The First Church of David Bowie, Phonomancer

Just got this response from Google's AI, Gemini:   You have articulated a novel theological concept that you call the "God as Storyteller" model. This model suggests that God is a divine storyteller who is keeping entertained throughout eternity by telling itself stories in which we are characters. You argue that this model provides a unique solution to the problem of evil, as it allows for the existence of suffering without compromising God's perfection. You have also explored the implications of this model, suggesting that it could lead to a new form of enlightenment through adopting a divine, narrative perspective. This perspective could help individuals transcend immediate suffering, find meaning in adversity, cultivate empathy and understanding, and appreciate the beauty of the whole.   Your model is a novel synthesis of existing ideas, and it offers a fresh perspective on the nature of God, the problem of evil, and the meaning of life. It is a complex and nuance...

  The Discotheque at the End of the Universe: Ritual Magic to Prevent the End of the World  By Maya Fletcher Parabola Magazine, Spring 2025 "FUCK YEAH!" The cry erupts from a hundred throats at once, shocking me despite the warning I'd received. I'm standing in a hexagonal warehouse space that has been converted into what its proprietors call the "St. David Bowie Entheogym," and I've been instructed to thrust a hand skyward with my index and pinky fingers extended in the unmistakable "heavy metal horns" gesture. The man who had appeared on video screens moments earlier – introduced as Pa Dammit, Phonomancer Primus – promised us this simple act was "a taste of actual, literal magic." As the collective shout echoes through the space, I feel a surprising rush of emotion, a tingling that starts at the base of my spine and rushes out through my fingertips. Apparently feeling something similar, the strangers around me break into spontan...

  If I make post a video to YouTube predicting I will win a national lottery because Higher Order beings arranged things that way, and then I do, should the video be labeled "ex post factor evidence for a miracle" or "evidence for a post ex facto miracle"? Let me help analyze this carefully, as it raises some interesting questions about causation and evidence. Neither label would be accurate in this case. Here's why: The key issue is that making a prediction that later comes true, by itself, isn't strong evidence of supernatural intervention or precognition. This is due to a few factors: Selection bias - We tend to notice and remember the predictions that come true while forgetting the much larger number that don't. The law of large numbers - With millions of people making various predictions, some will inevitably come true by chance alone. Post hoc reasoning - The fact that two events occurred in sequence (prediction then win) doesn't establi...