EYEWITNESS REPORT ON LAUGHING REVIVAL
Toronto Blessing is the "Laughing Revival"
experienced by charismatics .......which is not
scriptural. They claim that this kind of laughter is
a "holy laughter" or laughing in the "spirit"
*******************************************************
Harbor, WA 98277) - The following eyewitness report of the Laughing
Revival,
otherwise known as the Toronto Blessing, is from the Canadian Revivalist,
September-October 1994 --
On October 20, 1994, we went to the Vineyard Fellowship to witness the
so-called "Toronto Blessing," held in a warehouse type building near
the
airport. There were about 400 people in the main hall, plus an overflow
room. A survey by the leader indicated representation mainly from the
United
Kingdom and the United States.
Other countries represented were Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Holland,
South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Most areas of Canada were
represented, but only a relatively few visitors from Toronto itself.
The
home congregation, when asked to stand, numbered less than twenty.
This
proved what we knew--that the "Toronto Blessing" has little impact
here.
What we observed was sickening and diabolical. Many times we felt like
walking out and had to force ourselves to stay.
REPETITIOUS ROCK MUSIC. For the first forty-five minutes a band with
two
soloists led the singing. The people were standing and singing with
them to
deafening rock type music. The songs were about worshiping the Lord,
but the
music and behaviour seemed to be opposed to the Lord's honour. During
the
singing the crowd was progressively aroused. In all, only about four
different songs were used but each was repeated over and over--the
chorus of
the first song being sung thirty times.
There was much arm waving, shouting with horrifying screams and, when
the
music volume was lowered, the drone of what must have been "tongues"
could
be heard. By the end of the singing many of the crowd were exhibiting
spasmodic, uncontrollable bodily "jerks," which continued for the rest
of
the evening. When the leaders were speaking and one of those spasms
occurred
they either made a loud shout, or their words came out as a shout.
BIRTH GROANS. Apparently this evening marked nine months since these
happenings began and they felt they had now "come to birth." Between
two of
the songs, one of their own women went off in a screaming account of
the
movement coming to birth. Her screams and actions were so realistic
that for
a time we thought she was actually experiencing labour pains.
Four people were called forward to testify, but they had very little
to say
except that since receiving the "blessing" they had a love for everyone.
One
man declared he had received the gift of prophecy that afternoon. He
also
said when he saw people lying on the floor after receiving "the blessing,"
he wanted to lie on top of them to share it.
STRANGE PHENOMENON. One woman was so overcome by the spasms she appeared
to
be very drunk and could hardly walk. Her testimony time was taken up
by her
and the leader making jokes about her appearance of drunkenness. The
crowd
laughed hilariously so that it resembled a comedy show at a theatre.
Following each "testimony" the leader prayed for them and they fell
into a
trance, one man later roaring like a lion.
LETTING GO. The leader then asked all who found it difficult to "let
go" and
receive the "blessing" to say a prayer after him. Throughout the prayer,
he
was alternating expressions about them "giving God permission to break
down
any barriers" and that God was sovereign. The question came to mind,
if God
is sovereign why do we have to give Him permission to work on us?
ECUMENICAL UNITY. The speaker's text was John 17:20-23. The only message
he
could get from it was that the Father wanted to be intimate with us
so that
we could display love to others. Walls had to come down, he said, for
we are
all one in Jesus. During his message he went into fits of unnatural,
uncontrollable laughter which lasted about five minutes. All evening
various
people were taken with fits of maniacal laughter.
SLAIN. Two and a half hours after the meeting started, the chairs were
cleared and those who wished to receive "the blessing" were lined up
along
pre-marked lines. Members of the mission team, each accompanied by
a
"catcher," went to people and prayed over them, with their hand on
the
person's head or chest. The people would fall to the floor, eased down
by
the "catcher."
It appeared that in the quiet way they were praying they were putting
the
people into an hypnotic trance. Some lay totally still as if asleep,
and
others experienced bodily convulsions. By the end, the whole floor
was
covered with people lying about. Some were women in dresses or skirts
and
men would arrange their clothes as they lay there.
BIG DADDY GOD. Another striking point was that very little was said
of
Christ. Nearly every reference was to the Father, many times referred
to as
"Big Daddy." Even the hymn, "Jesus loves me" was changed to, "The Father
loves me, this I know." Virtually the only time the Lord and His death
were
mentioned was in the context of the Father's love. There was no mention
of
the blood of Christ, and the fact of being saved was noticeably absent.
The word "repent" was used several times but only in the context that
they
should repent for not taking down the barriers to allow God to come
into
them and give them "the blessing."
Two scriptures came to mind repeatedly. 1 Corinthians 14:40, "Let all
things
be done decently and in order." And 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, "Even him,
whose
coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying
wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be
saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie; that they might all be damned who believed not the truth,
but
had pleasure in unrighteousness."
The impression gained was that the devil was at work, and he would not
be
upset that they were singing and talking of the Lord, for there was
nothing
honouring to the Lord anyway, and that he (the devil) had them in his
hands.
It is sad to think that some genuine Christians have so little teaching
in
their churches that they get caught up in such things.
One respected brother, observing how far removed from biblical truth
the
whole exercise was, said that if what was seen in that Vineyard meeting
was
Christianity, then he was not a Christian and the Bible had nothing
to say
about Christianity. That is a valid observation (Eyewitness Report
of the
Toronto Blessing by Don Morley, Canadian Revivalist, September-October
1994).
