Summer 2015 - It is time to start planning for numerous REVIVALS

Revival time...... what a great experience.

What is a revival? Well the ones I have participated in started on a Friday 1200 hrs and ended Sunday at 1600 hours. A group of Christian like minded people who get together and sing and praise God. They listen to various sermons from respectable men and women of God. Possibly a debate at sometime; also a baptism pool or nearby creek.......music..... if possible free food...at least........soup and/or coffee .......a few portal potties.... a generator or two......a place to throw up a few tents for the weekend AND everyone is welcome no mater who you are. Witness real miracles today...... none of this Benny Hinn showmanship. Family environment.

Free to the public and done on either public or private land.

Plenty of time to get up and running for 2015. Speak to local churches.....get some volunteers...hang up posters....

So is this something you be interested in?

a reply to: Jesuslives4u

I love your reference to 'respectable men and women'. Looking at our church elders and knowing their private lives was a complete eye-opener as to who has the gall to raise their heads above the parapet of mere mortal and wear the 'Respectable' tag. Away you go enjoy!

originally posted by: Jesuslives4u
Revival time...... what a great experience.


So is this something you be interested in?

No, this is something I would avoid like the plague, just sayin.

Depends on who dualistic/open minded the crowd is. I can handle people that are like Jewel and Creed in their faith but not people who cannot see beyond their own faith and judge others (against Jesus teachings).

I like singing song about god/divine and are grateful for all the blessed ones who have come here to help out including Jesus. I also would like to see people who are laying hands from the Christian perspective so I can learn if there is any difference how they do it compared to Reiki.

I have no problem with xtians getting together and having a great time. They have, and should have that right. But the moment they start proselytizing the public, and recruiting, it's time to shut the whole thing down. Keep it in your home, and in your church. If I'm interested, I'll ask.

I don't run around telling people I'm an atheist IRL. If someone asks, I talk about it. Otherwise, I don't, except on occasion in the course of conversation. I don't need everyone to believe like me. And fortunately, they don't.

originally posted by: FlyersFan

The following is my opinion as a member participating in this discussion.

When we lived in Alabama we drove by one of those tent revival things. There were posters and billboards up around the revival area all screaming about how the pope was the antichrist and catholics are evil. The dude at the microphone was screeching about how everyone was going to hell except those who worshipped exactly like they did. And there were tons of those awful Jack Chick tracts being handed out .. even passing cars were bombed with them.

I didnt' see any 'love God and neighbor'. What I saw was a whole lot of hate and most of it was pointed at the Catholic boogie-man. We drove away from that mess as fast as we could.

As an ATS Staff Member, I will not moderate in threads such as this where I have participated as a member.

I have been too many of them and not once did I experience what you are talking about.

a reply to: Klassified

You sound just like the ole gay bashers.

originally posted by: deadeyedick
a reply to: Klassified

You sound just like the ole gay bashers.

With one major difference. I used to be a xtian, and I used to do a LOT of witnessing(proselytizing) on the streets. Something I am not proud of today.

a reply to: Klassified I just do not see how it is any different to say keep it in your homes and gathering places and not in public when exactly the same thing is used against gays and has been deemed to be part of an agenda to bash gays. Sounds like you just choose a different side and kept the tactics. I personally feel that certain things should be kept indoors so don't take this as me putting myself above you. I am just wondering how you justify it in your mind. Everyonee has a right to get together but a certain amount of tolerence is needed by all and i find that to be what has changed in my views. I tend to stay away from that which i do not agree with and i do not see why so many feel threatened by people coming together. Sure there will be parts that are not wanted like forcing flyers onto windshields but overall i find nothing wrong with the whole and i have no need to cast a wide net anymore while trying to undermine peoples rights. tolerance is key. All these things will happen either way and i find it easier now to regulate my own feelings and actions rather than condemn a whole group of people that i do not agree with.

Also i do not see the major difference you refer too. Now if you would have said you were a closet christian then it would be more fitting. Afterall that is one major talking point that was used is that many bashers were just in the closet themselves.

a reply to: deadeyedick
Maybe I didn't make myself clear. My apologies.

I have no problem with xtians gathering where ever they like, nor do I have a problem with them talking about Jesus publicly, such as the OP's tent "revival". I do have a problem with proselytizing and recruiting(As well as what Flyers Fan described above). That includes said flyers and tracts on windshields. But then, I have that same problem with sales flyers. I hate them.
The open display of ones beliefs doesn't bother me. I tolerate it every year from my whole family. The pushing of those beliefs on myself and others, does. Hence, why I am not proud of the hundreds of people I stopped and assaulted on the streets in my younger days, trying to convince them how great Jesus was. Nor do I appreciate being forced to accept the LGBT community, even though I already do, and don't have a problem with their lifestyle.

Keep it in your home, or the church means simply... If I come to your home or church, I expect that I'm going to hear about your beliefs and lifestyle. If I don't like it, I can leave. It's your domicile. If however, I'm in public. I have the same rights you do, not to be assaulted. I won't come up to you, and preach atheism, as long as you don't come up to me, and preach Jesus.

I hope that helps.

originally posted by: Jesuslives4u

So is this something you be interested in?

Depends on the severity of the dogma being lugged around. I love hearing people talking about these sorts of things (revivals), with folks being enlightened and exuding the love and peace of their gods but I've only witnessed a couple of crowds like this where it was truly what it claimed to be. And of those two, one was in our old low-income community in a black neighborhood where we saw people who normally throw signs and bullets at each other hug and shake hands. The other was at a bar with a bunch of bikers.

All others I've seen quickly devolve into gossiping about their neighbors or judging others. Guilt trips and passive-aggressive browbeating became the norm.

I think the difference is letting down your guard and letting in the spirit. People who don't have much are more willing to do this and be themselves from my experience. Where I live now, the Christian church goers seem to be too caught up in their possessions and status to really be seen taking their spirituality seriously and see their fellows as networking tools to be used or almost like a school reunion where you compare your accomplishments and feel better about yourselves.

Maybe you know a solution. A way to get people to let down their self-consciousness and truly be themselves, bare, in front of their gods. I know how I and my peers do it but it's easier for us because of the social circumstances our faiths place us in. If my path involved a large congregation with tithing, dogma, and judgement, I can't say I would be able to open up and be completely receptive to any wisdom.

I would love to see this overcome in Christian communities.

a reply to: Klassified
Sure it helps but i do not think there are many cases of christians assulting people. If someone threatens physical harm or does it then we have a problem and until then you will be approached by someone like your younger self to find Jesus again. then you have the right to find justice by way of the law. Until then get ready cause it will happen if i see you. jk Point being is that it is legal and will not change but the way we respond to groups can be changed. that very much includes the way i respond to groups also. It is just part of life.

originally posted by: Klassified
I have no problem with xtians getting together and having a great time. They have, and should have that right. But the moment they start proselytizing the public, and recruiting, it's time to shut the whole thing down. Keep it in your home, and in your church. If I'm interested, I'll ask.

I don't run around telling people I'm an atheist IRL. If someone asks, I talk about it. Otherwise, I don't, except on occasion in the course of conversation. I don't need everyone to believe like me. And fortunately, they don't.

I have no problem with you doing what you do and having a great time ... until you do it where I might have to see it.

Gosh, if I can shop with the lesbian family which I do all the time, you can put up with public acts of worship.

It's called tolerance.

a reply to: deadeyedick
The word assault there, wasn't meant to refer to a physical act.

a reply to: ketsuko
See my post above...linky

originally posted by: Klassified
a reply to: deadeyedick

The word assault there, wasn't meant to refer to a physical act.

Yea i know. Don't you just love it when someone ignores the brunt of a post and then attack one single aspect that could have been taken either way but they chose to exploit your character by turning the whole topic in a different direction?

On the other hand if left unchecked that one word could turn readers minds to believe that actual assults were taking place. I mean if you look at the opposition to a thread supporting a gathering of religious members you would start to feel that some people can not go in public without getting beat up.

we are here we are christians get used to it.

eta do you ever wonder what you would say if somehow you today came into contact with the younger you during an attempt to sway you to believe?

a reply to: deadeyedick

There unfortunately are. Comic Con had a bunch of dead sticks, walking around, carrying signs that the people having fun, were going straight to hell, for participating in it.

This is not treating thy neighbor as thyself. Faith is meant to be personal. Not oppressive.

Example, Would you like to explain to your children that, for example, seeing signs at the same event, that Allah is going to send you to hell, for rejecting Mohammad?

a reply to: deadeyedick

eta do you ever wonder what you would say if somehow you today came into contact with the younger you during an attempt to sway you to believe?

I run into younger(and older) me all the time. Both sides of my family are xtian. I'm one of the few atheists in the families. Discussions can be quite interesting at times. I actually find it interesting to be on the other side of the fence after almost 30 years as one of them. I have never tried to sway one of them to follow in my footsteps, though. That's for them to decide.

a reply to: Not Authorized If anyone can handle it the people at comic con can. I can't imagine a bunch of super heros being intimidated by some signs of talk. Now star trek did take a very serious athiest stance and is in it's on right a religion too many. pretty much asking for a different view point to be presented when many take a hardline stance against another.