Tumgik
#part of my problem is church culture
unbidden-yidden · 9 months
Text
In general, I think it's currently really important for progressive Christians to be very loud about being both progressive and deeply religious Christians, and for everyone else fighting for progressive values to be supportive of them doing just that. I know that's like, idk, counter-intuitive or cringe or whatever, but seriously folks, the alternative is that progressive Christians have to be quiet about their faith to be accepted within broader secular and interfaith progressive advocacy, which means that the regressive asshole Christians (a) sound that much louder and (b) dominate the USian religious landscape all the more. That's a problem, for all of us.
We need people pushing back within the faith as well as outside of it, because that destroys any edifice that this is about Christianity and religious freedom.
You can be a devout Christian and also:
Openly, proudly, and without being forced to remain celibate or otherwise limit your full expression of self, identify as LGBTQ+ or be a supportive ally.
Advocate for full reproductive autonomy and comprehensive sex education.
Love and support people of other religious groups, non-religious people and/or atheists, by choosing to believe that a truly loving God would not pursue anything less than universal salvation.
Stand against evangelism and proselytizing as they have thus far been interpreted and used, because there are ways to interpret the Great Commission that don't promote colonialism and cultural genocide.
A steward of the earth, protecting God's beautiful creation and lovingly tending to it as the unique and incredible gift that it is.
A believer in science, rationalism, and human progress as part of God's divine plan for humanity.
A believer in history and someone who understands that the Bible can be both divinely given and open to interpretation (no really)(if you're confused, please talk to a knowledgeable traditional Jew)
An ally to Jews, who stands against supercessionism and antisemitism in the church.
And in before regressive Christians come shouting at me that (1) what do I know, I'm a Jew and (2) no lol you can't because of ___ reason:
My source is that I've personally met and talked to Christians of great faith and integrity - people who embody the closest forms of kindness I've seen to what Jesus himself advocated - who are each of these things.
It is 100% possible; you just choose to believe otherwise.
13K notes · View notes
fishyfishyfishtimes · 5 months
Text
What Is and Isn't a Fish: an Essay and Guide by Fishyfishyfishtimes
A simplified list of the animals I discuss can be found here!
Hello folks! I created this post to have a kind of definitive essay/explanation of what is and isn't a "fish", starting with defining the term and going over animals that fit and don't fit the bill. As other fishblr artists, writers and educators must know too well, some people are confused about where this term begins and ends, mistaking other aquatic animals for fish. I have my fair share of arthropods and cnidarians as fish fact requests in my own askbox, heck, some years back a friend of mine asked me if clams were fish. The event that finally made me decide to write this was someone requesting that a fish-only account draw a crustacean, pondering to themselves if they count as fish.
I don't want to hold it against these people. It's impossible to know something when you've never been taught! So that's what I'm here to do, hopefully achieving a pretty correct and universal view ^^' If I make any mistakes please correct me. I'm learning all the same as everyone else is.
Definition of fish
Immediately, we run into a bit of a problem with the definition of fish. See, what the term "fish" means has fluctuated for centuries! For a long time, pretty much any animal that lived in water was a "fish" — I say "pretty much any" instead of "every" animal because for a long time sessile animals like sponges or corals were thought to be plants. This is why we have such remnants in our language like shellFISH, starFISH and jellyFISH, they lived in water so they were called such!
Occasionally these definitions would be changed for cultural convenience too. Many Christian churches take part in Lent, and in the Catholic church red and white meat is forbidden on Fridays and Ash Wednesday. In the Middle Ages, in my own country, Finland, this abstinence of red and white meat could last up to 140 days! To make fasting easier, many animals were labelled fish for convenience so they could be eaten as well. These newfound "fish" included seals, beavers and swans, pretty much just anything that was aquatic or semiaquatic in nature.
Nowadays just going off of looks or behaviour won't do, though. There has been much more of an effort to define fishes coherently based on their anatomy and phylogeny, which is great! Problem is, that's easier said than done: fishes are an extremely diverse group, and uh.. not really a single group, either. I'll show you:
Tumblr media
As you can see from this heavily simplified phylogenic tree, fishes are not a singular group like, say, mammals are! The animals that we group under "fish" are actually a part of several distinct lineages of animals, some more closely related to us than each other. Heck, tetrapods, which include amphibians, reptiles*, and mammals, are fish themselves! Phylogenetically speaking. Our ancestors were lobe-finned fish, and, well, you never stop being the previous taxon even when you evolve into something else. If you try to exclude tetrapods, no such unified group as "fish" exists. Still, when discussing fish, we tend to want to avoid talking about every vertebrate ever and instead focus on the very specific aquatic ones we mean when we say "fish". This is why many definitions of the term "fish" still exclude tetrapods, even if we share a common fishy ancestor. "Fish" describes more of a lifeform than it does a clade, much like the term "worm"!
(*birds are reptiles! This could be a whole post in and of itself, but I'm not here to write about that. Someone else has most likely taken up the task!)
Hooray, it's definition time! As stated previously, fishes are an extremely diverse group of thousands of species, and what terms might apply to the Atlantic cod may not apply to the yellowfin tuna or giant mudskipper, let alone a Pacific lamprey! Encyclopedia.com defines a fish as "an ectothermic chordate that lives primarily in water and possesses a cranium*, gills that are useful virtually throughout life, and appendages (if present) in the form of fins". Encyclopedia Britannica notes that "the term fish is applied to a variety of vertebrates of several evolutionary lines", instead highlighting five classes. These five classes are left partly unspecified, but ones that are mentioned are jawless fish, cartilaginous fish and bony fish (which still includes tetrapods, however), and the two classes left can be assumed to be two classes of extinct fish. Wikipedia defines a fish as "an aquatic, craniate**, gill-bearing animal that lacks limbs with digits". T.M. Berra defines fish as "poikilothermic***, aquatic chordate with appendages (when present) developed as fins, whose chief respiratory organs are gills and whose body is usually covered with scales".
(*cranium=upper part of the skull **craniate=an animal with a skull ***poikilothermic=an animal whose internal temperature varies considerably)
From these more or less detailed definitions we can gather many defining features for fish: a cranium-having chordate, primarily aquatic, gill-bearing and uses gills as their main respiratory organ, lacking any limbs with digits, instead having their limbs be in paired and unpaired fins when present. Most fish are also ectothermic, meaning their body temperature is determined by their environment, but some can heat up parts of their body or their entire body in the case of the opah. Most fish also have scales, but not all, just like how most fish are fully aquatic, but some like lungfish or mudskippers can spend considerable time out of the water. Such is the way of these magnificent and diverse animals!
Finally, with all this out of the way, we can get into...
What is a fish!
Here, I will be detailing animals that are fish! Well, at least the broadest strokes; there are more than 30 000 fish species and if I listed them all we'd be here all life. I shall instead go over the major classes and list, in short, some groups that belong in them.
Jawless fish (Superclass Cyclostomi)
Tumblr media
Jawless fish are often a topic of debate, especially in matters of their relation to each other and to jawed vertebrates. Evidence seems to point to hagfish and lampreys being closest related to one another and to lampreys being more closely related to jawed vertebrates than to hagfish (which would make hagfish craniates but not vertebrates). In the phylogeny tree above I decided to portray hagfish and lampreys as a monophyletic group, as molecular studies and microRNA analysis seems to point to a monophylegic superclass. Please note that this could go either way, though.
Jawless fish is a group containing two extant fishes, hagfish (class Myxini) and lampreys (order Petromyzontiformes)! Jawless fish are more "primitive" than other groups, for example both lack true vertebrae and scales. Still, they both have craniums and gills and they are aquatic, and so they have earned their place among fish!
Cartilaginous fish (class Chondrichthyes)
Tumblr media
Surprisingly, I've found that this group has a lot of confusion surrounding it. I have received many a request confirming if sharks are fish, or asking if I'd cover a shark "even if it's not a fish". So I'll say it now: good news, sharks are indeed fish! So are their cousins, rays, skates and chimaeras, also known as ghost sharks! All of these fish have a primarily cartilaginous skeleton, tooth-like dermal denticles and lack gill covers and a swim bladder. Out of all the sharks, I also want to highlight that the whale shark, despite its confusing name, is a shark and not a whale. So, it is a fish!
Ray-finned fish (class Actinopterygii)
Tumblr media
Name any fish, and there's a 96% chance the species name you said belongs to a ray-finned fish. Unless, like, you really like sharks. But this isn't about them.
Ray-finned fish are the biggest group of fish and incredibly diverse! It has your seahorse, your pufferfish, your bass, your tuna, your anglerfish, your clownfish, your salmon, your sturgeon, your lanternfish, your perch, your oarfish, your gar, your sardine, your moray eel... and this is only a tiny, tiny fraction of the groups that belong to this class! Defining features of ray-finned fish are that they tend to have a swim bladder and a bony skeleton (some exceptions though. Sturgeons, for one, have evolved a cartilaginous skeleton but they're still ray-finned fish). The largest group of ray-fins, the teleosts, also have leptoid scales, which are thinner and more flexible and grow with growth rings.
I want to bring special attention to some members of the ray-finned fish which tend to have a lot of confusion surrounding them and their heritage: eels and seahorses. Many people think these two are not fish due to their strange anatomy, like lack of scales or (many) fins and their elongated bodies, and I wouldn't blame them! Seahorses belong to family Syngnathidae, which also includes seadragons and pipefish. Eels, meanwhile, make up the order Anguilliformes. All of these long friends of ours are fish!
Lobe-finned fish (clade Sarcopterygii)
Tumblr media
I shall merely focus on the fishy fishy fish individuals of this class, which excludes tetrapods. Lobe-finned fish house the two extant species of coelacanths, and six extant species of lungfish! These fish are bony and their fins are placed at the tips of fleshy, lobelike stalks, resembling the limbs of tetrapods. It is thought that the common ancestor of coelacanths and lungfish and tetrapods had similar structures that then became the four limbs the members of our clade typically have. Coelacanths and lungfish are wonderful fishes and deserve a lot of love and respect, not only because they're our closest cousins but because they're unique and we have so much to learn about them!
So, these are the fishes! There are also extinct groups of fish, namely class Placodermi (armoured fish) and class Acanthodii (spiny "sharks"). I'm moreso an extant fish account however, and so I shall move onto...
What isn't a fish?
Now we get into the real meat of this post. Without further ado, here are some aquatic friends of ours that can be mixed up with fish very often!
Crustaceans (subphylum Crustacea)
Tumblr media
Many of our hard-shelled many-legged friends belong here! Crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill, isopods, triops, barnacles, copepods, you name it! Even though many crustaceans are aquatic or semiaquatic and have gills, you'll find that they're invertebrates that lack an internal skeleton (so no cranium, not even vertebrae)! We still love them though!
Mollusks (phylum Mollusca)
Tumblr media
Creatures both soft and hard-shelled! Cephalopods like octopuses, squid, nautilus and cuttlefish, bivalves like clams, mussels, oysters or scallops, gastropods like sea slugs and snails and chitons go here! These friends of ours are also aquatic and have gills, some even have the suffix -fish (cephalopods used to be called inkfish, even!), but their lack of an endoskeleton is even more obvious than the crustaceans'. They're invertebrates, and therefore not fish!
Chelicerates (subphylum Chelicerata)
Tumblr media
This group has many animals that are very hard to mistake for fish, namely spiders and scorpions, but horseshoe crabs and sea spiders are two groups of extant marine chelicerates! Both groups are aquatic, and horseshoe crabs have gills. However, they're both invertebrates, lacking a cranium or vertebrae. Other aquatic chelicerates exist, but they're usually very small, like water mites.
Cnidarians (phylum Cnidaria)
Tumblr media
This phylum has the sessile corals and sea anemones and the usually more mobile jellyfish and siphonophores (includes the infamous Portugese man o' war!). I imagine corals and sea anemones are mistaken for fish less due to their sessile nature, but they're good to bring up nevertheless. None of these animals have a backbone, or, any bones really. They lack gills, they lack fins, they even lack the bilateral shape of fish. Jellyfish, despite the name, are indeed not fish! Some people suggest the name sea jellies be used for them instead, and I think it's much cuter.
Echinoderms (phylum Echinodermata)
Tumblr media
Animals like starfish, sea urchins, brittle stars, sand dollars, sea cucumbers and feather stars go here. It seems that this pesky "-fish" -suffix is hard to shake off, as now we have the starfish. Once again, all of these slow-moving bottom-dwelling friends of ours are invertebrates, as they lack vertebrae or a cranium. Interestingly though, they are among our closest invertebrate relatives! So we ought to give them some props for that. I also want to mention that starfish can also be called sea stars, which ought to lessen confusion about their being too.
Comb jellies (phylum Ctenophora)
Tumblr media
Comb jellies look a lot like jellyfish, but they belong in their own unique phylum! They have the same deal going on; they are invertebrates, they lack gills, they lack a cranium, they are simply aquatic.
Lancelets (subphylum Cephalocordata) and tunicates (subphylum Tunicata)
Tumblr media
A double feature, because I wanted to save space didn't want these guys to be all alone! Lancelets and Tunicates, like sea squirts and salps, are chordates, which you can find in the phylogenic tree I drew all the way in the definitions section. They share many a feature with vertebrates, like a bilateral bodyplan, a notochord at some stage of life and a post-anal tail, but I'm afraid they're still not fish. They lack a cranium and their notochord does not develop into a vertebral column! Sorry friends, you tried. We can still hang out at the chordate convention.
Annelids (phylum Annelida)
Tumblr media
The infamous bobbit worm, bone-eating worms, sea mice, giant tube worms, feather duster worms, spoon worms, bristleworms in general, leeches... many, many worms go here! Pretty self-explanatory: they are invertebrates, even when they live in water. They're extremely cool invertebrates too! I suggest taking a look at some of them, there's many interesting species.
Flatworms (phylum Platyhelminthes)
Tumblr media
Flatworms are another very diverse group of worms, having many species both terrestrial and aquatic, however mostly I want to put attention into the free-swimming marine flatworms. They may swim beautifully (and fence with grace), but they are nevertheless invertebrates! Flatworms can live a variety of different lifestyles, from predators to parasites.
Amphibians (class Amphibia)
Tumblr media
We've made it into vertebrates now! Amphibians include frogs, salamanders, and caecilians. While they have limbs with digits in their adulthood*, they can be easily confused for fish in their larval stages! This is no surprise, as they use gills to breathe underwater and tadpoles lack any limbs at all for a while. Many amphibians later transition into a terrestrial or semiaquatic way of life and lose their gills, not to mention gain their digit-having limbs.
(*excluding caecilians)
...Well, many amphibians do this, but not all. It's important to mention there are also species of aquatic salamanders which can bear great resemblance to fish with their elongated bodies! Amphiumas, which are sometimes mistakenly called "conger eels" (which is an actual species of fish), are aquatic salamanders with small residual limbs and both working gills and lungs. Giant salamanders and mudpuppies/waterdogs have lungs and gills as well, and lead an aquatic lifestyle — olms are close relatives of mudpuppies. Sirens, meanwhile, lack hind limbs and only have small front limbs, along with retaining their gills in adulthood. Among aquatic salamanders I also want to bring up one most often talked about species: the axolotl! They remain in their larval form, have external gills and lead an aquatic lifestyle. It can be hard to tell with aquatic salamanders sometimes, but these friends of ours are amphibians and not fish, even if they've rejected the land life.
Caecilians are a bit less known overall, but they can also cause a lot of confusion due to their long, limbless body. While most caecilians live underground, some are aquatic in nature, and can therefore be mistaken for fish! However, caecilians breathe via the use of their lungs and through the skin and don't have any gills at all.
Reptiles (class Reptilia)
Tumblr media
Most commonly mistaken for fish in this group are sea snakes, sea kraits and water snakes, sea turtles, turtles, penguins, and other (semi)aquatic birds. Sea snakes and water snakes bear a very strong resemblance to eels, but they are indeed just snakes adapted to an aquatic or a semiaquatic lifestyle! The same goes for sea turtles, turtles overall, and penguins. They all need to breathe air and they lack fins, even if their flippers, webbed feet and built-in paddles may look like fins! They also have wholly different types of scales (or feathers!!) than what fish have, even if they share the feature. I assume that other aquatic reptiles, like the marine iguana and crocodilians are better read as reptiles thanks to their limbs with digits, but I want to give them a reptile shoutout anyway. They’re aquatic or semiaquatic, but they are air-breathers and fin-lackers all the same!
I also want to mention one specific extinct group of reptiles, ichtyosaurs! These marine reptiles were rather shark- or dolphin-like in appearance, which is actually a really good example of convergent evolution! Like all other reptiles, they also needed to breathe air and they had... erm... well, I'm not sure if I can call the bones in their flippers digits, but, that's what they used to be, so...? They were cool reptiles and among my favourites! There were many other aquatic reptiles too, but I will only mention just the ones now. A paleontology account would be better-suited to list you allll the marine reptiles.
Mammals (class Mammalia)
Tumblr media
Our home class! Some of the aquatic friends we have in this class include whales like baleen and beaked whales, dolphins (orcas go here), porpoises, belugas, narwhals and sperm whales, pinnipeds like seals, sea lions, walruses, and sirenians like manatees, (occasionally known as sea cows) and dugongs! We also have some semiaquatic buddies like hippopotamids, otters, beavers and platypuses! Whales and pinnipeds especially often cause a lot of confusion due to their very streamlined, fishy appearance. They are, however, air breathers that feed their young with milk (some dolphin calves are even born with some hair), and their ancestors were land mammals! The same goes for pinnipeds and sirenians too. True seals, fur seals and sea lions still have fur even! Hippos, otters, beavers and platypuses are a bit more obvious as mammals with their fur and.. distinct air-breathing.. but I wanted to mention them anyway. Their adaptations to aquatic life are just one example of how fascinating evolution can be!
And here we are! A hopefully comprehensive list of fishes and non-fishes, beginning with the ever-shifting story of the term "fish", phylogeny, and why some animals are called fish when they really aren't. I hope you have found useful and interesting information in this post, and perhaps learned something new! I bid you a farewell! :D
244 notes · View notes
traegorn · 4 months
Note
Hey-o! Tis the season for people to talk about how the holidays were "actually pagan" and I'm on the hunt for sources about how that's really not the case, if you have any you'd recommend!
Okay, so the problem is there are so many weird "Christmas is stolen!" bullshit memes going around, it's so hard to just give you a comprehensive list of sources. Christmas celebrations have evolved as the religion has spread, and different things come from different times...
The key here is to go for academic sources. This is a question of history, and a well supported historical research is going to tell you whether they're operating from primary, secondary or tertiary sources.
So while I can't give you a simple list, let me give you a couple of examples off the top of my head and give you tips on how to investigate any the dumb claims that get passed around.
Christmas being in December: So a lot of people go for the "Christmas is in December so it can steal from [INSERT SOLSTICE CELBRATION]" is ahistorical... because we know exactly why Christmas is in December. Because the guys who made the decision argued with each other and left behind written documentation. The two big names you need to look up are  Clement of Alexandria (who pitched January 6th) and Hippolytus of Rome (who proposed December 25th). This is around the turn of the third century, and you can find both of their writings. Some folks have questioned the authenticity of some of Hippolytus of Rome's writings, but Clement of Alexandria's seem well supported. These were internal arguments about when the birth of Christ took place within the early church, and when they settled on late December. There are reasons for this, and you can read their arguments (it largely has to do with the importance of when Jesus was conceived -- they wanted that to be an important date and then added nine months to it). Importantly though, because linear time is a thing, this means Christmas was set in December before the Christianization of the Germanic and Norse tribes... so anyone who says Christmas was set to December to correspond with Yule doesn't understand the concept of "coincidences."
The Christmas Tree: The Christmas tree was invented in 16th century Germany. That's... that's just written down all over the place. Now, there are legends about Martin Luther being the first who did it -- but I'm pretty certain that's just an embellishment that got added on. There are preceding traditions where part of an evergreen was brought into the home as a part of solstice traditions (though some will claim the Egyptians did this? Which is wild -- likely misinterpreting their use of palm fronds as the same thing), but the act of taking a whole ass tree, cutting it down, putting it in your house, and decorating it? That's 16th century Germany all the way. You can rabbit hole so many sources on that one, but honestly just pick apart the citations on the Wikipedia page. Putting a branch in your house and dragging a whole tree in are very different acts.
Jesus's story is copied from [INSERT RANDOM GOD]: There are so many of these, and some are just downright disrespectful to major world religions (the Krishna version of the meme especially). The answer is... just see if what the meme is saying about the god is supported by the mythology. Like I've seen ones that says Dionysus was "born of a virgin." If you know anything about the Greek gods, you're probably already laughing on the floor. Horus gets dragged into this too, because Gerald Massey was trying to pull a "White Goddess but with Dudes." But any serious research on Horus will tell you the supposed parallels aren't supported by the mythology.
So sorry, this wasn't so much sources you can use as it is how to look for them to begin with. Because there's just so, so much. This isn't even covering cases of syncretism, where pre-existing cultural traditions got continued post-Christianization. Because it's almost always the case that if a pre-Christian practice endured post Christianization, it's because people decided to keep doing it -- not because the church was trying to "steal" it. The latter means there was some mustache twirling plan behind it, when the former means (usually) the church went "Well, they're paying their tithes and saying it's for Jesus, so who gives a shit?"
I'm just going to finish this off with linking to my podcast episode on this, along with Ocean Keltoi's great Yule video on the topic. Hopefully that helps.
youtube
189 notes · View notes
queerius · 21 days
Text
I wish I could fully like the new Contrapoints video but how she analyzes ‘the Bible’ in it is a big problem for me. So much of it comes down to how she’s presenting her biblical citations—as clear cut English with one meaning that’s easily discernible to a reader. And, to her credit, that is how many Protestants treat it (sola scriptura, ‘scripture alone’ and all that). However, that is not the inherent or academic reading of biblical verses.
For instance, take לֹא תִנְאָף (Exodus 20:14). As she translated and how it is usually translated into English, ‘don’t commit adultery.’ The word ‘adultery’ is doing a lot of rhetorical work here. People can presume that its meaning is self-evident or obvious but it’s not.
In the context of Christianity, it needs to be evaluated both in the context of Lev. 20:10 AND Matthew 19:18 AND Matthew 5:28 AND the word μοιχεύω in its larger Greek context. For instance this verb, often translated as adultery, in its legal (which is also, funnily enough the context of Exodus except this time it’s with Gd) specifically Athenian use, describes a man’s sexual affair with a free, citizen married woman. It has much more to do with ‘ownership’ via marriage and male power than ‘being married and cheating,’ which is my interpretation of ‘adultery’s current English connotations. AND in Matthew 5:28 (in conversation ALSO with Mat. 19:18) Jesus extends what this verb means (‘committing adultery’ in this culturally and historically understood way) to also cover looking upon a woman (βλέπων) in order to ‘lust after’/‘covet’ her, as he says that in doing this he (ὁ) already ‘committed adultery’ (ἐμοίχευσεν) in his heart.
AND since Stephanie Meyer’s Mormon—besides maybe being influenced by mainline Protestant cultural Christianity—her beliefs have ALSO been influenced by how the LDS church’s belief in the prophetic nature of their president & how that guides interpretation, not just how these texts have been rendered into English, specifically in the King James Version translation.
In the video I know in context she’s addressing Christianity, but part of the practical problem with not thinking about how (Protestant) cultural Christianity informs analysis (& often, it’s limits) is that it flattens out really complex things.
There’s also a practical stance I’m coming from too: as a Jew these are my religious texts too & yet—besides maybe the joke-y asides about the מִשׁכָּן and ‘wow this actually has an ancient Israelite context!’—there wasn’t any acknowledgment that for instance, how Christians understand the meaning of Hebrew texts like Leviticus isn’t how rabbinic Jews understand them. This is especially important given that the context is while talking about blood, killing, and sacrifices. Rising antisemitism and the capacity of non-Jews to believe and propagate blood libel at an astounding rate makes it crucial to clarify what contemporary Jews believe & practice—and to actively avoid presenting just a Christian interpretation of what our ancient texts mean without at least a little disclaimer. Because (ancient and) modern Christianity actively have a vested interest in portraying Judaism in certain ways to fit, for instance, their supercessionist ends—that Christianity ‘fulfilled’ Judaism and Jewish texts & is its successor and replacement.
I also think that her analysis would have been strengthened BY going deeper into language, translation, and cultural context. I know her content needs to still be accessible to a broad audience, but I feel like there’s a way to do that while adding some necessary nuance and context to biblical citations. Or at least clarifying what lens you’re analyzing things up front.
78 notes · View notes
heartfullofleeches · 2 years
Text
Yandere Priest x GN! Reader
Another part to my yandere supernatural harem. Masterlist here
Story has some Christian themes, but is not completely based from them
Word count: 3.8k
Warnings: light body horror, character injury, briefly mentioned non consensual kiss, religious themes
Biting. Clawing. Tearing. The only thing he could remember. Talons piercing his skin, teeth on the vital arteries beneath – bursting under each individual fang. A robbery gone wrong had led this man to a fate crueler than death; a vicious beast spawned right before his eyes with a single mission in its mind, to make him feel absolute anguish. Lying on the cold earth. No one to comfort him in his final moments, unlike the person he’d harmed. Light fading-
He wakes up. The room is cold, he’s cold. He holds himself, memories flooding back to conscious mind. It felt better than where he had been moments before – anything did. He looked around the room. It looked empty, but something was there. He could feel it.
“Good evening.”
He turns. Someone stares from the shadows of the room. Bandaged hands clasp tightly over their lap, one looser than the other.
“W..who the fuck are you?”
“No need for that kind of language. I’m just here to ask a few questions. You know, when you died they said it looked like a bear had mauled you, but there isn’t any place where one could’ve come from for miles.”
He swallowed.
“But I’m not here for that. I want to know more about a friend of yours.”
-
A tall figure looms over you, hand gripping the blankets wrapped snugly around your body. The presence was suffocating; like said hand was slowly reaching for your neck. It instead hooks onto your blankets and tears them from your arms in one swift move.
“Good morning, Y/n!”
You groan, sitting up to meet the blank, yet bright eyed angel by your bedside. The enormous smile on his face pulls even further; meaning you had yet to rid the sleep from your eyes. 
“Isn’t it like… 9:00am.”
He chuckles. “No, eight actually. Did you forget our plans for the day?”
You groan louder. A grim reaper, demon, and your very own guardian angel. Pains in your side for the majority of their stay, who’s thorns you were finally getting used to. With the couple rules you had in place already, another few had been added to the pile; namely in the comfort of your fellow housemates. One day of every weekend, each one of them would get a day without you; with the final weekend of the month being for yourself – which went about as well as one could imagine. The reaper and demon had already had their turn for the month, and so now it was the angel’s turn. 
The thought had been brewing in Alasdair’s mind for a while. He had heard, and even read, of the various religions on earth; but knew little beyond average knowledge. During his time in heaven, he carried little about the human realm, until he met you; developing an interest in the cultures to benefit you both. For his day with you, he asked if you would join him in visiting a church; which you reluctantly agreed to. It was more toned down than racing shopping carts through grocery store aisles and had more to it than just relaxing on the couch – not that you really had a problem with either. 
“Come on, we’ll be late if you don’t get up.” Alasdair pulls the blankets further from your grasp and helps you up. You shower and put on your Sunday best; him already ready to head out. With a formal suit and tie being eighty percent of his wardrobe, you didn’t expect him to have to do much to prepare anyway. You say your goodbyes to the other two and head out.
-
The building was an elegant structure. Faded white bricks made up its walls; a tall tower stuck to the hip of the main building – a silver cross upon its peak and along the edges of the center place. Tinted glass surrounded each window; a large circulator panel over tall, oak wood doors standing out above the otherwise rectangular glass. The twin doors stand propped open for the day’s service; faint light at the end of the altar glowing ominously – like distant flames of a furnace.  The smell of herbs and burning candle wax hit strong as you enter; both you and Alasdair sitting in pews at the very back of the church.
The interior was even more marvelous. Cream colored walls basked in a warm light from lanterns; 
Moments after you settle down, a man walks up to the podium before the altar. Specs of grey salts his shoulder length, champagne hair colored; a single green eye visible through the unkempt mane – smiling cordially at the crowd below. Bandaged poke from the collar of his black robes to the sleeves; small scars dawning his pale knuckles. He places his hand on the surface of the podium, surveying the room with a quick sweep as the kind smile from his eye spreads to his lips. In the very last second his gaze washed over the room, you could have sworn he took a double glance at you.
“Friends, family, newcomers. We thank you all for joining us on another glorious day that the lord has given us. Let us join in faith and allow him to guide us in his glory to a brighter light.”
After the morning prayer, he begins to read off scripture verse from the Bible. Alasdair seems completely encapsulated in the words of the priest, but you couldn’t shake the familiar feeling of being watched. 
“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their home and confidence.”
Once service ends, you and Alasdair prepare to leave. If you hurried, there was time to get a bit more reset before the next activity of the day. Before you could make it to the exit, footsteps click to a halt on the checkered floor behind you. 
“Good day.”
You turn. The priest stands before you, arms tucked behind his back with a grin plastered to his face. It felt – different from the one he gave before. More genuine than before, yet eerie at the same time.
“I don’t believe I’ve seen you two before. It’s always nice to have young new faces.”
Alasdair extends a hand, and a friendly smile. “Alasdair, and this is Y/n.”
Basically ignoring Alasdair, the priest turns his focus to you, offering his palm to you instead. “Father Aiken. It’s a pleasure.” 
You hesitantly shake it. His grip is firm; the gesture lasting a few seconds longer than needed. He stares you down, calloused fingers deep in your palm – the pulse beneath almost palpable. He lets go and returns his hand to its original position. 
“Our doors are always open. Come by anytime.” He nods in Alasdair’s general direction before heading off. You decide to leave without questioning it any further. 
On the way home, you strike up a conversation with Alasdair. 
“So.. what did you think?”
“It was.. an interest. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it before, but before we met I paid little attention to your kind. It’s quite the experience to hear more about your beliefs in our creator.” He furrowed his brows. “But that man seemed.. off.”
 “What do you mean?”
“Every being gives off some kind of aura, even us angels. They could be factors in your race, or measures of your moral code like with you humans. Aiken didn’t have one at all. The only other time I’ve seen this is with…” He shakes his head.” ah, it’s probably nothing to worry about. Did you have a good time, Y/n?”
“It was alright… Would you go again?”
“I’m honestly not sure."
-
Days go by and you pretty much push the encounter to the back of your mind. You head out with Baron one day to pick up a couple things from the grocery store; the demon fortunately in human form as he rushed through the isles like a bat out of hell. With him off on his own, you venture elsewhere to find your personal wares. As you search the many shelves, a familiar voice calls from over your shoulder.
“Y/n?”
Looking back, you see Father Aiken; dressed in a casual outfit of a sweater and pants – shopping basket in one hand. It was easier to see the cloth wrapped around his body in the looser clothing; discolored poking from their length. He places his hand over his chest as he lets out a soft gasp.
“Ah, I thought it was you, my dear. How are you on this fine afternoon?”
“Not bad. How about you, Father?”
“Oh please, call me Jeremiah. No need for formalities. I didn’t see you at our last service. I don’t mean to pry, but will you ever return?”
You crack a nervous smile. “Sorry… I’ve just been busy with.. things-"
He frowns a bit. “Ah well, that's unfortunate. Excuse me.”
Jeremiah goes to grab something from the shelf beside your head, only for it to slip from his grasp and class to the ground. Being closer, you kneel to pick it up; yet he does the same. His hand glides over yours, but instead of pulling back he grabs it. You attempt to worm free, but he strokes the back of your palm as he squeezes your hand. 
“I knew it… You’ve been through so much haven’t you, Y/n?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You have troubles. Ones you can’t talk about with others. Haunted by foolish mistakes.” 
You clench your jaw; looking towards the ground – his smile grows. 
“Please stop by this weekend. We’re having a baptism, and I’d love to get to speak with you more.
He lets you go, standing up right as Baron turns the corner with the shopping cart. The two share a passing glance, but Jeremiah leaves. Baron rushes over to you.”
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m good…”
-
You get dressed for the service before either of your bedmates wake up – or so you thought. As you leave the bathroom, Alasdair stands near the doorway waiting.
“Are you heading somewhere, Y/n?”
“Nowhere specific. Just heading out.” You reply, avoiding eye contact. 
“Would you like me to come with you?”
“I’m fine on my own.”
“Are you sure-"
“Yes.” As comfortable as you were getting with them around, there were always times you felt suffocated by their constant attention – maybe that’s why you were going where you were now. Alasdair drops the subject, a thin frown on his face. You squeeze past him and exit the room. He looks over at Baron who had been woken by fuss. 
“It looks like I’ll be heading out too.” 
-
The service goes on without a hitch. At its end, Jeremiah calls forth a young male sitting in the front row. The pair stand before a small fountain, the waters within giving of a golden light; though hard to tell whether it was from the lights above or the bowl. The man kneels, Jeremiah dipping his palm into the cool waters. He swipes his hand over the man’s forehead as he speaks.
“Today we acknowledge the death of your old self and the professions of faith. You have been raised to a new life along the path of your worship, and in the name of the Holy Lord I now baptize you.”
He brings his finger down in the opposite direction, helping the man to his feet afterwards. The service lets out soon after that and he walks to you, sitting beside you as the final person leaves. He gently places his hand on your leg. 
“You came. I’m glad.”
“What did you mean.. back at the store?”
He exhales. “You are a very special person, Y/n. I could see that even during our first meeting, and I can also see what’s been shackled to you for many months. Powerful entities that barely leave you with a breath to spare. Am I wrong?”
You sigh. “Not completely.”
“It seems you’ve grown attached to them as well, and that’s understandable, but the best course of action might be to let it all go.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Give yourself over to faith, Y/n. By my hand, and the lord’s, we can help you find eternal peace. You can live without a single worry.”
You look away. Sure, the group was a pain, but they had grown on you – just like he said. The times of you wanting to get completely rid of them were in the past, but sometimes they still came into question. The multiple times you escaped near death had worn you down. Many things had. Everything he had said sounded ridiculous, but so much of your life up to this point had been as well.
“I don’t know about that.”
Jeremiah smiles warmly. “It’s alright, my dear. We all need time before tough choices. I’ll expect you next week.”
-
Alasdair watches you from behind a pillar, heart sunken at the defeat in your eyes. He eases past and to a door at the end of the hall – Jeremiah's office. It’s what you’d typically expect to see in such a place. A fan in one corner, calendar and various religious tapestries along the walls – desk in the center of the room. He goes over to it, searching the drawers for any information. The first few are empty, yet the final catches his eye. It has a lock; broken like wet tissue paper with enough force. At first all he sees is papers that seem unimportant at first, until he stumbles across a photo. One of you.
There’s more beneath. Ones of you at work; on the way home – inside your house. Dates written in red ink are printed on the back. He looks over the papers once more. Upon second glance; he realizes they ate schedules of your habits – likely looking for the right moment you’d be alone. As if it couldn’t get worse,, the final item in the drawer chills him to the core. It was a bone. The wing bone of a bird.
-
You return home hours later. It was actually nice to take to another human for a little while. Your conversation derailed from your problems and to average questions about the day – like something friends would have. The second you unlock the door, hands grip your shoulders and pull you in like the talons of a hawk.
“Where. Were. You.”
Alasdair’s stare is unlike anything you’ve never seen. Unhinged, panicked. He holds onto your like you’d slip through the cracks if he let go. It almost hurt.
“I went to church. Is that a crime?”
“Stay away from that man. He’s not safe to be around.”
“He seems fine to me. Let go- that hurts!”
He immediately lets you go at the announcement of your discomfort, not realizing he had been unintentionally clamping down on your shoulder. The surface is red, throbbing. The anger and fear in him instantly turns into guilt.
“I.. I’m sorry, Y/n. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just want to keep you safe. That’s what we all want.”
You bit your lip; bite back what you have to say. When was it your turn to get what you wanted? These people have forced their way into your life, and while you made your peace with it; you longed for a taste of your life before. The silence. 
“Promise me that you won’t go back.”
“I promise…
“Look at me and say it.”
You stare him in the eyes. “I promise I won’t go back.”
-
You wake at the crack of dawn, far before anyone else. You had slept that night with Maddox to further throw off suspicion. They were nestled in the corner of the couch, practically swallowed by it to give you as much space as they could. He had a look of utter contentment on his face. He always did when you slept with him. You replace your body with one of the arm pillows and leave; unaware of the eyes from the shadows.
-
The sun barely peaks over the horizon as you make it to the church. You planned on just camping out, but find the doors to be unlocked as you test them to make sure. The building is even creepier in the early hours. An empty husk of it could be; pews empty except for the silent wind. You see a figure at the end of the walkway and take a few steps forward; taking note of how it was a few inches taller than Jeremiah as you neared, and wearing less baggy, more formal clothes. 
“You lied to me, Y/n.”
Alasdair glares down at you, closing the distance. He doesn’t let you make your case; grabbing your wrist as he heads to the exit. “We’re leaving.”
“I just wanted to give him an answer.”
“He doesn’t deserve any of your time, forget him.”
“You don’t understand…”
He grabs your other wrist, forcing you to look at him as he halts in the middle of the aisle; fear and trepidation clear on his face. Something you’ve only seen once before. “No, Y/n, you don’t understand. That man has been watching you. He’s been killing ange-" 
Halfway through his sentence, something pierces Alasdair’s chest. His eyes meet yours, golden blood dribbling over his lips. The item removes itself from the cavity; his body slumping backwards. His hands still hold onto you, lightly pushing you away – almost telling you to run instead of it being the force of his limbs growing slack. As he collapses to the floor, you see the cause of the damage – blood dancing along the thin fingers of a bandaged hand.
You had seen Alasdair get hurt before. You were cutting something, and dropped the knife. He grabbed it, blade first with his bare hand – not even a drop of blood falling from the wound. Just an empty void in his palm.
“It’s alright, Y/n. There’s nothing man-made that can hurt me.”
“A pest this one was. Most of his kind are. Ah well, this was bound to be his fate someday.”
Jeremiah brings his hand to his face, licking the blood from each individual finger. As if only noticing you once he finished the cruel act, he grins.
“Hello, my dear.”
You trembled; legs geared to flee, yet remained stiff as stone. He steps on Alasdair’s sprawled out hand as he walks towards you.
“I’m very happy to see you again, Y/n~”
You stare past him, at Alasdair’s body; the blood circling him like tar. “H…how?”
“Growing up God, my family was extremely religious , even in the toughest hour. I tried my hardest to follow behind, but even then I knew the truth. God abandoned us, Y/n.”
You look in his direction.
“Did he ever tell you that? It’s the first thing those like him say.  Blindlessly following orders from something that hasn’t been heard from in years. Sounds familiar doesn’t it?”
He cocks his head to the side, farther than humanly possibly. “Do you know why?”
“It’s because he’s dead.” 
The bandages around his neck and arms fall; like whatever lies beneath was too much to keep wrapped. The skin under is raw, fleshy; pinkish like the muscles beneath – bulging off his body like a virus. Eyes tear through the mesh; blink starred, half lidded. The “flesh” drips over his left arm, its length and combining his fingers into a singular mass. Through the strands of his hair, his other eye becomes visible. Eyes to paint a better picture. Another eye had squeezed itself into the socket; iris yellow in color and surrounded by small rings. 
“And I’m his replacement.”
“A..are you saying that you…”
“Killed God? Heaven’s no, silly! I merely found his corpse and ate it. I suspect the lazy bastard died sometime after the creation of man.”
“That doesn’t explain why you’re killing angels.” 
“Not just angels. Anything that stands in my way. Humans are terribly flawed, Y/n. A majority of us worship a corpse for Christ’s sake! I’ll be what he failed to be. A Shepherd for humanity and bring it to its most prosperous hour. The light at the end of the tunnel. But none of that can be done, without you.”
He brings his hand up to your face, gently stroking your cheek. The limb is hot, almost unbearably so. He gives you the same warm smile he always had.
“I wasn’t lying when I said you were special, Y/n.. You’ve brought so many from beyond the veil to your doorstep when you’re what some would call an average person. I’ve been watching you, unsure what I should do with someone like you; but overtime I’ve come to see what those vermin have as well. You’re an extraordinary being with the will to go on after so much pain. What many have lost the will to do. You make me feel something I haven’t been in ages… human.”
He presses his lips to yours, locking you in a kiss with his hand to the back of your neck. Alasdair’s blood still clings to his bottom lip. He pulls away with a look of amazement. 
“What a rush! Ah, I’ve missed feeling things like this. You’re the only one who can ground me to this reality, make sure I keep the one thing I lost so long ago. I was planning on taking you myself, but since you came on your own I knew our courtship was meant to be.  You feel the same way… right?~”
You don’t say anything. No words come to mind. Everything feels numb. You still look past him, at the body on the ground below. The blood rushes to your head. You’re unable to feel his tremendous gaze; the scream that echoes through the church’s hall – how your body falls from his grasp and unto the arms of another.
Maddox carries you in their arms away from the building; Baron close by with Alasdair’s limp form over his shoulders. Jeremiah is nowhere to be seen. Time feels like it’s going by at a crawl. You hear the faint tick of a clock as Maddox's skeletal hands drag you away from the scene. He looks down at you, expression unreadable as he covers your eyes with his free palm.
-
Upon returning home, Baron carries Alasdair to the bedroom to tend to his wounds. “He’s still warm.” Is all he gave you. Maddox stays with you on the couch, holding your shaking hands; your head in the crook of his neck. 
“He’ll be okay.” He tries, but you knew that neither of you knew if that was true. Though your memories were a haze after that final moment, you remember the last thing Jeremiah said to you.
“See you, soon…”
1K notes · View notes
loveerran · 6 months
Text
Five years ago, President Nelson recommended we start referring to our church by it’s full name, de-emphasizing the use of ‘Mormon’ as a nickname. This struck a number of members as incongruous. The full name of the church is quite a mouthful (Pres. Nelson recommends “Church of Jesus Christ” as an alternative). Also, we were just coming off the famous ‘Meet the Mormons’ movie and a whole series of ‘I’m a Mormon’ videos. These media efforts helped to showcase real members and our diversity and humanness as part of breaking down harmful stereotypes (exacerbated by the new Book of Mormon musical’s parody/highlighting of our cultural problems). So people were a bit taken aback and naturally confused, and some began using compliance with this directive as a measuring stick to determine if their neighbor was really, truly ‘following the prophet’ (because, hey, we do have our cultural problems with focusing on what actually matters).
I used to be in the ‘Mormon describes me and my culture and I’m used to it and will keep using it’ camp. But I think I am changing my tune, and here’s why: Almost everything I dislike about my church is culture-based. The actual doctrine is pretty awesome, very world-class, and I will hold it up against anything.
And maybe it isn’t a bad idea for church leaders and church members to keep repeating the name of Jesus Christ on a regular basis as a gentle reminder for us to keep moving away from the outward culture to the inward gospel and the change of heart we all need as disciples of Christ.
107 notes · View notes
bidisastersanji · 4 months
Text
The Old Guard x One piece AU got my brain going brrr and i'm gonna make it your problem now. Center of the matter is I want Zoro and Sanji to meet kind of like Nicki and Joe did (discovering their immortality by fighting on opposite sides and killing each other over and over and then becoming eternal lovers) so I went and did some research for the entire Straw hat crew. Main thing is I wanted to link them to historical events that will give them the right motivations and backgrounds! so here we GOOO
Sanji and Zoro: Because Japan has an isolationist past, the only battle I could find that would work is the Cagayan battles of 1582 in Jakarta between Spanish-Philippine forces vs Japanese pirates (a.k.a Wokou, which are basically pirate ronin) Sanji would thus be a reluctant "Rodelero" sent to South East Asia by his noble family (jokes on them he loves being in the middle of the spice trade and he hates being part of a noble family funding the conquistadores) who one day finds himself fighting a mysterious Wokou samurai Zoro. They're partly isolated from their respective camps when they first kill each other, and again, and again, until they realise they should by all means be dead but they keep healing. After a couple decades of -against all odds- running into each other everywhere, they reluctantly decide to try and figure out what the heck's happened to them together- struggling to communicate at first, then learning each others' language over the following decade, then falling in love and becoming inseparable. This makes Zoro and Sanji both over 400 years old, and they are the same age. Zoro learns about so many sword techniques and Sanji about different cuisines/ leg-centric fighting styles during this time.
all the other straw hats and their historical periods under the cut!
Robin as an Egyptian scholar who died during the burning of the Library of Alexandria in 48 BC/ was killed for researching something forbidden during the declining years of the Roman Period (early 200s) and found out she was immortal this way, making her around 2 millennia old. She spends her time recording history and traveling the world and encountering new cultures. Her long time enemy is religious obscurantism, and the Catholic church spends a lot of resources trying to kill her. (they have conspiracy boards about this immortal witch in the Vatican)
Brook: so ancient he doesn't remember much, other that he came from Kerma culture (2500 BC), loved music, and that his entire village had died from an illness, but he came back. His memory isn't great but if there's one thing he's loved in his Millennia of existence is discovering and learning how to play all the instruments that he could find. He mostly hangs in Vienna nowadays as a music teacher.
Jinbei is a Samoan chieftain from around 1000 BC who one day died during a battle with a Fijian chieftain. When he came back from death he assumed Tagaloa chose him. He loves navigating, sailing, exploring and going on voyages with his people. In more recent times (post european contact) he was forced to ally with the US Navy to protect his people.
Nami: Irish lass from around 800 who's coastal, tiny village was about to be raided by Vikings from Sweden. She made a deal with their chieftain Arlong to go with them and map out the British isles for them to help their raids be more effective and targeted, in exchange for not killing people in her village, and that she would make back the plunder they did not get from this town for them. She started to join their raids to try and make this money, but she died in battle. She came back and they believed her to be some kind of Valkyrie or Einherjer brought back to midgard. She took over the raider's leadership- also Norsemen always had women handle money, which works great here. During her time as an immortal she travels, seeks treasure, double crosses people etc.
Usopp a young double agent/CIA spy from the Cold War who died on a mission. He tragically could not return to his love Kaya because he was afraid of putting her in danger by revealing he was alive to the spies that killed him. He relocates and starts anew constantly, his entire life a web of lies. He's a great marksman/sniper.
Chopper died young of the Bubonic plague in medieval Europe. He resuscitated, tragically his father is infected as well and he's unable to save him- motivating him to get to the bottom of this disease, he decides to become a doctor. Looking like a 15 year old for centuries doesn't make this task easy and he has to hide a lot.
Franky is an American veteran of WWI who was heavily disfigured first, and died later (which is why he's not fully healed and needs prosthetics). He's heavily anti-government from having been sent to fight in such a meaningless war that sacrificed young men like cannon fodder. He learned to fix himself up and make prosthetics and masks for veterans, got into making tech stuff
Luffy is a modern, 21st century 20 something year old from Brazil's favelas. He dies in a gun violence incident (maybe linked to a drug war/gang war where he's been trying to protect his neighbourhood) and comes back, experiencing visions of others like him. He's resolute to find them and make a crew, thinking that with all of them together, maybe they can help liberate the world from opressors and inequality
96 notes · View notes
fayoftheforest · 7 months
Text
vampire kyle & historic antisemitism
DISCLAIMER: this post is not intended to incite drama or discourse, I simply want to share my thoughts on a complex topic. Just because I’m Jewish does not mean I speak for the entire community. We’re not a monolith, there is great diversity of opinion among us, discussion and debate is a beloved part of our culture, etc etc :) ok on with the post!
But wait, Fay, I hear you interject. Vampires aren’t even real! How can they be sayin’ stuff about Jews? Well, my dear friends, I have some rather grave news for you: much of pop culture is Sayin’ Stuff About The Jews. And very little of it is positive :/
I’ll quote Jewish author Deke Moulton to establish the basic links between vampires and antisemitism:
The problem is tied to the conspiracy called the blood libel. If you’re not familiar with it, the blood libel started in Medieval Europe in the 12th century and claimed that Jewish people needed the blood of Christian children to make our Passover matzoh. For context, Jewish people are prohibited from consuming blood at all – we will salt kosher meat to draw out blood. Despite being very old and very wrong, the blood libel idea still persists today (albeit usually with slightly less obvious framing).
There is also a common trope of vampires operating through a secret, worldwide council that often governs ‘vampire affairs’ but also may dabble in controlling other aspects of the world’s governments. While some people can see a similarity to the Catholic Church, often times this calls upon the antisemitic trope of the ‘cabal’—that Jews secretly run the entire world (which is another strange antisemitic trope, as Judaism doesn’t have any central religious figure like the Pope). The word ‘cabal’ itself is a bastardization of the word kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism. If you combine this with a trope of vampires hoarding large amounts of money (especially gold?), you’re using yet another antisemitic trope that says Jewish people control the world’s banks.
Even things like being adverse to the sunlight can have antisemitic implications – the early Church claimed that, because in Judaism days start at sundown and thus our time of worship happens at night, that gathering at night to worship was proof of us being evil and satanic.
So, all vampires are bad and wrong, and vampire Kyle AUs are a hatecrime, and everyone who’s ever done one should go straight to jail, right?
Well. No.
Because really, it should be noted that this extract is from an interview on Moulton’s novel “Don’t Want To Be Your Monster,” a book which not only features blood-sucking vampires, but a blood-sucking Jewish vampire. Interesting, interesting... it's almost as if this topic is nuanced or something 🤔
Many iconic vampires are based on antisemitic stereotypes. Perhaps most famous is Dracula, with curly hair and a hooked nose, is an Eastern European immigrant who has the intentions of “infecting” British society. Another example is Nosferatu, who also has an exaggerated hooked nose, is thin, pale and hunched, and is topped by a skull cap. There are modern exceptions to this trend, though! Twilight comes to mind. Edward Cullen is far more inspired by Stephanie Meyer’s Mormonism than Judaism as a whole. Explained so aptly by The Quietus, “As vampiric portrayals become more positive, they tend to also become less connected to Jewish representation.” Come on, you guys >:( Jewishness can be hot and sexy too, I swear!!
From what I’ve seen of Vamp!Kyle AUs, portrayals tend to lean more towards the mysterious and alluring Cullen-type than the bad-to-the-bone Dracula. Ultimately, I think this is what redeems our fandom’s vampire Kyle. Because crucially, whilst vampires can be antisemitic, they are not innately antisemitic. When you show Kyle brooding behind his high-collars and flashing toothy grins at his love interest, it’s not typically symbolic of the ultimate evil that we are expected to fear and ridicule. It's intended to be cute, or cool, or hot, or whatever.
My advice is thus: if you want to make something deeper or complex with the AU, just have a think about what you’re using his vampiric traits to represent. Are you drawing from unfortunate stereotypes or feeding into antisemitic fears? Are you validating or justifying the “othering” or ostracisation of Jewish people from wider society? You could consider finding a Jewish beta/sensitivity reader, if that’s accessible to you. But generally speaking, so long as you’re not presenting Kyle as an all-powerful predator to pure, innocent Christian society, I reckon you’re probably alright :)
117 notes · View notes
heartandsol-0 · 3 months
Text
just thinking about the nerds, my weirdos from npmd. the main 5 (yes i’m including steph shut up she’s also a nerd but i’ll get to that later)
(gonna be a longgg one so putting it under a cut)
grace. unhinged evangelical christian turned evil disciple of the lords in black. does murder as a fun hobby. this transformation— from a “good christian” to murdering for enrichment— was set off by her being horny for a single guy. okay but like actually, i have So Many feelings about grace chasity. raised being told you’re inherently sinful and there’s nothing you can do about it. feeling that guilt and feeling like you have to make up for your sinful nature. because you’re Inherently Bad and bound to disappoint god. so she tries her best to be a “good christian” to make up for being human. she sees her peers at school and is confused. don’t they know that they’re sinful?? don’t they know that they should be spending their lives making it up to god?? why are they so free?? why are they not ashamed?? and so she adopts the holier-than-thou attitude to cope with being so different, instead of actually getting to the root of the problem: deconstructing her archaic and problematic beliefs. namely that she as a human is irrevocably and unequivocally evil. and so she must turn to god to “purify” herself. obviously purity culture goes hand in hand here and she believes that the most important thing to preserve her “purity” in the eyes of god is her chastity. so when she feels that that chastity is threatened (re: her being horny for max), she is determined to do whatever it takes to restore her purity. so she tries to take away his power. but then he dies. and that works for her (can’t be horny for someone who’s dead), so she shrugged it off and buried the body. and then she spends the next part of the show just trying to cover her tracks so she doesn’t get caught. and then. they summon the lords in black. suddenly her beliefs are completely contradicted, sending her reeling. the lords in black are not satan, so where does that leave her faith?? it’s like that meme, none of these words are in the bible. pokotho, bliklotep, t’noy karaxis?? grace would’ve remembered reading such strange names. nibbelenephim, wiggog y’wrath?? why does it feel so familiar?? she knows they’re not in the bible. but they’re real. she talked to them. so what does that say about the bible?? the book that many pastors say have “passages for every circumstance.” it flips everything she knows on its head. and now she’s rethinking all the strange hatchetfield folklore that she had previously dismissed as myth. the muck witch?? lumber axe?? chumby the hatchetfield ape-man?? the magic of the woods?? the church of the starry children cult?? are they all real?? so of course, with all this information coming at her so suddenly and all at once, it’s gonna change everything for her. and, not to mention, she’s just participated in a ritual. with her religion and archaic beliefs, that must mean she’s done witchcraft. which must mean she’s completely evil now. also, she had sex?? before marriage?? unforgivable. irredeemable. so, now she must feel an even more intense urge to fix things. but she’s already past the point of no return, so she just decides she’ll make the world a better place by killing all the “pervs.” she’s such a fascinating character. she reminds me of that one post that was like “the real villains of npmd are the adults” and god THEY’RE SO RIGHT. especially in grace’s case. every adult in her life failed her and so she turned out to be the unhinged harbinger of chaos we all know and love.
and then there’s ruth. our beloved touchstarved bisexual who didn’t live long enough to see herself be truly loved. yes she had the other nerds and i do love their friendship, but in npmd they were mostly friends out of necessity. they were the only people who would talk to each other. i do think they loved each other and in other circumstances would be really good real friends, but their friendship as it was in the show seemed like they were all just bummed that they didn’t have anyone cooler to hang out with. so they settled for hanging with their loser friends. i mean, ruth and richie were never mourned after their deaths for gods sake!! like granted pete, steph, and grace had other things to worry about— like evading the police and yk,,, surviving— but even after that, ruth and richie weren’t mentioned again. we got a happy homecoming scene instead, where everything’s great. like yes i loved that scene and lautski are so adorable, but it’s as if pete completely forgot about his friends. steph i can understand a little more because she barely knew them. and grace was too busy being unhinged. but ruth and richie were supposedly pete’s best friends. and he never seemed to care that they died at all. i think in npmd the nerds were only friends out of proximity. but that doesn’t mean that i don’t think they don’t have the potential to be really close and amazing friends in other circumstances. i really think they do, that’s why i love reading fics that depict them and their friendship. i just don’t think they were the greatest friends to each other in npmd. ruth was just so sad and so lonely the whole show. especially in the beginning. and then when max died, ruth got to see things change a lot for the better. but she still seemed pretty alone. after her heartbreaking barbecue monologue performance (in which she envisions an idyllic life in the future where she’s still not happy, which makes it even more heartbreaking), she’s brutally murdered. only after max berates her performance. the tone of her character was always sad, even after max died. she just couldn’t envision herself being happy. not even in the far future. and that’s heartbreaking. even when she had friends and wasn’t being bullied anymore, she was still unhappy. her needs were still not being met. richie died right after he finally became happy, but ruth died sad. she was always sad, and then she died that way too. and then. her friends didn’t even really care about her death. this brings me back to the topic of the nerds’ friendship. it just saddens me that in none neither richie nor ruth were grieved over. but, i do also want to note that their relationships with each other seemed a little different in workin boys. richie took and edited ruth’s headshot, he and grace showed up to support ruth in her debut on the stage, etc etc. their relationship feels more like real friendship than it did in npmd. it feels more loving and supportive. so i think in that timeline, things are better for her. but then yk she got killed again in cold blood, so :/ my girl ruth deserved so much better (i will literally never shut up about how she deserved better)
and richie. our silly little weeb with blue hair and pronouns. i personally think that richie had it the worst back when max was alive. being the mascot, he was forced to be around the football team (and therefore max) more often than the others for games and stuff. it seemed like the other nerds were able to avoid max most of the time, but if they ever let their guard down (and didn’t go running as soon as the bell rang), there would be hell to pay. other than that it seemed like they got by okay (as long as you count being traumatized and living in constant fear and self-deprecation as being okay, but you get the point). richie, however, encountered max regularly. so i think he probably got some of the worst of the bullying. and then when max died, things got so much better for him. the football players actually cared and were nice to him. kyle invited him to join the swim team. he was actually living a life he wanted to live, he said it himself!! “man, i love those guys!! they’re my bros4life!! y’know, for the first time, *long pause as he struggles with the nighthawk costume*, i feel like i belong. i love this school!! i love being alive!!” like that’s the sweetest ever i was SO happy for him. but then. he was murdered. he spent his life so afraid and alone and then when max died, he suddenly wasn’t alone anymore!! only for it to be cruelly ripped away just as he was finally starting to feel okay for the first time. he died just as he’d lived— afraid and alone, pleading for help. he had finally gotten a taste of happiness, only for it to be immediately ripped away. and like i said before, the only people he did have before max’s death seemed to completely forget about him after he died. he wasn’t mourned. i do think max was projecting in this part of npmd (the song), but it turned out to be surprisingly true for richie too. who will pray for him indeed. just like ruth, richie deserved so much better.
and then there’s pete. our sweet pathetic sopping wet cat of a nerd. he’s cooler than he thinks he is. he was so in love and so in denial. he references star wars. he has so much loser boy swag it’s insane. he possesses literally all the spankoffski charm that ted claims to have. he’s just doing his best. i love him so much. in the beginning he’s just trying to survive high school. as he said, he wanted to be invisible. he just wanted to make it through high school alive. and then, he and steph start becoming friends. suddenly, things change for him. he no longer wants to fade into the background. he wants to stand out to her. he wants her to notice him. he begins dressing differently, he puts himself out there more often, he wants so badly for her to like him. he loves her so much but never believes that she’d ever love him back. as he said in abstinence camp, “i’m a loser, and you’re stephanie lauter.” but. regardless, she adores him. but he didn’t know that yet and he barely even dared to hope that she felt the same way as he did. and then there’s if i loved you. they’re both idiots and in denial but at this point it’s obvious that they’re trying to deflect from their feelings about each other. it’s obvious even to them. but pete probably still thinks it’s all in his head. (even tho they’re constantly holding hands, checking on each other, touching each other, etc). and then. they summon the lords in black and have to sacrifice the thing they cherish the most. pete is hit full force by the realization that he is the thing she cherishes most. this is real now. there’s no more deflecting or hiding it, the fate of the world rests on their shoulders. so steph tells him to sacrifice what he loves the most. that’s when he too has to admit it. he loves her. so now it’s all out in the open. they love each other and they both know it. there’s no more room for denial. that’s why cool as i think i am reprise is so heartbreaking. what’s usually a happy moment (realizing your crush reciprocates your feelings) becomes devastating. pete volunteers to die. it’d be worth it, as long as steph gets to live on, he thinks. he’s a loser anyway, it may as well be him, he thinks. steph says she’d love to go to homecoming with him. she fires. and then, max stops the bullet, grace has sex with him, and suddenly they’re all safe again. he goes to homecoming with steph and here we get to see them be together without something getting in the way. sure i wanted to see that he actually cared about his friends, that their loss was painful to him, but it also was nice to see some fluffy lautski. they’re so in love <3 for pete, it’s a happy ending (even tho i’ll never get over how he just forgot about his dead friends, but that’s what fic is for ig)
and then there’s steph. the cool kid with daddy issues. also a nerd, but she just hides it better. in the beginning, things were so sad for her. she’s yet another example of how the adults of hatchetfield are the real villains. she’s constantly berated by her dad who doesn’t give a fuck about her, only how her actions affect his electability. miss tessburger doesn’t help either, using her power over her when she can to talk down to her. she’s called stupid, dumb, and a flunkie. she thinks those things are true, and hearing the people who are supposed to support her in life berate her about it is painful. she’s overly attached to her phone. and for good reason, the internet is likely the only place where she feels she can actually bond with and relate to others. at school before max died, her friendships seemed really superficial. she was so alone, despite being one of the coolest kids in school. then, she met pete. they were able to actually connect in a way that steph had likely never been able to at first. so she stuck around and tried to help pete and his friends out. she really seemed to love hanging out with the nerds, even though they’re all such fucking losers (affectionate). she seemed to genuinely have a good time with them. it’s friendship in a way i don’t think she’d experienced before. she chose to hang out with them. whereas with the other cool kids, she only seemed to hang out with them bc they were also cool and that was the thing to do. cool kids are supposed to hang out with other cool kids, so that’s what they did. but talking to pete (this guy that she’s been in classes with since first grade, he was always right there for her to make a meaningful connection with but she just never did before now) showed her that she didn’t have to hide who she really was just because she’s a cool kid. she’s a dork and she shouldn’t have to hide those parts of her away. she can be accepted for who she really is, people are out there that would wholeheartedly love and accept her as she is. but before, she felt like she had to constantly act like she was winning the idgaf war, when in reality she was the first one to die on that battlefield. she cares so much. it’s just buried beneath who she feels she has to act like. her dad being so shitty ofc plays a big factor into this. if her own father can’t love her for who she is, then who else would?? pete. pete would. and meeting him gave her the space and confidence to truly be herself for the first time in her life. but it was a struggle to get to that point. she spent so much of the show denying her feelings for pete. simply because it didn’t go with her illusion of not giving a fuck. but eventually, the act had to drop. again, the fate of the world was in their hands. so she admitted her feelings. he admitted his. they shared in the mutual heartbreak of loving each other but knowing that one of them must die. she says she’d love to go to homecoming with him. she fires the gun. max stops the bullet, grace has sex with him, and they’re safe now. they can be together now. they can love each other with nothing else getting in the way. cue the homecoming scene and best of you. like pete, this story has a happy ending for steph
but this is hatchetfield. we all know how rare happy endings are. so yk grace goes on her killing spree
52 notes · View notes
varanguard · 8 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
That part about the boys hurts really badly. I know she's right about it. Alas Ukrainian society still has a long road ahead of it in regards to tolerance and acceptance. Before anyone starts banging that stupid russian drum 'Ukronazis', I would like to underline the fact that the most of homophobia is a Soviet legacy, and the prolonged exposure to post-soviet russian culture which only doubled down on the whole 'fa**ots are not humans' thing.
There is also a huge Orthodox Church problem in Ukraine which remains the only 'authentic' spreader of homophobia and intolerance in my country.
101 notes · View notes
sophieinwonderland · 11 months
Text
That moment a TERF shows up in the Syscourse tag...
Tumblr media
I think I need ayahuasca to recover from seeing their blog.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
First, just A+ response there from @rainnthefrog!
Just love how they completely shut that down!
When the people banning drag queens (who have never harmed in children in these schools) from performing at schools are encouraging guns to be brought in, you should heavily question how committed people are to the safety of children.
As for @femaledracula, there is so much wrong with this. First, again, zero incidents of drag queens preying on children. It's not a thing. You're talking about a problem that doesn't exist. Second, how do drag queens performing in schools have power over students?
Teachers are in a position of authority. Religious leaders are in a position of authority. Drag queens in schools just... are there. They're just an adult who happens to be present. And if this hypothetical problem were so important, why not take issue with every instance of guest performers and speakers? A police officer or fireman speaking at a school will be seen as more of an authority figure over students than dancers.
Wait... it's the transphobia and homophobia, isn't it? That makes sense.
Oh, and did I mention the sheer audacity of comparing LGBT people to the Catholic Church?
The next post wasn't on femaledracula's blog, but was another reblog of the OP from @aftonfamilyvalues. And I just absolutely love @benkybot's take on the whole dumpsterfire of a post.
Tumblr media
🏆
Thank you!
And finally, as a tulpa, this especially caught my eye.
Tumblr media
No. We're not our bodies. We're our consciousness. Our bodies are vessels our emergent consciousnesses ride around in. An amputee doesn't cease to be themselves because they lost their leg. A blind person doesn't cease being themselves because they lost their eyes.
Seeing your body as your whole self can be an extremely unhealthy outlook, especially when it comes to beauty standards and their affect on people's self-esteem.
I realize this is primarily about transness, but the mentality @talktomydoctorate is pushing is something that is also incredibly dangerous to the plural community where multiple people share a single body.
With that in mind, I'd like to take a moment to spout off a bunch of stuff to scare some TERFs! 😁
Let me start with an introduction! Hi, I'm Sophie, a cis girl tulpa riding around in an AMAB body!
Our tulpamancy practices can reliably make people of the opposite gender inside people's brains!
Tulpamancy, over time, is generally regarded as functionally irreversible, with one psychiatry professor likening getting rid of a well-developed tulpa to trying to will yourself to forget how to read.
Every new tulpamancer who creates an opposite-gendered headmate will be a brand new non-binary/genderfluid system in the world.
And tulpamancers tend to be creative people. I know many who are interested in animation and writing, where we can influence pop culture for future generations. Others are studying to be psychologists and psychiatrists where they can be influential in other ways.
And the best part is that there's really nothing you can do to stop it. 🤷‍♀️
Please, chew on that for a while.
And stay out of system tags. You and your kind aren't welcome here.
161 notes · View notes
karatam · 1 year
Note
Top 5 video essays. Go!
oh this is such an interesting questions hmmmmmmmm
(my problem is that I'm an idiot who has not maintained a playlist or anything of my faves, which I'm going to do starting now lmao)
not in any particular order, though I ended up with more than 5:
Line Goes Up - The Problem With NFTs by Folding Ideas. Does a great job at explaining what they are and how they work, and particularly how they don't work. Talks about the toxic culture that surrounds them and now they're often just scams. I've rewatched it twice.
ROBLOX_OOF.mp3 by hbomberguy. Starts off as a light-hearted look into who made that ubiquitous sound effect. Goes right off the deep end into the teeming insanity of the liar at the centre of it all. Incredible and utterly unhinged.
Disney Channel's Theme: A History Mystery by Defunctland. Related to #2 in general idea, but totally different in execution. Starts off by trying to find who composed a short little jingle used by the Disney Channel. Ends up a study of being an artist and what that means. I cried.
Disney's FastPass: A Complicated History by Defunctland. A truly interesting look at the history of the management of queues at amusement parts, culminating in the FastPass, for better or worse.
The Church Play Cinematic Universe by Jenny Nicholson. Not a video essay like some others on this list, but simply one of the most entertaining 80 minutes I've ever spent. A weird church puts on incredibly elaborate plays based on existing IP by twisting every story into a christmas or easter play.
The Rise, Lies, & Demise of Jan Hendrik Schön by BobbyBroccoli. Actually a three part series about a man who almost faked his way to a Nobel Prize in physics.
The Bob Emergency: a study of athletes named Bob by Jon Bois. Another two-parter. This is exactly what it says on the tin. It looks at the rise and fall of the number of athletes named Bob.
Into The Omegaverse: How a Fanfic Trope Landed in Federal Court by Lindsay Ellis. Truly batshit, truly incredible. Everyone needs to watch this at least once.
The Failure of Victorious and The End of Victorious by Quinton Reviews. These are a combined 13.5 hours about a show that I only kind of watched. And yet I was fascinated.
An appropriately unhinged recap of Pretty Little Liars by Mike's Mic. Like above, a truly batshit recap of a batshit show that I didn't really watch. Honestly it's more fun when you haven't seen it, because every new plot point is like being hit in the head by a baseball bat.
I Debunked the Entire Manosphere by munecat. A terrifying but funny examination of that part of the internet that I've been trying very hard to avoid.
The Making of Horizon Zero Dawn by noclip. One of my favourite games and a very interesting look at the process of bringing a video game from pitch to end product.
309 notes · View notes
sanctus-ingenium · 1 year
Note
What is your process like when building a story, it's characters and world?
my two main methods - start with characters, or start with plot/setting
to start with characters - that's an easy enough one for me and my main go-to. I enjoy writing and drawing characters more than I do working on worldbuilding or setting stuff, and I think "wouldn't it be cool if I had a character who was x/did y/etc". my book Said The Black Horse is 100% character driven. the three main characters are built for each other, to fit together in the story. the world is built FOR the characters - it's not a worldbuilding Project that works outside the scope of the story. so for this story, the starting point was - "i want to write about a poly gay relationship between three fucking losers who constantly get in arguments with eachother". before the faery stuff, before anything else about the setting, that was the start of it. it's about a close friendship/romance. i start with the characters - not so much 'here's what they look like and their personality and backstory' but 'here's the functional purpose of that character, here's what they bring to the story'. and that doesn't mean that everything has to be critically important to the plot either
so now we have the purpose of that character - what character traits make it easier to achieve this purpose? what might be entertaining to read? the characters are built as a cast, to all fit together - not in the sense of "x character is the stubborn one so that means y character has to be opposite of that", but "x is the stubborn one, so what trait of y's can emphasise x's stubbornness" and vice versa. the characters are tools, not people, and it's fine to give one a trait just for the purpose of enhancing our understanding of another more important character. how do they bring out the best in one another? or (my favourite) how do they bring out the worst?
I find that the story comes very naturally just from building up the cast. what parts of the setting can be used to show off these characters? my book has an extended period when the characters are lost as children & on the run - well, why not put them in a giant magic forest known for eating people alive, just to raise the stakes and show more of the supernatural elements? okay, how does that forest change the setting? how does it impact the characters? what are their misconceptions about the forest? which misconceptions come from their culture? what does that say about their culture? and once you get this sort of cycle going, it's hard to stop. only drawback is that it might take multiple rough drafts of the same story until you iron out all the creases - i started writing the rough draft in 2019, it was about 110k words. the first true draft in 2020 was 215k words. the current draft is 225k words. that's a lot of writing lol and each new draft started with a new blank document.
to start with setting - this is tougher for me because i just love characters so much and tend to only really care about them. but sometimes you get an idea like "what if big mechanical beasts" while listening to a christian metal album and you gotta pursue it, even without the safe starting point of the characters. but in a way it's kind of the same - the setting HAS to serve the story first of all, otherwise it's just a worldbuilding project. which is fine, they just don't hold my attention all that much. so the concept - 'what if mechanical beasts' -> what are they used for? fighting dragons. why? for fuel, and righteous religious reasons. immediately there's a scarcity problem with the fuel, right, if it only comes from dragons. so how is this dealt with? it's very expensive. the church controls the supply to avoid having to compete with private entities or a non-theocratic government. how is this enforced? and so on and on and on. and then to put the characters in, it's me identifying which POV might be interesting to read about - a knight struggling to meet the church's expectations, an enginesmith with a guilty secret, and a banished ex-knight who desperately yearns for adulation again.
i find that the best way to refine the setting or characters is just to write in it. pick a random plot that COULD happen and write it out short story style. i will instantly run into issues that need to be solved, in order of importance. it doesn't matter if you have a whole kingdom designed down to the last vizier if you don't know what a character does in their day to day life when the main plot isn't happening
168 notes · View notes
a-witch-in-endor · 7 months
Note
i binged mo in like 2 days omg... i feel like a walking zombie rn how am I supposed to go on AAAAAA my heart is pounding LIKE??? it gave me SOO MANY EMOTIONS CRYINGGGGG this is The Atla Fic Ever
but more importantly, I just want to say that this fic is changing my perspective on religion. im athiest, and quite honestly I've never been able to truly understand religion. I'm a strong believer in science, so religion just has never made sense to me. reading mo though, and connecting with a character who believes so deeply in his religion, and seeing how overall, religion is meant to provide guidance to understanding the world and forming morals, I feel like I've grown a lot of respect for religion in general
it's still hard for me, because a lot of my experiences with religion (or I should say, christianity/catholicism specifically- I feel like I should make it clear that I don't judge people for following religion, I just have never seen/understood the appeal) have been with people around me who are religious and therefore very homophobic or anti-abortion etc. I'm not trying to start political discourse ofc, but experiencing that consistently has not really put religion in a positive perspective for me
but reading mo and taking lots of time to think about religion in general, and how I do have friends who are religious and still supportive of lgbtq+ ppl, or who are even queer themselves, I feel like maybe I've grown as a person to become more open minded towards religion. when someone tells me they're christian, honestly I find myself closing up around them. I don't want to make it obvious I'm queer because I feel like they'll judge or disapprove. but I think that's an unfair assumption to make
I think religion, and how it ties into a people's culture and history, is beautiful. I worry that I'll always be wary around christianity, but I'll continue trying to keep an open mind. I understand now that the original beliefs of a religion and the actions of some of its followers are not one in the same, and that the teachings of a religion can call for peace while some followers ignore this. I realize that I should not judge an entire religion simply because there are some practicers who deliberately misinterpret the original teachings
I know the religions in mo are not quite the same as the ones that I am uneasy around. but nonetheless you've helped me see religion and its followers in a new light. and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am so excited to see how the story continues, thank you for taking the time to write and continue this story for as long as you have, and for helping people like me expand our worldview and become more enriched
Ah, OP, I'm really pleased to hear that it's been a meaningful experience for you. I know a lot of people have complex relationships with religion. In fact, I think anyone who doesn't have some complexity in their relationship with religion is probably a rare specimen.
Powerhouses like Christianity are hugely affected by the amount of institutional power they've enjoyed, and you know what they say about the impact of power. But there are a lot of beautiful ideas there, too. If you're ever looking for a way to encounter more than the political powerhouse of the church, I recommend reading about liberation theology - and specifically (Catholic Priest) Gustavo Gutiérrez's A Theology of Liberation.
That all being said, I don't want to undermine the fact that there's a lot to be wary of in religious tradition, especially around perspectives on gender, sexuality, and such. It is not my perspective that these things are baked into religion specifically. It's that anything that links us to the what-came-before is going to include the problems of what came before, and religion has a lot to do with tradition, so it often falls into that trap.
I just happen to also rate the part of religion which is also about being in relationship with past and future, about continuous revelation, about liberation and obligation, about living life with consciousness and constantly asking what it means to be human and what we owe ourselves, one another, and God.
Anyway, this was barely coherent, but it comes down to: thank you for sharing. :-)
64 notes · View notes
goldeneyesblind · 2 months
Text
thinking about the upcoming game and it still rubs me wrong how if you play a dalish elf, especially a male one because you can't romance Solas, just how trashy he treats you if you dont agree with every single thing he says
like how he calls the dalish stupid for "not knowing their history" as if there wasnt a mass murder and colonization attempt, how the loss of magic and immortality was due to the rip in the veil (which Solas was a part of cause)
Solas is like that history buff dudebro who learned about a culture and then showed up and acts like he is the expert and mansplains it to the people from said culture
this doesnt even dive into the problems of biowares writing with elves in general how they are clearly based on indigenous groups and jewish people (here is a post with sources and screenshots of the discussion from the writers) and that the chantry is basically the catholic church. so to have an elf, one who originally was designed to be a brown man, want to pull the "we must bring back the old ways and i'll kill anyone who tries to stop me" is oof and im having doubts they will handle it well in dread wolf
like i do love the concept of the series and to me its a form of love to want them to do better so don't be stupid in my mentions
25 notes · View notes
Note
i've fallen in love with a human and the topic of marriage came up. is there any documentation around human/vampire marriage? i am uncertain how "till death do us part" works if one partner is already (un)dead and not likely to experience a second death within the human's lifetime. i wish to be married to my beloved without taking the irreversable step of turning them just yet. their mortal life has many things dear to them and i do not wish to take that away so soon.
First up, let us applaud your decision to not rush into it. Too many hemovores just pull the trigger. Momentary decision, eternal consequences.
That being said, if you have your legal personhood documentation, there's no legal problems going through the normal channels, though being on the grounds of a church might pose a logistical problem depending on your cultural upbringing.
You'll want to get in touch with one of the nonhuman outreach offices in your area, but I'd also call the Rhode Island help desk. Ask for Mercy. There's support groups. The biggest tip I can give you is this:
Be on the same page re: Italian food.
61 notes · View notes