You look like God!

Yes, I could go on and on about how much I missed all of you, Hulu and even my stupid farm. I could tell you I actually cried Wednesday night because I missed the internet (my main intellectual/creative/social outlet.) I could tell you that I've already ready every Rowling, Pratchett, and Bujold in my house at least a dozen times, and that I've spent the last four days up to my eyeballs in the dead tree copy of my grandmother's cult hit "Born in Zion." Or I could just jump right into new materials.

From "Born in Zion" Chapter 9: Rhema (a personal revelation or word from God.) Gig wrote a whole chapter of little stories about people (mostly ｈer) getting *exact quotes* from God. Now, she quotes God and Satan both a lot in this book (and not from the Bible, just her own thoughts) but this one really takes the cake.

I was with Lucia and Tony Padrone, very early in their labor, just the three of us sitting around the table in their kitchen. They're gorgeous people, typically Italian and strikingly alike in appearance: medium build, straight noses, full lips, dark eyes, curly brown hair and smooth olive skin.

At one point the conversation lulled, and I made the comment: "Which ever one of you the baby resembles, he'll look like you both. You look enough alike to be twins."

Lucia laughed. "Of course. I'm Tony's rib, so we have the same genetic code, and it's no wonder we look alike."

*facepalm!* That's not how genetics works. (And fyi, men and women have the same number of ribs.)

"Most married people grow to resemble each other, don't you think?" Tony asked.

"Well, maybe they kind of match," I agreed.

We discussed several couples we knew in common, trying to see where they had physical trait alike, coloring or body type or even more often, mannerisms and gestures.

It's important to note here that my grandmother, and most of the people she associated with at the time she wrote this, did not condone interracial marriage. So when she says people had similar coloring, what she means is that she approves of Italian marrying Italians and Jews marrying Jews and African-American marrying African-Americans. True to her form, she did treat individuals and individual couples differently from her broad general view: when a red-headed Irish woman and an African-American man in her congregation married, she didn't cut ties with them or anything like that. She even accepted the black guy I was dating a few years ago, because she knew him as an individual (a pretty cool one at that) and not as a (racist) stereotype.

Also, seeking confirmation bias, much? "trying to see where they had physical trait alike." That just sounds like her approach to everything. Make a generalization or non-scientific observation, decide it's true, and quickly gather data points or ideas to support it. (Can you see yet why I love critical thinking so much?)

Then I left the room for some reason, and as I walked down the hall I wa speaking to the Lord on the same subject. I commented, "I never did look like either one of my husbands."

"True," the Lord replied. "But every now and then, just a little bit, you're beginning to look like Me."

Why am I guessing most Christians wouldn't agree that a self-centered, gluttinous, irresponsible, (twice divorced) baby-killing WOMAN is really all that godly? And yet, they didn't. Over and over again, I saw pastors deferring to her, and men submitting their wives' health to her - all because they thought she had some special pipeline to the almighty, and her ramblings were really revelation.

Oh, what a glory!

She throws in Glory! in this book a lot, and it's incredibly fake. It just sticks out like a sore thumb as this thing she never ever said in real life.

Every unmarried Christian woman knows the wonderful Scripture in Isaiah 54:5, "For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name." This principle of married couples looking alike was beginning to apply to me and my present Husband. Isn't that wonderful?

Look at me, I'm so godly. Look, I have the Lord's Seal of Approval (that I just invented!) Let's just ignore all who don't know that verse. Also, it is not a "principle" that married couples look alike. Woody Allen does not look like Soon-Yi Previn. And even though they're much closer in age, both in Hollywood, an both gorgeous, Brad and Angelina don't actually look that much like each other. (Your bone structure does not magically change when you say "I do.")

Of course, in age, gender, racial characteristics, coloring and physique I'm almost nothing like a thirty-three-year old Semitic man who lived an active, outdoor life in a desert country. But that's not what He meant.　He meant on the inside; He looks on the heart. Maybe nobody else can see it, but when He looks into my heart, He can once in a while, somehow see a little something of Himself.

Galloping narcissism folks, let me tell you it is not fun to grow up with. How can you argue with someone who so clearly has God her side, right? Of course, this is why second hand revelation is necessarily hearsay. As a child I found it compelling, and the people who read her books and came away from it with a sense that this woman was really godly probably didn't realize that she just gave herself God's endorsement. *It doesn't make it true.* Not for her, or Pope Been-a-dick or Joseph Smith or Mohammad. This is why evidence matters, folks, and not just what some prophet claims God told them.

And now, without any justification other than the fact that I've missed posting funny videos the past few days, Ninja Cat.



p.s. I'll be responding to comments on earlier posts over the next couple of days. I *will* continue the Mercy Ministries posts and other series. I just have to get this garbage from my grandmother out of my system.


p.p.s. I've read so many amazing Bujold quotes the past several days I decided I need to close every post with them until whatever need to express myself through her words is sated. Today's quote is from "Memory."

Harrah was silent for long enough for Lem to paass around the stone jug one last time, in the dim moonlight and shadows. Then she said, "You go on. You just go on. There's nothing more to it, and there's no trick to make it easier. You just go on."

"What do you find on the other side? When you go on?"

She shrugged. "Your life again. What else?"