#is ideal but who is building secular outreach

[dawnsmp3]

i'd heard reverend oliver talk about this issue, but i know a huge issue in the coming days is going to be how much outreach and relief in appalachia is managed by christian ministries and if the left genuinely wants to help appalachia they will have to get used to that. how many times are people going to click on a link to donate to emergency relief and click away because it's a baptist church as a home base because "they have religious trauma" and "they don't know where that money is going"

[unforth]

So keeping in mind that I’ve literally already written a 40k Destiel fic inspired by Selena Gomez’s “Back to You,” today it came up on my play list and I started to think about ficcing it again, but this time Wangxian. It’s just such a ficcable song, I can’t even.

Like, a modern AU (set in the US) where Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were once dating, and Wei Wuxian started making friends with “the wrong sorts,” and so Lan Qiren forced Lan Wangji to dump him. They part ways for a few years.

Lan Wangji never really recovers, and he perfunctorily dates the people his uncle sets him up with, and his life kinda stalls...not that there’s anything wrong with it, just...it’s always the same, the same places, the same people, the same work, the same wake up time, the same daily routine, the same bedtime. Sometimes he’s not sure which he misses more - Wei Wuxian, or the disruption to his life that Wei Wuxian represents. He almost wishes that Wei Wuxian has gone as “bad” as Lan Qiren was so, so sure he would, because then it would be proof - that stepping outside the box is not the way to a good life, that Lan Wangji made the right choices even if he’s not happy with them, that kind of thing.

Wei Wuxian also never really recovers, but instead of letting it get him down, he’s even more determined to prove that he’s so much more than what snobs like Lan Qiren thought of him - and so are the friends he made, who are of course Wen Qing and Wen Ning. They also have really had a tough time, with a lot of people assuming the worst about them because of their family connections. The three make a pact together - to succeed, no matter what it takes, and to help each other whenever one of them starts to struggle. And it works. Though they’re a little behind their peers - they all go to college, and they all finish their degrees, they all get advanced ones. Wen Qing becomes a doctor. Wei Wuxian becomes an engineer. Wen Ning becomes a vet. They get respectable jobs, if poorly paid because that’s the economy in 2020s USA, and they’re slowly building lives for themselves. No one from the circles his adopted family move in will associate with him anyway - he got kicked out for some of his youthful shenanigans, and though he’s in touch with his siblings, his “parents” won’t acknowledge him - but he doesn’t care. He knows he’s succeeding, no matter what they say about him.

(read more)

Though Lan Wangji never stops thinking about Wei Wuxian, he refuses to Google him or look him up. Fantasize about him? Yes. Wish his current SO was them? Yes. Occasionally scroll through Jiang Yanli’s friends list just to make sure Wei Wuxian is still there? Yes. But he doesn’t look him up, doesn’t friend him, doesn’t outreach. Why should he? Some regrets are normal, but he’s over it - he’s definitely over it.

Not that Wei Wuxian expected him to. Lan Wangji broke his heart, and it hurt - oh, it hurt so much, but Wei Wuxian is definitely over him. Who needs that asshole anyway? Wei Wuxian knows his worth, and he doesn’t need the affection of someone who cast him aside at the say so of his uncle. If he occasionally comes moaning Lan Wangji’s name...that’s a perfectly normal thing to do as regards someone Wei Wuxian hasn’t dated in a decade, right? Lan Wangji was, and presumably still is, hot as fuck, and Wei Wuxian has a healthy labido

Which is to say, neither of them is over it at all.

Still, their mutual pining might have never come to a head if not for Lan Wangji’s best friend - Jin Zixuan - getting engaged to Wei Wuxian’s sister Jiang Yanli.

And then, suddenly, after so many years, they’re in frequent contact again - helping with planning the wedding - and, well...

For Wei Wuxian, it’s infuriating. There’s Lan Wangji, still quiet, still distant, and sometimes when Wei Wuxian glances his way, he can swear that he caught Lan Wangji looking at him with resentment and regret, which - that’s some fucking bullshit right there, cause it’s not Wei Wuxian who ditched Lan Wangji, not Wei Wuxian who caved to family pressure. That’s all Lan Wangji - what’s Lan Wangji got to resent?

For Lan Wangji, it’s awful. Wei Wuxian is at least 8 times more gorgeous than Lan Wangji remembers him being, tall and lithe, his hair long, his affect casual. Despite the same air of nonchalance he always projected, though, now he’s like that but ALSO educated, successful, and self-made. Every bad thing Lan Qiren said would come to pass for Wei Wuxian is now proven a lie, and Lan Wangji feels wretched about it. Even worse, Wei Wuxian is clearly single - and “ready to mingle,” as Lan Wangji believes the phrase goes. Literally anyone who breaths, of any gender, is apparently fair game, and Wei Wuxian flirts constantly, especially with members of Lan Wangji’s friends circle. Mo Xuanyu? The poor guy never knew what hit him. Lan Jingyi? Is like eight years to young for Wei Wuxian, but that doesn’t stop him. Ouyang Zizhen? Lan Wangji is pretty sure Wei Wuxian doesn’t even know Zizhen’s name - or his age - but again, when did any reasonable objection ever stop Wei Wuxian? Luo Qingyang? She’s a lesbian for fucks sake, but she apparently doesn’t mind, and even flirts back, and Wei Wuxian is incorrigible.

Maybe Lan Qiren was right after all.

Wei Wuxian is determined to flaunt what Lan Wangji missed out on, loudly and publicly. Mo Xuanyu does make for a fun fling, and Lan Jingyi is a good kisser but they never get farther than that. Ouyang Zizhen is definitely too young - and he’s straight - but he laughs along when Wei Wuxian is outrageous, and they understand each other. And Luo Qingyang...Wei Wuxian suspects she knows exactly what the score is, and is maybe even helping him.

Helping him make Lan Wangji miserable, that is.

Wei Wuxian is definitely not looking to accomplish anything else.

Unless he can secure a Plus One to the wedding, ideally one who can join the wedding party and stand beside Wei Wuxian when he and Jiang Cheng give Jiang Yanli away.

Cause, oh, the look on Lan Wangji’s face, if he’s forced to spend the entire wedding facing Wei Wuxian and his date? Priceless, definitely.

Lan Wangji is determined to give Wei Wuxian the space to do...whatever it is Wei Wuxian is doing. Wei Wuxian always was a whirlwind, and Lan Wangji has never wanted to control him, never known how to keep up. Still, it galls to see Wei Wuxian flirting, and it hurts to see Wei Wuxian act indifferently towards him, and it aches to remember that, had things been different, Lan Wangji could have been on the receiving end of all those lovely, carefree smiles.

Rather than deal with the difficulty he has breathing whenever he’s in the same room as Wei Wuxian is in the room, Lan Wangji throws himself into the logistic planning of the final weeks leading up to the wedding. He coordinates vendors. He soothes ruffled feathers. He makes sure the caterers know literally everyone’s dietary preferences and restrictions. He works, and he works, and he works, and he tries to do nothing but work, but sometimes...

...Wen Qing will wander by, take over his spreadsheet, and tell him to go socialize...

...or Wen Ning will intercept the decoration Lan Wangji was moving, lift it surprisingly effortlessly, and tell Lan Wangji to join the main gathering...

...or Luo Qingyang will come and lecture him about how hiding is dumb and maybe he’d actually meet someone new if he tried.

As if Lan Wangji will get to meet someone new.

As if Lan Qiren will let Lan Wangji be with them, even if Lan Wangji did.

They’re trying to help, but he can’t figure out why. Wen Qing and Wen Ning especially are barely even his friends - but they’re closer to Wei Wuxian than anyone else in the world...Lan Wangji can’t fathom what they’re up to. If he didn’t know better, he’d almost think they were trying to get him back together with Wei Wuxian? Which makes him think they don’t know Wei Wuxian half as well as they think they do, cause there’s no way that Wei Wuxian wants that - no way that Wei Wuxian wants him. Lan Wangji had his chance. He gets that.

(But, oh, it’d be nice to believe, even for a minute, even for a single dinner party, that maybe that would be something Wei Wuxian would want.)

But that’s impossible.

So Wei Wuxian flirts shamelessly.

And Lan Wangji hides behind duty and a stoic facade.

And the day of the wedding approaches - they get through the rehearsal dinner, the bachelor and bachelorette parties, the hangovers the next morning, all of it...and then it’s time.

Lan Wangji knows he should be watching Jin Zixuan, dressed in full Chinese traditional garb for an utterly Western style wedding, but instead he can’t keep his eyes off the opposite wedding party. Luo Qingyang is maid of honor, in a chongseom that makes no sense as either traditional Chinese or modern Western - and Jiang Yanli insisted on her brothers standing at her side, and so Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian are both there.

In tuxedos.

A sharp contrast to the robes in muted colors that Jin Zixuan picked out for his wedding party.

And Jiang Cheng still has a look on his face like he stepped in something gross and is too dignified to wipe it off on the carpeting, but Wei Wuxian...oh, Wei Wuxian is so perfect, absolutely flawless, and his pleasure is so obviious and uninhibited. From the moment the tent flaps open and Jiang Fengmian walks his daughter, in full Phoenix robes and an elaborate golden head dress (a family heirloom, no less), Wei Wuxian only has eyes for his sister, and his joy for her is spectacular and makes Lan Wangji’s chest ache.

As the ceremony commences - Western secular, seriously, what, not that it’s a surprise, Lan Wangji helped plan it, but it’s still weird - Lan Wangji looses himself in the rhythm of non-religious liturgy and imagining that, had his life gone differently, how Wei Wuxian looks now might have been how he’d have looked on their wedding day.

He wants that so badly.

He so, so desperately wishes that could have been.

For once, Lan Wangji isn’t wrong about Wei Wuxian’s train of thought. He’s got eyes for no one but Jiang Yanli - well, and a small aside of imagining all the ways he’ll make Jin Zixuan regret ever being born, should he ever hurt her. The ceremony passes so quickly he’s amazed - usually he’s super impatient and antsy during events like this - but no, he’s fine, he’s fine, he’s fine, he’s...and then it’s over, and he glances to the groom’s party, and he realizes...Lan Wangji is staring at him.

Reflecting back over the ceremony...Lan Wangji has been staring at him the whole time?

And seriously - what the fuck is up with that? What had Wei Wuxian done wrong this time? Was it the tux? Lan Wangji coordinated the rental, if he’d objected to the Western attire, he had plenty of time to say something. Was it the way Wei Wuxian was rocking back on his heels? As if Jiang Yanli didn’t know Wei Wuxian couldn’t stand still - as if she’d ever hold that against him! His mind scrambles through explanations, each more ridiculous and rude than the last...no matter what the reason is, he’s sure that his existence offends Lan Wangji, as it also offended Lan Qiren. If it didn’t, why would Lan Wangji have treated him so indifferently since they re-met?

(It definitely isn’t because Wei Wuxian has intentionally kept him at arms length, oh no, this - whatever this is - is absolutely entirely Lan Wangji’s fault.)

Still, now that he’s aware of Lan Wangji’s condemnation, Wei Wuxian can’t stop thinking about it. It preoccupies him all through agonizingly dull hour of taking group photographs in various places in the picturesque garden, and all through the brief period he actually gets to spend during the passed platter part of the reception - hors d’ouevres to tide the guests over while the family and wedding parties do the pictures - and all through the achingly dull meal. The food is good, Wei Wuxian supposes. The wedding has been nice, Wei Wuxian supposes. Jiang Yanli is elated, Wei Wuxian knows, and he’s delighted for her, but...somehow, the joy has drained out of the evening.

Fucking Lan Wangji - can’t behave himself for one fucking evening, he’s even going to ruin this for Wei Wuxian.

Fuck it - as soon as the meal is over, and the first dances done, and the reception switches from staid social affair to open bar dance party, Wei Wuxian resolves to get sloshed as fast as humanly possible. Anything to stop him from thinking so damn much.

Lan Wangji is one of a handful of designated drivers amongst the people in his generation - he’s expecting to do at least three runs back to the hotel, starting with the bride and groom, then all the Jin half-siblings, then probably the Jiangs, judging by how they’re behaving so far, and then...he doesn’t know, but he suspects there’ll be others. Looking around as the evening grows later, the music louder, and the dancing more raucous, he tries to do a mental tally, and realizes...something is wrong.

No, nothing is wrong...someone is missing.

Where’s Wei Wuxian?

Confused, Lan Wangji looks around again. Wei Wuxian had been dancing - with his sister, with his brother in law, with Luo Qingyang, with Mo Xuanyu, with the folks a half-generation younger like Lan Jingyi, with anyone or anyone, by himself...but no...Luo Qingyang is dancing with Wen Qing, if “intense dance floor frottage” can be considered dancing...and Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli are dancing together, and Mo Xuanyu is flirting with some guy Lan Wangji doesn’t recognize, and the half-generation younger folks are teasing some poor Jiang junior, and Wei Wuxian has been exuberantly present for much of the evening, and now he’s just...gone.

As drunk as Wei Wuxian appeared to be, that can’t be good.

So, concerned - just that Wei Wuxian is drunk and might have tried something dumb, like driving home himself, or gotten lost on the way to the bathroom, or needed to throw up, not about anything else, Lan Wangji is definitely not concerned about Wei Wuxian in any other respect - Lan Wangji goes in search of Wei Wuxian.

He checks around the outside of the tent - nothing.

He checks inside the venue’s main building - nothing.

He checks the bathrooms - nothing.

He checks the parking lots - nothing, and of course Wei Wuxian didn’t take a vehicle, he didn’t drive himself.

He checks everywhere he can think, as the night grows later and darker and the party proceeds and the oldest, most staid guests start to say their goodbyes.

Finally, tired, out of ideas, and disinterested in returning to the loud bright heat of the tent, Lan Wangji goes for a walk through the manicured grounds. Even in the dark of night, the place the Jin-Jiang’s chose is lovely. Scattered decorative lights cast barely enough light to navigate the lanes and paths, aided by a full moon and the occasional flicker of a firefly. There’s a koi pond in the center - they took a lot of pictures there - and a few stone benches around it, so Lan Wangji meanders in that direction. He can still hear the party. He’ll know when they need him. He really needs some time to himself - it’s all been too much.

He tries not to think too hard about what “it” actually refers to in that thought.

Nothing Wei Wuxian does diffuses the empty feeling in his chest; every drink, he feels worse. Every dance, he feels more like he’s putting on an act. His friends were starting to notice - Luo Qingyang and Wen Qing had exchanged a look and then rounded on him like they were going to pin him down and force him to...or try to force him to...talk about his ~feelings~, and so Wei Wuxian fled into the gardens, found a bench where he could listen to the soft sussuration of flowing water somehow audible over the thump of the bass, and breathe.

It’s been a long time since Wei Wuxian felt like he could breathe.

He still doesn’t feel like he can breathe.

Which is ridiculous, he knows, and he’s in the process of going into extensive internal detail of why it’s ridiculous when a damn ghost steps into the clearing around the koi pond...

...no, not a ghost...it’s Lan Wangji, cheeks pale from how much time he spends in doors, robes nearly white when their pale blue is washed out by the moonlight, hair raven falling about his shoulders. His headband frames his noble brow, and his corsage rains a trail of vining flowers over one shoulder like some strange epaulette, and oh, he’s gorgeous, and Wei Wuxian recognizes, to his horror, in that instant...

...he’s never, ever, ever been over Lan Wangji, and he never will be...

...and he’ll never, ever, ever get to be with Lan Wangji. Like, ever.

Lan Wangji is staring at him.

Fuck Wei Wuxian’s life.

“I’ll just...go...” Wei Wuxian mumbles.

The statement hangs heavy in the night air as Wei Wuxian rises, straightens his tux, heads toward the pathway that Lan Wangji just entered from...and then stops.

Because Lan Wangji has grabbed his forearm.

“Oh come on, man - what the fuck?” Wei Wuxian demands, yanking his arm away. “Look, I get it, I’m your least favorite person - well, the wedding’s done, you’ll never have to see me again if you don’t want. Is that what you want? Would that finally make you happy?”

He’s breathing hard by the time he stops talking, and Lan Wangji is still staring at him, and Wei Wuxian wants to flee - not to the tent, but to...literally anywhere...anywhere that Lan Wangji isn’t...except he can’t make his legs work, and he can’t seem to move, and Lan Wangji won’t. stop. staring. and then Lan Wangji opens his mouth, and it seems to be in slow motion, and is he actually going to speak, holy shit, Lan Wangji hasn’t said a word to Wei Wuxian since he said, “good bye” ten years ago, and then of all the fucking things to come out of Lan Wangji’s mouth, all he says is,

“No.”

“Wha...why...ho...WHAT?”

“You asked, ‘is that what I want? Would that make me happy?’ The answer is no, Wei Ying. That is not what I want. That would not make me happy.”

“Oh. Well. Fucking good for you.” Wei Wuxian doesn’t even know what the fuck he’s saying. He doesn’t know what the fuck Lan Wangji is saying. All he knows is that being there hurts, and he’s so damn tired of hurting, and Lan Wangji already destroyed him once...

...and I’d give anything for five minutes with him, even if I know he’ll likely destroy me again...

“What do you want?” asks Lan Wangji, like he actually cares about the answer, and Wei Wuxian can only goggle at him, because he was so so incredibly clear about what he wanted ten years ago - he even fucking asked Lan Wangji to marry him, said, “I’ll do anything, conquer any challenge - we can make this life together, Lan Zhan,” and Lan Wangji had just said, “Good bye,” and now, now, Lan Wangji wants to know what Wei Wuxian wants? What gives him the right? What gives him the entitlement? What gives him the audacity?

What makes him think anything Wei Wuxian wants has changed?

But Wei Wuxian can’t say that, can he...?

The silence stretches out between them.

Neither moves.

Neither speaks.

Fireflies flit around them.

Lan Wangji dreads Wei Wuxian answering, dreads him walking away, dreads losing this last precious moment they share, even though the tension of this moment is so awful that Lan Wangji fears it will break him.

“What would you say if...if I said that all I want...is all I’ve ever wanted?” whispers Wei Wuxian, like he’s terrified.

Lan Wangji has no idea why he’s terrified.

Lan Wangji has no idea what he means.

He asks with a raised brow, and Wei Wuxian laughs awkwardly. “Naw, I can’t do the ‘silent Lan act’ right now. Use your words, I’m fucking right out of here, okay?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll try.” It’s ludicrously hard, but...for Wei Wuxain, Lan Wangji will always try, always regret that he didn’t try harder when he should have. “I...don’t understand. You say...what you always wanted. A degree. A found family. Your siblings at your side. A pet rabbit. An apartment with a bidet. A signed copy of ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.’ There were many things you said you wanted. I’m afraid I’m unclear which you mean.”

“You...you remember all that dumb shit I said back then?” Wei Wuxian sounds astonished. How can Wei Wuxian sound astonished? How can Wei Wuxian believe Lan Wangji would have forgotten a minute of those wonderful days - the best of his life?

“Mn.”

“Well, none of that shit’s what I mean. Got most of it anyway. Bidets are awesome. But Lan Wangj...Lan Zhan...”

His name, said in that sweet voice, causes a tingle to go down Lan Wangji’s spine.

“...all I’ve ever wanted was you.”

Lan Wangji’s jaw drops.

“And you told me to fuck right out of your life when I asked for that, so...fuck, what am I even still doing here?”

“Kissing me.”

“Wha--”

Lan Wangji interrupts Wei Wuxian’s confused exclamation with action - grapping Wei Wuxian’s shoulders and pulling him into a kiss. It’s rude, and inappropriate, and consent - what consent? - and Wei Wuxian doesn’t reciprocate but...oh well. Lan Wangji has already ruined his love life. At least he can have one kiss to remember fondly, to cherish, to--

--and then Wei Wuxian has an arm around Lan Wangji’s shoulder, their bodies pressed together, their lips moving as one, and oh, it’s good - glorious - Lan Wangji could weep he’s so happy. They kiss, and kiss, and kiss, shifting in the moonlight, lost in their embrace. Lan Wangji is breathless and growing dizzy, but he’s terrified to put space between them - what if this is goodbye? What if it’s just Wei Wuxian flirting, like he flirts with everyone? What if...what if...what if...

But finally, they do part, and scantly, bodies still close, embrace still maintained, faces inches apart.

“What’s going on, Lan Zhan?” asks Wei Wuxian weakly.

“I kissed you.”

“Yeah...got that part...but why...?”

“I know I’ve no right to ask this...but would you try again? With me? With us? Would you--?”

Wei Wuxian is kissing him again before Lan Wangji can finish the question.

Wei Wuxian can’t believe that’s a real question Lan Wangji has to ask - as if Wei Wuxian wouldn’t have taken Lan Wangji back anytime, at the drop of a hat, over the past decade.

(Okay, that’s unfair...Wei Wuxian’s actually been a huge dick about it...he knows Lan Wangji had no independent living, and relied on his family, and Wei Wuxian was just some aimless jackass, and, and, and...but it still stung that Lan Wangji wouldn’t throw all cares to the wind to be with Wei Wuxian, as Wei Wuxian would have done - had done - to be with Lan Wangji.)

But it feels dumb to dwell on that when Lan Wangji is in his arms, kissing him so eagerly, asking if he’ll try again.

Because of fucking course Wei Wuxian will try again.

“I don’t know what that means, Wei Ying,” says Lan Wangji with obvious frustration.

Kiss.

“It means yes,” Wei Wuxian replies.

Kiss.

“Yes?”

Kiss.

“Yes.”

Kiss.

“Always?”

Kiss.

“If you’ll have me back...”

Kiss.

“As if I’d ever turn you down!”

Kiss.

“Already did once...”

Kiss.

“And regretted it endlessly.”

Kiss.

“Good. You deserved at least that much suffering.”

Kiss.

“Deserved it, and more.”

Kiss.

“I suppose I’ll forgive you, if...”

Kiss.

“Anything. Just tell me.”

Kiss.

Oh, Wei Wuxian has so many ideas, and he delights in teasing Lan Wangji with each and every one, whispered between husky breaths in to the cooling air, interrupting himself constantly to kiss, and kiss, and kiss.

They’re still making out by the koi pond when Wen Qing and Luo Qingyang come looking for the promised designated driver.

They don’t even consult - or consider interrupting - when they do find the two idiots locked in an embrace. As one, the ladies turn, exchange a silent, smug high-five, and pull out their phones to order Ubers.

They can pay for rides for the Bride and Groom and family members and other drunken party goers.

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian have a lot of catching up to do.

(and done)

(oops, this got long)

(and yes, this is absolutely a mash up of a modern AU with the lyrics to “Go Back to You” with a healthy dose of the plot of Jane Austen’s “Persuasion.”)

[freedom-of-fanfic]

Christian anon here, & I was dismayed when a recent reblog post stated in regard to Christian sexual morality & I quote "“all sex outside of marriage is evil” . This is at best a very poor interpretation & I apologize to the poster if they have been exposed to this mindset. For us, sex is something very sacred, so sacred that we reserve it to a man & a woman who have, via Matrimony, promised before God & each other to love, honor and mutually obey each other. 1 of 2

Outsideof marriage, it doesn't make sex "evil", but it does make a sin,something we strive to avoid, not always easy because humans are inherentlyflawed and fallible. Sadly, there are far too many Christians caught up in thepurity culture mentality who make a bigger deal out of sexual sin than theyshould about other sins (sins against social justice as a big for instance). Idon't like this mindset either, and thankfully, there are more Christianspushing back against it. 2 of 2

Hi,Christian anon. I understand where you’re coming from because I am alsoChristian (a queer Christian, which makes for an interesting life sometimes).And I agree with pretty much everything you’ve said here regarding a truly Christian perspective on sexoutside of marriage vs the purity culture bullshit (my point of disagreement isthat I think ‘sin’ and ‘evil’ are usually treated as synonymous).  It is, in fact, the least Christian thing inthe world to go around trying to control people’s behavior.  

But. (there’s always a ‘but’ with me.)

I spent a huge chunk of today writing this and cutting it back because it kept turning into a theological dumping ground, which I don’t want it to be. but I’m throwing the majority of this post behind a cut because it’s inevitably sensitive stuff, considering how much pain (and death, tbh) Christianity-as-law-bludgeon has caused.

tl;dr: Christianity and secular law don’t mix well. Whenever it’s tried, things get real hellish real quick for a lot of people. Especially for people who are judged as ‘sexually immoral’. 

(warnings for binary/cisgender language b/c the Bible doesn’t really address being nb or trans in particular.)

In thepost you are responding to, I called the Catholic Church the source ofanti-prostitution law in the United States. I said that it was because the US legislationwas founded on Western Europe legislation, and Western Europe legislation wasfounded on the legislation of the Catholic Church. And to be fair this is aglib and simplistic illustration of cause & effect – for starters, it skipsover Protestantism and the Age of Reason – but I’ll stand by the heart of it.  Laws about sex work – sexual interactions ofany kind between consenting people of age, actually – in Western Europe &the US find likely origin in the inevitably disastrous mixture of Christianityand lawmaking, which originated in the institution of the Catholic Church.

Christianityas an organized religion does not playwell with the power to make law. 

The inevitable product of trying toenforce Christian values via lawmaking is purity culture, authoritarianism, andviolence. This is because human law cannot enforce having moral character: wecan only judge actions and behavior, not thoughts or feelings. We can’t makekindness or uprightness into law: what is kind and upright behavior towards oneperson may be cruelty to another. (Not to say that Christianity is the only religion that mixes poorly with law,but Christians often deny that a religion founded on benevolence andforgiveness can be totalitarian. But the joke is: totalitarian law is no lesstotalitarian because its author wrote it to encourage ‘morality’ and ‘righteousness’.The joke is: God never forces His morals down anyone’s throat, so who are you to do it on His behalf?

I mean: theologicallyspeaking, one of the central tenants of Christianity is that law is insufficientand ill-fitted to guide our complicated, morally gray human existence. To methis seems like a huge giveaway that Christian principles and the law arefundamentally incompatible concepts.)

In its mostmature iterations, Christianity-as-law is

sexist

misogynistic

patronizing

anti-intellectual

controlling to the point of micromanagement via fear and shame

emotionallyabusive and denigrating individual worth

unforgiving of moral failings

hypocritical

judges others by assumptions about their thoughts and motivations

holds peopleto unachievable standards of ‘morality’ without kindness, and

punishes disobedience/noncomplianceviolently and without mercy. 

It takes on God’s role as implacable judge, jury,and executioner, and holds the benevolent forgiveness promised by Jesus hostagein exchange for good behavior. How is the law God supposed to have mercyon you when it’s clear you’ll just abuse that mercy? Prove your worth first. (spoilers: you’ll never be approved.) 

TheCatholic Church, born of Christianity shaking hands with the power to make lawvia Constantine's outreach, is my Exhibit A. at the peak of its legislativeinfluence and power, it severely set back human health, education, and wealthin Europe and West Asia and presided over multiple military excursions into theMiddle East in the name of conquering Jerusalem on God’s behalf (the literalCrusades, yes). 

And I’d argue that this conquering spirit has been Christianity’sAchilles Heel ever since: a thread of shitty, shitty colonialist bullshit,through Anglicanism and Protestantism and Puritanism, that even now is buildingits latest thunderhead in the shape of ‘dominionist’ Christianity here inAmerica (if you are not familiar with it, suffice to say it is a secretive butwell-spread cultish thinking that straightforwardly holds that Christianitymust be legislated into place all over the world or Jesus can’t come back. Youcan’t make this stuff up.)

Bringingit back into to the sex thing, though: the Old Testament has multiple mentionsof laws forbidding sex work, and the New Testament, at least 50% written by theunmarried apostle Paul, has a lot of recommendations about being married toprevent being tempted by sex outside of marriage and the like. Extramarital lustand sexual immorality are also credited with multiple instances ofjump-starting unfortunate Biblical events and described by Paul as the only ‘sinagainst the body’ (1 Corinthians 6). In fact, Paul was kinda ‘eh’ on the wholehaving sex thing in general. In the same verse, he mentions in passing that itwould be better for men to not have sex at all if it’s possible for them.

Christianity-as-law is thus morally obligatedto make sex outside of marriage and anything that tempts people into sexoutside of marriage illegal. It’s the moral thing to do. Sex work has to go. Andbecause Biblical marriage can only be between a (cis) man and a (cis) woman*, same-gendersex has to go too. And extrapolate Paul’s offhand ‘male celibacy is ideal, tbh’into the harshest and narrowest form of lawful judgement that you can and youget ‘anything that makes men want to have sex is clearly dragging (cis) men down fromthe best possible person they could be. (people cis men see as ) women being beautiful makes men wantsex! (perceived) women are bad! Punish women formaking men want sex!’

Is thiswhat God calls for? I don’t think so.But historically speaking, this is what we get when Christians try to take thelegislative reins on God’s behalf.

And it’sfrankly hilarious that supposed Christians are acting as if it’s possible tosave people from their own sin by making sinillegal. When you check in with Jesus on the interaction between God’s lawand secular law, his response is simply ‘follow both’**. He also hung out withsex workers pretty much constantly during his ministry, never condemning them fortheir line of work even though it was explicitly against Jewish law to be a sexworker, because he recognized that human-enforced law – even law laid down byGod – can’t account for all the circumstances of human life or account for thereasons people do things that are, on their face, unlawful. That grace –literally the opposite of law – was kind of the point of his being born in thefirst place.

 *Regardlessof what one’s opinion is about how the Bible defines marriage, that doesn’tmean that secular law has to share that definition. Especially when it createsa religious discrimination against LGBTQ+ people for completely secularmarriage benefits like tax breaks and visitation rights. (that’s the entire pointof this essay, oh my god.)

**ReferencingMark 12:13-17. Jesus also calls out the people asking him for trying to get himin trouble with the Roman authorities.

[bigyack-com]

The anti-CAA protests have hit a wall. Here is why - analysis

The widespread and sustained protests against the discriminatory Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) have altered the political landscape in multiple ways, not least by dispelling the gloom which had descended on the opposition (political and civil society) after the Lok Sabha elections. The lakhs of demonstrators, waving the Tricolour and reciting the preamble to the Constitution, have been able to infuse a sense of freshness and idealism in a foundational value — secularism — which had seemingly lost all resonance in our polity. And in protests after protests, we have witnessed the potential of new leadership, both assertive and articulate.However, we are at an impasse. The logic of protests requires a receptive government, to acknowledge dissent, and open dialogue to build a fresh consensus. However, the government has not only chosen to disregard the protests; it has chosen to also use these as a counterpoint to consolidate majority. Through the last month, there was a sense of build-up for the Supreme Court (SC) hearing, but those hopes stand belied, for now, with the court refusing to stay the CAA law in the interim. Procedural delays on key cases — be it demonetisation, habeas corpus and communications shut down petitions in Kashmir, and now the CAA — have ended up aiding the executive, leaving protesters with limited choices.Hence the question, which kept recurring in the background of the protests — what next — has acquired urgency. The protests have some key characteristics which bear discussion. First, the protests have been avowedly leaderless. The protests used social media to “announce” venues where people spontaneously showed up. In places where the protests have been continuous, such as Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, a local organising committee has come up to manage the logistics. However, if the crowds don’t show up tomorrow in response to social media calls, there is no organisational structure to mobilise them. Second, while the language and manner of protests across the country may be similar, the protests themselves are separate and autonomous. Over time, a collective platform has been attempted, but this has not resulted in leadership or organisation. This leaderless and organisation-less “strategy” may have been necessitated in the early days because there are no leaders who have the ability or legitimacy to exert authority over the expanse of the protests, in part because the bulk of the numbers have come from Muslims, while the narrative has been led by Left- liberals. Third, now that the protests are completing two months, there’s the sense that the positive outreach has not been able to go beyond their initial constituency.It would be presumptuous for anyone who has not faced the brunt of the mainstreamed hate and bigotry to nudge the protesters in any direction, but it is perhaps time to ask whether the protests will remain an expression of a section of citizens’ dissent or evolve into a political movement. While both choices are valid, the way forward is different for both. The protests have achieved considerable normative success; but without a change of tack, it is difficult to see this translate into political victory, because the constituency of supporters remains limited, the government adamant, and countervailing institutional forces ambivalent. There are indications too of counter-mobilisation and consolidation.For the protests to evolve into a viable political movement, the open-ended creative anarchy will have to be forged into something more enduring and expansive, but also routine organisation, decision-making structures, alliances and compromises. There will need to be clarity on the purpose of the movement: Whether it is to preserve the secular liberal nature of our country, whether it is to oust the Bharatiya Janata Party government from the Centre, or, in this instance, limited to the repeal of the CAA and stopping the National Population Register and National Register of Citizens. The three objectives are connected but different, and entail different methods and strategy. If the purpose is to preserve the secular, liberal foundations of our country, then attempts have to be made to convert much more public opinion in favour of secularism and pluralism. It will require mainstreaming democratic mores in our society so that exclusionary and authoritarian forces are unable to use democratic processes to come to power. Ousting the BJP requires something more tactical and short-term, where interim normative victories may be subsumed in favour of electoral victory. The last option is important, but perhaps may find greater political traction by shifting focus away from religion (CAA) to the larger exclusionary process of documentation of citizenship (NRC) of the populace as a whole. The second open question is on methods: Protests are an assertion of the strength of those who are already on our side of the debate, but it is not clear that the current balance of power is favourably inclined towards the protesters. Clarity is required on the methods to change this balance of power. The protesters have to decide how they want to engage with the political process. Protests are democratic and constitutional, and for the average citizens, who may have felt beleaguered, empowering. At the same time, normative certitude, delinked from political outcomes, can lead to alienation from the democratic process itself. Ultimately, in a democracy, sustaining normative victories too requires engagement with institutional processes.Ruchi Gupta is joint secretary, All India Congress CommitteeThe views expressed are personal Read the full article

[jewish-philosophy]

In Hasidic Williamsburg

About a year after growing as an observant Jewish person, I began to explore communities outside of my own general area of Atlanta. I had yet to be immersed into a particular area that’s as traditional as Williamsburg. I have been in areas that have Haredim, but most of the time, I have not been to a town completely  immersed in Yiddishkeit. I had already heard of what many call “Hasidic Williamsburg”.

After conflicts in Europe, many dynasties of Chasidish Rebbes found safe haven in America - mostly in metro New York City as place to grow. Williamsburg along with Borough Park and Crowned Heights became places for the growth of traditional Jewish life. It wasn’t always common to see many people in New York City being Shomer Shabbos. Secular Jewish people had been becoming more observant over the decades. This is known as the Baal Teshuvah movement. Jewish outreach became more common from the 1960’s forward with the important people such as Shlomo Carlebach and Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, who dedicated their lives to help bring people closer to HaShem and the Jewish people.

Upon leaving the airport, I realized I needed to find an effective way to get to Monsey. Shortly before getting to the exit of the airport, I saw two Frum people (non-Hasidim) entering into the airport, and I asked them if they knew I way to get to Monsey. They said that if I go to Brooklyn, I could get a ride to Monsey from there. When I left the airport building, there was someone assigning people to taxis. That person asked me where was I heading, I didn’t know the address of a particular place to go to in Brooklyn, so I told him that I wanted to go to the nearest Jewish “part of town”, and he said “Williamsburg”. He then told me to go to the cab across the road. I quickly walked passed the road, and realized a cab pulled from my left and quickly stopped. It then occurred to me that I would have to watch where I walk when crossing each road which wasn’t much of an issue in the Suburbs of Georgia. The driver of the cab I was going to asked me where I was headed, so I typed in “Williamsburg Shul” and the first to appear was  Congregation Yetev Lev. It was a Satmar Shul on Rodney Street.  I said to the cab driver “150 Rodney Street”. He then said what road it “crossed” with. I didn’t know and would have to look up. I then realized that knowing what road a place intersects with is normally how drivers figure out how to get to places. Now, I realized that people may say something like “24th and 48th” when referring to the street block intersections.

As we were driving, I realized he was Jamaican and from a brief discussion on Islander culture, the conversation eventually lead into us talking about Jewish topics. The driver believed that Trump was not antisemitic mentioning how Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, converted to Judaism and married Jared Kushner. The driver then talked about how he would buy gifts for his Jewish lawyer in the Hasidish part of Williamsburg that we were headed towards.

I decided to be dropped off before Rodney Street in the general area of Hasidish Williamsburg. I chose to stop the cab after seeing the first road that had people wearing Frum attire. This was the beginning of that area shortly after a bridge. I then proceeded towards the area where I begun to see people wearing Shtreimels and Bekishes. I was looking all around me at this new environment as if I was exploring a continent I haven’t been to.

I remembered learning that on Shushan Purim, Hasidim wear their Shabbos and Yom Tov attire. More and more of them would walk by. Ideally, Frum experience was more interesting than what I could potentially have been doing in the secular, elitist, and “hip” part of Brooklyn. Though, personally, the secular content of the other side of Williamsburg did not interest me. When walking around the streets of this part of town, I was internally thinking “Shtreimels! Shtreimels everywhere! I’m totally in the right part of town!” given I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life. There was an unbelievably enormous amount of Yiddishkeit in this part of town. I walked along the sidewalks looking above in awe at the mere social atmosphere of this community viewings of the environment around me.

I then saw various Hasidim walking towards a building. I was curious what kind of building it was since you couldn’t always tell from the outside.  I asked them if it was a Shul. They said yes. So I walked in. It seemed like a small, compacted Shul.

Upon preparing for the trip, I had the plan of giving Tzedakah to Frum Jewish people but never had a specific plan on who, what, when, or where to do it. I realized that Williamsburg would be a good place for that.

The Rebbe of the Shul then saw me, and I talked to him for a little bit. I asked which Dynasty this was part of, and he said it was Nanash which I’ve never heard of before. I then decided to donate to a dollar to this Shul. He then showed me various folder slots where I could put one in. It may have been that seeing me with Tzitzis and a Kippa, along with casual street clothes, didn’t stop him from being hospitable despite not having the Hasidic appearance.

I then left that Shul looking for something to eat since the place didn’t have much, and I was also interested in seeing more of the area knowing that I’d eventually have to get to Monsey before the blizzard. I found another Shul where I heard someone talking over a microphone. It was a Satmar Shul. When entering the first people to see me gave me a look that showed that they didn’t know what I was doing there. The Rabbi talking through an intercom and was discussing Purim in Yiddish. It then occurred to me that they really do emphasize on the distinct accent by using the Hasid’sh way of pronouncing Purim as “Pirim”. It was that word that made me realize they were discussing Purim since the fast-paced Yiddish wasn’t something I could keep up with. I then felt like this was another place to donate money to, and saw kids collecting charity. I then gave multiple kids one dollar each. The kids looked very enthusiastic to receive these donations from someone like me - given that I didn’t look Hasidish.

I found a small Kosher grocery store. When being close to entering the store, I saw a young Hasidish man (probably around my age) walking into the store. I decided to say hit to him. He then gave me that look as if I was doing something not socially ideal. It then occurred to me that I was thinking with my more Southern mindset where saying hi to everyone is more acceptable.

In the store, was a pack of pre-made scrambled egg for a little less than four dollars. For some reason, I decided not to buy it. The cashier had a Russian accent, and we briefly spoke in Russian. I asked him if there were any Kosher restaurants near by...

When leaving the store, a Frum person in a black hat started asking asking if I was lost. I told him I was trying to get to Yeshivah Ohr Somayach in Monsey. He then told me that I could use the Monsey Trails bus to get there. When asking if I wanted to eat anything, I said I’d probably buy something in the area, and he decided to show me this free-soup kitchen around the block. It was a place where some local Frum people would gather to eat.

I wanted to wash my hands before eating but couldn’t find the soap. The young man helping people out only knew Yiddish. When trying to say “Soap”, he didn’t understand. So I pulled out my smartphone and googled “Yiddish for Soap”. The word “Zeyfer” was the Yiddish word for Soap, so I said “Zeyfer, Zeyfer.”, and he then suddenly seemed to understand what I wanted to directed me to the soap.

After washing my hands, I got a place and begun serving myself  with a piece of bread, some egg salad and multiple slices of Gefilte Fish on it. After sitting down, I could hear tons of people saying “Gefilte” within their own conversations in Yiddish which I did not fully understand but could assume that they were talking about me and my large quantity of Gefilte Fish.

Because I wanted to give more people Tzedakah, I pulled all of the coins out of my wallet, and tried to find someone to give it to. Given that I was wearing street clothes and was walking around with coins in my hand, when trying to ask someone if they needed Tzedakah (since I didn’t know Yiddish I just said “Tzedakah?” two times, and then man I was intending to donate money to pulls out some coins and puts them in my hand (that already had coins). It then occurred to me that this man may have thought that I was the poor one begging for money when I was really trying to make a charitable donation.

I then benched on my meal, and then left the area. Still waiting for the bus, I decided to check out the local Shul, and found Yetev Lev. It was a Satmar Shul. I found more people to give donations and used the coins I got from the soup kitchen to put it in that Tzedakah box in this Shul. In a way, the Hasidim were indirectly donating to each other with me as the intermediary.

It then came time for Mincha. I had realized I entered what I now know as a “Minyan Factory”. There were plenty of rooms for different minyanim one after another. I didn’t attend the first one but attended the second one. In that room, I heard their way of pronunciations of words like “Ameyn” which they pronounced as “Umayn”. Surprisingly, I was able to keep up with their davening despite not fully recognizing this dialect, I was able to keep up with them by merely reading along with the Hebrew script in the Siddur. Given there was no English translation in the Siddurim, my recognition of the Hebrew text was how I was able to understand what was happening around me.

The words of my own personal thoughts on Observant communities are still the same from when I was secular “The Haredim are rejecting and revolting against modern world”. I could still make the same statement now except for the fact that my tone in how I say it is much more positive given that I’m less secular. When one is adapted to various commodities in postmodern societies, it can be easier for such an individual to say the above statement with negativity, but overtime, I have turned around to a much more positive view on the statement.

Eventually, I found someone who knew some English.  He said he lived in Monsey and was waiting for the same bus I was waiting for. When he asked me where I’m from, I told him I’m from “Atlanta” He said he doesn’t know where that was. I decided it not to go into detail about that because I didn’t want to over-expose him to the outside world given he’s clearly been able to be purely  preserved this far in life.  We later talked about Yiddishkeit, and then asked him if he could help me put on Tefillin. Later, I found more people to give Tzedakah to. I saw someone dressed with a fancier Bikishes, and for some reason,I thought it was the Satmar Rebbe, Aaron Teitelbaum. So I went up to him and started talking to him. So I asked the younger bokher near him “Is that the Satmar Rebbe?”, and he said “No, that’s my dad” then told his dad that I thought he was the Satmar Rebbe. The individual who I thought was the Satmar Rebbe, then told me that his son needed to stay in Yeshivah and talked about the hopes for the son to get married. So I gave that person some money.

The only reason why I was even in New York on that Monday was because I had to reschedule my flight to be a day earlier in order to not get stuck in the snow storm. Had it not been for that snowstorm, I would have not been able to be there on Shushan Purim experiencing this.

[cryallaloneblog-blog]

Is Church Advertising and marketing Evil

Some individuals believe that the church might be simpler by making use of procedures mostly and effectively used in organization today, like marketing. In actual fact there are firms that exclusively support churches build a logo, a slogan, a web site, brochures, as well as a multi-faceted internet marketing marketing campaign much the same way other companies establish these elements to start a whole new business.

On the flip side, a lot of people abhor these practices and Consider the church need to stay as much far from them as feasible. They believe advertising is deceptive, manipulative, superficial, worldly, and Of course - evil.

And afterwards there's the middle ground where by I think The majority of us locate ourselves. We would like our churches to reach more and more people in our communities. We wish to Convey the passion and love we have for God and people. If men and women would just come to a Sunday support, we know God would show up and contact their hearts and clearly show them the wonderful everyday living they could have with Him in it. We want to Enable people understand about the prospects God has for them, but it's so hard to get people's consideration Within this media-saturated tradition. We wish to get to out, but we don't want resort to hoopla, gimmicks, or starkly company strategies.

Is marketing and advertising just how to try this, or is internet marketing evil?

Objections to church internet marketing usually slide into 1 of four types.

one) Marketing and advertising is manipulative.

Lots of people think that internet marketing is inherently manipulative, that advertising is about overselling optimistic and concealing the unfavorable, or that promoting needs to Engage in to folks's fears or feelings for being helpful.

Now should you be a corporation providing something that is terrible for individuals like tabloid magazines or junk foods, manipulation is pretty much your only option. But should you offer a thing that is truly advantageous to men and women, then there is not any purpose to be manipulative or disingenuous. Churches assist people hook up with God, and through that relationship people uncover unconditional love, peace, every day steerage, goal for their lives, community, and eternal lifetime. No other Firm on earth can match that.

2) Promoting is superficial.

Other people declare that advertising encourages design and style over material. You sell the sizzle not the steak, appropriate? You notify men and women what they want to hear, correct?

Sad to say, I feel lots of churches truly are responsible of advertising and marketing superficial elements of who They're SEO in order to attract people today. I have found quite a few church buildings talk about acquiring the rockin'est worship band, the funnest Children system, The good youth rec making, or most inspiring messages. You will find almost nothing Mistaken with staying rockin', entertaining, great, and inspiring, but when Individuals are the reasons you might be telling individuals they need to attend your church, then That is what men and women are going to be expecting. At that point You should either keep things superficial, which defeats The entire intent of aiding persons to connect with God, or You should "bait and swap" In regards to the really hard aspects of subsequent Christ.

But in this article yet again churches have a benefit In relation to advertising since they Will not ought to be superficial. A church does not have to claim to provide the rockin'est worship band when it can provide a worship knowledge the place people can hook up with God through new music and terms they will relate to and signify with all their hearts. It does not have to hold the funnest Little ones system when it can provide small children a spiritual and ethical Basis in a very placing they'll enjoy and bear in mind.

In fact, churches that marketplace themselves on style are lacking a large opportunity since the church has so much substance to provide, and deep down individuals definitely do want compound.

three) Promoting sucks.

A further objection individuals have to church advertising and marketing in particular is that It is really just flat out embarrassingly poor. Lots of church advertising and marketing is not only unoriginal but it really's beating a dead horse which was lifeless a decade in the past. I can't describe how much I cringe anytime I see a church indication which has a tacky Christian cliché on it. And when I see One more "Received Jesus?" t-shirt, I might not be capable of preserve myself from chasing right after the individual which has a lighter.

The reality is a lot of church promoting is embarrassingly lousy, nevertheless it doesn't have to be. That's why the Center for Church Communications started off the Church Marketing and advertising Sucks blog. Church buildings are led via the Creator in the universe, and so church buildings really should direct the world in creativeness, originality, and inspiration. Executing marketing very well is not really an hard work to "out-amazing" other church buildings or sustain with secular advertising and marketing traits, but alternatively to express exactly what the church is centered on in ways that expose our Artistic, inspiring God.

four) Internet marketing is troublesome.

Most of us despise commercials that interrupt our favourite TV demonstrate, suitable? (I thank God for my DVR!) We hate unsolicited mail. We despise the unlimited promos firstly of the movie. We dislike it when someone rings our doorbell all through supper to provide us Publications. The very last thing church buildings ought to be undertaking is irritating people today, correct?

Effectively, Certainly, but I have not run into a church nonetheless that wants to harass individuals. Internet marketing does not have to become bothersome. Would you at any time seem in the ads from the Sunday paper? Ever save that $five off coupon that came during the mail? Advertising and marketing is bothersome when it is actually for some thing you're not interested in or It is at a nasty time, but once we're considering one thing and also the timing is right, we actually enjoy it. The real key is receiving information to the ideal folks at the proper time.

That is why it is so crucial that the church have a great Web page and that it's featured prominently in serps. If The important thing is obtaining information and facts to the ideal persons at the ideal time, what can be a lot better than obtaining information regarding your church to somebody that is hunting for a church once they're searching?

What exactly is Marketing and advertising?

Eventually, I feel Element of The main reason why some Christians Imagine internet marketing is evil is as they affiliate internet marketing with promotion. But marketing and advertising is far broader than promotion. Here are a few definitions of marketing I have come across...

"Advertising and marketing is basically sharing your like. Your passion. Your belief."

"Advertising and marketing is solely the transfer of enthusiasm from just one particular person to a different."

Who won't desire to share their appreciate, enthusiasm and belief for God and their church?

Not surprisingly church internet marketing attempts are certainly not a substitute for private evangelism. In truth, individual evangelism might be significantly Increased by rendering it a Section of the overall church promoting system. A church that develops a terrific Web-site and supplies printed brochures, invitation playing cards, and outreach situations might make individual evangelism initiatives much easier and more practical.

Kurt Steinbrueck could be the writer of the Church Marketing Online weblog. He continues to be Director of selling Companies with Ourchurch.Com for over five several years giving Christian seo expert services which include providers unique for church advertising remedies and private college promoting. Kurt is also a Deacon at his church.