#It’s supposed to be known for its religious freedom

[kimmie-nimmie]

This type of shit makes me want to kill myself man

[allfearstofallto]

Devout

Yandere! Childe x Fem,Nun! Reader

Word Count: 2.3k

TW: 18+ MDNI, Noncon, lots and lots of mentioning of religion, reader is a virgin, yandere, obsession, unprotected sex, finishing inside

Heavenly. What an on the nose way to describe you. Dressed head to toe in loose fitting, religious garb, your hair covered. All he could see was the skin of your hands and that heavenly face.

Such a sweet, welcoming smile and gentle voice was befitting of a nun. He could only imagine how many men you'd lured into your trap of giving donations with those assets of yours. Kindly praising them for whatever they could give like an owner to a dog. And he was another willing victim.

Your eyes went wide when he dropped the large bag of mora into your little basket. Your grip wavered a bit as the heavy coins weighed your little arms down, and all he did was smirk. He'd made himself known to you.

“What a generous donation!” You exclaimed. That pretty smile of yours, the way your eyes lit up. He resisted the urge to lick his lips while thinking about what he could do with that mouth, a lewd gesture to be doing right in front of a nun, “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

He felt himself cock an eyebrow at your words. Pleasure? He supposed he gave pleasure to receive it. He eyed you up and down, he could see so little of you. The skirt down to your ankles left plenty to the imagination and imagine he did, “I suppose I'm trying to be new to the faith.”

A little white lie, but your smile growing wider made it worth it. If all nuns were as pretty and tempting as you were, he'd join the commune immediately.

“Lord Barbatos accepts all,” You said, holding the basket back out to him and implying that you wanted him to take his money back, “Don't give because you're new to worship. All that is given is accepted, but we will still take you with open arms.”

“I want to give you this much,” he said, a firm hand pushing the basket back, “and I want to give you so much more.”

Going to the city of freedom, a city known for its drinking and partying, just for the cathedral was quite the story amongst his subordinates. But Childe didn't care. The things he wanted to do with you weren't holy, but that was much better than a glass of wine and a song. If they knew the treat that stayed praying in the church day and night, they too would take to the faith.

Walking into the chapel, the first thing he was greeted with was the sight of you on your knees, praying to the statue of that absentee god. Filling that pretty mouth of yours felt like a better use of this time, you were already on your down there after all. But he decided against it. Not yet at least. Not when you were smiling at him so sweetly, motioning him closer to pray next to you.

Childe mentally asked the Tsaritsa for forgiveness, but still kneeled next to you. The Tsaritsa was a forgiving woman, he hoped that she would understand why he was praying to a false God. The way you were sitting on your knees, your round behind pressed against the heels of your feet, it made the fabric of your skirt press against your body. The curve of your ass, it was the first time he's seen it and he sucked air in through his teeth. He truly was being tempted, wasn't he?

“It's such an honor to see you, Ajax. Wasn't it?” Even the way you tilted your head in confusion was adorable. Typically he'd be upset if someone had forgotten his name, he didn't feel forgettable, but he was going to make you remember. Those plump lips of your would be calling his name over and over again, until it would be all you could say.

“Yes, it's Ajax,” he dropped the clasps of his hands and stood again, holding out an arm for you as well, “I was in the area again and decided to stop by for a prayer.”

A look of hesitance danced across that pretty face of yours as you debated whether or not to take his hand, before deciding against it. Instead, you chose to stand by yourself, a move that made him long for you even more. So he couldn't even feel the softness of your skin? Yet another ache in his groin, you were honestly trying to get him, weren't you?

“Forgive my rudeness, but we're discouraged from touching those of the opposite sex. Especially those who haven't taken vows, better to not tempt provocation,”

Vows? He'd assumed as much, but hearing you say it his pants grow even tighter. Temptation was you. You were such a pure soul, but you were sin. That body under all those clothes, he knew that it was erotic. He knew you felt lustful thoughts, that even you had ideas and thoughts that went against your virtue.

“I understand,” he spoke in a strained whisper, gripping the legs of his pants tight, “Do you think we can go somewhere private? I have a few confessions I need to make.”

You perked up once again, large eyes filled with enthusiasm, “Our father is holding a confessional if you'd like-”

“No,” he cut you off quickly, “I want to talk to you alone, do you think that's a possibility?”

There was a look of aversion in your eyes, clearly you were thinking about it. You looked like you wanted to tell him no, but your good natured heart and kind ways were fighting against what was right and what you felt like you needed to do as a nun.

“I'm…I'm not meant to take confessions, brother Ajax,” you said sweetly.

He stepped a bit closer to you, trying not to intimidate you, but also trying to press the importance. His length was hardening even more, his pants growing tighter. If you noticed, you didn't say anything, but of course, how would you?

“Please, it'll just be for a moment,”

Fearful eyes looked around the church before you motioned for him to follow you. Going against your God while in his home, you felt like you were committing a crime. But you couldn't leave a person in need behind. You're sure Barbatos would find it in his heart to forgive you.

“Please, make yourself at home here, dear brother,” you said while leading him through the door.

It was a simple room. An altar at the other end of the room, with a few candles and offerings and dim lighting. The room was scented with incense, a sweet smell that reminded him of the dandelion wine that Mondstadt was known for.

You lowered yourself onto your knees and motioned for Childe to follow you, “Please, kneel next to me, confess whatever you feel necessary,”

He sat down next to you, close enough to where his shoulder brushed against you. You flinched from this contact, but didn't say anything. A thought crossed your mind, so much space in the room and he chose to be right against you.

“Forgive me, I have sinned,” he said, but he never closed his eyes, never clasped his hands together, never lowered his head.

“Confess to me your woes,”

He sucked air in through his teeth, trying not to jump on you. Not yet. Not while you were looking at him so hopefully. So much trust. It only made him want you more.

“I've been having sinful thoughts,” he began, his eyes not leaving you, “Sinful to the point of being debilitating. They wreck my mind constantly.”

“Are these thoughts of harming others?” You asked, this didn't seem like the question of a clergy, but rather one of genuine curiosity.

He didn't look away from you, while his hand slithered down and he began palming his length through his pants, “They used to be. But now they're more deviant in nature.”

“Br-brother Ajax, such actions are- they are unbefitting for the church,” you said quickly, turning your head away to not see him as he defiled sacred ground with his actions.

“I need you, sister,” he leaned closer to you, whispering his words right into the shell of your ear. You squirmed at the feeling of his breath, such a cute reaction it was, and the yelp you let out when his hand gripped your ankle was even cuter. He tugged at your leg, pushing your back against the ground and leaning over you.

He'd seen fear like this before. Many times before. When he plunged a weapon into someone's chest, watching the life fade from their eyes, it was similar to the one you were making now. The tears, the muttered begging, even the way your lips quivered, it was all the same. So why now did it make his cock even harder in the confines of his pants?

Where would he even begin with you? Quite honestly, he didn't even know how to take your garb off. Instead, he took to ripping it, right at the neck. Pulling it apart straight down the middle until every inch of your torso became visible to him. Your breasts were covered in a basic bra. Normally he was the type to prefer more intricate lingerie to entice his urges, yet something about the simplicity of your undergarments made him hiss air in through his teeth. It was like you knew for certain that nothing was happening, yet he still was forcing you to show him.

“Stop! You can't do this!” You cried, trying to cover yourself in what scraps of your dress you could find.

He was gentle as he touched you this time, fingertips stroking your cheek, but his words following were harsh and deathly serious, “Don't fight me, I wouldn't want to hurt you,”

“Heavenly father, I ask that you forgive me…” you began to mutter to yourself in prayer. Laying there, hands clasped and teary eyes shut as you felt him trace up and down your thigh with his tongue. The feeling of his saliva, going up to your stomach, one of his hands cupping your breast before ripping the fabric of your bra away, it made you sick to your stomach. Your pebbled nipples hitting the cold air were quickly sucked into his mouth, a pleasure never experienced before washing over your body. You shuddered, much to his approval.

He wanted to go slower. He wanted to tease you for hours before taking you. He wanted to make you cum over and over, proudly showing how lewd you truly were to your false God, but even he has grown impatient. Trying to win you the right way just wasn't working and he needed to feel you, as deeply as possible, the girl he'd fantasized about night after night.

The way your eyes widened when he dropped his pants was cute. When you tried to look away from his hard cock that was dripping precum onto your cunt, still begging with those sweet lips, it was even cuter. But the way you went silent, the way the world seemed to stop from you the second you felt the head of his cock against your opening, that was the cutest. He loved the look in your eye. The look of visceral fear. It was a look of knowing. Knowing that after he was finished with you, you'd have nowhere to go, but to him.

You only began truly fighting him off when he began pushing the head of his cock into your warmth. So tight and soft, no matter how hard you hit him, you couldn't make him leave your insides. When he bottomed out inside you, feeling your walls clench around every inch of his cock, he hissed. Face to face with you now, nestled deep within you, he kissed your wet cheeks. Childe wasn't one for love making, but he couldn't help but to be tender with you. His thrusts were slow, but deep, making sure you tasted all of him.

“Hush, little angel,” he cooed softly to you, while wiping away more of your tears. Your little sobs were agonizing to his heart, yet his cock only twitched harder, “It'll be over soon.”

And you nodded. Such a sweet thing. You nodded and let yourself go to him. He didn't take this as a sign to be rougher though. No. He couldn't. Not to you. He continued his same pace, softly humming to you and shushing you when you got too loud. He wanted to pound your insides, to fuck you brutally, but that would be for later.

Little sobs left your lips as your nails dug into the carpeted floor beneath you. He was still going slow. Thrusting in and out skillfully, his hand tenderly gripping your face and making you look him in the eye, any time you tried to look away, he'd just force your head back.

“I'm cumming soon, okay?” He muttered against your lips, kissing you gently afterwards.

With your mouth engulfed in his, you couldn't beg him to please not finish inside you. Instead, your body flailed beneath him, trying to get him off as you felt the thrust of his hips speed up and become more greedy. You felt him grip you tighter, you felt his moans grow louder against your lips. And all you could do is sit in horror as you felt his hips falter, his pace slow down, and his cock twitch even more as it pumped hot cum deep inside your.

Childe pulled away from the sloppy kiss, your lips covered in saliva and he smiled. You'd never seen such evilness until you looked into his eyes, proudly looking down at your cunt where the cum was seeping out. I'm your mind, you were saying another prayer, but you weren't sure if anyone was listening.

“Guess I have to marry you now,” he chuckled with a playful pat against your thigh. But despite the smile on his face you knew he wasn't joking.

[randomnameless]

Genuine question, not trying to start a fight, why do you get so upset about gods and churches being presented in a negative light in fictional works?

No pbs!

I guess it's a mix of being too common, too forced and having, in general, the cast use common tropish arguments to fight /defeat them.

I rant a lot about this game, but take TS where we have three sort of factions opposing each other, and each are supposed to suck. Who is the faction who never receives any "positive traits" or "pet the dog" moment?

The game force fed us a scene where an Aesfroti soldier - when Aesfrost is depicted as a highly militarised nation with a cult of personality towards their current ruler, that invaded the protag's home and slaughtered several civilians and NPCs in the process - say goodbye to his wife and kids before going to "war" to defend his land against, well, the protags who are invading it to kill their warmongering leader.

As force-fed as this scene was, it, I believe at least, tried to tell us that even the Aesfrosti who pillaged villages and killed their inhabitants are humans, and care about their loved ones, sure it's corny, but it's all about not deshumanising any party.

When we attack Hyzante? Niet, zilch, nothing. No similar scene where random soldiers, or NPCs, worry about what is going on and if they're going to die when their wall has been breached. They just, don't exist in this context.

I think the cherry on the cake is the Golden Route scene, where, apparently, nationalists Aesfrosti decide to turn back against their ultra charismatic leader because, uh, he "lied" when he declared the war and used a false pretense, so the soldiers and people who were butchering babies and invading a city where people were preparing a marriage apparently now have morals and rebel.

There's no similar scene for Hyzante when the cast reveals that the teachings of their Goddess were made up and salt wasn't exclusively given to them by divine intervention, because rock salt exists everywhere. Sure it would be a bit weird and forced that people thinking they're chosen ones and looking down on everyone else suddenly, hm, don't break down when their entire system of belief is shattered, but hey, if the Aesfrostian Gregor can have morals after washing his hands of all this Glenbrookian blood, why shouldn't religious npc #55 not make the same heel face turn?

And then, we have the slavery/human experimentation plot - in general, when TS tries to give nuance, they more or less explain/justify why something that "sucks" is done, it's basically Silvio's character.

Aesfrost' Gustadolph manages to push his "freedom" mentality because his land is a harsh place where people are desperate to survive, salt smuggling is reprehensible, but it's the only way to give some to the ones who cannot afford it. Of course is everyone is free, no one is because, as Gustadolph puts it, they're basically free to die for his ambitions.

Hyzante? Follows a racist creed where Rozellians have to pay for some great sin, and are slaved away in a lake to recover salt until they die. It's, later, justified by Hyzante wanting to keep its salt monopoly else they don't have anything, and wanting to curb down the Rozelle people because they know about the exitence of rock salt (and I guess getting free workers to harvest salt from the lake + having state enemies make his own population docile/not willing to rebel ?).

And then, we have the human experimentations, that are just done for, uhh, Idore's lol. When Hyzante is known for its "advanced medicine" and we could have had the usual dilemna of, idk, having those humans experimentations used to develop this medicine that is reknown in the world (idk, sacrificing a Rozellian to save someone else's life?) - it's not the angle the devs picked. Rozellians are sacrificed to power up an idol, Idore wants to control the world through his idol and soft power (compared to Gustadolph's hard power) and manipulates his people (just like Gustadolph) to do so.

The two are very similar, but who is the final boss? Complete with a transformation in an eldritch monster? The war-mongering imperialist or the jaded old man who is leading de facto a religion?

Hopefully there's the entire "human experimentations for no other purpose than the lols" to settle them apart.

---

I recently watched Dune, and even if I have some issues with the adaptation, the Bene Gesserit isn't portrayed as "comically" evil-er than the Harkonen Empire, I reckon the comparison isn't adequate, because Dune is multi book series when I'm mostly talking about video games.

Symphonia's church of Martel is a font for the Big Bad (tm) to put in motion his nefarious plans, and yet, through the game, we see how random clergymen use their, uh, religious buildings to help people around. Ultimately Martel herself is reincarnated through plot device and tells the big bad to stop being an ass and the story is less about "church and gods evil" but "big bad distorts Martel/church's teachings and role for his plans because he has a tragic backstory"

(but then Symphonia ends with the biggest whitewashing from every Tales I've played for its big bad so I'll stop talking about it because otherwise I'm going to be salty).

Abyss' church is more or less the same thing - the Church is supposed to help people deal with the fact their verse has "predestination stones" where the future is already written, and in the course of the game, we see how it has several factions and one opposes the group (who has the pope as a NPC!) - but it's not a story about "gods bad church BaD".

I remember playing Suikoden Tierkreis a long time ago, and while the game seemed to go through familiar "church bad gods bad" route and we end with defeating a god-like entity... I pretty much loved the twist that, in a game that relied on alternate dimensions/universe, the god-like entity was actually the protag if he made different choices!

In those games, if you fight a religious body and someone pretending to be a God or what not - it's not because people fight against an eldritch creature who wants world domination and to erase puny insects, or is the reason why everything goes wrong, but because, at the end, the conflict/fight is ultimately caused by someone, generally a human or at least a non "god like" entity, wanting to destroy the world.

I don't remember if FE was my first JRPG series or not, but I always liked the idea that if the world is doomed in those games and the heroes must prevent said doom, it's not because a god-like being wants to destroy the world, but because people, humans/randoms are the most shitty ones out there.

---

As for the "tropes" often used to deride fictional churchs and religious people, well, I will again point to TS - which did a splendid job in the Benedict Route where you smash Hyzante after allying with Aesfrost.

There's one battle where out protags diss Hyzantese because they worship a goddess and have no free will, listening to Her teachings and Her says (the traditional "religious people have no free will and listen to their churches who tell them how to think!") - which is immediately countered by one of those Hyzantese characters asking Serenor if he's not the same, but instead of blindly listening to a Goddess, blindly follows Benedict. And it ends with the final chapter title referencing automatons/puppets : who is that title talking about ? The fake "idol" Idore created, or the fake "king" Benedict created?

Anyways, the usual "religions people have no free will because their church/religion tells them how to think" trope reeks of r/atheism and the double standard - bar in this route of TS, but I guess, in TS itself in the Roland route! - is never called out, blindly following a charismatic leader is okay, as long as charismatic leader isn't religious?

Regardless of my IRL thoughts about religion, usually those tropes are presented as a "gotcha!" when they are... not at all, but the games/books leave it at that and we're supposed to roll with it.

I'd say it's lazy writing or, as we saw in Naruto, a quick way to end a story without having to dwelve in characters and their motivations : "you're a god/alien/other being and you're bad, so let us do what we want!" - end of the story.

Hopefully some fillers and to an extent, Boruto gave her more meat bar being the 11 hour villain we had to defeat quick and who manipulated the previous sad'n'lonely antagonists - but it still felt rich from Naruto, known for his famous "talk no jutsu" and trying to understand people he's fighting against, to drop the ball with Kaguya, calling her pure malice and ending with some "let us live the way we want" to wrap up the plot so he can wrestle with his boyfriend later on.

In the end, we often end up with "religion bad bcs the big bad manipulates people through it", as if those mangas/animes/vg never have other examples of charismatic people not using religion to manipulate their randoms/people or "gods bad they should let humans do what they want" when we've read/seen/played through various, uh, really fucked-up shit humans did - but on their own! and ultimately, but it's more in fandom spaces, with have Projection 101.

TLDR : church/religion/gods are too often used in those works as the ultimate scapegoat to either wrap up a story in a rushed ending or to pretend to have "nuance" but still have a common enemy where all the "nuanced" characters can grow/be whitewashed and side together against that "common enemy".

Just like in all things I guess, I prefer when something isn't painted as purely negative and all of the positive traits are erased because there is a need for a perfect scapegoat - sure, bring out too much "nuance" and writing/designing a game/manga/anime becomes harder because there's no "clear cut" antagonist, and yet, the one who always gets fucked in this scenario is the religious/church side.

Want a generic stock villain who will destroy the world so the heroes have to fight against them? Just create a "religion" in your setting, and have the big bad either hell bent on resurrecting Chtullu to destroy the world because Chtullu BaD, or have them be the most corrupt piece of shit who manipulate everything in the shadows, so the rest of the world, even the ones who slaughter others bcs they feel like they must start a war, can be whitewashed at the end.

I mean, there's a saying about diverting attention from a fire by starting a bigger one near, or a trope of "aliens made them do it" : who cares if Madara started a continental war and targeted a village full of random civilians he swore to protect because he lost the elections? Did y'know he was manipulated by a woman, I mean, an eldritch thing created by a woman, regarded as a God, who ultimately wanted to get out of her fridge to kill everyone?

Roland must get over his hatred for Aesfrost for barging in his kindgom and killing hundred of his people while they were preparing for a wedding, because hey, Idore is evil and plans on ruling the world through his sham religion!

I'll forever be salty at TS for not giving Kamsell the occasion to rise against Idore, or not even have minor NPCs get the same treatment as Sycras suddenly going all "u lied to me gustadolph so i won't listen to u anymore + sad goodbyes to my wife'n'kids".

Extremism of all kinds can lead to wars/tragedy/fucked up shit - Sure I don't want to get my History lessons in video game medium when I play lol, but what I really don't like is how it feels like depicting "they're extremists because they're religious" feels like the default/easy answer : want a bunch of brainwashed people the heroes must fight against and can't talk no justu their way out of this fight/will fight without looking too BaD? Depict those people as "misguided" members of a corrupt church/believers of a religion, no one will givea fig. If they are instead supporters of a charismatic leader who throws them through the meatgrinder to further their goals? Well, there's no automatic loyalty so either you have to show/depict it on screen, else it can be challenged at key points to demonstrate how those people - who follow the charismatic leader - aren't completely "mindlessly listening to their leader" or how their leader "isn't that bad after all".

[thecasualbookreviewer]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

hell followed with us, Andrew Joseph White

Summary:

A furious debut novel from Andrew Joseph White about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors. Perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and Annihilation.

Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with.

But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick, is gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot, and he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all.

Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own.

Review:

The best way I can explain this book is that it's an angry book.

In it's prose you can feel and empathize with Ben's anger toward the cult that caused the end of the world, and took nearly everything from him, everything except his spirit and his heart, always willing to do better than what he was told he was supposed to be.

The plot is heavy on the body horror and the religious trauma, but both themes work together so well, always tangled together, following Ben's journey made you feel every bit of anger, resent and sadness at all the pain that he went through in his journey to freedom.

I loved nearly every page and every character, even when I felt like all hope was lost, I was still pushing through every page because something about Ben felt like it was also part of me - which i must admit was a little strange, but I guess growing up queer and catholic has some universal experiences.

If you love horror, body horror, and stories about found families, complicated relationships and monsters murder machines, I really can't reccommend this book enough.

[hindulivesmatter]

Ask for a source and you link a notorious right wing propaganda magazine known for spreading misinformation and yall are supposed to be taken seriously? And the way you keep on harping about Marxism you’d think we’re living in Mao’s China 😭

Please read political works that aren’t laced with hindutva/nationalist propaganda, even something “basic” like 1984 or Brave New World might be a good start lol

The magazine may be right-wing, but I think the article was pretty factual. We do not have the same religious freedom that other religions do. We are not allowed to teach our history in schools. Show me the lie.

I see you haven't added any facts, simply saying an article is propaganda article doesn't change or alter its contents. Unlike Al Jazeera, there are actual sources there. As I mentioned I was exhausted at the time else I would've compiled a list.

First, you ask what's discriminatory in the constitution then you don't have any counterarguments so you say that's right-wing? What a joke.

Speaking of Marxist Historians, it seems like you were grown on NCERT like basically everyone. NCERT has been proven to have information with no backups (see : Aurangzeb, Jahangir’s RTI, I hope you're aware of that at least?) Marxist Historians HAVE played a major role in hiding, distorting, and sanitizing history, it might not be Mao's China yet but there's good enough reason to call out historians like them.

You might wanna tap into Sita Ram Goel's Hindu Temples What Happened To Them Vol 1+2 (they're written with sources, Sita Ram Goel has taken up parts from invaders' biographies to prove his point unlike your Marxist historians who have a narrative to fulfill)

[Exhibit 81]

[alphaman99]

Reposting this letter written by a Canadian Professor, Lena Bykhovsky who teaches biblical studies at Carleton University in Ottawa.

-----

“Dear Students,

I have spent the last 25 years showing you the beauty of all of the literary, cultural, philosophical, and artistic heights of the human spirit over the course of human history. Teaching you has been the most wonderful and satisfying of callings. I never wanted to do anything other than meet with you, discuss ideas with you, discover and rediscover human insights, truths, and wonders. I never regretted my career path, never hated my job, and never doubted my legacy. I felt privileged and honoured to show you how to analyse, to think critically, to weigh evidence, and to understand people and ideas, contexts and complexity, deeply and thoroughly. I thought my work was helping to make the world a better, more humane, more thoughtful place.

You have broken my heart. No: shattered it, irreparably. I don’t know how I will ever set foot in a classroom again. I don’t know how I will ever see you the same way. I know now that I was deluding myself that I ever had any impact, would ever leave any positive legacy, that my work ever made any difference.

I watch you all on social media, in the streets and the quads, marching in solidarity with a movement that seeks only to wipe me out. To exterminate me, my children, my parents, my entire family and community. I know, some of you think you’re trying to help the oppressed. You think that my kind is the white colonialist racist kind that you hate.

But I thought I taught you how to evaluate arguments. I thought I taught you the importance of understanding context, both historical and rhetorical. I thought that I taught you that the world did not operate according to dichotomies, like black and white, oppressor and oppressed, villain and victim. I thought I taught you about complexity, about judgment, and to examine your sources and not to take anyone’s statements at face value.

Zionism is the Jewish right to self-determination in our ancestral homeland. Israel is that ancestral homeland. Jews are the indigenous peoples of that land; not the only indigenous peoples of that land, to be sure. But Israel is the only land to which we are indigenous. After 2000 years of longing, the result of the Holocaust – a Nazi movement which sought to ethnically cleanse the world of Jews by systematically exterminating us – was that the international community granted us a sliver of that ancestral homeland.

It was to be shared, partitioned into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Arabs rejected the partition and attacked the Jews when they declared the state of Israel in 1948. The Jews won. Arabs who remained in Israel became citizens with full rights and freedoms. 20% of Israel’s population today is Arab. They fight in the army, they are doctors, lawyers, members of Parliament and supreme court judges. There is no apartheid. Israel’s Jewish population consists of Jews from Arab lands, whose parents or grandparents were kicked out when the state of Israel was formed, and of descendants of refugees from Eastern Europe, Holocaust survivors who had no homes to return to. Some are more recent refugees from Europe, Russia, and the Americas who either returned to Israel for religious reasons or because the Jew-hatred in their communities grew too excessive and they decided to emigrate, to head for the one place in the world Jews can go if their neighbours or governments turn against them.

The West Bank and Gaza strip – along with refugee camps that still exist in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan -- were the places that the Arab nations who attacked Israel at its founding told the Arabs living in Palestine (later to be known as Palestinians) to flee. It was supposed to be temporary, because the plan was to “push the Jews into the sea.” When the plan didn’t work out, all of these states refused to absorb the Palestinians. They wanted to keep them in camps because they still planned to annihilate Israel and the Jews that lived there and then the Palestinians could return. The West Bank was in Jordan and Gaza was in Egypt until 1967, when the Arab states tried again to push the Jews into the sea. Their failure this time ended with Israel capturing these territories.

When Israel tried to exchange land for peace and give Gaza back to Egypt, Egypt didn’t want it. And so the territories remained in Israel. In 2005 Israel pulled out of Gaza and left it to govern itself. Most of the West Bank is also self-governing, but not all because of the high number of suicide bombers and other threats to Israel’s existence fomenting there, so Israel hasn’t been able to fully remove itself. The current awful Israeli government has allowed religious fanatics, “settlers,” to build settlements there, which makes everything worse.

And you see what I did there? I criticized Israel’s government. I can do that, and still support the existence of a Jewish state in our ancestral homeland.

When you say “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” this is a call to ethnic cleansing of Jews from their homeland, from the only state in the entire Middle East that would look remotely familiar to you in terms of basic rights and freedoms and a democratic system if you were to visit the region. When Hamas supporters – like those who led you all in a rally on my home campus today – talk about Jews as “occupiers,” they don’t mean Gaza. They mean the whole state of Israel. They want Jews eradicated from the entire land. Hamas actually wants us gone from the whole world, as they have stated many times. Who are the Nazis now?

But here I am, teaching again. I can’t help myself. I wish that you cared what I had to say. I wish that some knowledge, some context, some understanding, could reach beyond the slogans and chants for my death that you are repeating mindlessly and endlessly as you march to the beat of hatred across the tattered remains of my broken soul.”

===

[yr-obedt-cicero]

Do you have any info on John's French ancestry? His grand or great grandparents were French and I am fascinated by what influence they could have had on him/his relationship with being French, especially during his """diplomacy""" trip

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that Laurens had any major influence by his heritage in general.

Laurens was French Huguenot on his father's side. The immigration of French Huguenots moving to Charleston was actually quite common and predated Laurens's ancestors. A colony of Huguenots arrived in South Carolina, Charleston, having been sent out by the English Government to enltivate oil, wine and silk. But the larger immigration came in 1685-6, when French Protestants flocked to the State in great numbers. They formed four settlements, one in the City of Charleston, and the other three in the country, where they erected Churches in each settlement. [x]

There appears to be no ground for the late 20th century claim that the family descended from André du Laurens, the physician of both Henry IV. and his queen, Marie de' Medici, Chancellor of the University of Montpellier, the author of extensive medical works and belonging to the lower nobility. Henry Laurens knew nothing of such a connection, and never supported it. But while it is also highly improbable, there is also to consider that someone like Henry - descended far too down the line to properly recollect such an account - would have known or not known of it with any sincerity. The theory mostly stems from John Laurens's similarly named great-grandfather, André Laurens, who left France only seventy-three years after the death of André du Laurens. But hypothetically, he would also have been quite likely to keep his name Du Laurens, as that of the physician, like all the other descents had. And there would be no reason to doubt he would have cherished this relation from one of the most distinguished savants of his time.

It's hard to trace the Laurenses with the little record surviving of them, the name was common in the west and southeast of France and was borne by many families having no known connection at all, so much so, that many years before John Laurens's family left France there were numbers of Laurenses in New York, sometimes with the same Christian names as the ones from JL's folks. But it is known André was native of the Catholic France—And his family hailed from Annonay, Vivaris Province. André's father, Jean Laurent (Laurens), was a merchant in Rochelle, and died before 1681, leaving his widow, Elizabeth Menigaut (Manigault) and their son André. They resided in the parish of Saint Sauveur. Among the closest and oldest friends of the Laurenses was the family of Daniel Lucas, also a merchant of Rochelle, who owned a small farm nearby Périgny. Like other Huguenots, the Laurenses left France for the hope of religious freedom—In the wake of Louis XIV's efforts to stamp out Protestantism, when the pressure of persecution was becoming heavier; André, his mother, and Daniel alongside his wife, Jeanne Marchand, with their four children, fled to England in 1682. Jeanne Lucas soon died in her new home, but the friendship between the families grew into a closer bond when her daughter, Marie Lucas, and André were married in the French church in Threadneedle Street, February 22, 1688. [x]

The Laurenses tried their fortunes in Ireland, and then later, Marie and André settled first in New Jersey, then in New York City. [x] Where many of their kin had immigrated to priorly, some of the family fled from the persecution in France to Holland. The new-comers in New York were not among strangers, for the numerous colonies whose interests centered around the French church were a sympathetic community, living very much its own distinct life, and there are several reasons for supposing that they had Laurens relatives in the town. In the Collections Huguenot Society of America there is plenty of correspondence from André and his family to others, and even an account of a mother and son in 1700 as witnesses at the marriage of a Jean Laurens and Marie Benereau.

It was there on the 30th of March, 1697, Marie gave birth to the third of their five children, Jean Samuel Laurens (Possible namesake of their new friend, Samuel Grasset). While in New York, the Laurenses befriended another family of Huguenot refugees, the Grassets, who fled from France about the same time as the Laurenses and Lucases. Jean - age nineteen - married Esther Grasset - age fifteen or sixteen - shortly before André decided to uproot his family again. Finally, they sailed and moved to Carolina around 1715, where many Huguenots had already settled. Charleston served as the provincial capital as well as the economic heart of the low country.

André died soonly after arriving in Charleston. David Duncan Wallace describes him as; “as a man of piety, shrewdness and force. At the time when the humble foundations were being laid for the great fortunes and family careers which the next two generations were to witness, he did his part in giving his children their start in the race.” [x] His grandson, Henry Laurens, later recalled that he; “had Saved So much Money as enabled him” to provide his five children “with Such portions as put them above low dependance.” [x]

But after André's death, little cultural preservation is noticable in the family. Henry says “Some of them retained the French pride of Family, & were content to die poor. My Father [Jean S. Laurens] was of different Sentiments, he learned a Trade, & by great Industry acquired an Estate with a good Character & Reestablished the Name of his Family.” [x] After the family moved to Charleston, Jean chose to anglicanize his name, and he became known as John, whom John Laurens was named after. Both Jean and his wife were born Americans, ‘the French pride of family’ died out in a generation or two with little resemblance left. Instead to keep his family afloat; like most Huguenots, Jean immersed himself in the South Carolinaian traditions and culture. He learned the trade of saddler at the bench and followed it with such industry as to make himself a much-respected citizen. Over time he prospered in his trade and invested in real estate. He also joined the established Anglican church, where he served as warden of St. Philip’s Parish, and he owned at least five slaves. Yet he remained ambivalent toward the institution that formed the basis of South Carolina's prosperity. On one occasion, he made a cryptic prediction that slavery would eventually collapse. [x]

It was said that Jean; “gave his children the best education which (Charleston) afforded.” [x] Jean seems to have had solid expectations for Henry, as his education was directed into merchantry. Henry journeyed overseas to receive further training, in 1744 Jean sent Henry to London to work in the counting house of the respected merchant James Crokatt. In 1747 Henry finished his apprenticeship and returned to South Carolina. He didn't learn Latin or Greek, and barely knew French himself—As he only seems to have had fluently spoken a few expressions, which might indicate that as a man he picked up a small amount of French. But later he requested a friend to translate his letter of 1774 to the Poictiers Laurences into French, stating that he could not write in the language. [x]

And it seems that Henry wasn't interested in reconnecting his family to their French heritage either, as JL did not learn French at a very young age. He only eventually took up the language at age thirteen, on December 28, 1767, which was basic schooling for the wealthy class at the time period;

My Jack has made an Amazing progress in French from the 28th December when he enter'd upon that branch, I say so because those who are good Judges & can't flatter tell me so, & I know a little of the Matter too.

Source — Henry Laurens to John Moultrie, [January 28, 1768]

Laurens's conduct in France was also quite grounded on his identity as an American Patriot (A headstrong one) and cultural unfamiliarity that he broke their etiquette. So, it is quite apparent JL's generation of the family were not tightly knit to their heritage. As it was commonly accustomed - similarly to this day - that immigrants convert their traditions and cultural aspects to match their new country of residence, especially those who traveled to the colonies.

Sources:

John Laurens and the American Revolution, by Gregory D. Massey

Huguenot Church in Charleston, by Margaret Middleton Rivers Eastman, Richard Donohoe & Maurice Eugenie Horne Thompson, with Robert P. Stockton

The Life of Henry Laurens: With a Sketch of the Life of Lieutenant-Colonel John Laurens, by David Duncan Wallace

Collections of the Huguenot Society of America, Volume 1

[thereader-radhika]

A warrior's self-oblation to ensure victory of the king and the kingdom's welfare is well known in a number of ancient traditions, particularly in medieval south India, where the king was seen as the guarantor of order and prosperity in his domains. Tamil culture, with its deeply embedded concept of martial suicide as the ultimate expression of loyalty to one's own sovereign or commander, abounds in such examples . . . Self-decapitation, underpinning multiple levels of symbolism concentrated in the image of the head, was considered to be not only the most precious and devotional offering, but also the most courageous. - ‘Slaves of God’: Extreme Religious Dependency in Medieval South India (800–1100 CE) by Tiziana Lorenzetti from Embodied Dependencies and Freedoms

This is the same relief worshipped by Pandya loyalists in the beginning. The sexy guy is Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar in case anyone is wondering.

What is the dude in the red circle doing? He is cutting off his own head and offering it to the goddess Kottravai or Korravai. As it is a zoomed-in screenshot, it is not clear. I will post another clearer relief in the same (Pallava) style.

Joining the bodyguard troops of kings was almost a death sentence for warriors. Most would die in battle or commit suicide with their dead kings. In the region which falls under modern day Kerala, it was a death sentence for the whole family as other family members were supposed to fulfil the kudipaka (blood feud under which families vowed to exterminate one another). Often warrior families fought each other for centuries until one family got extinct or the opposing faction lost power.

It is very apt that both Pazhuvettaraiyar and Aabathudavigal are shown before the self - decapacitaion relief because they all took the same oath.

Aditha Karikalan : The Apathudavigal . . . had taken an oath that they would never retreat, that they would give their lives to defend the king and that, in case this became impossible, they would cut off their own heads and offer them as a sacrifice. It was with such warriors that we fought.

Later we can observe that some of Veera Pandyan's Apathudavigal including their Senapati are alive. We know the reason only later - Veera Pandyan's heir was a baby and he couldn't recruit his own bodyguards. Even when they get an adult king (Maduranthakan alias Amarabhujanga Nedumcheliyan), they have to train the pampered young man to rule.

Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar: Nandini. What sort of words are these? I was once the commandant of the Emperor's Velakkara battalion. I've taken an oath to give up my life to protect the Emperor and his descendants."

Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar : My life will end before such an accusation falls on my cars. When these Velakkara troops took an oath before Durga Parameswari in the temple, it was I who led them and took the oath first.

In the books, Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar fulfills his oath. His initial plan was to commit suicide in private after exonerating Karikalan for he was found dead in Nandini's chambers. Pazhu lies that Adithan's conduct was blameless and he just confronted Nandini about her treacherous politicial alliances. He didn't even want to reveal Maduranthakan's paternity, fearing that it would affect his innocent brother. When Parthipendran and Kandan Maran accuse Vanthiyathevan of murdering the crown prince, he takes up that blame too and commits public suicide so that Vanthiyathevan's reputation too will remain unstained.

[flashfuture]

So Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty 2022 #4 Had this absolutely bizarre comic. Where Steve has known about an anarchist unionist socialist bar since he was a kid (the actual canon home of Steve Rogers is the lower east side of Manahattan which was known for social movements in the early 20th century). And Steve's mom wasn't for it which okay the Irish Catholic Immigrant who left Ireland presumably to avoid Religious persecution and British imperialism was anti freedom? Hmm. But anyways Steve Knew these people were stepped on by the system he says so in his thoughts. But then he goes on and pretends like he doesn't know what socialism is? When he grew up as the movement was getting its foothold in New York.

And then Steve shakes the man's hand and sits like he's in agreement now. And the whole thing about going there for an argument. It makes fuck all sense if Steve was anti socialism. I feel like the only way this comic makes sense is if Steve was one of the original blue collar immigrant card carrying bleed red for communism picket for the unions guys. And now he goes back to his old favorite meeting place of said orgs and debates people to get a feel on the current state of socialism. Because Steve even from his origin represented fighting fascism more than he ever did supporting America.

And what's so funny is people read this as Steve hating America because any potential perspective outside of fascism is anti American to a lot of people. Which means more than ever who Steve Rogers was is so important. People Get that Steve is supposed to be a commie and it pisses them the fuck off

[eccentrickleptomaniac]

im gonna ask you to share your poland headcanons :]

WAHAHAHA ANNOOOOOOON THANK YOUUUU IVE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HER FOREVER

ohwhere do i start... i suppose i'll talk about her personality first?

ok so let me set the record straight. she is a bitch. she's incredibly stubborn and once her mind is on something it's incredibly difficult to get her to change it, even if she knows its wrong. she enables the worst in people and rewards them for it. you know that one scene in angels in america where roy and belize are arguing about azt and roy starts hurling slurs at belieze and once belize does the same roy gives him the azt? yeah poland would do that. she will start fighting with anyone to bring them to their breaking point. it's a skill she learned while still in the same house with the bastard known as the ussr.

speaking of, she hates russia more than anyone. genuinely. it's actually kind of scary how far it goes. she pretty much allout refuses to speak with his friends and if she seems him, hoo boy you better be ready to hold her down. the hatred, i suppose its justified considering the.. how do i put this Hostile and imperial history between the two. i genuinely believe the last time the two ever had a positive interaction was during smolensk and even that was only because at first russia was the only one around to comfort her.

ok lets talk about her with closer friends.. while yes she fucking loves to push people's buttons when alone with someone she likes shes actually a very understanding and loyal person. she will actually listen to you rant about something you're passionate about for hours. if you are in trouble she will be the first to help you. however, if you look at her funny please know you've made an enemy for life. she holds long and petty grudges unapologetically.

speaking of pettyness, lets talk about the ussr and her relationship with him. i think about them a lot just because they hate eachother so much. completely genuinely i believe she only stayed in the warsaw pact for two reasons: to somehow destroy the ussr oh and also taking care of eg since shes still a teenager. im like, 99% sure the two got into arguments daily. they genuinely hate eachother more than anyone, and whatever the fuck perestroika didn't help. at best she was tolerant of him, at worst she was actively trying to kill him. she hates him for everything he stands for as well as his treatment of eg. despite her thing for long and petty grudges, she could tell that that girl could do no wrong from the start. the two have a very mother-daughter like relationship

she has both of her wings and they work just fine! although for a long time they didnt lol. i believe during ww2 they got fucked up during the destruction of warsaw (since that was pretty much the moment that armie krawoja lost its footing and poland became a guaranteed soviet puppet state after the war) and it took until her eventual leaving of the warsaw pact for them to be fully functional again. it's a fun little metaphor for freedom, i guess.

the cross she wears on her neck isn't actually because she's super religious. it was originally a small postwar act of spite against the soviet union, but eventually it kinda just became part of her outfit. she still isn't super religious, most countries arent due to their inherent personification of a whole ass landmass. unless it's like, the vatican or something JAJA

she is a hardcore alcoholic. it's, uh, not good, but it has quite literally been going on since pre-interwar. although she has gotten better with not downing like, 3 bottles of vodka in 1 sitting. she mostly just drinks beer at this point, unless she's like, really stressed for whatever reason. hey, old habits die hard. if i were being constantly harassed and assaulted by my neighbors i too would probably have some sort of addiction to a substance at this point. a random poland fun fact, the national drink is vodka.

her signature item (an item of which a country has associated themselves with and can now summon at will) is a hussar sabre as gifted to her by her father (the polish-lithuanian commonwealth). she cherishes it greatly and can use the sword quite well in combat. 10/10 would bring it to a gunfight.

due to her time spent in annexation for like, 100 years, she's pretty good at playing piano. on her spare time she'll play it rather leniently. admittedly, she doesn't have many hobbies. she sort of reads most of the day when not out with people.

wait how have i got this far without talking about her friends. she's good friends with the folk in the lublin triangle (lithuania (whos also her sister lol) and ukraine) and the visegrad group (czechia, slovakia, hungary) as well as all formerly in the eastern bloc. she would die for them and genuinely wishes nothing but the best for them. theyre also one of the few people who can actually tolerate her for long periods of time.

while it doesn't tend to show, she is very wary of france and britain specifically due to ww2. france especially, actually, considering the whole duchy of warsaw situation. for a long time she genuinely believed france was going to help her get her freedom. as you can see, that did not turn out, and nowadays the relationship between the two tends to be strained, only amplified by the russo-ukrainian war. she tends to interject on anything france is saying in an eu meeting with a sarcastic remark, especially if it's about war. she doesn't forget and she doesn't forgive.

uhhh i hope this suffices? i felt like this basically the entire time i was writing this

edit nope nvm im adding more i forgot to talk about interwar poland

ok so. interwar and postwar poland are basically two seperate people at this point. like, not literally, poland didnt fucking die in the war lol but personality and appearancewise they're completely different. as opposed to current poland's rather brash, loud, and belligerent personality, interwar poland was very quiet. he's much closer to that "fanon" poland. while, yeah he still was pretty fierce. it was much harder to get him to that point than it is now. he was pretty pacifistic all things considered.. he also at the time worked at a library doing archival things.. nowadays her job primarily consists of doing paperwork, which she doesn't mind all that much all things considered.

edit 08/08/23: her """"government assigned"""" username is probableLiability.

[oopsallmabari]

more thoughts on the AU in which arya has no magic/is a templar:

-as everyone had initially hoped she and Eric lead the ostwick circle with Eric as knight-commander. eventually the hope/expectation is that with a few more years arya will take over in Markham, but there are concerns that she will not be ready for that kind of leadership

-arya is not burdened by exactly the same kind of uncertainty as she usually is. battle and swordsmanship and strategy seem natural. giving orders seems natural. in social situations she is utterly inept and terrified. this is not an arya that has spent time teaching and guiding young children, this is not an arya who got drilled in etiquette enough because she was never going to need to navigate nobility. the family was content with her desire to stay far out of the spotlight and prepare for being a templar, so she can't really mask in the way the right arya would, she is rigid and respected but not liked. she makes few friends.

-ostwick circle is run strictly and efficiently. Eric is too much of a watchdog to allow loose ends. without a mage in the family he does not learn much sympathy for mages, and while he is smart enough to keep the mages from complete upset (so he thinks, at least) he is not merciful, nor is he kind. arya is much the same but occasionally is pulled to sympathy by apprentices. she likes to think she takes complaints seriously, but there are always more templars to take the place of ones that need to be removed.

-briony is still at ostwick until her harrowing, which she fails. arya does not know her face well enough to feel anything about her passing, other than general pity.

-Malik REALLY suffers because he has been saddled with all the responsibility of maintaining the family's nobility despite him clearly having two other siblings that could have done it. he wishes for more freedom than he has. arya is sympathetic to his frustrations, eric finds his problems trivial given that, for the most part, malik’s life isn't on the line. malik would have stopped speaking to erik altogether if their father didn’t believe it necessary to keep the trevelyans connected.

-the trevelyans become a well-known name in the Marches, and the family sees this time as politically opportune. as much as the trevelyans are described as devout, since the chantry is the foundation of so much power, i can’t imagine that in their religious devotion they are also very interested in aligning their politics with the chantry. they want more political power in the Marches, malik is resistant which causes tension with his father still serving as bann. despite templars technically giving up titles and family from the order the trevelyans see expanded dominance over the circles as necessary.

-ostwick’s circle rebels far later than it did in the original timeline since arya has no real connection to the younger apprentices, and far fewer people are inclined to stick up for any troublemaker apprentices given the trevelyans’ ironclad hold on the circle. markham’s circle (where eric Should Be) collapses first after its first enchanter starts an eerily quiet rebellion (she’s another minor oc of mine, her name is margaret, she is an unassuming old lady born in a circle). eric hears about it, is hypervigilant, and when one of the younger apprentices has something of a magical misfire, arya is not there to stop it. the boy is made tranquil, and rather than that inciting rebellion, it’s later rumors of annulment that spark ostwick’s downfall.

-even w/in this au, arya should be a mage. she is supposed to have magic. so i think that arya still ends up at the conclave hoping for peace and a return to normalcy, while eric has something of a crisis because he doesn’t think going back to normal is safe or possible (but he’s not entirely convinced by the renegade templars). arya gets her hands on the anchor and its connection to the fade doesn’t make her a full fledged mage, but she does start to show signs of magic capability (i don’t know that it ever fully manifests) outside of the anchor’s power and it shakes her entire worldview--it doesn’t feel wrong, and that disgusts her.

[almaqead]

"The Task." From Surah 20. "Taha, the Char."

I began studying the Quran because my teacher, HH Swami Chinmayananda said the Self cannot be known well enough. His teacher, Sivananda was a Muslim and I trusted his judgement on the matter so I began to study scripture and eventually published my book. There have been hourly attempts on my life since by Donald Trump, members of the Republican Party, and their religious friends and affiliates who objected to its contents.

Things got worse especially after I exposed him for cheating in the 2016 election and being an avid consumer of sexually explicit films featuring children- their own. I hoped to save their lives and my own and those of future victims and persevered.

The US Government however, decided not to act on these details and now they are giving the big lug another shot. In spite of my failed attempts at an early victory, I have tried to compel the people of the world to follow the Holy Spirit to the balm of freedom found in His Books.

Observe now what He said to me and I am saying for Him to you: The US Governmnet is our dire enemies, every man, woman, child and living thing on this world is in jeopardy because it will not do as God prescribed and confront the Pharaoh. His name is Donald Trump and he is an unelected dictator and he is responsible in some way for every problem facing this human race and he and his Party must not be permitted on this world.

We simply must witness the just and the righteous triumph at the behest of God and Law for the good of mankind, we must see it now and alwayhs.

About this the Quran tells us to pray, "O God make this task easy."

20: 24-35:

"so that We may show you some of Our greatest signs.

Go to Moses prayed, “My Lord! Uplift my heart for me,Pharaoh, for he has truly transgressed ˹all bounds˺.”

and make my task easy,

and remove the impediment from my tongue

so people may understand my speech,1

and grant me a helper from my family,

Aaron, my brother.

Strengthen me through him,

and let him share my task,

so that we may glorify You much

and remember You much,

for truly You have ˹always˺ been overseeing us.”

Commentary:

Humanity reads but does not remember much about God, does it? Forcing the US Gov to confess its guilt over October 7, 2023 and all the rest is the right thing to do. Requiring it to make amends for the lives it has stolen and the happiness it has taken for granted is the only way to end the confusion mankind has about America's place in global politics and the war against terrorism.

So long as we are shy about protecting this planet from corruption and refuse to stop wasting our time, death by unnatural causes will stalk each of us. Life on earth is supposed to be beauteous. May God lift up our hearts and give us courage to fight for the chance to live it.

My teacher, Chinmaya spent a lot of time in a British prison during the occupation. He was a vehement enemy of conscription and oppression of freedom of religion. He hated stupidity and was ruthless towards listless leadership. I am trying to finish his work, asking for help. This is what Muhammad said we should do when the world is in crisis.

It is unforunate the current Administration could not find it within its means to prevent the immense heartache it has allowed to infiltrate our lives. Our only choice is also an opportunity for global enlightenment. We must fight the Pharaoh, Donald Trump and all fundamentalist Christians, to the death if need be, leave Egypt and never look back. They are too vile and too determined. No civilized man will let these conditions lie.

"Now, why won't you fight?"

[waynecowles]

Daily Jot: Should Christians vote for sinful candidates – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com

Many Daily Jot readers have expressed a concern about voting in the upcoming election. Their concern is that both candidates are sinful. Kamala Harris for not only her character but also her stances on issues. Donald Trump for his character. The common question is, “Should Christians compromise the principles of God by voting for knowingly sinful candidates?” The other question is, “are there any scriptures that support compromising conviction for the “greater good?” Are Christians supposed to “hold their nose” and vote for the candidate that best aligns with God’s principles when both candidates are known sinners or are they to not vote at all? To many the answer is simple. Others struggle with it.

A Daily Jot reader recently wrote: “I am truly struggling with the idea of maintaining my civic responsibilities which would lead me to compromise my obedience to the Word of God and my convictions. I have ALWAYS been a "you must vote...it is your privilege and duty to do so" person… with these types of candidates from both sides of the aisle, who openly deny protecting the life of the unborn, deny the Biblical definition of marriage, openly espouse the acceptance of sin, openly encourage people to lie or compromise "for the greater good," I am struggling to be willing to vote for any of them. My question is...how do you reconcile civic responsibility with Biblical responsibility?

Romans 12:21 says, “Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” To me, the platform of one party is inherently evil. That party’s candidates are also very lost and often evil. And we can see what it is doing to this country. They demand we accept evil. Voting for those candidates is voting for an evil agenda. Another verse that comes to mind is Ephesians 6:11-13 where we are exhorted to put on the whole armor of God so that we can stand against the wiles of the devil and having done all, to stand. None of this is saying there is compromise by standing against evil. If you think the Republican Party is evil, maybe parts of it are. But compared to the Democratic Party and its candidates, there is clearly a difference. David Brody reports that over 200,000 Evangelicals for Harris/Walz have signed up to volunteer and vote for the Democratic Party ticket.

God has supreme authority over all things. He also delights in seeing how his people allow him to work through them. If, for example, Trump wins and God didn’t want it, Trump would not be there. Meantime, we have the God-given freedom to vote and choose. There is perfect liberty in Christ and God is a God of freedom. We have choices to make. Voting is one of them and responsible citizenship requires it. Vote for the person you believe best represents the precepts of God. But not voting is shirking the responsibility of freedom—freedom granted by God. As John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” We are experiencing the consequences of our choice in leaders. The virtuous need to vote.

[randomnameless]

What do you think about the take that there's no freedom of religion in Fodlan because there's a woman who worships a foreign deity in the abyss?

More or less the same thing than the take about Colonel Sanders being jailed in Garreg Mach because Rhea wants all those chicken tenders for herself.

More seriously,

Bar Claude speaking with his ass, and apparently Leonie being worried that the Church might be crossed with Claude mentionning he's not religious - even if in Leicester it's pretty much known far and wide that the nobles adopt a pious font for PR - I prefer believing the words of, you know, the CoS officials aka Rhea and Seteth on that matter, the CoS's doctrine - at least for the Central Church - doesn't forbid practice of other religions or faiths.

The Western Church being xenophobic most likely would be pissed at, say, random duscurian person worshiping Duscurian gods, but as for the central church? They, just, dgaf.

Now, in the Abyss, there's a pagan statue - from a Dagda deity per Shamir in Nopes! - and a woman praying there, who was apparently harassed for not following the Seiros faith.

But... if freedom of religion was banned :

1/how the fuck this 20 meters tall statue managed to be placed in Fodlan's Vatican's basement without anyone noticing

2/why Seteth and Rhea, when asked, said they don't impose the Seiros faith on people

3/why Leicesterians are allowed to be "pious for show" if religion was so important?

As always with Fodlan, we have some things told by several characters who are playable/talkable in the base game (tfw Seteth mentions how they don't force people to worship first in FEH, and then in Nopes, but nothing in FE16 + Cyril's supports that no one bothers to read because fig him I guess and ultimately they don't matter because Claude can't look like a clown in VW) and they are contradicted by either, flavor text, screening through various lines of hidden dialogue or, flat out, lines said in the gacha or the musou spin off.

Now, about that Dagdan woman, why was she in the Abyss, aka, a CoS shelter ?

Because she worships a different god and that's frowned upon by, uh, the very same church that shelters her? And this church gives her a place to worship her deity?

Or, if we take clues and connect dots from two astral planes, could it make more sense that this person ended up in the Abyss because she was Dagdan, and from Shamir's backstory we know Dagdans aren't that beloved by Fodlan people, after their multiple attempted invasions of Adrestia? Dagdan Woman must have looked for some shelter and found one - as for where or who put that statue here, I can't guess, but given how the Abyss is a place for people who cannot live at the surface without being picked on/harassed/threatened, I suppose the purpose of that statue being there was more in the lines of "as long as you're here if you want to worship your god you can do so" and less in the lines of "I'm so not tolerant at all that I will create a space in my holiest place where you can worship your god, because i hate other religions than my own".

If there is a general point to be made about "freedom of religion" in Fodlan, it's more about the lack of reliable (so, no Claude and his "I'll smash open the land and get rid of its backwards values unless I go to school") info about how tolerant the various countries that compose Fodlan are, and how some people from the CoS aren't on the same wavelength as Rhea and Seteth are.

Do they have some sort of responsability in this matter? Maybe in their hands-off approach to let the regional branches preach what they want or not adopt a stricter control on what is being taught but the game - and most likely that take - isn't bothered by all intricacies of how to conduct a faith/religion, otherwise I'd call a double standard over the CoS being BaD because they don't tell Father McRandom from Leicester to stop making randoms believe they can't have faith in other religion than the Seiros faith, but not calling out Ionius on not acting against Hanneman's brother in law when he fucked his wife so much that she died, or Lambert for Matthias keeping a kid as a hostage, or Claude's Uncle not frowning at Gloucester killing Raph's parents (the nopes retcon notwithstanding).

[vinceleemiller]

Law, Liberty, and the Leading of the Spirit | Galatians 4:21

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? — Galatians 4:21

CALL OUT: Our newest men's ministry book, Sculpting Men, is now available in paper. Pick this up now if you are leading men. It contains over 50+ articles on the Foundations for Men's Ministry, Mentoring Men, & Practical Steps to Get Started.

Why The Law?

Laws are crucial. They safeguard and guide individuals and communities. Without laws, chaos would reign, and conflicts would escalate. They provide a necessary structure for life. However, laws can also be misused to enforce conformity, leading to excessive regulation and the stifling of freedoms. The challenge of governance lies in finding the right balance between too few and too many laws.

At some point, it is tempting for those who govern to become intoxicated with power by legislation. When they don't get the behaviors they want, they legislate behavior, which is precisely what happened in Scotland overnight. Formerly a country known for its savage and merciless defense against harsh conditions and hostile enemies now has made hate speech a criminal offense that could land someone in prison for up to seven years.

Leveraging The Law

This was the situation in Galatia. New converts were being persuaded by Jewish Christians that their faith in Jesus was insufficient. They were told they needed to follow additional rites and rituals from the Mosaic Law to be in good standing with God. This was a legal overstep, a power move by religious leaders.

You see, laws are good guides until they encounter two critical challenges: they are ignored by adherents or leveraged by authorities.

The ultimate reason for the religious law was to point out the sinful nature of our selfish desires. The law, given by God, was supposed to stir us to examine our motivations and actions. It should redirect us toward good and godly guidance from God's Word and be led by the Spirit. Believers who do this have no need for the law. This is not an endorsement of lawlessness but the joy of freedom. Freedom in faith to be led by the power of God's Spirit. Those who the Spirit leads do not need the law because their sin was justified not by the law but by faith. In addition, they are indwelled by a daily guide—the Holy Spirit.

This is the joy of being a believer. We are not regulated by the former law and oppressed by it. Instead, we live under the law of grace, as evidenced by how we are sealed and led by the Holy Spirit.

Live Free From The Law

Given this, how is the Spirit directing your steps today? Are you aware of his presence? Are you listening to him? Are you letting him have total control of your motivations and desires?

Here's my prayer for you today as you reflect on these questions:

Spirit of the Living God, direct my steps today. Convict me of any selfishness and sin. Direct me to your holiness. Make your desires my desires. Amen.

#LawAndGrace #FreedomInFaith #SpiritLedLife #GalatiansInsights #GraceOverLegalism

ASK THIS:

How does your understanding of the law impact your daily decisions and interactions with others?

In what ways can you actively seek to live in the freedom and grace offered through Jesus Christ rather than being bound by legalistic tendencies or expectations?

DO THIS: Invite the Spirit to lead you to freedom.

PRAY THIS: Spirit of the Living God, direct my steps today. Convict me of any selfishness and sin. Direct me to your holiness. Make your desires my desires. Amen.

PLAY THIS: Spirit of the Living God.

Check out this episode!

[denimbex1986]

'The more things change, the more the Hollywood studios stay the same. At least that’s one of the surprising lessons of Barbenheimer, Sound of Freedom, Indiana Jones 5, Mission: Impossible 7, Fast and the Furious 10, and the other big-budget summer box office bets trying to help the movie business pull off a historic comeback.

Twenty years ago, we wrote a book, Open Wide, about a battle at the multiplex on the weekend of July 4, 2003, for the hearts, minds and dollars of the American public. In some respects, nothing has changed. The showdown that July weekend two decades ago pitted pink against black, and a sparkly self-actualized blond heroine against a grim avatar of thermonuclear war. It wasn’t Margot Robbie and Barbie vs. Cillian Murphy and Oppenheimer, though. It was Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde 2 vs. Arnold Schwarzenegger in his last appearance as the Terminator before becoming the governor of California.

Terminator 3 opened at the top of the box office that weekend. But like this year, the summer of 2003 was a summer dominated by sequels – Tomb Raider 2, Charlie’s Angels 2, Spy Kids 3, Dumb and Dumberer, 2 Fast and 2 Furious and The Matrix Revolutions. Most of these failed to catch fire with the public, prompting hand-wringing from media observers (ourselves included) that the theatrical film business was in steep decline. Hollywood was barreling down an unsustainable path, the argument went, as spiraling marketing costs failed to compensate for a lack of original ideas and the pursuit of bigger and bigger opening weekends left little space at the multiplex for any movie that depended on old-fashioned word of mouth to find an audience.

Today, the complaints about the movie business are much the same. “Hollywood has never been known for overestimating the audience’s intelligence,” Inkoo Kang recently wrote in the New Yorker, “but it’s hard not to wonder how it is supposed to be inculcating a love of cinema in children – that is, future moviegoers – when the splashiest films on offer are explicitly buckets of regurgitation.”

As we take stock of the latest summer movie season, it’s hard not to feel a strong sense of déjà vu. This summer, once again, entertainment pundits are scratching their heads about a massive, out-of-nowhere hit, Sound of Freedom, released not by the major studios but by tiny Angel Studios. The film arrived in theaters with a novel marketing twist: In a video that plays over the credits, star Jim Caveziel implores moviegoers to “pay it forward” by purchasing multiple tickets so that other people can see it. “We don’t have big studio money to market this movie,” he says, “but we have you.”

But wait, haven’t we seen this movie – also starring Jim Caveziel – before? Nearly 20 years ago, there was The Passion of the Christ, with its unconventional distribution plan outside the mainstream system and fervid following among conservative and religious audiences in America’s heartland. And well before that was Billy Jack – the biggest box office hit of 1973 – a vigilante story about an ass-kicking Green Beret trying to protect kids at a rural school and an unconventional release strategy (its producer, director and star Tom Laughlin sued Warner Bros to get the film back and “four-walled” it in hundreds of theaters backed by a flurry of TV ads, a then-innovative idea that paved the way for today’s saturation marketing plans...

The stakes today are higher than ever, between dual strikes, which have paralyzed Hollywood; the digital revolution, which has seen streamers prioritize volume over originality and sent the studios barreling over a cliff trying to charm Wall Street with their own streaming upstarts; and an exhibition industry still reeling from Covid and an increasing abundance of other options for families looking to entertain themselves on the weekend. And how about some original movie ideas? Everybody loves those, sure, but how to fund them when the studio’s parent company is tens of billions in debt and more desperate than ever to cut costs? Under these circumstances, it’s easier than ever to green-light a sequel to a property that has succeeded in the past. As Ted Hope aptly put it at a recent film festival, “You cannot rely on what has worked before, but when you sit down with any buyer of a corporation, that is still 100% what they’re thinking.”

Barbie, which had one of the most profitable opening weekends in the history of the movie business en route to becoming the biggest domestic hit in the 100-year history of Warner Bros, may be the exception that proves the rule. Ultimately, Barbie may be based on a toy but it doesn’t have that much in common with the mostly forgotten sequels of 2003. Perhaps a better analogy is the top summer blockbuster of 2003, Finding Nemo, a wildly imaginative, entirely original story which burst into theaters with a series of ads that riffed on Jaws with images of Bruce the Shark positioning it as the movie to see that summer. It’s certainly a healthy reminder that the cultural watershed that is Barbenheimer, the anti-Hollywood marketing of Sound of Freedom, and the parade of largely disappointing sequels that failed to live up to the hype aren’t exactly new...'