Religious Shaming

As a person of faith, all too often in church I hear the words 'you should be ashamed'. More often, it is implied rather than directly said, but the message is still the same.

You should be ashamed because you're gay.
You should be ashamed because you're not a virgin.
You should be ashamed because of who your parents are.

This humiliation and formation of some moral hierarchy really, really grinds my gears, particularly when it happens in the name of a higher power. Jesus didn't die so that I/you/anyone could be shamed for being themselves, He died so that we didn't have to feel ashamed. I know quite a lot of people who have rejected faith because they felt pressured and defamed by it, and who were actually made to feel inferior due to this integrated 'shame culture'.

Many pastors/church leaders seem to try and disguise this shaming with making people humble. Humility is not hiding who you are because you feel embarrassed. Humility is having a modest and rightful view of your own importance (which in the grand religious scheme of things is either not very important, as God is so much greater than us, or pretty important, as He did decide that the world needed one of you), which is very different indeed to shame.

Another way this religious 'shaming' is masked is as repentance. As a Christian, repentance is very important; confessing what you've done wrong to God and accepting His forgiveness. Repentance is, once again, not shaming. As a 21st-century human being, you do not need to repent for what is called 'original sin'; Adam and Eve's mistake of eating the apple. Original sin is a very difficult concept for me to understand, and I don't think that it is an issue that we should be dealing with nowadays, even as 'good' Christians (also wtf is a 'good' Christian? Any Christian is a 'good' Christian). If I have done something which I see as sinful, I will repent and ask for God's forgiveness. I told neither Adam nor Eve to eat the apple, so (assuming that the story is literal) why on earth should I be punished for it?

Jesus was (and is) all about forgiveness, all about compassion, all about love. Heck, He is love (see 1 John 4:8). I don't think it's very compassionate to force someone into feeling ashamed for something that they can't control, e.g. original sin or being gay, therefore it isn't very Christ-like to do so either. And we all know that the number 1 goal for Christians is to be Christ-like (see Matthew 11:29, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Ephesians 5:1-2, 1 Peter 2:21, 1 John 2:6, and the entire rest of the New Testament).

So I will not be ashamed for something I should not be ashamed for. I will boast in Christ, I will tell of His gifts and His love for me and for you, and I will not be silent because you have told me I should be.

So yes, the Bible does say that we're all sinners (Job 15:14). But also yes, the Bible tells us to 'Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed' - 2 Timothy 2:15. If your church/pastor/family is shaming you (especially in a religious context), feel free to come at them with any of this scripture. Or if all else fails, just tell them to stop being judgey. You know who's the only judge here? God.

New Side Blog!

Hi guys!

So here is some very exciting news:
I now have a side blog! It's called Christianity In Motion, and (as the name implies) will be all about Christianity. It is accessible through the tab at the top of this blog, and Daintily Dreaming is accessible from a tab on CIM! I'll still post all of my posts on here, but the ones concerning faith will also be posted on there.
I hope you're all having a wonderful week <3

WW: Study/Sleep Soundtracks

Happy Wednesday! The second installation of Wellbeing Wednesdays is here: Soundtracks that I use to help me sleep or study (or both)!

1. Pirates of the Caribbean Soundtrack (sounds EPIC, makes you feel like finishing that essay will save the world and the seven seas)

2. Piano Music (2 hours of calming and lovely music)

3. Guitar Music (3 hours of beautiful plucking and strumming)

4. John Williams Soundtrack Compilation (oh JW, I love you)

5. Piano Music Masterlist (my no.1 go-to! A collection of Classical, Baroque, Romantic, 20th Century, and Contemporary pieces)

An Apology!

Hi guys!!!
I realise I haven't posted since Wednesday the 5th, sorry! I wish I had a good excuse as to why, but honestly it was solely because I was having the most amazing time in Berlin! Check out what we got up to in Jemima's epic post about the week!

Anyways, now we're ready to get back on track, starting with the post that should've gone up on Wednesday (again I am very very sorry :( Watch this space!)

WW: Websites for Calm

Hello all! Welcome to a brand new series that’ll run for more than one month: Wellbeing Wednesdays! Here are my top 5 websites to use when you need to just get away from what you’re doing and distract yourself for a little while.


1. The Quiet Place - So relaxing. Let it take you on a calming journey.

2. Neon Flames Make a nebula! Beautiful and calming.

3. Looking at Something Control the weather and let our frustration if you need to.

4. Weave Silk The BEST. Make such beautiful art so easily - an incredible distraction.

5. Liquid Particles Tiny particles follow your mouse. Always a great distraction.

My Bucket List

Hiya everyone, here’s my shortened, revised bucket list. I feel like everyone should have one just for the sake of it, and although to some it’s seen as morbid, to me it’s an endless supply of hope and imagination and excitement for what is to possibly come. Some of the places I’ve never been, and others I cant wait to return to. Some things are one-off, some are ongoing. Some can never be truly completed, but that doesn’t mean we can’t aspire. Sometimes unfinished is okay, sometimes it is wonderful.

To Go:

• Alaska
• Argentina
• Arizona
• Australia
• Brazil
• California
• China
• Colorado
• Cuba
• Egypt
• Germany
• Greece
• Hawaii
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Illinois
• Italy
• Japan
• Kansas
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Morocco
• New Zealand
• Portugal
• Quebec
• Romania
• Russia
• South Africa
• South Carolina
• Sweden
• Texas
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• Wales

To Do:

• Be contented with myself 
• Be in a feature-length film
• Be self-sufficient for a while
• Concerts
• Find my place in the world
• Finish reading the Bible
• Get a degree
• Get baptised
• Get married
• Get my seconds pierced
• Go on the London Eye
• Grow as a Christian
• Help people, however I can
• Join a sorority
• Keep my house plants alive
• Know for sure my path and purpose
• Learn how to cheerlead
• Learn more about other faiths and cultures
• Little tattoos
• Meet a royal
• Musicals
• Play Éponine in any production of Les Miserables
• Play Evita in any production of Evita
• Plays
• Raise a child
• Read
• Stay vegan
• Take my child(ren)/niece(s)/nephew(s) to Disneyworld
• Thank SK for all she does and has done
• Thank the Ss for all they do and have done
• Write a kick-ass Personal Statement
• Write a novel (doesn’t have to be published, doesn’t have to be good)
• Write more poetry

Disclaimers:
- These are all ‘I’d-Like-To-Do/Go’s, not ‘I-Must-Do/Go’s. I will still be totes fulfilled if I don’t complete all of these, and I have so much more I want to do in life than just these.

- My overarching and sole goal in life is to do/go/be what/where God wants me to do/go/be. If His plan is for me to have achieved none of these ‘objectives’, that’s more than cool with me.
- These are solely in alphabetical order. No preference is listed, no urgency put on anything.

Books I'm Loving This Month

1. If I Stay - Gayle Foreman

There are very few books that I can sit down with and read cover to cover in one sitting. With this book, I could never not. Honestly, there are no words to describe the emotion this novel put me through, and reading it was a pleasure, although it didn’t feel like it at the time. It’s rare for me to be rooting for the characters in a novel at all, let alone as hard as I was (and am still) rooting for Mia, and even for Adam. 100% recommended for everyone, and I’m very much looking forward to watching the film adaptation (and reading the sequel!).

2. Looking For Alaska - John Green
When I first read this book about 4 years ago, I hated it. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and frankly, I hated Alaska (the character, the place is lovely I’m sure). This did not make for an enjoyable read, but after re-reading recently, I’m in love. Being this little bit older than I was, I found it so much easier to relate to the protagonists, and the story just really resonated with me in a way that it hadn’t before. However, Looking For Alaska still isn’t as life-changing as Green’s other novels.

3. One Of Us Is Lying - Karen McManus
I picked this up by chance in one of my much-too-frequent Waterstones impulse buys, and I am so so glad that I did. A riveting plot, developed yet still guilty-pleasure-esque stereotypical characters, and a deep underlying moral lesson, this novel is so unique and a fresh take on a too-overly-done genre.. So fresh, in fact, that you don’t realise the trope until you come to the big revelation (of which, of course, my lips are sealed).

4. Just Like Fate - Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young
Every single one of Patrick’s novels are incredible. Every single one, no exaggeration. I first fell in love with Forgotten, then Revived, then The Originals (all 100% recommended), and now her collaboration with Suzanne Young. I’m not normally a sucker for romances (not reflected by this list) but I really was for Just Like Fate. Both Patrick’s and Young's writing styles are so comprehensive yet evoke so much emotion, it’s impossible to not adore their characters.

5. What Light - Jay Asher

Okay so I realise I've gone completely romantic on y'all, which wasn't the plan, but I guess that's what I've been reading recently! Jay Asher (author of the incredible novel 13 Reasons Why) is one of my favourite authors of all time, even though I've only read two of his books (both of which are absolute masterpieces). So cheesy, so Christmas-y, so much less dark than 13RW, such a fun read that still really makes you think.