It's Crazy How People Will Use AI, Something That Kills Trees, To 'create' Tolkien 'art' Like JRR Tolkien

Me literally anytime I go on Ao3

DURIN IV & ANNATAR THE LORD OF THE RINGS: Rings of Power — 2.03

Pope Francis has died.

I know to a lot of people on the left and in the LGBTQ+ community, he wasn’t exactly seen as a holy herald of progressive values. That said I think he was more helpful to our community than we have ever really given credit.

The Catholic Church is hugely entrenched in the past. They may not ever accept gay marriage within our lifetime. But if you compare Pope Francis to any other Pope that came before him, he did more to progress the Catholic Church than anyone else ever has. He constantly spoke out saying that the church needed to accept LGBTQ+ members. He has denounced laws that criminalise homosexuality. He supported same sex civil unions—which I was literally taught was evil and dangerous when I was in Catholic high school. Transgender people can be baptized and same sex couples can be blessed because of him.

He was never enough, of course. He has affirmed the teaching that gay marriage is not spiritually possible and prior to becoming pope he opposed the legalization of same sex marriage. He has said gay children should seek psychiatric care. He has also been even less accepting of transgender people than same sex couples.

But at the same time he was the most empathetic Pope to have existed in the past several hundred years. I have left the church because I no longer believe in God, but I do recognize that the Catholic Church has power over huge swaths of the world. My mother still believes in her Catholic faith and has always stood by this idea: it’s impossible to move a behemoth organisation like the Church overnight. She stays in the community because she wants it to become better. She pushes, in her own small way, a little bit every day towards what she thinks is right. In this conversation, that is the acceptance of LGBTQ+ youths. Pope Francis was helpful in moving the Church away from a stance of hate. Now I hope that whoever the cardinals choose next for pope is someone who joins her in pushing that ball forward.

Rings of Power meme dump part 6!

The first has the correct vibes but actually my pet peeve this season was the elves' seeming incredibly lax views on forge safety (as someone who's done a bit of metal working). Like okay, Annatar is excused. But Eru Mirdania, pull your damn hair back girl. (Mini rant over)

"average elf uses 3 brain cells a year" factoid actually statistical error. average elf uses 0 brain cells per year. Braincells Elrond, who lives in Imladris & uses 10,000 brain cells every day, is an outlier adn should not have been counted.

PSA

If you have chronically ill and/or immunocompromised friends, you have to tell us when you are sick. Not just with COVID or the Flu. Even a cold can be a massive deal for us. This is not optional.

And if we tell you we cannot be around you for a while for our own health and safety, you should know it's not you, but you also do not get to be offended.

Also, unless you have a really good reason not to, wear a mask when you're sick. It's a small sacrifice to protect those around you, it's really not hard.

Thank you.

Some Crane Wives Pride flags I've made, because their photos always have such cool lighting. I'm also currently planning on making the aroace and trans flags, but if you'd like to see a specific flag feel free to comment and I might get to it!

Also feel free to use these as you wish.

crane wives album covers i did for a class last year! hoping to get the other ones done before beyond beyond beyond comes out

For @aspecardaweek: Day Seven: Freeform

Elrond....was as noble and fair as an elf-lord, as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer.

guys I know the last episode was heartbreaking in so many terms but have you seen this dude