I grew up in a tradtional church environment but I decided that I wanted to experience something different and attended this charismatic church camp over the weekend but I was shocked by what I saw.
I witnessed what was called the 'Baptism of the holy spirit.' As the pastor prayed, people all around me were speaking in tongues, laughing out loudly, falling down, shaking, vomitting, and there was even 1 case of demonic manifestation. I just stood there and nothing happened to me.
The whole experience was very traumatic for me and I felt uncomfortable during the whole thing...I didn't feel at peace, didn't feel that I was in a church camp at that time.
Is it normal that all these should happen?? I know that tongue speaking is recorded in the bible but wonder if tongue speaking is really that easy and does it really occur so frequently among people??
2007-05-24 05:03:43 · 20 answers · asked by Grace 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Anyway, I left the camp before it ended. I tried asking the leaders over there and they all said I should get used to all these but I disagreed.
Thanks for all the answer! I still do believe in christ and I now know that I should stick very closely to what the bible says.
2007-05-24 06:01:09 · update #1
Well, there was a person crawling on the floor and the leaders said that there was a spirit trying to get out of him. I felt really uncomfortable at that time and decided to leave the place immediately. I think I heard a voice asking me to leave now!!!
Some of the leaders contacted me and asked me what happened. They even asked me if i felt unwell when I left. They suspected that there was a 'demon' or a evil spirit trying to get out of me. Its so Ridiculous !!!
In any case, I've come to know more about God through this camp and I should pay more attention to the voice of the holy spirit within me. :) And yes, I'm a christian now! Praise the lord!!!
2007-05-24 06:35:13 · update #2
Trust your inner feelings. They are usually right. If you felt uncomfortable, you may be too close to the edge. Step back and see how that feels, then even farther maybe....I believe the spirit, intuition, whatever you want to call it will guide you if you let it.
2007-05-24 05:11:34 · answer #1 · answered by phrog 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Baptism of the Holy Spirit involves water, not just standing around. No one was baptised in the spirit at that event. When speaking in tongues it is false unless one or more can understand what is being said
A person with the gift of interpreting tongues (1 Corinthians 12:30) could understand what a tongues-speaker was saying even though he/she did not know the language that was being spoken. The tongues-interpreter would then communicate the message of the tongues-speaker to everyone else, so all could understand. “For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says” (1 Corinthians 14:13). Paul’s conclusion regarding un-interpreted tongues is powerful, “But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue" (1 Corinthians 14:19).
2007-05-24 05:18:20 · answer #2 · answered by tebone0315 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If what you experienced caused confusion and anxiety it was out of order and not of God. it was of man! Tongues is a spiritual gift from God and has a specific purpose, the edification of the body. If a tongue has no interpretation, so it can be understood and edify the congregation, it is of no value. Laughing, falling down, shaking and vomitting do not edify the body either. Its no surprise the experience was traumatic for you, it was not of God. Displays of this type are not normal and not what God wants for you. I suggest you find another place to worship where spiritual gifts are being used in scriptural order. You will find a completely different atmosphere where the Holy Spirit can move and work for the enrichment of the body as a whole.
2007-05-24 05:24:37 · answer #3 · answered by rico3151 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Honestly it depends on what you believe as your faith. I am pentecostal so yes the Baptism of the Holy Spirit includes the evidence of speaking in tongues. It is recorded in the Bible but it happens today as well. The "falling down" you speak of is what we call being slain in the spirit. Sometimes the Lord knows you need an uplift so He will bless you with uncontrollable laughter which also blesses those around you. The shaking is the spirit of the Lord "on" a person. And the demonic manifestation and vomittig were probably combined. That was probably a demon being cast from someone. Please feel free to email me off Q&A if you want further. I don't want to take up too much space on here. I wish you understanding and blessings.
2007-05-24 05:14:03 · answer #4 · answered by lisaandpathailey 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That is not the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. In the charismatic realm those who are "slain in the spirit" fall backward. When Jesus was being arrested in the garden of Gethsemane he spoke "I am he," and those who had come to arrest him went backward and fell to the ground. They were his enemies. Being "slain in the spirit" and all of those manifestations you mentioned are not of God. The Holy Spirit does not cause havoc and mayhem.
All of the gifts that the Holy Spirit brought on the day of Pentecost are still around today, including tongues, but tongues are not used to cause confusion. It is primarily a private prayer language and is used when believers assemble together when God gives someone a message for the body, but in that case there will be an interpreter so that if there is someone there who doesn't believe they won't be blown away.
2007-05-24 05:23:49 · answer #5 · answered by hisgloryisgreat 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Where in the Bible does it say, we will fall down, shake and especially vomit? Nowhere- Tongues is biblical, expect I bet there was no one to interpret was there? Fleeing that place was the right thing to do- Jesus said in the end times people would try to convince people that all these manifestations are from Him,. Satan can use "church" to deceive. Find a church that worships God HIS WAY- in Spirit and in Truth.
2007-05-24 06:13:19 · answer #6 · answered by AdoreHim 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. This was not part of the Christian faith. I believe this was of the devil. The Bible says that speaking in tongues was a temporary gift that would end when the Bible was complete. SPeaking in tongues was never just jibberish. It was done in another real language and there always had to be someone who could interpret what was being said. If this wasn't the case the person was to remain silent. Nothing could be said in tongues that went against the word of God.
The reason you didn't feel peace was that you were surrounded by the presence of evil. Stay away from groups like that. They are dangerous.
2007-05-24 05:13:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
I have attended a charismatic type church many times, and although it does happen fairly often, I have never seen anyone vomit.
I have felt the Holy Spirit and it was a peaceful an Joyful experience, so much so that I could not contain myself from smiling so much my face hurt later, and laughing out loud.
Many people shake, because it feels almost like an electrical current going through you.
The power of the Holy Spirit is powerful and people react to it differently.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with this camp.
Addition: Imasis2 Could you please provide biblical references to your accusations about speaking in tongues?
1 Corinthians 12: 8-11 "For one is given the word of wisdoom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of the spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
I have yet to find anything suggesting that these were only temperary. I did find a passage however that says that the Spirit speaks to God and in a way we can not understand. Speaking in tongues is the Spirit speaking through us to God, and I completely believe it happens today.
2007-05-24 05:15:06 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Catechism of the Catholic Church
2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit." Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church
2007-05-24 05:28:37 · answer #9 · answered by C R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What you saw was not the Holy Spirit. The Spirit can only speak to those in reverance. Remember the story in the Bible about the Spirit not being in the earthquake, or the wind, but a still small voice?
2007-05-24 05:09:28 · answer #10 · answered by BigOnDrums 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Wow what an experience. No it is not normal and you should cut all contact with these people. Looks more like a voodoo ceremony then anything else.
I am catholic and I have been in group prayers where a person would start speaking in tongues and it's a very low humming, soft and joyous!
2007-05-24 05:23:14 · answer #11 · answered by Jane Marple 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋