sorry but if you think the pythia was just some woman high on natural gas you're ngmi

I'm very frustrated with how the various youtubers and streamers talk about Ben Shapiro.

Because they do not understand or have the proper context when talking about him and everything he represents.

They also often go into antisemitic territory when mocking him, while it is unintentional and something they may not not even know they are doing, they are doing it none the less.

When they mock his voice or call him Shabibo that is actually antisemitic territory.

Due to a history of Jewish people having our names stripped from us and voices and names mocked. Now I too find his voice to be personally annoying, but I won't mock it because of said history.

It is not about the curtsy that Ben Shapiro deserves or doesn't deserve, but rather about deciding when it is okay to employ antisemitism against a Jewish person.

The answer is never.

The overwhelming majority of these commentators are not Jewish and the few that are Jewish don't seem to know any of the important details that make what Ben Shapiro says so dangerous for all Jews and such a false representation.

See what is not presented in discussions about him is that Ben Shapiro is not there to pull in a Jewish audience he is there as a token Jew to help further pull in an christian audience.

That is what makes it all so very insidious in nature. And sadly some Jewish people get fooled by this too because they do not look beyond the front facing facade he wears like costume, but they do not actually listen the words he says.

Ben Shapiro harps about a 'war on christmas' which no Jewish person would seriously do or care for. Especially any Ashkenazi Jews with our very long long history of being murdered in mass on xmas. Christmas eve is became seen a spiritually impure night that it would be called Nittle Nacht in Yiddish and Jewish people would purposefully not study Torah that night.

American Jews, like many others who belong to non-christian religious and cultural groups, have to deal with living a majority Christian country and country that culturally Christian and only makes concession for Christianity.

Has Ben Shapiro ever talked about that or the actual fights to get time off for our Holidays? No because that doesn't fit the narrative. But business having employees switch from 'merry christmas' to 'happy holidays' most certainly does.

Ben Shapiro has explicitly stated that he believes that conception is when life begins which is something to no in keeping with any Jewish held belief anywhere.

We hold life begins at first breath, the mother comes first (I wrote mother because that is wording used in the various writings, but really it would be the pregnant individual comes first), and that it doesn't just need to physical health on the line it can also be one's mental health at stake in order to need an abortion

Ben Shapiro talks about Judeo-Christan values, which a bullshit term that was created after the Holocaust to make it seem like Christian Antisemitism played no role in what happened and that the Church was not a guilty party. It is also a term that essentially holds Jewish people hostage.

He uses this term and talks about these shared values. So I have to ask what values?

Is respecting the elderly, caring for the sick, kindness to others, tending to the poor, and such? Because those are universal values and can be found in pretty much every culture and religion.

What about original sin? Heaven and Hell? Can someone be the literal child of G-d? Does G-d have literal hands, a actual face? What is the gender of G-d?

Just some questions to start with since you know we clearly have the same values and stuff.

Because Judaism would say: No such thing as original sin and in fact Hebrew doesn't have a word for sin we have words that mean things that wrongly translated in English as sin, but no, word for sin. We hold all people are born blank we go through and have experiences and make choices and those choices speak to who we are.

We believe in This World and The World to Come and the spiritual washing machine so to speak, but no a big nope to heaven and hell. No to Satan too. There is the HaSatan which means prosecutor who is as the name means in the Ultimate Court.

When we say "we are the children of G-d" it is poetic flourish and is metaphorical not literal no one can be the literal hild of G-d.

Same way we anthropomorphize G-d so that we have an easier time contextualizing G-d because otherwise it can be hard to wrap your mind around.

G-d is both genderfull and genderless at the same time. It depends on what you are talking about, in what context, and what aspect of G-d of you using. For example the Voice G-d and Presence of G-d are both in the feminine in Hebrew.

These have just been a tiny amount of examples from a vast vast array them.

My point is that if all these people are going to talk about Ben Shapiro especially ones with large followings please bring on someone who is actually knowledge and qualified to talk about this so the facts can properly be presented and explained.

Like I on occasion will listen to Leftovers podcast in background it hosted by Ethan from H3H and Hassan Piker and in the most recent episode that I was listening, which I had to stop because I was getting to annoyed by, they where talking about Ben Shapiro.

It was very frustrating for me. I get that Hassan might be very politically involved and knowledge about stuff, don't really know I don't watch him, but I was thinking the whole time that this is not an area you know.

You are talking about Jewish stuff and things related Jewish views points and you have no clue what you are talking about. You are talking about a religion and culture you just don't know anything about and are trying to debunk Ben Shapiro.

It will not work because you don't have necessary information and understanding to do so.

And you are missing the biggest point of it all which is again Ben is there as a draw for Christians. Because for these kinds of Christians having a Jew give a stamp of approval gives it some kind veneer of legitimacy.

It validates them and allows them to not have to feel guilty for crimes against Jewish people that they are party too.

This doesn't mean they like Jews or want us around or interested in our problems or helping us.

It is all about them in the same way they have Candace Owens tell them all the thing they want to hear so they never have to self-examine or reflect on anything and can assuage their white-guilt and keep of being horrific anti-Black.

They don't care about Black people or Black issues because they listen to a Black woman talk.

It is all for self-serving interests that they have been Ben and Candace there. While many seem to get that point (if you didn't get it before well get it now) in regards to Candace Owens and the purpose of her employment they miss that very important detail when comes to Ben Shapiro.

DISCLAIMER: I don't know BTS personally, and I'm not sure if they want to get married. This is just for fun and entertainment purposes! Take it with a grain of salt.

Kim Namjoon

Namjoon's future partner has a special vibe that makes everyone around them feel calm and safe. They're like a sturdy tree, providing stability not only for themselves but also for those they care about. Challenges don't seem to faze them much; they handle them with grace and ease. With a heart as warm as a mother's, they're deeply in touch with their emotions and those of others. This caring nature makes them a pillar of support for their loved ones during tough times.

They value emotional bonds and prioritize nurturing relationships. Wise and mature, they strike a perfect balance between strength and sensitivity. Responsible and dependable, they're someone people can rely on completely. They know how to handle money well and have found success in their endeavours. Their patience and self-discipline are admirable qualities that help them navigate life's ups and downs.

In addition to their inner beauty, they possess a captivating charm that draws people to them. Whether they're from a distant land or simply love to travel, they bring a world of experiences and perspectives into Namjoon's life. Their success and achievement of personal goals demonstrate their determination and drive. Above all, they're a calming presence for Namjoon, helping him find balance and peace in times of stress or uncertainty.

Kim Seokjin

Seokjin's future partner will be someone who plans ahead. Maybe they're already thinking about the plans for the future. They're eager to explore new things and might even enjoy traveling. They're honest and ambitious, facing challenges with determination. They're resilient, never giving up easily. Their energy brings a sense of stability not only to themselves but also to those around them.

Just like Namjoon's reading, Seokjin's future spouse will provide him with unwavering support and stability. They're spontaneous, courageous, and always seeking new experiences. They might have placements in their astrological chart that suggest a fiery personality, bringing excitement and spontaneity to Seokjin's life. I feel like they'll be similar to him but more bold, surprising him in ways he never expected.

I think Seokjin will likely marry someone traditional, perhaps from the same cultural background. His future spouse seems to have strong beliefs, maybe even being religious or spiritual. They're like a teacher, a powerful individual who values structure and tradition. Their presence will help Seokjin overcome any hurtful experiences he's had and provide him with healing, closure, and a fresh start in their journey together. Their connection might deepen because they've faced similar struggles or hardships.

Min Yoongi

Min Yoongi's future partner possesses a vibrant, youthful energy, always eager to expand their knowledge and explore new horizons. They are practical, reliable, and hardworking individuals who approach life with a sense of realism, impressing Yoongi with their dedication to their goals. Their intelligence shines through as they navigate life independently and honestly, valuing intellectual stimulation in their relationships and communication.

While they exhibit a sharp mind and may use sarcasm, they may have encountered challenges or inner struggles in the past, leading to feelings of anxiety and restlessness, particularly regarding financial security. They work diligently to ensure stability, focusing on their career to alleviate any worries about the future. Despite their fears, Yoongi and their future spouse will provide each other with a sense of security and mutual support, encouraging one another to pursue their aspirations.

Yoongi's caring and understanding nature will make him a great husband, offering comfort and care to his future spouse as they navigate life's challenges together. Their partnership will be characterized by understanding and support, with Yoongi playing a pivotal role in providing a stable and nurturing environment for their shared journey ahead.

Jung Hoseok

Hoseok might already be acquainted with his future spouse, possibly someone close or sharing childhood experiences, like a friend. This person brings sweetness and nostalgia into his life, possibly healing his inner child. They radiate innocence and youthful energy, being sensitive, empathic, and possessing a youthful and imaginative spirit. Hoseok's future partner values friendship, social connections, and shared experiences, maybe even sharing the same friend circle.

Furthermore, J-Hope's future spouse displays competitiveness, engaging in sports or activities that require activity and competition. They're assertive, passionate, unafraid to stand up for their beliefs and enjoy healthy debates. Despite their dynamic nature, they are dedicated and hardworking, committed to personal and professional growth. Their commitment may inspire J-Hope to pursue excellence and take pride in their accomplishments together. This shared dedication contributes to a supportive and empowering partnership, with both partners motivating each other to achieve their goals.

Park Jimin

Jimin's future partner is someone who's good with money, reliable, and practical. They take their work seriously and are committed to building a strong foundation for themselves and their relationship. They're also sensitive, creative, and full of imagination, bringing a playful and youthful energy to everything they do. Like Jimin, they appreciate collaboration and teamwork, and they value supporting each other to achieve common goals.

This person is comfortable in their own skin and enjoys the finer things in life. They inspire Jimin, helping him see the beauty around him and within himself. They might meet while working on a project together, which could be something that helps them both succeed financially. They're confident and elegant, knowing when to relax and when to work hard. Their presence brings a sense of introspection and wisdom into Jimin's life, encouraging him to take moments to reflect and grow.

Jimin's future partner is dedicated and calm, supporting him and helping him move forward from his past. They're ambitious and honest about their feelings, creating a strong foundation for their relationship based on mutual respect and understanding.

Kim Taehyung

Taehyung's future partner has a unique vibe compared to others. They might find it hard to feel confident and assertive, needing lots of support and encouragement to tackle their inner challenges. It seems like they lack belief in their own abilities and themselves. They may have gone through tough times, experiencing burnout or stress. Taehyung could be a source of comfort for them, helping them lighten their burdens.

This person is special to Taehyung, caring deeply about family and friendships, which would emotionally fulfill him, and the feeling would be mutual. However, they're also quite competitive and active, often having strong opinions that could lead to conflicts. Past challenges and betrayals might have left them guarded and defensive, even struggling with trust. Building trust and providing reassurance, either from Taehyung or the other way around, would be vital for them to move forward together.

Both Taehyung and his future spouse face inner and outer struggles. They lean on each other for support and understanding. His future partner tends to keep their thoughts to themselves, leading to potential misunderstandings with others.

Jeon Jungkook

Jungkook's future partner is someone full of enthusiasm and adventure. They're bursting with energy, always eager to try new things and explore. This person brings excitement and spontaneity into Jungkook's life, making every moment lively and thrilling. Hardworking and dedicated, they're grounded and committed, patient, and inspiring. They know when to be serious and when to have fun, balancing work and play effortlessly.

They could be outgoing and fearless, unafraid to chase their dreams. With a dynamic and courageous spirit, they infuse passion, drive, and joy into Jungkook's life, always seeking new experiences together. Education holds great importance to them, as they strive for personal and professional growth, aiming to build a solid and safe foundation for their future. This future spouse is transformative, embracing change and encouraging Jungkook to grow and evolve, leaving behind the past and embracing new opportunities.

They help Jungkook unwind and forget about his daily worries, providing a calming presence. Their journey together involves significant personal growth, with both partners supporting each other through life's changes and challenges, fostering an environment of growth, renewal, and mutual understanding.

English not my first language, Bharani Moon here.

A propos of Venus naks, (Bharani in particular). 5 months ago (I'm a widower and 65 yo) I experienced a need to return to spirituality. So I found a sort of monastery of Capuchin friars, where I confessed and found divine grace. I attended some spiritual meetings, we all held hands and sang religious hymns in a kind of karaoke with the words projected on the screen. At the beginning it was pleasant, but then it seemed to me more and more like an "americanata", as we define in Italy all the external things that tend to strike (in short, a braggadocio). The friar who held the meetings was enthusiastic and always the center of attention (we were arranged in a circle). He asked us first grade catechism questions and we had to answer them. After the second time I no longer went, thinking that if I had conducted those sessions they would undoubtedly have been much deeper and more engaging, especially regarding the real life of adult people and the sins we most fall into (we were all over 50 years old) . Back home, I spent hours writing my reflections on the Catholic religion, that is, everything that for me, based on my life experience, resonated very truthfully and sincerely. I simply realized that I was rewriting religion in my image and likeness, I was creating a particular sect where the only guru and disciple was me. As you explain well, it's a Bharani thing. As for the pleasure/pain dichotomy, this is also a very Venusian thing. In addition to the fact that others consider you attractive when you don't think so at all (I haven't liked looking in the mirror or taking selfies of myself for years). The fact is that we Venusians can know the maximum pleasure and the maximum pain, in separate phases of course, we are not masochists. Indeed, perhaps we are, so that we have a threshold of tolerance that is very high for both of them, tantric love comes to mind, to give an example, that is, prolonging pleasure indefinitely, let's say ecstasy, without letting it end in death of an orgasm, the little death). I have a natural propensity to indulge in the pleasures of the flesh (read sex), but my married life was not ideal, due to a wife who had many problems with chronic depression etc. Many times I had to fend for myself, to use an elegant euphemism. The flip side of the coin is the pain that comes from who knows where, unexpected but providential, to repair faults that you know you have committed deep within yourself and the sacredness of your body. Cluster headache. Five episodes from 2007 to 2021, for a total of almost 800 hours of excruciating and unbearable pain. Laughing at myself, now my name is Mister 800, almost as if it were a trophy I can brag about. Actually it is, I think it is, because I know what it cost me. In the USA they call it suicide migraine. Well, I'm still alive, although I basically feel like a survivor, a veteran, a refugee at home. To conclude, I also call myself uncle 120, for managing to keep myself chaste for 4 months after my return to the Grace of Lord. Difficult to understand, even I can't, but life is good... maybe the next one! :)

thank you so much for sharing your experiences as a Bharani Moon native <33 its so interesting how the internal corrosiveness of this nakshatra manifests in so many different ways including with actual physical discomfort/pain,, Venus is a planet of many contradictions and Venusian devotion and spirituality is so powerful. whenever I read about Sufism and how the Sufis think of God as love and the spiritual experience as one where you become "one with god", its always reminded me of Bharani natives<3

Sleep Token Jericho – Analysis

“tread, ancient water salt”

The first word makes think about someone standing in front of a lake or something. Ancient water salt makes me think about alchemy. Alchemy can always be seen in two ways in a material one but also transformational processes within us.

“Alchemy is a multifaceted subject. It is an early form of chemical technology exploring the nature of substances. It is also a philosophy of the cosmos and of mankind's place in the scheme of things. Alchemy developed an amazing language of emblematic symbolism which it used to explore the world. It had a strong philosophical basis, and many alchemists incorporated religious metaphor and spiritual matters into their alchemical ideas.” (https://www.alchemywebsite.com/Introduction.html)

Salts from acids play an important role in alchemy and also alchemy can be seen as ancient knowledge. That's why I have this connected.

“like I, sink, down like precious stones”

Maybe he actually did use alchemical substances to try to achieve certain things? And these substances calmed him in some way?

I like the imagine of sinking down like a stone. Stones are heavy. When I meditate I often “sink” down in my chair. I really fell that I am grounding myself, establishing a connection to something that is deep within me.

Maybe that is what he means?

“until I wake I dine on old encounters”

Dine...who talks like that XD. All of these strange eating and biting allusions always me think about an ED. When you are so obsessed with what's going in your body, all of your “safe foods”....

Or maybe there was not enough provided by his parents? Either because of neglect or not having enough money? Idk...all of this sounds horribly and sad.

Maybe it brought him joy to meet Sleep? Maybe this helped him somehow?

The word wake is also interesting. Does he mean wake up? Because then it would feel like being awake and being asleep is reversed. Or does he mean a wake? Because he brings up the word “grave” later. Does this mean he dines on these encounters until he is dead because it's his wake?!

“you taste like new flesh”

I'm a vegetarian. Can I please have a vegetarian or vegan version?

I really don't know what to make of this. Did he meet something or someone new and he is really drawn towards them?

“say my name again”

Which one?! XD

Seems like he really meet someone or something new? Or maybe he likes the way his name is being said?

“fold, secrets in the sweat”

For some reason I have this connected to me waking up hungover. When you wake up like that and it feels like the alcohol is leaking through every pore on your body. It's just not nice.

I don't know what he means. Like is suggested many times did he do something to be close to Sleep? Since he kind of brings up alchemy maybe it was something like that? It makes me think about substances of some sort.

“Like I swallow, years beneath this bed”

Why beneath? And also why this bed? Somehow I connect this Vessel sitting on his desk and while writing the lyrics he looks over to his bed and is unsure how to continue and then inspiration hits him “beneath this bed”.

I could write a whole essay about the strange eating, biting, swallowing topics. Maybe he really took substances. Idk how else to explain it. And maybe “beneath” this bed because it gave him a sense of security?

“there's something in the way you lay enough to make the dead switch graves”

This is a funny one. How can someone who is dead switch a grave? Does he mean a dead switch? Or someone dead switching graves? What on earth can be so powerful that when it lays there that the dead switch graves. This part just makes me laugh because I have no idea what he means or how he means it.

“you take your leave”

Thank you for calling me out again. I know okay. It's part of my “testing”. If someone really wants to be with me they will still be there after I'm back from my leave. Idk...me just scratching my head and thinking “it's a BPD thing”.

Seems like Sleep or whoever he means liked to mess with him.

“my hands are not worthy”

Oh dear! I just feel this. I'm someone who is so convinced that I am an awful being and not worthy of anything positive. Deep-rooted childhood trauma.....well....

I really like Jericho because “you taste like new flesh” is such a strange line but it sounds so good when you sing/scream it out loud.

I'm still thinking about The Rain Road from Worlds Beyond Number in like five different ways, particularly in how it relates to a bunch of other actual plays, so I'm cramming them all into one massive post:

There was a NADDPod D&D Court case in the live show they released this week in which the DM invented a language for Thieves' Cant and put it in a packet for a new player who was playing a rogue but did not make it clear this was required reading, and then in-game answered the rogue's investigation check in this language, which the player had no ability to understand, and it shut down an avenue of story. Absolutely wild case but the point here is that this sort of energy needs to be directed into writing in-world songs or poetry and not a conlang your player has to pick up in their spare time.

In the Fireside, Aabria talked about how the song was inherently political despite being religious and not having any political lyrics (comparing it to some of the spirituals of enslaved African-Americans). We do know that the people who knew the song were older; we know that Galani and Suvi felt a certain way as members of the imperium about it, and that Morrow did not recognize the greetings of Port Talon derived from the worship of Naram and Orima. It's unclear precisely what the Empire's attitude is towards religion. It does not appear to be outlawed and Steel indicates a non-religious degree of respect towards Great Spirits; it seems it's simply not respected by the Empire on the whole, perhaps broadly discouraged. Even a fairly neutral attitude of disregard could erode it culturally among younger people who are always eager to reject the older ways. A cynical person would say any of these could be the path to eventual harsher legislation; wear it down first for a few generations, then come in when the opposition is weak. What's interesting to me is this relationship between religion and Empire, especially against the backdrop of Critical Role. There, we've seen it several ways - religious institutions using the tools of empire (Othanzia), empires that blur the lines between the two (Kryn Dynasty), but also empires that outlaw it (the Dwendalian Empire going after casual worshippers of the Changebringer, leaving their children to fend for themselves). My own feeling here is that religion is conceptually neutral and can be used for either good or ill, and empire is not given that it relies on conquest, but it is interesting to see the vast differences in the fandoms for the two works - which have decent overlap - re: religion when we have mostly seen the two in opposition vs. when we we have seen many different perspectives worldwide.

To that point I'm really excited for the next arc because while I think empire is, again, always going to be about subjugation and conquering and cannot ever be a good thing, I also think that individuals within it are going to be complicated. I can't remember if it was Brennan or Aabria or both who pointed this out, and that right now we mostly just have the word "empire", but even then, we've seen people seeking the favor of the Imperium but not high up within it do terrible things, and people who are in its military and abused by those in power died to save civilians. The Empire is on the whole going to be a bad force, but I'm looking forward to seeing all the very human reasons why people might support it. (This isn't about the song but it's a natural thought from the previous one).

Back to the song, I know much of the lore of the campaign is taken from Brennan and Erika's cultural backgrounds, but a hymn for rain is something very common in Judaism - the upcoming fall holidays especially center around this. Not much to add there other than that this does feel very true to liturgy that has a basis in the natural and the agricultural; good job Brennan on that.

Bouncing back to the song as it exists as a quiet form of something that is perhaps not explicitly anti-empire, but shows a way without an empire (after all, few things are more of a quiet threat than reminding people the empire did not always exist), Ame is of course the one who makes an effort to learn and spread it; she's the one who builds a shrine during the fight and who knows how to communicate with the spirits (sidebar what the fuck is up with Suvi's necklace). It is interesting to me, among various fandoms, seeing which character is pinned as the Moral Center because it is almost always one vague description, which Ame fits (wise; provincial; vague nature vibes), but the thing is that archetype does not really have a moral code associated with it and I wonder why that's the archetype, particularly since that immediately sticks out to me as a valuable but very limited voice. (It's also interesting that when there isn't an obvious character who fits this type, the Moral Center character - and to be clear I think the idea that one character is the moral center is fallacious and simple thinking to begin with - people gravitate towards, if I can be a bit dismissive about characters I genuinely like since I'm really just dismissing the fandom perception, sob stories, more than anything else).

Most people just like to shit on men for fun and profit. They like to shit on god for fun and profit. Then they trash the world. But also more importantly in a spiritual way in that they are constantly, fucking constantly poisoning the social environment making it impossible to get anything positive done,

Create middle class families, especially white middle class families. And shit on the poor. And shit on the Jews of course with palestine.

They learn it early in school

School is a masonic project. to teach children the values learned in "the enlightenment" (the Echthroi's values) vs. the values of god. Get families broken up and kids away from their moms.

But who am I kidding?

Is anyone fucking listening?

I guess this is the price of existence.

I think about Jeffrey's existence. What he's there for, and I guess, really he's there to destroy reality. Like Kefka or the Nothing. And everyone is behind him of course.....because like the Morque, they want POWER. they even say if for these dead "martyrs" "rest in power"

I think he's going to win.

I can already feel it in myself. I hate this existence. Working so hard in school. Having my friends and family turn on me. Being bullied. Watching as their are even worse predators all around me, especially in power. Watching people actually still follow and listen to these monsters.

My mother was raped by her father and her mother never left him, however when my father lost his job...she left him. That fact always haunts me because it shows just how much women care morea bout societal acceptance than protecting their children. And I'm a poor man, so clearly I have nothing to offer.

So, thanks to people's faithfulness to the system we'll have prison hells. We'll have horror show after horror show. Economic inequality, revolutions, wars, crime, simulations of reality, hells. We don't have marriage but we have free pornography. Then some religious person points out maybe that they shouldn't do that and...the religions are fucked up too. However, they are less fucked up than the wider culture. But, blame god. that will solve all your addiction problems.

Don't blame all the rich people who sold you the addictive products. Don't blame the constant immorality. Make sure to keep hurting people, especially men. The kids bully each other, the men won't or can't protect the children. The women use all their social power to take jobs from the men and use shitty socially aggressive tactics to fuck over the men. Then they lust over the rich men who make money by degrading the general population. And their's predators on top of them and so on and so forth.

Jeffrey's good man. Not a good man, but he's good at being evil. Pushing the world towards pain and suffering. Then people will naturally not want to exist like I do now. He knows exactly what to do to make it seem like he's the good guy. After extended torture and psychological manipulation, I'm sure I'll fall for it too. That's the point of Darkmatter's videos which are very hostile to god, but informative. He might be hostile in some ways, but he's truthful. that's important.

He's one of the only people who is nice to me though and honestly I don't know why. I don't know why. Or, I do. He is playing some long game. The only real friend I have

They all want something. Money, cigarettes, women, to have their fragile egoes validated, POWER. to get in groups and do gang violence then call it something nice like democracy. They sometimes try to make it up by going to church maybe.

Created beings are hateful inferior creatures.

I am beginning to learn to hate people.

Ok, I've been thinking about your wish posts for quite some time, and I’m very confused, can't seem to follow them. Magnifico's main philosophy is to forget without regret (he, like Faciler, is taking the easy route of life).

Even if a goal doesn't come true or you give up, you should still reconcile with those scars, grow, and let them heal naturally. You say the star thing is sacrificial, but it's not saying Asha is a literal star; she's connected to stardust; it more evokes how God says we are made in the image of him (we are obviously not god, but we are all connected to him and his children).  

Putting aside that, I don't think this movie is religious at all, and I find the implication insane. I think Star is more god, and Magnifico is a false idol and a corrupt leader. Asha sings the lyrics, so I look up at the stars to guide them, much like how the shepherds followed the stars to Bethelheman.

Taking the lyrics of at all costs into account, I'll promise, as one does, I'll protect you at all costs. He's locking them up and stealing their souls, and he wants to seal his people's desire to live so he can achieve ultimate power.

When Asha says I'm a star, she's saying anyone should spread peace and reflect on their scars, and the wishes that are dangerous can be stopped, so if society (Magnifco) decides you are useless or not needed in society, do you listen?

Well, God would never say people's autonomy is useless, like Magnifico, nor do you have to grant everyone's wish, but you can't determine people's way of living or their souls. With no offense, I find your analysis posts to be rather anti-human and I’m curious if you have any answers to these points

First:

Every story is presenting a worldview. If you present a worldview, that worldview WILL come into conflict with other worldviews that say the opposite thing.

Wish may not be saying a word about any one religion—but by presenting the philosophy that human beings have the power of the stars in them, from the star matter inside of them—it is in conflict with several religious worldviews.

"Powerful Stardust Inside Humans" an actual "religion/"worldview out here in the real world. It's founded in the "big bang theory," which as far as I know, guesses that the ancient stars of the universe were made up of helium, lithium, and hydrogen. Then the other elements (the ones that make up us) allegedly gradually formed inside of those, then allegedly blasted all throughout the galaxy during the Big Bang. Therefore, allegedly, life on planet earth is made from star debris, or "stardust."

Then New Age believers take that a step further and decide that this means that a spiritual connection is between us and the stars, which are powerful, because of their religious astrological beliefs.

Which is exactly what Wish is also presenting, as a worldview, in "I'm a Star!" and in every moment where Asha claims she can understand what Star is trying to tell her, and in every moment where the effects artists specifically caused characters' chests to glow with a Star sparkle. Real people in real life believe that real stardust in humans gives them real power.

And that belief is either based on truth, or it's not. People who believe it are either wrong, or they're right.

Because other worldviews believe the opposite of both the New Age idea that stardust has supernatural power, and the opposite of the Big Bang.

Christians, as you know, believe that the world was created (and Earth, which mankind was formed out of, was created before the stars) by the word of Yahweh. They believe the Big Bang Theory is false. They believe that worshipping creations like stars through astrology, or attributing any supernatural power to humans, is false and also wrong.

Other worldviews besides Christianity also don't believe in the Big Bang, or astrology, or New Age spiritualism. But Wish framed Star and the whole "I'm a Star!" song as if these things are the truth...meaning, everything else is not true.

So you can say it had nothing to say about religion, but just by presenting a worldview that is contrary to many religions...it is saying something about religion. It is saying religion is incorrect. Passive-aggressively. But still saying it.

Second:

Star does not represent the God of the Bible in any way.

As I've said before, Star is presented as a higher power, because he is blatantly connected to the wishing stars of other Disney movies—which have been higher powers—but then he's able to be defeated. He's trapped easily by Magnifico. He is unable to rescue himself and has to be rescued by everyone else.

Nothing about that is like the God of the Bible.

Additionally, he's just one star. I feel like everybody is acting like there aren't other stars in the sky—the movie never presents Star the character as the only powerful godlike being in the heavens—in fact, the movie has a line from Asha's father about how "the stars (plural) are there to guide us." There's only one God, the God of the Bible specifically claims to be the only higher power.

Plus, even if Wish were saying that Star is the only wishing star, as a parallel to God's exclusive existence...he does nothing to "guide" Asha.

He doesn't suggest a path for her to take. She just decides she wants to go get Sabino's Wish back, and Star does cute little antics like any super-powered sidekick might to help out, and then she gets Sabino's wish back. Then later, he gives her magical tools that wind up being no help at all—she gets captured by Magnifico anyway. In the climax, he just sort of...pushes on the wishes, then gets sucked into a staff. He very simply does nothing super-helpful. He's just the regular amount of ordinary-helpful to Asha.

Besides, when we say a higher power "guides a character," we usually mean that they offer the hero a choice, and that choice challenges the character to choose what they need instead of just what they want. Like the Blue Fairy (the original wishing star) or Mama Odie. They aren't with the heroes every step of the way, jumping in to do part of the work of the adventure. Jumping in and doing part of the work is what Ray the firefly or Jiminy Cricket do. Star jumps in and does part of the work, like a sidekick; he does not give guidance or direction or a challenge that deepens the hero like the Blue Fairy, or Mama Odie, or The Enchantress. And like I said, he's nothing like God—

—except that he's presented like a higher power who gives guidance, only to actually do the opposite of that, which is a commentary on how the creators of Wish see "higher powers." I can't explain it any more clearly than that.

Also, just for point of reference, the phrase "made in God's image" does not line up at all with Asha's "connection" to Star. Because like I just said, Star's set up like he's supposed to be a higher power but then fails, so he's not that high of a power. Asha's "connection" to Star is a direct link to real New Age Evolutionary spirituality—they say, word-for-word, what New Age Evolutionary Spiritualists say in real life in the song "I'm a Star!"

Which is it: is the movie not religious at all, or is Star God while Magnifico's a false idol?

See, you can't even talk about Wish without acknowledging that it says something about higher powers, I.e. God.

I've already explained why Star isn't an accurate representation of the God of the Bible: he's more an accurate representation of what humanists believe about higher powers: they believe we're all "higher powers." (Which is to say, everyone is powerful and nobody, not stars or gods or nature, is higher than humans.)

But listen—they borrowed the idea of "look up at the stars to guide me" from several different places. One, yes, the Bible. Two, all of navigational history, which uses stars like maps. Three, astrology, which believes that stars give literal spiritual guidance and have an effect on everything that happens on earth. So no. It wasn't a direct one-to-one comparison to the wise men who followed the star to Bethlehem.

Your Claims About What the Movie is Saying:

"He wants to steal people's desires to live" - No, he doesn't, that's not in the movie. All the adults in Rosa's no longer have their wishes; none of them act depressed or suicidal. Not even Asha's mother, after her wish is literally crushed in front of her.

"When Asha says I'm a star, she's saying anyone should spread peace and reflect on their scars" - That's just a theory of yours; it's not supported by the movie. Nobody in the movie wrestled with "their scars." Not even Magnifico. The movie just hints that he lost something in his past—it never fully fleshes out that he's still upset by that, or afraid of losing anything he cares about except power. Asha's father is dead, but other than one line about how nobody should have to live with that pain (which is the opposite of "reflecting" on scars) the loss of her father is never treated like a deep emotional wound she needs to acknowledge or overcome. It's never mentioned again in the movie.

The thing is, none of your points are supportable from what's in the movie. You're reading more meaning into it than the movie actually has—and some of that meaning, the movie itself contradicts.

About how my posts are anti-human:

They're not anti-human. They're anti-humanist, maybe. I don't believe humans are the center of everything. I don't believe they are just as powerful as "higher powers." The point of "higher" powers is that they're HIGHER than what? Higher than humans.

God absolutely does determine what's right and wrong; He invented "right." And He does judge people's lifestyle, and their souls. Sure, Magnifico had no right to do that—but you know what, it's not because "nobody should decide how an individual lives except the individual themselves!" —it's because Magnifico is human. So he doesn't get to judge. God however? God gets to judge. God gets to decide. And He always makes the right decision.

I have an argument... (P-shifting vs. Delusions)

Okay, so you know how people often try to claim shifters are delusional, mentally ill or must be suffering from something, right? We all know that's wrong (and other shifters and I have addressed it before), but I think I have a more coherent argument against shifting being considered a delusion specifically, as that seems harder to confront.

(Note: You can be a shifter and also be mentally ill, delusional, etc. however the two are not inherently associated with one another.)

Here are the diagnostic criteria for Delusional Disorder, as listed in the DSM-5. I'm aware other countries may use the ICD-11, here's a link to the criteria for delusional disorder as listed there.

Diagnostic criteria for delusions are broad, since delusions can take many forms and impact people in a variety of ways. However, in order to qualify as delusional you need to have one or more delusions lasting a duration of one month or longer.

Generally delusions are suspected when a belief conflicts with someone's (sub)culture or deeply held beliefs. If a belief is found within someone's culture or subculture it doesn't typically qualify as a delusion, because it is then understandable and may serve other functions. Physical therianthropy (the act of physically shapeshifting into another animal) has existed as a belief in all sorts of cultures, and the Western shifter community is one form of this. So that reduces the possibility that shifters are all delusional - if we were this belief would not have persisted for so long throughout the ages.

Delusions can be neutral or rarely positive, but generally they tend to impact people (or occasionally others) negatively, hence why they're listed in the DSM. Unlike religious, spiritual or supernatural beliefs they are not adopted and practiced; you cannot decide to become delusional or learn how to be delusional like how some people claim to have learned shifting. If a delusion is positive and doesn't appear to be affecting one negatively in other ways, psychiatrists may leave it alone, treating it similarly to other religious beliefs.

The ICD-11 says this about the boundary with normality:

A continuum of delusional beliefs, attenuated delusional beliefs, overvalued ideas, and unusual or eccentric beliefs has been observed in the general population. Such beliefs may be more common among people under conditions of adversity. People with Delusional Disorder may display greater psychological distress, greater preoccupation, and higher degree of conviction compared to people in the general population with beliefs that are similar in nature to beliefs that could be characterized as delusional.

So generally, unless you're distressed, highly preoccupied (to the point of it affecting your life negatively) and unreasonably closed off to other possible explanations, your beliefs are not indicative of an illness. Many people have some kind of odd, unusual, or borderline delusional beliefs, but they don't usually become a cause for concern until they affect someone's life negatively.

A delusional syndrome that people often try to link to shifting is clinical lycanthropy. However, in both clinical and modern cases I've seen it is typically a distressing and dysfunctional syndrome to live with. Clinical lycanthropes don't generally enjoy shifting or being an animal the same way shifters do, and often experience other symptoms that signal a psychiatric or physical disorder, such as inability to control shifting and other negative supernatural phenomena, distress or inability to function, or disorganized thoughts.

I hope this reassures anybody who was worried that shifting might be delusional for them due to the stigma surrounding it. Other people may freak out about physical shifting because it's not the norm, but it isn't an inherently delusional or pathological condition or belief. If it isn't causing issues in your day-to-day life and you're not distressed by it, you're fine. (And if you are distressed/having issues, you should seek help. You deserve to feel comfortable in your body!)

this is a long one and your ask box is a confessional now. to start off; im not christian. i was raised christian but thats just not the life for me. secondly; my name is judas. this makes christians uncomfortable as well. last thing before we get into the meat of it; i am also not a satanist but i do still dabble in it from time to time. so off the bat your more die hard christians would Not like me. like i said i have a very complicated relationship with christianity; i hate god and god hates me. i do things specifically to spite him and i call him out on his bullshit all the time. however; this does not extend to jesus. this is where the more complicated part comes in. i am not a christian, i do not worship god nor the holy spirit or any saints or anything like this, and my relationship and connection to jesus i view more as an extension of my worship of dionysus more than anything else. i dont know what this all entails, im still exploring this, but despite all my disdain towards christianity i cannot get myself to extend this to jesus. and its haunted me for years and years until i finally started to accept that. and more recently ive stopped trying to fight the nature of my relationship to jesus and lean into it. and my exploration of my worship of dionysus has helped as well; a lot of people connect the two in their own ways and i personally view them as two sides of the same coin. and through this ive just started to accept that my relationship with him is inherently queer, sensual and erotic even. god, to me, has always been rough, cruel, and uncaring, taking away whatever support he has given me at the drop of a hat if i do something that he doesnt agree with. a cold hand. but jesus was never like that yk? always kind and caring, a guiding hand, never let go even if i stopped and went back. a soft, tender lover. ive cried and hes responded to my pain with gentle touches. always forgiving, never judging. ive felt guilt over my sexual fixation on him; weight on my shoulders for years. trying to ignore it and bury it. but the second i gave up and accepted it i felt free. my name had no connection to its origin when i initially chose it; it just fit like a glove when i tried it. but the more i go down this weird path the more i realize that it fits more than i thought. its nice. but i dont think your average christian would appreciate my views.

This has been in my inbox for a day and I've reread it a few times, and I don't know if you're looking for religious counsel or maybe just to get your thoughts out (evoking the image of a confessional implied you were interested in a response specifically from my point of view, or some sort of direction, but if that's not what you want, stop reading after the cut?) So I'll try to answer as an anthropologist and theologian before answering as myself.

First and foremost, and the part I'm sure you're familiar with, you are far from the only person that has a convoluted and difficult relationship with religion--so the good news is that you're not alone! Even among the most devout Christians there is unrest, doubt, feelings of loneliness and despair. And those people seem to know what they're about. So for someone that has an unfavorable history with Christianity and no longer identifies with it, it only makes sense to feel such a varied and complex array of emotions about specific aspects.

I don't even necessarily think that it's abnormal to feel there is an erotic element to your relationship with Jesus. St. Teresa of Avila experienced her "spiritual ecstasy"--

In his hands, I saw a great golden spear, and at the iron tip there appeared to be a point of fire. This he plunged into my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails. When he pulled it out I felt that he took them with it, and left me utterly consumed by the great love of God. The pain was so severe that it made me utter several moans. The sweetness caused by this intense pain is so extreme that one cannot possibly wish it to cease, nor is one’s soul content with anything but God. This is not a physical but a spiritual pain, though the body has some share in it—even a considerable share. [Article on that.]

Your stance is, yes, unorthodox (haha). And it's true that many Christians would shy away from and admonish everything you have going on here--not all of them! I think you have some interesting concepts going on with your personal spirituality that don't necessarily speak to me as a human being but that I think would be interesting to do some writing about, if you care to.

The story of Jesus and Judas is a love story. What kind of love story it is can be up to interpretation, and that's a wonderful thing to me. And I think that's something that you have certainly considered between your name and your personal theology.

On an objective level, I believe that if this is good for you this is good for you and that it is then worth exploring. If you like what Jesus as a man and as a symbol encompasses, you should include that in your own spiritual life--and it sounds like you are! You can love Jesus without being a Christian. Many people do.

i hate god and god hates me. i do things specifically to spite him and i call him out on his bullshit all the time.

God does not hate you. God doesn't hate anyone, that's kind of the deal. You could do the most morally bankrupt nonsense and still God would be there for you. I think a lot of the other things I would want to say on this topic come off as though I would be trying to convert you (I'm not) and would be better in, like, an essay, so I'll leave that be.

This is a genuine question, not that you have to answer but if you'd like to please feel free: how are you, as someone that isn't Christian and doesn't worship a Christian God, qualifying what exactly God's bullshit is? What goes into that category? Is there something worth examining there?

my relationship and connection to jesus i view more as an extension of my worship of dionysus more than anything else. [...] a lot of people connect the two in their own ways and i personally view them as two sides of the same coin.

I'd love to know more about this. I don't know much about Dionysus as a figure nor Dionysian worship so I'm interested in how people make the connection/what that does for them and their spirituality. I know you said you're still exploring this and figuring out what it means for you so ofc no pressure to bare your soul or anything, but again if you have any specific thoughts to share go wild.

god, to me, has always been rough, cruel, and uncaring, taking away whatever support he has given me at the drop of a hat if i do something that he doesnt agree with. a cold hand. but jesus was never like that yk? always kind and caring, a guiding hand, never let go even if i stopped and went back.

Bizarre to me to so readily separate God and Christ. But I do understand that Jesus is easier to empathize with as a man, we have stories of his life, joy, and suffering. Jesus is also divine, though--you could even view him as a bridge between us and God, in a way. I don't know your personal journey. But it's easy to mistake, sometimes, God telling you the path you're on is wrong for you as God denying you or revoking support from you.

This was a really interesting message! I hope you feel that I've engaged with it fairly. Do you have any beef with the Holy Spirit or is it just the God/Jesus split you struggle with?

One of the graves I most wanted to visit was Helen Mar Kimball Whitney: Helen was an avid diarist, and I've read about 800 pages of her diary entries recorded mostly over the last decade of her life after her husband died, so I feel like I "know" her from her writing. She also has a very poignant and frankly pretty upsetting life story, and I wanted to pay my respects to her.

Helen was the oldest daughter of early church leader Heber Kimball, and the only surviving daughter he had with his first wife, Vilate. Helen's parents converted to Mormonism when she was three years old. When she was five, her family relocated to Kirtland, Ohio, where the church was then headquarted, and where Heber was ordained as one of the original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. When Helen was fourteen, her life dramatically changed when her father took a plural wife and then arranged a marriage between his daughter and 37-year-old Joseph Smith. Helen was his youngest wife. A little more than a year later, she became a fifteen-year-old widow after Smith's assassination. Helen's later in life reflections of this period mingle memories of her teenage unhappiness with an adult perspective of religious piety and duty, which is reflected by contemporary letters from her father urging Helen to be obedient through trials in search of promised spiritual blessings.

Later, seventeen-year-old Helen married Horace Whitney, the older brother of her best friend Sarah Ann, who she had apparently had a crush on since before her first marriage, right before they left Nauvoo for Utah along with the majority of the church. Settling in Salt Lake City, Helen and Horace had eleven children, six of whom survived to adulthood. Eventually, Horace married again, and Helen lived in a house next to her sister-wife, Mary Cravath Whitney. Helen struggled significantly with chronic physical health issues beginning in her late teens, starting with difficult pregnancies and births. She also suffered from what she described alternately as issues with her nerves, melancholy, "deathly spells", and demonic attacks. Because of her disabling psychological and physical health issues, she often felt that she was not able to socialize or engage with her hobbies the way she wanted to. In her early teens, Helen had sung in the Nauvoo church choir, played piano, and had several roles in amateur theater productions. Horace, who played the violin, was also artistic, and their children were involved in music and theater as well. Her main creative outlet as an adult seems to have been writing--in addition to her prolific and vivid diary entries, she published articles and poetry in Mormon women's magazines, as well as two pro-polygamy pamphlets.

Helen experienced a lot of loss and trauma in her life, from the pressures of her early marriage to the deaths of several of her children in infancy. A little more than a year after the death of her husband, the family went through another tragedy: her younger son, Charlie, who was 21, killed himself. Helen struggled with both grief and shock at the nature of his death for the rest of her life. Another thing that drew me to the Whitney family gravesite was wanting to document Charlie's headstone. According to his mother's diary, he was buried next to his father, but there was no information on FindAGrave and I thought the headstone might no longer be extant. Thankfully, I was able to photograph Charlie's simple headstone and I will be creating a page on FindAGrave for him.

I'm very glad that I was able to see Helen and her family and leave flowers: her diary was very moving to me and I have a lot of sympathy for her. She seems like she was a very intelligent, talented woman who dealt with a lot of really difficult, crushing things in life, and I wish she hadn't had to. Especially given how much grief she experienced and that I know she hoped to reunite with her family in heaven, it was sort of comforting to see them all buried together, and the Whitney section is very beautiful.

The top image is Helen as an older woman. Middle is Horace and Mary. The bottom picture is her five surviving children, son Orson and daughters Lily, Genevieve, Florence, and Helen (clockwise from left). This picture was taken after Charlie died, I don't think there are any pictures of him. I was able to find the graves of every Whitney child except Helen--the area where she and her husband are supposed to be buried is kind of not in good repair and I suspect if the graves were in-ground plaques they may have grown over--you can see that one of Orson's wives had grown over and I had to kind of dig out her plaque. Charlie, Lily, and Genevieve are buried in the same plot as their parents, along with several half-siblings from Horace and Mary's marriage. Florence is with her husband's family, as is Helen (allegedly, as I wasn't able to locate the grave). (She's also named on the grave as F. Marion, though her family did not call her by her middle name. Maybe later in life.) Orson is buried with his wives in a different part of the cemetery next to his uncle, Solomon Kimball, who was Helen's youngest full brother whom she was very close to. (Note: Solomon was a widower who remarried, not a polygamist. Orson, on the other hand, had two wives at the same time).

When you talk about honoring the mountain is that like a spiritual/religious thing or what?

Sometimes I will say things like the desert and the mountains can teach us a lot. Or perhaps that the plants and the rocks are shouting out at us.

Though this may sound like animism I don't mean this literally. ( I'm definitely a materialist in like the monist sense of the word. )

The process of learning about the natural world fundamentally changes your interactions with it. When you know the names of all of the local plants, a field can be filled with landmarks. The information density of what you see is just a lot higher.

When it comes to mountains and deserts this is more about the harshness of the terrain itself. I suppose that would apply to like a tundra or something but i don't have experience with that. It is a part of my personal philosophy that we should intentionally experience physical and mental hardships in order to become stronger. Sometimes this takes the form of regular exercise, but other times this looks more like some ascetic practice of sleeping on the floor or being exposed to the cold and fasting.

The purpose of this is to essentially exercise the prefrontal cortex. It is practical and useful to be able to deny initial impulses, such as when trying to fight an addiction. Really any kind of emotionally resonant experience which could result in acting in ways that cause negative long term consequences. ( as an aside, i also think that the intentional weighting of long term and diffuse effects is what makes altruism a practical strategy but that is out of scope for this discussion. )

Anyway, I was raised catholic but a major sticking point for me was oddly enough trinitarianism. I didn't find it logically consistent and that bothered me because I was supposed to believe it. It seemed wrong to just say that it made sense. When I asked my father about it he said that I should just go along with it because it causes less problems socially - basically that following the rituals promotes social stability.

This discussion and the case of the ascetic monks both have aspects in my current belief system. I do believe that social rules have benefits for individuals and that the primary reason to follow these is out of practicality. I also believe that ascetic practices are worth doing to some degree

However I am critical of the application of authority. I see that there are many cases of cargo cults in the world. Although some things are difficult to do, and overcoming an obstacle like that has some worth, there are also things that are a waste of time to do. Digging a hole and filling it back up again may be great exercise but its much better when there is a greater purpose to the action, like planting a tree. Getting people to submit to arbitrary rituals has a cost that just doesn't need to be there.

5, 20, 43 for Salem?

Thank you so much! 🤗

[CP2077 OC Asks]

5. are they religious or spiritual in any way?

Salem is very spiritual, but he's not very religious. He prefers to keep the concept of God, or any deity for that matter, secular from his own beliefs. It's just not for him. He is heavily into the occult, however, and borrows practices/beliefs from various mystic philosophies that he's drawn to. Salem practices witchcraft, he's believes in fate, past lives and soulmates. He studies astrology, tarot, and believes in spiritual energies in others and the surrounding natural world around him. I can ramble on and on about Salem and his belief system 🤭 All this to say, Salem is my most spiritual out of all my other OC’s.

20. where do they currently live? describe their home. 

I'm so excited for this question, I've been trying to design Salem's apartment for the longest time 😂Sadly, I can't come up with anything visually decent, so descriptions it is! I hope I can do it justice.

Salem lives in an apartment building in Northside. It’s similar to the in-game Maelstrom apartment in terms of aesthetics but it’s a bit bigger and more livable (and slightly better maintained). It’s a 1 bedroom, 1 bath floor plan. Small yet spacious enough for him and his stuff. It has a heavy industrial vibe, with exposed brick walls, metal railings, etc.

It's messy as you'd expect it to be from someone like Salem. Worn clothes thrown on the bedroom floor, his coffee table is covered in empty cans, his rolling tray, a bong, half-read tarot spreads, etc. But it's not over crowded or cluttered to the point where it's an issue.

His decor fits his own style too. If someone were to step into his apartment, there's an immediate "Ah yeah, this is definitely Salem's space" thought. He has art on the walls that he has commissioned himself or has been given to him by fans/friends as well as various posters of various bands and musicians he genuinely is a fan of. There are little oddities and curiosities on his shelves, such as crystals, creepy little statues, things like that.

The lighting is kinda dark and somewhat dim, he tends to keep his windows closed with the curtains drawn shut, especially in his bedroom. But he'll let in a little sunlight from time to time when he needs to.

What always seems to throw guests off is how his apartment smells. It always smells nice, since he usually has incense burning either for meditation, rituals/spells or to just relax. However, there's also a noticeable weed smell lingering, so it's definitely subjective. 🤭

His favorite spot in his home is his work area. He has a corner of his living room reserved for his desk and his recording equipment. His set up might look cluttered, with all his notes scattered about as well as even more empty cans, a full ashtray and various shards here and there, but he knows exactly where everything is.

43. describe their ideal date.

Salem is not one that can easily be 'wined and dined'. He doesn't like big, expensive, excessive dates. It just turns him off and it feels very artificial and false to him. He's far more into 1x1 dates, so group dates probably aren't the best way either.

To Salem, it doesn't really matter what the setting is or what it is they're doing, as long as he gets to be with that person. He wants to get to know them, see what they're like, how they present themselves to him and how they engage in the activity their doing. It could be something as quiet and intimate as going out for a drive together, away from everyone else. Or something loud and rowdy like going to a show together or causing trouble at some bar. 🖤

every time i look into astronism and "cometan" i get more and more fucking baffled. who the fuck is this guy. why is he pretending to have a massive organized religion when he very clearly does not. i'm so deeply unsettled by him for some reason.

like, imagine you're like me, okay, and you really like niche religious topics. so you're looking into astrotheology (worship of stars) as a concept, maybe not only to soothe your curiosity, but because it's pretty damn cool and you might wanna incorporate some spiritual acknowledgement of the cosmos into your life. or maybe not. who knows, you have to read about it first. so you do some googling, and eventually you come across astronism.com (web archive version). and it's this huge website with dozens of different sections talking about the different beliefs and sections of "astronism", a religion founded by someone who calls himself cometan.

i mean, look at this shit. it's a lot. it's a LOT.

a lot of these words are completely fucking original. original concepts with original words. and if you look on the bottom left, it seems that there's a fairly good media presence. at least there's SOMETHING, you know? 90k twitter followers is nothing to scoff at. 7k youtube subs isn't insignificant. but what is fucking insane is that the engagement on these accounts is absolutely miniscule. i'm talking one retweet per tweet (which is only retweeted by another official astronist account, of which there are a STUPID amount). a couple hundred views per video at best and no comments.

so you look further into it. because your interest is fucking PIQUED. you are incredibly interested in whatever the fuck is going on here not because of it's complexity, but because it seems to be masquerading itself as a huge, official religion, when there seems to be next to nobody talking about it. i could find two tumblr posts related to this shit, and neither seem organic (made by an actual person).

the founder has his own website at cometan.org (web archive here) and good CHRIST. is it a trip. here's the opening picture you're greeted with, to show the sort of strange aura around this website.

this is the most insane shit i've ever seen because I DON'T KNOW WHO THE FUCK THIS GUY IS. i can't find a single thing that leads him to literally any sort of credible source. i've researched nature worship before and haven't found him. it looks like this all just popped up one day.

the twitter account seems to have just been some random retweet account for pretty pictures until march 18th, 2018, when it retweeted a picture of cometan:

i'm dropping the "you" metaphor now because i'm tired. anyway, before that i don't really see much evidence of anything else. it seems like the account was changed over from a picture account.

going back to his website, here's the description he gives of himself and his creation of astronism:

From the day of his fifteenth birthday, Cometan dedicated himself to a public life as a philosopher, religious figure and astronomer through his exploration of the universe's deepest questions, hence why he is also known as Cometan the Contemplator.

After receiving a series of intense receptions from age fifteen about the future and destiny of humanity to explore and discover the mysteries of The Cosmos, Cometan forged a new religion named Astronism that is now challenging the stereotypes of what it means to be religious, philosophical, spiritual, or otherwise.

so this guy made this when he was fifteen. that's the story. fair enough, i guess. i had some weird religious ideas when i was fifteen. i've seen people carry out some pretty weird ideas. it's a lot, but it's not UNHEARD of, and i was mostly interested in why this guy was seemingly pretending to have a world religion when he just didn't.

but you guys don't get it yet. you haven't seen it. you haven't seen the true depths of how fucking insane this is because oh my good christ, i found the founding book of astronism, and this is what i was fucking met with.

that is the page count for the omnidoxy, the founding text of astronism, and i am fully convinced that if i picked a page in the middle at random i would be the first person besides the author to have ever read it. the pages are all full. i checked. the font is just a normal fucking size. here's a page for reference.

this is just one of the books. i downloaded them ages ago when first looking into this, so i can't remember where i found them, but i managed to get them for free somewhere on the web (good thing, because the omnidoxy officially costs 150 pounds and i am NOT paying that for this). there are OTHER FUCKING BOOKS. as you can tell from the page i showed you, it's also filled with the type of incomprehensible jargon with an actual thought process behind it. this guy knows what he's talking about, it's just that he's the only person in the entire world who does.

i'm just. in fucking awe. i feel like i've discovered a secret society. can someone please tell me what the fuck this is or what this about because i'm frankly on the edge of losing my mind. this is actually sending me into hysterics. i NEED to know what any of this means.

Okay, I want to break down this post that made it to the top of the syscourse tag, especially since it was vagueing an earlier conversation with me.

For the first point, the term "plural" was used specifically to distance itself from OSDD/DID, as an alternative to "multiple" which was more used in OSDD/DID spaces at the time. I assume then that this statement isn't about the term "plural" being intrinsically linked to DID/OSDD but rather, the concept of being multiple beings in one body itself.

And that, I feel, is an equally problematic claim. Spiritual possession has existed throughout the entire world in nearly every culture throughout human history. In contrast, OSDD/DID were only recognized as medical disorders in the past couple hundred years or so. Most plurality throughout history has been considered spiritual in nature. OSDD/DID systems don't own a monopoly on the concept, nor do they even make up the majority of people who could technically fall under the plural umbrella.

As for this hypothetical, sure, it can happen in some case. But OSDD and DID are already highly comorbid with a large number of other disorders. I legitimately wonder how many endo-identifying traumagenic systems with PTSD symptoms with suicidal ideation who aren't in therapy already would suddenly decide to seek help if they knew they had a dissociative disorder on top of that.

Most of the time, this is just stacking one extra diagnosis onto a pile. And if someone's not getting treated for other issues, why would they get treated for this one?

There's obviously value in getting the diagnosis for treatment purposes, but this seems like it could usually be worked out between therapists and patients naturally over the course of treatment for other conditions.

(By the way, I believe the statistic that this is referencing is that 70% of outpatients diagnosed with DID had attempted suicide. This is not a suicide rate. That's obviously way too high and I'm not saying this to minimize the statistic, but because I want to keep facts straight. Also, this study was focused strictly on DID, and did not include OSDD systems as the quote suggests.)

It's never just been about how this hurts non-disordered plurals. That's narrow-minded. It's about how psychiatry as a whole handles and should handle mental health.

The focus of mental health programs is helping people reach a point that's healthy for themselves, not just stopping them from being "different."

For tulpamancy, specifically, many tulpamancers report improvements in symptoms of other disorders because of their plurality. It's likely the same would prove true for other non-OSDD/DID systems If a non-OSDD/DID system is seeking treatment for reasons unrelated to their plurality, trying to diagnose them with a dissociative disorder and convince them that a system that's been overall beneficial to their mental health is part of a disorder can be extremely harmful to the system's mental health.

In the case of someone with MDD who create a tulpa for companionship, the plurality should be seen as a form of treatment to an existing condition, not a disorder, and attempting to treat the plurality could deprive a "DISORDERED" person something that's helping them to heal.

But let's go beyond that and talk about religious considerations. Like I said, the first plurality was spiritual. Should all instances of possession where a spiritual identity takes over be considered pathological? What about voices?

The book When God Talks Back describes religious practices where certain evangelical Christian groups speak to "God" until they can have two-way conversations with it in ways that resemble mind-voice communication. (Also mentioned here.) Should we deem this form of voice-hearing inherently pathological due to similarities to certain hallucinatory experiences, even though the evangelicals (like the tulpamancers) report positive health benefits with no notable impairment?

I know some atheists have the meme that religion is a mental illness, but at what point would medicalizing all experiences of voice hearing and dissociative identity states become religious discrimination?

Finally, let's come back to how this affects disordered systems. You say that you're not saying systems need final fusion, and that's great. But you're supporting the same mentality that leads to that, by pathologizing the experience of plurality itself.

If plurality is inherently pathological, then why wouldn't final fusion be the ideal option for healing 100% of the time? That's the logic used by singlets who think final fusion is the only valid goal for therapy, and don't understand why any system would choose to remain plural.

When you shift the definition of a disorder to any experience of being different, you then subsequently shift the goal of therapy to reaching normalcy and fitting in with society rather than achieving a personal standard of health. And that's sanism.

In the end, I think we're lucky that the American Psychiatric Association is intelligent enough to acknowledge and recognize that not all presentations of similar symptoms should be considered pathological in the DSM-5, and it's integral that we continue to defend that going forward against people who would seek to medicalize non-medical experiences.

why oh why did i have to hyperfixate on jesus of all things/people/etc which sent me down a rabbit-hole into theology and now i feel such a deep seated bitterness toward christianity that actually stresses me out when i see all of this religious bullshit and mumbo jumbo fed to people that everyone just accepts and nobody questions it and the utterly fantastical nature of it all and how is makes absolutely Zero fucking sense whatsoever. it hurts my brain when i think about the fact that this is just accepted

jesus -- in a historical sense -- was most likely an apocalyptic prophet of sorts who preached about the "end of times" and to get rid of material possessions and incited alienation from loves ones for this purpose. and he wasn't exactly unique for the time because there were plenty of them but he just sort of gets the special mention here because of charisma and whatnot. i mean, even what i'm saying here is debatable but it seems to be the general consensus amongst historians

and it makes me angry when i see stuff that's so fucking manipulative like "jesus saves" and "jesus died for you" and blah blah BLAH and the whole "i'm praying for you" thing because it's so empty. people say this to me all the time and i understand that they mean well and i do appreciate that, but at the end of the day i can only see it as hollow words that make the person saying them feel better -- so they can feel like they did something even though they really aren't.

if prayers and shit worked then i wouldn't be dealing with all of this health crap. if prayers worked then i wouldn't be sitting here talking about any of this. if jesus had to die and suffer for "my sins" then why am i suffering right now. why are so so many people in the world suffering. i never asked for jesus to have to suffer and die, so why should it be used as a threat? why should this be a punishment?

also the fact that so many people knee-deep into christianity are some of the most judgmental and nasty cruel people there are which is so funny when that goes against the entire message of jesus saying "love thy neighbor". like, yeah, they'll love thy neighbor so long as thy neighbor conforms to their ideals and looks like them lmao

i understand why all of this is so tempting for people to believe. the world is scary and it's just so much easier to eat this stuff up without question because it feels safer that way. but it gets used for bad rather than good. and those are subjective terms, but objectively anything that harms others and judges them for who they are is bad.

honestly i guess i would consider myself more spiritual than anything else but even that term doesn't feel right. i have such complicated emotions about all of this that i can't even articulate it right. i guess i know i'm not into any mainstream religion nor am i an atheist. so i guess agnostic? but even that feels weird.

okay rant over for now. this shit lives in my brain