For years the "Eastern Lightning" cult in China has been wreaking havoc on churches and believers in China. Eastern Lightning teaches that the age of the law and the age of grace were God's unsuccessful attempts at redemption. Now, the age of the kingdom is here, and Christ has returned, this time in the form of a Chinese woman.
The article translated below is a testimony from a Christian man who lost his wife to the cult. It is posted on a Mainland-based website called Kuanye Zhi Sheng (Voice in the Wilderness). This is a popular Christian site where people can read articles, share testimonies, and download sermons. It was published on the site on December 14, 2012, and was actually re-posted from the Xinhua News Agency site (China's official news agency).
Translation:
Editors note: Recently, the Eastern Lightning cult has become active and has infested many churches in large southeast coastal cities. Many Eastern Lightning believers go from door to door and shop to shop in communities and markets to spread their teachings. Below is a brothers tearful testimony, reminding us to protect our family and churches!
My name is Shao Junpeng. I am 52 years old now and my wife Chen Mengli is two years younger than me. Both my wife and I grew up in Wenzhou. In 2000, in order to provide our children a better environment to study, we moved to Shanghai. I worked in the real estate business to provide for my family while my wife took care of our home. Though my wife Mengli only received a high-school education, she is a very virtuous and capable woman. Our house was clean and comfortable under her management and my business was developing smoothly. In 2003, we bought a home in Chuansha, Pudong. Our two children successfully graduated from university and have started their own careers.
My wife and I are devoted Christians. Every Sunday we attend services in a church downtown. In the second half of 2007, since my wife was free and our home was quite spacious, she invited several friends and relatives to conduct worship meetings at our house. The pastor at our church was concerned about it and urged us to stop because he was afraid that bad people might use these meetings. But we didnt listen.
In 2008, right after the New Year festival, a woman joined our family gathering. She claimed to be from Anhui province and her family name was Li. She didnt talk much at first, but she knew what to say when she had to speak. She earned everybodys attention with her heart-moving testimonies and tearful sharing. She was also very good at building relationships. Sometimes she would bring vegetables and rice to our house, and her prayers were always very earnest. We started to trust her.
At that time, my wife became ill with a fever that lasted for more than a week. When my wife got out of the hospital, the woman told her that the reason she was sick was that she had believed in a fake Christ who cannot protect her. Only when she believes in the true Christ, the actual God would she be saved at the end of the world. She also brought some others to witness to my wife. My wife talked to me about it. I didnt understand much and thought as long as we believed in Jesus there would not be anything wrong. So I gave in and thought it would be alright.
Later, I gradually noticed that my wife had changed into a different person. She became indifferent to our family and didnt care about housework. Sometimes she would pray for a whole day and not cook. Her care for our children and me became less and less, she grew distant to our relatives and neighbors, and stopped going to church. I asked her what was going on and she always used excuses to evade my questions. It was only when I got angry that she told me that Jesus was not in the Church anymore, that the real Jesus is a female who is living in the wilderness, and that she had to leave to join other members to worship the Real God.
My wife indulged herself in the Real God, preaching the end of the world is approaching. She no longer had a heart for everyday life. She always had the Real God on her lips and was unsettled; she busily ran, about hoping to gain salvation. Her life became a mess.
Once while she was cooking she went to pray, leaving the stove unattended until it caught on fire. Luckily, no major damage was done. After that, she totally stopped cooking and went out all day long. Every day I went back home tired after a days work, and I had to make my own food and take care of the housework. I tried to talk to my wife, saying, I dont see other people who believe in Jesus act like thisgoing outs all day long and not taking care of the family. You go out all day and now our home no longer feels like home with your absence.
But my wife said, I believe in the real God for the good of our family and she in turn advised me not to do business: the end of the world is approaching, money is a worldly possession and is not important. She wanted me to join her in her mission. My wife handled all the money and I discovered that she was taking five thousand Yuan, and even ten thousand Yuan out at a time. I asked her what was using the money for and she got in a big fight with me, saying, The paradise is near! Why do you keep that useless money? Do your duties and give the money to Gods family and be saved! In her heart God was first, and she checked her rebellions all day before God and was in a constant state of anxiety.
One day in March 2009, I accidently discovered several books named Eastern Lightning and The Scrolled Opened by the Lamb, and a notebook under my wifes pillow. I opened those books; they were all about Almighty God and Eastern Lightning! I was taken aback. Wasnt this the cult our church pastor asked us to be on guard against? I hurried to open her handbag and found an Eastern Lightning Confidential Training Manual.
The main contents were on how to destroy a church and how to collect information and influence other people. I looked at her cellphone contact person; all the numbers were incomplete or wrong numbers. I suddenly realized what was behind my wifes secretive behavior and associated this the ten thousand Yuan savings that were inexplicably gone. I finally realized the seriousness of this whole thing. My heart felt like it was being crushed by an extremely heavy stone and I became really worried about my wife.
I called my sister-in-law, my wifes sister in Wenzhou, and asked her to come to Shanghai and spend some time with us. Actually I asked her to help keep an eye on Mengli, to keep her home and keep those weird people out of our house. Mengli used beautiful words to ease our concerns and still found all kinds of excuses to go out.
One day in August of 2009 that woman whose family name was Li brought five people to our house. When my sister-in-law would not allow them into the house, Mengli suddenly rushed her, accusing her of being a devil who should be burned by fire and slapped her on the face. She slammed her on the door frame and her head instantly started to bleed. My sister-in-law never thought that her own younger sister would become so crazy. She angrily packed her things and went back to Wenzhou.
After our sister was gone, Menglis behavior became even crazier. She went out every day to preach the gospel and became dark and thin. Her spirit was gone and her face looked haggard. She had nightmares and would wake up with a start, sit up and scream, The devil is coming! The end is coming!
On November 14, 2009, my wife left a note that read, Only by following the footsteps of God can we go through suffering and ran away from home. Our son and daughter asked me again and again where their mother went and I just told them that she had gone back to our hometown to take care of their grandma.
What happened next made me understand what people mean when they say misfortune never comes singly. Knowing that her daughter ran away from home, my mother-in-law had a stroke and was paralyzed. When I went back to Wenzhou to visit her she took me by the hand; her tears flowed, but she did not utter a word. I could do nothing but promise her over and over again that I would find Mengli and bring her home. Six months passed, then a year, and still no word from Mengli. I tried to find her, but was unable to. I tried calling her phone, but couldnt get through. I could only pray for her every daypray that God would keep her safe.
On April 9, 2011, I unexpectedly received a letter from Mengli. When I opened it, I saw that they were divorce papers In the letter, Mengli said that the end of the world is coming, everything is vanity. I dont want this marriage and family any more. God tells me that to believe in him, I should break from this family and get rid of my Godless devil husband. I was thunderstruck. I beat my head with my fists. I hated myself for not listening to our pastor and allowing wolves into our house. My wife was fooled by Eastern Lightning and abandoned our family. After a year of no news from her, I got divorce papers! Eastern Lightning tore a happy family into pieces! What should I do?
My wife has been missing for nearly three years now. My family and I are still looking for her, not knowing if she is alive or dead. I pray for my wife every day and with my son and daughter, I am still waiting for the day my wife comes back home.
Original article: 东方闪电”拆散了我的家
Image source: Snow Day, by Awaywego201, via Flickr
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