Explain About Getting 'slain In The Spirit' Please

[ogilvy]

when i went to pentecostal meetings, wanting something supernatural to happen to me, nothing ever did. i later came to be glad of that, because i came to think it was 'of the devil', or 'of the flesh', but never 'of God'. just a guy feeling. at a toronto blessing meeting i seemed to be the only one left standing up! at that meeting i didnt think people were faking it, but i would like to know from people who had it, what was it? did you have control over it? were you pushed? at meetings i sometimes saw the 'annointed person', push someone. and i thought it was silly the way they had 'catchers', because i dont imagine they did it that way in bible times, t hough i could be wrong, but i hope not. the effect it had on me, including people giving messages 'from God', was one of revulsion, because i didnt think it was anything to do with God. at that stage i still thought signs and wonders were meant to happen these days, and there was no better chuch to go to in the town i lived in, which is the reason i didnt leave sooner.

[Sophronia]

heh. I was Pentecostal.

 

I had it happen a couple of times and I think it's because I wanted it to happen. That's what is supposed to happen when the Holy Spirit comes over you, so some part of your subconscious can make it happen, methinks.

 

But just one story. I attended a very small church and the preacher's main priority was himself. At times he was a very powerful preacher, but at other times he would do lame things like answer his cell phone during Bible study, or let his bratty grandchild run amok. Until visitors came to a service, then hoboy, he would be on the ball to impress the newcomers.

 

So one time some distinguished-looking people came through the door, and Preacher gave a big sermon. Then at the end, he did an "altar call" and asked me to come up (along with the prerequisite "catchers"). He did his thing with the magic oil and the laying-on of hands, exhorting me to "raise your hands to the Laaawd", all that kinda thing.

 

By that time, I was having some serious doubts and issues with both him and the church. I went along with all the praying and stuff, but never fell down. I think he was kinda frustrated because he kept praying harder and harder. Must have been frustrating to him... I'm quite sure he chose me because in the past I could usually be counted on to "perform", and now that guests were in the church, he wanted to show off how spirit-filled we all were. But this time the Holy Spook didn't get to me, and after some time of praying and oil-anointing, he finally gave it up and had me sit back down.

 

Now, I will say that as a Pagan I do believe that there are states of psychic or quasi-spiritual ecstasy, and I have reached such states in the Pentecostal church. But not through getting "slain in the spirit". Typically it was through hand drumming activities. And such hand drumming activities can generate a feeling of ecstasy in various settings, secular or spiritual, for those who are into that kind of thing.

[Grandpa Harley]

It's similar to Voodoo hysteria type reactions, you just get smacked by Jesus, rather than Baron Samedi...

[Sophronia]

Nowadays if I want to get all hysterical, I just go to the local hippie drum circle. Same effect, more fun, more half-nekkid chicks, maybe a toke or a beer...

[SWIM]

I visited a pentacostal church and an "ass of god" church before. There is intense peer presure in those services. When everyone around you is "filled with the holy spook" and bouncing off the walls, you stand out if *you* are not doing it too. Subconsiously, not wanting to stand out, or appear like you have not "received" anything, when everyone around you has, can kick in the ole mentality you had as a child. Remember *play*? When we played *pretend* as children, we learned how to do this. They are more "playing church" then attending it.

 

Remember being able to pretend you were your favorite hero? Pretending is a function of "play", and we have found that many animals, like cats and dogs, play as kittens or puppies, in a manner that mimicks skills they will need later in life. We too, do this to a certain extent.

[Fweethawt]

Slain In The Spirit™ = a combination of psychoneurosis and hysteria.

 

End of discussion...

[Grandpa Harley]

I was giving the benefit of the dobut on just plain faking it to impress the proles... but having seen first hand a fainting 'epidemic' at school, you only need a couple to start it off and then people are REALLY passing out...

[sojourner]

This is a topic I have no clue about even though I have experiences

 

The reason I say I have no clue is that now I question much of those experiences as having been my own making

 

One time there was a Rodney Howard Browne guy, one of his associates at a church, he threw a cloth that hit the back of my legs with my back turned so I didnt even see it coming and I fell as they buckled under me. Some times we laughed for hours in his meetings and I laughed along with others.

 

But looking back on that time, did I respond because I had 'faith' in those events being real or not?

 

I have no clue,

 

I dont know what is real in those things but now that Im much more sceptical it would be interesting to go to some RHB meeting again

 

sojourner

[Grandpa Harley]

I seem to remember Houdini could do that trick...

[Jedah]

Observe a hypnosis session.

 

Observe a person perform self hypnosis

 

Observe someone get "Slain in the spirit"

 

Observe an African tribe member "get possessed by a demon" during a ritual and predict the weather.

 

Did you notice any differance ?

 

Because I sure can't.

[sojourner]

Speaking of hypnosis I watched a show once where a hypnotist had a person under and told them he was heating a quarter up with a lighter to get it red hot and then he placed a quarter that was not of course heated on the inside of their forearm. They not only believed they had just been burned but a red circle appeared from a cool quarter on their arm when he removed the quarter.

 

the mind is a wild thing

 

a mystery to me for sure

 

Grandpa, you said Houdini did that, was that in response to me? What did you mean? Im curious.

 

sojourner

[hoosier]

I also once went to a church service where that Rodney Howard Browne guy was when I was 6 yrs. old. I thought it was cool when everybody started going up front to speak jibberish and fall over so I went up too. It was fun. I dont think I quite realized it was supposed to involve god though.

[hereticzero]

At the next meeting when they start speaking in tongues, do it in Klingon and see if they can interpret that?

[GraphicsGuy]

People do fake it. Subconsciously perhaps, but they do fake it. They want to "hear from" or be "touched by" God so badly they will do anything to give themselves that impression.

 

I was "slain" once, but felt as if I had kind of forced it by wanting it to happen. After that I always refused to go down, always told God that if he wanted me on the floor he'd have to wallop me.

 

Of course, I voluntarily laid on my face before him numerous times...

[Kenny]

when i went to pentecostal meetings, wanting something supernatural to happen to me, nothing ever did. i later came to be glad of that, because i came to think it was 'of the devil', or 'of the flesh', but never 'of God'. just a guy feeling. at a toronto blessing meeting i seemed to be the only one left standing up! at that meeting i didnt think people were faking it, but i would like to know from people who had it, what was it? did you have control over it? were you pushed? at meetings i sometimes saw the 'annointed person', push someone. and i thought it was silly the way they had 'catchers', because i dont imagine they did it that way in bible times, t hough i could be wrong, but i hope not. the effect it had on me, including people giving messages 'from God', was one of revulsion, because i didnt think it was anything to do with God. at that stage i still thought signs and wonders were meant to happen these days, and there was no better chuch to go to in the town i lived in, which is the reason i didnt leave sooner.

 

I can remember wanting it with all of my heart at one time, but it never happened to me personally. I saw a lot of it, though, and found that I could "induce" it. Playing music for a large group of people, repeating the sequences of events I'd seen before, saying the things people wanted to hear... I could get 'em frothing and flopping with the best of 'em. At the time, I felt that I had supernatural power from God. Now, I realize that group dynamics is a really cool thing! When I played in bars and clubs and at parties, I could always get the prettiest girls out on the dance floor and keep the pitchers of beer flowing freely. After all, that's the kind of thing that gets a band called back again and again! When people are having fun, they spend their money. When club owners are making money, the band is making money. In a way, it's just like church!!! It's all about the moment (the atmoshpere, if you will), where people are wanting to go, and how far you're willing to take it. In a group setting, people will go along with nearly anything they see you do onstage and nearly anything to ask them to participate in.

 

That's my take on it, anyway. Good topic!

[Japedo]

It's emotional hysteria nothing more.

[GraphicsGuy]

When club owners are making money, the band is making money. In a way, it's just like church!!! It's all about the moment (the atmoshpere, if you will), where people are wanting to go, and how far you're willing to take it. In a group setting, people will go along with nearly anything they see you do onstage and nearly anything to ask them to participate in.

 

Hahaha...Kenny, my first time ever in a bar was August 16, 2007. I went to see a friend's band play and it was a lot of fun (though I was really reserved the whole night). As I watched the band play and the people dance my exact thought was, "What's so bad about this? Except for the beer it's just like church!"

[ogilvy]

so did anyone have it happen to them in a way that was completely out of their control, like in a very forceful, dramatic way? that seemed supernatural?

[Grandpa Harley]

It may well seem 'supernatural' but the parameters of hysterical behaviour, in an 19th century sense of the decription, are pretty well understood...

 

Subejctive experience proves little beyond 'that was how I felt'...

[ogilvy]

yes grandpa but i'm still interested to know how they felt

[Grandpa Harley]

Ah right, I misread the question... sorry

[ShackledNoMore]

True it is a hysteria, but it's also sort of a testament to the preachers and just how good they are with inciting this hysteria on the crowd.

 

As for how it FEELS, well, at least for me I was totally immersed in the emotion, in what was going on, the circus. Subjectively, it neither felt like I was deliberately falling, nor like I was faking it. In retrospect, there was just a little bit of a shove involved, but it was easy not to notice that at the time. When I "felt the spirit" in this way, there was also a sensation (for me, at least) that I could describe almost like "electricity," only far less intense than a real shock and over a larger area, I've also felt sensations like a sudden wisp of cool wind, and just a "feel" of what I thought was "the spirit." Hope I've sort of adequately described my experience, kind of saying something "tastes like chicken."

[Grandpa Harley]

Does anyone else just think this stuff is embarrassing?

[Sophronia]

It's just another manifestation of crazy human behavior. Mass psychosis, that kind of thing.

 

I've seen New Agers behave just as strangely when they're channeling spirits and such. Or the aforementioned dancing hippie drum-circle kinda thing. Or a stadium-full of baby-boomer Crosby, Stills and Nash fans all waving lighters and doing a mass singalong of "Teach Your Children Well" (now that's embarassing). People like to get in a group and act weird.

[Grandpa Harley]

I was at the 'Freddie's Dead' convert at Wembly in 1992, and there were some interesting crowd scenes there...

 

 

Best one - Radio Ga-Ga... the crowd started out doing the clappy thing in time to the music, then you could see the timing change as people locked in with the row in front...thus us lads in the cheap seats ended up clapping out of time with the music but in time with the crowd... most strange...