#chr: isa

[archivtime]

ts and isa dynamic is so fucked up actually

[croh3]

woe isafrin kisses be upon ye

[trustmy-rage]

whyyy does everytime i go look up a movie i rlly like i only get posts abt one of the actors in it

[miracles-and-butterflies]

For @zuuz-dot-chr-exe, based on the prompt: “Isabela trying to convince Dolores to have a streak of her hair dyied.”

A short one shot of Isabela and Dolores bonding while Isa tries to convince her prima-hermana to let her dye a single strand of hair. Or Isabela might not like showing it but sometimes she still needs reassurance from her family that being imperfect is okay.

Something Unexpected

“No, Isabela.”

It wasn't the first time she heard it and she was sure it wouldn’t be the last.

Ever since she got her gift back, Isabela had been no stranger to dyeing anything she could get her hands on. From her hair to her dress to her furniture to even her own skin, she would stain in any colour - splattered, several at once or mix up something new. She wasn’t picky. If anything, she liked the mash of colour.

Subsequently, this also meant her family had to adjust to this change too. For the most part, they were on board and very supportive. Many of them would happily join in or offer themselves as victims test subjects. The only real disapproval would come from her mother when she made a mess and refused to clean it, and when she stained a new piece of clothing in front of Mirabel. The nagging over the kitchen and whining of wasted thread aside, Isabela was much happier than she ever remembers being.

She frequently found herself adding dyed strands to the hair of Luisa, Camilo and Antonio. That was where you could find the four Madrigal kids on Sunday morning like today. Not that she is complaining about the arrangement, but… it would be nice to do someone else’s hair. And her one target didn’t seem to have any other response. No matter how she approached the offer.

“Please, Dolores!” Antonio tried, tugging at his sister’s sleeve with hopeful eyes. “It doesn’t hurt or anything, I promise. You’ll look so pretty with your hair done!”

Dolores barely lifted her eyes from her tiple, continuing to strum the tune she was learning.

“Come on, we’re all doing it, sis. Just have Bela put some yellow in.” Camilo kicked his foot at her chair. Unlike Antonio’s flattery and begging, his go-to strategy was always to annoy his sister into doing something. Which got pretty similar results. She didn’t move and instead Casita pushed him aside. “Casita, that’s not fair! It’s not my fault! Dolores is ruining the whole afternoon!”

“Why are you all getting on my case about this? Mirabel isn’t joining in either.” Dolores squeaked.

“Don’t spin this on me,” Mirabel snapped, stopping her embroidery to look up at her accuser. “You know full well I’m allergic.”

“You’re allergic to tree pollen, not flowers, you’re fine!”

Mirabel brushed her forehead curl back, revealing an irritated red patch, a rash from some test Isabela had done. She shot Dolores a challenging look, “Then explain the existence of the allergic reaction I’ve had, Lola.” Dolores rolled her eyes, turning away. Mirabel set her hair back, sighing to herself as she picked up her needle, “Dios, dame fuerzas. Tener la razón todo el tiempo es agotador.”

“I can hear you, you know,” Dolores whispered over.

“Good.” Mirabel hummed.

Luisa, who was sat on Mirabel’s other side, dropped an arm around her sister. “I can’t believe you’d throw this all on her. She is a child and she has a reason to not participate, what the hell is your excuse anyways? Let me guess: the pollen is too loud?” She asked, teasing.

“Oh, you are so funny, Luisa.” She deadpanned.

“One strand of hair, Dolores, that’s all I’m asking,” Isabela piped up, waving the red flower around dramatically. “Come on, I’m your best friend! Your sister-like figure—”

“Do not give me that song and dance again. You did it twice yesterday and I still have a headache.”

“Okay, fine… But, you know, as the eldest grandchild, I’m technically the one in charge, so what I say goes and I say—”

“It’s not going to happen, Isabela.”

Isabela groaned, “Please!? I will literally pay you!”

“There isn’t enough money in Colombia for that.” Dolores countered.

Seemingly giving up, Isabela collapsed back into the chair behind her. Luisa chuckled a bit but didn’t say anything more, happy enough to let this go too. Antonio pouted while Camilo huffed, getting onto his feet he offered his hand to the younger boy.

“Come on, Toñito, let’s go show Mamí and Papa how great our hair looks.” He suggested.

As the two boys ran off in a flurry of multicoloured powder, Dolores contented herself in the relative silence of the room. With a smirk to herself, she returned her focus back on to the instrument in hand. She barely got through the first chord before:

“Okay, your brothers are gone now. It’s just us. You can let me dye your hair now.”

“No.”

“What?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“Please!?”

“No.”

“Pretty please!?”

“No.”

“Bitch,” Isabela spat, slumping over onto the floor.

“Language.” Mirabel said, sing-song.

Luisa was giggling to herself at this point, clearly very entertained by both Isabela and Dolores’ ongoing argument. Even more so now that Mirabel had decided to try mediate the situation or at the very least Isabela’s swearing.

Dolores decided to simply ignore her three cousins, just focus on the song she had yet to finish because of all the interruptions and distractions in this room.

Honestly, she should have picked somewhere else to settle down with her tiple. It has crossed her mind an hour ago but she didn’t think too much of it. After all, they were her family. Her own brothers and cousins, and she did like being in their company. Even if she was just a silent spectator to the chaos of gremlins and Mirabel’s latest embroidery project.

When Isabela brought out the flowers and the boys began bouncing off the walls in hyper excitement and anticipation, she had her cue to leave. That would have been the chance to avoid all of this. Casita even nudged her foot to let her know. And yet… she still didn’t move. She remained in her seat, happily making her way through the chord progressions, enjoying the background noise of the chaos in the room.

“Oh, shut up!” Isabela flung back at her sister. “How would you feel if Luisa turned around and refused to wear your embroidery?”

“I wouldn’t blame her. It is her decision what she wants to wear and my embroidery is a disgrace.”

The laughter stopped very quickly.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!” Luisa exclaimed. “What did Mama tell you about demeaning yourself and your skills, hermanita?”

Mirabel clicked her tongue, just managing to stop herself from rolling her eyes. This wasn’t her first time doing this. She realised where this was going and stopped her work at a sensible place. “Not to do it, even in jest.”

“Exactly,” Luisa nodded. She heaved herself up onto her feet, scooping Mirabel up into her arms and headed for the exit. “Now, we’re gonna go into a quiet space upstairs, hug and discuss why you felt the need to say that, like the responsible and open Madrigal we are. Just know, I am not disappointed in you, just a little concerned at where such bullshit came from!”

“Language.”

“Yep, sorry, Mira. I realised as soon as I said it.”

Her footsteps disappeared up the stairs, leaving the room once again in silence. Quieter than before. Quieter than when she first entered the room.

It wasn’t the same kind of silence. It was the same silence she remembers on the first night after Casita’s collapse, almost a year ago to the day. Uncomfortable, to put it lightly. Different types of discomfort, of course, but somehow still the same. They weren’t pleasant to sit through and it ruined the melody every time she tried to play.

She set the tiple down in the empty spot beside her. Glancing over at Isabela, who had since slumped all the way down to the floor, flickering various petals and leaves into the air from her fingers.

“You don’t really think I don’t support you, do you?”

The petals unceremoniously dropped. Isabela sat up abruptly, coughing them out.

“What?” She asked.

“What you asked Mirabel,” Dolores clarified. “You implied that me not letting you dye my hair was the equivalent to Luisa turning down the embroidery Mirabel spends hours working on. I know you were exaggerating but the point remains; I’m asking if you think that I don’t care or support you.”

Isabela didn’t say anything, still unusually quiet. But the silence was enough of an indicator for Dolores.

As much as Isabela has grown to perfect herself and was a flawless actress, who had the entire town believing every smile was as real as life itself, Dolores had become incredibly sharp at reading people. Hearing everything gave her knowledge which was always an advantage in that process, but after so many years, it pretty much became second nature. So, even though Isabela had everyone else believing what she wanted, she never had and never will have Dolores.

Dolores stepped down, kneeling on the floor beside her cousin, taking her hand. Isabela raised an eyebrow at this.

“Isabela, I do care about you. I’m happy that you get to be yourself and, even though some of your actions are very stupid and downright dangerous, I do support you. I might not always say it or show it, but I do.” She insisted, offering a smile. “Okay?”

Isabela returned the smile, meeting her eyes. “So… can I dye your hair?”

Jesus fucking Christ—

“Fine,” she relented, covering Isabela’s mouth before she could start screaming in excitement. “But this stays between us, Isa. I don’t want my brothers knowing that I can change my mind, I’ll lose my power over them.”

“Whatever you want, Lola.”

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Yes, He Really Does Hold Your Life and Your Future in His Hands

by Kevin DeYoung

Q. What do you understand by the providence of God?

A. Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that lead and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty—all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand (Heidelberg Catechism Q/A 27).

This is my favorite Lord’s Day in the entire Catechism. I absolutely love its poetic description of providence. ”Sovereignty” is the word we hear more often. That’s a good word too. But if people run out of the room crying whenever you talk to them about sovereignty, try using the word “providence.” For some people God’s sovereignty sounds like nothing but raw, capricious power: “God has absolute power over all things and you better get used to it.” That kind of thing. And that definition is true in a sense, but divine sovereignty, we must never forget, is sovereignty-for-us. As Eric Liddel’s dad remarked in Chariots of Fire, God may be a dictator, but “Aye, he is a benign, loving dictator.”

Coming to grips with God’s all-encompassing providence requires a massive shift in how we look at the world. It requires changing our vantage point—from seeing the cosmos as a place where man rules and God responds, to beholding a universe where God creates and constantly controls with sovereign love and providential power.

The definition of providence in the Catechism is stunning. All things, yes all things, come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand.” I will sometimes ask seminary students being examined for ordination, “How would the Heidelberg Catechism, particularly Lord’s Day 10, help you minister to someone who lost a limb in Afghanistan or just lost a job or just lost a child.” I am usually disappointed to hear students who should be affirming the confessions of their denomination shy away from Heidelberg’s strong, biblical language about providence. Like most of us, the students are much more at ease using passive language about God’s permissive will or comfortable generalities about God being “in control” than they are about stating precisely and confidently to those in the midst of suffering “this has come from God’s fatherly hand.” And yet, that’s what the Catechism teaches.

And more importantly, so does the Bible.

To be sure, God’s providence is not an excuse to act foolishly or sinfully. Herod and Pontius Pilate, though they did what God had planned beforehand, were still wicked conspirators (Acts 4:25-28). The Bible affirms human responsibility.

But the Bible also affirms, much more massively and frequently than some imagine, God’s power and authority over all things. The nations are under God’s control (Psalm 2:1-4; 33:10), as is nature (Mark 4:41; Psalm 135:7; 147:18; 148:8), and animals (2 Kings 17:25; Dan. 6:22;Matt. 10:29). God is sovereign over Satan and evil spirits (Matt. 4:10; 2 Cor. 12:7-8; Mark 1:27). God uses wicked people for his plans—not just in a “bringing good out of evil” sort of way, but in an active, intentional, “this was God’s plan from the get-go” sort of way (Job 12:16; John 19:11; Gen. 45:8; Luke 22:22; Acts 4:27-28). God hardens hearts (Ex. 14:17;Josh. 11:20; Rom. 9:18). God sends trouble and calamity (Judg. 9:23; 1 Sam. 1:5; 16:14; 2 Sam. 24:1; 1 Kings 22:20-23; Isa. 45:6-7; 53:10; Amos 3:6; Ruth 1:20; Eccl. 7:14). God even puts to death (1 Sam. 2:6, 25; 2 Sam 12:15; 2 Chr. 10:4, 14; Deut. 32:39). God does what he pleases and his purposes cannot be thwarted (Isa. 46:9-10; Dan. 4:34-35). In short, God guides all our steps and works all things after the counsel of his will (Prov. 16:33; 20:24; 21:2; Jer. 10:23; Psalm 139:16; Rom. 8:21; Eph. 1:11).

It’s worth noting that Lord’s Day 10 is explaining what the Apostles’ Creed means when it says, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.” If God is the creator of all things and truly almighty, then he must continue to be almighty over all that he has created. And if God is a Father, then surely he exercises his authority over his creation and creatures for the good of his beloved children. Providence is nothing more than a belief in “God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth” brought to bear on our present blessings and troubles and buoying our hope into the future.

You can look at providence through the lens of human autonomy and our idolatrous notions of freedom and see a mean God moving tsunamis and kings like chess pieces in some kind of perverse divine play-time. Or you can look at providence through the lens of Scripture and see a loving God counting the hairs on our heads and directing the sparrows in the sky so that we might live life unafraid. “What else can we wish for ourselves,” Calvin wrote, “if not even one hair can fall from our head without his will?” There are no accidents in your life. Nothing has been left to chance. Every economic downturn, every phone call in the middle of the night, every oncology report has been sent to us from the God who sees all things, plans all things, and loves us more than we know.

As children of our Heavenly Father, divine providence is always for us and never against us. Joseph’s imprisonment seemed pointless, but it makes sense now. Slavery in Egypt makes sense now. Killing the Messiah makes sense now. Whatever difficulty or unknown you may be facing today, it will make sense someday–if not in this life, then certainly in the next.

We all have moments where we fear what the future may hold. But such fears are misplaced if we know the one who holds the future. The fact of the matter is all my worries may come true, but God will never be untrue to me. He will always lead me, always listen to me, and always love me in Christ. God moves in mysterious ways; we may not always understand why life is what it is. But we can face the future unafraid because we know that nothing moves, however mysterious, except by the hand of that great Unmoved Mover who moves all and is moved by none, and that this Mover is not an impersonal force but the God who is my Father in heaven.

[phoenix--flying]

Titans Win AU; Intro Profiles - Priestesses of Hera

*this au takes place around Sea of Monsters

Camp Half-Blood Cabins Big Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve

!! tw; talk of SA, under the cut in Zurias section & talk of abuse/neglect under Isadora and Cosettes sections !! all you need to read to understand is the first sentence in their sections about their ages, you can skip the rest if this makes you uncomfortable

Arabella Blyton (She/Her) Arabella is a daughter of Zeus, she was born before the oath, making her chronologically seventy-six years old, though she is physically and biologically fifteen years old. Following the oath, Hades sent hellhounds after her to get back at Zeus for the death of Maria di Angelo, though his attempt was in vain as Arabella was saved by Hera who made her an immortal priestess on Olympus. She disappeared from Olympus following Kronos' return, her location is unknown.

Paisley Aitken (She/Her) Paisley is a daughter of Hera, and though she may appear only fourteen, she is fifty-eight chronologically. She has two mortal parents, whos marriage was blessed by Hera, her mother turned to Hera upon discovering their issues with infertility. In return, Hera blessed them with Paisley. Although, when their family home was attacked and Paisley was nearly killed, Hera took her up to Olympus in an attempt to save her. Like the others, she was eventually made into an immortal priestess. She disappeared from Olympus following Kronos' return, her location is unknown.

Isadora ‘Isa’ Aetos (She/Her) Isa is a daughter of Hades, she was born before the oath, making her chronologically one hundred sixteen, though shes only fourteen chronologically. She was the product of an affair, and when her mothers husband found out, he was furious, and attempted to take his anger out on her. Her mother attempted to protect her, but before anything happened, Hera intervened and took Isa to Olympus, ultimately making her an immortal priestess. She disappeared from the temple following Kronos’ return, her location is unknown.

Aoki Keiko (She/Her) Aoki is a daughter of Persephone, she seems like a fourteen year old, but is one hundred fifteen chronologically. She was made from a tulip bulb when her mortal mother prayed for a child. Though, when the people in her neighbourhood found out her mother had a child without having a partner, they found it satanic and attempted to kill Aoki, but Hera intervened before they were able to. She disappeared from the temple following Kronos’ return, her location is unknown.

Penelope ‘Penny’ of Argos (She/Her) Penelope is a daughter of Poseidon, she was born before the oath, and is over three thousand years old chronologically while appearing eleven years old physically. Her mother was a priestess of Hera and she often helped her tend to the temple, occasionally leaving little offerings of flowers or desserts for the goddess, which had caught Heras eye and had gained Penelope the interest of the goddess. At some point, the temple was attacked, and Penelope was injured badly, Hera intervened, knowing if she hadn’t, the girl would’ve died. Eventually, when she was well enough, Penelope agreed to become an immortal priestess on Olympus. She disappeared from the temple following Kronos’ return, her location is unknown.

Daphne of Argos (She/Her) Daphne is a daughter of Athena, despite her physical appearance being that of an eleven year old, she is over three thousand years old chronologically. Much like Penelope, her mother was a priestess of Hera and she often followed her mother around the temple and left offerings for the goddess. Again, like Penelope, she was almost killed when the temple was attacked but she was saved by Hera, who eventually turned her into an immortal priestess. She disappeared from the temple following Kronos’ return, her location is unknown.

Zuria ‘Zu’ Aubert (She/Her) Zu is a daughter of Demeter, she appears seventeen but is forty-five chronologically. She was a worshipper of Hera, though when her partner at the time attempted to push her into doing something she wasn't comfortable with, she prayed to Hera for help and the goddess answered. She was made into an immortal priestess and tends to the gardens around Heras temple. She disappeared from the temple following Kronos’ return, her location is unknown.

Cosette Onasis (She/Her) Cosette is a daughter of Aphrodite, she is physically a sixteen year old, but is chronologically around fifty years old. She wound up in Heras hands after Aphrodite sought her out to help Cosette after discovering how she was being treated by her mortal mother. Hera, being the goddess of family, of course would not stand for a child being neglected and took Cosette up to Olympus, turning her into an immortal priestess. She disappeared from the temple following Kronos’ return, her location is unknown.

Varuna Rishi (She/Her) & Andromeda Baros (She/They) Varuna is a daughter of Hecate, she appears eighteen but is sixty-one; Andromeda is a daughter of Nemesis, she appears nineteen, but is sixty-two. Andromeda was a worshipper of Hera, when she and Varuna were attacked on a walk, she turned to Hera to aid them, which she did. They've been priestess since. They disappeared from the temple following Kronos’ return, their location is unknown.

[slocumjoe]

Sole survivor posting jumpscare

Her name is Isadora Vaz Yamada (Often called Ivy), she's from Florianopolis, Brazil. The green and blue makeup is based off of peacocks, which she kept as pets growing up.

She went to C.I.T for college, becoming top of her class in robotics. Ivy is actually the inventor/mom of the Assaultatrons! She sold the patent to Robco and forever bitches about how they screwed up the coding. Her robots wouldn't have gone haywire 200 years later—Codsworth is proof of that. She made him from scrapped Mr. Handys for a class project. The Assaultatrons were made while drafted out in China, where she served as a combat engineer.

Some more details on her bc I love her sm

Romances Danse. Her last relationship was traumatic and put her off romance, and Danse had all his shit going on, so it took a long fuckin time for them to talk and figure things out

Isadora grew up rich. I think her family might have owned tourist resorts and such? Like, a family that's very concerned with interior decor, and the make and build of furniture. She had two sisters and brother, but wasn't very close with any of them. Wasn’t tight-knit with her parents, either. They didn't have a bad relationship, but she was just a very different person from them. No ill will, but they just didn't get her at all.

People not seeing her nuance and complexities would follow her throughout her life. She was a very open and bold person, but people tended to see her only as an eccentric STEM. Most of her romantic or sexual partners didn't try to really listen to her either, which would be a major insecurity for her as she grew older.

You know how someone can love you, but...only what they think you could be? Or what you are on the surface, and no deeper? That's Isa and her relationships, platonic or otherwise. So even though she's social and emotionally vulnerable, she was never able to have intimate, personal relationships. She feeds into it sometimes, and often feels like a performer acting herself on stage for everyone else.

Her biggest flaw would definitely be a sense of superiority. Since many people in her life were shallow, she falls into the trap of "I'm not like other girls", except...for everyone? Grew out of some of it during the military, as she aged, but definitely was made bitter, and grandstands as a defense.

Has a tendency to talk down to people, will use a baby voice to address the factions. She's leader of the Institute and Minutemen, able to form an alliance with the RR and BOS, as shaky as it is. Her baby-talking towards Desdemona and Maxson doesn't help tensions. But the Institute also hates her, so at least they all agree on something.

Very tall, 6 3". Athletic, dorito-body build. Broad shoulders, narrow waist and hips, big thighs and legs.

1 STR, 7 PER, 3 END, 6 CHR, 6 INT, 4 AGI, 1 LCK. She's all brainpower. Her CHR and INT i level up, so it's actually higher, but that's her base stats.

Uses a sniper rifle, a sawed off double barrel shotgun, and an automatic Institute laser rifle (for the blue lasers)

She's a rum aunt type. Will help you pick out clothes while telling you why you should dump him

Pansexual

Pro-synth because machine or not, she loves robots and treats them with the same respect as humans. Considers the Assaultatrons and Codsworth her children as much as Shaun

Almost cries when they have to put down a haywire Assaultatron

Pretty unflinching, nothing really shocks her or makes her pause. Then Far Harbor happened and shot her nerves to shit

Renames Shaun's synth kid to Julian, deeply encourages him to be his own person and understand that he is an individual, not a copy or fake. Very affectionate to him all the same, he reminds Ivy of her brother when he was young.

Didnt really...care...when Shaun died. She didn't want to have him, but she did love her baby. Shaun wasn't her baby, he was his father's son. Ivy has a lot of guilt over these feelings, and doesn't bring them up to anyone.

[einereiseblog]

Ich schielte auf die Karte auf meinem Handy und las die winzigen Zahlen im nachmittäglichen Schein einer unversöhnlichen Sonne. Der Tempel der Artemis war definitiv auf der Karte markiert – Nummer 23. Wir hatten den Morgen in Ephesus verbracht, Turkey's ikonische archäologische Stätte und waren nun auf der Suche nach dem Tempel der Artemis, einem der berühmten sieben Weltwunder der Antike. Wir waren drei verschiedene Pfade entlanggegangen und an die Grenzen des Geländes gestoßen, ohne den scheinbar mythischen Tempel ausfindig machen zu können. Schließlich latschten wir zum Südtor, die Arme in unnatürlichen Winkeln ausgestreckt, um Luft um unsere schwitzende Haut zu lassen. Wir wurden am Tor von einem typisch geselligen Türken begrüßt, der uns fröhlich erzählte, dass der Tempel der Artemis überhaupt nicht im Komplex von Ephesus, sondern 3 km entfernt, in der Nähe der Stadt, sei. Obwohl uns ein 3 km langer Fußmarsch selten einschüchterte, sprach die Aussicht, in der gottlosen Hitze zum Tempel zu schleppen, keinen von uns an, also sprangen wir stattdessen in ein Taxi. Zehn Minuten und 5 US-Dollar später fanden wir uns auf einem kahl werdenden Hügel aus sumpfigem Schlamm und verdorrtem Gras wieder. Atlas & Boots Fit für eine Göttin? Der berühmte Tempel der Artemis thront auf einem kahl werdenden Sumpfhügel Wir gingen zu einer verlassenen Informationstafel und überblickten die Szene dahinter. Wir haben nicht viel von dem Tempel erwartet (bis auf die Pyramiden von Gizeh wurden alle antiken Wunder zerstört), aber wir haben mehr Fanfare rund um die Stätte selbst erwartet: vielleicht ein Samtseil oder eine Art Gedenktafel – etwas, das an die Bedeutung erinnert Der Seite. Stattdessen fanden wir eine einsame Säule, die von verstreuten Steinen umgeben war. Atlas & Boots Was bleibt heute Es scheint, dass der Tempel der Artemis, eine Hommage an die gleichnamige griechische Göttin der Jagd, jetzt zur viertbesten Sehenswürdigkeit der Stadt nach Ephesus, der Burg Ayasoluk und der Isa-Bey-Moschee wurde. Wir verbrachten 20 Minuten damit, um die Ruinen herumzulaufen und konnten uns wegen des sumpfigen Beckens nicht zu nahe kommen. Der um 800 v. Chr. erbaute Tempel wurde dreimal nacheinander durch Überschwemmungen, Brandstiftung und Plünderungen zerstört. Die dritte Inkarnation stand 600 Jahre lang und umfasste über 127 Säulen, von denen nur noch eine am ursprünglichen Standort erhalten ist. Als wir vor der einsamen Säule standen, versuchten wir, ihre Bedeutung aufzunehmen; um sich in den Echos einer glorreichen Vergangenheit zu sonnen. Leider war alles, was wir fühlten, ein Gefühl der Unterdrückung, gefärbt mit dem Schuldgefühl, Brite zu sein. Wie Sie sehen, wurden Teile des Tempels ausgegraben und in den „Ephesus Room“ des British Museum transportiert, nachdem die britischen Archäologen John Turtle Wood in den Jahren 1869-1874 und David George Hogarth in den Jahren 1904-1906 gearbeitet hatten. Natürlich ist es nicht das erste Mal, dass die Briten wertvolle Artefakte für sich beanspruchen. Andere umstrittene Gegenstände sind der Rosetta Stone aus Ägypten und die Elgin Marbles aus Griechenland. Die Behörden in beiden Ländern haben sich lange für die Rückgabe dieser Objekte eingesetzt, aber das British Museum hat sich geschickt geweigert und behauptet, dass die Schätze Weltkulturerbe und für Besucher in London besser zugänglich seien. Das British Museum ist wahrscheinlich auch besorgt darüber, dass unbezahlbare Artefakte in ausländischen Museen gefährdet sind, die weitaus weniger Mittel haben. Schließlich wurde im Ägyptischen Museum in Kairo der Bart von König Tutanchamun mit alltäglichem Kleber wieder aufgeklebt. Schließlich könnte das British Museum, wenn es einem Anspruch nachgibt, die Schleusen für Dutzende anderer öffnen. Andererseits ist das britische Eigentum an wertvollen Artefakten im Allgemeinen das Ergebnis kolonialer Streitigkeiten und nicht diplomatischer Vereinbarungen. Wenn wir einem modernen Verhaltenskodex

folgen wollen, dann besteht die einzige Möglichkeit darin, wertvolle Artefakte in ihr Herkunftsland zurückzugeben, unabhängig davon, ob es die Mittel und die Motivation hat, sie so zu erhalten, wie wir es tun würden. Eine Sache, die uns bei Atlas & Boots immer wieder erstaunt hat, ist der unfassbar herzliche Empfang, den wir als Briten auf der ganzen Welt erfahren. Inder haben uns Landsleute genannt, ein Fidschianer hat Großbritannien das „Mutterland“ genannt und Kenianer haben uns stolz erzählt, dass sie immer noch den Schilling benutzen. Es scheint, dass die koloniale Vergangenheit Großbritanniens so kraftvoll, so vollständig war, dass es ihm gelang, nicht nur ferne Länder zu beherrschen, sondern sich auch selbst beliebt zu machen. Vielleicht ist es für Großbritannien jetzt an der Zeit, Demut zu zeigen; die gleiche Höflichkeit zu erweisen, die andere uns bieten. Vielleicht ist es an der Zeit, unsere Schätze zurückzugeben. Besuch des Tempels der Artemis: das Wesentliche Was: Besuch des Tempels der Artemis in Selçuk, Turkey. Wo: Wir entschieden uns für das Akay Hotel, das perfekt gelegen ist, um Ephesus sowie die anderen Sehenswürdigkeiten rund um Selçuk zu besuchen. Es liegt in der Nähe des Tempels der Artemis, der Burg Ayasoluk, der Basilika St. John und der Isa-Bey-Moschee und nur 10 Gehminuten vom Stadtzentrum und dem Bahnhof entfernt. Das Hotel verfügt über einen einladenden Swimmingpool, eine kleine Bar mit kalten Getränken, Snacks und Bier und sogar ein Paar Schildkröten, die durch den Garten streifen. Der eigentliche Anziehungspunkt ist jedoch der weite Blick auf die umliegende Stadt und Landschaft. Das Frühstück wird außerhalb Ihres Zimmers mit Blick auf die Aussicht serviert, fragen Sie also nach einem Zimmer im Obergeschoss. Das Personal hat nur begrenzte Englischkenntnisse, wird sich aber sehr bemühen, Ihnen bei allem, was Sie brauchen, zu helfen. Şükran hatte ein Wörterbuch in der Nähe und schrieb fleißig Sätze auf, um sicherzustellen, dass wir uns richtig verstanden. Wann: Die beste Reisezeit für Ephesus ist der Frühling (März bis Mitte Juni), wenn das Wetter gemäßigt und die Tage lang sind. Beachten Sie, dass es vor allem im April ein oder zwei Tage regnen kann. Auch wenn es milder als im Sommer ist, unterschätzen Sie die Sonne nicht. Der Sommer wird definitiv heiß und wahrscheinlich überfüllt sein, während der Winter kalt und regnerisch sein kann. Wie: Sie können vom Akay Hotel zum Tempel der Artemis laufen, da er nur 1 km entfernt ist. Der Eintritt ist frei. Tatsächlich gibt es keinen Eingang; Sie können einfach darauf zugehen! Wir sind angekommen Turkey am internationalen Flughafen Atatürk in Istanbul und verbrachte einige Tage in Istanbul, bevor es nach Selçuk weiterging. Wir nahmen einen Inlandsflug nach Izmir (1 Stunde) und stiegen dann in einen Zug nach Selçuk (1 Stunde 20 Minuten). Der Flughafen ist international und hat überall Verbindungen zu einer Reihe von Inlandszielen Turkey. Buchen Sie über Skyscanner zu den besten Preisen. Die Züge erwiesen sich als sehr zuverlässig und einfach zu bedienen. Weitere Informationen und Buchungsmöglichkeiten finden Sie auf der Website der Türkischen Staatsbahn. Wir nutzten auch den Zug, um nach Denizli weiterzufahren, um Pamukkale zu besuchen. Einsamer Planet Turkey ist ein umfassender Reiseführer für das Land, ideal für diejenigen, die sowohl die wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten erkunden als auch weniger befahrene Straßen nehmen möchten. Leitbild: Atlas & Boots .

[trueconservativepundit]

Why Dying to Make Men Free is only Half the Story – What is the Other Half?

Why Dying to Make Men Free is only Half the Story – What is the Other Half?

In 1861 Abolitionist, suffragette, writer, and speaker Julia Ward Howe penned the immortal words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic. After every verse and chorus of Ward’s historic hymn are the words, His truth is marching on. In today’s world of pop-culture trends, general sleaziness and rebellion, the truth is halt and limping aimlessly down the dark alleys of America’s decline. We are losing…

[eli-kittim]

Where Was Tarshish Located?

By Author Eli Kittim

In Second Chronicles 9.21, the Septuagint (LXX L.C.L. Brenton) translates the Hebrew “Tarshish” (תַּרְשִׁ֔ישׁ BHS) as Θαρσεῖς. The location of Θαρσεῖς——according to Josephus’ Jewish Antiquities (LCL 242: 62-63)——was in Tarsus Cilicia (the birth place of Saul of Tarsus, aka Paul the Apostle; Acts 22.3) in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), near the Mediterranean Sea. Greeks comprised a large portion of the population. It was a Greek colony. So, Tarshish does not appear to be in Spain as some commenters have suggested:

https://www.loebclassics.com/view/josephus-jewish_antiquities/1930/pb_LCL242.63.xml

In Jonah 1.3 (LXX), the term “Tarshish” is spelled Tharsis and translated in the Greek as Θαρσὶς. In the Bible, Tarshish is said to comprise a cluster of islands: “For the coastlands shall wait for me, the ships of Tarshish first” (Isa. 60.9 NRSV cf. Isa. 23.6). The great ships of Tarshish are also mentioned in Isa. 2.16. Then, as now, Greece controlled one of the largest merchant fleets in the world. Moreover, according to Gen. 10.4, Tarshish was one of “The descendants of Javan [Greece]: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim [Cyprus], and Rodanim [Rhodes]” (cf. 1 Chr 1.7)!

Conclusion

Thus, both the internal and external evidence strongly suggest that Tarshish was located on the southern part of Anatolia, and that the region had undergone Greek ‘colonization’ by Greek and Aegean settlers:

https://research-bulletin.chs.harvard.edu/2017/08/02/rough-cilicia/

After all, Ionia itself——located on the western coast of Anatolia in present-day Turkey——comprised the territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements. As far back as 600–480 BCE, Greeks had settled on the shores and islands of the eastern Aegean Sea.

—————

[cedricussuperius]

Amyendahan ang HSA-2007: Hindi sagot ang ATA-2020

Ang Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 ay isang batas na nagpapawalang-bisa sa Human Security Act of 2007 at nagbibigay ng mas mahigpit na mga probisyon laban sa terorismo, insurhensiya, at insureksyon. Sa batas na ito, mas pinatibay nito ang parusa sa pagsagawa ng terorismo o kahit ang pagiging isang kasabwat sa pagsagawa ng terorismo. Bagaman nakalagay sa isang probisyon na ang pagprotesta, strike, at hindi pagsang-ayon sa gobyerno ay hindi kalakip sa depinisyon ng “terorismo”, may iba pang mga aspeto ng batas na ito ang maaaring makabawas sa constitutionally-guaranteed na kalayaang sibil ng mga Pilipino. Maliban sa isyu na ito, may ibang probisyon sa batas na malabo ang pagtukoy ng iilang mahahalagang termino katulad ng panahong itatagal ng “warrantless arrests” at mga tiyak na “quasi-judicial powers” ng Anti-Terrorism Council. Bukod dito, kahit na sa gitna pa ng isang malawakang krisis sa kalusugang pampubliko, naisagawa pa rin ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na gawing kagyat ang pagpasa ng Anti-Terrorism Bill, kaya marami ang nagdududa kung ano ang motibasyon sa ganitong aksyon ng Pangulo. Ayon sa Artikulo III, Sekyon 1 ng 1987 Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas: “no law shall be enacted depriving any person of his or her  life, liberty, and property without due process of law”. Nasa kaalaman natin na matindi ang banta ng terorismo sa ating bansa, ngunit dapat isaalang-alang din na ang mga batas na dapat ipatupad ng Kongreso ay hindi maaabuso ng mga kawani ng pamahalaan laban sa mga sibilyan na maaaring mapagmulan ng paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao. Batay sa mga kondisyon na ibinanggit dito, ako ay nagbabatid ng pagsuporta sa pag-amyenda sa dating batas na HSA-2007 at mariing pagtutol sa mga nilalaman at kalikasan ng pagpasa ng Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

Sa bagong batas na ito, pinaiigting nito ang proteksyon ng bansa laban sa terorismo. Mabuti naman ang intensyon nito. Mayroon itong probisyon na nagbibigay kapangyarihan sa mga law-enforcement agencies na ilagay sa surveillance ang mga tao o grupo na suspetsadong terorista o mga nakikipagsabwatan sa mga terorista upang matigil ang pagsagawa ng kanilang iligal na operasyon. Subalit, malabo ang pagkatukoy sa salitang “terorismo” sa batas na ito dahil pinalawak din ang depinisyon nito.

Ang pagkakaroon ng malabong pagtukoy ng salitang “terorista” at mga “katangian ng terorismo”, ay maaaring magdulot ng pang-aabuso ng awtoridad. Halimbawa, batay sa Seksyon 4.a ng batas, ang terorismo ay isang aksyon na layon ang pagkamatay, malubhang pinsala sa katawan, o mangin ang pagpanganib sa buhay ng tao. Isa pang nakapagdududang probisyon ay ang Seksyon 4.b ng batas dahil napabilang dito sa terorismo ang mga kilos na naglalayong sirain ang pampublikong ari-arian at paggambala sa mga imprastrakturang pribado o publiko upang takutin ang gobyerno at mag-udyok ng pagbagsak nito. Anumang kilos na maaaring nakapaloob sa malabong probisyong ito ay maaari nang tawaging terorismo at sinumang tao na gumawa nito ay maaaring ma-aresto nang walang warrant at makulong ng hanggang 14 na araw at maaari pang mapahaba ng hanggang 10 araw (Seksyon 29, ATA-2020). Sa dating batas na HSA-2007, hanggang tatlong araw lang dapat makulong ang isang tao na walang warrant of arrest. Sa Seksyon 20 naman ng HSA-2007, nakalagay pa na mayroong parusa ang mga umaarestong opisyal ng sa hanggang 10 taong pagkakakulong kung hindi nila maipakita sa isang mahistrado ang akusadong terorista sa loob ng tatlong araw pagkatapos itong arestuhin. Ngunit sa ATA-2020, binura na ang probisyong ito. Maaaring maabuso ang batas sapagkat wala na itong malalakas na panangga laban dito.

May ilang sugnay ang tinanggal na sa Anti-Terrorism Act na dapat sanang nagbibigay ng mga pag-iingat laban sa pang-aabuso sa batas na ito. Sa Seksyon 9 ng Human Security Act ng 2007, nakalagay ang sugnay na:

“Provided, That the person being surveilled or whose communications, letters, papers, messages, conversations, discussions, spoken or written words and effects have been monitored, listened to, bugged or recorded by law enforcement authorities has the right to be informed of the acts done by the law enforcement authorities in the premises or to challenge, if he or she intends to do so, the legality of the interference before the Court of Appeals which issued the written order.”

Ang sugnay na ito ay nagbibigay ng karapatan sa sinumang tao na tinukoy na terorista na malaman ang ginagawang surveillance sa kanila ng law-enforcement agencies. Binigyan din ng karapatan ang mga hinihinalang suspek na hamunin ang legalidad ng mga aksyong ginagawa ng mga state forces. Subalit, sa kaparehong probisyon ng Seksyon 9 sa HSA-2007, ang Seksyon 18 ng ATA-2020, tinanggal na ang sugnay na ito na nakakatulong sa pagbibigay proteksyon sa karapatang pantao ng mga hinihinalang suspek at mga proteksyon laban sa pang-aabuso sa batas na ito. Makikitang nilalabag nito ang karapatang malaman ng mga taong pinagmamanmanan ng estado ang mga ginagawang pagmamanman sa kanila, at kinuha pa ang kanilang karapatang hamunin sa korte ang isinasagawang pagmamatyag sa kanila.

Dahil sa limitadong impormasyon na makukuha ng mga akusadong tao dahil ginawang classified na ang pagmamanman, maaaring hindi makapagtanggol ang akusado sa mga pinaratang na kaso laban sa kanya. Dahil dito, maaari itong lumabag sa karapatan nila sa pagkakaroon ng tamang due process.

Sa bagong ATA-2020, ang mga pamantayang pag-iingat laban sa pag-abuso ng batas ay nabawasan din. Noon, sa Seksyon 36 ng HSA-2007, detalyado pa at mabigat ang ng mga taong lalabag sa probisyong “Malicious Examination of a Bank or a Financial Institution”. Subalit sa kaparehong probisyon na ito sa Seksyon 37 ng ATA-2020, binawasan ang mga parusa sa sinumang tao na lalabag sa seksyong ito. Naging malabo na rin ang pagtukoy sa mga taong lalabag sa probisyong ito, at maaaring mapasailalim sa hindi kanais-nais na interprestasyon. Sa Seksyon 47 naman ng dating HSA-2007, nasa 12 hanggang 20 taon ang parusang pagkabilanggo sa sinumang tao na lalabag sa probisyong “Furnishing False Evidence, Forged Document, or Spurious Evidence”. Ngayon, sa Seksyon 43 ng ATA-2020, binawasan na rin ang parusa sa mga taong ito at ginawang anim (6) na taon na lamang.

Sa HSA-2007 kinakailangan ng mga imbestigador at law enforcement personnel na kumuha ng written order mula sa Court of Appeals bago imbestigahan at galugarin ang bank deposits ng mga akusado. Ito ay isang safeguard laban sa pang-aabuso ng batas. Ngunit sa ATA-2020, ang Seksyon 35 o “Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Authority to Investigate, Inquire into and Examine Bank Deposits” ay nagbibigay ng kapangyarihan sa AMLC na galugarin ang personal accounts ng mga akusadong terorista na walang court order. Ito ay labag sa due process at maaaring gamitin ng kahit anong administrasyon laban sa kanilang mga kalaban sa politika. Ang pinaka-importanteng proteksyon laban sa pang-aabuso ng batas na ito ay binura na rin sa ATA-2020. Sa Seksyon 55 ng HSA-2007, ang Commission on Human Rights (CHR) ay may kapangyarihang isakdal ang mga opisyales at law enforcement personnel na lalabag sa anumang probisyon ng batas na ito. Sa ikalawang sugnay ng Seksyon 55, HSA-2007, nakalagay ang tekstong ito:

“…and for this purpose, the Commission shall have the concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute public officials, law enforcers, and other persons who may have violated the civil and political rights of persons suspected of, or detained for the crime of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism.”

Ngayon, sa kaparehong probisyon nito sa Seksyon 47 ng ATA-2020, tinanggal na ang bahaging ito ng Seksyon 55 ng HSA-2007. Ang “Checks and Balances” ay kinakailangan din upang masigurado na hindi lalakas ang isang sangay ng pamahalaan sa iba pang sangay nito. Ngunit sa Seksyon 50 ng ATA-2020, pinaliit ang kapangyarihan ng Kongreso o “oversight powers” nito kumpara sa HSA-2007. Naging taunan na lang ang pag-ulat ng Anti-Terrorism Council sa Kongreso kumpara noong ito’y ginagawa tuwing anim na buwan sa ilalim ng HSA-2007. Kinakailangang higpitan ng batas na ito ang “Checks and Balances” upang maiwasan ang pag-aabuso nito.

Batay sa mga inilathalang argumento sa papel na ito, ang Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 ay isang mapanganib na batas sa ating Konstitusyon at karapatang pantao. Ang terorismo ay isa sa pinakamalalang problema ng Pilipinas ngayon. Kinakailang ng bansa ang isang batas upang labanan ito. Ang batas na ito ay may mabuting motibo na protektahan ang kapayapaan ng bansa at kaligtasan ng mga Pilipino laban sa mga radikal na Jihadist at Komunistang terorista sa mga kanayunan, subalit hindi dapat susupilin ng batas na ito ang karapatang pantao ng mga Pilipino. Mas mainam na amyendahan ng Kongreso ang Human Security Act of 2007 upang matitityak nito na protektado rin ng pamahalaan ang karapatang pantao at kalayaang sibil ng mga Pilipino.

BIBLIOGRAPIYA:

Constitutional Convention, Republic of the Philippines. (1987). Saligang Batas ng Republika ng Pilipinas. Retrieved from: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/1987-constitution/

Congress of the Philippines, Republic of the Philippines. (2007). Republic Act No. 9732: Human Security Act of 2007. Retrieved from: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2007/03/06/republic-act-no-9372/.

Congress of the Philippines, Republic of the Philippines. (2020). Republic Act No. 11479: Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2020/07/03/republic-act-no-11479/.

[archivtime]

pjo au of my ocs (the omg the horrors highschool one)

Caleb as a son of hermes (cus hes an athletic mischevious little shit )

theo son of hephestus ( cus he well makes things is rlly smart at math )

tyson son of hades youd thibk he would be a son of athena? Nah hes a hades kid cus well he can fucking do dark magic and shit

isa as a daugther of athena cus well shes rlly smart and cold perfect isnt it?

grace as a daugther of demeter cus plants :] abd shes a very naturey person

ts as a daugther of hades ( shes tysons older brother + she can do dark magic too yk )

kim as a daugther of aphrodite cus she enjoys wearing cutesy things,an amazing charmer/ ppls perskn and idk just fits her

rachel as a daugther of dionysus cus she plans to be an actor and is a very party person + she acts very drunk w no alcohol !

[tomasorban]

Asherah/Asherim

Asherah, along with Astarte and Anath, was one of the three great goddesses of the Canaanite pantheon. In Canaanite religion her primary role was that of mother goddess. In mythological texts from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550–1200 b.c.e.) city-state of Ugarit, she is called “the creatress of the gods”; her consort at Ugarit, the god El, is called “creator.” El is also referred to as father and patriarch at Ugarit, as Asherah, likewise, is called mother. Their children form the pantheon of the gods, who are said to number seventy; a Hittite myth similarly mentions the seventy-seven and eighty-eight children of Asherah. On occasion in Ugaritic myth, Asherah performs the maternal role of wet nurse. Ugaritic and other Canaanite materials further associate Asherah with lions (indicating power), serpents (representing immortality or healing), and sacred trees (signifying fertility). Thus Asherah’s children at Ugarit can be called her “pride of lions”; the goddess is called “lady of the serpent” in second-millennium b.c.e. inscriptions from the Sinai; the late-thirteenth-century b.c.e. Lachish ewer dedicated to Asherah is decorated with images of sacred trees.

The Canaanite association of Asherah with sacred trees is also found in Israelite tradition. For example, one of the Canaanite epithets of Asherah, elat, “goddess,” is etymologically identical to the Hebrew word for the terebinth tree (ela). Another word for “terebinth” (alla) and two words for “oak” (elon and allon) are also closely related. Gen 2:4b–3:24 may further suggest the association of Asherah with sacred trees, since the way that Eve, “the mother of all living” (3:20), is described in the Eden story mimics in certain respects the role of the Canaanite mother goddess Asherah. If a correspondence holds, then the trees of life and of knowledge in the Eden narrative may also reflect Asherah imagery.

Most significant, though, in demonstrating Israel’s association of Asherah with sacred trees are biblical materials that describe the asherah (singular) or asherim (plural), the cult object(s) that are associated with the goddess Asherah more than thirty times in the Hebrew Bible. These cult objects are generally described as being in the shape of a pole or stylized tree. Like a pole or tree, they can be said to be planted, stood up, or erected. Conversely, when destroyed, these cult symbols can be described as being cut down, hewn down, or uprooted; they can also be said to be burned, overturned, or broken. Both the Greek and Latin translations of the Bible, moreover, render the words asherah and asherim as “grove” or “wood.”

According to the biblical record, these sacred poles or stylized trees associated with Asherah were erected by the Israelites throughout most of their history, especially during the premonarchic (tribal) period (Judg 6:25–26, 28, 30)) and during the period of the divided monarchy, both in the northern kingdom of Israel (1Kgs 14:15; 16:33; 2 Kgs 13:6; 17:10, 16; 23:15; and parallel references in 2 Chronicles) and in Judah, in the south (1 Kgs 14:23, 15:13; 2 Kgs 18:4; 21:3, 7; 23:6, 14; and parallel references in 2 Chronicles). These sacred poles were situated in various locations. In Judges 6, a sacred pole of Asherah is said to have stood beside the altar of the Canaanite storm god, Baal. The Bible also connects sacred poles with the “high places” (open-air cult sites?) and frequently mentions that they stood “on every high hill and under every green tree” (1 Kgs 14:23; 2 Kgs 17:10; 18:4; 21:3; 23:13–14; 2 Chr 14:3; 17:6; 31:1; 33:3, 19; 34:3; Jer 17:2). Both of these phrases are stereotypically used by the biblical writers to describe sites of idolatrous worship, implying, as does Judges 6, that the worship of Asherah was an apostate behavior in Israel and improper for followers of YHWH.

Yet despite these and other references associating Asherah with apostasy (for example, Exod 34:13; Deut 7:5; 12:3; Judg 3:7; 1 Kgs 18:19), and despite the fact that the Israelites are explicitly forbidden in Deut 16:21 to erect one of Asherah’s sacred poles beside an altar of YHWH, there are multiple indications in biblical tradition that many in ancient Israel did regard Asherah’s cult icon as an appropriate sacred symbol within the religion of YHWH. For example, one of Asherah’s sacred poles stood next to YHWH’s altar at Bethel, one of the two great cult sites of the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kgs 23:15). Another of Asherah’s sacred poles stood in that kingdom’s capital city, Samaria. The sacred pole of Samaria, moreover, which was erected during the reign of King Ahab (reigned 873–852 b.c.e.), was allowed to remain standing by the reformer King Jehu (1 Kgs 16:33; 2 Kgs 13:6), even though Jehu was generally at pains to remove all non-Yahwistic cults and cult imagery from the land. This fact suggests that Jehu perceived the sacred pole as appropriate in the worship of YHWH.

Archaeological discoveries from the late 1970s and early 1980s have further indicated that, at least in the opinion of some ancient Israelites, YHWH and Asherah were appropriately worshipped as a pair. From the site of Kuntillet ‘Ajrud, in the eastern Sinai, come three ninth- or eighth-century b.c.e. inscriptions that mention YHWH and “his Asherah” (meaning YHWH’s companion [consort?], the goddess Asherah) or “his asherah” (meaning YHWH’s sacred pole that represents the goddess Asherah and that sits in his temple or beside his altar). An eighth-century b.c.e. inscription from Khirbet el-Qom, about twenty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem, contains similar language in 1 Kgs 15:13 and 2 Kgs 18:4, 21:7, and 23:6 (with parallels in 2 Chronicles) indicate that at least during certain points in the ninth, eighth, and seventh centuries b.c.e., Asherah’s sacred pole was perceived as an appropriate icon to erect in Jerusalem, even in YHWH’s temple. Also, vessels in the temple were used to make sacrifices to Asherah (2 Kgs 23:4), and in a compound within the temple’s walls, women cult functionaries wove garments used to clothe Asherah’s cult statue (2 Kgs 23:7). Thus it appears that, although generally the biblical writers—especially certain prophets (Isa 17:8; 27:9; Jer 17:2; Mic 5:14) and the authors responsible for Deuteronomy, Judges, 1 and 2 Kings, and 2 Chronicles—regarded Asherah worship as inappropriate, at least some and possibly many in ancient Israel incorporated the goddess’s cult imagery and ritual into the cult of YHWH.

Unfortunately, our sources do not provide enough information to identify definitively which Israelites were particularly attracted to the worship of Asherah or the reasons for this attraction. One possibility is that in royal circles, especially in the southern capital city of Jerusalem, the cult of Asherah was particularly attractive to the king’s mother. Not only was the queen mother’s position in the palace generally paralleled by Asherah’s position as mother goddess in the heavens, but also the queen mother’s status as the wife of the king’s father suggests an affinity to Asherah’s cult. This is because southern royal ideology typically described the king’s metaphorical father as YHWH. For those ancient Israelites who saw Asherah as YHWH’s consort, this should suggest a correspondence between the queen mother, the wife of the king’s biological father on earth, and Asherah, the wife of YHWH, who was the king’s metaphorical father in the heavens.

Whether women, more generally, were more likely to be devotees of Asherah’s cult is unknown. There is some biblical evidence that does see women as particularly attracted to goddess cults (for example, women’s role in the cult of the queen of heaven, according to Jer 7:18 and 44:17–19, 25), and the various female figurines found in domestic contexts at multiple Israelite sites might also suggest this, assuming, as many scholars do, that women played an especially important role in family-centered religious activities. Nevertheless, the presence of Asherah’s cult in the Jerusalem temple and in the cult city of Bethel indicates that worship of the goddess was also appealing to men, given that it was an all-male clergy that officiated at these (and at every) Israelite religious site.

The presence of Asherah’s cult in Israel also raises questions about the nature of the monotheistic confession that is often assumed to be a core principle in Israelite faith. Generally speaking, biblical scholars assume that full-blown, radical, or philosophical monotheism came to Israel fairly late in its history, during the time of the exile in the sixth century b.c.e. Prior to this, we have abundant evidence that other gods and goddesses were worshipped in Israel in addition to (or sometimes instead of) YHWH. Yet even in these earlier materials, we sometimes see evidence of a phenomenon that comes to dominate in the exilic period: the impulse to assimilate the attributes of the many gods and goddesses of older polytheistic systems to the one god, YHWH. Language that speaks of God as mother, for example (as in Deut 32:18; Num 11:12–13; Isa 45:9–10, 49:15; 66:13), probably represents the assimilation of Asherah’s maternal characteristics to YHWH.

[walkswithmyfather]

"Now faith means putting our full confidence in the things we hope for, it means being certain of things we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1 (PHILLIPS) 

God doesn't really owe us anything, because He is GOD and can basically do whatever He wants. He did create us in LOVE though and the Bible contains so many promises for us, because we ARE His BELOVED CHILDREN. God's promises are there for us to cling to in times of trouble and struggling; and if we walk in faith, we can CLAIM THESE PROMISES! If we are faithful to God, He will fulfill promises, because it is God's nature to be loving and generous and He is always faithful to us and His Word. Even when we are faithless, GOD IS NOT!

God’s promises are activated and energized by faith! Friend, BELIEVE God’s promises! Memorize verses, pray them, speak them out loud, SHOUT them at the devil when he bugs you, sing them alone, sing them with friends. Each of these activate God's AWESOME promises in His Word!

Here are FIVE Promises of God you can hold onto:

PROMISE #1: God Is Always with Me (I Will Not Fear!)

Fear is one of the major weapons the enemy uses to try and cripple us emotionally and spiritually. God wants us to be freed from fear and have peace, and there are so many helpful verses about fear in the Bible. Fear can be wiped away by faith and trust that God is always with us, defending, guiding and helping us and trusting that God (unlike humans) never breaks a promise. EVERY promise (covenant) He makes, God keeps. "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:20 NLT) "Don’t worry—I am with you. Don’t be afraid—I am your God. I will make you strong and help you. I will support you with my right hand that brings victory." (Isa 41:10 ERV)

PROMISE #2: God Is Always in Control (I Will Not Doubt!)

The enemy will BOMBARD us with doubts about: our looks, what people think about us, our jobs - anything he can get a reaction out of us with. Faith in knowing God created us just as we are (and beautiful to Him) and that He is in control can help wipe out doubt. God wants us to test His promises, because when we do, God will always proves Himself true and faithful. "Humble yourselves, then, under God's mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time. (1 Pe 5:6 GNT) "For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward Him, so that He can show His great power in helping them." (2 Chr 16:9 TLB)

PROMISE #3: God Is Always Good (I Will Not Despair!)

God is PERFECT and GOOD. Even when circumstances seem hopeless, faith in the goodness of God and choosing JOY (joy is a fruit of the Spirit, not a feeling; we can choose joy, in ANY circumstances!) can keep us from despair. "Praise the Lord! He is good. God’s love never fails.” (Ps 136:1 ERV) “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom 15:13 ESV)

PROMISE #4: God Is Always Watching (I Will Not Falter!)

In difficult times, we can lose some of our faith and end up giving in to temptation or just want to give up altogether. God "neither slumbers or sleeps", He's always watching over us. He's always here to help us get through troubled times. "He will never slumber nor sleep; He is the Guardian-God for His people, Israel." (Ps 121:4 TPT) "God is always on the alert, constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to Him." (2 Chr 16:9 MSG)

PROMISE #5: God Is Always Victorious (I Will Not Fail!)

God's plans for us are for good and for a future filled with HOPE. (Jer 29:11) If we keep our eyes on Him, hold onto His promises and stay faithful, God will bring us VICTORY and GREATER BLESSINGS! "For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” (Deut 20:4 NIV)

(Adapted and added to - from "Always True: God’s 5 Promises for when life is Hard")

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Preservation of the Saints from Evil

by John Flavel

"Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." - Matthew 10:31

A great advantage and mercy that the saints receive from the hand of Providence is in their preservation from the snares and temptations of sin. That Providence wards off many a deadly stroke of temptation and many a mortal thrust which Satan makes at our souls is a truth as manifest as the light that shines.

The Providence of God is the great barrier and hindrance to a world of sin, which otherwise would break forth like an overflowing flood from our corrupt natures. And so much corruption there remains in good men that they would certainly plunge themselves under much more guilt than they do if Providence did not take greater care of them than they do of themselves. For though they make conscience of keeping themselves, and daily watch their hearts and ways, yet such is the deceitfulness of sin that if Providence did not lay blocks in their way, sin would, more frequently than it does, entangle and defile them. And this Providence does in several ways.

Sometimes by stirring up others to interpose with seasonable counsel, which effectually dissuades them from prosecuting an evil design. Thus Abigail meets David in the nick of time (I Sam. 25:34).

Sometimes by hindering the means and instruments, whereby the evil itself is prevented. Thus, when good Jehoshaphat had joined himself with that wicked King Ahaziah to build ships at Ezion-geber to go to Tarshish, God prevents the design by breaking the ships with a storm (2 Chr. 20:35-37).

Sometimes by laying some strong affliction upon the body, to prevent a worse evil. And this is the meaning of, "I will hedge up thy way with thorns" (Hos. 2:6). Thus, Paul had a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him; and this affliction, whatever it was, was ordained to prevent pride in him (2 Cor. 12:7).

Sometimes by the better information of their minds at the sacred oracles of God. Thus, when sinful motions began to rise in Asaph's mind, from the prosperity of the wicked and his own afflicted state, he is set right again by going into the sanctuary, where God showed him how to take new measures of persons and things, to judge them by their ends and issues and not their present appearances (Ps. 73).

Sometimes by removing his people out of the way of temptation by death. In this sense we may understand that text, "The righteous is taken away from the evil to come" (Isa. 57:1), the evil of sin as well as sufferings. When the Lord sees his people low-spirited and not able to grapple with strong trials and temptations, it is for them a merciful Providence to be released by death and set out of harm's way.

Now consider and admire the Providence of God, O ye saints, who has had more care of your souls than ever you had of them yourselves. How woeful your case had been if the Lord had not mercifully saved you from many thousand temptations that have assaulted you! I tell you, you cannot estimate the mercies you possess by means of such providences.

Walk, therefore, suitably to this obligation of Providence, and see that you thankfully own it. Do not impute your escapes from sin to accidents or to your own watchfulness or wisdom. See also that you do not tempt Providence, on the other hand, by an irregular reliance upon its care over you without taking all due care of yourselves.

Providence has been no less concerned about your bodies, and with great tenderness it has carried them in its arms through innumerable hazards and dangers. There are many hazards into which we are often cast in this world. Have not some of us fallen, and that often, into very dangerous sicknesses and diseases in which we have approached to the very brink of the grave? Have we not often had the sentence of death in ourselves, and our bodies at that time have been like a leaky ship in a storm, taking in water on every side until it was ready to sink? Yet has God preserved, repaired, and launched us out again as well as ever.

What innumerable hazards and accidents, the least of which have cut off others, has God carried us all through! Many thousands of these dangers we never saw nor were made particularly aware of, but though we did not see them, our God did, and brought us out of danger before he brought us into fear.

[hermannstp]

Sana ol may karapatan

Sa module na ito ng NSTP, pinagusapan ang Human Dignity at Human Rights. Sa dalawang topics na nasasaklaw ng module na ito, ang discussion mula sa learning materials ay naka focus sa human rights.  Sa usapin ng human rights, magandang bigyang pansin ang pinagmulan nito. Matapos ang WWII noong 1948, nagpublish ng article ang United Nations na tinawag ng Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Ito ay hindi batas ngunit nasasaklaw nito ang karapatan na nararapat sa lahat ng tao saan mang parte ng mundo. Itong UDHR din ang pinagbasehan ng Bill of Rights na under sa ating konstitusyon.  Kung ating iisipin, ano ba ang relasyon ng human dignity at human rights? Sa aking palagay, ang human rights ang nagtuturo o basehan ng human dignity. Dahil sa human rights, nalalaman ng tao ang tama at ang mali. Although sinasabing inherent na ang karapatang pantao bago pa ito pangalanan, or i-state explicitly, hindi lahat ng tao ay susunod sa inherent na bagay na iyon. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit kinailangan isabatas ang mga karapatang pantao para sundin ng lahat. Common ground kumbaga ng lahat ng tao ang batas. Sa panahon na ating kinabibilangan ngayon, maraming paglabag sa karapatang pantao. Sa mga mas nakakatanda sa akin na aking naririnig, parang clown sa kanila ang Commission of Human Rights. Sinasabi nila, bakit daw ang CHR nagpapakita lang kung napatay ang mga kriminal sa drug war, tapos kapag ang pulis o sundalo ang namatay sa isang engkwentro tahimik naman ang CHR. Hindi ko na tatalakayin ang kamalian ng paghambing ng sitwasyon, o ang katotohan kung kriminal nga talaga ang mga napatay, kundi tatalakayin ko nalang kung anong relate nito sa human dignity na tinuturo. Narealize ko lang rin ito ng lubusan matapos mapakinggan ang audio recording ng STUP.

Ang human rights, tulad ng sinabi ay, nasa tao na simula pa nung nabuo siya sa sinapupunan. At ito ay hindi matatapos kung totoo siyang lumabag sa batas o gumawa ng krimen. Kaya nga may mga batas na nagpaparusa sa mga illegal na gawain o krimen ay para panagutin ang mga may sala at saklaw parin ng kanilang karapatang pantao. Ito ay nag-eexist dahil sa human dignity. Kung ang parusa na nakita ay pagpatay ng walang due process, nasaan ng human dignity doon? Pwede kasing i-argue na para mapreserve ang rights ng ibang tao, kailangan mamatay ng taong ito. Sa argument na yan, may human rights nga pero wala namang human dignity. Kumabaga nawawalan ng saysay ang karapatang pantao kung hindi makatao ang paggalaw.  Isa pa, bakit nga ba sa mga naturingang kriminal lang nagpapakita ang mga taga CHR at hindi sa mga pulis o sundalo na namatay sa engkwentro. Ito ay dahil may kakayanan naman sila through their authority na ipaglaban ang karapatan nila. Ngunit ang mga kadalasang sinasabing kriminal (note: dapat innocent until proven guilty diba) ay walang kakayanang kumuha ng poprotekta sa kanila. Sila kadalasan ang naiipit at dahil kulang ang kaalaman tungkol sa karapatan nila ay ginigipit ng mga mas nakakaalam. Dahil dito nagkakaroon tayo, na nakakaalam ng mga katapatang pantao, ng mas malaking role na magbigay kamalayan sa mga karapatang ito. Sa tingin ko ay hindi edukasyon kundi kamalayan ang tamang salita. Ito ay dahil hindi naman lahat ng edukado ay maka-tao. Hindi naman lahat ng hindi edukado ay hindi maka-tao. Sinabi nga na inherent ito sa bawat tao at ang tao rin ang may kontrol sa sarili niyang pagiisip at paggalaw kaya kamalayan ang kailangan. Kamalayan sa mga hindi nakakaalam ng kanilang mga karapatan, through those who know, upang hindi sila i-take advantage ng iba. Kamalayan sa mga may kapangyarihan upang di sila manlamang at mang-api. At higit sa lahat, kamalayan ng bawat isa na ang lahat tao, anumang estado ng pamumuhay, ay dapat matamasa ang pantay pantay na karapatang pantao.