#and seeing how he acts when he's not a) conquering earth or b) putting on his asshole act

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

The Lamb Breaks the Seals

The first rider: conquest

1 Then I watched while the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice of thunder, “Come out!”

2 I looked, and before my eyes was a white horse. Its rider carried a bow, and he was given a crown. He rode out conquering and bent on conquest.

The second rider: War

3 Then, when the Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature, cry, “Come out!”

4 And another horse came forth, red in colour. Its rider was given power to deprive the earth of peace, so that men should kill each other. A huge sword was put into his hand.

The third rider: Famine

5a When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come out!”

5b-6 I looked again and there before my eyes was a black horse. Its rider had a pair of scales in his hand, and I heard a voice which seemed to come from the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a shilling, and three quarts of barley for a shilling—but no tampering with the oil or the wine!”

The fourth rider: Death

7 Then, when he broke the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature cry, “Come out!”

8 Again I looked, and there appeared a horse sickly green in colour. The name of its rider was death, and the grave followed close behind him. A quarter of the earth was put into their power, to kill with the sword, by famine, by violence, and through the wild beasts of the earth.

The cry of the martyrs in Heaven

9-10 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I could see, beneath the altar, the souls of those who had been killed for the sake of the Word of God and because of the faithfulness of their witness. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to be patient a little longer, until the number of their fellow-servants and of their brethren, who were to die as they had died, should be complete.

The wrath of God

12-17 Then I watched while he broke the sixth seal. There was a tremendous earthquake, the sun turned dark like coarse black cloth, and the full moon was red as blood. The stars of the sky fell upon the earth, just as a fig-tree sheds unripe figs when shaken in a gale. The sky vanished as though it were a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was jolted out of its place. Then the kings of the earth, and the great men, the captains, the wealthy, the powerful, and every man, whether slave or free, hid themselves in caves and among mountain rocks. They called out to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to stand against it?” — Revelation 6 | J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS) The New Testament in Modern English by J.B Phillips copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Cross References: Genesis 3:8; Genesis 4:10; Exodus 29:12; Deuteronomy 4:10; Deuteronomy 32:43; 1 Samuel 6:20; Psalm 2:12; Psalm 76:7; Proverbs 5:5; Isaiah 2:10; Isaiah 13:10; Isaiah 34:4; Isaiah 54:10; Jeremiah 4:24; Jeremiah 14:12; Ezekiel 4:16; Hosea 10:8; Joel 2:31; Nahum 3:12; Zechariah 1:8; Zechariah 6:2-3; Zechariah 6:6; Matthew 10:34; Matthew 24:7; Matthew 27:66; Luke 15:22; John 1:29; Acts 20:24; Revelation 4:6,7 and 8

#the white horse #war #famine #terror #cry of the martyrs #Revelation 6 #Book of Revelation #PHILLIPS #J.B. Phillips New Testament Bible #New Testament in Modern English by J.B Phillips

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

11th April >> Mass Readings (USA)

Saint Stanislaus, Bishop, Martyr 

on

Thursday of the Second Week of Eastertide.

Thursday of the Second Week of Eastertide

(Liturgical Colour: Red. Year: B(II))

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Thursday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Acts of the Apostles 5:27-33 We are witnesses of these words, as is the Holy Spirit.

When the court officers had brought the Apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, “We gave you strict orders did we not, to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the Apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 34:2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20

R/ The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or R/ Alleluia.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R/ The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or R/ Alleluia.

The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them.

R/ The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or R/ Alleluia.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the LORD delivers him.

R/ The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or R/ Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation John 20:29

Alleluia, alleluia. You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe! Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 3:31-36 The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.

The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

-----------------------------

Saint Stanislaus, Bishop, Martyr 

(Liturgical Colour: Red. Year: B(II))

First Reading Revelation 12:10-12a Love for life did not deter them from death.

I, John, heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. They conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them.”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear and be glad.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

Fear the LORD, you his holy ones, for nought is lacking to those who fear him. The great grow poor and hungry; but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

Gospel Acclamation 2 Corinthians 1:3b-4a

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed be the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 17:11b-19 The world hated them.

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[volleychumps]

Hi;; could I get headcannon of akaashi, tsuki, and suga having a gf who cries a lot? Ty in advace 🥺

yes ofc!!!!! Thank you for your patience babes<3

S/O Who Cries A lot (Akaashi, Tsukishima, Sugawara) 

--------------------------

Akaashi 

-“Y/N’s uh...” “Coming.” 

- Is the calmest when you have your little bursts of tears, knowing and remembering just what to do to make you calm down

- sighs a little when the same classmate pops her head into his classroom with a it’s happening again kind of expression before he takes mild strides down the hallway toward the familiar class

- Remains unsurprised as you sulk with your head buried on your arms upon your desk, eyes looking straight ahead with tears threatening to spill down your cheeks 

- “Y/N.” “Keiji...” 

- gives you a small nod of encouragement to continue on as he sits on the desk, letting you lay your head down on his lap as he runs his fingers through your hair, the people in your class too used to the sight before them 

- “D-Did you know that grizzly bears have to abandon their cubs? Their own children, Keiji, can you believe that?” 

- “Unbelievable.” In a mild tone as he narrows his eyes at your classmates, silently asking who let loose such a random sad fact that triggered your tears as a certain guy awkwardly sidesteps out of the classroom 

- “I know, right?! I want a grizzly. Can we adopt a grizzly?” 

- Please don’t look at him that way you know he can’t take it- 

- Flinches when you look up at him seriously, pout on your lips as your wet eyes make his chest tug, but he sighs and puts his foot down

- “No. We can’t get a grizzly.” “B-But-!” 

- “Booooo get her a cub-” “Stay out of this, Konoha.” 

- Rolls his eyes, but gently tugs you out of your seat and out the door before casting one more glare to the whistling boy outside your classroom 

- “Where are we going?” You hiccup, trailing behind Akaashi with a loose grip on his hand as the setter hums 

- “School’s almost over anyways. I’ll buy you something sweet.”

- lowkey feels really tired when your sadness seems to not have been very deep for those cubs when you gasp and tighten your grip on his hand excitedly 

- honestly, he knows he’s the only one who can handle you 

Tsukishima

- “It isn’t that hard- you’re crying again?” “No! I-I’m not-!” 

- isn’t the gentlest when it comes to your common act of tearing up at the little things, but slowly grew more accustom to it when he realized how insecure you were about it 

- you were crying over an essay though- 

-Damn blondie we can’t all be smart I’ve cried over essays too much ksjdfkjf

- immediately lowers the tone of his voice when you whip your head away to hide your tears, pouting off to the side as the blonde picks his pen up to give you a few moments to yourself

- “Done crying?” As he scrawls at the paper, proofreading your essay for you as he sees you puff your cheeks out from his peripheral vision

- “I wasn’t.” “You’re about to get tired.” “I’m not-!” 

- Smirks a little when he sees your eyes drooping a little as you scoff, going back to your paper with scratchy eyes

- casually sets a hand on the back of your head, tugging it towards his shoulder as he continues to write, not glancing down at your surprised expression

- “Hm. Then do me a favor and keep my shoulder warm. Plus you won’t be cranky when you wake up.” “I don’t get cranky though-” 

- Scoffs before using his thumb to swipe at the moisture in your eyes gently, coaxing you into a deeper state of sleepiness, eyeing your features with a thump in his chest quietly when he ensures you’re asleep 

- caps his pen, all done with your essay before deciding not to let you know, simply laying his head on your sleeping one before beginning to close his eyes as well- 

- “Do not tell me you’re crying because of how much you like me. Again.” “Leave me alone, I can’t help it! You’re honestly such a bully-” 

- “A bully that likes you too, so shut up and go to sleep.” 

- Smirks at your blushing silence as you cuddle a bit more into his shoulder, tears drying on your cheeks as Tsukishima relishes in satisfaction 

- Another occurence conquered

Sugawara

- “She’s what?” “Ha...we tried to help her, but she hasn’t stopped-” 

- is the most doting over you, and 100% is the type to keep a pack of tissues in his pockets for events like these, racing over to where you are right away 

- “You should have started with that, Daichi! You’re scary, you probably made her cry more because you don’t know how to smile. ” “Excuse me-”

- ignores Daichi’s growing irritation and Asahi’s stifled laughter before racing out of the volleyball practice gym past his teammates to find you sitting outside the door cutely in his escape 

- lmao he lowkey feels like crying when he sees you sniffling to yourself 

- but handles you super gently, simply taking a seat next to you with a warm grin on his face as you refuse to meet his kind stare, glaring through blurred vision down at your knees

- “What happened now?” “Nothing...” 

- “So you just felt like chilling in front of my club’s gym without coming in?” “...yep.” 

- eyes widen a little bit when you throw your hands around his neck, crying softly into his shoulder before he relaxes and holds you back gently, tracing circles on your back soothingly

- in all honesty the first time this happened his soul left his body because he thought he had done something wrong 

- “Okay this? This doesn’t look like nothing.” “...please just hug me.” 

- smiles nonetheless, placing small kisses in the juncture between your shoulder and neck until he feels your breathing even out, slipping the tissues out to dab at your cheeks when you pull back with a pout 

- “Wanna talk about it?” “...I’m not cute enough for you.”

- lowkey is riled up to go and fight somebody but chuckles nonetheless as he blinks at you in disbelief 

- “What on earth? You’re so cute. Literally the cutest. Too cute for me, actually-” “Are you sure?”

- sighs, kind of disappointed that you weren’t confident in his words but grins at the fact that you weren’t crying anymore 

- “More than sure.” as he cups your cheek sweetly, grin only widening when you nuzzle into his hand 

- “...now who the hell told you that you weren’t cute, I just wanna talk. Along with Daichi. And Asahi.”

- “Suga no-” 

- on the bright side, you were smiling now. 

-------------------------------------

General works: @kasandrafaye​ @savemesteeb​ @dreebbles​ @takemetovalhalla​ @yams046​

#haikyuu!! #haikyuu x reader #hq #hq x reader #haikyuu x you #haikyuu x y/n #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu anime #haikyuu #haikyuu akaashi #akaashi keiji #akaashi x reader #haikyuu tsukishima #tsukishima kei #tsukishima x reader #tsukishima fluff #haikyuu sugawara #sugawara koushi #sugawara x y/n

[randomposterofstuff]

Why I still appreciate AOT/SNK despite how it ended

Hi, all!

I still have a lot of thoughts running rampant in my mind. I plan to express each idea individually. By this, I mean that one idea will be the subject matter of one post. I have many thoughts, and it would be a really long post if I include all of them in just one. Haha.

But for this particular post, I would like to express that even though I have mixed feelings about the conclusion, I still appreciate Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin. I admit that I only joined the fandom recently. Haha. But I became invested in the story and its characters fairly quickly.

I have mixed feelings about the ending. And as of now, they lean more towards disappointment and frustration. (I will elaborate more on what I think of it in another post.) Haha. But despite this, the series still gave us many, many incredible scenes and exciting plot lines. Furthermore, it also offered critical insights on complex subject matters.

Fair warning: This is another lengthy post. Haha.

A. It is entertaining

AOT/SNK is very entertaining. The action scenes alone had us on the edges of our seats. And those epic fight scenes were nicely complemented by compelling storylines involving deception, mystery, and power struggles. A personal favorite scene of mine is Levi Ackerman’s fight scene against Kenny’s Anti-Personnel Squad. The action and the conspiracy which led to it were amazing and jaw-dropping. (Side note: Ackerman Supremacy forever!)

B. It offers critical input on relevant issues

But the series is more than just enjoyable. It is also critical and reflective. Many people have said that AOT/SNK is a commentary on the many ills that plague human civilization and society. And I agree with this.

The series has invited us to think critically about war, violence, and trauma and their various effects on different people. It also has encouraged us to reflect on the power of information and perspectives.

1. AOT/SNK on war, trauma, violence and their effects

It showed us how a once innocent girl like Mikasa Ackerman became a highly skilled combatant because she feared losing her loved ones to violence. After witnessing her parents get killed in front of her while she was helpless to do anything, Mikasa became motivated to fight to protect the very few precious people left in her life.

It showed us how a former thug like Levi Ackerman realized that he could put his exceptional skills to better use by staying with the Survey Corps/Scouting Regiment instead of returning to the Underground. When he lost Isabel and Furlan to Titans, he felt unadulterated rage and pain. This also caused him to see the threat that the Titans posed to humans and influenced his decision to remain as a soldier.

It showed us how a once self-centered Jean Kirchstein transformed into a dedicated soldier and reliable leader after seeing the decimated corpse of his closest friend and companion. Jean’s change of heart was admirable. However, it was unfortunate that the change was caused by something as tragic as losing Marco.

It also showed us how a cowardly Floch Forester became a violent and narrow-minded extremist. When he was first introduced, he was afraid of dying in battle. But the war and struggle against Marley caused him to view anyone who wasn’t an Eldian as the enemy, even if they were only unarmed civilians. Ironically, his extremist views had made him a braver fighter. At one point, he had even told his allies to dedicate their hearts to the new Eldian Empire.

2. AOT/SNK on the effects of prejudice, propaganda, and indoctrination

I think that the series had also brilliantly portrayed how prejudice, propaganda, and indoctrination affect different people from different sides.

i. Propaganda in Marley

It showed us how the current generations of Eldians were forced to pay for their ancestors' sins. The old Eldian empire under King Fritz and his successors until Karl Fritz mercilessly conquered lands and destroyed many lives. Understandably, this caused the other nations and peoples of the olden times to hate Eldians. However, this hatred was unfortunately passed down from generation to generation. The crimes of the old Eldian Empire were committed thousands of years ago. Yet, the Eldians who were borncenturies afterward were still despised and viewed as devils.

This millennia-old hatred was also used by Marley to spread propaganda to keep itself in power and to keep Eldians in the internment zones across the world in check. They taught Eldians that because of their ancestors' sins and their supernatural ability to transform into Titans, they were monsters and plagues upon the Earth. They were also taught that they needed to repent to absolve themselves of the crimes of their forefathers.

This propaganda led to many Eldians believing that they deserved to be treated poorly and that they had to work hard to be respected as actual people. This mindset was what allowed the Marleyan Warrior Program to become successful. One privilege that came with being a Warrior of Marley and a family member of such Warrior was being granted honorary Marleyan citizenship. It was viewed as an honor and a sign of respect.

It was because of this that Gabi and Reiner Braun both aspired to become Warriors. Gabi trained as a Warrior because she wanted to prove to the world that there are Eldians who are good people. She herself had admitted that the struggles she faced as an Eldian were what motivated her to work hard. On Reiner’s part, he joined the program because he assumed that becoming an honorary Marleyan would complete his broken family. He thought his Marleyan father would live together with him and his Eldian mother once he became a Warrior. But alas, he was proven wrong since his father rejected him despite his efforts.

On the flip side, it also caused other Eldians to become hateful and resentful of superpowers like Marley. They were tired of being treated as second-class citizens and formed the Eldian Restorationist Movement. The Restorationists believed that Marley was feeding them deceitful propaganda. While this is indeed true, they instead believed that the source of all Titan power, who they reverently called the great Founder Ymir, was a benevolent being who would never harm anyone. It was eventually revealed that this was not true either.

The Restorationists had extreme views. These views caused Grisha Yeager to use his first son Zeke as a means to an end. The Restorationists had wanted to overthrow Marley utilizing the power of the Titans. And Grisha had immediately offered his son without any hesitation to their cause by enrolling him into the Warrior Program to become a spy for them. The Yeager patriarch was so focused and engrossed with their goal that he had neglected to act as an actual father to his then young son. He was more invested in Zeke's progress as a Warrior candidate than in the latter's growth and happiness as his son.

ii. Propaganda in Paradis

It was also revealed that the inhabitants within the Walls were also taught propaganda. As readers and viewers, we all know that the people of Paradis were initially ignorant of the truth of the world and of the Titans because King Karl Fritz erased the memories of the island’s first inhabitants. We all knew that most of them believed that they were the last living humans in the world and that the rest were wiped out by Titans around 100 years ago. The misinformation spread by Karl Fritz endangered the people of Paradis. It cultivated and propagated ignorance which left them vulnerable to attacks from other nations.

As such, they were clueless and defenseless against the Warriors of Marley when they first attacked. And they would’ve continued to be defenseless had it not been for Grisha’s journals and the memory-related powers of Eren’s Attack Titan. The lack of information and the misinformation they received had placed them in great jeopardy.

When the truth came to light, the Eldians of Paradis were divided. One side sought to broker for peace with the other nations. They wished to show that the people of the island mean no harm. The people of this side were willing to overlook the terrible deeds that Marley had committed if it meant that they could finally achieve true peace.

The other side saw the other nations, especially Marley, as enemies who wished to exterminate them. They were disgusted and infuriated by what Marley had done. These Eldians wanted to take arms and fight for the establishment and freedom of the new Eldian Empire.

2. AOT/SNK on the power of narrative in relation to the cycle of hatred

One thing that the series masterfully executed is the portrayal of the importance of narratives.

i. The Paradis Perspective

During the first arc, it was shown how helpless the people inside the Walls were when Titans attacked the Shiganshina District. We also saw the trauma that a young Eren Yeager experienced when he saw his mother get eaten by a Titan. We witnessed first-hand how a young child lost his parents and his home. And how this loss cultivated his understandable anger and became his primary motivation for becoming a soldier for humanity.

Fans, readers, and viewers sympathized and supported Eren because of this. By presenting how the destruction affected him, we all rooted for him and his allies. This narrative also showed us how countless soldiers of the Survey Corps/Scouting Regiment lost their lives during the fight against the Titans. From a spectator's point of view, the Titans were beasts that killed humans who were significantly weaker and smaller than them and monsters that laid waste wherever they went. As such, this perspective had led many of us to resent Bertolt, Annie, and Reiner when they were revealed to be the Colossal, Female, and Armored Titans, respectively.

ii. The Marleyan Perspective

But this all changed when we were shown the Marleyan perspective. When the Marleyan Arc began, we were shown how Eldians on the other side of the sea were poorly treated. We saw how they were brainwashed to believe that Paradis Island's inhabitants were the true devils beyond salvation, whereas they could still be redeemed. When these things were gradually revealed to us, we eventually understood why Bertolt, Annie, and Reiner did the terrible things they did. Because of these revelations, we started to become more sympathetic towards the Warriors.

The power of narrative was especially emphasized in the Raid on Liberio. During Willy Tybur’s declaration of war against Paradis, he revealed the world's true history and King Karl Fritz's plan. He also announced that the founding Titan's power was stolen from the royal family inside the Walls by Eren and that the latter had planned to use it to attach the rest of the world.

Not soon after his announcement, Eren transformed and attacked the people in attendance. The Survey Corps had also arrived to provide manpower and backup. In the process, hundreds of civilians and visiting dignitaries were killed.

All of these things lent credence to the propaganda about Eldians being devils. From the eyes of a bystander, Eren and the Survey Corps were murderers who destroyed a city full of innocents. This was how Gabi Braun viewed them at the time. She was raised with Marley's propaganda. As such, her already present hatred was amplified when she saw her hometown get destroyed and her friends and neighbors get killed in front of her. While her general prejudice towards the Eldians of Paradis was unjustified, the pain and anger she felt during the Raid on Liberio were very much valid and understandable.

iii. On the cycle of hatred and how to end it

It is because of these narratives that the cycle of violence continued on for so long. No one narrative is more right or less wrong than the other. This is because the losses and struggles that each side suffered were all very real and very valid. It is not fair to quantify the validity of a person’s pain.

The neglect and loneliness that Zeke felt as a child were valid. The grief and rage Gabi felt when her friends were killed were also valid. The heartache that Niccolo experienced when Sasha died was also valid. The depression and trauma Reiner sustained after his mission on Paradis Island were likewise valid. The hurt Connie felt when he was betrayed by people he trusted was valid. Jean's sadness at losing Marco and Sasha was valid. The anguish Levi felt when he was left with no choice but to slaughter his transformed comrades was valid. The point here is that no one's pain is more valid than that of others. There are different types of pain, and they are all valid.

It is from these losses and pain that anger stems. Anger is a very valid emotion. However, the way people choose to act on their anger is not always valid. On this, the choice to express anger through violence is the root cause of the cycle of hatred. It is also what perpetuates the vicious cycle. I think that this message was executed well in the scene where Niccolo confronts Gabi and reveals her as Sasha’s killer to the Brauses.

It is also during this scene that the answer to ending the cycle of hatred was explained through the wise words of Mr. Braus.

Screenshots taken from Season 4, Episode 13 of the Attack on Titan anime.

Mr. Braus acknowledged that the world is like a giant forest where violence is nearly always afoot. He understood that violence will continue to exist unless people put a stop to hatred. He sagely advised that it is up to the older generations to bear the sins of the past and their effects and consequences. This is so that the youth of the future could live in peace. And he backed his words with action by choosing not to take revenge on Gabi despite his own grief and pain.

The series also showed that another answer to ending the cycle was through understanding. This was exemplified through Gabi’s character development. Prior to her arrival on Paradis, she thought that its inhabitants were devils that were beyond redemption. But after spending time with the Brauses, she became enlightened. Gabi eventually realized that she was wrong about her prejudices. And it was because of this realization that her hatred disappeared, and she asked for forgiveness.

Screenshot taken from Chapter 118 of the Shingeki no Kyojin manga.

----

Final Words: There are actually a lot more things that the series had touched upon. But I don't think that I can comprehensively cover all of them in this post. Hahaha. In any case, I still like AOT/SNK because overall, it is an epic tale full of action, mystery, intrigue, and most of all, valuable lessons and insights to ponder upon. I know that many fans feel that the ending ruined the series for them. And I understand why they feel that way. But personally, I think that many great things about it deserve to be appreciated. I know that not everyone will agree with me, but this is my take on it.

So, despite my disappointment and issues with Ch. 139, I still thank Isayama-sensei for giving us Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin. Thank you, Isayama! Shinzou Wo Sasageyo!

#aot anime #attack on titan #aot #shingeki no kyojin #snk #mikasa ackerman #levi ackerman #jean kirschstein #gabi braun #connie springer #ackerman supremacy #reiner braun

[scatter-kinnin-patter]

YOU WANT MORE COMABUR MEMORIES??? IVE GOT MORE COMABUR MEMS FOR YA!!!

A continuation of this post because I've been digging around and the memories are coming back more and more! Mostly pre-dsmp and S2, S3 is still mostly a blur to me b u t! Under the cut~

So I'll start with some pre-dsmp memories of mine. So as a refresher, my canon had Phil as my dad, Techno as my twin but older by a few minutes, and Tommy as our little brother. I don't remember our mom, though I know we always joked about Philza and the fridge XD I think Tommy was our half-brother, and had a different mom than Tech and I? Still a bit fuzzy on that.

I mentioned how my Tech was a piglin-human hybrid, while I was more "human with very few piglin traits". One thing I remember though was I actually had naturally pink hair that matched Techno's, but I dyed it brown and often wore my beanie to hide when my roots were coming in. I'll explain more why I did this later.

I remember pre-dsmp, I grew up in another smp. SMP's kinda... worked like varying realms one could teleport between? The teleportation was difficult though so there was rarely anyone who'd frequently swap between smps. But I grew up in Earth SMP's Antarctic Empire! Phil raised Techno and I, and later we had Tommy with us too! I remember it was always cold, but in our castle and fortress it was much warmer. Techno, being Techno, was extremely skilled in combat and strategy and Phil took him under his wing(hah!) as the technical heir to the throne and taught him everything he'd need to know about conquest. Me, I preferred teaching myself diplomacy, fighting wars with words rather than with blood. For a time this worked actually, Techno and I really balancing each other out, but soon things got... Eh.

Tommy brought it up to me first, I think he trusted me to open up to more than the others(sorry Tech and Phil but I'm the favorite xoxo /J) and basically opened up about how unhappy he was there. He wanted to explore the world, not be holed up in some frozen corner of the planet going and conquering a bunch of strangers just so we could follow Phil's and Tech's legacy. He felt suffocated in their shadows and... tbh I felt somewhat similar. So we made a plan, and one night we ran away without saying a word... Well, I left Techno a letter, but.

We ran to the portal, and somehow convinced Dream to give us access to the dsmp. I think he agreed because he knew that would knock Techno down a peg(my Dream and Tech were rivals for p obvious reasons). And we started over there. I dyed my hair, we got ourselves a new wardrobe, and we thought starting over in a small place without many people would be good! We lied about our past, though. We didn't want to be connected to the Antarctic Empire... both because we were trying to leave that part of us behind but also so no one would tell Tech and Phil where we were. This was our new start!

AND WHAT DOES TOMMY DO. START A FUCKING WAR WITH DREAM HIMSELF.

Tommy. Ily. But you're so stupid. /lh

So I've talked about how my mems from S1 and half of S2- up to Techno's execution- went, but I've remembered a bit more!

After Techno brought me back to his cabin, we talked for a long time about what happened. I told him I didn't remember anything leading up to my "death", and Techno filled in the gaps for me. I also didn't realize Phil was in the server because... Well I don't remember my confrontation with him. I also didn't remember my hypnosis, and since Dream is the only other one who knew, Tech didn't know and didn't relay that to me.

We agreed that for now, it'd be best if I stayed with him instead of back in L'manburg. And for a while I did!

One day though, Techno finds Tommy. ... Specifically the Tommy that was living under his house like a raccoon. Techno was furious and started chasing Tommy around, who was still hoaring his Gapples and whatnot, and when I finally walked outside to see what the hell was going on, I locked eyes with Tommy, and we both stopped.

He was white as a sheet, and looked about to cry, and luckily Techno stopped chasing him after seeing this. Again, Tubbo Quackity and Ranboo never told Tommy about me, he thought I was dead. I spoke up first with a "Tommy?" And he goes "Wil... You're alive?" To which I started tearing up- "Yeah... Yeah, I'm alive!" And we both just- broke at that, we ran to each other, I nearly crushed him in a hug and we were just sobbing. He thought I was gone, and I had gone so long without seeing my favorite lil bro that just... Aaaaaaa

After that Tommy explained his exile to Techno and I, and why he ran away and lived under Techno's house. I think Techno was softened up by seeing how happy Tommy and I were to be reunited, but also Tommy's his brother too, so he agreed to let Tommy stay too.

Now, Tommy was salty at L'manburg for exiling him, and Techno is anti-government. But- I think Techno was even more against L'manburg because of how hurt Tommy and I came out of it. So Techno and Tommy swore vengeance and decided to start doing crimes against L'manburg. I stayed out of it though- I was in good enough shape to take care of myself by this point, but I still way too injured to be in any sort of fighting shape.

And then one day... Techno came home without Tommy. Turns out Tommy sided with Tubbo in the end... and Techno was still determined to destroy L'manburg. Eventually they broke Philza out and- hoooooo that was an awkward reunion. Dream also came over from time to time to plan for their attack. I was. V uncomfortable around my Dream for reasons I couldn't explain(spoilers: it's the hypnotism that I forgot happened). I wanted nothing to do with their plan. I didn't want Tommy hurt, and I wasn't going to help them hurt him. I should've done more to stop them, but... Can't change the past.

After making a crater where L'manburg was, I confronted Phil. I called him out on doing something so awful... And he called me out for doing the same. He said to me, "Power corrupts, Wil. I've seen it with Schlatt, I've seen it with Tubbo, and most importantly I've seen it with you!" To which I retort, "You see it in everyone but yourself, Phil!" Because... ANTARCTIC EMPIRE ANYONE??? Turns out the Empire disbanded shortly before Tech and Phil came to the server, I don't remember how exactly that falling out occurred, but there was a reason why Tech and Phil were so strongly against any governments at this point.

After our fight, I left Tech and Phil. Tommy needed me. I built my own place not far from the crater, and frequently visited Tommy, Tubbo, and the others. Not Ranboo though, since Ranboo stayed with Phil and Techno. And Niki kinda wouldn't talk to me because she was... def also upset at thinking I was dead.

I was with everyone who confronted Dream when he had his finale with Tubbo and Tommy. He was NOT going to hurt my boys fuck no. Tommy took 2 of Dream's lives and you BET YOUR ASS I WAS CHEERING HIM ON(sorry Dream kinnies ily)

And then. Oh boy. Before Tommy could go for a third... Dream turned to me, and said something- I forget what, maybe it wasn't English, but it snapped something in me. I may have forgotten being hypnotized, but the effects were still there. Something came over me and I everything in my system was screaming at me to attack Tommy... so I did. I screamed, and lunged at him, but I was only able to tackle him and couldn't even get a hit in before Quackity and a few others were able to grab me and pull me off of him. I was thrashing to get free, but thank fuck they held me down.(Big Q ilysm /platonic)

It was then Dream revealed what he did to me way back in Pogtopia. He spoke something again, and I just felt that urge in me drop like a rock through my body, and I fainted then and there. When I came to, Big Q filled me in on what happened. Dream said he was the only one who knew how to undo what was done to me, and if he was killed, they'd run the risk of me doing that again. So they put Dream in the prison.

Now most of S3 is still blurry to me, but I remember breaking into the prison with Tommy. And that confrontation(which would've been Ghostbur if I was canon compliant but nope my canon is OFF THE RAILS). Tommy was with Sam, and I was stuck on the other side with Dream. Dream threatened that if he wasn't let go, he would "reset" me, whatever that meant. There was a lot of arguing and tbh I was terrified, but I knew I couldn't let Dream go. So I looked at Tommy and I told him "It's gonna be okay, Tommy."

And then everything went black. My memories after this are VERY blurry but- I think Dream somehow reverted my mind back to how it was during my Pogtopia corruption arc. And I had that itch in the back of my mind again. I'm the villain. Time to act like one.

... HECK THIS POST GOT REALLY LONG HUH... UHHHH ANYWAYS HOPE YOU LIKED IT IF YOU GOT THIS FAR IM JUST A V CANON DIVERGENT COMABUR >>

#💙wil💙 #dream smp kin #dsmp kin #wilbur kin #alivebur kin #vilbur kin #I count as a Vilbur right? #anyways I love how this post became a Tommy Appreciation Post #long post #~memories~ #wilbur soot kin

[jp-todd]

Watched the Snyder cut and here are my main criticisms (I did watch the Whedon one way back in 2017 and pretty sure I blocked it out from absolute rage):

1) THATS NOT HOW MOTHER BOXES WORK. They don't combine together to destroy worlds??? They're basically just sentient supercomputers that can combine with matter and teleport. The only "Unity" I can think of is that alien species in that one episode of BTAS.

2) I have a lot of issues with the characterization of Batman and how Gotham citizens in general act.

a. Several comments are made like "I didn't think [Batman was] real," an officer gives a sketch of a parademon that looks like Batman and insinuates it might be Batman attacking these citizens. And it would make sense for a new batman but they comment that Batman has been fighting crime for 20 years so it doesn't make sense? Especially for people who live in Gotham during the years Batman has been fighting crime to make these comments.

b. I generally don't like a lot of live action batman's because they always try to make him dark and grim and depressed and completely ignore the whole part of his personality where he cares so fucking much. This point is more a criticism of DCEU batman as a whole not just Snyder Batman

c. BATMAN WOULD NEVER JUST INFORM SEVERAL PEOPLE HES NEVER MET HIS SECRET IDENTITY. Like his man, who according to the writers and directors lost a Robin (they differ between whether it's Jason or Dick) would know secret identities are important! That you or someone you love could die if someone got a hold of that information and used it for evil. He doesn't know who the fuck Barry, Arthur, and Victor are and doesn't know whether to trust them with that info. Also he doesn't even let half the Justice League know who he unless he has to in most comics!

d. Honestly I could scream to high heaven about the characterization of Batman, Alfred, Robin, and the Gotham Rogues in the DCEU for a looooonnnnnggg time. Let me know if you are interested in my thoughts and maybe I'll do that.

3) Barry Allen has Wally West's personality and it generally annoys me that so many studios are doing this. They take the original superhero (ie. Peter Parker/Barry Allen) and replace their personality with the next version (Miles Morales/Wally West). I also feel like they depowered him a lot. Like his healing factor is soooooo slow, much slower than it should be.

4) They name dropped the Lanterns and the proceeded to do NOTHING with them. I'm sorry, the Lantern corps aren't going to come help when Darksied (who they 100% know about) is trying to take over Earth? Not even the Lantern who's sector that is??????

5) Martian Manhunter randomly shows up disguised as Martha Kent for like no reason????? Please explain???? No??? Okay I guess..... Is he gonna come help save the world? No? Okay????

6) Okay I absolutely love the Death of Superman/Reign of Supermen storyline and I'm generally so annoyed we didn't get a glimpse of Kon/Lex trying to clone Supes.

7) If the farm is foreclosed upon, why is all their shit still there??? Like they showed her leaving and moving away at the beginning????? I'm confused.

8) I generally feel if there were more movies made before this movie, several parts would make more sense/be more impactful such as when Superman comes back. That would have been a heart wretching to see Superman not remember any of his friends and colleagues and fight them. But the scene you end up with is just kinda a well what did you expect? And the characters would have been way more fleshed out if there were more movies giving us their origins/personality/goals/events in their life. Like Barry says as he's going back in time "Got to break the rules" which means he has been told by someone (Speed force god?) or there has been some event which he understands this is wrong (Like Flashpoint!)

9) I did not like Darksied coming to the planet to conquer it 5000 years ago and just leaving and accepting defeat??? Also where is Granny Goodness, Barda, the Furies, all the other Apokolipsians and New Gods??? They would help try to conquer Earth!!! (Also Darksied, bruh, put a shirt on, it's making me uncomfortable. I DONT LIKE IT)

10) I fucking hate Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Lex would have never been caught and thrown in a psych hospital but like why the fuck is he in Arkham????? Is there no mental hospitals in Metropolis??? And why is he hiring Deathstroke to kill Bruce Wayne? And Deathstroke doesn't know who Bruce is??? Is there no League of Assassin's in this universe????

In conclusions, it's so much better than Whedon's shit show and I think it's great we get to see what could have been. I do honestly think with more movies leading up to this movie would have fixed most of my criticisms but all in all, it was decent.

(but like watch Justice League: War, it's better)

#snyder cut #snyder cut spoilers #spoilers #just an opinion #dont be pissed lol #justice league 2021 spoilers

[anime-x-reader69]

Writing prompts

1. "Knowing you're different is only the beginning. If you accept these differences, you'll be able to get past them and grow even closer." (Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid)

2. "Sometimes, I do feel like I'm a failure. Like there's no hope for me. But even so, I'm not gonna give up. Ever!" (My Hero Academia)

3. "fifty bucks says I can."

4. " Can you remove your hand off my boob?"

5. " I dance fine, thank you, sir!"

6. "Protecting someone means giving them a place to belong. Giving them a place where they can be happy." (Log Horizon)

7. " You don't want her angry."

8. " You don't want him angry."

9. " Women are from Mars, and men are from Venus, I don't know about you, but I got one giant P###!" ( FLCL.)

10. " Don't hide who makes you, use it, its a power greater than your own."

11. "Even if we forget the faces of our friends, we will never forget the bonds that were carved into our souls." (Angel Beats)

12. "People with talent often have the wrong impression that things will go as they think." (Assassination Classroom)

13. "Remember the lesson, not the disappointment." (Spice And Wolf)

14. " If you don't take the risk, you can't create a future." ( One pice.)

15. "people's lives don't end when they die. It ends when they lose their faith." ( Naruto Shippuden.)

16. " Trying to forget someone you love is like trying to remember a person you ever met." ( Charlotte.)

17. " I never thought I would be able to see any of you again... but I did one more time. This, alone makes me happy." ( Fairy Tail.)

18. " Remember me when I'm gone." ( Coco.)

19. " So, ya in my earth, I'm the one and only Supergirl."

20. "Feelings of love are just a temporary lapse in judgment. Like some kind of mental illness." (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

21. "I'm not short! I'm fun-sized!" (Fullmetal Alchemist)

22. " How am I supposed to know he wasn't the guy?! He had a gun!!"

23. "Don't talk to me until I have my coffee."

24. " Wheres Wally?"

25. " No one is kissing me on the lips, ever!" ( Httyd.)

26. " Oh god, I feel we gone back to 2012."

27. " Today was about as much fun as a sandpaper di###." ( Deadpool.)

28. "Can we not talk about my nightly activities!"

29. " So, a lap dancer?"

30. "I'm a humanoid, not a robot."

31. "So, because I'm an omega, I'm supposed to me on my knees and beg!"

32. "You young lady are soo showing too much skin!"

33. " I'm a guy."

34. " Well, do I look like an Atlantean or what."

35. "I'm a humanoid, not a robot."

36. "Oh, your poor wife!" ( Deadpool.)

37. " You all be wondering why the red suit well that's so bad guys can't see me bleed, this guy got the right idea he wore the brown pants." ( Deadpool.)

38. " I never said this but don't swallow." ( Deadpool.)

39. " I'm supposed to be on the beach! With a tiny umbrella drink!" ( Flash.)

40. " My happiness comes from the kindness of those around me." (Fruits Basket)

41. " I'm not Superman. So I can't say anything big like I'll protect everyone on Earth. I'm not a modest guy who will say it's enough if I can protect as many people as my two hands can handle either. I want to protect... a mountain-load of people." ( Bleach)

42. "You're so adorable! I didn't even think you were a guy!"

43." Oh great, it's a kid! I thought I was rescuing a babe, a luscious damsel in distress, not some flat-chested little girl." (Slayers)

44. " Wake up my big strong alpha~"

45. "If humans don't want me, then why did they create me?." (Armitage III)

46. "I believe that two people are connected at the heart, and it doesn't matter what you do, or who you are or where you live; there are no boundaries or barriers if two people are destined to be together." (Julia Roberts)

47. "Our journey isn't perfect, but it's ours and I'll stick with you 'til the end." (The Fresh Quotes)

48. "I won't promise to be yours forever, because I won't live that long. But let me be yours for as long as I live." (The Fresh Quotes)

49. "If I get reincarnated.... I wanna become a clam." (One Piece)

50. "Stop complaining about fate and saying how it can't be changed!" (Naruto)

51. "The great question which I have not been able to answer is, "What does a woman want?" (Freud)

52. "I have a family, I have friends, but if you're gone...to me, ...it'll be the same as being alone!" (Naruto)

53. " Just because I'm an omega I suppose gey on my knees and beg!"

54. "Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch." (Ruta Sepetys)

55. "I wanted to kill someone and I wanted to die and I wanted to run as far and as fast as I could because she was never coming back. She had fallen off the face of the earth and she was never coming back." (Melissa Kantor)

56. "To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe." (Marilyn Vos Savant)

57. "Theatre is life. Cinema is art. Television is furniture." (TV Facts)

58. "Please don't tell people our bakery's motorbike ran you over." (FLCL (Fooly Cooly))

59. " Is this dress too much?"

60. "The world isn't perfect. But it's there for us, doing the best it can. And that's what makes it so damn beautiful." ( Fullmetal Alchemist)

61. "Would you like to see my daughter? I have some pictures right here!" ( Fullmetal Alchemist)

62. " I'm not a girl!

63. " Your skin is soo soft and smooth."

64. " Batman is god."

65. "Half the time when brothers wrestle, it's just an excuse to hug each other." (James Patterson)

66. "What strange creatures brothers are!" (Jane Austen)

67. " I don't get pay enough for this shit."

68. " If you even break her heart, I'll break your spine."

69. "Happiness – when your brothers act like your bodyguard." (The Fresh Quotes)

70. "It's National Siblings Day, so I just wanted to let you know you are lucky to have me as a sister." "What are you putting in your body?"(The Fresh Quotes)

71. "It's okay if you don't like me. Not everyone has good taste." (Your Tango)

72. "Not all girls are made of sugar, spice, and everything nice. I'm made of sarcasm, wine, and everything fine." (Your Tango)

73. "Oh~ someone excited."

74. "Nice pants can I test the zipper." (Quotes for Bros)

75. "I don't care if you have small boobs I still want to see them." (Quotes for Bros)

76. " Kissing burns 6.4 calories a minute. Wanna workout." (Quotes for Bros)

77. "Excuse me, but are you by any chance the oddball in your family?" (Pokemon)

78. "Don't tell me he wants to conquer the world? Can't he come up with something more original?" (Slayers)

79. " What are you putting in your body?" (The Fresh Quotes)

80. "Hurt me with the truth, but never comfort me with a lie." (fairy tail)

81. " Don't judge me unless you have looked through my eyes, experienced what I went through and cried as many tears as me. Until then back-off, cause you have no idea." (fairy tail)

82. " I want to become a man who treasures his friends." (fairy tail)

83. " Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something." (fairy tail)

84." Kiss me."

85. " I'm having one of those days where my middle finger is answering all my questions." (Emalie Newhall)

86. "When a man gives his opinion, he's a man. When a woman gives her opinion, she's a b*tch." (Bette Davis)

87." Be careful whose toes you step on today because they might be connected to the foot that kicks your *ss tomorrow!" (Big Hivemind)

88. " Your me!!"

89. " According to a new survey, women say they feel more comfortable undressing in front of men than they do undressing in front of other women. They say that women are too judgmental, where, of course, men are just grateful." (Robert De Niro)

90. " I'm having pups...I'm going to have pups babe!

91. " Don't stare you prev!"

92. " I cannot take any more; I'm so glad that I'll never fit in; that will never be me; outcasts and girls with ambition; That's what I wanna see." (Pink)

93. " You must look within yourself to save yourself from your other-self. Only then will your true self reveal itself." (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

94. " Is it your own destiny? Or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?" (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

95. " I love you, I always have."

96. " I want to swim in a pool of noodles." (Patch Adams)

97. " Look at those abs, yummy~"

98. " Does this look weird on me?

99. " Dude, what happens to bros before hoes."

100." I'm s.l.u.t!"

#writting prompt #anime #send me asks #ask me anything #ask me things #anime x reader

[everlarkficexchange]

Everlark Fic Exchange: Masterlist

Springtime Edition (2019).

It's Your Birthday 2 by @sunsetsrmydreams

Prompt 3: When students are forced to squeeze together and share seats because of water damage in classroom, Peeta and Katniss spend hours pressed against each other, like in cave, whispering, sharing... [submitted by @567inpanem​] 

Love the Sunrise by @hutchhitched

Prompt 7: Peeta opens his bakery back up after the war. There are, as expected, lots of female customers who would like to get a little to close to Peeta for Katniss's comfort. Sensing her jealousy, Peeta sets out to prove she has nothing to worry about (can be rated M, if you please!). [submitted by @albinokittens300]  

You Belong with Me by @iliveilaughiloveiread

Prompt 10: Based on "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift music video: Katniss is Lucas Till's character, she has a relationship with Gale, but she doesn't really like being with him. Peeta is pining for her, like Taylor Swift's character, observing them and think he and K belong together. [submitted by anonymous]

Deliverance by @shesasurvivor

Prompt 16: The baker hires Katniss to make his deliveries as she walks her trade route. She gets eye opening glimpses of town life and especially of the Mellark family relationships as her job responsibilities grow and she spends more time in the bakery. [submitted by @567inpanem​] 

Singing Duets by @historywriter2007

Prompt 18: we’ve never met but our showers are on opposite sides of the same apartment wall so sometimes we’re showering at the same time and we sing duets AU? [submitted by Anonymous via @katnissdoesnotfollowback] 

You are my Sunshine by @wingletblackbird

Prompt 20: Gale returns and he and Katniss patch things up. Peeta seems to feel he's lost her to Gale even after they healed together. Katniss won't stands for this, and explains that no matter what, they would have happened anyways. "I'd chose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a a hundred worlds, in any version of reality. I'd find you and chose you." [submitted by @albinokittens300] 

Extended Office Hours by @hutchhitched

Prompt 22: Student/Professor. Katniss is stressing out about an assignment and decides to go and talk to Professor Mellark about it, as he’s always been understanding and patient in class. However things turn awkward when Katniss stumbles upon him in his office after hours watching porn on his laptop. Is it deliberate, maybe he needed to relieve some stress or did his brother/friend send him a link to something that he shouldn’t have opened?? It’s up to you writer :) [submitted by @peetaspikelets] 

What can you Do? by @wingletblackbird

Prompt 23: I would love to read an In-Panem AU fic/this would have happened anyway story where we see the beginnings of an Everlark relationship and how it slowly turns into puppy love [submitted by anonymous] 

Four Steps to Being Single by @wingletblackbird

Prompt 24: Canon Divergence. Through the years Katniss can’t stop paying attention to Peeta and she’s actually aware of it. When they settle as victors in district 12 or when the time for the victory tour comes (whichever you prefer) she can’t keep herself away from him and the line between friendship and something more becomes blurry until it disappears. [submitted by anonymous] 

Maps by @wingletblackbird

Prompt 25: I have a song prompt based on Maroon 5’s Maps. It fits Everlark so much. Peeta was there for Katniss in her dark times while she almost gave up on him when he was at his worst down on his knees. But eventually he followed the map that led to her and they got back together. [Anonymous]

I Just Can't Remember Why We Said Goodbye by @butrfac14

Prompt 31: everlark on the brink of a divorce, but then they remember all of the things they've gone through, the sacrifices they made for each other, that they can't live without the other and end up not getting the divorce. [submitted by @sunflowerslyf]

The Unexpected by @albinokittens300

Prompt 32: katniss and peeta are best friends who have a biological child together (how they ended up having a kid is up to you and how they’ll get together is up to you) [submitted by anonymous]

Prompt 33 by @wendywobbles

Prompt 33: “Where’s my engagement ring?” [submitted by @sunflowerslyf​]

Katniss the Baker? by @norbertsmom

Prompt 34: Peeta offers to teach Katniss how to bake thinking it'll be a great laugh, but? She's actually kind of amazing at it? [submitted by @ally147writes] 

Prompt 41 by @wendywobbles

Prompt 41: Everlark based off the Hallmark Christmas Movies Meme:  I still going to watch them and act surprised when she falls in love with the small town baker who only wears sweaters instead of falling for the big city CEO? Yes! Does not need to be Christmas time, but definitely end game Everlark. [submitted by @historywriter2007]

Glitch by @booksrockmyface

Prompt 43: Prompt: I would love anything the "there's only one bed" trope.[submitted by @booksandchocolatesmears] 

A Father Figure by @wingletblackbird

Prompt 44: Their love was forbidden in more ways than the obvious one (older!Peeta). Their love conquers all even with revelations that destroys other person relationships. AU. Toast babies for extra cookies. [submitted by @animekpopxx] 

Prompt 45 by @butrfac14

prompt 45: They fell in love young, they married young. People keep telling them that it’s not going to last. Well, they are proving them wrong. [submitted by @animekpopxx]

The Raven and The Gods by @alliswell21

Prompt 46: Peeta, the Greek god Apollo, hears the most beautiful voice at his temple so he comes down to earth to find this beautiful maiden. Follows how this god falls in love with a mortal and withstand the trials the other gods put them through. [submitted by @animekpopxx​] 

1,498 mph by @alliswell21

Prompt 47: Modern. Peeta is back home on his time off from the Air Force or army. He meets the newest employee in the bakery, a younger Katniss, who’s working hard to help her family while still going to school. They fall for each other and they didn’t even know when it happened. [submitted by @animekpopxx​] 

Time of Peace by @alliswell21

Prompt 48: Their people had a period of peace that stared to crumpled when bad choices and bad people started to destroy that. With a war in the horizon, there is only one choose to keep the peace. The chief’s daughter needs to marry the crown prince. Werewolf!Peeta Humans and wolves. [submitted by @animekpopxx​] Fic by @alliswell21

Incubus by @alliswell21 

Prompt 49: He has spent centuries coming at night and sleeping with as many humans as possible, many dying from childbirth with no child to bear, or because his lust overpowered them. He needs to find a women that can live through his lust and birth an healthy offspring and after centuries, he thinks he found the one, the sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen. Dark incubus!peeta Angst Old times. [submitted by @animekpopxx​]

Mockingjay Temple by @creamytinydays

Prompt 50: In an ancient time, grief-strickened 17-yr-old Katniss (fatherless, emotionally abandoned by her mother, just lost beloved sister) walls off her heart, curses the gods for taking Prim, and is severely punished with immortality = unending days of mourning and emptiness in which life has no meaning, until she meets Peeta and learns it’s not years but love that makes a good life. In loving him the curse breaks, she is mortal again, and together they live a HEA. [submitted by @567inpanem] 

F-CATS by Buttercupbadass

Prompt 51: Fantasy: “Buttercup” (ironically named “Freedom Cat” by Capital scientist who created him) is an intelligent mutt designed to infiltrate rebel groups and sabotage uprisings, but after being healed by Prim and seeing the impact of Mr. E’s death, he turns on the Capital. “This whole operation was your idea.” [submitted by @567inpanem] 

Why Do I? by @hutchhitched

Prompt 53: Everlark have been friends for a long time. Then this exchange happens. Person A: Why Do I even like your dumb ass? Person B: Huh? Person A: *panics* I SAID YOU HAVE A NICE ASS. [submitted by @iliveilaughiloveiread] 

Reflections by @justajjfan

Prompt 54: Katniss, for some reason, using a car's window as a mirror not knowing there was someone inside the car because of the window being so heavily tinted. Until Peeta, the owner of the car, rolls down the window. [submitted by @sunflowerslyf]  

Up We Go by @sandyeyes

Prompt 59: "The 'caution floor is wet' sign was there, so it's not my fault you can't read." [submitted by anonymous] 

Tripping in Love by @neverstopwhileyoureahead

Prompt 60: Katniss and Peeta are both in a very crowded train when suddenly Katniss falls onto Peeta's lap and they don't know each other but Katniss finds Peeta really attractive. [submitted by anonymous] 

The Price Of One's Soul by @peetaspikelets

Prompt 65: Dialogue prompt “You did all of this for me?” [submitted by anonymous via @katnissdoesnotfollowback] 

Be In My Eye by @reachingforaspark

Prompt 70: No one Katniss knew got reaped, and after the 75th the games stopped, hunting became easier, she’s looking forward to graduation, and she feels a growing attraction to boy with bread but she’s clueless as to what to do after 1 ½ decades of acting role of son her father never had and man of the house. She approaches problem like stalking game: observe. She learns a lot but realizes she needs help from only one person: popular merchant and Peeta expert Delly who’s thrilled to help in manhunt <3 [submitted by @567inpanem]

To be Her O.A.O. (one-and-only) by @noneyabidnes​

Chapter 2

Prompt 73: Katniss marries Gale before he’s sent to fight WWII. Gale sends home his buddy Peeta to break the news to his wife and family that he’s fallen in love with someone else in Europe and is staying there after the war... Peeta is under the impression Katniss is a cold woman that only married his friend out of obligation but finds out the other side of the story soon enough. [submitted by @alliswell21] 

In from the Cold by @melacka

Prompt 74: In Panem AU (no reapings): Katniss miscalculated how soon a snow storm was supposed to hit D12, and gets stuck in town while trading with the merchants. Peeta comes out in the snow to get her to come into the the bakery... she thinks he’s either crazy, up to something or simply dumb... whatever happens next is up to you! [submitted by @alliswell21] 

In the End by @alliswell21​

Prompt 76: historical au where katniss and peeta are bethrothed since birth and peeta's mom is actually nice. they grow up to be best friends neither of them knowing about the bethrothal until something breaks their friendship and they become enemies. when they finally turn the right age, they find out about the bethrothal and are forced to marry and consummate their marriage even if they despise each other. [submitted by anonymous] 

Better Tomorrow by @mega-aulover

Prompt 78: forced to share a bed and building a pillow barrier but still waking up tangled together. [submitted by anonymous] 

The Virgin (Social) Suicides by @ally147writes

Prompt 85: Katniss makes unsettling discovery that everyone in her close and extended group of friends has dated at least once and sometimes even each other. Except for her. The “late bloomer” teasing (b/c she’s never even been kissed) stings. Older boy Gale crosses paths with group, finds he shares common interests with Katniss, they get together to hunt, leads to him casually inviting her out for a real dinner date. Not feeling desire but pressure to “get it over with,” she accepts. Peeta has regrets. [submitted by @567inpanem] 

Let Us Lay In The Sun by @knittingbutch

Prompt 87: Katniss and Gale are about to get married and while Katniss isn't entirely sure if she really wants to marry Gale, she does nothing to stop the preparations. While Peeta, realizing he can't just let Katniss go, does everything to stop the wedding and tell Katniss his feelings for her. Peeta thought he's a hopeless case the day before the wedding until... (it's up to you how it will end, but hopefully it's hea) [submitted by anonymous] 

Unmasked by M

Part 2 to ...

Prompt 88: Historical Katniss and Peeta hate each other. They attend a masquerade ball and for some reason end up kissing each other. Sparks fly everywhere. Katniss tries to find the man behind the mask but Peeta knows it was Katniss though he doesnt say anything. They end up bethrothed even if they 'despise' each other. How they fall in love is up to u and how katniss figured out it was peeta is up to u [submitted by anonymous] Fic by M

A Weight Off The Heart by @albinokittens300

Prompt 89: Canon divergence. Katniss and Peeta talk when they return to District 12 after the first games and grow closer.... [submitted by @thestuckinbed]

The Lake by @thegirlfromoverthepond

Prompt 92: Modern AU: Katniss is present when her father dies a traumatic death. She doesn’t just stop singing. She stops speaking completely. Desperate to help her daughter heal/express herself, Mrs. Everdeen enrols her in art therapy where she meets Peeta Mellark. [submitted by @wingletblackbird] 

By the Book by @hutchhitched

Prompt 94: Smut. Hot, sweaty, passionate, loving, smut. Everlark has to be married and it can only be the 2 of them. No three-somes or switching partners. [submitted by anonymous] 

Now Voyager by @mega-aulover

Prompt 102: There's only ONE bed! [submitted by anonymous] 

Prompt 105 by @butrfac14

Prompt 105: Katniss was naked when Peeta first saw her. [submitted by anonymous] 

A Second Chance by @javistg

Prompt 110: A time travel AU: Katniss from Mockingjay, (any part of the book, it's up to you), winds up back the day before her sister's first reaping. What does she do now that she knows what's coming? Now that she knows how Peeta feels about her, and she knows how desperately she needs him, and what they could share? What on earth could she, or should she, even do/change? And what is she should lose it all again? [submitted by @wingletblackbird]

Stranded Travellers by @historywriter2007

Prompt 112: I was hoping for one bed, but there are actually two, so now I have to find a way to naturally end up snuggling with you. [submitted by anonymous]

Long Exposure by @alliswell21

Prompt 130: Katniss works as a park ranger. Peeta is a photographer/artist coming to said park to find inspiration. [submitted by @wingletblackbird​] 

A Bite of Inconvenience by @katnissdoesnotfollowback

Prompt 131:  Visual Prompt. Text: 4 ½ stars out of 5. Delivery time stated between 45 to 60 minutes but it was delivered within 25 minutes. This was a bit of an inconvenience as I was balls deep in the wife at the time. [Submitted by @amazinglovers747]

Late submissions from previous exchanges:

Always You by @sunsetsrmydreams

Prompt 46: Broken-hearted Katniss goes to see a psychic, hoping to get one last message to her departed loved one (Goodbye? I’m sorry? Where’s the key to the safety deposit box?). Peeta is earning his college tuition using his charm and empathy to tell fortunes. What happens when they encounter each other? [submitted by Anonymous] Springtime Edition 2018.

You can also find some of these fics on our AO3 Collection.

[Ed. notes: Fics organized by prompt number]

#springtime edition 2019 #masterlist #our fics

[magicmastered]

What Universe does Thor: Ragnarok Take Place In? Part Two

I repeat my disclaimer from the last post in this series. If you don’t want to see criticism of Thor: Ragnarok, then a) don’t read, b) filter your tags, c) block me, or d) any combination of the previous.

For Part Two I’ll explain the characterization discrepancies between Thor: Ragnarok’s characters and those it shares through the MCU. These characters are Thor, Loki, Odin, and Bruce Banner.

(No, I didn’t forget Heimdall and the Warriors Three. I don’t see any issues with Ragnarok’s portrayal of Heimdall—correct me if I’m wrong, I’d love to discuss it—and unfortunately we don’t have enough time with the Warriors Three to tell.)

I’ll start with pre-Ragnarok Thor.

Thor, as I pointed out in Part One, has a violent temper, and his recklessness endangers his brother and friends. He starts out Thor (2011) arrogant enough to try to pull rank on Odin. He cajoles his friends into joining him on dangerous missions. He tends to look down on Loki, but doesn’t visibly enjoy seeing him in pain, and cares what happens to his brother to some degree (he’s distraught when Loki seemingly dies in both Thor movies, and saves Loki from the implosion bomb). He eventually learns to cool his temper to some degree (come later in Thor (2011) and later movies), though he still has lapses (when he Mjolnirs Tony for getting between him and Loki, then Cap for telling him to drop Mjolnir in Avengers (2012); when he nearly punches Loki in the face in TDW, when he chokes Tony in AOU). He learns to talk things out before fighting (he talks to the Kronan in TDW before they...uh, fight, and he tries to talk down Ultron in AOU with “no one needs to break anything”). Thor starts to question Odin’s authority (when Odin basically says he’d let all of Asgard die if it meant killing the rest of the Dark Elves in TDW) and defy his decisions. He takes situations seriously when they warrant it (note his face when Ultron starts snarking). He cares about Jane quite a lot (he gets her notebook back in Thor (2011), comes to Earth when he thinks she’s in danger in TDW, and brags about her to Tony in AOU).

Now, Ragnarok Thor.

Thor has always patiently put up with Loki’s assaults (will get to these in Loki’s section) without fighting back, losing his temper, or doing anything to prevent them. He openly, shamelessly manipulates Bruce/Hulk (telling each that they’re the one he prefers), Valkyrie (shaming her when she doesn’t want to help him), and Loki (the elevator speech, and the one with the obedience disk). He grins when Loki’s twitching in pain on the ground from the obedience disk, and leaves him there for an unknown length of time where Loki could’ve easily been found and executed. Thor’s back to attacking other realms on suspicions without negotiating (he goes to Muspelheim and kills the king and anyone who tries to protect him). His violence is back—he effectively threatens to smash Loki/Odin’s head in if he doesn’t reveal himself, backs Loki into a couch with Mjolnir to his chest, and looks like he’s about to attack Loki when Odin dies. He’s back to worshiping the ground Odin walks on (after learning that Odin conquered and slaughtered his way through the Nine Realms, he still looks to him for guidance). He quips constantly, no matter the situation (see...the entirety of Ragnarok). He dismisses Jane with a line about a mutual dumping.

Huh?

Loki’s turn.

Loki, as I pointed out in Part One, prefers to negotiate rather than fight, and tends to think ahead. He’s highly intelligent and strategic (he realizes in advance that Thor will get them into trouble on Jotunheim and works out how to get out alive, he realizes that the relics in the vault are stolen, he doesn’t buy Odin’s initial story about taking him in out of compassion, he quickly figures out how to overpower Odin/where to put him/how to get him there/how to get Thor’s friends out of trouble). He has legitimate reasons for everything he does (see Part One). He’s generally loyal to Thor, outside of extreme circumstances like experiencing a mental breakdown or getting anything from coerced to tortured by a mad Titan (his betrayal in Thor (2011) comes as a shock to Thor, and Avengers (2012) didn’t really have anything to do with Thor). After Odin and Frigga lied to him, and Sif, Heimdall, and the Warriors Three betrayed him (as did Thor by agreeing to come with them, technically), Loki doesn’t trust easily, and is always on guard. He refuses to tolerate manipulation from his family (he denies that Frigga is his mother when she makes acknowledging Odin as his father a condition of that, and doesn’t accept for Odin’s hypocrisy). He’s quite skilled at psychological manipulation and lying (he knows exactly what will keep Thor down when he lies that Odin’s dead), and knows how to act (he plays Odin flawlessly enough that Thor doesn’t notice in TDW). He’s anything but lazy (he definitely works at his plans in his first two movies, and in TDW...Svartalfheim and after speaks for itself). He’d make a good ruler (“for all his grave imbalance, Loki understood rule as I know I never will”). After Odin and Thanos, he’s not great with authority figures (he’s...less than respectful of the Other—“if your force is as formidable as you claim”—and he sasses Odin relentlessly in TDW). He feels fear but doesn’t act on it (he’s scared on Jotunheim but fights anyway; he’s scared of the Other but doesn’t run; he’s cool and collected upon his defeat in Avengers (2012); he’s poised with Odin during the trial). He only acts egotistical in Avengers (2012) under the influence of the Mind Stone; otherwise he wants to be accepted as Thor’s equal. He’s genuinely mentally ill (he attempted suicide, and probably has serious PTSD after Thanos—if only the movies showed that kind of thing).

What’s Ragnarok’s Loki like?

Loki’s needlessly violent (the snake story), and has no planning ability whatsoever (he doesn’t have a better plan than ‘get help’). He’s pretty stupid (putting Skurge of all people on Bifrost duty, calling the Bifrost to get away from Hela when she was in Bifrost-range, not noticing the obedience disk, etc.). He doesn’t have a reason for doing anything other than “I’m a trickster, I can’t help myself”. He’s always betrayed Thor compulsively. He’s...not exactly on guard (he doesn’t think to carry a weapon as Odin, and he trusts that the Grandmaster will keep his word and not execute him if he brings in Thor). Loki does what Thor wants when Thor tries emotionally manipulating him. He doesn’t notice when Thor tried reverse psychology on him. He’s terrible at acting (he completely foils Odin’s speech and behavior). He’s remarkably lazy (he’s laying on a couch eating grapes when Thor shows up). He’s pretty bad at ruling (the Nine Realms are in chaos). He’s fairly obedient to authority figures (he ingratiates himself to the Grandmaster and doesn’t talk back once). He’s a bit of a coward (he was scared when Thor showed up, “bring us back”, he’s visibly afraid of the Grandmaster, “I have to get off this planet”). He’s an egomaniac and attention hog (the statue, the play). He “tries...to embody this idea of a tortured artist, this tortured, gothy orphan”—no real problems at all.

Are these supposed to be the same person?!

Okay. Odin.

Odin is massively hypocritical, manipulative liar with tons of blood on his hands (the first part needs no explaining besides “watch the movies”; for the second, Loki first implies, then states outright, that Odin’s responsible for a lot of death, and neither Odin nor Frigga correct him). He doesn’t let Thor make his own choices (he doesn’t even consider that Thor might not want to rule; he wants Thor to be with Sif instead of Jane; he won’t listen to Thor’s suggestions about the Dark Elves). He’s worn down Loki’s self-esteem his whole life by favoring Thor, and he’s outright cruel to Loki later (“No, Loki”; “your birthright was to die”; “Frigga is the only reason you’re still alive and you will never see her again”). He never admits his own faults (he never takes any responsibility for any of the death he’s caused, never admits to the part he played in Loki’s downfall) except to hurt people (“yes, I was a fool—to think that you were ready”). He doesn’t express affection to his sons, and any he has is hugely conditional—as soon as they step out of line, he gives the guards permission to kill them (“by any means necessary!”).

Time for Ragnarok Odin.

Admittedly, he’s still a massively hypocritical, manipulative liar with tons of blood on his hands (see: everything involving Hela). After death, Odin controls Thor’s choices even more than before. He praises Loki aloud (“Frigga would’ve been proud”). He admits a mistake (“I’ve failed you”) in a way that, well, doesn’t immediately hurt anyone. He shows open affection to both Thor and Loki (“I love you, my sons”). He’s generally considered wise and benevolent.

Wait, what?

And now, Bruce. I don’t know as much about him, so his will be short. I’d love to see more on him if anyone has suggestions.

Bruce is very intelligent (he’s a physicist who can keep up with Tony). He’s not panicky; he’s usually quite calm and mild-mannered (see Avengers (2012) and AOU). He hates killing people as Hulk (he’s unhappy after the Hydra bust at the beginning of AOU, and he’s miserable and guilty enough to leave after Johannesburg). After he de-Hulks, he knows he’s most likely killed someone or at least caused a lot of damage.

Then there’s Ragnarok Bruce.

Bruce has 7 PhDs, but his shown intelligence is...questionable: on an alien planet where no one knows who he is, he thinks he’s supposed to disguise himself as Tony Stark. Without Hulk he’s considered useless. He’s openly anxious (“I think I’m freaking out”; his reaction to Sakaar in general). He doesn’t mention the fact that two years straight of being Hulk is probably going to mean a lot of damage and a lot of people dead. He shows no grief or distress due to it.

Yeah...no issues at all....

Odin’s sudden appearance of warmth isn’t without explanation. It could easily be his attempt to make Loki guilty for his anger (since Odin’s last words would’ve seemed kind), thus encouraging him to help with Hela to make up for it. Other than that, they’re irreconcilable.

Thor cannot be both sadistic and non-sadistic.

Loki cannot be both completely stupid and smart.

Odin cannot be both “wise and benevolent” and cruel and controlling.

Bruce cannot be both ignorant of the damage Hulk causes and deeply distraught over it.

These sets of traits cannot exist in the same characters in the same universe without reasons for the change within that universe. Ragnarok provides no such reason, which creates a stark gap in continuity.

There is no cinematic universe without continuity.

Ragnarok clearly disregards the canon of the MCU. Therefore, it cannot be part of that universe.

As I’ve suggested to @lucianalight, I propose that we use the term “Ragnarok Cinematic Universe,” or RCU, for all movies that use Ragnarok’s personal canon.

#marvel #mcu loki #loki meta #mcu thor #anti ragnarok #bruce banner #mcu odin #what universe does ragnarok take place in? #rcu #my posts #my post

[hardluminarybarbarian8]

A Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Macfarlane’s Chapter “Ice”

Lecture notes: study questions for specific passages

Macfarlane’s chapter “Ice”: Lecture Outline

The Peter Pan fixation is the desire to remain forever young.  In the chapter “Ice”, Macfarlane uses this term from psychoanalysis to suggest that the mountaineers (himself included) who want to ascend the summit of Minya Konka are willing to risk death in order to accomplish something great while they are still youthful.  In the lecture, I drew a connection between fixation and the unconscious; and so those aspects of ourselves that we repress.   The mountain and its ascent is the fixation (or holy sacred object), whereas what is repressed is the possibility of death.  Ironically, after it is frozen, a death by which the body is preserved in a sort of ideal form.  Therefore, the desire to remain forever young, in connection with risk-taking, might suggest that the death-drive (or a willingness and even eagerness to meet death) is a motivation repressed by those who attempt extremes (like those involved in mountaineering).  

p. 261 - first paragraph

“Of the many sacred mountains of Buddhism, the Holiest is Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, where the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Indus and the Sutlej all have their source, and around whose base pilgrims have been walking circuits of notorious arduousness for thousands of years.  The most extreme form of this kora—the Tibetan—Buddhist term for the pilgrimage in which the walker circumambulates, clockwise, the holy site—involves the pilgrim making body—length prostrations over the entire length of the circumambulation: bend, kneel, lie face down, mark the earth with the fingers, rise, pray, shuffle forwards to the finger-marks, bend, kneel … for thirty-two miles of rough path, over the 18,000 foot Drolma pass.”

Circumambulation (from Latin circum around and ambulātus to walk) is the act of moving around a sacred object or idol.

a.   Question: what is the purpose of circumambulation?

Can you think of comparable examples?  Other religions?  

Possible answers: circumambulation of temples or deity images is an integral part of Hindu and Buddhist devotional practice (known in Sanskrit as pradakśina or pradakshinaṇā).  It is also present in other religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Sikhism and Islam.

Argument: circumambulation is comparable to a practice that most students are familiar with called rote-memorization.  

Rote learning is a memorization technique based on repetition.  The idea is that one will be able to quickly recall the meaning of the material the more one repeats it.

From ancient times, in the Hindu religious tradition, rote memorization was practiced by the priests (called Brahmins) who recited or chanted sacred scripture.  They were instructed according to the Vedas or knowledge texts (scripture originating in the ancient Indian subcontinent).  These texts are composed in Vedic Sanskrit and as such constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures in Hinduism.        

Vedic chants were passed on from one generation to another through rote learning.  The Brahmins, when reciting sacred scripture “focus not only on the received text, but also on the language of that text - - in particular on the analysis of that language.  This involves not only the analysis of its phonological shape, but also the analysis of semantic features, as well as syntactic and morphological features.” (Thompson, Mnemonics in Ancient India).

Practice of language and religious ritual                

sacred scripture                                                            sacred ground

received text (Vedas)                                                         site of spirituality

meaning/signs/text                             icons/idols (i.e., lingam and yoni), temples                                            

recitation and learning                  circumambulation *ritual commemoration

                                              (to do something in order to remind people of                                                      the significance of an event or personage)

p. 262 – first paragraph (beginning at the 6th line)

       Others come just to see the mountain.  ‘The power of such mountains,’ the Buddhist scholar Lama Govinda wrote of the peaks of Himalayan Buddhism:

is so great [that] people are drawn to them from near and far, as if by the force of some invisible magnet; and they will undergo untold hardships and privations in their inexplicable urge to approach… the centre of this sacred power.  This worshipful … attitude is not impressed by scientific facts, like figures of altitude, which are foremost in the mind of modern man, nor is it motivated by an urge to ‘conquer’ the mountain.

b.  Question: what impression does a natural landscapes make on you and for what reason? Are people drawn to impressive, formidable mountains, merely like a moth drawn to a flame? Or is there something more to it?  

Religious vs Scientific Observer

Notes: do you approach or witness natural architecture (such as an impressive mountain) as a scientist, artist, tourist, journalist?  What are the differences?  Do you have the same experience when you approach a tall skyscraper?  {Consider the recent film The Walk (2015).}  

p. 262-263 - last paragraph.

“These two kinds of mountain-worshipper stand in strong contrast to one another.”  Macfarlane comments (near the bottom of the page) “There’s a humility to the act of the kora, which stands as a corrective to the self-exaltation of the mountaineer’s hunger for an utmost point.  Circle and circuit, potentially endless, stand against the symbolic finality of the summit.  The pilgrim on the kora contents himself always with looking up and inwards to mystery, where the mountaineer longs to look down and outwards onto knowledge.”

c.  Question: is Macfarlane self-critiquing?  Or do you think he contradicts the claim he makes in the Author’s Note, that the book is a ‘reconnoiter inwards’?  

Sample body paragraph with block quotation

Macfarlane may be self-critiquing when he says:

There’s a humility to the act of the kora which stands as a corrective to the self-exaltation of the mountaineer’s hunger for an utmost point.  Circle and circuit, potentially endless, stand against the symbolic finality of the summit.  The pilgrim on the kora contents himself always with looking up and inwards to mystery, where the mountaineer longs to look down and outwards onto knowledge. (262).  

Especially, since in the “Author’s Note” Macfarlane claims that The Old Ways is a book representing a “reconnoiter inwards”, instead of suggesting that he writes a sort of military survey of the landscape, he wants to say that the book is a spiritual survey or self-analysis.  Therefore, as Macfarlane is a mountaineer who also comes from a long line of expeditioners, he may be critiquing a desire (his own desire too) to conquer the mountain.

p. 266 - 3rd paragraph

“So many mountaineers and explorers have Peter Pan fixations, a desire never to age, and a dark fulfilment of those desires can come when death occurs in high altitudes or high latitudes.  Extreme cold slows the process of decay and confers a cryogenic immortality on the body—” (266).

Notes: these comments suggest Macfarlane’s preoccupation with Metaphysics (the idea suggested by Plato’s theory of ideal forms) that modern and ancient religions are concerned with the everlasting or indestructability of the soul.  Of course, the direct correlative to this is the experience of a frozen body that defies the natural progression of time.  Throughout human experience such events must have taken place, producing a fantasy perhaps that time can be stopped as the preserved bodies in ice sort of prove.

Macfarlane puts the term Peter-pan fixation in context.

Fixation:   1) an obsessive interest in or feeling about someone or something              2) the action of making something firm or stable

Question: how can a mountain be a fixation for the religious worshipper or the mountaineer?  How is such fixation different or similar in either case?

Thanatos– god of death.  German todestrieb is the drive toward death and self-destruction.

pp. 267-268

“His game theory logic of driving, when questioned on the matter by Jon, was that he hadn’t yet died and this was proof of his ability behind the wheel […] I took to looking backwards, out over the hump of the spare wheel.  There was never any trouble to be seen out of the rear window.” (Macfarlane 267-68).

d.  Question: what does Macfarlane’s reaction to Karim’s driving suggest about the Peter Pan fixation and about reading and writing?

Notes/further remarks: does Karim suffer from Peter Pan fixation?  What about Macfarlane’s decision to look backwards to avoid seeing potential oncoming dangers?  Is this evocative of the memory and the imagination?  Is he having reservations about his role as a modern adventurer who is out to prove his youth by risking life and limb in the process?

p. 268-269 – 4th paragraph

Pointing out stray images, Macfarlane describes what he sees:

A pig hung by its ankles from a tree branch while a man drew a knife down its belly and yards of blue intestines slithered over his arm.  A woman moved through a rare shaft of sunlight, a baby slung on her front […] and there was Minya Konka, roaring white on the horizon, far higher than I had imagined.  Karim pulled to a halt on the verge, and we got out.  A plume of ice crystals and cloud unfurled from the summit like a silk blessing-scarf. (268-69)

e.  Question: what do these images mean to you?  Is it ordinary life versus the fantastic?  Consider how such images have an effect on Macfarlane.  What does the language suggest?  

       Imagism/metaphoric language

-yards of blue intestines -a rare shaft of sunlight, a baby slung on her front -Minya Konka, roaring white on the horizon -A plume of ice crystals and cloud unfurled from the summit like a silk    blessing scarf

Sample body paragraph/argumentation

Looking back through the rear-view window of the car driven fearlessly and dangerously by Karim, Macfarlane comments on his surroundings in a very writerly or observant way.  Rather than unconscious of the death-drive (Thanatos), his turning around to look at what is already passed by represents the retrospective gaze opposed to the daredevil’s gallop while wearing blinders. The scenes Macfarlane then illustrates could almost be characterized as cinematographic…

p. 269 – 2nd paragraph

“‘There’s a Sanskrit word, darshan,’ Jon said as we gazed up at Konka.  ‘It suggests a face-to-face encounter with the sacred on earth; with a physical manifestation of the holy …” (269).

Sample body paragraph/argumentation

Macfarlane explains the meaning of the word Darshan.  It represents his growing sense of a spiritual connection to place.  After all, as Macfarlane finally looks up at the impressive peak of Minya Konka he substitutes his customary exclamation “Wow!” for “Darshan!”.  

f.  Question: what is a “face-to-face encounter with the sacred on earth”?  What makes a religious object or place a religious site?  Is it their qualities or history?

p. 272 (last paragraph)

Sample body paragraph/argumentation

As Macfarlane looks up at Minya Konka he returns to the theme of children and their impressions: “Seen from the West, from that pass, Minya Konka resembles a child’s sketch of a mountain” (272).  What this suggests is the idealization of the mountain, since “Pyramidal mountains fulfill a Platonic vision of a mountain, a dream of what one should resemble” (273).  In other words, these mountains can represent a fixation upon ultimate reality or an idea of purity and perfection.    

g.  Question: how does Macfarlane contrast the ideas presented to us in fables with his relation of events at the base of Minya Konka?

Further points/evidence

p. 280

“A man and a woman plodded towards us … There was no pride or self-acclaim apparent in his explanation, just a calm recording of a fact and an air of weary gladness.” (280)

p. 279

“Circumambulation came to replace summit-fever for Shepard” (279)

p. 282

“not returned from the grave but returned by it.” (282)

Wiki — Death Drive

In classical Freudian psychoanalytic theory, the death drive (German: Todestrieb) is the drive toward death and self-destruction. It was originally proposed by Sabina Spielrein in her paper “Destruction as the cause of coming into being” in 1912, which was taken up by Sigmund Freud in 1920 Beyond the Pleasure Principle. This concept has been translated as “opposition between the ego or death instincts and the sexual life of the instincts”.  In Pleasure Principle, Freud uses the plural “death drives” (Todestriebe) much more frequently than in the singular.  

       The death drive opposes Eros, the tendency toward survival, propagation, sex, and other life-producing drives.

[dailyofficereadings]

Daily Office Readings February 05, 2020 at 11:00PM

Psalm 70-71

Psalm 70

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. Of David, for the memorial offering.

1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O Lord, make haste to help me! 2 Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me. 3 Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!” turn back because of their shame.

4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” 5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!

Psalm 71

Prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help

1 In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. 2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me and save me. 3 Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress,[a] to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel. 5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. 6 Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.

7 I have been like a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. 8 My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all day long. 9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent. 10 For my enemies speak concerning me, and those who watch for my life consult together. 11 They say, “Pursue and seize that person whom God has forsaken, for there is no one to deliver.”

12 O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! 13 Let my accusers be put to shame and consumed; let those who seek to hurt me be covered with scorn and disgrace. 14 But I will hope continually, and will praise you yet more and more. 15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all day long, though their number is past my knowledge. 16 I will come praising the mighty deeds of the Lord God, I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. 18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to all the generations to come.[b] Your power 19 and your righteousness, O God, reach the high heavens.

You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? 20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. 21 You will increase my honor, and comfort me once again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have rescued. 24 All day long my tongue will talk of your righteous help, for those who tried to do me harm have been put to shame, and disgraced.

Footnotes:

Psalm 71:3 Gk Compare 31.3: Heb to come continually you have commanded

Psalm 71:18 Gk Compare Syr: Heb to a generation, to all that come

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Psalm 74

Psalm 74

Plea for Help in Time of National Humiliation

A Maskil of Asaph.

1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? 2 Remember your congregation, which you acquired long ago, which you redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage. Remember Mount Zion, where you came to dwell. 3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary.

4 Your foes have roared within your holy place; they set up their emblems there. 5 At the upper entrance they hacked the wooden trellis with axes.[a] 6 And then, with hatchets and hammers, they smashed all its carved work. 7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they desecrated the dwelling place of your name, bringing it to the ground. 8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

9 We do not see our emblems; there is no longer any prophet, and there is no one among us who knows how long. 10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? 11 Why do you hold back your hand; why do you keep your hand in[b] your bosom?

12 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the earth. 13 You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the dragons in the waters. 14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food[c] for the creatures of the wilderness. 15 You cut openings for springs and torrents; you dried up ever-flowing streams. 16 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you established the luminaries[d] and the sun. 17 You have fixed all the bounds of the earth; you made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs, and an impious people reviles your name. 19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild animals; do not forget the life of your poor forever.

20 Have regard for your[e] covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of the haunts of violence. 21 Do not let the downtrodden be put to shame; let the poor and needy praise your name. 22 Rise up, O God, plead your cause; remember how the impious scoff at you all day long. 23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of your adversaries that goes up continually.

Footnotes:

Psalm 74:5 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

Psalm 74:11 Cn: Heb do you consume your right hand from

Psalm 74:14 Heb food for the people

Psalm 74:16 Or moon; Heb light

Psalm 74:20 Gk Syr: Heb the

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Genesis 23

Sarah’s Death and Burial

23 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years; this was the length of Sarah’s life. 2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3 Abraham rose up from beside his dead, and said to the Hittites, 4 “I am a stranger and an alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” 5 The Hittites answered Abraham, 6 “Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead.” 7 Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. 8 He said to them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar, 9 so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place.” 10 Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, 11 “No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.” 12 Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. 13 He said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, “If you only will listen to me! I will give the price of the field; accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there.” 14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” 16 Abraham agreed with Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.

17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, passed 18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, in the presence of all who went in at the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham’s possession as a burying place.

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Hebrews 11:32-12:2

32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two,[a] they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.

The Example of Jesus

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,[b] and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of[c] the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Footnotes:

Hebrews 11:37 Other ancient authorities add they were tempted

Hebrews 12:1 Other ancient authorities read sin that easily distracts

Hebrews 12:2 Or who instead of

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

John 6:60-71

The Words of Eternal Life

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” 61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65 And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”

66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”[a] 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot,[b] for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

Footnotes:

John 6:69 Other ancient authorities read the Christ, the Son of the living God

John 6:71 Other ancient authorities read Judas Iscariot son of Simon; others, Judas son of Simon from Karyot (Kerioth)

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

#February 05 #2020 at 11:00PM

[sometimesrosy]

Omg I just read your post about Raven and the potential character arc we’ll get in s6 and all of the themes and everything else and it BLEW MY MIND like its stuff I’ve never really put together and now that you’ve said it it just seems so obvious and I really really hope we get a big Raven arc this season because homegirl deserves it and I hope she learns to forgive herself by the end of it and just ugh I love that post thank you so much

Raven is one of my favorite characters and she usually gets a bit of character development. Like, she has some personal internal struggles to get through that are separate but linked to the main stories, like s1 had her loss of Finn and lack of self confidence, s2 had her leg, Finn’s death and Wick. s3 had her chronic pain and that whole ALIE storyline, s4 had her losing her faculties on top of her chronic pain and suicidal thoughts. but s5 really didn’t have her struggle with anything internal. There was all plot for Raven the genius and then her romantic arc, which it was time for, but she didn’t get that EMOTIONAL arc that she usually gets, so it felt her part in season 5 was thin.

This was one of the things that made me realize that many of the season 5 story arcs are actually TWO season story arcs, and we’re only half way into them. Because usually Raven’s story arc last for either the A season or the B season, not both. Not like Bellamy, Clarke and Octavia, who are full season stories. But like, we had Monty’s desires for peace, and Murphy’s self esteem issues REALLY be played out. They both pretty much concluded their personal arcs. But Raven didn’t start one?

And then I was like. SHE DIDN’T EVEN GET A DECENT PRINCESS MECHANIC REUNION? I mean. All of a sudden it just clicked. Like Raven’s story wasn’t told because they want RAVEN’S story to be linked up with Clarke’s story. They have a princess mechanic story coming. Because HER issues revolve around leaving Clarke behind, not getting spacekru back to earth. which now means abandoning Clarke FOR MORE TIME. Raven has DEEP self esteem problems but no one ever notices because she’s always like HELLO I”M A GENIUS. You don’t need to do that if you don’t have a poor self esteem. Her self esteem is built on being smarter than everyone and being able to fix everything and solve every problem. And this she couldn’t do.

She abandoned Clarke to die. She promised to get them home. Clarke survived and was waiting for them and she left her alone for another year. 

Yikes.

Combine that with Clarke’s betrayal. Yeah. I can imagine Raven being angry and not forgiving her. Especially when she realizes that Bellamy is STILL devoted to Clarke and her friend Echo is being dissed by Clarke AGAIN. Gina. Her. Echo. And ALWAYS Clarke. 

Okay. So that means the love triangle problem is coming up again. The love triangle problem was Raven’s original problem with Clarke. She never got over that resentment. And even though she knew that Clarke saved Finn from torture, she STILL blamed her for deciding who gets to die. Never mind that Raven had no problem blowing people up or forcing Clarke to take charge and “do her job.”

There’s a similar problem with Raven and Clarke as there is with Octavia and Belllamy. They’re always blaming Clarke and Bellamy for things that had to be done or were not their fault. And acting as if they didn’t have any part in any of it. Judging, without paying any attention to their own behavior.

And I think this whole show is about the redemption of the human race, not just their survival. And there’s no redemption until everyone involved starts taking responsibility for their own choices, their own actions and also for NOT stepping up and making decisions. Raven FORCED clarke to make that list. And then she blamed her for deciding who lived and died.

Raven needs to face this. She needs to forgive Clarke, but she also needs to recognize her OWN fault in things, and take responsibility and make amends and change her behavior. No one is actually asking Raven to lead, she doesn’t have to be a leader, but she’s a part of this too, and like Maya said, “none of us is innocent.” See, Dante was wrong, when he said he bore it so they didn’t have to. The people DO bear responsibility for what they do, for what they allow or encourage their leaders to do. You can’t just point fingers at the people who are making the hard choices while you sit back and wait for them to save you. 

Frankly, no one could be saved without Raven. She IS a part of the leadership, a part of the deaths and the lives. And she’s kept herself separate from it. I don’t think she can do that anymore.

TBH I’m not sure if any of that was a part of what I said before or what made sense to you. I’m kind of just thinking about Raven in relationship to the main story now, and character development, and the arc of the entire narrative and thematic lessons that we’re getting to the end of.

Because yeah. I think we’re getting to the end of the lessons. They’re breaking the cycle and becoming heroes and getting happy endings and conquering their flaws. I think humanity is going to be REDEEMED. And we’re going to need everyone on board to do it. 

I don’t know how soon we’ll start Raven’s story or how but I’m looking forward to it. 

#the 100 #forgiveness #redemption #princess mechanic #story arc #raven reyes

[jbuffyangel]

Arrow Season 7 Poster Analysis

Arrow promo department handed me a little crack today.

This poster is my jam.

But we’ll get to the light. Actually, what struck me first was the tagline “Revelation and Repentance.” It’s very biblical in nature. Beth Schwartz said the season theme was redemption. There were many guilty parties in Season 6, whose actions were anything but heroic, but I wouldn’t count Oliver among them. 

In fact, Oliver came as close to being a fully realized superhero in Season 6 than he ever has before. Yet, he ends up in prison. So what does Oliver need redemption for? Why is he being punished for the actions of others?

Redemption is a broad concept. It’s not limited to an act of atonement for a fault or a mistake. While there are many characters in Arrow that require atonement for their mistakes *cough*newbies*cough* I do not believe this is the lens we should view Oliver Queen through. Redemption means something very different for his character and the Season 7 poster illuminates how (pun intended). 

In the beginning, Oliver was a man in need of redemption for his sins. He was a self centered layabout who cheated and lied. 

It was Oliver’s sins that put him on the Queen’s gambit and lead him to Lian Yu – aka Purgatory. 

The island burned Oliver to ash and what emerged was a very different man. He was selfless, repentant, and completely committed to helping others. 

Oliver was still haunted by demons, but overtime (and with the help of his loved ones) he eventually was able to conquer most of them. 

Oliver’s light was on full display in Season 6. 

He married the love of his life, was an amazing father to his son, and fought for Star City both as the mayor and the Green Arrow. When his team turned him, Oliver offered forgiveness and understanding, even though those betrayals resulted in great personal cost.

It wasn’t a perfect arc. Oliver made mistakes and perhaps you believe he does require redemption for his sins. He did not discuss his decision to serve a life sentence, in exchange for the FBI’s help, with Felicity. 

Oliver Queen is also a murderer. Sure, they were all bad people, but murder is murder. It’s the entire reason he was being prosecuted. Damien Darhk nuked thousands, but it still didn’t give Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, the legal right to kill him. So, if this is how you view Oliver then the first definition of redemption works quite nicely.

However, I view Oliver differently. I’ve always been firm in my belief Oliver shouldn’t kill, but then again I’m not losing sleep over anyone he has killed. When I view the landscape of Season 6 as a whole, Oliver did almost everything I’ve ever asked of him. Even his mistakes were rooted in selflessness (more about that in my 6x23 review). I don’t believe Oliver Queen requires redemption anymore. He has shifted into something else entirely.

He is the redeemer.

Every superhero is essentially a Christ like figure. Look no further than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice premiering over Holy week and the movie culminating in the crucifixion of Superman.

Wonder Woman hovers above the sky, in a perfect cross like formation, and destroys the epitome of evil Ares, (aka the Devil).

“It’s not about deserve. It’s about what you believe. And I believe in love.” - Diana, Wonder Woman

The superhero evolves to a place where they become the beacon of light for those they fight for. They become the best example of humanity. However, this often requires sacrifice. 

What did Jesus Christ require redemption for? Nothing. Jesus died for our sins. His death was our redemption. Did we deserve that kind of sacrifice? No, but it’s not about what we deserve. It’s about how much we are loved even though we are sinners.

Need a less Catholic perspective? No problem. Consider The Shawshank Redemption. As the always brilliant @callistawolf​ pointed out, Andy was an innocent man. He did not require redemption because he did nothing wrong. 

Perhaps he was not a good husband, but the punishment far outweighed the crime. But Andy had a light that could not be distinguished. He had hope and it gave others hope. His belief made others believe. Andy was the path to redemption.

Since both Shawshank and Arrow made not so subtle nods to The Count of Monte Cristo this is another prime example of an innocent man nearly consumed by anger and revenge, but ultimately embraces love and peace. 

Edmond Dantes is the path to redemption for others as well. Redemption  requires punishment or forgiveness for some, while other characters never achieve it.

Side note: Maybe we’ll be able to slot in Arrow characters into corresponding Shawshank & Monte Cristo roles. That’d be nifty.

As I said, the tagline is very biblical in nature which feeds my Oliver-as-the-redeemer theory. The definition of revelation is:

a : an act of revealing or communicating divine truth

b : something that is revealed by God to humans

2 a : an act of revealing to view or making known

b : something that is revealed; especially : an enlightening or astonishing disclosure shocking revelations

c : a pleasant often enlightening surprise

However, Revelation is also one of the books of the Bible. The scary one. 

This is the book, written by the apostle John, which details the way the world is going to end, but leaves it confusing enough so we have absolutely no idea when it will happen. 

That’s entirely the point though. We aren’t supposed to know when the world ends, but simply understand it will happen. Maybe we will to see the end or maybe we don’t. Either way our time here on earth is finite. There is a clock ticking. Our redemption lies with Jesus Christ. We must repent our sins and look to Him for our salvation. In fact, the word apocalypse means revelation. The Book of Revelation is often called the Apocalypse of John.

What the heck does all this mean for Arrow? I’m not saying Oliver is Jesus because that’s crazy, but symbolically he is. Oliver is Star City’s salvation. He went to jail primarily to protect his wife and child, but also to save his friends from prosecution. Oliver did it to save the city from Diaz - the same city prosecuting him for being the Green Arrow. Did the newbies or Star City citizens deserve Oliver’s sacrifice? No. Not even a little bit, but Oliver sacrificed everything that mattered to him to ensure their safety. Oliver Queen is a martyr. All superheroes become one eventually.

It’s why Oliver is bathed in light. He is the light. It’s always the light. There’s no mask, suit, bow, arrows or team (because prison, duh). Oliver is alone. He doesn’t have any of the tools he uses as a conduit for either his darkness or his light. Everything is stripped away. He is battered and bruised, but the light still shines.

One thing we have yet to see Oliver do is harness his light by himself. He’s always had Felicity or Diggle as his support system. They’ve always been there to pick him up and point Oliver in the right direction. But he’s cut off in the same way he was cut off from all those he loved on Lian Yu. Slabslide is another island.

I hope is Oliver is able to pull himself out of the dark hole by himself this time. This may be one of the final pieces of Oliver Queen’s superhero puzzle. The knowledge that Oliver can lose everything and yet retain his goodness may give him an inner strength he’s never known before.

It will take time and I expect Oliver to screw it up at first, because that’s what he does. Oliver will tunnel deeper into the darkness before he finds the way out. When Oliver was on Lian Yu he had to shut down his humanity to survive, so I expect this is the route he’ll initially go. However, he must embrace his humanity to survive this island. If the poster is any clue then Oliver he will eventually set himself on this path. 

Even though the other characters are not on the poster it still hints at their direction as well. The Arrow posters are always equally about the city as they are the characters, because the show never strays too far from Oliver’s mission.

The word repentance means to turn away from sin. The Hebrew roughly translates to “turn away from.” However, whenever we turn away from something we turn toward something else. We turn away from sin and turn toward Christ.  

If we replace revelation with apocalypse and repentance means “turn away from” then the message of the Season 7 poster is very clear. Star City and the newbies turned their backs on Oliver Queen, yet he is their salvation. The “apocalypse” is nearing, but we don’t know when or how. (This is standard Arrow story structure because the city is always under attack from the new Big Bad). The city and team must “repent” or turn away from their “sin” (mistakes/wrong doing/betrayals/self absorption/petulant toddler like fits – slot whatever you want in for sin) and turn towards the light – Oliver Queen.

All of this points to a new understanding and acceptance of Oliver Queen from the team, the city and himself. Oliver may be in prison, but his deliverance lies within. And the city’s deliverance lies with Oliver. 

If Season 6 was a rejection of the Green Arrow then Season 7 is about acceptance. The city and team will realize they need Oliver and the Green Arrow. They will atone by giving Oliver the chance to live both identities, man and mask, without lies and compartmentalization.  All of this brings us closer to a fully realized superhero and the story of Oliver Queen, the repentant sinner turned redeemer, full circle.

#arrow #arrow season 7 #arrow poster #oliver queen #arrow spoilers #spoiler theoretical #the shawshank redemption #oliver queen meta #arrow promotional images #count of monte cristo

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): The Conquest of Makkah and Afterwards

Ka’b b. Zuhayr, The Poet, Becomes a Muslim

Ka’b b. Zuhayr was a great poet.

His father, Zuhayr, was among the most famous Arab poets and men of letters. He educated his two sons, Ka’b and Bujayr, as poets and men of letters like himself.

When Zuhayr b. Abi Sulma attended the talks of the People of the Book, he heard that a prophet would emerge at the end of time.

One night, he saw in his dream that a rope was hanging down from the sky; he reached out to hold it but he could not hold it. He interpreted his dream as follows: he would not be able to live long enough to see that prophet.

Therefore, before his death, he said to his sons, “Believe in the prophet to come.

Many men of letters, poets and orators had been affected by the fluency and eloquence of the Quran and embraced Islam. However, there were still some people who insisted on polytheism and who continued expressing their hatred and enmity against the Prophet and Muslims through their poems and speeches. Ka’b b. Zuhayr was one of them.

When his father died, he inherited the fame of his father.

His brother, Bujayr, became a Muslim but Ka’b did not give up polytheism. He sometimes satirized the Prophet and Muslims and distressed them through the poems he wrote.

Once, he wrote a poem expressing his hatred, anger and denial satirizing his brother, Bujayr, because he embraced Islam and sent him to Bujayr. When Bujayr read the poem to the Prophet (pbuh), he became very sad. The poems of Ka’b transgressed the limits of tolerance because of his insults at Muslims. Thereupon, the Messenger of God said to his Companions,

“Kill Ka’b b. Zuhayr wherever you meet him. From this point onwards, it is permissible to shed his blood.”

After this permission, the end of Ka’b was definitely going to be terrible. Thinking about this, Bujayr wrote a letter to him in order to warn him and to give some advice to him. In the letter, he also wrote about the decision of the Prophet about Ka’b. He added that the only way of getting rid of this end was to go to the Messenger of God and ask for forgiveness.

When Ka’b received the letter, he felt restless. The vast earth became a very narrow place for him. He felt as if he would die any minute. He knew that he was not going to get rid of the decision against him. He had to choose between two alternatives: To continue to be a polytheist and hide so that he will not be caught or to go to the presence of the Messenger of God and ask for forgiveness, stating that he repented and regretting what he had done.

Ka’b acted cleverly and chose the second alternative. Besides, when he received the letter from his brother, he started to feel repentant.

Ka’b covered the long distance in a very short time and came to Madinah, to the presence of the Messenger of God. The Prophet did not know him in person. Ka’b used this very cleverly. He kneeled down before the Prophet and said, “Ka’b b. Zuhayr repented and wants to come to your presence as a  Muslim. If I bring him to you, will you accept his repentance and forgive him?”

If Ka’b stops distressing Muslims and feels repentant and embraces Islam, there will be no problem between him and the Messenger of God. As a matter of fact, the Messenger of God expressed his thought by saying, “Yes”.

Upon this reply, Ka’b became very happy and uttered kalima ash-shahada without letting the hands of the Messenger of God:

“I witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”

The Messenger of God and the Companions around him were astonished; the Prophet asked him, “Who are you?”.

He said, “I am Ka’b b. Zuhayr, O Messenger of God!”.

Just then, one of the Companions said, “O Messenger of God! Let me kill this enemy of Islam. The Prophet said, “Leave him. He repented what he had done and embraced Islam.”

Ka’b, whose heart was conquered through the spiritual sword of Islam, recited a poem called “Banat Suadu”, which is among the masterpieces of Arab literature.

“...

As if the departure of Suad was not enough, people who reported others’ words said to me, ‘O son of Abu Sulma! Know that you are dead.’

Every one of the friends that I depended on and applied to said to me, ‘I cannot entertain and console you; paddle your own canoe.’

I said, ‘Get out of my way!’ What ar-Rahman preordained will take place.

No matter how long the lifespan of man is, he will definitely be carried in a coffin one day.

I heard that the Messenger of God would kill me.

What is most desired is being forgiven in the presence of the Messenger of God.

I came to the presence of the Messenger of God by expressing my apologies.

Apologies are always accepted by the Messenger of God.

Treat me with mercy and tolerance.

May God, who granted you the gift of the Quran containing a lot of advice and decrees.

Do not hold me responsible for what my rivals say.

Though they talk against me a lot, I am not so guilty.

I am in such a station now that if an elephant saw and heard what I saw and heard, it would definitely shiver.

“Only the pardoning of the Prophet with the permission of God may save me here now.

I am extending my right hand to the just hand of the Prophet without objecting to anything.

Now, his words count.

...

There is no doubt that the Messenger of God is a light that shows the right path and is one of the sharp swords of God that has been unsheathed in order to eliminate the evil.”

Ka’b continued his poem by mentioning the heroism and bravery of the Messenger of God and Muslims.

There was a couplet in the poet; the Messenger of God liked it very much. This was the couplet:

“There is no doubt that the Messenger of God is a light that shows the right path and is one of the sharp swords of God that has been unsheathed in order to eliminate the evil.”

When the Messenger of God heard that couplet, he took off his mantle, which he was wearing, gave it to this great poet and expressed his gratification and appreciation.

After that, the poet “Banat Suadu” was known as “Qasida al-Bur­da” (poem of the mantle).

Ka’b. b. Zuhayr always took pride in this gift of the Messenger of God everywhere. He kept it with him until his death.

Once, Muawiya wanted to buy it by paying him ten thousand dirhams. Ka’b said, “I would not want anyone to wear the mantle of the Messenger of God that I own.”

However, Muawiya obtained what he wished after the death of Ka’b. He sent twenty thousand dirhams to his inheritors and obtained the holy mantle of the Messenger of God.

Then, this holy mantle was transferred to Umayyads, then to Abbasids and then to the Ottomans through the hand of Sultan Selim I.

Today, this mantle is kept in the room of the Holy Mantle in Topkapı Palace, where some other relics of the Messenger of God are kept.

“The Holy Mantle is 1,24 m long; it is made of black woolen fabric and has loose sleeves. The inside is lined with a cream woolen fabric. At the front, one part with the dimensions of 0,23 x 0,30 is missing. The right arm is not complete. It is partly worn out.

“... The Holy Mantle is kept in a golden box with two lids that can be opened upwards; its dimensions are (0,57 x 0, 45 x 0,21), and it is wrapped in bundles.There is a long inscription made by Sultan Abdulaziz, including a request for intercession.

This box is wrapped in bundles and put in a big golden chest. It was made by Sultan Abdulaziz; the following is inscribed on it:  ‘La ilaha illallah. Wa ma arsal­naka illa rahmatan lilalamin. La ilaha illallah al-Ma­li­ku’l-Haqqu’l-Mubin-Muhammadun Ra­su­lul­lah Sadiqu’­l-Wa’­di’­l-A­min’ (There is no god but Allah. We sent thee not, but as a mercy for all creatures. There is no god but Allah,the King, the Right, the Manifest; Muhammad is the Messenger of God, Truthful to his Promise, the Trustworthy).  

Its pedestal on four feet is plated with gold.”

Tahsin Öz, a former director of the Topkapı Palace Museum, also writes the following in his book:

“During the Ottoman period, the Sultan used to go to the Topkapı Palace on the 15th day of the month of Ramadan. The Holy Mantle used to be opened through a special ceremony; it used to be visited by the statesmen and government officials in the presence of the Sultan; handkerchiefs were given as gifts to them. Then, the women of the palace used to visit it.

The head guard of the Holy Mantle was the Sultan; when he was absent, it was the duty of an official to keep it. The servants of the Holy mantle worked in the same way until the Topkapı Palace was transformed into a museum (April 3, 1924).”

#allah #god #help #islam #religion #love #revert #convert #muslim #pray #prayer #salah #dua #quran #hadith #muslimrevert #muslimconvert #reverttoislam #converttoislam #reverthelp #reverthelpteam #howtoconverttoislam #welcometoislam

[colorofmymindposts]

Hope for the Stars Complete

Fandom: Doctor Who 

Pairing: Gen, Implied Doctor/Master 

Warnings: Alternate Ending to series 10, Major Canon Divergence

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences 

Status: This is the last update for my series The Doctor Falls officially, meaning the series is finally complete! Definitely read parts two and three for necessary context. 

Word Count: 1753 

Chapter: 2/2 

Summary: Ohila and other parties have become suspicious about the Doctor’s whereabouts. They investigate and come to a startling conclusion. 

Tags: POV Ohila, Interrogation, Time Skip from Previous Chapters 

View my work here on ao3! 

Even Ohila can admit to herself these days that she grows weary with involving herself in the personal politics of Time Lords, particularly of one who travels in a TARDIS disguised as a police phone box from Earth circa 1963 CE. Still, she and the Sisterhood of Karn are the only conduit through which the High Council has any presence in this universe. And this summons must be answered.

A rumor has been floating around of late, entailing the heroics of a mysterious lone traveler running about on planets, starships, desolate wastelands answering distress calls of the most extreme and dire nature. The distress calls no one would dare answer, save for the Doctor. The description of the time-space interdimensional capsule spotted by the locals matches that of his TARDIS, but this individual they speak of...should the accounts be true, this means the universe is in more peril than ever before.

Ohila’s present task is to verify whether or not the Doctor is still in possession of his vessel or if someone else has commandeered it. Whoever this TARDIS pilot is has been eagerly responsive to distress calls, so theoretically such a call for help to the surface of Karn should suit Ohila’s purposes quite well.

The precision is something Ohila notes to herself. Within just a few hours of the sending of the distress signal, the TARDIS arrives on planet’s surface. Her sisters stand guard in front of the cave leading to the Sacred Flame while Ohila conceals herself behind one of the many large rock formations.

Out of those doors appears one of the High Council’s most feared suspects in this case. Ohila has met her once in passing, when the Doctor had requested she deliver his Confession Dial to his closest friend: the Mistress, formerly known as the Master. Despite having a reputation for burning through bodies the quickest out of any Time Lord, the Mistress has retained the form Ohila last saw her in. The Time Lady is still dressed in what would be considered high-fashion in Earth’s Victorian era: a refined straw hat with ribbon and feathers protruding off the top tilts towards the right of her face, a well-fit violet evening gown overlaid by a similarly colored overcoat, and black leather boats that kick up the dust on Karn’s surface with the Mistress’s every step.

“Oh Sisterhood? Of the planet Karn? What do you lot call yourselves nowadays? Still Gallifreyans? Or has there been an upgrade? Karnivores, perhaps?” The Mistress stops and giggles to herself, invoking some humorous mood that Ohila does not share.

She continues on, unabated. “Admittedly, I was surprised by your call—”

“Were you, Mistress?” Ohila remarks more than asks as she steps out of her hiding place. The time has come for answers, now that she knows half of the truth.

The Mistress widens her eyes at Ohila, not in surprise but interest. Extending her right arm forward, the Mistress points an umbrella in the air, a whirring noise accompanying the motion. Sonic technology.

“My name not is the Mistress, it’s Missy,” the Time Lady states as she lowers her umbrella to her side. “And I suppose I should have known that your distress call was fake. The Sisterhood of Karn is never under threat from any species, unless some stupid person gets the bright idea of stealing your Elixir of Life and thinks they can match you.”  

Ohila acknowledges along with a nod, “You would be correct.”

The Time Lady stiffens her posture and rests both hands on her umbrella handle while flashing a truly delicately put-upon smile. “What is it you want then, anyway?”

“We already have discovered what we wanted. We now know that you have stolen the Doctor’s TARDIS,” Ohila answered.

The smile quickly sours. “Wait, wait, you think I stole this?”

Ohila simply arches an eyebrow.

“Alright, I’ll admit I’ve had a certain history involving theft of the Doctor’s property. But I can assure you that this was...passed onto me. To be more accurate, she’s chosen me.”

“Who has?”

“The TARDIS of course, why are Gallifreyans such numpties about their own tech?” Missy huffs, assumingly rhetorically. “She’s sentient. She called out to me for assistance before I even knew what was about to happen, but she was trying to tell me I was, and now am, her Plan B to freely traveling the universe as she once did with the Doctor.”

Ohila dismisses this all as lies and trickery characteristic of the Time Lady. She resumes her questioning, while discreetly signaling her sisters. “What have you done with the Doctor? Why have you been answering the cries of help from the universe in his stead? To impersonate him and gain the trust of whole worlds, only to eventually conquer them?”

“No!” Missy cries out somewhat desperately and defensively. “You don’t understand, that’s not what I’m doing...not anymore.”  

She appears to quickly recover from the lapse in demonstrating personal weakness, flipping right back to the irrational and inappropriate sense of humor upon which she seems to rely. “Although that would have been a good long game plan for when I was evil.”

“Was?” Ohila asks disbelievingly.

“Yes. I’ve turned over a new leaf, went cold turkey, made a new millenium resolution, whatever you want to call it I’m—better than I was before. I am trying to help the universe now ‘in his stead’ because it’s what’s right. As to your other question, the Doctor is dead.”

Ohila is, for a singular minute, unable to process this information. Of course, after what the Doctor did on Gallifrey with displacing the human girl out of her timestream, Ohila did not want to see him for quite some time; he almost jeopardized the safety of the universe to end his self-centered guilt. Now he has fated them all to eternal subjugation to the most unstable of all renegades through the sheer act of his own death.

“You are responsible for his death,” Ohila eventually says rather than asks.  

The intense eye contact they share is finally disconnected when Missy casts her glance downward, in a manner that Ohila would consider guilty if she did not know better. Without warning, her gaze is again set upon Ohila, but it is haunted, sorrowful, and vindictive simultaneously.

“I suppose in a way I am. Thank you for reassuring me on that particular detail, I’ve always wondered,” Missy admits so quietly Ohila can barely discern the words. The Time Lady then stares off into the distant setting sun of Karn. In her distracted state, the sisterhood has successfully managed to surround the Doctor’s TARDIS. They have her right where they want her.

“You have confessed to stealing the Doctor’s TARDIS and being the architect of his death. These are already punishable offences in Time Lord society, but they will certainly be worse considering the Doctor’s legacy as a war hero to the High Council and greater Gallifreyan public. Transport shall be arranged for your extradition to Gallifrey where you will face an impending trial and sentence for your crimes.”

If Ohila was expecting to illicit a response of fear, she was mistaken. Missy’s body practically crumbles in onto itself while it pulses with her cackles and readily apparent humor. It is an unsettling sight for a planet typically so devoid of laughter or joy.

“Oh you’re serious? Honey, if the Time Lords wanted to punish me for my crimes, they would have done so long before now. Or has the death of the Doctor touched such a nerve that they seek some sort of sanctimonious retribution?”

“They have relied on his aid for many centuries.”

“Well—tough!” The Time Lady suddenly exclaims with unforeseen rage. “They’ll just have to get used to the fact that I’m helping the universe. Personally, I think it’s an upgrade.”

Ohila nevertheless persists. “You are so insistent on this narrative, and yet there is no feasible explanation present for why you of all beings would abruptly change your moral compass if not for a selfish ulterior motive.”

Missy sighs, loud and long. It is not difficult to irritate her, it would seem. “The motives and morals have changed, but the goal has not. Even when I was planning on conquering the universe, I always wanted universal peace, ultimately. The Doctor’s...influence helped me correct my method.

I will admit that I haven’t been taking the same approach as he did. After all, we did have our differences. To start, if you’ve bothered to notice, there has been no haphazard rewriting of the timeline or bringing along human strays. I only help when asked for, I don’t need to save millions to stroke my ego, and I know how to fly and maintain the TARDIS better than he ever could.”

“You have a certain way of showing regret if you possess any,” she remarks accusingly.

“Oh Ohila,” Missy chimes in a higher pitch with an added sickly sweet tone oozing over the words. “I realize now why you’re in the High Council. Only a bunch of idiots sit up there delegating and twiddling their thumbs, passing judgment. You see, you’re quite mistaken. I have more regrets than you can begin to count.”

The Time Lady turns on her heel, her skirts fanning out and flowing with her steps, and stalks over to the line of sisters encircling the TARDIS exterior.

“Where are you going?”

“Where I’m needed, which has been made abundantly clear to me is not here.”

Ohila calls out firmly, “You will not make it off this planet.”

Missy merely smirks, a dark twinkle dancing in her eyes. Ohila has never seen a face so befitting of a deranged, ungrounded predator. With a snap of Missy’s fingers, the TARDIS doors open, knocking two of Ohila’s sisters to the ground with the force. While the fellow sisters rush to their aid, Missy calmly steps around the commotion and frames herself in the doorway of the TARDIS.

“Since I have thoroughly satisfied your request for my presence, I have something for you to do for me now,” Missy demands, gaze inspired and dangerous like that of a daring revolutionary. “Pass along a little message to the dear gang back home. Tell them: if they want me, they’ll have to clasp me in irons first.”

The doors shut, and in a moment the blue box dematerializes and fades from view. The universe will be subject to change and, for the time being, that is all that Ohila is able to tell.

#my writing #fanfiction #missy #the master #gomez!master #ohila #sisterhood of karn #doctor who #i finally finished a wip guys!! first time ever! #i'm so proud

[basicsofislam]

PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH)’s BIOGRAPHY : Ka’b b. Zuhayr, The Poet, Becomes a Muslim

Ka’b b. Zuhayr was a great poet.

His father, Zuhayr, was among the most famous Arab poets and men of letters. He educated his two sons, Ka’b and Bujayr, as poets and men of letters like himself.

When Zuhayr b. Abi Sulma attended the talks of the People of the Book, he heard that a prophet would emerge at the end of time.

One night, he saw in his dream that a rope was hanging down from the sky; he reached out to hold it but he could not hold it. He interpreted his dream as follows: he would not be able to live long enough to see that prophet.

Therefore, before his death, he said to his sons, “Believe in the prophet to come.[ Halabi, Insanu’l-Uyun, Vol. 3, p. 238. ]

Many men of letters, poets and orators had been affected by the fluency and eloquence of the Quran and embraced Islam. However, there were still some people who insisted on polytheism and who continued expressing their hatred and enmity against the Prophet and Muslims through their poems and speeches. Ka’b b. Zuhayr was one of them.

When his father died, he inherited the fame of his father.

His brother, Bujayr, became a Muslim but Ka’b did not give up polytheism. He sometimes satirized the Prophet and Muslims and distressed them through the poems he wrote.

Once, he wrote a poem expressing his hatred, anger and denial satirizing his brother, Bujayr, because he embraced Islam and sent him to Bujayr. When Bujayr read the poem to the Prophet (pbuh), he became very sad. The poems of Ka’b transgressed the limits of tolerance because of his insults at Muslims. Thereupon, the Messenger of God said to his Companions,

“Kill Ka’b b. Zuhayr wherever you meet him. From this point onwards, it is permissible to shed his blood.”[ Ibn Kathir, Sirah, Vol. 3, p. 705; Qastalani, Mawahibu’l-Ladunniya, Vol. 1, p. 221. ]

After this permission, the end of Ka’b was definitely going to be terrible. Thinking about this, Bujayr wrote a letter to him in order to warn him and to give some advice to him. In the letter, he also wrote about the decision of the Prophet about Ka’b. He added that the only way of getting rid of this end was to go to the Messenger of God and ask for forgiveness.[ Ibn Hisham, Sirah, Vol. 4, p. 144; Ibn Kathir, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 699. ]

When Ka’b received the letter, he felt restless. The vast earth became a very narrow place for him. He felt as if he would die any minute. He knew that he was not going to get rid of the decision against him. He had to choose between two alternatives: To continue to be a polytheist and hide so that he will not be caught or to go to the presence of the Messenger of God and ask for forgiveness, stating that he repented and regretting what he had done.

Ka’b acted cleverly and chose the second alternative. Besides, when he received the letter from his brother, he started to feel repentant.

Ka’b covered the long distance in a very short time and came to Madinah, to the presence of the Messenger of God. The Prophet did not know him in person. Ka’b used this very cleverly. He kneeled down before the Prophet and said, “Ka’b b. Zuhayr repented and wants to come to your presence as a  Muslim. If I bring him to you, will you accept his repentance and forgive him?”

If Ka’b stops distressing Muslims and feels repentant and embraces Islam, there will be no problem between him and the Messenger of God. As a matter of fact, the Messenger of God expressed his thought by saying, “Yes”.

Upon this reply, Ka’b became very happy and uttered kalima ash-shahada without letting the hands of the Messenger of God:

“I witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”

The Messenger of God and the Companions around him were astonished; the Prophet asked him, “Who are you?”.

He said, “I am Ka’b b. Zuhayr, O Messenger of God!”.

Just then, one of the Companions said, “O Messenger of God! Let me kill this enemy of Islam. The Prophet said, “Leave him. He repented what he had done and embraced Islam.”[ Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 4, p. 146-147; Ibn Kathir, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 700-705; Ibn Sayyid, Uyunu’l-Athar, Vol. 2, p. 209-212. ]

Ka’b, whose heart was conquered through the spiritual sword of Islam, recited a poem called “Banat Suadu”, which is among the masterpieces of Arab literature.

“...

As if the departure of Suad was not enough, people who reported others’ words said to me, ‘O son of Abu Sulma! Know that you are dead.’

Every one of the friends that I depended on and applied to said to me, ‘I cannot entertain and console you; paddle your own canoe.’

I said, ‘Get out of my way!’ What ar-Rahman preordained will take place.

No matter how long the lifespan of man is, he will definitely be carried in a coffin one day.

I heard that the Messenger of God would kill me.

What is most desired is being forgiven in the presence of the Messenger of God.

I came to the presence of the Messenger of God by expressing my apologies.

Apologies are always accepted by the Messenger of God.

Treat me with mercy and tolerance.

May God, who granted you the gift of the Quran containing a lot of advice and decrees.

Do not hold me responsible for what my rivals say.

Though they talk against me a lot, I am not so guilty.

I am in such a station now that if an elephant saw and heard what I saw and heard, it would definitely shiver.

“Only the pardoning of the Prophet with the permission of God may save me here now.

I am extending my right hand to the just hand of the Prophet without objecting to anything.

Now, his words count.

...

There is no doubt that the Messenger of God is a light that shows the right path and is one of the sharp swords of God that has been unsheathed in order to eliminate the evil.”[ Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 4, p. 147-156; Ibn Kathir, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 701-705; Ibn Sayyid, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 209-212. ]

Ka’b continued his poem by mentioning the heroism and bravery of the Messenger of God and Muslims.

There was a couplet in the poet; the Messenger of God liked it very much. This was the couplet:

“There is no doubt that the Messenger of God is a light that shows the right path and is one of the sharp swords of God that has been unsheathed in order to eliminate the evil.”

When the Messenger of God heard that couplet, he took off his mantle, which he was wearing, gave it to this great poet and expressed his gratification and appreciation.

After that, the poet “Banat Suadu” was known as “Qasida al-Bur­da” (poem of the mantle).

Ka’b. b. Zuhayr always took pride in this gift of the Messenger of God everywhere. He kept it with him until his death.

Once, Muawiya wanted to buy it by paying him ten thousand dirhams. Ka’b said, “I would not want anyone to wear the mantle of the Messenger of God that I own.”[ Qastalani, ibid, Vol. 1, p. 222; Halabi, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 240. ]

However, Muawiya obtained what he wished after the death of Ka’b. He sent twenty thousand dirhams to his inheritors and obtained the holy mantle of the Messenger of God.[ Qastalani, ibid, Vol. 1, p. 222; Halabi, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 240. ]

Then, this holy mantle was transferred to Umayyads, then to Abbasids and then to the Ottomans through the hand of Sultan Selim I.[ . Hamî Danişmend, İzahlı Osmanlı Tarihi Kronolojisi, Vol. 2, p. 43. ]

Today, this mantle is kept in the room of the Holy Mantle in Topkapı Palace, where some other relics of the Messenger of God are kept.[ Tahsin Öz, Hırka-i Saadet Dairesi ve Emanat-ı Mukaddese, p. 23. ]

“The Holy Mantle is 1,24 m long; it is made of black woolen fabric and has loose sleeves. The inside is lined with a cream woolen fabric. At the front, one part with the dimensions of 0,23 x 0,30 is missing. The right arm is not complete. It is partly worn out.

“... The Holy Mantle is kept in a golden box with two lids that can be opened upwards; its dimensions are (0,57 x 0, 45 x 0,21), and it is wrapped in bundles.There is a long inscription made by Sultan Abdulaziz, including a request for intercession.

This box is wrapped in bundles and put in a big golden chest. It was made by Sultan Abdulaziz; the following is inscribed on it:  ‘La ilaha illallah. Wa ma arsal­naka illa rahmatan lilalamin. La ilaha illallah al-Ma­li­ku’l-Haqqu’l-Mubin-Muhammadun Ra­su­lul­lah Sadiqu’­l-Wa’­di’­l-A­min’ (There is no god but Allah. We sent thee not, but as a mercy for all creatures. There is no god but Allah,the King, the Right, the Manifest; Muhammad is the Messenger of God, Truthful to his Promise, the Trustworthy).  

Its pedestal on four feet is plated with gold.” [ Tahsin Öz, ibid, Vol. 23-24. ]

Tahsin Öz, a former director of the Topkapı Palace Museum, also writes the following in his book:

“During the Ottoman period, the Sultan used to go to the Topkapı Palace on the 15thday of the month of Ramadan. The Holy Mantle used to be opened through a special ceremony; it used to be visited by the statesmen and government officials in the presence of the Sultan; handkerchiefs were given as gifts to them. Then, the women of the palace used to visit it.

The head guard of the Holy Mantle was the Sultan; when he was absent, it was the duty of an official to keep it. The servants of the Holy mantle worked in the same way until the Topkapı Palace was transformed into a museum (April 3, 1924).”[ Tahsin Öz, ibid, Vol. 23-24. ]

#allah #god #islam #quran #muslim #revert #convert #convert islam #convert help #reverthelp #revert help #revert islam #revert help team #help #salah #dua #prayer #pray #reminder #hijab #muslimah #religion #mohammad #new muslim #new revert #new convert #how to convert islm #convert to islam #welcome to islam