You Can Fake It All

[NotforSale]

Originally Posted by ILG

It is easy to fake "salvation" as the UPC defines it.

Repentance is easy to fake. Just go to the altar and look sorrowful.

Baptism. Just do it.

Tongues? I have heard lots of fake tongues in my life. Just sound like everybody else.

What many consider proof of God in your life, standards, are easy to fake, just follow the list.

Who has motive to fake salvation? All those who are being or have been pressured by wives, mothers, husbands, fathers, kids and friends to "get saved".

In a culture that greatly pressures people to get "saved" or go to hell and constantly measures who is "in" and who is "out", there is great pressure on people to "get saved" to get people off their back. They might not even know they are faking because they don't even know what the real experience is. Since this formula is so traditional and passed down from generation to generation to "be saved" there are likely a great many in the UPC and other apostolic churches that don't have a clue what true salvation is, they are just following the formula. The same thing is true in all churches but many other churches don't constantly measure who is "in" and who is "out".

The UPC taught me they were different. But they are not. Some in the UPC have faith and some do not. There is no formula for salvation to prove to another you are saved, no way to say "You are in and you are out".

I've always told people, it was real easy for my wife to speak in tongues because if she didn't, we couldn't get married!

[ILG]

Originally Posted by NotforSale

I've always told people, it was real easy for my wife to speak in tongues because if she didn't, we couldn't get married!

LOL! See, there ya go!

[MawMaw]

Originally Posted by NotforSale

I've always told people, it was real easy for my wife to speak in tongues because if she didn't, we couldn't get married!

Are you just trying to be funny or did your wife admit she really faked speaking in tongues?

[Monterrey]

Originally Posted by MawMaw

Are you just trying to be funny or did your wife admit she really faked speaking in tongues?

Ooooooooooooooh you on it girl!!!!

[NotforSale]

Originally Posted by MawMaw

Are you just trying to be funny or did your wife admit she really faked speaking in tongues?

Good question! The only thing I know is, we were married the next week!

The one thing I do know is, there is no way to confirm if tongues are real or fake. This is another fallacy of Religion and the requirements that are an idea, rather than what is necessary to please G-d.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by NotforSale

Good question! The only thing I know is, we were married the next week!

The one thing I do know is, there is no way to confirm if tongues are real or fake. This is another fallacy of Religion and the requirements that are an idea, rather than what is necessary to please G-d.

I believe some people fake tongues or are induced to fake tongues.

[Dichotomy Girl]

Originally Posted by ILG

Do you think it is any different in any other culture? My feeling is that people are human and they hide their shortcomings whether those shortcomings are real or fabricated by their society.

This goes back to Adam and Eve hiding in the garden because they were naked. You are right, it IS our instinct to hide our weaknesses or the things we are ashamed of.

Some of you, the ones that go all the back to Faithchild Forum, might remember, how I had this revelation, that God see's everything, and therefore it is foolish to worry about what man sees.

So I opened myself up, laid myself bare, and did my best to become completely transparent. Did I shock people, sometimes. Did they shake their heads at me? Worry about the state of my soul? probably.

But for the most part, rather than the vitriol and judgment that I expected, I got support, friendship and admiration.

Originally Posted by Praxeas

I believe some people fake tongues or are induced to fake tongues.

My Ex-husband faked the Holy Ghost. He had Asperger's and they tend to not feel emotions quite the same way, and therefore, get used to mimicking facial expressions and tone of voice. He knew what they wanted of him at the altar, so he handled that the same way. To be honest, I don't know if he ever got the real thing, tongues or not, but I hope so.

[ILG]

This goes back to Adam and Eve hiding in the garden because they were naked. You are right, it IS our instinct to hide our weaknesses or the things we are ashamed of.

Some of you, the ones that go all the back to Faithchild Forum, might remember, how I had this revelation, that God see's everything, and therefore it is foolish to worry about what man sees.

So I opened myself up, laid myself bare, and did my best to become completely transparent. Did I shock people, sometimes. Did they shake their heads at me? Worry about the state of my soul? probably.

But for the most part, rather than the vitriol and judgment that I expected, I got support, friendship and admiration.

Mich, I want you to know how much I appreciated your transparency back then. It was so refreshing. I almost lived vicariously through your transparency. It meant that much to me. Because of emotional and personal reasons, I did not tell my story except one time on here. After I told my story my shoulders and neck and back were sore for two days, it took that much out of me. It was a relief though because after that, most people stopped beating up on me and realized I needed to talk and heal. Most people realized I had a real story to tell. Most people do care when they have some understanding of your situation.

My Ex-husband faked the Holy Ghost. He had Asperger's and they tend to not feel emotions quite the same way, and therefore, get used to mimicking facial expressions and tone of voice. He knew what they wanted of him at the altar, so he handled that the same way. To be honest, I don't know if he ever got the real thing, tongues or not, but I hope so.

So the things that are used to measure a person's spirituality can be faked. I don't think it has ever been God's will to measure each other's spirituality as a checklist. Sorry for your experience...