Secular "Shouting"

CC1 · #1 05-03-2008, 11:21 PM

I am not able to be here at AFF much right now due to starting up my weekend / part time Videography business.

I have had the opportunity to work with a local recording studio that features a large studio that allows artists to record a live session with up to a couple of hundred people in the audience.

After a test session a couple of weeks ago our first paying gig there videotaping a local band took place Friday night.

The band was actually pretty good and I enjoyed the music. Kind of a mild Funk / R&B. Lots of Hammond B3 organ, two saxaphones, good electric guitar licks, and a smooth lead vocalist.

Anyway what was so funny about this shoot was watching the audience. The venue has a beutiful wooden floor with rugs scattered around for those that want to sit but most people stand up.

For this band some of the audience that was standing danced. What had me almost laughing out loud was watching three or four of these folks "dance".

They met every stereotype of those that say white people can't dance. LOL!!! Two or three women and a young boy that appeared ot be about 10-12 years old looked exactly like some of the Penteostal "shouting" I have seen over the years. Not all out shouting like the "helicopter" or "jerk" but that kind of "semi-shouting" where one jumps up and down basicly in place, occasionally kicking their legs out in every direction and occasionally waving their arms around.

It just seemed really funny to see exactly what I have seen in church in this secular setting.

To add to my amusement was one man and woman who HAD to have been high on LSD or some other kind of wild drug. The woman would twirl and leap, and one point doing very bad somersaults as part of her dancing. They were very bizzare. While I enjoyed he music I commented to my daughter about halfway through the night that I sure would have rather been at a good gospel concert!

pelathais · #2 05-04-2008, 12:56 AM

Being confined between church pews and in a crowded room will naturally cause people to move in certain patterns predetermined by the confines of the environment. When the music starts and it's "time to move" predictable things will happen no matter what the motivation of the crowd is.

In Judaism, the method of dancing by simply jumping up and down is called "Yemeni" because, due to severe anti-Semitism, the Jews in Yemen could not dance anywhere in public and had to do their celebrations and worship within the narrow confines of their homes.

I think this pattern of movement reflects on a sense of oppression on the part of the one so dancing. Whether they are "oppressed" simply by a crowded space or feeling shackled in their hearts for some reason, it is often painful to watch. You know that there is an impules there to really "cut loose," but due to some sort of fear they hold back.

I once advised a church to remove several rows of pews from their sanctuary and to open up the area in front of the platform. They were stunned. "We need those pews for all the people we're going to win..." Long story short, due to the other oppressive and confining conditions they inflicted upon their people the church was run into the ground. Recently I did notice that a new pastor and a new congregation had moved in - and they moved the pews out.

Let's not mince our words or our style. If we really want folks to be expressive in their worship then let's facilitate that. If we want to keep them bundled up in tight rows - then we could always move to Yemen.

Hoovie · #3 05-04-2008, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pelathais

Being confined between church pews and in a crowded room will naturally cause people to move in certain patterns predetermined by the confines of the environment. When the music starts and it's "time to move" predictable things will happen no matter what the motivation of the crowd is.

In Judaism, the method of dancing by simply jumping up and down is called "Yemeni" because, due to severe anti-Semitism, the Jews in Yemen could not dance anywhere in public and had to do their celebrations and worship within the narrow confines of their homes.

I think this pattern of movement reflects on a sense of oppression on the part of the one so dancing. Whether they are "oppressed" simply by a crowded space or feeling shackled in their hearts for some reason, it is often painful to watch. You know that there is an impules there to really "cut loose," but due to some sort of fear they hold back.

I once advised a church to remove several rows of pews from their sanctuary and to open up the area in front of the platform. They were stunned. "We need those pews for all the people we're going to win..." Long story short, due to the other oppressive and confining conditions they inflicted upon their people the church was run into the ground. Recently I did notice that a new pastor and a new congregation had moved in - and they moved the pews out.

Let's not mince our words or our style. If we really want folks to be expressive in their worship then let's facilitate that. If we want to keep them bundled up in tight rows - then we could always move to Yemen.

I say we shoot for a good dose of normality and cease orchestating "worship".

CC1 · #4 05-04-2008, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

I say we shoot for a good dose of normality and cease orchestating "worship".

Radical! Next you will be saying people don't have to "shout" to make it to heaven or be right with God.

See what you have turned my lighthearted thread into!!!

Sister Alvear · #5 05-04-2008, 08:54 AM

I love worship and worship we did last night!

Sister Alvear · #6 05-04-2008, 08:56 AM

a little old for the old a little new for the young!

brotherjason · #7 05-04-2008, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

I say we shoot for a good dose of normality and cease orchestating "worship".

Amen!!

We used to fellowship with a church in SC, the music would start and a certain section looked like they were swimming with their arms out in front of them! They thing was even the music sounded like '60's surfing music! Music can move people and sometimes they mistake it for God. I'm not saying that all the happens in church is just music moving people, I'm just saying that it does happen sometimes, just like a rock concert.