#let me know if you know and i shall attempt to adapt accordingly

[nostalgia-tblr]

Think I'll headcanon that Sylvie changed her name so that the fanfiction about her kissing her other self would be easier to write ❤

(Hello yes I have been in more than one than one fandom where I've thought "Oh, I should write this specific pairing!" and then immediately gone "No hang on those characters have the same name. And the same pronouns. And they look the same. Fuck.")

[etheries1015]

Furina is a 100% a pillow princess who has delulued herself into thinking she can top her gf easily lmao

I was going to just make a short remark about this, but I ended up accidentally writing an entire fic about it. Haha!!

Furina X Afab!Reader- Reversing roles

General warnings: Afab reader, fem pronouns. Reader is a littttle bit mean, but in a sexy way, so it's fine! You use lot's of pet names for Furina. also, SEXXX!! YAA!!! 18+ minors DNIIIII

TW: None! But if I missed something, let me know and I shall update this accordingly <3

Absolutely. I adore this. I can imagine herself reading all sorts of books, reading up on such content surely means she easily could adapt it into practice, no? She loved thinking about pushing you to the bed, confident strides of her tongue against your pussy and making you cry out her name. She read once of this girl grabbing her lover by the back of the neck as she pressed her face against the pillow, she imagined it was HER pulling YOUR ass up in the air as she positions a strap against your hole and thrusting with vigor and precision.

She has the sassy attitude and vigorous spirit, surely. It's the way she would confidently declare you to be hers, as you sat there with a Calm and amused smile on your lips allowing your girlfriend to speak freely without interrupting or correcting her. She's always been in love with the theatrics, it didn't come much of a surprise to you if she attempted to act out a role that seemed befitting of a popular stage actor. Furina just LOVES touching you, holding your arms, hugging your waist, or even just sitting shoulder to shoulder. All signs pointed in the direction (in her mind) that she could top you in the bedroom, even if that wasn't entirely true. See, she had the mindset more than anything that it was possible, but not in practice. And as she says to your mutual friends how she's so clearly the one with top energy and you would be on your knees begging for her, you just sat there politely. Scheming on your next punishment.

"So, now you're lying, my dove?" You hummed with a finger trailing down the spine of Furinas arched back, before pulling on the collar and leash you had placed upon her flawlessly unmarked skin. Her ass was in the air as your strap was only to the tip between her folds- watching your girlfriend pathetically wiggle her ass in hopes for more of a release.

"I-I ..I would never!" She attempted to theatrically declare, immediately regretting her words after noticing a shift in the air she tried to backtrack. "I'm sorry, please- ah-" You did was she dreaded- you pulled the rest of the strap out of Furinas tight cunt and raised an eyebrow at the blue-eyed female. You knew she been reading erotic books with such content, and in her mind, she thought it'd be rather easy to top in the relationship. She always blamed it on you not being 'willing,' so...you decided to give your girlfriend what she wanted.

"Hmm. Then, why don't you try to be the too this time, my love? If you are so insistent on telling our friends in such confidence that you are, then you might as well not have fed them lies!" You smiled as you unbuckled your strap on from your thighs, Furina turning around on the bed watching with eyes wide with shock and apprehension as you handed her the toy and lay down on the bed. She slowly looked between you and the silicone cock- watching as your legs spread to show off your glistening folds. You tilted your head at her hesitation, before a chuckle escaped your lips.

"You DO know what to do with this, don't you? After all, you read all the books," you purred as you began to play with the pearl of your cunt, rubbing circles around it, "or at this rate, I'll have to finish myself..."

"I-I can do it! Do not underestimate my...skills! I am simply surprised that you..." Her face was a shade of red so dark you couldn't help but attempt to hold back a chuckle.

"That I was so willing to be the bottom? It's not like i'm ever against it, it just comes natural between us for me to top. But, if that's what your heart desires..." Furina pouted ever so slightly, grabbing hold of the strap-on and fumbling with the buckles after staring at it curiously for a moment. You gave her a minute to try and figure out how to adjust the straps to her size from yours, before offering up a helping hand.

"You just make it look incredibly easy..." She muttered as you let out a high-pitched laugh of amusement.

"That's because it is, dove. Here-" You guided her fingers to the place on the thighs where you adjust it, her face flushing red. Once firmly placed around her hips, you sat back once again and watched your rose-colored faced lover crawl forward and go to adjust the dildo in front of your entrance. You raised an eyebrow.

"You're not even going to prep me?" You teased, "I can do it myself, but didn't you want the full experience?" Furina was sometimes bothered in the way you were so easily able to make her pout, but she was almost determined to make you as flustered as you made her. So, she thought back of the way you played with her body before moving onto the strap-on, and bending over so her face was in front of your wet cunt. With uncertain eyes, she looked back up at you, and you couldn't help but feel only a little bit bad as she gave you those sweet doe eyes of hers a pleading gaze... You placed a loving hand on her head, stroking her gently.

"If you would like to stop here, we can. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, my dove," you purred. Furina shook her head.

"No!" She said almost too sharply, "I mean..no, I want to do this. I just...am worried...what if it's not good?" Your eyes squinted as a smile pressed ear to ear, a breathy chuckle escaping your lips as you continued to pet her hair in attempts to soothe your girlfriends nerves.

"It's okay. Just do your best," You encouraged. Furina looked back down and began to lower herself, thinking back to the sensation she typically felt when your tongue pressed against hers. Giving timid licks as if she were a kitten, you watched in fondness as her long eyelashes fluttered shut, and she clumsily began to quicken her pace. her tongue felt light as feathers on your cunt, almost tickling you, before you felt her wet muscle enter your hole. You continued to stroke her hair and tilt your head with a look of love in your eyes, before she looked up with slight disappointment on her face.

"Is it bad?"

"What makes you say that?"

"You...aren't making any sounds!" You raise a curious eyebrow and give her a smile free of judgement, shrugging slightly.

"Just because I'm not moaning doesn't mean I'm not enjoying the sensation, dear." Furina huffed and sat up, pushing your back against the bed and grabbing both of your knees and pulling them apart.

"Can I do it now?"

"You're rather impatient, aren't you?" You hummed, "You were barely down there for a few minutes. But...I loosened myself earlier, anyway, so it's fine. Go ahead, my love." Her eyes widened in surprise at the revelation that you had loosened yourself prior, meaning to her that you had planned this entire situation beforehand. The thought of you touching yourself in prep for her...without being able to witness such a rare sight? She bit her bottom lip before roughly pressing your knees up to your chest and lined the dildo at your entrance, the stretch of the toy causing you to suck in air and tilt your head back slightly with a satisfied hum in the back of your throat. Hearing you make even such a subtle sound of pleasure left Furinas practically drooling, moving her hips in a forward thrust in attempt to hear you moan her name even ever-so-slightly.

Her thrusts were short and quickly slowed, you could see the focus on her face and the lethargy that overtook her small body. The way she thrusted wasn't in any particular movement, it was straightforward and rather sloppy. You heard a whine escape her lips as she bent forward, her hands landing on either side of your head and continuing her hip movements. You used your hands to stroke her cheek and lift up slightly to kiss her as Furina continued to thrust inside of you, but it was easy to decipher her stamina in this regard was very little.

"Are you tired, my dove?" You coaxed into her ear, "Here..." before Furina could protest, you pushed her away slightly signaling for her to remove herself from your hole. She did as was directed, slightly disappointed, only to flip sides with to to which her back was now laying against the sheets and you adjusted yourself on top of the strap, entering once again and riding the top of your girlfriend. Furina watched in awe at your skill, the way you bounced on the silicone cock and used your fingers to rub yourself. Moaning Furinas name, you leaned forward and stared into her beautiful blue orbs with hearts in your eyes.

"Ah.." you moaned slightly, your hips continuing the movements, "you always look prettiest when you're beneath me."

After finishing your endeavors, Furina lay on the bed as you stand up and gather your dirty clothes and head to the bathroom to clean yourself up. Her face was red with embarrassment and hands covering her eyes, groaning and rolling around in bed.

"And in the end...you ended on top of me, anyways..." She whined, "The books make is sound much simpler!" You laughed and made your way back to your shared bed with your girlfriend, kissing her cheek and giving her a wink.

"It's okay, my dove. We have plenty of time to practice, it's not something you get overnight. And besides..." You leaned in to whisper in her ear,

"I love spoiling my precious little pillow princess <3"

[absnt]

                                                                 . . .    a  forgotten  memory. 

#absnt. . .       an  exploration  into  how  the  doctor  would  have  acted  had  there  been  a  regeneration  between  ten  and  eleven.     written  by  robin  since  11.11.22.     sideblog  to  @ wasme. 

                                  rules  and  study  are  below  the  cut .

CHARACTER  STUDY .

he'd  lost .     not  just  those  around  him ,     but  part  of  his  soul .    every  muscle  ached ,    every  bone  creaked ,    every  inch  of  his  very  being  tired  and  strained .     what  do  you  do ,   when  you're  tired ?

                                                  you  rest .

he  goes  by  john  smith .    he  lives  in  a  small  flat  in  london ,    though  he's  most  often  not  there ,    gone  without  a  trace  for  weeks  on  end .     he swears  like  a  trooper ,    he  drinks  and  he  smokes ,    and  most  importantly . . .      he's  quiet .    quiet  and  kind ,    with  sadness  filling  hues  no  matter  how  hard  he  laughs .

RULES  NOT  GUIDELINES ,    done  to  keep  this  a  safe  space  for  myself  and  others.

𝐈 .     i  own 10.5 ,   but  i  am  not  ewan  mcgregor  ( sorry ) .     we're  anti - moffet  and  not  super  happy  with  some  of  davies'  plot  lines  either .     so  attempts  will  be  made  to  avoid  these / adapt  them  in  a  healthy  and  unharmful  manner .

𝐈𝐈 .     everything  on  this  blog  is  made  by  me   (  both  graphic  wise  and  writing  wise  )   bar  the  psd ,    which  is  by emlgrate .     if  ever  i  used  something  that  isn't  mine ,    i'll  give  credit  accordingly .

𝐈𝐈𝐈 .   this  is  a  sideblog  to  wasme ,    so  i’ll  follow  back  from  there .    i  will  however  be  very  selective  to  who  i  reply  to .    this  is  done  for  my  own  comfort ,    as  well  as  making  sure  my  dash  is  a  clean  and  safe  space  for  me .     please  don't  interact  with  posts  etc  if  we  aren't  mutuals ,    thank  you  in  advance !

𝐈𝐕 .   10.5  is  easier  to  ship  with  than  11  but  he's  still  pretty  difficult  to  ship  with ,    but  i  am  still  open  to  it !     platonic  and  familial  bonds  will  be  my  focus  here .      nsfw  content  such  as  smut  will  not  be  present  here ,    and  if  something  similar  occurs ,    it  shall  be  tagged .

𝐕 .   my  aim  is  to  make  this  a  safe  space  for  myself  as  well  as  others ,     so  just  be  kind !    i'm  a  bit  uncomfortable  with  vagues  and  posts  that  beg  for  sympathy ,    so  i  may  softblock  for  this ,   just  to  keep  myself  comfortable .     i  will  not  engage  with  any  mun  or  muse  who  participate  in  the  following :    homophobia ,  racism ,    sexism ,    transphobia ,   pedophilia ,    incest ,   non-consensual  situation ,   using  deceased  faceclaims  and  xenophobia .     i  come  from  a  jewish  family ,    although  i  don't  practice  the  religious  side ,    i  am  a  part  of  the  community ,    so  this  is  something  i'm  very  passionate  about .

𝐕𝐈 .   this  is  meant  to  be  fun ,    and  not  a  job .    in  the  past ,   i've  gotten  far  too  personal  with  rp  and  i  don't  intend  to  fall  down  that  rabbit  hole  again .     if  i  don't  reply  within  a  few  days ,   feel  free  to  nudge  me !    but  also  know  that  borderline  harassment  won't  work  in  your  favour . . .     let's  have  some  fun !

[thekoshertribble]

“I'm not some simple shepherdess you can awe” Women of Star Trek #19 “Who Mourns for Adonais?” Lt. Carolyn Palamas

Oh boy, I am not looking forward to writing this one.

Before we begin: I don’t usually find myself identifying in any way with the characters I talk about on this blog, but this one is an exception. Carolyn Palamas’ story is one of the worst I’ll be discussing in this series. I think anyone who’s seen the episode, and knows what happens to her would agree with that, but for me it’s personal. I know how she felt. I’ll get to that later, but for now let’s talk about Carolyn.

(Before I go any further, I should caution you that I’ll be discussing some rather sensitive topics: abusive relationships, physical and psychological abuse, implied rape and unwanted pregnancy.)

If someone asked me “what role would you serve in Starfleet?” I would answer: A&A officer.

An oft forgotten role, the A&A officer is a starship’s science division expert on archeology and anthropology. He or she is well knowledged in not only the civilizations of earth, but those of other planets. Imagine studying the ruins of a lost civilization on another planet, or reading ancient texts from the mythology of an alien species! This is Carolyn Palamas’ job on the Enterprise, and why she was chosen for the landing party to Pollux Four. But first, we meet her on the bridge, presenting her findings about the planet to Kirk: “Here's the report on Pollux Five, Captain. This entire system has been almost the same. A strange lack of intelligent life on the planets. It bugs the percentages.” Kirk asked her to run the same analysis on Pollux Four, then McCoy remarks she looks tired. Palamas explains she was up “all night” working on the report. (I don’t understand why Palamas was given this job when it could have gone to Spock or one of the other astonomists in the science department. It bugs me.) Kirk and McCoy are impressed by her work effort, and Scotty steps up to offer her to have coffee with him, rather eagerly. She smiles and accepts his invitation, and the two exit the bridge together. Kirk and McCoy have already suspected, correctly, that Scotty is attracted to Palamas, a fact which worries McCoy:

MCCOY: I'm not sure I like that, Jim.

KIRK: Why, Bones? Scotty's a good man.

MCCOY: And he thinks he's the right man for her, but I'm not sure she thinks he's the right man. On the other hand, she's a woman. All woman. One day she'll find the right man and off she'll go, out of the service.

Okay, I’m going to go on a bit of a tangent here, but this conversation is worth discussing. Two things are clear: one, McCoy has analyzed both Scott and Palamas, and foresees the relationship will be one sided. (He seems to acknowledge, however, that he could be wrong.) Two, it’s immediately assumed that if Palamas were to marry, she would leave Starfleet. This was written in the 60s, when married women were expected to stay home, not work. So does that mean those same expectations are present in Starfleet? I say no. In “Balance of Terror” we saw two officers get married, and no mention was made of either of them leaving the service. So it doesn’t appear to be a regulation or cultural expectation that McCoy is referring to. Considering his knowledge of the crew, I think McCoy has heard from Palamas at some point that she planned to leave Starfleet if she were to marry, but she sees that as being unlikely to happen anytime soon. Kirk meanwhile, is more concerned about Scotty being preoccupied by a romantic interest rather than his job. And as we’ll soon see, he’s not actually wrong...

The Enterprise arrives at Pollux Four and is immediately captured by Apollo, who insists Kirk comes down to the planet with some of his men to rejoice and “remember together” their Ancient Greek heritage. Kirk naturally brings along Palamas, as well as McCoy, Scotty and Chekov. Apollo reveals his identity and tells his “children” that they must stay here and worship him as they did before. Kirk and Scotty warm him that they’ll resist any attempts to keep the Enterprise here forcefully, while Apollo claims the crew is his to cherish or destroy. In the middle of this back-and-forth threatening, Carolyn steps in, not with a warning but with a question: “But why? What you've said so far makes no sense at all.” Apollo’s face softens and he turns his attention from Kirk to Palamas. He approaches her, studying her. 

APOLLO: How like Aphrodite and Athena. The beauty, grace. And you seem wise for a woman. What is your name?

CAROLYN: Lieutenant Palamas.

APOLLO: I mean your name.

CAROLYN: Carolyn.

APOLLO: Carolyn. Yes. You are beautiful. You would do Aphrodite credit. I will tell you a thousand tales, stories of courage and love. You will know what it is to be a goddess.

Scott immediately protests to this, telling Apollo to back off. Apollo then blasts Scott’s phaser out of his hand and turns his attention back to Carolyn. He decides her Starfleet uniform doesn’t look good on her and changes them (Trelane-style) to a Grecian dress. Satisfied with this change, Apollo begins to lead her away from the others. Again, Scotty tries to save her, but gets thrown over the table. Kirk also appears to protest but Carolyn stops him, saying quietly: “It's all right, Captain. I'll go.” Apollo applauds her lack of fear, and disappears, taking Carolyn with him.

This scene tells us two very important things about Carolyn. First, as a scientist she has a curious mind that instinctually seeks answers. Apollo demands the Enterprise crew worships him? Carolyn wants to know why. Despite the threats Apollo makes, she is still wants to know how he, an ancient deity from a planet light-years away, ended up on an alien planet. She might have seen this as a career-changing mission. This is the kind of opportunity most of her fellow anthropologists and archeologists dream of. But it is not without cost, leading to the second item: Carolyn is not so brave or curious to not be aware of the danger she is in. She’s read Greek legends. She know what Apollo is and what he’s capable of. And she knows that women in Greek mythology rarely get happy endings. She has every right to be afraid, and she is. She is not “without fear” as Apollo wrongly observes. She goes with him for two reasons: one, so she can continue to observe him, and two, to prevent Apollo from hurting any other member of the landing party. That’s it. Yes, in the next scene Apollo asks her if she’s frightened of him and she says no, but how could she not be afraid? He nearly kills Kirk by Vader-style choking him, knocks out Scotty and threatens to crush the Enterprise like an egg! She knows could do the same to her, but she hypothesizes that his affection for her will shield her from his wrath. His “love” for her is the only thing that stops Apollo from killing Kirk with force lighting:

KIRK: We're tired of your phony fireworks!

APOLLO: Mortal, you have earned this!

(Apollo points his finger at Kirk’s chest)

CAROLYN: No, don't!

(Carolyn puts herself between Apollo and Kirk)

KIRK: Lieutenant!

CAROLYN: A father doesn't destroy his children. You said you were gentle and understanding.

KIRK: Lieutenant!

CAROLYN: How can they worship you if you hurt them?

KIRK: Lieutenant.

CAROLYN: Apollo, please. (taking his hand) You know so much of love. Please don't hurt them. Please.

APOLLO: I shall be lenient with you, for her sake.

In a sick kind of irony, Carolyn has become both incredibly powerful and vulnerable as Apollo’s newest object of lust. Apollo is extremely dangerous and quick to anger - his violent acts toward her crew mates tell Carolyn what will happen if she refuses him - so she is trapped with him. However, she knows he wants to please her. She becomes an intermediary between him and her crew, and in the scene above, she’s the only person that can stop Apollo from going on a deadly rampage. In the next scene Carolyn learns that is not just an object of affection for the Apollo, she is central to his plan to restore his godliness. He sees her as a lover and a means to an end.

Which leads us to the beginning of the finale. Apollo sends Carolyn back to the landing party alone, to speak with Kirk, to try once more to persuade him to stay. She appears to them with in an oddly relaxed state, smiling and speaking softly:

CAROLYN: He wants us to live in peace. He wants to provide for us. He'll give us everything we ever wanted, and he can do it, too.

KIRK: All right, Lieutenant, you can come down from Mount Olympus now. You've got work to do.

CAROLYN: I don't understand.

KIRK: He thrives on love, worship, attention.

CAROLYN: Yes?

KIRK: We can't give him that worship, none of us can. Especially you.

CAROLYN: What?

KIRK: Spurn him. Reject him. You must. You're special to him.

CAROLYN: Yes. I love him.

Let’s pause right here, shall we? Now some of you are probably thinking: hey koshertribble I’ve watched this episode x-many times and it seems like Carolyn was falling in love with Apollo. She kissed him in the last scene, remember? When she says she loves him, she’s telling the truth, right?

Wrong.

She doesn’t. Period.

So why would she lie? Because when you’re trapped in an abusive relationship, that’s what you do. You don’t want to lie, but you lie because it’s the safest thing to do. At this point Carolyn has gone into what I call “survival mode.” She doesn’t see a way to escape this planet and Apollo’s (literal) grasp. In this moment she has accepted her sitauation and is adapting, surviving, accordingly. She tells the landing party to do the same: try to accept their fate by looking at the “positives.” Kirk, meanwhile, is still trying to find a way out. He’s figured out that Carolyn has influence on Apollo’s actions; her rejection of him could be their salvation, but rejection is the last thing on her mind right now...

KIRK: Lieutenant. All our lives, here and on the ship, depend on you.

CAROLYN: No, not on me.

KIRK: On you, Lieutenant! Reject him, and we have a chance to save ourselves. Accept him, and you condemn all of us to slavery, nothing less than slavery. We might never get help this far out. Or perhaps the thought of spending an eternity bending knee and tending sheep appeals to you.

CAROLYN: Oh, but you don't understand. He's kind, and he wants the best for us. And he's so lonely. What you ask would break his heart. How can I?

Again, Carolyn doesn’t really believe what she says, nor is she trying to justify what Apollo is doing. She’s defending herself, not him. When she asks “how can I” she’s not asking “how could I hurt Apollo because I care about his feelings” she really means “ how can I get out of this impossible situation without getting killed?” At this point Kirk gives one of his trademark speeches to remind her who she is:

KIRK: Give me your hand. Your hand. (she does) Now feel that. Human flesh against human flesh. We're the same. We share the same history, the same heritage, the same lives. We're tied together beyond any untying. Man or woman, it makes no difference. We're human. We couldn't escape from each other even if we wanted to. That's how you do it, Lieutenant. By remembering who and what you are. A bit of flesh and blood afloat in a universe without end. The only thing that's truly yours is the rest of humanity. That's where our duty lies. Do you understand me?

CAROLYN: Yes. Yes, I understand. He's calling me.

KIRK: Lieutenant. You have your orders and your duty.

CAROLYN: Yes, sir. My orders and my duty.

To be honest I think that Kirk was under the impression that Carolyn actually loves Apollo. If he had read her words deep down, and seen the fear underneath, that Rousing Kirk Speech would have gone differently. But it get the job done. Carolyn returns to Apollo afraid but determined. And she does what Kirk tells her to do - remember who she is: Lt Carolyn Palamas, Enterprise A&A officer and scientist.

CAROLYN: I must say, Apollo, the way you ape human behaviour is remarkable, but there are some other things I must know. Your evolutionary patterns and your social development.

APOLLO: My what?

CAROLYN: I'm sure they're unique. I've never encountered a specimen like you before.

APOLLO: I am Apollo. I've chosen you.

CAROLYN: I'm sure that's very flattering, but I must get on with my work now.

APOLLO: Your work?

CAROLYN: I'm a scientist. My particular specialty is ancient civilisations, relics, and myths. Surely you know I've only been studying you.

APOLLO: I don't believe it. You love me.

CAROLYN: Love you? Be logical. I'm not some simple shepherdess you can awe. Why, I could no more love you than I could love a new species of bacteria.

(Carolyn turns to leave)

APOLLO: Carolyn! I forbid you to go. I order you to stay.

CAROLYN: Is that the secret of your power over women, the thunderbolts you throw?

Unfortunately, but predictably, Apollo has a full on meltdown, summoning a storm to chase Carolyn down through the woods. It’s hard to say exactly what happened in this scene - we see her knocked to the ground screaming as Apollo’s giant face appears in the sky getting closer and closer. When she appears in the final scene with Scotty her face is bruised and her dress is torn. The final cut of the episode doesn’t make clear what might have happened but since a final cut scene reveals that Palamas is pregnant, which suggests she was raped as well as beaten... I don’t want to think about it. Luckily she survives his assault, since Kirk orders the Enterprise to fire on the temple, weakening Apollo and forcing him to attack the Enterprise. Carolyn gets back to the landing party and the temple is destroyed. Apollo, devastated, turns to Carolyn once more: “Carolyn, I loved you. I would have made a goddess of you. I've shown you my open heart. See what you've done to me.” He then disappears, leaving Carolyn sobbing not tears of grief, but relief.

You may see this episode a different way, but this is the only way I see it now. Why? Because years ago, I was Carolyn. For ten months I was trapped in a relationship in which I was not a person, but an object to be paraded around as a “girlfriend.” Everyone thought we were happy together, and He thought we were happy together but I wasn’t. I was scared of him. No, he was never violent with me, but he had a short temper and did get into fist fights with some other friends. He claimed he was a “Hellenic polytheist,” worshiping Apollo as his patron god. He regarded me as his damsel in distress to rescue, like Andromeda was saved by Perseus. I was separated from my friends (I could only spend time with him), and I was afraid to refuse him anything. It took months to build up the courage to end it. And even then, he didn’t give up trying to get us back together. It was a nightmare, and seven years on, I’m still working through the after-effects.

So, final takeaways? Carolyn found herself trapped in an abusive relationship with a god. It doesn’t matter that Apollo loved her - he took possession of her, isolated her from her shipmates, threatened them (and her) with violence and assaulted her when she tried to free herself of him. She was only able to free herself (and her shipmates) from him through great risk to herself. She had to decide whether to live in fear or free herself at the risk of death. I hope you never find yourself having to make that decision in your life. But if you have been there, or are there now, please keep remembering who you are, and that there is a way out. I know that’s odd sounding advice, but when you’re in a relationship like this you forget you’re a shadow of yourself. I’ll stop here with the advice because I’m not a professional and my experiences may not be the same as yours, so I’m leaving these links below:

https://www.thehotline.org/2017/02/16/supporting-someone-returning-to-abusive-relationship/

https://www.joinonelove.org/signs-unhealthy-relationship/

So that’s all I really have to say for this episode. It was challenging for me to revisit this episode and the personal memories associated with it, but I hope you found it interesting. Thanks for reading.

Next Episode: “Mirror, Mirror”

[drmonte75-blog]

An Ordinary Commentary by Ordinary Men  

“Living to Glorify God Brings Satisfaction to the Soul” 

#Reformed #Christianity #Church #Bible #Commentary 

 ordinarycommentary.blogspot.com

Christ Admonishes Thoughtless Judgment - Matthew 7:1-6 Jesus warns against judging others and the calling His redeemed people to perfection.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Verses 1-2: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Use your judgment, of course: the verse implies that you will judge in a right sense. But do not indulge the criticizing faculty upon others in a censorious manner, or as if you were set in authority, and had a right to dispense judgment among your fellows. If you impute motives, and pretend to read hearts, others will do the same towards you. A hard and censorious behaviour is sure to provoke reprisals. Those around you will pick up the peek measure you have been using, and measure your corn with it. You do not object to men forming a fair opinion of your character, neither are you forbidden to do the same towards them; but as you would object to their sitting in judgment upon you, do not sit in judgment upon them. This is not the day of judgment, neither are we his Majesty’s judges, and therefore we may not anticipate the time appointed for the final assize, nor usurp the prerogatives of the Judge of all the earth. Surely, if I know myself aright, I need not send my judgment upon circuit to try other men; for I can give it full occupation in my own Court of Conscience to try the traitors within my own bosom.”  67 Charles Frederick Schaeffer—Verses 3-5: “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? A. Mote=any particle of straw, wood, etc., a splinter here representing a defect or fault.—B. Beam=a rafter, a heavy piece of timber supporting the roof. ‘It is an image of a sin that is immeasurably greater than one represented by a mote.’—Luther.—C. Thine own eye. The eye represents the moral and religious character and conduct. The sense is: Thou hast faults of thine own; thou hast a better opportunity to read thine own heart and judge of its iniquity than thou hast to ascertain the state of thy neighbor's heart. Thy own faults should therefore appear to thee far more heinous than those of thy neighbor. His motives, which thou canst not know, may be in reality less censurable than thine own. (Comp. 23:24, B., ‘thy brother’=thy equal in knowledge, etc.). Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye? How wilt=how canst thou presume to say, etc. (Luke 6:42). The sense is: Thou dost contract guilt already by thy neglect of strict self-examination, and by an unwarranted condemnation of another; thy iniquity is still greater when thou dost hypocritically assume the character of a well-meaning friend and adviser, while thy heart is filled with self-righteousness and pride; these vices exclude all knowledge of thyself, and all sincere regard for the welfare of thy brother (see Rom. 2:21-23, ‘Can the blind lead the blind?’ Luke 6:39). Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Thou hypocrite=who pretendest to be wiser and better than another, study the divine law, and ascertain first thy own sinful state. Then only, when the light of truth guides thee, and when thou hast, as an humble believer, found joy and peace (Rom. 15:13), mayest thou, with the wisdom which faith imparts, ‘see clearly’ how to teach transgressors (Ps. 51:12, 13) and to strengthen thy brethren (Luke 22:32; see Rom. 2:17-24).” 68 John Heyl Vincent—Verse 6: “6. Give not—These exhortations to gentleness are followed very appropriately by the command to beware of the other extreme, that is, an indiscriminate pouring out of holy things from want of judgment. He who forbids our judging (which decides man’s culpability) commands us to form an opinion, (which marks only the state.) This latter is absolutely necessary for the child of God, in order to distinguish the false from the true.—Olshausen. The holy, a technical term for the sacrificial meats laid upon the altar of God. Of these meats no unclean man was permitted to eat; how much less a dog; to the Jew the dog was odious and unclean; even to touch him was to become unclean.—S. Cox. Unto the dogs—The dog was never a pet or a favorite among the Jews. They lived, and still live in oriental cities, in packs, half wild, generally without masters or owners, and barely tolerated as scavengers. Both Bible of vileness and uncleanness (Lev. 11.7; Prov. 11.22; Matt. 15.27; Phil. 3.2; Rev. 22.15.) —Abbott. Neither cast ye your pearls—It has been suggested that the figure alludes to the resemblance of pearls with peas and acorns. Certain it is that the swine touch with their snouts every thing resembling food. As this casting of pearls before swine, however foolish, must have had some show of reason, it may, perhaps, represent an attempt of satisfying their cravings, and such, indeed, is the true character of laxity; it prostitutes what is highest and holiest to satisfy the animal and the devilish propensities of man.—Lange. Before swine—Tho other part of the similitude is of a different character, and belongs entirely to the swine, who having cast to them pearls, something like their natural food, whose value is inappreciable by them, in fury trample them with their feet, and, turning against the donor, rend him with their tusks.—Alford. Rend you—Such, then, are the twofold consequences: that which is holy, with all its treasures, is lost in iniquity, and more; while its unfaithful and vile administrators also perish in their sin.—Lange. Apostles and bishops must not commit the office of the ministry to a wicked man. No sacred deposit, or responsibility, or even principle, (symbolized by pearls,) must be imparted to an unfit man. No doctrines or religious experiences must be brought before an incapable sensualist. In fine, in imparting the official trusts and the truths of the Gospel, we must discern men’s moral qualities, and deal with them accordingly.—Whedon. Good men should so study the judicial capability of bad men as to cause them selves not to be misjudged and injured. Adaptation to men, places, and things, requires consummate judgment; the savage might be more pleased with a brass button than with a thousand-pound note. He who would give a telescope to a wild barbarian would be deranging the true relations of things, as would he also who excluded all but the blind from the galleries of art. Men must be met on their own intellectual plane, and judgment must be so far exercised as not to confound fools with philosophers, or to regard the toys of children as the accouterments of warriors.—Parker. This, however, does not imply that we are not to seek.’” 69 Endnotes: 67   Charles H. Spurgeon, The Gospel of the Kingdom: A Popular Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1893), 40-41. 68   Charles F. Schaeffer, Annotations of the Gospel According to St. Matthew, Part I–Matthew I-XV (New York: The Christian Literature Company, 1895), 159-160. 69   J. H. Vincent, The Lesson Commentary on the International Lessons for 1880 (London: Elliot Stock, 1879), 68-69.

[krinsbez]

A History of Alien Invasions; my college thesis, part 1

Well, my dad’s always going about how I ought to publish this thing that I had to write in order to earn my college degree (I will not be telling you what in because I want y’all to respect me). To my profound irritation I cannot find the actual word document, though I do have those of my classmates, so unfortunately, you’ll be getting the version sans bibliography I posted on a forum board once.

Beware wall o’ text...

A History of Alien Invasions: Depictions of Alien Invasions and Changes in Pop Culture 

Of the many ways to examine changes in society, one of the most interesting is to examine the entertainment produced in different eras. Media such as films, books, and TV programs all reflect what is going on in society at the time. Different kinds of entertainment reflect varied aspects of the zeitgeist, the spirit of the times, whether their creators intend to or not. For example, horror films reflect people’s fears. A variant of that genre which is particularly prone to reflect the attitudes and worries of an era is one that often gets short shrift in terms of cultural study: films depicting the invasion of the Earth by aliens. Unlike traditional horror films, which largely tend to play to people’s primal “night terrors” in a world of black-and-white battles between good and evil, alien invasion tales tend to speak to a part of the human psyche that is more in tune with “the real world.” The alien invasion film engages one’s fears of subjugation, loss of identity, and other cultural and political uncertainties, rather than the more conventional nightmares of vampires, serial killers, and other such sources of bodily harm. (Lucanio 11). An analysis and comparison of an array of alien invasion films will help demonstrate the way they tend to reflect society. In addition, a discussion of two or three depictions of alien invasion from other media will be included, as they are necessary for completeness’ sake. These works span a period of time from the late 19th century to the early 21st. Among these are several remakes of earlier films. To best demonstrate the changes between the original films and their remakes, the two will be discussed together. With remakes, it is important to remember that not all differences are due entirely to socio-cultural change. Some were caused by differences of the “vision” of their respective creators, or by studio politics. However, even these “differences of vision” can sometimes be used as an example of societal change, as each creator’s “vision” is just as molded by changes in the zeitgeist as anyone else’s.

War of the Worlds

This analysis begins with the granddaddy of alien invasion fiction: The War of the Worlds, by H. G. Wells, first published in 1898. Wells’ novel, quite possibly the first tale of alien invasion, has been adapted numerous times, in an array of different media, including radio, movies, television, and even comic books. For purposes of brevity, the focus shall rest on only the original tale, and three adaptations. These are the 1938 Orson Welles radio broadcast, the 1953 George Pal film (Rovin 164-165), and the 2005 Steven Spielberg film. Wells’ novel tells the story of an invasion of the Earth by Martians. The Martians land in projectiles shot from Mars, build nigh-unstoppable war machines, and set about destroying/conquering everything in their path until being struck down by germs. The book is in the form of a survivor recounting the invasion several years later and thus is told mostly in the first person, describing his trials and travails from shortly before the Martians land to shortly after they perish. A portion of the book is written in the third person, describing events to which the narrator’s brother was witness, and a good deal of the discussion of the Martians’ technology, biology, and other such things, discovered after the invasion. From the brief description provided above, an uneducated reader could be forgiven for thinking that the book is fairly simple, an impression one gets from surface examinations of most alien invasion fiction. This impression would be woefully inaccurate both in the case of The War of the Worlds and other works in this genre. The book exists largely as a work of satire of British Imperialism; the point is made both through the general feeling of the novel and explicit statements by the narrator that what the Martians are doing to Britain is not particularly different from what Britain was doing to the rest of the world (Wells 9). At times, this comparison is over emphasized; while a brief mention is made that they might move on to Europe, they never actually invade anywhere other than England. The novel also touches on evolution, and unsurprisingly, given Wells’ socialism, class struggle. (Taravella 249) Naturally, Wells’ anti-Imperialist sentiment and other philosophical musings do not appear in the other versions, or at least are heavily de-emphasized as they were made in different times and different places, where these issues were less important. Also, the creators of these works did not necessarily agree with Wells’ left-wing politics. This is not, of course, to say these adaptations and remakes are without deeper meaning as can be shown through analysis of them. Orson Welles’ 1938 radio broadcast is a good starting point. With a few exceptions, the lion’s share of Welles’ version is made in the form of a faux news broadcast, an embryonic form of the style of faux-documentary we now call a “mockumentary.” It takes place in 1939, a year after it was produced. In an opening monologue (parts of which were copied almost word for word from Wells), Welles sets the stage by stating that, in this fictional near future, “business was better. The war scare was over. More men were back at work. Sales were picking up.” This statement gives an idea of the mindset of Welles’ audience; it lets analysts know that these two things, the economic situation and the brewing conflict in Europe, were troubling the minds of the American people at that time. The latter is of particular importance as it was this particular anxiety that most likely drove the famous, or infamous, reaction to Welles’ broadcast: mass panic. Due to a series of circumstances that will not be discussed here, many listeners came into the broadcast in the middle, and missed the introduction that would have told them that the apparent “news broadcast” was a work of fiction. These listeners therefore assumed that the broadcast was real, that the Earth, and more specifically the United States, was being invaded by Martians…and reacted accordingly. Eventually, of course, the furor died down, leaving a mark on pop culture, both by itself and by making Orson Welles an international star. However, it is striking in what it reveals about the American mindset at the time and how that mindset diverges from that of contemporary America. Most obviously, the broadcast showed how people reacted to the media. To the modern observer, saturated with information and wary of media bias, the reaction to Welles’ broadcast seems to be ridiculous, almost insane. It is important to remember that, in those days, information about what was going on in the world was limited to four primary sources: word of mouth, newspapers, movie newsreels…and the radio. Partially because of this fact, the media tended to be, or at least was perceived to be, less partisan and more concerned with providing the facts. Welles’ program was designed to evoke the feeling of the real thing: a program of dance music, occasionally interrupted by news flashes of unusual explosions observed on Mars, eventually escalating into a live newscast of a full-on alien invasion. The power of radio at the time cannot be understated. As an example, in 1926, the BBC’s Father Ronald Knox performed “Broadcasting The Barricades,” an account of a populist revolution done in a similar fashion, albeit in a less realistic and more humorous style. It, too, produced a panic, albeit a smaller one (Gosling). The other major factor in the panic was the situation in Europe. The broadcast was made in 1938, on the eve of the Second World War. By October, the month of the broadcast, Hitler’s Germany had seized control of Austria and the Sudentenland. It was a forgone conclusion that a war was on the horizon in Europe. Unsurprisingly, many Americans feared that the United States would be pulled into the conflict, as had happened two decades earlier in the First World War. It is notable that, according to a study performed by the Radio Project, many of those who panicked did not believe that America had been invaded by Martians; they thought it had been invaded by Germans, (War of the Worlds Film) likely because of that nation’s recent aggression. War of the Worlds came to the big screen in 1953, produced by George Pal. This version was even more divergent from Wells’ novel. Pal’s Martians invaded in what was then the modern day, and their behavior was quite different from the Martians of Wells and Welles. Whereas the previous iterations came as conquerors (Wells’ Martians fed on human blood and seemed to be planning on keeping men as cattle, while Welles’ Martians “[made] a conscious effort to avoid destruction of cities and countryside”), Pal’s Martians came as destroyers, obliterating everything in their path, reflecting the belief that the Soviets intended not just to conquer the West but obliterate our entire way of life. The threat of nuclear annihilation probably played into this change as well. The scope of their invasion was also much greater, being global rather than confined solely to a single nation, just as the Communist menace was. In addition, the hero, rather than being a hapless observer, is a forceful man of action, a scientist constantly involved in the vain attempts to battle the invaders. He also has a love interest, something that is emphatically not present in Wells’ novel (Wells’ nameless narrator is married, but his wife is mentioned only briefly). These latter changes are due partially to Hollywood’s tendency to stick action heroes and romance into just about anything, but are also an attempt to reassure the audience of the power of American Manliness and of traditional gender roles, both of which were perceived as being under attack by Communists. Even more than the above changes, two things explicitly mark this film as a product of the early years of the Cold War. The first is that, while specific mention is made of nations all over the world fighting the Martians, there is one nation that is explicitly not mentioned: the Soviet Union. When one adds in that Washington becomes the center of human resistance, the implication is quite clear that the Martians are merely a substitute for the evil Soviets. The second of these is religion: in the climactic sequence, the hero runs from church to church, which somehow remain inviolate while the rest of Los Angeles is burning, looking for his love interest. He finds her at the same time as the Martians finally do attack a church, namely the one in which the hero and his ladylove are standing in. Oddly, the only damage is a stained-glass window, and the Martians die almost immediately thereafter. The film ends with a shot of a cathedral, while a narrator solemnly informs viewers that after the science of Man failed, the aliens were defeated by microbes “which God, in His wisdom placed upon the Earth”. The implication of this imagery and statement is that the Martians were struck down by the hand of God for their sacrilege. While this line does appear in Wells’ novel (220), it is part of a larger statement, which lacks any such meaning. This change is symptomatic of one of the basic attitudes of the Cold War; that America stood for God and faith as opposed to the Godless “Commies”. In 2005, a new film version of War of the Worlds appeared in theaters. Directed and produced by acclaimed filmmaker Steven Spielberg, featuring super-star actor Tom Cruise, and with big budget, state-of-the-art special effects, one would think that this film would be a bombastic spectacle that would dwarf its predecessors in scope. Such was not the case. This version focuses on a modern-day blue-collar dockworker from New Jersey and his two children, as opposed to the scholarly philosopher of Wells’ novel, the famed astronomer and assorted journalists of Welles’ broadcast, or the renowned scientist of Pal’s film. There are effectively no references to what is happening in the world at large, little speculation as to the motives and nature of the invaders (who, incidentally, are not Martians, but from another world, never identified). Far more attention is paid to the panicked crowds attempting to escape the invaders than to the authorities seeking to fight back. In short, despite its high production values and big names, it is a much smaller story than its predecessors. Unlike Wells’ and Welles’ ominous tales and Pal’s implication of divine intervention, Spielberg’s film is much more humanistic. Its hero is a flawed, working-class everyman trying to protect his family, rather than a perceptive intellectual trying to learn about the invaders or find a way to defeat them. At the climax, after it is realized that the aliens are perishing, the movie pictures soldiers destroying the invaders’ war machines. As with Pal’s film, Spielberg’s ends with a narrator quoting from Wells’ closing monologue, but rather than emphasizing “the smallest of God’s creations,” and thus Man’s impotence in the face of the threat, it instead emphasizes how Man had earned his immunity to them through centuries of deaths, proving that “men do not die in vain.” Despite the smaller scale, Spielberg’s War of the Worlds is far more explicit than the previous film. Alien war machines explode out of the ground in the wake of violent thunderstorms, crowds of fleeing people are blasted by the invaders and violently evaporate, a river is filled with floating corpses, hordes of terrified refugees trample each other in a stampede towards perceived safety, the aliens graphically drain people’s blood to spray onto the gruesome red weed that sprouts everywhere in their wake…these are just a few of the multitude of depictions of graphic violence displayed in the newer film. So, what is the source of these changes? The third of these, the explicit violence, while the least significant, is probably the easiest to explain. Throughout the second half of the 20th Century, the American people became more jaded and inured to violence. It is therefore much more difficult to elicit gasps of horror and shock from a modern audience, and it is easier to use graphic imagery to provoke the viewers than to inspire a sense of dread. Thus, a profusion of Grand Guigniolesque grotesquery is offered, a pattern that will become discernible as this survey of alien invasion films continues. The other two changes, the smaller scale and greater humanism, are more difficult to elucidate. Partially this is because Spielberg’s style of filmmaking tends to be highly personal; hence it is a case of “creator’s vision.” However, it is more than that. Many of the later films under discussion have a similar emphasis on the common man, the average Joe, the little guy, rather than the square-jawed, always-confident, intellectual hero of the Fifties’ films. There are undoubtedly a multitude of reasons for this change, but among the most likely is that it relates to a growing alienation of people from the authorities. Invasion of the Body Snatchers

The next tale of alien invasion was born in 1954. That year, author Jack Finney wrote a story, serialized in Colliers Magazine, entitled “Sleep No More,” a tale of mysterious “Pods” from outer space replacing the inhabitants of a small California town called Mill Valley when they fall asleep. The next year, he expanded this tale into a novel, The Body Snatchers. The year after that, it was developed, more or less faithfully, into a film entitled Invasion of the Body Snatchers, directed by Don Siegel. The film became a cult classic and was remade in 1978. (Rovin 38) This remake, directed by Philip Kaufman, was less faithful to the novel: the location was changed to the big city of San Francisco, it took place in contemporary times, and the characters were changed considerably. In the '50s versions of Body Snatchers, the main male and female protagonists (Miles Bennell and Becky Driscoll) are quite different from those of the '70s remake (MATTHEW Bennell and ELIZABETH Driscoll). Until his breakdown at the very end of the movie, Miles is a very decisive, take-charge kind of guy who comes as close to being in control of events as one can in such a situation. Matthew, on the other hand, spends much of the movie slightly befuddled. He is confused and unsure of what's going on and what to do about it. Becky and Elizabeth are practically the opposite. Becky is an exceptionally passive character, merely following Miles' lead in all things and contributing little. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is intelligent and incisive: she's the first person to realize what's going on, and it is she who convinces Matthew of the threat they face, rather than the other way around. The change in name, from the diminutive "Becky" to the more respectful "Elizabeth" reflects the greater assertiveness of the '70s character. These changes are a clear reflection of the changing attitude towards women and male authority between the '50s and the '70s. Another difference is in the actions of the Pods. In the '50s versions, the "Pod People" pretend to be normal humans not just by looking like them, but also by acting like them, to the point that only an intimate or close observer can see something wrong. In the '70s version, however, they do no such thing. With one or two exceptions, the Pod People appear cold and emotionless throughout. Only the complacency and obliviousness of the human population makes it possible for them to hide that something is wrong. This difference becomes more blatant in the climax of the film, in which the heroes are captured, escape, and then are chased by a horde of Pod People. In the '50s version, the Pod People attempt to persuade the heroes to join them, explaining that the process will not hurt, that it is really a good thing for it to happen. Only after Miles tears apart their arguments and rejects them do the Pod People take forcible action. This simply takes the form of locking the heroes in with some Pods and then leaving them alone, content that it is only a matter of time before they fall asleep and are replaced. Even after the escape, the Pods attempt to persuade; the pursuers shout out that it is all right, it won’t hurt, and such things. In the remake, the Pod People aggressively burst into the room, grab our heroes, and hold them down while they are injected with sedatives. Only then is a half-hearted attempt at persuasion made, one that has more the feel of a weak justification. When the heroes escape and make a run for it, their pursuers call out weird and inhuman screeches. At the same time, the way in which the Pod People go about replacing people is displayed more blatantly. In the '50s versions, while the Pods are clearly conspiring together, said conspiracy is off-stage and unseen until near the end. In the '70s version however, they openly meet and exchange Pods in broad daylight. The greater alienness and inhumanity of the Pod People and their more blatant conspiring in the '70s version are, perhaps, due to societal changes, two in particular. First, the people of the ‘70s were more jaded about violence than those of the earlier generation. Because of this jadedness, the subtle menace of the ‘50s film would not have sufficed to terrify a ‘70s audience as was intended. Thus, the aliens were made more gruesome and inhuman, so as to increase their impact and provoke a response from the audience. The blatancy of the Pod People is due to another societal change. In the 50s, the people were afraid of invasion, infiltration, and corruption by external forces, namely the Soviet Communists. Thus, the Pod People are clearly outsiders, who seek to seduce the heroes to their side with rhetoric and propaganda…just as the Communists were believed to do. In the '70s on the other hand, during the years of detente with the Communist enemy, people were less afraid of external invasion. Instead, they feared threats from the inside. In the wake of Watergate and Vietnam, the cynical public almost expected that the government, the people in whom they were supposed to trust, were in fact conspiring against them.

[chesterfitness1]

Bad Fitness: Why You Do Not See Results From Your Workouts (or Diet Strategies)

33.

60.

92.

On the outside, the numbers mean nothing whatsoever. They could be a fitness center locker combination, a lottery amount, or the age when all men mature. But if you look closer, then these numbers are proof that gym programs aren’t functioning the way that they should. Or perhaps more accurately, bad fitness has come to be the standard.

Around 33 percent of the population is now obese or obese, and that amount is projected to climb

Over 60 percent of people who go to gym have trouble sticking with their program regularly for more than three weeks.

As much as 92 percent of people fail in their exercise resolutions at the close of the year.

Some may get these numbers gloomy. The truth is, the numbersare a sign of improvement and hope. Because while many experts continue to spend as much time stressing that the hunt for the workout regime or diet–research is finally discovering individuals struggle to get in shape.

And the reason is simple: an important factor is missing that impacts whether you see the kind.

Fantastic health and physical fitness books or great diet plans operate since they supply information that has been demonstrated to attain a specific goal, while it’s burning fat, building muscle, getting more athletic, or simply fostering general wellness.

So my people fail whether a training and diet program works is not. Diets work. Many types of exercise burn off calories. But certain apps are powerful for people because every man or woman can decode the code and find out how tochange behavior.

It’s time to flip the script to why Individuals are healthy and others fight to fit into their favorite pair of underwear.     It’s the key in the gym that few people address in which others fail, exactly why some people succeed on exactly the strategy, because many never grasp.

Past the calories in versus calories out equation, finding the ideal workout or number of repetitions or sets, the real breakdowns in body modification do not occur in the muscles or cells — that they happen in your mind.

Whether you understand it or not, your success is determined by your ability to stick to a number of behavioral changes which make it much easier for you to attain success on any type of program.

The two most Frequent explanations for why gym programs do not operate are:

1)   The exercise (and/or diet) was no good and filled with crap

2)   Your body stinks. Your genetics are awful. Weight can be lost by everybody and you can not.  

The truth is, the second reason–although legitimate (genetics do play a significant role)–is not a reason for your lack of success. Anyone transform and can change. Muscle gain and Weight loss are not limited to the genetically blessed.

The list of programs do not work is missing two essential elements Which Make It complete:

3)   You didn’t follow the program, were not compliant, and constantly made adjustments

4)     This program was delivered in a way that gave you no choice but failure.

It’s this fourth component which most folks overlook and never even consider, which is exactly why so many are frustrated as it’s possibly the reason for frustration and too little progress.

If you don’t inherently love eating and exercise great foods, changing to new habits requires a whole lot of mental energy. And if you do not take the strategy that is ideal, your mind can literally keep you from creating.

Rather than blaming your self, you can equip yourself with some fundamental knowledge which will make certain you mind is sufficiently powerful to haul your own body to its own new and improved look.

Bad Fitness 101: Do not rely on Willpower…

The very first rule of willpower is doing everything possible to never rely upon it. Willpower is a real thing, and it can be the reason why you head to the gym and eat meals rather than put on the sofa and eat ice cream, but it’s also the reason so many people have trouble adapting to healthy behaviours that feel overseas.

Than you would want to trust you see that you have not as much control over your behavior. That’s because anxiety and stress — emotions which are inevitable — may wreck havoc and make it difficult that you stay concentrated and push yourself to stay constant with behaviours that are new.

That is why it’s important when choosing a new strategy to know about the ways that your willpower may make it difficult for you to experience success. Rather than believing, “I must avoid all of the candy in my cabinet,” you will need to throw out all the food which you know you have trouble preventing and replace it with all the things you need to consume.

If you’ve discovered that you can not make it to the gym regularly, employ a coach and make a special request that they text you an hour prior to your session.

Willpower can be faulty, therefore building systems which direct behavior can make sure that when willpower breaks down failure is not the only option. The more structure and rigidity to the systems you build, the easier it is to plan your behaviour.

You can park your car 15 minutes if you feel that you will need to walk longer . Sure it’s inconvenient, but it is going to get the job done, right?

All too frequently we that producing change will be easy. Instead, expect that it will be difficult and simplify your job by making it easy for you to stick to your behaviours. After a while, you will change as a person, and the programs won’t be needed by you .

…But Creating More Willpower Will Help (Yes, it’s potential)

The most frustrating thing about willpower is that individuals have limited amounts available. The region of your mind that regulates your willpower is situated on your prefrontal cortex. You may remember that from biology directly.

It’s the exact same portion of your mind that helps you with all your day-to-day activities, everything out of your short-term memory (What exactly did my wife let me purchase in the store?) , figuring out even staying focused, and some jobs.

The point isthat that the cortex that is pre-fontal is occupied constantly. So whenever you take on a new behavior–especially one that is as big as getting in shape, exercising, and eating better–it’s like having a huge job dropped on your lap and being told everybody else in the office is too busy to assist.

The result is that desired activities–if new–could be quite (very) difficult to execute. In reality, it’s greater than your mind can handle, meaning you default to old or undesirable behaviours.

Here your mind could be. In a study in Stanford, two groups have been provided a number to remember. 1 group required to bear in mind a two-digit sequence, whereas the other needed to remember 7 digits (Both short term memory activities). The groups went for a walk. In the end of their walk, they had been offered a choice of bites: chocolate cake or Fruit. (This sort of difficulty might sound familiar.)

What happened? People who needed to bear in mind the 7-digit amount were two times more inclined to dig into the cake rather than opt for the fruit.

Researchers refer to this as “cognitive load.” The more space you are taking up in the prefontal cortex, the tougher it would be to make sure decisions. That’s why you need to prepare yourself so that you have sufficient willpower and prepare accordingly.

This is one reason why resolutions are such a idea. If you are attempting to change 10 behaviours in exactly the exact same time, it’s nearly impossible for you to succeed. Your mind will not possess it, and,  because of this, you will be more inclined to find yourself in December eating cake–and not because you are observing your new body.

Rather than just taking on too many projects or listing off objectives, break that down to habits and then it’s best to concentrate on one effort.   Researchers in Australia found that carrying a step-by-step approach, such as building one habit at a time helps decrease cognitive load.

So rather than saying “I need to lose 10 lbs” it’s best to schedule simple behaviours which can make this possible. This might be, “I shall have an accountability team to make sure I go to the gym.” The custom is simple–establishing a team–rather than something such as assuring that you will exercise for 60 minutes five days each week.

The lesson: Be mindful that your willpower is the worker on your brain. Make the job easier and you will see your habits change along with your physique.

5 Methods to Boost Willpower

In order to ensure willpower is created by you and do not undermine your efforts, here are 5 things that you will need to look at when trying take on a new diet or workout program to modify your body, or accept a new behavior.

Produce Hope

Most of us want to think that we are able to achieve our fitness objectives, but all too frequently “false hope syndrome” causes the process harder than it needs to be. You want to set expectations of who you are and need. This goes back to construction systems.

If you know that you fall prey do not tell yourself that you can control your self and those times are over. Odds are, you are lying to your self and these positive intentions–although good–could be harmful. That’s because the moment you slip up you will not only revert back to old behaviours (not terrible when it happens once in a while–hello, most of us screw up!) But it could ruin your self-esteem. And after that happens, willpower becomes helpless and you fall off the saddle.

It’s crucial that you start out confident, but be sensible with what will be easy and what’s going to be challenging. Create a record. Separate it to two aims (easy and difficult), and for everything that is difficult, strategy certain systems which will help make certain that you’re not placing too much strain on yourself.

Believe Little (But Still Dream Big)

You need to determine what areas of your daily life ought to be cautioned less, if you are serious about your fitness objectives. Proceed and realize that making these modifications will be tough; you wouldn’t be in this position in the very first place if they were not. So make certain that you have the ability to take on the job and be prepared for the days. You can simplify this process by:

Creating aims that matter for you. This will make it much easier to battle for them.

Preparing a strategy

Creating Milestones

Searching new ways of living

All four of these elements have something in common. They’ve found that our minds operate off of old memories when mind scientists have looked at MRI’s. It’s just like a taking a specific path to do the job. After a while, it becomes you routine. But in regards to behavior, oftentimes you simply try to tell yourself, “Do not go that way!” That’s a recipe for failure. You will need to find a new path. Do not attempt to “to not do anything;” that only reinforces a pre-existing behavior. Instead, make a new line of thinking, construct a brand new pathway, also choose that path enough times until it becomes your new custom.

Establish Certain Aims

This is a lesson for whatever in life: When you set goals, make them specific and miniature. You need to make it as easy as possible to be successful. Most of us are vulnerable to some concept known as learned helplessness; you come to expect failure and fail enough. This is the basis of fitness that is terrible. And yet, frequently targets are set the likelihood of failure increases. If you make your aims almost too easy to not fail, you are on the ideal path. Reinforcement is built by this. And in almost no time, a collection of small successes will have you feeling nice and making changes.

Set up An Accountability System

Talking of comments, having a team–if it’s family friends, a coach, or workout partner–pays dividends. In reality, research in the University of Chicago indicates that your likelihood of success is associated with liability and support. Yourself: do not convince you will need to go in this. Build. And the longer that team is spent on your goals–or are you willing to be a part of your trip.

Create Incentives

If all else fails, bad fitness can be offset by building a bonus system which hacks your patterns and forces shift. Studies have proven that rewarding behaviours–especially with a monetary value–may help reinforce actions (for instance, visiting the gym) which contribute  to long-term shift. Although it may be hard to find someone to cover you to work out, you can invest your own money (in a coach or gym) that can help make you less risk aversive. But if health presence shows you anything it’s that belonging to your gym is not reason.

Your Move

“What is essential to change a man is to change his awareness of himself.” —Abraham Maslow

Now that you are aware of your mind’s part in the exercise programs, it’s your choice to execute. Build your own structure and systems to help enhance the likelihood of success. Or find an option that believes those factors all.

Whether it’s internet coaching or some other tactic that is proven, you must begin with awareness and after that move to action and preparation. Develop a structure for support that is emotional. Doing so will change your thoughts, and shortly after your body will soon followalong with

Lose Fat…The Realistic Way

A weight loss plan doesn’t need to be a world of hype and false promises.

You can now join a proven weight loss program with a personalized part of support and accountability with personalized online training.

Here you will find out how to consume, the sort of exercise required, and the actual plans to point you in the ideal direction.

READ MORE: 

How to Defy Genetics and Grow Taller Mass at Any Age

Is Intermittent Fasting Right for You?

Wish to Burn More Calories? Add This to Your Fat Loss Plan

The article Poor Fitness: Why You Do Not See Results From The Workouts (or Diet Strategies) appeared first on Produced Fitness.

from chester fitness http://www.chesterfitness.co.uk/bad-fitness-why-you-do-not-see-results-from-your-workouts-or-diet-strategies/

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Living to Glorify God Brings Satisfaction to the Soul

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Christ Admonishes Thoughtless JudgmentMatthew 7:1-6

Jesus warns against judging others and the calling His redeemed people to perfection.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Verses 1-2: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Use your judgment, of course: the verse implies that you will judge in a right sense. But do not indulge the criticizing faculty upon others in a censorious manner, or as if you were set in authority, and had a right to dispense judgment among your fellows. If you impute motives, and pretend to read hearts, others will do the same towards you. A hard and censorious behaviour is sure to provoke reprisals. Those around you will pick up the peek measure you have been using, and measure your corn with it. You do not object to men forming a fair opinion of your character, neither are you forbidden to do the same towards them; but as you would object to their sitting in judgment upon you, do not sit in judgment upon them. This is not the day of judgment, neither are we his Majesty’s judges, and therefore we may not anticipate the time appointed for the final assize, nor usurp the prerogatives of the Judge of all the earth.

Surely, if I know myself aright, I need not send my judgment upon circuit to try other men; for I can give it full occupation in my own Court of Conscience to try the traitors within my own bosom.”  67 Charles Frederick Schaeffer—Verses 3-5: “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 

A. Mote=any particle of straw, wood, etc., a splinter here representing a defect or fault.—B. Beam=a rafter, a heavy piece of timber supporting the roof. ‘It is an image of a sin that is immeasurably greater than one represented by a mote.’—Luther.—C. Thine own eye. The eye represents the moral and religious character and conduct. The sense is: Thou hast faults of thine own; thou hast a better opportunity to read thine own heart and judge of its iniquity than thou hast to ascertain the state of thy neighbor's heart. Thy own faults should therefore appear to thee far more heinous than those of thy neighbor. His motives, which thou canst not know, may be in reality less censurable than thine own. (Comp. 23:24, B., ‘thy brother’=thy equal in knowledge, etc.).

Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye? How wilt=how canst thou presume to say, etc. (Luke 6:42). The sense is: Thou dost contract guilt already by thy neglect of strict self-examination, and by an unwarranted condemnation of another; thy iniquity is still greater when thou dost hypocritically assume the character of a well-meaning friend and adviser, while thy heart is filled with self-righteousness and pride; these vices exclude all knowledge of thyself, and all sincere regard for the welfare of thy brother (see Rom. 2:21-23, ‘Can the blind lead the blind?’ Luke 6:39).

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Thou hypocrite=who pretendest to be wiser and better than another, study the divine law, and ascertain first thy own sinful state. Then only, when the light of truth guides thee, and when thou hast, as an humble believer, found joy and peace (Rom. 15:13), mayest thou, with the wisdom which faith imparts, ‘see clearly’ how to teach transgressors (Ps. 51:12, 13) and to strengthen thy brethren (Luke 22:32; see Rom. 2:17-24).” 68

John Heyl Vincent—Verse 6: “6. Give not—These exhortations to gentleness are followed very appropriately by the command to beware of the other extreme, that is, an indiscriminate pouring out of holy things from want of judgment. He who forbids our judging (which decides man’s culpability) commands us to form an opinion, (which marks only the state.) This latter is absolutely necessary for the child of God, in order to distinguish the false from the true.—Olshausen. The holy, a technical term for the sacrificial meats laid upon the altar of God. Of these meats no unclean man was permitted to eat; how much less a dog; to the Jew the dog was odious and unclean; even to touch him was to become unclean.—S. Cox. Unto the dogs—The dog was never a pet or a favorite among the Jews. They lived, and still live in oriental cities, in packs, half wild, generally without masters or owners, and barely tolerated as scavengers. Both Bible of vileness and uncleanness (Lev. 11.7; Prov. 11.22; Matt. 15.27; Phil. 3.2; Rev. 22.15.) —Abbott. Neither cast ye your pearls—It has been suggested that the figure alludes to the resemblance of pearls with peas and acorns. Certain it is that the swine touch with their snouts every thing resembling food. As this casting of pearls before swine, however foolish, must have had some show of reason, it may, perhaps, represent an attempt of satisfying their cravings, and such, indeed, is the true character of laxity; it prostitutes what is highest and holiest to satisfy the animal and the devilish propensities of man.—Lange. Before swine—Tho other part of the similitude is of a different character, and belongs entirely to the swine, who having cast to them pearls, something like their natural food, whose value is inappreciable by them, in fury trample them with their feet, and, turning against the donor, rend him with their tusks.—Alford. Rend you—Such, then, are the twofold consequences: that which is holy, with all its treasures, is lost in iniquity, and more; while its unfaithful and vile administrators also perish in their sin.—Lange. Apostles and bishops must not commit the office of the ministry to a wicked man. No sacred deposit, or responsibility, or even principle, (symbolized by pearls,) must be imparted to an unfit man. No doctrines or religious experiences must be brought before an incapable sensualist. In fine, in imparting the official trusts and the truths of the Gospel, we must discern men’s moral qualities, and deal with them accordingly.—Whedon. Good men should so study the judicial capability of bad men as to cause them selves not to be misjudged and injured. Adaptation to men, places, and things, requires consummate judgment; the savage might be more pleased with a brass button than with a thousand-pound note. He who would give a telescope to a wild barbarian would be deranging the true relations of things, as would he also who excluded all but the blind from the galleries of art. Men must be met on their own intellectual plane, and judgment must be so far exercised as not to confound fools with philosophers, or to regard the toys of children as the accouterments of warriors.—Parker. This, however, does not imply that we are not to seek.’” 69

Endnotes:

67   Charles H. Spurgeon, The Gospel of the Kingdom: A Popular Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1893), 40-41. 68   Charles F. Schaeffer, Annotations of the Gospel According to St. Matthew, Part I–Matthew I-XV (New York: The Christian Literature Company, 1895), 159-160. 69   J. H. Vincent, The Lesson Commentary on the International Lessons for 1880 (London: Elliot Stock, 1879), 68-69.

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Christ Admonishes Thoughtless Judgment Matthew 7:1-6 Jesus warns against judging others and the calling His redeemed people to perfection. Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Verses 1-2: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Use your judgment, of course: the verse implies that you will judge in a right sense. But do not indulge the criticizing faculty upon others in a censorious manner, or as if you were set in authority, and had a right to dispense judgment among your fellows. If you impute motives, and pretend to read hearts, others will do the same towards you. A hard and censorious behaviour is sure to provoke reprisals. Those around you will pick up the peek measure you have been using, and measure your corn with it. You do not object to men forming a fair opinion of your character, neither are you forbidden to do the same towards them; but as you would object to their sitting in judgment upon you, do not sit in judgment upon them. This is not the day of judgment, neither are we his Majesty’s judges, and therefore we may not anticipate the time appointed for the final assize, nor usurp the prerogatives of the Judge of all the earth. Surely, if I know myself aright, I need not send my judgment upon circuit to try other men; for I can give it full occupation in my own Court of Conscience to try the traitors within my own bosom.”  67 Charles Frederick Schaeffer—Verses 3-5: “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? A. Mote=any particle of straw, wood, etc., a splinter here representing a defect or fault.—B. Beam=a rafter, a heavy piece of timber supporting the roof. ‘It is an image of a sin that is immeasurably greater than one represented by a mote.’—Luther.—C. Thine own eye. The eye represents the moral and religious character and conduct. The sense is: Thou hast faults of thine own; thou hast a better opportunity to read thine own heart and judge of its iniquity than thou hast to ascertain the state of thy neighbor's heart. Thy own faults should therefore appear to thee far more heinous than those of thy neighbor. His motives, which thou canst not know, may be in reality less censurable than thine own. (Comp. 23:24, B., ‘thy brother’=thy equal in knowledge, etc.). Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye? How wilt=how canst thou presume to say, etc. (Luke 6:42). The sense is: Thou dost contract guilt already by thy neglect of strict self-examination, and by an unwarranted condemnation of another; thy iniquity is still greater when thou dost hypocritically assume the character of a well-meaning friend and adviser, while thy heart is filled with self-righteousness and pride; these vices exclude all knowledge of thyself, and all sincere regard for the welfare of thy brother (see Rom. 2:21-23, ‘Can the blind lead the blind?’ Luke 6:39). Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Thou hypocrite=who pretendest to be wiser and better than another, study the divine law, and ascertain first thy own sinful state. Then only, when the light of truth guides thee, and when thou hast, as an humble believer, found joy and peace (Rom. 15:13), mayest thou, with the wisdom which faith imparts, ‘see clearly’ how to teach transgressors (Ps. 51:12, 13) and to strengthen thy brethren (Luke 22:32; see Rom. 2:17-24).” 68 John Heyl Vincent—Verse 6: “6. Give not—These exhortations to gentleness are followed very appropriately by the command to beware of the other extreme, that is, an indiscriminate pouring out of holy things from want of judgment. He who forbids our judging (which decides man’s culpability) commands us to form an opinion, (which marks only the state.) This latter is absolutely necessary for the child of God, in order to distinguish the false from the true.—Olshausen. The holy, a technical term for the sacrificial meats laid upon the altar of God. Of these meats no unclean man was permitted to eat; how much less a dog; to the Jew the dog was odious and unclean; even to touch him was to become unclean.—S. Cox. Unto the dogs—The dog was never a pet or a favorite among the Jews. They lived, and still live in oriental cities, in packs, half wild, generally without masters or owners, and barely tolerated as scavengers. Both Bible of vileness and uncleanness (Lev. 11.7; Prov. 11.22; Matt. 15.27; Phil. 3.2; Rev. 22.15.) —Abbott. Neither cast ye your pearls—It has been suggested that the figure alludes to the resemblance of pearls with peas and acorns. Certain it is that the swine touch with their snouts every thing resembling food. As this casting of pearls before swine, however foolish, must have had some show of reason, it may, perhaps, represent an attempt of satisfying their cravings, and such, indeed, is the true character of laxity; it prostitutes what is highest and holiest to satisfy the animal and the devilish propensities of man.—Lange. Before swine—Tho other part of the similitude is of a different character, and belongs entirely to the swine, who having cast to them pearls, something like their natural food, whose value is inappreciable by them, in fury trample them with their feet, and, turning against the donor, rend him with their tusks.—Alford. Rend you—Such, then, are the twofold consequences: that which is holy, with all its treasures, is lost in iniquity, and more; while its unfaithful and vile administrators also perish in their sin.—Lange. Apostles and bishops must not commit the office of the ministry to a wicked man. No sacred deposit, or responsibility, or even principle, (symbolized by pearls,) must be imparted to an unfit man. No doctrines or religious experiences must be brought before an incapable sensualist. In fine, in imparting the official trusts and the truths of the Gospel, we must discern men’s moral qualities, and deal with them accordingly.—Whedon. Good men should so study the judicial capability of bad men as to cause them selves not to be misjudged and injured. Adaptation to men, places, and things, requires consummate judgment; the savage might be more pleased with a brass button than with a thousand-pound note. He who would give a telescope to a wild barbarian would be deranging the true relations of things, as would he also who excluded all but the blind from the galleries of art. Men must be met on their own intellectual plane, and judgment must be so far exercised as not to confound fools with philosophers, or to regard the toys of children as the accouterments of warriors.—Parker. This, however, does not imply that we are not to seek.’” 69 Endnotes: 67   Charles H. Spurgeon, The Gospel of the Kingdom: A Popular Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1893), 40-41. 68   Charles F. Schaeffer, Annotations of the Gospel According to St. Matthew, Part I–Matthew I-XV (New York: The Christian Literature Company, 1895), 159-160. 69   J. H. Vincent, The Lesson Commentary on the International Lessons for 1880 (London: Elliot Stock, 1879), 68-69.

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Christ Admonishes Thoughtless JudgmentMatthew 7:1-6

Jesus warns against judging others and the calling His redeemed people to perfection.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Verses 1-2: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Use your judgment, of course: the verse implies that you will judge in a right sense. But do not indulge the criticizing faculty upon others in a censorious manner, or as if you were set in authority, and had a right to dispense judgment among your fellows. If you impute motives, and pretend to read hearts, others will do the same towards you. A hard and censorious behaviour is sure to provoke reprisals. Those around you will pick up the peek measure you have been using, and measure your corn with it. You do not object to men forming a fair opinion of your character, neither are you forbidden to do the same towards them; but as you would object to their sitting in judgment upon you, do not sit in judgment upon them. This is not the day of judgment, neither are we his Majesty’s judges, and therefore we may not anticipate the time appointed for the final assize, nor usurp the prerogatives of the Judge of all the earth.

Surely, if I know myself aright, I need not send my judgment upon circuit to try other men; for I can give it full occupation in my own Court of Conscience to try the traitors within my own bosom.”  67

Charles Frederick Schaeffer—Verses 3-5: “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 

A. Mote=any particle of straw, wood, etc., a splinter here representing a defect or fault.—B. Beam=a rafter, a heavy piece of timber supporting the roof. ‘It is an image of a sin that is immeasurably greater than one represented by a mote.’—Luther.—C. Thine own eye. The eye represents the moral and religious character and conduct. The sense is: Thou hast faults of thine own; thou hast a better opportunity to read thine own heart and judge of its iniquity than thou hast to ascertain the state of thy neighbor's heart. Thy own faults should therefore appear to thee far more heinous than those of thy neighbor. His motives, which thou canst not know, may be in reality less censurable than thine own. (Comp. 23:24, B., ‘thy brother’=thy equal in knowledge, etc.).

Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye? 

How wilt=how canst thou presume to say, etc. (Luke 6:42). The sense is: Thou dost contract guilt already by thy neglect of strict self-examination, and by an unwarranted condemnation of another; thy iniquity is still greater when thou dost hypocritically assume the character of a well-meaning friend and adviser, while thy heart is filled with self-righteousness and pride; these vices exclude all knowledge of thyself, and all sincere regard for the welfare of thy brother (see Rom. 2:21-23, ‘Can the blind lead the blind?’ Luke 6:39).

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 

Thou hypocrite=who pretendest to be wiser and better than another, study the divine law, and ascertain first thy own sinful state. Then only, when the light of truth guides thee, and when thou hast, as an humble believer, found joy and peace (Rom. 15:13), mayest thou, with the wisdom which faith imparts, ‘see clearly’ how to teach transgressors (Ps. 51:12, 13) and to strengthen thy brethren (Luke 22:32; see Rom. 2:17-24).” 68

John Heyl Vincent—Verse 6: “6. Give not—These exhortations to gentleness are followed very appropriately by the command to beware of the other extreme, that is, an indiscriminate pouring out of holy things from want of judgment. He who forbids our judging (which decides man’s culpability) commands us to form an opinion, (which marks only the state.) This latter is absolutely necessary for the child of God, in order to distinguish the false from the true.—Olshausen. The holy, a technical term for the sacrificial meats laid upon the altar of God. Of these meats no unclean man was permitted to eat; how much less a dog; to the Jew the dog was odious and unclean; even to touch him was to become unclean.—S. Cox. Unto the dogs—The dog was never a pet or a favorite among the Jews. They lived, and still live in oriental cities, in packs, half wild, generally without masters or owners, and barely tolerated as scavengers. Both Bible of vileness and uncleanness (Lev. 11.7; Prov. 11.22; Matt. 15.27; Phil. 3.2; Rev. 22.15.) —Abbott. Neither cast ye your pearls—It has been suggested that the figure alludes to the resemblance of pearls with peas and acorns. Certain it is that the swine touch with their snouts every thing resembling food. As this casting of pearls before swine, however foolish, must have had some show of reason, it may, perhaps, represent an attempt of satisfying their cravings, and such, indeed, is the true character of laxity; it prostitutes what is highest and holiest to satisfy the animal and the devilish propensities of man.—Lange. Before swine—Tho other part of the similitude is of a different character, and belongs entirely to the swine, who having cast to them pearls, something like their natural food, whose value is inappreciable by them, in fury trample them with their feet, and, turning against the donor, rend him with their tusks.—Alford. Rend you—Such, then, are the twofold consequences: that which is holy, with all its treasures, is lost in iniquity, and more; while its unfaithful and vile administrators also perish in their sin.—Lange. Apostles and bishops must not commit the office of the ministry to a wicked man. No sacred deposit, or responsibility, or even principle, (symbolized by pearls,) must be imparted to an unfit man. No doctrines or religious experiences must be brought before an incapable sensualist. In fine, in imparting the official trusts and the truths of the Gospel, we must discern men’s moral qualities, and deal with them accordingly.—Whedon. Good men should so study the judicial capability of bad men as to cause them selves not to be misjudged and injured. Adaptation to men, places, and things, requires consummate judgment; the savage might be more pleased with a brass button than with a thousand-pound note. He who would give a telescope to a wild barbarian would be deranging the true relations of things, as would he also who excluded all but the blind from the galleries of art. Men must be met on their own intellectual plane, and judgment must be so far exercised as not to confound fools with philosophers, or to regard the toys of children as the accouterments of warriors.—Parker. This, however, does not imply that we are not to seek.’” 69

Endnotes:

67   Charles H. Spurgeon, The Gospel of the Kingdom: A Popular Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1893), 40-41. 68   Charles F. Schaeffer, Annotations of the Gospel According to St. Matthew, Part I–Matthew I-XV (New York: The Christian Literature Company, 1895), 159-160. 69   J. H. Vincent, The Lesson Commentary on the International Lessons for 1880 (London: Elliot Stock, 1879), 68-69.