Been reading Stephan A. Hoeller

[apothanein kerdos]

Do you see the inheret flaw? You equate emotionalism with change....when in all reality it only provides a false perception.

Why is drinking alcohol to aleviate psychological pain a bad thing? Becuase the problem remains. Then why is relying on emotional appeals and highs any better?

Emotionalism IS NOT life changing...it's moment changing. Basically, I'm refering to existentialism. Emotions take place at the psychological level and not at the spiritual level. They can be decieving and not an accurate measure to spiritual or physical success. Just because we feel happy does not mean everything is going well. The only way to bring about true change is doctrinal change and dying to ourselves. Having been through depression I can tell you that most of the time (if not a chemical imbalance), it's simply caused by nto trusting in God's sovereignty....this cannot be changed by a purely emotional expirience.

[nebula]

OK, so here's the problem - "emotionalism" has been the term used by critics.

I never equated my experience with some mere emotional boost.

It's like this. I was at a Mylon and Brokenheart concert back in the late 80's. Mylon likes to preach as well as sing - and boy can he preach! I felt conviction tear apart my soul like a knife, or at least that is how I felt. But then he and the band sang a worship song, "Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb. . . ." And I felt what only can be described as a feeling like when parched ground receives a gentle fall of rain, and all those areas that felt cut-up were healed, and - Wow! I felt like I was in the Throne room of heaven!

And I don't know what you know about psychology, but a major depressive episode is not something that is just going to go away. I mean, I had just been to a professional counsellor who diagnosed my condition and had me set up for an appointment with a psychiatrist to get some anti-depressant medication. But I prayed, "Lord, if You don't want me to take that medicine, please do something." A couple days before the appointment, a friend invited me to a service her church was having. I went not expecting a whole lot. But when I shared my struggle, a group of them laid hands on me and prayed over me and read Scripture. when they were done praying - the depression was just gone and inside I felt like I was soaring!

That isn't something that "just happens", nor was it a false perception, nor was it "an emotional high." It was a real life-changing experience! (Note, your claim that the problem remained is false! )

Have you ever known the presence of God that way? HAve you ever felt like you were bathed in the presence of peace and love?

You can't reduce experiences with God to the realm of intellectualism, you know.

I mean, emotions are[/] a part of our being, you kow? Can you have love for another without any emotional experiences being involved?

Why reduce God to the realm of the mind and bar the others? Why call an experience that involves the emotions evil or superficial or false?

[apothanein kerdos]

I think we mean the same thing but are misuing our terms. When I state emotionalism, I am speaking of people trying to have an expirience with God void of any intellectual working....in other words they merely go from one emotional expirience to another....they can only sum up their relationship with God as "I expirience Him."

What you went through I would call, "The Holy Spirit."

Emotions are okay, what I am against is people relying solely on emotions. It is just like a Christian that reduces Christianity to nothing more than an intellectual pursuit....it becomes a cold religion. We must use emotions, feelings, intellect....everything about us when going to God.

Also, my statement about it not lasting still stands, because you did not expirience emotionalism as I meant it.

[nebula]

Gotcha!

[Scarletprayers]

I sincerely hope this thread continues, I am really enjoying it.