How much of this is an act? Faith Healers and falling bodies..

[RichardE]

Text

I'm religious, pretty religious actually. I have a number of religious friends, one who is a pentecostal christian. Sometimes I go to service with him and witness the "tongues" the "interpretations" ect, but never experienced "faith healing" till I saw it on TV.

Watching this guy and just massive amounts of people falling on the ground it strikes me as odd, as an act, like these people are afraid there neighbors won't judge them as being faithful enough unless they too fly into the ground struck by some invisible force that cured a tumor they never had.

Anyone ever been to one of these? Does it feel as fake in person as it looks?

 

[EGGO]

I saw one years ago with my ex-gf and her family. The person it happened to was so into it that I think it's really more of a mental thing.

 

[RocksteadyDotNet]

There have been scientific double blind tests done on this kind of stuff.

It doesn't work.

Of course it doesn't work. You'd have to be an idiot to think this kind of crap works.

Edit - These people are all con artists trying to get money out of stupid people. And there's no better place to find stupid people than in a church.

 

[pstylesss]

I believe the Gifts of the Spirit are no longer given. Tongues and Healing are two of them. In my opinion it's all fake and a ploy to get money (with the "faith healers" I mean).

 

[zerocool84]

It happened to Borat

 

[dighn]

I laugh my butt off every time I see that. Their belief is so strong that they buy it even on a subconscious level. It's hilarious, creepy and amazing all at the same time.

 

[DangerAardvark]

I remember reading a study done on people "speaking in tongues". They found that the syllables they used while doing it were always consistent with whatever language they spoke, and between people who spoke the same language. In other words, they're babbling the first shit that comes to their heads.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

If you have to ask then you're already a lost cause.

 

[CKent]

:laugh:

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: RocksteadyDotNet
There have been scientific double blind tests done on this kind of stuff.

It doesn't work.

Of course it doesn't work. You'd have to be an idiot to think this kind of crap works.

Edit - These people are all con artists trying to get money out of stupid people. And there's no better place to find stupid people than in a church.

Yyyyup.

It's amusing too how the religious channels are also the ones to carry commercials for all kinds of fun and dubious products. Get rich quick schemes, "natural" healing books (you know, the foods that can cure cancer and AIDS and all that), or "Amish-built" electric heaters. Made in China.
The products do work, but not for the advertised purpose. They serve as a free-market tax on stupidity.

Also interesting:
"Oh my, I'm suffering so terribly with a painful ailment, God! What can I do?"

- "Pay this gray-haired guy a lot of money. He'll push you over. You'll be healed."

"God, do you have some kind of obsessive mental disorder or something?"

- "No, that's just how I do things. Money and really messed up rituals."

Originally posted by: dighn
I laugh my butt off every time I see that. Their belief is so strong that they buy it even on a subconscious level. It's hilarious, creepy and amazing all at the same time.

"My Lord, I can....I can see into your head nah! And I see in this head a brain-ah! And this brain-ah is clean! This brain has been washed clean of everything!"


If it has a few followers, it's a cult. Get enough followers, and it's a religion.

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer
If you have to ask then you're already a lost cause.

Maybe he'd do good to visit a healer.

 

[Nocturnal]

Used it believe it when I was younger. Used to watch that guy Benny Hinn or whatever his name is. No longer believe in this but still believe in God.

 

[BudAshes]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Used it believe it when I was younger. Used to watch that guy Benny Hinn or whatever his name is. No longer believe in this but still believe in God.

At the center of every religion are mad men who benefit from the mind control the religion exerts over its believers.

 

[flashbacck]

I imagine it's like what happens if you're at a rock concert or a sports game. When the crowd really gets going, don't you feel the strange compulsion to scream your head off too? Most people who go to these big faith healings already have pretty strong beliefs. They come hyped up and knowing what's going to happen, so it doesn't take much to get them to fall over.

 

[DangerAardvark]

Originally posted by: flashbacck
I imagine it's like what happens if you're at a rock concert or a sports game. When the crowd really gets going, don't you feel the strange compulsion to scream your head off too? Most people who go to these big faith healings already have pretty strong beliefs. They come hyped up and knowing what's going to happen, so it doesn't take much to get them to fall over.

It also helps to push them in the face.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ
I believe the Gifts of the Spirit are no longer given. Tongues and Healing are two of them. In my opinion it's all fake and a ploy to get money (with the "faith healers" I mean).

My theory is that each person eventually realizes that in order to fit in they have to fake it... and thus it continues because nobody can admit that they are faking it just to fit in with everyone else.

The healing and tongues is something that I can't for a second even find a shred of belief in.

 

[Gibsons]

Originally posted by: RocksteadyDotNet
You'd have to be an idiot to think this kind of crap works.

 

[PepePeru]

ahhhhh shamma llama

ahhhh shamma llama nostrama shamma llama

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Jeff7
Get rich quick schemes, "natural" healing books (you know, the foods that can cure cancer and AIDS and all that), or "Amish-built" electric heaters. Made in China.

Are you saying there are no Amish Chinese?!?

 

[CorCentral]

Be GONE FOUL Demon! :roll:

 

[So]

Oh, it's totally real. That's why nobody goes to hospitals anymore and all the big pharmaceutical companies have folded for lack of customers...

 

[buck]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Used it believe it when I was younger. Used to watch that guy Benny Hinn or whatever his name is. No longer believe in this but still believe in God.

I am in the same boat, my dad used to make me go to one of those churches in FL. Bunch of whackos that screw people up and turn people away from God.

 

[Tim]

My parents made me go to one of those churches when I was young. I remember we had a "revival" once, and I was almost forced to go up and get the "demonic forces" out of me. The friggen preacher litterally bopped me on the forhead with his palm...

I didn't know I was supposed to "fall"... he pretty much bopped me in the head again, but a little harder. I saw somebody else near me getting prayed for take the fall, so after he did it the third time, I figured I'd rather not be hit in the head anymore, so I took the fall.

I got right back up, went around and got back in the same line, and the preacher said, "Weren't you just up here?", to which I replied, "Yes, but now I have a headache."

I was grounded for a month...

EDIT: Once I turned 18 and moved out from home, I never stepped foot in another church again.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: theplaidfad
My parents made me go to one of those churches when I was young. I remember we had a "revival" once, and I was almost forced to go up and get the "demonic forces" out of me. The friggen preacher litterally bopped me on the forhead with his palm...

I didn't know I was supposed to "fall"... he pretty much bopped me in the head again, but a little harder. I saw somebody else near me getting prayed for take the fall, so after he did it the third time, I figured I'd rather not be hit in the head anymore, so I took the fall.

I got right back up, went around and got back in the same line, and the preacher said, "Weren't you just up here?", to which I replied, "Yes, but now I have a headache."

I was grounded for a month...

EDIT: Once I turned 18 and moved out from home, I never stepped foot in another church again.

:laugh:

That's awesome!

 

[buck]

Originally posted by: theplaidfad
My parents made me go to one of those churches when I was young. I remember we had a "revival" once, and I was almost forced to go up and get the "demonic forces" out of me. The friggen preacher litterally bopped me on the forhead with his palm...

I didn't know I was supposed to "fall"... he pretty much bopped me in the head again, but a little harder. I saw somebody else near me getting prayed for take the fall, so after he did it the third time, I figured I'd rather not be hit in the head anymore, so I took the fall.

I got right back up, went around and got back in the same line, and the preacher said, "Weren't you just up here?", to which I replied, "Yes, but now I have a headache."

I was grounded for a month...

EDIT: Once I turned 18 and moved out from home, I never stepped foot in another church again.

lmao. no fucking way....:laugh:

 

[meltdown75]

are you seriously asking this forum that question? dude...

i'm not even religious and i think it's a joke.