#or rather some Scripture-reflection

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

obviously I'm all for complementarianism and Biblical male headship and gleaning wisdom from history, but Alisa Childers was so correct when she said some on the Christian right are trying to bring back a type of patriarchy that never existed

[gayleviticus]

i finished reading 'the widening of God's mercy' by richard b. hays and his son, which for anyone unfamiliar is basically by a guy who used to be non-affirming but changed his mind and thinks the trajectory of the Bible shows God's gradually expansive mercy towards the excluded (gentiles, eunuchs, women etc) that is analogous to lgbt inclusion today.

it's an interesting take that gets away from the grind of just beating away clobber passages, and i think it's a valuable resource in the repertoire of works that try to articulate positive reasons why lgbt affirmation is consistent w the Christian story. but i think one of the most baffling parts is the way the book flirts with the idea of God changing his mind without fully committing.

i dont think you need to appeal at all to some kind of idea of God changing his mind to make the point the book is making; that the overall trajectory/arc of the Bible is towards inclusion, overruling laws/interpretations of laws that undermine human flourishing, and re-examining what we take to be the Word of God.

and at no point does the book take this suggestion that God changes his mind to the obvious conclusion that God used to think gay people should be stoned and will be excluded from heaven, but now has actively repudiated the clobber verses. in fact it's decidedly uninterested in them in any way.

but it flirts with the idea enough to feel unsatisfyingly un-thought-through to me (and probably downright heretical to a potential evangelical it's trying to sway). and i suspect it's because the authors are very much biblical scholars rather than theologians, because the book could definitely use with a good dose of theology. the book acknowledges there are narratives in the Bible where God is depicted as changing his mind, and then sort of just suggests that well, we've inherited lots of theological bias against God changing his mind but if we read the Bible it's clear and obvious that he does that.

but i'm not sure the authors actually believe this is true of God as an entity we worship and interact with, because at other times they write in ways as if God's will was always a certain way and just revealed piecemeal, or distorted by culture, or deliberately responds to human action. i don't think, for instance, that the authors believe God was ever genuinely homophobic, but rather that they're trying to maintain a certain dynamic freedom in God; God is free to act as he wants and we should not feel trapped by our interpretation of scripture into straining a gnat and swallowing a camel.

but i feel like casually dropping the idea of God as changing his mind is like dropping a nuke on america to kill a single cockroach. it raises huge questions that the book doesn't seem interested in answering, or even acknowledging the significance of. does this mean God genuinely was homophobic and thought homosexuals should be executed? how did God learn not to be homophobic? is true morality then some kind of standard superior to God that exists beyond him? have we stumbled our way back into the Euthyphro dilemma just to advocate for lgbt inclusion?

i know process theology etc exists and is well thought out (even if i vehemently disagree with it), but i dont even know if this book is trying to advocate process theology. i dont even have a problem with using language about God changing his mind - it's biblical, and inasmuch as we understand all language about God having emotions etc is analogical it makes sense of the way God seems to act towards us. but the book seems like it's happy to suggest radical ruptures in the way we view God to achieve rhetorical victories when it's not even unnecessary. it just feels distracting.

and i wonder if it almost comes from a place of being so evangelical you veer into being more radical than a lot of outright progressive christians. like, i would just happily say large chunks of the Bible reflect developing theology about God and divine inspiration intermingled with human brokenness. it's a complex work of narrative with layers not a simple didactic instructional text. and so when i think the genocide narrative in Joshua is not reflective of who God is I don't feel a need to suggest maybe God has changed his mind, but rather than people's understanding of God changed.

and i think perhaps the authors (who admittedly i dont know a ton about) still have a sense of needing to respect inerrancy (or at least, appear that way for their target audience, because there are hints in the text of a deeper understanding of historical critical scholarship etc) that rather than interpret scripture metaphorically on the topic, theyd take it so literally they introduce something that is unequivocally more 'heretical' than just rejecting inerrancy.

i have seen a few times this attitude of 'well, if we read the Bible again, we see clearly that God gets angry, changes his mind, is not omniscient etc, so why did we allow all this greek philosophical baggage of immutability etc to infect christianity?'. and i can respect that position when properly developed, but i feel as if it often comes from an overly reductive sense of sola scriptura that ignores the fact these philosophical ideas are trying to make sense of the very concept of God through reason.

and even if not everybody needs to know that philosophical undergirding, it's important that it exists within the christian tradition; a concept of God that is just based on bible stories with no further reflection or thought is going to be shallow. it's like if science stopped at 'when we drop things they fall down' and was decidedly uninterested in developing a theory of gravity

similarly w the trinity; you're not going to get it from just a straightforward reading of the bible. but it is a very effective framework for making sense of scripture. it gives the confusing and seemingly contradictory perspectives on God in the Bible a coherency that is necessary for Christianity to be a coherent theology.

and so i guess approaches to faith that are just like 'let's just follow what the Bible says' miss the fact that theology/philosophy arent just bolted on to make Christianity more respectable, but just inevitably what develops from deeper reflection on the faith. and rejecting that is like saying 'we dont need case law or precedent; we just need to follow the constitution to the letter'.

anyway ive gotten a bit sidetracked on my rant. overall, book with a good overall point that is undermined by flirting with ideas about God that are severely under-served by just casually throwing them in to defend gay marriage

[leaderofthepack22]

I have some things to say about claire nakti

I know she is your favourite nakshatra girlie, I like the information she puts out as well (I do not like her as a person), as it is original STATISTICAL research (rare in astrology) and extremely affirming to the reality i went through as a 14 year old girl encountering Ketu MahaDasha, having Jyeshtha Moon (I have jyeshtha ketu conjunct jyeshtha moon). She talked about Ketu, and Mula Lunar mansion in a way that i could confirm the stuff she says has a solid backing of truth in it.

Now,

I am extremely concerned for women who take her misogynistic and patriarchal teachings to heart, worship her, create a cult around her, and think letting yourself “go” and submitting yourself to a man will liberate you (no it will not). She clearly has said that women are the inferior gender. You cannot debate me on that.

Then, claire nakti is baby-like extremely feminine (annoying high pitched voice) & extremely mysterious w/ the way she jots information together. She definitely is moon dominant as she looks like adison rae (hasta sun & shravana moon) after her nose job 😂🫵🏻 who is moon dominant. Since she is into traditional gender roles, & is extremely "traditionally" feminine, that clearly adds up to her "female path course" & how she suggests hasta as a key nakshatra in the female path according to "HER"

And, the VERY nature of Moon, the feminine planet she relegates herself, & all other women to, being like a conduit for a force bigger than you (she makes it very clear in her shravana video), channeling information FROM them rather than being the originator of light, you essentially reflecting and channeling a worthy ascended master's light;

This doesn't help with the fact that she came outta NOWHERE with that EAGLE symbolism in the jyeshtha shorts, because I have seen no Vedic scripture ever mention eagle for the Scorpio rashi (or a "3rd symbol" of jyeshtha, like she mentioned)

And she has admitted that she has a "guru", AND she made a video about “sleeping with your guru”.

Combined with her misogynistic portrayals of women, her being equally ’feminine’, her admitting she has a guru, her making a video on having sex with gurus which is VERY odd to me. Her looking like Addison rae, a moon dominant woman, her saying that "copying" someone else's light is le bad UNLESS.... you're a ""woman"" because you're ""lunar"" so it's OK. Her looking like another hasta moon singer Grace Kinstler and a YouTuber called Elizabeth filips with hasta moon, this just affirms to me claire being moon dominant, and simply reflecting and communicating another MAN's teachings. Why don't we let claire nakti's misogyny backfire on her????????? Why are we not questioning her extremely unhinged slut behaviour online and her saying that women are yin so therefore can't originate something with so much fucking confidence. Why don't we boldly say she fucked some guru and is now acting like she did all the research by herself and how is SHE the sole instigator OF HER EXTREMELY pioneering work as a Vedic astrologer with so much original content, as this ditzy blonde who came out of absolutely nowhere.

She lied about the fact that she isn't the only person behind her research, she clearly admitted she met her guru few decades ago and she started compiling physiognomy data with him(???)

I will never worship claire nakti. I hate the "nakshatra bad bitches" that orbit her. I am extremely suspicious and strict with claire nakti and her content and i most CERTAINLY separate ""HER"" from the information she channels. She is nothing to me.

Get your fucking shit together and question claire nakti a bit harder. Certainly don't worship her. Anyone with more than 2 braincells can sense she is not the originator of the information she puts out, and is a patriarchal princess dickwhipped out of her mind by her """guru""". Don't let yourself go and embrace ditziness and thinking it will make you this “Yoni Shakti divine feminine tantra goddess consort bhairavi sacred prostitute🤪🤪🤪✨✨”

She also claims to have been this once in a generation talent but couldn't rectify the ayanamsha mistake in Lahiri. The fact that she thinks lahiri ayanamsha is OK (the default ayanamsha indians chose in a hurry so they can go on celebrating their festivals in 1900 and is actually in need of SEVERE updating) and has used wrong people who don't even have the nakshatra she has talked about in her video concerning a particular nakshatra, was the nail in the coffin for me, confirming claire nakti is moon dominant, has a guru she is parroting etc. Being a STEM person, keeping Astrophysics in mind, i have delved into Indian Ephemeris vs Swiss Ephemeris, the whole ayanamsha discourse and I can easily tell lahiri and the vimshottari dashas from lahiri are 3 years off and ALL the antar-dashas are EXTREMELY off, (this will make 90% of the people in Vedic community look like absolute fools and this should induce a BOILING rage in you, how easily people have the audacity to open their mouth and spread wrong information that will NOT stand the test of time.) Lahiri ayanamsha is astronomically incorrect. The fact that Ernst Wilhelm also felt this exact way was affirming to my own discoveries, just like claire nakti affirming the inhaling and uprooting nature of ketu to me as a young teenager.

No YouTube guru is going to save you (certainly not a "woman", i mean, claire nakti said it) There are many things to rectify, perfect and question.

Good luck.

[margaretkart]

I was reading an essay of greek and roman mythology and, when it talk about rape, it said that in those times the interpretion of rape in myths was for encourage the virility, as a victory, like... Masculine won over feminine, and it was viewed as something good. But as far as i know, rape was bad viewed by the law, so i don't think it was a victory's symbol, or a man vs woman (again, and i hate that interpretion of Greek mythology) I know rape is a delicate topic and i would understand if you don't want to answer, but i wanted to know how the greeks (and romans) women viewed those stories. I mean, if i, as a woman, read a story of a god that i worship violently raped a poor girl, i inmedialty abandom it and, in a very excessive thing, burn the temples... So how the women interpreted those stories and still respected those deities.

Yeah, that interpretation of mythology always rubs me the wrong way too. It’s such a modern, overly simplistic way to frame ancient stories, as if everything was just men vs. women, and that’s it. The truth is, ancient people had a much more complex relationship with myths, and they didn’t necessarily take them at face value the way we do now.

For Greek and Roman women, these myths weren’t about celebrating sexual violence or glorifying "masculine victory" (which sounds like a weird, modern lens to impose on them). Instead, myths were a reflection of how unpredictable and dangerous life could be—especially for women, who had fewer rights and protections. But that didn’t mean they saw it as something to admire or encourage. Instead, they found ways to relate, interpret, and sometimes even push back against these stories.

For example, a lot of Greek women turned to deities like Artemis and Hecate, who represented female autonomy and protection. And we know that in real life, women had their own rituals and spaces where they sought justice and support—like the cult of Demeter and Persephone, which was hugely important to women. Even mythological figures who suffered, like Io or Callisto, weren’t just seen as victims; their stories often carried themes of endurance, transformation, and even divine justice later on.

Also, mythology wasn’t scripture. Worshippers weren’t necessarily like, “Oh, Zeus did this, so that’s good and normal.” They could still respect and fear the gods while recognizing that some stories were warnings rather than role models. Even in ancient plays, like Euripides’ *Hippolytus*, you see a lot of frustration with how gods treat mortals.

So yeah, ancient women weren’t just blindly accepting these myths as moral lessons. They had their own perspectives, their own ways of engaging with these stories, and sometimes even used them to challenge the very ideas that made them uncomfortable.

[misspjsuperior]

Some have thought my Vulva Mary to be some crazy absurd thing, some comically, others seriously with accusations of new age blasphemy. Others revere her but too often alongside anti trans rhetoric. But mystic Christian vulva art goes back centuries and also was more popular in the past in association rather to Jesus Christ which therefore naturally then creates trans undertones to the body of Christ. With the consideration of parthenogenesis in which the self conceived offspring is always born female I can feel a trans masc essence to Jesus Christ, bolstered by medieval art in reverence of the Side Wound.

I am by far not the only or first:

“ -this tradition reflects the mystical notion that the body of Jesus is “the body of all bodies” and that it therefore encompasses both traditionally masculine and feminine characteristics.

…

I can understand how, to people who aren’t historians of medieval religion or art, the suggestion that medieval Christians in western Europe frequently imagined and depicted Jesus’s side wound as looking like a vulva might sound bizarre and ridiculous. Nonetheless, this is something that they incontrovertibly did. To understand why they did this, we must first take a look at their historical and cultural context.

The Gospel of John 19:32–37 describes Jesus’s side wound as follows, as translated in the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE):

Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth, so that you also may continue to believe.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘None of his bones shall be broken.’ And again another passage of scripture says, ‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced.’

It is not very difficult to see how medieval Christians might have perceived an opening in a person’s body that bleeds, secretes a clear liquid, and is penetrated as in some sense analogous to a vagina—especially when you consider the fact the Latin word vulnus, meaning “wound,” sounds very similar phonetically to the word vulva, meaning “vagina.”

On top of all this, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries CE, the metaphorical idea of Jesus as a mother became extremely popular and influential among western European Christians, especially among those who were more mystically inclined. Female mystic writers seem to have found this idea particularly appealing.”

[chthonic-cassandra]

If the dislocation in the structure of creation [as described by Marx] were, as in the Judeo-Christian scriptures, described in narrative rather than embedded in two disparate cognitive styles (the sensuous rendering of the interior of capital and the arithmetic rendering of the embodied worker), if it were rendered imagistically rather than analytically, the action of the story might be summarized in this way. In the midst of a vast industrial plain stood an artifact, a commodity, a pile of luminous coal so glittering with reflected sunlight that it seemed to belong to a world of heat, yet so deep and dark in its purple and blue that its blackness seemed not just its color but the very thing that it once must have been, something far removed from the sunlit surface of the plain. Two men crossed the plain, approached the commodity, and stood on either side of it. The one extended his arm and touched the artifact and, as he did so, his body grew larger and more vivid until all attention to his personhood or personality or spirit was made impossible by the compelling vibrancy of his knees, back, hands, neck, belly, lungs: even the interior of his body stood revealed in small cuts and larger wounds. Simultaneously, the other extended his arm and touched the artifact and as he did so, his body began to evaporate, grow airy: he was spiritualized, and disappeared. A name was given to each of the two: in his bodily magnification, the first was called by the name "worker"; in his bodily evaporation, the second was called by the name "capitalist." The two belonged to two tribes who, though they inhabited the same Palin (where one produced coal and the other was warmed by it), never confronted one another face to face, for though the location of the first was apparent to the second, the location of the second was unknown to the first: having no body, he was grounded in no specific location; his face was hidden, invisible; or rather, he did not have a face if by face is meant bodily tissue subject to frostbite. Scattered across this part of the plain were many such artifacts (some were piles of coal, others bolts of cloth, others books, others beds) framed by many such pairs of men. Elsewhere, not far away, on a different part of the same plain stood a pile of money. Like the coal pile, the money pile was an artifact, though far less sensuous in its appearance than the first (for on this plain of the relation between persons and artifacts, it is not just men and women but artifacts themselves that display varying degrees of de-sensualizaton and dematerialization). It too was framed by men, five on one side and one on the other. As at the earlier site, all extended their arms and touched the artifact and, as they did, the five on one side became larger and more intense in their physical presence, while the one on the other side was sustained in his disappearance. Still further along on this same vast plain was a small pile of paper-halfway-transformed-into-an-idea. Although this third artifact was less compelling in its sensuous appearance than the second, as the second was less sensuous than the first, its powers to regulate the appearance and disappearance of persons was correspondingly greater than the second, as the powers of the second were greater than those of the first. Framing this pile of paper were fifty men on one side and one on the other, and once more the arms of all were extended: the fifty persons became fifty enlarged bodies and the one disappeared from the plain and could not be found, though his voice was present, even omnipresent, in the social rules, legislation, and philosophic assumptions that swirled across the plain like an angry wind that was felt on the embodied faces of those who remained.

Elaine Scarry, The Body in Pain: The Making and Unmaking of the World

[anastpaul]

One Minute Reflection – 7 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The Vigil of the Immaculate Conception – St Ambrose (340-397) – Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matthew 5:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/ “Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so, will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments, will be called greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” – Matthew 5:19 

 REFLECTION – “For what reason then does He call some of these commandments “least,” although they are so magnificent and lofty? Jesus spoke this way because, He was about to introduce His own teaching, as a new law . As He humbles Himself and speaks of Himself with great modesty, so He refers to His own teaching in the same manner. In this way, Jesus teaches us to practice humility in everything. And besides, since some suspected His teaching to be a new departure, He temporarily taught it in a more reserved way. But when you hear “least in the Kingdom of Heaven,” you are to think of nothing but hell and punishment. For it was His practice to speak, not only of the joy the Kingdom brings but also, of the time of the resurrection and the fearful event of the Second Coming. Think of one who calls a brother a fool. That one, transgresses only one commandment, maybe even the slightest one and falls into hell. Compare that one with another, who breaks all the commandments and instigates others to break them too. Do both have the same relationship to the Kingdom? This is not the argument Jesus is making. Rather, He means, that one who transgresses only one of the commands will, on the final day, be the least — that is, cast out — and last and will fall into hell!” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor of the Church (The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Homily 16).

(via One Minute Reflection – 7 December –The least in the Kingdom of Heaven – Matthew 5:19 – AnaStpaul)

[sojourner-between-worlds]

Not so long ago, another Christian on here shared an article about the "problems" with the Chosen. Now, I fully believe and support thinking critically about the media we consume, especially for something depicting the life of Christ. That being said, I'd like to offer some thoughts of my own about some of the most commonly cited "problems" with the series. (I ended up referencing the above article in most points, but almost all of them I have see elsewhere as well. That article was just an easy frame of reference.) I'm not here to convince anyone to watch it; I'd just like to offer an alternate perspective for anyone who is willing to listen and think critically.

As a disclaimer: no, this show is not flawless. It's a flawed show made by flawed people doing their best. There are times I take issue with it myself. There are valid criticisms. The ones below are, quite simply, ones that I believe are not.

Buckle up; this is going to be a long one.

1.Mormon Influence I can't believe I still have to explain this one, but I still see it listed as a reason not to watch, so here we go: VidAngel/ Angel Studios Mormon ties had no more bearing on the series content for being the streaming distributor than CBS currently does for being allowed to broadcast it. When a company solely has distribution rights, that does NOT mean they are making content decisions. The only time a distributor would have say on content is if they are partnered, which usually means they are paying for production in some way. Angel Studios never gave a penny towards production (this is the largest crowd-funded series to date, remember? They have no studio backing). They never had any influence. And, oh yeah, as of May 2024, they were deemed to be in breach of contract and now the Chosen no longer has any ties to the company. No influence. Got it? Good. Then we can move on.

2."What does your heart tell you?" (This one could be included in point 4, but I've seen it so often it gets its own, haha.) Okay, this one? This one I agree was not a good writing choice. However. I think this one needs a little more thought rather than taking it at knee-jerk. Yes, the heart is deceitfully wicked and cannot be trusted. But there's some nuance here that I think gets left behind when well-meaning people call out the series for this line. The heart, as referred to in Proverbs, is the will of man. The heart, in pop culture, is often synonymous with emotions. Within the context of the scene, its very clear that the second meaning is the one intended. Now, I will say "feelings are fickle" until the day I die (because they are) because they can't always be trusted to reflect the truth. Again, however. Feelings do exist to tell us things. That is literally their purpose. Not always accurately reflecting the truth of something doesn't change their purpose. And that is what the writers were going for in this scene: the emotional weight of the truth Nicodemus has found. Could they have probably found a less controversial way to convey this? Yeah, maybe. But I can say that this wasn't intended to be the Disney "follow your heart" mumbo-jumbo it constantly gets written off as.

3.A Hearsay Gospel This point was taken directly from the referenced article. I'm choosing to address it not because it's a popular "problem" but because it's actually one I'd never seen before and I think it shows a gross misunderstanding of the inspiration of the Gospels and Scripture as a whole. This point posited that it's unbiblical to show Matthew and John taking notes because it undermines the Spirit-led inspiration of their writings. Except that it doesn't. The Greek word used when talking about this is more literally translated "God-breathed." Which is not the same as "God-dictated." If it were the latter (and what the writer of said article implied), then there would only be one Gospel account. That would be all we need because everything would be in it. Or, if there were still four Gospels (given that they were written with different intended audiences), they would all sound the same and have the exact same details about shared recorded events. But they don't. Because God didn't tell them, verbatim, what to write down. This is why there is variety yet harmony. This is why each writer has a distinct voice in the way they wrote. Because God didn't dictate; He led. There is a difference.

There is also the matter of the Gospel of Mark. Many scholars believe that Mark may have used Matthew's Gospel as a reference when he wrote his own because it shares so much in terms of content (93% of Mark can be found in the others). Does that make it less inspired? The obvious answer is "no" (or it wouldn't still be in our modern Bibles).

The episode most criticized for this point was s2 ep3, where a woman runs past Matthew and he desperately calls after her, "Healed you of what?" Therefore making it something he didn't personally witness that he wrote down. But here's the problem with this: that entire episode is based on one single verse from the book of Matthew: 4:24. Which, if you look it up, says only that Jesus healed many people. As any writer can tell you, not every note makes it into the final draft. Provided something like that did historically happen and provided Matthew did write it down, that doesn't mean everything he took notes on would have been in the completed manuscript later. Therefore: no hearsay.

Bottom line: what made it into their Gospels is still being presented as things they personally witnessed, and taking notes doesn't detract from being led to write or from being led what to include.

4.Unscriptural Script There are several points under this one, so we'll take them one at a time. --"House" vs "Business". This one is, once again, directly from the aforementioned article, but I wanted to address it briefly anyway. This is in reference to Jesus, at age 12, staying and teaching in the temple when his family had already started home. The author claims that "the Bible says, 'Be about my Father's business'" and claims that saying "in the house of my father" (as the show does) is Catholic-inspired and unbiblical. I don't know about the Catholic-inspired part, but I can say that it depends what translation of the Bible you're looking at. KJV uses the business wording. ESV and HCSB both use the house wording. (And if you want to mince accuracy, ESV and HCSB are both more literal than KJV/NKJV.) Unless you take only one translation as being the True Translation, then you can't say the line they went with is unbiblical.

-- Apparently certain things demean Christ, such as him practicing his Sermon on the Mount as opposed to it "being inspired" (see point 3 for the rebuttal of the second part). Except it doesn't. Because Jesus was also very human. Which people tend to forget when talking about this point specifically. It's wrong to have him practice what to say specifically. It's wrong to show him with a sense of humor. It's wrong to [fill in the blank; there are many of these]. Most of them amount to "it's a sin to be human." There are a lot of things that are a direct result of the Original Sin that are not, of themselves, sinful. It's not sinful to say something in a way people don't understand (so he practices to make sure people will understand what he means). It's not sinful to be nostalgic (its an acknowledgement of things that were good in the past). It's not sinful to show Mother Mary supporting Him (we all need earthly support in the form of other people; this is literally one of the purposes of the church!). Every single thing I've ever heard anyone say is "demeaning" is actually just portraying Him as every bit the human He became.

-- The first "arrest". Quintus wanted to talk to Him. He wasn't charged with anything. He wasn't imprisoned. Quintus gave Him a warning and let Him go. This does not contradict Jesus declaring it was not yet His time because it wasn't. He wasn't arrested. I don't know how many more ways I can say this.

-- "Nathanael couldn't have been a drunk because Jesus said there was no guile in him." Except the definition of "without guile" is not "sinless". The definition of guile is "deceit, cunning, hypocrisy or dishonesty in thought or deed" and many modern translations use the word "deceit" in that verse instead. Jesus is saying that he is honest and not a hypocrite. There's nothing about drinking in there at all. I'm not trying to call out this author specifically, but when I say that it's important to understand what words mean, this is exactly what I'm talking about.

-- John the Baptist. One of the points I've seen repeatedly is that it's sacrilegious for Peter to call him "Creepy John". I have to ask if these people understand that Peter called him that in anger and before he met Jesus. After that, it's a running joke along the lines of "remember when you didn't believe me" from Andrew. This is peak sibling behavior. That's all I can say about that.

-- "Matthew couldn't have been autistic because it's not in the Bible/ it didn't exist back them/ etc." I haven't seen this one in a long while, and I made a whole post about this way-back-when, but it bares repeating. The word "autistic" doesn't appear in the Bible in part because the word wasn't even coined until the 1900s. I don't know what else to tell you on that front. Since I've already made a post about this, all I'm going to say here is that it's important representation that is made all the clearly by the overwhelmingly positive response it received from autistic fans. Jesus called all sorts, the outcasts of society, the lowest of the low. And, yes, He calls autistics, too. If there's a problem here, that's all on you, buddy.

5. The Music This particular writer pointed out this lyric specifically: "Got no trouble with the mess you've been" and quite frankly I'm having hard time understand the problem with it because he doesn't come out and say it. It is, in fact, a completely true statement. God is not put off by our messes. We don't have to fix ourselves before coming to Him. Its also worth pointing out the past tense here: been. As in, He calls you out of your mess. You don't stay there. So I have no idea what the supposed problem here is; I only know that it's not one.

In general, I don't have a problem with people not liking certain styles of music. I do take issue, however, when anyone tries to assign morality to a style. Music is amoral. It can be used in immoral ways, just like anything else can be, but music itself does not have a morality. It doesn't have "mystic undertones"; it is in a style that you yourself associate with mysticism. If you don't care for the style, that's fine, but don't assign it a morality it doesn't have.

.

.

Know of something I missed? I certainly didn't cover every controversy so let me know and I'll let you know what I think of it!

[acti-veg]

is it actually wrong to be Islamophobic? and by this i mean "disliking Islam". NOT saying "all Muslims are terrorists" or we should treat Muslims badly in any way. but to dislike the religion - not the people? are there not lots of verses encouraging violence in the Quran? (this is a genuine question - i don't know the answer)

It is perfectly fine to challenge or dislike any belief system, religious beliefs are not unique in any way in that respect. However, when you ‘hate’ an entire religion you’re not really just challenging a specific belief; because religions are extremely diverse, representing a fairly wide group of belief systems that may only share some key common features. One person’s Islam can be very different to another’s. Those who hate Islam as an entire religion tend not to know very much about it, in my experience.

There are certainly passages that can be interpreted as violent in the Quran, as there are in the Bible, but the Quran and modern Islam are not the same thing. Religious believers negotiate with scripture for meaning, and apply it to their lives. You can interpret ‘violent’ passages as reflective of the specific struggle that was happening at the time that the Quran was written, you could view it as a spiritual battle, or as encouraging violence against non-believers more generally.

If you are violent, your Islam will be violent. If you are a pacifist, your Islam will be peaceful. If you took a moderate Muslim from an affluent area in East Sussex and asked them to speak to a militant Islamist from an impoverished community in Kabul, they’d barely even recognise each other’s religion as being the same as their own. They may both claim that the other is not a ‘real Muslim,’ yet you’d hate all Islam on the basis of the behaviour of one of them? Or based on the text they both hold as sacred?

To view a religion as essentially just words on a page, or Muslims as a homogenous, unchanging group is a very narrow and inaccurate view. All religions are organic belief systems that change depending on the historical period, the cultural context, by mosque and even by individual. When people say they ‘hate’ Islam, when asked why, they usually break into criticism of Muslims as an entire people, which is Islamophobia. Or, they just point to specific lines in the Quran, which is fine, but very reductive and simplistic. At that point you’re just criticising a book.

People who ‘hate Islam’ generally don’t have a good grasp of what it is they even hate, and that goes for a lot of the more forceful critics of religion more generally. They haven’t studied the Quran, they haven’t engaged in Muslim culture, they haven’t really even talked to Muslims about what their beliefs even are. They read some out of context Quran quotes on the internet, or a few lines from someone like Ibn Kathir, and they think they understand the entire religion well enough to declare that Islam is violent. Religion is complex, they’re not just dead texts, they’re lived beliefs that are coloured by perception, culture and history as much as any other belief is.

What Islam is for most people is just what they have heard about it, and that is usually negative coverage from media sources. Even for you, I’d question why you are specifically focusing on the religion that the media has told you to hate, rather than any other religious or political ideology. That isn’t a criticism of your character, none of us are immune to propaganda. I’d just encourage you to reflect for yourself just how much of this thinking comes from your study of Islam, and how much comes from negative representations in the media.

[banana-with-a-bow-tie]

does the Bible say marriage is only one man and one woman? I’ve been seeing some controversy about that on my dash and some saying the scripture was never clear about that.

The Bible could not be more clear about this. Marriage is rooted in the created order. Genesis 2:24

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Jesus affirms that design in Mark 10:6-7 citing God's created order of marriage between a man and woman committing to each other until death is not meant to be broken. God wants this relationship to be completely pure, no third parties involved, not even in the thought life which He considers adultery of the heart (Matt 5:28). Proverbs 5 warns to be faithful to the wife of your youth and not go straying into relationships with adulterous women.

This design of God is good because He is good. Humanity cannot exist without this design. Man and woman getting together is how human beings are born. It doesn't work any other way. Nature makes it obvious, but our sinful opposition to God makes us pursue unnatural desires

Romans 1:24-28

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

God hates unfaithfulness in marriage and the corruption of His design because He created marriage to reflect His own goodness.

Ephesians 5:31-32

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

Paul, quoting God's created order in Genesis 2, says that the relationship between a husband and wife shows us what Christ has done for His Church. Christ nourishes and cherishes those who believe in Him and gave up His life for them, and the Church loves and honors Him.

When we say marriage doesn't really matter and can mean whatever we want it to mean we are saying God's love does not endure forever, that we do not need Him to provide for us and we do not need to honor Him. We can be our own gods and find love in our own ways. You cannot have love without God because God is love (1 John 4:16).

Love becomes entirely about me and what I want instead of sacrificing and serving for someone else. That self-centered world is how we create our own destruction.

[saras-devotionals]

Quiet Time 9/14

What am I feeling today?

Overwhelmed. There’s so much for me to do this weekend and even just today and I’m not sure how I’ll be able to accomplish it all. I’ve been praying for strength and I hope to be diligent in all I have to do.

Bible Plan: Wisdom in Dating

(I’ve fallen pretty hard for a guy in my church and I’m trying so hard not to get delusional, obsessed, or jealous and I have definitely made improvements from my last interest but it’s still a struggle every day that I have to pray over so to avoid him becoming an idol for me. In the meantime, I’m trying to gather as much wisdom and advice as I can!)

How Do We Deal With Different?

Anyone you date is going to be different from you. They’ll likely have some interests you don’t share and some opinions you might not see eye to eye on. And that’s good news! Why? Because differences can help us discover so much about ourselves and the kind of person we want to spend our life with. But how different is too different?

Dealbreakers

What are your dealbreakers? You know, the things that would instantly shut down your dating relationship? Maybe it’s a differing worldview or some other strongly held belief you can’t get on board with. Or maybe they have a bunch of pet tarantulas, and you’re not willing to be a spider-stepparent.

Dealbreakers are healthy, and we should all have a few. They’re healthy boundaries to help us avoid potential disasters. But they can hold us back. Why? Because it’s possible to have a few too many dealbreakers.

How Selective Should We Be?

We want to have high standards, but how do we know when our standards are too high? The answer is different for everyone. But there are risks at both extremes:

If our standards are too low, we might risk missing red flags, resulting in an unhealthy relationship.

If we set the bar too high, we might sabotage what could otherwise have been a healthy and fruitful relationship.

So what’s the answer? Well, Scripture doesn’t give us an exhaustive list of how to find just the right person. Instead, it offers us wisdom to help us see what matters most.

Can I Date Someone Who Doesn’t Follow Jesus?

God has called us to live differently from the people around us by embracing forgiveness, grace, generosity, and sacrifice. It’s a beautiful and life-giving journey–and it’s even better when you get to share it with someone else who’s pursuing the same high calling. You get to spur each other on in faith, helping each other get closer to God rather than drifting away. So doesn’t it make sense to choose someone to date who shares your desire to be more like Jesus?

What Are Some Other Dealbreakers?

Your values, goals, and personality all play a role in choosing who to date. That means everyone’s list of dealbreakers will look different. So consider what kind of person you want to date, and what factors might get in the way of a healthy long-term relationship. But avoid making the list too long. After all, differences aren’t always bad. In fact, they can be healthy.

God created you with a unique calling, personality, and passion. So what qualities and values in a future partner might complement and amplify those gifts from God?

Challenge: Consider some of your dealbreakers. They should reflect your deeply held values. But remember, keep the list short. This can help you focus on the most important things.

fully committed to Christ (this is in a sense a no brainer! but I want a man who consistently has his quiet times, prays frequently, leads bible studies, serves in the church, shares his faith, and is just an all around good example of a disciple and good leader)

dating to marry (he doesn’t just want to be married and have a wife, but he desires to be a biblical husband.)

wants a family/children (in that same vein, he should be good with children, kind, compassionate, have that fatherly instinct)

higher education (I’m on the last year of my degree and plan to continue on my education in grad school. I want us to be equals in the intellectual sphere so he should have at least a bachelor’s)

Prefer for us to have the same political views (I need someone who shares the same morals and values I do and a lot of that is revealed in politics - even though I really dislike following politics. I just want him well informed but also wise in his choices)

This may be silly but he has to like dogs and cats (I have two cats and a dog and there is absolutely no way I’m ever giving them up. They’re like children to me and I need a partner who equally shares my love for them.)

Colossians 3:1-10 NIV

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

It can be difficult, especially when you’re physically attracted to someone, to put to death lust and desire. I know that I’ve been struggling a bit more with it lately thinking about him but I have to consistently correct myself over it!

God does not at all want us to be in sin, especially if I’m lusting over another disciple. Also, it negates love on my side, I’m not doing that brother or myself any favors by having this desire for him!

Anyways, this is such a solid reminder that we must rid ourselves of all of this since we have been made new in Christ!!

2 Corinthians 6:14 NIV

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

THAT PART! I truly don’t understand how you can identify with being Christian and yet be with someone who doesn’t share those same fundamental beliefs that you revolve your entire life around. It doesn’t make sense to me, you should want to desire to be with someone who is godly and righteous and pursues God more than they pursue you!

Proverbs 27:17 NIV

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

This is not just a good reasons for dating a Christian but also for fellowshipping with other believers! We hold each other accountable and we help each other improve in our walks with God. You should want a partner who is going to sharpen you and encourage you in your relationship and desire to have God be at the center of it all!

[arcane-fanfic]

Beneath the Crown - Act VI

Chapter 1 - “ Let the world watch. Let it burn bright.”

The city didn’t sleep anymore. Not since the first article dropped.

Caitlyn’s face, defiant, clear-eyed, stared back from every screen and newsstand. The words she’d spoken to Juliette had been printed nearly verbatim, and the world had read them like scripture. “ The Crown fears progress,” it read in bold, “and they’d rather bury the truth than face their reflection in a modern mirror.”

The public was divided. Protests ignited near the palace gates, some holding signs of support, others blinded by tradition. But one thing was certain, no one was looking away.

In the dim light of their shared apartment, now a sanctuary and a war room, Vi scrolled through footage, eyes narrowed. Her fingers clenched around her phone, jaw tight.

They’re circling the wagons, she muttered. “Palace reps spinning the story, saying you’re ‘emotionally unstable,’ 'influenced,’ 'manipulated by fringe elements.’”

“Fringe elements?” Caitlyn laughed quietly, buttoning her crisp white shirt as she moved past Vi. “Is that what we’re calling love now?”

Vi looked up at her. She hadn’t seen Caitlyn like this before, she was centered, calm, steeled like a blade fresh from the forge.

“You’re different,” Vi said, barely above a whisper. “Sharper. Unshakable.”

“I think I’ve always been like this,” Caitlyn said. “But you...you gave me permission to stop apologizing for it.”

Vi stood, stepping into Caitlyn’s space, her fingers brushing her waist. “And you gave me something I didn’t think I deserved. Peace, trust, a reason to stop running.”

They stood there, the weight of the world pressing in from the windows, but neither moved.

Then Caitlyn whispered, “Let’s take the next step.”

Vi blinked. “You mean...”

“I want the whole truth out. Not just about us.” Caitlyn moved toward the desk, pulled open a drawer, and slid a file onto the surface.

Vi opened it.

Documents. Old coronation schedules. Medical reports. Obituaries. Royal correspondences with names redacted in thick ink. And beneath them, something that twisted Vi’s stomach.

“Is this...?”

“A cousin,” Caitlyn confirmed. “She was forced to marry into another royal bloodline. She was abused by her husband for three years. Everyone knew. But when she took her own life, the papers said it was a 'sudden illness.’”

Vi’s knuckles turned white around the page.

“There’s more,” Caitlyn said. “The Queen’s brother was addicted to opiates. He disappeared for a year, and when he came back, they said he’d been in retreat for 'spiritual renewal.’”

“And this...” Vi picked up another document, her voice hardening. “This girl… sixteen? She overdosed at a palace event?”

Caitlyn nodded. “Swept under a rug of charity donations and PR like when the cherished drunk heir of some pompous title hit someone with their car and ran leaving the poor victim in a wheelchair for the rest of his life…”

Silence wrapped around them like fog.

Vi finally looked at her. “So what’s next?”

Caitlyn’s voice was quiet but laced with fire. “We go public. Everything. We take these stories and proofs, these buried truths and let them breathe. If they want to paint me as a rebel, fine. I’ll be the revolution they feared.”

“And me?” Vi asked, softer now, vulnerable in a way only Caitlyn ever saw.

“You,” Caitlyn said, drawing her close again, “are the reason I can finally breathe. The world can watch me fight, but it’s you who reminds me why I fight.”

Vi rested her forehead against Caitlyn’s. “Then let’s go, Cupcake.”

“No,” Caitlyn whispered, cupping her cheek. “Call me Caitlyn. Just this once.”

Vi’s breath caught.

And this time… not by mistake, she said it like a vow. “Caitlyn.”

Chapter 2 – “The First Surrender”

Her name echoed like a promise and as the door to their room clicked shut behind them, for the first time in days, there was silence, no political shadows creeping in, no duty, no damage, no threats. Just the golden dusk light pouring through the high windows, painting Caitlyn’s features in soft, commanding hues.

Vi stood still in the middle of the room, unsure of what to say or do. She’d followed Caitlyn through fire, loss, and defiance...but this was something else. This was… the moment after the battle, when all that was left was truth.

Caitlyn turned slowly. Her voice was quiet but firm.

“You’re shaking.”

Vi exhaled sharply, almost a laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Guess I’m not as tough as I look.”

Caitlyn stepped closer. There was something in her now, something calm, assured, and unshakably present. No longer the royal heir haunted by duty, she moved like someone who had chosen her path, and would not be turned away.

“You don’t need to be tough with me, Vi.”

She reached up and gently undid the buttons of Vi’s shirt, one at a time, not rushed, not tentative, just deliberate. Vi didn’t move. She couldn’t. Her breath caught when Caitlyn’s fingers brushed the bare skin of her collarbone.

“You’ve carried so much on your back for so long. Let me carry you tonight.”

The words hit Vi like a flood. No one had ever said that to her. No one had ever meant it.

Caitlyn kissed her and not softly this time, but with an intensity that swept all the broken pieces between them into something whole. She guided Vi backward toward the bed, never breaking the kiss. Vi let herself be moved, let herself be led. The last of her armor slipped off like cloth.

When Caitlyn pushed her gently down onto the bed, Vi didn’t resist. Her hands found Caitlyn’s hips as she climbed over her, settling astride her thighs with elegant confidence. Their eyes locked.

“You trust me?” Caitlyn whispered, bending low to kiss just beneath Vi’s ear.

Vi’s voice was ragged. “With everything.”

And so she gave in.

Caitlyn’s hands traced every line of Vi’s body like a map she had finally claimed as her own. She didn’t rush. She explored, tender, reverent, but entirely in control. Vi had never felt more vulnerable. Or more safe.

No one had ever touched her like this...like she was not a weapon to be sharpened, but a soul to be cherished.

At one point, Caitlyn paused, forehead resting against Vi’s, breathing fast but steady. “I don’t just want you,” she whispered. “I love you. I think I have since the first time you looked at me like I wasn’t in a cage.”

Vi’s chest rose, then trembled. And the words came out — broken but whole.

“I love you too. I just… didn’t know what to do with it.”

“Let me show you,” Caitlyn said.

And she did.

They moved together like they had always known how, like their bodies had memorized each other in another past life. It wasn’t about dominance or surrender anymore, it was about truth. Caitlyn’s truth, finally free. Vi’s truth, finally safe.

When it was over, they stayed tangled in the sheets, the air around them warm and still.

Vi turned her head, brushing Caitlyn’s hair from her face. “You made me feel like I belonged to something good.”

Caitlyn smiled, the most honest smile she had ever worn. “You are something good. The best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

And in the silence that followed, there were no more doubts. Just two women, holding each other as the stars came out, their hearts bare, their future unwritten - but finally, theirs.

[maidenofsophia]

Stuff About Me

Disclaimer: This is getting to be an old blog and during that time my spiritual path has taken many turns from Gnostic Christian to Filianist to Eclectic Pagan. Posts from the past might be very different from what my beliefs are today, including both religious and political.

What Am I (Currently)?

My name is Rose. For simplicity, I refer to myself as either a Sophian Witch or Déanic Pagan. My path is a bit of an eclectic mix of my religious journey so far, I synchronise what I've learned as a Gnostic, a Wiccan, a Filianist and so on but would not label myself as either of those anymore as I don't feel fully aligned with any of them.

What's a Sophian?

A Sophian is a devotee of the Divine Sophia, aka Holy Wisdom. A Sophian views Wisdom as the Ultimate face of God. There are many different versions of Sophia, from Platoism to Gnosticism to certain branches of Christianity and so on. I personally worship the TrinoSophia, or Sophian Trinity, as I believe was revealed in the Nag Hammadi texts. This being Barbelo, Sophia and Zoe.

What does Déanic mean?

While I'm not longer a Filianist, I do still consider myself Déanic. A Déanist is someone who worships the Ultimate God as the Divine Feminine. The Supreme Goddess who created all without the need for a male counterpart or Father God - Déa being the feminine Latin word for God. However, while some Déanists and most Filianists worship an exclusively feminine deity(ies), a few like myself believe there are 'lesser' gods and other entities who are children of Déa but higher than humans and some of those can be masculine or non-binary. I worship the Goddess as the alpha but also have a place for the divine masculine, not as Her equal but still worthy of respect and devotion.

Where does the Pagan come in?

It feels like the most simple and therefore truest label for me to identify with. Not all Déanists are Pagan as many prefer to mainly see Déa as the Creator but above rather than within Her creation. Personally I see Her as both within and beyond (panentheism). The Mother created and watches over us but the Daughter walks with all creation as both Princess of the World and Queen of Heaven. The other gods I worship too feel very much a part of creation. I love nature, I love animals and for me no church or temple can compare to the sense of divinity I find when just walking through the forests or gazing at the moon. And connecting my spirit to all that's around me makes me feel complete in a way Abrahamic-like theism cannot compare.

What is your pantheon?

First and foremost, I am a devotee of the Lady Sophia; divine wisdom. I worship Her in Her threefold form as I believe was revealed in the Gnostic scriptures and what I made sense of through the lense of the Filianic trinity. That being She is, in Three modes:

The Mother (Sophia, The Creatrix)

The Daughter (Zoe, whose name means Life)

The Absolute Deity / "Dark Mother" (Barbelo)

I also invoke the Seven Great Ladies, who in Filianism are known as the Seven Janyati. These are the Seven Powers that reflect the highest aspects of Déa. I use their Greek names; Theia, Phoebe, Nike, Metis, Themis, Tethys and Rhea.

For the divine masculine, I worship the Horned God. Not as Sophia's consort or equal, but one of Her most honoured children or "emanations" as both male and female and other entities all came from Her. My preferred name and form for him tends to be Cernonnus, Celtic being my most direct ancestry. But He also comes to me as Pan and Lucifer. If Sophia were to be seen as a Queen, then my Lord wouldn't be Her king consort but more a loyal Knight in Her service or governing Prince.

Sophia is much more the Déanic part of my identity, and while I do connect with Her and other goddesses via nature, Cernunnos is much more the 'Pagan' side of me, being Lord of the forests and the glen.

What is your scripture?

I also invoke and honour Mary Magdalene as my Hera (a Filianic term for an ascended human soul). I believe She was Jesus' most enlightened disciple and an avatar of Zoe Sophia, the divine spark, fully realised in woman form. I worship Sophia and Magdalene as the Divine image of Mother and Child.

I also work with the Sovereignty Goddesses of the Brythonic Celtic pantheon, namely; Cerridwen, Rhiannon, Arianrhod, Blodeuwedd, Brigid, Sulis and the Calleach.

I don't see any religious text as the definitive Word of God. I believe they all have been written by people who felt God in their hearts through their own interpretations and some I connect and find wisdom with, others I don't. I try to read all with an open mind.

Both the Gnostic texts and the Clear Recital (the Filianic Scriptures) are probably the closest to my heart and influence my path but I don't hold either to be without error.

What are your current political beliefs?

I'm very much a proud "wokey leftist", support complete separation of Church and State, am pro LGBTQ (as well as being a lesbian myself), fully support every person's right to bodily autonomy. Not to say I won't call out BS on the left by certain individuals where I see it.

Enjoy my blog!

[tmwcs]

S E 7 E N : P R O L O G U E - P A R T 1 N E

M A S T E R L I S T

Yay it's finally here! kind of a long chapter, so it's in parts!

Warnings: MDNI18+ Sexual assault, sexual harassment, religion, angels and demons, mentions of hell, angels are bad guys, demons are good guys, sinful pleasures, dry humping, fingering, making a deal with the devil.

“Hey y/n, go ahead and take these, we have to dispose them.”

“But…why?”

“The government has aligned with Senator Forras’s decree and that all scriptures, novels, and materials that contain any mentions of supernatural forces, any other type of religion, or mentions of demons are to be banned and disposed. The officials are making the rounds to do a thorough inspection of every establishment, so we need to get rid of them.”

You frowned as you received a handful of books, some were enjoyable for you to read, and yet you had to bid them farewell as you tossed them into a large bin that was arranged to be picked up later in the week. It was filled with piles and piles of books, some of which were classics.

‘What a shame…’

There were many people, like yourself, that questioned the belief and mission of Voia Domnului, the overly powerful cult that started out as small group led by overly, self-righteous religious ‘freaks’ that proclaimed the world has sinned. The cult was, and continues to be led by Michael Forras, who now is the self proclaimed Senator.

At first, the world deemed the cult just like any other, a bunch of lunatics that blabbed out religious nonsense of how everything was a sin, that everyone has sinned. They were harmless, for the most part, the only concern was getting them to stop blocking roads and clear passage of major establishments since they had often protested in mass groups, rather angrily, nearly every single day.

Forras, used to be viewed as a man who lacked any common and good sense. You recalled the moment he appeared in the media, speaking of how he personally ‘knew the Lord’ and that a day of reckoning was breaching. Every day when you were on your way to work, you would overhear the things that the community used to say about him…

‘What a joke, can you believe this guy?’

‘My wife says that she went to high school with that guy, he was just as nutty back then as he is now.’

‘I can’t believe people are buying into his bullshit.’

Now, things are different…much different.

He no longer was just the cult’s leader, but he controlled the city, the country…he was even on his way in leading the continent as people swarmed around him with their devotion and loyalty, although you wonder if it was just merely out of fear from him…or the angels.

Ever since the day where those…monsters had appeared, God only knows if anyone ever heard you reflect what your true outlook was, you’d disappear like the rest of the ‘non-believers’, as society has now called them.

People who had rational sense, a lot of them still had believed and enveloped religion and the belief of God, yet the moment they reflected their voices out and claimed that the events occurring between the angels and ‘the selected’ to be questionable, each one disappeared and was never seen again. Anyone who also spoke out against the Voia Domnului or the Senator, were also considered heretics. If anyone mentioned how the non-sensible actions of the ‘Angels’ and Senator Forras’ will, was a tactic of control and a coordination of inheriting power and wealth, would surely die by the hands of Forras’ cult members, or so you suspect, since many of them would disappear overnight.

When it came to your true outlook, you believed in a higher power, you believed in God and you never took it upon yourself to follow the Bible strictly, but you carried out your life being a naturally respectable and caring person. Whenever someone needed help, you were there for them. Should someone need money to help buy groceries, you aided them. You made countless donations, helped promote education and success for the youths of the city, and even volunteered at local orphanages. You weren’t by any means, a bad person, or a sinner. You were just human, but a good one.

December 2nd of last year, things had changed. The world had changed.

You’ll never forget as you were on your way to the Pacific Archives, a historical public library that you used to enjoy working at, not anymore.

Often, you were always reading the books as you worked, enjoying the amount of creativity found in the hidden gems of each shelf, each genre.

You were an active college student, back when advanced education wasn’t considered a ‘sin’, so it only made perfect sense to work at the library where you could continue your studies and find time to do homework while getting paid.

The building had two floors, the upper being the library itself, and the first floor was the massive café and shopping center.

Just like any other day, you went downstairs to grab your favorite drink. The barista, Lily, was one of your best friends, she started to work at the café once she heard there was an opening during one of her visits while you were at work.

You both had laughed and enjoyed a conversation as you sipped on your white hot-chocolate mocha flavored drink, when suddenly another barista’s voice pierced the lounge.

“Everyone! Look at the TV!”

Everyone’s eyes shifted their gaze towards the massive wide screen smart television that was mounted on the wall, turning up the volume, the staff and customers all watched in horror as the media played countless footage that was filmed of what happened, not too far from where you worked.

“This is Stacy Holcomb from Channel Nine news, here reporting of the… abnormal event that is taking place….you can see behind me as the camera crew are trying their best to take footage of what seems to be….a humanoid figure approaching a single man on the street. The mysterious entity has been seen targeting this man, and has been conducting serious bodily harm against him, paramedics and aid have been thrown out of sight each time they go near to save the man….it looks like-“ “OOOH MY GOOOOOOD!!!!”

The shrilled screams in the background took over the audio as the elongated, almost alienlike features of the entity brutally took the man’s head off...slowly. It’s hand mutated into that a of a blade, resembling a machete as it sawed it’s way through the man’s flesh. It wasn’t a clean cut, to say that it had decapitated the man was an understatement…it tore his head off…ripping it from his body after sawing it halfway through.

The cameras shifted the lens to the ground afterwards, indicating that the crew was running away upon filming what had just transpired.

“What….the fuck???” The barista exclaimed out in horror.

Everyone, including yourself, were left speechless. Some of the customers were crying, while others were in shock. You felt your heart drop, there was a sense of fear and curiosity that you found its way lodged deep within your chest.

‘What….was that?’

It wasn’t until later that day, when Forras came out publicly and announced that the mysterious entity, was God’s own angel. Being someone who self-claimed as the mediator of God’s guardians, he elaborated the structure of the ‘execution’ as justice served for the sinful actions that the deceased had committed while alive.

“I have seen God…I speak to him and his guardians. The Angels have come to cleanse the world, because we have taken many offenses against God’s holy rule and spat in his face as we continue to tarnish his good will. Those of us who have lived amongst the sinners, the filthy beings that keep offending his holy will, have tried to warn you all. Now is the time, I ask you to all believe in the will of Voia Domnului! Believe in our decree! We have preached time and time again that God’s will is en-route, and it has now finally come! We ask for you all to join us! Become a part of God’s will and help aid our mission in getting all sinners to repent and accept their fate, so that we may once again live in a world where only truth and God’s holy name is preached!”

Everyone was in disbelief, no one knew what to believe or what to do. However, as the days went on, more people were targeted, or as Senator Forras had claimed, they were ‘selected’. It didn’t take long for people to switch sides and start to find comfort by joining Voia Domnului, in hopes that they would save themselves from either the cult members or the angels.

“The angels know of your sins! It is futile to hide! Let it be known that once the angels have selected you based off your series of offense towards God, you too will be publicly executed, so we at Voia Domnului ask you, to repent now, as you too will be selected to die in his holy name.”

Maybe there was some truth in what he said, or maybe it was just fear and desperation, either way, at the time, you weren’t entirely sure what to believe. You remained as calm as possible, given that the world had lost it’s good sense. You tried your best to not lose yourself out of fear, but it was hard. It didn’t take long, but you found yourself as the lone wolf, where unlike the rest of the world, where everyone was hysterical, everyone feared that they were next to be selected, you continued to live your life with as much of a positive mindset that anyone could have while living through this excruciating period in world history.

You tried…and you were doing so well, but things had gotten worse.

Almost as if it happened over night, everything changed in an instant. The world felt cold, and empty, there were many times you felt like you were the last person standing as you would take a look around and notice that the route to work looked different. People looked different. The sky…the ground…everything…everything looked different.

No one went out anymore, the streets laid empty as the cult encouraged for society to lay dormant in their homes, as going out, especially at night, was considered a sin. So much, that the cult gained favor and authority, powered by the government to assign long standing members of the cult as high profiled officials. They assigned random members to roam the streets at night, as an established curfew was enforced, no one was allotted to be out passed 10pm. Not only that, but other activities and sources were all banned and punishable by death had anyone breached said bans.

Social media was banned because it was a sin, TV was a sin, music that wasn’t approved by Voia Domnului was a sin, certain foods that were known to be an indulgence of the devil, such as chocolate and apples were a sin. Personal opinions were a sin. Books, talk radio, internet, and all other forms of entertainment was a sin. Everything…everything was a sin.

While you thought it was over the top, you hadn’t formulated your own opinion on what had happened on December 2nd, you remained impartial for the most part, as you watched people, friends, and family all succumbing to Senator Forras’ will and join Voia Domnului in order to be ‘saved’. Even Lily.

“You should join us, it’s, a really good group. It makes sense once you complete their course requirements.”

“Course…requirements?” you raised a brow at Lily’s statement.

“Yeah, when you join, you have to take a pledge and then they put you through a 3-month course where you cleanse your body and learn the will of God.”

You shook your head subtly as you listened to her talk about the cult…or as she liked to put it, the ‘group’ since cult would have been considered a derogatory term for Senator Forras righteous figures.

“No…I don’t know…I just…I don’t know what to think yet. I just want to-“

“Shhh!!!!” Lily harshly shushed you.

“Y/n…you can’t talk like that. Say what you will about other matters but do not talk like that…otherwise you’ll be considered a non-believer.”

Recalling the events that surmised where the public speakers that defied the cult’s leading and Senator Forras’ actions, you heeded Lily’s warning. You didn’t want to disappear like they did, God only knows what happened to them as Lily, being a part of Voia Domnului, didn’t even know. It was against the rules to speak of such matter to the cult leaders.

“Just…think about it, okay? I don’t want you to get selected.” She gingerly tells you as she rubbed your hand. “We need each other…we’re all we’ve got in the world now. You’re my best friend and I just want us to stay that way.”

You nodded as you hugged her. For a moment, you sincerely did consider it, not because you believed in the decree of Voia Domnului, but more so because of Lily’s words.

But then your world shattered that following week….when Lily was selected.

“y/n! Please-please listen to me real quick-“

“Lily….what’s wrong?” you looked at her with great concern as she appeared before your doorstep, hysterically crying, face swollen from tears, and her voice stuttering.

“Please…just listen…umm……” she tucks in her lip as the tears built back up in her eyes once more.

“…I…I’ve been selected…”

Your eyes widened…your heart skipped a beat and your breath held in upon hearing her words.

“…no…..no….”

“Yes….I..I’ve been selected…y/n…” her voice trailed off.

“No…Lily! No! Y-you can’t be-“

“No I was…..I came home today and…there was the message written in blood on my wall.”

The message…was always delivered in the same manner to those that got selected prior to. A message written in the walls of their home, their work, or even on buildings in the street; the words were always drafted in blood, no one knows whose or where the blood came from, but it would always be fresh as the message would have drips that trailed down, catching the public’s eye. It would always have the selectee’s name, followed by ‘7 days.’ Only seven days…until each one of them died.

“Y/n…I’m scared….i can’t tell the group…I cant-“

“Lily…there’s gotta be a mistake. Do you know anyone else that has the same name? What if-“

“No……y/n…..it is me….they’re going to come for me….”

Your heart sank as you placed your hands on her shoulders, tears streaming down your face.

She really truly was the only person you had left in this world, you grew distant from your family ever since they joined the cult, they had refused to associate with you unless you joined them. But your heart never felt it true to be a part of an organization that promotes death in such a manner, regardless of the deceased being sinners or offenders against God…how could someone like sweet, wonderful Lily be selected?…How could she ever be…?

“No….please…..don’t leave me…not like this….this can’t happen….”

“Y/n…please….please hold me I’m so scared.”

You tightly embraced her. She had stayed at your place for most of her remaining days, and you watched as her persona had changed. She had remained quiet and aloof; she wouldn’t eat, she wouldn’t sleep, and she wouldn’t talk, until the sixth day, 24 hours before her proposed execution…

“Y/n…I’m leaving…I’m going to inform Senator Forras…”

“Lily…there has to be a way out of this…I’ve known you my whole life, you���ve never hurt anyone! You’ve gone to church every weekend; I’ve never been to church and I’m still here. In a lot of ways when it comes to praising God, you’re a better person than I am. Please….”

She merely shook her head. Dark circles under her eyes, her lips pale and crusty from lack of moisture as she refrained from even drinking water. It was as if she wanted to die before the angels did the deed.

You stayed silent…she was already moving towards the door. Reaching for the knob, she turns to you before opening it.

“Y/n…you’re my best friend…and I’m sorry. I’m sorry I have to leave you alone…I’ve accepted what’s going to happen…there is no choice. Just please…take care of yourself, and look after my family….but also…” she pauses for a moment, as she hiccups the sobbing tears and stuttered cries of her voice as her head dips down.

“Y/n….i never did anything…..you’re right….i may not have been perfect but I am not a sinner. I even joined this stupid cult….but it doesn’t matter….it was all wasted. Please…if for some chance…if the world goes back to normal someday…please let everyone know that I am not…I’m not a-“

You nodded, knowing full well what she was talking about. “I know you’re not Lily…you’re not….”

Both of you broke down.

You wanted to hug her once more, but you found it hard to even move. With a sad smile, she whispers “take care…” before leaving.

The media had a habit of promoting Senator Forras’ decree by filming and disbursing the footage of each execution, as a method to set the example of what surmises if you’ve sinned. You’ve never went out of your way to watch the profiles of each selectee on the day of their execution, but there were times when in passing or out and about, you would glance at the large billboard that aired the awful events. A glimpse of a man’s body being torn apart, or a woman being burned alive, there were countless methods that the creatures took in carrying out the deed.

The day Lily died, ou never watched what happened to her, you couldn’t bring yourself to do it, so you stayed at home that day, refraining from exposing yourself to the public at risk of overhearing about her death. You had shut the world out, and narrowed yourself into a corner, all so you didn’t have to hear….you didn’t want to know how they did it…not with her.

Not long after Lily’s death, was when the Senator banned education. Schools for younger children was regulated by the cult members, colleges and universities alike were all shut down, and while they hadn’t forced it…yet you sense that the risk of losing your job was near since you were the only one that hadn’t taken the pledge and joined Voia Domnului.

“Y/n! The Senator! The Senator is coming! He wants to see the library!”

Your eyes widened with concern.

‘Why does he want to come here?...I hope it’s not because he knows that i was friends with Lily…does he? He already thinks she’s a sinner, is he going to assume I’m one too? Are they going to ask me why I didn’t join Voia Domnului?’

You caught yourself overthinking, though that wasn’t hard to do since everyone in the city, the country, and the entire continent, walked on eggshells. Yourself including. For if it wasn’t the angels that you had to worry about, it was Senator Forras and his posse that performed their own manner of executions towards non-believers.

“Everyone! He’s coming up! All of you stand in a line-“ the head staff looks at you. “Y/n…you stand at the very end, out of the doorway. If he asks you, just tell him that you’re going to join Voia Domnului, but don’t say anything else.”

You nodded. You knew the staff had your best interest at heart, though they often times reprimanded you and would always try and convince you to join, yet you refrained. Especially since, not long after Lily’s death, selectees were reaching in the younger ages. Children…babies in fact, some of which hadn’t lived for more than 8 hours, were getting selected.

‘How can a child be a sinner?’

It seemed like no one cared; everyone paid no mind to that fact. It was as if everyone was just looking out for themselves. Since you had worked here for quite some time, the staff looked at you as family, like a daughter almost. You appreciated the gestures and them trying to look out for you, but deep down, you followed your heart. Somehow you knew…there was something more to what was happening, even though it was a gut feeling, and you could very well be wrong, you just somehow had this hunch that something wasn’t right.

“Alright, he’s coming. Everyone just stand and he’s going to do a walkthrough, apparently, he wanted to see how the inspection is being done and he chose our library.”

Everyone nods and stands, shaking. You weren’t sure if everyone was excited for their ‘group’ leader or if they were just fearful that he may find something in the archives that violates his will, which of course he believed to be God’s own.

You and the staff spent five days clearing out the library, it looked so vast and empty now. The shelves would only contain a scarce number of books.

‘Can you even call this a library anymore?’

The double doors were opened by a security team as Senator Forras walks in. He was a taller man, older, possibly in his fifty’s and had a very sharp and pointed nose. He had short dark hair and looked to be of average built.

He was dressed in extreme luxury, with a high branded suit and tie, along with fine leather shoes, a large overcoat draping his shoulders, and assorted diamond rings decorating each finger, the man looked to be living a grand lifestyle.

‘How….interesting…’

Your voice issued a hint of skepticism as you minded your thoughts in your head. Wasn’t this man supposed to be the temperance and modest type? Why is he dressed so lavishly?

“Ah! Staff…members of the community, thank you for welcoming me here today. It is truly a blessing to see you all here doing God’s work.”

The staff members issued out their gratitude and continued the conversation as they offered the Senator his tour.

All went well, and by ‘well’ you only meant that the Senator had looked pleased and kept nodding with approval as the tour continued. You and the rest of the staff members continued with your tasks, as the main head of the library took over the tour.

“Thank you, you are doing a good thing.” The Senator issues as he takes the head staff’s hand in both of his and issues a warm and seemingly friendly hand-shake. “Continue to do his bidding.”

You snuck out as the Senator bid his farewell with the staff members, wanting to hide in the bathroom for a moment and avoid interacting with him. The last thing you wanted was to put yourself in the spotlight and be questioned on whether or not if you were a part of Voia Domnului, which you suspected he would have been able to tell seeing as you didn’t’ bear the ring that each member was gifted upon graduating the three-month course requirement.

A moment or two had passed as you stood right by the bathroom door, ear pressed up against it to see if you could hear the Senator leaving.

‘It’s probably safe for me to go back now…’

Swinging the door open, you looked to your left and saw the wide double doors propped open. Only the staff members were seen inside, back to their tasks.

‘Oh good.’

You issued a mental smile as you started to walk towards the entrance to the library, when suddenly…

“Young lady…” his voice was filled with intrigue.

P A R T 2 W O

Taglist: @deobitifull; @solstramaii

If you like to be added on the taglists for this series or any other series on my blog, please send me a message or comment below <3

[sgiandubh]

Holy Tuesday. Destiny

Sidenote: I am guilty as charged - I slept like a suitcase and failed to deliver, yesterday. But since this is, after all, a personal reflection on this very particular week, here goes.

Jesus and his twelve followers reconvene in Bethany, for supper. It is a very heavy, tense moment: 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me' (John, 13:21). This alarming revelation seems to be met with stupor, rather than surprise and finally, one of them asks the obvious question, prompted by Peter: ' He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?' (John, 13:25).

Who is this disciple, whom we know 'Jesus loved' (John, 13:23)? All the four Scriptures are silent, on this point, allowing for many interpretations: is it John himself? I would tend to think so.

And then, the most extraordinary thing happens: 'Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.(...) That thou doest, do quickly' (John, 13:26-27). And nobody moves, as if they were completely hypnotized by the unbelievable transparence of this revelation. John himself seems unsure of the reason and thinks of the most plausible interpretation: 'For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor' (John, 13: 29).

The plot is now in full swing. What has to happen will now happen, and with great speed. This humble supper and this heartbreaking moment are all about Destiny and Judas is its indispensable instrument: 'Whither I go, ye cannot come' (John, 13:33).

In the middle of all this subdued turmoil, nobody seems to care about what is going on with Judas. What are his thoughts, what are his feelings. We are simply told that once he took that fateful morsel (because, after all, someone had to do it), 'Satan entered into him' (John, 13:27), perhaps as a way of exonerating that human being of a crushing responsibility.

So we know next to nothing about that personal, interior mayhem that would eventually push Judas to commit suicide. But I have always imagined it like this. A Day of Anger, indeed:

[bangladeshiqueermuslims]

#QueerIslamicHistory Project

“Queering the Adam”

Adam is considered the first human-being and progenitor of all humanity in all Abrahamic religions. Queering the "Adam" within the contexts of jewish, christian and Islamic traditions, scripture, and literature involves reinterpreting traditional narratives about Adam to challenge rigid heteronormative assumptions, explore gender fluidity, and examine the multiplicity of identities and relationships embedded within these texts. Such an approach does not seek to distort Adam's sanctity and nobility but rather to reimagine him in ways that affirm diverse experiences of gender, sexuality, and identity.

Gender Fluidity in the Creation

Genesis 1:27 states,

“So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

This verse suggests that Adam was created as a being that encompassed both male and female aspects. Some Jewish traditions, particularly midrashic interpretations, suggest that Adam was originally created androgynous or intersex being, containing both masculine and feminine qualities. Similar to the biblical narrative, the Quranic story of Adam can be queered by focusing on the idea that Adam’s partner, Hawwa (Eve), was created from him. This suggests a shared essence rather than a strict dichotomy between male and female.

The Qur’an states:

“God created you from a single soul (nafs) and made its mate from it.” (4:1)

The term nafs is gender-neutral and can be interpreted as an undifferentiated soul, opening the possibility of seeing Adam as a being that transcends binary gender categories. This challenges todays binary understandings of gender and opens the door for a queer reading of Adam as embodying fluidity rather than fixed categories.

Lilith and the Question of Equality

In Jewish mysticism and folklore, Lilith is described as Adam’s first partner, created at the same time and from the same substance as Adam (unlike Eve, who is made from Adam's rib). Lilith’s refusal to submit to Adam’s authority and her departure from Eden signify a rebellion against patriarchal and heteronormative structures. Lilith’s story highlights the possibility of alternative relationships and challenges the idea of compulsory heterosexuality in the Edenic narrative.

There's no mention of Lilith in the Quran. But Iblis (a djinn) refusal to bow Adam is similar to Lilith's refusal to submit to Christian version of Adam. The role of Iblis (later known as Satan) in refusing to bow to Adam (Qur’an 7:11–12) introduces a figure who challenges divine and social order. While traditionally viewed as a rebellious figure, Iblis can also be queerly interpreted as embodying the refusal to conform to normative hierarchies. In this sense, the narrative of Adam and Iblis becomes a space for exploring the tension between conformity and individuality.

Adam’s Creation from Diverse Materials

According to Islamic traditions, Adam was created from clay of earth.

The Quran states,

“I am creating a human being from clay…” (38:71–72)

Islamic exegetes often emphasize the diversity of the materials used—different colors of earth clay, textures, and qualities—symbolizing humanity’s inherent diversity. A queer reading might highlight how Adam’s creation reflects the multiplicity of human identities, rejecting rigid binaries.

Eve and the Queer Act of Creation

The creation of Eve from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:21–23) could be interpreted queerly as a metaphor for self-replication or a nontraditional mode of reproduction. Unlike the Biblical scripture, the Quran emphasizes on nafs rather than Adam's rib. Eve’s origin within Adam undermines strict binary distinctions between male and female. Furthermore, the deep connection between Adam and Eve can be read not just as a heterosexual relationship but as an exploration of intimacy that transcends worldy gender roles.

The Representation of Desire and Knowledge

The Quranic narrative of Adam and Hawwa eating from the forbidden tree (Qur’an 2:35–36) can be reinterpreted as a moment of self-discovery and the embrace of knowledge, much like in the biblical account. This transgressive act, often framed as sin, might also be seen as an assertion of agency and autonomy, paralleling the queer experience of claiming one’s identity in defiance of societal expectations.

The Fall as a Queer Moment

The act of eating the forbidden fruit, often framed as a "fall" into sin, can be reimagined as a moment of queer resistance in Abrahamic traditions. By transgressing the divine authoritarianism, Adam and Eve step into an awareness of their bodies, desires, and identities. This act can be seen as a metaphor for embracing knowledge and experience outside the bounds of normative structures, much like queerness challenges societal norms.

Adam in Mystical Understandings

Sufi literature often blurs the boundaries between human and divine, self and other, male and female. The concept of wahdat al-wujud (the unity of being) suggests that all distinctions are illusory. Adam, as the first human and a reflection of the divine, can thus be seen as “encompassing all identities within himself”. This mystical perspective aligns with queer understandings of fluid and non-binary identities.

The intimate relationship between Adam and God in both traditions—marked by direct communication, divine breath (Genesis 2:7; Qur’an 15:29), and care— can be queered to reflect the longing and intimacy that transcends human categories of gender or sexuality. This divine-human relationship challenges heteronormative frameworks, suggesting a model of love and connection that is expansive and inclusive.

In conclusion, queering Adam in biblical and Islamic traditions offers us to reimagine foundational stories in ways that affirm the diversity of human experience. By focusing on themes of fluidity, alternative relationships, and the rejection of rigid norms, these narratives can be transformed into spaces of liberation and affirmation for queer Christians, Jews and Muslims. This approach does not negate the sacredness of these texts but instead deepens their relevance by engaging with the complexities of human existence.