b69c9abf   
   XPost: alt.magick, alt.religion.wicca, talk.religion.course-miracle   
   From: DON'Tvictordix@imapmail.orgSPAMME   
      
   On Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:11:04 -0700 (PDT), Tom wrote:   
      
   > On Jun 15, 3:18 pm, VD  wrote:   
   >> On Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:55:43 -0700 (PDT), Tom wrote:   
   >>> On Jun 15, 1:55 pm, Draco Malfoy   
   >>>  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>>> Ala Nicholas Flamel who really existed. He was a French alchemist who   
   >>>> allegedly succeeded in making the Philosopher¢s Stone in the late   
   >>>> 1300s.   
   >>   
   >>> If a person really existed, does that mean anything alleged about them   
   >>> must be true?   
   >>   
   >> Mr. Tom, I truly don't believe you are asking for an answer so I will   
   >> consider this question self-answering.   
   >   
   > You can address me simply as "Tom".  I don't demand any honorifics.   
   > And it is pretty much a rhetorical question.   
      
   Mr. Tom, it isn't "pretty much" a rhetorical question, it is /exactly/   
   a rhetorical question. I have no idea what effect you are trying to   
   accomplish.   
      
   >>> If historical documents really exist, does that mean what they say is   
   >>> true?     
   >>   
   >> See above. Do you have a point I am missing? ;)   
   >   
   > If you don't see the point, then you're definitely missing it.   
      
   Mr. Tom, are you soon to get to something other than self-serving,   
   roundabout and practically useless statements?   
      
   > Let me make it more clearly.  Just because someone drops a name of a   
   > real human being in a work of fiction or refers to some event that   
   > actually happened does not mean that the work of fiction has some   
   > hidden message beyond mere entertainment.   
      
   Anytime soon?   
      
   > There are some who like to assert that the magic of the Harry Potter   
   > series is meant to be believed as something that people can   
   > actually do.   Perhaps that's not what Draco meant to imply,   
   > though.   
      
   There is no one I have ever read or corresponded with on afh-p that   
   believes as you suggest. MOF, Ms. Rowling has been quoted several   
   times to the contrary in interview and in her own writings.   
      
   If this is your quest, you have spent a great amount of energy in   
   pursuit of a pointless point. ;0)   
      
   >>> Which means...  what?   
   >>   
   >> That Ms. Rowling and Mr. Goldman used the same writing techniques?     
   >   
   > Along with the vast majority of other writers.   
      
   ...   
      
   > Mentioning things that actually happened or people that actually   
   > lived has the effect of making the fictional world seem more   
   > realistic, which enhances the suspension of disbelief that allows   
   > the reader to become more fully involved with the story.   
      
   Except in this case, the reader would have to be very detailed in   
   their research or extremely fluent in their 13-14th century alchemy.   
      
   Since The Sorcerer's Stone was written for a target audience of   
   8-12yos, it can be fairly well assumed that Ms. Rowling's intent was   
   more inline with providing easily copied material lessening her   
   overall imaginative workload.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)