The Bearded Atheist

1. will and elizabeth’s love story

2. elizabeth becoming pirate king

3. avoiding sexualizing elizabeth or the other female pirate characters in the first 3 films by allowing them to wear period-accurate pirate outfits that aren’t tailored to be revealing and impractical for ‘sex appeal’ just because they’re women

6. I run a corseting panel at cons and literally use Elizabeth’s lace-up scene as a video clip of what historical corseting was actually like, because the only thing they got wrong in this scene is that tightlacing wouldn’t be a thing for about another 200 years (and you couldn’t tightlace with the corset style Elizabeth is wearing anyway). It’s one of the most accurate corseting scenes I’ve ever seen.

7. Will’s hat.

8. That scene with all the pirates on the gallows where that little boy starts singing Hoist the Colours? Yeah, that’s fucking legendary. The rest of AWE was kind of a trash fire, but that scene gave me goosebumps.

9. There’s this great shot in the first one where they really drive home the class differences inherent in this time period by having the governor talking about progress and civilization to Elizabeth in their carriage, and then they cut to a shot outside the carriage where a beggar gets splashed by mud from the wheel. It’s a perfect way to underline that everything is not, in fact, a nice little upper-class fairytale, and to give some weight to Will’s storyline, because he has a lot more in common with that beggar than with the governor.

10. For its time, the CGI was fucking amazing.

11. And let’s not forget the work of the makeup department, which had to actually invent new ways of putting on makeup for this movie.

12. The governor’s death scene. Holy shit.

13. They could have gone with a Jack/Will/Elizabeth love triangle, but they didn’t. There are some hints Jack is in love (or at least in lust) with Elizabeth, but he recognizes that she loves Will, and that’s that.

2. They had a woman pirate right in the first film, when the tradition is to only show male ones (hell, the PotC ride at Disney had a wench auction scene until recently). And it was a female pirate of colour at that!

3. Elizabeth may not have known how to fight in the first film, but she wasn’t helpless either. Her first instinct was to fight, but she also had the brains to recognize when it was best to hide instead. Plus when given the chance she stabbed Barbosa that one time.

4. Elizabeth’s lack of fighting ability was not simply because she was a woman, it was clear it was due to her societal circumstances, since we saw other women of different socioeconomic backgrounds being able to fight (and when given the opportunity to learn Elizabeth took to fighting like a duck on water).

5. The Hoist the Colours scene where we see pirates of multiple ethnicities and their varying flags, reminding us that pirates came in all shapes and sizes and weren’t just white men.

6. One of the Pirate Lords being yet ANOTHER woman of colour. She may not have had much of a speaking role if memory serves, but even her presence is already a big deal.

Davy Jones CGI is legendary and a ton better than some of the stuff done today 😄

He was like the parent bird that saw two who couldn't fly, threw them in the air and taught them, then got to wreak havoc on people's cars with them so that he wasn't alone.

8 page short kids book class project on important/current/difficult topics! Covered the topics of change, sibling relationships and the subject of having a transgender family member (in this case an older brother!)

And everyone is always so shocked and amazed but like. It really shows how much we’ve tied morality to legality. Legal corporations exploit and harm people every day and we’re all used to is. A petty thief has normal morals and everyone is like shocked.

“Uhuh, yeah, I see that look in your eyes Glynda. You know exactly where I’m going with this. How high do you think Spiderman can throw you?”

Cue Spider-Man kicking ass in pink ballet shoes and leggings.

This actually increased his popularity severely, and lots of people suddenly gained the interest in ballet; boys too, because if someone as cool as Spider-Man does it, everyone can do it.

The Stage Manager:

Lock Down Drill (background) - 0:06

Panic - 0:12

Screaming - 0:17

Gunshots - 0:31

Blood - 0:33

Shoutout to the kids who dreaded Sundays.

Shoutout to the kids who tried not to cry during altar calls.

Shoutout to the kids who did cry during altar calls.

Shoutout to the kids who hid in the bathroom, or walked around in the parking lot, or faked being sick to get out of the worst parts of services.

Shoutout to the kids who got quizzed about the sermons on the way home afterwards, and never knew enough.

Shoutout to the kids who got tired in church and fell asleep and got punished for it.

Shoutout to the kids who tried to be honest with the preachers during ‘counseling’ and had that information used against them.

Shoutout to all the kids who spent time in the basements, in the broom closets, in the kitchenettes, in the unused Sunday school rooms, alone with monsters.

Shoutout to the kids who tried to spread a gospel they didn’t understand.

Shoutout to the kids who were scared of hell, desperate to get to heaven.

Shoutout to the kids who had to stand in front of the congregation, for any reason.

Shoutout to the kids who weren’t allowed to ask questions.

Shoutout to the kids who asked questions anyway, and dealt with the consequences.

Shoutout to the kids who got baptisms they didn’t understand, or baptisms they didn’t want.

Shoutout to the kids who got purity rings, made oaths to never drink, to only keep clean friends, and failed to uphold those commitments.

Shoutout to the kids who people tried to faith heal. To the kids who sat in a chair for anointing or laying on of hands, and tried to go numb before it began.

Shoutout to the kids who tried to imagine scenarios of confrontation about their spiritual lives, to be prepared for it when it happened again.

Shoutout to the kids who hated themselves on Good Friday.

Shoutout to the trans kids who had to wear all the wrong Sunday clothes. To the queer kids who believed their very bones were evil.

Shoutout to the kids who laid out their souls, who tried so hard to be good enough, and got trampled on by the people they trusted.

Shoutout to the kids who didn’t know that a life without these things is possible. And that it’s possible for them.

I know that countless people will be forced to watch the "messages of love and peace," knowing that each word said will only serve to enhance their fears of being hated, ostracized, and isolated.

Please know that you're not alone. Please know that you are loved. Please don't darken the world by ending your life. Please know that there are people who want you to be who you truly are. Please know that you deserve happiness.

I know that it's hard. I know that things seem impossible. I know you want the horror to end. We all know, and we all want it to end.

We of the lgbtqia+ community have a long war ahead of us, with patience, love, hope, and determination being our greatest allies.

Remember that we didn't get from Martin Luther King Jr. to President Obama in a day. Remember the great strides our amazing community has made over the past few decades alone.

History has proven movements like ours to be correct, deserved, and just. We have the ability to prove it again, and we will. We will win this war, and gain true equality and freedom.

Stay strong, my friends, and know that we are with you.

So you go to a protest. The police “decide” it’s a riot. This can happen because the protest didn’t have a permit. Or someone throws a bottle. Or the police think maybe they possibly see someone with something that might, maybe, conceivably, be a weapon. Or, you know, they tell you to march on the wrong side of the street and then arrest you for being on the street. Or if you disobey police instructions to do an illegal thing, they arrest you for disobeying police instructions.

Oh, and if they really don’t like the protest, they will embed agents provocateur in the protest to manufacture the violence the real protesters refuse to conveniently provide. (I’m looking at you, California Highway Patrol).

So. You get arrested. And by “You” I mean “You and 5000 of your closest buddies". Well, okay, if you’re lucky you’re just arrested. If you’re unlucky first they decide to “kettle” the protest, which is where they just force the protesters into a dead end and then just… don’t let anyone leave. For hours. Without food, water, or access to bathrooms. But eventually they decide to start arresting people en masse.

In mass arrests, police tend to play fast and loose with these little concepts like “right to see a lawyer” and “stand before a judge and hear the charges”, or “know what you are charged with” and even “not being detained without charges”. In fact, they tend be kinda hinky about “keeping you in a safe holding cell provided with food and water” and even “letting you have access to live-saving medication or care”. They’re… really shitty to protestors in general, okay?

Now, you’ve been arrested. You may be suffering from injury due to tear gas, fire hoses, or just having the shit beat out of you because the arresting cops felt like it. You may be injured because they zip-tied your hands for hours, using “mass arrest” zip tie cuffs which are only safe to use for a brief while as someone is in transit, but cops don’t follow rules, they enforce “rules”.

You’re in a mass holding facility. These are temporary deals, usually warehouses pretty far from the center of town, consisting of holding cells made using chain-link fencing. You’ve been shoved in one of these cells with too many other people. There is nothing to sit on, no bedding, no blankets. No AC in the summer, no heat in the winter. You’re just… standing there. If you need to go to the bathroom, or gods forbid see a doctor - good luck with that. If youre fellow cellmates are decent, they’ll maybe try to arrange to stand in a way to get some privacy while you each pee in a designated corner or something. Dignity is not an option.

At some point, usually within 48 hours or so, you’ll either be charged with something, or released without charges. If the former, you’ll be none-too-gently thrown into a proper detention cell at the city or county lockup to await a hearing. If the latter, you’ll be “released”. Your belongings (i.e. your cell phone, wallet, keys, cash, etc.) might be returned to you at that point, but don’t hold your breath. More likely they will either refuse to return these things at all, or they will “graciously” mail them to your legal address within N weeks. After imaging your cell phone and throwing any cash you had into the “confiscated, could not return” pile.

Now, when I say “released” I don’t mean they give you a ride back to where they grabbed you. You’re now in an industrial park on the outskirts of town, without a wallet, money, or a cell phone. And you’re not released all at once, they just let out a few at a time. Fortunately there are groups which will meet and assist you in getting home, but you’re kinda entirely at their mercy. And yes, police have a history of fucking with those groups, too - they’re not big fans of anyone who helps protesters. Which means they’ll lie about where and when people are being released, threaten and intimidate the support folks - you know, like cops do.

But let’s optimistically assume at this point you can get home. Let’s even optimistically assume your vehicle, which you smartly did not drive to get to the protest, has not been impounded. You have most likely been missing from work, with no way to contact your job, for at least one full day, maybe longer depending on when the protest was, when your next shift was, and how long the police decided to hold you.

If you work in an at-will state, that’s all she wrote. You’re now out of a job, unless your boss is particularly merciful. At best you were fired with cause for failing to come in to work. At worst, well, the police can still decide they want to charge you. That’s a specter which can hang over your head for years, especially if you ever get arrested again. And in the US, having a criminal history, or even having been arrested, can keep you from getting a job again.

Yeah. There’s damned good reason people don’t go to protests.

This is also why I don’t judge people who don’t march (and why I personally don’t march, because I can’t risk being held without my medication).

Say you go, and everything was fine (you don't get arrested, beaten up, tear-gassed, or hit with something). However, your boss happens to get a glimpse of you through a news feed.

Say this boss agrees with the police (or, gods forbid, is racist/phobic to anything not like them).

I’m a gentile, raised Mormon. This year, my dad and his wife are celebrating Hanukkah.

So, question one, is it okay for gentiles to celebrate Hanukkah? They’re being pretty careful, learning the rules, making sure to light the candles right and everything.

Now we go down a bit of a rabbit-hole. In the Mormon religion, there’s a belief - a “doctrine” - that all people are descended from the twelve tribes of Israel. In a special, personalized “patriarchal blessing” you receive around 15 or 16 years of age, your “descent” is revealed - that is, which tribe of Israel you belong to. This is not genetic. Parents and children and siblings can “belong” to different tribes. It has nothing to do with actual family history, and seems to be entirely symbolic, based on your apparent role in God’s plan.

When I questioned why they were celebrating Hanukkah, they claimed it was because they’re celebrating their heritage. As far as I’m aware, however, there is no Jewish blood in my family or my stepfamily, and they made mention of their “descent” from the twelve tribes of Israel, implying that they believe they have a right to this holiday because of that.

I’m baffled. I absolutely support learning about and respecting Jewish culture, but it’s not okay for them to claim that this holiday is for them, is it? They’re Christian. They’re sitting here reading an article titled “Hanukkah is for Christians.”

My name is Josh (he/him/his) and I’m a student rabbi and Jewish Educator living in New York City.

Thank you so so much for your thoughtful and very thorough question.  I really appreciate you reaching out to the Jewish community for some advice.  

In short, no.  It is not okay for a non-Jewish person to celebrate a Jewish holiday or perform a Jewish ritual unless they either (A) doing so in a Jewish space with or for the benefit of their Jewish loved ones or (B) doing so in preparation to convert to Judaism (and are working directly with a rabbi, cantor, or other Jewish person to help them on their blossoming Jewish journey).

I am not a fan of arguing that other people’s theological understanding of the world is incorrect as theology can be so personal, often confusing, and rather complicated.  So I do not feel comfortable commented specifically on this Mormon theology that you pointed out.  I believe that all religious beliefs that do not hurt another human being – or group of human beings – should be celebrated.  But I will comment specifically on the appropriation of Jewish rituals and why this is an act of antisemitism.

There is a growing movement in the Christian world – not just within the Mormon Church – of folks who believe that they have a right or a privilege to celebrate Jewish customs and holidays.  I have heard that many folks do it in the “name of Jesus,” or like in this case “because it is ‘our’ heritage.”   Both of these points are rather disturbing when you trace the atrocities committed against Jews by Christians throughout history. Christians are responsible for so much Jewish pain throughout history and have absolutely no right to appropriate Jewish traditions.  It is disrespectful, because regardless of how any non-Jew follows the “rules” one attempts to follow, it is still not their holiday, their custom, their heritage, nor their tradition.  

This is all my way of coming around to say that you are 100% correct friend.  And thank you for coming here for your Jewish siblings to reassure this uncomfortable feeling you might be feeling.  I also agree with your statement that learning about other people’s faith traditions is important.  Personally I love learning about Mormonism (if you have any fun articles, please send them my way!).  You are in the right here.

I’d like to end by adding a few fun tidbits that I am sure that your father and his wife might not be thinking about.   Every single Jewish holiday that we celebrate today is a product of evolution over time.  Most Jewish customs as well are a product of a slow evolution– meaning that the Jews would have practiced in Jesus’ time, is sharply different than the Judaism practiced of today.  As an example back in the first century, Jews were most likely having a debate about the custom around how many candles one should light– and in what order– on the Hanukiah (Hanukkah Menorah).  Although Jewish Law states that one should light at least one candle each night, the custom has developed to light one light the first, two the second, three the third, and so on and so fourth.  This is all to say that for the elites in the first century who practiced Hanukkah, they probably would not have lit the candles via today’s custom. (If it would be helpful, I’d be happy to make similar arguments about other Jewish holidays, customs, and modes of being Jewish!)

Ultimately friend, you are in the right here.  Your gut telling you that this celebration is wrong, is totally on point.  Thank you so much for bringing so much compassion to this really rather challenging issue. 

Anne Frank was baptized as a Mormon decades after her death. Her death BECAUSE she was Jewish.

Many, many Jews have complained about this and the “church’s” standpoint has always been “deal with it.”

They also do this to other oppressed minorities, like Native Americans, without the consent of the person at all. It’s sickening.

I really appreciate you both reaching out and helping me understand this issue. The truth is, I felt in my gut that what they’re doing is wrong, but I didn’t want to broach the argument without asking actual Jews first - because I am not, after all, Jewish, and don’t know much about the culture or religion. Thank you so much for the information and treating my lack of knowledge kindly. I’m going to attempt to broach the issue with my family, but things between myself and them are… tense, and I’m not sure they’ll respect this.

I’ve really appreciated this opportunity to learn, and I hope I might be able to get through to my dad and his family about this.

Thank you for modelling kindness and a yearning to learn about other human beings.  In the Jewish world, we would call you a true Tzadik.

@the-home-kvetch - thank you for your important input to this conversation here.

If you are not Jewish, please read this important conversation.  And if you have a chance, please read the notes. 

I hope that this conversation can inspire us all to learn about other faith traditions and to explore other cultures with the goal of making us better informed, more compassionate human beings.  As the Jewish sage Hillel would say, “If I am only for myself, what am I?”

l’shalom.

I’m asking this seriously and with only good intent. I’m a Scouter and part of what we try to teach our youth is respect for everyone’s beliefs. I’ve had discussions with imams to figure out how best to keep camp halal for a youth.

But I’ve always hesitated to bring in lessons on others’ faiths because I don’t want to overstep yet I also want to expose the kids to as many faiths as possible so that they grow up understanding and respecting.

Thank you so much for your really thoughtful question. I’m really digging this thread- it’s great that you’ve joined !

I think that it’s important to come at these conversations from perspective to help frame where an individual might stand on a particular issue. You mentioned that you are identify as an agnostic. Something that I’ve noticed about most folks who identify as agnostics (and not as “agnostic Muslims” or “agnostic Jews”) is that they are most likely former Christians or their form of agnosticism benefits from being a part of a majority system. I think that is an important frame here : because although many folks have the best intent in mind (and I have no doubt in my mind that you don’t have only the best intent based on this very thorough and thoughtful question), oftentimes they should not be appropriating Jewish ritual.

Your question brings up a lot of really good questions that I’d like to answer individually.

Q- Can a non-Jew teach others about Hanukkah?

A- absolutely. Please do. Especially children. But please make sure to not white wash it. Teach about the battle of Hanukkah. Teach about why the Maccabee’s were fighting the battle and the centrality if Jerusalem to Jewish tradition and history. Teach about the myth of the oil lasting 8 nights. Teach about miracles. Teach about the driedel and the Hanukiah (Hanukkah menorah). And don’t let the Jewish kids feel left out at a time when a Jew cannot look two feet without being reminded that they are a Jew living in a Christian culture.

Q- What is the best way for a non-Jew to teach about Hanukkah?

A- If you can, please check in with your local rabbi it cantor - or a Jewish parent - to see if they could teach the lesson. If you can’t, please go over your lesson with a Jewish Professional - clergy or otherwise - to make sure it is effective. (I am a student rabbi and would be more than happy to help you if need be!)

Q- Can a Hanukkah lesson be taught to a room of children who are not Jewish?

A- absolutely. All children should be introduced to the family traditions and religious traditions of their peers.

Q- Is it inappropriate for a non-Jewish child to create a Hanukkah craft such as a paper Hanukiah (Hanukkah menorah) or another craft?

A- Personally I don’t think so, unless this is a classroom of only non-Jews. I think if the Jewish children celebrate Christmas with their Christian peers, I don’t see why Christian children shouldn’t not celebrate Hanukkah with their Jewish peers! If the project/celebration involves a Hanukkah craft, I say go for it! But please make sure to *raise* the Jewish children up and ask them to help you teach the lessons: what do you do at home for Hanukkah? What’s your favorite part? What’s your favorite Hanukkah food? Etc

Q- Is it inappropriate to do a Hanukkah craft with a group of students who are totally not Jewish at all?

every single person who reblogs this

every

single

person

there are over 128,000 notes and i still got one

i reblogged this less than 2 minutes ago

im scared

ask-omnipony:

I don’t really believe this mumbo jumbo

I mean it’s a goddamn hat.

Right..?

The white rose, it symbolizes the unique beauty of all the women who wish not to be with a nice guy such as myse-

I wonder if this works with other kinds of hat…

Nothing ventured, nothing gained…

WHEEEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE LIKE A BIG PIZZA PIE THAT’S AMORREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

oh boy…….

Luckily, this nonsense doesn’t work on girls.

Observe…

And it can’t possibly work on motorcycle helmets.

I must test it.

Nothing happening so far…

What in the world?

Oh why not? This should be interesting.

Here we go!

Were all mad here in Underland!

What the hell! Never Again!

… Actually …

Alright, I gotta try this!

Can’t be that bad!

….

LOL

i wonder if it works for flower crowns?

here goes nothin-

w HAT THE

DID I JUST-

Okay Clearly something is up.

Hmm… I wonder

I’m sure nothing could possibly…

I wonder what happens when you wear 8 of these at once…

what could possibly go wrong?

eww, it smells like fuckboi

welp, down this rabbit hole we go…

nothing’s happeni-

WTF-

I wonder if this would work with a wolf hat.

May as well try it.

Please don’t be awful, please don’t be awful, please don’t b-

get wet 4 furry

This is obviously fake

Look, I’ll prove it

Y’all are just acting

Watch and learn

Whelp guess I gotta put on the hat now

Can’t be that bad, I mean what’s the worst a squid hat can do to m-

I̖̝̪̤̠̋͞ ̛̹̱̮̳̭̓̂͑ͫ͐̎ͯ͗͝͡H͇̠͊́̚A̛̓̓҉͙̠V͍̌̏͂ͣͨͭͧ̉́E̸͙̭̣͓̓ͨͥ̿ ̽͗͗ͮ͊ͬͩͥ̚҉̪̗̝̘̟́̕A̴̴̙̝̬̪̞͂ͤͩ̍W͚̣͆ͬỎ̫̝̟͖̝͇ͥ͛ͮ͋K̨̖͓͉̺̫͉̀͗ͪ̊͌̉E͚̲̩̪̘̠͋̈͞N͉͓͕̗̱͒̔ͨͤ͛̓̂ͧ

An old Tumblr meme?

I wonder if it actually works

Here goes nothing…

You know I’ve been an awful good g-

NO

Let me just…

WOAH!!!

I AM NEVER TAKING THIS OFF!!!!!!

“Hands down, confidently after 26 years on the internet, this is the best thing I have ever found.”