The varieties of nonsensical christianist fundamentalism (especially among the pentecostals) continue to amaze me even as they proliferate and mushroom like evil mutants.
Up in Toronto, Canada, there was a "church that housed the Toronto Blessing revival." But this revival group got so big (2,000 members that gather in 11 locations in the city) that they are now busy exporting "the values of the renewal through a new network of churches."
Just what we need!
I'm not sure what these "values" are although Steve Long, senior pastor of the Toronto church speaks of "knowing God's love and deepening one's intimacy with the Father," whatever that means in the day-to-day. It also seems to mean "soaking" (praying and worshiping) for hours and hours at a time.
Now I don't care about any of this and actually I think if there were a god, he or she would crush all this foolishness pronto! I think any god worth his or her salt would see to it that the time and money spent by these preachers and churches advancing their own glory be spent helping people in need.
But here's the part of the story that caught my attention: The Toronto Blessing was begun in 1994 by John and Carol Arnott. It was a small church named the Toronto Airport Vineyard. That small church grew into a rather large revival, which, according to Charisma magazine, "drew hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world."
Maybe.
I've saved the best for last: the revival created "controversy over unusual manifestations [of the Spirit?] such as barking and uncontrolled shaking."
Barking and uncontrolled shaking? Heh, heh! When that happens to our Golden Retriever, we take her to the vet, 'cause something is obviously wrong.
But then again, god is Dog spelled backward.
Woof!
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