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*Written in 2012

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DO GHOSTS FLOAT, THEIR FEET NEVER TOUCHING THE GROUND?

1 The Rev Brian K  Smith, Lecturer at the Baptist Theological College in New Zealand, taught me New Testament Greek, Theology, Preaching and many other aspects of the Christian Ministry in 1978-81. A mentor and a friend, he continues to influence me even now, more than 30 years later, including in the way I teach English.

Brian had spent 14 years or more in India as a missionary with the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Union before returning to New Zealand.

He told me an interesting story of his days in India.

He had walked all day to a village. Approaching the place just as dusk was gathering, he noticed someone following him. Suddenly, the man said, “I am Jesus Christ!”

Now, you can’t fool someone like Brian into thinking that you are Jesus Christ. You can’t fool me either. We know the Bible too well to fall for that.

His problem was, “Is this guy crazy or a ghost?”

At once, he looked at the man’s feet. Yes, the man’s feet were on the ground! Not a ghost! He sighed with relief. He looked at the man’s eyes. Yea, he looked crazy all right. Ignoring the village idiot, Brian went on into the village.

“The Indians,” Brian explained to me, “believe that the feet of a ghost won’t touch the ground.”

That’s what many people tell me, too.

*My experience at Pulau Ubin when I was attending The Outward Bound School support this theory:

HANTU: MY PULAU UBIN EXPERIENCE AT OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL, SINGAPORE, 1973.

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