Amidst warring mafia mobs and the call of duty, Ron Holland makes a discovery that brings his world crashing down around him. Ron and his best friend Duke Arndt—both police officers in sleepy Smuggler's Cove—respond to a call on a deserted beach that will drastically change both their lives. Is it murder? Or is it suicide? The answers lie in the mind of a psychopathic killer on a journey of terror, where all that is strange become familiar, and all that is familiar is only a Reflection of Evil...
Superfluous People describes Hannah Arendt's political and philosophical views on Nazi totalitarianism and the Shoah. In her contemplation of evil, Arendt initially spoke of the Shoah as a 'radical evil, ' a term used by Kant. However, unlike Kant, Arendt's radical evil cannot be explained by human motives. Many years later she changed her mind and spoke of 'the banality of evil, ' characterized by an inability to think and judge. Superfluous People seriously considers the question of whether thinking and judging can prevent ev
The bible of B-movies is back--and better than ever! From Abby to Zontar, this book covers more than 9,000 amazing movies--from the turn of the century right up to today's Golden Age of Video--all described with Michael Weldon's dry wit. More than 450 rare and wonderful illustrations round out thie treasure trove of cinematic lore--an essential reference for every bad film fan.
This clear and accessible treatment of key biblical themes related to human suffering and evil is written by one of the most respected evangelical biblical scholars alive today. Carson brings together a close, careful exposition of key biblical passages with helpful pastoral applications. The second edition has been updated throughout.
What distinguishes evils from ordinary wrongs? Is hatred a necessarily evil? Are some evils unforgivable? Are there evils we should tolerate? What can make evils hard to recognize? Are evils inevitable? How can we best respond to and live with evils? Claudia Card offers a secular theory of evil that responds to these questions and more. Evils, according to her theory, have two fundamental components. One component is reasonably foreseeable intolerable harm -- harm that makes a life indecent and impossible or that makes a death indecent. The other component is culpable wrongdoing. Atrocities, such as genocides, slavery, war rape, torture, and severe child abuse, are Cards paradigms because in them these key elements are writ large. Atrocities deserve more attention than secular philosophers have so far paid them. They are distinguished from ordinary wrongs not by the psychological states of evildoers but by the seriousness of the harm that is done. Evildoers need not be sadistic:they may simply be negligent or unscrupulous in pursuing their goals. Cards theory represents a compromise between classic utilitarian and stoic alternatives (including Kants theory of radical evil). Utilitarians tend to reduce evils to their harms; Stoics tend to reduce evils to the wickedness of perpetrators: Card accepts neither reduction. She also responds to Nietzsches challenges about the worth of the concept of evil, and she uses her theory to argue that evils are more important than merely unjust inequalities. She applies the theory in explorations of war rape and violence against intimates. She also takes up what Primo Levi called the gray zone, where victims become complicit in perpetrating on others evils that threaten to engulf themselves. While most past accounts of evil have focused on perpetrators, Card begins instead from the position of the victims, but then considers more generally how to respond to -- and live with -- evils, as victims, as perpetrators, and as those who have become both.
This book’s six essays are guided by a skeptical philosophical attitude about the meaning of violence that refuses to conform to the exigencies of essence and the stable patterns of lived experience. They are readings as much as they are reflections; attempts at interpretation as much as they are attempts to push concepts of violence to their limits. They draw upon a range of different authors and historical moments, but without any attempt to reduce them into a series of examples elucidating a comprehensive theory. The aim is to follow a path of distinctively episodic and provisional modes of thinking and reflection that offers a potential glimpse at how violence can be understood.
When confronted by horrendous evil, even the most pious believer may question not only life's worth but also God's power and goodness. A distinguished philosopher and a practicing minister, Marilyn McCord Adams has written a highly original work on a fundamental dilemma of Christian thought—how to reconcile faith in God with the evils that afflict human beings. Adams argues that much of the discussion in analytic philosophy of religion over the last forty years has offered too narrow an understanding of the problem. The ground rules accepted for the discussion have usually led philosophers to avert their gaze from the worst—horrendous—evils and their devastating impact on human lives. They have agreed to debate the issue on the basis of religion-neutral values, and have focused on morals, an approach that—Adams claims—is inadequate for formulating and solving the problem of horrendous evils. She emphasizes instead the fruitfulness of other evaluative categories such as purity and defilement, honor and shame, and aesthetics. If redirected, philosophical reflection on evil can, Adams's book demonstrates, provide a valuable approach not only to theories of God and evil but also to pastoral care.
To sum up: A witch out for revenge curses a once-beautiful mirror that stands proudly in the market square. This changes everything in the normally calm town of Eldoria in a strange way. Everyone loves this beautiful mirror, but it changes into a dangerous portal to a scary and dark world. It's the start of an exciting adventure that tries the limits of bravery, love, and the unwavering will of good over evil. One starry night, Alex's brave and loyal favorite, Jamie, goes missing for no obvious reason, upsetting the peace of the villagers. People who saw it say that a scary shadow pulled Jamie into the cursed mirror. Alex, who is sad but determined, takes the brave step to enter the mirror's evil realm, which starts an amazing trip to save Jamie from evil. Alex asks Eldoria's wise elder for help because he knows how bad things are, and the elder gives them a special amulet. This charm is a sign of hope and show that the people in the village believe in their goal because it might protect Alex from the witch's evil spell. Alex looks at himself in the mirror. The hopes of the town and the amulet around their necks. The world outside the mirror is very different from how warm and bright Eldoria is. Along Alex's path, there are many problems that test their strength at every turn. From the scary River of Reflections, which shows Alex's worst fears, to the mysterious Forest of Whispers, where trees talk to each other through puzzles, each obstacle brings them closer to Jamie while also pulling them deeper into the darkness. At the Witch's Lair, a castle filled with darkness and hate, and the Mountain of Fire, where demons dance in the flames, Alex's strength and the magical amulet's power are put to the test. At the end of the book, there is a dramatic fight of wills between Alex and the witch. Alex is stronger because she loves Jamie so much and Eldoria and she are both hopeful. Because he is strong, determined, and has the power of the amulet, Alex breaks the curse and breaks the crystal that blocks Jamie. So, they go back to Eldoria together. Their love and the village's newfound unity shine like lights of hope, showing the beauty of the world through the free mirror once more. The story takes place in the magical town of Eldoria and is a vivid account of bravery, love's victory over evil, and the unchanging power of good over evil. It will leave an indelible mark on everyone who sees the end of the trip. Chapter 1: The Haunted Mirror In the quiet town of Eldoria, everyone was drawn to a mirror. It wasn't just any mirror standing tall and proud in the marketplace; it was the most beautiful mirror in the whole town. The glass inside shone in the sun, showing how happy the people who walked by it every day also were. The frame was made out of gold. Adults would smile and straighten their clothes or fix their hats as they looked at their images. Kids, on the other hand, would laugh as they made funny faces at them. The people who lived there thought the mirror was a sign of happiness and beauty. A strange thing did happen, though, one day. A witch thought it was time to get back at people who had hurt her in the past. She had been planning her revenge for years and waiting for the right time to get angry. The village's most valuable mirror gave her a chance. Under the cover of darkness, she crept into the market square with a sparkle in her eyes. She swore at the mirror and said mean things in a whisper. The mirror, which used to be very bright and shiny, turned cold and scary, and the air around it cracked with evil energy. From that day on, the mirror was no longer a source of happiness and beauty. Instead, it changed into a doorway to a terrible and dark world. The people went back to the glass because they didn't know it was cursed, but they couldn't see themselves in the reflections. In the mirror, they saw horrifying, twisted versions of their own faces that were full of pain and sorrow. Even worse, some of the peasants who looked into the mirror for too long disappeared. The cursed glass ate them up, and they were locked up in the dark land beyond. The village's happiness quickly turned to fear. People were telling their kids to stay away from Eldoria's once-bustling market center because it was so quiet there. The pretty mirror, which used to be the pride of the hamlet, stood empty and alone, a scary reminder of the witch's wrath. There was still hope, though. One of the kids in the town was brave. He was a little kid with courage in his heart and determination in his mind. They couldn't stand the thought of leaving this child behind in that dark world where a close friend had died because of the cursed glass. They had to make the hard choice to go on a dangerous trip to break the curse and free their friend and anyone else who might have been captured. It was clear to the child that the trip would be dangerous. They would have to face the evil forces that lived in the dark world of the mirror and get through tough situations that would test how brave and determined they were. But his love for his friend made them stronger, as did their determination to make Hamlet happy again. They took a deep breath and a calm heart as they walked up to the cursed mirror. They were ready to face whatever was on the other side and break free from the witch's evil grip. From this point on, an epic journey would begin that would show bravery, friendship, and the fight between good and evil. It would be a long and hard trip for the kid, but they would not be alone. They would be guided by the town's spirit, their friend's love, and the hope of all the people who had died because of the mirror's curse. Their final goal was to break the curse and make the mirror shine again as a symbol of beauty and joy in the heart of Eldoria. Chapter 2: The Disappearing The pretty town of Eldoria had a market square with a mirror that stood for the community's pride. It was surrounded by green hills and trees that whispered. This wasn't just any mirror; it was a stunning work of art, framed in fine silverwork with delicate patterns that sparkled in the soft sunlight. Kids would often stop and laugh at their own reflections, and adults would look and respect the skill that went into making them. It was a sign of peace and beauty that matched the lively way of life in Eldoria and among its people. But one terrible day, the peace was broken when a witch, still angry at the people for an offense long forgotten, chose to put a deadly spell on the valuable mirror. In the past, the mirror was a source of beauty. But when the witch whispered old curses in the dark, black, ominous clouds gathered around its shiny surface, turning it into a scary entrance to a world of darkness. The witch's laughter could be heard all through the night after the spell was over and the mirror was changed forever. The next morning, when everyone in the area met in the market square, they saw that the beloved mirror had turned a scary shade of green. The relaxed days of reflection were over, and in their place was a doorway to a strange realm. The surface of this realm no longer showed off Eldoria's beauty, but instead seemed to lure people who weren't careful. The locals began to whisper with fear and discomfort as they thought about what had happened to their valuable mirror. They didn't know that the witch's curse had changed the mirror's look and given it a dark, evil power that could swallow anyone who looked too long into it. A fog grew over Eldoria as word spread about the mirror that was cursed. People left the market area because they were afraid of the evil they thought was there. It was once very busy. The mirror, which used to bring people together and make them happy, had turned into a scary sight that reminded Hamlet every day of the witch's revenge. Even though everyone was scared and worried, there was a small chance that the mirror could be fixed, and the curse would be lifted. The villagers had no idea how hard it would be to break the witch's spell or how brave and dedicated they would have to be. It would be a test to the very foundations of their community. A town called Eldoria that used to be calm was now in the middle of a war between light and darkness. The cursed mirror led them to a scary test that would decide their fate.