Angel blade punish ep

My Clan Was Banished from the Heavenly Realm

2024.05.15 17:24 tsuki____ My Clan Was Banished from the Heavenly Realm

My name is Arkanos, and I am a Phoenix of the Clan of Eternal Flames. Once, we roamed the Heavenly Realms, proud and immortal, our feathers ablaze with hues of orange and red, a stark contrast to my own blue and white flames. But that was before the betrayal.
The Dragons, Demons, and Angels, jealous of our power and fearful of our immortality, conspired against us. They ambushed our clan in a fiery battle that shook the very foundations of the heavens. In the end, we were outnumbered, outmatched, and outgunned. Defeat was inevitable.
As punishment for daring to challenge their authority, we were banished from the Heavenly Realms, cast out into the vast expanse of the cosmos. But the punishment didn't end there. Our clan was torn asunder, scattered across thirty different realms, each more treacherous than the last.
And so, my quest began. Alone and filled with a burning desire for revenge, I set out to reunite my clan and reclaim our honor. But it wouldn't be easy. The journey ahead was fraught with danger, and I knew that only the strongest and most cunning would survive.
The first realm I stumbled upon was a desolate wasteland, where the sky burned red with the fires of eternal damnation. It was here that I found the first member of my clan, a fellow Phoenix named Shiki. She had been hiding among the shadows, her once vibrant feathers reduced to a mere flicker.
Shiki was a sight to behold, her feathers a blend of fiery orange and crimson red, a stark contrast to my own blue with a hint of white. Despite the harsh environment, she radiated a sense of resilience and determination, qualities that resonated deeply with me.
Together, we braved the dangers of the wasteland, facing off against hordes of demonic creatures hell-bent on our destruction. The air crackled with the heat of our flames as we fought side by side, our wings beating in perfect harmony.
But with our combined strength and cunning, we emerged victorious, our flames burning brighter than ever before. As the last of our enemies fell before us, Shiki and I shared a triumphant glance, a silent acknowledgment of the bond that had formed between us.
As we journeyed onward, we encountered all manner of trials and tribulations. In one realm, we were forced to navigate a labyrinth of twisting corridors and deadly traps, each step bringing us closer to the brink of disaster. But with Shiki's keen intuition and my ability to see through illusions, we were able to overcome every obstacle in our path.
In another realm, we battled against an army of ice giants, their frozen breaths threatening to extinguish our flames. But with our fiery determination and unwavering resolve, we stood our ground, our flames melting the icy barricades that stood between us and our goal.
But through it all, we remained undaunted, our determination unwavering. For we knew that with each trial we faced, we grew stronger, our bonds forged in the fires of adversity.
As we continued our journey, I couldn't help but marvel at the strength and resilience of my fellow clan members. Each one brought something unique to the table, their skills and abilities complementing one another in ways I could never have imagined.
And so, with each new member we encountered, our clan grew stronger, our flames burning brighter with the promise of a brighter future. For we knew that together, we were unstoppable, our bond as unbreakable as the flames that danced within our souls.
But little did we know that greater challenges lay ahead, challenges that would test the very limits of our strength and courage. But one thing was certain: no matter what obstacles we faced, we would face them together, united as one in the face of adversity.
It was during our travels that I met her, the one who would change everything. Her name was Aria, a fierce warrior with a heart as fiery as her red hair. At first, I tried to push her away, fearing that my quest for revenge would only bring her harm. But she refused to be deterred, her unwavering loyalty melting the icy walls around my heart.
Aria was unlike anyone I had ever met before. She possessed a strength and determination that matched my own, yet beneath her tough exterior lay a heart of gold, a heart that yearned for nothing more than to see justice served.
Together, we fought side by side, our flames intertwining in a dance of passion and desire. With each battle we faced, our bond grew stronger, our souls entwined in a fiery embrace that burned brighter than the sun itself.
But our happiness was short-lived, for betrayal lurked around every corner. In a moment of weakness, I revealed our plans to a trusted ally, only to discover that he had been working for the Dragons all along.
The sting of betrayal cut deep, tearing at the very fabric of our newfound love. I watched in horror as Aria's trust in me wavered, her fiery gaze clouded with doubt and uncertainty.
But even in the face of betrayal, our love remained unbroken. Together, we confronted the traitor, our flames burning with a righteous fury that could not be extinguished.
In the end, justice was served, but the scars of betrayal remained. Yet through it all, Aria stood by my side, her unwavering loyalty a beacon of hope in the darkness that threatened to consume us.
As we continued our journey, our love grew stronger, our flames burning brighter with each passing day. And though the road ahead was fraught with danger and uncertainty, we faced it together, united in our quest for revenge and redemption. For no matter what trials lay ahead, we knew that as long as we had each other, we could overcome anything that stood in our way.
As we neared the end of our journey, the three clans grew desperate, their forces converging upon us like vultures circling their prey. But we were ready. With the full strength of our clan reunited, we launched a final assault against our enemies, our flames burning hotter than the sun itself.
The battlefield was a symphony of chaos and destruction, the clash of steel and roar of flames echoing across the realm. Dragons soared through the skies, their fiery breath scorching the earth below. Demons emerged from the shadows, their eyes burning with a hunger for destruction. Angels descended from the heavens, their divine powers unleashed in a torrent of holy fury.
But we were not alone. With Shiki, Aria, and the rest of our clan by our side, we fought with a ferocity and determination that could not be matched. Our flames danced and flickered, casting a brilliant light against the darkness that threatened to consume us.
The battle raged on for days, the skies painted red with the blood of the fallen. But in the end, it was the Clan of Eternal Flames who emerged victorious, our enemies scattered to the winds like ashes in the breeze.
As the dust settled and the smoke cleared, I looked out upon the battlefield, my heart heavy with both sorrow and triumph. The price of victory had been steep, and many had fallen in the name of our cause. But their sacrifices had not been in vain.
And so, with the three clans vanquished and our honor restored, we rebuilt our clan from the ashes of our former selves. Together, we vowed to never again be swayed by the temptations of power and greed, our flames burning bright with the promise of a new dawn.
As for me, well, let's just say that I finally found my purpose in this vast and chaotic universe. For I am Arkanos, leader of the Clan of Eternal Flames, and I will stop at nothing to protect those I hold dear.
And as we stood together, united as one, I knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would face them together, our flames burning brighter than ever before. For we were not just a clan, but a family, bound together by the unbreakable bonds of love and loyalty.
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2024.05.15 16:38 Imagen-Breaker GT9 Rewrite Part 14.4 - Older Scenes

Part 14.3

Heracles VS Lernaean Hydra

Author Note: I was thinking about it and I really wish that GT9 used more draconic symbolism throughout the story when (or if) I revisit Team Crowley VS Rosencreutz I'll have symbolism of Aleister (TheBeast666), Aiwass (Codename: DRAGON) and Coronzon (The Dragon of the Abyss) all have symbology of them being Dragons preying on a God/Hero like CRC and the reversed conflict of Chaos VS Order you see in mythology, I also wanted to achieve something similar with Kakine Teitoku as he can represent the Fallen Angel and the Seraphim but for now I'll try adding draconian symbolism into Gunha VS CRC.
True Expert Christian Rosencreutz, with his golden rosy cross sword, clashed relentlessly against the indomitable force of the Strongest Gemstone, Sogiita Gunha. With each clash of their powers, the air crackled and compressed, and the pavement trembled beneath.
CRC, observed Sogiita with a mixture of intrigue and disdain. "You fight like the legendary Heracles," he remarked, his voice carrying over the din of battle. "But know this, I am the Lernaean Hydra, and no matter how many heads you sever, I shall always rise again!" Rosencreutz roared to slice the #7’s midsection.
Sogiita, his entire body wreathed in unknowable energy, met CRC's blade unyielding. "Bring it on, old man!" he retorted, his voice brimming with confidence. "I'll knock you down as many times as it takes! I won't stop till you come to your senses and remember your roots, like the roses you love so much, Rosencreutz!!"
Their clash intensified, that old man’s higher dimensional sword colliding with the raw power of that boy’s fists and kicks as they pushed each other to their limits with each sword swing, punch, kick and flash.
Sogiita unleashed a barrage of punches, each strike carrying the force of a meteor, while that silver young man countered: he wielded his sword in his right hand and released impacts followed by white light that was enough to previously take down all of The Bridge Builders Cabal.
As the battle raged on, the very fabric of reality seemed to warp and shift around them, bearing witness to the titanic struggle between two unparalleled forces.
The founder of Rosicrucianism who intimidated reality itself to obey his will and that Gemstone with an unstable personal reality that could change on a whim.
The atmosphere crackled with electrifying distortion.
Sogiita's fists tore through the air with the ferocity of meteors, their velocity enhanced by his ability to adapt and accelerate, surpassing even CRC's speed. As each blow was released, the friction with the surrounding air molecules ignited a scorching heat, intensifying the impact.
The rapid movement of molecules generated an escalating thermal energy, causing the air to seethe with increasing temperature. It was akin to a tempest of incandescent projectiles hurtling towards CRC, their speed surpassing the limits of human perception.
It was like a storm of brilliant fiery arrows was fired at Rosencreutz.
These blazing arrows of force were reminiscent of the elusive strikes employed by the Rose & Cross Leader, ignoring distance with deceptive agility.
With each thunderous punch, that bandana boy sought to overpower his adversary through sheer kinetic force, his unwavering resolve palpable in every motion.
But that wasn't enough for this superhuman.
CRC, wielding his cross sword with precision and skill, deflected each and every one Sogiita's flaming arrows with calculated strikes of his own. Each impact unleashed a burst of blinding white light, sending shockwaves rippling through the chaotic city.
"You think brute strength alone will defeat me?" the silver man taunted, his voice cutting through the chaos of battle. "You may be strong, but strength without strategy is nothing but raw power wasted."
Sogiita grinned, his confidence unshaken. "Strategies for cowards who can't handle a real fight," he retorted, his voice ringing with defiance. "I'll K.O. you with my fists and guts alone!!!!"
Rosencreutz's eyes narrowed as he parried another of Sogiita's punches. "Your arrogance will be your downfall," he warned, his tone tinged with certainty. "I may not match your overall speed, but I have something you lack: intellect and precision.”
Christian Rosencreutz then plunged his cross sword into the ground.
"This is what harmed Kamijou Touma," he declared, grinning and unleashing a torrent of lethal invisible attacks from his outstretched palms.
However, the #7 countered with a relentless barrage of flaming arrows from the thermal aftershock of his punches.
Each strike akin to a particle accelerator in its intensity and speed. That Gemstone was the particles being fired on the right and that True Expert was the particles fired on the left.
As the attacks clashed, the battlefield became a spectacle of raw power and precision.
“Roar!” CRC held his open palm to his mouth and blew gently on the tip of the middle finger.
That was all it took for a blaze easily outdoing a flamethrower to rush out. And this was not just any fire. It fed on the power of a ley line and stole vitality from space itself. This overwhelming mass of light and heat was wielded for no other purpose than to take lives. Anyone who tried to survive it using simple composite armor or special fibers would dry up and burn away in less than a second.
But that wouldn't kill another superhuman would it?
Of course not.
“Aaaaarghhhh!!!!” screamed the #7.
Some assaults bypassed the fray entirely, slipping through the chaos like elusive particles in a collider.
A smokescreen.
Those brilliant fireworks from hell weren't meant to take Sogiita’s life. They were meant to disrupt the Gemstone's senses and sight so he couldn't counter all of that old man’s deadly attacks.
Invisible strikes found their mark on that Gemstone, and the searing arrows of the arrows scorched Rosencreutz.
CRC was wounded but he rejected to make any whimpers. Instead with a sudden burst of velocity, the young silver man picked up his cross sword from the ground and launched a flurry of strikes, cutting at the #7’s body with pinpoint accuracy.
His arms, his head, his face, his stomach, his legs, his midsection, his back.
Each blow landed with devastating force, causing Sogiita to stagger back under the onslaught.
If that bandana boy hadn't had his defenses and general stats raised by the #5 he’d be cut to pieces.
The #7 fell on his back.
"There's a fire," Sogiita declared, his voice ringing out amidst the chaos of battle.
With each attempt to break his spirit, Sogiita's resolve only grew stronger, fueling the flames of his determination. "Every time someone tries to make me give up, it's like wind feeding my flames, making them burn even brighter just like my punches," he explained, his words carrying the weight of his unwavering determination.
He refused to stay down.
With a roar of defiance, Sogiita surged forward once more, his movements blurring with speed as he disappeared from view. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Christian Rosencreutz, catching the magician off guard.
"Hey, old man," Sogiita taunted, his voice filled with confidence as he seized Rosencreutz from behind.
Christian Rosencreutz's eyes widened in surprise as he realized he had been outmaneuvered.
As Sogiita Gunha faced off against Christian Rosencreutz in their airborne duel, he felt the flames of determination burning within him, driving him forward with unstoppable force.
Before he could react, the boy lifted him effortlessly and slammed him onto the pavement below with a resounding thud.
"I'm not just a kick-boxer!!" Sogiita sang.
As the impact reverberated through the air, the young silver man let out a pained cry. The force of the collision compressed the surrounding air, heating it up until it crackled with energy. Christian Rosencreutz's head struck the ground with a velocity equivalent to mach 20, igniting his body in flames upon impact.
This move is called a suplex.
Struggling to regain his bearings, Rosencreutz muttered in a daze, "The House of the Holy Spirit...the seven walls..."
"You said it yourself, didn't you?" the gutsy boy retorted, cocky. "My power and my guts can break through your impenetrable walls. And I can spread those same guts to the world around me."
With a grimace, Christian Rosencreutz acknowledged the truth of the boy's words. "Your uncontrolled AIM field grants you the ability to imbue non-organic objects with the properties of your virus," he observed, his voice tinged with begrudging admiration. "Allowing them to bypass even the defenses of the seven-walled tomb.”
"A virus? Don't be so gutless, CRC," the #7 retorted, his voice filled with defiance. "This battleground ruled by wills is a two-way road between you and me."
Christian Rosencreutz raised an eyebrow at the boy's words. "Hey Gemstone, you could've killed me if I weren't a superhuman with an idealized body that accomplished The Great Work and crossed the Ungrund, what then short-stack?" he questioned while fitting an insult against his height.
Even without the seven-walled tomb or sheets of diamonds Rosencreutz was cartoonishly durable.
"Sorry, old man," Sogiita replied, his tone tinged with annoyance. "I might've gotten carried away, but I know it'll take more than that to kill you. No matter how many heads you regrow, like Hydra, I will not give up until I've completed all my labors."
"Mhm, so you do know your mythology," CRC remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice. "The Lernaean Hydra, or simply Hydra, is a serpentine lake monster in Greek and Roman mythology. Its lair was the lake of Lerna in the Argolid, known as an entrance to the Underworld. In the canonical myth, the monster is slain by Heracles as part of his Twelve Labors."
"Yeah, I know," Sogiita replied confidently. "I studied the tales of great gutsy heroes in school.”
"So, short-stack," Christian Rosencreutz began, his voice carrying a hint of scholarly interest. “Have you ever considered the parallels between our battle and ancient Near Eastern religions?”
Sogiita listened intently. "Are you saying you see yourself as a god of war or a hunter?" he inquired.
CRC chuckled softly. "In a sense, indeed. We are both assuming roles in this grand theater, are we not? I, the Hydra, and you, Heracles."
He continued, "Consider the Second Labor of Heracles. Eurystheus, the king of Tiryns, sent Heracles to slay the Hydra, which Hera had raised specifically to defeat him. Heracles approached the swamp near Lake Lerna, where the Hydra dwelled. To protect himself from the poisonous fumes, he covered his mouth and nose with a cloth and shot flaming arrows into the Hydra's lair, causing it to emerge and terrorize the surrounding villages."
CRC paused, drawing a comparison. “In our own clash, the flaming arrows that Heracles hurled at the Hydra find their echo in your lightning-fast fists, generating shockwaves that ignite the air with their speed and force. It's as though each strike of yours is akin to shooting a flaming arrow, much like Heracles did.”
“Huh? Are you suggesting we're caught in a time loop? That some enigmatic group, like the Bridge Builders Cabal, manipulated events to resurrect you, pitting us against each other in a timeless struggle? I've never met them, and I'm certainly no child of Zeus. Are you implying that our battle will be distorted into a Greek legend by a meddling time traveler?!” frantically asked the boy.
“No, no, you simpleton. This world contains synchronicities. In Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian mythology, the war and hunting god Ninurta was celebrated for his deeds. The Angim credited him with slaying eleven monsters during an expedition to the mountains, including a seven-headed serpent, possibly identical to the Mushmahhu, and Bashmu, whose constellation was later associated with the Hydra by the Greeks. In Babylonian contexts, the Hydra's constellation is also linked to Marduk's dragon, the Mushhushshu.”
“Uhhh….” That shounen boy was dumbfounded.
"Hhm, I suppose calling it a time loop isn't technically wrong," Christian Rosencreutz began, his tone measured. "I'll break it down from history class and reconstruct it through the lens of the occult. Historic recurrence, young Gemstone, is the phenomenon of events echoing throughout time. Whether it's the rise and fall of empires or the repetitive cycles within a single society, it's all part of this grand plan that was decided when Adam ate the forbidden fruit."
The #7 with his guard up but curious listened: "So, history just keeps repeating itself? Just a series of coincidences?"
Christian Rosencreutz shook his head sagely. "There is no such thing as coincidences. Take, for instance, the Doctrine of Eternal Recurrence, pondered upon by thinkers like Heinrich Heine and Friedrich Nietzsche. While it's said that 'history repeats itself,' it's not quite that simple. Rather, these recurrences stem from identifiable circumstances and chains of causality."
He continued, his voice carrying the weight of centuries of philosophical debate. "Consider the phenomenon of multiple independent discoveries in science or the reproducible findings in natural and social sciences. These recurrences, whether in the form of rigorous experimentation or comparative research, are vital to our understanding of the world."
Christian Rosencreutz paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in. "G.W. Trompf, in his seminal work, The Idea of Historical Recurrence in Western Thought, illustrates the recurring patterns of political thought and behavior since ancient times. Through these patterns, history offers us invaluable lessons, often leading to a sense of resonance or déjà vu."
Their words reverberated like a challenge to destiny itself, a testament to their unyielding determination in the face of adversity.
That Gemstone didn't surrender his characteristic fervor. "History echoing through time, huh? It's like the universe itself is stuck on repeat, and we're just caught in the cycle. But you know what? If history's gonna keep looping, then let's break the pattern! Let's smash through those chains of causality and forge our own path. Who cares about déjà vu? We'll create something entirely new, something that'll shake the very foundations of this world and we’ll do it with guts!!!" He defied that silver monster.
But Rosencreutz wasn't finished. He pulled out his Crystal World Map.
The supposedly old man listened intently to that boy's impassioned response, his expression inscrutable behind his clairvoyant card. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke.
“Gemstone, you speak of breaking free from the chains of repetition, of forging a new destiny against the backdrop of eternal return. It is a noble aspiration, indeed. However, consider this: eternal return is not merely a philosophical concept or a whimsical notion of fate. It is the very fabric of existence, woven into the nature of time itself.” He pressed his finger on the Miniature Garden and a 3D holographic projection flew out—
“In ancient times, the Stoics grappled with the idea, seeing in it both a sense of cosmic order and a challenge to individual agency. Augustine and others recoiled from its implications, fearing it as a negation of free will and salvation. And yet, Nietzsche, in his brilliance, dared to confront the concept anew, exploring its depths in the crucible of human consciousness.”
Didn't Aleister Crowley say that he had to shatter every single phase in order to eliminate the concept of fate?
“I will shatter every last phase and put an end to all mysticism. It can be helped and we need not restrain our tears and bite our lip when faced with tragedy. I will bring back the pure world in which everyone can feel anger like normal and question it all like normal!!”
And didn't Coronzon appear to break down all the phases including the Pure World?
Partial destruction would be meaningless. If anything remains and an eternal distortion is born from that, then it will all happen again. I will eliminate the ten spheres, the twenty-two pathways, and the hidden eleventh symbol. Collisions between phases? Sparks and spray? You cannot save anyone if you only treat those symptoms. All of the fundamental clogs must be removed. All so we can pass the baton to whoever comes next.”
“Sparks and Sprays…” Rosencreutz muttered.
“Eh?” The #7 didn't quite hear him.
"Beside time stands fate, cruelty's steadfast herald. In the silent chambers of the soul, whispers the most profound wisdom. Humanity, in its folly, neglected to exalt life's splendor, its radiance, its grandeur. Truly, it is a rare gift to comprehend the forces that shape our existence.” That magician spoke in despair.
“From the moment man ate the fruit of knowledge, he guaranteed your species’ failure... Entrusting his future to the whims of fate, man clutches to a flickering hope. Yet, within the Miniature Garden lies the key to all revelation. Beyond the well-trodden path lies the ultimate terminus. It matters not who you are; Death is the sole certainty awaiting all.” he finished with scorn.
Shokuhou Misaki was currently linked to Sogiita Gunha so was overhearing the entire conversation.
“Are you okay, Leader?” asked Kamijou back at the hospital.
“Yeah…” she responded.
“Really?” Mikoto breathed a white sigh. “It wasn’t the shock of seeing their school destroyed. Nor was it the fear of having those rioters attack. …They’re afraid of their own power. And after learning how exactly to use that power to survive, they’re not sure they can just switch it off and return to their normal lives. So their gears have ground to a halt.” Tokiwadai Middle School was a prestigious esper development school.
The young ladies registered there were Level 3 at the lowest and Level 5 at the highest.
Almost all of the students had a power that surpassed that of a blade or handgun if used properly, but something had become twisted.
Yes.
“A lot of them weren’t really sure why they were training their powers.”
Shokuhou breathed a white breath, wrapped her own arms around herself, and rubbed her thighs together.
Why are you studying?
How many people could give a proper answer to that question? Because my parents told me to, because my teachers taught me to, because that’s how the world works. Those would be most people’s answers. Even the students with a clear vision of their future would only have something vague like “for the entrance exams” or “for my future”.
Only a small handful would have specific puzzle pieces in mind, such as “I need to learn how to use this equation so I can build a rocket”.
The young ladies of Tokiwadai Middle School were the same.
What if the very gears that humans have…their actions, reactions, inactions were all the result of some transcendental entity hovering above.
Like God or The Devil watching over humanity’s reality sphere and ordering around his system like everyone was a pre-programmed NPC that had specific events occur to them to get them to develop in the way that they did and determined their genetic bloodline that composed their psyche?
Is there truly a free will?
It was said that in order for you to break out of the system of society that the working class was stuck in you had to climb to the top where the corrupt elites resided.
Imagine Breaker negated sparks, Aleister Crowley could see through the veil thanks to Holy Guardian Angel Aiwass, Great Demon Coronzon could always see the cogs.
Christian Rosencreutz could view the entire world through his Miniature Garden.
The rest of humanity was at the mercy of their own destinies.
A Guardian Angel wouldn't arrive to save a parent’s child from fate every single time.
"Okay, nice poetry, can we get back to fighting already?" asked the #7 impatiently.
"Seems I got carried away," the old man conceded with a nod. "The synchronicities of this world, akin to the astral configurations in astrology, serve as an example of synchronicity, according to Jung. It describes circumstances that appear meaningfully related yet lack a causal connection, much like the parallel relationship between celestial and terrestrial phenomena. Synchronicity experiences entail subjective encounters where coincidences between events in one's mind and the external world may lack a clear causal link but still harbor an unknown connection.”
"Ah," Sogiita chimed in, recalling his philosophy class discussions. "We talked about synchronicity back then. Jung thought it was a good thing for the mind, but said it could get dicey in psychosis. He cooked up this theory as a kind of mental link between those meaningful coincidences, calling it a noncausal principle. This term came about in the late 1920s, and then he teamed up with physicist Wolfgang Pauli to dive deeper. Their work, The Interpretation of Nature and the Psyche, dropped in 1952. They were big on this idea that these connections, even the ones that don't seem to have a cause, could still teach us a lot about how our minds and the world work."
“Mhm, you know more than you lead on, Gemstone.” pondered CRC.
“Oh this? My teachers say I'm not good at remembering speeches hahaha…” The #7 looked slightly nervous. “You know, analytical psychologists really push for folks to get what these experiences mean to boost their awareness instead of just feeding into superstitions. But funny thing is, when clients spill about their synchronicity experiences, they often feel like no one's really hearing them out, or getting where they're coming from. And hey, having a bunch of these meaningful coincidences flying around can sometimes ring the schizo bell. Delusions aren't healthy.”
Where was this conversation going?
"Delusion! Hah! That's a good one coming from you," CRC fired back.
"The real delusion is thinking humanity isn't worth a damn," Sogiita shot back, pulling out some info from Johansen and Osman. "Some scientists think coincidences are just random flukes, but counselors and psychoanalysts reckon there's more to it, like some deep-down stuff needing to come out.”
"Delusion! Hah! That's a good one coming from you," CRC fired back.
"The real delusion is thinking humanity isn't worth a darn," Sogiita shot back, pulling out some info from Johansen and Osman. "Some scientists think coincidences are just random flukes, but counselors and psychoanalysts reckon there's more to it, like some deep-down stuff needing to come out. Unconscious material to be expressed."
Rosencreutz interjected, his expression reflecting a mix of confusion and concern. "Aleister Crowley's actions have left a lasting scar on this world and this city," he began, his voice weighted with solemnity. “The vacuum-like dichotomy between magic and science created by the use of that colossal psychotronic weapon, has damaged this world's memory irreparably.”
Psychotronic weapon?
The Archetype Controller?
He paused, his gaze piercing as he continued, "Jung's exploration of synchronicity as evidence of the paranormal paved the way for further inquiry, notably by Koestler and the subsequent embrace of these ideas by the New Age movement.”
Sogiita shrugged, "Some folks say synchronicity is impossible to test or prove, so it gets labeled as pseudoscience. Jung even acknowledged that these synchronicity events are basically just coincidences, statistically speaking. But hey, who's to say what's really going on without some solid scientific studies, right?"
"Dubious as his experiments may have been," CRC interrupted, "Jung believed in a connection between synchronicity and the paranormal, drawing parallels to the uncertainty principle and works by parapsychologist Joseph B. Rhine.” CRC posed a thought-provoking question, "How are we to recognize acausal combinations of events, since it is obviously impossible to examine all chance happenings for their causality? The answer lies in the fact that acausal events are most readily expected where a causal connection appears inconceivable upon closer reflection. It's impossible, with our current resources, to explain ESP or meaningful coincidences as mere phenomena of energy. This challenges the very notion of cause and effect, as these events occur simultaneously rather than in a linear cause-and-effect manner. Hence, I have coined the term 'synchronicity' to describe this phenomenon, placing it on equal footing with causality as a principle of explanation."
Getting closer to that Gemstone, CRC emphasized, "Esper abilities cannot be fully understood with science alone. They defy traditional cause-and-effect explanations, instead representing a convergence of factors that create a quantum phenomenon affecting both the micro and macro. Why were there the naturally gifted and the naturally ungifted?”
Why did some students get praised for their abilities while others needed to work harder?
Others among them would have worked every hour of their free time and not progressed anywhere in this city’s leveling curriculum.
Why did this city present such an unfair and unpredictable status quo of potential?
Why did hard work barely matter in a city of empirical evidence to record any possible progress?
Sogiita Gunha wasn't a normal Level 5 but he wasn't always this powerful. He went through the curriculum same as everyone but if the outside conditions for his Gemstone ability to manifest didn't form in the exact way that it did, in such an acausal form then would he even be here to challenge Christian Rosencreutz right now?
Everything just happened to fall right into place.
All those puzzle pieces that would lead to this moment here and now.
Was it all just talent? God picking a fool as his champion?
The #7 leaned back, absorbing CRC's words with a thoughtful expression. "So, what you're saying is, there's this whole other layer to reality that we can't quite wrap our heads around," he summarized, nodding slowly. "I mean, it's like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands—slippery and elusive."
He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "Historic recurrence, synchronicities, all these things—they're like pieces of a puzzle scattered across this substantial reality. And sometimes, they just... click into place, right? It's like the universe has its own plan, and we're just along for the ride."
That bandana wearing boy's gaze drifted, lost in thought. "You know, CRC, it's funny," he remarked, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Here we are, with all our powers and potential, but at the end of the day, we're still grappling with the same questions as everyone else. Talent, destiny, divine intervention—maybe they're all just different sides of the same coin."
He shrugged, the weight of the philosophical musings settling over the broken city. "Who knows? Maybe God does have a sense of humor, after all.” that boy chuckled.
There was a deep silence between them.
Rosencreutz’ response was swift and resolute, his tone filled with certainty. "All this ‘universe has a plan’ banter is just a distraction from the inevitable," he declared, his eyes narrowing. "We can debate the nature of us being all-powerful yet struggling with mortal issues until the sun burns out, but it won't change the fact that our fate was sealed upon the knowledge Adam learned."
“To think so many trivialities have developed while this old man wasn’t watching. Heh heh. Then I should assume the thread of fate has again begun to weave its strange connections between myself and some unknown human.”
He rose forward, his movements purposeful. "It's time to put an end to this dance of platitudes," CRC continued, his voice cold and unwavering. "We'll settle this the only way that somewhat matters—through objective action in this grand play."
“Silence, preserved doll. Illusionists are meant to remain silent. That is all we magicians are: wielders of substanceless illusions. Opening your mouth serves only to break the illusion.”
With a flicker of resolve in his eyes, he locked gazes with the #7. "I am Hydra, Gemstone," he said, his voice carrying a hint of challenge. "Our battle ends now.” CRC opened both his palms and began shooting at their surroundings, the buildings, the pavement, the apartments, the rubble.
It probably wasn't random as it seemed to create a pattern.
“Huh are you getting senile old man?” asked the young Gemstone.
“What fun. I never imagined someone would bother diligently polishing their skills this far while knowing it is all essentially an illusion. Didn’t you ever feel silly going to the effort?”
Rosencreutz dropped to all fours, his rosy cross sword gripped tightly in his right hand.
He moved—
“Arrgh!” Sogiita yelled amidst the relentless and precise and precise strikes from that golden cross. “Old man?” he asked.
That magician didn't say anything.
That silver man’s movements became more beastly.
Faster.
Stronger.
Fiercer.
Something new was beginning to manifest.
With each strike of his higher dimensional blade that old man’s blows seemed infused with an otherworldly energy.
The wounds inflicted by his weapon burned with a venomous intensity, sending searing pain coursing through Sogiita's body.
That boy grimaced as the poison from that silver man’s strikes surged through his being, each wound feeling like it was ablaze with venomous fire.
"Damn... That burns…like a killer hornet’s sting," he muttered through clenched teeth, his voice strained with effort. Gritting, he fought to maintain his focus, despite the agony threatening to overwhelm him.
Was this another application of The Four Stages? Citrinitas? No, there was nothing yellow here, it was more like a dirty purple.
But it wasn't just the physical damage that posed a threat.
As the Rosy Cross leader leaped on all fours his movements took on an almost erratic quality, he was bouncing from one building to another with an animalistic agility.
With each jump, a shockwave rippled through the air, carrying with it a palpable sense of dread.
Something was spreading.
The air around them seemed to thicken with a toxic miasma. The #7 struggled to breathe, the noxious fumes clouding his senses.
Like a chaotic monster’s venomous poison breath.
The once-clear air now felt thick and suffocating.
Gasping for breath, the bandana boy struggled to maintain his focus amidst the swirling chaos.
His vision blurred, his movements sluggish as he fought against the oppressive atmosphere.
Blinded that heroic boy could only fire a flame arrow without his sight.
His fists striking out with all the strength he could muster. Igniting in that poisonous compressed air.
It seemed to be flammable like a dragon’s breath.
???
At the hospital, Shokuhou's voice carried a mix of surprise and relief. “He caused real damage.” she exclaimed.
Kamijou turned his attention to her, intrigued. “What happened?”
“It's hard to see clearly, but it looks like the #7 managed to rip off CRC's left arm,” she explained. “Though, I'd say it was more of a lucky shot. I can read he acted on pure instinct.”
Kamijou nodded, a hint of melancholy in his tone. “Yeah... the psychic link and all.”
Had the #7 Level 5 given up on the old man?
Back on the battlefield, Sogiita cursed under his breath. “Dammit... Sorry, old man,” he muttered. “I was aiming to hit your whole body to maximize the surface area, maybe break a few bones as a casualty. We can probably get your arm reattached at the hospital. Heaven Canceller has enough guts to even fix me.”
It was clear—he hadn't given up.
It was an accidental strike of his arm.
“As each ghastly head was severed from its serpentine form, dreadfully, two more writhed forth from the abyss.” a cryptic voice amidst the chaos spoke.
Wasn't it said that the Hydra’s lair was the lake of Lerna in the Argolid.
Lerna was reputed to be an entrance to the Underworld.
The abyss.
The Ungrund.
There is no limit to the depth of the Alcyonian Lake, and I know of nobody who by any contrivance has been able to reach the bottom of it since not even Nero, who had ropes made several stades long and fastened them together, tying lead to them, and omitting nothing that might help his experiment, was able to discover any limit to its depth. This, too, I heard. The water of the lake is, to all appearance, calm and quiet but, although it is such to look at, every swimmer who ventures to cross it is dragged down, sucked into the depths, and swept away.
The keeper of the gate to the Underworld that lay in the waters of Lerna was the Hydra.
The serpentine Lake Monster.
“Rosencreutz……?” The #7 muttered.
That magician chuckled ominously. "Indeed, young Heracles," he intoned, his voice echoing with a bizarre resonance. “The Lernaean Hydra's curse is upon you now.” as he said that he ripped off a bit of his arm that was cuterarised and it began bleeding.
Anna Sprengel’s blood was said to create unknown miracles when spilled.
Christian Rosencreutz’ blood was so virulent that even its scent was deadly.
As Sogiita Gunha glanced at his severed arm lying on the ground, a creeping sense of horror enveloped him. "All fate is a curse and that curse," he murmured, his words barely audible over the din of battle, "extends even to my severed limb.”
Christian Rosencreutz’ left arm grew back.
No.
Two new arms grew in its place.
The arm was fully functioning with no defects.
Although one of the arms appeared somewhat scaly and lanky like a serpent.
It had human anatomy but something was abnormal here.
He almost looked like a spider as he emerged from the poisonous fog as he remained on all fours.
“So short-stack. Are you ready to complete your final labor: Crossing the abyss!!!” He challenged that boy with his cross sword facing him.
"Boss, what's up? You look kinda stuck," Kamijou asked, his tone concerned.
Two students were sitting together in the waiting room at a hospital.
"—abyss, Hydra, curse, synchronicities, Historic recurrence." she replied, her words carrying a weight of unease.
"Huh? What? Can you give me the lowdown?" Kamijou prodded, his urgency evident.
"Can't quite wrap my head around it. But what I can tell you is that after CRC started talking about these esoteric concepts, he leveled up his power ability, managed to seriously hurt the #7 despite me cranking up all his stats for the win condition," the honey-blonde girl explained, frustration creeping into her voice.
"Can you beam all that stuff into my head, like a memory download? You're a psychological esper, right? My right hand won't mess with it, and we've done the telepathy thing before," Kamijou suggested.
"Memory download's not quite it, but I can send you a recording," she clarified.
"Got it," Kamijou muttered as he absorbed the info.
"You got any ideas to help the #7’s situation ability, Kamijou-san? We're kinda desperate here," she asked.
"I wish Index was still here, dammit.” he lamented, “But you know about magic, right?" he queried.
"Yeah, people converting their delusions into reality right?," she admitted.
"Well, magic's not just about delusions; it can be tied up to the whole world. Not sure if it's relevant, but based on Idol Theory, Rosencreutz might be pulling in 'energy’ from the Greek 'phase’ of Heracles for an edge," Kamijou theorized.
"Like a chessboard flip?" Shokuhou Misaki inquired, her brow furrowed with concern.
"No, more like... imagine you're playing checkers with a buddy, and you're totally crushing it because you're a checkers pro. Then suddenly, your buddy switches it up and challenges you to an arm wrestling match, and you lose because, well, arm wrestling isn't your forte," Kamijou Touma explained, trying to paint a vivid picture.
"So, by taking on the role of the Hydra from Greek myth, he's essentially forcing the #7 into the role of Heracles? But didn't Heracles defeat the Hydra?" Shokuhou sought clarification.
"Yeah, but..." Kamijou recalled the tale from the movies he'd seen. "Lichas gave Heracles a shirt soaked in the Hydra's poisonous blood from his arrows, which ends up killing him by tearing his flesh down to the bone," he elaborated.
"It was actually Nessus seeking vengeance and tricking Deianira into giving it to Heracles as a gift, delivered by Lichas without disclosing the tunic's lethal bloodstained secret from the Lernaean Hydra, but you're right," Shokuhou corrected gently. "So, Rosencreutz is harnessing the power of that legend to slowly poison the #7?"
"Not literal. I mean the poison is real but his slashes do significant harm now so it's more like shifting the paradigm in his favor…shifting his position.” The spiky-haired boy wasn't in the mood to explain Phases, “Earlier, he mentioned Sogiita spreading his 'virus' throughout the world. A virus isn't a poison in the traditional sense, but the Rosicrucians originally sought to create a universal cure for all illnesses. Now, CRC is spreading a literal poison, positioning himself as the ultimate predator and his opponents as prey rather than his savior role, the paradigm has been shifted." Kamijou concluded, his voice tinged with gravity.
“So he’s changed the environment to get the win condition? The #7’s durability doesn't matter in the face of the world being forced to go about a certain way because of Rosencreutz stage play?” The girl asked.
“Yeah…if things keep going this way…Sogiita will….goddamnit….” The spiky haired boy swore. “I can't let someone else die after all that's happened but I feel like if I go out there I really will kill him…” he muttered that last bit while clenching his right fist that began shaking uncontrollably.
The girl’s eyes seemed confused. “What did you say?” The honey blonde middle schooler asked.
“Nothing, just mumbling to myself.” he spat out.
That boy and girl could never come to the right conclusion on their own without the aid of former Magic God Othinus by their side.
“Did you think I had challenged you with no hope of succeeding, you cesspool? The magic born on earth is bound by the directions based on the earth’s magnetic field and by the density and composition of the air which is determined by air pressure which is in turn influenced by gravity. That is inevitable when you are focused on the cardinal directions of north, south, east, and west or on the basic elements of fire, water, wind, and earth. But what you will find upon leaving the atmosphere is an unknown. Coronzon, are you sure there will be no malfunction in the magic giving you control of Avatar Lola? And before, my power was bound by the puny speck named earth which failed to become a black hole or even a sun, but once we enter outer space, just how far do you think that power will be released? I do not mind at all that I will lose the support of Academy City.”
Well the boy was half right.
“Let us test it out, you cuspidor. On one side, we have you using the planet and bound to an avatar. On the other, we have me exposed and freed from the planet. Now, who will be the star of this show?”
Christian Rosencreutz did not shoot at his surroundings for no reason.
The battlefield transformed into Rosencreutz's canvas, resembling the legendary battleground of Lerna where Heracles once clashed with the Hydra.
Yes.
He didn't unleash his powers randomly; every action was deliberate.
In the magical side of Idol Theory, mimicking an object, event, or person allowed one to tap into a fraction of its power.
And that even applied to locations that essentially worked as stage plays.
Idol Theory was so absolute that even the basic cross held a portion of the son of God’s power.
As Above, So Below.
As Below, So Above.
Macro to micro.
Micro to macro.
And the macrocosm and the microcosm are always linked.
submitted by Imagen-Breaker to Toaru [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 16:37 StAnselmsProof Stuck in Folsom Prison . . . and the Time Keeps Draggin On: What Did God Do to One Third of the Hosts of Heaven?

We live in an age in which believers find themselves retreating to a sort of universalism in response to criticisms of our theology.
The heaven we preach, the critics assert, is a "sad heaven" because some of the people we love won't be with us. Nevermind that many of our critics are atheists and themselves preach "no heaven at all", the implication is that unless God provides a universal salvation to all, then God is not good and heaven is no reward.
Latter-day Saint Rebuttal to Sad Heaven
A Latter-day Saint rebuts this criticism better than most Christians, in that we believe that in the Third Estate:
"Only a few", only those who choose active enmity toward God, will be deprived of this very happy heaven.
That's about as close to universal salvation as one can get--other than God giving salvation to everyone without regard to their personal choices or progress. Call LDS theology "almost-Universalism".
But It's Not "Only a Few"--It's Over 33 Billion
For my part, I don't think we can understand our God and our own notions of "almost-Universalism" without pondering the war in heaven.
In our doctrine, far more than "a few" of God's children suffer the worst fate. It's around 33 billion souls, if the world ended today.
Our theology contemplates that a third of all of potential human souls were cast out of heaven, and now reside . . . in a place we call outer darkness. This is not a great track record--a parent estranged from 1/3 of his children.
Here's a description of the suffering of the third of heaven, from the D&C, albeit indirect:
43 Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him.
44 Wherefore, he saves all except them—they shall go away into everlasting punishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment—
45 And the end thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows;
The Sons of Perdition seem to share the same torment as the third who were cast out, namely, a worm that never dies and a fire that is never quenched.
What Did God Do The Third of Heaven?
Thus, our universalism is not so universal. But what did God do them? And why did he do it? Because we believe our souls are co-eternal with God's soul, the existence of non-God, non-God-potential eternal souls can teach us something about ourselves and about God himself.
We don't have much scripture--there was a war in heaven; Satan sought God's glory and also to destroy our agency; Satan and his followers were "cast out" of heaven. They were not even given the atheist's death (a merciful, complete annihilation)--they continue to exist.
Here are a few options of the "what" and "why":
  1. God has imprisoned them and is punishing them in retribution for their behavior;
  2. God has imprisoned them and is holding them to prevent them from developing God-like powers and becoming evil Gods. The only punishment is their conscious awareness of that lack of that progression.
  3. Same as 2, except that rather then imprisoning them, God has withheld assistance they need to progress.
  4. God has done nothing to them, neither imprison, punish, nor withheld assistance. There is only one way--independent of anything God may choose--and the window of opportunity has irrevocably passed. The only punishment is the conscious awareness that by their own choice they missed their opportunity.
Which do you think is most consistent with our scriptures? Which do you think places God in the "best" light? Can you think of others?
submitted by StAnselmsProof to LatterDayTheology [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 16:25 doppelganger3301 My Plan on Running (and somewhat changing) the Module

So caveat right off the bat that this is just my current concept that I'm still workshopping, and this won't be one size fits all for all tables and parties etc etc.
I really like the campaign, I think it lays out a great foundation for a truly memorable campaign that I can't wait to start. That said, I also really hate how it's Central Hub and then a series of fetch quests with little to motivate the players, especially since the fetch quests are to get an item that's not even needed to destroy Vecna, so it can feel punitive unnecessarily. I know a lot of folks have put forth their own ideas on how to improve these things, this is just my take after having read the book and speaking with a bunch of folks.
Prologue/Setting:
Underdark:
Spelljammer:
Eberron:
Ravenloft:
Krynn:
Oerth:
Avernus:
Betrayal:
Again, it's not for everyone but I think I'm going to try and go about it in a similar vein to this. My notes on this are still scattered and I'm purposely not trying to iron out every detail, since of course the players will have a lot of agency on how precisely this all turns out. Still, feel free to offer some feedback on what you think may or may not work.
submitted by doppelganger3301 to VecnaEveofRuin [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 16:14 Enough_Veterinarian7 How to Complete Angel Of Death - Track The Looters - Stellar Blade

How to Complete Angel Of Death - Track The Looters - Stellar Blade submitted by Enough_Veterinarian7 to Gamegem [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 16:02 docXfamas [H] DOOM Eternal DELUXE EDITION, Have a Nice Death, Dying Light Definitive Edition, Torchlight III, Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered, Omensight Definitve Edition and lots of other bundled games [W] Trepang2, PayPal, tf2 keys, gems, wishlisted games

Note:

HAVE

WANT

Mainly looking for PayPal (accepting most of the currencies, fees may slightly differ)
MY REP Wishlist
Gems
TF2 keys/ CS2 Cases
submitted by docXfamas to SteamGameSwap [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 16:01 docXfamas [H] DOOM Eternal DELUXE EDITION, Have a Nice Death, Dying Light Definitive Edition, Torchlight III, Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered, Omensight Definitve Edition and lots of other bundled games [W] Trepang2, PayPal, tf2 keys, gems, wishlisted games

Note:

HAVE

WANT

Mainly looking for PayPal (accepting most of the currencies, fees may slightly differ)
MY REP Wishlist MY IGS REP
Gems
TF2 keys/ CS2 Cases
submitted by docXfamas to indiegameswap [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 15:45 itsgreymonster Unfunhouse Mirror 11 (Nature of Predators/The Last Angel)

This is a crossover fanfiction between original fiction titles: Nature of Predators by SpacePaladin15 and The Last Angel by Proximal Flame respectively. All credit and rights reserved goes to them for making such amazing science fiction settings that I wanted to put this together.
You can read The Last Angel here: Be warned, it's decently long, and at its third installment so far. I highly suggest reading it before reading this, or this story will not make sense.
Otherwise, enjoy the story! Thanks again to u/jesterra54 and u/skais01 for beta and checking of work!
First Prev Next (soon)
Memory transcription subject: Governor Tarva of the Venlil Republic
Date [standardized human time]: October 22, 2136
The reveal of the Arxur's assistance of Earth was a unsettling, but mostly overlooked note to add to the headlines filling news sites today on Venlil Prime.
UNKNOWN SHIP DEVASTATES FEDERATION FLEET ABOVE EARTH, HUMANITY LIVES
While the ship wasn't currently unknown to us, given the UN's report, General Kam had advised that it would be better left unspoken of what capabilities we did know, so as to not worry the populace. "Leave causing panic to the humans" he said. But I heard the worries and anxious rumors throughout both social media and verbal conversations...
"That ship destroyed an ENTIRE fleet!?"
"Oh Protector, please tell me its not an Arxur vessel..."
"Why don't we know more?"
I couldn't help but feel for my people. I came to disagree with Kam's advice more and more, as I wished desperately to allay their fears of it being an Arxur superweapon, or that it was going to destroy us soon, or other similar worries.
Are you so sure yourself, Tarva? Even the UN government is scared of it, and it supposedly was made by a future Humanity...
I tried not to focus on that pang of paranoia. I just hoped soon enough the UN would make a statement on the Nemesis already. As I accompanied Noah to the UN's remembrance speech today, I did my best to scan for the feelings worn on peoples faces. The Venlil were unsettled as before, but the human refugees were an odder story altogether.
They were devastated, and scared as well as us Venlil were. But on top of it, I could see a common face worn of confusion. The information disambiguation hadn't made its way to Venlil Prime like it had Earth, and as such they were as much in the dark as the public here was. I could only imagine their uncertainty, knowing their race was likely saved by something they had no idea about.
Noah spoke out of nowhere. "I feel for the refugees here. Forced to an unfamiliar place, so unofficially hostile to them, and now they learn of Nemesis like this? I'd be as confused as them in their place." He checked his suit, attending to shift it so slightly as to make him look better in it. "I also can't imagine your opponents didn't run the whole ball with their existence here, too. Are we taxing you harshly, Tarva?"
I gripped his hand tighter. "No, Noah. While there are those that want you off-planet, I will not let them kick you off. I'll fight for you, no matter the cost."
"Seems like anywhere we go, we cause a fight some way or another. Pops always said space was our ticket to a better future, yet all we seem to cause is trouble for merely existing."
"Noah, its not your people's fault we're afraid of you. The Arxur are to blame for that, and we're at fault for holding it against you. What happened to Earth was not your doing, you tried your best, and it just was not convincing enough for millennia of cultural momentum."
He smiled at that, a muted, but still genuine smile. "Thank you Tarva. I'm glad you see the best in us, even when we don't."
I continued to scan the crowd, looking for the sight of Meier. He always seemed alight in diplomacy whenever he was around, it was a strength of his, outshining the room like that. I could only hope he was doing okay in the current state of Earth. The last time we talked, he seemed very tired, very...frustrated with everything.
But I was glad to see him in some his element soon after, amongst a group of dignitaries from other Federation species. He seemed to be listening to a Mazic diplomat, one I remembered by the name of Cupo. Sadly, however, despite Meier's attempt, it seems the conversation was not on a good track.
"-they're a menace to the rest of the galaxy, and you just let them in, not so soon after this ship blindsided an entire Federation fleet out of nowhere!?"
Meier dejectedly sighed. "Cupo, I thought I already told you, when the Arxur showed up, we had no capability to tell them to take a hike. They were ten-thousand strong and we barely managed several hundred ships left. That they even engaged in dialogue rather than just subjugation was a surprise to me."
"That doesn't make much sense either, Elias Meier. Since when do the Arxur play merciful? You're not telling us something here, and it curls my trunk in knots. How can we trust you when you can't even give us the details on what that ship is, or why the Arxur even showed up in its stead?"
The Mazic was not interested in Meier's friendly act, not giving any room for benefit of the doubt. The other diplomats crowded around began to mumble in agreement, as Meier stood there, formulating some response.
"What we do know about the ship and the Arxur, we'll clear up publically later in this event. But neither were expected by us, you have to believe me. Humanity is just as confused as you all are on the results of that battle, and-"
Cupo interrupted this time, clearly not willing to hear an explanation out. "You're running out of trust, Human. We think you ought to be given a chance; as the empathy studies show, you're not the Arxur. But associating with them as you are, with little transparency is not doing you favors with us, and if you want further association with us, you'd best cut ties with those monsters sooner, rather than later." The Mazic's ears hung in displeasure, and I could sense the nervousness in Meier as he stood down one of the races in the room far bigger than he was. Whether Cupo knew it or not, Meier was intimidated by his presence, and was trying to keep it cool to some degree. "We'll at most help with the Gojid refugees at the moment, as they've suffered both of your kind, but beyond that, consider it on hold until that problem is resolved."
They walked away, and some of the alien crowd amongst them followed. The only ones still sticking around seemed to be a Yotul diplomat, a Nevok, and a Fissan. The latter two stuck obviously to discuss more trade details, seeking to cut the other off from Earth to a degree in hopes of exploiting the system, but the Yotul was a surprise. I didn't even realize they had sent one this way.
Given the relatively new uplift of their world, I didn't imagine the Yotul having much stake or spread throughout the galaxy, so how did humanity...?
Meier turned to him. "Ah...Ambassador Laulo, I'm sorry you had to see that. We're...not doing so hot in the grand scheme of things, and some relations are boiling over as a result."
Laulo enthusiastically shook his head in denial. "No, it's okay! I understand the feeling of that persecution, even if it's for a different reason. Feels like the galaxy kicking you while you're already down."
"I appreciate any help we can get in regards to this. You're one of the very few races left that's pledged some sense of unconditional aid. I promise, with all I have in my power, I'll try and return the favor-Tarva!" Elias noticed my presence at last. "I...uh, how long have you been standing there?..."
"Long enough to hear most of it. I'm sorry the more neutral species aren't helping any, Meier. But that's not why I'm here, specifically. We need to talk about the human refugees."
Meier looked at me funny with that statement, as if he wasn't expecting something out of me. "I see...I hope it's not anything too bad, is it?"
I silently cringed at the exact words. Noah filled in the details in my stead. "Meier, the refugees here are seeing images of Earth, of those not too horribly in shock to do anything, there's been an uptick in suicides...a massive uptick. They aren't aware of the full story, due to the Venlil government's reluctance to publish the report sent here publicly. This remembrance speech better give the people here a semblance of peace, of stability, because there's an extreme lack of morale left in the camps."
Meier grimaced and scanned the crowd, glancing at the humans that were here. I assume he too could see how dejected many were, how many seemed at the end of their rope, coming here for the slightest hint of hope left in their lives at the news. They would need some good news, or there was a chance some wouldn't be here tomorrow.
I felt for them. They didn't deserve this, and our intentional censor of the details, so that Meier could deliver the news likely didn't help with the rates.
"I get that Noah. I really do. What happened at Earth was a tragedy, and the death toll is nearly 800 million. You could likely gather a group of ten or so humans from anywhere, and one of them lost someone close to them. I'll...do my best to raise their spirits, there's plenty to talk about here. The alien diplomats just aren't making this easy..." Meier gestured to the clearly forming bloc of neutral species dignitaries that gathered in the room. They did not seem to want to talk further on any support of Earth until some demands were met, mostly on why things were kept so information-blackout heavy at first. The speech would have to be twofold, at raising human refugees' spirits, and at convincing some of the touchy species to support Earth.
His work was cut out for him.
"Did you wish for any assistance on that front, Meier?" Noah offered. His kindness shone through even in the depths of despair that wore
itself on humanity currently. His soul was purely sweet and kind, regardless of his predator disposition, I so deeply respected that about him.
They began to talk shop, Noah mentioning his current experiences with human refugees upon Venlil Prime, and what topics Meier ought to add on and hit on in his speech. As rushed of advice as it was, Meier seemed determined to fit it in somehow, but I knew he had a silver tongue, his capability to navigate and convince was downright bewildering, present company excepted of course. Nothing would get those species over his diet anytime soon, so I could only hope he could appeal to their empathy as another sentient in this case.
I believed in them. If anyone could turn the state of the galaxy around, it would be these two.
Memory transcription subject: Dorian Abder, Commons Member of Parliament
Date [standardized human time]: October 22, 2136
I sat on my desk, watching out the window of my office at the Westminster Palace, reminiscing on the sad scene outside. Another body under cloth cover, wheeled out on a stretcher from a home surrounded by paramedics. Another swept up in despair, seeing the state of our beautiful planet, of our populace, so brutally scarred, enough to take their own life.
How many was it, so far? Nearly a half-percent suicide rate for every hundred thousand in England? More than eight times the highest resting rate in our entire history. And we were hardly hit in comparison to the rest of the world...how are they doing if it's this bad here?
I leaned back in my chair, back cracking in old age, forcing myself away from the scene outside. I tried to not think about it, just tried to focus again on my work. On the coordination efforts with the UN, the Arxur, and any other races seeking to help. But it was a mountain of work ahead, a peak of papers I could barely see myself climbing in an entire week, let alone the mere day it was handed down here.
We've all lost someone. Not a single soul hasn't been touched by the Federation's bombing.
I thought about how the targeting of cities took. How they focused so heavily on Africa and Asia, the most booming corridors of population on Earth. How they erased 78 cities from existence before their fleet was devastated by The Sword. They weren't aiming to cripple humanity, on industrial depots and power plants, but to exterminate us. They aimed for the most populated cities first, before taking potshots at what remained.
Being put to the death by The Sword serves them right, they deserved judgement by that blade for what they had done.
Or, rather, the Nemesis, as reports had given us. A human ship, but not quite our humanity. A time traveler conveniently sent here by accident, saving us from extinction. An AI piloted ship that sought now to reunite with Earth having defended us. Given what remained of our Guardian Angel, I sought to do everything I could to make their welcome home a celebration, for they defended humanity in our darkest hour.
I recalled my journeys around the globe as a younger man. How my endless wanderlust took me to every corner of the globe in the wake of the Satellite Wars. How the global power vacuum led to so much relief efforts, as the less-touched nations finally had room to breathe, the canopy of carefully controlled superpowers no longer eating up their light needed to grow. How African countries like South Africa and Niger found themselves expanding to match the designation of First World. How beautiful the Seychelles were to see in person.
How my volunteering in the UN's Unfurled Umbrella Initiatives after the Treaty of Shanghai took me to the partially collapsed countries amidst Asia. How Tokyo, despite its immense infrastructure failure, dragged itself back to a powerhouse of a city, as Japan built for itself after so long. How China's government reformed into a Republic after the post-war coups, and how Taiwan finally opened its heart more to them for it. How Beijing found itself all the stronger for adversity.
How the South and Central Americas found themselves no longer under the impressive hand of the United States' geopolitical influence. How the first Diaspora vessels took off from Argentina, seeking to establish a government sentenced only to the annals of history on Earth upon the distant surfaces of Mars. How they were so determined to prove the world wrong on its presuppositions of how a place should be ruled, free of the influence of bullying countries. And how their dream led to the now Martian Collective.
I thought of all the other places the UN took me. Of Cairo, and its deep connection to our most prominent civilization of the ancient past. Of Istanbul, to see the beauty of mixing Christian and Islamic influence over centuries of swapping hands. Of the stunning ports of Singapore, an industrial powerhouse of a nation, so tightly packed into one single city. Of the stunning silver forest of skyscrapers that was New York City, still kicking even after the devastation of the Satellite Wars. Mumbai, Baghdad, Lagos, Mogadishu, Guadalajara, Rio De Janeiro, Berlin. How I drank in all the beauty and magnificent history and culture of the world, and was all the fuller a person for it. These and so many more.
I thought of the honey farmer I met by the Saigon River; how Châu Được's family had kept the traditional job going for so long, and divinely sweet their harvest was they shared with me. I thought of Dari Qazi, how the humble Afghani-borne man had found himself at the forefront of a secular revolution in Pakistan, reaching unrivaled progress not seen since the 1980's. I remembered the ambitious young woman in Monterrey, Mexico, who talked to me of her dreams to build spaceships for the Diaspora program, how she wished dearly she could leave a mark on history, and how now her name was on the finest rockets of the age.
All gone. Dust on the wind. Atomized debris now. Their homes, their families, their history gone, according to reports of which cities have evaporated to bedrock.
Thousands of years of history, erased in moments by antimatter over Rome. Los Angeles was reduced to the basin it was built on those long years ago in America. Cape Town's hard fought for progress from humble beginnings to the most populous and prosperous city in all of Africa, wiped from the record in an instant. Seven-hundred and eighty million dead in the span of an hour.
All those years spent, traveling around the world, drinking in the sights, to know they will never return. To know they are gone and buried, snuffed out by a bloody cruel universe, filled with utterly contemptible aliens. A deep voice spoke inside me on a loop, constantly asking an enraging question.
"Did it all mean nothing to you, Dorian?"
There was only one answer I considered giving to that accusation. To the monsters that took so many lives and homes from humanity, merely for having the gall to eat differently. What answered back blistered with hatred, yet kept frigidly focused.
"It meant everything to me."
Something clicked inside; the Federation wouldn't get away with this. We deserved justice. I rustled through my desk drawers, looking for old contacts from my political days. The stacks of papers on my desk could wait, this was more important. I needed to make some calls. Humanity deserved better, and I knew just how we could get it. But it would require a far more coordinated effort than just me. No, it needed a movement.
The galaxy will hear us. One way or another, we deserve justice. And we have just the circumstances to deliver it...
Memory transcription subject: Governor Tarva of the Venlil Republic
Date [standardized human time]: October 22, 2136
"-the sting of these days will someday pass. Maybe not in the near future, maybe not even in our lifetime, but we will one day no longer feel his pain, this suffering. Until that day comes, we will not go gently into that dark night, we will live on, mourn our dead, defend those still living, and make humanity known to the galaxy that it will not roll over when faced with such hostility. To those who support us even now, I thank you deeply to the core, and ask for a moment of silence to those lost both above and on Earth...to those who would stand with the Federation, who did so cruelly act upon us, we urge you to reconsider, and turn away, for we bring not a olive branch, but a sword. Those species governments that did this will not get away with this, and those who stood aside and watched...either choose a side, or be labeled on one for your inaction. Thank you."
Meier finished his speech with that, and some applause was heard from human refugees amidst the crowd, but a majority remained mostly quiet, in remembrance of the lives lost. A good majority of the dignitaries from the Federation neutral races had already left by this point, so the pointed message at the end likely missed them personally, even if they listen in later. It was a good speech, but it felt...infused with something that was clearly not Meier's normal calm. It was like seeing a side I had never seen with him before, not rant-angry, but mad nevertheless, hidden behind a veneer of diplomatic politeness.
Noah put it in terms I thought best as Meier walked off stage. "You're a bit more of a firebrand than I thought Meier, but nevertheless a good speech! I'm glad you tied in what advice I could give for the refugees here so smoothly."
Meier smiled at that, a cathartic smile that spoke of being proud of what he delivered just a moment ago. I could only imagine he was aching with tension over the pain of so much loss of life, it was only fair that he be angry at the galaxy at large for it, and make it heard.
"Thank you, Noah. I sincerely mean every word of it. The Federation must not escape scot-free for what they have done, and already now at home we're preparing to bring the fight back to them." He looked at me. "We'll...obviously not go as far as the Federation did, but I speak for everyone in that humanity is not happy, and it shows. Even the refugees that came here looking a mere instant from giving up seem a bit resolved now to that goal. I just wish more were on our side to start...I never wanted war, but the galaxy's forcing it."
"I'm so sorry, Meier. My deepest sympathies for how the galaxy has treated you and yours. Despite the hiccups recently, I guarantee we'll still remain close allies; humanity deserves nothing less."
The remainder of the species in the remembrance assembly started to funnel out; it was mostly just humans and Venlil at this point, but a few stuck around. The Yotul ambassador, Laulo, was an obvious one amongst the stragglers, clearly meaning to talk with Meier and us further. As the room became more and more empty he walked over to us once again.
"Meier! Your speech was wonderful, full of spice and vigor, yet calming all the same. It was like a call to arms while smoking spiritwood. The Federation stragglers hopefully will reconsider!"
I felt a little weirded out by his choice of focus in the speech on The Federation, rather than humanity, but I responded in Meier's stead positively: "Yes, Meier's an expert in political and social matters. Anyways, what did you want? You seem to be just hanging around, waiting for a moment here."
"Ah...yes, about that..." Ambassador Laulo nervously tugged at his uniform. "I was sent here initially just in good faith for humanity, as we knew what it must've felt like for the Federation to bully you so immensely. But this second visit, to the gala itself...we actually want to propose something to Humanity and the Venlil, but I wanted to wait for Federation sympathizing eyes and ears to be far away from here first."
He looked somewhat desperate, but resolved. "We're planning on breaking off from the Federation. Their influence on our planet is awful, given what they've done to us during the uplift. They seek to repress our culture, they constantly call us backward, and primitive, hardly capable of thinking for our own in this galaxy. We're tired of it, but we still are partially relying on their technological development to get to this point, and we don't have a proper fleet made. Your space is closest to ours, and we hoped-"
Meier finished "-that'd we begin our war fronting towards Leirn first? Free your people from the Federation? I'll gladly bring it up with our military advisors. You helped us, we help you back."
Laulo sighed in relief at that, a huge weight taken off their shoulders. "T-thank you. Thank you so much for this. Leirn has sought to be free of their grasp ever since we learned their intentions were not pure. You've been the first species to actually care to some degree, and were our only hope out of this mess."
"Don't thank us just yet. If you'd like to get in contact with our military, I can set you up with some Generals and your government as a liason for the war. You can coordinate anything on your side of the bargain to us through them, and make this smoother." Meier handed him a card, and waved over a human attendant of his to Laulo. She talked with him as the two walked away, and Meier remained.
Noah turned to me, a warm hand scruffing my fur. "I know the state of things doesn't look too great, love, but it could be so much worse. We'll make due with what we can get, and hopefully the galaxy will be a better place for it. Don't worry, all will be well someday."
I believed him. Who wouldn't believe in humanity?
First Prev Next (soon)
submitted by itsgreymonster to NatureofPredators [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 15:21 Knetog My attempt at a patch note

Bruce Banner
Doctor Strange
Groot
Magneto
Peni Parker
Loki
Mantis
Rocket Racoon
Luna Snow
The Punisher
Storm
Hela
Black Panther
Magik
Ironman
Spider-Man
Scarlet Witch
Star-Lord
Namor
submitted by Knetog to marvelrivals [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 15:18 IrinaSophia Venerable Pachomius the Great, Founder of Cenobitic Monasticism (May 15th)

Saint Pachomius the Great was both a model of desert dwelling, and with Saints Anthony the Great (January 17), Macarius the Great (January 19), and Euthymius the Great (January 20), a founder of the cenobitic monastic life in Egypt.
Saint Pachomius was born in the third century in the Thebaid (Upper Egypt). His parents were pagans who gave him an excellent secular education. From his youth he had a good character, and he was prudent and sensible.
When Pachomius reached the age of twenty, he was called up to serve in the army of the emperor Constantine (apparently, in the year 315). They put the new conscripts in a city prison guarded by soldiers. The local Christians fed the soldiers and took care of them.
When the young man learned that these people acted this way because of their love for God, fulfilling His commandment to love their neighbor, this made a deep impression upon his pure soul. Pachomius vowed to become a Christian. Pachomius returned from the army after the victory, received holy Baptism, moved to the lonely settlement of Shenesit, and began to lead a strict ascetic life. Realizing the need for spiritual guidance, he turned to the desert-dweller Palamon. He was accepted by the Elder, and he began to follow the example of his instructor in monastic struggles.
Once, after ten years of asceticism, Saint Pachomius made his way through the desert, and halted at the ruins of the former village of Tabennisi. Here he heard a Voice ordering him to start a monastery at this place. Pachomius told the Elder Palamon of this, and they both regarded the words as a command from God.
They went to Tabennisi and built a small monastic cell. The holy Elder Palamon blessed the foundations of the monastery and predicted its future glory. But soon Palamon departed to the Lord. An angel of God then appeared to Saint Pachomius in the form of a schemamonk and gave him a Rule of monastic life. Soon his older brother John came and settled there with him.
Saint Pachomius endured many temptations and assaults from the Enemy of the race of man, but he resisted all temptations by his prayer and endurance.
Gradually, followers began to gather around Saint Pachomius. Their teacher impressed everyone by his love for work, which enabled him to accomplish all kinds of monastic tasks. He cultivated a garden, he conversed with those seeking guidance, and he tended to the sick.
Saint Pachomius introduced a monastic Rule of cenobitic life, giving everyone the same food and attire. The monks of the monastery fulfilled the obediences assigned them for the common good of the monastery. Among the various obediences was copying books. The monks were not allowed to possess their own money nor to accept anything from their relatives. Saint Pachomius considered that an obedience fulfilled with zeal was greater than fasting or prayer. He also demanded from the monks an exact observance of the monastic Rule, and he chastized slackers.
His sister Maria came to see Saint Pachomius, but the strict ascetic refused to see her. Through the gate keeper, he blessed her to enter upon the path of monastic life, promising his help with this. Maria wept, but did as her brother had ordered. The Tabennisi monks built her a hut on the opposite side of the River Nile. Nuns also began to gather around Maria. Soon a women’s monastery was formed with a strict monastic Rule provided by Saint Pachomius.
The number of monks at the monastery grew quickly, and it became necessary to build seven more monasteries in the vicinity. The number of monks reached 7,000, all under the guidance of Saint Pachomius, who visited all the monasteries and administered them. At the same time Saint Pachomius remained a deeply humble monk, who was always ready to comply with and accept the words of each brother.
Severe and strict towards himself, Saint Pachomius had great kindness and condescension toward the deficiencies of spiritually immature monks. One of the monks was eager for martyrdom, but Saint Pachomius turned him from this desire and instructed him to fulfill his monastic obedience, taming his pride, and training him in humility.
Once, a monk did not heed his advice and left the monastery. He was set upon by brigands, who threatened him with death and forced him to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Filled with despair, the monk returned to the monastery. Saint Pachomius ordered him to pray intensely night and day, keep a strict fast and live in complete solitude. The monk followed his advice, and this saved his soul from despair.
The saint taught his spiritual children to avoid judging others, and he himself feared to judge anyone even in thought.
Saint Pachomius cared for the sick monks with special love. He visited them, he cheered the disheartened, he urged them to be thankful to God, and put their hope in His holy will. He relaxed the fasting rule for the sick, if this would help them recover their health. Once, in the saint’s absence, the cook did not prepare any cooked food for the monks, assuming that the brethren loved to fast. Instead of fulfilling his obedience, the cook plaited 500 mats, something which Saint Pachomius had not told him to do. In punishment for his disobedience, all the mats prepared by the cook were burned.
Saint Pachomius always taught the monks to rely only upon God’s help and mercy. It happened that there was a shortage of grain at the monastery. The saint spent the whole night in prayer, and in the morning a large quantity of bread was sent to the monastery from the city, at no charge. The Lord granted Saint Pachomius the gift of wonderworking and healing the sick.
The Lord revealed to him the future of monasticism. The saint learned that future monks would not have such zeal in their struggles as the first generation had, and they would not have experienced guides. Prostrating himself upon the ground, Saint Pachomius wept bitterly, calling out to the Lord and imploring mercy for them. He heard a Voice answer, “Pachomius, be mindful of the mercy of God. The monks of the future shall receive a reward, since they too shall have occasion to suffer the life burdensome for the monk.”
Toward the end of his life Saint Pachomius fell ill from a pestilence that afflicted the region. His closest disciple, Saint Theodore (May 17), tended to him with filial love. Saint Pachomius died around the year 348 at the age of fifty-three, and was buried on a hill near the monastery.
Source
submitted by IrinaSophia to OrthodoxGreece [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 15:17 IrinaSophia Venerable Pachomius the Great, Founder of Cenobitic Monasticism (May 15th)

Saint Pachomius the Great was both a model of desert dwelling, and with Saints Anthony the Great (January 17), Macarius the Great (January 19), and Euthymius the Great (January 20), a founder of the cenobitic monastic life in Egypt.
Saint Pachomius was born in the third century in the Thebaid (Upper Egypt). His parents were pagans who gave him an excellent secular education. From his youth he had a good character, and he was prudent and sensible.
When Pachomius reached the age of twenty, he was called up to serve in the army of the emperor Constantine (apparently, in the year 315). They put the new conscripts in a city prison guarded by soldiers. The local Christians fed the soldiers and took care of them.
When the young man learned that these people acted this way because of their love for God, fulfilling His commandment to love their neighbor, this made a deep impression upon his pure soul. Pachomius vowed to become a Christian. Pachomius returned from the army after the victory, received holy Baptism, moved to the lonely settlement of Shenesit, and began to lead a strict ascetic life. Realizing the need for spiritual guidance, he turned to the desert-dweller Palamon. He was accepted by the Elder, and he began to follow the example of his instructor in monastic struggles.
Once, after ten years of asceticism, Saint Pachomius made his way through the desert, and halted at the ruins of the former village of Tabennisi. Here he heard a Voice ordering him to start a monastery at this place. Pachomius told the Elder Palamon of this, and they both regarded the words as a command from God.
They went to Tabennisi and built a small monastic cell. The holy Elder Palamon blessed the foundations of the monastery and predicted its future glory. But soon Palamon departed to the Lord. An angel of God then appeared to Saint Pachomius in the form of a schemamonk and gave him a Rule of monastic life. Soon his older brother John came and settled there with him.
Saint Pachomius endured many temptations and assaults from the Enemy of the race of man, but he resisted all temptations by his prayer and endurance.
Gradually, followers began to gather around Saint Pachomius. Their teacher impressed everyone by his love for work, which enabled him to accomplish all kinds of monastic tasks. He cultivated a garden, he conversed with those seeking guidance, and he tended to the sick.
Saint Pachomius introduced a monastic Rule of cenobitic life, giving everyone the same food and attire. The monks of the monastery fulfilled the obediences assigned them for the common good of the monastery. Among the various obediences was copying books. The monks were not allowed to possess their own money nor to accept anything from their relatives. Saint Pachomius considered that an obedience fulfilled with zeal was greater than fasting or prayer. He also demanded from the monks an exact observance of the monastic Rule, and he chastized slackers.
His sister Maria came to see Saint Pachomius, but the strict ascetic refused to see her. Through the gate keeper, he blessed her to enter upon the path of monastic life, promising his help with this. Maria wept, but did as her brother had ordered. The Tabennisi monks built her a hut on the opposite side of the River Nile. Nuns also began to gather around Maria. Soon a women’s monastery was formed with a strict monastic Rule provided by Saint Pachomius.
The number of monks at the monastery grew quickly, and it became necessary to build seven more monasteries in the vicinity. The number of monks reached 7,000, all under the guidance of Saint Pachomius, who visited all the monasteries and administered them. At the same time Saint Pachomius remained a deeply humble monk, who was always ready to comply with and accept the words of each brother.
Severe and strict towards himself, Saint Pachomius had great kindness and condescension toward the deficiencies of spiritually immature monks. One of the monks was eager for martyrdom, but Saint Pachomius turned him from this desire and instructed him to fulfill his monastic obedience, taming his pride, and training him in humility.
Once, a monk did not heed his advice and left the monastery. He was set upon by brigands, who threatened him with death and forced him to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Filled with despair, the monk returned to the monastery. Saint Pachomius ordered him to pray intensely night and day, keep a strict fast and live in complete solitude. The monk followed his advice, and this saved his soul from despair.
The saint taught his spiritual children to avoid judging others, and he himself feared to judge anyone even in thought.
Saint Pachomius cared for the sick monks with special love. He visited them, he cheered the disheartened, he urged them to be thankful to God, and put their hope in His holy will. He relaxed the fasting rule for the sick, if this would help them recover their health. Once, in the saint’s absence, the cook did not prepare any cooked food for the monks, assuming that the brethren loved to fast. Instead of fulfilling his obedience, the cook plaited 500 mats, something which Saint Pachomius had not told him to do. In punishment for his disobedience, all the mats prepared by the cook were burned.
Saint Pachomius always taught the monks to rely only upon God’s help and mercy. It happened that there was a shortage of grain at the monastery. The saint spent the whole night in prayer, and in the morning a large quantity of bread was sent to the monastery from the city, at no charge. The Lord granted Saint Pachomius the gift of wonderworking and healing the sick.
The Lord revealed to him the future of monasticism. The saint learned that future monks would not have such zeal in their struggles as the first generation had, and they would not have experienced guides. Prostrating himself upon the ground, Saint Pachomius wept bitterly, calling out to the Lord and imploring mercy for them. He heard a Voice answer, “Pachomius, be mindful of the mercy of God. The monks of the future shall receive a reward, since they too shall have occasion to suffer the life burdensome for the monk.”
Toward the end of his life Saint Pachomius fell ill from a pestilence that afflicted the region. His closest disciple, Saint Theodore (May 17), tended to him with filial love. Saint Pachomius died around the year 348 at the age of fifty-three, and was buried on a hill near the monastery.
Source
submitted by IrinaSophia to OrthodoxChristianity [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 14:57 hayema7 June Swap Preview (better late than never!)

May ROTMs have landed and a few of us are waiting on some mystery bundles. The records I've seen on the most tables are Little Richard with it's slick jacket and Earl Sweatshirt. Clint Black, Alice Coltrane, and Don Blackman are all spinning around as well.
A reminder for ROTMs: Moving forward, newly released ROTMs are going to be exclusive to memberships and swaps for 3 months. For example, our May ROTMs will not be available in store until August. With this in mind, anything within 3 months of release is a "good deal." Other titles can be used with store discount codes, so you may be able to get them cheaper in the store. We're getting our first release of ROTMs with way, with January titles hitting the store.
Bonus records are now gone, but referral codes can get you discounts on multi-month memberships if you're interested in joining. Don't forget to check the referral thread to grab a code or reach out to some individuals if you're considering a 3 ($20 off), 6 ($40 off), or 12 month ($80 off) plan. It's a win-win for everyone.
This month's preview focuses on the June Swap Preview. Remember that not all swaps are "good deals." Some titles cost less than the price of your subscription. Prices for store titles will be included, while past ROTMs range from $37 for some 1LPs to $41 for other 1 and 2LPs and $49 for other 2LPs for members. You can also click "Learn More" and see the member price in your swap preview. With the new titles in swaps, we're seeing values a lot closer to your monthly prices.
All value is based on the new add-on price ($36). If you previously bought a 3, 6, or 12-month subscription, you're at that price on your main track until that subscription ends (I think this is the last month for this). Swapping for credit will get you that old price, which is something to keep in mind at this point. Know your price and know your value. Your price may vary, depending on what subscription level you're at, so be aware of how much you're paying each month before swapping. In no way is this a judgment on the music, but I'm just trying to make sure members don't pay subscription prices for a record that is significantly cheaper in the store.
Titles are broken down into 4 categories (New/will go quickly, solid recent options that are good value, questionable value, and do not swap) themed for September ROTMs with examples from the current swap preview. There are still some great deals to be had, even if we aren't seeing the crazy anthology value.
As always, feel free to post questions about specific titles you may be interested in. The community is very knowledgeable about pressing details and sound. I'm sure a lot of members would be willing to share their reviews of the pressing quality, even if it's in a category that you may not agree with:
Isaac Hayes - Swap Moses: Let Swap Moses part the seas and guide you to the promised land. These titles are the best of the month. Be on to grab them ASAP! They could be a repress of past ROTMs that have been long gone or store titles that aren't around anymore. They're some of the community's favorites. Waitlisted titles under $36 are a gamble. Some stock could've been pulled back. Get them while you can!
Essentials: N/A
Classics: Nina Simone (waitlisted)
RHH: Wu Tang (waitlisted)
Country: N/A
Rock: Little Richard (was locked down from adding toward the end of last month. I'd lock this one in if you want it because I don't forsee it lasting past this month outside of TBT)
Dolly: New Harvest
Store Titles: The Story of Memphis Rap ($269), Yuji Toriyama ($35 but waitlisted), Sampha Unnumbered ($37 but waitlisted), Tony Rice ($35 but waitlisted), The Story of The Comedy Store ($199), Ted Lucas ($27 but waitlisted), ATCQ - Love Movement ($80)
Harry Nilsson - A Little Touch of Swaps in the Night: You won't have to be on quite as fast as other titles, but a touch of these swaps will make for a great month. We're starting to see them selling out a little faster, so if you're interested in something, it's probably a good idea to grab them in swaps. You may have had your eye on and now have some reviews to base your decision on. I don't expect a rush for these titles, but keep an eye on them as the swap window goes on and they may move to low stock. These are recent ROTMs (Past 6 Months Listed), recent represses you may have missed, or in-stock store titles listed for more than the price of your subscription or an add-on track that may be on your wishlist. I also added some that have been popular with VMP subscribers. These are pretty safe bets for the value of your subscription and our frequent swappers.
Essentials: Alice Coltrane (swap exclusive), Harry Nilsson (swap exclusive), Willie Nelson P&S (swap exclusive until July), Fleetwood Mac (now in store), Labelle (now in store), Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles, Ray Barretto, Santigold, Bone Thugs, Stevie Nicks
Classics: Don Blackman (swap exclusive), Oliver Nelson (swap exclusive) Gary Bartz (now in store), La Lupe (now in store), Hector Lavoe, The MarKeys/Booker T, David Porter, Hound Dog, Wynton Marsalis, McCoy Tyner, Thelonious Monk
RHH: Earl Sweatshirt - Doris (swap exclusive), O.C (now in store), Boogie Down Productions (now in store), Masta Killa, Lupe Fiasco, Run DMC, Aesop Rock, Atmosphere, Q-Tip, Goldlink
Country: Clint Black (swap exclusive), Alan Jackson (swap exclusive) Rodney Crowell (swap exclusive until July), Billy Joe Shaver (now in store), Guy Clark (now in store), Wille Nelson (& Family), John Prine, Bobbie Gentry, Waylon Jennings
Rock: Little Richard (swap exclusive), Stevie Ray Vaughn (swap exclusive), Heart (swap exclusive until July), The Replacements (swap exclusive until June)
Store Titles: Chromeo ($45) La the Darkman ($42), Usher - My Way ($53), Kronos Quartet ($40), Willie Nelson - I Don't... ($39), Kiefer ($42), Oneohtrix Point Never (Again $45), Sarah Evans ($39), JOHN ($40), Alicia Keys (Girl on Fire $43), Euphoria S1 ($42), Busta Rhyme ($40), First Choice ($40), Rexx Life Raj ($40), Wayne Shorter Live ($46), Moses Sumney (L@B $40), Alan Braufman ($58), Euphoria S2 ($42), T-Pain ($41), Saba - FGT ($46), Altopalo ($44), Fly Anakin ($41), Black Milk ($40), Mariah Carey - Butterfly ($48), Atmosphere ($43), Joe Bataan ($40)
Charlie Worsham - Swapperband: Like a rubberband, going for these titles is a stretch. You don't save any money (or very little), so be sure to think it through. Have you had your eye on this title for a while or are you just considering them due to the fact that they're in swaps? These titles are close to the price of an add-on track, so don't dive in without considering if you REALLY want them. Think twice about these titles and ask yourself "Would I buy this if it wasn't in swaps because I'm not saving money?" These are often labeled "Swap exclusives" and store titles around $36. It may be a tough decision to swap for these.
Store Titles: Jules ($35), John Glacier Surf Gang ($35), Honky Tonk Angels ($35), OFFAIR: Dr. No's Lost Beach ($35)
Big Pun - Swapital Punishment: Don't punish yourself (or your wallet) by going after these titles. These are titles that I'd encourage you to look elsewhere to purchase, wait for a sale, or buy for less on discogs. This is my personal Do Not Swap list. As an alternative swap for credit and buy in the store, go to Discogs to look for the same pressing at less than the price of your subscription (most applicable for past ROTMs), or wait for a sale. Take your time to find a deal, as these aren't going anywhere. Most of these titles have been around for a long time, and this is VMPs way of getting rid of extra stock while making a few extra bucks. This includes in-stock store titles under $35 and older ROTMs which have been around for years.
Essentials: Aaliyah, Torres, Lapsley, The Books, Kevin Morby, Silvertones, Townes Van Zandt, Experience Unlimited, Sleater Kinny, Jim Sullivan, Dirty Projectors, Beverly Glenn Copeland, Grizzly Bear, Caroline Rose (all showing for less than an add on track in US on Discogs)
Classics: Sarah Webster Fabio, Leon Ware, Frederick Knight, Isaac Hayes, Abbey Lincoln, Teddy Pendergrass, Charles Musselwhite, Sylvester (all showing for less than an add on track in US on Discogs)
RHH: Open Mike Eagle, Queen Latifah, Da Brat, Lord Finesse, Big Boi, Future, Nappy Roots, Eyedea & Abilities, Young MC, E-40, UGK, Gang Starr, J Dilla (all showing for less than an add on track in US on Discogs)
Country: Reba McIntyre, Sam Hunt, Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley (all showing for less than an add on track in US on Discogs)
Store Titles: Blvck Svm and Pilotkid ($28), Babsy Konate ($25)
submitted by hayema7 to VinylMePlease [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 14:55 Constant-Duck-1900 [Spoilers] Stellar Blade’s story and esotericism

I’ve finished the game with two endings - both choices offered at the end (Lily maxed out) and I was thinking about the themes presented in the story.
There’s a lot of parallels with Gnosticism in the story with an obvious parallel being Mother Sphere and the Demiurge - both are essentially created, flawed ‘gods’ who created the humans of the story and maintain an illusion to prevent humans from seeing the truth.
Into this steps the being that created the Demiurge: Sophia, or in Stellar Blade’s case - Adam. Sophia created the Demiurge by attempting to breach the barrier between herself and the unknowable original god.
In the history of SB, Adam/Raphael Marks creates Mother Sphere in order to manipulate the power of creation and transform humanity to the next level (Human Instrumentality) however MS went rogue and Andro-Eidos supplanted organic humans. MS then modified the memories of Andro-Eidos to make it seem as though they had always been the original humans and prevent them from obtaining the wisdom or ‘sophia’ of the truth of their creation and existence.
I find this interesting because the gender of Sophia is inverted from the traditional esoterica where she represents the feminine yet is of course taking the role of the biblical first man in Stellar Blade. However, also wouldn’t be out of character:
“Her personality is riddled with contradictions. She is at once creator and created; teacher and that which is to be taught; divine presence and elusive knowledge; tempting harlot and faithful wife; sister, lover, and mother; both human and divine.”Excerpt from Gnosticism, Christianity, and Sophia -(https://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Projects/Reln91/GendeGnosticism.htm#:~:text=The%20inferior%20God%20created%20by,evil%2C%20angry%2C%20violent%20God.)
Moreover looking into the gnostic interpretations of Genesis I found the most intriguing passages on this page of the Gnostic Society Library - (http://gnosis.org/library/valentinus/Sophia_Eve.htm)
“The Gospel of Philip "if she (Sophia/Eve) enters into him and he takes her to himself, death will no longer exist" (Gospel of Philip 63). Similarly, according to the Exegesis on the Soul, "once they unite with one another, they become a single life. Wherefore the prophet said concerning the first man and woman, 'They will become a single flesh'. For they were originally joined to one another when they were with the Father, before the woman led astray the man, who is her brother" (Exegesis on the Soul 132:34-133:6…”
“Thus Sophia/Eve will be to be reunited with Christ/Adam and the fall undone. Similarly, the female "seed" within each of us is to be *reunited with its male angelic counterpart.** As Theodotus concludes in his discussion of the separation of Adam and Eve, "the female . . . unites itself with the angels and enters into the Fullness" (Excerpts of Theodotus 21:3). Through gnosis, "we are raised equal to angels, restored to the males, member to member, to form a unity" (Excerpts of Theodotus 22:2). Accordingly, "when Sophia (Wisdom) receives her consort and Jesus receives the Christ and the seeds and the angels; then the Fullness will receive Sophia (Wisdom) joyfully, and the All will come to be in unity and reconciliation" (Valentinian Exposition 39)”
Tl;dr: Stellar Blade’s story is basically the retelling of the Gnostic reversal of the fall from the Garden of Eden.
What are your thoughts guys?
P.S. I have some other thoughts on Raphael Marks and his motivations/actions but they are beyond the scope of interpreting the story through a gnostic framework.
submitted by Constant-Duck-1900 to stellarblade [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 13:39 No-Interview-9073 Favorite track on lrly?

i loveee the whole EP but my ranking would go like this: 1. Dysphoria 2. Euphoric Filth (Cheru’s theme) 3. I Really Like You, Pt.1 4. Kawaii Razor Blades
submitted by No-Interview-9073 to Sewerslvt [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 13:06 Content_Call5083 NSB (Straud Legacy) Gen 9 Ep. 72: Love and Jealousy

NSB (Straud Legacy) Gen 9 Ep. 72: Love and Jealousy
The Story of a Family
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After his thought provoking visitation, Luigi wound up without a date for Hunter and Tess’s wedding.
He’d asked Amaya, but she bowed out with: “No can do hot stuff, I’ve got the nastiest Itchy Plumbob rash you could imagine. I really don’t feel up to going anywhere I can’t spend most of my time re-applying lotion and using this lovely little roller thing to soothe the itch.”
He tried Noemi too, but since she still wasn’t willing to accompany him to any sort of family event, he had to show up at The Collective solo.
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The intimate ceremony was placed between a raging bonfire and a rustic wedding arch crafted by Hunter himself near the front of the property.
The couple had kept the guest list quite small. Besides members of the commune itself, only the cousins (minus Denton, who Hunter was still on the outs with), the couples' parents, and Peppino had been invited.
The immortal scientist mage was a last-minute addition to the party. These days he had a dedicated staff to assist him at the impregnation clinic, but when he’d found out Hunter had booked an appointment, he’d reached out saying he wanted to oversee Steven’s great-nephew’s case personally. The couple had invited him to the ceremony as a thank you and planned to get a jumpstart on their conversation during the reception.
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While they waited for the lovebirds Luigi caught up with Cullen and Angeles. Co-habiting was going well for them, and their tales of late-night TV marathons and Cullen’s happy laugh when Angeles teased him about his snoring were adorable. When she followed it up with a kiss and the promise that waking up in his noisy arms each morning was exactly what she wanted, Luigi was unhappily reminded of his lonely room at the boarding house.
Luigi hadn’t thought he was anywhere near ready to get married, but as he watched the happy couple saying their vows, he couldn’t help but consider that Hunter was the exact same age as him and not only tying the knot but planning to start a family!
He tried to imagine himself in his cousins' place but came up short when it was time to decide which girl should be standing across from him.
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Once the sim and servo were pronounced man and wife everyone headed out back to enjoy a delicious farm fresh feast courtesy of The Collective.
His father’s old teacher was also minus a plus one and the bride and groom had seated themselves directly across from the pair of singletons. When talk, naturally, turned to pregnancy and childbirth Peppino’s tale of the little alien surprise that had started him down his current path was like something out of a sci-fi novel and had Luigi’s full attention.
Noticing his interest Peppino inquired if Luigi, like Hunter, had any plans to follow in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps and give birth himself someday. Luigi quickly shook his head: “It’s wonderful that the option exists for sims like my parents, Hunter, and my teammate Beau, but it’s not for me.”
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During their conversation Luigi couldn’t help but notice Hunter’s eyes darting back and forth, clearly looking for someone.
Toni and her new boyfriend were seated with Chance and Bianca a couple tables over, but Manny was noticeably absent. Luigi knew he’d been invited and could hardly believe that he’d actually boycotted his son's wedding. He wished he could talk some sense into his uncle, but doubted he’d be able to make a difference. Instead, he gave his cousin’s shoulder a sympathetic squeeze as they all headed off towards The Collective’s nearby hangout.
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Luigi was once again surprised to be stopped by Peppino on their way to the dance floor and presented with a box full of simoleons.
The mad scientist explained: “This is for that teammate of yours I helped recently. When I originally billed him, I didn’t know he had a connection to your clan. I love getting to assist sims with making their dreams of parenthood a reality and without your grandfathers book I don’t know if it would have been possible. I have no intention of taking payment from his family or their friends”.
Luigi thanked Peppino warmly on his ex-rival’s behalf. He was sure the money would go a long way towards helping the young family get a good start.
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As much as Luigi usually loved to dance, all the happy couples twirling around the floor together made him miss having a partner of his own.
Pulling out his bar to serve drinks would only leave him watching everyone else’s fun from a different angle, so he called it quits. He congratulated the newlyweds one final time before heading back to Britechester and booting up his favorite comfort game. Sadly, the landing page of Sims Forever displayed the smiling faces of his heir and their new bride, which did nothing to calm his nerves about his current romantic situation.
Sighing, he shut the game down and stared off into the middle distance, thinking about the day and his recent conversation with Papa Jack.
As usual papa was right. He didn’t have to jump into marriage or children, but it was time to secure a partner willing to be his own “Sim Forever”.
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View The Full Story of My Not So Berry Challenge Here
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2024.05.15 12:07 Pug__Jesus [H] Various Humblebundles [W] Universim, Necessee, Victoria 3, Humankind, Disciples: Liberation – Deluxe Edition, Prehistoric Kingdoms, Airships: Kingdoms Adrift, Liberte, Power to the People, The Chant

112 Operator
911 Operator
A Story About My Uncle
Action Henk
Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne
Age of Wonders III
The Amazing American Circus
Antagonist
Archangel: Hellfire - Fully Loaded
Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 7
Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan
Awesomenauts Yogscast Pack - Coco Nebulon
Awesomenauts Yogscast Pack - Rocco
Awesomenauts Yogscast Pack - Skolldir
Awesomenauts Yogscast Pack - Ted McPain
The Bard's Tale
Battlerite DLC: YogYog Bear Mount
Bionic Commando
Blockstorm
Boundless
Breach & Clear
Broken Age
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
Chime Sharp
Citizens of Earth
ClusterPuck 99
Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!
Corridor Z
Crashlands
Crusaders of the Lost Idols - Elite Starter Pack
Crying Suns
Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX)
Dagon: by H. P. Lovecraft - The Eldritch Box DLC
Dandara
Deadly Sin
Deadly Sin 2
Dear Esther: Landmark Edition
Defend Your Life: TD
Deponia: The Complete Journey
Draw Slasher
Drawful 2
Driftland: The Magic Revival
Dungeon of the Endless
Expeditions: Viking
Figment
Figment Soundtrack
The Final Station
Fury Unleashed
Go Home Dinosaurs
Going Under
Golf With Your Friends - OST
GRIP: Combat Racing Artifex DLC
Guns of Icarus Alliance
Guns of Icarus Alliance Soundtrack
Guns of Icarus Alliance Yogscast 2017 Costume Pack
Gurgamoth
Headlander
Hector: Badge of Carnage
Hexologic
HIVESWAP: Act 1
Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms -- Celeste Starter Pack
The Interactive Adventures of Dog Mendonça and Pizza Boy
Iron Danger
Jurassic World Evolution - Deluxe Dinosaur Pack
Last Word
Legacy of Dorn: Herald of Oblivion
Lion Quest
Love Letter
Lust for Darkness
Lust from Beyond: M Edition
Main Assembly
Mimic Arena
Ministry of Broadcast
Mirage: Arcane Warfare
Moon Hunters
NASCAR Heat 2 - October Jumbo Expansion
NecroWorm
Neon Drive (Steam)
Neverout
Neverwinter Feywild Starter Pack
Nex Machina
No Time To Explain Remastered
Offensive Combat: Redux!
Old Man's Journey
On Rusty Trails
Orbital Racer
Out of Reach: Treasure Royale
Out of the Park Baseball 18
Pale Echoes
Pandemic: Roles & Events
Pandemic: The Board Game
Pathway
Pikuniku
Post Void
Radio Commander
Rakuen
Raw Data
Remnants of Isolation
Renegade Ops Collection
Roarr! Jurassic Edition
RPG Maker 2000
RPG Maker VX
Sanctum 2
Say No! More
Scanner Sombre
She Remembered Caterpillars
Shing!
Silence
Slinger VR
Space Gladiators: Escaping Tartarus
Spectrum
Steel Rats
Super Raft Boat
SuperLuminauts
Supraland
SYSTEM SHOCK: ENHANCED EDITION
Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation - Asharra’s Diplomat Pack
Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation - Birdsong’s Entertainer Pack
Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation - Dragonbait’s Dungeoneer Pack
Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation - Tales of Artus Cimber’s Explorer Pack
Tannenberg
Team Fortress 2 badges - Mandrew's Munificent Mug and Israphel's Eleemosynary Expression
Team Racing League
Telefrag VR
Telltale Texas Hold'em
Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure
This War of Mine
Tiltagon
Tiny Echo
Tooth and Tail
Tormentor X Punisher
Toy Odyssey: The Lost and Found
Treasure Hunter Simulator
The USB Stick Found in the Grass
Wanderlust: Travel Stories
Wandersong
War for the Overworld - Yogscast Worker Skin
Wargroove
Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Game of the Year Edition
Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide
WARSAW
We Are Alright
West of Dead
World to the West
X-Morph: Defense + European Assault, Survival of the Fittest, and Last Bastion DLC
Yoku's Island Express
Zeno Clash 2
Zombie Night Terror
I also have Humble Choice leftovers from the following that I haven't sorted through yet:
APRIL 2020 HUMBLE CHOICE (Driftland, Turok 2, Truberbrook, Shoppe Keep 2, Capitalism 2)
APRIL 2021 HUMBLE CHOICE (Main Assembly, Rock Of Ages 3, In Other Waters, Aven Colony, Simulcra I+II, Colt Canyon, Skully, Popup Dungeon)
AUGUST 2020 HUMBLE CHOICE (Hello Neighbor + Hide And Seek, Littlebig Workshop, American Fugitive, The Coma 2, A Case Of Distrust)
DECEMBER 2021 HUMBLE CHOICE (Beyond The Wire, The Survivalists, Lacuna, 8 Doors, Greak, Tohu)
FEBRUARY 2021 HUMBLE CHOICE (Moving Out, The Wild 8, Train Station Renovation, Werewolf The Apocalypse Heart Of The Forest, Lovecraft's Untold Stories, Iris And The Giant, Boomerang Fu)
JANUARY 2021 HUMBLE CHOICE (Total Tank Simulator, Song Of Horror, Vampire The Masquerade: Shadows Of New York, Deleveled, The Ambassador)
JUNE 2020 HUMBLE CHOICE (Supraland, Grid, The Messenger, Felix The Reaper, Remnants Of Naezith, Overload, The Stillness Of The Wind, The King's Bird)
MARCH 2021 HUMBLE CHOICE (WWE 2k, Hotshot Racing, Peaky Blinders, Cyber Hook, Pesterquest, Boreal Blade, Ageless)
MAY 2020 HUMBLE CHOICE (Xcom 2, Niche, Swords Of Ditto, Neoverse, Horace)
NOVEMBER 2020 HUMBLE CHOICE (Darksburg, Smile For Me, Rover Mechanic Simulator, Youropa, Townsmen)
OCTOBER 2020 HUMBLE CHOICE (Iron Danger, Autonauts, Shadows: Awakening, Fantasy Blacksmith, The Suicide Of Rachel Foster, Goat Of Duty, The Uncertain, Lightmatter)
SEPTEMBER 2020 HUMBLE CHOICE (Lethal League, Fun With Ragdolls, Evoland, Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair, The Occupation, The Shapeshifting Detective)
SEPTEMBER 2021 HUMBLE CHOICE (Atomicrops, Heaven's Vault, Swag And Sorcery, Fort Triumph, Orwell: Ignorance Is Strength, Framed Collection)
My region is North America.
submitted by Pug__Jesus to SteamGameSwap [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 12:00 The_Way358 Essential Teachings: A Biblical Model of Ethics

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.
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2024.05.15 10:11 Starlose Massive Anime Collection!!! Rare OOP Items!!! NEW ITEMS ADDED!!! BLURAY LOT!!!

https://imgur.com/a/X6mtH0F
Due to a recent family emergency I'm parting with majority of my anime collection. I've been a collector for over 20+ years, and I have plenty of series of the past from companies that haven't existed in awhile (Manga, ADV, Geneon) Here is what I'm selling. NEW TITLES ADDED!!!
Allison and Lillia Set 1 & 2 (DVD) - $30
Aria the Animation Boxset (DVD) - $25
Aria the Origination Boxset (DVD) - $25
Beck Mongolian Chop Squad Boxset (DVD) - $150
Black Heaven Boxset (DVD) - $25
Bleach Set 1 & 2 Boxsets (DVD) - $20
Burst Angel Boxset (DVD) - $30
Chaos Head Boxset (Bluray) - $25
Daily Life of Highschool Boys Boxset (Bluray) - $70
Dragonball Z , and GT Boxsets (DVD) - $50
Dragonball Z Namek Saga Boxset (DVD) - $150
Fate Stay Night Boxet (DVD) - $70
Full Metal Panic, Fumoffu, 2nd Raid Boxsets (DVD) - $70
Genshiken 1 & 2 Boxsets (DVD) - $50
Get Backers Boxsets (DVD) - $50
Ghost in the Shell Arise Border 3&4 [Bluray] - $20
Girls High Boxset (DVD) - $20
Grenadier Boxset (DVD) - $20
Gungrave Boxset (DVD) - $50
Gun Sword Boxset (DVD) - $50
Hellsing Ultimate Steelbook Vol 1-3, Bluray LE, EP 9-10 Bluray - $100
Kannazuki no Miko Boxset (DVD) - $30
Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl Boxset (DVD) - $20
Kino's Journey Boxset (DVD) - $30
Kirameki Project Boxset (DVD) - $20
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Boxset (DVD) - $75
My Hero Academia Season 1 LE (Bluray) - $35
My Hime, My Otome, My Otome Zwei (DVD) - $50
Nichijou (Bluray) - $70
Noein LE Boxset (Bluray) - $30
Noir Boxset (DVD) - $40
Gundam Movie Boxset (DVD) - $40
Pani Poni Dash Boxset (DVD) - $70
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Rebllion JP LE (Bluray) - $30
Rage of Bahamut LE Boxset (Bluray) - $50
Red Garden Boxset (DVD) - $100
Rental Magica Set 1 and 2 LE (DVD) - $50
Rumbling Hearts Boxset (DVD) - $20
Sailor Moon R Season 2 LE (Bluray) - $40
Saiyuki Boxsets 1 and 2 (DVD) - $50
Sakura Wars TV Collection Boxset (DVD) - $50
Shakugan no Shana Season 1,2,3 Boxsets (Bluray) $120
Shiki Complete Series S.A.V.E (Bluray) $50
Solty Rei Boxset (DVD) - $40
Speed Grapher Boxset (DVD) - $80
Stratos 4 Boxset (DVD) - $40
Strawberry Marshmallow Boxset (DVD) - $40
Strawberry Panic Complete (DVD) $20
Teknoman Complete Collection Boxset (DVD)- $40
Tenjho Tenge Boxset (DVD) - $40
Tokyo ESP Boxset (Bluray) - $25
Trigun Boxset (DVD) - $50
Trinity Blood Boxet (DVD) - $80
Vandread Boxset (DVD) - $30
Wanna Be the Strongest in the World Boxset (Bluray) - $25
Yozakura Quartet Complete (DVD) - $35
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Castle of Cagliostro Collectors Edition
Celestial Method
Comic Artist and His Assistants
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Flowers of Evil
Full Metal Alchemist Conqueror of Shamballa
Full Metal Alchemist The Sacred Star of Milos
Glasslip
Hentai Prince and the Stony Cat
Hidamari Sketch
High School of the Dead
K-ON Season 1
Kill Me Baby
Kin Moza!
Leviathan The Last Defense
Loco Doll
My Mental Choices are Completely Interfering with my School Romantic Comedy
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My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU
Night Raid 1931
Pantema Inverted
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Ponyo
Rin Daughters of Mnemosyne
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Tale of Princess Kaguya
Strawberry Marshmallow
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Please share with all your friends that love anime because this a chance to get some pieces of history. Message me with what ever you're interested in, and I can share more detailed pictures. If anyone is interested in the whole lot I will give a pretty good discount. Thanks again everyone.
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2024.05.15 09:59 Cupcake112014 Analyzing 2000s Strawberry Shortcake: Strawberry Shortcake's Get Well Adventure

I got a bit busy with life, so this is a bit later than usual. As usual, spoilers are ahead, so read at your own risk.
We're finally at the last episode of season 1. I'll admit that it's my least favorite. The animation and audio are rough, the pacing is slow, and generally, the show was still trying to figure out what it wants to be. I will say, that this episode is my favorite of season 1. Anyways, we open with Strawberry leading us to Honey Pie's going away party. She's hyping up her vacation plans, eating all the treats the humans made her, and promising to bring marshmallows for everyone. Then we get the song where she continues hyping up her plans. I love how passive aggressive the song gets as it goes. They're obviously fed up with Honey and want her to get going. But then, as soon as she leaves, she injures her leg and can't go on her trip. She's forced to stay on Strawberry's couch. Honey is an absolute drama queen. Strawberry and crew try to take good care of her, but Honey is constantly complaining. Strawberry calls her out, but that doesn’t really stop her. Her friends threaten to leave, but then Strawberry has an idea that they need to entertain Honey, and that she's only complaining bc she's bored. (Side note: Strawberry is reeeeallly patient here. I'm not sure most people would be this patient, but then again, Strawberry is not like most people). Then Huck remembers there's a magician performing nearby, and he gets the idea to catch him. My headcanon is that he was mainly using the magician as an excuse to leave. Then, we get the musical number about imagination, which is cute. After that, the girls brainstorm activities, but Honey shoots them all down. Meanwhile, Huck falls off his skateboard en route to find the magician (which, side note: in real life, that fall would have hurt really bad). Honey reminisces on times she was bored, which are stories she's told the humans a million times. That gives Strawberry an idea to tell stories. Strawberry tells her story about ending a drought by getting a cloud to cry tears of joy, featuring a gopher with a weird voice and a bird that sounds like Rainbow Sherbet (same voice actress?). When I first rewatched that scene with the cloud, it unlocked that core memory of watching this episode as a little girl. Also, that magic creek where you can wish for different beverages would be so epic to have in real life. Anyways, after that, we go into the third musical number, which is an earworm. Honey admits that she knocked puppet shows until she tried them, and so Orange does one about a dream she had. Then we cut to Huck in the city trying to find the magician, but a gingerbread man breaks the news that he was too late. Then, Huck sees the box of magic supplies. After that, we're back at Strawberry's house, and Orange just finished her puppet show. Similar to the pilot, her time to shine gets cut tragically short, since we don't get the rest of her story. Anyway, Ginger tells the story of when she ran out of chocolate chips. We find out that she is an emotional eater (relatable, lmao), when a chocolate bunny told her not to eat the furniture. Then, said bunny leads her to a pot of chocolate coins at the end of a rainbow. Since Ginger didn't know about this pot of gold, I have to wonder, how did she acquire chocolate chips before? Then, Angel Cake tells the story of how she improvised when she ran out of food coloring. At first she tried to pick rose petals, blueberries, and grass to dye her white icing (which would be considered unsanitary in the real world), but the texture is all wrong. Then, she finds Spongecake forest, and now that's where she gets her food coloring. This story has a similar vibe to Ginger's where she's run out of an ingredient, but Angel's story doesn't have the plothole that Ginger's had. I got the sense that Angel didn't have time to go acquire food coloring the way she normally does, and that's why she went exploring, as opposed to Ginger, who made a false assumption about where she could find what she was looking for. Anyway, Apple is insistent on hearing more stories (so that she doesn't have to go to bed), and so Honey tells one of her own. Then Strawberry checks outside (maybe she had a strange feeling?), and finds Huck practicing tricks in the bushes. He comes clean that he couldn't get the magician, and Strawberry reassures him. I feel like this is one of those scenes that Struckleberry shippers point to, since they're alone and it is a sweet moment. I'm not the biggest Struckleberry shipper. Aside from the fact that they are kids, I don't like the idea that the token boy just ends up with the leading lady. If I were to ship him with anyone, it would be Orange, since I've seen some moments between them in multiple episodes. Anyway, enough about ships, Huck attempts a card trick, but fails. At the girls' insistence, he tries another trick. He asks if anyone has a hat, to which Orange hands him the magician hat (ironic considering every human except Orange was wearing a hat). The trick is successful. Soon after, Honey realizes that her leg is better. The next day, she leaves for her trip, but it turns out, she's sick and can't go. This time, she's more accepting of her reality, since she's learned to look on the bright side, just like Strawberry was telling her earlier. Then we get the last song, which sums up the lesson that Honey has learned. As I said, this is my favorite season 1 episode. It still has some of the issues that season 1 eps have, but it has a lot of good qualities too.
Comment your thoughts below!
submitted by Cupcake112014 to StrawberryShortcake [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 07:26 Historical_Paper5377 Organized my perfumes

Organized my perfumes
I hate throwing things out but I am determined to go through these travels and finally get rid of some of them. gives LDBS the side-eye.
*Might toss ! Loves
L-R Travels: HENRY ROSE- Flora Carnivora!/Dark is Night!, MLM - No. 4 Bois de Balincourt, DIPTYQUE Eau des Sens!/Ombré dans L’Eau!/DoSon/Eau Rose!, TOM FORD Black Orchid, KILLIAN Angels Share/LDBS/Princess, ANATOMY OF A FRAGRANCE No 22 Vanilla Orchid, BURBERRYGoddess, NEST Indigo, Anthropologie Zodiac Collection- Libra, YSL Libre, PRADA Paradoxe, ARMANI Si Passione, ORIBE Cote D’Azure, THYMES Kimono Rose/Goldleaf Gardenia, NEST Turkish Rose, BODY SHOP White Musk!, GUCCI Bloom Profumo di Fiori, MUGLER Alien Goddess*
L-R Bottles ISSEY MIYAKE - L’Eau D’Issey DIOR - Soufflé de Soie JO Malone - WS&SS ! /EP&F/Wild Bluebell/Lime Basil Mandarin DEMETER - Linden ! LE MONDE GOURMAND - Rose Enfume/Le Soleil Brille OUTREMER - Bergamot ! /Vanilla PHILOSPHY - Ballet Rose PHARMACIA - Fleur D’Oranger! CACHAREL - Amor Amor! JHAG - Not a perfume ! NEMAT - Vanilla Musk/Amber ! Pheromone oil Anointing Oil + —- GUCCI - Memoire D’une Odeur ELIZABETH ARDEN - White Tea JO MALONE - Vetiver and Golden Vanilla ! BILLY EILISH - Eilish GUCCI - Flora DOSSIER - Ambery Saffron* CHANEL - Coco Mademoiselle Intense RALPH LAUREN - Beyond Romance CH - Good Girl Blush/Blush Elixir HERMES - Un Jardin Sur le Nil/ Rhubarbe/Eau des Merveilles
Container: PHARMACIA - Vanille dore/Rose epicee !/Bergamot Bisous/Blush D’Orchidee TOCCA - Stella/Simone/Gia/Belle/Liliana/Florence
And some samples I kept that I still like from other discovery sets. Still trying to decide if I want travels of Sweet and Oud&Bergamot.
Recent Toss: JHAG Mmmm/Magnolia Bliss, Ellis Brooklyn SciFi, Daisy, NR Musc and some other random samples.
submitted by Historical_Paper5377 to Perfumes [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 07:07 meerkatopia [US][SELLING] Manga By The Gallon, Please Drink With Your Eyes!

Hello all friends,
Hoping you are well. I am interested in clearing some space and cash up for new hobbies and some vacationing this summer. The list is a little jumbled but gets the job done. If I missed anything the vast majority are $2-4 with some price breaks if you pick up multiple books.
All that is needed is your current shipping address on paypal when I request or invoice your email, with shipping info updated within 2 days of order. Orders to be shipped with media mail and with a few layers of packaging.
That should be it, I hope you enjoy the list!
Timestamp- Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Air gear 19, 23, 24 $45 G4
Tokyopop Sampler 2003-2006 (6 vols) $75 G4
Gantz 1-23 $360 G4-G5
Gantz 11-13 $65 G5
Hitman Reborn 1 Misprint upside down inside $40 G4
Cutie Honey $75 G4
Bastard! 1-19 G4 $600
Hellsing 7, 8 $35 G4
Iron Wok Jan 8-10, 12, 19-21 $105 G4
Battle Vixens 13, 14 $80 Sealed
Animal land 1-14 $400 G4-G5
Inuyasha 37, 40, 46-48, 52 $134 G5
Gakuen Alice 6, 9 $40 G4
Berserk DMP (8 Vols) $50 G4
Pandora crimson in a shell 1-3, 5-11 $35
Princess Knight 1 $10 G4
Limited Copies/ Signed/ Sealed OOP:
Dementia 21 1st print $90
Color Of Rage Sealed $60
Akira Volume 4 Limited Edition Hardcover Graphitti Katsuhiro Otomo $50 G4
Astro Boy Essays Osamu Tezuka Mighty Atom, and Manga/Anime Revolution Signed By Frederik L. Schodt G4 $40
Yumiko Kayukawa 2013 Japanese Wolf /1000 $40 G4
Cardfight Vanguard 1 with Sealed card $25 G4-G5
Ragnarok #1 Signed $20 G4
Alice Hearts 1-3 $12 G4
Hino Horror 11 $39 G4
Ikigami 1-8, 10 $120 G4
Gundam R 3 $5 G3-G4
Omamori Himari 6 $5 G3-G4
Kagerou Daze 1, 3 $8 G4
Tokyo Tribes 1 $4 G4
Psycho Pass 1-4 $20 G3
Code Geass 1, 2, $18
NGE Shinji 10 $5 G4
Dragon Ball Vizbig 1-2, Z 2,4 $32 G3-G4
Kamen Tantei 2-3 $20 G4
Initial D 3 $12 G4
Gantz 1-2 $30 G3
Btooom 25 $10 sealed
Fire Force 1-8 $30 G4
Appleseed Alpha $8 G4-G5
Cromartie 8 $4 G3
Ring 0 $10 G4
Zombie Fairy 1 $5 G4
Gundam Blue Destiny $5 G4
Mid 2010s Japanese Shonen Jump Magazine $25 each
Crimson Shell 1-3, 5-11 $50 G4
Sherlock Bones 1-7 $20 G4
Jack Ripper 1, 5 $50 G4
Midori Days 8 $12 G4
Record Of Lodoss War Chronicles Of The Heroic Knight 1 $20 G4
Get Backers 9 vols $25 G3-G4
Samurai Kyo (3) volumes $9 G3-G4
Dragon Head (FRENCH) $100 G4
Incomplete sets:
GTO 3, 6-9 $75 G4-G5
With the light 2-4, 6 $70 G3-G4 Ex lib
With the light 2 $20 G3 Ex lib
Berserk 1-3, 5, 9, 15, 18, 19 G2-G4 (8 Volumes) $30
Crayon Shin 3 $12 sealed CMX
Lum 1-2 90s 1st print $20 G4
Record of Lodoss War Chronicles of the Heroic Knight Vol. 1 $15 G4
Scientific Accelerator 2, 4-7 G4 $50
Lone Wolf & Cub Omnibus 1985 Japanese $80
Saint Tail 2 G3 $10
Saint Seiya Sho 1-2 G4 $4
Mushoku Tensai 1-2 + Roxy 1-2 G4 $15
Magical girl raising project 1-2 G5 $9
First love monster 1-2 G5 $8
Big Order 1 G4 $4
Tomodachi monster 1 $3
Those who hunt elves 1-2 G4 $9
Spare 22 G3 $4
Rin ne 3 G4 $3
The story of Saiunkoko 1-3, 6-9 G4 $40
Fuishigi Omnibus 1-3 G4 $20
Eden Zero 1-3 G4 $6
New lone wolf 1-4 G4 $50
Wedding Peach 1 $15 G4
Strawberry Marshmellow 1-2 $38 G4
Lone Wolf and cub 13 volumes with spare $50 G3-G4
Chaotic Century 11 G4 $
Emma 1-2 G3 $10 ex lib
Jyu oh sei 3 G4 $5
Jack Ripper 1, 5 $50 G4
Beyblade 3 $20 G4
Clover omnibus G3 $5
Blade immortal spares (3) spine fade G3/G4 $10
Vampire Game 15 $8
The promised neverland 17 G4 $3
W Juliet 1-4 G3 $10
Scrapped Princess 1-4 $10
Tenchi- $3
Exaxxion 1 $5
Karneval 1 G4 $8
Black Jack 1, 3, G4 $10
Spare 1 $4
Wotakoi 1 G5 $5
Shin Chan CMX #3 Sealed $12
Dance In The Vampire Bund 1-3, 7-9, 18-21 G4 $30
Bt'x 13 G4 $35
Aoi house $1
Angel Sanctuary 2 $1
Ragnarok 1 $1
World War Blue 5, 7 G4 $3
Grils got game 2 $1
Akame ga Kill 1 $2
Captain Ken 1, G4 $10
Sex ed 120% $3
Ichiroh 5, G4 $5
Infini T Force 1-4 G5 $18
Shugo chara 2-6 G3/G4 $20
Magic Knight Rayearth 1st 3 G3 $3
Ode To Kirihito 2 G4 $10 Spare Available
Desert Coral 1-3 G4 $10
Spare Ryu Final 3 G4 $10
Thanks for checking it out and be safe out there!
Clover Omnibus $10 G3
Utena 2 $20 G4
Summit of The Gods 2 $13 G4
Stawberry Marshmellow 1-2 $25 G4
butterfly flowers 5 $3
Honey Clover 10 $40 G4
Yugioh (3) volumes $10
Oreimo 4 $4 G4
Megaman 12 Ex lib $12 G3
Berserk 4, 15 $5 G2-G3
Death note 1-13 + 2 journals $49 G3
Suikodon 9 $5 G3
Scrapped Princess 1-3 $6 G3
Eden zero 1-2 $5 G4
I dont like you at all big brother $3 G4
Vampire game 15 $3 G4
One Piece (9) volumes $24 G3
Bleach (14) $34 G4
Mushoku 1-2, roxy 1-2 $15 G4
Shaman king (6) ex lib $20
Kurosagi 4, 7 8 $10 ex lib G3
Tsubasa 1-4 $10 G3-G4
Ajin 8 $3 G4
Juvenile Orion 1-5 $12 G4
Ranma 22 $4 G4

Worst 3 $15 G4
Rayearth 1 $4 G3
Captain Ken 1 $30 G4
Dounuts under a crescent moon 1 $3 G4
Again 2 $3 G4

Manga Diary of a Male Porn Star Vol. 1 $3 G4

The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated! 1 $2 G4

Inuyasha 46, 48 Ex Library $20 G3
Stray Little Devil 3 $5 G4
Ng Life 3 $3
D frag 1 $4 G4
Velveten & Mandela $8 G4
Franken Fran 1 1st priint $20
Hollow Fields $6 G4
Record Lodoss CMP $15 G4
Lum: Urusei Yatsura Vol. 1-2 $50 G4 1988
Remina $10 G4
A brides story 1 $5 G4
Karneval 1 $4 G4
Oh my goddess (4) $10 G3
Inuyasha (5) larger tpb $20 G3-G4
Saikano 1-3 $13 G4
Dark Metro 1-2 $13 G4
Gyo 1 $25 G4
submitted by meerkatopia to mangaswap [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 06:38 omegacluster Album Anniversary List 2024-05-15

Today's anniversaries are:
2007
2013
2015
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
submitted by omegacluster to ctebcm [link] [comments]

http://activeproperty.pl/