I was not devastated to see Notre Dame go up in flames, and I hope they never rebuild Her.
Sad, yes, as one is sad when a beautiful old thing that has outlived it's usefulness must be released. Shocked even. But also I felt a deep, silent "Yes!" as I felt empowered.
You see, I BELIEVE that our words, our art, our creations and yes, our buildings, carry vibrational energy. They change the physical world. One only has to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau to FEEL and KNOW that. The vibrations of torture, suffering, loss and man's inhumanity to man linger. The sadness we take with us as we leave there, changes what we create. And so the ripples continue.
Had Auschwitz-Birkenau been a beautiful building, would that warrant it's rebuilding and restoration at some hideous amount of $$? After all, it was the epitome of efficiency, and our commercial world celebrates industrial efficiency.
Notre Dame and many old stone relics like Her are public symbols of the Catholic Church - one of the world's biggest and richest financial players, with a very blotted, ugly, copy book. This is the very same church that initiated the burning of the so-called heretic "witches"; which saw rich clerics eating their fill with the Noblesse de Robe while the French people starved before the French Revolution; which condoned slavery from France's many African colonies; which grew fat and whose very edifices and artworks were funded by rape, war, indigenous genocide and intellectual repression.
This is not a vibration I want to see continued in the world.
Just weeks ago the world was aflame (pun intended) with moral outrage at a Catholic Church which condoned the sexual abuse of children by Cardinal George Pell - which has remained silent and turned the other way as generations of women and children have reported sexual and domestic abuse. The church has hidden priests and refused responsibility. It has denied struggling women access to both their faith and safe contraception and abortion. You choose, it said. Suffer now with our blessing, or be damned eternally. This is not any vibration I want to see perpetuated in our world. Me? I chose the eternal damnation.
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”
Arundhati Roy, one of my favourite authors and environmental activists, encourages me daily with those words.
A new paradigm and global consciousness IS rising. Before we can have new approaches to health, housing, the environment, money, banking, employment etc, old structures will need to be allowed to collapse and burn. Sometimes literally. And we will need COURAGE to stand by and watch what we thought was beautiful and to hold that knowledge and sorrow together with the knowledge of what it really was.
Notre Dame was a beautiful facade for an ugly reality, and I don't want to see that vibration of falsity restored.
So what do I want? Open, honest dialogue. I want us to HEAR the many women and men who still need to vomit when they smell frankincense and who shudder at being entombed emotionally and spiritually by dark grey stone.
France is a terribly divided society with acute racial and refugee tensions, as it struggles to embrace all of the ugly national karma its centuries of rape and pillage and colonialism have created. I would love to see the windows as part of a new multi-faith center and mosque on the same site which provides services for France's colonial refugees. And I would like to see the Vatican sell some of it's art and incredible global real estate to pay for that. NO need for donations AT ALL.
I would like to see the gerzillions of $$ already pledged for Notre Dame's restoration REDIRECTED towards schools, desalination plants, reproductive healthcare, domestic violence services and education, clean energy options, reforestation and environmental education centers in France's former colonies.
Now that energy of responsibility, reparation and restoration is a vibration that could, and should, ripple out into the world.
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today....
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
Together, we can.
Image by 
Contributing to the @earthtribe. Cos it MATTERS.
I am saddened by the burning of the cathedral, and hope it is restored and rebuilt, possibly better than before. It is a marvelous architectural wonder of the world, and a historically enriched building. The destruction of historical buildings, art, and historical writings are serious crimes against human struggle, sacrifice, and historical achievements. Many are speculating it was arson, and I do seriously hope that is not the case, and instead a foolish accident that we can learn from to prevent it from ever happening again.
There are precious few historical sites from our ancient history that we can clearly reference our past from. They are destroyed over time through natural causes, or even buried under the sands of the earth and the ocean waters to become lost and forgotten. Adding the catastrophes of war to the mix, and we witness even more historical sites being destroyed as a consequence. Empires rise and fall, and their churches are often destroyed with it in order to build new centers of worship that will better conform the populace to respect the current nation.
A building is a hollow shell, with no soul, no life, and no heart. Notre Dame is fossil. It has no meaning, except what people attribute to it. It is up to us, as a people, to learn from the past, and be sure that the tragedies you described never happen again. The caretakers of these buildings often share in that hope that we can better learn the past by seeing with our own eyes the awesomeness of what these buildings look and feel like. True art often wrenches our feelings into depths we have never before fully experienced: good, bad, and ugly.
We could similarly demand that the pyramids be destroyed because of the slaves who perished to build them, but who would that enormous endeavor best serve? Perhaps we could simply allow the earth to swallow these offensive structures, and let them be wiped from our memories completely. Who alive today can say that any of these buildings are meant to be representations of a living organization that knowingly performs corrupt deeds against humanity? Does destruction of a building erase the past? Will it heal wounds by enacting revenge against a blameless structure? Are there better ways to help restore a people who are so deeply divided that they fight, abuse, and kill those those who hold different beliefs?
Humanity is redeemable when people are capable of facing adversity with kindness, and leading others to do the same. Such philosophies are often the basis of many churches that have been founded across the world. And heinous acts have also been committed by fallen practitioners who lead these churches. In this way, our history is painful to learn, but the story must be shared and heard all the same.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this event. It may certainly be a sign that a change is happening.
Thank YOU for such a detailed, thoughtful contribution. I'm gonna percolate on that for a bit. :) No, I wouldn't demolish the pyramids, but if they were damaged through an event like an earthquake, I also wouldn't rebuild them. Destruction does NOT erase a past but purifies (esp fire!) and enables a new beginning. Chang MOST CERTAINLY is a happening!!
Thank you for the insight to realize I mean no ill will in seeing things differently and wanted to share my impressions. Cheers!
Contrast & difference which is embraced & shared is healthy & fosters growth. I don't need people in my orbit to think or be like me. Au contraire!! 😊
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I completely agree! In fact, I a post of this type was trying to emerge through my fingers that didn't quite make it to the keyboard, but your sentiment is shared. The only thing that actually materialized was on another social media site, where people were posting about the fire, to which I responded simply with the song Fire Water Burn by the Bloodhound Gang: "The roof is on fire - we don't need no water, let the mother-ee-ah burn ..."
A bit insensitive? Maybe. But honestly, I think this whole hysteria around the Notre Dame fire is insane. And incredible how many people jump on the whole bandwagon, talking nonsense about cultural heritage, and how unique that cathedral is. Never seen a Gothic church before? For all those who haven't I can only recommend to visit Cyprus. There you can get really cathedraled out! Back when crusaders came from all around Europe to fight in the Holy Land, Cyprus was their last stop before landing in the Levant, and every lord with a bit of funds had a church built, of course in the hottest style of the day. So today on a day's stroll trough Nicosia you can experience a number of Notre Dames. (Oh sure, none of them is the "original" though.)
Funnily enough I am here in Vietnam travelling with a friend from Limasol. 😊 I shall ask her tomorrow over breakfast about the churches.
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Oh yes, please do! I'd be excited to hear what she says. :-)
I saw your title and have to say I was surprised and intrigued. I'm a lover of history and old architecture, so it pains me to see it destroyed, no matter what it's history. I agree with what you're saying in many ways, but wanted to add some thoughts.
Many things start out with good intentions and the Catholic church most likely didn't start out to become what it is today. A building is only ever a symbol of something if we choose to see it as that. Now you say it, I guess I do realise that Europe's cathedrals were all built by the catholic church, but I never really thought of that when I see and visit them. I see what amazing things people are capable of creating. However, it always comes with some sadness, because most of our incredible achievements come from people working together as one unit and that unit is usually achieved at the expense of many individuals for the gain of a few. Buddhism may be the only case where that is not so true.
My hope is that one day we will have evolved enough to achieve these things through the choice of the many for the benefit of all, but should we allow history to be erased because of the bad sides of it? So much of historical significance has been destroyed throughout the ages because others (often conquerors) didn't agree with it and what it represented, meaning that a lot has been lost to us so that we can be shackled by the narratives of today. This is why I find it so hard to see the destruction of architecture.
The past is the past, however, and we can't undo it, only learn from it. Could one of the things we learn be creating a new vibration for bad places of the past without necessarily destroying what little bits of beauty and knowledge came from it?
That's not to say that Notre Dame was a purposeful act. Perhaps it was even fate and it's certainly a good question to ask whether it should be rebuilt once emotions are settled. You're quite right that the church has more than enough money to rebuild it if they want to and ultimately it's their business if they do. The chances are it will be restored, because it's such a tourist attraction, so it will be for the benefit of the few, as always. As you rightly say, there are much better ways for this money to be spent. I'm thoroughly torn between my emotions and logic.
This has been a real thought provoker, thank you for sharing.
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Thank you for such a considered contribution. You have given me much more to ponder. Interestingly I was at the My Son UNESCO site here in Vietnam on Monday (think mini Angkor Wat) It was bombed & damaged by the Americans. Only one building at the very back of the site has been reconstructed to show what a temple would have looked like. The bomb craters have become part of the site & the story, and lush forest has been allowed to enfold & surround it.
It is a massive tourist site but does not need rebuilding. More of a Hindu-Buddhist way. It is what it is. 💚
Appreciating your thoughts.
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It can be hard to let go, sometimes, and allow things to move on without trying to retrieve what was. It's a good thing to learn, though. As much as I love architecture, nothing can last forever, even mountains. It's sad when mankind's destruction ends things so soon, but nature will get there in the end anyway. Forgive and evolve should probably be the way forward.
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Well done wise owl! Fire is the most potent accelerator and symbol of change.. and i have to agree that catholicism needs some assistance back to its source.. xx lets not Be attached, let go.. let her burn!
Right. Let's not be attached to symbols & form. They MUST collapse before the new paradigm can emerge. Sounds like a nice bonfire in our shared future somewhere...? 🔥 yup. Let her burn. 🔥
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Damn and honestly i feel thesame way too. English speaking Cameroonians are dying in their numbers and the world is sitting and watching and saying nothing but pledging billions for the rebuilding of Notre Dame. Children are suffering in Syria and around the world, Climate change is moving very fast and the effects are hard but nobody is pledging billions to solve these crisis that are right here and now. @artemislives, i (@mr-greens) decided to switch from Catholic to become a Baha'i because i realized the Catholic church is some rich business conspiracy that is fueling a lot of divide around the globe. I think if there was no religion, the world will truly be a better place. The money for Notre Dame should be used to rebuild the African countries France is destroying.
Thank you for the resteem 💚LURVE💚 @riverflows
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You are welcome..I came back to 're read today and LOVED the replies by @creativetruth, @stortebeker and everyone else here that lent thoughtful and considerate value to a really valid insight into the issue. Why I love Steem!!
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Ooomph!
At first I was all “Dem’s fightin’ words!”
And then I thought about it and wondered why I hadn’t considered this.
Architecture is very much an expression of culture, going as far back as the original mastaba tombs of pre-dynastic Egypt.
I find the overall Christian hegemony’s indifference and often outrage at their denizens being found guilty of horrors to appall me in every way, shape, and form.
And yet at the same time I begrudge no one their faith.
But Auschwitz still stands and is memorialised to remind us:
No more!
Perhaps we could start considering these cathedrals in the same way...?
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As a conscientious German I am tempted to sneer at the "irresponsible" French (provided the fire was an accident caused by renovation work and not arson), because in Germany it is standard protocol to have a 24/7 fire watch on site at churches and other historic buildings if you do welding work on top of a wooden roof truss (some churches have even watches during the fireworks of New Year´s Eve), but instead I just wish them all the best and a speedy rebuild. 😘
As a symbol, Notre Dame can stand for whatever you choose, light or shadow, but I guess the majority of the French see it as the spiritual heart of the city, if not the nation, so they will want to repair it.
But, like with all iconic fires, the Reichstags fire in 1933 in Berlin comes to mind, we have to ask cui bono?
Catastrophes are always good for politicians to demonstrate leadership skills, and Macron did not look too competent lately, with the majority of the French population sympathizing with the Yellow Vest movement and anti-EU and anti-immigration sentiment rising in France.
Will they find a yellow vest in the rubble? 😂
Or an Islamistic passport? 😂
In light of a wave of recent vandal attacks on churches in France suspicions run high.
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Did they not have insurance? Let the gambling insurance brokers pay for the repairs. The outpouring of donations from well intentioned rich players is probably also a tax deduction spree.
It's a marvel of architecture, that's for sure, but I get the feeling the simple act of a fire consuming fuel that just happened to be the symbol of French Catholicism will only embolden religious "leaders" and their sense of social entitlement.
If there must be a place of worship, and that's also commercial tourist trap (Not discounting it's architectural beauty), pay for the repairs out of your own enormous treasuries.
Thank you for this post. I'm glad I'm not the only one thinks this way.
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I agree with you, I have actually been quite disgusted at the amount of money being thrown at it being rebuilt, what about using that money to help the many refugees living homeless in Paris. I have very little time for Catholicism, it really brought a lot of evil into Ireland, what they church did to so many families there, it is hard not to meet a family that has not been affected in some way.
Change is needed and yes fire is such a great catalyst for change, this fire has really been a great distraction though for what has been happening in France, what a way to make the country look like it is united x
Very powerful post here and I honestly couldn't agree more, the "Catholics" have a lot to answer for and a lot if blood and torture on their hands! This certainly is a vibration that needs it's frequency changed!!
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Beautifully put, I feel the same, a magnificent piece of art that was built by the hands of workers who never saw the proper compensation probably, built upon their hard labor, blood and tears.
A shame to see how many millions were collected in a matter of hours, how quickly the french president is ready to do EVERYTHING in his power seemingly to restore that church. While his country is falling apart and his peoples are taking to the street week-end after week-end, yet noone gives a damn about the voice of the people saying this charade of slavery, of conditioning, and deceit is no longer acceptable.
People do not take to the streets cause things are going well in their lives, the entire nation is suffering the atrocities of the elite. Not just in France but in all of the West.
I feel like the Burning of the Cathedral was God's way of saying to the people, YOU WILL NOT FIND ME IN A CHURCH BUILT BY MAN! I am in the Hearts of Each and Every living Soul!