Chapter 11 Week 10 (Part 1): New Religions

"This is God's test for us!" Pastor Liang's voice was loud. Even without the help of microphones and speakers, the sound of the sermon still echoed in the auditorium. The believers in the audience listened intently to Pastor Liang's speech.Pairs of eyes fixed on this excellent shepherd. "It's like the great flood in ancient times. God wanted to wash away all the sins of the world, leaving only the righteous who obeyed and obeyed Him!" Pastor Liang used to sing tenor in a choir, so he knows how to speak with luck, and how to use facial expressions to maintain the audience's attention when speaking.

"Everyone look outside: young models who sell their lust for fame and fortune! Vulgar TV game shows! Horse races that encourage people to take chances! Homosexuals who violate God's creation of nature! College students who only know how to play sex games in the orientation camp! Worship A temple of false idols! Evolutionary supporters and atheists who are trying to mock God—where are they now? They are all gone! They were all wiped out by God! This is punishment! It is a trial for injustice!" The believers in the audience said Like a show, every time Pastor Liang mentioned a sin, they booed and yelled.The atmosphere in the auditorium was unusually high.

Rachel also sat among the crowd in the audience.She did not follow the crowd to call.This was the first sermon Rachel heard.She had just come to this "Xinfutang", and it was less than an hour. Pastor Liang's words made Rachel feel uncomfortable all over.Especially when it comes to "gay". Rachel remembered that when she was in Form Four, she used to play around, kissing and exploring each other's bodies with a female classmate.She used to be a long jump and sprinter, but she also likes to cut her hair short, and is often misunderstood as a tomboy. She looked at the excited pastor and audience in the auditorium - my God... where the hell have I come?

Rachel has been able to survive until now after the "big shutdown", and has been stealing food from the gang's storage location. The "violent group" is the underworld and the police in the past. If she is caught, the consequences will be disastrous. It can be said that she is looking for food at the edge of a tiger. Rachel, who was studying at university, is a member of the Hong Kong track and field team. With this skill, she has avoided danger many times.But seeing the mother at home getting weaker and weaker, Rachel knew to find other ways.She found several medicines and gave them to her mother, but none of them worked. Rachel knew what her mother's real problem was: too little and too little food, malnutrition, which weakened the body's immunity, which was already suffering from long-term diseases.

When Rachel was a few years old, her father abandoned the family and left, and her mother was the most important person in her 21-year-old life.She had to find a way to save her mother, no matter what dangers she risked. Rachel has heard about this "Xinfutang" from people for a long time.According to several descriptions, "Xinfutang" is a "place favored by the gods", as long as you go there, you can eat enough every day and sleep peacefully, away from all the pain and danger after the "big shutdown".It is even more exaggerated to say that there is food given by God, and eating it will make people feel safe and satisfied.

Of course, everyone just heard it, and no one went to the "Xinfutang" and came back to tell everyone whether it was the case.Perhaps affected by this legend, the violent gang did not dare to touch the church. Rachel has never believed, let alone believed that there is such a thing as "God-given food" in the world.But for her mother, she resolutely set out to have a look.It is not difficult to know the location of "Xinfutang". It was originally a well-known "Fugui Church". Several current and former senior officials, as well as many singers and celebrities, all go there for Sunday worship, so they often appear in magazines and newspapers. .

But the real danger is on the road. It's no secret, at least across Hong Kong Island, that the "big shutdown" was due to a super virus that turned people into lunatics.The killing of the "cleaning" virus happened everywhere. It is not easy for Rachel to get from her home in North Point to the "Xin Fu Tang" in Tai Hang, Tin Hau. Fortunately, she has a very precious tool - a racing bike. Rachel is also a triathlon enthusiast. When she came to the downstairs of "Xinfutang", everything was beyond her expectation.Originally thought that in this situation, they would have to lock the door and be guarded, but it was a smiling middle-aged church worker who greeted her, and immediately led her up to the auditorium on the seventh floor of the building to listen to the sermon.

"Those sex worker organizations who rationalize prostitutes; social workers who advocate raising lazy people; political sticks who fear social chaos...all of them will be punished as they should! Only we, the children of God, will live forever, and Establish a new kingdom of God on earth!" Rachel looked at Pastor Liang's spit on the stage.His 37-point hairstyle is still combed with pomade and shiny, and he still insists on wearing a full suit-although the auditorium with many people and no air conditioning is terribly stuffy.Two lines of sweat were on his cheeks, reflecting the light of the candlelight.

At this time, a believer raised his hand: "Pastor, but I know that many believers died outside... Some churches were set on fire... Then how to explain it?" Pastor Liang replied without thinking, "That's because They are not firm enough! They did not strictly abide by God’s will! They even easily surrendered to the secular world! Facts have proved that whoever fails God’s test is a false church!” He pointed to the wall behind him.On the large cross hanging on it, there are four very ugly big characters "Guanghua Church". "Their destruction and death is to prove that our new church is the real and last church! It is God's favorite!"

The believers stood up and applauded excitedly.In this time of disaster, where death is everywhere, the words "We are God's favorites" give them infinite comfort. Rachel wanted to believe that there was still hope.But she couldn't be moved by the sermon at all.Just hearing the question just now, I knew it was "matchmaking". All she cared about was whether the church was really well-fed. At this moment, a door next to it opened. Rachel immediately smelled a long-lost smell. The aroma of cooking meat. Pastor Liang announced loudly: "Now is the time to receive the 'Holy Communion' again."