What does Veeky Forums think about charismatic christianity?

I'm torn on the subject.
I went to a CC youth event recently, on the invitation of a dear friend. I regularly visit a very strict protestant church, but I'm interested in other denoms, too.
Seen lots of weird shit at this event, glossolalia, people fainting, 'the work of the holy spirit', so to say. Everyone was very kind and helpful, and they seemed like genuinely nice people, but I couldn't shake the feeling something was 'off'.

Heresy

>Seen lots of weird shit at this event, glossolalia, people fainting, 'the work of the holy spirit',
Modern Christians will scoff at them for this but they are unironically the closest to the original spirit of Christianity.

OP here, I'll expand on some of these points.
It seemed like people at the event had a really grand time, dancing, listening to the music, losing themselves to the Holy Spirit etc.
However, in my belief, church shouldn't be about fun and the spectacle, it should be a place for quiet contemplation, reflecting on our sins, and deep examination of the Bible.
I don't want a God whose main attribute is that he loves us all dearly and forgives everything: I want Him to be consistent, to punish the wicked, and reward the just.

As someone who used to """speak in tongues""" in prayer groups, this type of stuff makes me incredibly uncomfortable. I am much more at ease with quite prayer, or chanting.

>“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

>2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

>5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Matthew 6: 1-8

Could you elaborate on that? I went to these types of churches as a kid and even then I thought that the people doing that shit were placed there by the pastor with orders to do that stuff to impress the common church-goer, until it started happening to my mom. What were you thinking and feeling that drove you to do that?

>in my belief,
>I want Him
>I don't want a God

Pretty narcissistic to base the ultimate truth on your normative desires m8

you are kinda right user
however, 'ultimate truth' is a hard concept to nail down. which denom does it right? catholics? protestants? evangelicals? someone else?
I'm just looking for the stuff I can identify with the best. you can argue about the pros and cons of each for ages, but in the end, you just have to chose the one you feel closest to.

Then you have Not understood Christianity

>I'm just looking for the stuff I can identify with the best

Unless you do some serious introspection that will not serve you well. You dont find God the same way you find a house, clothes or job.

Part of the struggle is realising that a concept of God alien to your feels could still be the right one.

As a westerner I would hate the idea of having to grow a beard, learn arabic and live by the Koran but that has zero weight on the truth of Islam.

For us it wasn't so much a spontaneous outburst, and in fact being a Catholic that sort of stuff wasn't a part of mass at all.

I was a kid going with my grandparents to prayer groups and gospel music nights, and we would pray over each other in tongues. My brother and I played along because our grandparents were doing it, but we both were literally just saying gibberish and it felt strange. For me it was very forced and it did not feel authentic at all, which is why it makes me uncomfortable today.

That being said, I can understand how it might be beneficial as a type of meditation, and in a big group I'm sure it's easier to get into it, but its just not for me.

watch picrel if you haven't already

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
How can modern chistians be so blind? How did they skip this part??

Bump

I am torn as well, I consider myself a Pentecostal but I don't attend and likely will never go to a charismatic church, because most of them focus to much on the spiritual gifts and not as much on the actual scripture... at least that is my experience, I come from a southern baptist/"non denominational" background

I've always kind of wanted to sit in on what seems like a bit of the other end of the spectrum; Quaker meetings seem much more subdued and based in your own prayers and relations with God, yet still allow for personal witnessing or sharing with the group, but with emphasis on it only being done if "compelled by the spirit".

what exactly ARE the differences between pentecostals and charismatics?

I can appreciate any sincerity of Christ-like spirit involved, but the whole speaking in tongues thing and such seems more like distractions than anything else. A reliance on emotion and magic tricks over a knowledgeable relationship with Jesus. But then again I was raised in a church that believed these spiritual gifts were meant to be strictly utalitarian.

Spiritism and irrational, total fucking heresy

So you're saying you reject God?