#why did jesus have to die for our sins

[undaughtered]

currently struggling with the question.. why did jesus have to die for our sins? a friend recently asked me and she's atheist, and I thought I knew the answer, but then i went blank.

i could give you some trite and theologically correct response about how god loved us so much that he had to offer his only son to ransom us from the sin we chose to commit (john 3:16) but that's not...what i personally believe? and i know a lot of christians who will not like my view on the issue of grace. but i believe he didn't have to die for anyone's sins: he just wanted to, because he is love. but every day we are faced with the choice of whether or not jesus has to die. jesus was a victim above all: he allowed himself to become that in solidarity with all victims, across time and place. you can believe in a chronological history of time in which we are in the breath before christ returns to divide the sheep from the goats, or you can believe that he sublimates history and know that every day, every choice we make, every person we encounter, asks us to spare christ. christ died to be a symbol of the human capacity for mercy and its failing. he is in us as we are in him: thus we die with him, and we can save with him. when we are loving we walk jesus out of the tomb. the purpose of christ's death is to make us unfraid to look into the darkness of death and suffering, and grasp the hand reaching for us.

[thewordfortheday]

Why the Cross?

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

—1 Corinthians 1:18

A true story was reported about a couple visiting a jewelry store. As the jeweler showed them various crosses, the woman commented, "I like these, but do you have any without this little man on them?"

That is what so many people want today: a cross without Jesus. They want a cross without any offense. But if we could travel back in time and see the cross in its original context, we would realize that it was a bloody and vile symbol.

The Romans chose crucifixion because it was meant to be a slow, torturous way to die. It was designed to humiliate a person.

If there had been any other way, do you think that God would have allowed His Son to suffer like this? If there had been any other way we could have been forgiven, then God surely would have found it. If living a good moral life would get us to heaven, then Jesus never would have died for us. But He did — because there was and is no other way. He had to pay the price for our sin. At the cross, Jesus purchased the salvation of the world.

If you ever were tempted to doubt God's love for you, even for a moment, then take a long, hard look at the cross.

Greg Laurie

[erose-this-name]

The Goat is a Scapegoat

Since I’m writing this before the update, so still don’t know WHAT THE HECK IS GOaT’S DEAL LIKE WHAT EVEN ARE THEY? I’m just analyzing the symbolism.

I think the Goat (I like to call them Billie) is not a goat for no reason. Obviously, goats are very heavily associated with demons and the occult, which is kinda this game’s whole thing. 

But, I don’t think the Goat is just some generic sabbatic goat, I think the Goat is specifically meant to be a scapegoat.

The Lamb is literally a sacrificial lamb (which is a metaphor of someone that is sacrificed for a greater good, e.g. Jesus “Lamb of God” Christ. And our player character’s story in the game is based on that. Lamb’s first death was for the “greater good” of the Old Faith, and every death after that was again for the sake of someone else [Narinder]. You only later get to take fate back into your own hands by refusing to be sacrificed again.). 

So, it’d make sense if player 2 the Goat is also inspired by existing religious/occultic symbolism and metaphor. Out of all the associations goats have, scapegoat makes the most sense to me. A scapegoat is someone who is sacrificed to absolve another of sin. It’s similar enough to the concept of the sacrificial lamb to work as a foil while still being interestingly distinct.

(Which, by the way, I’ve seen some people imagining what players 3 and 4 might look like, but it’s always just another caprinae? An antelope? I feel like the fact goats and sheep are related is coincidental, Massive Monster is going for the sacrificial animals/satanic symbolism here. Player 3 and 4 would be a bull {Moloch} and a snake.)

In my head cannon, the Goat wasn’t sacrificed by the bishops to prevent a prophecy, their death was not meant to avert some wrath from an avenging death god. But they sure as heck were hunted. 

In Goat’s universe, Narinder (who is a doggy, of course) is never imprisoned, so there was no prophecy. Even so, the Bishops are still cursed by their sin, guilty of acts so profane and unnatural they are unforgivable except by death. They committed a horrible crime against Shamura, the most innocent, who cared for and raised each of them as if they were their own spiderlings, Shamura is the one they love most of all. 

So intense is the Bishops’ guilt and regret, so pure their sin, it’s begun to eat away at them and physically deform them, blinding, muting, deafening, maddening, paralyzing. And it corrupts their divine domains, where there were once benevolent gods of Peace, Plenty, Healing, Knowledge, and Death, there are now bitter gods of Chaos, Famine, Plague, a-and Death still —but, like, even scarier death!

Since the only way to be absolved of such a crime is to die, and they don’t wanna do that, they must find a surrogate to die in their stead. So they blame it on some random vulnerable minority. The goats! So they genocide all the goats until there was only one left, “the Goat”, who now both metaphorically and literally holds all the gods’ sins. With their death, the bishops' atonement shall finally be complete.

Yeah, except that Shamura, corrupted into the fell mad god of war, has not forgiven them, so makes the Goat their undying Vessel and sends them to deliver just punishments and executions to the four bishops.

As to why the Goat is helping the Lamb? While Lamb is a messianic figure, Goat is a sin-eater. The Goat can never escape their nature of being a perpetual scapegoat, always taking on the guilt and responsibility of others, whether they want to or not. Forced to swallow the sin of four dark gods, burdened by it since the very moment they were born, certainly can’t have any positive effects on the soul, metaphysically and psychologically. Even though they’ve cleansed themself of sins in a baptism of divine ichor, that cavernous void it left in their heart will just refill again. 

Why could I not save the goats? Why did I sacrifice so many of my own followers?

No matter what choices the Goat makes, they will always feel guilty about something, because they have never gotten to know what it’s like to be allowed to be innocent. 

Perhaps, by walking their path a second time, by atoning twice, by helping another in a similar position to themself, by dying repeatedly in their stead on the field of battle, Goat will finally be free. 

Goat never kills Shamura since that would not redeem them, it would not allow them to stop being a scapegoat like how it allowed Lamb to stop being a sacrificial lamb. That would only be possible through enlightenment, by finally internalizing that it was never their fault.

Then again, maybe Goat is just a heckin’ weirdo who really likes fighting and mogging sheep. They are the chosen vessel of war, after all.

[romana-after-dark]

Our Gentle Sins: Part 11

Thank you so so so much to @plasticbabies for making this beautiful header!!!! we finally have a good one!

Dark!Logan Howlett x fem!reader

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Chapter summary: Past. Logan finds out what Scott is really thinking Present. Rogue returns to the mansion

Warnings: This fic features non con, pregnancy, and themes of religious trauma. I will not be saying everything that happens to warm you, by clicking read more you are prepared for extremely dark themes and that you at 18+. You are responsible for your own media consumption.

Before

All he wanted was to find you, to apologize, to kill the bastard that destroyed you so badly you didn’t think you deserved love that didn’t hurt.

And maybe kill your parents too.

But of course, Scott found him.

“I’m not letting this go, Logan.”

Logan rolled his eyes. “She told you herself, it was an accident, slim.”

“And why was she in your room anyway?”

Technically, he didn’t owe Scott an explanation. He didn’t owe Scott fucking shit, and if he wanted to think that you and him were fucking, that was his business. 

“Same thing as your wife.”

When Scott punched him, Logan didn’t even see it coming. Stumbling back, it took everything for Logan to reign in his anger, but when he looked at Scott… Christ he looked pathetic. For the first time, Logan noticed how tired he looked; thinner than usual. 

“I’m gonna let that one slide.” He rubbed the apple of his cheek, the pain quickly fading as he watched Scott’s heavy breathing. 

“Wow, thank you, what a guy.”

“Y��know, I get why you don’t like me. I wouldn’t like me either in your place-”

“You are in my place, because she left you for me.”

“Right. But just because I stole your girl, doesn’t mean I’m gonna hurt Dolly.”

There was a beat. “I didn’t forget, Logan.”

He sighed. “Forget what? Quit being cryptid. Man up and just spit it out.”

“You and Rogue, Logan.”

Logan waited for him to explain, to elaborate… but he didn’t and Logan’s anger grew. “I never, not once hurt the kid, Scott. I risked my life-!”

“WHY WAS SHE IN YOUR ROOM, LOGAN!”

“Who?” Logan had lost the plot. “Dolly?”

“Rogue.”

Flashbacks filled him, the night he woke up with his claws piercing the 17 year old who looked at him like a father, thinking she was about to die, that he killed her. He could almost feel the phantom panic in his chest. 

“Do you… you think I hurt her on purpose?”

Even despite the visor, Logan could feel Scott’s hard glare. “She was in your room, Logan. Why? Why was a 17-year-old in your bedroom?”

The accusation was clear, but Logan was too in shock to truly grasp what was happening. “Scott… jesus christ, have you spent all these years thinking I- that I molested her?!?! She’s like a daughter to me!”

“No.” He shook his head. “Because I asked her.”

More confusion. “And she told you she heard me having a nightmare. You know I have nightmares, Scott. Fuck! Everyone and their goddamn mom has heard them!”

“Yeah.” He was earily calm now. “So I doubt it at the time… but now, everything with Judith-”

“AN ADULT!”

“Oh please, she’s mentally still a teenager and you know it! For fucks sake, you say Rogue is like your daughter but you’re fucking someone 2 years older than her?!?!”

“WE’RE NOT HAVING SEX!”

Scott cocks his head to the side. “You just told me-”

“I was fucking with you. We havn’t- nothing has happened!”

“But you want it to?”

He did. Fuck, he really, really, did… There wasn’t much he wanted more than to be with you, fully and truly. “Yeah. I do. And you won’t stop me.”

Logan storms off to find you.

*

20 minutes later, he finally finds you in the library. You have papers spread out, looking like you were grading.

“Hey.” He’s sure to announce himself several feet away in the doorway, knowing you probably can’t hear the sound of the door opening. Besides, when you’re deep in studies, you tune out the other world.

You look up, giving him a soft smile. “Hey, Lo.” Standing, your dress russells against the desk as you make your way to him. “I guess we should talk, huh?”

Logan is leaned against the door way, arms crossed and smile as gentle as yours. “I’d like to. If you’d have me.”

Looking down, you shuffle a bit. “I’m sorry I can’t be-”

“Stop.” he says so softly, it’s barely above a whisper. Logan reached out to cup your face, making you freeze. “Whatever happened in the past… I- I can’t say I don’t care, because obviously I care but not in the way it’s gonna scare me away. I love you, Dolly.” He steps closer, and you don’t move, eyes wide looking up at him. “I want you, and everything that comes with it.”

You give a small little shake of your head, voice small. “I know you think- you think I’m sweet, that I’m a victim-”

He kisses you, cutting you off. Logan can feel you going rigid, not sinking into his touch the way he wants you to, so he wraps his arms around you. “Dolly, c’mon. It’s me. You know I love you, don’tcha? You know I’m not gonna hurt you?”

“Y-yes?” You say when your manage to pull just far enough away. “But Logan-”

He kisses you again. “Charles says I can’t be with you. Scott think I’m forcing you. Everyone in this God damn school thinks I’m a predator but you.”

“Ow-” Your hands find his finger, where they dig into your hip a little too tight. “Please, just listen-”

But he doesn’t want to listen, he wants you, and when he feels you finally kiss back just a little, he scoops you up. Your little gasp is music to his ears, and he carried you to the couch in the library, laying you down and himself settling between your legs. He knows the instant you feel his erection because you try to scramble away but he holds your hips pinned to the couch. You just need to adjust. Like the kiss, you gotta get used to the feeling.

“I’m gonna take care of you, Dolly. Always.”

“Logan stop-”

But he didn’t want to stop, cutting you off with a kiss and grinding his hips over you. The moan you release as your shoulders relax is music to his ears. 

“Gonna make you feel good…”

Your eyes flash open again, and try to push him away. “Lo, you have to listen, I’m not what you-”

“You’re everything I want, Dolly”

A kiss to your neck, nibbling tenderly on the sensitive flesh.

“Logan!” Finally, you shove him hard, hard enough it hurts just a little. “No!”

He pushed himself up, on arms on either side of your waist and his heart breaking when he sees you roll over and crawl up until you're sitting on the arm rest. Your eyes are flaring.

“I’ve killed people, Logan. I’m not what you think.”

After

When Rogue returned to the X-mansion, it felt different. Not that it had changed, not really, but rather, she had. When she left, she had been 20, off on her own solo work. Now, although it had only been a year, she felt like she was completely different.

She left at a difficult time. She had tried to help Logan through his… break up? Is that what they could call it? Is it really a break up if you’re the other man? Logan knew what he did was wrong. It was wrong to sleep with Jean when she was married to Scott, did he expect a happy ending? He didn’t get it. Jean choose Scott, and while Rogue thought Scott was a bit of a sap for taking back a cheater, she really couldn’t fault him. She’d done a lot of stupid stuff with Remy.

They hadn’t dated. Remy had insisted he was too old for her, that she needed to live a normal life, but what was a normal life when you’re a mutant? She’d been kicked out at 17, she’d struggled on her own ever since then. Still, despite protesting she was too young to date, Remy seemed to have no problem fooling around. There was no sex, because there couldn’t be back then. She was getting her powers under control, and it was better, but she wasn’t going to risk Remy. Still, there were always hands…

Rogue shook her head, the image of Remy cumming fading away like an etch-a-sketch, and opened the doors. At 21, she was an adult, and she had a whole year of life experience. If Remy couldn’t see her as one now, he never would, and she needed to move on. 

But Remy wasn’t the only reason she’d returned. Logan was back. After disappearing after the break up, she eventually heard from Kurt that he was staying with Wade for a bit to get his shit together and then set off on his own, he wasn’t planning on coming back. Rogue had been hurt he didn’t communicate that with her, so she didn’t try to communicate that she was leaving too. Still, she heard, from Kitty this time, that he was back. Said something that he just came to say goodbye to Kurt and some others and then head out, but now he was staying, he was teaching again? Contact had been limited, and she hadn’t been able to hear from anyone for months.

So much to learn.

“Rogue!!!” Jubilee was the first to find her, running up to give her a big hug. “I’m so happy you’re back!!”

“Me too.”

“Girl, there is SO MUCH to fill you in on!!” She gave a wink. “Remy is still single. Hasn’t even dated anyone, although I thought he was trying to make moves on that new teacher for a while.”

Ah yes, the human teacher. She’d heard things here and there in her limited contact. Remy was even able to send a letter once, mentioning briefly how well they’d got on. Naturally, Rogue was a bit jealous but she knew she had no right to be. Still, no one ever mentioned them dating.

“Probably slept with her anyway.” Rogue tried not to sound bitter. It seemed Remy had fucked his way through half the town. Hell, she once overheard him giving Kurt an absolute run for his money once. It made her feel on the outside, the only one in the stupid mansion that wasn’t getting fucked.  

“Nuh-uh!” Jubilee took her arm, walking her down the hall. She’ll check in with Charles first. “I’ll be honest. She’s kinda weird. God, that sounds mean, but I promise I’m not trying to be! She’s very nice, never says a bad word about anyone. She’s so, so nice, but like… she knows. She knows she’s weird.”

“What kind of weird?”

“Raised in a cult weird! She still dresses like it too. Like a cross between a 50’s housewife and those mormon commune ladies. But again. Never caused any problems. Well, i guess there was that whole thing with Scott and Logan at the dance.”

Rogue turned to look at her friend. “What?!” Not this again. Did Logan and Scott fall for the same person AGAIN? No one told her Scott and Jean separated… Did Scott cheat on Jean?

“Oh-ho-ho. Girl, there is so much to catch up on. C’mon.”

*

You were cooking in the kitchen humming along to the music on your phone. It was so strange, discovering the music you actually liked now. For almost a year you’d been playing catch up. You found you really liked what people called basic pop music. It didn’t have a lot to say, but you found it fun. Your mind was filled with enough serious stuff, you didn’t need your music intense too. Right now you were swaying to Brittney Spears, someone you distinctly remember hearing condemned in church.

“Smells good.”

You thought you heard someone, but didn’t think much of it. People came in and out of the kitchen, often with other people. With issues with your hearing, it had gotten embarrassing going “hm?” Everytime you thought someone was talking to you, so you tuned out a lot.

Then, a girl about your age leaned against the counter. You’d never seen her before, but she looked familiar.

“Looks good too.”

“Oh!” You startled a bit, but you had gotten better at tempering your emotions. “Hi! Are you hungry? It’s almost done.”

“Sorry, I wasn't trying to intrude.” She had a strong southern accent, although you couldn’t place where. Much stronger than where you grew up in Carolina.

“There’s plenty! I was cooking for some friends and my fiance, they’ll be in soon. I’m sure they’d love it if you joined us!” She extended a hand. “I’m Judith. Are you new here?”

 She shook your hand with a glove-covered one of her own. “You really are nice…”

“Hm?”

“Oh, sorry, Jubilee was filling me in, she said you were nice.”

You smile at that. “Well, I think Jubilee is nice too. Are you going to start teaching next year? Or are you just here for a little?” Sometimes, mutants just came here as a respite. 

The girl smiled. “Oh, I’m not new, I-”

“PETIT!” Remy’s thick accent breaks the conversation as he strides in, followed by Wade and Logan.

“Oh shit.” Logan comes up to her, surprising you by bringing her into a deep hug. Who was she? An ex of Logans? Or Remy’s? Both? Logan comes up to you, grinning and giving you a kiss on the cheek. The girl makes a face you can’t figure out, but it makes you feel better he’s kissing you still. “Dolly, this is rogue.”

Oh! Thats how you knew her! She was in a picture hanging in Remys room. 

“You’re Rogue! Oh, I’m so sorry, here I was thinking you were some stranger.”

Remy stayed put right by Rogues side. Rogue’s name had come up in the few times you caught Remy in a less than cheerful mood.

She smiles and says it's alright, while Wade sticks his head directly into your pot. He’s lucky he has no hair to fall into your soup.

“Out!” You swat him gently with your spoon, making him yelp. “It’s ready anyway, everyone take a seat.”

“Yippie!” Wade cheers, practically skipping to the table.

You feel heavy eyes on you as you scoop out each bowl, plating it with garlic bread on the side. Wade digs in, but Logan flicks his head. “Have some manners.”

“Whaaaat?!” Wade asks in genuine confusion, only to look more confused as Logan takes yours hand, and his left takes Wades. Then Remy takes Wade’s other hand. Things only got worse when Logan lead the prayer.

“What the fuck was that?”

Logan shot him a glare. “No swearing at the dinner table.”

But Rogue was with Wade. “No, I’m with him. Since when do you pray?”

Logan was not as harsh with Rogue. “Things change.”

“I guess they do…” You don’t miss her glancing at your stomach.

You clear your throat. “Logan isn’t exactly religious, but it’s for me. We even go to church.” You turn to him with a loving smile, and he smiles right back. It has gotten easier to pretend now. Every day, this version of Logan, the Logan you knew before, well, it made the Logan that raped you blur away… Now the assault was nameless, faceless… sometimes it felt like you wanted it too. Logically, you knew Logan had done it… but that was so far removed from the Logan you knew, you couldn’t make sense of it.

“God damn.” Wade claps his hands together, laughing a bit nervously. “I don’t see my sweet little peanut for almost a year and suddenly he’s a little housewife that goes to church and is making little wolvies with the cult girl!”

“Watch it.” Logan’s firm warning to Wade not to push it doesn’t go unnoticed by you. Wade can heal from anything (in the week he’s been here, he accidentally blew off a finger lighting fireworks with Kurt, and it grew back.) but you didn’t want Logan to blow his lid again like he did with Scott.

You take his hand, laughing in good humor. “Relax baby, he’s right. It’s not like I haven't made the same joke.”

*

“It’s fucking weird!!” Rogue complained. It wasn’t the conversation she wanted to have with Remy tonight. But then again she hadn’t explained planned on falling into bed with him 5 minutes after sneaking off to his room, but here she was. Still clothed, but thoroughly satiated. 

She could have told Remy they could have sex, that she controlled her powers now that if she was concentrating, no one got hurt. Even before, Remy would sneak dangerous quick little kisses because he claimed half a second was worth it to feel her. She still wore her gloves and all because it did actively require concentrating, so if someone walked up to her and touched her arm, she could accidentally hurt them, but all in all she was way less dangerous unintentionally.

Still, she kept that a secret from Remy. She didn’t want Remy to actually date her this time just because she could fuck him. She needed to know he didn’t just want her for sex. It was a silly worry, because clearly Remy could get it from about anywhere, but she wanted to know, she needed to know that Remy would have loved her as she was before, that the fact they couldn’t fuck wasn’t the secret reason he wouldn’t date her. She needed to know he wasn’t hiding behind the “you’re too young”

Yet, as Remy lay there holding her, he didn’t look one bit unpleased with what they had done.

“It’s not that weird, sweets. They love each other.”

“She’s only 3 years older than me.”

“Oh, so suddenly age gaps bother you know?” his inflection was light, but she still looked up at him with a slight glare. 

“That’s not fair.”

He softens, holding her closer. “I know. He’s 200 years old, it’s a bit different than us.”

Her heart leapt in its place. “And what exactly is us, Remy?”

A gentle sigh. “Well, if I was a better man, I’d say this is a one time thing…”

“And are you?”

Remy lifts her up, placing her on his stomach to straddle his stomach. “Petite. Do you know what I thought of every day for the year you were gone?”

“Whose pants you were gonna slide into next?”

“Rude, but fair.” Remy reached up to boop her nose, and Rogue focused on not hurting him. “No, I thought about how if I wasn’t suck a coward, you’d still be here, be in my bed, and not on the other goddamn side of the world.”

Pink dusted her cheeks. Rogue ground herself down over his covered abs, the wet spot on her leggings evident even through his shirt. “Did you think of me when you fucked other people?”

Remy shuttered, feeling her start to get herself off again on his body. Fuck, she looked so pretty like this, white and brown hair framing her faze as he gazed up at her in adoration. “There were no other people.”

She scoffed at that, nearly barking a laugh. “Yeah right! You’re a whore, Saloon Boy.”

“I tried, baby.” His words are gritted out, almost in pain as his cock springs to life yet again. Remy grabs her hips, encouraging her to hump him, to use him. “None of them were you. No one could ever be you.”

As Rogue continued to grind against Remy, staring deep into his red on black eyes. Her hands were plastered against his chest. She leaned down over him, lips dangerously close to his. “And no one was ever you.”

thanks for all your patience!! tomorrow is the last day of class, i just need to turn in one assignment but i had a question so i had to email my professor ;-; it was an edu class, childrens lit!!! it was soooo good. Did anyone ever read american girl books? I did my author study on valerie tripp, she was my fav bc i was OBSESSED with american girl! I got my samantha doll right here, actually. No wonder im a history major.

Anywayyyyy

stressy depressy about paying for school. i owe 3700 rn and i gotta pay it down to 1500 before school starts again in febuary. Luckily I have a long winter break (6 weeks!!) so im gonna work a LOT. I switched from one job that paid me just under $17 to a job I make 19 when im in the kitchen, and when I do to go its 16 plus tips SOOOOO heres to hoping. If im a few hundred short, I can probably ask my brother for a loan.

enough about me!!!! ROGUE IS HERE! AND WADE!

AND ahhhh!!! Dolly KILLED SOMEONE??????

Dropped in the comments what you think happened

Remy and Rogue <3 ive never read x men comics but i was reading up on them and ahhhh so cute. I love rogue so much. and yall know I love my boy remy

and tee hee Remy and Kurt was just because I love gay shit.

No poll today! Just tell me what you think of the chapter <3

thanks so much for all the love!!!

@multiversed-daydreamer @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @del-ightfulling @miraclesabound @hindi-si-ikay @samsamsantos @madamerubrum @shybluebirdninja a @hornystan @rogueinmymind @accountforreading123 @yawnetu @princessanglophile @and-claudia a @new-genesis100 @teaganthemorningstar @oldloganslittleslut @zaggprincess2 @bugsinmyeyez @groundclueless @cosmolight @nonamevenus

[forwards-beckon-rebound]

of the father and the son

warnings: major character death, referenced assault and battery, religious themes, weird references to cumbia and salsa, basically just every warning related to the events of jason's death

it started as all rendezvous do. knowing glances, a delicate chase between tomcat and robin. a dare: catch me if you can. his partner slips out of the room unbeknownst to all except his target. the game is afoot.

they meet alone in a room. it starts with a dance. a cumbia variation. right step, left step. cross body lead. a slide to the left, a turn to the right.

“agua!” his partner cries in delight. their movements are a blur as he fights to keep control. hesitation, block, check. and then, a change of place. a change of pace.

time comes to a stand still. his head dips. he has been ensnared.

but what type of dance would it be without music? there’s not much to work with, so they improvise a duet. his partner provides the rhythm, and if done well, his jaybird rewards him with an “a” note. it’s syncopated.

clang, a-lang, a-lang, a—clang, a-lang, a-lang, AH—

but every cinderella’s evening must come to come to an end. and the clock is about to strike midnight.

                               before they part, he leaves him a small gift.

                                a gentle caress of the cheek, so he won’t

                                                             forget

                                                              their

                                                              time

                                       to                   gether.

                                        the            wound,

                                               it burns.

the spell is broken. it is 12 o’clock. and the jaybird is all alone.

12 is a funny number. it was the egyptians, who had first decided to split the night into 12 parts based on the 12 asterisms. it was caesar, who had ordered the creation of a 12 month calendar. it was jesus, who had 12 apostles before he was betrayed and that number became 11. and soon, the 12 seconds jason todd had left were about to become

11.

on good days, his mother (no that wasn’t right. his real mother was the unconscious woman the joker had left sitting across the room from him. his mother was the woman who had brought him into this world just so he could die for humanity’s sins. her included, for she too was only human) caretaker was atheist. it was only on the nights when the electricity bill had not been paid and the snow piled high on their window ledge, that she began to pray. a private mass, just the two of them. a confessional without a booth, a church without a father.

10.

he had thought she was silly then, all pressed up against the wall to steal the warmth from the next unit over as she preached of loving thy neighbour. they were bundled up in as many layers as they could wring out of the closet. under the last-washed-in-august comforter, he wore a puffer and under that, his sunday best. it was the warmest he had, all wool and short around the ankles, with a bulky security tag pressed against the small of his back. it was the only thing his father had ever left for him. he had hated her perpetual prayers that kept him from sleep. now, he longed for those days. at least then, he wouldn’t have died alone.

9.

our father, who art in heaven. did jesus pray like this too, when he was on the cross? did he ever curse the fact that even as he bled out, he could not say “my father”? for everybody is a child of god. even the prostitutes who sold themselves for a full stomach and a roof over their heads. even the criminals on either side of him, who committed sins much worse than telling the truth. even the very soldiers who had hung him there and pierced holes in him that would never mend. did jesus ever wonder why, out of all of god’s children, he had been the chosen one, born to die?

8.

he had always been taught that good things come to those who do good. he had always tried to do good by others. he had stopped his classmates from being bullied. he had fought that mugger who was about to take some old lady’s purse. he had tried to take down the joker all alone despite orders because he had wanted to save his mother. surely, those were all good actions. surely he was good.

7.

did jesus’ father ever take pity on him? god must have seen him bleeding out. even if he had accepted this fate, surely every parent’s instinct is to protect. the child’s role is to be foolish, and the parent’s role is to forgive. so surely, his own father could overlook this mistake one time. he would be rescued and they could pretend this was nothing more than a bad nightmare. but jesus hadn’t made it off his cross alive, had he?

6.

everything would be alright. his father wasn’t god. his father was batman. and batman would never let anybody die on his watch. hell, even if it was the joker locked up in here with the bomb about to go off, his father would probably save him too. god, though? god couldn’t even save his son.

5.

what was he worried about? his father would break through this door with a badass kick and save him just in the nick of time. that would show that stupid clown.

4.

any second now, his father would break through this door and save him in the nick of time.

3.

any second now, his father would come to save him.

2.

his father would come to save him.

1.

dad…save me

0.

.

.

.

they created a lovely tableau. a broken figure, no more human than he is alive, cradled in the lap of a parent he no longer fits into. mother and son, engraved in marble. father and son, covered in ash. time continues on its lumbering path, but a parent’s grief never changes.

[professor-cold-ramen]

Why do you worship your god YHWH as the only one? This is a legitimate question? What good does it do for you? Everything your god has done for you shouldn't have anything to do with his status, or uniqueness. I've seen the power of gods alien to your own, from Hel (the goddess I'm closest to, though I do worship others), I've seen her stop animals from moving, protect the sick and wounded, and cause a blind preacher to see her and flee. And I've felt her love, felt her comfort (I probably wouldn't even identify as agender if it wasn't for her help). But because she is not your god you would call this demonic? And say my soul is bound for damnation? Why not admit the existence of other gods, and keep to your own if you wish. How can your relationship with your god even be safe if you can't leave for another? How can it be called anything but bigotry to deny another god's divinity while you worship one yourself?

If you're looking for real answers, here are some answers in good faith. I can only hope my words do it justice.

"Why do you worship your god YHWH as the only one?"

Yahweh is the only god (small g) that I have seen working in my life and the lives of those around me, just as you have felt Hel work in your life. I have seen Him quickly answer my prayers and the prayers of others, in ways that I never would've expected. I have felt His love, even in the moments when I didn't deserve it. Especially in those moments. Because of what I have experienced, I firmly believe that the Bible is from Him and that every single word of it is infallible. I believe that Yahweh:

Created the universe (every piece of it, from the largest galaxies to the smallest gluons) (Genesis 1:1)

Fought for the Israelites, His chosen people, when they were being attacked (and always won, no matter what He was up against) (The Book of Judges has plenty of great examples)

Freed His people from Egypt and Babylon on separate occasions (two of the strongest world powers in those times) (The Books of Exodus, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel)

Came to Earth as a baby (Luke 2:11)

Healed the sick and raised the dead while He was incarnated on this earth as Jesus Christ (The Gospel of John, Chapters 9 and 11 among many others)

Died on a cross to cleanse us of our sins that we might be with Him (Luke 23:46)

Rose again after three days, ending the powers of sin and death (Hallelujah!) (Luke 24:6)

Still works in the lives of those who seek Him (Acts 17:27)

Has given His Spirit to those with faith to assist us in our daily trials (Acts 1:8)

Will win the final victory once this world passes away (The Book of Revelation)

Will welcome those who believe in Him into His kingdom (Revelation, Chapter 21)

I believe that He is stronger than any other force in this universe, because He created all of them. Because of what the Bible says, I believe that Yahweh is the the Lord God (big G). He has already done so much for me, and will continue to do immeasurably more as I follow Him. I can see no reason to follow anyone else. No other god is worth following.

"But because she is not your god you would call this demonic?"

Not necessarily demonic. I am open to the possibility of there being other supernatural/divine forces beyond Yahweh. I don't claim to understand the supernatural world. Your gods might be demons or some other kind of spirit. I don't think I'll ever find out, but that is something I'd like to ask Yahweh when I meet him. It's always fascinated me.

"And say my soul is bound for damnation?"

All our souls our bound for damnation. My own soul is bound for damnation. When I die, I will have to stand before Yahweh and his judgment. I will never be able to meet His standards on my own. "Foremost among sinners," as the apostle Paul put it (1 Timothy, 1:15). My only hope is the loving grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Because of the redemptive work He did when He died a criminal's death upon a cross, I have been cleansed of my sins. Christ bore the judgment for me so I don't have to. Just like the prodigal son that Jesus spoke of in His parables, Yahweh will welcome me with open arms. The same can happen for you. I promise it isn't too late.

"Why not admit the existence of other gods, and keep to your own if you wish."

Because these other gods don't have the power to save you. They make promises but cannot deliver on any lasting goodness. You can believe whatever you want. I believe Yahweh has given you the free will to do so. However, I am called to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Keeping to my own isn't an option.

Yahweh truly wants best for you, as do I. And what is best for you is to live in communion with your creator, who loves you and is calling you back to Him. He will leave the rest of the sheep in His flock to come find you (Luke 15:3-7). There is a part of you, no matter how small or how deep it is buried, that yearns to be with Him. Lean into it. Trust me on this, you will not regret it.

"How can your relationship with your god even be safe if you can't leave for another?"

I believe that I have the free will to leave Him. In fact, there have been plenty of times that I haven't been especially close to Yahweh, of my own volition. I screw up. I fall short. I turn away from Him to chase the fleeting pleasures of this world. Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. And every time He welcomes Me back. I pray daily that I might keep my eyes on Him and not fall away.

In fact, even King David, who was described as "A man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14) made mistakes. He chose his own ways and desires over Yahweh's, usually to disastrous consequences. However, he always returned to worshiping and praising Yahweh, and Yahweh accepted him back. (2 Samuel, Chapters 11 and 12, most notably 12:20)

This is true love. Yes, He will discipline us and let us deal with the consequences of our mistakes, but He will always forgive us and welcome us back. I truly hope that you have experienced an unconditional love like this. If you haven't, I hope you will experience it at some point from the future. In fact, I hope you will experience Yahweh's endless, undeserved, unconditional, overwhelming love. We were created to experience it. There's nothing else like it.

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

Hi, I don’t follow you and I’m not Christian but for some reason your Lilith post got algorithm-ed onto my dash and now I’m curious and by that I mean…. SERIOUSLY? Have I just been gaslit into believing about the existence of a Bible character my whole life? Is she the Goncharov of the bible? I swear I’ve seen Christians mention her so where are they getting their idea of her? Or why do they think she’s worth discussing if she doesn’t even exist? Obviously if you’re busy you don’t have to answer this but your post is literally the first I heard about this.

I'm afraid you have indeed been gaslit.

All the Christians I know would only mention her with disdain, because we're aware she's just some medieval dude's Bible OC (and adding to the Bible is kind of a no-no).

If the Christians you know discuss Lilith as if she is part of Biblical canon, there are really only two explanations: 1. They have never read Genesis (which is like, the first book any Christian is raised to know), and are not being adequately discipled. 2. They are nominal Christians who don't understand or care about the gospel, but who like the aesthetic of Christianity and Christianity-adjacent things.

The reason Lilith is such a thorn in Christians' side is that she interferes with Genesis 1-3, which is the foundation not just of the entire plot and premise of the Bible, but of our theology regarding the physical world and our place in it.

Her myth posits that God initially made both man and woman from the dust, but then made another woman from Adam's rib. It posits that the complementarian nature of man and woman must be manifest in sexual relations. It posits that a figurehead of mankind could sin (by failing to sexually submit), but not suffer the consequences God promised for sin. It posits that Adam bore no blame in the first sin. It posits that humans can become demons (they can't). And from this point on, it ceases to make any sense. Demons can't have children, demons can't have dominion over anything God didn't grant them dominion over, and there was no sickness prior to the Fall for Lilith to cause. I would even argue there were no demons before the Fall, and that Lucifer fell at the moment he decided to tempt Adam and Eve. And what does it even mean for a demon to die? Demons are already cut off from the Author of Life, and they are spiritual beings (no bodies).

Then the question arises, if Adam & Eve didn't commit the first sin, why did Jesus have to be the Second Adam? If death and sickness existed before The Fall, how could they also be the consequence of The Fall? If death and sickness existed before The Fall, why should it not exist in the New Earth after Jesus returns? If Adam and Eve sinned, why didn't they become demons, too? Why aren't all of us demons because of them? et cetera, et cetera, ad infinitum.

[mysticbisexualxtian]

Christ’s Descent into Hades (Hell)

Chapter I (17).

Joseph says: And why do you wonder that Jesus has risen? But it is wonderful that He has not risen alone, but that He has also raised many others of the dead who have appeared in Jerusalem to many. And if you do not know the others, Symeon at least, who received Jesus, and his two sons whom He has raised up — them at least you know. For we buried them not long ago; but now their tombs are seen open and empty, and they are alive, and dwelling in Arimathaea. They therefore sent men, and they found their tombs open and empty. Joseph says: Let us go to Arimathaea and find them.

Then rose up the chief priests Annas and Caiaphas, and Joseph, and Nicodemus, and Gamaliel, and others with them, and went away to Arimathaea, and found those whom Joseph spoke of. They made prayer, therefore, and saluted each other. Then they came with them to Jerusalem, and brought them into the synagogue, and secured the doors, and placed in the midst the old covenant of the Jews; and the chief priests said to them: We wish you to swear by the God of Israel and Adonai, and so that you tell the truth, how you have risen, and who has raised you from the dead.

The men who had risen having heard this, made upon their faces the sign of the cross, and said to the chief priests: Give us paper and ink and pen. These therefore they brought. And sitting down, they wrote thus:-

Chapter 2 (18).

O Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life of the world, grant us grace that we may give an account of Your resurrection, and Your miracles which You did in Hades. We then were in Hades, with all who had fallen asleep since the beginning of the world. And at the hour of midnight there rose a light as if of the sun, and shone into these dark regions; and we were all lighted up, and saw each other. And straightway our father Abraham was united with the patriarchs and the prophets, and at the same time they were filled with joy, and said to each other: This light is from a great source of light.

The prophet Isaiah, who was there present, said: This light is from the Father, and from the Son, and from the Holy Spirit; about whom I prophesied when yet alive, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, the people that sat in darkness, have seen a great light.

Then there came into the midst another, an ascetic from the desert; and the patriarchs said to him: Who are you? And he said: I am John, the last of the prophets, who made the paths of the Son of God straight, and proclaimed to the people repentance for the remission of sins. And the Son of God came to me; and I, seeing Him a long way off, said to the people: Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. And with my hand I baptized Him in the river Jordan, and I saw like a dove also the Holy Spirit coming upon Him; and I heard also the voice of God, even the Father, thus saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And on this account He sent me also to you, to proclaim how the only begotten Son of God is coming here, that whosoever shall believe in Him shall be saved, and whosoever shall not believe in Him shall be condemned. On this account I say to you all, in order that when you see Him you all may adore Him, that now only is for you the time of repentance for having adored idols in the vain upper world, and for the sins you have committed, and that this is impossible at any other time.

Chapter 3 (19).

While John, therefore, was thus teaching those in Hades, the first created and forefather Adam heard, and said to his son Seth: My son, I wish you to tell the forefathers of the race of men and the prophets where I sent you, when it fell to my lot to die. And Seth said: Prophets and patriarchs, hear. When my father Adam, the first created, was about to fall once upon a time into death, he sent me to make entreaty to God very close by the gate of paradise, that He would guide me by an angel to the tree of compassion and that I might take oil and anoint my father, and that he might rise up from his sickness: which thing, therefore, I also did.

And after the prayer an angel of the Lord came, and said to me: What, Seth, do you ask? Do you ask for oil which raises up the sick, or the tree from which this oil flows, on account of the sickness of your father? This is not to be found now. Go, therefore, and tell your father, that after the accomplishing of five thousand five hundred years from the creation of the world, you shall come into the earth the only begotten Son of God, being made man; and He shall anoint him with this oil, and shall raise him up; and shall wash clean, with water and with the Holy Spirit, both him and those out of him, and then shall he be healed of every disease; but now this is impossible.

When the patriarchs and the prophets heard these words, they rejoiced greatly.

Chapter 4 (20).

And when all were in such joy, Satan the heir of darkness entered and said to Hades: O all-devouring and insatiable, hear my words. There is of the race of the Jews one named Jesus, calling himself the Son of God; and being a man, by our working with them the Jews have crucified him: and now when he is dead, be ready that we may secure him here. For I know that he is a man, and I heard him also saying, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. He has also done me many evils when living with mortals in the upper world. For wherever he found my servants, he persecuted them; and whatever men I made crooked, blind, lame, lepers, or any such thing, by a single word he healed them; and many whom I had got ready to be buried, even these through a single word he brought to life again.

Hades says: And is this man so powerful as to do such things by a single word? and if he be so, can you withstand him? It seems to me that, if he be so, no one will be able to withstand him. And if you say that you heard him dreading death, he said this mocking you, and laughing, wishing to seize you with the strong hand; and woe, woe to you, to all eternity!

Satan says: O all-devouring and insatiable Hades, are you so afraid at hearing of our common enemy? I was not afraid of him, but worked in the Jews, and they crucified him, and gave him also to drink gall with vinegar. Make ready, then, in order that you may lay fast hold of him when he comes.

Hades answered: Heir of darkness, son of destruction, devil, you have just now told me that many whom you had made ready to be buried, be brought to life again by a single word. And if he has delivered others from the tomb, how and with what power shall he be laid hold of by us?

For I not long ago swallowed down one dead, Lazarus by name; and not long after, one of the living by a single word dragged him up by force out of my bowels: and I think that it was he of whom you speak. If, therefore, we receive him here, I am afraid lest perchance we be in danger even about the rest.

For, lo, all those that I have swallowed from eternity I perceive to be in commotion, and I am pained in my belly. And the snatching away of Lazarus beforehand seems to me to be no good sign: for not like a dead body, but like an eagle, he flew out of me; for so suddenly did the earth throw him out. Wherefore also I adjure even you, for your benefit and for mine, not to bring him here; for I think that he is coming here to raise all the dead. And this I tell you: by the darkness in which we live, if you bring him here, not one of the dead will be left behind in it to me.

Chapter 5 (21).

While Satan and Hades were thus speaking to each other, there was a great voice like thunder, saying: Lift up your gates, O ye rulers; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates; and the King of glory shall come in!

When Hades heard, he said to Satan: Go forth, if you are able, and withstand him. Satan therefore went forth to the outside. Then Hades says to his demons: Secure well and strongly the gates of brass and the bars of iron, and attend to my bolts, and stand in order, and see to everything; for if he come in here, woe will seize us.

The forefathers having heard this, began all to revile him, saying: O all-devouring and insatiable! open, that the King of glory may come in. David the prophet says: Do you not know, O blind, that I when living in the world prophesied this saying: Lift up your gates, O ye rulers?

Isaiah said: I, foreseeing this by the Holy Spirit, wrote: The dead shall rise up, and those in their tombs shall be raised, and those in the earth shall rejoice. And where, O death, is your sting? where, O Hades, is your victory?

There came, then, again a voice saying: Lift up the gates!

Hades, hearing the voice the second time, answered as if forsooth he did not know, and says: Who is this King of glory?

The angels of the Lord say: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. And immediately with these words the brazen gates were shattered, and the iron bars broken, and all the dead who had been bound came out of the prisons, and we with them. And the King of glory came in in the form of a man, and all the dark places of Hades were lighted up.

Chapter 6 (22).

Immediately Hades cried out: We have been conquered: woe to us! But who are you, who has such power and might? and what are you, who comes here without sin who are seen to be small and yet of great power, lowly and exalted, the slave and the master, the soldier and the king, who has power over the dead and the living? You were nailed on the cross, and placed in the tomb; and now you are free, and have destroyed all our power. Are you then the Jesus about whom the chief satrap Satan told us, that through cross and death you are to inherit the whole world?

Then the King of glory seized the chief satrap Satan by the head, and delivered him to His angels, and said: With iron chains bind his hands and his feet, and his neck, and his mouth. Then He delivered him to Hades, and said: Take him, and keep him secure till my second appearing.

Chapter 7 (23).

And Hades receiving Satan, said to him: Beelzebul, heir of fire and punishment, enemy of the saints, through what necessity did you bring about that the King of glory should be crucified, so that he should come here and deprive us of our power? Turn and see that not one of the dead has been left in me, but all that you have gained through the tree of knowledge, you have lost through the tree of the cross: and all your joy has been turned into grief; and wishing to put to death the King of glory, you have put yourself to death.

For, since I have received you to keep you safe, by experience shall you learn how many evils I shall do unto you. O arch-devil, the beginning of death, root of sin, end of all evil, what evil did you find in Jesus, that you should compass his destruction? how have you dared to do such evil? how have you busied yourself to bring down such a man into this darkness, through whom you have been deprived of all who have died from eternity?

Chapter 8 (24).

While Hades was thus discoursing to Satan, the King of glory stretched out His right hand, and took hold of our forefather Adam, and raised him. Then turning also to the rest, He said: Come all with me, as many as have died through the tree which he touched: for, behold, I again raise you all up through the tree of the cross. Thereupon He brought them all out, and our forefather Adam seemed to be filled with joy, and said: I thank Your majesty, O Lord, that You have brought me up out of the lowest Hades. Likewise also all the prophets and the saints said: We thank You, O Christ, Saviour of the world, that You have brought our life up out of destruction.

And after they had thus spoken, the Saviour blessed Adam with the sign of the cross on his forehead, and did this also to the patriarchs, and prophets, and martyrs, and forefathers; and He took them, and sprang up out of Hades. And while He was going, the holy fathers accompanying Him sang praises, saying: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Alleluia! to Him be the glory of all the saints!

Chapter 9 (25).

And setting out to paradise, He took hold of our forefather Adam by the hand, and delivered him, and all the just, to the archangel Michael. And as they were going into the door of paradise, there met them two old men, to whom the holy fathers said: Who are you, who have not seen death, and have not come down into Hades, but who dwell in paradise in your bodies and your souls?

One of them answered, and said: I am Enoch, who was well-pleasing to God, and who was translated hither by Him; and this is Elijah the Thesbite; and we are also to live until the end of the world; and then we are to be sent by God to withstand Antichrist, and to be slain by him, and after three days to rise again, and to be snatched up in clouds to meet the Lord.

Chapter 10 (26)

While they were thus speaking, there came another lowly man, carrying also upon his shoulders a cross, to whom the holy fathers said: Who are you, who have the look of a robber; and what is the cross which you bear upon your shoulders?

He answered: I, as you say, was a robber and a thief in the world, and for these things the Jews laid hold of me, and delivered me to the death of the cross, along with our Lord Jesus Christ. While, then, He was hanging upon the cross, I, seeing the miracles that were done, believed in Him, and entreated Him, and said, Lord, when You shall be King, do not forget me. And immediately He said to me, Amen, amen: today, I say unto you, shall you be with me in paradise. Therefore I came to paradise carrying my cross; and finding the archangel Michael, I said to him, Our Lord Jesus, who has been crucified, has sent me here; bring me, therefore, to the gate of Eden. And the flaming sword, seeing the sign of the cross, opened to me, and I went in. Then the archangel says to me, Wait a little, for here comes also the forefather of the race of men, Adam, with the just, that they too may come in. And now, seeing you, I came to meet you.

The saints hearing these things, all cried out with a loud voice: Great is our Lord, and great is His strength.

Chapter 11 (27).

All these things we saw and heard; we, the two brothers, who also have been sent by Michael the archangel, and have been ordered to proclaim the resurrection of the Lord, but first to go away to the Jordan and to be baptized. Thither also we have gone, and have been baptized with the rest of the dead who have risen. Thereafter also we came to Jerusalem, and celebrated the passover of the resurrection. But now we are going away, being unable to stay here. And the love of God, even the Father, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

Having written these things, and secured the rolls, they gave the half to the chief priests, and the half to Joseph and Nicodemus. And they immediately disappeared: to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

[welldonekhushi]

Crime and Punishment: Incorrect Quotes

I would never stop thinking about this novel. I never will. So here I bless you with some incorrect quotes that I wrote on our beloved characters! Hope you like it!

Porfiry, giving a whole damn monologue throughout the novel:

Raskolnikov, internally resisting the urge to not bring his axe out again: .. you're all good, Rodya. You're all good.

---------------------------

Raskolnikov, talking about Luzhin: I said, that I don't think that he's good for you!

Dunya: How do you know what's good for me?

Raskolnikov, in an outburst: That's my OPINION!

Dunya, shocked:

Pulcheria, confused:

Razumikhin: .. oh.

---------------------------

Raskolnikov: I might have to beat someone up just to get rid of all this blind fury.

Razumikhin: Oh, wow..

Raskolnikov: Now I feel pretty sorry for the next guy who looks at me funny.

Razumikhin: Hm.. what about that guy?

Raskolnikov, turns around to see Porfiry smiling at him sinisterly:

Raskolnikov, faints and passes out: Bozhe moy—

---------------------------

Luzhin: Yup, sometimes you got to beat the ladies off with a stick!

Luzhin, swinging his stick: Back woman! Back, I said!

---------------------------

Sonya: Ha! Footprints in the sand.. but then you turn around and see another set. Cause Jesus was with you, all along.

Camera pans to the next person beside her: .. but my name is Raskolnikov?

---------------------------

Svidrigailrov, when he kills his own wife so he can marry Dunya but gets rejected after getting almost shot by her:

Svidrigailrov: Well, guess I'll die? *shrugs with the gun in his hand*

---------------------------

Raskolnikov: I'm Napoleon. I'm a hero. I'm strong. I'm brave. I did something for society and humanity. Why should I be —

The old artisan: You're a murderer.

Raskolnikov, walks away: Nope. I'm not Napoleon. I'm a failure. I've been sinned. Sorry Mama. Sorry Dunya. *soon faints in between*

---------------------------

Luzhin, exists:

Raskolnikov: How dare you breathe in our presence?!

Luzhin: Then am I not supposed to breathe? Why don't you do the same?

Raskolnikov: At least I'd be happy to die knowing you died with me too. *flips off at him*

---------------------------

Alyona, lying on the floor dead:

Raskolnikov, stares at her dead body: .. well shit.

Raskolnikov, making a cool pose: But at least I've got that money!

---------------------------

Fyodor Dostoevsky, creates Crime and Punishment:

Me, travelling back in time, and bowing down next to him: Thank you for writing such an amazing book. It changed my life.

Fyodor: But I just wrote this book about human suffering?

[haniiluvsyou]

Discovering our values

Everyone has the ability to judge our worth, and we have the option of accepting it. If we accept it, our lives depend on how others perceive us; if we don't accept it, we create our own value for ourselves.

When we think about it deeply, we often realize we don't really know our own worth. But it's amazing to think about how God sees us.

Why does God bless us every day?

Why did He send His Son to pay for our sins?

And why did Jesus die for us, so we could be righteous in the sight of God and go to heaven?

The answer lies in God's perception of us as incredibly valuable. He sees potential and worth in each of us, which is why Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for our sake.

As stated in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies." This reminds us that our lives are precious to God, and we should live in a way that honors Him.

In conclusion, while others may judge our worth based on outward appearances or actions, our true value lies in how God sees us. His love, grace, and sacrifice through Jesus Christ define our worth and offer us a path to eternal significance.

[sugar-grigri]

You make a lot of comparison with Christianity and then say a god doesn't live, while in Christianity the thing with God is that he came and lived as humans. In many religions, gods have lives too, they're born, they live, and in some religions they even die. So I don't really understand the thing about god not living, just being there 🤔

We're getting into spiritual territory and I'm going to answer you as a non-Christian who was taught religion as a child, so all I'm going to say is things as I see them, I'm not a specialist, nor a believer.

What I wanted to say is that God doesn't live, he's much more than that. He is the beginning, the end, the present, the future and the past all at the same time; death does not reach him, since he belongs to all temporalities, to the earth he created as much as to the heavens in which he sits.

I think Denji expresses this divine side well, since on numerous occasions, especially in part 2, he is shown to be unhappy, glimpsing happiness through the window as he watches humanity cheer him on. Whether it's admiring the crowd chanting or clashing like the insignificant teenager he is, in secret, whether it's through television. Denji is not among men, yet Chainsaw Man is a solution for all, an image that resides in all.

The nature of Jesus is complex, and the answer is not clear-cut, there are arguments that support him having a human nature, a divine nature or both, the question of his own individuality is a debate that has gone on for centuries and I'm certainly not going to answer it. Only I think one teaching was clear. Why did God choose to take the form of a man? He had to, so that he could forgive mankind. If he had been "only" God, he wouldn't have been able to identify with men and pay for them. Jesus' dualistic nature is what made it possible to keep God's link, to be able to express himself in their name, while dying for us, his death was a great enough sacrifice for divine justice, just as his link with us justifies the existence of our sins and the need to forgive us.

I'm not here to make a silly statement that Denji = Jesus, I wouldn't dare. But Chainsaw Man's fascination with different worlds, and the way Denji always seems so far away from men, reminds me of a certain divine solitude. Living for, in others without having a light existence for oneself.

Denji was born to answer his father's debts. He was resurrected to follow orders, then to play the role of savior and figure of hope. He died again. And was resurrected to fight the apocalypse.

When he asks to see his little sister, that is, his part of individuality, his own needs.

Barem gives him one condition: first, save us.

[papirouge]

I gave up on being pro life publicly and online. The genocide in the Congo and in Gaza have proved it to me that many western women who run those pro life accounts don’t care for children. Many babies have been lost due to hospital bombings. More children are displaced with no families.

I’ve tried reaching out when they talk about saving children in generic posts because very real babies are losing their lives by IDF terrorism. And I get blocked or I get told “that’s different/ they’re Muslim/they should have left already/I don’t care” over and over and over again. The countless videos are already out that have children begging and crying for their families they lost or the homes that can’t be saved. Some of the worst messages I read criticized and blame the Palestinian men too that they should be protecting the kids, so when they die, it’s actually Palestinians fault. Not the IDF. Meanwhile those “young men” are just teenagers because their parents are dead. The Congolese topic is worst. Many are begging people to stop buying the iPhone 15 to raise awareness over the issues there but I got told by one girl who likes to call herself an anti woke submissive wife that she couldn’t care less about the Congo, she’s going to do whatever her husband wants, if that means ignoring genocide then that’s what she will do too. It’s her god given to have freedom over dead bodies l…

I’m fed up. I’m sick of the hypocrisy. I’m sick of seeing stupid homestead content of how they’re at peace taking care of a home as they purposefully condone genocide. If some hacker group exposed all these “submissive Godly trad wife” accounts as being agents for Israel to distract the west from IDF war crimes, I wouldn’t be surprised the least. Their apathy is demonic

@not-your-average-prolifer is the only pro life blog who passed the vibe check as far as I know. She reblogged posts about the emergency of pregnant women in Palestine and also post about mental health of middle east women. I think she is left leaning (correct me if I'm wrong!) so I'm not surprised to see her with more empathy about whatever's happening to women abroad, unlike Conservatives who are extremely stupid & uneducated when it comes to foreign affairs, if not straight up xenophobic.

I hope for every single Christian I know to never open their mouth about uwu Christianism is from Middle east uwu ever again the next time someone calls Christianism white man's religion or I'll go berserk on them. They better shut up forever. They had no problem to keep their mouth shut witnessing the martyrdom of our brothers - they better keep it that way permanently and stop summoning their struggle once it's convenient to them. YES, they proved they definitely consider Christianism a white man thing, considering our little care they have for our (non white) Christian brothers overseas. They better keep them out of their mouth permanently.

"They're Muslim" it's been well documented that there are Christians in Palestine. But even if they weren't, Christ wants everyone to be saved and accept him as their lord and savior - refusing to extend some basic empathy to people being bombed and killed in their sin is not the way to go. Never forget that Jesus didn't heal or saved only Jews, but also pagans, prostitutes, etc. It's insane how so unemphatic "Christians" have become.

Christian Palestinians are actually some of the oldest Christians - like, where do they those idiots think Jerusalem was?? where did the Pentecost happen? IN MIAMI?? KANSAS?? "They should have left" WHERE?? aren't the ppl pulling out this argument the same crybabies whining about woke culture destroying western civilization? Why didn't they leave the western zone already??? Also aren't they the same against immigration and how men fleeing their country are lazy cowards? so why are they mad at Palestinians sticking to their land?? Damn, Western politicians/diplomacy have the opportunity to do the funniest thing possible and mass import Palestinians in western countries to abide Zionists requirements in Israel 💀

And LOL oh so now Palestinian men are supposed to protect children? what are they supposed to do when the IDF is bombing their house? Take weapons to defend/get back their land and shit? Oh my bad, that makes them terrorists (and let's be clear : what happened on October 7th is unjustifiable but let's not act like the Hamas wasn't called terrorist much earlier than that). It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't. If they do nothing, they're cowards, and if they do, they are terrorists - because in this case, resistance is defiance. Ultimately they just want to deflect from their own lack on empathy and find a rational explanation to that.

Conservative scrotes are the LAST people who should lecture anyone about defending the children when there are acting bullying kids young enough to be their grandchildren calling them wokes, leftists, or whatever. I won't even start about gun violence and how deflective they are about protecting the children only to protect their precious right to carry. Ghouls. They only care abt unborn babies because they are unable to call them out on their bs yet. Once they do, they'll cuss them, call them woke, and all sort of -ists.

On TikTok there was a Christian girl saying how Christians are "too emotional" and how we should keep supporting "God chosen people" (Israel). I already made a post calling out how this "god chosen people " narrative didn't stand now that we were in the NEW COVENANT. But let's follow her train of thought: isn't humankind made from God image? Where do emotions come from? Didn't God himself have emotion? Why? What's the right or wrong place to have emotion? She and all the clown who agreed with her would never be able to reply those questions. We've all seen the videos. I did what I could to avoid them but they're quite unavoidable at this point. What's the correct emotion after seeing 2 kids younger than 10 carrying a third one crying while one of his foot was hanging with only one tendon?? This girl, along with every single Christian unmoved by this disaster has to shut up. Their heart is a stone and they should stop trying to lecture people who still have a heart made of flesh. We're not the same. Christ is PEACE. Not war or violence.

And girl, you really shouldn't even engage with women labelling themselves "anti woke submissive wife" 💀 why would you expect them to care about anything but their idol (husband)? Stay focus on what really matters. Peace and God. We're in the end times and God is slowly but surely unfolding the truth. The masks are slipping. Take note of all the so called who remained silent witnessing satan action, take proper action, and go on.

[404-found]

Blameless Before the Judge

John 18:10–11

[10] Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) [11] So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (ESV)

Luke 22:49–51

[49] And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” [50] And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. [51] But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. (ESV)

Jesus in all of his love, grace, and mercy healed him.

Why?

To be a nice guy? Sure! But I believe it goes even deeper.

As you read earlier Malchus was a servant of the high priest. It was a capital crime to harm a servant of the high priest in any form! Let alone lobbing an ear off. Peter would have been executed by law. However, when Jesus restored his ear he erased all evidence that Peter had ever transgressed. So if Malchus would have went before the council and accused Peter of the crime there was absolutely no evidence that Peter ever committed the crime.

That's what Jesus did for us. Ultimately we chose to sin against Him, to rebel against Him, to disobey Him, to in a sense substitute ourselves as god, attempting the de-goding of God, living our life by our own standards, and bringing ourselves glory instead of Him. Because we've done that, we've willingly separated ourselves from God, not wanting to relate to God, but to be god ourselves. In doing that, we've put ourselves under the judgment of God instead of the grace and mercy of God.

Even though we've done all of this, that God lovingly came into human history as the man Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man. He was born of a virgin, without the affects of generational sin, and lived a life without sin, even though he was tempted in every way you and I are. Even though Jesus lived a sinless life, he willingly went to the cross to die a sinners death, and in doing so substituted Himself for us, the sinless One for the sinful ones. Our first parents in the garden substituted themselves for God, just as we would have, and do, and at the cross Jesus reversed that substitution and substituted Himself for sinners. So when Jesus went to the cross He willingly took upon Him the sin of those who would come to trust in Him. That means that Jesus Christ, God who was a man, died in our place for our sins, satisfying the justice of God toward sin and securing the grace and mercy of God for those who believe in Him. Jesus dead body was then put in a tomb, and for three days he was buried. But on the third day Jesus rose from the grave, proving his authority over sin, death, hell, Satan and demons. When we believe and are reborn in Jesus Christ we are washed clean by his blood. Jesus sacrifice takes away all evidence that we ever transgressed. And it doesn't matter who accuses or what evidence they say they have. When we stand before a holy judge who's a holy God and he looks at us he will see Jesus whose blood we have been cleansed by.

Jesus lived a life we could not live (a sinless life), He died a death we should have died (a sinner's death), He rose to give us a life we could never have otherwise (resurrected life), and He alone is the way, the truth and the life – the only way to God.

John 8:10–11

[10] Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” [11] She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]] (ESV)

[yummytiger]

I Know Why You're Afraid To Come To Jesus(an open letter to people who haven't given their lives to Jesus)

I know why you're afraid to come to Jesus,

you fear that you'll have to stop being you in order to follow God incarnate,

but if you really knew Jesus, then you would know that he wants you to be yourself more than anything,

you see, Jesus Loves You for who you really are, he wants you to rip off the mask and the chains of oppression, he wants your true self to come to him with an open heart and open arms,

you see, Jesus doesn't want us to change our personalities, he loves our individualities, what he does want us to change however is our bad behaviors, our behaviors that hurt ourselves and others, that's what Jesus would call sinful behaviors

I know why you're afraid to come to Jesus,

you're afraid that if you did you would have to leave the entire world behind,

but in reality, God wants you to come back out to the world to preach the Good News, that Jesus is alive and that through him we are a new creation

I know why you're afraid to come to Jesus,

but it's time to let your fears die

it's time to come back home to where we all originally came from

don't be afraid to become your true self through Jesus

this is the true meaning of being Born Again

[scribeforchrist-blog]

They Scattered, But He Still Stands 

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK

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+ John 8:47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

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VERSE OF THE DAY 

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+ Mark 14:27 You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:” ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. 

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** SAY THIS BEFORE YOU READ; HERE’S SOME CHRISTIAN TRUTHS **

I AM NOT ABANDONED

I AM NOT AFRAID

I AM FILLED WITH JOY

I AM A SHEEP

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READ TIME: 7 Minutes & 13 Seconds

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THOUGHTS:

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    This verse talks about the abandonment of Christ. Many people read the bible but don’t take their time and try to establish what the lord is referring to in his word ; but what we must understand is that through Jesus' life, he knew he would die, and he knew that his disciples would scatter because of fear or other reasons, but Jesus tried to tell Peter what would occur, and Peter says no not me I won't do that, and he went back and forth with Jesus saying not me .

      Verse 30-31 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, ���today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice, you yourself will disown me three times.”31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same

     When Jesus reveals to us something that is happening in our lives, we can't deny it. All we can do is say, lord, how do I fix it? How do I make this right? He will tell us, but what Peter did was he kept denying Jesus about the situation; maybe he didn’t believe he would do such a thing; maybe it was pride; the verse doesn’t say; it just shows us Peter going back and forth denying Jesus, who knows everything. 

    This verse was predicted in Zechariah 13:7: “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.

       It was better that God did it this way, that there was no one with the shepherd, and then no one would get the glory for standing next to him when his moment arrived. God has planned everything, even in our life, down to the very second, and he knew if he had anyone standing there with him, they would say, I stood there with him through it all, and Jesus needed to stand alone to show how he didn’t fuss he stood there in silence. 

    Because if he had anyone next to him, they would ruin the story, they would ruin Jesus' moment; we can't allow what others say to ruin the story of Christ and his death and resurrection for us. But in this text and devotional today, we are talking about how the shepherd handles all of this alone. When a sheep or an animal is scared, they often scatter. His disciples ran and hid, because of fear of being seen with him or people knowing it was them who walked with Jesus, and instead of standing they all scattered.

     We can't allow what others will say to disturb what we have with Christ ;we can't allow this world to turn us away from the power of God, and we can't say it won't happen because we all have had a moment in our life where we choose sin over Christ and that’s the same thing when we choose sin over Jesus we are choosing and denying the power of  God for the power of this world. 

      What we experience in this life helps build us and teaches us how to depend on Christ; these men left Jesus in his hour of help. They scattered from their shepherd, but do we do this now? Yes, when we allow ourselves to let people and things come between us, we are moving away from the shepherd; the shepherd is the one who will save us from it all. He’s the one who will show us how to withstand the fiery darts of the evil one, but as long as we give ourselves over to the enemy, we won't be able to stand at all. 

  Isaiah 53:5-6 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

    Abandonment is a big thing to have done to us, and often, we look at abandonment as something that happens only to certain people, but Jesus was abandoned. We do this to him when we decide the road to the Christian life is too hard, but Jesus wants us to stand with him through it all. He wants us to wait for him to give us the way; how many of you will wait for him to point you in the right direction? As Christ stood there, he said nothing to defend himself through the spiting and the beating, and they pulled his beard, and they hit him in the head; he said nothing; he could’ve abandoned the mission and gone back to heaven; he could’ve sent a legion of the angel to destroy everyone, but he didn’t, he stood there and took everything for us to be saved! 

*** Today, we learned about how Jesus stood and took it all for us, how he saved us, and how he was left alone. Sometimes, we are left alone, and we have to stand through a test and a trial, but it doesn’t mean God doesn’t love us; it doesn’t mean God is doing this because he hates us; no, he’s doing this so he can get the glory for our hardship.

  Verse 7  He was oppressed and afflicted,

    yet he did not open his mouth;he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,so he did not open his mouth.

   We also learned he didn’t fuss; he didn’t yell; he stood there and took everything. Sometimes, in our test, we must stand and be silent; we can fuss and yell, but when we sit in silence like Christ, it shows we know he’s going to protect us. Jesus wants some of us to stand in silence through our hard times; he wants us to stand and wait for him to move. If you are having difficulty doing this, ask Christ to help you today, and he will help you stand in silence through it all.   ©Seer~ Prophetess Lee

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PRAYER

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Heavenly Father, thank you for everything, thank you for not leaving us nor forsaking us, and thank you for being who you are; we ask today that you allow us to understand this devotional and apply it to our lives to help us stick with you through our problems, lord we ask you to help us be more like you and have a Christ-like mind. Lord, we ask you to be with us through it all, and we thank you for your protection and your mercy and grace; in Jesus Name, amen 

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REFERENCES 

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+ Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

 

+ Psalm 9:10 And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

 

Psalm 23:1 A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

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FURTHER READINGS 

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Proverbs 13 

Leviticus 13

Isaiah 39

Micah 6

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