# Origin of hating something with the white-hot passion of a thousand burning suns **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280 "2004-03-25T04:35:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/1 "2004-03-25T04:35:38Z")
Where did the phrase “I hate [insert object] with the white-hot passion of a thousand burning suns” come from? Seems too cool yet eloquent to not have come from a book. WRS ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/2 "2004-03-25T06:54:06Z")
I wish I knew! I once got in a huge argument with a guy over this statement. I said it and he said it was stupid because there is only 1 sun not 1000. Of course, I pointed out that all the stars were suns. The guy said something like there is only ONE sun, our sun, that is it’s name, other stars have their own names. I pointed out the sun’s name is Sol not “the sun.” It just went on and on. By the end of the argument, I hated HIM with the white hot passion of a thousand burning suns. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/3 "2004-03-25T07:12:11Z")
I could have sworn this was a line from _Heathers_, but I just looked and the [IMDB entry](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097493/) for the film doesn’t list it under “memorable quotes”. So, I guess the purpose of this post is to say I thought I knew when I hit “reply”, but it turns out I didn’t, so it’s still a mystery. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/4 "2004-03-25T07:12:16Z")
A friend of mine has quoted “I hate these people with the heat of a nova” from The West Wing (which is well-known for clever, snappy dialogue by Aaron Sorkin). Perhaps the “thousand suns” phrase was a misquote or embellishment, or maybe the “nova” one was the misquote. Or maybe it came from a book. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/5 "2004-03-25T07:19:13Z")
I don’t know; I googled, but to no avail. I much prefer [a rage burning with the fire of a _million_ suns,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=62082&highlight=rage+burns+million+suns) though. Happy ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/6 "2004-03-25T07:53:41Z")
I first saw it on an old episode (one of the eps. with Diane) of _Cheers_, so it goes at least that far back (which would be—what?—mid ‘80s?). Diane says it to (I think) Same when they are having one of their lover’s spats. I think. I think it may have been in a two-parter where they are hurling insults at each other and pinching each others’ noses and that sort of thing. (But I could be wrong about the episode—but not about the line being used on _Cheers_ and being uttered by Diane.) That may be where it originates. All I know is that _Cheers_ is where _ **I** _ got it and I never heard anyone else use it until recently. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/7 "2004-03-25T07:55:08Z")
Not Sam **e** , **SAM**. Yeesh. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/8 "2004-03-25T11:48:06Z")
I first saw it in _ten things I hate about you_. Which is a modernisation of _Taming of the Shrew_, complete with many direct quotes from same. I always assumed that was one of them. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/9 "2004-03-26T00:24:39Z")
Totally off topic, but the OP phrase always makes me think of Madeleine Kahn in **Clue** : > [@](#): > > Yes, I did it. I killed Yvette. I hated her SO… much… it… it… the… it… the… flames… flames… flames… on the side of my face… breathing… breathless… heaving breaths… ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/10 "2004-03-26T05:58:48Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Totally off topic, but the OP phrase always makes me think of Madeleine Kahn in **Clue** : Ohh, and your quote reminds me of A Knight’s Tale, when the red headed guy (Wat Falhurst) gets really ticked at someone and he can’t get out a full sentence… “Pain, lots of pain!” ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/11 "2004-03-26T13:00:41Z")
First, I’m in awe that **jsc1953** got that Clue quote exactly correct! It’s one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies. 🙂 To the OP, I seem to recall Diane from Cheers saying it too… it’s certainly older than West Wing or Ten Things. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/12 "2004-03-26T16:01:06Z")
**Jean Grey** , I would love to accept your awe, with all due modesty. But I just cut & pasted it from the IMDB. ---
**Author:** ![beergeek279](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@beergeek279](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beergeek279)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/13 "2004-03-26T17:48:27Z")
I always thought that it came from Khan in Star Trek II. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/14 "2004-03-26T18:48:00Z")
The “radiance” or “light” of “a thousand suns” is a recurring element in Hindu mythology: [From the _Bhagavad Gita_](http://members.aol.com/heraklit1/gita.htm): > [@](#): > > **If the light of a thousand suns > should suddenly burst forth in the sky > it would be like the light > of that exalted one.** > > _(text is from the translation of Franklin Edgerton, The Bhagavad Gita, Harper Torchbooks, New York, 1944)_ [From a site of Hindu _sloka_ (religious proverbs)](http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/5294/sloka.html): > [@](#): > > \*\*Chapter 11, Verse 12 **(of the _Bhagavad Gita_ – b)** > > Even If the radiance of a thousand Suns, bursts forth all at once in the heavens, it would still hardly approach the splendor of the mighty Lord. \*\* [A revelation of Krishna’s divinity](http://www.askasia.org/frclasrm/lessplan/l000059.htm): > [@](#): > > The \*Bhagavad Gita \* is perhaps the single most important text in Hinduism. It is one chapter from the epic the _Mahabharata_.The frame story of the _Mahabharata_ is a battle between cousins over who has the right to rule. Both sides claim legitimacy, and when they cannot settled the issue peacefully, they prepare for war. > > On the eve of great Mahabharata battle, Arjuna asked his charioteer to drive their chariot out to the front line so he could look over the opposition he must face the next day. As he looked at his foes, he recognized his favorite teacher, Drona, and his beloved grand uncle, Bhishma, and many other relatives and friends. Horrified to realize that he must kill the very people he loved, he threw down his bow and arrow and told Krishna he would not fight. > > Krishna gave Arjuna numerous reasons to fight. You must fight, he told Arjuna, or it will look like you are a coward, and the people will say you were afraid to fight. You are a prince, and you must set a good example for other people in the kingdom. If the prince refuses to fight, who else can be counted on to enter the battle? Remember, he said, it is your dharma. You are a warrior, and a warrior must fight. You’ll build up good karma if you fight, because there is nothing better for a warrior than a just cause for which to fight. He reminded Arjuna of samsara. A person who is bom must die, and a person who dies will be rebom; the wise do not grieve over that, he said. Dying is like leaving aside wom-out garments, only instead, one is leaving aside a wom-out body. He instructed Arjuna that the only true essence is Brahman, and that Brahman cannot be killed. What dies is not essential. Further, he said, if you kill Drona, Bhishma and your cousins in battle, you enable them to build good karma, so you are really helping them. > > (section ommited) > > Arjuna was not convinced, so Krishna finally revealed his true identity to the warrior. Krishna was really divinity who had taken the form of a charioteer to help the Pandavas re-establish righteousness. His revelation was like the **light of a thousand suns** in the sky. As Arjuna looked at him, he saw all the world, all the gods, the universe, the One. Filled with awe, Arjuna agreed to fight. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/15 "2004-03-26T22:41:43Z")
I also remember seeing it in an episode of Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/16 "2004-03-26T22:53:46Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > The “radiance” or “light” of “a thousand suns” is a recurring element in Hindu mythology: **Bordelond** has it exactly correct. Now, you might ask, since the average American would never care enough to read Hindu philosophy, how would this term enter the US mainstream use? Thanks to Fred Shapiro, the master quote sleuth over at the American Dialect Society, we know that J. Robert Oppenheimer used it to describe the first atom bomb test at Alamogordo. I found it used also by a newspaper writer in a Wisconsin newspaper story in 1961. No doubt he remembered Oppenheimer using it. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/17 "2004-03-26T22:56:36Z")
I also remember it from Cheers. I think it was the end of the first season where Sam and Diane were having one of their fights and wound up in bed. And at that, it was only the second-most memorable line of the fight, which ended with Sam saying “Are you as turned on as I am?” Diane: “More!” I’m pretty sure that pre-dated Ten Things I Hate About You. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-hating-something-with-the-white-hot-passion-of-a-thousand-burning-suns/236280/18 "2004-03-26T23:57:17Z")
**bordelond** and **samclem** : pretty impressive!