Love Wins

Hello. Sorry for my absence. I've just finished my exams, and was enjoying my freedom by lying on the sofa doing absolutely nothing. But today is a huge day in history.
I'm not American. I live in the UK, where same sex marriage has been legal for a few years.

But marriage equality in all 50 states is incredible. And I want to talk about it.

Clarification: 1. To those of you who disagree with my views, please don't leave any mean comments below about my beliefs or about homosexuality. I realise that there is a minority that have different opinions, but I do not want these expressed in an offensive way that attacks me, my beliefs, or the LGBTQ community.

2. I am a Christian, so all of my views take my religious beliefs into account.

As I just mentioned, I am a Christian. I think the most important part of being a Christian is loving everyone unconditionally. I realise that there are many, many quotes in the Bible speaking of how wrong being gay is. But there are also many, many quotes speaking of how women are the inferior sex and should submit to their husbands and speaking of stoning those who are not virgins when they get married (to clarify, I will not have sex before marriage, but I recognise that it is something that happens today). Firstly, if we were to follow everything the Bible says, we, as a religion, would be participating in old-fashioned and brutal beliefs and punishments. We would be treating women as objects, only to speak when spoken to, to not participate in discussions and debates, to not have an opinion. The majority of men and women would have been stoned to death by now. There are countless examples of things said and done in the Bible that just aren't socially acceptable today. So why, why do some believe that it is fine to discriminate people against something they can't control?

That's like me saying that everybody with blue eyes is wrong and unnatural. They can't control it. And neither can people born gay. Seriously, do you think people in the past would have willingly become homosexual, with the punishments that came with it back then? And now, why would anyone choose to have that kind of discrimination and hurtful protests, comments and campaigns against them?

Secondly, the Bible contradicts itself all the time. I mentioned above, the Bible talks of all sorts of socially unacceptable things. And then it speaks of loving everyone and treating the world as equal. It speaks of everyone being made in God's image. Everyone. The Bible does not say "Heterosexuals are made in God's image". Everyone. 

I know I can't change people's minds, and I know so many people disagree with me. But so many agree with me. And that gives me hope. That the next generation will have less of this discrimination, and more of this love and equality. And the generation after that will have more than the previous. And the next also. And the next. And the next. And the next. Until everyone is accepted and everyone is equal and everyone can be who they were born to be.

Love always wins and always will.

And it has won today - June 26th 2015. The beginning of the end for discrimination.

Love Wins.

- B

twitter, films, reading and all that jazz

Hey guys. :)

1. I now have Twitter - yay! If you would like to follow me, just click the link - @bethandowns. It's basically just my weird thoughts and occasional nerd things. :)

2. I just saw Age of Ultron for the second time yesterday with a few of my friends and it was still as amazing as it was the first time! I'm so excited for Infinity War (eventually) so I can swoon over all of the attractive people... And, ya know, the story is going to be amazing... *coughs*

I was also wondering - do you guys enjoy reading my blog? Or does it bore you? Are there things you would rather see me post about or talk about? Would you like more book reviews, film reviews, general thoughts, writings? Whatever you want. Please please please let me know in the comments!

What are you guys reading at the moment? I've just started the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas. I read The Assassin's Blade, a prequel book of five short stories, in a day and a bit, which was absolutely amazing! I've now started Throne of Glass, the first book in the series, and I shall begin to make my way slowly through that. I won't be able to read as much as fast as I used to, just because of working towards exams, but any spare time I have will be put towards reading. I would definitely, definitely recommend this series!

I'm really sorry for the lack of structure to my posts at the moment. I have nothing really to post about, and a limited amount of time to post, so I don't have hours to think about something big and meaningful to write about. I just ramble, typing away for maybe 15 minutes, and then it's straight back to work, or off to bed. Hopefully in the summer I'll have some better posts for you guys!

Right, back to work.

Love you all ♥

- B
xxx

2015 - the perfect year for movies

Hello friends! :)

After weeks and months of not going to the cinema, I went on Thursday to see the new Marvel film Avengers: Age of Ultron  and it was ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! I love Marvel so much but wow, they really out-did themselves. I loved the twns Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch and I loved that we were given a more detailed story for Hawkeye, played by Jeremy Renner. I can't wait for Infinity War parts 1 & 2, which will include everything in the current Marvel universe - the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos, and possibly Spiderman. Going to be AH-MA-ZIIINNNGGGG.

I then went to see the live action version of Cinderella yesterday, which again was amazing, but obviously in a different way. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White will never be one of my favourite original Disney princess films because there is so little substance to the "true love". But the writers of the live action Cinderella were obviously aware of this and gave some back story to Cinderella and Prince Charming. They meet before the ball in the woods and, during the ball, they dance but also talk and get to know each other. It was absolutely adorable and I'm now super excited for Beauty and the Beast, as it's my favourite Disney princess film (as well as Mulan) and the cast that's been announced so far is perfect.

So those are the films I've seen. But there are so many more coming out this year that I'm excited for.

Jurassic World with Chris Pratt - *swoon* - is out June 12th, which I'm so excited for. I loved the Jurassic Park trilogy growing up and I'm so excited for this new one.

Ant-Man with Paul Rudd is out July 17th, which looks hilarious and also, Marvel.

Fantastic Four with Miles Teller is out 7th August, which is going to be awesome! Again, I loved the previous film as a child and I'm super excited for the reboot.

Mockingjay Pt. 2 with the best cast in the world comes out around 20th November, which I just ashjgsfashf no words.

AND THEN STAR WARS COMES OUT IN DECEMBER CHILDHOOD OMGGGGGG.

I'm pretty happy. I'm super excited. And I just can't wait to see all these films.

2015 is going to be a year filled with cinema trips and happy tears.

Love you all loads ♥

- B
xxxx

i can never think of post titles...

Hi guys!

I know it's been a while, but I've been working hard for my exams and haven't had much time for doing things that I love - I haven't read, slept solidly, done anything with my friends that didn't include revision in a long, looonnngggg time. The majority of my holidays have been pajama days - which I am no complaining about! - and I think I've left the house for something that wasn't revision based a total of once. And then I came straight home and did revision with the friend.

I have no life anymore. :0

And with all of this work, I also have homework, tests, controlled assessments and work experience. Plus more non-academic things, like..... actually, I can't think of anything non-academic that I've been doing a lot lately. If I've ever had a break from revision, it's either been to eat, to sleep, or a one-off hour or so when we went on a food shop. Oh dear....

I'll never stop though - I want and need the good grades, and I'm willing to have a non-existent social life if it means As and A*s.

Because of the constant revision, I've been listening to a lot of music (I've also started going on jogs just to get out of the house. Whhaaattt????? Bethan doing exercise?! :0 ). I've recently been loving James Bay's album Chaos and the Calm. There are so many great songs on that album - I love them all. My three favourites are down below - please have a little listen, as they are beaaauutttiiful songs.

Best Fake Smile

Clocks Go Forward

Need The Sun To Break

Just check out his album, it's so beautiful ♥

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! I had a very last-minute, make-shift Easter egg hunt, where we couldn't find any small chocolate eggs, so wrapped up bundles of mini eggs in tin foil, which was a lot of fun. :)

After finishing PLL (I finished it the day of the finale - OH MY GOD IF YOU WATCH PLL CAN WE TALK IN THE COMMENTS BELOW BECAUSE I NEED TO DISCUSS) I needed something to fill the void of mindless binge-watching when I'm too tired to do anything else. So I've recently started watching New Girl, and it's so cute and so funny!!! I love Nick and Jess together sososososososo much ♥ I'm currently on Season 3 and I'm really really enjoying it. :) Do any of you guys watch PLL? Or New Girl? Or both?

Love you guys ♥

- B

xxx