It’s interesting that even in this “post-literate” online media driven culture publishing a book still has a certain cachet. As if it’s substantial and carries some prestige lacking in a mere post. And of course it means that someone besides yourself found your Deep Thoughts worth preserving.
I would suggest to Steefen that he take all his posts on this site and publish them. This does raise copyright issues I would suppose.
A question for Robert since he’s retired and doesn’t have enough to do. Does posting on this site tacitly assign all ownership of content to Prof Ehrman as owner of the site? Would we have to get permission from him to publish any of our own content to another medium?
Who knows? Maybe someday I will want to collect all MY Deep Thoughts and astound the world!
BJH1960, thanks for the Fatima material. The culture surrounding these incidents is very interesting even for one who has no personal belief. Just like UFOs.
BJH1960, thanks for the Fatima material. The culture surrounding these incidents is very interesting even for one who has no personal belief. Just like UFOs.
Interesting how we all interpret things.
I was always struck by a discussion that happened in my classroom here in the early 90s. There was a text about astrology, and we were discussing how unscientific it was, and everyone agreed. But when it came to the ** you do not have permission to see this link **.
It’s fascinating the way certain ideas have widespread acceptance in given cultures.
During my trip to the States in the summer, I met up with a friend and former colleague of mine (longtime German teacher, now Spanish teacher because our high school cut the German program). She’d been in Rome visiting her niece earlier in the summer, and they didn’t have air conditioning. Living in Greece, I know the reason why – we call it ψύξη, which in this particular context means muscle stiffness from air conditioning. A long time time skeptic, I’m presently suffering from it.
It’s probably time I start ** you do not have permission to see this link ** which you might have recommended.
As a card-carrying board-certified pedant, I note that the Wiki article on the Evil Eye lacked a reference to my own favorite example of Biblical Divine Fauna, the Ophanim, wheels covered by eyes, from Ezekiel’s vision. Perhaps not “evil” as such but more than enough to strike terror in the heart.
** you do not have permission to see this link **
…I’m presently suffering from it.
It probably won’t comfort you to know I cannot sleep in air conditioning, even in Georgia, even in summer. Fortunately my father’s house where I will retire has lovely 11 foot ceilings and double paned windows, so with a helicopter blade quality ceiling fan I sleep quite well. Interestingly my sinus issues cleared up as well.
I think we believe “weird” things because there was an evolutionary advantage to living in a universe full of agency, where everything is acting purposefully and has us in mind in some way. I think the idea of an indifferent, goalless universe is the part of the scientific world view that people find the most off-putting and impossible to internalize.
The relationship between the experience of UFOs and religion was apparent almost from the beginning of the modern UFO phenomenon right after WWII. It’s not surprising that people project their hopes and fears onto UFOs. Carl Jung’s book ** you do not have permission to see this link ** is still quite interesting even if you don’t subscribe to all Jung’s theories of the human unconscious (which I do not).
The best survey of the UFO phenomenon I’ve read is ** you do not have permission to see this link ** by David Clarke. Clarke is a Brit and part of the interest of the book is his perspective. A necessary corrective to the idea that UFOs are an exclusively American phenom. I’ve noticed that the ‘UFOs as alien spacecraft’ crowd tend to hate these kinds of books. They want to couch their interest as a “scientific” endeavor, so the suggestion that there are psycho-social and even theological mechanisms at work renders them dyspeptic.
My own hypothesis, resting somewhere on the continuum between whimsy and fatuity, is that UFOs are biological entities that reside in the exosphere of our own atmosphere. You know, animals. During times of disturbance in our upper atmosphere they are driven downwards and generate sightings. The fact that observers from orbit fail to detect these airy fauna is obviously part of a cover-up organized at the highest levels. (They haven’t even told Trump yet. He couldn’t handle it.) How did I find out? Well, my own status as one of the Nine Unknown Men who Rule the World is perfectly safe because no matter who I tell no one ever believes me!
…I have more than enough to keep me busy for the rest of my days.
Since I announced my own plans to retire I’ve had several people gravely warn me of the dangers of not staying active in my retirement. I accept the advice magnanimously but I can’t help but wonder what they think I was planning to do? Lay on the couch, smoke dope and watch Star Trek reruns?
Perhaps not “evil” as such but more than enough to strike terror in the heart.
Ophanim
I would not like to come across that.
It probably won’t comfort you to know I cannot sleep in air conditioning, even in Georgia, even in summer. Fortunately my father’s house where I will retire has lovely 11 foot ceilings and double paned windows, so with a helicopter blade quality ceiling fan I sleep quite well. Interestingly my sinus issues cleared up as well.
It’s the first time I’ve ever had a problem in my entire life. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older.
As a long-term sinusitis sufferer, I would say anything that works is just fine.
I do love the sound of that high ceiling and the double paned windows. When was the house built?
Thanks for the recommendations – Clarke’s looks of interest.
Maybe it’s because I’m getting older.
Yeah. My metabolism has changed over the years. When I was young(er) I was what the old folks called “hot natured”, meaning if anybody in the room was hot it was me. Now I’m cold all the time. Another reason to head south where summer lasts 6 months. I love the heat now. My friends and family who live and sleep in AC look at me like I was a Witch.
When was the house built?
It’s old. The original structure was built in the 1880s. Don’t get the wrong idea though. It’s not a mansion. The house is rather small. It’s just the way they built back then. It has four rooms with a central hallway that runs the length of the house, orientated east/west. As a result if you tip the doors at the front and back a constant breeze blows through the house. The old folks weren’t stupid. The house is built of old growth heart pine, plentiful back then but which has been largely harvested out of existence. The lumber companies replaced the indigenous heart pine with loblolly pine which grows much faster and is easier to harvest. As a result during the 20th century the ecology and biodiversity of Georgia was radically modified. (Most of the clear cutting in the eastern US wasn’t done until the 1920s and 30s.) By the time somebody noticed what was happening it was too late. It’s odd to consider that Georgia today would be almost unrecognizable by the original European colonists.
If I had a bottomless well of cash it would be fun to remove the add-on kitchen and bathroom and go back to the original structure and start over. Oh well. But I’m very very fortunate to have what I do. One room is destined to become a library!
ps The original house was built by a Dr Black. The cast iron hitching post for his buggy was still attached to an oak tree in the back yard when my dad bought the house. That tree fell during a storm a couple years ago unfortunately and I had the tree folks who cut it up remove the post for me. It now hangs in a place of honor over the mantelpiece in the bedroom.
Sorry if my comment came across as braggy. I tried to edit but did not work.
Judith that’s what we think about when we read your posts. How braggy you are. Not!
I have a friend who lives in Charleston SC and he works for one of those building companies that restores old houses. In Charleston they have a two year waiting list. When I visit he takes me to whatever house they’re working on. Amazing stuff. Once he took me to this house that filled up an entire city block all by itself. It had three internal courtyards. It was a palace. A world you could have lived in and never seen the outside. My friend specializes in staircases and might spend an entire summer working on one.
I tried to talk him into convincing his boss to come over to Georgia and do my house. I suggested they film it like an episode of This Old House and best of all, not charge me anything. He wouldn’t buy it. I can’t imagine why.
Another reason to head south where summer lasts 6 months. I love the heat now. My friends and family who live and sleep in AC look at me like I was a Witch.
Great last line there.
Coming from northern climes, when I came to Greece I had to get used to the heat. What I didn’t have to get used to were the bright sunny days, which I got a glimpse of in the three summers I spent in Flagstaff. Nothing quite like them. The heat though is getting harder to take – once it gets into the upper 80s and above, I start melting. Perhaps I’m the witch?
The original house was built by a Dr Black. The cast iron hitching post for his buggy was still attached to an oak tree in the back yard when my dad bought the house. That tree fell during a storm a couple years ago unfortunately and I had the tree folks who cut it up remove the post for me. It now hangs in a place of honor over the mantelpiece in the bedroom.
It sounds like a great place. I’m very happy for you.
I grew up in an old house on the National Trust for Historic Preservation. When summer came, our beds were placed in the bay windows to catch the breezes.
How lucky! I love old houses.
Charleston is one of my favorite cities.
I’ve heard only good things about Charleston. Not been though. Hopefully, that’ll change in the next few years, and I’ll start exploring that area of the country.
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