#The Church is perfect but the people are not

[magnificent-buckless-butt]

Wait. Seriously, hold on. This post is hunting me right now because I think I can finally put my fingers on why USA Christianity is weirding me out since the beginning.

As an European, it baffles me how much of the population identify as Christians while acting and saying things like they've never read the Bible in the first place. Except they did, in some extant, because they're the one that quote it so often (we don't do that here, we might refer to a specific part but don't really quote the Bible?). So why, why do they act as if they never read love your neighbor, give the other cheek, Father forgive them etc.?

Because they want to be warriors actually. They want a wrathful God. And there is God's anger in the Bible, there is the wrath of God that must appealed and you must always feel guilty and ask for forgiveness*. But comes Jesus and what he says is basically 'no more'. No more wrath, no more anger, no more warriors. But humans love raging war.

And we fucking did throughout the whole history of Christians actually. You start by saying you're a warrior of Christ, that your virtue is your sword, your faith is your shield and so one. It's nice: you're being a good believer AND you get to have this badass, very virilis imagery of the warrior. But! If you're lucky enough, you'll even have a real war against some "pagans" (really, you don't have to worry about the specifics) and then! Ouh boy, you get to be a real warrior. Everything is perfect.

Which brings us to: why are these people not changing faith/God? Pick another, more angry God/deity or simply go with a "personal faith away from human's restricting religion". Answer: because it's so fucking hard. I'm studying theology so hard and sometimes it happens that I find Catholicism restricting, too verbose or too specific. Except I can't just ditch "my" religion. (To be fair, I also really don't want to because I decided to fight from the heart of the Church but that's another subject. Oh, and notice how I used fight --even I can't refrain from the manly warrior)

Okay, so what do we do? Well I say, we piss them off. And we do so by celebrating the fucking amazingness that is God made human just to fucking die. Jesus never won by any human standards. He was the ultimate loser. And ain't that absolutely beautiful? And humbling? How can you hate the Mexican who takes your job if God tell you to wash his feet as if you're below him? How can you decide who deserves right if you God tell you that you should strip yourself for a random stranger? I say we fight back by being unapologetically happy that God died for us. Not guilty. Happy. It's so, so beautiful that They love us so much and only want us to replicate a fraction of Their love to everyone we encounter. That we have to make ourselves a bit uncomfortable so a stranger can be a whole lot comfortable. That we have to renounce privileges and luxury so all human beings can have the exact same things and opportunities. That it is shameful to try to be better than anyone else. That it is shameful to try to be successful on our own because we're supposed to uplift everyone else before ourselves. That it is shameful not to be empathetic, vulnerable, open about our weaknesses etc.

So anyway, thanks OP because now I'm even more filled with spite that will fuels my love so I can spite their hatred.

*okay side note since you're still here: this is why in the first centuries, there was a heretic branch of Christianity very adamant on separating the Old testament God to the new gospel God.

[lobsterwizard]

aaaaauuuuuuugghhhhh i want to make a tma ringing tower au (it would make the perfect panopticon, and i like the vibes) but i cant figure out what the statements would be. Does Elias just start giving Jon increasingly weird ringing patterns (or whatever they're called)??? Do the people st wedding they ring for start telling him statement adjacent things??? Tbh im leaning towards the church theyre at giving statement esque sermons (Jonah Magnus would be a saint so it would fit) but theres got to be better ideas other people here have.

[juice-plums]

My Darling

Derek Goffard x !Hitwoman, busty! woman reader

Warnings: Killing, ruthless hitwoman, rough, hard sex spanking, hair pulling, Dirty talk, angst talk, You always get the job done, Seducing attempt

Do you think you’ll kill for me one day?

Yes, of course I will, my darling

He was infatuated with you, A busy hitwoman who brought home dough, he could respect it but there was a slight problem, you were good at hiding your emotions no matter how big or small your job was you always had a stone cold face through everything, you were trained by your father who was a former hitman and he taught you everything you needed to know and do, Derek couldn’t know what you were thinking, while even he was fucking his at the time girlfriend your target who had gotten away had busted in his room, interrupted the moment, of course he was embarrassed and then tensed up seeing you, in black lingerie that fitted your body, he remembered saying a soft ‘Damn’ and that only meant one thing

You were seducing your target only to kill them while in the process, this target however had gotten away, Derek’s then girlfriend screaming in horror as she saw and clung to Derek, You had tackled your target down hard, attempting to choke him out, shattering a vase, your target had grabbed a glass shard and swung on your face, slicing your cheek, making you grunt loudly and get off of him, your target scampered away and you were after blood now, grabbing Derek’s pocket knife off his dresser and chased after your target coldly

Derek stares at you, you were sitting on a bench in a wealthy church where all the shadiest and wealthiest people were, perfect and prim how you were, you didn’t know it yet but you were going to be all his, he was going to make sure of it, he got up and went to you, whispering in your ear, your stare never faltered like you were unfazed or uninterested, he asked you to meet at this place, you knew the place, where all the elite and wealthy would have all these orgy parties with each other, you felt yourself cringe, God, he was so disgusting, but he swore he had a task for you when you'd get there, Derek was so fucking rich he could basically buy the organization you worked for,....so you reluctantly went

You went to said Party, orgies happening all around you, you wore some black lingerie to blend in and you did, you went to the door Derek said to meet him for the job and surprise, you hear a woman moaning in bliss, you rolled your eyes, of course you were fucking set up, what'd you expect from a fucking Goffard, you creek the door open some seeing the woman riding Derek's cock, Derek thrusting his thick, uncut, 9inch cock up into he pussy, making her go wild with lust, he sucks her nipple, as she clung to him, riding his cock without shame, he saw you peaking, he intimately looks at you in the eye, continuing to thrust into the woman

Oh god, this bitch is a fucking FREAK, too freaky for you, he gave you that look, a look that was full of coaxing and persuasion, silently telling you to come to him, you immediately backed up and almost jolted out that bitch, screaming, note that you almost did that.

You avoided Derek by all means after that and walked a bit quicker out of church, clearly that was not going to win you over and that got Derek to think, you were not an idiot, but he could pay for someone to stalk you and he did and now he broke in and sat on your sofa waiting just for you

You walked through your door and screamed in shock, seeing him, you couldn’t call the police cause you were a hitwoman and he could easily persuade the police with money, he smug grin upon seeing you, his leg crossed over his other all confident

“Hi honey, welcome home”

He greeted in a sickly,sweet voice, making you shiver in cringe, you scoffed, you just got back from another hitwoman gig, you definitely did not need him stirring up any shit right now, you placed your duffle bag down and glared at him, closing the door

“What you think you’re doing here?”

You ask, glaring at him, Derek snicker mischievously, enjoying how fast he pissed you off already, he stood up, prowling to you in short steps, face to face with you, You were clearly over this

“you know you have this wall built around you and I’m trying to be something more with you”

He bluntly says, his teal, blue eyes narrowed at you,he is really trying to, he wants you, yea he always got what he wanted and now he wanted you, just you, the cold, hitwoman you, You bit you lips

“You ever think I’m trying to protect you?”

You blatantly say, he scoffed and laugh mockingly at that, your eyes narrowing at him cause he wasn’t taking you serious

“You sure have a funny way of protection, ignoring my advances and pushing me away, yea you’re the real protector”

He mockingly says, you could not believe your ears is he really that dumb?, guess all that money went to his head, you got a little closer to him

“what if I drop dead tomorrow?, what if someone plants a hit on me?, I don’t want you missing me, I don’t want you getting close, I’m dangerous for you”

You explain, his eyes softens up, his mind finally connecting the pieces, you were rejecting him cause you didn’t want him to miss you when you are gone, yeah you were dangerous but that’s his choice, he is here cause he wants you

“You don’t get to make that decision for me, I’m here cause I want to be, no one else is making me be here, I want you, you, you!”

He says, he sounded like a child throwing a tantrum, this bitch was crazy but he was crazy for you, your cold eyes softened up for him, you took his hands, kissing his palms

“You don’t know what you are saying, you don’t know what you want”

You say, he drops his hands from yours and grabbed you face, his eyes still narrow, you were still deciding for him and he hated that, absolutely hated it, he’s tired of everyone choosing and making decisions for him

“I want you, you’re not fucking changing my mind”

He finally says, his hard eyes never leaving yours, You sigh, the searing his lips passionately for a kiss, his eyes widen then he softly shuts them, he held your waist and gave your booty a few rubs, this was a win in his books, you tilt your head, deepening the kiss your tongues swirled around each other, he lifted you up and went to your room

You both were stripped out of your clothes, and you were on all fours on your bed, softly shaking your bare bum to coax and tease him, he growled, his 9 inch, uncut, cock twitching and drooling from the slit on his tip, he gave your plump ass a spank, making you giggle softly, then without going slow he fully unsheathed his cock into your pussy, making you yelp and grab you sheets, his hands gripped and held onto your ass as he began to thrust into you pussy from the back

“ooooh shhhiit”

You blissfully cussed, he shoved your face into a pillow as he fucked you from the back, your muffled moans in the pillow, his cock invading your velvet walls that were clenching onto him like a vice, pleasure sparks through you spine, he spanked your big rump making you moan and yelp, feeling the hot stinging pain on your ass made you delirious and babble incoherently into your pillow, being fucked dumb into your pillow, his head rolls back along with his eyes, stretching out your perfect pussy

“this pretty pussy in mine, all fucking mine”

He seductively growled, spanking your ass with every word, your eyes lifted from the pillow and hot, blissful tears fell from your eyes, from the mind blowing sparks of pleasure flowing through your body, he gripped your hair, forcing your neck back to reveal the beautiful column of your throat and forcefully tongue kiss you, his cock still meanly churning your insides, you were in absolute heaven with your brains being all fucked out, god, it must be what those girls felt like

he then turned you onto your back, your moans now audible and your fucked out face made him hover over you and meanly fuck your pussy good with slow tantalizing strokes, your eyes rolling back in ecstasy as he savored the exquisite strokes as hits all your sweets spots with more care, your mouth drooled from the pleasure shooting up your spine, your calves twitching in bliss

“Look at me, ruining your pretty pussy, such a good fucking girl for me, gonna stuff you nice and full of my cum, believe that”

he growled, your mind too fucked out of your mind only whines and and whimpers, he grabbed your chin, making you look at him, he thrusted balls deep and shot his scalding, burning cum into your womb, making you squirt from the over pleasure, you caught your breath, eyes half lidded with lust as his cock softens inside and of you, you both held each other, the room smelling of sex and cheap perfume and cologne mixed together.

You were Derek’s and Derek was yours, you two over possessive with each other, you’d do absolutely anything for him and he would do anything for you, you’d basically were doing tasks for him, no one was going to put your pookie in danger, you took his jobs without hesitation, of course he was stunned but you did for love, it was all for him and he’d bail you out of jail no hesitation if you were caught on suspicion of arranging and attempted assassination, all for love.

[feastingonchrist]

Interesting how people say Christians are terrible people but in the same breath say that Christ was a good person and teacher (maybe not you op, but i have seen many non-believers say this). Like, yeah, we follow His example of how to live, what love is and what He defined it to be. Jesus is God. He lived a perfect and sinless life. He died for our sins to have justification before God and to have eternal life and to be with Him for all of eternity.

Now of course, there are people who call themselves Christians who don’t act Christ-like or bear any good fruit. These people may either not be saved, not take their faith as seriously or don’t understand the gospel. We are to live and love like He did. We are also supposed to die to ourselves daily and sacrifice our deepest desires that may go against what God has for us. No matter the cost. Believe me, it is extremely hard and even painful at times. We are not supposed to judge the world, but to share the gospel with those in need - everybody. Not agreeing with or accepting everyone’s actions or ways of living doesn’t mean we hate anyone. Jesus literally told us to do this. He doesn’t hate anybody, either. This is why He died for us. If you think Christians are bad people, it’s either because: the church hasn’t done a great job to the greater public in stewarding love and kindness to the world and many people have been hurt due to false teaching and unbiblical practices, (and i can 100% sympathize with that), or, it also may be because you don’t understand who He is and how powerful He is in loving and healing us. Or maybe you just don’t agree with the fullness of His teachings because, while, yes, He is 100% love, He also convicts and teaches us His way in how we are to live. That’s the fullness of the gospel. I used to feel that way too before i came to Christ. But He absolutely changed my life and we love Him because He first loved us.

We (me and others) as Christians should be walking in His love and giving that out to others, too. A huge amount of us DO do that. It’s just overshadowed. So i disagree that you think all Christans are terrible people because it isn’t true. However, i can’t convince you of that and i think you are 100% entitled to that opinion. Just showing you that there is a “good” side of Christianity too - because that’s how it’s supposed to be. That’s His heart for the church and for the world. If we have Christ in us, we’ll act like Him. By His own standards. With grace, love, kindness and all the other fruits of the spirit. If we allow ourselves to and for Him to work in us (i know some do not and end up taking His name in vain and tarnishing His reputations, which ruins the whole point.) That makes me sad. I hope my tone wasn’t mean or off-putting, i meant everything genuninely and lighthearted. But i felt that it was appropriate to say this because people have the wrong idea of what Christianity is and automatically assume we are all the worst people in the world when it’s not the case. Especially if we truly are following Him and taking His Word seriously.

Idk who needs to hear this but you ARE a bad person for being Christian and you need to stop.

[mindfulldsliving]

Ministering with Compassion: Addressing the Harm Behind “The Church is Perfect, But the People Are Not”

The phrase “The church is perfect, but the people are not” has been a source of controversy and reflection for many of us. It raises a critical question: what does it mean to be part of a community that embodies spiritual ideals while still being made up of flawed individuals? As Latter-day Saints, we often find ourselves navigating this balance, recognizing the divine potential within the church…

[many-sparrows]

[superdoghi]

Why I know the perfect name that starts with an A

A long, long time ago

I can still remember how that music used to make me smile

And I knew if I had my chance

That I could make those people dance

And maybe they'd be happy for a while

But February made me shiver

With every paper I'd deliver

Bad news on the doorstep

I couldn't take one more step

I can't remember if I cried

When I read about his widowed bride

But something touched me deep inside

The day the music died

So bye, bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry

And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye

Singin' this'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

Did you write the book of love

And do you have faith in God above

If the Bible tells you so?

Now do you believe in rock and roll?

Can music save your mortal soul?

And can you teach me how to dance real slow?

Well, I know that you're in love with him

'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym

You both kicked off your shoes

Man, I dig those rhythm and blues

I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck

With a pink carnation and a pickup truck

But I knew I was out of luck

The day the music died

I started singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry

Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye

Singin' this'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

Now for ten years we've been on our own

And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone

But that's not how it used to be

When the jester sang for the king and queen

In a coat he borrowed from James Dean

And a voice that came from you and me

Oh, and while the king was looking down

The jester stole his thorny crown

The courtroom was adjourned

No verdict was returned

And while Lennin read a book on Marx

The quartet practiced in the park

And we sang dirges in the dark

The day the music died

We were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry

Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye

Singin' this'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

Helter skelter in a summer swelter

The birds flew off with a fallout shelter

Eight miles high and falling fast

It landed foul on the grass

The players tried for a forward pass

With the jester on the sidelines in a cast

Now the halftime air was sweet perfume

While the sergeants played a marching tune

We all got up to dance

Oh, but we never got the chance

'Cause the players tried to take the field

The marching band refused to yield

Do you recall what was revealed

The day the music died?

We started singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry

Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye

And singin' this'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

Oh, and there we were all in one place

A generation lost in space

With no time left to start again

So come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick

Jack Flash sat on a candlestick

'Cause fire is the devil's only friend

Oh, and as I watched him on the stage

My hands were clenched in fists of rage

No angel born in Hell

Could break that Satan's spell

And as the flames climbed high into the night

To light the sacrificial rite

I saw Satan laughing with delight

The day the music died

He was singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry

Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye

And singin' this'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

I met a girl who sang the blues

And I asked her for some happy news

But she just smiled and turned away

I went down to the sacred store

Where I'd heard the music years before

But the man there said the music wouldn't play

And in the streets, the children screamed

The lovers cried and the poets dreamed

But not a word was spoken

The church bells all were broken

And the three men I admire most

The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost

They caught the last train for the coast

The day the music died

And they were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry

And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye

Singin' this'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

They were singing bye, bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry

Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey 'n rye

And singin' this'll be the day that I die

does anyone this fine morning have feminine/cute name suggestions that start with the letter A (don't necessarily have to be normal names, can be words too) because i am an introject and would LIKE to use our tumblr blog but even i draw the line at using a fictional character name in public on here. god help me i am so uninspired LOOOOOOOL i'm looking at a list of 5 letter words that start with A for inspiration and i got NOTHING

[deservedgrace]

I don't think that framing "Marginalized™️ Atheism/Deconstruction" and "Cishet White Male Atheism/Deconstruction" as inherently ~separate and distinct~ is super effective (and disclaimer I'm specifically speaking about my experience with christianity, atheism, and ex christian atheists/deconstructors), but also... okay so I was raised in a cult, and cults are oppressive for all its members. Nobody gets out unscathed, everyone experiences the abuse tactics, everybody is a victim. But within the cult there is a hierarchy, and cishet white men are at the top. So while the cult is oppressive to everyone, and everyone is harmed in some way, it is also uniquely oppressive to queer folks, to BIPOC, to disabled folks, to women, etc etc. And the thing that happens to some of those cishet white men is they leave an oppressive cult, where they are considered the "default", and they go into the ~real world~, where they are also considered the "default", and even in atheist/deconstruction spaces, their bodies and experiences are often the leading voices.

The men that leave go from an oppressive patriarchal culture to a far less oppressive (to them) patriarchal society. The white people that leave go from an oppressive racist culture to a far less oppressive (to them) racist society. The people that leave go from an oppressive culture that does not value marginalized voices to a different, less oppressive culture that also does not value marginalized voices. And if you personally do not experience [xyz] oppression, it can be difficult to even realize there are things surrounding that you have to deconstruct unless you listen to the voices of the oppressed. But some cishet white men go from being considered the "default" in an oppressive culture, to being considered the "default" in a less oppressive culture (to them). Their experience of "overcoming systemic oppression" comes from leaving the church, and it can be really easy to fall into the trap that the church, specifically, is the sole oppressor and enemy of everyone.

Of course this doesn't happen in every single case and it's also not exclusive to cishet white men. But those blind spots are why I think it's important for everyone to listen to a variety of voices when they're deconstructing, especially if those voices are talking about oppression you wouldn't have experienced firsthand.

No, our deconstructions are not inherently different, but the experiences and circumstances prior to it often are. It's okay to acknowledge that and beneficial for everybody to listen to each other's experiences.

[sotogalmo]

7:27

Hear me out on Travis Phelps & ALNST Luka connections

[moonchild-in-blue]

Oh mother, tell your children Not to do what I have done Spend your lives in sin and misery In the house of The Rising Sun

[bitchy-peachy]

I really wish that antis stopped using real life sa victims in their shit especially since they tell real life sa victims that we deserved our assaults cos we all handle our trauma differently.

[keendaanmaa]

⛪

[ilidaeandquill]

The Lamb is a fantastic dancer. Absolutely wonderful. Everytime they do the little “inspire” action in the cult, it’s not an exaggeration - they are genuinely so good at dancing that people will stop everything they’re doing and dance with them.

BUT they are a godawful singer. The leader of the church’s choir keeps trying to get them to sing as a demonstration, and they have to do everything they can to get out of it before people learn just how horrible they are at singing.

Narinder, on the other hand, is a great singer. He has a deep, mellow voice that acts as the perfect bass for any choir. Sometimes, when they were kits, he would sing lullabies to Baal and Aym.

The Goat is a master with any instrument they touch, primarily percussion instruments. Don’t let this bitch anywhere near a microphone unless you want them to scream.

guys whats your weirdest/most unique/or silliest cult of the lamb headcanon

[halfricanloveyou]

ok ok ok like i thought “the chosen” would suck cause “blah another series about the life and times of jesus” like we GET it it’s been around for CENTURIES you guys make the same damn movie all the time

but it’s actually legit really good? lots of pretty good representation! not everyone in the movie is white. actual portrayals of jewish culture instead of just ignoring that part. disabled people. matthew being autistic. characters that aren’t just two dimensional. the people in it feel like real people. there’s actual jokes, jesus cracks a few and they’re really funny?? so far nothing hateful, no gay or transgender bashing. it calls out the church for being judgemental and hateful in a way that’s very tasteful

it’s not perfect tho. jesus is…still white for some reason? despite mary not being white? and no one else around him being white? no gay people in it which is kind of a bad and a good thing…but it’s a portrayal of jesus and the people around him as human. as real life people who felt things and made jokes and rolled their eyes and stuff. also the guy they cast as jesus is pretty hot as are all the disciples. which isn’t the point or whatever but i can’t say i’m complaining. it’s free online and i think it’s worth a watch!

[ectonurites]

does anyone have that ‘sometimes things that are expensive… are worse’ meme on hand. because the branding company we’re working with is pissing me off

[fangwhoria]

the thing about when i go watch a movie like longlegs the only thing i can feel is love… theres so much love in that movie for the artform and for the stories its referencing and so much care put in at every level to make something as unsettling and complete as that movie was. like obviously the other emotions its trying to pull from its audience were there but its just such a stark contrast watching a movie that everyone very clearly cared about and wanted to be making and movies that were just made to make money.