#but I'm sure there are other non-Christians who feel frustrated by this too

[matan4il]

I can't believe it's only Aug 12th and already there's a Xmas post on my dash.

Every single year I have to get through the non-Christian erasure that is Xmas season, the way that everyone acts as if the whole world celebrates Xmas, every year I have to feel like I'm being mean and raining on people's parades when I refuse to join in, or when I try to (as politely as I can) refuse to be greeted with Xmas wishes, every year I have to grit my teeth as every show has a Xmas special, every app and software has festive events and sales, changing into special Xmas versions of their icons, every media outlet wants to tell me about the joys of Xmas shopping and tourism, meanwhile I'm biting my tongue not to blurt out repeatedly that Xmas is when historically my people were targeted, brutalized and sometimes even MURDERED... and apparently Xmas season just keeps getting longer.

I don't mind that people who are religiously or culturally Christian celebrate it. I kinda mind it when non-Christians do, because that strikes me as the effects of commercialism and cultural colonialism, but hey. Other people are independent individuals, it's up to them to make their own choices, even if I personally make a different choice. And I'd never make anyone personally feel bad about their choice, either. What bothers me is that it's basically IMPOSSIBLE to opt out of Xmas celebrations if you're one of the people who don't want to participate. They're everywhere. They're in every place, they're in so many spaces that I otherwise love. And they just keep starting earlier every year. I wanna bang my head against the wall.

This is what religious / cultural coercion feels like. Yeah, even if it's done unintentionally by many.

[gryficowa]

Islamophobia in Poland is more depressing when you know that it was Islamists who saved Poland from the Teutonic Knights

"Order of the Hospital of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the German House in Jerusalem (Latin: Ordo domus Sanctae Mariae Theutonicorum, German: Orden der Brüder vom Deutschen Haus Sankt Mariens in Jerusalem), colloquially: the Teutonic Order, the German Order (German: Deutscher Orden) - one of the three largest , next to the Hospitallers and Templars, Christian orders of knights that emerged in the wake of the crusades in the 11th and 12th centuries. Brought to Masovia by Konrad I in 1226 to ensure the defense of the Piast estates against Prussia, he conquered and Christianized them, he militarily took over the areas of later East Prussia and today's Latvia and Estonia, creating his own state out of these lands[3]. The Order also annexed some areas of Poland and Lithuania"

"The number of their troops at Grunwald is not clearly defined. Długosz speaks of only three hundred Tatars, and Teutonic sources speak of thirty thousand. Mecislovas Jucas, a researcher of this period, states that approximately three thousand Tatar warriors may have taken part in the battle"

So yes, I would sooner understand Poles' reluctance towards Christians, looking at history, than towards Islamists, because they helped us, fought with us (Because the Teutonic Knights were the biggest scam of those times)

So yes, seeing the growing Islamophobia in Poland for decades, you can feel depressed and strong, it is simply depressing because of the historical context (You can see that Tatars were great when they waved swords, but not when they are Islamists…)

Jews and Muslims can live side by side, unfortunately this cannot be said about Christians, because this faith is known for trying to convert others to its faith and seeing everyone from a superior perspective (Seriously, history shows this, there were countries where Jews and Muslims lived, but were expelled by Christians)

So yes, Muslims and Jews live side by side, and Christians are a bigger problem (Because many of them are religious fanatics), yes, there are countries where all three live in harmony (Or rather, it was, this country was called Palestine, unfortunately, Zionism and colonization destroyed everything like the fire nation in Avatar)

I have the impression that countries with a larger number of Muslims are less aggressive (I mean, being a bigot is not so common, yes, there are rotters like Saudi Arabia and unfortunately because of it, people associate Muslim countries with what often appears in American movies…)

I can't be sure about the Jews, because taking Israel as a representative of the Jews is anti-Semitic as hell, we can look more at the settlements where more Jews live and there is probably not too much aggression (Which occurs in purely Christian countries, it's a strange thing, but Christian countries are quite… Frustrating? they often persecute Judaists and Islamists, so you know what I mean…)

Seriously, the history of Christianity is the most fucked up you can think of (Especially medieval torture…), but okay, I'm getting off topic, it's just that the growing Islamophobia in Poland is something that causes concern, seriously, because at least they talk about anti-Semitism and try to fight it him when, unfortunately, but Islamophobia is considered a joke…

Yes, each of these Abrahamic religions has its problems (Many Judaizers, unfortunately, are Zionists, and many Islamists can be irritating towards Islamists from less strict countries, and Christians… Well, watch a religious movie and you will understand their dislike, because their films do not change much different from what Jehovah's Witnesses create)

People from Abrahamic religions often do not allow other people to live (although this is most felt among Christians, even Jesus would facepalm seeing their comments towards Islamists), mainly agnostics, atheists or followers of non-Abrahamic religions (or similar to Abrahamic ones, I don't remember the name, but there is a religion resembling Abrahamic, but it has magical beings, and one of the magical beings they worship is the angel Peacock, unfortunately, they were mistakenly considered Satanists by the Abrahamic religions, mainly by Christians and Islamists)

But yes, historically Poland was saved by Islamists (Maybe it was cooperation, but still, without them this battle would have been lost and the very fact that there is a problem with Islamophobia in Poland is terrifying)

I'm still surprised that there are so many Catholics in this country when, as I mentioned, Christianity has done a lot of shit in these lands, but okay, Christians never see the flaws and crimes they have committed (American Christians prove it even more with their Islamophobia)

It's just that in Poland, Islamists didn't do anything wrong (Although there are slight clashes between Tatars and immigrants, although it's the fault of cultural differences, because Tatars have a different approach to Islam, at least in Poland), Poles did more shit and that's interesting…

When there was a situation with the guy who spread HIV (Because revenge), he was a Pole, when there was a guy who stabbed the National Health Fund with a knife, he was a Pole, just Poles, crazy compatriots

When the monuments were removed from Kashubia (because of the attack on religion), they were Christians, no one else

Seriously, you often wonder what's wrong with people from your country, they've just watched too much American shit, because there's no other translation

But okay, I'm avoiding the topic again, the problem of Islamophobia is simply normalized (In Poland you will be punished for it, because of the principle of fighting hatred towards ethnic people, but there is no madness)

Islamophobia is not part of Poland and it is absurd that Poles have become bigots over the years (I have flashbacks from 2020 and attacks on LGBT+ people), especially since Poland was a victim of the Nazis and the very fact that generational trauma is still active is terrifying

Because yes, Poland has a generational trauma, thanks to the Nazis who wanted to erase the identity of Poles (which unfortunately they succeeded in) and when you break the chain, you are "abnormal" and that kills you on many levels...

[demoisverysexy]

You're the first person I've ever seen on this site that doesn't call Mormonism a cult and while I'm sure the people who started that had their points and/or their traumas, I'm not sure how it isn't a cult solely bc all I've heard in concise words is that it is.

I know that with Christianity, I've definitely met queer people who "reclaim" it and interpret it the way they want to, as opposed to the way organized religion teaches them. I assume with Mormonism it's a similar sort of self-reclaiming thing?

My ADHD makes it hard for me to read tons of long posts about things, makes doing my own research hard(it also doesn't help that most online searches just spin me back around to the cult thing or are from Mormons that are also conservative), so in advance I apologize if this is like, out of line or too much

Imagine, if you will, that you grew up Mormon outside of Utah. Growing up, Mormonism was never a source of great anguish for you, and that while it was what you grew up with, it was never forced upon you. Much of the learning about Mormonism you did was of your own accord. Also, you're a free thinker who has been encouraged to get involved with the community your whole life, and has mostly been surrounded by non-Mormons. You grew up liberal, and ended up being fairly (in my case, more than fairly) progressive, and you are more open than most Mormons to the stickier bits of Mormon history. You know, for a fact, that you are not a cultist.

And yet you are surrounded by people who insist you are. They look at you with a sort of sad pity and tell you to read the CES letter, or that they hope you leave soon. That they think youre stupid for believing in Golden Books or Jesus being American (we don't believe that) or that Native Americans are all just Jews (we dont believe that either). They listen to people who have had bad experiences with the church, and who insist that the church is a cult, then think that it is a universal truth that applies to the whole church, when in reality those toxic elements are mostly found in Utah, and most of the church is not located in Utah. 

But when you are a cultist (or are called one) no one will believe you if you tell them that you aren't a cultist. Because cultists don't even know that they are cultists, and thus their personal testimonies are suspect. Even the people who claim to be most sympathetic to the "poor deluded cultists" still don't care enough to listen and possibly be wrong about us, because listening to a cultist is dangerous, because they might end up thinking you're not a cultist, or worse, they think you might try to get them into your cult.

But I'm not a cultist. Mormonism isn't a cult. It's just a large religion with a lot of institutional weirdness and conservative beliefs. Some congregations do take this into full cult territory, many more don't. Most are just run-of-the-mill conservative churches with a Mormon splash of paint. Which I'm not a big fan of, but hey. Could be worse.

In some ways, it is frustrating, because often the things they will use to smear Mormons to call us cultists are features that exist in other religions. Islam, for example, has a lot in common with Mormonism (dietary codes that forbid alcohol consumption, extra books of non-biblical scripture with questionable historicity, conservative social beliefs, desert religion, non-biblical prophets, polygamy) but people (on the left specifically) don't bring up those critiques in relation to Islam. I don't know why, but to me I feel that there is perhaps some underlying bigotry there, both towards Mormons and Muslims. On the one hand, Mormons are judged too harshly, and on the other, Muslims are treated as a wholly unproblematic, uncomplicated religion, which to me smacks of infantilism. This problem affects many other religions too, which are given a free pass to be uncomplicatedly good, whereas Mormonism and other Christian denominations are bad by default. The lack of nuance in such an appraisal is astonishing.

I just want to be heard. I want people to listen to Mormons for once, active or inactive, left leaning or not, and actually try to do the work to understand us, at least a little. Not everything that you find when you actually study us with an open mind is good. History, culture, and religion are messy things. But there is a lot of good to be found there, too. I do firmly believe that Mormon perspectives have a lot to offer, in the same way that folks on tumblr have realized that Jewish or Muslim perspectives have a lot to offer. That even if you don't buy everything we have to say, that we are interesting and diverse, and have lots of different opinions about what Mormonism even is, or what it means. In particular, I feel that voices like mine - queer left-leaning Mormon voices - should be privelaged, as we are often the most overlooked in the discussion of what Mormonism is, both inside and outside the church.

But of course, all that is ever said about Mormons, both in left wing and right wing spaces, is that Mormonism is a cult. Evangelicals and atheists alike agree that it is a foregone conclusion, and often end up using the same talking points. And since it is so uncontroversial to say that it is just a cult, that is what people will believe. If everyone is saying it, after all, it must be true.

Now, as to your question on whether or not I am reclaiming Mormonism. I don't think I am. For me, my Mormonism has pretty much always been a personal thing. In fact, one of the core tenets of Mormonism as it is written (but not necessarily taught by the institution as radically as it is presented in the scriptures, for obvious reasons) is the doctrine of personal revealation. In short, it posits that the only way to know spiritual truth is through personal study, prayer, and confirmation from the Holy Spirit. The Book of Mormon even invites you to question it, and is very open about how the only way to know for certain if it is scripture, as it claims to be, is to recieve confirmation from God. More, it even notes that it may have flaws which the writers may not have been aware of, and it is good if you notice them, because it means that you are better than they were. Such openess to imperfection is characteristic of a lot of the scripture unique to Mormonism, and it leaves a lot of room for people with more heterodox views, like me. 

So I don't feel that I am reclaiming Mormonism. It was mine to begin with. Perhaps I am reclaiming it from the church in a sense, but my Mormonism has always centered me and my relationship to God first and foremost. More, I believe my readings of Mormonism, and Christianity more broadly, are more in line with the radical messages of their founders and source texts than the current leaders are. So in a way, conservstive christian instutions are working to reclaim their religions from people who were, in some ways, more progressive than them. It is a disappointing state of affairs.

In any case, I think that both Christianity in general and Mormonism more specifically are far more radical and forward thinking than the majority of their proponents, and that people should give them more serious thought then they have, both inside and outside these institutions. People are far too all or nothing when it comes to religions, especially Christian ones. But to truly appreciate what they have to offer, I believe that you have to set aside any preconceptions and dogmas you may hold so as to more fully appreciate them fkr wbat they are, and what they have to offer.

[becausethathappens]

Was reading your Rhink discourse re: "we could never date." (Just speculatin' here) Link mentioned on an EB that Christy and he saw a Christian relationship mentor when they were dating and he was perfectionistic about doing everything right. Kind of wonder if this created very rigid and narrow definitions of various relationship types?

gosh, i wanted to reply to this before, but i had too much to say and i'm still not sure where to start, but HARD AGREE.

like okay, i know we're partway here because they're both beautiful people who fit together so snugly both physically and emotionally and would have riotously athletic sex, yes. of course.

but also i think we all just see the truth of the fact that they clearly had religion involved in their day-to-day existence at a near-intravenous level. they’ve vocally moved past binary thinking about a lot of topics. it’s interesting to a lot of people the ones they remain almost deliberately uncurious about. i don’t even have to write it here and you can guess a couple. almost like they know a pandora’s box when they see one. almost like we all recognize the reticence from personal experience.

i think you’re dead-on, basically. and as a lapsed catholic, the movie license to wed is putting it lightly. that stuff really exists. people really treat relationships, marriage, children, etc. as circles on a scantron you have to fill in with the right lead to get a pass from saint peter. from my own direct experience: if you do not meet certain guidelines, you can’t get married or raise children in a church. (i mean, we’re worse in some ways, since we weren’t supposed to use birth control. unrelated, my great aunt is youngest of thirteen. 🙃) i can only imagine their version of those kinds of rules and expectations were even more rigid and unforgiving. ours was more of a social pressure and could be thrown to the side with confession.

their version is more demanding, clearly. they let it dictate their friendships, their relationships, everything. but on the flipside, what’s the point in reflecting on that behavior being wrong or a mistake if you’d just repeat it? wouldn’t dating someone nowadays mean they wouldn’t have to match those same unreal expectations and standards? they act like if they were to start dating tomorrow, they’d have to go by buies creek pre-willenium rules or something. would they anticipate doing all that with another woman, today? no. 

in the anniversary origins behind the scenes they did, link seemed shocked when they drilled down and rhett admitted he wasn’t a fan of the several recurring jokes. link knew enough to tease him, that he gets grumbly about them, but hearing him say he genuinely got frustrated creatively over it had link shook. one might wonder, how could link, the person he’s making these jokes to and with, most of the time, not know rhett had grown tired of it? well, because link finds it funny. so he maintains the bit routine for link. he knows link wants the comfort and familiarity, both himself and on behalf of a portion of the audience. so, what’s he going to do? not make link happy? jeopardize their norms for his own preference? retire something they’ve both committed to for no good reason? of course not.

now take that level of energy and patience and apply it to literally any “deal-breaker” element of link’s day-to-day. rhett makes these types of concessions non-stop. that’s what partners do. just because it’s about comedy doesn’t mean the same can’t be true of other areas. that’s why in depth interviews with them feel like couples therapy. they clearly don’t talk much about the why behind the way that they are for the same reason you don’t pull loose threads on a beloved sweater. and we all know the care they put into keeping their literal wardrobe just as immaculate.

realistically, if rhett were going to quit link, he would’ve done so in middle school, or high school, or college, or after work, or marriage, or kids. there have been plenty of average excuses to tap out, but he has never taken them. it is just never going to happen. he needs to stop thinking in such extremes because even if they were the reality, rhett would bend long before he’d ever break.

still, link will say things like “we could never date” as though we don’t know that. yeah no kidding, you were married at first sight. but by all means, go ahead and make a little faux courtship list of demands and watch rhett meet them anyway. 🙈

[lillianofliterature]

I have a question! By your bio I see you are a Christian,I am too. How do you deal with hate that comes your way because of that? I personally never got any hate on tumblr but did get it on youtube and wattpad. I know Lord doesn't want me to feel sad because of that but I cannot help it. Do you have any advice?

Hi anon! So glad to hear from you! <3

I love this question and thank you so much for asking it! Buckle in, though, 'cause this is long and I'm not really sure if it makes any sense. I feel like it's all over the place, but I hope my ADHD rambling can be deciphered. ✍(◔◡◔)

I am so sorry you are receiving hate and rudeness because of your faith! Regardless of someone's faith or religious affiliations, they shouldn't be persecuted or ridiculed by other people just because they don't agree with you (unfortunately that's not often the case).

I haven't had any direct hate online due to my faith (and I would hope that is because people are generally tolerant and accepting of the fact that not everyone believes or thinks the same way as they do). That said, it goes both ways. I think people are more comfortable or safe in this space on my page and interacting with me because I am fully aware that not everyone believes what I do and I'm not going to shove my faith down anyone's throat, nor should I, nor would I want to. I have, however, faced scrutiny and hate in person.

When I do face misconduct in regards to what I believe, I remind myself that many people are ignorant or might have only been exposed to the negative influences of other "Christians". I think we can all admit that so many people who call themselves "Christians" fail to understand what one's behavior and heart should be like (not talking about you, anon!) as someone who claims to believe in Jesus Christ! So many people I've met both online and mostly in person who claim to be Christian are extremely judgmental, spiteful, egotistical, and do not bear any of the Fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, patience, etc.), which I would say is indicative that they aren't really a Christian or at least don't understand what it really means to believe in Jesus and believe in the Bible.

That knowledge that I've been treated like an outsider and judged and damned by other so-called Christians just because I don't believe the same way they do or because I don't attend a physical church service gives me insight into how non-Christians must feel whenever they hear that we ARE Christians. Unfortunately, the hateful behavior of others has soured the way non-believers see us. It's why I'm so frustrated with the church and how divided we are, not to mention the scams of these mega-churches and music bands (but that's another rant).

My point is that I really try to have understanding and compassion for people who act out against me due to my faith. More often than not, it's because someone else who claimed to be a believer treated them with contempt and malice due to any number of reasons. It's really so sad that there are people who just do and say anything and slap a "Christian" bandaid on top of it and expect it to be made okay then, all while giving the world such a heinous perspective of the faith.

When in fact, so many of these judgmental "Christian" people (I've met and dealt with SO MANY of them, it's harrowing) that sour the outside view of our faith actually don't behave at all like Jesus did. Their behavior is more conducive to the Pharisees and Sadducees, who we know from certain scriptures were judgmental, unforgiving, spiteful, lacked any and all fruits of the Spirit (i.e. they were not loving people, they did not facilitate peace or kindness, they were not patient or compassionate, think your local "Christian" Karen community and there you have a modern image of them). Also, so much of the Christian worldview has gotten so entangled with politics, and I think many non-believers hear "Christian" and assume our political affiliations align with those that are harmful to certain POC and LGBTQIA+ communities.

WHEN I FACT, we are explicitly told not to bring politics into the church. It has no purpose in our faith and in serving others, and unfortunately, many "Christians" have forgotten that and have made their political beliefs completely entangled with their faith.

All this to say, anon, as much as it is painful to be scrutinized for what we believe and be compared to the harmful members of our church(es), I think it's best for us to exercise patience and understanding when people are guarded and defensive. It's because so many rotten people within the church have done too much damage to people, good people, and use "religion" as an excuse.

So much of what is taught in many denominations (I've been to several denominations and met a mix of good and bad people in every one of them) and mega-churches are very much twisted and filtered through the mouths of men (referring to "men" as a race, not just gender) are so off target from what the Bible actually teaches us. It's important that we as true believers are aware that we are being taught truth and not miscommunicated judgments. It's important that we go to the source for ourselves and read the scriptures instead of relying on what we hear or what we're taught by others. Even in what I'm saying here, I would advise anyone who reads to make up their own mind and do their own diving into the scripture and not just rely on me.

I genuinely believe that people who attack us for our faith (apart from the trolls who attack anything with a pulse) are, as I stated, either (1) ignorant of what we're truly committing to when we say we believe in Jesus (which can then become a moment of being able to communicate what we believe and why, if they are okay with listening) and (2) are defensive or angry with us because they assume we believe and act the same as whatever other "Christians" who treated them with condemnation did before.

Many people don't know that truly believing in Jesus and in the Bible really means loving people. Quite literally, our primary goal in this life as believers is to love people. Love God. Love people. That's the simplest way to put it.

And unfortunately, many "believers" aren't doing either, which teaches the world that believers don't practice what they preach and don't say what they mean, and it deters people from exploring the faith for themselves. Our behavior doesn't just determine personality or personal life choices, it has an effect on others, especially when we claim to believe in something as wonderful as Jesus and His story. If we act like judgmental, condemning arses, then people looking in on our faith from the outside are going to associate that same behavior with whatever we're claiming to believe and represent.

That's why I think it's important (I keep repeating myself, but I just can't stress it enough) to (1) of course, stand up for yourself, but to do so in kindness and in love. And (2) try to step into that person's shoes and understand where they're coming from, if perhaps they were treated horribly by the church they were exposed to or maybe were raised by abusive parents who used religion as an excuse for said abuse. There are so many reasons why people are angry and off-standish toward believers and it's because so many people have been abused by the church, myself included.

I have SO MANY stories about people who claimed to be Christians or believers treating me like absolute trash. Some of my worst memories and trauma come from people belonging to a church body. That said, I've had the opportunity to delve into the scriptures for myself and develop a relationship with Jesus and my faith individually and I realized that the way all those people (adults, mind you) who treated me that way? They weren't Christians.

Yeah, they went to church every Sunday and Wednesday. They had potlucks and youth groups and all that KAWANAS madness. But they didn't treat me with love or compassion. Even though they knew I believed already, they were condemning and judgmental. Some of the worst bullies I've ever encountered were kids I sat with in youth groups. And THOSE are the people who give the faith an absolutely terrible reputation, because that sort of behavior is that EXACT opposite of how Jesus behaved and how we are taught to treat people through the scriptures, yet it's what the world is exposed to more often than not.

It's actually the reason I don't really like the term "Christian" because it's garnered such a negative impact and has been split into so many directions. As soon as people hear it, they don't want to listen to anything you have to say. It's been used as an excuse, as an insult, as a cover-up, you name it. So many evil people do heinous things and say they did in the name of God, when in all actuality, God would never condone or excuse any such behavior (such as domestic abuse, sexual abuse, hate speech, etc.) and never did.

Take my biological father's family, for example. Most of them claim to be Christians, and several of them attend church regularly. And yet, they were the ones who abused my mother, me, and my brothers. My father cheated on my mother repeatedly with no remorse, he beat his children, scarred my face, and attempted to kill my mother before my mother's family got us out. My grandmother knew that it all took place and in turn, told my mother it was her fault and she wasn't a good wife. That God was punishing her. That she was a demon of sorts. Which, of course, is absolutely ridiculous. This woman still attends church. She still talks about her "faith". But she isn't a Christian. A believer in Jesus, someone who truly believes and seeks to follow Him, does not behave in that way or condone that behavior. And they most certainly don't raise abusers and commend that kind of behavior and support it.

More often than not, the people who get angry or hateful toward us when they realize we are believers are reacting because of the traumatic and horrible experiences they've had to terrible people who do as they please and say they believe in God. It breaks my heart that our faith had been tarnished by people like this. But it is still our responsibility to try to understand and be compassionate!

Just like we must respect other faiths and cultures, we must respect those who scrutinize or don't understand and try to do our best to teach people if they want to learn. Compassion is a powerful virtue.

At the end of the day, I don't want to make my faith about me, you know? It's about Who and What I believe in and how I treat others. I'm just a believer in Jesus. I love God. I love people. I want to help heal people. And I'll spend my life trying to keep doing that to the best of my abilities.

I wish the absolute best for you, anon! I hope this was helpful for you. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to send another ask or dm! And to anyone else reading this, I extend the same courtesy!

Xx Lillian

[larktb-archive]

Hi! I'm too shy to come off anon, but I need your help understanding something. I hope I'm not bothering you!!

I don't want to interact with anyone who is a fascist, but I'm not entirely sure what makes someone fascist. Can you please explain it to me?

I know I could look it up myself, but I know that not all definitions online can be correct and I just want your perspective;;

Thanks!

Hi anon! Well, fascism comes in many forms so “sussing out who’s a fascist” is technically a little harder to do than having a simple checklist. After all, doesn’t a White Supremacist have different beliefs to a Japanese fascist? And doesn’t a Japanese fascist have different beliefs to a Wahabist? These beliefs clash don’t they? Well, yes and no. Sure the surface level beliefs are different but the underlying core beliefs of these groups are actually quite similar; it’s the specifics which are different. Even though it isn’t a “bible” on what is fascism and shouldn’t be taken as gospel, Umberto Eco has an essay called “Ur-Fascism” which contains 14 points, which can help us identify whether certain beliefs are fascist no matter the specifics of their belief system. I’ll explain the points in short and give some examples. Quick disclaimer, I am not an expert on fascism or any of the ideologies I’ll discuss by any means so if you aren’t taking Umberto Eco’s writing as the 100% correct truth, definitely don’t take mine as that either (this is how you should treat most sources tho):

1. Cult of Tradition and 2. Rejection of modernity

I put these two together because they’re kind of inseparable. This is basically the idea that there was a “glorious past” that people need to return to and modernity is a corruption of that “glorious past”. In British fascist thought, this past is generally the 19th century at the zenith of the British Empire or mid-20th century Britain. The latter is more common for people who wish to be a little more PC with their writings; instead of trying to use a by-gone era that pretty much no one alive can remember, they use a much more recent time with nostalgic ideas of “the good old days” which doesn’t seem threatening on it’s surface but is dogwhistling for a time when there weren’t as many immigrants in the country.

You may have seen the “reject modernity, embrace tradition” meme and it’s pretty much the most obvious incarnation of this idea. Similarly you may seen people online use “degenerate” as an insult. If you look at the meaning of the degenerate it means “having lost the physical, mental, or moral qualities considered normal and desirable; showing evidence of decline”; it’s microcosm of these ideas put into a single insult. This is why you tend to see conservatives use it more than progressives.

I’d also argue that terfs obsession with 2nd wave feminism and their utter rejection of intersectionality and modern feminism is another manifestation of this idea. 

3. Action for actions sake

This is less detectable in terms of individuals but still important to note that these people tend to support action without a cause. Sure the insurrection at the white house earlier this year was action, but it had no substance behind it. It was action for actions sake, which is why any principled leftist didn’t support it. Fascists will tend to openly just call for action but won’t be very specific about the purposes of the action; as long as they agree with the ideology behind it they’ll support it. It’s why fascists love harassment campaigns and mindless acts of terror. Take Wahabist terrorist orgs like Al-Qaeda or ISIS, it doesn’t matter if bombing an Ariana Grande concert has no point, the only point is the action itself.

4. Disagreement is treason  

This one’s pretty self explanatory, they will ostracize you if you disagree with them. Again, terfs tend to do this, and I had a long conversation with an ex-terf I called a dumbass, who basically said that she was ostracized by them and mocked for having different beliefs (hope she’s doing well actually). There’s numerous stories from ex-terfs like this.

5. Fear of difference

There’s a tendency for fascists to group people into “us” and “them”. “They” are considered to be intruders who need to be removed whereas “we” are the people who deserve to be here because it is “our” right to be here. In Zulu Nationalism, this tends to be any non-Zulu speakers who they deem to be “Shangaan” even if they aren’t actually Tsonga, it’s just a pejorative at this point. If you see vague references to the “elite” without any reference to who they are and what makes them “elite”, this is tends to be a dogwhistle for Jewish people. Western Fascists have very little issue with the workings of capitalism itself or the accumulation of wealth by capitalists, they just don’t like “them”, taking “our” stuff. Any references to “us” and “them” is pretty much a red flag.

6. Appeal to Social Frustration

Fascists will tend to brush upon actual issues faced by the poor today but will instead blame it on an outside force. You’ll see job loss being blamed on immigrants or vague “elites”. Terfs do this too. They’ll see young girls who are genuinely struggling with patriarchal issues and divert all that pent up rage towards trans people and the “q*eers” (which they do tend to use as a slur unlike what most people would have you think). 

7. Obsession with a Plot

Everything is a conspiracy! The election was rigged! 9/11 was fake! that fucking pizza place/this furniture company is a sex ring! All of these are supposedly plots by the deep state who are trying to do... something or other. You’ll notice these “Plots” don’t actually have a purpose, but the fact that there is a plot itself is the issue. This is a way of engendering paranoia in the group while also feeling that there is a constant war against you even if there isn’t. This is also why, despite news sources being pro-capitalist the right will swear up and down it’s leftist media which is controlled by “them” (usually just meaning Jewish people).

8. The enemy is both strong and weak

“Trans people have infiltrated academia and the only reason people refuse to see gender as an immutable biological concept, is because they’re too afraid of the trans cabal to say anything. But also everyone can tell trans people are crazy and haha you have a high suicide rate.” It’s contradictory that’s the point. They need to feel that they’re both counterculture but also they need to be winning at all times so that contradiction is necessary. Also the use of the word “cabal” is a pretty big red flag for all forms of fascism.

9. Pacifism is trafficking with the enemy, 10. Contempt for the weak, 11. Everybody is educated to become a hero and 12. Machismo and weaponry

All of these are kind of interrelated so I’m grouping them together (also this is already fucking long as hell so I don’t wanna bore you any further). You’ll tend to see a love for the military or at least military aesthetics when looking through fascist blogs. Guns aren’t just a tool for fascists, they’re representative of masculinity and the necessity of violence. Pacifists and anyone who refuses to fight are weak and therefore are “degenerate”. If you do not fight, if you are not willing to fight, you cannot be a “hero” (an ubermensch or a matyr). This comes with the fetishization of violence instead of the recognition of violence being an means to an end, and the worship of individuals rather than of communities and organizations. Take Japanese fascists and their lionisation of the imperial military and their desire to once again have an actual army.

Terfs don’t necessarily fit these roles except for arguably 10 considering how much they seem to look down upon the mentally ill and those who commit suicide and surprisingly 11 since that involves the hatred of non-standard sexual activities and terfs hate non-standard sex (this is from the most vanilla bitch who is very uncomfortable with kink but understands its not inherently good or bad). I have a feeling this is more so because terfs are mainly women (there are male terfs ofc) whereas this was written for male led organizations. 

13. Selective populism

When fascists talk about “the people” they tend to mean “the people we like”. “The working class” can be translated to “this cishet white christian man from Minnesota who owns land but hey he lives in a rural area so he’s working class right?”. They’ll also tend to have “tokens” who will suddenly become the mouth piece of the entire community they’re supposedly representing even if no one in the community asked them to (i.e. Milo Yiannopoulos). 

14. Ur fascism speaks Newspeak

They speak in terms which are both inaccessible to anyone outside of their circles whilst being so simple that once you learn them it becomes easy to understand. They abhor any form of “academic” speech so you’ll rarely see them source things (unless those things happen to agree with their views, which is rare but Jordan Peterson is popular for a reason) and if they do source things they probably wouldn’t have read them fully and will rely on you also not reading them. This is to limit any critical thinking so that your brain is basically jellified into an unquestioning organ which only responds “yes” or “no” and only appeals to a higher authority without any form of reasoning involved. This is why they complain about “the lefts memes being too wordy”... because they’re used to not having to read (this is somewhat tongue in cheek but heyho if the boot fits).

And that’s the 14 main features of fascism, if anyone is displaying multiple of these ideas then they are most likely fascist, and if an organization or group continuously replicates these ideas, then they are definitely fascist. I hope this wasn’t too long but like I said... very complex topic. (Also hopefully this is written well, it’s 10 PM and I am surviving off Irn Bru energy drink). Hope this helped!

[asherlockstudy]

Did you end up listening to links EB? I'm curious about your thoughts

Warning, this post is extensively about religion, the concept of sin, trauma, self- torment. Please skip if you feel uncomfortable with any of these being mentioned. Also, this post is my personal interpretation of events discussed in the last EBs. I believe I am not exceeding any boundaries but keep in mind all the same that I do make assumptions here.  

Oookay… where to start and what to say…Even though I’d read many MB comments about Link’s EB and I was prepared, I was much more shaken by the end of it than I had expected. I still don’t know how to start so I’ll connect this a bit to the guess in my previous post. Link was indeed more absolute in his beliefs and thoughts than Rhett but it was for the reason I considered the least probable: he’s leaning away from Christianity / religion more than Rhett. His reaction to it involves anger and disappointment. 

I’ll just address this: I understand there are many valid reasons for which they say they haven’t experienced trauma associated with their religion and its practices but this is 99% not true. Perhaps they don’t say it because they are still processing it, they are just now realising it or haven’t yet. Sometimes when you’re bursting with emotions, especially toxic, you can’t see the truth easily. On the other hand, maybe they don’t want to share with us their trauma and this is perfectly normal. Most people wouldn’t share their trauma with the global population. Speaking to your therapist or a close person is already hard enough. What they did means a lot to them so it was a very brave decision. 

When it comes to emotions, self-awareness and confronting oneself, Link is braver than Rhett. That’s why his episode is braver than Rhett’s too. I don’t believe Rhett’s insistence that his pursuit for answers was strictly intellectual. Yes, they acknowledged they are very different personalities but I think Rhett still has trouble accepting or admitting the toll his choices and beliefs early in life could have had in his emotional world for decades. Link exposed him a little, mentioning several times that Rhett would discuss with him their similar concerns that were often largely irrelevant to the Evolution and the accuracy of the events described in the Bible. You can hear that Rhett is sometimes hesitant to participate a lot to Link’s EB and I respect that. He does not have to say any of this to us after all. He’s not obligated to say as much as Link either.

 As for Link, Link is a person that loathes keeping things buried inside him and yet it seems this is all he ‘s been  doing his entire life. Like I said in my guess, Link’s natural predisposition was not to care all that much about religion as a child but he yearned for guidance (and a father figure) that I am afraid he was deprived of in his household. The reasons Link is so obsessed with systems and organizing is probably because he always felt there was not enough control / order / guidance in his life. He relied on his systems and the most willingly authoritative people he could find: Rhett and, by extension, Rhett’s father. Make no mistake, I’m not condemning Rhett. I hate to say that Rhett was also a victim of his father. Of course, I don’t mean his father wanted to torment his son but simply his parenting was toxic even though he was undoubtedly trying for the best for his family. Rhett was not the one who kicked Link out of his car. The real Rhett was the one who walked back to him. His anger for Link’s “sin” (for fuck’s sake???!!) was his father and all the religious teachings speaking in his ear. Besides, the fact that a 16 year old would feel ashamed on behalf of another teenager and abandon him in the middle of a road because he drank a little alcohol simply shows how much poison was eating Rhett’s insides too without realising it. 

You see, what makes me melancholic is that in this perspective Link and even Rhett sound like they were really innocent children - pure souls. But sometimes when someone is by nature or by circumstances so sensitive / innocent / sheltered / isolated, then whatever attacks them first (i.e extreme religious teachings) can fuck them up very easily. Link was innocent enough that he was convinced that as a baby he had committed serious sins that Jesus sacrificed to save him from specifically. Kid Link felt guilty for things he couldn’t even fathom. He was compelled to maintain a relationship with Jesus (which they were both interpretting almost as a regular, literal one) out  of gratitude for his “””redemption””””. Then he lived in constant fear of what could be perceived as sin by God next. Crying because he had a few drinks. Staying (too) away from Christy because he was more “irresponsible” with his previous girlfriend. (At this point I am really curious what Link considered irresponsible / sinful in a romantic relationship but I am afraid of the answer.) We all understand I hope that this isn’t very different from those monks who have an “unholy” thought and then whip themselves until they pass out, right? The reasoning is the same and it’s self-torment. The irony is I think Link probably was doing a pretty solid job as a Christian (even by conservative standards). He sounds like he had unrealistic expectations about his relationship with God. I sensed that he’s still not completely over this. 

After I learned the truth about their “lost years” I was slightly disappointed because I had this dreamy view of a friendship where one quits his job because the other has artistic visions for both of them. It turns out there was even more devotion and loyalty on Link’s part after all. Link stayed in this religious system basically because Rhett did, because he had so much faith and trust in him and he was repressing himself because “surely Rhett is right and it’s just that I am the insufficient one again”. My understanding is that the first signs of Rhett’s scepticism was something Link desperately hoped for for years against all odds. It’s mindblowing for me that Link started distancing himself from the church only after Rhett’s doubts were multiplying and he started being open about them. The amount of respect and trust he has for Rhett could probably be found in novels. 

In order to make a full circle, all this makes it obvious once more that there is trauma - maybe severe - involved. I mean, these incidents alone are traumatic enough and now imagine everything they have not told us. What’s more, Link sounded like there was trauma involved. So did Rhett. For more proof, just watch today’s GMM where Terry prays for Link. Notice Link’s clear discomfort. He felt bad but he didn’t want to make it awkward for poor unsuspecting Terry who was just trying to make a joke. This shows though how easily Link is triggered - Terry clearly pushed all the wrong buttons there - and that means trauma. I don’t have the slightest doubt that Link was 100% sincere when he said a big part of it was his frustration that people dear to him could not be accepted by the Church he was a member of but, let’s be real, it’s a whoooole different thing realising some stuff and making calm decisions to stand by your non-privileged friends and reevaluate your choices than actually almost having a panic attack at the thought of following your family inside a building that happens to be a church. This hints to a personal wound, it is an instictual response for self-protection. Also, we know how adamant Link is to not disappoint and keep the family as united as possible - it is uncharacteristic that he wanted to make a different choice that day instead of, say, go in there with them and simply stand indifferent and not participate. 

They are healing right now. Despite what Link said, I feel they both still yearn very much for a higher force, an almighty spirit. They just need it to be unconditionally loving and accepting and just. Their spiritual journey is not over. 

[simchronized]

remember that time you sent me all the asks? Well, I'm here for my revenge biiih. Nathan for ALL OF THEM (or just 1-15 if you gonna wuss out)

know what? know what?? fuck u i’m answering all of them ain’t nobody calling me a wuss in my good christian blog

1. Do they sleep with a stuffed animal? If they have multiple, who’s the favorite?No.

2. Can they take care of a plant? What about a pet? What about a child?He’s fine with plants and pets, but children? It’s a hard pass.

3. Ask them to describe their love interest.”What bloody love interest? All I do is go to work, get stuck on traffic for hours, and then come back home. Does it bloody sound like I have time for that??”

4. Do they look good in red?I mean, he doesn’t look bad, but it’s not the most flattering on him.

5. Speech! Speech! Speech! Speech! Will they give one, and what about?“Getting A Parking Spot In New York City: A Memoir”.

6.Who will they take advice from, no matter what it is? Who won’t they take advice from, no matter what it is?At this point in his life, he’s not really taking advice from anyone. And he would never take advice from his siblings.

7. Describe them in three words. Now let them describe themself in three words.Reserved. Loner. Quiet.”Boring. Unattractive. Doormat.”

8. Do complex puzzles intrigue or frustrate them?Intrigue him.

9. Do they empathize with non-sentient things (dolls, plants, books…)?Not much empathize, but he does insult objects, does that count? Specially his car.

10. What age do they most want to be right now?He’s okay with his age, and it’s not like he gives it too much thought anyway.

11. They’ve won the lottery. Spend, or save?Invest.12. Do they like romance in the books they read (or in the book they’re in)?He doesn’t read romance, it’s often too cheesy and badly written, and he finds himself cringing more than feeling anything romantic.

13. Name one thing their parents taught them.People are disposable.

14. Would they agree with the term ‘guilty pleasure’? Do they have any?He does agree with it as in, it’s something he doesn’t want people to know. So it’s not like he feels guilty, but for him, a guilty pleasure it’s something he wouldn’t be caught dead doing. He does have one, I guess he uhh have some peculiar interests when it comes to sex, and you really wouldn’t expect that from a guy like him

15. What would they consider a waste of time– other than school or work?Chasing people.

16. If money wasn’t a limit, what would they wear?Just the same thing he does? He’s not much into fashion.

17. Do they like children?Well, he doesn’t hate them.

18. Kissing: tongue or no tongue?Tongue.

19. Do they study before tests? Practice before job interviews?Yes & yes. He has to, to keep his nerves at bay.

20. What do they like that nobody else does?I don’t think he’s that unique.

21. What would it take for them to break up with someone? What would be the last straw?Wanting to fit into a certain mold of what they consider a perfect relationship. And rushing into marriage. And wanting kids right away and meeting the parents. Just rushing in general.

22. Do they like being called pet names? Do they call other people pet names? What’s their go-to?He’s neutral about it?? He was never called a pet name, so he doesn’t know. And he hasn’t called anyone a pet name either.

23. Stability or novelty?Novelty.

24. Honesty or charity?Honesty.

25. Safety or possibility?Possibility.

26. Talent or effort?Talent.

27. Forgiveness or vengeance (or…)?Forgive but not forget.

28. Would they date a fixer-upper?Sure.

29. What recurring dreams do they have?Losing his teeth for some reason??

30. What would they do if they knew it would be forgiven?There isn’t anything he can’t think of.

[me-on-set]

Harrowingly Strange

When was the last time you had to face a moral dilemma? I am still reeling. I actually just got home. I think I invented a new selfie style. I wanted to take a photo of my makeup on and off.

As I currently write this, I am not an actor but instead have been doing background work for the past year. I've occasionally been a featured extra and was a body double once.

It's fascinating, seeing and doing the work that embodies being on set.

A couple of days ago, I received a message from a casting agency that had my headshot asking to submit my photo for a featured non-speaking role with a local production company. It was a one or two day shoot at $200 per day. I said yes and I got the gig.

When you are cast, you get an email the night before with details about the set location, start time, special instructions, and wardrobe. This show I booked was for a reenactment TV series about real world events. The exciting news was that this particular episode revolved around a crisis that occurred in my parents' homeland. I was to play someone at home seeing the news on television, and then in a second scene complain to police of their incompetence. I was asked to bring leisure clothing one would wear at home.

When I first started being an extra, I would bring my clothes in a backpack, trying really hard not to care too much. That behavior did not last. I found my interest stumbling forward into a natural evolution. I started taking luggage to neatly carry my wardrobe options. I found that I would mostly get cast as a mid-30's businessman. This led me to comfortably bring my outfits in a garment bag. It's funny how familiarity can grow your views.

For today, I packed shorts, sweatpants, t-shirts, a hoodie, a pair of runners, and a pair of flip flops. I got these flip flops during my last vacation with my mom overseas in her hometown. I also brought some henley shirts and arrived on set in khakis and a short-sleeved polo because there was also a mention of button-ups being an option.

The majority of work involved as an extra is waiting. It's a good idea to bring a book, although in this day and age, occupying oneself with a smart phone is a much more fulfilling time killer. I didn't end up using any of the clothes I had brought except for my belt and my runners. After my hair and makeup were done I decided to satisfy my curiosity by searching keywords of this specific production. I searched the name of the character I was to reenact. Adding quotations to strict strings of words, I had soon discovered the event I was going to portray. This was when my moral dilemma began.

I was born and raised in North America by immigrant parents who arrived in their early 20's. The typical experiences had by people of color paint a relatively positive mural that represents my upbringing. Having visited my ethnic country many times throughout my life, I felt, and still feel, a deep connection to the motherland. This connection is common for others like myself, powered by identity in a time where life will sometimes present it as a limitation. Conversely, this only strengthens cultural pride.

The role I was to play was an international representing their countrymen against the very country I identify with. Pangs of uneasiness flooded my body. There was another featured role performer who had an earlier call time. We sat together in the holding area. He was cast to play the part of a family member learning the news of the event. What surprised me more was the fact that he was a recent immigrant from my country of ethnicity. Us both, cast in roles of coincidental conflict of interest?

When it comes to acting, the only other time I recall having feelings of apprehension was during a big budget movie filmed in a church. I was a church goer among a sea of church goers seated in church pews. We were instructed to portray the enjoyment of a church service. Some of us were selected to stand and sway to the Christian music. Some had their eyes closed, head tilted to the ceiling, palms facing up to the heavens. As easy a physical task that is, I instead opted to clap along to the band and pretend to really feel the sounds of my favorite music. I know it's just acting but I was driven by the thought of my mom seeing me do anything other than that on camera. So, I coursed the music through my veins. I know the history of the band members, the albums, this music moves me, pretend.

I received my paperwork and read it over a cup of coffee from craft services. It was standard paperwork that I've filled out over a dozen times before. I looked at the inviting exit door. I was parked right outside. This is not that big of a deal, is it? I imagined this TV episode making its way to the news overseas, the citizens all over the world deeming me a traitor for perpetuating a negative image, not merely through action but through representation against them. Against us. Am I selling out? For two hundred bucks?

I thought about getting up and leaving. I thought about all of the hard work that people have put into this specific production. If you haven't been behind the scenes before, it is quite the trip. An assortment of heavy duty cables line the floors, taped in place. Racks of props in designated areas. The backstage crew zip around in sync, bursting with walkie-talkie sounds and hollers of instruction. There is a commonality in the many interactions, their minds tuned into the goal meant to be achieved. This is their career.

This is my hobby. I am a prop. Would leaving this put a blemish on my record in the local film community, or the film industry as a whole, because I wasted everyone's time being sensitive? As I languished, I get a message from my best friend and I tell him I'm on set. I tell him:

For some reason, that makes me feel better. I just might be able to work with that mentality. The other guy has finished. He returns his wardrobe and collects his belongings. I ask him if he knows what this show is about. We speak in our language among the English-speakers. I ask him if he thinks people back home are going to be mad at us. I ask him if he knew we were going to be doing this. He seems ok with it all. He said he was there during the actual event. He's new to the industry. We laugh about how we can pass as different races. This is his first time being on camera. He said he enjoyed the experience. I ask him if he'll continue. He said yes. I hope he does.

Finally, wardrobe is set and I am wearing a navy blue golf shirt and some gray slacks. I want to feel good, like the other times I've worked. How can I get that feeling? They're calling me on set. They adjust the lighting while I sit in front of the camera. A fog machine fills the mock living room belonging to my character. When the camera rolls, there is a fake TV in front of me that I am to watch casually at first and then grow increasingly interested as the live footage I am pretending to watch unfolds. I am supposed to build up into a frustration with the host country. My country. As I understand it, the real guy is being interviewed and I am the reenactment; the illustration of his side of the story. I do the scene. Twice. Filming took less than 5 minutes total. The whole time I was thinking about my mom. I can remember it still, a few hours ago today, the director describing the gradual transpiring of the footage to guide me. To help me see a reason to be frustrated on camera. It wasn't helping. It's not his fault. I don't think it's anyone's fault. I don't think they even knew why I would be uncomfortable. I don't think they knew much about the countries involved in the event. They even spelled the city name wrong. I don't even think the takes were that bad.

I wish it wasn't about my country. If it were different, I feel like I could have given more - like I had done at the church.

It's unsettling to perform make-believe, but for myself I have managed to apply a mental exercise that immerses me into a character; to actually be the person. The trick is to relate. To tie the emotion to a real memory and relive it. If it had only been about another country, I'm sure I would have enjoyed the process a lot more.

I'm writing this and I was hoping it would help me shake away this dread. Thoughts of regret imagining if I had only researched the keywords sooner. Maybe I would have cancelled. But that wouldn't have been better. I would be blacklisted and never cast as another role again. Or maybe I'm being dramatic. Hey, that's good for this line of work, right?

I honestly hope the final cut looks great. This is the biggest role I've ever been in. They gelled my hair funny like a nerd, I had on large framed glasses, just like the portrayed, and they put makeup on my upper lip to hide my dark, clean-shaven stubble.

When I got home, before I washed my makeup off, I took a before and after mirror selfie because my face looked comedically smooth. Taking the pictures reminded me of when I was sipping coffee in the holding area. I had taken pictures of my paperwork. I remember my mind racing. The feeling was like gathering license plates and insurance information after a collision. You know, just in case I have to stand trial, my cultural membership in jeopardy. I can review my situation with a lawyer to see what I can and can not say during a variety show interview that is getting my side of the story after viral, captioned screenshots of me flood the internet with embarrassing memes, stamped into history. Jesus Christ, that would be the worst. Here I go again with extreme maybes. It's an entertaining curse that I will forever be engulfed in my own hypothetical torture.

Anyway, here's that selfie I invented:

Yeah my bathroom mirrors are dirty.

I can't wait for my next job that I can cleanse my palate with. I really hope I can accept today as purely an actor's portrayal, and not a turncoat betrayal. This can't be my last go at acting. I ate some of my country's food for supper. I feel a bit better. I'm wearing a shirt that is emblazoned with our country's sports hero.

I have always been excited to see the final release of a production I am in, except for this one now. Uncontrollably, my perverse curiosity into the film world is only strengthening, so I don't think even the worst thoughts can slow my future participation. The silver lining is that the uncomfortable bar is set to a new level. I could reenact a murderous deviant now without batting a moral eyelash, I like to think. All for the sake of film.

- WSS, February 8, 2019

[lightseeker100]

Hey, can you, like, explain why and how youre a christian and how you cope intellectually with h the lack of empathy in Christians and the icky stuff in the old Testament, etc.? Because I'm not doing a good job with that. I feel abandoned by God. Like I have been for years.

Hello anon! Sorry if it has taken me a long time to reply, I am bad at keeping up with my inbox. Also, this is a big question, so I have a big answer! Even though I am long-winded, I may not explain things perfectly, so feel free to ask for clarification if I don’t explain something well.

Also, just know that what lead me to God and keeps me in a relationship with Him may not necessarily be the same for you. There is no one formula to lead to a strong relationship with God. Just as we are all individuals who think and feel in individual ways, so is our relationship with God suited to our individual selves. He knows us best, and my relationship with God could not possibly be the same as your relationship with God. And that is a great thing! It shows just how grand God’s love is; that He is able to form relationships with ALL kinds of people from ALL walks of life and ALL kinds of experiences!

That aside, I will address your answer in 4 parts to make it easier to organize for myself and for you, and others who may read this.

1) First and foremost, why I am a Christian:

To start, let me say that I grew up in a Christian home. Many may think that this fact automatically takes away any credibility I have about my faith. If it is all I have known, from the moment I was born, how could I possibly be right, if I never left the faith nor tried other things/experienced other faiths? That is a thought many non-belivers may have, and I too have had and struggled with. But, here is the thing. Although I grew up in the faith, that does not automatically mean I always lived it. From middle school to high school God was a crutch for me. He was my personal God. I only came to Him when I wanted something for myself. I only spoke with Him when I needed something from Him. I acted the way a good Christian girl should on the outside. But, on the inside I was wicked. That is not a relationship with God. That is a relationship with yourself, using God as some sort of genie who is meant to serve your wants - or worse, using God as an excuse for your sin or ignoring Him when you know you are doing something He would not approve of. Anyone can tell you a relationship that is one-sided like this can not really be called a relationship at all. 

I committed many sins under the title of Christian. Some of which I am not yet ready to share with the world, so feel free to ask me in my private messages about them. Some that I will share are slandering others, gossiping, lying, selfishness, pridefulness, and more. 

Now, I did always believe in God. I believed He existed, and that belief strengthened over time. There was no one moment where I just believed wholeheartedly. It was more like a gradual understanding of who God is as I got older and gained more knowledge. Why I believed also changed over time. First it was the scientific evidence that supports creation. Next, it was hearing my mother and others share their spiritual experiences where God spoke directly to them. But, most of all, what enforces my belief today and continuously does is my observations of nature. When I see the trees and the sky and all their intricacies, I wonder how one cannot believe in a Creator. This is why Romans 1:20 is my favorite verse. 

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” (NLT)

Again, these are the things that strengthen my own faith. They do not have to be the same for you. Andy Stanely, a wonderfully intelligent pastor, states that we all have to adopt a faith of our own - not our parent’s faith, nor our friend’s faith, nor the faith of our childhood.

Despite there being no singular moment where I believed in God, there was a singular moment where I realized I was not actually living for God. This past summer, I realized I wasn’t actually fully committed to Him. I was doing better in that I was not always coming to Him for my own needs, but I still wasn’t really truly in love with God. I was lukewarm in my faith. Comfortable in my faith. This came to my attention after reading the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. You should certainly give it a read yourself. I found it in a box of books while I was actually looking for the book Mere Christianity by C.S Lewis ( another great book if you are dealing with doubts ). I truly think God wanted me to read Crazy Love first though. He wanted me to see that my relationship with Him was strained, and I am so glad I found that book and gave my time for reading it.

Ever since then, I’ve been wholehearted in my love for God! He has given me a renewed passion for Him and I am so thankful for it! He has saved me from the depths of my suffering!

2) Secondly, how I cope intellectually with the lack of empathy in Christians

I will be honest (and I mean this as kindly as I can! I hope it does not appear rude in how I phrase it!) this is a bit of a loaded question. It is better to say “lack of empathy in many/some Christians”. I am friends and have interacted with many wonderful Christians whose hearts break so easily for others. And, they are like that because they are passionately in love with Christ, and they know that without Him they would still be in the depths of their sufferings (as I was too before I committed myself fully to Him). But, I am also friends with Christians who lack empathy, who can be hard on others and judgemental thinking comes easily to them - so I will not pretend they don’t exist.

For those Christians you speak of who lack empathy, know that that is a sign that they either have either 1) a fractured relationship with God 2) no real relationship at all or 3) are at the beginning stages of working on their relationship with God. These people can be frustrating for those of us who feel that we really are living for God, as it can give this appearance that all Christians are this way and in turn gives God Himself a bad appearance. But, those are the people we must pray for even more! We cannot do much to change their thoughts and hearts - only God can do that (see Jeremiah 17:10 and Psalm 44:21). And, we should not judge their relationship with God! I myself was in a broken relationship with God (in fact, I believe all of us who are current followers of Christ can say that there was a time when we were not fully committed to Him) so I could not possibly judge others when I myself was in that exact situation. All we can do is pray for them.

Also, I should add that I am no real intellectual! All GOOD things I say or do cannot come from my own mind, but from God! 

“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.“ (James 1:17 NLT)

I make sure to pray everytime I speak about Him, because I never want my words to honor me - but to honor God and the truth about Him. If I ever speak falsely, I hope others who know His Word better will point it out to me so that I can be corrected! (And it has happened before thanks to the wonderful @john15-10 and @moderndayoutsider  and @strawberry-milktea whom you should follow if you want more guidance! They are strong believers indeed.)

There was a time when I found pride in my own intelligence - but now I know that God has granted such to me. I cannot take pride in what is not my own. Rather, I am thankful that God has granted me my mind, and I know my knowledge will NEVER be a great as God’s. Francis Chan explains it wonderfully in Crazy Love. He says we are like a can of soda, and all of God is a vast ocean. Our brain the size of a can of soda, even overflowing, can only hold a tiny fraction of Him.

3) Thirdly, the icky stuff in the Old Testament

I will be honest, I am not 100% sure what you mean by this anon (which is not a fault of yours, but of mine for failing to understand completely!). My best guess is certain things like God calling Abraham to sacrifice His son, or God condemning homosexuality, or God allowing people to die in the flood or people to die when He destroyed Sodom and Gamorra.

Here is my thoughts with those things. I do not actually see them as ‘icky stuff’. If I were to take these things at face value I would understand completely why you call it that! But, if you really delve into these things and examine them carefully, you will discover that they are not icky at all. They just go to prove how much of a righteous judge God is. Most likely what you are struggling with is that which appears icky is really just the devil fogging up your mind with misunderstandings. Do not rely on your own mind! If you search for understanding outside of your own, you will discover that there is something you may have missed or misinterpreted. Remember the example I shared from Francis Chan: Our brain at its max capacity can only understand a bit of Him. If we could fully understand Him and His plan, then He would not be God. 

“’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” - (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV)

The bible I use currently is an excellent material if you need more understanding of God’s word alongside your bible readings. (Here it is). It gives lots of further explanations of individual verses and adds other information on the history of that time period as well as cross-references other verses in the bible. But, that bible is a bit pricey, so I also suggest these free sites: Desiring God and Focus on the Family. There are also many books sold (that are fairly cheap!) meant to be read alongside your bible to help explain the more complex verses. 

Ultimately, seek guidance!! Talk to people who are experts on the bible like a pastor, and they will help you with even the itty bitty things that are causing you to struggle. And, again, pray!! Pray that God will bring you wisdom and understanding. Pray He will provide for you the ability to see His word clearly and not be frustrated, confused, or disgusted by it!

4) Lastly, and most importantly feeling abandoned by God.

This is the most critical section of your question, I feel. It appears to me that everything you are struggling with boils down to this. You feel abandoned. I absolutely can relate to that feeling. I was at that point many times in my life.

Last year, during my sophomore year of college, I went through what I believe was a period of depression. I never went to a doctor to find out if that is what it really was so I cannot say it with certainty. All I know is that there was a hollowness in my heart. I felt apathetic to others. I put up walls and locked out my friends and family. I was easily angered by others. I wanted to ignore the world. But, at the same time, I felt alone. I was deeply lonely, and my foolish solution was to hide from the world. I went to sleep and prayed not to wake up again. I slept at every opportunity because when I was asleep I could escape from reality. I could fall into my dreams where everything was happy and exactly to my liking. When I woke up, I would lie in bed, wishing for the day to pass as quickly as possible so I could fall back into the peacefulness of sleep once again.

I felt abandoned by God at this time. I cried out to Him at night, asking why He hasn’t spoken to me. Why I couldn’t feel His presence anymore. I prayed that He would show Himself to me - would speak out loud, would show me some sign! 

What I failed to realize at this time, is that God had never abandoned me. He was not off, helping some other suffering soul and ignoring me. Instead, He was waiting for me. 

When we suffer, it is not because God is making us suffer, it is because we are allowing ourselves suffer. We cry out for God, but do not put in the effort to seek Him. When we lose something important to us, do we hope for it to be found and then wait for it to appear before us? No, of course not. If it was truly important to us, we would go looking all over the place for it. We would turn our house upside down until we find that thing we are desperately looking for. This is how we should feel towards God. If He is truly important to us, then we will desperately go looking for Him. Not sit still and wait for Him to find us.

This summer, I realized that the real reason I felt abandoned was because I was stuck in sin and did not really want to get out. It was not because God had abandoned me, but because I abandoned Him. Still I was trying to use Him as some crutch. I was trying to fit Him into a box that was supposed to help my desires right when I wanted them. I wanted God to come and save me, and yet didn’t want to reach out and take His hand that has been right in front of me this whole time. 

So, my advice to you is to run after Him!! Go to church and engage with the messages. Worship Him like you’ve never worshipped before. Engage with other believers who are passionate. Read the bible. Read your devotional. Pray and Pray and Pray and Pray.

And, I too will pray for you. May you find God. May you see He never abandoned you. May you fall deeply in love with Him. May you learn more about His true qualities. And then, praise Him with everything you’ve got!!!

[starfieldcanvas]

While I see what you're going for with "Christian is coherent because it's self-claimed," I'm not sure I agree that it's always silly to call someone Christian when they themselves deny the label. Haven't you ever run into those insufferable doorknobs who say shit like "I'm not a Christian, I'm a follower of Jesus" or "I'm not religious, I have a personal relationship with Christ"? Or that evangelical group "Jews for Jesus"? (They're definitely Christian, not Jewish.) Or hell, for that matter, Catholics - I've known Catholics who either don't agree, or genuinely don't know, that Catholic is a kind of Christian.

But that's beside the point.

If I recall my own journey through atheism correctly, I encountered the term "culturally Christian" primarily in the context of secular progressives complaining to each other about bigoted atheists within or around the freethought movement (ye old blogosphere!) who were thoughtlessly regurgitating and justifying Christian prejudices. And subsequently in the "check yourself before you wreck yourself" sense I mentioned - "if this kind of thing drives us nuts when Richard Dawkins does it, we should probably keep an eye out for similar, more subtle shit in our own worldviews." And then later I saw it come up a lot in discussions of secular anti-semitism in North America and Europe, and then a bit in English discussions of French state secularism.

The fact that the definition could stretch to include different facets of Christian culture just reflected the fact that Christianity touches a lot of different parts of a lot of different cultures. "Culturally Christian" referred to different things in different discussions and that was fine, because people were unpacking systemic issues or intra-movement trends, not assigning random strangers the Mark of Cain. So yeah, I agree on some level it's a community problem. Clearly I've been spared a lot of tumblr bullshit because I worked through most of my religious trauma on different websites a long time ago.

I really do appreciate the desire for more precise language, and would thus be perfectly willing to start saying "non-Christians whose cultural identity has been somehow shaped by Christian culture, frequently without their knowledge" every single time I have conversations about that specific phenomenon. It just seems like given the way English works, "culturally Christian" ought to be reasonable shorthand for what I said in my last sentence, even if I need to clarify my intended meaning a bit when I bring it up for the first time in a given conversation.

I suppose my first real issue here is that I think most terms invented to grapple with social phenomena can also be insulting or harmful. "Mixed race" or "woman" or "lesbian" or "atheist" (itself once a term of abuse against Christians, because the universe loves irony) or any number of useful terms can become harmful or insulting if wielded in bad faith by people committed to misunderstanding each other, never mind more controversial academic concepts like "critical race theory" or "lateral violence" or "internalized homophobia" or "intersectional feminism."

You have a lot of great examples of people using the term bizarrely or in mutually exclusive ways, and I get the exhaustion and frustration. I'm just not sure that the terminology in question is really the problem here, except to the extent that knowing that particular phrase makes some real clowns feel brave enough to clown on you.

If I invent another term like "Christian-normative acculturation" or "Christosecularism" or "hypochristian identity-echo syndrome", will that not be subject to the same natural broadening and then to the same bad-faith euphemism treadmill as the original terminology? Couldn't "non-Christians whose cultural identity has been somehow shaped by Christian culture, frequently without their knowledge" be warped by bad-faith discussion too?

Seems to me the problem is that (1) people are shitty at rhetoric in general (2) their positions are bad and (3) they're harassing you. None of the problems you're talking about strike me as especially unique to the term "culturally Christian", nor even especially linked to the term being inherently too broad - "passing privilege" is a bad underlying concept no matter what you mix it with! "being culturally Christian means you're still basically Christian because look it says Christian in it" is a major linguistics AND logic fail! "you still believe x religion despite saying you don't believe x religion" is unspeakably moronic and insulting!

Gifting these clowns a better vocabulary is far more than they deserve!

Anyway.

I think what I'm still curious about is how much of your objection is to the misuse of the terminology, how much to the motivations that drive people to misuse it, and how much to the underlying concepts it's groping towards.

Assume for the sake of argument that the term "culturally Christian" vanishes from everyone's memory overnight. Which conversations will we still need to have?

i think if “culturally christian” was a helpful or useful term the people who used it would be able to come up with a coherent definition that was generally agreed upon and made sense, which nobody has ever managed to do. even on the “education posts” people wildly disagree every other reply and everyone just … takes it as reasonable because a) they don’t think about what they reblog or believe and b) they just want to win discourse points.

[sapphicscholar]

"of knowing that I put the jobs of my family members who worked for the Church at risk just by being out". Hi. I'm having a really hard time right now putting into words my reaction to reading that ^ and I hope it's okay for me to send this. My parents have always worked for the church or Christian organisations. My dad works for our bishop, and when I came out as trans, my mother was working in two other churches. But I know (of) so few people who have the same experience of being lgbtq+ (1/4)

and from church families and I think part of what I’m feeling now is relief that I’m not the only one. My dad works closely with the press and luckily for me is known by a lot of very senior church people in my country and a lot of what he’s dealing with this holiday is to do with gay couples and how the church is treating them and there is this niggling fear in the back of my mind that my being out could really jeopardise the one job that’s feeding my family by putting him suddenly on both sides of the argument. And because of my parents’ history of working in the church, all of my godparents are from that history and me coming out also risks their jobs, and it’s terrifying to think that as well as risking my life by coming out I’m risking the livelihoods of people I care about, and I just - do you ever work out how to balance wanting to be true to yourself with protecting other people? Because it really hurts to even think like that, you know? Anyway, I’m now going to actually read the chapter that will probably now make me cry more, and sorry for the brain splurge but thank you very much for both the fic and being open with us about your experiences. (Also just feel free to ignore all of this) (2-4/4)

Hi there! First of all thanks for checking in and giving me the option–I really do appreciate it. Second, I hope you liked the chapter, and it didn’t make ya cry. But anyway, no, you are definitely not the only one, and yes, I very much understand the fear. And for a while, I really did let it (along with way too much internalized shame) keep me in the closet. And it’s so shitty that there are organizations that would make values like love and acceptance (not just toleration cause god that word pisses me off) a reason for firing or ostracization when they should be things we celebrate. But I remember being petrified because we’re working-class enough that even just a few weeks of unemployment would mean not being able to pay the bills, and my mom’s boss (also the bishop) was an ass, especially when it came to LGBTQ+ issues. 

At least for me, it helped a bit to hear my mom talking about how frustrating it was to see him being so openly homophobic without caring about the values that had kept her in the church (things like service to the poor and loving your neighbors). And when I did come out to her, she actually wrote me a letter (I was leaving the next morning, so she put it in my suitcase) telling me how proud she was that I hadn’t let my years in the Catholic Church stop me from being true to myself. She talked about how many gay men she knew who became priests or married women and had families and were miserable–not because the job was bad or because the women they had married were bad people, but because it wasn’t, to borrow a Catholic phrase, their calling in life. And being able to see someone who had spent her entire adult life working for the Catholic Church say that? God, it meant the fucking world to me. 

And I think at the end of the day, being true to yourself and living as the person you’re meant to be is what’s going to help you make the most of the life you were given. And obviously, you know, safety concerns first, but when it comes to balancing your concerns with those of your family, there’s something to be said for believing that love means wanting the best for other people–not what you think is best for them, but what they actually know and feel is best for themselves. 

Also, on a more practical note for assuaging fears (at least for me, I had many lists of fears and ways to address them because lists are the only way I feel like I have control):

1. The older you get, the more people will assume that you’re simply doing your own thing and your parents have no control over it. And it’s total bs to think that my mom is safer in her job because if need be she could simply point to me and be like oh she lives hundreds of miles away in a liberal city–she makes her own choices now. But it’s true too. And would she do it? Doubtful. She’s grown rather outspoken about LGBTQ+ issues between my coming out and seeing my fiancee kicked out of her home for dating another woman. But there’s still that option if it came down to it. 

2. My conservative, extraordinarily Catholic grandfather once came up to me at my college graduation party, clapped me on the shoulder, and said, “Want to know what I think about gay marriage?” And god, no, no, no. I did not. But I nodded because surely I would out myself if I said no thank you. So he kept going: “It’s law now, and people are angry. They say that the Church objects, you know? But do you remember that story–I know you do, kiddo!–where Jesus is asked about taxes, and he makes them look at their money? Then he tells them to render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. And I think marriage is like that–they’re asking for a civil right, and it isn’t our place to deny someone a right.” And it might not be my first defense of marriage argument, but I think it gets down to the heart of the issue in a way that a lot of Catholics and religious folks find more easily comprehensible. Things like LGBTQ+ rights are civil rights, and, yes, sometimes as individuals we’re tied to non-civic organizations, but those ties don’t (or shouldn’t) take away existing rights, and a family member’s defense of your (or my or anyone else’s) right to those basic decencies should be able to be separated and acknowledged as an act of obeying Caesar or whatever, not something that should be cause for alarm (even though I like to believe that most people, even in these conservative organizations, wouldn’t see it as cause for alarm either way, would choose to uphold those more basic cardinal rules and values that honor human dignity and love above the minutiae of a Catechism written and edited over the years by humans with their own biases and historical contexts). 

Anyhow, I’ve rambled for a long time now. I hope any part of this was at all helpful, if only just to know that other people have definitely made their way through the frustrating balancing act, but if you ever want to talk, my ask box is open/I’m on messenger too. Wishing you the very best and sending you all of the virtual hugs if you want them! 

[supertam87]

How are you still a fan of Sam after all he's let happen to the fandom and to shippers in his name? You haven't personally been hurt by it so is it easier for you to ignore and pretend none of it ever happened? I'm struggling with my feelings about him and would love your insight.

As I have always said, I fan how I choose, and do my best to allow others the same privilege. If anyone reading this thinks I am talking about you, I promise you, I’m not.

I am sorry that there are people in the fandom who feel hurt. Its a shame that that was the result of something that should have been a fun and light-hearted experience. Please, however, don’t make assumptions, even posed as a question, such as ‘You haven’t personally been hurt by it so is it easier for you to ignore and pretend none of it ever happened?’ You don’t know what I have and haven’t been hurt by in this fandom, or by whom. I’m not pretending or ignoring anything. But I’m also not letting things have more presence in my life than they deserve.

You ask how I can still be a fan of Sam. First of all, I don’t believe that Sam did anything to fans, or allowed anything to be done to fans. I’ll talk more about that later. Even if I believed Sam did do something, that still doesn’t require me to stop supporting him. There is no one on this earth who has ever hurt me as deeply as my husband. No one has ever hurt him as deeply as I have. We don’t set out to hurt each other, but life is messy and people are imperfect. This is why I work every day of my life to practice the brutally hard art of forgiveness. Forgiveness isn’t an ‘If/Then’ equation. It’s not, ‘If this person is submissive and humble and admits all of their faults, then I will forgive.’ Forgiveness is a single party activity that is not dependent on any other person’s actions or opinions. I can forgive my husband when he hurts me because I choose to, whether or not he has asked for forgiveness. Forgiveness is for me, not him. Forgiveness makes me a better, happier, stronger person, more in control of my life. Let me ask you a question: Why would I NOT forgive my husband? Why would I hold on to anger, hurt or frustration? How would it benefit me? What would I get out of it? Heartburn, high blood pressure, anxiety - I don’t need more of that in my life. Besides, I know my husband is a really, really excellent man. His list of positive qualities is miles long. But he is imperfect, as am I. I forgive him, he forgives me, we focus on being better, learning from our mistakes and reveling in the soul fulfilling joy we find in each other. That is not ignoring or pretending, that is choosing our own happiness and health in spite of the messiness that is sharing life with another human. We are all responsible for our own happiness and happiness is a choice. My life is far from perfect and far from easy, but I am a generally happy person because I choose to be. Even if he did do something which hurt me (he didn’t), I can choose to forgive and move on. How can I still be a fan of Sam? Because I choose to be.

You ask how I can still be a fan of Sam after all he’s let happen to the fandom. He didn’t let anything happen to the fandom. We are not some unified group who get together each month and read the minutes and faithfully follow the bullet items on the agenda. Fandoms are very fluid bodies. There is no entrance exam, or document to sign, no oath to swear or dues to pay. People come and go as they please with no explanation due anyone at any time. Therefore, there is no control over what happens in a fandom at any given time, and my perception of this fandom is completely different from another fan, who may not be on Tumblr, but is on Twitter, or who is on Tumblr, but we have no followers in common. There are the Instagram fans, the Facebook fans, the multi-platform fans, the book group fans - and in each of these areas there are subsets of fans such as fanart, fanfiction, shipper, non-shipper, gifmaker, video maker, live tweeter, sam fan, cait fan, toby fan, graham fan, duncan fan, etc, etc, etc. There are thousands upon thousands of people who consider themselves part of this fandom. There are subsets of this fandom I probably haven’t even conceived of. We couldn’t possibly all share the same experiences, even in the same fandom, because there is simply too much diversity on every possible level. Therefore it is literally impossible for anything to happen to the fandom. You believe that something terrible happened to the shippers, but not even that is possible. Who are the shippers? Am I one, do you know how I categorize myself? We are all in control of our own experience. Sometimes that means not engaging or blocking, muting, ignoring, biting your tongue and generally not paying attention to people who don’t deserve your attention. It’s not Sam’s job to tutor us all about how to successfully fan, and it’s not his job to soothe ruffled feathers when one person hurts another person. How could he even begin to know? There are two sides to every story, so even if he was made aware of one side, what about the other side? We are adults. Our problems are our own. Not his. He has enough problems.

Again, you ask how can I still be a fan of Sam after everything that was done in his name. I don’t buy it. I refuse to hold Sam liable for other people’s actions. They are responsible for those actions. I am a Christian. I do not condone the thousands of years of atrocities that have been and continue to be committed in Jesus Christ’s name. I’m pretty sure He doesn’t either. I’m pretty sure Mohammed and Allah and myriad other well known figures don’t condone what was/is done in their names. I also believe that you are making assumptions about what Sam has condoned and what he hasn’t, what he knows and what he doesn’t and what his responsibilities are. Some people see malice where others see sarcasm. Some see apathy where other’s see focus directed somewhere else. We simply don’t know what has gone on behind the scenes, or what people really felt, thought or did. If someone was a horrible bully or troll (and there were several someones) that is on them. They made bad decisions. Really bad decisions. I do know that no one was required to engage with anyone else on Twitter or any other platform. Lucky for me, it isn’t my job in life to judge other people. My job is to do my best to be a good person and be good to other people. I believe we should try to lead by example. I am a fan of Sam because I don’t believe he did anything or allowed anything to be done to fans.

Do you really want to know why I am still a fan of Sam? You think you’ve been hurt by him, or someone associated with him? You think this has caused great distress in your life? Maybe it has. Here is something I know about Sam. His dad left him when he was three. Three years old. I have four kids. I know intimately what it’s like to have a three year old. I know how much they need. I know what it takes to raise a boy to manhood. It’s not easy. Sam had no contact with his dad. None. No advise, no outings, no support, no role model. He had no father. I’m sure this hurt him deeply and continues to hurt him. After years of absolutely no contact with his father, they were reconnected. His dad was dying of cancer. He did not push him away, tell him to die alone, tell him that he left so there could be no relationship, or any of a million other things he could have done. He chose the higher path. He traveled to see his father. He truly connected with him. He learned about him. He go to know him. He offered him love and support as this flawed man was dying. In short, he offered at least some form of forgiveness. I’m sure it was hard for him. I’m sure there were many horrible things he wanted to say. Maybe he did say them. But we know from his own words that it didn’t end on a horrible note. It ended on a positive, healing, healthy note. That’s pretty remarkable and admirable. That’s just one example out of many that illustrate why I think Sam is worthy of my attention. He is a good man. He is generous with his time, talent and wealth. He cares about people and he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty in the process of helping others.

You are absolutely not required to be a fan of Sam. It’s a supremely optional activity. But my question for you is why would I NOT be a fan of Sam? I have yet to hear a single person give me even one legitimate reason why I shouldn’t be a fan, considering that I should probably hold him to the same standard to which I hold myself. We’re both pretty flawed, messy humans. Isn’t life grand?

[purplepeoplelickingtruthpeddler]

A few satanic bible gems:

"When a Satanist commits a wrong, he realizes that is it natural to make a mistake―and if he is truly sorry about what he has done, he will learn from it and take care not to do the same thing again. If he is not honestly sorry about what he has done, and knows he will do the same thing over and over, he has no business confessing and asking forgiveness in the first place."

"I asked myself: ‘Where is God?’ I came to detest the sanctimonious attitude of people toward violence, always saying ‘it’s God’s will’."

"Satanists are encouraged to indulge in the seven deadly sins, as they need hurt no one; they were only invented by the Christian Church to insure guilt on the part of its followers. The Christian Church knows that it is impossible for anyone to avoid committing these sins, as they are all things which we, being human, most naturally do. After inevitably committing these sins financial offerings to the church in order to "pay off" God are employed as a sop to the parishioner's conscience!"

I'm not a Satanist because they do engage in rituals (not sacrificial, that's frowned upon) that feel silly to me personally, and because the atheist community still largely attracts white cishet mysogynists who just basically want to cherry pick an excuse to hurt other people, and I don't subscribe to that, despite that those guys exist in every religious and non-religious community.

But I mean:

"Satan has certainly been the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these years. The false doctrine of Hell and the Devil has allowed the Protestant and Catholic Churches to flourish far too long. Without a devil to point their fingers at, religionists of the right hand path would have nothing with which to threaten their followers. "Satan leads you to temptation"; "Satan is the prince of evil"; "Satan is vicious, cruel, brutal," they warn. "If you give in to the temptations of the devil, you will surely suffer eternal damnation and roast in Hell.

The semantic meaning of Satan is the "adversary" or "opposition" or the "accuser." The very word "devil" comes from the Indian devi which means "god." Satan represents opposition to all religions which serve to frustrate and condemn man for his natural instincts. He has been given an evil role simply because he represents the carnal, earthly, and mundane aspects of life."

Actual satan, to them, is basically men being really evil and bad to themselves and others, it's not a god. They believe in personal responsibility. They fear the evil in mankind. The title of Satanist is a reclaiming of that humanity which organized religion hates in them, not worship of an actual diety (other than the diety of self).

This bro makes some good points, you don't have to be atheist to follow them, and I want to go swimming in personal responsibility and self-love.

"Some religions actually go so far as to label anyone who belongs to a religious sect other than their own a heretic, even though the overall doctrines and impressions of godliness are nearly the same. For example: The Catholics believe the Protestants are doomed to Hell simply because they do not belong to the Catholic Church. In the same way, many splinter groups of the Christian faith, such as the evangelical or revivalist churches, believe the Catholics worship graven images. (Christ is depicted in the image that is most physiologically akin to the individual worshipping him, and yet the Christians criticize "heathens" for the worship of graven images.) And the Jews have always been given the Devil's name."

Acknowledgement of antisemites? While still maintaining a personally strictly non-religious belief system? Wholesome.

"No creed must be accepted upon authority of a "divine" nature. Religions must be put to the question. no moral dogma must be taken for granted- no standard of measurement deified. There is nothing inherently sacred about moral codes. Like the wooden idols of long ago, they are the work of human hands, and what man has made, man can destroy!"

Questioning things, and arriving at your own conclusions is encouraged. Wholesome.

"The Satanist knows that praying does absolutely no good- in fact, it actually lessens the chance of success, for the devoutly religious too often sit back complacently and pray for a situation which, if they were to do something about it on their own, could be accomplished much quicker!"

Idk about you but I feel stabby when my conservative christian in-laws tell me that my disability is my fault because I'm not christian, and that they'll just pray for me. Like... this guy wouldn't condone that... the stabby part. But he also wouldn't want me to forgive them and run back for seconds because it harms me. Wholesome.

At best this is a belief system that's closest to my own beliefs, if still naturally incomplete and corruptable by certain individuals, with some problematic followers.

At worst this is a book you should read regardless because it's largely about personal responsibility and questioning your moral code. And... books. Read them all. Get learnt.

so i was scrolling through twitter and uh

guys

i think i found proof