WHAT In The World Is . . .

[Trekker06]

What in the world is the practice of 'slaying in the Spirit'?

And, what in the world is the practice of 'holy laughter' otherwise known as the Toronto Blessing?

And, while I'm on a roll, what in the world is the practice of making sounds like farmyard animals, etc. while supposedly 'in the Spirit'?

It's my understanding that the above practices are only - or predominantly - used within the Pentecostal (Charismatic) Movement churches. This, of course, excludes churches of the Baptist, Presbyterian, Anglican, Seventh-day Adventist, etc. etc. persuasions. In other words, it appears to be the DENOMINATION ITSELF that encourages these 'showy' practices from its members. The so-called 'speaking in tongues' is also another phenomenon of this particular movement.

My questions are: Why are these rather bizarre practices basically confined to ONE SPECIFIC denomination? Does this not suggest brainwashing or mind control of its members? Where, in the scriptures, do we get the first three mentioned outlandish practices? Do these practices throw the entire movement into disrepute?

'Tongues' we could argue about until the cows come home.

[SeekerSA]

What in the world is the practice of 'slaying in the Spirit'?

aka Benny Hinn? Personally having never experienced this I question it too. As for laying on of hands, falling over backwards with a catcher is probably something learned. I only fell once but my legs crumpled as opposed to tilting over backwards. Many times when hands were laid on, you could feel the gentle push of the one laying hands.

Irrespective of this, I do not believe the laying on of hands by the individual doing the laying does not believe in what they are doing. The practice of this and the resultant "fall" many times I believe is not genuine. I tend not to judge these things as they may or may not be real. The experience from one person to another may differ.

And, what in the world is the practice of 'holy laughter' otherwise known as the Toronto Blessing?

I only experienced this once where it was uncontrollable. Initially I just smiled but it, the laughter, is catching, real or not, not sure. There was a lady that used to just start laughing and after the pastor stopped her, it never happened again. I felt no special anointing.

And, while I'm on a roll, what in the world is the practice of making sounds like farmyard animals, etc. while supposedly 'in the Spirit'?

This is a new one to me. I would guess with all negative reference to beasts in the bible this is not of the Holy Spirit.


In the church I was in, I no longer attend church btw, there were Pentecostals from other churches that visited. They practiced their form of tongues which IMO was false.

The word clearly states, "By their fruit you shall know them". One can be oppressed by a religious spirit. These person's lives during the week did not really reflect that of a Christian. My experience, in general, the practicing ones were the most hypocritical, walk past them in the shopping centre and they do not even greet you, in fact ignore you, kinda not quite what Paul said "greet your brother with a kiss". I stay in a small town.

Tongues are real, but there are those that practice gibberish believing they have it. Many Pentecostals invite people up for the receiving of the baptism of the the Holy Spirit with ".. the evidence of which is speaking in tongues.." and in other sermons have stated that unless baptised in the Holy Spirit you are not saved, so you can see where the peer pressure comes from eh?

This is where the falseness comes in and has propagated an spread so wide in the Pentecostals and charismatics that it is a now a mockery.

Like any gift, the gift is subject to the person with the gift. Paul is pretty clear on how the gifts are to be used in an assembly. There is discipline.

Private tongues are exactly that private. Pentecostals are taught that thinking a prayer is not good enough, one must utter this loudly, God is Spirit, deep calls unto deep, one does not need to pray audibly.

Barnyard animals? LOL! If I were to witness that, I wouldn't be able to hold back my laughter. That is just crazy!

Originally Posted by Roman

It never cease to amaze me that Evangelicals proclaim unity on essentials, a list on essentials about which there is no unanimity either!, and I have found literally dozens of areas where you call each other names or say the doctrine is false... How about unanimity!

Yes, it is even worse in the Rc church where there is no unity.

in the 16+ years I have known Christ and have lived in a relationship with Him, i have been "slain in the Spirit" about 3 times on different occasions.

the first time was about 3 years after being saved and somewhat unexpected as i had settled for "if it never happens to me, that´s ok, too". i almost landed in the drum set.

on another occasion, i was on the ground and twitching/jerking (?) like with spasms or so i had a conversation with God. i remember it so clearly till today.

now i believe myself to be a sober person, and definitively one with brutal honesty before God. i won´t fake - not for my sake nor for the sake of the one who lays hands on me, and i WILL resist pushing. in other words: those 3 times were God´s doing, not my own or the prayer´s.

i do agree there is a lot of man-made falling; and i have seen pushing going on, too.
like Seeker, i don´t judge, but ask God to remove falseness and bring genuineness.

that it happens in only specific groups may have to do with hearing of it, being open for it, as God the Holy Spirit does not impose Himself on anyone.

biblical foundation for it: the "drunkenness" of Pentecost. (and it can´t just have been a bit of merry tipsiness (and no slurred speech for everyone heard them speak in their own tongue) for the onlookers to have thought that "these men are drunk").

this is not meant to open a debate with you, Trekker, as part of it is my personal experience, and whether you believe it/me or not, will not change one little bit of it. i was there, and you weren´t.

as to the rest of my post, it is solely in reply to your questions, but with no intent to debate. this is how i see it. you see it differently. end of story.
i don´t need to nor want to convince you otherwise, nor do you need to convince me otherwise. it is not salvation-relevant, not a matter of heaven or hell. so, i for one, can live with our difference.

any questions... feel free to ask.

[Trekker06]

You are correct, Christa ...I was not there.

I do believe, however, that those who are highly emotional and open to the power of suggestion are prone to this form of behavior. Often these folks are not even aware of it. I'm not necessarily implying that there is anything inherently evil in these type practices. But I DO believe that they give cause for others to shake their heads in disbelief.

Originally Posted by Trekker06

You are correct, Christa ...I was not there.

I do believe, however, that those who are highly emotional and open to the power of suggestion are prone to this form of behavior. Often these folks are not even aware of it. I'm not necessarily implying that there is anything inherently evil in these type practices. But I DO believe that they give cause for others to shake their heads in disbelief.

Trekker as a minister who has seen this in many countries, I see what you are saying. The devil will always imitate what God is doing among people and sadly some Christians get taken in by him. I too have been slain in the Spirit and have been on the floor for 4 hours before coming to. Everyone had left the church by then and the pastor and one elder had to take me home! God had done a tremendous work in me in this time. I do not believe that making farmyard noises lifts up God and I would put a stop to it if I was ministering at the time.

Originally Posted by Trekker06

You are correct, Christa ...I was not there.

I do believe, however, that those who are highly emotional and open to the power of suggestion are prone to this form of behavior. Often these folks are not even aware of it. I'm not necessarily implying that there is anything inherently evil in these type practices. But I DO believe that they give cause for others to shake their heads in disbelief.

yes, i agree. but then again, God special-ises in those things that make ppl shake their heads in disbelief. (God becoming man; a man dying on a cross buys me salvation 2000+ years later; a dead Jesus raised from the dead; faith counted for righteousness; upon repentance extend forgiveness and letting the sinner go free; God Himself, the Holy Spirit living inside of human beings...)

[nashdude]

I'm in complete agreement with Christa on being "slain in the Spirit". This has happened to me only once, but once is all it took to let me know it was real! Or could be, rather. Just like tongues, this gets faked a good bit of the time.

Laughter? Just like being slain in the Spirit, it is a case where the Holy Spirit so overwhelms the believer that they just get the giggles! Have you never just "got the giggles"?

As far as the barnyard animal stuff, that I can honestly tell you is NOT of God. Where the other two can be easily understood as being overwhelmed by the Spirit of God, God is not the author of confusion. He may cause someone to be "slain in the Spirit", but He won't allow a woman to be "slain" in a position that a man in the audience might, say, look up her skirt and be moved to lust. A movement of God will always glorify God, NOT move someone to sin or dishonor themselves, others, or God. Likewise, He will not cause people to act or sound out in ways that will not glorify Him.

I fully believe in the scriptural gifts, as evidenced in the charismatic movement, but if there's something that does not glorify God in some way, you can bet that it's not a movement of the Spirit.

[RadLad72]

I'm sorry.

People can try to justify anything, but unles it is from God (ie. in the Scirptures) then there is no light in it.

There is no evidence of Godly given 'slain in the Spirit' experiences, nor this 'holy laughter' nonsense.

People get overwhelmed and worked up and cannot control themselves.

Would it surprise you to know that these practices occur in pagan peoples such as Haiti and other places like that? People fall down in trances and have 'seizures' and the like. I am prety sure noone here would believe they are doing something sanctioned by God in His holy Word.

This gibberish that Pentecostals go on with is not scriptural. They are practices done by pagan people who have nothing to do with God and they have been brought over to a religion like so much other stuff that doesn't belong in Christianity.

BTW - Paul was actually chiding the people of Corinth for following pagan people with their 'tongue-speaking' which you will see if you take off your blinkers and read it for what it is.

Rad.

(I hope there are no swear words in this missive Jeff)