Behemoth, Laviathan and the Ziz
This is as big an iteration of these as I could fit within dwarf fortress's resolution limit and the head of Laviathan is about the size of a Hydra.
Colors of behemoth are barrowed from muskox, the rest I couldn't be bothered to find the colors for in the game.
The design of these was chiefly in trying to make the archetypal version of their animal group.
The birdest bird, the fishest fish and the grazerest grazer.
Laviathan is simply fictional, and so I had a lot of freedom in inspirations.
In specific, I looked to eels for length, koi fish for dragonishness and a particular queensland grouper found in the loch lomond aquarium for magnificent gills.
Behemoth is also easy, what with it's name meaning cows, and I wanted it to feel like a massive wall of a creature.
I looked to water buffalo and oxen in specific.
Ziz is interesting because it has the most uncertainty with regards to real life counterparts, being possibly a massive version of the biblical bird, Canaf Rananim (wing of joy).
This bird is theorized to be either the peacock, ostrich, crested lark or eurasian stone curlew, so I drew from all 4 in designing the bird.
The wing of joy is also notably stupid, flying, tough on its babies and a fan of going into the dirt.
This bird being the ziz is argued about and so is this entire section, what with some people saying these literally are describing 4 separate birds.
This entire process made me look at a lot of really gorgeous birds from back home and for this I am delighted.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
β Live Streamingβ Interactive Chatβ Private Showsβ HD Qualityβ Free Actions
Free to watch β’ No registration required β’ HD streaming
Y'all I just finished the bible- the ending was so camp I can't even- Justice for Jesus omg. I mean, I saw it coming from a mile away but it still wrapped everything up really nicely. The eight page long brutal gay sex scene between Judas Iscariot and Jesus of Nazareth was pretty jarring but still really well written! οΏΌ9/10 would definitely recommend the book :)
Moses and the Burning Bush Scene
Movie VS Scripture Comparative Analysis (Part 1/2)
I will say right off the bat that I am not here to argue which one is better. As someone of the faith itβs obvious for me to say that the Scripture is better as Godβs Word is inerrant however I do understand that the movie has a unique way of showing the character of God not in a perfect way but still in aΒ respectable way.Β
Some people may already have noticed these things to be said of the comparison or that some may not even agree with me. However, as somebody of the faith and somebody who is a very big fan of this movie, I do believe that firmly anybody of all backgrounds can truly appreciate this film for the respectable artistic and religious license that was taken into making this movie.
So, letβs get started!
I understand there are some cuts before Moses enters the cave but I want to start with the part when God speaks to Moses for the first time. As you watch the scene, everything that God says causes the wind to move. As He is the one who brings life in His breath of course, this was a nice consistency of His character and authority. Moses perceives Godβs voice is mixed with the wind. More importantly, a whisper.
Most people of the faith describe Godβs voice as a whisper, others call it a βlittle voice in their head,β a conscience, a pit in your stomach, Jimney Cricket. Here, for POE (Prince of Egypt) Moses, God revealed Himself not only visually as the burning bush (which I will want to talk a little more about later) but as the wind.
As it was Mosesβ first encounter with God, the Lord was very gentle with him and talked to him lowly as a whisper.Β
In the screenshot below, Moses replies back: βHere I am.β (So far, this conversation is faithful to the Scriptures). Then, I would like you to focus on how Godβs voice changes. Itβs still blending with the wind but not as a subtle whisper. It is now a low-talking voice.Β
I believe that the reason that this happens is because POE Moses responds back. He acknowledges a presence, which makes him closer to the presence who is talking, although he is already physically. Responding back to your Creator is a sign of obedience, thus obedience creates closeness. Understandably, however, Moses does not know exactly who this voice is so he is naturally and rightfully scared.Β
βThen He said, βDo not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.β (Exodus 3:5 NKJV).
The movie understandably erases the first sentence but only because in the Bible, Moses' attention to the burning bush was something extraordinary that he couldnβt figure out, which had to do with the presence of the angel of the LORD in the bush. The movie doesnβt add this detail explicitly, but I have a hint that it might actually be true later. Moses, in the movie, was allowed to come close. He touched the fire with his staff, nothing happened. Then with his own hand, and nothing happened.
Β So, why would the Lord in the Bible tell Moses to not come close?
It was to show honor to the immediate presence of the LORD. As well as it was for him to take his shoes off. As some Asian countries recognize, once you enter someoneβs home you take off your shoes. Well, now that Moses was in Godβs βhomeβ he must also take off his shoes. Also, servants of that time would usually be barefoot. So, this was a sign of humility. Once again, a form of obedience.Β
Either way, in the movie, Godβs presence is still honored, but perhaps not completely.Β
So, here is my take on how much wonder and detail it came to the presence of God in this film. Even though the burning bush was of fire that doesnβt burn or exert heat of any kind, the light refracted off of it was not what a fire would do. The light refractions off the walls around the cave were like that of water.Β
Then, it came to me. Godβs voice in the wind, the light of a fire, the refraction of water, and the holiness of the ground. Earth, wind, fire, and air. Of course, God is not limited to just the 4 elements, but He did make them and much more. I just thought it was a really beautiful thing to show how God created the elements that we know and He makes them obey Him to His will.Β
Letβs continue. In the Bible, Moses hides his face in fear. While in the movie, he immediately removes his shoes after a momentary state of shock and awe. Personally, I find the reaction to be hilarious because if I was told God was right in front of me I would have that same face too. However, as you take into account what Mosesβ relationship with the Lord could have been, presumably he has been taught the ways of the Lord by his father-in-law Jethro, the high priest of Midian. He was content and living a peaceful life in the desert with his newfound faith and new life. He was taught the glory and honor that God has and demands. He knows of the great things that the Lord has done for His people, the holy works of the Lord. The stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel. He knew of Joseph who brought Israel to Egypt in the first place and why. Now, he was literally talking with the One who did it all.
POE Moses asks, βWhat do You want with me?β I would personally find this face to be of fear and uncertainty. Possibly expecting to be yelled at or scolded. Perhaps he is thinking of his past as an Egyptian prince and what he has done.Β
What really intrigued me though was that as soon as God mentions Egypt the light turns from a white-bluish tone to a more yellow-orange. Why would God do this exactly? Nowhere in the Bible was there any sort of βcolor-changeβ like a mood rock. π However, it was intended to set the tone of the conversation.Β
And the Lord said: βI have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. (Exodus 3:7 NKVJ)
For us the viewer and especially for Moses, it brings us back to Egypt even though we are not physically there. Even during the opening scene, we know of those color schemes. It was a nice visual touch.Β
I would also like to argue that the other voices from Mosesβ past may not be what God is making him hear but what Moses himself is hearing in his own head. God may be speaking audibly and the other memories are thoughts or recalling of moments. Perhaps, both are audible or both are thoughts in his head. Either way, it works.Β
How I felt about it as a little youngβn was that this was all audible and God was replaying other memories in his life relating to the conversation. From Mosesβ reaction to the sound of a whip, one could argue that he was reminded of how Godβs people were treated and the day he fled from Egypt, thus from his own mind. To cater to us the viewer, we have to hear everything that may be influencing a character's movements. So perhaps the memory in Mosesβ mind was echoed audibly.Β
However, later in the conversation, God reveals to him something of the future: βLet my people go!β God can also tell us what the future holds. Prophetic messages. Some are audible to others, some are not. I will say that I love how this can be interpreted freely and left to interpretation. There are many ways that God speaks to us so I truly respect this decision.Β
Another visual touch was how the animators made the burning bush almost resemble human movement despite it being a supernatural presence.Β
When God speaks of βa land flowing with milk and honey,β you could almost hear His voice say it and show the significance of abundance, like arms physically stretching out.Β
Will The Chosen get into what Jesus could have thought about gay people? Did gay people approach Jesus asking Him to perform marriage ceremonies? Did people suffering from gender dysphoria ask Jesus to use His power to change their gender?
I doubt that the Chosen will tackle topics like that, since because of how much attention is given to conversations about those subjects, it's likely that any attempt to touch on it would take the show's focus (and what people take from the show) away from what it should be: the Gospel, and Yeshua Himself.
As to the historical aspect, it's pretty certain that no gay person would have asked Yeshua to perform a marriage ceremony. Homosexuality was a capital offense at the time (along with a host of other things, such as adultery--more on that later), so it would have been incredibly dangerous to admit to openly practicing it. Additionally, because ancient Jewish marriage was a much larger endeavor than marriage today, this would have been practically impossible: the first stage of the marriage ceremony began a year prior to the final feast and consummation, and the families of both parties were deeply involved. Basically, it would have taken much more than just Yeshua's approval to facilitate any marriage! (As an aside, many of the rich traditions in these ancient ceremonies are carried on in modern Jewish weddings. Some really cool stuff!)
That being said, what we do know is that Yeshua sought out the lowly, the outcasts, and those who suffered; it's quite possible, then, that He did meet someone struggling with their gender or sexuality and the way those things affected their life, and perhaps some of them did seek Him out for advice or help.
As to how He would have responded or what He thought about these people: while I won't speculate as to what He would have said or done, I know Yeshua always spoke and acted with the perfect balance of grace and truth. Probably the best example of his approach to difficult matters like this is found in John 8:2-11:
At daybreak, He appeared again in the Temple Court, where all the people gathered around Him, and He sat down to teach them. The Torah-teachers and the Pβrushim [Pharisees] brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery and made her stand in the center of the group. Then they said to him, βRabbi, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in our Torah, Moshe commanded that such a woman be stoned to death. What do you say about it?β They said this to trap him, so that they might have ground for bringing charges against him; but Yeshua bent down and began writing in the dust with his finger. When they kept questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, βThe one of you who is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.β Then he bent down and wrote in the dust again. On hearing this, they began to leave, one by one, the older ones first, until he was left alone, with the woman still there. Standing up, Yeshua said to her, βWhere are they? Has no one condemned you?β She said, βNo one, sir.β Yeshua said, βNeither do I condemn you. Now go, and donβt sin any more.β - John 8:2-11
There's a lot we can learn from this passage, but most of all we are shown that our God is a loving and merciful God who cares for us when others, or even society as a whole, do not, and He will guide us to the right path to enable us to live a life honoring to Him. That love that He showed to the woman in the passage above is the same love He showed to everyone--and can show to us today! You and I can personally experience His love, and your own interaction with God will be much more valuable than anything I can hypothesize about :)
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
β Live Streamingβ Interactive Chatβ Private Showsβ HD Qualityβ Free Actions
Free to watch β’ No registration required β’ HD streaming
This is probably not the best place to ask, but youβre also a Christian woman too. I was wondering what you thought about what the Bible says about women and how we must submit to husbands and some other stuff that has me (a potential ace) Christain woman kind of terrified. I would go to my church but social anxiety and my church is pretty conservative. I donβt want to think that weβre just second rate citizens with this. Umβ¦thatβs all. You donβt have to answer. Love your Tumblr. Itβs one of the main ones I look at. Thanks for countless enjoyment!
β β β
(Iβm responding on the submission and not the ask because the ask refused to post properly, I think it was too long for Tumblrβs fancy)
So I know you just asked for my thoughts and not a biblical interpretation lesson, but I didnβt spend 3 months writing an exegesis in college for me to never use those skills again, so buckle up for something of a long answer! (literally, this is almost 3 thousand words, so....sorry about that)
*rubs hands together*
The thing we need to take into consideration when reading the bible is Interpretation; any truly honest biblical scholar would tell you it is a mistake to take every word in the bible at its literal face value, ESPECIALLY since most of us are reading translations of scripture, not the original ancient hebrew/greek/aramaic/whatever else.
So when interpreting scripture, we must consider these things:
Author (Who wrote it?)
Audience (Who was it written for?)
Context (What is written around it?)
So the verses youβre referencing are Ephesians 5:22-23, and in the NIV, they read as follows:
22Β Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23Β For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Β Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Isolated from author, audience, and context, they sound pretty sexist, donβt they? And male authority figures have used these verses as justification for the oppression of women for centuries, just as white men used the passage only a few verses away, Ephesians 6:5, as justification for the oppression and ownership of black people (Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ).
So letβs look at each of the points above in regards to Ephesians 5 and 6. First, who wrote it? Sometimes that can be a tricky question to answer, but in this case, itβs actually very easy (though there is still a bit of fuzziness/debate). Traditionally, Ephesians is one of the Apostle Paulβs letters to the early church. Specifically, to the body of believers in Ephesus, a Greek city that was a part of the Roman Empire at the time. According to two different study bibles I have, the letter of Ephesians was not addressing any particular problem that the church in Ephesus had (as was often the case with Paulβs letters), but was meant as an encouragement of faith and to increase his readersβ understanding of what it meant to be a follower of Christ.
So now what about the Context? Why are the verses at the end of chapter 5 and beginning of chapter 6 so damning to our modern sensibilities? To answer that, we must look at the passages both in context to the verses around them, and in historical and cultural context (which is where 1 & 2 come into play again).
Going back to the beginning of chapter 4, which is subtitled βUnity in the Body of Christβ (and remember, these subtitles and groupings were come up with LONG after they were written; we grouped sections together in a way we thought was most logical, which honestly for a book as short as Ephesians I would argue is barely even necessary), we can see that the letter from chapter 4 onward is about living a Holy and Godly life. Chapter 4 urges us to be βcompletely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in loveβ and warns us against living βas the Gentiles* do, in the futility of their thinking.β *Gentiles in this case meaning not neccesarily all non-Jews, but non-believers.
AKA, we should live like Jesus lived, WWJD and all that jazz. If the Holy Spirit is in our hearts and our relationship with God is at the forefront of our lives, then that should show clearly in our actions. The very first verse of chapter 5 reads βBe imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.β
Chapters 5 and 6 especially are meant to act as a sort of guide for how a follower of Christ should act. Thereβs some stuff about obscenity, greed, sexual impurity, 5:15 sums it up pretty well basically, βBe very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise but as wise,β and then we reach the all important verse.
Ephesians 5:21, βSubmit to one another out of reverence for Christ.β
Thatβs a full sentence, just that there. Submit to one another. The following three sections are all subsections of this point: one for Wives submitting to Husbands, one for Children submitting to Parents, and one for Slaves submitting to Masters.
But when looking at all of these, bad shepherds (ie, racist, sexist assholes) like to ignore that first bit, submit to one another, just as they like to ignore 5:28, which says βhusbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself;β or they ignore 6:4 which says βFathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord;β and they ignore 6:9, βMasters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.β
I do highly encourage you to read chapters 4, 5, and 6 in full, or at least start at 4:17, which is where Paul starts talking about βLiving as Children of Light,β because it makes the intent of these apparently damning verses much more clear.
Paul is stating that as Christians, we should treat everyone around us with honor and respect. According to one of my study bibles, the grammar of the original Greek suggests that the βsubmissionβ involved in all three sections is intended to be mutual submission, and is to come from a filling of the Holy Spirit.
However, to be quite frank, Paul still Lived In A Society. A highly structured, patriarchal society, in which all members of a household (women, children, slaves) were expected to submit to the patriarchal head of that household. Male children until they reached adulthood, Slaves until they were freed (remember that, while by no means a purely morally good thing, the system of Roman Slavery was VASTLY DIFFERENT from the Atlantic Slave Trade that men later used this passage to justify existing), and women, unfortunately, for their whole lives.
In another one of his letters, what is now the book of Galatians, Paul says in chapter 3 verse 27-29 that βYou are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abrahamβs seed, and heirs according to the promise.β
This would have been radical at the time. Paul is promising all people of all genders and classes that, in the eyes of God, they are Equal, One, and all βsons,β meaning that they all have a right to the Inheritance of the Father (remember, at this time and in this culture women did not get any inheritance, and younger sons got significantly less than the firstborn. Paul assures the believers that they ALL are equal receivers of the Promises of God).
But this equality that Paul speaks of was, in his eyes, a spiritual equality. He was not particularly concerned with overthrowing the earthly patriarchal society that subjugated women and lower classes, but rather instructed all members of that society who also were Believers to submit equally to one another out of love and respect, for they were all Equal in Godβs eyes and would be Equal in heaven.
This is why he both tells women to submit to and obey their husbands, but also husbands to love, cherish, and care for their wives. Children, obey your parents, but Fathers, donβt be dicks to your kids. Slaves should obey their masters (slavery was much more like a job that you werenβt allowed to quit until your boss said so) but Masters shouldnβt abuse their slaves.
There are Societal Authorities, and Paul is telling his readers βlook you canβt just go around not respecting those Authorities, but also hey, if youβre the Authority? Thatβs not a free pass to be an asshole.β As one of my study bibles puts it, βPaul counseled all believers to submit to one another by choiceβ¦this kind of mutual submission preserves order and harmony in the family while it increases love and respect among family members.β
Paul is basically saying βitβs better for everyone if we all get along, and remember that Christ had a servantβs heart, and intentionally lowered himself for us, so we should do the same for each other.β And while a patriarchal class system is still super sucky for like 80% of the people involved, at least itβs a whole lot more bearable if everyone involved is being a Nice, Good Member of that Society.
You mentioned being worried about being treated like a βsecond rate citizen.β The fact of the matter is that when this was written, women were second rate citizens; that is the context in which Paul is writing. And while I firmly believe that that was wrong, in every sense of the word, Paul wasnβt especially concerned about challenging that aspect of society. Priority one was βSpread the Gospelβ and Priority two was βDonβt Get Killed while Spreading the Gospel.β
Speaking of Paul, letβs talk a little more about Saul of Tarsus, shall we? In all literary analysis, it is important to examine the authorβs beliefs and what biases may have made their way into the work. And while we believe the bible to be a Holy Book, it can and should be subject to the same rules of literary analysis as non-religious texts.
First, you must ask yourself, what do you believe about the bible? There are four general ways of looking at it (which are called Theories of Inspiration).
The bible is the Divine Word of God, dictated word for word across centuries directly to its human authors by God Himself.
The bible is the Divine Word of God, written across centuries by men Inspired by the Holy Spirit. While they are writing in their own words, this Inspiration means that the bible is Wholly Perfect with no errors.
The bible is the Divine Word of God, written across centuries by men Inspired by the Holy Spirit. However, because they are imperfect, fallible men, there is a possibility of errors in the text, both in the account of events that happened and in the teaching therein.
The bible is a collection of accounts written by men, with no Divine Intervention from God. It is not Holy, Godβs Word, or Infallible.
I was raised to believe theory 2, but now I personally believe theory 3. And since Iβm the author of this analysis, it is through the lens and bias of theory 3 that I now present my next point:
Paul was sexist.
I donβt think he was maliciously so (see again, Galatians 3, and the statement in Ephesians 5 that men should honor, cherish, and care for their wives), but he was a product of his time who had ingrained ideas about women and their place in society. This does not A) mean he was right about how women should act OR B) mean that we should toss out everything he had to say, about women or otherwise, because he was Problematic.
Most biblical authors were, in fact, Problematic. Either by our modern standards, due to the time in which they lived, OR by the standards of their own time, because God liked to use Imperfect People (weβre all imperfect, but He liked particularly imperfect people) in His plans. David was an adulterer and murderer. Paul happily sent dozens of Christians to their deaths. Peter was hotheaded and super prejudiced against Gentiles and Samaritans. And most of them were, in one way or another, sexist, racist, and homophobic. These biases then found their way, intentionally or not, into their writings, and then other racist, sexist, homophobic men used those writings to justify systemic oppression of anyone who was not like them. Oppression that is not Christlike.
So where does that leave us, in our 21st century application of scripture to our daily lives? We must examine how it was to be read at the time (which we have done), and then see what we can apply from it to our own lives. For myself in my marriage, I look again to the original grammar of Ephesians 5, that indicates the submission is to be mutual. I βsubmitβ to my husband, and he βsubmitsβ to me.
In other words, our relationship is built on Trust, Clear Communication, and Respect for one another. Sometimes we have to compromise, and I have to put aside my own desires for his sake, or he must set aside his own desires for my sake. It is a willingness to listen to one another, to approach conflicts with an open mind, to consider each otherβs feelings before we speak. It is an equal, mutual submission based on love for each other, which doesnβt contradict what Paul says at all.
God created all people to be equal. Humans are stupid sometimes and try to insist that we know better, try to create hierarchies and use the bible to try and justify that, but that doesnβt mean those humans are right. If your church is trying to make you feel less than because of your gender, or if you date somebody who pushes TradWife rhetoric and tries to use Ephesians as their justification, then you Run, and feel justified in doing so.
(Especially if they also try to use Paulβs words to tell you why you owe your partner sex; see again, Paul was not only sexist but also lived in a patriarchal time when women were second class citizens that had very specific expectations placed on them AND he wasnβt even in a relationship himself, forgive me if I take his advice on my sex life with a grain of salt. Without doing this whole process again, a good modern reading of βdonβt deprive one anotherβ is βdonβt use sex as a weapon in your relationship/withhold it for bs reasons when youβre mad at each other, etc. Like all other relationship things, sex (or a lack thereof) with your spouse should be based on mutual trust, communication, and love, not petty arguments or the standards of others.)
Trust me, as an ace woman myself, I totally get the fear. Iβve felt it myself, in the past. But Godβs intentions for you are not that you become a doormat or servant to a man. If a romantic relationship (or any other partnership) is part of His plan for you, then the bible clearly states, both in Ephesians and elsewhere, that it should be one built on Love and Trust, not Subjugation and Servitude.
I hope this helped you, and again, sorry it was so long XD. Have an amazing day! <3
Look, I'm not saying that Hannibal killing Chilton was the right way to handle his abuse buuuut if you look at it biblically, all sin is the same so technically- technically- Chilton is just as bad as Hannibal and we can root for Hannibal no problem.
