#mercy lewis*

[wisteria-lodge]

In Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them, Tina uses "Mercy Lewis" as a grammatical intensifier/swear word a la "merlin" (1)

Mercy Lewis was one of the main witch-accusers during the Salem witch trials. Which makes her a really, really weird choice for Tina to evoke.

and I'm literally trying to figure out the thought process here.

OPTION ONE

"Mercy Lewis" is supposed to evoke the concept of a betrayer, like "Benedict Arnold" or "Brutus." (Like maybe she was a squib or something?) Idk, even typing that out feels in such bad taste. Merlin wasn't real. Nicholas Flamel was real, but all JKR says about him was "he made the Philosopher's Stone," which - considering that the real guy was indeed working on that... okay? Mercy Lewis was a real girl in real American history who really got people killed.

AND it doesn't even make sense linguistically. I'd sort of understand if Tina called someone "a Mercy Lewis" or "you're such a Mercy Lewis" after they betrayed her. But that's not the context?

OPTION TWO

Mercy Lewis is indeed a muggle, and so that would make this... anti-muggle hate speech? Like, I could KINDA see a world where "Mercy Lewis" was just a kind of stereotypical, mean way to refer to "Any Muggle." When Tina's being dismissive about Jacob she could have said something like "Forget Mercy Lewis over there, follow me." (but that's not the context in which it's used?)

Like we do know that Tina specifically hates Mary-Lou Barebone, who is a muggle that really hates witches and calls her group "Second Salem." Is this line meant to be drawing a parallel between Mercy Lewis and Mary-Lou Barebone. Or are we just looking for ANY way for Tina to KIND of bring up Salem, because it's sort of relevant to her villain?

OPTION THREE

This is some kind of a mistake. JKR wanted to use the name of one of the Salem Witches as an American equivalent for "Merlin" (still in bad taste but... I get it? ) And so she pulled up a list of names, and accidentally got the name of one of the people who were accusing people of being witches, instead of one of the actual 'witches.' She just kind of liked the ring of the name "Mercy Lewis" and went with it.

I can't help but think that this is just a small example of JKR being just... kinda careless, and kinda lazy, and kinda tasteless about non-European history. Like I am positive I just put more thought into this little moment than JKR ever, ever has.

~

(1) It is weird that "Merlin" is used as swear word at all, because in the HP series Merlin seems to be culturally important, but not a religious figure (which is generally how swear words work, the *thing* you're swearing by needs to be sacred, and 'profaning' it just communicates your level of Seriousness).

Of course, the Wizarding World seems to be completely atheist, which is is fine, and if I SQUINT, I can make "merlin" work in an "enlightenment science boner" way, like 'oh the muggles are hyper-religious and backwards, once we split from them we're going in entirely the opposite direction.' The French Revolution was aggressively atheist, and so was the Communist revolution, and you do have cultural important names like "Lenin" "Engles" "Marx" treated in a linguistically semi-religious way, okay. it's a thing.

but in The Cursed Child they start using "Dumbledore" as a swear word and that's so creepy and I hate it.

[lil-oreo-crumbles]

Abigail, Mercy, and Mary! 🩷💚💛 Together, they’ll accuse you of witchcraft ;)

Was inspired to make this because I remembered that whole saying about not taking pictures of trios, and the legends around what happens to the person in the middle soon afterwards. Thought it was appropriate for Salem’s Bond’s lore!

Fun Fact: My High School History teacher compared them to The Plastics and to this day I find that so funny.

[lilmonsterrr]

POINT YOUR FINGER MERCY

[the-mercy-workers]

Do not waste time bothering whether you “love” your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone you will presently come to love him.

C.S. Lewis

[emjayewrites]

i think i have a thing for black men with itty bitty waists 😭😭😭

@hopefulromantic1 @mauvecherie-writes

[wroetoshaww]

those forearms 🤤

[thenameofaslan]

King Edmund the Just - an Easter reflection

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” —1 John 1:9

It’s always bugged me that Edmund, the one for whom Aslan died, was declared “the Just.”

“Just” is defined as “based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair.” But why, after all that Aslan had done for him, was Edmund not “the Merciful”? Didn’t Aslan’s mercy toward him cause Edmund to be merciful too?

Aslan wasn’t being “just” when he died for Edmund. He wasn’t being “morally right and fair.” If he was, he’d have let Edmund die for his treachery. That’s the moral and fair response to Edmund’s sins. 

In the same way, God would be “morally right and fair” to let US die for our sins. 

So why is God not described as “merciful and gracious” in this verse? Why is God described as “just,” if justice should mean we are punished for our sins?

I believe, personally, that it’s because of God’s promises. God is faithful and just—God does what is morally fair—when He does what He’s promised to us. 

When Jesus took our place on the cross, He took all of God’s wrath. For God to punish us further—for God to not forgive us—after Jesus TOOK our punishment would not be “faithful and just.” This is what “faithful and just” refers to. 

This is why Edmund is referred to as “the Just.” I believe that during his reign in Narnia and throughout his life in our world, Edmund is not just in the sense that he exacts punishment on those who are immoral—he is just because he gives mercy. Edmund sees the sacrifice Aslan made for him—and all of Narnia in the process—and he sees the punishment taken. 

Let us live by Edmund’s example—and God’s—and be just, extending mercy because the ultimate punishment was taken by Jesus.

Praise God that He is faithful and just regarding the promises He’s made to us. Praise God that He is faithful and just to forgive us when we confess. 

Happy Easter, Narnians! He Is Risen!

—Mod Ailora

[1941-crowley-slut]

Missed me? 🤎

- Song: Mercy - Lewis Capaldi

- Coloring: Believer by Lightningxdisaster

- Use credit if you repost.

All scenes owned by Amazon.

[greenapricot]

(x)

[formulamuppet]

Lewis: God, give me patience.

Toto: I think you mean 'give me strength'?

Lewis: If God gave me strength, everyone would be dead.

[dimsilver]

The Icthus Directive

(part 1)

16:04:22 Galaxy Standard Time

Agent Kelton entered the numbers into the menu as precisely as his exosuit gloves would let him. 72% baroque orchestra. 28% smooth jazz.

He tapped a final button, flicked off the suit’s forearm screen, and grinned as the first notes sounded gently in his earpiece. Everyone had their own blends of automusic these days, but he was proud of this one. He’d spent weeks adjusting the percentages until the jazz notes wavered just between the melody and the continuo, supporting but not overwhelming the whole.

He started the rover again. Music should help the drive go faster. The planet Nereus was known for its constant pale-green twilight, bare, jutting landscape…and not much else. Working in census compliance didn’t really set you up for trips to the luxury biosphere planets.

Just one more isolated mining settlement to go.

18:20:37 GST

Kelton jerked the rover to the left as its fat rubber tires nearly collided with yet another spiky rock jutting from the canyon floor.

He could see the end of the canyon ahead, where one wall sank back into a dusty twilit plain. It couldn’t come soon enough. He’d been awake almost a full standard day, and he’d spent the last hour weaving through the canyon, straining to see ahead. The rover’s headlights were bright enough, but they turned the rocks nearest him into knife-sharp, mile-long shadows that obscured everything in their path.

He flexed one hand, sore from clenching the wheel. Right, right again, left—around a rock that towered taller than a D-class ship. He was nearly there.

And that’s when the tire popped.

Kelton knew by instinct what the sharp jerk was even as it flung him forward. He clung to the wheel as the rover careened to the right, wrenching it into a clear spot. He slammed on the brakes and slid to an unsteady halt. The rover rocked forward, then sideways, as any remaining air left the shredded tire in a rush.

Dust clouded and swirled in the headlights. Theorbo and bass guitar twanged together in his ear.

He took a long breath, switched off the automusic, and cursed. Very loudly.

Survival wasn’t the issue. The rover carried emergency oxygen and food, even a foldable shelter in case of something like this. This wasn’t the first time he’d broken down while on a job.

But the closest company craft was on the literal other side of the planet, over in Luton. Devor had taken it to do the big, spread-out mining centers there, leaving him with the rover for the little ones. He’d told her it wouldn’t be a problem.

Knowing her, she’d decide it was most efficient to finish up her compliance visits before coming to his rescue—and she’d expect him to get his last one finished anyway.

Flicking on his forearm screen, he typed a quick message and activated his location beacon.

I’ve broken down a few miles out from Settlement A412. Rover is currently inoperable and will need to be transported for maintenance. I’ll plan to meet you at A412 at your earliest convenience.

Scowling, he pressed “send.”

Then he swung down from the rover. Boots crunching in the dusty gravel, he walked around to the back and unhooked the survival essentials pack. With a grunt, he swung it unto his shoulders and fastened the straps.

He’d rather get to A412 tonight. The shelter wasn’t comfortable.

Cursing again, Kelton switched off the rover, sending his surroundings into stark blackness. Quickly, he turned on his exosuit’s own headlight. Then he marked his current coordinates, set up the routing system, and started walking.

He didn’t have Settlement A412’s exact coordinates—that was the other problem. Its census agreements hadn’t been updated in over ten years. An embarrassment to the Milky Way Authority, on all counts—one he would soon correct. But first, he had to get to the general area, keeping his eyes open for the domed shelters that would be burrowed into the rocks beside the yawning mining shafts. And he was tired.

He hadn’t walked for more than a few minutes when he saw a figure ahead—silhouetted in the pale light just beyond the canyon’s end. It seemed to be walking slowly in his direction. He tensed a little, gloved fingers twitching towards the stun rod clipped to his thigh, then dropping again. A lone traveler, on foot, was unusual. But Nereus wasn’t known for violence or gang activity.

The figure continued its slow progress toward him. As they drew even with another and his headlight flashed over it, he saw that it was an android.

An old DG-30 unit. Emphasis on old—a long crack ran down one of its legs, and the eye-sensors were separate, mounted on top of the head. Probably a pre-biometric scanning model. No visible weapons.

It had to be from Settlement A412. But why was it ranging miles away?

Kelton took a step closer. “Directive?” he asked it.

“Directive,” said a cool, carefully accented voice. “Feed the hungry. Give drink to the thirsty. Clothe the naked. Shelter the homeless. Visit the sick. Bury the dead.”

The directive was non-standard. Not mining protocol, that was for sure. The unit paused, as if waiting.

Then suddenly it bent at the waist, reached out a rust-spotted finger, and traced a shape into the fine gray dust. Two curving lines, like segments of a circle, meeting at one point and crossing at another.

He had hoped that the DG-30 would show him the way. But the scratched shape didn’t look like a map.

Kelton leaned forward and sent a visual search query for the symbol. But the results pane at the bottom of his vision came back empty.

The unit’s two greenish eye-sensors were tilted toward him. “I don’t understand,” he told it.

It paused again, as if recalibrating, then asked a new question.

“What is your need?” The metallic voice had a touch of sympathy.

“Nothing,” Kelton began; then, remembering its odd directive in a sudden flash of genius—“I mean, I’m homeless.”

“Homeless,” repeated the android. “No place of residence?”

“None,” he answered, hoping it somehow wouldn’t scan his identity chip.

It paused again. Then it nodded.

“Follow me,” it said, and it turned and began walking.

That worked?

Kelton followed. They crunched along in silence, out of the dark canyon, and struck out across the plain. For the first time in hours, he felt like laughing. The whole interaction had been so strange—just a few words, and now the unit was taking him where he needed to go. And the shape it had drawn? He’d have to ask about it at the mining settlement.

Odd that the visual search hadn’t found anything.

(part 2 coming soon)

@inklings-challenge

[delopsia]

I don't even need to say it

[bradshawsbitch]

[the-mercy-workers]

Our prayers for others flow more easily than those for ourselves. This shows we are made to live by charity.

C.S. Lewis

[saturnville]

now let me finish this lh fic

[claudycod]

I'M SO NORMAL ABOUT HIM

(this gif is insane oh my god)

GIF by @basilone