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lamiahypnosia · 4 years

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Hype Train Keep A’Rollin, or, The Obligatory The Outer Worlds Deep Dive Rant

Okay so…

There’s like. Maybe three things in the game world I’m looking forward to.

Baldur’s Gate 3, Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Peril on Gorgon. My interest in FF7R has waned, admittedly but my love of The Outer Worlds is still pretty strong.

I did preorder Shadowlands for World of Warcraft and there’s not much on my radar. I am debating checking out Mass Effect since as a person of taste I enjoy BioWare games.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is still contentious to me as I truthfully don’t care much for the tabletop RPG hit rolls and all that math shit. I enjoyed the first two Baldur’s Gate games because of the story, true. That’s my main draw, I love a good story. A good story and characters I’ll actually give a shit about. Is that so hard? Apparently it’s really fucking hard to do. But back to the Outer Worlds for a second. It wasn’t really hyped that much unless you count the obvious wink nudges to the New Vegas stans who were holding out hope that The Outer Worlds is New Vegas IN SPACE.

No, it’s not. It’s really not. As I mentioned in my review TOW is a new IP that can stand on its own two legs and sure it has a developer behind it that put out a really good game in eighteen months.

Yeah, the reason New Vegas is so sparse looking is because Obsidian could only snare the rights for Fallout from Bethesda for a little over a year so they reused assets from Fallout 3 hence why it has a DLC feel but not really, that sounds harsh. Was that too harsh?

For what it’s worth I give credit where credit is due. Obsidian busted their asses on New Vegas and it shows- the places are oozing atmosphere and the characters are outstandingly written. Too bad Fallout 4 only got that second one for the companions and don’t @ me, the companions are good and you know it. Even if Fallout 4’s story is a dumpster fire.

Fallout 76 is a dumpster fire too, not just because of the bugs and subscription platform it just…it was so full of potential, the atmosphere is perfect. Just not for an MMO. Wavy Willard’s Water Park is creepy as fuck to me, something about the decayed place of innocent fun. Though wouldn’t a water park be closed in October, because the bombs fell in October. I can’t recall if the old terminal entries were written in summer or what twenty five years before the bombs fell. This game is confusing.

Wastelanders feels unfinished and half-assed. That’s all there is to say about it. I don’t have the energy to talk about it. I was set up for disappointment. I still really enjoy exploring and crafting but I don’t enjoy inventory management (I’m a serial hoarder, ask my husband) and I really don’t enjoy getting pasted by a gaggle of level 14 cryptids while I’m level 42 because the hit detection in this game is pretty much non existent. I just wildly swing my super sledge and pray I can glitch my way through it.

Anyway.

I fell down the Reddit rabbit hole and boy, r/theoutworlds is chock full of New Vegas stans foaming at the mouth. People compare The Outer Worlds to New Vegas so much (same developer) that talking about one or the other on their respective subreddits is against the rules. I saw a review of some salty stan whining about how few choices there are in The Outer Worlds. What I hear is ‘Why is this literally not the exact same as Fallout New Vegas?! I want to be a capricious god with unlimited agency.’ The reviews are full of ‘I want, I wish, I miss.’ I made a shitpost a few weeks ago on Facebook about wanting to fight people regarding my opinion on New Vegas which is in a nutshell ‘It’s a good game, but I can’t get invested.’ The Outer Worlds on the other hand for all that it’s full of satire and black comedy had me invested.

So after my stellar review of The Outer Worlds you’re probably thinking ‘okay so where is your full disclosure essay, you love Fallout 4 and what you love you chasten’. Well now that you mention it…

From here on out there be spoilers, major spoilers for both endings of The Outer Worlds.

The Outer Worlds was NEVER stated to be an open world. I made a few minor griping points in my review about there rarely being new dialogue when you talk one on one with a character. I also think the combat is fairly standard but I don’t really care about that all that much plus the science weapons are fun. Trailers also showcased Ellie as a companion though you don’t meet her in Emerald Vale you meet her on the Groundbreaker. Also Ellie is boring.

She’s a doctor, a surgeon from Byzantium who got tired of the bureaucracy and her uptight parents so she became a pirate and…that’s it. Until you drop in to visit her parents and find out they faked her death and are living off the insurance payouts. They’re not even happy to see her because they’re keeping up appearances. All you can do is help Ellie commit insurance fraud to screw them over and Ellie is slightly less aloof from now on. That’s the character you wanna hype? Dr. Do Nothing?

Moving on. People latch on to Parvati Holcomb, the dorky precious engineer and her quest is to get things for a nice date with somebody who is already obviously into her.

She’s the cinnamon bun of the gang, full of sugar and no substance. Don’t get me wrong I love and must protect Parvati but she’s nowhere as interesting as Vicar Max or even Felix. She comes out of her shell because she gets a girlfriend. Whoop de doo.

Felix Millstone is an orphan kid from Groundbreaker who has a rebellious streak and that’s it. His personal quest is learning his old mentor is a Board bootlicker. The end. His whole arc is basically don’t meet your heroes which can include you if you’re a jerk. A filthy Board bootlicking jerk. He’s at least got a few more aspects to him, he treats Parvati, Ellie and Nyoka like big sisters and depending on actions made, treats Vicar Max like a big brother. Who were his parents? Why was he abandoned? DLC material please?

Speaking of Max.

Oof. Max is a fan favorite because priest kink. I don’t have a priest kink and we don’t kink shame here but Max is kind of an awful person. He’s mister holier than thou, only interested in his religion as a topic of debate. He’s not interested in guiding people and while you could say he spouts corporate approved platitudes he’s clearly not dumb. Far from it, he even immediately pegs the Stranger (the player character) as an outsider because they don’t look dead inside and you can call him out on how bad of a shepherd he is. Max never really gets better if you do his quest successfully. He does become less of a prick but I hold that he’s still a bad person. Maybe he’s open to not being a dick, and his banter with the other characters changes accordingly. His best ending indicates he does become a true missionary and even uses his combat skills to defend the town. It’s debatable.

Max’s character develops. He is a character who grows and changes. Sort of. Most of his character is based off how salty he is. So he learns to use the salt sparingly. Direct anger where it should go, ask questions in the right circumstances, stop acting like you know everything, embrace chaos.

It’s not like dodging the lesson is just to fit the irreverent tone. Nyoka is sad because her friends all died and that’s why she drinks. She’s still competent, trains Parvati with firearms and helps Felix with his drink recipe experiments. it feels good to help with her quest and her saying she lost a family but got a new one will give you the warm fuzzies.

SAM is a robot. I guess he’s funny in theory but I never use him. The ship ain’t gonna clean itself.

So now that I’ve thoroughly trashed all the beloved companions you might wonder what character do I actually like?

Okay. If my constant posts weren’t evidence my favorite character is Phineas Welles, the guy who wakes you up from cryosleep. Forget Parvati a second, Phineas is the best and most endearing character and I will fight you over this.

From his defiance of the Board to having the foulest mouth of the cast, his cartoony movements and love of puns, how could you betray Phineas to the Board for wealth and power? Also he builds a gun and names it Phin’s Phorce. I don’t care who you are, that’s adorable.

Still Phineas is interesting, he’s definitely a deceitful little bugger. Space grandpa, my left butt cheek. If you decide to side with the Board for whatever reason- money, you think Phineas is a liar- and skip the Hope to Tartarus for its inhabitants to be yeeted out so the elite of Byzantium can live in luxury while the filthy peasants are frozen Phineas gets pissed off and flies to Tartarus to start a prison riot taking Adjutant Akande hostage. You can try to talk him down and even if you succeed and try to talk him into surrendering to the Board he refuses, stating that he will not crawl back and beg them for forgiveness. Then he pulls a gun and shoots himself in the fucking head.

If you’re an immersion addict like me you might get on a lawful stupid ‘kill what I see as evil’ streak and you plugged Chairman Rockwell and Adjutant Akande because they’re bad evil guys you’re missing the point.

I’m not saying this is some kind of character deficit in you in real life but to get a better picture of how good the writing in The Outer Worlds is, hear me out.

I had a discussion with a friend asking what alignment Phineas and the Board would fit in. He said Phineas is chaotic neutral, bordering chaotic good whereas the Board is lawful neutral.

The Board is just greedy and they’ve lost their sense of identity which makes them a blank corporate face instead of individuals. They’re built up as this faceless omniscient entity but when you pull aside the curtain you find they’re just people stumbling about screaming ‘oh shit now what do we do?’ as becomes abundantly clear when you meet Minister Clarke. There’s a coverup happening because of course there is.

Phineas has kept his identity, his truth. If you think about it Phineas is only doing what he does to prove the Board wrong and that just happens to save the colony- an altruistic middle finger if you will. He’s standing off to one side pointing and screaming ‘see I was right!’

He had no qualms about sending you to your probable death- you were lucky but you still only had a twenty eight percent chance of not becoming a puddle. Phineas also had some rather jarring dialogue about shooting the members of the Board in the back of the head. His actions, his beliefs are absolute. And that, dear readers, is what keeps him from being chaotic good.

You can talk both Chairman Rockwell and Adjutant Akande into helping you and Phineas isn’t thrilled but he trusts you to handle it. It’s easier to shoot everyone and sweep our problems under the proverbial rug, isn’t it? Are Rockwell and Akande bad people? Maybe? A little, but mostly they’re ignorant and shit has to hit the fan before they’ll listen. But they do listen.

The pro Board ending puts me in mind of an old George RR Martin short story called In The House Of The Worm. It takes place in an old crumbling ruin deep underground where there two races, the grouns and the yagalla’hai, are constantly at war with one another. They fight, kill and eat each other. The yagalla’hai are nihilists who worship decay and don’t really give a fuck about that they’re probably all going to die unless they mate with the grouns and the sun is dying but sure let’s feast, dance, fuck and party all the time.

You can yeet everyone on the Hope into space and live a life of extravagant wealth til the end of your days while Halcyon crumbles apart around you. Meanwhile all your cuddly companions are miserable beyond human comprehension, their dreams crushed and that nice old man who saved you dies, betrayed and alone.

Do you feel good about yourself? Are you happy with how that turned out?

Nyoka makes an interesting point that Halcyon needs order. You can still talk to her like an edgy teenager who favors absolute anarchy. Yes, the colony needs order, they just need BETTER order. I think I had a point to make? Oh yeah, The Outer Worlds is fucking amazing and deserves every drop of hype and I cannot fucking wait for the DLC. That’s the post.

#the outer worlds #spoilers #major spoilers #i am not kidding there are spoilers #phineas welles #i love him so much oh my law

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traitorwhoyoulove · 6 years

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Sneak Peek: the darkest night (and the sweetest dawn)

In honor of @broodybellamy‘s birthday, I’m releasing an extended excerpt from my upcoming Game of Thrones AU that will be released...eventually. Happy birthday, Kate! Hope its great like you!

“My mother tells me that as long as both you and those dragons are alive, you’re a threat to my reign,” Clarke says, placing the glass of wine onto the wood sharply.

She leans over the desk toward him, her face drawing so near to his he can feel her breath fan across his cheek. Warmth radiates from her open neckline, the creamy expanse of skin flushed a pretty pink. He forces himself to keep his eyes on hers beneath her dark lashes.

“But you would never threaten the rule of House Griffin,” she says with a smile, “would you, Lord Blake?”

Bellamy swallows hard and lets a sly grin slip onto his face. He does his best to keep his thoughts on the queen, and not on the contents of cage that rests below his bed in this very castle.

“Of course not, Your Grace.”

The queen’s eyes narrow, the corner of her mouth turning upward so slightly that for a moment he thinks he imagines it. She gives him a nod as she retakes her seat, tipping the goblet to her lips.

“Pardon my asking, Your Grace,” Bellamy says, “but if not for power, then why have you asked me here?”

She places the wine back onto the desk and clasps her hands in her lap. She searches his face for a moment, like a lion eyeing its prey for weakness.

“Word of you has spread throughout the realm, Lord Blake,” she says. “Your followers do not simply speak of the legitimacy of your claim to the Iron Throne, nor the vastness of your holdings and resources. They speak mostly of the kindness and mercy you have shown them. Loyalty like that shown toward a man of your breeding does not go unnoticed.”

“A man of my breeding?” he challenges.

“I mean no offense.” She holds up a placating hand. “I simply mean to say that a man who does not solely rely on the name of his father to win the allegiance of the public is worthy of admiration.”

His posture softens. The approval of the queen was the last thing he’d expected when he’d received the raven carrying his summon to King’s Landing.

“House Griffin is beloved by the people of the realm,” Bellamy says. “After the victory over the invasion of House Sydney—”

“I know my father’s legacy,” Clarke interrupts. “King Jacob was undoubtedly a great ruler. But his time has passed, Gods rest his soul, and I must now create a legacy of my own.”

At last, he understands.

“Without solely relying on the name of one’s father,” he finishes.

She nods with a smile.

“My father was the first king in the nearly six-hundred-year existence of the realm to challenge the law that an unwed woman could not sit on the Iron Throne,” she says. “Because he fought for my reign as rightful heir of the Griffin line, I am now queen.”

Her fingers fiddle with the foot of the goblet, spinning it slightly so that the gold casts the light into flickering patterns on the wood beneath it.

“Unfortunately, it seems that many in the realm reject the idea that a woman can rule,” she continues. Her jaw shifts slightly, her expression growing tight. “Some of those men hold some power of their own, and their denial of the legitimacy of my crown is dangerous. For both House Griffin and the realm.”

The queen’s words ring true. A coup would undoubtedly create a power vacuum within the Seven Kingdoms that would result in a war between lords, each vying for a chance to sit on the Iron Throne.

“With all due respect, Your Grace, that doesn’t answer the question of why you’ve summoned me to King’s Landing.”

Clarke pauses momentarily, a small smile tugging at her lips.

“I believe that if a man of hardly any nobility at all was capable of winning the hearts of his people, then surely he could aid a queen in winning the hearts of hers.”

The unspoken offer hits him squarely.

“What are you asking of me?” he levels, folding his arms across his chest. “To leave my home, my sister, my people—”

“To serve here in King’s Landing as the Queen’s Hand, yes,” Clarke finishes with a nod.

Bellamy stares hard at the wood grain of the desk between them, his jaw clenching as he processes his options. To leave his home, to leave Octavia, was not a small decision to be made.

“I understand that it is a large request, and of course, you are free to decline. But I do hope you will consider my offer.” She dips her head to meet his gaze, her blue eyes soft. “You need not decide immediately. Take a day or two to consider and to discuss with your family. I will await your decision by the week’s end.”

His eyes are still fixed on hers. Her face is soft, so far from the striking woman that sat on the throne this morning and faced her subject. Kind, he thinks. She is fierce, but she is kind. For some reason, it doesn’t surprise him.

“Is that all, Your Grace?”

Her brows furrow for just a moment, and then it is gone again as quickly as it appeared.

“Yes—yes, of course,” she stammers. She puts a cheerful smile on her face, but it does not quite reach her eyes. For the first time since his arrival in King’s Landing, it strikes him just how young she is. “I must not keep you any longer. You ought to visit the gardens east of the drawing room, the lilacs are beautiful. A place to clear your head, I find.”

He offers her a smile of his own.

“You will have my decision very soon,” he assures her.

Her smile softens, her chin dipping slightly as she peers at him from under her lashes.

“I look forward to it.”

@as-inevitable-as-morning @hostagetakerandhistraitor @starboybellamy @babybellblake @deadshotbellamy @johnmurphe @frecklessbellamy @stargirlclarke @griffinnblake @still-watching @boob-morley @bellameblake @freckldbellamy @zavens-bellarke @octannibal-blake @lopeforrestlope @cheesemfcake @hermionegranger

#the 100 fanfiction #bellarke fanfiction #bellarke #game of thrones au #GoT au #ASoIaF au #bellamy blake #clarke griffin #queen!clarke #lord!bellamy #sneak peek #tess writes things #fic: the darkest night

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nvmlindseyallan · 6 years

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@Rockettes @EdWestwick @ScottEastwood @nikkiutg1 for the best 2018 pls RT this now! Love, your #GodsTinyDancer

Dear Roman Empire, If there could be any commotion in the next few days amongst you (I don't know how acute it can be if that could ever come), maybe it would be because of this. The love of Godhead compels to say so much sensitive details as you're going to read below (Colossians 2), as much as you need to know everything (Philippians 1, Luke 12,15-19, Acts 4-5,26,20). Also I have a thorn in the flesh to easily forget everything that was shown unto me lest I record it down for future reference. What all I can say is that with what I just did yesterday, December 25, I can tell you that I'm indeed with the spirit of our most beloved Sir Ansel Elgort. I have staked (Revelation 11, Matthew 24) my divine election and all my (Psalm 34, Malachi, Matthew 4) wrights and powers as a shoestring messenger of Godhead (Genesis 13-14) just to do and tell this to you Empire people, and I hop that with this, I had given you a most appropriate gift for your Baal Festival (Genesis 3, 1 Timothy 4, Colossians 2). The best I can do against you. Yea, CALL ME A THIEF. (James 5, Matthew 16,18) It has been said by you that the Bible is the world's 'most shoplifted Book.' You should not wonder at all, guys, due to the eternal truths this Book can offer that no other book of yours can give. What you only utterly care for is profit (Acts 8,13). Therefore it can be said that I have all wrights to do this. Also, I fear that you would not honor me saying to anyone of you that I can choose any book I want to get from you just only because I want to see for myself the facts that you claim. I guess you would not perhaps care about this so much because you would claim that you seek no war with anybody. Yea, should you also do this to us, we would be even more accommodating to lavish you with perks. (Matthew 5-7) Now I know that you have all the money in the world to replenish what you may have lost wright now with all that you have gathered up for yourselves, and thus I guess you would not hold me accountable against this. This also we would go gladly with whatever you may get from us without our consent. In fact we even encourage everybody to get, even without our consent, all from us. This is how we do sacrificial service. You may tend to claim it but yea, you would rather not mean it, but would rather use it indeed for the wrong reasons. Now what I'm talking about this, which what we have done to you, is rather a unexpected, and undeserving, refulfillment of biblical prophecies, timely for the 104th year of your Commondominion of Christ. I myself is very surprised to find myself undeservingly doing this, and I have no idea that this will be coming wright through me, and that Godhead would really direct me without me knowing this as I did it. They just Told me this just long after I did it. As you already did, you have made that your mandated usual yearly readings on these final days of the year will be about: virtually (Zechariah 12-14, Isaiah 43) our story for the past 104 years- our reemergence in these last days by the hand of the Messenger: Isaiah 62, our restoration to Jerusalem through Ka Erdy: Isaiah 52, the ministry of our very own Edward IX: Psalm 98, The calling and commissioning of Ka Angel: Isaiah 9, How your Neronians attacked our yokebearers: Isaiah 9, Psalm 97, Our spirit of martyrdom as dwelling and resting Brooke Sarah Ritchie (yokebearing) on Lindsey's father: Acts 7, Matthew 2, John being a variant of Nathan- our fellows: 1 John 1, Ka Angel's succession line from Ka Ellix also anointed to deliver all our B-C list yokebearers: Isaiah 9, Our branch churches such as those led by the Kitchens and faithfuls to Armstrong: Psalm 98, Isaiah 52,62, My calling here and Lindsey's: Isaiah 62, Luke 1 (see 2 Samuel 7 and Psalm 89 for August 14, 2015: David Archuleta- archangels, Empire now usurps our Michael-named yokebearers. August 15 Empire memorial of Mary the Virgin, one week [Daniel 9] to August 22). With all of these we can indeed say that December 25, 1913 is truly the beginning of the endtimes. (Further, you read Isaiah 9 also on August 22, the commissioning of Ka Ilao, and on the third Sunday of January, near my alma mater's anniversary, when Empire extolled itself in the Philippines: when I was born in 1995, 1 year and 11 months before the 2nd Woe [Genesis 15], and months before our 2015 relaunch.) And as we spoke about anniversaries, we could not help but always look to that July 27, 1989 lesson on the 6th Bowl. I don't know exactly what's with you, or what do you feel about this whether you did this on purpose, but if my sight's not fooling me, you have for years the lowest attendance at the Constantinian Baal Arena this Baal Festival Day. You're supposed to have high grosses by that day, because of course that's The Baal Arena. So we could say that you have literally 'dried up' on the very day of our anniversary. Also, as you already said, we dried you up at Boston, December 25, 1789, the day your men crossed the rivers on December 25, 1776. And as if this is not enough, the homecity of our man in Malacanang held a session on the very day of Baal Festival. 'Turn our captivity up, Godhead, as you would do with the streams in the south.' (3rd Sunday of Advent) There we could see Lady Samantha Jadeau of Australia. And not to mention #SilentNight came from Austria? (Revelation 10) But we must notice what the second portion of the passage reads: 'Behold, I Come Quickly as a Thief.' Again, Ka Sykes is there. '#KissMeQuick.' And Ka Elgort of course, their yokebearing respectively bears witness juts in time for an anniversary of the 2nd Woe on December 26. Let that word sink in to you. 'Thief.' The day before the actual Baal Festival, you had your Manila stations play 'how Grinch stole Christmas.' Months ago we declared a Czech female and fellow yokebearer to be the actual personification of #GodBigDay coming like a Thief. She's named after Christ's Wife, and she has with her another yokebearer not only named after Mary (that is Mary Magdalene), but also after Lady Lindsey's father, that is, Mary the Virgin. I can tell you that I was not inspired by the movie either, because I will never waste my precious time sustaining your weekly Pabebe Weekend broadcasts. These same Empire stations also ran on January 6, 2016, how this Khazarian Jew named Dr. Seuss (named both after us [Theodore, also name of a Zionist] and Empire [Zeus, where Empire based their hybrid christ's name]) delved into the Brighamite settlement of Utah in '#TheLorax.' (Acts 20, Ezekiel 22) I must admit that this is not my first time to steal something. Of course I make sure that if I steal something, no one will be harmed (2 Samuel 23, 1 Samuel 11,14,24,26). So most particularly, I steal books. I once stole a book from my pre-school teacher, but later turned it back when my mother confronted me. I stole another book from my elementary library, yet was not able to keep it, for it was lost. You could say that we're like Robin Hood. The first book of the Book of Mormon tells us that Godhead's servants was prompted by the Holy Spirit to take by stealth from you Empire people anything valuable to our record-keeping. This is understood already, given that you Empire people had already stole many, many things away from us- not only verses, not only archives, but most especially, our very own and most beloved fellow souls- servants, friends, disciples and children of Godhead (Matthew 11, Luke 16). As mandated by Empire my family now takes the usual and accustomed holiday vacation. Of course I have to go with them. I have said to myself that I shall see to it if I can get any Empire-owned copy of any Sacred Text Scriptures (which I don't have yet by now) and if I can ask the nearest Empire branch in our place to give it to us. But I was feeling very uncomfortable with the idea of formal consent. I don't know why. Perhaps the fear of rejection, if I formally present any petition to Empire branches and they know that I'm asking more than they would only give usually. And then they would proselyte me afterwards. (Of course they would only give away the Book of Mormon, not Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price and Joseph Smith Inspired Translation. They would rather give away Ellen White books but not The Clear Word Version. They would rather give tracts than give study lessons, not even the New World Translation.) Of course my family would be angry too if I get more books for myself, because they think I'm getting more smarter than them, (Psalm 119) just like how Joseph Smith was instructed to keep the plates against anyone who would have hot eyes against it. And besides, I'm a very, very shy person getting awkward at first-time meetings, most especially when somebody offers something to you and you don't know exactly what to tell them in return. Of course, Godhead would not Tell you how to do it. As you could recall, one of my relatives, named after the most blessed Clark-Rubio couple, had given me a New King James Version 1982 on the very day the 2nd Woe occurred according to Ka Erdy, and that printed by the Empire agency that has taken for themselves the name of a certified Commondominion Shatterer, Gideon. The following below is exactly how our 104th Anniversary day went out for me, your #GodsTinyDancer. That morning I was so shocked that I was walking across our open lawn (as much as we're a compound here) I saw lying on the #grundhoferday, intact and dry (Judges 6), a 1984 Tagalog edition of the Neronian New World Translation (Ezekiel 24,26), which is supposed to be there for a long time as much as it's made to be a secondary or base tool for some garage work there or for holding the chicken shelters which stood there for some considerable period of time. There we saw the copy of the 1984 NWT sitting there, then I picked it. I was asking the house next door whether said Bible was theirs. They said no. No other persons elsewhere was around at the other nearby houses to say unto me that the Bible is theirs. So I Tookey/Inoue the Bible hence to myself. (Isaiah 29) Talk about your Augustine of Hippo picking a Bible just outside his lawn. That same afternoon I have found out to myself that if I had been entrusted all at once with a copy of the Neronian Bible Translation, then all the more I could get Sacred Text Scriptures from the nearest Neronian locale. Of course all that I think by those times is that I shall formally and respectfully ask permission from anybody who's there. Of course if they're not there they're going to lock their chapels so I thought, if that's the state, I would rather go and approach them the other day (Luke 18). But they're there that day. They rather leave the gate open. Of course if you are to ask us we're also going to do that with our very own facilities because we're not warfreak people as these Empire people who recrucify Christ. So they might tell us now in turn, 'you didn't fulfilled Revelation 16 and even Revelation 3 with what you did because we're in fact open for people to get things from us without our consent, because we're peaceful people.' As I have said already, they would not be open to my requests, perhaps because they won't understand any explanation that I may do to reconcile my intent to them that I may have Scriptures handy with me where I may be. There are people already at the Neronian facility. And I could see them actually. So you may say that I was right where you are, without you knowing it, undeservingly and thankfully by Godhead. I was too shy, no one noticed me. I kept on telling myself that I should have been asking instead for formal permission to ask the copies, but really I can't. So Godhead Told me that it's just alwright for me to get the Sacred Text Scriptures out of that facility without me even asking for formal permission. In fact even the doors of the buildings there are all so open too. So Godhead directed me to get 3 copies out of the building: A Neronian abridged printing of the Joseph Smith Inspired Translation, A three-in-one print of the Book of Mormon/Doctrine and Covenants/Pearl of Great Price in Tagalog, A copy of the Neronian Salt Lake Hymnal. (Note: all 3-in-one prints there are already marked by somebody who either have used or owns such there, yet the Tagalog copies are unmarked. The Inspired Translation print was rather marked to be someone's own. We already have a Tagalog copy of the mandated stand-alone edition of the Book of Mormon, which we got from our maternal grandmother's house, as she received from her Empire friend.) The gate is so squeaky-sounding yet no one of them came out to check the gate, as I have even observed from afar as I went out of the facility. (Isaiah 52) As you already know nobody saw me, and no one even got hurt as usual. Of course to keep it first at sly I have to go through the back of our compound, a muddy woods with a small polluted creek, and hide it on a abandoned open shack there. I have to get it there on evening to another abandoned chicken shelter just near where we stay, and before dawn broke out, I was able to at last place it in our book collection here where we stay. Talk about temple foundations being laid and martyred folks being buried on the wee hours of the day to avoid the Empire's mob. And Joseph Smith having to wait for a bit longer before he fully got the plates- 4 years, symbolizing the now 4 branches of the Empire. (Genesis 2) Also it must be noticed that all 4 Neronian chapels that I saw on my way to our present holiday vacation has mandated #LightTheWorld banners outside their chapels, but this particular chapel near me here now rather does not have such banner outside. Further: when we were walking towards that Neronian chapel I was so shocked to hear that as I passed a store leading up to that place, that store at once and immediately played '#ShatterAllOfMe.' And then I thought, 'maybe this is another sign that I could be able to get the copies I need only through formal permission-asking,' aside from getting the Neronian Translation copy that morning. But as I got there of course Godhead Told me that I must rather steal it. But Empire may tell me, 'do we not need to rather have courage than cowardliness approaching the #gameofthrones?' No. Empire could sit in us as long as they want (Matthew 23), as much as they got it usurpingly (Daniel 11), yet of course if not for that we would not be here together (Luke 5, 1 Corinthians 1-2,12). We only lament this as much as they need to fool people. Out of all the people that they could fool- why yokebearers? Why messengers? And why Lady Lindsey? (Revelation 2) Why steal and cheat them out of us? (Luke 12,21, John 10) Lady Lindsey. I now speak directly to you. I know my testimony now could be somehow tarnished with this. Call me crazy, perhaps even fool, or better yet, wicked, with what I have just done. (Acts 26) You know that you already have access fully to all of these while of course I have to live within my calling as the Poor Little Preacher. I submit myself fully to your judgement, o great Queen of the South, yet remember that as you already know with all the cosplay stuff that you may have in for the past years, some of these characters would be even doing what I do if they were in my place. You know that I can never stop be for your best interests. Godhead's Ways, most beloved Lady, is higher than what Empire claims to be. If Empire's breaking the Gospel Lowe, then Godhead rather orders that we do (1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 18) even worst than what Empire does. This might be shocking, I know, but this is what living prophets are really supposed to do (John 6, Acts 20-21,18,28). Now I would not rationalize anything that I have done, and if this already sounds as such, I really repent. What I just want you to know is that Godhead Told us that we're already refulfilling prophecy again. And yea, as we said earlier, Empire's up again for#WorldWar3 not only that they declare it every week on their Pabebe Weekend Broadcasts, but also because of course they had just recommitted John 18:25 again. So the passage at the 6th Bowl is indeed wright after all: 'gathering them for battle against the Commondominion on the Great Day of Godhead.' And therefore, I humbly apologize then for any far-reaching damage that this might inflict. I don't want anyone to die in war, that's why I warn them that the Kingdom of Godhead is indeed already here wright now with your Commondominion, and that's why I prostrate myself into you and anything that you may think about this. Further, if Ka Elgort and Ka Sykes had attested to this way back long ago, then why Christ has to say 'Blessed are those who would stay or keep themselves dressed up'? As you already know, Empire even has already approved this new divine revelation concerning said matter: being naked is alwright as long as it's in Godhead (Luke 12, Matthew 15) or with us, that is yokebearing (2 Samuel 6, Genesis 2, also see Psalm 149-Luke 22-Deuteronomy 13, Hebrews 4, Ephesians 6, 1 Samuel 17), that is: 'blessed are those who would keep their clothes intact with them, under their possession, and has washed it.' Of course that being 'naked' is not literally but rather spiritually- Empire is wickedly and deceitful (Revelation 3), while our being 'naked' here is concerning not only yokebearing but also our Inclusion Policy, under which adult performers are included (Luke 7, John 8, Hebrew 2,6,10, Matthew 25,15, Joshua 2). They are rather exploited altogether by Empire, that's why Empire's indicted being spiritually naked, that is, their being evil against our fellows (one of our Messengers, Ka Dumlao, was even led by Godhead most recently to be barenaked [Isaiah 20], while another fellow Messenger, Ka Rebusquillo, is even known better to be a frequent wine-drinker [1 Timothy 5, Matthew 26, Luke 17,21]). Why I'm a prophet is not because of what I do, not even these (1 Samuel 19,15), but rather because of you, and that's why I solely rely on your bidding, let alone your rejection. I know that no rationalization I could muster here could make your change your mind about me (Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 6), I just want to tell you what I'm doing here. Believe it or not, but I love you very, very much. (John 3,15,13, Romans 5,8) I know that whether you're going to see these things I'm talking about when we meet only depends, as it is required of Joseph Smith, on my stewardship, or on how Godhead would see of me here in anytime. Moreover, Empire has all power to block and lock me away from any of their facility just because of what I did. Or rather, they need to be from now on endeavoring to lock their offices all the time, when in fact no one's going to kill them, because should we do it to them, they would rather invoke again the very words we're now imploring against their sake. As I have said, I would be not bothering with anybody below, but rather all up high shall be solely accountable for all of these, just as you're going to hold me here accountable, for the sake of all my fellows here. Let it be then said of me that if I'm going to do anything somehow 'wickedly' on the line of my ministry, then this shall be it. (Luke 22-24, 1 Peter 4) Happy anniversary with us, Empire (Luke 15, Deuteronomy 32), and we're going to see #justlove in hell, in the Name of Jesus Christ. #stavrosno to #theGodheadWhostrikes.

JOSEPH STIRLING STEINFELD SYKES (Blogger in Chief and Dance Captain of the Commondominion of Christ)

Get to know our member churches as of late: http://robertlawrencefulg.wixsite.com/commondominion/where-we-are Get to hear our member preachers as of late: youtube.com/channel/UCNgq_i3ZlMTxcczzEYQj6LQ/channels Our blogs: nvmlindseyallan.wordpress.com, nvmlindseyallan.blogspot.com, nvmlindseyallan.tumblr.com Get all day, everyday word from me: facebook.com/nvmlindseyallan Get in touch with me directly: facebook.com/jonas.stirling Like our pages: https://www.facebook.com/jonas.stirling/likes Follow our team: https://www.facebook.com/jonas.stirling/following Meet our team: http://robertlawrencefulg.wixsite.com/commondominion/what-we-give Know your enemy: http://robertlawrencefulg.wixsite.com/commondominion/who-we-are-against-

Where we are, there you must be also: https://www.facebook.com/nvmlindseyallan/posts/1486875711419807

#godstinydancer #NVMLindseyAllan #EVMStirlingTada #edwardismine

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theo-westenberger · 7 years

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Reflections on Privilege, Part IV: Make American Democracy Possible (Again?)

Contributed by Xandra Clark, January, 2017

In a 2014 interview with Krista Tippett for the podcast On Being, civil rights activist Vincent Harding said that democracy won’t be possible until the people in power (implying white people, particularly white men) are willing to give up what they’ve always expected would be theirs. Here are his exact words:

I have a feeling that one of the deeper transformations that’s going on now is that for the white community of America, there is this uncertainty growing about its own role, its own control, its own capacity to name the realities that it has moved into a realm of uncertainty that it did not allow itself to face before.

And I think that that’s the place that we are in, and…maybe, for some of us, [a truly democratic society, or a truly beloved community] cannot come until some of us realize that we must give up what we thought was only ours in the building of a beloved nation.

On Being re-ran the episode after last year’s presidential election, which is when I heard it. I’ve been thinking about this concept ever since and doing some serious thinking as to how I can push for a more just, democratic, and genuinely “beloved” society through my art practice. But before I can do that, I have to fully understand the situation that we are in.

As a person who is half-white, my successes have been achieved at least in part because of the history of slavery, the genocide of Native Americans, and the societal disregard of “others” of every kind, because that history has led to my white privilege, which in turn has led to countless (often invisible) legs up for me. Even though my ancestors were not slave owners or white “pioneers” in this country, my very life has been made possible by the legacy of both, because I doubt either my father or my mother’s grandparents would have emigrated to this country had America not become “the land where dreams are made,” which it became through slavery and genocide.

White men, who are at the top of the power ladder in this country, have similarly benefited, and more so because of the historical subjugation of women. This is not to say that hard work counts for nothing and that all the success that white men (or I) have achieved is due to this history. But it does mean that white men have the luck of starting higher up on the ladder than everyone else, and that I have the luck of starting higher up than many others.

The power structures maintained by this ladder are the products of history, and history is unchangeable. I am not responsible for the past, but I am responsible for how I engage with these issues now and in the future. In this, there is tremendous opportunity for personal action.

If I agree with Vincent Harding, and I do, then to create a true democracy, I—as a person in power to some degree because of my class, prestigious education, and the benefits I’ve received from white privilege—have to examine and give up what I always thought would only be mine. I must give up the mentality that I deserve to achieve, to win accolades, to hold a place at the top. I don’t deserve anything any more than the person next to me. I may accomplish things, but the right to achieve is everyone’s, not only mine, nor just for those who look and sound and have degrees like me. I must give up an expectation of success, of authority. I must at times make my voice quieter and listen harder. I must acknowledge my achievements with a sense of humility and gratitude for the sacrifices others have made (most of whom I will never know) to make my successes possible.

It doesn’t mean I shouldn’t ever rise, and it doesn’t mean I should feel overcome with guilt; it means that it’s critical to acknowledge the truth of how I arrived there and to work to combat those systemic prejudices.

I am heartened by some of my white male friends who, in an effort to help build the truly democratic nation, are intentionally giving themselves less authority and power than they have been trained to believe they should have. In conversations with women, people of color, individuals of the LGBTQ community, and others, they are really openly listening. They are not assuming their expertise; they are assuming the information they have might be incomplete. They are choosing not to raise their hands too much in class or speak too much in meetings or interrupt. They are seeking out and supporting work by artists in marginalized communities. In celebrating their own achievements, they are also recognizing the legs up that got them going in the first place: the privilege, respect, inherited wealth, support, and internalized sense of confidence they have received simply by being white and male. They are working—fervently, devotedly—to combat systemic injustice, even though it is in their personal best interest to maintain it.

What they are doing is attempting to alter their (oftentimes unconscious) psychology around their own rights. Power at the expense of others is not a right, but some of us see the power we’ve been promised and mistake it for a right, unaware that others are not given that same “right.” This is what we need to lose. Because what we expected would be ours is not a human right but a superhuman right: it depends upon the subjugation of other humans. We must give that up.

It will be hard. It will be uncomfortable. Change almost always is. But this is what it is going to take to actually build the beloved society.

As an artist, when you fully recognize this fact, it makes it much easier not to be comparing yourself constantly to others and feeling competitive with your peers. None of us deserves success any more than anyone else, though some of us are of course predisposed to a greater chance at success. That shouldn’t diminish the hope of those of us with less of a chance though. It should only make us want to work harder.

We do not live in a solitary bubble; we live in a network where we are helped and hindered and impacted by people both nearby and far away. Artists must commit to rooting ourselves fully in this network and striving to attain equality within it, even while we keep one eye on the outside looking in so that we can reflect the reality back.

Xandra Clark is an actor, writer, and performance-maker based in New York.

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