I actually attended one of these so called pentecostal crusades along what is fast becoming pentacost road ( lagos/ibadan express road) also ( since i can't count how many of them are there again, 50, 100, 200, am losing count, probably have to ask the census board to give me a full statistics of what's going on there) I was first amazed at the hold up caused by the multitude of worshippers or devotees or, (gosh i don't know what to call them). I was there 4 almost 3 hours on the road, moving at a snail speed and carefully observing things around me. Truck load of buses shipping people in from all parts of the country, all waiting to see the great one.

My curiousity got the better of me when i finally got into the large expanse of land and saw the beautiful and expensive edifices surrounding the whole place and within a flash, i looked round again and observed the devotees ( sorry i dont know what to call you so bear with this name) looking so poor and wallowing in abject poverty. So i thought to my self that, this must be the reason people come here in their thousands. They must be dashing money and i was thankful that i came to collect my own share finally.

The music was loud and great and enough to put the organizers of the london carnival to shame. People where jumping, screaming on top of their words and speaking in languages i couldnt comprehend. I asked a fellow devotee beside me what he was saying and he said he was speaking in tongues. I pointed to the back and i asked, what of those ones? He replied, they are also speaking the same thing. Now this was beginning to arouse my curiousity and before i knew it, i realised almost 60% of the devotees where all speaking in tongues, poor me, i was left out of the tongue wagging contest. So i decided to recite my favourite rap lyric Jay-z's encore and boy did it blend with the other devotees. It amazed me how 20 minutes ago, i saw 2 guys quarreling profusiously over parking space and using venomenous words could all of a sudden be filled with the power of tongue. Must have been the quarrel! Next time am invited, i'll try and punch somebody's light out and see where the tongue speaking mystery would carry me.

Well fast forward to the main event, the star of the show! Miracle hour! I have been waiting patiently for 4 hours under the frosty nightly winds and now i was going to see the show. Gosh i wasn't disappointed. Trust me, you watch it on t.v and your like wow but real life? c'mon, a link park concert wont beat this! Where these cripples came out from astonished me. Your like one minute, there's no one there and the second minute, a ship load of cripples and lepers. Up on the stage was the revered one, all decked up looking magnificent just as if he just came out from a GQ magazine. I wondered again, how come Pastor devotee is looking like a million box and his devotees where looking so poor and crummy? His fire branding words and threats, made everyone sit up tight and reflect and i recollected my primary school days, when teacher okoye who scream at me and give me a good tongue lashing. The dramatics of pastor devotee was equally quite amusing, trust me RMD, couldn't have done a better job on stage acting out a benin play. Every 5 minutes i would see a group of people branching out in groups and forming a fire branding tongue wagging contest. It looked so much like the red indians dance, i couldn't take my eyes of it.

Well back to the star of the show, miracle hour! now these cripples with wheel chairs and the crutches were helped onto the stage and before i knew it, everyone was asked to pray for them and see the miracles of God. The swash buckling pastor devotee now performed a strange rite that i have never seen before. He brought out a white handkerchief , looked and them from afar and and blew kisses at each of them. The music was getting louder and the frantic tongue wagging was getting more desperate. Before i knew it, a man was actually holding his crutches and shouting praise the lord!!!!!! , wait aminute, , someone that was carried on stage 10 minutes ago with the help of 3 devotees and in a flash, He can do the moonwalk?, c'mon now! People where applauding and i had to applaud too, wonderful trick, my heart was racing!, please can you do it again! my mind was saying! Other cripples followed suit in becoming whole again after the blow of restoration kiss.

The next thing i thought of was bringing my aunty kate, who for the past 10+ years has been paralysed, boy if that cripple could walk, then aunty kate's own ailment is a non issue. Other people who professed they weren't born again ran to the stage to become one! the exciting thing about this part of the show was the way people fell with the slightest touch by pastor devotee. I also saw a woman being so frantic and jumping all around that she was possesed and in a jiffy, those eagle eyed body guards or ushers, immediately carried her unto the stage and before you knew it, pastor devotee delievered the greatest tongue wagging lyric and with the blow of the kiss, she was saner than yaradua. Boy i was elated, the show was too good to be true. Yemi my friend who invited me to this crusade, really did a good thing for me, i have lacked entertainment for quite a while, but this, i'll pay top dollar to watch again. After all the wowing, then came the best part! people coming on stage to tell the crusaders how wonderful the preaching was and how pastor devotee had impacted their lives and you couldn't come on stage without announcing a huge cash sum gift or expensive property to give to the pastor.

With all the millions in the organizers pocket, they still had to go around collecting tithes. Pastor devotee kept repeating the same mantra, " it's better to give than to recieve". I watched how poor people who couldn't afford a decent meal, squeeze out money to satisfy the crusade. All said and done, the final word was to come back next time and it would be grander than this. When the show had ended, i tried my best to wait for 30 minutes longer to at least catch a glimpse of my new found celebrity cripples, but just as they appeared mysteriously, they vanished mysteriously! How curious! Not even an autograph?, How rude! Stern looking mobile police men shielded the mob that wanted to see our new found healed celebrities but where disappointed. Journalists were also prevented from granting interviews to the new celebs and pastor devotee.

I went back to the park feeling very sad and again watched the crowd go back to their pre crusade attitude. Fighting for bus space, arguing and even a fight, now that was light entertainment that cheered me up . These same poor people after the whole show could only afford pure water to wash their eyes and poor on their head. What happened to the budget surplus that was just declared? I went home reflecting on my over night trip and tried to pick out the spirituality of what just happened but to no avail. I told Akeem of my experience and all he could reply was that i went there with no faith, what a croc of rubbish!

The above windy senario is what pentecostites of all denominations profess to and practice. It is their monthly or yearly ritual to organize such carnivals or parades and hood wink people in the name of God. Jesus never advertised a crusade to heal people and people he healed played a predominate role in the bible. Show me one person that has been cured on stage before and you now see him or her driving round maitama. All these show of entertainment goes to show the extent of buffonery protestants would want others to believe that this makes them the one true church. They concote estoic names for their crusades, power miracle night, the deaf will hear whispers, shaking the depths of hell, blah blah blah and covering it up that they are practicing the word of God or the word of faith. Because they are so inconsistent, they all want to grow up to have their own churches to milk more illiterates and zombies. Very soon, the ibadan/lagos express road would be a no go area, except for crusades. They all have fire branding names, mountain of fire, redeemers church, rock of God, believers love world etc and the beautiful part is when they end up criticising themselves , this one uses jaz, no no this one is filled with demons, my protestant friends, abeg tell me which one i go join, because all of you all provide the same comical entertainment which i would love to witness in my spare time again!

All this gyrations to display your panic measures in your lack of Biblical defence for Catholicism? You do well. Just make sure to post a disclaimer that you're not reacting from being stung somewhere from not being able to impress your Catholic brethren.

Lol, funny story Reciting Jigga's lyrics

But the best part, SPEAKING IN TONGUES

im not sure if you are a jurist as your poster's name suggests, if so kudos to you my learned friend,

your article is quite intriguing, it shows the scope of phantasm that most people have been subjected to in the name of miracle.
anyway, i dont blame the miracle connoisseurs because they are very smart in hawking, advertising and selling their product.

my hearts bleeds for the deluded superstitious believers.

when you finally write a book on the so-called miracles, a religious yarn spawned by transparent fictions  i will like an autographed copy, 


more girisi to your elbow

Seun will make you SAN very soon SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NAIRALAND trust me

No "Man of God" or the born again christians to tell the thread starter how wrong he is ? I'm disappointed

SHALOM!

Whereas I sympathize with anyone who finds an axe to grind against Organized Christianity, I cannot abide frivolity in stating the case.

It costs nothing to use correct Grammar and Spellings.

However, mis-spelling (there is a difference between capital "i" and small case "i," and using abbreviations (which you didn't,) turns one into a functional illiterate, with a pudding where they are supposed to have a brain.

Going to a Pentecostal Crusade is the height of stupidity.

. MATTHEW 24:3-5.

3. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives,
the Disciples came unto him privately, saying,
"Tell us, when shall these things be?
and what shall be The Sign of thy Coming,
and of The End of the World?"
4. And Jesus answered and said unto them,
"Take heed that no man deceive you.
5. "For many shall come in my Name,
saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."

ANYBODY TEACHING THAT YAHSHUA IS THE CHRIST IS A DECEIVER: PERIOD.

YAHSHUA GAVE AN EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION.

. MATTHEW 16:20.

20. Then charged he his Disciples
that they should tell no man
that he was Jesus the Christ.

. MATTHEW 24:21-26.

21. "For then shall be Great Tribulation,
such as was not since the Beginning of the World to this time,
no, nor ever shall be.
22. "And except those days should be shortened,
there should no flesh be saved:
but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23. "Then if any man shall say unto you,

'LO, HERE IS CHRIST, OR THERE;'

believe it not.
24. "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets,
and shall shew great signs and wonders;
insomuch that, if it were possible,
they shall deceive the very Elect.
25. "Behold, I have told you before.
26. "Wherefore if they shall say unto you,

[color=#006600]'BEHOLD, HE IS IN THE DESERT;'[/color]

go not forth:

'BEHOLD, HE IS IN THE SECRET CHAMBERS;'

believe it not."

IF ANYBODY TELLS YOU TO GO SOMEWHERE TO MEET YAHSHUA, HIS INSTRUCTION IS: DO NOT GO THERE; DO NOT BELIEVE THEM.

You therefore have people who have fallen into this trap, of packing themselves into crowds like cattle, because, they have been told, and have believed, that THIS is the ONLY way to get close to YAHSHUA.

. JOHN 14:21-27.

21. "He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them,
he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me
shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him,
and will manifest myself to him."
22. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot,
"Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us,
and not unto the World?"
23. Jesus answered and said unto him,
"If a man love me, he will keep my words:
and my Father will love him,
and we will come unto him,
and make our abode with him.
24. "He that loveth me not keepeth not my Sayings:
and the Word which ye hear is not mine,
but the Father's Which sent me.
25. "These things have I spoken unto you,
being yet present with you.
26. "But the Comforter, (which is) the Holy Ghost,
Whom the Father will send in my Name,
He shall teach you all things,
and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.
27. "Peace I leave with you, my Peace I give unto you:
not as the World giveth, give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

YAHSHUA GAVE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO GET CLOSE TO HIM.

It was not going to join some crowd of rubberneckers!

That is the height of stupidity.

As for whether the Healings in Miracle Crusades are real or not...?

There have been cases where Miracles of Healing were faked.

In one (American) case, the allegedly fraudulent minister (I say "allegedly," because the minister cannot defend himself- because he was killed- allegedly Suicide,) allegedly told his church member to fake having an ailment, which he would pretend to heal.

This person said that he did very well- considering that he had only a few minutes preparation time!

I would prefer to believe that that person was lying- because he was alive, while other church members and the minister allegedly committed suicide.

A famous or infamous case was ALEXANDER POPOFF, who pretended to use "WORD-OF-KNOWLEDGE" Ministration, in which he Prophetically related personal details that only his staff, who had counseled with the various sufferers before the prayer, claiming that GOD had told him.

An enterprising reporter used a Radio Scanner, and discovered that, not only were his staff in contact with him, using the then new (to the general public- the Military/Intelligence had had this technology for maybe 20 years before we heard of it,) "invisible earpiece" radio, and were telling him all these details, but they were even laughing at the people who were trusting in them!

It is within the means of the "MEGA-CRUSADERS" to HIRE people to FAKE AILMENTS for the minister to Heal.

The proceeds are enormous.

However, money is not the only motive here.

It is important to the FORMER MegaChurches to DISCREDIT the Full Gospel Movement, in order to get their members back, when they are discredited.

It is ridiculous, that people do not want to learn to find Yahshua for themselves, and NOT NEED these people who haul them out to Crusade Grounds, to feed them dumbed-down False Promises, and False Doctrines.

. LUKE 16:1-15.

AND he said also unto his Disciples,
"There was a certain rich man,
which had a steward;
and the same was accused unto him
that he had wasted his goods."
2. "And he called him, and said unto him,

'HOW IS IT THAT I HEAR THIS OF THEE?
GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF THY STEWARDSHIP;
FOR THOU MAYEST BE NO LONGER STEWARD.'

3. "Then the steward said within himself,

'WHAT SHALL I DO?
FOR MY LORD TAKETH AWAY FROM ME THE STEWARDSHIP:
I CANNOT DIG; TO BEG I AM ASHAMED.
4. 'I AM RESOLVED WHAT TO DO,
THAT, WHEN I AM PUT OUT OF THE STEWARDSHIP,
THEY MAY RECEIVE ME INTO THEIR HOUSES.'

5. "So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him,
and said unto the first,

'HOW MUCH OWEST THOU UNTO MY LORD?'

6. "And he said,

'AN HUNDRED MEASURES OF OIL.'

And he said unto him,

'TAKE THY BILL, AND SIT DOWN QUICKLY, AND WRITE FIFTY.'

7. "Then said he to another,

'AND HOW MUCH OWEST THOU?'

And he said,

'AN HUNDRED MEASURES OF WHEAT.'

And he said unto him,

'TAKE THY BILL, AND WRITE FOURSCORE.'

8. "And the lord commended the Unjust Steward,
because he had done wisely:
for the Children of This World are in their Generation
wiser than the Children of Light."
9. "And I say unto you,

'MAKE TO YOURSELVES FRIENDS
OF THE MAMMON OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS;
THAT, WHEN YE FAIL,
THEY MAY RECEIVE YOU
INTO EVERLASTING HABITATIONS.'

10. "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:
and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11. "If therefore ye have not been faithful
in the Unrighteous Mammon,
who will commit to your trust the True Riches?
12. "And if ye have not been faithful
in that which is another man's,
who shall give you that which is your own?
13. "No servant can serve two masters:
for either he will hate the one,
and love the other;
or else he will hold to the one,
and despise the other.
Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
14. "And the Pharisees also, who were covetous,
heard all these things: and they derided him."
15. And he said unto them,
"Ye are they which justify yourselves before men;
but God knoweth your hearts:
for that which is highly esteemed among men
is Abomination in the Sight of God."

op. look at ur present situation d reason u are like dat is because of what u just posted. if u are catholic keep it to urself. abi u think say na to wear garment