Retribution

[quote name='Sage']Bah, I'm all out of things to say! Well, not exactly, I'll say this more: no, I don't have evidence that a higher force doesn't exist, but I believe I have evidence that the Biblical God isn't the only true God - there are at least four billion people in the world who don't believe in Him (much more if you count the people who belong to a Christian Church just because they were born into it).[/quote] [SIZE=1][B]Exactly.[/B] Problem solved. Let's lock this thread up and call it a night, ladies and gents. But seriously, Sage speaks truth here, and I'm using this to make a [slightly] larger point. If 4 billion other people don't believe in Christ, but many have a faith, could it possibly mean we're all worshiping the same God? Of course, this 'God(s)' has been heavily affected by cultural differences, and as a result, He/She/They seem different from one another. This is heavily apparent in Pagan religions, where people pray to Dieties of the land (Perhaps the Rain God if in an arid region, Sun God if in a cold one). The Egyptians are a good example as well -- they worship(ped) the Goddess of the Nile because that River provides everything for those people, so why not worship it? The Sun God, apparent in nearly all Pagan religions, is worshiped universally because of... it is something that keeps you warm, and shows up day after day -- why not worship it? So, I think I've made my point, if not in a roundabout fashion. I hope you understand where I'm coming from.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][b]Paschendale[/b] Looks good, as I've told you before. It's always a good idea just to throw stuff around in PS/PSP and see what you get. I'm fond of everything, except for the lower area where things begin to mellow out from the thrash and chaos of the top. This is would be good, but it happens too suddenly and in some places there's almost no ripple at all (right border). The font is very fitting, good placement of it too. [b]City Life[/b] Very interesting concept! However, the thick borders and vast amount of gray chokes this up. Try slimming things down to 3 px borders, and see how sleek everything feels then. Good font choice -- very new age.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Sage]I'm not saying Christianity is simple, either. I think it's overly complicated, for example the Trinity stuff: "Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are all one but they are also three, separated but not apart" etc. (sorry, I have to translate these things from Finnish in my mind, so they might not be accurate in English). I was saying that blind belief is simple, no matter what religion we are talking about, and people who shut their eyes from all other options are very simple in my opinion as well. And I have studied Christian religion in school, for twelve years! I've also studied many other religions as well, and I can't say I find any evidence that any one of them is the only true religion. Atheism isn't really a religion, so you can't accuse it for being simple. Atheism is the [I]opposite[/I] of religion, [I]not[/I] to believe in any higher force. It's very complicated to actually have to figure everything out by yourself in your own mind, not just look from some book for answers. ;P[/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]I really disagree with you here. Many of those with faith did alot of soul-searching and thinking to feel at peace with their religion. I think that Christianity is not blind -- it's actually a very courageous. Taking the 'leap of faith,' is never an easy thing to do. Yes, blind belief is simple, but your post before this one implied heavily that religion in general was a simple way of living life. [QUOTE]It's great that you get comfort in believing something, but you don't have to be so agressive in defending your faith - it will only make you look like you're uncertain. ;)[/QUOTE] Actually, I'm gonna agree with you there. I feel ashamed when people go vomiting gospel at people. It's extremely rude and reflects upon your faith very negatively. [QUOTE]I'm not saying that the Theory of Evolution is the ultimate truth, but still you Christian people seem strangely offended and aggravated by it.[/QUOTE] Who says science and faith cannot co-exist? Surely there are times when they contradict, but belief in science does not rule out the possibliity of having a faith. "Us Christian people" is offensive to me -- I'm for the Theory of Evolution, and I'm certainly not aggravated by it. [QUOTE]Makes you doubt, does it? Makes you use your [I]own thinking[/I], does it? Scary, huh? ;P[/QUOTE] Faith requires quite a bit of thought and doubt. I know I have had many rocky places in my journey where I doubted the existence of God. Last of all, God does not praise those who blindly swallow His word. Jesus preached attitude over action, meaning the purpose of your actions are more important than the actions themselves. For instance, helping a poor person to get 'bonus points' with God versus doing it out of the kindness of your own heart.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Hm. More art. I think I gave you my opinions on AIM, but I'll repost them here. [b]Twisted Vision[/b] I enjoy the futuristic feel to this, especially the lines and the way you made them simulate motion and general sleekness. However, I spot one blemish, which is a bumpy texture to the lines. It really detracts from the smoothness of them, and a small gaussian blur would erase the problem almost completely. [b]Make Me[/b] Very interesting... but it feels heavily off balance as far as the light-dark thing goes. I'm willing to bet it's the shapes doing that, and their sporadic placement of them. Interesting idea, but I'd recommend less of a drastic change from light to darkness. [b]Hack Helba[/b] I couldn't help but smile at this one. Good stuff - especially the typography. But "thread closed" I couldn't really see, except for the "sed" at the end. Make it more noticable, and you've got yourself a winner.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Rasetsutaisho]you know... if you know anything about christianity... you know god condones suicide... but... if you sit down and read the bible... you'll see that god kills ppl off all the damn time! even his own son he sacrifices! if the creator of the univers doesnt give a **** for human life why should i? the only ppl who god suposedly cares about are those who live for his sake... and those ppl usualy dont flip out and chose to be suicidal one day... ofcourse im not some christian evangilizer (at least not anymore) but even for thouse with out some sort of faith, if they have a resone for living.. i say let them live... and if they dont like life enough... let them kill themselves off... ofcourse this isnt an absolute rule... i only would say this if the person was absolutely confident and clear of mind that their done with living... most of the suicidal ppl you see actualy have chemical imbalances and cant help it... and in that case i say give them treatment... because when i was in high school little 17 yr old wannabe gothy girls were always trying to kill themselves... it was stupid... i've seen it alot... but whatever i dont really care...[/QUOTE] [B]What are you talking about?[/B] [SIZE=1]I can't really formulate coherent sentences after reading that post. My gracious... Alright... God does not condone suicide. I?ve sat down and read the Bible ? just trust me on this one. Yes, God kills people off for doing things he does not find pleasing in his sight. God in the Old Testament was a God of retribution, a very hardcore one. Basically ? if you defied laws, you died. I don?t feel like explaining why? PM me if you really want to know. God gave Jesus the choice to die ? God gave Abraham the choice to kill his son Isaac. God even [I]stopped[/I] him before he stabbed his son, as it was a test of his faith. Harkening back to my sentence of Jesus, Jesus died so that we may live, and on top of that he chose to do so (not trying to get all evangelical on you or anything). I mean? in theory anyway, he died to save more lives. I would call that admirable ? and besides, he didn?t kill himself. The Romans did. Just letting people kill themselves off? I found that extremely ignorant ? what if your mother or father was suicidal. Would you just ?let them kill themselves off?? As Charles and so many others stated, they?re in an unstable emotional state and aren?t judging the situation rationally. Even if you claim they?re in a stable mental state, you have to look down the road for them and see it?s not worth it. I?m sad that you?re so apathetic to the whole suicide issue ? it seems blind to me.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Cybersex is for horny people who can't get the real thing, and somehow think that it's any better than reading an explicit book/fanfic. But hey -- if you like it, more power to you. I don't see why anyone would enjoy it, but to each his own. As for cheating? Yeah, that's cheating...[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Alexander looked at Zachary incredulously, his still-dizzy head swam for the right words to speak. After a brief moment of silence, he started his response. ?I will admit that a rescue is ideal, Zachary. I mean, it?s possible that we?ll be found, but I highly doubt it, and here?s why,? he took a moment, letting everyone brace themselves. Their moments of hope granted to them by Zachary would be sadly crushed. ?We were sailing on a yacht, which was for our intents and purposes, private. No black box to open up for the coordinates. This private yacht had no way to contact our harboring cities, so the rescue teams will have to retrace our planned path, and any possible deviations from that. Those deviations are probably miles wide ? they don?t know when we went down, how far we deviated from the plotted course, in which direction, how fast, none of those variables. The teams are going to search this huge expanse of ocean for the slight chance we managed to stumble onto a rock. Meaning?? he sighed at the end, ?they won?t search too hard.? Zachary sneered at his comments, and returned the attack. ?But the ship came within a few miles of the island ? it?s definitely plotted and will be searched.? ?Yes, the ship came within a few miles of the storm. However, the ship was off course to begin with. We really have no idea how far off, since they didn?t tell anything. While we think we were in charted water, we cannot be certain.? Zachary began to interject, but Alexander cut him off for the full effect of making his point. ?Which is precisely why we must act as if we are not going to be saved. Two out-of-gas, battered boats won?t get us but another few miles. How about this: whoever wants to try to leave, can hop in the remaining lifeboat and leave.? No one took up the offer. Everyone eyed their neighbor, looking for someone selfish enough to even attempt to leave everyone else behind. Zachary?s eyes, however, remained fixed on Alexander with a tint of rage to them. Alexander?s intent was not to be rude, or heckle Zachary; merely to make sure the group understood that waiting for a savior was not the wisest plan of action. ?Zachary, is that you name?? Another man, whom Alex did not know spoke with sureness in his voice, slightly irritated. ?I resent the comment that we?re all going to die. We?re going to live if we actually try and not be a quitter like you.? Again, silence enveloped the group, and after a respectable interval of time, the next person opened their mouth to introduce themselves to the group.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Before I kick off this post, I?d like to say that part of my explanation is faith-based, so I don?t expect you to really understand all of it. Don?t say ?OMG Retri?s uber-evangelical1!? It?s my way of expressing my faith. [quote name='Sage']I'm sorry, but I'm not convinced. See, this is one of the points that always manage to confuse me. You Christians claim that God's work can be seen in every day life, yet when one sees bad things happen, you Christians somehow take God out of the equation, saying that God gave people free will and they use it for evil.[/quote] Actually, yes. God is perfect, and therefore His actions are only good. So yeah, if something good happens, it?s not always because of God, but it could be. Whereas the bad, he has almost nothing to do with. Some people argue that bad things happening is because of ?God?s plan,? which may possibly be true. He may be doing things for reasons that transcend our knowledge. Yes, I claim you can see God?s work daily ? God dwells within us and so when you see someone give money to the homeless, helping out a friend, you are seeing God?s will. [QUOTE]So your God is only around when good things happen, and he turns his back on bad things?[/QUOTE] No. God is omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient. God isn?t ?only around? when good things happen. God dwells within all of us, so when good things happen, it is in part because of Him. He never turns away from anything ? the wicked and evil turn their backs on Him. Like I said, some people say it?s because of ?His plan? that He allows evil to happen. Others, such as myself, argue that He gave us free-will, and sh t happens. [QUOTE]Too often I just see people desperately clinging to something they were taught, word to word. As if the whole truth about the universe and its infinite mysteries is contained within one book written 2000 years ago by numerous unknown sources and compiled a little later by a quarreling group of old men, and afterwards translated to countless languages by countless translators. And yet people want to believe that every word in "the Book" is from a supreme being, thus the ultimate truth.[/QUOTE] Hm? you might be seeing people ?desperately clinging? to faith because it?s something they need. Some people need to have a relationship with God to fill in an empty space they may have. Some will even argue that everyone, on some level or another, needs God. That?s not me, but I?m willing to toss that out into the discussion. No, the entire truth about the universe is not contained within the Bible. If it were, Christianity wouldn?t be being debated. If everything was plotted out for us, it wouldn?t be a faith ? it would be just like science, with no room for debate. I believe (as many other Christians do) that the Bible is written by humans, but the divine inspired the author. Not every word is from a supreme being ? again, most of the Bible is just documentation. [QUOTE]I realize many people (the non-fundamentalistic Christians) have figured out that not everything said in the Bible fits our modern way of living, but still there are few favorite parts that tend to come up that are abused for an excuse to discrimination (mainly meaning the parts about women and homosexuals).[/QUOTE] I?m frowning at your choice in wording. I think the word ?abuse? strikes me the most. Now, I?m definitely pro-gay rights and pro-feminist rights and all, but that?s what the Bible says. You?re right ? it doesn?t fit our modern way of living. Isn?t that all the more reason to believe that it was written by men? I believe (once more) that God is just, and that he has the final say in all these matters. I don?t like viewing the Bible as infallible, but more as a guide. [QUOTE]Surely there's many good and honorable morals in the Bible, but do you honestly think that they wouldn't exist without the Bible? That without the Book, people would feel free to kill each other freely, steal stuff and rape rampantly? Do you honestly believe humans are evil in nature, even in birth, and only godly blessing can "cure" us?[/QUOTE] No, I think you?re right that these values exist outside of the Bible. However, I believe that more people will follow them if they were imbued from our Creator, rather than laid down by the state. The world needs the message of faith, whichever that may be. Look at how torn certain areas are, and tell me that the state?s morals are enough. I think that reaching out with faith could touch people on a deeper level than state-encouragement. Again, decree from the police to follow, or an order from God. I?d say the latter is more powerful. At the risk of going on a tangent, I would also like to point out that not all the morals in the Bible are covered in state law. For instance, ?love thy neighbor? isn?t really required by the state. We?re required not to kill. Christians are encouraged not only to follow laws, but to go the extra mile, and to help those in need out. Jesus preached to the Pharisees, to-the-letter law abiders, that healing on the Sabbath (while breaking a Mosaic law), was done for a good much higher than following a law. True, some areas (Middle East, for example) are torn, and have a strong faith, but that faith I believe, is heavily tainted and disregarded. The radicals who kill Americans and one another are blatantly missing the point of Islam. My thoughts are kind of scrambled around, so forgive the faulty structure ? I was kind of writing things as they came.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=kenshinsbabe][SIZE=3][FONT=Georgia]Exactly, James. Bravo. There are people here who've been saying that if someone wants to commit suicide, to let them. If it's your friend or your family member, would you still feel the same way? On another note, my sister got a random IM from a person a few days ago from a teenage boy. In the IM, he said that he was sending it to say goodbye. That in ten minutes, he would kill his parents, his grandmother, then himself. But he never gave a reason. Scared as hell, I went and prayed for him. It only scared me because someone was actually [I]telling[/I] me that they were going to kill other people, then themself. After I prayed for ten minutes, I went and talked to my sister, who told me that he didn't do it. I was relieved. Until I talked to a friend who got the same IM that night. She said that he had said the exact same thing a few months ago, then didn't do it. Which leads me to believe that he only said it for attention. People like this are the people that stem the idea that suicide is mostly selfish, which I reed into time to time when I hear stories like this. But what I know is that alot of people aren't like that boy, but are depressed or are "missing something". That still doesn't justify suicide, which makes them almost as bad as the said boy.[/FONT][/SIZE][/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]Why didn't you alert someone instead of praying? God doesn't step in and magically redirect bullets. A police officer will. Either that, or call his house, talk to his mother, tell her what he said. You should have taken some form of action. Not doing so was irresponsible of you.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Thank you, Cyriel. I'll think about moving 'complete' up a tad to get it off the edge. Here's two more pieces I made after reading about the White Tigers. They were part of the Aizu army (feudal japan), and were only 16 and 17, and committed seppuku after seeing their castle burning in the distance. They thought their castle had fallen, but they were tragically mistaken. Back at the castle, men from the army, as well as civilian men and woman made a valiant last stand against the enemy, but ultamitely lost. The following pieces' text is a farewell poem written by a young girl. I tried two different versions, but I'm not completely satisfied with either one. [b]Way of the Warrior Farewell Poem[/b] [url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/wayofwarrior.jpg[/url] [b]Way of the Warrior Farewell Poem 2[/b] [url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/wayofwarrior2.jpg[/url][/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Sage]When I went to the local church's office to resign myself from the institution as soon as I turned eighteen, a minister came to talk to me, as if to direct a stray lamb back to the right path. I felt a bit uneasy, but we talked about my decision for a good five minutes or so. At the end, the minister had nothing else to say than (free translation to English) "you think like this now when everything is alright in your life, but you will surely need spiritual guidance when you face sickness or death". It felt a bit odd to me, as if the church was only there for desperate people. What the minister didn't know was that I had already gone through hell in my past life, and not once did I kneel down and pray to some higher powers to save me.[/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]I think what he meant was that "You're okay now, but in the tough times, you will need God to help you through." Now, he shouldn't've said that, but he definitely did not mean that the church is for desperate people. As for the adversity in your life -- evil inflicted upon humans has nothing to do with God's actions. He gave us free will (or so I believe), and so things like the Holocaust, the dropping of the atom bombs, etc were all deeds done by humans alone. God's not being a ***** -- and I kind of resent that you said that -- he's giving us humans free will, and you're seeing the evil come out in us. [QUOTE]Come on, how can you listen to this? First off, their is a good chance everything was taken out of proportion. Also alot of Christians say that alot of the Old Testament is supposed be taken figuretively. Couldn't the same be true for the rest of the bible? For people who actually believed Genesis happened, I have one word: dinosaur, or did they not happen, just like Galileo's theries.[/QUOTE] Alright, I'll start off saying I believe that Genesis was a metaphor for what actually happened. Genesis was either an account of things that people could actually understand (imagine teaching peasants more complex things...), or that Genesis did happen -- but not in seven days. But really, who knows... maybe seven days was God's time -- I really don't know. As for the rest of the Old Testament, Christians believe that actually happened pretty much word for word. Alot of it is historical documentation, and you can find proof of the Bible's accounts in other ancient texts. Yes, I could see where you might say 'if it's that way here, why not everywhere?' But I have faith, which is most of religion, and most of all, it's the message that should be digested by people. If people would at least understand the 'Love thy neighbor' stuff, I would be satisfied. I don't believe that you have to follow Jesus, I believe that you have to be a good person (ten commandments minus the two about God, golden rule, etc) to go to heaven. The notion that non-Christians can't get to heaven seems absolutely ridiculous. Does that mean that Ghandi would be in hell? I hope not, and I think that God is just. Heh. Sorry bout that tangent, but it's all somewhat related. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Oooh, new pictures from you. [b]Aren?t they Cute[/b] This gives me a reminder of my childhood days when I?d hang out with my dog. But she wasn?t [I]this[/I] cute (of course I was though?). The background is alright ? you?ve done a good job of extracting the stock from everything else, but the left side has too much space, and as a whole there?s no real flow going on. The dog tracks a good touch, but the main thing you might want to revise is the colors there. Make them harmonious and more vibrant. The stock itself is pretty much perfect ? good placement too. Finally, the typography is pretty good, but you may want to enlarge it to take up space. The font face you used is fine. [b]Spike Spiegel[/b] I love the simplicity of this! The colors feel very mellow, and the blending you?ve done (overlay of another picture?) worked out well. If I were you, I would crop this in half ? it?s pretty large as it is, and feels unbalanced. I would recommend cropping so that you have only the left side of the picture up until you get to Spike, and move to the typography over there. That?s definitely a keeper.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]OOC: Here it is! The RPG will run on a Chapter system to give me more control over how the story progresses. In order to continue to the next phase of the RPG, you must complete the objective given at the start of the chapter. They will start out easy, and slowly become harder. Please do not kill anyone's character -- only I have the power to do that. With that being said, I cannot guarruntee your character's safety. But don't worry, I don't arbitrarily kill people off. [COLOR=DarkRed][B]Chapter One:[/B] Washed Ashore[/COLOR] [B]Objectives:[/B] Elect a leader, construct living spaces. [B]Characters:[/B] All. [B]Notes:[/b] Keep posting until you as a group complete the objective. For your first post, rewrite my post from your own perspective, and fill in gaps where my character was not present. PM me with questions. Boats are arranged as following: [I]Boat 1:[/I] Alexander, Kat, Graham, Elizabeth, James. (over-occupied due to Muse?s post) [I]Boat 2:[/I] Annabelle, Allie, Rhett, Richard. [I]Boat 3:[/I] Zachary, Richard, Donovan, NPC #1. (NPC dies) IC: Alexander breathed heavily, leaning on the rudder with all his weight, trying to steer it towards an island that looked to be about three miles away. The waves battered the small inflatable raft, and the rest of its occupants paddled with oars. They struggled against a looming wave, and they overcame it ? barely. They lost two of the four oars, and the ship was severely waterlogged. ?Shit! We might not be able to make it! Paddle harder, and if we tip, swim like hell to that island, okay?? He shouted at the top of his lungs to the other occupants. They nodded a grim affirmative. Alexander knew they would most definitely sink before making it ashore ? they were carrying an extra passenger, but he was carrying his weight, stroking powerfully at the water. He was more worried about the female occupants, who seemed to fatigue at a much faster rate. A huge blast of water hit the woman in the front of boat, knocking her off with surprising force. She was sucked away from the vessel, and Alexander banked a hard turn, risking broadside-impacts with the oncoming waves. ?You! Pick her up when we pass!? He shouted to the other female, who nodded in a determined manner, leaning over the side and scanning the frothing water for the other woman. She was quickly spotted, and the woman assigned the duty of saving the other woman?s life succeeded. At least partially, anyway. She did not have the strength to pull her onto the craft. Alexander could not spare a hand, and keep the craft in control, anyway. ?I?m holding onto her! Just go towards the island?? She was cut off by more crashing waves. Alexander listened, turning the boat forward again and speeding faster than ever towards the destination. It was a matter of minutes before the waves became too great to maintain control. ?We?re tipping! Everyone, abandon ship, and swim like hell to the isla?? The boat capsized grandly, shooting water everywhere, and burying him underwater. His eyes snapped open, his adrenaline flowing through his veins. He stroked forward, realizing that the lifejacket would pull him above the waves, and all he had to do was get through them. His muscles burned as he pushed harder through the churning water. He saw several others behind him, struggling just as hard; he wanted to help, but couldn?t. He would die if he deviated from his path. He gasped for breath, paddling through the water like a madman, and inhaled a large gulp of seawater. The salt overwhelmed his senses, and his vision swirled around him. [I]I?m going to die. I?m going to die. I?m going to die. I?m going to die.[/I] He fought harder than ever before, and unbuckled the life-jacket from himself. It was slowing him down, and making it difficult to swim correctly. He figured he was only half a mile away from the shore, anyway. The orange vest flew off him, and was washed backwards in a sucking torrent of wind and water. At long last, he swam onto the beach, half conscious, vomiting water and coughing it out of his lungs. His head ached, and he succumbed to a wave of nausea, pulling him to his knees. Water washed at his legs, his soaked shoes, and water dripped down his face and onto his shirt. He could not help but stare at the sand before turning around. He managed to see the ship?s bow sliding out of view into the murky depths, and closer to him, a fleet of orange vests. Everyone?s raft had flipped, but luckily, everyone possessed the strength to make it ashore. Some were washed up unconscious, but others were in a dazed state, sprawled across the sandy shore. ?Oh shit? oh shit? she?s unconscious. And so is she. And others? oh shit? Does anyone know CPR?? They did not hear him. Most were vomiting, and coughed up sea water to save their own lives. He was alone. [I]Gotta save them? him first. Then her. Then her? then him.[/I] He cut his thoughts off, sprinting to the closest unconscious person, and flipped them on his stomach. He had no idea how to perform CPR, but tried to mimic the motions. He pushed on his stomach, and he vomited water. He repeated, and slowly, less and less water came out. Then, he breathed air into his lungs, and the man sputtered, and began to breath. No time to think. No time to see if he was okay. He moved onto another woman, then a man, then another woman. Despite no previous training, he saw that everyone was breathing, at the very least. Some were vomiting, and others were coughing up huge amounts of seawater. He glanced around in panic, and decided to drag everyone underneath the palm trees to keep the rain off them temporarily. While he was dragging, a man got up on his own and jogged over to Alexander. He looked just as panicked, and his breathing was quick. However, he kept himself together, not breaking down, as an average man would have. ?What?s your name? I?m Alexander. And could you help me drag these people to the trees?? ?Yeah, no problem. I?m Rhett.? They shook hands firmly, looking into one another?s unsure eyes, then simultaneously ran back to moving everyone underneath the trees. During the process, a woman named Annabelle woke up and gave Rhett and Alexander cold glances. She didn?t move to help them, but instead sat underneath the palm trees shivering. After everyone was underneath the canopy of palm trees, he went around, shaking those who were unconscious awake, and waiting until everyone had finished their bouts of vomiting before talking to them. However, once everyone woke up, they immediately began shouting, arguing, demanding attention. It took a while, but Alex and Rhett got their attention. ?Alright, we?re shipwrecked on an island, to all those who think this is some nightmare. Rhett and I dragged you guys here, and so here we are. What do you all say to finding a dry spot and talking there? The storm?s getting worse?? He looked out to the sea, looking at a solid gray horizon, meeting the water at an indiscernible point. Thunder rolled in the distance, and a bolt of lightening struck the water several miles off shore. After the thunder stopped, he began speaking again. ?I?m Alex, by the way, and that?s Rhett. She?s Annabelle,? he said, gesturing towards them, ?And they?re the only people I know. So ? let?s find a spot to talk for a while, then decide what we want to do. How about it?? ?So? we?re supposed to follow [I]you[/I] into an island, when we don?t know you?? A man spoke up, resisting the course of action Alex had outlined. ?I?m Zachary to you,? he added in towards the end. ?Zachary, no one knows anyone. So you?re going to have to trust my judgment, okay?? ?Hm? no.? Alex shrugged indifferently as Zach crossed his arms defiantly. ?If you don?t want to, don?t follow. I?m not going to force anyone to do anything ? we?re all equal. Goodbye.? He turned, walking side-by-side with Rhett, asking for his opinion of where to go. They finally stumbled upon a cave, but they did not wander into it too deep without a torch. ?Why don?t we go around saying our names and what we?re good at. That way we can get to know how we can utilize one another?s skills to survive. I?ll start. I?m Alexander, and I spend a lot of my free time outdoors. So I know how mother nature works, and I might be a good hunter, though I?ve never tried.? He looked to the person behind him for their skills and name.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][B]Sign-ups are now closed![/B] If you have not contacted me earlier about sign-ups, then you cannot join. Thank you to all who signed up for my RPG. Everyone, please make sure your information is complete; I see a few sign-ups that are not complete, but do not worry -- just edit them soon. Please look to the Square for the main RPG thread. I will create an Underground thread when I think it necessary. If you have any questions, feel free to get into contact (PM/IM) so I can answer you as soon as possible. Have fun![/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Baron Samedi][size=1] I think that people who are religious, perhaps overestimate what it provides them, or underestimate those without religion.[/size][/QUOTE][SIZE=1] How can you overestimate what you have faith in (this being God)? This is why Christianity is a [i]faith[/i]. This is putting trust in Him that God actually exists -- so it's only natural for it to look like they're 'overestimating.' To you, they're overestimating something nonexistant, which is quite easy to do. I don't believe there's any [i]underestimation[/i] of those without religion's abilities, but of their spiritual life and afterlives. And since you don't have belief in that, I fail to see your point.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Hey... I remember you posted in my thread -- welcome back to the Studio. All in all, this is a pretty good banner. The colors definetly work together -- the feeling of falling through a sky at dusk. Very well done there. I love the skydiver, but not the stroke you applied to him -- I think you should lower the opacity to it, and that would be perfect. The typography in the background took me some time to recognize it, but when I did I didn't like it. The l's obstruct the flow of the picture (left to right). The "Free Yourself" I actually think it was a good touch -- and is the icing on the cake. Wonderful job there. If I may ask you, what font is "Free Yourself" in? I've seen it on so many banners, and I want to use it myself. Thanks.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Actually, my experience with telemarketers is that they mask their numbers. So you'll end up getting something like "CALLER UNKNOWN." And I only get calls from Florida when my grandmother is calling us to say hello -- she lives in Orlando. So I would say there's reasonable cause for you to be worked up -- never abandon hope! (Shame on you, Helba. For shame...)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Awww c'mon, people! This is our moderator! You people have gotta post more critique for him. [b]Sleeping Cat[/b] feels very cozy. I enjoy the colors, and how they seem to slide together. The blanket is well done as well, and gives it a more realistic feel. The fold in it is pretty good as well. Most of all, I enjoy the cat's posture all curled up in a ball. Good stuff. [b]Depression[/b] I don't like the hair covering you eye. I mean, I like the idea, but not the execution. The way you drew your hair so it looks like individual strands was a very good touch, and makes this look extremely realistic. I love the background the most though, with the dark, nondescript shapes. It just screams depression. Very interesting picture. [b]Quatro[/b] Very good coloring! They're all so harmonic and flow together. As far as the actual drawing, it feels a bit too cartoony for my taste, and your left eye feels awkward for some reason. Maybe it's just the photograph you used. [b]Look to Above[/b] This is excellent. I mean, the nose and your left eye especially -- they're so realistic it scares me. The hair is well placed and executed perfectly. The only minor thing I don't like about this is that your right eye feels undershaded, and throws off the balance of the picture. Aside from that, well done.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I'm a Christian, and I've always been one. I was baptised when I was a very small baby. However, I'm puzzled by your statement, Hells Angel. [quote name='Hells Angel']I hate hyprocrites, I smoke and cuss, so until I can get over these habits I wont go to church. But thats just me.[/quote] What do hypocrites at church have to do with [I]you[/I] smoking and cussing? I would also recommend finding a new church -- it's sad when people's view of a religion is automatically tarnished by one bad run-in with the religion. Give it another chance. Ask yourself... what can it hurt?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Sorry I didn?t reply to your thread earlier, but better late than never! [b]Falling 1[/b] I love the colors to this, and how she looks so serene. The light blue you added does calm things down significantly. I don?t like how the boxes branch out into blank, open space though. Finally, I think some typography could?ve pulled everything together ? maybe white cursive ?Falling Angel? in a small size in a corner. Good job overall. [b]Falling 2[/b] Nearly perfect, I?d say. Nothing to critique here the colors are clean and calm here as well. You might want to consider a sharpening of your stock; upon closer observation it seems to be slightly grainy. No worries there, though, it doesn?t really detract from the overall goodness. [b]Mischievous Chaos[/b] This also has calming color to it. However, the name would lead me to believe that this would be a more ? chaotic piece. Cleaning up the stock in this banner is essential, as it?s difficult to make out the focus of everything. I can see wings? but that?s about it. [b]Mischievous Chaos[/b] Again, I can?t really see what?s happening in this. The avatar feels constricting and very limiting. Maybe next time consider using a subject that?s easier to focus upon. [B]EDIT:[/B] *coughs and chokes on anonymous beverage* Goodness gracious, Squiggles... MSPaint? That's amazing! I had no idea *string of apologies* Heh. Kitty's right, you do deserve a medal. I'm wondering how long it took you to make that box with the curved corner. Wow...[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Alright, alright. I put off this post for far too long. Here we go? [b]Vision[/b] I have no idea what?s going on here in the least. I see two pairs of eyes in the picture, and some of da Vinci?s sketches blended in there. I?m not exactly sure what to say on this one, aside from some color would?ve been nice, or even a splash of color to accentuate a detail. [b]Chocolate Riddles[/b] has its title for a reason, I suppose. I guess I?ll start with the one thing I can actually understand, that being the ?.Riddles.? I?m not fond of the font you chose for it to be in, or the addition of the periods; it feels too frail in the sight of a very imposing, strong picture with bold colors. The stripes of color I enjoy quite a bit, and I love the bottom of the image where the black ?collides? with the rest of the image. The rest seems to be a chaotic struggle in the center. I don?t see any stocks used here, only vague, shifty shapes. I think this would?ve highly benefited from a pronounced image somewhere in this.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Ooh. Cool random banners.

[SIZE=1]Forgive me if my critique is erroneous... it's been a while. [I][B]Dark Light[/B][/I] The [b]stock[/b] fits the mood of the banner with the facial expression and black clothing. However, the stock does not blend as crisply with the background, and there's also a filmy outline to it. I would recommend duplicating the layer and applying a soft light (if you're using photoshop) to crispen the color. Good placement, by the way. The [b]background[/b] I love. The color is there to a noticeable degree, but not overwhelmingly so as is the case with many 'abstract sigs' that spare no color of the rainbow. Heh. It's also a good way to unify the stock with the background; similar colors, and a nice, open plane for the typography to be laid upon. Bringing me to my next point... Your [b]typography[/b] is very good as well. I'd say that on this rare occasion, your pixel font is a very good choice (I'm not a fan of them). The font choice for "Dark Light," however, I'm not too fond of. It feels like it's slightly imposing upon the stock (I would guess the main focus), and takes center stage. If that was your goal, more power to you. The only recommendation I would have in the case would be to move the pixel font closer to "Dark Light," ideally directly under it. Be careful not to let them blend into one another -- a light gray stroke might do the trick. [I][B]Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly[/B][/I] I won?t go into too much detail ? it looks like one of those ?shut-up and enjoy? pieces. And I?ll do just that. You make my job easier with this one, because I don?t really have much to say about this one. It feels chaotic, but in a good way, and the only qualm I have is that the heartogram stands out a lot and feels quite awkward. That aside, I enjoy this.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] Miyamoto Keiji (last, first) [B]Age:[/B] 17 [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Role:[/B] Disciple of Phoenix (hope you don?t mind, Imi) [B]Appearance:[/B] [url=http://hyung-taekim.org/displayimage.php?album=7&pos=19][link][/url] (Man on the left side of the picture) Keiji is average height, but relatively light for his stature. However, his toned body makes up for the lack in body mass, producing swift swings, sure steps, and curiously high endurance. His eyes are dark brown, several shades heavier than his lightly tanned skin. Keiji emits a noticeable aura several degrees higher than body temperature, but can only be felt when coming in close quarters with him, and can be mistaken for a fever. [B]Weapon:[/B] [url=http://www.angelsword.com/photos/oriental/bm113-717c.jpg][link][/url] Keiji wields a [I]katana[/I] in his right hand and [I]kodachi[/I] in his left hand (The hilt shown in the picture is identical for the both blades). It is a style that promotes the parry speed of the dual-wielder, and aims to quickly penetrate ones defenses. Keiji's weapons are unique, with a high density and conductivity to allow small amounts of his energy to go down his blade. Consequentially, his blades are also very strong and near impossible to break. [B]Power:[/B] Keiji?s power has developed differently than his mistress? distance throwing capabilities, and instead has been fonder of closer-range arts. Like his mistress, he has the power of pyrokinesis, and summons forth fire through his palms. However, he discharges slightly larger, hotter balls of fire that a shorter distance than his mistress?. He can deflect short blasts of even water, by generating a short-lived heat shield that vaporizes the liquid into a gaseous state. All of his efforts fatigue him to a degree more noticeable than his mistress, but tireless training and full-fledged efforts have been slowly closing the gap. [B]Personality:[/B] Sharply contrasting with his elemental ability, Keiji?s head is undeniably cool, and his actions well thought out. Even under stressed situations, Keiji remains calm, reasoning, planning, strategizing ever step of the way. He is dedicated to whatever he sets his mind to, and works tirelessly to improve and hear the words ?Good job.? Off the field of battle, Keiji does not like to take risks, and tries is utmost to cater to his mistress. She had once explained to him that if she were displeased with him, she could send him away, his training incomplete, and that warning was all he needed. He rarely leaves her side, and always tries to think if his actions would make her proud. [B]Character Snippit:[/B] (I got into this... sorry if it's too long.) Sweat ran down his face, soaking his cloak?s neckline. He spared no instant to wipe his brow, for that was all the time it took to lose a battle. His eyes were dead-set on his mistress? soft face and relaxed features. The wind gently shook the trees, stirring the stagnant silence hanging over the pair. And in a blink of an eye, she was upon him in full flow. A massive orb of fire rocketed towards him, nearly impossible to block with his current skill. He flipped to the right, focusing fire into his fist as he did so. He had no time to think ? one, three, five blows to Keiji?s exposed chest sent him spinning across the dirt ground, kicking up slight clouds of dust in his wake. He gasped for a breath as he hurtled his fireball towards his oncoming mistress. It was only enough to singe her left shoulder, the main blow was deflected from a shield she had cast forth in mere instants. [B]?How??[/B] [B]?You?ll figure it out,?[/B] striking her disciple violently in the face on her last word. He drew at lightening speed, lopping off the fist that had landed a blow, with his kodachi. Or he thought he had cleaved her fist off. She was behind him, and a fireball?s heat was gnawing at his back. He flipped backwards, unleashing a fury of flares towards her. She blocked most, but one landed a direct hit on her right shin. He landed behind her, immediately stabbing at her back. The initial pain of his fire had nearly been enough to delay her the second it would?ve taken for him to win the duel. She flipped forwards, away from Keiji and fired a blast behind her to keep him at bay. It was a clear miss. Keiji was already to the side of it, and threw his kodachi at Shakaku?s neck. It approached her quickly, cutting a red line across the nape of her neck. Immediately it began to burn uncontrollably. She twitched in pain, and spun to face Keiji. Gone again. She had taught him well. [b]?AHHHHRRRG?[/b] He mustered all his strength, firing a fireball that encased all his power, all his reserves, all his will to rise again. The vocal noise provided enough warning for Shakaku to block her entire body with a shield of fire. The two entities clashed, sending sparks flying and huge plumes of smoke into all directions. He heard a scream of pain, followed by the sound of a fierce fire being blown out, and wondered if it was his soul. He shut his eyes, letting darkness encompass his fatigued body and spent energy. He awoke on a rough cot, his wounds properly bandaged and his mistress mending his kodachi. [b]?Keiji, you nearly ruined your kodachi with that queen?s gambit of yours. What were you thinking??[/b] She sounded irritated, speaking over the sound of metal grinding. [b]?I was thinking that? it was my only way to even have a chance. It was reckless, but without that distraction, I wouldn?t have had the chance to square off with your fire shield. My apologies, Ms. Ibashin'en.?[/b] He was downcast, and felt a new wave of pain and soreness wash over him to greet the new disappointment of failing his mistress. Again. [b]?But it was a grandly calculated risk?oh, don?t try to stand!?[/b] Keiji was shaking off the covers, but quickly followed the orders issued to him. [b]?Like I was saying, it paid off well, and I?m glad you realize you had to sacrifice something to have even the remote chance of beating me. Unfortunately, you only ended up causing me pain.?[/b] [b]?I'm very sorry.?[/b] [b]?You are forgiven.?[/b] The grinding began again, filling the hot room with overwhelming sound. [b]?May I go? back? and train again? I want to be better, and somehow I only have scars to show my failure. I want some to show triumph.?[/b] He pulled off a few bandages, and saw burn marks that would?ve permanently disfigured a regular person?s skin. He gritted his teeth as he put on comfortable clothes, being careful not to arouse too much pain from his wounds. [b]?No. You heal now ? you?re not learning anything involving muscles today. Today takes your brain.?[/b] He nodded eagerly, relieved to have something to remove his discouragement. She stopped sharpening his kodachi, and pulled out Go. She had explained to him many a time that the movements and strategies within the game mimicked that of swordplay. Intently, he stared as the pieces clattered onto the wooden board.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Thanks, Sun. Here's another piece I made ... I'm kind of running with this whole typographical art idea. [b]Complete[/b] [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/complete.jpg[/IMG] And please check the Banner/Avatar Orphanige in the Art Request for the banner version of this.[/SIZE]