History Main / HolyIsNotSafe

* Anyone stupid enough to try to force off Cherinob's helmet in ''StationeryVoyagers'' learns that just because she's [[TheSmurfettePrinciple the one female angel in the whole show]] doesn't mean she's the least dangerous. Her ridiculously high levels of gamma radiation make Liquidon's (potentially) city-leveling [[PowerIncontinence Mikloche incontinence]] look ''insignificant''. (Cue [[StupidEvil suicidal]] villains racing for the IdiotBall as fast as they can get to it.) As for Minshus himself? There's [[BrownNote a reason]] he took on [[AFormYouAreComfortableWith a human shell for himself]], and was physically born to a human mother.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', Harry receives the Soulfire power from ArchangelUriel, an ostensibly holy ability... which is [[CastFromHitpoints powered by his own soul]].

Even when LightIsGood, it can still be too hot to handle. Maybe holiness is [[KnightTemplar judgment untempered by mercy]], and only the most [[IncorruptiblePurePureness incorruptible people]] can come in contact with it and come away unscathed. Maybe it's [[GoodIsNotNice really temperamental]], and objects violently to being used for any but the most noble causes. Maybe it's just that light ''burns'', and enough holiness in one place is naturally dangerous to anyone, not only the wicked. In any event, you'll probably rest easier with some safe distance between yourself any anything ''really'' holy.

* This is OlderThanFeudalism. In GreekMythology seeing the undisguised glory of a god would strike mortals dead, as happened to one of Zeus' many human lovers.

** If more than one of the [[PublicDomainArtifact Four Great Treasures of Ireland]] is kept in the same house without proper preparations, the result would "make a nuclear bomb look like a wet firecracker".

** The various WEAPONS (giant monster creatures, not actual swords/guns/etc.) are the backup in case Holy doesn't work. Humanity is right at the top of their "to kill" list.

Everyone knows it's a bad idea to [[EvilIsNotAToy mess around with evil.]] If you're foolish enough to poke a [[MadeOfEvil concentrated ball of malevolence]], [[WhatAnIdiot you've got no one but yourself to blame for the consequences]]. But surely we should expect ''goodness'' to be a bit more, well, user-friendly? A bit less liable to reduce you to a pile of ashes for looking at it crosswise?

Even when LightIsGood, it can still be too hot to handle. Maybe holiness is [[KnightTemplar judgment untempered by mercy]], and only the most [[IncorruptiblePurePureness incorruptible people]] can come in contact with it and come away unscathed. Maybe it's [[GoodIsNotNice really temperamental]], and objects violently to being used for any but the most noble causes. Or maybe it's just that light ''burns'', and enough holiness in one place is naturally dangerous to anyone, not only the wicked. In any event, you'll probably rest easier with some safe distance between yourself any anything ''really'' holy.

This may be the logical extreme of WhiteMagic. While BlackMagic involves drawing power from others, and has a tendency to kill or corrupt anyone, WhiteMagic generally helps others through self-sacrifice and purges evil. [[FridgeLogic Think about the implications of this]]: if you aren't willing the make the sacrifice you get punished, while if you are worthy enough, you get sacrificed. Likewise, anyone helped by your sacrifice is likely to be [[SoulsavingCrusader saved]] or [[KnightTemplar punished]] by its effects.

* The Innocence in ''Manga/DGrayMan'' is the Divine Crystal used as a weapon by Exorcists. As such it is obviously harmful to evil beings... but it can just as well be harmful to the good guys. Parasitic type Exorcists (whose weapon is a part of their own body) are actually stated to have a short life-span [[CastFromHitPoints due to the sheer amount of energy it consumes]]. Also, any Exorcist who forgets his mission will be eaten by the Innocence from the inside, and die after turning into an uncontrollable monster that indiscriminately destroys everything around it for several hours. And finally, non-Exorcists cannot stand being exposed to pure Innocence, even if they aren't evil.
* In ''LightNovel/ScrappedPrincess'', [[FantasticNuke Ginnungagap]] is the highest known military grade offensive spell, and is so powerful that it must be sanctioned for use, by way of unanimous decision, by the High Council. The [[SphereOfDestruction attack itself]] covers an unbelievably wide area and is devastating enough on its own, but the real threat is resulting shockwave triggered by it. When used, it [[spoiler: caused a mega-tsunami that devastated the majority of the continental coast!]]

** The Archangel Michael manifesting at full power strains the fabric of reality almost to the breaking point.

** The {{Archangel}} Michael manifesting at full power strains the fabric of reality almost to the breaking point.

Everyone knows it's a bad idea to [[EvilIsNotAToy mess around with evil.]] If you're foolish enough to poke a [[MadeOfEvil concentrated ball of malevolence]], you've got no one but yourself to blame for the consequences. But surely we should expect ''goodness'' to be a bit more, well, user-friendly? A bit less liable to reduce you to a pile of ashes for looking at it crosswise?

* In ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', Aslan, the local Jesus stand in, is explicitly described by Mr. Beaver in ''TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe'' as "good, but not safe." He doesn't seem to harm anyone arbitrarily, but he may render judgment on people without letting them know what they've done wrong, as with Aravis in ''TheHorseAndHisBoy'' whom he clawed in punishment for her callously allowing her servant to be beaten, but without giving her any sort of explanation by which she could recognize it as a punishment or moral lesson rather than an unrelated lion attack.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', the White Materia, Holy, is the Planet's ultimate defensive measure. It wipes away anything it judges as a threat to the Planet, which could easily include humanity.

* The Orb of Aldur in the {{Belgariad}} will kill anyone who touches it unless they are "[[IncorruptiblePurePureness pure]]", which really means "a direct descendant of its last wielder"; purity is InTheBlood, apparently. As this line is thought to be extinct, no one has tried to move the Orb for hundreds of years. The plot of the series kicks off when someone, somehow, manages to ''steal'' it.

* ''VideoGame/{{Hexen}} II'' weaponizes holyness with one of the crusader's weapons. It is a beam of holy light that burns even on the most minor of guilt that exists in all living things.

* In ''LightNovel/ScrappedPrincess'', [[FantasticNuke Ginnungagap]] is the highest known military grade offensive spell, and is so powerful that it must be sanctioned for use, by way of unanimous decision, by the High Council. The [[SphereOfDestruction attack itself]] covers an unbelievably wide area and is devastating enough on it's own, but the real threat is resulting shockwave triggered by it. When used, it [[spoiler: caused a mega-tsunami that devastated the majority of the continental coast!]]

** Ironically, according to 3.5e Rules as Written, Undead creatures that travel to Positive Energy Plane simply gain (temporary) hit points, and are immune to all the downsides.

* In ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', Aslan is explicitly described by Mr. Beaver in ''TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe'' as "good, but not safe." He doesn't seem to harm anyone arbitrarily, but he may render judgment on people without letting them know what they've done wrong, as with Aravis in ''TheHorseAndHisBoy'' whom he clawed in punishment for her callously allowing her servant to be beaten, but without giving her any sort of explanation by which she could recognize it as a punishment or moral lesson rather than an unrelated lion attack.

* Judeo-Christian tradition has the archangel Metatron[[note]][[MeaningfulName meaning "He who stands before the throne]][[/note]] whose job is to be the voice of God, employed any time in the Bible when people hear the voice in the sky. Presumably hearing God's voice is just as dangerous as seeing His face.

** The Literature/BookOfExodus provides the page quote. Moses asks to see God's face. God answers that this would kill Moses, but He does arrange for Moses to see His back instead. Even just his back has the result of Moses' face glowing for several days and having to wear a veil in the meantime.[[hottip:*:Funnily enough, worse translations wrote that Moses grew horns from seeing God's back, hence the presence of them on Michelangelo's sculpture of Moses.]]

** The Literature/BookOfExodus provides the page quote. Moses asks to see God's face. God answers that this would kill Moses, but He does arrange for Moses to see His back instead.

At another point in 1 Samuel (Chapters 4-7) the Israelites tried to use it as a good luck charm in battle against the Philistines. Its presence ended up galvanizing the Philistines who ripped the Israelites a new one and captured the Ark. Then the Philistines made the mistake of keeping it in the same room as an idol of Dagon, and God struck them with a plague of tumors and rats. The Philistine cities started playing hot potato with the thing and eventually decided to send it back to Israel with a guilt offering. Aaaand the Israelites promptly had a whole bunch of people die from looking into the Ark.

** The Ark of the Covenant was far too holy for any ordinary person to come in contact with. Attempting to touch it, even for a good reason, as in the case of the Israelite in [[Literature/BooksOfSamuel 1 Samuel]] who tried to prevent it from falling on the ground, would result in that person being struck dead instantly.\\

* In ''LightNovel/ScrappedPrincess'', [[FantasticNuke Ginnungagap]] is the highest known military grade offensive spell, and is so powerful that it must be sanctioned for use, by way of unanimous decision, by the High Council. The [[SphereOfDestruction attack itself]] covers an unbelievably wide area and is devastating enough on it's own, but the real threat is resulting shockwave triggered by it. When used, it [[spoiler: caused a mega-tsunami that devastated the majority of the continental coast!]][[/folder]]

* ''Film/{{Dogma}}'' uses the idea that God's voice is fatal to mortals as a plot point. It places Metatron (see Mythology, below) in the role of MrExposition, and [[spoiler: is used to destroy the renegade angels]].[[/folder]]

* The Orb of Aldur in the {{Belgariad}} will kill anyone who touches it unless they are "[[IncorruptiblePurePureness pure]]", which really means "a direct descendant of its last wielder"; purity is InTheBlood, apparently. As this line is thought to be extinct, no one has tried to move the Orb for hundreds of years. The plot of the series kicks off when someone, somehow, manages to ''steal'' it.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* In ''{{Series/Supernatural}}'', angels and demons both have to possess a human in order to walk the Earth. Angels require the consent of the human who is to be their vessel, but just because they're angels doesn't mean it's all going to turn out okay. Many angelic vessels are killed or left broken like victims of bad lobotomies after the angel is finished with them.