[Opinion] What books should never be opened?

[Diluculo_DelFuego]

Nate Bales once said on his Facebook page, the "Some books should never be opened.", so it begs the question, what is a list of books suggested to never be opened?

 

[Xingtian]

Because they’re dangerous or just a waste of time? For the latter category:

Anything claiming to reveal an ancient secret for the first time
Anything covered in blurbs by rich and famous people
Anything by an author who offers paid seminars or describes themselves as any kind of “consultant” or “coach”

 

[Emperor Time]

I guess the real Necronomicon since if it actually exists then it could be extremely dangerous.

 

[Diluculo_DelFuego]

Black Pullet or Grimoire of the Red Dragon perhaps? Agree on both replies. And the Nectonomicin does have power.

Post automatically merged: Mar 9, 2024

Necronomicion that is.

 

[Xingtian]

if it’s a matter of “dangerous” books I find poetic works like Les Fleurs du Mal or Les Chants de Maldoror a lot more menacing than any old grimoire. Lewis’ The Monk perhaps too. The poems of Li He. Clark Ashton Smith’s more ornate tales and prose poems. Angela Carter’s stories. Amos Tutuola’s The Palm Wine Drinkard. These texts breathe a much more convincing poison than the average occultist could dream up. That said I’d never tell anyone not to open them- on the contrary everyone ought to.

 

[Taudefindi]

No book should never be opened(except maybe those old ones with vivid green covers as the pigment used to make them is from arsenic).

The problem isn't the book in the end, but the person reading it.
Any book can become dangerous in the hands of someone willing and capable of evil acts, and books only have power as long as you give power to them.

Most people wouldn't consider the Bible or the Qu'ran dangerous books, but they made(and still make) many people commit atrocities in the name of their faith, just because they're following "their books' rules and teachings".

 

[KjEno186]

Post automatically merged: Mar 10, 2024

Most people wouldn't consider the Bible or the Qu'ran dangerous books, but they made(and still make) many people commit atrocities in the name of their faith

Technically, post hoc rationalization. The desire to commit the action exists, and a rationalization is found within the pages of the book, presumably condoned or commanded by the deity, that can be twisted to support the action. The text of the book is merely the excuse that gives backing to the action that had already been decided upon.

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"Some researchers say reasoning helps people virtue-signal rather than actually become virtuous."

 

[Xenophon]

"Dangerous books" are like "dangerous weapons." Dangerous to whom? I wouldn't give a monkey a steak knife. Conversely, there was a Texas Ranger back in the '30's who carried his .45 auto with trigger guard cut away, safeties disabled, and a round chambered. Asked, "Isn't that gun dangerous?" his stock reply was, "Hell yes. That's why I carry it."

So discretion and training can remove the "danger" of most such books.

As for never be opened, I was pondering a thread devoted to the many LHP tomes whose litmus test of "occult" is "whatever would piss my parents off." Such volumes could stock a second library of Alexandria (and be burn with less regret.)

 

[Tiana Silvermoon]

I guess the real Necronomicon since if it actually exists then it could be extremely dangerous.

Not unless you know the right words! What were those? Klaatu, Barada, Ni... Nuh... Naah... Nevermind xD

 

[Xenophon]

Not unless you know the right words! What were those? Klaatu, Barada, Ni... Nuh... Naah... Nevermind xD

Probably the correct lyrics to "Louie, Louie" are what you mean.
Seriously, the several Necronomicons out there are tediously childish; the real one, but a fancy of Lovecraft.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

Not a book, but the Lars von Trier film, Antichrist. I read the summary on IMDB and it gave me nightmares.

Book? "Mein Kampf". Not only is it awful, it's also rubbish.

As Dorothy Parker once put it: "This is not a book to be laid aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force."

Or Groucho Marx: "From the moment I picked up your book, to the moment I laid it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Someday, I intend reading it."

 

[pixel_fortune]

A meta answer:

"You must recognize that you can learn from any written text, no matter what it is. If you do not recognize this, then you are narrow-minded. Do not think there is a written text out there with nothing to teach you.

You must recognize that you do not have the time to learn from every written text. If you do not recognize this, then you are unintelligent. Do not try to read every single book in the spirituality section of your local library."

(Virgil, Wisdom for My Younger Self)

Triage, but do it with humility

 

[Anziel_Merkaba]

The only book that should never be opened is the one you shouldn't open. Whatever book that is to you. I'd argue that all books have value and merit, but I also understand there is some knowledge that one shouldn't undertake lightly. Things like Roko's Basilisk or The Game (you lost the game).

 

[sirshannon]

A meta answer:
Facebook.

(joking but also serious. The amount of true and false info makes it too hard to decide what is true vs false and the info shown to you is manipulated for reasons that work against the reasons you’re [probably] there.)

 

[Viktor]

Any occult book that claims secrets and asks you to keep it secret shouldn't be opened because obviously if the writer wanted to keep it secret they wouldn't write the book in first place.

 

[darangal]

None of them.
There's no vital purpose achieved by limiting access to books.

Sounds like propaganda reinforcement accomplished by limiting access to information.
Or superstitious nonsense.

 

[Diluculo_DelFuego]

I wouldn't call Mr Bales unintelligent or superstitious, he's a Magus of the LHP.
The Black Pullet, The Grimoire of the Red Dragon, these two were reported to be dangerous in the hands of anyone. Goethes Faustus could be dangerous to some. Pretty much any Grimoire could be. Mein Kamf wasn't rubbish to me but interesting to look at the mind of a psychopath through a modern lens.
The rubbish Necronomicion in the hands of a person willing to try it with will could still be dangerous. Pretty much anything ancient could be dangerous.

 

[Jackson]

Although I consider it unfortunate, I am frankly unable to necessarily read LHP books, or I may appear to start channeling them, something to that effect.

 

[Xenophon]

Although I consider it unfortunate, I am frankly unable to necessarily read LHP books, or I may appear to start channeling them, something to that effect.

The same applies to RHP. "The Beast hideth behind butterflies, teddy bears, and pastel-coloured unicorns."---Book of Coming Forth by DSL