#power and morality

[pastorhogg]

The Price of Winning

Life Lessons Learned There’s a haunting phrase tucked into Daniel 11 that stops me cold every time I read it: “He will be successful—until.” Just one word—until—yet it says so much. This chapter, often skimmed because of its dense history, actually unveils a powerful and timely lesson for our modern lives. It’s the story of men who reached for the top, no matter the cost, only to find their…

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Pharisaism

The Philosophy of Pharisaism explores the moral, social, and religious implications of a worldview rooted in strict legalism, performative virtue, and rigid orthodoxy. While the term Pharisee originates from a Jewish sect during the Second Temple period, in philosophy and cultural critique, “pharisaism” has evolved into a broader metaphor for hypocrisy cloaked in moral superiority, external righteousness without internal reflection, and a concern for appearances over substance.

Key Philosophical Themes of Pharisaism:

1. Moral Legalism vs. Ethical Substance

Pharisaism often reflects a devotion to the letter of the law rather than the spirit of ethical principles. Philosophers from Jesus of Nazareth to Kierkegaard and Nietzsche critiqued moral systems that value rule-following without authentic inner virtue or transformation.

2. Authenticity vs. Hypocrisy

Pharisaism is emblematic of a disconnect between outward behavior and inward belief. Existentialist thinkers, especially Kierkegaard, saw this as a failure to live authentically. The appearance of goodness becomes more important than being good.

3. Social Hierarchies and Moral Elitism

In many interpretations, pharisaism involves the use of moral codes to create social distinctions, reinforcing elitism and exclusion. It raises questions about how moral and religious frameworks can be manipulated to uphold power structures.

4. Public Virtue and Performative Morality

Modern parallels can be drawn to what is now called virtue signaling—demonstrating moral stances more for social approval than sincere belief. This aligns with the idea that pharisaism is concerned more with being seen as good than doing good.

5. Judgment and the Ethics of Mercy

Pharisaism often relies on harsh judgment rather than compassion. Philosophers of moral psychology question how societies balance justice with mercy, and whether strict moralism breeds cruelty or dehumanization.

Philosophical Critiques and Echoes:

Jesus criticized the Pharisees not for being wrong per se, but for being hypocrites—valuing ritual purity while neglecting justice and love.

Nietzsche saw pharisaic morality as resentment-driven and life-denying, part of the slave morality that suppresses vitality.

Foucault might interpret pharisaism as a technique of moral surveillance—where individuals internalize moral rules to regulate themselves and others.

Kierkegaard lamented “Christendom’s” pharisaism as a form of lukewarm faith—socially acceptable religiosity without personal sacrifice or truth.

Contemporary Relevance:

In politics, pharisaism can describe those who promote ethical postures publicly while acting in contradiction privately.

In activism, it cautions against reducing ethics to optics—valuing appearances over engagement.

In religion, it warns of dogma without spiritual depth or compassion.

In Summary:

The philosophy of pharisaism is not just a religious critique; it is a profound ethical inquiry into the dangers of performative virtue, hollow righteousness, and legalistic moralism. It invites us to ask: Is our goodness rooted in sincere conviction—or in a need to appear virtuous? And when do systems of morality become tools for power rather than for liberation?

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

hero/villain showdown but one of them has a spontaneous medical emergency and the battle gets put on hold while their archnemesis drives them to Urgent Care

[akemi2003]

Fic prompt #20

Dpxdc

Did you have in mind the plot where Damian Wayne and Danny Fenton—or Nightingale—became friends through violence after the latter transferred to Gotham Academy? Usually, the batfam think Danny is a meta, a clone, a spy, or just a strange fellow, so they start investigating him.

But what if they start thinking the real reason he’s so okay with violence and crime is because he’s an undiagnosed psychopath or sociopath? They’re genuinely scared of him. With Damian, they can attribute his behavior to the way he was raised—he didn’t know any better and had only just started learning to be better. But with Danny?

He’s from a small, boring town without any known rogues, and yet this boy doesn’t even blink while watching people get beaten to death. For him, death is just a new beginning, as he said himself.

[drawnfamiliarfaces]

if time was a religion i would be its most devoted follower 🕰️ 🙏🧎

;3 extras +

full design sorta + original sketches with CW's hadonkabadonks that i sadly had to cover with his clockface 😔

also here is the inspiration - Doha the priest from 'I thought my time was up' on webtoon 😳😰😰

[bi-dykes]

best themes and messages in fiction 🙏

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

The musical episode.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[blueberry-ry]

Star Wars fans that try to compare the Jedi to the Catholic Church because they both "collaborate with the state" have no fucking idea of what the Catholic Church actually does and what the problem with it being in power actually is, and it drives me fucking insane

[1960z]

so apollo thinks phoenix is knowledgeable about marriage huh? ….. I wonder who he thinks he’s married to?

[artist-rat]

Guys do not ask how this group is still together.. I'm too afraid to ask (the answer is magic of friendship and ✨Delusion✨)

[shushmal]

tw: for implied past emotional abuse, im in my feels today

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Hopper growls. He's not quite shouting, but he's still loud, raised voice echoing through the living room. "She's not ready to drive yet, I forbade it, and what? You two decided that you knew better?"

Eddie rolls his eyes, but gamely keeps quiet. He knows Hopper's less upset with Ellie taking a spin through the parking lot and more upset about the property damage. Eddie's on her side though, that phone pole came out of nowhere. Must have been pretty rotted out too, to fall over that easily after a little love tap.

Ellie had done a damn good job fixing the huge dent in the bumper.

But if Hopper wants to be dramatic and chew everyone involved out, Eddie's not going to stop him. Whatever gets the guy's blood pressure back down.

"You're supposed to be responsible adults! Especially you, Steve!"

Rolling his eyes again, Eddie glances over, hoping to share a commiserating look with Steve.

Except Steve isn't looking anywhere but down, shoulders and spine ruler straight. Eddie stalls there, stuck on the way Steve's standing, tense from jaw down to his ankles, his hands balled into tight fists flat at his side, knuckles white. Hopper keeps ranting, pacing a wide circle in front of them, but Steve doesn't flinch, doesn't look up, doesn't react. It's like all the color has washed from him.

"Are you even listening?!"

"Yes, sir," Steve says tightly. He doesn't look up. Hopper keeps going.

Eddie watches as Steve's throat works to swallow, like he's choking. Like he can't breathe.

"Hopper," Eddie snaps. "Shut the fuck up."

Hopper whirls on him, livid, but Eddie's not looking at him, fixed on Steve as he reaches out. Tries to take Steve's hand, just holds his wrist when Steve can't unclench his fist, gentle as he touches him. Steve is tightly wound and trembling under his fingers.

When he looks, Eddie finds Hopper with deep regret on his face, struck silent. He doesn't say anything when Eddie leads Steve away, back out onto the porch. They sit on the swing, Eddie's arm around Steve's shoulders, rocking back and forth until the muscles loosen and Steve slumps, strings cut, into Eddie's side. They'll sit like that for a while more, watching the woods as the sun sets and listening to the dusk settle, crickets and cicadas and chats calling the moon up, filling their silence with nighttime music.

Later, Hopper will come out, temper cooled, and sit on Steve's other side. Will ruffle Steve's hair when Steve starts to stiffen. Will apologize when Steve eyes him warily.

Later, Eddie will scowl and glare, but ultimately keep quiet, unwilling to make the whole thing worse for Steve, another fight, another shouting match. Will stiltedly tell Hopper good night and take Steve home, wait patiently until Steve finally speaks, when he finally tells Eddie a little more and a little more, until Eddie's holding him tight.

That's later though. For now, he digs his heel into the porch, rocking them back and forth, and waits for Steve to breathe.

[ecto-stone]

DannyMay-Day 2- WISH.

[frodo-a-gogo]

Let us be brutally honest with ourselves and with eachother for a moment. If he weren't obese you motherfuckers would be capable of percieving evrart claires sexy sexy moral ambiguity and complex charms

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

POV. You’re a foot soldier stationed at Heaven’s gate and the sexual tension between your boss and his second in command is getting weirdly high these days for some reason

Continuation of Paradise Lost soldier Mud

Doodling more of these guys. They hate each other so much, they should kiss about it <3

[akemi2003]

Fic prompt #21

Dpxdc

Danny, having been morally obligated to become a full-time hero in his original dimension (there wasn’t a Justice League or any other hero—Valerie stopped after graduation, Dani wasn’t interested, and Sam and Tucker chose other careers), decided that when he died, he would sleep for thousands of years to make up for it.

He was utterly irritated to discover that he could still be summoned and forcibly awakened if he wasn’t already awake to refuse. In response, he decided to curse whoever tried with the most awkward punishment he could think of at the time.

Let’s just say Tim and the rest of the Batfam were not happy to be mistaken for the summoner and cursed in their place.

[fluffylord]

Look how far I went, for fear of losing you.