Crazymatics pt 3 of 3
5) While on the Zionist subject, what about a touch more nationalism while we are at it - it's a Christian store remember. Here you can buy a T-Shirt: ‘United we stand’ with a flag of America next to a flag of Israel. Again, nothing against either flag of course, it is the theological baggage that goes along with it.
6) But I finish off with my absolute favourite. This is utterly wacked out, so be prepared to either laugh or cry, depending on your temperament.
Now, ever felt like you needed a ‘Portals to Cleanings Property Dedication Kit’?
I know you have.
Ever had the sensation that there are swarms of demons brooding over your lounge, bedroom, fridge, toaster ... Frank Peretti style?
Of course you have.
Well, you obviously need to cleanse your home. Buy this little pile of nonsense, and you have, they claim: ‘A unique kit with instructions, scriptures, oil and stakes to dedicate your property to the Lord’.
The ‘Portals to Cleansing’ refers to a book that the ‘kit’ supplements, one recommended by truly delightfully godly Christian souls such as John Loren Sandford, John Paul Jackson and Beth Alves.
The book blurb asks:
‘Is there another spiritual dimension operating all around us? Can the spirits of the dead really haunt houses? Are specific geographical areas portals of spiritual power? Can an heirloom possess the spirit of its deceased owner? Does the blood of the murdered cry out for justice? Can animals be possessed by demonic spirits? What can be done to cleanse land, possessions and animals of spiritual darkness?It continues:
“Portals to Cleansing” is a spiritual journey into the realm of the supernatural. Page after page you’ll discover how spiritual ground is taken and how it is released. ... You'll learn keys to reclaiming your land, home, possessions, and animals from the power of satan and his demonic forces. You’ll experience the peace that comes from the cleansing of all you possess. And you'll walk into a portal of God's presence that will take you deeper into the realm of the Spirit and change your life forever.’Steve Schultz, the man who runs this webpage - a wonderful Christian man, of that I’m sure - writes:
‘In the last six years, at least on 3 or 4 occasions, I've had my house and the land it sits on cleansed. My house is on 20 acres. There is history with land. But there is also “current” history, as visitors come and go and people who don't like you send curses your way. If you don't believe those curses have power, you'd be hard pressed to explain certain sicknesses and disease and even death that comes upon very anointed and pure-hearted people you know (not that I would claim pure-heartedness nor anointing as something I possess). Nevertheless, each time the property is cleansed, I see a noticeable change in the atmosphere and circumstances.’What?!?!?!?!?!
AAAAahhhhhhhhhgh!
In my opinion, there is so much wrong with all of this strange rigid mechanistic 'spiritual priciple' thinking, I'm ... I, ....
AAaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhggh!
posted by Chris Tilling @ 2:17 PM
11 comments
11 Comments:
I am weeping as I rip my eyes out of my head. Schultz has come a long way from the cute little listening group he started waaaaaaayy back.
have you seen post-charismatic? You really must.
http://www.robbymac.org/charismatic/
Rob is a friend of mine, really great guy.
Oh, boy. This reminds me of a humorous discussion in one of my classes at DTS (back when I was dispie and cessationist). The discussion of "binding and loosing" came up, and of course, we all made fun of the crazymatics who used such language. One student said, "I never understood how you can bind the devil, and then next thing you know, he's loose again. How long does a 'bind' last?"
It made me think of video games where you can hurt your opponents (think Pacman where the ghosts turn blue when you eat the big dots) for a short period of time, but shortly they turn right back into their dangerous selves again. Why does he have to periodically "re-cleanse" his property???
This kind of stuff is really sad to see perpetrated in the name of Jesus. The concepts they are basing all of this on are not as clear in Scripture as they would like them to be.
And I'm a small "c" charismatic continuationist who actually does believe there is a spiritual world around us. I just happen to believe that the work Jesus did on our behalf actually counts for something!! ;)
steve :)
good words Steve!
I can't recall who it was, but I once had this book on dealing with spirits that was really quite interesting. I should say that I don't have a problem with a spiritual reality and having to deal with these things - I've run into a few demoniacs in my days, but it certainly isn't commonplace. Anyway, this book was sounding really great until the guy started talking about having to self-exorcise every morning in the shower???
The issue I see is that there is a culture of fear around these things. Same with the Left Behind crap. It all feeds into this culture and in my opinion brings people into some real bondage.
I was chatting with someone in a park last year, a young guy I've known through the years. He has OCD and other things and had just come back from one of these crazy meetings. He was completely paranoid that the devil was ruining everything - I just reminded him that Jesus has not stepped down off the throne. Like you said Steve, what Jesus did counted.
On a slightly different note, as another small "c" charistmatic, I will say that I long to see a more dynamic inbreaking of the Spirit in my work with homeless youth. As I journey with kids who are overcome by violence, addiction, and illness, I am struck over and over again by how helpless we all are. I've seen two kids in ten years get clean from crack and stay clean. I've seen a lot more kids die than I've seen make it out. It is my journey with these kids that forces me towards the more charismatic elements of my faith.
I long for a Church that heals the sick, casts out demons, and brings freedom to captives. I long for a Gospel that really does have the power to bring new life. But it seems that the Gospel I proclaim is quite weak. Weaker than crack, weaker than sexual exploitation, weaker than violence. Why is my Gospel so weak? Well, the only answer I can come up with is that individuals and small pockets of people cannot proclaim the full gospel. We can journey with people as we follow a crucified Christ. I think we will only see the Resurrected Lord breaking into the ghetto when the Church as a corporate body stops grinding the face of the poor and returns to her call to be God' agent of new creation in the groaning places of the world.
What saddens me about large "C" Charismatics, those who claim to know something of the power that is so desperately needed at the margins, is that they are more focused on fleeing the ghetto and attain comfort than they are on remaining in the ghetto to bring new life there. I don't know any large "C" Charistmatics who journey with the poor... but I do know a number of them who exploit the poor. And that's why I'm inclined to think that most of that movement has been overwhelmed by self-indulgent bullshit.
Boy, that turned into a rather lengthy rant. Oh well.
Thanks for that link, Frank, I'll certainly have a look.
and "self-exorcise every morning in the shower"
Hehehehe
Perhaps he meant self-exercise, which is something could surely do with.
"Same with the Left Behind crap. It all feeds into this culture and in my opinion brings people into some real bondage."
Yea, this is it. A lot of this stuff, I know, brings people into a fearful, the 'world is out to get me' thing. Paranoid, as the young man in your story was
Hi Steve,
My wife did a DTS too ...
"I just happen to believe that the work Jesus did on our behalf actually counts for something!"
Yes!! Amen!
Hi Dan,
Thanks for these thought-provoing and moving words.
"I don't know any large "C" Charistmatics who journey with the poor"
Gladly, I do know some, but I know what you mean. In germany, the social issues tend to be left to the official and not so charismatic Lutheran church.
Dan's comment reminded me of David Wilkerson's "The Cross and the Switchblade".
My impression is, Wilkerson turned into a crazymatic later in his ministry. But when he tells of kids being delivered from drug addiction and being rescued from life on the street in conjunction with the baptism in the Holy Spirit — there he has my attention.
I know, there are serious theological problems with a "second blessing" position. But I would like Wilkerson's story to be true, because I agree with Dan: too often the Gospel appears to be powerless against the principalities and powers of this world. Surely that can't be right!
G. Jackie Pullinger also used a "spirit baptism" to help heroin addicts in the walled city of China. Hers is a story I respect a lot, I understand the theology and where I diverge, but when someone is doing something for real like that I am less concerned with them having the right theology on such a minor thing.
The book for her is called Chasing the Dragon.
I showed up at a friends church today and there was a guest big 'C' charismatic there who is also doing the stuff. He works amongst the poor in Mozambique. I know some who are doing the right stuff, but I also know far too many who are more concerned about getting their next 'god' fix.
one of freedom wrote: but when someone is doing something for real like that I am less concerned with them having the right theology on such a minor thing.
May your tribe increase!! This type of attitude is all too rare amongst Christians, especially in the blogosphere.
Thanks for making such an encouraging comment about how we should view those who differ on minor things.
steve :)
Q,
You know, one of the things Wilkerson got bang-on was this "radical" idea of trusting Nicky and the gang (the Mau Maus? Is that what they were called?) with taking up the offering. The part of the story stuck with me after I read the book (in highschool), and I've found that trusting street-involved people with things that they "aren't supposed to be trusted with" to be one of the most consistently transformative acts that one can perform.
One of Freedom,
Yes, you're right, Pullinger's book is excellent. Although, like you and Q, I don't believe in the baptism of the holy Spirit being a separate or secondary event to conversion, I do believe that the Spirit can manifest in new ways, with new giftings, at different times (so, even though, in Christ, we are all Spirit-people, we should all be moving deeper into intimacy with the Spirit).
I read over my original comment and I fear that I may have been overly harsh with my Charismatic brothers and sisters. I wrote that comment at the end of a set of night shifts, and during a time when I was watching even more of God's little ones -- in the absence of the Church -- get devoured by the streets and by addictions. So let me add this qualifier -- I suspect that self-indulgent bullshit is just as prevelant in all the major streams of Western Christianity. Hmmm, I guess that's sort of an apology.
Hi Dan,
"I read over my original comment and I fear that I may have been overly harsh with my Charismatic brothers and sisters."
I know how you feel, though. Easily done, me thinks.
I was chatting with my wife about this conversation tonight and she had a brilliant comment. She said that these types of products really were just modern day indulgences. Kitch sold with the promise to bring you closer to God. Had to pass that along.
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