@megha_lilly Jonathan Pageau had a great video analysis on Ghiblis portrayal of femininity that aligns with this view. I think its under subscribers only on his Patreon unfortunately.
Deep inner suffering inevitably arises when the human person is reduced to performance, consumption, or a statistical datum. Many young people today live under the yoke of expectations to perform, immersed in an exasperated competitiveness that generates anxiety, fear of not measuring up, and disorientation.
I just saw the much talked about film “Project Hail Mary.” It's very entertaining and uplifting and features a fine performance from Ryan Gosling. But what most intrigued me were the powerful Christian themes at play in it. The title, of course, refers to the Hail Mary pass in football, since the adventure undertaken is a fairly desperate attempt to save the planet. But it also becomes eminently clear that the reference is not just to football but to the Blessed Mother herself, for the Gosling character is undoubtedly a Christ-figure. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but it involves a willingness to sacrifice one's life utterly in order to deliver the entire human race from disaster. It is, of course, no accident that Gosling's character is called Ryland Grace, for throughout the movie, his presence and actions constitute undeserved favor to others. A particularly intriguing character in the film is a sober German scientist who relentlessly presses Grace to make the supreme sacrifice, even when he is unwilling. She represented for me the great moral demand that presses upon us throughout our lives, continually summoning us to self-gift. A last observation: Jesus had a second in command whom he called Peter (the Rock); Ryland Grace has a very unusual sidekick whom he calls “Rocky.” I'll leave it at that.
I know lots of people say that Christianity is in irreversible decline and that we are inhabiting, at least in the West, a post-Christian society. I'm not so sure. Like it or not, we remain a Christ-haunted culture—and a film like “Project Hail Mary” makes this clear.
I think the correct way to use AI is to speed up your work pipeline, not to replace the artist. Ever since Photoshop, we've used photo references for textures to get to an acceptable end result faster. Same with speedpainting and concept art. AI should be viewed in the same light: Use it carefully to improve workflow. Here's a test character I did to validate an idea before heading to production.
I think the correct way to use AI is to speed up your work pipeline, not to replace the artist. Ever since Photoshop, we've used photo references for textures to get to an acceptable end result faster. Same with speedpainting and concept art. AI should be viewed in the same light: Use it carefully to improve workflow. Here's a test character I did to validate an idea before heading to production.
@Jordan_Keal Me and the family were saving up for buying something at some point here. With this news, I think we'll reco sider our plans. I don't know what this means for land owners in BC.
Eric Weinstein, self-described atheist, drops a profound admission: We all carry the "gift of faith"—we just can't sustain it across our whole mind.
We're afraid to pray, to submit to something bigger, even if it's just tapping the programming that makes religious music, communal song, and prayer feel transcendent.
He points out how deeply Scripture shapes secular life without us realizing:
- "Writing on the wall" = Daniel 5:25
- "Turn, turn, turn" = Ecclesiastes
- "Two riders approaching" in Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" = Isaiah's fall of Babylon imagery
Religion isn't optional—it's embedded. An honest atheist has to admit it finds its way in anyway.
Churches, mandirs, masjids, synagogues: We need them non-psychopathic, because divorcing their power (Word, harmony, community) leaves us poorer.
This 3:24 clip challenges the clean atheist/religious divide—especially in a disconnected era. Faith isn't belief in stories; it's welcoming something bigger without losing yourself.
Ever caught a biblical echo in a song, phrase, or moment and paused?
Do you feel that pull toward prayer/meditation/ritual even if you're non-religious?
Or as an atheist/agnostic: Does admitting cultural debt to Scripture change anything for you?
@MKBHD i will not trust a foldable phone in the near future. My wifes Samsung flip phone started giving us trouble 6 months in. Then we replaced and the replacement lasted about 4 months.
@EScrimshaw This event is a celebration and a renewed hope for the Venezuelan people. I pray Canada praises Trump and his ongoing efforts to help latin america
n countries from narco dictatorships.