#clean and unclean animals

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Peter and Cornelius

1 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God. 3 At about three in the afternoon, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, "Cornelius." 4 He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, "What is it, Lord?" He said to him, "Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and bring one Simon who is surnamed Peter. 6 He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside." 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually. 8 Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon. 10 He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth, 12 in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, crawling creatures and birds of the sky. 13 A voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat." 14 But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." 15 A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean." 16 This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.

17 Now while Peter was very perplexed within himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, look, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate, 18 and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there. 19 While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Look, three men seek you. 20 But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them." — Acts 10:1-20 | New Heart English Bible (NHEB) The New Heart English Bible is in the public domain Cross References: Leviticus 2:2; Leviticus 11:4; Leviticus 11:20; Deuteronomy 4:4; 1 Samuel 9:25; 2 Samuel 11:2; Psalm 20:3; Psalm 55:17; Ezekiel 1:1; Ezekiel 11:24; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 15:11; Matthew 27:27; Mark 7:19; Mark 15:16; Luke 7:4; Luke 2:25; John 1:51; Acts 3:1; Acts 8:29; Acts 9:10; Acts 9:36; Acts 9:38; Acts 9:42-43; Acts 10:22; Acts 10:32; Acts 11:5-6; Acts 11:12; Acts 15:7; Acts 22:17; James 1:6

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Commentary on Acts 10 by Matthew Henry

[gxlden-angels]

Hey, I just saw your most recent post and am curious about the irrelevant part - what do you mean by the ''religions abstaining from pork because it was unsafe to eat at the time'' thing? I've never heard that before and I am genuinely intrigued to know about it.

Hi !! There's a lot of religious rituals and rules that people continue today out of tradition and respect that were started (or thought to have been started) for safety/health reasons, with one big one being how meat can be handled and what meat is safe to consume! Pork is the main one that I know of since I have some friends that keep kosher or only eat halal meats

Essentially, pigs are honestly pretty gross animals if you let them be. They're opportunistic omnivores, so they'll essentially eat whatever they can get their teeth on. That includes rotting/spoiled food, fecal matter, and even people if they sit still long enough. Pigs can also carry some gnarly diseases that can easily be passed on to people. It's why you'll often hear people refer to them as "unclean" in both a religious and hygienic sense, despite their cleanliness on the outside. You might not know what Trichinella parasites are, but if your cousin shits himself to death after eating porkchops, you're gonna assume that's a sign from someone above not to eat anymore pigs

We now have modern medicine, biologists, food scientists, meat storage/serving regulations, etc. etc. that have made the risk of catching anything from pork less than minimal as long as you store and cook it properly and there hasn't been a new outbreak of something. A lot of people keep the tradition out of respect for their ancestors/culture. A lot of people also keep it because they know that pigs are still kinda gross, even with modern interventions. I've met people that no longer follow pig-based rules at all, while others adjust it so they're only eating pork if they know where it came from and what that pig ate from birth to bacon

Basically, eating a pig before the creation of antibiotics and vaccines was the peak form of fucking around and finding out. Whether you found out because of salmonella or the wrath of every deity out there (or both!) is up to you

[meltorights]

always amusing to me that everyone remembers the "pairs" of animals in the flood myth in genesis. yhwist who.

[melvingaines]

Live Stream Sunday School - July 7, 2024

Asst. Pastor Melvin GainesActs 10:1-16 #Peter #Jesus #Simon #tanner #strength #growth #service #conversion #believer #caesarea #Joppa #church #angel #Cornelius #Joppa #God #Lord #pray #spirit #holyspirit #journey #vision #trance #animals #clean #unclean

[sarenth]

Patreon Topic 91: On Miasma Theory

If you want to submit a topic you would like me to write on for this blog or my Patreon, sign up for the Ansuz level or above here on my Patreon. From Cunnian comes this topic: “Miasma theory. I struggle with not hating this because – while practical in a bronze age sort of way – dross happens and devaluing this essential phase of being seems problematic. And delegating lower-purity beings to…

[preacherpollard]

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (XV)

Mourning, Mealtime, And Money (14:1-29) Neal Pollard The instructions in chapter 14 are necessary to keep Israel distinct from the influences of the Canaanites or any other non-covenantal people whom they might encounter. They would witness customs and see foods they might want to incorporate which were unrighteous, unhealthy, or otherwise unacceptable to God. So, Moses prefacing his words by…

[blackpearlblast]

[ID: drawings of a golem animated by a palestinian flag painted on its forehead. it is seen: holding out its arms protectively in front of a crowd of children, the children also hold each other supportively; catching an air strike missile from the air and throwing it away or crushing it in its fist; turning its back so that a child can warm her hands by the earth oven built into its back, food in a pot is cooking on the fire and a boy holds a cup of steaming tea to his face and enjoys the aroma; clearing away rubble so a man can help up his wife who was buried underneath, she is clutching a baby to her chest; stooping down to look at a kitten a young boy is holding up to show it; and dissolving small flakes of clay from its finger into a glass of water, purifying it. end ID]

@fairuzfan asked people to create and share art for the strike. i wrote an artist statement and then set about trying to draw what i envisioned. artist statement below.

This golem is a protector that I wish I could gift to the children and adults in Gaza. The flag on its forehead is to show that love for the Palestinian people is an animating force for people fighting for a free Palestine all over the world, especially for those in Palestine who are trying to free themselves and their people. Love is the motivation for the call for a free Palestine, not hatred like people try to claim. It is very strong and fast and can catch air strikes out of midair and crush them to dust or throw them back in the direction they came from. It can lift all the rubble of a collapsed building very quickly so nobody can get trapped underneath. It has an earth oven in its back with an ever-burning flame that people can use to warm themselves and cook food and heat water to use to bathe themselves or make tea. Pieces of its clay can be crumbled up and mixed into water to make even the most brackish and unclean water pure and safe to drink.

The golem is always a bit of a tragic figure so I don't imagine it staying around forever once Palestine is free and it is no longer needed. I think it would use its great strength to help rebuild the destroyed houses, churches, schools, universities, hospitals, and mosques and then dive into the Jordan river and dissolve. It would clean the river of all pollution and make the water splash up over all the newly replanted fruit trees, causing them to grow big and strong. Its love for Palestine and its people can be tasted in the fruit they grow for generations.

I choose a specifically Jewish icon of protection because of how it feels to witness such horrors done in the supposed name of Judaism and the Jewish people. For many anti-zionist Jews, we feel like we are acting directly within the teachings of our stories and communities by opposing this genocide. It is difficult to understand how the very people and institutions who taught us these values now fight against them so fiercely. While obviously I would still oppose Israel were I not Jewish, the way I oppose Israel is directly informed by my Jewishness. I hope that someday, somehow, Judaism can bring as much joy and support to the Palestinian people as it has brought grief and destruction. That Jewish symbols used in the name of love and justice will bear more significance than the ones used in shows of hatred. Knowing the depth of the harm caused, I do not know if this is possible. But this artwork and everything I have dedicated myself to these past few months and continue to dedicate myself to in the future is born from this hope. I love you. Thank you for being on this planet with me. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free! And it will be beautiful.

[catmask]

if it's not too intrusive, would you be comfortable talking about your experiences with OCD and maybe what made you seek a diagnosis?

idm it might help other people. i mean disclaimer not to use this as a diagnostic tool but if this sounds like u and u got a doc to talk to its worth bringing up

i think an important place to start and why i didnt think i had ocd is i am 1) autistic 2) a csa victim. this is pertinent because all of the things that actually lead me to get diagnosed with ocd i just kept dismissing as parts of those two other things. thinking 'surely this is all thats up there cant be anything else wrong with me' (<- thoughts of a clown)

the trouble with this is that coping skills id found for parts of both autism and csa trauma weren't working with things i later found out were related to ocd. so like, for example. frequently having intrusive thoughts about csa/sex trauma, i was told that if im experiencing a flashback the best thing i can do is try to ground myself and comfort myself. and yeah this is true, it would work if a flashback is all it was. but what it DIDNT account for is the guilt/dirty feeling id get after having them and the obsessive need to be 'clean' after.

and this trickled into hundreds of aspects of my life. 'cleaness' has always been such a vague unattainable concept unmedicated for ocd. if some things touch other things theyd become 'unclean'. if a person i felt uncomfortable around touched me or something it became 'unclean'. there were 'good' and 'bad' thoughts to have. i was constantly existing as if my presence was being monitored 24/7.

i could not fucking relax because every action i took, regardless of whether or not i was in private, i was constantly thinkin 'am i doing something wrong? am i hurting someone by doing this? am i breaking any rules?' and the 'bad thing' i was doing was like. i missed my boyfriend while he was at work. or i was going over former scenarios in which i was socially awkward in my head and wondering if i should be dead for doing that.

part of why i dismissed this as autism ofc too is yknow. being autistic i often missed social queues as a kid and was pretty brutally punished for it (physically by my parents, emotionally and socially by peers) so i was like yeah its Normal and Realsitic id have super intense fear about 'am i secretly doing something bad and dont realzie it because no one will fucking tell me until ive already done it and its too late and then i deserve all the punishment i get' but where my loved ones stepped in and were like Hey thats Not really normal. is where it waslike. other autistic people going 'brother i dont do that'

so yeah. it was like. kind of rule of elimination? the problems that wrrent getting solved by coping skills for the Other problems i Knew i had, i isolated those leftover things and my doctor was like 'this sounds like you have ocd. do you do this too' and listed out like 60 other things i didnt consider symptoms i just considered 'funny quirks' i had, like crying so hard id throw up if i couldnt get a blanket to lie perfectly flat during a picnic when i was 8 or thinking i was going to hell and my stuffed animals could feel pain so i would apologize to them iver and over while crying when they fell off the bed

you know. 'quirks'

[empty-movement]

Empty Movement's 2023 Revolutionary Girl Utena UPDATE

Fashionably late? As always. 2023 was a HUGE year for Empty Movement, so much so that to confess, we did a big fail in actually keeping up with sharing the stuff we did! OOPS. So finally, we proudly bring you: all the Revolutionary Girl Utena content we dropped in 2023. Essays, artbooks, CD information, you name it. Click below for the entire site update, or get it at the source, as always, at ohtori.nu.

In Analysis (Fan Essays): • seebee's essay The Power of Living an Embodying Narrative is about more than Utena, it's about the fandom--including us. We were both interviewed for this piece, and the result is an absolutely beautiful essay that has helped inform how we do Utena stuff going forward. Thank you so much for letting us be part of this! • seebee's VIDEO essay FILM CUTS BACK | transfeminism in utena absolutely blew our minds and it's so good we're listing it. Look at the title. Just go watch it, it rules. • Nicole Winchester's essay No Choice But To Become Witches: The Bishōjo-Demonic Phallic Mother Dichotomy in Revolutionary Girl Utena catches you up to speed on the academic discussion around what might best be described as the shoujo manga iteration of the Madonna-Whore complex. Then, naturally, it finds plenty to say about Utena. Great work that was well worth the coding!

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In From the Mouths of Babes (Translated Meta/Creator Content): • Cross X Talk, A Round Table Discussion Commemorating the Second Musical Utena GOGAI FUCKIN' GOGAI. Nagumo and friends bring us the final untranslated part of the 2019 Black Rose Musical's program guide: the monster interview with Ikuhara and the director of the musicals, Yoshitani. INCREDIBLE content here that 100% lives up to the first musical's similar encounter! A must read!! • The Rose Apocalypse's Ei Takatori Interview The director of the mysterious 1999 musical (yes the machine gun one, and YES WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT COMING) interviewed in The Rose Apocalypse book. This...is that. Thank you so much to iris hahn for translating, and I can't wait to bring you more of this mythology!!! • The Utena Dossier Animage Magazine's June 1997 supplemental, this 36-page Utena tome has ben translated by Nagumo with editing by Ayu Ohseki. Because so much of the content is in its visual presentation, I worked the translation into the original scans! Check it out! (PS. Yes that is an entirely different gallery on the emptymovement.com domain, no this won't stay there, yes it has been a weird couple years.) The Dossier includes two long interviews that are also worked into html pages for easy viewing! The Auspicious Joining of Manga and Anime: Saito and Hasegawa For Whom the Director Smiles: Ikuhara and Kitakubo

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In Historia Arcana & The Bibliothèque (Untranslated Resources): • There are a lot of changes happening in this arena!!! How and where to place different materials has been a moving target, so I'll do my best! The sites don't quite reflect this yet, but Historia Arcana will be for cover to cover Utena media, including special magazine publications. Something Eternal's gallery, the Bibliothèque, will be for magazine articles, clippings, and other things. Major artbooks will likely be in both places, cross referenced. New books in Historia Arcana: • The Rose Spiral: Reflections on the Mythology of Utena While not strictly official, this is a fan published book of in depth analysis of Utena, circa 1998! Yep, cover to cover. • Revolution Dictionary (OST 1 First Press Bonus) Cross-referenced from Audiology, this is the bonus dictionary you only got if you grabbed it early! Cool! • Revolutionary Girl Utena Making of Visuals Book Art of UTENA I am mentioning this for completions sake and because I already uploaded it, but this is a cover to cover high resolution, uncleaned scan of the 1999 Art of Utena artbook. I am going to clean the scans, and ultimately be posting the official artbooks elsewhere. • Revolutionary Girl Utena Photobook: Rose Memories This special Animage bonus could be purchased for 700 yen, and back then, was probably a great way to keep the anime in your pocket! It's entirely shots from the TV series, though, so there's nothing specifically new. But I scan it all, baby. New books in the Bibliothèque: • Chiho Saito's 1999 Revolutionary Girl Utena Original Illustration Collection HI THIS IS A VERY BIG DEAL. Read more about why when you visit! TLDR? Here's some of the best artwork of Utena, rescanned and remastered by yours truly to be the best big big scans of big big beautiful Chiho Saito Art. This is a feast. I even made myself a calendar! (Note that the price is such that I don't make a profit on these, so if you're looking to donate, definitely go by other routes, haha.) You will find multiple ways to obtain the scans, and in more than one size. Either way you soak up the rays, enjoy 'em! New articles and clips in the Bibliothèque: • H! Rockin' on Japan Magazine Saito X Oikawa This fashion music magazine's July 1999 article has ALREADY BEEN TRANSLATED? Like, I am going to add the translation officially to the site of course, but holy hell Nagumo is amazing!! This article is actually the origin of a Saito art piece that uh, well. Now we know she went to a love hotel with movie Akio's VA. Cool! Anyway check it out! • Comickers Magazine, August 1997 This absolute monster find is an industry-focused magazine with this gorgeous spread and interview with Chiho Saito. It gets into how she does things. The making of Utena. All kinds of stuff. I'd LOVE to know more about this one!! • Comickers Magazine, June 1998 Again, an industry-focused publication, this time it's exploring the manga and the anime and how they compare. Again looks like a tasty meal!! • Volks Magazine, Spring 2022 YEP SCANS OF THE BOOK OF THE DOLLFIES. For a lot of us, this is at close as we get to these ludicrously gorgeous dolls. I included a few extra pages because they were just fuckin' cool and felt relevant. • Sega Saturn Magazine, December 1997 One of two grabs I got recently on Yahoo! Japan! This appears to be the first look announcement of the 1998 Utena video game! (Yes we have more on it, yes we will eventually post links.) • Sega Saturn Magazine, April 1998 This feature brings attention to the voice actors, who are all returning for the game! • Dengeki G's Magazine, January 1998 Another gaming focused magazine, with frankly a more adult edge, cheaply lets the readers know about Utena. These three game magazine moments are just a bizarre reminder of how we did things before the internet, LMAO

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In Audiology (Music and CD Information): • Complete information about the STAR CHILD - Girls Character Song Best album! You also definitely can't grab the two new remix tracks there. • Did you know there was a first press bonus dictionary for the first OST? I DIDN'T UNTIL RECENTLY. Now I know all about it, and so can you. Check it out! Obviously, scans available, both here and in Historia Arcana. • I FINALLY acquired a complete set of the Utena CD singles!! Check out complete track lists, scans, and information for ALL FIVE Utena singles. Yes. Including the movie Akio guy's one.

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In The Doujinshi Gallery: • Several dozen dounjinshi were uploaded earlier in the year, and can be found listed on the Site Update archive here.

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That's all for now, folks! There's so so so much coming. I have the episode 18 and 20 (!!!!) storyboards to scan, as well as a fully translated scanlation of The Duelist Bible. We're planning to do something for Anthy's rare LEAP YEAR birthday coming up, probably a musical stream or something! Love!

[wannabe-cartoonist-blog]

Last Game hair style fixes, in order of who needed it most.

I've never liked the canon hair styles in Last Game. They're either hideous, or just simply don't fit the characters/style of the main series. I get its a (mostly different) art department and meant to age the characters up, but most of the time, they simply just look off-model to me. I know I'm not the only one who's got issues with the hairstyles in this movie too, so I did my best to fix them up and give them styles that I personally think suite them. Originals below cut as well as my explanations! Important to note, these are my preferences/headcanons for them so take everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt.

**Akashi isn't here, because believe it or not, I actually think his hair looks the best out of everyone in LG.

I wouldn't change it. I like to draw him with neater hair/his bangs pushed out of his face when I age him up, but for the summer after the Winter Cup - when LG takes place - the canon hair is exactly the sort of style I think he would/should have. I like the allegory that the rough chop is something he did when his mental health wasn't good, so now as his mental scars heal, it's growing back out. ❤️

Midorima

A neater/shorter hairstyle does fit Mido's character/personality, but the LG hair simply just doesn't look like the same hair type we see in the main series. Mido's hair has got the slightest wave to it (which I tend to over-exaggerate whenever I draw him).

With this in mind, I went and gave his hair some more body/volume by extending the sides. (You'll see a lack of volume/body is the key issue with the other LG hairs as well).

Murasakibara

Mura's hair in this movie looks so so flat and greasy. Now I didn't do the best job fixing it up, but this is basically how you'd go about doing it; just add more flowy strands. His hair is pretty pin-strait in canon, but there's lots of flowing strands, even when he's not moving much, which give it a clean-look.

When it's all just one limp form, like the movie does, it appears unclean as opposed to just long and sleek.

Momoi

Another victim of the lack of body/volume. The style they gave her is also simply bad, like she just took a pair of scissors and cut in a straight line. There isn't even really any style to it. Its kinda just laying there on her head, which is not what her hair usually looks like in the main series. There's always strands/some lift to it. Also Momoi has always had some sort of bangs/framing pieces in her face, so for her whole forehead to be out was just a tiny bit jarring.

I think the style I came up with is a little more mature while still having personality and life to it. Plus, LG takes place in the summer, so a shorter hair style would be more comfortable in the heat.

Kise

Kise I don't think I did a good job of fixing to my liking either. It was hard to edit it without making it look bad in general, because I really don't think this choppy sort of style suites him like at all, so it was too much to change. Now his hair is one of the better drawn ones in this movie for sure, but it feels more like a Kagami hairstyle than a Kise one to me. I just don't think his modeling agency would let him have such a choppy, hard-to-style haircut. I also think a more polished look fits his handsome, princely sort of appeal that makes him popular with girls.

Aomine

Alright, now its time for me to be playful and silly with some out-there hair styles. Aomine (and Kagami's hair) in Last Game I don't mind. After Akashi, I would say Aomine looks the best. BUT. We have NEVER seen Aomine with long hair, even in flashbacks when he's a child.

So for him to finally decide to grow out his hair - in the SUMMER HEAT - just feels like a weird move to me. Feels out of character. He strikes me as someone who likes his hair out of his face when he plays ball and just wants to roll out of bed and not worry about brushing/styling it or anything. The animators also aren't consistent in this movie and sometimes his hair looks particularly long in the front and back, which again, I don't think he'd like. This picture below and the ones above are from the same movie/take place within like a week of each other, yet look so different.

He looks cute and it definitely gives him a more youthful look; which is a weird choice, because they want to age up everyone else but Aomine in this movie. So, I think a fade would really suite him (I don't think I drew it that well tho). Keeps his hair short and out of his face but also ages him up a little more with a mature style.

Kagami

Alright, Kagami's look here is pure indulgence. @knbposting said "Kagami with a mullet" and I haven't stopped thinking about it. Sue me. His LG hair isn't bad and makes sense for his character and the time of year. But its just sorta plain. Honestly, Kise's hair style in this movie would probably suite Kagami more. I always liked how in the main series, Kagami's hair is a little scruffy in the back so I really wanted to lean into that.

Is a mullet suitable for the summer heat/something he'd like? Well, maybe not but I think it ages him up while also seeming like something he'd get at some point in his life. So here we are. I will end this with saying this is probably the longest he'd ever let his hair get.

Kuroko

Finally, we have Kuroko, whose hair I've barely changed. Now, the animators/artists do a really bad job of keeping his face on-model (eyes too beady, features too sharp) but that's a whole 'nother issue, and I managed to find a scene where they kept him on-model lol. I think a shorter, neat style is good for the summer and suites him, but a main feature of all the hair throughout the main series is the spikes/strands of hair on nearly every character - Kuroko especially - so I just added a tiny bit more here.

And that's the end! If you read all the way to here, thanks for coming to my insane-person rant.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Clean and Unclean Animals

13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; 15 Every raven after his kind; 16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, 17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, 18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, 19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. — Leviticus 11:13-19 | Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) and King James Version (KJV) Orthodox Jewish Bible Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International and the King James Version Bible, which is in the public domain Cross References: Leviticus 11:11-12; Deuteronomy 14:12-13; Deuteronomy 14:15; Deuteronomy 14:17-18; Psalm 104:17; Isaiah 2:20; Isaiah 34:11; Zechariah 5:9

[durgetavoc]

Yes I really want to know the horrors of the shit bucket. I’m quite surprised that he isn’t obsessed with cleanliness. He always struck me as the type but then again… I guess I’m wrong.

Oh god, here we go then.

SPOILERS FOR THE HOUSE OF HOPE

(CW for...The Shit Bucket Guy, obviously)

So, if we ever decide to go steal the Orphic Hammer, we can go visit The House of Hope, there, we obviously find Raphael's collection of artifacts, his eternal debtors, and one of them is… This guy.

You should know that all eternal debtors are condemned to a certain task/action. It's difficult to know if this has anything to do with their contract with Raphael, if it is a distortion of an already existing trait of their personality (for example, the Perfect Eternal Debtor, the Theologist Eternal Debtor or even the Voyeur Eternal Debtor) or if it's a way to completely dehumanize them (Loyal Eternal Debtor…My beloved :( ). It seems to be a mix of everything, that wouldn't be surprising if Raphael did what seemed most entertaining to him.

But let's focus on the Shit Bucket Guy, since he's the one that interested us today.

As our affectionate nickname for him indicates, we find him in front of a chamber pot with a visible green odorous cloud above it, which confirms us that it has been used (when you interact with the pot, here what the game says : "An overpowering stench singes your nostrils. Nothing good happened here."). The debtor doesn't appreciate us getting closer to it, and if we ask him if he is its guardian, this is what he answers:

His "name" in the game is "Unclean Eternal Debtor" and if you're taking a look at his face... Yeah, I guess he's not just guarding the pot. When we observe the animation of the character, he walks around the pot, makes a hand gesture to smell it, and that's it.

It has become a running joke in the fandom, particularly for us, little mouses. Those who have been to the House of Hope know about the Shit Bucket Guy... But nobody talks about him.

(Yeah I couldn't help it.)

It's not really surprising, the presence of the chamber pot, and not just any one, RAPHAEL'S, raises other questions. One might wonder if it's not a little OOC coming from someone like him.

Let's take advantage of this question to dig... A little deeper.

Here's, imo of course, why it's somehow relevant to show Raphael's chamber pot and what this tells us about him.

Shall we?

1. Don't be fooled by appearances, he POOPS like us!

Raphael. Raphael. Raphael who embodies sophistication, intellect and danger... Alluring and at the same time fearsome, a fascinating mix. Goddamnit, he's a suave motherfucker, and he fucking knows it.

In video games, it's part of the suspension of disbelief to not talk/show toilet, unless you're in a life simulation game like sims. It's not just taboo since it's one of the most private aspects of our life, but it's also... Not relevant to the intrigue most of the time.

Showing us something that intimate about him disintegrate his mysterious aura. We learnt that Raphaels shits. Yeah, absolutely astonishing. Reminding us that he's exactly at the same level as us. Like the title said, despite his charming manners, his eloquence, his theatrical gestures... He's still human, hells, part human.

2. In the Devil's house.

The first time we meet Raphael, he wastes no time in bringing us to his home, on his own terms. We only see one room, and this is what we see:

Luxurious place, lavish displays of food, ordered furniture... Promising, right? This is how Raphael wants to give as a first impression. I think this scene is perfect as a metaphor. Remember what Gale said? He's taking us to dinner! Like a date, he wants to impress us, seduce us.

But when we're back to this place during our improvised visit, what do we see?

Rotten food. Blood. Skeletons. Mess. Remind me of my room before I have to rush to clean everything because a friend comes over.

By choosing to enter Raphael's home, into his privacy, the game takes us on a tour of his home: we discover what is hidden behind Raphael's character. It is of course expected that we discover his secrets and/or aspects of his personality that he would not wish to reveal, at least not before we make a deal with him.

Haarlep, his incubus, also participates in this demystification. Through them, we can learn about Raphael's sexuality (I'll be quick on this since @bitethedevil did some really good analysis posts about it):

Raphael is only attracted to himself (hence Haarlep's appearance)

He is a bottom pillow prince

And he doesn't last in bed (a valuable information that can be used to anger Raphael later)

Once again, this is another very intimate aspect that is revealed to us. I'm sorry to say it, but Haarlep basically plays the same role as the chamber pot to accentuate the intimacy of the place and also to ridicule Raphael, thus revealing to us what he really is.

3. Raphael hates his father.

Our favorite cambion is having daddy issues, and the chamber pot seems like a nice response to the statue his dad gave him. It's a "blink and you'll miss it" kind of detail, but it's funny to point it out. Show don't tell as it's finest.

4. How bad it is to sell your soul to Raphael.

This one is easy... The Shit Bucket Guy is an example of Raphael's cruelty : "This is what could happen to you if you make a contract with Raphael."

Sure, it's funny because the whole thing is ridiculous: "Guardian of his chamber pot? Seriously?", but it's hard to really laugh at it if you take into account the other eternal debtors. The whole place is designed to make you uncomfortable, because it's not treated as a joke. They had a life, had to ask Raphael for help, and are now reduced to doing something degrading until the end of time. They don't even have a name anymore. They could be your Tav/Durge or your companions...

Suddenly, the temptation to make a contract with Raphael is less appealing after seeing all this, isn't it?

Conclusion : Now the question that burns our lips : What could this guy have done to him to be reduced to this? And why?

My first instinct when I met this character was to think, "oh boy, you must have really pissed off Raphael..." let's be honest, it's the kind of torture you could imagine to your worst enemy or at least a very annoying one.

It could be that, or maybe, mayyybe...

Remember Mephistopheles' statue?

What if Raphael was SO annoyed by this gift that he woke up one day thinking "fuck my dad, fuck his gift" and decided to literally shit on him by putting a chamber pot in front of this statue to express his thanks. And just like any narcissist/paranoid guy, he named a "guard" to be sure no one would spy on him through this (it sounds delirious, but again, we learn that Haarlep was send to distract Raphael, so why not?)

Sure, maybe Shit Bucket Guy annoyed Raphael in the past, but wouldn't that be kinda fucked up that this guy didn't do anything that would justify this treatment? He's just a dude, and Raphael is just a pissed-off daddy's boy (and a very mature one).

Or maybe, Raphael just thinks it's funny. And who are we to discuss a devil's sense of humor?

In any case, sorry Shit Bucket Guy, but it wasn't your lucky day.

PS: Hush, I can hear you wondering "do you think Raphael is scat???" and on this subject I would say: I don't think so, his narcissism is there after all, but he also seems really into humiliation. So maybe it's for the best we don't really know the answer to this question.

After all, only Haarlep can judge him (so the bar is already on the floor).

[directdogman]

would it be kosher if i ate gingi

Considering the practice relates to eating animals that are considered clean or unclean, I'd have to say no by default, but to look at the scripture for a moment:

"Leviticus 11:3–8 and Deuteronomy 14:4–8 both give the same general set of rules for identifying which land animals (Hebrew: בהמות Behemoth) are ritually clean. According to these, any animal which "chews the cud" (e.g., consumes vegetation and later regurgitates it into the mouth to be re-processed and more efficiently digested) and has a completely split hoof (cloven-foot) is ritually clean, but those which only chew the cud or only have cloven hooves are unclean."

Gingi has a cow-like stomach (compartmentalized). While Gingi has a massive aversion to eating vegetables, I do picture that Gingi does occasionally chew grass when its stomachs are upset to make itself puke - like cats and dogs do. Since Gingi doesn't have cloven hooves, this would mean that Gingi's meat is definitely not kosher.

Sorry about that. Hope this helps.

[dakotadraws06]

During a reread of Lackadaisy, I noticed something about Mordecai.

Close to the end of the comic, after Serafine’s craves the symbol into Mordecai’s chest, Mordecai acts..in a way I wasn’t expecting from him. In the car, as he’s cleaning himself up and rebuttoning his shirt, he doesn’t seem..affected by what just happened.

In this shot, he does seem angry (or that’s what I interpreted as) at Serafine for what she did. I mean, I think anyone would be angry if their coworker forced them down and drew a cultist symbol in their chest. But for the rest of the comic, he seems unbothered(?) by it.

He makes a comment about germs (which is not surprising coming from him) but he doesn’t seem at all upset or bothered by what happened. He doesn’t speak to the twins about it, he doesn’t get angry at them or anything. He just goes about his business. Now yes, Mordecai is a very stotic person, he doesn’t let anyone see his mask slip, unless it’s around people he cares for and even THAT is rare. But for someone going through a traumatic experience like this, I would assume he would be more uncollected. But then they go to Gracie’s bar.

Mordecai makes a joke(?) about it. Like it doesn’t bother him. Calling Serafine a wild animal is probably his way of not wanting to talk about what happened or getting back at her in spite. But honestly, it seemed like he was more upset with the blood on his collar than the actual incident itself. Cause how dare he not see that and look unclean in front of others. Again, even if he’s putting on a face, this doesn’t seem to affect him at all. But I have some thoughts that could explain this.

Mordecai is in flight or fight mode.

This nonchalant attitude towards the situation is him trying to keep his facade up. He was violated, hurt, and was made extremely uncomfortable during that whoooole hotel scene and this is his way of coping. Retreating back into familiarity with his mask of “I don’t give a shit” attitude. In reality, he’s angry. He’s pissed that he was played into this situation with no choice to get out. He was backed into a corner and despite his efforts, he couldn’t stop them from hurting him. Mordecai is probably upset with himself too. How could he let them play with him like that? How could he get himself into a situation where he would be backed against a wall?

(I know alot of you probably already figured this is how he was interpreted as, but I wanted to share my thoughts on it.)

[glasscitadel]

Desert Ibaxi

"An uncommon species native to Alexei's home planet, the ibaxi is a fierce and cunning predator known for its ability to bellow, burying itself into sand to lie in wait for scavengers to mistake its bony back and fleshy protrusions for an uncleaned corpse."

Here's the "I ain't reading all that" part <3

Alexei claimed this shift at 11 years old and frequents it for comfort :>

Age Average: 28y

Adult Weight Average: 95-120lbs

Height Average: 32-36 inches

Planet of Origin: Signa 32A

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Temperament:

Aggressive

Protective

Cautious

While other unique variations of the ibaxi species are also found scattered primarily across the northern hemisphere of the planet where the suns' concentration are highest, the ones that thrive in the deepest areas of the desert are the most uncommon and the most feared.

Domestication of this specific breed has been long since abandoned and highly discouraged due to their wildly aggressive nature, but it's still surprisingly common to hear of trainer deaths as a result of eclectic animal collectors' desire to own them. Otherwise, this desert breed is protected as a wild variant, and anyone smart knows to leave them alone.

While their primary strategy is defensive, luring their prey to them, they are still very capable of hunting, which they actively do individually in the early hours just before the suns when the desert is coolest and small prey forage.

Their nostrils close while buried under sand, and they then breathe through the holes along their necks and backs, which push out a noxious gas that very accurately smells like baking decay. The protruding spines resemble picked at remains (that may appear fleshy and gross, but act much more like cartilage and feel pleasantly smooth to the touch), the perfect combination of smell and sight to trick scavengers into coming closer for a nibble.

If those curious and with good eyesight become wiser the closer they approach, the released smell is overwhelmingly enough effective to convince them there's no danger.

Chasing speeds average about 35mph (57km/h) and can reach up to 50mph (80km/h) in short bursts, with quick turns and reflexes. When in the need to cool down, the scaled ridges along their forehead, upper back, and tail will part to reveal sensitive tissue that rapidly shed body heat. In the afternoon, once the suns have firmly settled and the day is at its hottest, packs will gather to try and secure their big meal for the day if there was little individual morning luck. Proceeding finding areas with recently cleaned kills, they bury themselves among the bone remains and wait for unsuspecting scavengers.

Their growls are much less dog-like and more closely resemble the bellowing tremors of alligators (though not as extreme, and not limited to males), and work the same way, allowing them to shake and displace the sand around them while they lie to quickly burrow and hide. When large packs gather and bellow together, the sound and vibrations can be heard and felt for nearly half a mile, terrifying and alarming to anyone or anything close-by.

In the case of territory breach, bellows are an effective communication tool to determine power and age. Those in their prime, large in size, and leaders of packs have the deepest, most guttural voices, able to intimidate away their competition from a considerable distance.

As ibaxi age, their lungs lose the elasticity needed to bellow deeply enough to bury, and instead will stay within their territory sleeping grounds and wait for the pack to bring back food.

Pack sizes have been recorded to reach up to 20 members, but most are not seen with more than 16, with typically 3-5 of those elders.

Pups are born no more than two at a time and are not able to bury themselves until they reach adolescence when their lungs fully develop, so mothers will bellow gently close to them in their dens to sink them before heading out to hunt.

So if you come across what looks like an abandoned den with a few bones left in it and a very awful smell, you may want to hit the road before the momma returns... if the stay-at-home grandparents haven't gotten to you yet.

[tumbleweed-run]

Oration

“Read to me?” You ask suddenly, your voice sounding too loud as it breaks the silence. 

You’d been at his desk writing letters, letters that you knew might not actually make it out of the city for weeks. Gale was sitting in front of the fireplace, reading, so that you had your space to write. As you stood, you caught sight of the storm buffeting the coast from the terrace doors. While all you saw was sleet and ice pelting into the water, you knew that even as close as the other side of the city, there would be snow. 

“It’s nothing interesting,” Gale tells you as you pull the drapes shut over the doors, trying to preserve some of the warmth of the room.

“I’d listen to the history of fish-mongering if you read it,” this statement earns you a brilliant grin and an outstretched hand, beckoning you to the sofa. 

You take his hand and fall onto the couch next to him, immediately curling into his side. A quick word and a spectral hand appears, then Gale wraps an arm around you, pulling you closer. He begins to read where you’d interrupted him, midsentence even. It’s something about magic laws, but you’re not really listening to his words. It’s the sound of crackling logs overlaid with the soothing tone of his voice. You smile as you watch the spectral hand flip the page, his left hand now too busy idly stroking your thigh to be bothered with the chore. You let your eyes drift closed, nose buried into Gale’s side. 

Maybe it’s been ten minutes, maybe an hour, you're not sure. But you shift a little, dropping your legs to the floor, stretching out the ache. Gale’s still reading dutifully, unbothered by the fact that you haven’t been paying attention. You listen for a moment; it's something about the ethics of the use of magic on animals, and you’re impressed that even he hasn’t fallen asleep. Smiling to yourself, you slowly slip from the couch onto your knees. 

The only acknowledgment Gale makes as you undo the laces of his pants is a brief stuttering of words. This hadn’t been your plan for long, having acted on the first impulse only moments ago. 

He’s still soft when you free him, cock only beginning to stir when you take him in hand. After barely a single stroke with your fingers, you lean forward and take him into your mouth. You don’t suck or move, really. Merely press your tongue forward, flat against the shaft. Gale’s free hand comes to rest on your head. You hold yourself there, eyes closing, as he continues to harden in your mouth. You sigh, happily, as the once spongey flesh becomes rigid, as his cockhead begins butting against the back of your mouth. Only then do you swallow around him, earning you a soft moan from above.  He’s no longer reading, you realize. 

“Please,” you say in a half whisper, sitting back on your knee, “keep going.”

Gale glances from you to the book he still holds in his hand, then nods. Only after he begins reading again do you pull him back into your mouth. You swallow him slowly, giving you both time to adjust with each new piece of his cock you slip between your lips. Eventually, he’s in you as far as you can comfortably go, your nose half buried in the soft dark curls at his base. His words stutter above you when you inhale. Gale still smells faintly of last night's bath mixed with the clean scent of his clothes and something else. A soft musk, not unclean or cloying, but something uniquely Gale coming through as the soaps and scents wear off. 

Only once your jaw begins to ache from being held in the same position too long do you finally start moving. You work your tongue against him, pulling from every memory of every time you’ve been in this position. Your expertise with Gale is rewarded as his voice pitches and falls in time with your movements. He gathers your hair up, pulling it from your face, which allows you to work him more freely. You pull off just enough to flick your tongue against the slit of his cock. His words are broken by a startled moan, but Gale recovers and resumes reading. 

He tugs on your hair, not hard but just enough to leave your scalp tingling. You moan and his next words escape as a gasp. It quickly becomes a perfect feedback loop. Your ministrations are rewarded with moaned words and fingers flexing in your hair. These things only spur you on, eager to earn more of these. 

He’s close, you can feel in the way his thighs are drawn tight under your arms, hear it in the tone of his voice. You become aware that Gale’s no longer reading, instead its just a stream of moans and praises falling from his lips. Your body heats, as it always does, under praise. You work him intently, head bobbing fast enough that he’s not keeping up and each movement pulls at your hair. 

“Love,” he gasps and tugs your hair insistently. 

You ignore him and swallow his cock as far down your throat as you can manage. You work the shaft with the flat of your tongue. With a curse Gale comes, spilling down your throat. You swallow everything he gives you and then you keep swallowing. Only when he’s gasping your name, his hips pushing away from you into the cushions, do you finally release him. 

You grin up at him, reveling in the way the corners of your mouth sting with the movement. Gale cuckles, trailing his hand from your hair down the side of your face until he’s cupping your jaw. He allows his thumb to rub over your swollen lips before gently gathering up a small amount of cum that had spilled out of your mouth. Eagerly you swipe your tongue over the pad of his finger cleaning it. 

Gale groans. He leans down and then pulls you upward, gathering you onto his lap. 

“You never cease to amaze me,” he says as he buries his face into your neck.