#Gospel Hotspot

[gospelhotspot]

[DOWNLOAD] Ikenga - Chris Morgan

It’s wonderful to see Chris Morgan back in the spotlight, especially with a powerful gospel song like “Ikenga.” His return is sure to bring joy to fans and inspire new listeners with his message of faith and worship. The title “Ikenga” suggests a celebration of the power and might of God, which is a theme that resonates deeply with many. Chris Morgan’s influence as one of the pioneers of Nigerian…

[kyumisyumi]

Bovidae

Finally got to writing that Pastor König idea I mentioned weeks ago. It was supposed to be smut but oops; plot. I think I just like writing a paranoid König ꈍᵕꈍ.

Ship: Pastor!König x Agnostic!Reader(F) The reader is written pretty GN except for one part where König mentions possibly putting a baby in you

Word count: 1,753

⊱⊶Taking requests⊷⊰

If he was honest with himself; the good Pastor kept his position primarily due to his charisma than anything. More than once the congregation had caught him mixing up the scriptures or fumbling the sermon but that was easily overlooked with a good joke and some humility. The smile helped too; that slow, lopsided grin that had husbands clutching their wives a little tighter. He'd then quell their ire at his flirtatious nature with some half bit flattery. "You'd make a fine soldier." A lie on his lips and a snicker in the back of his mind.

Once König was forced to endure civilian life, he figured he'd ride the stereotype; settle into a small, nowhere town with few people and little to no crime. Maybe find a humble, honest wife and raise chickens. Possibly take up bee keeping, since he was at that age. He'd never been the religious type but it quickly became apparent that there wasn't much to do in a town like this; especially on a Sunday where all the folks flocked to church in droves. A grand structure perched atop a hill; a beacon. A lure. The feeling of isolation was damn near instant that first Sunday he stepped out to see no signs of life in any of the few local 'hotspots' he'd grown accustomed to frequenting. So church it was, and church it had been for about a year. The religion didn't quite take but the sense of community was nice. The events, the good natured folk, the choir and their amazing singers; it was enough to keep him coming. And he had no issues integrating himself since most townsfolk corelated his military status with positive traits. 'An honorable man' they'd call him 'dutiful and proper'. It was something he held in common with the pastor at the time. Something they'd bonded over. But even though they'd built good rapport, it still came as a surprise when the old pastor asked König to take his place. Thinking back on it, maybe the old pastor did it as a joke. Or maybe he'd found some value in preaching that he wanted to share with König. Maybe it was divine intervention, and who was he to deny the elderly war vet.

A pastor; he may not be. But a leader; lightwork. König enjoyed having the town under his fingers, having the people take his word as gospel, literally looking to him to steer their little lives. It was... familiar, and that made him comfortable. Comfortable. That was a good word for this quaint life he'd built.

Then you came along.

Moved into town just like he had; quiet and unassuming yet somehow you'd grabbed his attention. Immediately. Another sheep for him to herd and a pretty little one at that; fleece all soft and tinted grey. You didn't seem interested by his invitation to church when he first ran into you, mentioned that you don't believe in 'that stuff', but he figured you'd fall in line soon enough. You'd experience the unnerving silence of the town on a Sunday and find your way to him. Joining the flock where he could assess you for fodder for his ego. But you never appeared. Sunday after Sunday, König would glance at the row in the back that held the empty chairs where most new, infrequent or curious attendees would sneak in and sit. But you were never one of them.

You saw the Sunday silence and brought the people to you. You had an appeal the good pastor lacked; youth- that pretty face of yours helped too. 'A game night'; you called it, one that took place right after church. How you'd managed to make friends when the good pastor could rarely catch you outside of your home -and he had tried- was a mystery to him. Yet, somehow you had most of the twenty-somethings treating your home like it was some new local hangout. He didn't mind it at first, those Sunday morning hours were his, but what the people did after was mostly up to them. However he quickly noticed the slowly dwindling numbers. It wasn't a lot, negligible in truth, but he noticed. The young ones who never took church seriously to begin with, just there to kill time. Easily led astray. They'd gone from going to your place after church to just spending the whole day there he'd found out. 

First one missing sheep, then three.

🐑🐑🐑

He'd managed to catch you outside the local grocery store, bags in hand as you stacked the items into your car. Full of junk food and huge bottles of soda, a stockpile for your little group of defectors.

"I'm sorry, Pastor," You began. "But they're all adults. I can't exactly 'make them' do anything." You grunt as you lift a heavy stack of bottled water into you car, speeding up when you saw him move to help then giving him a smile that said 'no help needed.' There was something in that smile König didn't like. Did you think you were above his help? That you were better than him? Superior for overcoming the Sunday silence? Unlike him. "And I'm not going to kick out the few friends I've made here." An apologetic lilt to your voice but König questioned it's sincerity. Did you take this as a victory? That he was asking this of you.

It was a reasonable response, one he'd expected though he wasn't happy with it. Especially when the conversation ended with you declining another invitation to attend.

Then three became five.

🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑

"Pastor." This time you greeted him first as he approached. In the bright, warm light of the community garden you looked heavenly. The perfect angel to perch upon his bed, a ring on your finger. A child for him inside you, if you wished it. If only you'd fall in line. The pastor only wanted to push as much as was needed. Preferring a gentle pursuit to a savage hunt. Why pull the livestock by the neck when you can lull them into the pen. Have them look at you all trusting and dumb while you close the wooden door, sealing their fate. Though, he was tempted. He liked the look of your neck; could imagine the soft flesh beneath his fingers. His thumb on your jugular while you looked at him with said trust, on your back and vulnerable while he locked the cage. Instead you resisted him. That smile on your face seemed genuine but there was something behind it. The way the curve of your lip raised higher on one side than the other. Something behind the tone of your greeting. As though you wanted to say 'I've been expecting this conversation.' Did you think him predictable?

He greeted you as well, friendly and polite. Of course he wanted to bring up the subject of his missing attendees but based on the vibe you were giving off... He could tell you were already preparing an answer he wouldn't like. So instead he pivoted to simple friendly conversation. Asking how you've been adjusting, has your neighbours been giving you any trouble, and slipping in the question that's been most on his mind; how you've managed to make friends, wrapping it in a joke about how rarely he sees you out and about. The answer was the internet. Of course, the thing König openly disliked and warned parents against.

Though his intentions were double sided, he actually enjoyed speaking to you. It seemed you were more open when he didn't bring up the church. For the first time, he'd seen a smile on you that he liked. It had your cheeks puffing up and your eyes crinkling into cute little crescents. A slight tilt of your head as if you were trying to hide it away. He could see his future in that smile, waking up next to you and pulling your body into his. A smile that didn't make him question your intentions.

As if you were trying to disarm him.

"Sheryl's nosy but I kinda don't mind it." You admitted to him when talk of your neighbor came up.

"You like a nosy neighbor?" König raised an eyebrow at you.

"I like that she cares enough to check in." You supplied. "It's overbearing at times...all the time... but I can tell it comes from a good place." You went on. "Yes, she sticks her nose over the fence a lot and complains about the exposed roots of my mulberry tree but it's only because she saw me trip over it that one time. Brought out a whole first aid kit for a little scrape on the knee." Another smile he liked graced your lips, a small one but no less radiant.

"Ahh, I see. She is a very sweet woman." Your smile brought out his own. "And she's a good cook, always bakes for town events."

You turned to him as though no truer words had ever been said in your presence. "Heavenly. Her bakes goods are everything to me."

He'd also gathered another bit of information from your little chat; your work. You weren't seen out very often because you worked remote; another reason for him to hate the internet. However, you loved gardening and were looking to volunteer at the community garden regularly. So now he had somewhere he could catch you consistently without the risk of looking like a creep always appearing at your home. It was only a short distance from the church as well.

"I only really settled on this place because Joshie suggested it." You admitted, hands still busy trying to pull a young tomato plant from the soil.

"Ah, so you already had friends here." He smiled as if it didn't bother him. "That's good, makes the transition a little easier, yes?" Was Joshua going to be a problem he'd have to get rid of? Possibly. Though, he had brough you here so maybe the boy deserved a little grace.

You nodded in agreement. "Yea, I did already like the town though. Had visited it twice before."

"For that same friend?"

You nodded.

So you'd already had a little friend group here, no wonder you weren't bothered by the loneliness. He pondered if he could use this to his advantage somehow. Five had left his church but two still dutifully attended, still valued the word of God. Maybe he could reach you through them.

Then five became seven. Seven empty seats. Seven missing sheep.

🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑

A/N: Been going a bit back and forth on whether or not reader is doing this to be malicious/instigative or they're just blissfully unaware.

[lboogie1906]

Dakota Staton (June 3, 1930 – April 10, 2007) was a jazz vocalist who found international acclaim with the hit “The Late, Late Show”. She was known by the Muslim name Aliyah Rabia for a period due to her conversion to Islam as interpreted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

Born in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, she attended George Westinghouse High School and studied music at the Filion School of Music in Pittsburgh. She performed in the Hill District, a jazz hotspot, as a vocalist with the Joe Westray Orchestra, a popular Pittsburgh orchestra. She next spent several years in the nightclub circuit in such cities as Detroit, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and St. Louis. While in New York, she was noticed singing at a Harlem nightclub called the Baby Grand by Dave Cavanaugh, a producer for Capitol Records. She was signed and released several singles, her success leading her to win Down Beat magazine’s “Most Promising Newcomer” award.

She released several critically acclaimed albums, including The Late, Late Show, whose title track was her biggest hit, In the Night, a collaboration with pianist George Shearing, Dynamic! and Dakota at Storyville, a live album recorded at the Storyville jazz club in Boston. She moved to England, where she recorded the album Dakota ′67. Returning to the US, she continued to record semi-regularly, her recordings taking an increasingly strong gospel and blues influence. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[foggynightdonut]

Abu Bakr and Umar were Ghassans

The Levant was a strategic hotspot for the two superpowers of the time Rome and Persia. Rome split the empire into two. The Eastern Roman Empire or Roman Byzantine controlled the Levant. In the 6th century, climate change brought drought and both Persia and Roman Byzantium suffered and had to withdraw from the Levant. Both empires relies on mercenary armies to do their fighting. The mercenary armies formed to two tribes: The Lakhmids who fought for Persia and the Ghassanids who fought for Roman Byzantium. Because the fought each other for so long, the Ghassanids and Lakhmids hated each other and as Roman Byzantium and Persia withdrew, the former mercenary armies fought each other to find out who was to fill the power vacuum.

In the larger scheme, the Ghassanids were victorious then they fractured and fought each for dominance. Muawiya was the victor and the Umayyad Empire started. Historical texts say that Ali was the heir apparent to the Lakhmids and was murdered by a traitor for the Ghassanids. Abu Bakr was a tribe of the Ghassanids. There are historical mentions of Umar too. It is not known if they personally knew each other in life but these names certainly attracted legends. Apocalysptic fever dominated the Levant. Prophets and warlords claimed jesus returned or they were Jesus.

While trinitarian Catholic Christianity dominated both Roman empires, the Levant was aswirl of many cults and schisms. In this lurked Hanifiyya, unitarian Christians who remained closer to Judaism that the trinitarians.

After their victory, the Umayyads pushed and spread north into Anatolia, west into Sinai and Egypt and south into Arabia. The names Bakka and Makka in the Koran refer to the valley of Beqqa in Lebanon, a noted pilgrimage spot, and Mokha, the famous port city on the southmost west of the Sabean-Arabian peninsula. The rhyming names likely meant the north to south of the empire. The Kortan's descriptions of Bakka-Makka are of the lush, green Beqqa valley, it's river and olive groves). The port city of Mokha was the largest and wealthiest trade centre in the world until the 19th century (this is why Mecca gets its legendary prestige from).

Note: The claim that Arabia was pagan is trash. Yemen was a kingdom ruled by Himyarite Jews from the second century BCE. In the early 6th century Christian Axumite Ethiopians conquered the Himyarites, destroyed Dhul i-Khalasa or converted it to a church and ruled (if you wanted to know where the racist raisin-headed Ethiopian hadith comes from, now you know). The Axumites ruled until the 8th century when the Turkic Seljuks conquered them (if I recall correctly). Arabia was solidly entrenched in the Abrahamic tradition.

Later Umayyad Caliph Khalid ibn Yazid, fascinated by alchemy and magic, scoured for Greek occult texts and had them translated to Aramaic. All the myths and legends handed down from the Ghassanid-Lakhmid war formed lots of little Muhammads, sacred, mythemic characters. Scraps of Christian apocrypha and Jewish pseudipigrapha floated around. Much like people today talk about Jews and Romans removing books and gospels from the Bible, so did people collect scraps of these abridged texts into scrapbooks. The evidence is that the later Koranic surahs, The Cow, The Table and Women started as individual tracts. The She Camel has been lost to time.

Whatever Khalid did upset religious devotees and the gossip reached Arabia. Saf ibn Abdullah, a Jewish preacher and prophet, roused the rabble in Arabia and united the tribes, including the settlements known as Yathrib and what we now call Mecca. The tribes told Khalid's tax collectors to fuck off. Khalid's garrison defeated the revolt and killed the upstarts. Saf escaped but was never heard from again. Islamic tradition calls this the Second Fitna but it's the seed the Abbasid identity grew from. Prophet Saf became the mold from which Muhammad was cast.

Once the Abbasids defeated the Umayyads in 750, they set about creating a new religion for their new empire and their new religion needed a new prophet. They couldn't use Saf ibn Abdullah because they needed to demonise the Umayyads. Abbasid myth makers inserted Muhammad into the chaotic period when the Lakhmids and Ghassanids clashed and just before the Muawiya's victory so the Abbasids could claim the evil Umayyads corrupted the one true religion the Abbasids "restored". Of course, the Abbasids restored nothing, they made it up wholesale but at the centre of it is the ghost of Saf ibn Abdullah, the model they based Muhammad's biography on. The compiled Koran went from an accessory to the Bible to the sacred text and totem of a new imperialist religion.

That's the basics.

[influencerhiring2]

Embracing Local Influencers: A Blueprint for Community Connection

In a digital age where social media reigns supreme, local influencers are the unsung heroes of community connection. These individuals wield significant influence over their followers, guiding them through trends, hotspots, and hidden gems within their locality. From fashion mavens to food connoisseurs, these influencers are the heartbeat of our neighborhoods, shaping the way we perceive and engage with our surroundings.

In the bustling streets of our city, one can't help but notice the vibrant tapestry of local influencers weaving their magic. Take, for instance, Sarah, whose Instagram feed serves as a love letter to the city's culinary delights. With each post, she tantalizes taste buds and sparks cravings, leading her followers on gastronomic adventures across town. From hole-in-the-wall diners to Michelin-starred restaurants, Sarah's recommendations are gospel to food enthusiasts seeking the next big culinary experience.

Then there's Michael, the embodiment of urban style and sophistication. His keen eye for fashion has made him a beacon of inspiration for fashionistas citywide. Through carefully curated outfits and style guides, Michael empowers his followers to express themselves through fashion, turning sidewalks into runways and transforming local boutiques into must-visit destinations.

But what sets these local influencers apart isn't just their ability to curate aesthetically pleasing content—it's their deep-rooted connection to the community. Unlike macro-influencers whose reach spans continents, local influencers are intimately acquainted with the pulse of their neighborhoods. They frequent the same coffee shops, attend the same events, and engage with the same businesses as their followers, fostering a sense of kinship that transcends the digital realm.

For businesses, collaborating with local influencers isn't just about boosting brand visibility—it's about forging meaningful connections with the community. By aligning themselves with these influential voices, businesses can tap into a loyal and engaged audience eager to support brands that share their values. Whether it's a pop-up event at a local brewery or a partnership with a neighborhood bookstore, these collaborations offer a win-win scenario where businesses gain exposure while influencers strengthen their bond with their followers.

Moreover, local influencers serve as conduits for change, leveraging their platforms to advocate for causes close to their hearts. From environmental sustainability to social justice initiatives, these influencers use their influence to raise awareness and drive positive action within their communities. By lending their voices to important causes, they inspire their followers to become agents of change, transforming online engagement into real-world impact.

But perhaps the most compelling aspect of local influencers is their authenticity. In an era plagued by curated content and carefully crafted personas, these influencers offer a breath of fresh air with their unfiltered authenticity. They're not afraid to showcase the highs and lows of their lives, sharing personal anecdotes and candid moments that resonate with their followers on a deeper level. In a world where perfection is often the norm, these influencers remind us that it's okay to be imperfect—to embrace our flaws and celebrate our uniqueness.

As we navigate an increasingly digital landscape, the role of local influencers becomes ever more pronounced. They serve as digital ambassadors, bridging the gap between online engagement and real-world experiences. Through their lens, we discover new neighborhoods, uncover hidden treasures, and forge connections that transcend the confines of our screens. They are the storytellers of our communities, weaving narratives that celebrate the richness and diversity of our localities.

In conclusion, local influencers are more than just content creators—they are the heartbeat of our communities. Through their passion, authenticity, and unwavering dedication, they inspire us to explore, connect, and engage with the world around us. As businesses and individuals, it's imperative that we recognize the invaluable role these influencers play in shaping our collective experiences. By embracing local influencers, we not only amplify our voices but also strengthen the bonds that unite us as a community. So let's celebrate these unsung heroes, for they are the architects of our shared journey.

[gfablogs]

Widowhood Hotspots: Unseen Tragedies and Unheard Voices

In the vast tapestry of human suffering, the plight of widows often remains hidden, their voices unheard. Yet, their stories are woven into the fabric of societies worldwide, particularly in regions where the phenomena of “island of widows” and “cities of widows” have emerged. These are widowhood hotspots where the number of widows is disproportionately high due to underlying causes such as disease, conflict, and dangerous work conditions.

The Invisible Islands and Cities

The term “island of widows” has been applied to locations in Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, and other regions in South Asia, where a significant number of women have lost their husbands to unknown chronic kidney disease (CKDu). This disease, first diagnosed among sugarcane workers in Chichigalapa, Nicaragua, has more recently spread to a coastal town in a village in South Asia. In a village of less than 3,000 people, at least 126 women have become widows due to CKDu ailments, which have stricken farmers, coconut grove workers, and fishermen.[1]

Similarly, another city in South Asia has been labeled “the city of widows.” An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 widows live in the area, almost one-fourth or one-third of the city’s population of 63,000.[2] The Sunderbans, a cluster of islands in South Asia, contain several villages that are home to “Tiger Widows,” women whose spouses have been killed by tigers.[3]

The Underlying Causes

The causes of these widowhood hotspots are complex and multifaceted. In many cases, they are linked to occupational hazards. For instance, the CKDu that has created “islands of widows” in Nicaragua and South Asia is believed to be associated with agricultural work, particularly among sugarcane workers. Similarly, the “Tiger Widows” of the Sunderbans are often the wives of fishermen or honey collectors who venture into the forest for their livelihood, risking fatal encounters with tigers.

Conflict is another significant factor. In conflict-torn areas like Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, sustained warfare has left some areas with a widowhood rate as high as 40 percent. In Afghanistan, the United Nations Fund for Women has reported as many as 2 million war widows, well above 20 percent of the corresponding female population.[4]

In the face of such suffering, it is essential to remember Christ’s heart for the marginalized and oppressed. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes God’s concern for widows, urging His followers to care for them. At GFA World, we strive to embody this call to action, reaching out to widows in need and providing practical support to help them overcome the challenges they face.

Click here, to read more about this article.

Click here, to read more blogs in Gospel for Asia.Com

[manofmanytastes]

Praise Apollo! The Gospel Projects High Wheat is an Ode to Melbourne’s Newest Hotspot

https://manofmany.com/lifestyle/drinks/the-gospel-high-wheat?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[arclantis-blog]

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty on World Hunger Day

KOLKATA, INDIA — As we observe World Hunger Day this week (Fri May 28), a recent report from the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) predicts a steep increase in food insecurity over the coming months across 20 ‘hotspot’ nations - with more than 270 million people at risk of starvation - doubling the pre-pandemic figure.

Christian international development charity, Compassion UK, is appealing for more support for children and families in the world’s poorest communities, to help them build resilience and alleviate the effects of lack of food and malnutrition.

The charity shares the powerful story of how one young boy broke out of the vicious cycle of poverty in the slums of India, after becoming a Compassion sponsored child.

Jane’alam, Sponsored through Compassion:

My name is Jane’alam and I was born and brought up in the city of Calcutta. I come from a small slum community of 10,000 people who share two toilets and one tap. The magnitude of the problem in Kolkata is massive with 1.5 million people living in slum dwellings and caught up in this vicious cycle of poverty. But change is possible and I know that because it happened to me.

My father found out about some people who were helping slum children. And he took me there and I got sponsored through Compassion. Going to the project was very exciting for me. There were lots of activities. We have songs and singing and dancing, so it was a very enjoyable environment. We felt really loved.

Everyday we would get a very good nutritious meal and life skills training really to equip the children to break free from the cycle of poverty.

I’ve never met my sponsor in person, but he wrote me letters constantly telling me that he loved me, he prayed for me, he cared for me asking about my family. I used to do paintings and sketches for him and write back to him as well and ask him about his place, his country and he used to tell me it snows in winter. It never snowed in Calcutta.

Click here, to read more about this article.

Click here, to read more blogs in Gospel for Asia — Missionsbox.

[youngdisciples]

In our Christian walk, we all have this person who we really admire and we pray to follow. We admire how they faithfully serve the Lord and how their faith encourages us. Now, as we all have these people, in the life of Timothy, he also has that person and that is Paul. So, while Paul was on his mission, he wrote Timothy a letter telling him to keep the pattern of the sound teaching he heard from him. Paul was not really telling him to follow him even better than he followed Christ, but as we remember, Paul wrote in one of his letters to follow him just as he followed Christ.

What Paul really meant by this is that what he was preaching to the world is the sound doctrine that was passed to him from the disciples and that just as what they also desired, he also desires for Timothy to keep this sound doctrine in his heart and to never go astray from this. So this verse today is not actually only for Timothy but for all of us. We have to remember that the Word of God is true and has no error. It remains standing, true, and will never fail in the test of time. The Word of God endures forever and so we must keep this with faith and love in Christ.

Now, as we now know that this sound doctrine came from the very mouth of God, we have to keep this truth. We have to preserve this sound truth and let the whole world know about this. As we all know, many doctrines come out these days, and most of them are trying to take Christ away from the center of the doctrine which is very wrong. One thing we always have to remember, the main and the center of the Word of the Gospel is Christ. His coming to the world, His death, and His resurrection. In short, the main topic, the hotspot, the top person of this doctrine should always be Christ and we have to always keep that in our minds.

Therefore, it is very important for us to also follow what Paul advised Timothy to do— it’s to keep this sound doctrine, we heard from the Word of God through the leaders with faith and love in Christ. Let us not take away Christ from the center, but let us always put Him on the center spot and give Him all our attention. May we not forget that the Word of God is true, no error, long-standing, firm, enduring, and edifying. There’s no other way than that. Thus, let us always keep in our hearts the true Gospel, the true meaning of our salvation, and the real message of the Word. Let us soundly tell the world the love of Christ, which is the truth. We should not let this truth be compromised and may we never tell the truth harshly, but filled with love and faith that is bound in Christ— believing that He will do all the rest of the work.

For more daily reflection, verse, and encouragement, you may follow us. You can also like, follow and visit us on:

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[celsidebottom]

I relistened to Confession and Desecrated when I saw people pondering about the various powers at play in Father Burroughs’ actions, given that Hilltop Road is already such a hotspot for the Web and the Desolation, and the Spiral is super involved in this statement as well.  However, as I listened, I realized that his experiences involve almost all of the powers, even if only briefly mentioned (and some of them might be a stretch).  I went through the transcripts and put down the bits that seem relevant to each entity.

The Web:

It won’t let him say certain holy words, such as “Lord,” “Jesus,” “God.”

Something forcing him to speak while blessing Hilltop Road – “I felt my lips move.  They made no sound that I could hear, but I felt them form every syllable… My mouth continued to speak for me…”  (When Lensik uproots the tree)

“I had never before felt a… a presence within myself, inside my being… like a reflex reaction, your muscles moving without any instruction from your mind, but rather than a quick twitch of the leg, it’s a slow movement of your jaw, your lips, forming your mouth into words.”

His actions at the ‘mass’ – “it didn’t feel like at the time I could have made any other choice” (despite him saying that he could have left, that his “will and actions were [his] own.”)

The Spiral:

Honestly like the whole statement is very Spiral given that neither he nor Bethany could really trust their own senses, but specifically…

Bethany “believed that she was no longer in control of her own mind.”

Bethany trying to eat a rock because she didn’t realize it was in fact an actual rock

The painted word “Mentis” in her bedroom (and Bethany not even being able to see that it was painted there)

College records stating that Bethany didn’t actually live off campus on Bullingdon Road, but that she lived in halls, and that she attacked a porter with the knife, instead of a housemate.

Nobody living at 89 Bullingdon Road while she was supposedly there.

The missing sacrificial Muscatel wine – “had never really been to my taste, but looking back I can’t really be sure what I was drinking.”

Burroughs’ bible showing a different passage from a different gospel; the words around said passage was unreadable and obscured

“The faces on each crucifix and painting I passed seemed to twist and sneer at me as I walked… the painted blood glistened as though it was still wet.”

Talking to ‘Father Singh’ and then later passing Father Singh in the hallway (mainly Stranger, mentioned below)

The altar server not speaking but “all that came from his throat was the single tolling sound of that bell… the same thing happened for the second reading, that long, drawn out chime.”

Burroughs himself only being able to speak as a chiming bell

“I don’t even know where I was, some dingy basement from what it seemed when the light fell from my eyes and I returned to reality.  At least, I assume this is reality.  I dream, sometimes, that perhaps this is the illusion – my arrest and imprisonment merely a hallucination.”

The Desolation:

During his blessings, he started burning up – “I was starting to grow very hot, as though the room was heating up very rapidly… it continued, though, and soon I was sweating through my shirt.  I began to cough, and I could smell smoke, even though I couldn’t see any or any fire, for that matter… I felt my skin began to crackle and burn.”  (Just before Lensik uproots the tree)

 The Flesh:

The murder and mutilation of the two students.  “Cause of death was listed as blood loss from multiple lacerations all over their legs and torso, as well as removal of both their faces with a sharp blade, possibly a scalpel.  The face of James Mann was found to have been partially eaten by Father Burroughs.”

The Corruption:

Throwing up after leaving Hilltop Road

His stole during the ‘mass’ – “it was a pale, sickly yellow.”

“the thin, bony arm of the altar server”  (Maybe??)

The congregation – “their skin was fevered, jaundiced yellow.  The eyes of every man, woman and child stared blankly forward, and their mouths hung open, wide and smiling, like their jaws had locked in silent rictus.” (Also possibly Stranger, given that they’re almost people but not quite; addressed below)

“My hands felt strange and clammy as I held [the communion wafers and the wine]”

 The Vast:

the congregation – Burroughs “was met with only that oppressive, wide-mouthed silence, a jarring void that tightened the fear I felt gripping my soul.”  (Maybe??  I’m not great at determining the Vast from the Lonely in a lot of cases so this might be wrong idk)

“I noticed fewer and fewer of the parishioners seemed to be in the pews.”

 The Stranger:

Father Singh – the list of past transgressions he shouldn’t know; “He had always had a quite a strong accent but the voice that spoke now to read my litany of wrongdoing had no trace of it.  It was a clipped and crisp RP accent, though in tone it seemed to match that of my friend.”; “In the hallway I ran past two other priests… One of them was Father Singh.”

The congregation – “the thought of these people, these things…”

The Oratory “received delivery of a pale, yellow stole, which apparently vanished less than a day after they signed for it… the package was handed to them by a company called Breekon and Hope Deliveries.”

 The End:

The deaths of Bethany O’Connor, Christopher Bilham, and James Mann

Burroughs seems to resist it - “I will not commit the further sin of ending my life”

Perhaps a stretch, but with both Burroughs and the mysterious altar server, when they try to speak there is only the sound of a bell, and it makes me think of that work that goes “send not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.”

 The Eye:

Bethany during her exorcism – “there was instead just… silence, as she stared at me with a look, almost seemed like pity… At last, Bethany locked eyes with me and slowly shook her head.” (Maybe??)

At the Oratory – “The church’s large round window shifted as I watched, as though there were a tremendous eye that were turning to focus upon me.”

 The Lonely:

“Occasionally, I would see figures standing or walking at the end of the narrow streets, but they were shadowy, silhouetted against what little light there was, and were always gone when I approached.”

“I saw roads that I had travelled a hundred times, but they seemed different… and at each turn I found I did not know where I was going or what place it would take me to.  The world I knew had become alien to me, and I simply didn’t know what to do.”

 The following four I’ve extrapolated a lot and taken just a line here and there, so I’m not sure how valid they are

 The Dark:

From the wiki – “A manifestation… of what lies beyond what we can sense.”  Maybe not Dark, possibly more Web or Stranger, but this part at Hilltop Road kind of fits that description: “I felt something answer me… something else answered my call for protection.”

While reading his bible - “Wherever there were words that might give me comfort, I found them obscured by dark stains.”

“It was dark when I left the presbytery.”

 The Slaughter:

Bethany attacking her housemate “with a kitchen knife” and “falling head first into a full-length mirror, cutting herself very badly” – facial lacerations

Bethany thrashing in pain, biting into her tongue, brain hemorrhage, blow to the head

The lacerations inflicted upon the two students that Burroughs apparently killed

 The Buried:

The fact that the word Mentis “had been painted on the wall and then covered up with layers of wallpaper over the years” (Maybe??)

“There seemed a safety in stillness, as though inaction could do no harm.”  (This is again a stretch, but it reminds me of Hezekiah Wakely in Episode 152 and how he felt calm and at peace while sleeping in the graves)

 The Hunt:

imo the biggest stretch I make, but it seems like Burroughs was indeed the prey of something here, being driven to extreme ends and being hunted for his fear the whole time?

I’m not entirely sure what all this means, but I think Hilltop Road is way more important than just a headquarters for the Web.  We’ve all been talking about Millbank Prison as the location for the Watcher’s Crown etc because it potentially has a place for all the Entities, which I think is still totally valid and very likely, but it also seems like all of the Entities might be involved at Hilltop Road too.... 

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