Notre Dame Cathedral

[wegs]

It was devastating to watch the fire slowly destroy the cathedral, but it seems that there is a palpable lesson to learn from the global reactions. Or maybe a few lessons. One, it shows how obsessively attached we become to things. Even subconsciously. It is merely a building after all, but it has meaning. We have attached meaning to it. This building holds no significance in my life, but yet my jaw dropped open, gasping out loud when I saw the networks airing this disaster. But don't buildings burn down every day? Everywhere? Not that we should dismiss it, but it got me to thinking about my own personal reaction, and why I felt moved at all. Buddhism offers the perspective of how suffering only exists because of our attachment to material things, including our own lives.

Second, this event shows us how connected we truly are, as a global people. All around the world, many wept as the cathedral got swallowed up by an inferno. Why are we weeping? Why do we care? I think it's different for us all, but the fact that we do care, is telling.

 

[RainbowSingularity]

Gothic architecture has inspired billions of dollars worth of movies, fashion, art, buildings, citys & and sub-cultures all around the world.
every professional architect should know and be able to draw some aspect of the Cathedral of Notre Dame
it is highly unlikely that any current big city in the world is not influenced somewhere by Gothic architecture.

 

[Bells]

Mod Note

From what I have seen

• The fire started exactly where the maximum fire damage and speed could happen. ( according to reports here)
  
• It was started directly under the spire ( all timber ) and one of the greater symbols of the church. ( according to reports here)
  
• There was no fire prevention equipment installed.
• A fire could have been deliberately lit and disguised as an accident very easily. A little kindling , a frayed wire or two....
  
• The current anarchist turmoil (yellow vest) and the recent riots using the Churches restoration as an excuse.
• The timing was perfect for maximum effect.
• Recent angst about sexual abuse by the clergy of the Catholic church.

yep. every reason to be suspicious or at least ask the question IMO:

Was the fire deliberately lit, disguised as an accident, or was it purely an accident?

I am sure the French authorities are seriously looking into the possibility given the rise in global extremism and recent French terrorist and yellow shirt issues.

Could it have been spontaneous due to heat build up in the attic?

Regarding the spate of Catholic church ...uhm issues this was posted to the Conversation today.
View attachment 2535

so yeah there is a possibility that Notre Dam inferno may have been a part of a global push against Catholics...
either by conspiracy, or by copy cat inspiration.

I would not be surprised if more Catholic churches are attacked before Easter is over.
5 so far have made the news this week. Starting with Notre Dam.

Also I would be very confident that Law enforcement would be diving deep into the Notre Dam restoration contractors affiliations and associations with the alt right of France and may find a money trail running all the way to Sri Lanka.

Cease and desist in the spread of dangerous and fake propaganda.

Police and investigators had earlier ruled out arson as a cause of the fire, which destroyed the cathedral's roof and caused its spire to collapse. [source]​

 

[Bells]

It was devastating to watch the fire slowly destroy the cathedral, but it seems that there is a palpable lesson to learn from the global reactions. Or maybe a few lessons. One, it shows how obsessively attached we become to things. Even subconsciously. It is merely a building after all, but it has meaning. We have attached meaning to it. This building holds no significance in my life, but yet my jaw dropped open, gasping out loud when I saw the networks airing this disaster. But don't buildings burn down every day? Everywhere? Not that we should dismiss it, but it got me to thinking about my own personal reaction, and why I felt moved at all. Buddhism offers the perspective of how suffering only exists because of our attachment to material things, including our own lives.

Second, this event shows us how connected we truly are, as a global people. All around the world, many wept as the cathedral got swallowed up by an inferno. Why are we weeping? Why do we care? I think it's different for us all, but the fact that we do care, is telling.

Because it is old. It has been around for so many generations, that it was a staple in life, I guess one could call it. We attached meaning to it, because in our view, that building stood the test of time. We did not see how it was crumbling, at risk of falling down, the spire was in a dangerous position (due to it crumbling already, without restoration, the fear was that parts of the building would collapse) and chunks of the Cathedral were already falling down into the back courtyard.

I think what this should now do is open our eyes in regards to maintaining our historic buildings. Questions should be asked about what fire protections there are in these old structures. Most importantly, how much money are Governments willing to spend to protect their national treasures. The French railed against having to use taxpayer funds, and possibly even having to pay more tax, to pay for much needed restorations for their national monuments.. I do not think they realised how dire the situation was. The hope was always for donors to give money to save it, because it was such a national icon. Tragically, it's taken this fire to get that to happen. But it is not the only building in danger in France and elsewhere.

I would hope that they are all looking to upgrade or install sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and other preventative measures to preserve these monuments.

 

[RainbowSingularity]

I think what this should now do is open our eyes in regards to maintaining our historic buildings.

with an ever increasing globalisation of local markets profit has been leveraged to drive the mechanisms of society, rather than society drive the mechanisms.
divide to conquer politics which always gives in to corporate welfare undermines the peoples faith in leadership.
this results in the citizens not trusting money to be stolen and used by those same corporate welfare scam artists.

if you are very well off, and you pay a lot of money to look identical to the other person standing beside you, i dont trust you to be a leader. you are a follower, NOT a leader.

 

[Write4U]

An obscure fact about Notre Dame Cathedral is that it housed an entire apiculture operation of some 180,000 bees.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwU6vtoHqoU/

The tens of thousands of bees living on Notre Dame’s roof survived the horrific fire that overtook the famed cathedral earlier this week.

Bees have been buzzing atop Notre Dame since 2013, when three beehives with about 60,000 bees each were put on a roof over the sacristy. The flames that engulfed the cathedral miraculously didn’t touch the bees because they’re about 30 meters below the main roof where the fire was.

Notre Dame officials spotted the bees on top of the sacristy on Friday, buzzing about their business.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bees-notre-dame-paris-honey_n_5cba0c2fe4b068d795cc36ee

 

[Quantum Quack]

Police and investigators had earlier ruled out arson as a cause of the fire, which destroyed the cathedral's roof and caused its spire to collapse. [source]

The article contradicts itself:

An unnamed French judicial police official said investigators still have not been allowed inside the cathedral to search through the charred ruins due to safety concerns, as its damaged walls were still being reinforced with wooden planks.​

then a little later:

Police and investigators had earlier ruled out arson as a cause of the fire, which destroyed the cathedral's roof and caused its spire to collapse.​

The police hadn't even entered the building to determine the cause but ruled out arson somehow...
But I will take your concerns seriously and not post about any further conspiracy theories regarding this issue.
But seriously you need to take your concerns with the thread starter Trippy asc I am only responding to the OP.

 

[wegs]

Because it is old. It has been around for so many generations, that it was a staple in life, I guess one could call it. We attached meaning to it, because in our view, that building stood the test of time. We did not see how it was crumbling, at risk of falling down, the spire was in a dangerous position (due to it crumbling already, without restoration, the fear was that parts of the building would collapse) and chunks of the Cathedral were already falling down into the back courtyard.

I think what this should now do is open our eyes in regards to maintaining our historic buildings. Questions should be asked about what fire protections there are in these old structures. Most importantly, how much money are Governments willing to spend to protect their national treasures. The French railed against having to use taxpayer funds, and possibly even having to pay more tax, to pay for much needed restorations for their national monuments.. I do not think they realised how dire the situation was. The hope was always for donors to give money to save it, because it was such a national icon. Tragically, it's taken this fire to get that to happen. But it is not the only building in danger in France and elsewhere.

I would hope that they are all looking to upgrade or install sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and other preventative measures to preserve these monuments.

Very insightful, and you're right - we should take an interest in the maintenance of historic buildings and landmarks. It usually takes tragedies to get people's attention. In a warped way, it's nice to see global concern over it. That doesn't happen with many issues, because we (globally) are so polarized by politics and such.

 

[Write4U]

One small item of scientific interest. In old cathedrals the red panes of the stained glass-in-lead windows are made with gold.
It was an old secret guarded by the church, but was really the first practical application of nano technology.

When the electrons are moving at the same frequency as the light, the plasmon is said to be in resonance. ...

Nanoparticles of gold resonate at frequencies within the visible spectrum of light. Smaller nano gold particles absorb and resonate with purple, blue, green, and yellow wavelengths of light, so they look red.

http://www.nisenet.org/sites/default/files/catalog/uploads/8880/materialsgold_guide_31oct11.pdf

 

[RainbowSingularity]

It's true my suspicion wondered after alt-right provocation rising out of the French unrest; the big doubt is a similar disbelief as my feelings about insurance and a workplace accident; it seems an incredibly difficult task to be undertaken for the sake of lulz.

insurance fraud is such a common term of social reference for American news readers.
propaganda would be making such a claim knowingly while there is hardly any insurance cover.

on a more somber note, it raises some questions for me
1 idealist asking 'is there a better way that can be learnt to collect money for such restoration' ?
2 idealist asking again 'is there some type of fire detection system that would not seem opulently objectionable to those paying the bills?'
3 idealist asking yet another question 'is there some better way that global treasures such as the cathedral can some how engage with businesses to help collect money for ongoing preservation ?

perception opinion of subjective comparrison of moral conceptualisation

what if mecca burnt down ?
would it seem bigger than the cathedral burning down ?
why is that ?

idealist posturing inquisitive annotation ... where(& how) does modern-conceptual-metaphysical-manifestation of civilizations' perceptually manifest 'corner-stones of culture' ?

 

[Write4U]

Even I would not entertain the thought that the Church would intentionally burn down a historical and religious icon such as Notre Dame for insurance purposes.
That would be blasphemy in the highest degree.

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame, where a large fire broke out on Monday evening, is among the most famous landmarks in Paris, drawing about 13 million visitors a year.

The cathedral, whose name means Our Lady, is the seat of the archbishop of Paris. Here’s a short history.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/world/europe/notre-dame-cathedral-facts.html

After all they own enough secular properties that could be destroyed for insurance money. Why Notre Dame?

They are going to restore it anyway. If they wanted part of Notre Dame demolished for safety reasons, they could hire expert demolition teams who can take piece of a building without touching the rest. No need to resort to an uncontrolled fire which might have taken the entire cathedral down. That would have been a historical tragedy.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The article contradicts itself:

An unnamed French judicial police official said investigators still have not been allowed inside the cathedral to search through the charred ruins due to safety concerns, as its damaged walls were still being reinforced with wooden planks.​

then a little later:

Police and investigators had earlier ruled out arson as a cause of the fire, which destroyed the cathedral's roof and caused its spire to collapse.​

The police hadn't even entered the building to determine the cause but ruled out arson somehow...
But I will take your concerns seriously and not post about any further conspiracy theories regarding this issue.
But seriously you need to take your concerns with the thread starter Trippy asc I am only responding to the OP.

IIRC people saw the fire start, workers etc., so they knew what caused it.

 

[Quantum Quack]

IIRC people saw the fire start, workers etc., so they knew what caused it.

French police scientists have entered Notre Dame cathedral for the first time to begin gathering evidence on the cause of the fire that devastated the roof and destroyed the spire last week.


Three different agencies will begin to take samples and look for clues that might suggest how the blaze began and ripped through the centuries-old gothic architectural masterpiece last week. Police are treating the blaze as accidental.

src: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...e-scientists-begin-hunt-for-evidence-on-cause
25-04-2019​

 

[Tiassa]

what if mecca burnt down ?
would it seem bigger than the cathedral burning down ?
why is that ?

Well, it's a city. As for al-Kaʿbah al-Musharrafah, it is also true that Rabia al Basri reportedly threatened to burn down the Kaaba should it ever stand between a Muslim and God.

 

[James R]

All around the world, many wept as the cathedral got swallowed up by an inferno. Why are we weeping? Why do we care?

From my perspective, you've got to respect any building that has stood for 800 years, let alone one as impressive as Notre Dame.

Partly, I think, it's because it puts the paltry human lifespan into perspective.

 

[Write4U]

From my perspective, you've got to respect any building that has stood for 800 years, let alone one as impressive as Notre Dame.

Partly, I think, it's because it puts the paltry human lifespan into perspective.

Just for the architecture and artwork. It is a functional museum of nearly a thousand years ago.

I was never in the Notre Dame, but I did see the cathedral at Cologne, Germany.
It was awesome and fascinating

Cologne Cathedral (German: Kölner Dom, officially Hohe Domkirche Sankt Petrus, English: Cathedral Church of Saint Peter) is a Catholiccathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is a renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and was declared a World Heritage Site[3] in 1996.[4] It is Germany's most visited landmark, attracting an average of 20,000 people a day,[5] and currently the tallest twin-spired church at 157 m (515 ft) tall.

It inspired me to learn about medieval bronze Bell casting, a lost art.
https://christophpaccard.com/knowledgebase/lost-wax-bell-casting/
and

and stained glass blowing using nano tchnologies to create permanently stained glass panes;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stained_glass#Cylinder_glass_or_Muff

 

[RainbowSingularity]

No need to resort to an uncontrolled fire which might have taken the entire cathedral down.

additionally, smoke damage can do quite a bit of damage to paintings.
such fumes/smoke penetrates porous materials and the smell can last for years if not permanently.

having the cathedral smell like the fires of hell might be a great April fools joke, but unlikely to be a desired intention of any of its members or staff as a permanent feature.

 

[RainbowSingularity]

From my perspective, you've got to respect any building that has stood for 800 years, let alone one as impressive as Notre Dame.

Partly, I think, it's because it puts the paltry human lifespan into perspective.

what self acclaimed artist does not know of and watched the stage or film version of the hunchback of notre dame ?
Frankenstein ?
Vampire movies ?
Werewolves movies ?
how many TV series ?

... billions of dollars ! ...to be fair, hundreds of billions of dollars

 

[Write4U]

Sanctuary, sanctuary!! ............

 

[iceaura]

An obscure fact about Notre Dame Cathedral is that it housed an entire apiculture operation of some 180,000 bees.

Bees exemplified Christian virtue in the old days. The fact that honey does not spoil easily, is pleasant to see and touch as well as medicinal and good for you, underlined the virtue of the hardworking, self sacrificing, bees. You can see depictions of beehives in lots of older churches and cathedrals - in the stained glass, carved into the woodwork, etc. Monks kept bees.
They fell somewhat out of favor with the uncomfortable discovery that bees have no kings, the queens are promiscuous, and male bees are all but superfluous to the virtuous hive. Biological science ruins everything.