Comments on: Holy Ghost People

By: Susanna

Susanna — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:45:00 +0000

I have been to services like this (obviously there are cultural differences). I have both experienced and witnessed shaking, falling to the floor, speaking in tongues, etc.

Jesus told us to test things by their “fruit” or results. If the result is greater love for God and for other people, greater desire to do good, freedom from bondage to addiction, etc, then we can say it’s good and it’s God.

I have seen people who in my opinion simply get caught up in the “manifestations” and don’t exhibit holiness or love in their lives. I’ve also seen things that I think were simply wacky and off-track (like the snake-handling in this video).

Ultimately, you must use your own discretion and judgment by the Holy Spirit and based on the Bible, which is the word of God and doesn’t change. Daniel Kim gave a good summary in his comment above.

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:57:00 +0000

I attend a Pentecostal church–have all of my life. We do speak in tongues, but never have we handled snakes or drunk poison or anything along those lines.

When it comes to speaking in tongues, at least in my church and churches I have visited, people are not coached, everyone is not doing the same thing–it is an individual experience.

By: Susanne

Susanne — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:28:53 +0000

Thanks for posting the film extracts, Ransom. They’re very fascinating.
As a visual artist I’ve been working on the theme of ecstasy on different levels for a while. I’ve done research on fan culture, voodoo and on séances held in the 1920ies which led to materialisation through ectoplasm.
Probably you know the film “Rock my Religion” by Dan Graham. The documentary draws a link between the origins of rock music and the beginning of the shaker movement in Manchester. Excellent film.
I’m very much fascinated about the spacial aspect of ecstasy, about the fact that your body becomes a container for something new while your mind goes elsewhere. Currently I’m working on ecstatic snakes: serpents go crazy because they feel an upcoming earthquake. So the perspective is really that of the animal and not of the people like in the holy ghost film.
I’d be very much interested in sharing and exchanging information on that topic with you. Please feel free to get in touch with me about it. Thanks, Susanne

By: Ronn

Ronn — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:45:14 +0000

I don’t know who this other Ronn is but I appreciate the link…

I don’t think they have the storey right but the link is so thanks…
Smiles

By: Ronn

Ronn — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:01:29 +0000

HI everyone,
My name is Ronn; I have built a website for a young man of God for whom I have much respect ablazeministries.org . I am doing it because his dad has renounced him for not preaching legalism. This young minister is the real deal, I know his heart, and he loves Jesus and his people very much.
I need your help, I’m “Not” asking for money, I just want you to sign his guest book and lift up his spirits, I would also like for some spiritual men of God to consider being spiritual fathers for this young minister, his pain is to much for him to share so I wanted to do it for him…
The website will be a blessing for many and we could put a link to your website on it.
Thank you in Christ, Ronn

By: Ransom

Ransom — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:57:48 +0000

@ John –

Wow, thanks for that vivid, detailed description! Really appreciate you sharing your experience. Absolutely fascinating.

By: John

John — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:30:50 +0000

Yes, I visited a snake handling church a few years ago. I am a pentecostal pastor from California. Was in Louisville attending a conference. A few of us pastors decided to ditch some of the meetings and see some country. Rented a car, and started out through the ‘bluegrass’. Went to a civil war site where they were having some re-enactment, that was interesting, especially all the little food booths that were there.

Then someone mentioned the ‘snake handling churches’, why don’t we try to find one? So we started asking around, and were told there were none in the area, but we would have to go to Eastern Kentucky. So away we went. After a few more inquiries, we found ourselves in a little town near Hazard. Someone told us where a church was that did it. We found it, and according to the sign, they were having church that night!!! We were in luck!

So we killed some time, went to a coffee shop and waited. We drove to the church and saw there were a dozen cars or so scattered around the building. We parked and the 4 of us walked in. We were greeted by a member, but no one really spoke to us, we just sort of looked out of place, because we really were. The service began with someone going to town on a guitar, with piano. Someone got up to lead the service. I recall several people sitting on the platform, and few people in the pews. We really were out of place. We tried to sing and clap, as everyone else was doing. About midway through the service, I noticed a man walk in with a little cage. I nudged one of the guys with me and said, ‘they just brought em in’. When I nudged him, I startled him. The service continued on and on, until the end. No serpents.

After the service, a few of the men came to talk with us. My friend Steve was very diplomatic and frank. He just explained that we were pastors from California and that we had heard of the churches that handled serpents, and we were curious, and that we meant no harm. At that, they let down their guard, as snake handling is not legal. As they began to ‘testify’ to us, they brought the cage. We stepped back a bit… one of the men began to stammer with his lips, as he reached in and allowed a rattlesnake to crawl around on his arm and shoulder. Everyone else began to pray and go ggggggg ggggggg gggggg ggggggg gggggggg gggggggg in a very weird way. We just watched, someone else reached in and out popped a cottonmouth. We watched as the same thing happened. I took an additional step backwards. The serpents were handed from one person to another, and eventually they were put back in the cage and the ‘ggggggg gggggggg ggggggg stopped. Then they begin to explain why they did it… it was a statement of their faith. Also, they told us the pastor just died of a bite, and they were without a pastor, that elders from other churches were taking over until they got another one !! We learned that if someone gets bit and they die, that means there’s ‘sin in their life’… (sheeze)

They invited us to another meeting they were having the next night in Virginia where they said they’ll have many, many serpents that have never been handled by humans before. Aaaaa… no thanks. Had seen enough !

“The night that me’n Doris
Went runnin’ through the forest
Way up in the Hills of Tennessee

We started makin’ tracks
When they brought out the diamondback
It scared the devil out of old Doris and me ”

btw, in my opinion, there are many things out there, including this ‘documentary’ that shows the negative side of the pentecostal experience.

‘it is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honour of kings is to seek out a matter’ [proverbs 25:2]

By: Gerry

Gerry — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 20:21:43 +0000

I’m not a religious person really, but once went with a friend to several Charismatic Catholic services. At one we were in the front as the priest applied holy water to the parishoners, and they were falling down one after another. It came my turn and though I wasn’t cynical about it I was wondering what would happen. All I can say is that it took all my might to remain standing, for a brief moment I was (almost) completely taken over by whatever force was present in that service.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:25:55 +0000

Many of my family friends belong to a local church that does not deal with reptiles, but where they speak in tongues and fall to the ground. It is very interesting but at times frightening. I have been there before (sitting at the back for safety :P) and watched a 5 year old girl laughing and speaking in tongues….it is a very youth oriented church… I have also witnessed a “pile” of teens and youth on the ground, laughing crying, screaming and speaking in tongues… with about 20 adults (many of their parents holding hands in a circle around them) at one point one girl yelled something like “lord let the wall come down” and all at once all of the adults hit the ground.. you could tell that it was not fake, they all fainted simultaneously.. but people are supposed to speak in toungues to preach “Gods word” to other ppl, not to show what good christians they are..

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:51:20 +0000

I just wanted to say that I have also watched this film. These are some of my family members, though I am not sure who is who. I recently saw an aunt in there. I am curious about this place, I may visit there. I am scared to death of snakes, but I want to observe.
The Pastor Elza O. Preast would have been my great uncle I believe. His Sister also married my great grandpa.
So Linda, If you could email me I’d be pleased to meet you.
Auquachick@aol.com