I don't know if I have actually made a thread on this but I have certainly been vocal about it. As a teenager I was involved with the Charismatic movement. I went to a conference specifically designed to experience the Holy Spirit run by the vineyard church movement. Everything was designed and set up for people to look for signs and wonders and there were a lot of people praying in tongues. One was supposed to fall down when prayed for but now that I look back I cannot recollect if I was just sleep deprived euphoric from the type of odd depression I have or if it was real. When I came home expecting miracles and elated I cried for days because life was still a wreck. Over the next years I attended youth groups prayer meetings and retreats. I thought perhaps at times I could feel the Spirit move and was more than emotional in these moments.... But I also found out that not doing certain things like witnessing constantly ( I was uncomfortable to speak). Praying in tongues was expected as was daily bible reading and not disagreeing with the purity culture. We were expected too feel God and if we didn't we were taught that we were not walking with Jesus. Later in another group we were taught not to be unhappy and mental illness or sin was a sign of failing Jesus. We were taught to be positive in a sorrowful life never grieve or worry and push away any doubt or question and claim only joy. I fell far behind. Eventually I left Charismatic Christianity all together. I have seen God work but I need not feel anything and would rather not really. I believe in God but the idea of finding him believing or experiencing God on an emotional level is something that frightens me. I would be more apt to chalk it up to my depressive disorder. I realize that my experience is based on personal life and since I have come to believe that all Christians have been given gifts of the holy spirit but the greatest is to Love one another.
My question for someone would be what evidence is there for if any the charismatic movement and how is one so certain that it is different than the gifts we obtain in becoming a Christian.
My question for someone would be what evidence is there for if any the charismatic movement and how is one so certain that it is different than the gifts we obtain in becoming a Christian.
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