By the OP’s recollection of the encounter, it sounds like the person is from the “Local Church”/Watchman Nee variety. They are very active where there are college campuses and they are very passionate about their church. As @Uncreativeusername has mentioned, the “Local Church” can come off as odd and cult-y (their “cult” status has been a matter of discussion in Christianity for a while now), but they are relatively friendly and harmless. I get approached all the time near TaiDa, and when I make clear that that I’m not interested, they let me go on my way.
Ah, I live across the street from a house that used to be one of their House Churches, and remember them repeating “A-men!” again and again every Sunday morning. A friend of mine is married to a former member, albeit of a rival group. (Not all the “house churches” are in communion, so to speak, with each other.) As I understand it, they believe all other forms of Christianity to be invalid. If anyone has questions about the group, I can pass them on. (I struggle to avoid saying “Watchman Lee and Witless Nee.”) No need to use the f-word; just tell them you’re not interested.
Fu Jen is a catholic univ
@Dawud He was looking for it in his pocket but couldn’t find any, and I was in a hurry. I didn’t even think about that stuff…didn’t think it would matter who exactly do they worship.
It was just one dude, solo. Later that day, I was approached by more, but I was with my friends and they just ignored them and walked away…and so did I.
So, I went there today. Extremely strange experience! As I was walking towards the meeting place, the dude stood across the street from me, motionless…exactly like this.
Then he told me to get on his scooter and he will take me to their church. I asked him how far it is and he said not too far and just told me to get going. It actually just took 5 mins.
It was a tiny hall with about 40 people. The demographics was kind of strange. It seemed more like a support group. There were many old people, obese people, disabled ones. (obviously, no prejudice against them…just not what I expected). The kids (people my age) looked a bit dumb and had no feelings behind their eyes. It was mostly strange yet so funny. Others looked like refugees and rescued people. They all looked at me at once and I smiled like an idiot. XD
Then the real pain began. He said only 5 mins of the meeting remain and we just read at this time. Everybody went from sitting in leisure to hardcore chanting at once. He took out a tiny book “the mastery of human ___ (something; probably existence)”. He read a passage and I felt like…okay, I can listen to him and weigh the words passively. That passage forth, he told me to read one sentence and then he would read the next. Even though it was pretty loud in there, my mind’s voice was still louder “END THIS!!!” XD
Then we ate…decent enough food.
Then I told him honestly that I don’t believe in this stuff and I probably never will. I am just curious as to how things flow here and that’s why I came. He showed a passage on his phone that kind of implied that I would go to hell if I don’t believe. I asked him what it means and he said ‘God still loves you’…I quietly said ‘how nice of him!’
He welcomed me to join again but I’ll have to do a chapter each time I attend (from the tiny book). Felt like he really missed my point and would like to go further regardless. I also felt like an idiot to even reconsider going there again. But the weird feeling is just too exciting, idk why. A friend told me to go to a Taoist group if weird is what I wish to see…
About the sect, I asked him in 50 different ways and he just kept saying “we are just christians” “not mormons, caths or prot. etc.” I just gave up on it.
Then he told me that the church system grants a number to each church. I was like - ok! then he said “Our church is No. 69”. I looked straight at him “You have to be kidding me!”
Apparently the place is called the city council 69th church. Does anybody know what this is about? Is it a cult? The people were nice and pretty normal, when they were not praying. The ones who speak english welcomed me to visit again…but I guess they had no idea why I was there…probably I don’t either.
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And you didn’t join? Dude hovered 6" above the ground and you didn’t perceive it as a sign?
By what you describe, it’s definitely the “Local Church.” They tend to dodge questions about their sect, and they just say they are “Christian” or “the church.” There’s plenty to read up on via the internet. See: Watchman Nee, Witness Lee, “Living Streams Ministry.” There’s a lot of sensational stuff on the internet, but there are also some academic studies out there as well. As Protestant Christianity is diverse, they are certainly one of the more unique sects out there, as their practice and piety deviate significantly from what we would expect from conservative Protestant Christianity.
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I’ve always found it a little weird when you get asked “are you Christian or Catholic” here. And what if I’m Orthodox? Or maybe that’s Christian (but RC isn’t) lol. But I know Protestantism is usually referred to as 基督教 in Chinese.
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The Jehovah’s Witnesses were set up at the MRT stop this morning. Don’t know if this was some of them or not.
Just because someone says “Fu Jen” doesn’t mean they represent the university (which is Catholic, if anything)…
I think people draw a distinction because Catholicism deviates significantly from what might be called ‘mainstream’ Christianity.
But yeah, I’ve noticed these groups call themselves Christian but in practice follow the same format as all Taiwanese religions - which basically means you invent your own from a mix-and-match of whatever beliefs you like.
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Yeah it’s really weird to be asked that as somebody that was raised a Catholic , catholics believe themselves to be the Orthodox Christians!
@bojack In my defense, I used the verb ‘stood’, not levitate. Yet, your sarcasm was well felt.
@chilifries don’t be so disappointed man XD
@iamspartacus Oooooh! You are correct! they have a wikipedia page as well XD
@ironlady I guess Sunday is probably like their full-moon night. And yes, the guy who approached me said that he is getting trained by the catholic university, yet he is a ‘Christian’…whatever that means. He is completing his, something called, FTTT (some training in Taiwan).
Oh yes! He wears that exact uniform. Feels like I’m in a sting operation.
Was approached once or twice.
Got a few leaflets and booklets.
The thing is, Fu Jen is a Roman Catholic university. Their “Christian” activities are (usually) not sanctioned by the uni. Nowadays, Roman Catholic doctrine did not usually “poaching” people by the street.
Their actual “Christian” faith could ranged from Protestantism to outside mainstream Christianity like Mormonism or Jehovah Witnesses (all are legal in Taiwan, I believe).
If you want to shorten the conversation, just say you are a Christian and you are on the way to church. If you say otherwise (non Christian or non religious), the conversation would nag your time and usually they have more spare time to burn than you do.
Were the sisters hot? That will tell you if it was worthy or not.
I’m surprised how the Mormons or whatever they are here give up so quickly and just change the subject to normal stuff. I enjoy talking to them.
Maybe they are like Amish… they just come here to enjoy the sins of the world before going back and being proper.
For a lot of them it’s business. They have to serve as missionaries for x amount of time before they can advance.
I find many missionary organizations are very much of the 天龍人 mindset. They come here to do a thing but have little to no interest in the people here except to perpetuate their sect.
I know a few Christian missionary alliance members who are the exception to this. But they’re mostly nonjudgmental. I believe many of their missionaries paid the ultimate price in China in the early 1900s during the boxer rebellion.