Kanye West “Be completely silent as God flows through me while I speak“

[47of74]

Yeah that ain’t God talking

Quote

This Sunday, Kanye West‘s highly anticipated service at Joel Osteen‘s Houston megachurch went down just as many expected: as a perfect mix of celebrity narcissism, privilege, and fundamentalist Christian certainty.

During a conversation with Osteen, West talked about what led to his recent religious conversion, but before he got into the meat of his story, he chided the audience for daring to distract him while speaking for God.

As West continued to speak, an enthusiastic person in the audience broke his concentration, prompting the born-again rapper to take a moment to address the person directly.

“Excuse me brother, I go into these streams of consciousness when I’m talking, and when you’re speaking in the the middle of it, it distracts me,” West said as the audience sat silent. “I really appreciate the support, but I would like for everybody to be completely silent so I can let God flow through me as I speak to you guys.”

 

And someone just had this on FB in response 

 

 

Edited November 19, 2019 by 47of74

[pook]

Well the world is totes a strange place when Kanye gets his own thread on Free Jinger!

[treehugger]

What a bizarre thing North American Evangelicalism is!  Gone are the days when new converts gave up their earthly possessions for the poor and took extended absences from public life to contemplate their new spirituality.  Apparently the thing to do now is become president and start your own church the minute you are "born again ".  We've come a long way from the Desert Fathers and Mothers. How in tarnation are people taking this seriously? 

[treehugger]

I should add, I am not yearning for the "good old days" of Christianity.  Christians gave done shitty things throughout the millennia.  I do, however, look with deep suspicion on "Christians" who use their religion to make money and spotlight themselves with it.  I strongly believe a true conversion will involve a period of self reflection and a less selfish outlook on life. Not qualities I've observed in Kanye or Trump.  

[FluffySnowball]

I assume Kanye’s recent Christian endeavors are a mix of publicity stunt and the result of him being bipolar. I feel kind of sorry for his wife and children because regardless of their money and fame, it can’t be easy to live with someone who goes through such... phases. Just imagine he talks like that at home, asking Kim or the family to shut up cause God’s essentially talking through him. 

[anjulibai]

I don't think is a publicity stunt for Kanye. I think he's in a massive manic episode, and is being fueled by lots of people that do want the publicity. 

From what I understand, Kanye doesn't spend a lot of time with Kim and their kids. Their lives are mostly separate and Kim is able to shield the kids quite a bit. 

[bea]

Kanye is displaying textbook classic symptoms of a manic episode - the three biggest symptoms, in fact. No one but his family can tell if he’s not sleeping or has a decreased need for sleep, but I would guess Kanye isn’t sleeping much. He seems to be ticking off the unfocused/easily distracted box, too, but it’s not as obvious as the other stuff.
Inflated self esteem/grandiosity: he’s said he’s a God, FFS. And this new religious kick fits into the same box. He’s the one, he’s interpreting the Word of God for us mere mortals because he’s better than anyone else.
More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking - has anyone heard him talk? Erratic, tangential, incoherent, and can’t seem to stop talking.
Racing thoughts - even his talking can’t catch up to how fast his mind is going right now. He’s disorganized when he’s speaking because he can’t keep up with all the brilliant points and connections he’s making (or that he feels he’s making). This also fits in with another symptom of mania.
Unrealistic goal setting - he’s going to do ALL THE THINGS because he can and should, he believes he has special insight and abilities that will make it possible for him to accomplish unbelievable things.
Religious delusions are often part of a manic episode, too. Hearing God talking, for example, or having a special insight into religious practice/theology/gnosis/etc. is very well documented as a feature in a lot of people’s manic episodes.

Kanye has said that he went off his medication because he felt it stifled his creativity. And as a grown man with an almost endless supply of money, he can do pretty much whatever he wants, including indulge his manic delusions completely. I can’t imagine what his kids and wife are doing to try to get through this. If he didn’t have all this money and wasn’t famous, he wouldn’t have this kind of platform, and he’d probably have to stop funding/indulging in his mania-fueled plans. But there’s literally nothing stopping him, and a lot of people happy to use his delusions for their own purposes.

[ViolaSebastian]

19 minutes ago, bea said:

Kanye is displaying textbook classic symptoms of a manic episode - the three biggest symptoms, in fact. No one but his family can tell if he’s not sleeping or has a decreased need for sleep, but I would guess Kanye isn’t sleeping much. He seems to be ticking off the unfocused/easily distracted box, too, but it’s not as obvious as the other stuff.
Inflated self esteem/grandiosity: he’s said he’s a God, FFS. And this new religious kick fits into the same box. He’s the one, he’s interpreting the Word of God for us mere mortals because he’s better than anyone else.
More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking - has anyone heard him talk? Erratic, tangential, incoherent, and can’t seem to stop talking.
Racing thoughts - even his talking can’t catch up to how fast his mind is going right now. He’s disorganized when he’s speaking because he can’t keep up with all the brilliant points and connections he’s making (or that he feels he’s making). This also fits in with another symptom of mania.
Unrealistic goal setting - he’s going to do ALL THE THINGS because he can and should, he believes he has special insight and abilities that will make it possible for him to accomplish unbelievable things.
Religious delusions are often part of a manic episode, too. Hearing God talking, for example, or having a special insight into religious practice/theology/gnosis/etc. is very well documented as a feature in a lot of people’s manic episodes.

Kanye has said that he went off his medication because he felt it stifled his creativity. And as a grown man with an almost endless supply of money, he can do pretty much whatever he wants, including indulge his manic delusions completely. I can’t imagine what his kids and wife are doing to try to get through this. If he didn’t have all this money and wasn’t famous, he wouldn’t have this kind of platform, and he’d probably have to stop funding/indulging in his mania-fueled plans. But there’s literally nothing stopping him, and a lot of people happy to use his delusions for their own purposes.

It’s honestly a little difficult for me to watch. I realize getting people in this state to get help can be difficult, but it’s still upsetting. Yes, he’s Kanye, but he’s also the father of four children. This isn’t going to end well, and anyone with experience with Bipolar can see that this train is headed down the track to Disasterville. 

[Georgiana]

While I do believe there are mental health issues in play, it should be noted this is a natural direction for the evolution of the Kardashian empire.  They've been oversexualized and overexposed for so long that a backswing is gaining a lot of momentum.  The only thing that will keep this gravy train going is a "rebirth" where they jump on another gravy train, let their old train crash, and become the Kardashians 2.0.  Evangelical Christianity is actually one of the few viable avenues they have to make this transformation.  It allows them to leverage their fame, repudiate their old life and image, and legitimately be "born again" as completely new people.

So I think there's business in play too.  This is a savvy business move for this family, and Kanye could be in on it...or could be being exploited as his position as an outsider, personal behavioral history, and current state make him a natural and believable leader to bring the family into this "new season" of life.

Kanye went from $53 million in debt to raking in $150 million a year after his "transformation".  There's a LOT of money in play here, and I don't think that should be ignored.  I think, however, the family is encouraging Kanye's erratic behavior to distract from the money and make this look more natural and less like a business rebranding.  

[formergothardite]

Kanye saying that women who post pictures on Instagram are making men suffer and comparing it to porn makes me think this is a meltdown. Slut shaming isn't really going to work for transitioning to a new brand, especially if Kim and her family doesn't also step up and say they were wrong for posing like that. I really wish next time Kim is being interviewed someone would ask her about that. I don't think there is anything wrong with their pictures but it is pretty blatant hypocrisy for Kanye to go after women on social media when his wife does the same things. Things like that won't help transition to a shiny, Jesus brand. 

[ViolaSebastian]

@Georgiana, this is the way I see it, too. I think there's an genuine mental health issue here, but instead of getting this guy some help, his publicity machine (cough, Kardashians, cough) is exploiting it to make money. Religious delusions like Kanye's are a symptom of psychosis and it's very alarming to watch. How people are praising him for his sudden religious conversion instead of thinking "WTAF?" at a man standing up in front of them claiming to be a conduit for the voice of God is beyond me. How desperate do you have to be to believe in his sincerity that you ignore his previous mental health issues and frankly bizarre behavior? 

 

[Georgiana]

24 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Kanye saying that women who post pictures on Instagram are making men suffer and comparing it to porn makes me think this is a meltdown. Slut shaming isn't really going to work for transitioning to a new brand, especially if Kim and her family doesn't also step up and say they were wrong for posing like that. I really wish next time Kim is being interviewed someone would ask her about that. I don't think there is anything wrong with their pictures but it is pretty blatant hypocrisy for Kanye to go after women on social media when his wife does the same things. Things like that won't help transition to a shiny, Jesus brand. 

From what I've read, he is currently "guiding" his family away from that, which i think will factor in to their new image.  Kanye has already talked about how he has "changed his standards" with regards to how North dresses.  In that, I agree with him because I did think that the way they were dressing North in some cases was not age-appropriate.  He's also said that he's had discussions with Kim where he's expressed disapproval over her sexualized image or encouraged her to dress more modestly (she's confirmed this as well).  Her Met Ball outfit, for example, he said he was very uncomfortable with and didn't want her to go out in.  

So there's already a foundation laid for "Male headship was formerly fallen, has revelation, finds Correct Christianity, guides his weak, lost wife and children to it, and they are now fully redeemed", which as we all know is a very well-received testimony among evangelical groups.  It reminds me of the story of Jessica (Letisha) and The Chad where he wanted her to change her dress, she wouldn't, he instead implemented rules onto the kids, and eventually she broke had a revelation and came around to her husband's superior God-given wisdom.  

[ViolaSebastian]

4 hours ago, 47of74 said:

Yeah that ain’t God talking

 

And someone just had this on FB in response 

 

 

Interestingly, I just read that he has recently purchased a second large, secluded ranch in Wyoming and has begun to build an amphitheater on the first. 

[Wolf in Sheeples’ Clothing]

Kanye, take your meds. Take them. God gave man (more specifically, doctors) the knowledge and technological know how to create and prescribe medication. So please, take your meds. Do it for your family. 

[ViolaSebastian]

2 minutes ago, Wolf in Sheeples’ Clothing said:

Kanye, take your meds. Take them. God gave man (more specifically, doctors) the knowledge and technological know how to create and prescribe medication. So please, take your meds. Do it for your family. 

To get personal here for a moment, my father has bipolar I. He'd take his meds for a few weeks, but always reverted back to not taking them because he actually enjoyed feeling manic and being able to stay up all night and write like crazy, which was part of his profession. I've recently spoken with my shrink about how hard that was to grow up with, and he confirmed that it's actually really common for people with bipolar to enjoy the "high" of being manic and stop taking their meds. I think all that is part of why all this is so hard for me to watch. At least we didn't have millions of dollars and adoring, sychophantic fools encouraging his behavior.

[Wolf in Sheeples’ Clothing]

26 minutes ago, ViolaSebastian said:

To get personal here for a moment, my father has bipolar I. He'd take his meds for a few weeks, but always reverted back to not taking them because he actually enjoyed feeling manic and being able to stay up all night and write like crazy, which was part of his profession. I've recently spoken with my shrink about how hard that was to grow up with, and he confirmed that it's actually really common for people with bipolar to enjoy the "high" of being manic and stop taking their meds. I think all that is part of why all this is so hard for me to watch. At least we didn't have millions of dollars and adoring, sychophantic fools encouraging his behavior.

I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I also have bipolar family members. It can be so draining to be around them, and I limit contact with them to just once a year. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to be around that 24/7. 

I’ve seen the negative impact an unmediated person with bipolar can have on their family. I really feel for Kanye’s children. They must feel like they’re constantly walking on eggshells while around him. And it doesn’t help any that Kim is, most likely (whether she realizes she’s doing so or not), enabling his toxic behaviors. The adoration of his fans makes it so much worse. 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Wolf in Sheeples’ Clothing
I hope this makes sense. I can’t get the words out right again.

[DomWackTroll]

Tim Bayly, of all people, has been defending Kanye's "conversion" on Facebook. 

[treehugger]

@DomWackTroll, I have a lot of acquaintances in the Reformed/Calvinist circles who are fawning all over Kanye as well.  It's all so surreal it sort of makes my head spin.  

[Marmion]

This gives new meaning to the term " cult of celebrity "   .  Also , from what I have read , as well as personally seen , Pentecostalism and mental illness , especially bipolar disorder , tend to go hand in hand .  

http://ex-pentecostal.blogspot.com/2008/09/pentecostalism-and-insanity.html  ,  https://etb-former-fundamentalists.blogspot.com/2012/04/christian-psychologist-admits-manic.html   And furthermore , although I don't entirely like to label an entire spiritual practice as being cultish , it would hard for me to conceive of a Pentecostal denomination that wouldn't be characteristic of a cult , in some ways , and to some extent  .  

[JanasTattooParlor]

From what I’ve read recently, Kim didn’t seem to be taking too well to Kanye’s conversion. He’s shamed her for the outfit she wanted to wear to the Met Gala this year and he had forbidden North from playing with any makeup or even wearing a tiny bit of lipstick if she wanted to match mom. She kinda said that she understands that it’s part of his new conversion but that she doesn’t necessarily agree with it and that they’ve had to make a lot of compromises since his conversion. 
My dad is bipolar and cycles rather fast compared to Kanye. One day he’s depressed and vaguely apologizing for “all the things he’s done to me” without ever acknowledging what those things are or how he’s going to change it and then the next day he’s manically ranting about how people have torn his marriage to my stepmom apart and made her this hateful person, when really, she’s just finally standing up for herself and listening to the advice of her friends that tell her she needs to take care of herself. This year is the first that I will not be spending any holidays with my dad because I’ve also decided that I need to take care of myself. Oh and my dad also recently found religion and is already doing what our beloved fundies do—using it against his family to make them stay in line and then telling them that they need to find god like he has and that he’ll pray for them. Sorry for the rant, I just really connect with having crazy bipolar relatives. 

[browngrl]

21 hours ago, Georgiana said:

There's a LOT of money in play here,

I think that this is the big reason that Kim is with Kanye. 

[Hane]

@ViolaSebastian, sending you hugs. My first (ex) husband essentially died of untreated bipolar disorder, as the result of a street drug overdose. 
 

OT for this thread: I firmly believe that Stevehovah Maxwell fits into the category of hyperreligiosity caused by mental illness (or at least by personality disorder). How else would a man decide that his observant Christian parents didn’t give him a “Christian upbringing,” and then think it was a good idea to have his vasectomy reversed and give his chronically depressed wife five more kids  when she could barely take care of the three she had?

[ColeJo]

I have been concerned as well. I would love to give Kanye the benefit of the doubt, but he is not surrounding himself with the best people to disciple him. I also think it is very convenient that he is open about being a Christian and the current album. It is entirely okay to give a testimony, but he should not be leading any sort of movement. He doesn't seem like the person that will humble himself and take the time to learn about the ways of Christ.

I'm just so tired of the marketing tactics in American Christianity. Being a disciple of Jesus isn't popular and one has to count the cost. Jesus did not say go into all the world and make converts. He said to make disciples. Conversion is a step, but it doesn't immediately lead to a mature faith. That is why new converts are commonly called "baby Christians." 

[CherylV]

It looks like mania to me also and may he followed by a big crash if bipolar. My sister is bipolar and borderline personality disorder, my ex is bipolar and a narcissist with possibility a touch of sociopath and one of my children is bipolar/ADHD so I have quite the personal experience but not with anyone with Kanye’s resources or reach.

im worried for his wife and kids - esp his kids - I would give a lot to go back in time and have gotten out sooner - 

Edited November 21, 2019 by CherylV