the book of job can be a very queer book actually. it's all about how you can't actually just hold to theological propositions totally divorced from reality and personal experience bc you think the world doesn't make sense otherwise. it's about clinging to your own righteousness even as your 'friends' try to drag your name into the dirt bc it threatens their elaborate theological diorama of the world where everything is nice and neat. it's about how pain and suffering is not a punishment for something wrong with you. and it's about struggling with God, and understanding that in the end we know nothing and can say nothing, and yet if we resolve to speak our truth perhaps in the end we can be judged to have spoken rightly of God like his servant Job.

Someone posted some Chinese Orthodox icons, so I thought I'd share some Japanese Christian art also:

I'm OBSESSED with the Council of Nicaea. It's spring of 325. Christianity has been legal for 12 years. Constantine wants a unified religion for the Empire but the church has already schismed three different ways in the 3 centuries since the death of Christ, and legalization ITSELF causes a schism. They don't even all agree that being a legal religion is good. Now they're schisming about the nature of Christ. He can't persecute them into agreeing and Lord knows he's tried.

So Constantine calls all the bishops to his fucking summer resort, on the imperial dime. 280-318 bishops are going to argue about if the Logos (Christ) was "eternally begotten" or the first creation of God. Santa Claus is going to punch Arius in the face for saying the Logos was created. While we're here, let's set a date for Easter, which we also never pinned down. And we have to decide if eunuchs can be ordained because EVERYTHING HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY.

I've been to church conferences. I lose it every time I think about this. Bishops coming into Nicaea tired from the road (travel's a curse). Rural bishops coming to the seat of power for the first time. There's one guy who doesn't understand Robert's Rules and another guy who won't stop bringing up points of order. Someone's sleeping through all the speeches; he's just happy to be on vacation at the emperor's summer resort. The decision made here will form the closest thing Christianity has to a universal declaration of faith for the next 1700 years and it's going to take THREE MONTHS and we have to do it again in 6 years

I'm fancasting my Nicaea movie as we speak

Blasphemy Roulette

I don’t observe Lent, and didn’t even when I was a regular churchgoer as a child, but for the past few years every Ash Wednesday I think about the last trip I took before the pandemic, to DC to see friends get married. I was touristing around on the mall the day before the wedding, and I ended up for lunch in a McDonalds attached to the FEMA building (which, as I said at the time, I guess is a thing.) 

This is when I was inadvertently introduced to blasphemy roulette.

While I was having my lunch, five young (presumably) Catholic men sat down at the table next to me, and four of them began to explain earnestly to the fifth how the game is played. 

1. One person orders four Filet-O-Fish sandwiches (appropriate for a Friday in Lent!) plus one Quarter Pounder, and brings them in a paper bag to the table. 

2. Each person at the table takes turns reaching into the bag and taking out one of the sandwich boxes, which are all identical in size.

3. They then open up their box to reveal whether they got a Good Catholic Sandwich (their words, not mine) or the Blasphemy Sandwich.

I assume that getting the quarter pounder is kind of a win-loss, because while you have to eat meat on a Friday and presumably confess to same and do penance afterward, you also don’t have to eat a Filet O Fish from McDonalds. Unless that’s your penance, I guess. 

In any case the guy I bet on to win the quarter pounder sadly did not, so I ended up owing myself two dollars. The suspense was thrilling, so it was worth it.

she's a 10 but she secretly wants repentance and redemption arcs for all the villains

I call this the fatal christian need for reconciliation

That kind of radical love and mercy is honestly one of my favorite parts of Christianity, even if most Christians themselves fail to live up to the ideal. It’s not an easy way to live, but that doesn’t make it any less worthwhile.

@dirt-apple-productions A post for the queen of redemption arcs herself

— “Ash Wednesday Prayer,” Lutheran Book of Prayer, pg. 127

looks like somebody forgot that dust we are and to dust we shall return lol

may you all have a blessed lent

embrace the abundance of God, reject the scarcity of capitalism

re: fasting

Fasting is a huge part of Lenten tradition and many people's practices, and I wanted to take a minute to address it. This post will address food restriction and eating disorders, so please be aware of your own triggers/comfort levels before reading.