Holy Laughter: Getting Drunk On Jesus (video)

Here's a video demonstrating the phenomenon of "Holy Laughter," a practice in some Pentecostal Churches where the members of the congregation fall to the floor in convulsive laughter, often collapsing in "Spiritual Drunkenness," intoxicated by the 151-proof power of the Lord: download mpeg video (16 megs), or youtube it. (Posted to youtube by the decidedly anti-Holy Laughter lalovision)

This clip is from a 1997 Pastor's Conference in which the late minister and plagiarist Kenneth "Papa" Hagin leads the visiting clerics in a raucous Holy Laughter session, cackling, guffawing, and inspiring the congregants to "act like drunks" and make collective noises that must be heard to be believed. One "Holy Laugher" makes sounds which can only be compared to those of Loons (as in the water bird). Other practitioners of Holy Laughter make crowing and mooing noises, find their bodies stuck magnetically to the floor and generally work themselves up to such a frenzy of induced drunkenness that they are sometimes unable to drive home from the service. You can see various samples of similar Pentecostal weirdness on this page, which includes clips from the homebase of Holy Laughter, The Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship.

Little did I know how divisive the practice of Holy Laughter was in the Christian community. Dozens of religious and other Christian sites disavow it, claiming that true believers would never laugh in church. Not that my opinion matters one whit in the debate, but any religion that gets people rolling on the floor laughing is doing something right, as far as I'm concerned. But what do I know - I'm a follower of  the laughing yogi.

Thanks to Listener David for encouraging my fascination with this stuff.

Comments

[Johnny]

That "drunkery" is very entertaining. The guy is like a stage hypnotist.

[Joselyn G MayFair]

I feel a lot of the personage, power of the holy Spirits move stunted by religion, and those not filled with the spirit. For the things of the Spirit are unnatural to the natural man. To me I have been in these meetings and no one asked me to fall or did they touch me physical. It is a move of the power of the Holy Spirit. I felt as though he was showing a rigid and stiff neck circles he would move as he wishes and how he wishes. We should never box in God. The Holy Spirit is a person one equal to the rest of the Trinity Godhead. If we submit to his work then we walk away blessed. If we become stiff-necked onlookers, we answer our own actions of not filled with his gift.
For me I am glad the video Holy Laughter was created I know they made it to make fun of and ridicule the ministries and people involved but God will make this an even greater tool to get his message across to a lawless generation on this earth.
Joselyn

[Nelyse]

Demonic. Look at the pastor flicking his tongue, look at the FACES of the congregation. Look at the movements of peoples bodies. Possession, temporary, and allowed. Weird stuff.

[Eric]

Does the holy spirit want these people to be filmed for the world to see looking
like drunken idiots, I think not. There are drunks who have gone to church repenting of there sins ,and who by gods help are changing there ways. Then
here are a bunch of horses asses acting like drunks making god look like a fool.

[zali]

I have laughted in the holy spirit. And there's is nothing you can do about it. I can't explain the feeling, it's just indescribable. Why do you doubt the holy spirit? Why do you make fun of it?

Job 8:21-22

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and you lips with shouts of joy. Your enemies will be clotherd in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more

Job 8:21:22

Aun llenara tu boca de risa, y tus labios de jubilo. los que aborrecen seran vestidos de confusion; y la habitacion de los impios perecera.

[John Michael Middleton]

Well the only way to know that Holy laughter is real is to be a true believer in Jesus Christ. If you are then you would understand that it is real. The bible clearly states that you wont understand the acts of the Holy Spirit unless you recieved him. (Corrinthians 2)