While they were, as a group, pretty whacked out, they did have some really wonderful, loving people there. I recall one girl who stopped me on the street one night after I'd been to an ether party (don't ask), talked to me a bit, saw some glimmer of hope in me as a wayward brother, and gave me the most mind-blowing kiss.
No, it wasn't a sexual feeling, it was just one of the most loving, communicative kisses I've ever had (besides my wife's, of course 8^). And the wildest thing of all was that after you've been breathing ether, your breath stinks, and even people who know and love you don't want to get too close!
They tended to have very unusual tracts that mixed Mo's (yes, they called him that) theology with Bible verses and a pretty decent story telling style. They also had weird graphics. The weirdest was the one of God (always depicted as an old man with long white hair, beard and robe) embracing the Earth, while the text described his love for the Earth in sexual (not pornographic, but certainly more provocative to 20th century America than Song of Solomon!) terms.
``It's just a piece of paper'', I was told over and over. Of course, I was expected to provid eit with a nice home, elevated off the floor, place food and drink in front of it, and burn incense around it, but ``it's just a piece of paper''.
Copyright 1997 Miles O'Neal, Austin, TX. All rights reserved. Miles O'Neal <roadkills.r.us@XYZZY.gmail.com> [remove the "XYZZY." to make things work!] c/o RNN / 1705 Oak Forest Dr / Round Rock, TX / 78681-1514