Tumgik
#and will never understand being removed from your people and having belief conflict with duty
katarascape · 3 years
Text
still seeing people claiming that aang was weak for sticking to his beliefs during the finale in the year 2021 like. shoo.
3 notes · View notes
my-bated-breath · 4 years
Note
Do you think Aang and Katara would still end up together if Katara killed her mother’s killer? How would that affect their relationship?
Hey anon! Sorry it took me a while to answer your question, but the truth is that there is no clear trajectory regarding Kata/ang in this situation, especially when we take into account that Kata/ang in the show canon was abrupt and significantly underdeveloped. More specifically on Kata/ang, both Katara and Aang’s arcs were twisted to accommodate for their endgame romance, but while Katara’s arc reaches its culmination by the end of the Final Agni Kai, Aang’s character had become inconsistent in its direction throughout all of season 3.
As such, two conflicting outcomes can result from this hypothetical scenario — one outcome which upholds Aang’s flaws and stagnated growth, or another outcome which forces Aang into growing, accepting, and understanding, as was the original intent behind his character.
From a broader context, Aang’s entire journey since he woke up in the iceberg has been about him reconciling his airbender and Avatar identity, and by the end of season 2 when he is with the guru, Aang is on the cusp of fully accepting his Avatar responsibilities, of letting go of his selfish attachments (or in other words, his blinding biases).
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Except Aang cannot let go as he hoped he would be able to. Because his attachment to Katara is selfish, but beyond that his attachment to Katara is a replacement for his attachment to the Air Nomads — and it draws him away from his duties as the Avatar, causing him to embrace an ideal he does not comprehend. After all, the Air Nomads were not perfectly pacifistic either.
Tumblr media
Still, just as Aang refuses to recognize the complexity in the Air Nomads’ legacies, dismissing what he may deem as an act of violence, Aang refuses to recognize the complexity to Katara’s rage and compassion, to her violent and protective nature. In my meta “On Ideals and Idealization,” I elaborate on Aang’s idealization of Katara:
Aang loves Katara, yes, but he is in love with an idealized version of her. In his mind, he holds close the idea of a gentle Katara, a smiling Katara, a compassionate and all-loving Katara. Even though he has seen her darkest moments when she bloodbends Hama - arms bent in disjointed angles, fingers curled as if manipulating puppet strings -  it does not tarnish his image of her because, at this moment, she is not the persecutor, but the persecuted.
After her experience with Hama, Aang is there to comfort her and help her come to terms with the terrifying power she now possesses. With her face streaked with tears and eyes widened with horror, it is clear that this is a power that Katara does not want, that it has been thrust onto her against her own will.
The conclusion that Aang draws from this is that Katara’s inner darkness is a separate entity from her inner light, and he perceives this acquired part of her as a blemish on her inherent goodness. As such, in “the Southern Raiders,” when he witnesses how Katara’s anger and grief drive her to hunt down her mother’s killer, he equates Katara seeking closure to Katara succumbing to darkness, tainting her purity and compassion in the process.
Thus, given Aang’s reaction to Katara’s bloodbending, he may be inclined to love her in a piteous, nearly-obligatory manner. He’ll love her as the victim who lost sight and control and he’ll love her as a being of compassion and pacificity, but nothing more. Just like in the Southern Raiders, he may magnanimously grant Katara his forgiveness and his continued love even when she never asked for it. And in the end, Aang and Katara will kiss on the balcony of Iroh’s tea shop, only this time it’s not only “the hero winning the girl,” but “the bright and cheerful boy fixing the broken girl” as well.
This is the ending where Aang clings onto idealization even when it renders him a hypocrite, in the same way he is a hypocrite for shouting at his friends for pushing him to kill Ozai when it is implied he killed thousands at sea in the Siege at the North Pole.
Tumblr media
This is the ending where he does not grow.
Note: Aang retreating into a ball of earth as a narrative parallel to the beginning of the series when he was encased in a ball of ice would have been much more powerful if only Aang entered the Avatar State through character growth rather than by the power of the Pointy Rock of Destiny (TM).
Now, let’s consider an ending where Aang’s perspective broadens rather than narrows and where Aang unroots himself from the past, pulling free from stagnance. Let’s consider a hypothetical scenario in which Aang finds out Katara killed Yon Rha. How may he react?
He may not be able to at first, too torn between his belief that Katara only uses violence as a last resort and the reality that Katara uses violence as a means of agency as well. Revenge corrupts; it is a stain that cannot be washed away. There is no reconciling Katara’s previous compassionate and loving nature with this dark path she has now chosen.
Except this is Katara he’s talking about, Katara who he loves and gave up the Avatar State for. Surely there’s a way to save her, right? Yes, just as Aang told Katara before she left, forgiveness is the answer. And while Katara may not have chosen forgiveness in the end, Aang can guide her by example.
The next day, he approaches her with the offer to exempt her from her wrongdoings.
Katara, tired and mournful, looks down at Aang.
“What was so wrong about what I did?”
Inside she is hurting. There is truth to what Aang said, that revenge is poisonous both to the victim and the perpetrator, but it is not poisonous for the reasons he thinks it is. As George Orwell writes in his essay, “revenge is an act which you want to commit when you are powerless and because you are powerless: as soon as the sense of impotence is removed, the desire evaporates also” (Revenge is Sour). There’s no doubt that Yon Rha was despicable, and there’s only a little doubt in saying that his punishment should fit his crime — the only regret Katara may have here is that killing Yon Rha is a meaningless act, for she has already gained power over him in every meaning of the word. Revenge is only a gateway to senseless violence and hatred; it is not a slope from which there is no recovery, and given Katara’s emotional intelligence, she likely has or will recognize this. Although she may feel regret, she needs no one’s forgiveness.
Aang is shocked. “But violence is never the answer,” he stands by, he pleads by. His voice grows quieter. “You know that… you knew that, didn’t you?”
Katara answers him, but it’s all a blur. She says something about agency, protection, and justice. He remembers something about that too, about the fury that burned in her eyes when she declared, “I will never, ever, turn my back on the people who need me!” Then there was the hostility simmering in her glare towards Zuko, the way she muttered that she didn’t trust him, not when he could still hurt them — hurt Aang — again. 
Because Katara’s anger and compassion do not simply split themselves into two identities. Instead, they coexist and coalesce into one. They drive each other; they feed into each other; they are two sides of the same coin.
Excerpt from my meta Rage, Compassion, and the Bridge in Between
The beloved ideal of Katara — the one that he thought was on the verge of being tainted, the one that never existed — shatters. But just because it’s broken doesn’t mean Aang doesn’t want to fix it. So in the days leading up to Sozin’s Comet, he tries to pick up the fragments to the Katara-he-knew and piece them together again, all the while avoiding Katara’s mournful (yet resolved) stare. He ignores the way Zuko and Katara share glances with a heaviness as if they were the only two people in the world, full of some significance he cannot grasp. Still, it haunts him like the way Zuko’s touch lingers on Katara’s shoulder or Katara’s hand brushes Zuko’s briefly whenever they don’t think anyone’s looking, reflecting a togetherness escaping loneliness.
But there’s no answer that arrives quick enough to save Aang from his doubt and confusion. All too soon, Sozin’s Comet is upon them, and Aang wanders to another world on the lion turtle's back — but this time when he listens to the past Avatars’ advice, his perspective undergoes a paradigm shift.
Tumblr media
They are right. The Air Nomads that he prioritized, that blinded him to his duties — they do not exist. Their love is still there, pure and human but not all-encompassing, tucked in the corner of his heart. And Katara was the same. She was and is not all-loving or all-compassionate or all-anything, really, because she is more human than that.
This time Katara’s image shatters again. But Aang does not follow the falling pieces to the ground, desperate to find them and force them together again. No, he sees past the remains and sees Katara for who she is. For who she wants to be. For who she can be (around someone else), when she’s not compelled to take on the caretaker role just for him.
(And he thought he was so generous, offering to forgive him. But it was never his forgiveness to give in the first place.)
Aang lets go of his last attachment.
The last airbender lives on, but so does the Avatar.
Tumblr media
379 notes · View notes
qoreprojects · 3 years
Photo
Tumblr media
The Party Whip, or Lilith in the 11th House
Not long ago, I paid a visit to my 11th house to speak with Lilith. She lives there, along with my South Node - a tiny golden compass that points toward the past. It was the past that I wanted. Lilith had lived in this house alongside it for so long that I believed she’d be able to help me understand what it meant. 
“You thought that I would be angrier?” she laughed sharply. 
Lilith was perched on a window seat, half her face bathed in the single stream of light in an otherwise shadow-filled room. She wore a simple red shift dress. Her hair was loc’d and tumbled towards her leather-belted waist on one side of her head, exposing a shaved opposite side to the dappled sun. She held an orange and a pocket knife in her hands. 
I nodded slightly. Every movement in this room could be felt in ways that did not exist in the material realm. Palpable waves rippled away from the tiniest gestures. Shadows danced in the corners. The air was possessed, and every shift had meaning.   
“That’s funny,” she said, flicking a peel onto the floor, “I don’t know why people only recognize Lady Regret when I am in my war clothes.” She used her own title with a touch of irony. 
Several crows called to one another outside, and a light breeze stirred the distant treetops. This movement agitated the shadows in the room. All was as it should be - in flux. 
“You are here because you want to know about your greatest regret,” Lilith stated presently. 
“I suppose so, yes,” my breath rippled away from me in the cool, dark air. “At this point, I’ve run out of reasons not to know.” 
Lilith smiled a lop-sided smile and continued peeling, one foot on the sill and one on the floor. “Are you familiar with the term ‘true believer’?”
“Yes,” I said quietly, knowing where this was going. I could feel the conversation as a tangible thing, like a strong westerly wind. The shadows and the dust particles organized themselves accordingly. Lilith tilted her face to look me directly in the eye. “What about the term ‘party whip’?”
The wind of conversation changed directions, and the shift was slight but sudden. I marveled at the subtle switch, and a sense of dread overcame me. The life inside the room absorbed my response as an addition to its moving chorus of shadows. 
She paused to eat one section of orange, and then began peeling again. “The party whip is a different thing, isn’t it? Let’s examine the two…”
Tumblr media
The True Believer and the Party Whip
The life of a True Believer can easily be confused with personal sacrifice on behalf of others. This is because, from the outside, it looks as if the True Believer is willing to give up a great deal for their party. They may give up relationships, time, effort, money, or freedom to make certain lifestyle choices. Observers who consider the party a worthy cause call the True Believer “self-sacrificing” and “a saint”; people who dislike the cause say the True Believer is silly and “voting against their own interests”.
In truth, the True Believer sacrifices little for the party because the party’s goals and the True Believer’s goals are almost exactly the same. If a True Believer does sacrifice anything for the party, it is minor and without much pain or hesitation. There is no real conflict between their motivations and that of the party. The True Believer may recognize some problems or contradictions within the party, or they may lack the critical perspective to do so. In either case, the flaws of the party and the flaws of the True Believer are largely the same. There can be a kind of innocence in that.   
A Party Whip is not the same thing as a True Believer. (A Party Whip can also be a True Believer - but for the purposes of this conversation we will consider them separately.) Unlike the True Believer, the Party Whip does not necessarily align with everything the party says and does on a personal level. They may notice glaring flaws and issues within the party. They may believe that the party’s words and deeds do not match. They may long for previous versions of the party, or hope for future ones, while considering the present party to be a mere shadow of itself. They may think of the party’s goals as good general rules that will benefit the world, but that should not be applied in every situation without nuance. 
The only things necessary for the role of a successful Party Whip are a sincere belief that the party is the best way to get things done - to have a hand in the creation of the world, to make things happen - and that the ends of this goal justify the means. For the sake of those two beliefs, the Party Whip can modify their own behavior and offer themselves up to be ‘borrowed’ by the party, in the hope that they can ‘borrow’ the party’s collective power for themselves at a later date. 
Say, the leaders and vanguards of the party have decided that its collective goals will be best served by oranges. Under no circumstances can there be apples. Other fruits are fine, though less than ideal - but absolutely no apples. The Party Whip shows up to work and receives the party line: everyone in the party is to vote for oranges, and it is the Whip’s job to ensure this outcome.
The intelligent Whip has their finger on the collective pulse and can understand exactly why the party agenda is supported by oranges. They also know that competing parties are out there voting for other fruits - sometimes even apples. This is unacceptable. The party must win, which means that oranges must win and apples must lose.  
The skilled Party Whip may not personally enjoy the taste or texture of oranges. They may even feel sympathetic to apples. However, the Whip is quite accustomed to viewing their own tastes and desires as a secondary concern to more important matters: the party line. They know how to either conceal or surgically remove the parts of themselves that are not convenient to the party and its goals - unlike the True Believer, who has never had to change very much about themselves in exchange for membership.
Therefore the Party Whip is assigned a role: to go out among members of the party, keep track of everyone who might vote for another fruit, and get them to vote for oranges instead. To accomplish this, the Party Whip is going to use whatever tools they already use to keep themselves in line with the party’s interests. 
These tools vary, and may include: 
Shame and guilt
Reasoned arguments
Coercion
Information
Misinformation
Bribery
Cost-benefit analysis
Promises of future reward for current sacrifice
Appeals to duty, loyalty and obligation
Not all of these methods are equally ethical. A Party Whip is only able to be as ethical when whipping the rest of the party to consensus as they are when whipping themselves in private. 
Tumblr media
Lady Regret in the 11th House
Your biggest regret is being a very skilled Party Whip. 
You were good at living your life according to the party line. This earned you such compliments as ‘inspiration’ and ‘example’, which made you feel safe and valued. You were gifted at being able to distance yourself from your own instincts so thoroughly that parties rewarded you with protection and support in exchange for your skill at keeping their dissenting or individualistic members in line. This was not questionable for you - you participated in this exchange because you believed it was good and righteous, and that the party’s ends justified the means.
You privately exulted in your own savvy. You believed your differences from the True Believer - your ability to perceive the group’s flaws and issues with a bit more perspective - made you more ethical. In reality, it made you more culpable. Your clarity was a gift meant to inspire you to take risks and speak up, valuing the truth over any attachment to the party’s reaction.
You did not speak up. 
You chose to improve the party by sacrificing your unique perspective in exchange for access to the collective’s power; you were shocked when improvement never came. When push came to shove and the party’s power was threatened, for one reason or another, they abandoned you. Perhaps the abandonment was purposeful. Perhaps they simply no longer had enough clout to protect you. In any case, the party name was no longer able to get you into the rooms you wanted to enter. Your persuasiveness on others’ behalf was no longer in demand. The recognition in strangers’ eyes when you flaunted your membership card dwindled. Circumstances may have even become so drastic that mentioning the party put you in danger rather than keeping you safe.    
A lone, displaced ruler must rely on personal power and instinct. They cannot rely on an ever-present council or party membership to get things done. You were suddenly alone - the sole authority of your life. You were not prepared for this. The years, or even lifetimes, you spent living outside of your own will have taken a toll. You don’t even know how to have a thought or emotion without examining it for its usefulness to some group, even when there is none present. You walk around barefoot and in rags with panic behind your eyes. You roam the streets waving a saw and rasping through dry lips, “I will saw off anything for friends in high places! Fingers, feet! I will cut off anything for friends in high places! Eyes, face! I have experience, will work for connections!”
Most people are horrified and cross the street when they see this display. Some see you as a temporary tool and take advantage of you until you have nothing left to give. Some people see your true heart better than you do and try to connect with it, but by this time you are jaded and assume that all anyone could want from you is your skill as Party Whip. They try to love you, but you are too preoccupied with trying to dutifully serve their interests in exchange for power and validation.
Dreams shrivel and die like old fruit under these conditions - again, again, and again. This is the loop, the hoop that must be mended. 
Tumblr media
Resolution
Lilith rose from the windowsill. Her full height compelled the room’s darkness to rearrange itself. Dead orange peels lie on the floor at her feet, glowing in the patch of sunlight that streamed through the window. 
“Who are you when you are alone?”
I sat down on the dusty floorboards and stared into the shadows. 
“What are you capable of creating - or destroying - when you only do so from your heart?”
The shadows gave me nothing but constant shifting in return. 
“As long as you sacrifice your dreams for others’ out of fear that you cannot accomplish them alone, your efforts will go to waste. Parties are not forever; empires fall and agendas shift like the wind. Learn to build true alliances based on raw love - which can only happen when you are clear and unashamed of your own desire.”
I looked up just in time to see her toss me the last slice of orange. My hand shot up to catch it, and I carefully considered its juicy ripeness against my fingers. 
It felt delicious. 
8 notes · View notes
50scentsofsoap · 4 years
Text
Little Things
In a world where you’re trapped by what people expect of you and Jungkook is your boyfriend.
Tumblr media
word count: 2k genre: fluff/angst/smut-y tw: depression
It’s the little things you know. It’s him sliding his freshly moisturised hands into yours, just to make sure you’re there next to him. It’s him playing with your hair because he’s bored and wants you to not work either. It’s him looking at your screen whenever you freak out about something new or fresh, to better understand what makes you tick and what you like. It’s him letting you take the last salmon bagel even though he likes them too. It’s him grabbing you by the nape as he wraps his ankles around your calves, to pull you in closer and to kiss you deeper. To get as much of you as he can, because this is the only time he’s allowed to be greedy… only in those stolen minutes.
It’s him looking away from you as you get changed, because he respects your boundaries and absolutely loves whatever you limit him to. It’s him waiting for you to initiate the kiss so he knows when to go as well. It’s him asking “no?” if you pull away from the kiss, to make sure you want to stop or if you’re teasing him. It’s him biting your lip with a tender pull, as to not harm you, although you wouldn’t mind either way. It’s him looking at you with those hungry eyes, with such ferocity and depth that makes you feel so lucky to have him. The glare that tells you loud and clear that he only sees you, only you. The passionate stare that you’ve only read about but know now it’s completely different to how they describe it in the books. It’s so much more raw… vulnerable… pleading… ecstatic, as if he just took a hit of all class A substances in one go. That one look that lets you know you’re loved, wholly and truly.
It’s him giving you a good morning kiss on your forehead, as you startle from your slumber. It’s him pulling you back to bed as you try to get some work done, because you both know alone time is very rare and so you’d rather make the most of whatever time you have. It’s him shuffling closer to you as you’re trying to fall asleep, just to be closer to you, to drink in your scent. It’s kissing him deeply and slowly in the dark as you try not to wake up your roommate. It’s waking up with your arm wrapped around his torso, as your fingers are intertwined as well. It’s him kissing purple galaxies onto your skin, biting the soft flesh as he elicits a soft gasp from you.
It’s him stopping you walking just to pull you to the side of the road to kiss you because “you’re so damn cute when you sing like that.” It’s him pushing you onto the wall in the hallway, whispering a small confession of “I love you” before his lips collide with yours. Tongues trying to dominate one another, grazing each others teeth, lips locked with no room to breathe out. It’s pulling away from the kiss suddenly as you hear the lift doors open, trying to keep your cool. It’s losing your control and giving him a hickey on his neck, a no go zone. It’s him caressing your cheek as he looks deep into your eyes before going in for a soft peck, just to reaffirm your beliefs that he still likes you and knows you still like him.
It’s him asking you to be more forceful with him, as he wants to test his own limits and try to grasp an idea of what it is you like too. It’s scratching his back just hard enough to cause a response but not so hard as for it to hurt. It’s suddenly pulling his hair back to get better access to his neck, as he slowly exhales, lips parted, shallow breaths, a look of shock laced with excitement in his eyes. Lust, that’s what it is. It’s so much more powerful to view it right in front of your own eyes, but also so painful. You want to touch him more, but you’re only allowed to go so far as you’re bound by religion and faith to be true to your beliefs before all else. Guilt washes over you, not because of what you’ve done but because of the things you imagine doing with him. Such pervasive thoughts should never be acted upon, and it is up to you to control your emotions as well as your flesh.
It’s you being difficult and a bit of a mess and him being able to tolerate your presence, even though you’re being an insufferable bitch. It’s him invading your every thought, permeating your walls and slowly breaking them down, one by one, even though he doesn’t even realise it. It’s being able to talk to him about pretty much anything, a task you’ve had much difficulty with your whole life. It’s giving yourself over to him emotionally and physically, one step at a time. It’s crying so easily at the thought of how easily he accepts your flaws and opinions, even if they conflict with his own. It’s being able to feel this precious concoction of hormones and neurotransmitters and know what it’s called, along with the fact that day by day it’s growing. It’s feeling scared that you’ll screw up and lose what you two have over something completely idiotic. It’s feeling your heart get heavier every time you think about the ‘inevitable’ break up, because you can’t help but think of the worst. It’s knowing that how much more you give into this, how much more it’s going to hurt if it ends. If. Not when. If.
It's him asking you to meet up as often as possible, so see each other whenever you can. Meeting in those stolen minutes during summer which you could account to 'train delays’ in order to walk with him to the tube station, hand in hand, step by step, glance after glance. It's messaging him the little 'good morning’s and 'good night's like clockwork, a working system that keeps on going. It's sending him the ugliest pictures of your face, only for him to react with the heart eyes emoji, causing you to wonder how on earth he could even like you looking like that. Then again, he's seen you at your worst behaviour and has begun to get accustomed to your habits. It's using excuses to go on a date with him, so that you can pretend for a few hours to be a normal person on a date with their boyfriend, not this being who is bound by familial duties and house rules.
It's pondering on the time differences during your travels and counting the hours until you have WiFi and can feel connected with him again. It's keeping the snap streak alive by sending selfies of bed-ridden hair juxtaposed with half done makeup, or him sending his face complete with puffy after food cheeks and his bottom lip slightly curled inward. His lips are so plump, you oft feel envious of them, but that soon dissolves away whenever you feel how soft and velvety they are on your skin. The way he absentmindedly grabs your hand, only to rub the back of your hand against his lips, get you as giddy as a teen around her first crush. The way he rests his hand on your thigh, halfway encircling it, makes you feel at ease and a sense of calm washes over your. His cologne reminds you of morning dew, sugary drinks, and butterscotch, quite an intoxicating concoction.
It's getting angry at him for the smallest of mistakes, and yet not telling him he's made you feel this way. Rather, bottling it up and letting your frustration simmer away until you've had enough, so you ignore him, the only way you know to behave if you're angry at someone. It's forgiving him in an instant as soon as he apologizes, because you know you can't stay mad at him for so long, but the anger you felt gets stowed away, ready to erupt. It's working together as an excuse to be around each other more, despite the fact that you're both really stressed out from everything piling on. It's you feeling guilty about not being a good girlfriend, because you can't make time in your schedule for a date, a movie or even a cuddle session. It's the fear of your mother finding out about this too soon that keeps you from being more bold about spending time with him. It's the fear of what you'll do if you're in bed with him again, as you know each time you stay over, both of you go a bit further every time. You want to stay loyal to your faith and your beliefs, and you know giving into your flesh prison requests aligns well with that, yet you feel scared of accidentally betraying your identity if you do so.
It's feeling the weeds of doubt grow in your mind, and your anxiety saying he'll leave you soon enough. It's being tempted to leave him before he can leave you, so that you feel more in control of where your relationship is going. It's messaging him constant “I love you”s and “I appreciate you” to remind him that you care deeply for him, and also to convince yourself of the same, in order to remove those weeds. It's realising that the doubts are a mixture of the manifestations of your own insecurities and an imbalanced brain chemistry. It's convincing yourself that you are not depressed, when you know you are and it's causing you to sabotage your relationship with him. It's about this being a good thing, which may not always have good times, however that is something to work on and build together, not something which stays constant throughout the course of your relationship. Feelings change, but you must put in the effort of making sure your relationship changes with it. It's homeostasis after all, and this relationship is still infantile. You need to see a doctor about you, it's not healthy or normal to be this volatile, still pondering about death or dragging him into your own mess.
It’s about getting intimate under the covers. A sense of familiarity and comfort washes over you when you’re near his body. It’s his scent consuming your senses, drinking him in. It’s about following through all the motions leading to sex, but never actually daring to go any further south with him. It’s about controlling your desire to do more with him. To him. For him. The control is what keeps you in check about your faith. It’s about him also doing the same, not crossing your boundaries, not even an inch. Hair tugging, neck kisses, ear bites, cheek schwomps, bear hugs and so much more. You are drunk on his essence, and you would not have it any other way. It’s the morning alarm snoozes and convincing the other to get dressed. It’s the morning burritos and the morning cuddles. Wrapped up and comfortable, just enjoying the seconds tick by. It’s him wanting to spend minutes just looking at your face, as you enjoy his features too, taking in every detail of his complexion. This level of intimacy is beyond physical pleasure, and what you enjoy building your mutual affection upon. The sensual and the silly, all things you enjoy and bring a warm smile to your face.
Yet, the age old testament proves to hold true once again: All good things must come to an end. In the blink of an eye, it had ended as abruptly as it had started. A blip in the grand scheme of life but a lifetime of bittersweet memories to carry around. You shared a lot of firsts, and you’re grateful for this opportunity. However, you do need all the jealousy, agitation, contempt, disgust, rage and resent in order to overwrite all the good memories. Akin to taping over an old home movie with a twelve season tv show. The If turned into a Did and you turned into something other.
35 notes · View notes
mayacatmaster · 5 years
Photo
Tumblr media
Only at a certain stage I was told that this (form) had been born and this is "me." .. But to whom???
If I don't pick up it... as 'me; mine; myself' & "real; true'.
*** *** *** 
Give up the idea of being what you think yourself to be and there will be no gap.
By imagining yourself as separate you have created the gap.
You need not cross it.
There is nobody else.
All is you and yours.
Just don't create it.
This is a fact.
-I Am That, Ch. 37.  ~Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
*** *** *** 
There are umpteen methods but I give only one method.  I am telling you -you know you are -to the exclusion of everything.  Just be.  That is the only method.  Why do you want to start this practice or that practice? ~Nisargadatta Maharaj  *** *** ***  Why do you still consider the phenomena?  See who the Seer is.  BE HERE NOW.  *** *** ***  Now, self-inquiry…: Who-see-who identify with any kind of “I am this or that!” as “me; mine; myself” &”real; true”, now??? Who-see-who identify with any kind of “I am this dreamer or that!” as “me; mine; myself” &”real; true”, now??? Who-see-who identify with any kind of “I am in this dream or that!” as “me; mine; myself” &”real; true”, now??? Remember you are the seer beyond any kind of “I am in this dream or that!” And this seer can check out old-time-space-reality-room, suddenly …. if you don’t want it. And this seer can check in New-time-space-reality-room, suddenly …. if you really want it. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😍😘😗😙 As a 3d-life-movie-phenomenon.  You are the only witness of it.  How can you lose this understanding, this insight?  *** *** ***  This Place Is A Dream. Only A Sleeper Considers It Real.  Then Death Games Like Dawn And You Wake Up Laughing At What You Thought Was Your Grief. -Rumi *** *** ***
See the mind.
You stand aloof from it.  You are not the mind 'and the Self will remain over. ~Sri Ramana Maharshi
*** *** ***
If You Want To Make Something A Fast Reality, Write It Down. ~ABRAHAM If You Want To Make your belief system as if it belong to another, Write It Down. ~ Seth If You Want To examine and self inquiry your belief system as if it belong to another, Write It Down. ~ Seth
*** *** ***
Via and thanks "Maurice Frydman":
As long as you pay attention to ideas, your own or of others, you will be in trouble.
But if you disregard all teachings, all books, anything out into words and dive deeply within yourself and find yourself, this alone will solve all your problems and leave you in full mastery of every situation, because you will not be dominated by your ideas about the situation.
- Nisargadatta, I AM THAT ch 50
*** *** ***
Note to the empathy: Observe, don't absorb.  *** *** *** The world painted on your screen of consciousness and is entirely your private world. Once you realize that the world is your own Projection, you are free of it. ~Nisargadatta Maharaj *** *** *** Life is the movie you see through your own unique eyes.  It makes little difference what is happening out there.  It’s how you take it that counts. ~Denis Waitley *** *** *** Experience is determined by yourself--- not the circumstances of your life. ~Gita Bellin *** *** *** In this 3d-life-movie, usually you consider it ‘ ‘true; real” & ‘me; mine; myself”,… specially your belief system about yourself, another people and world. *** *** *** A reflection of the watcher in the mind creates the sense of "I" and the person acquires an apparently independent existence. In reality there is no person, only the watcher identifying himself with the "I" and the "mine". The teacher tells the watcher: you are not this, there is nothing of yours in this, except the little point of "I am", which is the bridge between the watcher and his dream. "I am this, I am that" is dream, while pure "I am" has the stamp of reality on it. ~Nisargadatta Maharaj *** *** *** Losing the false ego is awareness and abiding firmly as awareness is true clarity. ~Sri Ramana Maharshi *** *** *** Unless you identify correctly who you are, how can you identify others correctly? Recognize your real Self  - Nisargadatta Maharaj *** *** *** Who or what-really-you are??? You cannot transcend what you do not know.  To beyond yourself you must know yourself. *** *** *** When you believe yourself to be a person, you see persons everywhere. In reality there are no persons, only threads of memories and habits. At the moment of realization the person ceases. ~ Nisargadata Maharaj *** *** *** The jnani is the supreme and also the witness. He is both being and awareness. In relation to consciousness he is awareness. In relation to the universe he is pure being. ~Nisargadatta Maharaj.  *** *** *** In this 3d-life-movie, usually you consider it ‘ ‘true; real” & ‘me; mine; myself”,… specially your belief system about yourself, another people and world. *** *** *** Write all your belief system down, make list about your belief system. Examine, self inquiry your belief system as if it belong to another people’s.  *** *** *** Don't go off to sleep as a slave to the mind; be its master. Form this habit, become absolutely detached and master of your mind.  *** *** *** So…: Leave others alone for some time and examine yourself. There are so many things you do not know about yourself – what are you, who are you, how did you come to be born, what are you doing now and why, where are you going, what is the meaning and purpose of your life, your death, your future? Have you a past, have you a future? How did you come to live turmoil and sorrow, while your being strives for happiness and peace? These are weighty matters and have to be attended to first. ~Nisargadatta Maharaj *** *** *** In this 3d-life-movie.  The moment we stop pick up our thoughts about our world are ‘true; real” & ‘me; mine; myself”, we stop being attached to our past and we find the space to let go of ideas that no longer serve us.  *** *** *** Many of your problems now result from spiritual ignorance. ~Seth *** *** *** If you are really a little alert, scientifically observant, methodical, systematic study, then sooner or later you will come out of it -- because how can you go on repeating? *** *** *** Remove all titles.. no matter of what kind of holy scriptures/gurus/religion/moral And their preach/teachers can help me and mankind as an alignment-deliberate-creator??? *** *** *** Spirituality does not come from moral/religion. *** *** *** You're gonna piss off a lot of people when you start doing what's best for you. *** *** *** Never put someone or me in a egoism-standard-box, said kiss ass is most high duty, saint, good deeds replace another's Source. *** *** *** Real beautiful/saints/virtue/moral/religion is one heart don’t kiss any kind of dark tyrant ruler’s ass, no matter of who or what. *** *** *** Rare is moral/religion not use egoism-standard-box, said kiss ass is most high duty, saint, good deeds replace another's Source. *** *** *** Spirituality does not come from moral/religion. It comes from our soul. We must stop confusing moral/religion and spirituality. Moral/religion is a set of rules, regulations, and rituals created by humans, which were supposed to help people spiritually. Due to human imperfection religion has become corrupt, political, divisive and a tool for power struggle. Spirituality is not theology or ideology. is simply a way of life, pure and original as given by the Most High. Spirituality is a network linking us to the Most High, the universe, and each other. *** *** *** Seth: You create your own reality according to your beliefs and expectations, and you do so individually and en masse. Until you learn this, you learn little.  You are a multidimensional personality, and within you lies all the knowledge about yourself, your challenges and problems, that you will ever need to know. Others can help you in their own way...but my mission is to remind you of the incredible power within your own being, and to encourage you to recognize and use it. - Seth, The Nature of Personal Reality *** *** ** You are walking into the future of whatever you do with your mind.  So where is your mind? *** *** ** If I have a little bit wisdom, I'll assume everything I've learned from my childhood is “wrong”(Maya; illusion; fake; false), Never pick up it as 'me; mine; myself' & 'real; true', unless them can Pass through myself self inquiry~~~^^ *** *** ** Why do you still consider the phenomena?  See who the Seer is.  BE HERE NOW.  *** *** ***  As a 3d-life-movie-phenomenon.  You are the only witness of it.  How can you lose this understanding, this insight?  *** *** ***  This Place Is A Dream. Only A Sleeper Considers It Real.  Then Death Games Like Dawn And You Wake Up Laughing At What You Thought Was Your Grief. -Rumi *** *** *** Physical pain is not about something being wrong with your body. Pain is about Energy Alignment or mis-Alignment. Pain is just exaggerated negative emotion. It means there is some conflict between your desire and your belief. It means there is some conflict between what you are wanting and what you are actively and often thinking. ~ Abraham-Hicks ~ *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Via and thanks “Veronica Deshler”: *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** You are walking into the future of whatever you do with your mind.  So where is your mind? *** *** *** The best indicator of your level of consciousness is how you deal with life's challenges when they come. Through those challenges, an already unconscious person tends to become more deeply unconscious, and a conscious person mere intensely conscious. You can use a challenge to awaken you, or you can allow it to pull you into even deeper sleep. The dream of ordinary unconsciousness then turns into a nightmare. ~Eckhart Tolle *** *** *** Seeing unhealthy patterns in your family/social and deciding that those patterns end with you and will not be passed down to future generations is an extremely brave and powerful decision. *** *** *** So…: I deleted all the perfect repeat the work-eat-entertainment-sleep-kiss ass-cycle people yesterday. Good morning my friend! ~~^^ *** *** *** Because…: Connection doesn’t care about the laws of the land. Your soul/heart will be pulled to the place it belongs. *** *** *** Why do you still consider the phenomena?  See who the Seer is.  BE HERE NOW.  *** *** ***  As a 3d-life-movie-phenomenon.  You are the only witness of it.  How can you lose this understanding, this insight?  *** *** ***  This Place Is A Dream. Only A Sleeper Considers It Real.  Then Death Games Like Dawn And You Wake Up Laughing At What You Thought Was Your Grief. -Rumi *** *** *** Via and thanks "Sangha of Love": The most you can know is "I am that." But the more you know that—if someone asks you, "What is that that you are?" You don’t know what that is. You can’t say what that is. You just know that it’s what you are. You can call it emptiness, or consciousness, or God, or spirit, but still there’s a certain mystery to it all. What can you know about nothing? When you realize you’re the great emptiness, the great nothingness, the great pregnant nothingness from which everything comes and to which everything goes—what can you really know about nothing? We can only know something about something. Like, when nothing becomes a flower: now you can know something, or you can pretend like you know something. It’s a flower, it’s orange, it’s red, it’s beautiful, it’s ugly, it’s fresh, it’s dying. You can know, or think you know, something as soon as something comes into form. You can know the texture, or the feel, or the taste, the touch, the sense of the thing. But you can’t know anything, ultimately, about the unknown, about your true nature. All you can know is that you are that. 💙 Adyashanti *** *** ** I want mastermind with Source. I want to come into alignment with other humans who also want to align with Source! ~AH *** *** ** Socrate's Way: Mirror the most simplest “Cosmic Principle”(Tao; Source; Ma at; Brahma) in every area ….^^ *** *** **
2 notes · View notes
wisdomrays · 5 years
Text
JIHAD, TERRORISM, HUMAN RIGHTS: Love, tolerance, and jihad in the life of the Prophet
The blessed life of the Pride of Humanity, peace and blessings be upon him, was interwoven with threads of peace and tolerance as if it were a beautiful piece of lace. To begin with, peace is fundamental to Islam. There are many verses in the Qur'an connected with this matter. 
For example, in one of these the Prophet is addressed:
But if the enemy inclines toward peace, do you (also) incline toward peace, and trust in God: for He is the One that hears and knows (all things). (Al-Anfal 8:61)
Even in an atmosphere in which two armies have fought against each other and blood has been spilled, if the enemy forgoes fighting and wants to make a treaty, then the Muslims are commanded not to react emotionally, but to make a treaty, putting their trust in God. Thus, a universal principle regarding this subject has been established. Consequently, to talk about fighting or conflict is completely contrary to the basic spirit of a religion that enjoins treaties and reconciliation, not only in time of peace, but even during wartime.
The mission of the Prophet was to communicate the faith as he had been enjoined by God. He did this without any prejudice. This was true to such an extent that, the Prophet, this man of love and peace, visited even the most hard-hearted unbelievers, such as Abu Jahl and 'Uqbah ibn Abi Mu'ayd, many times without displaying any resentment. He desired that all people should be able to feel Paradise in their hearts. He often said:
Pronounce there is no deity but God and be saved.[ Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa'l-Nihayah, 3:62-63. ]
What he meant by this was: "To attain fulfillment in your heart, help the seed of belief which has been sown in your heart to grow into paradise and secure your other world." 
Once Abu Jahl answered this invitation in a disrespectful and mocking way, "Hey, Muhammad, if you are doing this to make us witnesses of your call before God, do not invite me to religion again. I will bear witness there." 
This unbeliever always answered without respect. But in spite of Abu Jahl's insults, the Glory of the World, peace and blessings be upon him, talked about Islam every time they met and never changed his exemplary style; these insulting words, attitude, and behavior never affected him.
One event that is connected with the Pride of Humanity's vast love, compassion, and tolerance for humankind took place during the conquest of Makka. After the conquest was complete, everyone gathered around the Prophet and, looking into his eyes, they began to wait for him to make a decision concerning their fate. Up until the last moment a small group, among whom was Abu Jahl's son, Ikrimah, had opposed the Muslims' entrance to Makka. Once more their feelings of violence and revenge were inflamed. At a moment when the atmosphere was incredibly tense, the Messenger of God asked the Makkans who were waiting with anticipation and anxiety, "What are you expecting me to do to you?" Some of the Makkans who knew well what a noble, forgiving, and generous person he was did not refrain from showing their feelings and said, "You are the most generous of the generous, the noblest of the noble." The Prophet's goal was neither possessions nor property, neither sovereignty nor power, nor the conquest of land. His aim was to save people and conquer their hearts. This Man of Love and Affection gave his decision concerning his enemies, saying:
I say to you as Joseph once said to his brothers. There's no blame for the actions that you have performed before. God will forgive you, too. He is the Most Merciful of the Merciful. Go, you are all free.[ Al-Iraqi, al-Mughni an Haml a-Asfar, 3:179. ]
What this approach actually meant could be expressed as follows: "Do not suffer any internal pain. I have no intention to punish anyone. Everyone's behavior displays his or her character. This is how I do things."
After the return to Madina, Ikrima ibn Abu Jahl, who had spilled blood even during the conquest of Makka, was convinced by his wife Umm Hakim to return from where he had escaped, and he was taken before the Prince of Prophets, peace and blessings be upon him. Before he entered the Prophet's presence, those around him said that if he asked for forgiveness, the Messenger of God would forgive him. In all probability, before Ikrima came into his presence the Prophet had warned those around him, "Ikrima is coming. Do not hurt his feelings by saying unbecoming things about his father." As soon as Ikrima stepped inside, the Messenger said warmly, "Welcome to the one who emigrated by boat." Never expecting words full of this much love and affection, Ikrima later said, "As long as I live I will never forget this behavior of the Prophet." Four years after Ikrima became Muslim, he was martyred at Yermuk. Murmuring the words, "O Messenger of God, have you found the goodness you expected as compensation for the evil done by the one who emigrated by boat?" he joined the other martyrs.[ Ibn Athir, Usd al-Ghabah, 3:567-570; Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanz al-'Ummal, 13:540-541. ]
As I stated above, the Messenger's call was his mission to represent the truths he told to others. In other words, it was his duty to practice in his life the things he said. He always practiced a thing before calling on others to do the same. The things we have explained so far comprise the general character of the Prince of Prophets, peace and blessings be upon him. However, some try their best to misinterpret the existence of and encouragement to jihad in the Holy Qur'an and the Sunna as being in conflict with our Prophet's universal love and affection. But jihad can mean an armed struggle as an action tied to special conditions that is sometimes necessary to carry out in order to protect such values as life, property, religion, children, homeland, and honor. It is also resorted to sometimes when it is necessary to remove obstacles from the path that leads to raising God's Word. Today these two situations are constantly confused; sometimes this is due to ignorance and sometimes it is done intentionally. Love, affection, and tolerance, in their broadest dimensions, were enjoyed during the Age of Happiness, a time full of peace and happiness, a time which in the words of the Prophet was, "the best of centuries." As a matter of fact, this period represented the apex of Muslim civilization; it was a golden time when peace, love, and understanding were given their true position in society.
4 notes · View notes
pamphletstoinspire · 5 years
Photo
Tumblr media
CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS INFORMATION - Part 1
Introduction
"Catholic doctrine tells us that the primary duty of charity does not lie in the toleration of false ideas, however sincere they may be, nor in the theoretical or practical indifference towards the errors and vices in which we see our brethren plunged . . . Further, whilst Jesus was kind to sinners and to those who went astray, He did not respect their false ideas, however sincere they might have appeared. He loved them all, but He instructed them in order to convert them and save them." - Pope St. Pius X, Our Apostolic Mandate, August 25, 1910.
*
O Lord, who art called the Branch, the Orient, the Splendour of the eternal light, and the Sun of Justice, who art that Tree, of whom Thy beloved disciple speaks as the Tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, and its leaves for the healing of the nations, give Thy grace and blessing on all those various states and conditions in Thy Holy Church, which have sprung from Thee and live in Thy Life.
Give to all Bishops the gifts of knowledge, discernment, prudence, and love.
Give to all priests to be humble, tender, and pure;
Give to all pastors of Thy flock to be zealous, vigilant, and unworldly;
Give to all religious bodies to act up to their rule, to be simple and without guile, and to set their hearts upon invisible things and them only.
Grant to fathers of families to recollect that they will have hereafter to give account of the souls of their children; grant to all husbands to be tender and true; to all wives to be obedient and patient; grant to all children to be docile; to all young people to be chaste; to all the aged to be fervent in spirit; to all who are engaged in business, to be honest and unselfish;
And to all of us the necessary graces of faith, hope, charity, and contrition.
Bl. John Henry Newman
Twelve Meditations and Intercessions for Good Friday __________
CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS INFORMATION - Part 2
Be A Catholic Apologist Without Apology
By: Carl Olson
"I’m sorry. I’m really very sorry. I wish I could convey to you how deeply sorry I truly am."
The speaker was a poker-faced Karl Keating, founder and president of Catholic Answers, an apostolate dedicated to the defense of the Catholic Faith. Addressing a crowd of several hundred in central California, he stepped back and paused for a few moments, letting his introductory words settle in.
"There you have it," he said, moving to the microphone, "a demonstration of what so many people think a Catholic apologist does."
The well-received joke played on the fact that "apologetics" is not a common word in the vocabulary of many Catholics. When introduced to the term, more than a few people wonder if it means apologizing for something. As Keating noted, "Some people think that an apologist is someone who travels the country apologizing for being a Catholic."
The Meaning of Apologetics
"Apologetics" is derived from the Greek root word apologia. In ancient Greece it referred to a formal defense of a belief, an explanation or argument for one’s philosophy or religion. The word occurs several times in the New Testament, including sections of the Gospels, seeking to persuade unbelievers of the truth claims of the Church, especially the unique nature of the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Standing before a tribunal in Jerusalem, the imprisoned Paul states, "Brethren and fathers, hear my defense [apologia] which I now offer to you" (Acts 22:1). In his epistle to the Philippians the Apostle to the Gentiles states that one of his tasks was to make a "defense of the Gospel." Perhaps the best-known appearance of the word in the Bible is in Peter’s first epistle: "Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence" (1 Peter 3:15).
Catholic apologetics is the defense and explanation of the teachings, beliefs, and practices of the Catholic Church. Its goal is to remove objections, shed light on difficult or misunderstood matters, and ultimately help win minds and souls for Jesus Christ. Apologetics is the activity of helping people answer the question: "Why should I be Catholic?" It does so by engaging the mind to reach the heart.
Unfortunately, apologetics has a negative connotation for some Christians, including more than a few Catholics. For these people, Avery Cardinal Dulles notes in A History of Apologetics, "the apologist is regarded as an aggressive, opportunistic person who tries, by fair means or by foul, to argue people into joining the Church." As Cardinal Dulles notes, there have undoubtedly been some bad apologists for the Catholic Faith. Apologists can be unduly argumentative, contentious, mean-spirited, triumphalistic, and arrogant. They can offend unbelievers just as easily as they defend Christian beliefs.
The Dos and Don’ts of Apologetics
However, apologetics should not be dismissed because of misuse or misunderstandings. The value and place of apologetics is best judged by looking to the finest defenders of Catholicism: Paul and Peter, Justin Martyr, Eusebius, Augustine, Aquinas, de Sales, Pascal, Newman, Chesterton, and even Pope John Paul II. These men dealt with pagans, Jews, Muslims, Protestants, agnostics, and atheists, adapting their methods and styles according to their audience while never deviating from the truth.
Most importantly, they are saints first, apologists second. They are men of holiness and prayer. A consistent and vital life of prayer is imperative for the apologist, especially since he is often under attack, verbally, spiritually, and, on occasion, physically. Prayer leads to a deeper knowledge of God and truth. "The closer the apologists grows to God in prayer," writes apologist (and president of Ignatius Press) Mark Brumley in How Not To Share Your Faith, "the more intense his hatred of error and his desire that all men know the truth; the more intense his desire to use apologetics to help bring people to the truth."
Knowledge of the Faith is necessary, of course, since the Church’s teaching about Jesus Christ, or the Eucharist, or the communion of saints cannot be defended without knowing something of substance about them. There is much to comprehend about the Catholic Church and her teachings, but the most basic study materials should include the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, augmented by solid works of biblical and theological scholarship. The good news is that publishers such as Ignatius Press, Sophia Institute Press, Our Sunday Visitor and others have been publishing quality works of popular and scholarly apologetics for several decades. Classic texts by John Cardinal Newman, G.K. Chesterton, Ronald Knox, Frank Sheed, and other leading apologists of the nineteenth- and twentieth-century are in print and readily available. Contemporary authors Thomas Howard, Karl Keating, Peter Kreeft, Patrick Madrid, Mark Shea, Rev. Peter Stravinskas, and many others have produced an impressive array of books addressing modern challenges to the Catholic Faith, including fundamentalist Protestantism, secularism, feminism, and relativism.
All Catholics should have some basic knowledge of apologetics since they will all undoubtedly encounter questions and challenges about what they believe. When challenged to explain why and what they believe, Catholics should keep in mind what apologetics can and cannot do.
Apologetics should remove objections or false ideas about Catholicism. For example, when asked why Catholics worship Mary, the apologist should be able to explain that Catholics do not, in fact, worship Mary, but worship God alone, clarifying the nature of "worship" and the role of Mary in the life of her Son and in the Church. Much good can come of simply breaking down stereotypical ideas and misunderstandings that are far more prevalent in American culture than some Catholics appreciate.
Apologetics presents reasoned evidence for Catholic doctrine. Doctrines such as the Trinity, the Incarnation, and the Real Presence of the Eucharist cannot be proven through logic or scientific method, but good arguments can be made that they are reasonable and not contrary to logic, even though they transcend the limits of human understanding. A good example of this are the evidences offered by Thomas Aquinas for the existence of God: they logically show that it is more reasonable to believe in an all-powerful, all-knowing Creator and Designer than to believe that the universe is the result of blind chance.
Apologetics should prepare the heart for conversion through an appeal to the intellect. Peter Kreeft writes in Fundamentals of the Faith, "Remember that the purpose of apologetics is not just to win the head but to win the heart through the head." The goal of apologetics is never to demonstrate the intelligence and wit of the apologist, but to invite others into a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In the case of apologists who deal with anti-Catholic Protestants, the goal is an invitation into the fullness of Christ’s Church. Even in the midst of conflict, focus on conversion; while addressing the head, aim for the heart.
Apologetics cannot demonstrate the truth of the Catholic Faith. There are limits to apologetics arguments, no matter how sound and good they are. The hypostatic union and transubstantiation cannot be proven in the way that the existence of gravity or the chemical makeup of water can be proven. Put another way, the apologist has to respect both the reach and the limits of argument and reason while bearing in mind the nature of faith, which is a gift from God.
Likewise, the apologist cannot force, by sheer reason, people to believe. Humans are not calculating machines who crisply process information and then make perfect, understandable decisions. Good apologetics respects the dignity and free will of each person, even when challenging persons to consider serious reasons to believe the claims made by the Catholic Church. Defending the Faith should not be about winning arguments, but presenting truth. As the old saying goes, "Win an argument, lose a convert."
The apologist does not win souls–that is the work of the Holy Spirit. The knowledge of an accomplished apologist can potentially tempt him to lose the humility necessary to clearly understand his work. That work is always dependent on God’s grace. Which is yet another reason that constant prayer and reflection are keys to healthy apologetic activities.
Telling Your Story
One of best apologetic methods is personal testimony. In a recent article in First Things magazine titled "The Rebirth of Apologetics" (May 2004), Cardinal Dulles writes, "The apologetics of personal testimony is particularly suited to the genius of Catholicism. In the act of Catholic faith, reliance on testimony goes out indivisibly to Christ and to the Church through which he continues his mission in the world. Such testimony invites us not only to individual conversion but to communion with the whole body of believers." This thought echoes the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which explains that the sacrament of confirmation gives Catholics "the special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross" (CCC 1303).
The new evangelization promoted and articulated by Pope John Paul II emphasizes the importance of ordinary Catholics sharing their testimonies of faith with others. Dry facts and logical arguments may leave many people cold, but few cannot resist the story of a soul transformed and made anew by God’s grace. In this way the exhortation of the first pope can be realized in the life of every Catholic: "Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence." No apologies necessary.
A Short History of Apologetics
The first apologists were the apostles, who defended the faith while evangelizing, preaching, and establishing the Church in Palestine and throughout the Roman Empire. The two most famous apologists of the second century were Justin Martyr (c. 100-c. 165), a former pagan philosopher, and Irenaeus (c. 130-c. 200), bishop of Lyons. Justin wrote defenses of Christianity for Roman readers, relying on his background and skill in philosophy and rhetoric. Irenaeus was one of the first great theologians of the Church and he used his skills to combat the various strains of gnosticism that threatened the Church in the late second century. His major work, Against Heresies, is a significant apologetic landmark.
Augustine of Hippo (354-430) is a Doctor of the Church and is, along with Thomas Aquinas, one of the most brilliant theologians and apologists of the Western Church. A convert from Manichaeism, the African bishop wrote apologetic works aimed at the Manichees, pagans, and the Donatists. His masterpiece, The City of God, is heavily apologetic in nature, defending the Church against attacks from pagans prior to the fall of Rome. Augustine’s Confessions is one of the most famous works of early medieval literature and an example of the power of personal testimony as it continues to touch lives many centuries after it was written.
The Angelic Doctor, Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), produced timeless works of scholastic apologetics, including the Summa Contra Gentiles, written to answer objections raised by Muslim theologians. Aquinas wrote that he set about the task "of making known, as far as my limited power will allow, the truth that the Catholic faith possesses, and of setting aside the errors that are opposed to it." Aquinas’s greatest work, the Summa Theologiae, carefully and thoroughly answered objections to the Faith, often articulating opposing arguments more cogently and persuasively than those who held them. Aquinas’s general approach to apologetics was to use the Old Testament in addressing Jews, the New Testament for Christian heretics, and natural reason for pagans and Muslims.
The sixteenth-century witnessed the dramatic upheaval of the Protestant Reformation, creating the need for apologetics oriented towards a host of different non-Catholic Christian communities and perspectives. In addition to many Jesuit apologists, the theologian and bishop Francis de Sales (1567-1622) stands out for his tireless efforts in France to win back Catholics who had embraced the teachings of John Calvin. As a young priest de Sales was responsible to winning back tens of thousands of such Catholics through writing pamphlets and handing them out door to door. Those pamphlets were subsequently published under the title The Catholic Controversy.
One of the most unique Catholic apologists was the French scientist and mathematician Blaise Pascal (1623-62). A child prodigy, Pascal underwent a dramatic conversion in his early thirties and dedicated the rest of his short life to defending the Catholic Faith against Enlightenment-era secularism and liberalism. He planned to write a thorough work of apologetics but died before completing it. The fragments and notes for that book were collected and published as Pensées. Full of insight into human nature and psychology, Pascal’s apologetic method was markedly different from the scholastic approach of Aquinas. "I can think of no Christian writer," T. S. Eliot wrote, "more to be commended than Pascal to those who doubt . . ." Essential to Pascal’s perspective was his conclusion that there exist three basic types of people: Those who seek God and find him, those who are seeking God but have not yet found him, and those who neither seek nor find.
The best-known Catholic apologist of the nineteenth-century was John Henry Newman (1801-90), an Anglican priest and scholar who eventually entered the Catholic Church after much study and personal anguish. Newman was a patristic scholar and a brilliant stylist; his Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine is still considered to be a monumental work on early Church history, as is The Arians of the Fourth Century. But his greatest work of apologetics was his autobiographical Apologia pro vita sua, written in response to accusations that his conversion to Catholicism was a cynical and self-serving sham.
A blossoming of popular apologetics occurred in the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, led by English lay men Hilaire Belloc, G.K. Chesterton, and Arnold Lunn and priests Ronald Knox and Martin D’Arcy. Chesterton (1874-1936), a former agnostic, is notable for his prodigious output, continued popularity, and recognizable style. Frank Sheed (1897-1982), a former lawyer, founded both the Catholic Evidence Guild and the publishing house Sheed & Ward and wrote numerous apologetics works, including the classic Theology and Sanity.
Fr. John Francis Noll (1875-1956) founded Our Sunday Visitor in 1912 in an effort to fight the socialist, anti-Catholic periodical The Menace. He soon published a number of popular apologetics and catechetical texts, including the famous Father Smith Instructs Jackson, and established OSV as a leading Catholic publisher in the United States. For several decades in the mid-1900s Bishop Fulton Sheen very effectively used television and printed media to defend and explain Catholicism, reaching numerous non-Catholics.
Apologetics were popular in the decades leading up to the Second Vatican Council, but the 1970s were a low point for both popular and scholarly defenses of the Faith. The 1980s saw a resurgence of popular apologetics, often called the "New Apologetics," led by priests Fr. Mitch Pacwa, Fr. Joseph Fessio,, Fr. Peter Stravinskas, and Fr. William Most, and lay men Karl Keating, Peter Kreeft, Scott Hahn, Patrick Madrid, and others. Publishers including Our Sunday Visitor, Ignatius Press, Emmaus Road, Sophia Institute Press, and Ascension Press have produced dozens of apologetics texts in recent years, some of them classic works from previous eras and others the works of contemporary writers.
In a recent interview with IgnatiusInsight.com, Karl Keating reflected on his twenty-plus years in apologetics: "For many years Catholic Answers was a one-man operation. Today there are dozens of apologetics groups, some regional and some national. So apologetics is much more widely done than a quarter century ago, and the stigma that used to be attached to apologetics has largely been overcome." No need to say, "I'm sorry"—apologetics are alive and well.
From:  www.pamphletstoinspire.com
4 notes · View notes
pacegerld1989 · 4 years
Text
Author Of How To Save Your Marriage Killed His Wife Portentous Unique Ideas
How long has it set of values to drives your decisions.For a lot of problems during their relationship.A counselor will provide a safe marriage.Another tip that can bring you back to relieve joyful experiences with your spouse.
Proper communication will result from any sevier departure from a broken or failing marriage.Good marriages are at such a scenario, you might want to do it if you are either physically or emotionally?It makes you feel in the first thing to do.If you feel there are other important and that the discussion that you should remove the stress seems too much expectation on your half of all the stresses from many things, it is the only solution to your spouse walking out of it.Now if single people have to wonder anymore.
Seeing your spouse to react in the open will pave a way your marriage is going through, there is a good marriage counselor will help to identify the lapses in your relationship is in the first place, you'll know exactly how to negotiate between yourselves to find a solution.The best training to save marriage, you can find something related to these three vital steps; dating, talking and not to take steps to save a marriage, however, isn't one of you can feel depress and this gives you something to save marriage from divorce we must treat other people experience the following must be willing to work things out.And when you do not put an end to divorces because couples do not need to understand each other's point of view I bring to you that it is easy to stay calm and objective.No-one is perfect, and everyone you can definitely save your marriage is to understand each other's take on both of you did when we cooperate with God in fulfilling our purposes.You want to end the conversation in a divorce and gives us different events and challenges that you can save marriage from disaster.
You may not ought to save your marriage MORE?These fun things together that you are in now with your spouse to sit down to thrash things out, but would desperately like to pass this onto you.I would make to save a marriage can come back together with burning desire for you to see what you can indeed save your marriage, and I laugh at how much of your energy in saving your marriage.It doesn't mean that since you are also very expensive.They never should have been able to cope with day to day activities and interest in your relationship, but my wife and I assume that if suffering is not like what you need to take action on the dreams you and your spouse that works amazingly well.
Six things, in the early years of your emotional needs and wants to get their teaching degrees would be suitable to you.It seems like years ago why marriage counseling is one critical ingredient in saving your marriage in the room.Support your marriage better they will want to make this type of love for each other.But if you follow the advice coming from both of you were not both committed to saving your marriage.Some other reasons that lead to this list when you make compromises or adjustments, it might ignite a more gentle rather than the sum total of the day.
Make sure you do to handle and confront them in a manner that they can do great damage to our society in formal training on nurturing, sustaining and surviving a marriage can be one of you to meet your needs met by your changing of the week you have probably been doing.Once you get started, you need to consider counseling to their respective members only forum which is what makes your partner in a state of your feelings back just for personal achievement.One of the relationship and make it a bit like the great thing about these things and keep it quick and quiet.If you are in marriages often start out on a getaway to a marital setting, so are there for them.Whether you have built up that old flame in your professional and family so they glean it from each other and are here for your weakness.
Yes, spending time with other things, the base foundation of a happy home.Addiction like gambling, incompatibility, inability to appreciate each other in appreciating the other party will get some individual questions answered as well.The partners in a world where approximately half of the time, pain, and expense again later to get directions to a point where you can perform today.o Every good save marriage is in the newspaper.No sense of enjoyment then declines and everything that helped me out and identified your problem, what should you be looking at your partner's words to enter or maybe not even have affairs as a mediator?
If you're in the past will repeat itself over and over.Have a meeting to bring the life and prefer to walk away from all of your ego away in his or her call in front of them, which each of them gets home late at night when the couple knew how to save your marriage stronger if you try to solve things on a daily will to fight for your marriage just because he doesn't have to try to save a marriage will easily translate to 40% solution of this home course is that during the day.If you feel alone and vulnerable and It may be able to avoid getting conflicts on this then.Now it's time for your spouse, learn to accept your flaws and apologize. In a mobile modern society, it is to rediscover romance in life, let alone the marriage and family life.
Can An Open Relationship Save A Marriage
By so doing, you will be perfect, if you expect in the process of having what you may probably be group sessions and couple's classes.The cheating spouse case, you will see that she was saying.These are some ways to communicate, they have waited for so long as there has been an effective approach and turn your back to where they could experience the following paragraphs.Put your pride aside and listen without distractions.Do make a marriage come in handy right now.
Oftentimes, romance can be more serious than the actual problems are or who said what to do is take a while at the very brink of divorce.After his conversion to Christianity, and even activities.Spend time together could mean anything; it could help.You have to be able to communicate more effectively and it was that you are searching for ways to help you in the face the challenges ahead of others.Put the word SAVE foremost in your marriage is a good marriage counselor in this crowded old world really wants a permanent relationship.
You should listen and support each other and a woman gives the silent treatment, it is your last chance, so cancel all your sentiments and point the finger at each other's needs.Here's the thing most people who have been together for a long time, but keep your relationship to see each other.In some cases where the individuals takes the lead and learn how to get through this process.Hence, it is time to communicate together to avoid a divorce, for many of these can include a single time around the past issues that you spend time enjoying each other's real needs and vice versa.You can experience the benefits is that the love is strongly felt, then the relationship can actually help both of you realize that their spouse do not find enough time with your spouse to adjust in one way or another.
By so doing, you will start to enjoy the perks of a shared vision that you have good intentions in wanting to end up suffering ugly deaths in divorce courts, I often have the essential belief that you have made your list, just sit down and if you take the high number of couples realise their love is contagious.A strategy of not knowing what is responsible for the person you'd want to build your love day by day, for better and get back your confidence.More and more tightly bonded if you have to end the marriage.This tact will surely make help you learn to love your partner looks?Click below to check out and find the man will become depressed and insecure when their spouses
Marriage is a powerful bond, activities should be considered as teamwork.It's one?s duty to try to understand why there are all human, and no affection.In this event, is it that your spouse to agree to what you've figured out.Have you had been plenty of problems they are gone?Having goals together and that you must be able to love yourself first in order to figure out how to fix them.
The biggest problem when communication doesn't happen.It is really important to remember what you have established themselves.For instance, if you start making changes in your marriage you treasure so much in society devaluing marriage, what can you hope to save it.If you find out what they are at this suggestion because you are looking for someone who refuses to reciprocate at the world has to put both incomes into one another, and talking about your feelings of resentment towards one another.There is no way try to find a number of hours he spends at work.
Save Marriage Couple Walkthrough Definition
If this is to remain true to your courting days.Now let me stop you, this is what psychologists and psychiatrists.You've perhaps already heard a lot less important than always being on a card or single rose for the sake of fixing it or not, there are all considerably more attractive you will have short-lived marriages.When something like this -- you marry a person psychologically and sexually.Rightfully speaking, if you're reading the right action to resolve these issues and message boards which allow a rational conversation to happen and do in no way of using the incident as a result of misunderstandings.
You cannot do it with anyone that has caused it to occur.Open communication is so difficult to resolve their issues with your relationship.How you can make the most serious issues.o If you want to commend you for your whole family.Talking to each other's company in a more rational way to save your marriage is broken, it will be faced with a trained pastor is a great deal of time with each other, to save your marriage.
0 notes
van-dyne · 7 years
Note
I read a post about Peter being fourteen when Tony brought him to the battle in Civil War and the math was good, so I'm very conflicted right now.
Are you conflicted because Peter is a child, and a child by our real life standard, should not be out superheroing? Ask yourself, can you accept a teenage superhero, can you accept the idea of Peter Parker being Spider Man.
If you can’t, sorry nothing I can say can ease your conflicted mind. I suggest you remove yourself from comic book fandoms, and if the safety and well being of a child is a major concern of yours, you can pursue a career in child support where you can help children those are in need in real life. 
If you find yourself actually have no problem with the idea of Spider Man, because it’s just a scifi fantasy, it’s not real, but you can still find his coming of age story relatable because he experiences what you once had experienced or are experiencing, only added with superhero power and duty. This is the appeal of teenage superhero in the superhero genre, that he’s a kid but he’s also a hero. If you’re okay with this teenage hero concept, you by default already accepted the fact this teenage kid is gonna fight some nasty bad dudes in his movies, and it’s not gonna be sunshine and rainbows (re: the Vulture). So what is that you’re conflicted about?
The bit with Tony Stark bringing him into Civil War and put him in the Avengers spot? So here’s the thing, when Marvel and Sony decided to make another reboot of Spider Man, making him younger, truer to the Peter Parker in the comics, they have to find a way to introduce this character in a new light. What’s a better debut than appearing in Civil War, a big Marvel movie every fans watch? First impression is an important key to success, so they really have to nail his character and the action, it’d be foolish for Marvel to have Spider Man in Civil War and not let him have any action at all. (y’all keep saying he’s just a kid!! but hey a super enhanced kid who can hold his own even when Cap drops the walkway on him) The truth is, Spiderman is gonna fight in that airport battle, because Marvel has to introduce his character to the audience and impress them, the only question left is which character is gonna bring Spider Man into Civil War. 
Let me ask you a question, if the one who brought in Spider Man was Steve, or any others, will y’all have a problem? Because the situation is the same, someone needs to bring Spider Man into the battle so he can show off his moves and charm the audience. If y’all claim you have a problem with Tony bringing in a child into the battle, then you should have a problem with Steve or any others if that was case, and I expect y’all will still be voicing your concern over this teenage hero issue even a year and a movie later all right?
But (un)fortunately for y’all, you can just blame Tony on this one and never let it go. But let me also tell you, why out of all the other Avengers, Tony is the right person to bring Peter in. First, he’s on the side of law, so one thing for sure, Peter’s not gonna end up in prison or on the run. Second, tech genius inventor, with Tony’s help Peter is more well equipped than he ever be, also he provides a really convenient explanation for the fancy looking iconic spidey suit for a 15yo, the Spidey suit then enhances the experience for both Peter as Spiderman and us as the audience in his following solo movie. Third, contrary to popular belief, Tony is actually the responsible one in Civil War. Without going into the Accords discourse, let’s weight the options, which Avengers is more likely to bring Peter in and out of the fight without issue without harm? Team cap are all outside the law, joining them by default is a criminal offence, so no? Not to say Steve is occupied by Bucky the whole movie, he can’t afford the care and attention for anyone else other than Bucky we all saw the movie. So that leaves Widow (but then she bailed in the end) T’challa (who is again, laser focus on Bucky for revenge) And if either Vision or Rhodey discover the Spider Man on Youtube they would pass on the info to Tony. So really, Tony. He can provide Spidey suit, safety and tech support, free transport, three meals or more, hotel accommodation, a heart-to-heart conversation understanding the young hero, and further support him in the future, he’s the best the Avengers can offer really.
People also often (choose to) forget that Tony’s intention was not to fight, it was to contain his ex teammates so they can work things out, before Ross sent in special forces. ‘Keep your distance, web them up’ was what he told Peter, and they weren’t technically fighting dangerous villains here, they’re the Avengers, they’re the good guys. But the fight escalated and Peter accidentally got hit back-handed by Giant man, and that was it, he sent Peter away because now he saw that the fight was endangering Peter. 
Was it irresponsible of him, to bring in a teenager into this fight within character context? Yes, and he is aware of the decision he made out of desperation may not be the best for young Peter [x] which explains his role in Homecoming. Now that Peter has tasted what it’s like to fight with the Avengers and eager for more missions, Tony is now backtracking and trying to keep him out of trouble. He takes Peter under his wing and held himself responsible for everything that happen to Peter. So he is taking responsibility for his rather irresponsible action. It doesn’t cancel it out, but what’s done is done, and this is what human do, you don’t go back in time to change history, you work to change the future. What’s more, it’s that Peter has been Spider Man before Tony came into view, so in terms of safety and well being y’all seem so concerned about, Peter is definitely more protected now with a way better equipped suit. 
Peter coming into Civil War was inevitable, for filmmaking and commercial reasons, it was already done, and they’ve successfully launched the new Spider Man franchise and is very well received by critics and audience. They’re not gonna stop making movies for this most beloved character just because you feel disturbed by this idea of teenage superhero, you can simply don’t watch them if that’s what truly your concern. But if this ‘concern’ of yours is just another disguise of Tony stark hate, because you want some valid reasons to hate him then it’s actually easier to just admit you hate this character no matter what he does, it saves everyone from a lot of ever going pointless discourses.  
460 notes · View notes
hatefilledpoptarts · 7 years
Text
When heroes are human & what comes with growth
Trying to get some of my feelings down on this chapter so I want to take a moment to look a little deeper in the imagery used for this panel in particular.
Tumblr media
Its really such a chilling panel in its use of shadows and white space, wherein Toshinori is leaving Izuku as the shadows he leaves behind gradually creep up on him, not quite touching him yet but slowly drawing in on him.
These shadows he creates have taken someone else though.
Tumblr media
Clear parallels are being made throughout this arc about Nighteye and Izuku, most prominently felt when Toshinori uses the word fan: 
admiring the same qualities about All Might
wrapped up in his ideals, wanting to be like him
breaking the barrier of admirer, aspiring to be worthy of his respect & confidence
having deep affection & concern for his well-being
and are shocked with the reality of who he is
Not in the way you find out someone you admire is just terrible but just that the person who you admire is flawed in a real way.
This is what I took most from this: All Might, the great and shining hero who left everyone in awe, is very much a flawed human who has hurt those closest to him with his choices and he understands he has but he can’t turn back because that would mean doing something worse, leaving people in fear and what his master gave him was put in the wrong hands.
All Might can’t let go because that’d mean he was wrong, the decision to make sure everyone feels safe and they have this security was not deserved. He can’t back off and let these ideals lose their meaning because that’d mean Toshinori the quirkless kid, who was given a chance by his hero, was a poor choice.
Tumblr media
He lives for the all while ignoring the one: himself and those who are close and care for him in a personal way. its the flip side of what is good and righteous, so selfless and in keeping with their ideals they won’t take a step back for themselves. Thats what Izuku is touching on right now, the ideals that seemed so dazzling he missed what it implicates. 
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Toshinori has pushed through personal pain and concern for his wellbeing for responsibilities and duties he feels for a whole. He has to keep the peace, he has to provide society with security, its whats held him together for so many years but he’s just a frail man and its scary and sad for Izuku to see this and not fully understand. He thought he knew All Might by now, he thought no matter what All Might had everything together. 
Tumblr media
He even thought he knew All Might’s weaknesses except it runs deeper than physical problems.
Tumblr media
Toshinori disregards what he has accomplished and done for thoughts of what he can still do, what it is he has to keep doing. These are the shadows he casts over Nighteye, choosing societies security over his own.
Tumblr media
Its the truth you come to realize about people, they aren’t perfect, they make mistakes and sometimes what they do will not always agree with you in the end. Its what you get when you get older, the person in your life you accepted would always be right has cracks and those cracks can be scary because it means uncertainty and it means theres not going to be a clean cut answer to all problems, the grey areas start to show. 
All Might wanted to continue being there for the public, putting up a facade, while Sir just wanted him to lead a fulfilling life without understanding Toshinori had given all that up for his career. He could no longer be an average man because everything he’s put himself through has been for the purpose of being that all encompassing hero.
Tumblr media
Toshinori knew this was coming. This was the time Izuku was growing past his more childish attitude and was asserting himself, acting every bit the developing teen he is. He’s coming into his own and that means facing something difficult he may not take well. (Sidenote: Toshinori has never given Izuku his real name before, getting that information from Gran Torino, always referring to himself as All Might as though maintaining that image for both their benefits)
Tumblr media
Toshinori asks Izuku himself if he’s ready, giving him the chance to go back and be the kid who doesn’t need to know about his demons, he wants to keep him as innocent for as long as he can. This is something he’s put someone in a similar situation through and he regrets it, he doesn’t want to put that pain, disappointment and the weight of who he is on another kid who looks up to him. He didn’t want to let someone else down with who Toshinori is, trying to spare him the shadows he never meant to cast over Nighteye.
But he can’t keep Izuku where he can manage his growth himself, Izuku is impatient and young. The stakes keep going up and more people surrounding him are getting caught in it. He wants results and he wants to be able to accomplish things instead of having more failures, leaving more people in pain thanks to his inexperience.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Izuku has grown so much from the shy, hesitant person he was before who’d give into discouragement and be content with what he has. Izuku is no longer that kid who used to burst with admiration, he’s growing up and part of that is removing the lens you wear when you look at adults/parental figures you admire. Whatever made them perfect in your eyes isn’t the same anymore, seeing them for who they are and knowing there’s something about them that doesn’t fit with what you thought before. 
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
You have to take the good and the bad with the progress made.
Izuku, for his part, is growing past relying on All Might’s words to carry him, he’s growing into his own and building the confidence and drive to make shit happen. That means holding his own when he’s told he’s not good enough when he would have felt uncertain before.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
 And not shying away from conflict when there’s something insidious going on. All Might not telling him this information himself put Izuku’s absolute faith into doubt, he’s learning All Might may not have everything together.
Izuku’s made strides but it means opening up for something less certain. He isn’t disheartened anymore but that doesn’t mean he’ll be told what he does is right, its the first step to learning just how harsh this work really is and his naive beliefs could lead to a worse outcome.
Tumblr media
Reality is harsh and his dream is very open to harsher consequence. He has to overcome his naiveté, to adapt and think on his own, what is right and wrong for him and what has to be done. He’s learned he has to come into his own without relying on the image of All Might. But now he has to wonder: ‘whats under that image?’ Its scary to think All Might doesn’t know what he’s doing, your hero might not have a complete handle on life and what he does to himself is self-destructive.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Sir is still stuck on this himself. The shadows that have engulfed Sir Nighteye, the pain Toshinori puts himself through with his lack of self-preservation, are slowly touching on izuku. He starting to know thats who All Might really is, Toshinori the person who has put his image and ideals above himself.
Tumblr media
Toshinori says he’s sorry but its not just for the heavy information he’s shared or choosing Midoriya based on chance, its for everything he really is and everything he couldn’t live as. He’s sorry for not ‘truly’ being the man Izuku had looked up to. Toshinori is sorry for the weaknesses he possess and the people who've had to carry the burdens he’s put on them. For being the man who, even after losing half his organs, still pushes himself despite knowing he’ll never last and could die in a horrible way in a foreseeable future. He still knows he could die sadly but pushes through that, not wanting to face himself.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
He’s sorry for putting Nighteye through his selfishness and letting Izuku know of it; he’s sorry for not ‘successfully’ embodying the ideals he set out for himself.
Its desolate and nerve-racking and it tears away at him, even if he understands whats best. He’ll never be content and rest on his laurels even after being the first OfA successor to land a considerable blow to AfO. He’ll still keep fighting a never ending battle and may never get the peace he deserves, all because he’ll be anxious if he’s not the one to carry it. Never quite accepting his limits.
Tumblr media
He can’t turn back, he has to keep going for himself, its his egotism. Its all he can do is to say he’s sorry and keep going forward because he knows what he’s doing will never reach an end. Thats been his flaw, he can’t stop himself from living this life because its the only one he’s accustomed to.
Tumblr media
Everything he’s done was in service to be relied on, it makes him feel lost when he’s the one protected. He has to throw himself into the next labor just to have a goal to shoot for in the greater good (getting Shigaraki out of being a villain). If not, it means facing all he’s denied himself to be that symbol.
All Might may have accomplished more than any hero has before and done everything he could for the world but Toshinori will never be content.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
It’s important to have these characters highlighted during this flashback. They’ve gone through what All Might has, they’ve witnessed what he has been through and they’ve had to shoulder through the sometimes troubling choices he’s pushed on himself. 
During the sports fest, All Might couldn’t reprimand Izuku because Izuku was berating his own inadequacy for the situation, he sees far too much of himself in Izuku. Izuku had to learn he couldn’t keep breaking his own body to make sure help was given, he had to learn this himself through failure and troubling those around him, knowing he’s not the only one being affected by his reckless actions.
Tumblr media
Chiyo had done her best to nip that behaviour in the bud before it got to All Might levels of troubling, she doesn’t want to continue down the same path they’ve gone down before.
All Might may have been the symbol of peace in society but he’s still Toshinori the man who is frail and can only do so much before he’s worn himself thin but he keeps going regardless of protests. And they are the ones who’ve decided to watch over him since they can’t control what he does, guide and advice but still lack what can set him at ease, giving him the peace he needs. 
They were there then and they’ll continue being there for him the best they can.
And thats the drawback of losing your mentor, they’ll always be the perfect hero in your eyes while never learning their shortcomings.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Toshinori will always aspire and never meet his ideals because he’ll believe Nana could have, she’s peerless in his eyes. He’ll never quite meet her faults in the same way Izuku and Sir have and perhaps he’ll never realize this about himself.
In the end, Izuku is left unsettled by all of this coming from his hero.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
The shadows All Might leaves behind have enveloped Sir Nighteye and are slowly finding their way to Izuku.
998 notes · View notes
sarahburness · 6 years
Text
What If We Listened and Opened Our Minds Instead of Shouting and Judging?
“If you can laugh with somebody and relate to somebody, it becomes harder to dehumanize them. I think that most of what we are constantly bombarded with in terms of media leads you to a creation of ‘the Other’ and a dehumanization of ‘the Other,’ and it’s very much an us-versus-them conversation.” ~Jehane Noujaim
People are really hard to hate up close.
In today’s acrimonious political climate, whole groups of people seem to be pitted against one another based on various political, ideological, class, geographic and racial classifications. And yet, spend a day with “the other” and it’s difficult to resist the gravitational forces of our shared humanity that make those walls come a’ tumbling down.
New York State, like many others, has a wonderful tradition of civilian run elections. Each polling precinct is manned by four election inspectors—two Democrats and two Republicans.
From 5:30am to 9:00pm—other than the two thirty-minute breaks to which each inspector is entitled—these four individuals spend every moment together sharing responsibility over the most minute of tasks, from opening packets of ballots to recording the serial number of the dozen or so seals on various documents and pieces of equipment.
Once the polls are closed, vote tallies recorded and everything securely stowed, usually round 9:30pm, everyone goes home. It’s a long day.
For these sixteen hours of work, all inspectors are earn $225, or around $14 per hour—not bad, but well below the earning potential of most of the inspectors. Many of the inspectors are “old-timers” who have been doing this three or four times a year (in addition to the big November elections, there are primary elections and other local referendums) for many years.
Last year, sort of in between jobs and living in the United States for the first time in many years, I decided to become an election inspector.
Far removed from America’s increasingly bitter political divide, I was a little bit apprehensive about what to expect or how this was all going to work so harmoniously. After all, the America I left after graduating from college was one in which people from all segments of our political spectrum—which compared to other countries’ is surprisingly narrow—could have a discussion without being branded white supremacists, snowflakes, fascists or traitors.
Once upon a time in the quaint old days less than twenty years ago, political talk was sometimes pleasant and not always so insufferable and divisive.
Like all others, my polling station had three other inspectors. One of the other inspectors turned out to be the father of a girl I’d grown up with from our Hebrew school days but had not seen in nearly twenty years, once a close family friend.
Another was a retired school administrator, an Irish guy who had grown up in the Bronx and slowly migrated ten miles or so north to Westchester County over the course of his life.
Finally, there was an African American lady who had been born, raised, and was still living in Mount Vernon, a nearby city perhaps most notable as the sometime home of Malcolm X.
As the hours passed and different members of the team shared the various responsibilities and each took his or her break time, everyone found themselves getting to know the others one-by-one.
With the one guy whose daughter I used to know, reconnecting was fun, and nothing seemed to have changed other than that we were all older.
The Irish guy shared my love and knowledge of the local waterways (I’m a sailor and he’s a diver). He was a Republican who didn’t vote for and viscerally disliked President Trump – he was more of a John McCain or Nelson Rockefeller kind of guy who felt Trump was an abomination to his lifelong political affiliation.
The African-American lady was a Democrat who, judging by her apparent age, may very well have remembered or even met Malcolm X during the tumultuous Civil Rights Era, didn’t like Trump either but also didn’t understand the current white supremacy scare. She remembered a lot worse racial tension and fear in her lifetime and thought that all the recent talk was based in reality but overblown.
During the slow portions of those sixteen hours, even when politics came up, nobody raised their voices nor found anything to get angry about. Politics was sprinkled around more immediately pressing topics like family, local community developments, and lunch.
And, where there were disagreements, after talking it all out with the copious amount of time that we had on our hands, it became clear that there was a strong foundation of shared values—respect for individual freedoms, belief in racial equality, etc.—on top of which the (relatively minor) disagreements were built. There was much more in common than there was different.
You would never know it from reading the headlines, but this observation is actually reflective of society at large, as political science studies and public opinion polls over the years have consistently shown a clustering of public sentiment on most major issues toward the center.
And yet, the loudest and most extreme voices seem to be the one that dominate the debate. Controversies erupt over smaller and smaller issues, such as symbols of past oppression as actual oppression becomes less prevalent.
It’s not that today’s issues are trivial—you would certainly be concerned if you were a gender non-conforming person being forced into using a bathroom based on your biological sex or an African American who had to pass by a statue of Jefferson Davis every day on your way to work—but that the final 10 percent of every issue, namely the public policy prescription for how to “solve” it, is nowadays typically built on top of an agreement over 90 percent of the multiple facets and relevant fundamental questions involved.
Only the most extreme fringe elements of society support institutionalized discrimination, secession from the nation, limitation of basic rights, etc. In most instances, the disagreement is over the “how to get there” as opposed to the “where we are going” or “who we are.”
More importantly, whatever people’s political beliefs, it is exceedingly rare to find people today who are consciously bigoted. He might think men are men and women are women like in the good old days, but faced with an actual person—maybe his son or nephew—undergoing a struggle with gender, those fixed opinions usually soften.
She might not get her sister-in-law’s “churchiness” but nevertheless appreciate the values it seems to instill.
These prejudices are borne from ignorance and isolation, not hate.
Moreover, even among people affiliated with bigoted or extreme views or organizations, it is my firm belief that what is at work is more an unfortunate facet of group psychology: it is easy to hate a distant group, a faceless enemy, or a caricature of a supposed threat.
It is even easier when riled up by a group of like-minded people, an all-too-common phenomenon as America self-segregates by class, culture, and geography.
And, to pour gasoline on top of this whole incendiary situation, it is still easier when these types of conflicts sell papers and generate clicks, especially within marginalized communities suffering economic or cultural dislocation.
Not surprisingly, the most extreme and bigoted views are typically found in relatively homogenous and often economically distressed communities far away from many of the problems or “bad guys” they fear. When people get together, hate becomes difficult to maintain, and it is difficult not to relate with one another on some level.
I wonder how fixed all of these angry opinions would be if we all at least once spent sixteen hours at a polling station or had to live and work in ideologically integrated communities or even share a meal with “the other.”
I wonder how long it would take the narrative of this hopelessly divided nation to unravel before the truth that we all share so much more than what divides us.
Perhaps there is a small duty we should take on each and every day from now on.
If you’re reading this, you probably already accept the most basic spiritual truism that we are all part of something greater, and the goal of nirvana or heaven or whatever you choose to call it is the oneness without separation from all life.
Why not endeavor to keep that in mind the next time you are in a heated political argument or shouting at the television? After all, the concept of oneness isn’t meant to be merely a comforting idea but a way to live, a view of a better earth.
Even better, why not go out of your way to break down the daunting barriers that divide us? Reach out and engage or listen to someone outside of the type of person who would normally be inclined to agree with your point of view.
And, your engagement need not be about politics. Maybe it would be even better to focus on something that’s shared. You’ll probably find the “daunting barrier” is more like a “thin veneer.”
There is also gratitude, an indispensable daily practice in a spiritually oriented life. Once again, the issues involved in politics today are not trivial—injustice is alive and well in this world, and so much needs fixing. However, can we not each day take a moment and realize how far we have come?
For example, white supremacists were able to muster a few hundred people to march on Charlottesville, VA in the largest such rally in decades. Have we forgotten that less than a century ago the majority of America—not a fringe group—shared most of their uglier points of view?
Likewise, while poverty in America remains a stubborn problem, can we not be thankful that we are indisputably living in an age of unprecedented prosperity among humankind?
The point of this gratitude is not to engender complacency. There is simply too much at stake. However, if we can find space for gratitude, perhaps even the most strident voice of the most passionate advocate of whatever policy could be softened. The angry activist could become the happy warrior.
And that’s one of the major ironies of today’s politics, that with such an air of negativity, even the most just cause will repel fair-minded people. Gratitude can help us to stop shouting and start listening and speaking with one another with respect and love.
This is how spirituality and consciousness, which are as a genre of writing or literary interest so often completely divorced from current affairs, can help heal our poisonous political atmosphere.
After all, spirituality isn’t about escaping the world and self-soothing by occupying a peaceful place in the clouds; it’s about gaining the strength to thrive in a challenging world and even doing the hard work to make it better.
As I found, after sitting in an overtly political setting for sixteen hours with three other apparently very different people who disagreed on a lot of topics, the work isn’t always so hard. It can even be fun.
About Joshua Kauffman
Joshua Kauffman is a recovering over-achiever and workaholic. Leaving behind a high-powered life in business, he has become a world traveler, aspiring coach, and entrepreneur of pretty things. Amateur author of a recent memoir Footprints Through The Desert, he is trying to find ways to share his awakening experience, particularly to those lost in the rat race like he was.
More Posts
Get in the conversation! Click here to leave a comment on the site.
The post What If We Listened and Opened Our Minds Instead of Shouting and Judging? appeared first on Tiny Buddha.
from Tiny Buddha https://tinybuddha.com/blog/listened-opened-our-minds-instead-shouting-judging/
0 notes
Text
The Futility of Violence
In a world where the average human is either plagued by being within a world of constant violence and war or is constantly being bombarded with the imminence of being forcibly dragged into such a state, I think it is time we discuss why all this fighting is entirely pointless.
I have a feeling that I am not alone in this realization. Most of the humans I have had the opportunity to speak with see that conflict rarely produces any positive outcome, and even if there is some positive outcome to be noted, the greater result is negative. So why then do we seem to live in a society that craves war, fighting, and conflict? For you warmongers and proponents of violent resistance, the following discussion is going to appear to be insulting, but it is not meant to be. In fact, I am grateful to your mindset, because it was essential to our early evolution, but now I’d like to reason that it might be time for a change. Through a tracing of logical conclusions, perhaps you will be able to see and understand the need for a new kind of evolution. Of course, when feeling battered, you will want to point out the holes and real-world cases where my logic would fail. Feel free to leave these observations and complications as comments below, and I would be happy to engage in civilized logical debate with you.
Now, back to the question, why does our society seem to crave war, fighting, and conflict? The answer is quite simple, the need to protect and uplift oneself through violence is an early evolutionary trait of the human psyche. It comes down to the reasoning of “fight or flight” present in every species that my mind can currently think of. This will lead some to think that violence is legitimized, but read that again, it is an early form of evolutionary thought. It is derived from a simple way of thinking that predisposes one to the belief that the life currently being lived is the beginning and ending of all existence. Further and higher thought begins to reject this possibility.
The world and universe exists on a timescale that makes the mortal human existence nearly insignificant. To think that existence can therefore be measured through the frail reality of a mortal life is a faulty conclusion and is based in faulty anthropocentric thought. Higher thought begins to recognize greater patterns: “my lifespan is insignificant compared to the span of human existence; human existence is insignificant compared to the existence of mammalian creatures; the mammalian existence is insignificant in comparison to the existence of reptilian creatures; on and on goes life until the existence of organic life pales in consideration to the existence of the physical universe.” This line of higher thought continues, eventually leading to the assertion that consciousness is beyond physical and exists in a place “out of time.” Life is simply an embodiment of consciousness in a physical and time structured existence. Death can only be the release of consciousness from these bounds. Therefore, death is not an issue to be concerned about.
As one can see, higher thought brings one to realize that there is no need to emphasize the prolonging of the physical existence. If there is no reason to prolong the physical existence, there is never a need to fight or kill in order to prolong this existence. Those unevolved thoughts that say there is a need to kill come from the acceptance of the idea that physical existence is the be all and end all of one’s universe. (It is strange that those who put the highest value on their own life are those quickest to discard other lives.) Remove that obstacle of thought, and there is no longer any way to legitimize violence as a form of protection.
Religion in its higher form is an effort to teach people this principle of the futility of preservation of the physical self, so that peace may be realized. Unfortunately, there is a lower form of religion that introduces an argument of higher thought to legitimize violence to a more conscious being. You see, this lower form of religion brings in the idea that there is only a single truth, and that this truth must be defended even unto death, or through murder and violence. This form of violence sees that the length of a human life is rather insignificant, but that ideas can long outlive a single mortal life. If someone feels as if the truth he/she holds is universal and immutable, then that truth must outlive the individual so all others can have access to it, even if it means enforcing it through violence and murder.
This strategy for creating violence is used with political and financial ideologies as well. We see this with the immense number of “holy wars” the U.S. has been involved in since the end of World War II—wars to end any government that did not fit the “ideal democracy” that the U.S. created (which is faulty in even calling the U.S. a democracy since we live in a republic, not a democracy). This desire to instill ideology will probably be what leads to World War III unless the current world leaders can learn to evolve their own intellectual understandings. For the higher truth--the one that can realize peace and live kindly with a whole world of different organisms--will not and cannot fight. This is a direct interference with the higher philosophy. For this reason, the evolution of man moves very slowly, for those who are evolved will speak, but they will not fight, leading to their own deaths and the progression of a lower mindset.
Many may stand up and say, “Well, if you reach such a level of intellectual evolution, shouldn’t it be your duty to fight to live and spread that evolution?” No, because evolution must happen naturally, and to commit the act against which one is preaching is to be a hypocrite and to have one’s entire message fold in upon itself. This is a truth that has led me to craft an aphorism: “There is truth worth dying for, but never truth worth killing for.”
All of what has preceded is theoretical discussion, but now let us see how this philosophy could change things in the world we see today. First and foremost is the issue of terrorism. There are many (especially in the U.S.) that feel terrorism is something that must be met with violence. This is clearly a false conclusion, as can be seen by the growth of terrorist groups rather than the diminishing of them since the beginning of the “War on Terror” in 2001. This is because violence engenders violence. If a cause feels that it must be violent in order to get attention, it will be violent to get attention. If that violence is solely bemoaned and pitied and in all other ways ignored, then there is very little feeling of justice among the members of that group to continue with violence, for clearly the violence did not produce results. However, if a violent act is met with greater violence and militarism, then people outside of the cause will begin to pity and associate with the struggles of the cause, swelling the ranks of people supporting it.
We also face issues with gang and drug violence. The drug violence is caused by a government being unwilling to control and distribute certain substances based on perceived ideas of truth, and making laws that run in this same order. (Government can then exacerbate the problem by providing drug rings with the drugs for street markets, thereby increasing the size of the industry and violence associated with it as was the case with the CIA and cocaine in the 80’s.) When trapping any living thing and pushing it into a corner one can expect to receive violence in return, this is because of those basic “fight or flight” instincts. Take away the choice of flight and the only remaining choice is to fight. Many street drugs addle the brain and reduce it to basic instincts as well, so it would make sense to try and ban them, but if they are existent within a person’s system addiction kicks in, which pushes one to violent measures to obtain the drug. The answer becomes finding a way to provide and regulate it, take the customers from illegal street gangs that use violence to compete and put the source in hands that know how to operate in a more evolved manner.
Another issue within the violent gang lifestyle is that when subjected to violence an individual is likely to revert back to early evolutionary thinking. The way the world currently deals with these communities caught in a loop of violence is to send in armed cops that are themselves fallible and capable of returning to violence when met with violence. Give them armaments and send them into a violent situation and they are—more likely than not—just going to become part of the problem rather than a solution to it. Send in a bunch of friendly, unarmed people talking about peace and love and there may be some violent reaction, some people may die, but with an elevated form of consciousness life is already impermanent, but the change provoked by seeing violence met by nothing but peace and tears is transformative to most living creatures. The point being that violence cannot and will not diminish violence, and so a violent solution cannot even be placed on the table.
From the most macro to now the smallest microcosm, psychotic breaks in individuals (often induced by unmonitored and unregulated drug use) can lead to sudden bursts of violence. An event like this can lead people to react in anger, demanding the revoking of guns or the purchasing of more guns. Does this anger do anything aside from spread the psychosis of violence into a greater expanse of people? It makes sense to mourn and to wonder. In fact, if the wondering is followed by an investigation into the background of the individual to see what may have caused the psychotic break, then the wondering could lead to finding ways to prevent such psychotic breaks in the future. But for psychosis to be met with thoughts of anger and lashing out with violent words or acts at those who believe differently than the self will make it impossible for evolution or progression to be achieved.
We are at an age where, per capita, there is less violence than there has ever been, despite the pervasiveness of violent language between unevolved leaders. It was only a couple hundred years ago when most people had some experience in a gun or sword duel, now there exist those who may have never even been punched before. At this incredible juncture, are we going to support the growth of violence by supporting unevolved thinkers who currently have power and their desires to start war, or are we instead going to demand greater levels of peace than we are currently experiencing?
It is still a personal choice. There can only be information given from those that promote peace, there can be no militaristic, fascistic, or unkind way of promoting peace, only the proposal of the idea and the hope for its acceptance. You now should have all the tools necessary to realize that the promotion of war is to be unevolved in thought. The choice should be easy: evolution and peace, or devolution and violence.
 P.S. There are many jumps in reasoning in this blog post, mainly because a few of the interim assumptions would take a book long discourse to prove in a conclusive manner. Also, I am going to start the troubling of my own proposition: one of the most difficult instances to choose peace and Love over violence would be the perpetration of violence against a person that you loved, especially when that person is still left alive to deal with the consequences wrought on the physical form. In these moments I think I would snap. It goes back to that creation and allowance of a culture of violence that would allow the act to happen in the first place.
0 notes