Ok, so the first truth is that I did almost (mostly accidentally) join a cult when I was studying in London. In my defense, it wasn't a really bad cult, like not the occult or anything. Here's the story-
I studied abroad in London the Spring of my sophomore year. And by "study" I mean "took two classes" - British Novel ON FILM (where we read 3 books and watched the movie) and Survey of British Theatre (where, get this, we went to the theatre EVERY WEEK - at student rates! - and then wrote a little paper). I also had an internship two days a week at RNLI - the Lifeboats which has since managed to gain me legitimate street cred with every Brit I know (you know, the two of them). Also, random fun fact, but the launch of one of the Lifeboats was Kate & Wills' first public appearance as an official engaged couple. Oh, and by "sophomore year" I mean "really kind of like my senior year because I started my freshman year with the equivalent of 48 credits" so it either took me 3 1/2 years to finish college or like 6. I'm sure you can figure out which I tell people.
Back on topic: so only a year before leaving for London is when I had sort of a big spiritual moment and realized that I wanted my Christian experience to become more personal and serious (this may be described as a conversion experience). I'd been in such a great environment at school with these great FCA meetings every week, great fellowship, solid Bible studies, an awesome girl a year above me to disciple me. Totally blessed! And I knew that wasn't how it was going to be when I was in London and I was kind of freaked, so I was the girl at Orientation asking "Is there a Bible study?" and hanging around in the activities director's office (who I'm sure thought I was a freak) asking about religious opportunities. All my friends (4 other people in the program not interested in partying) knew I was really interested in finding a Bible study, so one of them said to me "Hey, the girl next to me in the computer lab invited me to a Bible study in the canteen tonight. I'm not going, but I thought you might want to." Heck to the yeah!
I show up at the Canteen and there's a group of 4 Chinese students who are so excited that I came (this is so highly ironic in light of how I spent basically the entire decade of my 20s). Anyway, we started going over what it meant to be discipled by someone and they were totally floored that I knew what that was and when I said I was actually already being discipled by someone in America. (For my readers not familiar with Christian subculture lingo, "discipled" is basically Christianese for a spiritual mentor type person). Anyway, I started going to their events and telling friends back home about these great news friends I'd found and this whole International Church of Christ that I was getting involved in.
The emails I received back from friends generally went something like this -
Hey Jennifer,
Wow! That's so great that you go to see Stonehenge! And you went to Julius Caesar at The Globe and Oklahoma! in the same week? Awesome!
So you know that Christian group you mentioned, the International Church of Christ? Well, here at Vandy/UGA/USC/UF/etc. we were warned to stay away from those folks at our Orientation. So, they're a cult and prey particularly on international students.
Hugs,
Your Friend X
My response: They're so not a cult. They're really nice to me. I think some people just don't understand Christianity and it freaks them out.
Another Friend: Umm, so I was talking to my pastor friend and he was telling me all about how they're a cult and you really should avoid them.
Me: I mean, but, like, they're nice. And they sing good songs. Except they REALLY want me to go to this Evangelism day in the park thing. And when I went to the church service I felt super compelled to put all the money I had with me in the offering plate. But I think I might get re-Baptized with them. I feel pretty good about that.
Friend: For the love of... Please, stop!
(Random Sidenote: I'm pretty sure that when I was actually in college and studying all the time and reading all the English Lit and being smart that I actually used neither the word "like" nor "super" nearly as frequently as I do now that I'm mature woman with 2 freaking MAs).
My solution: I went to the Christian bookstore and got a book called "Cults of Christianity." I was having some little niggling doubts based on the facts that I was a) feeling kind of pressured and b) wondering if the onslaught of emails from the home front might be legit. Since I knew I was meeting with the leader lady later in the afternoon, I spent all morning (must have been a day when I had a light class load) reading the book. And while Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses comprised the bulk of the book, there were a few scattered references to the International Church of Christ founded by Kipp Somebody in Boston like last year. So...that clarified things a bit. Of course, in all my 20 year old naive wisdom, I kept the appointment with the leader lady and tried to convince her religion was wrong. You know, they were off on little things like salvation by faith. Me: faith alone. Her: Yes. And some works. Me: You're wrong. So yeah, that conversation went smashingly well.
That was basically the end of my involvement with the cult people although the sweet Chinese girl who was my recruiter kept calling me trying to get me to come back (poor thing, she probably got lots of extra points if I joined) until I took rather a firm stand with her (ooo- doesn't that sound British-y).
However, shortly after, I did see a flyer for a Bible study in a different place. So, I risked it, and tried again, and met the most amazing girl from Botswana named Mesago who had also been unsuccessfully recruited to ICC and we bonded tons over that. And I'd found a dear, sweet Christian sister who had the MOST fascinating testimony on how she came to faith that involved a near death experience and the presence of someone she could only describe as an angel and it all happened in her village in Africa and she didn't know any other Christians and it was AMAZING. And she also introduced me to Wagamama (super yummy restaurant chain)!
So there's the first truth. Stayed tuned for more fun stories!!
I studied abroad in London the Spring of my sophomore year. And by "study" I mean "took two classes" - British Novel ON FILM (where we read 3 books and watched the movie) and Survey of British Theatre (where, get this, we went to the theatre EVERY WEEK - at student rates! - and then wrote a little paper). I also had an internship two days a week at RNLI - the Lifeboats which has since managed to gain me legitimate street cred with every Brit I know (you know, the two of them). Also, random fun fact, but the launch of one of the Lifeboats was Kate & Wills' first public appearance as an official engaged couple. Oh, and by "sophomore year" I mean "really kind of like my senior year because I started my freshman year with the equivalent of 48 credits" so it either took me 3 1/2 years to finish college or like 6. I'm sure you can figure out which I tell people.
Back on topic: so only a year before leaving for London is when I had sort of a big spiritual moment and realized that I wanted my Christian experience to become more personal and serious (this may be described as a conversion experience). I'd been in such a great environment at school with these great FCA meetings every week, great fellowship, solid Bible studies, an awesome girl a year above me to disciple me. Totally blessed! And I knew that wasn't how it was going to be when I was in London and I was kind of freaked, so I was the girl at Orientation asking "Is there a Bible study?" and hanging around in the activities director's office (who I'm sure thought I was a freak) asking about religious opportunities. All my friends (4 other people in the program not interested in partying) knew I was really interested in finding a Bible study, so one of them said to me "Hey, the girl next to me in the computer lab invited me to a Bible study in the canteen tonight. I'm not going, but I thought you might want to." Heck to the yeah!
I show up at the Canteen and there's a group of 4 Chinese students who are so excited that I came (this is so highly ironic in light of how I spent basically the entire decade of my 20s). Anyway, we started going over what it meant to be discipled by someone and they were totally floored that I knew what that was and when I said I was actually already being discipled by someone in America. (For my readers not familiar with Christian subculture lingo, "discipled" is basically Christianese for a spiritual mentor type person). Anyway, I started going to their events and telling friends back home about these great news friends I'd found and this whole International Church of Christ that I was getting involved in.
The emails I received back from friends generally went something like this -
Hey Jennifer,
Wow! That's so great that you go to see Stonehenge! And you went to Julius Caesar at The Globe and Oklahoma! in the same week? Awesome!
So you know that Christian group you mentioned, the International Church of Christ? Well, here at Vandy/UGA/USC/UF/etc. we were warned to stay away from those folks at our Orientation. So, they're a cult and prey particularly on international students.
Hugs,
Your Friend X
My response: They're so not a cult. They're really nice to me. I think some people just don't understand Christianity and it freaks them out.
Another Friend: Umm, so I was talking to my pastor friend and he was telling me all about how they're a cult and you really should avoid them.
Me: I mean, but, like, they're nice. And they sing good songs. Except they REALLY want me to go to this Evangelism day in the park thing. And when I went to the church service I felt super compelled to put all the money I had with me in the offering plate. But I think I might get re-Baptized with them. I feel pretty good about that.
Friend: For the love of... Please, stop!
(Random Sidenote: I'm pretty sure that when I was actually in college and studying all the time and reading all the English Lit and being smart that I actually used neither the word "like" nor "super" nearly as frequently as I do now that I'm mature woman with 2 freaking MAs).
My solution: I went to the Christian bookstore and got a book called "Cults of Christianity." I was having some little niggling doubts based on the facts that I was a) feeling kind of pressured and b) wondering if the onslaught of emails from the home front might be legit. Since I knew I was meeting with the leader lady later in the afternoon, I spent all morning (must have been a day when I had a light class load) reading the book. And while Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses comprised the bulk of the book, there were a few scattered references to the International Church of Christ founded by Kipp Somebody in Boston like last year. So...that clarified things a bit. Of course, in all my 20 year old naive wisdom, I kept the appointment with the leader lady and tried to convince her religion was wrong. You know, they were off on little things like salvation by faith. Me: faith alone. Her: Yes. And some works. Me: You're wrong. So yeah, that conversation went smashingly well.
That was basically the end of my involvement with the cult people although the sweet Chinese girl who was my recruiter kept calling me trying to get me to come back (poor thing, she probably got lots of extra points if I joined) until I took rather a firm stand with her (ooo- doesn't that sound British-y).
However, shortly after, I did see a flyer for a Bible study in a different place. So, I risked it, and tried again, and met the most amazing girl from Botswana named Mesago who had also been unsuccessfully recruited to ICC and we bonded tons over that. And I'd found a dear, sweet Christian sister who had the MOST fascinating testimony on how she came to faith that involved a near death experience and the presence of someone she could only describe as an angel and it all happened in her village in Africa and she didn't know any other Christians and it was AMAZING. And she also introduced me to Wagamama (super yummy restaurant chain)!
So there's the first truth. Stayed tuned for more fun stories!!
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