So, Christ promised the Holy Spirit to be the teacher and guide of Christians. I still don’t know completely what this means. I once thought I heard the Holy Spirit talking to me, but it turned out I was having a psychotic episode of the kind comorbid with my autism. Likewise I’ve spoken on here about a woman I know that seems to have supernatural knowledge about things, but I tested her definitively against the direct words of the bible and she came out wanting showing she’s hearing from a lying spirit.
I know another person who claims to be a prophet and has backed it up with scarily accurate prophecies and again seems to have some supernatural element behind him. He hasn’t been disproven yet and has said that God will reveal himself more to me in the future. This was what I was hoping for because unlike all of these people, I don’t hear voices in my head.
It seems that every Christian and their mother hears voices in their head and claims them to be the Holy Spirit, but they all disagree with each other, and if you test their claims against anything objective you find that the voices have been lying to them about a great many things and were either just mild psychosis or actual demons.
And my question to the people on Biologos is, do you hear voices in your head that you fancy to be the Holy Spirit, and should Christians be hearing voices in their head at all and they are just misunderstanding what the Holy Spirit’s leading means? I find that the this cuts to the heart of an issue in the faith vs science debate as to whether we should be using scholarship and the ANE context to interpret the Bible or if we should be listening to the voices in our head that tells us they are the Holy Spirit to interpret it. Objective facts vs mysticism and the like.
Short answer, no. The only voice I hear in my head is my own, and while I believe in the leading of the Holy Spirit, it is more of a feeling of peace when in harmony rather than a specific voice.
Well I don’t believe in prophets, miracle workers and so on. Can seemingly supernatural or highly unlikely things happen to people randomly through their life? Possibly. Could always be a natural explanation if we knew how to see it.
So when it comes to voices in people’s heads I don’t believe it’s supernatural. I’ve had sleep paralysis my whole life and tactile/audio hallucinations. I have lots of lucid dreams that are very vivid age sometimes blurs when I exactly woke up. When I was younger I believed much of it was supernatural but now I know it’s not. My biggest worry is being woken up I the middle of the night hearing sounds and I ignore intruders thinking it’s just in my head.
Voices would not be appreciated in my case. Just hearing a voice doesn’t make what it says true or from God. That would seem more like an alien to me (or someone with a magic trick to manipulate me).
As I see it, God can use anything to communicate with people. Whereas people are restricted to a body and interactions with them must be physically connected with that body, God is not limited in this way. So for me, the voice of God is the meaning I get from all of my life experiences as a whole. That seems a more meaningful role for God in my life than some voice in the sky, which could be anything.
But that is me, and perhaps I am too much a skeptic. Others might trust that a voice they hear is from God. And I make it a rule, that my experiences do not define reality. AND I do not accept ANY lists that people make about what God cannot do. That frankly sounds even more suspicious to me.
I have never heard other voices than my own in my head, except those that are coming ‘ordinarily’ through my ears. Also, I have never seen ‘supernatural’ or extra-terrestrial entities, angels or Jesus.
I have moved decades in charismatic circles, seen miraculous answers to prayers, and heard people tell messages that sometimes include information that the person cannot have, rarely including information about something that truly happens in the near future. I have heard the exactly same message been told by persons who do not know about each other. I have also experienced such things in my own life.
The ‘voice’ of what I consider to be the Holy Spirit has not been an audible voice, or something that ‘booms’ over the various thoughts in the head - more often like a quiet ‘non-audible voice’ that you need to stop to listen to hear well. Sometimes it has left me unsure about the source, whether it was something from God or thoughts coming from my own brains or some other source. When I am unsure, usually the message needs to be proven to be true before I conclude that yes, it might have originated from God.
It is more common that relevant passages of the biblical scriptures ‘pop up’ in my mind when I hear something I am not sure about - passages that either seem to support or speak against what is told.
I am nowadays perhaps more cautious and critical about any ‘message from the Holy Spirit’ than most of my charismatic friends, irrespective of whether I hear it from others or it comes directly to me. Probably even too doubting. I have heard too many ‘messages’ or ‘prophecies’ about future events that seem to have reflected the fears or expectations of the person rather than what God has said - the events that have been told to happen have not happened.
If a Christian tells that he/she hears voices in his/her head, my first reaction is to assume that the person may have a mental issue and might need psychiatric help. Yet, I try to keep in mind that it could also be something else.
I sometimes wonder and doubt whether I should tell anything about my experiences because the persons that have not experienced the miraculous acts of God in their own life may think that I just have mental issues or am unable to separate the facts from fiction. I have chosen to tell something in the hope that it would help to make these kind of experiences a more ‘natural’ phenomenon of the life. It is like telling about depression or other personal experiences of life in the hope that people can understand that such matters can be part of the life of their neighbours, even if the neighbours would not normally tell about it. I am not proud that I have gone through a period of depression in my life and have similar kind of emotions about telling that I have personally experienced something that I count as acts or ‘voice’ of the Holy Spirit. It is nothing to be proud of but it is part of the reality around us. Life is stranger than fiction.
Adam of the Youtube channel Walking Faith. Travels around America in a van with his wife. His prophetic words are always so accurate. To get one you go to one his latest videos and ask in the comments for a prophetic word and he’ll give you a Bible chapter that will pertain greatly to your life, a message he claims from God. That’s what I mean by prophecy.
It is my experience that God speaks in an individual way according to the needs and understanding of those individuals/ I thin that a tangible voice might cause more upset than good, In another thread we discussed the idea of thought incarnations that may have Godly influence but in terms of distinguishing them from the usual thoughts would be almost impossible.
Like any here I am skeptical of tales of direct speach or visible incarnations but , also like many here, would not put it pass God to do so if the circumstance merited it.
There is also the danger of unwelcome voices or demonic influence that needs to be confronted, rather than dismissed.
I a sorry but this smacks of gimmick. In truth there are many passages that could fit most people without needing specific knowledge.
Anyone claiming special place or influence should be treated with caution IMO. The Holy Spirit does not work to human command or convenience.
I’m still looking for Adam and Ana’s surnames, and some sort of business or ministry address. The most I can see is that they seem to want their viewers to believe that they live out of a vehicle traveling around the U.S. And all of their Youtube’s, as far as I can tell, are filmed inside their car, no guests, no neighborhoods, etc.
But for all I know, they could be living in a nice home [see below]
Yeah, that’s the guy. He does allow people to donate voluntarily to his ministry but he doesn’t charge money for his prophecy, sermons, or anything else he does. Everything he does, he does for free. I’ve never had to pay a dime, and I haven’t paid a dime. I doubt he’s living large in the lap of luxury, he doesn’t have that many people that listen to him, it’s a small following, and I have no idea how many people actually give money to him.
But even if he was charging for this stuff (he’s not) and using it as a money making venture that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve seen and had confirmed supernatural experiences surrounding him. If he is a fraud, he’s not faking it, he’s a demonic fraud, he’s like that fortune teller in Acts that had the Python spirit that Paul cast out, which cost her owners money because she could truly tell the future, and they tried to have Paul arrested for that. I’m not saying that’s what he is one way or another, simply saying that he does have supernatural backing whether he be from God or not.
In our countries, we need money for living. Asking for donations or giving a possibility to donate is a natural part of religious activities in cases where the person or group does not earn enough of money through secular work. I see nothing bad in that, assuming that the persons do not try to sell what God gives for free - salvation, healing, blessings.
Those who receive donations from people have a moral responsibility to use the donated money in an acceptable way. I support transparency in the use of donated funding, in the sense that the receiver needs to be able and willing to tell how the money was used if someone asks. In my country (Finland), the law requires from those receiving donations a similar kind of accounting and auditing that is demanded from secular societies and companies.
If a person collects money for his own needs from people that earn less than himself, there is an increased demand for acting in an ethically acceptable way. Most of the preachers, missionaries, etc. receiving donations do not live in luxury, so greedy collection of money for personal use seems to be a problem of only a few persons. We should not accuse all from the sins of few.
So you’ve met him in person and interacted with him face to face? Great! Next time you do ask him if thinks a Deaf Christian should hear voices and in what language?
I posted the following information in Gemini AI and asked: “Trying to figure out the identity of the poster and and whether or not the poster has a scam of some sort going on.”
And this is what Gemini AI replied:
That’s a good and important question to ask when you see donation requests online. It’s wise to be cautious!
Based on the information provided, here’s what we can try to piece together and some things to consider regarding potential scams:
Potential Clues to Identity:
Wesley Lee: The Zelle information explicitly names “Wesley Lee” as the account holder for the email address inhisname1972@gmail.com. This is the strongest lead we have for identifying the individual.
WalkingFaith2020: This is the Cash App handle. It could be a personal name, a ministry name, or something else entirely. The “2020” might suggest when this Cash App account was created or is significant to the user.
Jesus#water#washingtondc: These tags, along with the channel name if you have it, might give clues about the content of the videos and the potential focus of the poster’s activities. The combination of “Jesus” and a donation request could indicate a religious or faith-based initiative. “Water” and “Washington DC” are less clear without more context.
Things to Consider Regarding Potential Scams:
Vagueness of Purpose: The “read more” doesn’t explicitly state what the donations are for. Legitimate charities and organizations usually clearly outline how the funds will be used.
Generic Thank You: While a thank you is nice, the generic nature doesn’t provide specifics about the impact of donations.
Multiple Payment Platforms: Offering both Cash App and Zelle isn’t inherently suspicious, but it’s worth noting. Scammers sometimes use multiple platforms to collect funds.
Lack of Official Affiliation: There’s no mention of a registered charity or organization. This doesn’t automatically mean it’s a scam, as individuals may solicit donations for personal reasons or small, informal initiatives. However, it lacks the transparency of established entities.
The Hashtags: While the hashtags themselves aren’t red flags, it’s worth considering if they align with the donation request. For example, is the “water” tag related to a specific project the donations might support?
Steps You Could Take to Investigate Further (with caution):
Search Online:
Try searching for “Wesley Lee” along with keywords like “WalkingFaith2020,” “Cash App,” “Zelle,” “Jesus,” “water,” and “Washington DC.” You might find other social media profiles, websites, or discussions related to this individual or the Cash App handle.
Search for the Cash App handle “$WalkingFaith2020.”
Examine the YouTube Channel:
Look at other videos on the channel. What kind of content is being posted? Does it provide more context about who is behind it and what they do?
Check the “About” section of the YouTube channel for any more information about the creator.
Read the comments on the videos. Do other viewers mention anything about donations or the legitimacy of the channel?
Be Wary of Direct Contact: Avoid directly contacting the email address or Cash App without being cautious. Scammers sometimes use direct contact to try and solicit more funds or information.
Look for Transparency: Legitimate individuals and organizations are usually transparent about their work and how donations are used. If there’s a lack of detail, it’s a reason to be more skeptical.
In conclusion, based solely on this “read more” section, it’s difficult to definitively say whether this is a scam or a legitimate request. There are some elements that warrant caution due to the lack of specific information about the purpose of the donations. Further investigation of the YouTube channel and the information provided might yield more clues.
Remember to never donate money if you have any doubts about the legitimacy of the request. It’s always best to donate to established and reputable charities or organizations where you can verify their credentials and track how your money is being used.
I used to work for the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Treasury. After watching the first 10 minutes of ((Walking Faith)) “Eclipse Day Word” ( Why God Shakes Us), I’m convinced that Adam and Ana (a.k.a. Wesley Lee and Mona Tiger) are either so naive that they need an accountant or they are so busy hustling folks they need to find a lawyer.
Suppose I come across somebody who will sell me some ball caps, and find somebody else who will put an Ephesians 4:12 patch on each of them really cheap, and I put them on a table and announce: “First come first serve”, and never say “They’re free”, but anyone who gets one can give whatever they feel moved to give, how much of the money that I get for the hats do you think I’m going to pay taxes on?
That’s a description I can agree with. The only thing I’d add is that sometimes it’s like I heard something but I know there was no sound, and sometimes it’s that I just know something. An example of the first was last year when I saw a beat-up car that clearly belonged to a homeless person and there were suddenly words, “Help him”, almost like someone had spoken behind me but I knew there wasn’t anyone there and I knew there hadn’t been any sound, the words were just there. An example of the second is when at the house where I lived much of my university years one of the guys came back from a weekend home and the moment I saw him I knew what he’d done that weekend (and that I was supposed to talk to him about it, something I botched rather badly).
I pointed that out to a gal once and she said, “That can’t happen to me, I have this” – and she pulled out a (cheap) crystal on a leather string.
A friend with me pulled out the crucifix he wore and said she’d be better off with one of them, and she responded, “My spirits wouldn’t like that”.
