laughing gospel?

[ForeverHeather]

Can someone tell me where this is in the bible? And if it just happens to be a scripture that mentions laughing, please explain to me how it is biblical that people will bust out in laughter and claim that it's a manifestation of the Holy Ghost, all in the name of Jesus???

I tried a new church yesterday, as we are still looking for a church home, and being filled with the Holy Ghost, I just felt in my spirit like this was all wrong... I am really curious to know why it is done, and how it is justified (NOT looking for a debate here).

Thanks in advance,
Heather

 

[joyinchrist]

I ran a search and this is all I could find:

Ecclesiastes 2


The Futility of Pleasure

1I said to myself, "Come now, let's give pleasure a try. Let's look for the `good things' in life." But I found that this, too, was meaningless. 2"It is silly to be laughing all the time," I said. "What good does it do to seek only pleasure?" 3After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. While still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I hoped to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.

 

[Kelly]

I believe it is an extreme extension of the charismatic movement. They have taken a few sections of the Bible where it mentions laughter and expounded upon it, to the degree where people just laugh as hard as they can out loud for the entire service.

I think it's nuts and a good example of heresy (by that I mean a biblical concept taken to such extremes that is no longer biblical). Can you imagine Jesus just laughing wildly instead of giving his sermon?

Just go with what you feel on this one, and see if any real good is coming from this laughter. Remember that laughter is a very personal reaction, if it's faked or forced it's false. Ever try to get a kid to smile for pictures? There's real smiles and forced smiles, which do you like best?

Matt 7:16 By their fruit you will recognize them.

 

[Apologist]

I would agree with Kelly.

This is another dangerous practice by those who are, to say it bluntly, ignorant of what the bible teaches. It is sad that people fall for this sensationalism that is pervading many churches these days.

 

[ForeverHeather]

Yeah, I do agree...

Can you imagine Jesus just laughing wildly instead of giving his sermon?

... funny you should mention that. The Guest Speaker kept referring to his pastor by name, well when I got home I looked it up and apparantly this guy was the one preaching during/at the "Toronto Blessing"... from what I read, it appears that he was preaching on hell & damnation and "...the holy spirit fell on the congregation and they erupted in fits of laughter.." --- I have a hard time believing that the Holy Ghost would have us laughing at Hell, as Hell is *no* laughing matter...

I just wondered if it was Bible Based, as they never quoted why they did it or where they got it from...

If that wasn't bad enough, people were being slain in the spirit... that, I don't have a problem with. I realize sometimes it isn't real, and that people do "courtesy drops".... but, I hung around to see what it was all about. When he got to me, he stopped and gave me a horrible look, glanced at his wife, and they gave each other the same horrible look seemingly about me, and I swear he practically punched me in the forehead! Not punched, literally speaking, but using 3 fingers he jabbed me pretty hard!! I have never experienced anything like this, and I cried all the way home, full of confusion... I told myself that the fact that I was confused should speak volumes, and it wasn't long after I was out of there and I prayed that I realized that the reason I was crying was due to the grieving of the Holy Spirit residing inside of me, witnessing such blasphemy!

It was a really horrible experience! I feel like it's totally demonic, and I feel sorry for those who get caught up in that trap....

Thanks for your replies...
Heather

 

[Lyle]

No, it's not in the Bible anywhere, then again niether is snakehandling, but people hang on to those pretty well. The whole movement goes along the lines of feeling God, I'm sorry though, you can't trust your feelings. There will be times you can't feel God, but He's there, or times you don't feel like worshipping, but you're told to. You're feelings will let you down, so that's why we have the more sure word of God, to guide us through good and bad times....

Peter talks about how we should test the spirits, or different things in life, to see if they hold true to the Bible.... If it's not in the Bible, thatmakes it extra-Biblical, which is unbiblical, which is not of God. We're called to be meek,quiet. But no, it's not anywhere in the Bible, nor what God wants of us.... But know that we're supposed to be in control as well, not in that we're suppose to rule ourselves, but not be out-of-control.... I hope this helps

 

[New Creation]

HI Heather,
I heard about the Toronto Blessing this year indirectly through the Alpha program. There are a LOT of politics involved in this mess Heather- just feed Toronto Blessing into google and see the stuff you come up with. VEhement argument on both sides. It's crazy.
I asked my pastor about it this year- he told me that 10 years ago he went there with another pastor to de-bunk it and I quote him- "he was on the floor the first day and I was on the floor the next" . Now my pastor's not a sucker or an idiot but I also realize that becasue it happened to him it doesn't mean a thing really. The whole laughter thing can be very disconcerting. It is to me. I'm not sure what to make of it. I once saw these two women rolling on the floor in cackling howling laughter for at least HALF AN HOUR and really- it put me off, but who the heck am I? I am very cautious about the whole thing but the most important thing is if you feel bad about the whole thing, look for a new church. God bless, Heather!

 

[Serapha]

Yeah, I do agree... ... funny you should mention that. The Guest Speaker kept referring to his pastor by name, well when I got home I looked it up and apparantly this guy was the one preaching during/at the "Toronto Blessing"... from what I read, it appears that he was preaching on hell & damnation and "...the holy spirit fell on the congregation and they erupted in fits of laughter.." --- I have a hard time believing that the Holy Ghost would have us laughing at Hell, as Hell is *no* laughing matter...

I just wondered if it was Bible Based, as they never quoted why they did it or where they got it from...

If that wasn't bad enough, people were being slain in the spirit... that, I don't have a problem with. I realize sometimes it isn't real, and that people do "courtesy drops".... but, I hung around to see what it was all about. When he got to me, he stopped and gave me a horrible look, glanced at his wife, and they gave each other the same horrible look seemingly about me, and I swear he practically punched me in the forehead! Not punched, literally speaking, but using 3 fingers he jabbed me pretty hard!! I have never experienced anything like this, and I cried all the way home, full of confusion... I told myself that the fact that I was confused should speak volumes, and it wasn't long after I was out of there and I prayed that I realized that the reason I was crying was due to the grieving of the Holy Spirit residing inside of me, witnessing such blasphemy!

It was a really horrible experience! I feel like it's totally demonic, and I feel sorry for those who get caught up in that trap....

Thanks for your replies...
Heather

Hi there!



While many will disagree, there are serious doctrinal problems with the Toronto blessing.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/4948/vine3is5.html

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/4948/tomsmith.html


If you have any specific questions, you might contact this member by private message, it's his published work.


http://www.christianforums.com/u18134


~malaka~

 

[Aimee03]

I'm gonna say this and I'm NOT trying to be disrespectful to anyone. I have basically been around the "church of God" for a while. I've seen people "laughing in the spirit". I even condemed them for doing it. Then I realized God can give you so much joy that you may laugh. I don't believe in disrupting the preaching of God's word in laughing. Please be very careful about what you come against.

 

[Lyle]

I'm gonna say this and I'm NOT trying to be disrespectful to anyone. I have basically been around the "church of God" for a while. I've seen people "laughing in the spirit". I even condemed them for doing it. Then I realized God can give you so much joy that you may laugh. I don't believe in disrupting the preaching of God's word in laughing. Please be very careful about what you come against.

So your stance is, you think it's Biblical, but only should be done when no one is speaking?

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I attended a dead and dried up AG church for years. When this "laughter" hit, the church came to life. People were saved. People were delivered and set free. The song services were now joyful and full of life. I see nothing wrong with it. The Bible says, "the Joy of the Lord is our strength". What does joy look like? What does joy sound like? And why do some see nothing wrong with having all this joy at a sporting event but it's wrong to have it for the Lord? Does not make sense to me.

My life was greatly changed. . . for the better due to this phenominon. However, we are not to seek an experience of God but an experience and a relationship with God. How each of us may respond in that relationship will vary as much as people vary. I only laughed this way a few times, some do it more frequently or less than that.


For me personally, I don't really care how I act in the presense of God. I just don't want to leave the same sorry person that I was before. As long as I'm being changed more and more into His image, the way my flesh responds is not important to me. Well. . . .I guess in all honesty, my pride does kick in there a little bit. . .but it's not supposed to.

 

[Aimee03]

I have no proof that laughing in the spirit is in the Bible. BUT, I believe it is real. And I agree with Quaffer, I don't care how I act in the presence of God as long as He is there.

 

[Lyle]

*Deleted by request*

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

*Mod Hat On*

According to forum rules this forum is not for debate. Posts that were posted as debate have been deleted.

Please review New Christians forum rules here: http://www.christianforums.com/t76110

 

[Geoff_Conn]

Holy Laughter has'nt got alot of good press. I believe it heals some people. There have been many people who have suffered depression and when they start laughing it really heals the deep hurts within them. I read recently about someone on a message board who sayed he had been in army and mentally suffered for years. He could'nt laugh. Alot of the guys on the board prayed for him. One had been to the Toronto Blessing and sayed the feeling was incredable and prayed that this guy would share it. Well about a day later back on the board, filled with laughter and in this man's case it was a miracle.

But I think many people abused it and that why the bad press. Some people went to the TACF came out, thinking they had this new power, went into their church and passed it to everyone, and were so in love with the feeling.

The Feeling is only part of it. The whole point of soaking is to have greater intimacy with GOD, and that should be really anyones reasons for soaking.

I've never been to the TACF but have soaked @ home before. I've never had the laughter, sometimes just tears, and feel really refreshed. There is a man from my Town who has been healed on the stage of TACF, so Glory To God.

 

[Geoff_Conn]

Just want to add to say the TACF, if the bible goes against such manifestation of the Spirit, then avoid it, if it is'nt in the bible it can still be of God. Every everything Jesus did was writtne then we would have loads more books.

So how can we test? By the Fruit. There was a survey conducted of this outpouring, and they asked people up to 5 years or more after they had been, about how it changed their lives, and 94% said they were more on fire for Christ.

Like I said I have'nt been, and I guess I'am kind of in defense of it, but these surveys are on paper, and documented on Video.