#Theological Reflections

[bvthomas]

                                                      GOD “Exploring the Divine: The Essence of God” Introduction: In the vast expanse of human history and thought, few questions have stirred as much contemplation, debate, and yearning as those concerning the Divine. What is God? Does God exist? And if so, what is the nature of this supreme being who eludes easy definition and comprehension?…

[dionysus-complex]

still have not found a more succinct description of where I’m at theologically than “by now I think it’s pretty obvious that there is no God / and there’s definitely a God” from Fox’s Dream of the Log Flume by mewithoutYou. there cannot be a god with coercive power because if so then none of this makes sense and because I wouldn’t trust any god that works coercively. but as someone who was a firm atheist until about 8 years ago, I’m at a point that without a god I have a hard time making sense of it either. intellectually I agree with the case for atheism but emotionally there’s something in me that needs the transcendental

[bonefall]

Goose anon here! I like to read through your posts to see what I've missed and I just reach your post about Featherwhisker! I have a few ideas I'd like to pitch about his situation. The first being, have you considered adding a potential Pur(r)gatory level for StarClan to shove cats that they can't come to a decision on? Could be similar to the ghost situation in canon, minus the whole possession thing. (1/2)

Nah, I have a purgatory already but I am staunchly opposed to it being a final destination. The Meadow of Young Stars is a waiting room. You could wander there forever if you wanted, but it's a formless, endless sparkly field. It gets boring fast.

Purgatories are almost always a cop-out, imo. Something writers fall back on in an attempt to write 'reasonably' and have a 'sensible' afterlife system. But what's 'sensible' is rarely what's compelling.

BB!StarClan isn't here to be reasonable, it's here to be an evolving reflection of Clan Culture, based on the cats who fill its ranks. It's here to make life for Clan cats better with magic powers, too, and is gatekeeping who gets to have these powers and live in paradise.

And purgatories are often such a shrug. "Ah wellp I guess this whole dichotomy is flawed! Better make a third option instead of questioning the idea of sorting people based on their actions within a brief blink of time in the face of eternity!" It's like it's kicking the idea down the line and giving them more time to make the "right" choice.

But it's the judgement that's flawed in the first place, and more importantly, WHO is making those choices.

So, no. No purgatory level. No redemption either. BB will not contain either one unless the main series does so I can comment on whatever they decide to do. For Featherwhisker it is a matter of if StarClan rules to accept him for his life of service OR if they judge him harshly based on the flawed code of ethics they enforce.

[paularoseauthor]

Navigating the Threshold: The Fear of Disclosing a Journey to Catholicism to Protestant Friends

I want to share my innermost thoughts with you and ask myself why on earth I fear sharing them with family and friends?

I want to share my innermost thoughts with you and also ask myself ‘why on earth I fear sharing my desire to be Catholic with family and friends?’ I am a Protestant minister of 40 years looking to convert to Catholicism and I am beginning shared this. However I still feel fear when sharing it with friends, colleagues and family, which is causing me anxiety . In this article are a few reasons why…

[longagoitwastuesday]

I've also been reading the three musketeers and the thesis chapter had me Cackling. the clowning on learning latin in particular and aramis as a character constantly emphasizing that being part of the higher sought after and hard-to-get-into regiment of the king's musketeers is just kind of a temp job for him is so funny. character of all time. (also bazin wanting aramis to be a abbe so bad is so good)

Disclaimer that I was actually not reading the book, just giving a look and toying with the idea of reading it soon. In fact I was reading something else, but the chapter was so funny I've abandoned it and will probably start The three musketeers instead xD

Yes! Bazin was so funny. While reading him I couldn't help but be reminded of Smee wanting to leave Neverland and done with Hook's obsession for Peter Pan. Aramis dismissing being a musketeer is hilarious, but it becomes particularly funny after reading Cyrano de Bergerac, where Cyrano mentions being a musketeer wistfully a couple of times. While I was reading the play I kept thinking that Cyrano's aspirations were basically to be Aramis haha

The use of Latin each character (the curate, the Jesuit, D'Artagnan and Aramis) does was indeed very funny, as well as insightful. I ended up reading a paper on the command each of the four protagonists has of Latin, and I loved the comparison it established between Athos and Aramis. I don't have an opinion on this formed because I have yet to read the book, which is a good thing (it will hopefully keep me from rambling), but I found what I read super interesting.

The chapter was very funny, and I felt Dumas managed everything very well? I loved the writing itself. Every part of the chapter worked wonderfully as a whole to enhance every aspect, making the funny parts more fun and drawing a more clear lively depiction of the characters.

By that I mean, basically, that even from the initial interaction between D'Artagnan and the hostess in which he asks for Aramis and she goes "the charming hot guy?" we can see Aramis' hypocrisy and unsteadiness by a mile. It's hilarious to read the chapter and see how Aramis ends up contradicting everything he does or says, at times not even that long after saying it xD

Which takes me to the thesis itself. Honestly, I loved the topics. I know they're supposed to sound a bit ridiculous and funny, but I thought Dumas conveyed very well the air of some of those intricate questions of theology that seem trifle but have a lot of implications, and end up being of a very poetic nature (such as the question about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, one of my all time favourite questions). I wasn't very interested on the topic of the hands until the Jesuit commented that sprinklers "simulate an infinite number of blessing fingers"; that's beautiful.

Now, the topic Aramis himself proposes is just gorgeous. The way he defends it with a syllogism is so clever of Dumas considering the link between theology and the development of Logic. Besides that, despite how unorthodox the topic may appear at first, as Aramis himself puts it, there is a lot of truth in what he says about the world being full of temptations and it being very much a sacrifice to leave it, and how there lies the devotional act. I ended up being very intrigued by the potential development of this thesis in a mix of appreciation of the world as God's creature, and thus the leaving of the world as an act of true love for God, of more importance; how instead of an easy surrender, the struggle and doubts are as much reflection of the condition of humanity's frailty as it is a more steady and full surrender to God.

The topic of Aramis' thesis is somewhat paradoxical yet sound, and reflects doubts, as well as an appreciation for the world, aesthetics and beauty; I think it reflects so much of what makes Aramis himself.

And then, again, there's the whole hypocrisy through the entire chapter (which is what makes it for me haha). The way he says he isn't defending a regret at renouncing the world while proposing the thesis, that the mere idea is sacrilegious, how he insists he won't miss it, that friends are but shadows and the world a grave, and still how his resolution wavers almost instantly with his "And yet, while I still hold to the earth, I would have liked to talk with you, about you, about our friends" (and what a tender shaking), only to end up asking D'Artagnan to tell him about the world in the last line? Hilarious. What an hypocrite xD

But how extremely charming and adorable, I must admit! I love how when D'Artagnan tells him "But how are you going to live while you wait for me? No more thesis, no more commentaries on fingers and blessings, eh?", Aramis smiles and replies "I shall compose verses". Truly one of the characters of all time xD

[pastordin]

Renewed Strength Through Faith in the Lord

Renewed Strength Through Faith in the Lord | Pastor Aamir and Carissa Din Home | Media | Contact Renewed Strength Through Faith in the Lord “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” — Isaiah 40:31 (NIV) Published on December 10, 2024 Dear Faithful Brothers and Sisters in…

[biblebloodhound]

For the Sake of Beauty (1 Kings 7:1-12)

Beauty in architecture is a theological statement.

King Solomon’s throne room, by Edward Poynter, 1890 Solomon’s palace took 13 years to build. Forest Hall was the largest room in the palace. It was 44 meters long, 22 meters wide, and 13.5 meters high, and was lined with cedar from Lebanon. It had 4 rows of cedar pillars, 15 in a row, and they held up 45 cedar beams. The ceiling was covered with cedar. Three rows of windows on each side faced…

[tmarshconnors]

"You don't have to give up your intellect to trust the Bible. You have to give up your pride."

Robert Charles Sproul was an American Reformed theologian and ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America. He was the founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries and could be heard daily on the Renewing Your Mind radio broadcast in the United States and internationally.

Theologian and Author: R.C. Sproul was a prominent Reformed theologian and author known for his extensive work in Christian theology. He authored numerous books on theology, biblical interpretation, and Christian living, including notable works such as "The Holiness of God" and "Chosen by God."

Founder of Ligonier Ministries: Sproul founded Ligonier Ministries in 1971, a Christian educational organization dedicated to teaching the Reformed faith through resources such as books, conferences, and broadcasts. The ministry is named after Ligonier Valley, where it was initially established.

Teaching Pastor: He served as the teaching pastor at St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, where he was influential in shaping the church’s theological direction and providing teaching and preaching that emphasized Reformed theology.

Popular Speaker and Teacher: R.C. Sproul was known for his engaging teaching style and was a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars. His teaching reached a wide audience through radio programs, such as "Renewing Your Mind," and his teaching series were widely distributed.

Reformed Theology Advocate: Sproul was a staunch advocate of Reformed theology, emphasizing doctrines such as the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, and the importance of understanding and teaching core Christian doctrines. His work contributed significantly to the spread of Reformed thought in contemporary evangelicalism.

[turiyatitta]

The Sacred Within the Flawed

A Paradox of Divine TextsIn an intricate dance between the divine and human, sacred texts from various religious and philosophical traditions find themselves at the nexus of reverence and scrutiny. These texts, while venerated as conduits of divine wisdom and moral guidance, are not immune to critique nor the acknowledgment of their inherent flaws.When we unravel the threads of any sacred text,…

[seekingtheosis]

Reflections on the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 14

Delve into the profound significance of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Orthodox Christianity. Explore its historical context, theological implications, and relevance in modern times.

In the name of God the Father, Christ Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit, One True God. Amen. But God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me and I to the world. Galatians 6:14 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ On September 14 of every year, the Church as a whole celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.…

[halkonensis]

Rumaragasang ilog ang katarungan:

Ang masaker sa pamilya Fausto at ang Kristiyanong pagsisikap para sa kapayapaan

Sa halip ay padaluyin ninyo ang katarungan, gaya ng isang ilog; gayundin ang katuwiran tulad ng isang di natutuyong batis. Amos 5:24 MBBTAG

Trigger warning: graphic descriptions of military violence

Nakagigimbal ang pagpaslang ng pamilya Fausto, mga magsasaka at kapanalig ng Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), sa kamay ng mga kagawad ng 94th Infantry Battalion ng Philippine Army (IBPA), sa Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Oriental noong Hunyo 14.

Kumikintil pa rin sa diwa ang mga litrato ng kubong tinutuluyan ng mag-anak: mga duguang bangkay na nakalaylay sa pintuan at sa hagdan. Apat na katawang balot sa puting tela, nakahandusay sina Roly Fausto, ama; Emelda Fausto, ina; at sina Ben at Ravin, mga anak.

Sinasalaysay lamang ng mga litrato ang isang parte ng kuwento. Marami pang mga pinagkakait ang 94th IBPA at ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) na mga detalye.

Ayon sa September 21 Movement, isang grupo para sa karapatang pantao, matagal nang target ng panliligalig ang mga Fausto sapagkat kasapi ang pamilya ng Baklayan, Bito, and Cabagal Farmers and Farmworkers Association (BABICAFA). Kasama sa mga ginawang paglabag sa karapatang pantao ng mga kagawad ng 94th IBPA ang panunutok ng sundang kay Emelda, pagnanakaw, pangtotortyur kay Roly upang pasukuin bilang di-umanong kasabwat ng New People’s Army (NPA), at pangraransak sa bahay, bago ang sukdulang pangmamasaker sa mag-anak.

Ngunit sa pag-iral ng kasamaan ng AFP, imbes na itaguyod ang hustisya at panagutin ang mga maysala sa kanilang hanay, pilit nilang binabalahura ang alaala ng pamilya sa pamamagitan ng pagbabaluktot sa katotohanan. Ayon kay Orlando Edralin, opisyal ng 94th IBPA, sa isang panayam sa DNX News, asset daw ng militar si Roly na nais nang bumaklas sa pagkakasabwat mula sa NPA, at ang pumatay raw sa mga Fausto ay ang mga NPA, bagay na pinabulaanan ng kaanak ng mga biktima.

Kade-kadenang Paglabag sa Karapatang Pantao

Di makakaila ang track record ng AFP (at ng estado sa pangkabuuan) sa karapatang pantao. Sa kasamaang-palad, pinupuno lamang ito ng mga paglabag.

Sa Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, minasaker noong Hulyo 22, 2022 ng pinagsanib na puwersa ng 62nd IBPA at PNP ang 18 taong gulang na si Everly Kee Jacolbe, buntis niyang ina na si Maria Christina Jacolbe, at kamag-anak na si Rodan Montero, matapos ang walang-humpay na red-tagging at pagpapahirap.

Sa ulat naman ng Karapatan Negros, pinatay naman noong Enero 9 ang magsasakang si Jose Gonazales sa Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City ng 94th IBPA, kapwa mga kagawad ding pumaslang sa mga Fausto. Nilapastangan pa ng mga sundalo ang bangkay ni Gonzales sa pagparada nito bilang babala sa mga mamamayan sa di-umanong rebelyon, ngunit pinasinungalingan ito ng mag-anak ng pinaslang.

Kamakailan lang din, nagsagawa ng seminar ang NTF-Elcac na primaryang pinatatakbo ng kasundaluhan sa mga pagawaan ng Philfoods Fresh Baked Products Inc. at Gardenia Bakeries, Phils. sa probinsya ng Laguna upang pigilan ang pagtatayo at paglakas ng unyon ng mga manggagawa. Di nagpapigil ang mga sundalong i-red-tag ang Unyon ng Panadero-Gardenia Bakeries, Phils. (PANADERO-OLALIA-KMU) at paratangang NPA ang opisyal nitong si Rhoel Alconera. Ganito ring panliligalig ang ginagawa ng mga kagawad ng NTF-Elcac at mga sundalo sa mga pagawaan tulad ng Wyeth-Nestle at Fuji sa Laguna.

Ang Kristiyanong Sagot: Kapayapaang batay sa Katarungan

Ngunit sa harap ng lantarang paglabag sa karapatang pantao, ano ang dapat itugon ng kabataang Kristiyano?

Ang sagot ay nakasaad sa Banal na Aklat: pagsikapang matamo ang kapayapaang nakabatay sa katarungan. (Isa 2:4, Mik. 4:3, Joel 4:10)

Batay sa katotohanang ang tao ay nilalang na kawangis ng Diyos, ang katarungan ay ang pagtataguyod ng dignidad ng bawat buhay ng tao. Nilalapastangan ng rehimeng Marcos-Duterte ang dignidad na ito sa porma ng pagkakait ng pagtataas ng sahod, pagpapabayang tumaas ang presyo ng bilihin, kawalan ng reporma sa lupa, hindi pagsasaayos ng matagalang krisis sa edukasyon, at pagpapatahimik sa mga balidong daing ng mamamayan. Isama pa ang pagdaragdag ng base-militar ng US sa lupain ng Pilipinas, pagraratsada ng Mandatory ROTC, at pagtutulak sa Maharlika Wealth Fund.

Kung totoo ngang kapayapaan ang nais makamit ng rehimen gamit ang mga galamay nito tulad ng AFP at PNP, ano ba ang pagpapakahulugan nila sa kapayapaan? Ito ang kalagayang wala nang lumalaban sa kanila upang magawa ang lahat ng gusto nila at makuha ang lahat ng luho nila.

Labis naman itong kaiba sa kapayapaan para sa sambayanang Pilipino. Simple ang hangad: magkaroon ng marangal na kabuhayan, tamang oras ng masustansyang pagkain, tirahang sasanggala mula sa init at ulan, karapatan sa pagpapahayag, at edukasyon ng mga kabataan. Kung ikukumpara sa kasalukuyang kalagayan, talagang nakaririndi ang kawalan ng kapayapaan lalo na at nabubuhay ang sambayanan sa panahon ng kawalang-katarungan.

Bilang mga kabataang Kristiyano naghahangad ng kapayapaan at nagtataguyod ng katarungan, kailangang balikan ang Mabuting Balita ayon kay Lucas. Mula sa pagsasalaysay, sinabi ni Cristo na kaakibat ng pagsunod sa kanya ang pagtatakwil sa sarili at pagpapasan sa krus (9:23). Mapapatotoo natin ang pangakong Kaharian ng Diyos dito sa lupa sa pagsunod natin kay Jesus. Dapat nating iwaksi ang pagkamakasarili sa pamamagitan ng pag-ugnay ng problema ng kabataan sa mas malawak na problemang kinahaharap ng sambayanang Pilipino. Ang krus na papasanin natin ay ang mabigat na krus ng aktibong pagbaka at pakikibaka laban sa namamayaning kasamaang nagpapahirap sa bayan ng Diyos.

Wika nga ni Jesus sa kanyang sermon sa bundok, “Pinagpala ang mga gumagawa ng paraan sa kapayapaan, sapagkat sila’y ituturing na mga anak ng Diyos.” (Mt. 5:9 MBBTAG) Gayong mahaba ang landasin ng Kalbaryo para sa Kristiyanong kabataan at sambayanang lumalaban, tayo rin ang bubukalan ng katuwiran upang dumaloy ang katarungang parang ilog (Amos 5:24).

Magsumikap para sa kapayapaan! Paragasain natin ang ilog ng katarungan!

Hustisya para sa pamilya Fausto! Singilin ang 94th IBPA at ang rehimeng Marcos-Duterte!

[cedarofgod]

I think that American Evangelicals often find it challenging to understand and empathise with Christians in the Middle East due to the stark contrasts between their cultural contexts and theological foundations, which are closely intertwined. Evangelicalism places a strong emphasis on individualism, particularly a personal relationship with Jesus, focusing heavily on privatised salvation and direct access to God through prayer and scripture. This privatisation of religious life contrasts sharply with the communal and sacramental expressions of Christianity prevalent in the Middle East. There, faith is practised within a collective framework that emphasises communal worship, shared rituals, and long-standing traditions that have transcended centuries. For many Christians in the Middle East, the Church is not merely a place for personal worship but an important institution that preserves traditions, cultural heritage, and social cohesion, especially in regions where Christians, as a minority, face persecution or marginalisation.

The sacraments, which are largely absent from Evangelical practice, play a central role in fostering communalism and spiritual life for Middle Eastern Christians. The sacraments are not merely symbolic acts of individual faith but deeply communal experiences that bind believers together. Among them, the Eucharist holds a place of profound significance, serving as the central act of worship in many Christian traditions. The Eucharist is not simply a memorial of Christ's sacrifice; it is a shared ritual that embodies the unity of the Church, transcending time and space, and connecting believers with fellow Christians across the world and throughout history. This communal aspect of Christian life, particularly evident in Middle Eastern Christian communities, reflects the vision Christ had for His Church— a community of believers bound by love, shared faith, and common worship. These communities are not just descendants of the first Christians in a geographical sense; they are the living embodiment of the traditions and practices that have defined the Church from its earliest days.

[sepublic]

O Titan, Where Art Thou is insane for reasons. One of them being how we have Dana Terrace reflect on her own Catholic background via theological ruminations about God, boiling down to: What does God think? How does God feel? Is he happy with his role? Does he want more outside of being God? And it’s all dressed under the surface of King and Steve talking about a victim of cult symbology.

It really made me look at Christianity in a way I never have, that felt thoughtful and non-edgy because sure we have Sympathy for the Devil. But what about Sympathy for God as a person who struggles with a role and is not planning everything out perfectly yet means well, whose power IS limited but tries despite that, and perhaps this is the most ideal portrayal/outcome of all? Really living up to the episode title huh?

I also love that Steve is the one who figures out, before anyone else, that the Titan is Just Some Guy, who’s made mistakes (Just like Steve!!!), and all of these things. A masked member of the Emperor’s Coven more accurate on what the will of the Titan is; Talk about a real prophet of the Titan, he certainly has a better relationship with a living one, that being his son. And I also also love how all of this is another example of how Dana effortlessly balances Be Gay, Do Witchcraft with her nuanced interpretation and dynamic with God and Christianity.

[room-surprise]

EXTERNAL INFLUENCES IN DUNGEON MESHI: INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

(SPOILERS FOR DUNGEON MESHI BELOW)

We know that Ryoko Kui spent considerable time at the beginning of working on Dungeon Meshi doing research and planning the series. Kui constantly references real world culture, history and mythology, but she also occasionally references real-world philosophy.

The story of Dungeon Meshi is full of philosophical questions about the joy and privilege of being alive, the inevitability of death and loss, the importance of taking care of yourself and your loved ones, and the purpose and true nature of desire. Kui explores these issues through the plot, the characters, and even the fundamental building blocks that make up her fictional fantasy world. Though it’s impossible to say without Kui making a statement on the issue, I believe Dungeon Meshi reflects many elements of ancient Indian philosophy and religion.

It’s possible that Kui just finds these ideas interesting to write about, but doesn’t have any personal affiliation with either religion, however I would not be at all surprised if I learned that Kui is a Buddhist, or has personal experience with Buddhism, since it’s one of the major religions in Japan.

I could write many essays trying to explain these extremely complex concepts, and I know that my understanding of them is imperfect, but I’ll do my best to explain them in as simple a way as possible to illustrate how these ideas may have influenced Kui’s work.

HINDUISM

Hinduism is the third-largest religion in the world and originates in India. The term Hinduism is a huge umbrella that encompasses many diverse systems of thought, but they have some shared theological elements, and share many ancient texts and myths.

According to Classical Hindu belief, there are four core goals in human life, and they are the pursuit of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha.

Dharma is the natural order of the universe, and also one’s obligation to carry out their part in it. It is the pursuit and execution of one’s inherent nature and true calling, playing one’s role in the cosmic order.

Artha is the resources needed for an individual’s material well-being. A central premise of Hindu philosophy is that every person should live a joyous, pleasurable and fulfilling life, where every person's needs are acknowledged and fulfilled. A person's needs can only be fulfilled when sufficient means are available.

Kama is sensory, emotional, and aesthetic pleasure. Often misinterpreted to only mean “sexual desire”, kama is any kind of enjoyment derived from one or more of the five senses, including things like having sex, eating, listening to music, or admiring a painting. The pursuit of kama is considered an essential part of healthy human life, as long as it is in balance with the pursuit of the three other goals.

Moksha is peace, release, nirvana, and ultimate enlightenment. Moksha is freedom from ignorance through self-knowledge and true understanding of the universe, and the end of the inevitable suffering caused by the struggle of being alive. When one has reached true enlightenment, has nothing more to learn or understand about the universe, and has let go of all earthly desires, they have attained moksha, and they will not be reborn again. In Hinduism’s ancient texts, moksha is seen as achievable through the same techniques used to practice dharma, for example self-reflection and self-control. Moksha is sometimes described as self-discipline that is so perfect that it becomes unconscious behavior.

The core conflict of Hinduism is the eternal struggle between the material and immaterial world. It is often said that all of the material world is “an illusion,” and what this means is that all good and bad things will inevitably end, because the material world is finite. On the one hand, this is sad, because everything good in life will one day cease to exist, but on the other hand, this is reassuring, because all of the bad things will eventually end as well, and if one can accept this, they will be at peace.

The central debate of Hinduism is, which is more important: Satisfying your needs as a living thing, having a good life as a productive member of society, serving yourself, your family, and the world by participating in it the way nature intended? Or is it rejecting desire and attachment, discovering the true nature of existence, realizing the impermanence of material things, and that one can only escape the suffering that comes from the struggle of life by accepting that death and loss are inevitable?

There is no set answer to this question, and most believers of Hinduism tend to strike a balance between the two extremes simply because that’s what happens when a person leads a normal, average life, however there are also those who believe that pursuing extremes will lead to ultimate enlightenment and final release as well.

BUDDHISM

Buddhism is an Indian religion and philosophical tradition that originated in the 5th century BCE, based on teachings attributed to religious teacher the Buddha. It is the world's fourth-largest religion and though it began in India, it has spread throughout all of Asia and has played a major role in Asian culture and spirituality, eventually spreading to the West beginning in the 20th century.

Buddhism is partially derived from the same worldview and philosophical belief system as Hinduism, and the main difference is that the Buddha taught that there is a “middle way” that all people should strive to attain, and that the excesses of asceticism (total self-denial) or hedonism (total self-indulgence) practiced by some Hindus could not lead a person to moksha/enlightenment/release from suffering.

Buddhism teaches that the primary source of suffering in life is caused by misperception or ignorance of two truths; nothing is permanent, and there is no individual self.

Buddhists believe that dukkha (suffering) is an innate characteristic of life, and it is manifested in trying to “have” or “keep” things, due to fear of loss and suffering. Dukkha is caused by desire. Dukkha can be ended by ceasing to feel desire through achieving enlightenment and understanding that everything is a temporary illusion.

There are many, many other differences between Hinduism and Buddhism, but these elements are the ones that I think are most relevant to Kui’s work.

Extreme hedonism involves seeking sensual pleasure without any limits. This could just be indulging in what people would consider “normal” pleasures, like food, sex, drugs and the arts, but it can also involve doing things which are considered socially repugnant, either literally or by taking part in symbolic rituals that represent these acts. Some examples are holding religious meetings in forbidden places, consuming forbidden substances (including human flesh), using human bones as tools, or engaging in sex with partners who are considered socially unacceptable (unclean, wrong gender, too young, too old, related to the practitioner). Again, these acts may be done literally or symbolically.

Extreme ascetic practices involve anything that torments the physical body, and some examples are meditation without breathing, the total suppression of bodily movement, refusing to lay down, tearing out the hair, going naked, wearing rough and painful clothing, laying on a mat of thorns, or starving oneself.

HOW THIS CONNECTS TO DUNGEON MESHI

Kui’s most emphasized message in Dungeon Meshi is that being alive is a fleeting, temporary experience that once lost, cannot truly be regained, and is therefore precious in its rarity. Kui also tells us that to be alive means to desire things, that one cannot exist without the other, that desire is essential for life. This reflects the four core goals of human life in Hinduism and Buddhism, but also could be a criticism of some aspects of these philosophies.

I think Kui’s story shows the logical functionality of the four core goals: only characters who properly take care of themselves, and who accept the risk of suffering are able to thrive and experience joy. I think Kui agrees with the Buddhist stance that neither extreme hedonism nor extreme self-denial can lead to enlightenment and ultimate bliss… But I also think that Kui may be saying that ultimate bliss is an illusion, and that the greatest bliss can only be found while a person is still alive, experiencing both loss and desire as a living being.

Kui tells us living things should strive to remain alive, no matter how difficult living may be sometimes, because taking part in life is inherently valuable. All joy and happiness comes from being alive and sharing that precious, limited life with the people around you, and knowing that happiness is finite and must be savored.

Dungeon Meshi tells us souls exist, but never tells us where they go or what happens after death. I think this is very intentional, because Kui doesn’t want readers to think that the characters can just give up and be happy in their next life, or in an afterlife.

There is resurrection in Dungeon Meshi, but thematically there are really no true “second chances.” Although in-universe society views revival as an unambiguous good and moral imperative, Kui repeatedly reminds us of its unnatural and dangerous nature. Although reviving Falin is a central goal of the story, it is only when Laios and Marcille are able to let go of her that the revival finally works… And after the manga’s ending, Kui tells us Falin leaves Laios and Marcille behind to travel the world alone, which essentially makes her dead to them anyway, since she is absent from their lives.

At the same time, Kui tells us that trying to prevent death, or avoid all suffering and loss is a foolish quest that will never end in happiness, because loss and suffering are inevitable and must someday be endured as part of the cycle of life. Happiness cannot exist without suffering, just like the joy of eating requires the existence of hunger, and even starvation.

Kui equates eating with desire itself, using it as a metaphor to describe anything a living creature might want, Kui also views the literal act of eating as the deepest, most fundamental desire of a living thing, the desire that all other desires are built on top of. If a living thing doesn’t eat, it will not have the energy necessary to engage with any other part of life. Toshiro, Mithrun, and Kabru are all examples of this in the story: They don’t take care of themselves and they actively avoid eating, and as a result they suffer from weakness, and struggle to realize their other desires.

Kui suggests that the key difference between being alive or dead is whether or not someone experiences desire. If you are alive, even if you feel empty and cannot identify your desires like Mithrun, you still have desires because you would be dead without them. The living body desires to breathe, to eat, to sleep, even if a person has become numb, or rejected those desires either to punish themselves, or out of a lack of self-love.

Sometimes, we have to do things which are painful and unpleasant, in order to enjoy the good things that make us happy. I believe Kui is telling us that giving up, falling into despair, and refusing to participate in life is not a viable solution either.

The demon only learns to experience desire by entering into and existing in the material, finite world. This experience intoxicates the demon, and it becomes addicted to feeling both the suffering of desire, and the satisfaction of having it fulfilled. This unnatural situation is what endangers the Dungeon Meshi world, and it’s only by purging the demon of this ability to desire that the world can be saved. The demon is like a corrupted Buddha that must give up its desires in order to return to the peaceful existence it had before it was corrupted.

The demon curses Laios to never achieve his greatest desires at the end of the manga, which manifests in several ways, such as losing his monstrous form, Falin choosing to leave after she’s revived, and being unable to get close to monsters because they are afraid of him. In some ways you could compare Laios to a Bodhisattva, a person who tries to aid others in finding nirvana/moksha, even if it prolongs their own suffering and prevents them from finding personal release. Laios gives the demon peace, but Laios himself will never be able to satisfy his desires, and must eventually come to accept his loss and move on with his life.

(This is an excerpt from Chapter 3 of my Real World Cultural and Linguistic influences in Dungeon Meshi essay.)

[theoxenfree]

TINCTURE OF ACONITE

werewolf x "magic" practitioner!reader | 2.4k

a man is told about a dilapidated inn on the outskirts of the village that houses a practitioner of unsavory sorts. he seeks you out to find a cure for his affliction—lycanthropy. with blood on his hands, at the mercy of a fate of cruel uncertainties, he has no choice but to take on the task you give to him and the catch that comes with it: he must decide if he deserves to live or die.

warnings; dark fantasy, mentions of blood and mutilation, a very dark interpretation of lycanthropy, very evasive interpretation of what a "practitioner" is, mc smokes, theological discussion, derogatory insult (e.g. bitch), roughly proofread.

this is the first of my prompts fulfilled for my personal october writing project! this was also the prompt that won the first poll!

i would appreciate it enormously if y'all would please reblog + leave me feedback on this! particularly if you'd be interested in seeing this as a full story down the line!

From the hawk-nosed widow selling stale bread and wrinkled, gray potatoes with mysterious growths, he'd learned about a dilapidated inn fringing the northwest end of the village. There, she had said warily, with keen and wise eyes showing wide whites and tiny bloodshot threads, he would find the answers to everything he had never asked for.

He would find the Practitioner.

It took him less time than he thought to find his way across the village, away from the cursory and reluctant and distrustful looks as he lumbered through in his heavy boots and loose-fitting black tatters he'd sewn together himself time and time again. His face was haggard, skin wet and ashen, and he couldn't remember the last time he held a blade to shave his face, tame his long, dark hair.

To the townspeople, he must've looked like a wildman; uncivilized; belonging to the deep wood and meadows and smelling thickly of untouched nature, mud, and musk. Perhaps, now, he was just that because he also could no longer remember a time where he'd been welcome to sleep in a bed, ate a meal cooked and seasoned to be used with cutlery, allowed himself to be gripped by scalding water and bath salts, reveled the touch of another person.

Upon reaching the inn sometime later, a tiered, hulking structure which seemed to rot from the inside out; the middle of the massive thing bowing inward as though slowly being sucked underground—into hell, he was greeted at the entrance without ever having needed to knock.

“Second floor,” was all the older fellow said. A man with unhealthy grayness to his complexion that rivaled his own. All of the vigor, pink liveliness was long gone from his face and his eyes reflected nothing—not a want, a wish, a worry, or thought beyond remembering to move one foot after the next to keep locomotion.

He moved beyond the gaunt, wispy fellow who quietly closed the door, then shuffled off through another threshold leading elsewhere. He'd been instructed to go to the left, to the end of hall and through the door which faced him.

When he did this, the somnolent dreariness of the world outside fell away and he was sucked into silence filled with static. The room was sentient, almost, swirling with immense wafts of burning herbs, fragrant flora, dark tendrils of smoke emerging from wilted candle wicks and the cherry flickers at the tips of them.

“Well, aren't you a sad sight!” Your voice was deceptively upbeat in comparison to this room, this place. He noticed you seated in a high-backed chair padded in ripped red velvet, a large table stretched out before you and sprawled with many, endless things. “It isn't easy to find this place. Who told you about me?”

“The potato seller at the village.” He said.

You pressed a flat, metal tip between your lips and sucked in on some weird instrument, blowing out a profuse cloud of faint, purple smoke which smelled otherworldly and familiar.

“You mean the widow with the crazy eyes?”

“I…suppose so, yes.”

“She's crazy, you know?”

“She told me you'd be able to cure me.”

You smiled like he'd just told you an amusing joke, wooed you a bit in the process. He watched your teeth come out from behind your lips and clench down on the metal tip.

“Cure you? She wouldn't have used those words. She despises me and likes to think people she sends my way meet their death. What a vindictive old bitch. She’ll get hers one day.” You said, then gestured to the empty chair opposite the table to you. “I’m flattered you think so highly of me, though. We’ve only just met. But, I know a desperate man when I see one. I know a cursed man when I see one.”

The chair was uncomfortable, not at all wide enough, strong enough to bear his form but it did not collapse under his weight, only creaked and whimpered. You were observing him as casually as he would have had a friend a long time ago, with such little regard for safety, little fear of this brawny and moody stranger sitting across from you at a table with countless, shatterable objects.

It occurred to him after an awkward moment of silence (on his end, you were perfectly at ease), you were waiting for him to diffuse his anguish, his worries, his curse—why he was really here in this room with you now. Only, he wasn't sure where to start, nor what information he could give that you'd consider pertinent apart from the rest.

He'd forgotten how to speak to people during his long, lonely solitude as well, it seemed.

“The woman—the widow—she told me you're a practitioner in the Devil’s Magic. Is that true?” he mumbled, for one second considering taking one of the hundreds of baubles on the table to turn over in his hands. “I do not much believe in any of that. The workings of any god or evil, it isn't related to my affliction. But, I want to know if you're actually capable of curing me, or a charlatan scamming the poor to be even poorer.”

You exhaled more of the luxurious smoke from your strange pipe before finally setting it aside to take up a round flask made of clear glass. Despite it appearing empty, something unseeable sloshed within—water, perhaps—and it smelled foul when you uncorked it.

“Devil’s Magic,” you seemed to consider his wordage with a derisive smile, but he had a feeling this wasn't about him. “That old wretch is something else. Handsome Sir, I am a lot of things and no one important. I am no witch, wizard, magician, druid, and I am certainly no charlatan. I might be able to help you with your case of lycanthropy.”

Hope reignited in his eyes, still but a dull flicker waiting to be snuffed as it had many times before, yet he always dared to feel this way whenever a possibility arose.

“I—never mentioned my affliction,” surprised as he was, he now knew he'd made the right choice spending his afternoon finding the inn rather than continuing onward for the next town. “How can you be so certain that's what I suffer—”

“A man of your destitute and good manners aren't the types who get stricken with vampirism or cursed by hags. You were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, I'll bet. A good man, loyal to a fault to an… owner? An employer? A lover, perhaps?”

You were staring over his face searchingly at the end, carefully winding your wrist with the nauseating, invisible concoction in your hand. For a moment, there was nothing but silence as he considered the meaning behind your exact curiosity, trying to pry an answer from you with a stern look he'd used to terrify and award himself some small, scarce comforts.

When you didn't falter, he slouched deeper into his seat, clearly defeated by your eccentricity and dumb fearlessness.

“Thousands of miles away, I once served a Duke and a Duchess as their guard. One night, I was sent out as the baleful cries of some beast had sent My Lady into a frenzy, my My Lord into a fit of rage. Those lands were cursed, everyone was well aware, but I've never thought above my status and so I went.

“The night was all around me. Something lurked in the trees, perhaps lost souls, perhaps something else. The mist moved as though alive, a limb, an arm, an extension of the forest itself and I could scarcely see. But then, I saw it: an enormous, bent creature in a man’s torn clothes. It had the vicious face of a wolf, yet it could walk upright like a man and when I gave chase, it could sprint unlike anything I'd ever seen.”

You were leaning to one side of your throne now, an arm bent on top of the armrest while you swiveled the bottle, still watching him as though he were simply divulging some asinine discontent.

“I—” he paused, breathing arrested behind the rise of ugliness in his throat, something that tasted as vile as it was to remember.

Until then, he had been speaking to you quietly and sullen, like a man resolved to his fate. But now, he listened to his own voice fracture, quiver, and croak. Beyond that, his face and ears burned, aching from embarrassment, every emotion he had belittled himself into hiding away.

“I—was restrained by the damned thing and it took a chunk out of my side. I thought it would rip me apart; part of me wishes it had. Everything after that for a while is a blur to me even now, and I never remember the instances when I… change… only that the night calls to me, the moon a siren’s song.”

“Have you killed anyone as a beast?” you asked.

The mention made his gaze shift down to his hands which still groped the bauble, finding it a safe thing to concentrate on in that moment. Fortunately, the impossible heat in his head was quickly receding and he could once again fully regain clarity.

“I would have to believe so, yes,” he chose to say, honestly. “When I become the monster, I never have a recollection of the things that happen. But, I've awoken enough times covered in blood, surrounded by mutilation to ever claim otherwise.”

Now, you had the pipe back in your mouth and were inhaling the dreamy fumes. Letting the purple haze out of your nostrils. You were no longer looking at him, instead skittering the vastness of things across your tabletop, obviously in search of something.

“I want to be forthright with you, though you've only kept an air of mystery around yourself the entire time,” he started, replacing the object back on your table with the rest. “Either, I want your help for a cure, or I want you to develop a poison that will kill both myself and the beast inside of me.”

Your eyebrows ticked up, conveying the most emotion he'd seen out of you yet. “Those are both extremes. I cannot promise you anything because I am not a practitioner of magic or miracles. I am simply: the Practitioner. You will be the one to decide your own fate, for I cannot decide it for you.”

“I don't understand.” He looked at you helplessly, weathered and weighted.

From among the mass of stuff before you both, you pulled out a small notebook bound in leather, secured with a strap. You resumed puffing away on your pipe once he took it from you, studying it with some measure of apprehension and revulsion.

“This notebook contains many different specimens I've studied over, oh, some years. One of those specimens is a plant called aconite. You must find me a bushel, along with a handful of other things, and bring them back to me for me to create the tincture you need to either be cured or poisoned.”

He examined the notebook front to back several times, as though all of his answers would suddenly materialize across the covers. Of course, no such thing happened. “You have this table of the strangest things I've ever seen, and yet you don't have the things needed to create the tincture. I’m finding you to be a liar.”

You gave a great huff of exasperation, blowing purple smoke towards him in retaliation. “And I'm finding you to be among the dullest of men I've ever met. These things that I have do not serve a purpose to individuals. You must be the one to create the tincture for yourself. It is the intention behind it; your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and desires. You have to decide what you truly think you deserve—what you truly want.”

“That is witchcraft,” he said, incredulous. “It's magic!”

Again, you gripped the metal with your teeth and smiled around it. “Is it magic, or is it the power of your own thinking? Is your lycanthropy the result of a beast or your own illness? Will you live or die? I can't answer those things for you.”

“Then, I must go.” He found a pocket inside his coat that hadn't worn or torn with all his previous transformations and tucked it there. When he rose from the crackling chair, wood springing back to life once he was out of it, you surprisingly stood with him. “I'll find the answers I need. I'll return to you with these things.”

You were less awful seeming up close, a normal person dwarfed by his size. It was an odd feeling to be in such close proximity to someone else, one who didn't shrink and cower beneath the severity of his face—the dark brows and dark hair and unshaven jaw. But, you stood there with him next to the door to let him out, unafraid and fixed in your confidence that he would bring you no harm.

It moved him.

It moved him so deeply that he reached for your warmth, or your illusion, and kissed you deeply. He relished the touch of your lips, the press of your body against his, and the taste of your fragrant smoke which was effervescent and sparkling in his mind.

He could have taken you to bed right then, lain naked with you, damp with sticking skin while tangled together in an embrace, luxuriating in the afterglow.

But, he could not answer those desires while with his affliction as you would die, and he couldn't burden that sort of grief after knowing the touch of another. He even wondered, with some shame, whether he deserved to know someone of your caliber, your mysticism and wisdom, after slaughtering men and women whom he'd never know the names of. Those whose families would never know closure.

He kissed you once more, letting it linger and swell with his feelings before he let you go and went for the door.

“I'll return to you.”

You still had your pipe and smoked it, smiling evenly and contentedly.

“I wonder what you'll choose in the end.”

[pastordin]

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