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rogueonestan · 3 years

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ch 18 -“‘til our paths cross.”

pairing: the mandalorian (din djarin) x f!reader / ofc

word count: 8.3k

summary: after learning the one thing you have kept as a secret, din reflects on the time he has spent with you. in doing so, he comes to a conclusion that will forever change your paths.

a/n: hi im back with another update a month later. i tried uploading this last week but tumblr was acting funny so i wanted to wait a little bit until i tried posting it again. hope you enjoy!

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The dead silence in the Crest isn’t enough to put a stop to the thoughts that are currently going through Din’s mind.

He almost forgot how much he can no longer stand the silence. It’s something he got used to for such a long time. Nearly every night was filled with dead silence, but now not a day has passed without any noise thanks to you and the kid- not that he’s complaining. If only that were the case right now.

Even when his head is spinning with thought after thought, the only thing Din can focus on at the moment is the humming of hyperspace. He thought that being alone is exactly what he needed, but it isn’t helping the slightest. Usually being alone helped Din sort through his thoughts in the past, distracting himself by getting away from everything, but not this time.

It reminds him of a time when his afternoons were spent like this. He’s gotten so used to his days being filled with noise that he forgot what it was like to be in complete silence, and it’s something he hasn’t missed in the slightest. This should be the perfect place for Din to clear his head, but it isn’t. As hard as he tries, he can’t seem to process everything that has happened in the past day or so. When you returned back to the Crest after everything that happened on Nevarro, Din’s first instinct was to be alone with his thoughts, thanks to his old habits. He can’t focus on what he’s thinking longer than for a minute- so much is on his mind as the ship is in transit. Everything had changed just by one afternoon spent in the cantina that the two of you had grown so familiar with. One moment you’re trying to lure an ex-Imperial officer to his death and the next, you’re trying to survive a shootout.

Then the next thing Din knows, he finds out that you’re considered to be an enemy. A Jedi.

He doesn’t even know what it means to be a Jedi, or even what a Jedi is, but based on what the Armorer told him, it sounded like they’re the enemy of his people.

He feels as conflicted now as he did then.

Even though you don’t consider yourself to be a Jedi anymore, you still knew about the strange abilities the kid has and didn’t mention anything to him about it. You even recognized what species the child was when you found him and still didn’t mention anything.

The more he thinks about it, the more questions he has.

Why didn’t you ever mention anything about the Jedi? Did you not trust him enough? Or was it something you weren’t proud of?

You were never one to shy away from reminiscing about your past. You’ve told Din plenty of tales from your childhood, and even when the galaxy was at war, but never your time with the Jedi. Something must have happened with your time with them.

Maybe that’s something he can ask you about once the Crest jumps out of hyperspace.

Glancing behind him, Din follows the source of the only sound in the cockpit. The child is still fast asleep in his makeshift bed, unbothered by his surroundings. The long day all three of you had obviously got to him as well. A sigh leaves Din’s modulator as he continues to glance at the sleeping child in front of him. Usually this would help him ease his nerves, but nothing seems to be helping with the thoughts gnawing at his brain.

Why didn’t you say anything to him?

Din’s told you things that he hasn’t told anyone in years, hell, he doesn’t think he’s ever told anyone the things that he has shared with you, but you haven’t shown him the same courtesy. There have been so many opportunities for you to do so, but you never spoke up. There have been so many times that you could have explained things, made it easier for Din to understand the strange child, but you didn’t. You only kept your mouth shut when Din was confused about what was going on with the kid.

Though he understands why you never mentioned your history with the Jedi, afraid you would be putting yourself in harm’s way if you did, it still doesn’t help with the tight knot in his stomach. It would have been a difficult conversation to have, sure, but you still would have shown the full trust you have in him by telling him the entire truth- not hiding it until you were forced to explain yourself.

Shaking his head, he immediately disregards the thought. He can’t blame you for a decision that clearly has haunted you on a daily basis.

There’s a reason why you never told him before and you told him why when the two of you were in the hull just a few hours ago. You were afraid.

You were afraid that if you told him about who you were, you were going to be either killed or turned in as a bounty.

Being on the run simply because you were raised by the Jedi was all you knew for years, and Din can’t blame you for that. He doesn’t know how long you were with the Jedi or when you began distancing yourself from their ways, all he knows is that you did it to protect yourself. if you hadn’t, then your paths wouldn’t have crossed.

It’s not an easy thing to digest, but Din knows the decision to hide this from him must have not been easy. It’s not easy to open yourself up to someone you’ve only known for a short period of time, especially when you have been stabbed in the back on multiple occasions in the past. Din knows that feeling all too well. There have been things Din hasn’t told you, or spared you the details of, because he wanted you to protect you. Though the details were minor like playing off an injury he got from a fight or something bad that happened that day- he understands why maybe you never revealed your past to him.

There must have been a good reason for it. You wouldn’t have made that choice with a blink of an eye. It would have been one of the most difficult decisions you’ve ever made. You’ve always been so open with him about everything. It hurts for Din to think about why you never told him about it before, but he tries to not think about it too hard.

Maybe that’s just how you were raised. Keeping certain truths away from others to protect them. You never judged Din for the customs he grew up with the Mandalorians, so he can’t judge you too harshly on the customs the Jedi raised you with. He may not know exactly what they are, but he can’t judge you too much until he learns more about them. You’ve shown him that same courtesy, always asking questions about the Mandalorians and their traditions without any judgement, even when you knew about the history your two people have with one another. The least he can do is show you the same courtesy.

The Mandalorians always told him to be wary of who to trust. If you trust everyone that comes in your path, then you’re bound to have others taking advantage of your naivety. Perhaps you were raised with similar principles.

The Jedi can seem like mysterious people to outsiders. The outside world knows hardly anything about them, even when they were highly renowned during the Clone Wars. All people knew during that time is that they had weird powers that wielded laser swords. No one really knew what their beliefs were or what their Code was. All most people knew is that they would try their best to help others by siding with the Republic.

Without knowing, the many things Din admires about you is because you were raised by. Throughout your journey together, you’ve shown him your true colors. You’ve tried your hardest to let that part of your life go, but the teachings of those who raised you have been engraved in your mind. You’ve shown this to your partner by your willingness to help the defenseless on multiple occasions.

The first time Din was able to see this side of you was when you received the bounty puck to retrieve the child. It seems like such a long time since that day. Before arriving on Arvala-7, you always kept your mouth shut when it came to a job you disagreed with. You always told Din how you felt about a job, but this was the first time you told him how you really felt. You refused to bring an innocent child into the hands of the Empire. He was only a child. The kid would be defenseless and you knew that you had the power to do something about it. You couldn’t just step aside and let the Imperials do whatever they pleased- you had to stop them.

You always put the kid’s well-being before your own while he was in your care. You put yourself in danger during the short fight with the Trandoshans to make sure the child remained safe, and kept an eye on him when the three of you were returning back to Nevarro to hand him over to the men who hired you. During the ride back, Din made sure you were safe as well.

The relationship between the two of you changed during this trip. He was able to see how caring you were towards strangers you just met, something he hadn’t seen in you before. You ensured other people’s safety before your own.

Before you took this job, you always showed a tough exterior to the outside world, but you showed Din the real you. You showed kindness and empathy towards others. You were finally beginning to grow comfortable with his company, which is something not many can say. Something about the kid changed something deep within you, and Din cannot be more grateful.

If it weren’t for you and your kind nature, he wouldn’t have been able to tell you the things that he has over the past several months. When your walls came down, his came down as well. He shared a few things with you at this point, but your relationship only began to grow since that day. Your compassion let him see you, not his bounty hunter partner, but you. You had qualities he hadn’t seen in another person in a long time- he almost forgot what it was like for someone to do something out of the kindness of their heart, not because they felt obligated to.

And that’s what Din admires about you. When you know something is wrong, you aren’t afraid to say so. You were wary from the start, saying how you weren’t sure if you should even go through with this job in the first place, but went through with it anyway because Din told you to. You put your own personal beliefs to the side for the job’s sake. When you found out that the bounty you tracked was a kid, you weren’t afraid to voice your concerns. There have been times where you felt uncomfortable with a few jobs you were tasked with, but you never accepted a job where it was an innocent child.

You couldn’t find it within you to go through with it. If you did, then would there be a limit to what the two of you would or wouldn’t do? You had to put your own emotions to the side during your hunts, but you showed Din that you had a heart, a conscience, during this adventure. Not many hunters showed this part of themselves in the Guild. Din got used to seeing blank stares in the cantina back on Nevarro, but seeing the intimate interaction between you and the kid showed him just how different you are from the other hunters. Almost none of them would have been able to express themselves the same way you did that afternoon.

Without realizing it, that afternoon changed everything for Din. Everyone he knew had such difficulty connecting with others, but you were able to do it with such ease with the kid. It took a long time for you to be like that with Din, but you were able to eventually tell him stories from your past. The relationship you had was slowly growing from strictly professional to friendly by the occasional banter you would have. If it weren’t for the kid entering your lives, then your relationship wouldn’t have grown into what it is today. Neither of the walls you or Din put up wouldn’t have been able to come down.

Not once did you ever grow irritated by the little information Din shared with you about the Mandalorians when you asked about them. Before meeting, you knew very little about his people, but with time, you consider yourself lucky to learn more about them each day that passed by. By this, you asked the questions that came across your mind rather than making an assumption. He would give you vague answers at first, not wanting to reveal too much just in case you parted ways, but with time and patience, you were able to learn more about them than you ever imagined, even more so when you decided to stay by his side when he decided to rescue the child from the Imperial safehouse.

“I’m with you until the very end,” You told him that day. Those words haven’t left his mind since that afternoon. Even when you hardly knew a thing about him, you still showed him where your true loyalty stands: with him- not the Guild, but him. It’s something he hasn’t been able to forget.

One of the most important things to the Mandalorians is sticking with those you care for and keeping your word, and you showed that to Din when you supported him with one of the most difficult decisions he’s ever made. Not many would have made the decision you did. Many would have left his side, or even tip off other hunters, but not you. You always were different from other hunters. That day, Din was able to see who you really were. Not only were you kind and patient towards a child when you thought your partner wasn’t paying attention, but you also showed one of the most important virtues regarded to his people: undying loyalty. It’s one thing to say you will never leave someone’s side, but it’s another to actually stay true to your word. You never once made Din question where your loyalty is, and that’s something he can’t take lightly.

What he didn’t realize until recently is the purpose he has. Things can easily get messy and complicated in this galaxy. When you both agreed to have a shared partnership, Din knew that you would be under his protection and he would do anything to make sure nothing bad happened to you, but what he didn’t realize was just how important your safety is to him until a few weeks ago. When deciding to take the kid in, he saw how he can use his training for good instead of bad. Instead of taking a life, he now can ensure the safety of two. Now, he’s not some hunter- he’s a protector of now two lives, and he’s been able to prove that by the several dangerous situations the three of you have been in together. From a cantina brawl on a random planet to that pazaak situation you accidentally put yourself in, to the weeks you spent on Sorgan, Din’s been able to keep the three of you safe even when a great danger exposes itself.

The threat on Sorgan didn’t seem that bad at first, only a group of outsiders stirring up trouble with the local village, but things only escalated the longer you were there. The real threat exposed itself when inspecting the nearby area. The outsiders not only were greater in size, but they also had an AT-ST in their possession. The odds didn’t seem to be in your favor at that point, but with great determination and training, you were able to help the local village fight off the attackers. Din was hesitant to help at first, thinking that the odds were too great, but you disagreed. You believed that with the villagers’ support, you would be able to help them with their raider problem. Instead of worrying if they would survive the next harvest, they would be able to work in peace. And you were right- with hard work and perseverance, the attacks were finally put to an end with one final confrontation.

After that night, the majority of the time you spent in the village was almost pure bliss. If you hadn’t been so persistent in helping them, then none of that would have happened. Din wouldn’t have been able to see the kind of life that he’s always thought of. Most of his life has been spent in hiding, whether it was literally hiding in the Mandalorian covert for so many years or it was hiding himself from the galaxy, Din never knew what it would be like to stay in a place that reminded him so much of home village before it was taken away from him. It wasn’t something he thought he wanted until he saw it right in front of his eyes.

He never saw the true beauty of a community until the three of you became a part of one- for the time being at least. He never spent as much time with the villagers as you had, but he saw the charm in it. The villagers never hesitated to ask for help from himself or you, but seemed much more comfortable asking you. When they did, you always agreed with a giant smile on your face. It was something Din hadn’t seen before. You were always willing to help others when they needed it, but he’s never seen you this carefree before.

Nobody had to worry about the dangers the next day would bring. The problems here on Sorgan almost seem minuscule compared to the ones you had when you went rogue from the Guild. You were preoccupied with your worries before arriving on the peaceful planet that you forgot what it was like to not worry about a thing. Instead of chatting about your worries, you were finally able to pass the time by the conversations you two would have throughout the day. One morning, in particular, pops up in his mind- the final day you spent at the village before you were forced to leave.

That morning, Din told you things he hadn’t told anyone for as long as he can remember. He told you what his childhood was like, how similar his village was to the one you were currently staying at. He hadn’t felt this peaceful since he was a boy.

It was something he missed greatly. He’s missed the feeling of connecting with another person- he never let himself grow too close with someone ever since he lost his parents. Losing them was bad enough, he wouldn’t be able to handle the heartache of losing someone else he cares deeply for. The only person he’s allowed himself to grow close with is you.

He’s missed the feeling of not doing much during the day. Most of his days were spent completing task after task, never having a moment to enjoy the little things. To the average person, seeing a town go on with their daily lives may not seem that spectacular, but it brought comfort to Din. His days were always filled with adventure, never knowing what the next day might bring, but seeing the everyday lives of the villagers brought a fire in his belly as warm as your hand had felt that morning. It’s a feeling he hasn’t been able to forget.

It’s been such a long time since he’s had such an intimate moment with another person that he can remember almost everything about that moment. He can remember how fast his heart was racing when your fingers intertwined with his, how the weight resting in his hand replaced the weight he felt on his chest, or the feeling he got in his stomach when his eyes locked with yours when you were silently listening to him. No matter how hard he tries, that moment isn’t able to leave his brain. It’s the only thing that has been playing on repeat late at night.

It was a simple gesture from you, a silent sign of support as he continued to tell you the fate of his parents. It was difficult for him to do, the words barely left his mouth as he described the destruction of his home, but you were patient with him, as you always have been. You never interrupted him or grew restless with how long it took him. If it took him a millennium to say something, even if it was just one detail, you would be more than willing to wait for what he has to say.

And that’s another thing that he admires about you. Not only have you been nothing but patient when it comes to him opening up to you, but you also have such a gift when it comes to connecting with others. After describing such an awful memory, you were sympathetic towards him by revealing the similar fate your parents suffered as well. It wasn’t easy, but you did it so that he wouldn’t feel as alone.

You both had similar upbringings and were adopted into different cultures, but those who raised you shaped into who you are today. For Din, he closed himself off from others so that he wouldn’t have to experience losing anyone else, but you were the complete opposite. Instead of closing yourself off from the galaxy, you never let your past experience of losing someone stop you from forming relationships with others. A wall was always put up from being vulnerable with almost anyone you met, but you let it down when you finally met someone you trusted completely, like Din. It took a while for you to get to this point with him, but he’s the first person you’ve been completely raw with since the fall of your people.

That same wall lowered the same day you arrived at the village. Something about the locals made you immediately trust them, Din noticed. It’s something he hadn’t seen in you before. Thanks to that feeling, you were able to help them with their problem. Instead of backing down when things got tough, you never took ‘no’ for an answer when it came to helping them. Despite all of the trouble you’ve had in the past, of others using your good nature against you, you never lost faith in the village, believing that with their help, the raidings would be put to an end. You were right. With their help, all of their problems stopped.

That’s something that Din still struggles with- seeing the good in every situation. As much as he tries to, his pessimistic side always gets the best of him. He thought that the odds were too great to provoke the intruders, but he was wrong. If it weren’t for you, then who knows what would’ve been the fate of the village. Ever since that day, he tries to see the light of every situation, but that gets hard at times. There were many times when Din doubted the battle would be won in your favor, but thanks to your selfless act to protect the villagers, everything turned out alright in the end.

From that battle to the last morning you spent there on Sorgan, Din hasn’t been able to forget about the time you spent together. As much as he tries to, he can’t stop replaying the simple gesture of both of your hands touching for the first time. It wasn’t even an extraordinary moment at the time, just a small sign to show your patience with him, but for some reason, the moment hasn’t been able to leave his mind. Even when his mind is filled with so many thoughts late at night, he gets the same feeling in his stomach as he did when you put your hand in his.

Hand holding is still as tender now as it was then, even with the multiple times you’ve done it at this point. It’s a sign of showing support towards each other, but that morning was the first time your skin grazed him on purpose. Maybe he’s looking way into it, but when your hand touched his that morning, he got a feeling in his stomach that he hadn’t felt in a very long time. The last time he can even think of feeling remotely similar to this was when Xi’an was in his life, but even she couldn’t make him feel the way he feels towards you. He felt it during your last day on Sorgan and he felt it again when you traveled to your destination on an isolated planet where there was nothing but flowers in sight.

The warm feeling in his stomach returned when he heard laughter coming from inside the hull after landing on the foreign planet. He didn’t know what the cause of your laughter was, but he didn’t care during the moment. All he cared about was knowing you were happy and safe. He knew that all three of you would be safe here for the time being. He wouldn’t have to worry about what would happen if he left you alone on the ship. Instead of his afternoon being spent worrying about what he would have to do to make sure you’re all safe, he can finally rest. His days can be like what they were when you were on Sorgan. The day can be spent doing whatever you want, not putting yourselves in danger just so you can survive to see nightfall.

It’s something Din hadn’t allowed himself to feel in a very long time- to be at ease. He didn’t even let himself be completely vulnerable during the weeks you spent at the village. He was afraid that the moment he let his guard down, there would be something to interrupt what he was feeling, and in a way, he was right. The morning he let his guard down was the same morning that the bounty hunter was able to track you down and almost kill the kid.

It was just bad luck. Word eventually got around about the fight that took place and that’s how you were eventually found. Thankfully, that didn’t happen on the planet you were laying low momentially. Din had hoped that you could’ve stayed here longer, enjoying the peace that seemed to linger in the air, but the decisions he made in the past decided to catch up to him. Instead of laying low on this peaceful planet for a few weeks, you were only able to stay here for a day or two, but the time you spent here hasn’t been able to leave Din’s mind.

He found an abandoned planet when trying to find a safe place where the three of you could lay low for a while. With a low population density, the chances of someone spotting you were slim to none. You wouldn’t be able to stay here longer than a few weeks with the supplies you have, but staying here meant that you would be out of danger, and that’s all Din cared about. If keeping your head low on an abandoned planet meant that you wouldn’t be in any kind of danger, then he would be more than willing to hide away from the galaxy with you. With the great amount of danger you both have been in lately, Din’s more than willing to stay here.

When first stepping foot on this planet, the sound of local wildlife greeted Din. Birds were chirping, tiny animals were chatting, and even the simple sound of the tree branches swaying back and forth brought a sense of comfort in his bones. The planet didn’t offer much, only the beauty of its atmosphere, but you didn’t need much to be safe. All you needed was a secluded area and enough food and water to last you for a while, and that was enough for Din. If your afternoons were spent with each other’s company, that’s more than what he could ask for.

Din was quick to make sure the area was safe shortly after the Crest landed. When he was doing so, he had the company of your laughter coming from the hull of the ship. The sound was so distant at first. If things weren’t so quiet outside, he wouldn’t have been able to hear it, but he’s so glad that he did. It’s a sound he hadn’t heard in a while- a sound he didn’t know he missed. He heard it almost everyday when you were at the village on Sorgan, but ever since you were on the run again, the sound became rare.

Hearing your laughter in the past always brought Din joy, knowing that you’re enjoying yourself for the time being, but hearing it this time brought a different feeling inside his chest. To this day, he still doesn’t know exactly what that feeling is. Knowing that you’re happy even after being in danger just a few days prior made Din happy too, but the feeling in his stomach is foreign. He hasn’t had this kind of a reaction to something before. The only time he’s had a feeling in his gut is when his stress is beginning to get to him or when he knows he’s in danger, never to a sound as delightful as your laughter.

Then the feeling only got stronger when he saw your reaction to where you would be staying for the next leg of your journey. The kid was giggling as he was running through the nearby flower field, but the only thing that captured Din’s attention was how soft your features were in the moment. From the way the eyes were in awe from your surroundings to the gigantic grin plastered across your face, the only thing Din could focus on is you. You somehow were able to put him under some kind of spell without trying to.

The feeling he had in his stomach spread throughout his entire body. It’s weird to explain, but somehow it spread from his stomach to his chest to his bones. He doesn’t know how to explain what it is but it’s something he never wants to go away. It’s something he hasn’t felt in a long time, knowing that he was the reason behind your happiness made the feeling even stronger. No one’s been able to have this effect on him before, except you. Without even trying, you managed to capture a part of him he didn’t even know he gave to you. He’s kept his heart locked up for so long that he forgot what it felt like to give it to any person.

He never has to worry about whether or not you’ll judge him harshly for something he’s done in the past. He knows that you’ll have an open mind about things and only have an opinion on it once you’ve asked questions about it.

There hasn’t been a single time where he’s felt judgment coming from you. You haven’t agreed with everything he’s done, but you respect the decisions he’s made, and that’s something he doesn’t take for granted. It’s rare for someone to be as patient and open-minded as you are, most people form an opinion far before they know every single detail, but not you. The only time you’ve only criticized a decision he’s made is when you don’t agree with it. After being partners for so long, there have been a handful of times where you don’t agree with a plan of his, but you still support him because of the amount of trust you have in him. If he said nothing bad would happen, you would take his word for it. It’s a sign of trust you’ve shown towards him and that’s something he can’t take lightly.

Loyalty and family are the two most important things to his people. Having undying loyalty to those closest to you shows just how much you trust the other person. It’s something he’s only seen in the covert. Putting your complete trust in someone, knowing they will put your best interest in heart, is something he’s only seen Mandalorians show towards other Mandalorians. They put their full trust in each other because they’re like family, and family will do anything to make sure the rest are safe, like you. Din admitted this shyly one afternoon, afraid of what your reaction would be when he admitted he saw you as a part of his family, but seeing the look on your face told him you felt the same as well. Your people may not have as strong a belief in family as his people do, but you know the importance of him referring to you as family meant to him.

He was so nervous during the moment that he didn’t even notice how his stomach turned into knots when your hand touched his after he admitted this. A weight was taken off of his shoulders after telling you this- he didn’t even notice his body physically reacted to you touching him.

He got that same feeling again when seeing your reaction to the planet the Crest landed on. You had such a childlike wonder to it that the radiance beaming from you was contagious. Like you, the biggest smile was on Din’s face when he glanced around his surroundings before heading back to his task. The moment between the two of you didn’t last long, as the little one began running off towards the nearby trees, but Din hasn’t been able to get this memory out of his head. He doesn’t even know why.

Even when you were gone, his thoughts weren’t able to escape you. He couldn’t stop thinking about how happy you seemed here even when you just got here, or how the sun bouncing off of your skin seemed to give you such a glow- not from the sun itself, but from within. Your warm nature being prevalent on the inside and outside. Everything about you was able to easily rub off of Din.

He doesn’t even know how mind came across the things that it did. One moment he’s thinking about what the three of you could do on the planet to pass the time and the next is what your future together would be like. The future together is something he’s thought about a lot recently since the child came into your lives- he always thought about what life would be like once you found a safe place for the baby, but thoughts like these never came across his mind until that sunny afternoon.

Rather than wondering what the two of you would do in the future, like if you would ever return back to Nevarro someday or if you would continue traveling the galaxy together, thoughts about settling down came across his mind. He doesn’t even know how that thought popped up. The two of you never discussed settling down together, you’ve both expressed wanting to have a peaceful life someday but never together, so he doesn’t know where this idea came from. It’s probably the atmosphere of this place, he told himself.

Neither of you ever talked about what exactly your relationship is. He knows this partnership you have goes way beyond what you both agreed to, more than just collecting bounties together, it’s a bond neither of you has felt in a very long time, but the unclear relationship you have doesn’t exactly help Din figure out what he felt during the moment. Why is he only able to think about you? Even when he’s trying to figure his future, whether that would include just himself or with someone else, the only thing he’s able to think about is you- how much things have blossomed between the two of you ever since leaving the peaceful village. Never in a million light-years did Din think he would be able to feel towards another person with how he feels towards you. It’s a foreign feeling, something that he has to figure out one day.

The only thing he knows for sure is that he trusts you more than anyone else in the entire galaxy. If there was something you were uncertain about, he would gladly hear you. If you decided against a decision of his, he would try to figure out another way.

After everything you have been through together, the only thing he knows for a fact is that he doesn’t want a future without you. It’s hard to imagine a life without you, whether that meant continuing the lifestyle you’ve shared for the past year or if that meant a more domestic one.

There’s so much he’s told you about himself that he hasn’t dared to share with another soul, whether it was the simple reveal of his name, or where he came from, or even what life was like when the Mandalorians took him in, he’s never told anyone the things he’s told you without thinking twice about it. He hasn’t trusted someone this much- the last person he can think of was before he was adopted into his creed.

When he told you about the ideals he was raised with, you never made any judgements towards him. The only thing you told him was that he was more than the beskar armor he wears daily. Though he was adopted into Mandalorian customs, you always told him he’s more than what he was raised by- that he’s his own person. He’s gotten so used to others making critical judgements about him just because of who he was raised by that he was taken back to hear what you had to say.

It’s not often he heard someone speak about his people in such a collected manner- most people were quick to judge their warrior ways that it was nice to hear such good things come from someone who isn’t accustomed to their ways. Hearing you talk about your loyalty to him, to Din, not to the Mandalorian warrior, was something he didn’t know he needed to hear. He grew used to people either admiring or condescending his warrior ways that he forgot at times what it meant to be his own person.

Thanks to you, he’s been able to see that part of himself again. He’s hidden it away not only from the galaxy but from himself as well, and you’ve been able to show him that he can be his own person beyond the armor he dons. There’s no doubt that his creed has shaped him into who he is today, but he’s also more than that. He’s someone with a heart, empathy towards others, putting others before himself- something he’s never thought of himself as until you pointed it out. You were able to see the best parts of him when he didn’t even see them.

When you were able to see the best parts of him, he saw the best parts in you when you returned with a simple gift when you were gone for a bit. Glancing back at the memory, the gesture wasn’t that big, just a bunch of flowers bundled up together, but to him, it meant so much to him. He can’t even remember the last time someone did this thoughtful for him, let alone giving him a gift. It’s been such a long time since he’s experienced this much joy from a single action. It probably didn’t seem that big of a deal to you at the time, just something to take his mind off of things for the moment, but he can remember everything about that moment- the warm feeling in his chest returning when he saw the bundle of flowers shaking slightly in your hands, the nervous expression on your face, the feeling of the sun beaming against the sliver of exposed skin at the nape of his neck. He wanted to remember every single detail of that moment, not wanting to forget what it felt like. He never wanted to forget what it felt like to be this happy, not having to worry about anything happening to the three of you. He just wanted to stay here.

He wanted to see more of this side of you. Seeing how happy and carefree you were here reminded him of the memories he has of his mother. When he was a boy, his mother and father used to do so much to express the love they had for one another, and a lot of the memories he has of them is the gifts they would give each other to show how much they loved each other. It’s something that his parents always made sure he was a part of- he would try to help them as much as he could to help pick out the gift. It was something he always looked forward to as a boy and it’s something he’s seen on multiple occasions during his trips throughout the galaxy.

Gift exchanging is a common thing among married couples- like his parents, married couples want to express their love by giving their significant other something they know they’ll like, and Din can’t help but think of these things as he inspected the bundle of flowers you gave him that day. It wasn’t the most lavish gift, but it was more than he ever could ask for. It showed that, he too, was on your mind even when you were separated. You wanted to express how much you care for his well being by giving him something that you had access to, and with the current environment you’re staying in, you have very limited choice. He didn’t care what the gift was, all he cared about was the thought you put into it.

The thoughtful gift is what reminds him of the qualities you have that his mother also had- your thoughtful nature, the way you put others first before yourself, offering to help others in any way you can. His well being was your first priority. You tried to ease his mind as much as you could, you tried to take some of the burden off of his shoulders by offering to repair his very torn cape that he dons. It was something that you didn’t even think twice about, just wanting to help him in any way that you can, but it’s something he hasn’t been able to forget. It’s just one of the many ways you’ve shown him how considerate and thoughtful you can be without even realizing it.

There’s so much about that day that he hasn’t been able to forget, even when he’s alone in the cockpit as the Crest is in orbit of your next destination.

So much has happened within the last week of your lives. One day you’re able to find sanctuary on a nearly abandoned planet and then the next, he finds out about the one part of your life you never shared with him before. He can think about why you never spoke about this part of your life before but at the end of the day, it’s a decision that you didn’t take lightly. With how open your relationship has been lately, it’s hard to imagine just how difficult this decision must have been for you. Not only to keep this from him, knowing about the messy history both of your people have together, but to move on from who raised you. Even when the Empire was hunting his people, Din always had the support of those who took him in, but you didn’t. You had to survive on your own. If you hadn’t, then your paths wouldn’t have crossed.

There must be a reason why your paths crossed. It’s the only reason he can think of- because the galaxy wouldn’t be so cruel as to force his path away from the one person he trusts the most, right?

It’s not an easy thing to digest- to find out the one person you trust the most was hiding something as big as this. A Jedi. He can’t get the Armorer’s words out of his head. Not only were the people who took you in considered to be enemies of his people, but you also knew more about the child than he did and still didn’t tell him. He can’t help but feel that you don’t trust him nearly as much as he trusts you.

He disregards the thought, shaking his head. You didn’t have the same kind of support as he did when the Empire rose to power. He had others in his covert to rely on when things got tough, but the only person you had was yourself, something he knows all too well at this point.

He closed himself off from others just so he wouldn’t have to feel the weight he feels in his chest. He understands why you made the decision that you did, but he can’t ignore the aching feeling he feels throughout his entire body by the thought of you not telling him sooner. You only revealed that part of your life to him because you were forced to. He told you things he hasn’t told anyone else since, well ever, not even someone in the covert. He had so much faith in you that he told you anything he could think of. It doesn’t feel fair to expose parts of himself to you just for you to keep something hidden.

There have been a few times where you almost told him about who raised you, but out of fear, you backed down. He doesn’t know what things were like when your people fell, maybe that’s something the two of you can talk about once you land. He hardly knows a thing about your people, and like you, he can’t be one to form an opinion on a group of people he doesn’t know. You never cast judgment on who raised him. You always asked questions about his beliefs in a respectable manner, and he should have that same common courtesy.

He knows that he should see you as an ‘enemy sorcerer,’ something the Armorer referred to your people as, but he didn’t see that when he was looking at you as you were confessing where you really came from. It wasn’t an easy topic to talk about for you, that’s obvious by how your fingers fumbled with each other as you looked down at the floor in shame, but it’s something you confessed to him, even when you were scared. You didn’t know how he was going to react to the news, thinking he was going to leave you behind. For that, he can’t hold the decision you made against you. There have been so many decisions you both have disagreed on, and this is one of them. He would have preferred if you told him about this sooner, but he can’t hold this against you when it’s clearly haunted you at night.

“What do you think, kid?” Din asks as he turns around in his seat, to find the child has just woken up from his overdue nap. With one swift movement, the child is secure in the crook of his arms in a matter of seconds. Even when his surroundings are as peaceful as they can get, his mind won’t stop turning a million miles a minute.

“Why didn’t she tell me…” He mumbles out, mainly to himself. When he glances down at the child wrapped in his arms, the look in the child’s eyes is trying to tell him something that Din can’t seem to decipher. It’s like he’s trying to tell the masked man something important but can’t understand it.

When a few moments of silence are passed in the hull, another question comes from Din’s mouth, one he almost doesn’t want to know the answer to. “Did you know?”

The only kind of coherent response the child gives is a series of giggles, not knowing the true connotation. Sighing, Din lets his head fall back as he lets his mind wander.

“Regardless of what has changed your mind about her, I sense she will help you with your journey.”

Even when his mind is going almost nonstop, the words from the Armorer haven't been able to leave his mind- it always has a way of coming back to him.

The emerging of your two paths had to happen for a reason.

For whatever the reason may be, Din knows the only person who would be able to help him with his journey is you. He doesn’t know where to begin to even find the people who raised you- it would be damn near impossible if you weren’t by his side. Though you don’t see yourself as a Jedi any longer, you can still aid him in his journey of returning the child back to the Jedi. Maybe you could even help him understand more about the weird powers the child has, or even help the kid gain more control over them. After what he experienced in the cantina on Nevarro, Din finally sees just how powerful the little one really is. He can’t protect him without your help. It will be a long and difficult path, but it’s one he doesn’t want to do without you.

“Alright kid, let’s go.”

taglist: @unstoppableforcce @remmysbounty @ayamenimthiriel @randomness501 @itspauvr @sarahjkl82-blog @mostclevermiss @seninjakitey @altarsw @bookloverfilmoholic @welcometothepedroverse

#also sorry to those that got multiple notifs about me uploading and reuploading it #i was trying to get it to pop up in the tags and it wouldnt #so im sorry about that #the mandalorian #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian fanfiction #the mandalorian x you #the mandalorian x female reader #the mandalorian x f!reader #the mandalorian x oc #din djarin x you #din djarin x reader #din djarin x female reader #din djarin x oc #din djarin x f!reader #wopc #my writing

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alexanderlee1012 · 4 years

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Reflections on Mulan

It took me a long time to cherish my Taiwanese-American heritage. Growing up in the United States, it wasn’t a facet of my identity that I attached any importance to. As a child, I even actively denied that part of me. Whenever my family went out to eat Chinese food, I threw a temper tantrum and would only eat if we stopped by fast food first. I didn’t bother speaking Chinese; I replied to my Mom’s Mandarin in English and I consistently repeated the entry level class for my Saturday Chinese-school until I was not compelled to go anymore. The only attempt to understand the vast history and traditions of my culture was acknowledging the bare minimum to profit off of the New Years.

While there are many reasons for my delayed acceptance of my culture and identity, the portrayal of Asians in Western Society was definitely a significant factor. Similar to many young children, I was deeply impacted by television and movies. My weeks were organized by TV show airtimes and the few times I was able to go to the movies were momentous occasions. I idolized the heroes on screen, wishing to become just like them. However, what I saw on the screen never closely resembled me. Almost all Western media featured white protagonists, and in the few moments there was somebody of Chinese descent, they were essentially a one-dimensional caricature that was completely unrelatable (for men, choose either kung fu master or a super nerd, and for women, choose an exotic hypersexualized love interest or submissive wallflower). Many values are actively defined and imprinted at a societal level, and this one was no different. The messaging from Hollywood was loud and clear: there is nothing valuable about being Asian American; this culture only deserves to be simplified to basic tropes.

To my delight, as my own relationship with my culture deepened and flourished over the decades, it seemed that the media’s portrayal of Asians were finally evolving as well. First starting on the fringes, with Asian-American content creators using new platforms such as YouTube to reach directly to their audience, then slowly creeping into the mainstream, with sitcoms and major blockbuster films. Finally, Asian-Americans can be cast as characters that were complex and interesting. Their only defining feature wasn’t just that they were Asian! Similar to white actors and actresses, it was just another part of their identity. Witnessing Asians star in these multifaceted roles has been amazing given how the landscape was just a few years prior.

I also understand that at the end of the day media is a business, and for this movement to not be temporary, Asians need to throw their full support when these things happen. Personally, I watched Crazy Rich Asians four times (two times in theaters, once on a plane, and then renting again at home to show my mom), and I’ve been subscribed to Wong Fu’s Patreon ever since I’ve learned of it. So of course, given this momentous live-action remaking of Mulan, I’ve been at the edge of my seat, excited and ready to support.

Especially given the cultural phenomenon that was Black Panther, I was ecstatic that Disney was going to take on Mulan again. While many were bemoaning the exclusion of Mushu, Shang and those classic songs, I actually grew more excited since the director stated that she made those decisions to be more faithful to the original legend. The anticipation kept growing and growing as the pandemic forcibly pushed back the release again and again. Until finally, this past Friday’s release on Disney+, where I eagerly paid the additional $30 premium access to be among the first to support the movie.

My disappointment was immeasurable.

While there are many major flaws to dive deep into regarding this movie (especially the superpowers that weaken the narrative of a woman fighting to be seen as an equal in a patriarchal society), I wanted to spend some time to speak on some smaller details that yanked me out of the immersion by how grossly misrepresented it was. In life, it’s the small actions that build up to communicate your intent. Love is shown by showing care and consistency in the tiniest of details; however, in this case, the small details accumulated to disrespect and disregard instead. These cultural details clearly didn’t matter to the people designing this film.

Warning slight spoilers ahead, but nothing too major if you’re familiar with the story.

The villagers from Mulan’s hometown all lived together in a Tulou (土樓), a circular earthen hut that can house many families. However these buildings are a facet of the Hakka people living in Fujian originating from the 12th century. Mulan’s story takes place in the Northern Wei Dynasty; which occurs during 386 to 534 AD and is, as the name describes, in the northern part of China. Not only is it geographically inaccurate, but there is a time difference of 600+ years there! That would be akin to placing a modern skyscraper penthouse into the Renaissance.

As someone who is learning more about Chinese tea to connect to their culture, the teapot used during the matchmaking scene was equally jarring. The teapot was a Yokode kyusu, a teapot that has a side handle 90 degrees from the sprout. While Japanese tea culture was originally imported from China during the Song Dynasty, the cultures have significantly diverged. Each has their unique vessels, tools, and processing techniques worthy of celebrating (matcha vs pu’er, sencha vs oolong, yokode kyusu vs yixing). However, maybe to the creators of this movie, east Asian culture is just all the same to them.

The phoenix was a central character in the movie, and to the chagrin of many fans of the original, Mushu’s replacement. As the Hua family’s ancestral guardian spirit, it provided a nice symbolism for Mulan, as her character’s male persona dies and she is reborn as Hua Mulan. What is egregious is that Phoenixes are not even an animal within Chinese folklore, that’s a Western (Greek) myth! While some may point out that there is a Chinese mythical bird called the Fenghuang (鳳凰), these are immortal birds that only choose to visit regions when there is peace and prosperity. What it definitely is NOT is a reincarnating bird leading warriors into the heat of battle. Sure, Fenghuang are genderfluid and that does match Mulan, but why was the only emphasized trait of the bird the aspect from Greek lore? Why bother taking out Mushu to be closer to the original if it’s replacement is a Western myth?

Finally, I have to bring up the obvious change in accents that happened when Mulan changed from a kid to an adult. Why cast a child actor with an American accent if the main character has a Chinese accent? There is no way that any other movie with a 200M+ budget would have allowed a white child actor to speak with an American accent, to then change it to a British accent when that character grew up and not even acknowledge it. Are we just supposed to be okay with it since they’re at least both Chinese looking?

No movie will ever be picture perfect in representing any culture, trade-offs are inevitable. However, I can’t see how those choices above added anything. Why would you make the villagers live in a Tulou? Was it critical to the plot? Every other Mulan adaptation is fine without a Greek Phoenix, why make it so necessary to this re-telling? Those small details exposed the attitude that I was all too familiar with growing up: who cares about representing actual Chinese culture?

After watching that movie, it felt as if the creative process was a room of white people gathered together, cherry-picking what fit their own narrative, sprinkling some Asian artifacts throughout, shrugging and saying to each other “That’s Chinese-y right? Good enough for me!” Imagine my lack of surprise when I checked to see that none of the screenwriters, producers or director had an Asian background. Chinese culture is the longest continuing culture in the world. It deserves to be shared for what it is (warts and all), not to be trivialized into a simplified palette that’s easiest to digest. Chinese representation in Western media should be about collaborating with us as peers, not to be used as a tool to extract the growing affluence of the Chinese and it’s diaspora.

I so badly wanted this to be a celebration, but now it’s a lose-lose situation. I wouldn’t want the younger version of me to watch this. It would have pushed me further away from my culture; I would either not relate to the characters alluding to “honor” every other sentence, or I would see that my culture isn’t worth even having just one person in this $200M major blockbuster film correct the gross cultural inaccuracies. On the other hand, I also don’t want critics to point at bad numbers and proclaim that Asian representation isn’t worth the investment.

I just wish for us to be portrayed as who we truly are.

#mulan #disney #asian representation #anti mulan 2020 #mulan 2020 #disney mulan

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yi-dashi · 3 years

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//For my own sanity I’m trying to work out the general Yi timeline. Basically just a lore paraphrasing, but at least I’ll have it here in a digestible format. Read more for length:

Pre Wuju Practice

Yi is of course born at some point, to two blacksmiths in the village of Wuju. He is educated, it seems, at home by his parents. Captivated by the local Wuju Masters and their mystique however, it didn’t take long for him to leave an impression and join their Wuju practice. He is fourteen when this happens.

One Year Wuju Anniversary

Yi thrives in Wuju practice, being instructed by the leader of the school himself. He is notably advanced when it comes to sword forms and spirit encounters, yet cannot empower his blade like his peers. At fifteen he accompanies Master Doran to Mistfall, which is a whole ordeal to break down in of itself. Needless to say, after an encounter with some apparitions of the Vastayashai’rei and the Titans, he is able to harness the magic of the spirit world.

During this journey, Yi is shown images of Noxus and Noxian warbands. Whether this is a premonition, a literal spirit warning, or a sad coincidence is left unsaid. It could be important in determining how old Yi is, so I’ll at least mention it here until I decide how literally to take it.

Young Master Yi

Also known as the pre-war days. Some time after the above, Yi is seen to out-step all his peers completely, and gains the nickname ‘Young Master’ Yi. He continues his practice quietly into adulthood. From time to time he would spot distant settlements, and would try to leave his home to explore them. He was forbidden so long as he had a sword with him, which he would always try to take.

In this time period was the Jhin incident, the only other lore event that Wuju was a part of right now. Yi was not directly involved, though whether his own Master was a part of the road patrols is not stated. He could have had some time away from practice during this period.

Bahrl’s First Incursion

Yi’s curiosity about the outside world eventually presented him with the Noxian invasion as it hit Ionia. How long he was prevented from leaving his village is unsaid, but eventually he disregarded Wuju’s traditions in order to save Bahrl from initial invasion / capture. He apparently did this alone, and was lorded as a one-man army. His fellow students defected from Wuju at the news of this, and together formed a group known as the Disciples. They then ventured to Navori, where they spent the rest of the war.

In doing this Yi alerts Noxus to his presence, and leaves Bahrl with only locals alone to repel ‘returning invaders.’ Wuju could have been destroyed at any point, but it was likely during the later massacres of Bahrl.

The Ionian War Happens

And it’s very sad :(

But in all seriousness, Yi watches as the Disciples slowly get picked off by the war. He is maybe present for major, lore-worthy battles, though the only indication for this is that one mural with a character that has an artistically liberal resemblance to him. Having seen the war through to its conclusion, he returns home alone to find his village destroyed. Cue the line in his lore that survives all rewrites, ‘Slain in spirit, if not in body, Yi became the attack’s final casualty.’

No noted vengeance this time though, so that’s good for Noxian civilians.

The Isolation Period

Yi turns his village into a graveyard, designing it so that he can ritualistically visit every grave when he needs to. He is gripped with survivor’s guilt, and trains obsessively so that he can maintain his art alone. He doesn’t feel anything but grief, blaming himself for every last death and seeing his isolation as penance. How long this was Yi doesn’t know, though I’d have to say it was at least a year at minimum, most likely more if older lores are any precedent.

Enter Wukong harassing him for some weeks, and Yi eventually having to confront his obsessive guilt, and his misplaced obligations. He sees a new purpose in life through his student, and re-enters the world.

Post Isolation

Yi and Wukong travel together, at least more often than not, and solve problems wherever they can find them. Out of both necessity, and maybe old habits dying hard, Yi still travels to his village a handful of times a year in order to cleanse it of a growing magical corruption. The land’s hunger for magic, as stripped from it by the poisons of war, manifests as vines that constrict living things (both in the mortal and spirit realm) to suck away their life force.

Two months between clearings becomes less and less, with only a month now passing before cleansing must happen again. Yi seems to think burning his place of reverence down will solve the issue, yet cannot bring himself to do it, which leaves us to...

Present Day

Yi travels as far as he can, scrutinizing those he meets to see if they could become Wuju Practitioners under his instruction. Dreams of a new physical Wuju School linger in his mind, but for now he is satisfied in regaining his curiosity for travel. With no true home he wanders from place to place, sometimes with his pupil, to continue finding and correcting ‘injustices.’ Feeling worthy of the title ‘Master’ is also a motivating factor.

Doubt is the greatest enemy, of course. He’s still working on it.

#ooc #headcanon #long post #I like how the meme used to be 'Anger gives motivation without purpose' because Yi was just seething in the lore #but now it is 'Doubt is the greatest enemy.' because new lore yi just second guesses himself a lot it seems #but yeah these are at least my interpretations of events #I still keep Yi as around 50 today but I don't trust riot or the wiki enough to make a hard dated timeline #he could be 40 though or technically younger #but 50 is good #he thinks he is old so he can be old pft

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wisdomrays · 5 years

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A Social Disease that Paralyzes Sound Reason: Bigotry

QUESTION: What is bigotry? And what are the differences between being steadfast in faith and being bigoted?

ANSWER: The term “taassub” (used for “bigotry” in the English language) means evaluating matters only according to one’s own understanding without considering it from different aspects and being pertinacious even in matters that contradict reason and the essence of religion. This very fact is expressed in the sayings of the Messenger of God with the word “asabiyya,” which literally means “nervousness,” because a bigoted attitude (taassub) is completely based on nervousness and emotionalism; it is an outward reflection of animalistic feelings in human beings. The term taassub in this inflected form denotes forcing. In this respect, it conveys meanings such as insisting on a certain issue to the degree of excess, continuing to be headstrong with a complete disregard for others, refusing to see or hear, and considering one’s own self as the very focus or basis for everything. As will be seen, “taassub” has nothing to do with reason, sound judgment, or sensibility. For this reason, as bigoted ones cannot act with common sense, it is not possible for them to have true spiritual experiences, which is felt through a certain faculty of the conscience.

A barrier against faith

Those who persecute believers have always been bigoted. For example, the polytheists and hypocrites at the time of the Prophet were bigoted against Islam and Muslims. They were deaf and blind to the message of the Pride of Humanity. However, if they viewed the noble Prophet in a neutral way, they would also see what sensible ones did; if they paid attention to his words of wisdom even a little bit, they would also hear what sensible ones did. If his adversaries turned over the truths he conveyed in their minds and pondered over them, they would see, understand, and appreciate. Unfortunately, they were blind to these beauties by bigotry, grudge, and hatred, and they drifted to unbelief.

Along with arrogance, wrongdoing, and the deviations from the sound point of view, one other factor that prevents a person from accepting faith is blind imitation of their forefathers, without questioning whether they had been right or not. Actually, such blind imitation is a different form of bigotry. The polytheist people of the Age of Ignorance, therefore, opposed Islam with the arguments that they inherited from their forefathers. Their preventing Muslims from visiting the Ka’ba prior to the Treaty of Hudaybiya was an outcome of the same bigotry. The Qur’an names this attitude of theirs as “hamiyyat al-jahiliyya”—zealotry particular to the Age of Ignorance. They adopted this zealotry to such a degree that they kept on blindly sticking to their traditions and practices as before, so that their pride was not broken in the sight of other Arab tribes. Thus, they even prevented Muslims from entering Mecca.

Indeed, such events are experienced in today’s world as well. For example, when you wish to express yourself with reference to your faith and heavenly values, certain people immediately take action and try to deprive you of this freedom with a harsh and reactionary attitude you cannot understand. You may come up with different plans and projects in order to contribute to the welfare of the society and elevate it to a better status; but in spite of that, some circles will try to prevent you, since your attempts will mean altering their accustomed ways and claim, “These people actually want to harm our values under the pretext of improvement and welfare.” Even though you say nothing wrong about their Marxist, Leninist, and similar understandings and do not say anything against the figures they esteem, when your understanding and values are accepted by society, they feel neglected and claim that your activities are against them, purposefully intending to push them and their values into oblivion. Moreover, even if you somehow find a way and show them a staircase leading directly to Paradise, certain people will still remark, “By doing that, they are trying to make us forget our ideology.” All of these attitudes and behaviors are based on “zealotry,” as in the Age of Ignorance.

A dangerous disease

Such an example of zealotry can be seen in any society or country. There is no particular homeland for bigotry. This negative attribute can pass to any people with different understandings and thoughts. Seemingly religious people can also be under the influence of such bigotry in such a way that some evaluate everything from their own narrow perspective, by solely taking their primitive knowledge as absolutely true. Therefore, they can present a very strict and intolerant attitude toward matters of secondary importance. In our time, suicide attacks—so called “in the name of religion”—are results of such bigotry, given that the attackers are not under the effect of any drug or illusion, that they are not brain-controlled or robotized to commit these attacks. This is such a terrible disease that people ruin their own spiritual lives, for the sake of such delusion of their understanding of righteousness. Those who commit suicide attacks and thus casually take the lives of innocent people, including children, elderly ones, and women, do not become eligible for Paradise but for Hell with such a deed. How grievous an ending it is, when somebody falls into Hell instead of taking the path to Paradise and guiding others toward it!

Being steadfast in faith

Since a true believer is a righteous person, they already have nothing to do with bigotry. It is unthinkable for those who have taken the righteous path to stand against what is right and become indifferent to the truth. Otherwise, they will have shown disrespect to the truth. For this reason, what becomes believers is steadfastness in faith and not being bigoted.

“Steadfastness in faith” relates to the words, behaviors, and state of a believer. It does not mean being strict, harsh, and intolerant. Being steadfast in faith means presenting a complete resolution and sincerity in practicing all aspects of the Islamic teachings, against all odds. In other words, it is continually seeking the good pleasure of God in all of one’s attitudes and behaviors, even if everybody else gives into worldly temptations; it means not being slothful in any religious practices and being resolved to preserve one’s identity in every situation. In order to maintain such steadfastness, a believer must strive to attain true faith based on inquiry, then constantly delve into the truths of faith, and then base all matters on reliable knowledge after having assessed them with sound reason and judgment. Such a journeyer, with knowledge of God, relies on Him in the face of every event, holds onto piety, fulfills what causes require, takes every step with precaution, is not deluded, and never acts emotionally, because the honeycomb formed in that journeyer’s soul by wisdom, love, and yearning for God shows the way at every instance. For this reason, bigotry is found in the attitude and behaviors of those whose practices are mostly based on hearsay and imitation. For believers to attain steadfastness in faith free from bigotry, they first need to know thoroughly and digest the main essentials in the Qur’an and Sunnah; then, they filter and check their knowledge with these two sources, and then, they test what they have learned from the Qur’an and Sunnah, according to the pure understanding and common agreement of the distinguished scholars. After all of these, believers must entreat God in all of their decisions saying: “Our Lord, do not let our hearts swerve after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your Presence. Surely You are the All-Bestowing” (Al Imran 3:8).

As much as bigotry is a contemptible trait, steadfastness in faith is a laudable one in the same degree, as steadfastness denotes an unshakable stance like an upright monument. In fact, it is very difficult for a bigoted person to maintain an unwavering course and be steadfast in faith, since he does not act under the light of reason and judgment but upon emotional motives. For this reason, those who become bigoted in the name of a certain ideology will do the same for another ideology in the future. You see that they are bigoted defenders of a certain ideology that sees the material and animal aspect as everything; when they come under the influence of spiritualism, this time they become zealots furiously propagating it. On the other hand, wherever true believers stood at the time of the Prophet with respect to their essential values, they keep the same upright stance fourteen centuries later.

As for making new judgments according to the requirement of new conditions, it is a different issue that does not contradict steadfastness in faith. The importance of referring to the opinion of competent scholars is related in the Qur’an (an-Nisa 4:83). Answering to newly emerging situations with the methodology of the reliable scholars is a kind of progress. Undoubtedly, such progress is completely different from degeneration, making exaggerated rulings in order to become popular, or showing bigotry at a certain issue without reasoning over it; it is the name of reaching into infinity with a finite body of principles, of the universality of Islam and its encompassing nature.

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criterioncollectionashaiku · 5 years

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Criterion Collection as Haiku: Paris, Texas

I’ve seen over 250 movies in the Criterion Collection, and one of my all-time favorites has consistently been Wim Wenders’ 1984 film, Paris, Texas. The movie has popped up twice this week in very unexpected ways: once last night at a dinner with friends, and also on Reddit’s Criterion page, where someone linked to an essay by Nicky Smith called “The Emotional Terrorism of Paris, Texas.” Smith HATES Paris, Texas, and I’ll explain why shortly. Her essay has definitely changed the way I’ve thought about the world within the movie, but I’m here today to provide a different read — one that explains why I’ve loved it all these years.

Needless to say, major spoilers ahead. If you’ve never seen Paris, Texas and would like to view it tabula rasa, then stop reading and come back after you’ve had a chance to watch and digest it.

First, let’s start with a quick plot summary: The movie opens with Travis (played by Harry Dean Stanton) walking through a desert. He’s dressed in a dusty suit, a red cap, and an unkempt beard. We come to learn that Travis has been missing for four years. No one has heard from or seen him until, one day, his brother, Walt (Dean Stockwell), gets a call that Travis is at a doctor’s office in a remote part of Texas. Walt and his wife Anne (Aurore Clément) live in California, but upon hearing the news of his brother, Walt immediately drives to Texas. By the time he arrives, Travis has left the medical office and is roaming the desert once again. Walt searches aimlessly for Travis and eventually finds his brother.

Walt is full of questions, but Travis remains mostly silent. The two eventually make it back to Los Angeles, where Travis is reunited with his now seven-year-old son, Hunter (Hunter Carson), who for the past four years was raised by Walt and Anne. Hunter’s mom/Travis’ ex, Jane (Nastassja Kinski), left Hunter in Walt and Anne’s custody shortly after Travis left, and she’s had limited communication with Anne since then.

The first half of the movie is about Travis’ return to humanity — learning to reconnect with his son and brother and sister-in-law. He slowly becomes more communicative, although he’s largely silent on what happened between him and Jane.

The second half of the movie begins when Anne tells Travis that she thinks she knows where Jane is. For a year now, Jane has been making monthly deposits in a bank account under Hunter’s name that she asked Anne to open for her. These deposits always happen on the 5th of the month, and they’re always at a bank in Houston. Travis asks what day it is, and Anne says it’s the 1st of November.

Travis is determined to find Jane. When he tells Hunter this, Hunter says he wants to come along, too. Even though Travis knows Walt and Anne wouldn’t approve, he picks Hunter up from school and the two drive to Houston to find Jane.

They spot her at the bank Anne mentioned and follow her to a peep show club. Travis leaves Hunter in the car, then goes into the club to confirm that Jane does, indeed, work there. The next day he leaves Hunter in a hotel room and goes to the club for the climactic scene between Travis and Jane. Because it’s a peep show, the glass in the room is one-way: Travis, as the customer, can see Jane, but Jane can’t see Travis. All communications is done through a telephone on Travis’ side of the mirror and an intercom on Jane’s side. Travis tells a story in the third-person that’s actually their story: a story of a man and a woman in love, but the guy gets jealous and possessive. One day the woman says she’s pregnant, and things are okay for a while, but then once the baby is born the mother has postpartum depression, and the two start fighting more and more. The guy starts drinking and becoming abusive; the breaking point is one night when he catches the woman trying to escape, and he ties her to the stove. He goes back to sleep and wakes up to their trailer engulfed in flames, the woman and the son gone.

At this point, the conversation flips. Travis shines the light in his face so that Jane can see him, but he can’t see her. She has a monologue about how she couldn’t care for Hunter by herself, that she had an emptiness inside her. And even though she loved Hunter, it hurt to talk to Anne about the boy, so Jane stopped calling. She also played out conversations in her mind between herself and Travis, all the things she’d say, but since Travis disappeared she eventually moved on. Travis tells Jane where Hunter is, and the movie ends with Jane and Hunter embracing while Travis watches them from the top of a parking garage across the street before he drives off into the night.

Whew. Okay, so that summary was a little bit longer than I expected. But I wanted to lay out some of the key points that I’ll get to in a bit. Before that, let me summarize Nicky Smith’s argument about why she hates Paris, Texas. Her critique is with the second half of the movie, when Travis kidnaps Hunter to go to Texas. The crux of the matter is that we don’t ever see Walt and Anne again, and thus we don’t witness the deeply hurtful emotional turmoil they’re going through. Moreover, the climactic scene between Travis and Jane, Smith argues, is problematic. “What’s criminal and irresponsible,” she writes, “is shown as heart-warming and fun.” She views Travis’ monologue as valorization of his actions, completely whitewashing his atrocious behavior.

I have a very different read on these points. Because for me, what I love about Paris, Texas, is the structural reversal of traditional story arcs. This is not a redemption story. We don’t start with a character we dislike whom we grow to like (or at least empathize with). The example I’m thinking of here is Citizen Kane, a movie I absolutely hated when I saw it in high school. I couldn’t get over how much of an asshole Orson Welles’ character, Charles Foster Kane, was. But I rewatched it maybe five or six years ago and had a slightly different take. I still think Kane is a piece of shit, yet isn’t the whole “twist” that Rosebud is his childhood sled supposed to be humanizing? It’s an element to make him appear more gentle, to get us to feel for this horribly despicable character.

Paris, Texas does the opposite. Here, we start with an inherently relatable character. Casting Harry Dean Stanton as Travis was a genius move, because Staton’s face — especially when rugged and sunburned — is one that conveys sadness. He seems so gentle and quiet, so hurt and broken that we, as the audience, are drawn to him. The film’s grammar tells us that Travis is our protagonist, and by virtue of being the protagonist we give him the benefit of the doubt that he’s a Good Guy.

But this isn’t true at all — Travis is horrible. He’s abusive and emotionally manipulative, as we learn in the scene between him and Jane. I don’t view Travis’ monologue as in any way valorizing his actions or whitewashing over them. Instead, this is a deeply affecting moment of reckoning — not of Jane to Travis (who has had plenty of time to do so already), but of the viewer to Travis. We have to come to terms that this person we’ve followed for the past two hours was (is?) a monster. This isn’t redemption because the movie never full exonerates Travis. I had to put the “is?” in parentheses a sentence ago because I’m not sure myself how much Travis has changed. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he hasn’t fully earned it.

Take Smith’s example of kidnapping. That is, indeed, a supremely fucked up thing Travis does. I’m not going to try to excuse that behavior, but I do think Travis’ actions aren’t quite as nefarious as Smith depicts. In the scene when Travis and Hunter are driving after Hunter cuts out of school early, Hunter says he wants to come along to find Jane. Travis responds, “What about Walt and Anne?” because he’s aware of how this is going to affect them.

A few hours later, when they’ve reached San Bernardino, Travis has Hunter call Walt and Anne from a payphone. And here’s where we DO see Walt and Anne’s emotional turmoil. Walt is borderline angry at Hunter for not being home yet, and once they find out Travis is taking Hunter to Texas, Anne sobs. This is the last time we see them in the movie, and I argue that it’s the perfect way to hint at their devastation without turning it into a melodrama. Immediately after the call, Travis reiterates that Hunter can go home any time he wants — just say the word, and they’ll turn around.

The subsequent scenes of Travis and Hunter making their way to Texas aren’t some feel-good buddy road movie — at least not in my opinion. Most of their travel is in darkness, notably how they have to sleep in a laundromat because Travis can’t afford (or doesn’t choose to make?) a hotel reservation. This is foreshadowing of Travis’ more reckless side, the part of him we’ll soon learn when he talks with Jane.

Also, returning to Anne and Walt for a second: the fact that the road trip sequence follows the call from the payphone highlights their absence rather than disregards it, at least to me. The way a musical motif can establish a mood for a scene, Walt and Anne’s distraught conversation hangs over the subsequent scenes like an air of discord.

As I said before, one of my favorite parts of Paris, Texas is the structural reversals. I’ve already mentioned Travis’ arc from sympathetic to unsympathetic, but I’d like to point out a couple more. First, Jane. Our view of her changes as the movie progresses, one that’s an inverse of Travis’: I think the movie tries to get you to dislike her from the beginning, only to side with her in the end. Although both Travis and Jane are absent parents, I feel like there’s more tacit blame placed on Jane. One example is during a scene when Walt projects home movies onto a screen. Here we see Travis and Jane and Hunter on a trip to the beach with Anne and Walter. Everyone appears happy, the way we’re told to smile for photographs. Of course, knowing what we know of Travis by the end of the film, this is more Jane pretending that everything is calm and good. However, upon a first viewing, when seen through Travis’ eyes, here we see a woman who has left her family and continues to be missing. How could she be so cold-hearted???

But of course she’s not cold-hearted. She’s anything but. Jane cares so deeply for Hunter that it hurts her too much to hear about his growth and development during those conversations with Anne on the phone. She’s flawed, too, of course, which is what I love about this movie — no one is perfect. Everyone is complicated. But here, in the case of Jane, we grow to empathize with her the more we learn about her story. As our opinion of Travis diminishes, our view of Jane seesaws upward. She is a survivor of domestic abuse and a mother who never really got to raise her son because she thought she was doing what was best for Hunter.

And here’s another one of those narrative reversals: while most stories clunkily reveal exposition at the beginning of the movie, here the exposition is crammed into the last 20 minutes. We learn more about these characters in the end than we do in the whole two hours prior. In that way, the exposition becomes a twist — and not a gotcha twist like The Sixth Sense, but a genuinely disconcerting and unsettling twist.

Okay, one last example, and it has to do with Travis. If the expected narrative arc is for a character to go from being lost to being found, this film does the opposite: it opens with Travis being found and ends with him lost, adrift in the night.

There are so many reasons I love Paris, Texas. The dialogue is honest, funny, raw. The cinematography is gorgeous — all the colors! Ry Cooder’s slide guitar score is unique and fitting. The acting is phenomenal (aside from Hunter, who is wooden, but he’s a child, so I’m not holding it against him). However, one aspect that I don’t think gets discussed enough is Paris, Texas’ narrative structural elements. There’s a lot to appreciate on the surface of this movie, but it should be no surprise — especially given the subject matter — that there’s way more going on underneath.

One-way glass prisms prisons of their past, pent-up penitence roamed free.

#paris texas #wim wenders #dean stockwell #harry dean stanton

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grouph · 3 years

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Introduction

Introduction, Reading III: The (New) Materiality of Design by Jen Sanderson, 11 Oct 2021

When reading this week’s two texts, I began by trying to understand the concept of New Materiality, which I had been briefly introduced to during my bachelor’s degree. At the time, it completely baffled me, so I was apprehensive about reading the texts. Despite this, I found them both to be quite accessible and thought provoking.

Nader Vossoughian, Workers of the world, conform!

I found Vossoughian’s text interesting in its extensive discussion of Ostwald’s standardisation mission. Understanding further the story and reasoning behind the streamlining of such things as paper sizing (a fact I had overlooked before this moment) and building specifications/ shipping container dimensions opened my mind to a key part of the modern world’s development over the last few centuries. Though Vossoughian touches on the power that standardisation has brought to a select few large corporations, it was hard for me to ignore the fact that many of these measures brought design to the masses. For example, before print production and streamlined methods of book production, the book was an item of luxury and a symbol of class division. The industrial revolution, therefore, brought forth a certain degree of democratisation to design as a result. I suppose this got me pondering the idea that if there was no standardisation at all, would everything be a one-off? Surely that would not be efficient/there would be catastrophic effects in terms of distribution of goods?

It cannot be overlooked, however, that Ostwald’s goals left no room for different formats, methods, or styles. It is troubling to me that many aspects of culture have been lost to this ‘one size fits all’ approach. The first example that comes to mind for some reason is the dying craftsmanship of thatched roofing – the craft of layering tonnes of straw to create a completely watertight roof, most common in rural areas. The standardised building specifications have increased efficiency and therefore overtaken traditional and more labour-intensive methods such as thatching. The impact of tight design constrictions brought about by standardisation and more specifically mass production also made me think further about this idea of craftmanship. Standardisation favours the simple, and therefore disregards the ornate, does this leave any room for the value of craft and process?

Vossoughian also discusses the term ‘immaterial labour’ in response to Ostwald’s principles of standardisation and the blurring of the line between labour and life. I felt that the idea was extremely relevant to a lot of today’s working models and suggests that despite the guise of flexibility brought by these efficient methods, they largely benefit the agenda of industry rather than the worker. We may question how we value labour in the creative industry? What about costs that are not monetary, such as risk or emotional well-being? This is particularly relevant to designers’ practices as valuing the creative process can be very difficult as it is ever-changing.

Jan-Henning Raff, Theories to understand graphic design in use: the example of posters

Raff’s text was very theoretical, though quite easily digestible. I found particular interest in the explanation of Latour’s Actor-Network Theory in relation to graphic design. I think that this theory aligns very well with the notion of new materiality, firstly in the way that both human and non-human actors can act equally and secondly in reference to the fact that everything is part of an omnipresent network. A useful anecdote arose whilst watching a YouTube video on Actor Network Theory after reading Raff’s text in which about the mobile phone as a non-human actor. The narrator highlighted the importance of the mobile phone to our social lives and relationships, and how some connections we have would not exist without our phones. As a result, we are asked, ‘doesn’t that give the phone as much agency as us?’. The example really struck me, artefacts and ‘non-human actors’ really do have a great deal of influence and power over society.

A little information/context on thatching for reference:

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/master-craftsman-eddie-black-keeping-a-dying-art-of-thatching-alive-30524900.html

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stgeorgesmovielover-blog · 7 years

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Mother!

For anyone in the know, you'd have to be living somewhere under a rock to be unaware of the release of Director, Darren Aronofsky's, latest offering: 'mother!'. Yes, it's perhaps been one of the most controversial of cinematic releases in recent memory, certainly this year, and viewers and critics alike have been split in their critiques and appraisals of the film. A lot has been said, and questioned, not least of which is why the title is all lowercase, but I'll let you Google that one, yourselves. There is no doubt about it, 'mother!' is a polarising filmic journey of one couple's descent into hell, told through the perspective of the woman; in this case the unnamed lead, played by Jennifer Lawrence. Our lead spends her countless days lovingly restoring and beautifying her beloved's old home, a hexagonal dream house for those that love all things rustic, woody, and vintage. Her other half is played by Javier Bardem. A genius Poet who has been suffering for a long time with a bad case of Writer's Block. We join the two one fine day; the sun is shining peacefully and both are happily enjoying their coziness and their home. This state of quiet bliss does not last when a stranger comes knocking (Ed Harris), and our Poet lets him in. It is soon discovered that this man is a huge fan of our Poet's and has deliberately sought him out in his dying days. It's not long before his unruly wife also shows up unannounced (Michelle Pfeiffer), and the two start to make themselves at home, much to the dismay of our Hostess, who spends most of the first half of the film reeling with anxiety, every time she walks into another room where a mess has been left. Things start to really unravel, however, when our visiting couple's two grown boys barge into the house. Played by the Gleeson boys: Domhnall and Brian (yep, Brendan Gleeson has two talented sons!), the two brothers wreak havoc in the beloved house and Lawrence's character is quickly shellshocked and unsurprisingly scared! The events that unfold after this pivotal point in the film, are nothing short of astounding, as moments increase in their uncomfortably shocking nature. This film is not a horror in the traditional sense of the word, but if you're like me, I can bet you will struggle to sit through some of these scenes without some anxiety and stress. For those that suffer with OCD, 'mother!' will haunt you! There are a plethora of theories with regards to what this film means, or what it's trying to convey in messages and, frankly, any one of these could be accurate. The most obvious of these theories, that I feel seem to fit most aptly, are: 1) the theory that the mother in question is Lawrence's character, who is Mother Earth, herself and our Poet plays the part of God in this allegory. The metaphor is clear: God is the Creator; both parts loving and caring, and yet unyielding and unforgiving. A God that has millions of worshippers- devotees who blindly follow, whilst Mother Earth has created a paradise that is being (literally, in this case), overrun by too many unwelcome guests and her pleas for peace are continuously ignored. Even the ending of 'mother!' could be viewed in a Biblical sense, with Jesus being offered to the masses and then completely devoured (I'm talking about a specific scene which I will not mention further- because that would mean some serious spoilers), in perhaps the most disturbing and heartbreaking scene of any film I have seen in recent memory! There is an element of this which could very clearly be an argument for the Environmentalists out there, and 2) is obviously illustrating how us humans ravage, pillage, disregard and destroy our Mother Earth, until she herself wants to finish us all (in the very real form of hurricanes, tsunamis, fires, floods, and the like). The people that swarm the house, literally highlight the issue of over-population on the planet and how we take and take until there is nothing left anymore. The final theory I feel is relevant is 3) The idea of a narcissistic artist and his muse. The artist that constantly craves attention and fans and is addicted to the praise of others. He uses his muse until her resources are depleted and becomes all-consumed by the worship that his fans offer him, allowing them to share what's his. The 'worshippers' (or visitors) in this case, literally follow crowd mentalities: from silent reverence to riot, peaceful sit-ins to looting, and all the extreme shades of human devotion, frenzy and fanaticism, are made apparent here. On a simpler note, I loved all of the cast in this piece, particularly Jennifer Lawrence and Michelle Pfeiffer who completely stood out. Lawrence's character goes through metaphorical and practically literal hell, in 'mother!', and yet every expression is believable, every feeling relatable and every emotion nuanced. This is perhaps one of Lawrence's best works, in my opinion and that says a lot, considering we are constantly distracted by the events taking place around her and wondering what's happening next (though the narrative unfolds from her perspective). Pfeiffer is brilliant as the metaphorical temptress, Eve, to Ed Harris' metaphorical Adam, and the simmering tension between the two women is superb. I'd also like to remind people to look out for Kristen Wiig who plays Bardem's Publicist, and does a fantastic job in her role. Bardem, himself, is perhaps the least likeable character- but that is not because of his portrayal, but more because, the longer the film goes on, the more we empathise with Lawrence's portrayal of 'mother', and silently pray he would just, for one second, stop being so selfish! 'mother!' is a work of art, in the most sincere meaning of the word. Aronofsky has created a film, much like his others (most notably: 'Black Swan', and 'Requiem for a Dream'), that can be read and interpreted in any number of ways. The acclaimed Director is known for producing work that is surreal, psychological and thought-provoking, and his latest does not disappoint, in that realm. Fans of his previous works will most likely enjoy this film, whilst those that seek to find cinema that is far more straightforward will wish they hadn't wasted their time. 'mother!' most definitely is not for everyone, and only those that are keen on art house cinema (and those with the digestion of an Ox), should endeavour to watch this. I, personally, loved 'mother!'. Equal parts beautiful and unbearable, paradise and hell, for me, the film really is about the world we live in, our role on the planet, and how we continuously take without regard for those around us, or our Mother Earth. I found the film incredibly powerful in it's visual symbolism, metaphorical meaning and thought-provoking allegory. It's hard to ignore 'mother!', whether you like it or not, and that's often the mark of real art: something that gets us thinking and talking, critiquing and questioning. You will either love or loathe this film, and that's much like Aronofsky's repertoire, and actually, much like God's creations, too! 4/5

#mother jenniferlawrence film moviereview movieblog stgeorgesharrow

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nsorchidsociety · 6 years

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Satanic Pedophilia Inside Our Society

As the headlines are teeming with such tales since the Harvey Weinstein scandal and admissions of participation in sexual misconduct from the infamous out of Justin Beiber into Kevin Spacey, it’s an important time for people to look deeper into what’s really happening in our world today!

This is not limited to those Hollywood actors and musicians that are notorious and isn’t some new phenomenon, but rather, permeates every corner of people in power in our society and has done for decades.

Is this some disposition for sex with children which is shared with these culprits, or is it some thing that they have been made to engage in to secure their places in society? I have found myself forced to explore this issue more fully, even though the cognitive dissonance that I possess has made it difficult to evaluate the enormity of the outbreak. What I have found will shock every person of morality into a state of disbelief!

As a man of Christian faith who was born into a contemporary (non-religious) family, I was raised with certain values which have helped me to stick to a sort of morality that conforms with my peers. I have learned to know right from wrong and have had great joy when commended for “doing the ideal thing” as well as feeling guilt and guilt for any transgressions that I have made. I learned that lying and cheating were not appropriate behaviors. I discovered that honesty and ethics were honored values. I discovered that gender was a joy to be shared between a girl and a man, but was to be a yet romantic experience. I learned to be compassionate and polite and to have respect for my fellows.

Naturally, my Euro-centric upbringing slightly defined my morality and, being a child, I expected everyone else to stick to a benchmark. When they did not, I was offended, and I’d report that the offender into an adult, who would then leave consequences to help keep them in line. In actuality, if behavior was engaged in by another person regularly, they would be chastised and ostracized by their own fellows and Social Conformity is attained. So as to keep a society that is peaceful, I believe we could all agree that conformity is a necessary ingredient. We, as a society, you need to know what’s okay, and what isn’t.

What is considered acceptable in some societies may not be okay in others. In certain African cultures, the girls wear abundant “bracelets” that slowly extend the length of their neck before the start to look like a person giraffe. This is considered appealing to their men. Other tribes have organized marriages of girls. To them, this is standard. Other variations arise within our own culture such as religious practices that are different. As will be the baptism of a baby to another the circumcision of a baby may be abhorrent to your. However, I believe we could all agree that there is an morality within our society now which precludes the concept of adults.

So, why does it appear to be such a common occurrence among one section of the society? Is it because after someone is wealthy enough to afford anything luxury they desire that they seek from the “forbidden fruit”? Imagine that you have enough money and enough to look after everyone that matters to you personally in your life! Now imagine that you have access to every simple pleasure such as the best food and drink, the best entertainment, the best medication, the many beautiful places possible. What is there left to enhance your enjoyment? The best?

Initially inspection that is what I had regarded as the root cause! However, as I researched the phenomenon further, I didn’t trust that may be putting the “cart before the horse” as it was their affinity for sexual deviance that resulted in their powerful positions in society!

What’s especially shocking to someone such as myself is that it’s not the only compulsion of sexual desire that leads to their own position of prominence, however their participation in something deviant, therefore disgusting and disgusting, that the normal person will immediately dismiss it as being “hopeless’! In actuality, despite overwhelming, indisputable elucidations of the occurrence of the phenomenon, it appears too unbelievable to digest!

Are a few antiquated obsession with devil worship and the witch burnings of Salem, while I think. Maybe a more contemporary variant includes the likes of Anton Lavey, the creator of the Church of Satan, or Wicca, that will be a contemporary cult of witchcraft believers. An lesser known proponent of Satanic worship is Michael Aquino, a former Military Officer who specialized in mental warfare and founded the Church of Set, which is an offshoot of Lavey’s Church of Satan.

It must come as no real surprise that in 1987, Michael Aquino was convicted of Satanic Ritual Abuse of a 3 year-old child but was exonerated after police “could find no evidence linking him to the crime”.

What is the connection between pedophilia and Satanism? I had believed pedophilia as some type of illness. I thought that pedophiles had transfixed on some period of adolescence and never fully matured into adulthood. Those suffering endured such insecurity that was immense as to be incapable of having intimate relationships with different adults. Or perhaps they were infatuated with the characteristics of pre-pubescence. I really could not fully comprehend something that I have never experienced myself but I had the belief that it was a psychological illness that resulted in behavior that has been unforgivable in my view.

I actually had no idea that individuals might be indoctrinated into this deviant practice by using their very own family. Regrettably, that rude awakening finally became what I hold to be truthful.

So as to understand Satanic Ritual Abuse, we must first recognize that there is a clear pattern of repeatedly exposed techniques which are utilised to indoctrinate individuals into this cult. These reports come from hundreds of “victims” who were kidnapped and made to execute despicable tasks, including murdering infants, to be able to support their captors. These children have been in care for their own parents or in certain instances kidnapped into these Satanic cults where they’re subsequently made to participate in the sacrifice of a baby by being made to carry a knife in their hands as their parent assists them in the beheading, mutilation and cannibalization of their baby!

This ritual has been explained in detail, with hundreds of survivors that were whistle-blowing. It sometimes gains some traction, but necessarily loses momentum as the cognitive dissonance of the general public, coupled with the press’s joint efforts to dismiss the tales, helps them slowly fade off.

Stories such as the McMartin Trials were disregarded as Satanic Panic although 360 children had confirmed that they had been sexually assaulted!

On March 22, 1984, Virginia McMartin, Peggy McMartin Buckey, Ray Buckey, Ray’s sister Peggy Ann Buckey, also educators Mary Ann Jackson, Betty Raidor, along with Babette Spitler of their McMartin School were charged using 115 counts of child abuse, after enlarged to 321 counts of child abuse between 48 children! Eventually all charges have been dropped due to “lack of evidence”. This is the court systems are, and are, as these pedophiles infiltrate them.

The Franklin Cover-Up, written by former U.S. Senator John DeCamp, specifics the kidnapping of John Gosch and Paul Bonacci and their indoctrination into Satanic Ritual Abuse that directed them into a life of prostituting themselves into wealthy politicians. Their story took them from catering to the influential politicians in Nebraska most of the way about servicing the Bush Family occupied White House!

These boys also recant the rituals of human sacrifice and drinking the blood of a baby.

DeCamp’s book inspired the documentary “Conspiracy of Silence“, which had been made to be aired on the Discovery Channel on May 3, 1994. It was canceled only 24 hours for undisclosed factors. Of course, the majority of folks assume that it was because of political pressure from the Satanists who didn’t need the exposure, however, to the day, the Discovery Channel has never stated why it was scrubbed. You can still see it here:

Then there is the story of Vicki Polin, a lady who seemed on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 1989 and, once again, described in detail how she was made to participate in her family tradition of Satanic Ritual Abuse by killing and raping babies. She also revealed that not only includes her been doing this for many generations (dating back to the 1700’s), however that there are many Jewish families throughout the USA who also regularly practiced these rituals!

, although these practices aren’t limited to the usa are a worldwide outbreak. “Theresa” from Australia describes in detail the way her family also raped her and forced her to participate in the specific same rituals described by all these other outspoken sufferers! Traumatized by the participation in the murder and cannibalization of sexual torture and infants beyond remedy!

Possibly the most troubling words of Theresa are when she explains the feeling of helplessness. She compares it to having to “eat your veggies” as a child — you do not really need to get it done, but you know that it’s something that you must do.

More recently, the instance of the Hampstead Cover Up has come to light, in which Alisa and Gabriel Dearman have spoken out regarding the Satanic Ritual Abuse in their school in England. The 9 year-old girl and 8 year-old boy, once again, described in detail the way they were made to maintain a knife in their hands and decapitate a baby and drink it’s blood. They’re entire school engaged in this “black mass” on a weekly basis. These children are completely comfortable as they describe, in detail, the sexual abuse that they have endured when questioned on multiple occasions and yet, somehow they’re taken from their family and remanded to State Custody, never to be seen again! Many of the concerned parties advocating for these children claim that their dad Ricky Dearman (an actor), along with the entire personnel of the faculty as well as the local police division are all involved in this Satanic Ritual Abuse!

Of course, the mainstream press aids in the denial of atrocities! See, by Way of Example, this article in the .

There’s absolutely no way in hell that these children were making the EXACT SAME SCENARIOS which were detailed the aforementioned victims by all unless they’d experienced it themselves !! For more information please Google hunt “The Hampstead Cover Up”.

The fact that their dad is an actor should not be so easily cut off. We are being fed tiny morsels of all allegations of misconduct from Hollywood actors, producers and representatives, every day. Television personalities are suddenly being discharged for even the smallest transgressions! But why?

I’d suggest that this is some serious maneuvering and “damage control” since the public has become more and more mindful of pedophilia in Hollywood. Whistle-blowers such as the Corey Haim and Corey Feldman are garnering attention as their tales get more widely distributed. Documentaries are produced exposing Producers and Hollywood Agents with ties into the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and other popular children’s TV shows which expose exactly how predatory these men in power act. Are you currently Satanists? It appears improbable that pedophilia is a prerequisite for their positions, although it is difficult to know. They end up in those places because of their affiliations with those societies.

In actuality, I believe it has become evident in our society that the more likely someone would be to corrupt their morality, the more likely they are supposed to collect personal wealth! What I mean with that is that are much better designed to become Politicians or CEO’s. Bill Gates stole the idea for Microsoft and Mark Zuckerberg stole the idea of Facebook. They’re highly admired because of their large wealth and “charitable” jobs, but make no mistake about it, they corrupted their own morality to get where they were going.

I am really not sure HOW these people today end up in places of power, however, it is that they do. They end up in government and in politics! In 2010 it was found that (including Department of Defense) had been purchasing and downloading child porn! More than 5,000 suspects were accused, but gradually drifted off and a few, if any, arrests were made.

The entire Political System is infiltrated with these pedophiles!! How can this be? Perhaps one of the prerequisites to progress your career is to become “among them”. It appears hopeless to me to clarify the overwhelming number of sexual deviants in the Federal and Local Authorities. has completed exhaustive research and found tens of thousands of government workers are detained and charged for committing sexual offenses (such as rape and rape), pedophilia and possession of child porn in agencies such as the DOJ, FBI, CIA, Pentagon, DHS, DOT, TSA, ICE, along with almost each and every arm of the government which you may imagine! These are the men and women who were CAUGHT!! It’s possible to imagine that this is simply the tip of the iceberg as for every 1 person exposed there are most likely dozens who remain

So there you have it! An inexplicable outbreak of sexual deviancy permeating the government! The accusations go all of the way to the very best! Maybe that’s the reason “Pizzagate” was thoroughly ridiculed from the MSM, even though there was substantial evidence to call for an independent investigation. Why did GQ Magazine list the owner (James Alefantis) of Comet Pizza as one of the very 50 influential folks in Washington D.C.? Since when can a pizza parlor’s owner, allegedly for children, have some impact anyplace? And did his site for your “pizza parlor” host pictures of children posed in precarious, sensual, and inappropriate settings?

I’d suppose that it was PizzaGate itself which contributed to Hillary Clinton’s conquer! Hillary had been dressed for her entire life to become the “First Woman President”. I really don’t feel that voting ever mattered as we saw by the defeat of the people’s candidate (Bernie Sanders). Exit surveys were disregarded and in certain states eliminated that they would show the vote counting has become! In certain nations, the outcomes of the exit surveys were the opposite of the outcomes of the election. Naturally, Mainstream Media consistently tows the line which is aptly demonstrated by which only explains the value of the exit surveys!

The only people who ever wanted to see Hillary as President were people who had dressed her and people who had their heads buried that they could not see exactly how evil and corrupt the Clinton regime was. I think that the only reason Donald Trump was introduced as a candidate would be the fact that it might justify, in the heads of any rational American voter, which “no miracle Clinton won — she was up from Donald Trump!”

Trump himself was not surprised to have won the Presidency! He went the time in a President-Elect’s background without holding a Press Conference, probably because he didn’t have any idea what to say! This isn’t some man who is adept at balancing a nation’s funding and comprehending Foreign Affairs. That is a man that was heavily in debt, that he explained to his daughter that a ass on the corner needed more cash than him.

“How can that be ?” , she inquired.

“Well, he can not have any cash, but he also does not have any debt. I’ve more than $90,000,000 in debt!”

How can a man so profoundly in debt ever recover to be a billionaire unless some back room deals were created with his or her creditors? Was his soul sold by Donald Trump? Was his involvement in the 2016 election that a contingency of his debt forgiveness? I mean, though Trump had been vocal regarding the Presidency early in his career, why in the world would a man who had gathered enough of a chance to last 3 lifetimes wish to take on a job which needs his whole attention 24/7, opens his personal life to intense examination, takes off from his ability to enjoy the advantages of his own prosperity and loved ones, and leads to a man to age at twice the normal rate?

However, I digress — the purpose is that no matter how much the general public despised Hillary, she had been pre-selected and dressed her entire life. Unfortunately for Hillary, the PizzaGate story broke just weeks ahead of the election, along with also the elitists had to scramble to protect themselves! These cockroaches scatter when the light is polished in their direction and crisis measures were enacted! Independent investigators had connected John Podesta (Hillary’s campaign manager) into the pedophile ring run from James Alefantis also there wasn’t any way out!

Videos were flooding YouTube describing how code words which were utilized in used terminology that had been identified by the FBI as pedophiles’ means of communicating with each other! Connections were made between Marina Abramovic along with her festivals which had been appreciated by Podesta and his brother! Suddenly it became evident that this was not just sexual deviancy and about pedophilia, however more about Occult and Satanism rituals!

There’s no way that Washington can allow this public investigation to continue! Eliminate any further public scrutiny and they needed to act! Because if she had been chosen, the Public Stress to expose this action would have been enormous to restrain eliminating Hillary was their only option!

Mainstream media created a strategy to demonize those intent on exposing Hillary and acted to discredit media investigators. They immediately discredited any talk of PizzaGate as “fake news” and arranged for a deranged lunatic to visit Comet Ping Pong (James Alefanitis’s location) and shoot at AR-15 rifle, so casting an overall look of “barbarous conspiracy theorists” on those exploring and, once again, utilizing the “sufferer” model of Alefantis to protect themselves from further scrutiny!

The notion that a Pizza Place is a heart for child trafficking was a ridiculous notion! Easily dismissed from the average American who’d have enough cognitive dissonance to avoid even the slightest tendency to investigate. However, to anybody who looked at the signs uncovered, it became incontrovertible that Comet Ping Pong Pizza had catered to the elite pedophiles of Washington DC and amused dignitaries who indulged in clinics that were pedophilic and these Satanic Rituals!

PizzaGate is actual. It isn’t some lunatic fringe conspiracy theory. These folks in Washington D.C. engage in Satanic Ritual Abuse. This isn’t about a few perverts looking at porn onto their own computers, though that’s a common complication of ritual abuse, it’s around the purchase of endurance and power during Lucifer. Because this is such a foreign concept to many people (like me), our very own cognitive dissonance will maintain us unclear.

“Surely this can not be true”, we think!

The perpetrators have been shielded by us by trusting that they share our morality. These actions are so dreadful that we do not think different humans could manage such matters — not on such a scale as we’re advised. However, as a growing number of evidence is introduced, it will become evident that these cults usually exist. They are widespread, secretive, and also also have secured the very prominent places of power in our government, amusement industry, food distribution, and every other establishment that is critical which we rely for sustenance!

As George Carlin once said, “It’s a huge CLUB and you also ain’t inside!”

from Society http://www.nsorchidsociety.com/satanic-pedophilia-inside-our-society/

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Birmingham anchors central Alabama culture

ANALYSIS/OPINION: Alabama regarded informally as the “Heart of Dixie,” has had a history each captivating and complex. And within the coronary heart of the Yellowhammer State lies Birmingham, Alabama’s biggest town and the treasure chest of its tradition. The Washington Times spent a weekend in and around Birmingham to revel in the history, tradition and hidden gems that make “The Magic City” a true Southern belle of urbanity. Here’s the itinerary I undertook, and here’s what you could do too.

When Jesus Came to Birmingham

When Jesus Came to Birmingham changed into written by way of an Anglican minister named Geoffrey Stoddard Kennedy. He called his poem, ‘Indifference.” Kennedy served as a chaplain in the trenches of World War l wherein he earned the call “Woodbine Willie” due to his habit of giving Woodbine cigarettes to the injured and death squaddies.

Kennedy wrote this poem in the course of what turned into known as ‘the high-quality disillusion’ of the 1920’s. The English empire became crumbling, the ethical certainty of the Victorian age become eroding leaving in its vicinity handiest skepticism, cynicism and materialism. After four years of conflict, the British economic system became in tatters and poverty widespread besides for the few privileged. Kennedy’s love for England and his church dwindled within the midst of unemployment and the seeming disregard by the wealthy and religious for the desperate plight of the negative.

When Jesus got here to Golgotha, they hanged Him on a tree, They drove outstanding nails via hands and ft, and made a Calvary; They topped Him with a crown of thorns, pink have been His wounds and deep, For the ones have been crude and cruel days, and human flesh became cheap.

When Jesus got here to Birmingham, they truly surpassed Him by. They would not hurt a hair of Him, they simplest allow Him to die; For guys had grown extra tender, and they’d now not deliver Him pain, They most effective just handed down the street and left Him in the rain.

Still, Jesus cried, ‘Forgive them, for they understand no longer what they do,’ And still, it rained the wintry weather rain that sopping wet Him thru and through; The crowds went domestic and left the streets without a soul to see, And Jesus crouched in opposition to a wall and cried for Calvary.

I understand your deeds, that you are neither bloodless nor hot; I want that you were bloodless or warm. So due to the fact you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich and have grown to be rich, and feature wants of nothing,” and you do now not recognize that you are wretched and depressing and negative and blind and naked,…

Lin Wilder, DrPH is a former Hospital Director. For over ten years, Lin partnered along with her husband in two online lead era and marketing agencies. She now writes scientific thrillers full-time.

What Do Alabama Red-Bellied Turtles Prefer To Eat?

About Alabama Red-Bellied Turtles?

The Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle (Pseudemys Alaba menses) is often a species found solely in the kingdom of Alabama. In reality, it’s far the professional state reptile of Alabama.

Their head, neck, and legs are often marked with yellowish stripping. And as you would possibly have guessed from the call, their belly, or plastron, has an inclination to possess a reddish hue on it. There can also be darkish markings on occasion.

These colorings are especially extreme in children.

Where Can Alabama Red-Bellied Turtles Be Found?

Before we dive into what do Alabama red-bellied turtles consume, we first should apprehend their habitat. Generally talking this turtle enjoys freshwater canals, lakes, bayous, and swamplands. Overall they choose shallower waters.

This turtle species changed into once common via the complete decrease part of the flood plain of the Mobile River gadget in 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley and Mobile Counties, Alabama. Possibly at times, as a long way north as southern Monroe County.

However camping websites, and rancid-street vehicles have all but destroyed their last recognized huge scale nesting sites. Camp lighting, human disruption, and excessive noise are thought to be inflicting heavy reproductive failure.

What Do Alabama Red-Bellied Turtles Eat?

You’ll locate that Alabama red-bellied turtles have a tendency to pick a plant primarily based diet.

In The Wild:

These varieties of turtles are called herbivores and since they’re typically seen in small rivers and ponds, they will be predisposed to stay with low mendacity vegetation including:

Aquatic Plant lifestyles, Eel-Grass, Hydrilla, Brushy Pond-Weed, and so forth.

Although, they have been recognized to also devour Crayfish, Bugs, and small fish.

In The Home:

Although endangered, Alabama purple-bellied turtles have been visible to grow to be pets for various motives.

When thinking about what they eat as pets, you will locate that most of the equal items determined within the wild may be a part of a puppy turtles weight-reduction plan. You are able to feed them:

Earthworms, Lettuce, Carrots, Moss, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Algae, Fruit, and many others.

It is crucial to remember that, just like maximum aquatic turtles, Alabama pink-bellied turtles do not continually get a hundred% of the wanted vitamins in the meals they devour. Due to this, it’s miles smart to do your very pleasant to include a multi-vitamin supplement within their food.

In captivity, Alabama crimson-bellied turtles will without difficulty consume a number of the commercially reachable aquatic turtle foods as nicely.

That being said, it’s usually exceptional if you provide your pet turtle with as numerous a diet as possible to make certain exact fitness and right nutrients.

Things To Avoid When Feeding Alabama Red-Bellied Turtles?

As with each pet, you have to make certain that your Alabama red-bellied turtle could be as healthful as possible. Additionally, you want to make certain your family is as wholesome as it could be on the equal time.

Here are some beneficial recommendations to balance the both of first-rate worlds.

No Fried Foods: Avoid giving your turtle any form of oily food. No fried potatoes, donuts, onion earrings, etc.

No Sugary Foods: No candy, chocolate, or another sort of sugary foods. As nicely as being unhealthy for a turtle, those styles of ingredients tend to be hard and can pose a choking danger to your little buddy.

No Dairy Foods: For example milk, cheese, butter, and so forth. Turtles do not have the essential enzymes to correctly digest lactose.

No Sharing Foods: Avoid sharing foods or snacks with your turtle. Many turtles, like maximum aquatic animals, bring salmonella bacteria. Salmonella does no longer affect them as it does humans.

No Kissing: No significantly, do not kiss your turtle. Although they’re truly lovely at the same time as they’re younger or small, they bring about salmonella and the ultimate aspect you need is to end up unwell from your turtle.

No Dirty Hands: Whenever you manage your turtle make certain you wash each your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap. The Right Performance Culture Starts on the Top

Measurement is the most practical way to create an overall performance way of life that is capable of taking the adventure to end up an excessive-performance employer. But it may not paintings speedy enough, or nearly as nicely, if it would not start with the senior leadership group.

Measuring what topics (and doing it properly and deliberately, and *not* the manner we have always completed it) shifts the way humans reflect consideration on:

overall performance their contribution to the business enterprise why they come to paintings every day. In their article in HBR’s April 2016 issue, Culture Is Not the Culprit, Jay W. Lorsch and Emily McTague rightly factor out that solving the subculture is not often the right way to organizational performance issues. Rather, they describe how superb leaders don’t wait for a performance culture to permit measurement; they use dimension to permit an overall performance tradition.

The act of measuring triggers adjustments in the overall performance lifestyle of businesses.

I see it manifest all of the time:

Executive groups robotically say to me that the verbal exchange to re-articulate their direction in measurable terms is one of the fine conversations they have got had – a verbal exchange they ought to have had years ago. Operational workforce says they experience enthusiastic about their new measures, and that for the first time they can see a bigger motive for coming to paintings – larger than their process and larger than themselves. Dean Spitzer talks about the performance tradition like no-one else I understand. His e-book, Transforming Performance Measurement, is a classic. My replica has highlighted on each other web page, but one of the maximum powerful matters he has to say is this:

The key to success is MEASUREMENT. Measurement done properly can remodel your enterprise… Size is fundamental to excessive overall performance, development, and, ultimately, success in the commercial enterprise, or in any other vicinity of human enterprise.

The leadership team’s top two responsibilities are culture and direction.

Stever Robbins, the Get-It-Done Guy from one of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcasts, says that the remaining duty that rests completely on the CEO’s shoulders is the fulfillment or failure of the business enterprise. And the CEO’s pinnacle duties, which simplest they are able to perform, are building tradition and setting strategic direction.

And proper overall performance dimension brings a way of life and path collectively, catalyzing them each.

The senior leadership group simplest need to determine to take the first step at the course to proof-primarily based management and growing a performance way of life. Then momentum and small wins can construct on every other, like a reinforcing loop, and the subsequent steps, separately, will be a lot less complicated to hold with.

The quickest way to commit to proof-primarily based management, and trigger an excessive overall performance culture, is to start from the pinnacle: the senior leadership crew.

DISCUSSION: What are your reports with the achievement of measurement on your enterprise, based on the assist (or lack thereof) from your senior leadership group?

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