The Assemblies of God

[XemaSab]

I used to have this neighbor, Jim. He was a devout Seventh-Day Adventist. He had a small business installing media systems in churches.

He said he once got a call to do the media hookup for an Assemblies of God youth conference up in Northern Cali and he'd never been so scared in his life.

There were hundreds of young folks in this room, and a speaker got up and started speaking and he was whipping the kids into a frenzy. Jim said he wasn't talking about Jesus, and he said "the father," but as Jim put it, he could be referring to someone other than God. Everyone was speaking in tongues and flipping out and Jim felt a really evil presence and started praying, asking God if this was okay and calling on the Holy Spirit to come to that place.

He said that the preacher stopped in the middle of what he was saying while Jim was praying and said "there's someone here who is opposing what we're trying to do and I'm done." Then the speaker just left the stage and Jim felt the evil presence dissipate.

If this is Palin's church, that's scary.

:scared:

[WorseBeforeBetter]

1. I'm having a flashback to the "Jesus Camp" documentary.

From what we are learning, it seems that Palin would be right at home in that congregation. Flock. Army. (Whatever they call themselves!)

[Critters2]

2. Pentecostals are scary. No two ways about it. nt

[still_one]

3. Yes, that is the same Assembly Of God. They whip their congregations into a hysterical

fit, where out of fear the speaking of tongues occurs

[invictus]

4. Scary! n/t

[flamingdem]

5. She's about as religious as she is spiritual, it's all an act for her power grabs nt

[denem]

9. Don't believe it. Thats a trap.

It's saying someone cannot be 1. Extremist, 2. Willfully Ignorant 3. Cunning 4. Ruthless and 5. Have an insatiable thirst for power.

It's the very mistake people made about the 20th century two great monsters: Hitler and Stalin. People could not comprehend that they believed what they said. They did.

[SeattleGirl]

6. I used to attend an Assemblies of God church.

It was AWFUL!

Fucking preacher standing at the pulpit, in his $500 suit (and this was back in the 1970's), with his wife in her fur coat in the front pew, talking about how the poor are blessed. I used to sit in the back of the church with my former brother-in-law, alternately cursing him and making fun of him.

These days, when someone starts talking to me in that AoG way, I turn and get away as fast as I can!

[denem]

7. Depends on the church. The Assemblies of God are hetrogeneous

as is any denomination without a strong central authority. My wife was brought up in The Assemblies of God, in Ohio. They have classical fundamentalist beliefs, but on the whole are a some what raucous, freewheeling bunch below the surface.

Being a member of a particular church is largely a matter of tribalism. The belief structure determines who is in, and who's out. IMO.

[Az]

8. Not everyone is familiar with the practices of this church

If they get video of some of their antics on the air its gonna make most Christians freak out. Romney's Mormonism is nothing compared to the freak out the Pentecosts can set off. They are part of the new wave of charismatic churches that are caught up in the experiential aspects of fanatical belief.

It is fascinating to study this sect from a psychological aspect. Its astounding what the mind can do to itself and what people will convince themselves of. Particularly in group situations where they are given tacit approval to act out inner thoughts.

But for those not familiar with it.... yeah... this is gonna be the big problem for McSame. He saw Conservative Christian on her resume and leapt at it. Shoulda vetted a bit more there Johnny.