#fear of persecution

[thinkingonscripture]

When Hiding is Wise

Sometimes hiding from others is a valid response to avoid unnecessary persecution. The believer who operates on wisdom and faith will make the right choice at the right time. Solomon wrote, “The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naïve go on, and are punished for it” (Prov 22:3; cf., Prov 27:12). In this verse, the prudent man is shrewd and sees evil ahead, and by wisdom “hides…

[trans-spider-man]

I think a lot of misconceptions and misunderstandings around Spock come from trying to project catholic guilt and christian religious trauma onto an incredibly jewish coded character, who’s actor remarked how he drew from his own jewish life to color the actions of his character.

[fusionsprunt]

me when my meteor-powered robot gf attempts to murder me 😳😳

[starry-eyer]

magic in asoiaf is genetic. and that is intresting. and the fact that grrm doesn’t shy away from the implications of this makes me love asoiaf even more.

because it’s very understandable that these people who could ride dragons would see themselves as more gods than men. it’s understandable that the practice of sibling-sibling incest would become common in order to keep this ability in the family/to not lose said ability. it’s also understandable that these people would see their race as superior because they are able to do these things that others could not.

it also makes complete sense that this human civilization collapsed in a horrific magical event due to their own hubris because they saw themselves as gods when they were always only men.

and that is peak world building.

some more peak world building is that the noble houses of westeros also clearly gained power and held onto their power through the use of their magical abilities inherited from their ancestors.

a godlike existence like Garth the Green being the ancestor of all the oldest and most noble of the reach houses makes perfect sense for this world!and it also makes sense that the lords without this ancestry are discriminated against in this region that still holds onto the values their society cultivated in the past in order to maintain their magical superiority, even though most of these noble and old houses no longer exhibit these abilities.

and it also makes sense that these people no longer have access to these abilities as they no longer practice the religion that was centered around these powers; plus their blood is simply diluted at this point as these houses have married into a different ethnic group so often that the magical gene just doesn’t surface anymore.

but the fact that it still matters if you can trace your ancestry back to Garth the Green? peak! peak! peak!

george does such an excellent job showcasing the stagnation of westerosi society here because why should it matter if you’re connected to this magic guy if magic is no longer commonplace? however, it also makes total sense that the ruling class of the reach still harps on and on about this as it’s how they maintain the status quo and differentiate themselves from those they consider lesser now that they no longer have access to magic themselves.

and this is also why it’s very important that the Starks still retain the blood of the first men. because the first men interbred with the children of the forest and other elder races, which is what gave these humans these powers. it’s also worth noting that before the direwolves connected with the Stark children, none of our current Starks were able to awaken their abilities by themselves, which shows that even now they are very far removed from their ancestor who’s genetic makeup gave this bloodline these abilities. and it makes sense that the Starks experienced this slow magical decline because magic itself was declining in the world after the doom of valyria.

another reason for this decline is because Andal culture started heavily influencing the North and slowly changed the way magic was perceived. so now in the present, a warg/skinchanger/greenseer has become something to fear being because that’d make you different and therefore puts your life at risk, which means that there’s now practically no safe environment to cultivate these abilities and no secure way to pass down any knowledge you do have about said abilities.

i can’t help but be reminded about how Jon Snow has rejected his nature and how that has led to the stagnation of his abilities, and then i think about Arya and Bran and how their new environments have led to an astonishing growth in their abilities, which shows that it’s not just genetics that matter, environment is also just as, if not more, important.

i bring all of this up because magic being genetic in asoiaf is not as problematic as people try to make it out as. in real life, sometimes people just have genetic gifts. some people can become olympians, and some people are disabled. some people are born 10 times smarter than the average human, and some people believe that covering their faces in lemon juice would turn them invisible. that is reality. and in this universe, some people have access to magic and some don’t, and it’s all based on genetics. it’s unfair! and that makes it realistic.

not everyone gets to ride dragons and not everyone gets to travel back in time, and that grounds asoiaf, which is what grrm was going for.

and how these societies have organized themselves in response to these genetic abilities and the dangers they pose makes absolute sense. on one hand we have the valyrian freehold, which was a magic hotspot and the people who lived there used magic to propel their society to new heights, and on the other hand we have the seven kingdoms that demonize anyone too different, and all magic practitioners are different from normal humans.

and the fact that george decided to go this route with asoiaf is so juicy to me cause:

we have characters like Varamyr and Euron who use their abilities to commit great evils and we know that their powers have influenced the way they see and interact with others. on the other hand we have characters like Dany who use their abilities to fight against evil violent institutions. and through characters like her we learn how vulnerable fledgling magic practitioners/characters with these abilities are to these older and more dangerous institutions and individuals who are perfectly aware about the knowledge gap between them and these younger characters and know exactly how to exploit them.

so, while it’s understandable that the fandom is uncomfy with the practices and values that grrm has written about, this isn’t bad world building by any means. it’s logical and well thought out. and i truly enjoy that grrm doesn’t shy away from writing about the more worrying aspects and implications of magic being a matter of genetics. i also like how the seven kingdoms and the valyrian freehold are kinda extremes on the matter of magic and how this is/was detrimental to both of these societies and at the individual level. a horrific magical firey doom is not any better nor any worse than a slow drawn out icey decline.

imo, what is important to remember is that in the world of asoiaf, people with magic are the ones who are discriminated against (bc most POV characters are in Westeros and magic is a no no there). so they are the ones who are in danger if they out themselves as magic users. now, it is true that some societies are more tolerant (Qarth is a great example of this and Valyria before the doom was likely the most tolerant to have ever existed in this world), but as of now most societies simply aren’t. remember jojens warning? he didn’t pull that out of his ass. bran would’ve been in a lot of danger if he came out and told the wrong people about his dreams/abilities. also, jon’s assassination may have been partly motivated by the mutineers fear of wargs. this is the life-threatening danger magic practitioners are in for simply existing in an intolerant society.

tbh the reason i typed all this up is because it’s very annoying when people try to ignore the reality, which is that the dragonbond depends on genetics. now, i’m sure there are other ways to ride a dragon, as dragons are magical animals so of course there may be a one in a million chance of a dragon allowing some rando to ride it, but this doesn’t change the fact that there is such a thing as a genetic ability that gives these certain humans the ability to form a connection with a dragon.

(another example that i can’t help but remember is that melisandre was able to get ghosts approval by using some of her tricks. of course there could be other reasons for ghost to have done this, but the most likely reason is that ghost simply fell for melisandre’s trick and this influenced how jon saw mel. but this doesn’t change the fact that melisandre will never have the kind of bond jon and ghost have because melisandre is not a warg. this is also another example of how vulnerable fledgling magic practitioners are to older ones.)

so, sorry not sorry that george decided to create a realistic representation of what a society would look like if only certain bloodlines were able to ride dragons <\3.

[hecksee]

im learning i have an intense fondness for historical gays. modern gays are good, but theres just Something about historical queers that hit my brain. bonus points if they're from the 17th-19th century.

[mech-pilot]

we need to kill the transfem panopticon industrial complex so so so badly. i deserve to be one of those cool girls who doesn't even have a separate nsft and just post like category 5 problematic horny shit on here but i am Afraid of Consequences. sad ant with bindle but it's for my own blog

[shittyness]

important post for anyone currently living in the US (said this over on tiktok also, so sorry if yall are seeing this twice)

i know that the news of the election is terrifying, and i know that it feels like we're powerless or screwed but pease do not give up

keep fighting, keep talking, keep standing up for whats right and keep using your voice

the most important thing you can do while underage, or without power/influence, or without being able to vote, is to use your voice

let people know whats right, let them know you dont agree with this, educate them, all of it

your voice has power, even if you dont

be annoying if you must

dont shut up

keep fighting

and stay safe and alive

i will not loose my life like this

if i loose my rights, or my liberties, it will be on my accord, and as the consequence of my own actions

not the actions of those either too uneducated, or just unwilling to understand the effect their choices make on those unlike them

i shall not be still and quite as i let my blood and the blood of others be shed

i would sooner beg mercy from a god i no longer believe in, than allow myself to be silenced

i will instead die in battle, like a hero

[thefloatingstone]

Suddenly had the horrible realisation that there is a not insignificant amount of people whose blorbo is Astarion not for any canon or in-game reasons, but because they view him through their own filter of things that they like and have decided to interpret him as "White haired anime boy"

[dashiellqvverty]

the thing about bbc merlin is that in many ways it is very tragic, in the sense that so much bad shit that happens could have easily been avoided if charcters had made different choices, hadn't been so wrapped up in prophecies, had trusted people and communicated openly literally ever, just generally got their heads out of their asses. like i know thats the point, they are trying so hard to do the right things and protect people but the story is unavoidable. HOWEVER it is all soooo fucking poorly executed that none of it is effective. so instead of thinking "wow what a tragic story about fate/destiny/whatever" you walk away like "well that fucking sucked for no reason. i hate that fuckass dragon" and i sometimes feel very cinemasins in the way i pick apart the logic but the thing is the show is written in a way that makes the characters come off as so stupid and always making terrible choices rather than like. tragic victims of circumstance.

[an-unanonymous-messenger]

So, you want to join in with the Great Comission as appointed by Christ? That's great! Welcome aboard. Now, let us tell you about it a bit. For your part of the Great Comission, spreading the Word is the main task. The Gospel being the centre of the Word, and Christ being the centre of the Gospel. Now to whom should it be shared with? Basically everyone you can reach out to, from your closest to the furthest. All the people you see, known and unknown to you, even kind and unkind to you. Now will this be easy? No way! The devil will try anything to discourage you from doing it, either through anxiety, people, or anything else that can scare of discourage you. One of the things is persecution, and that, my friend, is uncomfortable. But Jesus reassures us that we should not fear the persecution of man, but rather the One Who can destroy both soul and body in hell. If we serve God, why should we be afraid of sharing the Word with the world? Persecution only means that we are on the right path, and as Jesus says, those being persecuted on account of Him and His Good News have a great reward in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12). So don't be afraid of taking part in the Great Comission. You can participate however you want - music, literature, any other type of art, public speaking, and so on. Just do it for God and have a good time. God bless you in the Name of Jesus! Amen.

[wasmormon]

Church Reveals What To Do With Disturbing Anti-Mormon Literature?

This Q&A from the 2007 New Era is a revealing example of how the LDS Church attempts to control the flow of information to its members—particularly the kind that might prompt questions or critical thought. The recommendation is clear: if you find literature critical of the Church “disturbing,” it’s a sign you shouldn’t read it. This is not a call to seek truth—it’s a warning to stay inside the…

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

my dad: I think the shooter just handed Trump his campaign photo me: I think the shooter just handed Trump his campaign

[keeps-ache]

i have Thoughts

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Twelve Apostles

1-4 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to expel evil spirits and heal all kinds of disease and infirmity. The names of the twelve apostles were: First, Simon, called Peter, with his brother Andrew; James, and his brother John, sons of Zebedee; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew the tax-collector, James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, Simon the Patriot, and Judas Iscariot, who later turned traitor.

5-8 These were the twelve whom Jesus sent out, with the instructions: “Don’t turn off into any of the heathen roads, and don’t go into any Samaritan town. Concentrate on the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven has arrived. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure the lepers, drive out devils—give, as you have received, without any charge whatever.

9-10 “Don’t take any gold or silver or even coppers to put in your purse; nor a knapsack for the journey, nor even a change of clothes, or sandals or a staff—the workman is worth his keep!

11-13 “Wherever you go, whether it is into a town or a village, find out someone who is respected, and stay with him until you leave. As you enter his house give it your blessing. If the house deserves it, the peace of your blessing will come to it. But if it doesn’t, your peace will return to you.

14-15 “And if no one will welcome you or even listen to what you have to say, leave that house or town, and once outside it shake off the dust of that place from your feet. Believe me, Sodom and Gomorrah will fare better in the day of judgment than that town.”

He warns them of troubles that lie ahead

16-18 “Here I am sending you out like sheep with wolves all round you; so be as wise as serpents and yet as harmless as doves. But be on your guard against men. For they will take you to the court and flog you in their synagogues. You will be brought into the presence of governors and kings because of me—to give your witness to them and to the heathen.

19-20 “But when they do arrest you, never worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be told at the time what you are to say. For it will not be really you who are speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21-22 “Brothers are going to betray their brothers to death, and fathers their children. Children are going to betray their parents and have them executed. You yourselves will be universally hated because of my name. But the man who endures to the very end will be safe and sound.

23-27 “But when they persecute you in one town make your escape to the next. Believe me, you will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of Man arrives. The disciple is not superior to his teacher any more than the servant is superior to his master, for what is good enough for the teacher is good enough for the disciple as well, and the servant will not fare better than his master. If men call the master of the household the ‘Prince of Evil’, what sort of names will they give to his Servants? But never let them frighten you, for there is nothing covered up which is not going to be exposed nor anything private which will not be made public. The things I tell you in the dark you must say in the daylight, and the things you hear in your private ear you must proclaim from the house-tops.

They should reverence God but have no fear of man

28 “Never be afraid of those who can kill the body but are powerless to kill the soul! Far better to stand in awe of the one who has the power to destroy body and soul in the fires of destruction!

29-31 “Two sparrows sell for a farthing, don’t they? Yet not a single sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. The very hairs of your head are all numbered. Never be afraid, then—you are far more valuable than sparrows.

32-33 “Every man who publicly acknowledges me I shall acknowledge in the presence of my Father in Heaven, but the man who disowns me before men I shall disown before my Father in Heaven.

The Prince of Peace comes to bring division

34-36 “Never think I have come to bring peace upon the earth. No, I have not come to bring peace but a sword! For I have come to set a man against his own father, a daughter against her own mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be those who live in his own house.

37-39 “Anyone who puts his love for father or mother above his love for me does not deserve to be mine, and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, and neither is the man who refuses to take up his cross and follow my way. The man who has found his own life will lose it, but the man who has lost it for my sake will find it.

40 “Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me is welcoming the one who sent me.

41-42 “Whoever welcomes a prophet just because he is a prophet will get a prophet’s reward. And whoever welcomes a good man just because he is a good man will get a good man’s reward. Believe me, anyone who gives even a drink of water to one of these little ones, just because he is my disciple, will by no means lose his reward.” — Matthew 10 | J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS) The New Testament in Modern English by J.B Phillips copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Cross References: Genesis 3:1; Exodus 4:12; Numbers 18:7; Deuteronomy 33:9; 1 Samuel 2:29; 1 Samuel 14:45; 1 Samuel 17:28; 1 Samuel 17:40; 1 Samuel 25:6; 2 Samuel 14:11; 1 Kings 18:4; 2 Kings 1:2; 2 Kings 4:10; 2 Kings 17:24; Job 37:24; Psalm 35:13; Psalm 50:20; Psalm 119:46; Psalm 122:7-8; Proverbs 10:9; Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 29:27; Isaiah 19:2; Isaiah 22:1; Isaiah 55:1; Isaiah 59:13; Jeremiah 26:21; Jeremiah 50:6; Ezekiel 16:48; Ezekiel 34:4; Ecclesiastes 11:1; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Micah 7:6; Matthew 3:3; Matthew 4:21; Matthew 4:23; Matthew 5:22; Matthew 5:26; Matthew 6:26; Matthew 7:8; Matthew 7:22; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 12:12; Matthew 16:24-25; Matthew 18:5; Matthew 20:20; Matthew 24:17; Matthew 26:2; Matthew 26:14-15; Mark 6:7-8; Mark 8:34-35; Mark 8:38; Luke 6:40; Luke 9:2-3; Luke 10:7; Luke 10:11; Luke 12:8; Luke 12:51; Luke 15:10; Acts 13:51; Revelation 6:4

[alixisherebutringagain]

Traumagenic traumagenic traumagenic it's all traumagenic it's gotta be but what

What is the trauma

What is it

And why this ?

As a reaction, why this ?

And why can't I help them why can't I help them WHY CAN'T I HELP THEM WHY CAN'T I HELP THEM WHY CAN'T I HELP THEM

[im2tired4usernames]

Drove past two churches with "pride comes before fall" one that said "Lucifer has pride see what happened to him" on the way to work.

found out my parent's church joined a FB group of a bunch of people goin to protest pride and scream Doomsday gospel at everyone they see there.

my coworkers are making jokes about running their trucks through pride to run over all the fags.

Honestly I live in such a right wing conservative small town I'm surprised they are doing pride to begin with it definitely feels like there's a lot more people who are goin to hurt and hate then to go to celebrate and love.