#New Testament Bible stories

[elijones94]

🇵🇷 It was the last day of VBS in Ponce. Interestingly, another youth camp joined our camp and with a larger number of kids attending, we combined into one group. So far, everything has been awesome. 🎨🎁 #vbs #poncepuertorico #youthcamp #kidsartsandcrafts #pizzaparty #kidsbeingkids #youthministry

[godslove]

[artandthebible]

St. Joseph's Dream

Artist: Anton Raphael Mengs (German, 1728–1779)

Date: circa 1773-1774

Medium: Oil on Oak Wood

Collection: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria

St. Joseph's Dream | Matthew 2:22

In the classic thinker’s pose, his head leaning heavily on his arm, Joseph receives instructions from God whilst asleep: he is to lead into Egypt Mary and the Infant Jesus, to escape Herod’s henchmen. The clear composition, the frontal depiction which emphasises contours, the unemotional representation all show the classicist painter as overcoming the Baroque art of illusion and staging. While Mengs in his drive to innovate starts out from antiquity and Raphael, there is also an echo of Correggio’s sfumato painting in the soft sensualism of his pictures.

[thekingofwinterblog]

So there are some rather blatant Jesus imagery and paralells with Pomni in the Amazing Digital Circus so far, so i thought i might as well note them all down, since nobody else has done so yet.

Obviously there is her taking Jesus place in the last supper shot at the end of episode 1, even sharing his color scheme of red and blue.

There is also some very specific imagery here, givem that the last aupper is... Well, Jesus last supper with his Apostles. It's signifigance is that it is the moment that heralds in the end of their journey together, where the inevitable march to the chrucifiction and resurrection truly begins.

Similarily, though none of the character knows it, Pomni's arrival similarily heralds in the end of their own journey.

This series story will end in one season, meaning that wheter they escape or falls to doom, their long tale of perserverance and suffering will be at an end soon.

Then of course there is episode 2, where Pomni travels into a desert, where she ends up separated from her own fellowship, and is tested moraly and spiritually.

Which has paralels with Jesus time alone in the desert, where he faced his temptations, preparing him for what is to come.

Though obviously rather different in nature, this very much is the two's darkest hours, their greatest moments of doubt and pain.

For Jesus it was facing and accepting his mortality as a Human being, and refusing to give in to the temptation of calling upon the divine to lessen his heavy burden, and accepting the cruel fate that was in store for him.

His companion in this moment of darlness was of course the devil, there to tempt him, and challenge him in hope of derailing God's plan.

Instead he rebukes his words, and resolves to keep moving forward towards his destiny, to see his fate through to the end for the good of his fellow man.

Pomni's situation and her companion is a bit different, but the overall point remains the same, that this is her great moment of temptation, and it is in response to her companion that she resolves to keep going.

The main difference of course is that Gummygoo's questioning of Pomni is not directly about her own worth, but instead of his own. The question of wheter he, a being with seemingly no soul, but with the capacity to think, has any value at all compared to her in his eyes, divinely blessed nature.

Pomni here shows the person she truly is deep down, a kind, gentle soul who gives Gummygoo the warmth, support and love he needs to keep going forward, affirming that yes, he does have worth, his existence does mean something.

He is as real as she is... And that means he is a real person, worthy of being loved and cared about. Which in turn means she is. She is not some worthless thing, but a Human being who is still alive despite it all. And she's going to live on.

But of course her journey in this episode doesn't end there, for after finally finding the resolve to keep on living, that newly made resolve is then immediatly tested by Caine(Named after the first murder acording to the Bible) calously and with no hesitation or regret murders Gummygoo.

This part doesn't have a direct parallel in Jesus life, but one could view Caine's actions as being parallel to the Devil's words and temptations, where he puts the question to Jesus of why not take the easy way out as God's divine son, instead of continuing the hard road as a Human being of flesh and blood?

Both test our heroes resolve, but in different ways.

Regardless, the story ultimately ends similarily, as though Pomni has a moment of nearly breaking under her trial, of truly giving up on the idea that her life matters, the message she discussed and preached to Gummygoo, Pomni ultimately manages to overcome her great test of character by embracing her bond with her fellow Human beings.

She overcome her great temptation of giving in to darkness, and is now ready to keep moving forward on her journey.

It is that love for her fellow man, that gives her the resolve to keep moving forward towards her destiny, regardless of what it might hold in store for her.

And regarding Jesus parallels, there is of course this shot from the production team that speaks for itself.

We have no idea of the context, or what episode this is gonna be from, but given the stuff we got from episode 1 and 2, it's not too hard to guess it's probably gonna be one of the more important moments of the story.

[johninrags]

The old testament vs the new

In examining the Torah, we see God depicted as a masterful teacher, with His words as precise and purposeful as arrows shot from a bow, aimed to strike their intended targets. These divine arrows implant spiritual seeds within the hearts of genuine seekers, who then have the choice to nurture and cultivate these seeds. The Bible, or the Word of God, provides guidance and instruction for developing our spiritual lives. The Old Testament establishes the foundation and groundwork for God's creation, while the New Testament dynamically fulfills and expands upon this foundation.

The Old Covenant, or Old Testament, sets the standard for spiritual living, promoting good health and a prosperous life centered on God. As the Israelites learn more about God's sovereignty and holiness, they also become aware of their own shortcomings and are required to offer blood sacrifices at the altar for the atonement of their sins. Nevertheless, God promises to deliver the Israelites from their sins and provide them with a true king and messiah. The Old Covenant's purpose is to reveal how far humanity has strayed from God, with our sinful natures obstructing the lives God intended for us.

Romans 3:20 (NIV) states, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law, we become conscious of our sin." This verse highlights the main function of the Old Covenant: to make us aware of our sins and establish the foundation for the New Covenant. The Ten Commandments, outlined in Exodus 20, convey God's desire for us to prioritize our spiritual needs and recognize that we are spiritual beings inhabiting physical bodies.

In the 10 commandments, God urges us to turn inward and seek His eternal truths, cautioning us against idolatry and excessive indulgence in material things that could hinder our spiritual growth. By placing our spiritual development first, we open the door to receiving everything we desire in life.

It also emphasizes the importance of respecting and honoring God's name, as well as the power of our speech. We are reminded that our words have immense influence, and we must use them wisely. The commandment to observe the Sabbath highlights the need for balance in our physical and spiritual lives, dedicating time to both work and rest.

The final commandments address honoring one's parents, refraining from murder, adultery, theft, bearing false witness, and coveting. While these commandments may seem straightforward, Jesus explains in Matthew 5:28 (NIV) that even lustful thoughts are equivalent to committing adultery in one's heart. This demonstrates the strict nature of God's laws, which apply not only to our actions but also to our thoughts and intentions.

The Old Covenant serves to show us the extent of our deviation from God's original design, revealing the stark contrast between the physical and spiritual realms. Despite our shortcomings, God's love for humanity is unwavering, and He desires to alleviate suffering and create a world where all our basic needs are met. John 3:16 (NIV) proclaims, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

The Old Testament, with its meticulous historical records and fulfilled promises, serves as the foundation for the transformative New Covenant. The ultimate blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ liberates us from the need for animal sacrifices and paves the way for a new world of spiritual growth and divine connection.

Jesus was born in the quaint town of Bethlehem and experienced a childhood not unlike others of that time. Intriguingly, the Bible offers no account of Jesus' life prior to the age of thirty, save for one incident described by his friend Luke. During a visit to Jerusalem with his parents, Jesus went missing, prompting a frantic three-day search. Ultimately, they discovered him at the temple, engaging in animated conversations with religious teachers and posing thought-provoking questions. After a gentle admonishment, Jesus accompanied his parents back to their hometown. It is surmised that, in keeping with tradition, Jesus may have followed in his carpenter father's footsteps before commencing his ministry at the age of thirty—the age at which an Israelite could become a priest.

As Jesus continued to teach and enlighten, he consistently referenced the Torah and the Laws of Moses to validate his lessons. His teachings attracted a substantial following of influential Jews and Romans, but also alarmed Jewish authorities who felt their positions jeopardized by rumors of Jesus becoming the King of the Jews. Desperate to convict him, they attempted to catch him in either legal transgressions or contradictions with their laws, only to be consistently thwarted by Jesus' authoritative and unassailable explanations. In many instances, Jesus corrected these men's flawed understanding of the law, speaking boldly and fearlessly to high-ranking officials in a manner that would have had ordinary men executed.

By challenging Israel's religious leaders and rebuking influential figures, Jesus sparked a revolutionary movement. Defying cultural norms, he offered compassion and healing to gentiles and unbelievers, providing hope and becoming a cornerstone for the oppressed. Undeterred by the turmoil he incited among authorities, Jesus continued to heal the brokenhearted and proclaim God's Word. He identified Old Testament prophecies and scriptures referencing his arrival, yet Jewish leaders' animosity and envy only grew, fueling their schemes against this widely revered teacher.

Through his tender yet commanding demeanor, Jesus laid the foundation for a new covenant, making disciples to disseminate the good news of forgiveness and the truths of both the old and forthcoming covenants. Though he performed numerous awe-inspiring miracles, his most significant achievement was the fulfillment of the old covenant, which he elucidated to the Jews.

Matthew 5:17 New Living Translation

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

It is challenging to grasp that Jesus' ultimate purpose was to sacrifice himself for the sins of the world, and even more unfathomable that such a dramatic event was required to fulfill the law. However, upon reflection, this pivotal moment in history reveals an undeniable divine design. Every aspect was meticulously orchestrated to etch this event into history and the collective consciousness of humanity.

The Passover, initially an agricultural spring festival, prompted the entire population of the kingdom of Judah to journey to Jerusalem. During this public holiday, the city teemed with jubilant celebrants commemorating their escape from Egypt. Much like a carnival or music festival, the city was alive with excitement and anticipation, especially as rumors circulated that the new king of Israel would appear. In this particular year, the bustling atmosphere was comparable to a popular holiday destination in December.

Indeed, the king of Israel arrived, welcomed by throngs of people who lined his path with palm branches and their own garments. It was a triumphant entrance reminiscent of a championship football team's homecoming. Jesus' miraculous deeds and teachings had spread far and wide, and he had become a beacon of hope for countless downtrodden and oppressed individuals. They chanted praises, celebrating his arrival (Matthew 21:9 NLT).

However, the festivities took a dark turn as the time for prophecy fulfillment arrived. The plot to kill Jesus came to fruition as he was captured, tried, and ultimately crucified, despite being found innocent by the Roman governor who presided over his trial. The tumultuous crucifixion was an essential component of God's plan, witnessed by the entire Jewish nation. Jesus' final words on the cross signified the accomplishment and fulfillment of the ancient prophecy and covenant.

John 19:28-30 (NLTSE) Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, "I am thirsty." A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.

At that instant, a massive earthquake shook Jerusalem, and the temple's central curtain, which separated the Holy of Holies, was miraculously torn asunder. This marked the beginning of the new covenant established by God himself for all eternity. The tearing of the veil symbolized that all humanity now had access to God (Hebrews 10:19-25 NLT).y

The extraordinary events in Jerusalem had only just begun, as the people of Israel were about to witness a revelation far greater than they could have imagined. After Jesus' death, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea, ordered Jesus' body to be placed in a tomb and guarded indefinitely. Both Roman and Jewish authorities were aware of Jesus' claim that he would be resurrected after three days, so Roman soldiers were stationed to secure the tomb. It is likely that Jewish authorities also sent their own guards to keep watch.

Despite various theories attempting to explain the mysterious disappearance of Jesus' body, he reappeared three days later, alive and well. Numerous accounts in the Bible document Jesus' post-resurrection appearances. On one occasion, he revealed himself to a crowd of over 500 people, allowing them to touch him to dispel their disbelief. A few decades later, the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, reiterating the magnitude of Jesus' resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:6 NLT).

The new covenant ushers in hope for the unification of all people, inspiring us to embrace individuals of every race under a single emblem. We can now proudly bear the standard of "forgiveness of sins," a beacon illuminating our spiritual journey towards an undiscovered realm, a standard that all can confidently claim as their own. The new covenant heralds our spiritual inheritance and unveils the origin of our existence. As warriors of the kingdom, we are no longer burdened by laws etched on heavy stone tablets; instead, we are graced with new, lighter laws inscribed upon our hearts. The Apostle Paul expresses this sentiment in a letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 3:7-10 NLT).

Romans 6:14 (NLTSE) reminds us that sin is no longer our master, as we now live under the freedom of God's grace.

The essence of the new law is straightforward: acknowledge the reality of God incarnate and accept His gift of "The Termination of Sin." Trust in Jesus and devote yourself to comprehending His teachings. While the concept of the new law is simple, its implications are boundless, and the intricacies of the new covenant surpass human understanding. The old laws, inscribed on weighty stone tablets, encapsulate the initial phase of God's creation, while the second covenant serves as the vessel for the continuation of creation.

If we pay attention, we will discover a law not only written on our hearts, but also evolving within them—alive and akin to a living, breathing organism. Recognizing that guilt and despair belong to the past, while joy, peace, and freedom are within reach, is the very essence of the ongoing creation, in which we all play a role. God is not idly observing His completed work; He is ceaselessly creating and permeating the elements of the natural universe as we understand it.

While everything in the material world evolves, the word of God endures eternally unaltered. Biblical truths hold relevance today, just as they did for past generations, and will remain applicable tomorrow and beyond. Like the renowned "blockchain technology," the Bible is the everlasting spiritual ledger encompassing all truths from the beginning of time to the end. The Word of God will always be the definitive guide for answering the heart's questions.

The Bible is an extraordinary book, and I encourage readers to explore it for themselves. As you turn its pages, you'll notice supernatural sparks that mysteriously materialize in your mind as thoughts or concepts. These fragments of light resonate with your heart and stir a tangible, real connection with the spirit. As you continue to nurture the spiritual seed within and exercise it daily, it will grow, and the sparks it generates will transform into ever-burning lanterns. Discovering a spiritual truth from the Bible is like learning to ride a bicycle; once you have developed your spirit's muscle memory, you will quickly find yourself delighting in a journey through the Garden of Truth.

[rosie-love98]

Which Out Of These Bible Cartoons Is The Best?:

To be specific, I’m talking about the Biblical cartoons that DON’T have (what I like to call) a “Tour Guide”: pretty much an OC that guides the viewer to what the story is about. I had grown up knowing of Hanna Barbera’s “The Greatest Adventures: Stories From The Bible” (which I prefer over “Superbook” or “The Flying House” to be honest). And while I love that show, I find myself preferring Biblical cartoons that don’t rely on a Tour Guide Character. I understand why that trope is used-especially for kids. With the Bible, there’s a lot to explain. But, when seeing a review of that “Samson And Delilah” cartoon (which I think was from Burbank films…?), it made me hate the Tour Guide Character trope with how annoying the narrator’s voice was. Besides, I’d rather just follow the Biblical characters without having to focus on some OC (and this is coming from a fanfic writer who has OCs…).

So, with that in mind, I got these “contestants”:

“Animated Stories From The Bible/New Testament”: From Richard Rich, the man behind “Animated Hero Classics”, “The Fox And The Hound”, “Small One”, and, most notably, “The Swan Princess”, this series lasted from 1987-2005.

“Testament: The Bible In Animation”: Having a short run within 1996 and (technically) a movie, “The Miracle Maker” in 2000, this unique series told the Bible through different art styles from claymation to oil paintings. The people behind this show are also behind ��Shakespeare: The Animated Tales”. One of its producers, Christmas Films, had also worked on “Animated Tales Of The World” (2000-2004) and “The Canterbury Tales” (1998-2000).

Mondo’s “Bible Cartoons”: If you’re a fan of Bobsheaux, Saberspark or The Nostalgia Critic, you might be familiar with Mondo. They’re the folks behind the “Highlander” animated show, the 1995 “Cinderella” anime, “The Legend Of Snow White”, along with… “Simba The King Lion”, “Titanic: The Legend Goes On”, and its sequels, “Tentacolino” and “Fantasy Island”...ANYWAY, while Mondo’s “The Old Testament” ran from 2003-2004, “Jesus: A Kingdom Without Frontiers”  was in 1996 followed by “In The Name Of Jesus” in 1999, “The King Of Kings: Jesus” in 1998, and “A Kingdom Without Frontiers” movie in 2000.

While I have seen “Testament: The Bible In Animation” and parts of “Animated Stories”, I have seen bits of Mondo’s Jesus cartoons. Honestly, seeing what Mondo had done to the Titanic, Simba, along with Pocahontas and Mulan, can you blame me? However, their “Cinderella” and “Snow White” shows seemed to have had decent ratings on IMDB. 

Still, with all that said, which Biblical cartoon is the best out of these three?

[dumas1969]

5 Marks of a Disciple: Share Your Story

Luke 8.26-39 Having just calmed a violent storm at sea, Jesus meets a man with an equally violent storm raging within him. In both cases Jesus is able to squash the chaos with a word. It would be easy to come to the conclusion that Luke is showcasing Jesus’ power and authority over both the natural and supernatural worlds. And he does that, but I think Luke is driving us to something even more…

[lightgaswaterelectricityrent]

Drunk uncle wait until you hear what they did to the bible before we could read it in modern english

[godslove]

[artandthebible]

The Parable of the Weeds

Artist: Domenico Fetti

Date: circa 1622

Medium: Oil on Panel

Collection: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

The Parable of the Weeds

The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds, or Tares, is filled with spiritual significance and truth. But, in spite of the clear explanation of the parable that Jesus gave (Matthew 13:36-43), this parable is very often misinterpreted. Many commentaries and sermons have attempted to use this story as an illustration of the condition of the church, noting that there are both true believers (the wheat) and false professors (the weeds) in both the church at large and individual local churches. While this may be true, Jesus distinctly explains that the field is not the church; it is the world (v. 38).

In the explanation of parable, Christ declares that He Himself is the sower. He spreads His redeemed seed, true believers, in the field of the world. Through His grace, these Christians bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24). Their presence on earth is the reason the “kingdom of heaven” is like the field of the world. When Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17), He meant the spiritual realm which exists on earth side by side with the realm of the evil one (1 John 5:19). When the kingdom of heaven comes to its fruition, heaven will be a reality and there will be no “weeds” among the “wheat.” But for now, both good and bad seeds mature in the world.

Jesus Christ will one day establish true righteousness. After He raptures the true church out of this world, God will pour out His righteous wrath on the world. During that tribulation, He will draw others to saving faith in Jesus Christ. At the end of the tribulation, all unbelievers will be judged for their sin and unbelief; then, they will be removed from God’s presence. True followers of Christ will reign with Him. What a glorious hope for the “wheat”!

[humorwithatwist]

Introducing "Encountering God's Story"

I’m pleased to announce that Arise Press has published my book, Encountering God’s Story: A Guide to Better Read and Understand the Story of Scripture (St. Louis, 2023) and copies are now available on Amazon. I started working on this book several years ago after a conversation with some friends about how daunting it is to make sense of the Biblical story. Sure, they knew the story of Jesus. And…

[the-most-phenomenal-banana]

i just learned that eric kripke is jewish and i think it’s entirely reframed all of supernatural for me

[neil-gaiman]

Hi Mr Gaiman! What do you think of Good Omens being rewritten from a Jewish perspective instead of a Christian one? (not for profit or anything just a fun idea to explore the theological differences through a work I adore)

If by "a Jewish Perspective" you mean, not using any material from the New Testament, you'd need to tell a very alternate universe version in your version of the story. Demons (and dybbuks) would exist, although there are different Jewish traditions about what they are -- but the concept of Fallen Angels isn't ever part of the story, so the Crowley and Aziraphale story might be a little harder to pull off. You'd lose the Four Horsemen, of course.

Here's a lovely article on Demonology from a Jewish perspective over the centuries: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/demons-and-demonology

You still have the apocalypse, of course (lots of lovely apocalypses predicted) but they tend to tie in to messianism. So you'd probably have Crowley and Aziraphale working to stop the Messiah from turning up and ending the world.

(Here's a great set of essays on Jewish Apocalypses: https://www.associationforjewishstudies.org/docs/default-source/ajs-perspectives/ajsp12fa.pdf?sfvrsn=17fadb06_2)

It's not really theological differences, though. Both Good Omens and your hypothetically More Jewish version would primarily be leaning into cultural myths and stories and stuff that aren't anywhere in the Bible anyway.

(And the original Good Omens was at least half-written from a Jewish perspective: mine.)

[homoeroticbetrayal]

Iconic Homoerotic Betrayal: Finals

Poll Directory

Context:

Anthy/Utena

Summarized by Anonymous Contributor

THE blueprint for homoerotic betrayals of the canonically gay (as opposed to interpretive, certainly there are older iconic examples for that) variety. listed as #2 in the infamous top ten anime betrayals video, iirc.

it is about akio pushing anthy to utena. it is about utena’s protective stance, misunderstanding. most of all, it is about anthy kissing utena’s shoulder before stabbing her.

the story has been leading us to this the whole time — utena assuming once again the protective princely position; akio, always playing divide and conquer, unable to manipulate utena to betray anthy, now reliant on anthy betraying utena; the game being rigged from the start, true victory impossible (for the duelists, who will always lose the game proper to akio, the rule maker, in one way or another; for akio himself, just as obviously); utena’s love for anthy within the princely stance; anthy’s love for utena and anthy’s fear (of the world beyond; of utena loving her truly; of utena not loving her truly but just projecting onto her still as any prince does, and turning out to be the same (as akio) in the end) and akio (framing himself) as the only one who will love her no matter what because friends turn away from you and only connections by blood are forever, the two of them are the only ones who’s real in this projected world, so on and so forth, and anthy’s bitterness towards utena (“do you know, utena-sama, how i always despised you” from that one “in the next episode” bit) and her princeliness and her being not that impossibly unlike akio (all princes are the same). everything has lead us to this moment. and yet we are shocked.

personally, i’ve never moved on from how she kisses her shoulder.

See a whole dissertation on Utenanthy here

Judas/Jesus

Summary by @this-is-a-name-dont-worry

We of course have Judas betraying Jesus, with a kiss like a last goodbye, maybe a mockery of their love, maybe a grieving goodbye. In the end it doesn't matter, because Judas would rather hang himself than to keep going. The money was unspent or returned, a change of heart from regret, or maybe a sign it was never about it

But the betrayal is also from Jesus; Jesus, who knew who Judas was, who knew what he'll do. Jesus who still let Judas be an apostle... an act of love, but also, isn't it so cruel to make it look like there was a choice, a chance at another ending for Judas? This is a story where it being a story is part of it, and the writer inserted himself among the characters, and doomed one of them to eternal hatred from everyone. And he dared let the one who will be doomed think he'll ever be saved. Jesus knew what would happen, knew what Judas would do, yet he still let it happen, because the story is more important. After all, at the Last Supper, isn't it Jesus who tell Judas to go and do what he must do?

Judas betrayed Jesus, but Jesus sacrificed them both

[dykealloy]

Trafalgar Law and Faith

Pre-emptive warning this is going to be another LONG metapost/analysis. There’s a lot I could talk about here but for the sake of structure I’m going to split this into three sections, i.e. the main ‘faith transitions’ that Law has gone through in the narrative thus far: 1. Flevance (catalyst for loss of religious faith), 2. Corasan (martyr that figuratively and literally saves law by giving him something to live for, introducing the will of D.), and 3. Luffy (cementing faith in this new belief system and regaining trust in the goodness of humanity through the living embodiment of everything Corasan believed in).

Before we get into all that though, let’s establish that Christianity is a thing in one piece. Speedrunning through some visual examples that come to mind; the Flevance church and nun (holding a celtic cross - censored in the anime version), a nun literally praying to God right before Marineford, Vinsmoke Sora’s grave marked with a cross (is op Christianity a northern thing?), Usopp and Chopper having crucifixes and holy water whenever ghostly stuff is brought up, Kuma and his trusty bible, the religious symbols on Kikoku’s hilt (could instead be more a reference to the Red Cross/symbol of humanitarian and medical aid as a doctor) and especially in whatever Mihawk’s got going on (though this could just be a Japanese cultural thing with Christianity being a minority religion or Oda just finding that some of the iconography, y’know. looks cool). There are also many other references to other religions e.g. hinduism, shintoism, buddhism, etc. Whether op forms of religion are the same as the real-world ones is debatable, and yes, Law being canonically raised as a devout catholic schoolboy with all the religious trauma associated with that is comical, but let’s take it all unironically for a hot minute. For fun. 

1. Flevance

Law’s birthplace (Flevance) is described as being, at one point, “a very wealthy country with an unearthly beauty about it, with pure white soil and plants, like some kind of snow kingdom in a fairy tale.” The country’s wealth came from the very bedrock it sits on — white lead, which could be used to make various high quality products like tableware, cosmetics, weapons etc. When the wider world heard about this everyone wanted a piece of Flevance (the World Government also getting involved with distribution), and very quickly white lead became a “bottomless well of money”. So, hooray. Law gets to grow up in a rich city in a big house with educated doctor parents and probably gets to go to private school on weekdays and festivals with his family on weekends. One problem. In their greed, the Government and royalty have been knowingly hiding the truth about this supposed goldmine from the beginning. White lead is a toxic poison. Mining it from the ground over the last century and putting it in so many everyday products has resulted in it accumulating in the citizens’ bodies and leading to amber lead sickness, shortening their life-span with each successive generation – with the children of Law’s generation fated to die out before they reach adulthood.

In the bible (especially in the old testament), God often inflicted these insanely disastrous events upon humanity, usually as some kind of punishment for their wrongdoings or as a test of their faith. Some events of which include (but are not limited to): famine, outbreaks of disease and natural disasters (e.g. hail, wildfire, earthquakes, floods). Historically, these stories played a key role in how humanity interpreted meaning from horrible disasters (e.g. assuming bubonic plague was sent as a punishment by god). Fire imagery is very common among these disasters as a representation for hell, which is clearly reflected in the destruction of Flevance.

Sometimes these disasters had sole survivors act as messengers for God. With that context, let’s put ourselves back in the shoes of a ten-year old Law. Raised religious, freshly traumatised from losing his home, his devout family, all the comforts of his life, and having the outside world completely abandon him, this kind of event is likely going to be processed as some form of divine punishment. Law stumbles through hell, finds all his dead classmates, and the last words of sister nun echo through to him here. Merciful and salvation are huge catholic buzzwords – promises of holy compassion, deliverance and hope – and all of it fire and smoke and riddled with bullet holes before him. A genocide funded, perpetuated and covered up by the same body Law was promised was there to save them. And the only reason Law hadn’t died with them was because he wanted to stay with his little sister Lami, who was on her deathbed, and his parents, who were themselves trying to help the afflicted citizens, Law’s own father (before he was shot and killed alongside his mother) begging for more doctors, fresh blood, anything the world can offer, and asking “Why doesn’t the government announce to everyone that white lead is not infectious?”

Oftentimes (and in the case of Law), when there’s a promise of heavenly intervention or some miracle that doesn’t follow through, it results in an ultimate feeling of betrayal and anger. Unfortunately a lot of Catholic teachings also use a lot of guilt, essentially teaching people that the bad things that happen to you are your fault and there needs to be some sort of penance (queue Law’s survivor’s guilt that carries on down the road). But also, if this was supposed to be some divine punishment, for what exactly? For the town being blinded by the incredible wealth they were sitting on? Being lied to? Continuing to extract their livelihood, ignorant of its dangers? Punishment for who? His parents? His innocent little sister? For ten year-old Law? These people who believed in God, who were good people? That’s fucking stupid. None of these people suffered and died for any reason at all — certainly not for a sacred one. God hadn’t saved a single one of them. Law had to crawl out of hell himself by sneaking over the border under a mound of corpses.

Given everything that happened here, Law has every reason to fall into nihilism, and you can see how his upbringing would’ve bred a lot of the feelings of guilt, anger and resentment that you still see in Law (which would suggest that though this is where he likely cuts ties with the religious/Catholic component of his faith, growing up with these teachings in his formative years would definitely influence underlying beliefs about how the world works, and how Law behaves and subconsciously processes information), but at the same time, there’s usually some form of redemption and changes to how these patterns of behaviour can be approached later down the line.

2. Corasan

Fresh off witnessing his whole world burning down around him, Law meets Corazon at the very bottom of this pit of self-destructive rage and unprocessed grief. Rosinante himself mentions to Sengoku that the hatred in Law at this time reminded him of his brother, but beyond the anger, harsh pessimism, vengefulness, I think you have to reach to find similarities between them. You can see some fragments of Doffy in Law down the line at times, with Law seeming to enjoy violence (especially against the navy, but given what they did to Flevance, it’s some well-deserved retribution for Law imo), but I’m not so sure it’s the cruelty so much as it is the high he gets off his own flavour of justice. Doctor’s Hippocratic oath maybe, but never once does Law like seeing others die (even at this point, he’s in tears next to a dead body, even though he’s the one holding the knife), and later on in Wano he makes it explicitly clear to Zoro that he’d rather see the mission fail than have any of them end up dead.  

Little Law wanted to destroy the world and everything in it, but thinking rationally, what other choice did this kid have? He had no remaining family, was doomed to die before he hit puberty due to a terminal illness, was perceived as an infectious subhuman that most doctors would’ve sooner tried to exterminate than help. To Law, the world had turned its back on him – considering him a monster for simply surviving. He has all this hatred and pain boiling away with him with no tangible target to direct it towards. And this is the first clear cut rejection of faith that we see in Law. Any concept of a merciful God had just died. What God would allow this? Why is Law alive (a question that he repeats to himself throughout his life), why are these scumbags alive, why is the world going on spinning as if nothing has happened when his whole world had gone up in flames, why does anyone at all get to be here when everything I loved is gone? And it’s far easier to fall into a despondent nihilistic stupor than it is to work through any of that, and what’s the point in trying to process and move on from it, when there’s no hope for a future for Law anyway? When the only thing waiting ahead is more pain? What was this, if not a punishment? He’s supposed to be some messenger for God? How about fuck God, or whatever entity that exists that made him suffer this. Law’s not going to be a messenger for shit, thanks, he’d rather be their monster, he’d rather watch the world burn.

Corazon survives Law’s stabbing and doesn’t rat the little shit out (to Law’s confusion). It’s business as usual for another two years, then, one day Rosinante overhears his true name - Trafalgar “D” Water Law, and everything changes. On the back of his own beliefs, Rosinante dedicates himself to making sure Law a) lives and b) doesn’t become his brother. Law’s relatively short six month stint with Corasan forms the basis of Law’s new creed going forward, and all it took was a bit of kindness, love and humanity when the rest of the world had abandoned him. In the end Rosinante doesn’t save Law for the will of D. and the storm he’s predicted to bring in the future (as Law suspects), but he certainly believes in it, and the strength of Corasan’s conviction transfers right over to Law when he forces the ope ope fruit down the kid’s throat to heal him, tells Law he loves him, then sacrifices himself to set Law free.

Law clings to that love he was given, he takes all these fundamental teachings and ways of thinking in regards to faith that were drilled into him during his youth, rejects the religion element and applies just about everything else to Corasan. He holds onto the last shreds of what Corasan leaves him with. Corasan becomes his “benefactor” (he gave my my heart), his saviour, his martyr. 

And the crazy thing is, Rosinante was never really this saint Law makes him out to be. Law hated the clutz when they first met (mostly on account of Corazon throwing him through a glass window down at least two stories and into a pile of scrap). Corazon initially showed nothing but contempt for his presence (to ward him and the other children away from the Donquixote family, but these are still extreme measures). And it wasn’t until after learning Law’s name that Rosinante dragged him kicking, crying and screaming from hospital to burning hospital (not very saintlike in of itself), even after Law begged him to stop. Rosinante became Law’s saviour partly because of his belief in the will of D., and probably due to some guilt being a Donquixote, but mostly because he has always had a bleeding heart and he pitied (and had very quickly come to love) this angry, sick, deeply lost little kid. All this to say that Law’s faith in Corasan – this saintlike figure Law upholds him as in the future and the lengths he’s willing to go to avenge him/fulfil Rosinante’s purpose reflects the strength of the absolute beliefs Law would’ve been raised with in regards to God.  

Whether it be out of survivor’s guilt (just one more body to heap on top of the Flevance pile), his love for Corasan, or for the sake of taking vengeance on the man that took away the one good thing he’d been able to regain in his miserable life, Law adopts Corasan’s will, the will of D. (which in of itself seems divine in nature), incorporates it into his new belief system, actively takes on the role of the divine punisher/justiciar and dedicates his life to bringing down Doflamingo.

3. Luffy

Catholicism dictates that the entirety of someone’s beliefs should be dedicated to one true cause (that cause being God) and expects people to ride on that, letting it carry them through life, give them hope, purpose, etc. But a lot of former Catholics choose instead to find that through something else. Corasan ignited the spark in Law’s faith around the will of D., but it’s not until he meets Luffy that this really becomes something that feels tangible and real for Law.

When Law saved Luffy in Marineford (putting the heart crew in danger for a stranger he met once), he said he did so “on a whim”, but that seems incredibly ooc for Law — this man that pretty much planned out how the rest of his life would go after the dust of Corasan’s death settled and he came to terms with the fact he wasn’t going to die at age thirteen like he’d originally thought. Circling back to the concept of Law being a sole survivor/messenger for God, it is interesting that Law is the one to seek out Luffy (given that Luffy is usually always the one either being abandoned by people or recruiting his crewmates), and Law is ultimately the catalyst for pulling him towards Dressrosa and Wano. There must be a REASON that led to Law deciding Luffy to be the most viable option out of the Worst Generation for an alliance (beyond blind trust in an unhinged captain that just so happens to also bear the initial D, and Luffy being one of the few captains crazy enough to go along with what Law was cooking up). 

Law undoubtedly would’ve kept a peripheral eye on Luffy for some time before officially meeting him due to him being a rising competitor pirate and another “D” (I imagine the news of his utterly insane exploits would’ve made good reading material, too). The first time Law lays eyes on Luffy in Sabaody though, he still blows all expectations out of the water — crashing headfirst into the crowd of a slave auction and immediately committing a felony against a member of the most powerful upper one percent.

The world nobles are at an “untouchable God” tier in terms of class standing and believe it’s only natural for them to be entitled to whatever and whoever they want in this world that’s beneath them – the same kind of self-aggrandizing false divinity that Law has a a lot of repressed rage towards and that the will of D. is fated to oppose, so this, understandably, is a highly compelling first encounter, but it’s really only an initiating factor for what ultimately draws Law to Luffy. From their very first meeting (and probably before then, in the news stories and rumours Law likely picked up on), it’s made abundantly clear that Luffy does what he wants without a second’s hesitation, no matter the consequences, simply because he feels it is the right thing to do. Some call this an iron will, Law would be more inclined to call it willful stupidity and trouble, but time after time Luffy somehow manages to pull off what Law would best describe as “miracles”. And Law believes the straw hats just might be the ones to drum up another one for him.

Luffy’s also got a lot of passing resemblances to Corasan going for him, e.g. inherently kind, compassionate liberators with big dumb hearts and wide goofy smiles in spite of everything they’ve been through, treating Law as nakama and saving his life despite his protests etc. All of which I’m sure Law hasn’t been completely unaffected by despite the high walls he puts up. And the more Law learned about Luffy the more it probably became clear that he is the antithesis to Doflamingo, i.e. what makes Luffy so goddamn dangerous and terrifying beyond his physical power is his ability to make friends with a simple kind of unconditional love that gets reciprocated enough so that these friends are willing to die for him.

Luffy agrees to the alliance, they successfully blow up Caesar’s base, and head off to Dressrosa. Now’s the time I should bring up that it’s taught in Catholicism that self sacrifice is the ultimate heavenly deed, and here Law is undoubtedly prepared to be a martyr for his cause. Law sends away his crew to Zou before Punk Hazard with the expectations that he’d never see them. He cultivates a fierce emotional detachment against Luffy’s willingness to bring him into the fold of the straw hats, and is resolute in that when the time comes, he will handle this himself, he will carry out Corasan’s will, and if he has to die for it, he will die with Corazon’s name plastered on his back. (Note here that Christianity is contradictory in that Law being this ready to die here is a sin, because revenge and suicide are highly discouraged, so you could say that by avenging and dying for his saviour, Law would be committing both the ultimate sacrifice and the ultimate sin).  

Things get very dicey for Law in Dressrosa, to put it lightly. Doflamingo reveals that he was a celestial dragon (linking back into the will of D. “enemy of the Gods” notion), puts Law on the backfoot and gives him a thorough beating before shooting Law with a couple dozen white lead bullets in front of Luffy (because even when he’s winning Doffy loves to be a cunt about it). By the time Doflamingo is cuffing Law to the heart seat, it’s all looking pretty grim, and it’s very apparent when Luffy shows up to save him, that he is ready to die. 

Law here has given up. He spent years planning his revenge for Corasan, but he lost, and he has very little left in the tank (physically, emotionally, spiritually). But Luffy doesn’t listen. Luffy who doesn’t think, doesn’t care, who trampled all over Law’s carefully laid out plan from the get-go and who is willing to take on Doflamingo single handedly for the simple slight that he dared to harm Luffy’s friend Law. Law will never find peace in his own demise because Luffy doesn’t do peaceful. He does loud and unashamed and open with no rhyme or reason other than the excruciatingly simply fact that he loves people and he thinks the people he loves deserve to have good lives. Luffy chucks Law over his shoulder and drags an injured Law across the city despite his protests (sound familiar?) and in the process inspires the fighting spirit in Law again.

When Law confronts Doflamingo again with Luffy in tow, Law’s faith in Luffy confounds him. The last Doflamingo remembers of Law is this beautifully moldable dark pit of grief and rage who’d given up on believing, period – who wanted the world destroyed. Not so long ago, Law had been a candidate for Doflamingo’s next protégé. Now?

THIS is the action (grinning, staring down the barrel of a gun, flipping Doffy off as he tells him in not so many words that he may kill Law but he will never beat Luffy), Law’s unshakeable faith in the face of his own death is what has Doflamingo realising he will never regain control of Law again – is what incites Doflamingo to go from breaking Law down so he can build him back up again, to conceding defeat and outright killing him. 

The trust that Luffy inspires in Law and the way he talks about Luffy (Luffy being this powerful, miracle-inducing liberator that Law can’t comprehend but follows anyway, Law laying down his hopes on him, weaponizing the will of D. to try and provoke fear from Doffy), is very reminiscent of the awe and faith talked about in scripture. Law discovers the feelings of comfort and hope that Catholicism was supposed to give him in Luffy, but Law’s belief in Luffy is a direct rejection of those teachings. Rejection by believing in a real life person as opposed to the divinity he was taught about. He’s also cementing his belief in the will of D., thus rejecting Doflamingo and all the people that embody the sort of “all powerful” divinity that he abhors (i.e. celestial dragons, Kaido, the Gorōsei/five elders) for the embodiment of hope and humanity. 

When Law survives (again), he expresses he’d rather see Luffy beat Doflamingo with his own eyes or die with Luffy if he loses than leave. Then he watches, after all this talk of miracles, looking up in reverence as Luffy delivers, bright as the sun, haloed by the bars of a cage that’s haunted him for over a decade, Corasan’s words echoing at the back of his mind. God had never saved or freed Law, but Corasan was there for him, the heart crew was there, Luffy was there. And this is Law’s biggest, clearest rejection of religion – this newfound faith in humanity. 

This faith in Luffy is put to the test again in Wano when Luffy is struck down by Kaido, but Law never truly stops believing that he’ll make a comeback. Even when the straw hats doubt whether he’s alive or not, something tells him Luffy’s not dead, and he holds onto that hope. 

We also have the whole nika/joyboy backstory which really only reinforces all of this imagery/god-fearing looks of awe from Law and this idea of Luffy who is this perfect juxtaposition of empathetic and kind to incredibly fearsome fire and brimstone fighter. And regardless of whether you’re into the ship or not this is the impetus of Law’s relationship with Luffy for me, because here’s Luffy who has every right to have a chip on his shoulder and be downtrodden about all the injustices against him, here’s this little guy who against all odds, in the darkest of places, embodies light and hope and kindness and proves to Law that there will be hard times but there IS a happy ending at the end of the tunnel, despite it all. And everytime Luffy rises to the insurmountable challenge and wins, it just further cements that the will of D. is alive, that Corasan was right, that there's something redeemable in Law, a reason why he was worth saving, even if Law doesn’t understand it quite yet.