staticman posted:

Okay real talk:

Timing's way too coincidental for this. Make fun of witches all you want, but if my dumbass take in that thread is literally making you meltdown to the point where you're literally taking to Twitter to harrasss and dogpile on Native American furries, forcing them to lock their accounts, maybe it's you whose the racist piece of poo poo and my accusations towards you as an individual were proven correct? Are you really so broke-brained by nu-atheist white supremacy to think that's at all an okay response?

A Russian troll farm posted:

That's only true if you take the evangelical protestant (christian takfiri) position that they are the only real christians and catholics and orthodox don't count.

quote:

In this state of things the democratic influence has acquired an immense accession of power by the new Reform bill. It is an immense stride in legally revolutionising the country; checks, and balances, and reckoning on the English character and history is all nonsense. Power is put into hands which will use it. The forms are immaterial; they will probably be changed immediately or ere long.

But my object is to notice the effect on the state of society. God cares for the poor. But the poor have ceased to be so in the scriptural sense of the word. They are masters. The effect on the masses and on the active minds of the country will be infidelity, exalting man. Even popular religious preaching will take this character. It will keep up the name of Christian, but will exalt man in its statements, not Christ - despising government, says the apostle, presumptuous, self-willed, not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Human reason, not God, will be the arbiter of good and evil.

steinrokkan posted:

I bet Jesus could read a mean tarot hand

Atrocious Joe posted:

the driving belief behind much US Christianity, withcraft, new age movements, and even secular stuff like life coaches is the same. It's that if a person can visualize themselves as being better off, hold onto that mindset, and enact certain ritual practices, they can make that vision come true. That this necessitates making some sort of plan does mean it sometimes helps people. Overall though, it disguises how little control individual workers have over their lives, and replaces collective action with individual spiritual practice.

stuff like liberation theology, or other anti-colonial or anti-imperialist spiritual practices that worked mobilized masses of people against their oppresses. For the most part, it wasn't the specific theological beliefs that made those movements progressive. it was how those religious movements merged with wider mass movements.

quote:

How can one achieve happiness? It’s the eternal question. From Aristotle to Al-Ghazali, Thomas Aquinas to Arthur Schopenhauer. The answer, we’re told, is to look within. These days, we’re told repeatedly by our modern philosophers, Oprah Winfrey, Srikumar Rao, Tony Robbins, Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra and other corporate happiness monitors that prosperity and fulfillment come through deep introspection and mindfulness—just pay for more inspiring books, videos, retreats, seminars, and classes!

These prescriptions, while ostensibly useful in the short term for answering personal questions or alleviating stress, all fall within the genre of self-help. The trouble is, on the whole, they’re not very helpful at all. The self-help industry is predicated on the ever-American and thoroughly capitalist concepts of rugged individualism and personal responsibility, arguing that if you have a problem, it’s invariably up to you, and only you, to fix it. Meanwhile, it imparts the appearance of virtue and legitimacy with hollow, cherry-picked references to Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and psychology.

In recent years, there’s rightfully been a new crop of criticism leveled against the self-help industry, with books offering “anti-self-help” alternatives for improving one’s life, calling for people to relax and stop placing so much pressure on themselves. Still, many of these critiques embrace the same form of individualism as the media they decry, ignoring the reality that the best way to ‘help’ people is to ensure their material needs—like housing, food, and healthcare—are met.

On this episode, we’ll chronicle the development of modern self-help culture, from its 19th-century protestant, capitalist roots to its modern ambassadors; analyze how self-help culture promotes the values of neoliberalism; examine the ways in which modern mainstream critiques of the self-help industry fall short, embracing the same reactionary principles they should be rebuking, and dissect the profound institutional incentives that compel us to prioritize solipsism over solidarity.

Atrocious Joe posted:

finding out that the idea of the rapture as understood in the US was mostly created by a anglo-irish weirdo from a landholding family was a real crack ping for me. he thought the Duke of Wellington supporting Catholic Emancipation and wider suffrage doomed Britain to moral failure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nelson_Darby

giving poor people the right to vote means that God doesn't consider them poor anymore - one of the most influential English speaking theologians in past few hundred years.
https://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/MISCELLA/32018E.html

A Russian troll farm posted:

It's a drat shame the spanish armada never reached england so they could nip this stuff in the bud before it spread

Victory Position posted:

has anyone worshiped bugs

not like Jainism, not like avoiding the death of bugs, but like proper bug worship

Stairmaster posted:

can someone here cast a spell on me to die peacefully

Stairmaster posted:

can someone here cast a spell on me to die peacefully

Sheng-Ji Yang posted:

Jesus Christ, the nocturnal North-eastern quadrant, consisting of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd houses, prevails in your chart: this sector favours self-assertion and material security to the detriment of your perception of others. You consider self-transformation to be a hazardous adventure. You are inclined to seek stability and you tend to protect yourself with your actions. Possession, acquisition but also communication, without opening up too much, are part of your deep motivations. You are rather autonomous and constant, however it is important that you pay more attention to others, so that you can improve your outcomes.

The predominance of Water signs indicates high sensitivity and elevation through feelings, Jesus Christ. Your heart and your emotions are your driving forces, and you can't do anything on Earth if you don't feel a strong affective charge (as a matter of fact, the word "feeling" is essential in your psychology). You need to love in order to understand, and to feel in order to take action, which causes a certain vulnerability which you should fight against.

Like the majority of Earth signs, Jesus Christ, you are efficient, concrete and not too emotional. What matters to you is what you see: you judge the tree by its fruits. Your ideas keep changing, words disappear, but actions and their consequences are visible and remain. Express your sensitivity, even if it means revealing your vulnerability. Emotions, energy and communication must not be neglected; concrete action is meaningless if it is not justified by your heart, your intellect or your enthusiasm.

Fire's qualities are not very present in your chart, with only 0.00% instead of the average 25%, which means that you may lack warmth, enthusiasm, conquering spirit, or energy. You may look indifferent to others, with almost no desire, no joy of life or no enterprising ability. Actually, it is not true, but you should let go, force yourself to be more daring, and show your amazement as well as your vitality. You certainly have as much energy as others, you just need to release it, and it is up to you to display more of it, since it will be all to your benefit: shout, sing, pull faces, dance! That's the right mean for you... In the end, you'll never be accused of being sad, phlegmatic or a killjoy!

The Mutable mode is the most emphasized one in your natal chart, Jesus Christ, which indicates a mobile character that is curious and thirsty for new experiences and evolution. You are lively and flexible, and you like to react quickly to solicitations, but don't confuse mobility with agitation, since this is the danger with this configuration - and with you, stagnation is out of the question. Security doesn't matter as long as you are not bored. You optimize, you change things, you change yourself... all this in a speedy way.

The three most important planets in your chart are Neptune, Saturn and Pluto.

With Neptune as one of your three dominant planets, you are a secretive and ambiguous person, often confused or unclear about your own motivations! Indeed, you are endowed with unlimited imagination and inspiration, as well as with an extreme sensibility that may turn you into a psychic or a clairvoyant. On the other hand, your impressionability is such that you may have difficulties in separating what is concrete and solid from illusions or dreams.

A mystic, a visionary or a poet, you daydream, like any Neptunian, and you see what few people only can see, all of this being shrouded in aesthetic mists when you are fired with enthusiasm.

A boundless, infinity-loving man like you is inevitably likely to be more vulnerable and easily hurt because of your acute perception of events. In such cases, you are hit full in the face, and you may sink into gloomy daydreamings and dark melancholy.

That said, this mysterious aura definitely gives you an indefinable charm in the eyes of your close friends who are often fascinated by your unique ability to feel and to see what ordinary people can never see!

Saturn is part of your dominant planets: among the facets of your character, you have a grave and serious side, wise and somewhat severe, since your concentration can be powerful, to the detriment of carelessness and friendliness.

You often look austere, but it is only an appearance, a kind of modesty or reserve; however, it is true that the Saturnian, who is fond of time, effort, asceticism, rigour and sobriety, may have popularity issues. Nevertheless, honesty and straightforwardness, reliability, as well as slow, wise and deep mental process, although not very popular and visible qualities, eventually become noticed and appreciated. Saturnians' second part of life is usually easier and more fulfilling.

Pisces is among your dominant signs and endows your personality with unlimited sources of emotions, dreams, imagination, and sensitivity, to the extent that you literally swim in a cloudy ocean of delightful impressions. These impressions are so intense and overwhelming that you don't really need to take action concretely, to show your dynamism or your willpower, since you already live so intensely with your feelings - you are as keen as a radar, always on the alert! That is why some people may not like your carelessness, and the lack of clarity in your opinions or actions; however they quickly notice your artistic talents, your poetic or artistic side, and your total lack of wickedness. Besides, you feel compassion for people in pain - empathy is one of your great qualities. Thanks to your flexibility, your intuition, and your generosity, you may spend an important part of your life helping others. And if you are creative or if you have well-known artistic talents, everybody will forgive your little flaws: absent-mindedness, lack of energy or of will, too dreamy temperament...

The 2nd house is among your three most tenanted houses: life's material aspects - with everything that is implied in terms of security, appetite for life, desire for possession - are deep-seated and you can never be content with living on love and fresh air. On a more abstract level, you may have similar feelings regarding relationships: possessiveness and jealousy in the worst cases, but also faithfulness and durability.

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

Star Phlatulence posted:

i dont think magick is real but the goth gf aesthetic is v good imho. so. in this one particular instance i guess im "pro" cultural appropriation

christmas boots posted:

small titty goth boyfriend

Star Phlatulence posted:

got a sign on my d*ck that says Fad Witches Only

gay_crimes posted:

boogie zoomer white girl wearing blakc lipstick: im gay lol
me: whats ur favorite sisters of mercy album
boogie zoomer white girl wearing blakc lipstick: ?????
me: le'sigh, you shall not pass

Giga Gaia posted:

staticman posted:

which also appears to have caused weird many-years long grudges not that I blame them

Sheng-Ji Yang posted:

Atrocious Joe posted:

the spanish controlled the netherlands at the time, and many of the same social developments were occurring there as well

Star Phlatulence posted:

can i still pray to the various gods of a pantheon for strength & inspiration regarding their divine portfolio? i'm playing Hades and it's really tough to get through w/o any boons