yunea Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Yes, I did it again, I listened to a Wednesday night service from the same Pentecost church as earlier. I do it to reflect on how it makes me feel and to also know what I'm talking about when Pentecostalism comes up in conversation, as some aspects of it have changed a lot from the days when I was active within it. There was a guy saying that in some small town in another country, lots of people started giving their life to jesus and oh, very, very soon all crimes went down to zero, and then the jails were empty, the police not needed anymore, halleljujah jesus is great! ' No wait.... Sure they have a some kind of record of reduced crimes and less jailtime? Surely such an amazing miracle that everyone can see has proof of it on paper too so I can see and believe it and regret that I had doubts? Oh, indeed, the town's name wasn't mentioned and it was in a different country and who knows which year either. But let's clap our hands and say hooray to jesus anyway, ok, the story is totally real, ok. Then there was another guy speaking with a "gift of prophecy" and he was like, "Right now, there is someone who can hear this who feels like they have lost everything. The basis of their life has broken, prayer feels empty, reading scripture doesn't help...and you know how you can lock a gun to a target? The devil has locked himself on YOU the same way! He's trying to ruin your life right now! And my advice to you, DEAR FRIEND, is, don't try to pray, don't force yourself to reading scripture, but PRAISE GOD. The devil can't STAND it when you praise gawd, and he'll let go of you!!" If your life's broken, nothing like hearing it's the devil and everything will be better if you just sing the praise of someone who doesn't care, instead of what, say, going to a doctor or at least a good friend to get help...? Also, a political party leader's son got into a freak accident and was in a hospital at the time of the service, and it happened to be a political party that I think a lot of the church members vote for. So of course these men prayed for the son and yelled how god can heal him and he'll be able to walk again. Well the son died last night, after the service. I wonder if that'll be mentioned next Wednesday and explained away with god's mysterious ways of making mysterious plans or something. Listening to the services does make me feel like some of those men could be awesome actors. The way they can fake tears on command (or the voice that they're going to cry at any moment) is pretty impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ Fuego ♦ Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 It's all hoopla designed to keep you revved up and conforming when you least want to. The raised hands and tongue-speaking keeps the money flowing in and them feeling relevant in preaching myths as reality. I remember the feeling of belonging when the whole crowd was murmuring in tongues and it would rise to a crescendo and some guy would take of running around the congregation, others would dance, and I really did feel power course through me or blazing heat coming down from above. Powerful stuff that keeps people enslaved to an abusive religion and those that promote it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Furball Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 There was a guy saying that in some small town in another country, lots of people started giving their life to jesus and oh, very, very soon all crimes went down to zero, and then the jails were empty, the police not needed anymore, halleljujah jesus is great! They have to keep feeding the flock with results, lest at any time someone says hey this preaching stuff isn't getting us anywhere....keep feeding the flock bullshit as long as possible for continued income into the pastors wallet because well....that pastors new house isn't going to pay for itself! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violetbutterfly Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 There was a guy saying that in some small town in another country, lots of people started giving their life to jesus and oh, very, very soon all crimes went down to zero, and then the jails were empty, the police not needed anymore, halleljujah jesus is great! Oh wait. He was serious? Then there was another guy speaking with a "gift of prophecy" and he was like, "Right now, there is someone who can hear this who feels like they have lost everything. The basis of their life has broken, prayer feels empty, reading scripture doesn't help...and you know how you can lock a gun to a target? The devil has locked himself on YOU the same way! He's trying to ruin your life right now! And my advice to you, DEAR FRIEND, is, don't try to pray, don't force yourself to reading scripture, but PRAISE GOD. The devil can't STAND it when you praise gawd, and he'll let go of you!!" This is one of my favorites. If this were true, I wouldn't be on ExC right now, and neither would a lot of other members. It's right up with moving mountains with the faith of a mustard seed. Still waiting.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 Thanks for the comments, all. It's Wednesday again and I am tempted to listen to another one of these tonight. Like some part of me is insisting it "can't" be this bad all the time, and wishing for proof of it. I guess it's a mixture of "wtf was I doing believing this" and "wtf are people I love involved in", not wanting it to be what it is, maybe I've just had bad luck when choosing which ones to listen to. Typing this on the phone while keeping a break from exercising a limb that was supposed to be healed by heavenly dad. The church that broadcasts their services has a video on their front page about a girl who experienced a very similar "healing" as I did to a very similar injury. She was like "four painless months already!". I wonder what they'd say if I said, "I was painless for 7 years and then the pain came back absolutely crippling, and a doctor told me my posture and sitting/standing/walking habits had been completely wrong all along". I probably willed my symptoms away because I wanted it to be true so badly (like massive placebo effect), and harmed myself further. I'll be back here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
★ Citsonga ★ Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Yes, I did it again, I listened to a Wednesday night service from the same Pentecost church as earlier. I do it to reflect on how it makes me feel and to also know what I'm talking about when Pentecostalism comes up in conversation, as some aspects of it have changed a lot from the days when I was active within it. There was a guy saying that in some small town in another country, lots of people started giving their life to jesus and oh, very, very soon all crimes went down to zero, and then the jails were empty, the police not needed anymore, halleljujah jesus is great! ' No wait.... Sure they have a some kind of record of reduced crimes and less jailtime? Surely such an amazing miracle that everyone can see has proof of it on paper too so I can see and believe it and regret that I had doubts? Oh, indeed, the town's name wasn't mentioned and it was in a different country and who knows which year either. But let's clap our hands and say hooray to jesus anyway, ok, the story is totally real, ok. Isn't it amazing how there's all these miracles in unnamed places on the other side of the world where nobody can check to verify? Wowsers! Then there was another guy speaking with a "gift of prophecy" and he was like, "Right now, there is someone who can hear this who feels like they have lost everything. The basis of their life has broken, prayer feels empty, reading scripture doesn't help...and you know how you can lock a gun to a target? The devil has locked himself on YOU the same way! He's trying to ruin your life right now! And my advice to you, DEAR FRIEND, is, don't try to pray, don't force yourself to reading scripture, but PRAISE GOD. The devil can't STAND it when you praise gawd, and he'll let go of you!!" If your life's broken, nothing like hearing it's the devil and everything will be better if you just sing the praise of someone who doesn't care, instead of what, say, going to a doctor or at least a good friend to get help...? In a group of any decent size, there will likely be someone who feels like his/her life has fallen apart. It's just a statistical probability. So, there's probably at least one person who thinks God spoke to him/her through this. And if there's not someone in that group who's falling apart, well, who would know that? Also, a political party leader's son got into a freak accident and was in a hospital at the time of the service, and it happened to be a political party that I think a lot of the church members vote for. So of course these men prayed for the son and yelled how god can heal him and he'll be able to walk again. Well the son died last night, after the service. I wonder if that'll be mentioned next Wednesday and explained away with god's mysterious ways of making mysterious plans or something. The Lord needed another angel! (The Lord called him home. It's another MIRACLE!) Listening to the services does make me feel like some of those men could be awesome actors. The way they can fake tears on command (or the voice that they're going to cry at any moment) is pretty impressive. Yep, it's acting, alright. Give 'em all Emmys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francesco Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 it's cherry picking and confirmation bias only the good are shown, the bad one are not even if those are fictional stories at the end they cannot sell the bad one, who wants to join their church if they told the bad stories? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 The mob mentality is fascinating. I've been caught up in it. The ambiguity of the Holy Spirit concept lends itself to the hysteria. It's like a magic trick: you want to be amazed, so even though you know it's sleight of hand and clever engineering, you suspend your disbelief and get caught up in the moment. How much greater would you get caught up if you believed there was some measure of real magic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveller2 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 And revival is just around the corner...."the stream will become a river" ...apparently.One church I went to had a big banner with that on behind the pulpit...I check up on the every now and then online. Congregation seems as small as ever despite the passage of 15 yrs:mind you with god a thousand yrs is as a day etc lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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