#Christian coping strategies

[thinkingonscripture]

Biblical Strategies for Dealing with a Toxic Supervisor

Some years ago, I suffered under a toxic boss who had a very controlling personality. She meticulously managed her public image, maintaining a polished but fake charm, and used relationships to maintain her power. Despite her initial charm, her character flaws became evident over time. On several occasions, I witnessed her using intimidation tactics with staff, shutting them down in an unjust and…

[sagetsukimura]

GAZA, ISRAEL and PAINTING

So I sat down and brainstormed painting ideas. The things I am struggling with, the things I wish to say, want to be heard. Therapeutic at least, and if I do ever finish, maybe art that will speak to people. Well...

Turns out I have a lot I want to say about what's happening in Gaza. In Israel, the West Bank, and the US.

(Context?) I've been informed I'm very 'moderate'. I try very hard to look into the historical context, to see the motivations from both sides and understand them from each viewpoint before applying my oven life to them. It's put me in some interesting places, irl.

So it's easy for me to look at what's happening and want to scream. Emotions are running high, everything is happening way too fast, and too many people are talking in absolutes. (Less than usual, however. I cannot emphasize this enough. Because of the posts from people on the ground in Gaza, so many people are able to see the conflict from both sides. To see the nuance in the situation. It's harder to dehumanize people when you've been chatting with them on and off on the internet for the last couple of years.)

And what we can see is the same thing history has always told us, and the victorious have always tried to hide. The people who suffer are not the ones giving the orders. All there is, in truth, on either side, is Horror.

(I'm not going to pick apart everything in this post. Tumblr seems pretty educated on the apartheid Palestinians have been under, even if they were only recently made aware. (Propaganda and censorship, gotta love politics) and the Big News has done a good job of showcasing the devastation occurring on the Israeli side. Trying to narrow this conflict down to two sides is absolute bullshit and I think everyone here knows it. People are not their government, and not all members of a population are good. That leaves a minimum of 6 different viewpoints that would need to be considered, and all of it narrows down to innocent people suffering, and they shouldn't be.)

(I'm sorry, it's late, I can't write out the entire balancing act analysis tonight)

Anyway, back to art. A picture is worth a thousand words, but having words for your picture is great before you put paint on canvas.

So, below are the many painting ideas I've had in the last 2 hours. Just, straight from my brain, onto my clipboard, to here.

DISCLAIMER- PLEASE NOTE- I wrote these without basic filtering. I did not police my thoughts. The use of Christian imagery to convey themes and ideas happens. I don't know if that would be considered offensive, it's 2 a.m. My hope at this time (2 a.m.) is that the use of Christian imagery helps convey the message to someone of that background who would not normally pause to consider the work (In this case, part of the target audience, IE those who have so far managed to avoid giving the horror of this situation any of their time or consideration because of propaganda) The use of Christian imagery is not meant to say that one religion is better than another, simply that my mind made connections with past experiences and this is what popped out.

So feel free to inform me of your opinion on the imagery used. In the end, these are ideas, and honestly just brainstorming was very therapeutic)

I encourage others to do this themselves if they think it would help, You don't even have to post, just think of 3 or 4 paintings you would do, no matter how talented an artist you were, and what you would name them. It really helped me today, maybe it can help you.

[finallyalivecounseling]

Understanding the Difference Between Stress and Anxiety

Understanding the Difference Between Stress and Anxiety

Have you ever used the words “stress” and “anxiety” interchangeably? Many of us have, but did you know that these words actually have different meanings? Stress and anxiety are two common terms related to our mental health, and it’s important to understand their differences. Knowing the distinction can help us manage these conditions and improve our quality of life. What is Stress? Stress is a…

[marshemillow]

You know what? I'm talking about "phone addiction" again because I'm not done.

Do you know what an addiction is? Addiction isn't "you do it just out of habit because you don't think about it" addiction is "if you stop you will literally be in agony and that's why you keep turning to the thing."

We have this baked-in idea that addiction is a moral failing, that if you have a phone addiction, it really just means you need to get off your phone. Yeah, addicted to alcohol? Just stop! Don't drink it anymore! Withdrawl? What's that? If you drink alcohol, it obviously means you just don't have enough willpower! If you can't stop drinking alcohol, it means you're a bad person. You basically deserve to have liver failure at that point!

Yes some people actually believe this! They don't know that paramedics carry alcohol with them specifically because it saves the lives of people going through alcohol withdrawl, they don't care! It's something they cheer themselves up with because they aren't addicted to alcohol, and that means they're a good person.

I am so sick and fucking tired of people pathologizing and moralizing non-moral issues. Addiction, or Substance Abuse Disorder, is an actual physical health condition. It's a disease. You can't stop it with enough willpower, it's something that needs actual medical treatment. Just looking at coping mechanisms or even just things that make you feel good because they release dopamine in your brain and calling that an "addiction" does so much damage to people's understanding of real addiction and makes addicts look like evil weak cowards instead of people with a disease that needs treatment. That's fucking evil. Imagine telling someone with cancer that they just didn't have enough willpower to stop it. Disgusting.

And it's extra ironic coming from these people who think they're addicted to their phone saying "you just need to stop" and then not stopping, meanwhile I have often just forgotten I don't have my phone with me and then get confused when I don't have it. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Why is the person who "knows" it's an "addiction" (in the moral failing way) still not have enough willpower to stop whereas I have to consciously remind myself to go find my phone because I just forget it exists when I don't believe in phone addiction? Literally half the time I take my phone out of my pocket, it's just to check the time.

It's almost like "phone addiction" is just another way to make people feel guilty for doing things they like doing. It doesn't make them stop, they just feel worse about it. They don't think about it as a coping strategy that fades as their life circumstances get better.

And every single time, when you find these people who feel bad for doing things that make them happy, they grew up christian. Every fucking time. "Struggle with addiction" and it's just guilt applied to something normal.

STOP MAKING YOUR CATHOLIC GUILT EVERYONE ELSE'S PROBLEM!!! IF YOU CARED ABOUT "PHONE ADDICTION" YOU WOULD BE TAKING ACTUAL STEPS TO MINIMIZE HARM, NOT THROWING GUILT AT PEOPLE JUST FOR ITS OWN SAKE!!!

[sweetasadaisy]

Glowing up: A journey towards self-improvement

The reason I want to glow up is because I am determined to make positive changes in my life. I want to improve my health, enhance my appearance, and become a better version of myself. For as long as I can remember, I've been lazy, mediocre, self-destructive and unkind. But I refuse to be like that any longer. With hard work and dedication, I know I can transform myself into someone I'm proud of. I know it won't be easy, but I'm ready to take on the challenge and become the best possible version of myself.

Part 1:Physical wellness

Inspiration:Pink Pilates Princess and Green Juice Girl

The physical aspect of glowing up goes beyond aesthetics. Although, I won't deny that the main reason is doing it. It's about feeling strong, energized, and confident in your skin. I struggle with chronic migraines, fatigue and Self-destructive behaviours. My self-destructive behaviours are things I unconsciously do to make myself unattractive like binge eating because I want to be skinny but my brain doesn't want me to be skinny because it knows it will make me happy and unconsciously I don't want to be happy. I also cut my hair short because I love long hair and I cut my hair every time it gets long because I secretly hate myself and don't want to be happy. (This probably belongs in the mental wellness part.)My plan to improve my physical health is to lose weight gained from years of binging and become fit.

Goals

Lose almost 30lbs by

Eating porpotioned healthily balanced meals(<1450kcals)

Taking my vitamins

Exercising at least 3hrs a week

Getting 10k steps a day

Sleep at 11pm at latest and wake up at 5/6 am

Develop a skincare routine

Grow my hair back to waist length

Part 2:Mental, Emotional and social wellness

Inspiration:That girl and Clean girl

Mental health is the cornerstone of glowing up. It involves cultivating a positive mindset, managing stress, and fostering resilience. Emotional health involves understanding and managing our emotions in a healthy way. It's about cultivating self-awareness, practicing self-compassion, and developing coping strategies for life's challenges. Social health involves building and maintaining meaningful relationships, setting boundaries, and fostering a sense of belonging. I have struggled with my mental health for a long time. I am diagnosed with depression and I have dealt with binge eating on and off for years. I have low self-esteem and self-worth. I never liked myself since I was young. (I think I know the reason but I don't want to share.)The hatred I felt for myself got externalised into hatred, envy, jealousy and unkindness towards others. I am going to change that by:

Getting a therapist

Self care

Being positive

Thinking before I speak

Practicing gratitude

Clean my room once a day

Meet with friends outside of school at least once a month

Part 3: Spiritual wellness

Inspiration: That Christian girl

Nurturing spiritual health provides a sense of purpose, connection, and inner peace. I was born catholic and went to catholic school from the age of 5 to 11(ages 7-11 were an only-girl school). I became an atheist at 11 and have been struggling with my relationship with God ever since. I was born and raised catholic but I was never properly Cathechized. That is because my parents(My mom is a cradle catholic and my dad was born catholic but became Pentecostal) are lukewarm and don't teach me and my siblings about God, the Bible and the Catholic Church. My parents have had multiple children and have not married. (I don't want them to get married to be honest because they are not right for each other and they aren't the best example of a healthy relationship.) My mom only started regularly attending church because I asked her that we start going. My parents aren't the best example of good Christians. Also, in catholic school days teach you nothing about the catholic church they just read the bible to you every morning, make you pray 3-4 times a day and bring you to church once a week. Catholic school wasn't that bad because catechizing me wasn't their job it was my parents. My goals to become strengthen my relationship with God are:

Attend mass on all Sundays and days of obligation

Pray at least twice a day and before eating

Read the Bible daily

Learn about the catholic church and catechize myself

Got to confession eventually

Do my confirmation

Become a Proverbs 31 woman

Part 4: Intellectual wellness

Inspiration:Academic weapon

Continuous learning and intellectual stimulation are essential components of glowing up. An Academic Weapon is a student who is perceived as particularly successful in academics as a whole. My grades are mediocre but i can easily fix that if i stop being lazy and study more. I am going to:

Study atleat 3hrs a day un top of homework

Have an 8-hour study session once a week.

Read one book a month

Join more clubs

Take every opportunity to learn

Conclusion

Glowing up is not a destination but a lifelong journey of self-discovery and personal growth. By nurturing physical, mental, spiritual, social, emotional, and intellectual health, we can become the best versions of ourselves. Whether you're striving to be that Christian girl, a pink Pilates princess, a green juice girl, clean girl or an academic weapon, remember that the most beautiful glow comes from within.

[clinically-obssessed]

Remus' Purpose

So far in Sanders Sides, we have seen that two of "dark sides" - Virgil and Janus - are just as essential to Thomas as the "light sides." Without Virgil, Thomas has no motivation, and Janus introduces an element of self-preservation that would otherwise be absent. But what about Remus? So far, all we know is that he represents intrusive thougts, but we have not yet seen in what way he helps Thomas. And it's not immediately obvious that he does at all: the two episodes in which he appears as a major character portray him as pathological, focusing on strategies to help Thomas cope with and avoid intrusive thoughts. But I think, given the show's increasing attention to Patton's overly strict ethical rules, Remus will play a key role in helping Thomas accept himself and change his attitude toward morality

In his introductory song, Remus sings a number of lines that relate to morality. He begins with a Biblical allusion, drawing a parallel between Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit and Thomas learning about Remus. He says, "Adam and Eve bought knowledge for the small price of a little sin," framing Thomas' own pursuit of self-knowledge as a transaction that requires him to break his moral rules. Later in the song, he states that "Good and bad are all made up nonsense" and that "everybody cheats, everybody lies, so why deny yourself knowledge?" which attempts to justify Thomas' descent into sin. This is further reinforced by Remus' assertion that "these kinds of things are only thought in the mind of a man whose soul is truly rotten," which is intended to dispel Thomas' self-image as morally righteous. In Remus' view, what is holding Thomas back from understanding himself and reaching his full creative potential is that he is too caught up in false notions of morality, and it is only by dropping these pretenses that he can truly achieve his goals.

At this point, you should be screaming, "Whoa! That sounds exactly like the philosophy of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900)!" That is precisely because I've described it in a way that is intentionally similar to the philosophy of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900). I think that drawing this parallel will allow us to understand the character's direction. Nietzsche was a highly influential philosopher because of his rejection of most things everyone else - even philosophers - took for granted. His writing is complex and difficult to interpret - likely intentionally so - but one of his most famous ideas is that morality is subjective. He criticized Christian morality as "slave morality", claiming that it celebrates weakness and keeps people from achieving their true potential. Additionally, he believed that the metaphysical claims of Christianity were becoming less and less believable in the face of advancements in science and philosophy, so Christian ethics no longer had any grounding either. Instead, he says, it is up to every individual person to give their life meaning. To him, there is no objective truth, only each person's will to power. In this new world that can no longer find answers in God, everyone must strive toward an ideal known as the ubermensch, or "overman," a person who is able to overcome their own weaknesses, create new things, and affirm all aspects of life.

The similarities between Nietzsche and Remus are clear. Both embrace self-understanding, value creativity, and reject moral systems as barriers to achieving one's goals. Furthermore, they share a particular orientation toward controversy. Nietzsche's work is filled with contradictions, and his style is exaggerated and extreme, suggesting that his writings do not form a logically coherent philosophical system or even necessarily reflect his own beliefs but are rather intended to challenge societal norms and promote critical thinking. In the same way, Remus intentionally gives Thomas uncomfortable and disgusting thoughts which he knows will contradict Thomas' morality in order to force him to question his values and assumptions about himself.

With this in mind, it seems likely that Remus will play a major role in the finale. The arc of the show has been focused heavily on the idea of morality, and as "Putting Others First" revealed, Patton's standards are only hurting Thomas' mental health. Janus made the case for the importance of self-care using psychology, but his argument is not fully convincing. As Roman pointed out, it is necessary to find a balance between selfishness and selflessness, and Janus does not answer his question of "When is it enough?" Therefore, it may be necessary for Remus to come in and force Thomas to confront the fact that Patton's morality is not only hurting him but it is based on false premises to begin with. By bringing ugly realities to the surface, Remus will challenge Thomas to stop passively accepting the moral codes that have been handed down to him by society and to create his own meaning and values that serve him.

[ktempestbradford]

Jumping off of what I said in this post about having to dismantle certain toxic ideas about myself, I realized that folks might not know how deeply not being a straight, white, cishet, able-bodied, Christianized male (aka the Dominant Paradigm) in the West messes you up mentally. It's a huge mental health problem that isn't always addressed.

When I started up my latest round of therapy I began to acquire labels for some of the ways I acted or reacted to situations. One day in session I was like: Was that a trauma response? It was, wasn't it? And my therapist confirmed. What confused me is that I didn't think I'd experienced trauma.

The idea I had of trauma was some Major Incident in which something Very Bad had happened to me or near me. Or it was about being in abusive situations, usually at home. The kind of ways trauma is depicted in the media.

Then I came across a Twitter thread in which the person said that everyone needs therapy, especially marginalized people, because the way Western society works, anyone who is not the Dominant Paradigm or doesn't hew closely to it is constantly being harmed by society.

Are you BIPOC? Racism is almost everywhere, and where it is, it's constant. It's also not always KKK-level in your face racism; it's more often wave after wave of microagressions on top of whatever challenging condition you're in due to historical racism. In other words: Chronic.

Are you neurodiverse? Good luck not being overstimulated by allegedly benign activities like going to the grocery store. Good luck not being criticized on a daily basis because you can't act "normal". Try holding down a job that expects you to sit at a desk for 8 hours yet you can't even sit in a quiet environment because the asshole CEO read that open office plans make employees more productive.

Are you anywhere under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella? Welcome to the constant barrage of invasive questions from strangers, invasive laws, invasive religiosity... Once again, an allegedly benign activity (going to the bathroom in public) can be a damn crucible if you don't look like the "right" kind of woman or man. Have fun navigating the medical system when you want affirming health care.

I could go on. Disabled people, poor or working class people, fat people, any people who have been historically marginalized and oppressed all experience this. It is trauma. It is harm. It does affect us. But it's Chronic and Systemic. That's the crux.

Because we have to keep on going even with all this. It's every day and it's not easy to escape. So we "deal with it." Some of us have good coping strategies and or supportive family (bio or found) and that really helps. It doesn't alleviate the overall problem. Thus, we all need therapy (so the OP of that Twitter thread concluded).

I don't know that we ALL need it. And I for sure know that some mental health practitioners and therapy frameworks are quite harmful to marginalized people. I'm very lucky in that I have a great therapist and the treatment I'm getting is informed by my identity and background, not ignorant of it. Not everyone has that or has access to it.

What I do know is that we all need Community. True community offers true support, which is necessary for healing.

We also all need to know that our mental health struggles and our trauma are real and valid, even if they don't look or manifest the way we've been conditioned to recognize them. Don't let anyone invalidate your experience or mental health struggles because you don't fit into a specific, wrongly-labeled box.

And don't let anyone tell you that this society isn't out here traumatizing you, because it is. Society doesn't need to be this way. But here in The (European Colonizer Created) West, that's what those with more power have chosen for the rest of us. And it sucks.

I have nothing but hugs and empathy for all the other people out there experiencing this. The only piece of advice I have is: Find community, hold on tight to each other, be that oasis of Okay that others need and they'll be that same oasis for you. <3

[remyfire]

U write like a repressed christian housewife who has unfulfilled sex

Hey there!

I'm really sorry I haven't been giving you the attention you've been lusting for over the past three months of you attempting to harass me under, what are we up to now, four different accounts? Five? More than that? But frankly nothing you've tried to insult me with has been very interesting—including the other ask you sent four hours ago almost on the dot.

I understand how upsetting it can be when the person you're trying to make angry is neither affected by your words or giving you the time of day, so I'd like to recommend that you pick up a new hobby instead of trying to get a rise out of people. Cross-stitching is a really satisfying endeavor. There's some incredible small businesses you can support if you take up something like watercolor painting. Volunteering at an animal shelter might give you a degree of personal fulfillment.

But at the end of the day, I know you're lonely. I know you're upset because you feel like your writing is underappreciated. I know you're sad due to a lack of community. But at some point, I really hope you can begin to understand that the only way you're going to form a community of people who love, support, and cherish you is by exhibiting kindness and interest in their lives, passions, and work rather than sending asks ranging from childish insults to violent suicide bait.

I'm hoping things improve for you. When you're ready to get started on working through the things you've said and done to people, it's gonna suck initially. There's nothing particularly fun about looking at your face in the mirror and accepting that you've enthusiastically, gleefully decided to be the villain in the lives of many, many people rather than taking those uncomfortable feelings of envy and depression and anger and learning appropriate coping strategies to help them pass through you instead of letting them become a weapon in your hand. But I do hope that when that day comes, you will have found someone who wants to let you lean on them rather than letting your own behavior continue to alienate you from not only your fandoms but also the entire world around you.

[shallowseeker]

Lucifer + war

I know that no one wants Lucifer takes, but...

I keep thinking about that funky, exhilarated smile Lucifer dons when Amara attacks Heaven.

For this brief time in season 11, Lucifer feels like Lucifer again.

He has a purpose. He's the impossible hope against The Great Evil, gearing up for the prize fight. He's not even alone. He's with a brother who gray-rock-tolerates him as comrade instead of actively trying to kill him.

For a second, he even starts becoming so used to being part of a team that he forgets who he is. But he's Lucifer, and that means he doesn't have to spare Sam. Hell, why should he want to? He ain't got no feelings! So, he keeps living up to the idea of Lucifer. He's evil, he's cunning, he's strong, he's a warrior...

He even gets to go back to Heaven, where they uneasily accept him as he tries to ape the charisma expected of God's finest. But he learns he's not so good at that part. So, he calls on his brother, Castiel (the more natural leader), to do the soldiering part. (From SPN 11x22 -> LUCIFER: And here I thought I had made real inroads with you guys. Welp, I came here to ask a good-faith favor of you folks, but as you are clearly less than kindly disposed, perhaps you'll, uh, lend an ear to my very own Jiminy Cricket. Hmm? CASTIEL: Hello, brothers. Sisters.)

And then, on the eve of battle, after doing everything they asked of him, Amara rips him away from his brother and his father, and he's brutally untethered after his first bout of security for eons. (Say what you will, I still stand by that Lucifer begrudgingly likes as much as he resents Cas and the security/safety he provides for his loved ones. He likes Gabriel, too.)

And he despairs.

///

In season 12, he seems to have been waiting for Castiel specifically:

Vince Vincente: Castiel. Took you long enough. Did you bring the rest of the Little Rascals?

Lucifer doesn't even wanna be Lucifer anymore. Playing him last season sucked. He went to war, was hated for it, and then he got horrifically tortured by Amara, and nobody cared.

Lucifer (Vince Vincente): Because it's fun. Because I can. And because being Lucifer? So much Judeo-Christian baggage. But Vince? He's famous. Everybody loves him. And I need love. I had a really jacked childhood.

And Lucifer is frustrated with Cas. As he fights him, his voice is unusually heavy with emotion:

Castiel: You think this is fun? Lucifer (Vince Vincente): Oh, I wouldn't expect you to understand. I was inside you. I know what a weak, duty-bound… Castiel attempts to attack again but he is swiftly knocked aside by Lucifer Lucifer (Vince Vincente): ...pleasureless dullard you are.

This whole scene, Lucifer is appealing to (and usually speaking directly to) Castiel, doing things to try and get a rise out of him and get his attention (killing innocents, beating up Crowley). Like many of the emotionally unhinged characters (Rowena, Crowley, pretty much all the demons), Lucifer is frustrated by Castiel's coping strategy, which is to withdraw and gray-rock him (i.e. "become as uninteresting and unengaged as possible so that the other person loses interest"). Getting a rise out of Cas is its own kind of Holy Grail.

But just like when they were roomies, Castiel won't grace Lucifer with a reaction, which triggers him pretty hard. This scene reads as incredibly emotionally charged, especially for Lucifer. That's because Lucifer wants Castiel to react...just like he wants Chuck to react.

(Everybody loves Cas, and he won't even bask in it. No one loves Lucifer.)

///

Lucifer doesn't even kill him. His last hit tosses Cas onto a couch, for Christ's sake. Lucifer chooses to take the majority of his violence out on the human and the demon. He says to Cas: "Stick around for the afterparty." He wants to see him hurt post-Sam and Dean deaths, most likely. (That'll surely get a reaction.)

///

Sam: You and God made up. You forgave him. What would he think? Lucifer (Vince Vincente): I'm not especially interested in his opinion. Dear old dad, he finally apologized for abandoning me. And what's the very next thing he does? [Voice breaks] He ditches me. [Laughs, openly crying] And you, too, by the way. His words, your words, they mean nothing. Don't you get it? This is all meaningless. Heaven, Hell, this world. If it ever meant anything, that moment is past. Nothing down here but a bunch of hopeless distraction addicts, so filled with emptiness, so desperate to fill up the void… they don't mind being served another stale rerun of a rerun of a rerun. You know what my plan is? I don't have one.��

For a half-second, he loved them and wanted their love, too. He had war companions in Sam and Dean. He had a brother in Cas. But Lucifer has gone from being too faithful in The Cause to having no plan at all. And with that, he, too, has fallen to the ultimate SPN bad guy: NIHILISM.

Thus, Jack.

He doesn't go to kill Cas until after Jack is secured. It's as he tells Sam, "I don't need you anymore!" (Because now he has Jack. The thing that will make his life "meaningful.")

[milliemakesmagic]

So, I have such a huge urge to talk about this. Trigger warning: unhealthy online relationships, and mentions of sexual harassment.

In 2020 during the height of quarantine, my friend (and Pinterest lol) introduced me to this film called, "Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs." I was immediately interested because it was the first time I saw myself as an animated character. I'm a pale, brunette, with brown eyes and a slim figure. (Yes I know, basic, and most girls in fiction look like that, but I actually DO look incredibly similar to how they animated her.) I grew extremely attached to the gifs and pictures I'd find of Red Shoes because

OH MY WORD IT'S ME BUT ANIMATED

It's quarantine. What else am I gonna do.

When I finally saw the movie I absolutely loved the quirky retelling of Snow White, with the absolutely STELLAR women of all sizes empowerment, AND THE KID FRIENDLY WAY OF SAYING DON'T OBJECTIFY WOMEN. 👏👏👏👏👏

But around that same time, I was talking to a boy online who eventually became my online boyfriend. And even though he claimed to be Christian and respectful, he had a LOT of issues with objectifying women...and by extension, me. He claimed to be respectful of boundaries. But he wasn't. My rose colored glasses were so thick that I didn't see it all until after I had loved ones step in to separate me from this guy before things became dangerous. But I truly thought he was the Merlin to my Red Shoes. And in a way, he was. Merlin is a difficult character for me. I LOVE his character arch and charm. But I sometimes can't get over just how much he did for Red Shoes only for her looks. There was a lot that my relationship with this guy. I was stuck with a Merlin that wasn't going to change his ways. His eyes would always stray to prettier things.

After the hellish breakup, I started therapy, and developed a lot of unhealthy coping strategies. When you fall in love during the "end of the world" you kind of assume he's all you have. So when I lost that and then realized that he'd been sexually harassing me and I was too smitten to notice, it was a LOT to take in. "If I'd given up their magic you wouldn't have helped me find my father would you?....Would you? I thought we were both under the same spell. But now I see that, I was wrong."

My ex used to refer to me as Red Shoes, he understood how much I loved that I felt like I was her. And when he and I split, the pain that movie gave me was unbearable. My Merlin never loved me for who I was inside. I was only pretty.

I even had sent him photos of my in my Red Shoes cosplay that I did for my birthday. I was so excited to show him. Next thing I knew he was blocked, and my costume, my own pair of red shoes, were boxed into the closet where they couldn't hurt me anymore.

And I thought that was the end. I wasn't the princess Snow White. I was some twisted version of Red Shoes that got a crappy ending and a pervert for my "prince."

I dated one or two people a few years later. But it was all surface dating. Nothing emotionally invested. And then my friend introduced me to this guy. And you want to know what one of the first things we did together was?

We sat down together and watched Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs. And he held my hand, and squeezed it when he could tell I was getting emotional.

Months later I have a ring on my finger to be his. And tonight as I laid here listening to the Red Shoes soundtrack that no longer hurts like hell, I realized that my love and connection for this movie wasn't ever between me and my online abuser. It was meant to be a stepping stone for me and my now fiancé. That boy wasn't my Merlin. This man, who respects me, loves me, encourages me and builds me up to be all that I can be, HE'S my Merlin, my prince.

We agreed that I'd wear red pumps on our wedding day. To me, it's a reminder of how far I've come and that God never gave up on me.

And with a loving, secure, and healing heart I can finally truly say,

"I got Merlin'd."

[sparkylurkdragon]

Finished reading The Story of Pain: From Prayer to Painkillers by Joanna Bourke today. My review is here, (tl;dr I liked it - would've liked a wider net but I see why the author narrowed her study area down) but, it got me to thinking...

Okay, so, live-and-let atheist disclaimer, don't let me tell you how to religion, but the sense I got from some of the history here was that the Christian conception of What Pain Was For was that it was a message of some kind. Often the message was "you are being Bad, stop it" - whether that was by sinning and making God unhappy or, uh, just ticking off your betters by, say, offering your left hand to shake when your right one just underwent major surgery. (Real example from the book. The doctor flipped the fuck out and the patient really did just go 'ah well it was justified that he wrenched me up by the injured arm because I was after all a pauper and he was A Gentleman'.)

Or it could be a more generalized divine message about Something. What that Something was tended to vary depending on time, place, race, class, and so on, but it was often seen as a positive thing. A thing that brings one closer to the divine. Which was why painkillers were seen as A Problem when they were first invented, because people were (a) not being Punished and/or (b) weren't experiencing The Message.

And from where I'm standing it sounds a hell of a lot like a coping strategy that made sense for the time it arose but became maladaptive as the world changed. You know, like when you become a people pleaser or highly aggressive to avoid or ward off the wrath of abusive parents but it turns out that can fuck up your relationships very badly as an adult.

Before painkillers, shit, man, you might as well take it as a divine message and maybe even a positive one because what else are you going to do?

But, like. We do have painkillers now. We're not living with our abusive parents anymore.

...Maladaptive coping strategy.

[unrepentantcheeseaddict]

God-Touched Character Intro: Gabriel

@sarandipitywrites this is more about Gabriel. I'm not trying to spam you I swear. No replies necessary unless you're actually up for it.

Gabriel is Azrea's love interest, uses he/they pronouns like myself and bucket loads of snark. He also happens to be an archangel, although he's missing a lot of his powers right now.

Looks like this, they're tall and lanky but in an elegant way, like a cat. The Picrew I used for everyone else didn't have a purple skin tone option 😭😭😭

He was in love with Jesus, the last major God-Touched human. It was mutual, but then Jesus died (partially by choice) in spite of Gabriel explaining what was really going on and trying to talk some sense into him.

Then Gabriel got kicked out of heaven and banished for trying to save the man they loved. They spent the last several thousand years bitter, angry and alone, which kind of faded into a vague snarky resentment and some very unhealthy coping strategies. They didn't return to space until humans got the hang of it, spending most of their time stuck on Earth as a variety of alter-ego eccentric actors. Viggo Mortenson included.

(This is also how Christianity on Earth started in my verse btw, with Mary writing down a version of Gabriel's leaked information along with her son's life story to remember him by after he died.)

Character Inspo chart!!!

Gabriel is flirty, snarky, and kind of a charming asshole. He doesn't let you see any other side of him unless he REALLY trusts you. He's used to being the smartest and hottest person in any given room, but is open to being proven wrong on that. He likes a complex challenge, both for it's own sake and as a chance to show off.

[thoseboysinblue]

So I have some ideas for some fics but not sure if they are anything anyone wants to read or if they are something that's been done/overdone. Would you like to see series or one shots or maybe just like one or two part stories. Let me know your thoughts.

***Edited to add #7***

1. You meet Christian while he's on international duty in the States. Both of you are on the shy/introverted side, but with the help of both of your friends (and some alcohol) you come out of your shells.

2. You and Christian share mutual friends and while you don't hate each other, you don't necessarily get along either. But when you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation on a night out, he comes to the rescue.

3. You are a single mom, I was thinking to a younger boy that has been invited to an elite training camp for the USMNT developmental program. Christian wasn't supposed to be there, but because of a last minute schedule change he is. You meet and he becomes infatuated with you. You figure it's nothing more than a conquest/fling, but maybe he sees it differently.

4. You meet Christian through a research project you are working on highlighting mental health issues/coping strategies of high profile athletes. You start out as acquaintances, but develop a friendship and things evolve from there.

5. You and Christian had been dating for a while when he gets cold feet and backs out. He thinks you hate the pressure of being with him and breaks up with you for your own good in his mind. It's not necessarily an amicable split, but not overly messy either. You both still have feelings for one another but you are both stubborn and think you are doing what's best for the other by staying away. Maybe one of his teammates pulls some strings to play Cupid in an attempt to get you back together.

6. You work for Chelsea, and are close with a few of the guys. They all know that you and Christian like each other but neither of you will make a move because you are scared of ruining your friendship. (I actually have this one nearly completely written, but I'm not sure I like it)

7. You attend a USMNT match, maybe your first as his girlfriend. He's named as captain for that night and is being extra feisty on the pitch which just turns you on even more. After the match is over, he gives you his jersey and you request that he brings the armband home as well. (I feel like this one would be extra spicy.)

I would also love holiday ideas since I'm sucker for holiday fluff 😍

And to the anon that sent me the request about meeting his parents, I'm working on that one already. Hope to have it done soon!

My brain is running wild with scenarios, but I have no idea if they are worth pursuing 😅

[shikai-the-storyteller]

Frick it YET ANOTHER KARMALAND LIVEBLOG TIME

THE VIDEO.... HE’S WATCHING IT!! HE DIDN”T IMMEDIATELY GET MAD AND TURN IT OFF

MAYBE WE HAVE A CHANCE MAYBE THERE’S HOPE

Luzu in the memory video: I just want you to be happy. Quackity: ...and that same day he betrayed me.

Quackity: I miss this version of Luzu Me: *BREAKS DOWN CRYING*

THE PHOTOOOOOOOO AGH

Quackity and Luzu in the video: I love you! I love you very much! Quackity: I really miss this version of Luzu to be honest

AH....

:(((

Quackity shooting the video when Luzu said “All I want is your happiness Quackity” AGH..........

oh frick that almost got me I almost teared up at that FRICK OFF, IM NOT GONNA CRY OVER YOUR LORE AGAIN (yet)

Luzu and Quackity are such good actors

MAN!!! HE CARES THOUGH!!! HE STILL CARES

He didn’t immediately get mad and refuse to watch it. He still cares. They both still care so much. But there’s so much hurt and anger that I’m not sure they’ll be able to have a conversation that could fix this

Quackity: I miss that Luzu, the one who wasn't corrupted. It’s a shame I have to kill him. KILLING ME WOULD HURT LESS

Quackity: When there's someone you can't help no matter how hard you try, you have to put them to sleep. UH. WHAT KIND OF PSYCHOLOGY CLASSES WERE *YOU* IN KING

“A cardinal rule in psychology is not to help the patient to keep paying you” WTF QUACKITY

Well Rubius certainly isn’t going to help with this situation

oh frick that’s true I wonder what Rubius would’ve thought of the video

Quackity: Rubius, where are you? I’m sad Isn’t it interesting how both Rubius and Quackity go to each other when they’re sad and lonely? :( Unhealthy coping strategies

WISH THIS WASNT TRUE lmao Rubius....

Isn’t that the horn Vegetta gave Rubius??

oh frick I just missed a big chunk of the convo frick

Rubius: The other day the lying detector machine was malfunctioning. Oh also i might have to put you in prison for seven days Quackity: Wait WHAT RUBIUS. YOU KNOW LUZU LOVES HIM YOU BASTARD DONT SAY THE LIE DETECTOR WAS FAULTY oh wait he was probably talking about the faking the election thing PFT. I SWEAR I DONT HAVE A ONE-TRACK MIND

Rubius: I have to gain Luzu’s trust Quackity: I DONT WANT TO TALK ABOUT HIM RIGHT NOW! AGH. PAIN. But I do wonder what Rubius is planning

I love that Rubius put him in jail but he didn’t take away Quackity’s gun

LMFAO

Not Rubius and Quackity having to Roleplay “bad cop beating up a prisoner” rn BRO...

Rubius: *threatening to hit him, roughing him up, being a masochist* Quackity: 😏 QUACKITY. WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS.

well the Rubuckity fanartists are gonna have a field day with that

Rubius: Who's your leader?? Quackity: God's my only leader! Rubius: No! Luzu is your leader!! QUACKITY HAS BECOME CHRISTIAN /j

Rubius: To the dungeon!! Quackity: Yeah? I bet i can last longer down there than you did on that soccer match THAT”S BELOW THE BELT QUACKITY LMAO

WHAT DID QUACKITY SAY??? PARDON???

lmao the windows sound

Rubius rn be like

OH HE SHOT A MINION UH OH

He’s gay, depressed, and STUPID

Rubius: IT”S OK I”LL TRY AND BUY HIM OFF Rubius: *offers to give the minion a lapdance*

IT”S LITERALLY “DUMB AND DUMBER” WHEN RUBIUS AND QUACKITY ARE TOGETHER. They’re literally two of the most intelligent manipulative strategic people but as soon as they’re together they have 0 braincells

Quackity: I’ll kill him! Rubius: I CAN’T HE’S IMMORTAL, I DONT KNOW WHAT LUZU IS FEEDING THEM PFTTTT

Wow they trapped him in an eternal death / revive loop that seems INFINITELY worse

Man I wish I knew Spanish I’m missing so many jokes and I’m just sitting here fuming

Quackity: This roleplay is so exciting Rubius: That’s what she said I HATE HIM

GOSH

I CAN”T BELIEVE HE JUST “That’s what she said!” US IN 2022

THEY BOTH DIED. IDIOTS

AND AGAIN

Literally everything that’s green dies next to Quackity INCLUDING Pepe the frog

I know it’s a bit but Quackity screaming for Rubius to help him just reminds me of him screaming for Luzu to help him. I am in hell

Rubius and Quackity: *being stupid and being accidental comic relief* Me: *unfortunately able to make everything sad*

How the heck did Rubius manage to befriend this mob that killed them both like 10 times

Oh and it’s attacking them again LMAO

Luzu, watching Rubius and Quackity getting murdered over and over again by this mob from his mansion: And people had the audacity to get mad at me for saying I wanted to protect Quackity

Rubius: ATTRACT HIM, SEXUALLY ATTRACT HIM TO ME RUBIUS SHUT UP!!!!!!

Rubius’ coping strategy is automatically flirt, seduce, or flatter and it SUCKS

WH--

QUACKITY.

I hate when Quackity says something so Terrible that even I, someone with terrible Spanish skills, am like 😒 

Quackity: My mind is on automatic right now, it’s like a hamster on its little wheel That’s cute... but also he’s very right

These stamina jokes are frickin killing me

These two really are “Idiot Gays” representation

Quackity: Why did I spawn in your bed? Rubius: Because you like me. Quackity: Honestly, yeah. I do > Thinking about how Rubius and Quackity are able to rely on each other because there’s no feelings involved and they’re both aware of and accepting of each other’s worst traits and tendencies, and how they turn to each other for comfort when the people they’re in love with aren’t there for them > *dies instantly*

Rubius after Quackity broke his coffee machine: Why can't you be still for once?? We could do great things but no!!! 

Quackity: Do you sometimes feel like very dizzy and can't stop laughing?? Rubius: YEAH Quackity: Well I've been feeling like that this past 30 minutes

Luzu’s going to survive this frickin arc solely because Quackity and Rubius are too distracted and stupid to focus on coming up with a plan

FRICK I JINXED IT as soon as I said that they got back on topic

OH FRICK HE ACCIDENTALLY CALLED RUBIUS LUZU oh dear

LMAO THE ACCIDENTAL VOICE CHANGE

OH HE’S SHOWING RUBIUS THE VIDEO???

oh man that seems like such a personal thing to show Rubius oh man

OH HE’S STAYING OUTSIDE WHILE RUBIUS GOES TO WATCH IT? or no he just wanted Rubius to hear it

Oh

OH

OH MY GOSH

Minions, blocking Quackity from entering Luzu’s house Quackity: Henchmen, you know I'm Luzu's lover, don’t do anything to me

I CRAVE DEATH!!!!!!

Quackity: Rubius, I have a confession. Me and Luzu are no longer friends. Rubius: Yeah I could tell LMFAO QUACKITY. THAT KINDA GOES WITHOUT SAYING

Rubius cracks me up I want to see fanart of that

Quackity: I have a proposal. Help me kill Luzu. Rubius: Killing him would be a gift. I want him to suffer. Quackity: Rubius, I understand that killing him would be a gift, but in honor of all our years of friendship that's the last gift I can give him 

OH. HE CAN’T KILL HIM. No matter how furious Quackity is he can’t kill Luzu he can’t kill him I FRICKIN CRAVE DEATH

HE’S STILL PLANNING ON KIDNAPPING THE KIDS NOOOO

well better than killing them I guess

OH NO HE DOES PLAN ON KILLING THE KIDS, FRICK

He told Rubius he had illegitimate children with Luzu AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I mean is it more or less fricked up that Quackity plans on killing them if he also claims them as his AND Luzu’s kid

OH MAN Rubius found out Luzu killed Osito Bimbo and he's going to kill Luzu for killing one of his own OH FRICK

Rubius: I’ll gain his trust, and once that day comes, his death will come.

the question is though: will Vegetta stand by Luzu’s side? And if so, what does that mean for Rubius? What will he do if Vegetta tries to get in the way of his and Quackity’s revenge?

LITERALLY. YOURE SO RIGHT ANSU

Wait I completely missed that WHAT ABOUT TITI

THEY”RE SO STUPID I LOVE THEM

Quackity: Rubius, would you betray me? Rubius: No. I’m doing all this just to mess with Luzu

Oh Quackity was saying he can go after Titi if Rubius betrays him? Or is he saying he can help Rubius get Titi (the real Titi) back?

ARE THEY GOING TO MANIPULATE SAPO PETA INTO HELPING THEM WITHOUT REALIZING IT??? awh oh noooo oh nooo not Sapo Peta :((( He’s such a kind person he’ll feel so sad and so used, and he wants Luzu and Quackity to get back together. If he’s the reason Luzu gets hurt or is part of the reason Luzu dies, he’ll never forgive himself

Rubius: I have a lot of trust in Sapo Peta Me: *SOBS*

I love Sapo Peta

Quackity: I'll find a way to bring Titi back. If Rubius doesn't betray me, I'll give him Titi back. If not, I'll kill him

Quackity: I will seduce Sapo Peta and I will make him bring back Titi Rubius: If that means you trust me then it's fine, because I didn't understand what you meant by all that. NOOO THAT”S JUST AS BAD STOP PLAYING WITH POOR SAPO PETA’S HEART LIKE THIS

Quackity rummaging thorugh Rubius' chests: YOU HAVE SO MUCH STUFF!!!! Rubius: Well if you played Minecraft instead of f**king around-- LMAO GETTEM

Quackity broke a vase and was like “I BREAK EVERYTHING I TOUCH” noooo baby boy nooooo that’s the trauma talking

Quackity: I destroy everything I touch! Rubius: It's amazing, man, I don't know how you do it RUBIUS YOURE NOT HELPING

Rubius: No, Vegetta can’t help us. There was...a situation the other day. I married Lolito because Vegetta deserves better Quackity: you WHAT

Quackity: Vegetta must hate you now Rubius: ... I’m just saying I wouldn’t trust him to help us :((( consequences of your actions

Rubius: Vegetta is dangerous YEAH HE SURE FRICKIN IS. HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE YOUR DEMIGOD EX-BOYFRIEND SCORNED

“I’m hated by Vegetta. I disgust him” I feel bad for Rubius but also CANT BLAME VEGETTA FOR THIS ONE KING

EXACTLY!!! EXACTLY!!! GLAY IS RIGHT RUBIUS IS A HYPOCRITE

Quackity: I’ll get Illojuan to help us. I’ll make him play a whole week in Karmaland Rubius: If you manage that it’ll be an even greater achievement than killing Luzu LMFAO

oh is he teaching Quackity Illojuan’s accent? That’s genuinely so cute ... awh

THIS IS CUTE AWWWW

Rubius is Polish??? Or Norwegian?? Oh I suddenly understand all the jokes now, I was wondering why everyone kept affectionately calling him a Norwegian rat

Rubius did NOT just offend Mexican street food I’LL KILL HIM

Quackity: When will you come back to Mexico? Rubius: When everyone forgets this cancellation, just like they already forgot I’ve already visited Mexico PFTT alright that got a laugh out of me

Quackity: Once a friend of mine asked about you!! He asked what was going on with you AND I DEFENDED YOU!! DRAG HIM QUACKITY

OH THIS BASTARD DID *NOT* JUST MAKE A JOKE ABOUT PEOPLE SAYING HE’S MORE MEXICAN THAN QUACKITY

QUACKITY IF YOU MURDER HIM LIVE ON STREAM WE”LL ALL BE YOUR ALIBI, NONE OF US WILL TALK. RIP HIM A NEW ONE

Quackity forgives BUT I SURE DONT, IM GONNA START BITING

I’ll leave my commentary there for today since they wrapped up the lore, but mannn. That was. A lot.

We had Quackity accept he’s sad and misses Luzu, accept he had children with Luzu, and accepted he and Luzu were lovers. That was. SO MUCH TO TAKE IN.

But the biggest thing is he can’t kill Luzu. He asked Rubius to do it for him. I really didn’t expect that, and it says a LOT about them and their relationship (both Q and Rubius’ and Q and Luzu’s). Agh.

[papirouge]

Yeah whatever. You claim to be a Christian but you shit all over Christian morals. And uh you know there's a difference between murdering an innocent little baby and defending yourself against some tranny groomer right? The baby is innocent and hasn't done anything wrong :)

Not you lecturing me about Christians morals just because you're cranky someone reminded you that murder is a sin 💀. Bestie YOU are the one who needs a reminder about Christian morals 101.

Oh and stop this stupid moral relativism. Stop parading the trans menace boogeyman to cope out of your own evilness. This strategy of self aggrandizing yourself by dunking on the lowest hanging fruits is manipulative & disgusting.

Do you think when you'll be facing God White Throne you'll be able to be like "yeah I advocated all my life against your commandments of not killing, but I'm not that bad as those tranny groomers, right?? :DD".

Both you and the groomer (if they didn't repent and turned their life to Christ) will end up in HELL, genius. Because a sin is a sin.

Oh and so NOW you care about little innocent babies? Stop lying. You gunsexuals don't care the slightest about protecting innocent beings if that goes on the way of defending those to killing machine. Freaking Sandy Hooks wasn't enough for you to stop your pro gun caping despite those"innocent" kids from dying of gun violence.

People like you pretend to caring about "babies" only to dunk on pro choicers and trans people (as if the biggest sexual offenders & groomers weren't CIS MALES🤡), otherwise you don't give a shit about protecting kids and will always pick your demonic gun culture even if they put them at risk.

If humans had to be put to death because of their sins than neither you or me would be alive because God would've never allowed any of us to exist at all.

It's insane how delusional Christians like you are, acting like some people (like you, obvi) were somehow more deserving of God's mercy than others. The same mercy allowing ANYONE to repent and access to eternal life that allowed your delusional self to live another day to write those idiocies online. You really should be grateful.

Work on yourself before judging people who don't even know God. Heathens wickedness doesn't dismiss yours the slightest.

[butterflybastard]

“if they treated islam that way instead of christianity everyone would be upset but because christianity receives that treatment nobody cares”

I've seen this mentioned many times the last couple of months and I can’t help but want to cackle every time I hear it. the reason being, I've been simultaneously raised christian and muslim pretty much since I was a born until I became a teenager and rejected both religions (it’s a long story I'll spare you the ramblings).

anyways being raised that way has left me with twice the religious trauma (neat!) and I think and hope an insightful perspective regarding this statement about how it’s super “unfair” that Islam gets treated “better” than christianity. to me christianity and islam are unsettlingly similar expect for a few major differences. the first of those differences being (you guessed it!) discrimination. the disdain, violence, exclusion, disgust and hatred that are targeted at muslims is ya know dangerous. on the other hand in the current year and place where I live there is no discrimination towards christians (if anything they most of the time do the discriminating). 

soooo criticizing, ridiculing and or rebelling against both of these religions comes with potentially very different consequences. what are some of the consequences for christianity? you’ll give people hurt by christianity comfort and or tools/motivation to break free from a religion that was probably forced upon them and some christians feewings get hurt UwU. 

for islam tho? any criticism risks being used as the ammunition used by islamophobes to discriminate and harm innocents. maybe you think I'm making too big a deal out of this point but I'd like to point to the whole “narcissistic abuse” thing and ask you if you’ve ever wondered how that has impacted folks with npd. of course I think both people who have been hurt by islam and people who have been abused by someone with a stigmatized and demonized disorder absolutely should be able criticize that which has, and those who have, hurt them. but! I also think they owe it to those folks who have to deal with the fallout to at least try to criticize and vent in a way that doesn’t just transfer your pain onto them (and further stigmatize and demonize people). 

so to the people who cry about shit like bikinis with the father, the son and the holy spirit printed on it and whine that this would never happen to islam and it’s unfair that christianity gets treated this way, I request that you cry harder and less loudly, because I assure you that your little tear puddle of righteous indignation is infinitesimal compared to the oceans of unending pain your funky little cult has caused countless innocents. 

and to wrap this incoherent mess of my opinion and my feelings up. i think people should be free to follow their own religions and I also think people who have suffered by the hand of those religions are allowed to make art, jokes, sexually explicit material and what have you about those religions to cope with their trauma. but I personally draw the line at obliviously and ignorantly using coping strategies that happen to further contribute to discrimination, stigmatization and demonization of vulnerable people. and lastly I think I should be allowed to hunt the christian god for sport and eat his bones : )