slain in the spirit

[cheranne]

<H4 class=title> :unsure: Those Slain in the Spirit Must Be Borne Up By the Beefy</H4>John Bloom You know those beefy guys who stand on the stage at healing services and catch people who fall backwards after Benny Hinn blows on them or they get caught up in a paroxysm of Holy Spirit Fever and lapse into a coma? At Mike Sexton’s Lakewind Fellowship Church in Knoxville, they’re called “assigned catchers,” and they have periodic meetings to discuss catching strategy.

Alas, this wasn’t enough to help the luckless Matthew Lincoln, who was seized by the spirit on June 6, 2007, after being lightly touched on the forehead by visiting minister Robert Lavala, causing him to fall backward sans catcher, striking his head and back on a “carpet-covered cement floor.” Lincoln, age 57, was well known to church elders, having regularly received the spirit and fallen backwards since 1995, but since he had a pre-existing degenerative disc disease caused by a 1994 fall resulting in surgical fusion of two vertebrae, his 2007 tumble proved permanently disabling and disastrous for his music production company and recording studio, which had, among other things, been previously struck by lightning. Lincoln is asking the church for $2.5 million to make up for its catcher negligence, and yet his wife Shirley Lincoln wants only $75,000 for “loss of consortium” with her husband, indicating that the recording studio was not the only thing previously struck by lightning.

[JavaJane]

The church I most recently (and not all that recently, cause it freaked me out) had these guys who would always get up and hang around the edge of the room when the pastor or his wife would pray... couldn't figure out what they were for.... them and the ladies who would get up at the same time holding blankets.

Turns out they were the catchers for the people who would be slain in the spirit... Blankets were so they wouldn't get cold in the spirit, I guess.

[RottieGrrrl]

I honestly believe some of these people are operating with spirts, but not the good ones. I remember chatting with a guy I know and trust, and he told me he went to some sort of Pentacostal type church thing where people got so excited that one kid was jumping in the air ABOUT 4 FEET OFF THE GROUND. The "elders" or whoever had to contain him and hold him down. He and his friend got so freaked out they left. I guess these people felt they were "filled with the holy ghost spirit" but this guy knew better.

There's also some trendy thing I heard called "laughing in the spirit" I don't know what that means exactly but it sounds a bit hokey to me.

[cheranne]

Reminds me of the blues brothers movie where people are jumping and flying thru the air

(you gotta see it It is funny!!)

[hampshire73]

The church I most recently (and not all that recently, cause it freaked me out) had these guys who would always get up and hang around the edge of the room when the pastor or his wife would pray... couldn't figure out what they were for.... them and the ladies who would get up at the same time holding blankets.

Turns out they were the catchers for the people who would be slain in the spirit... Blankets were so they wouldn't get cold in the spirit, I guess.

A relative of mine was pastor of a church that sounds like that. I heard that the blankets were to cover women who were slain in the spirit so men couldn't look up their dresses. They also would cover you up when you were sitting down if they thought your skirt was too short. I never attended his church, but that's what I was told.

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

I honestly believe some of these people are operating with spirts, but not the good ones. I remember chatting with a guy I know and trust, and he told me he went to some sort of Pentacostal type church thing where people got so excited that one kid was jumping in the air ABOUT 4 FEET OFF THE GROUND. The "elders" or whoever had to contain him and hold him down. He and his friend got so freaked out they left. I guess these people felt they were "filled with the holy ghost spirit" but this guy knew better.

There's also some trendy thing I heard called "laughing in the spirit" I don't know what that means exactly but it sounds a bit hokey to me.

RG, this was the Toronto Blessing back in mid-90's from one of John Wimber's Vineyard churches and has been also reported in Texas and Florida revivals(not one of the late John Wimber's best moments in Neo-Pentecostalism/Charismatic movement.). Edited June 22, 2008 by Thomas Loy Bumgarner

[RottieGrrrl]

RG, this was the Toronto Blessing back in mid-90's from one of John Wimber's Vineyard churches and has been also reported in Texas and Florida revivals(not one of the late John Wimber's best moments in Neo-Pentecostalism/Charismatic movement.).

Are you talking about the laughing in the spirit thing? Or the other thing? If your talking about the laughing in the spirit thing I will have to look into that a bit more. I know a lady who went to a Joyce Meyer women's conference in St. Louis (I do enjoy Joyce much of the time) and she said they were doing it over there, she got into it too. But it really sounded hokey to me. She said Joyce was rolling on the floor just whooping it up in the spirit. :huh: I can't even form a mind picture of that!

I may be wrong but it seems to me I have heard that Joyce does have some Pentacostal roots.

Edited June 22, 2008 by RottieGrrrl

[Caveman]

I've wondered if Joyce might also have some twi roots. I'veherad her interpret hero own tongue, and then quote vpw (without credits) afterwords.

To be "slain in the spirit" I believe is sometimes genuine, but is often just to make oneself look spiritual. Vpw had the wrong idea, and "slain in the spirit" is a pour discription of what it really is. Some people call it resting in the spirit. I think that to be more accurate.

This has never happened to me, but it has happened to my wife. (I do catch) Sharon discribes it as being overwhelmed by the presence of the Lord, but still fully aware of her surroundings, and if she was kicked, she'd sit up.

The blankets are for modesty.

Edited June 23, 2008 by Caveman

[waysider]

Growing up, there was a kid in my neighborhood named Dennis who could do this on cue.

We were probably about 14 or 15 and had no idea it was done in churches or that it was connected with religion.

He taught me how to do it, but I only did it once.

(I was afraid of landing incorrectly and hurting myself.)

He used to fall back on a sleeping bag on the ground.

The only way I know how to explain it is you have to turn off a part of your brain.

That is actually what you do when you speak in tongues.

(Turning off a part of your brain, that is.)

This has been shown in laboratories.

You can make your brain do all sorts of tricks with a bit of practice.

For example,ever heard of circular breathing?

You have to turn off the part of your brain that says air can only flow in one direction as you breath.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_breathing

And here's the all-time grand master of circular breathing.

[Caveman]

For example,ever heard of circular breathing?

This is something that my instructer could do when I studied Aikido.

[cheranne]

Thats interesting waysider,I use to play sax and obe and I probably held my breath as an child

when I was mad(my mom would say count all the vw bugs I would see if we were in the car in

the city)hahahah..hmmmm maybe that is why I choose to play a woodwind instrument!

When my kids were little we would go to a non denominational church(with pentecost roots)

the praise and worship was fantastic and I could tolerate it(sometimes it was hard to tolerate

any organized religon after being in The Way)

anyhoo..my little boy was about 6yrs old and usually they were in their own childrens church

but a few times we went into overtime (being a spirit filled church they do that and don't mind)

A few were the regular"falling out in the spirit people" one was a very large large woman and

he saw he still laying on the ground and the church was emptying out and his eyes got SO BIG

and he said: mama is that lady gonna be okay?

I said yes son she is just getting quiet with God. But he was really concerned!

The rest of the congregation was so use to her falling out they just went on about their buisness.

[jen-o]

i don't turn off ANY part of my brain when i speak in tongues...

[waysider]

i don't turn off ANY part of my brain when i speak in tongues...

Hi, jen-o

Maybe I should have stated that in a more neutral tone.

I certainly didn't mean to sound as if I was making a derogatory statement about people who SIT.

I personally still use speaking in tongues from time to time but not for the same reasons as given in PLAF (The Wonder Class)

I use it to refocus under chaotic circumstances or to take my mind off things like the impending pain of a dental tool.

Here is a link that discusses the "turning off" aspect of speaking in tongues.

http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~tim/introframe/tongues.pdf

Taking this one step farther, I believe that when a person is engaged in the sort of glossolalia that produces these physiological changes, it should be considered "real" because the evidence is there to clearly examine. It's "really" happening.

On the other hand, if a person is merely repeating memorized sounds and words or forcing the process through practice sessions(ie:"exceller sessions"), the speaking in tongues should be considered "fake" because it appears that this conscious variety would not produce the same changes in brain function, though that is my own conclusion, not one that was drawn by the study.

I think it would be interesting to see this study conducted during a "practice session". I would also be personally interested in seeing it conducted while a vocalist is scat singing or an instrumentalist is ad libbing.

Edited June 25, 2008 by waysider

[brideofjc]

The church I most recently (and not all that recently, cause it freaked me out) had these guys who would always get up and hang around the edge of the room when the pastor or his wife would pray... couldn't figure out what they were for.... them and the ladies who would get up at the same time holding blankets.

Turns out they were the catchers for the people who would be slain in the spirit... Blankets were so they wouldn't get cold in the spirit, I guess.

No, the blankets are for modesty for the ladies, so that none of the men sitting down can look up their dresses.

I honestly believe some of these people are operating with spirts, but not the good ones. I remember chatting with a guy I know and trust, and he told me he went to some sort of Pentacostal type church thing where people got so excited that one kid was jumping in the air ABOUT 4 FEET OFF THE GROUND. The "elders" or whoever had to contain him and hold him down. He and his friend got so freaked out they left. I guess these people felt they were "filled with the holy ghost spirit" but this guy knew better.

There's also some trendy thing I heard called "laughing in the spirit" I don't know what that means exactly but it sounds a bit hokey to me.

Laughing in the Spirit is very real. However, there are always those who want to operate in the flesh realms and this is what makes it look hokey to the rest. Tis sad indeed!

Are you talking about the laughing in the spirit thing? Or the other thing? If your talking about the laughing in the spirit thing I will have to look into that a bit more. I know a lady who went to a Joyce Meyer women's conference in St. Louis (I do enjoy Joyce much of the time) and she said they were doing it over there, she got into it too. But it really sounded hokey to me. She said Joyce was rolling on the floor just whooping it up in the spirit. :huh: I can't even form a mind picture of that!

I may be wrong but it seems to me I have heard that Joyce does have some Pentacostal roots.

I know when I have experienced it several + times and it just usually comes on you, there is nothing external to trigger it, but the Holy Spirit has either shown me something funny in the spirit realm and told me something funny and the laughter has just erupted without warning. If you do this in a church that doesn't normally practice this, it could really cause the pastor to get hung up about his sermonic abilities.

i don't turn off ANY part of my brain when i speak in tongues...

Me either!

[JavaJane]

No, the blankets are for modesty for the ladies, so that none of the men sitting down can look up their dresses.

I wondered why they did this - and actually thought it was because maybe the people who fell went into some sort of shock. In this case, it probably wasn't because of modesty, because at this church everyone but the pastor and his wife showed up in jeans... But then again, I don't really know!