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Not to be a boomer (I'm actually not though) but I desperately miss having friends that we would like...actually call and talk to each other.
Like don't get me wrong I generally prefer texting too especially if it's just a quick question or whatever but sometimes you just need to hear someone's voice and laugh and rant together
Can I get uh some Brûz The Chopper HCs(He was in Shadow of War)?
Okay, not sure if you're looking for anything in particular here, but here are a few Brûz thoughts:
Brûz spent most of his formative years NOT in Mordor. A few things make me think this: first being, he doesn't really speak the Black Speech. Secondly, he's just...different than a lot of the others around him. He fights for power, he plays the game, he's good at the game; but he seems to be one of the few who actually seems aware of the game and that he plays it rather than just scrambling for power on pure survival instincts
Brûz has worked with Rangers (or someone not orcs/Mordor/whatever) before, and it definitely was not by choice or a good experience, probably captured young and either lived as a prisoner or a slave. I'm thinking about when you first recruit him and his words are something like, "Bright Lord, Dark Lord - it's all the same." (Also, see above point about him spending time with humans and being more comfortable in common tongue than the black speech like other ologs like Ranger that hangs with Ratbag.) I think this is why he was able to play ye ol Gravewalker so well. I think that - aside from the constant power game that is life in Mordor - this plays into why he so readily betrays you in the game for a fort he doesn't really even want. He knows what people like the Bright Lord think of beings like him. He knows he'll be discarded as soon as he's no longer useful. He's not waiting around for that.
Christianity and Homosexuality
So I got my car serviced today and they ended up needing to go get an air filter for me cause they didn’t have one in stock. While I was waiting, I ended up chatting with one of the service techs. I don’t remember how we got there, but at some point she mentioned her girlfriend and then said something to the extent of “I know it’s a sin, but I don’t see why it’s so much more wrong than my mom cheating on my dad...”
To which I said, “You see, I disagree...” Her face kind of went slack, so I continued with, “I don’t think that homosexuality is a sin.”
She seemed so surprised and kinda stumbled a bit before continuing the conversation. You see (and I don’t know whether or not this will surprise most of you), I had already told her that my degree was in Religion/biblical studies and that most of my work since graduating has been with religious groups...and, especially in our area, a pro-lgbt stance is sadly not what’s expected from religious people.
From there we ended up in a discussion on biblical doctrine in general but much also about how it pertains to homosexuality. From her reaction...I think I’d like to share 2 of the points we talked about on here as well.
(Let me take a moment here to say that I firmly believe that if your religion encourages you to be cruel or hate people, you need a new religion. Even back when I was firmly in the camp of “homosexuality is wrong,” I never agreed with any kind of discrimination. I was in favor of marriage equality because, in the same way that I think religions should be left to practice as they believe, I also think that no religion, including Christianity, should be allowed to use the government to enforce their beliefs. Also, I should point out that this is going to be a discussion on this from a Christian pov. If that’s not your thing, no big deal at all.)
Here goes...
1. Sodom and Gomorrah - This. Genesis 18-19. This is the story that get’s thrown in our faces ALL THE TIME. This is, as they say, the story of when God burned two cities to the ground because he could no longer tolerate their homosexual behavior. Right? Right??
Not exactly. Please consider this passage from Ezekiel 16: - (49)Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. (50)They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
Did you catch that? The people of Sodom were horrible. They were themselves wealthy and arrogant and did not use that power and privilege to help those who needed it. And in Genesis we find out that when God sends 2 angels to go check it out and see if it’s as bad as people’s prayers say it is...They try to rape the angels and Lot ends up trying to protect/shelter them. But did you notice what didn’t get said?? “God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of same sex couples who loved each other and just wanted to be together.” Nope. That’s not said at all. There are places, such as Jude 7, that do mention the sexual depravity of Sodom...but even those don’t cite the problem specifically as homosexuality so much as promiscuity/depravity in general. Which brings me to my next point...
2. Context: Gosh...how on earth do I condense years and years of study in biblical interpretation into something understandable and short enough for a blog post? *sigh* Look, let me just say that when studying scripture, context is key. The Bible is a product of the time in which it was written, meant to be understood by people who lived thousands of years before us. Not considering context would be like me leaving a note to my husband while I’m out of town to “remember to take the trash out on Wednesday...” and then people find that note 2000 years later and go, “Oh shit! We’ve been taking the trash out of Tuesday! We’re all going to hell!!”
Maybe that example is a bit extreme, but my point is that while the Bible is excellent and there is so much we can learn from it...we need to be VERY careful not to take everything in there literally as a rigid rule meant to be followed exactly for all time. There are many many things in there written as advice for specific situations. We can learn from those, but we need to be careful in how we choose to understand them.
So what does context have to do with sexuality? This. Back in biblical times, the family unit was everything. It’s how you survived. Women needed a husband because they didn’t have their own rights in most cultures. People who had kids and lots of them were the ones who prospered because they had people to tend the land/flocks and carry on their name/legacy.
So with this society being what it was, men and women were GOING to get married and make as many kids as they could. Any homosexual relationship that existed was either going to be adultery/promiscuity or oftentimes as a part of pagan rituals. Of COURSE in that setting it went against Judeo/Christian teachings.
But things aren’t like that anymore. Our society isn’t built the same way. It’s possible for two same sex people who love each other to live together happily, have kids, and do well for themselves.
...
I know this is a long post, but I know that a lot of my mutuals also come from religious backgrounds and thought this may be a discussion y’all would be interested in. Feel free to add your thoughts. No hate/homophobia/anti-lgbt though. Trust me, anyone in the lgbt community has already been listening to those arguments our whole lives. You’re not going to tell us anything new.
One of the weirdest things about having parents that divorced later in your later teen years is that suddenly your entire childhood became taboo.
Like you can't talk about that fun vacation or game y'all used to play...or at the very least you learn to talk about these things while omitting key details tailored to the parent you're currently next to.
It's even weirder when you're older than all your other siblings so they don't remember things the same way you do and your parents have mentally blocked out those years of their lives or have twisted the memories of them beyond recognition so you're now the sole keeper of the memories
Just reached a pretty cool (to me) milestone on AO3 and kinda wanted to share even though I don't feel like saying exactly what it is
weird question but do any of my fellow neurodivergents have trouble showing pain? or like...when you're super sick and feel like death warmed over but everyone thinks you seem fine?
and I don't mean it in like a "the thought of showing pain/vulnerability is super uncomfortable/scares me" way I mean you are trying to explain to someone how bad you're hurting but they can't see it on your face, so obviously you're fine
Reading this screenrant article and....
"solid bromance...where they argued like a married couple..."
what in the heteronormative hell...
they're literally talking about a scene where Venom tells Eddie he loves him and Eddie gets all cute about it...
Please consider...
At the next JIBCON (when the world is finally not dying and open for business again), Jensen and Misha walk out on stage for their cockles panel. Jensen’s wearing Dean’s clothes and Misha’s got the trenchcoat that he jacked from set and we love them for it.
Misha’s smiling and waving and blowing kisses to the fans and being an all around adorable little shit. Jensen’s doing his “fake grumpy with the fans” thing even though he really loves us.
Jensen: All right, all right, that’s enough. Settle down!
He waves a hand at us while Misha smirks at his fake grumpy boo.
Jensen: All right. Everyone get out your phones and open your camera apps. Don’t look at me like that just do it.
Misha: You really think they’re all not already filming?
Jensen: Shut up. I wanna make sure. [turns to the crowd] And for the love of Jack hold them in landscape mode. No one wants your vertical videos. [mimes turning phone]
Misha: [snickers]
Jensen: We good? Okay. Now, I want all of you to be quiet. Just be quiet, watch, and film. We’re only doing this once so you better capture it right. [points out at the crowd with that “I mean it and I’m watching you look”]
Jensen: [turns to Misha, nods]
Misha: Dean...Why are you- Dean what are you doing in the Empty?
We freak out a little but do our best to hold it together and be quiet for this.
Jensen: Really, Cas? [rubs a hand over his face] First of all, man, you can’t just dump all that shit on me and leave. [jabs a finger in Misha’s direction] Not cool! You didn’t even give me a chance to say anything...
Misha: Dean, I-
Jensen: And secondly, [stares, visibly melts] you’re really gonna stand there ant tell me all about how everything I do is for love...and then ask me what I’m doing here? Really?
Misha: [eyes widen]
Jensen: [swallows and steps forward in to Misha’s space] I love you too you dumb son of a bitch. [grabs Misha by the tie and kisses the fuck out of him in front of all of us]
They eventually part, breaking into a laugh, grinning at each other from where they’re still leaned against each other with foreheads touching. Jensen finally turns to us and waves us down and they laugh at us as we collectively lose our shit.
Jensen: [points out at the crowd] You guys got that, right?
Fans: YES!(+lots of incoherent screaming let's be honest)
Jensen: Good, ‘cause that’s the last time we’re doing that.
Misha: [smirks at Jensen and activates the dom brow, giving him a look suggesting that, no, that is absolutely not the end of it.]
From the way Jensen's blushing and grinning at his shoes, we assume Misha's probably right.
