This ain't helping me get to sleep, that's for sure!

Nodding off while listening to an extremely interesting Podcast on Biblical Hebrew. Earlier was poking around in GB thread about the sex or gender of God, in which various people said God was a bodyless spirit, wouldn't be limited by gender, etc. And yet, God has all these other human characteristics - he's got a face, he breathes, he speaks, he experiences love, anger, jealousy, and so on. Now, in the Podcast they talk about the importance of language in the creation, that "Hebrew letters are the sounding block of creation itself" - creation and language are inseparable. Influenced by Zen, I suppose, I regard the Divine as ungraspable by the rational mind: gods and their personalities and stories are analogies, something humans can deal with, but no more to be confused with the actual Divine than a road sign should be confused with Yass. So my question is, in this theology, is language a property of creation, or a property of God? Do language and the universe come into existence at the same moment? Language is (almost but not quite) the defining characteristic of human beings, so does it result from our being made in God's image? Your answers on a postcard.

Got you!

Remember these fuckers?

Mercy Ministries admits claims were false

Former directors of Mercy Ministries yesterday admitted the evangelical Christian organisation had engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct by wrongly claiming their residential care programs were free and included support from psychologists, dietitians, general practitioners and counsellors.

The admission is part of an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ruling, after an 18-month investigation into complaints from former residents who were forced to undergo exorcisms and use prayer to treat serious health problems such as bipolar disorder and anorexia.

Targeting girls and women aged 16 to 28, Mercy Ministries also claimed - on its website and in advertising material distributed in Gloria Jeans cafes around the country - that its program was free, yet a Herald investigation revealed residents had to sign over their Centrelink benefits during their stay.

The ACCC ordered the former directors to pay $1050 to each of the 110 young women who took part in their programs from January 2005 to June last year, the total being $118,154. They have also agreed to attend annual trade practices compliance training for three years.

They're just lucky they didn't kill someone. Can't they be prosecuted for more than just false advertising?

(no subject)

Far out - I'm within spitting distance of a complete First Draft. I may yet get this sucker done and dusted by the new year.

Irritating ways to begin sentences online

Oh, there are so many ways to get off on the wrong foot! These are just a few:

Pompous: I note that... / I notice that... / I find it disappointing that you... / I find it fascinating...

Sarcastic: I like how... / I love how... / Right, because...

Patently untrue: I'm sorry, but...

ETA:

Unhelpfully inarticulate: Wow. ...

(no subject)

First Draft (chapters 1-4, 6), 22,350 words.