Notre Dame Cathedral is burning

[_Jersey Girl]

Well, it has been raining here in SLC for the past few days. Maybe it’s cabin fever.

Again with the cabin fever!

[_Jersey Girl]

... I think it is sad that the destruction of this monument is now fodder for our political discourse in 2019.

I agree with you.

But, there's better news than you think. Notre Dame is NOT destroyed. The roof is gone, certainly. But for a start, the stone structure of the walls and great west towers is intact, together with the glass of the great rose windows, And thanks in part to the strength of the stone ceiling vaulting (much of which has survived) under the timber roof structure there is much less damage to the interior than you might have expected. Even the great organ is unburnt, although it may have suffered water damage.

To borrow a term from subgenius, the building suffered a severe hair fire: frightening to see, but less damaging than it looked. All credit to the brave fire-fighters who had the courage to go into the burning building to create a wall of water that prevented the roof fire spreading to the timber frames inside the great west towers that supported the massive bells: had those collapsed, it is likely that the towers would have been brought down as the bells plunged through the structure.

In an address to the nation today, President Macron said that the he was planning a restoration and repair program that would bring the building back to a usable condition in five years. He may be optimistic, but even if it takes longer than that things are much better than they looked last night.

I saw photos of the interior post-blaze. It looked far better than I expected. I heard or read that the fire was likely due to construction crews throwing a spark with a welder or blow torch. That really makes sense and I hope there were no outside forces at work.

I'm very impressed with the donation pledges (700m last time I checked) from well to do folks--designers, etc. Some artwork saved, the windows, organ and alter remain. It looks like the interior wood working is what will need to be replaced so...no loss of life, majority of the structure is safe/stable, money to begin restoration and as I believe you mentioned earlier restoration will create jobs and craftspeople who will have a chance to apply their art to a major undertaking...so overall...not too bad!

Plus, I think it noteworthy that the loss was mourned by both religious and non-religious around the world. I wish our world could unite behind something beyond tragedy. Yet there it is.

[_subgenius]

...(snip).... I wish our world could unite behind something beyond tragedy. Yet there it is.

you mean like,
the world cup
baby pandas
royal weddings
space travel
olympics
...
and the countless other "good news" that sells copy to the vicarious living addicts that miss the triumphs in their own backyard?

i wonder how those abducted child soldiers in Africa are coping with the tragedy of Notre Dame?

[_subgenius]

Within hours of the spire coming down, two of France's wealthiest families — led by François-Henri Pinault and Bernard Arnault — had pledged no less than €300million in funding for the restoration effort. The city of Paris was also able to mobilise €10million.


to bad these guys cared more about a waning tourist attraction than hunger or homelessness.

[_Quasimodo]

I hate it when disasters effect me personally. You don't happen to have a spare room, do you?

I still have tent space.

After hearing your weather stories, I think the only time to go tenting near you is maybe sometime in August. Winter, winter, August, winter.

[_Jersey Girl]

I still have tent space.

After hearing your weather stories, I think the only time to go tenting near you is maybe sometime in August. Winter, winter, August, winter.

Snow, Snow, Fire, Snow.

;-)

[_Chap]

In connection with the donation of large sums for the repair of Note Dame, it is good to be reminded by subgenius of the classic Christian attitude toward spending large sums of money on a

tourist attraction <rather> than hunger or homelessness.

Indeed, as Christians are reminded by Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin:

Acts 7:

48 ... the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

49Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

50Hath not my hand made all these things?

51Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

And again, Christians are told explicitly by Jesus that if they do not give food and drink to the hungry, he will regard them as having left Jesus himself to go hungry.

How hypocritical then of so-called Christians to spend money on the construction and repair of elaborate religious buildings such as Notre Dame de Paris!

Clearly this ignoring of the promptings of the Holy Spirit is one of the results of the Great Apostacy. How blessed the world is that Jesus has restored his church in these latter days, and that the prophets now guide Christ's church in accordance with his words. His true church would never waste its money on elaborate buildings when the hungry and homeless lie in the streets.

Oh, wait ...



That picture is said to be the new LDS Rome Italy Temple. Must be fake news.

Fortunately, atheists like me are, unlike true Christians, not obliged to disapprove of spending money on protecting and preserving a major element of humanity's cultural heritage like Notre Dame. Some of us even give money to homeless charities as well: since we don't pay tithing to Christ's true church, we have a bit to spare ...

[_Quasimodo]

Snow, Snow, Fire, Snow.

;-)