#but rebelions are built on hope

[adeptnenyim]

Let's assume it's some kind of modern-AU, because they would find each other in every universe, for sure.

Rebelcaptain fluffbruary, with very freely interpreted seashore/mist/umbrella prompt.

And a quote from Matthew Stover's "Revenge of the Sith" novelisation. c:

[jyndor]

I've seen so much theories, oh its in nemiks manifesto, maarva is going to say it while dieing... I think, or at least hope, that no one says to cassian 'rebelions are built on hope' and that phrase is never even spoken in the show, cause its one of underlying themes of the show and cassian needed yo verbalize it only when its strictly necessary to recruit 'mirror' of himself to the rebelion, imho

yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

frankly nothing good comes from taking cassian's main motivation away and having it stem from someone else, especially someone who is coded as essentially someone from the global north and white with that accent and who approaches revolution from a mostly academic point of view (nemik) or God forbid someone like maarva who is a white savior and literally stole an indigenous child, anglicized/Basicified idk lol his name, severed his connections to his culture and history and FAMILY.

cassian is a manifesto yall. anon you're totally right and I hate that some fans are doing this. it's really gross.

[istumpysk]

I never saw a meta about the Stark children names and someone need to do it because there definitely a lot of foreshadow in their names.

Robb = named after someone that started a rebelion against a cruel king after the injust execution of a Stark lord. Both were see as perfect king material for the same reasons: warrior qualities, charming, etc. But ended having disappointing ends outside the battle fields. Also both had broken engagements and had marriages that led to their deaths: Cersei giving Lancel a fortified strongwine, three times as potent as normal, to give to Robert during his hunt and Robb' Red Wedding.

Maybe is a coincidence but he is the only one who doesn't have a Stark ancestor with the same name and he is the first (and only i hope) child to die.

Jon = there three Stark men with Jon in their names, two were KitN and the other one is Jonnel who we all are familiar with.

One of the KitN: "when sea raiders landed in the east, Jon drove them out and built a castle, the Wolf's Den, at the mouth of the White Knife, so as to be able to defend the mouth of the river." He is mentioned twice in the books once in the first book in a Bran chapter and other in ADWD in Davos pov, both characters having connections with Jon and possibly his future kingship.

Sansa = we also familiar with Sansa, daughter of Rickon.

Arya = named after Ned grandmother, who was the wife of the Wandering Wolf that served in a sellsword company in the Free Cities.

Bran = the legendary Stark name perfect fitting for the starkling destined to be the King of Westeros. Just like the founder of his house and namesake, Bran will probably be remember as a Builder since when he accept his kingship the seven kingdoms will already be pretty much destroyed after so many wars.

Rickon = poor baby all the other two Rickon died before their times and left some kinda of sucession crisis 😭 But there two Rickard one is Ned father and the other is KitN who took the Neck from the Marsh King and was father to Jon Stark.

Also Theon = named after Theon Stark know as the Hungry Wolf who had some attitudes pretty similar to Greyjoys in general but in the end fought against a King of the Iron Islands that tried to conquer the north and spelled the iron man from his shores after killing the king's son. There lots of information about the Hungry Wolf and all match or can be paralled with Theon arc and personality, there even a history with the Boltons, GRRM really enjoyed the foreshadowing with this one.

The informations about Arya Flint and her husband, Theon Stark backstory and the existence of Sansa and Jonnel are all from TWOIAF so its all GRRM intentional later foreshadow.

Anon, this is great, you should post this to your own blog! It will never get proper recognition sitting in my ask tag.

I love stuff like this, thank you.

It occurred to me while reading this that it’s a little peculiar that the Greyjoys would name him Theon, given Theon Stark was an adversary to the Iron Islands. Makes it even more obvious that we should pay attention to these little details hiding in the history.

The most interesting thing here, other than Jonnel + King Jon Stark driving out raiders in the East, has to be Arya Flint being married to the Wandering Wolf. Ohhh boy, add that to the list of foreshadowing.

I'm sad about Rickon though. Oh well, I choose denial. I'm a full High Septon Rickon truther now. Try and stop me.

[kathleendeleon-art]

May the fourth be with you ! >w<

A Jyn full of hope, Rebellion are built on hope !

[anaodio]

“Rebelions are built on hope”

My instagram: @anaodioart

[vvillix-blog]

                        rebelions, are built on hope / beloved by cass

[nicholasbloom]

ashi: hope lives it is everywhere

jyn: we have hope rebelions are built on hope

i still have hope that ashi will return somehow https://www.change.org/p/genndy-tartakovsky-samurai-jack-s-alternative-ending?source_location=petition_nav may the force be with us

[the-ink-knight]

Chapter 1/3# TOM

It was cold in Grey Grass, the great Prime Capital of the wealthy Green Lands, it was not ordinary. Tom feelt cold bones and humidity in the air, the drops of rain beat the glass of the window constantly in an iregular and anoying form, instead of the sun waking him up, and the noise of the sreets full of people selling fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. The only hero in that was the fireplace where an army of flams tried to attack the imvisibel monsters in the air. All the warmness in the fire stayed in the fireplace. They were afraid of the darkness, of the big jaws of the monsters. Miles and miles away Tom reasted under the blankets. Looking to the celling he tried to find a gap of coldness and darkness. He wanted to run away of that. But the stone floor was cold. Silence lived in that castel. No one walked in the halls. Not even wispers. The explocions of the wood in infinite sparks, and the endless rain beating on the glass ruled over the room. Tom in the fastest way we could dressed the thickest wool tunic we had, the warmest pants and a pair of gloves. Wrapped in the blankets slowly walked through the cold room until the battle field. The junks of wood turned into coal, black and spinkled of small tongues of fire that were once mighty warriors murdered by monstres. Tom himself put more wood and pine cones in the fireplace, hoping it to came to be a new weapon against the beast of the air. More flames appeard. And lighter the room become. He knew that would'nt last long. But it was enough to make his blood warmer. Suddently Lun, a young maid knocked at the old oak door with silver details and green tourmanile, emeralds and jade, and a black bull made of polish jet stones. She brought hot sugary camomille tea with limon chips, corn bread and bacon. She had a lovely face, she was a low born of course but she was beautiful in her own way. A way no one had. She had a big mouth and brown eyes, small nose and soft cheeks. Her hears were hidden by the long hairs that rain down until the middel of the back, like carmel water falls. She left room with her noiseless feet after puting the food on Tom’s lap. Tom eated it all aegerly wile imagin the epic battle. All the wood was burnig. All was warn for once. The legendary battle was won. Tom stayed wrapped in the blankets but moved further away to a chair near the window. Near of the big window of the room was a chair where Tom liked to seat on. From there he could see all Grey Grass through glasses in green, grey and white. Where he could see all the city. Grey Grass was the great Prime Capital of the Green Lands. A country full of fat mans and smilly babys. The capital was the same. Built out of grey grass a hard greyish green sandstone found deap in the Sun forest, carved in powerfull speels milenias ago in ages has ancient has mankind can remenber. Some say by Ortys Darlane the house’s founder, others belive to be his wife, a strage man he found in the woods, magic secret criateurs. Tom didnt belive in the speels, they never helped Grey Grass of anything, only man, the hight towers and thick walls, the castels canons and resevacions for many years under any siege. Altho those weapons served to kill enemys and defence the city they were beautiful.The towers as high as stars had carved draws of animals: bulls ,eagles, lions, bears, stags, snakes… the walls inside had some houses, like hanged streets of wood. Even mighty canons and armors had draws, mostly bulls, black bulls, the sigil of house Darlane. The enormous palacien castel of Grey Grass, the Bull’s Keep, reasted in the center of the city, a stunning citadel, with no regular shape, limitless towers, wich one with limitless windows, like the one Tom was near. From that throne the young heir could glimps it all. The walls a part of the keep, the streets, the aveneus, the founteins in the plazas, the markets, the mansions of smallers lords and of course all the houses, built over and under each other, but each one with a small “window garden”. Now… It was all wet. But the room was warm, and the maids started to brieng breakfast to everyone, their feet were noiseless like Lun’s. Suddently another explocion of sparks happened, righf after bigger and havyer feets walked through the hall making more noise has close it getted. With out any pleasentrieas the Iron Ox came in. His half-uncle ,sir Marke Keeny entered the room. He dreessed simply and praticly, a blue coat and a brown gibon, wool pants and leader boots. Along side with a patch, brown wild gone hair and a beard until the begining of the chest. Tom steared at him mute with no reazon. -Good morning Tom.-say the knight- we will pratice at the close horn room today… for obvious reazons.-it was raining all the water in the world. -Uncle… once you told me when you were my age, nomatter the weather you would train everyday, no matter the rain the wind, the sun or snow.- the half-uncle were a highly expirient warrior fighting for the Green Lands. -I don’t think i ever told you this…- he seated near the fireplace where Tom formely were.- but what’s your name? -Tommarde Colte Darlane. -And me?- Marck Keeny… a bastard, he thought. -Sir Marcke Keeny an Iron Ox.- saied Tom knowlegeless of what would he say right after. -A bastard of The Prime Lord Axel Darlane.- Tom was seek to wait to know anything l did'nt knew. -I grew up were. In Grey Grass. Were my mother died. Do you know her name? - Keeny… -Yes. I’m a bastard. I had never been seen by your grandfater eyes with proundness and respect in front of the other green nobels. To him I was nothing… I was only a mistake. I knew I had to do something. So i trained everyday. Battels are'nt always in sunny days. 16 years I trained. The Morzan’s Rebelion was at his height. I was young. But danm it i fought like it was my last day in the world. I killed 37 Blue man. I’ll neved forget that number. That day I become an Iron Ox a knight. I founded the House Kenny. And it was how i lost my eye. A mad man only had an arrow. He had a very large scabbard but with no sword. Climbed up to me and stabed me in the eye. That was my thirty seveth man. Since that i was like a son to my father.- well that was a thing Tom did'nt knew -But why wo'nt we traine like you. I wanna be Iron Bull. I wanna be the greatets swordsman in Oteigon and time. - You have nothing to win. You will be the Prime Lord. Like your father, like my father, like the father of his father. If you fought in a battel like i did, you would be the one that everyone wanted to kill. The heir of the Green Lands. I was just a meanless bastard. You must learn other thing more than how to kill. You will not be in the front of a battle,but in the back making the every desision with your generals. -Will that be boring? -A bit. Do you know what’s even more boring? -What? -Losing a battle. Death. That day they trained all day. A littel after they started Rorge entered, and later Oz and Balt. The sky turned from grey to orangue to black as jet stones.

[eyeloch]

When hope is lost

“Rebelions are built on hope” is quote everyone reading this probably knows.  Every member of the Ghost crew (except Chopper, probably) in many ways run on the hope of their actions - even the small ones - making a difference.  Of the rebellion continuing to grow.

But hope shrinks in face of adversity sometimes, yet they keep fighting. Hope can be extinguished, or snuffed out temporarily.  What happens then?

Kanan

When he loses hope, he loses the will to carry on fighting.  We saw this with how he threw himself into drink and debauchery for his teenage years and most of his twenties.  We see this again with how he’d increasingly isolated himself from the rest of the rebellion over the season 2 - 3 timeskip.  Presumably, while he could use the force to fight (as he did with Maul), not being able to cook, help plan missions (since he couldn’t see the holograms), fly or shoot as well as before and more besides...

Well, he fell deep into the horrible spiraling ease of feeling worthless.

Hera

She’s defined by her hope I feel, more than any other character.  From the moment we see her in A New Dawn it’s tempered by pragmatism, but it’s undeniably there.  Even when individual disasters weigh upon her, she never gives up on the belief that it’s all worth it.

I’d hate to see what would push her to the point where that belief would start to waver.

Zeb

Anger.  This is what sustained him for so very long after the fall of Lasan.

The screams of buckheads drowned out the screams of the people under his command, and that was how he survived.  Ezra helped him to a least begin to heal from that - and save every member of his specie that he could find.

Perhaps this was the moment he felt hope for the Lasat that still lived, not just for the galaxy in general.

Sabine

after her family didn't stand with her, she became a bounty hunter, called Ketsu a sister and all but dared the universe to take this last connection from her.   In many ways she HURT others to try and get some feeling back into her life, after so much of she thought she knew (that family stood by you, that Mandalore took care of their own) was wrong.

When even Ketsu abandoned her she was convinced no one would ever truely care for her, no matter what lies they told you.  She had to rely only on herself and in that spirit she fought the empire, in small ways - grafiti, theft and the like. She desperately wanted to be part of something bigger, but secrets remind her of the weapon she so innocently helped to design.

And thus she's at core a rebel as well as a Rebel!   A stubbornness keeps her limbs moving even when she doubts the effect of their actions.

Ezra

When Ezra learnt that his parents were dead, that in some ways it was him that killed them, he took up the next mission simply because that was what he did. To NOT go on the mission would risk his new family, after all!

Combine that with his obsession with keeping his friends safe while on his dark side high and it's clear that protecting people is what he falls back on when hope is difficult to grasp

...he said as much to Yoda, come to think of it

[maddie-turtle28]

January 27th, 2017

It has been a week since the inauguration. I have been trying all week to come up with the words to describe how I feel. I…I don’t know any words that can describe what has happened. I do however know that if I don’t say something then I am allowing this to happen. If I stay silent about the oppression, fear mongering, xenophobia and abuse I am saying that I think its ok. Even if I don’t know how I’m going to speak out about what I see and share with the world my thoughts. Every morning when I wake up the world seems to have gotten a little darker, a little sadder and a little scarier. I think that the world was always scary but there were always people spreading love. There always seemed to be more people spreading love and peace and hope then there were spreading fear and anger and hate. When I read the news or watch television or even go on the internet I am bombarded with stories that show the dark side of humanity. That is what people like Trump do. They give that darkness a name and a voice. But even in the midst of all that darkness there is always a light if you look hard enough. That is what I’m going to do. I’m going to be a voice for those, whose voice has been stolen, a voice to those who feel powerless. I’m going to do my best to ensure that the darkness doesn’t take over.

Today is international Holocaust Remembrance Day and the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. It’s fitting as today the United States announced a Muslim registry, or at least plans to create one. How is it that our minds are so short that we do not remember where that got us the last time? How can be we so blind to a pattern and undercurrents that we have seen before? We saw the World War II where this got us and today the United Nations is commemorating it. We are remembering some of the darkest times in modern history and listening to the same thing. I want to scream out but I know I won’t be heard. My voice is too quite but maybe if I keep writing and speaking up someone will hear me. Maybe my small single voice can unite with other to create something bigger than each one of us individually. Maybe I can create a force that helps to end the hate and spread peace.

[luminousfinn]

Hi there! This might seem weird but I wanted to thank you for reblogging that post on the socio-historical significance of that one Cassian line for Latin Americans. People don't seem to realise either how problematic is also for them to argue (1/2)

That 'Rebelions are built on hope' is just a phrase and shut down people when they point out that quote is Cassian's, and not Jyn's. Taking into account Latin American history, that quote has a lot of power coming from a Mexican actor, (cont)

Especially considering what was going on Latin America when the OT premiered. ANH came out on '77, Argentina's last coup d'etat was on the '76 like :/ for some of us is not just a quote, it is a symbol,it irks me that USAmericans and Europeans (cont)

Say that is Jyn's quote too 😑 also, literally Leia's iconic two bun hairstyle was based of a hairstyle worn by Mexican revolutionary/rebel women. Idk if GL used that on purpose, baring in mind what the Empire represents, it wouldn't surprise me tho

It doesn’t seem weird, but I never quite know how to respond to messages like this. Because it feels like the least I could do. What you brought up is very important.

No piece of media can ever be said to be apolitical, but when you steal as unapologetically and wholesale from cultures and belief from all over the world as Star Wars have always done, when you base your main villains on one of the worst hate groups in world history (maybe the worst, certainly the most successful), then you lose any right, however tiny, to claim that what you make is apolitical.

So saying that context doesn’t matter, that it’s ���just a phrase”, makes no sense. Star Wars is political, very political. Idk what possible agenda George, JJ and Gareth had, whether they intended any overt message or not, but it’s not important. 

People might not like it, but Star Wars is political and always was. And the discussion of that should never be shut down.

As for Leia’s hair buns, I wouldn’t be surprised either. I’ve never seen it mentioned, but I know that George stole from both Mongolian culture and Hopi culture for Pamdé looks, so I’d say it was more than plausible that Leia’s hair style is outright stolen too.

And you can’t do something like that and then get to make claims of not being political.

So yeah, any time.

[closertolimbo]

Rebelions are built on hope... #starwars #rogueone #jynerso #cassianandor

[ambassador3092-blog]

ENTERING INTO THE TRUE REST

The below passages that we will visit TODAY are meant to bring awareness to every believer that TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION AND ITS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE AND WE ARE CALLED TO REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT. For many this concept has been made aware to our mind but has failed to transform the heart. In no way am I condemning anyone in particular but the fact remains, we are all able to live in the Fathers TRUE REST day after day

! Let me take a moment to explain before we dive into the text found in HEBREWS 3. 

When we fail to live in TODAY we will find ourselves getting pulled down by the undercurrent of our past failures and victories. When the people we are associating with constantly brings up our past to malign our name we must recognize that this is a spirit that is working through the individual. Remembering this truth will help us navigate through the offense so that we respond in love not hate. When the FOCUS is on TODAY we can better manage our responses to things that will come our way knowing that GODS MERCIES ARE NEW EACH DAY!!! This is great news because it frees us from condemnation which is what the enemy loves to throw into the believers thoughts. When we start out each day knowing that the only one who can throw me into hell has already forgiven and forgot about my sin it brings a refreshing that should set us on the right path for the day. Remember when Jesus sent out the disciples two by two? They were called to leave their bag, purse and sandals showing us that the power they had been given by God was enough. When they came back they were amazed that the demons were subject to them, teaching us that no power of darkness can overthrow the believer that is found in Gods rest and peace. Remember the focus is on LIVING IN TODAY AND IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT.  JESUS response is what we need to get in our spirit, DON’T BE GLAD THAT THE SPIRITS ARE SUBJECT TO YOU BE GLAD YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN THE LAMBS BOOK OF LIFE. This revelation will help keep us humble as we begin to live in the Lords rest each and every day. We will see in the text in Hebrews that we are not to recieve any glory for living in the power and authority of God, that all POWER and GLORY is found in our Heavenly Father. PRIDE is one of the greatest oppositions that hold the believer back from moving from anxiety to rest. 

HEBREWS 3 

1And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God anda are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. 2For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entirec house.

WE BELONG TO GOD AND ARE PARTNERS WITH THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US AND ARE NOW IN HEAVEN. 

WE HAVE TO BE FAITHFUL TO GOD FIRST NOT MAN IN ORDER TO ENTER GODS TRUE REST. 

3But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. 4For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God.

JESUS NEEDS TO BE OUR PRIORITY 

DONT PRAISE PEOPLE AND THE WORKS OF OUR HANDS

PRAISE GOD WHO BUILT EVERYTHING 

Until we come into agreement with the TRINITY we may have works but they will be dead works because we put more emphasis on what we can do instead of what God can do. We can easily fall into the trap of glorifying people, places and things and when this occurs we will find that what we praise becomes the barrier that keeps us from entering into Gods holy rest. 

5Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. 6But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.

HERE IS A CONDITION, IF WE KEEP OUR COURAGE AND REMAIN CONFIDENT IN OUR HOPE IN CHRIST WE WILL STAY A PART OF GODS HOUSE. 

CHRIST IS IN CHARGE AND WHEN WE RENOUNCE HIS AUTHORITY WE GET SUCKED BACK INTO A LIFE OF NO PEACE. 

KEEP OUR COURAGE/REMAIN CONFIDENT IN OUR HOPE IN CHRIST 

Take courage is the word we read in Joshua 1:9 about the thought process of the LEADER GOD USED TO TAKE THE CHILDREN INTO THE PLACE OF PROMISE. 

SATAN TRYS TO DESTROY OUR COURAGE WITH UNBELIEF/SATAN USES OUR PAST FAILURES TO PAINT A NEGATIVE PICTURE OF JESUS WHICH LEADS US TO DOUBT JESUS ABILITY TO BRING US INTO REST/WITHOUT HOPE WE ARE SURE TO QUIT SO THE ENEMY WORKS OVERTIME TO GET US IN A DEFEATED MINDSET. 

7That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice, 8 don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness.

REBELION IS THE SIN OF WITCHCRAFT/THIS IS A HEART ISSUE THAT MUST BE REMOVED BY PLACING TRUST IN THE LORD AND SPENDING TIME WITH HIM/ITS IN HIS PRESENCE WE FIND HEALING 

WE HARDEN OUR HEARTS TOWARDS THE LORD WHEN HE SPEAKS TO US AND WE CHOOSE TO IGNORE HIM. 

WHO ARE WE TO TEST GOD FOR HE MADE US WE DID NOT MAKE OURSELVES. 

9There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years.10So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’

WITHOUT REPENTANCE NO ONE WILL ENTER INTO GODS PEACE. 

WHEN WE SIT BACK AND WATCH GOD WORKING IN OUR LIVES AND REFUSE TO ALLOW HIM TO CHANGE OUR HEARTS IT LEADS TO DEATH 

ITS A HEART ISSUE WHEN WE FAIL TO ENTER INTO GODS REST, STOP BLAMING GOD FOR WHERE YOUR AT ITS OUR CHOICE TO LIVE IN FREEDOM 

11So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”

THIS IS AN OT EXAMPLE OF GODS ANGER. AS WE FILTER THIS THROUGH THE CROSS WE FIND BC OF JESUS WE HAVE ACCESS TO ENTER BACK INTO HIS REST. 

THIS REVELATION HINGES ON THE APPLICATION OF THE TRUTH THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN. 

12Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters.f Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. 14For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. 

ITS UP TO US TO CHECK OUR HEART AND APPLY WHAT THE LORD HAS SO FREELY MADE US AWARE TO. 

REMEMBER JESUS SAID ONLY BELIEVE AND YOU WILL BE SAVED AND THIS ISNT A ONE TIME OCCURRENCE. ITS DAILY LIVING IN THE MOMENT AND KEEPING OUR HEART SET ON THE TRUTH OF GODS WORD

WARNING EACH OTHER DAILY IS KEY TO ENTERING INTO THE REST THAT GOD HAS INTENDED FOR EACH BELIEVER. 

WHEN WE GET OUT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST WE ARE SUBJECT TO BELIEVING THE LIE RATHER THAN THE TRUTH. 

FAITHFUL TO THE END IS KEY FOR THE WORD SAYS HE WHO ENDURES TILL THE END WILL BE SAVED. THE TIMES OF LIVING IN RELIGION ARE OVER AND WE MUST ASK THE LORD TO REMOVE OUR HEART OF STONE AND TRADE IT IN FOR THE PROMISE.....A HEART OF FLESH!!!!!

15Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.”

REJECTING THE TRUTH THAT GOD HAS SPOKEN CONCERNING YOU DOES CAUSE YOUR HEART TO BECOME CALLOUS LEADING TO REBELLION. 

DONT WORRY ABOUT YESTERDAY OR TOMORROW BUT LIVE IN TODAY AND LET GOD BREAK OFF EVERY CHAIN OF UNBELIEF. 

16And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt? 17And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? 18And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? 19So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.

UNBELIEF LEADS TO DISOBEDIENCE 

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED TO LEAD US OUT OF THE OLD AND INTO THE NEW TEND TO BE THE PEOPLE THAT GET THE BRUNT OF OUR ANGER. 

STOP BEING MAD AT PEOPLE AND FOCUSING YOUR ENERGY ON NEGATIVITY. LIVE FOR TODAY AND KEEP YOUR AFFECTIONS FOCUSED ON CHRIST AND YOU WILL FIND THE PEACE THAT YOU SO DESPERATELY DESIRE 

LET me recap what we have just read and studied. Let us never forget that we have no ability to enter in Gods rest if we forget or are not reminded of all his benefits. What the enemy focuses in on is how good the old days were and how life was so much easier when we were living under bondage. For did not the Israelites remind one another of their former days in bondage and how good those days were. Negativity will always throw us out of peace and into confusion. When we begin to glorify the places that the Lord redeemed us from we set ourselves up for a fall. We cannot expect to glorify sin and reject Gods blessing and think we will walk in his power and might. Unless we come into agreement with the Lord in every aspect of our lives we will continue to have the wrong perspective leading us away from our destiny which is found only in relationship with God. Since Jesus only did what he saw and heard his Father doing he was able to bring the forces of the Kingdom of God in the earthly realm. When we walk daily in response to what the Lord is doing we will find our position in God can not be replaced by any momentary pleasure that this world would promise to give us. We are called to be just like Jesus in this life and to walk in signs and wonders and release the Kingdom of God in the earth. Those that are failing to experience his transforming power in their life need to humble themselves before God and really get serious about all that he has given us access to. When we allow the distractions of what is going around us to determine how we will live we will never live the abundant life that God has promised us. We are in a season of turning off the worldly distractions and redirecting our hearts back to the Lord so he can soften our hearts and get us believing we were made to reign and rule here on earth. 

The harvest is great but the laborers are few............

[justyouraverageliberal-blog]

Why Feminsim isn’t One, Universal, Homogeneous Movement

I think everyone can agree that this U.S. election has brought about a lot of debate, anger, frustration, joy, hope, and a variety of other emotions depending on what candidate one supported. A huge conversation that occurred, and continues to occur, is the one about feminism. On both sides of the aisle there are people who are die-hard feminists, and there are those who hate the word feminism with every fiber in their being. I must admit, I am a feminist. But please don’t let that take away from what I am going to say. Something that worries me, as a young, left-leaning, woman attempting to educate myself on major political, cultural, and historical events is the lack of both sides in attempting to find common ground. Look, I am a ‘liberal’, but that doesn’t make me a bad person. Just like someone who voted for Trump in hopes of bringing back jobs to America is not inherently a bad person. What makes us bad people is when I refuse to listen to a steelworker in the rustbelt because I think his job security is not as important as my right to choose. Both are equally important concerns, but the current political climate causes us to become enemies, instead of working cooperatively together in order to bring a compromise that helps both parties. After all, our government was built on compromise – and if the past few election cycles have proved anything, it’s that the Republican and Democrat’s inability to compromise and work towards a common goal just hurts us, the American people the most. And the same can be said for people’s views towards feminism. You may love it, you may hate it, but at some point both sides need to get together and find a compromise because an inability to do so just hurts all members in the end.

Before I begin in my analysis, I want to talk about the feeling/vibe I get from the media and political commentators on feminism. Something that I have noticed is a urge to make feminism a homogeneous, universal movement. When the women’s marches were occurring in January, or when Sara Silverman made controversial comments about abortion, many were quick to point and say “Oh my God, Look, the feminists contradict themselves, all feminists want abortions – they are baby killers.” Or another statement I heard about feminism, and I still do, is that feminists are crude when referring to their vaginas, or breasts, or other body parts. I actually got into a heated conversation about this with my grandma (thanks in-part to a cousin who mentioned I was at a women’s march) who said that because I marched for women’s rights, it made me a “vile feminist” who should learn to “talk about oneself in a more appropriate manner.” Look, at the end of the day I respect these viewpoints. If someone believes that what women are saying at these marches or in interviews is crude or vile, then they have a right to voice those concerns. However, this brings me to my most important point – feminism is not, now, nor will it ever in the future, be a homogenous, one, united movement. Feminism has such an incredibly complex, deep history, and to assume that what one woman puts on her sign at a women’s march, or what one comedian says is representative of the whole movement is absurd. To help bring this point forward, here is a little background.

So, what is feminism? This one word that evokes grand statements of approval or dismay – is really just a fancy word for a women’s movement. A lot of individuals when they first read that quick and gritty definition will have one of two responses: 1) HA, exactly, I knew it was just a movement to help women become more important and powerful than men, those darn men haters. Or 2) That is so wrong and simplistic, this person has no idea what the feminist movement is about that uncultured swine! Okay, to be fair both responses are fair to my overly simplistic definition of what feminism is. But to put this in context, I am referring to the first stage of feminism here. When one takes a basic gender studies course (like I have), the professor will most likely label the first stage of feminism the Suffragette Stage. So this movement occurred in the 1910s through 1920s in Britain and the United States as a way to get women the right to vote. This is very true, but in both the United States and Britain, this was a movement directly linked to middle-class, white women. It was not inclusive, and arguably the term homogenous could definitely be applied. There was no variety in the types of women who were able to vote: only white, middle and upper class women. This is important to remember about feminism, especially since many minority women such as Indigenous women did not gain the right to vote until the late 1960s.

But, the first stage of feminism is still a little bit more complex and historic than a basic intro class gives one credit for. An absolutely fabulous book that I read last summer is titled The Feminist Papers: From Adams to de Beauvoir. It is edited and commentated on by Alice S. Rossi, and goes through the first wave of feminism in great detail. Something really great about this book, is that it talks about women from the 1770s – specifically Abigail Adams. She writes a letter to her husband, John Adams, pleading with him to “remember the ladies” because if the males of the Second Continental Congress did not, the women were “determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” Totally kick-ass right?! Abigail Adams is one of my favorite feminists because she existed before there was even a movement for it. She is writing to her husband, who would eventually be the second president, demanding he recognize women’s rights. That is pretty bad-ass. Yet, largely looked over in intro classes. In fact, if one takes Rossi’s book at face value, the first women’s movement was largely women demanding they be educated so that they could eventually make arguments for having the legal rights that men did. Another major area that early feminists such as Judith Sargent Murray is forced to deal with it the biblical interpretations of women. Though some today may use the bible to attempt to limit the rights of others (homosexuals anyone?), women being powerless really does not have religious connotations these days. But in the late 1700s, you bet. And this is so very important for people to understand. While it is true that the first real feminist movement revolved around voting, we tend to forget the pre-feminist period, or at least the early half of the first feminist movement, where women were demanding education, proving the bible didn’t support their subservience, and in the end really got the ball rolling towards women’s rights. And look, if feminism was ever ‘homogenous,’ the argument could be made that it was during the first wave, but even then, look at the length of time that the first wave took. You’re looking at the late 1700s all the way to the 1920s. That is a good chuck of time, with many cultural, political, and even economic shifts. Women were not completely the same, nor was their primary goal in regards to women’s rights.

The second wave of feminism takes place from the 1960s through the 1980s. This to me is what I think of when I think of feminism. The 1960s, mass protests, bra burning, and lots of sex. And to be fair, this is an overdramatized point of view, but something I think a lot of my generation shares. But what did the second wave of feminism fight and stand for? Well, they were primarily fighting for a broader set of values than the first wave did. They were looking at reproductive rights, legal inequalities (that weren’t solved in the first wave), cultural inequalities, sexual liberty, family rights, workplace rights, and even attempted to tackle the issues of domestic violence and marital rape. There were some issues with the second wave. First, there were splinter groups such as radical feminism, which called for the complete destruction of patriarchal constructs and a reordering of culture, politics, and the economy to create an evener playing field for both men and women. The other main splinter group was social feminism. This argued that while the patriarchy is important in creating inferior women, it was not the only method. They believed that the economy and women’s inability to be economically independent ultimately caused their inferiority. It tends to be women of these groups that get labeled ‘man haters.’ –whether or not you think that title is accurate is up to you to decide. Additionally, the second wave coincided with the Civil Rights Movement and other movements of the 1960s. African American, black, indigenous, minority groups were fighting for their rights, and what happened in large numbers was that these minority women were fighting two fronts: one for rights for their race, and one for rights on their gender. A trend that developed is that these women were largely ignored by the feminist movement – either due to racism or the perception that these women were focused more on their race rights over their gender rights. Many people believe that the second wave did not go far enough in incorporating various races and ethnicities into its ranks – but to be fair the feminist movement is still charged with this accusation today (I believe, rightly so).

The third wave of feminism is really a reaction to first and second wave feminism, and particularly their flaws. As I have said previously, the first and second waves of feminism have lacked both racial and class variety among their ranks. Even second wave feminism, which was at its peak during the height of the Civil Rights Movement failed to really draw any large numbers of minorities to their movement. The third wave, however, focused on these racial, class, and sexuality minorities of society. The third wave brought black, queer, white, poor, affluent and transsexual all together. The third wave began in the 1990s and many argue is still around today (though some argue we have entered into a 4th wave, either way I will stop at the third wave).  It is during the third wave that ‘feminism’ really transforms from a women’s rights movement to an equality movement. During this movement we have seen, just recently, an attempt to break down masculinity stereotypes that can be damaging for males, we have seen marriage equality in our country, we have seen an ability for many LGBTQIA to have open relationships and be out and relatively safe. Now, I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I know we have much to do with equality in the United States, and especially with the LGBTQIA, but arguably because of feminism and the third wave’s attempt to be more open, inclusive, and cooperative with other movements (such as the LGBTQIA movements) progress has been made.

So as you can see, feminism is a complex movement. Especially now under the third wave of feminism, as the movement attempts to become and embrace equality as its main goal, it is hard to be a homogenous movement. Think about the dates of these movements. There are women and men from the second wave still alive. There are people who are radical, socialist, Marxist, or a variety of other feminists alive today, who are actively working with Generation X third wave feminists and millennial third wave feminists. So when political commentators such as Tomi Lahren call feminists out for not wanting the same things, for contradicting themselves – remember that there are lots of different experiences and people in the movement, and one cannot expect them to all have the same ideologies, backgrounds, or hopes for the future. These individuals who claim to be feminists are hoping for a more equitable future – but that future may occur based on a variety of paths.

[spacelaurels]

Rebelions are built on hope.