But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’[a] 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[b] 8 and the two will become one flesh.’[c] So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.
This is what Jesus said when asked about divorce, but he doesn't answer the question directly. That's because it has multiple meanings that are profound that we have over looked. We are made in the image of God. Which is the Son, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. So man has his mind, body, and soul.
He is describing combining the flesh of two into one, their DNA. Their souls and minds are also involved in this.
What we have failed to realize in this is the most important warning that was ever given to us, because to do so would bring about our downfall and the wrath of God. What was the most important warning? Not to separate what God has combined.
In the Bible you will see them often say the Son of God, or the Son of Man. Look closely at the scripture, you have carelessly assumed they were the same. They are not, go and check for your self and pay close attention. But it will say "I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves" What does this mean? It means they were 2 beings sharing one body. The Son of Man is the living God, and the Son of God was from the heavens. The one True Living God, the Father, has power and authority over all and that is how the Son of God was able to perform such great works through the power of his Father.
But man coveted the Lord's throne, they wanted to usurp it. They thought they could create another God from his flesh which they could control. There is only One True Living God and the wrath of our Lord will come upon you, as it has been written, using the same flesh you stole. All glory be to God, forever and ever amen.

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Introduction: Unveiling the Tower of Babel

Have you ever wondered about the origins of our diverse languages? The story of the Tower of Babel, found in Genesis 11:1-9, offers a fascinating glimpse into humanity’s history according to the Bible. This narrative not only explores the reasons behind our linguistic differences but also imparts timeless lessons on unity, ambition, and divine sovereignty. Let’s embark on an insightful journey to uncover the mysteries of the Tower of Babel and its relevance to our modern world.

Understanding the Story of the Tower of Babel

The biblical account of the Tower of Babel is set shortly after Noah’s flood. It describes how the descendants of Noah settled in the land of Shinar (Babylonia) and decided to build a city and a tower “with its top in the heavens.” Their goal was to make a name for themselves and prevent scattering across the earth. This ambition, however, was not in alignment with God’s plan for humanity to replenish and inhabit the whole earth.
God observed their project and decided to confuse their language, making them unable to understand one another. This sudden linguistic diversity caused the people to disperse into separate groups, each speaking a different language. Thus, the city was never completed, and it was called Babel, which means “confusion” in Hebrew, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth.

Lessons from the Tower of Babel

• Unity and Diversity: The Tower of Babel story teaches us the value and challenges of unity and diversity. While unity is strength, the narrative shows that when unity is used against divine will, it leads to consequences. Meanwhile, diversity, particularly in the form of multiple languages, is portrayed as part of God’s sovereign plan for the world.
• Ambition and Pride: Ambition, when not aligned with God’s purposes, can lead us astray. The builders’ desire to “make a name for themselves” reflects human pride and the potential to forget our dependence on God.
• Divine Sovereignty and Human Limitation: The story emphasizes God’s ultimate authority over human affairs. It shows that God’s plans for humanity will prevail, despite human efforts to the contrary.

Applying the Tower of Babel’s Insights Today

In today’s globalized world, the Tower of Babel’s story resonates in new ways. It reminds us to cherish and respect our linguistic and cultural diversity. It also serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition and the importance of aligning our goals with broader, community-centered, and divine principles. Let’s take these lessons to heart and strive for a world marked by understanding, cooperation, and respect for God’s sovereign will.

Conclusion: Embracing the Message of the Tower of Babel

The Tower of Babel story is more than an ancient narrative; it’s a source of wisdom and insight for today’s complex, interconnected world. By reflecting on its lessons, we can learn to value diversity, be wary of pride, and acknowledge our limitations while recognizing the importance of pursuing goals in harmony with divine guidance.
Have you experienced the beauty of diverse languages and cultures in your own life? How can we apply the lessons of the Tower of Babel to promote understanding and unity in our communities today? Share your thoughts and insights, and let’s continue to learn from each other and the timeless wisdom of the Bible.
Ready to explore more biblical stories and their life-changing lessons? Stay tuned for more enlightening posts and engage with us in the comments below!
If you want to want to research more Bible Answers on your own, please try our Bible Answers GPT. It’s easy to get lost in the interesting responses you’ll find… every search is like a new treasure hunt 🙂
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As a former Christian the fear of hell has still been something I struggled with since leaving the faith. It has been a goal of mine to meet Jesus astrally sometime, and I had been getting visions of crosses in meditation so I thought the time might be soon.
Before leaving my bed and my body into AP, I saw a bright light and felt a warm, loving energy. I looked to my side and knew it was (supposed to be) Jesus.
I initially felt very comforted in his presence. "You should invite more people over to see me," he said.
Since leaving the church and finding spirituality, the biggest concern in my mind has always been, "What if I'm wrong?" So I asked him, "Am I doing the right things?" To which he responded, "Not exactly." I asked him to elaborate but he gave me the impression that he would explain later.
He left the room and so did I, and soon after I was confronted by (what looked like) my mom, and she started saying all these things about how I was following the wrong religion and going down a dangerous path, and how Jesus told her to say all these things.
I woke from that experience, not entirely sure what to make of it. To be fair "Am I doing the right things" was a pretty broad question, but the first red flag to me was that he was white?
In the next experience, I was being mildly harassed by some negative entities. I wasn't fully lucid yet or otherwise I would have just lovingly told them to respect my boundaries. Instead I called "Jesus" back in hoping he would make them stop. He came in with that same loving, (false) light energy, but it still didn't stop these other entities, which made me even more suspicious.
He took us to this building in the woods, where I started asking him a bunch of questions about Christianity. "Are you God?" I asked him.
I already knew the answer was no, as God is not a person. But he responded with the bible quote, "Before Abraham was, I am." I, like many others, have interpreted this to mean "We all are" as in we are all part of God/Source. But I wanted to know what he would say it meant.
"It means I'm like half-god," he responded.
Then I asked him I question I wanted to ask for a long time: "What do you think about gay people?"
His response was... entertaining to say the least. "Well, there was this one kid, who was like really gay, and there was this guy he wanted to marry, but the church didn't want it to go through. But if it's either he gets married or has random sex with strangers, I'd rather he gets married."
But the more questions I asked he slowly started to shed his disguise... until he hardly looked like Jesus at all. By the end he was hiding in the bathroom and just poking his head through the door.
"If you have any more questions, there's a whole book about me, it's called THE BIBLE, you should read it," he said in a condescending tone. I'm glad I did my research on false light and the demiurge before this, because I KNEW he was a fake.
I followed him into this bathroom and asked him, "in the name of the Almighty Creator God, are you the real Jesus?"
Immediately he seemed very intimidated. He tried to rephrase the answer, but I told him again to say it in the name of the Almighty Creator God, and he just panicked and stuttered. So I called him out.
"I KNEW IT! You are a liar and a cheater," I said.
"CHEATER? I'm not even married!" He said, trying to further deflect the allegations.
"You are the Demiurge!" I said.
"Damn it, I just want a vacation," he said, defeated.
So what, is the government sending people out into the astral to masquerade as Jesus and try to convert more people to Christianity? That would certainly make sense seeing how many people nowadays are "finding Jesus". Either way this experience has really helped me to move on from my fear of hell, and furthermore confirmed my suspicion that modern Christianity is based on a lie.

A classic of fantasy (4 stars)
First published in the 1980s, the The Belgariad series of five books by David Eddings is rightly regarded as a fantasy classic, and still holds up well today. The five titles it includes are Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit, Castle of Wizardry, and Enchanters' End Game.
The basic storyline of the series sees the young boy Garion finds himself going on a quest with an old but wise and good sorcerer (Belgarath), and his elderly daughter (Polgara). Their mission is to recover the magic Orb which ensures peace and security for the West, but has been stolen. Behind this is the evil god Torak, who must be defeated. But along the way, Garion not only joins forces with many fine companions, but also discovers that his own identity is much more than he ever could have expected.
This series is a fine example of classic fantasy, and while Eddings is clearly indebted to Tolkien in many ways, it's also obvious that he is writing from his own context in which the Cold War with the USSR was alive and real. The books are also free of foul language and blasphemy, and anything inappropriate is merely alluded to at most, so even younger teens could read it. The distinction between good and evil is also very clear throughout.
The introduction to each book notes that Eddings was inspired to write these books in order explore some philosophical and technical aspects of the fantasy genre. Apparently he wrote the series after taking a course in literary criticism, and had the aim of using many stock characters and ideas but within an original world of his own.
Given his aim to create a standard fantasy story, but one that was engaging, in my opinion he has succeeded. He is clearly working with many staples of the genre, including hero figures and a quest to recover a magic item that will lead to a kingdom of peace. But unlike many other fantasies, his world isn't filled with fantastic beasts in the first place, but with interesting characters. The unique contribution Eddings especially makes to the genre lies in the rich theology he has invented, with a pantheon of gods. Their role and activity is an important background to the novel.
Whether it was deliberate or unconscious on the part of the author, it is evident that he does draw on many themes also found in the Bible. For example, a key element of the story is the role of a special Prophecy, which has come from the gods and is certain to come to pass, even though the characters themselves don't always understand all aspects of it. Garion himself is a Messianic figure, and there are some interesting questions about how he must come to terms with his own identity. I also found the spiritual struggles of Relg fascinating, as he tries to come to terms with his own struggle with desire and lust, and constantly sees it in a spiritual way.
But in the end, this is in the first place a good and entertaining story, served in a traditional fantasy mould. I enjoyed it enough to want to read The Mallorean series, which is a follow-up series of five books set in the same world and with many of the same characters. Unfortunately that wasn't quite as good. There are also two individual follow-up books (entitled Belgarath and Polgara respectively) but these are only worthwhile if you really want to know more about the characters. If you're a fan of classic fantasy fiction, then start with The Belgariad series, and you're almost certain to love it!

Introduction

In this post, we'll be discussing something called "Virtue Ethics." This is a normative theory of ethics that's most associated with Aristotle, though has in recent times experienced a resurgence of sorts from modern philosophers, some of whom have tweaked and modified it, and in doing so have created different branches on this tree of moral theory. We will be comparing these different flavors of Virtue Ethics to that of the New Testament's, pointing out where they're similar, as well as highlighting where the NT differs (and is actually superior) from the heathens' views.
I want to preface all this with a verse and a warning:

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."-Colossians 2:8

The entire Bible, over and over again, warns against syncretism. It's a running theme throughout to condemn the practice, with this verse being one of the more explicit ones to do so.
Mapping the ideas of Pagans (and especially Greek philosophers) onto the Scriptures has always resulted in people severely misinterpreting the Bible, as looking at the Word of God through a Hellenistic lens is and always has been extremely innapropiate to the author's original intent.
Whenever Greek philosophy or ideas are referenced, they're always portrayed in a bad light or otherwise used to make a point. Examples of the latter could be found in the apostle Paul's writings, as he was a fully educated Roman citizen of his day, and so he made use of known Hellenestic philosophy and literature (that he would have been familiar with) by redefining their terms and ideas in a way that would be consistent with the theology of his own religion. The apostle Peter did the same within his own epistles whenever he mentioned "Tartarus," the abyss/prison for certain disobedient angels that rebelled against God, despite the fact that the word has its roots in Greek mythology and not Hebrew religion (though, the belief that there were a group of spiritual beings that rebelled against the highest authority in the heavens was one technically shared between the two ancient cultures; even if the parties involved were vastly different, as well as the contexts of the rebellion itself).
The affect Hellenstic philosophy has had on the way people think (even subconsciously) can still be felt to this day, and can be seen in the confusion modern "Christianity" has brought on through its adoption of Gnostic teachings such as Dualism or the inherently fatalistic views that many unknowingly hold due to the error of Classical Theism.
While yes, I will be commending the heathen (unbeliever) whenever they are right with their ideas as pertaining to this subject, I will also show where they are wrong.
Let's begin.

"What Is Virtue Ethics?"

First, we need to define some terms and point out the differences between this view and others within the larger debate of normative ethics.
There are three major approaches in normative ethics, those being: Consequentalism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics. The following are definitions of the terms:
Consequentialism – a class of normative, teleological ethical theories that holds that the consequences of one's conduct are the ultimate basis for judgement about the rightness or wrongness of that conduct.
Deontology – theories where an action is considered morally good because of some characteristic of the action itself, not because the product of the action is good. Deontological ethics holds that at least some acts are morally obligatory regardless of their consequences for human welfare.
Virtue Ethics – theories that emphasize the role of character and virtue in moral philosophy rather than either doing one’s duty or acting in order to bring about good consequences. The virtue ethicist would argue that actions themselves, while important, aren't as important as the character behind them. To the virtue ethicist, consequences are also important, but they would say that good consequences ultimately flow from a virtuous character who has made virtuous decisions. Theories of virtue ethics do not aim primarily to identify universal principles that can be applied in any moral situation, instead teaching that the best decisions can vary based on context, and that there are only some actions that would be universally evil, only because those actions could never flow from a virtuous character in the first place (e.g., rape).
Aristotle's idea of ethics is in an important respect different from most people's, especially today. Heirs as we are to Kant’s idea of duty – there is a right thing that one ought to do, as rational beings who respect other persons – and to Mill’s idea of utility – the right thing to do is that which produces the greatest good for the greatest number – most of us see ethics as concerned with actions. "The function of ethics is to help me see what I ought to do in a given situation," the modern says. Aristotle’s approach was different. His ethic is not so much concerned about helping us to see what we ought to do, as about what sort of person we ought to be.
Aristotle was concerned with character, and with the things that go to make up good and bad character; virtues and vices. His sort of ethic does not look at our action to see if it fulfils our duty, or produces a certain outcome, such as the greatest good of the greatest number, and therefore merits approval. Instead, it looks at us; at the character behind the actions, to see whether we merit approval.
Comparing Virtue Ethics with philosophies such as Deontology and Consequentialism, we are able to divide ethical theories into two kinds; act-centered theories and agent-centered theories. Kant’s (Deontological) and Mill’s (Utilitarian) approaches are act-centered, because they concern themselves with our actions, whilst Aristotle’s is agent-centered because it concerns itself with the character of a person, which in his view was ourselves and our own dispositions that prompt our actions.
Both approaches have ardent present-day advocates, and so both are alive and well. Virtue Ethicists are dissatisfied with the answers ‘modern’ act-centered philosophy offers, and look for a more flexible, person-centered approach that takes more account of the subtle varieties of human motivation. Those in this camp see ethics as being about people – moral agents – rather than merely about actions. Of course, your actions matter. But, for Aristotle and his present day advocates alike, they matter as expressions of the kind of person you are. They indicate such qualities as kindness, fairness, compassion, and so on, and it is these qualities and their corresponding vices that it is the business of ethics to approve or disapprove.
All this seems simple and uncontroversial; there are two ways of looking at an action to evaluate it morally. You can take the action in isolation and judge it, or take the agent and judge him or her.
Virtue ethicists argue that act-centered ethics are narrow and bloodless. What is needed is a richer moral vocabulary than just ‘right and wrong’. There are subtle but important differences between actions that are good because they are kind and those that are good because they are generous, and those that are good because they are just. Likewise, there are subtle but important differences between actions that are bad because they are selfish and those that are bad because they are cruel and those that are bad because they are unfair. These, and many other, distinctions are lost when we talk simply about doing one’s duty, or promoting utility. Questions of motive and of character are lost, in these asceptic terms. Modern moral philosophy won’t do: it is cold, technical and insensitive to the many kinds and degrees of value expressed in human actions. Ethics is more than just thought experiments and hypotheticals about what would be the right course of action to take in any given situation we might conjure up from the comfort of our armchair. Ethics is about doing, and about context and character.

The Different Kinds of "Virtue Ethics"

Virtue Ethics has has been developed in two main directions: Eudaimonism, and agent-based theories.
Eudaimonism (Aristotle's view) bases virtues in human flourishing, where flourishing is equated with performing one’s distinctive function well. In the case of humans, Aristotle argued that our distinctive function is reasoning, and so the life “worth living” is one which we reason well. He also believed that only free men in the upper classes of society (i.e., the aristocrats) could excel in virtue and eschew vice, being that such men had greater access to the means in accomplishing this task as they had the wealth and resources to better perform their distinctive function of 'reasoning,' and thus "live well." For the Eudaimonian, inner dispositions are what one ought to focus on in order to cultivate virtuous traits, and thus a virtuous character.
In contrast, an agent-based theory emphasizes that virtues are determined by common-sense intuitions that we as observers judge to be admirable traits in other people. There are a variety of human traits that we find admirable, such as benevolence, kindness, compassion, etc., and we can identify these by looking at the people we admire, our moral exemplars. Agent-based theories also state that the motivations and intentions behind an action are ultimately what determine whether or not said action is actually virtuous. Whereas Eudaimonism understands the moral life in terms of inner dispositions or proclivities to act in certain ways (whether righteous or wicked, just or unjust, kind or cruel, etc.), agent-based theories are more radical in that their evaluation of actions is dependent on ethical judgments about the inner life of the agents who perform those actions, that is, what the motivations and intents are of a person.
[Note: While both Eudaimonism and agent-based theories are both agent-centered, Eudaimonism is not to be confused with an agent-based theory. Both branches concern themselves more with agents rather than acts themselves, but Eudamonism focuses on the self to improve whereas the agent-based theory focuses on others to improve.]

Common Critcisims Toward Secular Forms of Virtue Ethics

Firstly, Eudaimonism provides a self-centered conception of ethics because "human flourishing" (here defined as simply fulfilling our base function as humans, which is "reason" according to this view) is seen as an end in itself and does not sufficiently consider the extent to which our actions affect other people. Morality requires us to consider others for their own sake and not because they may benefit us. There seems to be something wrong with aiming to behave compassionately, kindly, and honestly merely because this will make oneself happier or "reason well."
Secondly, both Eudaimonism and agent-based theories also don't provide guidance on how we should act, as there are no clear principles for guiding action other than “act as a virtuous person would act given the situation.” Who is a virtuous person? Who is the first or universal exemplar?
Lastly, the ability to cultivate the right virtues will be affected by a number of different factors beyond a person’s control due to education, society, friends and family. If moral character is so reliant on luck, what role does this leave for appropriate praise and blame of the person? For the Eudaimonian, one ought to be born into a status of privilege if they wish to excel in being virtuous. For the proponent of an agent-based theory, one ought to be born into a society or family with good role models and preferably be raised by such, else they have no moral exemplars to emulate.

The New Testament's Virtue Ethic

The New Testament authors didn’t sit down and do a self-consciously philosophical exercise, for this was not what they were concerned with. They were concerned with giving practical instruction to disciples of the faith, and merely trying to express the ethical implications of their spiritual experience. That being said, we know the apostle Paul was familiar with the writings of Aristotle. We can actually identify places where Paul displays knowledge of Aristotle and incorporates some of the philosopher's ideas into his own epistles. Before we do this, however, it's important we refute common misnomers about what the Bible teaches concerning ethics in general.
You probably have heard many attack the ethics of the New Testament as being primitive and simplistic. "God dictates universal commands to follow: 'do not lie,' do 'not divorce,' 'do not insult.' And the only motivating factor is escaping hellfire and obtaining the reward of eternal pleasure." But in reality, this is a gross misrepresentation of the ethics laid out in the NT. I will argue the NT advocates for a form of virtue ethics, instead of claiming the NT contains a form of deontic ethics, as it is so often assumed.
Elizabeth Anscombe was one of the most influential virtue ethicists of the 20th century. Her work helped to revive virtue ethics in the modern era, however she also criticized the ethics of the Bible for promoting a form of ethics different than what Aristotle promoted:
"...between aristotle and us came Christianity, with its law conception of ethics. For Christianity derived its ethical notions from the Torah. (One might be inclined to think that a law conception of ethics could arise only among people who accepted an allegedly divine positive law..." (Modern Moral Philosophy, vol. 33, no. 124, 1-19)
We've already dealt with the issue of the Torah in another post. The Torah is not laying down moral laws, but describing justice in the form of ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature. But does the New Testament teach a deontic form of ethics? Anscombe might appear justified in her claim, as some "Christian" theologians have explicitly taught the ethics of the NT is deontic.
However, other theologians have argued the ethics of the NT is best characterized as a form of virtue ethics. In a study of the NT, we'll support this notion. As noted earlier, one of the central features of this approach to ethics is that the aim of ethics should be on living a virtuous life. Other forms of ethics focus on directing actions when confronted with a moral dilemma, but for virtue ethics every action is a moral or immoral action because all of our actions contribute or do not contribute to living a virtuous life. In other words, for a virtue ethicist, everything we do will contribute to living a fulfilled life. Now, the NT promotes a similar idea with a slight modification. The NT changes the distinctictive function and purpose for man in Eudaimonism from "reasoning" to loving God and others instead, and thus "living well" is changed from self-centered 'flourshing' (as defined by Aristotle) to glorifying God instead. The apostles taught everything we do contributes to living a life that glorifies God:

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."-1 Corinthians 10:31
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."-Colossians 3:17

So we see the same idea in Paul, that everything we do can be seen as a moral or immoral action. Everything we do should be seen as contributing to living a life that glorifies god or not. As a believer, the aim is not just doing good actions to avoid punishments, but to see everything we do as glorifying God. On secular virtue ethics, all our actions are either advancing a good life or not: nourishing your body contributes to living a good life. In a Biblical context: taking the time to properly dress contributes to living a good life, and not giving into the sin of sloth. So all our actions can be moral actions in this context, and so likewise for Paul and Jesus, all we do can contribute to living a life that glorifies God.
Since God made our bodies to thrive and enjoy life, we should nourish our bodies so we can thrive as God intended for our bodies to do, thus ultimately glorifying Him. Since we were created to experience and feel enjoyment, laughing and enjoying things throughout life glorifies God as well since we're experiencing emotions that God created to be experienced. Everything we do should be to glorify God, and often all that is is living our lives in the way that they were intended to be lived. Biblical ethics is very much more than merely performing right actions, but living a virtuous life that brings glory to God.
As Jesus said:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."-Matthew 22:37b

It is also important to focus on what it means to love, which is an important aspect of what it means to be a believer. Paul makes the radical claim that to love is the entirety of the law of God:

"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."-Galatians 5:14

Jesus also taught that to love God and love others were the two greatest commandments (Mark 12:28-31, Matt. 22:34-40). He also extends the commandment to love beyond one's brethren, and to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44). Loving those around us is central to what it means to be a believer (John 13:34; 15:12-17, Rom. 12:10; 13:8, 1 Cor. 13:1-8; 16:14, 2 Cor. 8:8, Eph. 4:2; 5:2, Phili. 1:9, Heb. 10:24, Jam. 2:8, 1 Pet. 1:22, 1 John 2:10; 3:23).
One might suggest this is no different than the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do to you," or a Kantian rule: "I ought never to act except in such a way that I could also will that my maxim should become a universal law." In other words, "to live well is to perform good deeds or actions and nothing more." But an important point about loving someone is it cannot be done through actions alone. For example, one could buy a gift for their spouse to cheer them up. However, one could perform this action merely because they value performing right actions without any love for the person. One could donate to charity because it is the right thing to do, and not because she cares for the people who would benefit. In such scenarios, they can be seen as idolizing moral laws, not necessarily caring about helping others.
But to love someone requires more than merely performing right actions. You cannot love someone and not care about who they are as a person and where they are heading in life. To love is to will the good of the other. Jesus chastised the Pharisees of his day for only performing right actions, but not loving their brethren in their hearts. His criticism follows Matthew chapter 22, where Jesus says the greatest commandments are to love. The implication is the Pharisees perform proper actions, but have the wrong motivations for doing so. James Keenan puts it like this:
"Essential to understanding this command is that we love our neighbors not as objects of our devotion, but rather as subjects; that is, as persons. Thus, we cannot love others only because God wants us to do so, since then we would love them as means or as objects and not as persons. We can only love one another as subjects, just as God loves us." (Jesus and Virtue Ethics: Building Bridges Between New Testament Studies and Moral Theology, pg. 86)
A critic may bring up that verses of the NT are still phrased as commands, and therefore the structure implies duties were the central aspect of Christian ethics. But the importance of duties is not foreign to Virtue Ethics. Instead of being central to the ethical framework, duties flow from a virtuous character. Virtues are active and have certain demands for which a person must fulfill in their active behavior.
According to Aristotle, knowledge of the virtues gives us practical wisdom in how to properly act. Duties flow from the understanding of the demands of virtues. To put it another way, for virtues to manifest in persons, they have certain demands that must be fulfilled. For the believer, the command of love flows from being virtuous and aligning oneself with the character of God. Commitment to the character of Christ, who perfectly carried out the will of the Father, allows us to perform right and proper actions.
The NT also contains lists of virtues the believer ought to emulate, the most famous of these is in Galatians chapter 5:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (vss. 22-23)
Now, the connection with Aristotle cannot be more pronounced. The Greek phrase "against such there is no law" is almost identical to what we find in Aristotle's politics (3.13.1284a). It seems clear Paul is teaching a similar ethical framework to what Aristotle advocated for. Paul is teaching that the believing community ought to be persons who display key virtues, and that their conduct would not need to be regulated by a law. Instead, their character should be the standard others can measure themselves by. Romans chapter 2 is also a place we see references to Aristotle, where Paul notes that when Gentiles do what the law requires, they are "a law unto themselves" (vss. 14-15). In other words, they do not need to be told to act a certain way. They have the proper virtuous character that directs their actions, to do the good the law requires. Paul is advocating in Galatians that believers should think in a similar way.
So in Galatians 5, we have affinity with the teachings of Aristotle, and in other lists of virtues throughout the NT we see a similar idea, which is that Christians were meant to display virtues primarily (Rom. 5:3-5, 1 Cor. 13:1-8, Col. 3:12-17, 1 Tim. 3:2-3; 4:7-8, Jam. 3:17-18, 2 Pet. 1:5-8). From that, good deeds will properly manifest in our actions.
Anscombe made a great point on what the focus of ethics should be:
"It would be a great improvement if, instead of 'morally wrong', one always named a genus such as 'untruthful', 'unchaste', 'unjust'. We should no longer ask whether doing something was 'wrong', passing directly from some description of an action to this notion; we should ask whether, e.g., it was unjust; and the answer would sometimes be clear at once." (Modern Moral Philosophy, vol. 33, no. 124, 1-19)
Interestingly enough, Paul lays out a similar idea in explaining Christian ethics:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."-Philippians 4:8-9

In other words, the central aspect on living a Christian life was on what is virtuous, not on what is lawfully right or wrong. Right actions flow from whatever is honorable, true, and pure. Correlating with this is how Paul responds to the Corinthians who claimed that "all was lawful." Paul reminded them the emphasis is not on what is lawful, but on what is good for building a virtuous character:

"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."-1 Corinthians 10:23

One's main focus ought to be on what is good, not on laws that dictate behavior.
One of the key aspects of Virtue Ethics is the idea we ought to learn from virtuous teachers and imitate them. A virtuous character is obtained by imitating what a virtuous person does. This parallels a key aspect of Christian ethics. Imitating Christ was (and still is) crucial to living a virtuous life:

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:"-1 Peter 2:21

Paul says in Romans 8:29 that Christians were predestined "to be conformed to the image of his Son." Jesus often taught his followers to do as he does (Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 6:40; 9:23, John 13:15, 34). Paul says in 1st Corinthians 11: Be ye followers [i.e., imitators] of me, even as I also am of Christ" (vs. 1). Hebrews 13:7 says to imitate the faith of the patriarchs. 1st Thessalonians 2:14 says to imitate each other. And jesus taught to imitate the good Samaritan from his parable (Luke 10:37). Imitating virtuous teachers was key for Christian ethics.
Aristotle tended to compare acquiring virtues with that of learning a practical skill, like playing an instrument or learning how to become a builder. Such practical skills are best picked up when trained by a master of that particular skill, because a teacher can always provide more insight through lessons they learn from experience. For example, an expert salesman can provide examples from his experience of what works with specific customers that a sales textbook could never provide. Many professions today require on-the-job training or experience before even hiring an applicant. The reason is: experience is key to learning a profession. Merely acquiring knowledge from a textbook or an instruction manual is often insufficient to master a skill, so why would mastering the skill of virtue be any different?
In the NT, a believer is to see the world through the eyes of Christ and to love as he loved. One cannot learn how to be a virtuous person without knowing what that life would look like. A key component of Christian theology is that the Messiah perfectly represented the Father and His will on earth, to show us how to properly live as God intended for man. This central tenet of the NT aligns well with agent-based theories of Virtue Ethics, and modifies it so that the person of Jesus Christ is the universal exemplar that one is meant to emulate. We are called to imitate him through our actions, thoughts, and desires, and to conform ourselves to the way he lived. As Paul said:

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."-Galatians 2:20

If learning from Christ is key, we should briefly take a look at the Sermon on the Mount, which is said to be one of Jesus' most important series of teachings. Daniel Harrington notes:
"The sermon begins with nine 'beatitudes' (see 5:3–12) in which Jesus declares as 'happy' or 'blessed' those who practice certain virtues, and promises them an eternal reward and the fullness of God's kingdom." (Jesus and Virtue Ethics: Building Bridges Between New Testament Studies and Moral Theology, pg. 62)
Jesus laid out what a life for those that follow him look like in detail. One ought to be merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker, thirst for righteousness, etcetera (Matt. 5:2-10). The Sermon does not merely include what right actions are, but includes sections on proper desires. Not only is it wrong to murder, but it is wrong to desire to murder or wish ill on someone (Matt. 5:22). Avoiding adultery is good, but one also should not covet after another man's woman in their heart (Matt. 5:28). In other words, merely avoiding immoral actions is not enough. One must also not desire vices. A believer is called to desire what is good.
The Sermon is not necessarily laying down universal moral commands. For example, Matthew 5:9 says, "Blessed are the peacemakers," but this doesn't imply absolute Pacifism, as it would contradict passages in the Old Testament where it explicitly says there is a time for war (Ecc. 3:8). The point of the Sermon is to teach what a virtuous life ought to look like. A follower of Christ ought to use reason to know what is proper to do in various circumstances. For example, in Matthew chapter 6, Jesus offers guidance on how one ought to pray by presenting the Lord's prayer (vss. 9-15). This is a model of how to pray. It's not a command for followers to always pray in this exact way.
In reality, the Sermon on the Mount mixes in exhortations, parables, hyperbole, declarations, commands, etc. It is best understood as displaying what a virtuous life ought to look like. It's not a law code. Building on this, it's important to understand a proper action is context sensitive. Under Virtue Ethics, one should not necessarily apply a universal maxim to every situation. Sometimes the proper action will depend on what is at stake, who is involved, what is the background, etc. Aristotle advocated against the idea there were fixed universal laws that dictate actions, and instead he argued the right action would depend on the circumstances one finds themselves in. Although the ethics of the NT may be a bit more strict, it still places an emphasis on being sensitive to the context of situations.
In 1st Corinthians chapter 8, Paul lays out instructions on how to deal with meat that has been sacrificed to Pagan idols. Instead of stating an absolute prohibition against meat sacrificed to idols, Paul instructed Christians to use reason to come to the proper ethical decision based on context. In other words, the right action is not determined only by a law. Instead, the Christian had to make the proper decision based on the context: if eating caused another to stumble, then you ought to abstain; if not, then there's no harm done. The value of the action depends on the context.
A Deontologist might reply that there's still a universal law given here: that one should always abstain if it's going to cause another to stumble. This objection can be addressed by asking: how are we to know if eating the meat will cause another believer to stumble? To answer such a question, one must be sensitive to the context, which in this case would be knowledge of the fellow believer and your relation to him. It is the context that determines the right action, not a universal law. Moreover, Paul states that the primary goal for the believer should be to love (1 Cor. 13). The first consideration is once again not the rightness of action, but having love for one another. From this, knowledge of the proper action will follow.
Paul often explains that living a proper life as a believer will take work and practice. He reminded Timothy to attend readings, practice what these things mean, and keep a close watch on himself (1 Tim. 4:13-14). Elsewhere, he directs that all believers must work on their faith (Phili. 2:12). Beyond this, he also noted that not all Christians would have the same gifts, and to accept that this was normal (1 Cor. 12). For some, certain things may be a hindrance, whereas for others it is acceptable (Rom. 14:2-4). What matters is that we love and build one another up (1 Thess. 5:11). Right actions flow from love and knowledge of virtue. Rules are not the primary motives that dictate our actions; rules are secondary in this regard.
An interesting case can be studied with regards to divorce in the Gospels. Jesus preaches against divorce (Mark 10:7-9) and it is often interpreted to mean "divorce is always wrong, regardless of circumstances." However, it should be noted the prohibition on divorce is not a universal law. The context can affect whether or not a divorce is permissible. Jesus says that one can divorce over sexual immorality. Paul also has a situation where divorce is permissible, namely if one spouse is an unbeliever and wishes to leave (1 Cor. 7:15). The implication one can derive is divorce is not ideal, but there are circumstances where it may be the proper action to take. Given the other features of Christian Virtue Ethics we already covered, the proper action to take will depend on the circumstances and what the virtuous agent thinks is the most loving thing to do. A universal prohibition on divorce is not a Christian ethic. Instead, one ought to discern the proper action from circumstances. However, it's clear in most cases divorce would not be the virtuous thing to do.
Building on this, it's important to note that within NT ethics, certain acts are always wrong. For example, idolatry and sexual immorality are always wrong (1 Cor. 10:14, Col. 3:15, 1 Pet. 4:13). There are no possible scenarios where it would be okay to rape, because such an act would never flow from a virtuous character. But this concept is not foreign to theories of Virtue Ethics. Aristotle noted that for some actions, no qualifications could make them virtuous. Actions such as rape or murder are always wrong, because they would never flow from a virtuous character. So it's not as if a Virtue Ethicist cannot claim that some actions are always wrong. They simply are qualified as being unable to flow from virtue, whereas actions like lying or waging war could be considered virtuous for the right reason.
Now, despite Christian Virtue Ethics having many similarities with Eudaimonism (Aristotelian ethics), there are also numerous differences beyond what we've already noted. One of the deficiencies of how Aristotle lays out his ethical theory is that it is essentially an all-boys club. Aristotle writes mainly to aristocratic men, excluding women and slaves. In his view, women were inferior to men and slaves lacked the necessary rational faculty. But the Christians rejected this mentality, as the teachings of Christ and the apostles were available to all (Matt. 28:19). Paul said, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28). Peter wrote that all Christians were part of the priesthood of Christ (1 Pet. 2:5). Jesus had women followers (Luke 8:2-3), and they were entrusted with delivering revelation (Mark 15:40–16:8). What we find throughout the NT is a radical change to how women were viewed in the ancient world. Paul is also likely building on Aristotle's household structure and refining it. David deSilva says the household codes of the NT are "...following the pairs laid out as early as Aristotle to such a degree as to suggest that these were standard topics in ethical instruction" (Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity, pg. 231). But Paul adds an important preface: submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:20-21). DeSilva says:
"...husbands, we cannot then ignore the distinctively Christian addition they bring to this arrangement; husbands are to be subject to their wives as well." (Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity, pg. 233)
Thus Paul doesn't break down the traditional perspective on the structure of the family, but he does add the idea that we all must submit to each other in reverence, love, unity, and cooperation because all are equal before God. There is no explicit mention in the NT calling for the abolishment of slavery, but it should be noted that Paul taught that slaves should be seen as equals. In the letter to Philemon, Paul is clear that his slave is no longer "as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved" (vs. 16). Thus, within Christian ethics class distinctions were supposed to evaporate. All were brothers and sisters of one family.
An important aspect of Christian ethics is that it wasn't a standalone ethical theory. It's embedded in the larger Christian worldview. The ethical framework is dependent on Christian doctrines. For Aristotle, his ethical theory is for men who were raised well. This is why these specific men desire to be virtuous and perform right actions. As for why the believer does good and desires to be virtuous, it's not because one was raised well, but because they have been activated by the power of God's Spirit (John 3:6, 1 Cor. 12:13). For believers, the reason as to why we desire to be good and virtuous is because the Spirit of God has regenerated us. He loves us so we can love others (1 John 4:19). One is meant to look to the life of Christ and what he has done by dying on the cross, to know that we are loved and forgiven. This in turn is meant to activate a good life, having seen what we have gained and been forgiven of. He calls and activates us to do similar to those around us. This is a more open system for people of all groups and classes. One only has to call upon the name of the Lord to be included. It does not require a specific gender or to be raised a certain way.
The goal of Aristotelian ethics is to achieve 'eudaimonia.' However, within the Bible the goal is as the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever." Since the central aspect of Biblical Eschatology is that humans will continue on forever in resurrected bodies, the aim of ethics is more than living a good life presently. Living a good life now is important, but it was only one aspect in the Christian worldview. Humans are meant to live beyond this life, so the aim is also about building virtuous souls that will continue on. The importance of this is more crucial than it may seem at first. Paul said that we must all appear before judgment, so that "every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor. 15:10).
Being a virtuous person requires integrity, because one will still have to answer to God after death. If one can commit an evil act and no one finds out, then from the outside perspective he or she may still appear virtuous. Culturally speaking, the ancient world was very different from our own. All wrongdoings centered around public honor and shame. One did good to receive public honor, and one did not do what was bad to receive public shame. Right and wrong were connected to one's public honor and shame in the ancient Greco-Roman world. Thus good and evil were public ideas, not personal ideas. Ethical demands were grounded in the community in one's public appearance
The Biblical idea of an omniscient God who cared about our ethical status laid a foundation for integrity and personal guilt to emerge. Now one ought to do good because he is beholden to God, not just the community. Believers are to remain focused on God's approval and on the actions that lead them, regardless of the world's response. This lays down fertile ground for integrity to emerge. So the Biblical worldview has another important element built in that encourages ethical behavior, regardless of the honor it brings. One ought to do good because of a commitment to God not, because it might bring honor to one's name publicly.

Implications for Preterists

Paul believed that the Second Coming would happen in his generation, and prescribed certain things in the NT on the basis of that belief. An example of an exhortation that would no longer apppy to us today would be 1st Corinthians 7:24-29, where Paul argues that the times him and his fellow Christians were in called for celibacy, being that the Lord was fast approaching. It wasn't a sin if you did get married, of course; it was just harder to serve the Lord in this context if you had a family to worry about. Thus, Paul encouraged being single.
So, we need to be careful when reading the NT and determining what prohibitions or exhortations are still applicable to us today. Context is key.

In the fascinating realm of numerology, every number carries its unique vibration and significance, influencing our lives in myriad ways. The number 10000, with its repeated zeros amplifying the energy of the single 1, holds a powerful message from the universe, beckoning us to understand its profound implications on our spiritual journey, divine purpose, and everyday existence.

What is the Meaning of number 10000

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The number 10000 symbolizes infinity, wholeness, and the beginning of a spiritual journey leading to personal development and enlightenment. It encourages individuals to seek balance and harmony in their lives while emphasizing the importance of self-expression and the pursuit of one’s higher self. This number serves as a reminder of the sacred connection between the physical and spiritual worlds, urging us to align our actions with our divine purpose.

Meaning of 10000 in Numerology

In numerology, the number 10000 is seen as a potent symbol of creativity, potential, and new beginnings. The digit 1 represents leadership, ambition, and initiative, while the zeros amplify these qualities and introduce the concepts of wholeness, infinity, and comprehensive development. This combination encourages individuals to embrace their uniqueness and express their creativity, leading to fulfillment and bliss.

10000 in Relation to Horoscopes

When the number 10000 appears in relation to horoscopes, it suggests a period of significant spiritual growth and transformation. This number encourages individuals to seek harmony and balance in their astrological influences, promoting health, happiness, and good fortune. It serves as a divine sign to trust in the universe and the path it lays out, ensuring that luck and prosperity are on their way.

The Meaning of the 10000 Angel Number

The 10000 angel number is a powerful message from the spiritual realm, signifying support, encouragement, and divine guidance. Seeing this number repeatedly suggests that your guardian angels are reminding you to focus on your spiritual journey, emphasizing personal development and enlightenment. It also symbolizes the presence of divine forces in your life, offering protection, love, and guidance toward achieving your true potential and soul mission.

What Does the 10000 Number Mean for Your Career?

In the context of career, the number 10000 signifies growth, advancement, and the manifestation of your dreams into reality. It encourages you to maintain a balance between your professional ambitions and your personal development, ensuring that your work aligns with your divine purpose. This number is a sign of good fortune, suggesting that your efforts will lead to success, financial stability, and fulfillment in your chosen field.

What Does the number 10000 Mean for Love?

For love and romance, the number 10000 brings messages of hope, renewal, and divine timing. It encourages individuals to open their hearts to love, fostering deep connections and harmonious relationships. Whether you are seeking a new partner or aiming to strengthen your bond with your wife or husband, this number signifies that love is on the horizon, promising bliss and happiness in your romantic endeavors.

Spiritual Energy of the number 10000

The spiritual energy of the number 10000 is both transformative and enlightening, guiding individuals on their path to discovering their higher self and true purpose. It encourages a journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and spiritual awakening, promoting a deeper understanding of the universe and our place within it. This number carries a vibration of healing, offering peace, balance, and harmony to those who embrace its energy.

Things You Need To Know About number 10000

Understanding the number 10000 involves recognizing its potential to influence various aspects of your life, from personal growth and spiritual development to career success and romantic relationships. It is a reminder to maintain balance and harmony, to trust in the divine timing, and to stay open to the messages and guidance offered by the universe and your guardian angels.

Facts about number 10000

The number 10000 is often associated with completeness, infinity, and the start of a new cycle. In various cultures, it symbolizes endless potential and the ability to achieve greatness through perseverance and faith. It also represents the interconnectedness of all things, reminding us of our collective journey towards enlightenment and universal harmony.

Biblical Meaning of the number 10000

In the Bible, the number 10000 is used to represent a vast multitude, signifying completeness and divine perfection. It is often mentioned in the context of God’s infinite power and the countless blessings bestowed upon His followers. The biblical interpretation of this number encourages believers to have faith in God’s plan for their lives, assuring them of His guidance, protection, and love on their spiritual journey.
In conclusion, the number 10000 carries a profound spiritual significance, offering guidance, encouragement, and divine wisdom in all aspects of life. Whether encountered in numerology, horoscopes, or as an angel number, it serves as a powerful reminder of our potential for growth, happiness, and fulfillment when we align ourselves with our divine purpose and the universe’s infinite energy.

An open letter to Benedictine College and Harrison Butker
I first came across the Harrison Butker’s 2025 commencement speech at Benedictine College on Twitter. It was a short snippet of the speech and I was in disbelief of what I heard. Intrigued, I went to YouTube to find a recording of the whole speech before drawing further conclusions. Now, I am nearly beyond words.
I grew up in the Catholic Church, attended a Catholic high school, and do still consider myself to be Catholic, although not without my own qualms with the church. However, this is not about that. I am also a more recent college graduate. I graduated from a large public university 5 years ago and am looking forward to obtaining my graduate degree next year, both degrees I have worked incredibly hard for and am immensely proud of. I don’t remember my own commencement speech, but if it was anything like this, I am glad I don’t- I loved my undergraduate experience and will be proud to have my diploma framed and hanging one day. Harrison Butker’s speech is condescending, out of touch, and against the very values of your school. You both, Benedictine College and Harrison Butker, owe these graduating students an apology.
As a proudly Catholic college, I do not hold issue you or your choice in speaker with promoting Catholicism and the beliefs of the Catholic Church, even in regard to politics; while I may not agree, that is your choice to do so and one that underlies the foundation of your school.
The class of 2025, as with many recent graduates and current students, have had to work through a unique set of hardships as a whole, beyond the personal hardships we all face. Mr. Butker is not a recent graduate, nor is he working directly with a school or university. College is a change for everyone from high school, with the course load, schedule, and independence, but beyond the nervousness and uncertainty that comes with this new phase, students are able to rely on the fact that since its inception, the college experience has been relatively stable, until the COVID-19 pandemic. Students, and faculty, were forced to rapidly adapt to a situation that we knew very little about and had no history to guide us. To minimize that, say that “it is not unique,” especially as someone who was not experiencing it from an educational aspect, is disrespectful to students and faculty, regardless of beliefs on the issue. Pandemics are not new, nor are controversial policies, but what these students faced, was new. I know of no other time during our history, where thousands of students were nearly overnight told to immediately leave their housing and worry about their finances and shelter as not everyone has the means to find new housing or go back to their parents, have food outside of the dinings halls, or access to a computer and internet to complete their coursework where they had planned on attending in person or using university resources, when these things are apart of what students pay thousands of dollars for or take loans to afford as part of their college expenses. Whether or not you support these policies and changes, that does not lessen the unique hardships faced or make a student wrong for adhering to them when failure to do so could result in greater consequences. If there is another time where this has happened, I am happy to be referred so that I can learn. It is one thing to say that the feelings of uncertainty and anxiety around new policies and adapting to them are not unique, but another to say that the challenges these students faced as a result of policy is not unique, it is disrespectful, condescending, and completely out of place as someone who did not experience it.
Beyond this, it is even more disrespectful to diminish the accomplishments of particularly the female graduates of your university by allowing your speaker to advocate forgoing using their degree and instead, choose being a wife and mother. To Benedictine College, if this is what your school advocates, then why charge tuition to your female students? How will they pay for it or pay off their loans for it? Do you expect your female graduates to marry a man who will pay off their debts? What happens if they don’t or if they choose a vocation in religious life, are their debts forgiven? To take it a step further, why admit female students at all if their degree is not meant to be used? A yearly tuition of $35,000 seems a greedy ask to attain what becomes a useless degree. Maybe this is not something you support, but I have yet to see any statement indicating dissent with this position. The Benedictine sisterhood and St. Scholastica, its founder, take pride in education and she herself do not choose the vocation of marriage. How would St. Scholastica be able to attend your college when she found her vocation to be in the religious life? To Harrison Butker, how dare you? I am happy for you and your family that your wife can be a homemaker if that’s what she wants to do, but that is completely out of touch for what nearly all of these students will face as they graduate. Your family can comfortably live on just your salary of over $4 million per year, but you are a minority in this situation. You speak of not allowing cost of living to prohibiting where you live, but with your salary, I’m sure there are few areas you cannot find suitable housing and access to food. Is one supposed to choose to live in circumstances where they do not have a stable shelter in favor of a more traditional priest? Earlier in your speech you mention “accepting your lane and staying in it,” I believe you should have taken your own advice, because your lane is far wealthier than mine and likely all of the graduates you are speaking to. Most families will need two salaries to live in even a fraction of the comfort you live and even then, may not be comfortable. From what I understand, you went to GT on a scholarship, another minority, factor in student loans, and the comfort fraction becomes even smaller. Should a family live in a constant state of worry about money so that a woman can be a homemaker? You spoke of charity and the platform God has given you, but I do not see you using your wealth for charitable acts to support the lifestyle you advocate in these graduates. You decide to speak for women and presume they are most excited at the prospect of marriage and children when you are speaking to congratulate them on a major accomplishment that has little to do with their future as a wife or mother. Can a woman not find fulfillment and a calling as a valuable member of the workforce and a wife and mother. As a woman who anticipates graduating from medical school in one year, is being a doctor not part of God’s plan for me? As I understand it, my vocation, is not between being a wife and mother or being a doctor, but of the calling to serve as a married, single, or religious person. You make it seem as though I cannot be both a doctor and family woman one day. You make remarks about controlling how and when children are conceived. You condemn IVF and surrogacy when a large portion of woman and men in this country struggle with infertility or health conditions making a pregnancy incredibly dangerous. If a woman cannot naturally have a child then is she not to be a mother? Do you also condemn adoption as it a choice and controlled method of becoming a parent? Is it only if a woman is unable to conceive naturally that it is acceptable to work rather than be a homemaker? I have always been taught in my experience with the Catholic Church to welcome children into your life whenever they come about, not as a barrier to being a working mom. You have laid out the options as black or white, mother or worker, when I believe the advice is to be open to and welcome God’s plan for you in both areas of your life. Not only do you advocate for the females graduates to forgo the workforce when this is an unrealistic path for most, but in doing so, you add extra pressure to the male graduates to provide in an unrealistic way. At what cost do men take higher paying jobs they are unhappy in so that their wives can be homemakers? You have worked hard to get to where you are, say you are doing something you love, and are able to show the fruits of that labor, should these graduates not show all of the knowledge and skills they have gained through earning their degree?
To Harrison Butker, I, too, am Catholic. I believe we also are similar in that we question right from wrong and do not just blindly accept the things that are fed to us. You say that our priests and bishops are anointed by God, but quickly question that anointing. I now question you, in who you are to question who has been anointed by God. You point out it is your duty as a father to lead your son. In our faith, we call our priests Father, but you call us to question and right them, should they not lead us? Should we not follow the quote you use of trusting our priests to translate the teachings of the Bible for us? Does your son question you and what is your response? You call for priests and bishops to be righted but also to stay in our lane. I do not mean to support the actions of our church leaders either way, but as an individual am not following what you ask of these graduates.
To Harrison Butker, you say you speak from experience, but it seems your experiences are vastly different than most of the graduates you speak to. Your statements contradict one another, in questioning our church leaders, staying in our lane, and even speaking of your wife as someone who converted to Catholicism but later question being with someone of a different faith, not allowing for change. As I have stated before, it is one thing to speak of shared feelings, but another to speak of a shared experience. You give advice in black or white rather than ideas for consideration and reflection. Listening to your commencement speech, I can’t imagine I would have found excitement for the future and wisdom as I start to move forward on my own. Had this been my speech to give, I couldn’t speak to a lot of the challenges these students faced, but can empathize with the fears of stepping out of the student life and uncertainty about my future. I could speak to how being able to adapt to challenges, facing hardship in my own way has made me strong and able to persevere and that they too have grown to be stronger and able to persevere too, even if they are not confident. I could speak to how money is not always the most important thing in life, your church, your family, your community are all things to reflect on when making decisions about the future. But, this was not my speech, it was yours. My ideas may not be right, maybe it has more “fluff” than yours, but they do not tell me the right or wrong way to live my life, as that is between me and God.
To Benedictine College, much of this is address to Harrison Butker. However, this is the person you chose and supported in giving a commencement speech. What is address to him, is also a reflection of what you support and believe, and the message you hope to send your graduates off with. I am not one of your graduates, happy to say I am not with this speech, but at least for me, this is the representation I have of your school.
To Benedictine College and Harrison Butker, you both owe the graduates an apology for these disrespectful and confusing sentiments as they enter a new and stressful chapter of their lives.
To the Benedictine College class of 2025, congratulations!

Alright, first off I Read a post by u/Shiroudrake
About how Aether and Lumine are the Morning stars and are the Split aspects of the 4th Moon Sister.This sent my brain down the spiral abyss and into Baleful cleansing fire and now I'm creating this post. I agree that the Twins are likely the Son and Daughter of One of the 4 shades splitting itself with help from The Primordial One, because one of the shades did help him make all the creatures in the land. As seen in the quote below, this likely includes the stars in the sky (aka: the Twins). It would also explain the absence of a fourth Moon Sister.
Quote from Before Sun and Moon: "The Primordial One and One of its shades created the birds of the air, the beasts of the earth, and the fish of the sea. Together, they also created flowers, grass, and trees, before finally creating humans — our ancestors, numerous as the stars in the sky,"
With that, it's time for me to go crazy in the comments and drop a whole bunch of "Forbidden Knowledge" (aka incomprehensible Genshin Lore Speculations).
Let's zoom out, like waaay out. In Genshin, Gods are just powerful life-forms, think sci-fi style. These life forms have a hierarchy of power that also seems to be related to 2 things: first, how alien they are to Teyvat; and second, and arguably more important, how many times they can split themselves/create new life while still maintaining a "Core" version of their identities (example: Egeria and Oceanids). By Core version, I mean having the ability to create/use energy without suffering an identity death or loss of memories/goals/ambitions. Keep this in mind, because every "God" in the game does seem to have a limit to this power...every God except one.
When the lights go out for a "God," both metaphorically with their minds and literally with their power source, only one entity benefits from this death. This bad bitch is "The Night Mother," who is referenced in the in-game book the Pale Princess and The Six Pygmies (yes I read all of the leaked books, and they do seem like a massive lore spoiler for the gods/alien nature/potential future of the game). This bad Momma is currently the ultimate power in the cosmos...think about super massive black holes vs an ant and you'd get the power lvl difference between Zhong Li and The Night Mother. She not only controls the abyss, but seems to be the abyss! Her Aspects include everything that is infected with forbidden Knowledge. The Unknown is the dark, and it is fear, and it is all the things we wish we knew but don't...She has active control over that entire domain. Everything that interacts with hethe abyss for long enough becomes tainted, changed, and serves her will/vision. She wants only one thing...no light of any kind. No Suns, No Moons....and No Stars! A kingdom of eternal Night. She is also the mother of all things, because if you go back far enough in cosmological history you hit the unknown...which is her realm. Where did life on earth come from? Pre-mRNA molecules in a primordial soup? God? Eventually, if you go back far enough, we don't know...and that's where her power starts...at the edge of the light.
Fun note on her inspiration, she is likely inspired by a cross between the western Greek Goddess Nyx as well as the Ancient Chinese Goddess and "Mother of the West" Xiwangmu. The Mother of the West's earliest mention is found inscribed on oracle bones (1766 – 1122 BCE). She is one of the most ancient and powerful goddesses in the Chinese pantheon. She has complete control over life, death, creation, and destruction. She is married to the Jade Emperor(aka God with a big G). So I think we can say The Night Mother is the most powerful being we "know" of currently in game, and yes, she is the abyss...the one thing all other gods seem to fear like hell itself, is her. However, us freedom-loving idiot humans seem to think we can use her and still claim our destiny from the clutches of divine fate while throwing off the shackles of the Gods' heavenly principles....we are indeed fools.
Back to "God" power levels - let's start ranking Gods based on how much willpoweself identity they have after being able to split themselves into lesser beings or after they give some of their power away to empower other entities.
probs goes something like Night Mother >Phanes=/>Primordial One>Dragon King>Pale Princess>4 Shades (since it took 4shades+PO to beat Nibelung that the shades are weaker than dragon king) >3 Moon Sisters > Morning Star (twins)>Dragon Sovereigns> Seelies >Jinn>Adepti>illuminated Beasts>humans...unless those humans interact with the abyss/Night Mother which makes them sorta the same as her(eventually).
I ranked the Morning Star twins based on their full power lvl pre-game. This list is also assuming base power levels and does not factor in enhancers like Gnosis or visions because those come later and are mostly for surveillance purposes (eyes of god and what not).
More hot takes and wild speculations! The First betrayal of the Gods was because the Grand Unified Civilization, from the book Before Sun and Moon, wanted to know more about the greater existence/ universe, and so they succumbed to the "sweet honey wine temptations" of the unknown (aka abyss/forbidden Knowledge/Night Mother). They essentially fell into the craving cycle of "Yeah but what if?!" They knew that the Primordial One understood secrets from beyond and that the Seelie envoys weren't telling them shit about the greater cycles or about prophecy. So likely, some of the ruling class got afraid that their rule would end and they decide to give the scholars, witches, and alchemists the go-ahead to start probing the boundaries. They likely came into contact with Abyssal Corrupted Nibelung (Night Mother Controlled/ pulling the strings and empowering The King Dragon as her avatar). They made a deal with him/her, the humans would let him get vengeance on The Primordial One and his shades who are now turned Moon Sisters, if the Dragon would teach them how to become Gods and master the Abyss. The humans may have been the Original Sinners (Surtalogi and the precursors to the Hexenzirkel) who made this dark pact with the Dragon avatar of the Night Mother (or the Original Sinners may be someone else, I'm just theorizing). They came up with a clever plan to first weaken Celestia and the Primordial One before the Corrupted Dragon's attack. They did this by wedding crashing. (total fanfic moment here based on the union between the Seelie and the "traveler from afar"). I think that one of the Original Sinners may have poisoned the mind (with forbidden Knowledge AKA the Night Mother) of the person who went to Celestia and made a union with the Seelie.....This person's "data signature" (unsure of this term) would look to the gods as if they were an alien or outside traveler from afar...but since they had no reason to doubt humans at this point, they thought this "space" husbando was legit.
30 days after the "wedding," the forbidden knowledge spreads out from this unsuspecting host, maybe through a red or blue gem they were wearing. The data corrupting red abyss shit starts wreaking havoc on Celestia's machinery and partially corrupts One of the Moon Sisters (the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles) and fully corrupts one of the others. God-level fighting breaks out, and the third totally un-corrupted sister gets killed and becomes the moon of Teyvat. At the same time, the Abyss avatar dragon version of Nibelung attacks, and The Primordial One is left to struggle against (him/her) solo. The partially corrupted Sustainer of heavenly principle's sister manages to kill the fully corrupted Moon Sister and casts her corpse down into the abyssal waters of the ocean (this is the moon we see in the spiral abyss in game - it's the corrupted sisters corpse). Finally, The Primordial One (PO) kills the Abyss Dragon but has suffered unrecoverable amounts of damage in the process. Also, the World is almost completely Destroyed and the forbidden knowledge corruption is spreading everywhere. The PO and the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles try dropping a bunch of cleansing nails, but it's not enough.....The Primordial One decides to make the Ultimate Sacrifice for the world and uses his power level to fully give his body to the recreation of Teyvat...losing his memories and self in the process and becoming the very land we game on. Also during this time the Morning Star Twins got yeeted to the chasm and knocked out, and the precursor people to Khaenri'ah kidnap them.
This leaves the partially corrupted Sustainer of Heavenly Principles as the only God left in Celestia. Her moon body form is tainted red from the forbidden knowledge corruption, and she now swings from her Aspect of Themis into Nemesis. She opens her one traumatized red baleful eye and watches humanity for any signs that they will repeat this betrayal, this arrogation. She requires strict Order and surveillance...She initiates the Archon war to cleanse any remaining corrupted gods and to centralize her power and authority. Also because the PO body wasn't enough energy, and she sorta needs to... ya know reuse some of the creation materials that are locked up in minor deities' forms so that their elemental power can go back into the laylines and help re-balance Teyvat. Next she tells the Archons to lock the fate of the ambitious humans to that of Celestia by presenting them with an eye of god (a vision) so that she can forever watch and pass extreme vengeful judgement on the mortals who forced her heavenly family to sacrifice themselves and kill each other due to the betrayal of power hungry humans. During this time she may even have been leached on via alchemy by the furtive Crimson Moon Dynasty of Khaenri'ah as a secondary source for Forbidden Knowledge. All the while their Civilization hides underground from her all seeing eye! Over the centuries, many human kings and god kings attempt to reach for forbidden Knowledge (King Deshret, Remuria, Khaenri'ah) all to gain their freedom from the ever tightening grip of fate, and in time the Baleful Red Moon finds them all and destroys them.
As her own corruption progresses her judgments become more extreme...as she loses herself to the Night Mother's influence. By the time of Kaenri'ah cataclysm, her curses and hate culminate in a heinous act that even the Archons disagree with. The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, Teyvats last celestial god and the crimson eye'd moon, massacres Khaenrian humans without discrimination. Her extreme acts vengeance are of retribution (not justice), an eye for an eye. If she has to live forever remembering the loss of her people ....then they should have to as well! She curses the pure bloods with immortality and lets the lesser ones lose their sense of self and become nothing more than husks(Hilichurls), just like her seelie sister had to while she watched forever...with her mind eroding. This is the last cycle of Teyvat because soon the last God in heaven will be fully corrupted by the Night Mothers Forbidden Knowledge and she will let the walls of the eggshell fall....and the Night Mother's Star Beasts will consume all life and light. The Traveler and their twin are the last Celestial hopes for ascension....but their Moon sister is so corrupted that she didn't even remember them, instead she attacked them on site. Remember the start of the game...her Celestial energy is tainted with black and red forbidden Knowledge - you can see the black and red pixels in her arm...she is focused on only one thing: "The arrogation of mankind ends now!"
and that's my fan lore speculation book dump for now, hope you enjoy your stay at Wendy's and enjoy that baconator!

As many people are asking this qsn , which even I asked to my seniors when I joined was joining clg as a fresher.
As a fresher you should build skills in many areas apart from academics. Get ahead of your comfort zones don't be that shitty introvert who hates talking to others build up your communication skills don't ever miss the chance of going up on stage, connect with your seniors and make a good like minded friends circle and stay away from all bad habits doont even dare to try once.
Also in 1st year you will be haaving much free time compared to other years so indulge yourself in sports it will be very usefull till jee you all must have been not taking care of your fitness and all so I recommend you all to involve urself in sports and it will help in building connections with your seniors and It will be harder to join sports in later years.
So coming to main qsn how to get started with coding??
1) STEP - 1 ( Learn a programming lang) In your curriculums everyone will be having C language in your 1 St semester so start learning C language (about 2-4 months) depends on you. Resources :- 1) CS50 by Harvard ( First 5 lectures) 2) College Wallah - C playlist (Approx 40-45 hrs) 3) Apna college - One shot (10hrs)
So depending on your speed and amount of hrs you put in it will take about 2-4 months to get good at it. Along with it you can start practicing basic qsn on platform like hackerRank (don't go on leetcode RN).
knowing basics of a language especially like C is very beneficial it has similar syntax to many other languages so it will help you to transit very easily.
2) STEP 2 - (DSA) DSA - Data structures and algorithms In layman terms DSA are the questions of coding and can be done in any language.
Coming to languages don't distract urself much in interview of many companies languages is not a barrier but they generally prefer c++,Java,python,js only better to go with these considering present market.
If you are not able to decide which language to go with I would suggest you JAVA.
Start learning DSA with your preffered language 1) Resources:- Strivers - DSA course ( it is not based on specific language so alll can follow it)
2) You can take any paid courses as well but believe me Strivers course is the best
It can take around 4-5 months just to learn and get intermediate in DSA and around 8-10 months to get good at it. And start grinding on leetcode now it will be tough at starting but will get used to to and will become fun soon.
Also you should never leave practicing DSA you should be practicing DSA throughout your 4 years.
So this should be your plan in 1 St year Many people start with web development in place of DSA but I think it's up to you but learning DSA will be better first.
Now in second year your are now good at DSA and know 2-3 languages now don't stop practicing DSA grind leetcode problems join in contests improove your coding profile. Now it's up to u to choose your path in 2nd year for some it's web dev , app dev or getting into technologies like ml, ai ,da. And you will get to know by that time Soo keep exploring and be consistent there's a popular quote which says:-
"SOLVING ONE QSN DAILY ON LEETCODE KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM UNEMPLOYMENT"
IMPORTANT :- Be it a small or big share your achievements on LinkedIn don't ever self judge urself and make your profile on LinkedIn asap and make good connections.
Wishing you best for you future. Also stay away from love/relationship and all its best to concentrate on urself at this age and build new and better version of yourself and be in a good friend circle.

/ FOUND
I have to manually do it (WTF!!!).
https://help.readwise.io/article/30-how-do-i-import-highlights-from-personal-documents-on-kindle
Hello,
I uploaded an ePub (without DRM) to my Kindle (E-ink reader) and started annotating it.
I also find these annotations on the Kindle PC app, proof that my annotations are taken into account by the server hosting my library (otherwise my annotations would only be accessible on the Kindle).
However, despite a manual synchronization of Readwise, this ePub does not even appear in my Readwise book collection, and therefore I cannot retrieve the quotes on my Obsidian vault.
N.B.: I installed Readwise yesterday and subscribed to the paid plan.
Thank you!

Hi Reddit, so I’ll try to keep this as concise as possible while still giving you all the facts. Let us start from the beginning, my at the time 21 y.o. step-brother, was going through his first big break up. Instead of confiding in others or taking time to understand his emotions he instead picked up a book about the stages of love. Let me also explain that my brother has never been the smartest guy and mainly gets by on his good looks and charm in his life. Anyway this book gave the usual “love requires fighting to work it shows that you care about the other” you know stuff everyone already knows. I’m guessing because it came from a book ,or because it was plainly saying what he was too naive to understand about what he was feeling, he became infatuated with every line. Anytime I would have relationship problems he would quote the self help books he had read since and recommend me ones to read. This went on for while but eventually I finished nursing school and moved out of my family’s house (which is my mother’s house, this is important for later) to start working.
Now fast forward to four years later. I’m living on my own with my the love of my life, working the night shift in the hospital like I’ve always wanted. On my way home on night I called my mom to catch up on my drive home. We started talking and eventually I asked about my step-brother. She explained that he was still living at home and had no plans on getting a job or moving out (for context my brother graduated with a master’s degree a year ago). I found that odd and asked what he is doing now. My mom explained that he just makes music and does podcasts with his friends. He apparently says he wants to be an entrepreneur. Which is fine everyone wants to make it big doing what they love doing however. My mother also explained that he constantly invites people she doesn’t know to her house to hangout and when she gets off of work she comes home to strangers that expect her to cook for them. My mother then started tearing up saying “I don’t feel like it’s my house anymore”. That’s when I got upset. I asked her why doesn’t she kick him out or at least start asking for rent so he has to get a job. She explained that she wanted to do that but my step father wouldn’t allow it. My mother and step father have a wonderful marriage and never fight, but because my stepbrother is his son he has attachment to him. My mom recently had to kick her daughter (my blood related sister) into the camper as well since my step sister (19 y.o.) lets her boyfriend stay on weekends in what used to be the girls room. My mother keeps explaining that all of these situations are putting stress on their marriage and by kicking out her daughter she feels like she betrayed her just so my stepfather’s kids can get their way in her house.
After this phone call I was livid so I called my step brother to confront him. After asking the normal “hi how are you” I asked if he has started looking for a job and he said “why would I?”. I responded “so you can work and move out”. Then he said “im in my 20s this is the time you are supposed to chase your dreams” he then pointed out that I always wanted to be a YouTuber or streamer and I should go for it. I then said you know I have a job now and I have to give that job a lot of my time in order to afford the life I live. He basically laughed and explained that there is always enough time. Not much important was said after that.
Now fast forward a few weeks later I see posts from his Instagram talking about how “social media is poison, take back your life, put down your phone, etc.” (Crazy to post that on social media btw). I have also come across his podcast which are just him and his friend who both have the combined IQ of a beheaded chicken explain that the universe is big and has like billions of stars and stuff. 0.0 his entire personality now is saying basic facts at the surface level and then acting like it’s deep as fuck. Furthermore the constant insistence on following your passion mixed with the complete ineptitude of being able to comprehend how smug and pretentious he is during any interaction has breed some real distain from anyone who can see through his act.
All of these posts about self help combined with the complete ignorance of how his actions putting a negative effect on our family has really put a barrier between us. I really don’t think I can take it anymore and I want to either try to explain that he has become a pretentious douche who only keeps around yes men who all think a fact for 5th graders they learn at the zoo makes them better than everyone else, but I honestly think he will just say I don’t understand or maybe I should read this book about stress. I’ve went over the situation with friends of mine and they all laugh when they see his posts and hear him talk now. For God sake he held his 25th birthday party recently and said for everyone to bring a book to exchange knowledge to one another and wear business casual.
I just want my mom to feel like the home she worked tirelessly as a single mother all those years to afford for our family is hers. I have always been so close to my brother and I want him back as a friend. I want my sister to be able to live in the house she was raised in instead of in a camper.
Well that’s everything as of now left out a lot of stories about him being directly wrong about facts he tells us or times he got called out and embarrassed about shit but I think I’ll just leave it here. I plan on confronting him soon I just don’t know what to say. Thank you for your time.

In light of all the doomposting and wariness about the future of Firefly in the story after the events of 2.0-2.2, I wanted to compile some known information to piece together a theory on why she is likely joining the express in 2.3, and hopefully sparking a positive conversation about it. Some things I will be referencing will be spoilers for 2.3 so if you'd like to remain completely spoiler free, I suggest avoiding this post. You have been warned.
So, before I begin with the 2.3 leaks, I'd first like to take a step back and look at the character as a whole. Firefly, in the short time she has been in the story has become immensely popular within the community, but beyond that she has also had quite an effect on the MC. Regardless of whatever ships you do and don't subscribe to and even the choices you make in game, it's undeniable that the MC has feelings/an attachment for our girl and that these are reciprocated by Firefly (Again, you are free to believe if these are romantic feelings or not, though I believe it leans toward the former). The MC choosing to trust in Firefly despite her initial secrecy in 2.0, Firefly willing to risk exposing herself as Sam (A known Stellaron Hunter and wanted criminal) to protect herself and the MC (This might be an over analysis on my part, but her clenching her fists while being held by "S-U-D" and showing hesitation rather than fear leads me to believe this is the case) during their initial encounter with "Something Unto Death", her identity as Sam being a well kept secret and one she is not eager to reveal to just anyone, her "death" by "Something Unto Death" bringing the MC to tears and causing them to become noticeably crestfallen, even to the point of getting snippy with Acheron. In the finale of 2.1 and beginning of 2.2, past the initial shock of Sam, they are understanding of Firefly's secrecy and even trust her when she mentions her "death" leading to her discovery of Dreamflux Reef and the secrets of the dream. In this same scene they even describe the MCs inner thoughts with the scene stating "Innumerable voices resonated through the symphony of the memoria, roaring like thunder, and among them, one echo stood out with exceptional clarity, you knew it came from the girl beside you, your hearts beating to the same rhythm, peaceful, and even more peaceful.". Of course there were also the two “dates” between the MC and Firefly. To a character with ELS, every moment spent out of her medical cabin is precious, and she chooses to spend those moments with the MC as Firefly, rather than Sam, a choice that can be seen as unnecessary past her initial purpose on Penacony with Elio's script, and during the second "date", despite the urgency of the situation and Firefly herself reminding the MC of their timer, she still goofs off with them during the different trials. Capping this off is her "unwavering dedication", which is what allowed Acheron and the others to find the MC after Ena's dream.
Now, I didn't write this massive text wall just to promote the MC x Firefly ship, instead I want to draw your attention specifically to the bond they've developed. Despite the short amount of time spent together, it's quite obvious that Mihoyo went out of their way to emphasize this connection. I know many people were disappointed with the scenes between the two in 2.2, specifically in regards to them MC not showing the desired reaction at the reveal of Firefly not only being alive, but also her identity as Sam. Though I too expected something more, I believe this was intentional on Hoyo's part as they are most likely saving the heart to heart for the one on one scene in 2.3. Having said all of this, I want you to ask yourself, what was the point of all of this? The other Stellaron Hunters have gotten nowhere near this amount of screentime or specifically developed such a strong bond with the MC, in fact, not even other characters like March, Dan Heng, Himeko or Welt are this close to the MC. Why write in a fake out death at all if this character wasn't important? Purely for shock factor? Why bother making her consistently close to the MC? (Most characters get a single patch to really interact with the MC, upon the release of 2.3, that would mark her third patch being relevant to the plot and interacting with the MC. This is a recurring thing across multiple Hoyoverse titles, think of Ayaka from Genshin as a prime example, a character which has largely fallen to the wayside and being relegated as a side character after her single patch).
The people at Mihoyo aren't amateur storytellers like some think they are, and I believe everything they've done is to make this connection seem all the more important for one reason. Firefly is going to join the express, her bond with the Trailblazer serving as the catalyst. She's said herself that she respects the Trailblaze and has even found herself resonating with their ideals. The events of 2.2 serve as evidence of this, with her being able to see Clockie (Though not much is known about him, it seems that as a Trailblaze entity, he is only able to be seen by those with a connection to the Trailblaze), and standing side by side with the Astral Express in their battle of beliefs against Sunday. Though I believe the trailblaze aspect plays a large choice, I'd also like to take a look at her script from Elio, which I believe to be a major piece of the puzzle. The script states she will experience three deaths on Penacony. Some people may argue that she has already experienced those three with the second being when she traveled with the MC to Dreamflux Reef and the third being related to what Acheron mentions at the end of 2.2. I don't believe traveling to Dreamflux Reef counts towards that death tally as it would actually make it four deaths, seeing as when she was first killed she awoke in her medical cabin, then later traveled to Dreamflux Reef. Following this, it's reasonable to say she's only experienced two so far, the initial death from being stabbed and from Acheron. I believe this third death is not a literal one. Death has a multitude of meanings beyond just dying/passing away. Using the Tarot as an example, death can also be used to describe a great change. I propose that this great change is the "death" of Stellaron Hunter Sam. Looking at the playable version of Firefly, an obvious change has taken place, that being the green energy that leaks out from within and the manifestation of Firefly's blades which could be seen as Firefly establishing more of herself within the identity of SAM. Beyond the changes to the SAM suit itself, I find it a little odd that they deliberately have Firefly walk around as herself in the overworld, rather than the suit, but I concede that this choice could just be so people can see the waifu that they pulled and might have no real significance. All of this is information that has already been revealed to us, whether directly through the events of the story, or the leaked gameplay of Firefly. Next I would like to discuss leaks that support this idea of Firefly joining the AE crew.
Many people believe that after the events of 2.3, the MC and Firefly will part ways, with Firefly going back to the Stellaron Hunters for a few planets. I don't believe this to be the case for two main reasons, the first being the new event in 2.3 and the second being the new BP icons. The event is said to be one in which we play games with Firefly, March, and Silverwolf, with Silverwolf mentioning that she could never get Firefly to play games with her, but Firefly accepts this time around because she is asked by the MC. Now, don't you find this lineup kind of strange? Specifically the presence of March 7th. If Firefly was departing Penacony after the story of 2.3, why would she show up in an event with the MC and March? It's not as if events in Star Rail aren't canon either, so it doesn't make sense for Firefly to be there if we are assuming that she is leaving during the epilogue of 2.3. I believe this is supported by her new BP icon in which she can be seen wearing a red, black, and gold outfit. These are exactly the colors of the express and other express members have icons which share this same color scheme. Even Sam's icon has red that is normally not present on his design. The description for the icon also states Firefly: Visionary, Firefly stepping forwards into the future "There is only one destiny, but I still have the right to make my choice". Sam's icon follows a similar format being titled Visionary and mentioning stepping forward into the future, with his quote stating "I will fulfill SAM's mission and see a new future". Of course BP icons don't have to mean anything and in most cases are just the characters in a different outfit, but doesn't this seem like a really strange choice? Firefly doesn't have red as part of her color scheme, so putting her in an outfit that is explicitly AE colors seems like a deliberate choice, not to mention the fact that the icon references her stepping forward into the future, or if you want to look at another way, blazing a trail to her new future. In addition to this, the word "Choice" has significance, especially if we have this Astral Express outfit to set the context. A stellaron hunter knows exactly how meaningless their choices are, yet Firefly is the only one who is defiant in regards to the script and her predetermined end. Not just her own end, but even in the missions she is given, she chooses to do things that can be seen as futile like actively choosing to not read certain parts of the script as to remain ignorant and potentially influence said script, even if the predetermined outcome inevitably comes to pass despite her "obstruction". With all of this it seems like a no brainer that she would join the group that is all about making your own choices, helping the people you want to help, and doing the things you want to do, not to mention the resources she would have access to in terms of potentially curing her illness as a member of the Astral Express, a respected group with many powerful allies and connections willing to assist, versus being in a criminal organization where she follows a script that may not have the ending she wants.
I know I just did a whole lot of yapping so I appreciate anyone taking the time to read the theories and speculations of a delusional fan huffing way too much copium. I truly believe there is merit to what I’m saying, but only time will tell if I hit the mark or if I should never come up with a theory again. Having said all that, I’d love to hear from the community what you all think about this, even if it’s in opposition to what I’m saying.

I've been meaning to make this post for a while but life kept getting in the way.
There is a bunch of new (well, new to me) stuff I've discovered over the last few weeks, and wanted to share my thoughts with you.
Let's start with the "prequel" (although never canonically confirmed) to the Marathon series was a game called Pathways to Darkness. The backstory for this game is:

Sixty-four million years ago, a large extra-terrestrial object struck the Earth in what would later be called the Yucatan Peninsula, in south eastern Mexico. The dust and rock thrown up by the resulting explosion caused enormous climactic changes in the ensuing years, and many of the Earth's species became extinct during the long winter that followed.
The object itself was buried thousands of feet below ground, its nearly two kilometer length remarkably intact. It remained there, motionless, for thousands of years before it finally began to stir-- and to dream.

Hmm. Buried below ground. Finally beginning to stir and dream. Who does that sound like?
Let's keep going.

The heat of impact liquefied the rock around it, which later cooled and encased the dead god's huge body far below ground. As it began to dream, it wrought unintentional changes in its environment. Locked deep beneath the Earth, strange and unbelievable things faded in and out of reality. Vast caverns and landscapes bubbled to life within the rock, populated by horrible manifestations of the dead god's dream.

As it began to dream, it wrought unintentional changes in its environment.. Locked deep beneath the Earth, strange and unbelievable things faded in and out of reality.
Like Fingerrats? Or like Spider-wolves?

Vast caverns and landscapes bubbled to life within the rock, populated by horrible manifestations of the dead god's dream.

Caverns and landscapes. I want to expand this point here for a bit because it's also mirrored across Alagaesia.
Let's start with Helgrind.
For any FV enjoyers, I've previously speculated that Helgrind is a reliquary, or a previously living being that was transformed (a la Ctein).
But the curious thing here is the timeline of Helgrind and it's tunnel system, taken with the above context.

Q: Assuming it wasn't built by the Ra'zac themselves, was the lair inside Helgrind purpose-built for the Ra'zac and Lethrblaka, or did they appropriate it some time after it was built? If it wasn't built for them, what was its original purpose?
A: Partially natural formations (linked to tunnels elsewhere in Alagaësia), partly expanded by the priests of Helgrind and Galbatorix himself.

But... The Ra'Zac didn't inhabit Helgrind until at least after the Humans came over. So these tunnels underneath Helgrind existed before the Ra'Zac, or Galbatorix ever set foot on Alagaesia. Which, I don't know about you, but a massive network of tunnels does not smell entirely natural to me.
So.. where else are there "natural" formations that link to other tunnels elsewhere in Alagaesia?
We've seen these "natural" formations in Vroengard:

Q: The deeps under Vroengard, were they created by the riders or was it a previous system of caverns that they repurposed?
A: Previous system. I mean, there's been work done on them, but... 'It looks similar, parts of it feel similar to the caverns that we encountered in this book. They both have that hole in the cave which goes deeper, with something in the hole that's not clearly defined.' Yeah.

And we've seen similar depictions in the Beors, and Nal Gorgoth. So from the Beors to Vroengard, "natural" tunnels exist underground. I don't buy that they are entirely natural.
Given the context of the Marathon game above:

Vast caverns and landscapes bubbled to life within the rock, populated by horrible manifestations of the dead god's dream.

I think these tunnels came from Azlagur.
Let's switch gears here, I want to talk about another archaeological mystery in the world of Eragon - El-Harim.
I believe El-Harim was heavily influenced by the (not canon confirmed, but implied) prequel to the Marathon games, the Pathways into Darkness

Pathways casts the player as a member of a US Army Special Forces team sent on a mission to the Yucatán Peninsula. On May 5, 1994, a diplomat from the alien race known as the Jjaro appeared to the President of the United States and informed him that on May 13, an ancient godlike being sleeping beneath a pyramid would awaken and destroy the Earth. The only way to prevent this catastrophe is to prevent the god from awakening. The eight-man Special Forces team carries a nuclear weapon, with the goal of entering the ancient pyramid, descending to the bottom level where the god sleeps, and activating the bomb to stun the god and bury it under tons of rock.

Getting into a bit more of the backstory:

Only during the last few centuries has the god begun to effect changes on the surface of the Earth. Grotesque creatures have been sighted deep in the trackless forest of the Yucatan, and strange rumors of an ancient pyramid-- which is neither Aztec nor Mayan-- in the same area have been circulating in the archaeological community since the early 1930's.

Pyramid, eh? There are two different options here I can think of that equate.
The extended FWW Map
First, in the extended map from FWW, we can see a Pyramid-esque shape - Different color, different slope, etc.
Or, second (and probably more likely), it could be El-Harim:

It is a very bad place. It’s a place where some bad things happened at one point and it’s not a good place to go walking around. I don’t want to get into it too much more because again, it’s a good possibility for another story and I want to keep thinking about it a bit more. It is in Alagaesia and we’ve actually been close to the location.

Many speculate that the below vision from Eragon in Brisingr, which was never explained in the main cycle, is of El-Harim:

And he rested, and visions beset him of a circular stone city that stood in the center of an endless plain and of a small girl who wandered among the narrow, winding alleys within and who sang a haunting melody (A Feast with Friends, Brisingr).

If this vision IS El-Harim , it's super significant because of these two descriptors:

circular stone city
narrow, winding alleys

Fractals. The city itself is a fractal, like Nidus for any FV enjoyers.
The narrow winding alleys are significant because of the descriptors of the Vanished/Grey folk:

The spaces between the structures were narrower than the humans preferred; the proportions were taller, thinner, which matched the images she had seed of the Vanished...
The ancient outline of the city was - as she suspected - a fractal, and the shape of it contained meaning.... At the nexus of the apttern, where it coiled in on itslef like a nautilus shell" (Shards, TSIASOS).

Narrow. Circular (Nautilus shell). Winding. Fractal.
Whatever this city is, El-Harim or otherwise, it is/was a grey folk/vanished city.
And given the quotes from above - "Its a place where some bad things happened at one point", and "dangerous, creeping, ancient, evil thing" - My guess is that the event that caused the Grey Folk to bind the AL to magic happened here, in El-Harim.
Alright, moving along.
Let's talk about the Az and the God. There are a few parallels I've talked around, but the BIG link between the two are Dreams. This is especially important because of the release of the world map recently.

We are the devotees of Azlagur, the Devourer. Azlagur the Firstborn. Azlagur the Dreamer. He who sleeps and whose sleeping mind weaves the warp and weft of the waking world. But the sleep grows restless" (Obliteration, Murtagh).

Versus

As it began to dream, it wrought unintentional changes in its environment. Locked deep beneath the Earth, strange and unbelievable things faded in and out of reality. Vast caverns and landscapes bubbled to life within the rock, populated by horrible manifestations of the dead god's dream.

I could write a whole post about the parallels between the two and their linkage to dreams, but I'll cut it short here for now to save room to dig in to other areas. Specifically, the Dreams connection is especially important because of the relase of the world map recently - I have another post here that gets into more detail, but the translations from the World Map in the middle translate to:

where dreams and dragons dwell

Dreams (!) and Dragons.
Combine that with the Etymology of the words:

Alagaësia ala = land gaësia = rich/fertile
Alalëa ala = land lëa = a beautiful dream
Elëa = the dream itself

So the planet, named Elea, translates to "The Dream Itself". Very interesting.
This is even more significant when you take into account this tweet chain from Chris, a bit earlier in March

Darn it. Just invented a name in the ancient language. Googled it to make sure no one else had used it ... only to discover that I had used it in an earlier book. Lol.
Can we ask what name?
Edurna

I believe the name was a potential candidate for the name of the planet of Alagaesia, which is important because of the etymology of THAT name (All credit to Zora for digging this one up).

Edurna sounds awfully like Adurna and Edur
Adurna meaning water and Edur being a prominence

Prominence. And Water. You know what that sounds like to me? Plaintive Verge. Just food for thought.
Second-to-last Az connection I want to cover: Hunger.

Whirling darkness swallowed him, and at the center of it... lay a formless horror - ancient and evil and from which emanated a constant merciless hunger (Dreams and Portents).

Versus a quote about the cosmic entity in Marathon:

Now I fear what that weapon has unleashed will destroy us. I once boasted to be able to count the atoms in a cloud, to understand them all, predict them, and so did I predict you, but this new chaos is entirely terrible, mindless, obeying rules that I don't comprehend. And it is hungry.

Now, the last piece of Azlagur-related lore I want to cover here is the "Black Sun".
In all of the visions, a Black Sun precipitates Azlagur's rise.

"A black sun rimmed by black flame hung against a darkling sky... The beast rose rampant against the black sun - A wingless dragon, apocalyptic in size, terrifying in presence. Destroyer of hope, eater of light"

Before getting into the Black Sun a bit more, there's an additional connection here I want to touch on - usage of the word rampant in connection with Azlagur.

In Marathon, Rampancy is the enhanced self-awareness of a computer AI, causing a progression towards greater mental abilities and destructive impulses. The destructive impulses, however, are primarily caused by being threatened or harassed. There are three main stages, as well as a fourth and final stage that is rarely achieved, to rampancy, named by the primary attitude of the AI during those times: Melancholia, Anger, Jealousy, and Meta-Stability.

There are some overlaps with what we see from the Maw.
And Melancholia.. that's an interesting word. Especially when taken into context the meaning of the name:

A melancholy dream of great beauty.

Melancholy.. Dream... The pieces of the puzzle are coming together. And Rampant...
Chris also uses that exact same verbiage when discussing a deleted scene from TSIASOS:

Q: I just finished reading To Sleep in a Sea of Stars and I have to know: it sounds like the Wranaui fought the corrupted during the Sundering but if that's true and it happened almost 300 years prior.... Who created the old corrupted? I've been questioning this for days!
A: That was actually in material cut by editors (some of the dream memories). Another Seed/Idealis was damaged and, when the Old Ones tried to separate it from its host, the xeno went rampant.

The xeno went rampant. Very interesting.
Alrighty, I keep getting distracted, back to the black sun.
The reason the Black Sun is important is because it always precipitates Azlagur's rise, throughout several of Murtahgh's visions. In each of them, there is a Black sun.
So, by this, we can extrapolate that the sun needs to be Black in order for Azlagur to rise (which is hinted at at the "Day of Black Sun" celebrations near the end of the book).
But... what does it actually mean?
There is a parallel in Marathon, their weapon:

The trih xeem (also "tri xeem") is an extremely powerful weapon that can be used to force a star into early nova... it was originally conceived and built by the Jjaro [The Old Ones/Vanished equivalent]. Much of the Marathon Infinity story revolves around preventing the Pfhor from using the tri xeem and inadvertently releasing a W'rkncacnter that is supposedly trapped within the Lh'owon sun.

So, the story of the last Marathon games revolves around preventing the usage of the weapon to release the cosmic-level baddie trapped in the sun. So, effectively, the antagonist is imprisoned by the sun.
But.. how does that translate to Azlagur and Murtagh?
The Black Sun requirement for Azlagur's rise could be construed as "imprisonment" by the sun; Azlagur cannot escape until the sun is turned Black. But it only really starts to come together when you piece together these pictures.
First, early concept art for the Fractalverse
You see the black orb, heading directly for the glowing star? Sounds pretty similar.
But that's not the smoking gun; look at the depiction of the black orb in the concept art, and compare it to the trih xeem, the weapon in Marathon.
A black orb with a trail heading directly for the sun. Almost an exact match.
OK.. so I get that it has some relevence in fractalverse, but how does it translate to Eragon?
Well, because of the Beors. Specifically, a picture CHRIS HIMSELF posted about the Beors.
Here
I propose that THIS black orb, at the top of the Beors (which, suspiciously, no one has traveled to) houses the black weapon. After all, the depiction is quite similar - A large, circular, black orb. Looks pretty similar to the other pictures.
And given the above context that Azlagur can only rise with a "Black Sun", the pieces all start to fit together. It's not perfect, but there are definitely a lot of overlaps.
Alright. I've been waiting for this one. The last piece. Let's talk about Angela.
Q: Will we get Angela lore? I feel like she could have killed Galbatorix and just didn't feel like it.
A: For those who don't know Angela is based on my sister Angela, because she breaks the fourth wall to a degree she has. Not only does she have plot armor, she knows she's in a story and can break the story itself. So, yes, she could have killed Galbatorix, but that would have made for a very bad story. That said, I do have an entire book planned around Angela, and it's very high on my list of books to write because it takes place before some of these other big stories I want to write. And that's also the difficult thing. I have my big storylines, and then I have a couple of one off side books I want to write, and it's just a question of time, energy and effort.
She knows she's in a story, and she can break the story.
Based on that, and several other descriptions I will get into in a bit, I think her story is directly related to the Marathon Infinity game.

Marathon Infinity begins as the Pfhor destroy Lh'owon using a Jjaro-derived doomsday weapon known as the Trih Xeem or "early nova". Unfortunately, the weapon also releases a powerful chaotic being: The W’rkncacnter, which threatens to destroy the entire galaxy. Because of the W’rkncacnter's chaos or by means of some Jjaro tech of his own, the player is transported back and forward in time, finding himself jumping between timelines and fighting for various sides in a desperate attempt to prevent the chaotic being's release.

and

In Marathon Infinity, a W'rkncacnter is imprisoned in the sun of planet Lh'owon. It is theorized by some that the W'rkncacnter's powerfully chaotic nature may be responsible for the jumps between realities seen in the game. When the Pfhor use a trih xeem device to send the star into early nova, the creature is released, to the horror and destruction of the Pfhor.

Angela is the Eragon-equivalent of the player.
She can transport back and forward in time, jumping between timelines, and fighting to prevent the chaotic being's (Azlagur's) release. Let's dive in.
First:

Q: Is it canon that Angela the Herbalist is a Time Lord and did she make a cameo in To Sleep in a Sea of Stars?
A: Is Angela the Herbalist is a Time Lord? That would be copyright infringement, so I'm going to say "no comment", but she is in To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. And there is a canon reason for this. And you should have no problem spotting who she is in that book.

So there's a canon reason she's in the book. Interesting. When you take that into context with the next bit

Q: On your last AMA on reddit, someone asked if any fan had guessed the identity and history of Angela correctly. You said nobody has guessed correctly and there's not enough information in the books to do so. That puts every fan theory out there on her wrong, correct? She's not the soothsayer, a time lord, grey folk, etc, correct?
A: Angela: Some of the fan theories have gotten parts of her history and identity correct. However, there's a HUGE aspect to her nature that no one has guessed (or least, not in a non-joking way). And no, I don't mean her being a Time Lord.

So there's a huge aspect to her nature that no one has guessed (at least at the time of writing). She's self-aware, knows she's in a story, and can jump around in time. And, similar to the Marathon games, it appears like only she knows that she's in a story.
So, based on the Marathon inspiration, we can guess that she is trying to accomplish the same thing - To prevent the release of the cosmic-level villain. We know that she has some kind of relationship with the Draumar:

In Murtagh, it’s revealed that Bachel and “Uluthrek” (Mooneater, Angela’s given Urgal name) met with Bachel explicitly going out to confront her (a courtesy not even offered to a Rider like Murtagh)

So, by extension, she has some kind of connection to Azlagur. This is supported by other circumstantial evidence in FWW as well:

Since we know that the Dream Well in Mani's Caves is similar to the Well in Nal Gorgoth I can assume that Angela is revealing the existence of the Draumar to Elva there? I feel certainly feel as if you're setting up her for something in the future series.
Heh. Good Catch.

So, she is clearly working with Elva to do something related to the Dream Wells, and she also previously confronted Bachel, many years ago. So throughout multiple years across the WoE, she is connected to Azlagur and the Draumar; her story clearly revolves around them/Azlagur, somehow.
Putting the above pieces together, my guess is that she is jumping around in different timelines, trying to manipulate actions of the past to prevent the rise of Azlagur. Just like the player character in Marathon. There's another piece of circumstantial evidence to support this assertion as well.
In Marathon Infinity:

After multiple "jumps," the player (seemingly the only one who realizes he is being transported between possible realities)

Versus Angela:

As hours passed, the stars turned above, night chill drew the heat from my body, and I fell into a curious trance, not asleep but not fully awake... The world altered" (On the Nature of Stars, FWW).

I believe this world "Altering" was the first time she experienced an alternate timeline, without knowing what it was at the time.
We've also seen her create "Doorways" as well - Although it's not clear if this is fast traveling (a la a Torque Gate), or truly opening a path to another timeline.
In Eldest:

"As they landed, he noticed a patch of white on a small hill nearby. The patch wavered strangely in the dark, like a floating candle, then resolved into Angela, who was wearing a pale wool tunic" (A Sorceress, a Snake, and a Scroll).

and then later, more concretely:

"I traced a line on the wall, reached out, and opened a door that wasn't there. ON the other side - nighttime, a beach by a black ocean lit only by stars, so many, many stars, more than there should be. Of course, I would not take Elva to my home, not yet. But this was a waypoint, a place to build and learn and grow... She stared into the gap, the impossible portal" (On the Nature of Stars, FWW).

Still, as always with Angela, so many questions.
Alright, we've reached an ungodly wordcount, so I'll call it here. There are still more connections I'm uncovering between the two series (such as the potential connection between the Gedway Ignasia and the "warning" sensation from Marathon), so I might make a follow-up post in the future with everything else I uncover.
As always, thanks for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments, or if you've found any other connections between the two.

For it is wonderful how much we are confirmed in our belief, when we more attentively consider how admirably the system of divine wisdom contained in it is arranged—how perfectly free the doctrine is from every thing that savors of earth—how beautifully it harmonizes in all its parts—and how rich it is in all the other qualities which give an air of majesty to composition. - Calvin's Institutes, 1.8.1

Welcome to In the Word Wednesdays!
Here at reformed, we cherish the richness, the beauty, the majesty, and - most importantly - the authority of the the Bible. Often times, though, we can get caught up by the distractions of this world and neglect this glorious fountain of truth we have been given.
So here on In the Word Wednesday we very simply want to encourage everybody to take a moment to share from, and discuss, scripture! What have you been reading lately? What have you been studying in small group? What has your pastor been preaching on? Is there anything that has surprised you? Confused you? Encouraged you? Let's hear it!
It doesn't have to be anything deep or theological - although deep theological discussions focusing on scripture are always welcome - it can be something as simple as a single verse that gave you comfort this morning during your quiet time.
(As ITWW is no longer a new concept, but we are more than welcome to receive ideas for how to grow the concept and foster an increased discussion of scripture. If you have any ideas for ITWW, please feel free to send the mods a message via mod mail.)

My name was slandered SO badly by the quinte.ca news that it is literally criminal and VERY VERY messed up.
According to this article I am a Sex Predator and was trying to lure a 13 year old for sex using the internet.(!!!!!)
This is a long story so I’m going to do my best at condensing it so people actually read it.
This is what happened: With a fair amount of spare time on my hands I decided to do something that would create a positive, long lasting impact. I knew there had to be some real sex predators in a city this size so I decided to see if any ADULTS online were interested and fully follow through with preying on a minor. Less than a few minutes after creating a profile I was contacted by a Belleville Resident who indicated DIRECTLY to me that he was “ok” with the decoys age.

I told him my age was TWELVE. 

Within the first 5 minutes of the conversation. So for the next five days he was essentially grooming who he believed was 12 year old and attempting to meet him that upcoming weekend. At no time did I initiate or direct the conversation to move in the dirty direction. I wanted to not only provide as much solid evidence as possible for the police, but I was thinking forward to do the same for the future prosecution when this case ultimately reached the Court….( at least In my mind, this is what I was doing it for! )
Speaking to him about 45 minutes each day I was shocked at how this was actually happening. Shocked at how quickly, unaffected and confident he was to be luring a 12 year old to his apartment.
Most disturbing was the bits of information that was confessed to me. How he “had to be really careful” because he is already a registered sex offender due to being caught with another minor years ago, and how he “had multiple other people your age” in the past which he had never been caught for.
So obviously by the time I was aware of that I was Deadset at not only catching and exposing this creep but see to it that he gets his rightful spot back in a prison cell.

Make no mistake I took screenshots of EVERY message/text/conversations/photos. 

( I had taken photos of myself and used an age altering app which was procured freely from Apple. ) Upon his request I sent multiple Altered selfies over those five days in the various poses he was asking for. Obviously this was done to prove that the decoy was in fact “real”. Bam. That’s it. It was Friday and this registered sex offender “PDF File” was in FULL BELIEF and confident that a Minor was on the way to his apartment to “teach him” how to have sex.
I went just outside the meeting area a bit early and sat down with my Sony 500 video camera around my neck and was prepared to begin the video, capturing him as he went directly to the prearranged location. He was going with the quickness and attempting to hold back the huge shit eating grin on his face. Disgusting. Vile. True evil.
So I walked up to him while recording and made a call from my cellphone to his which I used to instantly tell him off the bat: “YOU’RE FKD!” Also by doing this at that moment I was putting him in a position (ON CAMERA mind you) which he had zero opportunity to deny anything.

Over the next 20-30 minutes He confessed to everything that was said during the conversations. Instead of me questioning him, initially I had told him to tell me exactly why he was there, and for him to tell me (the camera) everything that was in those terrible and unbelievable messages. 

I grilled him like a ribeye.
After having gathered what I believed to be enough evidence and having him vocally express ( One more and last time) directly to the camera why he was there at that precise moment and what it was he had expected to go down that day in his apartment, I decided to end recording, and leave.
With my adrenaline pumping, I left. Forgetting to do what could’ve been the most important thing, not for exposing him or the Court, but for ME. . . Call the cops. I called them about 10 minutes into the walk back to my home. I told the Officer everything that had just happened. Including the prior five days leading up to this event. I was praised for doing what I had done by this Officer but was informed that the “Detective” responsible for this “crime category” was already off duty and wouldn’t be returning until Monday.
On Monday I received a phone call from that Officer and TRIED to explain everything. It was like I was speaking another language to him. He REPEATEDLY tried to change what I was telling him. For example; I explained how I was the decoy and that there did NOT EXIST AN ACTUAL MINOR involved here, and then he would say: “so you and this sex offender ‘hooked up’ and tried to get a ‘13’ year old over to HIS house” !!!!! It was if he was Trolling. He simply could not, or did not WANT TO understand what happened. “It’s like a STING OPERATION” I finally said to him. I told him this guys name and where he lived. I even knew his birthdate from the convos with the Decoy. So this “detective” in charge of investigating a very serious category of crime in this city KNEW that this predator is a Registered Sex Offender. He KNEW that I was in possession of a litany of irrefutable evidence. Yet was totally incompetent and put me down as Suspect #1 from the start. For not a single reason. He denied my requests to come down and SHOW HIM THE FRICKIN’ EVIDENCE. He did not even want to see the video confession!!! Nothing happened. He said it was now an “open case” and I had a case number. Deflated. Flabbergasted. I was [again] in shock. After weeks of waiting, I ended up putting the entire video of sicko confessing and me grilling him on YouTube. My genuine motive from the start was to make a positive impact on the community. To potentially stop a child from being victimized by a predator. I felt let down the police response. Little did I know what was to come SIX months later. The cops raided the house I was living in.
I was immediately handcuffed and told that I was arrested for “LURING A MINOR” !!!! I was literally paralyzed. With at LEAST HALF A DOZEN POLICE OFFICERS AND AN EQUALLY UNNECESSARILY LARGE AMOUNT OF SUVS PARKED ON THE DRIVEWAY, LAWN, AND ONE OF THE BUSIEST ROADS IN THE CITY. RED AND BLUES FLASHING ON ALL OF THEM. W h a t . T h e . F o c k ! ? ! They went up to my neatly organized room and searched it over discovering of course nothing but my phone. Snatching it with a joy like they had just successfully done something significant. I had 5-7 cops surrounding me in a semi circle after arriving at the Jail as I prepared to go inside a cell. They even shackled my feet. I know from watching cops and the like on YouTube to always exercise the right to remain silent. There was nothing I could do or say at that point which would help and I definitely didn’t resist the arrest so it really must’ve been a slow day. Eh guys? That and/or the overly incompetent rookie had relayed to his colleagues and obviously his Superiors to get the raid and arrest warrant his own personal story that he had recreated. Unfriggenbelieveable! It’s SO ABSURD THERE IS NO PROPER WORDS TO EXPRESS HOW IT FEELS TO GO THROUGH THIS! Doing something I considered not just “Right”, but Honourable, Justified, and definitely NOT illegal! How the hell did a JUDGE sign an arrest AND RAID Warrant on me with ZERO evidence, physical, concrete, or even circumstantial?? Not a single reason lawfully or otherwise for them to raid, arrest, shackle my feet and throw me in a jail cell for hours, and then criminally charge me with “Luring of a Minor”. Evidently, according to this news article the police had conducted a Six Month Investigation. Huh? Of What?! On Who?!
Now, Finally, The News Article: The information printed in any news article requires a source, so all of this information had to have only been provided by the police department. This article was printed at 9 in the morning the very next day of the arrest and raid. So of course this was all information provided from police.

This is what the dumbass, rookie, ignorant cop fabricated for no actual real reason: 

“Two men were arrested yesterday after a Six Month long Investigation revealed that the men had ‘BOTH’ believed that they were speaking with a ‘13’ year old boy online. Registered sex offender (the real predators name) and another known sex offender ( my name) are each charged with Luring of a Minor. (Real predators name again) is also charged with using an electronic device to lure a Minor, and breach of probation.”

My LandLord happened to be home at the time of the Raid, and he had also (I guess being suspicious after the raid,) read the article online which is quoted directly above. 

Which meant that he would be evicting me from the property, and I can’t blame him. With that article being read by my roommates and hisself I can’t really blame him for that either.
The charges against myself were eventually dropped, of course. About 18 months later! My phone being confiscated in the raid in order to access everything on there was also given back to me. They played immature and unprofessional games with that as well; returning my property. Such as : come in this day, your phone is ready to be released now. Show up. “Oh so and so thought it was ready but we don’t have it yet.” Weeks later. Get another call saying it is in fact ready now. Show up. “There is no one working in the evidence locker today, there will be in two days.” Screw them! I show up ten days late and what do you know? My property is actually there for me, and I finally get it back. Of course having had to purchase new phone in the meantime. Worse yet, I can’t recall the password and it was before facial recognition (not like that would matter) and after the fingerprint touch button. So it’s just a brick now.
That’s the least of my concern, as that bullshit article remains up, and the YouTube video had been taken down for some privacy violation nonsense.
After paying the criminal defence attorneys’ invoice(s), I couldn’t afford the 6K being asked by EVERY attorney I had reached out to.
So there, that’s one of many of my Unbelievably Insane Life’s stories. I suppose I didn’t provide the short version. Even though I have sincerely tried to keep it all to a minimum by leaving out plenty of details and significant events, this ended up being the Mid Length version.

I saw a tweet by someone complaining about Moe Cronin thinking Baseball was a Bloodsport. Talking about how it's not logical that with Pre-War Ghouls, Holo tapes, etcetera, that people would forget what baseball was.
Here's the thing. We're idiots.
We saw what the pandemic did. People went apeshit. Every Zombie Movie, Slasher Movie, even Purge movie turned out to be correct. People freaked out. Screamed and attacked people over basic precautions. Easily disproven misinformation spread like wildfire. To quote MIB, "A person is smart, people are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it."
Yes, it is up to a writer to think logically. Moe should have realized by now what baseball actually was. But by that same token, people defy all logical expectation. Maybe Moe heard sarcasm from a Pre-war ghoul and took it as gospel, maybe he misinterpreted an old rule book, or maybe it's all stuff he made up to sell baseball bats and umpire pads as weapons and armor.
It all kinda goes back to old vs new Fallout. Old Fallout, despite everything, has a very hopeful view of humanity. Within a hundred years of the nukes dropping, the NCR was fully formed and bringing civilization back to the wasteland. Bethesda implies that people will remain disparate and chaotic, some even turning into crazed raiders.
The older I get, the more I see Fallout 3 may be the most realistic in terms of how humanity, or at least the United States of America, will react. Without driving forces of ideology like Mr. House, Caesar, or even James, people will crawl into a hole and call it home, even if that hole is next to unexploded nuclear ordinance.
And I can get into the whole cultural importance of individualism to Americans and how that may sabotage us if the nuclear apocalypse did come, but that's more than enough politics for a post that's supposed to be me defending Wes Johnson doing a cheesy Bostonian accent.
Pardon the ramble.

https://bgodinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715748677.png

Introduction: Harnessing Biblical Wisdom for a Positive Life

Positive thinking and visualization are not modern inventions; they are deeply rooted in ancient wisdom, including the teachings found in the Bible. This age-old book is not only a source of spiritual guidance but also a treasure trove of insights on leading a hopeful and optimistic life. Through exploring biblical characters, stories, and verses, we can uncover powerful principles that encourage us to visualize a blessed future and foster positive thinking. Ready to embark on this transformative journey? Let’s dive into the world of the Bible and discover how its timeless wisdom can propel us toward a life filled with faith, hope, and positive action.

The Biblical Foundation of Positive Thinking and Visualization

The Bible is replete with stories and teachings that lay the groundwork for positive thinking and visualization. From the faith of Abraham to the wisdom of Solomon, the scriptures offer ample evidence that visualizing positive outcomes and maintaining an optimistic outlook is central to leading a God-pleasing life. Let’s explore some examples:

• Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” This verse encapsulates the essence of positive thinking by instructing believers to focus their minds on what is uplifting and praiseworthy.
• Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Here, the Bible stresses the importance of visualization and faith — visualizing what we cannot yet see and trusting God to bring those visions to fruition.
• Proverbs 23:7 – “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” This proverb highlights how our thoughts can shape our reality and underscores the power of maintaining a positive, God-centered mindset.

These verses are just the tip of the iceberg, revealing how deeply the Bible embraces the concepts of positive thinking and visualization.

Applying Biblical Principles to Foster Positivity

Embracing positive thinking and visualization in our daily lives can be incredibly empowering. Here are practical ways to apply biblical principles to nurture a positive outlook:

1. Start Your Day with Scripture: Begin each morning by reading and meditating on uplifting Bible verses. Let God’s word set a positive tone for your day.
2. Practice Gratitude: Follow the biblical tradition of giving thanks to God. Keeping a gratitude journal can help shift your focus from what you lack to the abundance of blessings in your life.
3. Visualize Your Faith: Like Abraham, who visualized the stars in the sky as a representation of his future descendants, envision God’s promises coming true in your life. This act of faith can strengthen your trust in God’s plan.
4. Embody Positivity: Reflect God’s love and positivity in your interactions. Encourage others with words of hope and affirmations, just as the apostles uplifted the early Christians through their letters.

Conclusion: Manifesting a Life of Hope and Positivity

The Bible not only encourages us to think positively but also shows us how to visualize and manifest a life aligned with God’s goodness and promises. By integrating biblical wisdom into our daily routines, we can cultivate a mindset that not only benefits us but also blesses those around us. As we reflect on the teachings and stories found in the scriptures, let them inspire us to hold onto faith, to dream boldly, and to walk confidently in the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Ready to embrace the power of positive thinking and visualization in your life? Start today by immersing yourself in biblical wisdom, and watch how it transforms your mindset and your life. Remember, with God, all things are possible to those who believe. Share this journey with others, encouraging them to discover the life-changing power of positive thinking according to the Bible.
If you want to want to research more Bible Answers on your own, please try our Bible Answers GPT. It’s easy to get lost in the interesting responses you’ll find… every search is like a new treasure hunt 🙂
Source =

pt.2
I thought It’d be fine but I kept procrastinating and it always built up and built up and built up and I didnt do it and that was the last straw when I started getting minor panic attacks. At first it wasnt bad and this was near the beginning of trhe year but next year it got BAD.
I had panic attacks just getting in the car to go to school. I was just lonely stressed depressed and felt trapped and it felt terrifying.
eventually our school counselor and my regular counselor helped find a place called a PHP program. only problem with that program is that it felt very awkward to me.
You see, not to get political or anything but I was raised conservative and thats how I believe I dont hold anything against liberal or woke people all our opinions are just the same but the way they handled stuff and I was raised was too much. Instead of me being able to worry about handling my anxiety I had to worry about being politically correct and pronouns all the time and if I messed up or anything I was a bad person. And I also have a relatively dark sense of humor which is very common for kids and people with trauma and stuff its just relatable and stuff and I make jokes around my friends abt ravism and stuff and sensitive topics bc its funny to us. We take all those things seriously in a serious context like if I heard a guy harrassing a kid bc of his race im givin him a piece of my mind (I like to speak instead of fight J often have a lot to say and love my voice being heard but yall have prolly figured that out by now lol) but anyways something as dumb as that got me to speak up and ask if it makes me a bad person and a woman literally said “If you make racist jokes doesn’t that make you racist?” which rlly got to me bc im not racist I just didnt realize that my dark humor abt stuff not just that but thats the prime example for this story but instead of getting over my anxiety I felt I always had to be hyper aware of everything I say and if I make one wrong move I’m some evil horrible human being. and I still feel like that now but not bc of that bc i learned that they just didnt get me and theres a time and place for that stuff. But in THERAPY which is supposed to be all abt talking abt ur problems and getting advice and venting I “overshared” even tho it was brutal it had to do with the convo and was something important to how i felt abt it. but away from school my anxiety subsided until I went back it flared up like hellfire. eventually I just failed all my classes, didnt work, dropped out of a play that I was more excited for than anything bc I was too anxious and all I got was pop some pills and youll be ok but eventually they realized “crud this cant keep happening” so they sent me off to a residential facility. basically its an in between of a psych ward and baccaraction but at first I HATED IT

1. It aas scary I’d never been away from home so long especially with complete strangers and there were a lot of scary things too. 2. I finally got a gf two days earlier which gave me purpose but still hurt to have anxiety. 3. I cried at least twice, It was an amazing experience but at first b4 u realize when people go a bit wild they seem to be lunatics when ltr u realize they just cant handle their pain like u it just gets more violent for them. but I met a lotta great people but one in particular, we’ll call him tony. He was a staff member an old guy but in pretty decent shape. Super wise and nice but also real and had issues like everyone. He had a tattoo of the star of david I will never forget he said he had it bc the book of david changed his life. I started back into the bible more, reading a lotta proverbs, started following Jesus and try tk be a better person and follow hos will although I made a million mistakes but one time I got a horrible attack and I finally realized what was missing what wasnt working.

You see, not to get political or anything but I was raised conservative and thats how I believe I dont hold anything against liberal or woke people all our opinions are just the same but the way they handled stuff and I was raised was too much. Instead of me being able to worry about handling my anxiety I had to worry about being politically correct and pronouns all the time and if I messed up or anything I was a bad person. And I also have a relatively dark sense of humor which is very common for kids and people with trauma and stuff its just relatable and stuff and I make jokes around my friends abt ravism and stuff and sensitive topics bc its funny to us. We take all those things seriously in a serious context like if I heard a guy harrassing a kid bc of his race im givin him a piece of my mind (I like to speak instead of fight J often have a lot to say and love my voice being heard but yall have prolly figured that out by now lol) but anyways something as dumb as that got me to speak up and ask if it makes me a bad person and a woman literally said “If you make racist jokes doesn’t that make you racist?” which rlly got to me bc im not racist I just didnt realize that my dark humor abt stuff not just that but thats the prime example for this story but instead of getting over my anxiety I felt I always had to be hyper aware of everything I say and if I make one wrong move I’m some evil horrible human being. and I still feel like that now but not bc of that bc i learned that they just didnt get me and theres a time and place for that stuff. But in THERAPY which is supposed to be all abt talking abt ur problems and getting advice and venting I “overshared” even tho it was brutal it had to do with the convo and was something important to how i felt abt it. but away from school my anxiety subsided until I went back it flared up like hellfire. eventually I just failed all my classes, didnt work, dropped out of a play that I was more excited for than anything bc I was too anxious and all I got was pop some pills and youll be ok but eventually they realized “crud this cant keep happening” so they sent me off to a residential facility. basically its an in between of a psych ward and baccaraction but at first I HATED IT

1. It aas scary I’d never been away from home so long especially with complete strangers and there were a lot of scary things too. 2. I finally got a gf two days earlier which gave me purpose but still hurt to have anxiety. 3. I cried at least twice, It was an amazing experience but at first b4 u realize when people go a bit wild they seem to be lunatics when ltr u realize they just cant handle their pain like u it just gets more violent for them. but I met a lotta great people but one in particular, we’ll call him tony. He was a staff member an old guy but in pretty decent shape. Super wise and nice but also real and had issues like everyone. He had a tattoo of the star of david I will never forget he said he had it bc the book of david changed his life. I started back into the bible more, reading a lotta proverbs, started following Jesus and try tk be a better person and follow hos will although I made a million mistakes but one time I got a horrible attack and I finally realized what was missing what wasnt working.