Divine Intervention - Fwd: Re: introduction

[Joseph Tracy]

Pretty sure i was the list-person to first suggest Friend Tom might be 
Thomas Pynchon. It was right after some harsh things were said to him ( 
don't recall him saying anything harsh except maybe about Howard Stern, 
which hardly counts) and his participation ended.  It just felt like 
Friend Tom was a created character, though not unlikely also created by 
someone who wanted to bring a more directly Christian voice into the mix.

catholic, from Greek katholikos,  means universal, including all, all 
embracing. ( Roman Catholic is somewhat self contradictory) The only 
Christian denomination that calls it members Friend is the Religious 
Society of Friends  know commonly as quakers, though I have never seen a 
Friend actually quake. Assembly of God, yes, serious quaking, Quakers no.

In ST the striking worker and wise guy who Hicks is about to hit, 
escapes violence by miraculous  asportation to Hick''s surprised relief, 
which marks a turning point away from violence, later he shows up when 
Hicks is walking around with a christmas-present-bomb and tells Hicks to 
get rid of it fast, now acting as a messenger to save Hicks and anyone 
nearby from violence.  Zoltan is also protected from violence through 
his mastery of asportation and apportation. Ace, who has been selling 
the homes and posessions of Jews who have fled regional violence, 
refuses, at risk to himself,  to actually kill a Jew, and is saved by a 
gollum.

    Other forms of messaging seem to be guiding Hicks toward whatever 
kind of moral integrity and freedom may remain as the shadows of 
darkness close in. angel literally same as messenger

On 6/7/26 7:46 AM, Michael Bailey via Pynchon-l wrote:
> I remember him!
>
> Something different, not as different as Glenn Scheper, but definitely commenting from.an unusual angle.
>
> Figured it might be OBA himself, although I tend to think that about everybody on the list whom I haven't met in person (ie all of youse!). I tracked him a little online (not something I do anymore, it seems rude) found he was also in a Christian poetry group, wrote him off list with a compliment for his poetry - he responded amiably but not heartily & I figured not to pester him anymore. The poetry wasn't like any of Mr Pynchon's published work but it was decent, IIRC.
>
> Maybe Christianity is the secret sauce in the Pynchon oeuvre - one of those very intellectual developments around an enlivening faith which reach out to the world instead of curling up around a finite, limiting credo.
> ________________________________
> From: Pynchon-l <pynchon-l-bounces at waste.org> on behalf of Robin Landseadel via Pynchon-l <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2026 3:58 PM
> To: pynchon-l at waste.org <pynchon-l at waste.org>; Robin Landseadel <robinlandseadel at comcast.net>
> Subject: Divine Intervention - Fwd: Re: introduction
>
> Trawling through my old e-mail correspondence for Against the Day—there's some Charles Hollander exchanges there—I ran across this one again and realized that this wasn't posted to the P-List, and it's not as if it's containing any state secrets. But as long as we are discussing the miraculous, religion, the spiritual and the writing of Thomas Pynchon, maybe, just maybe, this post might offer us some insight, if we are open to the possibility that Pynchon could be a very unorthodox Catholic. Think "Catholic Worker", if you will . . .
>
>> ---------- Original Message ----------
>> From: friend tom <telecomtom at gmail.com>
>> To: "robinlandseadel at comcast.net" <robinlandseadel at comcast.net>
>> Date: 12/21/2006 4:43 PM PST
>> Subject: Re: introduction
>>
>>
>> On 12/21/06, robinlandseadel at comcast.net mailto:robinlandseadel at comcast.net <robinlandseadel at comcast.net mailto:robinlandseadel at comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>> My understanding is that Thomas Pynchon's family tree is full of heretics.
>>> My reading of the author's writings indicates that Mr. Pynchon's
>>> literary output is profoundly heretical, and requires understanding
>>> of some rather occult goings on. Some of the pages of GR are
>>> either quotes from or magical actions derived from A.E. Waite's
>>> book of black magic. My advice is that you should proceed with
>>> extreme caution
>>>
>>
>> I take your advice to heart. Thank you so much for the reminder. I will make sure to have a copy of the Bible with me whenever I dare touch the Gravity book or any of Mr. Pynchon's works for that matter.
>>
>> As for the other responders to my introduction, I thank you for your well-intentioned but sometimes harsh words. I will make a special place for you in my prayers tonight:
>>
>> * Why did I pick Mr. Pynchon's list? Because our pastor mentioned him as a beacon luring unsuspecting college students onto the rocks. If any of you are in school, please examine your consciences and pray for guidance. I will do likewise.
>>
>> * Why Howard Stern? Everyone knows he is, well, just the most terrible, corrupting, decadent influence on radio. Look at what he did: slithered out to satellite range where the FCC couldn't get at him. He thought he could go out there and spread his nastiness and decadence without any interference from the good people of this country? Oh no, not so. We are keeping track of him and praying for his salvation.
>>
>> * I don't count things on The Simpsons so I can't help the person who asked. I only mention the show because it is actually a Christian-friendly message, and Mr. Pynchon knew it full well when he made his appearance in 2004. Everyone would agree that he's pretty smart, yes? Do any of you doubt for a nanosecond that he failed to understand the Christian interpretation of the show on which his bagged head appeared? Not a chance.
>>
>> * I mentioned that I know a lot because I've been studying this Pynchon Phenomenon for many days now, even a week or longer if the truth be told. Someone responded that that was like saying a few days of study would make him a Bible scholar. Thank you for pointing that out. I am ashamed of myself for my lack of humility. You see, yes, I am a sinner. I need the Lord's forgiveness as much as any of you, probably more. I can only try to be good but I know I will fail again and again. It is a constant struggle.
>>
>> * Remember that God loves you and He wants you to have a Merry Christmas. And a Happy New Year.
>>
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