nephilimiyr said:
You Catholics and Orthodoxies should know what I'm talking about. You all say that the Bible isn't the whole word of God but that some of the things you believe in can't always be pointed to directly in the Bible but is apart of tradition. So since this is the case with you why do you expect me or anybody else to point directly to a verse or story in the Bible as proof that this thing is biblical? And I have given one biblical account by the way and another poster gave a second account.
Good points here Neph. I think we veterans of GT are all used to pointing to Scripture to back up a belief of ours, only to be told we are misinterpreting it, or perhaps blindly following "traditions of men." I wish that people could stop making those types of retorts, and actually responding, actually explaining why they think another's interpretation of a passage is incorrect, in a respectful way.
We're (mostly) all adults here but unfortunately many don't act like it.
I think that a lot of what goes on at the charismatic/pentecostal services is that through preaching, song, or just the general vibe, people's minds are opened and they are hypersensitive to things. I think this is why some people fall down at a simple push. Crowd psychology does this.
It also makes one hypersensitive to the Holy Spirit. Often in life, we, through our sinful tendencies, block God out of certain areas of our life. We might know our Scripture and live moral lives but we all have problems with greed, pride, envy, lust, anger.... and these things can be a wall to block God out when He is reaching to us. This is why we spend our lives working toward sanctification, each and every day - we must experience conversion each and every day so we are more open to the Lord's grace.
Back to my point, when these services have the effect of letting down those walls around the heart, it is a lot easier for people to let the Holy Spirit do His work. And if this means healing people, or people shouting, or falling down, who are we to question the Holy Spirit?
We may believe some of these things are fake, but let's not assume. Our limited mental capacities should never presume that God cannot work where He wills.
My family is very good friends with a charismatic priest named Fr. Ralph Diorio. He has a healing ministry in Massachussetts. He has healed many people, including one of my best friend's sisters. She had stomach cancer, and while he was praying over her, she felt like an invisible hand reached into her stomach and took something out. When she went back to the doctor a few days later, the cancer had gone down about 80%. A few weeks later there was no trace of it ever having been there. The doctors had no scientific explanation for this. But I know it was God working through His servant. As Father D always says, "I don't do anything, God uses me."
One time Fr. D walked into our house and my grandmother was slain in the Spirit as soon as he walked in. Some people, whom God chooses to use in a certain way, have an aura of holiness around them that is literally palpable. It is the overwhelming presence of grace, so overwhelming that some people are literally knocked down by it.
I could go on and on about Father D, but I have said enough here.
One more thing, if you really want to know about the Pentecostals, and their reasons for their beliefs and practices, why not go ask them in their own forum? I promise they won't bite.
