#possible blasphemy

[mxgoldenwood]

I really want to talk about Faustus and Mephistopheles??

I've just read this play for a literature class and the instructor mostly wants to discuss the power of Marlowe's blank verse and why it's so effective, but I really want to talk about the way Marlowe describes damnation and how it's left mostly up to interpretation whether (or how) Faustus might have escaped being literally dragged away to torment in hell.

Could he have repented and been saved by God?? The play goes out of its way to say YES.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND... could he have been more sincere and thorough in his denouncement of God and then actually been hailed as a hero in Hell?? I feel like that's a solid MAYBE.

Throughout the whole play, Mephistopheles and Lucifer expound on that idea that Hell is the absence of the grace of God. It's not really about the traditional fires and pitchforks that people tend to imagine. Faustus is reminded to never think or speak of God, and promised that if he will put his faith in Lucifer instead, he'll be rewarded for it. But what does he keep doing throughout the play? He KEEPS bringing up God and Christ, lamenting that he's done horrible things that can never be forgiven, and this and that about the 'wrath' of God.

Regardless of one's personal philosophies about religion or the nature of God or the Devil, this situation just reads like...

Mephistopheles tells Faustus "It was a really tough break-up, and we are NOT friends anymore; God has the best house, but since we sided with Lucifer, we're not allowed to go back, not even to visit. So hey, it definitely sucks, but if you want to be friends anyway, we'll do it under one condition. Say you'll never mention God around us, because we really don't like being reminded of that whole thing, and you're in."

Obviously Faustus is like "I've never even met God, and he probably hates me for talking shit about him, so let's do this."

Everyone else tells Faustus, "PLEASE, they're really not nice people over there. Just say you're sorry about the shit-talking, and you can come to God's house."

Faustus gets all caught up in this pre-game party he's having with Mephistopheles, but he's constantly guilting himself about the shit-talking and the betrayal; he regularly talks about how God must hate him, and even when his time is running out, people keep telling him, "you just have to say you're sorry, it'll be fine, God will totally let you come over," but he insists that, no, he was a huge dick, he can't be forgiven, and how tragic it is for him that he can't go to God's house now.

Why wouldn't Lucifer and his friends be mad?? All Faustus had to do was NOT talk about God, and all he wanted to do was... talk about God. Of course they were going to beat him up for coming to the party and dragging everyone down, ruining the vibe, again, just when they were starting to forget the whole thing.

None of this is to endorse the idea that Faustus should have renounced God completely (obviously the play wants you to understand that he just had to repent), but it is fun to think about "what if."

[frogshunnedshadows]

It's him... the Holy Carp.

[virovac]

Kemono Friends: Frogboy?

Is it wrong that I’d like an exception to the rules and have a male Common Reed frog friend? As long as they’re treated as just “one of the girls” and its not turned into some harem protagonist or used to straightwash the Friends; that’d be a dealbreaker. The sex change would necessarily happen after their Transformation to a friend, overwriting the sandstar base form.

Its partially an in-joke to Jurassic Park (frog dna allowed some of the females to become males) and my biology geekiness.

(This would of course be after the hypothetical design changes to the amphibian friends I have discussed here and here ).

Second thought: two of the frogs, one male one female. No hint of romance between them, because as a Friend honestly their options have expanded greatly.

Further on Common Reed Frog vs Japanese Wrinkled Frog

Theres is the problem of choosing a design though.

Look at this B.S.  This is a really diverse species when it comes to pattern; in fact there is talk about splitting the species classification into multiple species: the two subspecies categories aren’t cutting it. Though given similar b.s. with tropical spiders it may turn out the same patterns occur in different species and not necessarily the most closely related ones. I’d say reference whatever type specimens were used to define the species or pick some patterns from those commonly used in captivity and lab experiments in case it turns of the type specimens aren't capable of the famous sex change .

I should also note these are frogs where the females are more brightly colored , and the females are serenaded by groups of male frogs which she then chooses multiple mates from. The female is the one who initiates plexus.

In hindsight I am now realizing I am proposing frogboy smurfette. Ah well, I enjoyed gushing about frogs so I’ll keep the post.

I also almost did a counter-proposal with the Japanese Wrinkled frog, but found out while editing this that those frogs have a different sex transition thing going on: they can go from male to female, not female to male. 

To think these thoughts came from drawings of Grape-kun as a penguin boy…

[dm-stands-for]

World building is hard because you feel really bad when you have to kill of all the innocent little people that you created. I wonder if this is how God feels.

[shitmystudentssayesl]

I figured it would be fun to get my students to translate Shakespeare's epitaph. They did not disappoint.

Original: "Good frend for Jesus sake, forbeare to digg the dust encloased heare. Blest be ye man yt spares thes stones and curst be he yt moves my bones. 

Student Translation: "A good friend that slept with Jesus but didn't touch his bones."

[howdyspacebuddy]

i'm writing a paper for my Islamic Studies class on the courtship of Khadijah and Mohammad and i'm reading up on my sources and i've gotta say these two are pretty adorable

[fromadmirationtolove]

Do you know how difficult it is to write a paper about the different relationships between characters and the homoerotic tendencies of two characters WITHOUT USING "SHIP" AT LEAST SOMEWHERE IN THESE 7 PAGES?

[hierophantflaithri-blog]

music on the King's mind: Judas

The King is well aware that there are two kinds of people in this world; You are either for Lady Gaga, or against Lady Gaga. So, the King will make a note that yes this will be about a song by Lady Gaga. If you don't like her, don't read this.

In these past few weeks, or rather more like months, the King has been going through a lot. However the King is not here to rant about that right now, perhaps some other time. Anywho, throughout the drama that is the King's life, the King happened to stumble upon 'Judas' for the first time while on Facebook. Now, the King was not aware of the song before this moment, but as the King greatly enjoyed 'Alejandro' the King believed that they would give 'Judas' a try. 

For those who are not familiar with the lyrics:

Oh-oh-oh-ohoo  I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as  Oh-oh-oh-ohoo  I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as  Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas GaGa  Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas GaGa  [Lady Gaga - Verse 1]  When he comes to me, I am ready  I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs  Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain  Even after three times, he betrays me  I'll bring him down, bring him down, down  A king with no crown, king with no crown  [Chorus]  I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel  But I'm still in love with Judas, baby  I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel  But I'm still in love with Judas, baby  Oh-oh-oh-ohoo  I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as  Oh-oh-oh-ohoo  I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as  Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas GaGa  [Lady Gaga - Verse 2]  I couldn't love a man so purely  Even darkness forgave his crooked way  I've learned love is like a brick, you can  Build a house or sink a dead body  I'll bring him down, bring him down, down  A king with no crown, king with no crown  [Chorus]  I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel    But I'm still in love with Judas, baby  I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel  But I'm still in love with Judas, baby  Oh-oh-oh-ohoo  I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as  Oh-oh-oh-ohoo  I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as  EW  [Bridge]  In the most Biblical sense,  I am beyond repentance  Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind  But in the cultural sense  I just speak in future tense  Judas kiss me if offensed,  Or wear ear condom next time  I wanna love you,  But something's pulling me away from you  Jesus is my virtue,  Judas is the demon I cling to  I cling to  [Chorus]  I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel  But I'm still in love with Judas, baby  I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel  But I'm still in love with Judas, baby  Oh-oh-oh-ohoo  I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as  Oh-oh-oh-ohoo  I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as  Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas GAGA

Now, the King is well aware that both the lyrics and the video can be found blasphemous. The King also doesn't really care, because that's not what the King came here to talk about. 

Basically, the King takes something away from this song that has nothing to do with the Bible. It has to do with relationships, and returning to those who hurt you even though someone better has presented themselves. Now, the King isn't going to rant about battered women, or rather the King is going to try but is not going to make any promises.

Being as I am (oh snap breaking third person what?), I rarely do repeat relationships or "take someone back". What I do, personally, is I work out every possible solution while still in the relationship, and if there is absolutely no way to solve whatever the problem might be, then the relationship is over. There is no "I'll take you back if", there is just "We tried, we failed, I'm moving on". I do not personally see a point in returning to someone if you have been in a relationship with them and the relationship did not work out. Especially if you found someone new after that, someone who is good for you and gives you what you need. There's a quote floating about the internet that says "Your ex is your ex for a reason", and I believe it's one of the truer things to ever be said on the internet.

However, I know what it feels like to love someone strongly, and I can understand and have mastered the art of giving "second chances". However, once I realize that there is literally nothing working, then that is where I put my foot down. And if I've put my foot down, there is no way you're getting me to lift it back up. If we don't work out, we don't work out. It's as simple as that.