The finest temples are behemoths fashioned from marble, gold, & ivory. The better to show the majesty of the gods to the common folk, the priest says. He, too, is a behemoth: grown fat on rich food & swathed in silk, gold, & rubies. I bear the blessings of the gods, the priest says. One can scarcely hear him over the jingling of the offering plates. Instinct: to skin the sheep

• Malappropriate divine teachings
• Offer a double-edged blessing
• Surround itself with zealots