John the Baptist preceded God, since He came to prepare the way of the Lord. See, it all depends on how you take the word "precede". If by 'precede' you mean that Mary unqualifiedly pre-existed the Second Person of the Trinity, then obviously that would be false. But if by 'precede' you mean that Mary existed before Christ's incarnation, then that would be correct, not "absurd".
Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ
Right. And Jesus Christ is God. Therefore, Mary is the mother of God.
-A8
No, it all depends on how you take the word "God."