Nat is in the valley of the shadow of death
@natlaowai.bsky.social
Originally from greater Los Angeles, lived in China 15 years, now in the San Joaquin Valley. White grey ace cishet, he/him. Religion, politics, depression, classical music.
Pinned
The reason only Pharisees survived is that other groups like the Sadducees were deeply attached to the Temple, which the Romans (same schmucks who killed Jesus) destroyed. It was the Pharisees who had the attachment to the Torah, something the Romans did not destroy.
Dear Christians:
If you need help avoiding antisemitism, a great rule of thumb is BLAME THE ROMANS. This ought in theory to be something that you can instinctively do, since they flippin' killed your Saviour. And it's remarkably often correct.
If you need help avoiding antisemitism, a great rule of thumb is BLAME THE ROMANS. This ought in theory to be something that you can instinctively do, since they flippin' killed your Saviour. And it's remarkably often correct.
I don't have a joke about Enoch because God took it.
I have a joke about Job, but all my friends blame me for it.
I tried to make a joke about Genesis, but I couldn't just make one up out of nowhere.
December 9, 2025 at 2:32 AM
I don't have a joke about Enoch because God took it.
I have a joke about Job, but all my friends blame me for it.
I tried to make a joke about Genesis, but I couldn't just make one up out of nowhere.
I had a joke about Numbers, but it didn’t add up.
December 9, 2025 at 1:55 AM
I have a joke about Job, but all my friends blame me for it.
I had a joke about Isaac, but I couldn't see anyone liking it.
I had a joke about Jacob/Yisrael, but I really wrestled with posting it
I have a joke about Narcissus, but I’d be seriously dating myself
December 8, 2025 at 2:08 AM
I had a joke about Isaac, but I couldn't see anyone liking it.
One of the most important steps toward logical thinking is to realize that you are prone to illogical thinking. No one is immune to fallacies. Accepting that fact is the first step toward being able to work through fallacious thinking.
December 7, 2025 at 9:15 PM
One of the most important steps toward logical thinking is to realize that you are prone to illogical thinking. No one is immune to fallacies. Accepting that fact is the first step toward being able to work through fallacious thinking.
Tiger gotta hunt, bird gotta fly,
Man gotta sit and wonder "why, why, why"?
Tiger gotta sleep, bird gotta land,
Man gotta tell himself he understand.
Man gotta sit and wonder "why, why, why"?
Tiger gotta sleep, bird gotta land,
Man gotta tell himself he understand.
Which lines of poetry live rent-free in your head?
December 7, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Tiger gotta hunt, bird gotta fly,
Man gotta sit and wonder "why, why, why"?
Tiger gotta sleep, bird gotta land,
Man gotta tell himself he understand.
Man gotta sit and wonder "why, why, why"?
Tiger gotta sleep, bird gotta land,
Man gotta tell himself he understand.
Jewish friends, I’m not sure about this one…
Pumpkin Spice Menorah
December 6, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Jewish friends, I’m not sure about this one…
Reposted by Nat is in the valley of the shadow of death
Ridi, Pagliaccio!
December 5, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Ridi, Pagliaccio!
As we watch all branches of our government torch the constitution and the rule of law, we make jokes about it to maintain our sanity. Doctor, we truly are all pagliacci.
December 6, 2025 at 7:34 PM
As we watch all branches of our government torch the constitution and the rule of law, we make jokes about it to maintain our sanity. Doctor, we truly are all pagliacci.
Shutter Island
Name a film with lots of rain.
December 6, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Shutter Island
Ridi, Pagliaccio!
December 5, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Ridi, Pagliaccio!
Reposted by Nat is in the valley of the shadow of death
This became Un ballo in maschera, and the king become the Earl of Warwick, who apparently also serves as Governor of Boston [sic]. Mind you, these were dealing with Austrian censors with control over Northern Italy, not the French ones he deal with for Don Carlos, which premiered in Paris.
December 4, 2025 at 5:00 AM
This became Un ballo in maschera, and the king become the Earl of Warwick, who apparently also serves as Governor of Boston [sic]. Mind you, these were dealing with Austrian censors with control over Northern Italy, not the French ones he deal with for Don Carlos, which premiered in Paris.
Reposted by Nat is in the valley of the shadow of death
Portraying kings negatively didn't tend to go well for Verdi. He famously was forced to turn the king his adaptation of Hugo's Le roi s'amuse into a Duke (the opera in question is Rigoletto). Later, his opera about the assassination of Swedish King Gustav III had to be relocated to colonial Boston.
December 4, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Portraying kings negatively didn't tend to go well for Verdi. He famously was forced to turn the king his adaptation of Hugo's Le roi s'amuse into a Duke (the opera in question is Rigoletto). Later, his opera about the assassination of Swedish King Gustav III had to be relocated to colonial Boston.
Reposted by Nat is in the valley of the shadow of death
Interesting. The article also seems to describe some amount of liberalization toward the end of the Second Empire. Perhaps that explains how Don Carlos got through.
The reason I even thought of this is that this opera does not present King Philip II of Spain in a very positive light.
The reason I even thought of this is that this opera does not present King Philip II of Spain in a very positive light.
December 4, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Interesting. The article also seems to describe some amount of liberalization toward the end of the Second Empire. Perhaps that explains how Don Carlos got through.
The reason I even thought of this is that this opera does not present King Philip II of Spain in a very positive light.
The reason I even thought of this is that this opera does not present King Philip II of Spain in a very positive light.
What was the censorship situation in 1867 Paris?
This question brought to you by my musings on Verdi’s opera Don Carlos.
This question brought to you by my musings on Verdi’s opera Don Carlos.
December 4, 2025 at 4:30 AM
What was the censorship situation in 1867 Paris?
This question brought to you by my musings on Verdi’s opera Don Carlos.
This question brought to you by my musings on Verdi’s opera Don Carlos.
If you’re dating a musician named Parton? That’s Dollyamory.
Don’t even THINK about trying something, Jolene.
Don’t even THINK about trying something, Jolene.
If your thing is constructing elaborate fantasy scenarios that give the person you're dating the illusion of moral responsibility in order to distract them from a larger structural injustice they are powerless to intervene in?
That's trollyamory.
That's trollyamory.
If your thing is about only dating folks you meet while rolling on E at a rave..?
That’s mollyamory
(do not @ me about the differences between MDMA and ecstasy, I am quite aware and am conflating them for the joke. It’s a joke.)
That’s mollyamory
(do not @ me about the differences between MDMA and ecstasy, I am quite aware and am conflating them for the joke. It’s a joke.)
December 3, 2025 at 11:40 PM
If you’re dating a musician named Parton? That’s Dollyamory.
Don’t even THINK about trying something, Jolene.
Don’t even THINK about trying something, Jolene.
NAT says he hopes to swear AT JOHNSON
December 3, 2025 at 3:52 PM
NAT says he hopes to swear AT JOHNSON
It just now comes to my mind that this resembles a Twilight Zone episode called Judgment Night. It's worth a watch. Especially if your name is Pete Hegseth.
After World War II, 3 German U-boat crewmen were sentenced to death for machine-gunning Allied sailors who were clinging to life rafts after their boat was sunk.
It's long been known in the military that this is a war crime. Pete Hegseth must be fired and prosecuted.
It's long been known in the military that this is a war crime. Pete Hegseth must be fired and prosecuted.
December 3, 2025 at 3:42 PM
It just now comes to my mind that this resembles a Twilight Zone episode called Judgment Night. It's worth a watch. Especially if your name is Pete Hegseth.
Great news out of Tennessee tonight. Probably about as good as we could have hoped for. GOP are cooked next year if these shadows remain unchanged.
December 3, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Great news out of Tennessee tonight. Probably about as good as we could have hoped for. GOP are cooked next year if these shadows remain unchanged.
No one is asking for this.
December 2, 2025 at 1:53 AM
No one is asking for this.
I 🩷 1A
December 1, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I 🩷 1A
Sigh. The day after Thanksgiving break is coming and I am not here for it.
December 1, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Sigh. The day after Thanksgiving break is coming and I am not here for it.
I have a joke about Jael, but I have no stake in its reception.
I have a joke about Balaam, but telling it makes me look like such an ass.
I have a joke about Elisha, but he can’t bear you laughing at it.
November 29, 2025 at 8:17 PM
I have a joke about Jael, but I have no stake in its reception.
Ya think?
Wow: JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon seems to think that companies involved with Trump's ballroom project could be criminally prosecuted. thehill.com/business/559...
November 29, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Ya think?
I have a joke about Balaam, but telling it makes me look like such an ass.
I have a joke about Elisha, but he can’t bear you laughing at it.
November 29, 2025 at 6:58 PM
I have a joke about Balaam, but telling it makes me look like such an ass.
I have a joke about Jesus, but I never seem to quite nail it.
I have a joke about Zacchaeus, but it’s short.
November 29, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I have a joke about Jesus, but I never seem to quite nail it.