_on_animagus.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,131 +0,0 @@ -Another comments on the Accidental Animagus & al. -################################################# - -:date: 2020-04-07T09:39:17 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - -(my comments on `the thread`_ “What are your thoughts on the -direction taken by 'Animagus at War' by White Squirrel?” by -`u/SnobbishWizard`_) - -.. _`the thread`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/fwbih3/what_are_your_thoughts_on_the_direction_taken_by/fmnxfqj/ - -.. _`u/SnobbishWizard`: - https://www.reddit.com/user/SnobbishWizard/ - -I have already (many chapters ago) wrote `a review`_, which -included my comments on this story, and so far I stand behind it. - -On top of that I have two comments: - -1. Bloody length of the story. JKR complained that HPOotP was - rushed to the publisher and it needed more editing, which made - it according to her too long. That’s 38 chapters. 38 times - 7 is 266 chapters for the whole series as the longest case - scenario (the shortest scenario, seven times HPPS is 119 - chapters, and we are already over). Animagus saga now stands - at 147 chapters, and it feels more like the basic setup of the - story than coming to its conclusion, so we may get to that - worst-case scenario eventually. In terms of the war, it feels - like we are at the Battle of Smolensk (that’s June 1941) or at - the Coral Sea (May 1942). The Battle of Stalingrad and the - Battle of Midway are far ahead of us in the dim future, and - nobody can even dream about Berlin or Hiroshima (not that we - should dream about that). To close the story down, there will - be either some horrible case of the Harry Potter *ex machina*, - throwing the Ring to the Mount Doom and swiping away in one - move all the armies of the Dark Lord including the mighty - Tower of the Barad-dûr. Or we should expect another hundred - chapters of this boring Goblin rebellion, and :math:`\$DEITY` - have mercy on our souls! The author threatens us with another - thirty chapters, but I don’t feel like he can make it in so - few of them without the story being incredibly rushed. - -2. Complete loss of the human element in the story. It is a very - similar problem to `Divided and Entwined by Starfox5`_. Not - that there would be not enough action: battle after battle - runs over the pages, in this case, all of them lost, in other - all of them won, but there are no humans in the story, and it - is as fun to read as the history textbook about the - Thirty-Years War (or the mentioned Goblin rebellion) or - minutes of business meetings (which some parts effectively - are). Lost are the stories about Harry Potter catching - a mouse, the last one which had at least some personal element - was The Boxing Day with the confused Muggle friends finding - themselves at Hogwarts, but that was sixteen chapters ago - (whole Philosopher’s Stone, the book which made JKR famous, - was seventeen chapters). When was the last time somebody said - something personal or whimsical? What is Luna doing? Hermione? - Did she kiss Neville or not yet (I honestly forgot)? We don’t - know, and I am losing hope we will ever learn because we have - to read another long and boring chapter where some impersonal - armies fight with other impersonal armies somewhere who knows - where (even if it is in my Prague, where I live; thank you, - after `Mr and Mrs Percy Weasley by SingularOddities`_ and - `Hiding in Plain Sight by GinevrasChampion`_ only the third - case, where the author noticed that there are other cities in - Europe than Paris). And I don't even care which one is which - and which one loses. - ----- - -**Extended later, much later_ (2020-09-11):** - -It is certainly possible to write a good war novel, there are -certainly many war novels in the Muggle world, which are very -good, but I am sorry to say (I really liked “The Accidental -Animagus” a lot), that neither “Animagus at War“ nor “Divided and -Entwined” are one of those. What I can discern from the great war -novels (e.g., “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, “All Quiet on the -Western Front” or my beloved “A Bell for Adano”) the key to -writing a war novel is that you don’t write about all those -battles from the bird’s eye view, but you just pick one (or few) -characters and follow them through those battles never letting -your eyes fly too high. Actually, if I understand it correctly (I -have never read the whole book) “All Quiet on the Western Front” -is written as the obvious critique of the top view (how down in -the trenches the reality was very different). - -Why then both of these fics let the personal stories (that’s what -I meant that I missing more talks about Neville × Hermione -relationship, Harry catching a mouse, or the love triangle in -“Divided and Entwined”) slide somewhere to the back burner and -they are now mostly ignored? Those are the stories which are most -interesting, newspaper-like descriptions of the battles should be -left to newspapers (characters read them in the morning after the -battle) and kept just to few paragraphs. - -See also `this post`_ about the structure of plot: the only thing -which is interesting is how Harry, Hermione and others navigate -through those battles, battles themselves can just stand as the -background. And that is true even for the large Hollywood -blockbuster war films. During the “Return of the King”, in The -Battle of the Pelennor Fields all those giant elephants were just -background for the real stories we are following: those of -Théoden, Aragorn, Éowyn, or hobbits. Those little stories are the -ones which carry whole emotional load of the story there (which -is for example the reason why Legolas and Gandalf were so bland -in that battle, despite all their jumping on the elephant or -riding of the horse through the streets of Minas Tirith; they -were just part of the background, there was too little of their -own real story). - -.. _`a review`: - {filename}aristotle-unities.rst - -.. _`this post`: - {filename}what-wrong-with-Ginny.rst - -.. _`Divided and Entwined by Starfox5`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11910994 - -.. _`Mr and Mrs Percy Weasley by SingularOddities`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12373273 - -.. _`Hiding in Plain Sight by GinevrasChampion`: - http://www.siye.co.uk/siye/viewstory.php?sid=130160 - -.. _later: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/iqkufw/did_you_like_the_fanfic_divided_and_entwined_drop/g4st801/ diff --git a/faith/anti-harmony.rst b/faith/anti-harmony.rst deleted file mode 100644 index c20e4e9..0000000 --- a/faith/anti-harmony.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,73 +0,0 @@ -Anti-Harmony or Notebooks and Letters -##################################### - -:date: 2019-06-15T18:17:42 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(my comments on “`What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love, and -Understanding?`_” by angua9) - -As I wrote elsewhere_, I am not a big fan of Harmony stories -(stories, where the main pairing is Harry/Hermione), but when -they happen, I usually don’t discount them automatically, and -some of them are really nice. Linked story, “`Escape by -SingularOddities`_” is rather nice, but as with all stories, when -the author moved from rewriting JKR books into her (his?) own -story, the quality dramatically improved in “`Mr and Mrs Percy -Weasley`_”. The biggest problem I had until recently with Harmony -stories is relentless bashing of most interesting characters in -stories (mainly Weasleys, but Mr. Dumbledore, as well). - -However, then I read this excellent essay about problems with -Harmonians, and my first reaction was rather negative. There are -some problems with the stories I read, and I have described them -in the linked review above, but the essay seemed to be too -dramatic. - -And then I read “`Notebooks and Letters by chem prof`_”. The main -idea of the story is very interesting: Hermione tells to her -daughter how it really happened, and it is AU since “The Order of -Phoenix”. Of course, Hermione here is not happy with JKR (they -sold rights to the story in the Summer of 1997 to have enough -money for the hunt of horcruxes) for many reasons (and many of -her particular criticisms are completely valid), but mainly -because of JKR’s shipping Hinny and because what she considers -degrading description of her in “The Half-Blood Prince”. - -As I said, the setting of the story (its metastory) is rather -nice. The main story itself is just an average not too much over -the top super!Harry & super!Hermione story (in the end most -DeathEaters, including Lucius & Draco Malfoy, Bellatrix -Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, are killed by few Dumbledore Army -members including naked Hermione (naked because she was going to -be raped) and Harry). - -And yet. Harmonian traits of the story killed it for me. Bashing -is actually not that terrible, but general blandness of their -relationship persists. - -Actually, it was not just Harmony that killed it. It was sticking -two mostly unrelated stories together which made it even worse. -I won’t get into details, but after the main story (more or less -standard Harmony, slightly better than others) there is suddenly -completely new unrelated post-war tragic story pasted to it, -which has no point other than to pull some tears from the reader. - -I don’t know whether to recommend this story or not. Probably -just for really hard core Harmony lovers. - -.. _elsewhere: - {filename}singularoddities-review-escape.rst - -.. _`Escape by SingularOddities`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1191624 - -.. _`Mr and Mrs Percy Weasley`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12373273 - -.. _`Notebooks and Letters by chem prof`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3867175/1/ - -.. _`What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding?`: - https://angua9.livejournal.com/204545.html diff --git a/faith/aristotle-unities.rst b/faith/aristotle-unities.rst deleted file mode 100644 index fa2a34d..0000000 --- a/faith/aristotle-unities.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,494 +0,0 @@ -Harry Potter and Aristotle -########################## - -:date: 2018-11-15T12:56:20 -:category: faith -:tags: review, HarryPotter - -Aristotle in the seventh and eighth chapter of his Poetics -writes: - - Now, according to our definition, Tragedy is an imitation of - an action that is complete, and whole, and of a certain - magnitude … As therefore, in the other imitative arts, the - imitation is one when the object imitated is one, so the plot, - being an imitation of an action, *must imitate one action* and - that a whole, the structural union of the parts being such - that, if any one of them is displaced or removed, the whole - will be disjointed and disturbed. For a thing whose presence - or absence makes no visible difference, is not an organic part - of the whole. (emphasis mine) - -Based on *Poetics* many literary critics of Renaissance and -Baroque developed theory of “`Classical Unities`_”, which then -governed most of the writing from the seventeenth century -onwards. Unfortunately, it rather quickly degraded into rather -silly discussions about unity of time and place (which were never -specifically mentioned by Aristotle as necessary, perhaps only as -commonly occurring), both of which were largely ignored not only -by the Greek writers of the classical Era, but by almost every -other writer outside of the tight confines of the seventeenth and -eighteenth century classical drama. - -Sometimes the reviews of particular theatre play went -unbelievably silly like when Shakespeare (who either didn’t know -about the Classical Unities at all, or he didn’t care about them) -was criticized that only two less known plays of his actually -follow the rules and for example most of historical plays cover -length of tens of years. - -Perhaps because of the silliness of these discussions or perhaps -because of decline of the classical education, classical unities -were mostly abandoned in its original form, even more so with the -rise of the literary styles completely unsuited for them. There -is just no way how a standard length novel could fulfil unity of -time and place. Post-Joyceeian novels drove the last nail into -the coffin of the classical unities with many extremely -non-classical variants of structure of style. - -And yet … - -In the last couple of years I read many many fanfictions on the -Internet. While reading one cannot ignore how few of them achieve -at least resemblance of quality of the normal literary works. -Certainly, the Sturgeon’s Law, that ninety percent of everything -is crap, applies, but there are some pieces of fanfiction which -are rather good and it is sad to see them failing. - -In the following I will not deal with the overwhelming amount of -utter crap coming from graphomaniac teenagers who have problems -with the basics of the English language and style, but with those -few pieces of writing which are worthy of consideration and where -one feels the pain of how far they reached and yet they failed to -achieve the greatness. - -First problem is common to almost all fanfictions longer than one -chapter, and that is their excessive length. If somebody claims -that with the Internet and its endless opportunities for -self-publishing, we don’t need old publishing houses any more, -most of these stories show how most authors are in need of the -second opinion of the experienced editor. It is said that half of -the success of the French author `Jules Verne`_ was in his -publisher and editor `Pierre-Jules Hetzel`_, who forced Verne to -cut his novels sometimes up to the half in length and sometimes -completely rewrite the main plot of the novel. When Hetzel died -in 1886, the quality of Verne’s novels went noticeably down. Mrs -Rowling herself complained that Harry Potter and the Order of the -Phoenix was published in too much haste and a way too long for -her taste. For the record, that’s 38 chapters (average length of -HP books is 28.43 chapters). What should one think about novels -like “The Accidental Animagus” (112 chapters and it covers only -the first four years of Harry’s school, another volumes have -8 chapters, and very much unfinished third volume another 12 -chapters) or “The Arithmancer” series (84 and 82 chapters -covering the HP series time frame, and another 5 chapters of just -starting third volume; this series is probably slightly less -overboard than The Animagus one)? Just to emphasize, “Harry -Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”, the book which brought Ms. -Rowling to the world-wide fame, was 17 chapters. Each of these -mentioned fanfiction books contain some excellent parts, which -are truly outstanding, but they unfortunately contain a lot of -other parts as well. - -And not to put all criticism on While Squirrel, first five -percent of the current (still quite unfinished, so we don’t know -what will be the final length) text of “`Friends and Foes`_” by -Northumbrian is Harry and Ginny stepping down from the bike. -Really. It has later some best chapters I read from one of my -beloved author (everybody must love Bobbie Beadle!), but first -four [!] chapters could be either completely eliminated -(detective is woken up in the middle of night by a phone call is -very stereotypical, but rather useful start of the story), or if -not that, they should be in my opinion at least cut to at least -one third of the current size and spread later in the story. - -My deep suspicion is that this excessive length of fanfiction -novels are caused by the ease of writing in the computer age, -lack of editors, but also crazy idea, that novels can be -published one chapter at time. I know that many novels in history -were written in that style, when they were originally serialized, -but with existence of text editors, I believe readers expect -higher quality than what could be found in some originally -serialized novels (yes, Grimaud_ should be struck out of the Three -Musketeers). - -Excessive length of so many novels is by far not the biggest -problem of many fanfiction stories. Of course, as you expected -(or were afraid of), I think Aristotle’s unities are something -which can help in producing better stories. - -I think we need to return to the original quotation from -Aristotle I presented above. In light of the seventeenth century -discussions and fashion, it is interesting to note, Aristotle -didn’t seem to say anything about the unity of time and place, at -least there doesn’t seem to be anything about the need for -tragedy happening in one day or just in one place (although, -technically, classical theatre with very limited stage technology -was probably not changing scenes much). It is a way about “the -object imitated is one”. Translated to the most fanfiction -stories I would say that *there should be one main story, one -main world-view*. - -Let me present here two examples of stories which I think -departed from this rule to their own detriment. Again, let me -emphasize, both of them are from the best fanfiction stories -I read anywhere, so when criticizing them, it is more from my -admiration and frustration that they were so close of being -really good. - ----- - -The first studied item is “`Strangers at Drakeshaugh`_” by -Northumbrian. He (or she?) is probably generally my most beloved -fanfiction author of all, and most of his stories are just -awesome. I have in my brain another essay about the style of -magician’s realism, which is rather strange and absolutely -awesome thing, and one of few paths which can lead fanfiction to -the levels of the generally good literature. However, there are -things lacking. First of all, this story is one of the examples -of excessive length, story could be helped by severe cutting -through it. Apparently the author was so excited by his new -family(-ies), that he spend just too much time enjoying talking -about Charltons and Potters, and the beginning of the novella -before the main story picks up is a bit boring. - -But that is a minor problem in my opinion. The worse problem is -that the author hasn’t managed to keep the story unified. -Generally the story is written from the point of view of -Jacqueline Charlton, the mother of one of two families the story -is about. They are complete Muggles (well, it is probably -a little bit more complicated, but that’s not fully revealed in -this story, and it will get even more complicated in the sequel -“`James and Me`_”) and so they at the first do not suspect -anything unusual when apparently rather well off London family of -Potters move in to their Northumbrian valley and buys a deserted -farm house (called Drakeshaugh [Drakes-hoff], hence the name of -the story). Only later they are bit surprised how strange these -strangers are: they have no electricity in their house, no TV, -but their relatives and friends are coming regularly and -obviously with ease from quite long distances all over the UK. -Moreover, the father of the Potter family, Harry, is very -secretive about his work, and only after couple of strange -slip-ups and weird statements, admits his job is covered by the -Official Secrets Act, and he is probably somehow working for -Intelligence or something. Even more interesting is that he is -somehow involved in the investigation of the nationally famous -series of brutal murders called “Werewolves murders” (all deaths -happen on full-moon), and so this story is also a bit of -a detective story. However, investigation is just in the -background and main focal point of the novella is just family -life of Charltons and Potter, and their troubles with their -children and such. - -And then suddenly during the story there are seven chapters -scattered which are from the wizards’ point of view. Some of them -are probably necessary (in the end obviously the case cannot be -truthfully explained to Muggles, so at least in this novella the -narrator never learns what actually happened, and it would be too -disappointing I guess if even reader wouldn’t learn), but some of -them seem more like the author couldn’t resist writing down an -idea even when it breaks the flow, style, and world-view of -the text. One of the Aurors, who is a passionate lover of the -Goth subculture (or punk, I don’t understand these enough to be -able to distinguish), is killed in the action. During her funeral -where most Muggle participants are dressed so extravagant, that -wizards and witches are conspicuous by their normality, she -arrives as ghost to the surprise of few Muggles who could see -her. A lovely one-shot story, which would work very well on its -own, doesn’t seem to have any reason to exist as a part of -“Strangers”. - -There is another from-wizards-point-of-view chapter (surprisingly -narrated by a Muggle policewoman who however works as part of the -Auror unit as a Muggle Liaison Officer), which suggests it would -be probably possible to write whole novella at least partially as -two interwoven stories narrated by two ladies, one from the -Muggle, other from the wizarding world point of view. It could -probably work, and Northumbrian have already written this type of -story narrated from two interwoven points of view (“Hunters and -Prey”, one of the best stories he wrote), but it doesn’t happen -here, and instead of creating some new structure, these chapters -just break up unity of the main story. - ----- - -The second story which suffers from this disease of not keeping -unity is also otherwise really good story, already mentioned -above, “`The Accidental Animagus`_” by White Squirrel (according -to “`PotterFixWeekly`_” it is him). It is strictly speaking -alternative universe story, but it generally loosely follows -Harry Potter books. Abused five year old Harry just couldn’t take -it any more, and when Vernon Dursley actually beats him (up to -that point he usually had left any physical violence for Dudley -to administer), Harry runs away using accidental magic. However, -he not only switches off lights and destroys all obstacles which -stand in his way (starting with the door to his broom cupboard), -but also unlocks his ability to be animagus cat, and spends next -two months as a small kitten wandering through Southern England. -The weather is getting cold, too close to winter to make life -outdoors comfortable, so he starts to look for a family, which -would take him in. And one day, still as a kitten, he finds house -in a garden, where a girl of his age with brown bushy hair sits -on a bench reading a book. She smells somehow nice to him (we -later learn, that cats can smell magic), so he tries to be -friendly with her. When she asks him what’s his name, he changes -into a small boy to answer her, and hilarity ensues. Grangers -decide (even knowing he might be pursued by bad wizards) to adopt -him, and so he grows up in a nice loving family with super-smart -albeit a bit bossy sister (one small difference from the canon is -that they also train in karate since age of six, so this Hermione -is actually physically very fit and later plays as a substitute -Chaser for Gryffindor). - -There are many things in this story, which are very good. This is -one of stories, which try to avoid people behaving like idiots -just to keep plot going (which unfortunately happened even to Ms. -Rowling), and most of the time it manages to do so. Of course, -people do mistakes and behave in anger, but for example, Harry -& co. just don’t run to the midnight duel provoked by Draco -Malfoy, because that would be silly. Also, given the change in -universe, there is no Harry’s deep distrust of authorities and -working relationship with his adopted parents (and the same goes -for Hermione, of course), so parents are very much part of -planning and generally are part of the world kids live in. Even -though story (with some exceptions) more or less loosely follows -the main plot points of the Harry Potter books, the author -managed to make people actually communicate and not behaving that -much irrationally. - -The main deviation from the Harry Potter books is in the third -year. Given that Harry is a cat animagus, it is not that much -surprise, he discovers in his first year just after few weeks of -living together with Ron in one dormitory, that the Rat is an -animagus and catches him. Great Wizengamot hearing follows, where -Sirius Black is acquitted and Peter Pettigrew is to every -reader’s satisfaction sent to Azkaban for life. This happens in -fan fiction stories quite often (because everybody hates Peter -Pettigrew so much), but usually it leads to bizarre convoluted -stories which don’t make much sense. Special trouble is usually -the third volume, which is obviously all about catching Sirius -Black, but here the author found a good solution (and as usual, -the originally story is always better than just rewritten canon). -He just dropped that theme altogether and created his own story: -Fenrir Greyback invades England (he was hiding somewhere in -Eastern Europe before) and with his pack of werevolves terrorizes -both Muggle and wizarding world in the same time when Wizengamot -discusses controversial law on the control of werevolves drafted -by Dolores Umbridge, and you can probably easily imagine just how -horrible it was. The whole school year ends in the double-ending: -brutal battle with the pack of thirteen werevolves in the -Hufflepuff Common Room (which as everybody knows has so laughable -protection that even transformed werewolf can get through it), -and political battle in Wizengamot to push through law providing -legal protection for werevolves. Probably, because the author -wrote his own story and he didn’t have to write into the plot -made up by Ms. Rowling, this third year is probably best written -year of all covered Harry’s years. - -Another temptation avoided by the author, which could end very -poorly (and yet I have read stories like that) is that it turns -out membership in Wizengamot is hereditary and Harry is the head -of the Potter noble family. There are two sides of this idea. -When thinking about possible political organization of the small -community living in hiding for centuries, it is quite possible -that some kind of parliament (local council) with seats at least -partially hereditary could happen. That’s from the -theoretical/sociological point of view. However, from the -fanficiton author point of view, everybody who tried to dabble in -the Lord Potter and Lord Malfoy usually ended up with disaster. -Original books by Ms. Rowling are very much middle-class in their -nature, and all attempts to spread too much of nobility, Lords -and Ladies, duels, arranged marriages, could very easily lead to -completely destroying the atmosphere of the original books [#]_. -(“Lord Malfoy, would you please pass salt to Heiress Greengrass, -Scion Longbottom is in the way?” … that’s just too cruel -punishment for one’s sins.) Even here White Squirrel managed to -tone this down and make all business with students as nobles -believable. However, the author stresses strongly on the idea of -small size of the wizarding community in England (just ten -thousand, even less than what’s assumed by the fanfiction essays -I found on the topic), and the size protects enough -Gemütlichkeit to be still more bourgeois than feudal. - -Another important trait of the story is that the author has -tendency to include wizarding politics, and he does a very good -job with that. It makes the whole universe a way more logical and -rational. Also, it tries really hard to embed magical world in -the real world history, so Mr. Granger celebrates when Mikhail -Gorbachev abdicates (and he is told that there is a Konstantin -Jugashvili, the Dark Lord of Leningrad, who stood behind the -Soviet power). Mr. John Major has one small role in the story to -play (and putting completely incompetent Minister Fudge in line), -although they miss that during their first visit to the Diagon -Alley couple of streets away the same John Major stood on the -steps of the Downing St. 10 announcing the Iraq War. Also, one of -the large subplots relates to the 1994 Rwanda genocide (which was -caused in reality by the Dark Lord Kinani Ngeze and his nundu). -Related to that is the author including also international point -of view, which is very nice, because the wizarding world of the -Harry Potter universe is usually horribly English-centric and -ignorant of the world around. - -One tiny complaint to the general feeling of the book. English -are really more reserved than your average American (Australian, -I don’t know where the author is from). Their stiff upper lip may -be not that stiff lately as it used to be, but still this story -seems to me to have just too much hugging, crying, sniffling into -another’s arms, etc. And yes, I can happily imagine, that after -Harry had his emotional moment with Snape (after returning from -the Heavenly Heathrow), he could kill the pathos by delivering -the message from his father. That’d exactly fit. There is -a possibility Snape would kill Harry, but most likely he would -feel the duty of every Englishman to accept a joke (even when he -doesn’t), and he would just laugh it out. - -I have already mentioned, that it very much not succeeded in the -“brevity is a sister of talent” department. I would blame -serialized writing of the story, but sometimes it feels like -author tried couple of times to achieve some idea, or sometimes -perhaps he just started subplot which didn’t lead anywhere so it -just stands there alone (Harry meets Dudley in an amusement park, -just what Aristotle’s “visible difference” that chapter was meant -to make?). - -Much bigger problem in my opinion is that again the author didn’t -manage to keep focus on his main story. Until the end of the -first or second year the story is clearly rewrite of the Harry -Potter books with some special additions. The main hero is Harry, -and although Hermione is certainly a way more important than in -the canonical books, still the story is talked manly from the -Harry’s point of view, and (fortunately) Hermione is not here to -take Harry’s glory (like in some films, ehm). Then there is in my -opinion brilliant third year with werevolves, and then suddenly -the unity of the story goes down the drain. - -Suddenly, the end of the second year passes us, and in the -chapter 62 the book completely changes and not for more concise. -Suddenly, Carrows are running all over the Europe, Edward Greyson -runs from Australia to Siberia, and there are plenty of -completely unrelated stories which are competing for our -interest. It is obvious that the author fallen for the trap of -superhero literature and needs even badder anti-hero than the -previous one, so in the end there are four (or five?) -supervillians of the Voldermorts calibre being fought by -additional Grand Sorceres (mentioned Edward Grayson is one of -them), but it certainly doesn’t explain why the story changed in -its character so much. - -Moreover, in order to introduce these additional characters, -there are plenty of smaller stories which are completely -unrelated to the main one. Some of them would work very well as -independent stories. For example, in the first part of the -Chapter 75, Edward Grayson cuts through the jungle to find -a muggle-born wizard in the local native tribe, which could (and -should) very well stand out on its own as a single-shot. If -Professor McGonagall thinks her task to inform muggle-borns is -difficult, then she should try to find her muggle-borns in the -jungle of South America with machete, tropic helmet and all that -jazz. It could be a lovely one-shot even better because of its -non-European location, which is so rare, but I wonder whether it -contributes anything good to the main story of the Animagus. - -Another similarly problematic story is the chapter 83, “The -Battle of Gisenyi”. Again, it is perfectly written short story of -the magical battle, which would perfectly stand on its own as -a one-shot. Moreover, contrary to the previous one, this one has -an obvious important function for the whole story. One problem -with the persona of Albus Dumbledore in the canon is that -everybody talks about him as a biggest wizard walking the England -(or Scotland), the only one Voldermort is afraid of, but we -almost never see this magical power in practice. The only -exception in books is The Battle of the Department of Mysteries, -and even that is rather brief and I am afraid not enough. This is -one very few exceptions where the films are better than the books -just by their nature, it is very obvious there that battle is in -fact the most advanced magical duel of whole series. It seems to -me that this power of Albus Dumbledore is one place where Ms. -Rowling seriously failed in the task “Show, don’t tell”. - -So, I welcome very much that there was an occasion for Albus -Dumbledore to show his real power, I am just unsure whether it -was worthy to break whole continuity of the story for that. -Couldn’t this be just part of the current chapter 84, with -Hermione reading and explaining to their parents article in *The -Daily Prophet* (**NOT** from Rita Skeeter, just some random East -African correspondent, or English Hitwizard sent with ICW -forces)? It would convey the message as well, and kept the story -more united. - -And when I am saying the story should be unified, it doesn‘t -necessarily mean, it should have *one* united plot, or one -storyline. Tolstoy's “War and Peace”, Sienkiewicz’s Trilogy, -Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”, all these novels certainly -don't have only one plot, but they are stunning mesh of tens of -subplots. The difference from the Animagus is that they are of -this character all the time from start to finish. They have their -own unity, and they don't change it. - -The Animagus starts as Harry Potter-style novel, basically story -of small group of children going through their school, like my -brother characterized Ms. Rowling’s novels, “something between -Kipling’s Stalky & Co., Arthur Ransom’s children stories, mixed -with a bit of Stevenson’s ‘Kidnapped’ for action, and perhaps -even Hercule Poirot for the mystery solving”, all of which are -rather (using musical analogy) chamber music. And then suddenly -in the beginning of the fourth year The Animagus switches without -warning to the Beethoven’s Ninth or the Bach’s Mass in B minor. -It just doesn't work well together. - -So, for example, Draco’s subplot of discovery of true character -of his family in history is perfectly in line with the Stalky -& Co., Edward Greyson in the Amazonian jungle or Barty Crouch jr. -flattering La Panthera in the Mayan temple are too much in my -opinion. - -Also, on slightly unrelated and more personal point, I don't like -to see the story from the point of view of Voldermort & Co. (or -the Riddle's conversations with Ginny). Harry didn't know it, and -we shouldn't know it as well. However, here it is perhaps just my -own personal preference, not so sure about that. I didn't like -too much of Saruman in “The Fellowship of the Ring” as well (and -there was a way less of him than La Panthera in the Animagus). - -This is just my brief theory of Aristotelian Unities, or how to -make stories a way more homogeneous and I believe more enjoyable. - - -.. [#] “`Royal Ward`_” by Catstaff comes to mind, it can be - accepted only if it was meant to be a parody, but for that it - seems to be running little bit long (again, 53 chapters); its prequel - “`Hatal Fart Attack`_” by Corwalch is however a true parody - and a real piece of beauty. - -.. _`Jules Verne`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne - -.. _`Pierre-Jules Hetzel`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Jules_Hetzel - -.. _Grimaud: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Musketeers#Characters - -.. _`Royal Ward`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10556030/ - -.. _`Hatal Fart Attack`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2814791/ - -.. _`Classical Unities`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_unities - -.. _`Friends and Foes`: - http://www.siye.co.uk/viewstory.php?sid=129782 - -.. _`Strangers at Drakeshaugh`: - http://www.siye.co.uk/viewstory.php?sid=129036 - -.. _`James and Me`: - http://www.siye.co.uk/viewstory.php?sid=130180 - -.. _`PotterFixWeekly`: - http://potterficweekly.com/archives/1813 - -.. _`The Accidental Animagus`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9863146/ diff --git a/faith/augurey.rst b/faith/augurey.rst deleted file mode 100644 index a376f66..0000000 --- a/faith/augurey.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,209 +0,0 @@ -Augurey or loosing of sanity -############################ - -:date: 2019-08-28T16:51:33 -:modified: 2020-04-13T11:18:25 -:category: faith -:tags: review, HPprompt, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - -(my comments on “`The Augurey`_” by La Matrona, originally -published on Reddit_) - -What is my pet-peeve is when the characters behave like idiots -just to keep the plot together. Let’s see. I have just deleted -“The Augurey” from my computer. - -First of all, just let me state, I have nothing serious against -Harmony. I probably prefer Hinny, just because I don’t feel like -going against canon when not necessary, and because Northumbrian -and “`Inner Demons by serendipity_50`_” have shown me it can be -done well, but otherwise, it doesn’t bother me. For example, -“`Escape by SingularOddities`_” is a rather decent story (I wrote -a review_ of it). So, it is not that. - -SPOILERS AHEAD, so please skip if it bothers you (and it doesn’t -make sense to mark everything as a spoiler, not much will make -sense without them). - -It is not even the original premise of the story. The Trio while -still hiding in the Grimmauld Place finds out through the Family -Black Tree wallpaper (finally somebody found some good use for -it!) that Delphini happened (after all, Bellatrix was Black -originally). Harry, having a soft heart for orphans, finds her -after the war (completely neglected and abused), saves her and -brings her as his own. I have never heard about it before, and it -could lead to a nice story. So, it is not the basic plot either. - -What bothers me, is **how** it is done. Harry for reasons nobody -ever explained (and which don’t make sense either) decides to -hide his wish to look for Delphini from everybody (including and -especially from Ginny; it looks like the only reason is to make -the tension between them, which could lead to their breakup). -Then he asks (only!) Hermione for help, and finally he breaks in -in the middle of the night to the house where Delphini lives -hidden, takes her away, and presumably kills her neglectful -foster mother (he “takes care of her” in a rage after finding out -how horribly Delphini was neglected). Then he brings her to -Grimmauld Place, where Hermione finds a book on the paediatric -care and cures her. So, to summarize, Harry (who still planned to -be an officer of the law at that point) just committed completely -useless breaking and entering, abduction of a baby, possibly -murder, and non-reporting of crime, and I wonder whether -not-bringing her to St. Mungo for professional help does not -constitute criminal neglect as well. What’s Hermione’s reaction? -She doesn’t report him to the law officers, but she gushes about -his big heart and how great a man he is. Sorry, I threw the story -away at that moment, so I don’t know how it continued. - -There are zillion other things he can do (even if the existence -of Delphini should stay hidden from the wizarding world), just to -mention the first idea which came to my mind, he can ask for help -his buddy The Minister for Magic, there are zero reasons to keep -this whole thing hidden from Ginny and other Weasleys. - -There are many decent ways how to break up with your girlfriend -decently, and there are many possible reasons which could be -found. I can happily imagine that after Ginny hasn’t heard about -him for a year fallen apart for the biggest hero of them all, -Neville. I can imagine Hermione deciding that after all her -affection towards Ron was more curiosity or wish to have her -first crush completed than true love. And no, Hermione not -forgiving Ron his leave after being cursed by the locket makes as -much sense as anybody accusing Ginny of bringing the basilisk to -the castle, i.e. none at all. So, I believe even post-War Harmony -can be written in a reasonable manner (I tried to make -a suggested talk between Hermione and Ron in “`Late Morning -Talks`_” to show how I would do it). And after reading “Inner -Demons” (mentioned above) I very firmly believe in Harry taking -care of orphans. However, the author was lazy and he just wanted -to to get to the Harmony cooing over the small baby as easily as -possible, so he went straight ahead. Grrr. - ----- - -**[added on 2020-04-13]** - -However, I still cannot get rid of the basic premise of this -story, because I truly believe this is so good idea. It is just -such pity that the execution was so horrible. So, let me suggest -this as a prompt for somebody to write it better (in the same -manner the author of “`The Accidental Animagus`_” admitted_ that -it was based on the idea from “`The Natural Animagus by -wsbenge`_”). - -The start of the story could be exactly the same: The Trio in the -Grimmauld Place found on the Black Family tapestry, that -Bellatrix has a daughter with Tom Riddle. Then switch to the -moment immediately after the Battle of Hogwarts and you can -switch to search for the lost baby, which could make a foundation -for a good plot (although not very long one). I could happily -envision it as something similar to “`Hunters and Prey by -Northumbrian`_”: the first large case of young Trainee Auror -Harry Potter. This one could be probably even better than that -one because you don’t have to play in rather unrealistic hidden -werewolf village, but in the real world with realistically -crushed but bitter and hateful former Death Eaters and pureblood -supremacists. And it is even more fun because the whole -investigation is done amongst them, but they cannot have even -a shadow of suspicion of who that lost girl truly is. - -Then you can have the next part of taking care of an abused -orphan, and Harry with his past would be very interested in -caring for orphans (an idea which seems to be very -underdeveloped, the only exception I can think of is above -mentioned “Inner Demons by serendipity_50” and also the brilliant -“`Dudley's Memories`_” and “`Snape’s Memories`_” by paganaidd). -I generally don’t care about the shipping of Harry in all this, -I don’t think it matters that much for the story, just if you -want to break up Harry and Ginny, PLEASE, do a better job than -the author of this story. - -.. _voldemort-father: - -Of course, the premise of the story is based on the idea that Tom -Riddle could father a baby in the first place. Yes, I don’t -believe this story (and the Cursed Child, one of many -disasters of that fanfiction story), that he would be capable -of falling in love with anybody, and I have deep suspicion -even about his ability to commit the deed. After all, he truly -doesn’t have the human body, what he *has* is the alchemist -construct, created by two sexually rather inept most likely -still virgins; I wonder whether his body truly has all bits in -the right places. Much more appealing (or much disgusting, -that’s the same thing) would be if Delphini was either just -by-product of some dark magic ritual (which would nicely lead -to her being neglected and abandoned) or even intended object -(produced by artificial insemination or its magical -equivalent) of some ritual. What about the ultimate Horcrux -created by sacrificing your own child? It would be an -opportunity to create truly disgusting dark magic, which would -eliminate all those jabbers about grey magic and acceptability -of the Dark Magic. - ----- - -**[one more update on 2021-02-15]** - -I saw a week or so ago `this comment`_ on `the riots in -Charlottesville`_ by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The thing which -particularly impressed me was his memory of growing up amongst -bitter and depressed former Nazis, who knew they were fighting -for the horrible cause, and what’s even worse, they’ve lost. -“They lived the rest of their lives in shame. And now they're -resting in hell.” - -I would love to read some novel about this environment, but -I would love to see the parallel in the Harry Potter world as -well. That’s the world where this Delphini would grew up, and -where Harry would be searching for her. - -And yes, of course, I have to mention `this clip`_. - - -.. _`The Augurey`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12310861/1/ - -.. _Reddit: - http://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/cj5w7b/what_are_you_least_favorite_cliches_in_the_fandom/evbm3bb?context=3 - -.. _`Inner Demons by serendipity_50`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/601124 - -.. _`Escape by SingularOddities`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11916243/1/ - -.. _review: - {filename}singularoddities-review-escape.rst - -.. _`Late Morning Talks`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/20141410 - -.. _`The Accidental Animagus`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/14078862 - -.. _admitted: - https://potterficweekly.com/archives/1813 - -.. _`The Natural Animagus by wsbenge`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4183350 - -.. _`Hunters and Prey by Northumbrian`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/1857084 - -.. _`Inner Demons by serendipity_50`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/601124 - -.. _`Dudley's Memories`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6142629 - -.. _`Snape’s Memories`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6329597 - -.. _`this comment`: - https://youtu.be/BaN78rXX6Lc - -.. _`the riots in Charlottesville`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unite_the_Right_rally - -.. _`this clip`: - https://youtu.be/hn1VxaMEjRU diff --git a/faith/book-of-strange-new-things.rst b/faith/book-of-strange-new-things.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 1278389..0000000 --- a/faith/book-of-strange-new-things.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,81 +0,0 @@ -Review of “The Book Of Strange New Things” -########################################## - -:date: 2017-01-04T16:34:42 -:status: draft -:category: faith -:tags: tags - -The book called “`The Book Of Strange New Things`_” [#]_ by -Michel Faber is a combination of sci-fi with the -marriage-on-the-edge-of-falling-appart psychological novel. The -plot is rather simple: pastor of small English church is sent by -a strange private corporation USIC to the other galaxy (or -something like that, somewhere far far away) to be the Christian -missionary for aliens. However, the focus of the book is not -a space opera of meeting with aliens (although that’s included) -but a strain this put on the relationship with his wife, who is -living through complete collapse of the Earth civilization (looks -very much like the End of Times in Matthew 24). I won’t describe -more, because they I would trip about some spoiler. - -Michel Faber is without any doubts absolutely stellar story -teller and the focus of the book is great telling of the troubled -relationship over very (I mean very) long distance. For some -technical reasons, only something like email (censored as it -turns out) works. No MIME, no images, nothing else than plain -text. Of course, it is a great limitation for the written novel, -and it also boosts all communication problems between the -spouses. The husband suffers a lot with his inability to describe -completely undescribable world in which he has to live in -(although of course, the novelist himself describes that world -quite persuasively, but how much letters you can write in a bit -of free time the pastor has?), his wife is constantly frustrated -with her inablility to describe smelly dangerous wilderness into -which whole England quite fast changes. - -Pastor (and the reader) is quite surprised by the fact that -around hundred of local aliens are actually already Christians, -albeit in horribly legalistic, bit sectarian, most likely The -King James Version Only form (although, KJV is the only normal -Bible translation used in the book, which is a bit weird for -supposedly a bit liberal pastor). The aliens are quite different -from any human form (although apparently humans are able to eat -the aliens’s produced food), the pastor is not even certain about -their sex, and the only mean of communication is their rather -broken knowledge of English. Only after some time the pastor -comes with the surprising revelation that The King James Version -is not the best Biblical translation for the communication with -aliens (ehm) and starts to create himself some kind The Living -Translation-like retranslations of KJV into simplified English -(also, aliens have problems with pronouncing consonants, -especially some). If the pastor asked me before leaving the -Earth, I would tell him to pack NLT or some similar version. - -Anyway, the pastor during his stays in the aliens village (for -various reasons he has to return after every couple of days to -the human base) sinks more and more into going native, he starts -to learn the local language (first human to do so, apparently), -and feels finally a way closer to the aliens than to humans on -their base. - -There are books which are filled with the meaning from the start -to the bottom and we are not completely surprised by the end -(e.g., The Lord of the Rings; who of you, my dear readers, -expected that Frodo fails his task, The Dark Lord wins, whole -world falls into Darkness, the end of the story?). There are -other books which are more preparation for the final surprising -punchline (e.g., 2001: A Space Odyssey; and yes, there is a lot -of good story-telling even during the novel, but it all points -towards the end). These two examples show hopefully well, that -neither of these models of novel is inherently superior to the -other, and both can lead to excellent books (like these two -examples) or to something not so excellent. - -One of few - -.. [#] Yes, it *is* confusing; the book mentioned in the title is - The Bible as called by the local alien believers. - -.. _`The Book Of Strange New Things`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_Of_Strange_New_Things diff --git a/faith/breakfast_in_new_york.rst b/faith/breakfast_in_new_york.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 87a278a..0000000 --- a/faith/breakfast_in_new_york.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,94 +0,0 @@ -Live like you are not a Christian -################################# - -:date: 2020-06-28T18:35:24 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, HPreligion - -(my comments on “`Breakfast in New York`_” by Radaslab) - -Finished reading the story and there are two overwhelming -thoughts in my head. The first is obvious and rather normal for -most of the fanfiction stories (and especially so-called romantic -ones): it should be cut to like one quarter or so. The plot is -not capable of carrying more like seven or eight chapters, but we -have thirty-one of them. If you write two-hundred thousand words -long story, there is always good testing question “Do I have -a plot as strong as `Moby Dick by Herman Melville`_, do I have -the same amount of action?” [#]_ OK, romance can have less -adventure than Moby Dick, but this story with its incredibly -repetitive in nature (where even Hermione gets so bored, she -obviously forgot Harry has already told her he was -a Roman-Catholic and they would have a wedding ordained by his -parish priest even telling her his name) with many long -descriptions of everything completely useless in terms of plot, -just goes on and on and on. Thank God it is so easy to skip over -huge amounts of boring stuff like that! (hint: from five days -between their engagement and the wedding, just gathering in the -park outside of Grimmauld Place and meeting at Dursleys’ carries -the plot, whole day of visiting Hogwarts and ZOO, which is like -two chapters, can be safely skipped) - -You know the advice (which the author didn’t follow at all) is -“Show, don’t tell!”, it is NOT “Show AND tell! And tell again -(while she contemplates the story), and again (while he does so), -and tell once more (she has to tell her mum), then decide that -you want to actually write epistolary letter, so instead of -rewrite, you just write whole things twice more in two sets of -letters! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Makes me crazy. - -However, as I have described elsewhere_, lack of editing is -completely normal in the fanfiction world, and I wouldn’t write -this review just because of that. It is something else. In the -`religionless universe of Harry Potter`_, I am very thankful for -every even hint of some person who is a Christian, and who takes -her belief seriously. However, then there are stories like this -one and `Strong Blood by CooLibrarian`_, which are just -confusing. Main characters (and many other people) are Christians -(here Roman Catholics, in “Strong Blood” Russian Orthodox), but -there is absolutely nothing Christian about them. They never -pray, never go to the church, never read the Bible, never jump to -the unknown because God calls them to, anything. And no, I don’t -think it is the traditional Christians / born-again one’s thing. -I wouldn’t mind if they go to Masses, pray Rosary [#]_, wearing -devotional scapulars, anything. Why make your characters -expressly Christian, when they don’t do anything Christian-like? - -And I really don’t ask for some explicitly theological or -missionary stories. For example, `Why Time Travel Should Be -Illegal and Other Morals by mugglesftw`_ makes them normal -Christians, even though their faith is certainly not in the -centre of the story, it is just characteristic of some -characters, who are dealing with some other plot. - -.. [#] If your story has one million words, the question is - whether you want it to be as boring as `Clarissa by Samuel - Richardson`_, normally considered to be the longest novel in - the English literature. ;) - -.. [#] Actually, it is mentioned in “Breakfast in New York”, that - Hermione did pray Rosary during the Deathly Hallows camping - trip, and just by listening to her whispered prayers, Harry - converts to Christianity and only later finds out Potters were - as a family traditionally Catholics … no comments. - -.. _`Breakfast in New York`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5141159 - -.. _`Moby Dick by Herman Melville`: - https://blog.fostergrant.co.uk/2017/08/03/word-counts-popular-books-world/ - -.. _elsewhere: - {filename}aristotle-unities.rst - -.. _`religionless universe of Harry Potter`: - {filename}religionless-hp.rst - -.. _`Strong Blood by CooLibrarian`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7211094 - -.. _`Why Time Travel Should Be Illegal and Other Morals by mugglesftw`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12738075 - -.. _`Clarissa by Samuel Richardson`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_longest_novels diff --git a/faith/breakfast_in_new_york_02.rst b/faith/breakfast_in_new_york_02.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 4da3e12..0000000 --- a/faith/breakfast_in_new_york_02.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,157 +0,0 @@ -One more on “Breakfast in New York” -################################### - -:date: 2021-03-23T14:08:24 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, characterDevelopment, zettelkasten, catholic - -(second round of my comments on “`Breakfast in New York`_” by -Radaslab; `the first post`_) - -.. _`the first post`: - {filename}breakfast_in_new_york.rst - -There is this author’s note: - - Eros Syndrome was not named or defined back then, but it was - there. Eros Syndrome was needed to explain certain things. - Namely, how could Hermione have let that happen after she - made it clear she was not that kind of girl? Before I wrote - the first sentence, I knew she was going to have Harry's kids - out of wedlock and knew she would be pregnant again - following their reunion. I needed a way to explain it, - because both of my main character are not that way as people - — absent the Syndrome. Hermione would never give her virtue - up absent a wedding ring — or at least almost never. Yes, - Harry may have been (and was) and exception, but I needed and - explanation. - -First, author notes are what programmers call a code smell. Not -necessarily an error, but something suggesting that not -everything is right, and the programmer should check that part of -the code much more thoroughly. When you feel the need to explain -something in the author notes, it usually means you haven’t -explained it well in the story itself, and that’s the only place -where such an explanation should happen. - -But more importantly, this whole explanation is completely wrong! -Before I got to this awkward explanation, I was perfectly happy -with Hermione and Harry forgetting themselves and having -a one-night stand. Of course, not happy meaning I would support -their behaviour, but it made their story interesting. - -Explanation, why not-that-girl did this is exactly the main -point of any literature! See the awesome short film “`The Saga -Of Biorn`_” by The Animation Workshop. It starts with this line: -“Some might ask: who is this Viking and what made him throw a -dwarf off a cliff?” Many good stories start exactly with this: -why somebody did something very strange, against their character -or against what we would expect from a person like him? Why this -not-that-girl does things which she shouldn’t do is exactly this -question that made me interested in the story. - -Jim Chamberlain writes in `one of her interviews`_ how the -character flaw is the required element of every good film plot: -not only a hero needs to get `from point A to point B`_ but that -moving from that point A to point B must be *struggle*, -particular fight in overcoming of some of her character flaw: -Michael Dorsey in Tootsie_ is bit of a sexist pig who despises -women and yet he must pretend to be one to overcome this flaw, -Holly Golightly in “`Breakfast at Tiffany’s`_” must step out of -her cynicism which builds a cage around her heart to find her -true love (and cat), and so on and so forth. That is exactly my -biggest problem_ with most Harmony stories: their protagonists -are just too perfect, they don’t have any flaws, and they don’t -need any development. - -And what’s true about any literature generally, is even more true -about a story that at least tries to be inspired by Catholicism -as this story. Especially Catholic (or any Christian) literature -should acknowledge that “There is no one righteous, not even one, -there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. -All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there -is no one who shows kindness, not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12) -Meaning, that all-perfect people, who don’t make mistakes (or who -don’t sin, to keep the lingo), are just dream-like creatures not -capable of real life. And the question is, how come these good -people, how come we, sometimes do really stupid things? Why would -a good Catholic girl sleep with a boy on a one-night stand while -leaving to the other end of the world (and she thinks leaving -permanently)? Why would he? What would they do afterwards, when -the baby happens? - -Where good people do bad things (think `Graham Greene`_, if you -want to have a good writer who is a Catholic) is exactly the -place where graphomania ends and literature may begin. “It was -magic who did it!” is just a valiant attempt to avoid making good -literature. - -Another point, if the author wants to have their pair have `the -Quiverfull marriage`_, it is dishonest to hide their courageous -decision behind the magic. They should have many children, -because they are good Catholics (in their opinion), because they -love to have a lot of children, or because they were too ashamed -to learn proper anti-conception techniques, but not just because -magic forces them to it. - -So, why would not-that-girl do that? Another pair of completely -perfect boring people in all Harmony stories are her parents. -They are always supportive, always accepting, always perfect (in -sharp contract to Dursleys, who are not), always enabling_. When -we stop pretending that all good guys are completely perfect, we -can see that most of them have some obvious flaws. So, for -example, the explanation of many problems in Hermione’s actions -could be explained by her parents. If Hermione was a daughter of -two perfectionist overachievers, and which successful -entrepreneur is not a perfectionist overachiever, she would learn -that all her problems could be resolved by more hard work, and -that her approval is based upon the amount of work she produces. -And it seems that canonical Hermione acts exactly based on this -template! Whenever she screws up, whenever she feels guilty, she -works harder to ease her conscience. So, for example, when she -lies to her parents about her second year, she drives herself to -a breakdown in her third one. - -And when she is overcome by stress, loneliness, guilt (she did -effectively enslave her parents, she, a founder of S.P.E.W.!), -unfulfilled desire, and perhaps a bit of wine (of course, -Catholics must drink wine, not Scotch!), she breaks down and -sleeps with Harry, from all that stress. And when she finds later -that she is pregnant out of wedlock, she does the same: being the -overachiever, perfect student, perfect single mother (and by -God’s grace, she actually is). Fortunately, she is Hermione -Granger, so she has the brain to back up this drive, and she -manages to pull it off. - -Perhaps, you have another explanation, but anything is better -than the Eros Syndrome. - -.. _`Breakfast in New York`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5141159 - -.. _`The Saga Of Biorn`: - https://youtu.be/MV5w262XvCU - -.. _`one of her interviews`: - https://youtu.be/8aprQXvWRXU - -.. _problem: - {filename}one-more-anti-harmony.rst - -.. _`Graham Greene`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_and_the_Glory - -.. _`from point A to point B`: - {filename}what-wrong-with-Ginny.rst - -.. _Tootsie: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tootsie - -.. _`Breakfast at Tiffany’s`: - https://youtu.be/YnOfomPgETs - -.. _`the Quiverfull marriage`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiverfull - -.. _enabling: - {filename}singularoddities-review-escape.rst diff --git a/faith/breakfast_in_new_york_03.rst b/faith/breakfast_in_new_york_03.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 92fb58d..0000000 --- a/faith/breakfast_in_new_york_03.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,44 +0,0 @@ -Overall post on “Breakfast in New York” -####################################### - -:date: 2021-04-14T11:21:04 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(cover letter for presenting my reviews of “`Breakfast in New -York`_” by Radaslab; `the first post`_ and `the second post`_) - -I was rereading again “`Breakfast in New York`_” by Radaslab and -I don’t know for certain why it aggravates me so much. Certainly -there is the conflict between generally good and original plot -and tiring execution. The plot seems to be not completely -overused (at least in the HP-fanfiction universe) and it has -a potential to be rather nice romcom story. Of course, when -“romance”, “breakfast”, and “New York” are used together, one has -tendency to think about different breakfast_, but even that gives -the start of the story nice feeling of expectations. It is setup -for nice we-lost-each-other-and-now-we-found-us story (“When -Harry Met Sally”? Something of that sort), but it just broke down -on execution. I wrote two posts about it already: - -* `the first post`_ or how to be brief and how not to write - a Christian in your story - -* `the second post`_ or how not to valiantly defeat a purpose of - every story (also see this `explanation on the key character - flaw`_). - -.. _`Breakfast in New York`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5141159 - -.. _breakfast: - https://youtu.be/1JfS90u-1g8 - -.. _`the first post`: - {filename}breakfast_in_new_york.rst - -.. _`the second post`: - {filename}breakfast_in_new_york_02.rst - -.. _`explanation on the key character flaw`: - https://youtu.be/8aprQXvWRXU diff --git a/faith/broken_dumbledore.rst b/faith/broken_dumbledore.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 72d4006..0000000 --- a/faith/broken_dumbledore.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,53 +0,0 @@ -Broken Dumbledore -################# - -:date: 2022-07-30T11:52:30 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(my comments on “`Anger and Albus Dumbledore`_” by u/HorseLaw14) - -I think he doesn’t understand emotions at all. Yes, I will say, -he knows nothing about love. And, no, I don’t care whether he is -gay or straight, there is absolutely no evidence anywhere for -Dumbledore/Minerva (or Dumbledore/Snape, if you wish) ships -anywhere close to the neighbourhood of the canon. - -As a married man for more than a quarter of a century, I know -that love is much more than sex, and we have no evidence that -Dumbledore truly loved anybody after the age of fifteen. And -without regard to whether they loved each other (we don’t know -it, really) or whether they did the deed, they certainly had no -time for love to develop into something real. And, as I said, -love is much more than that, when thinking about it love is -sharing of life most of all. I don’t know if I have ever read it -somewhere, but the unit of love for measurement of it is one bit, -unit of information. And yes, I understand operational security, -but absolute isolation from everybody else, and complete secrecy -about his thoughts is not only ludicrous (because a bus factor of -the Order of Phoenix was essentially one) but it also testifies -to quite a dysfunctional personality. So, yes, for all his talks -about love being the biggest magic in the world, he was saying it -as somebody who knows love only from afar, not from his personal -experience. - -Also, if you are telling me that he couldn’t be in love with -anybody because he was carrying a torch for Grindelwald all that -time, in the same manner, Snape was carrying the torch for Lily, -I don’t believe you. I don’t trust that one either (it seems -quite obsessive and unhealthy not to be able to grieve through -that loss in eleven years at least to the level that one is not -bullying a son of your former lover), but at least Snape’s love -I can rationalize. Carrying a torch for the equivalent of Hitler -or Putin for ninety years is a sign of a seriously disturbed -personality, in my opinion. Love is not sickness, and when your -crush turns out to be a horrible monster, a normal person grieves -for a while mostly for the lost hope and goes on with his life. -Not keeping flame for another **ninety** years. - -So, I am not into evil!Dumbledore or the manipulative!Dumbledore, -just into his rather a flawed personality. Not morally, but -psychologically. - -.. _`Anger and Albus Dumbledore`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/wbpd47/comment/ii8f6ec/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 diff --git a/faith/centered-set-and-islam.rst.not_yet b/faith/centered-set-and-islam.rst.not_yet new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b1629e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/faith/centered-set-and-islam.rst.not_yet @@ -0,0 +1,71 @@ +Centered set and islam +###################### + +:status: draft +:date: 2016-01-11 +:category: faith +:tags: blueOcean, centered faith, christianity, islam, Allah + +.. zotero-setup:: + :style: chicago-author-date + +When I described what I mean under the term `centered set faith`_ +let me add couple of comments on what I see as shortcomings of +the bounded set faith. + +First of all, there is a problem with a bounded set thinking, +that whether we want it or not, it usually centeres around +“Christians like us”. I guess any Christian would flatly deny to +do anything like that but on the other hand I have yet to find +a Christian who would define a bounded set and then he would +identify herself to be right on the edge of such set, or even +outside of the bounds and doomed to eternally perish in hell. +Most of the time the center of the Christian set seems to be +quite close to the speaker’s position. + +Moreover, most of the time the bounded set concepts are used +during investigation of questions like “Is X still inside the +Christian set, or are they outside?” It seems to me that somehow +the bounded-set thinking leads to predominantly judgemental +attitude towards others. The centered-set model on the other hand +firmly puts Jesus/God in the middle and so it is by default that +we are not in the center, which leads to more *possibility* of +self-criticism and humbleness. + +---- + +Do I want to say that all Muslims, Jehova Witnesses, etc. are +somehow at least a little bit Christians? + +---- +(11:38:01) Andrew Funka: I’m curious to hear more about your thoughts on Volf’s “Allah” book. +(11:38:33) mcepl: I haven’t finished yet, so this is just preliminary. +(11:39:41) mcepl: Really thought through book, the guy is really brilliant, nobody can say he is not well read on the topic (how many evangelicals now about Nicholas of Cusa?). +(11:41:04) mcepl: the problem is that the structure of the book seems to be going from the most provocative to more normal-Christian (I don’t want to use labels “conservative”, “orthodox”, or “evangelical” because neither fits well with the book). +(11:41:58) mcepl: so couple of times, when I screamed “you are missing this important point” I got in the following page (chapter) to his point “and yes, we have skipped over this problem, let’s deal with it now”, so perhaps some of my complaints about the book are caused I haven’t finished yet. +(11:44:21) mcepl: I really really like that (comparing to almost everybody else) he really gets down and dirty by thinking about what does it mean to “worship”, what does it mean “same God”, what do we imply if we say that they don’t worship the same God (are they idol-worshipers?) Do Jews and Christians worship the same God? Do Christians worship the same God (answer is obvious: no!). A lot and lot of thinking, which I miss from almost everybody else. +(11:47:48) Andrew Funka: When you finish with Volf, you might enjoy an article by Timothy Tennent (now president of Asbury Seminary in the USA) that I think does an excellent job of answering the question. Sounds like Volf has it mostly covered. And he does - there are some rather important things that he skips over, but I think he may have done so on purpose. Perhaps I can borrow that book when you’re done and give it a good read to refresh my memory and have a good conversation about it. Cheers! +(11:51:47) mcepl: and yet I have some problems with Volf (but perhaps he didn’t get there yet) … I believe when Muslims talk about “love of God” they mean mostly “mercy”, but I do believe that God loves us fully, not just with mercy (imagine, all you would feel towards Amy would be mercy). +(11:55:03) Andrew Funka: Oh yeah, Allah as described in the Koran has some serious deficiencies of character compared to God the Father as described in the Bible. +(11:55:24) mcepl: but as I said, perhaps I will yet get there +(11:57:12) mcepl: the second is that Volf a lot around Sufism (which is apparently a way closer to the Christian relationship to God), but I am not sure how really close their thoughts are to the mainstream Islam. +(11:59:28) Andrew Funka: All good points. Keep in mind what Volf is trying to do, though - he’s looking for bridges, rather than defining the barriers. +(11:59:54) mcepl: yes, and I applaud him +(12:00:48) mcepl: also, the difference most Americans completely ignores, Muslims for him are personally mostly Bosniaks, who are I believe a bit different (and a way more friendly) than some loonies from Saudi Arabia/Pakistan. +(12:03:57) Andrew Funka: Yeah, that’s one of the things he’s been criticized for regarding this book - that he leans too heavily on examples of, basically, “friendly” Moslems. But again, he’s looking for the bridges, and the friendly guys are going to be a lot easier to begin working out something better with. You aren’t going to get very far if you try to start with some ISIS fanatic. But you might get to those guys eventually, in a positive way, by starting with the friendly and more open guys. +(12:04:57) mcepl: (concerning ISIS fanatics … it is really questionable how much Moslems they are; UK police found in backpacks of some recruits “Islam for Dummies” ;)) +(12:07:52) mcepl: well, what I meant is that Volf (comparing to 99.99% of his critics) has actuall personal experience with Muslims. +(12:07:59) Andrew Funka: Fanatics of every stripe are never following the orthodox stream of whatever it is they are fanatic about. E.G. the Jewish Zealots in the time of Jesus, National Socialists and German nationalism, Donald Trump and the Republican Party… +(12:08:37) Andrew Funka: Some of Volf’s critics are missionaries working undercover in closed Moslem nations… +(12:09:05) mcepl: right, so their experience of Islam cannot be more radically different than his +(12:09:23) Andrew Funka: Some of Volf’s more vehement critics are former Moslems. +(12:10:14) Andrew Funka: Not sayin’ his critics are totally right, just that it’s a hot issue. I think Volf brings a much-needed positive voice and perspective to the conversation. +(12:10:46) mcepl: (as a former PhD in sociology and social psychology) I am afraid there is not small number of maladjusted youth who are clinging to various group identities to save themselves. The problem is that they are mostly ignored by everybody except when that group turns out to be ISIS. If they were just some weird Jehova Witnesses, or even more weird cult; or Anarchists, Skinheads, we wouldn’t make much fuss about it. Because they murderous Muslim fanatics everybody is up their arms. +(12:14:38) Andrew Funka: Yeah, ISIS is the bad-guy of the decade. They’re great bad guys for the sensationalized media of our time. + +.. _`centered set faith`: + {filename}/centered-set-thinking.rst + +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYO0RtTOAiA + +.. bibliography:: diff --git a/faith/chesterton-chaucer-luther.rst b/faith/chesterton-chaucer-luther.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9be5b23 --- /dev/null +++ b/faith/chesterton-chaucer-luther.rst @@ -0,0 +1,33 @@ +On praise of Luther +################### + +:date: 1970-01-01T00:00:00 +:status: draft +:category: faith +:tags: theology, catholic, Luther + +During the most stimulating discussion in the last “Theology on +Tap” we have discussed ecclesiology among other things based on +the lecture by Gordon Isaac “`Luther’s View of the +Church`_”. Luther’s view of the Church were the most +interesting for me, because I have first presented in compelling +manner opinions of non-evangelical ecclesiology. + +There was one thing I have not managed to express on Tuesday. G. +K. Chesterton in his less known book “`Chaucer`_” + + +---------- + +Religio -- Middle Age managed to include into a rather Christian +culture whole world, from the Knight all the way down to the +Miller, but also from truly religious and pious all the way down +to venal and other sinners. We have lost (during the +Reformation?, Enlightenment?) this semi-Christian religio and +replaced it with nationalism (?). Not a good bargain. + + +.. _`Luther’s View of the Church`: + https://www.biblicaltraining.org/luthers-view-church/luther +.. _`Chaucer`: + http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks13/1300211h.html diff --git a/faith/dark-magic.rst b/faith/dark-magic.rst deleted file mode 100644 index c9af6fa..0000000 --- a/faith/dark-magic.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,197 +0,0 @@ -Foundations of The Dark Magic -############################# - -:date: 2021-02-06T09:11:36 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(my comments on “`The Light and the Dark`_” by Uncommonality) - -.. _`The Light and the Dark`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/gcds32/the_light_and_the_dark/ - -One of the many issues with the universe of the Harry Potter -books, which has never been fully resolved in the books by Ms -Rowling is the true nature of the Dark Magic. It is really not -explained. Dark Magic is what Dark Wizards do, and Dark Wizards -are Dark because they do Dark Magic. There is not much more to -say, only that some curses are labelled as Dark, and they are so -Dark, that one gets immediately life-long stay in Azkaban just -for using them. That’s basically all we learn in the books. - -Moreover, the adult reader is left wondering whether Ms Rowling -is really honest when she says that a rather hygienic Killing -Curse, painful but time-limited hygienic Pain Curse -(time-limited, because they are useless for torture longer than -few minutes), and the Control Curse, are the very worst Magic -which anybody can impose on another being. Even us, poor Muggles, -can do much worse and be much nastier than these three curses, -and it doesn’t take too much imagination to imagine much worse -and dark types of torture or killing than that: there is nothing -sexual in nature, no real human sacrifice, not much real torture. -Let me just mention without explanation the tortured child in -“`Inner Demons by serendipity_50`_”. The reader is left to -suspect that JKR sanitized this list of Dark curses to make it -palatable for teenagers and young adult readers. - -Let me suggest my theory about what is a better explanation of -these questions [#]_. Moreover, I hope, that the distinction -I want to develop here is useful even for Muggles in the -non-magical world. - -The original point where I started is my pet peeve how some -people tend to consider Dark Magic as something good. Most -contrarian teenagers reading and authoring fanfiction stories -love the idea that the wrong is right, and that only nasty old -codgers like Dumbledore stops people from using wonderful Dark -Magic. I don’t agree and yes I am an old codger myself. I really -think that Dark Magic taints your soul and yes inability to -produce the super-light magic like Patronus may be one of (many) -costs. - -The idea is that the “normal” magic (Lumos, etc. … most if not -all spells taught at Hogwarts) are based on the power from the -caster herself. It was the original magic discovered by the -Neolithic people (think Stonehenge), who happily used this magic -for their everyday lives and all was fine. However, then later -somebody (probably some Celtic druids) discovered that one can -harness the power of somebody or something else, and that even -more power can be obtained when you don’t leave enough magic for -the other to survive (e.g., human sacrifice). And that’s the -foundation of all Dark Magic, using the power of somebody or -something (animal, etc.) else. - -There is, not well studied (because nobody cares enough) the -opposite Light Magic, which is not using your native power, but -willing giving of own magic for others. And that is what Lily -ultimately did when protecting Harry. However, as I said, it is -very obscure and not a much-studied branch of magic, because of -lack of interest. - -And it goes to rather deeper morale: either we are living for -others (to serve them), or we are living for oneself (to be -served). Think about the Kant’s categorical imperative (“Act in -such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or -in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, -but always at the same time as an end.”), or Mark 3:9 (NET): “If -anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of -all.”. - ----- - -Let’s make an example of using this theory in analysing The -Cruciatus Curse [#]_, which is the least defensible of the -Unforgivable Curses. Redditer `/u/FUAllVeryMuch`_ asked me: - - So your comment was about dark magic being magic that takes - from others while light magic is giving for others in - a sense. Or at least that's what I understood from it. - - In that case, what do you gain from casting the Cruciatus? - Next, and I'm sure this has come up before, wouldn't intent - be more important? Like it is possible to kill using a basic - levitation charm, so would it have no effect? Also, suppose - someone was about to kill other people, and you kill him to - protect the others, does it taint you? How many times can you - cast dark magic before the taint is permanent? - -That ‘giving to others’ versus ‘taking from others’ distinction -was just my basic very general premise. There are many details -where it gets muddy and where the theory needs a lot of -development. - -So, Cruciatus is certainly one such case. I am not sure how does -the curse works. I would think the foundation of the curse is -some energy for the torture coming from the tortured, so tortured -people are effectively made to torture themselves, but this -theory wouldn’t work for Muggles, who can quite certainly be -tortured as well. By the way, concerning this curse, I was -working for some time for a professor of pathophysiology who was -researching pain. There are medicinal situations where part of -the nervous system is intentionally so overwhelmed with pain, -that it stops working, and so it allows some horrible surgery, -e.g. amputation, be done. I wonder whether Cruciatus was -originally meant to achieve something like this. The same goes -for some variant of Imperio … it could be deadly useful for -medicinal purposes. - -Back to the intent. Yes, that’s another question. With my theory, -Dark Magic would certainly not cover all bad magical actions. Mrs -Weasley with her enchanted knives (which normally chop -vegetables) can certainly make a lot of damage if she wishes, and -household charms certainly fall into the original Neolithic -magic. - -Concerning righteous killing. Yes, “Not everyone who wants to -kill is necessarily evil.”, certainly, it can happen (soldiers in -war, self-defence), but I don’t think even in such situations -Dark Magic would be allowed. If I understand Bellatrix Lestrange -correctly, you have to want to cause pain for the joy of causing -pain, not out of the righteous anger. That of course leads to -another side-question: how did Harry manage to curse Alecto -Carrow? I have no idea, but it was just one bout of magic, -effectively a rather painful Stunner, not sure. We probably -should rather silently ignore it as one of many inconsistencies -of Mrs Rowling. The same goes for the Killing Curse … you cannot -use it for good reasons, in Self-Defence or in the war -situations. You have to have your soul tainted, you have to want -to have somebody killed just for the Death itself. Yes, Snape -could do it as the former Death Eater, but that’s probably the -only one from the anti-Riddle side. Soldiers in war just have to -use some other curse … Reducto/Expulso/Confringo (I still have -a problem to distinguish which is which) to your head would do -just nicely. Notice, that for example we never saw Umbridge using -Cruciatus. She was rather slowly making up her mind to curse -Harry, and we don’t know if she could actually manage to do it. - ----- - -I have said that according to my theory using Killing Curse is -necessarily evil. And yet, “good guys” once used Unforgivables. -Sirius mentioned (in chapter 26 “Padfoot Returns” of Harry Potter -and the Goblet of Fire): - - The Aurors were given new powers—powers to kill rather than - capture, for instance. And I wasn’t the only one who was - handed straight to the Dementors without trial. Crouch fought - violence with violence, and authorized the use of the - Unforgivable Curses against suspects. - -Which exactly supports my point, when Sirius talked about it, he -was specifically saying that Aurors (I guess, those who followed -this order) were getting really close to being as evil as Death -Eaters. - -Some situations just have to be chalked up as JKR -inconsistencies. Harry using Sectumsempra without knowing what it -is. It just doesn’t make any sense. Whole seven books we are told -(heck, that’s the whole purpose of Hogwarts as a school), that -doing magic is much more complicated than just random waving your -wand and saying random weird incantations. Even with study most -students don’t manage even the simplest spells (Lumos, Wingardium -Leviosa) on their first try, and let us not mention whole -theories about intent being significant (I am not sure whether it -is or it isn’t, but it certainly makes more sense than this -scene). Here we have spell without any diagram for wand movement, -without Harry even knowing what it does (so, whole intent goes -out of the window), and it on the first try makes significant -damage to Malfoy. It just doesn’t compute for me. - - -.. [#] Originally developed in `the Reddit thread on the nature - of magic`_. - -.. [#] This part has been originally developed in `another Reddit - thread`_. - -.. _`the Reddit thread on the nature of magic`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/i9h9at/the_character_of_hp_magic/g1flpsp/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 - -.. _`another Reddit thread`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/iduokw/dark_wizards_patronus/g2biamt/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 - -.. _`/u/FUAllVeryMuch`: - https://www.reddit.com/u/FUAllVeryMuch - -.. _`Inner Demons by serendipity_50`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/601124 diff --git a/faith/deus_absconditus.rst b/faith/deus_absconditus.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..49d2bba --- /dev/null +++ b/faith/deus_absconditus.rst @@ -0,0 +1,17 @@ +Deus absconditus +################ + +:date: 2019-12-28T06:11:55 +:status: draft +:category: faith +:tags: sermon, czech + + + Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden, O God of Israel, + deliverer! + + -- Isaiah 45:15 + +Protože je Bůh skrytý nevíme nikdy úplně jistě jaká je vlastně +situace -> zachovávajme spravedlnost na okamžité důsledky. +Procedurální v. materiální spravedlnost. diff --git a/faith/disappearance-lizzy-bennet.rst b/faith/disappearance-lizzy-bennet.rst deleted file mode 100644 index ed7c139..0000000 --- a/faith/disappearance-lizzy-bennet.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,62 +0,0 @@ -The Strange Disappearance of Lizzy Bennet -######################################### - -:date: 2023-07-24T16:51:33 -:category: faith -:tags: review, Austeniana, blogComment, fromReddit - -(my comments on “`The Strange Disappearance of Lizzy Bennet`_” by HelenaMira, originally -published on Reddit_) - -I really wanted to like this story. The beginning of the story -promised a good plot and I like neglectful!Mr Bennet and evil!Mrs -Bennet as a fresh alternative to otherwise generally boring canon -personalities. Mr Bennet unwillingly running all around England -looking for his daughter and scheming Mr Gardiner were both also -pleasure to observe. - -And then finally Elizabeth meets Mr Darcy and it went down the -drain. Well, not immediately, although I have to confess that -their meeting was a great disappointment. There are situations in -life, where no matter what you say and no matter what are your -actual intentions, asking a girl to marry is just shamelessly -exploiting her. A true gentleman would in such a situation -leave his feelings and hopes for himself and help the girl to -achieve safety and establish her in a safe position in the -world. Yes, Georgiana needed a governess and I am quite certain -Elizabeth could very well be one, and the situation can slowly -and naturally arise to the “Jane Eyre”-like situation of a -governess turning into the Mistress of the House (especially -after revealing that she is a daughter of a gentleman, so there -is nothing wrong with marrying her). - -Although this fortunate scene could be probably silently ignored -and pushed to the hidden wardrobe, where many fanfictions have -hidden their less fortunate parts, it was by far not all wrong -with the story. It seems to me that the author fell into that -classical shock of every other fanfiction writer that although -she hoped to write the biggest novel since Pride and Prejudice -itself, there is enough plot just for a very brief version of P&P -itself (124 713 words) or even less. But that is not enough for -the GREAT and SERIOUS novel she was writing, so the length must -be extended by endless repetition of the same three thoughts and -endlessly analysing what has been already talked to death. And -yes, the length (without any changing actual content) increased -to twice the P&P size (223,347) as yet another example that -the elimination of editors from the publishing process is an -unfortunate disaster from which the literary world won’t recover -for a long time. 220,000 words are more than Herman Melville’s -“Moby Dick” (215,839) and I have to ask you, Reader, does “The -Strange Disappearance of Lizzy Bennet” have the same amount of -plot and character development (or even deep thoughts)? It does -not. - -In the beginning, I was prepared to give an enthusiastically -positive review of the story, but I am not still at the end of -this slog, and I question my decision to start. - -.. _`The Strange Disappearance of Lizzy Bennet`: - https://meryton.com/aha/index.php?/topic/17995-the-strange-disappearance-of-lizzy-bennet-revised/ - -.. _Reddit: - https://www.reddit.com/r/JaneAustenFF/comments/155t8zc/comment/jt9hkms/ diff --git a/faith/dudley-has-witch.rst b/faith/dudley-has-witch.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 8999b5e..0000000 --- a/faith/dudley-has-witch.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,54 +0,0 @@ -Dudley has a witch as a daughter -################################ - -:date: 2018-10-26T10:28:12 -:category: faith -:tags: HarryPotter, review, blogComment - -(review of `Must Have Changed A Lot`_) - -This certainly works as a one-shot, but as many (most?) fanfics -it is necessary to distinguish between exposition and story. -There are zillion fanfics with at least interesting exposition -(OK, so not only "what if Harry was a girl/has a sister"), but -with none story. And story is the only thing which matters for -anything longer than one chapter. - -Especially "what if Dudley has a witch" (surprisingly, almost -never a wizard) tend to get completely empty after the initial -fun scene of the panic coming over Dudley from the receipt of the -Hogwarts letter and almost inevitable frantic call (owl post) to -Harry for help. And then what? - -I know really only about two Dudley-has-a-witch stories which -have a good story line: `Dursley's daughter`_/`Dursley's -Dilemma`_ on Wattpad (unfortunately, still unfinished), and -incredibly good (and depressive and paranoid) `series of stories -about Holly Wycliff on AO3`_ (yes, for reasons I have never -understood, all Dursleys for security reasons changed both their -first names and the last name is Wycliff). But for both of these, -the initial exposition of what-if-Dudley-has-a-witch is just -start to an interesting story: the first one of just a plain -coming-of-age and troubles-of-teenager story (and I really like -“Stalky & Co.” so there is nothing wrong with that; on the top of -it, Esther Dursley is a Hufflepuff and there are so few good -Hufflepuff stories, if I, as a Ravenclaw, may say so). The second -goes to completely different, highly original and good stuff -(she is an empath and there is a lot of weird and dark story -about that). However, the point is, that for both them their -exposition is just that. The exposition. - -Now, let's see what the story brings. … Oh well, last updated -nine years ago. Oh well. - -.. _`Must Have Changed A Lot`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4923697/ - -.. _`Dursley's daughter`: - https://www.wattpad.com/story/12122491-dursley's-daughter-a-harry-potter-next-generation - -.. _`Dursley's Dilemma`: - https://www.wattpad.com/192985075-dursley%27s-dilemma-sequel-to-dursley%27s-daughter-1 - -.. _`series of stories about Holly Wycliff on AO3`: - https://archiveofourown.org/series/62351 diff --git a/faith/frameworks-and-libraries.rst b/faith/frameworks-and-libraries.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6090c57 --- /dev/null +++ b/faith/frameworks-and-libraries.rst @@ -0,0 +1,53 @@ +Frameworks and libraries +######################## + +:status: draft +:date: 1970-01-01T00:00:00 +:category: computer +:tags: firefoxOS, javascript, webapps, brick, framework, libraries, import, ES6 + + +While reading the discussion_ “Why I hate frameworks” I think +I’ve seen The Light™. I have finally recognized what is my +biggest problem with the current style of the Web development +(and consequently Firefox OS development). It is all about +frameworks. + +Where do I see the distinction between frameworks and libraries? +What I really want to do is to write program in whatever style +and structure I want. Only that would be too much work to write +everything myself (and in some cases, e.g., where numerical +stability is concerned, I would need to study one or more +universities to be able to write it), so I am glad that I can +call on some libraries to help via their exactly defined APIs +(and stable! I look at you, NodeJS & co.). However, still, I +decide about the structure of the program and its whole design. +Frameworks come from the other universe, the one of Microsoft +Visual Basic and similar attempts, where the framework does +everything and less-than-professional programmer just fills-in +details in some text boxes (if available). It comes from the +similar universe as whole ideal of CASE, RAD tools, UML, +complicated IDEs (who are mostly ancestors of the Visual Basic +idea anyway), etc. + +Crazy thing about the mobile development is that there are almost +no libraries and everybody tries to writes their own version of +framework. + +Or there are ... NPM. + +Even https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/ECMA +Script_6_support_in_Mozilla admits no support for libraries in +the current development of Firefox (and Mozilla is traditionally +ahead with the development of JavaScript) + +Perhaps there is a hope in Web Components, but I don't believe it much +... in the end what we are getting is https://github.com/mozbrick/brick +again. It seems that all we get from Web Components is yet another framework, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Components (ReactJS? Polymer?) + +This doesn't mean I don’t want examples. + +.. _discussion: + http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/?joel.3.219431 + +http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/?joel.3.290075.32 diff --git a/faith/geeky_mary_bennet.rst b/faith/geeky_mary_bennet.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 30162cc..0000000 --- a/faith/geeky_mary_bennet.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,143 +0,0 @@ -Geeky Mary Bennet -################# - -:date: 2023-06-25T18:03:43 -:category: faith -:tags: review, Austeniana, blogComment - -I have originally commented on “`Mr. Collins, a male lead??? Is -this possible?`_” by u/JenniferRAKim on That Site, but now I -think I would just leave it here as a prompt: - -.. _`Mr. Collins, a male lead??? Is this possible?`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/JaneAustenFF/comments/142qfn9/comment/jn89we8/ - -That’s one way, or of course if it leads to my preferred ship Mr -Collins/Mary Bennet (and religion taken seriously, not as an soon -to be discarded after thought). - -Something like “`Far Above Rubies`_” by Beatrice_Otter or “`Let -Her Own Works Praise Her in the Gates`_” by ChronicBookworm. - -I have in my head this scene:: - - INT. Netherfield dinning room, evening after the dinner, - small groups of people are talking, sound of general chatter in - the room. Camera wanders through the room looking at those - groups. MARY BENNET talks quietly with MR COLLINS. - Interrupted by - - MARY BENNET - (shrieking) - Mr Collins! - - MR DARCY, MR BENNET, some SOLDIERS run towards the pair - and threateningly surround them. - - MR BENNET - (threateningly) - Mary, what did he do? - - MARY BENNET - (looking excited, even perhaps a bit aroused, - face flushed, her bosom is heaving heavily) - Can you imagine? Mr Collins declared that he finds - interesting Luther’s concept of temporary existence of - the church rising up in the congregation of believers under - The Word being preached. How shocking! - - Camera slowly shows faces of people surrounding them, - completely confused and unbelieving what they hear. - -(BTW, Luther’s `concept of Church`_ is truly interesting, perhaps -not in the arousing level, but quite remarkable nevertheless). - ----- - -I don’t have a good plot, and most of the stuff have been already -written. There are two thoughts which I have, but these were -already written couple of times: - -* Elisabeth (or Mr Bennet, when Mr Collins comes for permission - to ask for her hand) suggest to Mr Collins that their marriage - is completely stupid idea, because: - - 1. there is absolutely no love from Elizabeth to him, - - 2. Elizabeth is constitutionally unfit to be a pastor’s wife - - 3. there is a third Bennet’s sister, Mary, for whom being a - pastor’s wife is actually a wet dream, and for whom visiting - sick parishioners would be the dream coming true. - - That was written by many, for example (aside from those - stories I linked before) “`If Only`_” by DesertVixen, “`The Second - Chance`_” by violet_baudelaire, or “`This is what we’ve sown`_” by - Kissed_by_Circe. - - That is however just a setup of the relationship, we could get - then to this relationship of two theology geeks (as shown in the - scene above; kind of Sheldon or Lisa Simpson meets theology), I - don’t have enough plot to make it into real story. - -* Alternative would be just opposite: yes, Mr Collins is as inept - as Miss Austen suggests he is, and all Bennets sisters unite - in one thing in their life and that is they don’t want to have - anything to do with him. In the end he is kicked away (and - marries Charlotte if you want, or marries a other random girl, - later from sexual frustration starts to visit prostitutes, gets - STD, and dies as complete wreck in the ruins of his supposedly - holy life). - - Fortunately, whole issue of entail is made moot by three - sisters marrying and two of them very well (Jane and Elisabeth) - as in the canon. In the end, nobody knows what to do with Mary - (and her parents are getting too old and sick to take care - for her), so she moves to live with Elisabeth and Mr Darcy at - Pemberley. There she meets some distant cousin (or some random - man) of Mr Darcy who is a theology student, and Amy Farrah - Fowler meets her Sheldon Cooper with geekiness abounding. With - “a little” help of Mr Darcy, the guy (now all done pastor) gets - a position of the pastor for the church in Lambton and they get - their HEA perhaps combined with happily observing the ruin of Mr - Collins, bankruptcy of completely incompetent Lady Catherine de - Bourgh etc. - - And of course, the Regency Era was also time of `William - Wilberforce`_, `Clapham Sect`_, or for the more social work - part of the Church `Sunday School Society`_. Why they cannot - participate in that and make it slightly cross-over with those - real movements? Something like that is suggested in “Let Her Own - Works Praise Her in the Gates”, but I think one could make a lot - of fun with it more. - -The End - ----- - -.. _`Far Above Rubies`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/15181952 - -.. _`Let Her Own Works Praise Her in the Gates`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/15122771 - -.. _`If Only`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/20184559 - -.. _`The Second Chance`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/1014291 - -.. _`This is what we’ve sown`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/43535736 - -.. _`concept of Church`: - https://www.biblicaltraining.org/learn/institute/ch643-martin-luther/ch643-18-luthers-view-of-the-church - -.. _`William Wilberforce`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wilberforce - -.. _`Clapham Sect`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clapham_Sect - -.. _`Sunday School Society`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday_School_Society diff --git a/faith/generational-curse.rst b/faith/generational-curse.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e46b9c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/faith/generational-curse.rst @@ -0,0 +1,16 @@ +Generational Curse +################## + +:date: 2016-09-24T23:50:38 +:status: draft +:category: computer +:tags: tags + + pro Čechy, ale nejenom pro ně + když i Češi, kteří toho zas až tak moc neprožili (respektive + už je to nějaká doba), jsou poškození, jak Židé, Indiáni, + uprchlíci ze Sýrie, Kambodže, atp. + beznaděj, odpuštění, obnovit důvěru + xx + +http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/generational_curses.php diff --git a/faith/good-petunia-stories.rst b/faith/good-petunia-stories.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 2e84f83..0000000 --- a/faith/good-petunia-stories.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,123 +0,0 @@ -Good Petunia Stories -#################### - -:date: 2021-02-12T17:22:29 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, zettelkasten - -(my Reddit post “`LF: Petunia is a witch afterall`_”) - -I know about these: - -* magnificent series by mzzbee_, which is probably the best I know about, - -* “`Petunia Snaps by Meester Lee`_”, which unfortunately finishes - exactly in the point where it starts to be interesting - -* “`By Baker Street Station, I Sat Down and Wept by Deco`_”, - which I need to reread apparently, because I forgot most of - it; oh, I see, it is that crack. I mean, sporting dragons, - really? - -* “`Petunia Evans, Tomb Raider by Starfox5`_”, or she is not - exactly a witch, but it is a bit of crack. - -* “`There Will Be No Foolish Wand Waving by kgfinkel`_”, which - has the most awesome Petunia around (or How did I destroyed The - Mightiest Dark Wizard of All Times with the Handbook of The - Muggle Liaison Office) and one of the darkest Dumbledore’s - I have ever read, and yet I still don’t think it is a stupid - Dumbles bashing. - -* “`the family evans by dirgewithoutmusic`_” with the most - awesome Petunia, which is rather unpleasant, but still she - cares about both of her boys. - -* “`Petunia Takes Charge by Leath1`_” which is one of those - Petunia-is-secretly-witch. The author meant well, but the - result is weird, but I am certain some may like it. - -* “`Harry Potter and the Magical Guardian`_” is absolutely - perfect story, where Dursleys turn out to be very different - than in the canon. - -* Dursleys in the stories by `Stephen Ratliff`_ are not - automatically good, but they are usually not comically bad, and - their relationship with Harry is much more complicated and - redeemable than in the canon. - -There is a one where Petunia lives in Diagon Alley with both her -boys (Dudley and Harry) above the bookstore running a kind of -kindergarten for other kids, and eventually organizes destruction -of Voldemort, because Dumbledore is too inept to manage it -himself. Not much good, and I cannot find it ATM. - ----- - -Readers on the thread added me also these: - -* “`Sisters (Doing It for Themselves) by neymovirne`_” neymovirne - wrote this oneshot after one of the discussions here a couple - of months ago. Witch Petunia and muggle Lily. My comment on - that was, that I thought more about the canonical universe and - her finding out being a witch later in her life, but this is - good nevertheless. So, what's next? Harry's adventures among - kangaroos? - -* “`The Day The Dursleys Came To Hogwarts by ordinaryguy2`_” - Before the first task Snape brings the Dursleys to Hogwarts - to taunt Harry. This breaks everything, including a binding - on Petunia's magic. Tropey but i think it mixes up the - tropes to good effect. H/Hr - ----- - -I have found these later: - -* “`Acceptance by AsphodelWolf15`_” If Vernon and Petunia were so - concerned about their image why did they treat Harry the way - they did? A child with a bad reputation living in their house - forced them to tell tales, when it would have been much easier - if they treated him like part of the family. How would Harry - have turned out if he was accepted? (This is not for Dumbledore - fans). 2BRead - - -.. _`LF: Petunia is a witch afterall`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/bvj24t/lf_petunia_is_a_witch_afterall/ - -.. _mzzbee: - https://archiveofourown.org/users/mzzbee/pseuds/mzzbee - -.. _`Petunia Snaps by Meester Lee`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12551744 - -.. _`By Baker Street Station, I Sat Down and Wept by Deco`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8864658 - -.. _`Petunia Evans, Tomb Raider by Starfox5`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13052802 - -.. _`There Will Be No Foolish Wand Waving by kgfinkel`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13137899 - -.. _`the family evans by dirgewithoutmusic`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/3073562 - -.. _`Sisters (Doing It for Themselves) by neymovirne`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/18209111 - -.. _`The Day The Dursleys Came To Hogwarts by ordinaryguy2`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10622306 - -.. _`Acceptance by AsphodelWolf15`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11956922 - -.. _`Petunia Takes Charge by Leath1`: - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4067744 - -.. _`Harry Potter and the Magical Guardian`: - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/13308768 - -.. _`Stephen Ratliff`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/u/62350/Stephen-Ratliff diff --git a/faith/gratitude-for-normal.rst b/faith/gratitude-for-normal.rst deleted file mode 100644 index f49c612..0000000 --- a/faith/gratitude-for-normal.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,50 +0,0 @@ -What We Were Made For: Gratitude For Normal -########################################### - -:date: 2017-06-08T17:07:40 -:category: faith -:tags: HarryPotter, review, blogComment - -(unfortunately, FanFiction.net allows only one review per -chapter, so I was not able to add this to my review of -`chapter 90`_ of The Missing Moments by Ash-and-Vine). - -When I was something like fourteen I was in hospital for surgery -which made me for a week unable to move almost at all (surgery -was at my groin, and it seemed like all muscles in my body were -somehow connected). Biggest than physical pain (there was some) -was pain of being immobile. I was completely consumed whole week -with incredible jealousy of everybody including nurses who could -walk. It was lovely sunny May, flowers were blossoming outside of -windows of my hospital room, and I could just lie down on my bad -watching ceiling. - -When after a week or so of such lying in the bed, I was able to -get myself to loo, it was one of the most exciting moments of my -life (birth of my first-born is in the similar category). When -couple of days later I could walk and I was released from the -hospital, I was so excited and grateful for just ability to walk -that I have almost ripped my stitches by walking over seven -kilometres home over whole Prague. This sense of gratitude never -left me completely and I believe it was one of the core impulses -which lead me later to coming to Christ. - -I guess that's something similar what Hermione felt in this -chapter, and I hope that everybody who reads it experienced -something at least as awesome (with stress on the root “awe”). - -Let me finish with what I wrote as my original review of the -chapter: - - My brother complained about HP that ends so poorly in his - opinion: the superhero saves the world and then he just has - family, kids and he is just an official in the Ministry - (well, a policeman, but still)? What kind of superhero he is? - - My answer was that he is exactly the hero I like, and I am - quite sure the hero JKR wanted to have. - -Thank you for writing this chapter so beautiful. - -.. _`chapter 90`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12377803/90/The-Missing-Moments diff --git a/faith/harry-potter-odpoved-brachovi.rst b/faith/harry-potter-odpoved-brachovi.rst deleted file mode 100644 index e8f0ea6..0000000 --- a/faith/harry-potter-odpoved-brachovi.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1184 +0,0 @@ -Harry Potter … poznámky jako odpověď -#################################### - -:date: 2017-02-18 12:24:13+0100 -:category: faith -:tags: HarryPotter, review, czech, feminism - -Argonantus napsal poměrně rozsáhlou recenzi_ všech románů Harryho -Pottera. Pokusím se zachovat starověce a dodat dostatečně dlouhé -citace, aby to dávalo smysl. - -.. _recenzi: - https://matej.ceplovi.cz/cizi/HarryPotter.html - -.. contents:: Obsah - :backlinks: entry - -.. sectnum:: - :suffix: . - - -Ingredience stylu -================= - - Harry Potter vypadá velmi jednolitě, ale už v prvním díle šlo - postřehnout základní ingredience, ze kterých je zhotoven. - Všechny z nich jsou britské, solidní a tradiční. - - 1. Dobrodružné vyprávění (á la Stevenson, třeba) — například - to, že děj se musí řítit jako utržený výtah; že se věci - řeší s lehkostí (nejde o žalozpěvy nad padlým hrdinou, ale - o akci, akci a další akci...). - - 2. Dětská dobrodružství (třeba Arthur Ransome nebo Stopka - & spol.) — děti, které se ztratily, které se v noci - schovávají někde, kde by být rozhodně neměly, děti, - prožívající dobrodružství v rámci svých možností. - - 3. Detektivka - -To je velice hezká charakteristika, ta detektivka a Stevenson -jsou jasné, ten Ransome mě nenapadl, ale určitě to tam je. A ano, -to je také důvodem, proč skoro všechny knihy skončí na ošetřovně -(kromě posledního dílu, protože předpokládám, že ošetřovna je -zcela zdemolovaná, a vysvětlení už proběhlo). Nejde jenom -o ošetřování zraněných, ale právě i o to Poirotovské vysvětlení -co se to vlastně doopravdy dělo. - -Mimochodem tato struktura je zcela narušena v Harry Potterovi -a prokletém dítěti (což je jedním z mnoha důvodů, proč tuto hru -nepovažuji za kanonickou) [#]_: detektivka zcela chybí (i když -jedním z hlavních hrdinů je profesionální detektiv, tak ve -chvíli, kdy by měl, tak najednou neví, jak vyšetřovat), -dobrodružného vyprávění je málo a je zcela zpackané a dětská -dobrodružství jsou dost osekaná (např. většina Potterových dětí -se vůbec nevyskytují, i když děj probíhá v Hogwarts během jejich -studií). Všechno překrývá mimořádně špatně napsaný pokus o sci-fi -postavený na přemisťování v čase což, jak každý odborník na -sci-fi ví, je žádost o malér. O putování v čase toho sci-fisti -napřemýšleli spoustu, jsou stohy různých teorií jak to má -fungovat (třeba krátký návrat v čase ve Vězni z Azkabanu je -„`Causal loop`_“, kdy se nemění minulost, protože při návratu -z budoucnosti se jenom doplní akce, které by jinak v minulosti -chyběly … zde zejména, Harryho vypuštění Patrona, kterým -zachránil sebe a Siriuse, a společné osvobození Klofana, které to -všechno umožní). Zároveň je ale shoda mezi všemi sci-fisty, že -zápletky postavené na putování v čase (včetně alternativních -vesmírů a všech těchhle krámů) jsou většinou tak neskutečně -zamotané a složité, že soužití se složitým mechanismem cestování -v čase pohřbí jakékoli pokusy o skutečný příběh, a navíc díry -v zápletce jsou téměř nevyhnutelné. Nebudu prozrazovat více -nežli, že autoři hry (kterým podle mého nebyla J K Rowlingová, ta -to jenom podepsala z komerčních důvodů) si buď těchto problémů -nebyli vědomi a nebo se s nimi prostě nedokázali popasovat. -Výsledek je katastrofa. Přitom je známo, že Rowlingová samotná -`o tomhle všem ví`_ a že schválně obraceč času použila pouze -jednou, pošoupla se jenom o tři hodiny do stejného vesmíru a že -potom v Bitvě na Oddělení záhad všechny zbývající obraceče času -nechala schválně zlikvidovat, aby už se s nima nemusela -otravovat. - -.. [#] Nemohu si odpustit jednu reakci_ z redditu: „Do not pity - the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and above all, the people - who watched this play.“ - -.. _`Causal loop`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causal_loop - -.. _`o tomhle všem ví`: - http://pottermore.wikia.com/wiki/Time-Turner - -.. _reakci: - https://www.reddit.com/r/harrypotter/comments/4nc1hj/spoilers_cursed_child_megathread_part_2/d45ruh6/ - -Argonantus k tomu ještě dodává pochybnosti o překladu. Jako -člověk, který nejprve všechny knihy četl v originále, mohu jenom -potvrdit, že překlad je jednak nekonzistentní (ano, „diadém“ v. -„tiára“), jednak dost mizerný, ztrácí třeba spoustu šťávy a někde -vytváří strašné tvary (fakt nějaký současný mládežník dobrovolně -prohlásí o klukovi s holkou, že se „muchlají“? Svět se musel -obrátit ke zlému od dob, kdy se mě to týkalo). - -Konstrukce kouzelnického vesmíru -================================ - - Rowlingová je tak specificky britská, jak jen je možno. Je - docela možné, že nečetla nikdy žádnou jinou knihu, než - anglickou. - -Ehm, její máma byla (poloviční nebo úplná) Francouzka, takže je -bilingvální, její dědeček získal v první světové válce Croix de -Guerre za statečnost, předtím nežli šla studovat klasiky, tak -byla studentkou francouzštiny na anglické univerzitě (s rokem -studia v Paříži). Takže je to ještě horší: anglickou ignoranci -o čemkoli na druhé straně Kanálu kombinuje s francouzskou -arogancí, která nepotřebuje vědět nic za svými humny, protože tam -není nic zajímavého. Jo a rok a půl žila v Portu, ale je dost -možné, že tam nečetla nic jiného nežli Jane Austenovou -a Dickense. - -S tím souvisí naprosto hrůzné problémy, do kterých se dostávám, -ve chvíli, kdy se snažím rozpracovat Rowlingovský svět v Čechách. -Tak například Kruval se také jmenuje Durmstrang-Institut für -Zauberei, je lokalizován někde v severním Norsku nebo Švédsku, -jeho loď má na plachtě ruského imperiálního (nebo možná -byzantského) orla, jeho studenti tančí kozáčka, a dvě -nejvýznamnější figury se jmenují Viktor Krum (Bulhar) a Igor -Karkaroff (a nikdo nemá sebemenší představu odkud *ten* je, ale -jeho turecko-ruské jméno `možná pochází`_ nepřímo ze Silmarllionu). -Jo a na celé světě je jenom jedenáct kouzelnických škol (včetně -jedné v Africe, USA, Japonsku a Brazílii a tří z Ohnivého -poháru). A nikdo se nikdy nezmiňuje o tom, že by třeba Němci měli -nějakou (jinou?) školu (nebo byl třeba Nurmengard původně německá -škola na německé straně Šumavy?). Co si z toho mám zatraceně -vybrat? Že celá Evropa od Řecka a Portugalska přes Střední Evropu -až po Skandinávii a Rusko studuje někde ve Švédsku za polárním -kruhem? A co ruský Koldovstorec [Колдовсторец], který je někde -kdo ví kde (jediné co o nich víme je, že tam kdysi (?) nebo stále -hráli (hrají?) famfrpál na celých stromech místo pouhých košťat -a že odtamtud pocházel jeden z vítězů mezinárodní soutěže -v lektvarech). - -.. _`možná pochází`: - http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Igor_Karkaroff#Etymology - -Když tenhle zmatek porovnám s Tolkienovým světem, kde byly -vyřešeny i ty fáze měsíce, tak je mi smutno. Navíc ještě svět -v jednadvacátém století přeje kouzelníkům podstatně méně nežli -svět někdy kolem roku 1000 BC (nebo kdy se odehrává Pán prstenů). -Nebylo tak strašné psát o devadesátých letech dvacátého století -a o hradu, kde neměli elektřinu (takže žádný telefon, televizi) -a většina toho se dala nahradit vhodným kouzlením. Ale -v jednadvacátém století máme Internet, mobily a počítače a pokud -se jich vzdáme, tak najednou ta magie nevypadá jako tak úžasná, -ale jako spíše hodně chudá příbuzná mudlovského světa. K čemu mít -očarované Patronovo kouzlo, když mám Jabber a Whatsapp? A fakt -brk a pergamen (300 ovcí na jednu Bibli; předpokládám, že ty -jejich pergameny jsou ve skutečnosti nějaké kouzelné náhrady, -protože s nimi zacházejí jak s nejlevnějším papírem)? A jak se -živí těch několik set lidí na Hogwarts, když Gampův zákon -elementárního přeměňování zabraňuje vytvářet jídlo? To si nikdo -nevšimne, že do zříceniny hradu míří denně náklaďáky s proviantem -(předpokládám, že to je také důvodem chybějící elektřiny; vysoký -záhadný odběr elektřiny z britské elektrické sítě by se blbě -utajoval)? A tak. Zlatý Tolkien. - -Tak jsem nakonec v zoufalství pozdvihl prapor (původně ne můj) -Druidské školy vysoké magie v Budči_ a předpokládám, že se k ní -kouzelničtí Angličané neznají, protože se trochu stydí za to, že -všichni tři zakladatelé Hogwarts pocházejí původně z ní. Helga, -později provdaná Hufflepuf, byla původně ředitelkou na Budči, -a matkou spoluzakladatelky Hogwarts, Albis, nejznámější ředitel -budečské školy z pátého století AD byl praotcem rodu Griffindorů, -zakladatel rodu Ravenclaw byl hned druhorozeným synem kněžny -Libuše, a dědečci Salazara Slytherina byli Tunna a Gommon, vrazi -knězny Ludmily (ta byla pochopitelně velečarodejnicí pětadvacáté -úrovně, která ale kouzla zavrhla po obrácení se na křesťanství). -Zároveň ale budu muset pozici českých kouzelníků značně vyhrotit -v opozici proti anglickým zvykům („my jsme to takhle dělali, když -v Bradavicích vládli akorát vlci a lišky“) a zároveň je musím -značně smířit se současným světem. - -.. _Budči: - http://budec.net/budec/node/16 - -Právo a kouzelníci a také o vzdělávání -====================================== - -Když už jsme u nadávání na problémy Harryho Pottera ve dvacátém -a jednadvacátém století. Narazil jsem na nádherný sborník_ „Harry -Potter and the Law“. Čtení mě znovu upozornilo na hrůzy, které -jsem se tak nějak snažil ignorovat, když jsem si četl knihy -poprvé. Zcela nezadržitelný byl můj záchvat hrůzy, když jsem četl -tento rozhovor: - - „Ministerstvo není pravomocně příslušné k tomu, aby - vylučovalo studenty z Bradavic, Korneliusi, jak jsem vám - připomněl už druhého srpna večer,“ odpověděl Brumbál. „A nemá - ani právo zabrat hůlku někomu, komu nebylo jeho provinění - prokázáno, jak jsem vám rovněž večer druhého srpna připomněl. - V tom obdivuhodném spěchu, s nímž jste chtěl zajistit včasný - průchod spravedlnosti, jste zřejmě, byť nepochybně neúmyslně, - sám několik zákonů přehlédl.“ - - „Zákony se dají změnit!“ štěkl vztekle Popletal. - - -- Harry Potter a Fénixův řád, kapitola osmá, str. 142 - -.. _sborník: - https://ssrn.com/abstract=829344 - -Dočetl jsem sem, a okamžitě mě napadlo, že myšlenka vlády práva -je něco, co se Rowlingová mohla naučit i když studovala svoje -klasiky, protože to je naprostý základ jak u Aristotela tak -pochopitelně celého římského práva. Ministr magie, který zároveň -předsedá soudnímu jednání a vydává dekrety (Madam Maxime možná -mohla přečíst a pak šířit mezi kouzelníky knihu od jejího krajana -Montesqieua o dělbě mocí) a veřejně deklaruje, že má v úmyslu -měnit zákony podle toho, jak se mu to hodí pro jeho soudní -rozhodování, je něco dost neuvěřitelného. Řekl bych, že i tatíček -Stalin by měl lehce potíže něco takového veřejně vyhlásit (byť to -samozřejmě dělal). - -Mimochodem, stejný Kornelius Popletal se o dvě knihy předem -dopustil zneužití pravomoci veřejného činitele v souběhu -s vraždou (nejsem si jist jak kvalifikovat mozkomorův polibek, -ale většina kouzelníků se tváří, že to je minimálně jako -usmrcení) a pravděpodobně mařením výkonu úředního rozhodnutí. -Ano, obětí byl zejména Barty Crouch jr., odsouzený na doživotí do -Azkabanu, ale to mi stejně nepřipadne jako dostatečné na to, aby -si ministr jenom tak přivedl mozkomora do školy a nechal -zlikvidovat jediného svědka toho co se odehrávalo ve škole -poslední rok. Ale přesto jediným výsledkem je, že se paní -profesorka McGonagallová strašně naštve, ale jinak se nestane -vůbec nic. Musím říci, že poté co jsem si přečetl tento kus, -kouzelnický svět se mi líbil o mnoho méně. - -A ještě jedna poznámka ke kouzelnickému světu. Z knihy to není -jasné, ale pevně doufám, že si Hermiona sebou vzala na vandr -„Hodnocení výuky čar a kouzel v Evropě“, protože by ji to snad -mohlo popostrčit k tomu, aby se zamyslela nad tím, jaké -vzdělávání kouzelnické školy poskytují (a neposkytují). Normální -mudlovské vzdělávání pro kouzelnické děti v knihách v podstatě -skončí ve věku jedenácti let (a kdoví jaké vzdělávání dostávají -mladí kouzelníci předtím, většina jich je vzdělávaná doma -a nejsem si jist, jestli existují nějaké zkoušky). Pokud tomu -dobře rozumím, tak od věku 11 výše, už nedostanou jakékoli -vzdělání v matematice, přírodních vědách (s výjimkou lektvarů, -omezené botaniky a péče o magické tvory), ale i třeba -v angličtině, zeměpisu (Rowlingová by ho sama zjevně -potřebovala), a jakýchkoli společenských vědách (nemluvě -o sexuální výchově). Při tom se nemohu zbavit dojmu, že tyto -předměty, ale třeba i právo, psychologie a politologie se nemohou -moc lišit mezi světem mudlů a kouzelníků (a pokud se liší, tak by -bylo dobré je poskytovat v modifikované podobě, ne se na to úplně -vykašlat; a mimochodem, Harry a několik dalších postav [Sirius!] -by nutně potřeboval nějakou psychoterapii, aby se naučil lépe -zacházet se svým konstantním vztekem). Nechci se vytahovat, ale -pokud mohu vědět co je dělba moci, zatímco kouzelníci nemají -sebemenší představu, co mám na mysli, cítím se o něco lépe jako -mudla. Jo a taky by někdo mohl vysvětlit Ritě Holoubkové, co je -to žaloba na ochranu osobnosti, a pořádně ji s několika -přetáhnout po hřbetě. - -Problém Petra Pevensie -====================== - - Mimochodem, při filmování nebo při pokusu převést Pottera do - RPG hry tu vznikají neskutečné obtíže. Každý brzy odhalí, že - skoro každé kouzlo v Potterovi je **konečné a ultimátní**; - technicky je vlastně jedno, jestli trefíte soupeře dětskými - kouzly *Petrificus totalus*, *Expeliarmus*, nebo drsnějším - *Mdloby na tebe* (*Stupefy*), a nebo konečně zakázanými - černými kletbami jako *Avada kedavra*. Souboj skončí po - prvním zásahu a protivník je vyřazen; víceméně pak jde - vlastně jen o to, kdo „rychleji kliká myší“, pardon, švihá - hůlkou. Což činí ve filmech takové problémy, že závěrečná - bitva v pátém díle předvedla sice velmi efektní souboje, - nicméně se světem Harryho Pottera vlastně nemají nic - společného (jak se mění postavy v řítící se kouřová mračna - a jaký to má smysl nám zůstane utajeno). - -Čistě technicky tady nemá Argonantus pravdu. *Expeliarmus* nikoho -nezraní, takže pokud se naskytne příležitost, tak je možné sebrat -zase hůlku a pokračovat (samozřejmě pokud proti Vám právě nestojí -drahoušek Bellatrix) a ze *Stupefy* se dá také jenom otřepat, byť -možná to třepání chvilku trvá, a pokud není člověk postarší -čarodějka a nedostane čtyři najednou do prsou, ale profesorka -McGonagallová je jediná, kdo je skutečně zraněn pomocí tohoto -kouzla. A mimochodem, k překladům, *Mdloby na tebe* je sice -absolutně nepřesný ale krásný překlad *Stupefy*. - -*Petrificus totalus* je podle mého prostě chyba. To je natolik -mocné kouzlo (např. s úspěchem využité jak Harrym tak později -Hermionou na Antoninu Dolohovovi), že ho rozhodně neměli mít -v ruce prváci. Ubyla by elegantní scéna s Nevillem, ale podle -mého je to opravdu jako dávat dětem do ruky AK-47 a nechat je, ať -si hrají. Nebo mělo mít alespoň nějakou časově omezenou působnost -nebo něco. - -Dostávám se tím ale k jedné věci, která se podle mého málo -zmiňuje a která se mi na HP knihách velice líbí. Problém -s fantazy-like literaturou ve které vystupují děti nebo mládež je -v tom, že ve chvíli, kdy se dostanou do střetu s opravdu vážnými -nepřáteli, tak najednou musí čtenář uvěřit, že čtrnáctiletý kluk -(nebo holka) je schopen přemoci samotného Velkého Nepřítele. -V knihách to častěji projde a čtenář se může tvářit, že si toho -nevšimnul, ale ve chvíli, kdy se snažili natočit v Narnii, kterak -Petr Pevensie (tehdy třináctiletý) bojuje s nejmocnější -čarodějkou na světě, Bílou čarodějnicí, která je mimochodem -nadlidské velikosti, tak výsledek byl neskonale trapný, -a v podstatě větší část filmu pro mě potopil. Navíc dětští herci -jsou dětští herci, protože to jsou dětští herci, a nedokážou hrát -tak dobře jako dospělí. - -Zdá se mi zcela zřejmé, že jak Rowlingová, tak potom filmaři si -byli těchto nebezpečí zcela vědomi a snažili se proti tomu -bránit. Jedna z věcí je, že jak v knihách tak zejména ve filmu -jsou naši tři hlavní hrdinové doslova zavaleni dospělými a často -mnohem podstatnějšími (a mnohem psychologičtěji zajímavějšími) -postavami (osazenstvo Hogwarts, Weasleyovi, záporné postavy). -Kromě dětských herců se ve filmech představili absolutně všichni -nejlepší herci, kteří jenom v Anglii (resp. ve Velké Británii, -točíme ve Skotsku) žili. [#]_ - -.. [#] Situace, kdy Gilderoy Lockharta hraje shakespearovská - superstar Kenneth Branagh jenom proto, že původně plánovaný - Hugh Grant nebyl k doptání, ilustruje, že opravdu na Harryho - použili absolutně všechno, co měli v Británii k dispozici. - -Rowlingová šla ještě dále. Jednak je to podle mého jedna -z nemnoha dětských vícedílných knih, kde hrdinové opravdu stárnou -(i když Pevensieovi v Narnii také teoreticky stárnou, tak jsou -v podstatě totožní na začátku jako na konci a pořádně vystupují -jenom ve třech ze sedmi dílů). Ale kromě toho je zcela zřejmé, že -žádný z hrdinů se nikdy nestane supermanem (ano, Hermiono [#]_, -ani superženou). Je třeba tedy zaznamenat obrovský Harryho -vyučovací talent. Dostal do ruky bandu čtvrťáků (a několika -mladších a starších), kteří vlivem různých historií neměli -absolutní žádné cvičení v opravdovém boji (Lupin učil jenom -obranu proti různé havěti a ostatní … no, ti vlastně nenaučili -nic; nevím, co je vlastně doopravdy naučil Moody/Barty Crouch -Jr.). A přesto se mu povedlo vybudovat během několika měsíců -bojovou jednotku, která byla schopna přežít útok dvojnásobné -přesily Smrtijedů obsahující i takové těžké váhy jako drahouška -Bellatrix, Luciuse Malfoye, nebo Antonina Dolohova (a paradoxně -všechno zachránila nejmladší Ginny, když zdemolovala polovinu -Odboru tajemství). Sice pak potřebovali zachránit od členů Řádu -a nakonec i samotného Brumbála, ale stejně přežít ten první útok -bylo něco, o čem předpokládám většina maturantů z Hogwarts mohla -jenom snít. Jo a mimochodem skoro všichni studentíci jsou schopni -vyčarovat Patrona, což je všeobecně pokládáno za téměř vyloučené -pro studenty jejich věku. Pokud Harry dlouhodobě dělá cokoli -jiného nežli vyučuje DADA, tak plýtvá svým talentem. - -.. [#] Zde (protože mě nenapadá kde jinde) zaznamenám půvabnou - fan teorii, že Křivonožka je podobně jako Prašivka také - dlouhodobě proměnný animagus a to Regulus Black, který nikdy - nezahynul, ale naučil se této magii od bráchy, schoval se - před Voldemortem (nebo nějak jako kocour přežil Inferi???). - Pak se mu třeba kočičí život natolik zalíbil, že už tak - zůstal. - -Ale zároveň je stále absolutně jasné, že naši milí studentíci -jsou absolutně na jiné úrovni nežli to, co potom na Ministerstvu -předvádí Moody, Lupin, Tonksová & co. a ještě na úplně jiné -úrovni nežli čím končí Brumbál s Voldym, jejichž závěrečný souboj -na Ministerstvu je zcela jednoznačně nejvyspělejším soubojem -v celém Harrym Potterovi. U většiny jejich kouzel vlastně ani -nechápeme co se děje. Je zcela jasné a nikdo o tom nepochybuje, -že kdyby se měli proti sobě postavit Harry a Voldemort v rovném -souboji, ve kterém by nebyli zešvindlované nebo nevěrné hůlky -apod., tak by Harry dopadl jako ti Kšandičkové z Tvrdolína (viz -několik krátkých okamžiků, kdy k tomu dojde ve čtvrtém dílu, nebo -třeba Harryho souboj se Snapem, kde se Harry nezmůže absolutně na -nic). A na Harryho obranu je pochopitelně třeba dodat, že tu -závěrečnou bitvu si zešvindloval sám svoji vlastní cílevědomou -prací (likvidací Horcruxů, získáním vědomostí o hůlkách -přesahující Voldermortovi, přemožením Draca a konečně samozřejmě -vlastní ochotou k oběti), ale stejně ani pak to nebylo nic -podobného jako závěrečný souboj Voldyho s Brumbálem. V závěru -celé knihy jsou sice nesmírně stateční, omlácení a asi -i nadprůměrně vzdělaní a zkušení v DADA, ale přece jenom jsou to -zcela nepopiratelně studenti Hogwarts, nikoli SuperCosi. Takže -pokud někteří fandové porovnávají na forech Harry Pottera -s Barbarem Conanem (a tvrdí, že ten druhý je mnohem více cool), -nemám co dodat. Vůbec nic nepochopili. - -Harryho kamarádi a kamarádky -============================ - - Trojice Harry – Ron – Hermiona je nejpevnější jádro všech - vztahů, co svět Rowlingové vůbec zná; je to nezničitelná - konstanta od chvíle, kdy se tihle tři v Kameni mudrců dali - dohromady. Na druhé straně i tahle věc prochází proměnami, - a dokonce i krizemi. … Tonksovou zase odzbrojí Siriova - tragédie … V nejtěžším a nejsložitějším příběhu, Fénixově - řádu, se objevují postavy další. Některé tu už dávno byly, - jen skromně čekaly, až si jich děj dostatečně všimne. Neville - Longbottom, věčný smolař a nešika. Giny Weasleyová. Lenka - Láskorádová. - -Na začátek jedna nepodstatná technická drobnost, Tonksovou -neodzbrojí Siriova smrt ale natvrdlý Lupin, ten Sirius byl podle -všeho jenom falešná stopa. - -Ale jinak k Harryho kamarádům. Jednak to je opět perfektní obrana -proti syndromu Petra Pevensie, protož ty minimální schopnosti -a vlastnosti, které prostě jsou nezbytné, se alespoň dají -rozložit na tři lidi, takže Harry nemusí být zároveň geek, -sportovec, zachovat si chladnou hlavu a být šíleně odvážný. -Zvládnou to za něj jiní. Velice dobře hráno. - -Dále jsem absolutně nadšený tím, že Harry a Hermiona na konci -*neskončí* spolu [#]_. Jednak je dobře, že hlavní hrdinka má v sobě -vyšší cíle nežli být jenom manželkou hlavního hrdiny a jednak -velice fandím tomu, že se Harry mýlil (tentokráte ten z filmu -„Když Harry potkal Sally“, nikoli Harry Potter), když tvrdil, že -muži a ženy nemohou být kamarádi. Je to nesporně těžké a stává se -to zřídka, ale sám jsem to zažil a je to velice prima. Zde je to -ve formě bratr-sestra, kdy si navzájem brečí na rameno se svými -milostnými katastrofami [#]_, a jsem moc rád, že to Rowlingová -nezkazila tím, že by je nakonec spárovala. - -.. [#] Navíc bychom přišli o `takhle - <https://youtu.be/z6kuuiHGwbA?t=355>`_ nádherné dialogy: - „Hermiono?“ „Ano?“ „Něco Ti musím říct.“ „Nechci abys mi - říkal cokoli, co bys mi neřekl, kdybychom neměli být za - chvíli zabiti gigantickým hadem. To by všechno jenom - pokazilo.“ Nakonec musel být tenhle dialog vymazán, asi - proto, že přesně tohle nakonec provedli (první polibek - v Tajemné komnatě; ostatně, ve filmu Harry & Ginny dopadli - stejně, a Neville alespoň něco takového plánoval pro sebe - s Lenkou), ale je to škoda. - -.. [#] Zde je jedna z velmi mála vylepšení filmů oproti knihám, - kdy Harry s Hermionou si `řeknou - <https://youtu.be/ucS3xMZcrHQ>`_ o svých milostných - katastrofách. Je opravdu škoda, že tohle v kníze nebylo. - -Na druhou stranu, Ginny. Ach jo. Jsem ochoten docela věřit -Rowlingové, že měla většinu všech sedmi knih rozmyšlených od -začátku a jenom je potřebovala napsat, ale otázka jak hluboko -tento plán šel. Protože jinak než změnou plánu si nedokážu -vysvětlit, že tak hezky nastartovaný příběh princezny zachráněné -od draka (to má Argonantus pravdu, o to jde a o nic jiného) je -najednou v třetím a čtvrtém díle kompletně zapomenut [#]_. Ginny -se vyskytuje pouze v rámci Weasleyovice rodiny o Vánocích etc. -jinak za celého Vězně z Azkabanu má dvě zmínky, v Ohnivém poháru -se objevuje jenom kolem Yule Ball, jak se to jmenuje česky?, kde -byly zjevně zaměstnány úplně všechny holky, co jenom po škole -byly, až po Pansy Parkinsonovou. Pak si najednou v pátém díle -Rowlingová uvědomila [#]_, že nemá nikoho pro Harryho (nebo možná -konečně opustila teorii spárovat ho s Hermionou), tak byla Ginny -rychle vtažena do Brumbálovy armády, hvězdně zazáří v Odboru -záhad (to bych ještě zvládal), ale pak se v šestém místě úplně -odpoutá od reality a je z ní najednou nejkrásnější holka ve -škole, dokonalá sportovkyně, členka Slughornovy společnosti -(proč? protože zmlátila kouzlem spolužáka? opravdu?) a já nevím -co ještě (tohle je trochu jinak ve filmech, kde je zase pro změnu -superžena z Hermiony a všechny dobré scény Rona a Ginny jsou -`předhozeny jí`_). Jak všichni oslavují Rowlingovou kvůli -feministické Hermioně, tak Ginny je zcela anti-feministická, -jediným smyslem její existence je být manželkou Harryho Pottera -[#]_. - -Přitom je smutné, že ta princezna s drakem byla více méně zcela -zapomenuta. Jednou z věcí, které mě také rozčilovaly [#]_ bylo, -že se vlastně nikdy nedozvíme nic o jejím vnitřním životě, že -nemá absolutně žádný vnitřní vývoj. A přitom by právě ten zážitek -s drakem dával tolik příležitosti. Tohle je jeden z mých -zamilovaných dialogů (pochopitelně, byl příliš dobrý, takže ho -ve filmech vynechali): - - „Chtěli jsme mluvit *s tebou*, Harry,“ ozvala se Ginny, „ale - protože od té doby, co jsme se vrátili, se pořád schováváš …“ - - „Nechtěl jsem, aby se mnou někdo mluvil,“ odbyl ji Harry - a připadal si čím dál popuzeněji. - - „No, a to právě byla hloupost,“ ohradila se rozčileně Ginny, - „alespoň když uvážíš, že já jsem jediná, koho znáš, kdo byl - někdy Ty-víš-kým posedlý, a že bych ti mohla povědět, jaké to - je.“ - - Harry zůstal stát jako opařený, tak silně na něj její slova - zapůsobila. Pak se k Ginny prudce obrátil. - - „Zapomněl jsem,“ hlesl. - - „To se tak někdo má,“ utrousila chladně. - - -- Harry Potter a Fénixův řád, kapitola 23, Vánoce na izolaci - -Tohle je nejlepší Rowlingová v akci. Uprostřed dialogu v jedné -řádce najednou hodí granát, kterým jako bychom se propadli do -hlubin, o kterých jsme ani nevěděli, že existují. My jsme -*všichni* zapomněli na Ginny a na její zkušenost (a je to -pochopitelně Rowlingové chyba, protože nás na ní nechala -zapomenout). A najednou všichni s Harrym zjišťujeme, že vedle nás -prožívala Ginny život s netušenou úzkostí, s hlubinami, o kterých -nemáme ponětí. Chce se mi vykřiknout s Ronem „Briliant!“ - -Ale to je bohužel jediné, co se o těch hlubinách dovíme. Granát -byl hozen, všichni jsme zalapali po dechu, a tím to končí. -Znamenal zážitek princezny s drakem kořen celého jejího života? -Stala se kvůli tomu tak pevnou a odhodlanou, že více méně klidně -poslala svého kluka na sebevražednou výpravu boje s Voldermortem -(jejich rozchod po Brumbálově pohřbu)? Nevíme a nikdy se to -nedozvíme. A Rowlingová nám nikdy nenabídne více nežli letmá -nahlédnutí jakoby symbolizovaná ve filmu tímhle záběrem_, která -nikdy nic opravdu nevysvětlí. - -.. [#] Nějací obsesouni_ dokonce spočítali, že Ginny se v prvním - díle vyskytuje 5-krát, ve druhém 114-krát, ale ve třetím - a čtvrtém jenom 17-krát a 46-krát. - -.. [#] Dalším příkladem toho, že všechno neměla dokonale - promyšlené, je samozřejmě katastrofální Zbělení Levandule - Brownové: v prvních dvou filmech hrála Levanduli, která byla - tehdy zcela bezvýznamná postava v pozadí, černá herečka - Jennifer Smithová, ale ve chvíli, kdy se Rowlingová rozhodla, - že se Levandule stane slečnou pro Rona, tak byla přeobsazena - bílou herečkou Jessicou Cave, což je Levandule, kterou si - všichni pamatujeme. - -.. [#] Zde je nutno zmínit fan teorii, že neuvěřitelně náhlý - obrat od naprostého nezájmu o Ginny k její absolutní - dominanci je způsoben tím, že strčila Harrymu nějaký nápoj - lásky. Nechávám jenom jako ilustraci toho, jak i mnoha dalším - lidem připadne Ginny neuvěřitelná. - -.. _obsesouni: - http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/huK3uTO/ - -.. _`předhozeny jí`: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVBr_TIy9N8 - -.. [#] V objasnění tohoto problému s Ginny mě pomohl `tento - blogpost`_. Problém Výjimečné ženy je něco, co popisuje Ginny - až příliš věrně. - -.. _záběrem: - https://youtu.be/7U3nUVhn9-A?t=6 - -.. _`tento blogpost`: - http://theresabasile.com/wp/2011/07/25/ginny-weasley-the-exceptional-woman/ - -A pak v sedmém díle je více méně zase zapomenuta (v pozadí dělá -povstání ve škole a Harry se o ní trochu bojí). Ano, chápu, -nemohla s nimi jít na vandr za viteály, protože nebyla dospělá -a měla na sobě hledáček, ale stejně tomu nerozumím. Souvisí to -také se zjevně velmi anti-feministickým postojem k chození. -Chození je v Rowlingovic světě na tulení se, na hádání se, ale -nikdy spolu partneři nedokážou fungovat jako tým. [#]_ I Ron -s Hermionou, kteří jsou tomu nejblíže, tak se (ze záhadných -důvodů, všichni čtenáři měli pocit, že už spolu dávno chodí) -opravdu rozhodnou chodit spolu až úplně nakonec, v Tajmené -komnatě, kdy nemají na výběr. Co se týče Ginny, tak by pro mě -nejpřirozenější jako Harryho bylo, že ve chvíli, kdy začnu chodit -s někým mě osobně tak známým jako je Ginny, která je v podstatě -totožná s Ronem (protože to je možná jenom ženská náhrada za -Rona, se kterým Harry nemohl chodit, ale to je jiná otázka), -takže si Harry může být do značné míry jist jejím charakterem -(Cho Chang bych asi dal chvíli na ozkoušení), tak bych ji -samozřejmě vtáhl do vší organizace, plánování a spol. A pokud to -náhodou Brumbálovi nevyhovuje a chce omezit lov na viteály jenom -na Tři, tak ať si trhne levou zadní a jde si lovit viteály sám, -protože láska je důležitější nežli všechny viteály. Ne tak -Rowlingová. Ginny v podstatě není v sedmém díle nikdy připuštěna -k žádné akci (kdesi v pozadí cosi vyvádí, co není moc k něčemu -dobré, ve filmu bylo pro jistotu vypuštěno i to). Ano, Harry má -„stupidní rytířské důvody“, že se s ní musel veřejně rozejít, ale -stejně nevím, proč jí nemohl dát pusu ani v soukromí její -ložnice, a proč ji nemohl drapnout za ruku, když už byli zpátky -v Hogwarts a nebylo proč se schovávat [#]_. S tím souvisí i Ronův -útok na Harryho ohledně čistoty jeho úmyslů, ze které jsem měl -pocit, že jsem se ocitl v blbé parodii na Austenovou (ani ta by -to nenapsala tak viktoriánsky). Ginny. Ach jo. - -.. [#] Možná by si paní Rowlingová měla přečíst „Pět jazyků - lásky“ a pochopila by, že společná akce je někdy stejně - důležitá jako tulení se. - -.. [#] `Scéna <https://youtu.be/z6kuuiHGwbA?t=236>`_ byla z filmu - vystřižena, ale stejně to je trapně málo. - -A tím se dostáváme k Lence Láskorádové. Rowlingová se kdesi -přiznala, že ji původně neplánovala tak relativně rozsáhlou, ale -prostě se tak strašně hezky psala, že se jí natáhla. No -a výsledek je, že zejména ve srovnání s nemožnou Ginny, je zcela -vybarvenější a zajímavější partnerkou Harryho, a dokázal bych si -ji mnohem radostněji představit jako šíleného ale zcela -použitelného člena eventuální Čtyřky. Její šílenství je do značné -míry založeno podle mého na docela tragickém a uvěřitelném -důvodu, že její šílený otec je jediné co jí na tom světě zbylo, -a tak se kolem něho točí celý její svět. Je podle mého dost -pravděpodobné, že kdyby měla někoho, ke komu by měla podobnou -důvěru jako ke svému otci, tak by se možná alespoň trochu -znormálnila. Někoho, komu by uvěřila, že to myslí dobře, když jí -vysvětluje, že náhrdelník ze špuntů od máslového ležáku neodežene -škrnky, ale jenom všechny lidi kolem ní. Prý se Ralfovi -Scamanderovi (vnukovi legendárního Newta Scamandera), jejímu -nevýslovně cool manželovi, podařilo ji přesvědčit, že muchlorozí -chropotálové skutečně neexistují. Zároveň byla ale její úlétlost -cenná, protože právě to, že byla ochotna věřit v existenci velmi -podivných magických stvoření, ve které nikdo jiný ochten věřit -nebyl, ji umožnilo aby se stala velice slavnou magozooložkou. - -Čímžto se dostáváme k tomu, že Luna je krásným příkladem toho, že -opravdu není podstatné, abychom všichni byli normální. Byť lehce -šílená tak je skutečně mnohem více cool nežli všichni cool lidé -po škole (a nejenom proto, že na rozdíl od nich bojovala s Harrym -na Oddělení záhad, jak trefně poznamenal Harry). A že si to tito -cool lidé nemyslí je opravdu jenom a jenom jejich škoda. - -Feminismus v Harry Potterovi -============================ - -Mimochodem, ještě k feminismu v Harrym Potterovi. Je zcela -zřejmé, že feminismus je někde absolutně v základu celého -kouzelnického světa, jak ho Rowlingová stvořila. Člověka třeba -napadne, že tento svět je velice pečlivě vytvořený tak, aby v něm -ženy byly zcela rovnocenné s muži. Veškeré souboje se provozují -bezkontaktně, náročné fyzické výkony jsou většinou nahrazeny -kouzly (přemisťováním ap.) a všude vládne taková rovnoprávnost, -že Holyheadské Harpyje fungují od roku 1203 a Seraphina Picquery -je rovnou prezidentkou MACUSA ve dvacátých letech dvacátého -století. - -Smutné je, že to je podle mého jenom jedna část feminismu a ta -druhá je Rowlingovou (a Emou Watsonovou a většinou současného -světa) zcela potlačena. Nemám nic proti ženám traktoristkám -a pilotkám stíhacích letadel, ať si užijou taky trochu srandy, -ale připadne mi velice smutné, že má být nakonec nejvyšší -ctižádostí žen být jako ne úplně perfektní mužští. Chybí mi -velice ta druhá část feminismu, která se nesnaží vyrovnat mužům, -ale poukazuje na to, že svět je smutnější a chudší, když je v něm -potlačováno a podceňováno to ženské. Ne, nemyslím si, že holčičky -jsou *jenom* k tomu, aby měly děti (a nevím, jestli to ten chudák -Žáček fakt takhle myslel), ale připadne mi úžasný zázrak, že je -mají. A je velice smutné, že se nad tímto zázrakem možná málo -radujeme a málo je za to doceňujeme. - -Nebo třeba s tou rolí žen a *Kinder, Küche und Kirche*. Někdy až -do konce devatenáctého století byla tato role žen dána ne proto, -že by je muži tak utiskovali, ale protože muži velice přesně -věděli, že udržet domácnost v chodu je full-time job pro jejich -manželku. Do té doby nebylo o feminismu moc řeči, protože -jakékoli snahy dát ženám jiné naplnění byly zcela nesmyslné, -protože ženy už byly tak zcela zaměstnány udržováním sebe -i mužského na živu, v čistotě a tak. A tak mi připadne -důležitější nežli rozčilovat se nad tím, že se Katharina von Bora -nemohla věnovat theologii a že o Bibli věděla jenom, co ji naučil -její manžel, radovat se a oslavovat ji, protože to byla ona, kdo -se postarala o Martina Luthera, aby mohl fungovat jako -reformátor. A v tomto případě mi jako feminismus připadne, když -přestaname oslavovat jenom Martina Luthera (má letos výročí -mlácení do vrat), ale začneme si všímat, že Reformaci na počátku -vytvářeli manželé Lutherovi (a spousta studentů, které Katharina -komandovala, aby udržovali v chodu celý klášter i s pozemky, kde -všichni bydleli). A že bez Kathariny von Bora by nebylo Luthera. -Zde prý doslova a do písmene: z té plísně, která rovnoměrně -prožírala jeho domácnost před svatbou, byl konstantně nemocný. - -Bohužel o tomto druhém feminismu nechce Rowlingová nic slyšet. -Tak jedinou činností hodnou ženy je boj. Když se tak Weasleyovi -dohadovali co dělat s Ginny, která jediná nebyla plnoletá, tak mi -připadlo úplně nejjednodušší, aby se zvedla a šla pomáhat Madam -Pomfreyové s ošetřováním zraněných. Ale to zjevně není činnost -hodná ženy, takže ji museli propašovat také k bojování. -A mimochodem to zjevně nebyla činnost hodná ani Madam Pomfreyové, -protože ta se vykašlala na ošetřování raněných a zlikvidovala -nějakou Smrtijedku. Člověka tak maně napadá, jestli kdyby se -věnovala tomu, čemu se věnovat měla, tak nebylo možné zachránit -některého z těch padesáti lidí, co umřelo během bitvy. - -Temné stránky hrdinů románů -=========================== - - V Relikviích smrti pak je proměna dokončena. Brumbál sice - není zdaleka tak falešný a ničemný, jak tvrdila Rita - Holoubková, ale je to také jenom člověk; má několik vážných - slabostí. Problematický vztah k vlastní rodině je jednou - z nich; jistá strojová vypočítavost, se kterou připravuje - Harryho k jeho závěrečnému úkolu, je druhá a možná ještě - nepříjemnější. - -Já bych k tomu dodal (a to je asi nejlepší věc v Prokletém -dítěti) rozhovor, který měl mít Harry s Brumbálovým obrazem. -Prostě to není fér, tahat někoho do smrtelně nebezpečných situací -a stále mu lhát o tom, co se děje (neříkání celé pravdy je celá -lež, jak mě učil můj tatínek). Je jistá pochopitelná snaha malé -dítě nezatěžovat nadmíru, ale jsem si jist, že Brumbál tu hranici -velmi vysoce překročil. Jednou se za to Harrymu omlouval (když -kvůli tomu zemřel Sirius Black, protože tímhle lhaním Harry nikdy -neměl šanci pochopit závažnost situace), ale pak v tom vesele -pokračoval. Výsledkem bylo, že Aberforthova obvinění, že „je -doopravdy zvláštní, že tolik lidí, který měl bratr tak rád, -skončilo mnohem hůř, než kdyby je nechal na pokoji“, nejsou zas -až tak daleko od pravdy. Nedělal on to nakonec Brumbál zase -všechno pro Větší Dobro? - - Neexistuje nikdo, kdo by se nemýlil; každý má nějakou - vlastnost, která ho omezuje; paní Weasleyovou svazuje strach - o vlastní rodinu, Siria Blacka zase určitá zbrklost, Lupina - strach o to, aby někoho dalšího nevtáhl do své nemoci, - profesor Moody je zase paranoik, McGonagallová upjatá dáma - bez vzletu a Tonksovou nebo pana Weasleyho je vůbec obtížné - počítat mezi dospělé. - -K tomuhle jenom dvě poznámky. Paní profesorka McGonagallová není -upjatá dáma bez vzletu, ale něco mnohem zajímavějšího. Rowlingová -jí později připsala na Pottermore_, že její otec byl mudla -a presbyteriánský farář. Já si myslím, že to je velice trefné -pozadí jejího charakteru. Samozřejmě, že takto přísný charakter -může být velice nesnesitelný, ale ve chvíli kdy je podložen -i dostatečnou mírou laskavosti (vztah k Harrymu, podpora Sybil -Trelawnové, i když si o ní myslela, že je napůl podvodnice), tedy -ve chvíli kdy je přísnost spojená s laskavostí, může být výsledek -zajímavý (Helen Burnsová by mohla být její babičkou). Na jednu -stranu neváhá potrestat svoje vlastní studenty, i když se jí -právě posmíval profesor Snape, že Zmijozel je na tom lépe, ale na -druhou stranu stejná přísnost ji vede k tomu, že se sama neváhá -postavit armádě aurorů, kteří bezprávně napadnou Hagrida (i když -ji to málem stojí život), nebo že seřve v závěru Amycuse Carrowa -(nebo jak se vlastně skloňuje). A pak je samozřejmě v závěru -generálka celé obrany Hogwarts. [#]_ Takže rozhodně bych neřekl -„upjatá dáma bez vzletu“. - -.. _Pottermore: - https://www.pottermore.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/professor-mcgonagall - -.. [#] Včetně předpokládám všemi nejmilovanější `scény - <https://youtu.be/gXQ1yNJrVFA>`_. - -A ještě bych k tomu přidal Dursleyovi. I když tam je těžké říci, -jestli patří mezi záporné nebo kladné hrdiny (zmateně zlí???), -přesto jsou myslím z postav, která stojí za povšimnutí. Jeden -z jejich klíčových problémů totiž je, že je vidíme pouze očima -skutečně velice ublíženého ale náctiletého kluka. Nechci nějak -odvyložit, že neudělali co Harrymu (a vlastně i Dudleymu jak -správně poznamenává Brumbál) udělali během jeho dětství, ale -stejně je asi dobré vědět, že jejich život je poněkud složitější, -a že to co nám Rowlingová předkládá, je něco mezi parodií -a pomstou. [#]_ - -.. [#] K tomu ještě zajímavá (zcela nepodložená) fan teorie, že - Dursleyovi nenávidí Harryho, protože je vlastně také viteál. - Srovnejte co udělalo několikadenní (nebo jak dlouhé) nošení - viteálu s Ronem, teď si představte, že něco takového máte - celý život doma. Také by to bylo vysvětlení pro iracionální - a extrémní vztek, který neustále cloumá Harryho majestátem (a - který jinak moc nedává smysl). Samozřejmě, že tato teorie má - více dět nežli vysvětluje, ale připadne mi hezká. - -\ - - Excelentní ničemové jsou třeba Lucius Malfoy nebo Bellatrix - Lestrangeová. Přesto je najdeme mnohokrát zaskočené, ponížené - a v případě Malfoye dokonce úplně poražené. … Snape je sice - hodně mocná a důležitá postava pro oba tábory, ale všichni - také cítí jeho podivnou dvojakost; vlastně nikdo mu tak úplně - nevěří, což zůstane až do konce. - - … - - Tím se dostáváme k Voldemortovi. Je to hlavní padouch, - personifikované zlo, protihráč Albuse Brumbála (a potažmo - Harryho Pottera). Zná kouzla, o jakých se ostatním ani - nesnilo, a jeho hlavní zbraní je dokonalá bezohlednost. - A přece – tím, jak postupně vychází najevo jeho lidský - příběh, dochází také k jeho oslabení a demýtizaci. Ostatně, - nejde dost dobře ignorovat, že pravidelně selhává při - střetech s Harrym Potterem. - -Jednak k Malfoyovým. Myslím, že jsou trochu lepší nežli, jak se -jevili. Od chvíle, kdy vypadli ze svého nekonečně bohatého -a pohodlného světa kouzelnické šlechty (tj. když Lucius skončil -v Azkabanu), tak asi v podstatě doopravdy přestali kopat za -Voldermorta a jediným jejich skutečným zájmem bylo vyváznout -s celou rodinou a zdravou kůží. Rozdíl mezi Narcissou a Bellatrix -ve chvíli, kdy navštívili Snapea a donutili ho složit -Neporušitelný slib, mě připadal jasný. Bellatrix jako vždy šílená -(někteří říkají zamilovaná do Voldermorta) mě připadla v ostrém -kontrastu k Narcissou, která mi připadla jako vnitřně úplně -odcizená jakýmkoli Voldemortovým cílům. Nedělá to z nich příliš -lepší osoby, protože kdyby náhodou vyhrál Voldermort, tak by -radostně pro zachování své rodiny zůstali na jeho straně, ale -dělá to z nich mnohem zajímavější osoby. Otázka Narcissiny -vnitrobrany ve chvíli, kdy lhala Voldermortovi o Harrym, je také -velice zajímavá. Na jednu stranu její sestra byla Bellatrix, prý -jedna z nejschopnějších vnitrobrankyň vůbec, takže mohla ségru -něco naučit. Na druhou stranu možnost, že ji Voldermort jenom -tupě poslouchal a důvěřoval (když zjevně Luciusovi už nějakou -dobu nevěřil o moc více nežli to pozdravení) a to právě ve -chvíli, kdy se jedná o Harryho Pottera, je dost za vlasy -přitažená. - -No, a Snape. Jedna z mnoha věcí, které mě štvaly na Prokletém -dítěti (viz výše) bylo právě to, že ze Snapea dělali velikého -hrdinu a mnohem lepšího člověka, nežli skutečně byl. Snape je -opravdu dost příšerná kreatura, neschopný učitel tyranizující -svoje studenty, člověk, který nedokázal Harrymu odpustit, že si -z něho jeho otec dělal srandu (velmi nechutnou, pravda, dokonce -ho možná schválně ohrozil na životě) před mnoha a mnoha lety. -Jediné dvě věci, které ho alespoň částečně očišťují, že opravdu -nekonečně statečně bojoval proti Voldermortovi jako dvojitý agent -(je zajímavé, že každý kdo je na něj naštvaný ho obviňuje ze -zbabělosti, což je opravdu unfair), a druhak jako ředitel školy -chrání studenty před povražděním (což není také málo). Ale to je -všechno. - -Jinak je to člověk, který v HP a Fénixově řádu na rozdíl od -Harryho absolutně přesně věděl, jak nesmírně důležité je Harryho -vyučování ve vnitrobraně pro celý kouzelnický svět a přesto -nedohlédl na to, aby se ji Harry naučil. Navíc na rozdíl od -Brumbála zcela přesně věděl, že Harryho výuka nevede k ničemu. -Mohli Harryho s Brumbálem dostatečně vyděsit (např. mu říci tu -část Věštby, kterou jak Snape tak Voldermort stejně znali, takže -nešlo o žádné tajemství), aby výuku začal brát vážně. Mohli mu -zorganizovat cvičení každý druhý den, cokoli. Ale Snape vyúku -ukončil jenom proto, že Harry viděl jeho studentské ponížení před -patnácti lety (přičemž se předtím sám prohraboval Harryho -vzpomínkami na život u Dursleyů)? Tohle není zdravý dospělý -člověk. A řekl bych, že on tím ze všech kladných lidí nejvíce má -na rukou krev Siria Blacka. - -Navíc Severusova láska k Lily. Naprosto nepopírám sílu lásky, -„největší z nich je láska“ atp., ale pak mám silné podezření, že -nesouhlasím s tím, že vztah Snapea k Lily byl láskou. Lily -Severuse definitivně vyhodila před osmnácti lety a od té doby -spolu neměli absolutně žádný kontakt. Klidně jsem ochoten věřit, -že jeho city byly skutečně silné, ale bez jakéhokoli vztahu po -osmnácti letech bych mluvil spíše o posedlosti nebo něčem -podobném nežli o lásce. Láska je vztah, láska je o vzájemné -zranitelnosti, láska je o komunikaci. Nic z toho nebylo (protože -nemohlo být) přítomno mezi nimi minimálně od jejich jedenácti -dvanácti let. Nepodceňuji sílu dětské zamilovanosti, ale po skoro -dvaceti letech odloučenosti, je mi podezřelé, že se s tím dospělý -člověk nedokáže nějak vyrovnat a fungovat jako normální osoba. -A nemyslím jenom na to, že „pro jedno kvítí Slunce nesvítí“. -Vyrovnání se může klidně znamenat, že se rozhodne být nadosmrti -sám, protože za milovanou ženu není náhrada. To, co předvádí -Snape, ale není vyrovnanost. - -Hledání identity -================ - -Ještě k Voldermortovi. Myslím, že jedním z velikých témat celého -Harryho Pottera je *hledání identity*. Harry se s tím potýká -celou dobu (jak ve vztahu ke svým rodičům, tak třeba vzhledem ke -své příslušnosti ke kolejím v Hogwarts, nebo ve Fénixově řádu, -jestli nezačíná být posedly, resp. nestává se zlým), ale je zde -i mnoho dalších. Např. se zdá, že jeden z nejdůvěrnějších vztahů -vzniká tím, že někdo někomu sdělí, že je kouzelník (čarodejnice). -Tohle vypadá jako, že jeden ze základů vztahu Harryho -k Hadrigovi, Snapea k Lily, nebo snad dokonce i Brumbála k Tomu -Radlovi. Ve všech knihách se stále opakuje, že identita ale není -tak úplně věc, která na nás padne z výšky a je nám dána, ale že -to je do značné míry *volba*. Svobodná vůle se zdá být stejně -důležitá pro kouzelníky jako pro mudly. - -Zároveň popírání identity je jedním z největších hříchů. V menší -míře třeba Snapeovo zapírání nebo popírání lásky k Lily (kvůli -kterému mu možná nebylo tak šílené přidat se k Smrtijedům a potom -šílený vztah s Harrym), ale základním hříšníkem v tomto oboru je -pochopitelně Tom Radl, který považuje za snad největší útok na -svoji osobu, když ho někdo nazve jeho pravým jménem (nehledě -k tomu, že se celou dobu snaží popřít svůj napůl mudlovský -původ). A je také jedním ze znaků Harryho nabytí moci nad ním, že -ho v závěru oslovuje zásadně Tome. Okamžiky, kdy je Voldy zabit, -jsou podivuhodnou kombinací obou jmen („Voldermort padl naznak -… Tom Raddle dopadl na podlahu … Voldermort byl mrtvý“), jakoby -právě ve chvíli kdy umřel, tak byla teprve celá iluze o falešné -identitě definitivně mrtva? - -No a zároveň útok na něčí identitu je jedním z nejstrašnějích -zločinů. To je samozřejmě podstatou problému mezi Dudleyovými -a Harrym, protože oni útočí na absolutně všechno co je pro -Harryho identitu podstatné (jeho rodiče, jeho kouzelnictví, -kouzelnictví jeho matky, jeho charakter, Hogwarts). Proto je taky -tak strašná nadávka „mudlovská šmejdka“ a celý problém -čistokrevného rasismu, protože útočí na samou identitu člověka -(mimochodem, strašně blbý překlad … z termínu samotného nemá být -zřejmé, že to je nadávka, protože Hermiona ani nepochopí, že to -je nadávka … zde opět film ukradl jednu akci Ronovi a předal ji -bezdúvodně Hermioně). - -A samozřejmě o identitě jsou i všechny úvahy o smrti -a o posmrtném životě. O tom ale pojednáme podrobněji. - -O smrti -======= - - Smrt je zvláštním způsobem komunikace mezi Rowlingovou - a Harrym Potterem, a potažmo i čtenářem. O smrti se mluví - vlastně od první chvíle; Harryho rodiče byli zavražděni. - Zemřeli i další lidé; například profesor Quirrell nebo Frank - Bryce. Ovšem málokdy se tak děje v „přímém přenosu“. - - … - - Druhé mimořádné finále si nechala Rowlingová právem až na - konec celé ságy. Nejde o nic menšího, než že se **Harry - Potter obětuje, aby mohl vstát z mrtvých**. Teprve když se to - takto napíše, člověk si uvědomí, o čem je řeč; autorka - zamířila do kategorie hrdinů ještě vyšších, než jsou - drakobijci. Smrtí prošli Odin, Ježíš Kristus, a nebo také - Gandalf. - -Jenom technická drobnost: Harry nepovstal z mrtvých, protože -úplně nezemřel. [#]_ Z hlediska mudlovské medicíny to byla -klinická smrt, Near-Death-Experience nebo něco takového. -Z vnějškového hlediska to není tak podstatné, ale jenom se tím -nenarušuje základní princip, že ze smrti opravdu není žádná ani -kouzelná cesta zpět. Žádná. - -.. [#] A ještě nepodstatnější drobnost: str. 15: „poslední - z [viteálů] zničil Regulus Arcturus Black (a také za to - zaplatil životem)“. To není pravda, Regulus jenom viteál - objevil a dopravil z jeskyně (a zaplatil za to životem). - Zničil ho později Ron pomocí čerstvě nalezeného meče. - -Půl roku poté, co začala psát první nápady o Harrym Potterovi -(stále nezaměstnaná svobodná matka), umřela Rowlingové její -vlastní matka, která jí byla velmi blízká. Po sledování -v podstatě rozpadajícího se manželství svého otce s umírající -matkou byl její vztah s otcem značně problematický, řečeno jemně, -v tomto tisíciletí už snad spolu mluví. Takže ztráta matky pro ni -byla ještě strašnější nežli už tak hrůzná ztráta matky pro -kohokoliv jiného. Rowlingová dodnes prohlašuje, že Harry Potter -je především o vztahu se smrtí. V podstatě všechny knihy -prolínají úvahy o tom, jestli by nebylo možné smrt nějak obejít, -jestli existuje život po smrti a tak. Proto také celá historie -o viteálech, které jsou samozřejmě celé o tom, jak překonat smrt -lidskými (byť magickými) prostředky. A samozřejmě tím se -z Harryho Pottera stává rapidně mnohem hlubší psaní nežli -z veselé Ransomovky prvního dílu. - - Lupin se sice spořádaně vrátil k Tonksové, nicméně na konci - oba stejně zahynou. A Tonksová se vrhne do akce za Lupinem, - aby zemřela také. Místo jasné odpovědi tu zbyla jen kupa - otazníků. - -O smrti je samozřejmě také příběh Lupina a Tonksové. Zní to -samozřejmě strašně banálně, ale nakonec je pravda, že nejlepší -lék na smrtelnost jsou děti, a že jsou důležitější věci na světě -nežli přežít. A Lupin v Zakázaném lese výslovně říká, že i když -je mu líto, že neuvidí svého syna, že pro něj umřel, aby jeho -svět byl lepší nežli ten s Voldermortem. - -Kromě toho mám pocit z tohoto citátu, že chápeš smrt jako trest. -Myslím, že součástí vyrovnávání se se smrtí je, že smrt je -součástí normálního života, a úvahy o tom, jestli je nějaký -posmrtný život (Brmbál: „Pro dobře organizovanou mysl je smrt -jenom dalším velkým dobrodružstvím.“) Je otázka jak moc skutečně -Rowlingová něčemu takovému skutečně věří, nebo jestli se tomu -spíše snaží věřit (ona sama tvrdí, že to je její věčný zápas), -ale je to jistě součástí filosofie presentované v knihách. Víc je -na smrti nepříjemné to, že jsme odloučeni od našich blízkých, -nežli smrt sama. - -Víra a Harry Potter -=================== - -Ale přes smrt a věci pro které stojí za to umřít, se dostáváme -k otázce náboženství a Harryho Pottera. Nejprve drobná poznámka: -je skutečně možné, že mimořádně knihomolná Hermiona z knihomolné -rodiny, byť sama nevěřící (to si dokážu klidně představit při -jejím racionalismu), by nevěděla co je zač „Jako poslední -nepřítel bude přemožena smrt“ resp. ještě známější „Kde poklad -Tvůj, tam srdce Tvé“? [#]_ Možná by si mohli sednout a trochu se -nad tím prvním citátem zamyslet, možná by si mohli ušetřit -spoustu dalších nejasností. - -.. [#] Možná je to jenom dalším důkazem toho, že Hermiona je - alespoň částečná Židovka, což je velice rozšířená fan teorie - (její rodiče zubaři, nejméně nadšeně se účastní slavení - Vánoc, jednou možná dokonce mluví s Hagridem o „jejích - svátcích“, které snad nejsou Vánocemi ale Chanukou, ostře - inteligentní s neovladatelnými rozčepyřenými vlasy). - -Kdysi se kdosi podivoval nad nedostatkem náboženství v Tolkienově -světě. Opravdu je těžké si představit, že by ve skutečnosti -Aragorn s Théodenem neobětovali nějakému svému bohovi před bitvou -v Helmově žlebu. Jenže Tolkien byl dosti konzervativní -předkoncilní katolík, takže mu pohanské náboženství bylo docela -cizí a do jisté míry pravděpodobně odporné. Ono je to také -neskutečně těžké, vytvořit pohanské náboženství tak, aby znělo -vážně a hodnověrně. Dále je zde otázka, kdy vlastně v normálním -čase se celá historie odehrávala (Tolkien několikrát zdůrazňoval, -že Středozem není nějaký alternativní vesmír, ale že se odehrává -na naší planetě Zemi), ale předpokládám, že židokřesťanská -tradice byla tou dobou v nejlepším případě parta bláznů kdesi -v Palestině (Abrahám & spol.), takže tu použít také nemohl. Jistě -mu to pomohlo při prodeji knih nejenom v nevropském prostředí. - -No jo, jenže Harry Potter se neodehrává někdy někde dávno -a kdesi, ale v Británii na konci dvacátého století. A Rowlingová -(víceméně věrná dcera The Church of Scotland, alespoň tak věrná, -že do kostela chodí častěji nežli jednou v roce na Vánoce) ho -přesto napsala zcela stejně jako ten Tolkien. Ale prostě se té -realitě nemohla ubránit. Tak třeba dlouhá řada lidí je k sobě ve -vztahu kmotr – kmotřenec, na prvním místě pochopitelně Harry -a Sirius, ale třeba i Harry – Teddy Lupin, Ron s Hermionou -– James Potter II, Neville – Albus Potter. No jo, jenže kmotrem -se člověk nestane jen tak nějak sám o sobě, musí alespoň vědět, -kterým směrem je kostel, že? Představa Siria Blacka v kostele -(asi ve sv. Jeronýmu v Godrikově dole) je ale docela -zneklidňující. Nebo Potterovi jdoucí se tamtéž pomodlit za -ochranu před Voldym? Hmm. Na druhou stranu měli na hrobě biblický -citát. - -Navíc, celý rok v Hogwarts je rozdělen několika svátky, zejména -Vánocemi a Velikonocemi. Slaví pochopitelně i Halloween, ale -třeba ne Samhain. Yule je zmíněn v názvu Yule bálu, ale termín -byl prý dle Wikipedie natolik pokřesťanštěn, že se prý vyskytuje -i v normální angličtině (byť lehce starobylé). Na Vánoce je celý -hrad ověšený ozdobami, stromečky, profesor Kratiknot organizuje -zpívání koled. A teď mi vysvětlete jak je možné, že nikdo nikdy -nepředstoupí před studenty a nevysvětlí jim, co vlastně Vánoce -a Velikonoce znamenají? Nebo se předpokládá, že to všichni vědí? -Není to náhodou škola, takže by se nemělo moc předpokládat? -Člověku se začne tlačit na mysl školní kaplan a školní kaple -(obojí v Británii standard velkých internátních škol) a nějak to -působí nepřesvědčivě (i když Kratiknota bych viděl jako skvělého -kaplana nebo alespoň laického kazatele). A samozřejmě Tlustý -mnich (takže je alespoň teoreticky možné být zároveň mnichem -a kouzelníkem). - -Film ještě přidal do scény na hřbitově v Godrikově dole dialog, -kdy Hermiona ujišťuje Harryho, že jeho rodiče by byli na -štědrovečerních bohoslužbách, které probíhají tou dobou v místním -kostele. Už když jsem to viděl poprvé ve filmu, tak mi to -připadlo jako pěst na oko a nejsem si jist, jestli to nebyl jenom -zoufalý předem k nezdaru odsouzený pokus filmařů nějak utěšit -americké evangelikály (v knize nic takového není). - -To, že Harry udělal křížek nad hrobem s kouzelným okem Alastara -Moodyho asi neznamená nic, je to spíše znamení hrobu, nežli -cokoli křesťanského. I když je fakt, že ve spojitosti s Moodym mě -vždycky vytanul na mysli nějaký hodně trhlý a omlácený křižák -bojující za dobrou věc proti všem pokud třeba. - -Kromě toho se k danému tématu vyslovila i Rowlingová. Ve stejném -ročníku jako Harry je v Havraspáru Anthony Goldstein [#]_. Byl -členem Brumbálovy armády a bojoval i Bitvě o Hogwarts. Někdo se -Rowlingové kdesi zeptal, jestli jsou v Hogwarts nějací Židé -(protože jeho gójská manželka se ho snažila přesvědčit, že je -jediná čarodějka v rodině), a Rowlingová poukázala_ právě na -Anthony Goldsteina s tím, že je Žid. Načež se rozpoutala veselá -rozprava o Kabale, jestli je možné ukecat domácí skřítky, aby -vařili košer, Bar Mitzvah v Hogwarts, atp. Zároveň (a k tomu se -už Rowlingová nevyslovila) debata o tom, jestli Padma a Parvati -Patil jsou muslimky nebo hinduistky (pravděpodobně to druhé, -protože jejich jména jsou nějak odvozena od Kršny, či co). - -V jiném příspěvku_ dokonce Rowlingová výslovně prohlásila, že -Hogwarts je škola se svobodou vyznání, a že tam jsou studenti -všech věr (kromě Wicca, protože jejich magie je nekompatibilní). - -.. [#] Později se ukázalo, že skutečně je vzdáleně příbuzný - s Porpentinou a Queenie Goldsteinovými z Fantastických - zvířat. - -.. _poukázala: - https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/544946669448867841 - -.. _příspěvku: - https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/544995944404897792 - -V žádném případě nechci propagovat hrůzy typu „`Hogwarts School -of Prayer and Miracles`_“ (Krleš!). Dokázal bych si docela klidně -představit, že kouzelníci po strašidelných zkušenostech -s (doslovnými) hony na čarodějnice by na křesťanství zahořkli. -Ale co dělat s těmi křtinami, Vánocemi a Velikonocemi? - -.. _`Hogwarts School of Prayer and Miracles`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10644439/1/Hogwarts-School-of-Prayer-and-Miracles - -Jinak samozřejmě otázka jestli může být kouzelník křesťan je -velice složitá (píšu na toto téma traktát a ani zdaleka nejsem -hotov). Klíčová myšlenka je, že čarodějnictví ve Starém zákoně -(„Čarodějnici nenecháš naživu.“ Ex 22:18) je něco jiného nežli -kouzelnictví ve světě Harryho Pottera, resp. že se to ze všeho -nejvíce podobá panu Finchovi a jeho Kwikspellu. - -Ještě k bojování a co dál? -========================== - - Hodně zajímavá je otázka užívání zakázaných kleteb Harry - Potterem. Mám dojem, že to úplně nedořešila ani Rowlingová. - Harry je skutečně sešle, či spíše zkusí seslat, s nevalnými - výsledky, vždy ve chvílích největší zuřivosti; po zabití - Siria Blacka ve Fénixově řádu, a po zabití Brumbála v Princi - dvojí krve. Čekal jsem automaticky trest v dalším ději; ale - nestalo se nic neobvyklého; bylo to odbyto pouhým neúspěchem - ve všech případech, stejně jako hodně podezřelé kouzlo - Sectumsempra. V Relikviích smrti dojde i na kletbu Imperius, - tentokrát úspěšnou, ale opět bez větších následků. - Mimochodem, Adava Kedavra nesešle Harry Potter vůbec nikdy. - -Cruciatus se mu nakonec jednou povede … když Amycus Carrow plivne -na profesorku McGonagallovou v havraspárské společenské -místnosti. Přitom Harry pronese památnou repliku: „Už chápu, co -mi chtěla Bellatrix říct. Člověk to musí myslet doopravdy vážně.“ -[#]_ - -.. [#] Jenom mě u toho napadalo, že Harry už skutečně neměl nic - co by dál tajil. Vlastně nebylo důvodu, aby nevysvětlil - profesorce McGonagallové, že se ženou za viteály. Voldermort - o něm už věděl, věděl co dělá, a nebylo co schovávat. - -Já si myslím, že co se týče trestání za neprominutelné kletby, tak -to bylo během bojů s Voldermortem jako s municí za Druhé světové -války. Tehdy se také tak úplně nepočítalo, kolik kdo lidí -zastřelil, a chyba je snadno prominuta. Není to nic moc hezkého, -ale celkem pochopitelné by to bylo. O použití kletby Crucio na -Bellatrix a Snapea navíc věděli jenom oni a Harry, a kde není -žalobce … - - … a v závěrečné scéně na nádraží také nechápu plno věcí. **Co - vlastně Harry dělá?** Jaký má další smysl života, který leží - skoro celý před ním? Učí obranu proti černé magii, jak by se - nabízelo? Je bystrozorem? Co dělá Ginny? Sedí doma a stará se - o děti, jako paní Weasleyová? Je tohle dostatečná odpověď - a řešení pro toho, kdo pronikl tak daleko do tajů smrti - a vzkříšení? Nemělo by z Harryho – nyní už bez nadsázky - zázračných – schopností mít také něco jeho okolí? - -Z dalších Rowlingových psaní na Pottermore vyplývá, že po -skončení hlavní války si vyžádal Kingsley Pastorek, nový ministr -pro magii, skoro všechny bojovníky z Hogwarts (zejména celou -Brumbálovu armádu a Fénixův řád) jako mimořádné bystrozory na -ministerstvo, aby mu pomohli vyčistit svět od zbývající havěti -(např. nikdo ani náznakem nevymyslil, jak *bojovat* s mozkomory, -jak na ně zaútočit?). Ale co následovalo potom, to nevíme. -Prokleté dítě (ale všichni už tuší jaký mám postoj k jeho -kanonicitě) tvrdí, že Harry byl šéf bystrozorů, Hermiona -ministryní magie (poté co zcela zrevolucionalizovala vztahy se -domácími skřítky, skřety ap.) a Ginny nejprve profesionální -hráčkou famfrpálu za Holyheadské Harpyje a potom sportovní -novinářka. U těch prvních dvou moc nevím. Ani jednoho si nijak -nedokážu představit jako ministerského úředníka (Hermiona přímo -řekla, že by ve světě raději dělala něco užitečného, nežli byla -právníkem). A skutečně si myslím, že po nabytí nějakých -zkušeností z reálného života, by Harry měl skončit v Bradavicích. -Jednak je tam nejšťastnější (i když teď už má snad skutečný domov -s Ginny a dětmi) a jednak si skutečně myslím, že má talent na -učení. - -Ale jinak pokud Ti je „Všechno bylo, jak má být.“ nedostatečný -závěr všech příběhů Harryho Pottera, tak to se prostě -s Rowlingovou rozcházíš v názoru. Dávala několikrát jasně najevo, -že normální život, manželství a výchova děti jsou mnohem -zásadnější nežli vraždění černokněžníků. A s tím mám tendenci -souhlasit. - - Nicolas Flamel spořádaně zemřel, aby neohrozil kouzelnický - svět. Budiž. Byl starý několik století, takže je to docela - možný konec. Ale to, že nejmocnější a ústřední ze všech - artefaktů, prsten s kamenem, co křísí mrtvé, leží bez - povšimnutí v lese, to je skoro k neuvěření. - -Ale, Bilbo, to je přece o tom! Ani Kámen vzkříšení nedokáže -opravdu nikoho skutečně vzkřísit. Jediným jeho smyslem je, že -dokázal vzkřísit mrtvé alespoň natolik, že mohli dát Harrymu sílu -nechat se zabít. Jedině ten, kdo je ochoten umřít, je opravdový -Pán nad smrtí, ne? [#]_ - -.. [#] Je hezké připomenout, že odhození Kámenu vzkříšení (což - *není* Kámen mudrců Nicolase Flamela) v lese se ukázalo být - pněkud problematické. V jedné mé oblíbené fan-fiction “`Inner - Demons`_” (varování, že se jedná o dílo nevhodné pro mládež, - vřele doporučuji neignorovat, to **není** PG-13), dokonce - dojde na vyluxování všeho listí a větviček z dané oblasti - Zakázaného lesa za účelem jeho znovunalezení. Ukáže se, že je - to jediný možný způsob jak zachránit Harryho z dopadu velice - komplikované a ohavné kletby. - -.. _`Inner Demons`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/601124/chapters/1083962 - diff --git a/faith/harry-potter-teacher-DADA.rst b/faith/harry-potter-teacher-DADA.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 432439c..0000000 --- a/faith/harry-potter-teacher-DADA.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,61 +0,0 @@ -Harry Potter as the teacher of DADA -################################### - -:date: 2017-01-22T23:45:21 -:category: faith -:tags: HarryPotter, review - -I just want to shout loud agreement with many_ these_ negative_ -reviews_ of “`Harry Potter and the Cursed Child`_”. It is really -a bad fan fiction signed off by J. K. Rowling for reasons I don’t -want to speculate about (yes, I guess, most her money go to -Lumos, so that is the good thing in the end). No, I don’t want to -consider it as a cannon (even though apparently J. K. Rowling -does_). Anyway, that review would not make me write this post, -because all these reviews on YouTube covered the play better than -I could. I believe, certainly theatre play should be better seen -on the stage, so perhaps it is better and it doesn’t sound so -horrible when played by real actors. Anyway. - -The thing which made me to write this post was this_. One thing -which actually bothered me in the original novels was that -I really wanted Harry to turn up into the teacher of DADA. Harry -is the guy who got a bunch of the fifth (and some fourth) year -kids with poor or none training in the combat. Lupin didn’t teach -much of real combat, spent most time with defense against -dangerous animals/creatures, and other teachers … well. So he -got this bunch of kids and whipped them in three or four months -into an unit which was able to sustain an attack by the -two-to-one numerically superior group of fighters of the caliber -of Bellatrix Lestrange (and most or all of them producing The -Patronus Charm which is supposed to be extremely difficult). Yes, -it was just for a moment, and they need help of the Order of -Phoenix to actually save their asses, but still I think it is an -achievement which most actual graduates from the Hogwarts can -just dream about. Whatever this guy does is the pure waste of -time if it is not teaching and training! - -Yes, this is not a proper review, but I really don’t want to -waste more time on this book. Take a look at all those reviews -I linked to, and I agree with them wholeheartedly. - -.. _many: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtRZ259IY9Y - -.. _these: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq-9BnHPjsY - -.. _negative: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M1_ejJl3j8 - -.. _reviews: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaWIj-oDZX8 - -.. _`Harry Potter and the Cursed Child`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Cursed_Child - -.. _does: - https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/615498601809211393 - -.. _this: - http://hogwartsaheadcanon.tumblr.com/post/135023031313/iammultitudes-parseltonquinq diff --git a/faith/hermione_granger_paradigm_shift_jewish.rst b/faith/hermione_granger_paradigm_shift_jewish.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 53a857f..0000000 --- a/faith/hermione_granger_paradigm_shift_jewish.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,28 +0,0 @@ -Hermione Granger and the Paradigm Shift … one more thing -######################################################## - -:date: 2019-11-29T15:14:17 -:status: draft -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(instead of the review for “`Hermione Granger and the Paradigm -Shift`_” by Petrificus Somewhatus) - -.. _`Hermione Granger and the Paradigm Shift`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13405869 - -While they were still talking about the true Hermione’s story of -her last five years and something at Hogwarts, David Granger was -getting a bit more pensive. When Hermione finally answered the -last of seemingly endless number of questions her Mum shot at -her, he took his chance and spoke. - -“You know, Hermione, there is also one story we haven’t told -you.” - -Hermione turned with shock to her parents. - -“Wait, what?” - - diff --git a/faith/hinny_siblings.rst b/faith/hinny_siblings.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 9892e02..0000000 --- a/faith/hinny_siblings.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,46 +0,0 @@ -Harry and Ginny as siblings -########################### - -:date: 2019-07-15T23:07:27 -:category: faith -:tags: HPprompt, harryPotter, plotBunny, fromReddit - -Originally published as “`Harry & Ginny are brother and sister`_” -on Reddit. - -.. _`Harry & Ginny are brother and sister`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/bevfuu/lf_harry_ginny_are_brother_and_sister/ - - -I see it like this. Lily was already pregnant with her second -child (it is slightly over a year between Harry and Ginny so it -is biologically possible), when they found out about the Prophecy -and need to hide. They've agreed to hide Ginny with Weasleys' -(no, sorry, their anti-girl-curse, if there was a one, has not -been broken then, and yes it helped Ginny was a natural redhead -after her mother), which they did slightly after her postpartum -period (that is after September 22nd). All Weasley boys were -memory charmed to have included their Mum being pregnant again -(which, frankly, was not that difficult charm to make, because -everybody remembers her being pregnant all the time ;)). Then -Potters started to work on preparing place for Harry with -Dursleys, but they have never managed to finish it and they never -told Vernon & Petunia, before they were killed on October 31st. -Which was the reason why Dumbledore put Harry with Dursleys (he -actually never really understood the mechanics of those blood -wards, because they were Lilly's unfinished invention, or -something). - -These two will find out only when told in Harry's fifth or sixth -year by Dumbledore, who sees a danger of upcoming incest. - -Now, it gives us a nice setup for non-Hinny ship which doesn't -need anybody's bashing. Or even Ron/Ginny ship, if anybody cares -about that (but that's not probable, due to the `Westermarck -effect`_). - -What do you think? Is there such a fic based on something -similar? - -.. _`Westermarck effect`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westermarck_effect diff --git a/faith/historical-hp.rst b/faith/historical-hp.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 99a509f..0000000 --- a/faith/historical-hp.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,187 +0,0 @@ -Historical Harry Potter stories -############################### - -:date: 2021-05-30T07:56:58 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - -(my comments on the reddit thread “`Fics like Starnlicht?`_” by -BallZealousideal2109_) - -It is strange how little fanfiction authors investigated the -whole area of the historical stories, a life of the magical -community outside (and before) the canonical storyline. Aside -from replants of the normal fanon stories to the past (“Prince -Draco cannot keep his eyes from the lowly peasant girl Hermione -…”), there are some which I have already mentioned in `the post -about the religion-less universe of Harry Potter`_, so I won’t be -writing about them here in detail, but this is everything I found -which is in my opinion worthy of mentioning (any additions to -this list will be eagerly considered): - -* “`Makers of Fine Wands`_” — the first Ollivander was a student - at The Plato’s Academy, and he experiences wild adventures - while in Athens. Unfortunately, the story was abandoned just - when it became interesting. - -* “`Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC`_” This one is completed - and it is one of the best fanfiction stories out there. It - happens in that fourth century BC, and it is a story about the - discovery of magical wands and many adventures around that. The - story is crazily too long, and (like I think 90 % of all - fanfiction stories) it could use at least cutting to half if - not more, but otherwise, I liked it managed to keep even in - those ancient times the same bourgeois middle-class Diagon - Alley feeling of the story as the Rowling’s books. Highly - recommended. - -* “Bloodstone_“ This is quite an exceptional story. Northumbrian, - its author, is usually quite focused on the time area in the - Nineteen Years after the Battle of Hogwarts, and this is the - only one that gets out of this time frame. And getting out it - does, it happens in the fifth century in the context of the - falling Roman Empire. During the story, the two main heroines - of the story lose absolutely everything and find their new life - in the Celtic (?) Brynaich (later Bernicia, later Northumbria). - The only thing they save from the ruins of their previous life - is a small piece of jewellery with a beautiful (and strongly - magical) heliotrope or a bloodstone. Apparently, this story was - meant to be as a foundational backstory for “`James and Me`_”, - but that story was never finished enough to include the link to - it fully (the stone is just mentioned without any explanation). - -* “`Fires of Time by GHL`_” (not available any more on the - original site, I have locally downloaded EPub) and “Splinters_” - are two related stories where Harry and Ginny are somehow - half-transposed into Britain in time of the Ancient Rome. - Somehow, the story didn’t mesh with me well (I am sure, it - could find its fans), so I have never finished reading them. - -* “`The Friar's Calling`_” I wrote about it in the post about - religion. - -* “`The Mistake`_” medieval monk - -* “`With the Devil`_” (with the death of - harrypotterfanfiction.com I have only `my EPub downloaded - before`_) it is surprising how few stories are located in the - era of the Salem Witch Trials, while it is obviously fertile - land for the HP universe. This is one of them, in the theme of - “if Professor McGonagall thought that her deliveries to - Muggleborn children are complicated …” (together with chapter - 75 of “`The Accidental Animagus`_”). Nicely done, from the - point of view of the child. - -* “`The Western Front`_” short, too soon abandoned story, - cross-over between HP and western. - -* “`Redoing it Voldemort Style`_” the person who is sent from the - Heavenly Rail-station to fix the screwed up story of Magical - Britain is this time Tom Riddle, who is thrown for that purpose - back to 1938 while he was still firmly in the Wool Orphanage. - Instead of terrorizing other children in the orphanage, he - starts to use his magic and that Slytherin cunning to make the - situation better for everybody. Except then the story was - abandoned just when it started to be exciting. - -* “`Letters to Walpurgis`_” it is still in the large HP - storyline, but Tom Riddle being drafted to the Royal Army - during the Second World War quickly changes so much that the - story goes AU so heavily it doesn’t have much to do with the - main storyline any more. - -**{updated 2023-07-28}** - -* And this whole comment started with “`Starnlicht`_” by Marquis - Carabas, it is absolutely great story, which certainly deserves - a mention. Large story build in completely new universe of the - medieval version of the magical world, looking at it decisively - from the bottom of the society, is really great. - -* On the other hand, “`All Are His Children`_” by sheankelor is - something quite non-serious: just one of “who is The Fat Friar - about?”, this time he is actually Brother Brendan from the - “`Secret of Kells`_” film, who when he leaves Ireland wanders - around Scotland and finds a group of two wizards and two - witches renovating a castle to be a school. The biggest value - of the story is to remind HP fans to see the film. - -* “`A Wizard for Mary`_” by Jedi Buttercup is the Regency - cross-over where Mary Bennet (of “Pride and Prejudice”, but she - is an untrained witch in this story) meets Percy Weasley - (living naturally in that period, no time travel) and two - ultra-proper stiff characters find a link. Unfortunately, only - one chapter has been written and the story is just a stub of - a story. - -* “`Standing Stones, Tudor Roses, & The Thorns of Time`_” by - nightfalltwen is a story of group of HP characters (good & bad) - who end up in the Tudor times. It is a substantial story (35 - chapters, and probably abandoned) with good characterization of - living in the Renaissance time. - -.. _`Fics like Starnlicht?`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/no0bew/fics_like_starnlicht/ - -.. _BallZealousideal2109: - https://www.reddit.com/u/BallZealousideal2109 - -.. _`the post about the religion-less universe of Harry Potter`: - {filename}religionless-hp.rst - -.. _Bloodstone: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9445599 - -.. _`Fires of Time by GHL`: - https://www.siye.co.uk/siye/viewstory.php?sid=130225 - -.. _`Letters to Walpurgis`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6814813 - -.. _`Makers of Fine Wands`: - http://www.mugglenetfanfiction.com/viewstory.php?sid=93428 - -.. _`Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC`: - https://aaran-st-vines.nsns.fanficauthors.net/Makers_of_Fine_Wands_since_382_BC/index/ - -.. _`Redoing it Voldemort Style`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11000034 - -.. _Splinters: - https://www.siye.co.uk/siye/viewstory.php?sid=129984 - -.. _`The Friar's Calling`: - https://www.archiveofourown.org/works/7460772 - -.. _`The Mistake`: - https://www.archiveofourown.org/works/298504 - -.. _`The Western Front`: - https://www.wattpad.com/story/102514713-the-western-front-a-harry-potter-fanfiction - -.. _`With the Devil`: - https://harrypotterfanfiction.com/viewstory.php?psid=288707 - -.. _`my EPub downloaded before`: - https://mcepl.fedorapeople.org/tmp/With%20the%20Devil-hp_288707.epub - -.. _`The Accidental Animagus`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/14078862 - -.. _`James and Me`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/8402590 - -.. _`Starnlicht`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8596476/1/ - -.. _`All Are His Children`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/4426211 - -.. _`Secret of Kells`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Kells - -.. _`A Wizard for Mary`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/39734 - -.. _`Standing Stones, Tudor Roses, & The Thorns of Time`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/28650636 diff --git a/faith/hp_and_sayers.rst b/faith/hp_and_sayers.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 5a94881..0000000 --- a/faith/hp_and_sayers.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,63 +0,0 @@ -Harry Potter and Dorothy Sayers -############################### - -:date: 2020-04-07T10:22:27 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - -(my comments on `the thread`_ “Overused tropes” by -`u/Aa11yah`_) - -.. _`the thread`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/fk43ov/overused_tropes/ - -.. _`u/Aa11yah`: - https://www.reddit.com/user/Aa11yah - -OK, I will suggest a very weird book for reading. `The Mind of -the Maker by Dorothy L. Sayers`_ (yes, the author of detective -stories with Lord Peter Wimsey) is one of the best books on the -art of writing stories I have ever read. Yes, it is on its face -a theological pamphlet on the Trinity, and given that, it will be -probably unpalatable for some, but underneath the theological is -also an absolute gem of the literary theory by somebody who -actually knows a thing or two about writing. Highly recommended. - -The fundamental problem of HP/fantasy crossovers is that HP is -actually not a fantasy, or at least not in the conventional -meaning of ninety percent of all fantasy stories. Coming from the -Sayers’ book, I would suggest that there is some kind of spirit -or atmosphere of HP universe, and book or story violating this -spirit will feel wrong. For example, I am firmly persuaded that -any crossover between HP books, which are in my opinion what -I call elsewhere “`a magicians’ realism`_”, rather pedestrian, -egalitarian, realist, modernist and quite rationalist, and -semi-mystical/super-natural universe (e.g., Marvel-type -superheroes, or vampires) is by its substance doomed to fail, -because these two universes have too different spirits to mesh -together. Similarly, the very idea of the feudal (or even -earlier) highly unequal society in the twentieth century HP -universe is in my opinion doomed to fail. The same goes for Harry -Potter being ultra-rich (meaning, owning ridiculously large part -of the Great Britain). - -There are very few exceptions (e.g., I liked `Operation -Wandless by EllianaDunla`_ or `Muggle Interface Team by -Northumbrian`_, which has just a whiff of the crossover with -`Being Human`_), but they can easily fit in those mentioned ten -percent. - -.. _`The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy L. Sayers`: - https://www.fadedpage.com/showbook.php?pid=20140909 - -.. _`Muggle Interface Team by Northumbrian`: - https://archiveofourown.org/series/104579 - -.. _`Being Human`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Being_Human_(British_TV_series) - -.. _`Operation Wandless by EllianaDunla`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/784221 - -.. _`a magicians’ realism`: - {filename}magicians-realism.rst diff --git a/faith/hp_redemption.rst b/faith/hp_redemption.rst deleted file mode 100644 index a482aaa..0000000 --- a/faith/hp_redemption.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,68 +0,0 @@ -How redeemable is canon Draco Malfoy? -##################################### - -:date: 2019-12-08T22:24:29 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - -(originally posted_ on Reddit) - -Yes, everybody is redeemable. I believe redemption stories of -some former SSmen (and SSwomen), guards in the Nazi concentration -camps, etc. Redemption (or let’s use the old-fashioned term -“conversion” or “penance”) however doesn’t mean to somehow excuse -previous deeds. It requires true acknowledgement that these deeds -happened, to own them, and to admit that they were evil. It -requires honest asking for forgiveness. I don’t want to get any -political, but it requires at least on the personal level, -something like what Germany did after the Second World War (see -for example recent visit of `Angela Merkel in Auschwitz`_). - -What do we see in most so-called redemption stories of Draco -Malfoy (or Severus Snape, or Petunia Dursley)? Excuses that those -deeds were not so bad, excuses that they were crippled by their -past, excuses by some good deeds they have done as well (“Your -honour, why we are still talking about those twenty minutes when -I was stealing from the bank, and not about my whole life when -I was a good law-abiding citizen?”). Yes, there could be an -interesting story how the path to hell is paved with good -intentions, and how somebody can persuade herself, that being -a Death Eater is The Right Thing to do, but that’s a different -kind of literature and I think it would do better for everybody -involved if they were kept separate. What I would be more -interested, and what I mostly still wait for is the story how the -main heroes stand in the wreckage of their lives, they are -disgusted in themselves, and they try to build up their lives -back. - -Perhaps the closest I got to it was `Exile by bennybear`_, but -even that was more story of a pureblood trying to find his way in -the strange world of muggles then true redemption story of -dealing with guilt. Nevertheless, it is still a very good story. - -Or perhaps `Dudley’s Memories`_ and `Snape’s Memories`_ by -paganaidd for the Dudley character, not so much for Snape who is -more in the excuses territory. The same author wrote `Digging for -the Bones`_, which is one of the best attempts to do the -redemption for Snape/Severitus, but still, I think it mixes too -much of the path-to-hell-pavement with the redemption and it -sometimes balances quite close to making excuses for his -behaviour (BTW, I **love** Molly Weasley in this story). - -.. _`Angela Merkel in Auschwitz`: - https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-50690669/auschwitz-visit-responsibility-for-nazi-crimes-part-of-german-identity-says-merkel - -.. _`Exile by bennybear`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6432055 - -.. _`Dudley’s Memories`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6142629/1/Dudley-s-Memories - -.. _`Snape’s Memories`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6329597/1/Snape-s-Memories - -.. _`Digging for the Bones`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6782408/1/Digging-for-the-Bones - -.. _posted: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/e7hp1z/how_redeemable_is_canon_draco_malfoy/fa3isp1/ diff --git a/faith/intro-to-femHarry.rst b/faith/intro-to-femHarry.rst deleted file mode 100644 index c3b8709..0000000 --- a/faith/intro-to-femHarry.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,144 +0,0 @@ -Cepl’s Introduction to fem!Harrys -################################# - -:date: 2020-03-16T09:09:21 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - -(my comments on “`LF Fics to introduce me to fem!Harry by -u/frostking104`_” Reddit thread) - -.. _`LF Fics to introduce me to fem!Harry by u/frostking104`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/fje6nu/lf_fics_to_introduce_me_to_femharry/ - -There are two types of fem!Harry stories: - -1. Where Harry (with a different name, of course) is naturally - a girl, always was and always will be. Usually, I guess, the - motivation is that the author is a woman, and she feels - uncomfortable writing from the male point of view (I know - something about that, somehow, without me wanting it, most of - my stories have a female protagonist, and it is really hard). - For some of them the difference in result is minimal (I like - `The Videus Charm by OfPensandSwords`_ as an example), for - some of them it leads to completely different stories. I like - `Victoria Potter by Taure`_ and I *really* liked the very good - setup of `The odds were never in my favour by Antony444`_, but - it turns kind of weird in the second year and later with the - hidden cabala running the world and similar crap. Also, for - very different story `Tea Cures All Ills by delizabethl22`_. - -2. Gender-bender stories, where Harry was originally our Harry - from the books, but then something weird happened and he - turned to a girl (or he was born as a girl and then his sex - was magically hidden and now he/she turns back into his - natural state). There are many wrong reasons why somebody - could write such a story. First, and I am afraid it applies to - most of them, the author wanted to write a lemon and femslash - was juicier for (I guess, usually) him. One unashamedly so is - IMHO `11396276`_ and I will leave it at that (other is - `21206021`_). Or there is non-smutty, just fun, variant in - `Pranking The Tournament by Gardevoir687`_. - - The second is that they are Snape/Draco fans and they didn’t - want to write a slash story, so they turned Harry into a girl - to suit them better to their planned pairing. One classical - example would be `Snape's Daughter by Tribi`_ with the - unbelievably horrible choice of name for the main protagonist - (I won’t even write it here). I am not a big fan of either - Snape or Draco, so when the story turned to be Drarry, I quit, - and I remember just the overall feeling about it now. - A reasonably good variant on this theme is `Becoming Harriet - by Teao`_, where the pairing is with the Snape’s AU son, and - it suffers from the deluge of smut (including some of the most - obnoxious tropes like magical-hormone-makes-you-horny), but if - you skip that, there is a rather good story hidden beneath it. - - An alternative to that “something weird happened” is `A Fair - Life by Rtnwriter`_, where it is Harry (the canonical male - one)’s death in the Forbidden Forest at the end of DH and - returning as a girl on the eve of the announcement of - champions for the Triwizard tournament and it is so far rather - decently written Hermione/Harry femslash (not even too - smutty). Similar idea with different execution is `A Different - Perspective by StellaStarMagic`_, where the canonical Harry - jumps after Sirius into the Veil in the Death Chamber of the - Department of Mysteries, but he is kicked back by rather - Pratchettish Death into being a twin-sister of more or less - canonical Harry Potter just before the letters from Hogwarts - are delivered to them. She is sorted as a Hufflepuff, and it - develops into so-far interesting timeline repair story. - - Usually, the sticky part of gender bender stories is the - treatment of unease of the former Harry with him being - a female suddenly with all bits in wrong places. One example - of rather anxious treatment of the situation is `To Reach - Without by inwardtransience`_ which turns into the rather - interesting pairing of Harry/Susan Bones, but again further - the development, weirder it becomes. - -**{update 2022-03-05}** - -There are some more stories with fem!Harry which deserve -recognition: - -.. A Change in Circumstances-ao3_1844407.epub - A Skirt's Not So Bad-ao3_32212609.epub - Back again-ao3_27089722.epub - Feminea Inextensi-ao3_34390174.epub - Gryffindor's Girl-ffnet_11483591.epub - Harriet Potter Is-ao3_6109822.epub - Harriet Potter_ What it is like to be a witch-ao3_4699043.epub - Harry is a She_-ffnet_13914661.epub - Harry Potter and the Cloud with the Silver Lining-ffnet_13185192.epub - Harry Potter and the Gang of Giggling Girls-ffnet_11268925.epub - Harry Potter Witch-ffnet_7706345.epub - Harry & the Mysterious Curse of the Girl-Who-Lived-ffnet_6343543.epub - High Heels and Hippogriffs-ffnet_13952417.epub - Jamie Evans and Fate's Fool-ffnet_8175132.epub - Magical Metamorphosis-ao3_11063298.epub - Not a Girl-ffnet_5883303.epub - Past an Hour the Prospect's Black-ffnet_13437829.epub - Skirt-ao3_20188459.epub - The Daisy Chain-ffnet_13106883.epub - The Pureblood Pretense-ffnet_7613196.epub - The Traitor's Daughter-ao3_33974866.epub - To Walk A Mile In someone else's Shoes-ffnet_7452425.epub - ----- - -.. _`The Videus Charm by OfPensandSwords`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13197260/1/ - -.. _`Victoria Potter by Taure`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12713828/1/ - -.. _`The odds were never in my favour by Antony444`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11517506/1/ - -.. _`Tea Cures All Ills by delizabethl22`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/5372018 - -.. _`11396276`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11396276/1/ - -.. _`21206021`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/21206021 - -.. _`Pranking The Tournament by Gardevoir687`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13132217 - -.. _`Snape's Daughter by Tribi`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7618752/1/ - -.. _`Becoming Harriet by Teao`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/4876630 - -.. _`A Fair Life by Rtnwriter`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13285012/1/ - -.. _`A Different Perspective by StellaStarMagic`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/22953583 - -.. _`To Reach Without by inwardtransience`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11862560/1/To-Reach-Without diff --git a/faith/letter-bkuhn-moral-absolutism.rst b/faith/letter-bkuhn-moral-absolutism.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..78c626b --- /dev/null +++ b/faith/letter-bkuhn-moral-absolutism.rst @@ -0,0 +1,102 @@ +Open letter to Bradley Kuhn on moral absolutism +############################################### + +:date: 1970-01-01T00:00:00 +:status: draft +:category: computer +:tags: bkuhn, FLOSS, morality, absolutism, puritanism + +(this slightly edited composition of the email thread I have sent to +`Bradley Kuhn`_) + +.. _`Bradley Kuhn`: http://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/ + +Hi, Bradley, + +the common theme in my in this the moral absolutism (which I am not +using as a swearword, being a Christian I am more against the more +common moral relativism). The danger for each moral absolutist is that +she has a tendency to lump all those who don’t measure up to her +standards in the category of “heathens/proprietary software users” and +not distinguish between them. + +Listening to FaiF 0x43 I paused in surprise when you compared Leo +Laporte to David Pogue. I don't know enough about the latter but +I listen to many podcasts by the former, and I know that with some and +few (expressly mentioned) exceptions all gadgets he presents are bought +in ordinary stores for his own money (which was the cause of `his +blow-up with Mike Arrington`_ ). Of course, now when TWiT is +a multi-million company it is less of the problem with him, but I know +he has done so always. Of course, I am also appalled by his love for all +things Apple and sometimes lack of understanding intricacies of the free +software world, but he is always expressly giving preference (when +available) to open source (especially in the context of the security +software) and he supports mostly out of his pocket `FLOSS Weekly`_ which +is currently one of the best resources on FLOSS universe. I really don't +think it is fair to lump him in one bag with David Pogue (about whose +standards I know almost nothing, so I am not expressing my opinion about +him). + +.. _`his blow-up with Mike Arrington`: + http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laIvHUg35SQ +.. _`FLOSS Weekly`: + http://twit.tv/show/floss-weekly/ + +The second is the line in the John Sullivan's talk. I work for Red Hat +so I know number of people in the Fedora Community and I know many of +them are bit offended by the FSF refusal to mention Fedora on its list +`Free GNU/Linux distributions`_. Comparing to other popular distros (I +know it is for commercial reasons and not for goodness of our hears) we +completely refuse to include any non-free non-firmware software in our +distros and there is no link anywhere on any Fedora-controlled sites +about non-free repositories. Moreover, I don't agree with FSF concerning +firmware (I don't see much difference between microcode in chips and +firmware blobgs ... so in order to be truly free you should be using +only those Chinese MIPS notebooks; do you?), but ignoring this +difference of opinions, I would think Fedora (and CentOS) would deserve +some kind of special treatment, a bit different than Ubuntu or some much +promoted Debian (with non-free repository alongside the free ones). + +.. _`Free GNU/Linux distributions`: + http://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html + +The same goes for CentOS. In this case the FSF distro list has actually +a factual error -- it is not true that “there's no clear policy about +what software can be included”. CentOS packages are only what’s in RHEL, +which is always strict subset of what goes to Fedora, so there is pretty +strict limit on what packages are included in CentOS. Yes, I know that +RHEL itself has also supplementary packages which are non-free, so +I admit that it shouldn't be on the list (well, it is way better than +Debian, because there are way less packages provided in the +supplementary repository, but that is just a distinction of quantity not +quality), but there are quite certainly no packages provided by Red Hat +for non-customers, and so CentOS consists only from packages with source +code on the `Red Hat FTP`_. + +.. _`Red Hat FTP`: + ftp://ftp.redhat.com/redhat/linux/enterprise/ + +The result of moral absolutism on the side of FSF (back to the original +theme) is that free-distros page contains only more or less irrelevant +distros (sorry, if certified on h-node could include for example +`Thinkpad T430u`_ which has non-supported WiFi, then it is hardly +something I can recommend to my friends). How much difference for the +promotion of freedom has a distro which not many people can use? When +was the last somebody was converted to the free software (or +more-or-less free software) by Ututo? Of course, the same goes for +Replicant_ ... what value is there in a phone OS which doesn't allow +telephoning?^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hupdate: looking at Replicant status +apparently telephoning is not such problem as WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. +Interesting. + +.. _`Thinkpad T430u`: + http://h-node.org/notebooks/view/en/1233/ThinkPad-T430u/ +.. _Replicant: + http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/ReplicantStatus + +These are my notes in the moment. Sorry, I just needed to vent +somewhere. + +Best, + +Matěj diff --git a/faith/letter-from-minerva-to-father.rst b/faith/letter-from-minerva-to-father.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 1988df9..0000000 --- a/faith/letter-from-minerva-to-father.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,265 +0,0 @@ -Letter from Minerva McGonagall to her father, Reverend Robert McGonagall -######################################################################## - -:date: 2022-09-06T16:54:29 -:status: draft -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(from the conversation on `the HPfanfiction subreddit post`_ with -some questions from other readers of the thread). - -While reading “`When the Roses Bloom Again`_” by -TheBlack'sResurgence I have been again hit by the nonsense of the -Biblical verse “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Exodus -22:17). I don’t want to bother you with details (tiny part of it -is in “`Thou Shalt Not Suffer`_” by TheWizardsHarry), but a good -biblical argument can be made that this verse in the Hebrew -original doesn’t mean what the English (and almost any other) -translation seems to indicate it means (hint: what do we know -about the magical terminology of the Ancient Israel 1500 BC? -Nothing, absolutely nothing), meaning it is not universal -renunciation of all magical activity (and this is Harry Potter -related post, so let us not deal with the question whether magic -is real or not). - -I still hope to see in the course of the story a letter written -by (quite scholarly and intellectual, and trained by him in the -Biblical exegesis) Minerva McGonagall to her father explaining, -that he really doesn’t have to live with a bad conscience from -protecting his sinful anti-Christian or anti-God daughter. - -.. _`the HPfanfiction subreddit post`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/x58xm2/letter_from_minerva_mcgonagall_to_her_father/ - -.. _`When the Roses Bloom Again`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13954844 - -.. _`Thou Shalt Not Suffer`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5176787 - -The second group is Leviticus 19:26, 20:27, and Deuteronomy -18:10-11. All of them have the same problem IMHO: using highly -technical terminology we know absolutely nothing about (and on -the top of that half of the words are *hapax legomenon*, words -found only once in the whole Bible). - - There are examples in the Bible of actual witches IIRC, - Saul(?) goes to one and asks her to summon the spirit of - Samuel. We also know from other descriptions vaguely the kind - of things they do, commune with the dead and curse people. - - Of course, if you’re writing a HP story you kinda have to - assume Christianity is false (or at least WILDLY - misunderstood), so it’s description of a witch shouldn’t need - to line up with HP-verse anyway - -Yes, and I am not saying that any magic is perfectly OK (it is -obvious that Necromancy and most of the divination are not), but -that negative doesn’t apply either: most of magic which would be -OK under the UK laws (by mostly for the other reasons than it -being magic … murder, enslavement, etc.) would be OK for actual -true wizards and witches of the HP world. - -I am quite forcefully saying that most of Muggle occult (i.e., -when Muggles try to make magic without being given the gift of -magic) is quite definitively NOT OK. I guess, Biblically one of -the most suspicious things in the whole HP series is Mr Filch’s -Kwikspell. - -And to witch-hunts: I am a Protestant, so I am quite able to -distinguish between the church doing something wrong (have you -ever read the book “Biblical Foundation of Slavery” from 1810 or -so? I did) and what is actual Biblical teaching on the matter. -That is what were talking about here. - -I think witch-hunts were completely wrong for many reasons (and -which were mostly driven by non-holy reasons … see any Muggle -history book on the topic), but it doesn't have to mean that the -Church or the Christianity would be against Hermione Granger -personally. - ----- - - I (also Protestant) agree completely. My point is that in the - Harry Potter world, Christianity as we know it cannot be true - (at least it would be VERY difficult to mesh the two in any - way that’s even slightly philosophically consistent). So, - when I’m writing/reading Harry Potter fanfic, I have my - characters operate on the nearest moral system I could come - up with that has at least an incline of reason behind it. - 🤷🏻♂️ - -I really do not understand. Why? - -I don’t think you tell me that your faith depends on Jesus’ -changing water in wine is the sign of his Divinity. And yes, -wizards and witches can be probably do more than His -contemporaries, but heck, we can do more than them. - -So, what’s the problem? - ----- - - My first objection would be that, while Christ’s miracles were - not the foundation for his divinity, they were supposed to be - proof of it (John 10:37-38, 20:30-31). If there was whole - societies going around doing what Jesus did (and according to HP - they were doing that kind of thing then because it’s pre-secrecy) - then they’re not really proof of anything. - -Couple of comments on your verses, each one of them would deserve -full-size treatise though: - -1. John 10:37f … I truly don’t believe that “works of my Father” - have to mean miracles here (and if NLT translates it so, it is - one more reason why not use that translation … sometimes they - are really inserting something which isn’t there). Second, - I don’t think that this is primarily about the Jesus’ - divinity. I mean, I am a Trinitarian, I do believe in the - teaching of first ecumenical councils and all that good stuff, - but I see something much more important there. “The Father is - in Me, and I am in the Father” really doesn’t feel to me here - as an evidentiary proof of the Jesus’ divinity, but it seems - to me talking much more about the deep father/son relationship - between Father and Jesus, which is in my opinion one of the - most important themes in gospels (and especially in the Gospel - of Saint John), and which is the relationship which we should - try to emulate in our life as our path to holiness. - -2. John 20:30f … obviously this verse means that whole gospel is - using something to prove something else. The question is what - these somethings are. The goal of the gospel is in my opinion - something more than just accepting the divinity of Jesus. The - goal of a gospel is in my opinion our conversion, accepting - Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, accepting his sacrifice on The - Cross as healing of our sin, etc. etc. (I could continue for - a long time). To this end one doesn’t get however just by - reading a book (fill-in complete missiology and theory of - evangelization). Any book could serve only as “a sign”. “Sign” - (σημεῖα (sēmeia), Strong's G4592) is defined as “neuter of - a presumed derivative of the base of semaino; an indication, - especially ceremonially or supernaturally”. It seems to me - that a sign here is really just a sign: something like - a traffic sign telling to a driver “Slow down! Put down your - foot from the gas pedal! There is something really important - going on here, which you should really not miss.” Miracles are - for me only one type of such signs, and not even the most - important ones. I am acutely aware that many of those healings - or releases from demonization could be probably explained by - the current medicine as some kind of natural disease, that - quality of scientific reporting in the first century AD - certainly doesn’t satisfy our current requirements, and that - the transfer of the information from the first century to us - doesn’t help either. If some of these miracles could be - explained by the science, my attitude towards Jesus would not - change at all. And the same goes for the real magic. If some - of these miracles could be explained by magic, my attitude - towards Jesus would not change either. Miracles are just signs - which should turn our focus to Jesus and who he is. Besides, - for me much more persuasive sign than healing of the possessed - in Gerase is Jesus sitting next to the adulterous woman - telling her and saying “Go and sin no more” or “[…] you have - had five husbands, and the man you are living with[as] now is - not your husband”. That’s for me like the stop sign: “Get out - of the car and don’t do anything else until you discover who - this guy is”. - - Witches and Wizards are in direct violation of God’s decree in - Genesis 6:3. - -Next you mention Genesis 6:3. “Then the LORD said, ‘My Spirit -shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall -be 120 years.’” WHAT? I don’t get it. - - I think it’s very clear in the Bible that any power that can - manipulate realty like magic does is either the Holy Spirit, - or demonic. - -That isn’t correct even in our Muggle world. There are many -natural powers that can manipulate reality, like any powers at -all, and they are just that, natural powers. We are changing -reality every day, every second, and most of the time there is -nothing super-Spiritual or demonic about it. It is just our -ordinary life. You want to limit those powers to ones “that are -like magic”, but that is a bad, circular, definition. Magic is -whatever is magical, and vice versa. - -What I think is needed is to redefine “miracle” and “supernatural -event”. I think these terms are unfortunate, because they seem to -suggest that they are somehow breaking the God given natural -order of things. I don’t think they do. They are just working -outside of what we understand. I think the foundation of any -Christian epistemology must be that sum of everything we know -(both as individuals and as total of humanity) is always less -than the God’s creation. So, all those “supernatural events” are -actually natural, except they are outside of our knowledge. - -So, yes there are powers outside of human (any human) control, -which can be driven by the Holy Spirit or evil. However, the -hypothetical Harry Potter-type magic could be very much neither -of these: it is just natural gift which is given just to some -small group of humans, like the perfect pitch. Somebody just got -it, somebody didn’t, but it doesn’t have to mean anything -spiritually. - ----- - - As far as I know, the exact meaning of witchcraft is specified if - you read through various parts of the bible. Off the top of my - head, anyone who communicates with the dead, uses any mystical - means to find information, and anyone who unnaturally changes - a person's perception or emotional state is performing - witchcraft. So the killing curse would be murder, but not - witchcraft. The cheering charm would be witchcraft. - -Chapter and verse, please? - - I had a look and I cannot for the life of me find the source - I read originally that explained it, so I'm going to assume - I'm remembering incorrectly. - - Instead, I looked it up again and compared the source words - used in the original languages, which in the Old Testament - mostly came down to necromancers (people who spoke with the - dead) and diviners (people who used magic to obtain - information either current or future.) - - In the New Testament there is also an instance of the word - that the modern 'pharmacist' comes from is used, but the - context is different there where it means to condemn drugging - and/or poisoning people rather than just making all - potioneers out to be witches. - - A large problem, as I understand it, is that the ancient - Hebrews simply used the word witch because 'everyone knows - what is meant by it' and everyone then did, but these days we - don't understand the context, so we have to try looking at - other sources to build a better point of view. That leads to - reading sources from nearby peoples like the Babylonians and - such. While this gives a vague idea of it all, it's not - really a precise way of assigning a definite definition to - a word. TL;DR I couldn't find my original source and was - probably remembering wrong, witchcraft will basically only - include divination, legillimency, and necromancy. - -That’s exactly what I was trying to say. Whether magic actually -exists or not is immaterial for this, but there was certainly -a community of people who were dealing with activities described -in those verses (be they true magicals, or Muggle magicians doing -just some show, or doing something completely else, like dealing -with herbal remedies), and they had their own jargon. Bible was -most likely written and transferred to us mostly by people -outside of this community (just pure probability: number of -practitioners of the art divided by number of population) and so -it was probably transferred poorly. And then we got to actually -translating from Hebrew to current languages (including the -modern Hebrew) and there the situation was certainly much worse. - -I am not saying that Bible as such is unreliable or it is not -possible understand it. Mostly its message is quite clear, but -there are parts where we really need to tread lightly. We may -never understand correctly what was really going on in these -verses, we may never know what was actually The Noe’s Arch made -from (“Gopher wood” is a true Hapax legomenon), and others; -fortunately at least with these I can live pretty well. diff --git a/faith/local-morality.rst b/faith/local-morality.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..855b6fc --- /dev/null +++ b/faith/local-morality.rst @@ -0,0 +1,18 @@ +Locality of morals +################## + +:date: 1970-01-01T00:00:00 +:status: draft +:category: faith +:tags: theology, priesthood, sin + +.. epigraph:: + In the course of my life, I have seen Frenchmen, Italians, + Russians, etc.; I am even aware, thanks to Montesquieu, that + one can be a Persian. But, as for Man, I declare that I have + never met him in my life. If he exists, I certainly have no + knowledge of him. + + -- Joseph de Maistre, Considerations on France, 1797 + +pass diff --git a/faith/loving-vincent.rst b/faith/loving-vincent.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 5a0540b..0000000 --- a/faith/loving-vincent.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,63 +0,0 @@ -Loving Vincent -############## - -:date: 2018-03-22T08:03:28 -:category: faith -:tags: review, film - -Movie_ “Loving Vincent” is certainly an experience worthy of the -tickets to go to the cinema. The main idea of it is to make -“animated” film by painting endless number of quality oil -paintings in the style of Vincent van Gogh about the painter -himself. I have been warned_ that this idea is actually by far -the strongest part of the film, and that the story of the film -itself is by far the weakest part of it. I won’t do the spoilers -here, but yes the end comes rather flat. - -The visual side has been however troubling as well. It is truly -beautiful, there is no question about that, but this film showed -me the great difference between pictures (especially ones in the -tradition of post-van Gogh painting, what a irony!) and films. -The great pictures (in all traditions, it applies -perfectly well even to Rembrandt’s “Return of the prodigal son”) -are best when they don’t tell the whole story, but when they are -more a catalyst to make a viewer sit down and think her own -story. From this point of view, van Gogh was (with a bit of -artistic license) the first painter who stressed this role of -pictures even more by omitting a lot of realism and leaving just -those catalyst parts of the image. - -On the other hand, the biggest beauty of every film is *a story*. -Some films are beautiful, have pretty pictures, but what makes or -kills it is how the story is made. There is endless list of -beautiful pictures which lack a good story (the review of this -film points as an example to “`What Dreams May Come`_”). I don’t -want to deal now with quality (or lack of thereof) of the story -of this film, but I want to emphasize that perception of a film -is quite different from the perception of a picture. This -difference in perception made me torn to two sides by two -different both unpleasant feelings. While beautiful pictures made -me feel constantly “Wait! This was a beautiful picture, I would -like to watch it properly!” I had also constantly that feeling -that I forgot my glasses at home (no, I don’t need glasses for -watching films yet). Images in films are not supposed to be -abstract, thought-inducing experience, they are suppose to reveal -and deliver a story. I had that constant feeling “I would love to -see how this girl looks *in reality*.” - -So, my conclusion is that it was a great idea. I don’t care that -much for the quality (or not) of the film as a film, or -a detective story. It was a great experience, I came to new -appreciation of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, but do I welcome -the inevitable avalanche of imitations of this film which are to -be expected? No, I think once was enough. - - -.. _Movie: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_Vincent - -.. _warned: - https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/loving-vincent-2017 - -.. _`What Dreams May Come`: - https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/what-dreams-may-come-1998 diff --git a/faith/magicians-realism.rst b/faith/magicians-realism.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 23f83fe..0000000 --- a/faith/magicians-realism.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,191 +0,0 @@ -Magicians’ Realism -################## - -:date: 2021-01-02 -:category: faith -:tags: HarryPotter, review, blogComment, realism - -(thoughts after listening to the episode “`Victorian Realism`_” -of the BBC’s In Our Time, originally developed as a review of -“`Strangers at Drakeshaugh`_” by Northumbrian and also a possible -commentary on “`Everything Wrong With HARRY POTTER Fanfictions`_” -by Purplemist14, which is HIGHLY recommended reading for any -hopeful fanfiction writer or reviewer; beginning used from `the -comment on Reddit`_) - -Kingstone_ on Reddit said: - - Realism is a quixotic quest when writing fantasy. There can be - no realism in a fic about wizards. - -I would slightly dispute that. I understand what he (she? -Kingstone somehow feels masculine, I am sorry, if I am wrong) -means, but I would like to abuse this replay to play a bit with -the word “realism”. For him it seems to mean something like -“story is as close to the objective reality and scientific -conclusions as possible”, right? - -Let me point out the literary movement of the nineteenth century -called realism. Henry James is quoted on that BBC show as saying - - Realism is what in some shape or form we might encounter, - whereas romanticism is something we will never encounter. - -Let us focus more on the story itself and not just on magic, -which seems unimportant to me at this point. Let us not think -about fantasy stories at all, but let’s consider for example -“Ivanhoe_” by Walter Scott on the one side as a romantic story, -and let’s say “Kidnapped_” by Robert Louis Stevenson. Both of -them are adventure stories full of suspension and drama, both -them of course completely Muggle and completely free of any -magic, supernatural or whatever else. I would say that the key -word which differentiates them is “**exceptional**”. Whereas -“Ivanhoe” is the novel about exceptional people (Robin Hood and -his merry men, king Richard the Lion Heart, king John, historic -and thus exotic knights and princesses) doing exceptional things -(saving the kingdom for the rightful king among other things), -“Kidnapped” has the only historic event of any notice (Appin -murder) in three paragraphs and it just an excuse in background -for the rest of the story, which is about two completely -insignificant (*sub specie aeternitatis*) persons doing something -completely historically insignificant: saving their lives and -freedom (and inheritance for David). Realist stories (despite the -bad rap they got from “Middlemarch”, Balzac and similar stuff) -don’t have to be boring, but they have to be non-exceptional -or normal (jury is still out, whether the legendary novel “Mr -Bailey, Grocer” supposedly written by the character Harold -Biffen in the novel “New Grub Street” by George Gissing and just -describing the ordinary life of an ordinary grocer could be a -good idea). - -I really like “`History of Mr Polly`_” by H. G. Wells, which is -beautifully written story despite being about pub-owner mixed -with a tramp and history of his unfortunate first marriage. In -the same way similar good realist stories are also most -detective stories (from Hercule Poirot to Law & Order), and -I have also mentioned stories by `Arthur Ransome`_ (probably now -mostly forgotten stories about children and their small -adventures during their holidays) or Kipling’s “`Stalky -& Co.`_”. - -If we apply this difference between realist and romantic writing -to the literature written before Romantic era, we can emphasise -that what I call realist literature doesn’t have to be boring at -all. For example, one of the big problems of Jane Austen in the -nineteenth century was that her novels were not romantic at all, -dealing with normal problems of more or less normal people -(mostly lower gentry). It took only realist authors later in the -century (Henry James, I am told in `the Austen’s Wikipedia -article`_) to discover her qualities. - -It is not only about characters and main story lines. -Exceptionality is also in the characters of characters. The -realist story deals with normal passions of normal people (for -mzzbee_ it is a story of infidelity, meaning of life, and finding -a life partner). The romantic one is all about extremes: extreme -love, saving the kingdom, the main opponent “[u]nscathed by the -lance of his enemy, […] died a victim to the violence of his own -contending passions” (Brian de Bois-Guilbert from “Ivanhoe”). - -All fantasy novels and comics are in this perspective romantic -stories, because all those Supermans, Batmans, Conans, etc., and -the least problem they are willing to care for is saving of the -whole world, nothing less. - -It is slightly shocking talking about Harry Potter books with all -magic as the realist ones, moreover when they are all about -saving the world from the potential evil overlord, true, but it -is remarkable how incredibly normal (in good sense of the word) -all characters are (with exception of Tom Riddle and Dumbledore). -JKR managed brilliantly avoid `The Problem of Peter Pevensie`_ -and the positive part of the incredibly convoluted resolution of -the story (yes, the thing about the wand ownership is pure *deus -ex machina* pulled out the author’s hat in the last few chapters -of the book) is that in the end Harry is slightly battered, -certainly more experienced, but quite distinctly seventeen year -old young man, drop-out after the sixth year of Hogwarts, not -a superhero. - -I probably cannot claim that Harry Potter books are the realist -adventure stories in line with “Farewell to Arms”, “All Quiet on -the Western Front”, “Pride and Prejudice”, or even “The Good -Soldier Švejk”, even considering that they are for -teenagers/young adults. However, I would claim, that they are -surprisingly closer to these than the classical fantasy (“Conan -the Barbarian”, Marvel superheroes, but even perhaps “The -Earthsea Cycle”), and that exactly not noticing this difference -makes most crossovers and all attempts to create super!Harry -doomed from the beginning. - -The realist atmosphere of the original books is perfectly kept by -Northumbrian_ or mzzbee_, and it is one of reasons why their -stories are so good. It is also the reason how all Lord Potter -stories fair poorly, because Harry Potter books and its -characters are quite clearly middle class, inhabited by small -businessmen, bureaucrats etc., not lords and ladies. - -By the way, when talking about the magicians realism, I don’t -want to have anything to do with `magical realism`_ of authors -like Gabriel García Márquez (e.g., “`One Hundred Years of -Solitude`_”). It seems to me that magical realism is a way how to -make a bit boring story spiced up by random flashes of magic. It -is a long time when I read the book, so I may forgot a lot from -it, and that novel as such is not the point of this essay, the -magic as used in the book is. What I mean, is that the magic -there seemed to me like something external bolted on the top of -the story, not inherent to the universe heroes of the story lived -in. - -.. _Northumbrian: - https://archiveofourown.org/series/103340 - -.. _mzzbee: - https://archiveofourown.org/users/mzzbee/pseuds/mzzbee - -.. _`Victorian Realism`: - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00548ks - -.. _`Strangers at Drakeshaugh`: - http://www.siye.co.uk/viewstory.php?sid=129036 - -.. _`Everything Wrong With HARRY POTTER Fanfictions`: - https://www.wattpad.com/555529455-everything-wrong-with-harry-potter-fanfictions - -.. _`the comment on Reddit`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/gpzey1/realistic_stories_are_less_real_than_canon/frr5aud - -.. _Ivanhoe: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivanhoe - -.. _Kidnapped: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnapped_%28novel%29 - -.. _`the Austen’s Wikipedia article`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen#19th_century - -.. _`History of Mr Polly`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_History_of_Mr_Polly - -.. _`Arthur Ransome`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Ransome - -.. _`Stalky & Co.`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalky_%26_Co. - -.. _`The Problem of Peter Pevensie`: - {filename}problem-of-wands.rst - -.. _`Operation Wandless by EllianaDunla`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/784221 - -.. _Spooks: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spooks_(TV_series) - -.. _Kingstone: - https://www.reddit.com/user/Kingsonne/ - -.. _`magical realism`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_realism - -.. _`One Hundred Years of Solitude`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Hundred_Years_of_Solitude diff --git a/faith/molly-weasley-potion-mistress.rst b/faith/molly-weasley-potion-mistress.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 85101cc..0000000 --- a/faith/molly-weasley-potion-mistress.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,67 +0,0 @@ -Molly Weasley, the Potion Mistress? -################################### - -:date: 2022-11-17T11:48:52 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(a record of discussion about the topic on the Reddit thread -“`Could Molly and the ‘Love Potion’ incident be a communications -misunderstanding?`_” started by `u/varrsar`_; more discussion on -that thread) - -The biggest problem with Molly Weasley and Love Potions is that -everybody seems to remember something completely different than -what actually is in the canon: - - [Harry and Weasley boys] headed down to breakfast, where Mr. - Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with - a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and - Ginny about a love potion she’d made as a young girl. All - three of them were rather giggly. (Chapter 5 of PoA, “The - Dementor”) - -That’s it. There is nothing more on the topic. We don’t know what -kind of potion it was, we don’t know if she ever used it (and -certainly we don’t know that she used it on Arthur, who was, -mind you, sitting next to them), we don’t know whether she was -successful in making it, we don’t even know whether it was some -fun concoction she made even before Hogwarts (note that “a young -girl” doesn’t feel like a Hogwarts-age teenager). We know almost -nothing about it. - - Huh, so it could well be a “look how dumb I was when I was - a kid” story. Possibly even in response to Hermione’s story - of the polyjuice potion brewing. This was, after all, - probably the first time Molly could get some more of the - details about what happened to Ginny the previous year from - other people’s perspectives. (`u/HairyHorux`_) - -Yup. I think there are more versions of love potions. Yes, -Amorentia is on the top as a rape drug, and it is quite horrible -(see “`An Hour of Wolves`_” by solvskrift for a rather horrific -treatment of the matter; all trigger warnings apply!) to -something which the Weasley brothers were selling (which I would -expect could just persuade a girl to enjoy her date more or -something of that kind) to some complete nonsense. I am a bloke -so mysteries of young girls’ play are still mostly a mystery to -me (although, I have a daughter), but I know there are various -silly girly games about whether she will find a boyfriend or not -via kind-of-divination from flowers and such. Why shouldn’t there -be in the magical world something similarly silly for young -girls? - -And yes, that giggling feels more like “we are all idiots -sometimes” than Amorentia. - -.. _`Could Molly and the ‘Love Potion’ incident be a communications misunderstanding?`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/n94v6l/could_molly_and_the_love_potion_incident_be_a/ - -.. _`u/varrsar`: - https://www.reddit.com/user/varrsar/ - -.. _`u/HairyHorux`: - https://www.reddit.com/user/HairyHorux/ - -.. _`An Hour of Wolves`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/14164617 diff --git a/faith/mreview-Grow-Young-w-Me.rst b/faith/mreview-Grow-Young-w-Me.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 26e754f..0000000 --- a/faith/mreview-Grow-Young-w-Me.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,41 +0,0 @@ -Micro review of “Grow Young with Me” by Taliesin19 -################################################## - -:date: 2020-11-19T12:08:29 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(my reaction_ to the published review_ of “`Grow Young with Me`_” -by Taliesin19) - -Except the quality of this review is on par with those on the DVD -box. This is not a review, it is a promotion by a fan. There is -not one weakness found, and although I like the story generally, -it has plenty of those as well. - -The glaring one is the length. With 233,370 words it is in the -range of Jane Eyre, Moby Dick, or HP and the Half-Blood Prince. -The question is, does it have enough plot to sustain this length? -The answer is clearly no. There is not much more than “girl meets -a boy, the boy is too lost in his own problems it takes some of -her effort to get him out of his shell, the girl turns up to have -problems as well, they are together”. It is possible to have -a nice novel with so simple plot, but that Pride and Prejudice -(which is similarly simple) is just half of it (120,697 words). - -Yes, it could be, that in the modern time with our twenty seconds -clips we are not used to (an example is from “House of the Seven -Gables” by Nathaniel Hawthorne) having a character waking up, -dressing, and walking down the stairs (that’s literally all -that’s happening) in twenty pages. But unfortunately, that’s the -audience the author writes for. And by the way, even The House of -the Seven Gables clocks just 108,616 words. - -.. _review: - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iXkT4kONZ5NgLylzt_3PuUp65a0Dq8tC5BfSNZSsdcs/mobilebasic - -.. _reaction: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/ihwqn0/a_in_depth_review_by_valirys_reinhald_on_the_fic/g33yxfv/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 - -.. _`Grow Young with Me`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/16405130 diff --git a/faith/muggle-centered-fics.rst b/faith/muggle-centered-fics.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 5c5eafd..0000000 --- a/faith/muggle-centered-fics.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,143 +0,0 @@ -Muggles-centred Harry Potter fanfiction stories -############################################### - -:date: 2020-11-19T12:03:05 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, zettelkasten - -(my comments during the thread “`Stories where Ginny is actually -nice to Harry’s girlfriend?`_” by `/u/AcerbicOrb`_) - -Let me add here a dump of my “muggles” folder (for later -reference): - -* `Grow Young with Me by Taliesin19`_ (`my review`_) - -* `Ten More Minutes by Litfreak89`_ - -* `The Refiners Fire by Abraxan`_ (first seven chapters, then it - turns rather weird and super!Harry) - -* `A Muggle in Magical Britain by Tegildess`_ - -* `A Muggle in the Ministry of Magic by Tegildess`_ - -* `World War Wizard by Tegildess`_ - -* `A Muggle In The Magic World by Phoenixfox`_ has a lovely finale - -* `Behind Blue Eyes by elmembrila`_ is probably the best of them all - -* `Hero Complex by abbyepic`_ I am not much sure about this one - -* `Cleaved by StarsandSunkissed`_ perhaps, WIP, updated - -* `What We Had by Litfreak89`_ prequel to “Ten More Minutes”, - * I wasn’t that impressed as with that one. - -* `The Divide by Beedle`_ … twin sisters, one of them magical, - other isn’t … we know this scenario, it is a recipe for - disaster, isn’t it? Except, no, it isn’t, it is even worse. - -* `Escape by SingularOddities`_ is more or less regular Harmony - story (not bad), but it has developed a character of Audrey - later-to-be-Mrs-Percy-Weasley, which was so good, that the - author wrote another sequel/prequel (is there such thing as - parallelquel?) `Mr and Mrs Percy Weasley by SingularOddities`_, - which is really good. - -* `Ottery St Catchpole by Erisah_Mae`_ is unfortunately - unfinished but lovely written comedy of errors: young woman - from Australia inherits in the summer of 1998 a lovely house - after her rather weird aunt. She is quite surprised by some - friendly neighbours named Weasleys, who apparently assumes - something about her, and she doesn’t know what. Etc. - Beautifully written. - -* Some stories by Northumbrian_ : `Creevey Tales`_ are all - centred around the conflict of living on the edge between the - magical and Muggle worlds. `Strangers at Drakeshaugh`_ and - `James and Me`_ are about relationship between Muggles and - Potters from Muggles point of view (unfortunately, the later is - unfinished; if you don’t consider my own `James & Me: - Accident`_ … and you shouldn’t). - -**{later additions}** - -* `Little by Little by eriathiel`_ is even wilder version of much - more famous “Grow Young With Me”: it is actually - Draco/Muggle-woman story ten years after the War. Surprisingly - well done character redemption arc for Draco to not only accept - a Muggle as a human, but going on with this discovery. - -.. _`my review`: - {filename}mreview-Grow-Young-w-Me.rst - -.. _`Stories where Ginny is actually nice to Harry’s girlfriend?`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/i4w18o/stories_where_ginny_is_actually_nice_to_harrys/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 - -.. _`/u/AcerbicOrb`: - https://www.reddit.com/user/AcerbicOrb/ - -.. _`Grow Young with Me by Taliesin19`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/16405130 - -.. _`Ten More Minutes by Litfreak89`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9566537 - -.. _`The Refiners Fire by Abraxan`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2163835 - -.. _`A Muggle in Magical Britain by Tegildess`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3743602 - -.. _`A Muggle in the Ministry of Magic by Tegildess`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3777025 - -.. _`World War Wizard by Tegildess`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7196374 - -.. _`A Muggle In The Magic World by Phoenixfox`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2053712 - -.. _`Behind Blue Eyes by elmembrila`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2095661 - -.. _`Hero Complex by abbyepic`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7069251 - -.. _`Cleaved by StarsandSunkissed`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/25313044 - -.. _`What We Had by Litfreak89`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9739418 - -.. _`The Divide by Beedle`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13022404 - -.. _`Escape by SingularOddities`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11916243 - -.. _`Mr and Mrs Percy Weasley by SingularOddities`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12373273 - -.. _`Ottery St Catchpole by Erisah_Mae`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/12901407 - -.. _Northumbrian: - https://archiveofourown.org/series/103340 - -.. _`Creevey Tales`: - https://archiveofourown.org/series/108953 - -.. _`Strangers at Drakeshaugh`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/1623053 - -.. _`James and Me`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/8402590 - -.. _`James & Me: Accident`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/23267857 - -.. _`Little by Little by eriathiel`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/34101988 diff --git a/faith/namorni-slepota_review.rst b/faith/namorni-slepota_review.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 5a868b6..0000000 --- a/faith/namorni-slepota_review.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,71 +0,0 @@ -Námořní slepota, pokus o review -############################### - -:date: 2022-12-24T17:29:17 -:category: faith -:status: draft -:tags: czech, politics - -.. PhDr. Michael Romancov, Ph.D. <michael.romancov@fsv.cuni.cz> - -Kniha „Námořní slepota“ [#]_ Michaela Romancova je skutečně -průkopnickou událostí. Upozorňuje svoje čtenáře (zejména české, -vnitrozemské) na existenci světových moří a oceánů a na jejich -naprosto zásadní význam pro světové dějiny. - -Kniha se mi velice líbí a rozhodně ji doporučuji k přečtení, mám -k ní jenom několik poznámek. - -Možná nejsem úplně typicky čtenář této knihy, protože jsem asi -nikdy nebyl úplně nevědomý námořního rozměru světa. Chtěl bych -zde zmínit s velikou vděčností jednak populárně-naučné knihy -Miloše Hubáčka [#]_ a také jsem velice vděčen za fantastický -slovenský překlad knihy „Námorné bitky“ od polského autora -Edmunda Kosiarze [#]_ (táhnul to až do Války o Falklandy). - -V čem mě kniha poučila a to je její veliký přínos, protože nevím -jestli je mnoho podobných českých knih na trhu, je vysvětlení -globální ekonomiky a naprosto zásadního postavení námořního -obchodu. Evropanům vždycky udělá dobře, když jim někdo zopakuje, -jak zcela maličkatá a nepodstatná je Evropa ve srovnání se -zbytkem světa, v tomto případě zejména s Asií (jak v historii, -tak v současnosti). - -V této části leží jedna z prvních podstatných otázek, které na mě -z knihy vytanuly. Pokud byla už ve středověku asijská ekonomika -tak nepopstatelně větší nežli to, co se odehrávalo v Evropě, jak -je možné, že během několika málo desetiletí Evropské mocnosti -(a často ne ani ty největší, Portugalsko) zcela ovládly Asii a -začaly celkem bez většího odporu ovládat její gigantická území -(Indie)? Autor to vysvětluje pokročilejší technologií stavby -plachetnic (a tím znovu zdůrazňuje důležitost námořního -obchodu pro celosvětový vývoj), ale mě to vysvětlení úplně -nepřesvědčuje. Jak je možné, že ve chvíli, kdy se ukázalo, že -evropské galeony jsou mnohem lepší nežli např. čínské džunky nebo -cokoli používali tou dobou Indové, tak tato gigantická asijská -impéria (dle autora mnohem větší nežli celá Evropa) prostě -tuto technologii neukradli a neokopírovali? To opravdu nebyli -schopni unést, podplatit, přemluvit, cokoliv dostatečné množství -evropských námořníků a stavitelů lodí? Čína to v současné době -zvládá bez velkých problémů. - -Po skvělé kapitole o renesančním průniku evropských mocností do Asie a počátků evropských koloniálních impérií (v tomto bych k dalšímu studiu doporučoval, bohužel zatím nepřeložené, `přednášky Timothy Snydera`_ - -.. [#] `Námořní slepota`_ , N media, Praha, 2022, ISBN: - 978-80-88433-10-1 - -.. [#] `Miloš Hubáček`_ psal od sedmdesátých let populárně-naučné - knihy zejména o Válce v Pacifiku. Jak se mu povedlo psát knihy - o statečné americké armádě v době normalizace je jedna ze - záhad, kterou mi nikdo nikdy nevysvětlil. - -.. [#] KOSIARZ, Edmund: Námorne bitky, Pravda, Bratislava, 1984 - -.. _`Námořní slepota`: - https://obchod.denikn.cz/show/37/namorni_slepota - -.. _`Miloš Hubáček`: - https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miloš_Hubáček - -.. _`přednášky Timothy Snydera`: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJczLlwp-d8&list=PLh9mgdi4rNewfxO7LhBoz_1Mx1MaO6sw_&pp=iAQB diff --git a/faith/no_superheroes.rst b/faith/no_superheroes.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 8cf023a..0000000 --- a/faith/no_superheroes.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,81 +0,0 @@ -No superheroes! -############### - -:date: 2020-07-12T21:18:49 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - -(my comments on “`the thread on reddit`_”) - -.. _`the thread on reddit`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/hpvwqr/postwar_antagonists/ - -First of all, you should avoid the dark trap of all -adventure/fantasy stories: my story must be more dramatic than -the previous one, my heroes and my antagonist must be more -significant than the previous one. It is not enough to save -hero’s girlfriend, now you must save whole village. It is not -enough to save a village anymore, now you must save New York. -Next time it is whole nation, whole Earth, universe, and some -stories went even beyond that. The end result is a disaster -like “`Avengers: Endgame`_”, which is just the catwalk show -of all of their heroes and antagonists without any story and -any characters. And yes, it is just an evidence of the total -depravity of humanity (as if we haven’t got enough of them) -that this silliness was the highest grossing film of the series -(well, I haven’t seen any other of them, so I can still keep -hope that other ones were less stupid than this one). - -So, whenever you read “worse than Voldemort”, run away, -somebody is victim of this syndrome. Even “`Inner Demons by -serendipity_50`_” fell into this trap, and it is the first -fanfiction story I’ve read, which persuaded me that it is -possible for amateurs to write for free literature worthy of -reading. Fortunately, the adventure story there is just in -the background keeping Harry busy, it is not central of the -whole story. And some sub-stories of it are genuinely good. - -My point is that you don’t need literally the Earth being -shattered to carry on your story, because the story is `the -only thing which matters`_. Who cares for the fate of Romeo -and Juliet other than few of their bereaved relatives? And -couple of hundred millions of happy viewers. - -Having said that, there is still a lot of what could be the -plot of post-war adventure story (like any time in the human -history): - -- hunting runaway Death Eaters (e.g., “`Hunters and Prey - by Northumbrian`_”), -- other resolving some post-war issues: I hoped for somebody to rewrite - “Augurey” into `something like that`_ … (ignore the - inane Harmony-related discussion below, that was not the point), -- you still can have regular detective stories like “`Friends - and Foes by Northumbrian`_”, “`M.I.T.: Muggle Interface Team - - Haunted House: Dead by Northumbrian`_”, it is actually what - “`Strangers at Drakeshaugh by Northumbrian`_” is all about as well, -- and any other plot for any other story you can imagine. - -.. _`Avengers: Endgame`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avengers:_Endgame - -.. _`Inner Demons by serendipity_50`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/601124 - -.. _`the only thing which matters`: - {filename}what-wrong-with-Ginny.rst - -.. _`Hunters and Prey by Northumbrian`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/1857084 - -.. _`something like that`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/g0hwbu/augurey_revisited/ - -.. _`Friends and Foes by Northumbrian`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/3068435 - -.. _`M.I.T.: Muggle Interface Team - Haunted House: Dead by Northumbrian`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/1650713 - -.. _`Strangers at Drakeshaugh by Northumbrian`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/1623053 diff --git a/faith/note_on_luna.rst b/faith/note_on_luna.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 55b6a7b..0000000 --- a/faith/note_on_luna.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,56 +0,0 @@ -Note on Luna -############ - -:date: 2020-04-07T09:39:17 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - -(my comments on `the thread`_ “Best Luna fics” by -`u/jasoneill23`_) - -.. _`the thread`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/fvrm8y/best_luna_fics/fmkxh45/ - -.. _`u/jasoneill23`: - https://www.reddit.com/user/jasoneill23 - -I like Luna in the `Northumbrian’s stories`_, but there she is -not very central to the story (perhaps, aside from `Yggdrasil by -Northumbrian`_, but it is not his best story). Actually, the -chapter 3 of `Tales of the Battle by Northumbrian`_, which is -from her perspective is really good. - -Pretty good Luna in my opinion is in the series `Nargles and -Charms by Arpad Hunta`_, but for example in otherwise very good -`The Accidental Animagus by White_Squirrel`_, she seems to -be a bit too normal for my taste. - -The problem with her (which JKR never attacked) is how to balance -her looniness with some authentic real person. Either you can -have somebody who is just weird, and not in completely pleasant -way, and unbelievable as a romantic partner, or you loose the -essence of Luna, and she is just normal boring girl. In the JKR -books, she never really gets close and personal with anybody. -Those great utterances like “it was like having friends” work so -well among other things, because she actually never **is** real -friend in sense sharing with others her true herself. We never -see Luna frightened, sad, disappointed or in love, because she -always keeps her perfect crazy poker face. Once we are writing -about Huna (or any situation where she needs to be true and -personal), the author must step up into the unknown: who is the -true Luna behind that facade? - -.. _`Northumbrian’s stories`: - https://archiveofourown.org/series/103340 - -.. _`Yggdrasil by Northumbrian`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/3540968 - -.. _`Tales of the Battle by Northumbrian`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/1615616 - -.. _`Nargles and Charms by Arpad Hunta`: - https://archiveofourown.org/series/29673 - -.. _`The Accidental Animagus by White_Squirrel`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/14078862 diff --git a/faith/noty-z-Facebooku.rst b/faith/noty-z-Facebooku.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1c4af0 --- /dev/null +++ b/faith/noty-z-Facebooku.rst @@ -0,0 +1,266 @@ +Různé poznámky z Facebooku +########################## + +:status: draft +:date: 1970-01-01T00:00:00 +:category: faith +:tags: politics, czech, sociology + +(z diskuse +k https://www.facebook.com/josef.j.sykora/posts/802237643120887) + +Jaké výhody proti ostatním? Pokud bych byl Žid (a jak víte, že nejsem? +Na Internetu nikdo neví, kdo je pes), nesměl bych nosit šábesdekl? Pokud +jsem křesťan, tak nesmím nosit křížek? Kdybych byl řádová sestra (a +kolik jich pracuje ve zdravotnictví), tak bych nesměl nosit hábit (který +mimo jiné zahrnuje zahalení hlavy)? Co je to za nesmysl, že paní +ředitelka může předepisovat co kdo smí a nesmí nosit na sobě? Uznávám, +že u soustruhu se nesmí nosit šperky, dlouhé vlasy atp. aby se +nezapletli do stroje, možná že existují nějaká rozumná omezení na +sestřičky (kvůli hygieně a tak), ale pokud vím, tak sestřičky stejně +nosí nějaký hadr na hlavě, tak nevidím důvodu, aby ten hadr nebyl hijáb. + +Co se týče islamizace Evropy. Ne, té se opravdu neobávám. Respektive, +obávám se ji podstatně méně nežli postupující sekularizace. Obávám se +toho, když ve Francii nesmí řádová sestřička na úřad (nebo do školy) +v hábitu, a vy všichni bojovníci za evropské tradice neřeknete proti +tomu ani slovo. Bojím se, když v Německu začne nějaký magor vykládat +o tom, že by se Židům měla zakázat mužská obřízka novorozeňat (která se +pochopitelně v dvacátém prvním roce provádí s umrtvením), protože se prý +jedná o trápení dětí. Teď mu to neprošlo, ale což takhle někdy +v budoucnu nebo někde jinde (kde nejsou lidé natolik zdravě přecitlivělí +na cokoliv co byť jenom vzdáleně připomíná antisemitismus)? + +Co se týče té šaríji. Xenofobie (ano, dojde na Godwinův zákon) +je, jak věděl Goebbels nejúčinější nástroj, jak lidi přimět +k tomu, aby dělali co chcete. Řekněte Němcům že mají vyvraždit +šest milionů lidí a pošlou Vás do háje. Ale pokud v nich vyvoláte +strach, že budou ohrožováni ohavnými Židy, pokud jim vysvětlíte, +že za jejich selhání ve světové válce nemůžou ani oni, ani jejich +polodebilní císař, který je nahnal do nesmyslného konfliktu, ale +že oni hrdinný a statečný národ byli zrazeni, pokud budou mít +pocit, že bojují o svoje holé přežití, najednou morální zábrany +odpadnou (halt, abych ocitoval nesmrtelného soudce Pavla Kučeru, +když jde o zachování vlády, tak musí jít nezávislost justice +stranou) a evropské židovstvo vyvraždí. + +Čímžto chci říci, že ani jedna ze zmíněných holek nehodlala +nikoho z Čechů nutit k tomu, aby dodržovali cokoliv co jim +předepisuje jejich víra. Nikde jsem neslyšel o tom, že bych +nesměl halel maso, nikde jsem neslyšel o bombových útocích na +moravské vinice, nebo něco podobného. Uvádím tak absurdní +příklady hlavně proto, abych ukázal jak absurdní je obávat se ze +šarijizace Evropy. Vidím zato zcela zřetelně právě probíhající +sekularizaci Evropy a vidím konstatní útok +levicovo-sekularizujících politiků na křesťanské kořeny Evropy +(kterými se jinak tolik zaštiťují a honosí). A vidím jak +xenofobie a rasismus jsou užitečnými nástroji k odvracení +pozornosti. Pokud se budou křesťané zabývat pomyslným nebezpečím +šaríi v Evropě, pokud se budou příslušníci různých věr považovat +za svoje největší nepřátele a budou se navzájem potýkat, odvrátí +se jejich pozornost o veřejné aktivity, a nebudou obtěžovat +sekularisticko-fašisticko-socialistické politiky v jejich tlačení +Evropy pryč od jejich křesťanských kořenů směrem k nesmyslným +vzdušným zámkům a utopiím které socialisté a fašisté všech +odstínů tak milují. Navíc také, pokud se křesťané budou věnovat +pomyslným nebezpečím, nebudou mít čas a kredibilitu obtěžovat nás +na naší cestě k zářné budoucnosti s nějakým evangeliem +(okultismus a homosexualita se také nabízí jako další kandidáti +na odvracení pozornosti; jistě, že pro někoho je to skutečně +aktuální, ale rozhodně to nejsou tak důležité problémy, jak mnozí +věří). + +V této situaci se podle mého musíme vrátit ke svým skutečným +hodnotám: lásce ke svobodě, přesvědčením o tom, že svoboda je +nedělitelná a pokud je ohrožována svoboda jednoho, je ohrožována +svoboda nás všech (připomínáme si 17. listopad, že?), přesvědčení +o tom, že účel nikdy nesvětí prostředky, ale naopak že správné +prostředky činí čistým účel ke kterému směřují; myslím, že si +znovu musíme připomínat Martina Niemöllera (který na rozdíl od +různých současných bojovníků za Evropu, kvůli evropským hodnotám +opravdu riskoval svůj život) a to, že musíme povstat na obranu +těch `prvních pro které přijdou`_ (přečte si ten odkaz a co +k němu měl pastor Niemöller co říci ... ještě lépe na anglické +Wikipedii, jste-li toho mocen), je to velice poučné. + +.. _`prvních pro které přijdou`: https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kdy%C5%BE_p%C5%99i%C5%A1li_nacist%C3%A9 + +Jinak se omlouvám Dance za rozpoutání diskuse (ale to jsi pak tady +neměla nic vystavovat, když nechceš aby ti to lidé okomentovali) +a slibuji, že toto je poslední příspěvek do tohoto threadu. + +--------------------- + + +Miluju blížního svého ... grilovaného na rozmarýnu. + +K otázce lásky k muslimům + +a) Islám (a homosexualita) je zlo. Ale to neznamená, že muslimové (a +homosexuálové) jsou zlí. + +b) Muslimové (a homosexuálové, atp., dále se budu bavit jenom +o muslimech, ale myslím, že to je možné aplikovat na mnoho dalšího) jsou +ze všeho nejvíce obětí islámu. + +c) Islám se nešíří různými zákazy a příkazy, stejně jako křesťanství se +nešíří šířením “křesťanské morálky” (ať už je ta obluda cokoli). Stejně +tak, lékem na islám není zakázáním “islámských” zákazů a příkazů (které +nemají s islámem prý mnoho společného, ale jsou spíše produktem arabské +kultury dnešní i minulé) a prosazování těch křesťanských (které stejně +tak nemají s křesťanstvím mnoho společného, ale jsou spíše produktem +různých období evropské kultury, dnešní i minulé). + +d) Jediným lékem proti islámu (a humanismu, konzumní společnosti, +komunismu atp.) je osobní obrácení se k Pánu Ježíši. + +e) Mlácení hříšníka (v to zahrnuji i pomýleného) po hlavě cedulí "Ty jsi +hříšník" nevede k pokání (Ř 2:4), ani v ředěné podobě. + +f) Vliv na druhého je úměrný hloubce vztahu. Tudíž “belonging precedes +beliveing” (náležení (do nějakého křesťanského společenství) předchází +věření). Nejprve je třeba s hříšníkem navázat vztahy, a teprve ve chvíli +kdy jsou ty vztahu natolik hluboké že umožňují upřímnost a kritiku, je +možné vést k Pánu Ježíši a (případně) k pokání. + +g) Několik zajímavých důsledků: každý křesťan by měl žít v zásadních +a hlubokých vztazích s hříšníky (zejména pak s lidmi se kterými +nesouhlasí ... kolik muslimů, homosexuálů, alkoholiků a cizoložníků jsou +moji přátelé?), k lidem se kterými se neznáme bychom se neměli vůbec +vyslovovat (kdo z nás zná ty muslimské holky ze zdrávky?) + +h) Nevychází z předchozího, ale myslím, že by bylo dobré zdůraznit: +největším nepřítelem křesťanství v Evropě není islám, ale sekularizace. +Pro ateismus je jenom prospěšné, když křesťané (a ostatní věřící) +spotřebují veškerou energii na potyčky mezi sebou, čímž jednak ztratí +energii na zasažení nevěřících zvěstí evangelia, dále ji dosti +znevěrohodní (tohle fakt pro většinu nevěřících nevypadá jako projev +lásky ... podle čeho že má svět poznat že jsme křesťané? Podle toho, že +zakazujeme muslimkám nosit šátky a pochodujeme proti potratům?). Pro +Zlého je to čistý zisk na všech stranách. + +https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came%E2%80%A6 ... Nejprve +zakázaly šátky muslímům a já jsem nadšeně přizvukoval, protože nejsem +muslim, pak zakázali chodit v hábitech na úřady jeptiškám (děje se dnes +ve Francii) a já jsem mlčel protože nejsem katolík, pak zakázali obřízku +v Německu (krátkodobý pokus, ale kdoví kdy se bude opakovat) a já jsem +mlčel protože nejsem Němec a nejsem Žid, pak ... + +----------------------------------------- + +From https://www.facebook.com/melanie.kincl/posts/10151835652433425 + +As part of my PhD in Boston I had an extraordinary opportunity to meet +some quite awesome pastors from Roxbury, Mattapan and Jamaica Plains and +most of them agreed that label which they accept most happily was +“black”. I was a bit surprised, but in the end what it is all about is +the color of the skin. Racism against them was not targeted because some +of their ancestors (couple of hundred years ago) was from the continent +of Africa, but because of the color of their skin. Also, I had +a classmate from Kenya, who got into almost violent discussion with some +local “African Americans” who claimed that she should not be called +African American (although she was born in Africa and they were not). +What being from Africa has to do with the history of oppression, +slavery, Jim Crow laws? Not much, I am afraid. + +Also, Africa is not a culture. If you say about somebody that he is an +Italian American, that means some kind of shared inheritance, food he +prefers, perhaps some moral values, etc. What is the shared culture +between Arab from Egypt, bushman from Kalahari desert, and somebody +living in the slum in Nigeria? Bundling them all together as “Africans” +is in my opinion result of much more racist prejudices and ignorance +than calling people with very dark skin black. + +As a conclusion I have started to label black people as black, and +I have yet to find anyone of them who would be offended by this (yes, of +course, there is a possibility that they are afraid to tell me). The +only people who were ever offended by this label were whites, which +tells me something as well. + +Concerning Europeans who were born in Africa (or whose ancestors were). +Well, why do you need to bundle them together in the first place? And if +you do so, what is the characteristic which compels you to do so? Say it +openly? Is it that they are immigrants (most of them, I believe are not +from Africa, I believe), Muslims, seasonal workers, or is it really +about the color of their skin (it rarely is)? If it is, then just call +them black. We don’t have history of that horrible racism as in the US +South (yes, we had slavery, but it was somewhere else and we fortunately +stopped even that earlier), we have never had that horrible Jim Crow +laws, so generally Europeans are not that sensitive to the anti-black +labels (perhaps in France lately). Also, our racism is more targeted +against Muslims, Ukrainians (especially here in the Central Europe, and +that means anybody from the former Soviet Union) and (especially) Roma, +so the experience is different. + +----------------------------------------- + +Z https://www.facebook.com/groups/2697452666/permalink/10151875826882667/ + +I would agree a bit … I have met many Czechs who told me that they try +to avoid Czechs when abroad. I wonder of that is +Minderwertigkeitskomplex (feeling of inferiority) and trying to distance +from being Czech when one can get lost in the crowd. + +However, I believe that most of this is a pose. For example, I remember +that during the eighties absolutely stereotypical answer to the greeting +“How are you?” was “Stojí to za hovno” (no, I won't translate it into +English ;)), but I believe it was as mindless as “Fine, thanks” in US +English. Does that “Fine, thanks” mean anything for Americans? I don't +believe so. + +Already in 1940s Pavel Eisner commented that “Boemus dubitas ergo est” +(Czech doubts, so he is) when commenting on one of Czech versions of +“N’est-ce pas?” which was “…, tak já nevím” (“so I don’t know”) + +Hmm, so instead of refuting the article, I am more supporting it with +evidence. + +Maybe, we are just different than you. Is every difference a daemon +which needs to be exorcised? Should we all be Americans? I don’t know +myself.) + +And you say we are too pessimistic when we see the true nature of life +... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1zbgd6xpGQ ? + +------------------------------------------ + +Z https://www.facebook.com/matcepl/posts/1382171065346068 + +S tímhle bych souhlasil. Ale. + +1) Vím, že žádný mainline křesťan nevěří inspirovanosti Božího slova +jako muslimové (i.e., anděl sedl a nadiktoval Mohamedovi Korán slovo od +slova) resp. ortodoxní Židé (Mojžíš se slzami kanoucími psal o své +budoucí smrti a Věčná Tóra existovala před stvořením světa). Ale asi +jsem se od tohoto extrému posunul ještě více směrem k tomu, že Bible je +svědectví lidí, kteří něco prožili s Bohem (samozřejmě z toho vyjímám +prorocké spisy a všechny části, kde někdo cituje co mu Bůh doslova řekl, +plus minus). Asi stále věřím, že z Bible k nám promlouvá Pán Bůh a že +Bible je jediná kniha ze které k nám Pán Bůh promlouvá tak přímo, ale +myslím, že jsem v tomhle hodně daleko od toho co jsem slyšel jako +orthodoxii v charistmatických kruzích (např. Derekovy Základy). + +2) Hlavní problém ale spočívá podle mého v konstruktivismu. Já to mám ze +světa sociologie (symbolický interakcionismus, pokud to někomu něco +říká), ale něco podobného podle mého se prý dá najít u Kanta (kterého +jsem zas tak důkladně nestudoval, znám spíše spisy o Kantovi nežli Kanta +samotného). Lidé podle mého nejsou nikdy schopni poznávat věci samotné +čisté (Dang an sich) ale každé naše poznání věci je hustě obaleno našim +předporozuměním, významy které slovům přisuzujeme, hodnotovými soudy +a smyslem který od objektu očekáváme. Nikdy nevidíme židli prostou +významu který pro nás má (ať už jako možnost posezení nebo třeba příklad +ve filozofické disputaci). Nebo řečeno ještě jinak (z pohledu +sociologického) vždy vidíme pouze interpretaci věci o sobě. Přeneseno do +světa chápání Bible, když někdo řekne „Bible nás učí, že …“ tak nám +neřekne co nás učí skutečně Bible sama o sobě (protože to nikdy vědět +nemůže), ale co pro něho daný oddíl Bible znamená pro daný problém, což +je něco co si stvořil ve své mysli na základě toho co slyšel od svých +rodičů, od svého pana faráře, co se říká na skupince, co si kde přečetl, +atd. atp. Zdůrazňuji, nejsem pan Bělohradský, takže věřím v objektivní +existenci věcí an sich (a to zahrnuje i Pána Boha, pochopitelně), ale +pochybuji o jejich přímé poznatelnosti. Ostatně to je i něco co říká +Pavel, že? „Nyní zajisté vidíme v zrcadle a skrze podobenství, ale +tehdáž tváří v tvář“ A pochopitelně, já jsem to z dobrých knih +a z diskusí s ostatními podstatně vzdělanějšími nežli já studoval +několik let, takže pokud Vám tahle superzkratka na Facebooku nedává +smysl je to jenom a jenom moje vina. diff --git a/faith/on_bashing.rst b/faith/on_bashing.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 0b8599e..0000000 --- a/faith/on_bashing.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,42 +0,0 @@ -On bashing -########## - -:date: 2020-04-24 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - - -Bashing and similar are not the cause of poor quality of their -stories, but they are just a symptom of the author being lead by -the poor design of his story into areas, which would be -impossible to resolve or it would be too difficult, so bashing is -then just a cheap cop-out from the bad situation. From bad to -worse. - -E.g., I really liked (ultra-cheesy, teeth rotting, true) setup of -`A Different Halloween by RobSt`_: Lily Potter meets Emma Granger -at the paediatrician, and they go the Grangers’ for tea, so when -Voldemort calls, James Potter is on the phone with Lilly, more -alert, and he doesn’t have a problem of defending Lilly and -Harry; thus he manages to escape. The problem of this story was -that all problems were (in a rather elegant manner) resolved in -the middle of the third chapter (when Voldemort truly completely -and irrevocably died). The author had two good options what do in -that situation: he could just finish the story right there, and -it would be a nice short sugar-sweet three-shot story. Nothing -against that. Or he could really sit down on his behind and -develop the new completely original storyline. He went the third, -poor, way: by the ridiculous amount of the Dumbledore bashing he -tried to make a villain out of him and the result was ridiculous. - -And no, it is possible to write Dumbledore as a bad guy, I am not -claiming he must be a saint, but it is a hard job and the author -must really write a long persuasive story to get from the most -positive to a negative character. `There Will Be No Foolish Wand -Waving by kgfinkel`_ made an almost good job in this area. - -.. _`A Different Halloween by RobSt`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6439871 - -.. _`There Will Be No Foolish Wand Waving by kgfinkel`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13137899 diff --git a/faith/on_harriet_potter.rst b/faith/on_harriet_potter.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 2bc4e73..0000000 --- a/faith/on_harriet_potter.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,46 +0,0 @@ -On Harriet Potter -################# - -:date: 2018-06-13T22:49:55 -:status: draft -:category: faith -:tags: review, HarryPotter, blogComment - -While looking for some nice fanfiction story I randomly hit on -the story with the enticing title -“`Harriet Potter: What it is like to be a witch`_”. It had also -rather interesting summary. Only later I woke up to how many -Harry turns to girl stories there, and most of them are trash. -However, my first half-conscious thought when looking at this -was: “That’s a splendid idea, I wonder whether the happy world of -magic would be so magic for a girl. Crossover between Harry -Potter and feminism? Interesting.” I don’t want to write about -that particular story too much, because unfortunately I found it -to be a complete piece of trash. I am not sure about the author, -but it seems like the author was actually not a woman, but a gay -(transgender? something) male, and the story not much more than -a graphomaniac description of his fantasies without much touch of -a story. After spending a (long) chapter on endlessly describing -process of physical transformation with details of every part of -her body changed, and after (another!) long chapter spent on -shopping for clothes with her friends (Fleur Weasley & Nimphadora -Tonks! Can you imagine her to go for a shopping spree?), it went -straight to sex. I haven’t finished reading more than first few -chapters, and then left it where it belongs, in trash. So, this -is not a proper review of that particular story, just the highly -disgusted impression. - -However, the idea of taking on the patriarchy inside of the -magical world still seemed tempting to me. So, I went to -intentionally search for some story like this, but better -written. Only then I found that this story is probably just the -second one in numbers after “Do you wonder what would happen if -Harry Potter had a sister-twin?” (no, I am not), and most of them -are not better than that one. However, in the end, I found one -which seems interesting. “`Becoming Harriet`_” by Teao. - -.. _`Harriet Potter: What it is like to be a witch`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/4699043 - -.. _`Becoming Harriet`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/4876630 diff --git a/faith/on_humanae_vitae.rst b/faith/on_humanae_vitae.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1370eb7 --- /dev/null +++ b/faith/on_humanae_vitae.rst @@ -0,0 +1,267 @@ +On Humanae Vitae +################ + +:date: 1970-01-01T00:00:00 +:status: draft +:category: faith +:tags: cultureWar, catholic, infallibility, blogComment + +View in discussion +Discussion on First Things 35 comments +Humanae Vitae | Peter M. J. Stravinskas +mcepl +mcepl pt8685 6 days ago + +Which of course is completely irrelevant. When I am talking about NFP +I don't mean the fact that ovulating woman are less likely (on unable?) +to conceive. I am talking about NFP as a method to find out when that +moment is. And in that aspect I found NFP as completely unreliable. + +mcepl pt8685 16 days ago + +Yeah, that’s a good one! I will surely remember it. + +Fortunately for us, my wife’s cycle used to be very regular. We could +(and we did for couple of years) do just counting days as our +contraceptive technique, because we knew always pretty surely where we +are in the cycle. We have tried to do NFP as well, but even though we +knew what actually is going on in her body we were never able to do any +head and toes from temperatures or any physical signs on her body (I +don’t want to get into too much gory details here). I was strictly +against the Pill then, not because of the false dichotomy between NFP +and contraception, but because I was worried to mix with my wife’s body +while we still hoped to have more children, so I am very glad the days +counting worked for us. What would we do with my wife’s cycle being less +reliable, I don’t know, and I am very glad I didn’t have to deal with +it. But certainly the last thing in the world would be to trust NFP. + +mcepl 18 days ago + +Could you please explain me how from your nonsensical babble on the +verse about circumcision it follows that my wife should endanger her +health (she has MS, so further pregnancy could very well lead to another +attack), why my friend should endanger her marriage (their fourth child +is severely disabled so taking care of her stretches the family to its +limits)? Or is all your talk about sanctity of sex just nonsense and you +really believe that all should lead the only really truly holy celibate +life as you? I really believe that exactly such irresponsible nonsense +leads to complete loss of credibility of the Catholics in any discussion +on the contraception. Yes, I am angry, because of this nonsense we have +lost all Catholics from the debate about the real issues of life into +this cesspit of ignorance. Not mentioning that I actually love my wife +and care about her more than about your infallibility. + +Discussion on Echo24.cz 43 comments +Zajatci virtuality. Hloupý lidovec, Hitler a morální policisté +mcepl +mcepl Stanislav Cerman 9 days ago + + +Předpokládám, že to je házení perel sviním, ale mezi panem Kalendou +a Vašim nadáváním na komunisty vidím několik drobných rozdílů: pan +Kalenda není jenom tak někdo, ale politik reprezentující stranu, která +se tváří jako slušná; a jako taková ho má naprosto všechny práva na +světě vyhodit ho ze svých řad, protože ji dělá ostudu. KDÚ jsem volil +a pokud by s ním okamžitě nevyrazili futro, tak bych o jejich slušnosti +velice vážně zapochyboval. + +Pokud Vám to nepřipadne správné, tak zkuste veřejně říkat nebo udělat něco co může silně poškodit Vašeho zaměstnavatele. Pak nám sdělte co bude následovat. + +Nevím, jestli to myslel vážně (a popravdě řečeno mě to ani moc +nezajímá), ale jako politik se dal do kšeftu s image a pokud to nevěděl, +tak v politice nemá co dělat. + +Další rozdíl je v tom, že pravděpodobně se mu nestane nic dalšího než že +odejde z politiky (alespoň doufám, že to udělá, a neskončí u někoho +jiného), najde si nějaké poctivé zaměstnání, a bude alespoň svobodný +říkat kde chce co chce. + +Gay Marriage and Religious Freedom | R. R. Reno + +BTW, I have to also mention this ... I have incredibly strong feeling +that before we can talk about that speck of the tax non-exemption, there +is a log all believers should take care of. What about that? + +Before we can cry how we have God-given right of being tax exempt (we +don't), we should probably acknowledge a terrible abuse which does +happen with this right. I have no clue what to do about it, but it seems +a bit hypocritical not to mention it. + +I am afraid the author puts the question in a wrong order. It should not +be "Why to support religious non-profit organizations?" (we should +support them of course), but "Why not to suppport non-religious NGOs?". +And I don't think he gives a good answer on the latter. + +--------------- + +I won't give you chapter and verse, but get yourself into Desert Fathers +or some more ascetic literature and you'll get that. However, exact +quarrel about this was not the point of what I wanted to say. + +I will happily let you, Catholics, to fight this among yourselves. +http://lmgtfy.com/?q=humane+vi... and you will find hundreds of opinions +(including some of them from seemingly quite authoritative authors). +Having no interest in getting into that debate myself too much, let me +stand aside. + +Besides, somebody here corrected me that my problem is not that much +papal infallibility as much as infallibility of magisterium. + +mcepl LeoXIII 21 days ago + +Medicine is denying the will of God, until the middle ages many in +Christendom agreed with this. How dare you stop somebody from dying when +the God decided that one should die? + +What I am trying to say is that with this silly absolutes, you won't get +far in the discussion. And, BTW, the argument about stopping a wife from +conceiving as against the will of God doesn’t seem to me that much +different. + +mcepl Iowa_Lawyer 22 days ago + +Thank you for very thoughtful and concise reply. Could you elaborate, +please? Perhaps I am not as ignorant as you try to make me? + + +I completely agree that behind Humane Vitae lurks a way deeper issue and +that is the infallibility of pope/magisterium. I am not a Catholic +myself (and even less I am a theologian), but I believe that the papal +infallibility is one of the biggest problems for the credibility of the +Church in the Western world. Anyway, as I said I am not a Catholic so +the issue of papal infallibility (and confused misunderstanding of the +distinction between the Universal and Roman-Catholic Church, which I am +afraid is one of the sources of the papal infallibility) are not much +interest of me. + +What is the interest and what I see as the very evil fruit of Humane +Vitae is that by pushing the official Catholic doctrine to the +indefensible corner and discarding any credibility of Catholics to talk +on the reproductive issue for any non-Catholic, there is now missing +voice in the discussion. I do believe that abortion is a murder, and +I do believe (and I did promise in my marriage vows), that accepting +children God gives us is an inseparable part of the marriage. However, +neither of these positions is absolute (e.g., even the civil law knows +that there are situations when killing of other person is legitimate; +isn't the situation when the life and health of the mother is in danger +one of these?) and I believe there is need for continuous discussion on +the topic. I would love to have voice of conservative Catholics +participate in such discussion. Unfortunately, they are mostly silenced +because of the lost credibility and inability to formulate any other +opinion than blindly recite Humane Vitae’s dogmatic statements. + +I would be grateful for HV to be one voice in the discussion, but it +seems obvious that some of its statements turned out to be too extreme +and they should be moderated or elaborated. Unfortunately they cannot be +because popes consider themselves to be better than other humans and so +they cannot say “I am sorry, this was a bit off” about some deeds of +their predecessors. Enough, I am starting to be too aggressive. 2 + +----------------- + +Luther Reading Challenge | Sarah Hinlicky Wilson + +Just when talking about Luther I have to mention +https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/039... … one of the five books which changed +most my life. + + +------------------------- + +Discussion on Catholic Authenticity 26 comments +My Libido: A Mosquito + +Well, for one “asexual” is for the other one gifted with the gift of +celibacy (1 Corinthians 7:7-9). And of course, it is just right and +proper if every Christians follows his/her calling. However, I have +problems (yes, I am a Protestant) when the calling is exchanged with the +office. E.g., it is my opinion that John Wesley (the great English +leader of the Methodist revival in the 18th century) had a gift of +celibacy, because he came rationally to the conclusion that a pastor +should give an example to his parishioners and be married (although he +lived for many many years without a significant problems and his +ministry schedule could be an example for 1Co 7:32b how he was incapable +of maitaining a good married relationship). Although I don't think he +ever did anything immoral, I am also afraid that his marriage was more +or less disaster. And of course, I am afraid, that the similar mistake +(just in the other direction) is a case for many Catholic priests. + +mcepl captcrisis 2 months ago + +Well, Augustine had (especially around sexuality) his own issues, what +I meant was that Bible is here remarkably egalitarian ... “husband does +not have authority over his own body”. + +mcepl 2 months ago + +> I was complaining to God about what a lustful, brutish, inconsiderate +> lout he was + +Yes, I have to admit that being a guy with similar low libido (actually, +as a former lawyer there are moments when I can very much prefer exactly +Lex Visigothorum to my wife ;)) I can understand the author's cited +feelings. Except, the Bible has something else to say about this: + +> For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the +> husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own +> body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another ... [exceptions +> follow] + +So much for the Paul's supposed preference for celibacy! + +Which are exactly the moments, when I would rather throw the Holy Bible +out of the window. Choosing the obedience to it may be quite difficult +at times. + +---------------- + +Liberal Limits—and Our Opportunity | Brandon McGinley + +Exactly, I am not an American myself (only have a law degree from US +university), so I may not have facts correct, but from the legal point +of view the abandonment of the US Constitution (which requires +a Constitutional Amendment for the large scale changes of constitution) +started somewhere with FDR ("general welfare" was understood as a right +to ignore all limits on the executive power; show me in the +Constitution's enumerated powers place for FCC, SEC, etc.?) or with +Brown v. Board of Education (however I like its holding, of course, it +was going around the legislative process as well). Roe v. Wade and +similar disasters just walked on the path already prepared. + +Isn't strange that the last amendment with the serious implications of +the life of ordinary people was 19th (that's 1920)? + +---------------- + +Discussion on First Things 60 comments +The Church and the “New Normal” | George Weigel + +Does + +> But too much of the Church’s clerical and lay leadership lost its +> nerve after Humanae Vitae. + +Do you mean that you are sorry for too much energy spent on defending +this encyclical? That would be an interesting thought, which I would +tend to agree with. + +---------------- + +Discussion on First Things 10 comments +Liberalism and the Church | David T. Koyzis + +I don’t think you are quoting Locke in the right context. In his essay +on understanding he explicitly tried to look at the religion from the +political/legal point of view, and he expressly didn't want to +distinguish between Christianity and Islam or other religions, and he +didn't want to make a theological statement. From such point of view +I believe it is perfectly legitimate to consider all religions only as +a civic associations, ignoring their revealed part. + +Just to the contrary there is a strange link between political +liberalism of the nineteenth century and rather personal faith. Lord +Acton seems to me for example way more involved in his faith than for +example Burke (as much as I admire his political thoughts), who quite +passionately disliked all kinds of Christian enthusiasm, because +religion was for him mainly bearer of tradition (see his comments on +Methodism). diff --git a/faith/on_technology_horcrux.rst b/faith/on_technology_horcrux.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 5dbe589..0000000 --- a/faith/on_technology_horcrux.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,95 +0,0 @@ -On Technology of Horcrux creation -################################# - -:date: 2022-01-09T08:50:43 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(my comments on “`Diary Horcrux Murder`_” by berkeleyjake) - -It may be possible that the result of the ritual sacrifice can be -somehow stored and the ritual creating Horcrux can be done later. - -What’s more important is this: - - “Well, you *split your soul*, you see,” said Slughorn, “and - *hide part of it* in an object outside the body. (HBP, chapter - 23) - -and - - “By an act of evil — the supreme act of evil. By committing - murder. Killing rips the soul apart. The wizard intent upon - creating a Horcrux would use the damage to his advantage: He - would *encase the torn portion* —” - - “Encase? But how — ?” - - “There is a spell, do not ask me, I don’t know!” said - Slughorn, shaking his head like an old elephant bothered by - mosquitoes. “Do I look as though I have tried it — do I look - like a killer?” (still Slughorn in the same chapter) - -and - - […] what would happen to the wizard so determined to evade - death that he would be prepared to murder many times, rip his - soul repeatedly, so as *to store it in many, separately - concealed Horcruxes*. (Dumbledore in the same chapter) - -and - - “No,” said Ron, before Harry could answer. “So does it say how - to destroy Horcruxes in that book?” - - “Yes,” said Hermione, now turning the fragile pages as if - examining rotting entrails, “because it warns Dark wizards how - strong *they have to make the enchantments on them.* From all - that I’ve read, what Harry did to Riddle’s diary was one of - the few really foolproof ways of destroying a Horcrux.” (DH, - chapter 6) - -What I am saying is that Horcrux must be LATER created from -a part of soul separated by a murder (or ritual sacrifice) -BEFORE. Which means that first must be murder and then there is -Horcrux-creating ritual (“a spell” as Slughorn said), and then -perhaps even later there is some more magic to “make the -enchantments on them” to protect the Horcrux from destruction. - -Conclusion is obvious. It was not possible for Voldemort to -create a real Horcrux and even less it was possible for him to -make those protective enchantments on it when he was killed just -after the act of murder which was supposed to rip a part of his -soul by murdering Harry. Therefore, whatever was in the Harry’s -scar was not a full-fledged Horcrux and certainly it lacked those -protective enchantments (if there are any). - ----- - -There is a flaw in my argument (I still stand behind Harry’s scar -not being a full-fledged Horcrux, although we don’t know whether -it still couldn’t somehow help Tom Riddle to stand back from -death). What’s the deciding point in time is actually a murder -not creation of a Horcrux. If Tom Riddle ripped part of his soul -by killing Myrtle Warren, then it would remember only things -which happened before her death. - -How much alive is the part of the soul in the Horcrux? And does -it have any means of perception? I don’t think so. So, even if it -was still alive and it still had some self-consciousness (and -that’s truly disgusting), it couldn’t learn about things which -happened after Myrtle’s death, which Ginny didn’t know about. - -Actually, there is a flaw even in this contra-argument. If the -diary was made into a horcrux, it is probable that at least for -the rest of his Hogwarts years (and possibly for a long time -afterwards) Tom Riddle was carrying the thing around and perhaps -even writing into it. So, his memories of post-Myrtle-death -events could there that way. Umph, I am glad to have this solved. - -So, yes, a horcrux is a living thing, which can still learn -things. Ewww. - - -.. _`Diary Horcrux Murder`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/rzly4u/diary_horcrux_murder/ diff --git a/faith/on_vampires.rst b/faith/on_vampires.rst deleted file mode 100644 index f9ce773..0000000 --- a/faith/on_vampires.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,34 +0,0 @@ -On Vampires -########### - -:date: 2021-01-24T14:26:36 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(my comment_ regarding vampires on AO3) - - Technical question of the day. Would the Homonum Revelius - spell reveal a hiding vampire? I figure it will reveal - a hiding werewolf but they’re still sort of human. Aren’t - vampires supposed to be “dead” and so would such a spell - reveal them? - -I don’t like vampires. I think it was one of small jokes by JKR -which cannot be developed fully, because it really doesn’t work -with the rest of the universe. To the realistic bourgeoisie world -of more or less rationalist down-to-earth craftsmen, shop owners, -ministry officials, you suddenly get a creature which works in -completely different world: much more mythical, unearthly, etc. -Every fanfic story which tries to involve vampires more fully -ends with disaster (Northumbrian has his Auror Camelia Tepes, but -I think she doesn’t exactly fit into what proper vampire should -be). - -Concerning Homenum Revelio, I don’t know. I think it so border -case, that both situations could be allowed. Again, vampires are -not only non-human (which works perfectly fine for house-elves, -centaurs, goblins), but they are not even alive. It is complete -mess. I just try to forget they ever existed. - -.. _comment: - https://archiveofourown.org/comments/263172883 diff --git a/faith/one-more-anti-harmony.rst b/faith/one-more-anti-harmony.rst deleted file mode 100644 index ace0f2e..0000000 --- a/faith/one-more-anti-harmony.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,121 +0,0 @@ -One More Anti-Harmony -##################### - -:date: 2020-08-06T20:02:58 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(my comments on the thread “`why does almost everyone hate the -Harry/Hermione ship?`_” by patriot_man69420_) - -I don’t `hate the ship`_, although I generally prefer Hinny, -I could admit that `Ginny is extremely poorly written by JKR`_, -and fanfiction has to add a lot of her personality to make her -viable (which fortunately Northumbrian and other great Hinny -writers did). I can even agree that when we limit ourselves just -to what’s in the books, Harmony is even more likely. I also fully -support the notion that foundation of every long-lasting romantic -relationship must be deep friendship (yes, my wife is also my -best friend, and I am very glad for it). It is one of the -greatest things I have against JKR that her romance is just about -physical relationship. What all pairs in HP universe do? They -snog, or perhaps when appropriate they ended up in the bed, not -much else. The only romantic scene in whole heptalogy is the -disastrous date between Harry and Cho at the Madam Pudifoot’s, -and that is not exactly the best example of romance. There is -even less collaboration between lovers on something else: -ignoring Trace (which I see just as a hapless plot-crutch created -in the last second) I don’t see any reason why Hermione and Ron -could be with Harry on the Horcrux action, and Ginny couldn’t. -Perhaps she couldn’t physically go with them (she was underage, -so she couldn’t leave Hogwarts without consent of her parents), -but she would be certainly in know and she could organize some -action at Hogwarts in coordination with the Trio. All those -lovely communication coins stopped work? Kreacher couldn’t -transport messages? Etc. No, the true problem is that in the JKR -mind romance is just about snogging (and that’s getting too close -to discuss her personal life, so I stop it right here). - -Having said that, my biggest problem with most Harmony stories is -that they are just poorly written. Ron/Weasley/Dumbledore bashing -is not just a cute feature of those stories, but a sign of -insufficient plot and missing story. Strenuous effort to persuade -us how Harry and Hermione fit together is just boring, because -the only thing we ever learn about the development of their -relationship is that there is none. They just so well work -together, and they so love each other, and there is no conflict -between them, and did I tell you how well they click together? -Their chemistry is just awesome … [reader snores]. The only -relational conflict in “`Notebooks and Letters by chem prof`_” -(which is IMHO one of the best Harmony stories, don’t let me be -misunderstood) is when almost(?) naked Cho literally jumps him, -and Harry doesn’t run away from her kiss fast enough (just -a kiss, nothing more happens). Harry is then so much tormented by -his guilt, that he almost breaks their engagement (until -fortunately Hermione’s parents explain him he is stupid). Really, -that’s it. And there is (comparing to most other Harmony stories) -at least that relational conflict. - -Let us compare it with some random Hinny stories. In `Hunters and -Prey by Northumbrian`_, Junior Auror Harry Potter arrests his -beloved completely drunk Ginny when she shouts at him how she -hates him while firing curses at him (it turns later she was -under the influence of some potion given to her by Death Eaters). -Harry is after couple of weeks he spent on the Auror mission in -complete isolation when he was struggling with doubts whether -their relationship will really grow as he would like, confronted -with this. In `Inner Demons by serendipity_50`_, Ginny struggles -with PTSD to the level she makes him leave England (and -subsequently attempts suicide, when she recognizes what she did). -Harry then spends two years on the overseas mission (while the -tabloid press lies about his sexual achievements with strange -beauties of the Eastern Europe). When Harry finally returns to -England, Ginny continues to struggle with her fear and flashbacks -whenever she considers how dangerous profession Harry has. In -`Meaning of One, Part One: Stone and Fire by Sovran`_ (it is -a soul-bond story) eleven years old Harry and ten years Ginny get -around their soul-bond conflicts with her parents (no, the story -is not paedophile, I don’t think they get to having sex at all -… the story has been abandoned after CoS) to the level they -completely explode faces of both Molly Weasley and the Headmaster -Dumbledore. - -Would you agree with me that these examples look more realistic -and more fun (as in interesting, not funny) than your average -Harmony story? Did I forget to tell you how perfectly Hermione -and Harry fit together? - -**{UPDATE 2021-03-23}** What I have never expressed in this post, -I have only later discovered: a character must not only `move -from A to B`_ as I linked above, but it must struggle with his -character_ development. - -.. _`why does almost everyone hate the Harry/Hermione ship?`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/i4u5ce/why_does_almost_everyone_hate_the_harryhermione/g0kxwpa/?context=3 - -.. _`hate the ship`: - https://angua9.livejournal.com/204545.html - -.. _patriot_man69420: - https://www.reddit.com/user/patriot_man69420/ - -.. _`Ginny is extremely poorly written by JKR`: - {filename}what-wrong-with-Ginny.rst - -.. _`move from A to B`: - {filename}what-wrong-with-Ginny.rst - -.. _`Notebooks and Letters by chem prof`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3867175 - -.. _`Hunters and Prey by Northumbrian`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/1857084 - -.. _`Inner Demons by serendipity_50`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/601124 - -.. _`Meaning of One, Part One: Stone and Fire by Sovran`: - http://www.siye.co.uk/siye/viewstory.php?sid=11833 - -.. _character: - {filename}breakfast_in_new_york_02.rst diff --git a/faith/percy-changes-history.rst b/faith/percy-changes-history.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 7ab01fe..0000000 --- a/faith/percy-changes-history.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,12 +0,0 @@ -Percy Weasley Changes the History -################################# - -:date: 2021-04-11T22:03:11 -:status: draft -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -One of those “For Want of a Nail” type of stories. Tiny change -which changes everything. - -mandatory clean up of old evidence in DMLE diff --git a/faith/post-war.rst b/faith/post-war.rst deleted file mode 100644 index e64b41a..0000000 --- a/faith/post-war.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,160 +0,0 @@ -Smashing of Death Eaters? -######################### - -:date: 2019-04-21T20:19:39 -:category: faith -:tags: review, HarryPotter, blogComment, justice - -(my comments on “`Canon and the Moral Dimensions of Killing in -War`_” thread on reddit) - - - -.. _`Canon and the Moral Dimensions of Killing in War`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/bf4n17/canon_and_the_moral_dimensions_of_killing_in_war/ - -This is no question of agreeing and disagreeing with me. What I wrote -was not exactly my opinion (which I specifically emphasized), but what I -consider the prevalent notion among Europeans. Discussion here is very -different from the one in the States (I lived there for five years -studying for law-related PhD), because the basic milieu is given by the -European Convention as “no” for the capital punishment, which is -obviously the opposite of the normal in many US states. - -Considering my personal opinion, I have a legal education, so I spent -many hours discussion pro- and contra- of the capital punishment. My -conclusion of these discussion is that I understand a lot of reasons for -it, but in the end I am mildly supportive of ECHR, mainly because of -possibility of mistake. From the Harry Potter universe, if the mistake -of Sirius Black happened in the world with the capital punishment, there -would be probably no way how to rectify the mistake (or whatever it -was). However, I am not much fanatical against it, and for example I -have no problems with capital punishments for Nazi criminals given in -the Nuremberg trials. - -I am a Christian (not a Catholic) and I respect a lot of the current -pope, but I think his declaration that the capital punishment is -eternally against the Gospel, is completely crazy. Not only it makes all -great Catholic theologians (including couple of Doctors of the Church) -opposing Gospel (which is mildly disturbing even to me), but I cannot -imagine myself standing in the courtroom and accusing all those who -voted for the capital punishment for Hermann Göring et al., that they -are standing against the justice. I am not sure what I would vote for -(and I am very glad I don’t have to make that decision), but certainly I -could very much understand and approve decision of those who thought -these monsters deserved to be hanged (in time when in the most countries -there was an automatic hanging for one intentional murder). - -That’s for capital punishment. Concerning the morality of the killing in -war, I think it is slightly more problematic than what I understand you -suggest. I am not an expert on law of war, but if I recall correctly the -legitimate goal of the war effort is to eliminate war-making power of -the enemy with preference for preserving life and health of the other -side (for example by capturing enemy soldiers and putting them in the -POW camps, where they should be treated humanly). Thus, aerial carpet -bombing of both England and especially of Germany in the later phases of -the Second World War are highly problematic, not mentioning endless -number of war crimes committed by both sides on the Eastern Front. - -I would highly disagree with your assessment of the First World War. - -1. I am highly suspicious of motives of any large power in the - war (both French, Russians and to large extent British were - very much willing and happy to enter into the war; Belgians et - al. might be truly pure victims of the war), and I think the - Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles (War Guilt Clause) was - just a piece of unjust anti-German propaganda hiding own - French partial guilt for the war. - -2. Concerning the different results between the First and the - Second World War. I really don’t think the difference was - because Germany and Austria-Hungary was not sufficiently - smashed. You know certainly your German history better than - me, so you should know the state of the Germany after the - First World War, and I think it is correct to say that both - Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy were completely destroyed - (Austria-Hungary literally, the other two were mostly - non-functional for years, and especially in Italy there could - be evidenced a clear link between the collapse of the - government and rise of Fascism). - -3. I believe a way more important than the level of smashing was - exact opposite: after the First World War destroyed countries - were mostly left to their devices (whether the similarly - ruined France and Britain were even able to help defeated - countries is another question, but certainly there was no will - to do so; if I recall correctly, the Keynes’ book had a little - impact on the treatment of defeated), but immediately after - the Second World War there was huge effort, first by UNRRA - later by the Marshall Plan, to get all countries of Europe - including the defeated ones to the functional state as soon as - possible (and the true perpetrators of the war were actually - punished, contrary to the First World War). Thus you had the - hyperinflation of 1920s in Germany, but the Wirtschaftswunder - of 1950s. That I think made the difference. - -Now, back to the Harry Potter universe. I think the problem of smashing -of the Death Eater ideology is the different situation than after the -Second World War. First of all, this was civil war and more than the -true war, The Second Blood War was more law enforcement action capturing -criminals. Yes, criminals were proportionally almost as powerful as the -official government (which was captured by them), but still I think the -fit result of the conflict was just punishment of all criminals -(including collaborators and propagandist for the essentially racist -ideology), not large scale killing of all Death Eaters and their -friends. Tom Riddle fled from justice (which is quite ironic: he didn’t -flee from the death in the end, but he did so from justice) in the same -manner Adolf Hitler did, but whether the large scale criminals like -Lucius Malfoy, Yaxley, Dolores Umbridge, etc. deserved the Kiss by a -dementor (that’s probably the magical equivalent of the capital -punishment, right?) is an interesting question. Aside from the morality -of plea bargains (in case of Lucius Malfoy), which is another very -complicated question, we actually don’t know what was the result of the -Shacklebolt’s regime. There is not much (if anything) in the canon -describing the post-War resolution. Epilogue is nineteen years later, -and the situation may changed then a lot. - -I would hope there was some effort of dedeatheaterization or something -like The Truth and Reconciliation Commission á la post-apartheid -Southern Africa, which are more fitting answers to the post-civil war -situation, but again the canon doesn’t say anything. There are some -lovely fanfiction stories on that theme: - -- `Annals of Arithmancy by White_Squirrel`_ it is has finished - with both of these: dedeatheaterization and The Truth and - Reconciliation Commission. Yet, still the results are not quite - completely satisfactory. - -- `Escape by SingularOddities`_ and especially `Mr - and Mrs Percy Weasley by SingularOddities`_ (both of which are - AU) deal with more realpolitik situation where the post-War - government has to balance its relatively weak political - position with efforts to re-establish the normalcy. - -- `Grave Days by Northumbrian`_ and his universe (which - is probably the most canonical postwar fanon) don’t deal with - the situation much at all: some people are punished, most - important Death Eaters (sans Lucius Malfoy) are killed at - Hogwarts, and some went to Azkaban for life, but mostly - government is not significantly damaged and works as it - should now back under the management of good people. - -- `The Weight of the After Paperyink`_ the (unfinished) story is - mainly focused on the international criminal court organized by - ICW, mostly about the psychological readjustment and PTSD from - the Carrows treatment of students. - -.. _`Annals of Arithmancy by White_Squirrel`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/15287883 - -.. _`Escape by SingularOddities`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11916243 - -.. _`Mr and Mrs Percy Weasley by SingularOddities`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12373273 - -.. _`Grave Days by Northumbrian`: - http://www.siye.co.uk/siye/viewstory.php?sid=128596 - -.. _`The Weight of the After Paperyink`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/8449852 diff --git a/faith/post-witchhunt-faith.rst b/faith/post-witchhunt-faith.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 774b801..0000000 --- a/faith/post-witchhunt-faith.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,54 +0,0 @@ -On Faith after Witch-hunts -########################## - -:date: 2021-01-11T14:59:47 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, HPreligion - -(my comments on “`Doesn't it make sense for wizards to be -Christian? A Historical Perspective`_” by `u/PhantomKeeperQazs`_) - -Of course, all Europeans almost without an exceptions were -Christians well into the 19th century. It was traditionally -unacceptable (or perhaps only unfashionable) not to be Christian -in Europe well into the early 20th century, and in US until -recently. (Let’s put aside in this generalization the issue of -Jews, Muslims, and followers of other religions, this is mostly -about Christianity v. nones). Wicca_ really started in public -sometime after the Second World War. - -Even if we are most favourable towards nones, we can imagine that -after the witch-hunts most wizards and witches truly rejected -their faith (which is hard to imagine, people don’t do that … see -for comparison most Communists who kept their faith even during -the Stalinist purges, often even those were unjustly persecuted -themselves). - -However, it is necessary to understand that even if the magical -world was completely unbelieving, it was still functioning in the -middle of mostly religious Muggle world (see the recapitulation -above). Not only magicals could turn back to the faith from -Muggle sources, but also all people coming to the magical world -from the Muggle one (muggleborns and spouses of magical partners) -were as matter of course Christians and they were bringing their -faith back to the magical world. I could imagine that at least -some of them managed to convert their families to the faith. - -So, my head-canon of the religion in the magical world is -combination of mostly agnostic apathetic majority (what we see in -JKR books, where the religion is never even mentioned), but there -are some families which are strongly Christian (the similar -fighting spirit we can see in Christians who are living for long -time in the hostile environment, e.g., Catholics in France). It -is something very similar to what’s the current situation in UK: -people are perhaps nominally CoE, but there are just few of take -it seriously. - -.. _`Doesn't it make sense for wizards to be Christian? A Historical Perspective`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/kup6f6/doesnt_it_make_sense_for_wizards_to_be_christian/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 - -.. _`u/PhantomKeeperQazs`: - https://www.reddit.com/user/PhantomKeeperQazs/ - -.. _Wicca: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca diff --git a/faith/preaching_the_message.rst b/faith/preaching_the_message.rst deleted file mode 100644 index b292c25..0000000 --- a/faith/preaching_the_message.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,84 +0,0 @@ -How not to use your character as a mouthpiece -############################################# - -:date: 2021-02-11T09:27:17 -:category: faith -:tags: harryPotter, blogComment - -(my contribution on the thread “`Using your character as a mouth -piece`_” by Snoo) - -If you are interested in the theory of writing, then I have to -suggest to you two very obscure and old books (yes, old books are -quite often better than the new ones): “`The Mind of the Maker`_” -by Dorothy L. Sayers (yes, the author of detective stories with -Lord Peter Wimsey, so she knew one or two things about writing) -and “`How Not to Write a Play`_” by Walter Kerr (he was the chief -theatre critic of The New York Times long time ago). The first -one is probably very hard to digest for some (it uses the analogy -with the Trinitarian Theology), so let me summarize what I mean: - -Every story should be about `how the hero got from A to B`_: how -a young abused orphaned boy found his way to find peaceful and -loving life while defeating the worst wizard of his times; how -the young Danish prince found the courage to revenge the murder -of his own father; how a boy and a girl from two families which -hated each other found love and finally were killed by that -hatred. There are some requirements for the good story -I described in the linked blog post (using the Kerr’s theory; -namely, it shouldn’t skip the story itself as many fanfics do), -but there is also more: the hero has to get there on his/her own, -the author cannot pull him there against his will and powers. -That’s the clear sign of problems with writing, when suddenly -`characters start to behave like an idiots just to keep the plot -together`_: all characters have to get from A to B because of -their own decision, ruled by their own decisions, not because the -author needs to make them these decisions. - -Subset of this problem is when not only heroes of a story behave -out of their character, but even worse when their behaviour is -driven by the author’s opinions more than by their intrinsic -decisions. Juliet is not in love with Romeo because she would be -in love with him, but because she needs to show how it is bad to -marry as a teenager (and thus making bad decisions, as teenagers -do); Hamlet doesn’t struggle with his path to kill the ruling -king, because of moral problems, but because he wants to preach -to us how his mother is just a tool in the misogynistic world. -And yes, somebody mentioned “`Atlas Shrugged`_” by Ayn Rand, -which is an horrible example of the sermon on extreme -individualism pretending to be a novel. Or even worse, when in -every other Indy!Harry story, a reader suspects his not behaving -out of his own heart, but because the author wants him to preach -the author’s relational problems with his father (while shouting -at Dumbledore). - -And yes, every books has a message, but see for example -“`Fahrenheit 451`_” by Ray Bradbury (one of the best short novels -of all times, I believe). It has a message as well, but first it -is rather complicated to say what the message really is and to be -honest to the story. More importantly though, heroes of the story -never shout out the message to us (actually, the main hero of the -story works most of the time professionally against the message), -you are just lead to find it on your own. - -.. _`Using your character as a mouth piece`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/lha0ag/using_your_character_as_a_mouth_piece/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 - -.. _`The Mind of the Maker`: - https://www.fadedpage.com/showbook.php?pid=20140909 - -.. _`How Not to Write a Play`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Not_to_Write_a_Play - -.. _`how the hero got from A to B`: - {filename}what-wrong-with-Ginny.rst - -.. _`characters start to behave like an idiots just to keep the plot together`: - {filename}augurey.rst - -.. _`Atlas Shrugged`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Shrugged - -.. _`Fahrenheit 451`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451 - diff --git a/faith/problem-of-mary-sue.rst b/faith/problem-of-mary-sue.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 81ac77b..0000000 --- a/faith/problem-of-mary-sue.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,17 +0,0 @@ -The problem of Mary Sue -####################### - -:date: 2019-04-23T10:11:41 -:status: draft -:category: faith -:tags: review, HarryPotter, blogComment - - -Problem of all those stories “what if …” (Harry had a sister, -Harry was a girl, Harry was a Slytherin, somebody else was -a Slytherin, Harry or somebody else from the Trio has some -special gift, soul bond) is that if they want to follow canon -then they end up endlessly boring. I have just tried to read -yesterday linkffn(7467796). It has an interesting setup: Ron has -ability in a limited amount to see future and he is sorted to -Slytherin. diff --git a/faith/problem-of-wands.rst b/faith/problem-of-wands.rst deleted file mode 100644 index dd1d8e7..0000000 --- a/faith/problem-of-wands.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,104 +0,0 @@ -The Problem of Peter Pevensie and The Problem of Wands -###################################################### - -:date: 2019-10-17T19:00:08 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(my comment on the discussion under “`Summer Vacation`_” by -Forrest_of_Holly) - -I have rather complicated history with the Deathly Hallows. -I have bought the book six hours after it was published (no I -couldn’t bother myself to get up at midnight) while on the -work-related conference in Birmingham (I am a Czech from Prague -otherwise), read it over-night, so I flew home rather blurry, -and I thought that it is the best book of the series. Longer I -think about that (and longer I participate in the discussions -about it on the Internet), more I am discouraged. It seems to -me that Horcruxes, whole camping area, and the finale is very -much under-thought plotcruch and that the whole book is just -thinly covered one large plothole. Certainly, whole idea about -the transfer of ownership of wands seems to me more like *deus ex -machina* than anything else. - -Of course, Ms Rowling has to struggle with the bane of all -children/young-adult books, which I called The Problem of -Peter Pevensie. In the finale of the first book from The -Chronicles of Narnia series, we should believe that thirteen -year old (magically slightly grown older) boy defeated in the -fair battle the mightiest of all witches of the superhuman -size. It is barely possible to do it in the book, where the -suspense of unbelief is more simple, but when they tried to -make a film from the Narnia Chronicles, the result is a pure -disaster: thirteen year old boy fighting adult warrioress just -looks ridiculous, whatever film magic you apply (similarly, -it turned impossible to make a good film Aslan … whatever they -tried he looks still like an overgrown plush toy). - -The same problem applies to the Harry Potter series: we need -to believe that a seventeen year old boy (with substandard -training in the magical defence) beat adult superwizard who -has otherwise no adversary equal to him (and whom we seen -in the end of the sixth volume battle with Albus Dumbledore -in show of incomparable strength). The only way how to -get around it and not finish completely ridiculous is to -arrange some trick (or make it a group battle with Harry’s -allies on his side … e.g., the finale of “`Escape by -SingularOddities`_”). However, if you consider the subtle -net of intrigues and stratagems which all must to fall in -proper places for whole thing to work and Harry survive, -it is absolutely crazy to consider that as a reasonable war -plan. If this was the best Albus Dumbledore came up with, -then his strategical thinking was not very impressive. So, -that’s my opinion on the seventh book of the series. (and -don’t let me start on films: day after the last battle, -when still plenty of dangerous criminals are running through -the land, the main hero and the primary target of any possible -assassination is effectively wandless, because he didn’t -repair his original wand, and broke The Elder Wand). - -It is remarkable how Harry Potter in the whole series, even to -its end and to the defeat of Tom Riddle, IS **NOT** a superhero -á la Marvel films. In the last chapter (before Epilogue) of -DH, he is probably a way more battered and more experienced -but still distinctively seventeen-year old teenager, not even -a graduate of Hogwarts, who overcomes the evil mostly just by -using weird semi-legal tricks and technicalities. There is -no doubt in my mind that if he had to meet Voldemort in the -fair head-to-head battle á la the duel between Voldemort and -Dumbledore in the Department of Mysteries, he would end up -(as somebody called it) like Sackville-Baggins of Hardbottle -facing a barlog. - -Now technically (using only arguments from the inside of HP -universe) to the problem of wands. Obviously, any disarming -cannot lead to the change of ownership of a wand, that would be -crazy. “`The Wheel Is Come Full Circle by White_Squirrel`_\ ” -came with the limit, that there must be an intent of the winner -of the duel to use the acquired wand as his own, not only to -disarm your opponent. That actually works in the Deathly Hallows -situation (more or less, it doesn’t explain very well how -Draco Malfoy became owner of the Wand of Destiny in the first -place, but both Harry in the Malfoy Manor, Dumbledore in the -duel with Grindewald, and Grindewald stealing the wand from -Grigorovitch work), and it can limit the potential misuse of -the rule in the normal magical life. Another alternative is to -limit this ownership exchange theory just to the Elder Wand -(or any possible special super-wands) and all other wands -just follow the Ollivander’s mantra of “wand choosing -her master” and make wand transfer effectively impossible -(meaning, every wand works somehow for every wizard/witch, but -the ones which haven’t chosen their owner, work very poorly; -but that doesn’t explain how Hermione battled successfully -against Bellatrix Lestrange using her own wand, which she did -not acquire in the duel with her). It is just a mess. - -.. _`Summer Vacation`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/18853210 - -.. _`Escape by SingularOddities`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11916243 - -.. _`The Wheel Is Come Full Circle by White_Squirrel`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/14072127 diff --git a/faith/religionless-hp.rst b/faith/religionless-hp.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 2194503..0000000 --- a/faith/religionless-hp.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,217 +0,0 @@ -Religionless universe of Harry Potter -##################################### - -:date: 2019-03-30T20:33:21 -:category: faith -:tags: review, HarryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit, HPreligion - -(my comments on the thread “`Probably gonna catch some hate for -this. Religion and Mythology and its place in fiction.`_” on -Reddit by RhysThornbery; edited for this blog) - -.. _`Probably gonna catch some hate for this. Religion and Mythology and its place in fiction.`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/b2b2qj/probably_gonna_catch_some_hate_for_this_religion/ - -The question is about the role of religion [#]_ in the HP -universe, and it is very interesting one. I am a Christian and -I was looking for some good religious fanfiction stories for -myself. - -It is kind of weird that in the country where majority of Muggles -at least nominally belong to the Church of England (for you, -Americans, not every state in the world has separation of the -state and church) there is no mention of anything religious -anywhere. Of course, the true reason is probably that Ms. Rowling -wanted to have her book approachable and commercially acceptable -all over the world (or she probably didn’t think about that at -all), but sometimes it is really a bit ridiculous. All those -Christmas, Easters, and no mentioning of school chapel (every -large British educational institution has one, of course)? All -those godfathers and godmothers and no baptisms (try to imagine -Sirius Black present to the baptism of Harry in the church of -St. Jerome in the Godric’s Hollow; or even better, Lily in the -church praying for the God’s protection from Voldemort)? Nothing. - -**(update 2020-07-15)** Ha! There actually `was the -christening`_. - -This religion-lessness mostly continues in the fanfiction -universe. There are really few stories which take religion -seriously and even less which make a good job of it. - -In completely random order (just as I found it in various -bookmark lists): - -1. Prayers_ by Master Spy advenger. This is sweet, not super - deep, but lovely retelling of missing parts of DH from the - Hermione’s point of view, who is practising Anglican and - carries with her “Prayers for Young Girls” as surprisingly - relevant guide through her struggles. Prayer in face of - Voldemort (or Bellatrix Lestrange) is here surprisingly - convincing (I was always afraid that such stories end up like - the Hogwarts, School of Worship, which is IMHO abomination). - -2. `Trading My Sorrows`_ by ShadowBallad. Severus Snape’s cover - is blown and he is saved on the run from Death Eaters by - a wizarding priest who teaches him a lot about faith and - himself. Not bad, the heart of the author is certainly in the - right place, but it seems to me that he never figured out how - to finish the story and it somehow hangs in the middle. Also, - this story suffers horribly from lack of editing (and here - mainly cutting it down) and couple of occassions of rhetorical - diarrhea, which makes reading it rather difficult. Show, don’t - tell! - -3. Solo_ by Crookshanks22. For change, Severus here is not Roman - Catholic but Jewish, but the main hero are OC person (Jake) - and Anthony Goldstein and their trials and tribulations with - trying to be faithful Jew in quite secular environment of - Hogwarts. Except, it is apparently not as secular as - Ms. Rowling talking from the Harry’s point of view lead us to - believe. There are Christians (Terry Boot, Cedric etc.), of - course Patils are Hindus, there are some Muslims IIRC, and all - of them are trying to navigate waters of Hogwarts as much as - they can. Sympathetic, but the author is apparently Jewish and - he is struggling with understanding of Christianity (that’s - the one I can judge) rather desperately. - -4. Sanctuary_ by sheankelor. Severus Snape, brought up as a Roman - Catholic, when dying in the Shrieking Shack manages to pull - out antidote and transfer with his emergency Portkey to the - friendly Irish Roman-Catholic friar who cures him. Apparently, - he secretly practised his faith all those years including - confessions, and he is now trying to reconcile with his past. - Not bad, sometimes a bit too preachy and too much teaching the - Catholic liturgy for every occasion, but story makes sense. - One of the few fanfiction stories which noticed that the Good - Friday Agreement happened 22 days before the Battle of - Hogwarts. - -5. `All Are His Children`_ by sheankelor. Foundation of Hogwarts - as viewed by Brother Brendan (from the film “Secret of Kells”) - who turns out to be Fat Friar eventually. Actually, not much - religious, but sweet nevertheless. - -6. `The Friar's Calling`_ by Chthonia. A rare example of - a medieval story from the HP universe, and it is very good. - Brother Thomas turns out to be a wizard and he is sent by his - prior, `Robert Grosseteste`_ (true historical figure, famous - medieval philosopher) to Hogwarts. Although he is always - suspicious whether his powers are not a bit demoniacal, he is - forced by God (and the Sorting Hat) to live in the wizarding - world as a humble friar. Lovely description of medieval - wizarding world, which is precisely not developed enough to be - persuasive (he participates in developing the Floo powder). - Brother Thomas is of course later the Fat Friar (who cannot - leave his students for whom he cares pastorally). Sir Cadogan - is present as well as his friend and not completely crazy - knight. - -7. `Hermione Before the Beit Din`_ by facingthenorthwind - (spacegandalf). We all suspected it, but now it is clear, - Hermione is Jewish (actually, it seems to me as the only - explanation why a super-bookish girl from country with - mandatory religious education has no idea where “Where your - treasure is, there will your heart be also.” or “The last - enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” come from) and she is - dealing with the punishment for Obliviating her parents. - Jewish wizarding tribunal and all that jazz. Not bad but - unfinished and sorely missing a conclusion. - -**{updated 2020-06-28}** - -8. `Thou Shalt Not Suffer`_ by TheWizardsHarry. A girl from very - strongly evangelical family (which feels more American than - British, but small suspension of disbelief here is probably - useful, and I am certain that every nation can generate - religious bigots, there are some even here in the agnostic - Czechia) gets the Hogwarts Letter and she is immediately - ostracised by her parents (she is a single child) and friends - from the religious community, she lives in (which is all her - friends). She finds her refuge with her very distant and - herself ostracised aunt who lives away. There she finds out - that magical world truly exists and that the aunt is a witch - herself. With a lot of hesitation, she, in the end, agrees to - enter Hogwarts for a year just to control her magic, where she - struggles with adventures during Harry’s Second Year. However, - more important is her parallel discovering what is the - relationship between magic and those verses from the Bible. - During the year she meets some other Christian wizards and - witches (including one very cute Cedric Diggory) and she gets - her hand on an old essay by some witch named Lilly Evans who - wrote a rather thoughtful analysis of that verse. Adventure is - nicely written, Christian point of view very authentic, only - problem is that the story ends with her first year at Hogwarts - and the promised sequel is nowhere to be found. Pity. - -9. PUSH_ by tree_and_leaf (PUSH is apparently abbreviation common - among evangelicals of some sort and it stands for “Pray Until - Something Happens”). The basic plot conflict is similar to the - previous one (only this is a post-war story, so for example - Hermione and Ginny are as the Seventh Year girls), but the - main heroine seems more depressive and strongly rejecting - magic and less accessible to the argument in another - direction. In relation to the title, she actually in one point - prays a lot towards some resolution, and when something which - really looks like God’s answer happens, she has trouble - accepting it. Unfortunately, at this point when things were - getting interesting, the story has been abandoned. - -**{end of the insert}** - -The crazy thing is that it seems to me this is really it. If -anybody knows about any other good religious wizarding story (no -mocking, no anti-religious) let me know. - -.. [#] I am a Protestant, so for me “religion” means more “humans - activity towards deity” (sacrifices, liturgy, this sort of - thing) rather than just “existence of God” (and yes this - understanding of the word is paradoxically for Protestants - non-Biblical, James 1:27). - - This is not exclusive to the Harry Potter universe. It is even - more weird with J.R.R.Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings universe. - Historically it is more certain than anything that Aragorn - would quite certainly sacrifice to some deity before the - Battle of the Pelennor Fields, etc., but Tolkien was rather - traditional Catholic so he probably didn't like the idea of - inventing a pagan religion. Here the definition of religion is - even more important. There is God in the Tolkien’s Arda - universe (BTW, beginning of Silmarilion is one of the most - beautiful description of rise of Evil I know about), but - nobody does anything about it. There are no prayers (almost, - at least no explicit ones), no sacrifices, no priests, etc. - -.. _`was the christening`: - https://web.archive.org/web/20110927060621/http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/news_view.cfm?id=80 - - -.. _Prayers: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6494461/1/ - -.. _`Trading My Sorrows`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3077936 - -.. _`The Friar's Calling`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/7460772 - -.. _`Robert Grosseteste`: - https://historyofphilosophy.net/grosseteste - -.. _`All Are His Children`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/4426211 - -.. _`Hermione Before the Beit Din`: - https://archiveofourown.org/series/636071 - -.. _Solo: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3388041 - -.. _Sanctuary: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/7292632 - -.. _`Thou Shalt Not Suffer`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5176787 - -.. _PUSH: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/55647 diff --git a/faith/review-of-aftershocks.rst b/faith/review-of-aftershocks.rst deleted file mode 100644 index e27215b..0000000 --- a/faith/review-of-aftershocks.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,61 +0,0 @@ -Review of Aftershocks -##################### - -:date: 2017-06-15T17:22:53 -:category: faith -:tags: review, blogComment, HarryPotter - -Some thoughts on the fan fiction Aftershocks_. - - We need to know without a shadow of a doubt that Padma did not - kill Parvati before we can move on. - -I am extremely confused about this whole work. On the one hand -there are some parts which are really trully excellent. Whole -situation about Padma loosing her twin sister and all the pain -around is written in completely excellent manner, which is quite -rare anywhere. I really really like your Lovewoods (Luna is -perfect, but Xenophilius as a lawyer is just so awesome idea, and -very well done, small thing but lovely is Lovegoods living in the -hobbits’ hole), I really like your stories about recovering from -trauma and shock and grieving about unexplicable loss. I think -this only makes this work worthy of being read and finished. - -However, there is then a scene with the trial of Padma and I -cannot believe how tortured and poorly designed it is. In the -cannon Kingsley Shacklebolt seems to be a fair, level-headed -wizard, and especially the one with quite understanding of law, -regulations, etc. Such person would just not be physically able -to say things like the quoted above. It is just exactly opposite. -They have to know without a shadow of a doubt that Padma DID kill -Paravati before they can move on. If they don't find her guilty -(and it is quite unlikely because of horrendous lack of -evidence), they have to move on with treating her as innocent. -Yes, it is possible that some administrative measure can be used -for obviously distressed witch, which can be danger to her -surroundings in her mental state (like temporary removal of her -wand, or keeping her under supervision of her guardians), but it -is absolutely horrible just to imagine society where people could -be punished without proof of their guilt. You then put this -seemingly post-Voldemort wizarding society on the same level with -the worst dictatorial regimes of the twentieth century (namely it -was only Soviet Russia in 1930s when people could be found guilty -without sufficient evidence; even the Hitler’s Germany at least -kept up pretences of the rule of law). This is hardly improvement -from the times of all previous Ministers of Magic (including Pius -Thicknesse), and if Mr. Shacklebolt cannot do better than an -imperiused Death Eater, there is something wrong with his rule. - -However, even in the middle of in my opinion rather disastrous -trial, there are scenes of utter brilliance. Of course, Neville’s -speach about the guilt of all teachers of Hogwarts, all those -thoughts about keeping too many secrets by Dumbledore and Harry, -are excellent. - -I really wish this novel was finished, it could be really lovely. -And yes, some story between and George and Padma would be -awesome. I always love stories looking at the history from the -point of view outside of the Weasley-Potter clan! - -.. _Aftershocks: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11858501/1/Aftershocks diff --git a/faith/sharks-jellyfish-bad-news.rst b/faith/sharks-jellyfish-bad-news.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e5cdab3 --- /dev/null +++ b/faith/sharks-jellyfish-bad-news.rst @@ -0,0 +1,133 @@ +Sharks, jellyfish, and the bad news +################################### + +:status: draft +:date: 1970-01-01T00:00:00 +:category: faith +:tags: LGBT, homosexuality, blue ocean, centered faith + +Couple of comments while reading `this blogpost`_ by Dave Schmelzer and +linked `position paper of Vineyard USA on LGBT issues`_. + +.. _`this blogpost`: + http://theblueoceanblog.org/jesus-good-hijacked-todays-controversies/ +.. _`position paper of Vineyard USA on LGBT issues`: + http://vineyardusa.org/site/files/PositionPaper-VineyardUSA-Pastoring_LGBT_Persons.pdf + +First completely nonsensical nitpick: as far as I know (and I may +be wrong, but if I recall correctly I read it in some book by +Philipe Cousteau) sharks have to swim because they don’t have +operculum so they have to make water flow through their gills, +otherwise they suffocate_ . Not that it would matter that much +for Dave’s argument. + +.. _suffocate: + https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090820085118AAaL3jP + +But to the more interesting stuff. From the position paper: + + William Shakespeare in his play, Twelfth Night, said this: Be + not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve + greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. + +This is funny. Did they actually read the Twelfth Night or did +they see it in a theater? Do they recognize that this whole +quotation was not meant seriously but just as a bait for +Malvolio? And if we ignore this strangeness, when following their +argument, they could say just as easily that they want to discuss +LGBT issues, because everybody else does it. I am not sure that +it is the right reason, but anyway. + +OK, this is too long. I won’t have time to read all ninety +pages. So back to Dave. + +I completely accept his argument that we should live in the +centered set, but it seems to me it is a bit difficult to see the +proper point of the post without getting lost in the juicy world +of the relationship between homosexuality and the Christian +faith. One strikingly interesting thing (at least for me) is that +the whole post is completely meta-discussion. It does not discuss +the Dave’s actual opinion on homosexuality itself at all. It +seems that Dave has some homosexual friends, so he has to have at +least some positive attitude towards them, but there is no +biblical discussion on the matter itself. I have missed this when +reading the post for the first time, and I got completely lost in +the fiery discussion of the point which was not there at all. + +Let me thus start from somewhere else. We just returned a couple +of days ago from a very friendly visit to our very conservative +Christian friends. Although I tried to avoid it, I made some +unfortunate comment about the Muslims and Christians praying +together in my “local” Catholic church (of course, not being +a Catholic makes this term a bit nonsensical). The result was an +explosion of rather unbelievably harsh and ungrateful +declarations about Muslims, among which the persuasion that +Muslims and Christians praying together is just a masquerade for +Muslims to achieve their dominance […]. It seemed to me very +much like the antisemitism by Chesterton (or any proper +Englishman of that time, I suppose). We can see how these +attitudes could lead to Auschwitz, but it is unfair to judge them +through the lenses of gas chambers, because they really did not +know about the Holocaust, and they would be quite certainly +against it with all their might. So, most of what my Christian +friends talk vis-a-vis Muslims is absolutely horrible and +despicable, but most of these people know nothing about the +racism and they have never seen it in its most ugly ends, so they +still feel free to play with those most horrible ideas, not +knowing that it is an dynamite just ready to explode. + +However, only now, when I read the Dave’s post for the second +time, I have recognized how contemporary and acutely needed it is +now. And how much, by living among the bounded Christians, I lost +a bit of the healthy perspective. + +security of the bounded set + +--------------------------- + +One of the most important things which helped me to understand my +attitude towards homosexuality was proper understanding of what +the sin is. + +I understand the centered set thinking correctly, than obvious +interdicts in the Bible should not be understood as zaps (and +even less used as such to zap others), but as an advice why +following the banned path will lead out of the center, Jesus, and +the life in fullness (John 10:10). So, we should not steal +because God would smite us, but because although it may seem +tempting it is not a blessed God’s path to achieving fullness +of life. + +------------------------- + + When orders are issued in other spheres of life there is no + doubt whatever of their meaning. If a father sends a child to + bed, the boy knows at once what he has to do. But suppose he + has picked up smattering of pseudo-theology. In that case he + would argue more or less like this: “Father tells me to go + to bed, but he really means that I am tired, and he does not + want me to be tired. I can overcome my tiredness just as well + if I go out and play. Therefore though father tells me to go + to bed, he really means: ‘Go out and play’.” If a child + tried such arguments on his father or a citizen on his + government, they would both meet with a kind of language they + could not fail to understand–in short they would be + punished. Are we to treat the commandment of Jesus + differently from other orders and exchange single-minded + obedience for downright disobedience? How could that be + possible! + + -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, chapter. III. + +--------------------------- + +Theological perspective is proposed and wins the day. It does +just great for however long, but then its blind spots become +evident and there’s pushback about it. The pushback ends up +being too corrective, an over-reaction, so it too ultimately gets +pushed back with something that itself is too corrective and +over-reacting. And there lies the history of theology. + +Unfortunately, theology matters. And people who create bad +theology and a lot of mess around themselves are usually not bad +people. Liberal theology ... diff --git a/faith/singularoddities-review-escape.rst b/faith/singularoddities-review-escape.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 15b4cdc..0000000 --- a/faith/singularoddities-review-escape.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,186 +0,0 @@ -Review of “Escape” and “Mr and Mrs Percy Weasley” -################################################# - -:date: 2017-12-14 -:category: faith -:tags: review, HarryPotter, blogComment - -(Update later: this review was written in December 2017, when -the latter story was somewhere around chapter 24; it would be -probably too self-centric to think, that the author read my -review, but the fact is that the later chapters of the story -seem to address some of my objections.) - -There is a biblical verse from Galatians 3:3: “Are you so -foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected -by the flesh?” What I mean is that “Escape_” and “`Mr and Mrs -Percy Weasley`_” started as one of the best fanfictions I found -anywhere. Obviously, from person who writes fanfiction around -the classical literature (namely “Pride and Prejudice”), I expect -better literary quality than your average fifteen-year inserting -herself as the fourth member of The Golden Trio on the run for -horcruxes. Unfortunately, with the contiuation of both stories, -it seems to me that the author lapsed more and more into some of -the worst stereotypes in the genre. - -First of all, before saying anything else, I really liked Mr and -Mrs-to-be Percy Weasley themselves. It is really delight to read -their story (and of course, it doesn’t hurt they slip for weekend -in Prague, where I am from :)). I really liked they both knew -they are dancing around some elephants in the room, but they so -much wanted to work together, they were willing to trust each -other even against the evidence, which would cause distrust. -I really liked Percy discovering joys of the Muggle world (and -I really hope he will eventually buy that set of the sixteenth -century goblets for Audrey, now when he can explain her how come -they are so well preserved). - -I was less enchanted by Harry & Hermione. Even ignoring the -problems with the Harmony ship [#]_ (about which later), they -both seemed to me so perfect, so Mary/Marty Sue (of course, Mary -Sue must be half-Muggle otherwise the author and reader couldn’t -identify with her easily enough), that I lost most interest in -them. Except, of course, Hermione being a cat is the only saving -grace for her persona. - -This being a Harmony story, it seems that every alternative -universe shipping inevitably leads to bashing persons which are -really likeable in the books, most usually Ron Weasley. It seemed -in the beginning of “Escape”, that this author managed to avoid -the trait, but it goes downhill pretty fast, and in the end Mrs -Weasley, Arthur, and of course Ron are sworn enemies of the good -guys and gals. And it is happily overlooked that many relational -troubles which blow to their face in the end are caused by the -unexplicable relational idiocy of Harry & Hermione. Why in the -world, they haven’t contacted Ron, their supposedly best friend, -immediately after they got means of communications (mirrors) from -the Weasley twins? I like the Weasley twins in the story, but why -couldn‘t be Ron included as well? Couldn’t the twins smuggle one -mirror to the castle? And still they haven’t bothered to send him -a mirror when they met Ginny, Neville, and Luna in Hogsmead? Of -course, the only reason seems to be that the author may indulge -more in the Ron-bashing (there is no way the Ron from books was -not fed up with Lavender after few weeks of snogging; and -actually, he broke up with her because he looked for more in -books, not necessarily because of Hermione; that is more the -movie Ron again). - -Harry and Hermione spent five years (or at least summers) in the -Weasley household. And suddenly the Weasley parents don’t deserve -a joint visit from Harry & Hermione before the slandering -interviews are published? If Molly Weasley as we know her from -books would slam the door in their face, I would immediately ship -her to St. Mungo, because some serious disease must be affecting -her brain. That is not Molly we know from the books. And I just -cannot make myself believe that Weasleys’ would be that -prejudiced against Muggles. Ignorant, of course, but not -unwilling to be explained. - -When they are repeatedly accused they gave up on the wizarding -world and went Muggle all the way, Harry & Hermione never face -these accussations by explaining what’s going on, by explaining -that they actually finished their magical education already, they -don’t even boast how many N.E.W.T.s they got, they just blow up. -They behave like rebellious stupid teenagers, who they actually -are, demanding trust from everybody, explaining to nobody, and -then they are supported in this stupidity by supposedly mature -and wise Grangers. We’ll get to this more later. - -Because next we have to deal with the persona of Albus Dumbledore -as described in the stories. I am the last one to declare -Professor Dumbledore to be perfect. There are obvious problems in -his behavior. Some of them mentioned by JKR in the books -themselves (excessive secrecty, insufficient information and -training), some are not. For example, there is a situation where -absolutely everything depends on Harry learning Occlumency -properly, and his teacher is not adult enough to get over Harry’s -father bullying him when they were teenagers. So, there are no -results of such teaching. What does Dumbledore do to remedy the -situation? Nothing, just waits until somebody gets killed and -Harry can blame himself for it. What’s wrong with him? [#]_ -I believe that both Professors Dumbledore and Snape are -reponsible for the death of Sirius Black (perhaps they should be -even criminally responsible for neglect) more than anybody else -on The Light Side (the biggest share of guilt goes to -Mrs Lestrange, of course). - -Having said that, I just cringe when I see how Singularoddities -deals poorly with description of flawed personalities. How it is -difficult to describe somebody who honestly fights for The Right -Thing™ his whole life, he is willing sacrifice absolutely -everything for the fight, and yet sometimes he forgets he is not -permitted to demand same sacrifices from others (“The only person -who can die for my ideals is me.” Karl Popper), or perhaps even -how sometimes he fights more to eradicate Evil than to promote -Goodness and Love. The author is not able to keep the hero -balanced, so although he/she starts well, more the story -progresses more it is black-and-white, and more and more it is -hard to distinguish Albus Dumbledore from Tom Riddle. And because -it is not enough, we have to have very light Snape (see above, -nobody questions his part in the death of Sirius), and very very -dark Weasley family (older part). It somehow looks like all -authority persons from the book are deemed bad, and somehow bad -persons are now good? Like … - -I know what it feels like! When I was trying to understand what -is the worldview behind those two stories, I started to think -about the Stage Three from M. Scott Peck’s `The Road Less -Traveled`_ (nicely summarized in video by my former pastor `Dave -Schmelzer`_). The stories are all about rebellion against the -authorities. It is all about an inversion, negation of -traditional values without actual wisdom, which for me is in -synthesis of the real personality, authenticity and true values. -All those who were positive authorities in the HP canon -(Dumbledore, Weasleys) are suddenly bad, and not only bad there -is almost nothing positive mentioned about them. All those who -were marginalised, in submission, or outright morally suspicious -(Grangers, Professors McGonagall, Snape; it is interesting that -Professor Flitwick is nowhere to be found) are suddenly main -heroes. Also, the main purpose of adults (especially Grangers) is -to validate youngsters’ (Harry & Hermione, Fred & George) in -their ideas, not to bring much of their own, and certainly not to -bring balance and wisdom. Whole story sounds very much like -a college student ranting against his parents. - -That also includes Percy, but here I have to take exception from -the rule: his persona is written really well, I really suspect -that he made some huge mistakes (even Kingsley suggests that he -was originally meant exactly as Weasleys were afraid he was -— a spy on Weasleys and Harry), but he is really an interesting -person. Well done. - -I like both of these stories (probably more “Mr and Mrs Percy -Weasley”, but obviously the second take is better than the first -attempt), they are probably the best AU stories of the Harry -Potter universe I have read so far (if it has not been obvious -already, I prefer canon-based stories), but all the good things -on these stories, makes me even more frustrated with things which -could be so much better. Oh well. - -.. [#] supporting Harry/Harmione pairing - -.. [#] Also, a nitpick: what the hell is wrong with you to leave - one year old boy overnight outside in the English November? - Are you too coward to admit to Petunia her sister died under - your command, so you are not able to press a buzzer? Or - perhaps the grooming (I am not sure I believe that one) was - just Plan B, in case the horcrux was not eliminated by Harry - dying from exposure? - - Just for fun: I have found monthly weather report for UK for - October 1981 and `November 1981`_ - -.. _Escape: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11916243/ - -.. _`Mr and Mrs Percy Weasley`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12373273/ - -.. _`The Road Less Traveled`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Scott_Peck#The_Road_Less_Traveled - -.. _`Dave Schmelzer`: - https://youtu.be/bHyqDGAiEpA - -.. _`November 1981`: - https://digital.nmla.metoffice.gov.uk/IO_707667cb-2339-4454-bc5a-c20f638bbd92/ diff --git a/faith/soul-bonds-arranged-marriage.rst b/faith/soul-bonds-arranged-marriage.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 881f851..0000000 --- a/faith/soul-bonds-arranged-marriage.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,81 +0,0 @@ -Soul bonds and arranged marriages -################################# - -:date: 2022-06-16 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -Comment on the Reddit thread “`Soul bonding fics with depth?`_” -by ZappyFence discussing “`Error of Soul`_” by Materia-Blade) - - Can you elaborate? As someone who read it, I'm still not sure - what people mean when they say this. - -In the end every soul-bond fanfiction story is a story of -imposed/unintended relationship. - -We, here in Europe (and consequently in America, and from that -via Hollywood to the whole world), are persuaded under the -influence of our individualism (and perhaps the Romantic movement -of the early 19th century) that the best reason why to build -a life-long marriage is mutual infatuation with each other, and -that the best spouse anybody can find is the one which we find on -our own in strict isolation from anybody else. - -The often quoted claim (which certainly originally was `not by -Albert Einstein`_) “The definition of insanity is doing the same -thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” (or -I like the alternative formulation of the same thought: “If you -always do what you’ve always done, you always get what you’ve -always gotten.”). Insisting on this individualistic romantic love -as a foundation of marriage, despite almost half of marriages -ending in divorce, says something about the collective insanity -of our civilization. - -It wasn’t always so and what’s even more interesting, not -everybody hated it. I am a Czech (a man, if it matters), and -I live in Prague, but I attend an English-speaking international -church here, so I have friends from all over the world. I have -been haunted for long time by a talk I had with a slightly -distraught and sad lady in her twenties, who was from India -(somewhere around Pune). She was sharing how sad and depressed -she was: not only from the general homesickness and insecurities -of life abroad, but also, how she put it, that she would like to -find a boyfriend and she misses help of her parents in looking -for him. That actually stunned me: it doesn’t have to be either -the fight with a marriage arranged by Lady Catherine de Bourgh -and her total domination, or clear individualism and everybody -only for themselves, it could be cooperation and family helping -one of its members. - -I think better soul-bond stories could investigate this issue. -The book by the Christian missionary Walter Trobisch “`I loved -a girl`_” (highly recommended) cites an African wife who said -“You, Europeans, put a hot pot with a stew on cold table and hope -it will stay hot as long as possible; we put a cold pot on stove -and it will heat up”. And that’s the perennial question about -what makes a good marriage: compatibility of spouses or their -willingness to work on their relationship? What’s more important? -I have been married for over quarter of century, and I still -don’t know the answer to this question. - -Could Harry and Hermione in this situation just sit down and -decide, that even though they didn’t want to be together -originally, now when they have to be, they could make their -marriage work? Could they be happy together nevertheless? - -I think it would make a great story, but I am not able to write -it and I would prefer if it was written by somebody from -a culture where arranged marriages are still common. - -.. _`Soul bonding fics with depth?`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/vcwxmc/soul_bonding_fics_with_depth/ - -.. _`Error of Soul`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8490518/2/Error-of-Soul - -.. _`not by Albert Einstein`: - https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/03/23/same/ - -.. _`I loved a girl`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1931475016 diff --git a/faith/strong_blood_review.rst b/faith/strong_blood_review.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 55a828c..0000000 --- a/faith/strong_blood_review.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,53 +0,0 @@ -On Strong Blood -############### - -:date: 2019-01-15T12:00:56 -:status: draft -:category: faith -:tags: review, HarryPotter, blogComment - -(my comments on “`Strong Blood`_” by CooLibrarian) - -This is really interesting and very uncommon (which is meant as -a compliment). Couple of things to note: - -1. Too long and too convoluted. We are in the chapter 39 and it - feels like the proper plot line of story starts only now. - Previous chapters were nice reading, but there was still that - feeling “And what’s the point of this story?”. Also, it seems - like you made your families and relationships so convoluted - that aside from people using complicated computer programs - just to keep afloat in the endless stream of names and - relationships, you himself feel like giving up, and the last - couple of changes there is no proper story (with dialogs, - situations, etc.), but just a summary of the plot. As with - almost every fanfiction severe cutting down would be helpful. - -2. I am a practising Christian myself, so I always enjoy - fanfiction stories where heroes are believers themselves. So, - it is lovely to see all those families of faithful Orthodox - believers. Except, this is classical example of “show, don’t - tell”. How does their faith presents themselves to the world, - aside from all baptisms and funerals? Is it something more - than that? Why to introduce all that concept of everybody - being Orthodox (and it is possible for all Russian family), - when it plays no role in the story itself? - - Since I first read Sirius Black was a godfather of Harry, - I couldn’t loose from my mind an image of Sirius in the - medieval church of Saint Jerome in Godric’s Hollow. Seems - a bit surreal. Perhaps it was just very formal and unfeeling - ceremony for Potters, but what if it wasn’t? Lily praying for - the God’s protection from Voldemort? Or would she rather pray - for strength to do what’s right and not just what’s easy? It - seems like Lily Potter was very thoughtful and honest person, - would she submit to doing just formal ceremony for the sake of - being “as others are”? That feels more like Petunia, doesn’t - it? All those Christians, did they ever feel remorse, ask for - forgiveness, forgiving? It would be interesting. - - And no, I truly don’t ask for copy of “Hogwarts School of - Prayer and Miracles”, that is an abomination! - -.. _`Strong Blood`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7211094 diff --git a/faith/terms_of_matrimony.rst b/faith/terms_of_matrimony.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 80ace86..0000000 --- a/faith/terms_of_matrimony.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,80 +0,0 @@ -Terms of Matrimony -################## - -:date: 2019-02-07T23:48:04 -:category: faith -:tags: review, HarryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - -(my comments on “`Terms of Matrimony`_” by Galad Estel) - -First of all, this story has broken link on `Fanfiction.net`_, so -I have had to look up and down all over the Internet to find that -only working copy known to me is at ff2ebook.com link shown -above. Even the dump on archive.org is incomplete and plain text -only. Thank you fflai_ on Reddit for pointing_ in the right -direction. - -This is obvious another example why serial writing is quite -problematic. It seems to me that the author after writing -introduction (first 23 chapters or so) lost interest and the end -is stitched together with a very very hot needle (Czech saying) -and it shows. - -Having said that, the setup of the story is really nice. It is -one of the most persuasive stories of Petunia-Snape relationship. -It is dramatic (not like crazily talkative and generally absurd -“`A magical love affair`_”) and generally persuasive: one Death -Eater (Macnair) uses Imperium Curse on Vernon Dursley to try to -get to Harry (who is then six) and kill him. However, Vernon is -stopped in the attempt by the magical protection by Harry’s -mother and he kills himself (still under the influence of the -curse, in order to cover tracks). Petunia with kids is on the run -and she must hide in the magical world. However, her status as -a single Muggle mother is very uncertain in the Magical world, so -Dumbledore decides and manipulates her and Snape into a marriage -to get her some standing. - -Petunia and kids are hiding for a month at Weasleys’ and while -staying there she decides in the end to take a little bit of -control over her life and (charmingly with the help of -ten-year-old Percy Weasley) drafts eponymous marriage contract, -which she sends to Dumbledore, so she accedes to the pressure but -still keeps some of her dignity and autonomy. What follows is -nice and quite persuasive but already a bit brief struggle of all -involved to find their role in the new situation: Petunia is -forced to be suddenly real mother and wife, Snape has to learn -how to care about somebody else, Dudley suddenly has a father who -strictly requires following orders, and Harry has somebody who -cares about him. - -Unfortunately, in this moment, when one would say that it is well -prepared for nice story (how could at least reasonably working -family containing one very smart wizard face the challenge of the -Dark Lord and how could they resist the machinations of Albus -Dumbledore? etc.), so when the reader looks forward to start of -nice story, it ends abruptly with Remus *ex machina* showing up -and discovering immediately that the rat is Peter, and we get -brief collaboration of two former enemies, just to be interrupted -by the evil Veela (interesting concept, but why not?) sent by -Lucius Malfoy, who immediately kills Pettigrew in order to -protect the mystery and keep Sirius in Azkaban. Next chapter, -whole family (& Remus) runs away to America. End of the story. - -It’s a pity, it really has a foundation of good novel, but it -never fulfils this promise. I would suggest reading it at least -for the exposition, but be prepared to dream about continuation. - -.. _`Terms of Matrimony`: - https://ff2ebook.com/direct/?id=9931566&source=ff&filetype=epub - -.. _`Fanfiction.net`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9931566/13/Terms-of-Matrimony - -.. _fflai: - https://www.reddit.com/user/fflai - -.. _pointing: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/anwh68/looking_for_two_stories_lost_on_ffnet_terms_of/efx4vv6 - -.. _`A magical love affair`: - https://www.wattpad.com/story/138566101-a-magical-love-affair diff --git a/faith/the_problem_of_gaiman.rst b/faith/the_problem_of_gaiman.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 147f66f..0000000 --- a/faith/the_problem_of_gaiman.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,51 +0,0 @@ -The Problem of Neil Gaiman -########################## - -:date: 2017-03-13T17:33:58 -:category: faith -:tags: blogComment, feminism, christianity - -So, it happened. I read “The problem of Susan” by Neil Gaiman and -I am completely disgusted by it. Not because Aslan did the White -Witch proper, or because he ate all those lovely little children. -Serves them well, and it is certainly the author’s prerogative to -decide that somebody else’s God is actually a nasty daemon. - -What I do object though is that Neil does not seem to understand -what C. S. Lewis was trying to say about Susan at all which is -shame given he claims *The Chronicles of Narnia* were the major -influence on him and his writing. I think I can understand what -stood behind this part of Susan in Lewis’s mind. I know the -experience from the Christian context, but I guess it can happen -in any personally close community, where deep issues of life are -dealt with (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous?), or perhaps you are just -very good friends. There’s that person you knew for years, you -were very close, crying together, praying (or whatever is -appropriate) together, and you believed you understand each -other. And suddenly this person leaves your community for the -flimsiest possible reasons. He just decides to leave the Church, -turns back to booze, starts to cheat on his wife. You rack your -brain and feel horribly guilty that it was some of your -misbehaviour towards him which send him on the wrong path. But -there doesn’t seem to be any reason. So, you start to suspect -some other members of your community they did something. You ask -questions, offend some, hurt others, but in the end you still -don’t know about any reason that lead to the nonsense they told -you before (if they are still talking to you). In the end it is -a mystery or perhaps they just won’t tell you. Some people just -leave. - -There is certainly pain in that, but if you paint a picture of -some semi-religious experience (like Narnia), I do believe that -in order to be realistic, there should be somebody like Susan, -who just leaves. And it has absolutely nothing to do with her -being a girl, or sex and nylons. And yes, teenagers do stupid -things which in the end hurt them, sometimes a lot. I can tell, -because I left in my fifteen my Scouting community, which was the -only real life-giving community I knew for a long time before and -after that, and I still don’t know exactly why I did it. And yes, -it hurt me for many years, practically until I joined a community -of Christians. - -I am not sure why Mr Gaiman and Mrs Rowling couldn’t see it, and -I am probably in no position to speculate about that. diff --git a/faith/thou_shalt_not_suffer_witch_live.rst b/faith/thou_shalt_not_suffer_witch_live.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 1e52fcb..0000000 --- a/faith/thou_shalt_not_suffer_witch_live.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,412 +0,0 @@ -Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live -##################################### - -:date: 2020-09-01T18:08:30 -:status: draft -:category: faith -:tags: sermon, english, Bible - -There are some verses which are usually important for every -Christian. Everyone of us has one verses like John 3:16 NET (“For -this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only -Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but -have eternal life”), or John 1:12 NET (“But to all who have -received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right -to become God’s children”). Then there are verses which we really -don’t know what to do with (e.g., just for fun Exodus 35:2b NET -“Anyone who does work on [Sabbath] will be put to death.”, -Leviticus 25:44 NET “As for your male and female slaves who may -belong to you—you may buy male and female slaves from the nations -all around you.” so only Austrian slaves, but I cannot import -them from Africa, even if they are a way more affordable?), but -then there are verses which nobody disputes but they are for most -of us not part of The Bible Verseparade. I expect most of my -readers to be Muggles, so I don’t think Exodus 22:18 KJV (“Thou -shalt not suffer a witch to live.”) is up there in those most -important Biblical verses of your life. - -However, I think that even for us, Muggles, this verse can bring -an important lesson, and this is not the one I hear usually when -it comes to be the subject of a Christian talk. - -First of all, let me add here disclaimer: whatever I say in the -following paragraphs should not be understood as approval of -occult in any shape or form. Even if I claim this verse to be -more complicated and less useful that it usually is thought to -be, I still fully believe that Bible stands clearly against any -form of occult, divination or wiccan practices. Not only they are -usually sin against the First Commandment, but they are quite -certainly always a sin against the Eleventh One (“Thou shall not -be stupid.”). Discussion of occult is not subject of this -article. - -Let me start with a short historian’s exercise. Czech polymath, -universal artist, overall genius, and gynaecologist amateur, Jára -Cimrman, sternly urged great men of history to consider the day -when they accomplish their great achievement and think about -future students who will have to learn about it in their history -classes. We can commend the Czech king and German emperor -Charles IV. for founding the Prague university now named after -him in year 1348, because everybody knows that all great events -of Czech history are supposed to happen in the year ending with -48, but April 7th is completely unconscionable date, when he -could wait just two weeks, and he would be at least found the -university on Easter (April 17th 1348). On the other hand, we -should really appreciate action of the pope Leo III who made -Charlemagne the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire on the -Christmas Day of year 800. - -Year 800 AD is good interesting point in the history for couple -of reasons. First of all, what do you know about that year in the -history (of course, you know that Holy Roman Empire was founded, -but something else). What happened here in the area of the -current Czechia? - -No, Saint Wenceslaus lived hundred years later (died most likely -in year 935). And no, Great Moravia and Saint Cyril and Methodius -came to our lands fifty years later (that is truly the beginning -of the history of these lands). And for comparison from other -countries with better documented history, no, Alfred the Great is -fifty years later as well. For Czech lands we really know almost -nothing. Some German chronicles barely mentioned that the area -exists, and there are some rumours about Charlemagne going -through Bohemia around 805, but that’s basically all we know -about this place in that time from the historical record. - -The only point I want to illustrate by these paragraphs is that -year 800 AD is long time ago. Really long time ago. - -When we have established this point, we can start to work with -year 800 AD. First idea is really brief: when we think what -happened eight hundred years ago (1222), we considered such event -to happen really long time ago, so long time ago, that anything -is hardly known about it. Well, Christianity was that old in that -year. Because it was long time ago from our point of view, it -doesn’t mean it wasn’t long time from the beginning of the Church -as well. - -Next comment is by Chesterton: we have tendency to always -view history as something which happened in past, and we are the -glorious (or not-so-glorious) culmination of past events. What if -we are not the end of history, what if we are just the beginning? -What if thousands years later, people will sing heroic songs -about our deeds, and discuss whether somebody so unbelievable as -Presidents Nelson Mandela or Václav Havel truly existed or if -they were just a myth? Just a food for thought. - -Second note is substantially longer. We can use those twelve -hundred years which separate us (roughly) from that year as -a measure with which we can consider the flow of time. One step -from us is year 800 AD, second step is 800 AD - 1200 = 400 BC. It -is one year from the death of Socrates, and it is roughly what -could be declared the beginning of the Classical Antiquity. -I heard this example originally from a historical podcast about -philosophy, where they wanted to stress that although the history -of that era is compressed in our high-school history textbooks to -few chapters, and just after the chapter on Socrates, Plato, and -Aristotle, the next chapter is about the Golden Roman era, Jesus, -and Seneca. Except there was four hundred years between those two -points in time, like from us to Descartes (to keep ourselves in -the history of philosophy; and yes, exactly four hundred years -ago, in 1620, Descartes was one of the French mercenaries who -fought and was wounded on the Protestant side in the Battle of -White Mountain next to Prague, which started the Thirty-years -War). We are missing the true depth of the various eras in our -history. - -However, year 400 BC may be the beginning of the Classical -Antiquity, but in the biblical history it is still too late. All -canonical history of the Old Testament already happened, Jews -were back from the Babylonian captivity, and even the majority of -the Old Testament itself was already written. Therefore, if we -want to get to the beginning of the Biblical time, we need to -take our historical measure and make one more step. 400 BC - 1200 -= 1600 BC (exact years, or even centuries, are not that -important, chronology of that era is really vague and uncertain). -And somewhere there we finally get to the times the Old Testament -writes about. That is how really far away we are. - -What I wanted to say by this example is to emphasize how -incredibly distant were people living in the Biblical times from -us. We usually don’t have any problems to accept that most of us -know almost nothing about this era outside of the Biblical -narrative, so I don’t think it is so outrageous to be cautious -about our understanding of the Biblical text from those times. - -Let us return back to witches in the Old Testament. There are -surprisingly few verses explicitly dealing with witchcraft. Most -important are four verses (Exodus 22:18, Leviticus 19:26, 20:27, -and Deuteronomy 18:10-11). Let us start with the last one (YLT -with Hebrew words used for the key terms in the verse): - - There is not found in thee one causing his son and his - daughter to \`abar ba-'esh (H5674, H784), a user of - qosem qesamim (H7080), a me’onen (H6049), and a menakhesh - (H5172), and a [practices] mekhashef (H3784), // and - a châbar (H2266) cheber (H2267), and one wə·šō·’êl ’ō·wḇ - yidde'oni (H7592 H178 H3049), doresh el ha-metim - (H1875 H4191). - -Young’s Literal Translation gives us this: - - There is not found in thee one causing his son and his - daughter to pass over into fire, a user of divinations, an - observer of clouds, and an enchanter, and a sorcerer, // and - a charmer, and one asking at a familiar spirit, and a wizard, - and one seeking unto the dead. - -NET Bible this: - - There must never be found among you anyone who sacrifices his - son or daughter in the fire, anyone who practices divination, - an omen reader, a soothsayer, a sorcerer, one who casts - spells, one who conjures up spirits, a practitioner of the - occult, or a necromancer. - -Without even looking at the English translations, it is obvious -that this is some kind of list of technical terms. Whole -interpretation of these two verses stands and falls with the -exact translation of these terms. - -Before we start working on these verses, let me present here one -completely hypothetical example. Let us imagine, that after this -verse about magic, there is another one, which reads: - - You shall not permit bunja’h to live. - -Whole translation of the verse again hinges on the understanding -of the term bunja’h (completely made-up word just for the purpose -of this example). Unfortunately, this word is never ever -mentioned anywhere else in the Bible, and we don’t know anything -about it even from other ancient Hebrew literature (i.e., it is -true *hapax legomenon*). - -Imagine Saint Jerome sitting over the text racking his brain over -this verse. In the end he dives into books about the Hebrew -language, asks neighbouring rabbis for help, and then they -conclude that by using languages of other ancient Near East -nations it could be said that the word is based on roots of words -“man” and “knife”, so it could be literally translated as -something like “a man with a knife”. Jerome puts that in his -translation project (later to be called Vulgate) and whole -history of the Latin Christianity is then marred with the -persecution of cooks and butchers. They have to live outside of -the normal society in the neighbourhood of tanners, hangmen, and -knackers, and in the difficult times and time of crisis they are -frequently victims of pogroms. - -Poor Jerome didn’t know, that “a man with a knife” was in the -ancient Palestine a slang expression for the assassin, who killed -his victims with a knife. - -That’s an illustration how difficult is our situation and on the -other hand, how important is to get the translation right, to -fully understand it. And just to make it clear, there are over -400 true hapax legomenon in the Hebrew Bible alone. For example, -“gopher wood” from Genesis 6:14 has not been found anywhere else, -so we really don’t know what the Noah’s ark was really made from -(the idea it was cypress which is a common translation is just -because it was the wood ships were usually made from, but there -is no evidence it was really so; what if the biblical author -wanted to emphasize something by Noah building a ship from some -unusual wood?). - -Back to our verse in Deuteronomy. - - There is not found in thee one causing his son and his - daughter to \`abar ba-'esh (H5674, H784), a user of - qosem qesamim (H7080), a me’onen (H6049), and a menakhesh - (H5172), and a [practices] mekhashef (H3784), // and a châbar - cheber (H2266 H2267), and shâ'al ob (H7592 H178), and - a yidde'oni (H3049), and one doresh el ha-metim (H1875 - H4191). - -Understating of some of these terms is rather straightforward. -The context is the interdict on the pagan practices of -divination, so *qosem qesamim* is literally “distributes -distributions”, and according to the commentaries to the Czech -study Bible, it means some kind of divination by observing either -spread lots or arrows shot in front of the diviner. Another -commentaries (NET Bible) claims it is just a generic term for any -diviner who predicts future from observing various omens and -signs. However, it is obvious it is some kind of divination, -although we are not completely certain how exactly it worked. - -*menakhesh* has complicated meaning. According to some it is just -a generic term for any divination by observing signs and omens -(Strong’s Dictionary). According to other (Czech Bible commentary -and Wikipedia) this word derives from the word for snake, and as -a verb it literally translates to hissing. It could mean either -some kind of whispering or murmuring incantation, or it may -signifies a snake charmer. - -*yidde'oni* means “consults a medium or familiar spirit”, and -these mean just what the literal translation suggests. - -*\`abar ba-'esh* means literally “pass over into fire” and it is -understood to be just repetition of the interdict on the human -sacrifice, here probably specifically the sacrifice of children -to the Canaanite god Moloch. - -*doresh el ha-metim* is slightly more complicated. Literally it -means “inquires of the dead” (or “(one who) questions corpses”), -which most English versions of the Bible translate as -“necromancy”, but my Czech commentary suggests a diviner lying in -a grave waiting for the vision there. - -*me’onen* has rather obscure meaning. The literal -translation is something like “conjure clouds”, which if it is -meant to be some kind of magic, sounds to me more like some -weather modifying, but if it is in the context of divination the -commentaries claimed it to be aeromancy (divination from the -shape of clouds), which is documented from the late ancient Rome -(5th century CE) and it is thought to have been performed by the -ancient Babylonian priests. Given how accessible clouds usually -are, I have no problems to imagine that some kind of divination -from them could exist, but surprisingly it is not something which -was widespread, there are really just few mentions of it in whole -Ancient literature. On the other hand, NET Bible commentary -explains that it is not about clouds, but about conjuring spirits -and apparitions. Rashi’s commentary mentions, that The Sages -said, that this referred to those who “catch the eyes” [i.e., -they deceived public by creating optical illusions]. - -*mekhashef* is translated as “sorcery”, but this meaning is far -from certain and obvious. (khashef and khesh come from the same -root, which means snake) - -*châbar cheber* means literally “join joinings”, which is not -clear at all. Rashi means that this is “One who collects snakes, -scorpions or other creatures into one place.” The second word -means either spells and charms, or something collected together, -association, shared household, company of priests. Czech -commentary to the Ecumenical translation suggests even -a relationship with bindings in Matthew 18:18. - -The overall meaning I was trying to convey in this whole analysis -was twofold. First of all, it seems to me obvious that my -suspicion was confirmed. Interpretations of these verses relies -heavily on our understanding of the specialized terminology of -a profession we have really little knowledge about. - -I really do not want to question erudition of all those biblical -scholars, but just judging from the huge range of those possible -explanation of each of these words, it seems obvious to me that -we really don’t want know very firmly what exactly was meant when -those verses were written. There are some things which are -certain: whole divination is suspicious, sacrificing your -children is condemnable, necromancy is bad as well (see 1Sa 28 -about Saul and the Medium of Endor, which surprisingly confirms -that necromancy is biblically deemed possible and evil), but it -is hard to interpret these verses as a condemnation of Harry -Potter summoning his glasses in the morning. - -The second point is simple as well. Especially with translations -to our native languages, the Biblical text looks simple, certain -and self-explanatory (what is complicated on the text “Thou shalt -not suffer a witch to live.”?). Unfortunately, that process of -translation could hide quite easily plenty of uncertainty and -even the translator’s hidden agenda. I am not saying that the -Holy Bible is impossible to understand and mysterious, we could -get some rather firm conclusions even from this obscure text, and -there are many conclusions which we can claim with even more -certainty (murder, rape, idol-worshipping are all bad ideas, help -to poor and thankful heart are good), but that certainty is not -uniform for whole range of the Biblical message. - -The last comment which comes to my mind seems also simple: there -is no such as “simple meaning of the biblical text”, every verse -of the Holy Scripture must be interpreted to be useful and that -interpretation could cover whole range from non-problematic to -complicated and uncertain. - -.. note:: how much magic there is in the Bible mentioned and not - disputed (examples below) - -.. https://netbible.org/bible/Deuteronomy+18 - https://biblehub.com/parallel/deuteronomy/18-10.htm - https://biblehub.com/parallel/exodus/22-18.htm - https://studybible.info/strongs/H2267 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft_and_divination_in_the_Hebrew_Bible - https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9982/showrashi/true/jewish/Chapter-18.htm#lt=both - https://biblickyslovnik.pleva.info/ - ----- - -My overall feeling is that this is mostly about divination, -predicting future, not much about for example healing magic. -Which is no surprise, because until way into the Enlightenment -the difference between the medical science and medical magic was -really ambiguous (or perhaps, a way longer). - ---- - -Another poorly translated verse: - -https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g402 - -Many of them also which used curious arts G4021 brought their -books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted -the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. -(KJV) - -Large numbers of those who had practiced magic G4021 collected -their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When -the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty -thousand silver coins. (NET) - -Acts 19:19 - -The same word G4021 is then used in 1. Timothy 5:13: - -And besides that, going around from house to house they learn to -be lazy, and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and -busybodies, talking about things they should not. - -(nothing nice, but it doesn’t seem like a witchcraft to me). - -Those are only two occurrences of the word in NT (and it is never -used in LXX). - ---- - -I have to admit - - -Jiftah a jeho dcera (Soudců 11 a 12 kaptiola) je příkladem lidské -oběti a čistého černokněžnictví. - -* https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/12822/what-is-the-meaning-of-sorceress-in-exodus-2218 -* https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/thou-shalt-not-suffer-a-witch-to-live-a-murderous-mistranslation-1.5443682 -* https://archive.org/details/witchcraftinmidd0000russ - -.. [#] https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=QaT1tVK0uZIC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false - ----- - -Before I (finally) get to them, let me add one more side track: -while looking for these verses, and studying them, I have met -[#]_ quite couple of mentions of actions or practices described -in the Bible (both Old and New Testament), which looked to me -very much like occult practices and which would today be strongly -prohibited by all Bible-loving churches. Bible just notices them, -but neither condemns them, nor even comments on their -(un-)righteousness: - -* Joseph’s silver cup used for divination, Numbers 5:12-31, Urim - & Thummim, Elisha cursing small boy who calls him “badly”, - lots, Daniel was supervisor of “the magicians, astrologers, - Chaldeans and soothsayers” (Daniel 5:11). In the New Testament - Paul’s declaration in Acts 13:6-12 looks uncomfortably like - a curse, and Acts 5:9 perhaps too (this one is more - explainable). - -.. [#] Mostly from http://www.religioustolerance.org/divin_bibl.htm - ----- - -https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/India.html - -India is mentioned twice in the Bible (Esther 1:1 and 8:9) and -transcribed as Hodu (הדי), which is something related from -“handle snake” or “snake charm”. diff --git a/faith/too_long.rst b/faith/too_long.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 9657228..0000000 --- a/faith/too_long.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,73 +0,0 @@ -Drawn too long -############## - -:date: 2020-01-04T10:31:09 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter - -(Major spoilers follow, I am sorry, but I cannot explain my -opinion on the story without revealing most of the plot; if you -haven’t read the story, finish it first.) - -I have followed `To All the Wizards I’ve Considered Before by -FullofWrackspurts`_ first with excitement. It seemed like -refreshingly “normal” story different from the pervasive cliches -of most Harmony or Romione stories. Hermione which is as confused -by the intricacies of love as we all are, who is not -a super-heroine, not super-confident, and … well, the word is -“normal”. - -It starts as a classical comedy of errors: letters are sent to -number of Hermione’s male classmates making an impression that -they are some kind of her love letters to them. Farcical -dialogues with those affected happen and in the end, she agrees -with Dean to pretend to be dating so that they may evoke jealousy -in Ginny and Ron, and persuade them to renew (or ignite) romantic -relationship. Obviously what follows is that the pretended -relationship between Hermione and Dean starts to change into -something real and both of them are too bound by the pretence to -reveal their true feelings to each other. So far so good, -certainly not worse than three quarters of all successful -Hollywood romantic comedies. - -The obvious problem is the end game. Whole charade about purely -contractual and pretence nature of their relationship started to -break down around the Christmas, when Hermione visited her -“boyfriend’s” family, and all Dean’s siblings are quite not -believing their pretence. Since that moment, the clocks started -ticking for some final showdown to happen. Two chapters or so of -them resolving their problem and it would be a sweet romcom. - -Unfortunately, that is the sixth chapter of the story, and it -seems like just half of the story (in case the chapter fourteen -is the last one). I guess, the author read somewhere in one of -those “How to write a novel” guides on the Internet (or perhaps -even in a book), that unresolved tension can keep readers -attention for longer time, so she went with it. The problem with -this advice is in my opinion, that it can keep such attention -just for so long and it creates a debt to the readers. Longer you -keep their attention with this artificial gimmick, bigger return -on their investment they expect. With more than half of the story -spent on observing how our two heroes behave like idiots, we -expect something super profound to happen. May in the end the -author go AU and Dean returning to Ginny letting Hermione hang -out dry with the morale being “If you don’t snap them, they may -go away forever”? Will they agree to be together and go for -liberation of house-elves together (or whatever, Dean with his -Black American heritage may have an unique opinion on that)? Will -be there some super dramatic scene with for example Dean being -seriously hurt after The Battle of the Astronomy Tower (kind of -equivalent of the Bill-Fleur scene, or perhaps really dying)? - -The result was that the author haven’t managed to do anything. In -the chapter sixteen our heroes kiss (again, the previous tease -was completely useless in the story development) and they still -haven’t said a word about the nature of their relationship. -Perhaps it is assumed they are boyfriend/girlfriend now, but it -seems like after the betrayal of our expectations the author has -left us hang out dry on the top of everything else. - -After so perfect start the end is a huge disappointment. - -.. _`To All the Wizards I’ve Considered Before by FullofWrackspurts`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/17777138 diff --git a/faith/trans.rst b/faith/trans.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 4a19a57..0000000 --- a/faith/trans.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,62 +0,0 @@ -Transgender, TWERF, and homophobia -################################## - -:date: 2020-06-12T00:21:29 -:status: draft -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, fromReddit - -(response to the comment_ on the topic of femslash) - -Let me intrude this thread again and reanimate this inferi of -a thread. I was thinking about this discussion when following the -last furore on JKR’s Twitter `about transgender issues`_ (and -`her statement`_ and her `original Maya Forstater-related -tweet`_). For the record, I 100% agree with her. - -It is sad how the Real Life intrudes on our escapism. - -What made me write this comment was rereading this paragraph -(told by Professor McGonagall): - - it appears that [Lavender’s] primary concern in sharing - a dorm with you is that she is uncomfortable sharing a space - with someone that she thinks might look at her in a … less - than platonic manner - -This is the line which seems to indicate that the top of the -Astronomy Tower is the only acceptable place for homosexuals (and -even they have to be somehow separated). I think the only answer -is that the complainant should grow a pair of gender-appropriate -body organs, because there is not and there should not be much to -do about it otherwise. - -JKR links to the article_ defending existence of the biological -sex from a lesbian and including this chilling statement “I’ve -never felt as shouted down, ignored, and targeted as a lesbian -*within* our supposed GLBT community as I have over the past -couple of years.” Of course, not having any personal contact with -the homosexual community (not using the abbreviation, because -I cannot remember all letters which are included and there will -be new one there tomorrow anyway), I have learned for the first -time about this pretty wild conflict between lesbians and -transgender women (i.e., male → female conversion). - -like many trans-woman are lesbians running from homophobia - -like butch lesbians are maltreated. - -.. _comment: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/ghqq6t/best_fanfic_that_responds_to_the_reptilia28s_dont/fqmpda9/ - -.. _`about transgender issues`: - https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269409838318182401 - -.. _`original Maya Forstater-related tweet`: - https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1207646162813100033 - -.. _article: - https://thevelvetchronicle.com/anonymous-letter-from-a-terrified-lesbian-thoughtcrime/ - -.. _`her statement`: - https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/ diff --git a/faith/unhappy_dark_lord.rst b/faith/unhappy_dark_lord.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 6bc90fc..0000000 --- a/faith/unhappy_dark_lord.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,90 +0,0 @@ -Horcruxes and Unhappy Dark Lord -############################### - -:date: 2021-04-29T23:15:46 -:category: faith -:tags: HPprompt, harryPotter, blogComment, plotBunny - -Originally published as “`Quest for Immortality by the Unhappy -Dark Lord`_” on Reddit. - -.. _`Quest for Immortality by the Unhappy Dark Lord`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/n1e9pm/quest_for_immortality_by_the_unhappy_dark_lord/ - -I was thinking about this very unhappy adept for the Dark -Lordship, Tom Riddle: - -1. Hufflepuff’s Cup — while Tom Riddle was still travelling after - leaving Borgin and Burkes, and he considered dropping it into - `The Mariana Trench`_ as the safest place to be. Safe it was, - but the diary was squashed by the weight of the water (15,750 - psi, 1107.33 kg/cm², 10 kilometres depth), a ton on each - square centimetre was just too much even for the magical - protections on the cup. - -2. Diary — while still travelling he left it in the middle of the - Sahara desert, specifically at Reggane_ … surely, nobody would - find one small book in the middle of Sahara!; which - unfortunately was the place of French Nuclear tests in 1960 - completely evaporating it. - -3. Marvolo Gaunt’s Ring — left in the Gaunt’s shack, which was - a miserable ruin with an unknown owner (Gaunts didn’t bother - to register their ownership in the Muggle land registry). So, - when Muggles were building a motorway pass, it was silently - eliminated (better to ask for forgiveness than permission). - A hundred metric ton bulldozer_ was not impressed by few - slithering snakes and run through wards over the shack without - even noticing them. The ring in the box was later found by - a construction worker, who was immediately killed by the - curse. After even the emergency doctor, who was investigating - the incident, has been killed, the company decided to cover up - the whole disaster, and threw the ring (holding it in the - protective cover) into a blast furnace, which quickly overcame - all Horcrux protections and it was destroyed. - -4. Slytherin’s locket — he left it in the cave near the sea and - it was salvaged by Regulus Black. Kreacher was not clueless, - he asked for help His Mistress (a bit of elvish sophistry - … when she is dead, she is not a member of the family any - more, so he could tell her whatever he needed) and found - a book in the Black Library, and after learning how to, he - made a trip to Rockall_ and using Fiendfyre. - -5. Ravenclaw diadem — it was left in the Room of Hidden Things, - and later found by Winky, who was cleaning up all things left - in the castle by her now-imprisoned young Master, Barty Crouch - Jr., when he was still nineteen, but excessively smart and - planning for DADA Mastery. While looking for some lost stuff - in the Room, she found an excessively Dark magical object. She - knew that her young Master would like to preserve it, so she - travelled with it for him to Azkaban (wards didn’t stop the - elf’s apparition), but she was attacked there by Dementors. In - a panic, she dropped the diadem, apparated away, and the - horcrux was immediately sucked dry by a Dementor savouring - extra Dark piece of soul. - -6. Harry’s piece of soul — Dumbledore was not an idiot, even - without knowing what it was exactly, before Harry was - deposited with Dursleys, Dumbledore scraped out an unknown - piece of Dark Magic matter in Harry’s head, while it was still - fresh and it still didn’t take a root in his skull. It went - out easily and without the support of anything living died on - the pavement of Privet Drive, Surrey. - -So, when Harry got to Hogwarts in September 1991, there were no -Horcruxes remaining and Harry had wonderful seven years of study, -where the most memorable events of his life were his Quidditch -victories and his first date with `${somegirl}`. - -.. _`The Mariana Trench`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariana_Trench - -.. _Reggane: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggane - -.. _bulldozer: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_D11 - -.. _Rockall: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockall diff --git a/faith/vita_brevis-again.rst b/faith/vita_brevis-again.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 055c662..0000000 --- a/faith/vita_brevis-again.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,34 +0,0 @@ -Vita Brevis and Augustine’s giving up wife for the sake of His Salvation -######################################################################## - -:date: 2015-10-03T11:20:14 -:category: faith -:tags: Augustine, philosophy, podcast, blogComment - -(I wanted to comment on “The History of Philosophy: without any -gaps” `podcast about Saint Augustine`_, but somehow their -comment system is broken) - - | Sister, when you love your man, be careful how you tell him that - | He will put you back in a corner and use you like a Sunday hat - -OK, this quotation pushed me over the edge, so I have to write it -here. I have read Augustine’s Confessions many times, actually -it was one of the books which are most “guilty” of my own -conversion to the Christianity. And yet, I have completely missed -the story of Augustine’s wife and family (my study of the Roman -Law would lead me to believe that actually they were married, but -that’s another issue). So, when I stumbled upon the `“Vita -Brevis”`_ by Jostein Gaarder I was completely shocked how much -I managed to ignore while reading my beloved book. So, no -Augustine didn’t divorce his wife and didn’t take her child -because of the holy quest of His Conversion. It was a way worse. -Read the Confessions again, or better yet read the Gaarder’s -book as well. Highly recommended. Yes, the latter is a fiction -book. I know. - -.. _`podcast about Saint Augustine`: - http://historyofphilosophy.net/comment/4679#comment-4679 - -.. _`“Vita Brevis”`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0753804611 diff --git a/faith/werewolf-stories.rst b/faith/werewolf-stories.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 1c6132d..0000000 --- a/faith/werewolf-stories.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,83 +0,0 @@ -Werewolf stories -################ - -:date: 2021-01-08T00:31 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment - -(my entry on “`What are you reading? Weekly Post for 2021-01-06`_”) - - -After the discussion on `other -thread <https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/kqvmat/luna_as_werewolf/>`__, -I was given reference to three Harmony+werewolves stories (Lupin bites -somebody in the end of the third year). I found them surprisingly good: - -* “`In Bocca Al Lupo by morpholomeg`_” is very well executed. - The idea is simple: story of poor Muggle family (Grangers) who - has to deal with the fact that their daughter is not only witch - (which is strange enough), but she is handicapped for the rest - of her life (Remus even pushes his theory that Hermione as - a witch should be sterilised, because she is not capable to - carry baby through transformations; I really prefer “`Tuum - Fatum by DragonsAndOtters`_”) Beauty of the story is that it is - very clearly focused and it doesn’t get bogged down into - romance or into seven year story, but it keeps it just in the - length of normal summer story. Other thing I really liked was - how it describe the frontier between the magical and Muggle - story and it doesn’t limit the story to all those tired places - (Hogwarts, Burrow, Gringotts, Ministry). - -* “`The Wolf Doesn’t Lose Sleep Over the Bleating of Sheep by - Chelonie`_” is kind of similar story (although it is still - ongoing story, so I am not sure, how it will develop), but it - is more explicit Harmony story (both Harry and Hermione are - bitten, and they quickly move to the old ancestral Potter - building Pottery). The thing which was created very well is - explicitly pissed off both victims with Lupin, which ends up in - the end to kicking Lupin out of their company and house. I am - very much looking forward to future instalments of the story. - -* “`A Werewolf and a Veela Walk Into a Pub by Ares.Granger`_” - After previous two mostly excellent stories, I was a bit - disappoint by this one. It is mostly opposite of them: whereas - these are mostly about hardship of living with the curse - (particularly in the Muggle world), here Harry’s (only) - lycanthropy is mostly just waved over (“if you accept who you - are, you don’t need any Wolfsbane Potion and you can control - yourself well”) and to make things even more weird, Hermione - promptly and conveniently finds out that she is actually - a Veela, which leads to immediate (the story is when they are - fourteen) very very active sex life (fortunately, acts are only - mentioned in the background, it is not overly lemony). Then - lycanthropy/veelism is just soup on the top of rather standard - Triwizard Tournament story (but there are really only three - participants, Harry is by literally acts of god saved and - Voldemort vanquished on time). Not sure about this. - -To clear my palate, I have read also this beauty: - -* “`When Is It a Contract by Aealket`_” which is beautifully - balancing on complete crack story with completely awesome Luna - (who always correctly answers any direct question, except the - answer doesn’t make any sense, and she doesn’t remember neither - question nor the answer), Amelia Bones ex machina, and - completely outplayed Dumbledore. Delightful. - -.. _`What are you reading? Weekly Post for 2021-01-06`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/krnezx/what_are_you_reading_weekly_post/ - -.. _`In Bocca Al Lupo by morpholomeg`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/24594295 - -.. _`Tuum Fatum by DragonsAndOtters`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/10294436 - -.. _`The Wolf Doesn’t Lose Sleep Over the Bleating of Sheep by Chelonie`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/21972532 - -.. _`A Werewolf and a Veela Walk Into a Pub by Ares.Granger`: - https://fanfiction.net/s/11279476 - -.. _`When Is It a Contract by Aealket`: - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7382549/1/ diff --git a/faith/what-wrong-with-Ginny.rst b/faith/what-wrong-with-Ginny.rst deleted file mode 100644 index fbef753..0000000 --- a/faith/what-wrong-with-Ginny.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,95 +0,0 @@ -What’s wrong with Ginny? -######################## - -:date: 2019-07-17T23:50:28 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, zettelkasten, plot, story - -(my comments on “`The Character Development of Ginny Weasley`_” -by `u/goodlife23`_) - -For me the main idea of everything written (originally, I have -this from an excellent book by Walter Kerr “`How Not to Write -a Play`_”) is that the plot (and character development and many -other things in any literary work) is about a character moving -from point A to point B. That’s all the play (novel, short story) -is about! Why did she move from A to B? What were the obstacles -on the way? How did she overcame them? Actually points A and -B are not so important as the travel between them. - -One of the most horrible sins of any literary work is when in the -first act of a drama the character (let’s say Draco Malfoy or -Severus Snape) is in point A (marked Death Eater believing -honestly in the pureblood ideals), and in the second act he is in -point B (member of the Order of Phoenix fighting pureblood -mentality). Change happened sometime during the intermission. -That’s completely and absolutely wrong! The most important part, -the only part we are interested in, is how he changed. What moved -him to leave the Voldemort’s camp? Was it difficult? What -obstacles he had to overcome? What precious things he had to -sacrifice and leave behind? This is for example problem of most -stories with Severus Snape as the main character. In books we -have rather horrible person persecuting Harry just because he -looks like his dad. Then suddenly in the story he is fair, a bit -hurt by the nasty Dumbledore, smart guy who is the best friend -with Harry without much problems. WHAT? How did they get there? -Why Severus changed his attitude towards Harry? How did Harry -struggle to accept this change? etc. The story in this area -I rather like (“`Becoming Harriet`_” by Teao; another problem is -that amount of smut is so big that it hurts the narrative) is -exactly with this problem. Suddenly without any transition, Snape -is the only professor who was always honest with Harry (WHAT?), -desperately hoping for just treatment for his Slytherins, etc., -and Harry (well, Harriet, it is a gender bending story) accepts -it immediately without any objections (WHAT?). - -The similar thing happened to Ginny in the books. She starts as -a very shy girl with her elbow in the butter dish when seeing -Harry, then she is a damsel in distress (OK, that part is -covered, that’s what CoS is about), a princess saved by her -knight in (not so much) shining armour from a dragon, and then -… she is completely forgotten. Suddenly she shows up two and half -books later as a self-confident sport-loving the most pretty girl -at Hogwarts well prepared to be the girl for Harry (and there is -not much else for her goals in life apparently). We are told, -that Hermione had told her (behind the scenes, we don’t even know -when that conversation happened) to date around to get -a confidence (pretty stupid idea, if I may say so) and she -changes somewhere behind the scenes (aside from one scene when -Harry and Ron found her kissing somebody, we don’t even know -anything about that process). There is a hint to something in my -beloved line ‘“Lucky you,” said Ginny coolly.’, but it has never -been developed into proper substory (which is huge mistake, -IMHO). That’s COMPLETELY WRONG! We are interested in the process -how a girl, who was shy and horribly abused by Tom Riddle -(emotionally, physically, perhaps even otherwise), changes into -the fiery Ginny we all know and love. We don’t know and we are -never told. - -Difference between Luna and Ginny is interesting. The story arch -we are here following is not actually change in Luna herself (she -is mostly the same all time she is present), but the journey is -Harry’s (and ours) discovery who she is. He first thinks (with -everybody else including Hermione) she is just Loony, crazy girl -spitting out nonsense. And gradually he finds out she is actually -rather smart, shockingly honest, and absolutely faithful to her -friends, so he ends to take her to the Slughorn’s party, and she -then follows the group to the Department of Mysteries and -co-leads the Dumbledore Army during DH (another horribly -situation where everything interesting with Ginny happens -somewhere in background). However, given Luna is not the main -heroine of the story (contrary to Ginny, who should be the one), -it is possibly easier to forgive her disappearance in the -background, when she is not needed for the main storyline. - -.. _`The Character Development of Ginny Weasley`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HarryandGinny/comments/ceiyfj/the_character_development_of_ginny_weasley/ - -.. _`u/goodlife23`: - https://www.reddit.com/user/goodlife23/ - -.. _`How Not to Write a Play`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Not_to_Write_a_Play - -.. _`Becoming Harriet`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/4876630 diff --git a/faith/why_drop_story.rst b/faith/why_drop_story.rst deleted file mode 100644 index ff072f8..0000000 --- a/faith/why_drop_story.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,53 +0,0 @@ -Why to drop fanfiction story immediately -######################################## - -:date: 2021-10-19T18:35:24 -:category: faith -:tags: review, harryPotter, blogComment, zettelkasten - -pink-pipes asked_ on Reddit - - What Tropes or Scenes Have Made You Drop a Fic Immediately? - -I have prepared this list: - -* harem, Ménage à trois, polygamy, fluid sexuality, PWP, - Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamic - -* creature inheritance … an immediate hard drop - -* adult/child + Death Eater/normal romantic relationships (yes, - I am certain there are some exceptions, but I have yet to find - truly good Drarry, Draminoe, Snarry ... ewww, Snamione ... - ewww, not even mentioning anybody/Voldemort, anybody/Bellatrix, - anybody/Lucius) - -* dark!Harry (or dark!Hermione etc.) - -* pureblood culture & pureblood Hermione (I tried few, none of - those were completely horrible, but I don't feel the need to - seek for more) - -* OP!Harry - -* almost all crossovers (especially with superheroes, Star Wars) - -However, since then I have noticed couple more of these: - -* Dramione stories … “I bullied you, because I loved - you.” It is not cure of a problem with young Hitlerjugend, it - is disgusting. Just say no. Even worse, I couldn’t believe - that somebody actually wrote in this day and age a story where - freshly minted Harry-turned-into-girl finds it awesome when she - is literally raped by Draco. “He raped me, because he loves - me.” I just couldn’t believe my eyes. - -* sheeple - -* A time travel story: “Good, then you understand that Sirius - needs to stay in Azkaban until the time is right.” No, I don’t. - -* Apartment-sized trunk - -.. _asked: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/q4s3gk/what_tropes_or_scenes_have_made_you_drop_a_fic/ diff --git a/faith/working-class-snape.rst b/faith/working-class-snape.rst deleted file mode 100644 index 6d97581..0000000 --- a/faith/working-class-snape.rst +++ /dev/null @@ -1,88 +0,0 @@ -Working class Snape? -#################### - -:date: 2021-02-28T19:16:02 -:category: faith -:tags: HPprompt, harryPotter, blogComment - -(my post “`All Our Kin: Snape and Evanses flight from the urban poverty of early 1980s`_”) - -Discussing the character of Severus Snape in other thread, I was -made to think about the class structure behind the story. We know -that Severus Snape was a son of `a jobless worker in 1970s`_, and -while Evanses are said to do better than Snapes, I don’t think -they were that economically distant from each other when they -were from the same broken factory-town. My suggestion is that -Evanses were doing better because they were in the government -jobs, so although they had no significantly higher salaries than -an average worker, their positions were secure and stable (my -head-canon is that Mr Evans was a policeman and Mrs Evans was -a post-office clerk). However, all kids were locked in the same -trap of poverty, where they had hard time to move to better -education and better jobs (read “`All Our Kin by Carol B. -Stack`_” … yes, the situation in The Flats was certainly far -worse, and there were no racial elements in the situation in -Cokeworth). - -It would be nice to have story which acknowledges this -background. Of course, JKR books and all related fanfiction -stories are not realistic sociological probe, but feel-good -reading, but one thing which makes a wee bit dissatisfied with -whole this body of work is how incredibly first-world it feels. -Everybody is either rich or very rich (notice that all those BMWs -of Grangers and Dursleys in every other fanfiction), and people -who could be objectively from the poor background (Dean Thomas, -Creeves) are pushed aside, or their situation is trivialized -(Weasleys). And no, I don’t want Marxist stories like “the class -struggle is the engine room of history” (which is a nonsense), -but stories which would be more realistic. - -In the end all three kids were able to get out of Cokeworth: -Severus and Lily because they got into very posh boarding school, -Petunia because of her marriage with a more-or-less successful -salesman (perhaps because of gratitude she was willing to stick -with him even if he was completely obnoxious and perhaps even -abusive?). - -I found some_ threads_ which_ at least partially acknowledge -this. - ---- - -**{participants on the thread added other interesting references}** - -* “`Picketing For Peace by HissyTheDangerNoodle`_” - … working-class Snape decides to help his father during - nation-wide strikes of the Thatcherite era. - -* “`Curry Sauce, Scraps and a Smack by Jaxon`_” - -* “`A dealer, not a Death Eater by Jaxon`_” - - -.. _`All Our Kin: Snape and Evanses flight from the urban poverty of early 1980s`: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/lumg8r/all_our_kin_snape_and_evanses_flight_from_the/ - -.. _`a jobless worker in 1970s`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973%E2%80%931975_recession#United_Kingdom - -.. _`All Our Kin by Carol B. Stack`: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780061319822 - -.. _some: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/9otv44/any_stories_where_a_muggleborn_chav_goes_to/ - -.. _threads: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/jyrwyv/what_if_hogwarts_was_actually_the_best_school_for/ - -.. _which: - https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/eqrzg6/lf_tobias_snape_is_a_coal_miner/ - -.. _`Picketing For Peace by HissyTheDangerNoodle`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/13334973 - -.. _`Curry Sauce, Scraps and a Smack by Jaxon`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/12846999 - -.. _`A dealer, not a Death Eater by Jaxon`: - https://archiveofourown.org/works/14046060 |