RateItAll: The Opinion Network

I'm a Pentecostal, and I think some people have mistaken beliefs about the denomination, as a whole. Now I am aware there is a branch of Pentecostals (the Oneness Pentecostals, in particular) whose members believe that one is unsaved if they don't have the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but Pentecostals as a whole do not have this mindset. Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is what makes an individual saved, and the rest falls into place during that individual's walk with the Lord. I just happen to think these gifts are available today, and not just in the first century.

Also, Pentecostals are also thought of as frothing-at-the-mouth, poison-drinking snake handlers. Although there is a remote sect within the realm of Pentecostalism that do these things, that does not describe the Pentecostal denomination as a whole. You will not catch me picking up a snake of any kind, and I'm certainly not going to be so foolish as to pick up a bottle of shampoo and gulp it down. However, I do believe that God protects His people if something harmful comes their way that's unforeseen or accidental.

I do think it is unfortunate that many have had bad experiences in Pentecostal churches. However, I believe it is unfair to label them all (like letting one bad apple spoil the whole bunch) just because of those bad experiences.

Most of them are doctrinal and good.

There are some divisions in the Pentecostal faith that are cults, but not all Pentecostals are that way. I went to one that scared the daylights out of me. But finding the right one made a difference. Besides, denomination will not save the soul. JESUS is the ONLY way to salvation.

Healing is scriptural and in the Bible, as is tithing and speaking in tongues. The most important thing of all is salvation and believing in Jesus Christ as Personal Savior - that is what gets you to heaven, and gives you joy now.

holy rollers, i love it when they do the healing in tv. most of the time they just beg for money. god sure is broke.
AND...speaking in tongue is just BS.

Acts 2

1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Too many pentecostals have told me that I'm going to hell. As a result I can't take them seriously when they show that kind of a lack of understanding as to the nature of God.

People don't really seem to understand what this is about. It is a covering "title" over denominations such as Assemblies, Foursquare, etc. Excellent!

I am a Pentecostal and I have to agree for the most part with dunamis on this, but would caution that certainly not all Pentecostal churches are preaching the full gospel. There has been much error propagated from every quarter and certainly Pentecostals have had their share. Do not let the hypocrites keep you from the real thing. Who cares about fakes? The man with a real experience is never at a loss to a man who just has an argument. I do believe that the gift of the Spirit is for all who believe in Jesus and that their is not a limit to how close you can get or how deep you can go in the Lord.

Yes, they're the best. The top Pentecostal denomination is Assemblies of God. I think Foursquare comes in second. There are several different types of Church of God that might qualify in this category too.

Yes, it is charismatic. Foursquare and A/G are part of the Pentecostal denominations. You don't even have to believe in tongues, end times or all the things you guys have mentioned. You DO have to believe in Jesus Christ and ask him to forgive you. It is your faith in Him that will get you to heaven.

I am not a Pentacostal, I'm a congregational. Yet I once attended a charismatic service and was 'slain in the Spirit.' Let me tell you I was not expecting it and I certainly would not fake it. It was real. If you don't believe in the gifts of the Spirit, take a look around you, especially at Christians in third world countries. Miraculous healing and speaking in tongues is a very orthodox practice. It isn't necessary for worship but it is real and wholesome.

First of all, being Pentecostal does not make you a member of a "cult" as some people call it. Catholics pray to Mary, we speak in tongues. Anyone without the proper knowledge of either denomination could call both of those weird. Personally, I think praying to the dead mother of Jesus is a little weird, but that's what Catholics do, so that's cool. We speak in tongues, and that doesn't make us weird. Speaking in tongues is one ofg the most amazing things to witness if you're not completely ignorant to what it is. Not all Pentecostal's are the same. The church I go to is completely laid back and fun. Yes, there is speaking in tongues, but it is very reverant, and not taken lightly. We pray, we worship, we do all the things Baptists, and Lutherans, and United Churches do. We're all worshiping the same person, so it shouldn't matter in what manner we do it in, as long as it's serious and pleasing to God.

I don't get it. Christianity plugged along for about 1900 years without all this nonsense about Raptures and End Times Theology and Speaking in Tongues and all the other esoteric and odd practices of this cult. I guess you sit waiting for the Holy Ghost who picks on you, of all people, to carry the truth. Then you parse some arcane passages of the Bible that were probably mangled in translation, and bingo! You have all the truth. I must admit, however, I enjoy all the half-educated Goobers on television fleecing the poor rubes out of their hard earned cash. I guess its a good way to make a living and all you have to have talent for is being a charlatan. If the Devil does go through the world seeking the ruin of religion, this is his cult. The satanic howling in tongues should be one clue. The second is the obsession on the End Times and rejection of Christianity's message: to spread the word, and nurture the church, and the other original messages. All this group cares about is trying to bring on the last days. That is why we have the unique Atheistic Zionists and Pentecostal/dispensationalist alliance in the Middle East. These people care about nothing but themselves--so smug are then about their own ultimate salvation. To hell (literally) with the rest of the world. Forget Christ's message and feather your own spirtual nest. The devil is using this group and its obsession to wreck Christianity in the East and to wreck Western Civilization. I have a friend who actually had a neighbor of his come over and ask my friend to take care of her poodle after she had been raptured! What kind of a deal is that? What amazes me is how supposedly intelligent USA officials lets this group "drive the Mideast bus." I thought it was very informative when Netanyahu came to the USA, he went to see a fundamentalist preacher first before he met with the President of the United States. The commentators state that this was deliberate. I think it is a disgrace! It hurts America!

Regarding SFalconer's comments, ditto for me. They're terribly misguided.

They speak in tounges and they are always on about Revelations and the Rapture, a word that is not even in the bible. The tounges thing is so dumb, I can't believe any one falls for it. One can speak it but you can not understand it; it takes some one who has the gift of interpretation to explain to the speaker what they said. I can only assume that being filled with the Holly Spirit only gives you have the story. Why god would talk to you and leave it up to another flawed human to tell you what it means is beyond me. The whole sect is based on Pentecost where God gave the believers the gift of different languages. These morons took it to mean what the believe. They call themselves Christians and yet they have distorted what it says. Revelations says nothing about the word Rapture but thats what they cram done their congregation throats. Its a some what insidious organization and I say that because most of your so called TV evangelists are, wait for it, yes Pentecostal.

I agree with vfern; this is one spooky sect. I haven't got a thing against anyone who truly wants to worship God. But after a certain point what may start out as one thing can become like some kind of self-indulgent free for all. For a short time after my father passed away my mother hired this older woman (who turned out to be both mean and crazy) to take care of my sister and me. I didn't realize how really odd she was until we attended a service with her at her church one evening. My mother didn't suspect what was coming that evening when someone stood up and got the speaking in tongues ball rolling. I've never been around anything so bizarre in my life. I was only about 8 years old but I remember thinking, what the devil is wrong with these people. As far as I'm concerned, this crowd relinquished the right to call ANYONE else weird.