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Bullet Journal
2016.08.26 10:58 gothelin Bullet Journal
Bujo is a place to discuss bullet journals focusing on productivity and the Ryder Carroll method.
2012.06.17 20:13 Algorithmic Trading
A place for redditors to discuss quantitative trading, statistical methods, econometrics, programming, implementation, automated strategies, and bounce ideas off each other for constructive criticism. Feel free to submit papers/links of things you find interesting.
2017.03.02 06:20 SpareLiver Beans In Things That Beans Shouldn't Be In
Post pictures of beans in things that beans shouldn't be in. Inspired by, but no direct connection to the [Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/BeansInThingsThatBeansShouldntBeIn/)
2024.05.17 10:14 9910214444 bangkok nail salon owner rude responses on google reviews
 | i went to get my nails done at a random salon. it was inside the hallway next to a hotel, and no one else was there. they were eating and it seemed very unbusy. the ladies working there didnt speak much english, but i showed them the style and agreed on a price. i sat in the chair and they got started. if i had to ask something, i used google translate. eventually it was too difficult, so she called another guy (owner? husband?) who spoke good english and he reexplained the prices and styles. submitted by 9910214444 to Bangkok [link] [comments] i never once complained or try to bargain the price, since i understand the cost of labour and skill that goes behind doing nails. at one point i thought i was getting a tourist price, but gave them the benefit of the doubt. some minutes later one of the ladies walks over to see my nails and i see on her phone that she took a picture of me and sent it to the man. the man sent something in thai with the laughing emoji. i felt very uncomfortable but i didnt know how to mention it and tried to ignore it but couldnt. i felt quite uncomfortable but felt like i couldnt leave bc they had already begun to do my nails and leaving halfway felt like bad etiquette. i stayed until they applied to acrylics nails, but told them not to do the design as originally planned. when i would say something to them in simple english they would speak thai between themselves and laugh and ofc it was not always about me but i still felt :/ i understand a few words that were pointed to me and especially after seeing the picture, it was an unwelcoming feeling overall. i couldnt bare to sit there any longer knowing that they could be taking pictures of me without my consent and laughing about it. i paid the money (1300baht) and left quickly. it wasnt the worst nails, but also wasnt amazing. when i got home, i left a review on their google page. i will post the screenshots of my post and the owners responses. i feel like im not in the wrong, but you can read and explain if i am maybe missing something (AITA???) TLDR: went to a nail salon in bangkok and noticed the worker sending a picture of me to the owner and owner laughing. i feel uncomfortable and call them out on google reviews and he responds…. |
2024.05.17 10:13 vi-2 Oh My Dog Codes
Oh My Dog Codes
How to use Oh My Dog codes?
Code: MOM24
submitted by vi-2 to redeemgiftcodes [link] [comments]
How to use Oh My Dog codes?
Log in to the game. Click on your Profile Picture in the top left. Tap the Gift Code section at the bottom. After typing your gift code,...https://www.dudcode.com/code/oh-my-dog-codes/
Code: MOM24
2024.05.17 10:13 Ivypearl Took my dog to the best veterinary hospital in our area, they missed her severely advanced dental disease…. twice….
Located in CA
I took my 9 yr old lab Ivy to the vet for an emergency visit in the beginning of March. Our regular vet couldn’t take her so we had to go to the 24/7 animal hospital. They are excellent and I was willing to pay for whatever they needed to do to help ivy.
She had been very obviously sick and in pain, puking, diarrhea, not wanting to eat. They did an ultrasound, blood panel, urinalysis, fluids, meds. They found elevated liver enzymes and ketones in her urine. She was so sick they wanted to hospitalize her overnight. I asked what they would be doing and they said monitoring. I asked if I could just monitor her myself at home and bring her back right away if she gets worse? They gave me a couple prescriptions and sent us home. -$1729
I didn’t realize until the next day they didn’t give us any pain meds or anything to help Ivy’s eating (I’d tried seriously all the bland diet options, she didn’t want any of it) I went back to get her pain meds and prescription food, and the girl says they forgot to charge me for something else so she added that on too. -$150
Ivy was getting better slowly but still not her normal happy self at all. Sad, droopy eyes, wanting to sit curled up in my lap like a baby 😭 I kept doing everything they said and I took her back about a month later to check her levels again. We saw the vet, then went back out to the busy lobby to wait until someone came out to tell me the results or medications or whatever. So I sat in the lobby and waited, I asked a few times for updates bc I needed to get back to work. After 3 hours I asked if they could check and see what was going on.
There was another dog named Ivy there that morning and the receptionist closed out MY Ivy’s account (and charged the other lady’s card -$566 of my charges). I was annoyed and paid my bill (non-itemized invoice bc she couldn’t find mine) and Ivy and I went straight to work. Ivy is my service dog and sleeps under my desk.
They said the liver enzymes and urine ketone levels were both back to a normal level which was great news. They still couldn’t really give me a clear answer as to what could’ve caused all of this, sometimes they eat things, or just get sick, whatever. She said a slow recovery was normal bc livepancreas stuff is unpredictable, painful, and can take a while to heal.
The hospital’s office called me the next day to apologize for making me wait so long and reimbursed $316 (the liver panel, I think, I don’t have an itemized invoice). They offered this without me asking which I really appreciated.
Ivy has still been sick, but definitely better than when I first took her in. She was still acting sad, no interest in her favorite things. I knew she was in pain and brought her to a different vet last week.
Dr.S had been Ivy’s vet most of her life at our regular vet’s office - we love him. He left and started his own practice,and I just found his new location is 15 minutes away from my house!! It was kind of secretive when he left the other place, I think out of respect for the owners and not take half the clients with him. Anyway, I was really happy to find him again, I fully trust him. He was Ivy’s vet at her 8-week old visit, did her spay, all of it. Ivy is scared of men she doesn’t know and she loves Dr. S.
He took a look in her mouth and was like Whoa! Found it! He saw one badly rotten and cracked tooth in the back and wanted to get scheduled for removal right away. I bought the senior wellness plan for -$998. I was quoted $1200-1600 for surgery. (He was also going to remove a large benign mass from her side since she’d be under anesthesia already, I’d been wanting to do this for a few years so this is something I wanted him to do also)
This Tuesday was surgery day. He ended up removing 3 teeth, a molar on each side, and a front tooth that was cracked and broken off (I knew about this, I’d been told it wasn’t anything to be concerned about).
He said one of the molars and the front tooth both had exposed roots, the back one had an abscess and the root was touching the bone. He asked if I wanted the pictures bc it was really interesting and you don’t usually see it so advanced 😞 He said this is definitely what has been hurting her and making it hard to eat. He said they must have not looked in Ivy's mouth at all if they didn’t notice it- twice??
He didn’t have enough time to remove the mass. He said he wasn’t comfortable keeping her under any longer due to her age and blood pressure levels. Unless it grows rapidly we’re leaving it for now.
-$350 for everything this day, including surgery time & anesthesia, full dental cleaning & sealant,office visit, sedated nail trim, medications, canned soft food, heart worm testing, some other stuff included with the senior wellness package.
It’s been two days since she got her teeth out and she’s already smiling again. She was jumping around and trying to play with her brother (cat) and she only does that when she’s really excited!! Ivy is the best dog I could ever ask for. Seeing her in pain has been so hard, because I couldn’t help her!! I was trying everything but it wasn’t working. I’m so glad we found it and I think she will be able to get better now. I wasn’t so sure for awhile there.
I called the hospital place and told them what I found out and asked what happened. How could they have missed this- TWICE? The girl was really nice and agreed this was a “very valid concern” and asked me to explain everything to her and she would talk to the medical director, try to get some answers for me, and get back to me. She asked what I wanted the resolution to be. I said I thought it would be appropriate to ask for all of my charges to be refunded in relation to this event over the past couple months including Dr. S’s charges.
She called me back when I was at dinner so I missed her call.
Is this right? I don’t know what I’m looking for, feedback, reassurance, guidance? This is malpractice, right??
I talked to Dr.S’s receptionist today, she’s going to send me the photos and a breakdown of charges between the wellness plan and what I had done, try to make sense of what would be appropriate to ask them to refund. I kinda also want to ask them for $200 flat to reimburse the food/groceries spent trying to get her to eat, literally anything I could try on her bland diet, I tried! I don’t have receipts but I know I spent a shit ton of money as Ivy’s short order cook the last couple months. (Today she scarfed down her regular food for the first time in forever, I cried). Is this pushing it too far? Should I just take whatever they offer me?
What about the fact Ivy spent 2 1/2 months in pain & suffering from the time I brought her in to the day Dr. S did her surgery? She has lost weight, and has been pretty obviously miserable the whole time.
Thanks for reading.
submitted by Ivypearl to legaladvice [link] [comments]
I took my 9 yr old lab Ivy to the vet for an emergency visit in the beginning of March. Our regular vet couldn’t take her so we had to go to the 24/7 animal hospital. They are excellent and I was willing to pay for whatever they needed to do to help ivy.
She had been very obviously sick and in pain, puking, diarrhea, not wanting to eat. They did an ultrasound, blood panel, urinalysis, fluids, meds. They found elevated liver enzymes and ketones in her urine. She was so sick they wanted to hospitalize her overnight. I asked what they would be doing and they said monitoring. I asked if I could just monitor her myself at home and bring her back right away if she gets worse? They gave me a couple prescriptions and sent us home. -$1729
I didn’t realize until the next day they didn’t give us any pain meds or anything to help Ivy’s eating (I’d tried seriously all the bland diet options, she didn’t want any of it) I went back to get her pain meds and prescription food, and the girl says they forgot to charge me for something else so she added that on too. -$150
Ivy was getting better slowly but still not her normal happy self at all. Sad, droopy eyes, wanting to sit curled up in my lap like a baby 😭 I kept doing everything they said and I took her back about a month later to check her levels again. We saw the vet, then went back out to the busy lobby to wait until someone came out to tell me the results or medications or whatever. So I sat in the lobby and waited, I asked a few times for updates bc I needed to get back to work. After 3 hours I asked if they could check and see what was going on.
There was another dog named Ivy there that morning and the receptionist closed out MY Ivy’s account (and charged the other lady’s card -$566 of my charges). I was annoyed and paid my bill (non-itemized invoice bc she couldn’t find mine) and Ivy and I went straight to work. Ivy is my service dog and sleeps under my desk.
They said the liver enzymes and urine ketone levels were both back to a normal level which was great news. They still couldn’t really give me a clear answer as to what could’ve caused all of this, sometimes they eat things, or just get sick, whatever. She said a slow recovery was normal bc livepancreas stuff is unpredictable, painful, and can take a while to heal.
The hospital’s office called me the next day to apologize for making me wait so long and reimbursed $316 (the liver panel, I think, I don’t have an itemized invoice). They offered this without me asking which I really appreciated.
Ivy has still been sick, but definitely better than when I first took her in. She was still acting sad, no interest in her favorite things. I knew she was in pain and brought her to a different vet last week.
Dr.S had been Ivy’s vet most of her life at our regular vet’s office - we love him. He left and started his own practice,and I just found his new location is 15 minutes away from my house!! It was kind of secretive when he left the other place, I think out of respect for the owners and not take half the clients with him. Anyway, I was really happy to find him again, I fully trust him. He was Ivy’s vet at her 8-week old visit, did her spay, all of it. Ivy is scared of men she doesn’t know and she loves Dr. S.
He took a look in her mouth and was like Whoa! Found it! He saw one badly rotten and cracked tooth in the back and wanted to get scheduled for removal right away. I bought the senior wellness plan for -$998. I was quoted $1200-1600 for surgery. (He was also going to remove a large benign mass from her side since she’d be under anesthesia already, I’d been wanting to do this for a few years so this is something I wanted him to do also)
This Tuesday was surgery day. He ended up removing 3 teeth, a molar on each side, and a front tooth that was cracked and broken off (I knew about this, I’d been told it wasn’t anything to be concerned about).
He said one of the molars and the front tooth both had exposed roots, the back one had an abscess and the root was touching the bone. He asked if I wanted the pictures bc it was really interesting and you don’t usually see it so advanced 😞 He said this is definitely what has been hurting her and making it hard to eat. He said they must have not looked in Ivy's mouth at all if they didn’t notice it- twice??
He didn’t have enough time to remove the mass. He said he wasn’t comfortable keeping her under any longer due to her age and blood pressure levels. Unless it grows rapidly we’re leaving it for now.
-$350 for everything this day, including surgery time & anesthesia, full dental cleaning & sealant,office visit, sedated nail trim, medications, canned soft food, heart worm testing, some other stuff included with the senior wellness package.
It’s been two days since she got her teeth out and she’s already smiling again. She was jumping around and trying to play with her brother (cat) and she only does that when she’s really excited!! Ivy is the best dog I could ever ask for. Seeing her in pain has been so hard, because I couldn’t help her!! I was trying everything but it wasn’t working. I’m so glad we found it and I think she will be able to get better now. I wasn’t so sure for awhile there.
I called the hospital place and told them what I found out and asked what happened. How could they have missed this- TWICE? The girl was really nice and agreed this was a “very valid concern” and asked me to explain everything to her and she would talk to the medical director, try to get some answers for me, and get back to me. She asked what I wanted the resolution to be. I said I thought it would be appropriate to ask for all of my charges to be refunded in relation to this event over the past couple months including Dr. S’s charges.
She called me back when I was at dinner so I missed her call.
Is this right? I don’t know what I’m looking for, feedback, reassurance, guidance? This is malpractice, right??
I talked to Dr.S’s receptionist today, she’s going to send me the photos and a breakdown of charges between the wellness plan and what I had done, try to make sense of what would be appropriate to ask them to refund. I kinda also want to ask them for $200 flat to reimburse the food/groceries spent trying to get her to eat, literally anything I could try on her bland diet, I tried! I don’t have receipts but I know I spent a shit ton of money as Ivy’s short order cook the last couple months. (Today she scarfed down her regular food for the first time in forever, I cried). Is this pushing it too far? Should I just take whatever they offer me?
What about the fact Ivy spent 2 1/2 months in pain & suffering from the time I brought her in to the day Dr. S did her surgery? She has lost weight, and has been pretty obviously miserable the whole time.
Thanks for reading.
2024.05.17 10:07 VonBagel Killer Concept: The Glutton
 | https://preview.redd.it/49v4jufajw0d1.png?width=734&format=png&auto=webp&s=773f465d2fb6d18bb0a80ae82dc122a9b2b447cf submitted by VonBagel to PerkByDaylight [link] [comments] The source of the pic is here! It's not exactly what I had in mind, but it's certainly close enough to give people a rough idea. In my mind, the Glutton's mouth splits it all the way down vertically, opening into a tooth-filled cavity. Between the gums and lips of this mouth, horrid multi-jointed arms slide out to grab things and yank them into the grinding maw. The more I've stared at this picture, the more I've grown to like the cleaver as a weapon; it's cliche, but it's cliche for a reason, dammit, it WORKS! And the Glutton's left arm is a grotesque bone-hook. ... Hm. Y'know, sometimes, you have to look deep inside yourself and wonder what your fucking problem is. This will be the third killer I've made that's themed around eating survivors, but only the second I've actually posted to this sub. I should cut back on it before anyone starts making jokes, but I think being eaten (mostly) alive is one of the worst fates that can befall someone, so I like using it as horror. This is also another of my attempts at making a killer which could have a difficulty rating of "Easy," something I've found to legitimately be more challenging than making a killer with a complex, Singularity-length kit, likely owing to how verbose I get and how much I enjoy precise numbers. I LIKE complex ideas, I like pushing boundaries of what's possible in the game, and every new killer that gets released which does exactly that (Vecna's spell wheel is making my head spin with possibility) causes new ideas to course through me. So, have a guy who does two things: eat pallets, and eat people. --Power: Great Maw. The Glutton's power starts the trial at 0 charges. It gains 1 charge passively every 8 seconds, 2 charges per second while in chase, 10 charges when it breaks an pallet or wall, and 20 if it hits a survivor with its basic attack. Upon amassing 60 charges, the Glutton's maw splits its body with a loud audio cue as it begins to slaver and growl, signifying to everyone that the power is fully charged. While the Great Maw is charged, the Glutton's hand-mouths will reach from its torso towards whatever survivor it's in chase with; this is purely cosmetic and cannot be seen from the killer's POV. Holding the ability button causes the Glutton to raise its hook-arm into the air and widen its maw, during which it's slowed by 10%. Releasing the button causes the Glutton to briefly stand in place and lash its hook-arm 8m directly in front of it. This hook can hit over obstacles and shorter terrain pieces, and can target survivors on different elevations if aimed up or down. If the hook impacts a healthy survivor, that survivor is injured and pulled 2m closer to the killer, and Great Maw loses 20 charges as the Glutton is briefly slowed, licking the blood off the hook over 2.5 seconds. If the hook impacts a breakable wall or dropped pallet, the impediment is pulled into the maw and devoured over the course of a 1.8 second animation, and Great Maw loses 10 charges. If the hook misses or hits terrain, Great Maw loses 15 charges. If the hook impacts an injured survivor, the injured survivor is pulled through all intervening obstacles and into the Great Maw and entrapped. An entrapped survivor is held within the killer's stomach, battered by the hazards within as their sacrificial meter ticks down, potentially killing them if they can't get out. While a survivor is entrapped, the Maw cannot gain charges, and its charges begin to drain at a rate of 1/s, and when the charges reach 0, the survivor pulls themselves from the maw and escapes, an action which briefly stuns the Glutton and causes it to lose all collision for 5 seconds. A survivor escaping the Maw gains all the benefits of being freed from a hook. Survivors can accelerate the speed they escape the terrible situation by fighting back out, which involves a sequence of directional inputs akin to disabling Skull Merchant's drones. Each correct input they put in drains charges, but missing them adds charges, potentially trapping them for even longer--maybe even enough to progress to the next hook stage! Other survivors can also accelerate how quickly their trapped ally escapes the Maw; just being nearby helps, but blinding it and especially stunning it helps even more. A survivor who reaches their third and final sacrificial stage while in the Maw, or if they are pulled in when they are on their final hook state, is treated to a special mori and perishes, and the Maw's charges fully refresh. If a survivor is reduced to the dying state while the Maw is available to use, the Glutton may entrap the survivor without needing to hit them with --BORING NUMBERS/DETAILS: Each successful input when fighting back out reduces the Maw's charge by 1 (for a total of 5 per successful string), but failing an input causes the string to turn red and vanish, adding 2 charges to the Maw per input remaining (so missing the first input adds 8 charges, but missing the last input only adds 2), potentially trapping the survivor even longer. A new string appears 1.5 seconds after the last one vanishes, or 3 seconds if an input was missed, and they remain onscreen for 5 seconds before vanishing. Any inputs not put in by the time the string vanishes count as being missed. A survivor who allows 3 strings to vanish without making any input attempts automatically progresses to the next hook stage. Every survivor within 8m of the Glutton while it holds a survivor in the Maw causes the Maw to lose 1 additional charge a second. If the Glutton is blinded, it loses 5 charges immediately plus 1 extra charge per second it's blind. If the Glutton is stunned, it loses 20 charges. If the Glutton is not in chase, the aura of an entrapped survivor is periodically revealed to other survivors (every ~15 seconds) and is accompanied by a short directional audio cue, so survivors have a rough idea of where the Glutton is and where they need to go to rescue their ally. This prevents the Glutton from gobbling up a survivor and then sneaking off somewhere with stealth perks to make sure they remain trapped as long as possible. COMMON
Hungry for More: There's still more blood to spill, and you know exactly how to get it. After reducing a survivor to the dying state with a basic attack, you see the auras of any healthy survivors in your terror radius for 4 seconds. Then, Hungry for More goes on cooldown for 30 seconds. Blood in the Air: With the smallest taste of it, you can smell it all around you. After injuring a survivor through any means, Blood in the Air becomes active for 12 seconds. During this time, you see the auras of all bloodstains in your terror radius. Then, BitA goes on cooldown for 30 seconds. Hex: Chop Chop: Your metal can wait. There's meat to prepare. Each time you hook a survivor, a dull totem on the map ignites into a Hex Totem. Each Hex Totem curses one specific generator on the map that has not yet been completed. So long as the curse remains in place, the cursed generator has a 30% repair speed penalty. Any survivor who works on a cursed generator for 6 continuous seconds can see the location of the Hex Totem cursing it. In addition to cleansing the totem to end the curse, completing the cursed generator shatters the Hex Totem completely. it's 4AM. I'll write up his moris in the replies tomorrow. |
2024.05.17 10:04 Ekocare On the Origin of the Buddhist Arthakathás (R. C. Childers, L. C. Vijasinha)
On the Origin of the Buddhist Arthakathás Cambridge University Press (1871)
It must be admitted that the point raised by Mr. Childers is one of grave importance as affecting the credibility of Buddhaghosa and the authenticity of all the commentaries on the Tipitaka. From a missionary point of view, the astounding statement that a commentary on Buddha's discourses existed during his lifetime, and was rehearsed along with those discourses at the First Great Council, appears so improbable and unnatural as at once to justify one in discrediting the testimony; and I doubt not that missionary orientalists will hail the discovery as a valuable addition to their stock of arguments against the genuineness and authenticity of the Buddhist Scriptures.
Indeed I found it difficult at first to obtain the opinions of some of my learned friends of the Buddhist priesthood on this point, as they seemed to regard it as another thunderbolt intended to be levelled against their religion by some enthusiastic missionary ; and it was only after explaining to them the object of the inquiry, and the literary character of the gentleman who started the apparent difficulty, that I could induce them to look the question fairly in the face.
I am glad to say that most of my clerical Buddhist friends with whom I have consulted on this subject agree with me on the necessity of giving a wider and more extended signification than is generally allowed to the word Atthakathá as applied by Buddhaghosa in the passage cited. The word, as is well known, is compounded of two terms, attha, " meaning, " and katha , " a statement, explanation, or narrative," the dental t being changed to the cerebral by a latitude in the rules of permutation.1 The literal meaning of the compound term would thus amount to simply " an ex- planation of meaning. " Taking this wider sense of the word as a basis for the solution of the problem, I think the statement of Buddhaghosa in his preface to the commentary on the Dígha Nikáya is not so hopelessly irreconcilable with probable and presumable facts as would at first sight appear.
On a careful perusal of the two accounts given by Buddhaghosa of the proceedings of the three famous Councils in the Sumańgala Vilásiní and the Samanta Pásádiká, this view will, I think, be found to be very reasonable. It must be admitted that no actual commentary, in the sense that the westerns attach to that term, and like that which has been handed down to us by Buddhaghosa, existed either in the lifetime of Buddha or immediately after his death. The reasons adduced by Mr. Childers, apart from others that can easily be added, against such a supposition, are overwhelmingly convincing. But if we suppose that by the word Atthakathá in his preface Buddhaghosa only meant to convey the idea that at the various Councils held for the purpose of collocating the discourses and sayings of Buddha, the meanings to be attached to different terms were discussed and properly defined, then the difficulty of conceiving the contemporaneous existence pf the commentaries and the Pitakas would be entirely removed.
This view of the subject will appear still further borne out if we briefly glance over the history of the First Convocation, as narrated by Buddhaghosa himself. The first proposal to hold an assembly of priests for the purpose of collocating Buddha's discourses was made by Mahá Kassapa, the chief of the seven hundred thousand priests who assembled at Kusinára to celebrate the obsequies of the departed saint. Seven days had hardly elapsed after that mournful occurrence, when signs of discontent at monastic restraint manifested themselves, and a disaffected disciple of Buddha named Subhadda openly proclaimed that now their master was no more the ties of discipline should be relaxed, if not broken. The words of consolation offered by this old monk to his brethren in distress are certainly remarkable, as it would be difficult to say whether they betoken more the callousness of his feelings or the depravity of his heart: " Brethren, enough of this sorrow, weep not, lament not. We are well rid of that Arch-priest, having been in constant dread of his declarations, This befits you, this befits you not. Now, there- fore, what we desire we shall do; what we do not desire that shall we not do." To a sagacious mind like that of Mahá Kassapa it was not difficult to perceive what language like this foreshadowed, and he instantly formed the resolve to congregate the priesthood, and to collect and arrange the laws and doctrines proclaimed by his Master. Hardly two months had elapsed before this active mind brought about what it had contemplated, and the result was the Council of the Five Hundred, convoked at Kájagaha, under the auspices of King Ajátasattu, for the purpose of collecting and arrang- ing the doctrines and discourses of Buddha.
The proceedings of this Council appear to have been con- ducted in a very orderly and systematic manner, which is the more surprising when we consider that monastic autocracy was about to give place to a form of church government prescribed by the great Founder himself, but which was now to be established and tested for the first time. Mahá Kassapa, whom Buddha indirectly indicated as his equal in point of superhuman mental acquirements, assumed the office of Moderator, and by the unanimous consent of the synod Upáli was elected as the best qualified of their order to repeat the Yinaya, and Ānanda the Dhamma ; the Council having previously decided that the Yinaya was the most material for the permanence of Buddhism.
Now it is important to observe that the catechetical form was used in the collocation of both the Laws and Doctrines. "Afterwards Mahá Kassapa, having seated himself in the presidential chair, questioned the venerable Upáli respecting the Yinaya in this wise. Brother Upáli, where was the first Párájika promulgated? My lord, at Vesáli. On whose account? On account of Sudinna, the son of Kalanda. With regard to what offence? To fornication. Then did the venerable Mahá Kassapa question the venerable Upáli on the offence, the cause, the offender, the primary law, the secondary law, the transgression and the non-transgression, relating to the first law enacted against mortal sin. And the venerable Upáli explained as he was questioned." Such was also the method employed in the synod in the collocation of the Dhamma : - " Brother Ananda, where was the Brahmajála delivered ? My lord, between Rájagaha and Nálanda," and so on. Though it is subsequently added that " at the conclusion of the questions and answers the five hundred Arhats repeated the texts together in the order in which they had been collocated,"- it is difficult to believe that all' the five hundred rehearsed the long narratives prefixed to some of Buddha's discourses in the same words and style that they are now clothed in. Buddhaghosa's account of the synod is gathered from tradition, which was very probably embodied in the Simhalese atthakathás, and there can be little doubt that the main facts are correct ; but that he drew largely from tradition, written and oral, and possibly in some instances from imagination, will I think appear clear to any careful reader of the commentaries. Witness for instance his relation of Ananda's mysterious entrance into the assembly : pathaviyam nimujjitvá ottano árnne y em attánam dassesi , ákásena gantvá nisïdîti pi eke , " He plunged into the earth and showed himself in his seat, and also some say he went through the air and sat down." He does not say which version is correct, but is quite satisfied with both accounts, and is evidently quite willing to let his readers choose whichever they like.
Buddhaghosa throughout all his writings appears to have set one great object prominently in view, namely to inspire reverence for what he considered as supreme authority. When he came to Ceylon for the purpose of translating the Simhalese commentaries, he found a great many extant at that time, and out of these commentaries, embracing no doubt various shades of opinion, and representing different schools of thought, he had to expunge, abridge, enlarge, and make a new commentary. Now how could he do all this, and at the same time preserve undiminished among future generations the same reverence and authority in which the older commentaries were held by the Buddhists of that age? The thought struck him, as no doubt it would strike any careful reader of the Buddhist Scriptures, that a large portion of the writings contained in that canon appear to be explanations and definitions of terms used by Buddha, and also that a great many discourses said to have been delivered by Buddha to certain individuals have not been recorded.
Now what more easy to conceive, or what more probable, than that they formed the nucleus of matter for the formation of a commentary, and that at the First General Council, which lasted seven months, the elders, who had all seen and heard Buddha, should have dis- cussed them, and decided on the method of interpreting and teaching the more recondite portions of Buddhist philosophy ? and what therefore if he should say in somewhat exaggerated language, " the commentary on the Digha Nikáya was at the beginning discussed (or composed, or merged into the body of the Scriptures) by five hundred holy elders" ? - for the original words may admit of such a construction. If or will this opinion appear merely hypothetical if we carefully peruse the account given by Buddhaghosa of the commentaries in his Samanta Pásádiká. In his metrical introduction to that work, after the usual doxology, he explains the necessity of having a proper Pali Commentary on the Vinaya, and then proceeds to set forth what he is about to do : -
"In commencing this commentary, I shall, having embodied therein the Mahá Atthakathá, without excluding any proper meaning from the decisions contained in the Mahá Paccarí, as also in the famous Kurundi and other com- mentaries, and including the opinions of the Elders, - perform my task well. Let the young, the middle-aged, and the elderly priests, who entertain a proper regard for the doctrines of the Tathágata, the luminary of truth, listen to my words with pleasure. The Dhamma, as well as the Yinaya, was declared by Buddha, his (sacerdotal) sons understood it in the same sense as it was delivered ; and inasmuch as in former times they (the Simhalese commentators) composed the com- mentaries without disregarding their (the sacerdotal sons') opinions, therefore, barring any erro* of transcription, every- thing contained therein is an authority to the learned in this priesthood who respect ecclesiastical discipline. From these (Simhalese) commentaries, after casting off the language, condensing detailed accounts, including authoritative deci- sions, and without overstepping any Pàli idiom (I shall pro- ceed to compose). And as this commentary will moreover be explanatory of the meaning of words belonging. to the Suttas in conformity with the sense attached to them therein, therefore ought it the more diligently to be studied."
....continued...
On the Origin of the Buddhist Arthakathás Cambridge University Press (1871)
submitted by Ekocare to TheravadaBuddhism [link] [comments]
"—the commentary, I say, upon this Scripture wasL. Comrilla Vijasinha, Government Interpreter to the Ratnapura Court Ceylon:
at the first Council rehearsed by five hundred holy elders
and in later times rehearsed again and yet again."
It must be admitted that the point raised by Mr. Childers is one of grave importance as affecting the credibility of Buddhaghosa and the authenticity of all the commentaries on the Tipitaka. From a missionary point of view, the astounding statement that a commentary on Buddha's discourses existed during his lifetime, and was rehearsed along with those discourses at the First Great Council, appears so improbable and unnatural as at once to justify one in discrediting the testimony; and I doubt not that missionary orientalists will hail the discovery as a valuable addition to their stock of arguments against the genuineness and authenticity of the Buddhist Scriptures.
Indeed I found it difficult at first to obtain the opinions of some of my learned friends of the Buddhist priesthood on this point, as they seemed to regard it as another thunderbolt intended to be levelled against their religion by some enthusiastic missionary ; and it was only after explaining to them the object of the inquiry, and the literary character of the gentleman who started the apparent difficulty, that I could induce them to look the question fairly in the face.
I am glad to say that most of my clerical Buddhist friends with whom I have consulted on this subject agree with me on the necessity of giving a wider and more extended signification than is generally allowed to the word Atthakathá as applied by Buddhaghosa in the passage cited. The word, as is well known, is compounded of two terms, attha, " meaning, " and katha , " a statement, explanation, or narrative," the dental t being changed to the cerebral by a latitude in the rules of permutation.1 The literal meaning of the compound term would thus amount to simply " an ex- planation of meaning. " Taking this wider sense of the word as a basis for the solution of the problem, I think the statement of Buddhaghosa in his preface to the commentary on the Dígha Nikáya is not so hopelessly irreconcilable with probable and presumable facts as would at first sight appear.
On a careful perusal of the two accounts given by Buddhaghosa of the proceedings of the three famous Councils in the Sumańgala Vilásiní and the Samanta Pásádiká, this view will, I think, be found to be very reasonable. It must be admitted that no actual commentary, in the sense that the westerns attach to that term, and like that which has been handed down to us by Buddhaghosa, existed either in the lifetime of Buddha or immediately after his death. The reasons adduced by Mr. Childers, apart from others that can easily be added, against such a supposition, are overwhelmingly convincing. But if we suppose that by the word Atthakathá in his preface Buddhaghosa only meant to convey the idea that at the various Councils held for the purpose of collocating the discourses and sayings of Buddha, the meanings to be attached to different terms were discussed and properly defined, then the difficulty of conceiving the contemporaneous existence pf the commentaries and the Pitakas would be entirely removed.
This view of the subject will appear still further borne out if we briefly glance over the history of the First Convocation, as narrated by Buddhaghosa himself. The first proposal to hold an assembly of priests for the purpose of collocating Buddha's discourses was made by Mahá Kassapa, the chief of the seven hundred thousand priests who assembled at Kusinára to celebrate the obsequies of the departed saint. Seven days had hardly elapsed after that mournful occurrence, when signs of discontent at monastic restraint manifested themselves, and a disaffected disciple of Buddha named Subhadda openly proclaimed that now their master was no more the ties of discipline should be relaxed, if not broken. The words of consolation offered by this old monk to his brethren in distress are certainly remarkable, as it would be difficult to say whether they betoken more the callousness of his feelings or the depravity of his heart: " Brethren, enough of this sorrow, weep not, lament not. We are well rid of that Arch-priest, having been in constant dread of his declarations, This befits you, this befits you not. Now, there- fore, what we desire we shall do; what we do not desire that shall we not do." To a sagacious mind like that of Mahá Kassapa it was not difficult to perceive what language like this foreshadowed, and he instantly formed the resolve to congregate the priesthood, and to collect and arrange the laws and doctrines proclaimed by his Master. Hardly two months had elapsed before this active mind brought about what it had contemplated, and the result was the Council of the Five Hundred, convoked at Kájagaha, under the auspices of King Ajátasattu, for the purpose of collecting and arrang- ing the doctrines and discourses of Buddha.
The proceedings of this Council appear to have been con- ducted in a very orderly and systematic manner, which is the more surprising when we consider that monastic autocracy was about to give place to a form of church government prescribed by the great Founder himself, but which was now to be established and tested for the first time. Mahá Kassapa, whom Buddha indirectly indicated as his equal in point of superhuman mental acquirements, assumed the office of Moderator, and by the unanimous consent of the synod Upáli was elected as the best qualified of their order to repeat the Yinaya, and Ānanda the Dhamma ; the Council having previously decided that the Yinaya was the most material for the permanence of Buddhism.
Now it is important to observe that the catechetical form was used in the collocation of both the Laws and Doctrines. "Afterwards Mahá Kassapa, having seated himself in the presidential chair, questioned the venerable Upáli respecting the Yinaya in this wise. Brother Upáli, where was the first Párájika promulgated? My lord, at Vesáli. On whose account? On account of Sudinna, the son of Kalanda. With regard to what offence? To fornication. Then did the venerable Mahá Kassapa question the venerable Upáli on the offence, the cause, the offender, the primary law, the secondary law, the transgression and the non-transgression, relating to the first law enacted against mortal sin. And the venerable Upáli explained as he was questioned." Such was also the method employed in the synod in the collocation of the Dhamma : - " Brother Ananda, where was the Brahmajála delivered ? My lord, between Rájagaha and Nálanda," and so on. Though it is subsequently added that " at the conclusion of the questions and answers the five hundred Arhats repeated the texts together in the order in which they had been collocated,"- it is difficult to believe that all' the five hundred rehearsed the long narratives prefixed to some of Buddha's discourses in the same words and style that they are now clothed in. Buddhaghosa's account of the synod is gathered from tradition, which was very probably embodied in the Simhalese atthakathás, and there can be little doubt that the main facts are correct ; but that he drew largely from tradition, written and oral, and possibly in some instances from imagination, will I think appear clear to any careful reader of the commentaries. Witness for instance his relation of Ananda's mysterious entrance into the assembly : pathaviyam nimujjitvá ottano árnne y em attánam dassesi , ákásena gantvá nisïdîti pi eke , " He plunged into the earth and showed himself in his seat, and also some say he went through the air and sat down." He does not say which version is correct, but is quite satisfied with both accounts, and is evidently quite willing to let his readers choose whichever they like.
Buddhaghosa throughout all his writings appears to have set one great object prominently in view, namely to inspire reverence for what he considered as supreme authority. When he came to Ceylon for the purpose of translating the Simhalese commentaries, he found a great many extant at that time, and out of these commentaries, embracing no doubt various shades of opinion, and representing different schools of thought, he had to expunge, abridge, enlarge, and make a new commentary. Now how could he do all this, and at the same time preserve undiminished among future generations the same reverence and authority in which the older commentaries were held by the Buddhists of that age? The thought struck him, as no doubt it would strike any careful reader of the Buddhist Scriptures, that a large portion of the writings contained in that canon appear to be explanations and definitions of terms used by Buddha, and also that a great many discourses said to have been delivered by Buddha to certain individuals have not been recorded.
Now what more easy to conceive, or what more probable, than that they formed the nucleus of matter for the formation of a commentary, and that at the First General Council, which lasted seven months, the elders, who had all seen and heard Buddha, should have dis- cussed them, and decided on the method of interpreting and teaching the more recondite portions of Buddhist philosophy ? and what therefore if he should say in somewhat exaggerated language, " the commentary on the Digha Nikáya was at the beginning discussed (or composed, or merged into the body of the Scriptures) by five hundred holy elders" ? - for the original words may admit of such a construction. If or will this opinion appear merely hypothetical if we carefully peruse the account given by Buddhaghosa of the commentaries in his Samanta Pásádiká. In his metrical introduction to that work, after the usual doxology, he explains the necessity of having a proper Pali Commentary on the Vinaya, and then proceeds to set forth what he is about to do : -
"In commencing this commentary, I shall, having embodied therein the Mahá Atthakathá, without excluding any proper meaning from the decisions contained in the Mahá Paccarí, as also in the famous Kurundi and other com- mentaries, and including the opinions of the Elders, - perform my task well. Let the young, the middle-aged, and the elderly priests, who entertain a proper regard for the doctrines of the Tathágata, the luminary of truth, listen to my words with pleasure. The Dhamma, as well as the Yinaya, was declared by Buddha, his (sacerdotal) sons understood it in the same sense as it was delivered ; and inasmuch as in former times they (the Simhalese commentators) composed the com- mentaries without disregarding their (the sacerdotal sons') opinions, therefore, barring any erro* of transcription, every- thing contained therein is an authority to the learned in this priesthood who respect ecclesiastical discipline. From these (Simhalese) commentaries, after casting off the language, condensing detailed accounts, including authoritative deci- sions, and without overstepping any Pàli idiom (I shall pro- ceed to compose). And as this commentary will moreover be explanatory of the meaning of words belonging. to the Suttas in conformity with the sense attached to them therein, therefore ought it the more diligently to be studied."
....continued...
On the Origin of the Buddhist Arthakathás Cambridge University Press (1871)
2024.05.17 09:58 Resident1567899 The Quran can't be the Word of God. Islam's version of the Problem of the Trinity
Introduction
Muslims believe the Quran, the holy book of Islam itself is not just a religious book for guidance but also the literal word of god i.e. Allah itself. In everyday conversations, you will hear Muslims call it Kalamullah (Word of God), not in the Christian sense where the Word is Jesus and God but actual sayings, sentences, and words uttered by god himself and compiled into a single book by human hands. While Muslims are proud of their holy book being the literal words of god sent down to all of mankind, there are a few problems with that mainly concerning Islam's doctrinal theology and its core beliefs.
Disclaimer and Notes
Now, before I start, a disclaimer. The issue of the Quran being god's word or not has been one of the most pretentious and divided issues in the Muslim community. Because of this issue, multiple sects (considered deviant and heretical today) popped up in the early years of Islam's history leading to multiple debates, condemnations, and even inquisitions for those that were against the majority-held view in history. So to make it easy considering Islam has tons of historical sects, all of whom held widely different views than modern-day Islam when it comes to the Quran's states as the word of god (or not), this post is aimed at Ashari, Maturidi and Ahlul Hadith/Athari aqeedah sects who make up the majority of Muslims today, collectively considered to be under the umbrella of Ahlul Sunnah Wal Jema'ah (Literally meaning "The People of the Prophet's Tradition and Consensus" or to make it easier to understand "The Followers of the Prophet's Teachings and the Righteous Community"). This term is commonly understood in Islam as those who follow the true and righteous path in Islam which according to the hadiths, out of 73 deviant sects, only 1 (the above I already mention) will be on the correct spiritual path.
Why do I say this problem is akin to the Trinity problem in Christianity? Both are key problems that form the basis of the entire religion, not just for an individual believer but also for the scholars who dabble in religious sciences. Both the Quran and Trinity make up the core fundamental teachings upon which other teachings are established and expanded further. Without these key concepts, the entire premise of both religions (Islam and Christianity) would fall apart within a matter of seconds. Both issues are also hotly debated even to this day. As I mentioned before, the issue of the Quran's creation or non-creation was an important issue that occupied the minds of early-century Muslim scholars and thinkers, to the point schisms and breakaways from the main branch started to emerge. The same thing happened in Christianity with the Trinity which led to excommunication, the Arian controversy, and multiple individual distinct sects, all of whom have a different understanding of what the Trinity is.
Last, I would also like to mention that considering the Trinity has been severely criticized by non-Christians alike as proof of Christianity's falsehood and internal contradictions, then the same should be said with Islam's problem of the Quran's status. However, unlike in Islam, Christianity continued to debate up to the present day and even adopted Greek philosophical concepts to better explain away the Trinity and the relationship between each Divine Person of the Trinity. In Islam, the opposite occurred. Those who used Greek philosophy and rhetoric were condemned as either falling into falsehood or corrupting the religion by introducing pagan concepts. Ironically, the most condemned bunch of the Muslim sects I'll talk about below, the Mutazilites were the ones who most used philosophy which led to their rejection of the Quran's non-createdness.
Due to the decline of the Mutazilite sect, the rise of more conservative movements, and the criticism of Aristotelian philosophical ideas by Al-Ghazali (Note, he wasn't against philosophy, he was against philosophical ideas that went against Islam like the eternity of the world and denying bodily resurrection in the afterlife), theological discussions and debates surrounding the question faded away. Even now, most Muslims consider the issue "solved" and simply adopt one of the three main positions. Unsurprisingly, while the West and Christianity continued adopting new ideas, this means the Muslim positions lacked much substance and arguments seen in Christianity with Greek and Neo-Platonist ideas which in turn, means there are tons of problems with their positions, (which is the whole point of the post)
Now, with that out of the way, let's begin.
How Have Muslims Historically Responded to this Problem?
There are two answers to the question of the Quran's status. One, to affirm that it is the literal word of god from Allah Himself which existed with him since eternity or to affirm it is a created being just like every other creature and human planet earth. The second view doesn't mean that the Quran is simply the work of man, quite the opposite. Rather, it posits that the Quran still holds religious significance as Islam's holy book and is still the Word of God but it was created at a later time by God, not existing eternally with god before the creation of everything. In the second view, the Quran still holds religious significance for praying, guidance, and the basis for Islam, only that it is of a lower status than god himself, being a creation of god that was created at a certain time.
The second view is considered invalid and rejected by all major sects of Islam in the modern era (Ashari, Maturidi, Athari) as a heretical belief that the Mutazilites (The Withdrawers) held. I'm not going to go into who they are, what is their history, or what are their beliefs (you can google it yourself). Just know these are the guys who believe the Quran was a creation of god and were condemned by pretty much every Islamic group and sect from their beginning all the way up to the present modern day. This is one the only issues where every Islamic sect agrees with each other in condemning this belief, be it Ashari, Maturidi, or Athari. Thus, the second option then is 100% of the table for most Muslims, unless they want to affirm holding beliefs of a heretical group that died out 1000 years ago. I don't think any Muslim will dare to affirm Mutazilite beliefs for fear of ridicule and committing major sins, so there's much here to discuss. For the sake of brevity, I will address the second view since the one even Muslims will deny and reject. After that, I'll address the A
The Second View
But for the sake of argument, I'll assume some rare brave Mutazilite Muslim wants to give it a try. Now, here are some of my questions for you. If the Quran is a creation of god and not the literal Word of God before time immemorial, what is the Quran's relationship with god? You believe these are still words from Allah that help mankind to arrive at the truth and Islam yet at the same you also believe that these were created at a time later than god. How can something that is both speech from god and also created by god himself exist simultaneously at the same time? Anything that is created at a later time means it's a creation, a contingent object that depends on an external creator. It can't be part of god because god is eternal, atemporal, necessary, and independent of everything and anything. If it were god or contained some part of god inside of it, then this is no different than Jesus and the Son of God in Christianity where it contains both a human and godly nature, so does that mean you now believe the Quran to be both god and creation? Just like the Christians who you condemn as a false corrupted religion? This is the First Problem you must face, that be affirming it is both from god and not god, you are throwing yourself into the same pit as Christianity with a dual nature which is already a false religion. I like to call people who affirm this stance "Dualists".
The Second Problem "dualists" face is that this nullifies the Quran's honorific status in Islam, which goes against what the majority of the Muslim world believes in. For Dualists, what is the Quran's honorific and spiritual status in Islam now? We've all seen Muslim riots and protests against the burning or stepping on the Quran by non-Muslims around the world. A man burns or rips up the Quran and the entire Muslim world goes into a frenzy. In Islam, simply placing the Quran on the floor is considered disrespectful and sinful. In the majority of sects today, the Quran must be honored and respected 24/7 partly due to the fact Muslims believe it to be the literal Word. But for Dualists, what is your stance and reason for continuing to respect the Quran? Considering you no longer believe the Quran to be the actual Word, can non-Muslims now vandalize, rip apart, step on, or place the Quran on the floor?? Would you have any problem with it? It's no longer the Word itself but a creation of god. Sure, you might ask others to "respect other religions and beliefs" but aside from this, what else do you have?? Is simply putting a religious book on the floor disrespecting other religions? What makes your holy book now any different from the Jewish and Christian perspectives on their religious books? They don't go into a frenzy every time Bibles are burned or disrespected. Will you do the same thing?
The Third Problem since it's a created thing, wouldn't this also mean that at some point in the future, the Quran no longer exists? That the Quran is finite and will at some point cease to exist? Wouldn't this mean at some point, Islam itself becomes useless because the number one source for everything, the Quran no longer exists? The Quran will cease to exist if it were created, when it happens, will the meaning of the verses and Muslim understanding built up over the centuries also cease to exist? Tafsirs, Fiqh, and Tajwid all suddenly become useless and void of any meaning because the backbone of Islam, the Quran no longer exists. What about the Muslim understanding of what Allah is? Isn't that detrimental should the Quran cease to exist? The best outcome is that Muslims still retain the knowledge but Islam becomes spineless without a religious book and the worst outcome is the complete disintegration of Islam as everything built upon the Quran, now becomes useless. It would mean the complete death of Islam as a major Abrahamic religion.
Next, what about during the Hour, when everything in the heavens and on the Earth will be destroyed and no longer exist? Muslims believe that when the Hour arrives, everything will be destroyed. Every human, child, animal, plant, planet, universe, devil, and angel will die inevitably. Only god remains. Due to this, according to Dualists, will the Quran experience the same fate? All of its verses and Surahs destroyed by god himself. Now I know Muslims, even those of other sects believe the Quran will disappear bit by bit before the Hour as a sign of the impending doom and apocalypse. However, other Muslims believe that yes, the Quran will disappear but the verses themselves remain preserved with god i.e. Allah since these are the literal words of god himself. In a sense, the verses suddenly don't exist, they return back to god.
TLDR, the Dualist Mutazilite view implies a contradiction where the Quran is both God and not God at the same time, it nullifies the Quran's holy status and the divine meaning of the verses, and last, it means the Quran is finite and will cease to exist at some point in the future.
Now, onto the Ashari, Maturidi and Athari sects,
The First View (The Majority)
These three are the most prominent and widely held doctrinal sects in the current Muslim population. I will be splitting the next sections into two sections, Ashari-Maturidi (since both are quite similar and considered a single unified school of thought by Muslim scholars) and the Athari school.
Ashari-Maturidi
The Asharis and Maturidis believe the Quran and its verses to be the literal Word of God itself, with Allah since eternity before time however they believe the book form of the Quran (mushaf), the one which every Muslim holds and reads is of man-made origin. In other words, the verses, sentences, letters, and meaning of the text are from god himself while the cover, paper, ink, writing, and publishing are from mankind. The Ash'ari creed makes a point of difference between the content of the Quran and the physical manifestation of it (in speech or as pages in a book).
The Main Problem with this argument as said by Atharis and Mutazilites is that this strips the Quran of its spiritual and holy essence in Islam. If the real divine aspect of the Quran that came from god itself are the verses and meaning of it only, then should we burn every last Quran in the world, it wouldn't be a problem. After all, the divine part still exists as it is from and with god himself, only the earthly worldly portions of it get destroyed. Why's that a problem? I mean what is the problem spiritually concerning Islam's doctrinal theology itself? What's the problem with destroying the cover or vandalizing the writing of it? It's not from god, it's man-made. The effect of this would be enormous.
This means now non-Muslims and Islamaphobes can now burn, rip, tear apart, step on, vandalize, and desecrate the Quran because they are only destroying the part that is not divine. Would Asharis or Maturidis agree to this? Is now destroying the Quran not a major sin but actually allowed? The true essence of the Quran i.e. the part that is truly divine remains preserved and exists since humans were created and will continue to exist long after everything has died and withered away. The vandalization and desecration of it does not affect the Quran because the true divine verses and meaning remain preserved. This problem is similar to the Second Problem with the Mutazilite belief, it nullifies and strips away the Quran's holy status and honorific place among the Muslim community. If it isn't truly god's divine word, what's the problem if it gets destroyed, wet, or burned?
Heck, I've heard this same argument from other sects, claiming and accusing the Ashari are just Mutazilites in disguise because their main stance of the Quran's identity revolves back to the Mutazilite position where the Quran is a creation of god. One of the main accusations against the Ashari sect is that it's just a rehash version of Mutazilite or Jahmiyyah theology (I don't have time to explain what this is right now, better if you look it up yourselves) due to similarities in doctrine and also because Imam Ashari, the founder was once a Mutazilite himself (not helping the Ashari case) but Asharis claim he renounced all Mutazilite theology and returned back to the true correct path. In this case, should the objection above against the Ashari-Maturidi position succeed, then it would help critics a lot against Asharism.
The Second Problem with holding the Ashari position is that this resembles the idolatry of Hinduism and Paganism or at least, is slipping into idolatry practice. If they claim the Speech of God is contained within the letters, pages, and ink of the Mushaf (the Quran's Uthmanic standardized codex), then how dare they believe the actions of humans can absorb and physicalize the Sacred Divine Speech of God, for Muslims believe god can never be limited by His creatures. This would also mean they believe the ink written on the Quran's pages is a physical intermediary, designed to encapsulate the Speech of God into a physical form, no different than the idols of Hindus and Pagans who believe their idols to be an intermediary or a worldly representation of the True Divine Nature.
Hindus don't claim they worship idols, rather they believe them to be ways to spiritually connect with the divine as a locus for prayer just like how Muslims consider the Kaaba as the direction for prayer, not an idol for worship or as a reminder for believers of the faith similar to how a photo of a spiritual leader is a sign of respect and a daily reminder every-day when you wake up. How is this different than believing the ink inside the Quran holds the truth or emulates the Divine Nature from the Ashari claim? Ashari Muslims affirm the Quran is still the Word of God just represented through a physical form, so how is this not idolatry? Believing that a physical human-made physical manifestation holds the Divine Speech so that followers of Islam can get closer to god?
This would be even worse than the Mutazilites, for committing idolatry whether intentionally or not is a major grave sin in Islam, to the point those that who commit it and do not repent back are considered as Kafir (infidels). If even they aren't committing idolatry and shirk (polytheism), another major sin in Islam, then at the very least, they believe that a divine part of God can be captured inside the ink and pen of writers as if they the Speech of God and the ink become one and the same, another reference to the Christian belief of God having both a Divine and Human Nature. Of course, Muslims and Ashari Muslims consider this to be heretical and blasphemous, but what's the difference between believing the Quran is both man-made and divine versus the Christological belief of Jesus being both God and Man?
The Third Problem with the Ashari answer that the Quran itself is created while the Speech of God isn't is where is the Speech of God then? Asharis can't answer that it is still in heaven for they also believe the Mushaf or Quran contains the Word and Speech of God. If they believe that it is still in heaven with god and not on earth, then what are they even reading every day? Clearly not the Speech of God if they claim it isn't with us now, perhaps an imperfect human copy of the divine Speech of God but that would mean the Quran is imperfect and the work of man, which would be affirming the Mutazilite position. So they can't claim it is both in the heavens and on the earth nor claim it is either in the heavens only or on the earth with mankind only.
I already explained they also can't say the Speech of God is contained inside the ink and letters of the Quran for that means the Divine Speech has become limited because of it. God in Islam can never be limited, nor can His creatures limit god. So if isn't option A, B, or C, where is the Holy Sacred Speech of God then? The Speech which is supposed to be the principle guiding force for all of mankind especially, Muslims. How can Asharis then claim they believe in the Quran as the revelation and Word of God sent down to Muhammad if they can't tell us where in their holy book, is the Speech of God itself? At worst, this means the Ashari belief entails the Quran isn't holy or divine thus eliminating Islam's entire main source and one of the 6 pillars of Iman (faith), and at best, reading the Quran isn't a holy act nor can be used as a book for guidance, for Muslims aren't reading the Word of God then. They are reading an imperfect fallible man-made copy of the Speech of God, not the true Divine Inspiration from Allah.
TLDR, the Ashari-Maturidi middle path that the Quran was uncreated and eternal, yet its ink and paper, individual letters and words were created strips the Quran has multiple problems, some may even go against what Islam stands for. It strips the Quran of its Divine Sacred Essence as the Word of God, at worse it may lead to shirk and idolatry akin to the Hindus and Pagans, and at best, Asharis can't point to us where the Word and Speech of God is in the Quran.
Athari/Ahlul Hadith
Now for the Atharis, they are strict literalists who believe the Quran and Allah's Speech both are uncreated unlike the Asharis/Maturidis who adopt a middle path, or the Mutazilite who outright claim the Quran was created, the extreme position.
The First Problem with the Athari position is pretty clear, if the Quran is the literal Word of God completely, then does that mean what Muslims are holding is a literal piece of God here on earth in the moral realm? Does that mean god is with us all the time? How can god, who Muslims consider as being transcendent be here on earth with mankind? If the Quran is the literal physical Speech of God and not just metaphorically or analogically, then does this mean the Speech of God exists on Earth? How can god be here on Earth? The Atharis believe literally that the Quran is the Speech of God, so unless they claim the Speech of God suddenly transformed into a physical object (which I'll address below), the Quran would be a god or at least have a piece of the divine essence of Allah.
This is no different than the Christian position where there exists a God in heaven and a God on Earth at the same time. As I already mentioned, Muslims consider the Christian position of a god on earth unacceptable yet when we look at their own views, we find (in the Athari case) a piece of god exists on earth. Allah still exists in the heavens, yet the Speech of God exists here in the Quran. Let's not even get into the issue of a transcendent god existing in the mortal physical realm, where the laws of physics govern meaning god would be limited in some capacity (which most Muslims would see as ridiculous)
The Second Problem is the relationship between the Quran (God's Speech) and God himself. Considering the Quran was revealed to Muhammad and sent down by Gabriel, how should we understand the Speech of God is here now? Do Atharis believe that the Speech of God suddenly separated from the main body when the Quran was revealed and sent down to earth? Or do Atharis believe the Quran is still the undivided Speech of God, in which case a part of god is literally on earth?
Or what about when the Quran was compiled in book form starting with Abu Bakr's reign and ending with Uthman's standardization? Should we take this to mean now not only does the Speech of God literally exist on earth but the Speech of God now has taken shape, molded into letters and words while compiled into a book equipped with paper pages and covers from front to back? If they want to deny these are from god i.e. the physical cover is man-made, then they would be subscribing to the Ashari-Maturidi doctrine of the middle path (which I already showed also has problems). If they want to take the other path and claim the Quran we have now is not the Word of God literally, then they would be subscribing to the heretical Mutazilite position which also, has tons of religious and doctrinal problems.
TLDR, the Athari literalist position invites more harm than good when it comes to answering the question of the Quran's uncreated nature. It would mean god is literally on earth, or a piece of god's divine essence is. Affirming that a piece of the Divine Essence exists here on earth with mankind would be something similar to the Christian belief that god exists both in the heavens and on earth (Father and Son). Other than that, it would also complicate the relationship between the Quran and God even more. If the Quran is the literal Word and Speech of God, how do Atharis explain the Quran's standardization into a single written book with ink, paper, and covers? Does it mean the Speech of God underwent a physical transformation?
Consequences
Islam posits the Quran to be the Word of God from Allah Himself, however how exactly does that work leads to massive problems within Islam's doctrinal framework. Muslims can't state the Quran is the true literal Speech of God otherwise they would be committing a blasphemous act by believing god is literally on earth with us at this very moment. They also can't deny it is the Speech of God for Islam considers the Quran to be the perfect Kalamullah (literally the Word of God). It is one of the core tenets of belief that Muslims believe the Quran to be the actual Words of God sent down to Muhammad as the last revelation. They also can't adopt a middle path like the Asharis-Maturidis because I've already shown that this just leaves the Quran inside a grey area, it's both the Word of God and also not the Word of God at the same time. Other problems are also relevant which I've already discussed above. Either the middle approach collapses into itself, becoming either one the extreme views, literal divine affirmation like the Atharis, or the extreme divine nullification like the Mutazilites.
Other religions don't have this problem. They do not believe Jesus or Moses were gifted the actual literal Words and Speech of God which existed since time immemorial. Christians believe the Bible was divinely authored by the Apostles of Jesus, where the Holy Spirit guides the writers of the Bible into writing down the true teachings of Jesus and Christianity. Christians don't believe the Bible's passages are the literal Speech of God which has existed with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as if affirming the Bible was also another Divine Person of the Trinity. No, only Muslims as far as I know affirm both their Holy Book contains the Speech of God which both exists on Earth and also with God up in heaven but that leaves them in a contradiction of whether to affirm the Quran is God Himself on Earth or the true Words of God are still up in heaven. After all, how can the Divine Nature which is uncorrupted and perfect exist in a world not perfect, but actually filled with sin, corruption, and spiritual pollution?
In the end, Muslims face a dilemma with regard to the Quran's Holy and Divine Nature. This a dilemma which after going through all the possible Muslim answers that have been given over the years, still fails to give us a proper satisfying answer.
Conclusion
All the responses and viewpoints of the major Islamic sects fail to answer the question, of whether the Quran is created or not. They tried to square a circle by trying to find a balance between affirming the Quran is the divine Word of God while at the same time not falling into a literalist interpretation where god is on Earth (as the Atharis do). However, all responses so far have failed to properly find the right solution, all either fall into extremities at both ends of the spectrum (Mutazilite and Athari) or tried to strike a balance, but only managed to kick the can down the road even further.
If Christianity has the Problem of the Trinity, a major fundamental question that still has philosophers and theologians scratching their heads trying to find an answer, then the Problem of the Quran's Nature is the Islamic version of it. The difference is while Christians continue to debate and argue about the Trinity's true nature, Muslim and Islamic scholars have relatively abandoned the debate, choosing to hold either one of the three major schools of thought. My personal opinion is this is an unfortunate situation, ever since the decline of philosophy in Islamic thought, Kalam and Falsafah (Islamic philosophy) have gained a bad reputation amongst Muslims as being a "gateway to blasphemy". Rarely you will find Muslim scholars in the modern era debate about this, let alone teach laymen Muslims about these topics.
At the very least, I hope my post can inspire future Muslims to look into this topic further, creating new fascinating answers and arguments that contribute to the Muslim and non-Muslim understanding of what Allah is in Islam.
submitted by Resident1567899 to DebateReligion [link] [comments]
Muslims believe the Quran, the holy book of Islam itself is not just a religious book for guidance but also the literal word of god i.e. Allah itself. In everyday conversations, you will hear Muslims call it Kalamullah (Word of God), not in the Christian sense where the Word is Jesus and God but actual sayings, sentences, and words uttered by god himself and compiled into a single book by human hands. While Muslims are proud of their holy book being the literal words of god sent down to all of mankind, there are a few problems with that mainly concerning Islam's doctrinal theology and its core beliefs.
Disclaimer and Notes
Now, before I start, a disclaimer. The issue of the Quran being god's word or not has been one of the most pretentious and divided issues in the Muslim community. Because of this issue, multiple sects (considered deviant and heretical today) popped up in the early years of Islam's history leading to multiple debates, condemnations, and even inquisitions for those that were against the majority-held view in history. So to make it easy considering Islam has tons of historical sects, all of whom held widely different views than modern-day Islam when it comes to the Quran's states as the word of god (or not), this post is aimed at Ashari, Maturidi and Ahlul Hadith/Athari aqeedah sects who make up the majority of Muslims today, collectively considered to be under the umbrella of Ahlul Sunnah Wal Jema'ah (Literally meaning "The People of the Prophet's Tradition and Consensus" or to make it easier to understand "The Followers of the Prophet's Teachings and the Righteous Community"). This term is commonly understood in Islam as those who follow the true and righteous path in Islam which according to the hadiths, out of 73 deviant sects, only 1 (the above I already mention) will be on the correct spiritual path.
Why do I say this problem is akin to the Trinity problem in Christianity? Both are key problems that form the basis of the entire religion, not just for an individual believer but also for the scholars who dabble in religious sciences. Both the Quran and Trinity make up the core fundamental teachings upon which other teachings are established and expanded further. Without these key concepts, the entire premise of both religions (Islam and Christianity) would fall apart within a matter of seconds. Both issues are also hotly debated even to this day. As I mentioned before, the issue of the Quran's creation or non-creation was an important issue that occupied the minds of early-century Muslim scholars and thinkers, to the point schisms and breakaways from the main branch started to emerge. The same thing happened in Christianity with the Trinity which led to excommunication, the Arian controversy, and multiple individual distinct sects, all of whom have a different understanding of what the Trinity is.
Last, I would also like to mention that considering the Trinity has been severely criticized by non-Christians alike as proof of Christianity's falsehood and internal contradictions, then the same should be said with Islam's problem of the Quran's status. However, unlike in Islam, Christianity continued to debate up to the present day and even adopted Greek philosophical concepts to better explain away the Trinity and the relationship between each Divine Person of the Trinity. In Islam, the opposite occurred. Those who used Greek philosophy and rhetoric were condemned as either falling into falsehood or corrupting the religion by introducing pagan concepts. Ironically, the most condemned bunch of the Muslim sects I'll talk about below, the Mutazilites were the ones who most used philosophy which led to their rejection of the Quran's non-createdness.
Due to the decline of the Mutazilite sect, the rise of more conservative movements, and the criticism of Aristotelian philosophical ideas by Al-Ghazali (Note, he wasn't against philosophy, he was against philosophical ideas that went against Islam like the eternity of the world and denying bodily resurrection in the afterlife), theological discussions and debates surrounding the question faded away. Even now, most Muslims consider the issue "solved" and simply adopt one of the three main positions. Unsurprisingly, while the West and Christianity continued adopting new ideas, this means the Muslim positions lacked much substance and arguments seen in Christianity with Greek and Neo-Platonist ideas which in turn, means there are tons of problems with their positions, (which is the whole point of the post)
Now, with that out of the way, let's begin.
How Have Muslims Historically Responded to this Problem?
There are two answers to the question of the Quran's status. One, to affirm that it is the literal word of god from Allah Himself which existed with him since eternity or to affirm it is a created being just like every other creature and human planet earth. The second view doesn't mean that the Quran is simply the work of man, quite the opposite. Rather, it posits that the Quran still holds religious significance as Islam's holy book and is still the Word of God but it was created at a later time by God, not existing eternally with god before the creation of everything. In the second view, the Quran still holds religious significance for praying, guidance, and the basis for Islam, only that it is of a lower status than god himself, being a creation of god that was created at a certain time.
The second view is considered invalid and rejected by all major sects of Islam in the modern era (Ashari, Maturidi, Athari) as a heretical belief that the Mutazilites (The Withdrawers) held. I'm not going to go into who they are, what is their history, or what are their beliefs (you can google it yourself). Just know these are the guys who believe the Quran was a creation of god and were condemned by pretty much every Islamic group and sect from their beginning all the way up to the present modern day. This is one the only issues where every Islamic sect agrees with each other in condemning this belief, be it Ashari, Maturidi, or Athari. Thus, the second option then is 100% of the table for most Muslims, unless they want to affirm holding beliefs of a heretical group that died out 1000 years ago. I don't think any Muslim will dare to affirm Mutazilite beliefs for fear of ridicule and committing major sins, so there's much here to discuss. For the sake of brevity, I will address the second view since the one even Muslims will deny and reject. After that, I'll address the A
The Second View
But for the sake of argument, I'll assume some rare brave Mutazilite Muslim wants to give it a try. Now, here are some of my questions for you. If the Quran is a creation of god and not the literal Word of God before time immemorial, what is the Quran's relationship with god? You believe these are still words from Allah that help mankind to arrive at the truth and Islam yet at the same you also believe that these were created at a time later than god. How can something that is both speech from god and also created by god himself exist simultaneously at the same time? Anything that is created at a later time means it's a creation, a contingent object that depends on an external creator. It can't be part of god because god is eternal, atemporal, necessary, and independent of everything and anything. If it were god or contained some part of god inside of it, then this is no different than Jesus and the Son of God in Christianity where it contains both a human and godly nature, so does that mean you now believe the Quran to be both god and creation? Just like the Christians who you condemn as a false corrupted religion? This is the First Problem you must face, that be affirming it is both from god and not god, you are throwing yourself into the same pit as Christianity with a dual nature which is already a false religion. I like to call people who affirm this stance "Dualists".
The Second Problem "dualists" face is that this nullifies the Quran's honorific status in Islam, which goes against what the majority of the Muslim world believes in. For Dualists, what is the Quran's honorific and spiritual status in Islam now? We've all seen Muslim riots and protests against the burning or stepping on the Quran by non-Muslims around the world. A man burns or rips up the Quran and the entire Muslim world goes into a frenzy. In Islam, simply placing the Quran on the floor is considered disrespectful and sinful. In the majority of sects today, the Quran must be honored and respected 24/7 partly due to the fact Muslims believe it to be the literal Word. But for Dualists, what is your stance and reason for continuing to respect the Quran? Considering you no longer believe the Quran to be the actual Word, can non-Muslims now vandalize, rip apart, step on, or place the Quran on the floor?? Would you have any problem with it? It's no longer the Word itself but a creation of god. Sure, you might ask others to "respect other religions and beliefs" but aside from this, what else do you have?? Is simply putting a religious book on the floor disrespecting other religions? What makes your holy book now any different from the Jewish and Christian perspectives on their religious books? They don't go into a frenzy every time Bibles are burned or disrespected. Will you do the same thing?
The Third Problem since it's a created thing, wouldn't this also mean that at some point in the future, the Quran no longer exists? That the Quran is finite and will at some point cease to exist? Wouldn't this mean at some point, Islam itself becomes useless because the number one source for everything, the Quran no longer exists? The Quran will cease to exist if it were created, when it happens, will the meaning of the verses and Muslim understanding built up over the centuries also cease to exist? Tafsirs, Fiqh, and Tajwid all suddenly become useless and void of any meaning because the backbone of Islam, the Quran no longer exists. What about the Muslim understanding of what Allah is? Isn't that detrimental should the Quran cease to exist? The best outcome is that Muslims still retain the knowledge but Islam becomes spineless without a religious book and the worst outcome is the complete disintegration of Islam as everything built upon the Quran, now becomes useless. It would mean the complete death of Islam as a major Abrahamic religion.
Next, what about during the Hour, when everything in the heavens and on the Earth will be destroyed and no longer exist? Muslims believe that when the Hour arrives, everything will be destroyed. Every human, child, animal, plant, planet, universe, devil, and angel will die inevitably. Only god remains. Due to this, according to Dualists, will the Quran experience the same fate? All of its verses and Surahs destroyed by god himself. Now I know Muslims, even those of other sects believe the Quran will disappear bit by bit before the Hour as a sign of the impending doom and apocalypse. However, other Muslims believe that yes, the Quran will disappear but the verses themselves remain preserved with god i.e. Allah since these are the literal words of god himself. In a sense, the verses suddenly don't exist, they return back to god.
TLDR, the Dualist Mutazilite view implies a contradiction where the Quran is both God and not God at the same time, it nullifies the Quran's holy status and the divine meaning of the verses, and last, it means the Quran is finite and will cease to exist at some point in the future.
Now, onto the Ashari, Maturidi and Athari sects,
The First View (The Majority)
These three are the most prominent and widely held doctrinal sects in the current Muslim population. I will be splitting the next sections into two sections, Ashari-Maturidi (since both are quite similar and considered a single unified school of thought by Muslim scholars) and the Athari school.
Ashari-Maturidi
The Asharis and Maturidis believe the Quran and its verses to be the literal Word of God itself, with Allah since eternity before time however they believe the book form of the Quran (mushaf), the one which every Muslim holds and reads is of man-made origin. In other words, the verses, sentences, letters, and meaning of the text are from god himself while the cover, paper, ink, writing, and publishing are from mankind. The Ash'ari creed makes a point of difference between the content of the Quran and the physical manifestation of it (in speech or as pages in a book).
The Main Problem with this argument as said by Atharis and Mutazilites is that this strips the Quran of its spiritual and holy essence in Islam. If the real divine aspect of the Quran that came from god itself are the verses and meaning of it only, then should we burn every last Quran in the world, it wouldn't be a problem. After all, the divine part still exists as it is from and with god himself, only the earthly worldly portions of it get destroyed. Why's that a problem? I mean what is the problem spiritually concerning Islam's doctrinal theology itself? What's the problem with destroying the cover or vandalizing the writing of it? It's not from god, it's man-made. The effect of this would be enormous.
This means now non-Muslims and Islamaphobes can now burn, rip, tear apart, step on, vandalize, and desecrate the Quran because they are only destroying the part that is not divine. Would Asharis or Maturidis agree to this? Is now destroying the Quran not a major sin but actually allowed? The true essence of the Quran i.e. the part that is truly divine remains preserved and exists since humans were created and will continue to exist long after everything has died and withered away. The vandalization and desecration of it does not affect the Quran because the true divine verses and meaning remain preserved. This problem is similar to the Second Problem with the Mutazilite belief, it nullifies and strips away the Quran's holy status and honorific place among the Muslim community. If it isn't truly god's divine word, what's the problem if it gets destroyed, wet, or burned?
Heck, I've heard this same argument from other sects, claiming and accusing the Ashari are just Mutazilites in disguise because their main stance of the Quran's identity revolves back to the Mutazilite position where the Quran is a creation of god. One of the main accusations against the Ashari sect is that it's just a rehash version of Mutazilite or Jahmiyyah theology (I don't have time to explain what this is right now, better if you look it up yourselves) due to similarities in doctrine and also because Imam Ashari, the founder was once a Mutazilite himself (not helping the Ashari case) but Asharis claim he renounced all Mutazilite theology and returned back to the true correct path. In this case, should the objection above against the Ashari-Maturidi position succeed, then it would help critics a lot against Asharism.
The Second Problem with holding the Ashari position is that this resembles the idolatry of Hinduism and Paganism or at least, is slipping into idolatry practice. If they claim the Speech of God is contained within the letters, pages, and ink of the Mushaf (the Quran's Uthmanic standardized codex), then how dare they believe the actions of humans can absorb and physicalize the Sacred Divine Speech of God, for Muslims believe god can never be limited by His creatures. This would also mean they believe the ink written on the Quran's pages is a physical intermediary, designed to encapsulate the Speech of God into a physical form, no different than the idols of Hindus and Pagans who believe their idols to be an intermediary or a worldly representation of the True Divine Nature.
Hindus don't claim they worship idols, rather they believe them to be ways to spiritually connect with the divine as a locus for prayer just like how Muslims consider the Kaaba as the direction for prayer, not an idol for worship or as a reminder for believers of the faith similar to how a photo of a spiritual leader is a sign of respect and a daily reminder every-day when you wake up. How is this different than believing the ink inside the Quran holds the truth or emulates the Divine Nature from the Ashari claim? Ashari Muslims affirm the Quran is still the Word of God just represented through a physical form, so how is this not idolatry? Believing that a physical human-made physical manifestation holds the Divine Speech so that followers of Islam can get closer to god?
This would be even worse than the Mutazilites, for committing idolatry whether intentionally or not is a major grave sin in Islam, to the point those that who commit it and do not repent back are considered as Kafir (infidels). If even they aren't committing idolatry and shirk (polytheism), another major sin in Islam, then at the very least, they believe that a divine part of God can be captured inside the ink and pen of writers as if they the Speech of God and the ink become one and the same, another reference to the Christian belief of God having both a Divine and Human Nature. Of course, Muslims and Ashari Muslims consider this to be heretical and blasphemous, but what's the difference between believing the Quran is both man-made and divine versus the Christological belief of Jesus being both God and Man?
The Third Problem with the Ashari answer that the Quran itself is created while the Speech of God isn't is where is the Speech of God then? Asharis can't answer that it is still in heaven for they also believe the Mushaf or Quran contains the Word and Speech of God. If they believe that it is still in heaven with god and not on earth, then what are they even reading every day? Clearly not the Speech of God if they claim it isn't with us now, perhaps an imperfect human copy of the divine Speech of God but that would mean the Quran is imperfect and the work of man, which would be affirming the Mutazilite position. So they can't claim it is both in the heavens and on the earth nor claim it is either in the heavens only or on the earth with mankind only.
I already explained they also can't say the Speech of God is contained inside the ink and letters of the Quran for that means the Divine Speech has become limited because of it. God in Islam can never be limited, nor can His creatures limit god. So if isn't option A, B, or C, where is the Holy Sacred Speech of God then? The Speech which is supposed to be the principle guiding force for all of mankind especially, Muslims. How can Asharis then claim they believe in the Quran as the revelation and Word of God sent down to Muhammad if they can't tell us where in their holy book, is the Speech of God itself? At worst, this means the Ashari belief entails the Quran isn't holy or divine thus eliminating Islam's entire main source and one of the 6 pillars of Iman (faith), and at best, reading the Quran isn't a holy act nor can be used as a book for guidance, for Muslims aren't reading the Word of God then. They are reading an imperfect fallible man-made copy of the Speech of God, not the true Divine Inspiration from Allah.
TLDR, the Ashari-Maturidi middle path that the Quran was uncreated and eternal, yet its ink and paper, individual letters and words were created strips the Quran has multiple problems, some may even go against what Islam stands for. It strips the Quran of its Divine Sacred Essence as the Word of God, at worse it may lead to shirk and idolatry akin to the Hindus and Pagans, and at best, Asharis can't point to us where the Word and Speech of God is in the Quran.
Athari/Ahlul Hadith
Now for the Atharis, they are strict literalists who believe the Quran and Allah's Speech both are uncreated unlike the Asharis/Maturidis who adopt a middle path, or the Mutazilite who outright claim the Quran was created, the extreme position.
The First Problem with the Athari position is pretty clear, if the Quran is the literal Word of God completely, then does that mean what Muslims are holding is a literal piece of God here on earth in the moral realm? Does that mean god is with us all the time? How can god, who Muslims consider as being transcendent be here on earth with mankind? If the Quran is the literal physical Speech of God and not just metaphorically or analogically, then does this mean the Speech of God exists on Earth? How can god be here on Earth? The Atharis believe literally that the Quran is the Speech of God, so unless they claim the Speech of God suddenly transformed into a physical object (which I'll address below), the Quran would be a god or at least have a piece of the divine essence of Allah.
This is no different than the Christian position where there exists a God in heaven and a God on Earth at the same time. As I already mentioned, Muslims consider the Christian position of a god on earth unacceptable yet when we look at their own views, we find (in the Athari case) a piece of god exists on earth. Allah still exists in the heavens, yet the Speech of God exists here in the Quran. Let's not even get into the issue of a transcendent god existing in the mortal physical realm, where the laws of physics govern meaning god would be limited in some capacity (which most Muslims would see as ridiculous)
The Second Problem is the relationship between the Quran (God's Speech) and God himself. Considering the Quran was revealed to Muhammad and sent down by Gabriel, how should we understand the Speech of God is here now? Do Atharis believe that the Speech of God suddenly separated from the main body when the Quran was revealed and sent down to earth? Or do Atharis believe the Quran is still the undivided Speech of God, in which case a part of god is literally on earth?
Or what about when the Quran was compiled in book form starting with Abu Bakr's reign and ending with Uthman's standardization? Should we take this to mean now not only does the Speech of God literally exist on earth but the Speech of God now has taken shape, molded into letters and words while compiled into a book equipped with paper pages and covers from front to back? If they want to deny these are from god i.e. the physical cover is man-made, then they would be subscribing to the Ashari-Maturidi doctrine of the middle path (which I already showed also has problems). If they want to take the other path and claim the Quran we have now is not the Word of God literally, then they would be subscribing to the heretical Mutazilite position which also, has tons of religious and doctrinal problems.
TLDR, the Athari literalist position invites more harm than good when it comes to answering the question of the Quran's uncreated nature. It would mean god is literally on earth, or a piece of god's divine essence is. Affirming that a piece of the Divine Essence exists here on earth with mankind would be something similar to the Christian belief that god exists both in the heavens and on earth (Father and Son). Other than that, it would also complicate the relationship between the Quran and God even more. If the Quran is the literal Word and Speech of God, how do Atharis explain the Quran's standardization into a single written book with ink, paper, and covers? Does it mean the Speech of God underwent a physical transformation?
Consequences
Islam posits the Quran to be the Word of God from Allah Himself, however how exactly does that work leads to massive problems within Islam's doctrinal framework. Muslims can't state the Quran is the true literal Speech of God otherwise they would be committing a blasphemous act by believing god is literally on earth with us at this very moment. They also can't deny it is the Speech of God for Islam considers the Quran to be the perfect Kalamullah (literally the Word of God). It is one of the core tenets of belief that Muslims believe the Quran to be the actual Words of God sent down to Muhammad as the last revelation. They also can't adopt a middle path like the Asharis-Maturidis because I've already shown that this just leaves the Quran inside a grey area, it's both the Word of God and also not the Word of God at the same time. Other problems are also relevant which I've already discussed above. Either the middle approach collapses into itself, becoming either one the extreme views, literal divine affirmation like the Atharis, or the extreme divine nullification like the Mutazilites.
Other religions don't have this problem. They do not believe Jesus or Moses were gifted the actual literal Words and Speech of God which existed since time immemorial. Christians believe the Bible was divinely authored by the Apostles of Jesus, where the Holy Spirit guides the writers of the Bible into writing down the true teachings of Jesus and Christianity. Christians don't believe the Bible's passages are the literal Speech of God which has existed with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as if affirming the Bible was also another Divine Person of the Trinity. No, only Muslims as far as I know affirm both their Holy Book contains the Speech of God which both exists on Earth and also with God up in heaven but that leaves them in a contradiction of whether to affirm the Quran is God Himself on Earth or the true Words of God are still up in heaven. After all, how can the Divine Nature which is uncorrupted and perfect exist in a world not perfect, but actually filled with sin, corruption, and spiritual pollution?
In the end, Muslims face a dilemma with regard to the Quran's Holy and Divine Nature. This a dilemma which after going through all the possible Muslim answers that have been given over the years, still fails to give us a proper satisfying answer.
Conclusion
All the responses and viewpoints of the major Islamic sects fail to answer the question, of whether the Quran is created or not. They tried to square a circle by trying to find a balance between affirming the Quran is the divine Word of God while at the same time not falling into a literalist interpretation where god is on Earth (as the Atharis do). However, all responses so far have failed to properly find the right solution, all either fall into extremities at both ends of the spectrum (Mutazilite and Athari) or tried to strike a balance, but only managed to kick the can down the road even further.
If Christianity has the Problem of the Trinity, a major fundamental question that still has philosophers and theologians scratching their heads trying to find an answer, then the Problem of the Quran's Nature is the Islamic version of it. The difference is while Christians continue to debate and argue about the Trinity's true nature, Muslim and Islamic scholars have relatively abandoned the debate, choosing to hold either one of the three major schools of thought. My personal opinion is this is an unfortunate situation, ever since the decline of philosophy in Islamic thought, Kalam and Falsafah (Islamic philosophy) have gained a bad reputation amongst Muslims as being a "gateway to blasphemy". Rarely you will find Muslim scholars in the modern era debate about this, let alone teach laymen Muslims about these topics.
At the very least, I hope my post can inspire future Muslims to look into this topic further, creating new fascinating answers and arguments that contribute to the Muslim and non-Muslim understanding of what Allah is in Islam.
2024.05.17 09:57 toben111 AITAH for Going Viral on TikTok After My Sister's Wedding Disaster?
Hey Reddit, I need some perspective on whether I’m the asshole in this situation.
So, last weekend was my sister Emily's (30F) wedding, and it was supposed to be a perfect day. Everything was planned meticulously, from the floral arrangements to the seating chart. Emily is a perfectionist, and she put her heart and soul into making sure everything was just right.
I'm Sarah (27F), and as the maid of honor, I had a lot of responsibilities. One of them was to give a speech at the reception. I had written and rehearsed a heartfelt speech that had a touch of humor and a lot of love for my sister. But as we all know, sometimes things don’t go according to plan.
During the reception, right before I was about to give my speech, the power went out. The venue was plunged into darkness, and everyone was in a bit of a panic. Emily was visibly upset, and I felt horrible for her. In an attempt to lighten the mood and distract everyone, I pulled out my phone and started recording a TikTok video. I captured the chaos, made a few funny comments, and even got the guests to participate by turning on their phone flashlights and dancing.
The video was meant to be a fun way to salvage the moment and cheer Emily up. I posted it on TikTok with the caption, "When the wedding doesn’t go as planned... but we still party! #WeddingFail #SisterLove." It quickly went viral, racking up millions of views and likes. People loved how we turned a disaster into a fun experience, and many commented on how we made the best out of a bad situation.
However, when Emily saw the video, she was furious. She felt that I had made her wedding look like a joke and was upset that such a private moment was shared with the world without her consent. She accused me of stealing the spotlight and making her special day about me. Some family members agreed with her, saying I should have asked before posting.
I never intended to hurt Emily or steal her thunder. I just wanted to make people laugh and show that even in tough situations, we can find joy. I thought it would be a good memory for everyone to look back on and laugh.
So, AITAH for posting the video and inadvertently going viral after my sister's wedding disaster?
submitted by toben111 to AITAH [link] [comments]
So, last weekend was my sister Emily's (30F) wedding, and it was supposed to be a perfect day. Everything was planned meticulously, from the floral arrangements to the seating chart. Emily is a perfectionist, and she put her heart and soul into making sure everything was just right.
I'm Sarah (27F), and as the maid of honor, I had a lot of responsibilities. One of them was to give a speech at the reception. I had written and rehearsed a heartfelt speech that had a touch of humor and a lot of love for my sister. But as we all know, sometimes things don’t go according to plan.
During the reception, right before I was about to give my speech, the power went out. The venue was plunged into darkness, and everyone was in a bit of a panic. Emily was visibly upset, and I felt horrible for her. In an attempt to lighten the mood and distract everyone, I pulled out my phone and started recording a TikTok video. I captured the chaos, made a few funny comments, and even got the guests to participate by turning on their phone flashlights and dancing.
The video was meant to be a fun way to salvage the moment and cheer Emily up. I posted it on TikTok with the caption, "When the wedding doesn’t go as planned... but we still party! #WeddingFail #SisterLove." It quickly went viral, racking up millions of views and likes. People loved how we turned a disaster into a fun experience, and many commented on how we made the best out of a bad situation.
However, when Emily saw the video, she was furious. She felt that I had made her wedding look like a joke and was upset that such a private moment was shared with the world without her consent. She accused me of stealing the spotlight and making her special day about me. Some family members agreed with her, saying I should have asked before posting.
I never intended to hurt Emily or steal her thunder. I just wanted to make people laugh and show that even in tough situations, we can find joy. I thought it would be a good memory for everyone to look back on and laugh.
So, AITAH for posting the video and inadvertently going viral after my sister's wedding disaster?
2024.05.17 09:49 Dumquestionsonly Some Suggested Changes to the "Pirate" Game-play loop.
This is a list of suggestions I have seen for CIG when it comes to the pirate gameplay loop in the future. I thought it would be interesting to get peoples feedback as currently piracy is widely seen as griefing.
1) Marked Cargo and Cargo destruction: A system that either marks cargo as stolen(so it is worth less and/or can only be sold in certain places), or destroys a portion of a ships cargo when a trader is blown up. This increases opportunity cost of piracy and adds some consequence to stealing cargo(which currently is not super present). This leads into the second idea.
2) The need to physically board ships to steal cargo: While there is a partial iteration of this in the game currently, I think there is a lot of room for this system to be fleshed out. Piracy Should not be as easy as blowing up a ship unless there is a serious loss in return. in the words of u/ Ehnto "I want to have my ship disabled and boarded, have an opportunity to flee or fight back, rush to gear up and defend myself or negotiate safe passage. That actually sounds fun.". I think proper boarding and/or negotiation would not only add massive RP potential but also allow a trader caught by surprise a chance to defend themselves.
3) Pirate flagging: The one thing piracy lacks immensely in its current state is consequence. I personally have just tanked huge Klescher sentences at the end of a session to come into my next session a law abiding citizen. Piracy should be a hole you actively need to dig yourself out of in order to access law abiding portions of a system. Sections of space controlled by law abiding players or the UEE should be off limits/restricted until a pirate can prove they are upstanding by completing some arbitrary set of quests.
4) Pirate economy: A pirates ship claim time and cost should be increased as well as the cost of equipment. Without the ability to obtain your ship from upstanding sources or nab gear from a large reputable dealer, pirates should have to pay more to obtain goods. Insurance companies are not going to want to work with a pirate and neither would an upstanding arms dealer. This could work in tandem with how a pirate goes about making profit. No one wants to work with a mass murderer BUT if you as a pirate negotiate and dont just blow people up, perhaps you have less of a penalty.
5) Realistic consequences: "If you pirate a yacht operating out of the Bahamas in modern day, you know what happens? You have ASW craft looking for you and any nearby frigates on the alert the same day. You pirate a second one, you're likely to have a couple of DDGs tasked to you and they're going to be looking for an excuse to sink you, not capture you and take you to jail. You hit shipping in a less controlled area but near major shipping lanes like Somalia, you get multiple navies cooperating to stop you.
To put it in a Star Citizen context, that'd be like holding up a Prospector who gets a distress call off causing the INS Jericho to task an Idris-M to look for you and disperse Hornet Trackers and Mantises to Yela and the Aaron Halo to sweep for you. You get within scanning range of any station and they will immediate send fighters and a warship after you, not just disallow landing. You hit a Starliner and rob the passengers and suddenly it's an interstellar incident and you have a pair of Javelins spearheading a joint UEE-Crusader task force to find you, kill you, and kill anyone working with you, and they don't give up after two hours and go away." -u/ CaptFrost
6) A rework of the prison system: The most common idea I have seen is a rework of the prison system where instead of needing time to be spent in prison you make the system merit based. The more charges you have, the more merits you need to get out. You ear merits at a flat rate, but only earn 1/10 of the merits when logged off. To get more merits you need to do community service or missions for whoever owns the prison in order to be set free. Oh and prison should obv not be so easy to escape from.
These are just some ideas, they may not all need to be implemented and they may not all be good ideas. I personally think the threat of piracy will keep the verse interesting. Always having to look over your shoulder makes for few dull moments but murder hobos should not be allowed to roam free with no consequence. Im sure with faction wars, org disputes, and piracy, hopefully there is plenty to do for PVP and PVE players and orgs alike.
submitted by Dumquestionsonly to starcitizen [link] [comments]
1) Marked Cargo and Cargo destruction: A system that either marks cargo as stolen(so it is worth less and/or can only be sold in certain places), or destroys a portion of a ships cargo when a trader is blown up. This increases opportunity cost of piracy and adds some consequence to stealing cargo(which currently is not super present). This leads into the second idea.
2) The need to physically board ships to steal cargo: While there is a partial iteration of this in the game currently, I think there is a lot of room for this system to be fleshed out. Piracy Should not be as easy as blowing up a ship unless there is a serious loss in return. in the words of u/ Ehnto "I want to have my ship disabled and boarded, have an opportunity to flee or fight back, rush to gear up and defend myself or negotiate safe passage. That actually sounds fun.". I think proper boarding and/or negotiation would not only add massive RP potential but also allow a trader caught by surprise a chance to defend themselves.
3) Pirate flagging: The one thing piracy lacks immensely in its current state is consequence. I personally have just tanked huge Klescher sentences at the end of a session to come into my next session a law abiding citizen. Piracy should be a hole you actively need to dig yourself out of in order to access law abiding portions of a system. Sections of space controlled by law abiding players or the UEE should be off limits/restricted until a pirate can prove they are upstanding by completing some arbitrary set of quests.
4) Pirate economy: A pirates ship claim time and cost should be increased as well as the cost of equipment. Without the ability to obtain your ship from upstanding sources or nab gear from a large reputable dealer, pirates should have to pay more to obtain goods. Insurance companies are not going to want to work with a pirate and neither would an upstanding arms dealer. This could work in tandem with how a pirate goes about making profit. No one wants to work with a mass murderer BUT if you as a pirate negotiate and dont just blow people up, perhaps you have less of a penalty.
5) Realistic consequences: "If you pirate a yacht operating out of the Bahamas in modern day, you know what happens? You have ASW craft looking for you and any nearby frigates on the alert the same day. You pirate a second one, you're likely to have a couple of DDGs tasked to you and they're going to be looking for an excuse to sink you, not capture you and take you to jail. You hit shipping in a less controlled area but near major shipping lanes like Somalia, you get multiple navies cooperating to stop you.
To put it in a Star Citizen context, that'd be like holding up a Prospector who gets a distress call off causing the INS Jericho to task an Idris-M to look for you and disperse Hornet Trackers and Mantises to Yela and the Aaron Halo to sweep for you. You get within scanning range of any station and they will immediate send fighters and a warship after you, not just disallow landing. You hit a Starliner and rob the passengers and suddenly it's an interstellar incident and you have a pair of Javelins spearheading a joint UEE-Crusader task force to find you, kill you, and kill anyone working with you, and they don't give up after two hours and go away." -u/ CaptFrost
6) A rework of the prison system: The most common idea I have seen is a rework of the prison system where instead of needing time to be spent in prison you make the system merit based. The more charges you have, the more merits you need to get out. You ear merits at a flat rate, but only earn 1/10 of the merits when logged off. To get more merits you need to do community service or missions for whoever owns the prison in order to be set free. Oh and prison should obv not be so easy to escape from.
These are just some ideas, they may not all need to be implemented and they may not all be good ideas. I personally think the threat of piracy will keep the verse interesting. Always having to look over your shoulder makes for few dull moments but murder hobos should not be allowed to roam free with no consequence. Im sure with faction wars, org disputes, and piracy, hopefully there is plenty to do for PVP and PVE players and orgs alike.
2024.05.17 09:45 AwkwardJewler01 You Will Be Safe With Us by AwkwardJewler01
In the vast countryside, away from the busy city of Savannah, exist hills as tall as buildings and green as emeralds. There was also an aura of calmness, with a few birds twittering away in dispersed trees, followed by the gentle swaying of the wind.
Then, out of nowhere, came a small, lonely girl wearing a once-lily-white summer dress with a striped long-sleeved t-shirt underneath it. She was also wearing a dark blue and cream-white baseball hat with the letter D on the front of it. She was moving wearily, with a pistol in one hand, and wiping her damp eyes with the other.
She knew what happened to make her weep. According to her, it was her fault that she got him killed; she was convinced by a towering man who said he knew her parents. But that was a brainless, childish lie that got Lee killed. She shouldn’t have run off. At least, Lee taught her how to use a gun and what to expect in the future before his tragic passing. But now she was all on her own.
Eventually, she came to a log, which was next to the rusted shell of a car. Anyway, she proceeded to sit down on it. Throughout all of this, she was as quiet as a mouse, only looking at her feet and wiping her blood-red eyes. She noticed that on the floor next to the log was a mixture of bullets—some shell casings and some unfired ones. Out of curiosity, she picked it up and examined it before exhaling deeply, which is when she noticed something else. Something she could just about make out if she scrutinised her eyes—something on the nearest hill—looked like two figures. One followed the other, and they looked like they stopped to look at her, making her start to hyperventilate as her eyes extended to the size of oranges. Was it someone she knew? Was it a threat to her? She didn’t know.
"Lee said I needed to find Omid and Christa before he got killed because of me." She said to herself, still looking sad, as she noticed that the two figures were now coming down the prominent hill—they didn't look like walkers. So she clasped her gun tightly until the figures came into view. She ended up not firing the gun and running towards the figures, as it was Omid and Christa, and they were alive!
Omid was a tall, slim Persian-American man with short dark-brown hair and a beard to match.
Christa, on the other hand, was a slightly taller African-American lady. She also had jet-black hair tied up in a ponytail, and she was Omid’s girlfriend.
"Clementine, honey, where's Lee?" Christa asked, kneeling to the nine-year-old.
"H-h-he's...dead." She answered with her face buried in Christa’s shoulder.
"Oh, Clementine, we’re sorry," Omid said, who started to kneel to her height as well.
"W-where's Ben and Kenny?" Clementine asked, still with her face buried in Christa’s shoulder.
Omid and Christa then looked at each other without Clementine noticing, and it was Omid who told her what happened to Ben and Kenny.
"So, it’s just us three," Clementine responded, now looking at Omid and Christa with her eyes dry again, a short while later.
"I guess, Clem, I guess so." Christa replied, "Come on, let’s go somewhere safe."
With this, the trio (Clementine, Omid, and Christa) began to walk, with Clementine tagging behind while Omid and Christa were in front. They were busily talking away, apart from Clementine, who was still looking at her feet, along holding the gun in her hand. As a result of this, she wasn't engaged in the conversation that they were having. She was too melancholy about what happened today. With her being kidnapped, seeing her walker parents, Lee dying, and now Kenny and Ben dying as well.
It was a lot for her to take in.
* * * * *
Sometime later, the trio found an abandoned house that had been abandoned for decades, as thick ivy hugged the walls. Furthermore, it reminded Clementine of that house they stayed at in Savannah; it was hard to believe that was a month ago.
Anyway, they succeeded in getting into the house rather than struggling, so now they could search within it.
Clementine, honey," Christa said, kneeling to her. "Omid, and I believe you can search parts of this house on your own. Just remember, if someone, walker or not, tries to hurt you, you got your gun. If you run out of bullets or are in a tight place, call us, and we will help you if you get into trouble. Do you understand?"
“Yeah, I do, Christa; I will be careful."
“Good," replied Christa, "let me know if you find anything."
With this, Clementine strayed a little by searching for anything useful on her own, though she stayed close to Omid and Christa.
As usual in the kitchen, she found faded, rusted cans with nothing but spoiled food inside. So she decided to head upstairs, and it seemed like they creaked with every step; as Omid and Christa were searching the enormous living room. Once she was upstairs, she clasped her pistol tightly and opened the door with one of her hands and the other on the pistol. Nothing. The room was that of a bathroom, with its normal interior—a bath, sink, toothbrushes, and some cupboards—which was stripped of life.
So she closed the door, walked to the next door, and proceeded to open it in the same manner she did for the bathroom. This room was that of a child’s room, which made Clementine remember her room back in Georgia, with its toys and books. It felt like she was just coming home from school and wanted to play with her dolls until supper time; it was hard to believe that was a year ago. Yet, here she was searching for anything useful in terms of survival—and not searching for a certain toy she wanted to play with at present.
“Just as well Lee found me when he did.” She said to herself as she glanced over at the room, trying to remember simpler times. When she went to school, she watched cartoons all day and rode her bike in the park with her parents. When she was thinking about this, she noticed that there was a medium-sized lump near the wall, cloaked in dust. It was a doll, and there was a string attached to its back, and when Clementine pulled it, it produced the word "Mama”.
Clementine remembered the doll that her mother gave her for her sixth birthday; it was probably still in the back of the wardrobe.
Eventually, she found an old pocket-sized backpack with a few flowery stickers, along with a dark-blue hoodie in her size.
“Have you found anything, Clementine?” called out Christa.
“Yeah, a backpack and a hoodie," answered Clementine, walking towards the edge of the stairs where Omid and Christa were.
“Just remember to check the bag, Clem; they might have something useful." Replied Christa.
“Ok," Clementine replied, unzipping the bag and then putting her hand into it, but not looking into it. Lo and behold, she found a working lighter, and it looked like it had a decent amount of fuel for a while.
Clementine then walked to the conclusive door upstairs, and like what she did before, however, the door required a little exertion to open. As a result of this, Clementine noticed that the noise she made alerted her to the presence of a walker heading towards her. This, of course, made Clementine a little timid, but she knew what to do. As her heart started to ram against her ribcage, likewise, a thick seal of sweat began to form on her hands, transferring onto her gun.
Always aim for the head," Clementine said to herself as she exhaled deeply and fired the gun. BANG!! The walker fell with a deafening thud, and Clementine was astounded at herself for shooting the walker that was coming towards her.
I did it, I did it," she exclaimed in a loud whisper. Which is when the door bursts open to reveal Omid and Christa with perturbed faces.
"Is everything OK, Clem? Are you hurt?" Asked Omid.
Yeah, I’m fine; I’m not hurt. Replied Clementine, as the trio all stood in stupefied silence at the walker that Clementine gunned down. "Did you find anything? Clementine asked after a minute of silence.
"Yes. We have found two cans of beans and some water." Christa replied.
"Oh."
“Well, let’s keep moving on, Clem. People might have heard the shot and might come here.” Omid said.
“Ok," responded Clementine. "I said already, but I found a backpack and a hoodie."
“Put it on, Clem; it’s starting to get colder, and we get going."
“Ok, I’ll put it on now."
Clementine then took off her hat, gave the gun to Omid, put on the dark blue hoodie, put her hat back on, and took the gun back from Omid. After that, Clementine followed Christa and Omid downstairs and out of the house and walked on.
* * * * *
Some short weeks later, the trio now situated in a substantial-sized forest under a thick canopy of leaves with Omid tending to a fire. Clementine and Christa, however, were sitting down on some nearby log around the fire.
Christa was busy talking to Omid about her pregnancy, whereas Clementine was busy herself by looking at the stars. The stars flickered and danced in the sky like a million tiny flames, casting a shimmering glow over the forest below. Furthermore, the sky itself was filled with low oranges, along with a mixture of light blues. Which were progressively getting into the realms of dark blues, purples and then full-on jet-black. Moreover, there seemed to be a chorus of crickets hiding somewhere in lush grasses, chirping away harshly.
“I would say that rabbit is cooked now, Omid.”
“Oh, right, yeah,” replied Omid, as he began to take the cooked rabbit off the spit – and handed it out to Christa and Clementine, then to himself.
"Thank you very much," Clementine said as she reached for the rabbit meat before going back to look at the stars. She thought to herself as she ate: "How many are there? Hundreds? Thousands? Millions?"
“Hm, what – sorry Christa; what did you say?”
“Omid and I said that we are going to rest here tonight and get going in the morning."
"Ok, as my legs still ache from all that walking we did today."
"Well, get some rest, you're going to need it," Omid said, rising from poking the fire.
"Ok," responded Clementine, getting up from the weather-worn log, wishing Omid and Christa a good night before she got onto the floor near the fire and began to close her eyes. She then began to dream about what she would be doing tomorrow, what would happen, and what she would see.
The next morning was filled with colours ranging from warm yellows trickling through the gaps in the trees. Clementine rubbed her eyes before getting up from the harsh, tough ground and walked to the log where she sat last night, where she saw Omid was cooking again.
"Morning, Clem," Omid said. "How did you sleep?"
"Ok, I'd rather sleep in a bed than on the floor."
"Yeah, I don't like it either, but it's necessary until we get to Wellington."
"Where's Christa?" asked Clementine, now looking around the campsite as she noticed Christa wasn't there.
But then, five minutes later, after Clementine had eaten, Christa came back - and with this, the trio began to walk on; with her now near Omid and Christa. Yet, like last time, Clementine's fingers were still wrapped around her pistol as if it were a part of her. But instead of looking at her feet, she was looking around the pensive clearing.
The clearing was serene, where only a few walkers were roaming around, but they could be seen more evidently through a few hacked trees. The trio strolled down the lane through dappled light filtering itself through the trees; moreover, the sound of the leaves rustled in the weak wind. There was also an occasional bird twittering away on a pile of stacked logs near the broad track Clementine, Omid, and Christa were walking. There was also an infrequent number of signs that littered the road.
"TWO MILES UNTIL TRUCK STOP", Clementine read as she walked on with Omid and Christa.
"How about...Isabella?" Christa said aloud.
"Nah," scoffed Omid, "James is far better."
"That's if it's a boy, Omid. Clementine, do you have any name ideas?"
"What about...Carley?"
"Yeah, that's a good name." Responded Omid, with an expression of puzzled thought in his voice.
For the next couple of miles, they (primarily, Christa and Omid) talked about what seemed to be endless baby names for Christa's child; to pass the time. Clementine wondered if her parents had this amount of difficulty when they chose her name.
Eventually, Clementine stopped a little as Omid and Christa walked on regardless; as she noticed there was a blackbird perched on a nearby tree which cawed before flying into the lush forest.
"What do you think?" asked Omid, as he poised at the truck stop over the abandoned road before crossing it with Christa and Clementine.
"Omid, you can't be serious," answered Christa.
"I am."
"We are NOT doing that."
"Why not?"
"Because one of you is enough!"
submitted by AwkwardJewler01 to TheWalkingDeadGame [link] [comments]
Then, out of nowhere, came a small, lonely girl wearing a once-lily-white summer dress with a striped long-sleeved t-shirt underneath it. She was also wearing a dark blue and cream-white baseball hat with the letter D on the front of it. She was moving wearily, with a pistol in one hand, and wiping her damp eyes with the other.
She knew what happened to make her weep. According to her, it was her fault that she got him killed; she was convinced by a towering man who said he knew her parents. But that was a brainless, childish lie that got Lee killed. She shouldn’t have run off. At least, Lee taught her how to use a gun and what to expect in the future before his tragic passing. But now she was all on her own.
Eventually, she came to a log, which was next to the rusted shell of a car. Anyway, she proceeded to sit down on it. Throughout all of this, she was as quiet as a mouse, only looking at her feet and wiping her blood-red eyes. She noticed that on the floor next to the log was a mixture of bullets—some shell casings and some unfired ones. Out of curiosity, she picked it up and examined it before exhaling deeply, which is when she noticed something else. Something she could just about make out if she scrutinised her eyes—something on the nearest hill—looked like two figures. One followed the other, and they looked like they stopped to look at her, making her start to hyperventilate as her eyes extended to the size of oranges. Was it someone she knew? Was it a threat to her? She didn’t know.
"Lee said I needed to find Omid and Christa before he got killed because of me." She said to herself, still looking sad, as she noticed that the two figures were now coming down the prominent hill—they didn't look like walkers. So she clasped her gun tightly until the figures came into view. She ended up not firing the gun and running towards the figures, as it was Omid and Christa, and they were alive!
Omid was a tall, slim Persian-American man with short dark-brown hair and a beard to match.
Christa, on the other hand, was a slightly taller African-American lady. She also had jet-black hair tied up in a ponytail, and she was Omid’s girlfriend.
"Clementine, honey, where's Lee?" Christa asked, kneeling to the nine-year-old.
"H-h-he's...dead." She answered with her face buried in Christa’s shoulder.
"Oh, Clementine, we’re sorry," Omid said, who started to kneel to her height as well.
"W-where's Ben and Kenny?" Clementine asked, still with her face buried in Christa’s shoulder.
Omid and Christa then looked at each other without Clementine noticing, and it was Omid who told her what happened to Ben and Kenny.
"So, it’s just us three," Clementine responded, now looking at Omid and Christa with her eyes dry again, a short while later.
"I guess, Clem, I guess so." Christa replied, "Come on, let’s go somewhere safe."
With this, the trio (Clementine, Omid, and Christa) began to walk, with Clementine tagging behind while Omid and Christa were in front. They were busily talking away, apart from Clementine, who was still looking at her feet, along holding the gun in her hand. As a result of this, she wasn't engaged in the conversation that they were having. She was too melancholy about what happened today. With her being kidnapped, seeing her walker parents, Lee dying, and now Kenny and Ben dying as well.
It was a lot for her to take in.
* * * * *
Sometime later, the trio found an abandoned house that had been abandoned for decades, as thick ivy hugged the walls. Furthermore, it reminded Clementine of that house they stayed at in Savannah; it was hard to believe that was a month ago.
Anyway, they succeeded in getting into the house rather than struggling, so now they could search within it.
Clementine, honey," Christa said, kneeling to her. "Omid, and I believe you can search parts of this house on your own. Just remember, if someone, walker or not, tries to hurt you, you got your gun. If you run out of bullets or are in a tight place, call us, and we will help you if you get into trouble. Do you understand?"
“Yeah, I do, Christa; I will be careful."
“Good," replied Christa, "let me know if you find anything."
With this, Clementine strayed a little by searching for anything useful on her own, though she stayed close to Omid and Christa.
As usual in the kitchen, she found faded, rusted cans with nothing but spoiled food inside. So she decided to head upstairs, and it seemed like they creaked with every step; as Omid and Christa were searching the enormous living room. Once she was upstairs, she clasped her pistol tightly and opened the door with one of her hands and the other on the pistol. Nothing. The room was that of a bathroom, with its normal interior—a bath, sink, toothbrushes, and some cupboards—which was stripped of life.
So she closed the door, walked to the next door, and proceeded to open it in the same manner she did for the bathroom. This room was that of a child’s room, which made Clementine remember her room back in Georgia, with its toys and books. It felt like she was just coming home from school and wanted to play with her dolls until supper time; it was hard to believe that was a year ago. Yet, here she was searching for anything useful in terms of survival—and not searching for a certain toy she wanted to play with at present.
“Just as well Lee found me when he did.” She said to herself as she glanced over at the room, trying to remember simpler times. When she went to school, she watched cartoons all day and rode her bike in the park with her parents. When she was thinking about this, she noticed that there was a medium-sized lump near the wall, cloaked in dust. It was a doll, and there was a string attached to its back, and when Clementine pulled it, it produced the word "Mama”.
Clementine remembered the doll that her mother gave her for her sixth birthday; it was probably still in the back of the wardrobe.
Eventually, she found an old pocket-sized backpack with a few flowery stickers, along with a dark-blue hoodie in her size.
“Have you found anything, Clementine?” called out Christa.
“Yeah, a backpack and a hoodie," answered Clementine, walking towards the edge of the stairs where Omid and Christa were.
“Just remember to check the bag, Clem; they might have something useful." Replied Christa.
“Ok," Clementine replied, unzipping the bag and then putting her hand into it, but not looking into it. Lo and behold, she found a working lighter, and it looked like it had a decent amount of fuel for a while.
Clementine then walked to the conclusive door upstairs, and like what she did before, however, the door required a little exertion to open. As a result of this, Clementine noticed that the noise she made alerted her to the presence of a walker heading towards her. This, of course, made Clementine a little timid, but she knew what to do. As her heart started to ram against her ribcage, likewise, a thick seal of sweat began to form on her hands, transferring onto her gun.
Always aim for the head," Clementine said to herself as she exhaled deeply and fired the gun. BANG!! The walker fell with a deafening thud, and Clementine was astounded at herself for shooting the walker that was coming towards her.
I did it, I did it," she exclaimed in a loud whisper. Which is when the door bursts open to reveal Omid and Christa with perturbed faces.
"Is everything OK, Clem? Are you hurt?" Asked Omid.
Yeah, I’m fine; I’m not hurt. Replied Clementine, as the trio all stood in stupefied silence at the walker that Clementine gunned down. "Did you find anything? Clementine asked after a minute of silence.
"Yes. We have found two cans of beans and some water." Christa replied.
"Oh."
“Well, let’s keep moving on, Clem. People might have heard the shot and might come here.” Omid said.
“Ok," responded Clementine. "I said already, but I found a backpack and a hoodie."
“Put it on, Clem; it’s starting to get colder, and we get going."
“Ok, I’ll put it on now."
Clementine then took off her hat, gave the gun to Omid, put on the dark blue hoodie, put her hat back on, and took the gun back from Omid. After that, Clementine followed Christa and Omid downstairs and out of the house and walked on.
* * * * *
Some short weeks later, the trio now situated in a substantial-sized forest under a thick canopy of leaves with Omid tending to a fire. Clementine and Christa, however, were sitting down on some nearby log around the fire.
Christa was busy talking to Omid about her pregnancy, whereas Clementine was busy herself by looking at the stars. The stars flickered and danced in the sky like a million tiny flames, casting a shimmering glow over the forest below. Furthermore, the sky itself was filled with low oranges, along with a mixture of light blues. Which were progressively getting into the realms of dark blues, purples and then full-on jet-black. Moreover, there seemed to be a chorus of crickets hiding somewhere in lush grasses, chirping away harshly.
“I would say that rabbit is cooked now, Omid.”
“Oh, right, yeah,” replied Omid, as he began to take the cooked rabbit off the spit – and handed it out to Christa and Clementine, then to himself.
"Thank you very much," Clementine said as she reached for the rabbit meat before going back to look at the stars. She thought to herself as she ate: "How many are there? Hundreds? Thousands? Millions?"
“Hm, what – sorry Christa; what did you say?”
“Omid and I said that we are going to rest here tonight and get going in the morning."
"Ok, as my legs still ache from all that walking we did today."
"Well, get some rest, you're going to need it," Omid said, rising from poking the fire.
"Ok," responded Clementine, getting up from the weather-worn log, wishing Omid and Christa a good night before she got onto the floor near the fire and began to close her eyes. She then began to dream about what she would be doing tomorrow, what would happen, and what she would see.
The next morning was filled with colours ranging from warm yellows trickling through the gaps in the trees. Clementine rubbed her eyes before getting up from the harsh, tough ground and walked to the log where she sat last night, where she saw Omid was cooking again.
"Morning, Clem," Omid said. "How did you sleep?"
"Ok, I'd rather sleep in a bed than on the floor."
"Yeah, I don't like it either, but it's necessary until we get to Wellington."
"Where's Christa?" asked Clementine, now looking around the campsite as she noticed Christa wasn't there.
But then, five minutes later, after Clementine had eaten, Christa came back - and with this, the trio began to walk on; with her now near Omid and Christa. Yet, like last time, Clementine's fingers were still wrapped around her pistol as if it were a part of her. But instead of looking at her feet, she was looking around the pensive clearing.
The clearing was serene, where only a few walkers were roaming around, but they could be seen more evidently through a few hacked trees. The trio strolled down the lane through dappled light filtering itself through the trees; moreover, the sound of the leaves rustled in the weak wind. There was also an occasional bird twittering away on a pile of stacked logs near the broad track Clementine, Omid, and Christa were walking. There was also an infrequent number of signs that littered the road.
"TWO MILES UNTIL TRUCK STOP", Clementine read as she walked on with Omid and Christa.
"How about...Isabella?" Christa said aloud.
"Nah," scoffed Omid, "James is far better."
"That's if it's a boy, Omid. Clementine, do you have any name ideas?"
"What about...Carley?"
"Yeah, that's a good name." Responded Omid, with an expression of puzzled thought in his voice.
For the next couple of miles, they (primarily, Christa and Omid) talked about what seemed to be endless baby names for Christa's child; to pass the time. Clementine wondered if her parents had this amount of difficulty when they chose her name.
Eventually, Clementine stopped a little as Omid and Christa walked on regardless; as she noticed there was a blackbird perched on a nearby tree which cawed before flying into the lush forest.
"What do you think?" asked Omid, as he poised at the truck stop over the abandoned road before crossing it with Christa and Clementine.
"Omid, you can't be serious," answered Christa.
"I am."
"We are NOT doing that."
"Why not?"
"Because one of you is enough!"
2024.05.17 09:32 FancyInvestment397 Lucky Creek Bonus Codes [May 2024] – Our Expert Casino Review
![Lucky Creek Bonus Codes [May 2024] – Our Expert Casino Review](https://b.thumbs.redditmedia.com/jdfKmRye-KyZDm28-l8RiTCShDmGh-Cf0HO_wztddwE.jpg "Lucky Creek Bonus Codes [May 2024] – Our Expert Casino Review") | The collection of Lucky Creek bonus codes is one of the star attractions at this Curaçao-licensed online casino. Launched in 2009, its game library features just over 300 slots and table games, including live dealer options. submitted by FancyInvestment397 to OnlineCasinoWorld [link] [comments] With 24/7 customer support and Bitcoin payments accepted too, there’s a lot to love at this Wild West-themed gambling site. Lucky Creek Casino Pros
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2024.05.17 09:27 Local-Cod9739 Sexually Frustrated
For greater context I’ve just turned 26 (M) and I’ve never had sex, nor have I had any relationship experience. This is due to a multitude of excuses/reasons in my past. Fresh out of Highschool I was a pretty anxious dude and didn’t like talking to people. Once I started college I started to open up more made some friends but I would always tell myself I had no time for girls or that school is more important, etc etc. (classic cope)
Fast forward to today and I’m now a college graduate with a goal of leaving the country by the end of the year or early next year.
Now I need to say this because I think it is important in regards to how I think I’ll be perceived, but I’m confident I’m an attractive guy. Not a stud but I go to the gym regularly, I take care of myself, have nice hair, etc.
I think the issue (if you want to call it that goes a bit deeper than that) is more so with the type of person I am. I’m very introverted but in the sense that I don’t go out of my way to talk to people but if someone talks to me I’ll gladly respond and carry a conversation. Even lead it in most cases, I just don’t have the social battery for it most days. In the last year or so I’ve been dealing with a lot of sexual frustration. It comes and goes but sometimes it can be too much and it turns into this sad pit in my stomach kind of feeling.
I’ve come to realize that I think I’m a demisexual or atleast I lean more in that direction. Growing up I’ve had crushes but never acted on them because I would always feel inadequate and in adulthood I’ve had a real tough time understanding the psychology behind wanting to fuck women just because they’re attractive/pretty. It would be the typical guy talk you’d hear. My coworkers would practically drool over girls who walk by and I’d never really care to look. I can acknowledge when I see someone that I find really pretty but that’s never enough for me to be legitimately interested in someone. I noticed whenever I would swipe on dating apps I would find myself paying more attention to the backgrounds of photos than the actual person in the picture. Looking for potential hobbies or interests that person may share with me. This need for more information felt like a sort of barrier between me and finding natural/organic romantic relationships.
In most everyday situations sex is the last thing on my mind lol. However, my libido and sex drive is VERY high. When I’m at home and my mind begins to wander, I get this sudden burst of emotions that lead me towards masturbating without fail. Ive always been really horny and bad at controlling myself with porn and things like that. My brain tells me this is just my way of letting it out. I don’t think porn has affected the way I view women at all as I like to consume porn that is story driven (mostly manhwa) or stuff that’s more intimate and believable. It’s not really about if the women is some super hot model or anything.
This is the thing I’d like to mainly address. Mentally I’m sexually frustrated because I want a romantic partner REALLY bad, but my current situation doesn’t permit it. Masturbating is almost like a suppressor for this overwhelming sadness. I even find myself getting my fix of romance through dramas or rom com movies/tv shows. Living vicariously through the characters in the show hoping that one day I’ll have what they do.
Even saying that out loud feels a bit depressing lol. But nonetheless it’s true. My plan is to stick it out for another year until I move out the country and hopefully begin my soul searching. I think a big part of me feels this wouldn’t be as big of an issue if I had some relationship experience in the past. Not knowing what it’s like makes it so much worse and only makes me crave it more.
Holding hands, kissing, pleasing someone else you love, sounds awesome. I feel like I’m about to explode if I don’t experience it anytime soon. At the same time I’ll probably wake up tomorrow and forget about it for a bit until I’m up at those lonely hours of the night. Appreciate anyone who read this far. Felt good to spout this message into the void.
submitted by Local-Cod9739 to demisexuality [link] [comments]
Fast forward to today and I’m now a college graduate with a goal of leaving the country by the end of the year or early next year.
Now I need to say this because I think it is important in regards to how I think I’ll be perceived, but I’m confident I’m an attractive guy. Not a stud but I go to the gym regularly, I take care of myself, have nice hair, etc.
I think the issue (if you want to call it that goes a bit deeper than that) is more so with the type of person I am. I’m very introverted but in the sense that I don’t go out of my way to talk to people but if someone talks to me I’ll gladly respond and carry a conversation. Even lead it in most cases, I just don’t have the social battery for it most days. In the last year or so I’ve been dealing with a lot of sexual frustration. It comes and goes but sometimes it can be too much and it turns into this sad pit in my stomach kind of feeling.
I’ve come to realize that I think I’m a demisexual or atleast I lean more in that direction. Growing up I’ve had crushes but never acted on them because I would always feel inadequate and in adulthood I’ve had a real tough time understanding the psychology behind wanting to fuck women just because they’re attractive/pretty. It would be the typical guy talk you’d hear. My coworkers would practically drool over girls who walk by and I’d never really care to look. I can acknowledge when I see someone that I find really pretty but that’s never enough for me to be legitimately interested in someone. I noticed whenever I would swipe on dating apps I would find myself paying more attention to the backgrounds of photos than the actual person in the picture. Looking for potential hobbies or interests that person may share with me. This need for more information felt like a sort of barrier between me and finding natural/organic romantic relationships.
In most everyday situations sex is the last thing on my mind lol. However, my libido and sex drive is VERY high. When I’m at home and my mind begins to wander, I get this sudden burst of emotions that lead me towards masturbating without fail. Ive always been really horny and bad at controlling myself with porn and things like that. My brain tells me this is just my way of letting it out. I don’t think porn has affected the way I view women at all as I like to consume porn that is story driven (mostly manhwa) or stuff that’s more intimate and believable. It’s not really about if the women is some super hot model or anything.
This is the thing I’d like to mainly address. Mentally I’m sexually frustrated because I want a romantic partner REALLY bad, but my current situation doesn’t permit it. Masturbating is almost like a suppressor for this overwhelming sadness. I even find myself getting my fix of romance through dramas or rom com movies/tv shows. Living vicariously through the characters in the show hoping that one day I’ll have what they do.
Even saying that out loud feels a bit depressing lol. But nonetheless it’s true. My plan is to stick it out for another year until I move out the country and hopefully begin my soul searching. I think a big part of me feels this wouldn’t be as big of an issue if I had some relationship experience in the past. Not knowing what it’s like makes it so much worse and only makes me crave it more.
Holding hands, kissing, pleasing someone else you love, sounds awesome. I feel like I’m about to explode if I don’t experience it anytime soon. At the same time I’ll probably wake up tomorrow and forget about it for a bit until I’m up at those lonely hours of the night. Appreciate anyone who read this far. Felt good to spout this message into the void.
2024.05.17 09:26 SemKoot Change my EDC habbit (do more with less)
 | I'm currently in a place where I carry quite a bit of gear that does get daily use and doesn't overfill my pockets but I feel like I can change the amount or way I carry things. submitted by SemKoot to EDC [link] [comments] Things I need/do: • mainfolder for most cutting tasks • tiny fixedblade/loaner knife: needs to be simple and small for precision cutting and for being foolproof for non-knife folks that I hand this knife to. (Used to carry my SAK a lot but the minimalist gets way more pocket time • knife for in public: utility knife. It's tiny and also serves as a blade that I can abuse without worry • pen and notebook is a must as I take a lot of notes and I prefer a physical medium instead of digital. • Light is small and perfect for daily carry. Don't want to get rid of it and use my phone flash. • (not pictured) knipex pliers. I always have these within reach, bag or pockets because of how useful they are to me. This replaced my sog PowerPint because it's less bulky and the pliers are way better. And the rest of the tools on the PowerPint aren't that good anyways. • trinkets are for fun and fidgeting. Looks like something I could get rid of to minimize clutter but I can also just throw these inside a bag. • Hank and spray are for glasses cleaning • wallet goes in a bag What would you change? |
2024.05.17 09:15 Yung-Fats How do you avoid self hatred
I (23 M) have come to realize over my attempts to lose weight that I have an awesome habit of sabotaging myself with self hate. I'm a binge eater, just stuff my face full of garbage until I'm nauseous and then regret it the next day. My most recent attempt at losing weight was going really well. I was losing it at a steady pace, went from 290 lbs (131 kg) to 265 lbs (120 kg) in about 3 months. Was starting to get noticeable muscle and my shirts especially were fitting better. Then my appendix almost exploded and I was out of the gym for a month. Without working out my brain flipped a switch and I stopped caring about diet. I put most of the weight back on and hated myself. Was getting to the point where I was going to go back to the gym and then my gallbladder filled up with gallstones so I got that removed too. Boom. Another month of not being able to do any strenuous activity. Fast forward to now, maybe 4 months later. I'm the fattest I've ever been at 310 lbs (140 kg). And honestly it makes me sick.
I dont know how to stop hating myself. I legitimately have no problem with pretty much any other aspects besides my weight. But it just kills me inside. I know what I need to do, for me specifically. I need the gym because it makes my brain understand that the diet makes my weightlifting performance better. But it's so hard to motivate myself to go back when I'm even worse off than the first time. I've lost a good portion of my strength and my gut is so much bigger. I look at pictures from before my first surgery and I'm legitimately proud of how I looked compared to where I started.
I know the surgeries were pretty much entirely out of my control, but they led to a spiral both times. If I'm going to keep my weight off I need to make some mental change so that I stop binge eating trash when I'm sad.
Food is the craziest addiction ever, because I have to eat to live. And everything is so full of salt and sugar that my brain is fried into only craving junk.
Any advice for the mental battle that comes with this would be greatly appreciated.
submitted by Yung-Fats to WeightLossAdvice [link] [comments]
I dont know how to stop hating myself. I legitimately have no problem with pretty much any other aspects besides my weight. But it just kills me inside. I know what I need to do, for me specifically. I need the gym because it makes my brain understand that the diet makes my weightlifting performance better. But it's so hard to motivate myself to go back when I'm even worse off than the first time. I've lost a good portion of my strength and my gut is so much bigger. I look at pictures from before my first surgery and I'm legitimately proud of how I looked compared to where I started.
I know the surgeries were pretty much entirely out of my control, but they led to a spiral both times. If I'm going to keep my weight off I need to make some mental change so that I stop binge eating trash when I'm sad.
Food is the craziest addiction ever, because I have to eat to live. And everything is so full of salt and sugar that my brain is fried into only craving junk.
Any advice for the mental battle that comes with this would be greatly appreciated.
2024.05.17 09:12 Sweet-Count2557 Maldives Island for Rent
 | Maldives Island for Rent Welcome to the enchanting world of Maldives Island for Rent, where dreams of idyllic paradise become a reality.Picture yourself basking in the warm embrace of the sun, surrounded by crystal-clear turquoise waters that stretch as far as the eye can see.Imagine unwinding in luxurious accommodations, where every detail is meticulously crafted to indulge your senses.Now, imagine having an entire private island all to yourself.But that's just the beginning...Key TakeawaysThe Maldives offers a range of private island options for rent, with luxurious accommodations and amenities.Guests can enjoy a variety of activities and excursions, including water sports, spa treatments, and exploring the marine life and coral reefs.The private islands provide a high level of privacy, exclusivity, and personalized service, with dedicated butlers and chefs available.Eco-friendly tourism and sustainability are emphasized, with efforts made to minimize impact on the environment and preserve the natural beauty of the Maldives.Velaa Private Island: 45 VillasVelaa Private Island: 45 Villas, nestled in the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean, offers a luxurious and unforgettable escape like no other. Located in the Maldives, this private island paradise is a dream destination for those seeking privacy, exclusivity, and stunning natural beauty.With 45 villas to choose from, Velaa Private Island caters to various preferences and group sizes. Each villa is designed with elegance and sophistication, providing a serene sanctuary amidst the vibrant marine life and unspoiled natural surroundings. Whether you prefer a beachfront villa, a water villa, or a private residence, Velaa has the perfect accommodation to suit your desires.The amenities and activities available on the island are nothing short of extraordinary. Indulge in relaxation at the private spa, take a dip in the 25-meter-long swimming pool, or bask in the sun on the pristine beaches. For the adventurous souls, there are plenty of water sports to enjoy, such as snorkeling, diving, and jet skiing. The island also offers gourmet dining experiences, with world-class chefs crafting exquisite dishes using the finest ingredients.Velaa Private Island goes beyond providing a luxurious getaway. It offers opportunities for eco-friendly tourism, allowing guests to appreciate and preserve the natural beauty of the Maldives. Excursions to nearby islands and coral reefs give visitors a chance to explore the diverse marine life and vibrant ecosystems that make the Maldives a sought-after destination.Renting a private island like Velaa Private Island is a unique and unforgettable experience. It offers the ultimate escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, immersing you in a world of tranquility, natural beauty, and unparalleled luxury. So why settle for anything less when you can have the best?Discover the magic of Velaa Private Island: 45 Villas and create memories that will last a lifetime.Kudadoo Private Island: 15 Water VillasPrepare to be whisked away to a world of luxury and exclusivity with Kudadoo Private Island: 15 Water Villas.Nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, this private island offers an unparalleled experience of opulence and tranquility.With 15 beautifully designed over-water residences, each boasting its own private pool, guests can indulge in the ultimate island getaway.Luxury Water Villa ExperienceFor those seeking an unforgettable luxury water villa experience, Kudadoo Private Island offers 15 beautifully designed over-water residences, each boasting a private 44m2 pool for the ultimate in exclusivity and relaxation.Here's what you can expect from this extraordinary experience:Privacy and seclusion: Rent the entire island and enjoy the utmost privacy with access to 13 one-bedroom and 2 two-bedroom residences, as well as 2 over-water rooms for your entourage.Personalized service: Indulge in the all-inclusive package that includes a private butler for each residence, a personal chef for curated dining experiences, and unlimited award-winning spa treatments.Exciting activities: Immerse yourself in a range of activities such as snorkeling, big game fishing, dolphin safaris, and yoga sessions with a private trainer.Exclusive perks: Enjoy access to the wine cellar with prestigious wines, Champagne, and the renowned 5.8 Undersea Restaurant at Hurawalhi Island Resort. Plus, you'll have daily breakfast, free Wi-Fi, butler service, and yoga and meditation classes.For an unparalleled luxury water villa experience, Kudadoo Private Island is the ultimate choice.Exclusive Island AmenitiesWith its 15 sustainably designed over-water residences and exclusive amenities, Kudadoo Private Island offers an unparalleled luxury experience for those seeking the ultimate in privacy and relaxation. As guests of this exclusive island, we have access to a range of amenities that cater to our every need. Let's take a look at some of the highlights:Exclusive Island AmenitiesDescriptionPersonal ButlerEach residence comes with a dedicated personal butler who is available round the clock to assist with any requests or arrangements. From arranging excursions to ensuring our villa is always stocked with our favorite snacks and beverages, our butler is there to make our stay as seamless and enjoyable as possible.Private ChefA personal chef is assigned to curate a bespoke dining experience, tailored to our preferences. From romantic candlelit dinners on the beach to gourmet picnics on a secluded sandbank, our chef will create culinary delights that cater to our tastes.Spa TreatmentsAs part of the all-inclusive luxury experience, we have unlimited access to award-winning spa treatments. Whether it's a soothing massage or a rejuvenating facial, we can indulge in ultimate relaxation whenever we desire.Activities and ExcursionsThe island offers a wide range of activities and excursions to keep us entertained. From snorkeling in vibrant coral reefs to going on a thrilling big game fishing expedition, there is something for everyone. For those looking to maintain their fitness routine, private yoga sessions with a dedicated trainer are also available.Stylish TravelTo explore the surrounding area, a seaplane is at our disposal. This provides a luxurious and convenient mode of transportation, allowing us to arrive at our chosen destination in style.With these exclusive island amenities, Kudadoo Private Island ensures that every aspect of our stay is taken care of, leaving us free to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Maldives.The Nautilus Maldives: 26 Houses and ResidencesNestled in the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, The Nautilus Maldives beckons with its collection of 26 exquisite houses and residences. This exclusive private island resort, located southwest of Sri Lanka and approximately 700 kilometers southwest of India, offers a truly luxurious and unforgettable experience. Here, guests can indulge in the epitome of comfort and relaxation, surrounded by stunning natural beauty.To give you a taste of what awaits at The Nautilus Maldives, here are four key features of their houses and residences:Unparalleled Luxury: Each house and residence at The Nautilus Maldives is designed with the utmost attention to detail, combining contemporary style with traditional Maldivian elements. From spacious living areas to private pools and sun decks, every aspect is carefully crafted to provide the ultimate in comfort and opulence.Spectacular Views: Imagine waking up to breathtaking vistas of the turquoise ocean stretching as far as the eye can see. Whether you choose a beachfront villa or an overwater bungalow, you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean from the privacy of your own sanctuary.Personalized Service: At The Nautilus Maldives, hospitality is taken to new heights. Each house and residence comes with a dedicated butler who'll cater to your every need, ensuring that your stay is nothing short of extraordinary. From arranging bespoke dining experiences to organizing excursions and activities, they'll go above and beyond to create unforgettable moments.Secluded Serenity: The Nautilus Maldives offers the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. With its private island setting, you can truly disconnect and unwind in a tranquil paradise. Whether you choose to relax on the pristine white sandy beaches or explore the vibrant underwater world, you'll find peace and serenity at every turn.Four Seasons Maldives Private Island VoavahImmerse yourself in the epitome of luxury and exclusivity at the Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah.This private island resort, nestled in the Indian Ocean, offers a breathtaking natural landscape with pristine beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see.As guests, you'll have the opportunity to indulge in a range of exclusive amenities and activities that will leave you feeling pampered and rejuvenated.Picture yourself lounging on your own private beach, the turquoise waters lapping at your feet as you soak up the sun.For those seeking adventure, the resort offers an array of water sports, from snorkeling and scuba diving to jet skiing and paddleboarding.If relaxation is what you crave, the spa and wellness facilities await, ready to provide you with the ultimate in tranquility and rejuvenation.At the Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah, every aspect of your stay is meticulously tailored to your desires.With seven private villas, each featuring its own spa, you can unwind in style and seclusion.The resort also boasts a 25-meter-long swimming pool, exotic gardens, and a private boat, perfect for exploring nearby islands and coral reefs.Whether you're planning a group gathering, a family vacation, or a special celebration, this private island paradise offers the ideal setting.With its unspoiled natural beauty, crystal-clear waters teeming with vibrant marine life, and a range of activities to suit every taste, the Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah promises an unforgettable and unique holiday experience.Coco Privé Kuda Hithi IslandCoco Privé Kuda Hithi Island beckons visitors with its luxurious accommodations and stunning natural surroundings in the Indian Ocean. As we explore this private island resort, let's delve into what makes Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island the perfect destination for an unforgettable getaway.Exquisite Accommodations: The water villas in Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island provide a truly lavish experience. With breathtaking views, direct access to the ocean, and modern amenities, these villas offer the ultimate in comfort and luxury.Spacious and Serene: Ideal for group gatherings, the island offers ample space for everyone. Whether you're planning a big family reunion, a get-together with friends, or a special celebration, Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island ensures privacy and seclusion for all.A Paradise of Activities: With a 25-meter-long swimming pool and its own spa, the island provides endless opportunities for relaxation and rejuvenation. Whether you choose to lounge by the pool, immerse yourself in the crystal-clear waters, or explore the vibrant marine life, Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island offers a dream destination experience.Instagram-Worthy Landscapes: The natural beauty of Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island is truly awe-inspiring. From the exotic gardens to the picturesque vistas, every corner of the island is a perfect backdrop for capturing unforgettable moments.To inquire about rates and make reservations for this slice of paradise, interested individuals can reach out to Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island through their website, phone, or email. Don't miss the chance to experience the epitome of luxury and natural beauty at Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island.Ithaafushi Private Island by Waldorf AstoriaAs we continue our exploration of luxurious private island retreats in the Maldives, let's set our sights on the captivating Ithaafushi Private Island by Waldorf Astoria.This secluded paradise is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka, offering an exclusive haven for those seeking the utmost privacy and indulgence.One of the highlights of Ithaafushi Private Island is its array of luxurious amenities. Imagine pampering yourself with a rejuvenating spa treatment in your own private spa, or taking a refreshing dip in the 25-meter-long swimming pool. The island is also adorned with exotic gardens, creating a serene and picturesque backdrop for your getaway.Guests at Ithaafushi Private Island can enjoy a host of activities to enhance their experience. From thrilling water sports to gourmet dining experiences, there's something for everyone to enjoy. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even embark on excursions to nearby islands and coral reefs, immersing yourself in the natural beauty of the Maldives.What sets Ithaafushi Private Island apart is its commitment to personalized service. With a dedicated team of 25 professionals led by the Island Chief, you can expect round-the-clock availability and expertise in various areas. Whether you need assistance with diving or housekeeping, the team is there to cater to your every need.The island offers 15 sustainably designed over-water residences, each featuring a 44m2 pool and private butler service. To further elevate your stay, unlimited spa treatments and tailored experiences are also included, ensuring a lavish and unforgettable retreat.Cheval Blanc Randheli Private IslandLocated in the captivating Maldives, Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island offers a luxurious and exclusive experience for those seeking ultimate relaxation and seclusion. With its pristine beaches, exotic gardens, and personalized service, this private island is the epitome of luxury.Here are four reasons why Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island is the perfect destination for an unforgettable getaway:Indulge in the Spa: The island features its own spa, where you can pamper yourself with rejuvenating treatments and therapies. From traditional Maldivian massages to bespoke wellness rituals, the spa offers a range of options to help you unwind and rejuvenate.Relax by the Pool: Take a dip in the island's 25-meter-long swimming pool, surrounded by lush greenery and breathtaking views. Whether you want to soak up the sun on a comfortable lounger or enjoy a refreshing swim, the pool area provides the perfect setting for relaxation.Escape to Water Villas: Experience the ultimate in privacy and seclusion with the island's water villas. These luxurious accommodations offer direct access to the ocean, allowing you to immerse yourself in the crystal-clear waters of the Maldives. With modern amenities and stunning views, the water villas provide a serene and intimate setting for your stay.Ideal for Group Gatherings: Whether you're planning a family reunion, a getaway with friends, or a special celebration, Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island has ample space and activities to accommodate large groups. From spacious accommodations to a variety of leisure options, the island ensures that everyone has a memorable and enjoyable experience.From the moment you step foot on Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island, you'll be greeted with warm hospitality and exceptional service. The 25-person team, led by the Island Chief, is dedicated to providing tailored experiences and ensuring that every aspect of your stay is nothing short of perfection.The Beach HouseWhen it comes to luxury amenities, The Beach House on the private island offers an unparalleled experience.With its open-air living room, dining areas, gym, library, and Loft Lounge, guests can enjoy panoramic views of the Biosphere domain while indulging in ultimate relaxation.The 15 over-water residences with private pools and the personalized services of a private butler, personal chef, and personal trainer ensure that exclusive privacy and utmost comfort are guaranteed throughout your stay.Luxury Amenities OfferedThe Beach House at The Maldives offers an array of luxurious amenities that cater to every guest's desire for opulence and relaxation. Here are some of the incredible luxury amenities offered:Central Hub: The Beach House features a central hub with open-air living and dining areas, a gym, a library, and the Loft Lounge. From here, guests can enjoy panoramic views of the Biosphere domain, creating a truly breathtaking experience.Over-Water Residences: There are 15 sustainably designed over-water residences at The Beach House, each equipped with a 44m2 pool. Guests can rent the entire island and choose from 13 one-bedroom and 2 two-bedroom residences, as well as 2 over-water rooms for their entourage.Personalized Services: Every residence at The Beach House comes with a private butler, ensuring that guests receive the highest level of service. Additionally, a personal chef is available to curate dining experiences, a personal trainer and wellness guru are on hand to help guests stay fit and relaxed, and unlimited award-winning spa treatments are offered, including a Himalayan salt room, sauna, and steam room.Exciting Activities: The Beach House offers a range of activities and excursions to keep guests entertained. From snorkeling and big game fishing to dolphin safaris on jet skis, there's something for everyone. Yoga and gym sessions are also available to help guests maintain their fitness routines. For a truly stylish travel experience, guests can even enjoy transportation via Kudadoo's own seaplane.At The Beach House, luxury amenities are at the forefront, ensuring that every guest enjoys a truly unforgettable and indulgent experience.Exclusive Privacy GuaranteedNestled in the heart of the Maldives, The Beach House offers an exclusive haven of privacy and seclusion for those seeking a truly personalized island experience. With the Exclusive Privacy Guaranteed package, guests can enjoy the ultimate level of privacy, ensuring that their stay on the island remains undisturbed.The Beach House features an open-air living room and dining areas, a gym, a library, and the Loft Lounge, offering panoramic views of the Biosphere domain. This package also includes daily breakfast, welcome amenities, free Wi-Fi, butler service, and access to non-motorized water sports, yoga, fitness, and meditation classes.Whether you want to relax by the infinity pool or explore the vibrant marine life, The Beach House provides an exclusive retreat where you can unwind and rejuvenate in complete seclusion.For those interested in booking the island, The Nautilus Maldives can be contacted via email at reservations@thenautilusmaldives.com for more information about island buy-out rates and to learn about the package.Luxury Vacation Rental & ResidenceIndulge in the epitome of luxury with our selection of stunning Maldives island resorts, private islands for rent, and eco-friendly island options. When it comes to luxury vacation rental and residence in the Maldives, there's no shortage of opulent options to choose from. Here is a glimpse into what awaits you in this tropical paradise:Velaa Private Island: Immerse yourself in a world of unparalleled luxury with its private villas, Michelin-starred dining, and an exclusive golf course designed by a champion golfer.Kudadoo Private Island: Experience a truly all-inclusive escape with its lavish overwater villas, personalized butler service, and unlimited access to activities such as diving, spa treatments, and gourmet dining.The Nautilus Maldives: Step into a world of timeless elegance with its spacious beach and ocean houses, private pools, and bespoke experiences tailored to your every desire.Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah: Enjoy the ultimate in privacy and exclusivity on this five-acre island, complete with a private yacht, dedicated team of staff, and an array of water sports and wellness activities.These luxury vacation rentals and residences offer not just lavish accommodations, but also access to the Maldives' stunning natural beauty. From pristine white-sand beaches to crystal-clear waters teeming with vibrant marine life, every moment spent in this paradise is sure to be Instagram-worthy.Whether you seek relaxation or adventure, these properties provide a comprehensive range of services and activities to make your vacation truly unforgettable.Please note that availability may be limited due to high demand, so it's advisable to book well in advance. Prices for these luxury rentals and residences range from thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the duration of stay and the specific amenities and services included.Prepare to be pampered and indulge in the ultimate luxury experience in the Maldives.Ultimate Private Islands in MaldivesGet ready to immerse yourselves in the world of ultimate luxury and exclusivity as we explore the incredible private islands in the Maldives.These exclusive resorts offer a secluded tropical paradise, where you can bask in unparalleled privacy and tranquility.Imagine having your own pristine beach, indulging in water sports, enjoying gourmet dining experiences, and exploring nearby coral reefs - all in the lap of luxury.Exclusive Luxury ResortsAt these exclusive luxury resorts in the Maldives, you can experience the ultimate in privacy, personalized service, and stunning natural beauty. Here are four reasons why these resorts are the epitome of luxury:Private Islands: These resorts offer the opportunity to rent or purchase your own private island in the Indian Ocean. Imagine having an entire island to yourself, with pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush landscapes.Endless Activities: From water sports like snorkeling and diving to spa and wellness facilities, there's no shortage of activities to enjoy. You can explore nearby islands and coral reefs, indulge in gourmet dining experiences, or simply relax on your secluded beach.Exclusivity: These luxury resorts pride themselves on providing an exclusive experience. With limited availability due to high demand, you can rest assured that you'll have the privacy and exclusivity you desire.Unforgettable Holiday: Choosing a private island in the Maldives guarantees a unique and memorable holiday experience. The personalized service, breathtaking natural beauty, and unrivaled privacy will leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.Secluded Tropical ParadiseAs we continue our exploration of exclusive luxury resorts in the Maldives, we now venture into the realm of Secluded Tropical Paradise, where ultimate private islands await, offering a haven of tranquility and breathtaking beauty.These secluded tropical paradises provide an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the serenity of nature. With luxurious amenities and stunning natural surroundings, these private islands offer the perfect setting for a truly unforgettable vacation.From water sports and spa experiences to gourmet dining, guests can indulge in a wide range of activities while enjoying the utmost privacy and personalized service. The spacious accommodations, whether it be a water villa or a beachfront bungalow, provide a luxurious retreat with breathtaking views and direct access to the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean.For those seeking an exclusive and intimate getaway, these ultimate private islands in the Maldives are the epitome of secluded tropical paradise.Unparalleled Privacy and TranquilityNestled amidst the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, the ultimate private islands in the Maldives offer an unparalleled escape into a world of unrivaled privacy and tranquility. Here, guests can bask in the seclusion of their own private paradise, surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty.To paint a picture of this idyllic setting, imagine:Exclusive Luxury: Guests can indulge in luxurious amenities, from private beaches and water sports to spa facilities and gourmet dining experiences.Unmatched Personalized Service: The private islands provide unparalleled seclusion, accompanied by personalized service that caters to every whim and desire.Sustainable Serenity: These private islands are ideal for eco-friendly and sustainable tourism, inviting guests to immerse themselves in the stunning natural surroundings.Group Gatherings: Perfect for group gatherings, the private islands offer spacious accommodations, a wide range of activities, and breathtaking water villas with direct access to the ocean.Immerse yourself in a world of unparalleled privacy and tranquility, where every moment is tailored to your desires.Small Luxury Resorts for RentImmerse yourself in the lap of luxury with a stay at one of the small, exclusive resorts available for rent in the Maldives. These small luxury resorts offer an intimate and personalized experience, ensuring that every guest feels like a VIP. With stunning natural beauty and world-class amenities, these resorts provide a truly unforgettable vacation.Resort NameLocationAmenitiesVelaa Private IslandNoonu AtollPrivate pool, spa, golf course, underwater restaurantKudadoo Private IslandLhaviyani AtollPrivate butler, infinity pool, overwater spaThe Nautilus MaldivesBaa AtollPrivate beach, ocean-facing infinity pool, spaFour Seasons Maldives VoavahBaa AtollPrivate yacht, beach house, dive centerEach of these small luxury resorts offers a unique and extraordinary experience. At Velaa Private Island, indulge in the luxury of your own private pool, spa treatments, and even a round of golf on their exclusive course. Kudadoo Private Island takes personalized service to the next level with a private butler at your disposal, an infinity pool overlooking the turquoise waters, and an overwater spa for ultimate relaxation.If you're looking for a secluded beach getaway, The Nautilus Maldives is the perfect choice. With its private beach and ocean-facing infinity pool, you can unwind and soak up the sun in complete tranquility. For those seeking adventure, Four Seasons Maldives Voavah offers a private yacht, a beach house, and a dive center, allowing you to explore the vibrant coral reefs and marine life that the Maldives is famous for.These small luxury resorts for rent in the Maldives offer unparalleled comfort, privacy, and breathtaking views. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply seeking a romantic escape, these resorts provide the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable vacation.Very Private Islands in the MaldivesWith luxurious Maldives island resorts, exclusive private islands for rent, and secluded islands for sale, the Maldives offers a range of very private island options for those seeking the ultimate in privacy and seclusion.Luxury and Exclusivity: Private islands in the Maldives provide the epitome of luxury and exclusivity. From lavish villas to personalized service, these islands offer a truly opulent experience.Secluded Beaches: Picture yourself lounging on your own private beach, with pristine white sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters. Private islands in the Maldives offer secluded beaches where you can relax and soak up the sun in complete privacy.Water Sports and Excursions: If you're seeking adventure, private islands in the Maldives have you covered. Enjoy thrilling water sports such as snorkeling and diving, or embark on excursions to nearby islands and coral reefs for a truly memorable experience.Eco-Friendly Options: For those who value sustainability, private islands in the Maldives also offer eco-friendly options. These islands are designed to minimize their impact on the environment, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of nature while being mindful of its preservation.Choosing a private island in the Maldives comes with numerous benefits. You'll enjoy ultimate privacy and seclusion, along with personalized service that caters to your every need. The stunning natural beauty and pristine beaches will take your breath away, providing the perfect backdrop for a truly memorable holiday. Additionally, by opting for an eco-friendly island, you can contribute to sustainable tourism and leave a positive impact on the environment.Some of the private islands available for rent in the Maldives include Velaa Private Island, Kudadoo Private Island, The Nautilus Maldives, Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah, Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island, Ithaafushi Private Island by Waldorf Astoria, and Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island. These islands offer a range of facilities such as private spas, swimming pools, pristine beaches, exotic gardens, and even private boats for exploring the surrounding waters.Frequently Asked QuestionsHow Much Does It Cost to Rent an Island in Maldives?When it comes to renting an island in the Maldives, the cost can vary greatly. A cost comparison is necessary to find the best option for your budget.Factors such as location, amenities, and duration of stay all play a role in determining the price. Private islands offer ultimate privacy and luxurious experiences, but they can range from thousands to millions of dollars.Which Is the Cheapest Private Island in Maldives?The cheapest private island in the Maldives offers affordable accommodations for those seeking a luxurious getaway. With all-inclusive luxury experiences starting at $250,000 per night, guests can have an entire island to themselves. This package includes daily breakfast, a champagne welcome, and access to activities such as snorkeling and yoga.Additional perks like free Wi-Fi, butler service, and VIP transportation from the airport make this experience even more enticing.Contact Kudadoo to book your dream island escape.How Do You Get to Private Island in Maldives?Getting to private island resorts in the Maldives is a breeze. We can choose from a variety of transportation options, including seaplanes, speedboats, helicopters, and even private yachts. These luxurious modes of travel offer not only convenience but also breathtaking views of the surrounding turquoise waters.Whether it's a short speedboat ride or a scenic seaplane transfer, the journey to our private island retreat promises to be hassle-free and unforgettable.Can I Stay on a Local Island in the Maldives?Yes, we can stay on a local island in the Maldives.Staying on a local island offers a unique opportunity to immerse ourselves in the local culture and interact with friendly locals.We can explore vibrant communities, visit local markets, and indulge in traditional Maldivian cuisine.Additionally, day trips to nearby islands are possible, allowing us to discover the beauty of the surrounding area.It's important to respect local customs and dress codes while staying on local islands.ConclusionIn conclusion, renting a private island in the Maldives offers an unparalleled luxury experience that's sure to create memories that last a lifetime.While some may argue that a private island vacation is too extravagant, the privacy, personalized service, and stunning natural beauty make it a worthwhile investment.So why not treat yourself to a truly unique and unforgettable holiday in the Maldives, where you can enjoy the ultimate in seclusion and luxury? submitted by Sweet-Count2557 to worldkidstravel [link] [comments] |
2024.05.17 09:08 MrKurthal Three Weeks Ago I Was Kidnapped By Nothing.. Does Anyone Remember? [PART 1]
The scariest thing about Nothing.. about being Nothing is that nobody remembers. When nothing takes you, it's like you never existed.. till it spits you back out.
Watching the clock at work becomes such a daunting habit. You get so used to the monotony of watching the clock tick away, and somehow the seconds seem to be at an endless supply. Before you know it, the hours are gone, and when you get home it somehow feels as if it all had never happened. Hours of your life so meticulously spent doing just enough now behind you.
Time is so precious because of it's one way trip. You got forward, typical. You got backwards, something for the dreamers.. But Time was different for me today. I think that thing took me.. somewhere else. Like if.. if Time were some straight path, then it pulled me off course.
At 4:37 in the morning I took liberty in shutting off my computer. All things considered, I was running considerably late today. Work was backed up, curtesy of trucking errors. To make a long story short, 4 pallets of produce simply.. vanished. All you'd really need to gather from such meaningless information is that I was suddenly put on the for front of discovering how $5,000 worth of food had somehow grown legs and walked away.
The best answer I had..? None! I had not a clue, and after what felt like hundreds of calls, I was greeted to the warm embrace of humid Georgia air. There were no leads. I was no detective, so the ultimate conclusion of this predicament could be summed up as, "It's not my problem."
All I needed in this moment was to make my way to the bus stop. So, that's exactly what I did. Maybe twelve or so minutes had passed. I was excited to see the bus make it's way around those trees. It was by no means the longest wait, but what can I say? I was a hangry fellow.
I convinced myself that it wasn't my problem, that I wouldn't allow it to be my problem. The unfortunate thing about life is that problems have a tendency to fall into the laps of those who just did as they were told. Now, I'm not one to make some social commentary on the state of the world's general fairness, but the point to be made is my adopted philosophy that unless a problem can't just be brushed off my legs, then I'll leave it to someone else.
So maybe I'm an asshole, maybe I lack integrity, but it's honestly no deeper than "that's how the cookie crumbles." We are all cogs in the world, might as well let one of the other gears have a chance to spin! Make their money's worth.
"Helluva' night, huh?"
I jumped to such a sudden question presented to me. It was a problem, in my lap.
"That obvious?"
I responded sarcastically, looking over my shoulder to be greeted by a young face. Some kid, looked no older than twenty with orange hair and foggy eyes.. eyes that admittedly sent a shiver down my spine. The kind of eyes that.. well, you know how they say a dead person's eyes look cold? It was like that, only I wouldn't describe them as cold. Just.. empty.
"Well between the heavy sigh and tapping foot, just seems like you got somewhere to be."
Whoever this was didn't seem to be looking at me. It was quite uncomfortable that he'd just admit to having analyzed my situation, but perhaps I was looking to far into things. He just had his eyes locked forward, so why he made any effort to speak to me was still unclear. It wasn't unusual for a stranger to try to make light talk during the ride, but something about this kid irked me.
Part of me felt some level of guilt when I stopped the conversation there. I'm not sure if I'm lucky or not to say I think the kid took the hint of my uncomfortably, and for the remaining 20 minutes of the trip he was seemingly preoccupied with staring out the window. It wasn't until I stood upon reaching my stop that he ever seemed to bother looking up.. but not at me.
Again this kid had just stared straight ahead, and even now I couldn't get a great look at his face. His hair seemed to obscure it, and whatever the hair hadn't covered seemed to be so enveloped in shadow to a point that identifying him beyond his hair was seemingly impossible. He was dressed so casually, so casually that detailing his worn black hoodie and faded grey jeans would do no good.
I shook my head.. shook this problem off my shoulders feeling the weight of an unsettling interaction lift from my mind the moment I stepped out of that bus onto the final stretch of pavement between myself and my neighborhood. 5:02 AM
Where is the.. humidity?
I felt a bubbling anxiety, just crossing my arms and lowering my head.. I wanted to hide. My heart was suddenly screaming, and the irrationality of it all hit me like a truck.
"What is wrong.. the hell is wrong?"
I'd confused myself with my emotions, my eyes darting from left to right. Nobody was around me, nobody was behind me, I was alone! So I took a deep breath..
"Helluva' night, huh?"
My eyes shot open, suddenly my heart bounding and my breaths heavy. I know I head him I know I did! But he wasn't here. He was still on the bus, he never got u-..
I turned my head to look in the bus window. The doors screeched, shutting firmly as the bus engine practically roared out into the night. The wheels hummed, the burst of air sounding out as the bus continued motion.
My eyes looked into that window. The window I sat at, where he was next to me.. I was aisle side, he was window side.
He never got up.
He wasn't there.
That was the final straw. I began walking home, speed walking. To hell if anymore problems would fall into my lap. Not this morning, not today! I would get home, I'd climb into bed, and I'd sleep this off. I had to sleep.. I had to go.
"It's not my problem.."
I told myself.
"He moved seats.."
I rationalized the situation. Where did he go? I didn't see him.. He couldn't have just disappeared! Those damn pallets! I did anything I could, fought with my mind to mute my rapid heartbeat. Anything I could think of, any way to distract myself from the fact that the crickets were silent, that the stars weren't out that..
Is something watching me..?
When my house came into view, I wasted no time in fully sprinting to my door, finding my keys and barging that door open, slamming it behind me. I swiftly locked it back. To hell with a shower! I'd be damned if I were too...
"Helluva' night, huh?"
My fully body turned faster than my mind could keep up with. That damned voice!
"GET OUT OF MY HOUS-.."
But I saw nothing.
Let me paint this picture for you. When I say I saw nothing, I mean there wasn't only nobody there, but there was nothing at all. There was no room behind me, no bed, no door, no world. Empty.. empty like his eyes! There was nothing! Nothing but that one.. light.
There was a white orb. It got closer, and closer. I saw a silhouette.. It was some lengthy figure with no arms? And.. its wore this cloak of nothing. Somehow I looked into a place? No.. There was something else behind it..? Not like I'd ever find out!
One second my room, my world, was enveloped with an infinitely spanning nothingness, and in the blink of an eye it was contained into this figure! It took all the nothing!
My room was back! My world! WHAT IS HAPPENING? I don't.. remember.. But then it vanished. The nothingness was gone.
Watching the clock at work becomes such a daunting habit. You get so used to the monotony of watching the clock tick away, and somehow the seconds seem to be at an endless supply. Before you know it, the hours are gone, and when you get home it somehow feels as if it all had never happened.
Hours of my life so meticulously spent doing nothing now behind me.
It's now 3:37 in the afternoon and I remember. I crashed my car, Thomas is dead. His truck is in that ditch back in Duluth.
I remember.
That's why I took the bus.. Thomas is dead. The truck was flipped. 4 pallets gone.
It visited me tonight. Nothing. I saw that boys face, I just can't remember. Nothing.. almost took me today, but I finally understand why they never looked for me. They all forgot me too. I killed Thomas. I didn't mean to but it didn't matter! Everyone knew! It was on the news, it was everywhere! But..
Nothing walked with me tonight.. and you all forgot. You forgot everything.
~I need you to remember me!~
At 3:37 in the afternoon, two months ago, my car collided with Thomas's truck. He'd fallen asleep at the wheel. I was lucky to make it out with my life. The following weeks my story was covered by local news outlets, and the world moved on. That's what happens with Time.. but it was more than that. I'd forgotten what really happened. That boy.. he was with me, in the car, that day. I think.. I think he is the Nothing. I think he IS the.. the Void. He took Thomas.
We.. we all forgot! 4 pallets? Where'd they go? I couldn't remember the funeral! I was gone for three weeks. When I turned around and saw that light, when I came back.. when he left, it had been three weeks. I didn't have a single call! Not from mom, not from work! I was FORGOTTEN!
But.. it's not my problem anymore.
You all really forgot. I got went to mom's and my pictures were gone. Dad's? Same thing. I was gone, for three weeks. Nothing took me. Nothing is.. mad at me? And I don't know why! I was nothing.. someone please! Suddenly I’m back and all the work I left behind is still here. I was gone! The world has proved it. But.. nobody remembers? All the logs! It’s all here. I WAS gone. You can see it in the company finances, yet nobody thought to look for me? Nobody noticed I’m back..? It’s like I never left?
Do any of you remember?!
2024.05.17 09:04 iiitsjesse410 Employment Law issue
Hey all, unsure where to post as first time poster. Currently having an issue where I need some advice/point of view in a legal format
Around Christmas time I was working nightshift for the company I work for and was taken off with no warning. This impacted my family as I couldn't get my daughter to and from daycare. Asked for 7:15am start to get her there (start at 6:30am normally) was denied this as "can't do for me and not for others". Said I would have to leave if we couldn't make something work and was told that I had to if it didn't work. (This is over a phone recording) Partner then left her job effective immediately, started elsewhere and pulled daughter out of daycare.
Fast forward to now: Last week, I parked my truck in a spot that was safer to park in without damage as I couldn't get it in it's normal spot. Took the next day off. Someone else moved it and the tail of the truck hit a poke in the lock up while turning out while having 2 spotters (I was not at work when it happened). Management did an investigation on this and a part of that was an audit on the truck. They stated I hadn't cleaned it even tho I had spent time wiping down (my bad, missed a spot). After this drama they did a second investigation on myself in regards to my hours and when I left the yard. I had finished around 4:45pm. Someone had changed my timesheet to 6pm finish and added that I did tasks that were not completed. The only proof of me not doing the timesheet is the layout said timesheet is and how all my other timesheets have been fir the last month. Someone has gone through and changed my timesheet and said I worked longer than I have and have added things into it that I didn't do/weren't completed at all. I have proof with how I do timesheets and the difference between mine and how the "problem timesheet" has been done buy can't prove it wasn't me other than consistency of how all my others are. I have a serious misconduct meeting on Wednesday and am accepting a job offer elsewhere as it feels they are trying their best to fire me. Where do I stand in this matter? And if it is that my argument doesn't stand, can I be fired on the spot after handing in my 2 weeks notice?
submitted by iiitsjesse410 to LegalAdviceNZ [link] [comments]
Around Christmas time I was working nightshift for the company I work for and was taken off with no warning. This impacted my family as I couldn't get my daughter to and from daycare. Asked for 7:15am start to get her there (start at 6:30am normally) was denied this as "can't do for me and not for others". Said I would have to leave if we couldn't make something work and was told that I had to if it didn't work. (This is over a phone recording) Partner then left her job effective immediately, started elsewhere and pulled daughter out of daycare.
Fast forward to now: Last week, I parked my truck in a spot that was safer to park in without damage as I couldn't get it in it's normal spot. Took the next day off. Someone else moved it and the tail of the truck hit a poke in the lock up while turning out while having 2 spotters (I was not at work when it happened). Management did an investigation on this and a part of that was an audit on the truck. They stated I hadn't cleaned it even tho I had spent time wiping down (my bad, missed a spot). After this drama they did a second investigation on myself in regards to my hours and when I left the yard. I had finished around 4:45pm. Someone had changed my timesheet to 6pm finish and added that I did tasks that were not completed. The only proof of me not doing the timesheet is the layout said timesheet is and how all my other timesheets have been fir the last month. Someone has gone through and changed my timesheet and said I worked longer than I have and have added things into it that I didn't do/weren't completed at all. I have proof with how I do timesheets and the difference between mine and how the "problem timesheet" has been done buy can't prove it wasn't me other than consistency of how all my others are. I have a serious misconduct meeting on Wednesday and am accepting a job offer elsewhere as it feels they are trying their best to fire me. Where do I stand in this matter? And if it is that my argument doesn't stand, can I be fired on the spot after handing in my 2 weeks notice?
2024.05.17 08:58 SnooRegrets5283 Did she (F31) lead me (M32) on, friendzoned me, or just was not interested?
Back in January, I met a woman (31) who liked me (32) right away (she told me that I’m really good looking, she wanted to chat etc.). She lives in another town, but I messaged her after our brief meeting, saying I'd love to see her again. We started texting, exchanging long messages and getting to know each other. She was coming out of a painful breakup and therapy, so I decided to take things slow, give her time, and let things develop naturally. I told her I'd really like to get to know her better. She texted me multiple times about how highly she thought of me and liked my hobbies. She made the impression of a high-quality individual, who is self-aware, works on herself and her patterns, loves to read about psychology and relationships. She even shared that she tends to pull away when she gets emotionally close to a man. After that, she stopped contacting me for a month, then reached out again. Basically she pulled away every time when the conversation was really good. Eventually, the contact stopped, but she liked almost all my Instagram stories and posts (which I know doesn't necessarily mean anything). She also asked me random things without replying to my previous messages. Nine weeks into messaging, I wrote to her that I'd be attending a concert in her town and asked if she'd be around. She stopped responding after that. After the concert, she liked a few of my Instagram posts, then posted a vacation picture, mentioning she was dating someone new, living together for a few weeks already, talking about children, and having two vacations planned together (this being the first). Feeling shocked, I immediately deleted her from all social media. Two days later, she messaged me, asking if she'd hurt me. I didn't respond. This was a girl with whom I really wanted to be patient yet direct, without any games, but this whole thing left me kinda disappointed. I know that I probably had high expecations and she did not owe me anything, but this felt as if she was only leading me on while not even mentioning that she was dating some other guy during the whole time, with whom she is really rushing into a commited relationship.
Why would she act like that? Did she lead me on, friendzoned me or just was not interested at all?
I absolutely did not know about her dating someone else, but I did not ask either. Any perspective is welcomed.
tl;dr - I met a girl from another town, we started messaging, I wanted to meet her and possibly date her. she was pullling away anytime we got emotionally closer. she was dating a guy for the whole time - did not mention anything about it. she got confused why I deleted her and stopped messaging.
submitted by SnooRegrets5283 to dating_advice [link] [comments]
Why would she act like that? Did she lead me on, friendzoned me or just was not interested at all?
I absolutely did not know about her dating someone else, but I did not ask either. Any perspective is welcomed.
tl;dr - I met a girl from another town, we started messaging, I wanted to meet her and possibly date her. she was pullling away anytime we got emotionally closer. she was dating a guy for the whole time - did not mention anything about it. she got confused why I deleted her and stopped messaging.
2024.05.17 08:57 saint-blue contacting strangers
My (m68) wife (f50) of three years is a first-generation immigrant from Thailand. While we were dating, she said that when she comes to America that she wants to be a youtuber and show people from her country about her new experiences. Last March she embarked on that endeavor after asking me if it was OK for her to have public Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram accounts. I said OK… then she asked me again are you sure? I asked her not to use these public accounts as dating apps before giving the final OK.
Later, I find that for her to get followers she needs to be a follower too. She said when she gets enough followers that Facebook will send her money. To that end she solicits views and followers by contacting strangers first through “likes” and “comments” to their posts. She asks them if they can be friends and follow her back. These people are both men and women from her native country. She said that it was important to her because she needed to feel that she was earning money on her own. This is not what I was expecting. I thought she was going to get her followers by posting interesting content such as her workout videos. When I found that she was leaving heart emojis for strange men. I asked her to stop doing so. Furthermore, I told her that I wanted to be able to read any direct messages that she may be receiving from her “followers”.
She is back in Thailand for an extended stay that includes getting a facelift in Bangkok. After reading the latest comments to her posts I became concerned about the playful banter between her and the male followers. I finally checked her online accounts with her second phone, which was given to me upon request. While checking her messages and found nothing notable. However, I found a new public Facebook account that she did not tell me about. This account was a mixture old and new posts but also included some bikini pictures that I took of her in Hawaii. The caption to one of the pictures is “I’m an honest Woman, I am a bit stubborn, cute, neat, eat well, exercise”. This is indeed a dating app style picture. I felt hurt that she was not being upfront and honest with me.
I think that the purpose of her public online adventure is to get affirmation from strangers that she is beautiful – she is beautiful. But the fact that she needs to hear it from other people leaves me feeling empty. My gut is telling me the current destination is towards an unhappy marriage. I am I bit older than her and I do not want to waste my time with another dead end. I want to stop her public online activity before it is too late. Am I being gullible or over controlling?
TL;DR; : Is this going the right way?. social media is harming our marriage
submitted by saint-blue to relationships [link] [comments]
Later, I find that for her to get followers she needs to be a follower too. She said when she gets enough followers that Facebook will send her money. To that end she solicits views and followers by contacting strangers first through “likes” and “comments” to their posts. She asks them if they can be friends and follow her back. These people are both men and women from her native country. She said that it was important to her because she needed to feel that she was earning money on her own. This is not what I was expecting. I thought she was going to get her followers by posting interesting content such as her workout videos. When I found that she was leaving heart emojis for strange men. I asked her to stop doing so. Furthermore, I told her that I wanted to be able to read any direct messages that she may be receiving from her “followers”.
She is back in Thailand for an extended stay that includes getting a facelift in Bangkok. After reading the latest comments to her posts I became concerned about the playful banter between her and the male followers. I finally checked her online accounts with her second phone, which was given to me upon request. While checking her messages and found nothing notable. However, I found a new public Facebook account that she did not tell me about. This account was a mixture old and new posts but also included some bikini pictures that I took of her in Hawaii. The caption to one of the pictures is “I’m an honest Woman, I am a bit stubborn, cute, neat, eat well, exercise”. This is indeed a dating app style picture. I felt hurt that she was not being upfront and honest with me.
I think that the purpose of her public online adventure is to get affirmation from strangers that she is beautiful – she is beautiful. But the fact that she needs to hear it from other people leaves me feeling empty. My gut is telling me the current destination is towards an unhappy marriage. I am I bit older than her and I do not want to waste my time with another dead end. I want to stop her public online activity before it is too late. Am I being gullible or over controlling?
TL;DR; : Is this going the right way?. social media is harming our marriage
2024.05.17 08:52 Hopeful-Mammoth-8991 Could SN be a good fit for my team?
Apologies if I am breaking any subreddit rules here. I'm trying to identify if SN could be a good fit for us. I'd also be open to anyone who wishes to DM about this topic or give me a demo of their SN setup. I know this subreddit will be biased but I wanted to hear from those who actually work with the product before I talk to any sales reps.
I am one of about a dozen developers on a team that's specialized in the Hyland OnBase WorkView case/document management platform. We've been using it for over a decade and have built a lot of successful client projects with it, but the drawbacks have reached a point where we are looking for a replacement. Ideally the new platform is something that our team of developers can learn and become proficient with relatively quickly. We'd also be open to hiring some people with SN experience, and/or bringing in a professional services group to get us on track.
A typical client project for our team is to build a case management system that a state government office of 25-50 case workers would use to enroll applicants in a program to receive some type of assistance. Case workers would perform a series of checklist and document reviews on the applicants' cases and move their case through a variety of steps from intake to closeout. Third party users may also log in to this system and perform their own reviews of cases. Users might be grouped into teams and can only see cases assigned to their team.
Not all our projects follow this model, it's just become a common one for us. I've only spent a couple hours reading about SN, skimming through some of the videos on their website, so I still need to do more research, but I wanted to lay out some info about our current platform below. I would love to hear feedback from the SN crowd here about how it compares relative to the pros/cons listed below, and anything in particular you love/hate about it, things you wish you knew about it before you started, etc.
The good:
submitted by Hopeful-Mammoth-8991 to servicenow [link] [comments]
I am one of about a dozen developers on a team that's specialized in the Hyland OnBase WorkView case/document management platform. We've been using it for over a decade and have built a lot of successful client projects with it, but the drawbacks have reached a point where we are looking for a replacement. Ideally the new platform is something that our team of developers can learn and become proficient with relatively quickly. We'd also be open to hiring some people with SN experience, and/or bringing in a professional services group to get us on track.
A typical client project for our team is to build a case management system that a state government office of 25-50 case workers would use to enroll applicants in a program to receive some type of assistance. Case workers would perform a series of checklist and document reviews on the applicants' cases and move their case through a variety of steps from intake to closeout. Third party users may also log in to this system and perform their own reviews of cases. Users might be grouped into teams and can only see cases assigned to their team.
Not all our projects follow this model, it's just become a common one for us. I've only spent a couple hours reading about SN, skimming through some of the videos on their website, so I still need to do more research, but I wanted to lay out some info about our current platform below. I would love to hear feedback from the SN crowd here about how it compares relative to the pros/cons listed below, and anything in particular you love/hate about it, things you wish you knew about it before you started, etc.
The good:
- Easy to build a data model -- intuitive for developers to define classes, fields, relationships between classes, and even extension classes where appropriate.
- Easy to use the screen designer to throw together an interface for users to enter data into your fields (more on this in the "cons" section).
- Easy to create working filters/queues so staff that use the system can track what's pending their review.
- Easy to set up user groups and control who can see what.
- Document management is built-in, easy to import documents and automatically tag them with keywords based on the record/screen they're being uploaded to. Also easy to query for all documents of a certain type, with certain keyword values, uploaded in a custom date range, etc.
- Transaction history on every record makes it easy to audit who changed what and when.
- Document templates -- the ability to generate a Word/PDF document with dynamic text on demand is very useful for clients that need their staff to print and mail letters.
- Ability to write C# code to do anything we want, even if we could do it with a native component. Our client's business logic often becomes so complex (and changes so often) that it's easier to manage with code libraries that fire when buttons are pressed, rather than with the built-in "no code" workflow design steps.
- Ability to build external applications that interface with/manipulate OnBase data using the OnBase DLL. We have some C# console applications that run on Windows Task Scheduler every night, for example "connect to this FTP instance and import whatever files have been imported in the last 24 hours, turn them all into data objects in OnBase, and send us a summary email".
- The look and feel of the client is clunky and outdated, looks like it's from the 90s. It's a Windows application. There is a web client but it lacks some key functionality and also has the same outdated look. The screen designer itself is just a bare bones HTML page you can add rows and columns to and drag/drop your fields on it. We've added some CSS to improve it somewhat and I'm sure if we brought in some designers they could push that further, but we shouldn't have to work so hard to make the default product not look bad. And don't bother trying to use it on your phone or tablet.
- Migrating changes from DEV/QA/PROD is a nightmare. Our WorkView instance has apparently reached the level of complexity at which the tool for exporting your data to be imported into another instance simply crashes and doesn't work anymore. Even when it does work on a fresh instance, it's a confusing experience of mapping all the fields and objects between the two environments and making decisions about whether to keep or overwrite each one. It's reached the point where we have no choice but to build in PROD, and test changes with internal users before we modify permissions so that they are visible to all users. Our TEST and DEV instances are therefore always outdated and not useful as a result. You can imagine how painful this has become.
- Performance is slow. We've never gotten a clear answer from our support calls about why it can take 15+ seconds for a record to load. I suspect this product was simply never intended to be pushed to the limits that we seem to have reached after so many years. From what I can tell, most Hyland customers use OnBase for document management/workflow, and if they have any WorkView/case management projects they use a small number of classes, with a small number of fields. We are 100% WorkView. I would guess our instance has 500 classes (tables), 1000 designed screens, 5000 filters/queues, and 2000 buttons that launch C# scripts. It takes 3 minutes for the OnBase studio/designer IDE to finish logging in/loading our instance before we can begin making any changes to it.
- Licensing is expensive and confusing. You can buy concurrent licenses that are shared between all users (expensive) or named licenses (less expensive) that are assigned on a per-user basis. We host a lot of different client projects on our instance, and it's not a good look when we reach the license limit and users start complaining that they can't log in. Our users have no idea what licenses are and shouldn't have to see error messages they don't understand. Of course this is a problem we can solve with more money but I am curious to learn how SN handles this.
- The built in reporting module leaves a lot to be desired. Very limited customization/styling, and no ability to set up a report to be emailed on a schedule. We instead rely on other modules like PowerBI and Tableau.
- I mentioned in the "good" section that we can build external applications in Visual Studio to create/modify OnBase data, but this is really a response to the poor IDE built into OnBase Studio which lacks so many features, it's easier to just import the OnBase DLL into a Visual Studio solution and build it there, so you have access to breakpoint debugging, logging, Nuget packages, etc. If I'm writing code in the platform IDE, it shouldn't be a miserable experience.
- Very limited developer resources. You won't find any resources on Stackoverflow, Reddit, or anywhere public. If you run into a problem, you can check the Hyland Community forums (good luck, the search functionality is broken) or send an email to support. Likely a result of the OnBase product just not being very well known/popular. Makes me a bit jealous of the more well known platforms like Salesforce and... maybe ServiceNow?? It was refreshing to find an active subreddit, at the very least!
2024.05.17 08:46 Next_Preparation8728 How long
My man (49) and I (48) recently got back together after a long break where we both had other relationships that each of us (as far as I know) ended before we started talking again. His was with a “friend” who has been a big problem between us in the past. He said she was already totally out of his life, zero contact forever, with or without me in the picture. Glad he had already gotten to that point because having to deal with that situation in the past was not good for me. Yesterday I got curious and asked him if she’s really totally gone, no social media contacts, no shared activities, she isn’t going to be popping up at some random social event, and so on. Well… she’s still his fb friend. I asked him to explain that to me and instead he said he would just block her. So far, he hasn’t. I’m aware that maybe he hasn’t gotten to it yet but how long do I wait to say something? I am already irritated because he wasn’t totally honest with me the first time. When he told me that he’d block her, he picked up his phone and seemed to be doing something on it. Was that supposed to be blocking her? He can’t be that dumb, there’s zero chance of me not checking. We have known each other for 30+ years so he knows I will check. I honestly did want to talk about the situation, to understand why he hadn’t severed that link. But his sudden announcement that he would just block her coupled with not having done it quickly feels sketchy. And how exactly do I bring this up because I am going to have to admit that I checked. Which, as I said, he should expect but there’s a fairly good chance that he’ll be mad about it all the same. Obviously there are trust issues and none of this will be resolved quickly (therapy is part of the plan) but the current situation is not helping. I want to address the topic like a mature adult and hear his thoughts on the matter, not just get another knee-jerk reaction. Even more, I want him to do what he said he would do without me having to bring it up again, because that would help increase my trust in him. So what amount of time is reasonable to wait for him to do what he said he would do?
submitted by Next_Preparation8728 to datingoverforty [link] [comments]
2024.05.17 08:45 MrTumnus99 How to think about risk vs reward in deciding on aggressive surgical treatments?
About a month ago, I (38M) was diagnosed with a rare, slow growing neuroendocrine tumor (carcinoid) in my appendix which was discovered during an appendectomy. We have no data to suggest that 100% of the tumor was not removed during the appendectomy: the margins were clear and from a statistical perspective, the majority of people with a tumor the size of mine (~1cm) are cured by appendectomy alone.
However, there were some other findings that cloud the picture. The primary tumor was not growing quickly and had a Ki-67 index of 2%, which is compatible with grade 1 (good for me). Despite this, the tumor had almost broken through the appendix wall, showed signs of perineural invasion, mesoappendix invasion and lymphovascular invasion. (To be honest, only the last thing means much to me but I know it’s bad). Because of these attributes, the tumor was assigned a primary tumor stage of T3. Only one lymph node was dissected but no tumor cells were found there (N0) and there was no distant metastasis (M0). All three of these stages indicate an overall cancer stage group of IIA. My case was reviewed by the tumor board at the GI center at the local med school and they recommended further surgery to prevent possible metastasis of any cancer cells that remain. This surgery, known formally as a right hemicolectomy would remove the ascending portion of my colon. My rectum and anus would be unaffected and I would (in a sense) still use the toilet normally. From the literature, many people report more diarrhea, looser stools and sometimes fecal incontinence after the procedure, but it seems peoples experiences can vary greatly. I will add that the idea of having these challenges as a single person scares me quite a bit. Pooping my pants on a date seems very non-ideal and I’d really like to find someone to spend my life with.
The other compounding factor is that while the 5 year survival rate for neuroendocrine appendiceal tumors is luckily quite high (90% or so if there is only local spread) there is no approved radiation therapy or chemotherapy. My scientific understanding of this is that since the growth rate of these tumors is slow compared to other cancers, they grow at similar rates to normal healthy tissue. This makes cytotoxic chemotherapies that target rapidly dividing cells ineffective: the only treatment that would kill the tumor, would kill you just as fast. There are some therapies that can inhibit tumor growth (somatostatin I think?), but the tumors never shrink in size. Since there is no chance to completely kill the tumor, one appears to be left with the unavoidable outcome of living the rest of your life with cancer if surgery doesn’t work. And significantly, the survival rates for metastatic neuroendocrine tumors appear to be far less rosy than if they are caught early. I woke up the other night and sat straight up in bed to catch my breath thinking about that.
I am really wrestling with the idea that the surgeons are recommending a procedure, which will undoubtedly degrade my quality of life to some degree, and from a statistical point of view, is not expected to find any tumor cells. It seems that the oncologists view the surgery as insurance for me (and frankly for them). I get it, but…like…come on. Maybe I’m being crazy to even be thinking about this, given that if the tumor were to spread, I’m kind of screwed?
Some questions:
submitted by MrTumnus99 to cancer [link] [comments]
However, there were some other findings that cloud the picture. The primary tumor was not growing quickly and had a Ki-67 index of 2%, which is compatible with grade 1 (good for me). Despite this, the tumor had almost broken through the appendix wall, showed signs of perineural invasion, mesoappendix invasion and lymphovascular invasion. (To be honest, only the last thing means much to me but I know it’s bad). Because of these attributes, the tumor was assigned a primary tumor stage of T3. Only one lymph node was dissected but no tumor cells were found there (N0) and there was no distant metastasis (M0). All three of these stages indicate an overall cancer stage group of IIA. My case was reviewed by the tumor board at the GI center at the local med school and they recommended further surgery to prevent possible metastasis of any cancer cells that remain. This surgery, known formally as a right hemicolectomy would remove the ascending portion of my colon. My rectum and anus would be unaffected and I would (in a sense) still use the toilet normally. From the literature, many people report more diarrhea, looser stools and sometimes fecal incontinence after the procedure, but it seems peoples experiences can vary greatly. I will add that the idea of having these challenges as a single person scares me quite a bit. Pooping my pants on a date seems very non-ideal and I’d really like to find someone to spend my life with.
The other compounding factor is that while the 5 year survival rate for neuroendocrine appendiceal tumors is luckily quite high (90% or so if there is only local spread) there is no approved radiation therapy or chemotherapy. My scientific understanding of this is that since the growth rate of these tumors is slow compared to other cancers, they grow at similar rates to normal healthy tissue. This makes cytotoxic chemotherapies that target rapidly dividing cells ineffective: the only treatment that would kill the tumor, would kill you just as fast. There are some therapies that can inhibit tumor growth (somatostatin I think?), but the tumors never shrink in size. Since there is no chance to completely kill the tumor, one appears to be left with the unavoidable outcome of living the rest of your life with cancer if surgery doesn’t work. And significantly, the survival rates for metastatic neuroendocrine tumors appear to be far less rosy than if they are caught early. I woke up the other night and sat straight up in bed to catch my breath thinking about that.
I am really wrestling with the idea that the surgeons are recommending a procedure, which will undoubtedly degrade my quality of life to some degree, and from a statistical point of view, is not expected to find any tumor cells. It seems that the oncologists view the surgery as insurance for me (and frankly for them). I get it, but…like…come on. Maybe I’m being crazy to even be thinking about this, given that if the tumor were to spread, I’m kind of screwed?
Some questions:
- did you have a right colectomy? How has your quality of life changed? Was it a permanent change or only temporary?
- did you have a different cancer but faced a similar dilemma ?
- how did you think about trading quality of life for “peace of mind”?
- did age affect your decision?
2024.05.17 08:45 kalliopeia9 Tetsu on the TV program "This is a side note..." (5/15/2024)
Tetsu was on the TV program "This is a side note, but..." on 5/15 alongside Hisashi from GLAY. You can watch the program here with a VPN set to Japan (available until 5/22): https://tver.jp/episodes/epp2yhtg7y
Some highlights:
I was curious about how GLAY came to form their own label, and it turns out they were engaged in a lawsuit with their former label over similar issues (unpaid fees, music copyright).
After the show, Hisashi tweeted that he wants to do a joint concert with L'Arc! He's the third member of GLAY to say this recently (Teru and Takuro said the same thing on a radio show last month). The tweet currently has over 6 million views, and lots of fans are excited and hoping that a GLAY x L'Arc concert can become a reality! But they're wondering where such a large concert could be held because it probably needs a capacity of at least 100k or 200k, and the war for tickets would be a bloodbath.
submitted by kalliopeia9 to LArcenCiel [link] [comments]
Some highlights:
- Tetsu and Hisashi talked about how L'Arc and GLAY were portrayed as rivals, and this fueled each band to outdo the other. Tetsu said since GLAY had a concert with 200,000 people in one day (setting the Guinness world record at the time), L'Arc decided to do the Grand Cross tour with 125,000 people each day over two days. And since GLAY released two singles simultaneously in 1998, L'Arc decided to release three singles and then two albums simultaneously.
- L'Arc and GLAY played in the same concert in their indies days in 1992. Tetsu doesn't remember, but Hisashi said that one of GLAY's staff members told them, "You guys suck, go watch L'Arc's rehearsal and learn from them!" So all four members of GLAY lined up to watch L'Arc's rehearsal. Hisashi thought that they were really good, no wonder they're popular!
- Tetsu told the story of how he met Hyde and kept trying to persuade him to join him even though Hyde already had his own band. He went to all of Hyde's band's concerts and tried to persuade Hyde to join him at the afterparties, even though Hyde's bandmates were right there too. The interviewer asked if the other members couldn't compare to Hyde, and Tetsu said, "It seemed like only Hyde was shining."
- Tetsu also told the story of how he started playing bass at age 14 from Ken's recommendation, and how he originally though bass would be easier than guitar because bass only has four strings rather than six. "Yes! Ken-senpai! What's a bass?" And then after seeing the bass and how big it is, he wondered why he has to play bass when he's smaller than Ken.
- Tetsu also talked about when Hyde quit the band in 2002. Hyde sent a letter to Tetsu that was delivered to him by a staff member. Tetsu said Hyde would only come to such a conclusion after thinking about it for a long time, so he thought there was no way to change his mind and accepted the decision. The four of them got together to talk and they decided to disband. But then a staff member told Tetsu, "If you're the leader, you should stop him!" And then Tetsu thought for the first time, "I'm supposed to stop him??" Then he and Hyde talked just the two of them, and he managed to persuade Hyde to try to stay with the band for a bit longer.
- Hisashi said, "That staff member was saying what everyone was thinking!" And one of the hosts said, "You definitely had to stop him! Our youth!!"
- The PVs for Driver's High, Hitomi no Juunin, and Finale each cost 100 million yen to make! (Tetsu said the Pieces PV also cost that much to make on his radio show.) Tetsu said he received offers to appear in movies in the past, but the movies had a smaller budget than their PVs, so he thought there's no point being in those movies. (At the exchange rate in 1999, that amount was equivalent to roughly $877,000.)
- A kid asked Hisashi and Tetsu what are their favorite fruits. Tetsu's is melon!
- Another kid asked if GLAY and L'Arc members ever fight, and said it seems like at least GLAY get along well. 😂 Hisashi confirmed that the GLAY members all get along well since they started as friends in the same high school who formed a band together, but commented that L'Arc isn't like that, right?
- Tetsu said that he tends to make suggestions, but they get rejected by the other members. Ideas in general tend to get shelved if even one member is somewhat against it. He also said that the L'Arc members tend to talk to each other through staff members. One time, another member got really mad at Tetsu, but he only heard about it through the staff. Since they don't talk to each other about the issues directly, he feels that it's easy to be misunderstood since the messages change when it's passed through multiple staff members. Tetsu said he's working hard to change this setup because it's definitely not good.
- One kid asked how much money do GLAY and L'Arc have. Hisashi said he's an employee of GLAY's company (label) and gets a salary from it. Tetsu was really curious about that and said to Hisashi that he wants to hear more about their structure. Hisashi said GLAY has their own company and they run their own management, and the members are employees of the company.
- Hisashi said they actually make a lot of money from the streaming services! Even just in one month, it's a lot of money. Tetsu was really surprised that Hisashi knows these numbers, because he doesn't see them, and also L'Arc is probably set up so that the "adults" get most of the money, not the band. So he wants to change that structure.
- Another kid asked what are their favorite cars. Tetsu's is Ferarri from the 60s and 70s.
- Another question was if the bands have any plans to retire. Tetsu said no!
I was curious about how GLAY came to form their own label, and it turns out they were engaged in a lawsuit with their former label over similar issues (unpaid fees, music copyright).
After the show, Hisashi tweeted that he wants to do a joint concert with L'Arc! He's the third member of GLAY to say this recently (Teru and Takuro said the same thing on a radio show last month). The tweet currently has over 6 million views, and lots of fans are excited and hoping that a GLAY x L'Arc concert can become a reality! But they're wondering where such a large concert could be held because it probably needs a capacity of at least 100k or 200k, and the war for tickets would be a bloodbath.