As a student of religious sociology I have been considering how far in terms of ritualism that modern Christianity is as an institution. What I mean is that we do things without giving thought to what we are doing. We have become acclimated to the ritual of being faithful attendants to church, and even speaking in tongues (to some degree) is ritualized.
Pentecostals in particular are a communal faith, and we often do things in an effort to conform to the community as a whole. For example, when one person speaks in tongues it often sets off a chain reaction of others speaking in tongues. But is it really the Holy Spirit in action, or is it a social demand for conformity within the group? That's just a tiny example. I could highlight others, but that will do.
To what degree is modern Christianity "institutionalized" and to what degree do we do things out of ritual instead of genuine reaction to the presence of the Holy Spirit?
As a student of religious sociology I have been considering how far in terms of ritualism that modern Christianity is as an institution. What I mean is that we do things without giving thought to what we are doing. We have become acclimated to the ritual of being faithful attendants to church, and even speaking in tongues (to some degree) is ritualized.
Pentecostals in particular are a communal faith, and we often do things in an effort to conform to the community as a whole. For example, when one person speaks in tongues it often sets off a chain reaction of others speaking in tongues. But is it really the Holy Spirit in action, or is it a social demand for conformity within the group? That's just a tiny example. I could highlight others, but that will do.
To what degree is modern Christianity "institutionalized" and to what degree do we do things out of ritual instead of genuine reaction to the presence of the Holy Spirit?
Have you ever considered that when that One person is speaking in tongues they are feeling something spiritual that the others can also feel?
__________________ Let it be understood that Apostolic Friends Forum is an Apostolic Forum.
Apostolic is defined on AFF as:
There is One God. This one God reveals Himself distinctly as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form or "God manifested in the flesh" (1Tim 3:16)
Every sinner must repent of their sins.
That Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
That the Holy Ghost is for today and is received by faith with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will go on to strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.
And you know this how? You have the new ACME spiritual tongues detecto device?
And you go around from church to church testing it?
incredible...just incredible
There's enough empirical evidence from other noted scholars who have studied Pentecostal groups to indict the Pentecostals as being a religion that relies on communal conformity. I don't have to exhaust myself traveling the nation, when sociologists have already published works from various parts of the country (and the world) that argue my initial point. So...there ya go!
So, in a way, yes, I do have the new ACME spiritual tongues detecto device! Good job, Mr. Watson.
I just turned on my ACME "Ignorant Detecto" device so be careful.
Did you call
__________________
Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4)
Scripture is its own interpreter. Nothing can cut a diamond but a diamond. Nothing can interpret Scripture but Scripture" Thomas Watson.
As a student of religious sociology I have been considering how far in terms of ritualism that modern Christianity is as an institution. What I mean is that we do things without giving thought to what we are doing. We have become acclimated to the ritual of being faithful attendants to church, and even speaking in tongues (to some degree) is ritualized.
Pentecostals in particular are a communal faith, and we often do things in an effort to conform to the community as a whole. For example, when one person speaks in tongues it often sets off a chain reaction of others speaking in tongues. But is it really the Holy Spirit in action, or is it a social demand for conformity within the group? That's just a tiny example. I could highlight others, but that will do.
To what degree is modern Christianity "institutionalized" and to what degree do we do things out of ritual instead of genuine reaction to the presence of the Holy Spirit?
Yes. This is why when you are in a large congregation such a conference or camp service, "moves of the spirit" moving like waves. The people react to those around them talking in tongues and getting jiggy with it. In fact, the dynamic is exactly LIKE the classic "wave" you see moving around a stadium at a football game.
Every true move of God I've seen (and Yes, I've seen many) effect the whole congregation -large or small, at the exact same time, and there was/is no doubt of its origin, even for a natural skeptic like me.
Last edited by RandyWayne; 03-29-2013 at 02:25 PM.
There's enough empirical evidence from other noted scholars who have studied Pentecostal groups to indict the Pentecostals as being a religion that relies on communal conformity. I don't have to exhaust myself traveling the nation, when sociologists have already published works from various parts of the country (and the world) that argue my initial point. So...there ya go!
So, in a way, yes, I do have the new ACME spiritual tongues detecto device! Good job, Mr. Watson.
The issue was not 'communal conformity'. It was your assertion of one particular example of it and you know it. All anyone can do is observe that it happens and not why.
So there YOU go. Those people have no way of detecting these actions are spiritually affected. All they can do is observe it happens and make theories as to why.
__________________ Let it be understood that Apostolic Friends Forum is an Apostolic Forum.
Apostolic is defined on AFF as:
There is One God. This one God reveals Himself distinctly as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form or "God manifested in the flesh" (1Tim 3:16)
Every sinner must repent of their sins.
That Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
That the Holy Ghost is for today and is received by faith with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will go on to strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.
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