The dark side of truth

[ZOMBIE USER 10068]

Hmmm, somethings have been eating at me for a while now. Perhapes it's best that it be addressed while gloria is away.

Twap seems to be a character fighting a battle inside. She carries a gun, but would probably not be able to use it in that split second of need. She studies the area of genetics, but would not be able to use the knowledge gained from such research.

She seems to be one who tries to be tough and over the edge, but her faith and inner light keep her in check, and even to random acts of kindness. The clones are a thing that could have summoned either side of her. On the one hand, she meet and related to 51, then saved the clones before blowing the building. But the dark side of truth could have easily taken her down a much different path. For the clones should not exist. Their very being could be construed as an abomination before god. Making sure every last one was killed and destroying all the relevent research would be seen by some as a mandate from heaven.

I'm glad that there are those the think and act such as her in this world. For you see, I'm not a stranger to duality myself. The me that you know, the me that the world see, the me that currently has control is but a part of the greater whole. A container really, a prison that holds back an overwhelming darkness. I can feel it there, an it's a continuos battle to hold it at bay. I've looked inside to find my potential for evil to be infamthomable. Though I can block it's actions I can't always block it's thoughts. I won't talk of them here, but some of the things that have went through my mind would make Damier look like an amatuer. In fact it scared me so much at one point I went to a priest to tell him of this great potential for evil I feel inside. I don't think he really understood what I told him. I got some line about prayer and faith, that I need to let the spirit of the lord into that place inside. I can't do that though. That door cannot be opened, even for a moment.

If it were made into a picture, it would be of myself in front with a massive black shadow behind. Always there, looming, waiting for that moment of weakness. Maybe I do need to open myself to god more. But it's hard to reveal yourself when your frightened of what he'll see. Maybe some battles you truely face alone.

[TwoDifferentSox]

I don't think Twap would have done something like destroying the clones because she sees them as abomination, it doesn't fit her character, imho.
Excpecially 51, she was defensless and helpless, I doubt Twap would see her as "monster" and commit a cold blooded murder.

But now to the dark side you describe, because it's an interesting point.
The dark side is present in every person, noone can tell me he or she never had a thought that they didn't like, or never did something they regretted afterwards.
The trick is to be aware of it, and as you said it, you do know quite well it's inside you. I can't re-feel how you rate your inner evil as being so huge and overwhelming, but I see you're very concerned about it.
But that point, that you're concerned about it, I would see as positive. You're aware of it, you don't like it, and you try to not act like it suggests to you. You're more then the container, the prison for it, you're a person that chose not to <i>be</i> it, and that's a sign for your inner strength to me.
I doubt it's impossible to get rid of the dark side, the only thing I'd say is to concentrate on living out the side that does not want to be like it. Don't spent all your time watching and fighting inner demons, try to feed your soul with things you enjoy. May that be art, music, reading, writing, skateing, candle-makeing, it can be anything you enjoy.
Candy for the soul.

I'm aware my little soap box rant is not actually going to do much, because it's only what I think and I can't or want to force everyone to think the same like me, but I also didn't want your post to go un-commented, it deserved to be pondered about, yes.

Soo...who else feels Star-Wars-ish now?

[Rcawley8]

I honestly believe that Twap made a decision under pressure and it did not work out as she expected, and now there are consequences. In such an emergency, and having given some form of warning (the water), how could she not expect the majority of the building's occupants to leave? She and her friends made it out, so why not all the clones, or whoever was running the place? I don't know if this is an example of Twaps more vicious side, but I am inclined to believe that she did not intend to murder several individuals.

I think that TDS has the right idea.

[ZOMBIE USER 10925]

(...) For the clones should not exist. Their very being could be construed as an abomination before god. Making sure every last one was killed and destroying all the relevent research would be seen by some as a mandate from heaven.

Well, their creation without her permission could be abominable, but each clone grows up seperately, and has an individual consciousness. Essentially an illegitimate child. The ones to blame are the organizers.

I'm glad that there are those the think and act such as her in this world. For you see, I'm not a stranger to duality myself. (...a big snip that doesn't do justice...)
I can't do that though. That door cannot be opened, even for a moment.

If it were made into a picture, it would be of myself in front with a massive black shadow behind. Always there, looming, waiting for that moment of weakness. Maybe I do need to open myself to god more. But it's hard to reveal yourself when your frightened of what he'll see. Maybe some battles you truely face alone.

We all feel it. The prince of this world wants us all to be money-grubbing self-centered egomaniacs, acting on all our whims and rationalizations.


Remember Paul said that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against intangible enemies.
Ephesians 6:10-20

Light purifies; light helps you clean out the dark corners of your room. He already knows your dark secrets, and He is waiting for you to release the pain it is causing. He loves you, and is not there to judge you, but to help...

John 3: 16-21

We cannot be containers for darkness, but if we let light in every room, it will shine out for all to see.

-

I'm usually not this preachy, but I've been there... two years ago, a couple of things happened at once, including losing my job, my gf and my old best friend were going out, and consumed by fear and hate, I tried to knot it away...contain it. Forgiving yourself for feeling these negative emotions, and letting Him take the pain from you is the hardest part, I found.

[Niquee]

*shakes head* Twap is too confusing. I shall just stick with Snitter.... *walks around with a sign that says Save the Carrots*

[ZOMBIE USER 10925]

*shakes head* Twap is too confusing. I shall just stick with Snitter.... *walks around with a sign that says Save the Carrots*

I confess, Snitter does have a child-like innocence that appeals to all of us.

I think she can be summed up in:
"I don't hafta (worry about things), but everbody else does. I got Erin an' Twap to worry for me."
-Snitter 20010514

[Ironpaw]

I think it's important to keep in mind that this is a mutli-level, highly secure (well, at least in theory) complex built to withstand... God knows what. If you look at today's (Thursday the 25th) comic, notice the crowd of critters around the building so it seems MANY got out at the very least.

As far as it being Twap's duty to God to kill many of His creatures on the grounds that OTHER people messed with them, I sincerely doubt that Twap would make that mistake.

As far as Twap's duality goes... you're right. However, who better to bear the burden of power than one with the moral fortitude to care about the well being of others. You see... that actually emodies what *I* want to be. The best of both worlds, see. Tough, responsible, authoritative and yet, soft, humble and kind. Goofy and fun. Can I be all that? I try and do my best.

As far as that darkness you speak of... *shakes head solumnly* Somewhat recently I too have come to discover it extends far deeper then I ever could have imagined myself. However... it CAN be kept at bay and dissolved. Surrendered and denied it must be. It won't consume you if you grasp onto God with all you have. If you surrender your heart... and grab on with all your might... He'll shelter you with His wings when the darkness overcomes you, as a hen shelters her chicks...

Some of us have a great responsibility... bearing the burdens of others... even the masses. It can get hard and very dark sometime, but God has given us that job because He knows that He will make us able to handle it and use it to teach us and make us pure and enduring . "What does not kill you makes you stronger!"

"Dad your boy's about to fall... he walks the razor edge... he's on the brink of fading out... he's at his bitter end. Dad your boy who used to run... you taught him how to crawl! He left home to find his own... now all he has is gone.

In your eyes I see a darkness that torments you, and in your head where it dwells: I'll give you my head if you'll reach out and grab it, let's walk away from this hell!"

Sorry... that's a song that means a lot to me for many reasons. I'm on the other side of those words, and am blessed for the journey. My human darkness will always be there, but "the darkness has not overcome" for in this "we are more than conquerors!"

Yay.

[ZOMBIE USER 10068]

Well, their creation without her permission could be abominable, but each clone grows up seperately, and has an individual consciousness. Essentially an illegitimate child. The ones to blame are the organizers

I'm afraid the issues goes much deeper than that. You see, many religious groups believe that because clones are created and not born that they do not have a soul. To them clones are a form of golem, the fact that their sentient would have little bearing.

It's an issue that even deeper than it sounds. For if their being self aware is what makes them real, then it means that sentience in and of it's self is the true core of man. Further, if this was true then it would mean that there is no soul, and by proxy.....no god.

As far as it being Twap's duty to God to kill many of His creatures on the grounds that OTHER people messed with them, I sincerely doubt that Twap would make that mistake.

That goes back to what I mentioned above. Many don't think them god's creation but man's creation. To them it's medical research gone mad. Really the whole topic of genetic tampering and cloning could be modern mans Tower of Babel. Through time and technology we've been able to circumvent the confounding of languages. Now, we are once more capable of being of one language, and one mind, and this we set about to do. When we ate of the tree of knowledge we bit off more than we realized. God saw the danger and threw them out of the garden saying "he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever". Now, with the various possible applications of cloning, we might be making an end run on the tree of life. What we once failed to do with mortar and stone we try again to do. Only this time we're using amino acids, and stem cells.

But the lord works in mysterious ways. Maybe some day a large meteor will enter the earths atmosphere at a shallow angle. Overheating could make it explode, and since more meteors than ppl realize do explode in the upper atmosphere with force measurable in megatons, this one could do so on a much grander scale. Releasing an EMP pulse that would destroy all modern electrical systems, and plunge the world into a new dark age, once more confounding our languages....

but "the darkness has not overcome" for in this "we are more than conquerors!"

Ya, with all that's happened, it's not won yet. So someday I just might beat it.

[Ironpaw]

Interesting you should mention a meteor. I just heard, credibly on the news that NASA has discovered an asteroid that is on a POSSIBLE collision course with Earth and is set to collide on Feb 1 2019. However, this could and probably will change as they discover MORE about it's course. They said the chances of a collision are something in the area of 1:250,000 which... aint a large enough number for me to be comfy, but it's large enough to wipe out everything.

[ZOMBIE USER 10925]

Well, their creation without her permission could be abominable, but each clone grows up seperately, and has an individual consciousness. Essentially an illegitimate child. The ones to blame are the organizers

I'm afraid the issues goes much deeper than that. You see, many religious groups believe that because clones are created and not born that they do not have a soul. To them clones are a form of golem, the fact that their sentient would have little bearing.

but life is the difference between a carbon rod and a snake.

Cloning takes living cells and forces them to multiply. They were already alive... so man is not *creating* life.

The way I see it is it's a tool of technology. If it's used correctly, then it could greatly benefit mankind (always have perfect blood for operations, cloning only specific organs, &c...)

Really the whole topic of genetic tampering and cloning could be modern mans Tower of Babel.

A popular topic for authors... A friend just showed me the Moreau series... addresses gen-eng issues like that.

But the lord works in mysterious ways. Maybe some day a large meteor {snip}
Releasing an EMP pulse that would destroy all modern electrical systems, and plunge the world into a new dark age, once more confounding our languages....

...And in the naked light I saw
Ten Thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening.
People writing songs that voices never share,
No one there. Disturb the Sound of Silence.

Always makes me think of the internet...

[Gloria]

I guess my views and beliefs here are already known to you guys... just read back over the comic. The darkness? You saw Twap's struggle with it. And what is Twap but an exstenion of myself?

And the clones... I always assumed that if they created a human clone (which I fully agree that they shouldn't do), a soul would enter that body just as it does everyone else's. That's one of God's mysteries, and God's power is limitless. Why in the world would God allow a person to be created, by whatever means, without a soul? Our spirit is part of what classifies us as being made in the image of God.


You guys have pretty well nailed Twap's personality here, so I don't need to defend her against you guys at least. ;)

[Rico Underwood]

Forgive me for not having any bible quotes ready to back my ideas up. But they are my ideas and the book just isn't hard evidence to me. I use a little known practice called common sense.

Genocide is wrong on ANY level. That INCLUDES people god sees as 'bad'. I prefer the golden rule. They shoot at me, I shoot at them. They help me, I don't shoot at them.

[Simply_da_Best]

I just heard..that NASA has discovered an asteroid that is on a POSSIBLE collision course with Earth and is set to collide on Feb 1 2019. .... chances of a collision are something in the area of 1:250,000 which... aint a large enough number for me to be comfy, but it's large enough to wipe out everything.

God, we're enough of paranoid freaks already, I don't want to know what might happen when I'm 30.

[Gloria]

Um, Rico, I'm sorry to say, but what you just mentioned is NOT the golden rule.

The golden rule really is: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (for this sums up the law and the prophats)", not, "as they have already done unto you."

Other religions often have some form of this, but it's usually more along the lines of "don't do unto others what you wouldn't want them to do to you." Jesus' version is much more challenging and actually has more potential for good, since sometimes all it takes is a little open kindness to turn enemies into friends. And even if it doesn't, we are told to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. If someone hits you, turn the other cheek. If he takes your coat, give him your shirt as well. If someone forces you to walk a mile with them, go the rest of the way. If you show kindness to people when they hurt you, it's like heaping burning coals on their head. They may still hate you, but you've still made an impression for the good.

That's what Christianity is all about, anyway.

[W.M.Y.L.G. Joe]

Forgive me for not having any bible quotes ready to back my ideas up. But they are my ideas and the book just isn't hard evidence to me. I use a little known practice called common sense.

I hated it when teachers asked us to come up with a thesis about a book, but use OTHER author's critiques/thesis's to support or explain ours. What? Where' not aloud to come up with an original idea of our own? I can see support, but what if you come up with something that no one else has thought of? Something no one's written anything about that could be of any use to include in your essay/critical analysis?

Okay, I'll shut up about that now.

The other thing I wanted to say was how do you define "common sense?" Especially since you're saying that the Bible has none. It seems to have survived and given SOME good advice for this long, so it can't be TOTALLY wrong.

[TwoDifferentSox]

I hated it when teachers asked us to come up with a thesis about a book, but use OTHER author's critiques/thesis's to support or explain ours. What? Where' not aloud to come up with an original idea of our own? I can see support, but what if you come up with something that no one else has thought of? Something no one's written anything about that could be of any use to include in your essay/critical analysis?

That`s what explained to me why we`ve always talked about books in school that were written by people long dead already. Noone could proove the teacher that way that he`s telling us a lot of stupidity and that the author wanted to say something completely different - or that the author didn`t want to say anything with it at all, and just tells a story.

[W.M.Y.L.G. Joe]

All I know is when I make movies, I just want to tell a good story. If someone wants to see a buncha bullcrap that ain't there, go ahead. But don't teach it that way. If there's any underlying themes or symbolism, I'll make it clear. If it's so incredibly vague that only critics and scholars can pick it up, then why have it there?

Okay, I'll shut up again.

[ZOMBIE USER 10925]

That's what Christianity is all about, anyway.

My fianc

[W.M.Y.L.G. Joe]

Heh, never thought of that. Good point. Maybe that's why he's always portrayed with the way coolio hair too. I bet he had a Jewish fro, though. That'd be even cooler.

[Gloria]

I dunno... I put a lot of REALLY subtle aymbolism and stuff into the comic, and very few people notice it... that's why recently I've made all my hidden themes pretty obvious. And why my writing style has gone downhill.

Oh well.

And Jesus as a hippie.... I guess that would explain the JPUSA, too, huh. And Cornerstone festival...