#but because my family is not really practicing in that way my personal religious background is cofe

[bottomoftheriverbed]

Both sides of my family view religion as an incredibly personal thing so even if they're religious they tend not to talk about it a lot and church attendance is very much not mandatory and there is no greater example of this than the fact that we don't actually know whether or not my dad was baptised. He has an invitation to his uncle asking to be his godfather so we know what church he would have been baptised in (interestingly it's an anglican church in his mother's hometown rather than his local church - presumably a compromise between my (anglican) grandfather and my (baptist) great grandmother) but because his uncle hasn't signed it we're not actually a 100% sure he was in fact baptised.

[writingwithcolor]

[Running Commentary] Zombies are Zombies: Cultural Relativism, Folklore, and Foreign Perspectives

She obviously started getting into media in Japan, and (from my research into Japanese media and culture), Japan’s movies about zombies are mostly comedic, since due to traditional funerary practices the idea of zombies bringing down society is ridiculous to a lot of Japanese people. 

Rina: OP, this you? https://www.tofugu.com/japan/japanese-zombies/

Marika: Counterpoint: Parasite Eve. Resident Evil. The Evil Within. 

Rina: Literally all the grody horror game franchises that people forget were developed and written by Japanese people because the characters have names like “Leon Kennedy” and “Sebastian Castellanos” 

~ ~ ~

Based on the reception we received the last time we did one of these, the Japanese moderator team returns with another running commentary. (They’re easier to answer this way) (Several of Marika’s answers may be troll answers)

Our question today pertains to foreign perspectives on folklore—that is, how people view folklore and stories that aren’t a part of their culture. CW: for anything you’d associate with zombies and a zombie apocalypse, really.

Keep reading for necromancy, horror games, debunking the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, Hong Kong jiangshi films, Japanese disaster prep videos, and Vietnamese idol pop...

Essentially, in my story there’s an organization who wants to end the world. They think this one woman in particular, a woman of mixed Vietnamese (irreligious, Kinh) and Japanese descent who spent her formative years in Japan, is the person to do it because she’s (for lack of a better term) a necromancer; powers are semi-normal in this world. She prefers not to use her powers overall, but when she does she mostly talks to ghosts and spirits that are giving people issues. She could technically reanimate a corpse but she wouldn’t because she feels that would be morally wrong, not to mention she couldn’t start a zombie apocalypse in the traditional sense (plague, virus, etc.) in the first place. 

(Marika (M): Your local public health officials would like to assure necromancers that reviving the dead will not provoke a zombie apocalypse. This is because necromancy is a reanimation technique, and not a pathogenic vector. Assuming that the technique does not release spores, airborne viruses, gasses, or other related physical matter that can affect neighboring corpses in a similar way, there should be no issue. However, necromancers should comply with local regulations w/r to permitting and only raise the dead with the approval of the local municipality and surviving family.)

M: I think it makes sense for most people of E. Asian descent, including Japanese and Vietnamese people, to find it culturally reprehensible to reanimate the dead. I imagine the religious background of your character matters as well. What religion(s) are her family members from? How do they each regard death and the treatment of human remains? Depending on where she grew up, I’m curious on how she got opportunities to practice outside specialized settings like morgues.

M: It’s true, space in Japan is at a premium, even for the dead. You note that most of Japan cremates, but, surely, it must have occurred to you that if there aren’t that many bodies in Japan to raise…she doesn’t exactly have much opportunity to practice with her powers, does she? I yield to our Vietnamese followers on funerary customs in Vietnam, but you may want to better flesh out your world-building logic on how necromancy operates in your story (And maybe distinguish between necromancy v. channeling v. summoning v. exorcisms). 

She obviously started getting into media in Japan, and (from my research into Japanese media and culture), Japan’s movies about zombies are mostly comedic, since due to traditional funerary practices the idea of zombies bringing down society is ridiculous to a lot of Japanese people. 

Rina (R): OP, this you? https://www.tofugu.com/japan/japanese-zombies/

M: Counterpoint: Parasite Eve. Resident Evil. The Evil Within. 

R: Literally all the grody horror game franchises that people forget were developed and written by Japanese people because the characters have names like “Leon Kennedy” and “Sebastian Castellanos” 

R: And yes, the Tofugu article uses Resident Evil and those games to support its theory, with the reason that they are set in the West. But that only suggests that Japanese people consider zombies a Western thing, not that Japanese people consider zombies nonthreatening if they were to exist. 

M: Same with vampires - series like Castlevania also use Western/ European settings and not “Vampires in Japan '' because vampires just aren't part of our folklore.

(M: Also, realistically, these series deal with individuals who quickly perish after their bodies are used as hosts for the pathogen in question, rather than the pathogen reanimating a corpse. Although the victims are initially alive, they soon succumb to the pathogen/ parasite and their organic matter then becomes an infectious vector for the disease. It should be noted, infecting ordinary, living humans with viruses to grant them elevated powers, is not only a major violation of consent and defies all recommendations made by the Belmont Report (in addition to a number of articles in the Hague Convention w/r to the use of WMDs) and is unlikely to be approved by any reputable university’s IRB committee. This is why the Umbrella Corporation are naughty, naughty little children, and honestly, someone should have assassinated Wesker for the grant money.)

R: wwww

From what I know Vietnam didn’t have a zombie movie until 2022. 

R: Do you mean a domestically produced zombie movie? Because Vietnamese people have most certainly had access to zombie movies for a long time. The Hong Kong film Mr. Vampire (1985) was a gigantic hit in Southeast Asia; you can find a gazillion copies of this movie online with Viet subs, with people commenting on how nostalgic this movie is or how they loved it as a kid. 

M: “Didn’t have a [domestic] zombie movie” is not necessarily the same thing as “Would not have made one if the opportunity had arisen.” None of us here are personifications of the Vietnamese film industry, I think it’s safe to say we couldn’t know. Correlation is not causation. It’s important to do your research thoroughly, and not use minor facts to craft a narrative based on your own assumptions.

(R: …Also, I did find a 2017 music video for “Game Over” by the Vietnamese idol Thanh Duy which features… a zombie apocalypse.)

(R: The MV has a very campy horror aesthetic and zombie backup dancers (which I love, everyone please watch this lol). But the scenes at the beginning and end where people are biting their fingers watching a threatening news report clearly establish that the zombies are considered a threat.)

So at one point, she laughs about the idea and remarks how ridiculous it is to think zombies could end the world. What I’m struggling with are other ways to show her attitude on the issue because I’d assume most non-Japanese readers wouldn’t get why she thinks like that. Are there any other ways to show why she thinks this way, especially ones that might resonate more with a Japanese reader?

R: The problem is this does not resonate in the first place. Your line of thinking is too Sapir-Whorf-adjacent. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, otherwise known as linguistic relativity theory, claims that language shapes cognition—that you can’t conceive of something if you can’t express it in your language. This is a very weak theory that you can easily bring evidence against: think of the last time you felt an emotion you had a hard time putting into words; just because you didn’t have the language for it doesn’t mean that you didn’t feel it, nor does it mean that you won’t be able to understand or recognize it if you feel it again. Similarly, it’s not a sound assumption to say that if some kind of subject matter does not exist in a culture, then people of that culture couldn't possibly conceive of it. This excerpt from linguist Laura Bailey sums it up quite well. 

M: Just because ghosts may be more culturally relevant doesn’t mean that zombies (or vampires, or whatever) are nonexistent in a Japanese or Vietnamese person’s imagination when it comes to horror and disaster.

R: Really,  if anything, Japanese people are much more attuned to how easily a society’s infrastructure can be destroyed by a disruptive force without adequate preparation. Japan is natural disaster central. A Japanese person would know better than anyone that if you aren’t prepared for a zombie epidemic—yeah it’s gonna be bad. 

M: Earthquakes, tsunami, typhoon, floods: Japan has robust disaster infrastructure out of necessity. 防災 or bousai, meaning disaster preparedness is a common part of daily life, including drills at workplaces, schools, and community organizations. Local government and community agencies are always looking for ways to make disaster and pandemic preparedness relevant to the public.

M: Might “zombie apocalypse prep as a proxy for disaster prep” be humorous in an ironic, self-deprecating way? Sure, but it’s not like Japanese people are innately different from non-Japanese people. Rather, by being a relatively well-off country practiced at disaster preparation with more experience than most parts of the world with many different types of disasters (and the accompanying infrastructure), it likely would seem more odd to most Japanese people within Japan to not handle a zombie apocalypse rather like might one handle a combination of a WMD/ chemical disaster+pandemic+civil unrest (all of which at least some part of Japan has experienced). Enjoy this very long, slightly dry video on COVID-19 safety procedures and preparedness using the framing device of surviving a zombie apocalypse.

M: Living in Los Angeles, I’ve often experienced similar tactics. We do a fair amount of advance and rehearsed disaster prep here as well. In elementary school, the first and last days of class were always for packing and unpacking home-made disaster packs, and “zombie apocalypse” simulations have been around since I was in middle school for all kinds of drills, including active shooter drills, like the one shown in this LAT article. The line between “prepper” and “well prepared” really comes down to degree of anxiety and zeal. So, it wouldn’t be just Japanese people who might not be able to resonate with your scene. The same could be said for anyone who lives somewhere with a robust disaster prevention culture.

M: A zombie apocalypse is not “real” in the sense of being a tangible threat that the majority of the world lives in fear of waking up to (At least, for the mental health of most people, I hope so). Rather, zombie apocalypse narratives are compelling to people because of the feelings of vague, existential dread they provoke: of isolation, paranoia, dwindling resources, and a definite end to everything familiar. I encourage you to stop thinking of the way Japanese people and non-Japanese people think about vague, existential dread as incomprehensible to each other. What would you think about zombies if they actually had a chance of existing in your world? That’s probably how most Japanese people would feel about them, too.

[arbitrarygreay]

Simoun and MFS character comparison

Shout outs to @notonthisplanet for being the only other person who understands this crossover

There actually isn't very much of a one-to-one comparison between the ensembles of the two shows, which I honestly like. It's like one is a remix of the other. Everyone shares some traits and differs on others.

For one thing, the relationship between religion and the military is much more different, with the former taking precedence over the latter at the beginning of Simoun. The Sibylla priestesses only became vanguard soldiers because their uncontested firepower incentivized it when war broke out, not because they were as such in times of peace. On the other hand, this might be from an unreliable narrator place (young people with no institutional memory), as others said that Kyoukoku has been invaded countless times in the past, and no doubt that Simoun were deployed then, too. But that still speaks to a difference in the way the young of Simoun are propagandized to, compared to MFS, where the military part is pushed more than the pagan part.

Aaeru: Someone who volunteered for the front line and is gung-ho about being a soldier, like Tally. However, she's very much not an idealist or religious, shocking the Sibylla with how practically she treats war as a no-glory thing (more like Raelle). Aaeru is also pretty innocent when it comes to social dynamics and relationships (which doesn't map to anyone in MFS), despite coming from a fairly well-regarded lineage with her Chor Dextra grandparent. And, relevant to M, Aaeru wants to stay in the military in order to avoid choosing a gender.

Neviril: In an AU, she would be a Bellweather, as the shining scion from a prestigious government family, devoutly leading her Chor. But, Neviril is nothing like Abigail, as she is continually questioning why she should fight at all. There's not really a good MFS match for Amuria, either.

Paraietta is arguably closer to Abigail or Libba, also a leader who probably comes from a well off family, also struggling with getting torn out of her comfort zone by the realities of war. However, Paraietta as a character is defined by her one-sided pining, which was not something MFS was interested in.

Kaimu and Alti: lol. lmao, even. (They'd be High-Atlantics, though.)

Floe: Would be a High Atlantic, but otherwise, as my first post indicated is much like Tally. She's the Cordelia Chase of the show, taking no shit from anyone, not afraid to call everyone out, but is openly caring and empathetic. She also crushes on a boy for her focus episode, like Tally. Not to mention how she confidently strides into her future as Floef with so much swag. Her dynamic with Aaeru could potentially be compared to Tally/Raelle.

Rodoraemon: Extreeeeemely High Atlantic, but doesn't strut about it. Her storyline, of course, is mostly wrapped up in--

Mamiina: Comparable to Raelle and Scylla, as characters from a lower class background. Also comparable to Scylla as an outsider who is integrated into the group later. However, Mamiina's family ended up working for Rodoraemon's (rather than staying in the countryside), leading to their tragic class clash backstory. Mamiina's big thing is that she voluntarily joined the Sibylla as an avenue of climbing the ladder, which is obviously not a dynamic relevant to conscription-based MFS. And while she was pushed on Neviril as a suitor like the Imperatrix was pushing suitors on Abigail, Mamiina was gung-ho about that plan for aforementioned climbing the ladder reasons, unlike Gregorio.

Yun: Also an outsider, but actually known to be from the countryside (as she shares some unique cultural practices from her region with the others). An asshole (affectionate). Begins the show with a bit of a "die in battle" death wish like Raelle, but attaches a little more ideals to hers than Raelle (to die as a way to honor her fallen comrades). Those blondes, eh. And while she is an asshole, she never ducks out on training like Raelle did. Given her final arc trajectory, can also be compared to Tally's S2 journey, of replacing her world's immortal figure after coming to understand them intimately.

Rimone: Child prodigy like Khalida, though with no leadership experience, and comes into the show pretty naive about conflict. Her arc in Simoun is really more like a sports anime case, of the rising star rookie with the yips. She just wants to perform her craft as beautifully as she can, to push it as far as it can go, which might map more to, um, Izadora. And the closest thing MFS to that Rimone/Aaeru dynamic might be Tiffany/Scylla. (Honestly, Dominura/Rimone isn't much like Talder at all in terms of their relationship dynamic. One might even argue that a Dominura/Rimone Very Bad End would be more like Alder/Nicte.)

Dominura: Obviously can be compared to Alder for extremely spoilery reasons, but in the present, is more akin to Anacostia and M, as people in that age range between "new recruit" and "senior officer", who have the protagonists under their wing for a while. Unlike Anacostia and M, though, Dominura was pretty shit at being a mentor or leader lmao. Ironically, in that sense, Dominura's trajectory could be compared to Khalida, as a leader who came in desperately trying to compensate for her own uncertainty with an aggressive public attitude, who had to adjust her beliefs over time to better serve the ones she loved.

Morinas: An outsider without a pedigree who joined the Chor to give herself more time to figure herself out, which obviously doesn't map much to anyone in MFS. But I've written about how the execution of Morinas's arc in the show was probably the least effective of all of the Tempest crew.

Wapourif: Closest to Anacostia, as an older character who supported the protagonists, and previously had unquestioning belief in the system, but over the course of the show had to struggle those beliefs getting torn apart.

Can't really say that Anubituf/Guragief/Wauf map well to the senior officers of MFS (e.g. Petra, Clary, Verger) except as adult senior officer figures.

[yellowjacketslesbian]

What do you think Van's relationship with religion is like, before and after the crash?

hey!! I love this question because I actually have a whole hc for this!!!

pre-crash I hc that Van was raised catholic and went through catechism (with Nat & Laura Lee). I think she partially did confirmation because of family pressure, but also because I think she has always been someone who searches for meaning in the world around her, and I think she looked to the church as a way to find that meaning as a kid because it was all she knew. (I think Van's parents were probably more along the lines non-practicing catholics, and only really went to mass for major holidays, but they still really pushed for her to get confirmed to keep up appearances with extended family).

I think Van left the church sometime in middle school after she fully realized / came to terms with being a lesbian. (I personally hc that Van's dad left when she was 12 or 13 and her mom's issues got worse after, so she also didn't have the same family pressure to stay in the church). however, I believe she still held onto some of the mysticism of the church / saint lore, etc. she grew up with and she more was rejecting an organized religion she knew wouldn't accept her, rather than all of the beliefs (though I don't think she would necessarily admit that to herself).

as far as immediately pre-crash, I think Van probably used humor to cope and deflect from any religious trauma by high school and probably would have described herself as a recovered catholic / atheist, if it ever came up.

I also think having that common background of being raised catholic and rejecting that upbringing was something she bonded over with Taissa pre-crash (it's canon that at least Tai's grandmother was catholic). I can definitely picture them being their sarcastic selves together and making quips back and forth through an entire Christmas Eve midnight mass they both got dragged to.

I also think having that common background adds some additional context to their fight in the attic in S1E10. like if rejecting religion and supernatural explanations for the world around them, is something they bonded over, there's an added layer there when Van suddenly believes in this supernatural thing and Taissa is still firmly an atheist.

(I could write a whole thesis separate thesis here on why it makes so sense that Van believed so fervently in the supernatural element and embraced the cult practices as a way to make sense of that terrifying time in the wilderness, assuming a catholic upbringing. tldr: in my personal experience, it's fairly common for people who have dealt with specifically catholic religious trauma to be more susceptible to that type of influence because of the beliefs we were raised with).

anyway, post-crash I think Van struggled a lot to cope with the things they did in the wilderness and kind of just completely shut off all belief in anything instead of actually facing what they did. I also think she's going to go back to her belief in the wilderness after being cured of cancer in S3 because she never actually worked through any of her trauma, and therefore, is still very susceptible to falling back into that acolyte role.

also, if the crash never happened, I think Van would've been the type of recovered catholic who gets into like spirituality as a way to make sense of the world (tarot cards, astrology, etc.)

tldr: I think Van was raised catholic but is an atheist both pre and post-crash

[nonegenderleftpain]

this is maybe very hopeful, but i still find it in me to send an ask, hoping for the best... i hope to not waste too much of your time with this

as someone who is possibly thinking of converting to Judaism, what is the first step?

i know, i should look for a rabbi, for a group, for just... something. to connect me to the culture, but i grew up in an incredibly sheltered household, in a small town, christian, and i still dont have solid income to look out for them far and wide... honestly, I'm kind of afraid that if i dont end up going through with the conversion, I'll just feel guilty for wasting people's time for my own personal gain (as opposed to...... their gain? yeah. its impossible to tell wether that one makes sense)

im pretty sure i have met exactly one Jewish person IRL and that's not a stretch.

so, basically, when im asking for the first step here, what i really mean is, how do i know where the stairs are?

and i dont have a super philosophical reason as to why i even think of converting in the first place. i guess i just need a place where my first crime won't be my humanity.

So I've sat on this all day trying to figure out how to be elegant. I'm in a fair bit of pain today, so elegance is kind of beyond me - I'll settle for helpful.

Anon, I grew up in a really similar situation to you. I grew up in one of the few Catholic towns in my very protestant area. It was a tiny farm town, only on the map for gambling, and I lived in an incredibly sheltered home. I couldn't be on the internet unsupervised, and my parents turned it off at 10pm, until the day I left home. I never had time to form a community, was not allowed to ask questions, and struggled with constant feelings of fear and crushing oppression by a church I no longer believed in.

When I was in highschool, I discovered LaVeyan Satanism, got my hands on the satanic bible, and converted, largely hiding it for years. I didn't meet a Jew until I left for college, and was so anti-Gd that we never really spoke (Not due to antisemitism - any engagement with religion triggered religious trauma history, so I couldn't be around ANYONE openly practicing any religion. It was a very stressful time, and I carry a lot of guilt for not engaging with her more.)

I didn't have any big philosophical reasons for seeking Judaism, either, at first. I had had a very spiritual experience in the Cherokee Nation with a family friend who invited us, and I was actually considering moving there and taking part in their religious practices as much as they would allow me to, as a white person. My family friend was a religious leader there and was willing to accept me and bring me in, but it never panned out. I have been seeking that same spiritual connection for years, but I didn't really know it until I found it again.

I first started learning about Judaism when I just. Kept running into Jews in my life. Online, in community spaces, through my advocacy work. And I asked myself "what is so important about this?" and picked up the book To Life! by Rabbi Harold Kushner. Immediately, I was enthralled, and I have not stopped being amazed and overjoyed with what I've found.

For me, the first step to really learning more was reaching out to my local Reform congregation. I'm not sure if you're thinking of converting Reform or not, but I'd suggest starting there, because I've found it's been very easy to find my footing as a queer person with a fraught religious background. The Union for Reform Judaism - the largest North American movement of Reform Jews - offers Intro to Judaism classes once a semester (many congregations require these courses for conversion). The classes lay out the very basics of Jewish values, history, and practices. They're usually taught by local rabbis - my course this semester on Jewish history has two classes with each of the four Reform rabbis in my city. This is a great way to get to know the rabbis, see how they teach, and see who you click with. It will also allow you to interact with other folks that are new to Judaism - Jews that want to learn more about their heritage and practices, prospective converts, friends and family members of practicing Jews, and sometimes just people interested in theology!

Once you find a rabbi that you click with, you'll want to reach out to them and set up a meeting (I meet personally with my rabbi on Zoom, because transportation is difficult for me as a disabled person). During that meeting, you can tell the rabbi your story, your level of interest, and answer some of their questions, as well. My Rabbi asked me why I chose Judaism as opposed to something else, and really dug into my resolve, because I came to him expressing my desire to convert. This is pretty normal - antisemitism is on the rise in the US and around the world, so they want to make sure you understand what you're taking on by seeking Judaism.

Here's the thing about Judaism - it is not something you can do alone. Judaism is a tribe and a people, not just a religion. I do not say this to dissuade you. If anything, I want to encourage you. No one is going to be upset with you if you come, participate with sincerity and earnestness, and then decide that it's not for you. You will not be wasting anyone's time by asking questions and learning things.

I also grew up Christian. We were taught that asking questions is a sign of a lack of faith. That we must follow and believe and never question Gd. I am here to tell you that that is the complete opposite of what Judaism not just expects, but requires. Israel means "to struggle with Gd." It is our job as Jews to struggle with the Torah and what it asks of us. To question it and interpret it and find out how to do good in the world. To disagree. This is not a religion of blind faith, and it is not a people that will silence your questions.

So I suppose the concise answer to your question is more of a checklist:

Research your local synagogues. See if you can attend one of their services online. See if you like the rabbi, like the way they talk and the things they say and the way they interpret the texts. See if you like the cantor, and if the way they chant helps you with your connection to the service or detracts from it. Take notes of any questions or concerns you have, so you can bring it to the rabbi.

Contact your local rabbi. If there is more than one congregation where you live, choose which seems most approachable for you to start with. On their congregation's website, there should be an email form that will take you to them, or to whomever runs their site, who will be able to put you in contact.

Set up a meeting with your rabbi. If you can go in person, that's great, but if you get anxious easily, Zoom can be really helpful. I recently even got my rabbi to join Discord. Bring them your questions. Tell them why you're there. Answer their questions honestly, and don't be afraid to tell them you're nervous. I promise you're not the first prospective convert they've spoken to.

Try to get into an Intro to Judaism class. You can ask questions about all different sects of Judaism, even if you're taking classes with the URJ, and a good rabbi will be able to give you cursory answers and resources to find more information. If Reform doesn't work for you, I'm sure that the other sects of Judaism have their own classes you can take. As a convert, I have not had to pay for my classes, and I think that's a national thing

Attend services. Don't be afraid to not know what's going on. Don't be concerned that you don't know Hebrew. Don't worry about them thinking you don't belong there. I still haven't formalized my conversion (I haven't been able to schedule my beit din), but my congregation considers me a member, and recently formalized my membership in our organization. They consider me a Jew, as much as I consider myself one. I am part of their family, even though I'm very new and know almost nothing.

And most importantly:

6. Keep reading. There are lifetimes of Jewish literature, information, and text out there. Jews keep extensive and detailed records of everything. When a Jew has an opinion, they write a book. And every Jew has opinions. I'm happy to give book recommendations, but this post has gone on far too long.

I know it's not a simple answer - there really isn't one. Conversion looks different for everyone, and takes different amounts of time for everyone. So does practice. I don't keep kosher but I give blessings over what I eat, even if it doesn't follow kashrut, because the blessing and gratitude is what is holy for me (and because I have dietary issues). I haven't hung mezuzot because I can't afford them, but I wear kippot because the visual reminder of the cultural and historical throughline of our people matters to me. I don't know Yiddish or much Hebrew, but I learn and ask questions and am enjoying immersing myself in a culture and ritual that I didn't know I needed.

I hope this is at all helpful. If you need or want personal help with any of these steps, please, please send me a DM and I will help you. I know it can be nervewracking to talk about religion, especially as an ex-Christian. I promise that my inbox is a safe space to discuss it. You're among friends, and I know your struggle.

Stay well, and may Hashem bless your journey, wherever it leads.

[jalshristovski]

if it isnt personal, would you mind to share us your ethnics backgrounds history ? It is just that you have a really intersting mix and wondered how it worked out 😅

Anon I am so glad you asked because I love talking about my culture/family history and you’ve just opened floodgates

Firstly I’d like to specify that this is ONLY my dad’s side. My mother’s side immigrated to the US a very long long time ago during the colonial period, left their culture behind, and it was abandoned long before my time. I know where they’re all from, I know specific Scottish clans (and I love learning about them!!!) but I do not claim those cultures because I did not grow up with them, and my mother weaponises them a long and I don’t want to do the same thing.

To add on, my mother’s family lives in another state (my father is from Michigan, that’s where I was raised, my mother’s family is all several states away) so I was primarily raised by, watched by, and grew up around my dad’s family. That’s whose traditions I mostly practiced, whose food I ate, whose holidays I celebrated, whose stories I heard, and whose languages I heard

NOW TO THE ACTUAL HISTORY

My dedo (grandfather) and his family came from Aegean Macedonia, which is currently occupied by Greece. His father came from the village of Buf (renamed to Akrítas) in Lerinsko Pole, and his mother came from the city of Lerin (renamed to Flórinas). My pradedo was mixed Turkish as well from the time of Ottoman occupation, and while Macedonian culture and tradition was first and foremost, they still brought down certain Turkish traditions, language (mostly certain words), cuisine, and certain habits. Though from that side they were definitely dominated by the Macedonian culture.

My family fled Macedonia during the genocide, my pradedo first leaving in 1936 for the United States to get established in Detroit before my prababa and teta fled two years later to join him. Previously one of my uncles (pradedo’s brother) had left in 1912.

Unfortunately there’s not much left in the way of documentation, either it was left behind to be destroyed by Greek occupiers or it straight up doesn’t exist (my relatives were severely impoverished and were unable to afford things like photographs, many books, or anything else). I have my prababa’s passport and that’s all.

To my babcia’s side, they all came from Poland. Different parts of Poland and they belonged to different ethnic groups within Poland, but they were mostly all from Poland (with exceptions of some others marrying into the family, my babcia’s grandfather was half Austrian but I’m not sure which of his parents was Austrian).

My babcia’s father (I’ve always just heard him referred to as dziadzia) was mixed Ashkenazi Jewish and Kashubian, mostly. My Ashkenazi family came from Pałuki region in Kujawsko-Pomorskie/Wielkopolskie in places like Żnin (city and region), Szelejewo, Gąsawa, Wenecja, and Kłecko. But also they later left to Łomża in Podlasie, which is where he directly immigrated from. Kashubian family came from Pomorskie, specifically Rogawica.

My babcia’s mother (who I’ve always heard referred to as babki) was just Polish to my knowledge, and they came from Warsaw, Kraków, and possibly some other places but surprisingly they aren’t as well documented. Though they did bring a lot of culture from especially Kraków as a lot of my relatives are or were krakowiak dancers, but also I still have relatives living there (though I’ve not actually met them, one of my cousins frequently visits them).

I wasn’t raided religiously Jewish (secular Jew) but raised with a lot of the Polish-Jewish culture, mindsets/ideologies, and generally I think I’m lucky as much of that culture survived as it did.

Generally if people ask I’ll keep it primarily to Macedonian and Polish since those were the dominant cultures in my life, but I’m so proud of all of them. My family went through much hardship being who they were, where they were, and especially with much cultural damage done by occupiers (like Germans/Prussians, Russians, Greeks), or done by their immigration to the US, I love to keep the culture alive as much as I see it dwindling year by year in my relatives

I think the biggest difficulty has been the language, because I was never actually taught the languages so it’s a struggle, especially with me now living in Poland, but I do my best. Even growing up in the US my relatives were somewhat poor, or lower-middle class, so nobody was ever able to afford leaving the country to visit Poland or Macedonia, so moving here has been such a long time coming and so fulfilling for me.

Anyway thank you for the question, I know that was long but I simply love talking about my culture haha

[system-of-a-feather]

you mentioned being interested in research about the consciousness! so, what’s your opinion on jim tucker’s research, if you’re alright talking about it?

Oh boy I actually haven't looked at Jim Tucker's stuff in ages. I think I looked at it way back when I was first getting interested in research on psychology and consciousness? Like when I was like 13??? That isn't to say I'm particularly well read or informed on his stuff so I might have some video talks of his on in the background while I do things and see if I'd like to add anything to this post after the fact.

I will say, I am largely of the camp in consciousness research (I forgot who I first heard talk about it and I think the video is no longer up on youtube but a while back I was making my way down this channel / podcast but only got like... through the first few videos) where I largely do not believe that consciousness is anything of a "real" thing beyond the subjective experience of it and that the experience of consciousness is largely a phenomenon that is a byproduct of the human brain using schemas to calculate, predict, analyze and interpret the world around us. Of course, thats my preferred opinion on it because consciousness research is largely super duper up in the air what with how there is really little to no clear evidence of any part of the brain being responsible for consciousness / sense of self / a soul / etc at least since I did a last reading into it.

That said, I do find Jim Tucker's research to be really interesting and I don't really have any direct questions or counter questions to ask on the topic since I haven't really thought *too* much on it or read any of the direct papers to see the extent of how they've done the research beyond them discussing it briefly in interviews and podcasts and what not. I personally am a skeptic because of my aforementioned bias of believing that there is likely no consciousness that could be "reincarnated", but I also don't really have any good alternative explanations beyond "I think there are probably alternative explanations that I haven't spent the time to think about."

That said, I do find it a bit interesting - particularly from a more philosophical end than a more grounded research end - the possibility of the research and it's potential implications. If I suspend my disbelief rooted in my lack of ability to see a philological mechanism for reincarnation, I do find that the idea of the recycling of matter into the overall life cycle somehow also manufacturing an "error" in memory being retained from one incarnate of life to the next to be particularly interesting and I also do find it an interesting potential that if we do bite into the heavily speculative but also genuine research question of "is our world actually a simulation and would we know it" - assuming that the world IS a simulation; reincarnation, without being inherently religious or spiritual, could theoretically very much be explained through computer science and errors

(Which I do really like to hear people talk about what it would look like for us if we were in a simulation, its just a fun thing to listen to)

I'm honestly intrigued to see where the research would go. I'm a skeptic, but I definitely could see it having some valuable merit to it. Iirc Jim Tucker and her predecessor have explicitly tried to approach this in the least spiritual / religious manner possible? I can't really say for sure but I'd have to read into it.

Funny thing is, I've actually been raised in a family that - despite being primarily Catholic in nature - has always believed and talked about reincarnation alongside everything else and so the topic is something that I've actually always been raised around.

Ironically, as a practicing Buddhist, I don't really believe in the more popularized understanding of reincarnation in the west that interprets it as a soul that gets "reborn" as much as I do believe that reincarnation - in terms of philosophy and my practice - is the act of individuals returning to the overall connected whole. From there I absolutely could see that some essence or subjective sense of "you" may be reforged in the next expression of the world, but that's a whole esoteric thought experiment of it's own.

[cadybear420]

Meet My MC: Evie Ayana (OG HSS)

Trivia and Extended Details under the cut!

Note: All details are subject to changes and additions.

Family and Background

🇮🇳 Evie is a mix of South Asian (Indian) and European (English/Scottish) descent. Her mom Rani is Indian, and her Dad Scott is a mix of South Asian and European. However, Scott suspects he may have some Turkish roots/ancestry somewhere along the line.

💔 After Scott and Julia (Emma's Mom) ended up going their separate ways in college, Scott would meet Rani. The two fell in love and eventually were married and pregnant, but divorced on amicable terms because Rani realized during the pregnancy that she was not up to being a parent. It was tough on the two of them because they were an otherwise perfect match.

🌉 Evie was born in San Francisco, California, and has lived there all her life up until her and Scott's move to Cedar Cove when he got a new job offer.

👶 Scott chose the name "Evelyn" partly because he liked the way it sounded and partly because some of its meanings include "desired", "desired child", and "wanted", as Scott had always wanted to be a father. But it was quickly shortened to "Evie" as he began using "Evie-bear" as a name of endearment for her.

👨‍👧 Rani would sometimes come to visit Scott and Evie, being more of an Auntie figure to her. They get along pretty well, but it could be a bit awkward since Rani and Scott still had some feelings for each other and neither of them had really had any new partners. Evie never resented Rani for leaving, but would often feel like she missed out on having a great mother figure.

☪️ Both Evie and her dad are cultural semi-practicing Muslims. Scott has Islamic ancestry, but grew up in a household that wasn't strictly religious. Most of his and Evie's practicing of the religion involves fasting on Ramadan, celebrating Eid-ul-fitr and Eid-al-adha, not eating pork or drinking alcohol, and the occasional prayer.

🐱 Scott and Evie adopted Daisy just after Evie graduated middle school. Scott had always wanted a cat as a kid, but his father was deathly allergic. This made Scott afraid to get a furry pet for years, even after he'd moved out. But with Evie loving cats just as much as he does, he eventually decided "enough" and adopted a month-old white-and-orange rescue kitten. Daisy is quiet and calm, but at the same time, her Orange Cat side shows through quite often and she also gets freaked out by large groups of people.

🐹 Scott and Evie adopted Cheese Nugget (sometimes called "Cheesy") in the Fall of Evie's first year at Berry because Scott loves hamsters just as much as he does cats. Don't worry, they make sure to keep Daisy and Cheesy far away from each other. Daisy doesn't know that Cheesy even exists and they intend to keep it that way.

Evie's HSS Story

🚚 Evie hates drastic changes, and hopes to live a life that is stable and secure. At the very least, she wants to be able to know how to mitigate drastic changes. Evie was not a fan of having to move up North. She was leaving behind the home she'd lived in since childhood and the few friends she had made. But she did also hope to end up in a better high school environment.

🫢 Evie started out as very cautious, nervous, and impulsive before coming to Berry. She was bullied fairly often in early elementary school and sometimes had trouble making a lot of friends. When she came to Berry, she was very unsure of it at first and did still have some difficulty, but she was eventually able to take the opportunity of a fresh start and begin pushing herself to be a more confident, outspoken, and actively helpful person. She's been able to make friends and stand up to bullies and assholes much more easily at Berry, though it could still be a bit difficult sometimes.

🤵‍♀️ Evie is a very GNC cis girl and has been for as far back as she can remember. She tends to prefer masc clothing and hair styles, she's very proud of her masc form and likes to work on maintaining her muscular build, she almost exclusively likes role-reversed romances and behaves accordingly with Aiden, and she struggles majorly with genital dysphoria. Seeing Evie being so open with her GNC appearance and behaviors eventually inspires him to step out of his comfort zone and start trying out some GNC styles himself, such as crop tops, short shorts, and dresses.

🏈 Evie has done basketball ever since she was 4, and football ever since late middle school. Berry High was her first time getting into baseball. Though even for basketball, she'd never been on an official team for any of those sports until Berry. But she also greatly enjoys running and has done track-and-field in her freshman year. She had wanted to join football back then, but was a lot more unsure about it. Even in Berry she was a bit unsure, but seeing how welcoming Julian and Caleb were and encouraging her to join made her feel more confident about it.

🫂 Of the people she's met during her time at Berry, she's closest to Emma Hawkins, Jade Ali, Caleb Michell, Michael Harrison, Maria Flores, Caleb Mitchell, Cher Lee (my HSS:CA f!MC) and Bear Lee (her twin), Sakura Watanabe, Julian Castillo, Cameron Levy, Kieran Hale, Frank Walter, Koh Sunya, Myra Khandaar, Ajay Bhandari, Skye Crandall, and Payton Saunders. And Aiden Zhou, of course, but that goes without saying.

🎹 Evie was drawn to Aiden right when she first saw him. She didn't crush on him just yet, but she was captivated by his distinguished appearance and she would try to get to know him better at Brian's party. It wasn't until after he invited her to listen to him play piano that she officially started crushing on him and began actively pursuing him.

👫 Evie was drawn to Aiden for a couple of reasons. There's the fact that he was kind and she found him attractive as all hell, of course. But the big one for her is that she could see a lot of herself in him. He was reserved, shy, insecure, and socially awkward, and she could relate to that. But he was also passionate and dedicated to his craft, and seeing that inspired her to do better at her own interests and passions.

😬 Knowing the story of her parents' backstory has made Evie a little bit cautious about her own relationships; she'd always want to make sure that her partner was 100% comfortable with her and that she wasn't forcing them into doing anything they didn't want to do. This especially shows as she gets into a relationship with Aiden, a normally reserved guy who starts to step out of his comfort zone more often while dating her. She always kept it mostly friendly with him, but would start to express more romantic gestures and feelings when she learned for sure that he liked her. Her insecurity would be a point of contention between them later on in their relationship, but eventually they'd be able to work it out together.

🏀 Evie was very infuriated by Band and Cheer siding against Basketball. Although she sympathized with them on how Isa was treating them unfairly, she despised that they were primarily going after the team over it. It pissed her off even more when Aiden seemed to defend it and even agreed with Mia that the team was "like a second Isa". For a while she'd contemplated whether or not to bring it up, but seeing how everyone did seem to acknowledge they were caught up in their stress, she figured it'd be okay to let it go. Though she and Aiden would eventually discuss it later.

🎤 Evie has mixed feelings on her singing skills. She's not amazing, but she can carry a tune well enough. Sometimes she sings karaoke with no one else and likes how it sounds, other times she isn't so confident about it. But she does seem to be a little less nervous about it when singing with a partner, as discovered by her karaoke with Aiden at Brian's party. Eventually her singing skills will improve as Evie-Aiden duets almost certainly become a regular thing.

👑 Evie ended up winning Homecoming Queen, Payton's Guest of Honor, and Prom Queen. Hoco and Prom titles were never something she really cared about, but she still felt honored to win them.

🎭 Evie has always loved imaginary play-pretend games as a kid and thus does take a little bit of interest in theatre, and would feel ready to try it out by the start of HSS:CA. She was cast as the princess for one part of auditions, but her role of preference was the Knight. However, Danielle's sabotage causing her to break her leg would leave her very distraught, as she was missing out on both football and on theatre that quarter.

Miscellaneous Personality Trivia

💜 Evie's favorite colors include purples, powder pinks, and mint greens.

🎵 Evie can't play an instrument to save her life. She'd taken a few lessons as a kid once, but it did not work out. Aiden does think she might have a secret talent for percussion, though.

💞 Besides Aiden, Evie has also felt attraction for Michael Harrison, Maria Flores, Julian Castillo, and Kieran Hale. None nearly as strongly as Aiden, though. But later on in life, Aiden and Evie may agree to an open marriage and occasionally swing with Michael and Maria.

🏳️‍🌈 Evie is bi with a huge preference for guys. She first realized she wasn't straight around the end of 7th grade and knew for sure she was bi in 9th grade. However there was a lot of confusion for her in figuring this out because of her heavy preference for men, and stigmas that bi women with a male preference "aren't queer enough" or "just looking for attention". In fact, she didn't even have her first actual girl-crush until she met Maria. But soon enough, she was able to come to terms with the fact that her preference for men doesn't make her any less bi.

📝 Evie loves creative writing and has done it since she was a kid. This is in part motivated by the fact that she dislikes most of the romance/erotic stories genre. While she has nothing against those who do like them, and there are some movies that she can still enjoy even with a normative main romance, she still has a bit of contempt for the genre because of how pretty much none of them cater to more role-reversed romance fantasies. So she’s always felt pretty alienated in the genre, and has considered a career as an author so she can publish stories with GNC romance.

✈️ Evie has a bit of an attachment to vehicles like trains and airplanes and gets a bit excited about going on them. A lot of the time, Scott would let her help him out with his model train displays.

⭐ Evie loves cute and pretty stuff. Heart shapes, star shapes, flowers and flower shapes, butterflies, smiley faces, cats, glittery/shiny/sparkly/shimmery things, squeaky things, etc. You can rip that stuff from her cold, dead hands.

🌸 Evie adores scented products and has a huge collection of lotions, gel bead freshners, soaps, and other bath/home/care products that have scents she loves. Her favorite scents include eucalyptus, lavender, mint, cherry, and powder.

🎶 Even though Evie can't play a musical instrument for shit and a lot of the musical terminology Aiden uses is utter nonsense to her, she's quite the enthusiast for good songs and soundtracks. The Incredibles, The Matrix, Super Mario Galaxy, James Bond, and many more. She excitedly raves to Aiden about her favorite soundtracks from movies, video games, TV shows, etc. Often she'll even recommend a show or movie to him partly on the basis of it having a bomb-ass soundtrack, and almost 100% of the time he will enjoy it and they'll rave about the best parts of the soundtrack together.

📸 Evie puts great value on having hard physical records of memories, much unlike her boyfriend who prefers to remember things through music. Sometimes she does like to maintain memories through associations, but out of the fear of the possibility that she could forget certain good or important memories, she always tries to keep photos, notes/journal entries, or any other form of direct record.

☕ Evie does not like coffee. It smells nice, but the taste is awful to her. She much prefers tea (especially Earl Grey and mint teas), hot cocoa, and warm apple cider.

🌶️ Evie loathes spicy food. Hot peppers, spicy-flavored chips, heck, even a lot of South Asian/Indian dishes. She hates the taste and doesn't understand the appeal at all.

Other Profile Pieces

Original Intro for OCtober 2023

Bubble Chart Profile

More in-depth on Evie's parental backstory

Aiden's favorite aspects about Evie

Bonus Meta Fun Facts:

In my first HSS playthrough, I named my MC "Cady Heron" after the character from "Mean Girls", which I personally consider to be one of my most favorite high school movies of all time. By my second playthrough, I changed it to "Evie Ayana" to make the character more personalized.

My username "cadybear420" comes from hearing Scott call my MC "Cady-bear" all the time in that first playthrough. Plus 420 added on because weed number funny.

Evie, "Cady" at the time, originally started out having the wavy blonde hairstyle. But when I got to Book 2, I changed it to the short brown hairstyle. But I do like to headcanon she did have long bleached hair at the start of her freshman year in high school.

Prior to making this profile, 3 out of my total of 7 playthroughs took Evie on some greatly alternative routes. Two where Evie romanced Michael; one where Evie did band and was good at it; and one where Evie sucked at raising school spirit, was a jerk to the Hearst kids, and led on Emma so she could ask Aiden to homecoming.

My headcanons for her story during the HSS:CA timeline are currently tentative. Not only because it's been a while since I last played the trilogy, but also because I might change up a lot of the canon for my headcanons. We'll see.

[purlty23]

Hmm, I will admit when I started to listen to Ghost I was a little scared of what might happen to me because Satanism in media and from what I've heard from Christian religious backgrounds (and family) is quite intense. However, I have a complicated relationship with religion. Thinking about Christianity too long actually makes me feel physically ill and I keep thinking about the Muslim religion (other side of family is) because my experience with it has been positive and non forceful. But I identify as agnostic, believe in past lives and karma etc. So it took me a while to fully embrace Ghost as a band (and now I own so many shirts, both Plushia and Popia Plush, the Secondo eye shadow palette, one of the era IV nameless Ghoul masks hanging on my wall etc)

When I think of Satan now, I prefer to think of him as a fictional symbol of resiliency perhaps? Or honestly, just some guy who felt scorned and betrayed and confused as to why he was tossed from the Heavens. I don't think that asking questions about creationism or becoming jealous is inherently evil. I think I am too inspired by his depiction/reimagining in Paradise Lost than I am legitimate religious texts. Baphomet is an interesting creature ripped from Islamaphobes and I like the androgynous appearance. This is sort of a ramble but regardless of religion or belief systems I always stay an arm lengths away for my own safety.

Anyways, those are just my beliefs that people might argue against but shouldn't, by any means, take seriously as my opinion shouldn't be considered fact :3

When it comes to any religious beliefs I fully believe they should never be argued, whether the beliefs are intense or non-existent! It’s always actions and your effect on your environment, your community, and yourself that matter in the long run. The truth of the matter is none of it can be taken as fact!

I’m ashamed to say I’m not nearly as up to snuff on Islamic practices or scripture as I’d like to be. If anyone has any resources, please feel free to let me know!

I’m really happy to hear you have a good head on your shoulder when it comes to whats best for you. Keeping away from things that could worsen your wellbeing in anyway can be difficult, and with religion it can be tough to tell what’s hindering/hurting you and what’s benefiting you. You certainly aren’t the first person I’ve spoken with whose felt unsettled, upset by, or generally hesitant towards Ghost’s VERY outspoken praise for Satan. I’m happy you could contextualize it in a way that makes you happy! Nowadays, Satan (not to mention many others) is just as much a fictional icon as he is a religious icon

[bardicbeetle]

pssst, hey, are any of your vampires your vampires religious? Not in the like "vampirism has religious elements" anne rice sending lestat back in time in his head to drink the blood of christ kind of way but more in a, did the characters have religious tendencies while human and did those stick around or shift or vanish entire? Did immortality change their outlook on g(G)od(s)? sincerely, a very old friend, ~bonnie

BONNIE!!!!!! Darling, delight of my long sleeping RP life, how have you been my dear?

I apologize now for the fact that it's gonna be a few days on this answer. It's a slightly longer one.

But hi, i love you <3

So.

This is another of those person-by-person answers. Because, yeah, all the answers are basically different. I'm gonna stick to the vamp!house, because otherwise this is gonna get horrendously long, but I'll touch on the chaos trio briefly.

Alex, Daniel, Jesse, and Tom all grew up varying flavors of religious and ascribed to it for a fair amount of time. Isaac and Carrie were both raised agnostic/atheist adjacent/religion free. Moira grew up in a religious household but both never paid any attention to it, and it was so background to the rest of her family life that nothing much came of it.

At one point she refers to the vamp!house pre-Alex as someone having walked into what amounts to "An ex-catholic, an atheist by design, and a witch." having to slightly amend her statement at the insistence from Daniel that he's not a witch.

So, Jesse grew up catholic in the way of are we gonna send you to catholic school? no. are we gonna make you sit in church for a gazillion hours? Yes. He decided roughly around the same time he got thrown out that religion was bullshit, and has not looked back since then. So he's been very solidly No Fucking Thank You since about age 14-15. Then he gets terminally ill, meets a vampire, and ends up immortal, that kinda cements his own worldview that religion is bullshit and he neither wants nor needs any piece of it.

Moira I think is the most indifferent. She gets that some people enjoy religion and ritual for whatever reason, but her alignment falls way more along the hedonism is a form of religion on its own kind of thing. She doesn't particularly believe in a god or gods, but really doesn't care either way. As far as she's concerned, it need not apply to her.

Daniel also grew up very catholic, in, somewhat of a different way than Jesse. He was an altar boy, he went to catholic school, he will tell you if pressed that he's been smacked by more nuns than he would care to count. However. His older sister Lucille more or less drags him into some family history studies and both of them end up practicing what is closer to italian folk magic flavored catholicism than anything either of their parents would ever have wanted to look at. Including ancestor veneration, saints-and-angels-as-deities, and all sorts of other delightful stuff. Hence Moira's occasional insistence that he's a fucking witch.

Alex's parents are... were, what you would call... extremist. Both ascribing to some degree to the quiverfull movement and deep in hardcore evangelical circles. I'm not gonna say a ton on this because I have a post about it brewing somewhere in the depths of my drafts.

Anyways.

Thank you for the question Bonnie <3

Love you.

[runawaymun]

what’s the premise for your sci-fi story? Do you remember what inspired your oc N’Sin Mabon-Sedai?

??? HELLO

a question about my original work??? Nonnie can I kiss you on the mouth??

I'm bad at summarizing things, but as best I can explain it, the sci-fi series I am working on with @the-commonplace-book is set in our distant future when humans have left earth and spread out through the universe, terraforming other worlds. It's set on a space station that originally begun as a center for trade, but rapidly grew into a "planet" of its own right and then expanded out into an empire. Worldbuilding-wise, it's a hugely socially stratified world that runs off of a caste system. It's fantasy-sci-fi, so there are elements of superstition, magic, and fantasy religions. The culture itself is modeled a lot after Ancient Greece & Egypt tbh and then it just kind of Went Nuts from there. It's got about 3.5 conlangs coming together at this point, two of which with their own alphabets, and several world maps, religious systems, etc. etc.

But as far as what it's about... well, it's a multi-generational ensemble cast story that's going to span a long time, and follows a global shift in the planet's culture, the collapse of some major ruling Houses, and the rise of new ones. It's very socio-political based, basically, with some interplanetary politics involved and a war in the middle of it. There's also a lot going on between some major (and minor) religions, with old gods re-emerging as major powers and causing some big things to shift around, I guess is the best way to put it. And there's a Sinister Corporation that's lurking in the background as well. We've got a lot of enemies-to-lovers plots, arranged marriage plots, etc. etc. as well! And at a smaller level...it's about family, and learning to navigate cultural differences, grief and loss, growing up, justice & choosing to do the right thing even at danger to yourself or even when everybody...literally everybody...not even is against you but just is complacent or thinks it won't matter in the long run because that is the way things are and the way things have always been (but it's unjust and wrong and at times downright evil and it needs to change). And about hope and healing, because my work is always about that :)

Cast of characters includes a Traumatized Sad Boi(tm) Prince who is struggling between his own personal moral compass and the traditions of his House (this may sound familiar lmao...favorite character archetype of mine tbh), a woman from another planet that gets married into a major house & starts to Fuck Shit Up (both positively and negatively...she's kind of a mess but her arc is incredible and that's all down to common-place-book!) :D , a gay queen (literally she's a queen) who has to deal with her own corrupt government, a slave girl who grows up to launch a coup and try to overthrow a god, and a bunch of others (those are just some pet favs of mine).

N'Sin Mabon-sedai...in terms of what inspired him as a personality, I'm not really sure? It's always hard for me to pinpoint where any of my characters come from! If I really thought about it I could probably find a "character seed" from something I've read or something I've watched in my distant past (or not so distant idk)... whenever I think about these things I can usually pinpoint a "seed" of something from some piece of fiction that I've consumed. (Or an almagamation of things). His religious practices were directly inspired/bastardized from the oracle of Delphi, and there was just a point in the plot where we needed a Bitchy Priest(tm) and he kind of appeared on the page fully-formed, lurking in the corner. I have a soft spot for characters like him though and his arc is one of my favorites! He has a big chip on his shoulder and Stuff To Prove, and boy...does he. Lol.

Thank you so much for giving me an excuse to ramble about my work aaaa! <3 we're working on actually throwing together the very first draft of the first novel right now. It is...slow....to say the least...there are SO many moving parts!

[williszhang]

Anti-book bans

You may have heard of book bans, but some states and counties like our local school system have proactively enacted an "anti-book ban." This is a ban on bans, and within the school system, this means parents cannot opt their children out of curriculum with LGBTQ-inclusive texts.

Personality-wise, I love the idea of anti-book bans. Instead of libraries and BOEs being on the defensive from relentless conservative networks, they flip the story and assert the authority and leverage they've had all along. "If you don't like it, tough nuts, we're gonna give kids the opportunity to be more open-minded than you."

From the school board's perspective, I think it is appropriate, if not understandable, to equate this moment to school integration. Back then schools faced the wrath of angry parents, but the right thing to do was to keep letting the schools integrate. 

The message that kids see when they see parents openly protesting is "I am not okay with gay people." People of course have religious convictions against homosexuality. But parents should do well to tread carefully in the manner of how they discuss sexual identity, with LGBT youths from religious family backgrounds having higher risk of suicide. Sayings like "your identity is in Christ and not in being gay" are trite in the same way of "your identity is in Christ and not in being Chinese," because things like race and sex are so profound to our lived experiences that, yes, in theory Christian identity is rooted in Christ, but we minimize the beauty of imago dei by minimizing our particularities.

If we take the evangelical position that being gay is a distortion of the Christian sex ethic, there is still beauty in the distortion. For every gay or gender disphoric person who calls to Jesus, in evangelical lexicon, God is glorified to an even greater extent than a comfortably cis gendered person, because the weakness of man is the boasting in Christ. 

My personality does run contrarian, and that was one of the main appeals of being a Christian in the first place. "Society seems to be fluid or contradictory in gauging what's right and wrong, but God has a clear standard." So for religious parents, they could see this as a discipleship opportunity to have engaging and close conversations with their kids while gaining credibility that they aren't scared and are open to hearing and loving all people.

I am biased to the public school system. The hands-off approach of my parents wouldn't have served me well in areas like sex, drugs, and other sensitive health topics, but thankfully the schools were the safety net to give me really positive and practical information on how to navigate those things. In their message to parents, they cite research showing that "inclusive materials are a key component of a safe and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ students and increase positive psychosocial and educational outcomes." This honestly should be a shared goal across the community and I appreciate the system for the good faith effort.

[infernalwitxhcraft]

Let's Talk - Creating Your Own Wheel of the Year

In this first edition of Let's Talk, I want to begin a discussion on the wheel of the year. Please keep in mind, as I often try to remind others, that this is how I feel in my personal practice. You do not have to agree or do the same thing. I'm offering food for thought in this post.

Let me preface this by saying that the wheel of the year is a wiccan made concept, created by Gerald Gardner. Although he claims the wheel is ancient and took inspiration from celebrations of the old, in reality it's a relatively new concept. And as someone who isn't wiccan but feeling like I was a bad witch for not celebrating it when I was much younger, many of the traditions from the wheel stuck. Because everyone else took part in celebrating the sabbats, I did too. I wanted to partake in what other witch friends and mentors were doing. Sure, the mythology never resonated behind the stories of what happens on so-and-so day and I made that clear to everyone back then. But I liked the overall atmosphere and feel of it. The unity. The coming together to celebrate, well, the earth. Not to sound new age-y, for the love of the gods.

But the issue here is also that we are not farmers anymore, if we want to consider the actial *real* celebrations that took place historically, and ignore the whole Gardner creation for a second. The festivals were created to honor these kinds of cycles and are claimed to trace back to certain traditions that link back to old times. Whether this is true or not isn't easy to verify, as far as what actually was being celebrated and how it was done goes. Plenty of great historians are working on it though (I recommend keeping up with their research). Back then, however, farming was the way of sustaining life and most families partook in it.

Another issue that I have with the wheel is that it's a mash-up of different celebrations from Europe. Gardner makes it seem as if everyone did these, no matter where they were located when that wasn't the case. It seems a little disrespectful. Not to mention, we all come from different cultural backgrounds. I sure as hell can tell you my austronesian tribe wasn't dancing around a maypole or leaving candles in the window for a goddess to symbolize the winter ending. Yes, we did have our celebrations and festivities. But they were very different, as one can imagine. It's a little weird for me to have the mastermind behind this big religious movement feel that everyone should follow these sabbats and esbats that may or may not have existed, not considering other cultures exist. Why does, at times, it feel that Wicca was only created for those of European descent? I mean, Gardner did partake in cultural appropriation, but when I had studied Wicca to understand it better, it really did feel as though only white people were intended to follow it. Interesting subject for another time, I suppose. If you are wiccan, by the way, please do not take it as that I am ripping on you or your practice.

When I look at these things, I have to think about how it relates to me and my practice. I made my own wheel to not only deepen my practice, but to do things that made sense to my beliefs. There are many non-wiccans that do this by the way, if this is your first time hearing this concept! Some witches add or take sabbats away. Some decide not to follow the wheel at all. Some celebrate on different days, when the changes of the seasons happen depending on their particular climate. I'm an astronomy nerd, so I find following the planetary alignment to resonate with me on the solstices and equinoxes. Plus, I don't live in a climate that has varying seasons. It's known as: hot, hotter, stupid hot, and warm over here!

For me, I do like celebrating the other days. Some, such as Lammas, I just observe. I do find it to be a fertile time for doing abudance rituals however. Imbolc I also don't celebrate, but find it to be a day that is excellent for spirit communication. These also tend to match up with demonolatry rites - such as Beltane being linked with the Rite of Leviathan or the First Rite to Lucifer being linked to the Spring Equinox (aka Ostara on the wheel of the year). I love Samhain and will never stop celebrating it! I'm big on ancestral veneration in my practice after all, and I follow it up with All Soul's Day since that is a part of my own culture.

Some of the holidays I added in, outside of the sabbats, esbats, and demonolatry rites, are because they are of importance to me. Why not celebrate them and make it personal? I do rituals on them anyways! I do at least one tribal harvest festival celebration a year, to make sure abundance comes to my people and to appease the ancestors, for example.

Something else I take into account is my local climate, when the seasons *sort of* shift, and the seasons regarding produce and harvesting. Even hurricane season plays it's role. I find this adds depth to my celebrations and keeps me closer to the area I reside in. It might be something to add into your annual calender as dates to pay attention to.

Oh and wait, as a reminder, get this: want to forget the wheel of the year altogether? You can! You 110% do not have to celebrate anything. How cool is that?!

Don't let people push it on you. You do you, boo. If you do decide to celebrate some or all of it or create one that is entirely your own, I hope you have fun with it!

If you have anything you'd like to discuss regarding this topic, please do add your opinions to it!

[draiochteve]

Personal update ramble

Been a while since I've been on here. Hello all again. I know I typically just end up queuing and vanishing, but it is hard for me to browse this site in general because the app freezes my phone and I rarely have privacy to just scroll. That time is coming to a close however as we are now less than a month away from my partner moving here and less than 100 days away from the wedding. Which random note: If you are going to get married, unless it's just a friend ceremony or you're REALLY close with your family, all this stress setting up the ceremony and reception is not worth it. I'm so tired I feel like I can barely enjoy the idea of the wedding. klsdhflksjdfls I've been promoted at work which was something I knew was coming, but it happening is still great regardless. More money is always good. And every bit helps when you are setting up for life. I am writing again, though just little snips to get the itch going. With WolGraha week coming, I do want to make something and finish the prompts. I have the ideas, I just need the time and energy. I'm giving myself all of July to get that head start. Fingers crossed for me, guys. I like to think I've been doing better being social. I actually feel like I'm making friends again and just going about more like how I use to. It's a bit of a relief. Otherwise, as it comes to major updates I am going through a bit og a change in my life that has taken some people I know by surprise and it's been kinda odd the talk about with people. With some guidance and encouragement from friends, I have found myself properly wandering onto the path of practicing witchcraft in my day to day. It's funny to say it because of what it likely brings to mind isn't quite what I have in mind nor reality, but I've realized it's something that truly aiding in my self-care and generally is helping give me structure. I've found the means to link it with my craft as a writer and really carve out a little niche for myself. I have a small group though I'm open for more. Really I'm still just finding my footing. And it's really hard getting into this when so many resources are...well...the best way I can put it are wiccan foundations largely are not for me. And there is a LONG conversation to be had how many wiccans have clearly come from christian backgrounds and need to do a lot of fucking unpacking as well as researching moreso in their own foundings (it scratches my religious trauma a bit too hard let's just keep that the short of it.) But despite the bumps, I am figuring things out. I have a lot of plans for myself in the future and feeling a bit more confident in the sea of uncertainty. I may end up making a proper personal account to document stuff in general and reach out more, but for now I'm here with the lot that stumbles upon this and reads. Hello peeps. If you are of that sorta thing hit me up. I could use the talking buddies. And that about sums it up. Words in the void now. Now you know and knowing is half the battle.

[renee-marting]

Religion in France and my Life (#4)

My personal faith life has been a rocky road. I grew up in the Catholic Church and I went to the Catholic school that my mom worked at, so my faith was a huge part of my day-to-day life. Being that close to the church can start to show some of the cracks in the seams though, and I struggled a lot as I continued into late middle school as to what I actually believed. After my brother came out and was rejected by the community and I started to be told that if I just prayed more my arthritis would go away, I really lost touch with my faith entirely. 

In highschool I switched schools and it made a world of difference. While it was still a Catholic (and all girls) high school, it was in Toledo, Ohio which is a very diverse area. There I made friends with people who came from all different backgrounds and my friends were a mix of different types of Christians, Hindus, Muslims, and atheists. It was so different from my earlier experience of religion because we didn’t need to all believe in the exact same things to learn and grow from each other. That is where I start to struggle with the concept of laicite. It was through our differences that we were able to come to a deeper understanding of each other and ourselves. Erasing our differences visually does not make us equals; it is embracing people in their entirety that makes society equal. My French teacher in highschool was a big proponent of laicite, because she said that it would lead to less bullying if students could not see our differences, but I think that takes away the important lessons of those situations. School is exactly where students should learn to confront their own biases and be pushed to expand their horizons to the different life experiences of their peers.

Being in Paris I feel that I got an opportunity to further reflect on all of my religious experiences in my life. It was nice to be out of Holland and actually get to see people practicing their faiths outside of christianity. There were so many people in hijabs, niqabs, kipot, and other religious signifiers. Even with the want for laicite, to see so much diversity in religious practices felt more like home than I was expecting. 

I really enjoyed visiting the mosque. I did not really think of a mosque as a place for me to visit. One of my closest friends in highschool was incredibly involved with her family’s mosque, and I am now confused why I never thought to go with her. In my head it would be intrusive to visit, but that doesn’t make sense because I’ve been to plenty of synagogues with friends and Buddhist temples. My only concussion is that Islam must be subconsciously more different in my brain than other world religions and my lack of outreach is a result of bias I had not seen in myself.

The most surprising to me though was how much being back in a historic cathedral/basilica would impact me religiously. I consider myself to be a universalist of sorts where I think the best spiritual practice is to learn as much collective wisdom from every religion instead of just one. Because I have spent so much time in college studying and attending the services of other religions I had been less exposed to growing up, I have neglected to stay in touch with my Catholic upbringing. I felt very moved being in those churches again in a way I had not felt in a very long time. I’ve been to St. Paul’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel five years ago, but it was more impactful visiting less well-known churches on this trip. I think a part of that was how long it has been since my last Catholic mass. I just felt so comforted being there and it has helped me get more in touch spiritually. We took some time to also visit St. Mary’s which is a gothic church by the Pompidou. We were surprised to see a large amount of construction on the inside of the church and they were using the same scaffolding technique as on outdoor monuments where they blew up a big picture of what should be there and wrapped it around the outside. Even with it being all covered up, I could feel a lot of anxiety fading once I entered the building. Kyra and I tried to pray at every church we visited so I paid my two euros and lit a prayer candle for a family friend and spent a while praying and reflecting on my life as a whole and the trip. It was very lovely. I really really enjoyed the religious aspect of the trip and I am really thankful for being pushed to participate in the culture in that way.  (828 words)

[normal-horoscopes]

I have a question I hope you understand, and I hope you do not take the wrong way. Do you believe any of this stuff? Do any occultists really believe in what they say?

I firmly believe in spiritual realities, (I am a Christian). I believe one can consort with spirits beyond our understanding, but they are generally demons not to be spoken to. I truly do believe, hook me up to a lie detector if I seem insincere, I truly do believe that you can communicate with “gods” and devils, and that you can even gain worldly power through doing so, and that such activities are VERY dangerous and are NOT to be taken lightly, and you can LOSE your SOUL.

With occultists, it seems like you all take a jovial half-hearted approach to something which must be taken very seriously. I find it difficult to gage if an occultist is a true believer or if they’re merely bored. Truth be told I would assess the majority of occultists to be fans of fantasy ya lit like Magyck or Groosham Grange or even Harry Potter, and they wanted to play dress up.

Maybe I shouldn’t begrudge you, on grounds that the majority of Christian’s are cultural believers with familial ties, and how many truly believe in the tenets of Christianity is a bit up in the air.

I don’t know, this ask has gone longer than I meant it to because I am explaining myself too much. To wit: do you believe in cosmic powers? Do you believe material conditions can change as a result of magical practice? Do you think the majority of occultists believe these things?

That's a fantastic question! You worded it well and I genuinely appreciate both the time you took to write this ask, and the humility it takes to put your own beliefs out there like that.

I generally don't enjoy talking about my own spiritual briefs and practices here, Tumblr is weird enough about normal opinions, much less complicated and fairly personal metaphysical ones. The last thing I need is to have a cult form around me.

I consider "belief" to be a profoundly more complicated concept than people really understand. I'm not just saying this to be flippant or evasive, much of my background in education is from the computer science/math-logic end of things, my occult thoughts are heavily influenced by thinkers like Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Basically, people who were very concerned with the raw logic of the world, with capital t Truth, the fine details of knowledge, what it means to know. Not to say that my understanding of belief is somehow So Much Cooler And Deeper than yours, just that these are men who could spend an entire book picking apart the definition of the word "is." I like details.

As an Occultist, I would say that I am heavily influenced by the works of Agrippa and Sir Issac Newton. I am an alchemist at heart, a systemizer. I believe if there is truth to be found, it must be studied from many angles. What do Christians say about belief? What about Muslims? Jewish people? What does Hinduism think? Taoism? The myriad indigenous religions of the world? Non-religious cultures? What about Philosophy? Every single one offers a unique and beautiful lense through which one may understand the idea of "belief."

Suddenly, "belief" becomes this complex architecture of ideas with a dozen subtle meanings that all interact with each other in different ways, full of wonderful harmonies and contradictions! I feel that if there is a single attitude more antithetical to the occult than anything else: it is certainty. The world is abyss and phenomena.

Over the years I've found that humor is actually a surprisingly effective way to express this wonderful complexity. (Doesn't always mean that I'm successful at being funny though.) Humor has a way of softening the mind, helping the reader to entertain an idea without internalizing it, a skill I believe is critical to the study of the occult. Sometimes I'm just shitposting. Gotta keep people on their toes. Helps you stay humble.

Do I believe in cosmic powers? Yes and no. I believe I am a limited cog in a grand system of the world with a limited ability to understand my design. I figure if there is a god, it's rude to presume about her nature. There are things people call gods, and that's good enough for me.

Do I believe material conditions can change as a result of a magical practice? Maybe? It really depends on the magical practice. Like, I think airport security checkpoints and corporate branding can be considered magic, but I'm not sure if that's what you're asking. If you're asking if I think, say, astrology can be used for prediction? No. But that doesn't make it meaningless.

Do I believe the majority of occultists believe these things? Not a clue. I don't really consider it my business. Occultists aren't exactly known for their consistency. Who knows, by next month I might not believe any of this anymore. Sometimes it's hard to tell when I'm dreaming.