i want to share some of my recent thoughts on the clergy of ghost if that's okay with you all and if you won't take me too seriously. i will put this under a read more so i don't spam the dash. it's largely musings about the message, some religious aspects, the papas as symbols and some lore bits, sort of to counter the idea that there is only one true interpretation but also all very personal views that i have been enjoying! ♡
anyway, what i really enjoy lately, is the idea of the ministry just being a place for everyone who believes in whatever under the umbrella of a basic shared value system. beyond the satire and criticism of cult and high control group tactics, the catholic church, other religious organisations (and i strongly feel a lot of people are forgetting that it is, largely, satire and criticism), i much like to see it how tobias approaches religion in recent interviews. to acknowledge there might be things we do not understand, which is in itself a sort of faith of course, but not to trust anyone who tells you they have the definitive answer to it, what it looks like, what you have to do to be "worthy" or good or whatever.
in that sense, lucifer, the devil, what have you, is just the face of a plethora of possibilities (as he is in the real world), used more symbolically – liberation, acceptance, not necessarily a theistic belief, if you don't want that but it can be of course, it would certainly be for some people. for others it's not in the literal sense and all of that would be okay in that AU (ideally, it would not be in the real world but conceptually i think it makes sense to have a high tolerance sort of policy where everyone's beliefs are respected).
and the ministry could capture all that, as it would not be a homogenous group of people, depending on how involved you want to be, how deep into theology you want to get etc. and that is just true for most relgions as well, the individual vs the organised aspects. the papas represent that in a way as well, you range from primo who was very submerged in the darker aspects of it and humanity's downfall, then to secondo who is a hedonistic but overall balanced figure all about liberation, to terzo who is idealistic and artful and critical of society striving for a better world, then to copia who saw it as a place of opportunity and belonging and to perpetua who offers this image of hope in utterly hopeless times. then, sister above it all, as this figure who seeks justice and revenge, to fight those who harm the weak, who abuse their power, which i'm sure is a fantasy many people have (not so murderous, perhaps, but the overarching message here is what i want to get at).
i often think back to the initial thoughts we see in early interviews which had a very nihilistic to pessimistic message that is (purposely) very contrary to what we get now ("The fog is the chaos that will ultimately lead to humanity’s total decay and destruction which we will accompany” and all the "humans are vermin" talk) and yes, a sort of stylistic hyperbolizations of cult-like tactics, "weaving the people into their message" through their music and being open about it (unlike other groups). then moving forward through all these years we get tobias talking about how he wants to let people tap in on his sometimes "quite over-optimistic outlook on the future" (which is of course a thing outside of the lore but Papa also shares similar sentiments when he speaks on stage).
anyway, that is a a long-winded way to say i think all interpretations have room and roots within the lore and interview snippets we got over the past decade, the dark satanic ideas, the actual theistic ideas, the perhaps more modern interdenominational approaches, atheistic and agnostic approaches, all sorts of AUs, what have you. i really like that idea, of it almost spanning the whole spectrum, being a bit of everything depending on where you land and to not see it as this monolith where only one reality exists.
I feel like people should calm down because i understand why Will said it's a crush on someone, it's because that someone is in the room with them and he will never tell him that he loves him with everyone in the room...
After reading six issues of Batman Incorporated I really do want a Gotham Knights book with Cass, Tim, Steph, Duke, and Harper as a team based in Gotham being pushed basically as the "next gen" Gotham heroes. I don't think it'll happen though cause their group of heroes is kinda already been jumped over for Damian's generation so any "next gen" Gotham heroes that doesn't have Damian leading it isn't worth publishing probably.
Oh I love when I give myself a right proper challenge.
For those familiar with Doctor Who, and those not, here’s my planned Halloween costume for next year/cosplay:
Of course it won’t be cheap and it’s gonna take me a LOT of time, energy, and effort. BUT! The one thing I can say about myself is that I know I can do it, I plan on doing it, and I’m gonna give it my own spin on the colors to truly make it my own. More to come later.
