Perhaps an unusual choice of topics to combine, but my Maladaptive Daydreaming and Catholicism have both influenced where I am now in so many ways that it's impossible to talk about one without the other.
• An Oxford comma walks into a bar, where it spends the evening watching the television, getting drunk, and smoking cigars.
• A dangling participle walks into a bar. Enjoying a cocktail and chatting with the bartender, the evening passes pleasantly.
• A bar was walked into by the passive voice.
• An oxymoron walked into a bar, and the silence was deafening.
• Two quotation marks walk into a “bar.”
• A malapropism walks into a bar, looking for all intensive purposes like a wolf in cheap clothing, muttering epitaphs and casting dispersions on his magnificent other, who takes him for granite.
• Hyperbole totally rips into this insane bar and absolutely destroys everything.
• A question mark walks into a bar?
• A non sequitur walks into a bar. In a strong wind, even turkeys can fly.
• Papyrus and Comic Sans walk into a bar. The bartender says, "Get out -- we don't serve your type."
• A mixed metaphor walks into a bar, seeing the handwriting on the wall but hoping to nip it in the bud.
• A comma splice walks into a bar, it has a drink and then leaves.
• Three intransitive verbs walk into a bar. They sit. They converse. They depart.
• A synonym strolls into a tavern.
• At the end of the day, a cliché walks into a bar -- fresh as a daisy, cute as a button, and sharp as a tack.
• A run-on sentence walks into a bar it starts flirting. With a cute little sentence fragment.
• Falling slowly, softly falling, the chiasmus collapses to the bar floor.
• A figure of speech literally walks into a bar and ends up getting figuratively hammered.
• An allusion walks into a bar, despite the fact that alcohol is its Achilles heel.
• The subjunctive would have walked into a bar, had it only known.
• A misplaced modifier walks into a bar owned by a man with a glass eye named Ralph.
• The past, present, and future walked into a bar. It was tense.
• A dyslexic walks into a bra.
• A verb walks into a bar, sees a beautiful noun, and suggests they conjugate. The noun declines.
• A simile walks into a bar, as parched as a desert.
• A gerund and an infinitive walk into a bar, drinking to forget.
• A hyphenated word and a non-hyphenated word walk into a bar and the bartender nearly chokes on the irony
It really bothers me that people who (rightly) get upset about miseducation concerning religions not well understood will continue to bombast Christianity as some privileged sector and spread myths and misunderstandings about our beliefs and lives.
Practice what you preach. Ask us questions about our practices and traditions. Read our theology. Read our articles and blogs and consider the fact that we are normal people just trying to live our life. I don’t expect y’all to convert or agree with us but the least you can do is not make assumptions about our lot in life or how society affects our lives as Christians.
“You’re not being persecuted because you’re a Christian, it’s just because you’re being intolerant/a bigot/whatever. There are plenty of Christians who keep quiet and don’t get targeted.”
Well, what do you think religious persecution IS? Why do you think they killed the church fathers? For posting aesthetic calligraphy and listening to hillsong? No! They spoke out against sin! They told people to repent and turn to Christ! When those actions are no longer protected, Christianity itself is under attack.
religious christian followers please could someone explain romans 1:16 to me? is it just about strength in faith or is it meant to refer to conversion or sth??? i have zero (0) religious background so idk
It is kind of about both, but a little more nuanced than just “conversion.” Paul, the author of the letter, was a Jew who converted to Christianity. One of his major goals in writing the letter is to remind new Christians that the Christian message is for both Jews and Gentiles. The Jews heard the message first, because Jesus was a Jew who began by preaching to other Jews. Then Christianity spread to non-Jews after Jesus’ death because Jesus’ followers (namely Paul himself) helped spread it to non-Jewish communities. This is why it says the power of God brought the message of salvation first to Jews and then to Gentiles.
It is kind of about strength in faith, but more directly it is Paul recognizing the awesome power of God that the message of Christianity has spread so rapidly. Even though Paul himself was responsible for the creation of many new Christian communities, he credits their success with God’s power and not his own.
He also says he is “not ashamed of the Gospel” because at the time in Rome, the Gospel was something to be “ashamed of.” Christians were not respected by either Jews or pagans, and in many places were being persecuted for their beliefs. Paul himself had already been almost killed for his work in spreading Christianity quite a few times before he wrote this, and he did eventually die as a martyr. So even to say he is “not ashamed” of his belief in God is quite a strong statement at this point.
Hi! I'm in a relationship looking towards marriage and have some questions about NFP. Firstly, I know the modern Church approved it, but has that always been the case throughout history? Second, my boyfriend and I kinda wanted to wait a year after marriage to have kids so that I could work for a while first - do you think that's a sufficient reason? Finally, how does one choose a method?
answered:
Hello! Congrats on your relationship! Hopefully it flowers into a lovely marriage.
The Church has always been intimately involved with fertility and sexuality: not because of a desire to throttle and control our sex lives, but because She knows how much sex affects the human person and society as a whole. As such, She seeks to help us understand our sexuality and how to properly use it for God’s glory. I say this to give some context for you and others reading my response.
In the past, it was common for women to space children through breastfeeding, and they had large networks of support in their family and villages for every baby that came along. Because of this, they would have a baby every few years and spacing children was not a worry.
Periodic abstinence (abstaining from sex for a period of time) was first mentioned in St. Paul’s letters to the 1 Corinthians 7. He suggested that avoiding sex for a while was not “bad”, and could be used as a time to spiritually grow as a couple. However, it wasn’t preferred (St. Paul never seemed to think highly of sex, despite God using sensual imagery to describe our longing for Him!); he emphasized the practical and spiritual need for a couple to also come together in intercourse. He never gave a magic number on how often sex should happen or how long or short the period of abstinence should be, as that is something the couple must discern on their own.
Now, fast forward two millennia later. Various saints and other Catholic thinkers have made commentary on marital sex during that time, though topics such as family planning were still not widely spoken of. Aside from (rightfully) demonizing withdrawal and other methods, there wasn’t much of a need to speak on things like birth control. Again, most couples either abstained or relied on breastfeeding. Many babies and children died young as well, so having whatever children you could was a need rather than a want.
That is, until the dawn of the 20th Century. Around this time, many scientific and cultural changes were happening all at once, and these changes occurred over just a few generations. More and more women began to birth in hospitals, live farther from family, and formula feeding for infants too became more commonplace (Another topic I touch upon here).
With less women breastfeeding and losing their support systems, pregnancy and birth grew to be more demanding of mothers. There was also the fact that as more women entered the workforce, they were dealing with sexist ideals that demanded that they remain unpregnant like men in order to keep their jobs. Accommodating pregnant women for work was unheard of and not fought for.
In 1930, then, is where we find the first encyclical dealing with the topic of birth control as we know it today: Costii Conubii. Written by Pope Pius XI, he asserted that artificial birth control that suppressed fertility or prevented the spilling of seed into the vagina was immoral. It was a bold statement, as during this time the Church of England allowed the use of birth control for married couples. This lead the way for many other Protestant churches to accept birth control despite founders such as Martin Luther speaking harshly against it.
Thankfully, the need for couples to avoid pregnancy in a way that respected Church teaching did not go unheeded. In fact, the first NFP method was developed before Casti Connubii was published! Catholic priest Wilhelm Hillebrand and his brothers, all doctors, came together to form a natural method of avoiding pregnancy that required periodic abstinence to work. First they developed a temperature only method of NFP, but later, they formed the Calender-Thermal Method, a mix of the Rhythm Method and the Temperature Method. While still not quite perfect, it was a game changer in terms of developing methods of NFP. He taught it to his parishioners with much success.
Sadly, the secular world did not care. By the time Pope Paul VI wrote another famous encyclical - Humanae Vitae, which also endorsed NFP and denounced birth control similar to Casti Connubii - hormonal methods of birth control were making their rounds. Instead of seeking to understand and encourage fertility awareness, pharmaceutical companies tested endless trials on poor, POC women and lied about side effects to sell their product. These companies launched successful campaigns in convincing society that in order to be equal and free and prepared, women MUST inject their bodies with artificial hormones and foreign objects. With this business making billions and it being easier to hand out than NFP pamphlets, it became the norm before NFP could take the stand.
Thankfully, many Catholic doctors, midwives, and researchers responded to Pope Paul VI’s call to better the NFP methods of the time. Already by the time the encyclical came out, methods were being studied and perfected. We see their fruits today in the modern NFP movement and health care! And not only as a method of preventing pregnancy and treating gynecological health, but as a way to treat infertility as well (around this time, things like IVF were being developed).
As you can see, the Church has always supported the SPIRIT behind NFP: chastity, obedience to God, and supporting periodic abstinence for a higher purpose. When the need for a family planning method came to be in the 20th Century, that spirit was forged into the modern innovation of NFP. NFP is accepted not because it is timeless and true, but because it can embody those ideals.
As for whether you have a serious enough reason or not to avoid pregnancy that first year: I can not tell you this. There is no list of yes and nos to follow. I highly suggest reading Humanae Vitae yourself, and perhaps picking up books on married sexuality such as “Holy Sex!” by Gregory Popcak. You don’t need to be on the doorstep of abject poverty or death in order to avoid pregnancy, you just have to discern through prayer and clear communication whether the circumstance allows for avoiding.
Sorry for the giant word wall: I’m sure you were expecting something shorter lol. But I hope it gives you and your boyfriend something to mull over as you prepare your future lives together. :)
Another post I just saw reminded me of this, and it’s been literally 10 years and I’m still pissed about it, but I had a doctor pull me to the side as a child during a regular physical to offer me birth control, and repeatedly emphasize that I could do this without my parents’ knowledge or consent, before I had even started my period
If you think there’s no agenda surrounding birth control you are a clown, especially since people preach that it’s harmless when it’s literally classified as a carcinogen
I’m still furious at how many ob-gyns have refused to investigate my issues because “the only thing I can offer is hormonal birth control,” when surprise surprise, it turns out I have PCOS and insulin resistance that the birth control would only have covered up, not treated, until I became diabetic. But because we push those pills like they are candy, nobody felt it was worth it to actually figure out why I was having problems. Nobody asked me if I wanted that medication or why I was opposed. Whenever a woman is having “lady problems” of any variety - even little girls, apparently! - we throw The Pill at them and hope it shuts them up.
^^^ Turns out like every women in my family has hasimoto’s. I was having painful periods among other issues like chronic headaches, my weight was bouncing all over the place, etc. The Doc offered BC which I refused. A year later I get put on hormones for my thyroid and bam! All these things happening to my body that I assumed were normal just stopped. They told me siblings to get tested and then my entire extended family to also get tested. Probably wouldn’t have learned about it if I went on BC
I went on Accutane at age 20 and they asked me to be on two types of birth control to protect against Accutane birth defects. When I replied that I am not sexually active, they of course tried to get me on it anyway. Finally the doctor got in my face and said:“If you conceive a child on Accutane, you will have to have an abortion. You must. Do you understand?”
Birth control did nothing to regulate my hormonal problems I have from Turners Syndrome. I had to get a second blood transfusion because of it.
When I was in the hospital for my last blood transfusion a gyno or hematologist was asking my mom to transfer me to another hospital so she could treat me. We asked what she would do and she said “birth control”
Now i’m on hormonal meds only ten days a month with hormones that are identical to my body (natural estrogen rather than artificial birth control) so less chance of cancer (especially since i’m taking it ten days a month and not 20).
I’ve gone 2-3 years without a transfusion.
Ladies, we deserve better healthcare. We deserve physicians who want to treat our problems not cover them with a catch all. We need to start undoing the damage done by the pill and other birth control.
For the people all the replies and reblogs on this post, there are two issues with birth control raised (hint - it’s not that birth control is inherently evil or should never be used in any circumstance):
1. Birth control is prescribed as a band-aid for symptoms instead of finding the source of female health issues and resolving them (applies to all women)
2. Women who choose to remain abstinent are consistently told and are treated like their choice is stupid, won’t last, is naive, and that they need to be on birth control - basically “birth control culture” (applies to this specific group of women)
So for those who are replying saying “birth control helped me!” - your experience and opinion is valid. That’s not the issue being raised. Same for those saying “these chicks think birth control is ~of the devil~.” We aren’t.
patron-saint-of-smart-asses
People clutch pearls when they hear that their Birth Control Goddess is imperfect and has negatively impacted women’s health. If it works for you, great; but there are scores of women who are outright harmed by it and we do not live in a culture that properly supports our alternative choices. Be happy you are not one of those women, and let us speak.
Simple; I am a woman and I’m against abortion. I’ll go deeper into that first question, but first, I’d like to address the second one.
You might think that the two questions above are the same, but it reminds me of a John Mulaney bit when a friend asked him if he saw Hitler walking down the street he’d kill him.
Accusing me of hating women just because I am against abortion is like killing a really old, old man and shouting,
So anyway, I don’t hate women and I really don’t understand why you’d think that. Normally I wouldn’t waste my time explaining myself to some anon hate who probably blocked me right after sending this ask, BUT this is an important topic to discuss.
I am a 20-year-old woman; one of the older Gen Z kids. Do you want to know what society has told me before I even went through puberty? That getting pregnant is the worst thing that can happen to you. Even in the case of rape, it’s terrible, yes, but even worse if you get pregnant. Like? What the fuck???
I had terrible chronic migraines when I was 13-16. So bad that I had to go to the ER a couple times to get stronger pain medication to make them go away. When I switched neurologists to get better care, you know what one of the first things I was asked? “Are you taking any birth control?”
I was barely 15. I was a freshman in high school. My head hurt so bad all the time that I had to miss school a lot and my grades suffered badly. When I finally get a glimmer of hope for switching to a renowned neurologist to finally get some medical relief, a guy with a standing rolling desk asks me if I’m on birth control.
And when I said no, he very rudely told me “You should be, it’s better for you. I personally recommend–” and he starts listing birth control pill brands. He kept talking over me when I kept trying to tell him “No, I’m not interested.” It got to the point when I was almost in tears because my head hurt, I felt like puking, I was exhausted and hungry, the wait time to even get in that examination room was an hour, and this walking beanpole with boyband hair wanted to put me on some pill simply because I was a teenage girl.
Finally, my mom had to tell him, “You need to get out of here.” and another “Get out,” when he tried to get one last word in.
(My migraines had nothing to do with my period cycle or even my hormones, so don’t even come at me with that shit.)
Feeding birth control to young girls is commonplace, unfortunately. Before our bodies are even done growing, we’re told to take pills that change our natural bodily autonomy and function:
Why does the birth control industry want to change the way women’s bodies work? Why do they want to sterilize us so we can’t get pregnant? They say they’re “protecting” us, but what are they protecting us from? A baby?? How are they doing this? Not by educating us on relationships, how to have a healthy relationship and how to avoid a bad one, but by changing the natural way our bodies work. And you know who’s benefiting from this? If men can be assured that a woman will not get pregnant, it’s easier for them to just smash and dash. No responsibility, no attachment, just a way to get off. Women become even more like objects. There are no downsides for men. For them, women can be a living fleshlight; free for them to fuck repeatedly without pesky responsibility.
Telling women they are slaves of their bodies unless they sterilize themselves with pills and rings and mesh is a toxic mentality. You know who can’t get pregnant overall? Men. Today’s culture tells women they cannot do everything man can do and be without becoming like-man by eliminating their fertility.
But pills, condoms, Planned Parenthood–they don’t protect us from more severe effects like trauma, abusive relationships, depression, self-hatred, suicide, being treated as though we’re disposable, and more.
I’m going to include some links and information below since this is a hard subject for me to talk about. One last statement: science proves the life inside the womb is indeed living and human. You cannot argue with scientific fact. Pretending that the unborn human is neither human nor alive, is wrong. Think of the slaves of the old south, and racism that still persists, claiming that black people were only 3/5 of a whole human being. Remember also the complete disregard of Jewish lives in the Holocaust, and the anti-semitism that still persists.
People since the beginning of time have labeled certain groups as less than human to justify persecuting them. Everyone knows that history repeats itself. Look around. Open your eyes. Unborn humans are still human: Science Fact.
If you would like to continue advocating for the abortion (killing) of unborn humans, of every race and background, then that’s your issue. But stop ignoring facts.
The Pill
Medical abortion is a procedure that uses medication to end a pregnancy. A medical abortion doesn’t require surgery or anesthesia and can be started either in a medical office or at home with follow-up visits to your doctor. It’s safer and most effective during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Having a medical abortion is a major decision with emotional and psychological consequences. If you’re considering this procedure, make sure you understand what it entails, side effects, possible risks, complications, and alternatives.
While not as common, some women experience more intense side effects that could suggest a serious complication has occurred. If any of these side effects are felt following a medical abortion, medical attention should be sought immediately:
Severe pain
Fever
Passing clots for two or more hours that are or exceed the size of a lemon
Strong, unusual smelling vaginal discharge
Excessive bleeding, defined as using two or more pads in an hour
Fact Checker Analysis Planned Parenthood’s false stat: ‘Thousands’ of women died every year before Roe
For pro-abortion advocates, pushing for abortion seems like giving women a “choice.” But when women go to places like Planned Parenthood, they are not given a choice. They are given an abortion. whether or not they wanted one, women are guilted and pressured into aborting, without considering other options, like adoption:
This particular Planned Parenthood location is dangerous to women because it failed 13 of its last 23 patient safety inspections. This facility failed to provide a safe and sanitary environment, failed to properly store gauze sponges or sterilize surgical instruments, and failed to determine a physical status on all patients before anesthesia or surgery. It also failed to follow the Plan of Correction.
Operation Rescue reports that at about 3:00 in the afternoon, a right to life supporter captured the arrival of the ambulance on camera. Antonio Calimano watched as the emergency team appears to bring a woman out of the side of the abortion facility building using a wheelchair, placing her in the ambulance.
Actual testimonies from actual abortionists who see abortions firsthand.
When Current Events Trigger Abortion Trauma: “My first significant reaction occurred during my first intentional pregnancy. I was 22 and married, after having two abortions at ages 18 and 19. I knew nothing about fetal development at the time of my abortions, but when I began reading about my current baby’s growth in utero, I could no longer deny that my previous pregnancies were tiny live babies. And when I learned more vivid details about abortion procedures, I became suicidal.”
“According to the book Complications: Abortion’s Impact on Women, the aftermath of the procedure can lead to depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicide. Post-abortion trauma also affects family formation, leading to a rise in single-parent families, the refusal of fathers to accept responsibility and the breakdown of relationships, including divorce. All of these scenarios lead to even more women and men left alone in their trauma.”
(hey, anon. why do you advocate for abortion when planned parenthood overwhelmingly aborts girls over boys?? do you hate women?)
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