My dad’s running on the treadmill outside of my room right now and he’s just yelling in tongues and it’s annoying and creepy.
I could be out of line, but big televangelist pastors have got to know they’re putting on a show to swoon marks.
In regards to the second video, I believe it’s just faith. She’s probably seen her family members and other churchgoers do it for so long that she’s able to crush down any doubt within herself to do it. My dad will tell me conversations he’s had with God, including God speaking directly to him. He even told me that God revealed to him that his next wife’s name will be Elizabeth, so he knows what to keep an eye out for. He’ll tell me Satan is telling him bad things about himself, but he knows it’s the devil trying to provoke him and sow doubt within his spirit. He doesn’t believe that stuff is his own conscience, it’s God and the Devil talking inside of him.
I largely believe that most of what goes on in my conscience is of my conscience, but I’ve only had a handful of things that make me think, “okay, maybe there is something out there that loves us…” and Yknow, it’s comforting. It doesn’t seem demanding or jealous, just…love. I’m a very grounded, very cynical person who believes in science and materialism, but I do leave a chair at the table for a little bit of reasonable faith and hope. I guess what I’m saying is if something gets someone through a rough patch or through their day even, I’m not going to kick them while they’re down, but I sure as hell will shove them if they try to make me do the same as them. That’s my take on religion in a socialist society: people can pray and believe in God and heaven and all that if it helps them deal with the big questions and tragedy and stuff beyond human control, but that’s a personal thing and don’t expect others to kowtow to your beliefs.
