#you may not know it but god it has an enormous influence

[thebroccolination]

SUPPORT ALL THE BE MY FAVORITE FIC PLEASE <3

I need everyone in the world to know that a friend of mine is writing a Witcher AU starring Kawi and Pisaeng from Be My Favorite and I’m reading an early draft of it on my lunch breaks and it’s become the best part of my day.

This thing is likely gonna be over 60k when it’s finished, and I’m really gonna need everyone in the world to leave kudos and comments on this fic when it’s done because my god she’s making an incredible piece of fiction and it’s so ludicrously charming. I don’t even play the Witcher games, I just casually watched the Netflix show and I don’t even think you need to have seen that to keep up. She’s just doing an incredible job.

I’m so happy our little time travel show is still attracting such incredible talented writers and such fun, exciting ideas in fanwork.

If you haven’t been keeping up with the AO3 tag obsessively like me:

Along with the stupefyingly, brilliantly executed genius of Mr. and Mrs. Smith AU Mr. and Mr. Jirawarakul (50k and one more chapter to go!!!) by Looorelai, there’s the nuanced The Long Way Home by saisei about the after-effects of Pisaeng’s time travel, and the punch-you-in-the-soul twist of Writing Ourselves on the Walls of our Future Hearts by Synergic.

Be My Favorite has had some incredible fics written for it.

If you loved the series and you’re missing it and KawiPi, I highly, highly encourage you to check out the tag or my bookmarks.

Tiny fandoms like BMF truly flourish when there’s warmth for them to grow by—or at least glow at a consistent rate. So when you read any fic ever and it makes you happy, please leave kudos and comments if you have the bandwidth. Especially if it’s old. Especially if the fandom seems tiny. It will mean more to them than you may realize; it may even mean the difference between that writer never writing in that fandom again and writing more.

An ember can start a fire.

Just as an example, I left a long comment recently on Clawed by daisydiversions in which Famous AU Kawi and Pisaeng (mostly Pisaeng) are battling a crane game in Japan, and the writer responded thus:

I thought, “Ooh, my screaming nonsense gave them a fic idea! That’s fun!”

Two days later, I had a notification in my inbox!!

And like! I get it! I wrote my 38k WinTeam fic Fireproof on the strength of my friend screaming at me after every chapter posted as well as the comments screaming even more. If I had been writing that on my own with no engaged readership, I would’ve gotten bored and unmotivated and given it up.

I’m not saying, “Leave comments in case the writers will write you fic.” I included that example as a, “Look what unbridled enthusiasm and active community spirit can inspire when we reach out to artists and tell them we appreciate what they created!”

It could inspire more fic, sure, but more importantly: it’ll make writers feel like we aren’t pantomiming for a silent, uninterested audience. That’s how fandoms survive for ten, twenty years. Or longer. Not just through love for canon.

We thrive because we show love for each other. Love for the stories and art we share with each other. Love for the community we’ve gathered.

Love is what brought us to fandom in the first place, after all. That’s where we excel. <3

A nice comment on a fic might be the difference between someone staying in fandom and leaving. You’re more influential than you know, and you can evoke incredible joy in people’s lives with a simple, “I loved this, thank you for sharing!”

[andyxcds]

babel rant

okay so i read babel by r.f kuang and i really cannot stop thinking about it.

like i wrote a long piece of my mind and anyone can read it but it might uhm, ruffle some feathers...

anyways im going to reread this soon, if anyone wants to talk literally dm me or reply.

Babel by R.F. Kuang is a literary masterpiece which explores the concepts of racism, and the consequences of elitism, and can be compared to the likes of the Secret History.

“That's the beauty of learning a new language. It should feel like an enormous undertaking. It ought to intimidate you. It makes you appreciate the complexity of the ones you know already.”

To some extent that seems to be the issue I face when I begin learning a language. There is often some battle in my mind because I am made up of only one tongue. When I speak in English, I think in English. Therefore, when I am told something in the tongue of another, I have no choice but to turn it into something I understand. There is hope that some underlying knowledge is made clear to me when faced with a foreign tongue.

“That's just what translation is, I think. That's all speaking is. Listening to the other and trying to see past your own biases to glimpse what they're trying to say. Showing yourself to the world, and hoping someone else understands.”

When Kuang takes it out of the context of speaking, translation becomes something of objectivity. It is transformed into a means of understanding in which topics such as feelings, emotions, ideas, and values are given a new perspective. I could elaborate on my feelings to a stranger in hopes they can understand how I feel. I could express my observations to a friend and hope they have observed the same. I could share my ideas to a classroom and pray that they can easily grasp and memorize them. I could proclaim my opinions and values to the world hoping they may be able to act in the same way as I.

“How slender, how fragile, the foundations of an empire. Take away the centre, and what’s left? A gasping periphery, baseless, powerless, cut down at the roots.”

This is where Kuang revealed her prowess. Her plotting was ever so brilliant in the sense that she decidedly recreated the falling of Jericho, Babel, and Egypt. Three of the most influential venues in the Bible. She begins to paint Robin as Joshua, the soldier of God who was an important part of bringing down the walls of Jericho, in the context of bringing down the British empire from striking against those of China. However, she also creates a contrast between the Babel of the Bible and the Babel of the Great Empire of Britain. Finally, she paints Robin, not as Moses, almost rather close to God inflicting plagues upon those of Britain.

As all these come toward the end of the book, it should be observed that Kuang has a habit of inflicting tragedy as a form of hooking the reader. From the beginning of the book, our main character, Robin has already gone through many hardships, although very little of his life before Lovell was reduced to nothing short of a bad memory he prefers to hide from himself. Even his name, his birth name, was something he did not seem to have much reverence for, seeing that he rarely mentioned it to his friends. From my understanding, his personality was extroverted but shy, and level-headed and could walk away when he knew he was close to anger. Careful but painfully addicted to and obsessed with the idea of punishment and being punished. The abuse he faced in Lovell’s home could frankly be blamed for the violence he displayed towards the end. His anger towards his father, himself, and his friends impacted who he chose to become in the face of inevitable death.

“English did not just borrow words from other languages; it was stuffed to the brim with foreign influences, a Frankenstein vernacular. And Robin found it incredible, how this country, whose citizens prided themselves so much on being better than the rest of the world, could not make it through an afternoon tea without borrowed goods.”

Back to the context of Britain, Kuang refers to English being Frankenstein vernacular, imposing that English is a language made of many other languages. Some of these languages include the romance languages– Romanian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian– which originally stem from Vulgar Latin, a language most to all scholars were required to fluent in to work in Babel. She later goes on to establish through the mind of Robin that the Britons were nothing short of hypocritical or rather ignorant to the actions of colonialism. But just as she lets Robin have these opinions of the British, I was equally struck when she wrote further about Robin’s addiction to survival. That was when I tried to put the two together. Robin’s need for indulging in the splendor Babel had offered to him, while understanding that what they were doing was wrong, was almost similar to the British scholars and citizens being aware that they were exploiting resources and knowledge they desperately needed from places they believed were below them. It could also be seen in contrasting tones being that Robin was already self-concious in the way the Britons were greedy and selfish.

“So, you see, translators do not so much deliver a message as the rewrite the original. And herein lies the difficulty - rewriting is still writing, and writing always reflects the authors ideology and biases.”

Here, Kuang brings her story out of a page and into life. She is tackling the understanding that often, pieces of fiction written in foreign languages is more than often given new meaning when translated into another language. This often is impacted by current world issues or bias and the ideologies of the translator. Take the Bible for example, so many editions have been published in English from the original Hebrew; the KJV, NIV, NSIV, and the rather blasphemous Gay Bible (I despise this one personally.) Most people love to argue (some atheists) that the Bible was altered so many times for any of the words in it to be true, and some believe that regardless of what it says, the meaning still stands the same. However, in all the versions I have listed, one doesn’t particularly sit right amongst the rest because it is said to go against some of the principles the other Bibles uphold.

Another example would be the Illiad which I am currently re-reading! I have tackled two different versions of it and somehow one makes more sense than the other, but I feel as though the other is somewhat closer to the original Greek version. Altogether, I mean to say that Kuang has addressed what she may have found to be an issue she may have faced when writing. She states in her Author’s Note that the issue with historical fiction and written history is tht some writers get dates and important things wrong. Imagine how bad that would be when translated fiction was brought into play.

[thrashkink-coven]

hii!! im so so sorry if this is considered a weird question and by all means you can delete this/ect, but i wanted to ask: how do you know when your deity loves you? i know it may sound stupid and/or weird but i genuinely have so many issues trusting it.. my deity is very loving to me, hes never been mean to me, ignored me, or anything! and hes so understanding and stuff about everything i tell him, hes really the best deity i couldve asked for. but for some reason i still cant feel loved all the time/all the way. it may have something to do with the fact im aroace, havent done much (hardly any at all really) shadow work, the trauma, or something in between or even all of the above, but i want to trust it, i want to trust him. but the feeling comes rarely then fades almost as soon as i get it. i dont know if its a thing of maybe its because im in the closet about my practices due to it being unsafe to do it openly, or because me and my deity have only worked together for maybe a month or around 6-4 weeks, and i still need the time to feel associated with him & his energy, im unsure and its a little scary/invalidating :( i see so many other witches be so absolutely happy and set in stone with their love for their deities and the deities love for them, but i just cant? i really really know i love my deity and stuff, but, its all just so confusing and sad/aggravating. anyway, thank you for your time <33

(im sorry for the enormous dump haha)

Hi,

Thanks for asking!

Our relationship with our deities are very different to our relationships with humans in many ways, but in some ways they are also extremely similar. Maybe you’ve never been in a romantic relationship, but oftentimes even when we are with the person that we love and we’re 100% confident that they love us back with all their heart, we can still become nervous and wonder if our relationships are legitimate or “real”. This is something that can occur with any kind of relationship. It may have absolutely nothing to do with the actions of the other party and more to do with how we view ourselves. If we don’t think we are worthy to be in their presence we will often unfairly assume their negative opinion of us- even if they have done nothing to indicate that. It’s important to consider what circumstances in your life might have lead you to feel this way, chances are it has nothing to do with them.

In the context of Gods, they are funnily enough, without bodies. Which means that they can’t always be present in extremely obvious ways. You may find yourself getting anxious if a partner or friend doesn’t reach out for a few days, but that doesn’t at all mean that your friend or partner didn’t think about you at all during that time. There is this very common misconception in spiritual circles that devotees interact directly with their Gods every single day, that we can feel their influence at all times and that they are always super close to us- and that’s just not true.

In the case of Lucifer, I reach out to him at least once a day in some way, but I don’t always feel his overwhelming warmth and light all the time. In fact, sometimes I don’t feel anything and that’s just fine. My devotion is partially a gift to him but also a gift to myself, I don’t just do this so he’ll pop up and do a little dance for me lol, my love of worshipping is part of the deal.

For an entity like Jophiel who is an angel, I don’t necessarily even want to feel his presence all the time because he’s just a lot to deal with on a daily basis. In fact I only really interact with Jophiel directly once every few months if that. He probably wouldn’t be very pleased by frivolous interactions either- actually he’s just straight up told me he doesn’t like it lol. His presence is something that can always be found but isn’t always appropriate or necessary. That doesn’t at all mean that Jophiel and I have a weaker relationship by any means, rather that we are so confident in our relationship that we can handle the distance. I know that if I make a genuine call he will answer, and there are times he just happens to be closer to me for whatever reason. In the same way, sometimes he’s just farther away. Jophiel is pure love and I know he feels no ill will towards me, love shows itself in many ways, not just the ways that are the most obvious. If I admire a stranger or study the beauty of a snowflake, Jophiel will always be there.

Likewise with an entity like Faviel, he kind of just does what he wants. By his very nature he is a free flyer. Sometimes he literally does straight up ignore me and that’s okay too. Sometimes I can tell he’s around but actively declining my call. He knows the difference between my genuine need for him and my random passive curiosity. He’s not my pet so he doesn’t stand by my leg all the time.

I’ve seen some hellenic devotees express that some of their Gods feel farther away during certain seasons (Apollon in the winter for example) so they amp up their offerings and celebrations to welcome them back in the spring. Your deities’ absence is the time to think about them most. There’s no need to mourn that which hasn’t died.

I can’t tell you for a 100% fact whether any given God loves us in the same way we experience love- because some of them genuinely just don’t. In the same way that you’re aroace, some Gods genuinely just don’t care about those kinds of relationships with humans lol- but in those cases it is quite easy to tell. Sometimes that level of intimacy isn’t necessary for the work being done. And yes, sometimes a God will definitely just reject you (HERMES REJECTED ME AT FIRST CAN YOU BELIEVE!?!)

But if you already have experienced a genuine connection then worrying about that is of no benefit to you.

These entities don’t really just sit around and wait for us to text them lol, they are very busy and important spirits with roles and things they need to do just like we do. Faviel is a messenger, Lucifer is a King, Jophiel is a chief and archangel, I’m sure your God is the God of something pretty important too. These fellas got work to do!

If Lucifer got mad at me whenever I was doing anything other than worshipping him, he’d probably think I didn’t care very much about him either- which isn’t very fair!

In my relationship with Lucifer especially, confidence was of the utmost importance. Simply put, if Lucifer put no effort in and did nothing in response to my calls, I wouldn’t be his devotee. I know that sounds harsh but it was Lucifer himself that taught me that I am worthy of being in his space, he does respect me and love me and I needed to be 100% confident and aware of that before he took me on. He actually scolded me a few times for “begging” him to appear because it seemed pathetic and he does not work with pathetic people. When you make that call you should be confident in your audacity to do so, you are more than worthy of an answer, there is no need to beg or worry.

If I worried that Lucifer doesn’t care about me every time I didn’t feel his presence that would be a way of casting doubt onto him. I need to be confident in our relationship even when it isn’t abundantly clear. I need to be able to find the light even when I can’t see it.

So in your case, maybe the reason why that feeling of love fades so quickly for you because as soon as you start to notice it, you start to question it and wonder if it’s really there. And then of course it won’t be- because you’re no longer feeling it but analyzing it. The next time you have this feeling allow your mind to go quiet and just let it happen. Don’t worry about anything else, feel it and cherish it and you will eventually become familiar and confident in it.

You got this!

[tobiasdrake]

Now that we have our new party member, it's time for another story time with Teaks.

This is the big one.

Okay what the fuck is this and why did my Captain's Quarters get wasted on it.

I would have been more than happy to let Hortence have the Captain's Quarters since she's been here the longest and has the most claim to this ship, crime notwithstanding.

I could deal with the fictional Captain Cliche having the Captain's Quarters despite Serai not even bothering to use that guise while she's here, thus resulting in an empty bedchamber.

But why does the new blood get it? I don't care if you're basically God, you fucking work your way up the ladder like the rest of us! >_< I'm so furious right now.

And yet you gave him the Captain's Quarters.

I mean. Okay, in fairness, Teaks did that. I don't know why she has the authority to do that, though.

No. I want to throttle you with my bare hands.

However, much like Garl, it is impossible for me to physically be angry with you for any length of time. So I just have all of this aggression and nowhere to put it. I just... I JUST FUCKING....

._. Will you please make me a sandwich I can drown my fury in, thank you very much.

Yes, the usual.

*sigh* Okay, Teaks. Now I want to hear a story. It's finally time to find out exactly who the Archivist/TIA and the Fleshmancer are.

Huh. I figured TIA was some kind of ungodly horror beneath those robes, but apparently he's just zombie-faced. Mm, I feel bad about telling him to go take a shower now. It would not help.

You guys should sit down and chat with Roro. She owns it. Has a whole undead style of her own.

Hold up, he's jealous of our ephemerality? He hates us 'cause we die? That's it? It's not, like, he hates us 'cause we're pretty or he longs to taste good food and not have to dress in rags or something? He's just pissy because he wants to be able to die too?

My dude, you don't have to unleash apocalyptic horrors upon mankind in order to fulfill that desire. If all you want is to be ephemeral, come hang out with me and Zale and we'll work on that. I'd be more than happy to experiment.

Ohhh, I get it. He doesn't have a heart anymore 'cause he used it for his experiments.

He's Disney evil.

You know, I thought you were going to tell me that Resh'an was responsible for Solstice magic but apparently it's just. Like. A thing that happened to also exist, and that trumps the Fleshmancer's stuff... because?

I may have to reassess my comprehension of the Fleshmancer and TIA. The Archivist's opening explanation of the lore made me think these guys were, like... primeval forces of good and evil or something, wreaking vast influence across some enormous multiverse.

Like. I figured they had terrestrial origins in some world somewhere. They had the vibe of ancient wizards who came from meager origins and ascended into godhood. In that regard, I suppose I had them pegged right.

But that seemed like a "Long time ago in a universe far, far away" type of origin, where they've been these ancient supreme beings of good and evil ever since. But Teaks is making this sound a lot more local.

They're just two more guys who accidentallied themselves into a horrifying curse. TIA has nothing to do with the source of Solstice magic. He doesn't even know what it is, really; Just that whatever we are, it sure does kick the shit out of whatever Aephorul's become.

He didn't create us; He found us and went "HOLY FUCK That's powerful! Let's use it!"

I've been shittalking him out of irreverence but. Like. Now, I think that we might be higher on the Hierarchy of WTF than TIA and the Fleshmancer are. Even if TIA is still, admittedly, higher on the Hierarchy of Knowing What The Fuck You're On About.

So if he founded the Solstice Warriors, does that mean TIA is the Great Eagle? Is he the guy I need to beat the shit out of for the unsettling horror of Mooncradle?

Because I can't do it until he tells us how to get onto Mesa Island. But I do want my Captain's Quarters back....

Or a longer window of Whenever We Goddamn Want if you have this fancy amulet. Which was just sitting abandoned in an ice block for how many decades/centuries?

Hey Resh'an? I don't want to tell you how to be the Immortal Alchemist but if you were that concerned with Solstice Warriors defeating Dwellers and you knew where this thing was all along, uh... what the hell, man?

When exactly did we lose track of this thing? Because absolutely none of the ancient Solstice lore I learned from Moraine suggests that it even exists somewhere to be found. We've been using these fancy time runes for day/night manipulation on a small scale while biding our time to strike at Dwellers on eclipse nights. Meanwhile our founder has had coordinates for Pocket Eclipse in his back pocket this whole time. I'm kind of angry about that.

Yeah, that's part of what had me thinking this was some kind of multiversal conflict. Obviously World Eaters must have, like... eaten some worlds in order to be a known thing, right? I assume we know about them from Resh'an; If he was our founder then our lore would be passed down from him. Though he didn't see fit to tell us about Pocket Eclipse so who knows?

Or maybe he did, and Moraine just didn't bother to tell me because I was kind of a shitty student.

Or maybe Moraine did tell me and I just wasn't paying attention. I was kind of a shitty student.

Hm.

In any case, to be known as World Eaters, one imagines they've eaten some worlds. And that this isn't one that they've eaten yet. So these guys can't be a purely terrestrial phenomenon, right?

Oh, so it's both. They are a terrestrial phenomenon but Resh'an created a multiverse through a grandiose gesture of magic.

That's...

That's kind of promising? Like. Metaphysically, that could mean that if circumstances conspire in such a way that we kill Aephorul in any one timeline or reality, fucker will be dead in all timelines and realities because there's only one of him.

This isn't an independent multiverse that Aephorul's invading and attacking. It's a multiverse of attempts to resist Aephorul. We only have to win once. Statistics are on our side.

Even if there's only 1 in 1000 chance of someone defeating Aephorul, if you roll 10,000 dice....

That's why he let us into his library even though we are clearly not the Chosen Ones. It's what he was trying to figure out at the start. We're a dice toss. ^_^

But that's also why he's being so KEEP ME OUT OF IT with regard to Aephorul. Because the same logic applies to him. Aephorul only has to kill him once. In a cosmic sense, we're all expendable compared to him, because there's millions of other versions of us. He can always go back to the drawing board and try something else. Maybe a different version of us, or maybe someone else who might actually be the Chosen Ones. But if anything happens to him, that's game over.

This makes way more sense when Teaks explains it than when TIA tried to. Probably because she's giving me the full story while he's a cryptic bastard. Resh'an is stuck navigating causality to try and find a chain of events that will lead to success against the impossible.

If the dude's so pissy about not being ephemeral, you'd think the sameyness of those realities might bother him a little. Wouldn't you eventually get bored conquering the same world over and over and over again?

These two are playing very different video games.

And that's what Resh'an was on about when he was like, "You don't understand; If Aephorul finds out that I'm here, he'll return."

It's not because he's hiding out from Aephorul. It's because he's violating the terms of the agreement. Resh'an is cheating right now, in a way that would give Aephorul tacit permission to do the same if caught.

Teaks, from now on, can we make this a rule? Can people tell you the lore dumps and then you can explain them to me? You're so good at this.

So now I'm starting to get more of an understanding of what Guardian Gods are too. Like, we knew it was the evolution of Solstice Warriors into some kind of deity. But, specifically, it's our counterpart to World Eaters; Guardian Gods because the pair become a force of Solstice magic that Aephorul can't pierce, on account of our magic being higher on the Hierarchy of WTF.

Uh, probably when he wins, I would say. No sense in doing it while Aephorul's still out there, right?

I adore you, Teaks, but sometimes you ask dumb questions.

[thescions]

you guys were lovely to ask all of us some wol questions so have a scions/mun question! : what are both of yours top three favorite scions? ✨

Aw, thank you so much for this!

For Grey ---

This is SUCH a difficult question. I'll attempt to keep my reasoning brief. In reality, I love all of the Scions for reasons that relate solely to them. How they function as a narrative vehicle, how they've been characterized by their VAs, etc. If I pinch myself enough, I would narrow my top three to Estinien, Minfilia, and Papalymo.

Estinien, because I relate to him so immensely, because his is a perspective I continue to explore in my own writing. I look at his experiences with Nidhogg as a mirror manifest of Complex PTSD, literally and expositionally. The insidious nature of having been trapped in an abusive relationship. Except, your abuser lives in your head as much your world and there is No. Escape.

How must it feel to have a being not unlike a god consistently pumping your heart with venom and vitriol, targeted or otherwise? How must it feel to know that you, likely alone amidst even the others of your role, may have a meaningful impact on the influence driving a centuries long war? The weight of it. The responsibility, self-imposed and otherwise.

As the player progresses through the game, we are deadened to the enormity of having fought hyper-terrestrial beings, just as the characters would be. The other Scions may also share in our experiences, but it is only Estinien who knows what it is to have power to genuinely match ours. At least, for a while. Even Minfilia and Krile only borrow a finite glimpse of the like.

With that said, my affection for Minfilia knows no bounds. Not only do I resonate with her as someone raised femme who also enjoys the feminine on a deeper level than aesthetic, I also deeply vibe with the proposed mentality of someone who would sacrifice their all for the greater good, whether you have faces to assign to it or not.

She may not be lobbing axes at folks with us -- but perhaps that is for the best. Because the moment she has the power to fight, she fights to the point of near annihilation, using every ounce of that strength to achieve her desired outcome. Her restraint to hold out, to do as much as she possibly, possibly could, and then some...

I too, and many of you, I am sure, have burned that proverbial candle. Or perhaps I am dramatic. ;)

As for Papalymo: oh, I just love a nerdy older man who is exasperated by his promising, younger colleagues, of whom he will tend to fullness. Are any of our followers big Buffy fans?

As for Lanna --

Tough, tough question! But I am choosing Tataru, Thancred, and Ryne. (The twins are on the same level as Ryne -- but I couldn't pick one over the other!) My reasoning for all three comes down to growth.

From Tataru the secretary, to Tataru the boss bitch entrepreneur, who even for a time tried to learn how to fight to help protect us! Tataru represents the home of the Scions. Her "welcome home" at the end of EW and anytime she starts crying out of worry for us makes me sob. She isn't a warrior but she is so strong. She took over Minfilia's role of being the Scions' core emotional support while also evolving past that to really become a vibrant individual.

For Thancred --I'll admit, a lot of my reason for him being one of my favorites is because of the headcanons and development Grey and I've put together for him. But those are all based off of his canon interactions and, again, the story he goes through throughout the series. The man is clearly so godsdamned depressed, and (if the story would let him) we can see so much potential conflict with him letting that get the better of him. And of course, allllll the development for him throughout Shadowbringers with Minfilia and Ryne. He has healed so much. I'm a little confused as to where his story/development goes now in DT -- I feel like it is done, and he should be allowed to go retire happily with Ryne on the First. But if there's more for him to do, I'm happy to see it! As long as he's not just the 'flirty naked guy' again. Then I'd be disappointed.

Ryne is such an amazing character because we really only knew her for one expansion. She didn't have the same amount of time to develop as say, either of the twins, and yet immediately her story, her conflict with her self-esteem and sense of identity captured my heart. Her history was like Puella Magi Madoka Magica in Final Fantasy for me, so that totally hit all my vibes. But more than anything, she remains generally innocent even throughout the Eden raids. Innocent and kind, but not weak. And that is so rare to find these days. Ryne is a treasure -- a blessing ufufufu -- and I can't wait for her to rejoin the MSQ. WITH. GAIA. MAKE EDEN RAIDS REQUIRED, YOSHI-P!

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Voting, Truth, Unity, and the Future of the USA

Our Forefathers Started This Nation on Christian Values, Now We Must Keep Them

As Christians, we should care about the future of our nation.  We should care about who serves on the Supreme Court, social issues like abortion and traditional marriage, and also the social and cultural future of our nation. ­­­­We have the opportunity to vote for men and women who support our Christian values. Some people do not want to vote as they believe we are to separate church from state. However, the separation between church and state does not mean we are to be isolated from politics, but rather that we influence politics with Christian and biblical principles. The separation between church and state was meant to keep the government from overruling the church; as the new republic our forefathers founded, wanted to be free of the government telling the church what they could do. It was about freedom of religion so the government would not interfere with the freedom of God’s people.

We must have a president who will support religious freedom at all levels of government. I am thankful that our current President has taken a strong stand for religious freedom for Christians in this nation, as well as his strong stand against abortion.  Remember we are voting for more than just one leader, we will also be voting for either the Democratic Party Platform or the Republican Party Platform when we choose our president.  Read the platforms of both parties and you will find that the Democratic Party supports abortion, while the Republican Party supports the sanctity of life. That one thing alone should influence our Christian vote. There are many other issues on the Democratic Platform that are opposed to Christian belief, but this one issue alone should tell us what party to vote for. 

Our current and future president will face enormous challenges and problems and he will need our support and prayers, not our criticism. We are admonished in the Word of God to pray for all leaders, as God wants us to have leaders that will make decisions that will allow us to live quiet and peaceable lives (not chaos) in an environment of godliness and honesty according to the scripture below:

1 Timothy 2:1-5:   1 I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

My Prayer for the Elections

We have diligently been praying about the upcoming elections, as so many other Christians are doing, as well. “Lord I pray that we elect the right people who will hold the offices that will determine the future of the United States. Give Your people and others who don’t even know You, discernment and wisdom in the voting for the offices of president, senators, and representatives that will ultimately rule over us. Lord, there is much division in the body of Christ and our nation, may we hear Your voice and rally around You and Your Word, as we make any decisions. Lord, I come against the spirits of division and confusion that keep the church and the nation divided.  Lord, I stand against all the lies, confusion, and chaos that are bringing deception to Your people. Lord, reveal to us the truth as we vote for people and the issues on the ballots across the land. Lord, we know You look at things differently than we do, as You look at the hearts of people and You know the future, so we can trust You to show us Your choices.  Give us Your wisdom to vote properly. Deliver us from all deception and show us the truth and let us be led by Your Spirit, not just in voting, but in every area of our lives because we are surrounded by so many threats at this hour like Covied19.  Protect us from this evil and bring an end to it.  We know if we seek You and repent You will forgive our sins and give us Your mercy and grace to overcome in these perilous times. Give us revelation of Your will and the grace to obey You in all things. Let there be a revival in the land. Lord, we know You are shaking all things and allowing sin and rebellion to be exposed. Expose the lies and the people who have been lying.  Lord, search our hearts and show us anything we have believed that is wrong and show us where we have been deceived so we can be set free. Let us hear from You about these elections.  Let Your anointing rest on the elections and may we vote, led by Your Spirit, and be guided in all of our ways.  Let us all hear Your voice and walk in Your ways. May we all surrender to Your will in all things and then Lord, we will know the truth, as that is the key to hearing Your voice.  In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.”  

John 7:17  “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”

For Those Who Have Chosen Not to Vote at All

Many people do not even want to vote at all because they hate discord and disunity. That should not be our attitude, as not voting at all is still “a decision,” as we are allowing others to vote for us and passively accepting what they want. 

Also, we must be very careful, as believers, not to become cynical and critical of our leaders, as we are admonished to pray for them, not criticize them. We can speak up about things that are wrong, but not with the wrong attitude, as our critical attitude can be just as sinful as what they are doing in the eyes of God. Remember, we will be judged with the same judgment we speak about others.  This does not mean we cannot acknowledge anything that does not agree with the Word of God, as that is a discernment issue when we see things that do not line up with the Word of God.  However, when we start “bad-mouthing” people (both politicians and preachers) we are not pleasing to God. We can disagree if something does not line up with the Word of God, but we should not berate one another.  God tells us in the Bible how we are to deal with things of this nature so it would be good to pray and let Him show us what we need to do to correct wrongs. I would recommend a good Bible study on the subject of what we should do as Christians when we disagree. This will also help in marriage disagreements.   Remember one of the things that God hates is “discord among the brethren.”

My Prayer for Those in Disagreement

This is the prayer I ask people to pray with me when they disagree with me.  We should all be willing to change if we are wrong by submitting to God and one another in prayer so that we can come into His unity. Unity can only exist when we rally around the truth. We cannot allow pride to keep us apart. We must sincerely want to know God’s will and be willing to change once God shows us.

“Dear Heavenly Father, You know that my brother (or sister) is in disagreement about this subject and we each believe that we are right, so I am humbly submitting my opinion and belief to You and asking You to show us which one is wrong.  Lord, if it is me, then I desire to change and receive the truth.  Lord, we cannot change strong-held opinions and sometimes even what we believe to be true without You giving us revelation and Your truth on the matter.  Because of this, show us which one of us is right and who has the truth, as I believe my brother (or sister) is seeking the truth, as I am. Give us both Your love and patience with one another to await Your revelation on this matter as You have called us to unity and love and it is only in You that we can receive it. Lord, help us not to react to one another in anger because we do not agree, but let us trust in You that You will speak to each of us in this matter. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

1 Corinthians 1:10  “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment.”

Speaking Blessings Not Curses Will Make a Difference in the Course of History

One of these is to use our words and our vote to change the course of our nation.  The other mighty thing we can do is to pray for all people, both the ones we agree with and the ones we do not agree with.  There are enough people in the world who are cursing our leaders with their evil words.  They need to repent and start praying for our elected leaders in both parties, as critical people will reap what they sow.  If people are speaking death to others, then death will come back to them. We are either speaking life or death.  Speaking death is not just speaking that people will die, but we can invoke the “death principle,” as well, which is speaking about death to marriages, death to our finances, death to family relationships, death to our surroundings, etc.  We need to be very careful what we speak, as our words create good or evil. 

Proverbs 18:21  “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

Deuteronomy 30:19  “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”

Voting is our Civic Duty

Please encourage others you know to sign up and vote, as well.  Share with friends and encourage them to vote.  I know some people just do not want to vote at all, as they are upset with both presidential nominees.  However, I remind people we are not just voting for a man, but for the platform issues of the party, for our Supreme Court judges, and for the society and culture that will rule based on the party platform that prevails.   If we vote for no other reason than to stop the evil abortions that are killing babies every day, the Lord will have His stamp of approval for that alone on our lives, even though many other anti-biblical issues are supported by deceived people, as well.  Read for yourself what the issues are that are supported by the Republicans and compare them with the Democrat platform issues and I believe any Christian can see clearly how to vote if he honestly wants to know the truth and is willing to humbly ask God to show them how to vote. We must vote for the people and the things that most closely line up with the Word of God remembering that no human is perfect.  Go to Billy Graham’s website to view these platforms and then ask God which of these pleases Him and then side with God with your vote. 

If you sincerely still do not know how to vote, I encourage you to pray in the spirit, as when we pray in tongues we are praying according to the will of God as outlined in scripture. When I watched the debates, I did not know how I was to pray so I prayed in tongues the entire hour and a half, as I knew those prayers were led by the Holy Spirit’s guidance and I would be praying for the will of God to be done in the midst of what was going on.  May we all humble ourselves and seek only the will of God in all we do at this hour, as God is the only One Who will be able to save us from the evil we see in the world. No man nor party can do that, but since God knows the future, we can rely on Him to show us how to vote and what to do in every circumstance. How can we vote and approve things that God hates? As long as the Democratic Party party supports abortion and does not support the sanctity of life, we should not support those people.  If you read the party platform issues you will find the Democratic Party also supports many other anti-biblical ideas, as well.  Remember we are voting for more than one man, we are also voting for the platform issues of the party. I am praying for God to rule our nation through the servant-hearted people He raises so that we can all live in peace and harmony. I am praying for God to change men’s hearts and especially all of our leader’s hearts so that we will be that Christian nation that is a light on a hill for all the world to see.  Closing with this scripture once again:

1 Timothy 2:1-5 1 I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 

Reminder to Register to Vote

This is just a reminder to make sure everyone is registered to vote this year. This is an extremely critical year for Christians to vote. The deadline in Arizona is October 23, 2024.  (Search online for your state’s deadline.) So, if you are not registered to vote, please for the sake of the nation, your home, and your state, you must register and vote this year. It is not only critical that we vote correctly, because it will help prevent more judgments from coming on our nation (like the Pandemic). Or, if we fail to take a stand for our nation’s future, it will speed them up, depending on what each of us does. Voting is just one of the civic responsibilities we should step up and do. We must repent for being apathetic, if we have failed to vote in the past, we must understand that it is our civic duty.  We each hold the key to our future when we determine to follow the Lord or go our own way.  We must do both – pray and vote. From: Steven P. Miller @ParkermillerQ, Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups Monday, August 14, 2023, Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sparkermiller.JAX.FL.USA, https://www.facebook.com/StevenParkerMillerQ Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956, Twitter: @GatekeeperWatchman1, @ParkermillerQ, https://twitter.com/StevenPMiller6 Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gatekeeperwatchman, https://www.tumblr.com/gatekeeper-watchman, https://www.pinterest.com/GatekeeperWatchman1/ #GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #Ephraim1, #IAM, #Sparkermiller, #Eldermiller1981

[starboundanon]

I’m happy you’re enjoying my comments on Ao3. I always feel that I leave out so much that I’d like to say because your writing is deep and thoughtful, and I could go sentence by sentence. I’ve been having Miscellaneous Thoughts too (and mostly rhetorical questions), like:

Obi-Wan: Why did he decide to see Anakin after 17 years? Because Luke was nearly an adult (and wouldn’t be subject to Anakin’s influence) and was graduating and going to travel? This might be the only time father and son could get to know each other, and Obi-Wan still has a soft spot for Anakin. Along with the letters, did Obi-Wan bring photos of Luke?

Did Obi-Wan have any influence in getting Anakin released or was it all Palpatine? (Oh, please, I hope Palpatine’s visits weren’t conjugal ones 🫣) Did Anakin’s terms of parole include having a place to live and that’s why Obi-Wan invited him? Is Anakin required to get work? Is Palps paying him? And…and…okay, when Anakin is sexually aroused and left unsatisfied with Luke, does he…I mean…do he and Obi-Wan…is that what they do at night and when Luke’s at school??? LMAO, that’s not a serious question. Or maybe it is. :D

I won’t make this too long but here are little things I didn’t comment on in Chapter 1: Luke seeing that Anakin left his boots on and Obi-Wan didn’t scold him. (In another chapter, Anakin’s duffel took over Obi-Wan's favorite chair.) And, hmm, Obi coming out of the bathroom wiping his face (I’m sure there was nothing untoward about that, cough). Anakin’s reaction when Obi touched Luke’s shoulder (and Luke noticing) (twice). That Obi-Wan owns a floral-patterned comforter. Obi (like God) banishing himself and Luke to their rooms because the living area belongs to Anakin. Luke being excited and horrified about sneaking out (oh just wait, darlin’) but it wasn’t like they were doing anything ILLEGAL. When Luke and Anakin see each other for the first time, I was reminded of the first Godfather movie when Michael sees Apollonia and a man tells him they call it “struck by a thunderbolt”. Love at first sight. Or at least lust on Luke’s part.

I like to imagine the first time they have privacy and sleep together and wake up together. The first time that Luke initiates sex and touches Anakin’s enormous cock. Anakin would be over the moon. But THEN I thought - no, no, the best moment will be the first time Luke touches Anakin’s FACE. That would be the loving gesture that would melt Anakin into a puddle. 🫠

God, I love thinking about this pair. There’s a specific one-shot I’d like to write and maybe I will after your story is over (sob) because I don’t want to intrude on any scenes you’re planning. There needs to be more AniLuke and VaderLuke stories and I hope you write others. Maybe even occasional one-shots in this universe. 🫶🏼 🤞

SSB, you flatter me so much, I'm absolutely charmed. This is perhaps one of the nicest things anyone has ever said about my writing, and I am so incredibly honored that you feel this way!

For your first question, we will actually get into that during the fic itself, so I can't spoil too much. But you've basically hit the nail on the head, lol. I don't think Obi-Wan brought any photos of Luke, but I do think he made sure Anakin flipped through the family photo album at some point. And if he noticed a few photos missing afterwards, he didn't say anything. He figures he owes Anakin that much.

Anakin's terms of parole absolutely included having a place to live, hence the pullout couch. Obi-Wan most likely helped with the parole process (provided proof of residence, picking him up, exit interview, etc) but he didn't have anything to do with filing for the appeal that got Anakin out — that was all Palpatine. And since old Sheev went to all this trouble to get him released, I think he's fully expecting Anakin to come work for him again. Anakin doesn't have much choice honestly, but that's fine with him; he's still loyal to Palpatine, regardless of what may or may not have happened during those prison visits. ;)

Lmao, personally I don't think Anakin and Obi-Wan are indulging themselves behind Luke's back, despite how hot and bothered Anakin usually is after having playtime with his son. Anakin's still harboring a lot of resentment for his brother/father figure and I think he only has eyes for Luke, and despite how pent-up and blueballed he's gotta be at this point, he knows the pay-off will be more than worth it.

I looove all the little details you noticed in chapter 1, that just warms my heart. 😭♥ I'm very grateful that you would take the time to so carefully read (and reread!) something I wrote. It can take hours and hours to crank out these chapters, and only minutes to consume them, so it is so validating and flattering and heartwarming when someone like you takes the time to not only take in every sentence, every word, but go out of your way to comment on them. I so appreciate you!!

I can't wait to explore some of these softer moments you've described, especially the ones that are happening sooner rather than later 😈 And please please please, if you're feeling inspired to write, do not wait for me!! I would never feel intruded on, especially since I am tonguing the dry well of the vaderluke / analuke tag after every update, just hoping more people will start writing for this ship 😭

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 22 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

Gideon laughed. “Speaking of weird shit in our parents’ houses, you wanna see my parent’s house?”

“Are your parents home?”

“Of course, but they’re in the basement right now. Come. I’ll take you on a tour.” Gideon headed out of his room and down the hallway to the bathroom. He turned around so Adri could see the metal letters over the toilet. “Have you considered that you should Live, Laugh, and Love?”

Adri snorted. “Oh my God, your mom is one of those.”

“Oh, we’re not finished yet.” Gideon moved back into the hall and stopped by another wall decoration. “Admire, for a moment, Live, Pray, Love. Let’s find more life advice, shall we? Here we go.” He turned around so Adri could see the enormous letters you saw upon climbing the stairs. “Ah, ‘HAVE FAITH’. Much to consider. Let’s continue.”  Gideon headed down the stairs and pointed the camera at the mat by the front door. “Here we have Peace and Blessings. Oh, and look at this little reindeer thing hanging by the front door. Jingle Jingle All the Way. True poetry. Again, we move on.”

“You cannot tell me this is your entire house.”

“Do not doubt my mother’s love affair with Hobby Lobby.” In the living room, Gideon showed Adri a sign above the fireplace that read, Faith Over Fear. “Wow, true biblical wisdom on display here.”

“I think it’s kind of cute,” Adri admitted with a giggle.

“She’s truly depraved. Look. She’s got a quote framed next to family pictures.” Gideon picked up the frame in question and showed it to Adri. “Good Vibes Only.”

“Okay, I’ve changed my mind, she deserves jail.”

“There are more if you want a tour into the depths of a woman’s mind high on Pinterest. I personally know that I often forget to live, laugh, and love while peeing, so I’m glad to be reminded.”

Adri bent over laughing out of frame. It was the first time since leaving Adri at the airport that Gideon felt good about coming here, and he enjoyed the warm fuzzy feelings in his stomach while they lasted. God, she was fucking adorable. If he was having a bad time, he was sure she was doing worse, so he was glad to give her some moment of reprieve from it all.

“We both sound like such grinches,” Adri said, reappearing in frame. “I don’t want to be a snob about your mother’s inspirational quotes.”

“Listen, no one is as envious as me of my mother’s complete obliviousness to cringe. She truly lives free, and I can’t hate her for it.” Gideon heard some murmuring from the basement door, so he shuffled back toward the stairs, wishing to avoid a conversation with his parents. “I am glad she prefers Michael’s decorations over sexy paintings of Joseph Smith, though my parents are not immune to sexy Jesus paintings.”

“Is anyone, really?”

Gideon chuckled. “You’re right, he was a babe.”

[hoursofreading]

As I came to the end of this book, I read an essay by historian Yuval Noah Harari on big data. Harari rose to fame with his enlightening book Sapiens, a sprawling history of the species. In a piece published in the Financial Times, he argued that we live in a world where data analytics is the new unquestionable authority—quite like the way, in fact, we once thought about God. We are shifting the decision-making power that makes us human to big data, allowing it to influence our choices about everything from what books and clothes we buy to whom we date. “[E]ven if Dataism is wrong about life, it may still conquer the world. Many previous creeds gained enormous popularity and power despite their factual mistakes. If Christianity and communism could do it, why not Dataism? Dataism has especially good prospects, because it is currently spreading across all scientific disciplines. A unified scientific paradigm may easily become an unassailable dogma. If you don’t like this, and you want to stay beyond the reach of the algorithms, there is probably just one piece of advice to give you, the oldest in the book: know thyself. In the end, it’s a simple empirical question. As long as you have greater insight and self-knowledge than the algorithms, your choices will still be superior and you will keep at least some authority in your hands. If the algorithms nevertheless seem poised to take over, it is mainly because most human beings hardly know themselves at all,” wrote Harari.

Hindol Sengupta - Being Hindu_ Understanding a Peaceful Path in a Violent World-Rowman & Littlefield (2017)

[reginrokkr]

In order to know what has to be done once he's found his destiny, he must learn the truth of this world. So was Dáinsleif's belief upon immersing himself in a samsara to see what went wrong with Khaenri'ah and more importantly yet— since when. For there lied the answer he was looking for since the very beginning, and it's the prospect that too long has it been for him to be able to do anything at all to prevent the kingdom's destruction.

For the first time since calamity struck, that was the moment Twilight found peace in his heart at the knowledge that there was naught he could've done. And with it a single wish materializes into his fate: a desire that no one else has to go through what Khaenri'ah had, specially being cognizant of the fact that there are those who pursue to bring calamity to those who continued to live under the Seven.

Simultaneously, Dáinsleif made it his own mission to discover the truth of this world, to have a better understanding behind his forbears' obsessions. For one thing is clear, and it's the only thing he will give them credit for: Teyvat is commanded under an unjust order that must be defied and changed. Not solely out of selfishness to stop enduring unfairness once aware that it exists, for everyone who in the future may find out and run the risk of being on divine's crosshairs should they make the mistake of opposing them by their means— fundamentally incorrect in how to approach the situation.

And for that to happen, tracing spirit veins all the way to the moment that triggered Khaenri'ah's founders decision to build a new nation without gods was a necessity. Reason why Dáinsleif now treads through mists of darkness brought by the Apocalypse— with the coming of a new entity that defied the Primordial One and Nibelung's failure to oppose it through Forbidden Knowledge. What a grave mistake to do, even for a wise creature like him.

Lunarescent seraph perks at the sound of a voice that echoes in the space he's in. No matter how hard he tries to look through the mist, he cannot see where is the source. Until... all of a sudden, he sees a giant eye opening. Inevitably does Dáinsleif jump, his heart stills with shock that sends adrenaline through his nerves to act and walk back and away from the creature. Its presence becomes more visible through its aura, as if it was completely on its own to make itself be seen. Dark mist disperses from it enough to see that it's an enormous dragon lying on the ground, completely still— and not because it so desires, Dáinsleif presumes.

Sapphire irises widen as soon as the dragon reveals its knowledge about his current situation, an occurrence that never before happened before and, as Twilight Sword's perception goes, no one should know about. For all of these are memories, they have happened in the past and nothing will change the future. So why...? ◜How do you know?◞ It is not out of losing composure that Dáinsleif deigns to ask, as much as the hazard it may pose on his soul if the current affair of his circumstances are known by other individuals. Should anything happen to his soul, the rest of himself will be gone forever. Even worse, if its influence can reach into the future, that may pose an even more serious problem. ◜Nobody ever noticed before, but you do. Who are you?◞

Ah. In the end, no matter if the Fell Dragon Prince united his Vishap children and humans under the premise of fighting against the celestial tyranny, it was for naught. His own King, in one last act of despair brought destruction to his own kin when it should've only effected the Great Usurper and his lackeys and it nearly precipitated their dear world to the vast Abyss. Where has he failed? Was the power they believed would defeat the heavenly imposters different than what they thought? Or did his king mistake it for something else?

It doesn't matter any longer, for his power is completely spent, brought to his knees in humiliation at the door's step after suffering the same fate as his analogous did: their rightful authority stolen to further entertain whatever wicked plans the heavens have for this world and the product of their creations with it.

All that there is left for him is to lament what he could've done in his own fight against the demonic skies, all unresolved dreams trampled and an unending list of regrets.

Where solitude should be everything for him to feel, a contradicting entity rouses him from his nigh comatose slumber in wait for death to claim him. A child of man, just like those he guided in their fight for freedom against that foolish God King's tyranny, possessing two different auras completely irreconcilable between them— toxic to one another should they interact. One of them, the same poison that brought him to this sorry state and engulfed everything else in its deathly grasp. As for the other... what is it exactly? It is neither entirely celestial nor abyssal, but it's a source of light nonetheless.

Something akin to a light in the darkness.

"What do you look for in this place, child of man? There is naught but melodies prophesying destruction." His eyes open in time to see a puny figure in comparison to his magnificent size, now unable to move after being stricken beyond repair with the venom from beyond the skies. Upon closer inspection, he notes that this is no physical manifestation of his being— but a spiritual one. And that aura, so familiar with something he knows all too well, that has existed since the beginning of time in this world. "Ah, I see. So you are a vagrant soul sifting through this world's memories."

[anthonysstupiddailyblog]

Anthony’s Stupid Daily Blog (817): Tue 11th Jun 2024

Up early to head over town for my latest tattoo. Iron Maiden have been a constant source of comfort to me since I was at school and I've pretty much wanted a tattoo of Eddie from the moment I saw his fucked up face on the album cover of Piece of Mind all those years ago but I have never been able to settle on a design until now. As you may know whenever I get tattoos I try to combine two or more ideas to form one epic creation so a while back I experimenting with AI bots to see what Eddie would look like in different costumes. At first I had an Elephant Man-style Eddie that looked good and later a Jack the Ripper-influenced Eddie that I liked even more but then I decided to see what Eddie would look like dressed as my favourite wrestlers. Bret Hart Eddie looked Decent as did Shawn Michaels Eddie but then I got the AI bot to create an image of Eddie dressed up as The Undertaker and it was love at first site. I decide then and there my next tattoo would be: The Eddietaker...that's right folks I've just set mself back £500 all for the sake of a pun that barely works. I got to the tattoo place at 10 and Sophie the artist who has now tattooed me four times came over with the design I sent her and I got the shock of my life because it was fucking enormous. I was worried that this drawing of Eddie's face, which was larger than my face, was the smallest size she could do and thus it would have to go somewhere other than my forearm which is where I wanted it. Thankfully this was just the first of a dozen pieces of paper with the desing done in different sizes and there was one which was small enough to fit on my forearm without stretching over the fold of the arm. Before we started I realised this is now the second character named Eddie that Sophie has tattoed on me after she gave me my awesome Richie and Eddie from Bottom earlier in the year. I tried to think if there were any other fictional characters named Eddie I could get tattooed on me before I realised there would be plenty to write about in today's blog and I didn't need to fill up the page with this absolutely pointless exercise. I always make the same mistake whenever I get a tattoo in that I assume that the initial pain you get when the artist is just doing the outline is going to be that same level throughout and think that I'm tough because this level of pain barely phases me. However once the shading comes into play it's a whole different story and I'm holding my breath and strunching up my face praying that there's not long left to go. After about an hour and a half of torture Sophie told me she was going to break for lunch as soon as she got a phonecall from her landlord and after another hour I was death staring her phone which she'd left on her desk almost trying to indimidate the fucking thing into ringing so I could have a reprieve from the pain. After three uninterupted hours we finally broke for lunch and I headed over to Wetherspoons to tuck into a veggie curry and appreciate how lovely it is not to have a needle scraping against your sin. On my way back to the studio some yob in a tracksuit and bottoms saw my longcoat and my sunglasses and shouted "Back To The Future" at me. I wanted to turn around and say "Yeah I've been to the future mate and you're in prison for rape" but in the end I just walked away content with the fact that one day he's going to end up in prison for rape. Another hour and tenty minutes of pain in the studio later and I was finally done and my God it was so worth it. Sophie took a few pictures of the finished work including one in the light proof booth so she could put it on the website as she was really proud of the work she'd done on this one and she really should be as it looks fucking amazing. Frankly it looks so good that I think I should be allowed to attend Iron Maiden gigs free of charge from this point on and just present this to the security instead of a ticket (although if word of this got around it would only be a matter of time before a ticket tout cut off my arm and sold it for four times what I paid for the tattoo). 

[johnhmcintosh]

FROM BROKEN HEART TO OPEN HEART

JOHN MCINTOSH

The universe and all that happens ‘in’ it … is an illusion manifested from thought and born of the belief in separation. It is a projection on the screen of Consciousness in which the ONE SELF, which is Empty-Nothing-ness with infinite potential, can experience, taste, savor and ‘Know’ IT SELF. In this way it is NOT a mistake but a playground of endless possibilities that swing from the darkest dark to the Lightest light. Because it continually comes and goes, it is NOT real and yet when The SELF is fully Aware of IT SELF, this ‘illusion’ is realized ‘as’ an extension ‘of’ IT SELF and in this Awareness … indeed, it ‘is’ Real. This is a Divine Dichotomy only the Free can comprehend.

When the ONE SELF immerses IT SELF into this Grand Dream IT temporarily ‘forgets’ Who IT Really Is and in this way fully experiences IT SELF … like experiencing a movie before reading the book. IT experiences every tiny subtly ‘as if’ it is real and in this ‘separated’ consciousness rides an endless roller coaster of happiness and sorrow with the ‘suffering’ that these wild swings bring about.

The separation consciousness produces a bundle of ever-changing conditioning [attachments, expectations and identifications tied to the past and future thereby manifesting the illusion of time and space]. This bundle represents the ‘false self’ body-mind-identity most call ‘me’. In this way the ONE SELF ‘appears’ as many, trapped in a prison of limitation.

This temporary and highly constricted existence however, with this bundle of unique conditioning produces opportunity after opportunity to recognize this illusion and in this way ‘every’ situation, every circumstance … every HEART ACHE, is orchestrated ‘perfectly’ to bring the ONE SELF You Really Are – back Home to the full Awareness of ITs True nature.

The heart aches/heart breaks tend to the bend the knee of the false self’s arrogance surrendering it to a state of OPEN-ness [open hearted-ness] where the ‘still small voice’ of Truth can penetrate its miniscule world and steadily free the slumbering god within [ONE SELF].

When this process begins, one’s world often seems in a way ‘worse’ as an avalanche of conditioning rises to the surface of experience to be swept away [ideally through Self Inquiry - the direct route Home]. If one is vigilant, this can be a very fast route. When one is near the Awareness of IT SELF, knows the universe is a dream and has surrendered fully to IT SELF … the remaining conditioning is what may be referred to as ‘whispers’ and that one must listen carefully for any ‘trigger’ that exposes the remaining ‘blocks to the awareness of Love’s Presence’, as ACIM calls them.

The current dream phase is SHIFTING very quickly from the remaining influence of the collapsing patriarchal era into a neutral phase of Peace and Light and MANY such opportunities to be ‘triggered’ exist due to the enormous contrast of dark and Light that is occurring across the planet. Humanity as a whole is exhausted and feelings teeter on the razor’s edge of insanity encompassing deep sorrow, rage, debilitation on every level and hopelessness.

It is a profound window of opportunity to dissolve ALL remaining conditioning IF one is able to face every ‘trigger’ that emerges from this most challenging period of unrest. Of course, if one is ‘pulled’ into the fray in some way to ‘act’ [such as the non-compliance opportunities that are now arising] … then that is the action ‘in the moment’ to take. But usually, for the vigilant one who is consciously focused on Freedom – Silence is the preferred ‘non-action-action’, and in that state, the ONE SELF’s influence of Peace and Love will touch far more than words or deeds can possibly do to bring about the impending balance that IS rapidly coming to fruition.

-image by Solveig Larsen

SELF DISCOVERY books by John McIntosh https://www.johnmcintosh.info/copy-of-books

[automatismoateo]

The huge difference of "preaching" atheism to theists and preaching religion to atheists. via /r/atheism

The huge difference of "preaching" atheism to theists and preaching religion to atheists.

I made a comment regarding this, so I thought I'd share my opinions on it with a thread:

(Since I can't post an image of my comment, I'll just copy and paste it, with minor changes.):

When you're pushing religion on people, you're promoting a lie. It's extremely cruel to make people believe in a gigantic lie their entire lives.

So I disagree with what ----- said. The notion that "preaching atheism" to religious people is as bad as preaching religion to atheists.

I can respect someone's belief. But that doesn't change the fact that religions are simply big lies with no proof whatsoever. People live their ENTIRE LIVES based on it. They are living a fucking lie for no reason other than to give their religion and churches more influence and power.

By respectfully explaining the countless faults within a religion, and why there isn't an old white man sitting in the clouds, you're telling them the "logical truth". There is nothing logical, nor rational, with religion.

If "god" was real, wouldn't they prove their existence to prevent atheism? Why did only "miracles" only happen in the past, when we didn't have cameras nor technology? Because it's all made-up bullshit. Why doesn't the bible say anything about other planets? Or the universe? Evolution? Why not tell us the ACTUAL age of Earth and the universe instead of "6000 years"?

Because humanity didn't know better at the time. How much more obvious can it get, that religions are man-made?

The Big Bang, universe, evolution and science? All of them are fully logical and has explanations. (Except the cause of the Big Bang, which is unknown.)

The puzzle pieces fits perfectly together. No magic or "god" needed.

So I'd say that, as long as a theist is willing to listen(it's still not right to force it upon them, obviously) and making them realize that religion is an enormous lie, is simply giving them a huge favor.

By doing this, you are freeing them from the chains of their religion.

They may realize that their entire lives has been a lie up until then, that everything they thought they knew about life and death is bullshit. But at least they wouldn't have to keep living that lie for the rest of their lives.

Submitted July 12, 2023 at 10:34AM by Mathofakko (From Reddit https://ift.tt/JAYOFvr)

[thecondemnedangelgabriel]

Now Tregonning O O O

Dreams Are Communications from the Spiritual World O O O

In Sleep Our Consciousnesses Shift

And Enter Spirit World, Where Angels bring us Visions O O O

About Our O

We May Dream Of The Dead O O O And The Dead BE WITH US O O

Or we may Dream of a Soul because an Angel is SPKing to Us O O O

Or We May Dream Telepathically with the Mind of a Soulmate O O

As Happened Between Sara and Roxanne, Repeatedly O O O O

When You Go To Sleep, Sarah... You Will Receive Significant O O O

Communications from the World Spiritual, it will be from Gabriel...

Because you are Such a Significant Mirror Sinner in relation to Sara

Who is an Angelically Tortured Moon God O O O Tortured by Fairy

More Than One Spiritual Influence Will Try To Reach YOU O O O

To Guide You O O O

Have a Light Touch with your Dream Communications O O O

Since We Are Under Spiritual Attack O O O O from Opposition Beings

But Take Them Seriously, Respectfully

You have been Used Enormously by Satan O O O for the Antichrist

To Maintain Attack Upon The Goddess and Deny the Apple Gods

O O O O

The Antichrist is Real and he is Incarnate as Mike Pence O O O

Hitler in his Last Incarnation O O O

When you receive Soul Visit from this Holy Living Goddess O O O

The Confuser Gabriel will have gone, he is Interfering for Luna O O

Gabriel has actually Wrapped The Living Goddess's Soul UP O O O

Inside his own Invading Mind O O O

It is Very Horrible and it is Condemned O O O O

Angels were not Dancing Sanely, we were on the brink of a Big Bomb

O O O

The Soul Visit O O O O

You Will Know It Very Tangibly And Utterly Distinctly O O O

You will be able to Talk To The God in the Waking Day O O

She Will Guide You Clearly Then O O She Is A Holy Goddess

She is not as you Imagine Her

Prejudices Misguided You

Badteach About Mind

O O O

O

[itsmonika]

208 Angel Number Twin Flame

Have you heard a portion of the numerous legends and tales about numbers? Do you trust in her Kin overall accept that holy messenger numbers can have an enormous effect in their lives?

The main thing is to see the sign that the heavenly messengers are sending; for instance, you really want to know how to perceive the numbers that your Heavenly messengers show; they are sending you a significant message that has a ton to do 208 Angel Number Twin Flame with your arrangements. Objectives and dreams. At the point when we say that holy messenger numbers are shipped off us by divine powers, heavenly messengers bring us messages from God. This reality will most likely interest you much more about numbers. You may now be thinking about what the correct way is to recognize natural from heavenly messenger numbers. What it is, heavenly measenger numbers are going to spring up all of a sudden before you consistently.

Heavenly messenger numerology suggests the conviction that each number in the holy messenger card has an exceptional power in view of an otherworldly relationship with the standards of nature that, through images, uncover the secret of shrewdness. The Greek mathematician trusted that the world infers the force of numbers, and they were certain that through numbers, they could uncover every one of the mysteries of the universe.

The arrangement of the universe relies upon the law of amicability and equilibrium. The premise of association is the number and its capacities and consequences for man and his relationship. Knowing the numbers and their quantum and quality connections implies grasping the laws of nature and figuring out nature.

Heavenly messenger numbers represent various things that influence different parts of our life; a few numerologists even affirm that through them, we can speak with the heavenly messengers and the powers around us and that they are components of the universe.

Heavenly messenger number 208 what's the significance here? Heavenly messenger number 208 not entirely set in stone, energetic, possessive, striking, unconstrained, clandestine, smart individual who appreciates investigating, conspiring, perseveringly egotistical, independent, and sometimes crafty person.

Number 208 doesn't conceal its clouded side; he embraces him. This number works out positively for surprising and upsetting circumstances. The ideal occupation for them might be maintaining their own business or becoming fruitful brokers, specialists, analysts, or researchers.

Number 208 demands that he is in every case right and frequently can be savage, in any event, clever, in correspondence. Now and again you can investigate others and their errors and assuming that somebody harms you, pursue retribution. This number is exceptionally inspired by the mysterious and enchanted and likes to visit spooky and terrifying spots.

Holy messenger number 208 is dealing with his wellbeing, he drives a standard way of life, he is a true individual who neglects to oversee frequently to show her feelings, yet he does it in a roundabout way or through craftsmanship (it's simply a side interest). He has an extraordinary creative mind and rushes to learn.

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Voting, Truth, Unity and the Future of the USA

Our Forefathers Started This Nation on Christian Values, Now We Must Keep Them

As Christians, we should care about the future of our nation.  We should care about who serves on the Supreme Court, and social issues like abortion and traditional marriage and also the social and cultural future of our nation. ­­­­We have the opportunity to vote for men and women who support our Christian values. Some people do not want to vote as they believe we are to separate church from state. However, separation between church and state does not mean we are to be isolated from politics, but rather that we influence politics with Christian and biblical principles. Separation between church and state was meant to keep the government from overruling the church; as the new republic our forefathers founded, wanted to be free of the government telling the church what they could do. It was about freedom of religion so the government would not interfere with the freedom of God’s people.

We must have a president who will support religious freedom at all levels of government. I am thankful that our current President has taken a strong stand for religious freedom for Christians in this nation, as well as his strong stand against abortion.  Remember we are voting for more than just one leader, we will also be voting for either the Democratic Party Platform or the Republican Party Platform when we choose our president.  Read the platforms of both parties and you will find that the Democratic Party supports abortion, while the Republican Party supports the sanctity of life. That one thing alone should influence our Christian vote. There are many other issues on the Democratic Platform that are opposed to the Christian belief, but this one issue alone should tell us what party to vote for. 

Democratic and Republican Platforms Side-by-Side Posted on Billy Graham’s Website:

Our current and future president will face enormous challenges and problems and he will need our support and prayers, not our criticism. We are admonished in the Word of God to pray for all leaders, as God wants us to have leaders that will make decisions that will allow us to live quiet and peaceable lives (not chaos) in an environment of godliness and honesty according to the scripture below:

1 Timothy 2:1-5:   1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

My Prayer for the Elections

We have diligently been praying about the upcoming elections, as so many other Christians are doing, as well. “Lord, I pray that we elect the right people who will hold the offices that will determine the future of the United States. Give Your people and others who don’t even know You, discernment and wisdom in the voting for the offices of president, senators and representatives that will ultimately rule over us. Lord, there is much division in the body of Christ and our nation, may we hear Your voice and rally around You and Your Word, as we make any decisions. Lord, I come against the spirits of division and confusion that keep the church and the nation divided.  Lord, I stand against all the lies, confusion and chaos that are bringing deception to Your people. Lord, reveal to us the truth as we vote for people and for the issues on the ballots across the land. Lord, we know you look at things differently than we do, as You look at the hearts of people and You know the future, so we can trust You to show us Your choices.  Give us Your wisdom to vote properly. Deliver us from all deception and show us the truth and let us be led by Your Spirit, not just in voting, but in every area of our lives because we are surrounded with so many threats at this hour like Covid-19.  Protect us from this evil and bring an end to it.  We know if we seek You and repent You will forgive our sins and give us Your mercy and grace to overcome in these perilous times. Give us revelation of Your will and the grace to obey You in all things. Let there be revival in the land. Lord, we know you are shaking all things and allowing sin and rebellion to be exposed. Expose the lies and the people who have been lying.  Lord, search our hearts and show us anything we have believed that is wrong and show us where we have been deceived so we can be set free. Let us hear from You about these elections.  Let Your anointing rest on the elections and may we vote, led of Your Spirit and be guided in all of our ways.  Let us all hear Your voice and walk in Your ways. May we all surrender to Your will in all things and then Lord, we will know the truth, as that is the key to hearing Your voice.  In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.”  

John 7:17  “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”

For Those Who Have Chosen Not to Vote at All

Many people do not even want to vote at all because they hate discord and disunity. That should not be our attitude, as not voting at all is still “a decision,” as we are allowing others to vote for us and passively accepting what they want. 

Also, we must be very careful, as believers, not to become cynical and critical of our leaders, as we are admonished to pray for them, not criticize them. We can speak up about things that are wrong, but not with the wrong attitude, as our critical attitude can be just as sinful as what they are doing in the eyes of God. Remember, we will be judged ourselves with the same judgment we speak about others.  This does not mean we cannot acknowledge anything that does not agree with the Word of God, as that is a discernment issue when we see things that do not line up with the Word of God.  However, when we start “bad mouthing” people (both politicians and preachers) we are not pleasing to God. We can disagree if something does not line up with the Word of God, but we should not berate one another.  God tells us in the Bible how we are to deal with things of this nature so it would be good to pray and let Him show us what we need to do to correct wrongs. I would recommend a good Bible study on the subject of what we should do as Christians when we disagree. This will also help in marriage disagreements.   Remember one of the things that God hates is “discord among the brethren.”

My Prayer for Those in Disagreement

This is the prayer I ask people to pray with me when they disagree with me.  We should all be willing to change if we are wrong by submitting to God and one another in prayer so that we can come into His unity. Unity can only exist when we rally around the truth. We cannot allow pride to keep us apart. We must sincerely want to know God’s will and be willing to change once God’s shows us.

“Dear Heavenly Father, you know that my brother (or sister) is in disagreement about this subject and we each believe that we are right, so I am humbly submitting my opinion and belief to You and asking You to show us which one is wrong.  Lord, if it is me, then I desire to change and receive the truth.  Lord, we cannot change strong held opinions and sometimes even what we believe to be true without You giving us revelation and Your truth on the matter.  Because of this, show us which one of us is right and who has the truth, as I believe my brother (or sister) is seeking the truth, as I am. Give us both Your love and patience with one another to await Your revelation on this matter as You have called us to unity and love and it is only in You that we can receive it. Lord, help us not to react to one another in anger because we do not agree, but let us trust in You that you will speak to each of us in this matter. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

1 Corinthians 1:10  “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

Speaking Blessing Not Curses Will Make a Difference in the Course of History

One of these is to use our words and our vote to change the course of our nation.  The other mighty thing we can do is to pray for all people, both the ones we agree with and the ones we do not agree with.  There are enough people in the world who are cursing our leaders with their evil words.  They need to repent and start praying for our elected leaders in both parties, as critical people will reap what they sow.  If people are speaking death to others, then death will come back to them. We are either speaking life or death.  Speaking death is not just speaking that people will die, but we can invoke the “death principal,” as well, which is speaking death to marriages, death to our finances, death to family relationships, death to our surroundings, etc.  We need to be very careful what we speak, as our words create good or evil. 

Proverbs 18:21  “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

Deuteronomy 30:19  “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before your life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”

Voting is our Civic Duty

Please encourage others you know to sign up and vote, as well.  Share with friends and encourage them to vote.  I know some people just do not want to vote at all, as they are upset with both presidential nominees.  However, I remind people we are not just voting for a man, but for the platform issues of the party, for our Supreme Court judges, and for the society and culture that will rule based on the party platform that prevails.   If we vote for no other reason than to stop the evil abortions that are killing babies every day, the Lord will have His stamp of approval for that alone on our lives, even though there are many other anti-biblical issues that are supported by deceived people, as well.  Read for yourself what the issues are that are supported by the Republicans and compare them with the Democrat platform issues and I believe any Christian can see clearly how to vote if he honestly wants to know the truth and is willing to humbly ask God to show them how to vote. We must vote for the people and the things that most closely line up with the Word of God remembering that no human is perfect.  Go to Billy Graham’s website to view these platforms and then ask God which of these pleases Him and then side with God with your vote. 

Democratic and Republican Platforms Side-by-Side Posted on Billy Graham’s Website:

If you sincerely still do not know how to vote, I encourage you to pray in the spirit, as when we pray in tongues we are praying according to the will of God as outlined in scripture. When I watched the debates, I did not know how I was to pray so I prayed in tongues the entire hour and half, as I knew those prayers were led by the Holy Spirit’s guidance and I would be praying for the will of God to be done in the midst of what was going on.  May we all humble ourselves and seek only the will of God in all we do at this hour, as God is the only One Who will be able to save us from the evil we see in the world. No man nor party can do that, but since God knows the future, we can rely on Him to show us how to vote and what to do in every circumstance. How can we vote and approve things that God hates? As long as the Democratic Party supports abortion and does not support the sanctity of life, we should not support those people.  If you read the party platform issues you will find the Democratic Party also supports many other anti-biblical ideas, as well.  Remember we are voting for more than one man; we are also voting for the platform issues of the party. I am praying for God to rule our nation through the servant hearted people He raises up so that we can all live in peace and harmony. I am praying for God to change men’s hearts and especially all of our leader’s hearts so that we will be that Christian nation that is a light on a hill for all the world to see.  Closing with this scripture once again:

1 Timothy 2:1-5 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 

Reminder to Register to Vote

This is just a reminder to make sure everyone is registered to vote this year. This is an extremely critical year for Christians to vote. The deadline in Florida, I believe is August 21, 2024 (Search online for your state’s deadline.) So, if you are not registered to vote, please for the sake of the nation, your home and your state, you must register and vote this year. It is not only critical that we vote correctly, because it will help prevent more judgments from coming on our nation (like the Pandemic). Or, if we fail to take a stand for our nation’s future, it will speed them up, depending on what each of us do. Voting is just one of the civic responsibilities we should step up and do. We must repent for being apathetic, if we have failed to vote in the past, we must understand that it is our civic duty.  We each hold the key to our future when we determine to follow the Lord or go our own way.  We must do both – pray and vote.

From: Steven P. Miller, @ParkermillerQ, gatekeeperwatchman.org Founder and Administrator of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Group Tuesday, July 30, 2024, Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA.  X … @ParkermillerQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sparkermiller.JAX.FL.USA, Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956 #GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO.