Prior to that, I had met A in a local church. He was a dynamic chap who seemed to be totally "empowered" by God and I wanted to learn from him. He was one of these Charismatics who believed that when the Holy Spirit filled you, you would be gifted with the ability to speak in foreign tongues, heal the sick, cast out demons, prophesy about the future, etc, as the New Testament apparently promised. I was very impressed and we ended up sharing a room in Sydney.Which turned into two years of hell. We soon realised we didn't click and, as I was rather meek then, he became more and more domineering. The rest of the household consisted of the more traditional hymn-singing Protestants. A despised them and refused to join them in fellowship.
A attended a different church called Christian Life Centre and, in the following year, some of the church members formed "The Community of the Lamb", which consisted 4 households - 3 Aussie and 1 Asian. As I was still thirsting for spiritual knowledge and power, I decided to join them - on condition I did not share a room with A. When I returned from the hols, I found they had moved all my things into A's room and once again he had taken the window seat.
Within this household was a chap called B. He seemed to be in a perpetual state of depression, always moaning about something or other. He got out of bed around lunch time and missed lectures and tutorials. Yet he was was able to do well in exams just by looking at his friends' notes. Obviously a brilliant mind, despite his dejected appearance. B seemed to be the exact opposite of A.
While A was always grooming and preening himself and charming the girls with his guitar and dynamic Christian "leadership", B was agonising over the millions of lost souls marching daily into hell to burn for eternity. He would read the Bible in Malay, preparing for his inevitable return to the mission field in Malaysia. He would psych himself for detention under the Internal Security Act for sharing the Gospel with Muslims. A and B went to the same church, listened to the same sermons, read the same Bible, believed in the same doctrines, spoke and sang in tongues, etc etc - yet were poles apart!
We did the weekly shopping early in the morning and since B was always getting up late, the bananas would be gone by the time he stumbled into the kitchen. I suggested rationing the bananas but A immediately said no, it had to be first come, first served. I was such a wimp I didn't say anything more. But I knew things weren't right and, one day, confronted A with the Bible. His reply was a classic and something I will remember till the day I die.He quoted 2 Corinthians 3: The letter kills but the Spirit gives life!
Meaning that the Bible no longer had authority over him as he was now filled and guided by the Holy Spirit! Meaning he could do no wrong!
I was stunned, struck absolutely dumb and had all the wind knocked out of me. How do you respond to a claim like that? It's Charismania taken to its logical conclusion - why bother with the Bible once you have the Holy Spirit which Jesus had promised as his replacement? You have become God!
That must have been the start of my disillusionment with Christianity. Today I am no longer a Christian and most churches have stopped promoting the baptism of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by speaking in tongues. A is in Singapore, probably practising a safe, easy, middle-class Christianity. B is in the bush somewhere, unmarried I heard, and ministering to the Orang Asli (aborigines), faithfully bringing them to Christ.
Guess which Christian I respect more?
