Florida State football player Wyatt Sexton was arrested while claiming to be God. According to the wire piece:
“Police said Sexton “appeared to be under the influence of some unknown narcotic or alcohol.” Hospital officials said they didn’t have any information on him. Once at the hospital, Sexton continued to say he was God and that he didn’t know why he was in the hospital, Lyne wrote.”
Okay, but…what if he really IS God?
I mean, there are people who firmly believe that possession by Satan is a real condition, and requires exorcism to boot. So why is it any more farfetched to believe that, hey, God decided to drop by for a visit? Or…hey! Maybe he was overthrown and condemned to live in a human’s body. That would be cool. I think I’ll write that.
PAD
• 
Haha… Can’t wait to read that one.
Let’s hope he’s got health insurance. 🙂
Didn’t you already write this story with the character of “Wally” in your run on Supergirl?
Yes, that sounds like a good story, I also wait with baited breath to read that one.
Thats right…i forgot about Wally…
God would be smart enough to know that it would do no good to tell people you were God.
It’s like in a horror movie when there’s a vampire running around killing people and even though bloodless bodies are piling up with 2 puncture marks in their throat, nobody believes the kid when he tells them that he saw a vampire kill someone and turn into a bat. Now if this were me, I would tell the cops something that at least SOUNDED plausible– “Hey, my neighbor is a nut who THINKS he’s a vampire!” Zombies running amuck?–“Hey, there’s a bunch of kids on drugs! PCP! Shoot ’em in the head, otherwise they don’t feel it!”
On the other hand, if I know that a giant dinosaur is going to stomp on the city and nobody wants to believe me I’m just going to find a nice high point on a hill overlooking the carnage, settle down with a good pair of binoculars, and laugh my ášš off.
Perhaps there can be a God2 character as well, and they can be part of a God-continuum.
Hey, wait, does Wyatt Sexton look anything like George Burns or Morgan Freeman?
I heard a little about this on Bob and Tom this morning. I just caught the fact that he went to the Bonaroo festival this weekend, so maybe he had an enlightening music experience that was so powerful, he now serves as a living vessel for a higher power.
Or he found some good substances to abuse.
Any bets? Me personally, I’m 50-50…
Delusions of grandeur whether from drugs or from a state of psychosis doesn’t make you God. What if God or good and evil are just simple concepts made by man to better understand the world?
Oh, this would be nothing like Wally. This would be more of a flip of the Exorcist. In other words, I wouldn’t be ripping off myself. I’d be ripping off William Peter Blatty, which is MUCH more acceptable.
PAD
Stanley – “You are a nut case”
The Devil – “They said that about Jesus, they said that about Moses, they said that about Mohamed.”
Stanley – “They also said it about a lot of nut cases”.
Dudley Moore and Perter Cook, BEDAZZLED (1967)
Unless God wanted to be overthrown, who could do it?
Thats only if you assume he created everything, is omniscient, omnipresent, and all powerful, of course.
Hmm, did PAD just drop a hint about his initial new Fallen Angel arc?
Peter, I refer you to “The Humanic Complex” by Ray Russell, first printed in the December 1978 back issue of “The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction”.
Too bad he wasn’t arrested in Southern Cali. The jury would probably rule that he is God.
Kevin Smith played with this idea a bit in DOGMA. God was, by turns, Bud Cort and Alanis Morissette.
Actually PAD, speaking of book ideas, I had one for Apropos I think you should use.
It occurred to me, after listening to the audio tape of the Hobbit, that having a dragon squat on your vast treasure might make for a pretty good investment. After all, the dragon will continue to loot and pillage all those around him. In 20 or 30 years, it’s conceivable that your treasure will have grown expidentially. So, all you have to do at that point is hire some adventurers, promise them a cut of the profit, and have the dragon killed.
It’d be the middle ages equivilent of stocks and bonds.
>> Unless God wanted to be overthrown, who could do it?
Bill Gates. Everyone keeps saying he has more than God….
Maybe he wanted to get some skeeball in.
“Unless God wanted to be overthrown, who could do it?”
Well, anyone, really. You don’t believe his PR campaign about being all powerful, do you?
Now Peter, the more important question… if you do write this story, and God is in human form, will he vote Democrat, Republican or “throw his vote away”?
Could even God break the two party system in the U.S.? (I doubt it.)
Peter, you might want to track down the British mini-series The Second Coming that came out a few years ago, starring Christopher Eccleston (the current and outgoing Doctor Who) as an average guy from Manchester who suddenly discovers he’s actually the son of God. Great stuff.
And Eric Pilgrim, I hope you meant bated breath, otherwise if what you said was literally true, I’m not sure people will want to get close to you for a while.
Or…hey! Maybe he was overthrown and condemned to live in a human’s body. That would be cool. I think I’ll write that.
PAD
You know, somebody will claim it’s just a rip-off of the Glory arc on “Buffy.” Ignore them. They know not of what they speak.
Brad, as PAD said, this story would be nothing like Wally, whom, as I recall, was either A) a traumitized little boy using his “belief” he was God to cope with his trauma; B) God, taking the form of a little boy (and perhaps giving those around him false memories of that “boy’s” life) it order to move about in the world, giving some degree of direct help to Linda and others; or C), some combination of the above.
You know, I hadn’t thought of it for a long time, but back in 1993 or 1994, I started to write a story about a guy who meets a young girl on the London Underground who claims to be God. I haven’t finished it— yet— because I’m still not sure where the story’s going. All I know is that, yes, she really is God; and no, she’s not “possessing” a human being. Nor is she in any sort of exile. She also tells the guy (who has the POV) that no matter whom people have described when they’ve been talking about a god over the millennia, they’ve been talking about her. Divine names are as one to her. She’ll answer to any of them. She even manifested in whatever form(s) people expected to see, male and/or female.
Which raises the question as to whether God has taken the form of a little girl because _God_ chose to do so; or because the guy, perhaps subconsciously, wanted to see God in that form. I’m pretty sure I raised that issue in the story, but don’t recall which is the case (assuming I’d gotten around to answering the question- at least in my own notes).
As to _why_ she’s on the tube with this guy, who (apparently) just wants to do his crossword puzzle in peace and thinks she’s just some smart-alec brat, I’ll have to re-read what I’ve written. I’m sure I had her give _some_ sort of explanation for her being a bit more down to Earth at the moment.
Now that I’ve been reminded of that story, I’m going to have to take another look at it and see about finishing it. That and the dozen or so other projects I’m working on.
On the notion of God being overthrown, it reminds me of a joke some comedian (I forget whom) once said about Satan’s rebellion. It went something like this:
“Let’s see, God’s all powerful, all knowing; can go anywhere, and do anything. Yeah, I think I can take him.”
Rick
Tell Joan maybe he can get her series back.
Not a bad idea, although the God/Satan analogy doesn’t quite work. Sexton didn’t claim to be possessed by God; he claimed he is God. If I have a loaf of bread in my hand, I possess it. I can make it do certain things, quite wonderful things like convert it into French toast (or Freedom toast, if you will.) But I am not the loaf of bread. I am a free man.
Pointlessly yours,
Dave O’Connell
Not a bad idea, although the God/Satan analogy doesn’t quite work. Sexton didn’t claim to be possessed by God; he claimed he is God. If I have a loaf of bread in my hand, I possess it. I can make it do certain things, quite wonderful things like convert it into French toast (or Freedom toast, if you will.) But I am not the loaf of bread. I am a free man.
Pointlessly yours,
Dave O’Connell
Umm, PAD you need to watch Dogma before you start writing anything. Kevin Smith already wrote that scene where God is trapped in a human body/host. Although, technically he isn’t possessing someone.
I wrote a one-act monologue in college (playwriting class). It was G-d as a teenager. Basically, G-d decided to live life as a human in order to understand our perscpective better. No omens or any divine conception, just implanting his “entity” in a randomly chosen embryo at the moment of conception. This was supposed to be an anonymouos trip through human life without the knowledge that he happened to be G-d and has no special abilities whatsoever. Until something goes wrong one week before the monologue takes place… puberty. Somehow this messed up this divine experiment and he realizes who he is and what he can do. Only, he can’t control his abilities nor stop the experiment…
PAD, you are welcome to take the direction of my play (with appropriate credit should you decide to publish, of course). Regardless, I look forward to your product!
Daniel
being an avid college football fan, and being that the Florida State Seminoles are my favorite team, i just would like to say that if God is our quarterback then we are going all the way this year, baby!!!!!!!
on the other hand he may have been tripping on acid in which case we are so screwed!!!
oops, pardon my typos and grammar boo-boo.
Daniel
BTW, I got severely criticized for naming my character G-d instrad of God. It’s just an old habit, and I am a Reform Jew. I’m still amazed that he didn’t just verbally ask before writing on for a page or two about how inappropriate it was to use the alternate spelling without clearly working it into the dialogue. The professor honestly thought it was supposed to be pronouced “G dash d”, and found it to be just bad playwriting beacuse it was so confusing to the audience. How I pity the ignorant who don’t ask questions and jump to conclusions…
I actually did this back when I was a teenager.
Y’see, I grew up in a town around 40 minutes from Bob Jones University. I used to go to our 4 block or so “downtown” every day to get a decent newspaper. One day, there was what seemed to be the complete senior class from Bob Jones, one every few yards, practicing their preaching/salesmanship techniques on the passers-by.
Now, most of the people in the town actually liked this. But I didn’t. So I thought about how to deal with it, since it seemed they’d be up there for the rest of the week.
Next day, the first one hits me with “Do you believe in Jesus?”. I respond with “Yes, my son, I do, for I am the way and the light since I am the second coming of Christ.” And I then proceed to thank him for doing good work in my name and basically preached at him; at the time I’d done enough biblical research while deciding on my own lack of belief that I could hold my own on such with pretty much anyone short of a full-fledged seminary student.
At any rate, this wasn’t in their instruction manual. So he basically just looked at me with a “How the heck do I respond to *this*?” expression. I finished up and kept walking. The next one starts in, and I repeat with variations. I notice hand signals being made.
I wasn’t bothered for the rest of the week; just tossed out the occasional “Thank you for your work in my name” comments to keep up the persona. They were totally unprepared for having their sort of actions (“God talks directly to us”) mirrored back at them with an upping of the ante. Or else they decided the smartass 14 year old wasn’t worth the effort.
:sigh: Et tu, Peter?
Aren’t there enough stories based on the assumption that omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, and holiness are only ideas that came from man?
How about instead a story that presents some character or entity as God where He actually meets biblical descriptions, yet is bafflingly different from everyone’s expectations?
Anyway the story was done way before Dogma. It’s called the Gospel. He overthrew Himself, in a manner of speaking.
Posted by: Tom Galloway at June 15, 2005 06:21 PM
“I actually did this back when I was a teenager.
(SNIPPED)
The first one hits me with “Do you believe in Jesus?”. I respond with “Yes, my son, I do, for I am the way and the light since I am the second coming of Christ.” And I then proceed to thank him for doing good work in my name and basically preached at him;
SNIPPED
They were totally unprepared for having their sort of actions (“God talks directly to us”) mirrored back at them with an upping of the ante.”
Note to self: Build time machine; go hang out with Tom Galloway as a teenager.
Rick
If a demon is exorcised with “The power of Christ compels you”, by what power do you excise God?
—————-
At a Big Apple convention a couple years back, a kid (about 12 or 13) ran past my table, very happy about something, & shouted “THANK YOU, GOD!”. I called after him “You’re Welcome”. He came to a schreeching halt & spun around looking all over to see where the response came from.
Does God have a nickname? Q perhaps? Or George Burns?
“Does God have a nickname? Q perhaps? Or George Burns?”
My vote is Aretha
garbonzo
First date…. “Are you there Margaret, it’s me God.”
rahnefan: If you go by how people exercise their faith, just being omni-everything WOULD baffle them.
Mind you, writing for characters without flaws or weaknesses is very difficult. It’s usually in overcoming their flaws that a character becomes interesting.
C’mon. If he were God, wouldn’t he possess someone from the NFL, like one of the Patriots, or the Cowboys? Why would he possess someone from Florida State? 🙂
I have to agree and say that you have to get a copy of The Second Coming featuring Eccleston. heck, on a Dr. Who note, they just announced that not only will there be a second sesaon of the new show, but they comissioned a second Christmas special as well as a third season.
As for this God guy, maybe he is and that he’s taken up a new sport other than skeeball.
Odd that this piece just showed up in the news ( via the Obscure Store )
“David Blaine has been using my godly powers to perform his magic”
That’s what a Minnesota man says in his lawsuit. “I want back-pay compensation — 10 percent past/future career earnings. Estimating 10 percent of past career earnings of over $2,000,000.” (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/5455405.html
For those that argue that it would be impossible to dethrone God might I suggest you watch the news or pick up a paper?
Maybe God’s just pìššëd because they cancelled Joan of Arcadia.
Who knows, but I believe God is among us and watching over us. Here’s the proof:
WASHINGTON – In a slap at President Bush, lawmakers voted Wednesday to block the Justice Department and the FBI from using the Patriot Act to peek at library records and bookstore sales slips.
Hahahhahahhahahahhahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!
“As for this God guy, maybe he is and that he’s taken up a new sport other than skeeball.”
I don’t know. I think it’s a bit of a stretch to call getting stoned a sport.
“Maybe God’s just pìššëd because they cancelled Joan of Arcadia.”
*gasp* I think the answer is right in front of us. Maybe God actually has finally gotten fed up with PAD’s foul language. 😉
-Rex Hondo-
“Next day, the first one hits me with “Do you believe in Jesus?”. I respond with “Yes, my son, I do, for I am the way and the light since I am the second coming of Christ.” And I then proceed to thank him for doing good work in my name and basically preached at him”
I did the same thing years ago to a guy at Port Authority. I was just standing there and he came up to me and asked me if I was interested in the word of Jesus. I smiled at him beatifically and said, “I am Jesus.” He looked rattled and said, “No, you’re not.” I said, “Yes I am, my son. And I thank you for spreading my word.” That was all I needed to say and he lit out of there.
My former brother-in-law, a rabbi, was once driving somewhere, and while stuck at a red light, some guy waving a bible came at him shouting New Testament scripture. The rabbi just picked up his own bible from the compartment next to him and waved it back at the guy, and he went away.
Then there was the time I was seventeen, actually allowed two Jehovah’s witnesses into my parent’s house ’cause I was bored, and proceeded to explain to them that we were Druids…
PAD
Strangely, whenever I tell those people who go door-to-door trying to spread their version of the truth that I am Jewish, they smile and leave. I guess they think I can’t be “saved”.
Come to think of it, it’s probably just the Beyonder paying a visit for this SECRET WARS stuff.
JC
Peter David wrote:
> Or…hey! Maybe he was overthrown and
> condemned to live in a human’s body. That
> would be cool. I think I’ll write that.
You’re bringing Don Blake back to Thor?
PAD said:
My former brother-in-law, a rabbi, was once driving somewhere, and while stuck at a red light, some guy waving a bible came at him shouting New Testament scripture. The rabbi just picked up his own bible from the compartment next to him and waved it back at the guy, and he went away.
That reminds me of how I got the Army recruiters to stop calling me. When I was just out of high school, this one guy called EVERYDAY for a week. I saying no. When he asked what my college major was, I said film. He said the Army needed people to shoot film footage for them. So I said: “Will I get to shoot pictures of scientists disecting aliens?” Then he said: “That doesn’t happen.” To which I replied: “Yeah… that’s what you want me to think.” They never called again. Neither did the NAVY or Airforce. Neither did Will Smith or Tommy Lee Jones.
I’ve got something even better. Recently, evangelist Jimmy Swaggart came under fire for his angry response to his hatred of gays…from gay groups. Now pay attentions, because this is interesting. He said:
“I’m going to be blunt and plain: If one ever looks at me like that, I’m going to kill him and tell God he died,” Swaggart said in the broadcast.
Now think about this. Swaggart is going to lie to God. Would this work? Is Swaggart’s God not omniscient? Wouldn’t he know that Swaggart was lying? Why would Swaggart feel it necessary to lie to God?
Or, even more sinister. Does God not want to actually come out and tell Swaggart to kill gays, but is insisting on this deception? This was used in the movie “The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre” when Al Capone gave his approval to killing Bugs Moran by saying to send Bugs a valentine, “and just make sure it’s a big RED one!”
Why would God not want to appear to hate gays? Exactly what is God afraid of? Perhaps God is trying to hide what He is doing…because He’s worried about the God that’s on a level above Him?