#chyna draws too

[chynandri]

[all-risejd]

Innocent Manipulations

This turned out darker than we originally intended, but this was a lot of fun to write. I hope you enjoy it, comments, reblogs and likes are appreciated.

Warnings: manipulation, obsessive behavior, unhealthy relationships, controlling partner, submissive partner. 

Dom!Dom X Sub!Rhea

April 2023

In the quiet between pure night and early dawn Dominik can’t help but watch Rhea sleep stretched across their hotel bed, the slightly older woman fast asleep with a steady rise and fall of her shoulders, the blankets tangled around her, her dyed black hair inky against the crisp white of the pillows. Sitting in the high backed chair, he rested his chin on his hands, elbows on his knees, as he leaned forward and studied her. When the sun rose they had things to do, but this little moment right now, was his alone. He could plan and plot and choose the night's festivities - but he wanted to just watch his little masterpiece sleep. A true work of art once he’d managed to break down her barriers and gain her trust. His mean little brat, who needed someone in control, he had been more than happy to take the reins for her. A smile pulled on his face as he thought about the twisting game he’d played to get to this moment… 

August 2022

He’d known about Rhea Ripley for some time. But seeing her in the flesh gave him goosebumps of the best kind. She was feral and wild in the way caged animals were. He loved it. The problem was even from his distance he could see how alone she was, the only time she even remotely lit up was in the presence of Damian Priest, and while that made Dominik’s curiosity about her flare, he’d heard all the rumors. He’d also heard the end of her discussions with other females, she’d get snappy and closed off. He’d read the online talk about her (he was often looking out for things his haters would use against him, like the fact that he was builtfat and not one hundred percent muscle like Theory), and he hated how he could tell even from watching her across arenas she let the way those trolls talked about her sneak into her mind and tear her apart. The thing was, he could see, even before they were on the same roster, that she was meant to be more. His father always said he picked impossible goals.

He made Rhea Ripley his goal - either a conquest, a lover, or a friend. He wanted to possess some part of the powerful woman who would have undoubtedly made Chyna proud. It’s an accident, really, (a well-planned one) that allows him to catch her in the gym of their hotel in the early morning light, the frustration and overexertion on her behalf echos the pain he once felt - when he was a teenager and brutally teased for not being more like his father, for not looking like the other football players, for being too tall to be hispanic (whatever the fuck that meant). “Hey, Ripley.” She jolted and turned to look at him, “Wanna beat something up that might hit you back?” He watched her appraise him - before nodding. It’s the start of something, admittedly not the something he so desperately wanted - but something just the same. It becomes a habit, if they are in the same hotel, they find each other between two and three in the morning, and beat the shit out of each other - never going for faces, but leaving the impact bruises just the same. 

While they hit and spar, he draws her out of her comfort zone in another way. Dominik knows he’s got all the charm his father never uses correctly, he also knows there is a darkness inside of him, steadily growing, that he doesn’t mind. It only takes him two weeks to learn she’s forgetful for being a gym rat. She forgets protein, water, workout towels, and changes of clothes - she forgets the step that comes out after working your muscles to jello. But it works in his favor, his gym bag gets heavier, with the additions he makes, but seeing her shy smile as he offers her whatever it is she’s forgotten is worth it. August is a fantastic month, at least behind the scenes, they slowly share about their families - his hatred of being a nepobaby and the fact that everyone assumes he’s going to be Rey Mysterio 2.0, when in reality he wants to be more like Eddie Guerrero, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Raven, Undertaker - he wants to be the bad guy, and he knows he can do it, feels it in his soul, resonates in his very core. August in the ring is different - The Judgment Day are a pain in Rey Mysterio’s ass, they are a whirlwind of promised violence, and Dominik get’s it, all three of them are fighting demons, but they aren’t open about it. Dominik’s own relationship with his father is deteriorating - but that might have something to do with the almost arrest for Domestic Violence - Dominik’s not about to dwell on it. 

It’s late in the gym, mid-August, now that Rhea is officially back on the roster and in the ring, their routine has shifted slightly. They meet around midnight, and they avoid making eye contact at work. Not because he wouldn’t meet her gaze, but because she’s distracted. There are whispers (WWE superstars are the worst rumor mill he’s ever seen) that she’s having problems with her AEW boyfriend, it makes him wrinkle his nose. He’s never been a fan of Buddy, and they’d had a storyline together before that hadn’t ended all that well. Dominik grew irritated when Rhea missed three workouts with him - and had to remind himself that he didn’t own her yet. The third week in August brought Alexa Bliss of all people pounding her way into his hotel room, unapologetically at almost one in the morning, “I need your help.” Was all she’d said, before snagging his wrist and dragging him out of his room toward the elevator, “She said you were helping her, before.” Alexa continued, “I fucking hate that tool, he just…” She pushed the L button on the column in the elevator, “He cheated on her.” Dominik, somewhere between sleep drunk and confused, wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted him when Alexa drugged him into the gym. Rhea was on her knees by the weight bench, her forehead pressed into the seat, clearly sobbing so hard she couldn’t breathe, Dominik knew the signs of an impending panic attack, “She said you helped her before.” Alexa snapped at him.

It got him into action, he moved swiftly if not disjointed from sleep, to drop onto the floor next to Rhea, and haul her into his lap, a messy tangle of arms and limbs - she tried to fight him off at first, but Dominik was stronger, not that anyone would notice that about him. He managed to coil her up in his grip, tucking her head under his chin, then with a sharp exhale, carefully rose from his knees, balancing himself the best he could, “Get her bag.” He told Alexa, “And come on.” The small blonde did what he asked, having to almost run to keep up with him, as he headed back toward the elevator, softly promising Rhea she was safe under his breath, and that he was going to take care of her. Alexa slid into the elevator a beat after he did, and then they headed for the seventh floor, “Thank you, for coming to get me, Bliss.” He offered, as he stepped off, still cradling Rhea, “After you put her bag in my room you can take off.” He offered, giving no room for argument.

Alexa looked a bit miffed, but offered a quick, “She’s rooming with Liv, I’ll let Liv know she’s with you, just so she doesn’t worry, ok?” Dominik frowned as he realized one, they’d left his hotel door open, and two, Rhea had been so upset she’d opted to room with Liv instead of sleeping alone and he hadn’t known. No matter, she’d be in his bed tonight, and the foreseeable future if he got his way - and he was good at that, “Dominik, ok?” Alexa pressed, clearly a little worried about his answer. 

“That’s fine.” He laid Rhea on his bed, carefully, then turned and took her bag from Alexa, “Tell Liv not to bother us until nine ish, I’m going to order some food, and see if I can’t get her to shower and talk to me.” Alexa flicked her gaze between them, Rhea had calmed down the moment he squeezed her to his chest, so he was confident she felt safe enough with him. Alexa surprised him by diving into his arms and hugging him around his middle, “Her boyfriend is a piece of shit.” Dominik offered, as he kissed Alexa’s head, and untangled her arms from him. Alexa raised a brow at him and looked like she wanted to say something, but opted not to, she looked at Rhea’s form again (she was at least breathing calmly), then nodded her head and slipped out. Dominik made sure the door behind her was shut and locked, before he turned to look at Rhea himself, “You’ve been ignoring me.”

Her face was a mask of anguish and confusion, “I…”

“You won’t do it again.” Dominik told her calmly, “Why did Alexa have to come get me?”

Rhea pushed up to sit, her breathing hitching just a bit, apparently the change in his tone from soft and reassuring with Alexa, to demanding and charged with Rhea had been noticed by the beautiful tear stained creature in his bed. “It uh…” She wouldn’t meet his gaze, and that wouldn’t do. He made his way back across the room, standing and towering over her, he used his pointer finger to force her chin up, her crystal like blue eyes were red rimmed and clearly unsure, as she met his gaze, “Buddy cheated on me.” She forced the words out, her chest heaving as she said it, “With that… with his… with his stablemate.” Dominik’s heart clenched a little bit, he’d never understood Buddy but that girl in the AEW had nothing on Rhea. On the bed, Rhea had drawn her knees up to her chest, and had pressed her face down into her knees, and was softly sniffling.

“He is a complete idiot, and you broke up with him, right.” Dominik was trying to coax her to stand, “Why don’t you take a nice warm shower, querida, and let me get you something to eat, you can sleep in here with me tonight?” While it was posed like a question, he could tell when she realized it wasn’t. She nodded her head twice, and let him manhandle her off the bed and into the bathroom - he could have given her clothes from her bag, instead he dug out a clean pair of his boxers and one of his softest old football shirts, he waited until he heard her under the spray of the water to put the clothes on the counter. Buddy was an issue - and someday he’d take care of that over muscled piece of shit - but the man had unwittingly helped Dominik, so maybe he’d send him a thank you card of some sort. He ordered ice cream and dessert because he’d helped Aalyah through more than one bad breakup (ironically he’d shared ice cream with her the night she realized Buddy was never going to take her seriously, and that her crush on him was completely one-sided), and set about building a fort out of the spare blankets he always asked for - less for comfort and more because his father often bothered him in the early hours of the morning looking for a quilt or another comforter. To be safe, Dominik hung the do not disturb sign on the outside of the door - it was something he and Rey had agreed on after his last relationship ended. Rey wouldn’t bother him (and his conquest) when it was on the door.

Rhea emerged from a pool of smoke in the bathroom doorway, backlit by the dim lights of the overhead fluorescents on the mirror she looked ethereal - a bit water logged, but dressed in clothes that belonged to him, that no doubt smelled like him, she looked a lot like she belonged. 

Honestly, Dominik had never witnessed something so beautiful. They spent the night talking about failed relationships and eating the desserts that room service delivered, before the pair crashed out just after five in the morning, Rhea curled up in his arms, in the fort he’d built for them. They woke up to Liv Morgan’s voice - “WE ARE GOING TO MISS OUR FLIGHT BEEBS!” She shouted, and pounded. It was a mad dash to get dressed - Dominik just ended up throwing a pair of his sweets and a hoodie at Rhea, the pair both dressed as casually as they dared. Rhea’s clothes from the night before ended up in Dominik’s luggage, as the pair rushed out of the room and almost knocked Liv down - Dominik caught sight of Rey’s disapproving look from the elevator, as it closed.

“I uh, guess I should mention, I’m not the most adult human at getting to locations…” Dominik watched as Rhea sized him up, before nodding her head, grabbing her suitcase from Liv, and taking off for the next elevator. Dominik shot Liv a wink, the older woman snickered, even as Dominik caught up to Rhea, “Maybe you could be my travel partner? We already work out together…” Rhea shot him a disbelieving look, “Come on, you’d be doing me a favor, I’m helpless.” He pulled out the pouting lip and puppy dog eyes.

“Fine.” Rhea offered, then looked at Liv, “Are you ok with going back to traveling with Raquel?” Liv nodded her head, eyes going between the two of them, “It seems I’ve landed myself a new partner in crime.” It was that sentence that got Dominik thinking about it - he wanted to go heel, he’d talked to Vince about it only to be shot down, but he hadn’t tried his luck at Hutner. Smiling to himself as they rushed to board the plane - Liv and Rhea were sitting together, as Dominik dropped into the seat next to Rey, who was still giving him those dark looks. Yeah, his dad wasn’t an idiot, and would more than likely try to remind him that fucking business partners never ended well for anyone involved, but Dominik wanted, needed to captivate Rhea Ripley, needed to keep her on a metaphorical leash at his side, needed to apply just the right pressure to keep her exactly where he wanted her - and the best way to do that? Play dirty, innocently of course.

The next two weeks - through Clash at the Castle are messy. Really it can be summarized into three categories. 

One, Dominik and Rhea work well as travel partners, something Hunter was initially confused about, but now he’s just glad that Dominik is on time to things. Two, Hunter green-lit the betrayal and now Dominik is in The Judgement Day, which means he’s with Rhea Ripley all the time, even on their days off, because he’s helping her move her belongings (along with Damian and Finn) out of the house she shared with Buddy and ironically into Dominik’s San Diego house, it’s a lot of loading furniture, belongings and jazz in Tampa and shipping it via POD across country. Her pets are a bit of an issue in the onset, but Dominik came through to help her with that too, convincing Aalyah to not only watch over them, but handle the movers bringing Rhea’s things into his house. Sometimes, Dominik caught Damian watching him, and wondered if the older man knew exactly what game Dominik was playing. 

The third biggest hurdle came in the dynamic - the Judgment Day had been Finn, Rhea, and Damian against Edge for a bit; now with Dominik added in, he and Rhea agree for the kayfabe she’s got to be the aggressor (her eyes were huge and she immediately spiraled into a loop of I don’t wanna hurt you, you're my friend, this seems messy only to be silenced with Dominik promising he wouldn’t let it go too far), he and Damian work out a sibling like relationship quickly enough (one that rivals Eddie and Rey, and it’s sweet, sweet justice to see Rey’s face hurt by it sometimes), with Finn it’s both easier and harder, Finn becomes his surrogate father for the dynamic - and that’s the end of those struggles. 

September 2022

“Hey, Rips.” Dominik called as he dropped into the seat next to her on the plane, “You forgot this.” He handed her the new anime she was reading, technically she’d left it on the bedside table of the hotel and he’d have been able to return it before then, but watching her light up like a candle on a red-eye was worth it. It’s been less than two weeks since he was unveiled as the newest member of Judgment Day, everything Rhea owns is tucked away in his house, Aalyah is the most competent dog sitter ever, sending multiple updates a day on Berry and Luna, Dominik’s conquest to be in Rhea’s bed nightly has been successful. There is nothing they don’t share, the shock that it’s only been a month is enough proof to him that Rhea needs him as much as he deserves her, and honestly… They are dynamite together and he’s yet to get her naked, so he’s going to assume it might be death for them both when they do finally cross that barrier, although right now he’s hovering somewhere between best friend and crush, he can tell by how her body responds to him. 

“Thanks, Dom Dom.” She was instantly flipping the book open and back to reading, now curled into his side just enough to be comfortable, he let his hand span over her upper thigh - another thing he’d been tentatively adding to their standard relationship - touching her with no alternative motive. She twitched under him, but nuzzled closer. It started with sharing the bed, if he were being honest, from the night Alexa came and got him. He’d tucked her in, and held her just to keep her close, after that once they were approved road partners, he’d started soft touches, gentle pats to her side, rubs of her shoulders, his hands on her lower back, leaning into her when she was talking, kissing her cheek more than once, stuff that could be construed as friendly, but left an underlying notion of decidedly more. He’d learned how much she missed her family in Australia and had secretly purchased them a small nine-day vacation there (getting Hunter’s approval). He’d gently started reminding her to take care of herself a little bit better, just soft things, he’d even taken to packing their belongings into one rolling suitcase and one backpack - Rhea had been confused until Dom had offered, we share a room, a rental, and plane rides - might as well share luggage. He knew Damian had clocked the change, but the older man had yet to pull him aside and talk to him - Damian had his hands full with Finn as far as Dominik could tell. 

“When we land,” Dominik cleared his throat to get her attention, “We are going to the room first.” She bobbed her head in agreement, “Once we put our stuff down we can either explore, meet up with Damo and Finn, go to the gym or nap.” He’d also learned Rhea liked having choices - not endless options, when presented with the phrase you can do whatever you wanna do she froze up completely, overwhelmed with too many choices. Damian, when Dominik wasn’t nearby, seemed apt to answer for her, he was there to guide her, and Dominik’s worries about their relationship had changed in the last month - they weren’t lovers of any nature, they were twin flames, yes, but platonically. Rhea and Damian were two halves of a whole, and filtered between codependent and each other's biggest fans - he and Finn were quickly becoming that  as well. “Which would work best for you?” It also helped if Dominik phrased it as some sort of goal oriented trade off.

Rhea looked up from her book, contemplatively - he liked her best like this, no makeup, her dark hair sort of falling in her face, all of her jewelry in, his clothes on her frame, while he waited for her answer, he squeezed her thigh comfortingly, “I think it would be fun to do something with Damo and Finn, they landed last night right?” Dominik nodded his head, “Want me to text them and see about grabbing something to eat when we land?”

“That’s a good idea.” Dominik ducked to kiss her shoulder, affectionately, even as she smiled at him, “And, querida, are you cold? Do you need my jacket to rest on or?”

“I’m ok, Dom Dom, thanks.” She breathed out, then flicked her gaze around them, “Can I read some more?” They were in first class, with a divider between them, and still as close as they possibly could be. Dominik nodded his head, and smiled to himself as he watched her start reading again, she’d tucked one knee up into the seat with her, he stretched his arm around her shoulders, moving his hand from his thigh, to fan out over her collarbone, she shivered, he smirked to himself - another thing about his beautiful little conquest, she was touch-starved in a way he hadn’t expected. He’d seen her interact with different levels of affection with other people, but when it came to significant one-on-one touch, she was lacking. He had decided to fix that - and ignore the growing issues with his father (Rey had called Rhea a passing phase). 

He’s been contemplating the best way to kiss her - the intricacies of when to do it, and how to do it. Realistically she’s not completely over the minefield left behind by Buddy, and it’s a big one - Dominik has been slowly and dedicatedly reassuring her that she is delicious and perfect the way she is, complimenting her on the small things (her pretty eyes, her ring awareness, her creative pins, the way she operates in the ring, her goddamn character work - which is frankly amazing), and the big things (how her clothes always fit her perfectly, how she always seems put together, and how she always takes care of everything domestic). So, back to the kissing - while she was growing stronger in her own ways, he was contemplating when it would be a good idea to cage her in and kiss her - ultimately he’s going to have to talk to Damian about it, because if anyone has any idea it’s him - but another part of him thinks it would be best to do it quietly, surprisingly. 

Somehow time marches on, easily and irritatingly. They make it almost to the end of September, with him steadily growing stronger in The Judgment Day (the fans fucking hate him which makes him smirk, the darkness in him seems to feed off the boos and jeers at his nature, the darkness always seems the most content when Rhea’s asleep next to him in bed - when he can study her form, and decide his next subterfuge of affection to secure her place next to his side, indefinitely). The kiss he’d been so worried about, handles itself, ironically. They’d just finished up a RAW taping - they’d kicked AJ’s butt, and had Edge challenge them to an I Quit Match, Rhea was giggling and happy, as she darted into his arms - freshly showered, Dominik caught her as she launched upward, and she still laughing pressed a kiss to his lips, his body reacted on instinct, he coiled his arm under her butt to hold her steady, and let his other hand move to cup the side of her neck, squeezing lightly, her arms had wound around him, legs around him, she seemed unsure as she pulled back eyes wide, “Bésame, otra vez, chica bonita.” She looked at him confused, “I’m going to teach you Spanish if it kills me.” He vowed, “I said, kiss me again, pretty girl…” Rhea blushed, Dominik took three large steps, to press Rhea’s back into the concrete blocks of the arena, and pressed his lips more firmly against hers - it’s not a french kiss, but it is a demanding press of lips. 

Damian cleared his throat, Finn on his back, the larger man rolling their suitcases, “Are you two ready, we have a flight to catch.” Dominik nodded, he didn’t let Rhea down, instead he shifted her to one of his hips, and grabbed the backpack and rolling suitcase handle, trailing along behind Damian, “So, we are flying back to Tampa where are you two headed?”

“I’m taking Rhea home.” Dominik couldn’t stop the possessive lit in his voice, Finn twisted to look at him a bit amazed he was being that bold, “We both wanna play with the dogs, and I think Rhea might want to unpack her stuff the rest of the way.” Dominik looked at Rhea, who nodded her head, and pressed her nose into his cheek, breathing out against his jaw. Dominik tilted enough to kiss her lips again, smiling into it, “And maybe I can show you around San Diego a bit.” He whispered, a plan already forming - he had a handful of friends she should meet, the main one however was his best friend - which was bound to cause a bit of tension, seeing as his best friend was female, but he’d drop that bomb on Rhea, later.

They said goodbye to Damian and Finn at the airport - the men headed for a Delta flight to Tampa, while they were headed for an United flight to San Diego. They changed planes once in one of the middle states, before landing in the early morning. Dominik let Rhea nap in the passenger seat, while he called Cat to let her know they had landed - he had arranged for her to drop off groceries and other provisions for them to be there three days, Cat was also supposed to pick up Aalyah, so when they reached Dominik’s house the only creatures to greet them would be the dogs. He also confirmed that she’d swing by later in the day for him to visit with his god-son, and that she’d dropped off all the roses he’d asked for. Honestly, Cat was the best friend he’d ever had, her husband, his other best friend, was in the Army and overseas more often than not. Cat promised she’d done everything he’d asked, which made him chuckle - when Aalyah had been called away from his house, Cat and Alexander had been more than happy to play with Luna and Berry. 

Dominik had carried Rhea in when they made it, because she was fast asleep - his poor little nightmare had worn herself out. He tucked her in and set about arranging the house the way he needed it - putting the roses evenly in every room, so no matter where she looked there would be red, white and black roses arranged in pretty splays. Then he focused on making breakfast for the pair of them, and starting laundry. Rhea woke up about two hours after they arrived, to find him folding their clothes in the living room with Xander playing with both Berry and Luna, Cat had returned because Dominik had a slight emergency - there were no paper towels in the house, Cat had begrudgingly bought some and brought them over, “You must be Rhea!” Cat smiled warmly, “I’m Cat, and that’s Xander. I’m married to Dom’s best friend Robbie.” She explained and warmly hugged Rhea, Dominik watched the way Rhea tensed for a moment but hugged back, “You're more beautiful in person.” She smiled up at Rhea, “And we are going to take our leave, because I know for a fact you’ve missed your furbabies, Xan, come on baby.” Dominik hugged his nephew and watched him run for his mom - three was a fun age, Cat scooped him up, “Oh, I almost forgot, you're going to be an uncle again, but I haven’t told Robbie yet.” She shot Dominik a smile, “So don’t go telling on me, he’s supposed to be home for the next Premium Live Event, and I think we are coming.” She grinned at him.

Dominik thanked her as he showed her out, then doubled back to find Rhea still standing stock-still from the hug Cat had given her, “That was…” Rhea trailed off, “I’m confused.”

Dominik laughed, “Cat and Robbie are my best friends, Xander is my nephew.” He said evenly, “When Aalyah can’t watch Berry and Luna they do.” He added, “For a while when I first started on the road, she lived here, because Robbie hadn’t been in long for them to have regular base housing, now she and Aalyah live together.” He explained, before looking at Rhea up and down, “Did you sleep good?” She nodded sheepishly, “I made you breakfast, and I finished the laundry, once you’ve eaten and had something to drink, I’ll give you a real tour and then we can work out.” She hugged her dogs for what felt like hours, eating her food as she rubbed their bellies and kissed their snouts. Dominik grinned, he’d shown her a bit of how he was with small creatures, now seeing her with the dogs - he knew he was right. Rhea was his match, now just to get her to agree… For the first time, that afternoon she allowed him to choose their sparing workout, and they might not have pulled the punches, bruising and marking each other up - but there was the added bonus of making out. 

From their sparring session they create a flexible workout, something that both of them can work well within, and that will work well on the road. Dominik hangs on Rhea’s every word, she knows more about fitness than he’s ever cared to learn - he exercises as needed, but she’s a devotee, and he’d be willing to bet that was due in large to Buddy, but now it’s a benefit for them both. The design works them out in a comfortable way, and allows for modifications in weights and rep count, but mostly it allows him to get closer to her, breathing in the sweet scent of her sweat, breathing in her prowess as she works - if ever Dominik were to be addicted to something, he has no doubt it is Rhea Ripley as his kryptonite, the kisses are rewards, and they fluctuated between soft presses of lips, to the harsh bite of teeth and the slide of tongues against one another. September ends, much like it begins, with him confidently melding into not only The Judgment Day but Rhea.

October 2022

October is the significant change - Dominik, while obviously devoted to Rhea, has been more than the driving force behind her violence. Back when they started this, he’d been the one to tell Rhea to make the abuse believable, from her choking him out in the ring, to him encouraging her to make him bleed before Clash at the Castle. Now he’s encouraging her violence against others, not that the outside world really knew that. Reddit has named him subbyDom and while he finds it funny, it couldn’t be further from the truth. The Judgment Day is more than gaining real traction and are actively feuding with not only Rey and Edge, but with the OC thanks to AJ Styles - actually most of the roster (except the Bloodline) are apt to want to kick them down a few pegs. 

Rhea, his little demon, is growing more and more confident - she’s blooming loudly and violently on camera. It’s behind the scenes that Dominik is living for, the moment the cameras are off she’s looking at him with big eyes, “Was that good, Dom?” 

While he hates the question, he always responds positively, painting compliments from nothing, and wrapping them around her. In return she offers him comfort, promises him the boos will subside eventually, but they both know that’s not going to happen anytime soon. Rey, while not one hundred percent understanding of Dominik’s recent bout of choices, is at least understanding of the fact that Dominik and Rhea are something, although he does continue to bring up the ‘mixing pleasure and business is bad’ almost weekly, his father is nothing if not consistent. Aalyah and Cat have wormed their way into Rhea’s life too, with text messages and picture messages, and updates on the dogs - Cat going as far as to send Rhea chocolates and small gifts every now and then - Rhea even has gifts from Xander. 

And Dominik? He’s upped his game.

On camera Rhea’s the one with hands on him, guiding. Back stage, the moment the cameras are off, Dominik backs her into the nearest dark hallway or corner, to press kiss her senseless, he’s patient and understanding but demanding and always has a hand on her. Under his touch she flourishes, she smiles wider, she blushes more, her laughter is back (according to Damian, Liv and Alexa). More than that, he’s taken over a bit more of her overall being - without meaning too, he’s not sure when it happened, but Rhea started asking him opinions on everything, he gives them happily, always eager to see how the choice being made for her seems to calm her down. He even learned to dye her roots for her, which was a fun experience that he’s sure he’s going to repeat multiple times. October also brings Rhea wearing more and more of his clothes - her room in San Diego remains unoccupied, as each trip back she attempts to sneakily put more of her belongings into his room, like he wouldn’t invite her if she asked - but he’s sure she’s not going to ask, so after the Halloween RAW, he holds her tight in the hotel room, pinning her against the door, “Rhea.”

“Dom?” She sounded worried, like she was in trouble.

“Why don’t we stop pretending, you should move into my bedroom at home.” He kept his gaze on her, voice steady, “You belong in my bedroom at home, at our home, do you understand?”

“Yes.” She started to look away but he caught her chin, “Dom?”

“You like how I take care of you, don’t you?” He could hear the danger bleeding into his tone, but didn’t bother to pull it back, she nodded her head quickly, “You want me to keep taking care of you, Demi?” He used her legal name which made her eyes widen, her pretty mouth opened in a shocked ‘o’, but she nodded, “Then you need to tell me when you want things, cariño, do you understand.” She nodded again, “I want you to say it, Rhea.” 

“I understand, Dom.” She whispered, eyes still wide, “I want… I want you to take care of me.”

“What else?” He pressed closer, pushing his chest to hers, caging her in.

“I want to be in your bedroom at the house, uh, at our house.” Her eyes widened a little more as she said it, Dominik rewarded her with a kiss that promised more if she were interested. She pulled back after a moment, exhaling sharply to look up at Dominik with a determined sheen to her eyes, “I want… I want you.” She said evenly, “I want…” She bit at her bottom lip.

Dominik had been waiting for this moment - three months of working hard, he knew he’d have more work to put in, but for a captivating demon like Rhea, he was willing to work his whole life to keep his prize with him, “Want me to what cariño?” He asked, curiously, daring her to tell him.

She flicked her gaze away, face flushing red, “I wanna be yours.” She finally pushed out, “Damian told me, he mentioned…” She trailed off, “You wanna keep me, right?”

Dominik would need to talk to Damian, but he dipped forward to kiss her again, “I want to keep you, I want you to be mine, but I want to be yours, too.” He promised her, “So, if you're interested, I’d like to show you all the perks of being mine.”  Rhea gazed up at him, as he towered a bit over her, still pressed impossibly close, her eyes had narrowed, like she was working out the layers to his statement - and there were many. Dominik had basically asked her to be his, to let him own her in a way that was probably scary, and in the same breath he’d propositioned her, he tilted to the side and flicked his gaze back toward the bed, “We can go at your pace, Rhea.” He promised, evenly, “I will never make you do something you don’t want to do, and I will never hurt you intentionally. I’m not you're past relationships, and I have no intention of becoming one.”

She licked her lips, biting into her bottom one, as she eyed him critically, “Forever then?”

“I would like forever, but I’ll settle for right now.” He offered, watching her carefully, she was breaking down in front of him, “Rhea, let me take care of you.” The power was racing up his spine, the darkness, he could feel it in his voice, in the way she trembled against him, how she pressed even closer, clearly fighting with herself, “Demi,” He said her name with emphasis, “Let me take care of you, I’ve always taken care of you, remember in July when you started to work out again, but no one wanted to spar with you because they weren’t sure about you're injury.” He touched her jaw, “I offered, didn’t I? I just want the best for you.” He assured her, “Let me give you my best, please?”

There was a stretch of silence between them, before she nodded her head, he narrowed his eyes at her and started to remind her to use her words, but she was quick to say, “I want that, I want, I want you.” She rolled her shoulders a bit, “Can we… can we do that now?” 

Check-mate. Dominik grinned, “Of course we can, cariño, I’ve been dying to put my hands and my lips and my tongue on you…” The statement made her giggle and flush again, even as Dominik softly backed off of her, and tugged her a little toward him, but away from the doorway, “But we have plans with our friends for clubbing, so it’s going to have to wait, baby.” Her pout should frankly be illegal but they do have plans with Liv, Damian, Finn, Raquel, Alexa, Askua, Seth, Becky, and countless others. “When we get back, cariño, I promise to reward you, ok? But you put this pretty dress on, and you're legs are delicious, and you already have my jacket on, which makes me wanna pin you against every surface…” Dom had donned dark jeans and a deep blue button up for the night.

Rhea pouted on and off for the next three hours, but she had fun with Liv and Alexa, even with Becky - always finding Dominik’s eyes across the room. “She’s yours.” Damian sounded beside him, “I’ve never seen her trust like she does with you, so you either did something incredibly right, or there is something about you I am missing.” Dominik shrugged, “I approve, as long as you keep her happy and satiated.” Dominik could agree with that, as he turned to say as much to Damian he found the man gone. 

November and December 2022

Hunter wanted them to up the drama, so they did - with tapings and attacks on Rey. That wasn’t the only place things amped up, their relationship was now running steady and fast, really Dominik couldn’t wait to introduce her to his grandparents but because of the messy Christmas recordings he’d had to wait until almost New Years. He met her family in Australia not long after that, he’d won her mother over with his kindness and eager willingness to help her in the kitchen, he won her sister over with tales of Xan and the dogs back at home as well as pictures of him with Cat and Aalyah, her father was a tough cookie, but he managed to win Mr. Bennett over simply by being his usual possessive self when it came to Rhea, which involved him and Buddy getting into a bit of an altercation in Melbourne, but whatever, he’d handled it. After Christmas they’d spent a couple days with Cat and Aalyah, Dominik had watched Rhea like a hawk, there, he wanted to see how she interacted with his sister and his best friend, when she met Robbie in early January, the pair hit it off - her and Xan were never far apart, slowly Rey and Angie came around, and started to invite Rhea in more. Dominik knew he was in love with her when he caught her cooking with both his mother and abuela.

April, 2023

His thoughts were interrupted as Rhea twisted in the sheets. The sun was well and truly up now in California. They had had a long night, coming of WrestleMania with her winning her match, but him losing his - he was proud of her and had literal years to deal with his Rey-shaped feud - so proud they hadn’t made it out of the stadium before their night had started, with him pinning her against a wall, and slipping his hand down the back of her pants as he kissed her until she couldn’t breathe properly, before trailing his lips down her neck and biting hard, she’d cum the first time there. 

Panting and weak even as he’d half carried her to the rental SUV - they hadn’t perfected any sort of sex in the rentals yet, they were both tall and it was borderline uncomfortable, usually with a gear shifter in someone's back or thighs - it was a work in progress. They had, however, managed to successfully find dark corners in most of the arenas they worked in, to either fuck or play - Rhea liked wearing his bruises, and the cute little Mami collar she had started wearing the rings he had bought for her, well he’d bought about thirty since she had a habit of damaging them, or breaking them. 

He quickly climbed back into bed with her, not wanting her to wake up alone, he curled around her, and nuzzled into her short hair, “Good morning, sweetheart.” Dominik kissed her shoulder blades, Rhea grumbled in her sleep, she hated waking up, especially after a long night of work followed by what she lovingly called marathon sex, he double checked the bedside table to make sure her fruit punch gatorade and her favorite cookies (brought over from Australia) were within her reach, “You look beautiful in this light, baby.” He promised as he kissed her shoulders again. 

“Papi, let me sleep more.” She begged, even as his kisses turned harder, his hands which had been innocently rubbing her sides to wake her up, had trailed lower to rub her hips, “Paaaapi.” She whined, as he laughed, and rolled her over. “Dom-” He cut her off with a kiss.

“I love you.” He whispered into the kiss, “Mami, please, let me love you this morning.” He muttered even as he pressed more kisses to her face, “I promise to be soft.” He added when she let out another little whine, he drug his nose along her throat, biting over her pulsepoint, “We have to do press in a little bit, I don’t want you to stress too much while we are there…” 

Rhea let out a pearl of giggles, as he ticked her side, “I love you too, Papi, please-” He kissed her again, he hadn’t told her yet, but he was going to marry her, he’d already picked out the ring, he smiled into the skin of her neck, and aggressively snuggled her. Dominik smiled harder, it was going to be a great day.

[chyna9]

Charismatic Wonders

It was surreal.

Being back in the company. Especially after the way recent scandals [which never seemed to stay away from the WWE for too long] had shaken things up in the world of wrestling. Vince McMahon was finally gone as face and de-facto power center. The change was so monumental that it had been instrumental in bringing Chyna back to the company on a Legend's Contract now that McMahon monopoly in the company had rapidly waned.

It was her first week back and she was still getting in the groove of things. Her return had not been announced and kept under wraps for good reasons.

Chyna had just finished working out, having returned to the in ring shape and even bulked up some, the 9th Wonder hardly looked like a woman in her 50s with her remarkable physique, drawing eyes everywhere she went with her striking presence. She was glad in a white sports bra and black shorts with sneakers while carrying a bag which contained her clothes and some workout gear. Yes, the bag that an ordinary person would've struggled to carry but she could do so with remarkable ease.

That's when she felt she saw someone familiar, their back was turned to her as they were talking with someone else.

But the hair? She could've recognized them from a mile.

"Jeff?!" She exclaimed, partially in surprise; partially in excitement over finding someone familiar, from the Attitude Era in a sea of new faces.

@my-names-legion

[vulturvolanss]

I posted 3,782 times in 2022

24 posts created (1%)

3,758 posts reblogged (99%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@zonerz

@starsorbets

@pokemeown

@sabertoothwalrus

@rockboci

I tagged 393 of my posts in 2022

#save - 52 posts

#aesthetic - 10 posts

#fe8 - 9 posts

#fire emblem - 7 posts

#fire emblem the sacred stones - 7 posts

#fire emblem heroes - 7 posts

#ephraim - 7 posts

#chyna draws too - 6 posts

#feh - 5 posts

#url change - 5 posts

Longest Tag: 131 characters

#i agree with the previous tags saying that they don't trust certain ppl like those who are weird abt the word queer for this reason

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

I was fucking sleeping off pain from a medical procedure when the queen died. I woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. I stole her remaining life force and i will take no other explanation

4 notes - Posted September 8, 2022

#4

garchompp —> blue-chain

7 notes - Posted August 10, 2022

#3

to celebrate my new url.

if the xenoblade 3 big torna-size dlc isn’t us playing as the first ouroboros aka shulk and rex I’ll cry. monolithsoft I’m sliding you a twenty and a picture of a crying cat please god let me see my favorite character in anything ever one last time

9 notes - Posted August 10, 2022

#2

i have been garchompp for so long. however. xenoblade has been my main personality trait for going on three years now and i think my url should reflect that. hmmmm

10 notes - Posted August 10, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

sick and tired of all the fuckin playlists for this guy being Aladdin over and over so here’s an orientalism-free character study playlist for alhaitham. hope you enjoy.

15 notes - Posted October 10, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[whysamwhy123]

jokes aside yes tk is a shithead who doesnt care about womens wrestling but the lack of intergender wrestling isn't actually his fault (at least not entirely). because of kayfabe, because pro wrestling is intended to be treated as reality even though everyone knows it's not, networks don't want to show men hitting women. it's higher up than him.

Me rambling on and on and on about my thoughts regarding major wrestling promotions' reluctance to have intergender wrestling under the cut because this bitch has some THOUGHTS and could not shut up about it, sorry!

Yeah, I mean, I ain't a network exec, I don't know what goes on there and it's entirely possible you're right and it's not in his hands. Buuuuuuut he has gone on the record before and said that he doesn't like intergender wrestling (probably because it usually has women in it) and he's done the whole comparing-it-to-domestic-violence thing, and I'm pretty sure some of the women in AEW have also said in interviews that TK's not a fan of intergender and that's why it's a no-go. So even if the network was fine with it, I doubt we'd see intergender in AEW.

And while I know it's entirely plausible that it's the execs' call, I've always had a bit of a hard time with the ''The network won't allow it!'' excuse because a lot folks used that to ''explain'' why there can't be more than one women's match on a show, because TNT won't allow it, when that's pretty obviously not the case - it's that way because TK wants it like that. Plus, I was an Attitude Era kid so I remember when I was watching wrestling growing up, it was super normal to see Chyna wrestling the men or see Lita and Trish intentionally get hit by male wrestlers and clearly the network wasn't a problem there - they let that happen for years and they made tons of money and didn't lose any sponsors or anything like that? Sure, that was a different time, but Impact today has intergender matches and they're still on TV so ??? I have a hard time believing that the network would draw a line at intergender. It's like, so, they're AOK fine with *takes a deep breath* deathmatches, barbed wire, thumbtacks, copious amounts of blood, occasional swearing, middle fingers galore, bodyshaming, sexism, homophobia, racism and Anti-Semitism *breathes out* but if a man were to bodyslam a woman, well, that's too far! We simply cannot allow! So it was OK for Dan Lambert to go out on TV every week and call women whores (Clearly, nobody, including the network or TK, told him to stop or that he couldn't do that!) but if two wrestlers wrestled a normal match but one of them was a woman, that's unacceptable? Don't make no sense to me.

But I think ultimately what it comes down to is that pro wrestling is run by men, they make all the decisions and men who oppose intergender wresting looooove to find whatever excuses they can to argue why it's baaaaaaad and we simply can't let it happen, when the real reason is, put simply, sexism. Whether it's ''women are too small and fragile!'' or ''the network won't allow it!'', at the end of the day, they're all just excuses to avoid having female wrestlers treated as equals to their male counterparts. Because that's what most men in charge of this business want. It sucks, but it do be like that though 🙂🙂🙂

[blqgumi]

My Sister Is A Genie Visual Novel Dev Log#1

My Sister Is A Genie...  Visual Novel  Dev Log #1

Feel free to ask me questions and check out my Ko-fi because I also do updates on my visual novel there.

Dev Log #1

So I've been working on this visual novel that focuses on two sisters wishing for a better world. One sister is a genie and the other is the wish maker. It's my first time coding a game and making a visual novel. I've already made a lot of progress and had my little sister play-test the game for me. In its current version, it's very short.

I wrote down some improvements my sister had made a point of and now I'm at a stopping point because I don't know how or what to incorporate next. I just want to breakdown my thought process and explain what I already have.

What Have I Done So Far?

So  I made three different choices that the player can choose from. The three choices are all wishes the main character Chloe will wish for. The player now goes through each choice where there is an explanation of how that choice effect the world. What I see as a transition to an exchange between Chloe “the wisher” and Chyna “the genie”.  After this interaction Chloe will make a new wish and rinse, repeat. There will be a new transition and dialogue that coincides the wish. After all three wishes are made there is a final fourth wish option that appears. This final fourth wish is the good ending to the game.

 I have only 5/10 of the backgrounds completed. There are two that are being worked on but are incomplete and most of the character designs are incomplete as I have more reactions to create due to the additions I’m creating for the game. I have music in the game, no sound effects and a sketch of what I think I want the start screen to look like. I haven’t messed with the text UI or the text bar UI and I don’t plan to. I don’t intend to push myself too hard on this first project and just work with what I can.  In it’s current state, its a game that takes 5 minutes at the most to complete.

I didn’t realize how short it was until I let my sister play test it and it was a bit disappointing to realize how little was presented despite a month of work put into it. At the same time I feel re-energized to the project as I’ve had soem time a way from it. I never expected it to feel this long when creating it, but little by little I see the pieces come together and it feels nice to have something I took my time on. My hope is that I finish this game feeling proud of what I made and emboldened to make the next game. 

What I Want To Do Next?

I want to add more dialogue options that are connecting points to the three main wishes that involve a good and bad route. My sister pointed out that I had a good back and forth with the characters in one of three main wishes but that it needs to be consistent and reflect that in the other wishes. I agreed and went back to my original plan and build from there. 

I will have 3 main wishes and 1 extra fourth wish with only a good ending.

 Those three wishes will branch out into 3 different choice reactions, which are “double down”, “apology” and “anger”.

 These will branch off into 3 situations that will lead to a dead-end or a  new wish (leads back to the main 3 wishes).

What Am I Doing Now?

I am working on redrawing Chloe and Chyna so I have an actual character reference sheet and get used to redrawing them over and over again. I also have been redesigning their outfits to get a better feel for their personality and what would better fit into the game. 

I am also writing out the different scenes for the additional routes. It is proving to take more time to create than the drawings at this point. This part of the development is still in the planning stages as I haven’t changed the code at all as of yet. 

I also will be redrawing one scene and rethinking other scenes to fit the mood of that these additional scenes might imply.

Final Thoughts?

I honestly didn’t think this project would take as long as it has because it felt so quick when I finished coding and drawing is easy breezy for me but the task of drawing out so much in a short amount of time is near impossible. As I’m planning out more content for the game, I feel more tired and overwhelmed but how much more I still need to draw. I have a hard time being patience and allowing the work to get done when it needs to. This project isn’t for profit, I just wanted to make a visual novel because I can. So I want to at least enjoy the process while I can.

[blueonwrestling]

Since these names are usually the most talked about, in which order do you think these women have made the biggest impact on women’s wrestling: Chyna, Trish, Ronda, Becky.

1) Ronda Rousey, because they literally have never booked a women better than Ronda's 1 year, it was the most exposure WWE and women's wrestling ever got, there was a PPV built around Ronda, she literally was the most legitmate and over WWE (Face or Heel) at her time, and they have struggled without her since, and even outside of WWE she made Women's MMA/UFC a massive draw, she is without a doubt the biggest female draw in combat sports history.

2) Becky Lynch, because she was able to get over by herself against what the company wanted and was over enough to win at the wrestlemania main event with women in it for the first time, constant high level performer even before the WWE, took years off wrestling from concussion issues came back and was just as good if not better than before.

3) Trish, extremely beautiful women probably the most gorgeous women in wwe history, who did also want to wrestle and not just be T&A unlike many of her other divas, got pretty decent got the diva era in ring product, had a good showing against Charlotte in her return,

4) Chyna, terrible wrestler, egomaniac, refused to fight the women because "they were too small", politicked her way to the women's belt then quit the WWE.

Chyna is a rose tinted glasses women and that's as much as i'll say about her.

[aritamargarita]

Do you write for Chyna? Could you do an imagine where the reader comforts Chyna after her breakup with Triple H, and then maybe a romance sparks between the two?

UMM YESS?!

i always wanted to write her lowkey

by the way, i looove writing wlw requests as well. (for old era and modern era too) do not b afraid to send more!!!!! this is only like my second rq for da girls lol

After a rough match, you had a towel patting down your sweat. Tired and out of breath, you head back to the woman’s locker room.

But once you headed back and opened the door, that was when you noticed your good friend Chyna. She was downcast (though you could not see due to the fact her back was turned), and was putting things into a bag. Slowly closing the door behind you, you beamed.

“Hey..” You greet and she was still silent, not answering you. “...Chynaaaa...” You chime, drawing out the vowel in her name.

She still didn’t answer, hastily putting her stuff away. You wonder why she’s so distracted all of a sudden. She’d usually be on her guard.

“Chyna.” You repeat again, albeit more sternly. She froze up and slowly looked at you. Least it was only you..

“Oh—,” She gasped out. She hadn’t even noticed you were in the room with her. That being said, it was a pleasant surprise. “Hi, [Y/N].” She says. Her voice sounded pretty shaky.

“What’s up?” You ask. She couldn’t hide how sad she was. From a mile away you could tell she was distressed.

“Nothing, really...” She trailed off, and you knew it was a lie almost immediately. She truthfully wasn’t too good at hiding her feelings.

“Are you being honest? C’mon,” You coax her gently. “No ones here. Just me and you, so...” You pull up a chair nearby her to sit. “...You can tell me anything!”

Chyna hadn’t realized how kind you were until now. Even before, you were always so sprung on her, always checking in with things. It’s something she liked, even if at times you had gotten annoying.

“Um...okay.” She gave in quickly. You were lucky she trusted you enough, because at times, you’d see someone other than the 9th Wonder of the World.

You’d see the sweetheart that she really was, Chyna. You couldn’t lie and say you didn’t have some feelings for her, but you were convinced she was dating Triple H. Out of respect, you dropped it.

“He....Triple H...” She began slowly, fighting the urge to cry. “We aren’t a thing anymore.” She says, and you were shocked. You gaped at her. That was when you didn’t feel guilty for having feelings anymore.

“Stephanie and him are a thing now instead.” She stated plainly. She gripped her t-shirt tightly and stuffed it in the bag. “I’m going home.”

“I’ll go with you.” You say quickly. She furrowed her brows. “But I thought you had more matches tonight..?”

“No, I’m free. But even if I did, I’d rather get fired. I’m here for you, Chyna.” You reassure. Taking her hand and squeezing it lightly, you gave her direct eye contact. She became flabbergasted and out of instinct, took her hand out of your own.

....Did you ever notice how gorgeous she was? Of course you did. Though seeing her like this made everything worth it.

“I’ll go home with you tonight, and we can order something and do cheesy stuff like a sleepover.” You try to cheer her up, and Chyna had felt a small smile grow on her face.

Who’s to say she never harbored any feelings back...?

[rawiswhore]

Triple H, Shawn Michaels x Fem Reader- "Working With Meat"

At the beginning of 1998, the World Wrestling Federation was undergoing a makeover, where they now had a rougher, edgier looking logo and a new name, as well as altercate a new beginning to the WWF.

What was once a family friendly, cartoonish and colorful company that seemed like a live action Saturday morning cartoon aimed at kids was now becoming much darker, edgier, much more violent, sexual, boundary pushing and even shocking.

And who helped initiate this new era of the World Wrestling Federation?

Not just Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kane, Mankind and even Brian Pillman, but a wrestling group known as D Generation X, comprised of Shawn Michaels, Chyna, you and who is now known as Triple H.

The former Ravishing Rick Rude was even a member and manager of D Generation X, but he was a completely pointless and unnessesary member who did nothing for this company.

Despite that the WWF's rival company, WCW, has a hugely popular wrestling faction called the NWO increasing WCW's ratings, the WWF now have their own answer to the NWO known as D Generation X.

And while many could argue DX are a rip-off of NWO, the WWF LOVES them already and is eating them up.

D Generation X pretty much personified what was known as the WWF's Attitude era and are even part of the reason it was called that.

They were rebellious, disrespectful, boundary pushing and savage, doing anything that could piss people off, especially the censors.

But...wasn't the Attitude era pretty much like that in general? Hence the name "WWF ATTITUDE"?

In January of 1998, after the entire arena had gone black while the Undertaker's entrance music played, the audience hoping to see the Undertaker, only for the lights to turn on to reveal it's actually Shawn Michaels dressed as the Undertaker whilst he stripped out of that costume...

As D Generation X's Rage Against the Machine-knockoff entrance theme played, Triple H walked to the ring wearing an apron with a rather brash, vulgar quote while holding a huge paper bag in one hand while his other hand was gripping onto a crutch snug under his arm.

You joined in with him, wearing nothing but a short little apron while you rolled and escorted a grill (no, not those diamond covered tooth covers that rappers wear) to the ring.

This got the audience's attention, especially the males, whose eyes were on you wearing nothing but a small little apron, their eyes growing wide.

Women and girls were cheering for Shawn Michaels stripping his outfit off, whereas males were cheering for you dressed in nothing but a short little apron, although you had a thong underneath your apron and some stiletto heels.

Besides males cheering for you, some of them were even making those corny "wolf whistles" at you like how they make at an attractive woman.

Jerry Lawler's eyes, of course, were on you while you walked to the ring wearing nothing but a small apron, he was smiling from ear to ear while his eyes were bugged out.

"Is she wearin' nothin' but an apron?!" Jerry shrieked at the commentary table.

Yes, yes you are.

Your outfit of choice was inspired by Renee Zellwegger's character in the movie "Empire Records", during the scene where she's wearing nothing but a small little apron.

"She's got a barbeque grill!" Jerry shrieked.

"They're gonna have a cookout!" Jim Ross chimmed in on commentary.

When you and Triple H had gotten close to the ring, Shawn was now by the ropes around the ring, where you and Trips both had lifted the barbeque grill up from the floor and handed it to Shawn.

Shawn grabbed that grill and lifted it over the ropes, holding onto that grill and carrying it while he walked to the center of the ring, placing the grill in the middle.

Triple H and you, meanwhile, entered the ring by sliding under the ropes, lifting yourselves up from the ring, whereas Triple H grabbed the paper bag he was previously carrying.

When you and Trips were standing in the ring, you and he walked to the center of the ring where Shawn was, where Triple H pulled out a white chef's hat from the bag he was holding and handed it to Shawn.

Shawn placed that hat on top of his head, trying to fit it around his head, whereas Triple H pulled another chef's hat out and placed it on his head this time.

Trips' chef's hat fell off of his head when he was pointing his index finger to the message on his apron in front of the camera filming him, but your hand grabbed onto the chef's hat that fell off of his head and placed it back on top of his head again, where it thankfully didn't fall off.

What was the message on Triple H's apron?

S*ck the cook, as in, suck the cook, although the letter "u" had to be censored.

Now you know why that apron he wore had an obscene, vulgar quote on it.

Shawn, on the other hand, lifted that Undertaker costume and long haired black wig he was previously wearing on top of the barbeque grill, indicating that you're gonna roast the Undertaker.

Triple H and you were looking down inside that huge paper bag, sticking your hands in that bag and pulling out a bag of marshmallows as well as a little packet of hot dogs, placing those things on top of the grill.

Shawn was holding onto a barbeque fork that was already attached to the grill you brought to the ring.

D Generation X's entrance music faded away and cut off, while Triple H carried a microphone in one of his hands instead of a huge paper bag that he sat down in the ring, Shawn was holding onto and wiggling a hot dog he pulled out of the packet.

"Y'know, Shawn and I both got jumbo weenies!" Triple H stated, pulling another hot dog out of that plastic packet and holding it up. "But y/n, show us what you're bringing to the barbeque, girl!"

While you had an ear to ear shit eating grin plastered on your face and your hands on your hips, you bent your body down and your hand reached down in that plastic bag, pulling out a huge salami, your mouth still grinning while your eyes looked at that huge salami.

You held up that salami with a huge smile on your face like you were presenting this meat like it was something to be proud of.

It was a treat when you bent down, because the audience could see some of your thong underneath your apron.

"That is the BIG stick!" Triple H exclaimed. "Hey Shawn, where'd you get those cool clothes you came out here with? A fire sale?"

"Well y/n, Triple H" Shawn started. "How do you like your Undertaker? Do you like him rare, medium or well done?"

Shawn and Triple H proceeded to cut a promo towards the Undertaker and Owen Hart, stuff you don't give a crap about.

While they were cutting a promo, in particular Triple H, you were staring at Trips with a wide grin on your face like you really wanted him.

You walked closer to him so you could snuggle up right next to him, leaning and pressing your body next to his.

You snuggled yourself next to the opposite part of Triple H's body that didn't have a crutch under his arm.

One of your arms draped across his shoulders, whereas your other hand was on his chest, your index finger drawing circles on his chest.

As you did this to him, your eyes were looking up and down at him while you grinned at him, thirsting over him.

After Triple H was comparing his manhood to Owen's, Triple H offered to show the audience why you stuck with Shawn and Trips instead of the Undertaker and Owen (and anyone else, for the most part, for that matter).

Triple H moved the microphone towards your lips, the camera zoomed in on your face.

"Well, Triple H and Shawn have such big, hot, juicy, delicious meat" you confessed, putting emphasis on the word "delicious". "I can still feel their meat's hot juices in my mouth and running down my throat"

One of your hands moved to your throat and motioned their juices running down your throat, although you didn't choke and strangle yourself.

Men and women got some of the sexual innuendo you were saying, and the women shrieked and squealed when you gushed over Triple H and Shawn's meat, and you're not talking about what they're grilling.

Triple H was grinning whilst you said this about him, his eyes looking at you while you mentioned that.

Shawn, too, was grinning as you gushed over his private parts.

Triple H then moved his microphone back to his mouth.

"Even though I've got her by my side" Triple H stated "For all you California girls out there..."

Women in the audience started cheering and squealing when they heard they were called.

Shawn handed Triple H that huge salami you pulled out of the bag, and as Triple H held that huge meat, he proceeded to make a pun about Ric Flair and then a sexual innuendo, thrusting his crotch while he had that huge salami you pulled out of the plastic bag in front of his crotch.

Speaking of which, while Triple H was holding onto that huge salami, your fingers wrapped around that salami (not his penis) and proceeded to start slowly pumping and cranking your hand up and down that salami like you're masturbating it.

No, you weren't masturbating his penis, but that huge salami you pulled out of a plastic bag.

Sometimes, your fingers rotated around that salami.

As you looked like you were jacking off that salami, the men in the audience loved this, cheering for you, whereas Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler's eyes bugged out of their sockets and were at a loss for words.

You were grinning wickedly from ear to ear as you looked like you were masturbating this huge salami and Shawn was cutting a promo.

Triple H interrupted Shawn's promo sometime, to mention you.

"She's obviously hungry for some of my sausage!" Triple H stated, pointing his thumb to you, to which you nodded your head whilst smiling. "Well, you'll have to wait a while until after this is over"

Your smile then turned into a pout, sticking your bottom lip out and looking disappointed.

"Don't worry" Triple H calmed to you, to which your eyes looked at him. "Shawn and I've got some hot dogs that will fill your buns!"

You smiled from ear to ear, to which the women in the audience shrieked hearing that innuendo, even Shawn cackled a bit hearing that pun.

"She'll have a bite of our hot dogs soon!" Triple H added, thrusting his crotch out while one of his hands made a chopping motion next to his crotch.

The audience got out of their seats and roared in delight, cheering.

"Oh, will you stop that!" Jim Ross said rather angrily.

Shawn proceeded to still cut a promo, you were looking at Shawn or either at Triple H, you looking at Triple H and sometimes Shawn like you wanted to fuck him while you had your mouth grinning at him.

You didn't really like the way Shawn looked with facial hair, Shawn was hotter without it.

_____________________________________________________________

I've always had this fantasy of my female wrestling original character I created being the main female in D Generation X instead of Chyna, as well as this fantasy of my female wrestling OC doing all of this stuff (wearing nothing but an apron, gushing about Triple H and Shawn's meat).

And today is the 4th of July, where people have barbeques!

[bloojayoolie]

Animals, Beautiful, and Children: A LOVELY AND LIVELY LADY WHO WITHOUT ANY DOUBT WILL BRING JOY AND LOVE TO YOUR LIFE! Chyna 470761 5 Years old and a petite 40 lbs Waiting for her Hero a Manhattan ACC TO BE KILLED 8/13/19 WHEN WE FIRST SAW CHYNA SHE WAS SUCH A SCARED GIRL - BUT NO MORE!! READ THE VOLUNTEER NOTES, WATCH HER VIDEO - CHYNA IS THE LIFE OF THE PARTY AND WILL MAKE ANY FAMILY SO VERY HAPPY!! A volunteer writes: Who would believe that Chyna was such a shy girl when she arrived at the care center? All gone!! Now, she is the life of the party, running, jumping, enjoying treats, playing with toys and making sure she gets her share of hugs and kisses. She does not have to be asked to come on the lap! She is so beautiful, elegant too, made and dressed to attract attention and so pleasant with her big smile, bright eyes and incessant wagging tail. Yes, she is a lovely and lively lady who without any doubt will bring joy and love to your life! How about meeting Chyna at the Manhattan Care Center and make her all yours for years to come! A volunteer writes: You don't have to dig to China to find buried treasure. Instead, you can find a hidden treasure here at ACC with in our Chyna. This shy pup is at times afraid of new things like a leash, but once out of the kennel she makes friends quickly and becomes the playful girl she is at heart. Her big ears enhance her adorable appearance and add to her charm. Give Chyna a chance to enter your home and find out what a wonderful hidden treasure she truly is. WATCH HER SWEET VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlNSrBr-S7c Chyna #70761 Female white dog @ Manhattan Animal Care Center About 5 years old Weight: 40lbs Shelter Assessment Rating: Level 3 No children (under 13) Surrendered as a stray on 7/29/2019. Chyna is at risk for medical reasons. Chyna was diagnosed with canine infectious respiratory disease complex which is contagious to other animals and will require further care. Behaviorally, Chyna has been fearful at the care center and would be best suited for placement with an experienced adopter that can provide a slow approach when introducing her to new people and environments. BEHAVIOR NOTES Behavior Condition: 3. Yellow Behavior Assessment Date of intake:: 7/29/2019 Spay/Neuter status:: No Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray Date of assessment:: 8/1/2019 Summary:: Chyna has been very fearful at the care center and allows only minimal handling. She was reported to growl and bark at multiple handlers when she first arrived and growled during her medical exam. She could only be removed from her kennel once, where she remained extremely fearful outside. She no longer allows handlers to leash her in her kennel and barks, growls, and howls when the handler opens her kennel door. Therefore, she is not a safe candidate for a handling assessment at this time. Summary:: 7/30: When introduced off leash to the male greeter dog, Chyna is fearful and stays to herself. Date of intake:: 7/29/2019 Summary:: Growling, barking Date of initial:: 7/29/2019 Summary:: Growled ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Chyna so we cannot be certain of her behavior in a home environment IN SHELTER OBSERVATIONS:: 7/31/19: Chyna is at the back of her kennel growling when approached. When the kennel is open, she begins to bark, growl, and howl. She does not come forward or allow leashing. 7/30/19: Chyna is fearful in her kennel and retreats towards the back. She is able to be coaxed slightly forward and allows leashing. Outside she has a low body but stays near the handler and allows handling. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: LEVEL 3 Behavior Asilomar: TM - Treatable-Manageable Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Place with a New Hope partner Recommendations comments:: No children: Due to Chyna's level of fear and displays of defensive aggression, we recommend an adult-only home. Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Chyna has been very fearful at the care center. During her first handler-interaction, she remained very fearful with a low, tense body. Now, when a handler approaches her kennel, she growls and barks and doesn't allow any leashing. She will need a very slow approach and time to fully acclimate to her new home. Please see handout on Fearful/potential for defensive aggression. MEDICAL EXAM NOTES 7/29/2019 DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: Estimated 3-5 years based on dentition and secondary sex characteristics Microchip noted on Intake? Scanned negative History : Stray, no health hx available. Brought in by police. Subjective: Alert, walks well on leash. Observed Behavior - Brought in a crate - pt was growling and charging at the crate door. Once out of the crate, she was tense but walked well on leash. She was easily muzzled and growled only very slightly during the exam, but didn't struggle or snap at all during exam or blood draw. Evidence of Cruelty seen - None Evidence of Trauma seen - None Objective BAR-H, MMs pink and moist, BCS 5/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: Muzzled. Mild tartar on canines. PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic, no coughing or sneezing. ABD: Tense, no masses palpated, not distended U/G: Female, mature nipples, no spay scar noted MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: Normal externally Assessment: Mild tartar - suspect more on PMs Prognosis: Good Plan: Recommend daily tooth brushing and regular dental cleanings SURGERY: Okay for surgery *** TO FOSTER OR ADOPT *** HOW TO RESERVE A “TO BE KILLED” DOG ONLINE (only for those who can get to the shelter IN PERSON to complete the adoption process, and only for the dogs on the list NOT marked New Hope Rescue Only). Follow our Step by Step directions below! *PLEASE NOTE – YOU MUST USE A PC OR TABLET – PHONE RESERVES WILL NOT WORK! ** STEP 1: CLICK ON THIS RESERVE LINK: https://newhope.shelterbuddy.com/Animal/List Step 2: Go to the red menu button on the top right corner, click register and fill in your info. Step 3: Go to your email and verify account \ Step 4: Go back to the website, click the menu button and view available dogs Step 5: Scroll to the animal you are interested and click reserve STEP 6 ( MOST IMPORTANT STEP ): GO TO THE MENU AGAIN AND VIEW YOUR CART. THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOW BE IN YOUR CART! Step 7: Fill in your credit card info and complete transaction HOW TO FOSTER OR ADOPT IF YOU *CANNOT* GET TO THE SHELTER IN PERSON, OR IF THE DOG IS NEW HOPE RESCUE ONLY! You must live within 3 – 4 hours of NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Norther VA. Please PM our page for assistance. You will need to fill out applications with a New Hope Rescue Partner to foster or adopt a dog on the To Be Killed list, including those labelled Rescue Only. Hurry please, time is short, and the Rescues need time to process the applications. Shelter contact information Phone number (212) 788-4000 Email adoption@nycacc.org Shelter Addresses: Brooklyn Shelter: 2336 Linden Boulevard Brooklyn, NY 11208 Manhattan Shelter: 326 East 110 St. New York, NY 10029 Staten Island Shelter: 3139 Veterans Road West Staten Island, NY 10309 * NEW NYC ACC RATING SYSTEM * Level 1 Dogs with Level 1 determinations are suitable for the majority of homes. These dogs are not displaying concerning behaviors in shelter, and the owner surrender profile (where available) is positive. Level 2 Dogs with Level 2 determinations will be suitable for adopters with some previous dog experience. They will have displayed behavior in the shelter (or have owner reported behavior) that requires some training, or is simply not suitable for an adopter with minimal experience. Level 3 Dogs with Level 3 determinations will need to go to homes with experienced adopters, and the ACC strongly suggest that the adopter have prior experience with the challenges described and/or an understanding of the challenge and how to manage it safely in a home environment. In many cases, a trainer will be needed to manage and work on the behaviors safely in a home environment.

[chynandri]

𝓶𝓮𝓵𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓮 𝓼𝓸𝓾𝓵 🥀❤️‍🔥

[themikeyscott-blog]

Current First Ballot WWE Hall of Famers

We all know that Demolition and Owen Hart belong in the WWE Hall of Fame. I don’t know if you will find anyone that will disagree. The same can be said for Chyna. We also know that someday, The Rock, The Undertaker, and Triple H will all wear a WWE Hall of Fame ring. We also know that there really is no criteria for being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Exhibit A: Koko B. Ware. With the 2019 WWE Hall of Fame Class to be announced imminently, let’s imagine that the same criteria for professional sports Hall of Fame inductions applied to the WWE’s Hall of Fame. To be more specific, winning a championship, even the WWE championship, doesn’t necessarily automatically qualify you as a first ballot Hall of Famer. Exhibit B: I wouldn’t call Sycho Sid Justice Vicious a first ballot WWE Hall of Famer. He might sneak in before losing eligibility, but certainly not first ballot. Exhibit C: Santino Marella would not get my vote. A WWE superstar who has been a Grand Slam Champion though, would automatically get my vote. Now that we have established some ground rules, I am only going to review the current and active WWE roster for this blog. To further clarify, for purposes of narrowing things down, we’ll imagine that their career ended today. Exhibit D: Finn Balor would be left off of this list, but certainly has the potential to join it. And worth mentioning, Exhibit E: Kane will certainly be in the Hall of Fame someday and would certainly get in on the first ballot in my estimations. He is not actively competing full-time and didn’t make “The List.” Same can be said for Chris Jericho. This will probably be part 1 of a 3 part series. Stay tuned for “Potential WWE Hall of Famers” and “Other future WWE Hall of Famers.” Brock Lesnar on the other hand, may be considered “part-time” talent but has a match scheduled in the next 30 days. I know. He currently also happens to be the Universal Champion.So let’s start there.

Brock Lesnar would have been a Hall of Fame candidate, like Shawn Michaels, had he never returned to the squared circle after his initial retirement. His career in WWE at that time, although short, was certainly dominant. Fast forward a decade and Lesnar returns to dominant fashion. Overall he has won nearly 70% of his matches in WWE. If 500 matches was a standard for entry, similar to how 500 Home Runs can get you into the MLB Hall of Fame, Lesnar would still be given enough credit for his dominance to earn a Hall of Fame ring. In no particular order, Brock Lesnar is number one on this list. 

Daniel Bryan is certainly one of the most influential wrestlers of his generation, if not at the top of that list. The current WWE champion is also one of a dozen or so Grand Slam Champions, regardless of your definition of one. To add to his resume, Bryan returned to the ring in 2018 after being forced to retire and creating another legitimate Wrestlemania moment in the process. Daniel Bryan has been the best babyface and the best heel on the roster. He has main evented Wrestlemania. His credentials for a Hall of Fame induction could be a blog in itself. Enough said. 

The Shield.  This is the exception to the rule of “active” roster. Individually, Seth Rollins would have made this list and will certainly be a WWE Hall of Famer if his career continues on the same path. The only reason he is not on this list as an individual, is because it would be hard to justify him as a “two-time Hall of Famer” when the only other one is Ric Flair. When Scott Hall and Kevin Nash are officially “two-time Hall of Famers,” Rollins can be added to this list. Dean Ambrose, not quite a first ballot Hall of Famer by my standards yet as an individual performer. I have always appreciated the progress Roman Reigns had made in the ring. Maybe I am partial here, having been in Providence, RI at RAW when he announced that he had leukemia. I will admit, at first I would have preferred Kassius Ohno as the third member of the Shield. I feel as though Roman Reigns could have been a “Most Improved Wrestler of the Year” candidate, for every year of his career. Roman Reigns could go on to be what Tony C was to the Red Sox or, don’t shoot me here, what Shawn Michaels was to the WWE with a more inspirational story. Individually, again it would be hard to justify Reigns as a “two-time Hall of Famer” and in the same category as only Ric Flair. Collectively, The Shield has certainly earned their spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. 

Although I couldn’t tell you if he has recently, The Big Show has wrestled more matches than anyone else on the WWE roster. Because I do know that he recently appeared on TV, he qualifies as “active.” The length of his career itself, warrants an induction on the first ballot. Being one of the most agile big men of all-time further compliments his resume.

The Miz is another guy I’d vote for on his first ballot. I do not see ShowMiz going in as a tag-team however. He is another guy that could be considered a candidate for “most improved,” year in and year out. He too has main evented Wrestlemania and is a grand slam champion. Resume speaks for itself. Longevity adds to it.

Dolph Ziggler is a guy that I really had to think about for a minute. It only took a minute though. Best in-ring performer in WWE of this generation is all that needs to be said. If that’s not enough, all that needs to be said is Koko B. Ware. 

Randy Orton. 5 tool Hall of Famer. Enough said.

The Hardy’s as singles competitors would certainly be Hall of Fame candidates. In terms of tag team wrestling, the Hardy’s are about as sure to be first ballot Hall of Famers as Randy Orton. I would assume the WWE inducts them as a team someday. This is where it gets complicated. I would assume the Shield will someday all receive their own induction and probably won’t go in as a group/faction/team, but would be deserving either way. Are the Hardy’s both in that same category? Again, either way they make this list. 

His WWE career may have just begun, but for what AJ Styles has accomplished in that short amount of time is worth an induction. Some would probably question, “first-ballot.” It’s AJ Styles though. Get over it. Some might say he hasn’t been in WWE long enough to be on this list. I give you exhibit F, Sting. Ironically, Sting could have been the “AJ Styles” of the 2000′s but never made the move to WWE and left a lot on the table. 

Kofi Kingston is a great example of a guy who has done it all, almost. He may not have main evented a Wrestlemania or ever won a World championship, but he certainly belongs on this list. He has been a tag team champion more than anyone else. Think about the number of superstars Kofi Kingston has worked with in WWE. Many have come and gone and Kofi continues to go strong. The New Day would most definitely make the list of potential WWE Hall of Fame candidates. As individual performers, only Kofi Kingston has a resume to qualify, so he makes THIS list. 

John Cena wrestled just the other night, which qualifies him for my list. I need not say anything else. Love him or hate him, he is this generation’s Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair at the same time. He will probably have something historic named after him someday. John Cena would be number one on this list, if it were in any particular order.

Longevity alone may someday earn guys like Heath Slater or Zack Ryder an induction. You may disagree, and they are not by my definition “first-ballot” but also a step above Koko B. Ware. They at least won championships. A tag team like The Usos would certainly make the “potential list.” An argument could be made, thanks to the Buschwacker standard, that the Usos would be voted in on the first ballot. Championships won would earn guys like Raven or Crash Holly an induction. I ask myself, is it a name that I would ever forget? Did they ever have a match that I will never forget? How do their accomplishments stack up against their peers of the same “generation.” Now, what “this generation” means versus “that generation” is a whole different subject. Someday there may be a spot in the Hall of Fame for the cruiserweight division. Cedric Alexander maybe? For now, the cruiserweight division as a whole belongs in the “potential” category. One cruiserweight however who is at the top of many lists, is Rey Mysterio. If this list were in any particular order, he’d be somewhere near the top. Mysterio is another 5 tool Hall of Fame wrestler. Ask me if there was one more male WWE superstar on the current roster that would make this list, I’d say Sheamus. But he didn’t.

Mickie James is at the top of the list for women on the current roster who are first ballot Hall of Famers. Although, by my standards Charlotte Flair should really be at the top of this list. Even if she never wrestled another match, Ronda Rousey will one day be a WWE Hall of Famer. She makes this list because I would bet my house on it. She may be better suited for the “potential Hall of Famer” list, but find someone that disagrees with the statement, “the WWE will one day induct Ronda Rousey into their Hall of Fame.” Is it too soon to say Becky Lynch is in on the first ballot? Absolutely. But you know as well as I do, that she will be. She is drawing comparisons to Steve Austin. Again, maybe she’d be better suited on the potential list, with the likes of Sasha Banks and Bailey. But she’s not. She is THE MAN and when the dust settles, she’d probably be number one. Sasha Banks however, SHOULD BE on this list. For that matter, so should Bailey. Sasha Banks would probably be on the level of Eve Torres if comparing generations. Eve may even get inducted someday, but she’s not in the first ballot conversation. I am certain Sasha and Bailey deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, but if their careers ended today? Maybe not. Therefore, I can’t include them. How about Asuka? Do NXT careers count? If so, then she should have been on this list too. Last, certainly not least, but definitely littlest, Alexa Bliss is officially going to make my list. Is she better than Sasha Banks or Bailey? Not necessarily.  Her Hall of Fame resume though, is a different story. She may not have the in-ring skills of Shawn Michaels, but her face tells a story like the Undertaker.The fact that her name is mentioned in the same sentence with either of those two, is enough for me to say, the END. There’s my list. Where is Jericho’s? He would also be at the top of this list if currently competing on RAW or Smackdown. Did I miss anyone? 

[sirtravisjacksonoftexas]

Do Animals Have An Afterlife? Um...YES, And King Solomon Will Show You Why...

Most, if not all people, have at least one pet peeve, something that irritates them more than fingernails clawing a chalkboard. It could be certain foods, certain genres of music, rude drivers, TV, politicians, etc. I have several pet peeves:

 1. “It’s a Wonderful life” (I HATE that film!).

2. Being interrupted while I’m working on projects.

3. Hard, unchewable thingies that I accidentally find while chewing on green beans.

4. Websites that won’t let me read their content or use without me either agreeing to let them put cookies on my computer and/or becoming a member of said site (National geographic and some online photos editors come to mind).

5. The fact that the 80s ended (best decade ever! How dare it go away!).

6. The fact that the Monday Night Wars ended (I miss the ratings war between WWE and WCW. True, the former had some risqué stuff at the time, but they also had some of the best storylines as well. They also had Chyna!).

7. Jesus Mythicism (the unfounded belief that Jesus never existed (or that several Jesuses existed) and that the Gospels stories are derived from pagan myth).

8. Animal extinction.

9. The “Animals don’t have souls/don’t go to heaven” tradition in Christianity.

 That latter one has both irritated me and made me scratch my head since a kid, considering that I’m not only an animal lover, but the bible actually never says that. This subject continued to draw my attention in my teens, and later when I went to college, majoring in religion. I have studied it since then as well. During this time, I made sure to not let any bias taint my studies. After all, we have to accept what the Bible says, no matter the results. God comes first before critters, and we should abide by what his word teaches, no matter what.

And…what have I found, during all of these years?

There are ZERO biblical passages that teach that animals don’t have a spiritual essence, nor any that teach that they don’t have an afterlife. 

Repeat: ZERO!

Indeed, there are passages that teach the opposite, and yet…countless of my fellow Christians continue to believe that animals don’t have souls. Indeed, there are several reasons why they hold to this fallacious doctrine:

 1. If animals had a soul and an afterlife, they would need Jesus to die for them as well. He didn’t, so therefore they don’t have souls!

 2. If animals have souls, that would mean that heaven must be GINORMOUS for all the souls of every animal and person that ever lived to be there! The New Earth would have to be GINORMOUS as well! Thus, it makes more sense that they won’t be there!

 3. The bible doesn’t say that animals have souls, therefore they don’t have souls!

 4. The Bible says that animals don’t have souls or an afterlife!

 5. Only humans have souls, because only we are made in the image of God!

6. The Bible never shows animals being in Heaven! Therefore, they are not in Heaven!

 These are the objections that keep this peculiar, unbiblical tradition alive, and yet…they are all without foundation.

Let’s go through them each, one by one…

  1. “If animals had a soul and an afterlife, they would need Jesus to die for them as well. He didn’t, so therefore they don’t have souls!”

 Why would living creatures…that do not sin…need Jesus to die for their sins?

Indeed, it was humans, not animals, that ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (and only humans were forbidden to eat of it too, see Genesis 2:17-3:6). True, animals are known to do things that humans are forbidden to do, such as stealing (Animals will at times steal food from others. Likewise, Floyd, my brother’s ferret, stole multiple things from my brother (including his checkbook) and hid them behind his washing machine.), having sex without being married (which, if humans do the same, it’s called fornication) and even rape (male Orangutans are known to rape both female orangutans and even human women. You read that right; they have been known to rape human women.), but it is not a sin for animals to do these things, for three important reasons.

       1. The moral commands of God apply to humans, not animals.

True, God does demand that animals who slay humans be killed (Genesis 9:5, Exodus 22:28-32), but those passages not only don’t refer to such animals as murderers, and not only do they not refer to animals killing humans as murder, but they aren’t even indicating that animals are bound by human moral law; they are indicating that animals who have killed humans need to be put down, due to the threat that they pose. If an animal kills a person, it might kill another, and unlike animals, humans are made in God’s image. Though murderers are executed for similar reasons, humans were allowed to kill animals (Genesis 9:1-3) while human life could only be taken in self-defense, war or executions (Genesis 9:4-5, 14:13-20, Exodus 22:2-3, Nehemiah 4:15-18), and those humans guilty of manslaughter were sent to cities of refuge, not executed (Numbers 35:15-34). Though animal cruelty is forbidden (Proverbs 12:10), taking an animal’s life is obviously not the same as taking human life. The reason why: humans, not animals, are made in God’s image. Humans are more important. Animals who killed humans would not be seen as sinners or criminals; they were seen as simply threats to human life. Heck, even in our modern culture, were authorities kill wild animals or dogs that have taken human life, none will call such animals “criminals” or say that they broke the law; they are simply disposing of animals that could pose a threat to their fellow man. This is why such animals are not put on trial, with prosecutors pointing at them and shouting incriminating questions while defense lawyers object. That’s why no one that lives in nations that house Orangutans state that any who rape either humans or another orangutan should be locked up or castrated.

Now, some will try to bring up the fact that it was a “serpent” who deceived Eve into eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:1-6), and when God cursed the Serpent, he said “cursed are you above all livestock, and above all beasts of the field” (Gen 3:14). However, the “Serpent” in the passage, as explained in one of my previous articles (see sources section below), was not actually a snake; it was the Devil.

 It wasn’t even a snake possessed by Satan; it was Satan in Serpentine (yet still spiritual) form. Along with this, the passage doesn’t imply that animals were suddenly punished for a sin that either they did not commit or was not recorded in scripture. Indeed, the “curse” could include the side effects of Adam and Eve’s fall. After all, how many animals have humans wiped out? How many are on the brink of extinction due to the sins of man?

Now, some would say “But if that’s the case, then why did animals suffer during the Flood, or during the Ten Plagues or Egypt? Why will they suffer or during the plagues described in the Book of Revelation?”. Well, it is true that animals were targeted at times in said judgments, but this was either due to being owned by humans under God’s judgment (such as the Egyptians who owned livestock, see Exodus 9:1-7) or due to dying as side effects of God’s powerful judgments on Earth (such as during the Flood, see Genesis 6:9-8:22). We have to remember that one’s own sins don’t just harm oneself. Indeed, sin is like dynamite: it can harm more than the one setting it off. 

How many families have had to go through rough times because one of their own either shot a president, or was a serial killer, mass murderer, adulterer, bank robber, serial rapist, child molester, etc? How many kids had to look at their mothers of fathers through plate glass, because of a crime that their mother or father did? God isn’t punishing such children, but their parent’s sins are making them suffer nevertheless. In a different vein (as we will soon see), the children of Sodom and Gomorrah, despite still being at the age of innocence (the indication that none were righteous in the Cities of the Plain (Gen 18:17-33) doesn’t= that the age of accountability didn’t exist at that time. Though the children of those cities no doubt learned abhorrent sins from their elders, they were still not at the age of accountability), nevertheless perished alongside guilty adults when the cities of the plain were obliterated (Genesis 19). Indeed, in that latter case, God took their lives in reprisal for the sins of the guilty in Sodom, just as he did those children who were outside the Ark when the rains came. In neither case were these kids deserving of death, yet they nevertheless perished as part of the punishment that God wrought on the older, wicked citizens of the Cities of the Plain. Once again, even the innocent can suffer from the sins of the guilty. Thus, suffering or even dying during a judgment of God doesn’t = guilt.

      2. Animals are innocent in nature. Children do bad things (as any parent, especially one addicted to Jack Daniels, can attest), and yet Jesus said that to such belonged the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt 19:14, Luke 18:13). Kids, including infants (born and unborn) have not reached the age of accountability, and thus if they die, they go to Heaven instead of Hell. They haven’t matured enough to be held accountable for them. If they are not held accountable for their sins, due to the age of innocence…then how can animals be held accountable for their “sins” when they are less mature mentally than most human children?

     3. Animals are not made in God’s image, and thus do not taint it when they do things that, if humans did them, would be sin (more on the Image of God later).

Indeed, if you seriously think about it, if you really read between the cultural lines, one reason why animals were chosen by God for sacrifice was due to lack of sin. It isn’t just because human sacrifice would be murder, but also because, unlike humans, animals don’t sin. They are pure in God’s eyes. Though there were other requirements for sacrifice as well, such as species (ritually clean vs ritually unclean animals (the latter not unclean due to sin), and animals without blemish, nevertheless, at the end of the day, all animals share a sinless nature. Thus, each time an animal was being sacrificed, the blood of a pure, sinless creature was being spilled.

Sinless…just like Christ, the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 2 Corinthians 5:20-21).

Along with this, we have to remember that Jesus didn’t die for angels either, and yet not only are there good angels with God in Heaven (Matt 18:10), but they will be there in the New Earth (Revelation 21:9-12). Although angels long to look into the matter of salvation (1 Peter 1:12), this doesn’t mean that Jesus will die second time for them as well. Indeed, the Bible indicates that Christ’s death atones for the sins of humanity, not angels (John 3:16, Romans 4:25, 5:6-8 8:32, 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 3:16). Thus, the fact that angels long to look into these matters doesn’t equal that Christ’s gift of salvation applies to them, anymore than if an American citizen longed to study the law codes of China would equal that those very laws apply to him.

Since angels are in Heaven, and will be in the New Earth without having to accept Christ as Lord and Savior, and since children will be in both Heaven and the New Earth even if they are not Christians…then why do animals need to be saved in order to enter either place?

 2. “If animals have souls, that would mean that heaven must be GINORMOUS for all the souls of every animal and person that ever lived to be there! The New Earth would have to be GINORMOUS as well! Thus, it makes more sense that they won’t be there!”

 Both a non-sequitur and a serious lack of imagination. God is all powerful and all knowing…but cannot make Heaven big enough to accommodate the countless spirits of both dead animals and humans? When has God become weak, or too dumb to figure anything out? He’s likewise not powerful enough and smart enough to make a New Earth big enough to accommodate them all, one that could be truly colossal in size yet not suffering from the issues of excess gravity? God’s power and knowledge are, once again, unlimited.

Let’s go over some bible verses about God’s omnipotence, shall we?

“Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” Genesis 18:14

“Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” Psalm 135:6

“Then Job answered the Lord and said “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:1-2

“For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?” Isaiah 14:27

“Even from eternity I am He, and there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?” Isaiah 43:13

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” Jeremiah 32:27

“All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” Daniel 4:35

“Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

“But he said “What is Impossible for men is possible with God.” Luke 18:27

“And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might” Ephesians 1:19

I could also bring up the countless bible verses that call God “almighty” or state that he is “almighty”, but you get the point.

Now, let’s look at some bible verses about God’s omniscience, shall we?

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all.” Psalm 139:4

“He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” Psalm 147:4-5

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.” Isaiah 40:28

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13

“for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” 1 John 3:20

 Once again, you get the point.

So, since God is all powerful, and all knowing…shouldn’t he be able to create a Heaven that’s big enough to accommodate all the spirits of dead animals and humans, along with all of his angels? Can he not make a New Earth that can do the same thing?

 3. “The bible doesn’t say that animals have souls, therefore they don’t have souls.”

 Another non-sequitur. The “It’s not in the Bible, therefore it doesn’t exist” Argument is idiotic. For example, the Bible doesn’t mention volcanoes on other worlds, yet the largest volcano known to man, Olympus Mons (which rises an astonishing 25 miles high)…is on Mars. 

Io, one of Jupiter’s moons, is saturated with them.

 Oh, BTW: the bible doesn’t mention any other moon other than our own, and yet Io not only exists…but we have 158 confirmed moons in our solar system! 158! Not one of these are mentioned in the Bible! So…just because something is not mentioned in the Bible…doesn’t = it doesn’t exist.

Also, even if the bible didn’t state that animals have a supernatural essence within them (which I’ll soon show it actually does), there is no passage that says that they don’t (see the next objection). So, if the Bible truly didn’t indicate that animals do or do not have a spirit or an afterlife, then the subject in question would automatically fall under the judgment of Deuteronomy 29:29, which states:

 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

 Therefore, if the bible truly didn’t indicate either way on whether animals have a supernatural essence or not, then the question would be one that God has not chosen to answer. The answer belongs to him, and thus we cannot be dogmatic either way about it. It belongs to him, not us.

Nevertheless, the Bible actually DOES teach that, not only do animals have a spirit, but they also have an afterlife as well.

Enter King Solomon.

Like his father before him, Solomon wrote Scripture, including Psalm 72, Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes. The later has a perplexing passage that deals with the subject in hand:

 “I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?” Ecclesiastes 3:18-22 (emphasis mine).

Now, a careful reading of this passage is indicating that, in terms of death, man has no advantage over animals. Both die, but return to dust. Though verse 21, which mentions the spirit of man and beast, has been (mistakenly) thought by some to imply skepticism of the afterlife, this is far from the case. Indeed, in verse 17 of the same chapter it states that “I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.”, which obviously points to a future end times judgment involving both the dead and the living. After all, as Job himself indicated in Job 21, some wicked men died peacefully after a good life, without suffering the judgment of God. Solomon, a king who was noted for incredible wisdom, would have known that fact of life (and might have read that passage in Job as well). Plus, the passage isn’t expressing doubt about the afterlife, but where people and animals go in the afterlife. Its questioning an idea that human spirits go up and animal spirits go down. This is quite interesting, due to the fact that the ancient Israelites believed that everyone, good and bad, went to Sheol, the Hebrew Underworld. This realm was though to be in the Earth, though it wasn’t the same as Hell. Indeed, though it was thought to be dark and gloomy, it wasn’t thought of as a place of punishment or torment. 

With the spread of Hellenization in the ancient world, the Jews eventually started calling Sheol “Hades”, the name of the Greek Underworld (which shares some interesting similarities with the Hebrew version). “Hades” was also a term used for a region of the Underworld that, In New Testament times, was thought of as a bit hellish (Luke 16:19-24). Though this wasn’t the actual Hell, aka the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14), but those deemed “wicked” (a relative term when considering the Gospel) nevertheless went there. However, there was also the belief that those who were “good” went to Abraham’s Side, aka Abraham’s Bosom, where they would enjoy a good afterlife (Luke 16:19-25). In between these realms was thought to be a great chasm that no human soul could cross (Luke 16:26). Now, despite some arguing that Hades, Abraham’s Bosom and the Chasm are not the same places, considering the fact that the Hebrews in Old Testament times believed that everyone went to Sheol when they died, that Hades is its Greek equivalent, and that Hades means “The Unseen World”, i.e. the Netherworld, we have to conclude that all three of these realms were all in the same place. Thus, everyone was thought to go downwards into the Earth after death (BTW: “earth” in Ecclesiastes 3:21 can be translated “Underworld”. Though “earth” is seemingly preferred translation, both the downward direction noted and the fact that the animal spirit is being viewed as going into the Earth are still indicative of Sheol).

Yet nevertheless, the author of Ecclesiastes mentions “Who knows if the spirit of man rises upwards…”, which wasn’t a part of Israelite afterlife beliefs at the time.

Why, therefore, did he write this?

Robert Alter, a professor of Hebrew at Berkley University, states that the author of Ecclesiastes may have been alluding to a new afterlife doctrine, one that posited that humans didn’t go into Sheol, but instead rose upwards. However, this idea arose in the Late Biblical Period, which started in the 6th century BC, while Solomon lived centuries before that (11th-10th centuries BC). However, Alter, like many biblical scholars, believe that Solomon, despite Ecclesiastes 1:1, 16 and all of chapter 2, wasn’t in reality the author of Ecclesiastes. For one, “Son of David”, mentioned in Ecclesiastes 1:1, could mean anyone descended from David. Along with this, the statement in 1:16 where the author claims that he was wiser than all who ruled Jerusalem before him could be hyperbolic, the language in the text isn’t a good fit for 11th-10th century Hebrew and there is a possibility that “Ecclesiastes”, the given name of the author of the book (Ecclesiastes 1:1) might be a literary persona. Indeed, the author might have been a Hebrew philosopher with extreme views who used a pseudonym while writing his book. That’s not…impossible. Indeed, even some conservative sites like Zondervan express some skepticism of the claim that Solomon indeed did write Ecclesiastes. Thus, its quite possible that it was written during the Late Biblical Period. However, if it was written by Solomon, the passage would still be indicative of a similar idea of spirits rising upward after death occurring in his day. Thus, history repeating itself. Either way, the author of Ecclesiastes isn’t buying it. In his view, all go to Sheol, which fits the rest of said passage like a glove. Death is the ultimate equalizer, and even our afterlife destination is no different.

However, the “animals don’t have souls” crowd has an “ace” up their sleeve.

If you look at “The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: Red Letter Edition”, it indicates, in its article on Ruach (the Hebrew word translated as “spirit” in both Ecclesiastes 3:21 and other passages) that it only refers to a spirit…when applied to a rational being. Thus, animals aren’t “rational”, humans are (????) and therefore, humans are the only ones who have spirits.

However…if this was truly the case, then Ecclesiastes 3:18-22 wouldn’t make any sense. Ruach can also be translated as “breath”, “wind”, “Mind”, “tempest” “air” “vain”, “cool”, “spiritual” “anger”, and “courage”, “blast”, “side”, “Windy”, “Whirlwind”. It can even refer to a part of the great blue yonder! Repeat: it can refer to a section of the sky above!

Now, try translating Ruach in Ecclesiastes 3:21 when in reference to an animal, while keeping “spirit” when in reference to man…and then look the entire passage, Ecclesiastes 3:18-22…and see how much sense it makes.

It doesn’t.

Heck, don’t even translate Ruach as “spirit” in relation to man or beast in that entire passage, come up with multiple other translations of both…and see how the passage makes even less sense in terms of both context and clarity. When you see the headaches that such translations can cause, you can begin to understand why most bible translations use “spirit” for ruach both times in Ecclesiastes 3:21.

In other words, “ruach” can apply to something other than a rational being…when the context demands it. Indeed, along with this, language isn’t set in stone. Heck, when I led a group of children during a vacation bible school one time, I told the kids “Okay, lemurs, walk this way!” “Come on, monkeys!” and “Alright, you lower forms of primate, march!”. Now, neither monkeys nor lemurs are defined as “children”, and “lower forms of primate” obviously doesn’t mean “human”, and yet…when the kids heard what I said, they got the message and obeyed.

I know. I’m bad. But I love it.  

Along with this, we need to consider that…perhaps Strong’s concordance is wrong. Indeed, Zondervan’s NIV Exhaustive Concordance (2nd edition) doesn’t even have the clause “but only of a rational being” in its description of ruach.

Also, as I mentioned in a previous article (see sources section below) there are irrational people in this world (big surprise there). Repeat: there are people who don’t think rationally, i.e. crazy people. There are people in comas who cannot obviously access the rational part of their brain, and thus are not technically rational. The unborn aren’t rational obviously. Indeed, the rational part of the human brain doesn’t fully develop until the age of 25 (makes one wonder if the legal age for drinking should be raised a few years).

Thus, considering what Strong’s concordance states…are crazy people, people in comas, and everyone under 25…spiritless? Do they have no afterlife?

Name one bible scholar who has ever stated that only certain people had spirits, and not others.

Name one.

Curiously, this “souls are for humans, stupid” stupidity finds its way into other parts of Strong’s and even Zondervan’s exhaustive concordances. Zondervan’s NIV Exhaustive Concordance states that “Psyche”, the Koine Greek word for soul, refers to, among other things, “the immaterial (and eternal) part of inner person”. In its section on Pneuma, the Koine Greek word for spirit, it states that Pneuma means, among other things, “the immaterial part of the inner person that can respond to God”. In Strong’s Concordance, it states that Pneuma can refer to, among other things, “a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul”. At least with its section on Psyche, one of its definitions indicates that it can refer to the “essence” that’s lives on after physical death.

Notice something interesting?

We are seeing concordances trying to put a human spin on these Greek words when it relates to the supernatural spirit or soul. Now, let’s remember, even IF the Hebrews never believed that animals have souls (which of course some did believe that they do, but let’s run with this hypothetical), Koine Greek is not a language invented by the Hebrews; it was invented in ancient Greece (hence the name “Greek”). Given this, why would the Greeks craft their words for spirit and soul to refer to only the supernatural aspect of humans…when they by and large believed that animals had souls?

Homer’s Odyssey depicts the ghost of Orion, the giant hunter, herding animal spirits (i.e. the spirits of animals he had slain) in the Fields of Asphodel, a part of the realm of Hades (Book 11:650-659). Some Philosophers, such as Pythagoras and Plato, believed that animals reincarnated and had rational souls. Aristotle believed that, while humans and animals shared sensitive souls, only humans had rational souls. He also believed that animals souls died at physical death (he thought it was possible that part of the human soul might survive). Indeed, the only ancient Greeks that I’m aware of that didn’t believe that animals had souls were the “Mechanists” philosophers, but they also didn’t believe that humans had souls either! Obviously, the Greeks had a wide range of beliefs when it came to animals having both souls and an afterlife! It would be absurd therefore to think that they would tailor their words for soul and spirit to refer to spiritual essences only when used for humans. Indeed, we have texts that indicate that they used “psyche” for the immortal soul in reference to animals! Course, to be fair, the text might have been written in a different form of Greek. Not knowing the ancient versions of Greek myself, I can’t say for sure. Nevertheless, not only is it the same Greek word, but its extremely doubtful that the ancient Greeks would alter the words of their language to better fit a Judeo-Christian tradition that, being pagans, they didn’t adhere to! One might argue that Aristotle had such an impact on Greek society that Psyche and Pneuma eventually only referred to rational souls, but not only did some ancient Greeks believe that animals had such souls too, where is the evidence that Aristotle had such an impact on Koine Greek?

Now, some may try to go a different route, stating that the author of Ecclesiastes was simply giving a hypothetical, not intending to teach that animals have both spirits and an afterlife. However, the only hypothetical mentioned in the passage is the idea that animals and humans have a different afterlife. Its not treating animal afterlife as a purely hypothetical idea; it is treating the idea that its different from human afterlife, in terms of destination, as purely hypothetical. This fits the overall passage quite well in terms of message.    

Another tactic the “animals don’t have souls” idea might try to use is the fact that the belief that animals don’t have neither a spiritual essence or afterlife is an ancient Judeo-Christian one, and thus the passage should be read in that light. For example, a Midrashic homily on Ecclesiastes 3:18-19 tries to reinterpret the passage to mean that both animals and wicked humans will die and not be found in the “world to come”. However, there are problems with that idea, among others the fact that the ancient Hebrews were not uniform in this belief. Indeed, 2nd Enoch teaches that animals not only have souls and an afterlife, and not only will they NOT be judged for sin, but that animal souls will accuse certain human souls of not feeding them properly in life (2 Enoch 58:3-6).

 Along with this, the Midrashic interpretation of Ecclesiastes 3:18-19 is either teaching Annihilationism (the belief that humans souls are destroyed in Hell, instead of staying there forever), or its comparing the idea that animals have no place in the afterlife to the idea that evil humans will have no place in Heaven. If the former, that goes against Biblical teachings about Hell (Daniel 12:2, Revelation 14:11). If the latter, that obviously contradicts the passage when the full context is noted. Heck, one could come up with a far better allegorical interpretation that takes into account the whole passage: one could surmise that “man” can be figuratively be seen as “rich” “free man” or “ruler”, and “beast” being figurative for “the poor” “slave” or “peasant”, and thus derive the idea that, no matter how great you are in this world, everyone, both rich and poor, free and slave, royals and peasants…go to Sheol. A nice allegorical interpretation of the passage…and yet even this doesn’t mean that the literal meaning of the text should be ignored or discarded. One can see both literal and allegorical meanings to a text, as long as the two don’t contradict each other, a mistake that the Midrashic rendering did above. Plus, just because an idea is ancient doesn’t = that its right. Though this can be a factor in some instances (such as the oldest interpretation of Genesis 6:1-4, which indicates that angels slept with mortal women, siring giant offspring), if the old interpretation is at odds with the actual text (and or its historical and cultural background, as well as other evidence related to it), then the interpretation’s age means nothing. For example, in Old Testament times, the Israelites thought that the earth was not only flat and rested on a single global ocean, but that the sky or “firmament” was a solid dome that now and again let water from a cosmic ocean through, bringing rain. Those who believed this found biblical “proof” in passages such as Genesis 1:6-7, 17, 7:11-12, Job 26:10, Psalm 148:4-6, Proverbs 8:27 Isaiah 40:22, and Jeremiah 10:13. 

This was also reinforced by the fact that the human authors of Old Testament texts thought the same thing, being from the same culture. Indeed, this ancient Jewish interpretation bled over into the early Church, and both Jews and Christians continued to adhere to it in post New Testament times. We don’t teach such interpretations of scripture anymore, both due to the fact that, we now know that the sky isn’t solid and that the earth doesn’t float on a cosmic sea, but that God doesn’t lie (Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 6:18). Indeed, he’s omniscient, and knew full well when he inspired human authors to write scripture what the earth and sky are really like. He nevertheless let them use such language in their writings, not because he thought they were right, but in order to be able to talk to ancient people in a way that they could understand, in a way that could get his points across. Using their views of cosmology back then was a great tool in this regard. Its modern equivalent would be a missionary telling a geocentric tribe in South America that “He’ll meet with them at sunrise.”, even though the missionary knows that the sun doesn’t literally rise in the morning. This modern interpretation of those passages is predated by far by the oldest interpretation, which had the earth literally flat, floating on a cosmic ocean and being below a solid sky dome…and yet it’s obviously superior to the older interpretation. Along with this, Ecclesiastes 3:18-22 predates the old tradition that animals don’t have an afterlife, and it obviously contradicts it as well, so if we’re going with the older-is-better argument, then we need to go with the scripture itself! Plus, Jesus himself warned about discarding scripture for the traditions of men (Mark 7:8).

More on the Gospel of Mark later.  

Given all of this, we can safely conclude that Ecclesiastes 3:18-22 proves that animals both have spirits and an afterlife.

But what about the soul?

Though both supernatural essences that survive death, souls and spirits are not the same things. Indeed, the bible contrasts them on several occasions (Isaiah 26:9, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Given this, we need to ask the question: do animals have a soul as well?

Curiously, both the Hebrew and Greek words for soul (Nephesh and Psyche respectively) are often used in the Bible in relation to animals (Genesis 1:20, 24, Ezekiel 47:9, Rev 8:9, 16:3, etc). Indeed, the word is found in the expression “Breath of Life” in Genesis 1:30, where it is used in reference to animals (though the term in English looks identical to the ones found in Genesis 2:7, 7:15 and 7:22, the latter two (which are also in reference to animals) use “ruach”, the Hebrew word for spirit, instead of Nephes. In Genesis 2:7 (reference to Adam), “Nesama”, which can mean, among other things, breath and spirit, is used). Though in Genesis 2:7 its simply referring to God giving Adam a new purpose for living, these other “Breaths of life” might be pointing to something more. Though we don’t see these words usually translated as soul in these passages, the fact that Nephesh/Nepes, the Hebrew word for soul, can mean, among other things, life force or soul (the same definition of Ka the Egyptian word for soul. The ancient Egyptians also believed that the soul was separate from the spirit (Ba), it stands to reason, based on the linguistic and biblical evidence, that they do indeed have one.  

Along with this, there are several passages in scripture where phantom horses, possibly the spirits of dead horses, might be in view.

Consider 2 kings 2:11-12:

“And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.”

Now, considering that Jesus indicated that none had been in Heaven other than himself (John 3:13), and that there were three heavens (2 Corinthians 12:2), we can conclude that Elijah was not taken up into the Third Heaven, i.e. Heaven proper. However, considering that the second Heaven was the sky, and the third was the lower atmosphere, the realm of air, we can conclude that Elijah at least went to the first “heaven”. Nevertheless, “horses of fire” pulled him upwards.

These creatures make another appearance in 2 Kings 6:17:

“Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

Who…or what…were these horses?

Those who believe that animals don’t have spirits might try to argue that, since the chariots are fiery as well, and that it would be absurd to think that chariots have souls, therefore we should not conclude that these fiery horses are not the spirits of dead horses. However, its not hard to imagine that, despite both chariots and horses being fiery, that the former were made out of supernatural materials, while the latter are simply spirits of dead horses, ones taken out of Sheol by angels to serve in Heaven’s forces. Indeed, the “fire” of both is probably meant to convey their supernatural nature.

Another thing that people who believe that animals don’t have a spirit might bring up is the possibility that these fiery “horses” might be some other kind of angels (albeit in the broadest sense of the term. If these “horses” are sentient, supernatural agents of God, they’re not the kind that deliver messages like angels proper). After all, angels are supernatural beings, and God’s angels are likened to fire (Psalm 104:4, compare with Hebrews 1:7). Indeed, four angels (called four “living creatures”) in Ezekiel chapter 1 are depicted as having an appearance like “burning coals of fire” and “torches moving two and fro”, adding that “fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning” (Ezekiel 1:13). These beings are later identified as Cherubim (Ezekiel 10:20), which are well known for their semi-bestial form. 

 Each of these four creatures/Cherubim are followed by wheels within wheels, almost as if they were steeds pulling a four wheeled chariot (Ezekiel 1:5-21), perhaps a throne chariot ridden by God himself (Ezekiel 1:26). Indeed, God is depicted as riding a Cherubim in Psalm 18:10, and in Canaanite mythology, they perform a similar task in Canaanite mythology (the Hebrew root word for Cherubim can mean “steed” or “mount” when the consonants are inverted). Keep in mind, a whirlwind appears in the story of Elijah riding into heaven, and a whirlwind could be indicative that God is present (Job 38:1). Also keep in mind, 2 Kings 2:1 indicates that God himself would take Elijah up into Heaven:

 “Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.”

 Along with this, other angels were likewise thought to take on full animal form. For example, Ancient Israelite art depicts Seraphim as cobras, and in some cases as winged snakes. Along with this, they’ll also point out the fact that the passages never call these horses “angels” means nothing; two angels appeared to the disciples after Jesus ascended into Heaven, and yet, despite their angelic nature being obvious, they are only referred to as “men” (Acts 1:10-11).

I admit, it’s quite possible that these horses are indeed Cherubim, but, if they are…then who are the horsemen driving the chariot (2 Kings 2:12)? If it was just Elijah riding them, Elisha would have just said “horseman”, but he said “horsemen” instead. However, if the horsemen are members of the Trinity, or if the “horsemen” are Elijah and Yahweh…then one could make a far stronger argument that these steeds are indeed angelic beings, on par with the fiery, animalistic Cherubim steeds in Ezekiel 1. However, it is interesting to note that, not only are these horses not called “living creatures” or “Cherubim”, but they appear twice in the Bible…without being called such. Same manifestation, and never called these titles. Also, while the Hebrew root word of Cherubim can mean “mount” or “steed” when the consonants are inverted, without such an inversion it means “hybrid”. One of the hallmarks of Cherubim is the fact that they are depicted in hybrid form (Ezekiel’s Cherubim each have wings and four heads (man, lion, bull, eagle) and the soles of their feet are likened to calf hooves, as seen in Ezekiel 1). These horses, however, are not depicted in hybrid form (unless you want to make the argument that they are half horse, half fire, but that’s not the kind of hybridization that Cherubim were noted for in appearance).

 Thus, it can be argued that, though having some similarities with Cherubim, they are not actually Cherubim. This is true even if God is the one driving the chariot. (I could add that, if the whirlwind in Ezekiel 2 is meant to convey God’s is present and thus riding the chariot, then its not only strange that he’s simply called a “horseman”, but there are no whirlwinds present in 2 Kings 6:17. Indeed, that later passage has an army of such fiery horses and chariots. One could perhaps imagine God riding them all (being omnipresent), but its also possible that these latter chariots are being drawn by angels (verse 16 indicates that a mighty supernatural army is present, not simply God alone). Along with this, we could imagine God simply taking Ezekiel into Heaven by his own divine power, instead of driving the chariot upwards (the chariot did go up “by a whirlwind” (2 Kings 2:11), and whirlwinds weren’t only indicative of God’s presence; they were also indicative of his acts (The Hebrew word translated as whirlwind here, “Se’ara”, is used several times in Jonah chapter 1 to indicate this). Perhaps God isn’t driving the chariot, but simply lifting it up. Thus, this opens the door for angels to be driving the chariot, just like what is most likely happening in 2 Kings 6:17. If so, and if the fiery horses are indeed Cherubim angels, then this leads us to the conclusion that angels…are driving angels.

Makes more sense if they are driving horses, albeit of the spirit kind.

Some will also bring also bring up the possibility that these “horses” might be some kind of supernatural equivalent to an animal, creatures that are to angels what horses are to us. Indeed, perhaps the “chariot” and “horses” are actually meant to convey a deeper level of meaning (yet the “horses” still being literal supernatural agents). However, since animals are shown to have both a spirit and an afterlife (as seen above), the possibility that these horses of fire might be the spirits of dead horses is quite an intriguing one that cannot be entirely dismissed.

Plus, these passages bear a striking similarity to…um, well, I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ll save that little tidbit for later…

  4. “The Bible says that animals neither have souls or an afterlife!”

 People who make this argument point to Psalm 49, a Psalm of the Sons of Korah. Let’s go over that passage closely, shall we?

 “Hear this, all peoples!

   Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

2 both low and high,

   rich and poor together!

3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;

   the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;

   I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

 5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,

   when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,

6 those who trust in their wealth

   and boast of the abundance of their riches?

7 Truly no man can ransom another,

   or give to God the price of his life,

8 for the ransom of their life is costly

   and can never suffice,

9 that he should live on forever

   and never see the pit.

 10 For he sees that even the wise die;

   the fool and the stupid alike must perish

   and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their graves are their homes forever,

   their dwelling places to all generations,

   though they called lands by their own names.

12 Man in his pomp will not remain;

   he is like the beasts that perish.

 13 This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;

   yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah

14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;

   death shall be their shepherd,

and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.

  Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.

15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,

   for he will receive me. Selah

 16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,

   when the glory of his house increases.

17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away;

   his glory will not go down after him.

18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed

   —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—

19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,

   who will never again see light.

20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.” (emphasis mine).

 People who use this chapter as prooftext that animals don’t have souls or an afterlife rests their argument in part on verses 12 and 20, where it states “the beasts that perish”. Along with this, others using older translations (like the KJV, which uses “grave” instead of “Sheol”) will try to argue that verses 14-15 indicate that animals don’t have an afterlife. They will also argue (using more up to date translations) that, if the passage did refer to both animals and evil men going to Sheol, and since David claimed that his soul would be ransomed from the power of Sheol…then that would indicate that animals would either never leave Sheol, or suffer the same eternal judgment that the wicked men would eventually attain. God is holy, wouldn’t do that to innocent animals and, thus, the passage is actually indicating that sheep perish only physically without a soul, while humans “perish” eternally, which is the crux of the comparison between these evil rich men and the “beasts that perish”.

Um…not so fast.

For one, “perish” doesn’t = soul destruction. “Dama”, the Hebrew word translated as “perish” in these passages, doesn’t mean “destruction of the soul”. It means “to destroy”, “be destroyed” “Be wiped out” “be ruined” or “to perish”. Along with this, both fools and stupid people are said to eventually perish as well in verse 10. To be fair, the Hebrew word translated as Perish in verse 10 is not Dama, but “abad”. However, abad means “to destroy the heart” (which means losing bravery), “demolish”, “destroy” and “annihilate”, and can in some cases denote “disappearance”, “cease to exist” or “bring to non-existence”.

If “beasts that perish” was supposed to refer to animals not having an afterlife, or that their souls dissolved at death…then why didn’t the Sons of Korah use “abad” when they wrote “beasts that perish”?

Even with that, no one would argue that foolish and stupid people would have their souls dissolve at death, or have no souls and thus no afterlife at death, because abad was used for “perish” in verse 10. Indeed, aside from issues of non-existence, both dama and abad have basically the same meaning. But this begs the question; what kind of “perish” is involved here, and what are the “Beasts that perish”?

Repeat: beasts that perish.

As opposed to the beasts that don’t?

Notice, it doesn’t state “they are like beasts, who perish.”, but “they are like the beasts that perish.”

What are the beasts that perish?

It’s a known fact that, when an animal dies in the wild, its body can be demolished by both scavengers and decomposition in a short period of time. Contrast that with humans, who bury their dead and thus their remains not only last longer, but people know where the body is located, in its grave. Now, one could argue that the idea that animals don’t have an afterlife and humans do might have been inspired by such realities, with people eventually imagining that animal souls perish at death while human souls lingered in an underground netherworld. Nevertheless, not only is that not what the passage is indicating (as we will soon see), but other ancient near eastern cultures were known to bury animals. Indeed, the burial of dogs alone is noted in the archeological record of Israel, spanning from prehistoric times to the biblical era. Likewise, ancient Egyptians mummified animals, such as pet cats and sacrificial bulls. 

They even buried donkeys (Keep in mind, the Israelites were slaves in Egypt for 430 years (Exodus 12:40), and Egypt shared a border with both the united nation of Israel and, later, the southern Kingdom of Judah). Plus, just like today, not all humans in the ancient world were actually buried. Indeed, some were left out to rot, while others were mauled and eaten by wild animals. The bible mentions people being unburied on a few occasions (Jeremiah 7:33, 9:22, 16:4,6, 25:33, 34:20, Deuteronomy 28:26). Thus, it’s harder to imagine such an idea popping into existence in that region, given all the indications of a long tradition of animal burial. Perhaps one could argue that the Israelites, inspired by the fact that some animals were buried and others were not, believed that some animals lived on an afterlife while others perished at death, yet that not only goes against the heart of Ecclesiastes 3:18-22, but we’d have to ask why the fact that some people didn’t become buried didn’t inspire the Jews to believe that only some humans had an afterlife. They might also try to argue that the ancient Israelites were unique in not burying animals, and thus the idea that animals don’t have an afterlife like humans could have arisen from this aspect of their culture, but it’s up to such to prove that the Hebrews/Israelites never, from the time of Moses to the times of the Babylonian captivity (which Psalm 49 was most likely written) buried an animal. Even if they didn’t, it would be far from certain that such an idea derived from the practice of only burying dead humans. Now, to be fair, I’m not aware of any animals being buried in either the Old or New Testaments (they obviously didn’t buried donkeys, as see in Jeremiah 22:19), but that doesn’t = that the Israelites never did so.

However, the concept of the “beast that perish” refers to more than just animal bodies disintegrating.

You see…there is one species of animal actually noted in Psalm 49, and when you compare its lifestyle, and what eventually happened to most of its kind in ancient times (as well as the modern world) and compare it with verse 10 (on fools and stupid people) and passages on rich, evil men in Psalm 49, you start to get a clear picture of what is being discussed here.

Enter, the sheep.

Let’s look at Psalm 49:14-15 again;

 “14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;

   death shall be their shepherd,

and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.

   Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.

15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,

   for he will receive me. Selah”

 Now…how are rich, wicked men compared to sheep?

Well, sheep, which are not thought of as the Einsteins of the animal kingdom, live good, comfortable lives with farmers and shepherds. They’re cared for, well fed, protected and groomed…until the day they’re killed, their flesh divided among humans that eat it. In a like manner, the rich enemies targeted in Psalm 49, who are not spiritually wise, are pampered, well cared for, probably protected by bodyguards and comfortable, living their life to the fullest…but one day they would die, their riches divided amongst still living humans (note that verse 10 indicates that even fools and stupid people would likewise have their money divided after death). In this sense, they are like sheep, the beasts that perish. However, the imagery is twofold: it’s not just comparing the earthly fates of both sheep and wicked rich men; It’s also comparing the earthly fate of sheep with the afterlife fate of the wicked. Just as a shepherd would lead sheep to their deaths, death would lead the rich evil men in the passage to Sheol. Just as a sheep basically has no hope of salvation from the sacrificial blade or shepherd’s blade, the evil rich men, unlike David, have no hope of salvation from the “pit”. Thus, in a second sense, they are like the “beast that perish”.

Now, some will correctly note that the passage isn’t teaching that sheep go to Sheol (though Ecclesiastes 3:21 teaches that they do), but that the evil men are, like sheep, led to Sheol. Considering that the afterlife fates of both the wicked rich men and the Sons of Korah are mentioned, and that the sheep herding imagery is simply used to symbolically represent the former, and that animal afterlife is not mentioned in the passage...therefore, some argue, animals don’t have one. However, the authors of the Psalm could be simply not bringing up animal afterlife for an important reason: animals are not judged for sin, thus would not be expected to suffer God’s wrath in the afterlife (a fact that’s echoed in 2 Enoch, as seen above). So, instead of comparing both death and afterlife between sheep and evil men, its simply comparing the earthly fate of sheep with the afterlife fate of the wicked rich men (which btw debunks the objection that the passage would imply animals suffer eternally in the afterlife if it was teaching that they have one).

Also, its always best to use a modern translation, like the ESV, NIV and New American Standard when addressing these issues. Indeed, even the NIV, a dynamic equivalent translation instead of a literal translation, one that never properly transliterates Sheol…nevertheless makes a reference to the realm of the dead in its translation of Psalm 49. Using an older translation that means “grave” instead of transliterating Sheol is poor methodology.  

Now, to go for the kill: let’s compare Psalm 49…with Luke 13:1-3…

“There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Emphasis mine).

(BTW: before you as, “perish” here is a translation of the Greek word “Apollymi”, which means, among other things, “Perish”, as well as to destroy, kill or die. Basically the same meaning as the Hebrew words dama and abad (though without the “cease to exist” aspect of abad).

Notice what this passage is doing?

It’s comparing the earthly deaths of men who were killed by Pilate, and those killed when the Tower of Siloam fell…to those who go to Hell in the afterlife. Physical death, physical “perishing” is being compared to the second death, residing in Hell forever, what one might call spiritual “perishing”. Along with this, Jesus is indicating that they can avoid the latter if they repent, just as the Sons of Korah would have their souls ransomed from Sheol, while those rich, wicked men would not.  

Does this mean that neither the people who were killed by Pilate…nor those killed when the Tower of Siloam fell…had souls? Does it mean that they had no spirits, no afterlife?

Then why are we making the same kind of argument for sheep in Psalm 49?

Now, some will try to salvage this situation by arguing that, the people who died due to Pilate and the Tower of Siloam did so before Jesus’ death and resurrection, and thus, like all sinners without Christ, would be damned. Thus, the passage would be indicating eternal damnation for them as well as for others who likewise don’t repent of their sins. However, as noted above, those who were relatively speaking “righteous” went to Abraham’s Side or Bosom in the afterlife. Along with this, the Old Testament taught that one day the righteous would be not only freed from Sheol, but have everlasting life in glory (Psalm 16:10, 23:6, 49:15, 73:24, Daniel 12:2, Hebrews 11:10,13-16, 12:23). Keep in mind, Jesus indicated that no human had been to Heaven before him (John 3:13). How did things change? What event made it possible for such Old Testament believers to have the grace to go to Heaven?

Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.

Along with this, Jesus indicated that the victims of both Pilate and the Tower of Siloam were not the worst of sinners. Indeed, some might even have been children, who are under the age of accountability. Thus, it’s quite possible that some of these victims went to Abraham’s Side when they died, and therefore would be destined to enter Heaven.

Thus, the “animals don’t have an afterlife” tribe are back to square one.  

Some might try to argue that we cannot compare Psalm 49 with Luke 13:1-3, because the former as using sheep as an example, while the latter are using humans, and thus you can’t compare the two.

What a nice Special Pleading fallacy.

The objection might make some semblance of sense if the Bible taught that animals don’t have a spirit or afterlife, or if it was at least mum on the idea, but as seen in Ecclesiastes 3:18-22 and other passages, it indicates that animals have both.

Given all of this, we can also safely conclude that Psalm 49 doesn’t teach that animals don’t have an afterlife.  

5. “Only humans have souls, because only we are made in the image of God.”

 This understanding of the “Image of God” is downright eisegesis. Specifically, its reading an anachronistic understanding of Genesis 1:26-27.

Let’s look at that passage more closely, shall we?

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

If you went back in time and told the ancient Israelites who first read the Torah that the “Image of God” means that we have a soul, they’d cock their heads at you and say the ancient Hebrew equivalent of “Huh?”. No ancient Hebrew in that day and age would have interpreted that passage to mean that humans have a soul. Though humans do have one, that’s not what the passage is teaching.

In order to understand what it is indicating; you need to not think like a 21rst century Christian with a King James Bible in one hand and an iPad in the other.

You need to think like an ancient Israelite.

Kings in the ancient near eastern often had two important jobs; king and high priest. Melchizedek is one prime example of this (Genesis 14:17-20). Due to being both high priest and high ruler, ancient near eastern kings were often said to be an image of a certain deity. This didn’t mean that only they alone had both a soul and an afterlife; it meant that they represented a deity, and thus had a divine right to rule.

The first Israelites who read Genesis 1:26-27 would have this fact in mind, especially considering verse 26 and what follows in verse 28. Let’s look at all of these verses together, to get a gist of the context, shall we?

 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Emphasis mine).

Thus, this objection fails.

 6. “The Bible never shows animals being in Heaven! Therefore, they are not in Heaven!”

 Cough cough Revelation cough cough 19 cough cough 11 cough cough through cough cough 21 COUGH!

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.”

Now, some will try to make similar arguments against the idea that these flying white horses of Heaven are spirits of disembodied horses that they make against the interpretation of Elijah’s and Elisha’s fiery horses being disembodied horses: they could be cherubim angels, whether they are called such or not (let’s not forget, God rides a Cherubim in Psalm 18:10). Indeed, if you look closely at Zechariah 14:1-5 and Jude 14-15, it seems to indicate that angels will indeed follow Christ into battle. Also, the Book of Revelation, unlike 2 Kings, is an Apocalyptic, a book of prophecy put into symbols. Thus, we should be careful about taking most of it literally. Indeed, a white horse appeared as the first horseman’s steed in Revelation 6:1, and no one expects the fulfillment of this prophecy to be literally fulfilled. Let’s also not forget that Jesus is depicted as both having fiery eyes, a sword in his mouth and white hair in Revelation 19:12 and 15. Nobody expects Jesus to come back with literal fiery eyes and a literal sword in his mouth! Its symbolism, showing a deeper meaning. Let’s not forget, both the 7 headed beast and miracle working beast (aka false Prophet) of Revelation 13 appear in Revelation 19:19-20, both of whom are not meant to be taken as literal monsters. I could also mention the fact that Revelation 19:18 mentions that the horses of the Beast’s armies will be both slain and eaten, and yet…horses would not be expected to have any place on a modern battlefield (more on that later). I could also mention that the white horses here would have brought to the minds of the first readers of Revelation the Parthians, feared enemies of Rome who used white horses.

However, some things need to be kept in mind.

Though one could potentially argue that the horses of Elijah and Elisha are some kind of angel (not proven, but possible), or some different kind of purely supernatural animal (once again, possible, but not proven), it’s a bit harder to see these flying white horses as angels. Indeed, most commentaries I’ve read on the subject don’t treat them as such. Indeed, despite being mounted by Christ, who is God (and lest we forget, his army), they certainly don’t fit the hybrid depictions of Cherubim. They don’t even sport wings. Along with this, its not only hard to see these horses as angels, but one need no necessarily interpret everything in this passage as purely symbolic. After all, Jesus will literally return (Acts 1:10-11), and it was prophesied (regular prophecy, not apocalyptic) that Jesus would return with an army (Zechariah 14:1-5, Jude 14-15). True, angels will be present, but so will Christians (Revelation 17:14, compare “Faithful and chosen” phrase with Romans 1:1,6,7,8:28, 1 Corinthians 1:1-2,24, Jude 1). By this time, such Christians would be those who were called up in the Rapture, both dead and living who are given new, immortal bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-55). However, if the Rapture doesn’t occur at the same time as the Second Coming of Christ, but occurs right before the Great Tribulation, then some of these Christians might very well be the spirits of Christian martyrs who died during the Great Tribulation, not having resurrected yet (that won’t occur until after the Battle of Armageddon, see Revelation 20:4-6). Either way, Christians will likewise mount these heavenly steeds into war. True, one might imagine these horses being angels whom the saints ride into battle…but such an interpretation is not necessary. After all, the Jews were acquainted with the idea of angels riding and fighting on horseback, as seen in the Apocryphal books 2 Maccabees (3:25, 10:29-30, 11:6-12) and 4 Maccabees (4:10). Given this, early Christians might very well have interpreted the flying white horses of revelation 19 as indeed…horses. Plus, while angels don’t necessarily have to be called “angels” in cases where their identity was obvious (Zechariah 5:9, Acts 1:10-11), such an angelic identity for the horses of Revelation 19 is not obvious at all. Indeed, there’s really no good reason to suppose that they are indeed angels. I could also bring up the fact that countless white horses have died throughout history (and possibly prehistory. Horses have been around for at least nearly 50 million years), which would give Jesus’ army countless steeds to ride. Though such animals could be supernatural steeds that were never flesh, perhaps specifically created by God for the Battle of Armageddon…with so many dead white horses in the afterlife, such creations for the upcoming battle aren’t actually necessary. Also, its not impossible that some early Christians interpreted these horses as the spirits of dead white Parthian steeds. Plus, the idea that horses won’t be used in the future Battle of Armageddon by earthly forces is in error, for the US military, believe it or not, used horses in combat during the Afghanistan War. Thus, we could actually see the antichrist’s army also using horses at the Battle of Armageddon.

Though we cannot be 100% certain that the supernatural horses of Elijah, Elisha and Revelation 19 are truly disembodied spirits of dead horses, considering the biblical evidence that proves that animals have spirits, souls and an afterlife, the way that Revelation 19:11-21 is structured and the evidence that ancient Jews were acquainted with the idea of angels fighting on horseback…it’s a strong possibility nonetheless.  

  Folks, the idea that animals have neither a soul nor an afterlife is not taught in the Bible. It is, however, taught by tradition, one that had wormed its way into our concordances, commentaries, seminaries and sermons. Jesus warned us about putting the traditions of men before the Bible in Mark 7:1-13:

 “Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

 “‘This people honors me with their lips,

   but their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me,

   teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God) then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (Emphasis mine).

 Folks, ditch the tradition.

Accept the word instead.

    Sources:

“The Hebrew Bible: A Translation With Commentary, Volume 1: The Five Books of Moses” by Robert Alter, 18

“The Hebrew Bible, A Translation With Commentary, Volume 2: The Prophets” by Robert Alter, 1054-55

“The Hebrew Bible, A Translation With Commentary, Volume 3: The Writings” By Robert Alter, 773-4, 687

“Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary: Completely Revised and Updated Version” by Ronald F. Youngblood (General editor), F. F. Bruce and R.K. Harrison (Consulting Editors), 1164.

“The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament: Second Edition” by Craig S. Keener, 386, 690-91, 768-69.

“Zondervan Exhaustive Concordance: Second Edition” By Edward Goodrick and John R. Kolehnberger III, 875, 1076, 1083-84, 1247, 1359, 1390, 1454, 1459 1488, 1531, 1584, 1604.

“The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: Red Letter Edition” by James Strong LL.D. S.T.D and John R. Kohlenberger III, Main Concordance: 660, 844, 852-54, 952, Hebrew and Aramaic Dictionary: 1, 63, 189, 199, 258-60, Greek dictionary of the New Testament: 37, 205, 275

“The Illustrated Guide To Biblical History” by Kendell H. Easley, 63

“Misinterpreting Genesis” by Ben Stanhope, 51-62, 83-130

“The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology” by Arthur Cotterell and Rachel Storm, 271

“The Way to Eternity: Egyptian Myth” by Fergus Fleming, Allan Lothian and Dr. Joann Fletcher (Consultant), 96

“Titans and Olympians: Greek Mythology” by Tony Allan, Sarah Maitland and Dr. Michael Trapp (Consultant), 108-11

“Homer: The Odyssey”, translated by Robert Fagles, 268

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9twFI210maw

https://sirtravisjacksonoftexas.tumblr.com/post/615429668528668672/was-there-animal-death-before-the-fall-were

https://sirtravisjacksonoftexas.tumblr.com/post/644038696642985984/was-satan-the-serpent-in-the-garden-um-yes-and

https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/parallel/paral18.cfm

[alliedbiscuit]

Hi, I’m still probably going to watch Extreme Rules tonight, but fuck this company, and it’s love for racist old men who want to have sex with their daughters. It’s not really a surprise since the owner is one.

But I never want to see another self-aggrandizing, patting-ourselves-on-the-back video package about this company ever again. You don’t get to be this great arbiter of social change while also welcoming back a racist, disgusting train wreck, AND FOR WHAT? Is this really a money move? Is Hogan really a draw? What can he actually do? Or is this just Vince proving he can get away with whatever he wants?

In conclusion, we’ve always known this company was trash, but it’s just really frustrating sometimes. Also, you better put Chyna in the Hall of Fame now. And I’ve recently realized that Stephanie is probably going to run for office some day, and I say fuck that too.

[ohdonteven]

WELCOME TO 

H̶a̶l̶l̶o̶w̶e̶e̶n̶i̶e̶f̶e̶s̶t̶

The  Black Trans Lives Matter Drawathon!

📣📣📣SAY THEIR NAMES📣📣📣

Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells Riah Milton Ivonne Dyor Tony McDade  Layleen Polanco Monika Diamond Nina Pop Chyna Gibson

Welcome to this very special summer edition of the annual fundraising event known as Halloweeniefest! Normally taking place during the month of October, I’m adding a summer event this year because fuck man!! Shit is terrible!!!

I won’t belabor how shitty 2020 has been so far. We all know. We’re all here. It sucks. So I’m doing an extra fund drive event in support of Black trans lives. Black trans people experience the intersection of many entrenched and violent systems: racism, transphobia, homophobia, police violence, lack of access to adequate medical care, and income inequity to name a few. These pandemics continue to claim precious lives every single day.

Normally for Halloweeniefest, I draw donors who support a worthy cause in October as ghosts. But this summer, let’s celebrate 🌸LIFE🌸: In support of Black trans lives and in honor of the beautiful Marsha P. Johnson, I will draw a simple digital portrait of you with a flower crown in exchange for your donation to The Mahogany Project, Inc.

🌸🌼🌺PLEASE READ ON FOR MORE INFORMATION🌸🌼🌺

THE PLAN: From July 1 - 15, 2020 we are going to support The Mahogany Project, Inc., a Houston-based organization founded in 2017 in honor of the late Chyna Gibson, a beloved member of the Houston drag community. The Mahogany Project’s mission is to “reduce social isolation, stigma, and acts of injustice in TQLGB+ Communities of Color.” Along with Houston-based Save Our Sisters, The Mahogany Project has since its inception helped coordinate Black Trans Empowerment Week, dedicated to celebrating Black trans excellence in Houston. TMP also provides the community with free contraception, inclusive sex education, and a number of educational, legal, health and other support services to the community. 

https://www.mymahoganyproject.org/

HOW IT WILL WORK:

Donate a MINIMUM of $20 to The Mahogany Project here: https://www.mymahoganyproject.org/contact I encourage everyone to please dig deep and donate generously! Send me a screenshot of proof of your donation to halloweeniefest@gmail.com along with up to TWO flowers or plants you would like to be wreathéd in. I’m going to try to make these easily usable as profile pictures, so for this campaign I will only be drawing INDIVIDUAL portraits of people.

Please title your email as follows:

FIRST NAME LAST NAME Mahogany Project Donation

I'll draw your portrait and share a high res file with you too, so in case you wanna print it you can do so in high quality. Please, if we are not personally acquainted, send CLEAR PHOTOS of yourself so I can get a good look at you! 

Okay, that's it. BLACK TRANS LIVES MATTER Y’ALL!!!!!

[wrestlingenthusiast]

7,10,13,16, and 35.

7. Name a wrestler who you think deserves a push?

you know I’m indecisive so I’m gonna list a few lmaoo (not in order)

Chad Gable - I feel like he is going somewhere lately but the dude is freakishly good and strong, like the match at COC showed that, he’s funny, way more charismatic than Jason Jordan. So I’m waiting patiently bc he is amazing. 

 Gran Metalik - that dude is so good the problem is he doesn’t speak english :/

Luke Harper - well now he’s not doing bad with the bludgeon brothers but it was a travesty that they had him off tv for so long before then

 Breezango - matches wise they need to be pushed, they’re my babes and they’re great 

 SOLO CESARO 

10. Name a wrestler who you think is underrated?

(once again indecisive) but Christian, he was a good ring performer and I don’t recall any feud he was in that was terrible, sucks that wwe didn’t push him longer.  William Regal also doesn’t get the recognition he deserves he has great skill. Shelton Benjamin… holy FUCK his matches with hbk are insane and one of the best I’ve seen. I have more but it’ll get too long lolll.

13. What draws you to a wrestler more, their mic/talking skills or wrestling skills?

You know I’d like to say a balance but I lean towards wrestling skills because mic skills can be masked sometimes with managers (i.e brock). Although some wrestlers with terrible mic skills just really really bother me (bayley) but I try to ignore it. 

16. What is your unpopular opinion?

honeyyy I have many, and lately I haven’t really been talking about it bc some of these extremely defensive fangirls get on my nerves but fuck it 

1. I don’t mind brock’s part time schedule and I like him — the dude can put on a match when he gives a shit (samoa joe, aj styles) and he really is a beast in the ring. some of the shit he can do has me mind blown like he is not human. he can out run anyone on the roster. 

2. I also like Enzo Amore - not a good wrestler, yeah I get that.  but hands down and everyone knows he can talk his ass off. I love all of his promos and his character work is so good. 

35. Name a wrestler who you think deserves to be in the HOF?

Chyna, chyna, and chyna. 

thanks for askingg and sorry this is long