Great piece, now watch the GB descend.

Kenny...ur RIGHT.... Here I am.. descending.... hovering.... flapping my ranting wings.... outraged, stupified, horrified,buffuddled, how DARE he show the true nature of some things which are VERY loosely called 'Christianity'..... I mean.. so many people believe this tripe...

and thats the problem.

The 'Christianity' the author describes was first noted in Pauls letter to the Corinthians. They had this 'thing' about tongues.... etc.. but at least I read nothing of the moral depravity in the Authors group which Paul had to address among the Corinthians.

The group in which the author found himself, are what I would describe as 'counterfiet'.... it looks.. sounds.. says the right words.. (?) mentions God, Christ, Holy Spirit etc.. is enthusiastic and TOTALLY UNBALANCED.

It is clear that many people are very gullable, and ignorant of the Bible, looking for some quick spiritual fix, and a God who will make all things bright and beautiful for their personal agenda.

The psychology is skilful.

1/ Create a populist vigorous group of highly emotional people.
2/ Divide them between 'spirit filled' and 'unbaptized' (in the Spirit) creating a 'huh? how come I'm left out' syndrome.
3/ Make wild promises which pander to the selfishness in us... like 'God wants you to be RICH'....etc.

Do all this and you end up with the group the author went to.

All I can say, is that if one's Christianity is based on that, its well past time to actually encounter the REAL Jesus in the Gospels and Letters of the New Testament.

When I was a young Christian in my mid 20s, I was reading the Bible each day. I found that groups like this were so transparent when subjected to the focus of scripture.

To the author, I have this to say... READ THE BIBLE for crying out loud, and don't judge Christ by such idiotic unbalanced groups as the one you encountered.

Nice article.

There are groups out there who indulge in aggressive, simplistic proselytizing. They feel they are justified in their methods because in their eyes, they are saving people from damnation in hell.

These are the groups that give the other Christians a bad name, and turn the rest off us off listening to them.

The other day I was passed a counterfeit $50 bill. The horror.

Obviously all money is worthless and fake.

Evan

if you are reading these comments, I refer you to your namesake...and request that you read about him.

The result of his conversion is summed up as follows:

"By the end of the last week over 60 responded. By the end of the second week Evan had already started on a whirl-wind tour of the South Wales valleys with his team of 5 girl singers and within a year or so 100,000 converts were said to be added to the Welsh Church"

You need to examine the social conditions before and after his ministry and the Welsh Revival, to see just how the Lord truly used this young man who gave all ...to Him.

http://www.welshrevival.com/

http://www.welshrevival.com/lang-en/1904history.htm

Hope you come home soon.

Nice article Evan,

Pitty it took you so long to discover this simple truth about xian (and other) religions. Humans are social - the need to belong is greater than intellect if we let it be.

Alan,
All counterfeit is bad. All religions are counterfeit.