[RyaninMaine]

I was approached twice this weekend by missionaries of the World Mission Society Church of God. The first was two men at the Maine Mall on Friday evening and the second was leaving the grocery store on Sunday evening.

On Friday it was two men, one in his late twenties or early thirties and the second was probably mid 40s. They asked if they could ask a question and I thought they were lost or something. The younger asked if I believed in God. I said yes, that I was a Christian. He asked if he could share something in the Bible with me. I agreed. I have been an involved church going Christian so I figured I would humor them. I assumed they were something like seventh day Adventists or church of Latter Day Saints. He proceded to share two verses with me, one in Genesis and the second in Revelations. In Genesis it was the creation story and it said God created mankind in “our image” and in Revelations it referred to the “Bride.” I asked what translation they were using and the app they were using said it was the NIV. I read the NIV myself so am familiar with it. They asked if I had seen these passages before. I said the Genesis was familiar but I didn’t recall exactly the one from Revelations. I went to a Christian college and took bible classes so I am familiar with the bible.

They used these two verses to argue that God had a maternal nature as well as the paternal that most are familiar with. This didn’t seem too shocking that someone could say that, but I said okay, so what is the point. They didn’t really have a response when I asked, so what?

Then the second, older guy, who was difficult to understand and seemed Hispanic asked me about the Sabbath. He was talking about how Saturday was the real sabbath. He asked me if I was sure that I was saved and I responded yes. He asked how I was sure. I told him that I had received Christ and been baptized. Then he continued about he Saturday sabbath. I asked if they were Seventh Day Adventist and they said no, but wouldn’t tell me what church they represented. They invited me to meet with them again but I thanked them and refused and we went our separate ways. I didn’t get who these guys were and it bugged me. I googled a bit to see if I could figure out who they were, but was unsuccessful.

Then, just tonight leaving the grocery store, a man approaches me. He tells me that he is there for a church meeting of some kind. Again being naive I think he needs directions or something. He asks me like the first two guys if I believe in God. I told him I think I ran into his buddies the other night and they talked to me about the maternal nature of god. He talked about the Passover. He went through a bunch of scripture that mentioned the Passover. I countered with that no I don’t celebrate the Passover, but I take communion. He claimed that it wasn’t the same and that Jesus said that the Passover was the only way to everlasting life. We talked for awhile longer, standing outside in the cold as he went over scripture in the Old Testament that keeping the Passover was a commandment and that I couldn’t be saved without keeping the Passover.

When I asked where he was getting this he mentioned the second coming of Christ in the past tense. I was surprised by this and asked him, when do you believe Christ came? He answered in 1948, but I could tell he was nervous now. I asked some more questions about this, but he stuck to his Passover story now, not wanting to talk about the second coming anymore. He went on about the mother thing a bit, but as now it had been nearly a half hour standing in the cold I was ready to leave. He didn’t want me to go and I said I would like into it. I asked if they had a website and he gave me his card, with his first name, a phone number and the website zionusa.org.

Anyway, I googled around and figure out who these guys are. I just wanted to let people know they are active in Maine and I found it really weird I was approached twice in three days. They seemed nice enough and I am sure they believe this stuff. Reading about the group though and how they operate I can see how they prey on people’s insecurities. They worked on me in just the few minutes to try and create doubt in my beliefs. They were well prepared in their own presentation, but could not handle my questions or me presenting counter points from scripture. I certainly think that they were working to not as much convince me that they were legitimate, but more that my beliefs were incorrect. If I hadn’t of hit on the fact they believe Christ was this Korean guy I wouldn’t have ever known what church they were from.