Possessed: Varieties of Contemporary Religious Experience



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Bail Bonds (open all night), downtown Berkeley: photo by efo, 15 November 2009









The oneiric wind moving the curtains soundlessly, no one inside, shadows looking in through the windows.



In plate glass, the phantom images of shadow people are blown hither and thither through the fog, like straw persons.



A shuffle promenade of the faithful, not quite a progress. Forgotten by their gods.



Wrecked fields where torn papers scatter in the wind, in the desolate parking lots of abandoned churches.



Atop the featureless concrete building, three crosses outlined against the sky.



The wind moaning, the dog someone beats distantly howling, but the dark need not fear the dark.



Half the sky for praying, the other half for the shadowed beauties of the night.



T
he street preachers argue among themselves about the Rapture again, the when and how, but not the why.



The shadows looking in through broken windows, the wind carrying their voices off, into the oneiric night.
















Woman with shopping cart and dog, Berkeley: photo by efo, 25 July 2010







True Light Church of God in Christ and passer-by, Peralta Villa, Oakland: photo by efo, 21 November 2009







Abandoned church, Oakland: photo by efo, 11 October 2009







Oakland Super Market: photo by efo, 11 October 2009







J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Training Academy, South Oakland: photo by efo, 11 October 2009







Bethlehem M.B.C. Church and passer-by, South Oakland: photo by efo, 11 October 2009



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Vision of Hope Baptist Church, Triumph the Church & Kingdom of God in Christ, and Muay Thai kickboxing academy with cyclist at night (Gaskill, Emeryville, California):
photo by efo, 20 December 2009







Allen Temple and passer-by No. 2, South Oakland: photo by efo, 11 October 2009







Islamic Center, Vallejo, California: photo by efo, 25 January 2010







Tabernacle of Praise, Richmond, California: photo by efo, 18 January 2010







Target is just a ride away, Richmond, California: photo by efo, 18 January 2010







Discover. Laugh. Howl. Vallejo, California: photo by efo, 31 January 2010



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Son Bok Kim Died Suddenly (Longfellow, Emeryville, California)
: photo by efo, 18 October 2009







Chain Drugstore, Exterior, Albany, California: photo by efo, 23 December 2009







Berkeley: photo by efo, 14 March 2010







Everything (Berkeley, California): photo by efo, 21 May 2010







Hall of Mirrors (Southwest Berkeley)
: photo by efo, 12 December 2010







Circle S (El Cerrito, California): photo by efo, 28 March 2010







Trailer at Circle S (El Cerrito, California): photo by efo, 28 March 2010







Metropolitan and Spiritual Church of Christ and passer-by (Hoover, Emeryville, California): photo by efo, 28 March 2010







Little Club (San Leandro, California): photo by efo, 18 September 2010







San Leandro: photo by efo, 18 September 2010







Alpha Omega (Webster, Oakland): photo by efo, 18 September 2010






All photos 2009 / 2010 by the great anonymous East Bay urban landscape photographer efo, a poet-documentarian of old time religion in bleak new times

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