#yoke of slavery

[amylinneaposts]

Broken Bars

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. Leviticus 26:13 The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for a long time. One day is actually too much. But God rescued them, bringing them out of slavery under Moses’ leadership. God broke the bars of their yoke, which was…

[madewithonerib]

Albert Barnes [1798-1870] | Matthew 11:29-30

Take MY yoke—This is a figure taken from the use of oxen, & hence signifying to labor for one, or in the service of anyone.

The “yoke” is used in the Bible as an emblem:

[1] of bondage or slavery, Le 26:13; De 28:38. [2] of afflictions or crosses, Lamentations 3:27. [3] of the punishment of sin, La 1:14, [4] of the commandments of GOD. [5] of legal ceremonies, Acts 15:10; Ga 5:1.

   •  Leviticus 26:13 [Berean] ¹³ I am the LORD your       GOD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt,       you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians.       I broke the bars of your yoke & enabled you to       walk in uprightness.

   •  Deuteronomy 28:38 | ³⁸ You will sow much seed       in the field but harvest little, because the locusts       will consume it.

   •  Lamentations 3:27 [Berean] ²⁷ It is good for a man       to bear the yoke while he is still young.

   •  Lamentations 1:14 [Berean] ¹⁴ My transgressions       are bound into a yoke, knit together by His hand;       they have come upon my neck, and the LORD has       broken my strength. HE delivered me into the       hands of those I cannot withstand.

   •  Acts 15:10 [Berean] ¹⁰ Now then, why do you test       GOD by placing on necks of the Disciples a yoke       that neither we nor our fathers have been able       to bear?

   •  Galatians 5:1 | ¹ It is for freedom that CHRIST has       set us free. Stand firm, then don't be encumbered       once more by a yoke of slavery.

It refers here to the religion of the Redeemer; & the idea is, that they should embrace HIS system of religion and obey HIM.

All virtue & all religion imply “restraint”—the restraint of our bad passions & inclinations, & subjection to laws; & the SAVIOUR here means to say the restraints & laws of HIS religion are mild, & gentle, & easy.

Let anyone compare them with the burdensome & expensive ceremonies of the Jews [see Acts 15:10], or with the religious rites of the pagan everywhere, or with the requirements of the Popish system, and he will see how true it is that JESUS' yoke is easy.

And let HIS laws & requirements be compared with the laws which sin imposes on its votaries—the laws of fashion, & honor, & sensuality—& he will feel that religion is “freedom,” John 8:36.

“HE is a freeman whom the truth makes free, & all are slaves besides.” It is “easier” to be a Christian than a sinner; & of all the yokes ever imposed on people, that of the Redeemer is the lightest.

For I am meek …—See the notes at Matthew 5:5. This was eminently CHRIST's personal character.

But this is not its meaning here.

HE is giving a reason why they should embrace HIS religion.

That HE was not harsh, overbearing, & oppressive, like the Pharisees, but meek, mild, & gentle in HIS government. HIS laws were reasonable & tender, & it would be easy to obey HIM.

The Slavery of Freedom | John Mark Comer [Galatians 6]

Fighting World, Flesh, & Devil P2

Please turn to Galatians 6, as we continue our fall practice on fighting the world, the flesh, & devil.

Last time we kicked off module 2 on the flesh, in case you missed it—I don't have time to recap all of that content.

We have a lot of ground to cover; go back if you are up for it—listen to the podcast short version

We define the flesh as the base animalistic primal drive in all of us, for self-gratification. Put another way—it's the part of our heart bent from GOD and from HIS definition of good & beautiful & true.

And is instead in the language of the 4th century African theologian Augustine, turned in on itself

Calling out this corner of our heart is just naming an aspect of the human condition we all have to fight.

As a follower of JESUS or not:

     this inner tug-of-war between our mixed      desires: some of which are good & healthy      ��others of which are the exact opposite,      but the way of JESUS is not a new idea &      so no Christian idea but the way of JESUS      has a unique contribution to make

Because it's a solution to the problem of what we call the flesh—is not willpower, but is the spirit's power.

All of which, leads us to Galatians 6.

This week's teaching is essentially part 2 of a very long teaching—that we started from Galatians 5-6 —which is one of the go to passages in the NT for a biblical theology of the flesh & the SPIRIT.

We left off last time, if you were here, at the end of CH 5—with this idea that the West, in general, has radically redefined the idea of freedom.

Often what we call freedom, we mean is the ability to do whatever the heck we want—which is actually what JESUS & Paul & the writers the NT define as slavery because when we give in to our flesh

     the part of our heart that has bent away      we end up enslaved, by our own desires      in particular to sin.

Now for tonight let's keep reading from where we left off at the end of CH 5. Let's start off in 6:1-9

[3rdeyeblaque]

Today we venerate Ancestor & Hoodoo Saint Nat Turner on his 223rd birthday 🎉

King Nat was a Seer, prophet, preacher, & Freedom Fighter who used his intuitive gifts to spearhead one of the greatest slave rebellions in U.S. History; one that would shift the trajectory of Black lives under Maafa for decades to come.

King Nat was born enslaved on the Benjamin Turner plantation in Southampton Co., VA. He was a highly intuitive and gifted child. He could easily recall events that took place in his life as early as 3 or 4 years old. He also foretold of events that occurred before his time. His grandmother was a deeply spiritual elder and nurtured his spiritual development. His mother and many of those enslaved on the Turner plantation knew that he would become a prophet & was surely destined for a higher purpose.

For his "uncommon intelligence ", Nat learned to read & write at a young age at which time he was also indoctrinated into Christianity. His interpretation of the Christian bible convinced him that the Christian God condemned Slavery. This inspired him to become a preacher.

By age 21, King Nat was a prolific Seer & was known as, "The Prophet". Nat received many visions & Divine messages over the course of his life. Much of which guided him to avenge slavery & free our peoples from bondage. He had a series of 3 visions that would set him on course to fulfilling his highest purpose, thus forever impressing his name upon in U.S. history.

The 1st vision came as he was following in his father's footsteps, fleeing the plantation. To everyone's astonishment he returned of his own volition after spending 30 days in the woods because, “the Spirit appeared to [him] and said [he] had [his] wishes directed to the things of this world, and not to the kingdom of heaven, and that [he] should return to the service of [his] earthly master.” One year later, the devil died.

On May 12, 1828, Nat he received a 2nd vision, as he witnessed a solar eclipse. He “heard a loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit instantly appeared to me and said the serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid down the yoke he had borne for the sins of men, and that I should take it on and fight against the serpent, for the time was fast approaching when the first should be last and the last should be first.” This, he believed to be the sign he had been promised.

On, August 13th 1831, Spirit delivered a 3rd message; in the form of lights across the night sky. At which time, an atmospheric disturbance across the sky in the aftermath of an eruption at Mount St. Helen's (3,000 mi away) caused the Sun to appear bluish-green in color. Nat prayed to learn their meaning. For Nat, this reaffirmed the work that he'd been called to do; to move forward with his mission to avenge Slavery & free those he could. From then on his plans were set into motion.

At 2am on August 22nd, King Nat led his peers & allies into rebellion. They struck their slaver's household first; slaughtering the entire family. From there they went from house to house, killing every single devil in their path. By noon, they marched toward the neighboring town of Jerusalem where a White militia of 3,000 men lie in wait for them.

Most of the rebels were either captured or killed - except for Nat. He managed to escape & eluded Virginian authorities for 2mo. He hid in the woods just miles from his former slaver's plantation. He was discovered on October 30th by an armed farmer who stumbled across him hiding in a foxhole. Emaciated and weak, he surrendered willingly. After his arrest, Turner was taken back to Jerusalem where he stood trial & was convicted, then sentenced to death by hanging. Nat was killed on November 11th.

To our deepest disdain & no suprise, he was denied a formal burial. Instead, his body was taken to doctors for dissection, to be distributed among affluent White families. He was skinned to make their purses. His flesh was turned into grease. And his bones were divided up into trophies. These became heirloom souvenirs to be passereceive among these affluent White families for generations.

Although King Nat did not end slavery as he had hoped, he & his allies avenged those who wronged them, and they did, ultimately, achieve their freedom from this world. Nat became immortalized as a symbol; of warrior strength (for us) & a catalyst of White fear. King Nat single-handedly shook the institution of Slavert at its core. So much that it stretched the divide between Pro-Slavers & Abolitionists. Pro-slavery advocates began calling for greater restrictions on "Freefolk" & demanded that Abolitionists cease their interference with Slavery. In Virginia, politicians saw Nat's intelligence & education as a major threat, thus outlawing the practice of teaching enslaved Peoples how to read or write. Abolitionists' efforts to end Slavery only intensified. This set the stage in U.S politics for the Civil War.

"I had a vision - and I saw white spirits and black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened - the thunder rolled in the Heavens, and blood flowed in streams - and I heard a voice saying, 'Such is your luck, such are you called to see, and let it come rough or smooth, you must surely bear it." - Nat Turner; "Confessions of Nat Turner".

Let us remember that it was more than bravery, nerve, & standing ten toes down that drove King Nat's rebellion to success. It was, first and foremost, leading with Spirit & trusting in our intuitive/Ancestral gifts.

We pour libations & give him💐 today as we celebrate him for his gifts, Divine trust, bravery, and sacrifice. May we lift him up in prayer & offering in gratitude & lace toward his elevation.

Offering suggestions: prayers toward his healing/elevation, a Methodist bible, libations of water - especially on the battlegrounds of rebellion in Courtland, VA/Benjamin Turner plantation/, read & share his confessions

‼️Note: offering suggestions are just that & strictly for veneration purposes only. Never attempt to conjure up any spirit or entity without proper divination/Mediumship counsel.‼️

[missouri-and-woe]

in armenian, the word for diarrhea is լուծ, "luts." it shares pronunciation, being a homophone, with the word լուծ, here meaning "yoke." figuratively, it can even mean "slavery." indeed, diarrhea can be likened to a yoke, a burden - slavery to the bowels, one might say

[art-by-ady]

🩸Astarion x Carmila 🥀

We wear red so it’s easier to hide blood stains.

Colored and final version of this sketch:

https://www.tumblr.com/existential-burnout-corner/753912749532348416/carmila-casts-vicious-mockery-astarion-will

Btw, I still have an ongoing poll ⬇️ Should have set a shorter deadline for the poll 😅

https://www.tumblr.com/existential-burnout-corner/753646429051961344/first-post-here-anxious-and-having-a-hard-time

—————-/////—————-

Had to squeeze this in between advertising work. Have to bear the yoke of corporate slavery hahahuhu. But I’m happy that I finished this somehow.

[historicity-was-already-taken]

"It is very easy to say, 'Just run away before they deport you!' But how do you manage to sneak out of a ring of barbed wire sur­rounded and closely guarded by police? How do you take your first step into the outside world? They will see the armband on your sleeve, and you can be certain that a bullet to your head will follow. Should you remove the armband? As soon as someone notices that white symbol sliding down your sleeve, he will betray you and de­liver you into the hands of the police. Then perhaps you should try to slip into the blackness of the darkest doorway, and there undertake to remove the ornament adorning your arm. No matter how dark that doorway, there will always be someone who notices that you stepped into it a Jew and stepped out as if you were a human being. Why 'as if you were a human being'? Because to take off the arm­band successfully, you first have to regain your sense of human dig­nity. Without that, you are nothing more than a Jew without an armband. You would reveal your Jewishness in a thousand small ways: every anxiety-filled move; every step taken with a back hunched over from the yoke of slavery; every glance that bespoke the terror of a hunted animal; the entire form, the face on which the ghetto had left its indelible mark. You were nothing more than a Jew, not only because of the color of your eyes, hair, skin, the shape of your nose, the many telltale signs of your race. You were simply and unmistak­ably a Jew because of your lack of self-assurance, your way of ex­pressing yourself, your behavior, and God knows what else. You were simply and conspicuously a Jew because everybody outside the ghetto strained to detect your Jewishness, all those people eager to do you harm, who couldn’t abide the thought that you might be cheating death. At your every step they would look straight into your eyes —impudently, suspiciously, challengingly —until you would become entirely confused, turn beet red, lower your eyes — and thus show yourself to be undeniably a Jew."

Justyna's Narrative, by Gusta Davidson Draenger, pg. 52-53.

[tzipporahs-well]

While OSP's videos are generally very good, they do fall a bit into the "Happy Dhimmi" myth.

Blue has an unfortunate tendency to gloss over Muslim antisemitism, and many of the wrongs of the Ottoman Empire.

Yes I would absolutely agree with that. I think some of it was addressed in the Maimonides (video made 3 years ago) and Medieval Spain and Al-Andalusia videos (5 years ago) where more fundamentalist Muslims (Almoravids and Almohads) started taking over, but there is still an overall sunny-ish outlook.

I think one of the problems is that it is a very prevalent myth that has been spread for many years where I see even history books pushing it (AP world history textbook looking at you) and academia debating if it was really that bad or if even The Pact of Umar was heavily enforced/strictly followed (it was really bad and saw variable enforcement dependent on the ruler’s whim).

Even our own history books pushed it, at least in the 19th century (see Heinrich Graetz) and/or play the comparison game (“it was not as bad as in Xtian lands.”) In the history book of A Short History of the Jews by Raymond P. Scheindlin (generally a good book; a book I had to read for my conversion), there is more about the “prosperous time” and our accomplishments in the chapter “The Jews in the Islamic World” (632 CE to 1500 CE) compared to the more negative stuff. Only later does it discuss how life for Jews severely deteriorated under Muslim rule even though dhimmi status was by in no way good. The fact that Jewish life in medieval Spain is even called the Sephardic Golden Age and a Sephardic Silver Age at all emphasizes how much our history…sucked.

I think one reason Jewish sources try to focus on “the good” is cultural. We are encouraged to look for and focus on the good even when our circumstances really suck. But when it is not based in truth, that’s where the problem lies.

We have to be willing to look our true history in the eye: the good and the bad. The way I see our dhimmi status in Muslim lands: we made the best of a bad situation where all options around us weren’t great especially by modern standards. We accomplished great things, but we still faced the yoke of oppressive dhimmitude.

The problem comes from when “not as bad as” (relative for the time period where treatment of Jews generally sucked and treatment varied dependent on state and ruler) turns into “good actually” especially in modern lenses, which is categorically untrue. If anything, the pattern of Jewish history in Muslim-ruled lands was eerily similar to the Xtian one (Aish). Jews were invited for a little bit as second class citizens under the ruler’s “protection.” Then when they got tired of us or we became too comfortable/“too big for our britches”, we got kicked out or killed…again.

At the very least, Muslim oppression of Jews was briefly touched on in the OSP summary video. It is an imperfect video while still better than certain other summary views on the topic.

Still, I do wish that the happy dhimmi myth was busted more.

[jesuschristisgod]

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Gal.5.1

[momentsbeforemass]

Subtle

“Brothers and sisters: For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.”

That’s how today’s first reading opens. It’s a warning. Against drifting into beliefs (and non-beliefs) that will take us away from the forgiveness and freedom of our life in Christ.

Most of us get that. We may still do it. But at least we get the warning.

What most of us miss is the more subtle form of slavery. It’s hard to spot. But it’s one of the most effective ways to let something come between us and God.

I’m thinking about how we grab things back from God, things that God has already gotten rid of.

When God forgives us, God doesn’t keep records. God doesn’t keep something around to remind Him of our worst moments. God simply “casts our sins into the depths of the sea” and remembers them no more.

So why is it that you and I are so desperate to dredge them back up from the bottom of the ocean, after they’ve been buried at sea?

We know it’s going to be gross (stuff on the bottom of the ocean does not get better with age). And yet, we still try to grab it back. By reclaiming something we don’t really want.

What we’re really doing in trying to undo God’s forgiveness is keeping ourselves miserable and isolated from the One who loves us best.

That is the subtle slavery that Paul is warning about. 

The subtle part is that it doesn’t look like a deep-sea salvage operation. It looks like someone who’s still beating themselves up about something.

But what it is really is? It’s a form of pride. When we dredge it back up, we’re really saying, “What I have done is so bad that God can’t forgive me.”

When we go down this road, we’re making ourselves more powerful than God. Which means we’re lying to ourselves. And keeping ourselves from receiving God’s forgiveness.

Not because God doesn’t give it. God delights in showing mercy. But because we won’t open our hands to receive it (we’re too busy holding on tight to something that we never wanted in the first place).

If this is you (and at one time or another, it is all of us), there is only one cure. Only one way to let go of the things that God has already thrown out.

Spend more time with God.

Pour out everything that your heart is full of. Say what you need to say. Get angry with God if you are. Question. Doubt. Let it all out.

Let go of all it. Especially all the stuff that you dredged back up.

Then, when there’s nothing left, just be with God.

And in that quiet, receive the Love who has already forgiven you.

Today’s Readings

[calledtobethelight]

Run to Win

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.”

 – 1 Corinthians 9.24-25 (NLT)

As Christians, we all have a race to run. There’s an appointed course set before each one of us.  We must be determined to win our race and keep the faith to lay hold of our heavenly prize – the inheritance of eternal salvation and the victor’s crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4.7-8).

This does not contradict the fact that we are saved by grace through faith, for the Bible says in Romans 6.23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” However, it is the responsibility of the believer to “work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) one’s salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ) (Philippians 2.12).” Although it is not in our own strength that we must work out our salvation for God empowers us, we still must be diligent in keeping the faith to ensure we will not be disqualified as Paul warns (Philippians 2.13, 1 Corinthians 9.27, 2 Corinthians 13.5, Galatians 5.7).

But how can we run our race effectively? How can we run to win? Here are 7 essential keys to run your race.

1.      Keep your eyes on Jesus

When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we maintain focus. Everything in this world is a distraction that can take us off course, but when we keep our eyes on Jesus, we stay spiritually minded. Colossians 3.1-2 states, “Keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].” We gravitate towards the things we focus on. If we keep our eyes on the things of this world, we will only value temporary things. However, if we keep our eyes on Jesus – the Author and the Finisher of our faith, He will perfect our faith in Him and by this faith, we have the victory over the world (Hebrews 12.2, 1 John 5.4-5).

Jesus is also our example. When we look to Christ and see how He endured the cross “for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him” and triumphed, we can take courage to persevere in our trials and not become faint in our minds because Jesus has overcome the world and He lives on the inside of us (Hebrews 12.2-3, 1 John 5.4-5). John 16.33 states, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]”

We are victorious when we keep our eyes on Jesus!

 

2.      Strip off sin and every unnecessary weight

In a race where “endurance and active persistence” are vital, any burden or weight in the race would slow the runner down or make them stop progressing altogether (Hebrews 12.1). It is easier to run free. Galatians 5.1 says, “It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed].” Sin is bondage. It is a weight that will keep us from going forward by easily entangling and tripping us up.

But in Christ Jesus, we are free. In Christ, we have the power to overcome sin and temptation. In Christ, we have the victory. We must strip off sin and anything hindering our effectiveness in the race so we can endure and succeed (Hebrews 12.1).

 

3.      Let go of the past

You can’t move forward while looking backward or you’ll remain stuck. Stuck in a mindset. Stuck in guilt. Stuck in regret for your past mistakes. When you look back, it won’t change your past. It will only keep you from moving forward. Philippians 3.13-14 states, “Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Forget your past. Forgive yourself. Fix your eyes forward so you can move forward.

2 Corinthians 5.17 states, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].” In Christ, who you used to be is gone and passed away. Take courage. You are not defined by your past anymore. You are a new creature. You have a new life. All things concerning you are made new because of Christ Jesus. Run your race in the freedom of this truth!

 

4.      Follow the rules

We must be doers of the Word of God to excel in our race.  2 Timothy 2.5 states, “And if anyone competes as an athlete [in competitive games], he is not crowned [with the wreath of victory] unless he competes according to the rules.” The only way to win a game is to know how to play. Likewise, we cannot be ignorant of the instructions and commandments in the Bible if we want to win our race or we will never succeed. We must obey God and His commandments.

Psalm 119.32 states, “I will [not merely walk, but] run the way of Your commandments, when You give me a heart that is willing.” We must know, understand, and rightly apply God's Word to our lives. Once we do, we won’t take tentative steps but run purposefully in our race.

 

5.      Be zealous

When a person walks for the duration of their race, it doesn’t express urgency, passion, or a desire to win. When you run, it communicates love and a zeal for the things of God. Your running is the exclamation point on what you believe! Romans 12.1 states, “Don’t be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Keep your zeal for God and love Him with all of your heart. We must not be cold or even lukewarm, we must hotly pursue the Lord with all our hearts to attain our eternal prize (Revelations 3.15-16).

 

6.      Have a vision

There must be a vision to stay on the appointed course set before you. Vision sets your eyes above your current circumstances to the destiny God has planned for you. Proverbs 29.17 states, “Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish.” When people have no vision, they die because there is no direction and no revelation from God for their lives.

Psalm 32.8 says, “The Lord says, 'I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'” When you trust God and surrender to His plans and purposes for your life, He will guide you and direct you to the best pathway. Once you allow God to lead and guide you, you can run into your destiny without fear of a misstep. Habakkuk 2.2 states, “Then the Lord answered me and said, ‘Write the vision and engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets so that the one who reads it will run.” You are not aimless or uncertain when you have vision. You are confident in your success because God directs your steps.

7.      Be consistent

Consistency is necessary to endure your race. 1 Corinthians 9.25, “Now every athlete who [goes into training and] competes in the games is disciplined and exercises self-control in all things.” A runner benefits from the consistency of training, exercising self-control, and buffeting their body to win the race (1 Corinthians 9.27). Likewise, we must exercise spiritual disciplines to endure the race, such as reading the bible daily and praying in the Spirit. We must buffet our body by crucifying our flesh and we must “walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled by and guided by the Spirit]” (Galatians 5.16, 24-25). When we are consistent in our spiritual discipline and training, we can endure the length of the race set before us because we have equipped ourselves to persevere. When we are consistent in our spiritual discipline and training, we are setting ourselves up to win!

Each of these keys is necessary to win the race. Therefore, we must not be neglectful to do what is required of us. Finish strong! Keep the faith! Run to win and you will receive the eternal prize!

[girlactionfigure]

Did you know..

that Napoleon was a passionate Zionist more than sixty years before Herzl was born? He planned to proclaim a Jewish state on Passover 1799 but was defeated by the British before he had a chance to do so. The proclamation itself is so beautifully written that I'm going to post it here in its entirety: "Israelites, unique nation, whom, in thousands of years, lust of conquest and tyranny have been able to be deprived of their ancestral lands, but not of name and national existence! Attentive and impartial observers of the destinies of nations, even though not endowed with the gifts of seers like Isaiah and Joel, have long since also felt what these, with beautiful and uplifting faith, have foretold when they saw the approaching destruction of their kingdom and fatherland: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 35,10) Arise then, with gladness, ye exiled! A war unexampled In the annals of history, waged in self-defense by a nation whose hereditary lands were regarded by its enemies as plunder to be divided, arbitrarily and at their convenience, by a stroke of the pen of Cabinets, avenges its own shame and the shame of the remotest nations, long forgotten under the yoke of slavery, and also, the almost two-thousand-year-old ignominy put upon you; and, while time and circumstances would seem to be least favorable to a restatement of your claims or even to their expression ,and indeed to be compelling their complete abandonment, it offers to you at this very time, and contrary to all expectations, Israel's patrimony! The young army with which Providence has sent me hither, let by justice and accompanied by victory, has made Jerusalem my headquarters and will, within a few days, transfer them to Damascus, a proximity which is no longer terrifying to David’s city. Rightful heirs of Palestine! The great nation which does not trade in men and countries as did those which sold your ancestors unto all people (Joel 4:6) herewith calls on you not indeed to conquer your patrimony; nay, only to take over that which has been conquered and, with that nation's warranty and support, to remain master of it to maintain it against all comers. Arise! Show that the former overwhelming might of your oppressors has but repressed the courage of the descendants of those heroes who alliance of brothers would have done honor even to Sparta and Rome (Maccabees 12:15) but that the two thousand years of treatment as slaves have not succeeded in stifling it. Hasten! Now is the moment, which may not return for thousands of years, to claim the restoration of civic rights among the population of the universe which had been shamefully withheld from you for thousands of years, your political existence as a nation among the nations, and the unlimited natural right to worship Jehovah in accordance with your faith, publicly and most probably forever (Joel 4:20).

Uri Kurlianchik

@VerminusM

[weirdchristmas]

Posts like the last one get me hate mail like "When did you start being woke!?!? Just post funny pictures!" This turkey is a metaphor for American abundance being irrevocably yoked to slavery and the perpetual exploitation of an underclass.

[talesfrommedinastation]

The Knight is Crowned King

“I am saying it is time to put aside the trooper, the CT number, the clone who served under a sergeant in a Republic that no longer exists. It is time for you to become the captain that we– your people –need you to be.”

Tech stood up straight. “Then, if that is the case, Camina, I have a request.”

“Say it.”

“Get me a tattoo gun. Now.”

-Camina Drummer and Tech, Far Past the Ring

————————-

I really can’t thank @cloned-eyes enough for this wonderful piece that they did. She she taki taki!

It is Camina Drummer giving Tech the infamous 'collar' tattoo of The Belt in her presidential office, LDS mural still behind her.

For me, this culminates the spirit of Far Past the Ring, especially for canon characters Camina Drummer and Tech.

The story was initially conceived as a fun little romp for Clone Force 99, where Tech would meet a Belter engineer, they’d chat, maybe have a short romance, and move on with their lives.

This was February 2023.

But after Plan 99 aired a month later…well, we all went a little nuts. I did, too. Blame the Wellbutrin.

Also, blame me taking folklore classes at Berkeley as an undergrad. I decided the short story was going to become something bigger, and Tech was taking center stage.

On that note, I was so angry for Tech.

I was angry for all of his potential as a character, thrown down the mountain on Eriadu.

So, I decided to whip out the ol’ English 251 notes I had from years ago, and chart out Tech’s own Hero’s Journey, through the world of The Expanse meeting the world of Star Wars.

But I did not want Tech merely limping off into the sun into a simple, happy ending. No.

I wanted him to face challenges, fight, win alliances, and be received as the goddamned hero that he is.

To quote Campbell himself from The Hero with a Thousand Faces:

“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

And who better to bestow this mighty power and crown unto Tech then Camina motherfuckin’ Drummer.

If you haven’t seen The Expanse, know that Camina Drummer goes through the Hero’s Journey of Hero’s Journeys herself. She rose from an orphan working the docks on Ceres, to a foot soldier for Anderson Dawes, a director under Fred Johnson, the first commanding officer of the largest vessel in human history (The OPAS Behemoth, later Medina Station), and then, the first president of the Transport Union, arguably the most powerful person in the universe.

It isn't an easy journey: she's shot, beaten, breaks her spine, loses the love of her life, watches loved ones get murdered in front of her, and is abandoned by those who professed to love her.

But Camina Drummer never gives up. She fights to the end to make things right. Girlfriend is rewarded....and now she passes that onto Tech.

After all, Camina’s people, the Belters, adorn themselves through tattoos. They live their lives in space, in the vacuum, where jewelry can be lost, damaged or hurt the owner. So they tattoo.

Years ago, cheap suits were supplied by Inners for Belters under their governance. They demanded Belters to work and extract resources from the Kuiper Belt and other outer planets in order to make them rich. The helmet connections ot the suit would often burn the wearer's neck, as seen below on Anderson Dawes.

In many ways, it is also a symbol of the yoke of slavery, of a chain around one’s neck.

Although younger Belters now wear better vacsuits, they still wear the tattoos to remind them of what their ancestors went through, seen on Naomi Nagata below.

A symbol of pain is now a symbol of what Belters are fighting for–freedom. Which they earn.

So, by getting that tattoo, done by Camina Drummer, the hero and president of the Belt, is our Tech getting crowned.

It’s right after Camina makes him their Chief Systems Engineer as well as a commander. He bled and fought for his chosen people, and he is rewarded as such.

It's him saying I'm here, I'm one of you, and your leader is the one putting it on me.

Oh, and in true fairy tale hero’s journey mode, Tech also gets a beautiful Belter ‘princess’...Sjael Drummer, Camina’s cousin.

Once again, something that originally wasn’t in the cards last year, but I wanted a full Hero’s Journey and I was damned if Tech wasn’t going to get it!

Tagging those that have commented and enjoyed the story: @eyecandyeoz @perfectlywingedcrusade @megmca @skellymom @cdblake1565 @thecoffeelorian @supremechancellorrex @that-salmonberry-punk @autistic-artistech @deezlees @littlefeatherr @nahoney22 @freesia-writes @eelfuneral @yeehawgeek @isthereanechoinhere96 @sued134

[daenyzz]

The Dragon Girls: Breaker of Chains and Flame of Freedom

Summary — Lyria, Daenerys's younger bastard sister, accompanies her sister throughout her journey and anti-slavery campaign on behalf of Essos, while Lyria must find which path she should follow, she only knows one thing, which has nothing to do with the Iron Throne.

Warning — Mourning briefly described.

Word Count — 1.269

In the gloom of the night, under a sky full of stars that seemed more distant than ever, Daenerys Targaryen stood on the edge of a large funeral pyre. The flames danced as if they were alive, illuminating her face marked by pain and loss. Beside her, Lyria, her younger bastard sister, watched silently, feeling the weight of grief that hung in the air. Both were too young to bear such sadness, but life had taught them to face pain with bravery.

Lyria was only fourteen days younger than Daenerys, but she already bore the scars of a dark past. Bastard daughter of Aerys II and a Valyrian-looking Lyseni harlot, the young woman had wavy silver hair and amethyst eyes that reflected an inhuman and at the same time tragic beauty. The death of her half-brother Viserys did not bring much pain, but that of the son he implanted in her womb... had left an indelible mark on her heart, one that will never be erased.

The pyre burned with intense flames as Daenerys murmured parting words to Drogo. Lyria felt a deep connection with her sister; Both had lost a lot, and loneliness united them in an unbreakable bond. “We must be strong,” Lyria said quietly, her voice almost lost in the crackling flames. “They wouldn’t want us to let ourselves get down.”

Daenerys turned to her, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I don’t know if I can be strong, Lyria. The world seems so dark right now.”

“Then let us light a light together,” Lyria replied determinedly. “Let this fire be a symbol of our ongoing struggle.”

From that moment on, the two sisters decided that they would not just survive; they would fight for something greater. Lyria’s influence over Daenerys grew as they traveled across Essos, freeing slaves and confronting tyrants. With each city they conquered, Lyria’s determination grew stronger; she did not want the Iron Throne or the power it represented—she wanted freedom for all the oppressed.

During their journeys, they met many people: men and women who had suffered under the yoke of slavery and oppression. With each tale of pain and suffering, Lyria felt her own inner flame ignite. It was as if there was something inside her crying out for justice.

One night, as they watched the starry sky beneath a shroud of silence in the city of Astapor, Lyria met the High Priestess of R’hllor. The woman was shrouded in mystery and power; her eyes seemed to see beyond the present.

“You are the Flame of Freedom,” the priestess said in a deep, echoing voice. “The stars have fallen, the heavens have roared, and darkness gathers in the hearts of humanity, you are born again amidst fire and ash.”

Lyria froze at the priestess’s words. “Me? A Flame? I don’t understand.”

“The Flame of Freedom lived in the Dawn Age,” the priestess continued. “She freed the oppressed from the oppressors and protected the poor from the rich. You have that same flame within you.”

The words echoed in Lyria’s mind like a distant echo. She glanced at Daenerys, who was lost in her own thoughts about her destiny as Dragon Queen.

“But I am not a queen,” Lyria said finally. “I do not want to be like the Targaryens who came before us.”

“You do not need to be a queen,” the priestess replied. “True leadership comes from the heart and courage.”

The days passed as the sisters continued their anti-slavery campaign across Essos. In Meereen, they faced immense challenges: bloodthirsty pirates, cruel warlords, and even political intrigue among the freedmen who wanted to rule rather than be free.

Lyria became a central figure in the movement for freedom; Her inspiring words echoed among the freed slaves as Daenerys led battles against her oppressors. Amidst the chaos of war and the darkness of human betrayal, the bond between the sisters grew even deeper.

One night in Meereen, after a significant victory against one of the local warlords, Lyria climbed to the roof of the palace with Daenerys to gaze at the stars.

“Have you ever thought about what this all means?” Lyria asked as she looked up at the night sky.

“What do you mean?” Daenerys replied curiously.

“Freeing people is wonderful,” Lyria began, “but I sense there’s something deeper here—something to do with our blood heritage.” She hesitated before continuing, “Do you truly believe we’re different from our ancestors?”

Daenerys frowned as she considered this. “I want to be different. I want to bring justice, to be justice.”

“What if we can do this together?” Lyria suggested excitedly. “If we can use our dragons not just to conquer lands, but to protect those in need?”

The words resonated deeply within Daenerys; she knew there was a greater power in her hands—not just dragons or the Iron Throne—but the ability to change lives.

That night, they decided to name their newborn dragons: the scarlet-black dragon they named Anogar, which means “blood” in High Valyrian, to represent the blood spilled by those they loved; the white dragon adorned with violets they named Valyria, to show the world that Valyrian glory had returned, but not as it had been before, but as an anti-slavery dragon. When Daenerys first released Anogar into the night sky, she felt an instant connection with the dragon; it was as if he understood her mission.

As time passed, Lyria realized that, just as her sister had felt with Anogar, she had a special bond with Valyria—a magical connection that seemed to transcend human understanding. After liberating Slaver’s Bay and Dany had made it back to Meereen from Vaes Dothraki, the dragons were now large enough to be ridden, and so they did. They rode dragons across Essos during the anti-slavery campaign, and she felt freedom pulse through her like never before.

But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses; the challenges grew more intense as they conquered cities and made powerful enemies along the way. One fateful night in Yunkai brought unexpected betrayals; allies turned against them, and even some of the freedmen began to question their intentions.

“Why are we fighting for them?” asked a disillusioned advisor after a failed attack on the city. “They should be fighting for themselves!”

Lyria quickly intervened: “Because that is how we build a better future! We cannot be driven by hatred or revenge! We must show the world who we are!”

Daenerys looked at her younger sister with growing admiration; she now saw the strength within her—an indomitable spirit akin to the fire of dragons themselves.

The final battle against the warlords was drawing near when rumors began to circulate of a new threat: those who sought to overthrow Daenerys and take her dragons for themselves were planning to strike during the next full moon./Amidst the preparations for this epic battle, Lyria had a vivid dream about the meaning of the flames—her connection to Valyria seemed to intensify as she delved deeper into the Targaryen legacy.

On the day of the final battle at Yunkai, as the enemy forces advanced beneath a heavy, ominous sky, Lyria climbed onto Valyria’s back while Daenerys rode Anogar beside her. The roar of dragons echoed across the field as they soared above the enemy ranks.

And so began their epic journey as sisters bound by destiny—fighting for justice through fire and ash—never forgetting who they were or where they wanted to go: not the Iron Throne or absolute power, but true freedom for all whose voices were still silenced by fear.

[mental-health-and-jesus]

8-18-2024 | Practice Devo | Galatians 5:1

“Give those areas to God”

‘For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.’ Galatians 5:1

#Bible - Verse of the Day | Romans 5:3

‘Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;’ Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬

Bible App

‘Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God?’ Psalms‬ ‭77‬:‭13‬’

[communist-manifesto-daily]

The Communist Manifesto - Part 8

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In depicting the most general phases of the development of the proletariat, we traced the more or less veiled civil war, raging within existing society, up to the point where that war breaks out into open revolution, and where the violent overthrow of the bourgeoisie lays the foundation for the sway of the proletariat.

Hitherto, every form of society has been based, as we have already seen, on the antagonism of oppressing and oppressed classes. But in order to oppress a class, certain conditions must be assured to it under which it can, at least, continue its slavish existence. The serf, in the period of serfdom, raised himself to membership in the commune, just as the petty bourgeois, under the yoke of the feudal absolutism, managed to develop into a bourgeois. The modern labourer, on the contrary, instead of rising with the process of industry, sinks deeper and deeper below the conditions of existence of his own class. He becomes a pauper, and pauperism develops more rapidly than population and wealth. And here it becomes evident, that the bourgeoisie is unfit any longer to be the ruling class in society, and to impose its conditions of existence upon society as an over-riding law. It is unfit to rule because it is incompetent to assure an existence to its slave within his slavery, because it cannot help letting him sink into such a state, that it has to feed him, instead of being fed by him. Society can no longer live under this bourgeoisie, in other words, its existence is no longer compatible with society.

The essential conditions for the existence and for the sway of the bourgeois class is the formation and augmentation of capital; the condition for capital is wage-labour. Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the labourers. The advance of industry, whose involuntary promoter is the bourgeoisie, replaces the isolation of the labourers, due to competition, by the revolutionary combination, due to association. The development of Modern Industry, therefore, cuts from under its feet the very foundation on which the bourgeoisie produces and appropriates products. What the bourgeoisie therefore produces, above all, are its own grave-diggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable.

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