#and would rather give dead white men forgiveness and build on their concepts than even try to understand black feminist theory in any way

[bunnyboy-juice]

its disappointing seeing (primarily white) people take concepts and frameworks that were developed in the context of systemic oppression and try to turn it into identity politics and when that ultimately doesn't work bc these concepts were not created to be individual labels/exact experiences of Every Single Individual but were coined to describe a trend or group experience or type of oppression etc these same ppl will turn around and demonize the entire framework, completely neglecting the original context and instead try to coin thousands of redundant concepts rooted in interpersonal validity that skirt around the original concept but never hit the nail on the head because they cant understand the missing piece is often community real world experiences

[pilgrimdrewbert-blog]

Never Enough: The Dream Destiny Pursuit of the Charismatic Movement

The dimly lit auditorium pulses with emotional choruses from Bethel as individuals line up to receive a word from the Lord. A visiting speaker just poured out his heart, pleading with folks to “pursue God’s dream”. The church’s prophet lays his hands on them one at a time, declaring their unique destiny in vague but exciting terms...

“I feel the Lord saying, ‘Your season of waiting is over. Your breakthrough is right around the corner. Press into the dreams I have placed within your heart. The world needs what I have entrusted to you’.” 

This scenario plays out frequently in many Charismatic churches across North America, Europe, and throughout large portions of Africa and South America. The “Dream Destiny” concept is not limited to Charismatics but is popular throughout so much of mainstream Evangelicalism. 

The Dream Destiny idea goes something like this...

Jesus died for you to have so much more than you’re currently experiencing. He wants you and even needs you to tap into your full potential, because when you do, you’ll be able to accomplish God’s epic plan for your life. There’s a dormant destiny within you that needs to be awakened. God is trying everything He can to release your inner champion. When you finally break out of your cocoon, you’ll do great exploits for Jesus and the world will never be the same.  

If you sat under Charismatic teachings for any length of time, you doubtless felt pressure to become a spiritual elite. If your experience was anything like mine, you were told to “press in” and strive for that “next level” experience. Just beyond your reach was a second tier of Christian living…You know, “Radical Christianity”?

According to the leaders and influencers, God wants you to spearhead a movement and inspire a generation. “Don’t settle for an ordinary life. Normal Christianity is radically supernatural.”

But you never pressed in hard enough. You never groaned deep enough. Your prayers just weren’t anointed enough. Every conference that promised to change your life failed to do so. No matter what, it was never enough.

The Burden God Never Gave

If you’re reading this and you haven’t felt this pressure from spiritual leaders, then praise God. But at this very moment, millions of precious souls are struggling underneath a burden that God never intended them to bear. 

Does the Bible teach that God has a special dream for your life which He’s waiting for you to discover? If so, what’s holding you back and why does it only seem to work out for the dynamic leader on stage?

Most American Evangelicals have heard the saying, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” Coffee cups and journal covers are inscribed with Jeremiah 29:11,

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Does God frown upon those with an ordinary existence? Is He upset with His children if they are content and failing to dream of greater things?

Let’s be honest. Most of us have normal lives with mundane, repetitive jobs. Our schedules aren’t full of speaking engagements and mission trips to the far flung regions of the earth. Our lives are limited. We have bills to pay and mouths to feed. Reality has a way of leaving us stuck where we are, and mainstream Charismatic leaders would have you despise your hidden, seemingly insignificant life. 

Imagine today’s self appointed apostles and prophets telling first century slaves to “dream a God sized dream” and to discover their unique purpose. Slavery was extremely common in the Roman Empire. The slaves had no upward mobility and very few life choices. They pretty much had three options as a Christian slave.

They could...

1) Rebel against their master and run away, risking likely death.  2) Grudgingly serve their master and hate their life. 3) Look at their service as serving the Lord and do it willingly and to the best of their abilities with a gracious attitude. 

For a first century slave, living a godly life wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t complicated either. Peter writes some wonderful encouragement in his first epistle, 

“Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”  - 1 Peter 2:18-25

Just like a Christian who was free, an enslaved Christian repented and believed in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, and then, being accepted in the sight of God because of Christ’s merit, their redeemed life was to be lived to God’s glory and praise. But it was a simple life with a living hope. Christ transformed their heart and gave them His Holy Spirit. They would never lead a movement or speak to nations, but they would impact their master’s household. Even if their master never believed the Gospel, God assured the enslaved Christian that his or her service was not in vain. 

“Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”  - Colossians 3:22-24

Depending on who their master was, life as a slave could be very difficult. But their marching orders from God were simple...Honor your master with your work as one who fears God. Trust in Christ who will reward you when this brief life of hardship is over. 

For many Christians today, the same reality exists. Believers in China live at the bottom of the social food chain and suffer regular persecution and limitations on their freedom. Poverty stricken saints in India, Nigeria, Romania, etc don’t have the liberty to quit their day jobs and move into full time ministry. This doesn’t stop “anointed leaders” with high budget ministries from urging the poor to have faith for a breakthrough into their destiny. Not surprisingly, the breakthrough usually requires them to part with more of their hard earned money. 

These prophets of dreams and destiny preach that God wants to promote everyone to greatness, but there’s only so much room on the platform. In the end, the spotlight is reserved for the elites. Like a carrot on a stick, they dangle before you the Christian life of your dreams, but it’s always just out of reach. Will one more conference do the trick? One more book touting the secrets to unlock a fulfilling and significant life? One more e-course on how to “reign in life” and “live a life of purpose”? No, it’s never enough. 

Here’s the liberating truth: you don’t need to find your dream destiny because it doesn’t exist. If you are a Christian, you have been promised eternal life, and one day you will enter into the joy of your Master. There He will wipe away every tear and put an end to pain. But for as long as He calls us to walk here below, we are promised that a godly life will be accompanied by persecution and difficulty. 

God isn’t waiting on you to discover some secret ingredient to a life of significance. Rather, He’s spelled it out for you plainly in the written Word. 

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Ephesians 2:10 says,

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Our good works have already been prepared for us and God’s Word is sufficient to equip us for the task. No extra revelation is needed. 

For the slave, the good works prepared beforehand consist in serving their master with respect and living to please God rather than men. 

The husband’s good works involve loving his wife so much that he lays down his life for her, following in the steps of his Savior. The wife does her good works by honoring her husband and following him as he follows Christ. Children are to obey their parents and parents are to patiently raise their children in the truth. 

Then all the “one another’s” of Scripture come into play. Disciples of Christ are to...

- Love one another (John 13:34)

- Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)

- Honor one another (Romans 12:10)

- Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)

- Build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11) 

Click here for a list of the “one another’s”

As Christians, we are to be ready at all times to give an answer for the hope that’s within us. We live with certain hope and love our enemies with grace and forgiveness. When given the opportunity, we proclaim Christ crucified for guilty sinners. As we boast in our Savior and articulate Who He is and what He’s done, the Holy Spirit does the heavy lifting, taking dead souls out of darkness and giving them new life in the kingdom of the Beloved Son. 

The stuff we need to be doing is written down for us in black and white. All that is needful for the Christian to know has been revealed in Holy Scripture. It is sufficient to teach us what to believe and how to live. Christ has fulfilled the law on our behalf and set us free from its curse. We are now free to live for His glory and for the good of others. We have nothing to earn and nothing to lose. It’s a simple life. And it’s simply for God’s glory. 

Is it not a comfort to know that something’s not wrong with you if your life is not as epic as the "prophets of destiny” once foretold? God isn’t frowning upon your ordinary life with its simple joys and real hardships. If reality has you stuck, it’s okay. God orchestrated the circumstances that led to your limitations and He calls you to trust Him right where you are. You aren’t going to miss your dream destiny. Your destiny is with Christ in a new heaven and new earth and it will be better than your wildest dreams. 

But take a deep breath about your life. Christ said repeatedly not to worry about it. 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?“  - Matthew 6:25

But you may be thinking, “Don’t I need to seek the Lord’s will for my life?” Yes, you do. 

“Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”  - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

If you are a humble student of God’s Word, living daily with repentance and faith in Christ and pursuing holiness, then you can’t miss God’s will. He’s sovereign. He providentially arranges the details of your life and yet leaves you with decisions. Seek wisdom and make God honoring choices. Repent when you don’t and relax, knowing that you aren’t missing your purpose. Your purpose is to glorify the living God and enjoy Him forever. 

Let’s take an example. Phillip is 22 years old. He just graduated from college and wants to be a missionary to Bangladesh. Does he need to fast and pray for 20 days to confirm the will of the Lord? How would he know if 20 days of fasting is long enough? What if the confirmation of his calling was coming on the 24th day of fasting?

I’m not against fasting. It ought to be a time of honest prayer and searching God’s Word. But you don’t need a whisper from Heaven to make a wise decision, nor should you expect to hear one. People have spiritual experiences all the time that they mistake to be a sign from God. There is an endless supply of subjective experiences that could be used to justify a decision, but you need objective truth on which to stand. You’ll find such rock solid objectivity in the Bible. Take it up and read. Ask questions of those more mature in the faith. Pray for wisdom. 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”  - James 1:5

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to move to Bangladesh is Phillip’s. God paves the way or shuts the door in His providence. He need not seek for a sign. Rather, he should seek clarity and wisdom from Scripture to make the best choice. Is he biblically qualified for the task? Can he faithfully handle God’s Word and proclaim Law and Gospel? Is he in a sound church that desires to send him and equip him? All these questions and more would help him to make a wise and biblical choice for God’s glory. He doesn’t have to worry about missing God’s wonderful plan. If the Lord wants Phillip to stay put, He’s able to arrange it. 

But you say, “When God shuts a door, He opens a window.” No, sometimes He leaves you stuck in the same situation indefinitely. And there’s nothing wrong with that. We get to serve Christ in every station. If at the end of your life, no one knows your name but a small circle of people, it won’t matter. What will matter is whether or not you walked in a manner worthy of the Gospel. You don’t need an angelic visitation to equip you for that. His Word informs you and His Spirit empowers you. Be free of the pressure to be significant. If you belong to Christ, you are significant to Him though all the world despise you.

He really does love you and He really does have a wonderful plan for your life, but His definition of wonderful might look more like the New Testament and less like your dreams. His will for you = your sanctification. It may look nothing like you dreamed, but He promises you, that in the end, it will be GOOD. His wonderful plan may involve tragedies and dark nights of the soul. Your last night on earth may be spent in a prison cell, but you will awake in the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Your first glimpse of Immanuel’s Land will more than confirm that YES, His plan was good...so very good. 

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”  - Romans 8:28-30

Friends, there are not two classes of Christians. There aren’t those who discover and fulfill their unique purpose and those who don’t. There are only Christians who repent from sin, believe upon Christ, and live holy lives while awaiting their Master’s return. 

So what’s the problem with all of this emphasis on purpose, destiny, and so on? Well, who is the focus in this predicament? YOU! That’s right! You…but as I hope you’ve learned, Christianity isn’t about you. Christianity is about Christ.

You aren’t called to jump through hoops to reach a higher spiritual plane. You aren’t called to try harder. Christ calls His people to poverty of spirit. Despair of your own performance and failures and sins. 

Your first step toward the one true God is deep, profound awareness of your need. Your first step through the narrow gate is a contrite heart. God doesn’t dwell with the prophetic and apostolic elites but with the contrite and lowly. The LORD of Hosts revives the poor in spirit. He exposes sin and then exalts the Savior! His Spirit reveals your miserable condition and then lifts up the Lamb of God Who has fulfilled ALL righteousness and suffered your condemnation! Look and Live! 

Dwell much on Jesus, brothers and sisters, because for every flaw we find in us, we rejoice to find no flaw in Christ. For every failure we see in us, we rejoice to see perfect obedience in Christ. He is our righteousness and He has become our SALVATION!

Tell the “Next Level” Christians to cease striving and to remember the old saying of the beloved, Scottish Presbyterian, 

“For every look at self, take ten looks at CHRIST!” - Robert Murray McCheyne

Then hear the Apostle Paul,

“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond servants for Jesus sake. For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”  - 2 Corinthians 4:6

Beloved, Christ is enough. You don’t have to know what He has in store for your pilgrimage here on earth. Expect trouble. Expect pain. Expect all that this fallen world can throw at you, but expect goodness and mercy to follow you all the days of your life. His loving hand will order your steps and His Word will light your path. Keep walking. You have an infallible Guide. 

Are you carrying the burden that God never gave? If so, put it down. There’s no secret to significance outside of Jesus Christ. If you are trusting in Him and growing in grace, then you ARE living a life of purpose...the purpose for which you were made...to know the living God. And because of the blood of the lamb, you will dwell in the house of the Lord...forever.

Be at peace. 

Further Resources

This is a lot to process, so if you’d like a deeper dive into this topic, please check out the following resources.

“The Dream Destiny Burden: When False Dreams Become Real Nightmares” - by Steve Kozar

“The Radically Normal Life of the Christian” - by Tim Challies

“God Did Not Create You for a Purpose” - by Chris Rosebrough 

“Modern Spirituality and Your Mind” - by Voddie Baucham 

“What Does Sola Scriptura Mean?” - by John MacArthur

“Scripture Vs. Human Experience” - by Phil Johnson

“Hearing from Heaven: How to Know the Voice of God” - by Justin Peters

“Scripture’s Sufficiency for Sanctification” - by Mike Riccardi

[tomasistrill]

“Don’t look; but I Think The Elephant In The Room is Wearing An MF Doom Mask..”

By @tomasistrill

December 12, 2019

The Manifesto

“I am the elephant in the room;

bringing doom,

really soon.”

-TOMMY TRILLY

-Form & Shape

The image is sized to be square to eligantly frame my thesis of the symmetry that outlines all things asymmetrical.

Using dimensions of 1080x1080pixels gives the piece functionality & purpose as cover artwork for an important project being manifested as we think, speak & breath.

The color scheme is purposely & purely monochromatic. Starting from left to right; the viewer will immediately see that black is the dominating color of the composition.

However, dominant, is nothing less than an understatement. When working with black on this piece; I found myself compulsive, aggressive & even manic at times.

I strayed far from my initial concept of having the black fade to an almost white tone; never truly giving my viewer the graceful embrace of a pure white.

Instead; my fanatical usage of black lead me ever deeper into the enigmatic labyrinth of my subconscious & a graceful awareness of the courage to create.

-Ethos, Pathos & Logos

The toxic love affair between my creative mania & the color black conceived a scene no longer so two dimensional; contrasted with a character that will never be anything more than it’s two dimensions.

The character is depicted in the center of the room. However, because he cannot escape his two dimensional existence, the center of the room is a place he can only observe from afar. He doesn’t understand why none of the people in the room pay attention to him.

His body language communicates a lonely disposition; arms hanging at his sides, hands [possibly] in his pockets & eyes staring far into the abyss; painfully conscious of his glaze matched by the depths of true existence.

On the left & right of our self-ruminating character; reads “S†≡≡Z.”

A word meaning to have style with ease; made popular by hip-hop on the East Coast. In my meditations on the word, came to me, the most clear understanding of grace & what it means to have it.

Bruce Lee describes it as the effortless flow of water; taking the shape of whatever contains you; the body containing the mind & the mind then containing the soul.

This journey inward in search of the holy S†≡≡Z requires you to courageously be yourself purely in the face of adversity. Everytime you choose fear over courage; you’re taking steps outward & away from the S†≡≡Z!

-Spiritual Subliminals

Diving ever deeper into the art & the messages it has for us; we’ll turn our focus to how the word “S†≡≡Z” is communicated to the viewer. Using things such as; color, form, shape, symbology, typography, etc. I was able to effectively communicate ideas to the beholder, in a very visual, yet subtle way.

“S - - -Z”

The “S” at the beginning represents a wavelength that’s smooth from crest to trough.

While the “Z” at the end presents an opposite, but equal wave; this one being more aggressive in it’s frequency.

This is the inevitability one faces in making the decision to be themselves.

Sometimes the wave is S & sometimes the wave is Z, but if you know how to surf; the ride is always steezy.

“- † - - -“

The letter “T” here serves at a ✞ symbol standing for the divine power of love & forgiveness within Man.

“- - ≡ ≡ -”

The arrangement of three horizontal lines is an angelic numerical sequence “111” that tells the intuition to take action.

Encouraging you to keep following your spirit; if you see this listen to your gut/heart.

The double “EE” sequence is made of three horizontal tic marks, similar to a traditional capitalized E, but instead here we see “≡” used; one of the eight trigrams used in Daoist cosmology meaning “Heaven.” 乾 Qián ☰ Heaven|坤 Kūn ☷ Earth|震 Zhèn☳ Thunder|坎 Kǎn☵ Water|艮 Gèn☶ Mountain|巽 Xùn☴ Wind|離 Lí☲ Flame兌 | Duì☱ Lake

This rendering of “S † ≡ ≡ Z” is then contrasted across the longitude of the entire ensemble; painting a polarizing picture of the age old existential struggle of the inner against the outer.

The only usage of a true white tone is in the first occurrence of S†≡≡Z; in the darkest section of the piece. Then, almost mockingly, right in the middle of the lightest area, we see the return of darkness; in the second & final occurrence of S†≡≡Z.

This beautifully illustrates; when the world is dark, the individual will intuitively become the light he so desperately seeks.

We can then safely assume if the world becomes illuminated in mankind’s brilliance; the individual will only find peace in the shadows of his own world.

Narrative-

MF Doom:

A character/persona written by british-born EMCEE Daniel Dumile.

From his upbringing in Long Island, New York to his controversial rise to infamy; his story is trill hiphop lore. He became a man deep in the minds of millions & they don’t even know his name.

Initially, rapping under the alias Zev Love X, he formed the rap group KMD & signed to Elektra Records. Just before the release of the group’s second Album, boldly titled “Black Bastards,” the doom rapper’s late brother DJ Subroc was struck by a car & killed.

That same week the group was dropped from their label & the album was scrapped. Dumile left the industry & lived essentially homeless from 94’ to 97’.

He then left New York to settle in Atlanta, Georgia. Still recovering from his wounds; the rapper would don the iconic DOOM mask & take revenge "against the industry that so badly deformed him".

Thus the notorious villain of the hiphop underground MF DOOM was born.

He is often praised as not only one of the illest lyricist to ever do it, but also as a genius producer.

However, inspite of his immaculate discography & significant respect from industry legends, he is still widly unaccepted by the community he’s devoted his life to.

The Elephant:

Elephants are known as a keystone species; meaning it has disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

In fact, by simply existing; the elephant has the power to inflict change in the world it lives in. They, as all animals do, move across the earth manifesting their every desire; unconcerned with anything & everything that isn’t necessary to life.

Effortlessly laying the foundation on which nearly every other speices, within it’s domain, inevitably builds it’s existence.

They themselves embrace a matriarchal lifestyle; in which the feminine is the primary power within society.

Family Groups, consisting of mainly females & children, are led by the eldest female matriarch; with many of the males choosing a more solitary existence.

The elephant recognizes itself in a mirror; demonstrating a capacity for self-awareness found only in apes & dolphins. They also morn their dead & show signs of stress when loved ones aren’t well.

It is well known that the elephant’s memory is stone; able to recall locations of watering holes, family members, vast migration routes, etc. all over their 70 year lifespan.

Conflict:

It’s no surprise that elephants have inspired many literary, mythical & religious cultures; traditionally the elephant has been a symbol of strength, power, wisdom, longevity, stamina, leadership, sociability, nurturance and loyalty.

We see these things reflected in political ideologies of the American Republican Party; who’ve used the elephant as a mascot since 1874.

Conveying a message to undecided voters to preserve the values of the past & to have noble principle guiding your actions.

On the surface level this is honorably patriotic, but as I dived ever deeper; I found a story of people divided simply by perspectives based on how reality presented itself to the misdirected & misguided naiveté of the ignorant & innocent.

The parable of the blind men & the elephant originated in the ancient Indian subcontinent. A group of blind men, who never encountered an elephant before, all touch a different part of an elephants body & insist they know exactly what it is in front of them; based on their limited experience, they all go on to describe what they understood the elephant standing in front of them to be. The first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said "This being is like a thick snake". Another man, whose hand reached its ear, said it seemed like a kind of fan. The third man, whose hand was upon its leg, said the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. A fourth man who placed his hand upon its side said the elephant, "is a wall". Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.

In this parable; I found a moral of the subjective truths we face every day in our common lives.

All of these men share a deep common attribute of blindness & thus will cling to shallow differences in sensual experience & each man will have a different ideology for why he does so.

Man will neglect fellowship with his fellow man if, in his limited experience of reality, he finds it to be a necessary action in his life.

Unfortunately for a more modest man; life is often misunderstood by his neighbors.

Perhaps he dreamns of power, so he creates the illusion he has a higher knowledge of the elephant. Maybe he’s a coward & would rather formulate an opinion than walk away, because he fears rejection from the group.

Man has a habbit of claiming to know the absolute truth based on their limited, subjective experience. As they ignore other people's limited, subjective experiences. Which may be equally true; only ever able to justify their claims with fear or courage.

Resolve:

Courage requires immaculate moral responsibility & higher knowledge. To stand in the face of destiny with the heart of a warrior is an endeavor most men can no longer dream of.

It requires too much & so most men spend their lifetime in the same predicament the elephant himself is in; standing in a room being ignored by those whose hearts call out to him! To be the elephant in the room is a tragedy largely ignored.

The expression "the elephant in the room" is a metaphorical idiom in English for an important or enormous topic, problem, or risk that is obvious or that everyone knows about but no one mentions or wants to discuss because it makes at least some of them uncomfortable or is personally, socially, or politically embarrassing, controversial, inflammatory, or dangerous. This same sociological & psychological repression operates on the macro scale of modern society.

Should something as conspicuous as an elephant be overlooked in codified social interactions? Of course not. You are the elephant in the room.

Conclusion:

Not only has he not forgotten; but the elephant himself, in all his divine S†≡≡Z, stands in a room full of people he remembers from the beginning of time. They talk of the old days; almost every word hinting at his presence in the room, but they just go on rambling as if the elephant himself isn’t standing next to them. They’re completely oblivious to the fact that there’s a god damn eight-foot seven-inch Asian elephant with a fucking MF DOOM mask on right there. He’s tired of being ignored; soon he will escape from his interdimensional hell & bring doom.

[icephas]

Living in a 24/7 Society [Tuesday to Friday lessons]

Tuesday, June 29

Defining Rest in the Old Testament

Certainly, we all need rest, which is why it’s a theme found all through the Bible. Though God created us for activity, that activity is to be punctuated by rest.

The Hebrew Old Testament, for instance, includes a number of terms denoting rest. The description of God’s resting on the newly created seventh day in Genesis 2:2, 3 uses the verb shabbat, “to cease work, to rest, to take a holiday,” which is the verbal form of the noun “Sabbath.” The same verb is used in Exodus 5:5 in a causative form and translated as “making someone rest” from their work. Angry pharaoh accuses Moses of “making them rest” from their labor.

The reference to God’s resting activity on the seventh-day Sabbath in the fourth commandment is expressed by the Hebrew verbal form nuakh (Exodus 20:11, Deuteronomy 5:14). The verb is translated as “rest” in Job 3:13 or, more figuratively, “settled,” referencing the ark of the covenant in Numbers 10:36. Second Kings 2:15 notes that Elijah’s spirit “rested” on Elisha.

Another important verbal form is shaqat, “be at rest, grant relief, be quiet.” It is used in Joshua 11:23, where it describes the rest of the land from war after Joshua’s initial conquest. The term often appears to indicate “peace” in the books of Joshua and Judges.

The verb raga‘ is also used to indicate rest. In the warnings against disobedience in Deuteronomy, God tells Israel that they won’t find rest in exile (Deuteronomy 28:65). The same verb appears also in a causative form in Jeremiah 50:34, describing the Lord’s ability to provide rest.

Read Deuteronomy 31:16 and 2 Samuel 7:12. What kind of rest is being talked about here?

Both verses use an idiomatic expression from the verb shakab, which literally means “to lie down, sleep.” In God’s covenant with David, God promises the future king of Israel that “when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee” (2 Samuel 7:12).

The long (and here incomplete) list of different Hebrew verbs denoting rest helps us to understand that the theological concept of rest is not connected to one or two particular words. We rest individually and collectively. Rest affects us physically, socially, and emotionally and is not limited to the Sabbath alone.

Death is certainly an enemy and will one day be abolished. And however much we mourn and miss our dead, why is it comforting to know that, at least for now, they are at rest?

Wednesday, June 30

Rest in the New Testament

A verbal form for rest often found in the New Testament is anapauo, “rest, relax, refresh.” It is used in one of Jesus’ most famous statements on rest, Matthew 11:28: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”. It can refer to physical rest (Matthew 26:45). In the final greetings to the Corinthians, Paul expresses his joy over the arrival of friends who refreshed his spirit (1 Corinthians 16:18).

Another verb used to indicate rest is hesychazo. It describes the Sabbath rest of the disciples as Jesus rested in the grave (Luke 23:56). But it’s also used to describe living a quiet life (1 Thessalonians 4:11) and can indicate that someone has no objections and, thus, keeps quiet (Acts 11:18).

When the Epistle to the Hebrews, in Hebrews 4:4, describes God’s creation rest on the seventh day, it uses the Greek verb katapauo, “cause to cease, bring to rest, rest,” echoing the use of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Intriguingly, most of the uses of this verb in the New Testament occur in Hebrews 4.

Read Mark 6:30-32. Why did Jesus tell His disciples to come aside and rest, considering the many mission opportunities they currently had? Look at the larger context of Mark 6 as you think about this question.

“Come ye yourselves apart ... and rest a while” (Mark 6:31) is not framed as an invitation. It’s expressed in the form of an imperative, which is an order or a command. Jesus is concerned about His disciples and their physical and emotional well-being. They had just returned from an extensive mission trip on which Jesus had sent them two by two (Mark 6:7). Mark 6:30 describes their excited return. Their hearts must have been full. They wanted to share their victories and their failures with Jesus; yet, Jesus stops it all by first calling them to rest. Mark includes an explanatory note: “for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat” (Mark 6:31). Being overwhelmed and too busy in God’s business is a genuine challenge for the disciples, as well. Jesus reminds us that we need to guard our health and emotional well-being by planning in seasons of rest.

What are ways of helping and relieving your local church pastor or elder or anyone you know who could be burned out from doing the Lord’s work? What could you do to express your appreciation and help this person find rest?

Thursday, July 1

A Restless Wanderer

Read Genesis 4:1-12. What made Cain “a fugitive and a vagabond” (Genesis 4:12) on the earth?

The biblical text does not explicitly state why God respected Abel and his offering but did not “respect” Cain and his offering (Genesis 4:4, 5). But we know why. “Cain came before God with murmuring and infidelity in his heart in regard to the promised sacrifice and the necessity of the sacrificial offerings. His gift expressed no penitence for sin. He felt, as many now feel, that it would be an acknowledgment of weakness to follow the exact plan marked out by God, of trusting his salvation wholly to the atonement of the promised Saviour. He chose the course of self-dependence. He would come in his own merits.” Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 72.

When God said that Cain would be “a restless wanderer” on the earth, it wasn’t that God made him that way; rather, that is what happened as the result of his sinful actions and disobedience. Not finding rest in God, Cain discovered that he couldn’t find it any other way, at least not true rest.

The Hebrew word translated as “respect” (Genesis 4:4) could also be rendered “looked closely, considered carefully.” The focus of God’s careful and close-up look is not so much the offering but more the attitude of the offeror. God’s rejection of Cain’s fruit offering is not an arbitrary reaction of a capricious God. Rather, it describes the process of carefully considering and weighing the character, attitudes, and motivations of the one bringing the offering. It is a good example of an investigative judgment.

Read Genesis 4:13-17 and describe Cain’s reaction to God’s judgment.

When we try to run away from God’s presence, we become restless. We try to fill the yearning for divine grace with things, human relationships, or overly busy lives. Cain started to build a dynasty and a city. Both are great achievements and speak of determination and energy, but if it’s a godless dynasty and a rebellious city, it will ultimately amount to nothing.

Even if we end up suffering the consequences of our sins as we usually do, how can we learn to accept the forgiveness for them offered us through the cross?

Friday, July 2

Further Thought: “In the estimation of the rabbis it was the sum of religion to be always in a bustle of activity. They depended upon some outward performance to show their superior piety. Thus they separated their souls from God, and built themselves up in self-sufficiency. The same dangers still exist. As activity increases and men become successful in doing any work for God, there is danger of trusting to human plans and methods. There is a tendency to pray less, and to have less faith. Like the disciples, we are in danger of losing sight of our dependence on God, and seeking to make a savior of our activity. We need to look constantly to Jesus, realizing that it is His power which does the work. While we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of the word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good.” Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 362.

Discussion Questions:

1. The constant pressure of being on top of things, being available (physically or virtually) all the time, and trying to live up to ideals that are neither realistic nor God-given can make people sick — emotionally, physically, and spiritually. How can your church become a welcoming place for worn-out, tired people yearning for rest?

2. Is it possible that we are too busy, even doing good things for God? Think about the story of Jesus and His disciples in Mark 6:30-32 and discuss its applications in your Sabbath School group.

3. In 1899, a speed record had been broken. Someone had actually gone 39.24 miles per hour in a car — and lived to tell about it! Today, of course, cars go much faster than that. And the speed of the processors in our cell phones are much faster than the fastest large computers of a generation ago. And air travel is faster than it used to be, and is getting even faster. The point is that almost everything we do today is done faster than it was in the past, and yet, what? We still feel hurried and without enough rest. What should that tell us about basic human nature and why God would have made rest so important that it is one of His commandments?

4. Dwell more on the idea that even in Eden, before sin, the Sabbath rest had been instituted. Besides the interesting theological implication of this truth, what should this tell us about how rest was needed even in a sinless, perfect world?

[songofthecagebird-blog]

Hoshi Ipomoea

• B A S I C S •

Name: Hoshi Ipomoea

Alias: N/A

Age: 37

Birthday: December 13th

Race: Raven Faunus

Blood Type: A+

Sexual Orientation: Grey Asexual

Romantic Orientation: Grey Aromantic

Color: White

Occupation: Huntsman

Reference: The Escape of the Cage Bird

• A P P E A R A N C E •

Description: Hoshi can best be described as an intimidating individual. Standing at an imposing 6'9" and weighing an impressive 230 pounds, it is not surprising that he was chosen to represent Adam's faction within the White Fang. His features are often kept in a harsh or stern expression, giving him a rather standoff appearance. He does have rather angular facial features, with silver hair that reaches down to the middle of his calves. Most often he lets his hair do what it wants, only taming it enough to be smooth and straight, but it is not uncommon for it to be braided over one shoulder as well. Soft grey eyes also compliment his pale complexion. His overall build is more lithe than "ripped" having muscle in the places that he uses the most; these are mostly combative areas. Still, being such a large person, he is built for both speed and power, though he more so relies on agility than brute force. Hoshi is also a raven faunus, and once had a pair of jet black wings. Now, he only possesses one of those large wings on his back. 

Height: 205.7 cm

Weight: 104.5 kg

Scar(s): The scarring around where his wings meet his skin is almost too gruesome to look at. It is evident where his other wing would be if he still had it and the angry white markings there attest to this.

Face Claim(s): Sephiroth - Final Fantasy

• B A C K G R O U N D •

Life Story: Born into a loving family, Hoshi thought that his life would be a simple one. His parents, Alaska and December Ipomoea, were both workers for the Schnee Dust Company within Atlas. Because of their faunus status, they were the ones to be sent down into the mines to collect the dust ore, but they were not bothered by this. With the way faunus are still viewed in Atlas, his parents worked for what was essentially nothing, but were always able to provide for Hoshi and his sister, Alice. Even being raised in poverty did not cause bitterness in Hoshi; he was loved by his family and he loved them in return. He was expected to do chores and work, of course, but he did not see the problem in this, content with how his life was going. This would not last, however, as a mine accident killed his parents at the age of ten. Now placed into custody of the state, Hoshi and Alice were essentially sold off to the highest bidder. Taken in by Angelica St. Claire, Hoshi was forced to become what was basically her house servant. Working for nothing more than the room in the basement he occupied and the food she would provide him with, he was basically a caged bird and dressed up to show off to her colleagues. When he began to grow displeased with the treatment, and demanded to be paid for his services, Angelica took it upon herself to cut away one of the wings that he held so dear to himself, branding him as a disgraced faunus. This was done so that it was impossible for him to find any work that was not for Angelica's company and he was soon moved from being her house servant to being a glorified slave worker in the mines of her company. His hatred festered deep and low in his belly, and he found himself resenting the humans even at such a young age. He spent nearly three decades in this woman's service, treated with the bare minimum of necessities to live, and beaten if the work put-out was not high enough on any given day. It was not until he discovered the use of his semblance that he felt emboldened to begin preparations for escape. He was so desperate to protect one of the younger faunus in his group that he finally activated his semblance at the age of twenty, killing the human without actually meaning to. And while he was severely punished for the death of the guard, he only found himself craving bloodshed more often. Taking to quietly learning how his semblance worked and what the limits of this was, he soon formulated a plan to escape Angelica's prison. Realizing that the only way to leave was to either die or no longer be able to work, Hoshi began to purposefully starve himself so that he may look frail and weak enough to pass for death. Putting his plan into action, now a much thinner state, he played dead one morning that the guards came to collect him for his work. When they were dragging him outside in order to deal with his body, he quickly bite the guards and used his semblance in order to kill them. After running, he began to hear whispers of a group known as the "White Fang." Seeking them out, Hoshi was struck to find that Adam had rather similar outlooks as him. Deciding to settle down here, he flourished within the White Fang, taking his place as Adam's second-in-command. Hoshi is also the one that makes sure that operations are running smoothly and takes care of the business side of the White Fang.

• P E R S O N A L I T Y •

Personality: Hoshi is a calm and serious individual. He is a man that highly values order and control and so he is always working to ensure the success of Adam's faction. Because of that desire for control, he also is someone that is difficult to rile up (though he will become angry at the mention of his missing wing quite easily). He prefers to focus on what matters and not what could have been. In addition to this, he is somewhat cruel. He sees no point in mercy or forgiveness, only uses his anger and betrayal to push him forward through life. Because of this, he's quite a stubborn person and only rarely will he give up on something (or someone). He also has an extraordinary amount of compassion towards other faunus, particularly those younger than him. He sees himself as a protector of sorts from his time spent in Atlas. He does have a dry sense of humor as well, seeming to always be exasperated by something Adam is doing.

Likes: Chess, shogi, napping, cloud watching, being allowed to take control of something, responsibility

Dislikes: Humans, betrayal, taking advantage of faunus, children being hurt

Bad Habits: He has a bad habit of labeling others the moment he meets them. His first impression of an individual is usually his only impression of a person.

Good Habits: He takes care to learn the names of those he must interact with on a daily basis. This makes his men more comfortable with him as a leader.

Fear(s): Humans, enslavement

• A B I L I T I E S •

Statistics:

Intelligence: 8/10

Coercion: 4/10

Strategy: 8/10

Hand-to-Hand Combat: 8/10

Guard: 7/10

Movement: 6/10

Mental Resistance: 3/10

Dexterity: 8/10

Strength: 6/10

Constitution: 10/10

Willpower: 8/10

Teamwork: 3/10

Semblance: 8/10

Weapon(s):  Hoshi wields a large odachi with black bindings around the hilt and guard. Most often, he only uses this in a non-traditional form on kenpo, using only one hand for his fighting style, and displays tremendous strength by doing so. Still, his sword is not only a blade; built into the blade are a series of disconnects in the sword, where it can disconnect to form an extremely long chain-like whip with small blades interspersed from the actual blade itself. To activate this "setting" on his sword, there is a small trigger mechanism just below the guard.

Training Level: Novice / Apprentice / Expert  / Mastery

Semblance: Hoshi's semblance is based around equivalent exchange. His semblance revolves around his ability to his injure his opponent. Using his blade to cut his enemy, Hoshi can then consume the blood he's shed. By doing so, his semblance allows for the injuries inflicted upon himself to be reflected back at the origin of the blood he's ingested. While he is not immortal, this semblance takes an extraordinary amount of aura and focus to even attempt using. Still, it is quite effective in a real fight. The main danger that comes from this is the fact he is not transferring his wounds, and only replicating them on his target. Any wound inflicted on himself will cause damage and pain. Even so, because of the nature of his semblance and the high usage of aura, he has found a way to concentrate aura around wounds and accelerate the regeneration of that area. It takes extreme discipline and focus, and doing this will cause him to tire more quickly. This semblance is essentially a double edged sword.

Training Level: Novice / Apprentice / Expert / Mastery

• R E L A T I O N S H I P S •

Parents:Alaska Ipomoea (Father, Deceased),December Ipomoea (Mother, Deceased)

Sibling(s): Alice Ipomoea (Sister, Unknown)

Relative(s): N/A

Children: N/A

Best Friend(s): N/A

Friend(s): Adam Taurus

Master: Angelica St. Claire

Partner: N/A

Team: N/A

Love Interest: TBA

• Q U O T E S •

"I will return to this place, Angelica. I will hope you do not still rule when I do— I won't hesitate to end your wretched life if you do."

"Humans are beyond cruel creatures. I don't actively seek to end them, but it is a bonus if it will further Adam's goals."

• D I S C L A I M E R S •

I do not own Sephiroth (Final Fantasy) or the concept of RWBY. I only own the concept of Hoshi Ipomoea.