#faith issues

[merthwyn]

The Chronicles of Narnia are absolutely amazing books for those who feel they are walking away from the faith or those who have a distorted image of God. It is mainly because of these books that I have started making baby steps back to the faith. I am in tears when I read about Aslan who is not at all abusive, toxic, perverted and sick. He is not a Calvinist either. Thankfully. I am also in tears when I read about the pure faith of most of the characters of these books. They are an inspiration to me. No matter how "childish" this may sound.

Read the books. I'm serious.

[merthwyn]

You're right. When God seems absent if not against you, when you are afraid of approaching Him, when you have a completely distorted image of Him so you don't have anywhere else to go, when even the Bible gives you breakdowns instead of hope, running to Mary or the Saints for help is crucial. They will not save us but they will intercede, they will protect us.

Right now I'm completely lost concerning my faith. I have some people I can run to for help, advice, protection and even hug. They will not save me. They are not God. But they take care of me, they pray and guide me, they listen in silence, they hug me. It's the same with Mary and the Saints.

I used to be a hardcore protestant concerning Mary and the Saints. To the point of mockery. But during at least the last 3 years I've started realising how wrong they are.

Okay the Catholics get a win for this one. Because on this episode of "Am I going to convert to Catholicism" I actually prayed to a saint for the first time.

I was kind of going through it (kind of relapsed into my katabasis arc ig) and my relationship with God was struggling because of it. I was mad. Like really mad, because I felt abandoned by him. And so I couldn't pray. I didn't want to hear from them. Because why the heck would you leave me to begin with??? There was all this pent up negative feelings I had towards them and I didn't feel like I could go directly to God.

But, @patron-saint-of-lesbeans recomended reaching out to Mary and asking for intercession on my behalf.

Now, I'm not some radical protestant or anything, and i was completely okay with people praying to the saints, but for me personally I didn't think it was something i'd ever do.

But I did.

And now I think I get it.

Sometimes I can't approach the Throne of Grace because the throne doesn't feel particularly gracious. Sometimes I can't approach Mercy because they don't feel particularly merciful. Sometimes I can't approach God because God doesn't feel particularly loving.

But I can approach Mary, who is full of Grace, who is the Mother of Mercy, the Mother of God, and she can help lead me to the Prince of Peace.

So just... thank you. Thank you Rj, thank you Mary, and thank you God.

[mossy-aro]

sorry but i am SO deeply tired of the 'aphobia isnt real' arguments because they are literally always being conducted in such bad faith. NO there is not specific societal or legal discrimation against aces and aros BECAUSE we are asexual and or aromantic. you cannot hold specifically bigoted beliefs towards a group you do not even know exist. there ARE, however, underlying and deeply pervasive systems and beliefs that actively erase, dehumanise and make life tangibly more difficult for aro and ace people on a social, economic and legal basis. most of this is due to hyperinvisibility, the medicalisation of any nonnormative + misunderstood orientations, the elevation of romance + romantic structures as the most important aspects of interpersonal relationships in society, as well as the nuclear atomisation of the family. among other things. like. amatonormativity has never been ABOUT aromantic people specfically oh my GOD. its simply the underlying social belief that everyone is expected to be in monogamous romantic relationships and that those relationships are expected to the default centre of one's life. its something that affects EVERYONE! but within that it affects aromantic people in a specific and heightened way because of our inability to participate in it in a societally acceptable way. like these are not 'aromantic' or 'asexual' or 'polyamorous' issues specifically. these are theories and terms that originated within feminist + queer sociology studies! its all part of the wider underlying social fabric! aspec people are simply pointing out that we are often affected by these things in unique and often unseen ways.

the idea that we believe people actively 'hate' us for being asexual or aromantic is completely ridiculous. most people i know do not even know the definition of those words! so how could they hate me for it. they could however, for example, hold the pervasive + societally unchallenged belief that not experiencing sexual or romantic attraction is a medical issue or something concerningly abnormal in a human being + something i should get fixed. and its not uncommon that when you DO explain that its simply your orientation to them, they continue to medicalise it and see it as some sort of issue. genuinely so deeply tired of having to explain this to people time and time again when they only want to cherry pick the most ridiculous arguments to respond to and then act as if that's a majority held opinion in the aspec community. like i actually think we are aware of how society views us we're not fucking deluded and stupid. we don't have victim complexes we are just pointing out facts that yall are so desperate to ignore. UGHHHHH

[davidtennan-t]

David Tennant: I'm so old and fragile, what if people can hear my bones creak, I definitely won't be as zoomy, me peepaw now

Also David Tennant:

[sweaterkittensahoy]

"Tim Walz supports Israel, and that's against leftist values."

Not mine. Not a lot of people.

But you know who has been real loud on the left about hating Israel? The antisemities. You know who's mad that Kamala and Tim both support keeping Israel a country and creating a two-state solution? The antisemites.

There is a severe, loud antisemitic problem on the left, and saying shit like that quote that I just saw on a post, that's the loud antisemitic problem trying to get louder.

[roach-works]

So no pressure to answer whatsoever! You're the first person I've ever seen express they don't think Jesus actually existed ever in any form? (if I read that right, admittedly) Given I thought the furthest camp was "I believe there was a historical person who existed who the figure of Jesus is based on, and that he was a figure of importance of his time, but I also know there was a lot of deliberate rewriting of history where he is concerned, so it is difficult to find the kernels of historical truth between the mythologized figure" I am curious how you arrived at "not a real guy who ever actually happened"

-we have no archaeological evidence of the guy. no artifacts or surviving contemporary records.

-all firsthand attestations that he existed are written well after his death, in some cases by people who couldn't have overlapped his life

-there were a lot of guys named yeshua in nazareth around that time.

-crucifixion was a common punishment for criminals such as anti-authoritarian cult leaders

-rome annexed judea. we do have proof of this. a LOT of jews were mad as hell about what happened to their homeland and their religion and were exploring alternatives. and getting killed for it.

-it's entirely likely that a century later a singular Miracles Josh was syncretized out of the various young revolutionaries that stood up and denounced the religious and secular authorities of the day and then got crucified.

-i don't think any single one of them was the true messiah who actually did miracles and had the mandate of heaven any more than i think a greek guy named heracles was really born of zeus and did all that superhero stuff.

-christian sources love misquoting atheist and jewish scholars when they give very cautious answers along the lines of 'its very likely there was a yeshua of nazareth around that time who had some friends and said some antiauthoritarian stuff. because lots of people did. it would be statistically unlikely if every josh in town was nice about the roman occupation for like two hundred years.'

-was that josh back then our big boy jesus christ the son of god who actually existed? if he didn't, the church invented him anyway. if he did, it wouldn't matter. the stated position of the christian faith is that he definitely for sure existed and absolutely as a fact did all that stuff, and you have to believe it no matter what.

-but there's no proof and im not christian. so no. i think you guys made the whole thing up.

[girl4music]

SCRIPT: *Gabrielle kisses a male character*

RENEE: "Nope, rewrite it. Gabrielle is not doing that. Gabrielle wouldn't kiss a male character at this point in the show."

SCRIPT: *Gabrielle kisses a female character*

RENEE: "Look, that's certainly consistent with Gabrielle's character at this point in the show but why would she kiss some random woman she's just met?"

SCRIPT: *Gabrielle kisses Xena*

RENEE: "Oh fantastic! This is absolutely something Gabrielle would do. Finally me and Lucy get to smooch. Bring it on!"

It honestly floors me that the only time Gabrielle had a proper kiss scene past seasons 1&2 it was with Xena because that’s the only one Renee allowed to happen.

[inamindfarfaraway]

Batman fun fact! Did you know that Scarecrow’s toxin doesn’t always cause fear? Sometimes it does the opposite! In Detective Comics #571, he wields a variant that completely inhibits the biochemical fear response, preventing people from feeling any concern for themselves or using basic common sense. He runs a racket administering it to star athletes, who take huge risks and get badly injured. Then they’re willing to cough up a lot for an antidote. Batman and Robin - here Jason Todd - catch on, but Bruce is dosed with the reverse fear toxin; since his intelligence is his greatest strength, being too overconfident and reckless to think twice about anything makes him his own worst enemy.

This premise was adapted in the Batman: The Animated Series episode “Never Fear”. There we see that with no fear of losing his moral integrity, Bruce becomes cold and merciless to criminals. Robin - here Tim Drake - has to catch somebody he leaves to fall off a building, tie him up to stop him endangering himself and others and give him the antidote to prevent him murdering Scarecrow.

But in the comic book, Jason is kidnapped by Scarecrow. He gets gassed and hallucinates Bruce dying and telling him that it’s his fault. He isn’t around to keep Bruce in check as he goes to rescue him through a series of death traps that he can’t resist cutting it as close as possible in. So how does Bruce not go off the deep end? How does he not lose sight of what’s important? Not lose himself?

Because even a drug designed to shut down stress at the most fundamental level can’t overpower his true worst fear. The Dark Knight might feel fearless…

but a parent never is.

[royalarchivist]

YD: Hello, I'm from Korean.

Letshugo: Hello, I'm from Germany.

YD: Can you see what I'm saying?

Letshugo: Yes, I understand.

YD: Hey, this is really amazing. I speak Korean, and you speak German, but we have a conversation!

Letshugo: Yes, that's really awesome.

YD: I'm a Minecraft grandma who has been playing Minecraft for 14 years.

Letshugo: 14 years? How old are you?

YD: You don't need to know. 😑

Letshugo: Oh, ok.

Quackity has created something so amazing, it makes me so proud seeing his project help people communicate like this. He looks so happy. :')

[tooies]

i think probably the reason i like the idea of like a girl secretly being a dragon but still trying to just have a life in society and be normal is because it's kinda a transfem narrative of the whole like everyone thinks you're a terrifying monster but you just want to be a girl. and the other reason is due to i'm otherkin

[nexadarling]

Watching tristamp: oh vash has mommy issues

Watching trigun 98: oh vash has MOMMY ISSUES

Reading Trimax: Actually Vash went through an extremely traumatising event at a young age and had to face the realities of humans. Rem was there, as the twins' mother figure, to represent the good. Reconciling humanity's differences is what made him how he is, and he projects that onto Rem. In this essay I will-

[merthwyn]

I was in the House of God today, inside an absolutely stunning building in terms of architecture, embraced by the breathtaking sound of the organ, while the last sunbeams of the day were playing with the colours of the stained glass, creating beautiful paintings on the walls...

My soul was troubled and confused though…. While I was looking around, staring at the strained glass and listening to the music, I was crying to God saying "who are You??? And why are You after me???"

I just want to be left alone and in peace…. But my soul is so stubborn…. I should have kept her locked up in that tower I built for her during the years…. But every time I try that and, although she is troubled, she escapes…. And ends up more traumatised…. But, as I said, she is stubborn….

What gives????

........*sigh*........

Whoever You are, either go away and leave me in peace or do something that will finally take away the pain…. It's been 25 years in pain, 11 of which spent in serving, hoping, believing, obeying and enduring persecution for You. So, I repeat: Whoever You are, either go away and leave me in peace or do something that will finally take away the pain.

Enough. Is. Enough.

[serpentface]

Faiza performing the Kagnoma Odo (pretty literally 'lion dance'), a weapons dance and one of the more important ritual duties of Odonii priestesses. A relatively new addition to this traditional dance involves the musket as the primary weapon, which is fired mid-twirl into the ground at the climax of the dance. Faiza is experiencing an 'oh fuck' moment because her shot is more than ideally diagonal, but she’s being so cool with it.

This is a wholly ceremonial performance at the onset of the pilgrimage, performed in full regalia and lion skin (of the small, semi-domesticated strain) but no armor. It’s also distinctly a display of political allegiance between the powerful and beloved Odonii priesthood (and its loyal military) with the increasingly reviled and destabilized imperial family, with Faiza prominently wearing a bracelet of the royal serpent, which was gifted (along with the musket) by the usoma Stavis Amanti himself (Usoma is the Wardi word for king, which has been retained in the context of emperors).

The Kagnoma Odo is the ultimate demonstration of the Odonii as an embodiment of the Lion Face of God and living vessel of military might and sovereignty, demonstrating her fitness and proficiency with weapons and as a spiritual unifier for soldiers. It is accompanied by drumming and occurs in stages, running through the three keymost weapons used in war- the spear, the sword, and the musket. The musket is of the most significance, given the weapon has developed a particular esteem as the ultimate embodiment of might and superiority. Assistants (almost always other priestesses, occasionally high ranking soldiers) load and prime the musket to be fired at the climax of the dance, where it is shot into the ground as the priestess leaps out of range of the shot. The firing signals the end of the dance and the rite itself.

While not the utmost exemplar of trigger discipline, only fully inducted and senior (and therefore very thoroughly trained) Odonii are permitted to perform the dance, and injuries during actual performances are quite rare (though are known to occur during training, more than a few Odonii have burns and wounds on their feet).

The most important renditions of this dance are performed upon declarations of war and before battles (in this case, generally done in full armor along with the lion pelt). It is also done during some trainings (while a dance, it is carefully choreographed to include naturalistic maneuvers of the weapons involved and helps soldiers limber up and learn to move their weapons). It is regarded as an impressive and motivating sight and a morale booster, and, seen at a distance, potentially intimidating to enemies.

A special variant of this dance is performed as means of fully incarnating the Odomache, which is done in full nudity with the body covered in the blood of the freshly sacrificed lion and cloaked in its raw pelt (the lion has become the corpse of Odomache in the moment of death, as part of its recreation of God's sacrifice). Her public, full nude appearance once (and only once) in this act is what allows the Lion Face of God to incarnate within her. Those in attendance see the spiritually vulnerable, naked human body obscured with the sanctified and deified blood and cloaked in the sanctified and deified skin. It is a merger of the contradictions of mortality and divinity, the boundaries between the two indistinct in flickering firelight and the flash of musketfire. She is witnessed by her people, dangling in between humanity and divinity and leading them in dance, and and is thus transformed.

[carouselunique]

Introducing the one taking the place of Sunburst in the AU: Bon Bon! She still thinks about her old friend Lyra and hopes she's alright...

[jellynotbees]

Hiii I’ve had this piece in my head for like a month now and finally got around to making it, going nuts about narilamb as per usual

[navree]

Incorrect, the fact that Biden has dropped out and a candidate with history of supporting medicare for all and being more receptive to a ceasefire in the I/P conflict has made me go from "I cannot morally support the Democratic nominee" to "I am voting for the Democratic nominee despite the fact she isn't perfect in every respect." I'm really happy this played out. The Dems for the most part abandoned the old Obama platform and it feels like its possible an actual progressive agenda could come to pass in my lifetime.

Kamala 2024!

If you weren't going to vote Democratic in this election before Biden dropped out you're a dorkass loser who does not care about any of the issues you're yammering about here and also a fundamentally bad person, and I hope you get run over by a bus.

But you got one thing right in all of this gibberish, Kamala 2024.