#wax paper is the devil don't use it

[evelynneskitchen]

Nov 30th - Olive Focaccia Bread <3

My original plan was to make olive ciabatta loaves but I made focaccia after realising I had olive oil. The recipe was totally made up and just went with the flow but I was so happy with how it turned out because I was so terrified it wouldn't turn out.

Not only did it exceed my expectations but I had made myself happy cry because I was so proud of myself. It also taught me to just trust myself and it's not a big deal if it doesn't turn out.

I was even proud of the bottom. I did also learn that wax paper is the devil when it comes to making bread so don't ever use it! I ran out of parchment and it was the only thing I had left and it stuck to the bottom so badly. I was sitting there for like 10-15 minutes just trying to peel the wax paper off. Then it was sliced then put into containers and devoured within three days. Gave a little bite to my mum and she just about lost her mind but she's gluten-free and I have no idea how to frick around with that shit. She is learning to make some gf stuff herself and she's learning.

Here is the recipe I kind of remember:

1 package of dry active yeast. (I used Fleischmann yeast) - I find its the best) Activated it in water like the instructions said. Prepared a very wet dough because was intending to make ciabatta and then I realized I had olive oil.

I basically went with my 3 cups of flour recipe that I stick with when making bread. Made sure the dough was nice and wet after letting her mix in my stand mixer. Let her sit and rise for probably an hour or so. I also put like a bunch of spices in the dough along with the brine the olives were in. Chopped up the olives and lightly coated them with flour so they would stay suspended in the bread when it baked.

I didn't really knead this dough, I just kind of let her rise for a while. Tuck and fold her and let her sit for a while again. Then I put her in the fridge overnight to ferment and put the yeasties into a lil nap.

Then I took her out in the morning the next day while the oven preheated. Let her come to room temperature. Folded her one last time then put her in a pan to spread out and proof one last time before going into the oven.

I don't even remember what temp I cooked her at. I think it was 350°C I think that temp is right because I remember she was in there for like 30 minutes and I just kept checking every ten minutes to make sure she had a nice beautiful golden brown top.

I also remember sprinkling rosemary on the top and more olive oil.

(I was trying to recreate the ACE Olive ciabatta loaf and ended up with focaccia... Ahh the beautiful little mistakes we make...)

Since living on my own I have found my love for cooking again. I love it so much but sometimes I wish I still had someone around to try it with me because my mum can't try a lot of things I eat because she's gf. I mean I'm lactose intolerant but I do make a lot of my recipes with lactose-free ingredients. I also can't give up gluten because bread is life.

[napkinscrawls]

.Love letters. .Serenading.

Swiss/Rain/OC | 416 words | the polycule try romanticism | Rain & his simps

Three ghouls find a use for all the paper they 'find' in the Church. AO3

Small scraps of paper are commonly found all over the Church, for all its technological advances many believers still craved the use of it. To ghouls it was all frivolous fun anyway. Three in particular found the concept of love letters romantic.

A folded sheet of paper creased so many times it resembles cloth, & a scented paper that is folded into a crisp love knot. Both carefully threaded between Swiss' guitar strings.

You know what you did. I will thank you for it everyday. Keep safe & don't break anymore strings. It worries Rain. P.S stop peering over my shoulder when I write these, it defeats the point.

Always so sweet, you never fail to make me feel like I'm phosphorus. Swiss, you will always have me & Nimo, as I will always have the two of you. Now fold this back how it was.

An aged slip of paper with torn edges & the faint remainders of pencilled lines is folded concertina, & an intricately illuminated origami puzzle letter. Kept together inside a folded handkerchief in Nimo's breast pocket.

One day you'll realise what a difference you make, to the Church, to Rain, & to me. I can't do justice with words, so until then, I will continue to bang your brains out. -included is a winking devil stamp, it's arse is out-

Nimo, you have slipped the closest to my heart in the briefest of time that we've known one another. If I'm to continue having my way you will never know isolation again. The day Swiss pulled you into my small shore is the day I knew I'd found the last piece of my heart.

A 3-folded wax paper with silvered edges with what looks like hand-grafted diagrams inside, & a square of patterned paper with one bent edge trapped folded over in its lamination. Safely secured in a waterproof case at the end of the lanyard around Rain's neck.

I will give you every form of proof to my feelings you ask for. Unless you ask if I'd kill Swiss for you, again: he would win by every metric. But I would let him kill me. If you asked. I love you.

You guessed it! This is what I used that paper I borrowed from you for. We're already as close as our physical vessels allow but Treasure, I will keep trying to get closer. You've got my hook, line, & sinker. P.S Nimo was sweating writing theirs, they are so cute when they try for you.

[solarbird]

Let's talk about Kari Lake's statement here, because she's talking about what they want to do: hold the union hostage:

We need some strong governors to get in there and push back against the Federal government, remind them who created the Federal government, it was the States... not the other way around. And we are going to start proving to them that we are sovereign. We are not serfs of the Federal government. Especially not this Federal government with this illegitimate president.

There's a key point in here she's right about: the states, in our constitutional system, are ultimately sovereign.

At least, on paper.

The states can, at their discretion and without support from the Federal government, call a congress of the states at any time.

And they can do whatever the hell they want while they're at it - at least, in terms of what they create. It's not law yet, but it can be. Whatever they come up with goes back to the states as a whole for approval.

And in theory, once enough states adopt it, it becomes the new constitution - the new law of the land.

Nothing about any of that says there has to be a popular vote.

Because yeah, the constitution says sovereignty lies with the people, but in practical terms, it lies with the several states. Which means the state legislatures.

Like Wisconsin's, where Republicans can't be removed from power even if they lose the popular vote by 20 points.

Last time this happened, we got a whole new Constitution. And it was different enough that states just left the old Union (under the Articles) and joined the new Union (under the Constitution).

And some of the states that didn't, at least at first, sent ambassadors to that new Union. You know. To keep in touch and keep their options open as they make the decisions they need to make.

Now, some people might say "this is different, this constitution doesn't allow secession, it's permanent."

So were the Articles. And unlike our current Constitution, they were explicitly so.

As for secession, well, that was decided with guns. Might be again too. Also might not.

But this wouldn't even be secession, necessarily. States refusing to recognize a new, "illegitimate" constitution? That's whole new ball of wax, and I just outlined how that went last time. And that... that's precedent.

You want to engineer a national divorce, this is how to do it.

Or you just threaten it seriously enough and be willing to go hard enough to that line to get your demands met - which is to say, everything you'd get in your Christian ethnostate, applied to the whole country.

Now I'm sure as hell not going to go along with that, because I literally can't. Their Christian ethnostate makes me, as a person, illegal again. They're trying to make us all illegal again in the current framework, there's no question they'd demand it in any new one.

But there are big, serious, enough-money-to-be-immune money players who will not want that kind of separation, and they'll do everything in their extraordinarily extensive power to prevent it.

The authoritarians should know that very well, and consider it a card in their deck.

So that's what we're dealing with here. The threat, the strategy, the goal.

Would they cross that line? Would they call that convention, write up that Christian Nationalist country?

Probably. I think so, anyway.

Because my entire life, they have done nothing but double-down, and I don't see them ever stopping on their own.

After all - why would they?

God is, they are quite sure, entirely on their side. And everyone else is quite literally either a tool or an out-and-out follower of Satan.

I know that because they say so. They always have. All you have to do is listen to them.

And that's why they must be stopped, because they will never stop on their own. There will be no accord, no compromise, no middle ground, because they will not permit one, because to them, compromise is literally a deal with the devil, and they will. not. have that.

That's what Kari Lake is alluding to here. Her movement hears her. They know what she's saying, because they say it amongst themselves.

That's what's at stake in the state races - and also, that's your language lesson for today.

[c0untrym0use]

It's all the same.

word count: [689] characters: [denji, pochita, power, aki, meowy] platonic, hayakawa family ao3 version *account is not spoiler free

The small shack reeks of dust and mildew, the rain thudding against the singular four panel window. Denji stares at the ceiling. Water pools into the corner, long rusting the ladder that rests underneath it. The boy refocuses his attention as the weight on him shifts, Pochita taking a bite of the bread in his hand. He readjusts his position slightly, the pillow under him lumpy and the wooden pallets behind him starting to warp in the damp room.

Denji scratches the soft cheek of the small devil resting on his stomach as he starts to think out loud, "I heard something recently, yeah? Apparently it's normal to eat your sliced bread with jam on it."

Pochita chomps at the bread as Denji accidentally waves it a bit erratically, motioning with his hands absentmindedly, "Normal is just a pipe dream for us, I don't think I'll ever pay off this debt before I die. And I'll prolly never get a date, no girl would ever want to come here and I don't got the money for one."

Pochita gently whines as he nudges a small paw into Denji's face. He's not paying attention to the dog-like devil past gently embracing it in his arms, "I'm too hungry to sleep but... I know what I'll dream about. I'll buy us some jam. Some butter. We can spread it on some bread and share it as we always do."

Denji didn't notice his grip strengthening on Pochita, "I'll... Flirt with a girl. Take her back to our room, but it's better than this, yeah?"

Tears dripped down his face, the devil pulled into his chest, "And... And we'll play some video games, right in our room. I'll fall asleep in her arms, with you right by-"

Denji's speech stops dead in its tracks, was Pochita always this soft-bodied? He got his answer as he hesitated to look down.

In his arms, Pochita's form melted onto his, like candle wax. The deformed chainsaw devil lets out a warbled woof, his face disappearing by the second...

Bang.

Denji panics, awakening to the sharp banging of the door slamming into the door stopper - and right back into Power's foot who he was assuming did it.

Her abrasive voice rings out loud and clear, "You're lucky today, human! You should be grateful! I, Power, have done all the grocery shopping myself! And in a show of strength I have carried them all inside, for I am the stro-"

He interrupts her monologue, "Meowy just ran outside."

The blood fiend in front of him clumsily sets the paper bags she is holding onto the entrance floor as she runs outside to retrieve her cat.

Denji, now realizing how hungry he is, as he finally notices the aroma emanating from the kitchen. Aki is cooking breakfast. He gently pats the floor by him, finding Pochita.

The small devil gently and sleepily opens his eyes, yawning and giving a stretch before padding into the kitchen. He decides to join him, his joints popping. He fell asleep watching a sports game with Pochita, right. That was just a bad dream.

Sitting at the dining table, Aki places a plate in front of him. Toast with jam. Eggs. Bacon. Hashbrowns. The breakfast was one that was more Denji could have ever wished for while living in the shack.

He looks down to where Aki places a plate on the floor for Pochita, who lets out a happy bark. Toast with jam, and an egg, over easy.

The loud thud from the living room tells him that Power has returned, and tripped over the own groceries she left in front of the door.

Denji lets out a small smile at the thought, looking over to Aki who was returning to the kitchen to finish breakfast, voice still groggy and rough from sleep, "Thanks."

The house was warm, and the three of them were okay. Denji felt selfish asking for this much out of their lives, and the fact he would ask for more eventually, but every single negative thought dissipated at he bit into his favorite classic food —

toast and jam.

[athletic-hotties3]

SCOTT X YORK

Pt.2

Weeks went by since the night of Scott's dream and he started to doubt if what he experienced was real. The only evidence left was the silver arm bracer on his wrist. Some of his classmates asked about it when he showed up to school the next day but Scott told them he picked up an archery lesson and to get used to the feeling of it on he was instructed to wear it most of the time. One day while Scott was fiddling with it while writing a debate summary at his desk a nock came from the door of his dorm. Scott slowly got up, picking his earbuds out of his ears and walked to the door.

Swinging the door open Scott saw the hallway bursting with life. People walking up and down the hall to common rooms, friends sitting on the floor by the elevators and a white envelope tied with red silk ribbon to a small cardboard box addressed to him. Looking around, Scott bent down to pick up the package, his earbuds dangling from inside his shirt. As he stood up, package tucked away under his arm a football came flying down the hall.

"Look out!" Yelled Alex as he jogged down the hall after the ball. The football collided with Scott's chest nocking the wind out of him and sending him kneeling to the ground.

"Awwww fuck." Scott groaned. "Alex you need to be more careful.

Someone could of seriously gotten hurt." "Scott.

It's a football. I don't think anyone is dying here." Alex said chuckling picking up Scott's dropped package. "Woah who sent you this!! Seems fancy.

You got a secret admirer?" Alex questioned handing Scott the box. "I don't know who sent this. I was about to go inside to read the letter but instead I found out more about football." Scott joked standing back up on his feet. "Well. Once you figure that out try stopping by the Tri Phi house tonight. I heard the parties gonna be sick. I know that's not really your scene but you should come." Alex said poking at Scott's chest repeatedly. "Ill think about it." Scott said rolling his eyes. "See ya there!!!" Alex yelled grabbing the football from Scott's arms and running down the hall. "Remember the theme is devils and angels!" Scott stared after him and watched him speed down the hall before returning back to his dorm.

Setting the package and letter on his desk, Scott could see his gift better. The letter was sealed with a thick red wax. A pair of horns was stamped into the wax. Pealing off the wax with a knife Scott opened the letter and retrieved a piece of parchment paper similar to the one he signed in his dream. The paper was chard on the edges and smelled like smoke. My dearly beloved, did you think you could get rid of me that easily? By simply just waking up? Remember you signed a deal. One that cannot be broken. Continue to be a good boy and do as I say or else. See you tonight!

In your dreams, York.

Scott sat there shocked and scared. Was this all reality after all? His mind was full of question but the one he could solve immediately was what was in the box. Scott pulled at the silk ribbon and slid a knife along the taped edges of the box. In the box lied 3 items. One red mask that fit half way up his face with devil horns attached to the top and a deep red bow tie and finally a bright red butt plug.

The plug coiled in the box. Scott picked it up and examined it. One end had a large bulb and a tapered bottom to it connecting to a flat hexagon.

Stemming out of the flat hexagon was a long red tail with a pointed arrow tip. The tail was quite long and the rubber plug was thick and heavy in his hands. A note lay under the toy labeled: extra information. Scott pealed the note up from under the other items. The contents of this box should be worn tonight at all times and attendance to the Tri Phi party is mandatory. All items must be worn.

The plug is blessed with a hidden ability to camouflage the wearer to appear in clothing best suited for the event dictated by me. Scott dropped the letter in disbelief. The letter floated to the floor as Scott stood gazing out the window, jaw wide. With hesitation Scott started putting on one article of clothing after the other. First he put on the devil mask securing it to his head with the red ribbon that belonged to the box. As he tied it at the back of his head, his hair turned a jet black and his mouth grew sharp fangs. His eyes turned a deep red, golden specks floated in them. Scott reached up to feel his face. Running his fingers through his new hair and testing the sharpness of his teeth. Scott quickly in disbelief yanked the mask off of his head. His face in a flash transformed back to normal. His teeth dulled, his eyes returned back to their normal blue and his hair back to his normal sandy blond. He sighed heavily realizing that any effects would not be permanent and then proceeded to re-tie the mask onto his face. Scott then picked up the silk red bow tie. The tie snaked it's way around his neck, securing in the back. The tie sparkled and then faded into his skin. The tie portion disappeared and left a single unbroken red band of sink around his neck. Scott maneuvered over to the mirror and watched a red mesh shirt materialize on his body.

The top half being a dark red leather that stopped right above his nipples. The rest being a red mesh cropped at his waist. The shirt fit him perfectly.

Scott got the impression that the ribbon would be needed to be cut off the reverse any of the effects but he dared not to try it because of his lack of backup plan. Finally, he fiddled with the plug in his hand. With hesitation felt there texture of the rubber with his thumb and played with the tail.

Slowly making his way over to his bed he reached under the mattress and pulled out a bottle of lube.

Scott hadn't done anything before but bought a bottle just in case he may someone. Slowly squeezing the bottle onto the top of the plug, he spread it slowly around the bulb. The lube was smooth to the touch and made the surface of the rubber slick. Leaning over, ass up, on his bed Scott lined up the plug with his hole. Inching it slowly to his butt he contemplated seriously inserting the toy into him. Suddenly the cold lube and slick bulb made contact with his hole. Scott slowly moved the plug in a circular motion around his ass. Coating his ass hole with the lube. Slightly applying pressure he pushed the plug in. His asshole expanded a bit taking the head of the plug in. Scott let out a muffled moan, leaning into his bedspread. An current of ecstasy spread through this body as he kept pushing. The plug slid halfway in before Scott decided to take a break lifting his hand from the rubber and placing it flat on his sheets, whipping off extra lube on his fingers. The plug started to slip without pressure, rubbing the inside of his ass in a new direction.

"Fuuuuuuuuuccckkk." Scott moaned lowly. His eyes rolling back into his head. His dick hard up against his sheets.

Sliding between his skin and the cotton. The friction stimulated his head causing his tip to become wet with precum. The stained sheets stretched as Scott quickly moved to place a hand on the plug from preventing it moving further. The plug was pushed deeper and deeper into Scott's hole. Scott bucking and squirming in pleasure. His thick cock throbbed against his bed. With a final push the plug reached the tapered end and his hole shrunk over the small rubber piece. With a loud moan his eyes welled up and he bucked in his bed causing his throbbing cock to thrust into the air. Cum sprouting out of his cock's head in an arch landing in a line on his chest and face. Scott's legs shook in pleasure as one of his toes pulled on the plugs tail causing it to shift within him.

Another trail of cum flew through the air onto Scott's face. Splattering on his nose and lips.

Scott now covered in his own cum layed there in a daze.

The plug was fully inserted and covering his hole was a red rubber hexagon. Scott slowly crawled over to his mirror on the other side of the room.

He stood up gazing at his image in the reflection.

The plugs devil tail hung from his ass and reached the floor. The tip of the arrow at the end barely touching the ground. With a flash more clothed materialized. Red sneakers formed themselves to his feet magically tying their laces. His crotch was covered in tight red athletic short shorts. So tight that his thick, long, now flaccid cock could be seen bulging though his red jockstrap below. His tail fused with his body now sprouting from just above in ass on the small of his back. His skin slowly started to change color. Going from his skin tone to a medium red. Scott stood there, as the cum magically disappeared into thin air, looking at his outfit for the party tonight. He was going to have to do a hell of a lot of convincing to Alex that all of his body modifications were special effects. And with that he walked out of his room, heading off to the party.

[alex-ander-magni]

BFA Exhibition Installation

Well, they encourage your complete cooperation / Send you roses when they think you need to smile / I can't control myself because I don't know how / And they love me for it, honestly, I'll be here for a while / So give them blood, blood, gallons of the stuff / Give them all that they can drink, and it will never be enough / So give them blood, blood, blood / Grab a glass because there's going to be a flood

-Blood (Hidden Track), My Chemical Romance

With these pieces I'm interested in exploring the intersections of horror, comedy, self expression, storytelling, and beyond.  My inspirations are heavily based in bands like My Chemical Romance, Måneskin, and Fall Out Boy, and films like Renfield, Bloodsucking Bastards, and What We Do In The Shadows.  The natural conclusion I’ve come to after combining these influences is fake blood.  I find myself gravitating towards it in almost any project I do, and find I have the most fun working on a piece when I am able to include this, and that is a key tenet in maintaining my practice.  Having fun while working on a project is incredibly important to me, and I want the finished piece to reflect that, even if only to myself.  

All of my work engages with subject matter and visuals that I was explicitly banned from while growing up in the Baptist church.  Some of these things might be more obvious, like the vampire kit or the blood dress, but even the less clear ones like the paperclips can be related back to that idea.  In that case, the amount of time and effort I spent engaging with the material would have been considered “worldly” and an “addiction” as it was something that was consuming my thoughts for a prolonged period of time, and isn’t something that benefits the church. 

 The general extravagance of my installation is something that also would have been frowned upon,  as a Baptist style is one of blandness, beige and modesty. There are virtually no visuals I want to use from my experiences within the church, despite that being something that deeply informs the work I am doing.  Because of this I often draw from Catholic imagery instead, as Baptists are very anti-Catholic, ironically viewing  them as almost devil worshippers.  

Storytelling is another concept I am extremely drawn to.  More specifically, how story is told through objects and costumes, especially when removed from their “original” context.  What story do you craft when viewing these pieces?  What more do you want to know?

Oct-Nov 2023

Blood Dress, Button up shirt, beads, various fabrics, acrylic paint, fake blood, cardboard, hot glue

Gas Mask For Blood Dress, Costume gas mask, beads, acrylic paint, fake blood

Vampire Kit (without stakes), Printer paper, garlic, matches, Mountain Dew bottle, syringe, consecrated salt, holy water, flashlight, flask, spray bottle, jars, rope, fire starter sticks, light meter, wood, fake blood

I Got Addicted To Paperclips And All I Got Was Damaged Fingernails and Opinions On Office Supplies, Paper clips

Anyone Can Be A Saint If You Treat The Bones Right, Styrofoam, wire, acrylic paint, jump rings, cross charm, wood, fabric

Vampire Snack Platter, Air dry clay, acrylic, fabric, chocolate box, mod podge

Cunty Candle, Glass, beads, paper, hot glue, fishing line, wire

Life Force Drinks, Bottle, wax, water, food coloring, glass, fake blood, nip bottles

Vampire Poolboy Slides, Photo slides

[birbfeeder2artisticboogaloo]

Let's play a little game if you want. Pick one: purple or yellow? apples or pears? butterflies or bees? chocolate or caramel? stripes or dots? bus or train? coffee or tea? pumpkin or potato? mango or coconut? candles or fairy lights? spotify or cds? sea or lake? piano or violin? palmtree or christmas tree? pen or pencil? summer or winter? chris pine or chris evans? lil nas x or orville peck?

right LET'S DO THIS 💪😤 i prefer........

purple!

apples 🍎

BEES 🐝

chocolate pls~

ahhhhhh this ones difficult.......idk i've worn stripes and dots at the same time before bc i didn't want one of em to feel rejected ;A; but i think i like stripes just a smolllll bit more 🤣

OOH A TRAIN

in this house we hAVE A SUP OF TAYYY like me old granny would have done ;A;

SPUDS SPUDS SPUDS 🥔🥔🥔 what kind of irishman would i be otherwise?? A BAD ONE 😤

hmmm im not terribly fond of either mango OR coconut........they both smell very nice but mango makes my tongue feel strange ;A; my mam LOVES mango tho so i will go with MANGO lol 🤣

OH I LOVE CANDLES but im not allowed play with them ;A; i used to wait till they melted and then spill some of the wax onto a bit of paper to make ''''seals'''' out of it. except then i accidentally lit a bit of paper on FIRE while doing that and,,,,,,,,i mean i put it out very fast but there were.......slight damages. so no more candles for me lmao 🤣

i actually don't use spotify!! idk how it works at all, tho ive been curious since everyone's been posting about 'spotify wrap' and it looks interesting! for now i'll have to say that i prefer cds, since they're all i've got! 💿

THE SEA THE SEA!!! I LOVE THE SEA!! 🌊

oh god oh fuck. how could i choose between piano and violin?? i've tried both, i LOVE THEM BOTH ;A; but i suppose i have a bit more natural talent with the piano. so i SUPPOOOOOSE i'll say........PIANO 🎹 (forgib me, sweet 🎻 ;A; we'll be reunited someday!! THIS I SWEAR ;A;)

i love palm trees!! they're so pretty!!! i wanna touch one, the bark looks like it would feel...........scrunkly 🌴

pencils please!! :D

SUMMER. ALWAYS SUMMER. never winter. icky winter. i hate the cold. i LOVE the warm and the sun. BEAUTIFUL WONDERFUL SUMMER ;A; COME BACK TO MEEEEEE SUMMER I MISS YOOOOUUUUUU 😭😭😭

i think i like chris evans better!! no hate to mr pine, ive liked him in a couple different films, but he was in that shite 'frozen (2011)' rubbish ''''horror'''' film and i can't forgive it for upsetting me >:( bad choice mr pine. it's not ur fault, but ur visage only brings back painful memories rn ;A;

i'm afraid idk orville peck! but i've heard a bit of lil nas x and i liked his song about the old town road!! also the music video where he gave the devil a lapdance! that was such a power move 😎

tee hee this was fun!! 😄 thanks for the game, anon!! now it's ur turn~ will u tell me ur answers to these questions?? (only if u want to ofc, pls don't feel pressured!! if ur busy or if u just don't feel like it, that's totally fine!! no hard feelings, i'll not be mad! im almost never mad tbh 😅)

[faulty-writes]

Ive seen the bully mirko hcs! But what if we had bully mirko as a roommate?

[ I'm getting the feeling y'all really like the bully!rumi au. But it's interesting and I've always been a sucker for bullyxnerd tropes so here we go. ]

From the moment you found out she was going to be your roommate, you had a bad feeling. "Hey pretty face, let's get one thing straight. I do what I want and you'll fucking deal!" the way she smirked down at you was like looking at the devil himself. Mischief radiated from her very being, and she quickly made your life a living hell.

You found out that she was a messy and controlling type. Dirty dishes and trash were one thing. But she'd constantly push your bathroom supplies out of the way to make room for her things and she never bothered to be courteous. "Get out of my way" and "Got a problem, pretty face!?" became her catchphrases.

On occasion, you'd come back to your shared dorm to find your closet door open and your clothes scattered everywhere, but Rumi would always choose to give an innocent front. "I don't know what you're talking about, your taste in clothing sucks ass!" she said with her long rabbit ears folded down and her tongue sticking out.

When she knew you were studying for a hard test, she'd purposely be obnoxious by playing music or continuously disturb you by throwing paper balls at your head, tugging on your hair as she passed by, or randomly begin to insult you. "Ohhh look at the nerd has to study or are you doing this because you're in some little group? Yup...there's nothing I hate more than teamwork!"

You were slightly afraid to sleep with her around, but whenever you did happen to get some shut-eye. She'd either dump a bucket of cold water on you or jump onto your bed, scaring you half to death. "Wakey wakey pretty face!" she'd taunt as your heart rapidly raced in your chest, but this was quickly followed by anger as you watched her walk away with her tail wagging.

She seemed to know just what to do to hurt you and on more than one occasion, you'd walk into the dorm to find her standing there with your stack of homework or an essay you had spent all night writing and printing out. She'd say, "Nice work you got here," before proceeding to rip it to shreds in front of you with a sadistic smile knowing you didn't have time to redo it.

You didn't think that you were easy to trick, and you should have known better than to set foot into the dorm when you saw Rumi holding a mop. "Just wiped the floor, pretty face. Whaddya think!?" you quickly learned that she had used floor wax and as soon as you set foot onto the flat surface, you slipped and crashed to the floor. But the worst part was her haunting laughter drowning out the sound of your pained groans.

[grace4power]

Blood Sealed Bottle Spell

My goal for this bottle spell was NOT to harm, but to stop the harm this person was causing to ME. This particular person was harassing me at work and getting family members to do the same. I had enough. Please take note that preparations for this spell take TIME. You will see why when you get to the bottom of the items list. This spell is not for the beginner. You can of course adjust these items as necessary, but the following instructions have proven to be incredibly effective. I have never had this bottle spell not work for me efficiently and immediately.

Necessary Items:

Blue Vervain

Angelica Root

Devil's Claw Root

Bay Leaves

Sea Salt

Personal Protection Oil (I have a specific "To Repel & Confuse Enemies Oil" that I used as a base. Deemed it appropriate.) If you don't have protection oil, just use any viscous oil you have laying around.

Small Paper

Black ink pen

Small bottle with lid (I prefer one with a cork. As long as it seals.)

Black string/thread

Black Candle

White Candle

Blood. Must be given, NOT taken.

Grave of a trusted spirit. This will be the most challenging. I have cultivated connections with certain spirits that have passed on to the other side. This could include a grave of a passed love one, but the spirit needs to consent to the spell and what you ask of it. If your dead loved ones hated witchcraft, they aren’t going to be of much help here. This requires time to give the spirit offerings. I spent months stopping by a certain grave every day after work, lighting a candle on said grave. I created a "Peace for the Dead" incense and burnt it for this spirit grave many times. I cast a circle in the graveyard and asked Goddess Hecate for help in bringing this spirit peace and clarity. You can choose your own offerings and your own way to form a bond with a spirit. If it feels wrong, DO MORE RESEARCH. Research the person's history, research spirit offerings, research the area where this person lived and died. Piece the puzzle of their life together and offer them what you think they might have liked when they were alive. Show Respect to the spirits and they may bless you with support and strength from the other side.

RITUAL:

Clear your mind of all frustration and anger. This spell WILL NOT WORK if you are angry! This spell WILL NOT WORK if you seek vengeance on your enemy! Clear headspace only. Cast your circle, call your corners, beg your gods. Whatever it is you do to create your sacred casting space. Once you feel centered in your space, light your black candle. Write your enemy's name on a small piece of paper THREE or NINE times. Whatever feels right to you.

At this point, IF YOU HAVE A PERSONAL PROTECTION SIGIL(you should make one), write that sigil defiantly over your enemy's name. If you don't have a personal protection sigil(you should really make one, fam), simply write your name or whatever name your friends call you. Fold your paper three times. Fold the paper away from your body, picturing your enemy's energy moving away from you and how peaceful your life will be without their negative energy. Stuff your folded paper into your bottle, envisioning your enemy's negative energy stuck behind a glass cage.

Envision your adversary as your sprinkle a bit of each dry ingredient into your small bottle. Envision what they have done to you and then envision them never doing that to you again. INTENT. INTENT. INTENT. FEEL IT. SEE IT.

Top your bottle with your protection oil, picturing your enemy's ill intent toward you suffocated beneath the oil in the glass cage.

Close your bottle. Focus your intent. Get your black thread and wrap it around and around the seal on your bottle. Wrap the thread AWAY from your body. As you wrap your thread, recite:

I now neutralize the power of [NAME] TO DO ME ANY HARM.

Repeat until your string is completely wrapped.

Now is time to seal with wax and !!!blood!!! The EASIEST way to work with blood is to already have it prepared. I personally let my blood sit out and dry on a flat surface for about a week then turn it into flakes or a fine powder to be used later. You can see the flake of blood in the wax on the top of this bottle. Use your black candle to seal. Either drip blood into the wax or put flakes or powdered blood into the wax seal.

Close your circle, thank your gods. Whatever you do to close your sacred casting space. Now is time to complete the binding. IF you do not have a spirit you can trust or don't have access to any familiar graves, you CAN find a three way crossroads to complete. THIS WILL GREATLY LOWER THE SPELLS EFFFECTIVENESS AND SPEED.

Go to your familiar gravesite. Use a wand or stick to dig a circle into the dirt on the grave. Light a white candle. Dig a hole in the middle of your circle and BURY THAT BITCH IN THE GROUND. Cover the hole. Make it look as if the hole was never dug in the first place. Leave your candle burning and your circle drawn. Thank your spirit and walk away. DON'T LOOK BACK. LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. GO HOME AND FORGET IT ALL HAPPENED. When the flame of the candle goes out, your magic will take effect.

BE SAFE. BE SMART.

[subtract-me-from-your-heart]

Hey y'all it's time for a special episode of Sin Eats. Today... Sin actually does something in the kitchen! That's right. We're making...

Oatmeal Scotchies

These cookies were a rare treat in my childhood. As a human who can't stand the taste or texture of raisins and vehemently disagrees with everything they stand for, oatmeal raisin cookies were an affront to all things good in this world. But every once in a while my mom would make something other than chocolate chip cookies or snickerdoodles and bless me with the masterpiece that is the marriage of oatmeal cookies and butterscotch chips.

I've been having a craving for them lately, and when I asked Jay what he wanted me to bake for Valentine's Day, I may have slyly suggested them. He was on board. So on board, in fact, he wouldn't stop talking about it for like the week leading up to it.

Let's do it!

Ingredients

Butterscotch chips (I put a whole bag cause why the eff not)

1 cup butter (softened)

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar but it doesn't matter)

2 large eggs

2... ish tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Ground cinnamon

3 cups old-fashioned oats

Steps

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

If you're a weak baby like me, use a stand or electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugars until creamy. Yes, it did feel disgusting to type that. If you don't have a mixer, use some old-fashioned elbow grease. Beat that shit until you're so swole your enemies will cower in fear before you. On second thought, I feel like "creamy" is the wrong word. It just looks kinda smooth. It's a doughy consistency. Don't overthink it. If there aren't butter chunks, you're good. Don't forget when measuring your brown sugar that you have to pack it into the measuring cup so that when you dump it in the bowl it looks like a little sand castle. Awww. Cute.

Add in your eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. I should add that I laughed at the amount of vanilla in the recipe. I haven't used a measuring spoon to measure vanilla since like 2002 and that's because I like flavor. If you're using a good quality vanilla paste or something you don't need much, but I always just pour it in until the little devil on my shoulder begs me to stop.

I'm gonna tell you two secrets right now. The first is that the key to the best baked goods you've ever eaten is to sift your flour before measuring it. When I was a young thing, I used to sift my flour out onto some wax or parchment paper every time I was baking. Now that I'm old and tired from the trials and tribulations of life, I do what I affectionately call "quick sifting" but should probably call "half-assed sifting." You just take a spoon and fluff up the flour in whatever container you have it in. The goal is to incorporate air into it so it's nice and light. Whether you go all out and properly sift or use the lazy ass method, make sure you gently spoon your flour into the measuring cup. The goal is not to knock all that air out of it and ruin all your hard (or not) work. Level it with a knife, your finger, whatever.

The second secret is that we're going to pretend this recipe did NOT say to add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. What in the fuck? Literally what the fuck. I took the lid off of the spice jar and dumped it in the bowl until it felt and/or smelled right. I'm not joking. I measure with my heart, not with my white people feelings.

I don't know what kind of crack the Pinterest mom I stole this recipe from was smoking, but she totally skipped this step. For the love of god, please put the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl and mix to combine. I like to use a fork but you can use a whisk. Use your hands if you want. It doesn't matter. Gordon Ramsay isn't going to bust down your door and tell you that you're an idiot sandwich. He can't stop you.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in a few stages, mixing between each addition. It's a good idea to start the mixer on low, unless you want to get white flour dust all over your kitchen.

If you're a moron like me, decide that you're done with the mixer. Scrape most of the dough off of the paddle and give it a taste test. Let your partner lick it clean because you know they're just sitting in on the couch waiting anxiously for you to gift them with the holy grail of cookie dough.

Add in the oats. I used some organic oats that I found at the grocery store because I am bougie like that. Mix to combine. If you're me, struggle painfully before adding in the butterscotch chips, struggle some more, and then beg your partner to please come help you. Let him mix it til it's nice and combined.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and either use a spoon or a cookie scoop to drop little balls of dough on the sheet. Size wise, idk. Make them too big cause you worked all day and you're tired and want out of the kitchen. Make a Frankencookie. Don't worry about it.

Baking 8 to 10 minutes. They are gonna look a bit raw still, but don't worry about it. Definitely don't put them back in for 5 minutes and overbake them.

Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to completely cool.

That's it! Just rinse and repeat til you're done. They're best when they're warm. Eat as many as you can stomach while they're fresh.

[dark-academian-witch]

Sometimes, I wonder... How majestically defying would it be, to lay in my bed, surrounded by the imagery of the religion my parents tried to force onto me, and passionately kiss a lover?

Would my thoughts, for as long as they're still coherent while I get lost in how their body feels under my hands, screaming “Strike me down, if this is a sin. Strike me down, because I'm refusing you and indulging in what I was taught to see as unholy. Strike me down, I won't go another day without even just thinking of the sweetness of these moments” be pure hubris, and nothing more?

After all, I'm refusing to lay behind the mask of the little girl who was presented to them, and loving people of what I deem is my own gender, and more than that? Refusing to worship them, and choosing a path of old, often straying to make it my own, still the path they tried to block and talk of as dangerous.

But I must admit, there's a certain pleasure in thinking of all the times I've been struck in this same room and prayed to the only deity I was told I could turn to to make me pure and holy and right again, of all the times I whispered prayers in between sobs to cold heartless paper and wood and glass to keep the thoughts I was having away from me and not let me indulge in them because they were wrong and unholy and a temptation of the devil, and replacing them with the sounds I make out of love and indulging in the thoughts it brings me, with the smell of wax and herbs and the solemnity of dipping a small brush in the perfumed water I offered to my Gods, who always find ways to let me know my prayers are heard, and using that water to draw symbols of protection over my forehead, my cheeks, my lips, my heart, my hands, my feet to devote all of myself to the goodness I was guided to seek within me and to turn all of the rage and hatred I used to hold close to my heart into an instrument of love to do what I deem right and protect and help my loved ones and those who have no one in their corner, as much as I can.

“No more,” was my first promise, my first offering, “no more will I want to turn my anger and my pain into mindless violence. I will twist it, and I will turn it into something I can use, fuel to propel my passion to right the wrongs I witness, however much I can.” Nothing replied the stones I use as effigies of my deities, the dried petals decorating the small space I dedicated to the Gods I had just come to know, yet already felt at home with.

But the peace and quiet brought me the tiniest of whispers. “Good, child of pain and sharp edges, find your softness again.” It came from inside me, but from beyond my soul.

And so I started learning and forgetting, and how heavenly did it feel when I fell in love. When I decided to give myself freely to him, to let myself wonder how beautifully I'd fit in his arms, if only I could.

Then, I knew I had kept true to the promise I'd made as a 16 years old kneeling in front of a nightstand and still seething with so much rage that I shook from the force of it.

And I thought back to all the days I had to fight harder than usual, but felt I wasn't alone, and confided in the Gods that I learned to look for in the images on my cards and in how the herbs on the kitchen's windowsill bloom and wilt.

And I decided that I, too, would bloom as fiercely as ever, once the heartbreak I felt weakened its grasp on me. And so I did, or at least, am trying to. But that's what matters, as long as I don't let myself get lost in the hate and anger I still feel, before they turn useful to me.

[purgatoryapotheca]

LIST OF REVENGE TYPE OILS

African Juju Oil – Used to jinx a person’s nature another very traditional method is to employ it in conjunction with the 23rd Psalm, while praying for all that is desired. Best to use during a waxing moon

Banishing Oil – use this oil when you need to cast a spell to make someone move away or get out of your life

Bat’s Blood-This will cause bad luck and the downfall to one’s enemies. is used to create hexes. It causes tension, confusion, discord, and havoc to the targeted. It is also to dress juju and dolls created for similar purposes. Use on black candles

Bat’s Eye Oil –to use this oil in break up spells but on a more dangerous level if you use a real bat’s eye then you are working with evil spirits to hex someone who has wronged you.  This can also be dangerous to the practioner, Use with extreme caution.  Not for an amateur.

Bat’s Heart Oil – A potent dark magic oil to create tension and strife in the life of your target or more specifically will cause tension and bad luck to an ex who did you wrong on a more general level to break up a couple or group of people it causes emotional upheaval, sprinkle this oil to cause instability, turmoil and eventual termination of relationships.   Use it to cause strife between people. Sprinkle it in their shoes. On their clothing, or in their path. Discord and disharmony will plague their relationship. They inaccurately perceive their circumstance, break up or separation to follow.

Black Art-For crossing and hexing an enemy put where they are sure to touch it also can be used in candle spells.    This is a powerful all-purpose oil used in many dark magic rituals. If you have some black arts oil, you can use it in a pinch to substitute for other black magic oils   It allegedly gives complete dominance over enemies, one of the more potent “dark arts” oil.   Do not get any on you, the scent is awful and hard to remove.

Black Cat-Used with Black Cat candle to cause an enemy confusion. Black cat oil is used to break hexes, protection during Magickal rites, reversing a string of bad luck by returning to where it came from. This oil should be made right before the Dark Moon, preferably on a Saturday. Use on Black candles for reversing or breaking a hex and sending it back to the sender.

Black Devil Oil – A black magic oil used to cause someone to become impotent, Stops unfaithfulness. Rub some of the Oil on the shoes of the individual to be affected. A few drops in the food is also effective only a drop or two no more or it will have the opposite effect.

Black Musk Oil – A hard to find, extremely powerful oil for black magic spells

Break Up-Used to break up relationships, marriages & friendships. Use with image candles.

Confusion oil-To confuse enemies’ sprinkle where they are sure to touch or step on it.

Crossing-To cross your enemies and cause them misfortune.   If you burn crossing oil on a black candle inscribed with your enemy’s name, he will experience bad luck

Damnation-To cause great distress & bad luck to your enemies. Damnation oil is used to cause terrible misfortune on your enemies. Damnation oil should be used with extreme caution.

Devil Oil – Devil oil is used in spellcasting to invoke the aid of the devil. Devil oil is also used in necromancy spells

Double Cross-Wear to confuse enemies or cause them bad luck & misfortune.

D.U.M.E (Death/Destruction Under My Enemies or Do Unto My Enemies) aka Black List-Use with candle of same name to get even or a black candle or image candle, cause bad luck possibly death, primarily it is used in death spells and curses.  Warning: best not to use, if not used properly it can cause serious backlash.

Exodus-Very good when you want someone to lose their job.

Gypsy Blood Oil--Will make a troublesome neighbor uproot and move away when sprinkled  on their doorknob

Haitian Voodoo-To cross an enemy, sprinkle around their house & on doorstep or anoint parchment with their name (a small slip) with 9 drops of oil.

Hexing-Makes enemies beg for forgiveness, causes to bring great misery and bad luck to your enemies. Hexing oil will bring your enemies to their knees

Inflammatory Confusion Oil – A black magic spiritual oil that will confuse your enemies

Jezebel-Mix with D.u.m.e oil to make a powerful oil to get even with your enemies.

Jinx Black-Used to cause harm to your enemies.

Job Breaker-When you want someone to lose their job, sprinkle around their work place.

Revenge Oil – When someone has done something against you, revenge oil will help right the wrong I’ve included this name of this oil here as some shops will sell an oil with that name, but it’s only a variation of Black Arts Oil.

SPIDER QUEEN — If someone has needlessly complicated your life or thrown obstacles your way for no reason other than spite, this oil turns things around FAST.  Of all the nasty oils in the New Orleans tradition, Spider Queen is the most insidious because it forms a seamless web of horror around an individual or group. Used defensively, this oil can resolve otherwise impossible situations and ensure that an enemy is rendered impotent (sometimes quite literally!). It creates so many hassles for your enemy that he/she has no time to worry about you. Use with black, purple, or orange candles.

Voodoo--  To not be confused with Voodoo Night oil.  Haitian crossing oil. To destroy an enemy's power, write the foe's name nine times on parchment paper or brown paper that has never been cut with a scissors. Anoint the paper with nine drops of Voodoo Oil. Can be used to anoint charms and voodoo dolls and bring success to your magical endeavors.

Voodoo Night-To cast a spell on somebody, must be used on a full moon. Can have a woman attract a man to make him her slave.  It units the spirits with the energy of passion, so much be blended at Midnight.

Weed of Misfortune-To make your enemies lose everything they own. This one is very similar to Spider Queen in its effect. While it is unquestionably a hexing oil, it may also be used defensively against dangerous enemies. The impact of Weed of Misfortune is to inject devastation and disappointment into an enemy’s life. Use only with black candles.

Witch-Use when you want to get even with someone.

XX Double Crossing-Sprinkle across the path of your enemy.

Zula Zula-To get even, used is spells designed to get revenge, or to bring harm or even death to an enemy.  Use to anoint candles, gris gris and spell papers in a counterclockwise movement, can be applied or sprinkle where enemies are sure to touch it such as in a shoe or door knob.  Use with caution

As a side note: This was originally an Anna Riva oil, and I doubt anyone has the actual recipe as Anna Riva got bought out years ago by Wisdom Products . Those recipes are probably lost now. Zula Zula is a name Anna Riva gave to an oil with the purpose of hexing, so you can use any hexing oil to do the trick.  Some metaphysical shops claim it is an African Hexing oil but its antecedents are questionable as only Anna Riva made any mention of it.

ZOMBI — This is a hexing oil, actually a “damnation” formula, designed to render an enemy harmless. It works similarly to Spider Queen, but is even more relentless and can bring actual physical harm or grave illness to an enemy. Used offensively, if you don't then it will back lash upon you and it is probably the quickest way as Ms. Q knows,  to cause yourself problems, so unless you know what you’re doing and have a vast reservoir of good karma, stay away from this one!

[whimsically-ominously-auspice]

I'm dumb. Beyonce and Brandy look so different. But I always confuse myself i tell myself they're twins so then when they aren't identical twins in my head i treat them like they are. They think I'm funny.

But I am dead God Awful serious. I don't know which is which! Because I trick myself by saying theyre twins so my brain is like you're not gonna tell them apart as a Directive.

Obviously they look completely different And i acknowledge that but its so hard for me to place the name on the correct child.

I'm all oh here now is Beyonce and there that is P Diddy and she's gonna yell at him for her sister.

No wait that IS Brandy. Now i don't even know who the fuck i am looking at let's Google Beyonce.

I used to have to carry poloroids in my pocket with their names on it. I had 3. One of them together but I couldn't remember If someone switched the names on it to further add to my confusion because they thought it was funny or what.

So I took two of them seperate. One i wrote their name on the front in the white space. Then the other i wrote it on the black part in the back in a black sharpie because in a certain light it turned red

And Brandy said "if you would just listen you named her Beyonce so she would say something i say. But you say you did because shes beyond saying anything and her stripper name was to the grave and beyond cause shes a ruthless killer like you. I heard. I heard. These kids talk. Almost a million people -- her. Uh huh"

3 summers the Gaga Girls and fan Club went to Compton to the old NHRA park and had school.

Brandy says today "thanks for saving us. I felt all this air and i was all oh what a nice breeze and Beyonce said "girl you're about to be in fire" and started laughing saying "look what she did! She gonna kill you" i thought she was playing so I didn't look till she said that and i was all "huh?? Who i pissed off??" And my face went right in that torch of a flame. It was on a trash can. So we had fun playing in the fire after that. Candy went and got us a turkey leg and put it in the fire and it burnt that leg!! All crisp!! But my face nothing? Not my hand. My clothes nor purse. Not even paper. Now but look i had a napkin I tried to throw away and i let go and it caught on fire. But when it was in my hand no. That's how she's gonna get rid of trash. I bet you!"

Well yeah it's how i get rid of souls, too. Lake of Fire ain't a joke.

But twins. It wasn't just Brandy and Beyonce. There was two girls in Annabelles girl scout non identical twins. I knew their names but not who owned it. 2 years later i finally admitted it and so learning both was too hard. So I just learned Amanda. Then the other name belonged to the other girl. Rebecca. That was easier. One has light brown curly hair, the other dark hair straight. Their faces. No. One was round light and freckled the other longer and tanner.

Brandy says all kinds of people do it once they announce they're twins. But they gotta be together.

Its a built in mind trick. For humans. For fun. Our God is A Comedian.

Matt Hagan took over my twin brother's body and so name was Michavaen. Mike-haven. I wouldn't tell Matt what his name was. I would just say "I'm not a door mat" because he pretended he had amnesia after he killed my brother. So he went with Matt Hey Again. Then shortened it to Matt Hagan.

I often said mike-El-a-ven. In public. He would call me sara Lee. "Well where is the H in my name? You are the devil" he would tell me.

Hes been reborn.

But together people would ask which is which? 1 was a boy and he was dark as sin. He was nearly black. Especially covered in dirt. He was dark Mexican color. Like Brown paper bag. Except in summer he was darker.

Winter he was my summer color and I was white paper white and he was Brown wax paper brown but not see through.

That boy that had been my dad's tattle tale? Mr Tubman's,spy on me and jethro? It was he.

That's why the world became too dangerous because the aliens,did begin,to,take over. Starting with Alex.

But like Claudia said. Im too strong.

[keshetchai]

Question, do you have any thoughts on demonolatry? It is a path I am seriously considering and slowly researching. I'm still working my way through the book The Devil and the Jews, but what I've read so far plus what I've been coming across in my demonolatry research (Hebrew is a source language for many texts) plus still being very ignorant of Jewish traditions over all has me cautious. I feel comfortable in demonolatry but don't want to trespass/appropriate something I have no right to.

Oh goodness, I have….different takes on my gut reaction/answers. I’ll divide them into mini-answers!

Answer #1: [The most generalist answer about cultural appropriation]

If the source language for a variety of texts in something is in a language you don’t understand, and isn’t a heritage language for you, then chances are high it would be appropriative for you to adopt this kind of practice. This might not always be a hard and fast rule, but like…it’s a pretty sure bet in this case that a bunch of Gentiles who made a practice using misinterpreted and perverted Hebrew texts for their own needs and then continued on for several decades or centuries is just going to get you an end result of cultural appropriation/cultural perversion.

Answer #2: [The issue of Jewish appropriation & western Orientalism]

I honestly don’t know much about demonolatry, but from what I can tell it’s another spin on western occultism which was and is, at its core, appropriative of Judaism as an “exotic” flavor to be added as Gentiles saw fit. The whole “seal of Solomon” thing being appropriation by occultists is part and parcel with this kind of stuff, and it’s really really weirdly orientalist. The use of a holy language in Judaism (Hebrew) for this stuff is just….really trying to make it more “magic” seeming.

I mean some of these occult texts are what, 1500-1600’s? When you realize Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, and the inquisition continued to try and make sure that converso Jews didn’t revert to their heritage faith – I mean it’s just more of the same obsession with perceived connection between non-Christian (read: Jewish and Muslim) ties to demons and devil worship/working.

But then there’s later stuff, from what I can tell it’s like a chunk of stuff 1500-1600 and then again after the 1700’s a period 1800 - Today (at least the bulk of this stuff is before or after the Enlightenment period in Western Europe) and…. Surprise surprise, a bunch of white guys being obsessed with the magical secret demon rituals of the “exotic orient” is undeniably connected to gross European colonial/imperialist attitudes. Another generalization: stuff written by dead white guys about the “orient” or “near eastern” practices in the occult arts are full of shit.

Thing is – fear of cultural appropriation aside – is any of this NOT fully enmeshed in orientalist imperialist western attitudes? And is any of it going to hold up to any kind of academic-historical-archaeological scrutiny?

Answer #3: [The issue of “All religions have stuff we can’t prove, but some religions have more complete mishmash based on conflated facts and made up stuff that ignores academic study on the originating culture(s) than others.” AKA the Academics of Appropriation]

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh. If the PDF I found on my google search of the term is a real source on the demonolatry issue, then it just lumps a gazillion different devils/Angels/spirits/goddesses/gods/whatever that are all occurring over the span of what is in reality probably 2-3,000 years. They have nothing to do with each other in many cases! Like a “devil” that has an Arabic name naturally occurs much later in time than a really early babylonian type language spirit because of the timeline of when those languages began and developed. I’m also probably the wrong person to ask - the very mention of “Lucifer’ makes my eyes want to roll out of my head because anyone who ascribes that to a demonic-figure misunderstood that it was a criticism of a Babylonian King, and had zero to do with any kind of supernatural figure.

I don’t particularly know much about Mesopotamian/Fertile Crescent/Near Eastern/Levantine paganism but I do know an archaeological/art history scholar who does study the prehistoric/ancient near east and I just deeply truly feel like the emphasis on near eastern paganism is mostly about 19th century Orientalism. I’m going to guess that a majority of the stuff discussed by demonolatry is riddled with factual errors, misunderstandings, and conflations that come out of ignorance of the region, time periods, and religious practices that took place.

I try to be respectful of the fact that different people find solace in different kinds of religions, but I won’t lie - I found myself deeply dissatisfied with the whiteness, appropriation, and bad scholarship I found across pretty much all modern pagan variants some time ago. Like it’s not just not cohesive/disorganized, it also just…doesn’t have any grounding in the actual historical reality of these beings/spirits in the faith origins any of them come from? I find most people in paganism/neo paganism are really interested in only very specific texts. Like they’ll read someone’s (European) grimoire from the 1600’s but won’t pour over Sumerian archaeological digs and academic papers on Hittite worship - because the point is not really these ancient/prehistoric paganisms but the *idea* of them - the orientalist *concept* of the ancient near east. like why does everyone talk about the meaning of the color of the candle you use for an ancient (whoever) entity when candles….hadn’t even been invented yet? I’m pretty sure that spirit doesn’t care because wax/dipped (dyed & COLORED) candles weren’t a Thing Then. You know? the rituals mentioning pillar candles for something that was worshipped in like 3000 BCE just isn’t based in any actual practice of the time because they didn’t have that then. It’s a tiny detail, but you could expand that to almost anything you wanted.

Maybe that’s harsh of me? But like personally I deeply dislike this kind of stuff because I find it just as intellectually dishonest as many organized faiths can be, except these people tend to publicly emphasize their ancient spirituality/faith predates “xyz”. But if you can avoid Hebrew entirely, avoid Jewish-Hebraic entities AND Islamic AND Zoroastrian entities and are just focusing on like….worship of things from ancient religions which just don’t exist anymore? I mean, I guess? Like just don’t….use anything that at all uses or borrows from Hebrew/Judaism/Tanach (or the Christian Bible). That might help avoid Jewish appropriation but won’t get rid of the orientalist lens issue.

Anyways….

Last Answer: [The: “I have a Mom of Color” aka “the comedic kinda” answer]

NOPE NOPE NO NAH NU UH sure appropriation is bad but do you know what is ALSO BAD????? Inviting spirits into your life that have their own motives and powers and minds!!!!! NOPE.

Why would any spirit deign to work with your ass for free? THEY WOULDN’T! What makes u think they’re gonna let you set the price for their services? THEY WON’T! You also can’t work with someone else’s spirits, you have to work with your own!

Idk man I was forbidden from playing at seances as a child, my momma literally told me to never summon anything because you don’t know how powerful it is and whether or not it wants to hurt you I compulsively throw spilled salt over my shoulder to blind any devils behind me, I have a hand of hamsa amulet by my door, I grow sage at my windowsill, I have literally been trained my whole lil Mexican life to avoid the devil even though my mom explicitly does not believe in hell or an actual literal devil.

Honest we don’t believe in the devil but JUST IN CASE…..

So uh tl;dr:

1.) yes. It’s got appropriative elements 2.) and Orientalism/racism 3.) also I don’t even know if any of the sources I found actually are true of the origins of these entities in any historical or academic sense which is a large part of why I think it’s rooted in Orientalism/fetishizing of the near east 4.). I’m like ethically (ethnically?) obligated to tell you demons are Bad News and My Momma Says I Have to Go if Someone Uses so much as a Oujia Board, Right Now, Immediately, She is Calling Me for Dinner Probably. (I mean I can’t stop you and have met satanists/lucifer worshippers and wasn’t scared of them personally, and I don’t even believe in “The Devil,” but also I ain’t white.)

Thanks for asking though! Sorry if I seem….idk unfair? I think these criticisms I’ve made can be applied to a LOT of things, which is why I apply them also to any modern paganism strain.