#Scriptural views on Pride

[trberman]

Standing Firm in Faith: A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Pride Month, Spiritual Rebellion, and the Call to Humility and Repentance

Disclaimer: The thoughts, ideas, and teachings are of the contributing writer’s own perspective and does not constitute any official doctrinal position or teaching that is representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. however, these ideas and teachings are based on official sources and scriptural authority. OverviewIntroduction: Pride Month Through a Scriptural LenseSection…

[thedaugtherofchrist]

If I were Satan and wanted to make you hate God, I would use deception, manipulation, and emotional tactics to turn you away from Him. Here’s how:

1. Plant Doubt About God’s Goodness

- I’d whisper, "If God is loving, why does He allow suffering?"

- I’d make you focus only on hardships and tragedies, making you think God is cruel or distant.

2. Corrupt Your View of Christianity

- I’d highlight the worst examples of religious people—hypocrites, corrupt leaders, and extremists—to make you think all Christians are like that.

- I’d convince you that following God means losing your freedom, fun, or individuality.

3. Fill Your Life with Distractions

- I’d keep you so busy, entertained, or obsessed with material things that you’d stop thinking about God altogether.

- I’d make sin seem enjoyable and harmless, so you’d see God’s commands as restrictive rather than protective.

4. Use Pain and Betrayal

- I’d make sure people who claim to be Christians hurt you so you’d associate God with their actions.

- I’d twist your suffering into proof that “God doesn’t care about you.”

5. Encourage Pride and Self-Sufficiency

- I’d make you think, "I don’t need God. I can figure life out on my own."

- I’d promote the idea that believing in God is outdated, foolish, or weak.

6. Distort Scripture

- I’d take Bible verses out of context, making you believe God is unfair, harsh, or contradictory.

- I’d twist theology so you see God as a tyrant rather than a loving Father.

7. Make You Angry at God

- I’d push the idea that God didn’t answer your prayers because He doesn’t care.

- I’d convince you that God is unjust, letting evil people prosper while good people suffer.

The best way to resist these tactics is to seek truth, study Scripture for yourself, and develop a personal relationship with God rather than basing your faith on emotions or negative experiences.

[strangererotica]

♰⛪︎♰

A New Eden

chapter one

EXPLICIT CONTENT | MINORS DNI

Father Paul Hill x Reader • Reader has moved back to Crockett Island after college and is living with her parents while she plans for the future. This story includes graphic sex, blood consumption, breeding, and just about everything else. Feast to your sacrilegious little heart’s desire, fellow heathens.

Sometimes, you’d swear he wanted to eat you. At least that’s how it felt when Crockett Island’s new priest, Father Paul Hill, would stare you down from behind the pulpit. You wondered what motivated his watching you so intently? What prompted him to single you out among the congregation, and why did he pay you extra attention during the week of your period? It was an odd pattern to notice, but once you did see it, you couldn’t un-see it. Father Paul seemed particularly preoccupied with you during the days you bled. This week is no exception. You’re seated beside your parents, like you are every Sunday evening. As Father Paul delivers his sermon, he finds himself struggling to focus on the message God is conveying through him. Because something else inside him, a darker spirit, is speaking a different message altogether. It’s a voice that craves, that won’t let him rest till its needs are satisfied. It’s the voice repeatedly directing Father Paul’s eyes between your legs, to the small gap where your thighs are parted just enough for him to see a crimson stain blooming on your panties.

He knew you were menstruating as soon as you entered the sanctuary. The sweet metallic scent emanating from you was stronger, more potent, than any of the other congregants attending mass that day. You weren’t even aware your period was starting; but your priest knew instantly. As the first velvet drop seeped from between your lips and into the cotton fabric of your panties, Father Paul knew. While he fought his urges as best he could, his gaze inevitably returned to look upon that tiny patch of blood, the Sacrament he craved. And even more powerful still, the man inside Father Paul could not resist a view between a beautiful woman’s thighs, a view he’d intentionally denied himself in pursuit of righteousness.

The words Father Paul preaches feel hollow on his tongue. He thinks he may as well be reading from a script rather than speaking from his heart. His heart is currently far from a state of grace. He can’t name a temptation in all his years that has proven more difficult to tame than the urge to leave the pulpit right now and kneel before you, burying his nose in the wet bed of your panties…to slide his tongue between your labia, licking your walls clean, hearing you whimper his name like a prayer. He craves the bitter sanguine flavor inside you; it’s the only sacrament Father Paul is concerned with at the moment. He no longer has a conscience to burden him, nor pride to lose: it’s all gone, evaporated like ashes scattered by the wind. As words of scripture leave his lips, all Father Paul can imagine is feeding at your source, rutting his face between your legs like a starving dog…lapping blood and cum from your walls till you’re begging him to stop, tugging him by his hair, clutching his face to your sex for more...

He manages to complete the sermon, his cock half-hard the entire time. When he finishes speaking, he hurriedly makes his way through the back of the church and stumbles out the door toward the rectory. Once inside, Father Paul immediately locks the front door behind him and yanks the curtains closed so no one can witness the pathetic lack of self control he’s about to display.

He immediately removes his chasuble and loosens the white collar around his neck with one hand, undoing his belt with the other. He lands back on the sofa and checks again that the curtains are fully drawn. Father Paul reaches inside his pants and wraps a hand around his cock. He removes a flask from his pocket (one which contains the Sacrament) and puts it to his lips. As soon as the syrupy elixir sinks over Father Paul’s tastebuds, his eyes drift closed. He gulps the blood from the flask in one hand, pumping his cock in the other…all while imagining the blood he’s consuming is yours. In Father Paul’s mind, you’re sprawled out on his bed, legs spread apart. Blood oozes like honey from between your lips, collecting in your pubic hair as it drips beneath you. Father Paul watches you play with yourself for his pleasure and his alone; in his fantasy, no other man may drink of you but him. He watches your pretty fingers dip between your lips and gently thrust in and out, a darker shade of red each time you remove them. He imagines himself giving in to his urges, climbing between your thighs like a feral animal consuming its prey.

In the privacy of the rectory, Father Paul tugs the neck of the bottle between his lips while in his mind, he’s lapping from the warm pool of blood between your thighs. He gurgles and chokes as he drinks too quickly, gulping the Sacrament as he mentally worships your cunt with his tongue. You weep his name interspersed with “Father,” and for a moment, he can pretend they’re the same thing, man of god and man of flesh, existing as one.

His climax jets out in bursts, semen spilling onto the dark hair trailing his stomach. Father Paul immediately slides to his knees beside the couch, seeking God’s forgiveness in prayer. A knock at the door startles him, followed by Bev Keane’s voice inquiring if he’s alright. He makes an excuse about his stomach, and it seems to satisfy Bev, who informs him that if he’s feeling up to it, the parishioners are waiting for his return.

He uses some tissues from the table to wipe his stomach clean, then hurriedly re-dresses in his priestly attire. As he makes his way back to the church, Father Paul notices the lights above him taking shape in the most beautiful ways. Halos, orbs of multi-colored light glow and flicker above him, fluttering like a heartbeat. All of his senses are buzzing, yet also at peace somehow. He approaches St. Peter’s and sees you leaving down the path with your parents. Admittedly, Father Paul is grateful for not having to face you right now. Not after what he just did in your name. He feels a stab of guilt but reminds himself that no one was actually hurt. There’s no way you could have imagined the depraved fantasies you inspire in your priest, nor the unholy means he’d taken to relieve himself because of you...

After saying goodbye to the remaining congregants and successfully sending Bev Keane on her way, Father Paul is relieved the church is empty. He walks casually between the pews, in no particular hurry to return to the rectory, the scene of his earlier indulgence. As he nears the front of the sanctuary, he senses it. Your scent lingers in the room like an unfinished prayer. The ache in Father Paul’s groin returns, his cock twitching against his pants. Because while his craving for blood is sated, his craving for you is not. The image of you sitting in the pew an hour or so ago, your pretty thighs parted, eyes gazing reverently up at your priest, plays out again in Father Paul’s mind. He feels like a pervert, like he’s in danger of losing control; but he can’t stop. He can’t stop himself from kneeling at the place you were sat, or from bowing his head as if to pray, though prayer is the last thing on his mind right now. The old wooden pew creaks under Father Paul’s weight as he leans over it, drawing a deep breath in, savoring you. The bulge tenting his pants is hard and leaking. He can’t be this weak, he tells himself. This ruled by the sins of his flesh and yet, despite his devotion to the faith, Father Paul guides his hand under his robe, seeking relief.

He closes a hand over his erection, groaning at the temporary relief it provides. He hates himself for his depravity, for acting like an animal, indulging every carnal instinct and desire. Father Paul presses his nose to the wooden pew, then dips his tongue out to taste you….

…FUCK, he has missed the taste of a woman’s body. With his hand around his cock, Father Paul visualizes the image of you, how pretty the little wet spot in your panties had looked earlier this evening. The only sounds in the church are the wet lap of Father Paul’s tongue and the soft rustle of fabric as he strokes himself. He ejaculates mostly inside his clothes, but some of his seed spills onto the floor. The weight of what’s been done sinks over the priest, consuming him. Panic overrides the high of his climax and his eyes dart around the sanctuary. What a disgrace to God and man his flock would find him, if they knew he’d polluted God’s house with the stain of his sin…

Father Paul uses the sleeve of his robe to quickly wipe up his cum from the floor. Thankfully, it seems that no one bore witness to his second shameful act of the day. A fleeting sense of relief passes through him but is quickly replaced with guilt. He rises and adjusts his clothing, patting out the wrinkles in his chasuble as if smoothing away the sins he just committed while wearing it. Father Paul leaves for the rectory, reciting prayers of repentance every step of the way.

.⊹ † ⊹ .✞. ⊹ † . ⊹. .⊹ † ⊹ .✞. ⊹ † . ⊹.

The taste of you on the church pew lingers on Father Paul’s tongue tonight as he prays. Every word uttered to God tastes like you, an ever-present reminder of his sin. Indulging in masturbation is dangerous for Father Paul, a stumbling block he considers particularly powerful. He’s had periods of intense sexual craving and indulged himself a few times over the years. But he does his best to keep those moments of indulgence few and far between because once he starts relieving himself with self-pleasure, he finds it almost impossible to stop. And a priest must be in control of his urges, able to quell his desires by the grace of God in prayer. He must not forget his calling. Because if Father Paul lost control even for a moment, it could jeopardize his respect in the community, and even end his priesthood.

He’s restless. He needs to move, to shake the familiar, dangerous temptation tugging in his groin. And, he needs to feed.

Father Paul drained the last of the Sacrament along with himself earlier that evening, coming for you. He’s craving again, both the angel’s Sacrament and yours. He envisions the way you must look laying in bed right now, asleep. Father Paul no longer needs sleep, not after the angel perfected him with the Sacrament. And in those long, endless nights, he is left alone with his temptations…with his needs. Tonight, Father Paul senses there won’t be any use in trying to deny those needs. Surely, the Lord must understand? His servant must feed, to satisfy the body’s needs, in order to serve. A priest can only give so much of himself without eventually taking something in return. At this point, with all he’s done for the community, Father Paul feels he’s owed a piece of them…but the only piece of anyone he wants is you…

…And so he walks, first along the coastline and then through the streets. Guided by faith or something more sinister, Father Paul’s steps eventually lead him to the street your parents live on. When he examines your bedroom window and finds it open, the priest is sure it’s a sign that God is working in his favor. Because if entering your bedroom in the middle of the night to feed wasn’t part of God’s plan, why would He have made it so easy for your priest to climb inside…?

.⊹ † ⊹ .✞. ⊹ † . ⊹. .⊹ † ⊹ .✞. ⊹ † . ⊹.

…Something stirs you awake, a sound coming from the direction of the window. Your eyes search the darkness, aided only by moonlight. Another sound forces your attention to the foot of your bed, which is blanketed in darkness. You stare into the void before you, trying to make out the source of the faint rustling sound you heard. Perhaps a bird or other small creature entered through the cracked window?

That’s when you notice that the window itself is no longer cracked; it’s wide open, as if someone from outside had slid their hand through the opening and-

-Another sound scratches out from the darkness and this time, you’re able to identify it as a footstep.

Someone is in your room with you right now. You want to scream, to tell your parents, but the door is behind the space where the intruder is standing. If they intend you harm (and what other motivation would someone have in a circumstance like this?) there’s no way you’ll reach the door before they reach you.

“Who’s there?” you ask through a trembling voice, straining to see. The silhouette of a man’s form appears at the end of your bed and while that alone would be frightening enough, it’s his eyes that have you frozen in place. Two glowing orbs stare across the bed at you from the darkness, more like a cat’s eyes than a human being’s. Yet the voice that speaks to you from the darkness is definitely human, and immediately familiar. Your priest is standing at the foot of your bed, watching you.

“Father Paul?” you begin, sitting up quickly. “What are you-?”

“-Shh, shh,” he coos, kneeling to rest on the bed beside you. “Don’t be afraid…” His voice is more seductive than usual, laced with something dark you’ve never sensed in him before. You’re sure you must be dreaming, so on instinct, you reach out to touch his thigh-and realize immediately, that this is no dream. Father Paul’s hand closes around your arm, drawing your wrist to his face. He inhales the scent of your pulse throbbing beneath your skin, the fulfillment of his need so close he can taste it. But it’s not enough. It wouldn’t be enough for him to drink at your wrist, knowing a far more tempting source is waiting between your thighs…

“Father,” you pant into the darkness, breathless with fear. “You’re scaring me.”

“No, no,” he murmurs consolingly, extending his hand to stroke your cheek. “You’ve nothing to fear from me, (Y/N). I promise.”

His words do little to calm the anxiety flooding through you, nor does his gentle touch ease the other feelings stirring your heart. Father Paul has been a source of your own temptation, ever since you first saw him. All those Sundays he’s spent gazing at you, his dark eyes penetrating yours like some kind of prey to be conquered, you’ve quietly yearned for him. In the privacy of your mind, you’ve entertained fantasies similar to the real situation you find yourself in now…your priest, with you in your bed, touching you with hands you already knew would be gentle, the touch of a man who in spite of his abstinence, you were sure could make love to you better than any other man had. It radiated from him, a raw sexuality, something primal made even more potent by his repression of it. A tension brewed inside Father Paul that you could feel every time your eyes met over the pulpit, when you followed his gaze to where it lingered between your thighs. It’s why you’d made a point of wearing shorter skirts every Sunday…a game of temptation, a terrible sin, playing with the dedication of a priest to his faith…

“Do. Not. Be. Afraid,” he whispers in the darkness, cradling your face in his palm, moving closer. Your heartbeat thunders against your chest and Father Paul places his hand over it, savoring the rapid beat of your pulse. The scent of you is intoxicating; he won’t be able to resist much longer. “I have-,” Father Paul struggles to find the words he desires to explain. “I have a need, (Y/N),” he tells you. “A longing…for something that can’t be explained by man’s understanding, but by God’s…” He pauses. “All things are made right by Him, (Y/N). We must lean not on our own understanding, but bend graciously to the will of our Heavenly Father who loves us…”

Your eyes are brimming with tears, because despite how terrifying this situation should be, you now find yourself in a state of peace…a peace so beautiful, so complete, it restores your faith. You watch with an open heart as your priest makes himself comfortable between your thighs, drawing back the quilt over your waist. He tugs away the crotch of your panties, gently spreading your wet lips apart with his fingers. Blood glistens on Father Paul’s fingertips in the moonlight and he watches it in awe a moment, before plunging his fingers between his lips. A desperate moan rises from his throat as he sucks your blood from his fingers, the hunger inside screaming for more, a primal demand that he is powerless to fight.

A filter of red washes over Father Paul’s vision, painting the room crimson. Lurched into the role of predator, he forces your spread legs against the bed and buries his face between them. Your back arches as his tongue extends inside you, a guttural sound churning up from your throat. Your cunt tastes like heaven in Father Paul’s mouth. He finds the cotton string of your tampon and tugs it out from inside you by his teeth. He lifts his face from your cunt, the soiled tampon dangling between his teeth like a cat and mouse. With a flick of his head Father Paul tosses the tampon aside and it lands on the floor beside your bed. He looks between your legs and that’s when he sees it…the vision from his earlier fantasy…blood seeping from you in a dark stream, pooling on the sheets beneath you. Dipping his face lower, he laps up the blood under you, sucking and slurping his way back to up to your clit. His hips grind forward, humping your mattress where his cock throbs against it. Father Paul is no longer gentle, completely overtaken by the raw, deviant need to consume. He takes what he wants selfishly, no longer aware of your pleasure or needs. He’s past it now, the forces at work in him unrelenting. The priest gives himself up to vile temptation, sinking his teeth into your delicate skin, making you cry in both pleasure and pain. He ruts harder into you, his stubble scratching your labia in his exertion. A mix of your cum and blood is smeared across Father Paul’s face, your thighs bathed red as if with communion wine. He feels a fire burning within him, the tension in his groin reaching a breaking point. He comes rutting into your mattress, filling the crotch of his jeans with semen.

And he’s weeping, softly sobbing into your cunt as the overwhelming bliss of God’s love washes over him, the realization that he is a part of fulfilling God’s divine plan. Consuming the Sacrament between your thighs, Father Paul has never felt closer to God, or further from the shame he expected to feel right now. Rather than guilt, the priest feels sanctified, renewed. A man lying in a puddle of his own semen should be the opposite of righteousness and yet, he feels completely at peace in his spirit. He continues to eat you, licking you clean and making you come harder than you ever thought possible. With the hunger of his spirit sated, the hunger of his flesh can feed freely. The man beneath the priest wants to feel you coming on his tongue like that again and again, to feel the tremble of your climax around his cock. And that’s when God’s wisdom speaks through him yet again, imparting a message that will reshape the world.

Father Paul climbs up your body, his wet face glistening in the moonlight. You smell your cunt and the tang of blood on his breath as he hovers over you, his arms encasing you. “This night, I tell you,” Father Paul begins, reciting a new word from the Lord. “You are my Mary, my vessel. And into this vessel I will empty my spirit.” He pulls your bottom lip downward, pressing his thumb against your tongue. Your hips are held in place by Father Paul’s weight as he presses his cock inside you. He buries his face in your shoulder, his tears wetting your skin, overwhelmed by the warm grip of a woman’s cunt spreading around him for the first time in years. It’s been so long, with only his hand as an occasional (poor) substitute. He’s forgotten just how heavenly it feels to be swallowed up in a woman’s pussy, to feel her supple curves flutter and suck around him as he strokes her.

Father Paul’s body and yours are one, joined together, blameless before God as Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed in the garden. He cups your face in his hands, uttering Scripture as his thrusts grow more intense: “Eat of my body-.”

“-Drink of my blood,” you pray up to him, pupils blown with lust and wonder that this man of god has chosen you. Father Paul’s body tenses over yours, his string of prayers becoming a whimper. “Flesh of my flesh,” he recites through a strained voice, his eyebrows knit.

“Blood of my blood,” you reply, finishing the scripture. Father Paul ejaculates inside you with a groan of relief, pumping your cunt full of cum. Each thrust spreads his seed inside your walls as if claiming you as property. God has already told Father Paul that you’re his. You belong to him, his own ‘Virgin,’ Mary to bring forth a New Jerusalem on Crockett Island. The members of St. Patrick’s are going to see amazing things…miracles, even, as God works through you and Father Paul to heal Crockett Island.

“You will attend mass daily, during menstruation,” he tells you. “When the other parishioners have gone, I’ll bring you to the rectory and…”

“Feed?” you offer, and he smiles at your understanding.

“Yes,” Father Paul replies, and he leans down to kiss your forehead. “God has blessed you, (Y/N). Blessed art thou among women, as was the mother of Christ. You have been entrusted a holy duty, feeding me so that I may continue to feed the members of our church. Being called to fulfill God’s purpose is…well, it’s frightening, isn’t it?”

Father Paul squeezes your hand. “‘For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’” The room is still and quiet as you lay together in the darkness. The weight of Father Paul’s body over yours is comforting, like the warm embrace of God. He looks past your bedside to the window, watching the darkness begin to lift across the water. “It’s almost sunrise,” he says, then realizes you’ve fallen asleep in his arms. He smiles as he watches you. How angelic you are right now, sleeping peacefully in the light of God’s grace. “It’s almost sunrise,” Father Paul repeats in a whisper, lightly pressing his lips to your forehead.

He rises from your bed as gently as he can, careful not to wake you, walking towards the window. He leaves your bedroom through it and begins his journey back to the church. Stars pulse above Father Paul when his eyes drift upward, the hum of providence all around him. Insects buzz from the trees along his path, the flicker of their wings a comforting drone that accompanies Father Paul home.

A verse accompanies him as well, a passage from Isaiah. He repeats it with a smile his whole journey back to St. Peter’s in the gradually fading darkness: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth…do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

“A way for this island,” he breathes, sinking to his knees in reverence before the altar. After a moment of prayer and contemplation, Father Paul leaves God’s house for the rectory. The sun rises on Crockett Island as he continues to pray…praying for guidance, wisdom, and especially, for more of you.

.⊹ † ⊹ .✞. ⊹ † . ⊹. .⊹ † ⊹ .✞. ⊹ † . ⊹.

read chapter two

[meanbossart]

Idk if you’ve answered a question like this previously, but I’ve always been fascinated by the dynamics between characters that are like, romantically involved and near-physically infallible, and have their identities tied into that. So this is to say— how is DU!drow and Astarions dynamic affected when one is hurt badly, like needing time to recover? Or just out-of-commission in some way? Are they patient with each other, or is this a sort of disaster scenario where they just have to wait for things to blow over in order to become normal again, since du!drow is so tied into his physical capabilities, and Astarion his appearance?

Idk if this question makes sense but basically: are they nice to each other if one isn’t at their best/not feeling great? Are they introspective enough to manage their (relative) mortality constructively or would this be very bad for them?

Hm, there's a lot of minutiae about this that I don't think I can satisfyingly cover. In summary - they realistically both know each other to not be infallible, and while depending on the circumstances some mild guilt-tripping could occur, they wouldn't put each other's lives at risk if a situation became life-threatening.

(Some post-scriptural editing here: keep in mind the context of these guy's lives. They are seedy adventurers and no strangers to risk, danger and combat - you can safely assume that none of what I'm about to say applies to the types of injuries they must sustain on a weekly basis due to their lifestyle. They are used to seeing each other get mildly hurt and not making a fuss about it.)

DU drow essentially already views Astarion as disabled and/or sick because of his vampirism. While he knows that he can handle himself in battle, the moment that something takes Astarion down his world stops and his only preoccupation proceeds to be ensuring his safety and health - he's much more likely to be a overbearing caretaker than a negligent one. Ironically, the fact that Astarion's vampirism gives him regenerative powers is a huge blessing here, otherwise this would probably be a much bigger issue between them than it currently is.

And yet, the negative consequences of his vampirism are what begin to jump out to him post-game. The blood-hunger, the aversion to running bodies of water, the constant concern and restrictions imposed by the day-cycle, etc. In his mind, these are things that make Astarion require a caretaker: himself.

Astarion functions the other way around. It would take a truly dramatic event or grand gesture out of DU drow for him to assume an injury or occurrence has disabled him in a significant way, physically or psychologically - which makes sense, because DU drow would have to be deeply shaken by something to actually allow others to see it. He has observed how DU drow's gall has gotten them through sticky situations again and again, and is definitely at fault for always assuming that he will ultimately be fine no matter what, and not taking some signs as seriously as he should. That said, if bad came to worse, Astarion would definitely be able to quickly change his tune and adapt into a caretaking role, he'd just have to be shocked into it first.

However, Astarion is also a lot more adept at dealing with DU drow's weird hangups. He's a lot more likely to express his concern with the "required" level of aloofness so DU drow's pride isn't hurt in the process.

Interestingly enough, when you stop to think about it these are narratives that they very much built for themselves, and will likely have to undo throughout the decades to come. Astarion carefully manicures a version of his victimization to earn your sympathy, manipulate you, and ultimately use your help to escape his enslavement - while he is much more than that, that is the base of what he was selling from the start and an impression that DU drow can't easily forget. Meanwhile, DU drow obviously wants to be seen as borderline indestructible and willfully dismisses - if not outright discourages or reprehends - any show of concern that might call that status into question. In other words: fools played themselves.

[hope-in-cloudy-skies]

Hey, everyone!! I know I haven’t been posting very much lately, but I wanted to come on here today and be honest with y’all. I know that as a Christian a lot of people expect me to be perfect and “don’t sin or you’ll go to hell,” which is actually the version of “God” that I was raised on. I’ve come really far in my journey and I know that positive words are what a lot of you followed me for, but I really wanted to be honest with you guys today.

I am a sinner.

I struggle with gluttony, pride, complaining way too much, and a TON of other things, but today in particular I wanted to talk about my struggle with self-harm.

I fell back into temptation today and c*t myself for the first time in a year. And yeah, that’s deep, that’s dark, I get it. “How could you do that? You have God, are you not thankful for Him? What’s the point of changing your eating habits if you’re just going to harm His temple in a different way?” And I guess my answer is I don’t know, I am, and most importantly God says that all sins will be dealt with equally on the day of judgement. So my self harm is the same as sexual sin, the same as abortion, the same as being gay, the same as hate, the same as murder… and all of those other things that a lot of Christians hate their God given people for. Every time we sin we are SINNING. God is going to judge us all the same, and I really do hope that this message will guide you to repent just a little bit more today!!

But that’s not the point I came on here to make today (even though it is a God-given important one!!). Today I wanted to let you guys know that yeah, we all struggle. So many people in my life are under the assumption that I’m perfectly happy all the time except for minor inconveniences and yes, my home life. People see me as this confident, outgoing, HAPPY person, and that’s not who I feel like I am. Guys, I STRUGGLE. And I know that SO many of you can relate to this, and that’s why it’s so important that I talk about this today. Because I wrote to God today and I said “God, why do I do the things I don’t want to do?” And it brought me right back to Paul’s letter, and I know that even SAINT PAUL struggled with sin!! It’s crazy to think that these people who we look up to, these people who have done such AMAZING things, struggle with the same temptations and emotions and thoughts that we do. And even so, GOD FORGIVES THEM.

God forgives us. God forgives YOU. I watched The Gospel of John today, and… wow. Just. Wow. Have you really thought about how crazy people must have thought Jesus was? Form the people’s point of view: Out of nowhere this literal son of a carpenter starts going in the synagogues, the Holy places, and proclaiming to be God’s Son. Now see to us this is normal. But to someone who believed that Abraham was the father of all and that proclaiming to be God’s child was blasphemy… this is just a guy with the case of the crazies. And Jesus was HUMAN, too. Jesus was tempted too. The devil probably tried to make Him anxious. “Look at the crowd, they’re gonna think you’re crazy! No one is going to believe you- all these people, all of your children are going to die and you’re going to helpless to watch!” (No, the devil probably didn’t say these things exactly, but Jesus WAS tempted, and we know this from the scriptures!) And I’m not saying this to make you say “but JESUS never fell into temptation! I DO! I’M SUCH A FAILURE!” Because I know that’s what I tell myself a lot of the time. But instead, I’m saying this to let you all know that GOD HIMSELF KNOWS WHAT TEMPTATION FEELS LIME.

GOD ALMIGHTY KNOWS YOUR STRUGGLE!!! And you are NOT God. You ARE going to fall into temptation, and it’s your job to ask God to help you out of it!! And faith is so important here, but this is also where works comes into the matter!! We are saved by the faith that God will help us out of the pit of sin and death, but if we sit there and keep sinning why should hHe? We’re just going to purposely fall back in. We have to help God help us. We have to make the effort to stop sinning, because without the effort God cannot help us. Do you know why people go to hell? Because God loves them enough to respect their decision not to want Him. Do you know why people are stuck in sin? Because God respects their decision not to make the effort to be free of it.

Peter couldn’t have seen through the faith to walk on water without making the effort to walk in the first place. GOD IS NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING IF YOU ARE STANDING STILL!!! You need to show God that you really want something, because God sees your heart!

And me, I’m going to make the effort. I fell into temptation today, and the temptation is still here. I am being tempted RIGHT NOW. But am I going to fall into sin? No. I’m going to fall to my knees instead. I’m going to cry out to God to help my disbelief, to help me rely on His strength instead of my own, and I am going to turn to my Bible instead of a razor blade.

For this next week I am posting an update every day, to prove to you all that you CAN break those chains of sin with God’s help!! I invite you to do a daily Bible study with me, to eat all-natural, to work out (or run or walk or WHATEVER!!), and to pray for all the things I am thankful for daily with me!

We’re in this together, my brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all one body, united to be a whole Church!! You are forgiven, you are loved, and you are saved so long as you still truly want to be!! God loves you SO much, and so do I!!

~Hopey, OUT!!! ✌️🕊️☦️🥰💪

[herald-divine-hell]

I shit on how Andrastianism makes little theological sense as a faith to actively draw individuals or communities in to actually worship. But ironically, I think BioWare could had made an interesting point to show that to Andraste, a transcendent, noninterfering deity was inherently more divine and worthy of worship, since they interactive with fallible but actively present and "visible" spirits through the Fade, and actively worshipped them as divine, despite them being extraordinarily limited in their properties.

In essence, Andraste's argument over the Maker is a being worthy of worship since He (I prefer the usage of They/Them for God, but I'll respect the DA God's pronouns, I guess) goes beyond the limitation of spiritual essence, i.e. He is inherently all-encompassing and present, and His actions visible in the created act, but not participating post that act, absolves Him of the failures that arouse with the Blight and the Old Gods. So, in other words, the more the so-called gods of the Alamarri, Tevinter, or even elven gods interacted, the more they are reduced from the infallible to the mundane and the associable - at least, how Andraste may use this argument, not saying that it is legitimate or not.

I think some of the biggest problems with Andrastianism as a legitimate faith is because BioWare was inspired by both the "personality" of the Old Testament and New Testament God. The problem here is that the transformation from the "Old Testament God" to the "New Testament" God was an active interaction, reinterpretation, and renegotiation of the scriptural texts in light of advancing material, political, and social conditions. It took centuries to get the more masculine gods El and Yahweh (two distinct deities within the polytheistic Israelite society) to the singular God that is most associated with the God of the Bible (and a slowly development of transcendent gender, though there was some elements of divine femineity associated with aspects of God during that codification period), and even further the God of forgiveness and love that we began being associated the New Testament (and even then, the characteristics and essence of God was still hotly debated by Their practitioners centuries after these initial developments, such as the questions revolving around Jesus' nature throughout the 5th-6th centuries CE.

We don't get that important historical development and context within the Chants, which makes the Maker appear more petulant and negligent. Perhaps Dorothea may have begun preaching this view, taking on inspiration from prior Grand Clerics and Revered Mothers, which instilled itself in Leliana that further becomes part of her reforming reign as Divine. But we never get that. Instead, the Maker is probably the worse god in Thedas, because unlike the others that we are more aware of, such as Elgar'nan and Mythal (despite their extreme heinous actions), the Maker does nothing because of pride. Why inspire to worship a God who does not care, not even an ounce?

[dioslesbianwife]

I’m fighting a nasty cold right now and my throat hurts real bad so could you write about the jofoes being sick/taking care of someone being sick? 😭

—🐠

Omg im so sorry you’re feeling sick 🐠 , literally multiple of my professors, my dad, and two friends just got sick too 😭. Get well soon! <33 here are the HCs!

Sick day headcannons for jojo villains :0

Dio 

Being sick: Dio’s pride makes him utterly intolerable when ill. He refuses to admit weakness and insists he's fine, even if he can barely sit up. His temper flares if anyone suggests he rest, though deep down, he secretly appreciates your concern.

Taking care of you: Surprisingly attentive. Lowkey enjoys the power dynamic of being the one in control while you’re vulnerable. He’s meticulous in caring for you, feeding you rich, revitalizing meals and tucking you in with silk blankets. "You're fortunate I care enough to look after you."

Esidisi

Being sick: Esidisi has little patience for being sick and becomes irritable. He groans and complains about every ache and fever but recovers very quickly- to the point it almost seems like he fast forwarded through the illness.

Taking care of you: Surprisingly nurturing, though a bit overbearing. He insists on keeping you near and warm and feeds you hearty soups, practically forcing you to eat. "You're going to recover, understand?"

Wamuu

Being sick: Wamuu treats sickness like a battle to be won. He rests only when absolutely necessary and views recovery as a test of his strength. He will sometimes work a little harder than he should.

Taking care of you: Incredibly attentive and gentle. He ensures you're comfortable and hydrated, watching over you silently like a guardian. "Rest. I will protect you from any disturbance." He’ll follow up on that too, not letting anyone bother you.

Kars

Being sick: Kars hates anything that diminishes his perfection. He isolates himself until he's fully recovered, refusing to be seen in this weakened state.

Taking care of you: He approaches it scientifically, carefully preparing remedies and monitoring your condition. He offers soothing reassurances. "Your strength will return soon. Trust me."

Kira

Being sick: Kira follows a strict routine for recovery, isolating himself to avoid appearing unkempt. He drinks precise amounts of herbal tea and takes measured doses of medicine. He despises mess, so tissues and clutter are immediately disposed of.

Taking care of you: He's methodical and gentle, ensuring you rest in a clean, orderly environment. He prepares tea and checks your temperature frequently, though he fusses over keeping everything spotless. "Just… rest…I'll handle everything."

Diavolo

Being sick: Diavolo is paranoid when ill, fearing vulnerability. He isolates himself and becomes hostile toward anyone who tries to approach. Only Doppio (and the reader if yall are close) is allowed to see him. Fast forwards through coughs and sneezes.

Taking care of you: Reluctantly caring but fiercely protective. He checks on you frequently, though his anxiety makes him erratic. "If anyone disturbs you, they'll regret it."

Doppio

Being sick: Doppio becomes a little whiny, seeking constant comfort and reassurance. He’s pitiful but sweet, clinging to you for warmth. (Honestly i can see him milking it a bit).

Taking care of you: He’s doting and earnest, though a bit clumsy. He brings you tea and tucks you in with way too many blankets. "You’ll feel better soon! I promise!"

Pucci

Being sick: Pucci continues his duties despite illness, driven by his discipline. He views sickness as a test and rarely complains, though he may collapse from overexertion. At the most he’ll drink some tea and go to bed early.

Taking care of you: His bedside manner is very gentle. He reads scriptures to you in a soothing voice, believing spiritual peace aids physical recovery. "Have faith; you'll recover soon."

Funny Valentine

Being sick: Valentine maintains a composed facade, though he feels frustration at being incapacitated. He tries to continue working from bed, issuing orders between coughs.

Taking care of you: Dutiful and protective, he personally ensures you receive the best care. He sits by your side, offering reassurances and holding your hand. "You will recover. I promise."

[miraofhearts2point0]

smth people dont talk about often is the fact Niragi literally LOST HIS EYE. and i could just mention it and never talk about the symbolism but yall know me at this point.

Now, Niragi lost his RIGHT eye. Why is this significant? Well:

Matthew 5:29: "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna."

This is super interesting to me for multiple reasons: one, I'm Roman Catholic and tend to find Catholic symbolism within everything, but also because I don't think I'm reaching this time.

During the K♧, Niragi is shown to have some kind of drive for redemption; he wanted to be liked by his teammates, even when he denied it. He wouldn't have brought it up in the first place if he hadn't thought about it to begin with.

This is also significant because, in Matthew 5:29, Jesus is speaking of sexual sin specifically. One of the main sins of Sodom was the rape and sexual assaults being committed there; the city was burned due to men attempting to rape angels of God.

Sound familiar?

Niragi also burned down the Beach with his own hand, similar to the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah. Once again, there's more symbolism to be heard here, as Niragi uses his RIGHT HAND to burn the place down; Jesus is at the Right Hand of the Father, and He judges both the living and the dead. Niragi literally takes on the role of God here, the role of the Son specifically, and uses the FIRE OF JUDGEMENT to make a final decision. Also, The Holy Spirit is often represented as a flame, especially above one's head, as The Spirit decsended onto The Virgin Mary, and the Twelve Apostles on Pentecost, granting them the ability to speak in tongues; the godhood symbolism runs incredibly deep here.

It's even more symbolic when you realize that, during the 10♡, Niragi was at the highest point he could possibly be, both physically and emotionally; he was #2 at The Beach, he got a taste of that power, that kingship Aguni held, and, at the time of the confrontation with Chishiya, he was the only militant off the ground.

Again, sound familiar?

Luke 10:18: "Jesus said, 'I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.'"

Keep in mind that Chishiya is not exempt from criticism either. He was literally taking on the role of God here, which in itself, is prideful; it's a sin. Chishiya is not merciful, he is not kind, slow to anger, or patient.

Another thing to note is Borderland is, basically, purgatory. This is the offical Catholic stance on Purgatory:

1031: The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. the tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

Zachariah 13:9: "I will bring the one third through fire, and I will refine them as silver is refined, and I will test them as gold is tested."

So basically, Purgatory involves a purifying fire; again, sound familar?

Niragi being lit on fire, from a spiritual view, is on-par with being purified of his sins; losing his eye was apart of being purified.

That sexual sin, attempting to rape a woman, who Arisu sees as his own guiding light (similar to a guardian angel), is exactly why Sodom was burned.

He had a short redemption arc, he did, and it's not something that should go unnoticed when it's such an important reason why Arisu's team won the K♧. But, despite all that, he chose his sin above all things.

In the end, he did the exact thing Jesus spoke against of in Matt. 5:29; Niragi would rather go to Hell, his full body and mind, than sacrifice any part of himself for anyone else's sake.

Isn't it just so neat??

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Bible means what it says—even in Genesis!

When you’re driving and see a sign that says STOP, do you think, “It says, ‘Stop,’ but what does that really mean? My personal interpretation is that it means slow down and stop only if you see other cars coming.”

We know better. We’re supposed to think, “Oh, a stop sign. I have to obey what it clearly says. It means to come to a full stop.”

Sadly, we see Christians applying this sort of interpretative approach to the Bible, particularly to the book of Genesis—and specifically to the age of the earth and universe. “I know it says six days, but that’s not what it means.”

Many different views persist within the church, particularly among church leadership and academics, on how to take Genesis. The list of positions includes theistic evolution, evolutionary creation, progressive creation, framework hypothesis, day-age theory, local flood, gap theory, and new ideas like Genesis 1 describes the creation of some “cosmic temple.”

Here’s what’s so disheartening to me and all of us Answers in Genesis

Many Christian leaders and academics who hold one of these positions on Genesis would, by and large, take God’s Word the same way I do from Genesis 12 onward! Yes, we may have some theological disagreements arguing from within Scripture, and we may differ on the book of Revelation. But from Genesis 12 onward, we don’t use outside beliefs from the secular world to force a particular view on God’s Word—but this is what they are doing in Genesis with the millions of years belief.

And therein lies the issue—they have one hermeneutical principle for interpreting Genesis 1–11 (forcing man’s beliefs in millions of years into Scripture) and a different one for the rest of God’s Word (taking God’s Word as written and interpreting Scripture with Scripture).

And yet most of them can’t see this or don’t want to. Why not? I believe it’s primarily because of academic peer pressure, academic pride, and a desire for academic respectability.

Yes, there are difficult passages in Scripture. And yes, having an understanding of Hebrew and Greek will add depth to one’s understanding of what God’s Word is teaching us. But God’s Word is for all people, for all time. God has communicated the basic message in a way we can understand.

If we let God’s Word speak to us, keeping in mind the aim of various types of biblical literature, anyone can understand the basic message in the same way we can understand a traffic manual. That’s called the perspicuity of Scripture, a big word for a simple concept that the message is clear. It means what it says. – Ken Ham

[blessedarethebinarybreakers]

Due to flare ups, I’ve been thinking more about my relationship with my disabilities and my relationship with God — any good resources/book you can recommend?

Hey there, sending love and solidarity as you go through flare ups and as you explore all this <3

You came to the right place — disability theology is one of my great passions! Here are my recs for you. If anyone has more resources to add on or insights for anon, please share!

For starters...

First, you might enjoy wandering through my #disability theology tag over on my other blog, which includes excerpts from various disability theologians.

Or reading through / praying with the disability text prayers I shared here last July for Disability Pride Month, which were written by a variety of disabled folks.

Since it's Lent, Unbound's Disabling Lent: An Anti-Ableist Lenten Devotional is timely!

___

Memoirs Exploring Christian Faith & Chronic Pain / Illness

My Body and Other Crumbling Empires, Lyndsey Medford (2023)

This memoir connects faith, chronic illness (especially autoimmune disorders), and the sickness at the heart of Western Empire / the Protestant work ethic.

How can we learn to work with instead of against our bodies? How can we rebuild our world to treat all bodies with the love and gentleness they deserve? .

This Here Flesh, Cole Arthur Riley (2022)

An incredibly beautiful book, poetic and searing...explores the goodness of embodied life and intersections between disability (particularly chronic illness), Blackness, queerness, womanhood, and more.

Each chapter focuses on a different emotion (anger, joy, lament, love...) to teach us how to honor and listen to what we feel in our bodies.

CW for accounts of sexual assault and other forms of and abuse and trauma, as well as accounts of antiblack racism. .

Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've Loved, Kate Bowler (2018)

If you've been steeped in any kind of prosperity gospel, "if you pray hard enough you'll be healed" type Christianity, I highly recommend this book.

Bowler writes with gentle honesty about how her chronic pain and then cancer compelled her to move away from that kind of harmful Christianity into a faith with room for doubt, grief, and a God that holds her in her suffering.

___

Disability Theology — Books, Podcasts, Videos

Disability: The Inclusive Church Resource edited by Bob Callighan (2014)

If you're interested in the perspectives of various disabled Christians, I love the range of voices they brought into this text! A great intro to how theology and church life impact disabled persons and how our churches must re-form themselves with disabled persons at the center. .

My Disabled AND Blessed YouTube series

I've got multiple YouTube videos that draw from various disability theologians!

I especially recommend my introduction to reading the Bible with a disability lens — stressing how different biblical authors hold different views around disability; so what's God's overall message? — and my video on Luke 14's parable of the banquet!

If you have questions about or struggle with the Gospels' healing narratives, I also recommend my livestream on that topic. .

My friend Laura's Autistic Liberation Theology Podcast (you can listen wherever you get podcasts)

Laura explores scripture through the lens of an autistic trans person who uses a wheelchair and has multiple chronic & mental illnesses.

I especially recommend their episode on "the Gethsemane of things," which takes an honest look at pain and where God is in our suffering. (Most of Laura's eps don't have transcripts, but I shared an abridged version of this ep on my podcast and it has a transcript)

"I am not your ornamental prophet" is also a great episode for thinking about what pressures are put on disabled persons and how to construct boundaries for yourself .

The Mad and Crip Theology Podcast

This podcast interviews the authors who are published in the Mad and Crip Theology journal, which is really cool! You can watch episodes with captions on YouTube, or listen wherever you get podcasts.

A good starter episode: this one "on Queer and Crip Sexuality and the Disabled Christ" .

Some eps of Blessed Are the Binary Breakers

While my own podcast largely centers trans perspectives, disability comes up frequently as well! Each ep has a transcript. These are the disability-focused ones:

"No End to Transphobia without Uprooting Ableism — exploring embedded forms of oppression"

"Our Pride Is Not a Sin — a Queer and Disabled Christian Lens"

"Goodness Embodied — an intersex, nonbinary first human and a disabled risen Christ"

"Marginalized Bodies as Spectacle and the good news in Jesus's disabling wounds"

"Eli and the prophet Elijah"

“Secular” books that helped shape my own theology

What Can a Body Do? How We Meet the Built World, Sara Hendren (2020)

Fantastic book digging into recent disability history, present, and future with focus on the “misfit” theory of disability where body and world interact with each other disharmoniously, and the creativity disabled people employ to make them more harmonious  .

Exile and Pride, Eli Clare (1999)

One of my favorite books of all time. Connects disability, queerness, rural life, trauma, and more. Clare is one of the originators of the concept of the “bodymind” (though he talks about that more in one of his later books)

___

Wanting even more resources? Here's my google doc with aaaaall the disability theology stuff — plus some helpful disability 101 stuff to share with loved ones!

Praying for comfort, wisdom, and community support for you as you journey! Please feel free to drop by again with any questions that come up or to share any insights you've gained any time <3

[nerdygaymormon]

Are you willing to condemn the racism the Mormon church has taught you?

The church has been wrong on Racism, Patriarchy, Misogyny and Anti-queerness.

One message that is given in scriptures in different ways is that God loves us all and treats us the same, and we should do likewise.

Deuteronomy 10:17 - For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

Mark 12:31 - The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

John 13:34 - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Acts 10:34 - Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism

Romans 2:11 - For God does not show favoritism.

Romans 10:12 - For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:11 - Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

2 Nephi 26:33 - ...black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God

Furthermore, the Book of Mormon can be seen as a cautionary tale about a group of violently racist misogynists who wound up getting annihilated explicitly because they would not stop being violently racist misogynists. It also teaches that pride and wealth inequality doom civilizations. Too many Mormons view the Nephites as the heroes of the Book of Mormon and want to be like them, but D&C 38:39 warns us, "lest ye become as the Nephites of old."

[idylls-of-the-divine-romance]

Sorry for coming off as antagonistic in the tags of the post on Abraham. By all means, please explain your views on hell. I've read your blog for the past month or so, and I've seen a lot of your reblogs about Christian Universalism, the ideas that hell isn't eternal, everyone is eventually reunited with God, etc.

I know reblogs don't necessarily equal agreement, but I am curious to hear what you have to say

Hii

Thank you for the apology. I needed that. And I am also very sorry if i came off as antagonistic at all; like I said, i hadn't eaten and it was 2 pm T-T, and also pride is something I am struggling with so I get offended too easily sometimes.

As for my recent reblogs, I got a new mutual who is a universalist, or at the very least in favor of purgatorial universalism. I reblogged them to meditate/contemplate on them. I myself, am not universalist tho. I am philosophically in the Methodist/Wesleyan so free will is pretty important to me, which both universalism and Calvinism tend to restrict too much imo.

Now, first thing i really want to get clear is that I do not know what happens when you die and what happens at the parousia. I know that that Christians will not die because they are in Christ, that all - righteous and unrighteous - will be resurrected, that there will be a separation of the two, and that heaven and earth will be one. These things Scripture is clear on and no one can contest. Everything else is speculation tho. I know some will disagree with me, but I really do not think scripture is as clear on this as many believe. I want to be really clear that I (and I believe, most if not all) just do not know because Scripture is just not as clear as we would like it to be. And this is because, despite the claim of some philosophers of religion, Christianity (and the Ancient Israelite religion) does not exist to answer questions of "What happens when I die?" It exists to tell of how heaven is coming on earth. And I have to just accept that because I cannot make scripture into something it's not. So I try to do research, look into historical traditions, and attempt (with varying degrees of success) to stay humble before God and loving before neighbor

First, a Lewis quote: "There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than [hell], if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and, specially, of Our Lord's own words; it has always been held by Christendom; and it has the support of reason. If a game is played, it must be possible to lose it." I start with this because I believe it is very important that no Christian should desire hell for anyone and that we believe in it because it is a sad necessity of reality, not because it is a desirous one. As Paul says in 1 Timothy, we know that God desires that all humanity be saved thru the mediator of Jesus the Anointed One. I say often that to be a Christian is to desire the salvation of even Hitler. Not merely salvation from some subterranean fiery torture chamber, but salvation from Sin.

So, the story of the bible is how God created heaven and earth and they were overlapping (the Garden of Eden), and it was his will to rule his good world together with his images but then heaven and earth got ripped apart because humans are foolish and proud and rebellious. So now, we are outside of God’s presence and as far as I am concerned, if one is not in God, they are already in hell. Or rather, hell is inside of them. I look around and I see infanticide and oppression and genocide and rape and murder and violence and racism and misogyny etc etc etc. I mean just look at Genesis 3-11, it's insanity. And I just have to ask, "What is that if not hell?" And since all of it is rooted in the human heart (which is deceitful and wicked and utterly diseased), hell is in the human heart. St Jacob says a tongue that lies and gossips and curses is lit on fire by Gehenna (which was a physical place southwest of Jerusalem). Not by nature or essence but enslaved to the power of Sin and Death.

On the note of death, I believe in conditional immortality. The human in Genesis 2 is made from dust and they have the opportunity to achieve immortality but it's lost. So they are from dust to dust, without any immortality of the soul. As are all human beings "bitten by the snake", enslaved to Sin and Death. That is, until Jesus could liberate us from slavery to sin and death by his sinless but cursed slave death. He went into death and opened up the way out into eternal life starting now and lasting forever. As such, we believers, as being mystically united to Christ, are alive in him and thus do not die. Rather, when we die we go to heaven and are alive in him (this is why Anglicans, Catholics, and Orthodoxes see no problem asking saints to pray for them. They are not dead).

So the triumphant body of Christ awaits in the intermediate space while awaiting the full reconciliation. So this waiting and praising and praying takes place in heaven. Waiting and praising and praying takes place on earth, until the return of Jesus the Christ in all of his glory, the resurrection of the cosmos, and the full union of heaven and earth. And so the people of God who have chosen life will reign and rule in the power and love of God once more.

But then there is the problem of those who choose death. All powers and authorities have been made subjected to Christ the Victor and King and now everyone is faced with a choice: be healed by the Great Physician and join him in his New Creation, or choose a sin and death in the Valley of Wailing. Why would anyone choose the Valley of Wailing? I made an entire post about it (more poetic than theological) but basically we do it everyday. I have heard it said that "man would escape hell if he could" but this is simply untrue. Of course, we do not wish to live in hell, and if we could escape by our own way we would. But our efforts simply create more hell. Nothing is more terrifying to humanity than that Jesus is God, because if Jesus is God then there is objective good and bad and I have to stand on his wisdom. And if Hesus is God then we killed him when he revealed himself to us. We would rather be "abandoned by God" as Sartre said, though in truth we have abandoned God and thus chosen hell. I chose the hell when I was proud and easily offended and spiteful towards you yesterday, for example. And so, if at the Second Coming, when I see Justice incarnated as the person of Jesus bearing the authority to declare good from evil, I can choose to bow in submission, or I can choose to be forced to bow in subjugation. And many will not choose to boy. "Better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven" they will say. They will prefer their idols and their deceptions to true joy and reality.

And God will let them.

Hell, then, is God's monument to human dignity and choice. If someone refuses to be healed by the Great Physician, God will honor that choice. But what God will not do is allow hell to ruining his good world. "I willingly believe that the damned are, in one sense, successful, rebels to the end; that the doors of hell are locked on the inside.” - C.S. Lewis. And also "those who fly from the eternal light of God, which contains in itself all good things, are themselves the cause to themselves of their inhabiting eternal darkness, destitute of all good things, having become to themselves the cause of [their consignment to] an abode of that nature.” - St Irenaeus. It is God's mercy to contain (sub)human evil and not let it eternally ravage his good world, nor his good image bearing humans who live in that world.

And so they can choose, and God will honor their choice, between the Great New Garden City (New Jerusalem, in the Revelation) that is heaven and earth married together again or you can "live" in the Valley of Wailing, which is outside the city and thus sort of outside creation, which is weird. What does that mean, to be outside the city? How are you outside creation? How are they alive if there is no natural immortality and life is dependent on God? What is it like in the valley? Well I mean, I don't know. It's fire. And darkness. And ice. Death. Destruction. Non-order. Non-being. This is where I lean more annihilationist. But, conditional immortality is distinct from annihilationism. While annihilationism places emphasis on the active destruction of a person, conditional immortality places emphasis on a person's dependence upon God for life; the extinction of the person is thus a passive consequence of separation from God. But I do not hold firmly to the concept of cessation of existence. I think it makes sense, but the only thing I hold fast to is 1) that I do not know and 2) that God's desire will be done.

And without Christ's sacrifice, his defeat of death and sin, the gift of the Spirit of God to urge us to pursue holiness, we would still be slaves to sin and death, corrupted by it, unable to follow God's wise instruction. And as such evangelism is still vitally important (which is a concern I have seen from some) because without the renewing of the mind, as Paul says, there will be no allegiance to Christ.

That said, I do believe there will be nonbelievers who choose life/God. And there will also be some believers who will choose death/sin. Why? Quite simply honestly. There are Christians that won't talk to people who vote differently from them. At the wedding feast of the Lamb there will be Nazis and Jews, Democrats and Republicans, Zionists and Palestinians (the feeling many people feel reading this is the same feeling many Ancient Israelites would've felt reading the last chapter of Zechariah where Jew and non-Jew go up Mount Zion to celebrate Sukkot). Some Christians, like the first century Jewish brethren of Jesus our Lord, will find the love and power of Christ abhorrent, and they will reject him. That all said, i am a hopeful universalist. It is not my hope that anyone would choose death. I want all people - even Hitler - to choose Life. Again: to be a Christian is to desire the salvation of even Hitler. In fact I would say that the end goal is reaching such a state of union with God that you would be willing to die for the salvation of the wicked, but I understand that’s in the deep end and not everyone would agree with that lol.

So... yeah. I don't know how clear this is. I sort of got away from soteriology and into full on eschatology, but as you can tell the two can't really be separated for me, you know? If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

May you have perfect peace, and may the favor of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One, God of Compassion and Favor be with you. Amen.

[balanceoflightanddark]

Moby Dick is a novel about a lot of things. It's a novel about rampant capitalism and how it affects the common man. It's an allegorical and existential fable about one man trying to find meaning. It's about the fruitlessness of the American Dream. Simply put, it means something to everybody.

To me in particular, it's a deconstruction of the concept of revenge. Which is probably one of the most surface-level themes in the entire novel. At this point, everyone knows at least the gist of the story. Captain Ahab gathers a crew of whalers on a long voyage to track down and slay the infamous albino sperm whale Moby Dick, which bit off his leg. In the end, Ahab's quest ends in failure as the whale kills not only him but sinks the Pequod before escaping back to the watery depths. Leaving Ishmael as the only survivor to recount the tale. We all know it and a lot of revenge stories these days do owe some credence or reference to the captain's obsession with his "nemesis".

It also perfectly demonstrates how utterly pointless and self-destructive the concept of revenge is.

I'm going to be approaching this on two fronts. One is the more allegorical interpretation with reference to religious texts following the idea that Moby Dick is a stand-in for Satan or Leviathan. The other is a more literal interpretation where Moby Dick is simply an unusually violent whale.

It has been speculated numerous times over the years that Herman Melville drew a direct parallel between Satan and Moby Dick. Or at the very least, painted Moby as some sort of otherworldly entity that makes the seas eerily calm and drives men to madness. This would mean any attempt on Ahab's part to slay the whale is doomed to begin with because he's literally fighting something beyond the capabilities of any man. Yet he "solves" the problem by effectively inserting himself into this Biblical narrative as God themselves.

"There is one God that is Lord over the earth, and one Captain that is lord over the Pequod.--On deck!"

-Captain Ahab, Chapter 109

That was his response to what he viewed as a mutiny by his first mate Starbuck. Yet the point still stands; the idea he'd say this means he's willing to put himself in a higher position than any mere mortal man. And thus, he should be the one to right the wrong of Moby Dick taking his leg.

The problem is that by this interpretation, Ahab's quest for vengeance is pointless. If Moby Dick is a stand-in for Satan, then that means that God, the real God, will eventually one day strike him down during the Day of Judgement. The same goes with the references to Moby Dick being Leviathan since the latter is also fated to die in the scriptures.

In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

-Isaiah 27: 1

So if we're going with this allegorical interpretation, Moby Dick will be punished someday. Yet the problem is that Ahab refused to swallow his pride and tried to get vengeance on the beast by himself. Which ends with predictable results.

The other interpretation is just as pointless and self-destructive. Maybe even arguably so since Moby Dick is literally just an animal. Yes, a large and unusually aggressive animal, but not exactly the source of all evil as Ahab describes him to be. Heck, the incident where Moby Dick took Ahab's leg was likely a case of self-defense against whalers trying to kill him. So it's unlikely that there was any intended malice to begin with. This actually is supported by the text where the white whale is attempting to swim away from the Pequod and only becomes violent when he's attacked.

What this means is that Ahab's vendetta against Moby Dick has no real merit. The incident, while tragic and would've scarred Ahab, was less some evil spurning him and more an animal defending itself.

Unfortunately for Ahab, either way, he's part of an industry that's built on whale killing. Even if Ahab wanted to, there would be a societal push to get even with the whale that maimed him since killing whales like Moby Dick is what's expected of him. It's something the Captain actually reflects on before the fateful final battle, and ultimately he feels locked into the conflict. That something beyond his control is pushing him outside of his own vendetta, and he's just as much disturbed by the thought as he has a grudge against the whale.

The ultimate tragedy here though is that Ahab could've turned back. Even within the society of whaling, he didn't need to go after Moby Dick. Captain Boomer, a whaler the Pequod meets at sea, also fought the white whale and lost his arm. Thing is, he didn't go after them again for revenge. He thought about it, considered it, and decided to take his loss lest he lose his life. Ahab wasn't as wise. Instead, he gave into his quest for revenge and paid the ultimate price for it.

Which is ultimately why Ahab's revenge was pointless. Even if he killed Moby Dick, it wouldn't change what happened. He'd still be down a leg and he'd still likely be hunting whales once his quest was done. In the end, he wouldn't have gotten better. What's tragic is that there was a good chance he probably could've bounced back. He admitted in his final speech that there was something he was uneasy about with his quest and the possibility of admitting defeat was always on the table. Unfortunately, Ahab's pride got the better of him. And the rest was literary history.

[buggie-hagen]

Sermon on Fourth Sunday in Lent (3/30/25)

Primary Text | Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

          The Pharisees and the scribes were upset with Jesus. Now, if you don’t know, the Pharisees and scribes were the religious professional class. Pharisees studied the law of God. They knew all its ins and outs. They were the rulekeepers. Scribes, they’re literal job was to handwrite the scriptures word-for-word—There were not printers like we have in our day—you hand to make copies of books by hand. That’s what the scribes did. So, of course, they knew what the scriptures said. The Pharisees kept intense track of “What you should do” and “What you should not do.” They were scrupulous. Unyielding. They made laws on top of laws. But here was Jesus not doing their rulekeeping. He gave his time of day to the less refined people. Sinners. Tax collectors. These were not people who claimed they were good in themselves. The Pharisees and scribes were appalled at Jesus spent his time with the wrong kind of people. The sinners. Pharisees would say, “That’s not fair, Jesus! They’re not keeping the rules.”  

If there’s something you and I are good at these days, it is rulekeeping. We are all born with the same heart of the Pharisees. We take so-called fairness and put it on steroids—even to the detriment of others. And what does the rule of fairness do when it becomes tyrannical? It is quick to find the faults in others and put it on blast. It condemns. It meticulously looks under every rock until it finds something wrong. It cannot assume the best because it has already assumed the worst. It views itself as better than others. See how big its head is, it doesn’t know how disproportionate in size its head has become. But everyone can see it. When our heart is ruled by the Pharisees, as it often is, we don’t see ourselves as the problem. And, when it comes down to it, we would dare to accuse God of being wrong. That God is not fair!

          Well. It is true. God is not fair. He does not play by the rules. Nor does God does deal with us according to fairness. Grace is not fair. Mercy is not fair. Grace is a scandal. We our currently celebrating 275 years of God’s grace. Do we realize how scandalous and unfair grace is? In this discussion, the grace and mercy of God are completely foreign to the Pharisees, then and now, including the pharisees that live in us, the rulekeepers. And so, Jesus, aware of the grumbling against him speaks a parable. He says, “There was a father who had two sons. The younger son said, ‘Give me my share of the property that belongs to me.” The property I would normally get when you die.’ The father does so. He gives him what he asked for. The younger son took the proceeds and squandered moved to a different country and spent his money in dissolute living. That means the younger son was lax, he was licentious, he did whatever he wanted. If he saw a woman to his taste, he would spend money to get her. He would throw parties, he would spend his money so frivolously, so recklessly, without restraint, to the point that he spent it all and had nothing left to support himself. At the same time, the country he was in began to experience famine. There was no food. And this younger son decided to work for a pig farmer. And when he fed the pigs, he wished to eat the same slop they were eating. In other words, the younger son had hit rock bottom.

          Ah. But it is in hitting rock bottom that we finally let go of our pride, that we see we are sinners, and we acknowledge our need for grace. Once we’ve lost everything, once we’ve despaired of our own righteousness, then a door is opened for us to hear the gospel When we hit our low, God does in fact use that. To drive us to himself. And so, the younger son, who squandered and lost everything his father gave him, realizes how well his father treats his workers, and that they have bread enough to eat—while he sits here dying of hunger on this pig farm, wanting to eat pig food. And he decides to tell his father, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your workers” (Luke 15:19). If we were going by fair standards, even that would be too good treatment. But here we have a surprise. As soon as his father sees his son, coming in the distance, that very moment—his heart is filled with compassion, and he runs to meet his younger son. He puts his arms around him and kisses him! His son begins to say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son…” before the son even finishes his confession the father orders his servants to get his son the best clothes, a ring for his finger, sandals for his feet---and then decides to get the fatted calf ready so they can have a great big celebration. And his father, with delight in his heart, says, “Let us eat and celebrate, for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” (Luke 15:23-24). Notice. The father in this parable did not hold the son’s past against him. He welcomed his son with open arms and placed so many gifts on him—for he was so happy to have his son back from the dead. None of this was fair. It was all God’s mercy and grace.

He did not punish his son. But that would be the concern of the older son in this parable. The older son was upset when he learned what happened to his younger brother. He refused to celebrate. He did not even enter the house. So, his father comes out to meet his older son as well. The older son complained to his father, “What is this music and dancing? You’ve never once given me such good things, and when your younger son comes back, he who spent all his money on prostitutes, you kill the fatted calf for him and throw a party? But I’ve been here working for you all this time and never got this.” To which his father said, “My eldest son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found” (Luke 15:31-32). Dear people of God, Jesus did spend his time with sinners and tax collectors. It was not the righteous who need Jesus. It is the unrighteous. The unholy. The poor and despised who need Jesus. When God draws us to himself, when he chooses us, it is not because we have a righteousness of our own. God has made you righteous, he has clothed you in the best clothes by clothing you in his Son, Jesus Christ. As baptized children of God our clothes are none other than Jesus. You do not come to God righteous. It is not the things you do that make you righteous or not. It is not the law. It is not works. There is no righteousness in you. God makes you righteous, he makes you holy, he forgives your sins, not because you deserve it. Not because you were a good rulekeeper (no one is). It is not fair. But it is God’s pure mercy and grace. This morning God has accepted you by his pure mercy and grace made known in Jesus Christ. He had compassion on you before you even got here this morning. And his mercy will follow you through the rest of the day and into the week. God celebrates over you, because you were dead and are now alive, you were lost, and in Christ, you have been found. Amen.

[optimisticmiraclefest]

✨A Precious Pearl in the Imperial City✨

Author: Butterfly's Shadow Beneath the Moon / Yue Xia Die Ying

This here is our fl, Ming Jiuzhu aka the sweetest cinnamon roll ever who would absolutely throw hands (and she has done that multiple times throughout the novel lol) if anyone slanders her benefactors aka "demon consort" Su and her son the "arrogant idler price" Chen Wang

A very brief summary:

Fl who was raised by two daoist priests isolated from the world has a unique temperament aka "naive charming cute idiotic(?)",

Ml spoiled by his parents since childhood is a idler noble prince- prideful and arrogant,

Arranged marriage between the two of them with more of a past connection than expected,

💕 A "kind hearted fierce girl" * "tsundere shameless boy" pair aka the fluffiest cutest pairing ever that will give you endless cavities 💕

✨fl being kind and innocent inside the palace post marriage- lighting the entire place up with her sincere nature✨ , she is truly ml's lucky koi.........

Ml steps up and starts taking his duties more seriously bc he wants to be as amazing as fl idolises him to be 🥺 aka both his dad and his dad in law practically drag him to his job kicking and screaming lol (poor him, he literally gets nightmares of books chasing him around thanks to fl's dad tutoring him)

Do read this novel bc it has-

"Normal" families who wouldn't look out of place in our current time period aka fl's entire family and ml's parents -loving and doting towards each other with no ulterior motives (except all the times fl and ml flattered their respective families to fleece pocket money from them pfft-)

Normal families typical of their time period aka scheming plot-ty vibes where everyone are guarded against one another even within the same family

The highlight of the novel is when these 💥two entirely different worldviews crashing against one another💥 in the most hilarious ways

Everytime the "normal" families interact, they 'adjust' it to their own views like-

Fl's parents "agree" to the marriage => they are selling their daughter off for glory

Emperor punishes the maternal family of one of his other kids => he is paving the way for his favourite son (no that family really was pretty fucking terrible)

Ml punishes a crappy noble guy (very creatively, his "punishments" are pretty much a running gag- a fun one) =>the favour got to his head so he is arrogant and willful and so on.......

Some are more hilarious than the others (like that one time fl 'instructed' all the concubines on how to properly write scriptures aka glorified imposition lol)

From the main pairing to their respective families and all the side characters from the story teller lady with the glib tongue to the consorts of the previous emperor, all of them are pretty memorable, all with their own stories to tell.........

(Bai Shao is my favourite side character tho- a neat example of repaying kindness of a drop of water with a gushing spring, she ended up being surprisingly badass)

As for my experience rereading this gem, I laughed out around every chapter - reading it in class was in hindsight a terrible idea.......

[galesdevoteewife]

Hey, just to comment. I ADORE Zilvera (my Tav is a Lolth-sworn female drow is is into Gale too 😅) I would like to know a bit more of her. How is her relationship with the other companions, besides her beloved wizard? Her views on slavery (specially considering the role of the duegar, deep gnomes and goblins on the story, and the fact that she used to capture slaves)? Does she have scratch and/or the owlbear cub at the camp? Was she ever devoted to Lolth, considering she was raised by the church? How does she work with her faith? You said she was not as sexist as most of her kin, but what about race? How is she, as the leader of the group?

Sorry if this is a lot, you can ignore it if it's too annoying, I just found your blog and I'm a bit fixated, so... thank you in advance for reading this.❤️❤️

Hello anon! ♡♡♡ Zil says hi! Thank you for liking my blog and asking about my spider baby!! I am so glad you enjoyed them, I definitely don't find the ask annoying, I LOVE it!!! <33 You made my day with the ask✨🫶💕 Alright, let's see— How is her relationship with the other companions, besides her beloved wizard?

Here, I made a diagram! <3

Her views on slavery (specially considering the role of the duegar, deep gnomes and goblins on the story, and the fact that she used to capture slaves)? For her, slavery was a practical means of governance. Surviving in the Underdark had always been a nightmare, and resources had always been scarce. The war between races never ceased, and the racial hatred was too deep to be buried.

Among the three mentioned races, she preferred deep gnomes > goblins > duergars (if she gets to choose, she wouldn’t keep duergars. They are too much trouble), mainly because they were easier to discipline. She also liked Orogs for their combat abilities. However, she often found her people being wasteful by mutilating their slaves. "Did they think people came every day in tour groups for us to capture?" The soldiers often complained when they saw nobles wasting good slaves.

Does she have scratch and/or the owlbear cub at the camp? Their camp have both, Shadowheart and many others want them.

Was she ever devoted to Lolth, considering she was raised by the church? How does she work with her faith? She had prayed every day for as long as she could remember until she left Menzoberranzan. But Lolth's many eyes never took notice of her. She had never received any favor or trials. She was the unchosen and while other girls became priestesses, she became a soldier and was sent to Melee-Magthere. It wasn't surprising though; she had devoted herself solely to Chessintra, her godmother, the high priestess of her church, and her only love at the time, rather than being devout to Lolth. Still, she memorized vast amounts of prayers and scriptures, sufficient for her to become a missionary if she wishes to. Personality wise she also lacked ambition and was too loyal for Lolth's taste, all of which rendered her prospects bleak. Zilvera herself, however, hadn't minded much. She had seen too many rise in station only to be brutally assassinated or undergo trials only to lose everything and be turned into driders.

You said she was not as sexist as most of her kin, but what about race? She does hold racial stereotypes, but her final judgment is based on her own observation of the individuals. Zilvera despise cowards, and only those willing to fight could earn her respect. She has a soft spot for those who —despite their fear— showed courage and were willing to fight at all costs. For example, she was quite fond of Barcus and the Ironhands. She felt similarly towards Astarion. She wanted to see them succeed and wouldn't mind lending a hand if the situation arose.

She also took pride in being a drow. She was angered when she saw Minthara behaving in such a manner at Moonrise. She felt insulted, it was a disgrace to their people for her.

How is she, as the leader of the group? Zilvera is a neutral mediator, executing everyone's requests in the way they wanted. She has little interest in taking sides, preferring to observe because her priority and interest lie in understanding the values of the surface world. However, she does try to avoid conflicts within the troupe.

She acts as a commander only on the battlefield. With plenty of experience leading squads of slaves and soldiers—which usually it's members don't get along—She finds it intolerable to witness the group's disarray. She uses the worm to give orders in combat. The friction of her giving orders was quickly smoothed out because the fights led by her were efficient and fluent. She hardly ever rests; at night, she scouts and gathers intel on terrain and enemies. She would return to camp to trance for 2-4 hours at midday if the sun is too bright (the damn fireball makes her dizzy). As for conversations, she prefers to listen rather than talk, unless she has a specific agenda to steer the situation in a certain direction.