My friend Martin has commented on my "brief homily" about my insistence that the God of the Bible is a real being. In his post, Claude Strikes Back, he wrote: "To me, the whole god thing is just an unnecessary hypothesis pruned long ago from rational discourse by razor-wielding Ockham."
Then, he introduced an issue that all those who deny God like to emphasize. Martin wrote: "Claude, however, offers no explanation for his deity's self-imposed limitations regarding famine, pestilence, hurricanes, tsunamis and other causes of human suffering that have nothing to do with free will."
But I have! I expressed my views on the problem of evil at the time Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana and Mississippi. Explaining natural disasters and other causes of human suffering is difficult and there is no easy answer to the problem.
In dealing with the issue of theodicy, people either blame God or human beings for the cause of evil. There are many other proposed solutions to the problem of evil, but no one can agree on an answer that satisfies all objections.
Those who desire to know my views on this issue can read my three blogs on Hurricane Katrina, especially part 2 and 3. I am sure that Martin will not agree with what he reads.
To read "God and Hurricane Katrina - Part 1," click here.
To read "God and Hurricane Katrina - Part 2," click here.
To read "God and Hurricane Katrina - Part 3," click here.
I definitely agree with Martin in denying "all rumors that the whole thing is just a scheme we dreamed up with the aim of attracting enough attention for both of us to beat the evil archaeo-astronomical genius Alun Salt on Technorati's list." However, I welcome readers from Europe who have visited my blog because of Martin.
Claude F. Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
Credit: esoteric-soup.blogspot.com
Thanks to the recent video from RWBY finally explaining a little bit about what Dust actually is, I thought I'd try making a dust weapon along the lines of Weiss' rapier and such. However, a simple magical focus isn't enough for me, so I also made it a flamethrower.
Rifle/Flamethrower/I Don't actually know what to call this thing... mode: The basic idea is that it has 4 large dust canisters that each contain one of the basic forms of dust; air, water, earth, and fire. The User can switch between the different types of dust to achieve different effects by activating different canisters to feed into the gun. It is also possible to combine 2 kinds of dust to achieve more varied effects; but the quick, improvised nature of the combination is less reliable and uses up dust faster than normal. A summary of how the rifle performs with each of the basic modes of dust:
-Fire: Uses a continuous stream of dust to generate a large cone of flame. Good for area attacks.
-Earth: Uses small amounts of dust to fire shots akin to more standard bullets. However larger amounts of dust can be use to fire larger, more powerful rounds. Essentially
-Water (Ice): The rifle emits a supercooled mist that freezes into ice shortly after leaving the barrel. This can freeze areas of the ground, creating difficult terrain, or create rudimentary barriers for defense.
-Air: Fire a blast of air that's good for knocking back foes. It can also be used to propel the user in the opposite direction, allowing for enhanced mobility.
Mixing dust grants access to more elements, like a lightning blast that can combo well with the water element. I won't bother listing all the possible combos since how dust combines hasn't been revealed in detail in the show.
Staff Mode: The spell-casting mode for the user. I won't go into much detail as to what spells can be cast since I don't actually have a character with a semblance lined up for this thing, but the general idea is that he can wield the staff to cast spells based on classical elemental magic. Fire spells for damage, Earth spells for battlefield control, etc. It'd probably be a lot like bending logic in Avatar. There is also a blade affixed to the top in case the user needs to defend themselves in melee and doesn't have time to cast a spell.
While each mode uses dust at varying rates, generally it's still very efficient since even small amounts of dust can have drastic effects when used correctly, and due to the size of the dust canisters it's rare that they need to be reloaded even between battles unless the fight was particularly straining or long. It's common to not have to reload for days or weeks at a time.
Generally speaking, the reason for each mode is that one is based on the user's aura and semblance, while the other is purely mechanical. So for instance using the staff takes more skill and concentration, while using the rifle takes no additional effort beyond normal weapon use. The rifle form is also generally more controlled and consistent, at least when not mixing dust. The Rifle form is limited to only 1 specific use for each kind of dust, but can combine colors for additional effects, while the staff form allows the user to channel more varied spells with each color, but is limited to the most basic elements.
(Oh, the gauge at one end of the rifle shows the type of dust, or combination of dust that is currently loaded. In this case Earth since its canister is on the other side of the weapon)
Reference: pagan-wiccan.blogspot.com
COLORS: "Light blue"ELEMENT: "Air"
ALTAR: "Upon a light blue cloth place a winged hat, a pair of winged sandals, an image of the caduceus, a cup of sparkling alcohol, and incense of lemongrass and mint."OFFERINGS: "Help someone to travel on a journey."DAILY MEAL: "Food packed light as if for travel."
MERCURY INVOCATION
"Hail Mercury, Lord of the winged feet,"Swiftest in flight, messenger of Olympus,"Psychopomp whose feet are the only ones"Who may tread from the sky to the underworld"And back with no fear of being caught."Hail Mercury who watches over us"Whenever we leave our homes, whose hands"Keep us safe in our own flights."Hail Mercury, Lord of speed,"Who sends our letters on their way"Like an arrow shot to the perfect goal."Hail Mercury, without whom no one"Could leave the circle of their hearth without fear,"Without whom no words would pass from far to near,"Hail Mercury, winged one without peer."We ask now that you bless us in all our travels,"In all our going forth and coming back,"That all our paths be welcome ones,"And that they all lead finally back to our door."
CHANT:
"Argentum Vivum"Clipeus Ornatus"Argentum Signatum"Mercurius Argenteus"Tege Tege Tege"
(The alcohol is poured out as a libation, and each person is touched with the caduceus in turn as a blessing from Mercury.)
Found in: Pagan Book of Hours
Source: crafty-witch.blogspot.com
BIRTH PAINS OF LEVIATHAN
THE EARTH'S WATER IS BREAKING?
An interesting and insightful observation from one of "The List" members of Tribulation-Now, just came in.
If you "stand back" and look at the earth from a "heavenly perspective" it seems as if the earth (the domain of Satan / Leviathan) is beginning to "give birth". It seems almost as if the earth's water is breaking. Perhaps as the enemy believes, the "due date" is Dec 21st, 2012 at 11:11 when Orion and Pleiades align perfectly - just as this star system did in the "days of Noah". (Matt. 24:37)
I am beginning to wonder how much of this stuff is actually YHWH God getting into the battle. Keep in mind as the battle of today unfolds, in August 6, of 1945, there were reports of three Christian priests that survived ground zero in Hiroshima. The power of Jesus TRUMPS all this nonsense!
As Tribulation Now's email "List" member, Bobbi, points out - the oil spill is one thing, but when you combine "that event" with all the flooding on a global level (worldwide) is looks a lot as if the earth is about to give birth to something. Call it "Leviathan", or call it "the Whore of Babylon" - this observation may very well be on target.
Please keep in mind,
EPH 6:12-13
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts" [DEMONS] "of wickedness in the heavenly places" [OTHER DIMENSIONS NOW MANIFESTING HERE ON EARTH].
NKJV
SHARPEN YOUR SWORDS
Read the Word for it is ALIVE!
The Word of God is far stronger than any evil incantation.
PUT ON THE "WHOLE ARMOR"
Bobbi - Thank you and praise God you are a contributing member of this List
PRAISE JESUS FOR HE ALONE IS WORTHY!
Credit: asatru-religion.blogspot.com
