Read Online Murdering Ministers by Alan Beechey - Free Book Online Page B

find strength and comfort in the presence of the living God.”
    â€œDoes that include speaking in tongues, casting out demons, and the other activities that are rumored to take place here?” Oliver pressed. “These somewhat medieval practices don’t seem to tie in with mainstream Diaconalist thought.” Although Oliver had wondered if demonic possession accounted for Dougie Dock. Tapster looked pained, as if disagreeing with Oliver caused bodily distress. He dropped the carving on his blotter.
    â€œPardon me, Mr. Swithin, but I don’t possess the arrogance to dismiss these phenomena as medieval. As our Lord says, in the Gospel according to Mark, ‘These signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them.’”
    Oliver started to interrupt, but Tapster held up a hand. “I know what you’re going to say,” he declared, closing his eyes. “These evidences of spiritual activity can easily be confused with well-documented psychological phenomena. But to call something ‘glossolalia’ rather than ‘speaking in tongues’ doesn’t alter the fact that it brings us the word of the Lord. Whether I drive out a demon or heal a dissociative disorder, it’s still a miraculous cure, thanks be to God.”
    Blast him , thought Oliver, he did know what I was going to say. I bet he wouldn’t be so sympathetic to modern psychology in front of his more impressionable acolytes.
    â€œBut these are children at your meetings, Nigel,” he riposted heatedly. “Susceptible children, easily convinced that they’re in the presence of something transcendent when they may only be having an emotional reaction. Can you be sure you’re not taking advantage of their innocence, inadvertently I’m sure? Why—”
    â€œWhy do you people always reject emotion?” Tapster interrupted suddenly, as if he had been waiting for the topic to arise. He had thrown himself forward in his seat and was now staring intently at Oliver. “Intelligence and common sense, though God-given, aren’t always going to lead you back to Him. You may just have to stop thinking and let your emotions lead you instead, Oliver!”
    Oliver was almost mesmerized by the intensity of Tapster’s expression. Was this the moment when an enthralled teenager, trapped in that precise, seductive gaze, would be commanded to prophesy and would instantly find the nonsense syllables rising through her throat and babbling from her mouth, seemingly beyond her control?
    And then what? More spiritual conjuring tricks, more vacuous arguments, more analysis of prophetic writings until the disciples were convinced—if they even needed to be—that across the vast landscape of Mankind’s history, the truth about God had been revealed to only one human being, and by the strangest quirk of fate, they were fortunate enough to be in his charismatic presence? You are the chosen. Follow me, step into this world of unconditional love, and you’ll never have the burden of exercising your free will again. Now win more disciples for me, leave your family, sleep with me, give me the money for another Rolls-Royce, but don’t dare try to escape from us, from our community, from our fenced-off compound. For I am the way, I am the only way, and my obscure, simplistic banalities about the Light and the Force and Love are all you need to understand the Universe. And by the way, the Great Spaceship is just behind the next comet, ready to take us to our home world on the Planet Ultra. Now, cut off your balls and drink this drink. Don’t worry that it tastes funny.
    Oliver ran his tongue over suddenly dry lips. “I’m English,” he replied at last. “I try to keep my emotions out of everything.”
    Tapster relaxed and