I’ve seen religious gatherings (Christian) on TV where the evangelists or performers are going full-tilt and the camera pans the rapt audience, who often are seen extending one or both arms into the air, eyes closed, and sometimes swaying back and forth. I can attribute the closed eyes to prayer and the swaying perhaps to some sort of religious euphoria. But what’s with the raised hands? And why is everyone doing it? Is it like an antenna for improving spiritual reception? Or maybe something akin to raising your hand in class? Or, more cynically, does it say, “Look at me! I’m a REAL Christian!” (or even “Uh, yeah, me too”)? I’ve also seen the evangelists raise a hand when praying, which would seem to indicate a specific purpose. I spent many years practicing Christianity but no one ever clued me in to the hand raising thing. My churchmates were a pretty reserved lot, however.
I admit to having a little fun with this post, but it really is a serious question. What is the significance of hand-raising? And is it specific to certain denominations?
I think what it is, is a General Question. 
Its a physical expression of reaching out to the Lord.
why the use of "nazi’ in the thread title? Bigotry, ignorance, or trolling?
The title wasn’t meant as a shot to anyone, but a tongue-in-cheek visual reference to a large audience of rapt people with arms extended. I had no intention of connecting the two in terms of practice or belief, but merely in the bizarre and similar spectacle that each creates.
Have you ever the evangelist go around and bop people on the head and they fall down from the power of the holy spirit? Well this happens at the end of the show. No imagine that you have been standing up with your arms over your head and singing in a crowded room for an hour or so. Someone comes and bangs your forehead and you will see stars and faint. That is what is going on.
I think the association of Nazis with Christians is way, way, waaaayyyy, over the top. Christians raise their hands, as Grienspace noted, as a way of reaching out to God. It’s just a physical expression of religious belief, just like davenning is for the Hasidim, or whirling is for the Sufis. It’s not nice to poke fun at other peoples’ religion if they’re not bothering anyone.
The practice is generally one associated with Pentecostal denominations. It is evocative both of reaching out to the Lord and of surrendering oneself to the Lord. There are references in the Bible to lifting hands, which this practice is based on.
The information stated by Zebra is generally incorrect.
Actually Zebra, the way I’ve heard that the trick is usually done is that there are two guys on each side of the person about to get “konked by Christ”. Officially, they are there to catch the person, but in actuality they lift him or her slightly of their feet and drop them back.
I sometimes raise my hands to the Lord in worship. This is not an uncommon phenomenon in some of your evangelical or more emotionally liberated churches.
Many people worship in this style without it being some sort of “show” or “trick.” Don’t let a few head-bopping preachers taint your concept of heartfelt worship. For some, raising arms is an emotional release. Much like clapping at something you appreciate. Some people get caught up in the moment and the whole swaying with closed eyes and arms outstreteched thing is a natural expression of those feelings.
I, however, tend to be a reserved type of person. Public displays do not come easy for me. Even in church, something as simple as raising my arms causes me to feel self-conscious or somehow vulnerable.
That feeling of being vulnerable is the lesson for me, I think. I want to be “vulnerable” (receptive) to the Holy Spirit during my worship. I do not want to be overly concerned with what someone else may think. (Of course, depending on the church, the one not raising his arms may be the one who stands out). Can I overcome my natural reticence? Can I tell God, through my outstretched arms, that He (and not my own insecurities) has my attention for those precious moments?
I have been to many services where people get “Konked” as you put it. I have never seen anyone lifted up an laid down in the manner RevTim describes. Most of the people I have seen it happen to had been sitting for an extended period in an air conditioned room before they walked down the aisle.
Goboy, I never associated the activities or philosophies of Nazis with those of Christians. The reference in the thread title only pointed out the strictly visual comparison of the two scenes. And even that is a loose comparison–it was, after all, intended as a humorous observation of the strange similarity of the images. Part of what I find funny about that similarity lies in the irony created by the difference between the two groups. I left Christianity years ago due to, well, irreconcilable differences, and I’ll admit to still having some issues with that faith. But my cynicism has definitely not reached the point where I equate them with Nazis.
Nazis and the Charismatic Christians you describe are worlds apart.
One is led by a charismatic leader, who’s followers are intent on taking over the world with their particular brand of thinking. This is done through legions of followers sent out into the world and based on the writings of a few key men. Those who don’t agree are to be condemned to an eternity of torture because of their inability to see the truth.
The other group was a political party in Germany in the 1930’s and 40’s.
Now THAT is inflammitory! (To prove a point mind you) Comparing it to a RALLY is not.
If you’ve ever been to any type of pentecostal/charasmatic revival, you’d see a lot of strange things. The raising of hands is biblical (“raising holy hands to the Lord”). The “slain in the spirit” phenomenon (people falling backwards when touched) is not a trick, it’s a genuine reation by the people. Usually before hand there is a lot of singing and clapping and dancing. Then the music slows and becomes very emotional. There is a formula to it by the church leaders, but it is a genuine emotional response by the people. But you will also see groups of people waving banners, circling the congregation, people speaking in “tongues” and sometimes falling on the floor in fits of laughter. All of this is supposedly biblically based. Then there is the lines that form so that people can be prayed for, prophesied over, healed, etc. It is quite an experience and can be down right confusing and scary for someone not in the know.
And if a person walked in, saw people clamoring to get to the front while groups of people circles with banners held high and most of the congregation with one hand held up (both arms gets tiring), I can see the comparison to a Nazi RALLY. I don’t think any harm was intended in the OP.
I think a good question is do any of the Christians bye into this, that it is an actual religious experience from the Lord or just mass hysteria induced by overly-emotional people?
I have watched services by Benny Hinn. (sp?) (The guy with the huge comb over.) He did exactly as I described. He kept the group up on their feet with their hands singing. Then he did a few of the people on the stage and then moved out into the audience and konked about 40 people where they stood. He moved around and took a look at the people before he hit them. As the camera moved in you could see some people wavering and these people got the konk of God. The people who didn’t look like they were going to faint didn’t get hit.
What I said was true for that show by that preacher.
This is a bit of a hijack, but a few evenings ago, I could not sleep-I woke up around 2:00 AM, and turned on the TV. Whilst channel surfing, I came upon none other than the Rev. PETER POPOFF! Is this the same guy that the magician James Randi exposed years ago? As I remember the “rev.” popoff had a scheme where he wore a tiny in-ear FM receiver, and his wife would fill him in on the details of the victim’s ailments, problems etc. randi wrote a very amusing account of this, so I thought that this Popoff was fully discredited. So how does a (disgraced) faith healer get back into business again? are the people attracted to these events total dupes?
If you wanted, you could probably make a long list of disgraced televangelists who’ve made it back into the spotlight. You could start with Jimmy Swaggert.
I think people are quick to rationalize and/or forgive the bad behavior of leaders they believe in. Dupes? They sure seem like it to me. But if you extend that scenario beyond the religious sector to, say, politics or many other situations, there are scads of dupes out there. And if you apply the scenario to enough situations, most of us probably have been the dupes at one time or another.
Then again, I don’t recall having been duped into sending my life savings to any resurrected leaders.
I’ve seen a few rap videos where the whole audience was swaying back and forth with their hands way up in the air. Does this mean that black teenagers are all a bunch of Nazis?
Or, more accurately, does a superficial comparison of the arms of Christians and Nazis mean that the OP intended to call the Christians Nazis? Of course not.
The answer to your question, is, of course, the same.
I haven’t seen it myself in a very long time (and when I did I was a small child who believed it to be real, so it really doesn’t count) but I would guess that different people do it different ways.
I wouldn’t be surprised if some didn’t use any “trick” at all but relied on the power of suggestion.
Precisely. Everybody knows what you’re supposed to do when the preacher konks you on the head. In case you didn’t, there are usually a couple of guys there to catch you (as a little reminder).