Before I post further on this thread, I would like to make a public appology to the moderator (Debbie) and to anyone else here that I may have offended with my innappropriate postings. I have been counciled by Daryl and understand that I need to be very careful with my word choices and style of writting.
Thank you
Daniel

I don't think "insanity" in our churches is really the issue. I think we have too long been criticizing each other and judging each others' motives. It isn't easy to come to the point where we can say, I don't agree with that person's position, but I have no right to label them (e.g, legalist, liberal etc.), but if we can't come to that point, we become what we accuse others of. There is a tendency to type cast everyone who doesn't agree with our position as carping, unloving, self-righteous, etc., and many times that isn't the case. A number of people are very uncomfortable with applause and hand raising in church, and most of them say nothing, but just give it over to the Lord. But there is a tendency with some to look at people who don't take part in the applause and handraising and judge them as hard liner legalists. If we are comfortable with doing something in church and others aren't, we need to be as Christian in our tolerance as we want them to be with us. It cuts both ways.

Jan

You are right. It would be foolish to divide a church over the position of hands in worship or prayer.

/Thomas

It would seem that more than right or wrong ways to worship there are many different ways to worship. That being said there are places where, with but a little travel, a person can praise the Creator with others who worship in the same style. And for those who cannot we need to learn to be tolerant of those whose style is different than is ours as long as that style does not go against a very clear thus sayith the Lord.

Redfog

it is a chore to get the members to raise their hands even when asked a question, let alone have them raisng their hands in worship!

I just read this whole thread from 2005 and found myself shaking my head at good folks who appear to be absolutely convinced that what the Bible clearly endorses is from the devil.

If we truly believe the Bible to be the Word of God, I hope we will use it as our rule of faith and worship practices, no matter how others may subvert biblical practices.

If we cannot practice what the devil has subverted to his own purposes, we cannot keep Sabbath. After all, there is the Black Sabbath, witches' Sabbath, etc.

Along with the insanity Barry describes, I consider it insanity to give up biblical practices because the devil has used them in his games. (Hey, folks, do you eat fruit?? Don't you know that the devil used a fruit to cause the mother of humanity to fall into sin? Should we consider fruit to be evil?)

Just for review, here are some of the positive biblical references of lifting hands in prayer and worship:

And, for those who believe Ellen White's counsel supersedes the Bible, here's a review of a short quote from her pen:

Yup!

Well Inga, thanks for bringing this one back, sorry I had missed out on the great back and forth that went on before my time.

WOW, it's almost all I can say, WOW!

There are SO many things here that I want to comment on, but have a limited time, so I'll just hit a few for now, and come back for more later. And by the way, I love this site.

The lifting of hands, hmmmmmm.............It's a physical movement, started in the brain, a signal traveling down the electical "circuit" of the nervous system, triggering the muscles to contract, and thus the arms raise. Seems pretty innocent on the surface, surely even Jesus raised His hands at some point. But then, I think it's about something more than that.

I almost want to say, are you serious? Is this even a real discussion, but after reading 6 whole pages, I can tell you guys are serious abou this one. For me, I can't possibly see how "raising your hands" or feet for that matter can even possibly matter. Who cares if you are so moved that you raise your hands? What if you only raise one hand? What if I'm only scratching my head, and someone iterepets it as "raising of the hands"?

No really, that's how silly this is. How can you place rules on something like this? Someone said in their church it's ok if it's below ear line. Really, is that serious? What if I'm so moved that I want to put my hands down? Or out to the side? Or, what if I want to raise my eyes to heaven when so moved, is that ok? If you want to sit and be stone still, we certainly don't chastise you for that. Why would you think the devil is in someone because they get excited about our Lord and Saviour?

I'm not sure that I've ever even noticed it or not, even after going to church for 30+ years, having attended many churches across the USA. Clearly some here think "raising of the hands" is akin to worshipping the devil, or slaying little animals. I assure you, it is no such thing. It is only what YOU make of it. If it's offensive to you, then by all means, DON'T do it. But what right do you have to tell me how to worship?

I'm pretty sure God is the only one who can tell if I'm doing it right or wrong. You may not like the way I worship, or the clothes I wear, or how I style my hair, and that's OK. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like the way you dress, but I don't go around telling you it's wrong. And even if it was, wouldn't I be better off showing you a different way to dress, rather then to put someone down, for doing something they feel is right? Do you get my point?

It's not our job to judge others, and least of all on HOW they praise the Lord. We will ALL be judged, give it time, you'll see. How about we look more internally, see what's going on with our own way of worshipping? Are we doing the right things in our own lives? What about that board in your own eye, should you remove it before worrying about the splinter in mine?

It's great to see what other's are doing, to "pull our noses out of the bible" and see the rest of the world. It gives us a chance to save a life, one other than our own. Let's not be so selfish and petty, to put down others for even worshipping at all! You'd be better off looking down on people who aren't even christians, rather than berate your brothers in Christ.

Well, that seems like a lot said, and hopefully not too much. I'm so happy to have a place where we can talk openly about the things that "move" us. And yeah, I think it's ok to worship differently than others. We are all entitled to love God, we all have the right to be saved. And if that means you need to raise your hands, I say, RAISE THEM HIGH! Let the light from within shine outward, so that other's may be brought into our folds.

Hi fun2believe,

Thanks for the reply.I like your spirit.

I also find myself in total agreement with all you've written above.

Inga