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nyerus · 1 year ago

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The Narrative Importantance of Hualian's Sexual Intimacy

This is a repost and minor edit of a thread I made on Twitter yesterday. This is a topic I have always wanted to talk about because of how often it comes up in TGCF fandom, time and time again.

‼️CW: mentions of sexual assault, self-harm, bodily injury‼️

⚠️Major spoilers for the entire novel ahead⚠️

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Saw a question the other day on what relevance Hualian being sexually intimate by the end of the novel had to either the narrative or Xie Lian's character arc.

In short: it bears significant relevance, especially in context of other themes the novel explores like bodily autonomy.

Throughout the novel, we see time and time again that Xie Lian is often dehumanized by pretty much everyone—including himself—with the sole exception of Hua Cheng. I've talked more in depth about it in an old twt thread, for those interested. @/stalliondany on twt has also made an excellent recent analysis that goes deeper into the specific ways Xie Lian was used as a physical shield, martyr, or scapegoat for others without thought to his humanity or suffering. I highly recommend reading it first!

But to sum it all up: it's important to Xie Lian's character arc to keep in mind that he is used to seeing his own body as a tool to solve problems. And in crucial narrative moments, he is robbed of his bodily autonomy, and either brutalized or violated in service of others.

One of the plot points that ties together all these concepts is actually... Xie Lian's chastity vows. That will be the main focus of this post.

When he was a young teen (or possibly as a child), Xie Lian took an oath of chastity because such was the norm for cultivators seeking ascension in Xian Le. To Xie Lian, even as he grew older, he never had an issue with this because he just never felt sexual attraction to another person, or any desire to be intimate in that way. Even if he yearned for the concept of being loved. And indeed, at first glance, his chastity vows may seem like nothing more than a side note. Or even a funny gag when it comes to Hua Cheng (later).

In reality Xie Lian's chastity vows are not only used against him, but paint a very disturbing picture with regards to his repeated violation.

The Land of the Tender scene is the most obvious example of this. Xie Lian's vows are directly tied to his spiritual powers, and because it affects how his followers see him. They place a high value on his chastity as being vital to his moral character.

For reference, an excerpt from TGCF vol. 3 of the English print translation, page 135:

Xie Lian's method of cultivation required a pure body. Those who worshipped the ascended cultivators who practiced this path were firmly convinced of the transcendence of gods untouched by earthly desires. If they couldn't protect their purity, their following would no doubt collapse and their powers would be devastated. It wouldn't be as serious as plunging from godhood to back to mortality, and there was still the possibility of recovery after many more years of cultivation—but with things as they were now, there was no time for him to sit behind closed doors and cultivate for years!

As a reminder: it is Bai Wuxiang who orchestrated this whole thing. Him trying to compromise Xie Lian in this way is horrific on many levels, yet that's not the main point I want to make here. It's that to preserve his "pure body," the solution Xie Lian realizes is to severely harm himself. To impale himself with his sword through the abdomen.

The juxtaposition of having to maintain bodily purity versus the gruesome violence inflicted on his body is extremely stark.

This grim contrast is no more evident than in the 100 swords scene. Where Xie Lian's body is literally brutalized and defiled to an unthinkable degree. To the point where he, quote: "no longer looked human." Yet he emerges from that temple physically "pure" all the same. His chastity vows were not broken, his body healed without scars. As though he was untouched.... And yet, he was completely destroyed mentally. It left permanent effects on him as a person. It's even worse when the scene is read analogous to sexual assault, as many have talked about before. I think that interpretation actually hits the nail on the head, especially keeping in mind the Land of the Tender scene and all the similarities between them.

Following the 100 swords scene, Xie Lian of course has a complete disconnect between himself and his body. I believe this is part of why he doesn't really feel pain, except when he is with Hua Cheng, who treats him and his body as one. As a person who is cherished, and loved. Hua Cheng is adamant in his adoring treatment of Xie Lian. Small injuries are also something he cannot tolerate because he knows what horrors befell Xie Lian in the past. (He was present at both the terrible moments mentioned above.) He will not let any of that continue, regardless of what Xie Lian says, because he sees it as injustice.

Xie Lian is willing to use himself as a tool to help others no matter the personal cost. He even thinks of it as something he must do, or that he deserves as penance. But Hua Cheng is the one person who asks "what about you?" He's the one that insists "your happiness matters." And it is Hua Cheng that takes issue with Xie Lian's chastity vows as being unfair, unlike everyone else. Regardless of Hua Cheng's reasons for this diegetically, symbolically it means a lot that he is the one opposed to this.

Just thinking about the chastity vows on their own for a moment: Xie Lian can indulge a little bit in stuff like alcohol, which isn't great to begin with for him. But he absolutely cannot engage in "pleasures of the flesh." He can totally have his flesh ripped from his bones, literally, but actually experiencing any kind of sexual gratification? Now that would make him unclean, and lesser.... Why? Because unlike everything else, that's something Xie Lian would do simply for himself to feel good. And what greater crime is there than to ever dare put himself first?

So Hua Cheng—being the one person who puts Xie Lian first above all else—thinking that such a restriction doesn't make sense is important. Hua Cheng being the person who Xie Lian breaks those vows for in the end is important! (Especially because it seems to have been an easy choice for him.)

And of course, the scene with Jun Wu and the Virginity Detector Sword™ has to be mentioned. Again, there's symbolism to be had! The perpetrator of two of the most physically violating moments of Xie Lian's life (both of which were sexual in nature; one literally and one allegorically) being the one to "check" Xie Lian's virginity... oof. Yikes. It's dramatic irony. It's deeply uncomfortable. Especially because Jun Wu probably wanted to know if Xie Lian slept with Hua Cheng, as he already knew Xie Lian wasn't the ghost fetus' father.

So it's once again a stark juxtaposition: of Ghost King Hua Cheng disagreeing with the purity vows, wanting Xie Lian to break them for himself and his own freedom. Versus Heavenly Emperor Jun Wu wanting to weaponize those vows against Xie Lian in whatever way he can, intact or not, to keep control over him.

Naturally, there's something to be said for the real-world problem with such purity vows being used against people, to judge their moral character, societal expectations, etc. Elephant in the room. It's very on the nose, so there isn't even much to say about it that hasn't been said already.

In the end, it comes down to how horrible it is that when Xie Lian tries to help others, it results in immense harm to his body every time. Yet he is expected to continue to bear it, for centuries, by others and also himself. Until he meets Hua Cheng, who helps him rediscover what it means to be happy, and to be loved. So yes, it's absolutely relevant that in the end, Xie Lian decides to break his purity vows to be intimate with Hua Cheng. That he's able to put himself in Hua Cheng's hands, and let himself be treated with affection and desire. It's Xie Lian finally forgiving himself, and beginning to heal.

#tgcf #tian guan ci fu #hob #heaven official's blessing #hualian #meta #nyerus.txt #crosspost

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gay-mormon-wizard · 7 months ago

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he just casually dropped the next quote that every relief society president will be printing on bookmarks and making the young women paint at girls camp for the next 15 years

Ministering is when we go from being neighbors who bring cookies to trusted friends and spiritual first responders

#ldsconf #mormon #lds #queerstake #genconf #general conference #lds general conference #tumblrstake

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nadiv22 · 1 year ago

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My favorite quotes from civ VI

TECHNOLOGY

“No man ever wetted clay and then left it, as if there would be bricks by chance and fortune.” – Plutarch

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” – Will Rogers

“I AM FOND OF PIGS. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” – Winston S. Churchill

“Who deserves more credit than the wife of a coal miner?” – Merle Travis

“When you find yourself in a hole, quit digging.” – Will Rogers

“I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical.” – Arthur C. Clarke

“Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” -W. H. Auden

“I shot an arrow into the air. It fell to earth, I knew not where.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.” -Mark Twain

“I’m also interested in creating a lasting legacy … because bronze will last for thousands of years.” – Richard MacDonald

“MONEA, if it does not bring you happiness, will at least help you be miserable in comfort.” – Helen Gurley Brown

“A man on a horse is spiritually as well as physically bigger than a man on foot.” – John Steinbeck

“The Lord made us all out of iron. Then he turns up the heat to forge some of us into steel.” – Marie Osmond

“I cannot imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder … Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that.” – Capt. E.J. Smith, RMS Titanic

“Create with the heart; build with the mind.” – Criss Jami

“One man’s ‘magic’ is another man’s engineering.” – Robert Heinlein

“There is no easy way to train an apprentice. My two tools are example and nagging.” – Lemony Snicket

The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” – Malcolm Forbes

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle

“Rocks in my path? I keep them all. With them I shall build my castle.” – Nemo Nox

“Not all who wander are lost.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

“People can have the Model T in any color – so long as it’s black.” – Henry Ford

“The pen might not be mightier than the sword, but maybe the printing press is heavier than the siege weapon. Just a few words can change everything.” – Terry Pratchett

“Astronomy’s much more fun when you’re not an astronomer.” – Brian May

“If facts don’t fit the theory, change the facts.” – Albert Einstein

“No one starts a war – or rather, no one in his senses ought to do so – without first being clear in his mind what he intends to achieve by that war and how he intends to conduct it.” – Karl von Clausewitz

“Science owes more to the steam engine than the steam engine owes to science.” – Lawrence Henderson

“Bolt actions speak louder than words.” – Craig Roberts

“Never criticize a rifleman until you have walked a mile in his shoes. That way, he’ll be barefoot and you’ll be out of range.” – The 2nd Target Company

“For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” – Leonardo da Vinci

“If you can walk away from a landing, it’s a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it’s an outstanding landing.” – Chuck Yeager

“Benjamin Franklin may have discovered electricity, but it was the man who invented the meter who made the money.” – Earl Wilson

“Chemists do not usually stutter. It would be very awkward if they did, seeing that they have at times to get out such words as methylethylamylophenylium.” – Sir William Crookes

“If God had really intended men to fly, He’d make it easier to get to the airport.” – George Winters

“Untutored courage is useless in the face of educated bullets.” – George Patton

“There may be no forgiveness for polyester. On this one matter, Satan and the Lord are in agreement.” – Joe Hill

“I’m a big laser believer – I really think they are the wave of the future.” – Courteney Cox

"Even though the future seems far away, it is actually beginning right now.” – Mattie Stepanek

CIVICS

“Bravery is being the only one who knows you’re afraid.” — Colonel David Hackworth

“A strong economy begins with a strong, well-educated workforce.”– Bill Owens “Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.” – Marcus Aurelius

“It was luxuries like air conditioning that brought down the Roman Empire. With air conditioning their windows were shut; they couldn’t hear the barbarians coming.” – Garrison Keillor

Divide and rule, a sound motto. Unite and lead, a better one.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare

“Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack.” – Sun Tzu

“History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.” – Napoleon Bonaparte

“A good navy is not a provocation to war. It is the surest guaranty of peace.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“In democracy it’s your vote that counts; in feudalism it’s your count that votes.” – Mogens Jallberg

“There are very honest people who do not think that they have had a bargain unless they have cheated a merchant.” – Anatole France

“You can’t go around arresting the Thieves’ Guild. I mean, we’d be at it all day!” – Terry Pratchett

“Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government … You can’t expect to wield supreme power just ‘cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!” – Monty Python

“In diplomacy there are two kinds of problems: small ones and large ones. The small ones will go away by themselves, and the large ones you will not be able to do anything about.” – Patrick McGuinness

“A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman’s birthday but never remembers her age.” – Robert Frost

“New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common.” – John Locke

“A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.” – Douglas Adams

“Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal.” – Edward Wilson

“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re mis-informed.” -Mark Twain

“Sports do not build character. They reveal it.” – Heywood Broun

“A good plan violently executed right now is far better than a perfect plan executed next week.” – George S. Patton

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” – John F. Kennedy

“Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” -Jane Austen

“I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.” –Albert Einstein

#civilization #civ #civilization 6 #civilization VI #civ vi #civ 6 #qoutes #list #text #english #text post #there are many people that are qouted here #that tumblr likes

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thefinalcinderella · 1 year ago

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Tsurune Book 3 Chapter 3 - The Song of Naru (Part 2)

Let me share my personal theory: In this universe, the sport of kyudo possesses the supernatural ability to alter one's brain chemistry. Those who have a deeper affinity with the bow are more transformed by this ability. Kyudo, it seems, can make one become more spiritually attuned and connect seemingly completely unrelated concepts, but also warp one's thought processes to the point of non-kyudo practitioners finding them incomprehensible.

Anyways I still had no idea what's going on. And yes, that last line in the chapter is real

Glossary here

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

The word used here is 文字絵 (mojie) which means a picture formed by letters

In Japanese, superstring theory (超弦理論) contains the character for "bowstring"

A yotsugake is a kyudo glove that covers four fingers

Dousha is "a form of Japanese archery with the purpose of shooting arrows from one end to the other of the outer area on the west side of Sanjyusangen-do temple"

Toshiya is another name for dousha

A kosode is a short-sleeved kimono. It contains the character for sleeve

Apparently this is a quote from Kuroko no Basuke?

Previous | Next

The sun was flashing, spreading rainbow-colored wings of light.

It was the middle of May. The prefectural high school kyudo tournament preliminaries were being held.

The competition event was “close range.” The first day’s “individual competition” consisted of shooting four arrows in two stages in zasha, and the top ten with the highest number of hits would be selected for the next round.

The “team competition” on the second day consisted of one coach and five to seven archers, and one male and one female team per school could participate. The competition format was teams of five, four shots in zasha, and a time limit of eight minutes. Forty-one schools participated in the boys’ competition, and the eight teams with the highest scores in the first and second rounds would advance to the prefectural tournament. Looking at the past results, winning was between thirty and thirty-five hits, and the lowest halfway point was twenty.

Kazemai High School had a total of six girls: the three second-years Hanazawa, Shiragiku, and Seo, and three first-years. The boys had a total of seven, with the five second-years Kaito, Ryouhei, Seiya, Nanao, and Minato, and the two first-years Himuro and Kanbayashi. A total of thirteen people entered the individual and team competitions.

Kazemai was the winning school last year, so they attracted a lot of attention. Their school’s name was printed on the back of their green jerseys along with the illustration of an arrow.

When a student from another school said, “Oh, it’s Kazamai,” Nanao folded his hands behind his head.

“This is read as Kazemai. I get it, I sometimes say it wrong too.”

Kaito was appalled. “Don’t get the name of your own school wrong.”

“Japanese kanji is hard because there are so many different readings. Nippon, Nihon, Hinomoto, and Yamato are all examples of the ever-changing name of our country, after all.”

“Oh, it’s Asahina and Eddie from YumiDou,” they heard someone say.

They looked and saw the Haneina High School members passing by, with the flashy duo leading them. “Haneine?” someone muttered when they saw the characters printed on the back of their orange jerseys.

“Those guys are called ‘Haneina High School’… Oi, Asahina and Eddie! Merha!”

When Nanao waved at them, Asahina and Eddie also waved back. In addition, there were other unique members following them, such as a man with narrow eyes, a boy with a notebook and pen, and a boy with fresh flowers in his bag.

Asahina saluted them. “Hey, Nanapri and everyone from Kazemai. It’s been a while. How are you guys?”

Eddie continued, “Prince Nanao, it has been long seen we’ve last contacted each other. The frog art (1) I received from you the other way has seen a lot of uses, that it has.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I saw your last stream. You hit the center of the target in the dark!”

“Thank you. My body learned how to do it using something interesting. If it’s my dojo, I rarely miss a shot.”

“That’s amazing. I’d like to learn that technique too,” Seiya said.

“During kai, the second joint of your bow hand’s index finger should be in line with the position of the tree branch outside the kyudojo.”

“That isn’t something you learned with your body, it’s something you saw with your eyes…”

“Haha, well, it’s alright, isn’t it? I’ll be able to do it with my mind’s eye sooner or later.”

Suddenly, Asahina stared at Minato.

“Hmm? Is there something on my face?”

“I don’t know why, but I feel like rubbing your forehead, Narumiya.”

Seiya quickly hid Minato’s forehead. “You need our advisor’s permission.”

“Seriously? Just how strict are things at Kazemai? If only we can use a jutsu to clone him and borrow one of them. Oh, speak of the devil, Doppelgangers No. 1 and 2 have arrived.”

Asahina’s gaze was directed at a group of people dressed in purple jerseys.

It was the Kirisaki High School kyudo club. The twin brothers Senichi and Manji stopped walking at almost exactly the same moment. Their bangs were arranged symmetrically to each other. Senichi, whose bangs were parted to the left, spoke.

“Doppelgangers are already old news. We’re the Twin Fighters now.”

Hearing this, Kaito’s jaw dropped.

“I can’t believe there are guys with terrible naming senses in a different way from Seiya… Are you sure you guys aren’t going against the times?”

“Huh!?” The twins exclaimed in unison. Kabashima and Yushima tried to calm them down, but Senichi picked up the corners of his mouth and bared his teeth, and Manji pulled his eyelid down and stuck out his tongue. Without paying any attention to what was going on around him, Ryouhei ran up to a certain person.

“Shuu-kun!”

“Hey, Ryouhei. Did you grow taller again?”

“Yep. I’m not losing to you yet!”

“Fufu. I guess I have to give up.”

“It’s a shame that Motomura-senpai and Sase-senpai aren’t here anymore. It’s so sad that everyone has to go their separate ways after graduating from high school, even though we had so much fun together. I wish I could shoot with everyone more.”

Shuu’s pale eyelashes wavered. Senichi and Manji reacted.

“Yamanouchi, stop calling him that.”

“Huh? But Shuu-kun is Shuu-kun, isn’t he?”

Someone was watching the jumble of green, orange, and purple as they chattered.

Kuon was lamenting outside the circle.

It’s him! The man I saw in my dreams.

…No, wait. Who is Fujiwara-senpai looking at?

Following his line of sight, Kuon found Minato there. Shuu had a gentle smile on his face.

I can’t believe this. Those who stand at the top should not smile so frivolously. I don’t care about the dog anymore. This guy must be harmful to Fujiwara-senpai.

The antique doll smiled coldly.

After the opening ceremony, the individual competition started. The order was random in individual competitions.

The girls went first. Hanazawa, Shiragiku, Seo, and six other girls put on their yugake and headed for the waiting room with their bows, arrows, and tsurumaki with spare strings. Tommy-sensei went with them.

Cheering squads from each school took their places in the stands. It was filled with people holding paper cranes with prayers written on them and others recording in notebooks.

The Kazemai girls started appearing from the third group. Hanazawa’s matooto was cheered by the audience, and Shiragiku and Seo, who were in separate groups, followed. They performed a light and lovely dance, and as a result, Hanazawa had two hits, Shiragiku had three hits, and Seo landed all four of her arrows.

Next was the boys’ division.

Haneina’s Asahina, Eddie, Matsuda, Kanuma, and Igarashi. The five unique and showy individuals captured people’s attentions even when they were alone. Two in particular, Asahina and Eddie, had hair colors that couldn’t be misperceived even from a distance, and their shooting was even more beautiful than in their videos. Their arrows were like flashes as lightning, and they hit with all four arrows.

Kanbayashi, a Kazemai first-year, watched them from the waiting room and thought, I can’t shoot disgracefully. I have to do my best not to bring shame to Kazemai.

The first individual match. Kanbayashi was at the second target in the second group. The archer before him drew his bow. He released his arrow and hit the target at three o’clock. It was a good start.

Meanwhile, tension had stiffened Kanbayashi’s shoulders.

Huh? Why can’t I focus?

As he panicked in his mind, he raised his bow and moved to daisan. He slowly pushed his bow open—

Right when Kanbayashi realized it, the arrow was no longer in his hand and was sticking out of the arrow path. The arrow had jumped out of his hand while he was still drawing his bow. He had no idea what happened.

Crap, crap, crap.

No way, is this target panic…?

No, no, no, I’ve been nervous plenty of times, but I’ve never let go this early. No, there’s no time to think about this. I have to nock the next arrow—. His hands were shaking, and his bow grip was becoming slick with sweat.

It’s fine, it’s fine, it’ll be okay next time.

The more he chanted that in his mind, the rougher his breathing became.

For his second shot, Kanbayashi’s arrow was once again released before reaching kai. The venue became noisy as people started murmuring to each other, and the sound of someone saying “Ah” remained in his ears. The archer behind him released a sharp-flying arrow. Shouts of “Yes!” reverberated.

Kanbayashi’s third shot came around. He could feel his hands shaking. He didn’t know how to interpret this first-time sensation. What did Narumiya-senpai say? To overcome target panic, focus on breathing and exhale slowly. Exhale, exha…, oh no, I can’t do it—.

Again, before he even drew his bow back, the arrow was released in an instant. The sound of the aluminum arrow sweeping across the ground resounded, and it pierced the target after bouncing.

Is this what it means to not hear a tsurune?

It was almost terrifying for an archer.

After shooting all four arrows, Kanbayashi didn’t make any matooto, while Kaito, Seiya, and Minato landed all their arrows, and the others ended the first round with three hits.

Once he left the kyudojo, Kanbayashi buried his face in his hands. His heart was still pounding. “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Nanao called out, but Kanbayashi’s face was so stiff that all he could manage was a forced smile.

This is so embarrassing. I became a complete mess in front of my senpais and my family who came to support me.

I’ve been practicing and practicing, but when the actual competition comes, I end up like this. What am I doing—.

Kanbayashi gripped the arrows that he retrieved.

“Please remove me from the lineup for tomorrow’s team competition! I can’t do it! I definitely have target panic! I don’t want to be a burden on everyone!”

This time it wasn’t Kanbayashi, but Minato and the second-years who were blinking rapidly.

It was Kaito who responded. “Oi, oi. We’re still only halfway through the individual competition. Why don’t you just hit the remaining four?”

Nanao and Ryouhei also chimed in.

“That’s right. It’s a little too early to give up. Let’s focus on the individual competition in front of us first.”

“Yeah, what he said. There was also a time when I panicked because my string snapped, but I managed.”

However, Kanbayashi didn’t change his opinion.

“It’s impossible! I’ve always had the potential to get target panic! My mental weakness is the only thing I’m confident about! You have to have had it to understand how awful it is!”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Minato. Nothing but the words of someone who experienced target panic could reach Kanbayashi’s heart now.

Minato stepped forward.

“Although it’s called target panic, it’s still a relatively early and sudden system. It’s not severe yet. We can get back on track.”

“You saw me, didn’t you!? My terrible shooting! I was so careful about target panic, but why, why…”

“Let’s do the dantian breathing exercises together. You’re too worked up right now, but you’ll calm down in a few minutes.”

“I can’t do such wishful thinking!”

Minato took Kanbayashi’s hand.

“Kanbayashi, listen to me. My mom once told me about something she read in a book. In ancient times, the Japanese named very fast vehicles ‘tsubame.” The second-fastest were ‘kodama,’ and the ones after that were ‘hikari.’ What do you think is a vehicle that’s faster than light?”

“…Was there anything faster than light?”

“The Shinkansen ‘Nozomi.’ It’s the Japanese word for ‘hope.’ The slogans were, ‘Nozomi of Ambitious Japan! is always there for you’ and ‘Nozomi is the fastest way to meet the person you want to see.’”

Tommy-sensei, who had been watching their exchange, smiled broadly.

“I’ve ridden on the ‘Hinotori’ before. E=mc2. It reminds one of Einstein, the monument of theoretical physics. When things move, they get heavier.”

“Tommy-sensei, you’re knowledgeable about physics too?” Kanbayashi said.

“No, not at all. I’m just a geography teacher. I only know the two theories: relativity, which deals with gravity, and quantum mechanics, which explains the behavior of matter in the microscopic world.”

“The only one of the seventeen subatomic particles that hadn’t been confirmed, the Higgs boson particle, was discovered in this century. It was called the God particle, and is responsible for giving mass to everything. And I guess there’s also the ‘superstring theory,’” Seiya supplemented. (2)

“Super-string?”

“The superstring theory. It’s a theory that claims that the origin of all things is ultra-small ‘strings’. The theory is that particles are actually the vibrations of these strings. It’s still at the stage of hypothesis.”

“The universe is made up of the sound of strings. I guess it would be too poetic to say that tsurune is the true nature of matter. Sound is the vibrating waves of air. Since it’s said that everything from people and plants to minerals are made up of waves, to say that ‘Nozomi’ is faster than light might not necessarily be wrong,” Masa-san said.

“Wow, tsurune is incredible.”

Tommy-sensei smiled with satisfaction at Kanbayashi, who was blinking rapidly.

“When I hear the word ‘ambitious,’ I think of Dr. Clark’s words. ‘Boys, be ambitious. Like this old man.’ I can almost hear the doctor laughing as he says, ‘I’m an eternal young man.’ Now, there’s still a long, long way to go. Let’s go to the next stage together.”

“I don’t really understand, but I’m going to let the team competition wait and focus on what’s in front of me right now.”

Kanbayashi changed his mindset and practiced dantian breathing as Minato put his hand on his lower abdomen.

As for the results of the individual competition, Kazemai’s Minato, Seiya, and Kaito, Kirisaki’s Shuu, Kabashima, and Kuon, Haneina’s Asahina and Eddie, and Seo from the girls’ division would be advancing to prefecturals.

The second day was the team competition.

The first round. The Haneina team, who were famous as Yotubers, drew a lot of attention for their shooting.

The oomae was Eddie Fox.

His long, blond hair was tied high up on his head, and a headband was tied around his forehead. He looked like an actor in a period drama. Once he gripped his bow, his jokester persona disappeared as his eyes sharpened, his breathing became shallower, and his face became dreadfully serious. A burst of sound resounded from the target area as he took advantage of a momentary gap and got in close to his opponent.

The second target was Matsuda Kotetsu.

He had poor vision, and the world he saw was composed of multicolored balls of light. His hearing was above average, and he had an excellent sense of perception. Whenever he stood before the target, he always stood behind someone else because it was easier to perceive the distance when someone was standing in front of him. Kyudo was a sport that could be played by people of all ages, and physical differences were no handicap. With the use of remote video conferencing, it was even possible to have a match with people on the other side of the world at the same time.

The third target was the naka, Kanuma Nobuhiko.

He was a haiku poet who loved writing haikus. He was staring absentmindedly into space during the middle of a competition.

A staff member approached him and asked him in a whisper, “Hey, what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”

“The eye of the snake/the white water surface holds/the golden-scaled fish. I tried to write a poem about carps living in a pond, but I guess it’s too mediocre. On a summer’s day/the koi frolic and a cat/sleeps beneath a tree. How’s that?” (3)

“This isn’t a haiku contest, it’s a kyudo tournament! Concentrate on your shooting!”

“Okaaay.”

Kanuma nocked his arrow. The spectators who had witnessed the scene were taken aback by his lack of nervousness and extraordinary strength of his heart.

The fourth target was the ochimae, Igarashi Shion.

He was the Gardening Prince who loved flowers. Even when he was sitting in his chair in the waiting room, he kept fresh flowers with him and left them with his tsurumaki. Even his bow was decorated with flowers he drew himself, and there were even people who wanted him to sell it to them. His shooting was as sweet-smelling as a flower and created the illusion of a fairy flying.

The fifth person was the ochi, Asahina You.

His red hair symbolized the rising sun. He parted his bow and followed the correct tsurumichi path. What was beautiful was good, and what was good was true. If you sought beauty and aesthetic, you would naturally follow the right path without being aware of it. Far from concepts such as “seeking the truth” and “ascetic training,” and the irrepressible joy that radiated from him captivated those who watched him. He liked to have fun, and believed in fundamentally ignoring what wasn’t fun or changing it to be fun.

The Haneina High School kyudo club was both noble and greedy. They lived not by the values of others, but their own axes. The five of them were comrades and friends who had met each other on their travels. Of course, there were occasional clashes of opinion, but they knew when to quit, so there were no lingering resentments. Making videos was a great way to learn about life and society, as what one said and did was constantly exposed to the public eye. It wasn’t easy to communicate something to others. True expressive people seemed to be free and unfettered at first glance, but they kept their feet on the ground and devoted themselves to their work.

The five of them carved out the Eight Stages of Shooting.

Ashibumi, douzukuri, yugamae, uchiokoshi, hikiwake, kai, hanare, zanshin.

When five circles, a “yoko kaichuu,” were lined up next to each other on the scoreboard, there was an eruption of applause.

Hanazawa, Shiragiku, and Seo, who were watching from the stands, let out sighs.

“It feels really fun.”

“Their shooting was brilliant.”

“They’re formidable opponents. It seems that the boys’ division won’t be so smooth-sailing.”

The members of the Haneina High School kyudo club achieved the high results of four, four, four, three, and four hits each.

Second round, first kyudojo. The champions, Kirisaki High School, were taking their turn.

The oomae was Kabashima. He was particular about his face and form. In the name of Kirisaki High School, he shot so that no one could complain. When gripping the bow, the tenmonsuji should be firmly sticking to the todake, and the skin between one’s thumb and index finger should be rolled up from below. It was no exaggeration to say that kyudo began with the Eight Stages of Shooting and ended with the Eight Stages of Shooting. Originally, it was the Seven Stages, but with the addition of “zanshin,” it became eight. Why did they make it eight? He felt something profound in it. He earnestly, single-mindedly, carved out the Eight Stages and created a matooto. He was intoxicated by the sweet tone.

Senichi was at the second target, and Manji was at the third. Although their time-difference attack was sealed up, the confidence of the Twin Fighters was evident. We stand on the front line, the firing line. Come on, follow us. They looked completely relaxed, as if victory had been decided before the fight had even begun.

The ochimae was Kuon Takumi. Unusually for a high school student, he used a yotsugake. (3) There were slight differences in gripping the string depending on whether you were wearing mitsugake and yotsugake. Originally used in dousha, (4) and it was said that yotsugake was more suitable for people who drew many arrows like the toshiya (5)in Sanjusangen-do or for people with tough bows, but since Kuon believed that yotsugake were more superiorly ranked than mitsugake, he chose to use it. The arrow that was released almost hit the center. A rapturous air exuded from his whole body.

When the ochi, Shuu, started to lift his bow, the entire venue resonated with silence.

Even the sound of his clothes rustling was daunting. He possessed a divinity, as if he had reached a higher level than what everyone called the “Young Lord.” He himself became a bow and emitted a tsurune that soared through the heavens. Shuu’s sound instantly erased the uncanny colors created by Kuon and purified the place.

A true sound.

A good sound.

A beautiful sound.

By the time the people whose hearts were pierced came back to their senses, Shuu had already left.

The results were announced over the loudspeaker.

“The results will be announced now. First shooting range, Team 17, four, four, three, four, four, nineteen hits total. Second shooting range, Team 18, four, two, two, four, 12 hits total. That is all.”

Kirisaki won, and Kazemai went after them.

The oomae, Kaito, drew his bow tightly. He relaxed his hands and stretched his upper arms.

More force, more force. He stretched and stretched—then released. The arrow was sucked into the target while spinning clockwise.

The second target, Ryouhei, didn’t only grow in height. He had the dignity of an archer, and he shot with majesty. He was someone who had love for everyone. He would continue to have affection for himself and others for the rest of his life. The target accurately reflected the archer, and the round target, without deceit or calculation, was waiting to be pierced.

The naka, Seiya, was also clearly different from who he was a year ago. He took off his obstinate armor and stretched his limbs freely. He hated himself. He hated irrationality, fate, all of it. When he became entwined with hatred and fell into a swamp, there was someone who reached out to him. That person said that they didn’t care what kind of person he was.

The ochimae, Kanbayashi, began to carry out his shot. He concentrated on the lower abdomen that Minato had put his hand on before.

The dantian is “here.”

Now, gather the light here.

He threw away all speech and listened only to the sound of his breathing. When the wind calmed down, his arrow flew at high speed.

The ochi was Minato. He summoned the wind that should have stopped. The wind that rushed around the earth was the land’s breath. Once you were able to feel that, you became a wind user. He manipulated the wind at will and connected it to a new era.

The tsurune took everything away.

For the results of the first round, Kazemai had fifteen hits out of twenty.

After the first and second rounds were completed, Kirisaki had thirty-six hits, Haneina had thirty-five, and Kazemai had thirty-three.

All three schools made it through the preliminaries.

After the tournament, the Kazemai second-years and Masa-san waited for a car to pick them up. Tommy-sensei and the first-years went home first. Waves of people came and went to the other shore.

Minato, Seiya, and Ryouhei sat on the edge of a flower bed. Ryouhei immediately started to eat his sweets. Seiya, finding the verse from “Greensleeves” stuck in his head, couldn’t help but hum it.

He met eyes with Masa-san, who was next to them.

“Is that an English folk song? You know a lot of old songs, Seiya.”

“If you know it, then you must be ancient as well, Masa-san. Minato’s mom used to hum it. Oh, it can’t be helped if you don’t know it.”

A bell was rung. Fighters burned with quiet fighting spirit.

Seeing the two jab at each other, Nanao quickly took out his phone. He entered the search words, and the English lyrics and translation were displayed.

Kaito peered at them.

“What’s this? Isn’t this just a guy who got dumped and kept whining about it? Isn’t it too obsessive to say at the end, ‘Goodbye, please come here again and love me?’”

“Kacchan, you don’t understand heartbreak at all.”

“Hah? I don’t need to.”

“Yep, that’s what I thought.”

Ryouhei said that he would eat all the sweets.

“What kind of woman is Greensleeves? He’s calling her name over and over, right?”

Seiya was the one who answered. “I did some research, but the prevailing theory seems to be that it’s a metaphor and not a real name. There are various theories that Greensleeves is a prostitute, a dead person, or a ghost. Also, some people think that Greensleeves isn’t a song about lost love, but more like a hymn.”

For a moment, sound disappeared.

Even though it should have been extremely noisy with all the people around, the area was so silent that it made their ears hurt. Even the birds were quiet.

Masa-san murmured a few words.

“Green kosode—. (6) I think it’s talking about the upper arm.”

“What do you mean?” Minato asked.

“There’s a custom in the West to wear green when one turns into a spirit. When you think of Santa Claus, you think of red clothes, but that was because he was dressed in a company’s image color in advertisements, and in England, he was originally dressed in green. According to one theory, Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas, that is, a clergyman. He is a person who seems to have existed, and his name and deeds are passed on to his disciples.”

“What does that have to do with ‘upper arms’?”

“I think ‘Greensleeves’ refers to the arms themselves. It’s ‘green sleeves.’ When you touch the arm of a person, a miracle will occur. That makes them a vessel of the divine.”

Masa-san typed into his phone.

Alas, my love, you do me wrong.

Greensleeves was all my joy.

Greensleeves was my delight.

Oh, my chest feels like it’s about to burst. You who bestow love, how cruel you are.

You let enjoy your love, and say you’ll forsake me. Is this a test of God?

Greensleeves, you are joy itself.

Greensleeves, you are days of happiness.

I was happy just being by your side.

Seiya spoke.

“That sound like words dedicated to God. A somewhat critical song of lamentation and resignation.”

“Greensleeves may have been a person who had a healing hand that could cure illnesses and injuries, or maybe she was a saint. There are even those who say that it is the name of God. It’s distinct from the secular world and doesn’t appear openly. Even if you’re attracted by, yearn for, adore, sacrifice yourself, and give up all your wealth and power for the singing voice that you overhear from the church, you cannot touch ‘it.’”

“I see. In that case, I can at least acknowledge the manly spirit of ‘I’ll stop you even if I have to cling to you,’” Kaito said. (7)

“Kacchan, this isn’t a rugby play. And ‘manly spirit,’ really? You completely ruined the mood,” Nanao said.

Seiya lowered his eyes and took off his glasses.

“Being abandoned by God might be an indication that humans are irredeemable.”

Shiragiku’s expression clouded over, and she gripped Seo and Hanazawa’s hands.

“How awful…it was such a wonderful melody.”

As everyone fell silent, Minato pondered.

Has God abandoned humans?

Is this really true? Didn’t I forget something important?

“You’re wrong! Such a sad and gentle melody could never be a criticism and lament to God. This is a joyful song for a coming-of-age ceremony!” he started shouting.

Before he knew it, everyone was staring at him blankly. The three girls shrank back while still holding hands.

Masa-san tried to follow Minato’s thought process.

“Coming-of-age ceremony? What’s with this all of a sudden? Where did your thoughts fly to, Minato?”

“I remembered my mother’s words. She said that at coming-of-age ceremonies, it’s a ‘song of naru.’”

“…What do you mean? Did your mother have a shrine maiden disposition?

“No, she was a normal mom.”

“Don’t put too much stock in what Narumiya calls ‘normal.’ By the way, who’s Naru? Is that a new character? Now I’m even more confused.”

Kaito scratched his head.

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#tsurune #tsurune translation

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fideidefenswhore · 4 months ago

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Whereas before, Henry had always maintained that he was a 'true Catholic' and scourge of the reformers, now for the first time he allowed himself to be quoted in print using the vocabulary of a spiritual conversion. 'We princes,' he suddenly proclaimed in an official protestation composed most likely over the winter of 1537-8, 'wrote ourselves to be inferiors to popes: as long as we thought so, we obeyed them as our superiors. Now, we write not as we did.' And to prove his point, he added, 'Christ said, "I am the way, truth, and life." He never said, "I am the custom."'

Henry VIII: the Quest for Fame (Penguin Monarchs), by John Guy

#henry viii #john guy

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gatekeeper-watchman · 2 days ago

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Should Christians Prepare for a Global Monetary Crash?

Is Bitcoin Real Money? What about Gold and Silver?

A Looming Global Monetary Crash Coming Soon?

All the top financial experts are predicting a soon coming global stock market crash that will include bank closures, as they see a total collapse in the entire financial system that could result in a change to the entire monetary system of America. They see this crash happening not only the USA, but one that will affect the entire world. The root cause of this crash is attributed to the printing of trillions of dollars of paper money that will result in deflation of the dollar which will lead to a depression world-wide, since most of the nations are all doing the same thing. (I will address more about this below.) The majority of well-known financial experts all agree about the crash coming, they just do not know when it will happen. Most think it is imminent. Where they disagree, is in their approach as to what we should do about it.

Many financial speculators are giving financial advice and telling people to protect their life savings and move their cash to Bitcoin or silver and gold or real estate or hard assets. Is all their advice scriptural? Is some of it good? There is talk of governments moving to a cashless society and using crypto and/or digital currencies. What is real money? What are crypto currencies? Is Bitcoin a safe investment? How will these things affect us? Will there be inflation and a depression? Is there something we can do to protect our life savings? As Christians, who can we trust? Should Christians even be involved in this discussion? When will this happen? Is the new administration making plans to change our entire financial system? I will attempt to answer some of these questions in this article by sharing my personal opinions after some research and study and scriptural advice from the Word of God. The most important thing will be our faith in God to sustain and protect us and lead us in these matters.

What are Christian Leaders Saying about a Stock Market Crash?

News about a crash is not just coming from secular people and financial advisors and experts, but many Christian leaders are voicing their concerns as well. Some Prophets of God are prophesying this crash, as well. One major prophetic voice, the late David Wilkerson, has been predicting a great depression for years. He wrote a book entitled, “God’s Plan to Protect His People in the Coming Depression.” The last time I checked, this book was out of print and there were only a few copies for sale on the Internet and they were going for over $100.00 each. Here are two quotes from David from this book:

“One third of the world is now suffering economic depression! No one will ever convince me that America can avoid a full-blown depression. In fact, I believe it has already begun. Soon the financial bubble will burst and we are going to be shocked by the blindness and ignorance of our leaders and financial experts. They have no idea of the severity and suddenness of the coming storm. Soon the cry will be: Was there nobody in charge? How did this happen?”

“Those, who right now, are setting their hearts to seek God with all their being and are saturating their hearts and minds with the Word of God are better prepared for the coming storm than anyone. They are safer and more protected than those in the world who have made all kinds of physical preparation. The only trustworthy preparations are those for the heart, not the body. This is where all preparations must begin. However, a servant of God loses nothing by storing a supply of food. If chaotic conditions are indeed ahead, our food supply will allow us to be prepared just as Joseph in the Bible was. You may ask, what if no such crisis comes to pass? The answer is simple: We can simply use the food later or, better yet, give it away to needy families, to God’s glory.”

Both camps (secular and spiritual) are predicting a crash with a depression, but they just give their own opinions and advice as to what they believe you should do about it. Some are investing in gold and silver and others real estate. Some are listening to the speculators and are moving their funds to Bitcoin which is considered very risky by most investors. Some are investing in food reserves, hard assets, etc. I am not a financial advisor but feel led to share with you a lot of the information that I am hearing about on the news and the Internet. I want you to be aware of these dire predictions, so you can pray and ask God if you need to do anything. As a Christian, the first thing I do is to pray about things and take my questions to the Lord and look to the Word of God to answer them.

Bitcoin and the Stock Market

Since there is so much in the news about Bitcoin right now and I did not feel good about it, I started praying and asking God about the subject, along with doing some research. I wanted an answer from God, as I have friends invested in this and some have asked me what I thought about it. (Just for the record, I do not own any Bitcoin stock or any other stock for that matter.) I am not against people investing in the stock market if they are led of the Lord to do so, but since the stock market and Wall Street promote so much lust and greed it is wise to seek God when handling things in the world.

Here is an excerpt from a previous article I penned a number of years ago on this subject:

“What the Bible Says about the Stock Market”

The Bible actually does not say anything specifically about the Stock Market. However, it is full of principles that directly affect any kind of investing. The basic principle of the stock market is not wrong if it is followed properly. What is that principle? When a man or a group of men have a good and righteous business or company that benefits humanity; yet they lack funding to make that business productive, it creates a need for another’s help. If another man or a group of men (investors) have surplus funds and could use the monies as additional or future support, it also creates a need for another’s help. When the one group physically does the work and the other supports that work with his funds, it becomes mutually beneficial for both parties. However, today, many people invest without any research in the company they are investing in. They do not know if the company policies are based on good Biblical principles. They know nothing as to how their employees are treated. They know nothing of the history of the company. They do not know the character of the ones running the business; whether they are honest, reliable or trustworthy, etc. They know nothing of their alliances (do they support or promote unholy causes such as pornography, abortion, etc.). Sad to say, but most of the stock market is run by lust and greed, instead of wise investment and helping one another.

Bitcoin versus Cash Money

Now this brings me to the subject of should one take his cash out the bank and invest in Bitcoin? People should remember their savings accounts in banks are insured by the FDIC, while there is no insurance in Bitcoin. It is a speculative investment with risk. However, before this answer can be fully considered, we need to get a definition of what is Bitcoin and what is money? Let’s begin with defining what Bitcoin is since people investing in Bitcoin believe they are exchanging their cash money for another form of money called Bitcoin. Then, we will look at the definition of money.

Bitcoin and Crypto Currencies

Below is the Definition of Bitcoin posted on the Internet

Decentralized cryptocurrency

Bitcoin (₿) is a cryptocurrency invented in 2008 by an unknown person or group of people using the name Satoshi Nakamoto and Martti Malmi and are said to be the creators of Bitcoin. The currency began use in 2009 when its implementation was released as open-source software. Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency, without a central bank or single administrator that can be sent from user to user on the peer-to-peer bitcoin network without the need for intermediaries. Transactions are verified by network nodes through cryptography and recorded in a public distributed ledger called a blockchain.

Because some people have asked me what I thought about Bitcoin. Here are my deductions (I first must state that I am not a monetary counselor, but have read and studied what God says about money and finances in the scripture.) People have already have made and lost money with their Bitcoin investments, just as those who have invested in other speculative stocks.

What is Bitcoin?

From my research here is my definition of Bitcoin. First of all, it is not a literal coin. It is being sold and used online as a crypto currency. However, it is not considered a currency by some because of its limited use and has even been banned in some nations. Currently it is being used to transfer money between negotiating parties that have the application (App) from Bitcoin that allows trades. In its current state, it cannot be used in a traditional way that money is used, as most businesses do not take it as cash or money. It uses “Blockchain technology which is a specific database that stores information in blocks that are chained together. Primarily the most common use so far has been as a ledger for transactions which Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are using. Blockchain technology, in itself, is being used by a number of businesses in processing their transactions so Blockchain is a useful tool for secure monetary digital transactions. The technology itself can be useful for online business transactions, so I am not talking about block chain in this article but rather, Bitcoin cryptocurrency itself (although it uses block chain technology.)

I copied this definition of Bitcoin from the Internet at http://factmyth.com/factoids/bitcoin-is-an-actual-coin/

“Bitcoin isn’t a literal coin; it’s a list of transactions recorded on a shared digital public ledger called a “block chain”. All “coins” are stored in digital bitcoin “wallets” and can be verified against the ledger. Verifying transactions is done using cryptography in a process known as “bitcoin mining”. Bitcoin is set to allow one block to be added to the chain every ten minutes by miners. When transactions are added, new coins are created and paid to miners. This process helps control the rate at which new currency is introduced to the bitcoin economy and helps protect against fraud.

What is Fiat Money?

Now my questions arise as to how this money was created in the beginning as I simply could not understand Bitcoin from the videos I watched and how it is still being created today. If it is along the lines that our government creates our current fiat money by using printing presses to print it out of thin air, then Bitcoin would fall into the same category that our government is doing, which is, in my opinion, creating counterfeit money. Why do I say this? Because all paper money that has no gold or asset backing is simply what we call “fiat money.” Fiat money refers to any currency lacking intrinsic value that is declared legal tender by a government. As valid currency solely by virtue of a government declaration, fiat money, is not backed by any commodity, such as gold, but only by the faith of the bearer. The only thing that gives worth to our paper money is the confidence that the people have in it. If, through inflation or other means, it loses its value it will no longer be worth anything. It is currency that is not based on intrinsic money that should be created by labor. I will now have to give a definition of what true money should be.

Definition of Real Money

It helps to understand the properties and functions of money.

The item serves as a medium of exchange. In order for an item to be considered money, it must be widely accepted as payment for goods and services.

The item serves as a unit of account. In order for an item to be considered money, it must be the unit that prices, bank balances, etc. are reported in.

The item serves as a store of value. In order for an item to be considered money, it has to (to a reasonable degree) hold its purchasing power over time.

As these properties suggest, money was introduced to societies as a means of making economic transactions simpler and more efficient, and it mostly succeeds in that regard. In some situations, items other than officially designated currency have been used as money in various economies. In biblical times, coins of silver and gold were used as that medium so the oldest medium used for the longest length of time has been gold and silver; therefore, silver and gold fit this definition. My question does Bitcoin fit this description? Bitcoin only has a short history. Will it be accepted or rejected by the majority of the public as a new medium of exchange? Bitcoin is not a proven form of currency, like gold or silver which has been established as a form of money since Bible days.

Here is a list of reasons I am having issues with accepting Bitcoin and other crypto currencies as a means of monetary exchange:

Bitcoin…

Is Not Real Money: In my opinion, Bitcoin is not real money, but rather a digitized form of money, as true money (a means of exchange) is something you can hold in your hand. i.e.: gold and silver coins or paper money backed by gold. Of course, our money in the United States today is no longer backed by gold, so it is not real money either. (The government removed the gold backing policy during President Nixon’s presidency. It is now called fiat money, but is considered legal tender by the US government and accepted by the general public.)

Is a Crypto Currency Investment with Risk: Bitcoin is traded on centralized and decentralized crypto exchanges. Investing or trading Bitcoin only requires an account on an exchange, though they have nearly the same level of features as their stock brokerage counterparts. Bitcoin being an investment is similar to stock investments with the potential risk of losing your investment. That being said, I would not want to invest in something unless I thoroughly understood it and knew the background of the people and technicians who developed it. With every stock investment, a person should investigate and vet the owners as to their integrity and company management guidelines and policies. Sadly, most stock purchases are more speculative and more like gambling than investing. (See my article on “What Does the Bible Say about the Stock Market?”)

I learned something from a book I read years ago entitled, “Business by the Book” written by Larry Burkett. He cautioned people not to invest money into something they did not understand, no matter how excited the seller or others might be about it. Here is a quote from that book: Get-rich-quick thinking leads to three basic errors: (1) Getting involved with things you cannot understand; (2) Risking funds you cannot afford to lose, that is, borrowed funds, and (3) Making hasty decisions. Each of these actions violates one or more biblical principles…Together they constitute a sin called greed.” Larry Burkett with Christian Financial Concepts.

This information saved Bud and me from putting money into questionable things over the years. Now in regard to Bitcoin, I did some research by reading and watching videos so I could understand how it operates. Even though I do have quite a bit of IT understanding and a computer background now, I still have only a partial understanding of Bitcoin. I have researched Bitcoin thoroughly, I just do not have the technical knowledge to fully understand how it operates. Here is a link I found that has a 5-minute video explaining how Bitcoin works. If you understand it after watching it, then I would appreciate you writing me with an explanation in lay terms to help me understand it.

Explanation of Bitcoin in a 5-minute video

Has a Record of a Short History: Bitcoin (and other crypto currencies) only have a short history or record that is available for valuation, while gold and silver have been proven as a medium of exchange and used in most cultures down through the centuries.

Comes with Loss of Privacy with Monetary Transparency Revealed to Others: With Bitcoin you also have reduced privacy with every transaction as they can be tracked and are transparent to others in the Network. This creates a loss of your financial privacy. Do we really want others to have the ability to see our personal spending records?

Requires Dependency on 4 Things: To use Bitcoin which is a “digital currency” or “crypto currency” you must have four things to make it work. These are a computer or cell phone, electricity, the software and technology and system it functions on, plus faith in the tech giants that operate and manage it. It will not work without all these things in place. How will the poor of the world be able to use it? (Perhaps governments will take care of the poor in a meager way in exchange for their votes?) What happens if you need funds and the electricity or internet is not functioning? What if there is not a cell tower in your area? What if their servers crash with all of your transaction records on it? Who manages the backups? How long will it take to recover your records?

Requires Faith and Trust in the System Managers: It is a peer-to-peer technology system that was created by IT gurus, so we must be able to trust them that they know what they are doing. They claim that Bitcoin is operated by a network and do not name an individual or individuals who now manage the system, but claim all members are managers. My question is who is head of all the members? (I have my doubts about turning my money over to a network (networks are made up of people and who are these people?). Should we trust our money to them? Are they trust worthy? They would have to be people with technology backgrounds who really understand it. . We are seeing what other tech companies are currently doing, in that they are making the decisions as to who can use their systems and who cannot use them. Will they decide to cancel people in the future? Remember we are seeing tech giants using the “Cancel Culture” to determine who will and who will not be allowed to use their systems.) Who is really at the root of Bitcoin and the group of people who are operating the entire system? It cannot just be a nebulous “network” run by every member. That is my question. Maybe I just do not understand such a complicated system. I read some advice years ago, about investing and what it said was, “If you do not understand it, do not invest in it.”

Is Mostly Available to the Very Rich: At the present Bitcoin is used more for national and global trading and not available for wide spread local purchases, so it is limited to the very rich and not the ordinary person.

Is Still More Like a Speculative Stock Investment: I do know people have and will make money investing in Bitcoin to some degree; however, as with any speculative stock, no one knows when to get in and when to get out and those that are investing large amounts of their savings could very well lose it all, as some have already lost large amounts of money in Bitcoin when it nosedived in the past. Bitcoin at the present moment is not regulated by the government (although it could be in time). This being true many feels like some criminal elements are using it to launder money online and that is one reason the government has its eyes on it.

Is Being Touted as a Safe Haven for Savings as Fear of a Crash Looms Over the World: The reason Bitcoin is even being considered right now, is people are getting afraid they may lose their money, because they realize that the banks could fail and we could have an enormous stock market crash any time, so they are looking for places to put their life savings. Many are in their 401(K) Savings Plans. Some financial advisors are telling people that Bitcoin is the place to put those funds. However, better advice would be to leave their funds intact in their 401(K) or IRA plans and just change their stock investments into the purchase of gold and silver. Financial advisors can help people switch to investments in gold instead of stocks in their 401(K) s if they are concerned about a stock market crash. The main thing is that you must hear from God what you are to do personally. I am not a financial advisor. I am just sharing information with you.

Wrong Financial Advice Can Generate Fear: Fear should never motivate a Christian. We need to ask God for His Wisdom regarding the future. Since most people think that the stock market is “the only game in town” for investments, they do not know what to do with their money. This is the time we need God to guide us. There are other investments such as using funds to get totally out of debt, paying off your home, purchasing real estate in the country, purchasing gold and silver, purchasing hard assets, food stores, tools and equipment and things people will need in the future, investing in helping people, helping the poor, investing in helping others establish small businesses outside of the stock market and investing in the Kingdom of God. If we commit all to God, He will guide us in what we need to do with our money.

Has Money Ever Failed in a Society in the Bible?

Yes, there is a record of money failing in a society in the Bible. You can read the story in Genesis Chapter 47.

Genesis 47:15 “And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.”

There was a famine in the land during the time that this happened. However, God had raised up a man named Joseph who was the Pharaoh’s right-hand man and he had wisdom from God and had stored up food for hard times for the people of the land, since he was given knowledge from God that the famine was coming and how long it would be. Today, there are Prophets and people of God that are telling people there will be food shortages and they should store up food now while we have a window of time to do so. In the coming days food could be more valuable than gold or money.

Yes, God will take care of His children no matter what happens, but perhaps He wants to help us prepare ahead of time, so we will not be a victim of what the devil is planning and it will be easier for us than those who do not prepare or plan ahead. Preparing in advance is one way God protects us.

China has implemented a crypto currency in some of their cities, but it comes with the cost of the total loss of financial privacy and government control. The same plans are in the making for our country. China, being a communist country, has always restricted freedom, so it was easy for their government to manipulate the masses there, in order to implement this new monetary system. However, we are a free nation and it will be harder for the government here to deceive the masses, but people are vulnerable when it comes to the need for money and food. There are a number of Christian business people in our nation who are aware of these plans and are positioning themselves not to become a part of it. There are also a number of moral people who feel the same way as they have a common-sense approach. As Christians, we have an advantage because we have access to the “mind of Christ” so we should pray for this, regarding our finances. Just beware of Satan s lackeys in office.

If you are concerned about inflation and your investments, I would encourage you to do your homework in researching some good videos that will enlighten you to some of the things that are going on right now. Ask God to lead you to the videos and books that reveal God’s financial strategies regarding protecting your savings and investments. While the systems of the world will be crashing, God will be establishing His Word in the earth and raising up His system. He will speak to you what you need to do. Since Bud’s passing to heaven, I have had the time to pray more and review and research a number of YouTube videos and sermons. The Lord has led me to some very revealing things that are going on right now in financial circles that need immediate prayer. Many other things are happening as well, that confirm we are in those perilous times mentioned in the Bible. We are definitely in the time of the end right before Jesus comes to this earth again. But remember that day comes after a period of great tribulation according to Matthew 24.

2 Timothy 3:1-5:

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

YouTube Interviews Warning of the Coming Collapse

We need to check the stability of our banks and insurance companies, as many of these are currently failing at this time. Perhaps the Lord will lead you to transfer your funds to a more stable bank? Many financial planners are telling people to get out of the system since the Feds have a Master Plan regarding the soon collapse of the monetary system which will cause many people to lose their entire savings (or a big portion of them). The government then wants to lead the masses into surrendering the control of their money to them.

This explains why the central bank is getting prepared because they expect to lose control of inflation soon. Many banks are investing in gold as they fear the dollar is going to lose its value. This new system will enable the Fed to control money directly and give them absolute control of their policies. This coming monetary scheme will be the fuel that starts the hyperinflation fire since we are a consumer-driven economy. They want us to spend and consume and not save and to keep going into debt for things. Getting out of debt is the wisest thing we can do at this time. There are many ministries that can help God’s people get out of debt including a plan for getting your mortgage completely paid off so you are debt free and owe no man anything.

Also, if you want an understanding of why the nation (and the world) is on the brink of a total financial collapse there are many videos on You Tube that explain our fiat banking system. Basically, God is shaking everything that is not built on His Word and our biggest problem financially is that we, as a nation, are headed for bankruptcy without a divine intervention from God. It is because of the enormous amount of debt we have with no way to pay off. Simply put, the outgo is more than the income. Record-high government debt is projected to hit $33 TRILLION by 2030. This is impossible to sustain in the natural. Only God can save us. He is waiting on us to individually and corporately repent of our sins so He can show us the way out of destruction.

Banks have collapsed before and what happened in Greece is an example of what could happen to depositors where it to happen again. For the sake of brevity, during the years of 2009 to 2016 Greece faced a national bank crisis which led to it facing a total bank collapse. Greek voters said “no” to austerity measures (cutting back on spending), so instability created a run on the banks. Greece sustained extensive economic damage during the two weeks surrounding the vote. Banks closed and restricted ATM withdrawals to 60 euros per day. They were not allowed to withdraw their money from their checking and savings accounts. Their withdrawals were suspended. Instead, the bank proposed they would give them only a portion of their deposited monies and would give them bank stock for the rest of their funds in order to keep the bank from going totally bankrupt. The people had to accept this deal or they would have not received any of their money at all. Could this happen in the United States? We certainly need to pray and ask God what we should do with our money. FDIC does not have the funds to bail everyone out, only those that are first in line will be helped. You can research this on the Internet and will find this to be true.

“The Fall of a Democracy” Quote

Quote below by Alexander Fraser Tytler, Lord Woodhouselee who was a Scottish advocate, judge, writer and historian who served as Professor of Universal History, and Greek and Roman Antiquities at the University of Edinburgh

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years. Great nations rise and fall. The people go from bondage to spiritual truth, to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, from dependence back again to bondage.”

The government and corporate greed and lust, with no restraint, has led us to this place. It is only a matter of “when this will happen,” not “if it will happen.” Our government has broken all the biblical financial laws, especially in the area of debt, so this federal system can no longer stand. If we personally break those same financial laws, we too will fail financially. Our individual debt can also bring destruction on our nation. Debt is not sinful, but failing to repay our debts is. We can sin by not obeying God with our money. If you are having financial difficulties, there is a check list on this page as to what you may not be doing regarding your finances.

One major financial sin Christians are committing is their failure to tithe and give to the works of God. Sin has led us to this place and only repentance will save us. However, God has a remnant of people who are hearing His voice and God will save them as He did Noah and his family in the time of the flood that swept away that violent society. (Genesis 6 & 7). Right now, the devil is trying to set up people for the future “mark of the beast.” Things are now unfolding rapidly that were predicted in the Bible thousands of years ago. Men will be marked in their minds long before they will be marked physically, unless they are putting the Word of God into their hearts and minds.

I have spent the day writing this, as it was urgent on my heart. I do not know how much time we have before these events begin to unfold, it could be days, weeks or even a year or two. Since God is merciful, He gives us more time to repent and obey Him when we pray and seek Him. I just know the Lord wants to help us get ready in the natural, as well as get ready in the spirit, as well. Please pray about how the Lord wants you to respond to the information I have shared with you in this article. As I said, I am not a financial counselor, but I have learned and practice what the Bible says about finances so I am not afraid as I know the Lord will not only provide for us in hard times, but will also use His people to help others in the days ahead. I am thankful that I am completely out of personal debt and so is the ministry. All glory goes to God! He is sending His glory on His people in the days ahead to show Himself as the mighty God Who preserves His people. We are shifting into supernatural guidance and provision for all who are fully committed to the will of God. I am listing some additional links below that you might want to read as well.

A Warning to Rich Men Who Look to Their Riches Instead of God

James 5:1-8:

1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. 6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Bottom Line

If none of this applies to you or has spoken to you, my last word on this subject is this. No amount of money will save any of us in the days ahead. If we are trying to protect our money, without submitting completely to the will of God (being willing to go anywhere, give up anything and do anything He asks of us); then we shall surely lose our worldly possessions. He wants us to trust Him. God is dealing with lust and idolatry in the hearts of His people and He loves us enough to chastise us so we do not end up backsliding or miss our blessings or even end up in hell. Remember the parable of the “Ten Virgins” in Matthew 25. Five of them could not enter into the wedding chamber with Jesus. This chapter also talks about those who hid the Lord’s money and what happened to them.

I guarantee you will be able to hear God once you commit totally to Him. Bud, my late husband, gave one of his testimonies along those lines. He said when he first came into the spirit filled walk, he kept hearing people say, “The Lord spoke to me about so and so.” Yet, he said he never heard God say anything to him. Then when he got down on his knees and totally surrendered to God one night alone in a motel, telling God he would go anywhere and do anything He wanted him to do, even if it meant being a preacher; that is when he heard God audibly speak to him what He wanted him to do. This was before we were married. The words Bud heard God say to him the next day was, “Buddy, ask Betty to marry you.”

God wants you to hear from Him regarding all things, so I encourage you to surrender totally and unconditionally to Him today. He wants to make you into His image and cause you to overcome all things that are hindering your walk with Him.

For those who are overcomers and make up His bride, He has great things in store for them. One of those is that He wants to make us ruler over all of our goods according to Matthew 24:42-47:

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the son of man cometh. 45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47 Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. Good Morning World 11/12/2024 6:15:05 AM Jacksonville, Florida USA From: Steven P. Miller, @ParkermillerQ, gatekeeperwatchman.org TM ‎Founder and Administrator of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups. #GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO. www.facebook.com/gatekeeperwatchnan www.facebook.com/ Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956

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