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Posted

Hi everyone, extremely long timing lurker over here! After years of reading here about the Duggars and other fundies I decided to post myself. My friend just sent me this Vice documentary about a Dutch Pentecostal community. Its a Dutch documentary, but it does have English subs. When I was watching I kept wondering how different or similar these kind of practises are to the fundies we discuss here. I feel like the people portrayed here are pretty similar in their beliefs to the Duggars for example, only using a different language and wearing different clothing. How do you guys feel about this? Do you think they are as extreme as the Duggars or other fundies we discuss here? I would love to hear your guys opinions on this :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YVz5zlkOQs

(if this topic is in the wrong sections of the forum, please feel free to correct me!)

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Posted

Welcome! I'm only 7 minutes into the documentary but I can tell it's a very interesting look at how charismatic movements are attracting young people in dechristianized countries and regions. I would compare this Dutch church to Bethel in California, but there are many others in the US. These newer Charismatic groups call themselves "spirit-filled churches" because they believe that everyone can use the gifts of the Holy Spirit (performing miracles, speaking in tongues...). They produce a major part of contemporary worship music over here and use it during services to get into a sort of trance-like state of connection to God (eyes closed, hands raised, crying, shaking...) There's a big emphasis on FEELING God's love versus following rules and commandments. They're also big into the prosperity gospel. 

In the US, the Pentecostal denomination also believe in the gifts of the spirit but they are "old-fashioned" churches - long hair, long dress... they have little in common with modern charismatic pentecostals. 

However this form of religion is pretty different from what the Duggars practice. The Duggars are fundamentalist Baptists, with some weird twists from belonging to the IBLP cult. Fundie Baptists are kind of the opposite of spirit-filled. Music should be sober and not stir up emotions. No speaking in tongues and other sensational miracle-performing during service. God is to be feared and revered, not felt. They're legalistic in the sense that they believe God has laws on how you should dress, behave and act. They're insular and exclusive as they mainly socialize with other believers of their denomination and try to separate themselves from the outside world as much as possible, except to proselytize. Some of their beliefs overlap with the charismatics, such as prosperity messages and soul-winning when out in public. But they're very different breeds. However several of the Duggar kids have branched out from the fundamental IBLP style of christianity and are more of a modern protestant flavor now. 

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Posted

I just wanted to add that there is a range of doctrines , and practices within the larger category of Pentecostalism .  For instance , I believe that most people will have no trouble seeing Oneness Pentecostalism , aka Apostolics , as constituting a cult .  { http://www.marketfaith.org/the-hidden-cult-of-oneness-pentecostalism/ , https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Pentecostal }  But as to whether or not all Pentecostal groups are cults , I will leave it up to others to decide for themselves .  I believe that , from what I have researched on the history of Pentecostalism , even those churches that might not be cults , for the sake of argument , are still related to those who are known to be . So I myself would be wary of them .  Also , lastly , I have had interactions with Apostolics , in particular , as some of my extended family are part of them , and I can tell you from experience that yes they are a highly controlling patriarchal cult .  They score heavy in every category of the BITE model .  https://freedomofmind.com/the-bite-model-and-religious-cult-groups/  

  • Upvote 4
Posted

I never knew that the whole "I trust God to provide for me, so I'm not going to work" thing exists here also.
I cringed so hard when Daniel asked a man in a wheelchair if he could pray for 3 minutes for him, and when the man says no, Daniel says "what if I can cure you in 2 minutes?" Who says something like that!? That was só rude!!

I find it creepy. All the happiness, the speaking in tongues, the weird giggling, it absolutely screams cult to me.
Unexpectedly , I find the extreme happiness the most offending. It is sooooo bad for your mental health, the idea that you should always be happy and smile! You don't!! You're allowed to be angry, anxious, or whatever you're feeling!! It's all good!
I've been an atheist for many years now, but I was raised as a christian (though nothing fundie thank god - pun intended). And still, when I had a burnout 2 years ago, it was so incredibly hard to stop smiling and saying everything was fine. 
Q: How are you?
me: I'm fine.
NO I AM NOT FINE!!! AND THAT'S OK!!

Ok, that went a bit OT, just to say I find pentacostals just as creepy as all other fundamentalist denominations. 
 

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Posted

I just found this mini documentary , which is in English , also from Vice,  about a Pentecostal tent revival .  

Spoiler

 

From what I saw , they seem to be pretty softcore , in terms of their view of sin , and standards of appearance , compared to a number of other Pentecostals .  I mean Pentecostalism is directly an offshoot of the Holiness Movement .    http://are.as.wvu.edu/pentroot.htm  And , speaking from the standpoint of someone from a Holiness background , if any of the women , or girls , of the church were to wear the makeup , and outfit that the preacher's daughter had on , in the video , they'd be liable get called out , for not having a sanctified appearance which becometh the Lord . So this is not to be taken to be representative of all of Pentecostalism , as a whole .  So anyway , you all can do your own research into the history , and beliefs of Pentecostalism , and then decide for yourself what to make of it . 

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