Hello! I (20M) am a college student in the United States, and have recently (since February) started going to Mass again after about 3 years. I am still struggling to fully commit myself to being a good Catholic, and have some tough barriers for this to happen. This will be bit of a long post, so fair warning. You can skip to the questions below if you don't want to read my background, it isn't really necessary to answer the questions.
I have always struggled with having faith, and stopped believing in God quite early, in middle school. However, my parents were adamant about me continuing to go to Mass and getting confirmed. After this I settled into going to Mass purely out of an obligation to play music. This stopped with the pandemic, and once I went to college (out of state) I no longer had any reason to go.
As I've indicated above, this has recently changed due to finding myself in an extremely difficult period of change in my life that I had no control over. I don't wish to burden you with details, but safe to say since November of 2022 I have had the darkest and most directionless period of my life. This definitely spurred me to act on a lingering impulse since I got to college to begin exploring religion and faith again, and as I've said, I have started regularly attending Mass again.
I can safely say I believe in God again, and have found some much needed spiritual peace in praying and receiving the Eucharist, as well as unburdening myself at confession. However, I am struggling to fully accept all of the Church's teachings:

1. Chastity, Abstinence, and Masturbation: I have read the church's teachings on these topics and the reasoning behind them all, which I understand to be that sex is primarily a means to the creation of life AND deep union in love with another. It is difficult for me to understand how masturbation, sex with contraception, and sex before marriage is inherently a mortal sin in the sense of love. Why isn't a genuine desire for love enough? Why is it so incredibly necessary for two people to only have sex when the possibility of life is there? Why is masturbation such a perversion of love, can it ever be a form of healthy self-love/self-care, like exercising or resting one's body?
2. Related to the above, I have enormous issues supporting the churches position on abortion and LGBT+ people. I have many trans, gay, or bisexual people in my life, who I absolutely love with all my heart, and see as genuinely good people. I just cannot understand how they are inherently disordered. I believe them when they say they have always been this way, just like I have always felt I am a straight man. Being anti-Aboriton is slightly easier for me accept, which I have never thought of it as a "good" thing, only a necessary evil. Still, I find it hard to justify letting a woman die for a fetus' life. I patently refuse to cut ties or judge these people, as I believe Pope Francis has made abundantly clear, we should only have peace, love, and support for everyone, no matter who they are.

I hope you keep an open mind in your responses, I am earnestly seeking advice and guidance, and am not trying to get into any malicious arguments. I refuse to engage with any discussion that involves hate towards anyone. I admit there is some self-interest here, especially when it comes to the first question. I don't wish to be dramatic, but these issues are honestly my stumbling block, both when I left the faith and now, as I struggle to come back. I feel that either I learn to accept these things, feel forced to leave a religion I find genuine meaning in, or lead a self-contradictory life.
In the end, all I want is to nourish a beneficial and healthy spiritual life that not only makes this life better, but also the next. I hope everyone will have a prayerful Holy Week.

Aight, so I'm a massive fan of RoR. Been following since the Shiva vs Raiden fight, and haven't looked back since. But, I will say, there are some adjustments I would make. I still love the series, but there are definitely changes I think would be beneficial. Ofc this is just my opinion, so feel free to disagree.

1. We don't need so many Greek gods. I think the big 3 (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades) would be ideal because they are the most powerful and important of the Greek pantheon. I think Hercules could be replaced with either Osiris or Quetzalcoatl. I think Osiris would be interesting because he, just like Heracles was a genuinely good personality. He also serves as the judge of the dead (to symbolize the justice part), and is beloved massively by his fellow gods like Heracles. I think it would be poetic for him (the god of resurrection) to die for a final time at Jack's hands. Also, having the citizens of the Egypt he used to rule be cheering for him on the humans' side would serve as a substitute for the humans cheering for Heracles. I also think Quetzalcoatl would be good for some Mayan representation. He also served as a god of Justice. I see him and his wind powers presenting a challenge for Jack to catch him in London as he evades the traps set by the environment due to his abilities. I see him reverting to his more animalistic form at the end of the battle before being defeated. I doubt the effect would be the same on an emotional level because he was less pure as Osiris or Heracles, which is why my case isn't as strong for him. In regards to Apollo, I think Cerunnos (the Celtic god) would be interesting as a replacement, specifically as an opponent for Simo. This is because Simo was a bringer of death whilst Cerunnos is a god of life and nature. Additionally, Cerunnos is associated with vibrance and color, whilst Simo is characterized by the barren colds of winter. In terms of appealing to the archer battle aspect, Hou Yi could serve as an intriguing replacement. We could explore the two's different reasons for using the bow/rifle, especially since Hou Yi was originally a human.
2. I also think we don't need as many Japanese fighters. I do understand that its a Japanese manga, so Japanese representation is a no brainer. But I would personally substitute Okita and Kintoki for other fighters (especially Okita). I think it could also create some very interesting matchups as well. For example, my top picks to replace them would be George Washington and H.P Lovecraft. George Washington would be a pair for Loki, and would not only give some good representation for western history, but also work well. The trickster god for the man who never lied. HP Lovecraft would go with Susanoo, as the author who crafted demons vs the storm god who specialized in killing them.
3. I would also make the characters' powers more diverse. I think this complaints rings truest with the greek gods. I feel all of the big three don't represent their domains well enough. Zeus I have the least complaints with, and I wouldn't change his brawling fighting style. I think it would be cool to have the weather above change as his emotional state shifts however, to show that he is truly the god of the heavens. I also like the idea of his lightning bolts being mentioned but discarded in a way that would fit with his character. Like, that he uses them for the sake of smiting his foes and exerting his authority. But in a combat tournament, where he is 'getting down' to the humans' domain for the sake of combat and enjoyment, they are unnecessary. For Poseidon, I think it was kind of a waste for him to have a water based arena and not use water based abilities. I like the idea of him commanding the sea with his trident to attack Sasaki at first in deadly ways, substituting the vision of Sasaki seeing himself getting stabbed at the beginning of the fight with him being killed by Poseidon's water attacks. But then as the fight progresses and he gets more irritated, Poseidon uses the water to amplify his trident and armor, before eventually being outmatched by Kojiro. A little side note I'd like to add is to have Poseidon be middle aged. Not in the sense that he's balding or anything like that, but that he has some wrinkles and a more wisened look to his design. I think Hades should be the youngest looking one, which would be ironic due to their actual ages. I also think it matches up with his personality and the theme of his character. Because in said middle aged state he would have an air of experience and wisdom but also not appear too old, which lines up with his concept of perfection. He's both mature and yet spry, the perfect balance which personifies godliness. I get what they were trying to go for with Poseidon looking so young, which is why this isn't a major complaint. It's just a bit jarring to see two of the brothers look so young and so similar whilst Zeus looks so old. Hades should have more necromancy based abilities. I think allowing him to use his invisibility helmet would be really cool (the counter to which I will explain in another point later on), and also being able to manipulate metals, essentially nerfing Qin's armor and forcing him to draw out more of his techniques (I also intend to explain why in a later point about round 7 as a whole). Perhaps his final technique being a sort of skeletal armor which carries the burden of his life-force in a way similar to Hades' final technique in the actual round. I honestly wouldn't really change the other gods' powers, though Beelzebub having 'vibration' powers didn't feel very fitting to me at first. I thought it didn't really match with the gluttony he represents, though it did align with the Baal and Zebul parts.
4. Round 7. I liked Round 7, I really did. Its just the un-fulfillment of potential which kind of annoys me about this round. I'll break things into two sections, story related and combat related. First is character. So, in regards to character, I would first change Qin. This is coming from someone who has Qin in their top five favorite characters. However I feel that a lack of canonicity with the historical person is a bit off putting. I know RoR is by no means fully mythologically or even all too historically accurate, and that's part of the appeal. However up until Qin the characters had some sort of continuity with their historical and mythological personas. I think the way to take Qin's character would've been to have him be sort of unhinged (like I thought he was at the beginning of the round) but still charismatic and tragic. He would be the kind of character whose ideals and desire to pave a new path got corrupted by his desire to preserve that and maintain the whole of the kingdom, manifesting in his desires for immortality. Having Hades nerf his armor (not fully as its still a Volund, but I think having him be able to suppress its power in some way would be badass) and remind him of the inevitability of the death he so tried to run from would force him to dig deep and utilize his techniques in a way which has immense risk with each move and abandon his arrogance. I also think his synthesia could also be used as a way to explain his later insanity in life, and by accepting the pain in this fight and sacrificing himself to take down Hades, his end would be poetic. I think the fight should have ended as a tie. With Qin managing to deal a lethal blow to Hades but also taking on said blow himself and them both evaporating at the same time. Qin dying, but going out with a smile after coming to terms with his mortality. The death of Hades would have the same impact as in canon, and the death of Qin would serve to complete his character. Where he overcomes his fear of death and even accepts it for the sake of the greater purpose of helping humanity. I think a good final line for him would deal with him entrusting the 'throne' he claimed to be centered around himself to the rest of humanity, and being content that he died for their sakes. Also, him defeating the god of the underworld would show that in the face of humanity's greatest fear, a character who represents the absolute end, a beginning can be created. We had Adam to show hope that the humans could fight the gods and now Tesla to represent the importance of always progressing, but Qin could represent the hope to persist even when all one's successes and gifts are robbed from them. In regards to Hades, I would explore moreso his idea of a king. Perhaps delving into his relationship with Persephone and his subjects, and the depth of his pride for them. I think the fight should've began with Hades' stance towards Qin being one of disgust, not respect. He sees a likeness to his brother, but an inferiority in the way Qin carries himself in contrast. I think him seeing Qin as lacking in conviction due to his glamorousness would allow for interesting development through the fight. Whereas, after overwhelming him, he is surprised to see Qin stand still and fight even when everything is taken from him. Hades learns to accept that he could not protect Poseidon and see that those ideals are not only personified by Qin and accepts a new definition of king. One not simply defined by the ability to protect and enforce, but by the ability to lead and create. In terms of combat, I think having Hades use his invisibility helmet and his metal control to suppress Qin would fit thematically. I don't see the invisibility as being necessarily contradicting to Hades's straightforward nature, as he simply sees fit to end things in the most efficient way as possible (as in the fight), and the invisibility simply enhances that. I think also having him be a bit petty could also play into the fight's dynamic, and by doing as much as he can to rob Qin of his advantages he would prove to himself that Qin could not meet the standard of his brother. But then even with his volund suppressed and him being attacked by a foe who is terrifying in power yet basically impossible to detect, Qin finds a way to use his ingenuity and remove the helmet from Hades' head, destroying it in the process. From then on, Hades accepts Qin's resilience and challenges him with full earnest.
   
5. Tesla's mustache (self explanatory)
   
6. Not really a complaint, since I think Zerofuku's fine, but I do wish we could've see Bishamonten's powers. I think Zero at least hinting at Bishamonten's powers would be cool, and I imagine something which collects luck and could distort Buddha's future seeing by making things go in Bisha's favor at the last second or smth.
   
7. Again in regards to Tesla (more seriously this time), him having a more introverted personality would've been cool. Because its more historically accurate. Or at least I think it would be cool if it was mentioned or shown that he was introverted in life, but due to bonding with his fellow scientists and even Edison over death, he was able to overcome his anxiety. It would also fit well with his character in the fight, as by overcoming his beef with Edison to have a more holistic and even deeper appreciation for the science he so loves would make me even more invested in him. He could still be an optimist of course, because that's what makes his character so unique, so that shouldn't be changed.
   

As a whole I think RoR does a lot of things right, and I don't regret getting into it. Ultimately, this was just my thought process and critiques of the work, but I'd love to know your opinions and whether you agree or disagree with my takes.

I’m 19, almost 20, amab, and basically ever since I was 12 I’ve felt, on and off, like I’m trans. Like it’s not a constant, all the time feeling, but it comes and goes in waves. Like for a while i’ll feel like “damn I really wanna be a girl” and then it’ll subside, either cause I’m distracted with other stuff or it just fades into the background. And during that time I don’t really mind being a guy.
This has been a super consistent cycle but after graduating high school and moving out I actually met and made friends with a lot more LGBTQ people including some trans and non binary people. I’ve definitely gotten to express myself a little more. Weirdly since then as I was happier in general and more distracted the thoughts subsided for the most part. Like it was a fairly frequent thing that would come up during high school but in the 2-ish years since then it’s been a lot less frequent.
I’m not really sure what to do. I have a pretty deep voice and a prominent adam’s apple but otherwise my body type is like, twink, so I’m pretty confident in my ability to pass at least physically if I transitioned. Idk if that’s holding me back so much as that I’m afraid of being judged. Even though i live in a super accepting community it’s still that fear in the back of my mind.
I kinda wanna try HRT and see how it affects me but I’m afraid since I’m not totally certain about my gender identity that it might be a bad idea. But then again I’m not sure if I’ll ever really be truly confident in my gender identity if I just keep taking the same course I’ve been taking for the last eight years.

I usually shoot in the mid 90’s, and decides to check and see how well my gapping was in my bag, and if there was anything I could do to improve it.
HOO boy.
I’ve been carrying an Adams Tight lies strong 4, a Taylormade Rescue 2 hybrid, and a Wilson Fat Shaft 1 Iron (don’t judge me) in my bag for ages. Today I learned that all three are 16 degrees. No variation. I’ve been carrying three versions of the same club, essentially.
So I think I know where I can improve things.

34M, 5'4, 170lbs, don't drink or smoke, dealing with anxiety, take pantoprazole for acid reflux. I live in Idaho.
So, I woke up Wednesday morning, 3/29, at 3:am-ish, with water accumulating in my CPAP mask and in my mouth. I don't know if any ran down my throat / got into my lungs while I was sleeping or not. I guess it had something to do with the fact that I turned my room temperature down that night? I read online that condensation can occur if the temperature in the machine is different than the room it's in, or something to that extent. Anyway, I figured it was best to go without it that night since that was a potential pneumonia risk.
I don't feel like all the tiny little details are necessary, but starting Thursday, I've had (sometimes dark, sometimes lime) green phlegm, which occasionally has blood in it, a sore throat/adam's apple, and some relatively minor, off-and-on headaches. I had a fever, but only for a couple of hours, and have otherwise not had one. Anyway, through a comedy of errors, I haven't been able to get in to the walk-in clinic near me yet, and they don't open back up until Monday.
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This doesn't FEEL 911/ambulance worthy, but I am concerned that it's most likely some sort of bacterial infection, and I've given it an awfully long time to fester, and now I have to give it another two days. Is this liable to be dangerous? I can still breathe, though my breath is more loud and raspy and squeaky today.
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Do I need to 911 for an ambulance? IDK what to do.

TL;DR - Vegapunk is carrying Lady Toki's will of 20 years ahead to the future, and he will launch the rebellion now that the day has finally been reached. The 3 months that the Egghead Incident have been built up for is when the Straw Hats finally returned to Sabaody Archipelago and Kuma completed his mission. Vegapunk's potential death will lead to an arms race as everybody prepares for war. And the Underworld of One Piece, located on or around Elbaf, will play a large factor in the coming events as all of the factions of the world try to get a piece.

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\"I was the one holding the reins! The reins of all the monsters in this world! You shouldn't have taken me down... mark my words. You will rue this mistake!\"
This is a theory I've been meaning to get out of my head and written down for a while, and I've suggested little bits and pieces of the information here or there in discussions I've had about Egghead Island over the past few weeks. But I wanted to put it all in one place in a way that can pull the whole thing together and maybe answer what is about to happen now that the entire weapons trade in One Piece has been turned on its head. The actual theory:

I think we're about to see the factions of the One Piece world gearing up for war, and everybody is eager to get their hands on as many weapons as possible for what comes next.

I don't specifically know whether this is THE Egghead Incident. But I think I'm close, and I do still think that there enough puzzle pieces that fit here to say something. Let's try to pull them all together.

3 Month Timeline

First just to put a timeframe on what we're actually working in, let's get this part out of the way. We know that the Egghead Incident coming up is something that has been in the works for 3 months in the story. Time is very weird in One Piece post time skip just because so many extremely long arcs take place in such a short amount of time. While we can't trace 3 months back in the story yet, we can absolutely trace 2 months back pretty accurately via the moon. And before you ask, yes the Moon in One Piece is also on a one month cycle.
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Moon 1 - Luffy's half of the crew arrives on Zou; Moon 2 - Carrot goes Sulong; Moon 3 - Raid on Onigashima
Now of course, this only gives us two full months. We have to do a bit more detective work to determine what would have been 3 months ago. Thankfully, Oda has given us enough information that we can get really close to determining where the extra month is that Luffy was not part of.
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Jack fought the Minks for 5 days. Sanji's half of the crew arrives 10 days later; 15 days total. After the raid on Onigashima, Luffy and Zoro were out for 7 days; 22 days.
In essence, we have about 8 unaccountable days depending on how you judge "a few days". Or, stick with me. What if it's 10 days? Why 10 days?
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Because Franky returned to the Sunny 10 days before Luffy showed back up to Sabaody Archipelago. And as soon as Kuma confirmed that a Straw Hat had returned, he had completed his mission instilled by Vegapunk.
There's your 3 months! And you know what else was happening around this exact same time somewhere in the New World? Momo and the Scabbards who were sent forward by Lady Toki all arrived around this same time. As we know, Momo and the Scabbards went around Wano for a bit finding people still loyal to the Kozukis before embarking on their way to Zou (where Raizo got separated from the Punk Hazard crew). If you give me a little wiggle room on how long exactly the Scabbards were in the future before Jack fought in Zou, I think we have our answer of what Vegapunk is doing and why he protected the Straw Hats.
I think that Vegapunk, knowing that Dragon is an incredibly cautious person, won't be convinced to go to war until he truly has all his ducks in a row. But Vegapunk knows the Dawn is here, and he's ready to set things in motion and start the war as a pawn in the entire game.

Vegapunk knew exactly when Momo and the Scabbards would arrive in the future via some form of the Poneglyphs and Lady Toki, and he knew that the Straw Hats would return to Sabaody at the same time. All of his actions since have been preparing for the Dawn, because he learned from the Poneglyphs when the leader of the Dawn would return. The Dawn was not defeating Kaido, the Dawn is what is about to happen here. Tomorrow. The Day of the Egghead Incident. The day Vegapunk fires the first shot of the revolution.

​

The Marines

Let's talk about the Marines first, as this is very brief.
Let's go back to something Law called out when he cut the operation in Punk Hazard.
Marine HQ has been building up their forces ever since Marineford. But they haven't challenged any of the big players yet. They've maintained their forces and held steady. They're waiting for something. While it's easy to make fun Fleet Admiral Akainu's impeccable ability to stand there and look menacing as he breaks cigars, he appears to be gearing up for war just like the Revolutionary Army. And he's been doing it since Marineford (since he became Fleet Admiral, obviously). The Battle of Winner Island seems to be the same thing; they are waiting for something about that island to raid the place and take advantage of... something.

CP0 and the Underworld Bosses

I think the best place to start with this weapons race is the moves of CP Aigis 0. When Doflamingo gave up his position as a Warlord, CP0 showed up in Dressrosa under his command because of his knowledge of the National Treasure as a means of helping him recapture Caesar Clown. After Doffy's defeat, CP0 returned to try to recapture the weapons that were being kept on Dressrosa.
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A certain pigeon loving agent was in charge of this operation to recapture the weapons after the defeat of Doflamingo. These weapons disappeared due to the presence of the Revolutionary Army.
Let's go back a little bit to Rob Lucci's ties to the Underworld.
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When Caesar Clown was demonstrating his weapons to different members of the Underworld, Rob Lucci was confirmed to be one of the people sitting in on the viewing (bottom middle in the hat).
Kid and Killer, a few Beast Pirates, a few Big Mom Pirates, and even some random guys that Ace, Sabo and Luffy fought on Goa Kingdom are all part of this showing. Why would Oda go out of his way to make such random side characters from the ASL flashback into brokers... unless the Underworld was about to be a big deal. Potentially even the center focus of the final stages of One Piece once Kaido and Doffy were out of the way (only about 100 chapters between the ASL flashback and this moment on Punk Hazard).
Let's skip forward again. We arrive at Whole Cake Island. This is of course where we first get introduced to Stussy, but we also meet many Underworld bosses and the roles that they have.
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Pleasure District, Undertaker, Loan Shark, Warehouses, Shipping King, and BIG NEWS.
Stussy does what she does at the wedding in her pursuit of the Tamatebako, which ultimately fails because the box happened to be rigged with explosives instead of containing the Energy Steroids. While we already know Stussy pretty well, I want to focus on some of the Underworld bosses.
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Du Feld, Morgans, and in the past Mother Carmel.
Du Feld is confirmed to have funded the MADS projects in the past, connecting Vegapunk directly with a boss of the Underworld. There's also Morgans who Cipher Pol directly tried to intimidate into putting out the story they wanted (unfortunately for the World Government they didn't realize Morgans had hands). And if we go back in the past, I think it's essentially confirmed that Mother Carmel used to be one of these bosses of the Underworld as an Orphan Seller. When CP0 visited her, they said they never could have suspected she'd leave Elbaf. But she had to in order to protect Baby Brock Lesnar from getting murdered for suplexing giants.
To tie it all together into the overall point of this thread and how the Underworld is about to boil over to the surface. We are now directly tying Vivi, Big Mom, Vegapunk, and a bunch of other characters to the Underworld. And now there is nobody in charge; what Doffy said would happen is finally coming to pass.
I'll end the section by talking about Cipher Pol's role in Wano. Because of how long Wano is and how early in the arc this occurred, it would be very easy to forget why CP0 was even on Wano in the first place. It wasn't anything to do with Luffy until the end.
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Cipher Pol showed up to Wano because they were trying to make a weapons deal with Orochi directly.
The World Government needs weapons. They're gearing up for something. And they don't care that they have to approach pirates to get it done. They don't even care that they have to ask Orochi directly. They want all of the weapons that Wano is creating because they could not get their hands on the ones left over after Dressrosa. And while Orochi only asks for battleships for now, the next time they ask him for weapons he'll ask for Vegapunk. He knows the type of power Vegapunk has access to.

Revolutionary Army and the Blackbeard Pirates

On the other side of this equation, we have the Revolutionary Army. Recall that the actual goal of the Revolutionary Army all this time has been to funnel weapons to allied nations and cause a bunch of small revolutions up until their big revolution when they actually start war. This was the reason why they were even on Dressrosa to begin with.
The Revolutionary Army continued to keep tabs on how they could capture Doflamingo's weapons, and they happened to take full advantage after Luffy beat him.
We also know that the Revolutionary Army are busy trying to trace the origin of these weapons.
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Koala reported to Dragon that the weapons present in Dressrosa had traces of Drunken Iron Ore (Liquor Iron Ore), and they're trying to establish where these weapons could actually be coming from.
What the fate of these weapons were, we don't really know. Because this stint at Baltigo was short lived after Burgess leaked the location to Shiryu and Lafitte.
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Blackbeard is clearly after the same stash of weapons; but did he get them?
Because there were no fatalities and because the Revolutionary Army seemed to escape before any Cipher Pol agents showed up, my guess is no they did not. They destroyed Baltigo but got no weapons. Which brings us to now, Chapter 1079. I think that Blackbeard's crewmates, whoever he assigned to Egghead Island, is on their way for Vegapunk's weapons. Because Vegapunk has a lot of weapons. We're seeing it now. I think that Lafitte and Shiryu are the two characters on weapon duty, being the two characters who showed up to Baltigo also. And think about how valuable that can be. Shiryu having Absalom's old fruit can make things disappear as soon as he touches them. You would never even know what items are going missing. Or a certain young Seraphim with a coveted Devil Fruit. I still don't really think it's Blackbeard himself (he has his hands full), I think he's delegating out tasks. And I think these are his two strongest members to do so.

The Eleven Supernova

This arc is a parallel of Sabaody Archipelago and Post Enies Lobby, reasons here. Because of that, I feel like explaining why the Underworld is about to boil over would be an empty discussion without bringing up the arc that brought these 11 together to begin with. Sabaody Archipelago was an arc where we took a look at the same thing; we got to see the shady trading of slaves and the world of Celestial Dragons up close as one of Luffy's friends was almost sold into slavery. And the leader of the Auction House, was of course, none other than Doflamingo. As I said in that overall arc theory, the biggest prediction that I have for how this arc is going to go is that the Underworld monsters that Doflamingo was holding back are finally going to come to the surface and make things ugly.
But let's talk about the actual Supernova and their roles in all of this. While we obviously had more than a few Supernovas on Wano, I do think we'll get an update on all of them before this arc is over to set us up for the final stages of the story. Let's recap the ones we've seen so far in this arc:

• Luffy - Really?
• Zoro - Really?
• Law - Trying to beat the offscreen allegations
• Kid - Merry cosplay
• Killer - Get down Mr. President!
• Bonney - Watching an exclusive preview of the most fire flashback in One Piece

That leaves us with 5 Supernova who still have no role in the Egghead Island arc.

• Capone
• Hawkins
• Apoo
• Urouge
• Drake

I'd like to take this opportunity to add a bit of speculation into how these guys can get involved.

• Capone
  • Last time we saw Capone in his cover story, he was travelling with Pound, Chiffon, and Lola. Lola also got married to Gotti, and they've been travelling ever since. If I had to take a guess, I think that these guys are on their way to whatever island this is that is close by to Elbaf where Carmel moved after Big Mom's rampage. If we are about to get the Underworld of One Piece, I just can't see Capone and Gotti not being part of it. And we can see that Pound is some sort of royalty, and seems to be at least somewhat related to Giants (maybe). Also possible that this is how Kid and Killer make it out of the water (or they could just wash up on shore).
• Hawkins
  • I actually think he's dead unfortunately no cap. Joking aside, Hawkins' prediction did say a 1 percent chance of survival. I think the 1 percent survival probably lies on whether Drake chooses to save him or not; and I suspect he will (though I'm not sure how).
• Drake
  • Here's an out there guess for you. Drake is part of SWORD with Koby, right? And a lot of SWORD agents are gearing up for war at Fullalead Island (even more if you believe Garp is the leader of SWORD). You know who else is probably on Fullalead right now? Pudding. I think that Drake will stowaway on Big Mom's ship, whenever they manage to find Big Mom, and they will track Pudding all the way to Fullalead. Knocking out two birds with one stone of getting Big Mom to go after Pudding and getting Drake with the rest of SWORD.
• Apoo
  • The biggest cockroach in One Piece, this man refuses to be brought down. We find out at the end of Wano that Apoo leaked information to Morgans about what happened and the results of the fighting. What if he just starts working for Morgans in general (or was always working for him)? That will directly tie him to another part of the Underworld to continue his involvement with the story, and he'll get to live out his days as the greatest snitch in the verse.
• Urouge
  • I still believe that Urouge is the Tenth Titanic Captain on Blackbeard's ship. Now would be as good a time as any, but if this isn't the case I'm not really sure what his role in the story is supposed to be. Especially if we're going with the assumption that he will be part of this arc in some capacity. Could be wrong, just my guess.

Before closing this out I'd also just want to include here, because it follows the theme of this post:

• Kid and Killer
  • I've brought up in a few straggling comments that with the destruction of the Victoria Punk, the Kid Pirates' ship, I think that this will be their Going Merry moment. Losing a ship does not mean they you are eliminated from the race, and I think there is a very good chance that wherever they land from here they will have access to Adam Wood via the Underworld just like the Straw Hats did (this also ties Franky to the Underworld). I think there is enough evidence in the story to suggest that the Underworld runs through Elbaf in some capacity. I've heard some guesses that Kid may be saved by Loki or some random Giants, and I've also suggested maybe Capone runs into him. But here's a guess; what if it's the giant that watched Big Mom eat all the kids and Carmel? There's no giant more privy to the horrors of Big Mom than him, and that would give direct motive to save Kid.

Not \"a random giant\", but specifically that one.

Conclusion

I think the Egghead Incident is exactly what Doflamingo alluded to when he was arrested in Opening Speech (Chapter 801). It was the Opening Speech for this war. The Blackbeard Pirates are showing up for weapons (and very well may get them). Saturn may very well be doing the same thing with the Seraphims, but is most likely most concerned about Vegapunk leaking secrets of the Void Century. And I believe Vegapunk is ready to start this war, because he knows that the 20 year promise is now. Whether Dragon is ready or not, Vegapunk was waiting for this moment based on information from Lady Toki. And while Vegapunk seems certain that he's going to die today, his death will lead to the first shot of the revolution and the race for weapons to gear up for the end. And the Underworld will play a big role in whatever comes next; an Underworld that most likely runs through Elbaf.

Idaho.
We have a neighbor that has been leaving us cryptic notes, death threats, etc on our cars, in our mailbox, and on our front door. We’ve called the police several times and they suggested a protection order.
After a judge denied the order twice we finally got it granted. Now they are trying to serve him with the order, but he will NOT answer the door, and just pretends to not be home even though we all know he is.
Police have tried several times, each resulting in nothing because he won’t open up and they can’t force him to.
Meanwhile, neighbor is still harassing us daily. Police say if he gets violent they can step in otherwise it’s a matter of the protection order getting served.
Well, what do I do now? A protection order is no good if it doesn’t protect me from anything…
Any advice on how to move forward?

If you want to read the full chapter, please go to AO3!
​
THE SINS OF OUR FATHERS - A DDMA WHAT-IF? STORY
Chapter 5: Recruitment
\November 9th, 2017. Mirai Household, around 6:57 AM.\**
After finishing his preparations for the school day, Itsuki sits down on the couch, talking with Yuka over the phone, while Narumi gets ready to head off for her office job. The redheaded boy is in his school uniform, while his mother’s work attire consists of a white dress with yellow accents, black leggings, and white heels. She’s also got a white coat on.
In terms of the call between Itsuki and Yuka, the two siblings are talking about the situation with Natsuki and her father, with the older sister having been informed about it last night while at her College apartment in Osaka, working on some class assignments.
She was feeling pretty tired when she got the call from her younger brother, so she wasn’t adamant on talking for too long, believing it wasn’t gonna be a serious conversation. However, she was quickly proven wrong as Itsuki decided to just say it straight up. “Natsuki’s being abused by her father, and I need your help to get her out.”
And just like that, it almost felt like any fatigue in Yuka’s body vanished, and was replaced with shock, anger, and concern all at once. She only really talked with the pink girl a few times during Summer Break in August, when she came back to Salvato City to spend time with Narumi and Itsuki, alongside a few friends. It was also when she learned about her.
See, like many sibling relationships, Yuka and Itsuki had a tendency to mess with one another, either through words or actions. In particular, the younger sibling often teased the older one about the boys she was interested in, which really got on her nerves at times. It also didn’t help that many of the boys she dates either end up as just friends after some time, or turn out to be dicks.
So, Yuka was eager to tease Itsuki back with any girl that might become his girlfriend given enough time. One of those being Aiko, which the younger brother didn’t pick up on until he was straight up told by him a few weeks after joining the Literature Club. However, until his Senior Year, the redheaded boy never showed any sort of romantic interest in anyone, female or not.
Natsuki, however, was the first one to start catching his attention. And Itsuki knew the moment he told Yuka, she was gonna pay him back for all that teasing he did to her when it came to her boy crushes. Which he was correct to assume, as she did exactly that. But it died down, and she decided to help her younger brother with confessing to this girl.
However, aside from what she was told, Yuka didn’t have the best grasp of Natsuki’s personality. She knew she was snarky and aggressive, but also caring and gentle deep down, but not much else than that. So, she felt she had to see her for herself at some point. And eventually, when Itsuki invited the pink tsundere to hang out again, Yuka was able to see the girl who stole her brother’s heart.
Honestly? She found Natsuki interesting. But…also a little strange. She definitely had quite the attitude, and was admittedly good-looking. However, she noticed just how small and skinny she was, wondering if she was eating properly. And judging by how fast she ate her food, and how tired she looked at times, Yuka felt that might have been the case. But she wasn’t too sure, since…what did she know? They barely knew each other.
She also seemed very ill-tempered at points, despite meaning well under that tough exterior. Yuka never saw the worst of it, but she wondered if she was being treated right back home, or if there was something wrong going on with her. But again, she barely knew Natsuki, so she couldn’t just jump to conclusions.
Not to mention…one time, Yuka suggested she, Itsuki, and Natsuki all go to the beach and have some fun. But despite stating she used to love going there as a kid, the pink girl refused to go with that idea. Did she develop some kind of condition that kept her from doing this kind of stuff? Was she not confident in her body? Or…?
These signs were definitely concerning to Yuka, but she felt it wasn’t her place to try and call Natsuki out or anything. For all she knew, it wasn’t that big a deal, and if it was, Itsuki would help her take care of it. After all, her little brother is always willing to help people, even if he may mess up or go too far at points.
So, when Yuka moved back to Osaka to continue her pursuit of a career in Criminal Justice, she put these concerned thoughts about Natsuki into the back of her mind, since she had her own concerns at the moment. But every once in a while, she wonders…”What is the deal with Natsuki Gushiken?” However, she never figured it out for the longest time.
And now that she knows the truth? Well…she feels the same as her mother and brother about the situation. She wants to help Natsuki however she can, and beat her father into a bloody pulp. But obviously, they couldn’t do exactly that, so right now, they’re discussing what to do as they talk on the phone.
Yuka: “So, Natsuki’s gonna tell Yuri and Aiko about this?”
Itsuki: “That’s the plan. Though, when she’ll do that, I’m not sure.”
Itsuki: “Obviously, it’d be good to take care of it today, but…Natsuki might need some time to figure it out.”
Yuka: “Makes sense. It takes a lot to tell someone your problems.”
Yuka: “Also, I was planning on heading back home around December 9th or so, but if you need me to, I could come back a little earlier.”
Itsuki: “You sure? What about your work?”
Yuka: “Pssh! I can always take care of it online, and let my teachers know something came up!”
Yuka: “Besides…this takes higher priority.”
Yuka: “I wanted to do Criminal Justice in order to help people like Natsuki. So…this is almost like a way to see if I’ve got what it takes.”
Yuka: “Sure, it won’t be the exact same experience, but…it’s still good to test my skills.”
Itsuki: “Heh. And that’s why your help is needed.”
Itsuki: “That, and more help is always good.”
Yuka: “Definitely.”
Yuka: “While I’m at it, how’s Mom handling this?”
For a moment, Itsuki doesn’t speak as he looks over to the kitchen table to see Mom checking her belongings in her black purse, focused. Then, he goes back to talking to Yuka.
Itsuki: “From what I’ve seen so far, she’s handling it well.”
Itsuki: “Though, I can tell she’s a little more tense than usual.”
Yuka: “Like…Goro tense?”
Itsuki: “...Maybe not that much, but getting there.”
Yuka: “And what about you?”
Itsuki: “Eh…I’m feeling uneasy about everything, but…I’m doing what I can to stay calm and do what has to be done.”
Yuka: “...”
Hearing Itsuki’s words causes Yuka to stay silent for a bit, feeling concerned about whether her younger brother can take good care of this situation. After all, when he was younger, he was quite the hothead, and didn’t always think things through, which led to plenty of trouble. Especially with…someone they were familiar with…
And while Itsuki’s much better about his temperament nowadays, his older sister can tell deep down, he’s got his fair share of frustrations and doubts. So, when dealing with an abusive father, who’s been hurting his crush for years on end, it could go horribly wrong if he’s not being watched. And the last thing Yuka wants to see is her family getting hurt.
However, she knows nothing is gonna happen for now, and when things start getting serious, she’ll be there to help out. Yuka will always be there for the people she loves, even if they make plenty of mistakes along the way. So, with an audible sigh, she decides not to question her brother any further.
Yuka: “...Alright. Just don’t do anything stupid.”
Itsuki: “I won’t.”
Yuka: “Good.”
Yuka: “Now, I should get going. Classes are gonna start soon.”
Itsuki: “Me too. Talk to you later.”
Yuka: “Bye.”
After that exchange, the call ends, and Itsuki turns his phone off, before putting it into his jean pocket. As he gets up from the couch, picking up his school bag on the coffee table, Narumi approaches him, fully prepared to head out.
Narumi: “So? Anything of note?”
Itsuki: “Just that she’s willing to come here earlier if we need her to. And she didn’t want me to do anything stupid.”
Narumi: “Sounds about right. You doing stupid stuff would screw us all over.”
Itsuki: “When is doing stupid stuff EVER helpful?”
Narumi: “Heh. Good point.”
The two smile a bit, before hearing someone knock on the front door. So, Itsuki takes a few steps towards it, and comes to find his best friend, Aiko Omoshiroi, standing on the doormat. He has an upbeat smile, and waves a hand up to greet Itsuki and Narumi.
Aiko: “Hey, Itsu! Hey, Narumi!”
Itsuki: “Morning, Aiks.”
Narumi: “Good to see you, Aiko.”
Aiko: “You too! So, are we gonna get going?”
Itsuki: “Sure. Let’s go.”
Narumi: “Want a ride?”
Aiko: “Thanks, but I’ll pass! I wanna enjoy the sights on the way there!”
Narumi: “Alright. Just be safe, you two.”
Itsuki: “Please! There’s not much that happens in our neighborhood!”
Narumi: “Still doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful, Itsuki.”
Itsuki just nods, as he and Aiko say their farewells to Narumi for the morning, and go their usual path to Salvato High School. At this point, the two could probably do it in their sleep. They knew where to go for the quicker routes, and the different landmarks throughout. However, they just took their time, since it wasn’t gonna take too long to get to school.
First, there was obviously Itsuki and Aiko’s neighborhood. Their homes weren’t too far away from one another, which makes it easy for them to come by whenever they want or need to. And there were plenty of houses with different shapes and colors.
For example, Itsuki’s house had a rectangular-shape, being a one-story house, and had a pale yellow color. Aiko’s house, on the other hand, had a tilted roof, since the bottom floor of the house went a little under the ground, while also having a baby blue color. There was also variety in terms of the people, and other things to be found in the neighborhood.
Some liked to walk their dogs around. Itsuki and Aiko loved to pet them as they came by, becoming acquainted with their owners and having a small chat with them before moving on. There was also this elderly couple who liked to tend to their front lawn in the morning, and they treated many of their neighbors with an almost sickening sweetness. Itsuki and Aiko were no exception, and they were even offered treats sometimes when they passed by.
However, there were certainly some questionable people as well. Not necessarily bad, but not necessarily good either. Like a 30 year old man who always got really pissy when people tried to mess with anything on his property. Most notably, his fancy car. There was one time where Aiko tried doing exactly that, and needless to say, his mother promptly chewed her out for it.
Plus, there was this 50 year old woman with big, messy hair who had 5 kids of various ages. She seemed to have a few issues, and when interacting with others, she had the tendency to lash out a bit. In particular, when Itsuki and Yuka were trying out some new bikes, the former accidentally crashed into her garbage can, leading to her getting very angry with him. And later on, Narumi had to talk with her, which ended with her coming back home in a bad mood.
But regardless, there was plenty of great stuff to see in this neighborhood outside of the people and homes. Many trees and bushes were visible throughout the place, as their leaves were blown off by the wind and littering the road in a sea of brown, orange, yellow, and red. Along with it, a couple of bugs were going around as well, like flies and cockroaches, which made Itsuki uncomfortable.
Anyways, after Itsuki and Aiko’s neighborhood, there’s simply the downtown district of Salvato City, which then leads to the school building. That’s when the two had to stick close together in order to not run into too many people, since the sidewalks had a bunch of them going around, making their daily commute, alongside the many cars driving on the road.
And throughout, there were different shops, like a children’s candy store, a place where they sold bikes and other things for kids to ride on, and a nice antiques shop run by a kind old man. If they had the time before or after school, or if it was a day off, Itsuki and Aiko would check out these shops for a bit, and maybe even buy something.
Then, when they’ve gone past all that, they reach the back of the Salvato High School building, where they proceed to go around it to enter the front gates. It may not seem too special, but to Itsuki and Aiko, it felt relaxed and intimate, in a weird way. And with their Senior Year coming to a close, they sometimes get a little upset about the fact that they won’t be able to do this anymore.
Regardless, as the two go ahead with their usual walk, Aiko is eager as always to start up a conversation with Itsuki.
Aiko: “So, I was thinking…I don’t really have anything exciting going on this weekend.”
Aiko: “Maybe I could swing by your house, and we can play some games?”
Itsuki: “Heh. That would definitely be nice. I could use some time to relax and have fun.”
Aiko: “Really now? Dealing with something big at the moment?”
Itsuki: “Pretty much. Can’t say, sadly.”
Aiko: “Oh, come on! You know I can keep a secret!”
Aiko: “Is it something to do with Natsuki? You two looked like you saw a ghost back during Poem Sharing on Tuesday.”
Itsuki: “It is…but again, I can’t tell you anything here.”
Aiko: “It’s cool. As long as you two aren’t, like…I dunno…”
Aiko: “...Doing drugs?”
Itsuki: “Pfft! I think if that was the case, it’d be WAY more obvious!”
Aiko: “Good point. Maybe instead…”
Seeing a mischievous smile on Aiko’s face, Itsuki puts on an unamused look, knowing what he’s gonna joke about.
Aiko: “...You two spent a lovely evening together?” ; )
Itsuki: “Shut up. That’s not it, and I wouldn’t want you to know that.”
Aiko: “Come on! You know you want to kiss her!”
Itsuki: “Yes, but the point is that you need to get your mind out of the gutter!”
Aiko: “My mind’s almost always in the gutter, though!”
Itsuki: “Well, maybe get it out of there for once!”
Itsuki: “Besides…this is something much more serious…”
Noticing Itsuki’s more irritated tone, Aiko decides to drop it and talk more seriously.
Aiko: “...Sorry…it’s just…”
Aiko: “...Ever since the Culture Festival, you seem more tense and mellow than you usually are.”
Aiko: “I’m guessing it has to do with whatever trouble is going on with Natsuki’s family?”
Itsuki: “Definitely. It’s a mess.”
Itsuki: “I’ve been doing the best I can to have her back and all, but…”
Itsuki: “...A part of me can’t help but worry if I can really do this.”
Itsuki: “Or…if I’ll make a big mistake at some point…”
Aiko: “...”
Aiko: “...You may not be perfect, Itsuki…but you ARE a great friend…”
Aiko: “And honestly…I’ve been really worried about what Natsuki’s going through…”
Aiko: “Hell, I’d be even MORE worried if I knew she was just handling it all on her own.”
Aiko: “But…knowing you’re there to help her…eases me a little.”
Aiko: “Because…she’s being helped by someone who cares a lot about her.”
Aiko: “And I know no matter what, you’ll help her to the very end. Even if you screw up along the way.”
Aiko: “So, be more confident in yourself! Whatever crap’s going on isn’t gonna stop you two!”
Itsuki: “...”
Itsuki: “...Heh…you’re right…thanks…”
Aiko: “Please! I’m just giving a pal the support they need! It’s what I do!”
Aiko: “Plus…if Natsuki’s okay with it, I’d be more than happy to help out as well.”
Itsuki: “I DID suggest she talk to a few people about it. One of those people being you.”
Aiko: “Ah! That’s nice to hear! But if she’s not gonna tell me right now, I’m fine with it!”
Aiko: “Whatever’s going on with her, it’s probably not something you can easily talk about…”
Itsuki: “You’d be correct in that assumption. But enough about Natsuki.”
Itsuki: “How about we discuss Sonic Forces? I just got that game recently.”
Aiko: “Oh yeah…I forgot about that. Is it any good?”
Itsuki: “Meh. The gameplay feels VERY automated and boring.”
Itsuki: “Plus, the story is utter shit.”
Itsuki: “The custom character is cool, though. And the soundtrack is great, as always.”
Aiko: “Ah…so, another mediocre Sonic game?”
Itsuki: “PAINFULLY mediocre.”
Itsuki: “At least I still have Sonic Mania to go back to.”
Aiko: “Once again, the fans know best.”
Itsuki chuckles a bit at Aiko’s remark, as they continue to walk to Salvato High School. And as they do so, the redhead starts feeling a little better, thanks to his best friend’s support and fun attitude. He was very much the Sayori to Itsuki’s Marise, in many ways. Kind, supportive, energetic, a glutton, and a great friend to have.
Though, a part of the redhead wonders if Aiko will be able to keep up that positive attitude once he gets involved with Natsuki’s situation. Because while the brown-haired boy tends to be very energetic and lively most of the time, he secretly struggles with depression, which often makes him doubt himself and occasionally wonders if he matters in anyone’s lives.
In fact…there was one time where he considered doing something horrible…something that would break everyone’s hearts. But luckily, he was convinced not to, and since then, Aiko’s been trying to get better. And with him and his Mom, Kazuko, trying to fix their strained relationship now, he seems to be doing fantastic. Not perfect, but still much better than before.
But…having to deal with the abuser of one of her friends…would he be able to handle it? Sure, he’s definitely dealt with his fair share of family issues, and depressing thoughts. However, this is a much different beast, and if Aiko couldn’t keep up…if he breaks…it’ll be Itsuki’s fault. Or at least, he’d be partially responsible for whatever happens.
Sure. Aiko doesn’t HAVE to help them. But knowing him, he would. And he’d do whatever he could to make sure Natsuki and anyone else in the know is safe. Even if it hurts him, physically and mentally. And Itsuki would be somewhat responsible for it. Because he decided to bring him into this, and risk the possibility.
And if he DID break? Or god forbid die? Kazuko wouldn’t be afraid to hunt down everyone responsible and let them know the pain she would feel from losing her oldest son. And Itsuki would have to live with that guilt to the day he dies. His best friend, and brother figure…dead. All because he wasn’t capable enough to handle the problem on his own.
However…those aren’t the kinds of thoughts Itsuki should pay attention to. He knew it was gonna be risky, bringing in his friends to help deal with Natsuki’s father. And he knew it might cause a lot of problems for them. But…we all have to take chances for success…even if they don’t appear to be viable…
Read the rest of the chapter on AO3!
​
Next: A Plan Of Action
TSOOF Archives
Previous: Counter

I have been following the Idaho 4 case since it was sensationalized by Media, different content providers on the web. Making videos and speculating on a variety of subjects related to the case.
I am very confused with all the different avenues that are being pursued. The content creators have been making $$$ on this horrific crime.
Leaving this rabbit hole to patiently wait until facts are verified. There are numerous people involved in the narrative but there is only one source that counts, the Judge. There are many things I disagree with as a result of Bryan's indictment. It is taking down whole families (victims plus Kohlberger's.) as collateral damage, ruining reputations and inserting people that may have played no role.
I wish the authorities success in unraveling this case and finding the real story. It is much bigger than I anticipated.
Just a 78 year old waiting for the end.

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“But if a person commits a sin against Adonai, who can intercede for him?”– 1 Samuel 2:25
Following on the heels of yesterday’s post about the earthly and physical consequences of sin…
Eli brings up an interesting question that goes to the heart of mankind’s problem with the Creator:
“If a person commits a sin against Adonai, who can intercede for him?”
See, it’s one thing for a human judge to step in and mediate between 2 men who have a dispute.
However, it’s entirely another thing to attempt to mediate between man and God.
This actually goes to the very core of why mankind needs a Savior.
Because without a Savior, we have no one to mediate between us and the Lord.
But didn’t the High Priest mediate for Israel in ancient times?
The answer is NO…
And reveals a misunderstanding of the High Priest’s function.
What the High Priest did was perform sacrifices to purify the Sanctuary so the people would be able to approach a Holy God without consequence.
So when the High Priest sprinkled blood on the Mercy Seat once per year…
Or when the other priests performed their daily sacrifices…
Understand these were PURIFICATION rites…
It was NOT about mediation.
Because the High Priest can’t argue with God on behalf of Israel.
He can’t settle issues between man and a PERFECT and SINLESS God.
For instance, consider the partnership that Moses and Aaron had.
Ever wonder about that?
Why were both Moses and Aaron necessary?
And why did both of them operate together at the same time?
It’s because each one represented the highest authority in their God-designated domains of influence.
Aaron, as the High Priest, was in charge of the purification rituals for the sanctuary…
And Moses was in charge of MEDIATION between the Lord and man.
See, here’s the situation facing every human being on the planet today.
We have all directly sinned against a Holy God…
In other words, the Lord has an indisputable legal case against each and every one of us…
We’re guilty as charged and and there’s nothing we can do about it…
Why?
Because any sin committed directly against a Holy God is so dangerous and severe that the only possible penalty that could pay for such offenses is eternal death.
See what I’m getting at here?
Ever since Adam and Eve sinned directly against their Creator in the Garden of Eden, all of mankind has been sentenced to a physical and earthly death.
Remember Adam and Eve were warned about this:
“…but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
See what I’m getting at here?
The problem we human beings face is that each and every one of us has sinned against our Creator…
Which means the question Eli posed to his two sons applies to us as well:
“But if a person commits a sin against Adonai, who can intercede for him?”
In other words, we need a Mediator.
But Moses ain’t around anymore.
So what to do?
Who in the world would possibly have the authority to mediate between God and mankind and save us from the eternal death sentence we all face?
We’ll continue with this discussion the next time we meet because it’s an important one.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God“ -Romans 3:22
“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?“ -Romans 7:24

Hello everyone. I have a fear of going to my next appointment.
I've been seeing my therapist for about 5 months (10 sessions maybe?). It started as a way for me to work on my relationship problems and trauma caused by the way my parents raised me.
Shortly after starting therapy my 3 year and a half relationship ended with my then girlfriend breaking-up with me and for the next 3 months was spent in therapy recovering from that.
About a month ago me and my ex reconnected and we are now sort of dating again. We are both attending therapy and trying to fix stuff that didn't work.
The last 2 sessions my therapist has been very adamant about me getting back with my ex given the emotional turmoil and trauma the break-up caused me. He was incredibly assertive and even stated that therapists don't usually go around telling people what to do, but that he is making an exception and telling me that I should not date my ex again. That thing really scared me and made me feel a bit uncomfortable.
On our last session I requested some time to think about it and I came to the conclusion that I want to try and give my ex a chance again while being cautious and continuing therapy.
My problem is the fact that I am uncertain of how good of a decision it is and I am afraid of being judged by my therapist on my next session. It makes me not want to go in to my next appointment next week. He did state that whatever I chose he would be supportive and help me anyway (after all he does make money out of these sessions and who wouldn't want to reassure their income source right?).
I trust the therapist. He helped me a lot to figure out how much trauma and bad habbits I inherited from my family that caused a lot of problems in my relationship and he helped me get through the break-up, but now I'm scared of dissappointing him.
I might just tell him all of these things, but I could use a second opinion.

Posting here because this post won't get approved elsewhere I am very, very much in the innocent until proven guilty camp, but I've noticed so many people claim using Othram is somehow extraordinary and might be BS news, etc. The truth is, there is nothing unusual about a police lab working with a third party contractor for genealogical testing. Some states allow it and Idaho is one... There's nothing fishy in that, BUT I believe there IS one definite problem and one potential problem related to this.
And let's be clear, Howard Blum is not saying anything odd or incorrect by the sounds of it. He says the Idaho lab did find DNA but of course the type of analysis they use doesn't allow them to upload it to genealogy sites, so they sent it over to their contractor to do that.
Now this is partially new tech because as you know when you test for genealogy, you provide quite a lot of DNA for testing. An interview with Othram labs on Youtube suggests a DNA testing site collects approx. 1000+ nanograms of DNA whereas Othram can recreate profiles with as little as 0.1 nanograms. For comparison, they claim that even touch DNA, which leaves a tiny amount (much less than in a tube of spit), leaves hundreds of cells behind but they can recreate profiles from as few as 15 cells. This is particularly useful for cold cases because DNA degrades over time...
Here is the problem: a very important part of the process with this type of touch DNA analysis is a confirmatory DNA test to actually check that the little DNA they parsed actually matches the suspect's. This is where the garbage collection comes in, and this is what I believe might come up in the prelim: police do not seem to have actually confirmed that the DNA they had matches the suspect's, only that it didn't exclude him. While this was good enough for the judge, it can definitely be challenged IMO because it contraindicated the process in place, which is to confirm suspect DNA match prior to arrest. This is why I believe the DNA could get thrown out...The very guidelines this science requires are confirmation because it's not a perfect science. Police did not obtain that confirmation prior to arrest.
The second, potential problem if the DNA holds up is that Othram is apparently the most advanced lab in parsing trace and degraded DNA. While this is fine for cold cases where the DNA has degraded, it could be a challenge in a fresh case. For example, if all they found of BK on the scene was 0.1 nanograms of his DNA, it becomes less likely it got there via direct transfer and more likely it got there via secondary transfer, etc. This might not be an issue if the amount left is consistent with touching or if there were additional traces at the scene.