Ladies bible topics

Yeah I'm bad with finding title, sorry if it's misleading.
Also it only adresses to non creationists, who don't deny big bang, evolution, etc science in general
I just don't understand how you can reconcile the bible and science, it's incompatible on so many levels. I mean, take genesis for example, from a scientific pov : - adam and eve never existed - plants not before the sun, sun not before the stars - the earth wasn't made in 6 days (if you say a day was long, they plants one "day" before the sun gets even worse)
Etc, etc the point isn't to list it all.
But how can you reconcile both? Sure there's the creationists but nothing interesting here. I bet most people will claim metaphore, but it's not really a rational explanation.
First, even for metaphores, they don't match reality. To make it so, you gotta bend the words so much that, it's not overinterpetations at this point but making things up. Trying to interpret the bible to make it artificially fit is concordism and fallacious. But even so, it would be very misleading from a god to write these metaphores, knowing most would believe in it literally. And YOU would believe in it literally too wihout science. To know it's metaphore, you need science to prove it wrong and couldn't have thought about it with religion only? That seems like it's even less coherent from a religious pov
And let's consider it's real metaphores that actually work. How do you differentiate the metaphoric things because they are contradicted by science (main reason), and the "true" miracles yet contradicted by science? (Like resurrection)
Ultimately it becomes arbitrary and you make the text say what pleases you, so it's nosense.
I genuinely don't try to be disrespectful, but I've thought about it for years and asked many christians and they all escaped the topic...So I would like a genuine answer
Thank you for listening

Hi I'm Ahri.
We've known AST was going to get a rework in 7.0 for 2 years, right? Wrong. We've known it since it was first revealed back in June 2013.
Okay lighthearted joke about how the job gets reworked every expansion out of the way, this is the first time the changes have seemed..enigmatic. Since 4.0's adjustments I have had a good bead on the direction the devs were going with AST, what philosophy they are employing, and what the intentions are. It has been a fun job overall to me for the last 7 years! Frequently controversial, but usually understandable, the job design has been pretty consistent at core levels every couple years. While the micro mechanics of the job constantly change - which, understandably, leaves some people miffed and displeased - the core essence of the job has been stable, and that is what has kept it fun and engaging to a majority of its raiding population:
The upcoming changes, honestly, do not make a lot of sense right now.
EDIT: And to be clear at this point to those that only make it this far but don't read the rest, I am not particularly doomed or upset unlike some of my peers. I'm mostly just confused. I think this rework could end up being pretty good when all's said and done. It could also end up being pretty bad. Both opinions can exist.
AST is a job which has always forced one to receive unknown variables, and had to react to the situation to make the most out of them as possible. However there is another aspect to the job: investing resources early, to get higher value out of them later. It is a very satisfying job to execute when your decisions are efficient, and intelligent. I feel this latter idea is where they are trying to shift cards - which currently represent the former - towards. Unfortunately, there is a chance that this may fall flat in execution and reduce AST away from the type of job people enjoy for those who currently play it, versus the type of job people who do not play AST want it to be. It is okay to try and appease the latter to bring more people into a way to play the game, and very understandable why someone who feels a job is inaccessible would want things to change so they can. However, we do not live in a zero sum game of healing options here. I warn against the dangers of alienating people in lieu of trying to overstuff accessibility.
Perhaps a rare opinion from my side here, I am not actually all too upset about the removal of RNG. I do not feel that randomness is somehow intrinsically necessary to the job. It makes it fun, yes, since they have done a good job using randomness to offer skill expression without having a significant impact on your own performance. You can high roll and low roll, of course, but negative outcomes are extraordinarily rare and we got to the point in EW where even a low rolling AST still performs at a very good level. It adds some exhilaration and interest to the job--how no 2 pulls will be necessarily alike.
However, I have great concerns about the manner in which they have decided to take this 0 RNG trial route. Making our 4-pack Sleeve Draw possibly* give us 1 DPS card per usage, has some grievous consequences on gameplay. It means there will be a frequent occasion our rotation ends up consistently trashing half our cards, which will end up feeling extraordinarily awful knowing that half our deck is going to do nothing. On the flipside, during prog season those mitigative and curative cards are going to feel oppressively strong. Some people have grievances about feeling forced to play AST despite them not liking its current state because of its performance capabilities in the best hands (which is not actually a problem nor the current state of healer balance, but that's another topic); this has potential to be exacerbated even further when AST can have this much defensive utility in one button. It could be fun and interesting depending on execution, but there's a very real chance it will feel rather boring and uninspired. The chance we will not really be..reacting, to a situation, per se, but moreso we will know every rotation we will utilize x card for y purpose, and the cards will feel like Just Another Button, I Guess.
(* - based on wording we do not technically know if each 4-card pack is 1 Damage/1 Mitigative/1 Curative + Lady/Lord. It is the most reasonable interpretation, makes the most occam's razer-style sense, and I am 95%+ sure this is the case...however we do not, actually, technically know this is the case. Their wording was somehow just vague enough to give me pause here. I do not think Yoshi was being coy on purpose, but nonetheless...)
This will feel quite strange.
This is all speculation. We do not know tooltips, and do not know what is to come. I am not particularly doomer about the upcoming situation, since I can already envision ways the current 60s Sleeve rotation could end up being pretty fun overall to execute. I am open-minded and welcome the opportunity ahead. However, the direction they have chosen does not make much sense, does not currently line up with the way the job has always played since its inception, and has potential to be a real albatross for Square.
Of course this could all be for naught and maybe the job ends up a banger once we see tooltips. I can definitely be missing something since I have not been involved in the rework process because my dad does not, actually, own Square Enix. Even if things look grim, there is opportunity for things to become fun even within the restrictions we already know of. I caution against excessive concern, but also implore a skeptical eye. I will keep an eye on things and may make another post once we see tooltips.
I will leave off with a good quote I saw earlier today as a sufficient-enough tl;dr:
"I can't say for certain whether new Astro is fun or not; I can say for certain they've removed things I find interesting about Astro."
Also that Galaxy From Beyond looks hecking AMAZING I can't wait for it to provide 40% mitigation and we get one step closer to AoE Hallowed Ground AST celebrating 4 expansions in a row with the best capstone baybeeeeee suck on them apples

Previously, on Hell’s Kitchen…
The final 10 were given a challenge not seen in over a decade, creating their own menus in the revival of Red vs Blue Menu Night. While the blue team worked together, with a strong concept provided by Melody, the red team found themselves being led by Thomas, whether they liked it or not. However, as the chefs were returning to the kitchen to begin cooking their dishes, disaster struck, as Travis re-injured his ankle, and had to be taken to the hospital. Despite being down a man, and Grace feeling shortchanged by not getting anything on the menu, the blue team’s cohesive selection still managed to impress Ramsay and his special guests: three previous winners of Hell’s Kitchen. The red team’s menu had mixed results, which led to friction between Thomas and some of his teammates
In service, the blue team’s menu had the edge in popularity, but thanks to poor communication between Grace and Carole, the kitchen ground to a halt multiple times. Meanwhile, the red kitchen managed to push out their food in a timely manner thanks to strong teamwork on entrees. With the red team named the winners of service, it was time for the blue team to nominate two chefs to send home.
At elimination, though, everyone was in for a shock when Travis, who had been one of the early favorites, returned and announced that due to injury, he would be leaving Hell’s Kitchen for good. Ramsay still insisted on hearing from the blue team’s nominees, who were Grace, Carole and Melody after they failed to come to a consensus. But with Travis’ dream of becoming the next head chef at Gordon Ramsay Steak in Vancouver, British Columbia already having come to a heartbreaking end, Ramsay gave everyone another chance to show him why they were the chef he was looking for, but assured them that he was not taking any more excuses from now on.
https://reddit.com/link/1ctwn9g/video/oifsieupww0d1/player
And now, the continuation of Hell’s Kitchen…
After witnessing the shocking withdrawal of Travis from the competition, no one was in a celebratory mood as Ramsay dismissed them to the dorms for the night. Carole said in her confessional that he had been the main one supporting her in the blue team, and now it felt like she was truly on her own. As the blue team returned to the dorms, a very upset Melody unleashed her frustration, saying that Travis did not deserve to go home tonight over either Carole and Grace, and they needed to cut the bullshit and start thinking and working as a team. Lauren said in her confessional that it seemed like something snapped in Melody tonight, as she was well and truly fed up with the drama, which definitely made two of them. Even so, after noticing that Melody was sitting alone and nearly in tears, Lauren went over to comfort her, as Melody admitted that she hated to have to talk that way to her teammates, but she was sick and tired of the drama. Lauren assured her that it had to be said, and was proud of her for stepping up. Meanwhile, Grace said in her confessional that Melody seemed to be losing her composure, and would hopefully go down in flames soon.
On the red team’s side of the dorm, Faye was also feeling sadness over the way Travis had gone out, as she admitted to Michael that it reminded her too much of her own exit last season, only at least she had made the choice to walk away, while Travis never had one. Meanwhile, another chef had mixed feelings on the sudden turn of events, as Thomas said in his confessional that Travis had been a strong chef and a good person, and while losing him would cut the competition down, he would have rather seen him go out with dignity. Ramona and Everett, meanwhile, continued to stick closely together, with Ramona saying in her confessional that it felt good to have the security of the immunity pass, because she and Everett were definitely the most likely to be nominated if service went wrong, though she admitted she would feel some guilt if he went out because of it, but this was her career and future at stake. Everett said in his confessional that he couldn’t afford to worry about what might happen if he went up on the chopping block, and was just focused on trying to help the red team win.
The chefs were still trying to take in all the events of the night, but finally, tiredness overtook them, and they turned in for the night.
Challenge
The next day, the final 9 came downstairs to find Ramsy waiting for them, as well as a detailed diagram of a cow. Ramsay explained that he still had not forgotten the disaster that was Steak Night, and that was why, for this next challenge, he wanted to give both teams a chance to prove how far they had come by preparing dishes using five cuts: ribeye, top sirloin, hanger, flank, and striploin. Thomas said in his confessional that the red team had no business fucking this up, as they had several chefs who were strong on the meat station in services, while Lauren was nervous in her confessional, as she wasn’t sure about Grace or Carole. Since the blue team had one less member, one chef would have to prepare two dishes, which Lauren volunteered to do. With their instructions having been given, Ramsay told the chefs that their time started now.
The chefs rushed into their respective kitchens and quickly tried to sort out who would be responsible for which cuts of steak. In the blue kitchen, Lauren decided to take on the hanger and flank steak, while Grace took the ribeye, over Carole’s objections, and Carole was left with the striploin, while Melody took the top sirloin. Grace said in her confessional that she fought for this ribeye and she was going to carry her team to victory whether they liked it or not, while Carole said she would’ve felt much safer if anyone else were cooking the ribeye besides Grace. While Carole still seemed undecided on which direction to go with her New York Strip, at least one chef already had her dish planned out, and that was Melody, who went into detail in her confessional on how she wanted to plate her top sirloin. Meanwhile, Lauren was working hard to manage two separate cuts of meat, saying in her confessional that taking on the extra workload could either make her look really good in front of Chef Ramsay or totally blow up in her face.
In the red kitchen, Thomas was on the top sirloin, Ramona had the ribeye, Faye had hanger steak, Michael had flank steak, and Everett had striploin. Ramona said in her confessional that she had to deliver on the ribeye, as she already had the most losses of any chef here, and didn’t need to add any more to her resume with black jackets approaching. Thomas was confident that he could handle the top sirloin, as he said in his confessional that no one still here should have any issues cooking meat, and he would be disappointed in himself if he didn’t achieve perfection on this dish. Michael noticed Ramona seemed to be having some trouble with her ribeye, and tried to offer some advice, but Ramona said in her confessional that she had to do this alone, and told him she had it under control. Michael was annoyed, saying in his confessional that this was still a team effort, and it was no time to let egos get in the way. Meanwhile, Faye and Everett were seemingly in good spirits, with Everett saying in his confessional that meat was where he felt the most at home, and if he failed at this challenge, he might as well go home now, while Faye said in her confessional that it was nice to see Everett so energetic, and she hoped his dish could match that.
With the time nearly up, the chefs put the finishing touches on their dishes as Ramsay called out the final seconds and told the chefs to bring their plates to the pass. Ramsay then announced that he would be joined by a special guest judge for this competition, who was a familiar face to viewers of MasterChef: Ramsay’s former co-host on that show, Graham Elliot. The chefs were starstruck, with Melody saying in her confessional Graham was the best, and easily her favorite judge on MasterChef…after Ramsay, of course. After exchanging a warm greeting, Ramsay said it was time to get down to business, starting with the battle of the flank steak. This round would pit Lauren against Michael, with Michael saying in his confessional that this was his first time going against Lauren in a challenge, and he knew it wouldn’t be easy to take her down, given how consistently strong she had been. After tasting Lauren’s dish, both Ramsay and Elliot had high praise, saying the meat was tender and nicely cooked, although Elliot did say he might have done something different for the garnish. Lauren was second-guessing herself in her confessional, but In the end, both judges gave it four stars out of five. Michael said in his confessional that as expected, Lauren put up a good dish, but he was confident in his as well. Indeed, Michael’s flank steak was also found to be nicely cooked, and despite the somewhat simple presentation, Ramsay said this was a great start for both teams, as again, both he and Elliot each gave it a four.
With the score tied at 8, it was time for the battle of the hanger steak. Lauren stayed where she was while Faye brought her dish up to the pass. Elliot was impressed that Lauren had cooked two dishes for the challenge, although he noted that the hanger steak could’ve used a little more cooking time, which Ramsay agreed with, saying that was the one thing holding it back, and Lauren kicked herself in her confessional, as she said she should have been able to stay on top of it. Elliot only gave it a three due to the undercooked steak, though Ramsay said it still delivered enough flavor to get a four. Faye’s dish also got mixed reviews, as both chefs praised the cook of the meat, but questioned her garnish choices, with Ramsay pointing out that the presentation seemed slightly off. Elliot said she got the most important part right though, and gave it a four, to which Ramsay agreed, which put the red team ahead 16-15. In the third round, the teams’ ribeye dishes went head to head, for which Ramona and Grace stepped forward. Unfortunately for Ramona, her ribeye was badly overcooked, and Ramsay took her to task for serving something practically inedible to him and his guest. Ramona groaned in her confessional, as she couldn’t believe she had fucked up this badly. Both judges gave her a one, and Ramsay said she was lucky to get even that. Grace’s dish got mixed reviews, with Ramsay saying the presentation was shocking, while Elliot noted that the ribeye again was overcooked, though not nearly as much as Ramona’s. Ramsay said this was not what he expected from these chefs at this stage of the game, and gave Grace a one, but Elliot was more generous and gave it a two, as at least it had some flavor.
With the scores now tied at 18, it was time for the battle of the top sirloin, as Thomas and Melody brought their dishes forward. Melody’s dish earned praise for it’s stylish presentation and garnish, and after tasting the steak itself, Ramsay noted that it was cooked perfectly, and said this dish was a strong four, but Elliot went a step further and said it deserved a five, which made Melody giddy in her confessional, as she never could have imagined hearing those words before. Next was Thomas, with Elliot again noting the stunning presentation, and after tasting, he said that these two had really raised the bar today. Ramsay agreed and said it was the best pair of dishes yet, and this time, he would be giving out a five. Elliot agreed, giving Thomas a perfect score, which he took with a calm smile in his confessional, as he said Melody gave him a good run, but he never had any doubts. With the red team now back in the lead 28-27, it was time for the final round, as Everett and Carole would face off in the battle of the New York Strip. Everett went first, with Elliot saying, after a long pause…that the strip was absolutely delicious. Ramsay agreed, also praising the presentation, and said this was one of Everett’s best dishes yet in Hell’s Kitchen, as that deserved a very strong four. Elliot gave the same score, bringing the red team’s total up to an impressive 36, meaning Carole needed close to a perfect score to keep the blue team in it. Everett was absolutely fired up in his confessional, saying this was just the boost that he needed, and there was no stopping him now. Meanwhile, Carole presented her dish, which got good marks for presentation, but as Elliot sliced into the strip, he said it looked undercooked, to which Ramsay agreed, and said it was a great shame. Though it was only a formality, both Elliot and Ramsay gave the dish a two, giving the red team a 36-31 win.
Reward / Punishment
Ramsay thanked Elliot for helping him judge the challenge, and once he had left, Ramsay turned back to the chefs and congratulated the red team on winning the challenge, in particular praising the efforts of Everett and Thomas. He then said they were in for a fun reward, as he was sending all of them off for a day of paintball, followed by dinner at an exquisite LA steakhouse. Ramona was relieved in her confessional, as she knew she could have blown it for the red team with her ribeye, while Everett was ecstatic to have redeemed himself in this challenge, as he said in his confessional that he was still a beast at cooking meat. While the red team ran off to get changed, Ramsay turned his attention to the blue team and said that for today’s punishment, he had decided to put it towards a good cause by volunteering them for community service, which meant picking up trash on the side of the road. Grace moaned in her confessional, as she said that they always seemed to save the worst punishments for her. Ramsay reminded Melody that she still had that punishment pass, and offered to let her use it. Melody replied that she was never a paintball type of girl, and would rather help out the environment. Ramsay accepted her choice and told the blue team that they too would be changing…into their stunning orange uniforms.
The red team came back downstairs, and Michael joked in his confessional that it looked like Hell’s Kitchen had turned into a prison, while Faye apologetically said goodbye. While on the way to the paintball ground, the red team talked amongst themselves in the car, with Thomas saying that no one else was going home from the red team, and Michael agreed, saying they were all getting black jackets. Faye wondered aloud who their biggest competition might be from the blue team, but everyone quickly agreed that Lauren was the strongest. Ramona said in her confessional that she knew everyone was sleeping on her, but she would simply have to prove them wrong in service. Later, the chefs arrived at the paintball ground, and Faye said she hoped none of them would go easy on her just because she was a woman. Everett joked that she had nothing to worry about there, and the team ended up having an enjoyable afternoon, with Ramona and Everett trying to team up against Thomas, but he was able to shoot both of them. Michael said in his confessional that it felt great to just get outside and let loose without having to do some exhausting punishment. As evening approached, the red team were then taken to dinner, which Everett said in his confessional was some of the finest quality steak he had ever tasted, though not quite as good as the home cooking back in Oklahoma, which got some laughs from the others. Faye said that the next winner was sitting right here at this table, to which the others enthusiastically toasted, and the chefs continued to bond as a team over their meal.
While the red team were living the good life, the blue team were working in the hot sun to ensure that the environment could do the same. While the others tried to get on with their task, though, Grace’s constant complaining quickly got on all of their nerves, as Carole said in exasperation in her confessional that they were all well aware of the fact that Grace didn’t want to be here, and she didn’t need to broadcast it every five seconds. Lauren joked with Melody that she wouldn’t mind going on that paintball reward just to take a few shots at Grace, which Melody said in her confessional was tough to argue with, as even her optimistic outlook was being challenged right now by Grace’s incessant whining. Carole said in her confessional that she and Grace were definitely the most vulnerable on the team, but as long as Grace kept this up, she was making the decision easy for everyone, and as far as Carole was concerned, that was perfectly fine. Despite having their patience tested, the blue team worked through their physically exhausting community service and, for the most part, left feeling that at least some good had come of it.
Back in Hell’s Kitchen, the blue team arrived first and tried to unwind in the dorms until the red team returned later in the night. Grace quickly became annoyed with the red team talking about their reward, while Ramona said in her confessional that she didn’t mind rubbing it in her old rival’s face a bit. Lauren said in her confessional that the red team could have this one, as she was keeping her eyes on service. As the night dragged on, another topic came up, that being Travis, as everyone on the blue team aside from Grace admitted to missing him, and Lauren jokingly said even the punishments just weren’t the same now. Faye sympathized, as she said it was tough to watch a chef who had put everything on the line and pushed through an injury go out like that, even if this was a competition. Thomas agreed and said that everyone here deserved a chance to fight for their dream, as for these chefs, it was a potentially life changing opportunity, and he knew he would be devastated to lose it. Michael said in his confessional that it was no time for fucking around anymore, as they all needed to cook like it was their last night in Hell’s Kitchen.
The chefs chatted amongst themselves for a while longer before finally trying to get some sleep.
Pre-Service
The next day, the chefs went downstairs to begin prep, as Ramsay said that this was the stage in the competition where he wanted to see the best begin to shine, and warned that there would be nowhere to hide for chefs who were struggling to keep up. With that, he told the blue team that despite being a man down, he expected absolutely nothing less than a stellar performance, and told the red team not to get too comfortable with their challenge win, as they still needed to be locked in for service. With all nine chefs seemingly read to go, Ramsay allowed them to get started on prep.
In the blue kitchen, Melody and Lauren were in good spirits, though Melody admitted she still missed having Travis here, despite the fact that the blue team was all women now. Carole said in her confessional that the ladies should have no problems taking this service, as while she didn’t mind the format change, having all girls on one team was how it was done in the old days, and it would be even better if Grace was gone. Grace, meanwhile, seemed to be in a bad mood after her ribeye flopped in the challenge, as she said in her confessional that it couldn’t have been as bad as Ramsay said, as much as she respected his opinion, and refused to acknowledge Melody’s attempts to talk to her. Melody said in her confessional that nobody wanted Grace here, but the least she could do was try to reach out, as futile as it seemed. Lauren said in her confessional that in order for the blue team to win tonight, they needed Carole and Grace to step up big time, as she and Melody couldn’t do all the work here.
While the blue team was hoping for a miracle, the red team seemed loose and ready to go, with Michael saying that he had a good feeling about tonight, as there were no excuses for losing to the blue team now. Ramona said to Everett that this was their redemption night, with Everett agreeing and saying they were going to kick some culinary ass, and Faye said it was great to see both of them committed to bouncing back and leading the red team to another win. Everett replied that Grace was going home tonight for sure, which got some laughs from the others, as Michael said in his confessional that this was the one thing he was sure literally everyone else could agree on. Thomas, though, said in his confessional that everyone being this hyped up actually worried him, as he hoped they weren’t getting distracted and forgetting that they still had to earn the win. Michael encouraged him to lighten up, as they had a virtual all-star team here, but Thomas still maintained his serious demeanor, with Ramona saying in her confessional that this guy seriously needed to get a hobby.
Ramsay reminded the chefs again that he was looking for these chefs to show him why they deserved to become the head chef of Gordon Ramsay Steak, and with that, he called out to Marino and told him to open Hell’s Kitchen.
Dinner Service
Guests began to enter Hell’s Kitchen by the dozens, as it was once again the center of the culinary world for tonight, filled to the brim with celebrities and Hollywood elites. It was not long before orders began to make their way back to both kitchens.
In the blue kitchen, they were looking to Grace on appetizers and Carole on fish to give the blue team an early edge, while Lauren was on garnish and Melody was on meat. Early on, Grace managed to successfully deliver her first table of lobster tail risottos and capellini, with nicely cooked tails from Carole along with an acceptable order of scallops. Carole said in her confessional that they absolutely needed to keep this up, as both of them were effectively cooking for their lives right now. Unfortunately, communication issues cropped up again, with Grace not talking to Carole and bringing up her dishes without waiting for Carole’s scallops. Ramsay called out for the scallops, saying food was dying at the pass, and demanded to know why the fuck they couldn’t just work together as a team. Carole did eventually bring up the scallops, but they were raw, much to Ramsay’s disgust, and Grace said in her confessional that Carole just needed to get out of here as she clearly wasn’t cutting it. Despite these issues, and an overly salty risotto from Grace, the blue team did manage to finally start getting appetizers out into the dining room, with Ramsay even praising Grace’s risottos at one point, and telling her that’s what she could do if she would focus more on cooking than starting shit with her team. The blue team did eventually complete appetizers and began working on entrees.
In the red kitchen, Everett was working appetizers, while Michael was on fish, Ramona was on garnish, and Thomas and Faye were together on meat. Everett was glad to be working closely with Michael again, as he said in his confessional that they made a good team in the last service on meat. Early on, that familiarity seemed to be paying off, as Everett and Michael worked in sync with each other on the first few tickets and got their orders out in a timely fashion. Things did get bumpy, however, when Everett served mushy, overcooked capellini, and started dragging on orders, while Michael served overcooked scallops due to them getting mixed up on their times. Michael said in his confessional that they needed to get it together quickly, as they couldn’t afford to be falling behind so early in service. Meanwhile, Ramsay wanted to know where the energy was, as right now, Everett was going quiet and not responding when asked for times, and nothing was going out. Michael urged Everett to wake up and fight through it, and Everett did manage to get his next attempt at the capellini accepted. In his confessional, Everett said he was trying his best to keep it together, and admitted he had been thrown off his game, but he was far from done. With Everett’s newfound determination, the red kitchen finally had some life again, and after Ramsay praised both Michael’s scallops and Everett’s risottos, the two of them managed to get their rhythm back and serve the rest of their tables.
In the blue kitchen, they looked fo Melody to lead the way from the meat station, and thanks to strong communion between her, Lauren on garnish, and Carole on fish, they managed to get their dishes to the pass for the first table, but Carole’s turbot was undercooked, which left the entire order waiting for her, but she was able to recover quickly on her second attempt. On meat, Melody said in her confessional that it was pretty overwhelming to have to serve all of the blue team’s customers by herself for the first time, but despite dragging a bit on orders, she managed to push high quality Wellingtons and New York Strip out into the dining room consistently. Lauren, meanwhile, seemed at home driving tickets from the garnish station, and the blue team was finally starting to settle into a groove. Melody did serve a rare New York Strip, while Carole served raw turbot, but both were able to bounce back, and entrees were soon flying out to grateful diners. Melody and Lauren once again had no problems communicating and working in sync from their stations, with Lauren saying in her confessional that she and Melody could probably run the kitchen by themselves. But it was Carole who once again held up the kitchen when she inexplicably fired off halibut despite it not being on the ticket, which got her schooled by Ramsay for not paying attention to the ticket when he was standing less than five feet away. Despite this, the blue team managed to complete the rest of their entrees, and were soon ready to get started on desserts.
The red team was starting on entrees with Thomas and Faye on the meat station, and Faye said in her confessional that with meat being a station she felt comfortable in, she hoped tonight could be the night she stood out for the red team. On the first ticket, she and Thomas managed to serve beautifully cooked Wellingtons and New York Strip, along with nicely cooked turbot from Michael, but Ramona was holding the table up by dragging on garnish. Though she eventually managed to bring it up, Ramona would continue to drag on her section, frustrating her team, but especially Ramsay, as he kept calling out for times, with Ramona becoming flustered and not responding to her team. Ramona said in her confessional that the nerves were absolutely getting to her right now, and she seriously needed to bounce back. Meanwhile, Faye ran into some trouble on her Wellingtons, as she undercooked them for one table and said she would need several minutes for a refire, though she was able to recover. Thomas also had a rare mistake as he served undercooked New York Strip, and Ramsay said he didn't expect that from the executive chef. Thomas kicked himself in his confessional, saying that could not happen again, and he did manage to serve a beautiful New York Strip on his refire. However, on the next ticket, Ramona served a pot of runny mashed potatoes, and also seemed lost on what was actually going, as she couldn’t recall the ticket when Ramsay asked her. Ramsay had seen enough and took her into the pantry, asking her what the fuck she was doing, and if it was some kind of joke to her. Ramona insisted it wasn’t and said it was just nerves, but Ramsay replied that she needed to shake those nerves right now, or he would send her out the front door, immunity pass or not. Ramona said in her confessional that it was do or die, and she did manage to finally serve acceptable garnishes. Faye was still dragging on Wellingtons, which frustrated Ramsay, but finally, the red team managed to complete their remaining entrees.
Both teams finished their desserts in good time, and Ramsay told them to clear down.
Post-Mortem
Ramsay had the teams line up and started by saying that this was still not the complete performance he had been looking for. For the blue team, appetizers had been underwhelming, but they improved on entrees. For the red team, it was a decent start on apps, followed by a nightmare on entrees. However, he noted that one team in particular had a slight edge, and that was the blue team, as despite their issues, their customer comment cards gave them a satisfaction rating of 90%, to 84% from the red team. Ramsay said that the fiasco on entrees cost the red team this service, and told them to think long and hard about which two should be going up for elimination tonight. With that, he dismissed both teams to the dorms.
Back in the dorms, the red team’s deliberations were kicked off by Thomas, as he said he hoped everyone could agree that Ramona had dropped the ball tonight on garnish. The others seemed to agree, with Michael saying it was her worst performance in a while. Ramona only half-heartedly fought back, as she said she was better than this, and knew she still deserved to be here, but said if they wanted to put her up, it was their choice. In her confessional, she said she knew that immunity pass wouldn’t last forever, and it was better to get her bad service out of the way now, than during black jackets. With the first nominee having been an easy choice, the second would be more challenging, as Everett acknowledged that Michael and Thomas both had great services despite each having a mistake, and didn’t deserve to go up, which left either him or Faye. Thomas said that he felt Faye had struggled on meat, and that Ramsay rightfully had high expectations of both of them, due to his experience and her being a past chef, so he would vote for her. Michael, though, said that he had to vote for Everett, as he was just too inconsistent at this stage. Faye seemed torn but said she had to vote for Everett, even though they were friends, as he had struggled the most of the available options. Ramona was left with the deciding vote, and said in her confessional that it was impossibly difficult, as Faye had been a mentor for her here, while she had also bonded with Everett.
On the blue team’s side of the dorm, everyone was pleased to have won service and avoided having to send anyone home…well, almost everyone. Lauren admitted to Melody that it sucked having to put up with Grace for another day, while Melody tried to get her to think more positively, as if they were winning with Grace on their team, Ramsay definitely had to be taking notice. Lauren smiled and said she was definitely right about that, and the two of them continued chatting together while Carole sat off by herself and pondered her future in Hell’s Kitchen, In her confessional, she said she was damn lucky that the blue team won tonight, as she and Grace would have gone up otherwise, and that could have been it for her and her dream. Meanwhile, Grace felt that she had done well, and could have done even better without Carole getting in the way, saying in her confessional that it would be nice to get rid of dead weight, but she would settle for seeing someone from the red team go home.
Elimination Ceremony
The red team entered the dining room anxiously and lined up before Ramsay, who said that this was supposed to be the best five on the red team, but instead, it looked like two completely different teams, and while he didn’t know what the hell was going on, he was going to get to the bottom of it. With that, he asked Thomas for the red team’s first nominee and why. Thomas announced that the red team had nominated Ramona, due to her terrible performance on garnish, and being the weakest chef on the team. Ramsay asked for the second nominee and why. Thomas hesitated briefly before announcing that…the red team was nominating Everett, due to his declining performances and up and down service on appetizers. Before getting to any elimination pleas, though, Ramsay told Ramona to step forward and had her hand over the immunity pass. As she did so, Ramsay said that if not for the pass, Ramona would have gone home tonight, and urged her to take advantage of this second chance, before sending her back in line. Ramona appeared visibly shaken as she went to rejoin the red team. Ramsay said that the red team now had 30 seconds to talk amongst themselves and come up with another nominee. In the huddle, the chefs quickly determined that Faye would go up, as she had been their other consideration. As they broke the huddle, Thomas announced that Faye was the red team’s new nominee. Ramsay accepted this and told Everett and Faye to step forward.
Deliberation music
First, Ramsay asked Faye why she should stay in Hell’s Kitchen.
Faye: “My time away from Hell’s Kitchen gave me a whole new perspective on cooking, it made me realize why I’m doing this. It’s for my family, it’s for me, I can’t imagine doing anything else. That’s why I’ll never give up on myself or my team.”
Ramsay asked Faye if she thought she was a better chef than Everett.
Faye: “...Everett is a fighter, chef, and a good teammate, but yes, I do believe I’m stronger than him in terms of consistency and leadership.”
Ramsay moved on to Everett, asking him why he should stay in Hell’s Kitchen.
Everett: “This competition is a marathon, chef. I’ve had my ups and downs, I’ve had my stumbles, but I feel like I’m just on the cusp of hittin’ my stride.”
Ramsay said he had been waiting and waiting for Everett to emerge, and it seemed like he was trending downwards.
Everett: “I’ve had a slump, chef, I ain’t gonna deny that. But I’m fightin’ through it. I know I can be your next head chef.”
Ramsay asked Everett if he thought he was a stronger chef than Faye.
Everett: “Chef…”
Dramatic music
Ramsay waited on Everett’s answer, and after a tense moment, he finally spoke…
Everett: “Chef…at this time, no, I can’t say that I am.”
Faye glanced over at Everett in shock, as did everyone else from the red team, and even some of the blue team.
Ramsay: “I appreciate the honesty. Please, give me your jacket, your time is done in Hell’s Kitchen.”
Elimination music
Everett handed over his jacket and shook Ramsay’s hand.
Everett: “Thank you so much for this opportunity, chef.”
Ramsay: “Let me tell you something, young man, you have so much passion and fightback within you, I’ve seen it throughout this competition. Unfortunately, I didn’t see enough of it in service, or just now, but I hope you can find it again, because you are bloody talented. I wish you all the best.”
Everett thanked Ramsay again and waved goodbye to his team as he exited Hell’s Kitchen.
Everett’s comment
“Oh man…when I first entered Hell’s Kitchen, I never thought I’d be walkin’ out the door like this. I thought I was headed straight for the top, no problem. Each day was like this crazy mixture of anxiety, thrills, and drama. I fought, and I fought, and I fought for my place, until, I guess I just couldn’t fight no more. I’ll always have good memories of my time here, but I sure as hell wouldn’t do it again! (laughs)

With Everett’s elimination, Ramsay told Faye to get back in line, and addressed the chefs collectively as the final 8, saying that tonight should be a reminder to each of these chefs that a downward spiral at this point was unacceptable, as things were not going to get any easier. With that, Ramsay told them all to get some rest, because tomorrow, he was going to start separating the chefs from the cooks.
As the chefs went back to the dorms, several of them had confessionals. Thomas said that Ramona was definitely a bigger liability than Everett, but hopefully losing her immunity would wake her up. Michael said that it sucked that Everett left when he was far from the worst tonight. Ramona was clearly still shaken from the experience, as she said she felt awful about Everett going home when she had a worse performance, and knew she had to bounce back tomorrow or it would all be over for her. Melody said that between Travis and Everett, watching their fellow chefs go home was just getting more and more difficult, but she knew there were still seven more between her and the grand prize. Grace said none of these chefs were on her level, and she was going to keep being herself and kicking ass in the kitchen, regardless of her team’s hate for her. Lauren said that with only four on each team, there was nowhere left to hide, and everything they had done up until now was just the warm up for the real tests that lay ahead.
​Placement
https://preview.redd.it/rpdx9533yw0d1.png?width=2447&format=png&auto=webp&s=52806b2d14807ba57be90bfa8261368e2dbea4cb

I had a midwife appointment today for baby (30 weeks tomorrow, woo!). My birth center has three midwives. Two of them I know very well because they were both at the birth of my first son (one as the primary midwife and one as a birth assistant who has since completed her midwifery training), but the third midwife was hired on after my first kiddo and I hadn't had an appointment with her until today. Good news, we totally hit it off and I adore her- she is very professional in a non-judgemental way, very informative and helpful, etc. also very funny and friendly. We were totally vibing at my appointment which made me super relieved since she could potentially be on call when I give birth in a few months. When my husband got home from work I was discussing some topics that came up during my appointment, and I was telling him how I really like the newest midwife, and then my brain strung together the sentence "yeah, I wouldn't mind if she had to put her hands in my vagina". My husband was horrified by how calmly I said it, but in my brain it totally makes sense because that's what happens if I need a cervix check, baby needs to be adjusted, etc. one of the three midwives will be all up in my lady garden in a few months, so why not get comfy with that notion now 😂 then again, my husband loves to say how I am totally "shameless" when it comes to anything pregnancy/childbirth related because I am just so miserable during pregnancy that I don't give a frick who knows or sees what.

I’m 24M and I’ve never been in a relationship. I’ve had a desire for marriage for a few years now. Everyone keeps telling me that God will bring someone into my life someday. However I have found 0 scripture to support this. And when I do talk to Christians about this.. they say that I should just “trust in God, and focus on him” the thing is I don’t know what to trust him to do. I’m taught to trust in God’s promises., but God does not promise me a wife. So how do I find comfort with this desire not knowing if it will ever be fulfilled. I have been aiming to shift my focus from this desire through daily prayer and Bible reading as well as even fasting and replacing meals and activities with time of intentional prayer. But after 3 years of doing that consistently it still hurts and I’ve had nothing but added anxiety and depression. What scripture is there for lonliness derived from singleness specifically. It seems like the church just avoids this topic and blankets it with trust god in this “season”. Except seasons are supposed to end.

I was reading the comments on the dark side of bjj post, and the topic of ladies getting creeped on came up a lot. I’m female and wanted to say, for me, none of the touching feels weird unless it lingers. There is this one dude at my gym that I swear stays on top just a little too long after the bell, or slides off weird or just lingers in weird spots. It sticks out like a sore thumb. I have no idea what to do about this guy because it’s so subtle, but it feels different than everyone else. It’s not like lingering because he’s applying pressure, it’s during drills, and like after the bell like I said. But if a dude posts on my boobs or pushes my butt, it’s no big deal. I’m kicking you in the nuts on accident too.

Hola ! Welcome back to Ecuador for second discussion for The Sisters of Alameda Street. I hope you're enjoying this circus as much as I am! I will post some questions in the comments, to get you started, but you can discuss anything in this section.
Links:
Schedule
Marginalia
Chapter 9 - Alejandra, 1936
Alejandra isn't happy. She doesn't like the changes that are happening in her body and she's feeling left out of the “jorga” (gang) with her cousin Fausto. Her first period came when she was climbing a tree, and the new neighbour noticed the blood. Fausto sent him away and covered her dress with his jacket. Mama Blanca explains that she will no longer be able to play futbol or eat avocado. (Why???)
Fausto encourages her to steal money from her father so they can go to the circus, and this earns his respect. They speak to an acrobat there called Enrique Hidalgo, who Alejandra finds attractive.
Chapter 10
Back to the cliffhanger of the telephone call. Malena hangs up on Lili's mother to avoid being betrayed by her voice. Ana comments that Liliana’s boyfriend is married and his wife is pregnant.
Amanda takes Malena to the restaurant and says that Rafael doesn't believe she can manage it because she's a woman. He only lets Alejandra work because she's so good at it, but insists on it being a secret that she is the jeweller. After the death of Fausto, Alejandra was so depressed that she joined the convent. Malena wonders if that was a convenient way to hide a pregnancy.
Chapter 11 - Amanda, 1936
After winning the dance contest, Joaquin and Amanda are celebrating at a restaurant. When Joaquin is on the point of proposing, Amanda spots a handsome man in a tuxedo and red carnation and announces that she will marry this man. He is Nicolas Fornasieri, the restaurant owner. By leaving her bracelet in the Ladies, Amanda sets up a means to see him again, and a romance blossoms.
Amanda's father catches them in the car, saying good-bye quite innocently. He sends Amanda out, jumps in himself, and after a drive, tells Amanda that she WILL marry this man. A huge wedding follows, and later on Amanda sees the priest to say that they have never been intimate. She is advised to be patient and she buys a sexy nightgown.
Chapter 12
On returning home after the visit to Amanda's restaurant, Malena is dismayed to find that Javier has thrown out the accounting books. She searches the rubbish and finds a handkerchief, with an E monogram. She finds the books and buries them to examine later. Amanda notices Malena’s pendant that she wears. She says it was a gift from her grandmother. Amanda thinks it looks familiar.
One night Javier catches her trying to go outside. She pretends she's sleepwalking.
Chapter 13
Claudia and Sebastian's engagement party is held and Malena is nervous that he'll recognise her from when he saw her at the hotel. She can't help but look at him though, he's attractive. Malena rings her friend Julia who informs her that her father was involved in a fight with a bald man, which was very out of character. Claudia invites Malena to mass and she comments on Claudia's pendant. Claudia explains that it was made by her grandfather and given to Abigail, who in turn gave to Claudia before her death.
Chapter 14 - Abigail, 1936
Abigail was sick as a child, (bad kidney) and she was seen as the weak one. She was forced to go to thermal waters three times a week, while her sisters were going to dance concerts.
One day another child pushed her away from the edge of the pool, and not being able to swim, and having removed her floater, she quickly went down. She was rescued by a young man with blue eyes. Over the next months she searched for this handsome man in vain, and couldn't concentrate on school work.
Chapter 15
Sebastian was discussing the poor state of his finances over breakfast with his mother. The topic moves on to last night's engagement party. Sebastian comments on Lili's dress, but mainly her cleavage. Oops he can't even remember what his fiancée was wearing! He recalls where he'd seen "Lili" before and concludes that Javier and Liliana are lovers. He can't quite work out the mystery. He finds her to be lovely and gentle.
Chapter 16
Malena tries again to sneak outside at night. She digs up the accounting books and takes out the handwritten note from her father, kept hidden in her bra, and compares the handwriting. It was identical.
Chapter 17 - Ana 1940
Ana is at the market with her son Javier when someone slips a note into her basket. It's from a secret admirer. Rafael scolds her for not having his lunch ready.
The following day at the market, a boy drops another letter inside her basket; she tells the boy to pass on that she would like to meet the person. Finally a place and time is given and Ana goes to this café, anxious and feeling guilty. Rafael appears and asks her what she's doing.
Chapter 18
Malena is wondering what her father's real name is, Enrique or Hugo? She returns to the nightclub with Amanda and a couple of dancers turn up to audition. Malena is impressed and later Amanda teaches her to tango.
At dawn the next day she spots Mama Blanca, Amanda and Ana going out the door, in black dresses.
Chapter 19
Javier explains to Malena that the trio were visiting Fausto's grave on the anniversary of his death. Alejandra doesn't go because she's not religious and doesn't like to visit the dead.
Fausto was shot dead in a robbery, on Alejandra's birthday; which is why no one celebrates it. Malena suggests baking her a cake, but Claudia disapproves. They do it anyway. When Javier sings "Cumpleanos Feliz", Malena claps. There is silence. Alejandra thanks them but walks out crying, much to Claudia's satisfaction.
Chapter 20
While fetching Amanda's cheque book in her bedroom drawer, Malena spots a half-burned book - the diary of Abigail Platas. Malena decides she must read it, looking for her father's name. There is a diary entry about how Abigail went with Fausto and Alejandra to the circus and met the assistant manager, Enrique Hidalgo, who later brought around tickets. The father was so impressed he offered him a job as a bookkeeper.
Malena is convinced that Enrique Hidalgo is her father - his eyes used to light up when he took her to the circus.
On opening night, Leonardo's dancing partner hasn't turned up and in desperation they make Malena fill in.
Chapter 21
Malena nervously waits backstage, feeling uneasy in her skimpy red dress. Sebastian is sitting alone near the stage, watching her intently. Leonardo spots his wife coming in with her lover, and his jealous rage makes him try some steps that Malena isn't ready for - and they both fall on the floor. Her dress has risen up and the audience laughs.
Then there is a ruckus at Sebastian's table, he is fighting with a man, while Leonardo has dived on the man who is with his wife. The evening ends in disaster.
Chapter 22
The disastrous opening of Madreselva has made the front page of El Heraldo. Sebastian questions Cesar about this editorial decision, and Cesar wonders why Sebastian is so upset. Sebastian puts Cesar in his place, but he's worried about the story, because he started the fight with the drunk who made an obscene comment about Liliana. He thinks about her, how beautiful she looked and how well she danced. Claudia would be furious when she found out he went to the nightclub, and Amanda more so after she read the paper.

okay, so there‘s a lady on tiktok that goes by fired_mom. She posts about “accepting” her estrangement from her three sons, and most particularly one son and his wife, who she “doesn’t” blame for the estrangement. And so we begin:
https://www.tiktok.com/@fired_mom/video/7365911068713045294
oh, but the children of crappy parents past smelled blood in the water:
https://www.tiktok.com/@thescatteredartist/video/7368933656720608555
https://www.tiktok.com/@millennialmidwesternmom/video/7367031629946178858
https://www.tiktok.com/@some.dumb.broad/video/7368630181877271854
https://www.tiktok.com/@jenna_fire/video/7369260643175664926
there‘s a lot more of that, but let’s move on to the part where the internet does what it do: digs up the stuff you don’t want people to know (like a DIL’s Reddit posts and Other shenanigans)
https://www.tiktok.com/@cyclebreakingmommy/video/7366396310511144238
https://www.tiktok.com/@cyclebreakingmommy/video/7367123629689113898
https://www.tiktok.com/@cyclebreakingmommy/video/7366766479770930478
https://www.tiktok.com/@cyclebreakingmommy/video/7367440500485541166
I’m not sure it’s quite unusual enough to be a dwkt topic, but it’s some tiktok drama for y’all either way. 😂

So, I have been reading my Bible more seriously and I recently read the book of Matthew and it said:
‭Matthew 11:19 NIV‬ [19] The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”
‭Matthew 11:19 KJVAAE‬ [19] The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Why her? There's nothing wrong with wisdom being a woman but my attention was drawn to that because I see some old guy with a long white beard and a bald head when I think of wisdom.
Well, I did do some searching but I just want to know others thoughts about lady wisdom and perhaps lady folly too

Hey everyone,
I've been grappling with some deep questions about faith and belief lately, and I could really use some input from the community. I'm wondering if it's possible to consider myself a Christian simply by striving to follow the teachings of Jesus, even if I'm not fully convinced of all the theological aspects of Christianity.
Specifically, I find myself drawn to the moral and ethical teachings in the Bible, but I struggle with complete certainty about the doctrinal aspects. Can I authentically call myself a Christian while still wrestling with doubts and uncertainties about certain aspects of the faith?
I'm curious to hear from others who may have experienced similar struggles or have different perspectives on this topic. How do you navigate the balance between faith and doubt? Have you found ways to integrate doubt into your spiritual journey, or do you feel that certainty is essential for authentic belief?

So I have been socially out and Transitioning since November of last year. I have always had a close relationship with my Mother. And as I grew older, my relationship with my Father grew better and closer too. In my 30s I told my parents that I was no longer a Christian. The reason for my disbelief was the reality of what the Bible says about homosexuality and also how many(not all) Christians represent themselves and their faith.
Over time, I realized I was an agnostic atheist. (Look it up or PM me if you want to discuss this topic. Don't do that on this channel. Save it for Trans questions and topics) I met my wife and married her almost 10 years ago now. In all that time I felt their (my parents) disappointment. But never felt unloved.
Then this past November, I came out as a woman. They have been cordial and for the most part, unchanged in their actions. However, they refuse to acknowledge my name and gender. It's like they are pretending that my coming out never happened.
I came to realize that they are trying to love the me of the past. Not me right now. To them I am, and I fear always will be, their "son". When all I want is to be their daughter. And I don't think I will ever be that.
FYI: My wife, when I came out to her, she just asked me which pronouns I wanted to use. Then she kissed me.

Hello wonderful people, this is my first day on this subreddit. I almost shared this somewhere else but something kept deleting my drafts (Reddit lags after typing for a while so I have to save a draft and retype). Anyway, I think the reason for that was so I would stumble upon here today, because I stumble upon here today from a place I joined only yesterday to potentially post my experience. I guess I'll find out if it was really meant to be when I save my first draft of this post.
Either way, let me get started with a little background. I know it's going to be a long post as it is and I apologize, but as a polytheist it's imperative I give some sort of context for this as it's widely misinterpreted by even my fellow polytheists. If you don't wish to read about the religion portion of this post I'll mark it so you can skip to the second dividing line as seen below:
My choice in coining my religious views as simply "Polytheist" is because it removes a lot of perceptions people have it when they initially hear it named such as "Pagan." I don't merely worship "the old gods". Long story short, I don't just believe these gods existed and still exist, but I know they do. I don't necessarily know if my human mind can comprehend them as anything but "a god or goddess", and I agree there's a strong chance they may be something else other than what the words "god and goddess" makes our minds draw a conclusion to about what that means.
I am not entirely anonymous in this post, but for those who may know who I am I do wish you please leave that out of this, but I work for a company that, since I first started my polytheistic journey this past winter, took notice. Take that to mean whatever you think it does, but that's not important. What's important is it not only has reinforced my beliefs, due to having been noticed by fellow and sympathetic believers, but it has catapulted a certain understanding of why my prayers have been working and why such a formerly prosaic minded individual such as myself could accept something so... foreign to everything I had ever known.
It started with prayers to Athena. I had an OBE of sorts, but she spoke to me within my own mind. And before people go thinking it was my imagination, trust me: you'd know it wasn't if it happened to you. It's indescribable and the empowerment from it was borderline overpowering. To have the entire foundation of your life and your perceived place in the world overnight is something I feel I can finally share with those who understand. And before I continue I just want to give an explanation that my polytheism is not simply Hellenic due to my prayers to Athena.
Our ancestors weren't stupid, even at the start of our current world understanding of the religions they practiced. They prayed who they prayed to for a reason. And one of the thing that is always so misunderstood is that "none of them can possibly be true" because their stories, while similar, have deviations and not all the gods and goddesses line up. That idea in itself is the most untrue part of this understanding of these religions. The Abrahamic religions sort of threw a wrench into this understanding as the texts of those religions are taught to be more literal, but in terms of polytheism of old there's a distinction between the mythological stories and the religious practice. The mythos is allegory, and they're stories told to venerate the gods and goddesses. And sometimes, such as the case with Zeus, they're later reinterpreted to condemn them by a certain Latin writer I won't name. I don't want to stray too far off topic and would like to wrap this portion up or else I'll never get to what happened to me. If anyone is still wondering, I mostly worship the syncretic deities in relation to Athena (the Latin Minerva, the Egyptian Neith as well as those slightly out of her realm but somewhat related to: Egyptian Anubis and Thoth).
Without further adieu, here's what happened 2 days ago:
I was sitting in my car after a rough week... night... few months. Whatever, it's been rough for a while. I'm feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted not just with things going on in my life, but I almost felt the weight of everyone else's pain and anger on my own shoulders. I was thoroughly upset that we as a species are subjected to be surrounded by such hate, and spite, and pain and horrible suffering. Even if a lot of us don't go through it, everyone feels the effects of it. The world is designed around hate and pain and suffering. Sure, we love and we can experience amazing things in this life, but it's tainted. We shouldn't have to endure things this way. That's just an excuse we tell ourselves to keep us sane in a pretty corrupt, tainted society. Planet, even. And I voice all these concerns to all of those which I worship and said a deep prayer to them. But I didn't stop there. Then I had an idea.
I know everyone has a different interpretation of their reality around them. It's all based on what we can experience, after all. But in my time I have spent researching what many call the... more... I don't want to incorrectly name this, but the more... wild part of the phenomenon surrounding non-human intelligences and our place in the universe. In my time researching this both before and after my first religious experience, I think I have a pretty rough idea of the cause of this. I don't know what it really truly is, but I feel a fitting name for it is simple "the evil". Whatever it is, it's not good natured. It does not have our best interests in heart. In my time of attempting remote viewing and astral projection, both before and since my religious experience, I've had an experience with... something not nice. And my idea was...
I don't have anything left to lose. I'm going to call them out on their faults... wherever and whatever they actually are. So, I said my prayers to those I worship and I added an addendum to it. I said (paraphrasing), "Lady's Athena, Minerva, Neith and Lord's Anubis and Thoth... I seek your strength, wisdom, understanding and protection as I do something which is probably very stupid. If I say something and am harmed, at least I tried, but if I say and try nothing then I've done nothing but fail."
It was a quiet desert night in my little neighborhood. It's a gated community and we don't deal with any nonsense just about... ever, really. And I sat in my car, prayer beads for Anubis, Minerva, Athena and Neith in my hands, and necklaces for Athena, Neith and Thoth displayed around my neck and...
I called "the evil" out. I spoke out everything I thought about it. And even as I sat there in my car, I felt strong and resilient and most definitely not alone. In two ways. Inside my being I felt those I worship with all the love I have to give, and staring through it all I felt something else. I had to regularly open my eyes to check I was not alone in my car. First I would feel it on my car seat next to me. Sometimes I would feel it sitting behind me staring at me. Sometimes I would feel it sitting in the middle of the backseat staring at me through the rear view mirror. But every time I checked, nothing was there. I did not waiver and I said all I had to say until I could think of nothing else.
I told it I thought it was pathetic. That I knew the only thing here that should be scared is it be scared of us. I told it that it's lazy and selfish for trying to hold us down because it's scared of what we can be than do the hard thing and help us be better than it can ever be. I called it shortsighted. Whatever pathetic bombastic rhetoric it has in mind is a disgrace to all that can exist anywhere, anyplace and at anytime. And I kissed my prayer beads, said another short prayer. I kissed all my necklaces, and against all instincts I had to run from my car back into my house crying... I firmly locked my car doors, walked steady and strong with head-up, and without looking back to my front door. The impenetrable eyes beaming through the back of my body didn't waver me and I went inside. An hour later I was asleep. I had no dreams or anything out of the ordinary happen once I walked in my door.
But then the next morning came. I took my trash out the side-door of my house as my community has a strict rule of keeping them hidden aside from trash-night, when I got a weird glance from my neighbor. I waved and was a bit confused when he just gave me a weird nod and opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing. I shook it off, went back inside, and went to gather my things to go get some Starbucks before I started my work day. I walked out my front door, locking it behind me of course, and unlocked my car with the fob. When I go to open the car door, I find it's already ajar. In fact, all four of them appear slightly ajar. My glovebox is open. The papers inside strewn everywhere on the floor. My car seat covers are lifted up off the seat. My little cover thing I use for spare change/random stuff below the dash was wide open had its contents spilling onto the floor and into my cup holders. My center console was flipped the whole way open, the emergency napkins and feminine products ripped open and shoved back in.
So I turn around and look at my other car. The same exact thing. Finally my neighbor from earlier comes out front to greet me and he says "who'd you piss off?" Long story short, I told him I had no idea but I didn't tell him that I think I had a good hunch. I filed a police report as recommended by the authority running our little community. They took their pictures and all that and left. I haven't heard anything and don't expect to. We all have cameras on our property, but we have a rule to point them all down so we're not affecting each other's privacy. There was no disturbances detected and I parked my cars slightly too far back to see anything but the hood and part of the dash. We had hoped to see any doors opening, but no such luck. That's fine, I don't think I really need a prosaic explanation from the police. Unless an intruder, which never happens in our community (none of my neighbors recall anything like a break in at all either, even those that have lived here for much longer than the few years I have), got into the back of my car to climb through it without rocking it and also disturbing the motion sensor light on the front my house... which I understand is not impossible, but I'll continue to have my serious doubts about that... especially considering nothing was stolen at all including a set of earrings my grandmother gave me which I forgot I had in my other car... out in the open for the taking. Yet there they still say in the center cup holder.
Anyway, think what you will but the timing is almost too perfect to me. I think I have a good reason to know what might've happened. Something picked an unassuming way of letting me know without tipping anyone off that... well, I think something let me know that it can get to me if it wants to. Maybe it's a bluff, maybe it's not. But what I do know is that while it won't be today, and I don't think it'll be tomorrow; I'm not going to stop. I'd rather have something horrible happen to me and live or die in agony than sit back knowing maybe feigning ignorance in the face of nothing to lose is more cowardly than them. I refuse to accept that. I refuse to accept the hardships of this life. Things don't have to be this way. Something out there is forcing it to be this way.
Anyway, I appreciate anyone who reads this and hope to at the very least inspire fellow experiencers to be brave in the face of something that can have quite an insidious side.

Please bear with me, I know this is quite a read.
​
So, I knew Mother's Day would be terrible because my mom ends up ruining it every year. We always celebrate with my mimi (grandma, her mom) by playing card games and going out to dinner. My grandma is a very sweet lady, but she doesn't know how to defend herself against my narc mom, so my mom knows exactly how to beat her down. She undermines my mimi worse than she does me and I've had to learn how to stand up for both of us. This year, we were out to eat at a restaurant, and my mimi wanted to know if there was a way she could take her sauce home with her leftovers. She turned to me to ask if I knew. Innocent question, she'd only been to that restaurant once, didn't know the protocol for to-go sauce cups. My mom scowled at her and said "It's a restaurant, of course they have to-go cups." So I immediately chimed in to defend her and said it's a simple question that only deserves a simple answer. She says something along the lines of "Well I just can't believe SHE'S my mom and doesn't know that a restaurant has sauce cups." So I clap back with "Well I can't believe you're my mom and don't know how to treat people with respect!!" Of course we went back and forth over the matter of literally SAUCE CUPS for about 5 minutes before she realized she was wrong and wanted to change the subject. So SHE brought up a day the previous week when I wanted to come over to take a break from my school work (her house is the closest to the school and I only have a 2-hour gap in my school days). She was basically throwing a temper tantrum over the fact that I didn't want to hang out with her. Keep in mind that I called to let her know that I had a miserable day at school (cried in the bathroom) and needed some time to unwind. She kept telling me things like "you should be happy" "you should want to see me" "you should want to hang out with me" etc. I eventually got fed up and just left the room because there's no point in reasoning with her.
Anyway, fast-forward back to the dinner, she brought up this situation and told me how much I hurt her feelings. I then defended myself explaining she never asked me how I was doing or what I needed at that moment, she was telling me the inner monologue of her week and activities planned. She then proceeded to say "I thought I was the one that was upset over this!" To which I replied "????????????? Like hello??!??! Can two people not have feelings over the same topic????" And she said "Never mind, I don't want to talk about this" like she wasn't the one that deflected to it, and then went to wait in the car!!!!!! completely victimizing herself!
Since then, she hasn't reached out to me and I haven't reached out to her either. She did call my mimi last night to tell her that she's uninviting her and my papa to come to dinner sometime this week and she won't be attending my papa's brother's party. Usually, my papa will feed into her delusions so that we "avoid conflict" without realizing he's training her to keep doing whatever she feels like.
I'm ready to block her and never talk to her again. I don't know if my mimi is or not, but my papa sure as heck isn't. What do I do? I want to help them but I know I can't control them
​
If you're still here, thank you for reading

For the record I was raised Catholic but left the church. I have no animosity towards Catholics, and am still interested in some of the things they have to say. However, I kind of wonder about books like Fr. Stephen Rossetti's, his Diary of an American Exorcist. There are alot of exorcists chatting away these days on youtube, a topic that I find fascinating for personal reasons. However it seems like the realm of fantasy with some of the stuff these priests stay.
SR makes some very weird claims in this book, stuff like the spirit of Judas Iscariot possessed a person. He also claims that the Virgin Mary "removed the poison" of an exorcism gone bad instantly when he prayed to her. Personally, I prayed as a former Catholic to Mary many times and never once did I receive any miracle (stuff like the Miraculous Medal's claims of special graces if you wear it, did exactly nothing). The Catholics would probably say I had little faith, but if you pray, you've surely got some faith.
I feel like some of the Catholics are a heavily superstititous lot and it's almost like Christian vodoo - wear trinkets, invoke certain chants (prayers), wait for results. Father Ripperger is another exorcist guy who is way out there - listen to some of his videos and see what I mean. Where exactly does "freemasonry", for example, show up in the bible , both he and Rossetti have deliverance prayers meant to deliver you from it. They both also believe in curses, such as ancestral curses. I don't remember Jesus discussing ancestral curses myself.
Are these priests just casting out superstitious stuff and claiming relevancy with no biblical basis ? I believe in exorcisms myself, as in I think people can become possessed or oppressed, but some of the stuff they say troubles me.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening. I stand before you today to discuss a matter of profound importance: the rights of transgender individuals. This is a topic that speaks to the very heart of our values as a society—values of equality, dignity, and respect for all. Transgender people, like everyone else, deserve to live their lives free from discrimination, prejudice, and violence. Yet, despite significant progress, the struggle for trans rights remains an urgent and ongoing battle.
Transgender individuals face unique challenges that can make their lives incredibly difficult. From the moment they come out, they often encounter misunderstanding, hostility, and exclusion. These challenges are pervasive, affecting every aspect of life, including healthcare, employment, education, and legal recognition. According to a 2020 report by the National Center for Transgender Equality, nearly one in three trans people have experienced homelessness, and more than half have faced discrimination in healthcare. These statistics are not just numbers; they represent real people enduring real pain.
One of the most fundamental rights that must be defended is the right to self-identify. Every person should have the autonomy to define who they are and have their gender identity respected. This includes having access to appropriate documentation that reflects their true identity. Being forced to live with incorrect identification is not just an inconvenience; it can lead to serious harm, including discrimination and harassment.
In addition to legal recognition, transgender individuals deserve access to comprehensive and affirming healthcare. This means not only providing transition-related care but also ensuring that all healthcare services are delivered in a manner that respects their identity. Transgender people should not have to fear going to the doctor or worry about being mistreated by medical professionals. We must advocate for healthcare policies that are inclusive and respectful of the needs of trans individuals.
Education is another crucial area where change is needed. Schools should be safe spaces where all students, regardless of their gender identity, can learn and thrive. This involves implementing policies that protect trans students from bullying and harassment, as well as providing inclusive curricula that reflect diverse gender identities. Education is a powerful tool in dismantling prejudice, and by fostering understanding from a young age, we can build a more inclusive society for future generations.
Employment discrimination is another significant issue. Transgender individuals often face bias in hiring and promotion, leading to higher rates of unemployment and underemployment. It is imperative that we enforce and strengthen laws that prohibit discrimination based on gender identity in the workplace. Creating inclusive work environments where everyone can succeed is not just a matter of fairness; it is also beneficial for society as a whole.
Public awareness and advocacy are vital components of the fight for trans rights. We must all take responsibility for educating ourselves and others about the issues facing the transgender community. This means listening to trans voices, amplifying their stories, and standing in solidarity with them in their struggles. It also means challenging transphobia whenever and wherever we encounter it, whether in our personal lives, workplaces, or communities.
In conclusion, the fight for transgender rights is a fight for basic human dignity and equality. It is about recognizing and affirming the humanity of all people, regardless of their gender identity. As we move forward, let us commit ourselves to building a world where transgender individuals are not merely tolerated but are fully embraced and celebrated for who they are. By standing together, we can create a society that honors the rights of everyone and ensures that all people have the opportunity to live their lives authentically and freely.
Thank you.

Introduction
Someone reading this book may wonder what sort of audience is being targeted here. They may also be confused as to what the endgame is behind such a book. The aim of this book is to parallel the different religious & mystic traditions & connect them to the tropes that we find near death experiences propagate. They often are reconnecting us with what ancient texts have said but in the modern secular world where materialism is the norm we have become numb to the meanings & impact behind such text. These texts are often considered archaic & primitive. Unable to contribute much to the modern world they may only be useful in prayer chants.
Thus I aim here to revitalise the spirit of these traditions and connect them to what many call the modern day scriptures. The study of near death experiences, neuroscience, consciousness & other paranormal phenomena.
The endgame of the mystic is to connect, achieve union, knowledge and self growth. Thus by approaching all these texts and the various evolving thought that emerged from it, we can explore the parallels and connections that bridge the gap between traditions. The beauty of mysticism and perennial philosophy is the freedom it offers in interpretation.
This book doesn't focus on the question of whether scriptures are divinely inspired, man made tools written for sociological and political agendas or some sort of corrupted divinity. That discussion is a debate that will never end. Rather the focus here is on the possible wisdom & theological beliefs which parallel and mesh together well in forming a higher meaning & connection to the divine. Whether it be a higher power, an all pervading source or a metaphysical truth. You aren’t required to literally believe the divinity of these texts. A simple level of curiosity & intrigue is sufficient.
However one may contend that it is easy to parallel traditions when they are in harmony but when they differ they directly contradict rendering these connections meaningless and superficial. Therein lies the limitations of this book. Therefore the following concepts won’t be discussed in here. These are mainly :

• Unverifiable supernatural claims such as ancient miracles for instance Moses parting the sea, Jesus walking on water, resurrecting etc. For someone expecting this book to be a source of evidence for a specific religion it unfortunately won’t be. However there are multiple correlations and connections and these may act as subtle signs of evidence for a specific faith or multiple of them.
  
• Reconciling contradictions between belief systems and scriptures. For example whether the Divine is a trinity or a unity. Whether a certain sage was superior to another. For instance comparing the personality of Jesus with Muhammad, whether the Bible is morally perfect or not & a plethora of other beliefs that may not agree with one another. The book simply assumes they all are imperfect systems.
  
• The scientific debate on whether NDEs are classified as hallucinations or genuine supernatural occurrences. Whilst an interesting topic in itself, it is out of the scope of this book with many other books discussing the science behind ndes. However when necessary nde claims will be contrasted with naturalistic explanations.
  

The primary focus is in following a don't throw the baby out with the bathwater approach. Some may also contend that this book follows a shopping cart style of cherrypicking from texts and discarding beliefs from texts one subjectively finds inappropriate. To this I would simply say that the approach here is one of finding the parallels that align well together and acknowledging when a belief doesn't align well. Not necessarily a pick and choose system. An approach I would call the rational mystic.
The rational mystic is one who is simply open to what may be beyond their senses. They may be mystically inclined, fascinated and open to the plethora of supernatural ideas. However they will not blindly believe any and all beliefs. They will discern using rational faculties what of mysticism is most compatible with reality, what the data or evidence shows & what is more probable than not. I believe people of all beliefs or no beliefs can fit this definition. Whether you identify by a religion, as spiritual but not religious, non religious, atheist, deist or agnostic. Thus a skeptic or believer may able to gain an appreciation for these belief systems.
This book dives into the verses and parallels of ancient texts such as the Old Testament, Gospels, Quran, Hadith, Bhagwad Gita, Dhammapada, Tao Te Ching & Gathas of Zoroaster. Other older parallels such as from Vedic India, Ancient Egypt, Greece & Mesopotamia may be referenced.
Alongside that are the testimonies of NDEs and how they may parallel or differ to these texts. This book also attempts to provide commentary on major philosophical themes & elaborate on various exegesis, mystical traditions such as Kaballah, Sufism, Advaita Vedanta, Neoplatonism & Chinese thought. Since mysticism is ultimately about experience it relevant and useful to enhance these discussions by contrasts to various scientific ideas, philosophy & pop culture.
NDE Filter Methodology
One of the problems with ndes is the fact that they are subjective experiences which we cannot objectively verify or replicate. This makes them a weaker form of evidence compared to empirical studies which can replicate the results. These present a challenge. An individual nde may therefore be subject to embellishment, fabrications & delusions. Therefore in picking our choice of NDEs here we can only look at ndes as a whole in terms of statistical patterns that form. This is the methodology used in NDE literature by various academics including neuroscientists & philosophers researching the phenomenon.
To elaborate we therefore will discard testimonies that appear embellished with fantastical details. These fantastical details may also be subjective from person to person. Calling an otherworldly journey fantastical is simply irony. However in following the certain patterns that appear cross culturally in ndes it is much easier to identify reports that are considered fantastical. The following tropes appear the most across multiple nde studies.

• Out of Body Experience
• Tunnel of Light
• Meeting deceased relatives or unknown beings
• Perceiving a highly luminous pervading light
• Feelings of absolute peace, comfort & love
• Arriving at an otherworldly place ie a meadow, garden etc.
• Life Review
• Border of no return
• Pluralistic message about love & wisdom

There are of course other concepts that ndes reference which appear from time to time. These allow ndes to be flexible and not rigid experiences. After all no two nde experiences are the same. However using these motifs listed we can filter through unreliable ndes. These include

• NDE reports that are highly coloured with religious fundamentalist tropes particularly tropes promoting an exclusivist attitude to religion.
• NDEs that appear too detailed, fantastical & unrestricted appearing more like a science fiction or fantasy novel. For example nde claims of multiple lives on other planets or large scale prophecies & apocalyptic predictions & generally things that differ wildly from the core themes
• NDEs that talk too much about one specific spiritual concept, portraying themselves as special, prophets or mediums turning their nde into a narcissistic or monetary agenda through spiritual coaching, multiple books etc.

Finally one may say that the chapters of this book attempt to hint at the veracity of a religion & this book is a subtle attempt to proselytize that faith. I will reiterate that this book isnt trying to prove any specific religion. There may be subtle signs from one faith that fit better with the nde phenomenon than others. The following theories I would say explain these subtle signs. I leave it up to the reader to decide what they feel is the best explanation.

• Universal Divine Theory : This is the idea that prophets, mystics & sages from different cultures have been inspired through revelation from the same source & this explains the shared insights of a religion & ndes.
  
• Mystic Wisdom Theory : This simply means that certain religious writers and founders were simply wise spiritual men, mystically inclined honing on their intuition & knowledge.
  
• Intertextuality Theory : Each new religious founder simply built of older religious ideas assimilating it into their theologies.
  

Whilst these theories may suggest a subtle spark of corresponding truths, generally NDEs dont explicitly point to any religion. Some say its simply the case that a Christian will see Jesus, a Muslim will see Allah, A Jew sees Yahweh & a Hindu sees Krishna. This of course is not entirely true. The portion of ndes that claim to see Jesus form a minority & interestingly they too dont point at specific doctrines. NDE experiencers may simply describe a sentient light they perceive to be God. This being doesnt tell anybody that I am Yahweh or Allah. Experiencers will say that religious texts fall short of describing this being. It is beyond what people are taught in religion.
Those who are familiar with NDE reports and studies will know that NDEs tend to be very religion agnostic and at best subtly imply a religious correlation but rarely do we find massive amounts of nde reports cross culturally presenting exclusivist dogmas such as follow holy book x or you will burn, believe Jesus died for your sin or you will burn for eternity. When an nde does present this its seen as a red flag since this doesn't occur with the majority of other ndes. The most we have are subtle religious correlations. However NDEs do present us with certain philosophical dilemmas when it comes to religion.

• If NDEs are vague about religion how are we to interpret these religions ? Are we to see them as man made socio-cultural constructs ? Are we to see them as inspired by God but limited to their time ? Are we to see them as partially divine partially man made scriptures ?
  
• If NDEs prove that religions are man made we must ask what purpose the creator has behind the nde. If the creator has allowed man made cultures to negatively influence and control the world throughout history and has not intervened or communicated with humanity one must wonder what point there is in a nde being a message in the 21st century. So on one hand the NDE presents us with a deistic God who doesnt intervene and let false religions begin and on the other hand the God of the NDE seems very personal, involved in human lives, keeps tracks, feels love and joy for humans etc
  
• If one, many or all religions are truly divinely inspired why do NDES never directly point to this ? NDEs seem more concerned in lessons but not in pointing people to a religion.
  

Some may ask what difference does it make that it doesnt point to a religion. if anything NDEs show us that God is far beyond the narrow confines of religions. It makes an immense difference when we factor the fact that religions have influenced entire cultures and civilisations in good and bad ways. Religions have been used to wage war, cause destruction, control the masses, brainwash, confuse and build fear into the human subconscious. And on the good side religions have given hope to the world that suffering isnt in vain, that life has meaning & that justice and ultimate happiness exists.
For alot of people the need to connect to the transcendental is insatiable and religion provides a whole structure of beliefs that one can organise themselves on. For some this is very restricting and enforces a cultural dogma on to everyone. They may prefer a shopping cart version of religion where they take whats good for them and discard what they disagree on. For others they prefer to deny all religious concepts as dogma and cultural beliefs. One could argue that humans need the cultural clothing of customs and traditions to keep their lives going, something which they can use to relate with to the divine. Not everyone can believe in an abstract deity that they cannot conceive of in the absence of symbols such as scriptures.
Religious texts provide at the very least a gateway to which one can relate through stories of heroes, morals and metaphors of the divine. Of course none of this leads us to whether said divine being has revealed these texts, whether they are inspired but corrupted by man or fully man made. These symbols act as aids in feeling like we have a piece of the divine soul with us thus giving comfort and hope. Thus whilst some have no need for religions, for the masses religions have immense value.
So why dont NDEs prove religion ?
There are no clear answers to this (unless somebody has an nde and asks whoever they speak with to tell them in specifics what religion is from God and whats not) all we can do is speculate. The ndes that do ask or do mention a scripture are so few that we cannot form any conclusion on this.

• The simplest answer is that all religions are man made for good or bad intentions but this would of course lead us to the philosophical deist dilemma.
• Perhaps the NDEs message focuses on the lessons and ideals itself and sees scriptures and religions as redundant (even if there is a divine hand behind some) After all these are mainly symbols and cannot compare to a direct mystical experience (something fundamentalists struggle with)
• Perhaps an attempt to promote any specific faith would lead to an assumption that the nde message is about exclusivist salvation and leading to the worship of scriptures/religions (something fundamentalists struggle with)
• Perhaps this proves that religions are limited to their century and context and that we should only look to them for the universal timeless message they offer not the specifics. After all all major scriptures teach the core values that NDEs have revitalised ie love, mercy, kindness etc

Do NDEs support materialism or not ?
While the aim of this book isnt to debate the afterlife or brain hypothesis, I will say that at the time of this being written, my view on ndes is to say that I consider them a plausible source of evidence towards consciousness surviving death & the afterlife existing. This view of mine may change in time towards either side. The following are some reasons I would argue for them being plausible.
1 Veridical NDEs : Numerous NDES report out of body experiences including witnessing of events in an environment when this should not be possible. More than 100+ veridical cases have been documented. Not to mention veridical cases from across different countries which further strengthens the case. We would have to be radically skeptical to consider all of these testimonies fabricated.
2 Lucid narrative : NDERS experience a highly lucid narrative that usually doesn't end in the middle or chaotically unlike dreams or hallucinations. Their ndes tend to be structured with a beginning, middle and end where they are either told, know or are sucked back into the body. This is quite a strange experience compared to delirium, delusions, hallucinations etc.
3 Deceased Relatives : Most NDES claim to see deceased relatives rather than alive people supporting the afterlife hypothesis. We should expect a mixed cocktail of alive & deceased people appearing in ndes if this was a case of dreams or hallucinations. The population that do claim to see a mixed group of alive and deceased is quite a small proportion of total ndes.
4 Intuitive Reality : NDERS are very convinced that they are in a hyper real reality that makes this world seem black and white, like a dream/illusion as some would say. They are intuitively convinced they are in something real the way we might be talking in person, as opposed to it being just a dream. In one study its believed that nders brain recollect their nde as if it's a real world memory.
5 ESP claims : NDERS may perceive no time at all, may experience a life review such that they can feel the feelings of others and recall memories long forgotten. They may feel like they intuitively know things without needing to learn. Some may report greater vision and detail than waking life, ability to hear thoughts, instantaneously appear, be in two places at once or pass through solid walls.
5 Religious Expectations : NDES often may contradict the beliefs of many Christians, Atheists and Muslims who have varying beliefs about the afterlife. Some may be surprised to experience the things they see & are particularly surprised at the ESP abilities as these are not predicted by religions. Particularly interesting are religious conservative ndes with more exclusivist beliefs who are surprised and end up becoming more pluralist and liberal.
6 Clinical Death Scenario : The best NDE studies focus on scenarios whereby the person undergoes cardiac arrest and thus clinical death. At this time a person has no heartbeat, no breathing, dilated pupils, no light reflex, no gag reflex and EEG reading of little to no brain activity. This is consistent with unconsciousness as no blood and oxygen can fully reach the brain. Furthermore the fact that most undergoing clinical death dont report any experiences means NDEs are odd occurrences & consciousness should not occur.
7 Transformation : NDERS often are transformed in their beliefs with less to no fear of death, detachment from the material, more interest in altruism and spirituality and are impacted by their NDE for decades, remembering it far more than a hallucination or dream. They see it as the most important experience of their life.
8 Double edged sword : The fact that not everyone has an nde may support the idea of nde being more than brain activity. After all if the nde simply was some evolutionary dying mechanism we would expect everybody to have one. This point could also support naturalistic hypothesis (See below)
However there is still uncertainty regarding the nde phenomenon and further data, & studies are required to build a case that is greater than just plausible. These are some opposing reasons to consider doubt in them valid
1 Embellishment : NDEs are unverifiable and therefore we cannot verify which ndes are authentic or which ndes are embellished over time with the nders own thoughts, interpretations or exaggerations. This makes it easier for fabrications and frauds to claim an nde experience.
2 Brain Activity : Since NDES happen during clinical death or unconscious states where a persons brain can be returned to living we cannot be sure that there isnt some deeper brain activity that causes an nde. We also cant be sure than an nde isnt happening in the window where cerebral blood flow hasnt ceased or in the window where CPR leads back to cerebral blood flow. EEG machines also have certain limitations such that they cannot detect deeper brain regions due to the skulls electrical resistance. EEG spikes may occur due to muscle twitches & electrical noise which can often make it harder to differentiate whether this is due to the NDE or not.
3 Cultural/Religious Contradictions : If we keep an open mind, its entirely possible that a Western nde could see Jesus, an Indian nde see Buddha or an Indian nde see Jesus & a Western nde see Buddha. It seems this can be reconciled by the idea that ndes are customized to fit what comforts people subconsciously. Japanese NDEs for example see a bridge/river symbolizing journey to another world, Westerners a portal/tunnel. Westerners relate best to Jesus, Easterners to other figures. However some ndes provide conflicting metaphysical views. This can be an issue with some ndes if nde 1 says they were told to keep reincarnating until they reach nirvana, nde 2 says something more fitting to abrahamic faith. nde 3 says hell doesnt exist and nde 4 says they saw hell realms.
4 Double edged Sword : This point can be argued for ndes (See above) but also against ndes. Only a small percentage 10-20% of those under cardiac arrest are said to have experienced an nde. This point leaves questions as to why aren't all people experiencing an nde. Should we not expect a larger proportion say more than half of people to experience an nde ? If there is a realm beyond the material should we not expect every person to experience an nde. A low proportion may mean that the nde is some sort of brain anomaly. We only have speculations as to why all dont get an nde.
5 Future Science : Current materialistic explanations may be inadequate to explain ndes but this doesnt mean that future understanding of the brain may not yield a new theory/explanation that explains it away. Thus it remains a potential argument.
All of these points are worthy discussions on their own and can be found in various other valuable books. The above points are simply a valuable framework by which the reader may be able to take away what they value out of this book. Everything written is simply my own research into the subject & I always advise people to take it with a grain of salt unless it makes rational sense to you & appeals to your intuition.
Diving into the depths
Spirituality & mysticism can be thought of as two sides of the same coin with philosophy the ring that runs the circumference of the coin. While spirituality deals with the human aspects such as soul, spirit, ego, morality & purpose, mysticism deals with the divine aspects of things such as essences, attributes, metaphors, realities, realms, entities, space, time, substances etc. We aim to dive into the following themes in this book.
The Divine Source : Everything relevant to defining the higher power & source of existence including essences & attributes.

Consciousness & Spirit : Everything relevant to the nature of consciousness, qualia, perceptions, the spirit & soul.
Reality : Everything relevant to the nature of perception, illusion, concepts, space, time, substances, modes, forms & realities.
Spirituality & Purpose : Everything relevant to the nature of human meaning, objectives, purpose & suffering.
Morality : Everything relevant to values, ideals, ethics & morals.
Knowledge & Truth : Everything relevant to the nature of seeking truth, seeking knowledge & attaining wisdom. These include concepts such as beliefs, truths, axioms, speculations, nature of inspirations & revelations.
Awakening & Dark night of Soul : Everything relevant to the nature of materialism, spiritual awakening, seeking inner peace, anxieties, depression, remorse, angst & layers of the psyche.
Divine Sorrow : Everything relevant to the nature of the eschatological souls corruption, redemption, purification, punishment, divine justice & mercy including modes & forms.
Divine Bliss : Everything relevant to the nature of the souls destiny, ultimate peace, happiness, bliss & divine love including modes & forms.

A number of times in scheduled debates between atheist commentators and Christian apologists, a topic will arise (or it will be the subject of the debate) where they essentially argue whether or not it is even hypothetically possible for Jesus to have risen from the dead. Sometimes, like when Dillahunty debated whoever Trent Horn, they’ll even try to argue that’s it is reasonable to believe so. Their arguments rely on things that we’ve pretty much all heard before, like the 500 ‘witnesses’, and they’ll construct a definition of reasonable or possible to make their point where “If criteria 1 2 3 and 4 are met then it is reasonable to believe something or possible for that thing to have happened.”
Resurrection has literally never ever happened before in human history.
That seriously is all of the evidence you need to argue not just that it is unreasonable to believe in Jesus’s resurrection but that it is not possible for it to have happened.
Things that are possible are not just things that we can hypothetically conceive of happening in our weird ass brains. Things that are possible are things that have actually happened before. (Edit: I mean in the context of this. Human actions.)
And just because something happened a long time ago that we don’t have all of the information for in order to 100% certainly describe what happened, does not mean that we SHOULD believe it when people claim that what happened was something that has literally never happened before nor since and that there’s no evidence could ever happen. Nor is it reasonable for you to choose to believe so, nor is it even possible for that thing to have happened, for reasons I just stated.
This is all information that Christians would be in full agreement with on every other subject including every other religion. It only appears to bother them when it comes to Christianity. Could it be because Christianity is an inherently unreasonable belief system where the only Christians you can actually have a rational discussion with are the ones who haven’t yet thrown themselves too much into the core teachings of the Bible so they haven’t yet been trained as hard in mental gymnastics?

Hi All,
I've recently come across a very interesting topic NDE. A little background about me and my faith. I wasn't really raised in an immediate religious family meaning my mother and father weren't dedicated to religion. However, my Grandfather was a devout catholic and for whatever reason my Father strayed away from that as he grew. So i would attend church with him at times when I was very young. My mom throughout my life must've known the importance and made several attempts at taking me to church consistently, but she never stuck with it likely because as I grew older my interest wasn't there (sadly). I would pray as a child and my faith was strong enough for that, as I grew into my teens with school and all the bad I saw I started thinking How could a god be real that allows such evil to occur here on earth (this from what I know now was complete ignorance in not knowing his word) at any rate this lead me down a path of not necessarily being a non believer but also not being a strong believer for a very, very long time. I didn't know what I believed in but I believed in a higher power. I lived a life of sin (drinking, partying, drugs, judgmental etc) I always thought well if there is a god he'd understand and forgive (how naive). At any rate this was my life, a life without Christ.
An interesting thing occurred not long ago, I came across a recommended video on youtube about a very intense NDE where the person explained meeting Jesus, a life review all of that. Its interesting because I never watched anything closesly related to this on youtube ever. Now I take it as a sign. I researched it, watched more and it eventually led me into more and more religious related content. The thing for me as a very analytical person was I needed something like this to open me up to the reality that there is indeed a god. A lot of interesting research has gone into some of these experiences. John Burke has done substancial research on the topic and draws the parallels from some of these experiences to scripture. A lot of scientists can't explain how some of these people have been clinically dead for hours yet can recall events, conversations that happened when there was no brain activity etc. A lot of these experiences have so many commonalities so much in fact that I have a hard time believing it can be explained by chemicals released by the brain upon death I.E DMT. The psychelic experience is all over the place and never follows a consistent theme. These near Death experiences are not of that.
I am thankful for finding this as it has brought renewed faith to my life. I've accepted Jesus into my life. I've bought a bible and started reading the word (something I never imagined i'd do). I have a lot of work to do in order to make him even a small percentile happy with me, but I feel good knowing that I'm trying.
What brought you to Christianity? What is the Church's thoughts on NDEs? Do we believe that these are experiences our creator has allowed. I don't believe every single experience, but some of them are to real to discount imo. Also, I plan on attending a local church or churches until I find a place that feels like home. Any other tips navigating youtube or podcasts that you feel are good to follow? There's a lot of stuff out there I've had to learn to navigate around people talking to spirit guides and all this new age stuff which is dangerous bc it sounds all good in well to a new follower until you start realizing the differences and that this is not gods word. Anyway, thanks for a space allowing me to get some thoughts off my mind.

Hello fellow potatoes! And to the potato queen herself, girl, you're amazing!!! I just found your channel a few months ago, but I'm a huge fan. I don't have a lot of time for videos, but when I do get to watch, I watch yours.
Have I got a boomemil story for you! Let's go on an adventure...warning...I tell stories with rabbit holes and tangents. This is probably gonna be too long. I'm sorry!!!
So, the characters are me (40f), boomer MIL (64f BM for short, like bowel movement bc she's caca), my oldest son, (17m), and my church "mom" (65f CM for short).
A little background: BM thinks she's an awesome mom and grandma even though she's not. She uses my kids as facebook props to show off how "wonderful" she is. The only reason she was around my kids so often was because we went to the same church. She lived 10 minutes down the road from us, but could never be bothered to come over or have anything to do with any of us is if we didn't initiate. She has always said that if we ever try to threaten to keep our kids away from her, like if we were having a disagreement, that she would not fight to see them. We've never threatened to keep our kids from her, she just wanted us to know that she didn't give a sh!t to see her gandkids. So, that tells you right there, that she's a grandma when it's convenient for her.
She's of the boomer mentality that mental health issues are made up and aren't real. "You have nothing to be depressed about." "Just snap out if it." "Just be happy." You get the point. I struggle with depression, I always have. She doesn't understand or even try to understand and is the least empathetic person I've ever met.
When I get overwhelmed, I get depressed, and I start shutting down. My plate is overflowing right now. Between the end of the school year and the possibility of us moving states, I've been overwhelmed. My oldest is a senior and the last month of senior year is crazy busy. I have another child (11m) in public school and this is his last year of elementary school, so this has been an extremely busy month for him. I have 3 more kids that do online public school/homeschool. So, they're home all day with online classes, but since they're a public school, they have mandatory state testing just like regular public school. I have had to take them to do state testing on 4 different days overyhe last few weeks and the meeting place was 45 minutes from home, at a conference room in a mall. I also babysit 3 kids (1m, 4m, 4f), so hanging out for 4 to 5 hours a day on 4 different days with a shitload of kids at the f#cking mall was not easy. Not to mention the positions and "jobs" that I hold at church. To say I'm busy is an understatement.
We've been planning on moving for the last few months because a position at my husband's work is coming open near where he grew up, which is in another state. His parents recently moved back to their hometown after my FIL retired, so one reason for the move would be to be closer to them. They are getting older, so I would be taking care of them once they needed it, so moving closer seemed like a great option. Also, it's a lower COL area than we live in now. Currently we live in the metro area of a capital city and we would be moving to a middle of nowhere po'dunk town.
Told you, rabbit holes, thanks for still being with me!!!
And this is just the straw that broke the camel's back, this is not the only reason for my decision.
So, to the actual story...
Last week, I got a mother's day card in the mail from BM. She's a dollar tree card fanatic. It was a very typical card that she sends me. Nothing handwritten except for "love, grandma and grandpa." This is what she writes in all my cards. (Another tangent...last year my mom passed a month before mother's day and that actual mother's day was her and my dad's anniversary. And I had a super complicated relationship with my momster. So, it was an exceptionally hard day for me. The card she got me said "Daughter" in huge letters on the front. I thought it was so incredibly passive aggressive and completely inappropriate for that year. If it would've been any other year, it would've been fine. Also, she never gets me cards that just say "daughter" so, to me, it was a low blow.) (Yet another tangent...she does passive aggressive crap all the time, for instance when she used to do fb birthday posts, she would always ask me to send her a pic to post. I'm picky about what pics are used and she knows that. Last year, I sent her a great pic of me and her son to use. So, she used one from about 12 years ago that looked like absolute poop. It was a surprise pic, so like not even posed, stupid look on my face. No matter what pic I send, and usually send like 3, she uses a completely different one that doesn't even look good.) I got the card last Tuesday. Hubby happened to be talking to her while driving home from work that day, so when he got home, I thanked her for the card and just wanted to give her a heads up that I hadn't gotten a chance to mail hers yet because of everything I had going on. I kinda broke down and was sharing how I felt and she basically just said, "suck it up, it'll be fine." She's always been dismissive of my feelings, always.
So, my CM is the sweetest lady you'll ever meet. She listens to me, lets me share my feelings without being dismissive, and actually shows she cares. I see her twice weekly at church, and text with her during the week. Since BM has moved 8 moths ago, she has called or texted "just to talk or check in on us" less than a handful of times. She only calls/texts when she needs something or on a special occasion. She called my husband to ask about something, not just to talk. I understand now why the oldest grandson, my nephew, didn't even bother to invite her to his and his girlfriend's baby shower where he proposed. She thinks she's an amazing grandma bc she sends birthday money in a card and posts their pics on Facebook. And, she even stopped posting the kids birthday messages on fb bc she said it was "too much trouble." So, she just sticks to her 30 daily inspirational Bible quotes posts. She's the type that was so pissed off that both of her kids went with courthouse marriages instead of going into debt for a wedding because she didn't get to walk down the aisle at her kids' weddings and post pics on fb. She's mentioned this several times, but definitely wasn't even willing to spend a dime towards a wedding that no one wanted except her. She was also unwilling to take a day off work to go to the courthouse with us. With both of her kids' marriages, the kids and partners were together for a while and had kids before getting married, so spending tons of money on a huge wedding for either of us couples wouldn't have been the best way to spend money.
On mother's day, I gave my CM a card with a few lines written in it about how amazing she is and how I'm so grateful for her. I'm way closer to her than BM. CM is my chosen family and to me, your chosen family is the one that means more because you chose them, you didn't just get stuck with them. My blood family is incredibly toxic, so I stick with my chosen family. CM made a fb post with all that she got for mother's day. It was gifts and cards from her own children, and of course my card as well. CM & BM are fb friends, so of course BM saw it. Also, BM has everyone convinced she's this sweet, little old church lady, but she is far from it.
So, this Tuesday she got her cards in the mail. I always give her one from hubby and myself, and a separate one from our boys. I wrote a nice little note in it. Not long, a line or 2, but it was more effort than she put into my card. She sent me and hubby the following in a group text...
Copy and pasted, only edited out names.
"Got my cards in the mail today. 😭. They were post marked Saturday. You could of kept them til I got there or next year. It's like yall bought them Saturday, wrote a few words and rushed to get them to post office. My heart 💔broken. I thought I deserved better. I wish I could send pictures of my card verses [CM] 😩 card. I couldnt tell which gift was yours. But least I have a year to try do better and be worthy of such wonderful words of love and praise that was written to her.
I don't mean to complain or seem ungrateful but I wished you hadn't mailed them.😭😭. I can't explain how crushed I am.😔 Anyway hopefully I will see yall on the 20th."
Note: my oldest son is graduating on the 20th. She was supposed to drive down and spend the night with us to attend the graduation. I honestly believe she picked this fight because she doesn't want to drive the 6 hours down here.
If you "don't mean to complain or seem ungrateful" then why tf did you send it? I asked my husband what was his initial reaction and he said, "Really?!? All she had to do was say thanks."
So, after I talked to my husband and oldest son (I wanted to make sure everyone was on board with what I was saying before I sent it) , I sent her this response:
"I mailed them on Friday, I bought them several weeks ago. I told you I hadn't mailed them yet because I've been in a deep depression and you dismissed my feelings like always. I have real, valid feelings and you always dismissed them as silly. And come after me because now you're feelings are hurt. Wow, ok. The absolute audacity. And it's not just with your cards that I'm slacking. It's with everything. Because I have depression. I'm overwhelmed on top of that and literally the only thing you care about is a card. I tried to express my feelings the other day on the phone and you dismissed them like you always do. I know things will be fine, but in this moment they are not and you don't get that. Because you don't understand how or why I feel the way I do, then my feelings are silly or invalid to you.
And I never gave [CM] a present. Don't know why you thought that.
Don't worry about coming down on the 20th."
She replies by trying to blackmail me;
"Well my am so sorry I said anything. I never realized you thought that about me. I never dismissed your depression but yes i never knew what to do for you. I am not going to go back and forth about this. I will text [son] and let him know you told me not to come."
She's not sorry to me for being dismissive, she's sorry because now she doesn't get her "Proud MeMe moment" and can't post pictures of her at his graduation on fb. And even if she didn't "know what to do" for me, all she had to do was ask. Or listen. Or give a damn hug. But, no, she just dismissed me bc to her depression isn't real. And she's not going back and forth bc she knows shes wrong! Little did she know that I had already cleared it with hubby and son before sending the text, so I think she thought it would make me look bad to my oldest son that I told her no to come. Oldest son said, "I'm neutral, I don't care if she comes or not. It's not like she's had anything to do with us since she moved, and barely had anything to do with us when she was here."
So, my last text to her said, "He knows. I asked him before I texted you, and he's good with it."
All she had to do was say thanks or not even say anything at all. But, no, she had to say something stupid. Even her own son said that she's lucky she even got a card bc if it was up to him, her actual son, she wouldn't have gotten anything. So, not only is she not invited to the graduation, she's never welcome in my home again. The great part is I don't have to share my holidays with her ever again!!! And please know that I'd never keep her grandchildren from her, but if she wants a relationship with them, she'll have to put some effort in. And we all know boomers hate effort.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading my rant. I appreciate you my friends!