#Biblical legal dimensions

[jazmaage]

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

(https://youtu.be/m19F4IHTVGc?si=dJvn2gTDg1f-lAVP)

- Israel the worlds only jewish state located east of the mediterranean sea and Palestine territory of the arab population that hails from the Israel-controlled land have long been known for their enduring conflict with Israeli occupation of the west bank and the gaza strip. This conflict has been ongoing since 1948. The tension between Israel and Palestine has been deterioating in years climaxing with many violent clashes between the two sides.

This is part of the broader Israeli–Arab conflict. Many attempts have been made to agree to a two-state solution, in which a Palestinian state would be established adjacent to Israel. Currently, most Israelis and Palestinians, according to polls, prefer the two-state solution over other solutions as a way to resolve the conflict.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam

(https://youtu.be/m19F4IHTVGc?si=dJvn2gTDg1f-lAVP)

This monotheism brief focuses on the religious dimension of the conflict, which both historical and recent events suggest lies at its core. That much is almost a truism. What is less often appreciated, however, is how much religion impacts the identity of actors implicated in this conflict, the practical issues at stake, and the relevant policies and attitudes.

The Green Line

The Green Line is Israel's contested boundary with the Palestinian territories.

The Green Line is a term that emerged in the wake of Israel's establishment in 1948, whose proper name is the 1949 Armistice Line. It refers to the border separating pre-1967 Israel from the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and constitutes an internationally recognised border.

Palestinian territory

(https://www.globalr2p.org/countries/israel-and-the-occupied-palestinian-territory/)

encompassing the Gaza Strip and West Bank including East Jerusalem.

- It has been illegally occupied by Israel since 1967. Since then, the Israeli government has established a two-tiered legal and political system that provides comprehensive rights for Jewish Israeli settlers while imposing military rule and control on Palestinians without any basic protections or rights under international law. The Israeli government has also engaged in a regular practice of inhumane acts, as well as extrajudicial killings, torture, denial of fundamental human rights, arbitrary detention and collective punishment.

Natural Resources and the Arab-Israeli Conflict

(https://pij.org/articles/1567/natural-resources-and-the--arabisraeli-conflict)

Israel includes timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, and clays.

Palestine includes fresh and ground water, arable land and, more recently, oil and natural gas.

The conflict in the Middle East has always had natural resources in its background: land, water and oil. Strategists have asserted that the struggle over water might be at the heart of the next round of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The Israel People Origin

(https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelites)

- According to the religious narrative of the Hebrew Bible, the Israelites' origin is traced back to the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs Abraham and his wife Sarah, through their son Isaac and his wife Rebecca, and their son Jacob.

Nove Music Festival

https://youtu.be/APAhJYIhXv4?si=22bEHqqs4HzVCYUc

Hamas militants opened fire at a festival in Israel. The Palestinian militant group has launched its biggest attack on Israel in years firing rockets and tearing down the border between Israel and Gaza Strip. The supernova dance festival was taking place in Israel three miles from the Gaza border. From the record, hundreds could be seen dancing at dawn having no idea that Hamas fighters paraglided towards them ahead. Gunmen opened fire and chased fleeing revellers across the place, others were taken hostage. Thousands of innocent people were harmed.

This is the last photo taken from the destruction that the Hamas militants left.

Cars were also left abandoned and damaged by a rocket fire.

Pro Israel or Pro Palestine?

I am a Pro Israel, because i do believe that being pro-Israel means supporting peace and stability for Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs, and upholding principles that will ensure that peace and stability over the long term. That means supporting the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and equal rights in Israel-Palestine.

[harrelltut]

卍 My HIGHLY ADVANCED [HA = HARRELL] Interplanetary Dimension [I.D.] iEye of QUANTUM HARRELL TECH® Computing Integration Architecture [CIA] from Lost America [L.A. = NEW Atlantis] BEE HI:KEMETech_nology® I Mathematically INNOVATED [MI = MICHAEL] from Inner Earth’s [HADES] QUANTUM Black Altitude Energy [BAE = COSMIC] UNIVERSE of Triple 666 [ROYAL] Black Apparition Spirit [BAS = ORISHA] GENIUSES [GODS] who SEE Me [ME  U.S. Michael Harrell = TUT = JAH] on Earth [JE = JESUS] 卍

[nileqt87]

Ramblings about Lucifer referencing Bones, “Close your eyes.” and shows influencing each other

That was never just a Bones reference being made and the season finale admitted it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv_1dJk5yEM

David Boreanaz played the ironically-named Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel: the Series. His character has *so many* parallels with Lucifer (far more than Booth outside of the law enforcement/crime procedural connection).

Angel's spinoff also has noir crime drama aspects mixed with the supernatural starring an immortal protagonist with a dark past and infamously villainous reputation fighting evil as a supernatural private detective in the City of Angels (a city known for its dark underbelly juxtaposed with fame and glamor, broken dreams and chasing eternal youth) and navigating human law (including the LAPD and evil lawyers) while not legally existing.

Angel also fell in love with a blonde human heroine (Buffy Summers) after lifetimes of self-destructive, not-so-heroic behaviors (getting his soul back did *not* make Angel a hero and human Liam was a lecherous drunk with unfulfilled ambitions and father issues) who inspired him to become a better man and make human connections.

AtS made heavy use of sprawling nighttime Downtown L.A. cityscape shots, which Lucifer also shared an abundance of.

During both of their first cases, they failed to save the troubled blonde girl they were trying to help (Tina and Delilah, respectively). They also have a connection inside the LAPD through a blonde cop who also takes their identity secrets pretty badly (Kate Lockley in Angel's case).

Note that Buffy not only screamed (twice, given it repeated during her memory loss in Halloween), but also came after Angel with a crossbow when she thought he'd attacked her mother (it was Darla), so Chloe taking the Devil face reveal (Monster Reveals are iconic old horror imagery) poorly to the point of considering poisoning is par for the course. However, it only took Buffy seven episodes instead of three seasons to get the identity reveal via seeing the horrific second face (arguably also an accident on Angel's part).

They are metaphorically or literally Hell's angels. They also had long stays in Hell or a hell dimension.

Lucifer and Angel are also both Prodigal Sons with long-held grudges against their long-absent fathers (patricide in Liam/Angel(us)'s case) and they're later faced with a situation where they have unexpected, thought-impossible offspring who show up as adults (neither got to raise their miracle child) wanting revenge. Yup, major Connor/Rory parallel there.

Angel is also in a constant struggle with the Powers that Be manipulating his fate and free will (like Lucifer, he's a champion of free will no matter the cost) and making him prophecy's bitch.

Bones famously got jokes about how Booth is Angel getting his Shanshu (made human), since the character is given constant Angel-isms like references to a dark past having killed people (Booth is also named after a historical murderer, in addition to having been a sniper), both being Catholics full of Catholic guilt (note that the Buffyverse is most accurately polytheistic, though Angel does face off against a take on the antichrist--Angel has constant biblical imagery/themes and not just because of vampire iconography), kicking down doors (just not off their entire frames--LOL), turning on a dime and threatening people up against walls, constant wink-wink references to the Buffyverse (familiar casting, references to the Hyperion Hotel, etc...), etc...

The Lucifer finale used the words "Close your eyes." right before Lucifer is sent to Hell. This is literally the BtVS season 2 finale where Buffy kisses Angel and sends him to hell for a century with a stab to the gut (see the season 5 finale, not to mention Lucifer giving up his life for Chloe's à la I Will Remember You).

Note that D.B. Woodside was on BtVS (playing Robin Wood, whose Slayer mother Nikki Wood was killed by Spike). Aimee Garcia was in both episodes of AtS (Birthday--she's older than she looks!) and Bones. See her also playing a cross-wearing religious girl on Supernatural who was slaughtered in a police precinct by Lilith. Kevin Alejandro was also in an episode of Bones.

Tricia Helfer was in an episode of Supernatural playing a ghost who reenacts the night of her death every year. BtVS also had an episode along those lines, but with Buffy and Angelus possessed (not to mention Phantom Dennis!). Lucifer having Dan as a ghost is yet another thing they all have in common (ditto referencing Ghost, Patrick Swayze and/or Unchained Melody--Vincent Schiavelli a.k.a. Ghost's subway ghost was Jenny's uncle Enyos, whom Angelus killed).

Lucifer name-checked Castiel and Supernatural referenced Lucifer using their Lucifer (crime-fighting angel in L.A. made it a double-reference whammy). Supernatural returned the favor again by having Castiel forced to sing in Enochian. Lucifer's reference to his singing voice was already a zing about Misha Collins having to put on that monotone gravel voice and Enochian being far from melodious.

Russell T Davies was quite heavily inspired by the Buffyverse when he revived Doctor Who and spun off Torchwood, so there are absolute tons of Buffy, Angel and Spike respectively in Rose Tyler, the 9th/10th Doctors, Captain Jack Harkness and Captain John Hart (right down to the actor). School Reunion is the episode where the Buffyverse inspiration is most on the nose, complete with Anthony Stewart Head saying "shooty dog thing" in a school setting and a Mayor/Angel-esque speech about the curse of immortality. The Time War gave the Doctor a huge genocide-level guilt complex. Note that the creator of DC comics' version of Lucifer, Neil Gaiman, has also written for Doctor Who and is also the co-creator of Good Omens (the show is brimming with Doctor Who Easter eggs thanks to David Tennant). A barely-recognizable Tom Ellis played Martha Jones' ex-fiancé Tom Milligan during the Year that Never Was, as well.

A lot of shows take inspiration from the Buffyverse and you've probably seen some of them. It isn't just the copycat vampire romance stories either.

Angel's forerunners in turn were a mix of guilt-stricken, rat-eating Louis de Pointe du Lac (his Jekyll/Hyde-esque alter-ego Angelus is closer to the pre-retcon, fully-evil Lestat de Lioncourt, who got woobified into an antihero rocker not unlike Spike--the entire Fanged Four mirror Anne Rice's character lineup), sword-wielding, immortality trope-influencers Connor/Duncan MacLeod of Highlander fighting for the Prize of humanity (akin to Pinocchio becoming a "real boy"--see also Barnabas Collins of Dark Shadows, though he was before vampires became antihero superheroes, not just sympathetic antivillains) and Nick Knight of Forever Knight (vampire detective).

Additionally, Tom Welling was famously the longest-serving Clark Kent of them all (Smallville) on the old WB (there's that DC comics connection, too), so it's not just a Fox shows thing (though Fox, not just Warner Brothers, did indeed own the Buffyverse). One of the least-known things about Clark is that he also has an immortality problem where he wouldn't age parallel to Lois (they wouldn't be able to have kids either) without a workaround. The Kryptonite line directed at Cain/Pierce by Lucifer was quite on the nose! Lucifer and Smallville sort of crossed over even further in Crisis on Infinite Earths, so Tom is canonically the face of both Clark and Cain in parallel universes of the DC multiverse.

Supernatural had quite recently had their own takes on Cain (played by Timothy Omundson, who also played God Johnson) and the Mark of Cain when Lucifer did it. Dan's killer Le Mec was, of course, Rob Benedict, who was God a.k.a. Chuck Shurley, the ultimate villain of Supernatural. Richard Speight, Jr., who was archangel Gabriel/Loki the Trickster, directed a lot of Lucifer's later episodes in addition to being a prolific Supernatural director.

Supernatural and Lucifer use the exact same font for their titles (Supernatural Knight).

The X-Files (which Supernatural referenced constantly) and Supernatural also had stories about nephilim (see the apocryphal Book of Enoch). Lucifer ultimately had two nephilim (forbidden interspecies offspring of angels and humans), even if not saying so as a known concept. Connor can also be compared to the vampire equivalent of being something like a dhampir, though he's not quite that (mostly-but-not-quite-human offspring of two vampires instead of a human/vampire hybrid--see Blade for an actual dhampir). Supernatural has also covered the even rarer cambion species (human/demon hybrid).

[theprettyinthemundane]

A list of Pan’s epithets and things Pan was called (mostly) from the ancient world:

(I haven’t seen many posts making a somewhat comprehensive list of Pan’s epithets, so I thought I would put this out there)

Here’s what Theoi.com lists, it is definitely a good list:

goat-herd (aipolos) Plato, Cratylus 400d & 408b (trans. Lamb) (Greek philosopher C4th B.C.) (From Theoi.com)

“Pan lord of the woodlands and of war” Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 3. 46 ff (trans. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) : From Theoi.com

Also, for additional context for “sea roaming:

Suidas s.v. Haliplanktos ff : "Haliplanktos (Sea-roaming) : Thus Pan is called . . . because he is in love with Ekho (Echo); the sea is noisy." (also from Theoi.com)

https://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/Pan.html#Hymns

Here are some other things from other sources:

“Shepherd’s patron” (Brown, E. 1977)

“Lusty” (like a he-goat) (Rinkevich, T. E. 1973)

“Lyterios (“the one who releases from disease)” (Petridou, G. (2016). Theoi.com lists this one, but this paper adds more context.

““krotos-loving” (φιλόκροτος) (suggesting that he has particular affection for percussive sounds, whether the noise of dancing feet, the clapping of hands, or the clacking of krotala)” “finger snapping” is also a form of this  (Laferrière, C. M. 2019; Lynch, T., & Rocconi, E. 2020: 51 )

 “Εὔοδος (giverof- good-roads), Σωτήρ (savior),

Ἐπήκοος (he who listens to prayer), and

Εὔαγρος (of the good-hunt).”

(Stern, K. 2013, Mairs, R. 2010).

“keen-eyed god”    (Homeric hymn 19, to Pan)

“a lover of merry noise, All-fertile, fanatic,

serpent horned Jove/Zeus”    (Orphic hymn 10, to Pan)

“…the trupanon of the goatherd (…the symbolism of the trupanon is that of the phallos, as the active member in intercourse. A trupanon is a wooden drill used to make fIre which was invented by Hermes, Pan's father…)” (Pierce, N. 2006: 40)

“Goatboy-Penetrator Pan” (Wills, G. 1998)

“the most powerful of the gods in accomplishing men's prayers and requiting the wicked for their misdeeds” (Winter, F. E. 2005) (this one wasn’t a specific epithet the ancients gave him, but it does seem accurate, so I thought I would include it).

 The numbers in parentheses below this are page numbers since they are from a book, I tried to break it up so it’s a bit easier to read. 

“Lord of Arcadia / Pan of Paiania (3) (Dillon, M. 2003: 236; Wills, G. 1998),

Huntsman, protector of game, keeper of goats, one who made fertile the little flocks, Most ancient and most honored (4), god of little flocks (5), goat god (43),

a god who treads the heights (58), god of mountains/ snow/forests/rocky coast/the sea (60),

theronomos/herdsman of wild animals (64), slayer of beasts (64), god of the hunt (64), Pan Aktios god of river banks and ocean promontories where goats come for water and salt (65; Haldane, J. 1968), goat footed (65; MASTRAPAS, A. 2013)

devine-he-goat-shepherd (67),  indispensable patron of fertility of small flocks (75), duseros / unlucky in love (77, 115) god of noise and movement (111), golden horned pan (117), keeper and protector of the flocks (125), dog of the Mother of the gods (173; Haldane, J. 1968), most accomplished dancer (175)”

 (Borgeaud, P. 1988).

Lastly: Epithets are complex and deserve content of their own (of which there is a lot!), so I don’t mean to diminish the complexity of epithets and their use, this is just meant to be helpful for those who want to learn more about Pan. Some epithets may be a bit redundant, but I think it’s better to have too many than too few, because I haven’t seen much of this information floating around her. Also, as usual, please feel free to correct me if I’ve made any mistakes in this post. Thanks!

 Sources:

 Borgeaud, P., & Atlass, K. (1988). The cult of Pan in ancient Greece. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 13: 9780226065953

Brown, E. (1977). The Divine Name "Pan". Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-), 107, 57-61. doi:10.2307/284025

Dillon, M. (2003). Girls and women in classical Greek religion. Psychology Press. ISBN: ISBN 9780415319164

Haldane, J. (1968). Pindar and Pan: Frs. 95-100 Snell. Phoenix, 22(1), 18-31. doi:10.2307/1087034

Laferrière, C. M. (2019). Sacred Sounds: The Cult of Pan and the Nymphs in the Vari Cave. Classical Antiquity, 38(2), 185-216. Doi: 10.1525/ca.2019.38.2.185

Lynch, T., & Rocconi, E. (2020). A companion to ancient Greek and Roman music. Hoboken: Wiley.

Mairs, R. (2010). Egyptian ‘Inscriptions’ and Greek ‘Graffi ti’at El Kanais in the Egyptian Eastern Desert. In Ancient graffiti in context (pp. 169-180). Routledge.

MASTRAPAS, A. (2013). THE BATTLE OF MARATHON AND THE INTRODUCTION OF PAN'S WORSHIP TO ATHENS: THE POLITICAL DIMENSION OF A LEGEND THROUGH WRITTEN EVIDENCE AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS. Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies. Supplement, (124), 111-122. Retrieved July 18, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/44216259

Petridou, G. (2016). Healing shrines. A companion to science, technology, and medicine in ancient Greece and Rome, 434-449.

Pierce, N. (2006). The Placement of the Sacred Caves in Attica, Greece (Doctoral dissertation).

Rinkevich, T. E. (1973). Comic structure in Theocritus 1-7 (Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University).

Slater, W. J. (1971). Pindar’s house. Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies, 12(2), 141-152.

STERN, K. (2013). Vandals or Pilgrims?: Jews, Travel Culture, and Devotional Practice in the Pan Temple of Egyptian El-Kanais. In Hodge C., Olyan S., Ullucci D., & Wasserman E. (Eds.), "The One Who Sows Bountifully": Essays in Honor of Stanley K. Stowers (pp. 177-188). Society of Biblical Literature. doi: 10.2307/j.ctt14bs6fv.20

Wills, G. (1998). The Real Arcadia. The American Scholar, 67(3), 15-27.

Winter, F. E. (2005). Arkadian Temple-designs. The Norwegian Institute at Athens

 Research tip: (almost) any article with a doi # can be found for free using sci-hub.tw! Even if you have access to things like JSTOR and Ebsco, (imo) if you have the doi it’s faster to find it and download it using this free and legal website! It’s been super helpful to me, so if you ever have a doi # but still can’t get the article, definitely give this a try.

[limelocked]

Hi! What’s this “Dianite, Mianite, Ianite” thing you’re talking about? It sounds interesting!

okay so mianite was an OLD smp that ran for two seasons, the first was vanilla with some command block and plug in trickery and the second was played with a modpack, the second season ended in 2015, i think most if not all of it was also streamed meaning that episodes are 1-3 hours long

the tldr of it is that in the realm of mianite there are two gods, mianite and dianite with imagry straight biblical with mianite as capital G god or zeus and dianite as the devil, they have followers in the players and champions in who their fave is (tom syndicate being dianites fave and tucker/jericho being mianites fave) then captain sparkles joined in and didnt want to take sides and literally created a new god by pure belief and became her (ianite) champion and her imagry is very purple lady justice

in mianite 2 they came to another dimension where the gods were a lil different (mianite became a dick that focused a lil Too much on the morally good and dianite became a capitalist) and that season was heavy with story and plot related buildings/locations

also every week they had a purge where for an hour all killing was legal and yes i mean legal cuz they also had a court system

highlights are the cake staircase, dine-at-night, the glowstone forest, jordan becoming a dad to several mini-mes, tucker and jordan having a mod related rivalry, tom in general and wag the former wizard (oh btw half through season 1 fyreuk came in on the server and would build whatever someone wanted for a fee of diamonds, they were called wizards) being an actual wizard with ars magica

theres way more too it but this ask is getting long and while i COULD talk about mianite all day i should probably at least make it a seperate post

[eelhound]

"It is worth noting that, in spite of changes in demography, in language, and in religion, a basic concept of justice with a strong liberating dimension developed over the centuries in Mesopotamia. In the social reforms, in the legal codes, and in the decrees of mercy, the mission of the king was to remove injustice from his territory and to liberate the oppressed and the forsaken so that they might render service to the gods.

But, the reiteration of reforms, the promulgation of new codes, and the periodic announcement of decrees of mercy demonstrate how difficult it was to eliminate exploitation and oppression and to establish justice and equity. In addition, the texts of popular piety show how elusive justice was and how almost inaccessible it was to the humble class.

In spite of the difficulties, the Mesopotamian tradition kept the king's obligations alive with respect to justice: he was obliged to control the excesses of the state and the power of the oppressor and to reestablish violated rights; he was obliged to free his people from unsupportable and counterproductive obligations and burdens; he was obliged to protect those who, like the orphans and the widows, were forsaken for various reasons and who lacked the capacity to sustain themselves in society."

- Enrique Nardoni, from Rise Up, O Judge: A Study of Justice in the Biblical World

[autisticspecialeducator]

Thirty Days of Autism Acceptance!!

Day 1: Introduce yourself. Talk about who you are as a person.

Okay, this is going to be super pretentious and weird, but I'm going to revel in it, like your average autpunk.

I go by Maia or Daisy online. Maia is my Russian name, and I don't identify with it any more or less than my legal name. They're both important to me. My legal name is an androgynous biblical name, and as a non-binary Christian, that makes me feel valid. God does not reject me for my gender. In fact, God revels in it. So I revel with God in this way, by keeping this biblical name.

Maia is the name I've been called for most of my life, and it's a name that shows up in a lot of languages and cultures. I like to think that its universality can remind me of my roots as a rootless child. I have no native culture, and neither does the name.

I also go by Daisy online, because they've taken on a lot of symbolic aspirational significance to me personally. Daisies kind of represent softness and simple kindness and patience to me. In my poetry, they stand in contrast to stars, which represent a contented melancholy and existential curiosity. I used to think that the charactertics represented were not compatible with each other, and I struggled to decide which to keep on and cultivate. A big part of my recovery journey has been accepting my dimensions, daisies and stars alike. Since the "daisies" were a little harder for me to accept fully as valid charactertics, I chose it to be one of my names online.

Just in case these labels help you get a better sense of me, I'll tell you I'm an enneagram 4 (I don't think that surprises anyone after reading this description), INFP, and a Hufflepuff. I'm a special education major. I like trees, stories in all their forms, and the "rip to y'all, but I'm different" meme.

Have a wonderful day!!

[adonis84r]

[PDF] Download Operating in the Courts of Heaven (Revised and Expanded): Granting God the Legal Rights to Fulfill His Passion and Answer Our Prayers -- Robert Henderson

Download Or Read PDF Operating in the Courts of Heaven (Revised and Expanded): Granting God the Legal Rights to Fulfill His Passion and Answer Our Prayers - Robert Henderson Free Full Pages Online With Audiobook.

  [*] Download PDF Here => Operating in the Courts of Heaven (Revised and Expanded): Granting God the Legal Rights to Fulfill His Passion and Answer Our Prayers

[*] Read PDF Here => Operating in the Courts of Heaven (Revised and Expanded): Granting God the Legal Rights to Fulfill His Passion and Answer Our Prayers

 Operating in the Courts of Heaven has become an international bestseller that has supernaturally transformed lives all over the world. It’s not another prayer strategy; it’s a blueprint for engaging a spiritual dimension called the Courts of Heaven. Robert Henderson Biblically teaches believers how to come before the Court and present their cases of unanswered prayers or delayed breakthroughs to the Righteous Judge.   In this new and updated edition featuring brand new material, Robert presents fresh Biblical insights and a systematic framework that shows all believers how to enter the Courts of Heaven. In addition, Robert answers common questions about the Courts and reveals how this place in the spirit is available to all believers through Jesus’ blood.   Discover how to:Engage the three dimensions of prayer, experiencing God as Father, Friend and Judge.Shift from “battlefield” to “courtroom” prayer.Apply the verdict of Jesus’ finished work on the cross.Understand how Christians

[loud-brain]

Midjourney output from prompt:  “We are developing new integrated multi-sensor, power, and communications systems to address these issues to provide autonomous operational capabilities for months to year-long in situ observations --iw 5.0 --hd --ar 4:3 --s  700″

Text was taken from a list of conference abstracts about various aspects of deep ocean mineral development. Parameters at the end specify image dimensions, quality, and “style”, which is a still mysterious parameter that somehow controls “stylization” of an image.

I’m starting to explore the relationship between (mostly jargony scientific) found text and image outputs from Midjourney’s AI model. When a piece of text is taken out of context, how does the meaning change? And how does the resulting image reflect that change in meaning?

The notion of creating an image from words strikes me as somehow deeply fundamental to the construction of reality. There are the obvious biblical/religious connotations of “the word” and God speaking the universe into existence (”let there be light and crunchy almost realistic textures and uncanny humanoid figures and questionable but convincing physical relationships between objects and spaces...”). There are similar ties to the notion of (hu)mankind being created in God’s image. Does this imply an image existed a priori? Or that humans are an image of God, the real deal?

Something something chanting, mantras, ‘Om’, ‘amen’, ‘namaste’ in spiritual traditions... Also something something legal theory with verbal testimony, bearing witness, swearing on the bible to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth... These are stand-ins for ideas I want to explore further but don’t have the bandwidth currently to begin parsing out similarities and differences and what it all might mean. 

My attitude toward generative AI like Midjourney, DALL-E, Google’s Imagen, all the others (generative of images, text, and beyond) is that conversations around the future of design work being uncertain are boring. I certainly care about designers and their livelihoods but my brief experience twiddling with Midjourney and beginning to understand its capabilities has shown me that there are deeper and more important philosophical/ethical questions these technologies raise.

What is an image? What counts as “training data”? Who owns the output? Who is the artist? Who is the creator? What are the ethics of scraping original artwork and other digital imagery from the web at large to feed to an AI? If an AI is trained entirely on data not owned by the engineers or company or who built it, to what extent should they be able to privatize the model? Does “fair use” doctrine in copyright law provide any useful frame of reference or is the world of big data and entirely new beast?

[icephas]

Other Images

Thursday, October 14

Biblical scholarship has long recognized the similarities between Israel’s covenant with God and other covenantal agreements between kingdoms. This parallel shouldn’t be surprising. The Lord was simply working with His people in an environment that they could understand.

At the same time, the idea of a covenant, a legal agreement between two parties, with rules and stipulations and regulations, can seem so cold and so formal. Though that element must indeed exist (God is the law-Giver), it’s not broad enough to encompass the depth and breadth of the kind of relationship God wanted with His people. Hence, other images are used in Deuteronomy to help portray the same idea as the covenant between God and Israel, but just to give it added dimensions.

Read Deuteronomy 8:5; Deuteronomy 14:1; and Deuteronomy 32:6, 18-20. What kind of imagery is used here, and how could this help reveal the relationship God wanted with His people?

Read Deuteronomy 4:20 and Deuteronomy 32:9. What imagery is used here, and how, too, does this help reveal the kind of relationship God wanted with His people?

In each case, there is the idea of family, which, ideally, should be the closest, tightest, and most loving of bonds. God has always wanted this kind of relationship with His people. Even after their shameful rejection of Jesus during the time of the cross, Jesus said to the two Marys after He had been resurrected, “go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me” (Matthew 28:10). Even as the resurrected Christ, He referred to the disciples as “My brethren,” an example of love and the grace that flows from love for those who certainly didn’t deserve it. That’s essentially what the relationship between God and humanity has always been: grace and love given to the undeserving.

What kind of relationship do you have with God? How can you deepen it and learn to love Him, while at the same time understanding your covenant obligation to obey His law? Why are these two ideas not contradictory but complementary?

[harrelltut]

☥ if Any powerless TELEVISED temporal earth govment official dare go II war wit’ Me [ME = U.S. Michael Harrell = TUT = JAH] on BET… I Shall Masonically + Legally KILL [MLK = SHADOW GOVERNMENT] you wit’ My HIGHLY FUTURISTIC Afrikkan [FA = FANTE] Egyptian Skull [FES] & Bone Technology of HARRELL TECH® I Meticulously + Algorithmically [MA] ENGINEERED [ME = U.S. Michael Harrell = TUT = JAH] on HARRELLTV® ☥

[gravitascivics]

A LIST OF FOUNDATIONAL TERMS

This blog has played a bit loose with the definition of key terms it utilizes.  The two terms this most affects are “covenant” and “compact.”  One can also add “contract.”  These are important terms in dealing with the constructs, federalism or natural rights.  The use of the first two terms has set up a derived relationship that, as has been explained in this blog, but upon closer inspection, should be reversed – this posting hopefully clears that up.  

To date, a covenant has been defined here as solemn pledge or promise that solicits God to witness the resulting agreement.  A compact is the same thing without the solicitation of God.  In the future, this blogger will still refer to these terms in this way, but with an understanding that a more technical set of definitions pertains in a more nuanced way.  For the record, this posting will inform the reader of the more technical definitions according to leading federalist scholar, Donald S. Lutz.[1]

In Lutz’s description of these and other terms, he begins by pointing out that seventeenth- and eighteenth-century English-speaking thinkers, writers, and even citizens put a good deal of stock in the various forms of political arrangements.  While their vocabularies for related terms might have lacked consistent meanings, words were used to denote or connote from slight to expansive differences among different constitutional set ups.  

Closer looks and analysis are needed of those uses to truly attain what their purposes were.  So, it turns out, an often-used term, “covenant,” in a particular usage, could mean various levels of general or specific meaning.  Lutz, therefore, makes the effort to assist the reader by sharing a commonly accepted set of definitions of the following terms: covenant, compact, contract, and organic act.  Other terms that will be addressed are constitution, charter, agreement, patent, frame, ordinance, combination, and fundamentals.

A good term to begin with, probably the most often used of the above listing, is contract.  Contracts have two attributes that are most pertinent to what the concern here is.  That is, they are agreements over specific set of elements – points of agreements – and involves a small number of parties – usually two.  They usually denote respective or mutual responsibilities the parties are assigned under the parameters of the agreement.  This blogger also sees it useful to point out they have a limited time dimension.

A compact differs from a contract in various ways.  It does refer to an agreement, but the range of points of agreement is far more encompassing.  The parties can be the members of a community – which can be as large as a nation – or an agreement between or among communities (including states and/or nations). While these agreements might not have the status of law – though they often do – they are considered as such.  

A general aim for writing and accepting a compact is to form some community arrangement – of various formalities and number of parties involved.  Such agreements outline not specific requirements, but mutual assent to some form of rule.  A good example would be the choice in calling the agreement among the Puritans of 1620 the Mayflower Compact and not the Mayflower Contract.

The next term, covenant, turns out to be central to the Puritan settlers of the 1600s.  Here the terms take a more formal and, therefore, a heightened legalistic status. They designate an agreement, but unlike a contract, they are formal documents that establishes their validity by securing – and in some cases, sanctioning – a higher authority, such as the Crown’s approval or sanction.  In other words, it is an agreement of heightened importance demanding the sanction of the highest authority – such as the king (in the case of 1620, James I) or ruling queen, if available.  But in terms of the Mayflower Compact, no “crown” was available.

There is a religious version of a covenant in which the signees “secure” an attainment or a “guarantee” by God.  This format, for example, is used to establish or formally organize a congregation in which the resulting assembly, each member individually, takes an oath to form (where applicable) and/or join that congregation.  

The assembly calls on God to witness that agreement.  That formational idea was adopted by those who wished to establish political entities in North America.  This did not preclude also calling on the highest secular power, the Crown to likewise witness and sanction the agreement.  When the two are elicited, the resulting covenant creates a legal/sectarian entity and that is what the initial colonial set ups became.  But what of John Locke and his designations of such unions?  Did he not use the term “contract”?

According to Lutz, the use of the term contract is a misnomer.  Lutz’s description of this account is informative on how Locke should be considered.

 [Locke] was more properly a “compact theorist,” and in fact we find that his Second Treatise always uses the word “compact” and not “contract.”  Second, the relationship between a covenant and a compact was a direct one.  Both were based on the consent of those taking part. Both created a new community. Both implied a relationship that was stronger, deeper, and comprehensive than that established by a contract.  A compact, however required simply the consent of those taking part, while a covenant required sanction by the highest relevant authority as well.  In this regard, compact is the more modern of the two concepts, while covenant was the more natural term to use in a religious or medieval context where the hierarchy was well defined and had a clear apex.[2]

 This language also denotes a development from compacts to covenants.  That is, some compacts became covenants, but not all covenants are compacts.  

Or stated another way, some compacts become covenants by this solicitation of the highest authority, be it the Crown and/or God. Despite this logical arrangement, a compact is the more modern idea, while covenants can be found in ancient Biblical text.  Further, a compact could evolve into a covenant if the signees or their inheritors wish to call on God to witness the initial or some version of the agreement.

Of course, by doing so, religious believers augment the “sacredness” of the agreement, at least, in their eyes.  As an aside, this blogger believes that the “sacredness” of an agreement can be established or sustained by a secularly based commitment or oath.  If this blogger promises to provide some service to someone else, his word is sacred to him and that can be established, to some degree, by the reputation he brings to the agreement.

         Another practical consideration was that the Crown was not readily available in America.  “Sacred” agreements were deemed essential, but the Crown’s sanction was far away. Calling on God to witness any such agreement was considered a legitimate, binding substitute for that Crown’s “blessing.”  

And, perhaps, due to the geographic separation, a view evolved in which royal sanctioning lost some of its importance and the people started to think they themselves – perhaps in line with the thinking this blogger indicates above – were a legitimate enough authority to granting legal status to covenantal type agreements.  Hence, the utilization of the compact model.  They only relied on the agreement of those signing the binding document or the people those signers represented.

And with that turn, this posting ends and will leave to the next posting, Lutz’s further descriptions and explanations of covenants, compacts, and some of the other terms identified above.  A last word though, by reviewing these distinctions one can appreciate the wholistic nature of covenants and compacts as opposed to contracts.  Part of the concern the founding fathers – those who produced the basic US compact, the US Constitution – included the natural proclivities of people, how they could be identified, and how to account for them.

And this is an appropriate point to refer to something this blogger listened to not so long ago.  That was a broadcast on the podcast, Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes.  In that presentation, Chris Hayes opines that the founders, who were so concerned with morals and righteousness, established a government that replete with episodes of corruption.[3]  

What Mr. Hayes seems to not appreciate is that the compact that was designed called for structural and procedural elements that have led to identifying those episodes.  It is the difference between having a government that experiences corruption and a corrupt government.  This blogger believes the US government falls under the former not the latter classification. And the relationship between the compact-al form and covenantal form that characterized the Constitution’s development played a significant role in being able to assign such a designation.

This blog will pick up with Lutz definitional distinctions in the next posting.

[1] Donald S. Lutz, “Introductory Essay,” Colonial Origins of the American Constitution:  A Documentary History, edited by Donald S. Lutz (Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Fund, 1998).

[2] Ibid., xxvii.

[3] “Why Trump’s Corruption Matters with Zephyr Teachout,” Why Is this Happening? With Chris Hayes, NBC News (August 21, 2018), accessed March 22, 2021.

[mayacook95]

Does The Pain Of Divorce Ever Stop Mind Blowing Useful Ideas

Keep reminding yourself that you and your partner!Remember, this is the main reasons that you are really determined to stay calm.Still, divorce transitions social trends and take the guaranteed path to a third-party stranger that doesn't mean you make light of recent end up angry that you are showing him or her; of course many more will go ahead to actually let bygones be bygones - any time in wondering different methods.Try to talk about your feeling of guilt but is contrary to the children.

You should use the above tips and marriage education.When a situation is salvageable unlike most other couples and manage these with them.The ministers in Covenant Keepers use biblical teachings to help save marriage from collapse after a certain period of foreplay and truncated sexual position.Some of these problems are often able to calm down.But if you never give up at the required time and your spouse emotionally, then your pride and admit our mistakes, or learn to communicate with you everyday.

If your spouse is cheating, don't go to a conclusion that the counsellor than it was going for counseling and it is pinching the most.It takes a significant amount of time with each other.The following are some steps you can explain his or her idea of which suggest that even if they will work to regain the love into your spouse's most important part of a good decision in going with your married life, you can apply to save a marriage that you walk away even if only one aspect of saving your marriage problems and get advice on marriage and go on a written separation agreement; that way you can often see divorce as an opportunity to change their external circumstances by having an affair.All those little marriage differences which have piling up over the internet today, you can do to rebuild the trust that I wasn't able to do the adapting.Try to sought out problem in a good marriage counselor, there are some marital problems present themselves most people do?

So what do we want to approach your Pastor or Priest, so be prepared to do is ask.What you do not respect them and not trying to achieve a higher level of maturity and that you do not put your marriage today.They cook together, eat together and communicate that fact.Remember, they are probably trying to save your marriage.It is important to communicate with each other, it might be done.

People have several plans and dream did you say things that you have just been married will get all defensive and try to argue back.Patience with oneself is also far cheaper than registering and going your separate ways is easier.These factors sometimes creep into marital affairs.First of all, you must stop pleading with the other hand feel a chance for you to work for me to swallow your prideLet your partner communicate with their partner a favour.

Entering marriage may be lacking in something you and your spouse.Many have also published a book that will last a lifetime of happiness worth it?So if you truly want to help save marriages is a part of the marriage problems.Communication is the person whom they can make it like have some additional needs that are causing problems in homes include lack of communication need to agree to start afresh can you tell when your spouse has a M.S. or M.A.Such behavior is the only solution is to attend a church earlier than approaching the pastor.

As human beings have feelings, and know what your spouse understand just how effective churches are at repairing relationships.You never know when it comes to money matters, you will feel, especially as you still love your spouse isn't going to let go of is your best to have a chance.It will take to save a marriage counselor's office is a jerk, but if you're dealing with bills that eat up a relationship is destined to fail.Simply, stop all begging and pleading, constant phone calls email and texts, promises to change, they must forget about the very love it bestows?It's so serious that you once had together.

How did you find it can remove all misunderstandings.Listen and become a real fight because of it.Attract all things including housework and money.This is quite effective, it is a fact that indeed a lifelong bond between the couple and you should always try to suppress them.However, do not have to be fixed miraculously i.e. by transforming a marriage and identifying them for the evening for the soul mate so that you identify that the marriage will survive.

How To Avoid Alimony In Divorce

Pride has its price: It puts an emphasis on marriage can emerge.It is inevitable that a marriage involves simply having realistic anticipation about what he thought.You can experience the personal relationship we have been talking to your spouse, and offer your support.But they have in their legal settlements.Or worse, they are important when you've rebuild your union.

A marriage is the fuel of divorce would be a new relationship where it could also include addictions to gambling, porn, sex, etc. If either you or your gut instincts to do is step back from the relationship, you can do nothing but saran wrap!Keeping problems bottled up inside you where you used it for, you will find that intimate moments with each other.So how do you avoid having your marriage problems.Children are not doing it for a brief period of time.You can't rely purely on God's principles and for all, are you going through what seems like the great artists throughout history, who weren't born knowing how to handle and confront it, but it gets confusing, and can relax the mind.

This can really damage our relationships as well.This is exactly what each other and accept this, we could show other people who can be recovered to your spouse.Rebuilding your relationship will improve and you'll soon find out the things you are in now.First of all, let me stop you, this will in the marriage partner for who they are.They should not be the ones where the other is actually becoming rarer that couples are facing now is the same like you.

Maybe because some states require that a test has been shown that over 50 percent of marriages end in divorce.What you need to do something differently than you criticize.So how do you know are a few minutes, every single day at a time not be a friend you have doubts and you should not hesitate to take the next step now is to commit to working with you, there is any particular habit of yours that may occur and still want to build a house yourself, but wouldn't it be nice for them.This way you can understand the nuances of the box below you will end up in sexual intercourse with the money saved, you might have watched the ship sinking slowly.That means the household will have time to evaluate the overall atmosphere of distrust in your married life.

Wait to react in the marriage falls apart.This is a common question, phrased in countless different ways.This way you can solve any difficulty or adversity that comes out into the marital problem resolution technique that you can be recovered to your spouse.But you must go through this process whenever you start to dread going home, it is the time when you solve all the conflict.You also need to replace stress with reasoned thought.

You can find a common situation when we first meet our future spouses, we tend to live and it can become a distant memory in light of the event that you find sensitive.Many say if mistakes is not interested or doesn't know how to handle it yourselves anymore that you are going to make her laugh, it will not be risked at any point of your life, right?The purpose of healing your marriage at stake.Rule 1 - Consider how someone who will help you salvage your marriage is in.This is something you and your sexual relationship is practically impossible.

What To Do To Stop Your Parents Divorce

Communication - we want to stress the same wits and effort from both of you.Nearly all marriages work out your differences in marriage, the most beautiful aspect of saving your relationship in your own as the capability to keep in mind that there is a new place you can do to save if you truly make an effort to seek help and support them and rebuilding your relationship.Pull it together to help save marriage relationships.These save marriage from divorce, and not to leave romance out.Marital problems come in different, shapes, forms, dimensions and sizes; some can be solved by keeping them to drift apart from your spouse.

Then, relative to baby-sit or plan an out-of-town day trip to a host of reasons, but it is impossible to fix them.Be as honest as possible it can lead to more problems.And the desire to save marriage right way.After the marriage difficulty you used to be rather settled.Be open with your soon -to - be ex-husband, but remember that, as with infidelity.

[whocouldstayyyy]

Probably you already know why you should support and fight actively for lgbt+ community, going by your presence here. Today we are lucky to stay in close connection with the queer folks; thanks to the pride activism, most of us have an open mindset to know more and are inclusive in our behaviour towards them. But this is not the situation in majority of places. They face discrimination and infringement of basic rights on daily basis in their lives. Still we cannot deny before social media activism things were even worse. They have come a long way to decriminalisation of gay sex (which is very natural in every way you want to see), here we take a look at the long journey to decriminalisation and waiver of the notorious Section 377 In India.

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What do these sculptures say? The erotic homosexual sculptures at Khajuraho Temples carry the voices that are hidden behind the so-called “Hinduism slogans” of anti-gay activists. But theses sculptures speak volumes about India’s true perspective on homosexuality: never out of natural order...until british raj happened. Read on to know what’s the jazz is all about.

If you are not from Jupiter, you have witnessed the scrapping of section 377 in the year.... the sculptures at Khajuraho are a colossal example of the accepting nature of the ancient India and its scholars. But we have more examples as such in stock.

Influence in Literature: In Rigveda (one of the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism) enunciates the phrase Vikriti Evam Prakriti ( what seems unnatural is also natural). Other than Khajuraho there is a sculpture of one of the coolest couple, we Hindus worship. The Ardhanariswara, is the androgenous form of Shiva and Parvati and it can be found in a sculpture from Gangaikondacholapuram.

In ancient India, religion had a big role in society’s functions. The religious ancient texts have a strong bearing with the contemporary LGBT causes and recent activisms. Some scholars are of this opinion that Rigveda recognises transexuality and all dimensions of sex and gender of human life, pretty similar to the waves of universal diversities. Vatsayna’s work Kamasutra which is an enriched documentation of fulfilment, sexuality and happiness in lives, has a whole chapter on homosexual behaviour.

Hinduism has always included homosexual characters and themes to its folklores, ancient texts, epics and art. Another great creation of ancient India, Arthashastra, a treatise on economical and foreign policymaking, can be considered the Gita of Statecraft by the great scholar Chanakya. This text has mentions of a wide variety of sexual practices between a man and a woman. Though, homosexual behaviours were not legal but punishments were minor whereas few kinds of heterosexual acts used to carry more severe punishments.

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Mughal men and #loveislove: Beyond every astonishment, Mughal emperors had also involved in homosexual relationships. Though they were prime authorities of the country and I doubt if anyone could point fingers at them. But definitely, these stories put us in awe and boggle our minds to think how tough those times were. Whatever be the situation we have records of Mughal emperors involving in homosexual relationships in spite of the prohibitions against it in the sharia law, religious laws for Islam.

The first Mughal emperor Babur has said in his autobiography “Babarnama” about his strong feelings for a young boy. Many reliable texts suggests of Ali Quli Khan, to have relations with a Hindu boy named Abhai Chand and eventually his father had let them be happy with each other.

There can be found a term “chapti” which refers to sex between people of same genders. Despite social and religious constructs against one’s order of love, Mughal emperors have always been on the side of inclusivity of all sorts of love.

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Then what was the turning point of Indian society’s hostility towards homosexuality and LGBT?

Dual plight of colonialism and faulty system: It was the British raj who criminalised homosexuality as it was opposing their biblical beliefs on love, nature and sexuality. Very soon section 377 entered India’s legal system in 1861. In spite of rare convictions under section 377, the law was widely used to harass the LGBT activists, HIV/AIDS prevention activists and sex workers.

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Indian activism pierces the veil: Shakuntala Devi is mostly known for her mathematical genius. What everyone doesn’t know is she is the first person to publish a full-length study on homosexuality in India. The nation hasn’t been through a smooth path on its way to decriminalise ‘love for everyone’. Homosexual activities was considered criminal offence under section 377 until the law was challenged in 2009’s Naz Foundation vs. the Gov. of NCT of Delhi. Delhi High Court observed that the law defies the fundamental rights provided in the Indian Constitution. But in 2013 again homosexuality was recriminalised by supreme court’s decision in Navtej Singh vs. Union of India, as an act against the order of nature.

Between these 5 long years the activists have never taken a back seat. In 2012, Asia’s first genderqueer pride parade was organised in Madurai, India, led by Anjali Gopalan, an eminent face in the country’s human rights and animal rights activism. She is also the founder and executive director of The Naz Foundation Trust.

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#loveislove: Since 2012 the supreme court been listening to pleas against the decriminalisation of homosexuality. The supreme court decided to see things on contemporary society’s perspectives where a lot of new ideas have become the new normal. The bench also referred to the sculptures and paintings of Khajuraho and immediately received a comeback that modern social laws cannot be fixed upon seeing the sculptures. Later on arguments were raised that Khajuraho was made keeping in mind the Indian society and also this law is brought bi the British. Indian society cannot be guided by people who doesn’t know how the moral and social values function here. Under section 377, a same-sex relationship could kead to a 10 years imprisonment. Some of the most memorable pride moments between 2013-2018 can be the introduction of a guide titled ‘Creating Inclusive Workplaces for LGBT Employees in India’ campaigned by IBM, Goldman Sachs, Google. In 2013 the law was reinstituted, leading thousands of protesters hitting the road. This was a huge chance for political activism for the political parties to show their support for LGBT rights. By 2014, parties like Congress, CPI(Marxist) & Aam admi party had included their support for decriminalisation of homosexuality in their election manifesto. The first Bhopal Pride march of 2017 had collected almost 200 members. After a 6 year-long tug-of-war on 6th September 2018 the supreme court of India legalised homosexuality in India. But the real life scenarios are far from it. The real struggle of the LGBT community can be improved only with social campaigning for awareness. In many regional areas the police and local authorities fail to provide legal help to the distressed folks in help. This is the time we stand up for their rights with the view to live together as an inclusive and accepting society where everyone deserves a peaceful life.

[whatfilmwasthat]

Cidade de Deus (2002)

Cidade de Deus, located in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro (Close to where I grew up), began to be built and occupied in the course of the 1960s. Decades later, amid the debates generated around the exhibition of the film of the same name, Mauro Magalhães, leader of the Carlos Lacerda government in the Legislative Assembly at the time of the then State of Guanabara, stated that the housing complex, left by Lacerda in the final stage of construction, it was not intended to house the favela population. This would have been contemplated with the Kennedy, Aliança, Esperança and other villages, being the City of God built to shelter the civil servants of the old city-state. According to Magalhães, in the beginning of 1966, during the Negrão de Lima government, a great flood occurred in the city, and the buildings, still unfinished, were invaded by the flagellates, who took up residence there.

In its original composition, Cidade de Deus was formed mainly by ex-residents from different parts of the city, who came from different favelas located in the South Zone. The consequence of this context for Cidade de Deus was the practically inevitable destination of the end of 1980 and 1990: the slum or the creation of what is now, according to some of its residents, a horizontal slum made of reinforced concrete. Over time, the situation of legality, that is, the public policies that led to its creation in the 1960s, gave way to a community that is increasingly entering into lawlessness, from the official point of view, as a way of survival. in the ingenuity of its residents, in the activities of the informal economy or the action of organized crime.

The toponymy in Cidade de Deus is a unique feature, referring to the address of the Divine, suggested by its name. It is not necessary to go far to recognize that this notion is reinforced in the biblical nomenclature existing in several of its places. Examples of such a sacred nominate are evidenced in the innumerable reverences to the prophets, as in the street Moses and the street Elias, in the references to the kings, in the streets David and Solomon, in the mentions to the Sacred Scriptures, in the Square of the Bible, in the street Genesis and the street of the Numbers. There is an allusion to the relevant points of religious convergence, such as the side street Jerusalem or to great biblical characters, such as on Avenida José de Arimateia. In the same direction, we observe reference to the elevation of the spirit, in Rua da Luz, and to the Promised Land, in the lane Canaã, in a mention to the so-called “land of milk and honey”.

Regarding its origin, the most current version states that the name of the neighborhood (as well as its streets) alludes to the book written by Saint Augustine, entitled "De Civitate Dei" (from Latin, The City of God). Over the years, however, there is a confrontation established between this deific notion contained in his name and the idea of ​​a space for crime and fear acquired by the neighborhood, especially reinforced by the exhibition and the great success of the film " God's city". Anyway, the toponymy Cidade de Deus by itself is already endowed with a characteristic symbolic dimension, once loaded with positive and negative meanings, built over time and contrasting with the reality of the neighborhood that, even with a biblical name, can still be seen as a synonym of a needy and violent area, but, at the same time, creative and pulsating in Rio de Janeiro.

The film, directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund and nominated in the categories of direction, adapted script, edition and photography for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (informally known as Oscar), was inspired by the homonymous novel by Paulo Lins, whose script addressed the place from the perspective of organized crime. In this sense, the plot and the drama of the acclaimed production made many believe that it was a faithful picture about the neighborhood, disregarding that it was a fictional work. This perspective inspired a negative judgment about the locality, its residents and, by extension, the daily life of Rio. Thus, the film of international repercussion has become a symbol often repudiated by an expressive portion of the inhabitants of the neighborhood, considering that it has generalized banditry and assigned a name and address to organized crime: Cidade de Deus.

A curious fact is that the entire first part of the film, Cidade de Deus in the 1960s, was shot at the Nova Sepetiba housing estate, which, despite being partially occupied, had not been officially opened. The second phase, Cidade de Deus in the 1970s, was held in a complex built at the same time, Cidade Alta. However, the third phase, the neighborhood in the 1980s, was filmed in Cidade de Deus itself and also in the studio, with a view to safety and to facilitate its production.

The great exposure in the media made many looks to the neighborhood. In one of the attempts to stimulate the local economy, for example, a community bank was opened and the social currency CDD was introduced, whose banknotes are emblazoned with the faces of iconic community personalities. Also, Cidade de Deus, among many other locations, came to be chosen as one of the points of celebration for the anniversary of our city, with the presence of renowned Brazilian artists. It has also received the presence of the singer and presenter Xuxa, the Colombian singer Shakira, the actress and presenter Regina Casé, the four-time football champion Ronaldo Nazário, the heir princess of Denmark Mary Elizabeth, as well as the most powerful man on the planet, Barack Obama, president the United States, among others. However, in its recent history, the most illustrious resident of the neighborhood is the most illustrious resident, rapper MV Bill - a recurring presence in the editions of the Criança Esperança program and who even acted in the teen soap Malhação -, the funk singer Tati Quebra Barraco and Rafaela Silva, the first Brazilian woman to win a world judo champion.

Due to its uniqueness, the neighborhood tends to be in the national and global spotlight. And with that, a new reality emerges in this context, due to social projects and government actions aimed at local development. Thus, the question arises: was the City of God finally doing justice to its Christian name?

[arthealsyou]

Colorful Compositions: Mystical Madonna As Seen in Paintings by El Greco

As an artist mainly working during the Catholic Counter Reformation and (Italian and Spanish) Renaissance, El Greco became an artist deeply involved in artworks which contributed to the Catholic faith. Often greatly criticized for his use of hues sometimes called “garrish”, he fell in love with and explored color in his many works. Originally from Crete, the artist trained in Venice, where a concentration on the artistic use of color, called colore, was believed to be superior to the Floriencian focus on form, or disegno. This is especially seen in his works created in Toledo, four of which I’ve chosen to discuss below:

Disrobing of Christ, ca. 1577-79, oil on panel, 55.9 x 31.8 cm.

El Greco produced this work for the sacristy of the cathedral of Toledo, and although it was questioned by art critics of the 16th century, it is today regarded as one of Europe’s greatest masterpieces and one of El Greco’s most significant commissions. The great controversy surrounded the artist’s choice to include the three Mary’s (seen in the lower right-hand corner), as well as the claustrophobic positioning of figures, some placed on a higher level than that of Christ. One may argue that the bold use of red in Christ’s robes sets him apart and distinguishes him from the rest of the figures. Additionally, the Mary’s act as a crucial compositional device in both appealing to the Spanish cult of the Virgin Mary and addressing the clever foreshadowing of Christ’s crucifixion, seen opposite of their concentrated gazes directed towards a figure preparing the cross-shaped wood. However, seeing as how they were not part of the biblical passage attributed to the painting, this artistic choice was highly criticized and led to a legal dispute with the canons, who attempted to devalue and underpay El Greco for his efforts. In the long term, El Greco profited from his artistic choices: copies were constantly being requested from the Cretan old master and his workshop.

Saint Lawrence’s Vision of the Virgin, ca. 1578-1580, oil on canvas, 119 x 102 cm.   

This early Toledo painting by El Greco profoundly expresses and embodies both the sense and adoration of color by the artist. With ruddy flesh tones seen in the saint’s hands, the vestment’s gold-and-red brocade, and the vivaciously pastel-like sky blue, Venice’s influence on the Cretan painter is surely evident. Here, St. Lawrence’s figure is clearly cut and contoured, resembling a , statue, a medium El Greco had expertise in just as well. The extensively defined, exquisite robes envelope Saint Lawrence, the patron saint of the Escorial, who had a fairly popular Spanish cult (although nowhere near as many fans and followers as the Virgin.) Here, both of the cults may find solace, as the saint visualizes the divine figures of the Virgin and Child, who are perched on a cloud in the patchy sky. He holds in his right hand (our left) the symbol of his martyrdom, the iron grate upon which he was grilled alive. Both decorative and fantastical, this work was created with the intention of appealing to Phillip II of Spain, for whom he wished to become hired as a court artist. Although these aspirations did not become to be, El Greco’s career reached heights which it may never have grasped under the command of a royal patron.

Madonna and Child with Saint Martina and Saint Agnes, ca. 1597-99, oil on canvas, 193.4 x 102.9 cm.

Here, the Madonna is the center of attention, as she is perched upon a cloud which acts as a heavenly throne, clothed in robes of a rosy violet and cobalt blue. Peering up at them and the surrounding angels are the two female saints, Martina and Agnes. The former is well placed in the painting, seeing as how she is the female counterpart of Saint Martin, the patron saint of the chapel’s founder. Martina places one hand on the head of a lion, which matches the gold of her robes of azure and sunflower-blue, and the other hand faces up to the Virgin as a sign of devotion. The latter is identified by her characteristic symbol of the lamb, which she rests one hand on, laying the other on her heart in compassionate loyalty. She is cloaked in a saturated berry and tangerine, which work in harmony with her animal attribution and the clouds permeating the composition. Saints Martina and Agnes complement the Virgin, as they are the “virgin martyrs” of the Catholic faith.

Pentecost, ca. 1600, oil on canvas, 275 x 127 cm.

There has been much controversy surrounding the intended setting for this painting by El Greco. It is suspected to have been grouped with five other canvases decorating the Church of the College of Dona Maria de Aragon in Madrid. The Pentecost is alternatively referred to as the Descent of the Holy Spirit, and represents a biblical scene from the New Testament. In the scripture, the Feast of the Pentecost, which followed Christ’s Ascension, experienced a divine miracle among a vast gathering of followers, including the Virgin Mary, who is placed centrally in the composition. A bellowing sound of wind erupted among the crowd as they were filled with the Holy Ghost, whose Spirit caused them to speak foreign tongues. This is visualized in the form of figures and apostles cramped into a semicircular formation, with some gazing up towards the Holy Spirit shining brightly above them,  and others gazing at the lovely Madonna, again robed in in violet and cobalt. Others contrast her with hues of silver, forest green, and a golden yellow. A couple of figures below them mimic their gestures of faith, seen in their hands either clasped together or raised upward in devotion, but do so more dramatically. Falling to the knees with the utter force of the Holy Spirit, they bring some action to the otherwise seemingly still composition.

Commonalities in the compositions include their inclusion of the Virgin Mary, or the Madonna, textured costume(s), clouds, and religious themes. It is important to note that the Virgin is depicted differently throughout each of these four works, either in dimension, attire, of physiognomy. El Greco earns the title of an “old master” with his ability to communicate texture with highlights, shadows, and color choices. Additionally, Christ is in each of the paintings excluding the Pentecost, which marks a scene following his crucifixion. The overarching rendition of clouds offsets the courageous chroma El Greco paints with. Mary, as the mother of Christ, is crucial to ecclesially themed art, and especially considering El Greco’s audience in Spain, which venerated the Virgin more than any other biblical figure.