Beyond Belief

Consumed by a desire to find meaning and purpose in life, Megan White is drawn deeply into a large Pentecostal church. The charismatic leadership challenge her. Their ideals provide the perfect motivation to dramatically change her life, to take her out of the drug scene. All is not as it seems however. Soon Megan learns a secret, a secret of betrayal within the church leadership. Confronted with their deception, she refuses to believe it. All of us have an intriguing capacity to deny truth, even when it is staring us in the face. Megan's confusion grows when she is taken into the confidence of the leading Pastor. As she protects those secrets revealed to her, she gains privilege and power in the church hierarchy. How can she manage the growing contradictions yet continue to follow her faith? Will anyone believe her if she reveals what she knows? After all, she hadn't believed it herself at first. Megan's journey of discovery is a roller coaster ride as she negotiates these complexities, wrestling with her own weaknesses and temptations. This is my story, written as a narrative with changed names. Having felt bound to silence for decades, this was my time to share the secrets I harboured and protected for so long. My hope in sharing this story, is that others will appreciate the risk of denial when beliefs are held too passionately. We must all gain the courage to be open to the truth, even when everything within us does not want to believe it.