Skepticism. How many practice it?

[RandyWayne]

Some things were recently said on another thread (as well as others) about being "sober" in the sense of being discerning. I have also read many other statements about people feeling the holy spirit in their hands and other places and using that feeling as a basis for conviction.

Where has skepticism gone?

As an amateur magician for many years I see how easily people are influenced by what they expect to see or want to see. I see the power of suggestion and behaviors related to the crowd around them. I have seen people fake it rather then admit to not "feeling" anything. (Like the crowd who marveled at the emperors new cloths instead of speaking up that he had none.)
I have seen people overcome with the holy spirit but far FAR more often I have seen people SLAIN in the spirit (small "s") because that is what they were expecting to happen. I have seen this happen just as often at events where stage hypnotists were performing for the crowd, and for laughs.
Then there is the whole issue of the "word of knowledge". I have YET to hear one with any substance.

Where has skepticism gone?

I have done countless tricks for people in the church. But it always amazed me when I would pull out one of my more mystifying routines, there would be someone ready to rebuke me for performing witchcraft simply because they could not figure out how it was done. And if they could not figure it out and it seemed too impossible then it MUST be supernatural.

It PAINS me that if I had the desire I could become the next Benny Hinn or superstar evangelist performing miracles at will simply because I knew how to pull it off and people would be too afraid to question me. Others HAVE done this, such as Benny Hinn, Uri Geller, and James Poppof.

Here are some great examples of someone pulling the wool from the eyes of hucksters.
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[tbpew]

RW,
my hope would be that in the church, the assembly of the called-out ones, the prophet (used as a term referring to anyone who has been baptized in God's anointing), would have a prompting, an ANTICIPATION, the would preceed any demonstration.

This way, skepticism is never needed. If something was not prompting you with anticipation, its appearance is best left alone, not seriously considered. There is no need to play 'catch-up'. In doing so, we are either prepared in advance and will be in aggreement, or we need to just table the matter. Otherwise, we would be best to just leave the scene to those of the 'elect' who can either discern the witness or those who are susceptible to being deceived.

My problem with the word you have chosen as a focal point is that to be a healthy skeptic, one is almost entirely established in carnal wisdom. That just can not be an important quality for children being led by the Spirit.

This quality may be the best approach for avoiding a charleton at a county fair but I just do not see it as God's remedy for magicians in our assemblies.

just some early thoughts.

[RandyWayne]

My friend, the bible itself tells us to "put all things to the test".
To say that in the church, it is not needed, is to fall into very dangerous territory.
Otherwise, we would be best to just leave the scene to those of the 'elect' who can either discern the witness or those who are susceptible to being deceived.
We're the "elect" able to discern they were being played with for laughs by Boret?

This quality may be the best approach for avoiding a charleton at a county fair but I just do not see it as God's remedy for magicians in our assemblies.
Unfortunately the huckster at the county fair is using the same techniques that SOME evangelists use. Except that evangelists is usually not as practiced simply because his audience is trained to accept whatever he says or does.

[tbpew]

My friend, the bible itself tells us to "put all things to the test".
To say that in the church, it is not needed, is to fall into very dangerous territory.

We're the "elect" able to discern they were being played with for laughs by Boret?


Unfortunately the huckster at the county fair is using the same techniques that SOME evangelists use. Except that evangelists is usually not as practiced simply because his audience is trained to accept whatever he says or does.

R dub,
please put all things to the test, try the spirits....I'm saying that is not accomplished by skeptics. IMO, skepticism is built on "trust no one". I can not argue that the end result will not occassionly be the same but we can not thrive as a spiritual assembly where "zero trust" is entreated as a valuable quality.

If we are parsing words or circumstances here, sorry...it is your thread and I'll jump out.

Borat....please.

When a camera crew, release waivers, and theatrical lighting are rolled into the campmeeting, the purpose has been irreversably changed into a mutually agreed upon attempt for a public relations ploy.