#we shouldn't rob ourselves

[valiantstarlights]

Hob is a chef who owns a food truck selling authentic Indian food, and Dream is someone who doesn't really eat well. (He had a bad breakup a year ago and it caused him to eat less. He's trying to eat better with his siblings' help.)

Dream agrees to go with Death to one of those food truck fairs for her birthday. There's not a lot of people yet so some of the staff offer them free samples to entice them into eating more from their food truck.

Death is having the time of her life, and she thanks Dream for going with her even if this isn't his thing at all.

Dream says that he enjoys the atmosphere (a.k.a. no huge crowds yet) and appreciates the aesthetic of the food they have already eaten: the understated elegance of the mango bingsoo, the dancing bonito flakes on top of the takoyaki, and the satisfying cheese pulls from the megruli khachapuri.

Death, encouraged by his interest, asks him to pick another food that he likes the aesthetic of so they could try it next. Like before, it's understood that they'll share a serving so Dream doesn't have to worry if he can't eat a lot.

Dream agrees. He picks an appetizing-looking plate of butter chicken from a foodtruck selling Indian food near the edge of the fair grounds, where not a lot of people have ventured yet.

They are greeted enthusiastically by a very handsome man and Death does all the talking because Dream is distracted by his forearms and smile and manbun. (He's salivating, so he must be hungry. Right?)

The handsome man turns out to be both the chef and the owner, and he chats with Death while he prepares the food. His name is Hob. He quit his job at a fancy hotel because he wants to feel more connected with his customers and share the food that he loves cooking for his family. (Dream is falling for him the more he talks. He doesn't realize that he has yet to speak and has only been staring.) (Hob is highly intimidated by him but also thinks he's cute.)

The food is served. Death takes her first bite and says something like 'holy shit dude wow this is great' and Hob is just about to thank her when Dream takes his first bite and lets out the most sinful moan Hob has ever heard this side of his laptop screen.

He is (understandably) frozen in place, staring at this beautiful man devour his food while sounding like a porn star. He may or may not be violating food safety standards by getting hard in his jeans in the truck's kitchen area.

Death is astonished because Dream has never shown this much enthusiasm while eating before. Even when they were kids. She is now looking at Hob speculatively. Should she google 'how to politely ask a stranger to (please) marry your brother'?

Dream...honestly doesn't even notice anything other than how delicious the food tastes. When the plate is clean, and Death has only gotten to take that single bite at the start, he reddens and apologizes, but Death waves it off, and Hob says something like, "I have some dessert too, if you want."

Dream unconsciously licks his lips and says, "Please," in a voice that could either mean 'Yes, please, I want some dessert,' or 'Fuck me raw right now.'

Death, immediately picking up on the sexual tension, says, "We'd like some kulfi, but I'll take mine to go."

And Dream is like, "Sister, what--?"

"I just remembered Desire and I have an appointment to get our nails done so I have to go--oh, thanks, Mr. Gadling--bye Dream, love you, be safe!" And then she's gone.

Dream is left with Hob who is still holding the other kulfi in his hand, looking slightly stunned at Death's very abrupt exit. The kulfi is starting to melt. Dream, unthinkingly, leans forward and sucks the tip.

They both freeze and their eyes meet, Dream's pink mouth still on the kulfi. Hob gulps at the visual. Dream, still maintaining eye contact, licks it from base to tip, then starts sucking in earnest, eyes steadily darkening when he sees Hob's breathing becoming unsteady.

Hob hears some footsteps coming their way, potential customers from the sound of it. Hob hands Dream his kulfi and apologizes to the customers, saying that something came up and he has to close. Like, right now. Sorry for the inconvenience but this is really important.

He closes up in record time while Dream taunts him by enjoying his dessert. He's already sitting on the passenger seat of the truck when Hob climbs into the driver's seat.

Desire's text the next day reads: 'DREAM YOU SLUT IM SO PROUD OF YOU'

Destruction for some reason knows Hob's number and has texted: 'Break my brother's heart and I'll break your spine.'

Dream slowly but surely begins to eat better. How can he not, with all the support he has, and Hob there to love him even on his bad days?

Hob gets everyone's approval, even Destruction's, eventually. He's the best cook and most considerate brother-in-law ever.

When Dream passes by his ex while walking down the street one day, he realizes that he's alright now, and is definitely better off without them. He's actually thankful, because if not for them, then he might not have even met Hob. He doesn't greet them because he still hasn't forgiven them, but he also doesn't feel like bursting into tears anymore.

At the end of the day, when he gets back home, Hob is there to welcome him with a sweet kiss, a warm meal, and a lifetime full of love.

[hilacopter]

leftists about other minorities: "just because you don't actively hate a minority doesn't mean you're immune to being bigoted, there's always internal biases to unpack."

leftists about jews: "whaaat?! how could I possibly be antisemitc??? I don't hate jews! I'm anti-bigotry! I'm a Good Person!"

leftists about other minorities: "always listen to minorities when they say something is bigoted."

leftists about jews: "don't listen to anyone telling you you're being antisemitc, israel and (((the zionists))) are weaponizing antisemitism to shut down criticism!"

leftist about other minorities: "of course bigotry against a minority should be defined by the people of said minority and it's important not to talk over them."

leftists about jews: "actually it's not antisemitic to say (conspiracy theory)/(blatant dogwhistle)/(repackaged blood libel)!! don't let any Bad Jews™ tell you otherwise!!"

leftists about other minorities: "no, having friends or family from a minority doesn't make you not bigoted. that's literally the oldest excuse in the book."

leftists about jews: "and before anyone starts throwing accusations no I'm not antisemitc, I know many (like 3) jewish people and they're some of my closest friends (I see them at the grocery store sometimes)."

leftists about other minorities: "obviously no people are a monolith, and a person from a minority can still be bigoted or have internal biases towards said minority. it's important to consider who you're speaking with."

leftists about jews: "so obviously since all jews are born with every single piece of jewish knowledge ever I can totally use this very convenient culturally christian ethnic jew as a token for my argument against a person who was raised culturally jewish and knows extensive jewish history."

leftists about other minorities: "we shouldn't center ourselves in historical events of other minorities."

leftists about jews: "I would've been a brave hero who hid jews during the holocaust, which was actually about queer and disabled people because why do the jews get to hog it all to themselves?!"

leftists about other minorities: "it's cultural appropriation to use this word belonging to a minority, you're robbing it of it's history and meaning."

leftists about jews: "(uses zionism incorrectly) (uses zionism incorrectly) (uses zionism incorrec"

leftist about other minorities: "skin color doesn't define ethnicity! there are plenty of white-passing black people, brown people and more!"

leftists about jews: "jews are literally just white people. all the jews I know irl are ashkenazi and light-skinned, what other proof do I need?"

and these are just a few of the double standards I've noticed. feel free to add.

[marzipanandminutiae]

so I saw someone characterizing the (bullshit, unnecessary, oh my god you didn't even stick to the visual change in the epilogue section) makeover in the movie Enchanted as "Giselle looking like a grown woman instead of a little girl playing dress-up"

and like. I don't know. I'm having Feelings about that

for reference, here's what she spent most of the movie wearing:

and this:

and here's the "made-over" look:

(god it doesn't even FIT THE ACTRESS FLATTERINGLY I hate this look so incredibly much she looks like a grape Flintstones ice cream pop)

now, I see why this commenter said the first looks were childish. one has a long flowy skirt for everyday attire, her hair has flowers and ribbons in it for both, the fabrics are pastel with a floral print- all things that are a far cry from the sleek, muted or neutral vision we have of adulthood nowadays

and I HATE that those things read as "childish" to me. I hate that I can see it. because they didn't always come across that way, and they shouldn't. there's nothing inherently juvenile about decorated, pretty clothing

This is a dress for an adult woman c. 1863

this is a (formal) suit for an adult man c. 1770

This is a fashion plate from 1886

and that's just western fashion from relatively recent history- cultures all over the world have loved decorating clothing, accessories, furniture, and spaces intended for mixed-age or entirely adult use

there's nothing innately childish about bright or pastel colors (or even jewel tones- Adult Clothing seems to comprise nothing but neutrals, these days). or flowers. or ribbons. or just...decorated clothing, at all. why do we see it that way? how much joy are we robbing ourselves of in a quest to be Perfectly Mature by an incredibly exacting standard that didn't even exist for most of human history?

[set-wingedwarrior]

I wasn't sure about writing this post.

Even right now, as I am writing, I still don't know if I will actually post this or just add it to my drafts as nothing more than a personal vent. Regardless, I guess that if I am here I just need to talk about this.

So let's talk.

The way the FNDM has been acting all defeated all month long has really grown to annoy me, and I am tired.

RWBY's future is unsure right now, and all this uncertainty is painful. My feelings are all over the place, swinging from terror and sadness to hope, all the time. I constantly check Kerry's and RWBY's Twitter page in hope to find any kind of news.

I can't give you a certain answer because, again, this is all uncertain. But that also means that there's still hope.

My point is, acting as if we have already lost isn't going to help anyone. Not RWBY, not CRWBY, and not ourselves, the fans who love this show so dearly.

I don't know what is going to happen, but I know that I refuse to stand around and do nothing. It's why I keep checking for news, why I am playing the show both on rooster teeth and crunchyroll all the time for views (I think that on CR I already replayed the whole series at least twice). It's why I am spamming tags, and being loud about my love, and looking and sharing all RWBY and CRWBY posts to give engagement, why I am watching every rwby_vt live on twitch.

I want to know what is going to happen more than anything, not knowing is killing me, but at same time I am terrified of the answer. Despite that, and despite my feelings swinging all around, I am still choosing to have hope.

Hope is a conscious choice, and a brave one. Because I know that being pessimistic is easier, it avoids setting us up for disappointment... but if we rob ourselves of the chance that things could turn out alright then all we're doing is decrease the chance that it will happen, and just anticipate our pain and disappointment.

As Yang said, no hope means we have already lost, and that's not the case. CRWBY, Kerry, is working really hard to save RWBY. Acting defeated already isn't just a disservice to us, but to them specifically and to everything they are currently doing. It's like telling them that it's all useless, that they've already lost, and I find that insulting. I refuse to. They deserve to see that we care and believe in them.

RWBY is THE show about hope. Shouldn't we follow the example?

[lovelywetdreamer]

You tried to steal from Miguel again. You shouldn't be too down on yourself since you did better than last time. You had an escape rotate this time, too bad you didn't think it through. Your butts was too big to get it through the window, and Miguel just arrived within minutes to see half of you hanging out of his house. He wasn't alone this time. That unusually. He had company with him. A man with a gentle face, dad bod, and a caring heart because he at least he tried to come to your aid before Miguel stop him in his track.

"Peter don't help her. This is the 3rd time she tried to robbed me this week." Miguel annoyingly said while he open the door for Peter to enter his house.

"Her?! You got to be kidding me. She looks like can't harm a fly." Peter is in disbelief that someone like you is a dirty thief. But once Peter went outside to check on you, he saw a pink Hello Kitty ski mask in your hand. A cute dumb thief Peter thought to himself.

"So what are we going to do with her?" Peter ask. His brown eyes gotten dark the more he looks at you.

Miguel snicker and rubs his large hand against your butts. "I guess we have to take of her ourselves don't you think, Peter?"

ZIP! The sound coming from Peter freeing himself from his pants. Peter have his tip lightly slapping against your cheeks. "I guess we do for your society's sake."

Places big, juicy kisses on Peter's mushroom head. Toying with Peter, you didn't notice Miguel pull your skirt off until you felt his sharp teeth sinking into your butts. "Ngh-I mean Oww!" You pout to Peter.

"Miguel, you got to be gentle with her. Did he bite you too hard my dear?" Peter asks.

"Ye- Aah- before you could finish your sentence, Miguel nibble on your butts before dragging your suspension tight, short panties down with his teeth. "Oh Peter shut up! She just playing innocent infront of you. She just a disobedience whore that needs to be punished."

"Is that true, baby? Do you needs to be punished like a meanless slut?" You just open your mouth wide welcoming the thickness of Peter's tip. Peter buckle his hips into your warm, sloppy mouth.

Kimmy made this biteable fanart

Prequel:

[fluffygreenkoala]

I just wanted to share my own love letter to Spider's character and explain why (in my opinion) he chose to do what he did in the finale. (Will be taking info that was shared in the Avatar comics like The High Ground other than Atwow).

So, we know he's Quaritch's son (who probably knew of his existence but didn't care enough to try and locate him/know about how he was doing) and Paz's, a soldier deceased during the attack to Hometree in the first movie. We see him under the care of the scientists (Max and Norm in particular) and in the comics his adoptive parents, the McCoskers, get a couple of panels to let us know they exist.

But that's basically it. They are there, they do not actively engage in Spider's growth and development, they do not seek to actually form a parent-child bond with him, not going by what is shown in either the comics and the movie.

So, Norm and Max (+ the scientists) do their best to look out for him but ultimately have other things to do and the McCoskers -his adoptive parents, hold that role which is, in the end, only a facade. They do not act negatively towards him but they do not express a strong will to *want* to engage and have him with them.

Which other adult figures does Spider have in his life that he could turn to?

Oh! Jake and Neytiri.

Buuuuuuut here's the issue: Spider is the son of the man ultimately recognized as the greatest human foe to all of the Na'vi, and to Neytiri he's also the one who robbed her of her ancestral home AND killed her father/sister. So we can cross her out of the "empathically willing to get involved and understand Spider" list.

Who's left? Jake.

But Jake is shown as battle hardened and over protective in a not exactly good telling manner towards his own kids, and he himself calls Spider "not one of the family, more like a stray cat.".

And there is this underlining look-down feeling to how Jake references Spider's species and being human as if that simple fact the boy couldn't change was enough to eclipse all the good in Spider's existence.

Before his capture from the RDA squad, he was shown to have an extremely good relationship with the Sully children, to be extremely in tune with Pandora (and possibly, if it is explored in the next movies, Eywa), to be protective and caring towards their wellbeing and happiness.

While he is in captivity he undergoes TORTURE. His brain is put on display to strangers who seek to locate those people he admires and grew up wanting to resemble, he is tied and immobilized as they probe his mind for information for who knows how much time and he gives them NOTHING; it's highlighted how much his body was put through by his nose bleeding and his paleness and short breath once Recomb Quaritch stops the machine.

Remember that he's sixteen.

And he cried for the Tulkun mother being killed right in front of his eyes, screamed and cried for the Ta'unui villagers when they were endangered and was ultimately the reason they weren't wiped out. Even as he was burnedened with one more reason to hate himself than he shouldn't have to shoulder: the Recomb squad making him feel like they were there because he didn't give information and they HAD to do this instead to get info.

So now, knowing that he's been neglected his whole life, never had a real parental figure, never had that affection any human needs and deserves to receive while growing up (save for sweetness by Kiri and possibly Tuk but that's different), wasn't looked out for regarding whether he was well, whether he was ill, well fed, had nightmares, could take care of himself, knew how to hunt and track possible enemies, that no one made his songchord to celebrate his birth and achievements and are able to see beyond his dismissive shrugs and melancholic smiles, let's ask ourselves: was Spider saving his father's Avatar a completely aware choice or was it the product of his intrinsic compassionate personality and the abuse he's undergone in the months of his captivity (because yes, Cameron confirmed in an interview he spent MONTHS there), knowing that he wouldn't be rescued and could only deny the information they were holding him captive for and hurting him?

Knowing he'd have died for Kiri in the end even if Neytiri was bluffing (which I doubt she was, but still) because that's who he is. Who he was made to become because of the lack of basic things being offered to him and him seeing a shred of decency and care in the one person he hates and caused SPIDER to be loathed for things he couldn't help -his species and his father.

So yes, we need to take all of this into consideration when dealing with this character who, in my opinion, is the most innocent victim in the entire Atwow movie and Athg comics.

#LetSpiderSocorroBeHappy

[levlies889]

@etoilesbignaturals tagged me in this post and it's time for me to speak out

I just want to make it clear that I'm not trying to make it an issue, but this has gone on long enough. I am TIRED of people insisting that people who eat silt (we can call ourselves silters but THIS guy certainly shouldn't be) are somehow "robbing nature". If everyone in the entire world was eating silt? Sure maybe that's a cause for concern. But people (not just op) have been consistently picking on this EXTREMELY SMALL sub community and I've had enough.

I AM a silter. I DO eat silt. And I shouldn't have to hide that from people.

Also, I hate to target others, but etoilesbignaturals LITERALLY eats mulch. Yeah. A fucking mulchhead is trying to come for silters when literally people trying to eat mulch is one of the NUMBER ONE CONCERNS OF MOST USA COMPOSTING FACILITIES? Y'all have no respect and you make me sick

[super-hero-confessions]

I think I can bring a little context as to why a lot of people dislike race swapped characters in superhero media - or any media - and before you call me racist, I am hispanic and I'm not against race swapping, so I'm going to use Namor as an example.

I am cool with Namor being race swapped in the MCU. Why? Because in Talokan they incorporate elements from the Mayan culture, they speak Mayan, they play these beautiful songs in Spanish, such as "Con La Brisa", with lyrics that English-speakers did not understand, but I did! I understood the lyrics because my first language is Spanish. So yes, Namor was race swapped, but it was done well and it actually showcased cultural elements fitting to the race swap. It was still a race swap but it showed genuine representation and culture, the beauty of the Mayan language, the beauty of the Spanish language (don't @ me saying Spanish is a language of colonizers because you're a hypocrite for saying such a thing in English, which is also a language of colonizers) and overall it did a good job at showing that beauty and that representation.

I think a lot of people complain when characters are race swapped but then they don't show any actual cultural elements of the culture they are now going to represent. I've seen lots of black people complaining about this, about how this character was white but now they're black and they remain the same in every other aspect except their race. And some black people point out that this shouldn't be done, because the life experiences of a black person are not going to be the same as those of a white person, and to race swap is to ignore the hardships black people have to endure. But I'm not black so I can't tell them how to feel about their own representation, I can only speak for my own but I totally get what they mean. Which is why Namor was done well, because his entire backstory was changed as well to properly showcase that cultural representation.

Another popular complaint is that race swaps actually rob people of getting original characters and this is something I agree with. As a hispanic, you have no idea how full of joy my heart was when I watched films like Coco, Encanto, and I think that new movie, Wish, is going to be about a spaniard princess as well. Like dude, I cried happy tears with Coco! I sang the Bruno song with Encanto! These characters were made with people like us in mind! These amazing stories! Made for us, for hispanics, latinos, spaniards, these stories are ours! And that is just something that race swaps cannot give us, unless they're done properly (like they did with Namor) and most of the time it's not done properly.

I am okay with race swaps but please don't be so quick to call anyone who disagrees with them a racist. Sometimes we just want original characters for ourselves, so do black people, so do Asian people, etc. Wanting to have original stories to show our beautiful culture/s is not racist at all. Have a great day and if any Spanish-speakers stumble across this post, por favor tengan un hermoso día, cuídense y cuiden a las personas que aman, somos todos hermanos y hermanas así que estén siempre orgullosos de nuestro bello idioma y nuestra bella y diversa mezcla de culturas. Un abrazo mi gente <3

[bi-kisses]

What do you think about "barbie is asexual and why that matters" (Tumblr doesn't allow me to put links so look it up) vid? I know your opinions about split attraction model, so I guess I already expect what it's gonna be like. Also I don't like the fucking weird part about that "women have to put up with being sexualized every time we go outside". Like, I know that it's true to some women but... I can't relate to that? I don't have to put up with this and I'm a woman? Borderline radfem take bru

I don't think there's really any subtext suggesting she's asexual, nor would it improve the messaging at all.

No offense because I get the desire for representation, but people not actively having a love interest in a movie is not ace coded. People in real life often have relationships, like with barbie and ken, that just aren't... emotionally invested. The "no genitals" bit is because they're literally dolls, I think we can all agree asexuals have genitals and to equate the two (being physically sexless and not feeling attraction) is actually very regressive as it wraps back around to this idea of asexuality making you broken and/or incomplete.

I think trying to warp the messaging to be about sexuality is missing the point. The sexualization of women can be contested and criticized without actually robbing women of our sexualities.

I know it does feel like a radfem take to say women get sexualized whenever they're out in the world, but it's a bit more complicated than that. Some women don't at all, usually because of where they live, or if they don't fit into the modern view of "sexy" to begin with. I know that I've been getting catcalled and leered at since I was in my preteens, it's especially a problem with (this will sound weird) some of the Indian men who have immigrated here and just culturally have zero respect for women. I was in a bralette at the gas station and the old guy behind the counter couldn't find the decency to look up from my chest while I paid. That's one example of something I get pretty regularly, and tbh I don't even HAVE nice tits.

All that to say that I didn't find the barbie portrayal of being a woman dressed in tight/revealing clothes navigating the public to be unrealistic. I don't think it's meant to imply this is what every woman gets constantly, I mean, there are other women around in those scenes (and, I almost forgot, ken also gets ogled), it's moreso discussing the way we're all forced to portray ourselves in a muted and "sexed down" manner if we want to be respected, which really shouldn't be the case. Women with skimpy shirts should receive eye contact at the gas station.

[wetravellight]

The older I get the more I am sure of the fact that the vast majority of us women were not created to slave away at a 9-to-5 every business day of the year. The majority of us were made to nurture and be nurtured.

We suffer way more under workplace stress than men do. We endure hormonal changes on a monthly basis that take a toll on us both mentally and physically. We can carry a fetus inside us for 9 whole months. We need a life that is flexible in nature; that accommodates our ever-changing bodies. Our hormones can get drastically affected by our mental states. This is not a flaw. It's how we were created. We should be proud of how we were created. We shouldn't have to strive to be more like men.

The One who created us, who knows us better than we know ourselves, gave us flexibility by lifting the obligation of fasting and prayer during menses, making men responsible for providing for us, etc...

The broken system of the modern world does us a great disservice and robs us of our rights.

[firstumcschenectady]

“Hosanna” based on Psalm 118:1-4, 19-24 and Matthew 21:1-11

Within Christianity, we use “Hosanna” to express joy, and praise, and adoration. Just one little issue with that – the actual meaning of the word. Hosanna is a Hebrew word meaning “Save us, we pray!” The people around Jesus weren't shouting “Great is God” or “Jesus is good!” or “YAY, Jesus, YAY God!” Instead, they were shouting, “God, save us from our oppressor” which was clearly the Roman Empire, who – let's be honest – didn't appreciate that. “God, help us, the enemy is bigger than we can take on ourselves.” “God, we're in over our heads, help us out here!”

And, of course, they were shouting, “Save us, we pray” during a PASSOVER celebration, when Passover celebrates God's actions in saving the people from oppression in Egypt, which made the Roman Empire's representatives a “little bit” antsy.

The Roman Empire's representative Pontius Pilate was already coming to the city, like he did every year at Passover, with soldiers and fanfare meant to keep the Jewish people in check. The Roman Empire saw QUITE CLEARLY that getting a whole bunch of people together in the city to celebrate God's acts of freeing them from oppression was a tinderbox for revolt, and they sought to tamp it down with displays of power and reminders of their violent capacity. In fact, they came in from Pilate's normal abode on the Mediterranean – so from the West. With gleaming horses, and banners with the golden Eagle of Rome, with drums and the crowds shouting “Hail Caesar, son of God; Praise be to the Savior who brought the Roman Peace; Caesar is Lord….” the Empire sought to intimidate people out of revolt.

But.

Then there was Jesus. Jesus who seems to have let the crowd claim kingship of Ancient Israel on his behalf, which sometimes feels a little bit strange but is in the story nonetheless. The Palm branches were a flag of Israel- the opposite of the Golden Eagle. The donkey was expected to be ridden by the Messiah entering the city – but also is rather opposite a gleaming horse. The soldiers accompanied Pilate – while a large crowd of people impoverished by the Empire accompanied Jesus. And Instead of “Hail Caesar” the people shouted “God Save Us (from the empire).”

The Roman Empire took this Jesus parade as a significant threat.

I believe they were meant to. The protest made the violence of the Empire stand out. They crucified Jesus with the accusation “King of the Jews” above his head, as if this was the charge against him. And, after all, they shouldn't have killed the leader of a PEACEFUL revolt, only a violent one. But sometimes the authorities have a hard time telling the difference between violence and what scares them. (Still true today.)

Then, of course, Jesus did another PEACEFUL demonstration – this time managing to make visible the ways the Empire had put in place Temple leaders who were aligned with Empire and not God's people. That one many of us learned as the “Cleansing of the Temple.” John Dominic Crossan reflects on the “den of robbers” the Temple is said to be saying, “Notice, by the way, that a 'den' is not where robbers do their robbing but where they flee for safety with the spoils they have robbed elsewhere.” (God and Empire, 133.)

Jesus made clear the city of Jerusalem was where “conservative religion and imperial oppression – had become serenely complicit.” (131) And, he dies for it. Crossan says, “He did not go to get himself killed or to get himself martyred. Mark insists that Jesus knew in very specific detail what was going to happen to him – read Mark 10:33-34, for example – but that is simply Marks' way of insisting that all was accepted by both God and Jesus. Accepted, be it noted, but not willed, wanted, needed or demanded.” (131)

Beloveds, this Palm Sunday parade is one of the most brilliant acts of non-violent direct action I've ever heard of, but it is part of the story of why the Empire responded with violence. I can't hear the Palm Sunday story without knowing that it walks us to the Good Friday Crucifixion and the Holy Saturday grief and disillusion. They're all a part of this one story – that when you make clear the ways people are oppressing others, there is a fierce lash-back and the power of violence is immense. Thank God, that isn't the whole story – we get to Easter next week – but it is a real story, one that we can't dismiss.

This year, the Palm Sunday parade that walks Jesus into Jerusalem sounds terrifyingly like Nex Benedict walking into school on their last day. I can't separate out Jesus being faithful to God despite the consequences from gender-queer and non-binary people claiming their space in the world – despite the consequences. But, friends, it is sickening.

There is a story out there, one that says people are supposed to stay in tight little conformist boxes that help others make sense of the world and, heavens, the VIOLENCE that comes out when people speak up and say, “this box doesn't fit me.” And it can be such small stuff:

I'm a woman, but the box “quiet and gentle” doesn't fit me

or

I'm a man, but the box “stoic” doesn't' fit me

or

I'm a woman, but the box “looking for a man” doesn't' fit me

or

I'm a man, but the box “looking for a woman” doesn't' fit me

or

… the box “wants to have kids” doesn't fit me

or

… the box “monogamy” doesn't fit me

or

… the box “woman” doesn't fit me

or

… the box “man” doesn't fit me

or

… the box “gendered” doesn't fit me.

And, I mean, you all know this but... WHO CARES? They're all just silly little made up boxes that no one should be forced into and everyone should have the space to occupy, or adapt or not occupy as they see fit? Sure, some people want the world to be black and white without shades of gray – that everyone is cis-gendered, straight, sexual, and single raced ;) But, too bad because that's just not true.

And yet, the violence that comes when people try to force others back into the boxes they think they should live in – it reminds me of the violence of empire. There seem to be gleaming horses, loud drums, and shiny swords all over the place. And, worse, it isn't just the external violence that attacks people – the very people who are brave enough to leave their ill-fitting boxes behind end up internalizing the violence. They're courageous, they're clear, they know who they are and they won't go back to pretending to be otherwise – but that violence is so darn insidious, and it gets inside them. Those silly stories about how we're supposed to be are so poisonous. That human need for connection gets twisted around and turned against people. And the beautiful ones who are brave and unique and wonderful end up dead.

Jesus could have stayed out of Jerusalem, except he couldn't.

Nex could have pretend to have their gender assigned at birth, except they couldn't.

They couldn't. It would have been safer, easier, …. some would say wiser. But they couldn't.

Friends, as you know, the trans and queer communities around the country and world are aching for Nex and Nex's family and friends. Their death has reminded people of prior losses, of other brave and beautiful souls who also internalized the violence against them. The heartbreaks are everywhere.

This holy week, we will worship through the blessings of Jesus, the death of Jesus, the heartbreak of the disciples, and land on the wondrous reality that God's work can't be stopped by violence or death.

But how do we make sense of Nex? And the ones before them? And the ones after them? How do face the violence of the Empire today, and the ways it gets internalized?

There aren't easy asnwers.

We grieve.

And we share the aches with God.

And we name the problems with each other.

And we keep on learning how to undercut the broken narrative, and break open little boxes, and keep people safe when they leave them.

We aren't going to do it fast enough – we already haven't, but just because we can't do it immediately doesn't mean we can stop. Jesus showed us the power of violence to stop people, and the ways religion can become complicit with violence. And he paid for it, paid to teach us those lessons. But we have them! So, we know that God and love are more powerful than violence, and love is the way we respond. And we know that religion that oppresses isn't religion at all, and we shout it from the rooftops.

Hosanna.

God save us.

We pray.

Amen

Rev. Sara E. Baron First United Methodist Church of Schenectady 603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305 Pronouns: she/her/hers http://fumcschenectady.org/ https://www.facebook.com/FUMCSchenectady

March 24, 2024

[skaldish]

So, do you believe all Endogenics are faking, or are some of them just confused / actually Traumagenic but don't know it?

I think they're exploring. And I think it's good for people to explore different characterizations of themselves. Acting helps us discover who we are in non-threatening environments and helps us experience and define ourselves. It's what even clued me in on being transgender.

It's fundamentally not plurality.

Plurality is created when neurological brain-structures cut themselves off from each other in a last-ditch attempt to survive extreme stress and trauma.

Neurons are physical; they're brain-cells. They create pathways for electricity to flow through, which is how the brain communicates with itself. Like a lightbulb circuit.

The reason why plurality can only happen with childhood trauma is because alters are reflections of disjointed brain-growth. You can't develop it when you're older. It's structurally impossible.

Plus, you can't "really be traumagenic" when you think you're endogenic. This doesn't work like gender identity. It's not even neurodivergence. It's not something the brain should ever have to do.

Being plural means you will never truly experience all of who you are. Ever. You were robbed of something vital and it's never coming back.

If people wish to explore multiple personas, they can. But it's not plurality and shouldn't be characterized as such. All this does is remove agency and legitimacy from people who actually have DID and OSDD.

At best, it's ignorant. At worst, it's ableist, fetishistic, and damaging to your own mental health.

You can't develop DID or OSDD later in life, but you can certainly develop cognitive dissonance and delusions.

Have fun, but don't use medical terms to define your model of self-expression.

[childofchrist1983]

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. - John 8:31-34 KJV

All too often, we forget that sin can enslave us. We know that addiction can enslave, but do we think of sin as a master? When we sin, we open the door to Satan who is more than happy to walk on in, tempting us and leading us astray, away from God and His Holy Word. And as Jesus Christ Himself warns us, we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24)! We were created to follow and glorify and serve Him, not ourselves and this world.

The bank robber doesn't start off robbing banks; he probably started by taking money from his parents or shoplifting from the local store. If he doesn't get caught and punished, the thievery can get bigger. If a liar doesn't get caught in the lie, the liar gets more proficient and lies about more important matters. The embezzler probably started by taking home office supplies. Small sins lead to bigger sins. Satan is happy to whisper in our ears that what we want, we should have and we shouldn't worry about how we get it. When we disobey the commandments and we don't get zapped by lightening, we can think, "So what's the big deal." This leads us to thinking we are free to live as we please without worrying about the consequences. We forget that sin has its own consequences and that the final judgment belongs to God.

When we tell the truth, we don't have to worry about remembering what we said because we told the truth. If we don't insult people or call them names, then we don't have to worry about retaliation. When we are kind, people are kind back. When we live conscious of the presence of God, we are free of fear. We know that we are doing our best to be ready to meet him whenever he calls us. We don't have to worry about the future, because we know that God is in control and whatever happens, we'll be fine. Why would anyone choose slavery to sin over freedom? you want us to be free. We know that He is always there to forgive us for our sins and we need Him and His grace to remain free in your love and mercy. May we be reminded of Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ, trusting in and being led by Him and His Holy Word and Spirit everyday and every moment of our lives.

Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven (John 3:5, 14:6), the only way to salvation (Acts 4:12, Ephesians 2:8-9) and He is resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26). As true and born-again Christians, we believe in Him and His Holy Word. We know though our mortal bodies should die, He will raise us up and into new and glorious bodies (The Rapture). We who are truly His and alive at His second coming will never die, and our bodies will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and so shall we ever be with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven forevermore (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This is one of many promises given to us by God Himself. Let this promise of future resurrection give us hope and peace and encourage us always. Thank God for His strength and guidance when we are faced with sin and temptation. Thank Him for His mercy and grace. Through Bible study and prayer, God reveals His wisdom and guides us to see opportunities to grow closer to Him and grow spiritually. He gives us direction to live our lives according to His Holy Word and will. We must make God top priority everyday! May we be motivated to spread God's Holy Word and Gospel Truth to all the Earth, knowing that it is the only hope of all those lost in their sins. Let us not hold out a false hope for men to be saved without the Gospel, but instead, strive to do our part to get the Gospel out to a lost and dying world.

Leaning on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit strengthens us and our knowledge and wisdom about God and His Gospel Truth, exposing these imposters. May God help us to seek and lean on Him daily to gain the strength, wisdom and spiritual discernment needed to expose Satan and his imposters who seek to destroy us and God's ultimate Truth. Everyday, we must remember to share Jesus Christ's Gospel Truth with the world and to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and from the eternal damnation of Hell. In all we say and do, may all praise, honor and glory always be given to Him and His Kingdom of Heaven.

With renewed minds, hearts and wills, let us serve Him humbly and faithfully out of pure love and grateful rejoicing. May He remind us of His presence and to remain at peace, fully knowing that all will be well because He is always with us. Let us seek Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ today and everyday with all our heart and being, looking for His love, light and will for our lives with each step we take. Let us seek to please Him with our thoughts, words, and deeds and seek to advance His Kingdom of Heaven and His glory with our lives. Let us seek Him from a pure and humble heart, and when we so seek, we believe Him and His promise that we will find. May He help us all to be more sensitive to the teaching ministry of His Holy Word and Spirit, relying on Him and allowing Him to speak to us and guide us every step of our Christian journey.

God gave us the Holy Bible - His living and Holy Word - to let us know of Him and His abiding love and care as well as guide and prepare us for all our lives. May He help us encourage one another as we continue our walk with Him and our duty to Him daily. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for being present for all our new beginnings and all our lives. May He redirect any anxiety we feel as He provides countless opportunities for growth and change. May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will.

May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus! He loves us and He knows what is best for us. Seek, follow and trust in Him - Always!

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

[someprettyboat]

I am angry.

Truthfully, I've been angry for a very long time. Decades. But I am female, and as such, I have been instructed and trained in the fine art of suppression. "Don't blow it out of proportion."  "Control your feelings."  "Anger is ugly."  "You're fine, it's not the end of the world."  "Other people have it much worse than you, stop making a big deal out of nothing." "Take it as a compliment." "You're overreacting."

I am old enough to no longer give a shit what other people think of me, least of all men. 

I've been suppressing and keeping quiet and ignoring and blowing off and not saying anything for well over thirty years. But I can't stand it anymore. Guys, sit down. I gotta get this off my chest, and you need to really focus and listen. Don't interrupt or justify or make excuses or gaslight me. Just this once, please, shut up, sit down and listen.

I'm tired. I've been more tired in the past year than at any other time in my life. I'm tired of the Brock Turner's and the Elliot Rodgers' and the Bill Cosby's and the Donald Trump's. More than that, I'm tired of the eternal question which always pops up when these guys are finally exposed: "Well, why did their accusers wait so long to speak out?" As if the accusers in question were simply sitting, biding their time, plotting their strategies and waiting for the most profitable time to act, to thrust themselves into the national spotlight and reap their rewards, attaining fame and fortune and adoration with which to feather their nests well into old age.

Guys, it doesn't work like that. Allow me to explain the Domino Effect.  Imagine that something horrible has happened to you. Something shameful and degrading. Doesn't even have to be rape. Just a situation in which you were briefly stripped of your power and forced to submit to someone who had gained control of the situation. Someone stronger than you physically, someone in a position of power over you, someone armed. Whatever.

Now, you have been raised to believe that "making a fuss" isn't proper behavior. You don't want to draw attention to yourself. You've been taught to be polite at all costs, no matter the situation. You try to extricate yourself from the sudden mess you find yourself in. You didn't think it was going to turn into a mess. You didn't willingly step into it. Suddenly, a person who seemed rational just moments ago - and 9 times out of 10, is someone you knew prior to this - is behaving in a way that is not logical. You've lost control of the situation, but you also see it as your duty to appeal to this person's basic human decency. Surely, if you reassure them, everything will be alright. People are basically good and trustworthy and nonviolent. Right?

But what you don't know is that this person is aware of the fact that you have been raised to be polite and non-resistant. They know you don't want to make a scene or draw unwanted attention to yourself. They're banking on it. They're going to use it to their advantage. So they shift blame. "You made me angry. You dressed in a way that provoked me. You gave me mixed signals. You led me on. You brought this on yourself."

And, as beings habitually cowed and brainwashed, we question ourselves. Did we do those things? Self doubt and shame are swift to kick in, even if you know for a solid fact that you did not intend to bring this upon yourself. Maybe you did behave in a way that you shouldn't have. Maybe you said something that could have been taken wrong, in a tone of voice you maybe shouldn't have used. You start to apologize. You try to explain that you didn't mean it, whatever it was. But it's too late. They've already penetrated the chink in your armor, the ingrained belief that we must always be polite and graceful and nice, no matter what. 

Then something happens. You are belittled, or robbed, or raped, or beaten. You are groped or slapped or called a disgusting name. You have "gotten what you deserved" and your attacker walks away smug and self satisfied, knowing you won't breathe a word of what has happened. Shame keeps you from thinking about it. Fear of being seen as weak or stupid prevents you from telling, because a small part of you continues to insist that this really is your fault, you did bring it on yourself, and any attempt to talk about it - as if you were a victim and not an instigator - is eye-rollingly self pitying. After all, you're still alive. It couldn't have been that bad. Other people have been through worse. Just drop it and move on, why do you keep wallowing in it?

Time passes, and you pretend you're okay for the sake of others. You don't want to bum them out by sniveling about it and constantly casting yourself as the tiresome victim. But then one day, you overhear another person, or the friend of a friend of that person, talking about what happened to them at the hands of the very same person. You are not the only one it has happened to. And it's like a light coming through a stained glass window in a cathedral and shining down upon you. You are not the only one. You were not at fault. You did nothing wrong. And you find your voice again.

You seek this other person out and say, maybe hesitantly "Hey, this happened to me too." And when they tell you their story, you are vindicated and relieved. A third person overhears you and approaches, and with each story you hear, the strength you thought you'd lost forever comes back a piece at a time. Your fear and your shame and disgust is replaced by something else: rage.

This is why we "wait so long" to come forward with our stories. Because we're afraid. Because we've been made to believe it was something we did wrong and indirectly brought upon ourselves. We're not waiting to cash in. We're not waiting at all. We've been sitting here, drowning in guilt and shame, maybe drinking too much, maybe suffering from crippling low-self esteem, believing that were were the only ones and, as such, must somehow be at fault. And when we suddenly realize we're not, and never were, we are quick to stand beside the brave ones who finally stood up and spoke out, reaching for them like life preservers, speaking when we couldn't and didn't even know we had that option. It's called "solidarity."

And you know what remark from Donald Trump disturbs me even more than the whole "grab 'em by the pussy" thing? His dismissal of his female accusers as being too ugly to grope in the first place. His assertion that they would "not be his first choice." He's not denying his misconduct! He's dismissing their credibility by calling them ugly.

Let me tell you fuckers a story.

When I was still a reasonably young girl, I came home from work one night, walked up my stairs to the front door of my apartment, tired and looking forward to sleep. My neighbor's door, directly across from mine, was open. He was a white guy, unemployed, almost always drunk, covered in scabs, reeking of smoke. He saw me come up the stairs and began speaking in a normal tone of voice: "Hey. Hey c'mere. Hey. C'mon over. Got some beer. Hey, you wanna say hi?"

To be honest, I didn't really even hear him, didn't even realize he was talking to me. I thought he was on the phone, or talking to someone else in the house with him. Until I heard his next statement: "Fine, you don't wanna say Hi, fuck you, you're ugly anyway." I heard the "fuck" and the "ugly" and turned around to find him staring right at me. He was sitting on the couch in his underwear, drunk, picking at his toes. And yet I was the ugly one.

I was used to this shit by now, but still I stared at him open mouthed, unable to believe how fucking rude he was being, how apish and disgusting. Finally, I turned around and slammed my door as hard as I could. And double locked it. A while later, he walked by my window and yelled "BITCH!"

I yelled back: "COWARD!"

And my immediate thought was: "Perhaps I shouldn't have yelled back. Maybe I've made it worse. I should have just ignored it."

And that's when I realized how fundamentally fucked up the whole world was. Because that was my first reaction - to second guess myself, to feel guilty about defending myself, to fear the repercussions of my actions when I knew damn right well that that toe-picking ambient fungus next door wasn't at all sorry for what he'd said, did not see the irony in calling me ugly and had shifted responsibility entirely over to me, justifying his actions with: "You didn't say Hi, therefore you are a bitch and deserve to be told so."

I could sit here and excuse the behavior of men by saying: "Well, they're not women, they don't know what it's like, they've never experienced abuse the way we do." But I know that's not true, and it's just another excuse. Because men do know what it's like, whether they want to admit to it or not. Guys, I know you've been humiliated by your boss, your coach, your dad, your brothers and uncles. I know that at the very least, you've had your ass kicked by some guy you thought you could handle - is it something you tell your friends about? Do you ever talk about that emasculating, embarrassing moment to anyone? Or do you pretend it never happened to save face? No, of course not. Why would you want to admit to something that shames you to this day? 

From this day forward, you have no more excuses guys. And this is not up for debate. Talking to women like this is wrong. Talking about women like this is wrong. It is not cool, it is notsomething that "all boys" do, it is not something that should be expected and/or dismissed as something that "all boys" do, it is not a rite of passage, it is not acceptable, and we have never liked it. Take responsibility, learn the meaning of class, act like a man instead of an ape. Are Eee Ess Pea Eee See Tea, find out what it means to me and every other woman on the face of the Earth. 

And stop fucking asking us what took so long to speak up. Because the answer is "YOU." You and everyone else who helped you to build up this level of tolerance over the centuries with your ridiculous rules for us, your double standard bullshit games, your endless excuses. Your behavior is not our fault. We're done, do you fucking hear me? You can only taunt and bully and poke and pester and rape and kill us so much for so long, and you have the nerve to look surprised when we finally snap and turn on you and scream: "FUCK YOU!" and claw your eyes out and slam our feet into your groin? Really? Because if this reaction in any way shocks you, you are definitely part of the fucking problem.

Believe me, guys - we've already doubted our own stories and our own motivations, our version of events and even our own culpability. We've questioned the worth of "bringing this up after so long" whether it's been three days or thirty years. But some wounds won't heal unless you rip them back open again. And some shit won't change unless you speak the fuck up.

I am fucking angry, and I don't care if you don't like it.

[curtiscroachblog]

Rise above worry (2)

Word for Today written by Bob and Debby Gass

Saturday 18th May 2024

'Trust in the Lord.' Proverbs 3:5 NIV

When you evaluate your worries, you may find you're doing one or all of these: (1) Forgetting that God is your friend. The psalmist said, 'The Lord is a friend to those who fear him' (Psalm 25:14 NLT). Friendship with God is built by sharing your life's experiences with him - every activity, every conversation, every problem and every thought. When you don't, you end up unaware of his presence, oblivious to his voice, resistant to his correction and out of sync with his timing. And when you live that way, there is one inevitable result - worry!

(2) Taking on things you shouldn't. Peter Marshall prayed: 'Father...check our impulse to spread ourselves so thin that we're exposed to fear and doubt, to the weariness and impatience that makes our tempers wear thin; [that] robs us of peace of mind; that makes skies grey when they should be blue; that stifles a song along the corridor of our hearts.' You lose your song when you add the unnecessary pressure of maintaining your exterior image, increasing your pace to keep up with the 'Joneses' and trying to fix everybody or live up to their expectations.

(3) Failing to give God lordship in everything. Either Jesus is Lord over every area of your life, or he is not Lord over any of it. We tell ourselves certain parts of our lives lie in the realm of God's concern, but not others. The Bible says, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight' (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV). To live any other way is to live a worried life!

[thelegendofj]

I know we have to do it to keep ourselves safe sometimes, but... I'm starting to feel like modern culture is starting to prime us towards looking for morality failings in people by default, kind of as a social defense mechanism (especially online) and that's... not good, or healthy for us. Not by a default, at least.

This isn't for a second being said to handwave any bad shit people have done (like Rowling etc.- the amount of people who somehow think she hasn't done anything wrong is truly staggering, and incredibly harmful and I will not be quiet about it), my point is just... we shouldn't look for it unless we actually have to. Because if we look too hard, our brains will be primed to always find it even if it's not really there. That's not good for us.

To think that people are corrupt by default robs us of the chance for them to prove otherwise.