The Republic of Heaven

It kind of makes me feel like a freak or something
But HDM changed my life.. And I think I've made myself believe that there really are other worlds parallel to ours. And that something like Dust exists. It makes me happy to think about, and I like having something like that to hold on to. Am I just being totally crazy or does anyone else share these thoughts?

Sometimes I just feel like I need to let someone know how much I love that story! I want to sit down with someone like myself and just discuss it over and over and over again.. I can't explain it.. does anyone at all know what I mean..?

I'm not making any sense, but well, that's me..

It kind of makes me feel like a freak or something
But HDM changed my life.. And I think I've made myself believe that there really are other worlds parallel to ours. And that something like Dust exists. It makes me happy to think about, and I like having something like that to hold on to. Am I just being totally crazy or does anyone else share these thoughts?

Sometimes I just feel like I need to let someone know how much I love that story! I want to sit down with someone like myself and just discuss it over and over and over again.. I can't explain it.. does anyone at all know what I mean..?

I'm not making any sense, but well, that's me..

I know exactly what you mean . When I finished TAS that was all I wanted to do - talk about it with someone where I live. But the only person who I knew had read them was my friend who had leant me them in the first place, but she had read them a year before and couldn't remember. And I began to think that she thought that I was completely obsessed with HDM (which I possibly was), so I looked for another outlet...and this is it!

I'd probably have gone lala if I hadn't found RofH. All that pent-up emotion would have gotten the better of me! I know it's technically not the same as having someone in front of you to physically talk to, but I do know what you mean, and this forum is the next best thing.

If these books have had a positive effect on you, then that can only be a good thing! I'd like to think there are parallel worlds, and that somewhere there is a rich, attractive version of me having a great life! But in this world, I can only be grateful to have read HDM, watched the film, and found this site to air my views

If you think you're a freak, I'll be right behind you in Freaksville!!

Let's not forget this is just fiction. However I agree it moves to reflection. I remained stunned for at least a couple of weeks after finishing the books. I didn't only need to talk about them. I needed to write about them. Just for therapeutical reasons I had to write down what I felt were missing passages.

When ever I see cats disapearing I'm convinced they've walked through a window...

I believe in them so much I'm considering proffesional psychiatric help!

But I think something like this is believable. Dust, angels, a lying 'God' and something to be able to get between worlds without the general power of a nuke.

There's got to be some way.

I can understand how some of the strange ideas of HDM can seem believable.

A lot of the science and even some of the weirder concepts are drawn from real-life ideas.
There are physicists that argue that believing in Parallel Universes is a way to explain results from Quantum Mechanics.
Wikipedia: Many Worlds Interpretation

Dr Malone even tells Lyra that Dust is known as Dark Matter in her (our) world. Again, Dark Matter is used in real life. Our galaxy appears to have way more mass than just the stars and planets we can see. Scientists have come up with Dark Matter, something that is invisible, but provides mass and a gravitational pull.
Wikipedia: Dark Matter


But I can see how you can want it to be real. Ever since I took my brother to see the film, we have argued about whose dæmon our favorite pet dog is.

I agree, it is easy to belive in theese books. But I am trying to be realistic at all times.

I wouldn't say I believe in them, but I know what you're talking about. I often imagine it did actually happen and Pullman found out somehow and wrote about it. I don't know, Parallel universes a highly respected scientific theory, so....

After reading the books, every time I saw some dust I would think, Oh my God, it's sraf particles! It's Dust! It's Dark Matter! Whenever I found anything that looked vaguely like a spyglass I would look through it and imagine I could see Dust flying through the air. I could never look at a North South compass in the same way again, and sometimes I would even pretend a 30cm ruler at school was the Knife. I would also try and figure out people's daemons when I was bored in class i.e. what animal would best suit their personality, etc. Perhaps that's a little too obsessive . To add to it, I found the passage of Genesis 2:7 and I thought, Dust is real! Then I became obsessed with the idea of parallel worlds and Dark Matter and stuff.

So you're not the only inhabitants of Freaksville!

This is how religions start.

After reading the books, every time I saw some dust I would think, Oh my God, it's sraf particles! It's Dust! It's Dark Matter! Whenever I found anything that looked vaguely like a spyglass I would look through it and imagine I could see Dust flying through the air. I could never look at a North South compass in the same way again, and sometimes I would even pretend a 30cm ruler at school was the Knife. I would also try and figure out people's daemons when I was bored in class i.e. what animal would best suit their personality, etc. Perhaps that's a little too obsessive . To add to it, I found the passage of Genesis 2:7 and I thought, Dust is real! Then I became obsessed with the idea of parallel worlds and Dark Matter and stuff.

So you're not the only inhabitants of Freaksville!

Your post made me so happy. You sound just as obsessed as me! I can't even look at polar bears the same way anymore. Whenever I see a picture I'm thinking "where's the armour?"

You know how when sun shines down at the right angle you can see particles of dust drifting around? I think of them as Dust now.

Yeah I kind of do that too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetatronWow. Just used those Wikipedia links and...either Pullman does his research or he's good at guessing. I checked up on the Metatron-Enoch-six-generations-away-from-Adam thing, and would you believe it? Here's Adam's descendants.

Adam
Seth
Enosh
Kenan
Mahalalel
Jared
Enoch/Metatron

Also, take a look at this.

Genesis 5:21-24
When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah for 300 years, and had other sons and daughters.
Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Also, look at this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enoch#Biblical_occurrences
and this one on Metatron:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metatron

Anyway, I started believing in HDM a long time ago and I think my dæmon would either be some sort of large domesticated cat or some Cybertronian. Yes, alright, I like TransFormers as well.

Sometimes, I think I'm going mad.

Sometimes, I think I'm going mad.

I think that almost daily.

I confess that HDM brought a lot of my beliefs into question. My faith hasn't changed, only I have questioned things more. Parallel universes seem completely possible. In fact, I saw an article in New Scientist that talked about a large hole of sorts where there were no stars, nothing at all over a vast expanse (I forget the exact measurement of this hole), and that this hole was possibly the imprint of another universe - something like a window in HDM - and there may be many universes beyond our own. It humbles me every time I think of it. Even in the universe as we know it, with so many galaxies so much bigger and older than ours, consider how small we all are! And multiple universes on top of that... Our whole planet, our whole galaxy isn't even a tiny speck in the grand scheme of things.

Anyway, HDM obsession. These books could easily have their own religious following, really. So many ideas and attitudes. People would meditate to see their dæmons and the main ideal would be to build the Republic of Heaven where you are, because there is no elsewhere. Suddenly Pullman becomes a guru and Dust is worshipped fervently. It could happen if enough crazed fans got together and someone decided to found and lead the Church of HDM. But that would destroy the whole message of the books and it would all have to happen over again with a brand new story. So what was the point in that whole paragraph? I lost it... Too much work lately, my brain is fried.

So... I, too, shall join you in Freaksville. I've seen a compass in a geography book and asked "What's the alethiometer doing here?". I think every love song I hear is about Lyra and Will. I've dressed up as Lyra for Halloween. I've carried around a stuffed animal and called it my dæmon. *sticks "obsessed" label on forehead* I wouldn't say I believe in HDM per se, but I find some of the ideas plausible and even possible in reality. Dæmons and parallel worlds, mostly, but maybe also Dust in one way or another.

In fact, I saw an article in New Scientist that talked about a large hole of sorts where there were no stars, nothing at all over a vast expanse

Try this one - http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/0 ... _hole.html

Hmm, maybe a new cam-wars thread, Sraffies dressed up as HDM characters... I don't suggest cutting 2 fingers off though if anyone wants to be Will! Me? I guess I'd be Mr Scoresby

I wouldn't put as far as i 'Fully' believe it, but it think what people are enjoying, is a nice break from the norm, therefore making it seem desirable.

I've started calling my Physics lessons Experimental Theology lessons (don't ask me why). My friend asked, "What lesson have we got next?" and I said, "Experimental Theology", and he looked at me as if I was completely mad. It was a cool HDM geek moment. Then I wrote "Experimental Theology" in brackets next to "Physics" on the front of my exercise book . We're learing about the Big Bang at the moment, which might lead on to black holes, which might lead on to possibilities of other worlds! If we learn that I'll have a serious HDMHM (His Dark Materials Hyperventilation Moment).

I've started calling my Physics lessons Experimental Theology lessons (don't ask me why). My friend asked, "What lesson have we got next?" and I said, "Experimental Theology", and he looked at me as if I was completely mad. It was a cool HDM geek moment. Then I wrote "Experimental Theology" in brackets next to "Physics" on the front of my exercise book . We're learing about the Big Bang at the moment, which might lead on to black holes, which might lead on to possibilities of other worlds! If we learn that I'll have a serious HDMHM (His Dark Materials Hyperventilation Moment).

Wait til you start on Dark Matter, or parallel universes! Give the paramedics prior notice!

I know exactly where you're coming from. When I read one book, I had to read the next and then... yeah, I didn't get a whole lot of sleep that night. Then of course I had to re-read half of it about 100 times a week for the next month. And I found this site, and sites like it. Oh yeah, and I saw the movie twice. If you haven't realized yet, I liked the series. Couldn't think about much else for weeks...oh well...time well spent!