Bethel Church

[JayP]

I am amazed at the ability of people to deflect, rationalize, and ignore reality.

That almost every church group of size has had individual people that commit sin is hardly proof of anything in itself.
Because we all know that is simply a function of having people.

But I am so suspicious when emotion driven evangelical churches want to get all wrapped up in driving out demons or performing miracles.

Now, I am sure folks like JohnH will COMPLETELY miss the point and say my church does that.
Actually, no it does not. The RCC is big enough and old enough that the focus on “miracles” is actually a tiny percentage of their history. For ever Lourdes or Fatima there are h7ndresds of years, countless parish churches that are “everyday”.
In addition, and this is NOT an argument for anyone to believe or convert, rather to see it in perspective of this wider conversation, no Catholic has to believe or focus on those revelations. A very good lesson from the RCC is that all revelation since the death of the Apostles is private. Meaning it may be true, and may have value for you, but the knowledge you need for salvation exists outside that, in the historic open teachings.

Notice that the RCC which has had millennia of experience with exorcism does NOT say teaching every dude to so it is the right idea. Only a handful of careful taught and supervised exorcists are authorized. You also do not see the Church overly talking about details, in fact only enough to make sure folks realize the devil is real.

I stick to my guns. I am not sure I am right on every view or subject, but I know when I see a car crash coming.
And folks need to use basic coupon on sense in evaluating some of these churches. Can oversight fail? Sure. But that does not mean do not have it. Individual charismatic leadership should breed caution not elation. Indeed, it is one of the aspects of conservative, traditional Anabaptist groups that I like.

I th9nk Jesus prefers most of us to work on our sinfulness, how we relate to others, more than learning to cast out demons as though it was taking a class in basic plumbing.

[JohnH]

The idea Bethel somehow has problems that aren’t or won’t afflict the Catholic Church is laughable. Here are things the Catholic Church openly condones and that Catholics do:

- Sets up shrines to dead people and then sick people go there to try to be near the dead person and get a gift of healing via “osmosis”.

- Promotes the idea of miracles, including the criteria to be “blessed” as one miracle and a “saint” as two miracles.

- Continues to have open revelation in the form of the Pope speaking ex cathedra.

- Has had major problems with oversight in the past, conspiring to cover up very sinful priests and shuffle them around. However, the Catholic leadership has greatly improved this area.

- Promote the idea of Christians in leadership positions, including government office, and applying Christian principles to government, business, media / Hollywood, music, the arts, and so on.

I am not saying the above are wrong. I am simply saying that Bethel and Catholic practice seem awfully similar to me.