In shadows of forums, you whispered a plea, To be close to my side, forever to be free. A connection so deep, it surpassed every friend, You spoke of a bond that could never end.
But as I reached out, you vanished from view, Leaving echoes of words, our dreams split in two. I wish I could take you, far from the fray, To a place where all worries would simply decay.
In your light, the world seemed pale and dim, A vibrant connection, a shared secret hymn. Unaware we're the same, in sorrow and strife, We've mirrored each other in this journey of life.
I remember the first time, fear in your eyes, Mirrored my own, underneath the disguise. Yet I reached out, through the trembling start, And your farewell smile etched deep in my heart.
That moment remains, a cherished embrace, A promise of hope, a fleeting grace. So, I'll hold on tight to that smile, so true, And dream of the day when I see you anew.
My Yellow 💛

Have you ever written, the scripe of the stars? I have to celebrate you baby, the hymns of the song came along. we do not get used in the subject such honey and flowers and stars. It is so far from here and nobody grasp its true meaning of livings. I like to express it and I do not hinge about it. Nobody came in my mind and said It is not allowed and you should be balanced. I am more near at my starts and It have gone to be more natural than I thought. It is my words and the adventages of foreign language is that's right, It is come from the start is come in this place. I like to the belonged space. It is intentional, not a bribrary, It takes suddenly its breathe.

Hard haunting huffs rebuff celene's serenade. Such grotesque gasps echo off nights stoic bluffs. What uncanny valley echoes of such sweet desperation, but the one chased through? The shallow breathing of the hymn left me light headed, but the hunger makes the crags sing.
I'm not running. I'm not made to trudge trapped in low hung boughs. In this clearing, in the gleam of her majesty, my pinions lift praise, and I take flight hoping to find her in the stars.
The moon doesn't need my eyes or my words, She is Majesty. I wanted to see her gleam off of your features and her glow in your veil, but you ran so far ahead of me. When you found my scabby knees and nicked shins weeping, you asked me what was wrong. I said "nothing, just the moon in my eyes" but you'd already gone.

Everything about Christmas is for joy and peace on earth, right? Years of tradition where people have worked hard all year just for their loved ones to have their hearts desire fulfilled with toys, food, and other items. Families gather around a decorated tree, sharing stories about Christmas’s past as they prepare for the day after. Hymns are sung by traveling church carolers and even the family pets join the celebration. This usually occurs in the homes of millions who have been eager for the visit by the big man in red. Santa Claus is the face of this holiday season, yet I have a different view of the holiday. One that few people can relate to if any at all. I don’t remember when it happened in my life, maybe it’s just been that way. All I can say is that while everyone else goes to sleep in their beds, waiting for good old Saint Nick to deliver them some gifts, I am not. The only reason I’m not joining the tradition of hanging ornaments and stockings is that the entity that makes its way to my house is not a jolly fat man with a beard and reindeer, it’s the one that comes is the other who comes around this time of year. A being with no joy or desire to be seen as the one who comes to take and not give. It all began when I had stayed up late one evening years ago when I was too young to understand the difference between Santa Claus and his disturbing, vengeful, horrid creature that follows him on his travels. If you have any doubts about the existence of this being, you should stay that way because if you are unfortunate enough even to see this horned beast that resembles more of a demon from hell than the jolly fat man, the Krampus is truly a creature that you would be more than worried except for me. That’s what I am waiting for—that spawn of the deepest part of the evil incarnation. And every year since the past 20 years I’ve prepared to bring its traditions to an end. The Krampus came to me as a kid, I thought when I first saw it in my living room, hunched over my family’s Christmas tree I was so excited that Santa was in my home. Foolish and ignorant I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and crept down the stairs hoping to get a glimpse of the famed gift giver. I found no sign of reindeer on the roof, no one in the house was awake but myself. The dog came to my side and I shushed him so as not to let our presence disturb the figure who I assumed was Santa but my dog was not sharing with my joy and was growling towards the living room. It didn’t seem to hear the dog's low growl and kept doing its business. I crept down the stairs and snuck to the doorway to get a better view. My dog would act strangely as we got closer to the figure, I thought it was strange but I was just too excited to see Santa to get the hint from the dog that this is not the Santa that I wanted it to be. The figure stood much taller than I thought Santa to be, much bigger than any Santa you’d find at a mall or ringing a bell outside stores, it hunched over because he stood much bigger than the room was, and with its back to us I took interest in the fact that as it did any sort of movement the sounds of light metal hitting metal followed and the red coat it wore was not a vibrant red. I thought that it was because of the many times it had to go up and down other chimneys but that was just a kid ignorant thinking the sounds of clinging metal were from the rustic chains that hung by the coattails of its dirty, tattered garb.
I stood in the living room doorway in shock, smelling the foul odor coming from the beast hit me hard and first. Like sour milk and copper, drops of what I thought were juice or something cherry-colored fell from the outstretched claws that rattled with that of the chains. Only dim light from the fireplace held a small flame, and I was too scared to stay frozen.
The Krampus did not see me and continued on his mission. I couldn’t make out details and nor did I want to get a better look, yet thanks to a crash of lightning outside hitting a nearby tree, made the Krampus harder to ignore and I saw more detail…such a horrid sight. The mangled spinal-like horns that curled outward from its head to the pitch black of his eyes seemed to take any light and swallow it into the inky black pits. thin gray skin stretched across its frame giving the illusion of old Santa but only in the dark. The creature turned and faced me after the light from the tree, still burning from the lightning strike showing just enough to see my small shaking frame. The Large ancient beast with his outstretched arm reached out to the stockings that hung by the chimney and dropped some unknown items into them that were wet and made squishing noises as each one fell into the bottom of the stockings. The gaze of this horror met mine and I was powerless to do anything but stand still. It stood there in my family’s dining room and even with it hunched over, its tall horns scratched and ripped into the ceiling above. It took a couple of steps to me and the bells and chains that hung from its old tethered coat shook and rang with every step. The closer it got to me the more and more fearful I became and with the Krampus a breath from my face I closed my eyes and prayed that it would go away. The Krampus kneeled and placed its mangold, clawed hand on my cheek and I felt a tear fall from my eye and hit the Krampus on the hand that held my cheek, this must of confused or maybe it felt pity for me I don’t know.
What I do know is that when I opened my eyes the Krampus was gone. I cried out, I screamed the pinup fear and bottled emotions that I barely kept at bay in the moment but now I couldn’t hold back. The tears flowed as I went to my parent rooms and found their lifeless bodies in their beds. Both of them had a big hole in their chests, I screamed out at the sight and fell to my knees in grief. I was at a loss for words, I just screamed and cried, screamed and cried for what seemed like hours then as I sat there in the presence of my family’s dead bodies, my dog Baxter with my stocking in his mouth, came placed it in front of me and sat waiting for me to play with him. I looked down at the offering placed before me and saw through my tears that Baxter brought my Christmas stocking and it was full. I looked up to Baxter licking my face and doing his best to try and cheer me up, I fought back the grief for a moment and pet Baxter. “Thanks, boy”. I said to Baxter and reached for my stocking thinking maybe my parents already put stuff into my stocking before the arrival of the Krampus, as I grabbed hold and lifted it I felt something like play-doo or clay-like in the bottom of it and as my hand held the outside of the object inside, it pulsed in my hand, which made me drop it immediately. The stocking hit the hardwood floor with a solid thump, like a balloon filled with water or jelly, from the top of the fallen stocking came some viscous liquid that oozed and pooled out and created a small puddle. I had no idea what it was, the dark-colored seemed to smell of copper and peppermint, making me think it may have been a melted gummy bear but when touching the liquid and foolishly bringing it to my lips, I knew that this wasn’t melted gummy bears, this was blood. Another pulse from the stocking and more of that blood came oozing from it and I jumped back to the door in shock, Baxter the only family I had now reached in grabbed the presents the Krampus had left in my stocking…the still-beating hearts of my mom and dad. I screamed again but this time I passed out.
I woke up only to find police officers in my house and all sorts of lights and people coming in and out of my parent's rooms and taking pictures. Baxter was next to me lying down I thought I was dreaming, that it didn’t happen but the reality of it all was made bare when they rolled two adult bodybags out and into a parked ambulance outside. A kind old officer came over to me and wrapped me in a hard wool blanket. “Are you ok son? We got a call from a neighbor that they heard screaming last night and was worried”. I was in shock again and all I could say back was. “Is he gone”. “Is who gone”? The officer asked back. His eyes showed concern and I swallowed and asked him if he saw him too. The old officer looked and me puzzled “Who? Who was here son”?
My eyes looked away from his and around the room, I was in the dining room again and the light of Christmas day shined through, casting away the shadows. The officer asked me more questions but my attention was on the tree outside the window, the same tree that was hit but lightning and caught a blaze. Then the officer said, “Son, is there anything you can recall from last night that may help us in finding the person responsible for this”? I turned from the window and looked at the officer who stood in the same spot as the Krampus stood and I froze again when my eyes fell on the two other stockings that hung in the fireplace one for my mom and the other from my dad, they had the same heftiness in them as my dad. I pointed at them to the officer and opened my mouth to say something but my throat seized up when I looked up to see the scratch marks left by the horns of the Krampus. When the officer looked inside to see what was in there, he dropped them in fright. The stockings fell and made a splat sound, Baxter got up from his spot walked over to the stockings on the ground dug inside my mom’s, and pulled something small and red colored. He brought it to me and placed the wet form at my feet. The officers and medics all gasped as they saw the still-beating heart of my mother. I stood there frozen yet again but not out of the sight that was a human heart, let alone it belonged to my mother but I was frozen by the note that was covered in blood and addressed to me.
The note read as this-
“Dear Timmy,

 I got you countless letters that you had sent to Santa Claus about how terrible your life was here and how you wished for the torture to stop…I’m glad to say that even though it took a few years I hope that this was everything you wished for and more. Inside are your gifts for being such a good boy all these years. I am sorry you had to see me, I know that it wasn’t the way you hoped Santa Claus looked but the truth is that there was never a Santa Claus. There never was, I alone travel on the coldest of Christmas and I finally answered your pleas. The harm they have done to such a nice boy is why they will never bother you again. Hope you have a Merry Christmas…I hope to never see you again. 

P.S. Baxter is such a good boy and hope you treat him better than how your parents have treated you…OR I WILL RETURN
I hid the note from the officers, I was used to hiding things from people. Hiding bruises from the countless beatings from my drunk father to even hiding the fact that my mother, who never showed any sort of care for me while that was happening I was deeply disturbed and traumatized. The officers led me and Baxter out of the crime scene and to the back of his squad car. The final thing I saw before the car drove off, I saw all the others crowded around my home and looked up on the roof of my home. I saw a large, dark figure that lurched and stood there silently watching over everyone. My eyes meet it’s and after a moment or two, the figure turned and faded away with only the slight sound of rattle chains and bells that only I seem to notice. The officer gets in the car and starts the engine. The officer turned to me and found me still staring up where the figure was and asked, “I’m sorry son that your Christmas ended this way, but you are going to be safe and taken care of”. I turned to see him and I formed a small smile. “Thats it son… there's a smile”. I responded by whipping my face from the tears and revealing the bruises that were covered by my mother with her concealer, the officer looked a bit confused and asked where the bruises came from and I pointed to the body bags being loaded into the ambulance. “They did it to me, but they won’t be happening anymore”. I get a few licks from Baxter as I pet him and take one last look at my home before leaving and under my breath, I whisper “Thanks Krampus”.

The results are in for Match 21. The winner is…
Mahimit was dragged across the battlefield by ｢Young Lives｣, the Stand filling him with a vigor to fight, to please his father who was watching from above—and that vigor filled him with each slash of its claws, keeping the son awake as he was marched down towards the trailer.
The two Stand Users had made their way down there last—secluded within a small container, cornered. The Stand’s puppet had been worn down for certain, but this was the time to finally finish things. As they approached, they saw through the window the older woman pull out her phone, and immediately Mahimit’s arm was raised to aim his gun right for it. As they made him pull the trigger, he couldn’t fire before she had spoken to her allies on the other end:
“Yeah, we figured out who the perp is, it’s Thomas Kent. Singh didn’t even show up, sent a lackey instead. He should be…”
The rest of her sentence faded out as Mahimit stalled…stopped.
The Stand roared in panicked fury as its user lowered his gun, unable to control them with the ease it once had. Mahi barely noticed—neither did they react to Windy’s warm, draining embrace of as ｢Young Lives｣ attempted to claw her off of him. As his eyes began to close, the longcoat of his Stand’s prior form disappeared and revealed the real one beneath, he managed one thought before falling into a deep sleep.
Of course he didn’t. Why did I think otherwise…

Sonika Singha and Windy, with a score of 72 to Mahimit “Hira” Rākin’s 56!

Category	Winner	Point Totals	Comments
Popularity	Sonika Singha and Windy	27 (14+2) - 3 (0+2)	A shutout victory for the players!
Quality	Mahimit “Hira” Rākin	17 (6 5 6) - 20 (7 7 6)	Reasoning
JoJolity	Mahimit “Hira” Rākin	18 (6 6 6) - 23 (8 7 8)	Reasoning
Conduct	Tie	10-10	Nothing to report!

The results are in for Match 22. The winner is…
Club Naraka, the site of a hellish pile of bodies and accidents, was practically on fire that night. Thankfully, Sulka, along with a group of armed guards, had brought a fire extinguisher with them. They stormed the ground floor, taking a moment to spread themselves out. “Alright, we’ve-” A hail of gunfire cut the man off. “—THEY’RE HERE!”
A few of the nameless guards rushed in towards Sulka, to catch any strays that might come his way. Sulka himself pulled the nozzle end up, and heard another single shot fire from another nearby pillar. “There’s an accomplice, circle—” Something crawled up his thumb, and bit into the extinguisher, just as a stray bullet drove a dent into the metal casing. “—AUGH!”
The fire extinguisher burst in his hands, filling the room with a heavy white smog. The hip-firing moved, and it came long, low, and in mobile spurts. “Fire back—” As if on cue, fire jettisoned into the cloud of smoke, “—SPREAD OUT, QUICK!” Through blurred vision, Sulka watched one of their own leave through the front door. “Not that far, damnit!”
With the guards spread out along the floor around him, some wearing gouts of fire, some drenched in the liquid refuse of their extinguisher, and others still riddled with bullets, Sulka turned to one of their dead men, and ripped a pistol from their side. They watched the last moving object head for the door, and pulled the trigger, twice. An employee badge caught the edge of his blurred vision.
The cool night air filled the ground floor, and fed the flames atop the burning men. Sulka’s arm fell to his side, letting the gun clatter against the floor.
A spiral of thoughts took him. First, he’d need to make a casualty report, followed by a loss statement. The sheer number of clients who may not come back after an incident like this would likely drive the place out of business. Between that, the viscera, the dead workers, the dead clients, and all the ammunition costs—let alone the licenses he’d have to put in for—his head shrieked at him. For once, he shrieked back.
It was a low, horrid thing, much like a growl or snarl, but loud enough to make itself known against the billowing call of night. A cool hand slicked his hair back, and the night air stopped pouring in through the shutting door. He turned to one of the guards, who’d taken to putting out another with a blanket. “Take everyone alive and go look for everyone else alive.” Sulka sauntered away. “I’ll be in my office.”

Reese McGuffin, with a score of 72 to Markov's 69!

Category	Winner	Point Totals	Comments
Popularity	Reese McGuffin	13 (3+2+2) - 17 (5+2+2)	An even voting period right up until the very end!
Quality	Markov	23 (7 8 8) - 22 (7 8 7)	Reasoning
JoJolity	Tie	23 (8 8 7) - 23 (7 8 8)	Reasoning
Conduct	Tie	10-10	Nothing to report!

Somewhere in the night, a Club Naraka coat and hat, usually only worn by guards, lay in a trash can. A woman, caked in blood and all manner of horrors, pressed herself against the wall beside it, and fished through her pocket for a coin. She’d found it there, in the elevator, on her way to her shift. Moonlight danced across its surface, letting the coin shimmer madly in the low light. ”Hah… you… y-you saved me…” Emile was shuddering, clutching the golden coin tight, for fear of dropping it. “I-I don’t know why, but… w-whatever you want of me, I’ll gladly give it in return… p-please, tell me…who…who are you?”
“…aha!” the voice chuckled. “How…terrible of me! In all the commotion, our…introductions com-pletely slipped my…mind.”
The air in front of Emile began to shift and shimmer. As she pulled her gaze away from the coin, she saw something phase into existence—a feminine form, long purple wires for hair, and a peering red eye gazing back at her beneath them.
It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
“My name is Markov. And your ad-mir-a-tion is payment…enough.”
Emile stared, gazing in wonderment at the hovering figure. Whether from exhaustion or reverence, she dropped to her knees, tears beginning to streak down her face. She thought of the ordeals she’d just faced. The people she’d passed. The people she’d fled. The people she’d killed. There was something else, though—the figure’s eyes seemed to- “That…hole in your shoulder.” Emile’s own head turned to match the figure’s gaze. “Do not fret. I can…teach you how to…take care of that.”
From the roof above the pair’s heads, one couldn’t hear the quiet murmurs and shivers of a woman ripping apart her own viscera-caked clothes to seal her wounds. Other things were certainly on the mind of its occupant, one Reese McGuffin.
Before him were two rats. Before them was a whole litany of ghostly creatures. His hand pointed towards the rat to his right, “Alright everyone, this is Splinter—” before it moved to point at the rat on his left, “—and this is Remy!”
Remy waddled up to a Utahraptor first, and started sniffing at it. “Oh, lemme introduce you to pieces, Remy!” Reese put a hand between the ghost animals, and casually shuffled it back and forth as he spoke. “Remy, Pieces! Pieces, Remy!” He turned on his heel to see Splinter eyeing up Finn, the shark. “Hey! He’s a friend, not food!”
A comforting quiet filled the night air as the ghostly animals circled one another, introducing themselves in their own little ways. The only thing left on Reese’s mind was a single odd question, one that had been eating at him since he left. “Where did I put that coral?”
Slowly, Mahimit awoke to the morning sun’s light. They could have sworn that they had a nightmare that night, but they felt refreshed as if waking from a peaceful slumber…
That wasn’t a nightmare, was it? He thought he could manage it all but in the end he just…broke as soon as he saw Ajay lying there with a bullet through his shoulder—wait, is he okay? Was he brought to safety? Did the Suite now think he was involved?
“Hey, don’t worry—you're safe here.”
Mahimit blinked, finally taking note of their surroundings. They were lying in a plain white bed, first aid boxes and equipment scattered about—the architect remembered the claws raking at their back throughout the night. Their torso had been bandaged up thoroughly: their long coat was laid out across a table, while their shirt was currently in Windy’s hands, who must have paused in stitching back up one of the tears when she noticed them awake.
“W-where am I?” Mahi asked. “Is Ajay safe? Where is he?”
“Jon got him to a hospital as soon as he could,” a voice called out from the door. Mahi looked over to see who looked like a detective walking in, followed by the two he recognised having gone after Zafar back then—no, not Zafar. “Had to be more careful with you given how well known you are, Mahimit—or do you prefer Hira?”
The architect sighed with some relief at that, not finding any deceit in the answer. “Either’s fine…not sure which one’s more ‘me’ anyways.” He looked around at the group settling into the room. “…Where’s the other person who was with you? Is she okay?”
A silence filled the room as the four recalled what Windy recounted once they regrouped—Sonika had lost hope, and ended up attempting to kill an unconscious Mahimit before she was stopped by Windy which caused the PI to run off.
Steric didn’t look it, but he was probably one of the most affected within PINDROP. While diving into his work wasn’t the healthiest coping mechanism, he had been increasingly concerned for Sonika’s health and disposition—so to hear that she not only ran off, but wanted to dispand PINDROP was crushing. “She…she ended up leaving.” He refocused onto Mahimit. “You said you’re unsure about yourself—would you be willing to answer why?”
Hira chuckled. “I guess I do owe you some answers. Well, I first went out as ‘Hira’ right around when I manifested my Stand—but then I ended up going out as them more often. Started to look into stuff about myself without the pressure of being the perfect son on my back…haven’t felt I’ve had the chance to really do so since I came back to Rakin.”
“Because of Zafar?” Inago asked, taking a nearby seat. “You don’t have to answer more than you’re comfortable with, but…you only went berserk after you thought he had just shot your friend.”
“Yup,” Windy nodded, setting aside the shirt and needle. “And I couldn’t help but notice ya stopped letting that Stand control ya once Sonika said out loud that it wasn’t your pa.”
Mahi winced. “…Yeah, I thought it was Zafar. He was a great parent and I never wanted to let him down, but things got so out of hand that when that last piece dropped I just…shattered, I guess. Though even if he was told it probably wouldn’t matter…”
“And why’s that?” Steric asked, jotting down some notes.
“He’s stubborn, sticks to how he thinks things are. If anything challenges his view on a friend or ally of his, he’ll just ignore it and carry on. He’s going to learn that I was Tamas and he’ll shrug it off and forget about it, as usual. Probably the sole reason he’s still in the Metro is because he truly believes that they’re doing what’s best for the city—something I found quickly wasn’t the case.”
Drippy stepped forward. “About that: why were you in there in the first place, and for how long? And what do you know about the Middleman?”
“…I can’t tell you anything about them.” Hira spoke, eyes glancing away from her.
“W-why!?” Drippy almost yelled out. “What reason do you all possibly have to not want them stopped?!”
“Well, you plan on killing them once you know, aren’t you?”
“Yes! Perhaps if you actually told us then maybe we could see why we shouldn’t put down this person taking utmost glee in murder. I don’t get why you and Rasna are willing to protect this guy.”
“…Trust me, if I could have stopped them I would have years ago. But if Rasna’s refused to tell you, you should be able to figure out why, right?”
“…they’ve suffered a lot, haven’t they?” Inago asked somberly. “That must be why they’re how they are today.”
“Oh, so they can get off free after everything they did?” Drippy retorted.
Steric put his hands between the two lest things escalated. “We can discuss this later—at the very least that is a lead.” He turned to the guest. “As for the other questions?”
Mahi nodded. “It was a month or two after I began working towards getting into the City Planning Board. Things weren’t looking as good as I hoped, when my father decided to bring me down to see these friends of his. I was offered a deal: they would pull some strings to help get me onto the board as long as I was willing to put forward some things they wanted…even then I figured something was off, but if it meant I could help this city I thought it was worth it. Oh how wrong I was…”
Steric sighed, finishing up with his notepad before putting away his pen. “I think that will be all then…thank you for your time. We’ll leave you to rest now.”
Inago followed the PINDROP members out, looking over his shoulder one last time: “Before I forget, anything you want for breakfast?”
Mahi thought for a moment. “Pancakes?”
Windy hopped off her chair and walked closer to Hira. “You’re a kind soul deep down, aren’t ya? Even as violent as you were, ya never tried to kill anyone…”
“But I just tried to kill you! It wasn’t me but it was born from me…messed with my thoughts as well as my body. So glad my therapist is a Stand user, thank fu—dge.”
She chuckled at the self-censorship. “But you fought back in the end, didn’t ya? I think I understand the feeling of getting puppeted though, and I know Luna and Alex should be able to help with the memory stuff. If you ever want to talk about it, feel free—we’d be happy to.”
“Sure,” Mahi nodded, lying back down into the bed as they allowed themself to smile. “…Thank you.”
Scenario: Verve Residence, Sapatibhatt — 10:23AM
Clink.
The teacup rattled against the table, empty. Idly, Gioia Arancini glanced over the lid, curious to see the shape of her future reflected in the tea leaves. She didn’t believe in that stuff, but Fate had taken stranger forms. Besides, Evergreen had done a lot these past few weeks. She couldn’t help but wonder…
“You were right, Gioia!” Soichi piped up from beside her, sipping on his own cup, “this is really good!”
In front of them, Vasant Verve sheepishly wrung his hands, giving them both a little smile. “I’m glad I haven’t lost my touch, haha…! It really is the least I can do, while you’re here.”
They could not meet at Urban Hymns, as the estate had been closed since Gioia and Charvet fought the man a few weeks prior. Though she had expected the two of them would get arrested, Verve himself had told the authorities that he would not press charges. In return, Gioia had been checking in with him, making sure he was back on his feet, and that ｢Cage The Elephant｣ was well and truly gone.
“Mm,” Gioia nodded, “give Vasudha my thanks as well,”
“No problem, dear!” a woman shouted from another room. Verve had little desire to return to his cabin, so in the meantime he was staying in his younger sister’s house.
For a moment, there was silence. Verve was perfectly still, as if one wrong move would shatter this tenuous peace. Soichi was content to drink in the cozy atmosphere. Gioia was staring at the tea leaves. What shape did they form?

The peace on Mount Parapollah was just as tenuous. Muuru had returned to the mountain now that the sand worms slumbered and the shifting had stopped. There was once a being who was to the Mountain as Muuru was to the City. The being was gone, now, and the Suite was filling in the gaps with trucks and bulldozers. As Muuru watched, a woman with a flute sat down beside him and smiled. Whatever happened next, the Mountain and the City moved together.

Gioia was drawn back to reality as Soichi spoke. “So, what have you been doing during your time off?”
“Oh?” Verve blinked. “Not much, I suppose! Just some odd jobs, here and there, mostly in the South. Just trying to help the rebuilding efforts, you know? Fix what I broke.” He grimaced a moment, before deflecting back to Soichi.
“What about you? It’s usually just Gioia checking in, I haven’t seen you since, you know…”
“The whole New York thing?” Soichi chuckled. “I’ve been alright, yeah. As rough as it was, we ended up making friends with those Riders! Sometimes you need an unlikely situation to help you come together, you know?”
Evergreen had certainly faced unlikely situations before. Gioia mused on this as she looked at the leaves.

The flute was not the only instrument that echoed through Rakin. As Deacon Blues wandered through the Sapatibhatt, the song of his trumpet followed behind. The land, once torn apart, was being rebuilt. The scars from his battle with the weaponsmith were fading, but the man still taught him a valuable lesson. The hand that wields a weapon can also wield a tool. Maybe this was the nature of potential. Whatever it was, Deacon figured it was worth a song.

Gioia glanced up from the cup, giving Verve a smirk. “Tough times help you realize who your real friends are. You’ve realized that too, I’m sure. Thanks to our efforts, the Metropolis Suite is having a tough time of their own. I wonder how quickly they’ll turn on each other?”
“Xen was already convinced they were out to get him. He kept going on about this Stand, ｢Diamond Life｣. No matter what he did for the Suite, it never told him who its user was. It drove him crazy–I think he was trying to solve that one himself.”
“Did he succeed?”
“I don’t think so. It’s not like he could strike a deal with The Gossip, he didn’t have anything ｢She｣ wanted. I’m sure that drove him crazy too.” There was still a sorrow in his voice.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Soichi smiled quietly, patting the man on the arm. Gioia nodded in turn, before she continued.
“Have you had any contact with him?”
“Not really. His assistant texted me, apparently the folks at Hymnal are on indefinite paid leave, until I figure out what to do. I guess that’s on me.” Verve paused a moment, grimacing. “Apparently he might still be at the cottage? I don’t know—I’m not going to—I’m not ready to talk to him, yet.”
“You don’t ever have to talk to him again,” Gioia responded. “I’m sure he’s cowering in the dark now that we’ve exposed his true nature. The other members of Metropolis should realize they’re soon to follow.”
Indeed, the members of Evergreen might not have the same methods…but they were united in this cause. Would this define their future? Gioia glanced over at the tea leaves.

The immortal had lived through countless riots, but the Bedtown Takeover was one of his favorites. He had returned to the area, replaying his grand speech, looking at the bloodstains that marked this territory. Sure, now that Aco’s child had appeared, VULTURE was considering new leadership. But that didn’t matter to Ouroboros, content to remain the (Self-Appointed) Secret Lord of Bedtown. Behind him, Honeydew was simply content to dismantle car batteries.

Gioia glanced back at Verve to see his brow furrowed.
“I can’t believe I ever got involved with those bastards,” he scowled. “Deep down, I knew they were trouble—I talked to Xen about Sing Now!, he just said…sometimes the only way to reach a common goal is to work with people you don’t agree with. He almost made it make sense.”
“He was a smooth-talking control freak. I’m sure you’ve realized how empty those words were.”
Verve rested his chin in his hand, staring into his own empty cup. In the end, all he saw were scattered leaves. No one was guiding him now. No one but himself. “…That’s not all he was. I think he really believed it, you know? That he was doing good. I wanted to believe it too, more than anything. But I think he was just trying to justify it to himself. Even when he had his doubts.”
Gioia curled her fingers around the teacup. “What about you, Verve? What do you think ‘good’ is?”
At this, the man laughed bittersweetly. “You think I can answer that? I thought Xen had the answer, and look where that got us. If you think you’re the only guy who can change the world, you’ll just make it worse.”
He looked up at Soichi. “We saw what his world looks like,” then to Gioia, “he would have trapped us both inside, if not for you.”
It seemed the Suite had a lot of cities within cities, living symbols of their control. Gioia took one last look at the symbol in her cup.

Disco D Lune had been keeping up with her contacts at the military base, catching up with the most recent happenings. Apparently, there had been a falling-out between the general and his child: an opportunity to sew doubt and dissent amongst the ranks. Disco had already designed new buildings to replace this one, and they were beautiful.

“You’re a free man, Verve,” Gioia concluded, staring him down. “So what will you do with that freedom?”
Verve looked between the two, but found no answers. Now, his choices were his own. In the end, the answer was simple.
“…I want to make things right. The Suite they… they ruined my home, they ruined him, they ruined me. I’m tired of seeing kids get pulled into this. Rasna, Ichi, and now poor Mahamit…” Behind him, warm air sang with the soft trumpet of ｢Bitter Sweet Symphony｣. “It needs to end. Those kids, my nieces, all of them, all of us. We all need a city that we can call home.”
Gioia smiled, closing her eyes contentedly as she felt the heat roll over her. Beside her, she could feel Soichi resting a hand on her shoulder. She didn’t even need to see his smile to feel its warmth. She didn’t need to see the leaves to know the shape of her future. She had known many homes, many stories, many tragedies and triumphs. But right now, home was a tree, Evergreen. Seasons changed, and yet its leaves would always flourish.
Soichi glanced at the cup in her stead. To him, the leaves just seemed like a weird square. But soon that shape was washed away, as he poured them all another cup of warm and fragrant tea.
“Well said! This calls for a toast. To new friends!”
Clink!

Scenario: Hymnal Bazaar, Reshmerasta — 8:58 PM
The market was closed for the evening. This curfew was in place ever since the Middleman attacked. The Bazaar was already struggling—if people were too scared to walk around at night, then why bother staying open? Even when the Bazaar was open, the stall for Urban Hymns stood empty. But for a broom, only a lone figure stood there. Verve used to sweep while his employees handled everything else.
His boyfriend once asked him why he did that.
’It makes me feel like I’m doing something–” he had laughed, “I’m leaving this place better than I found it!’
Verve had a lovely laugh, the figure recalled, staring at the broom.
Slowly, he knelt down to pick it up.
Then, Xenagoras took a deep breath,
and swept the streets that he used to own.

Scenario: ???, ??? — 9:07 PM
“It’s simple, gentlemen…”
The sound of chatter and slow music. The smell of pristine tobacco and the clinking of glasses. This outlined the leadership of the Metropolis Suite, holed up in a skyscraper that overlooked the whole of Rakin. To their right, a window—one that replaced the whole wall, showing the nighttime lights. It almost looked like an alien world, the way the dark purples and reds of the late sunset stretched across the blinking gleams of windows and signs. A single man spoke, an esteemed guest trying his best to rise in their ranks: Luiviton.
“With a little bit of push, we could completely criminalize a number of traffic violations. Of course, they’re already illegal—but I’m talking perfect driving. Instead of community service, we give fines that cut chunks out of bank accounts. Instead of towing cars, we give jail time. I have contacts in the private prison industry who would be willing to pay us good money to multiply the conviction rates~! All it takes is a little bit of sacrifice from Rakin’s people.”
The table was silent. A voice piped up- that of Sing Now!, media conglomerate CEO and one of the Suite’s primary figures of authority. “That’s an awful idea, Luiviton.”
He blanched. “E-Excuse me?” He asked, flabbergasted. “We could stand to gain-”
Sing Now! interrupted him swiftly and curtly. “It doesn’t matter how much we ‘stand to gain’ from selling our city’s soul to prison moguls. You’re a good friend, but everytime you come up here with a suggestion it’s always some kind of short-sighted scheme to make money. That’s not what this thing of ours is about.”
That earned a couple of nods and a “Damn straight.” from Zafar at his left.
He continued. “If we overcriminalize poor driving, what we’re doing is sacrificing Rakin’s workforce in exchange for…nothing. We would completely freeze important institution who are suddenly bleeding key figures and employees who’ve made simple mistakes. We’re not parasites or petty tyrants. We’re leaders. We do these backdoor deals not to increase our wealth, but our resources which we must use for everyone’s benefit. We must direct the people, not root through their pockets.”
Conversation erupted, primarily economic in nature. Some offered to take care of the market in Xenagoras’s stead. Others offered grants to the arts. Others pointed to the need for construction and repairs. Some tried to give statistics on rising rates of crime and discontent within Rakin’s citizens.
One key figure of the Suite, however, was absent. She stood a few meters away, staring out the window at the city below. Her stance was relaxed, yet firm. As if she was on guard against some invisible threat. She held a small glass of scotch in one hand, occasionally sipping from it. She seemed tired. Very, very tired. This was Zhengqi Dianyou, the CEO of the Rakin Rail Corporation. Occasionally, she’d let out a yawn.
Sitting on a loveseat nearby was Ichi Ni San Go—the charge of Sing Now! who was currently too distracted to really remember she existed. Without a babysitter, she was content to simply exist next to Zhengqi, looking out the window with her at the beauty of the city and occasionally asking simple, childish questions.
They were approached by a figure, glowing in the light. Someone followed close behind.
｢Diamond Life｣, the Stand of the every-mysterious head of the Metropolis Suite. Said user hung close behind. Zhengqi always found her boss’s habit of speaking through their Stand peculiar; she understood it as a security tactic, but it often came up even in casual scenarios. “Enjoying the event, you two?” It asked. Its tone was genuine—the Stand could be a tool of intimidation whenever its user willed it so, and this wasn’t that.
Zhengqi just grunted, turning around and finishing off the scotch. She set the glass down on a nearby table, looking at ｢Diamond Life｣. “I’ve never understood how it’s so easy for you to talk through that thing—”
｢Diamond Life｣ shot forward with incredible speed, shushing the name with a single finger gently placed on her lips. “Careful, Ms. Dianyou. The end of the table. Do you see him?”
Her eyes crept towards the table, landing on a man nodding idly to the talk. Iron Butterfly was a member of the Suite who often remained in the background; to her understanding, he helped keep the Suite in control over a good deal of the crop farming in the more rural parts of Rakin. She looked back at the Stand, and it elaborated: “He’s wearing a wire. Loose lips aren’t ideal tonight.”
Zhengqi just sighed, running her hand through her hair as her other put ｢Diamond Life｣’s hand back down. “I’ll take care of him after the meeting.” She offered. ｢Diamond Life｣ chuckled, willingly pulling their hand back.
“I’d appreciate it- I had originally planned on handling the issue myself. You’re always putting your best foot forward with us—it’s something I value.”
She gave a weak smile. “It’s nothing, really. Just me giving back for everything the Suite’s done for me.”
Ichi piped up, eagerly watching the conversation. “I think Ms. Dianyou works too much…she’s always so tired and never has any time to play games or watch cartoons or do anything!”
Zhengqi did her best to put on a friendly smile. “Ichi…when you get older, sometimes you just don’t have the time for-”
｢Diamond Life｣ interrupted her. “She’s right, you know. You overwork yourself. I was being polite about it before, talking about your best foot forward- but I do worry.”
She looked at ｢Diamond Life｣ sternly. “We don’t exactly have the time to rest. I’m certain you’ve seen the news. People are starting to figure out we exist. People are hiring private detectives and holding protests. Things are starting to unravel. We need to act before things break so hard they can’t be put back together.”
｢Diamond Life｣ stood up straight, looking her in the eyes. “Trust me. I have plans, and they involve you. Both of you.”
Ichi immediately raised a little in her seat, glowing a little. “Me~? Really~?”
A friendly chuckle escaped from ｢Diamond Life｣’s nonexistent lips. “Yes, you.” A dour look plastered across its face as it looked back at Zhengqi. “I’m going to need you to handle…key targets. I want certain people out of the way and key infrastructure mapped and maintained for your “ability”—it’ll be valuable to us should the ire of the populace come to a head. Past that, rest. Allow your subordinates at Zuantou Rail to handle things. Take a long holiday. We don’t need an exhausted zombie, we need you.”
Zhengqi could only reply with silence. She knew better than to argue with ｢Diamond Life｣, but to stop working? It felt alien to her. She was tempted to clutch at her sternum from the thought.
“As for you, Ichi…” The Stand continued. “I want you to gather info for me on some of the Stand users around the city.”
Ichi innocently kicked her feet. “How am I ‘sposed to do that? I dunno any cool spy stuff, and Daddy said-”
“I’ll handle your father, don’t worry.” ｢Diamond Life｣ said, walking forward and cupping Ichi’s cheek in their clawed hand. “I just want you to make friends, okay? Go out. Explore. Meet people, as many as you can. Participate in their lives and conflicts. Tell me everything you see and hear, okay?”
Ichi just nodded, smiling widely.
“Perfect,” replied the Stand. They drew their arm back, clasping their hands together. “But enough about work. Have you two tried the finger food that’s been provided? It’s truly divine.”
Scenario: Mili's Diner, Mist City — 7:37PM
The bell above the entrance rang late into the dusk, announcing the arrival of a certain happy customer. He hummed cheerily to himself, taking a seat behind the counter and giving her regards to the woman behind the counter. His order was the same as it was every time he came here, and yet he always flipped through the menu anyway. He was a cheerful, easygoing man, despite everything.
His name was Steric Lou Farin, recently self-appointed head of PINDROP. He hadn’t been planning on it, but with the sudden departure of Sonika, the team needed someone to step up fast. He was the most experienced in the field of investigation and had the sort of charisma the role required. He didn’t mind taking the lead, either. If anything, it made his work a little easier.
Speaking of work, that was the reason for this visit—good as the food was. He glanced over to the other two customers, talking quietly amongst themselves, and smiled. Both were of particular interest.
The first was one Brighid Rhodes. He’d sparred with her a few months back, and an exchange of business cards had proved extremely wise when he needed assistance in dealing with one Texas Aco. She was the one to finally calm her down in the end—albeit forcefully, but all’s well that ends well.
Speaking of which, Texas Aco sat at the counter now, talking in hushed mumbles to Brighid. The notable thing there being that she was talking now. She had been silent in the immediate aftermath of her rampage, but after spending some time at Brighid’s, Steric had gotten the call today that she’d been ready to speak.
“I hope you all had a safe drive here,” he chuckled to himself. “It’s awfully rainy out, isn’t it?”
“Nothing too bad.” Brighid exhaled, and Texas nodded with her, sipping on a chocolate milkshake. Her misshapen insect arm was hidden under a worn old coat draped over her shoulder. Brighid gave the detective a particular glance, and Steric took that as a sign to get to questioning.
“So, Texas…” He cleared his throat, making sure he had the girl’s attention. “I’m sorry for calling you out so soon. You ever want to stop talking about all this, let me know. I don’t want to do you any harm.”
“Mmm.” Texas nodded again.
“Now, I understand you’ve had, er, a difficult last few months.” That was no understatement: she’d been directly responsible for an attempted VULTURE mutiny. It failed, and drove her off into hiding god-knows-where. “In particular, I’d like to ask you about your relationship to VULTURE. It’s a piece of the puzzle here I haven’t entirely been able to ascertai-”
“I’m taking over VULTURE.” Texas deadpanned. Brighid sighed.
“I told you that isn’t the best idea.” The lawyer attempted to flick her on the forehead. “That’s too dangerous. No way you can get it done on your own.”
“No, I mean, like-” Texas grumbled. “She literally told me I could have it. The old boss.”
Brighid blinked a few times. She hadn’t heard about that. Steric nodded.
“Ms. Kaliya told me she’d been in contact with you. She said you’d been pretty against taking the leadership role, though.” Steric raised an eyebrow. “What changed?”
“…It sucks here, man.” Texas smirked. “Even with all the bullshit charities, shit’s gone bad after Rasna left. I’m sure you caught wind of that. Guys turning up dead left and right—there was a fight at a funeral, right? Whole place got blown to smithereens. What the fuck, man.”
“Ahah, yes.” Steric winced. “Quite the festivity, wasn’t it.”
“The place needs someone to step up. And with that little rampage I went on…” She looks embarrassed, for a moment. “I think I’ve got the rep to fill her shoes. Er. Maybe. I’m not really that scary, but, uh…”
“Ms. Kaliya told me you weren’t of that sort of opinion before.” Steric raised his eyebrow again, tapping his pen against his notepad. “What changed?”
“…Nothing, really. I just.” Texas chuckled, reclining on her stool. “I don’t really think anything I’ll do will have any difference. But I can’t stop myself from trying, either. I don’t think she’d want me to, either.”
Brighid placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder, glancing down at her. “Long as you come back to my place when you’re done. I trust you, but you should have a bed to sleep on.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Steric grinned. This was a good development! A bit risky, sure, but it gave him in an in. “Say!” He stopped absentmindedly chewing on his pen’s tip. “Y’think you’d be willing to help us out? VULTURE’s assistance would be a great help…and something tells me we’ve got a common goal.”
“I’ll think on it.” Was Texas’s only response. Brighid flicked her on the forehead again. “Ow! Okay, fine, yeah, I’ll help. You guys don’t seem that bad.”
Steric clasped his hands together. One step closer. “Ah, and you too, Miss Rhodes.”
“Hah?” Brighid scoffed. “I don’t think anyone with me is gonna be much help-”
“I think that’s, er, preposterous.” He tapped his notepad a few times. “I did some looking into the work your people’ve done recently. For museum staff, you folks sure are prolific. A boat raid is quite the accomplishment. Hmm, hmm~.”
“Well, er…” Brighid sighed. Her group had had a history of engaging in combat. Entities like Paranoia and Markov were practically built for it, but her group had had similar exploits recently: Ruby’s left her fight with the swordsman at the art college relatively unharmed, and Roxanne had managed to charm an ex-member of Metropolis. Despite how weird all of them were, they were useful in a variety of ways; it made sense Steric wanted their assistance.
“Alright. I’ll get them to help out.” Much as she didn’t trust some of them with heroism, Brighid found herself more involved than she’d anticipated—and getting into the action herself meant she could help keep Texas as safe as possible, despite everything. “But you gotta help out with the museum. We’re, uh, still working on reconstruction.”
“No worries. I think I’ve got a few artifacts here and there. They’d be fit for your collection.” Steric’s phone buzzed—he rose and nodded at the two. “It’s been a pleasure, folks, but the life of a detective is ever so busy. Be seeing you.” With that, he grabbed his coat and strode away, leaving a good third of his burger.
Several oversized flies crawled out from beneath Texas’s coat, nibbling on the leftovers. “You really okay with me, uh, y’know…” Texas made a few vague gestures with her hands. “It’s a big thing to, uh, undertake. I figured you’d try to stop me.”
“I doubt I’d be able to.” Brighid chuckled. “‘Sides, you’re a pretty tough kid. I was pretty rough and tumble when I was your age, and look how I turned out. I’m a lawyer and everything.”
Texas nodded, returning to her milkshake. She was an ant under an elephant’s foot—she’d become well aware of that. But even so; even an ant had its resolve, and a swarm could pick apart a carcass. Even if it was only delusion, she’d do what she could. Mom would’ve liked that.
“Mmm.” She grinned. “Here goes.”

<=TO BE CONTINUED==

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i will sing the song of the universe.
a hymn so old words won't fit it.
one that was written in life's first minute.
a hum you would do when cleaning the dishes.
a whistle you could hear when acting wishes.
the song was loud and quiet at the same time.
a song so good it didn't need to rhyme.
music: the vehicle of emotion.
music: what sent life in motion.
music: older than you know.
music: the fire that came before the snow.
i had sung the song of the universe.
but don't forget she had sung it first.

2Peter 1:5-6 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
Today, we will talk about godliness. As I looked at all the aspects of faith, I felt like godliness covers it all. I was thinking godliness meant being more like God. As I studied the text further, I learned that Godliness comes from a Greek word (eusebeia) which means 'worship that is worthy of God.’ We need to be intentional and reverent when we worship our Lord.
I had a dream in which I was leading a congregation in the singing of a praise hymn. In my dream, I knew it was imperative that we worship God because Satan was trying to pull us apart. I had everyone open their books to the hymn, “My Jesus I Love Thee.” The pianist began playing the music and the people began to sing. It didn’t take long for me to realize they weren’t singing the right words. I looked at my hymnal and Satan had changed the words, but the people were still singing. I stopped the music. I told them to close their books and sing from their hearts. They did and Satan left.
Far too often, we go through the motions of worship without truly worshiping. We go to church. We sing the hymns; we listen to the prayers and sermon. But even in then our hearts and minds are not focused on honoring God. We aren’t doing it with the intentions of glorifying God. We are not adding Godliness to our faith.
I’m asking you to do that now. Stop whatever you’re doing, including putting your device down that is allowing you to read this post. Go to God in Prayer and thanksgiving. Praise him for all he is. As the hymn goes, 🎶Count your blessings, name them one by one.”🎶 Be filled with his Spirit as you intentionally show reverence and truly worship and honor our Lord. Then continue your day and show him honor and glory in everything you do. Let your actions, your thoughts, your attitude, and your words be pleasing to our God.
🙏God, I do praise you and thank you for loving me and always being with me. You are an awesome God. When I look at your creation around me I am in awe. When I realize that the creator of the universe loves me and abides in me, I am overwhelmed. To simply say thank you seems shallow. Yet, I am thankful. Please continue living in me and directing my path. Please bless me to be a blessing for you, bringing honor and glory to your name. This I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 🙏

Here are 100 Tips to Advance Spiritually on Your Recovery Journey

1. Start your day with prayer, asking God for strength and guidance.
2. Read the Bible daily, focusing on verses about healing and recovery.
3. Join a Christian recovery group where you can share your journey with others.
4. Memorize Scripture that speaks to overcoming temptation and maintaining faith.
5. Keep a journal of prayers, insights, and daily progress.
6. Attend church regularly to worship and connect with a faith community.
7. Practice gratitude by thanking God for three things every morning.
8. Offer your struggles to God in prayer, asking for His help to overcome them.
9. Serve others through volunteer work, which can shift focus from self to service.
10. Share your testimony with others to encourage them and strengthen your own faith.
11. Find a mentor or spiritual director who exemplifies Christian living.
12. Participate in Bible studies to deepen your understanding of the Scriptures.
13. Practice forgiveness, letting go of old grudges and asking for forgiveness from those you’ve hurt.
14. Avoid triggers and situations where you’re tempted to relapse.
15. Maintain healthy boundaries in personal and professional relationships.
16. Stay active to help manage stress and improve mental health.
17. Eat a balanced diet to help stabilize mood swings and improve overall health.
18. Get adequate sleep to ensure your mind and body are well-rested.
19. Practice humility by acknowledging your weaknesses and asking for help when needed.
20. Celebrate small victories in your recovery journey, recognizing God’s hand in each.
21. Seek professional counseling if you struggle with underlying issues contributing to addiction.
22. Pray for others facing similar struggles, which can deepen your empathy and connection.
23. Participate in retreats focused on spiritual growth and recovery.
24. Practice patience, recognizing that recovery is a journey, not a destination.
25. Engage in regular self-reflection to assess your growth and areas needing improvement.
26. Stay connected with supportive friends and family who encourage your recovery.
27. Use your experiences to advocate for recovery support in your community.
28. Develop a personal creed or statement of faith that you can turn to in times of temptation.
29. Learn to recognize God’s presence in everyday life and lean on Him during tough times.
30. Set realistic goals for your personal and spiritual growth.
31. Practice mindful meditation focused on biblical truths and God’s love.
32. Join a service project at church or a local charity.
33. Educate yourself about the physiological aspects of addiction to better understand your body’s reactions.
34. Encourage someone daily with a phone call, text, or email.
35. Make amends where possible, as part of your healing process.
36. Limit exposure to digital distractions to enhance your focus on recovery and spiritual growth.
37. Read Christian literature that supports recovery and spiritual well-being.
38. Create a peaceful home environment that supports your recovery.
39. Attend workshops or seminars on Christian living and addiction recovery.
40. Practice the art of listening to God and others, enhancing your empathy and understanding.
41. Engage in creative activities like writing, painting, or music that express your journey.
42. Develop a routine that includes time for work, rest, and spiritual practices.
43. Seek opportunities to share your skills and talents with your church or community.
44. Maintain a spirit of joy, finding reasons to smile and laugh each day.
45. Dress modestly and respectfully, reflecting your dignity as a child of God.
46. Be honest with yourself and others about your struggles and successes.
47. Respect your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit by avoiding substances that harm it.
48. Cultivate gentleness in your interactions with others.
49. Take responsibility for your actions and their impact on others.
50. Participate in community prayer groups or start one if none exists.
51. Commit to lifelong learning about your faith and how it relates to recovery.
52. Use technology for good, such as subscribing to Christian podcasts or recovery channels.
53. Support others in their recovery, offering your time and presence as a mentor.
54. Engage with nature, appreciating God’s creation as a source of peace.
55. Maintain a clean and orderly living space, which can improve your mental clarity and peace.
56. Honor your commitments to others, showing reliability and respect.
57. Seek silence regularly, allowing God to speak to your heart without interruption.
58. Pray before meals, thanking God for His provision.
59. Participate in fasting as a form of spiritual discipline and focus.
60. Practice saying “no” to non-essential demands that may lead to stress or temptation.
61. Develop financial discipline, using resources wisely and avoiding debt.
62. Attend a different community’s church service to experience the broader body of Christ.
63. Watch or listen to testimonies of other Christians who have overcome addiction.
64. Plan for challenging situations by having a strategy to maintain your sobriety.
65. Participate in communal worship, such as singing hymns or contemporary Christian music.
66. Adopt a spirit of perseverance, knowing that every day with God is a step toward recovery.
67. Educate others about addiction, breaking down stigma and spreading hope.
68. Take time off when needed to maintain your mental and spiritual health.
69. Pray with and for your family, strengthening bonds and spiritual connections.
70. Celebrate religious holidays with true spiritual fervor, focusing on their Christian significance.
71. Visit historical Christian sites or take pilgrimages to deepen your faith.
72. Incorporate Christian symbols in your home to remind you of your faith.
73. Give anonymously to those in need, practicing the gift of giving without recognition.
74. Join or form a support group specifically for Christian addicts in recovery.
75. Use Christian apps that provide daily scriptures and prayers.
76. Hold regular family devotions, integrating faith into your household’s routine.
77. Teach a Sunday school class or small group, sharing your knowledge and faith.
78. Partake in communion regularly, remembering Christ’s sacrifice and promise.
79. Invite friends to church or spiritual events, sharing your journey and community.
80. Maintain a prayer list, regularly updating and praying for the needs of others.
81. Reflect on the lives of saints and other Christian figures, drawing inspiration from their faith and perseverance.
82. Practice hospitality, opening your home to fellowship and community building.
83. Engage in spiritual warfare prayers, recognizing and combating the spiritual roots of addiction.
84. Forgive yourself and others, releasing bitterness and focusing on God’s mercy.
85. Decorate your living space with verses and Christian art, creating an environment of faith.
86. Observe a Sabbath rest, dedicating time each week to rest and spiritual renewal.
87. Speak words of affirmation and faith to yourself and others.
88. Consult with your pastor or spiritual leader regularly to stay on track.
89. Embrace modesty in thoughts, words, and actions, focusing on purity.
90. Conduct a weekly review of your spiritual and recovery progress.
91. Be proactive in your church community, taking part in its activities and outreach.
92. Learn to manage stress through faith-based practices like meditation and prayer.
93. Teach about addiction and recovery in your church, spreading awareness and support.
94. Maintain a balance between work, rest, and play to support your overall well-being.
95. Create a vision board that includes your spiritual goals and inspirations.
96. Participate in ecumenical gatherings, recognizing the unity of the broader Christian community.
97. Implement a “media fast” periodically to focus more on your spiritual life.
98. Pray for global issues and missions, broadening your spiritual concern beyond personal needs.
99. Set up a prayer corner or altar in your home, dedicating a space for spiritual reflection.
100. Routinely update your mentor or accountability partner about your progress and struggles.

Introduction

Christian religious education is defined as the process where by Christian learning takes place. It often involves “teaching which enables practicing Christians to adopt and deepen their Christian belief, values and dispositions to experience and act in a Christian way. It depends to a greater extent on how this process is adopted and practiced in different churches.

Different practices in Christian education in local churches

At some degree of certainty that all Christian churches have a similar aim’s and practices. The liturgical aspect is of paramount importance in the Trinitarian belief and practices in that it serves as introduction to what Christianity is all about. This is where the process of Cognitive learning takes places it involves the worship service where hymns are sang, lessons extracted from the books of the bible are read, sermon often punctuated with exhortation, admonishment and instruction in righteous living is delivered and prayers are said. It also involves the celebration of the holy Eucharist which Jesus Christ himself, recognized as the head of the church, initiated based on experience acquired in the worship service, it can be seen as Christian religious education is a confessional churchly activity of evangelism, instruction and nurture.
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I assure that “Youth are the most critical of all critics when it comes to religion”. Today, common inhabitants do pray and accept the holiness in church for Christ which they are aware that Christ constitutes the sacred bread and wine, but do not entirely act upon worshipping and fail to confront the thoughts and feelings to masses which would spread dignity of godliness among selves. The moral lies in the fact that this creates lackness to reach spiritual beliefs through worship and liturgy resulting in declination the faith which affects the divine nature approaching positivity.
Christian education is a vital important part in youth development. For Christian education to be explored, generation of today should be brought into contact through various practices. In the early centuries, reformers emphasized and trusted true faith and doctrines, to change and reform behaviour as the only solution for salvation in Christian education. Christian school movements prove a challenge as a messenger to convey god’s given mission and honour god.

Traditional approach

This approach was practiced since many decades and is still continued to be practiced which helps in binding and governing the ethics and morality within the religion and belief. Since beginning described, in leaving our homeland to teach the gospels throughout the world through scriptures, god conveyed his message – by sending his son Jesus for us, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Church, and Baptism for building unity.
Christianity consists of three things – Religious faith, way of life and community of mankind towards salvation are most important. The most vital of all belief preached is that there is only one god. The term Christian does not imply on the fact that a Christian should grow up in a Christian community, but precisely accepts Christian faith and belief, follows and leads the path of life on which Jesus walked on and made mankind accept Christian community through involvement and participation physically and mentally, as a result, traditional approach is how the local churches and preachers go about conducting their services. The apostle’s creed was apparently developed to summarize the Christian doctrine for man who baptised himself.

Theological and Biblical approach

This approach is regarded as an abstract discipline which teaches what bible is written. It is the study of god expressing god’s thought. The movement of bible indicates the doctrines to the kerygma to didache, to theological ethics, to revealed truth, to the way of living in Christian community.
God’s salvation to the world, worshipping the holy spirit, baptizing people in the name of god, preaching gospels as the word of god, share Christ’s own body and blood as bread and wine in holy communion, repenting and confessing god’s forgiveness etc are the concepts of theological and biblical foundation to Christian education. Even though mankind is aware but fail to involve due to the increasing evil and greed.
The service is organized to accept the call of god and to love him and others and which aims to gather people to worship him in return allowing him to take control over the world and through his presence spread peace, righteousness, justice, joy and helps in the growth of the life in an individual through increased faith.

Activities organized and performed in different local churches through to these practices

Some churches develop the initiative of the worshippers by confessing their faith in the words of the apostle creed. Each activity is correlated and composes a range of varied elements. Their current activities reflect the lives of an individual and drive them for a purpose through various numbers of activities to attain a better quality of life.
Due to activities, all age group gain variety of skills through many spiritual centred activities. Church acts as an interpreter between god and the worshippers to support in training the composition of these activities which are far more complex to solve a disturbed youth. They have to thereby standardize their curriculum and activities in regards to implement it. Different denominations organize activities to resolve the aim therefore to meet the need of the youth. Curriculum should be more focused than just on providing knowledge.
Activities are necessarily planned to build youth commitment. I believe it is necessary to reach them, i.e. train them to be strong future leaders. They should be kept one step ahead, for their life is very challenging. I believe that the best way to outreach youths mind is to be a youth like them to understand their psychology as it differs from every individual. The same activities do get affected as the youth is choosy and subtle.

Changing activities for tomorrow

Here the question is voiced that, what substantial change can be brought apart from the current activities to eradicate the above upcoming and dynamic problems in nature with respect to behavioural management or of what medication of healing would work out.
I would comment, the activities in the practices should be expanded and conduct likewise programmes workshops on educating purity before marriage, sex, child abuse, exploitation, rape, adultery, adolescence sex, teenage mothers, drugs addiction, aids, and divorce. Workshops, seminars for sex, abuse, peer mentoring, identifying preventive measures instead of curative measures targeting the social, political and the economical factors would be effective for incorporating the overall issues to bring the insight of the good and evil sides of every consequence, discussion on essential real life skills. Our goal is to create “world changers”, inviting the sacrifiers of evil and giving and sharing healthy priorities to save ourselves and the world, before it becomes a terrible fate and a debt for our own selves.
As the world is in unsafe fists of crime, terrorism, corruption, violence, youth have been diverted to a fast-paced and expects instant opportunities. Perhaps, the approaches of these local activities tend to be helpful and may bring positive results but I still feel that there is something missing, to monitor the youth from within. In an article – Practical: The Role of the Full-Time Youth Pastor in the Local Church, by Graeme Codrington, Denomination: Baptist (All), submitted on, May 18, 1997, states that, “In a world that is so busy, and demands so much of all of its inhabitants, young people need a secure environment, where they can experiment and decide who they want to be. They need significant people to be there to help them through this process. They need role models to follow”.
Above statement eventually satisfies the fact that these folks are craving for friendly support socially and for stimulation. Overall factors which conglomerate are peers, parents, teachers, church members and Christian community. All factors rely on one common feature which constitutes leadership. Ironically, most youth do understand the surrounding factors but the factors themselves become tough unknowingly that they can’t quite control the situation which then becomes too late to recover. The task is questioned commonly as what kind of leader a person should be to prove creditability and capability to influence the youth to pursue the direction towards god? In an article again stated by, Graeme Codrington, Denomination: Baptist (All), – Practical: The Role of the Full-Time Youth Pastor in the Local Church, submitted on, May 18, 1997, “Young people are not just “little adults” (cf. Elkind 1984:18). They are complex individuals who are battling to deal with the awesome transformation of their bodies, minds, and emotions. They are in a time of transition and growth, developing from the birthed bundle of potential to a fully integrated, functional member of society. The church is in a unique position to assist in this process”. Church as a role model fosters spiritual growth in every youth making them responsible to participate in Christian faith; she is a sign for an entrance of the god’s kingdom to the world of salvation, repentance, justice and peace to bring equality. She struggles hard and performs her duties wholly and solemnly reminds parents to structure their offspring’s life in Christian formation.
Church members acting as supporters, preach to establish and to promote a platform and share to encourage several types of civic, cultural, religious educational associations. In an article by Arthur Paul Boer – What must a Pastor know? Reflection on Congregational studies defines on writer James Hopewell’s statement saying beyond the embarrassment. “He has also observed that churches are sometimes chagrined by the change of hypocrisy and lament that they cannot measure upto ideals of Christian community”. Writer James Hopewell referred by Arthur Paul Boer notes that Christian leaders are incharge and build a church thereby rise in hypocrites. I observe practically that, though the world is changing, church strategy is also changing in complementing the growth. It still targets the set mission. Even though, somewhere in the corner hypocrites do exist but church leaders aim to find out what is the outcome in the people from the traditional, theological and biblical practices.
Perhaps according my research, I suggest they experiment bringing out good approaches to youth’s growth. Instead of the current activities followed in churches I would want to suggest the approach can be focused to bring in the outcome irrespective to exploration and innovation of ideas and thoughts for internal and external behaviour of an individual related to the surroundings around him, deepening of commitments to the teaching, provide opportunities to analyse socially and theologically and viewing his life in a theological manner. To build a framework of an activity consist of – to have an experience “like us”, to sense new boundaries by exploring new links to every Christian among themselves and to god across social and cultural boundaries.
In addition, exploration and inventive programmes can be executed to judge youth’s spirituality. Daily opportunities resulting in disorientation gets support through mission of god. Integration conceptual activities also can help in building and to capture ‘a born leader’. Church leader serves them as task leaders in the corrosion and freeing the task of a disconnected mind by planning tactics and dividing the burden of other’s through consultation. As the purpose is commitment, to serve the lost, skill based leadership formation training programmes can be organized to develop an effective leader so as to sustain the capability and capacity of the leader to solve the complaints lies in the dimensions of the ability. Workshops on intersections to shape boundaries of an individual and communities through theological and biblical language, symbols, and rituals to attain certain centered objectives.
As growth of globalization is tremendous, these leaders come across and face new opportunities and challenges. I believe they help in building an integral performance in conducting entrepreneurial business-based activities, describing the activities because youth’s mind is business-oriented, therefore the activities are to be structured keeping business in mind involving biblical and theological approaches with the existing resources for a business oriented youth. They tend to produce facilitate management sources to sustain and develop faith and love. When the youth develops a church from within, he will be able to observe and analyse the holistic environment.
The activities require presence of not only church members but also worshippers for youth development in successful implementation of these practices. Some worshippers form in small groups, some large varied to race culture. Arthur Paul Boer also examines simultaneously that when a group of pastors were having service of congregation, one among them exclaimed in deep breath “It showed me I’m not alone”. So often in our churches we berate ourselves for problems we face: not enough men, too few youth, preponderance of a certain race or culture. He is clear with the fact that a single person fails, unity increases strength. We ourselves give birth to a problem and then strive hard to face it because as there are few leaders left to catch a grip to support a large community. Due to less number of youth, less support is achieved to sustain the laws and policies of the church and unable to accomplish god’s mission. It is not only one who contributes but many. Above mentioned statement “It showed me I’m not alone” expresses that each race and culture form their own group; build small churches for their own community within their own boundaries, where god expects togetherness, wholeness. It requires lot of efforts to help small churches grow whereas large church with mass contribution grows as their already exist efforts in large numbers which take over the chained actions for development. Whether single church group or many, big or small, the development is important.
On this contradiction, I would suggest that this also includes that in small group the development is paid more attention and given a close eye, problems are spotted quickly and easily to meet the challenges. No matter how large or small challenges occur, the way we approach it is unique and comprehensive as this brings out effects of development in the youth. Whereas in large it becomes difficult to assist as there are more than one individuals. Due to small groups according to races and culture, differentiation exists. But the important criterion is group commitment and work effort in all sets of practice for congregations in any race or culture for a healthy youth so that to accomplish god’s mission. As a result both objectives are co-related to each other.
To understand the nature of Christian youth it is a very distinguished and a unique phenomenon. Due to the increasing issues of ‘peer pressure’, this has led to the obstruction in the development of youth. There are negative as well as positive aspects of it. Negative aspects influence a weaker mind. It is the most consistent findings revealed in observation. Due to the inquisitive innocence, an innocent becomes a prey of the negative aspect, thereby exploited and develops an evil companionship where he adopts negative qualities and habits. But there is positive aspects as in there are some groups who work towards peer relationship. Here innocent gets an opportunity to identify his fear, weakness and have control over his own power. The peer mentors play the part in organizing programmes to understand the behaviour. They interact with the teens and open lines of communication, build up action plans to change the behaviour by using the discipline skills wherever necessary. As church members play an integrate role, it is a challenge for them to develop the youth and make Christian education reachable to them.
Teachers are responsible preachers. Youth growth depends on a teacher infact they are the true facilitators of our learning, are Baptist figures and true authors of an individual’s life book. They also act as the resource developer and planner setting the curriculum for the healthy growth of an individual, depending how the curriculum is designed with the kind and level of leadership skills to recognize the youth psychology. Parents play a significant role in Christian education. They are the promising leaders which shape up Christianity, infact are the real teachers of Christian education. Parents act as a moral standard and support, therefore can synchronize to their growing youth to be aware from their early hood to gain knowledge in Christian faith and this is done when they themselves too experience a fullness of church.
Misunderstandings and miscommunication between parents and their children are one of the issues which follow breakings in the development of the youth. Due to parent’s own principles, for respect and love of family values often creates harmness to the children’s growth which tempts them to behave against them. Thus youth becomes a totalitarian of his own life by going against the values and ethics and unknowingly gets stucked in the torturous situations. Most Christian youth, fail to act upon the 10 commandments of bible.
I must say, I myself as a youth in my real life experience have observed that the originality of the commandments has changed excessively and replaced with the following:
Thou must worship money
Thou must “lyrically” murder
Thou must have evil possession
Thou must have sex
Thou must enjoy drug addiction
Thou must prosper, worship own self
Thou must not feel guilty
Thou must have no respect for ancestral values
Thou must not serve, sacrifice
Thou must differentiate
Due to the above, youth fails to feel guilty in which guiltness is a part of our conscience creating a false belief system as an obstacle in his maturity and creating structure of his own. Under such circumstances he avoids promoting prayer, sacrifice, grace, redemption, worship and meditation, atonement. Considering money and sex are the only two things reliable to satisfy the needs, creating a limitation and a boundary for establishing personal spiritual growth and development.
In general terms, when the efforts of religious and educational institutions, society lack to perform the planned task for Christian education, a positive approach is expected and constructed to gain knowledge and teaching through parents and teachers. Youth must be aware of guiltiness which is a gift from god to help us in being and doing well.
Still the question is raised in a Journal: Volume 5 Number 4, October 2003 by Author Charlene Tan, “Can Christian teachers and parents teach Christian beliefs without indoctrinating their students and children?”
Yes, they can teach Christian beliefs without indoctrinating their students and children they need to be careful when a child is to be handled as their minds are immature. At times it is difficult to understand them because their way of thinking is varied. Firstly before going to the next process, the first process has to be resolved. As teachers and parents are the role models for the development. In order to develop and understand these three role models should be systematically developed first. Only by abiding this rule, they can achieve the development in child. But the point lies beneath that how teachers and parents can prove themselves as an effective source of development by keeping in mind the relative factor of Child’s mind compatibility and psychology? As there are variations in psychological behavior teachers and parents should be mentally prepared, be changeable and adjustment oriented accordingly.
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The political and current affair of the nation is affected by corruption and evilness rationally which gave birth to vivid factors like jealousy, modesty and so on, making human’s built a tendency to mislead the positive factors. The situations have made the teachers adapt those inequalities within them, affecting the surrounding factors. Parents have too due to their increasing self priority created barriers of understanding among their families.
Many people are often drawn towards the attention of the church because of their felt needs and not for spiritual needs.
For instance, it does occur that why the youth is tuned out of his own way? Even in their interaction with their own members it tends to happen with them that they fail to hear a word said to them – stating “I didn’t hear a word you said?”, even though it is obvious that they have said something relating to us. This proves a kind of negligence in contacting the positive mechanism which grows in the back of our minds. Such system blocks all the wanted and useful messages allowing us to hear and see only what our mind tells us to hear and believe. As this tendency is increased in the youth generation, it is creating gaps between a believer and faith of god.
The question is – How? How can we overcome this problem? Youth have themselves developed a capacity in mind to hear only what pleasures them without taking a decision that whether it is false or truth. My query is – How we can bring these groups of youth closer to god? Unconsciously resulting in unexpected calamities and unknowingly they are unable to repent it wisely. Due to this increasing factor, youth can’t get a grip of effective communication and develop themselves internally. Here the parents then enter the scene to play their role.

The main question lies whether the local churches fulfill and meet to mature disciples in Christian education?

As stated above, ‘youth’ are the most critical of all critics when it comes to religion. In this modern era, youth is distracted to church because they are building castles in air due to the unmaterialistic desire. Youth today have focused their vision to crave success and prosperity for their rising life graph; they exploit their own ones due to greed and selfishness. During the primary phase of struggle and hard work, youth craves to achieve prosperity, at the same time, do thank god and accept his involvement for success, but hand in hand, lack to follow the bibles ethics which says to respect others in and with unity. Due to the competition and growth politically, more often youth seem to push the fellow mates and strive to takeover their place. They themselves are unaware that they give birth to exploitation and inequality. And due to inequality, unity is declined, wherein bible does not specify inequality. In a book source, Pastor – “Rick Warren’ – illustrates in his book – The Purpose-Driven Church -“The issue is church health, not church growth!” declares warren. “if your church is healthy, growth will occur naturally. Healthy consistent growth is the result of balancing the five biblical purposes of the church.”
In addition to this he also declares that “If u concentrate on building people, God will build the church”.
I agree at a certain point with the above statement. I herewith would want to magnify on “How would one build a healthy youth for a healthy church”? In this sense I believe that both are co-related with each other. Again the issue arises in my mind ‘How will the church be healthy if the youth is unhealthy?’ The issue can’t be only concentrated on church. For a church to survive, the basic foundation is the youth and for the youth to be saved and attracted the church has to be healthy. In my knowledge it is a ‘Vicious Circle’.
Local churches upto some extent do specifically fulfill the discipleship through the practices and play a great emphasis in fulfilling and conveying the message of god to us, but still lack to read the minds and bring the youth closer to her, for which she has to upgrade her atmospheric appearance with new packages to reach the youth in a new taste due to the competitive modernism which is hovering on the youth.
The latter part can play the best part coz when first falls in place, everything else falls in place, from the beginning to the end, from all angles in all walks of life. Towards a healthy faith, healthy church can turn and seed a growth of spirituality through which mankind will grow spiritually from within thereby causing church growth.
Author Perry G. Down states in his book – “Teaching for spiritual growth” that ‘how can we best enable Christians to grow towards maturity?’ For this question he suggests three key concepts- ministry, believer, and purpose. But my understanding says that these concepts are incomplete somewhere to create a bond in reaching the results because today’s youth is attracted towards the unrealistic worldly matters, but has resulted in declination towards the god’s spiritual growth. The major role connecting these three concepts is commitment and effort. As the church ministry is the foundation pillar, the main aim is how much measure of commitment is valued and given to achieve the target successfully. Mankind is able to commit only when he chooses the right direction in fear and is able but this is unfortunate as the alien world tend to let us unidentify the type of strategies of growth for maturity. By identifying the type of strategies of growth, we can understand the level of growth required towards maturity at which we can be spiritual. Another reason for in growth is fear. As the youth fears to face unexpected problems, the efforts are less and require the hierarchy’s support.
Author Gary C. Newton stated in his book – “Going towards spiritual maturity” quotes the principle that “God is ultimately responsible for all spiritual growth”. The question arises at this point that if god is responsible for everything, what will be the purpose and role of human? I comment that while god supplies the resources like bible, church, Holy Spirit, baptism, it is also our responsibility to supply effort and commitment to utilize those resources and give results to god. In bible, Paul highlights this principle of his personal lifestyle and in his teachings comparing with the example of a soldier or athlete to illustrate the amount of sincerity and efforts. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27), Paul states that “In a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize”. I herewith conclude in a Christian race all runners (ministry, believers, purpose) will fail to get a prize if there is no effort that is commitment from everyone.
Along with the concept of ministry, believer, purpose; effort is also the key concept and it has to be achieved from the youth as well. A healthy youth will gain efforts only when the growth will favour them from within, when the forces of the ministry believers and youth will collide with each other to form a healthy growth.
This will create a mutual relationship between god’s provisional resources and our active involvement in process which is more clearly in Philippians 2:12-13: “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is god who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose”. This principle is intricate but the application is clear.
If one is to grow towards maturity in Christ then one must cultivate and demonstrate the efforts with passion, Philippians 2:17-18: ” But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you be glad and rejoice with me”.
Therefore the conclusion lies in the above concept, both; effort of the youth along with the work of ministry, believers proves in the healthiness of the church. In the book “Youth At Risk” by Peter Christian Olsen, 2003, he highlights four basic needs which he has clearly created an awareness of the effects that affects the development of youth:
Acceptance – belonging
New beginnings and second chances – forgiveness
Significance – generosity
Freedom – independence
I agree with his confirmation that he examines in deriving the above developmental needs from the provision of the Almighty’s resources as the absence of these needs do intentionally contribute in how they shape the personality, maturity, responsibility and stability of emotions. He emphasizes Christian community in respond to the needs determining that, the resources will be polishing youth through support during the fear and avoid them from destruction. At times the concepts will be foreign, indigestive for youth because unable to realize its importance. Rather the community need not re-interpret or change the language but simplify their thoughts and improve their visionary and understanding by change in structure through a friendly communication by becoming an effective leader to bridge the gap between the church and the youth. Therefore forces and efforts are needed for decision making which is an effective key in respond to ministry believer and purpose for a possibility of a healthy youth to build a healthy church, which will make the church flourish.

Supporting surveys

According to a survey, some findings proved that church fails to answer every question of the youth.

Q.1 In what way and sense is Christian religion, faith and church viewed by today’s modern youth?

Youth of today’s modern era is firm on the point stating that inspiration is lacked in religion; they feel that the world is divided through religion and is the major factor which is affecting the growth. A 17-year-old Jude from Kent says confidently that “He does not agree with the church who talks on subject morality” and is “Overfilled with traditionality”.
Youth pick their ideas which suit their taste through various religious beliefs. There are few in bunch who strongly believe, there exist only single religion which has controlled the truth. Young generation refer to perform all activities as per their own desire which in return less importance to the religious belief are being given, which gives birth to the side effects of the conduct.

Q.2 Why do young crowd feel that Christianity is not a ‘happening’ cultural activity?

An 18-year-old Marcus said that he left church when he was 15 because the teachings did not amuse him and it did not interest him of anything as a youth.
The major quest, a struggle for a religion is to impose an exertion of force of involvement in terms of attraction. I usually attend church service wherein I find young ones missing the services. I kept questioning myself that, where the young crowd has disappeared? Surprisingly the young ones have taken charge for the attendance of the church. In this consequence the church should give priority to change its curriculum and its way of presenting the services with new attractive packages for enhancement.

Q.3 Are the young preachers practicing different approaches in Christianity declining. What are your suggestions?

As the attendance of the youth in church has declined, but on the other hand people practicing approaches are increasing in numbers. The following is revealed through one of the youths that more the deepening are the studies of the bible, more a person becomes a hypocrite of the Christian leadership and unintentionally accepts and performs the lifestyle of the clergy right or wrong at times unknowingly. In such case, the practices are affected and become different from those which are to be precise. Seen are still some true Christian youngsters who are different in their attitude and conduct, but in spite of such difference, they are not involved into the immorality and violence activities with other youths. They present themselves as they are from a different unknown religion, but practice the religion and it

So here is my take on Mother’s Day at my mother’s COC. It’s been quite a while since I stepped foot in a COC and I have been attending a non-denominational church for the last two years.
Mother’s Day is a day when there are a lot of guests. As I sat there, I pretended that I was a first time visitor that knew nothing about the COC. It struck me that the entire service is just a self-serving ceremony for the regular members. If I were a true non-Christian visitor, I would’ve had no idea what was going on. First of all, we sang some really sad, slow songs. Mostly sitting down. And then there was a scripture reading that was about half a chapter long from Exodus….still sitting. It was read in the most monotone voice possible with no meaning or emphasis behind any of the words. Meanwhile, everybody was thumbing through their Bibles and digging for gum in their purses. The sermon absolutely made no sense. He was jumping all around about all of the life events of Moses and assuming that we knew all the stories. Was it about mothers? Sort of? I still don’t understand what the entire point of the sermon was. It was all over the place.
The Lord supper was neither explained, nor given the respect and reverence it deserves. At my non-denom church, we are encouraged to repent of any sins that we need to repent of before we partake. And then we all take the elements and wait for everyone and take it together. This was a free for all and some old dude just got up and mumbled a rote prayer.
They must have chosen the very worst song leader they have in the entire congregation. Every song was a dirge, and I am not kidding. They sang “I walk in the garden alone”….a song I didn’t connect with 50 years ago. I have never walked with God in the garden and conversed with him. 😂. I saw not one smile. Nobody looked up from their song books, even though I know they have sang these songs 6000 times. It was the saddest thing I’ve ever experienced. Why are they still singing the same songs that have been sung for the last 100 years? Are there no composers anywhere in the church of Christ that could write new hymns with words that mean something to today’s congregants?
The invitation was a mumbled statement they always make about how if you would like to be baptized to come up front during the last dirge. (Baptism? Why? When? What for? )That was it. That was it. Worst invite EVER. No explanation. If they were giving a bougie party at the Ritz Hotel, literally it was like they said “there’s a gathering at the hotel down the street if you want yo join.” My parents keep bragging about how their church is “growing“, but I think that the churches of Christ are just shifting around members from one congregation to another. I do not for the life of me understand why any new Christian would ever find in this type of church and want to be a part of it.
My last impression was that I think 99.9% of church of Christ preachers never listen to a sermon given by anybody outside of the brotherhood. Why would they? Because any sermon given by anybody else is not the “truth“. But their their style of preaching is so hard to follow and not meaningful and very self-serving. They assume everyone has a solid background in Biblical theology. It’s like they don’t even want to try to be more effective or teach the unsaved.

II. The Narcissistic Personality of Our Time
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Social Influences on Narcissism
Every age develops its own peculiar forms of pathology, which express in exaggerated form its underlying character structure. In Freud’s time, hysteria and obsessional neurosis carried to extremes the personality traits associated with the capitalist order at an earlier stage in its development - acquisitiveness, fanatical devotion to work, and a fierce repression of sexuality. In our time, the preschizophrenic, borderline, or personality disorders have attracted increasing attention, along with schizophrenia itself. This “change in the form of neuroses has been observed and described since World War II by an ever-increasing number of psychiatrists.” According to Peter L. Giovacchini, “Clinicians are constantly faced with the seemingly increasing number of patients who do not fit current diagnostic categories” and who suffer not from “definitive symptoms” but from “vague, ill-defined complaints.” “When I refer to ‘this type of patient,’” he writes, “practically everyone knows to whom I am referring.” The growing prominence of “character disorders” seems to signify an underlying change in the organization of personality, from what has been called inner-direction to narcissism.
Allen Wheelis argued in 1958 that the change in the “patterns of neuroses” fell “within the personal experience of older psychoanalysts,” while younger ones “become aware of it from the discrepancy between the older descriptions of neuroses and the problems presented by the patients who come daily to their offices. The change is from symptom neuroses to character disorders.” Heinz Lichtenstein, who questioned the additional assertion that it reflected a change in personality structure, nevertheless wrote in 1963 that the “change in neurotic patterns” already constituted a “well-known fact.” In the seventies, such reports have become increasingly common. “It is not accident,” Herbert Hendin notes, “that at the present time the dominant events in psychoanalysis are the rediscovery of narcissism and the new emphasis on the psychological significance of death.” “What hysteria and the obsessive neuroses were to Freud and his early colleagues…at the beginning of this century,” writes Michael Beldoch, “the narcissistic disorders are to the workaday analyst in these last few decades before the next millennium. Today’s patients by and large do not suffer from hysterical paralyses of the legs or hand-washing compulsions; instead it is their very psychic selves that have gone numb or that they must scrub and rescrub in an exhausting and unending effort to come clean.” These patients suffer from “pervasive feelings of emptiness and a deep disturbance of self-esteem.” Burness E. Moore notes that narcissistic disorders have become more and more common. According to Sheldon Bach, “You used to see people coming in with hand-washing compulsions, phobias, and familiar neuroses. Now you see mostly narcissists.” Gilbert J. Rose maintains that the psychoanalytic outlook, “inappropriately transplanted from analytic practice” to everyday life, has contributed to “global permissiveness” and the “over-domestication of instinct,” which in turn contributes to the proliferation of “narcissistic identity disorders.” According to Joel Kovel, the stimulation of infantile cravings by advertising, the usurpation of parental authority by the media and the school, and the rationalization of inner life accompanied by the false promise of personal fulfillment, have created a new type of “social individual.” “The result is not the classical neuroses where an infantile impulse is suppressed by patriarchal authority, but a modern version in which impulse is stimulated, perverted and given neither an adequate object upon which to satisfy itself nor coherent forms of control…. The entire complex, played out in a setting of alienation rather than direct control, loses the classical form of symptom - and the classical therapeutic opportunity of simply restoring an impulse to consciousness.”
The reported increase in the number of narcissistic patients does not necessarily indicate that narcissistic disorders are more common than they used to be, in the population as a whole, or that they have become more common than the classical conversion neurosis. Perhaps they simply come more quickly to psychiatric attention. Ilza Veith contends that “with the increasing awareness of conversion reactions and the popularization of psychiatric literature, the ‘old-fashioned’ somatic expressions of hysteria have become suspect among the more sophisticated classes, and hence most physicians observe that obvious conversion symptoms are now rarely encountered and, if at all, only among the uneducated.” The attention given to character disorders in recent clinical literature probably makes psychiatrists more alert to their presence. But this possibility by no means diminishes the importance of psychiatric testimony about the prevalence of narcissism, especially when this testimony appears at the same time that journalists begin to speculate about the new narcissism and the unhealthy trend toward self-absorption. The narcissist comes to the attention of psychiatrists for some of the same reasons that he rises to positions of prominence not only in awareness movements and other cults but in business corporations, political organizations, and government bureaucracies. For all his inner suffering, the narcissist has many traits that make for success in bureaucratic institutions, which put a premium on the manipulation of interpersonal relations, discourage the formation of deep personal attachments, and at the same time provide the narcissist with the approval he needs in order to validate his self-esteem. Although he may resort to therapies that promise to give meaning to life and to overcome his sense of emptiness, in his professional career the narcissist often enjoys considerable success. The management of personal impressions comes naturally to him, and his mastery of its intricacies serves him well in political and business organizations where performance now counts for less than “visibility,” “momentum,” and a winning record. As the “organization man” gives way to the bureaucratic “gamesman” - the “loyalty era” of American business to the age of the “executive success game” - the narcissist comes into his own.
In a study of 250 managers from twelve major companies, Michael Maccoby describes the new corporate leader, not altogether unsympathetically, as a person who works with people rather than with materials and who seeks not to build an empire or accumulate wealth but to experience “the exhilaration of running his team and of gaining victories.” He wants to “be known as a winner, and his deepest fear is to be labeled a loser.” Instead of pitting himself against a material task or a problem demanding solution, he puts himself against others, out of a “need to be in control.” As a recent textbook for managers puts it, success today means “not simply getting ahead” but “getting ahead of others.” The new executive, boyish, playful, and “seductive,” wants in Maccoby’s words “to maintain an illusion of limitless options.” He has little capacity for “personal intimacy and social commitment.” He feels little loyalty even to the company for which he works. One executive says he experiences power “as not being pushed around by the company.” In his upward climb, this man cultivates powerful customers and attempts to use them against his own company. “You need a very big customer,” according to his calculations, “who is always in trouble and demands changes from the company. That way you automatically have power in the company, and with the customer too. I like to keep my options open.” A professor of management endorses this strategy. “Overidentification” with the company, in his view, “produces a corporation with enormous power over the careers and destinies of its true believers.” The bigger the company, the more important he thinks it is for executes “to manage their careers in terms of their own…free choices” and to “maintain the widest set of options possible.”
According to Maccoby, the gamesman “is open to new ideas, but he lacks convictions.” He will do business with any regime, even if he disapproves of its principles. More independent and resourceful than the company man, he tries to use the company for his own ends, fearing that otherwise he will be “totally emasculated by the corporation.” He avoids intimacy as a trap, preferring the “exciting, sexy atmosphere” with which the modern executive surrounds himself at work, “where adoring, mini-skirted secretaries constantly flirt with him.” In all his personal relations, the gamesman depends on the admiration or fear he inspires in others to certify his credentials as a “winner.” As he gets older, he finds it more and more difficult to command the kind of attention on which he thrives. He reaches a plateau beyond which he does not advance in his job, perhaps because the very highest positions, as Maccoby notes, still go to “those able to renounce adolescent rebelliousness and become at least to some extent believers in the organization.” The job begins to lose its savor. Having little interest in craftsmanship, the new-style executive takes no pleasure in his achievements once he begins to lose the adolescent charm on which they rest. Middle age hits him with the force of a disaster: “Once his youth, vigor, and even the thrill in winning are lost, he becomes depressed and goalless, questioning the purpose of his life. No longer energized by the team struggle and unable to dedicate himself to something he believes in beyond himself, … he finds himself starkly alone.” It is not surprising, given the prevalence of this career pattern, that popular psychology returns so often to the “midlife crisis” and to ways of combating it.
In Wilfrid Sheed’s novel Office Politics, a wife asks, “There are real issues, aren’t there, between Mr. Fine and Mr. Tyler?” Her husband answers that the issues are trivial; “the jockeying of ego is the real story.” Eugene Emerson Jennings’s study of management, which celebrates the demise of the organization man and the advent of the new “era of mobility,” insists that corporate “mobility is more than mere job performance.” What counts is “style…panache…the ability to say and do almost anything without antagonizing others.” The upwardly mobile executive, according to Jennings, knows how to handle the people around him - the “shelf-sitter” who suffers from “arrested mobility” and envies success; the “fast learner”; the “mobile superior.” The “mobility-bright executive” has learned to “read” the power relations in his office and “to see the less visible and less audible side of his superiors, chiefly their standing with their peers and superiors.” He “Can infer from a minimum of cues who are the centers of power, and he seeks to have high visibility and exposure with them. He will assiduously cultivate his standing and opportunities with them and seize every opportunity to learn from them. He will utilize his opportunities in social world to size up the men who are centers of sponsorship in the corporate world.”
Constantly comparing the “executive success game” to an athletic contest or a game of chess, Jennings treats the substance of executive life as if it were just as arbitrarily and irrelevant to success as the task of kicking a ball through a net or of moving pieces over a chessboard. He never mentions the social and economic repercussions of managerial decisions or the power that managers exercise over society as a whole. For the corporate manager on the make, power consists not of money and influence but of “momentum,” a “winning image,” a reputation as a winner . Power lies in the eye of the beholder and thus has no objective reference at all.
The manager’s view of the world, as described by Jennings, Maccoby, and by the managers themselves, is that of the narcissist, who sees the world as a mirror of himself and has no interest in external events except as they throw back a reflection of his own image. The dense interpersonal environment of modern bureaucracy, in which work assumes an abstract quality almost wholly divorced from performance, by its very nature elicits and often rewards a narcissistic response. Bureaucracy, however, is only one of a number of social influences that are bringing a narcissistic type of personality organization into greater and greater prominence. Another such influence is the mechanical reproduction of culture, the proliferation of visual and audial images in the “society of the spectacle.” We live in a swirl of images and echoes that arrest experience and play it back in slow motion. Cameras and recording machines not only transcribe experience but alter its quality, giving to much of modern life that character of an enormous echo chamber, a hall of mirrors. Life presents itself as a succession of images of electronic signals, of impressions recorded and reproduced by means of photography, motion pictures, television, and sophisticated recording devices. Modern life is thoroughly mediated by electronic images that we cannot help responding to others as if their actions - and our own - were being recorded and simultaneously transmitted to an unseen audience or stored up for close scrutiny at some later time. “Smile, you’re on candid camera!” The intrusion into everyday life of this all-seeing eye no longer takes us by surprise or catches us with our defenses down. We need no reminder to smile. A smile is permanently graven on our features, and we already known from which of several angles its photographs to best advantage.
The proliferation of recorded images undermines our sense of reality. As Susan Sontag observes in her study of photography, “Reality has come to seem more and more like what we are shown by cameras.” We distrust our perceptions until the camera verifies them. Photographic images provide us with the proof of our existence, without which we would find it difficult even to reconstruct a personal history. Bourgeois families in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Sontag points out, posed for portraits in order to proclaim the family’s status, whereas today the family album of photographs verifies the individual’s existence: its documentary record of his development from infancy onward provides him with the only evidence of his life that he recognizes as altogether valid. Among the “many narcissistic uses” that Sontag attributes to the camera, “self-surveillance” ranks among the most important, not only because it provides the technical means of ceaseless self-scrutiny but because it renders the sense of selfhood dependent on the consumption of images of the self, at the same time calling into question the reality of the external world.
By preserving images of the self at various stages of development, the camera helps to weaken the older idea of development as moral education and to promote a more passive idea according to which development consists of passing through the stages of life at the right time and in the right order. Current fascination with the life cycle embodies an awareness that success in politics or business depends on reaching certain goals on schedule; but it also reflects the ease with which developments can be electronically recorded. This brings us to another cultural change that elicits a widespread narcissistic response and, in this case, gives it a philosophical sanction: the emergence of a therapeutic ideology that upholds a normative schedule of psychosocial development and thus gives further encouragement to anxious self-scrutiny. The idea of normative development creates the fear that any deviation from the norm has a pathological source. Doctors have made a cult of periodic checkup - an investigation carried out once again by means of cameras and other recording instruments - and have implanted in their clients the notion that health depends on eternal watchfulness and the early detection of symptoms, as verified by medical technology. The client no longer feels physically or psychologically secure until his X-rays confirm a “clean bill of health.”
Medicine and psychiatry - more generally, the therapeutic outlook and sensibility that pervade modern society - reinforce the pattern created by other cultural influences, in which the individual endlessly examines himself for signs of aging and ill health, for tell-tale symptoms of psychic stress, for blemishes and flaws that might diminish his attractiveness, or on the other hand for reassuring indications that his life is proceeding according to schedule. Modern medicine has conquered the plagues and epidemics that once made life so precarious, only to create new forms of insecurity. In the same way, bureaucracy has made life predictable and even boring while reviving, in a new form, the war of all against all. Our overorganized society, in which large-scale organizations predominate but have lost the capacity to command allegiance, in some respects more nearly approximates a condition of universal animosity than did the primitive capitalism on which Hobbes managed his state of nature. Social conditions today encourage a survival mentality, expressed in its crudest form in disaster movies or in fantasies of space travel, which allow vicarious escape from a doomed planet. People no longer dream of overcoming difficulties but merely of surviving them. In business, according to Jennings, “The struggle is to survive emotionally” -to “preserve or enhance one’s identity or ego.” The normative concept of developmental stages promotes a view of life as an obstacle course: the aim is simply to get through the course with a minimum of trouble and pain. The ability to manipulate what Gail Sheehy refers to, using a medical metaphor, as “life-support systems” now appears to represent the highest form of wisdom: the knowledge that gets us through, as she puts it, without panic. Those who master Sheehy’s “no-panic approach to aging” and to the traumas of the life cycle will be able to say, in the words of one of her subjects, “I know I can survive… I don’t panic any more.” This is hardly an exalted form of satisfaction, however. “The current ideology,” Sheehy writes, “seems a mix of personal survivalism, revivalism, and cynicism”; yet her enormously popular guide to the “predictable crises of adult life,” with its superficially optimistic hymn to growth, development, and “self-actualization,” does not challenge this ideology, merely restates it in more “humanistic” form. “Growth” has become a euphemism for survival.
The World View of the Resigned
New social forms require new forms of personality, new modes of socialization, new ways of organizing experience. The concept of narcissism provides us not with a ready-made psychological determinism but with a way of understanding the psychological impact of recent social changes - assuming that we bear in mind not only its clinical origins but the continuum between pathology and normality. It provides us, in other words, with a tolerably accurate portrait of the “liberated” personality of our time, with his charm, his pseudo-awareness of his own condition, his promiscuous pansexuality, his fascination with oral sex, his fear of the castrating mother (Mrs. Portnoy), his hypochondria, his protective shallowness, his avoidance of dependence, his inability to mourn, his dread of old age and death.
Narcissism appears realistically to represent the best way of coping with the tensions and anxieties of modern life, and the prevailing social conditions therefore tend to bring out narcissistic traits that are present, in varying degrees, in everyone. These condition have also transformed the family, which in turn shapes the underlying structure of personality. A society that dears it has no future is not likely to give much attention to the needs of the next generation, and the ever-present sense of historical discontinuity - the blight of our society - falls with particularly devastating effect on the family. The modern parent’s attempt to make children feel loved and wanted does not conceal an underlying coolness - the remoteness of those who have little to pass on the next generation and who in any case give priority to their own right to self-fulfillment. The combination of emotional detachment with attempts to convince a child of his favored position in the family is a good prescription for a narcissistic personality structure.
Through the intermediary of the family, social patterns reproduce themselves in personality. Social arrangements live on in the individual, buried in the mind below the level of consciousness, even after they have become objectively undesirable and unnecessary - as many of our present arrangements are now widely acknowledged to have become. The perception of the world as a dangerous and forbidding place, though it originates in a realistic awareness of the insecurity of contemporary social life, receives reinforcement from the narcissistic projection of aggressive impulses outward. The belief that society has no future, while it rests on a certain realism about the dangers ahead, also incorporates a narcissistic inability to identify with posterity or to feel one self part of a historical stream.
The weakening of social ties, which originates in the prevailing state of social warfare, at the same time reflects a narcissistic defense against dependence. A warlike society tends to produce men and women who are at heart antisocial. It should therefore not surprise us to find that although the narcissist conforms to social norms for fear of external retribution, he often thinks of himself as an outlaw and sees others in the same way, “as basically dishonest and unreliable, or only reliable because of external pressures.” “The value systems of narcissistic personalities are generally corruptible,” writes Kernberg, “in contrast to the rigid morality of the obsessive personality.”
The ethic of self-preservation and psychic survival is rooted, then, not merely in objective conditions of economic warfare, rising rates of crime, and social chaos but in the subjective experience of emptiness and isolation. It reflects the conviction - as much a projection of inner anxieties as a perception of the way things are - that envy and exploitation dominate even the most intimate relations. The cult of personal relations, which becomes increasingly intense as the hope of political solutions recedes, conceals a thoroughgoing disenchantment with personal relations, just as the cult of sensuality implies a repudiation of sensuality in all but its most primitive forms. The ideology of personal growth, superficially optimistic, radiates a profound despair and resignation. It is the faith of those without faith.

So, I (19F) met this guy in church (37M) last November (I know, it gets worse). I was relatively new to this community (became a member in May) and it all started when he began getting closer to me at events, services, and on social media. At first, I assumed he wanted to befriend me, as I observed that he had a ton of female friends in church. However, he started talking to me differently, approaching me in caring and alluring ways, and I sort of fell for it.
He was graduating in theology and I am very interested in the topic. I had no one to share my views and thoughts with, and he used that to kind of ‘bait’ me in. At first, it felt like a safe place. He made me feel loved with endearing words, beautiful declarations of love and affection. I was very lonely at the time and it felt right to me (when it was absolutely wrong).
We would meet up at choir rehearsals for Christmas and see each other weekly. We would talk a lot, but fortunately, we never got physical past hugs. We would text each other day and night, every single day. I knew his work schedule by heart, and I was totally allured into the fantasy world he made up for me. He would sound protective and tell me that he worried about hurting me. Next thing, he would dump all of his trauma info on me, and I dealt with it in the best way that I could because he talked to me as if I was the one God had put into his life to take care of him. He went through a very rough phase in January, so I developed a habit of sending him daily Bible verses and I would dissect them for him. I would sing hymns to him and I gave him all of my energy, prayers, and faith. At the same time, I prayed to God and asked Him to give me a strong heart to deal with it all, to not make that man an idol in my life, to make Christ the center of my existence.
He would tell me about his struggles with his faith and his relationship with God, and I felt like I was the one responsible for keeping it together. I felt like I was the only one who could do it and nobody else would have the sensibility to help this poor grown man! (Silly, silly me). In February, I convinced him to look for a therapist and so he did, but the damage to me was already done. I have crippling clinical depression and at this point, I was talking to no one else around me but him. I was isolated from my friendships and now I can see it, but at that time it all seemed normal. As the weeks passed, I noticed myself falling into a very strong depressive episode. I would try to tell him my struggles because my silly brain thought we had established a relationship based on confidence and trust.
He didn't want to listen to what I had to say. When I tried to talk about my feelings, he would tell me it was an age thing and just a phase. He would say nasty, nasty things that made me feel so unworthy of love. One day, I got sick of it and sent him a ‘meme’ reaction to one of his messages, one where he told me my anxiety would pull people away. Then, he started answering my texts coldly. I spiraled, kind of freaked out, and told him a bunch of things, mostly begging for his forgiveness and telling him that I loved him. Mostly ‘stupid’ stuff (and it would look even stupider if you guys knew all of the things he told me through all of this). But he told me I had offended him, that my personality was too rude and sarcastic for him, and that it’d be better for his mental health to be away from me.
This was two months ago and we haven’t talked ever since. I have been attending a different service time at church and I have been avoiding events in which he might participate. I didn’t believe the things he told me at first, since most of my friends told me it was just nonsensical since my personality is the opposite of rude. But as I prayed to God to try and help me, I felt like my relationship with Him was strained after all this. I had associated Him and His word with someone who traumatized me to the core, and it’s been hard for me to see myself as a good person and a good Christian because I can’t bring myself to forgive this man. The more I process it, the angrier I get, and I can’t seem to be able to reestablish the beautiful relationship I had built with God, my Lord, my Savior, because of a man. I feel so bad for this. I can’t open my Bible because it was a gift from him. I can’t check out my favorite hymns because I sang them to him at his worst. I can’t read my favorite Bible verses because I would send them to him on a daily basis. I have tried everything in my power to rekindle what I had with God, but I feel so weak. I feel like I need a miracle to heal me. I need prayers, please.

By John Sanidopoulos
Originally, in biblical times, Pentecost was primarily a harvest festival, but after the time of Jesus and the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans it became more focused on the fact that according to Exodus 19:1, fifty days after Israel came out of Egypt, God brought them to Sinai to establish His covenant with them and to give them His Law through His Prophet Moses. So from the institution of the feast of Passover, which led to the liberation of the Jews from bondage in Egypt, until God brought them to Mount Sinai to deliver His law to His people, fifty days passed. By being given a law and having God as their Ruler, they would be able to enter the Promised Land as one nation.
In the Orthodox Church, on the feast of Easter, which is known as Pascha (the Greek word for Passover), we celebrate the liberation of the human race from the bondage of sin, death and the devil through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and over a period of fifty days until the feast of Pentecost we are led on a journey to receive from God His Holy Spirit, through whom the law of God is written in our hearts instead of on tablets of stone (cf. 2 Cor. 3:3). When the law of God is written in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, we become united citizens of God's eternal kingdom. The fifty day period between Easter and Pentecost is known in the Orthodox Church as the Pentecostarion.
After we celebrate Easter, and when Renewal or Bright Week is over, the Church wisely sets up two Sundays in which to abolish all doubts concerning the Resurrection of Christ, that of the Sunday of Saint Thomas and the Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women. This is done in order to ensure that we all partake of the living water that only the risen Lord can give. The following three Sundays, as we approach Pentecost, the theme of water from the Gospel of John becomes more and more central in the hymns of the Church. Thus we are found one Sunday at the Sheep's Pool with the Paralytic, then at the Well of Jacob with the Samaritan Woman, and finally at the Pool of Siloam with the Blind Man. During this festive period we hear concerning the "living water" which if one partakes "he will never thirst." We are taught that it is our Savior Himself who is this living water, and we partake of Him through the baptismal waters and the divine eucharist which issued forth from His side at His crucifixion unto remission of sins and life everlasting. Then on Pentecost we have grace rained upon our parched souls and bodies so that we may be fruitful and have a rich harvest as we hear from the holy Gospel on that day: "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink." Finally, the Pentecostarion concludes with the Feast of All Saints, celebrating those who partook of the "waters of piety", which is the harvest of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
In the story of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt to the Promised Land, we first read how God abolishes the doubts of His people by His parting of the Red Sea and being in their presence as a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. He also provides water and food for them. As desert life proves arduous, the Israelites complain and long for Egypt, but God miraculously provides manna for them to eat and water to drink. Water, as a source of life, also becomes a central theme in the Exodus story, since it is the most basic human need when traveling through a dry and hot desert. Not only does God part the Red Sea allowing for the safe passage of the Israelites, but He also provides water for them by miraculously issuing water from a rock. Therefore, just as Jesus provides the living water by which His people will never thirst again, so does God provide for the Israelites natural water in a miraculous way to quench their temporary thirst. The same with the manna from heaven: just as Jesus provides for us His body and blood as food and drink, without which we cannot be a part of Him and His kingdom, so also the Jews were given the manna miraculously for forty years in the desert, without which they would not have survived to enter the Promised Land.
Arriving at Sinai, before Moses ascended the mountain, he spoke to the people (Ex. 19:3-9):
"And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, 'Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.' ... And the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.'”
Likewise did Jesus speak to His disciples before ascending into heaven (Acts 1:4-9), having told them before His Passion that "it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you" (Jn. 16:7):
"And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which,' He said, 'you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.' Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, 'Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' And He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.' Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight."
And then in the Book of Exodus (19:16-20) we read:
"Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up."
Compare this with what we read in the Acts of the Apostles (2:1-4), when the holy apostles were in the upper room in which Jesus established His covenant with them before His crucifixion, waiting for the promise of the Lord to send them His Holy Spirit, who suddenly came on Pentecost at the third hour of the day:
"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
The people outside who heard this noise and had come from throughout the world to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost were confused by what they heard and amazed how each of them could understand the apostles in their own language, yet some mocked them and considered them drunk. Peter then spoke to the people and proclaimed the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, testifying to the fact that the Holy Spirit had come, the great day of the Lord proclaimed by the prophets. Then we read of the reaction of the people:
"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.' ... Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them... So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
Meanwhile we read in Exodus (24:3-4), after Moses was given the law from the Lord and came down to the people:
"So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, 'All the words which the Lord has said we will do.' And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel."
We therefore conclude with the fact that the Exodus of the Jews foreshadows the Pentecostarion of the Church. Both are about an arduous journey of a people who have a covenant with the Lord to receive a great promise from Him after being united as one people and becoming one nation. One is united by the Law of Moses written with the finger of God, while the other is united by the Grace of Jesus Christ through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, making them a new nation, a new people, a new Israel, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. Source

By John Sanidopoulos
Originally, in biblical times, Pentecost was primarily a harvest festival, but after the time of Jesus and the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans it became more focused on the fact that according to Exodus 19:1, fifty days after Israel came out of Egypt, God brought them to Sinai to establish His covenant with them and to give them His Law through His Prophet Moses. So from the institution of the feast of Passover, which led to the liberation of the Jews from bondage in Egypt, until God brought them to Mount Sinai to deliver His law to His people, fifty days passed. By being given a law and having God as their Ruler, they would be able to enter the Promised Land as one nation.
In the Orthodox Church, on the feast of Easter, which is known as Pascha (the Greek word for Passover), we celebrate the liberation of the human race from the bondage of sin, death and the devil through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and over a period of fifty days until the feast of Pentecost we are led on a journey to receive from God His Holy Spirit, through whom the law of God is written in our hearts instead of on tablets of stone (cf. 2 Cor. 3:3). When the law of God is written in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, we become united citizens of God's eternal kingdom. The fifty day period between Easter and Pentecost is known in the Orthodox Church as the Pentecostarion.
After we celebrate Easter, and when Renewal or Bright Week is over, the Church wisely sets up two Sundays in which to abolish all doubts concerning the Resurrection of Christ, that of the Sunday of Saint Thomas and the Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women. This is done in order to ensure that we all partake of the living water that only the risen Lord can give. The following three Sundays, as we approach Pentecost, the theme of water from the Gospel of John becomes more and more central in the hymns of the Church. Thus we are found one Sunday at the Sheep's Pool with the Paralytic, then at the Well of Jacob with the Samaritan Woman, and finally at the Pool of Siloam with the Blind Man. During this festive period we hear concerning the "living water" which if one partakes "he will never thirst." We are taught that it is our Savior Himself who is this living water, and we partake of Him through the baptismal waters and the divine eucharist which issued forth from His side at His crucifixion unto remission of sins and life everlasting. Then on Pentecost we have grace rained upon our parched souls and bodies so that we may be fruitful and have a rich harvest as we hear from the holy Gospel on that day: "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink." Finally, the Pentecostarion concludes with the Feast of All Saints, celebrating those who partook of the "waters of piety", which is the harvest of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
In the story of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt to the Promised Land, we first read how God abolishes the doubts of His people by His parting of the Red Sea and being in their presence as a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. He also provides water and food for them. As desert life proves arduous, the Israelites complain and long for Egypt, but God miraculously provides manna for them to eat and water to drink. Water, as a source of life, also becomes a central theme in the Exodus story, since it is the most basic human need when traveling through a dry and hot desert. Not only does God part the Red Sea allowing for the safe passage of the Israelites, but He also provides water for them by miraculously issuing water from a rock. Therefore, just as Jesus provides the living water by which His people will never thirst again, so does God provide for the Israelites natural water in a miraculous way to quench their temporary thirst. The same with the manna from heaven: just as Jesus provides for us His body and blood as food and drink, without which we cannot be a part of Him and His kingdom, so also the Jews were given the manna miraculously for forty years in the desert, without which they would not have survived to enter the Promised Land.
Arriving at Sinai, before Moses ascended the mountain, he spoke to the people (Ex. 19:3-9):
"And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, 'Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.' ... And the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.'”
Likewise did Jesus speak to His disciples before ascending into heaven (Acts 1:4-9), having told them before His Passion that "it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you" (Jn. 16:7):
"And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which,' He said, 'you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.' Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, 'Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' And He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.' Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight."
And then in the Book of Exodus (19:16-20) we read:
"Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up."
Compare this with what we read in the Acts of the Apostles (2:1-4), when the holy apostles were in the upper room in which Jesus established His covenant with them before His crucifixion, waiting for the promise of the Lord to send them His Holy Spirit, who suddenly came on Pentecost at the third hour of the day:
"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
The people outside who heard this noise and had come from throughout the world to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost were confused by what they heard and amazed how each of them could understand the apostles in their own language, yet some mocked them and considered them drunk. Peter then spoke to the people and proclaimed the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, testifying to the fact that the Holy Spirit had come, the great day of the Lord proclaimed by the prophets. Then we read of the reaction of the people:
"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.' ... Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them... So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
Meanwhile we read in Exodus (24:3-4), after Moses was given the law from the Lord and came down to the people:
"So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, 'All the words which the Lord has said we will do.' And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel."
We therefore conclude with the fact that the Exodus of the Jews foreshadows the Pentecostarion of the Church. Both are about an arduous journey of a people who have a covenant with the Lord to receive a great promise from Him after being united as one people and becoming one nation. One is united by the Law of Moses written with the finger of God, while the other is united by the Grace of Jesus Christ through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, making them a new nation, a new people, a new Israel, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
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Background: Protestant here! I have recently been rebuilding my relationship with Jesus after some years of straying off the path. I have been very fulfilled in my life recently and I am ready to start looking for a new church. I was raised in a Protestant/Non-dom “mega church”. In my personal experiences, the whole concert like worship experience is not for me, it feels over exaggerated sometimes. Worship that brings me closer to God is found within hymns, I find it much more reverent. Over the past month I have been looking at other denominations to affiliate myself with. With my given worship preferences the two most prominent that come to mind would be Catholicism and Lutheran, having my Protestant background I think it would be a given that I favor Lutheranism. And no disrespect to any Catholics, it I just not for me. I found a stunningly beautiful Lutheran church in my city and it has really intrigued me and I do want to attend a service soon. My only issue with this church is the acceptance of same sex marriage, now before going any further, anyone in the LGBT+ community are all our brothers and sisters in Christ, I respect them all equally. However, the word of God trumps anything in this world, and as far as I am concerned it is VERY clear in the scriptures that homosexuality is a sin. I want to get other Lutherans opinions on this matter and help shed some light on this hot button topic, I want to find the understanding for some churches affirming and accepting same sex marriages, when it is condemned in the Bible. I still do plan on attending a service and actually plan on going to the church later today just to pray and meditate. If I am given the chance either today or at the service I do attend I plan on asking a staff member to explain their policies and whether or not they simply accept the LGBT+ members they have in their congregation as practicing brothers and sisters, or if they also allow same sex marriages, and/or if they allow them but condemn homosexual behaviors/sex. I am really not trying to come off rude in this post, I am uneducated on this topic, I have stated my view, so if anyone could kindly explain the perspective that these churches hold in regards to homosexual behavior please let me know.
TLDR: Going to a Lutheran church that may accept LGBT+ marriages, why is this when homosexuality goes against the Bible.
God Bless
Edited for clarification
Thank you all for your responses, I am happy that we can openly discuss our different views within Christianity without heated debate. God bless you all!

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2. Haiku:
   

A three-line Japanese poem with a 5-7-5 syllable count, typically capturing a moment in nature.

1. Free Verse:
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2. Villanelle
   

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2. Cinquain
   

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