It's one of those mysteries in life when The Godfather became an international bonding mechanism among the male species. The mix of witty soundbites, sophistication, mystery, and unparalleled power and influence made Don Corleone the authority on most anything. OK, before I lose the attention of the eye-rolling female audience, let me get to the point: I soon realized that the Godfather is actually a weak, shoddily-made shard of a better Person (OK, now I lost the male audience, and possibly made a few enemies) - The original Godfather, or should I say God the Father.
Who else can top an eternally burning bush or a pillar of fire as a grand entrance? Who else can truly say that their Word is Law? Can we compare "sleeping with the fishes" with an army who had the Red Sea dropped on their heads? Who can be so mysterious that no ancient artist could quite paint a picture of His face?...
Segueway: The Italian Renaissance masters made Jesus look Italian, naturally, and a variation of Jesus exists practically in every race (which is weird, because Jesus wasn't a shape-shifter), or we go back to the old standby - the thin bony nose, gentle eyes, immaculately managed coiffure, with the optional "peace" hand gesture, divine spotlight and/or cradled lamb accessory. Jesus WAS Jewish, right? True, but "God is not an Israelite," as Willem Dafoe pointed out in the movie The Last Temptation of Christ. Otherwise, we'd be invited to His bar mitzvah, right?
Anyway, who can do a better "bada-bing, bada-boom" than Sodom and Gomorrah? Who can make a better "offer that you can't refuse" like the one between Heaven and Hell? Who else can confidently say, "You shall have no other gods before me"? Who can give up His Son to the mob, allow a grisly murder, then resuscitate His Son after three days, destroying the power of death forever, while dusting off His robe, staring coolly at Satan and saying, "What? Was that it? Was that the best you can do?"
I rest my case.
Who else can top an eternally burning bush or a pillar of fire as a grand entrance? Who else can truly say that their Word is Law? Can we compare "sleeping with the fishes" with an army who had the Red Sea dropped on their heads? Who can be so mysterious that no ancient artist could quite paint a picture of His face?...
Segueway: The Italian Renaissance masters made Jesus look Italian, naturally, and a variation of Jesus exists practically in every race (which is weird, because Jesus wasn't a shape-shifter), or we go back to the old standby - the thin bony nose, gentle eyes, immaculately managed coiffure, with the optional "peace" hand gesture, divine spotlight and/or cradled lamb accessory. Jesus WAS Jewish, right? True, but "God is not an Israelite," as Willem Dafoe pointed out in the movie The Last Temptation of Christ. Otherwise, we'd be invited to His bar mitzvah, right?
Anyway, who can do a better "bada-bing, bada-boom" than Sodom and Gomorrah? Who can make a better "offer that you can't refuse" like the one between Heaven and Hell? Who else can confidently say, "You shall have no other gods before me"? Who can give up His Son to the mob, allow a grisly murder, then resuscitate His Son after three days, destroying the power of death forever, while dusting off His robe, staring coolly at Satan and saying, "What? Was that it? Was that the best you can do?"
